Spare Room Makeover Complete

I bet you girls have been wondering about my spare room make over.  Well I haven't posted about it because I wanted it to be a surprise for my Aunt and she reads my blog!!!   But its finished...shes on her way here so wont get a chance to read this before she arrives.  I LOVE the way the room turned out.  Just to fill you in I stayed under budget YAY.  The bed was a $50 ebay purchase.  I spent another $150 at Spotlight for the curtains and doona.  The other linen was all flea market finds....wonderful as new white doona set with valance and pillow cases just $25!!  The cusions on the reading chair were only $3.  The bedside table - market find $20.  The chest of drawers only $75 at an op shop and I spent a further $65 on the prints on the walls.  The lovely patchwork coverlet was a $11.00 ebay find and the LOVELY standard lamp was $120 from my favourite antique centre. And the chair was another ebay find and only $15!!  (I bought two chairs for $30 woo hoo)  The other little bits and pieces and enamel ware I already had...oh and the light fitting was a $15 market find.  Figure in another $40 for paint for the drawers and bits and bobs like curtain rail etc and the whole project came in under well under my $700 buget....YAY..... Here is the finished room.  Love to hear what you think.

Decided to go with Blue and White English cottage Style

The enamel ware was bought with my Aunt in France so I wanted it in the room

Draped an old lace table cloth over the $15 chair ...looks good dont you think?

The room looks so l ight and airy..hope she loves it!!

Little bedside cupboard is a great place for mags....decorating ones of course hehe

 I am really pleased with how it turned out, especially as I pulled all the pieces together over time and didn't actually put it all together till yesterday (yep I am a deadline junkie) so wasn't 100% sure it would work.  But to me it works perfectly and is a very pretty comfortable room for guests.  I will probably add a few more prints to the walls over time....when I come across ones that are right but aside from that I am very pleased.  Would love to hear your comments.  Cheers Sam

A Legacy of Laughter and An addiction to Collecting - Thanks Nan

Well its been quite a week.  Flew to Sydney with my eldest son for my Nans funeral and it was a lovely service. The wonderful thing about my Nan was that she had a way of being able to connect with people on any level and make friends everywhere she went.  That was more than evident at her funeral which was a celebration of her life, her family and her friends.  She had a sharp wit and a fantastic sense of humour and was the life of any party. The day brought together (probably for the first time in many many years) all of her children, grand children and even her eldest great grand children and back at my fathers house we laughed. shed a few tears and told stories and toasted her well into the wee small hours of the morning.  Thank you Doreen Grace even though you have passed your legacy is as bright and vibrant as you always were.  Love you Nan! 


When I think about my Nan when I was a child I am sure it was  her that started my love of boxes and containers as every time I visited her she always had a box of goodies for me....sometimes lollies and little toys but most of the time things of hers like old costume jewellery or make up samples anything pretty and girly (I was the first grandchild and after three boys I think she had a ball finding girly bits for me).  I still have that love of boxes and containers.  Thought I would take a few shots of the pretty old  boxes I have collected over the years....so here they are, hope you enjoy the pics as much as I enjoy the boxes hehe.  

A great way to store your fabrics!!

Craft stuff fills these pretties!!

More craft goodies over flowing from this one

Mmmm I love these..they hold my old crystals and buttons

Two French boxes and a lovely italian florentine one....love the colours

My tiniest box, an enameled and gilt pill box mmm love the roses

More French boxes...I am soooo addicted hehe

Weekend Market and Garage Sale Finds!!

Howdy girls!!  After a pretty icky week I was determined to get out and about this weekend and do lots of garage sales on Saturday and hit the market early today.  And I did!!!  Sadly there wasn't the massive treasure trove I had hoped there would be but I did manage to find some sweet pieces.  Below part of my haul...I really love the part dinner set, its backstamped Czechoslovakia and I think its just very elegant and really quite French in style.  Check out the photos of the rest of my haul. I did get some really nice new in their packets linen which I haven't photographed yet.  Some of the linen will be put aside for the spare room so I will show you that later.   As I said not a huge haul but enough to be pleased that I got up early!!  Hope you are all having a great treasure hunting weekend and please let me know your latest and greatest finds!!  

Love the part dinner set...especially the tureen and the gravy boat!!

Mmm so elegant.....love white and gold!!

Lovely old religious tin backed prints....mmm roses!!

Ooh Cath Kidston Make up bags and gorgeous vintage valentine cards

Love the beautiful embroidered doiley and the old roses print.  Duvet set is really pretty too

 Oooh I bought a great double bed on ebay for the spare room.   Its not the antique bed I really wanted but its scrolly and will do once I have put my stamp on it. Hubby and I picked it up yesterday....only $50!!!   Will pick up a mattress and take some photos soon.  Project spare room is coming on ....more photos soon. 

It might be next weekend by the time I blog again.  So sadly my Nan passed away on Thursday...it was a merciful release but even though I knew it was coming it was still a shock!!!  I have had a sad few days hence the reason why I had to get out and treasure hunt as that always helps lift my spirits. I will be traveling to Sydney for the funeral next week so please understand if I disappear for a few days.  

  Hugs  Sam

Catalyst For an Unplanned Makeover!!!

The plan this weekend was to remove the icky desk from the spare room and work on clearing it out etc.  But its funny how life works.  Saturday morning with coffee in hand I wondered into my study to check my emails and found our eldest cat mid PEE on the icky carpet that I hate anyway. After much screaching by me and humiliated skulking away by said cat I had had ENOUGH....I pulled up the carpet in the corner of the room and peaked underneath...OH YEAH BABY....floor boards!!  Right!!  well I would rather have unpolished floor boards than cat pee carpet so.  Another few screaches, this time of joy and my MM came down from the spare room to find me carrying boxes of crap out of the study and muttering BLOODY CAT.  One whiff of cat pee and the look on my face (its his cat) and he kindly suggested he help me....hehehe.  Somewhere in the midst of clearing the room...MM suggested that if we were taking everything out it might be a good time to paint (he had the paint out to patch where the desk was in the spare room)...Silly Silly man.....  Long story short...one weekend and a few arguments later and voila....a totally pee free and LOVELY room.  We will get the floorboards polished eventually but for now...I would rather clean unpolished paint splattered boards than cat pee apricot ICKY carpet. It also forced me to clear clutter and organise myself better. Still got some pictures to put up and curtains to make but hey...the whole thing only cost me $50 for new rollers and brushes...we had enough paint left over from previous rooms and now I have a pile of stuff to ebay that will well and truly cover the cost.  Down side is now MM knows just how much STUFF I have collected heheh.  Below is the transformation....what do you think??

OOps finally thought to take a pic....icky carpet,  and apricot walls YUK

Ugly pine panel wall ...oh I am itching to paint

Walls painted carpet gone.....mmm good bones

Oh so not perfect yet but better than cat pee carpet

It looks so much bigger and brighter!!

Cleared out clutter and now just ebay stuff and my faves!!

Spare Room Transformation Starting Point

Right embarassment aside here is the before photos of the spare room.  Its not a big room but will make a lovely spare room for guests.  Where to start..well usually my decoratings is treasure driven. By that I mean I usually start with an inspriation piece which helps me chose the colours and style.  For the spare room I have chosen three pieces.  I picked up two beautiful old prints from one of my favourite antique shops and scored a lovely crystal and brass ornate lamp from the market. So they will be my base for colour and style.  I am going to pick out the soft pinks and blues that are in both pictures and go for (hmm how to describe it....hmmm) a sort of English country house look..little more formal than a cottage but not as grand as a stately home (like I could afford a stately home look lol).  I have a very limited budget so every penny will count.  During the transformation I will update you on the budget, how much I spend on each piece and what my favourite money saving decorating tricks are. 

Yes the walls are white but the junk is everywhere!!

Old chairs, old beds..first thing is to clear the junk!!!

 

 

 

The Inspiration Pieces!!!

Ok, The big picture cost me $45 and the smaller lovely one I bought unframed and popped it in a frame from my stash.  It cost me $25 all up.  I will be using the large lamp from my previous post...cost $20.  And the Lloyd Loom wicker cupboard also in previous post...cost $20. Luckily the walls have been painted Antique White USA with left over paint from my living room.  So spend so far....$90 and I haven't bought any major pieces.  I need a bed, light fitting, curtains, bed linen and a chest of drawers...and I really have a tiny budget of around $700. So lets see how I go!!  Any tips or ideas??  Love to hear from you!!

Spring has Sprung & The Markets Liven Up!!!

Well spring is definitely here in Melbourne, not only are the birds and bees buzzin but so is the market..YAY.  I set out early this morning and had a fantastic time treasure hunting and socialising with my other treasure hunting mates.  It was a bit of a bonanza morning for me with some darling finds!!  I get so excited when I find a treasure and its nice when you meet up with like minded girls we enjoy oohing and ahhing over each others treasures.  I have been after a crystal light dome for sooo long and they always sail past my budget on ebay so I was doing a happy dance when I picked up one today for only $20!!!  Its certainly a keeper!!  I also found a darling little wicker cupboard perfect for the spareroom project!!  See the tall lamp..its quite French in style and I think I nearly snapped the ladies arm off when she told me I could have it for same measley $20 price tag YEEEHAAAA!!  The fabbo red and crome clock is a French Japy one...and hmm what else ohhh the divine pair of old photo frames...I have already popped two of my favourite postcard in them...mmmmm...anyways  scroll down and have a look at my haul!!  Don't you just adore warm spring market days!!!

Some of this weeks haul..LOOOVE the cupboard!!!

See my lovely dome and gorgeous frames!!

Fabbo French Vintage Japy Alarm clock...came in its original box too..happy dance!!!

All in all it was a fantastic morning!!  Now I have not forgotten the spare room project and have a few ICKY before photos to post this week!!  Its a mess right now..but at least its been painted in Antique White USA...have to get hubby to remove the hideous grey melamine desk attached to one wall though....ooohhhh honeeeeyy ....damn it Bathurst is on today.....he is glued to the tv....maybe tomorrow night hehehe.

 

Treasures Found and Exciting News

Well hello bloggers, I have been so slack and not posted for awhile but I have been taking photos and have lots to show and tell.  I will start off with some treasures I have found recently trawling the charity shops and markets.  Don't you just LOVE it when you spy a treasure in amongst the trash?  I know I do...its my adrenaline rush and I have to admit to being quite addicted to it.  It would be fantastic to own a HUGE house in which I could keep all my treasures but you know how it is..you just cannot keep everything so of course things end up on ebay just to help keep clutter at bay and allow me to keep treasure hunting hehe.  Right  here we go.  Market on Sunday turned up some lovely pieces.  A gorgeous floaty flowery dress, a beautiful old loving cup trophy from 1935, the prettiest pink and green roses skirt and THE most divine set of old scales (I think theses HAVE to stay even though I am not sure where to put them heheh).  A few days later I did an op shop and antique store run and voila more treasures.  I ADORE the pretty old tea towels don't you??  The lamp base reminds me of the nordic style and I think I am going to decorate my spare room in thats style so I may not part with it (more on Project spare room to come).  I had a bit of a glass day with the MOST lovely candle sticks...crystal salt and pepper shakers and lovely cake stand. 

 I will post again very shortly.  I have had some exciting news.  My lovely Aunty from England (who is my soul sister and took me to France last year) is coming for a visit...SO I am in panic stations because my spare room is empty and I need to make it into a gorgeous, gorgeous room for her...she will be here at the end of November  YIKES  so I have heaps to do ...I will be posting every step of the decorating and asking for feedback along the way so check in regularly to see how I go....arrrggh the pressure....her house in England is lovely and I hope I measure up ..not that she would mind at all but you know how it is girls hehehe

Life, Family and the art of treasure hunting!!!

Howdy girls!!  My appologies for not posting or replying to posts for a little while.  Have had a little trip to Sydney to see my darling grandmother who is, at the grand age of 88,  fading fast. She has had a wonderful innings, achieved so much and loved so many that I know she has no regrets and though I am so sad to see such a strong indomidable woman taking her last bows I am soo proud of her and the dignity she shows in face of ...well..the indignities of old age!!! Doreen Grace you are a trooper and I am much the better for having been your grand-daughter.  Right..that said I will do exactly as my Grandmother and that is to ....keep calm and carry on!!!  

Once back in Melbourne and a little melancholy my lovely other half decided we needed a treasure hunting day (don't you just love a man who realises the value of theraputic shopping!!).  We had a great day and I came home with some great bits.    Heres a few of the lovelies.  

A lovely vintage Laura Ashley tea set for two

The SCRUMMIEST old Westclox clock I LOVE this!!

A really gorgeous Pink roses picture, photo does not do it justice!!

THE most DIVINE Old Flue Cover!!!

 This is my table laden with goodies...not sure what I want to keep for myself arrgh

It was a great day and really theraputic!!  The Laura Ashley tea set dates back to when her pieces were made in ENGLAND and not China and you can sooo feel and see the defference in quality..its sooo nice!!  I didn't get to the market this week...shock horror!!!...because it was sooo wet here this weekend..I snuggled into bed and had a sleep in..how SLACK!!   But I got up to some projects ..more to follow soon!!

Phew what a WONDERFUL Extravaganza

Well girls what an amazing, wonderful EXTRAVAGANZA!!  Set up day on Thursday was fun, with all the girls stressing, and arranging and rearranging of booths...and not just a little OOOHing and AHHing over everyones treasures!!  Doors opened at 8am Friday and it was really busy most of the morning with lots of laughing and oohhhing and aahing and chatting.  What I really loved was the opportunity to meet all the wonderful bloggers and ebay girls face to face.  It was AWESOME.  I was really pleased at how my booth looked and to think almost every piece came from my house...treasures that had been packed away...or shoved in a drawer because I had run out of display room.  I sold lots and did swaps with other booth holders for treasures that had not sold on Saturday afternoon.   We had an absolute BLAST!!  I would like to express my thanks to Tamarah of Shabby Vintage Junk Blog and to her lovely Mr SJV for all the hard work put in to arrange this FAB show!!  And also to my fellow booth holders...it was SOOOO nice to meet you all and to work side by side over the two days...I really enjoyed every moment.  If you missed out this time.....I hear that there will be another one coming up in the new year so you MUST keep your eye on our blogs and make sure you don't miss it.  If you love vintage like I do...you will be GOBSMAKED when you come to the next Shabby Vintage Junk EXTRAVAGANZA!!!  First three pics are some photos of my booth and then three photos treasures I found and HAD to have.  I particularly LOVE the little terrier and the roses painting oh hang on I love the jug and the forties religious roses and of course the gorgeous old Victorian chair.  The chair came from a well know Melbourne furniture makers own office so its such a beautifully made chair with the most DIVINE patina...hmmm maybe my decor is changing....adding a little bit of dark here and here.     Cya in the blogesphere!!!!

Oh Bliss!! A sneak preview of some SVJX pieces

Oh I am sooo excited!!  My pieces for the Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza are coming together and I am starting to feel confident I will be able to fill my stall with pieces that I am happy to present.  Here are just two sneak previews. One very pretty pink vintage bedroom chair and a DIVINE little Queen Anne wingback sofa in the prettiest hardwearing ROSES tapestry!!  I have lots of gorgeous smalls but was worried I wouldn't have enough large pieces.  The settee and the chair are just two..I will also have the MOST divine old scrolly table and chairs...along with a GORGEOUS old scrolly rocker and lots and lots of other pieces.  Oh I can feel my excitement building.  Not long to go now...remember girls 12th and 13th of August at the Ashburton Scout Hall.   Be there!!!