Garage Sale Finds

We whipped into town this morning to pick up a new shag pile rug (bottom photo)....Yeah Baby! and saw a sign for a garage sale being hammered up on the way past. It was a retired antique dealer so we popped in on the way back home.

Here is what we scored:



Two 1980's poker machine signage plates



Cedar mirror frame (behind the poker signs) which is destined to become a chalkboard.



Nifty old tap, brush and old stirrup...neigh



Coolest finial, tiny rake head, bakelite floor protectors, old brass knobs, handles, picture hangers etc. (Sitting inside a Victorian fabric lampshade..the camera battery died before I could take a shot of it)



And finally a great piece of Australiana; Liberty Confectionery College c1920's thermometer. Apparently Liberty Confectionery College was The Largest and Oldest Established College in Australasia during 1920's - 1940's.



What goes around comes around...
Many moons ago, when we were selling on Ebay, Mr T found an Asian inspired blue ceramic vase. He had previously sold a few 1960's cat salt and pepper sets which did really well and was feeling quite the picker.

When he saw the vase, he said, 'yep, this will sell really well', and promptly bought it. Well, it didn't sell and it sat in the shed for years. The year before last at our garage sale, the antique dealer who was having his own sale today bought it and added it to his shop. We would periodically go in and have a nosy around, having a little chuckle that it was still there.

Today, there it sat proudly amongst all the other bits and bobs, this, the vase that would 'sell really well'....we laughed all the way home.



I managed to find a photo of the vase!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Collections: Clowning Around

Another one for Mr T's clown collection (here and here).

A 1970's clown print with raised wooden nose. Check out the creepy long finger nail....

Have a great weekend, one and all.

p.s. only 40 days till our big trip...eeeekkkkk!!

New Work Station

A new work area for the kids, away from all the fuss and bother, in their room. The old arrangement of working in front of the tv was just not working, Kade would take 10 thousand hours to do his homework. This will work so much better don't you think?

This is why we love having lots of stuff because I can change rooms around by pulling bits and pieces from what we already have.

Before:


After:






Here's hoping that they use it.

p.s. thanks for the lovely comments re the last post.

What's behind the new door you ask?

Mr T, a bona fide techno geek, was very pleased with himself for installing a new bin (I know, boredom) and building a new cupboard door in the kitchen. He even recessed the door to fit snugly inside the opening and chiseled it to add the hinges. He is so chuffed that he can’t stop opening and closing it and talking about it non-stop. He even made me take a photo!

Drum roll......here it is!




You are probably thinking, ‘what is all the fuss about?’ but Mr T is far from a handyman and he is as proud as a peacock and I have to give him credit where credit is due.

And you thought my blog was about treasure hunting, pretty things and collections...hahaha

Vintage Equestrian Riding Hats

Is this not the most beautifully aged riding hat you have ever seen in your whole life?? This is my favourite find of the week, actually Mr T found it for me, isn't he lovely? I love, love, love it to bits. It will be displayed in our newly made over room, the colours are perfect.




If I can bear to part with the blue one below, it may be heading to my Etsy shop soon.



Thanks everyone for your lovely comments, and a big hello to my newest followers :) I hope you enjoy the week ahead, Tamara x

Collections: Carnival Chalkware/Plaster Figures

After clearing out some my the 'stuff' from my computer room, I grouped together my chalkware collection. I thought that I would give you a closer look.

Chalkware figures were given away as carnival fair prizes from 1910 through to the 1950's. The earlier pieces were often painted by hand, but this was replaced by airbrushing (sometimes using stencils), which enabled the manufacturers to produce them more efficiently. At the end of the 1950's/60's they were replaced with stuff animals or other small trinkets.

I began collecting them because my uncle 'G' had a collection of kookaburra's and he would often ask me to bid on some on Ebay. I would keep an eye out at the markets and swap meets for them, and after a while started to collect them myself. I collect predominately kookaburras, koalas and dogs. I do have a few others scattered around, an owl, boat, and Dopey from the snow white.

They are getting harder to find these days, not as many are turning up at the markets, or swap meets but you are still able to find them on Ebay/Etsy.

Do you have a collection too??

Cleanup Find

Isn't the cover of this record too funny? Found it in the cupboard while cleaning.

c1976, Australian hard rock band from Newcastle, NSW - Rabbit.

Priceless.

Computer/Dining Room Makeover; Part 2

Image source 1, 2, 3, 4

Our new room will include:

1. Bambury Herringbone throw $15 Coles Australia
2. Dulux Clotted Cream paint for the walls
3. Two seater retro styled sofa (Tatler) in Park Wheat from Oz Design $1399 - to buy
   
4. Handmade vintage London underground teatowel cushion from HuntedandStuffed Etsy
5. Victorian floral oil painting an Ebay purchase

What do you think?

Computer/Dining Room Makeover; Part 1

Now that the children are growing and our family has a need for more livable space, its time to redo our dining/computer/playstation 3 room. This is the room that India's friend thought was our garage..haha.

It seems to be a catchall at times (hence that mess all over the table) and is quite full of stuff. The said stuff shall be moved to another area (mostly in the granny flat/studio or shed).

As we never seem to sit at the table, one persons life is squeezed from their chest if the try and sit in the chair next to the barbers chair, we have decided to move the table out. Freeing up some space to add a new sofa. We spent a lot of time in this room watching movies/tv on the computer..blogging to lovely blog friends..and playing the playstation anyhow, so why not be comfortable.

It will be our turn for Christmas this year also (apparently our oven will be fixed next week, but that's another story), the extra seating will also come in handy.

As it is quite close to our holiday, I may have to wait until we get back for the new sofa, but I am destashing and organising the space at the moment, and I think we still have some paint in the shed. A little at a time don't they say??

Here are a few shots of the before, tomorrow I will show you a few new elements for the room makeover. Have a lovely day!

Bushranger in the Family

I hope this post finds you all well, I have been very quiet over the last week, having a little blogging break. Things are a little up in the air at the moment but hopeful all will be back to normal soon.


image source

A while back I gave a little insight into my English roots. Today's post is a bit of history from my fathers side. My niece has been researching our family heritage at school and my dad was telling her about our our famous bushranger ancestor, William Fletcher born Braidwood in 1838; a 21 year old petty criminal and a married father of an eleven month of daughter...

Bushrangers were robbers who generally used the bush for cover and to set up their base camps. Their activities became prevalent during the mid 18oo's during the Gold Rush. The Clarke Brothers were famous bushrangers around the Braidwood region.

April 9th 1866, William Fletcher aligned himself with the Clarke Brothers gang. On this day, they robbed a man of all his saving whilst on his way to the bank from the Gold Fields. Continuing their robbing spree throughout the day they were involved in crossfire with two Constables Miles O'Grady and Smythe Smith while holding up Pollock's General Store, Nerrigundah, NSW. Constable O'Grady was critically wounded but not before shooting Fletcher who died within the hour while the rest of the gang escaped to the bush. William Fletcher reign as bushranger lasted only ONE DAY!

I just discovered he was buried at Nerrigundah, his grave site is documented here...seems a family road trip might be called for :)