Flea Market Finds

Last week on Thursday night I went to Cathy’s (tinniegirl) first art show, and I was lucky enough to meet Miss I Saw You Dancing (and I can see Cathy shaking her head at me I've forgotten someone's name and I'm haging my head in shame but names just won't stick in my head). I regularly read her blog and it was so nice of Miss I Saw You Dancing to introduce herself (and it really was despite forgetting her name) … oh boy, this isn't going well.

As we were chatting my luck with vintage finds was mentioned … which I find perplexing as I spend more time envious of other people’s finds than belief in what I find. Sure … every now and then I find something I really want or like … like the glasses from a few weeks ago or even the clothes I’ve found over the last couple of months.



But maybe there’s some truth in it (or I might have found myself a lucky charm despite my unfortunate memory) because this week was totally special … I found a set of four Chinese made and style blue and white coaster tiles.



Not really vintage but totally gorgeous and completely at home in my blue and white bedroom.



What did you find? Something you love or have you been working hard and coming up with nothing? I went to 11 op shops on Saturday using public transport (Frankston line) over about 3 hours because I find the minimum is four or it’s hardly worth leaving the house: Mordialloc (2), Parkdale (1), Mentone (2), Cheltenham (3) and Malvern (3).

Sophie Isobel at Her Library Adventures has lots more vintage loveliness to share … go take a look.

Good things: My Place and Yours

This is my first time ever as theme queen ... and I’m so glad it’s for My Place & Yours. Thanks Danielle at HelloOwl.

My choice is gadgets.

Do you have a favourite?

Maybe you have a gadget you use every day?

Or are you drooling over a gadget that you really, really want … but can’t afford?

Our most often used gadget is the humble grater ... and here are a few.


The one I like the best is the hand held parmesan grater.

The gadget I wanted to share was our vintage nutmeg grater. The top twists off and the whole nutmeg is dropped inside. Then the mechanism is worked by turning the handle on the side. I love the smell of fresh nutmeg as it grates ... absolutely gorgeous with apples for apple crumble or apple cake.

But wouldn't you know it ... I can't find it!

If you want to share your gadget ... pop over HelloOwl to sign up. I can’t wait to see everybody’s.

Good things: Ruby Tuesday

I'm sure following memes is the reason why my life is flying by at such a rate of knots ... it's time for Ruby Tuesday already! I could have sworn that was only yesterday.

This week around I'm adding the red things in my shower ... shower gel, shampoo and conditioner.


I only noticed they were red yesterday, and thought how perfect they are for the meme.

If you want to check out more ruby goodness ... pop over to Work of the Poet.

Who would have thought there'd be so much red in the world?

Good things/Clean up Monday Mon 15 Feb 10

GOOD THINGS/CLEAN UP MONDAY: Kitchen ceiling
I had a great weekend on the friends and outings front … and I even got most of the housework done. The long weekend I had made all the difference and some serious house cleaning was achieved … just a shame that I never seem to find the time to start on any of the major renovation jobs on the list.

Last week it seemed obvious the oven was going to be the next major job I tackled, but as usual life got in the way and the kitchen ceiling is next.

And why is this so? (Sorry, couldn’t resist the reference to Professor Julius Sumner Miller and here’s a taste for those too young to remember him).


This guy was totally part of my childhood ... he could put really complex ideas into relatively easy to understand language and that was a revelation to me.

The answer is because the electrician is coming on Friday to install a new kitchen fan and the new downlights ... and because it absolutely has to be done.


And now it looks like this.


Not perfect ... and I'm going to have to climb up on the stove top again to have another go, but at least it's part way to being fit to paint.

TIME TAKEN: 1 hour ... (and a lot of twisting).

Good things/My Place & Yours Sat 13 Feb 10

GOOD THINGS/MY PLACE & YOURS: Kitchen Love
It's Saturday and time for My Place & Yours at Punky & Me. This week's theme is Kitchen Love ... the collective brainchild of Nic and Tracey who came up with the kitchen related themes of Your Kitchen Wall and In my Kitchen respectively. Vic's collapsed the two into one delicious theme.

I'm in the midst of a slow home makeover so there's very little about my kitchen, or any room for that matter, that I love.

It's more about what I'd love to rip out and start again.

But I did a little thinking outside the box and there's something I absolutely love about my kitchen ... the new downlights being installed on Friday.


Look at these babies ... we're finally going to have light in every corner of the kitchen.

Our unit was built in the early 1970s and a metre long fluorescent tube has done good service for 40 plus years ... until it died about a week ago. But it's always been dark in the cozy corner the kitchen table lives in ... and those days will soon be over.

I am so looking forward to this being installed.

Good things Mon 8 Feb 10

GOOD THINGS/Clean up Monday: Around the stove
I had a great weekend; most of it spent outside the house and it was wonderful … thanks for asking.

But I know which one I’d rather; a life rather than a clean house, although that neatly brings me to Clean Up Monday.

Last week I got the horror that was my laundry floor tidied up and it’s lasted the week, and over the weekend I got the basics done for the following week.

But believe me there’s plenty of scope for more … and the floor around the stove and fridge is a case in point. On my knees on the floor wearing rubber gloves while I force myself into spaces hardly large enough for a mouse is not my idea of entertainment … which is why said spaces weren’t pristine (and why I’m not sharing any before pictures).


It's a terrible photo ... but I'm just going to have to move on!

And now the space is tidy it’s clear next week’s chore has to be the oven. Eek!

TIME TAKEN: 20 minutes

Good things Mon 25 Jan 10

GOOD THINGS: Home sweet home
It's so nice to get home after a few days away.

To the welcome from the friendly faces that've been looking forward to my arrival ... as if!

To be greeted by a clean, tidy kitchen ... as if!


Horace cooks ... but he doesn't make beds! I guess I can't have everything.

To fall into a tidy bed newly made with fresh sheets ... as if!

Hey, wait a minute ... this isn't the daydream I thought I'd be having.

Lucky I have a good sense of humour.

Project 365 Sun 13 Dec 09

SUNDAY STASH: Painting stuff
It's Sunday again and time to play Sunday Stash.

For me, it's getting way too close to Christmas now for crafting ... there's too much to do with the shopping and the planning and the everything to be doing much by way of crafting projects.

So for this week I thought I'd put out there the one thing I wish I was doing ... even though it's more a home DIY project than a craft.


All ready to go ... all I need is some time.

I am itching to paint the white tatty chest of drawers that sits in our lounge ... well, white.

It looks so dowdy and dull it wouldn't even qualify as shabby chic even with some serious distressing.

Roll on the Christmas break and some sunny weather.

Lots more Sunday Stash goodness over at 1/4 of an inch . Check them out.

Project 365 Wed 11 Nov 09

ANOTHER CORNER SORTED
Project spring clean is continuing, with this week a tidy up of a blighted corner of my room ... my gorgeous drawers beside my bed.

For too long ... in fact their whole life in my room ... they've been covered by my extensive scrapbooking magazine collection.

But that's such a waste ... my drawers are gorgeous and they really deserve to be treated better.

So I am so pleased with how it's turned out:

* the magazines cleared and put aside for sorting ... maybe Ebay for some of them?
* a sweet selection of bits and pieces put together for my viewing pleasure
* painted the edges of a corkboard with white and added a few bits and pieces
* washed down the walls and sanded part of them ... really getting ready to paint at some stage in the future.


Check out your corkboard, Wini ... it has one of your little notes from years ago I've had hidden in my scrapbooking drawers.

How nice is this?