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?

Phew Exhausted but WOW what an Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza!!

Wow what a fun packed, treasure filled, exhausting couple of days.  for those of you who didn't know the second Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza was held on Friday and Saturdy just passed.  And wow was it amazing.  So many wonderful people to meet and soooo many GORGEOUS treasures. I must say everyone, vendors and shoppers alike were so lovely...I had almost lost my voice by the end!!  I sold heaps and bought a few treasures for myself.  Check out below for a few of the treasures I bought.  What is not pictured is the FANTASTIC glass front dresser I bought from Jen of Vintage Living...I adore it and because I always buy little bits and pieces I was determined to get myself a really nice piece of furniture this show and wow..its great.  Will post a pic of it soon..its sooo dark in Melbourne today I cannot get a good one!!  I love the roses painting I bought from Ms SVJX herself..Tamarah ..oh and I also nabbed the French tin from her.  The stalls were absolutely amazing....Every single one looked fantastic and was filled to brim with vintage treasures.  I must thank the lovely Natalie from Newcastle...a reader of my blog for the lovely bottle she gave me as a pressie...so lovely of you Natalie!!  Also thanks for Michelle from WA for making the trip and giving my favourite old doorstop and eiderdown a new home.  To Kelly and Leanne...get your blog going girls!!   And to all the wonderful, wonderful ladies who took the time to chat to me..thank you   I loved it!!  Having made such a heart wrench to part with some gorgeous items for the show I have decided to stack my ebay shop with many more shabby vintage items over the next few weeks...some from the show and others I didn't even get time to put on my stall because of the rush....check it out if you have time....some beautiful items will be for sale. (just give me a day or two to get listing).   OH and I had to post a pic of the amazing lightfitting/chandelier I just bought for my kitchen.  I nearly fell over...its quite french in style....and it was a tiny...tiny $49.50..OMG!!   All the glass shades are original and intact...mmm...oh well I love it.....what do you think?

Sold some roses prints and bought an original painting..mmm

There is just no way I can resist a French tin!!

Ta Da!!

$49.50 I kid you not......wait till you see it up!!

 

Chaos coming together - A sneak peek at my SJVX Stall

It looks like a jumble in the pic  but wait till you see it first hand!!

Mmm lovely birdcag and stunning barbola mirror...oh and the jelly cupboard too!!

Roses anyone?

You can just see the gorgeous handpainted cupboard underneath all the pretties

I know, I know it looks like a bit of a jumble..but believe me its coming together and will look AWESOME at the Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza (click side button for all the details). My front room is probably not the best place to have a trial run but thats the only place I know I wont have kids running through.  I have a great screen to hang all the pics on ...so it will look like a little shabby 'room' at the fair.  I have decided to part with some of my very favourite treasures for the fair.  There are some gorgeous pieces of furniture..some amazing roses prints and paintings.  FANTABULOUS fabrics and some of most pretty china.  I have decided to concentrate on the Shabby Theme because my home decor is changing and I really don't have room to hang on to all my roses and florals even though I love them.  Don't forget you can book ahead to be an early bird and have first pick at not only my treasures but all the other stalls too.  I really hope to see lots of girls from the blogesphere and my ebay site too.  Come visit me.....I know I will tempt you with something!!!

My how things have changed!!

Over the years my tastes have changed and when I look back at my blog posts I can see the evolution of my taste reflected in my lovely front room.  I just adore this room and apart from a few minor things I think its almost exactly as I want it...for now.  One of the joys of being a vintage treasure hunter is coming home and working out what I definitely cannot part with and where and how the piece works in my home.  There have been Sundays where I get home from the market with a treasure and I spend the rest of the day totally reorganising the house ..what starts with..hmmm that can go there...snowballs into ....oh ok I will just move that piece of furniture...and that one....oh and that can live in the bedroom now.  Much to my long suffering hubbys delight (dripping sarcasm here)..I end up moving the whole house around..with his help of course.  But thats what I love...a new piece...and a new look.  Something in ...something out is my rule...so when I keep a new piece I must part with an old one.   This is how my front room looks at the moment....and I am in love with it...for now hehe.   Oh girls I will be posting preview pics in the next few day of some of the amazing treasures I will be taking to the Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza.  Make sure you check them out as I have some fantastic pieces.  If you don't know about the SVJX then click on the button on the side of my blog...if you are in Melbourne you just HAVE to come..its amazing.

-Treasures for the Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza!!

A box full of treasures....LOVE the binoculars!!

The old watch I found in the most divine old Dunklings Jewelers box!!

I had a paintbox like this one when I was a kid and this still has all its paints inside...wow

Hiya bloggers!!  If you have seen the button at the side of my blog page you will know that the second Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza is almost here!! Last year I was lucky enough to be part of the inugural Extravaganza and what fun that was.  Girls imagine a beautifully decorated old Hall filled with stalls and those stalls were absolutely jam packed with wonderful treasures.  It was sensational.  I remember wide eyed vintage lovers just in raptures over the beautiful items for sale.  We all had a fun packed couple of days.  I particularly loved meeting in person people I have dealt with on ebay for years..putting faces to names was just brilliant.  Now that the second show looms closer the level  of excitment is growing....the show will be bigger and better with more stall holders and lots more divine treasures.  I will be having a stall again and I have been collecting treasures in readiness.  I have decided this time to do a mix of some of my signature shabby floral pieces but also mix it up with some great old vintage industrial/french industrial pieces too. So there will be something for everyone.    This weeks market finds reflect the style of the vintage industrial pieces....Love the old Reckitts blue box and the wonderful old binoculars...they have a tiny compass in them too..soo lovely!!   I would love to hear from bloggers who are coming to the fair.....let me know what styles and pieces you are really interested in so I can make sure I have something thats such to make you gasp.    Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza is on at the Ashburton Scout Hall (337 High St, Ashburton, Vic)  check out Tamarah's blog for the dates and all the details but clicking on the button on the side of my blog!!

  And please come say hello..I would love to meet you all.  Cheers Sam

I'm BACK Lots of Market Finds

Happy Mothers Day to all you Aussie Mums out there!!   After a very hectic time I am back blogging and will try to post at least weekly from now on.  Being Mothers day here my lovely son decided he would come to the market with me this morning and buy me a lovely breaky.  I had a lovely time and bought some great treasures.  Not sure what I am keeping for me and what will go to ebay yet hehe.  Firstly I spied a gorgeous bird cage...pretty sure it has no age but it was pretty dirty and had some tatty old faux birds in it ...got it home and it scrubbed up well.   The cutlery is beautiful old mother of pearl handled with gorgeous engraving...they might end up in my collection hehe.  I am not normally drawn to oriental pieces but this wonderful old incence burner just caught my eye because it just screamed quality and blimey its heavy.  And of course I always keep my eyes peeled for gorgeous old books and these four leather spine old French copies of Les Miserables fit my bill exactly and for only $15 the set I snatched them up.  Amazingly, inside the cover of the fourth volume it has a signature...SAMMY Paris...gotta love that.   The teacup and saucer date from the 1930's and its a fortune tea leaf reading cup with all the symbols ..a little spooky and a bit quirky and made by Aynsley.  Apparently they issued a little booklet on how to read tea leaves with it so I will have to hunt the interent to see if I can get one.  The last photos is of Bernice...she is a dressform....made of very thick card studded together...I get the feeling she was one you would collect each piece with a magazine and fit her together to make your own dress form.  Never seen one like her before!!  If anyone does know about her I would love to know.