damn you ebay

Seriously, 99 cents peoples!

I was tempted to buy it just because.. Surely there must be someone I know that would need / want it. I resisted. You think I should do a regular ebay referral post? Share the ebay love?

A lick of paint, think Nordic Scandinavian interiors, à la the Millswyn

interior love

via rue magazine

Adoring every corner of Victoria's home

sofa love

amanda prior photography via renee-anne

I know I have gone on and on about velvet sofas, chairs and the like, but here's another one.. Beautiful mid century shape, ample size, cute buttoning, ribbed lines. Oh yes and throw in the lovely jewel coloured cushions too. Don't worry, I will shut up about them eventually...

Perhaps the day I get ever one.

sails away

I came across this vintage oil painting in a inner city op-shop. It had a $90 price tag on it - Was it worth it? I am yet to decide.. So I kept walking and left it behind. Should I go back?

This was the most expensive op shop I have been to, given it's location, they knew the market rates; art deco drink trolleys for $300, vintage Bentwoods $80. Better that it goes to charity then dealers to on sell I suppose.

I took this photo with my crappy 3 year old nokia phone - I am perhaps the only person I know without an iphone.. it didn't turn out so bad.

cute blue acents

via hus ligheter

a day at the market

I found a couple more dust collectors at the market today. 

I promise the little elephant is alot cuter in person. Anything to stop JD dumping coins everywhere around the house is a bonus. Seriously, how cool is the letter holder? Ships ahoy!!!

They now live on the beaten up green chest of drawers I bought from ebay over a year ago. I remember begging JD to come to collect it with me from the scary neighbourhood. Arh, the things you do..

The lady had actually painted it green and changed the handles - the handles, I'm not totally in love with. The wall is a work in progress, I think this is where I'll eventually hang my vintage paintings.

a cute share house

I had to take a snap of the hand towel... cause it made me smile.

Yesterday, I caught up with an old work friend and visited the house she shares with two early 'twenty-something' year old lads.

What was incredibly sweet was that they all contributed in making this rental house their lovely home: adorable type written notes, vintage match boxes for visitors to pick and take home with them, an impressive vegie patch, (her housie was tending to the garden with Outkast blaring on the stereo - cute!) They do communal trips to op-shops, the Camberwell trash n treasure market and the Queen Vic fruit n veg market. It made me miss the student life that I never had...

During the house tour I pointed out the Missoni hand towel in the bathroom. My friend quotes one of her male housies "Gee, you must really like that hand towel, you're always putting it back in place.." Ha, ha cute!

new dust collectors

I kept telling myself no more, but I couldn't resist. The op-shop was having a half price bric-a-brac sale, and this ceramic vase has such lovely texture. The oil landscape is only 9cm x 20cm and is a cute addition to my growing collection.

Speaking of dust, I spent the whole of today vacuuming, mopping and got lots of housework done. A pretty darn good effort given the big Saturday night that was had.

ebay: pigeon holes

I'm dreaming of how many ways one could use this candy coloured pigeon hole cubicles.. Office space or kids room? Ebayers residing in Brisbane should consider..

so do I, emma..

image via emma loves retro

Gorgeous cushions by Emma loves Retro.

Melbournites for your vintage fabric fix head to Flashback Fabrics, in Westgarth Village Northcote.

op-shop finds

I feel like ranting about some of my op-shop finds, so bare with me..

This check smock shirt, I bought a few months ago in Philip Island. I love the big pockets cut on the diagonal. It reminds me of kindergarden art smocks or like some thing out of the Toast catalogue. Oooh I feel like going camping or finding a log cabin hideaway.

This week I uncovered three op-shops near work.

Paid $3 for these Italian woven navy flats. Shame they're half a size too big and are in serious need of topy shoe sole grip. So I found out the hard way: I had a magnificent stack down the stairs in our apartment foyer. Was on my sore bottom picking up all my handbag contents! Lucky no neighbors were around to see it. Bargain? Perhaps not.

lettering love..

I want, I want I want this old shop signage from Three Potato Four pppplease!

oh ebay!

It wasn't meant to be... I don't think it's really me anyway. Or is it? Can't decide...

Perhaps it may have looked nice next to with my other little oily friends... Oh well, too late now!

Some other ebay bits here, here and here that I've contemplated, but have shown some restraint.

Maybe one day I can set up shop, that way I can get up to as much ebay mischief as I'd like to. Either that or get a bigger house.

wee sized chairs for little peeps

images above from the ever so cute Three Potato Four

Home of Emma Cassi via Knock Knock

I visited my friend Moni's house recently and gushed over the wee sized chairs that she had used as a child, which has now been past down to her boys. We were tossing up whether she should paint them red or white... Or at all? Perhaps I'll pester her for a pic to get a verdict..

Which reminds me I have to snap my little chairs from Phillip Island, which currently makes a great magazine stack holder.

road side rubbish..

This is my friend Lucy's retro saucer setting.

Luce has some amazing road side rubbish finds. When the local council has their annual hard rubbish collection, Lucy's hubby, who is a postie gets first dibs on the good stuff in his postal route - I'm jealous.

I've been meaning to pay Lucy a visit and take some photos of her very cool home. Their home is super quirky and decked out in some amazing retro pieces. They are avid collectors and have an some amazing art work and ceramics and she has a wicked Marimekko addiction.

Interior love: Roddy & Ginger

via Bloesem: Knock Knock

Confessions of a op-shoppaholic

Ever squealed silently (or out loud) as you've just uncovered an absolute op-shop gem?

What a dream.. just in time for winter, perfect with ribbed tights!!

This is an oldie - all the way from St Vinnies in Wangaratta

Or bought something (even though it's not your exact style) but you just couldn't bare to leave it behind because:

a) some one you know would definitely dig it?

A beautiful mustard colour with a stunning golden bronze shimmer

b) because of its absolutely stunning embroidery detail... Even though it's only 1 curtain and not quite wide enough to fit your window?

For $7.50 who would complain??

c) because it's vintage Bally for $5!!

BUT ALTERNATIVELY, you may:

a) Have it hanging around for a year only to:
b) Assume someone would pay squillions for it on ebay and delude yourself that you could make a good profit
c) But then no one does, and you're a doofus and ya can't even give it away for free!
d) End up giving it back to charity
e) Ask yourself what on earth was I thinking?? And think oh well, at least the money has gone to a good cause.
f) All of the above

With some luck you may cherish it for years, use it constantly, adore wearing it, or smile proudly as walk you past it it your home.

PS Ummm, I was suppose to be on my way to buy paint from the hardware store for our bedroom. As you can see I got a tad side tracked... Oh well, try again tomorrow (ha, op-shops don't open on Sundays)

Bummer! Ebay losses...

If only i lived in Tassie..

Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda....

Owl did this happen...?

So I was perusing through the current Frankie Magazine and their collectors section featured OWLS!!

My first owl was a wooden fridge magnet which came off a cute Kikki K birthday card given to me from JD a few years ago.
From then, whenever I op-shopped or fossic at markets I'd look out for them. Funny how that happens.. I develop a new obsession and make it my secret mission to find more and more!!


I don't tell family and friends because then I end up with 100 ugly tragic "Copperart" looking owl figurines for every birthday and Christmas present onwards.


I went through this same obsession with: wooden shoe lasts (3), retro cannisters (3 sets), vintage oil paintings (3), retro electrical fans (3) apothecary jars (too many!) industrial/wooden ladders (3) retro or ornate lamps (more than there are power points in our flat!!) wooden desk trays (5) butter dishes (3) wooden signage letters (3) and list goes on and on.. My overcrowded flat is evidence of this!!!


That explains how the name for the blog came about..


Any hoo-t, I thought I would share my collection of owls (5 and counting)..

This guy was at our paar-tay!

This was kindly added to the collection by my sister

This wall art is made of ceramic tiles - very cute!

polaroids & pegs...

Vignette of vases & collectables on the table at the entrance

How cute are these chairs? They belonged to the bowls club

The polaroids & fabric booth was a hit!

Sanderson "Merrick Park" fabric used for our photo booth

To the left of the cool retro chairs was our fabric photobooth suspended from the ceiling. JD's dad is an upholsterer & gave us a roll of this cute Sanderson hydrangea fabric.

I was quite surprised that everyone embraced the fabric photobooth. I expected some guests to look at it and think "what on earth is this for?" and was prepared that some just wouldn't "get it" but most voluntarily jumped in front of it and snapped away..

I used the same fabric to make cushions for the benches inside. They really helped in making the place look cosy.

My ceramic owl, (a previous op-shop buy) held the pegs used to hang our polaroid photos onto the ribbon pinned to the board.

Weeks leading up to the party we kept our eyes peeled for vintage ceramic vases, jars, tea light holders and vintage plates for church candles, which were scattered around on the tables.

I bought a variety of white, green foliage & flowers from a wholesaler who sells to the public, and they were conveniently located nearby the venue. I bought 14 bunches for $130 in the morning of the party, an bargain!!! They were arranged very casually, it looked absolutely perfect!!

More photos to come....