Old Stuff !

I love to shop.  I love to buy new stuff but I also really love to buy old stuff, someone elses junk could just be your new treasure.  As is the case with all this stuff photographed below.  These are some of the things I have either purchased myself or been lucky enough to inherent from family and friends recently.  

Old electric jug from Yandina Markets

Vase given to me by a family friend

Op shop buy - blanket for my daughters bed
(I love these old style blankets and am on the lookout for one for my sons bed now)

Suitcases from antique shop, op shop and markets

The chair on the right I recovered with Amy Butler Fabric - it was a gift from my Mum last Christmas

Gorgeous old jug given to me by family friend, they used to drink their water from it when they were kids. I feel very priveleged to have been given this family heirloom

Cute little typewriter I bought for $5 from a garage sale - My Mums beautiful blue oil lamp is also pictured in the background - she gave it to me recently and I adore it.  I remember it in our family homes since I was a child. 

Wish I could find myself some teacups like these beauties - picture from the internet.


There is more to come........

MAMIEJANE !!!!

YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO POP ACROSS HERE .   MamieJanes space is AMAZING - I just had to share it with you immediately.  I want everything that she has in her Studio - she has taken photographs and described everything - her storage ideas are fantastic.  I'm inspired.  Maybe one day my studio space will look half as good as this ?  Here is a sneak peek................








I would probably have a room like this if I did not have to justify why I need it all to my husband.  Oh well. 

I was excited to get an email from the Madeit Website today, they are featuring my flower power doily pants on their front page for the theme "DOILY FINDS" - I had a link here to take you to the page, but they have updated it now with other items so I have removed the link. These pants are a one of a kind as are all my creations, made from a beautiful vintage fabric that I sourced in Brisbane at Retro Metro. The fabric is quite an open weave almost linen type fabric, lovely crisp white with gorgeous purple, soft pink, orange and yellow flowers. It would have to be one of my favourite old fabrics from my stash and I used two doilys to decorate both the butt and the leg, a really cute feature. I wish I could wear pants like these, cos they are super cool. I love them on Miss L, she wears them well. Thanks Madeit for choosing one of my designs to feature in your special home page this week.

Beautiful Bendigo

WELCOME TO BENDIGO I lived here for a couple of years, back in 1976 - 1978 when I was just 8 years old. Bendigo is a beautiful small city, full of lovely old homes, antiques, lovely gardens and good shopping. This is a picture taken by me recently, looking down View Street, Bendigo Victoria. View Street has quite a few Antique Shops and several Vintage Clothing stores. I was lucky enough to spend some time here earlier this month shopping. I managed to buy a vintage suitcase and a 70's paisley jacket for myself and for my friend who lives across the road I bought an antique vegetable dish. I will post pics of these soon. This Antique shop kept me entertained for probably an hour or so.

Here is the Trades Hall

building which is Heritage listed. It is one of only 3 remaining Trade Halls in Victoria. It was built in several stages, with work commencing in 1896. Next to it is the Penfolds Fine Art Gallery, I did a Google search on this building but could not find any history on it. The next two pics are of the Fire Station, again in View Street. It is a lovely old building of the typical Victorian red brick, built in 1898. It is now used to hold concerts and is part of the Performing Arts Centre

Unfortunately, when I was in Bendigo I did not know about theBendigo Woollen Mills. It is apparently the largest wool outlet in Australia and they also do online ordering for those of us who do not live nearby. Next time I go to Bendigo this will be on my "to do" list.<

I did, however, know about Langley Hall, though I had no idea where it was. Several months ago I was checking out real estate in Bendigo, dreaming of living in one of the many beautiful old homes down there, when I stumbled across this most beautiful place. It was for sale for a cool 2 million, but I knew I had no chance of convincing my husband that we had to buy it and live a beautiful life there. So driving through Bendigo recently on my way to a friends place, there it was, right in front of me. A quick photo stop was in order, so I got myself a few pics of the grand old lady. She is simply stunning.

This picture is courtesy of the internet, I will post more of mine in a later post.

If you get the time, head to Bendigo, and I recommend you go in autumn or winter to enjoy it at it's best. If you get a lovely cold day with a blue sky you will be in heaven.

Tea Time !!

My little collection is slowly growing, I have been gradually purchasing a piece here and there and this week my trip to Brisbane resulted in a little sugar bowl to go with my tea cup trios and pretty plates. Now all I need to do is have a tea party. Any takers ????

OppShopping and Vintage Shoes

I went oppshopping with a girlfriend and her 13 year old daughter yesterday. My friends daughter found the best pair of old shoes for $8. I just had to share these with you because I thought they were beautiful.

Photo Shoot !!!

We also managed to get some shots of my "mens business shirts transformed into little girls dresses". I did these last year some time and Lucy really loves them. They are a great way to recycle mens business shirts.

Thanks to my friend Yvette and her SLR I now have some fantastic shots of my creations to post in my Madeit shop. We talked about doing it a couple of weeks ago and today we got busy and here are some of the results. The models were my 5 year old daughter Lucy Mei and her 3 /12 year old daughter Juliana. They were the perfect little models and I think they may have a big future in front of them. Unfortunately I cannot show too much of Julianas face as requested by her Dad (and I totally respect this) but I know if I could exploit that cute little face to its full potential, my clothing would be running out the door. Maybe I could just let one or two slip through the radar (just joking Steve !!)

Vintage tablecloth

I found this great tablecloth at Peregian markets yesterday, it will no doubt be turned into something else very soon, I just need to think about it a bit. Saw some great skirts at the Peregian Fibre Collective using vintage tablecloths and teatowels