out of focus

This week I have not been on my usual travels to find treasures as I am unable to multitask and think of more than one thing at a time on any given day.Slightky exaggerating but you get my gist. With Christmas shopping, Oprah, hairdressers and the such I could not squeeze in anymore.
But I did buy/find one thing this week. A sweet little brooch for me to go in my collection.
Now i can focus on something else as I have finished focusing on this.

details

We went to Canberra last week. I initially went down to do a reccy on the Fash and Treasure market as was I considering to start selling there. I am sitting on the fence about it now. Maybe, maybe not. Its quite a long trip. Lots of wide open country and roadkill. I swear I saw I wild boar - dead.

Never say never. Its a good market, has a up beat vibe to it. I bought a jacket off a young girl for $10, not vintage dahhhling. It is Chanel inspired stripe with gold buttons. I watched Coco Avant Chanel the other day so I am now in a Chanel mood. I liked the movie very much BTW but she annoyed with her frozen expression.

Anyway we stopped at Goulburn for a caff. This is what greets visitors to Goulburn. A big sheep. I had a pastie at the "bakery". Dreadful. No one can can do pasties in NSW. Very disappointing.

Our first stop in Can Berra was the war memorial which was very good, as good as you can say war gets that is. It was different from my memories from when I was a child visiting there. Not so drab.Very friendly staff. In fact everyone was polite and helpful in Canberra, we even noticed the kids skating around the city centre were considerate.

We had time to go to the National Gallery which was quite wonderful. The Australian art section is great.
Amongst all the Picasso's and Rupert Bunnys, the most amazing thing that took my breath away was the Fiona Hall Paradisus terrestris. I rounded the corner and BAM! Unforgettable.

All in all a good quick trip.

the second of december already

I got these the other day at one of my favorite op shops for the price of 10c each. Crazy I know. 1980's prices. I suppose they can be considered rubbish but I liked them.
I know everyone over 40 says this, but time is going so fast - Christmas already!

covers

related

Here are two more cards that I spoke about here.
One is dated 1958 and is from Thel,Ralph,Lorraine and Ken. Best wishes and everlasting happiness xxxx. How thoughtful.

The other is from Alan. To my little darling with lots of love from Alan xxxx. So sweet. Again these cards have something that is so uniquely 1950's. It has the little spinning date wheel.

So in the box where I found the cards were knitting patterns. Dating from the 1930's to the 70's. I only got the box for the cards as I am not a knitter. Alas the call of the wool has evaded me.
I particularly liked this booklet. It was covered in brown paper and is still as vibrant today as it was in the 1940's(?). I will be scanning more as the pictures are riveting.
I would love to find, when out fossicking, handmade cardi's and jumpers from this era. I guess alot of them have been unravelled by now or moth eaten but you never know.

this caught my eye

This is an interesting apron I think. It reminds me of a Russell Drysdale painting. Do you see the similarities?
It is thick cotton , kind of barkclothy in texture. One more for the collection.



Country North from Balranald print



The O House

My sister won tickets to OPRAHHH!!! and we are going.
This is on par as the year 1975 when the Bay City Rollers came to the Adelaide Apollo Stadium.

photo from stephanies collection

going going gone

Cotton tops from the 1960's. Love!
I found this one on Friday. Lady Monaco of Melbourne is the label. Sadly cannot find anymore info. Octagons and zig zags - seriously crazy.

This one I actually sold last month. The lady did not have enough cash and put a deposit on it and is picking it up this Saturday at Paddington. I hope she remembers. Material - goes without saying.

And this is mine from my wardrobe. It has a faded label. But knights on horses? Whoa beauty!

what i wore

Finally a decent day in Sydney. It has been so rainy and bla lately. I get that sad syndrome that English people get I'm sure. And being such a nice day I got to wear a dress instead of jeans and converses. I don't recall the last time I bought something new as in from the mall. Nearly everything I buy is opped or from markets except knickers and the occasional shoes or boots. Cheap but not nasty.

Dress (Lazybones): Salvos
Gold thongs : Smith Family
Bag on bed: Op shop

And what a stroke of luck for me last week. I got to the finish of a local fete last week. The whole place had been picked through within an nth of its life but there waiting for me was my treasure. Now I could never afford to buy Dinosaur Design braclets in "real" life but now I have two. I am stoked. More would be welcome.

Bracelets: One at a market(small), one at a fete(large).

from nans garage

Some sports barkcloth.

On the selvedge it says House N' Home. Rather modern I thought to shorten it like that. Drapery. What a magic word.

And some curtains. Cheers Nan.

She wore silk velvet

When the ad in the garage sale section of your local paper says Nans gone into a nursing home, well I was there quicker than you could say....something politically incorrect.
Some excitable goodies were to be had with least not being this coat.
I thought it already had it all goin' on with the clasp and the fabric until I got it home and to my surprise I found the sweetest little pocket. Whee!

old girls

One year ago I most probably would have blinked and passed these by but my skills at spotting old things get better with practice.
The first bag was sold to me by a lady who said it was her mothers so I am calculating about 1950's. Very unique.

Mother of pearl

I love reptile anything. Either you do or you don't. For that matter anything with animal prints or fury palpitates me. I know its not "pc" but as Wilma used to say different strokes for different folks. She really did use to say that.

Was a mother







I am off now to watch Madmen. So intense. I am half expecting something to happen but it doesn't.


the temptress

Yes its that time of month again when I drag the dummy out from the dinginess of her garage shelf in readiness for the dim lights of the vintage fair for show and tell.
One of my excitable finds this month is this 1960's mini.
Eeek the fabric. You beguile me you flowered shift you.

the b word

This stood out like a sore thumb in amongst the tat at a flea market I frequent. A young girl was selling them. I asked her "can I see those bathers please". She heard "can I see those ninonanos please". It seems I was speaking martian. Swimmers I sighed. Ohh! Her head adjusted to centre position and handed them over.
In their day about the late 40's they were swimsuits, in my day, bathers.

Here is a link for Martin White swimwear. Gorgeous or what.
GLAMOUR IN THE SUN - British Pathe

whoops we did it again

We went to the bakery at Rozelle again today.

• beef and vegetable pie
• ultimate chocolate brownie
• rosemary and olive baguette
• 2 earl grey and chocolate macaroons

Brownie, macaroons and pie were consumed before we got back to the car. Seven minutes at the most.

the people you meet

Last Thursday I met Fred. She was standing in line buying crockery at the local Salvos Spring Fair and we got talking. She owns this cafe with a partner. Being school holidays we decided to take an outing to Marrickville. Three very goods for food,decor and music.

Very cool chairs at the communal table.

Smoked salmon bagel followed by a chocolate raspberry brownie. Delish.

gettin with it

Recently I ordered these Moo cards, I am so 2008.
They are the cutest. Cost wise I don't know if they are comparable with business cards from the printer but they suit me at the moment.
I have tied the picture themes in with my about page as they are some of the things I like and have my mobile and blog adress on the back. Pretty nifty.

there are dresses i remember

This was a special dress to me. It was the first 1930-40's one I ever found, then happily sold. Luckily also I took some pics of it.
It is/was a lovingly handmade crepe type material dress with press studs on the side,delicate button holes and butterfly wing sleeves. Amazing that these dresses can withstand 60 years of life plus.

Detail of the button.

And here it is bought back to life as worn by Jessica from Coco Repose at her stand at Paddington. She looks so good in it. I like the way she has added the hard edge leather with it. May it have many more years of wear.

come on in

Here are a few shots from yesterday.
The first pic is my set-up. There was a bit more space than I usually have and the day went quite well. The gold dress (from the previous post)was sold. A young girl brought it as her wedding dress. She is getting married in April in the Botanical Gardens. How special.

These two pics are from a couple of other stalls. I usually forget to take my camera, forgotton to take the lens cap off or either too busy setting up so I am glad I was able to do these yesterday. More to come.

roll up

A photo for prosperity as I think they are too nice to forget if they get sold. A small duckdown quilt and a circus themed barkcloth cot blanket. Gorgeous. Though I dont like the clowns on the colt quilt. Clowns disgust me.

green daisies

I thought I would quickly photograph this little number before I put it in the wash and then my wardrobe. Hence the creases and the rubbishy background.
At first I bought it to go for sale but I did the wrong or right thing of trying it on and fell in love with it. I am not sure what year it is.
It looks like a forties on but it may be a very conservative style dress from a decade or so later as the buttons are a clear plastic. Scratch head.

I am comforted to know that I can fit into a SW and a half but deny the 40" hips. How very dare you.

gold

The fair is on this weekend. This is the first time it has been at Paddington. Fingers crossed it goes well.

This is such a luverly dress. I don't recall I have ever put it on the rack for sale before. She will be the feature on Saturday but will look better on the model as she wont be propped up on a chair..crooked.