Good things

1. Orchids
2. Preschool art
3. Homemade muesli bars generously drizzled with dark chocolate
4. Peony Wooden Postcard
5. Happy mail...thank you lovely lady. She was thrilled!
6. Autumn colour
7. Weekend reading


Hope your week has been filled with good things too!

Op shop show off

A very quick browse the other day landed me these lovely Staffordshire cups. Both the colour and design caught my eye. They were marked $4.00
I actually had to scratch up some loose change from the car as I only had $2.00 in my wallet! As I was stacking them up to purchase, the lady yelled out 'all crockery half price today'.
There was actually five pieces to the set but somehow by the time I got them home one of the the saucers had broken. I managed to find a similar random saucer in the cupboard and it made a sweet new home for this little jellybean plant.

Linking with Max and the other op shop show offs over here.

A corner of my home

We built our home a few years ago and while we love the layout-so functional for our family, it lacks a bit of character. I've tried to inject a bit of history and warmth into it with things I love. Some of our vintage/retro treasures have been thrifted, some have been gifted and many are family treasures from days gone by-the very best kind, I think.

Today I'm linking in with the lovely ladies at Lucy Violet Vintage and Hung up on Retro. I'm giving a little show n tell of a thrifted cupboard in our living area. I first introduced this little piece way back here. My milkglass collection has certainly grown since then. And my less is more approach seems to have been thrown out the window.

 Most of the books belonged to my father-in-law when he was a boy. He assures me he wouldn't have read any of them. Some have been picked up at vintage markets and oppies. The Fowler jar become vase is one of many that I have collected. The milk glass beer mugs/coffee cups-whatever takes your fancy- were gifted to us on my inlaws 50th wedding anniversary. They were given to them as a wedding gift. The remaining milkglass has been collected at various swap meets and op shops.

And inside...the four coffee cups were thrifted through the week. They are fast becoming a new favourite!

And finally another favourite thing...this ironing board belonged to the Mr's grandmother. She is soon to be 100 years old! There's a long story about this for another time. I absolutely have nowhere to put this in our home but I love it so much! I keep shuffling it around and just haven't found it's spot yet. For now though, it is a great place to put the cushions at bedtime or hang clothes that I can squeeze another wear out of. My wearing the same jeans all week counteracts the three outfit changes my daughter makes most days!

Well off the make that bed!
Be sure to check out the other links...lots of lovely to look at.

PS Happy Mothers Day to the mama's.

Thrifted

Ages ago I painted this little thifted table for Lulu's room. While I loved it's pink neon legs, I recently came across a second table and thought they'd make a pigeon pair for our space.

 So a new paint job it was! I used half strength 'toasted almond' which I LOVE. I followed this easy peasy recipe for chalkboard paint. After a couple of coats of paint and a light sand in between with the mouse sander, I rubbed some beeswax into which gave it a lovely sealed finish. Regular old chalkboard paint was slappped on top and ta daaahh...new bedside tables. Total cost around $90 with plenty of black chalkboard paint left. I think I need different lamps now which will no doubt cost me a heap more than the bedside tables.

Linking in with Max and the other op shop show offs!

April Snapshot

• The boy went on an origami making rampage
• Littlest love had her very first haircut, 2 inches off but you wouldn't know it!
• Holiday reading
• The bigs had their cross country
• Finger nail painting and earring changing most days of the school holidays for Bella
• Afternoon at a favourite cafe with favourite friends
• A spot of gardening and enjoying the gorgeous Autumn sunshine
• Our boys went on a four day camping trip. Real camping by the river. The kind where there is no running water. The kind where the amentities are a little walk in the bush! Toasting marshmallows. Chopping wood. Throwing sticks into the fire. Fishing. Father, son and Grandy.
• Ten Pin Bowling with friends
• Lots of playing at parks
• Sick Kids
• The Mr and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary! We enjoyed a rare night sans children. Indian for dinner, drinks at a newly opened bar and a movie.
• The boy made a mosaic pot at art class!
• A new sewing skill was learned-make your very own piping! And a cushion made for a very dear friend who is FORTY!

Wow April was busy!

New old clothes

Now that autumn is well and truly here,  I've been packing away the Summer wardrobe and thinking about some Winter staples. It's always a good feeling to hand down outgrown clothing and donate a few bags to the oppy. I am becoming better at this each time.

So before I pack away the Summer threads, here's a little show 'n tell of a few 'grown up' things I made myself, all upcycled from preloved linen. This pretty top was made from a beautiful tablecloth gifted from my Aunt. I wore it over a a cream singlet top with faded skinny jeans and strappy beige sandals. I have worn it more this past Summer than I would have used it so a successful upcycling project, I think.

Next up a skirt x2. I'm a bit pleased with this one because I followed a real pattern! Under instruction-and lots of encouragement- from a dear friend I stitched up the green floral skirt. And just to be sure I could remember how to read a pattern and all it's jargon, I made the second one all by my little ol' self.
I love these skirts and have worn them both quite a bit but I do find the waistband sits a fraction too high for me as it's vintage pattern. The pattern, zippers and floral sheets were all thrifted.

I also made a third skirt, a wrap skirt but it seems to be at the very bottom of my massive basket of ironing.

Collections

Last year I blogged about my printers tray purchased at Heath's Old Wares.
A couple of months back, we went on a bit of an impromtu holiday and once again  I was able to convince the Mr to stop off at Bangalow. Once again, it did not disappoint. It is such a beautiful little town. It has a number of gorgeous shops and cafes. If you are in the Byron region it is totally worth a visit.

I thought I'd share a few photos that I snapped during the last visit at Heath's.

Choc a block full of vintagey goodness. Oh if those walls could talk.
So many unique pieces all with their own story.

It got me thinking about my own collections and their stories. Some pieces have been inherited by a family member, some gifted, some thrifted. Some picked up at the swap meet with prices sometimes haggled over.
Thinking about the thrill of the find, giving things a clean and a bit of tlc and marrying it up with new friends.
Next week I think I'll share some of my collections.

Are you a collector too?
What kind of stuff do you collect?
I'd love to see!