Oh what a lovely Morning- Spring Market finds!!

So Sunday was the 2nd day of spring here in Australia and the first weekend in weeks where rain wasn't forecast and I was hyped up and ready to treasure hunt.  Had to drag my poor hubby with me as I am just recovering from surgery and unable to drive myself.  

Well......I thought it was going to be a no show on treasures at the market I headed to when out of the blue one stall....just the one ..started to unload some beauties!!    SCORE!   Two divine dome chandeliers...one tiny petite one and one mother of a HUGE on.  Needless to say I snapped them both up.

 

I bought quite a few other pieces including a gorgeous old wooden crate with fantastic graphics.  All in all I had a beautiful morning all topped off with a big slap up cooked breaky for my other half made by the kids and ready to dig into when we got home.

Oh had to show you this gorgeous bottle stand with lovely big water bottles in it.  Fantastic for your summer table!!

 

Whoa where did that year go?

 Its hard to believe its been a year since I blogged.  And what a year its been.  It was super busy with kids and work and home and then in January this year I had a wake up call.  A very nasty car accident that could have been fatal.  Since then I have been in recovery mode and hopefully I am having my last operation on Thursday of this week.  As soon as I am able after the op I plan on getting my life back into full swing!!  This includes my blog!!  I have had a lot of time to think about life and I have had time to potter and treasure hunt so have made a few changes to the house see pics below.  We are tarting up our house at the moment in hopes of putting it on the market in a couple of months and making a big move up to sunny Queensland.  My family are all up there and after the accident I realised how much I want and need to be closer to them.  Also the warmer weather is kinder on the parts of my body affected by the accident. So ....here are some pictures of little vignettes round my house that I love.  I will be posting more market finds, some before and afters and lots of pics of things I love ...and if you are very lucky I will get some pictures of some of my friends beautiful homes as well.   Oh and excitingly in a few weeks I am going to have a fantastic give away too!! 

Spring is almost here!!   Love love love the red gingham shades I bought from France

I am so in love with the dresser..its an early Australian piece but it looks very Scandinavian to me

I love bling....so the vintage venitian mirror with rhinestone purses makes me smile every time

I have a thing about antique books and frames....can you tell?

Another of my additions...antique French caskets..the ones like these with button back tops ...arrggghhhh

More frames of course!!  Oh and a few clocks...oh yes I do love me some rhinestone clocks!!

 Ok are just a few of my treasures...so much more to come!!

Magic Market Morning.....Great Finds!!

Hello my lovelies!!   Its been awhile since I last blogged.  Life has been way too hectic with end of finanical year stuff URGH!!   But now thats all over I can get back to MY life...treasure hunting and blogging and enjoying myself.    This morning after a few weeks of icky wet Melbourne Sundays today was predicted to be beautiful and it didn't let me down.  When dawn broke and the sun began to shine I was already ladden with treasures and still wandering round one of my favourite Sunday markets.  I got a bumper haul!!  I just love all my treasures but I got a couple of WAAAYYY cool and WAAYYY valuable buys.  Firstly the amazing funky 1960's Annodised desk fan...these are quite rare and this one is in complete working order....OMG!!   The other rare and beautiful piece was a Antonio Borsarto Italian Porcelain wall plaque.  Its signed and has its original stickers.  These Borsarto pieces are very, very collectible and comand HUGE prices.  Though I paid a bit for this one I just think its stunning.  The Madonna and Child....his work is so beautiful and there is something emotional about his pieces.  This one is heading to ebay soon if I can bare to part with it!!  Another gorgeous treasure is my amazing Italian Cherub vintage swing mirror.  I just love the little cherub and the soft pastel colours...the mirror has some foxing another feature I adore.   Hmm can I part with this ....maybe!!   The hat pins are gorgeous...the cards...divine.  The little tins..so cute and the other stunner is the drop dead GORGEOUS old floral and gilt frame...its just to die for.  Very high Victorian...not sure of its age but its definitely quite old.  Mmmmm.   Oooh and the little cruet set.....with its sweet sillohettes.  

I just kept finding treasure after treasure...the gods were certainly on my side this morning.  I found some packets  very handy and handsome upholstery pins and for $2 they were a steal!!   I musn't forget the gorgeous old Smiths Dark Room timer...very industrial and cool. The last little bits were the decanter tags...very sweet.  

You may notice all the treasures are sitting on a DROP DEAD GORGEOUS vintage leather..(yes real leather) case.  That was an op shop find earlier in the week.  Its just stunning..the patina is amazing and the interior is clean and lined in gorgeous fabric.  Its probably only about 30 years old but its in immaculate condition and I just love it.  Keep?  Ebay?   Keep?  Ebay?  ARRGGH I just don't know.    

Well thats my day..how was yours...love to hear from any other treasure hunters and their best finds this weekend......ciao for now....Sam

What a haul!!

Amazing Rare Retro Annodised Fan!!

More more more treasures!

And the girly bits!!

The Antonio Borsato - Madonna with Child ..sigh

Its nice to come home!

Ahh all clean and tidy....not for long ..kids will be home soon!!

On this sunny but chilly Melbourne day I walked into my house and had to smile at this view of my dinning area.  Is there a view in your home that makes you smile everytime you see it.  It might be a corner that works really well, or a cupboard full of your favourite china...or even the pleasure from making your bed with all the cushions and your favourite linen......tell me I would love to know!!

I FOUND MY HOLY GRAIL

I was reading a blog awhile ago, in fact  I think it was the lovely Alcia from Time Worn Style and she posed the question....What is your holy grail, you know, the piece you have been searching for and haven't found yet!!  Well for me it was a pair of antique enamel opera glasses.  I have bid on so many pairs on ebay and they always go sailing past my budget.  In fact some of the really pretty ones go for well over a thousand...way out of my league.  Then this morning my other half and I trekked out to Sandown Race course to go to a collectors fair.  I had a strict budget...I was not going to spend more than $200 for the day..money I had saved from the SVJX!!  Well after spending a little on lovely old books and a couple of lovely vintage Steiff toys...I saw them.  My breath caught in my throat and I made a bee line for the stall and the case they were displayed in.  I held my breath...omg they were GORGEOUS....there is no way on earth I can afford them I thought....maybe the lovely dealer would just let me hold them for awhile.  I asked...he got them out..the case was divine..the opera glasses were amazing.  I asked the price...OMG....Just a little more than the money I had left....could I find an ATM...could I rob a passerby.....I stood there clutching them....mentally working out what money  I had left....I was well short and that was after haggling for the best price too.  NOoooooooo I can't lose them...I couldn't bear it.  Then my lovely other half after looking at my face...and knowing how much I have been searching....pulled the extra $$$ from his wallet..  I have never been so in love with that man as I was at that moment!!  They are mine..and I love them....the glasses that is hehehe oh and him too heheh.   Below are some pics of my darling opera glasses and the other wonderful bits and pieces I had already bought.  I have promised said Other half that I will ebay the other pieces so I can keep the glasses.   And I will...well maybe not the little bunny ..heheheh

My babies...I adore the colour and the enamel is in good order

My holy grail....Im in heaven

I have seen many French pairs but these are marked Thomas Way Adelaide...YAY

If anyone is interested  everything but the opera glasses is heading to ebay!!

 

My Sale on Ebay

For those you who couldn't make the SVJX and because having decided to part with some gorgeous shabby vintage treasures I have decided to have an online sale on ebay.  Starting this evening at 8pm I have a HEAP of really lovely items up for sale...starting at the bargain price of only $5.00.  There are gorgeouspices of roses antique china, beautiful old tins..and so much more so pop over to my ebay auctions and have a peek...I am sure you will find something you will love.   Click on the link at the top right hand side of this page and voila..you will be transported to treasure hunters heaven!!   Above is just a couple of tempting photos of items listed!!

Back to treasure hunting and my new old dresser!!

Morning girls!!  Well after recovering from the SVJX it has renewed my passion for treasure hunting!!  I have been out and about scouring Melbourne for treasures and have found some lovely ones!!  I was soo excited to find a gorgeous old Melbourne hat box which is heading for ebay....its sooo lovely!!  As I have mentioned my style and taste have been evolving too so I am parting with lots of my more shabby style pieces in favour of more hmmm...what to call it...hmmmm perhaps more rustic, french industrial.  I think the influences of my trip to England and France have finally filtered through and my style is evolving into a less pretty more traditional English/French cottage style.  There are some shabby pieces I don't think I will ever part with which have been moved to my spare room and my daughters bedroom.  My lovely 16 almost 17 year old daughter has been in the USA on exchange for the last six months and is due home on Monday so over the weekend I am going to revamp her room (clear out all the junk that hopefully shes forgotten she has) and make is  a feminine boudoir...pics to come.  

Check the hat box in more detail on my ebay site...its sooo lovely!!

I just adore this piece..its practical and pretty!!

See less shaby pretty and more ummm interesting???

OH and my prize purchase from the SVJX is my awesome old dresser for my study..pics below..I just love it and I guess its indicative how how my taste is evolving..though the dresser is quite shabby I have filled it with pieces that are more to my liking these days.   Stay tuned for the transformation of my daughters room from junk heaps floordrobe to pretty boudoir!!   Hat box and dresser pictured above!!   I would love to hear from you girls as to what you think my style is?