my Weekly Finds

Had a few days to myself this week, so I really trawled thru a lot of op shops, and it paid off, finding a bit here, and a bit there, so there were lots of knitting patterns, (always a favourite with me), and some table cloths, a great see thru apron made from 4 pink nylon hankies, as well as some tapestries.  Don't you just wish it was still the 1970s and you could crochet YOUR MAN a lovely Poncho for winter?

However, my cutest find was a piece (only about 2m long x 140 wide) of Terry Towelling fabric in Purple, Orange and White floral ! Talk about poke your eye out LOUD! .. and a few more sewing patterns.  Most of what I bought is to add to my stock for my first ever Stall next Sunday (27th), at the North Melbourne Market.  Poncho Man? I just had to put up on eBay, he was just so sweet!

So that's my finds for the week.  If you found wonderful things, or even just ONE thing, pop over to Sophie's and add yourself to the growing band of Op Shop junkies, showing off their Flea Market Finds.

lovely Memories . . . .

Many Many years ago, ok...30 years ago exactly, my darling husband and I started to collect Royal Doulton china.  It was, and still is, our passion.  However, in recent years we have not added a lot of items to the collection, which, like topsy kinda grew... and grew... and took over our home.
Along with out Inkwell Collection, which I sometimes write about on my other blog.

25years ago this week, I founded a club for Doulton Collectors here in Melbourne, and ran it successfully for some years, before handing over the whole thing to other enthusiastic collectors, and I am proud to say it has flourished and is still running monthly meetings to this day.

today, was the 25th Anniversary Lunch and Afternoon tea, and one of the members made this lovely Celebration Cake for us all to enjoy.  Isn't it a beauty !
Due to his ill health my husband doesn' t go out much these days, but would not miss such an important Anniversary.  The weather in Melbourne was just perfect, and we had the most wonderful day out.  Just what he needed.
Thank you to the Collectors Club for a great day, and thanks to Royal Doulton for producing  such wonderful items for over 150 years to keep us entertained ~

still in need.....

of some tender loving care... but looking much better

Some of you may remember that back in January, I bought an old 'Boudouir Chair' with the intention of covering it in some lovely Laura Ashley fabric.
Well, I decided it wasn't something I really want to keep after all, so I took off the horrid red, biro marked covers, to discover that underneath was the original green velvet cover, but no base and no back.

So..... I found a small piece of green patterned upholstery fabric, added it to the back and base, and will offer my little chair on my stall at the North Melbourne Market in 2 weeks time.  I am sure any new owner will love it and cover it in whatever suits their decor.

Not quite the 'success' story I was planning to write about my little chair, but it is certainly an improvement on the horrid red nylon and biro it came to me with.

not Flea Market, but Garage Sale finds this week . .

oh so 1980s.  I was on my way to the City on Saturday morning, and dropped in to a Garage Sale on the way.  Here I found the usual assortment of toys, odd mis-matched, scratched china and some UNFINISHED Knitting !

ALL in Mohair.  Now the blue and grey is lovely, there is a front, a back, and 1/2 of one sleeve completed, and the rest of the mohair to finish it off. (and the patternbook ! yay).
NO I will not be doing it but I'm sure one of my eBay friends will love it.
The brown and black I LOVE, but there is very little started on ONE sleeve, and only a small amount of mohair, so I may unpick that and knit up a nice scarf. 
Then there are a few balls of lovely grey and pink mohairs..   sure they will knit up into something lovely in winter too.  Although it is very hot in Melbourne this weekend, I even got sunburnt in the City, down by the Yarra, despite my 30+ sunscreen, I can't wait to start some Winter Knitting.

Coming home I popped into an Op Shop and what did I spy?

brand new, still in its gift box, for .50c???
Tag on the back says Proudly made in Australia by okt-ober dee,  don't worry Dee, I'll wear it and love it♥

If you love Garage Sales, Flea Markets and Op / Thrift Shops, why not pop over to Sophie's blog where all the Greatest Finds of the Week seem to meet.
~~ see you there ~~

Getting ready for the Market... II ... North Melbourne Market

As I've already mentioned, I'm off to Market... to Market....

I found out about this wonderful little indoor market last month, went along (see my Blog), and had a lovely morning.  I don't live anywhere near North Melbourne,  but thought a little day trip would be nice (ha ha living East of the City means anything past Bourke Street in Melbourne is ''over there'')
The girls that run this market are from The Thread Den in Brunswick Street, a really sweet shop full of surprises.

I'll just be having one table in the 'Ballroom' Area on March 27th, I'll probably be the oldest person there, but I am sure I will have fun.  Many years ago I traded at Camberwell, and at various Antique Malls around Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, and I do miss that 'market buzz'. In those days I only sold Fine China and bric a brac, now I do eBay.   eBaying is fun, but it is very solitary, so for now I'm like a kid with a new toy .. lots of new toys ....

I am even enjoying washing and ironing my new stock.
I would love any of you who have messaged me, and anyone else reading this to drop by and say Hello.
I am sure I will post more blogs here about it before the 27th.

Flea Market Finds

Well what a lovely weekend it has turned out to be in Melbourne, just perfect weather.
I managed to hunt down quite a few new things for my eBaying this week, some I listed and sold the same day, so no pics here!

However I did score some really nice wool during the week, some great Jo Shaw knitting books and a little group of vintage postcards, mostly from Hungary, with lovely illustrations.

I 'll be popping over to Sophies next to see what everyone else found this week.  Her Flea Market Finds  is a treat to read all week, I pop back every evening to see who added more things. Such fun.

I am working really hard to get things sorted at home this week, as I plan to have a table at the next North Melbourne Market... .. more on that soon, suffice to say this is just part of the spare room at the moment, with many more boxes needing my careful attention before March 27th.  House is a mess, but I'm having fun!

Tuesday Treasures . .

 

Only went out to buy Bubble Wrap today, as I had a large pottery order to pack. Stopped off at one, then two, then three  Op Shops and came home with a new Oroton Scarf, a Canteen Bandanna .. for my friend Jackie .. a Women's Weekly Kids Party Book, #44 of NOTEBOOK, a silver glomesh evening bag and matching purse, an old tea cosy for my friend Di,  2 cute coat hangers, and eight Pyrex dishes.
four with Red design....

and 4 with a Blue design. . .

So some for other people, some for myself (the Oroton), and some for eBaying... what a nice haul, and Yes, I did remember the Bubble Wrap... and the milk !

Jackie has a large collection of CANTEEN bandannas, as the CANTEEN logo was designed by the design Guru Himself, Ken Done.

Good start to the month, and I 'll now have to find more this week so I can do a new post for Sophie's Flea Market Finds next Sunday.