Mantlepiece Monday .... running late

First of all, I have to admit to being so busy with my Market Stall, and other family matters this last week I've hardly had any time for Blogging or Op shopping or anything else much.

Was lovely on Sunday to meet Claire from Jemima & Geraldine  at the North Melbourne Market, she's posted photos on her blog.

Now, my Mantlepiece, well to start with it is just on 3m long... so it has room for lots of 'pieces'.  I will report every Monday on some of the items, promise, starting next week. (will need to do a bit of dusting first!).
I will link up with Estelle, at Fortune Favours... lots of nice people have posted over there, lots of nice Mantlepiece collections to see...

Hottie Cover Challenge..... The Story Continues ...

Well as you know I and 59 other lovely bloggers took part in the Hottie Cover Challenge.... the lovely Cam at Curly Pops collected all of ours and delivered them today to the Open Drawer ready for the exhibition.

The Exhibition runs from 1st to 24th July, and I hope all of you that live in or around Melbourne will have time to pop in and vote and maybe buy,  and definitely drool, over the vast array of different Hottie Covers. Almost next door to the Open Drawer is a lovely cafe, and just across the road is Leo's Supermarket, if you feel like a bit of a 'different' supermarket experience too ... ...  ...
It is during the School Hols, so make it a great day out.

the AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S Complete HOUSEHOLD Guide ..Illustrated

just look at the cute illustrations on the dustjacket. The same design in pink, grey and yellow forms the endpapers too.
272 big pages, 36 pages of Glowing Colour, more than 100,000 words, 150 photographs, drawings and diagrams.

What more could the 1950s Aussie Housewife need?

The hand drawn/coloured illustrations are terrific. Home plans, repairs, how your garden could look..so much to aspire to.
Chapters on When you Build
Home Repairs
The Garden
Childcare
Careers for the Adolescent
Cookery
Home Entertainment ... and they mean organisation and etiquette, who to invite, what to serve   ... not which DVD to hire!!!
The Art of Letter Writing
Dressmaking
Handcrafts and Hobbies
Pets

 interesting left handed sewing machine !!!!

the artist was probably a man !

Culture.. how to broaden your intellectual interests
Health
Legal

So there you have it. Dates from 1953.
This was indeed a lucky find for me at an Op shop recently, I've read it and I am happy to report I've been doing everything right!!

on my Mantle

Estelle over at Fortune Favours... suggested we post pics of things on our mantlepiece.

Well I do have various bits and pieces on the mantle during the year, but at Christmas time, I decorate this 1880s Salesmans Sample miniature cast iron fireplace and pop it on our mantle.
So Estelle... here's my first contribution!

another 'Blue' Week

The week started out with a few bits of this and that, and ended with lots of goodies!

First I had some great bargains over at Ashburton, at their Linen sale, which I mentioned on the I Op Therefore I am blog ..  but Friday afternoon I outshone all my expectations.
First this large blue glass Mid-Century Biscuit Barrel (Cookie Jar). It is in wonderful condition, except the bamboo handle needs some tlc. Made in Japan for Counterpoint San Francisco, it is about 17cm high and 17cm wide at the base.

Then I picked up a sweet picture of some Carnations, I just liked the colouring, they may or may not stay here.
About to give up and go home, happy, for a well earned cup of Tea (Vic always puts the kettle on at 4.30pm) when I saw this very grubby little Travel Case / Cosmetics Case.  It has cleaned up ok, but the metal fastenings on the handle are rusty. Inside it is taffeta lined, with a mirror in the lid, and a cute little lift out shelf/jewel box.

I will keep this, and use it for storage. very good for my gloves & stockings collection maybe?   Nelly asked about the stockings I got this week. Just some Kolotex Clings, and 6 pair of Holeproof Beauty Fits, all from the 1960s/70s all boxed. ~ they are packed for the Market already.

I hope you all had a wonderful week, finding treasures to add to your life's enjoyment.  Join like minded fossikers over at Sophie's we all love to share our stories.

getting ready for the North Melbourne Market ... next Sunday 26 June

I have managed to turn last weekends messy spare room into ORDER. Hung and priced all my items for next Sunday's market at North Melbourne, [44 Errol Street for you locals]  Being an indoor market with lots of different rooms, all warm and friendly, it is the perfect way to spend the day.
I will have a couple of racks of retro / vintage clothing, including lots of coats, jackets and jumpers, as well as some scarves, gloves, handbags, buttons, buckles, table linen, and various other bits and pieces that I know the browsers at Nth Melbourne always love. (like 6 pair of 1960s STOCKINGS) yay.

This lovely coat is from the U.S.A.

Fingers crossed for nice weather to entice all the shoppers out.  If you are in Melbourne and thinking of coming along, I'll be in the Corridor between the Lobby and the Ballroom, C4, pop in and say HI.

what a mess !

I have just been reading a few blogs while I have a cup of tea (or 2), and everyone seems to have been crafting, or out eating, drinking, walking in the country, and I am here making messes everywhere.
Now that I have decided to try to do at least One Market a month, and still sell on eBay, I have a few plans for a little Storage Studio (more about that another day, I hope)
First up, I used the lovely sunny days to wash and iron a few recent retro clothing purchases. Then I sorted my clothes into Summer / Winter jumpers cardigans / Blouses & Shirts / Coats and Jackets.  Then I bagged them into hanging garment bags on racks in the garage for the time being.

That went very smoothly, so I unpacked a few tubs and suitcases and sorted ... Household Linen, Buttons and Laces, Fabrics, gloves, hats, handbags ... you get the idea..

Next I have to put them away neatly,... tomorrow maybe!

I had so much stock, bits here, bits there, so I had no overview of how many Tea Towels or how much fabric I have.  By the end of this week I will have it all under control.  Then I need to work on the Storage Studio idea..

Stay tuned.