Flea Market Find s -- only one but a good one!

I found this little girl looking for a new home .. isn' t she sweet?

Now where is my friend MMMC when I find some European Mid Century pottery?
It is a stoneware wall plaque, Made in Germany, it is marked on the back
Rheinfelder/Handarbeit MA  and it is about 20cm square.
Even my hubby likes it, so for now she' ll sit on a plate stand in the lounge room (the plaque does have 2 holes in the rim at the back to hang it, but we have solid walls and putting a hook up is a major job) !

if you have had some great finds this week, come on over to Sophie's to share them, or just pop over for an interesting read, so many new finds all in one week. . .  it is amazing.

February Scarf Challenge

Well I failed to keep up with posting a scarf, worn as per the Chart on Sophie's Feb. Scarf Challenge  but I do still have scarves to share, the latest one found last week during my Op shopping. It was a little grubby, so with a good careful wash and iron it has turned out splendid!

I just love the abstract look of the glass, the bottle, the candles, and it has a signature in the corner too, always a plus for me to know WHO designed the scarves I wear.

thank you Maggy Rouff - and for those that want to know more about her incredible life in Paris Fashion, read here.

Habby thanks to Hubby

Today my dear husband asked me to drive him over to get a haircut, so I thought.. oh I'll pop into a few Op shops while we are out.

I had some good finds on Sunday, so I was hoping I was 'on a roll', and I was.

A beautiful white damask tablecloth with blue edging, with an all over Scottish Thistle pattern was my first find, then a whole bag of embroidery threads, including nine new DMC Antique, Precious Metal and Jewel threads, a couple of rolls of narrow ribbon (.50c a roll), a crinoline lady crochet corner hankie, and a whole card of lovely coffee colour lace.  -  2 Malvern Op Shops, 2 Ashburton Op Shops, and a nice haul for me!

I also picked up a few more knitting patterns, and a small quantity of quite plain wool.
Finished off with a nice coffee and cake out with a very smart looking hubby!
perfect♥

Flea Market Finds for the week

I did not do a lot of Op shopping this week, just one or 2,  but coming home from the North Melbourne Market I stopped off at 2 Sunday Op Shops.
Uniting in Victoria St.Richmond, and the Mission Shop on the Corner of Glenferrie Rd and Riversdale Rd, I considerably added to my 'stash'

a great scarf, a whole bunch of paper lace doilies, an old chocolate box full of vintage Coats UK supersheen threads, a bit of wool, some knitting patterns and Shiela Hancock's biography of John Thaw, which I have been hoping to read for some time.

Some of the paper doilies are still in their packets, can you believe the ORIGINAL COLES price was only 11c .. yes, eleven cents for a packet of eight 7½inch doilies?
Now I'm not sure why I bought them, or what I could even DO with them, but they were too pretty to leave behind, especially the gold one.

So that's my finds, if you love Flea Market Finds, pop over to Sophie's to check more out...
add your name to the list..
~Lyndel

The North Melbourne Market ~~ wow

Today I went to the North Melbourne Market, which according to Time Out Magazine is one of the top five quirky markets in Melbourne.
The stand holders mostly sell craft items, many made from vintage and recycled fabrics, there were some fantastic ideas there, really, the young people of today are just so full of great design thoughts! I have only just found this market and it was my first outing there.
It is held in the Lithuanian Club in Errol Street, cnr Raglan Street, (a great building with some lovely indoor features.. more about that later).  Dealers are spread over  3 areas, the entrance hall, the Ballroom and the upstairs area ..

there were reflective brooches and LED light brooches

lots of lovelies for the home and the children

beautiful things for baby

and cards and bookmarks and notebooks with old Sewing Pattern fashion plates!
and cakes (Vic was pleased with the cake I brought home for him), and crochet scarves, lampshades, candles,  cards and cushions... the list goes on!

Of great interest to me were some of the elaborate embroidered outfits and wall hangings that belong in the building, all traditional Lithuanian work, and the LIGHT FITTINGS.... OH, such lovely wood carved light fittings, I just had to take a few photos (which made people around me actually look up and see them too!)

So a lovely day out, a lot to see, and it's on every month,  March 27 and April 17 are the next two dates.

Sometimes -- BROWN pottery is just a bit better than other BROWN pottery

Sometimes you walk around an Op Shop and think, oh dear, nothing for me today.

Well this was one such day, and we all walk past loads and loads of ''Brown Pottery" usually home / hobby made stuff, boring and dull and very  B-R-O-W-N

or sometimes, not real BROWN, but boring G-R-E-Y

I just happened to pick one piece up and Low and Behold there was a familiar signature on the base.

Gus McLaren worked in the 1950s and 1960s in Warrandyte in Victoria at The Potters Cottage

So, far from being boring, insignificant BROWN pottery these six ramekins and pot, and the four soup bowls will be looking for a new home with a collector of McLaren's works.

Not as exciting as some of his fantastic Bull and Horse figurines, but Mc Laren none the less.

Rock-a-bye your baby ..... if you have one ... sometimes I amaze myself

Yes, sometimes I do things and think afterwards 'What was I thinking?'

I only went out for a short while today, saw a garage sale, stopped (of course), not much there to interest me, then I spotted a plastic shopping bag with something fabric peeking out.
Looked a bit grubby actually, pulled it out and it is a 1960 Baby Set,  Pillow Case, Bassinet cover, (or Pram set), and a large Netting cover.  -- all still in original wrapping, with swing tags. 

The brand is Rock-a-Bye, made in Gardenvale Road, Gardenvale Vic.  The price of the netting was $7.99 from Myer - no price on the bassinet set.
All are in a pale Coffee Colour with brown bows... yuck.

Now, I am an over-60s Granny, with NO babies in the family, I do not collect Dolls, and I don't even particularly like to see a baby in coffee coloured bedlinen, but... I somehow just had to buy it.  OK it was cheaper than the original price, and well ... ... ...

come on someone tell me I did the right thing!

Fitz and Floyd Ballet Pigs -- FLASHDANCE

As mentioned yesterday, I found these gorgeous ballet pigs in an Op shop in Chadstone. Now I am not usually one to buy 'cutsie' things, but have over the years sold a bit of F&F on eBay, and usually spot it by the pastel colourways when I walk into a shop.  My hubby does like pigs [not necessarily doing ballet tho!], so I thought these may be a bit of fun. I just like the way they have real mirrors in front of the bar!

So for now they will sit on Victor's bookshelf, until he decides they really are too 'cutsie' for our house.

Finally, an afternoon at the Op shops

Had quite a busy week, unfortunately not doing fun things, but Doctors checkups and other dreary details (we're both fine, just routine stuff).  However, today I had an early lunch at home, and then out... to the Op shops. Started off in Ashburton then on to the Amaroo Op Shop, then down to Oakleigh, (that little shop in Station St.closes at 2.30), then Poath Road -- and home.

Found quite a few nice things including a lovely Lavendo Polish tin, a 1/4 completed Large Myart embroidery Tablecloth, a finished Apron with a lovely lady, some more pattern books and 2 balls of amazingly pretty Italian Yarn.

I also purchased a rather Cute pair of Fitz and Floyd bookends, Ballet Pigs!.  I'll set them up and photograph them tomorrow, for now they are still all wrapped in bubble.

Day 9 of the Scarf Challenge

Oh dear, I have missed 2 days of scarves, and absolutely NO op shopping.  How did that happen? I will have to make up for it this afternoon I think.

yes, ANOTHER, Ken Done scarf, and yes, I do have more KD than any other in my box of scarves!  This is not a photo of me wearing it TODAY, but recently I drove down to Collingwood to visit The Social Studio, and as a tribute to Jackie and her good works I wore this 'Artists Studio' scarf.  If you are in Collingwood pop in for a coffee and a look around, or check out their Pop Up in Melbourne Central. 

The scarf by KD shows the view over Sydney Harbour from his Artists Studio, and is just so vibrant and 'alive'.  I love it.  And yes, as with 99% of my scarves, it was an Op Shop find.

February Scarf Challenge .. Day 6 .. A DAY IN THE COUNTRY

Beautiful Weather today after all the rain of Friday and Saturday. Lucky for me!  Today we drove from Melbourne to Maryborough Vic. to celebrate a friends Birthday.  These friends have made a 'Tree Change' and left leafy Melbourne for an acre or more of Marvellous Maryborough.

We had a lovely day, lots of great food, a few glasses of Wine and great company. 400km round trip, but worth it!

As I do not have long hair, I could not make today's Challenge, so I folded another favourite Ken Done scarf, and tied it to my bag... again

I love Ken's interpretation of 'Paisley Design'..

February Scarf Challenge / Day 5... a blast from the past

When I saw the Day 5 design on the fabulous Retro Chart  I was reminded of a favourite photo from my Dad's slides, dated around 1962 or '63.


Back then I started up a Fan Club for the Sydney DJ Ward 'Pally' Austin.  This photo was taken at a Fan Club meeting in my parent's garden, I'm the tall girl on the right with her scarf oh so fashionably tied around her hair !!    --  great for a giggle today!

Sorry for the poor quality, but it does show that styles from the Retro Scarf Chart really were worn back then.

February Scarf Challenge / Feb 4

Today's style calls for a LARGE scarf, and this Jim Thompson Thai Silk number is just the right size.  Unfortunately, I cannot see myself wearing one like that today (or any day). Back in the 1960s, Yes!  our friend Nicole over at Dabbling all Day certainly looks the part today!!

My beautiful scarf is by Jim Thompson, an American living in Thailand who is famous for his wonderful silk scarves, ties and accessories.  Found this, still folded, still in its original cello wrapper in an Op shop in Malvern.  Imagine, buying or receiving this as a gift and never even unwrapping it?  I love the colours and I love the flowers and I think pomegranate fruits.

So, another scarf from my collection, and another piece of good cheap simply cute shopping too.
Have YOU joined the Scarf Challenge yet?  Just ONE day will do, you do no have to do all 28 days of the month!

February Scarf Challenge / Feb 3

following the week (and Sophie's Chart) along, we are up to day Three on the Challenge

Today it's a square scarf, folded into a strip. I choose this lovely hand screen printed silk number from my Box of Scarves. It is signed MS'07 and of course was an Op Shop find.

a couple of folds and it is ready to add to another of my better Op Shop Finds this year, a lovely Spencer & Rutherford Mademoiselle bag.   Can't wait to actually take this out somewhere soon !

So day 3 was easy.... and I get to showcase not one but TWO great Oppy finds! perfect.

February Scarf Challenge / Feb.2nd

Day TWO. the Challenge today is a scarf folded into a triangle.  Well, this is one from my collection, but not one I wear.  It is black sheer fabric with decorations painted on (just like HobbyTex), celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

An interesting scarf but not very practical

So. . . . what scarf did you choose today?

February Scarf Challenge

For a bit of a laugh, Sophie over at Her Library Adventures has made a February Scarf Challenge.

I have agreed to join in and will try to post a pic every day of scarves from my Collection. Every scarf I now own comes from a Shopping Trip to either an Op shop, eBay or Market / Garage Sale.  I have dozens, but always my favourites are my Ken Done Scarves.  Particularly as I follow Jackie at What Ken be Done and her amazing 365 Day challenge to wear KD every day to raise money for a great cause .. The Social Studio in Collingwood, Vic.

So I shall start February on a 39 degree day with one of my favourite long narrow (as per Sophie's chart) Ken Done Hibiscuis Scarf.
I have never tried to take photos of myself before, and as GDaughter is back home and hubby does not know how to use my camera, this is my first attempt... all for you, Sophie!!

promise I'll get better at this!

So it is Day 1 Scarf, and a great find (from eBay earlier this year)..