Mini Renovations of the VINTAGE variety....!!

Monday's post was lost to cyberspace unfortunately, but I wanted to show you one of the projects I had written about....!!

This little 1950's doll house was a Hard Rubbish find from LAST August....I was chuffed to find it with it's PERFECT green & red chippy paint....Of course the ICKY wall paper, contact, carpet & interior paint work HAD TO GO....!!  When I unloaded the van at the end of the day it came STRAIGHT inside where I pulled it apart & sat it on a bench in the dining area....And that's where it SAT until Saturday of last week....I know what you're thinking but there are some things (** read many many MANY **) you just CAN'T rush hahahahaha....!!!

So this is how it looks now.....I can see it in the bathroom filled with soaps & sponges or perhaps the laundry room with washing powder, cleaning rags & a dish for spare change & it would look lovely in a babies room filled with nappies & lotions.....!!

And so it begins....

Is it ANY wonder it sat around for 8 months waiting for me to take up the challenge...??!

Scraping, scraping....LOTS of scraping....!

After all the gunk was gone & I had a smooth surface to work with, I applied a coat of penetrol  followed by two coats of Chalk White satin finish in enamel.

The wall paper is from the 50's & was HARVESTED right out of the Hard Rubbish....!!!  I was SO EXCITED to be at the tail end of this project, I actually measured SHORT & had to match a 1.5cm gap (about 1/2 inch) at

 the bottom....I don't think it looks too obvious do you....?? 

Wherever you are, I hope you're having a GREAT week....!!

Cheers,
Tamarah :o)

Bugger....Bugger....BUGGER....!!

NUTS.....I've just spent an hour & a half on a post only to lose it to cyberspace....Unfortunately, it's almost 10.15pm & I need to be up at 4.30am so I'm unable to start over....I'll be back tomorrow night to try again....In the mean time, I'll leave you with a pic of a Christmas Wreath I made using mercury glass balls....!

I hope you all had a WONDERFUL weekend filled with all manner of Vintage Treasures....!!!

Cheers,
Tamarah :o)

These boots are made for Junkin' + The BIG Announcment....!!!

 Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza

Friday 13th & Saturday 14th August 2010

Ashburton Scout Hall If you love Shabby Chic, Vintage & have a hankering for all things JUNK Style, this event is for you. If you are interested in participating as a vendor, please contact me at shabbyvintagejunk@hotmail.com ****************** 

Way back in 2001 after reading about the FABULOUS Ki Nassauer & Sue Whitney of the then named Junk Market & the AWESOME shows they were putting together that saw people attending from all over the US, it occurred to me there was a YAWNING GAP in the Australian Vintage Junk scene.

Sure....We had our Trash & Treasure Markets, Antique Fairs, Collectable Shows, Car Boot Sales & Swap Meets but there was NOTHING going on to rival these shows in the US I was reading about....!!

In my own way, I attempted to rectify this & hosted three Open Houses of my own....For each event over a 3 month period, I would rescue, reinvent, recycle & reinterpret pieces I had sourced from the hard rubbish, tip, garage sales, salvage places as well as goods donated from Friends & Family....I was on to something....After each show, the house Mr SVJ & I were renting at the time would echo the way an EMPTY home with wooden floors does when there are NO furnishings to absorb the sound....Seriously....After each show, we were left with our bed, fridge & telly....!

It was an AWESOME time for me....I was totally immersed in what it was I WANTED to do....I was physically active, working hard & being creative in a way that a regular 9 - 5 doesn't allow....!!

Now I won't rabbit on & bore you with the details as to why I didn't continue, suffice is to say Mr SVJ & I were trying to save for our first home & it was decided after a two year absence from the mainstream workforce, that I would return to full time employment & my creativity would be 'revisted' down the track when time permitted....!!!

That time is now....If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll be aware I work full time in the city & spend EVERY OTHER HOUR immersed in all things Shabby Vintage Junk style....You may wonder if I have what it takes to 'pull off' such an event....All I can say to that is watch this space....!!

The Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza is being modelled on the US shows & I'd like for you to visit the below blogs & look through the pics to give you an idea as to what it is we will be working towards.....Then pop back to have a look at my finds from today's Swap Meet....!!!

The first link is for the Barn House Boys Show....THIS is what I have in mind....Granted not to this extent but I'm looking at 'growing' an event along these lines....!  I can ONLY imagine the stress the gorgeous Joe & Jermonne undergo organising a show of this size....!!!

This next link is to the Time Worn Interiors blog.... Theresa has just returned from the Warrenton Round Top Show in Texas with a heap of GREAT pictures.

Now back to my DROP DEAD GORGEOUS second hand boots....It was a GREAT day today, I added to my SVJ arsenal & found these babies....Now I have a confession to make....I have the worlds LARGEST calves....I mean they MUST be....I CANNOT for the life of me find a pair of bloody boots to go over them....I was speaking with a work colleague the other day who advised her calves were a little on the 'athletic' side as well & she takes her boots to these guys in the city who STRETCH the crap out of them & wallah....They FIT....I'll be leaving my desk at 1pm tomorrow to visit these boot stretching dudes & as they cost a mere $75.00, the additional expense of having them stretched will probably STILL make them cheaper than buying a pair of new boots....WIN WIN WIN....!!!

Just look at them....Can you hear me purring....hahahahaha....European made, these boots have been worn in BEAUTIFULLY & are scuffed & creased to PERFECTION....I found them at Sea Of Love at 10 High Street, Lancefield.  This store, with it's ECLECTIC mix of industrial vintage furniture & home wears along with a selection of beautiful clothing made here in Australia by independent Aussie designers is a destination I am HAPPY to recommend....In fact....I would drive the hour or so JUST to pop in for a look....!!

If you visit, please say hi to the lovely Mel for me....!!




  Yummy no....??!!  

The detail is TO DIE FOR....!!!

OK....Now for some JUNK....!!!

Worn rubber balls....(The basket is an older find...!)

Mr SVJ would like to mount three of these over our kitchen bench....

Potential, potential....POTENTIAL....And paint....  :o)

No words needed....!!!

These two cubbies were a steal at $10- each....Covered in spider webs & dirt, there's a bit of work here but I'm looking forward to seeing the transformation some elbow grease & white paint makes....!!

And YES...Another RED tool box....I SO have a thing for red tool boxes at the moment....I have one in my van, one in my office/work room & about FIVE others floating about just lookin' COOL....  :o) !!

Well....There you have it....I hope I've given you something to think about, get excited about & talk about tomorrow with Friends....I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts....!

Now I'm off to watch the Biggest Loser finale....!

Hope you all had a GREAT weekend....!

Cheers,
Tamarah :o)

I adore my THRIFTED Sweedish Pony Skin Clogs....!!

This is just a short post as it's 11.00pm & I'm up at 3.30am to head off to a Swap Meet....!  I just wanted to pop in, say "How do....!!" & show you these BEAUTIES I found at the Op-Shop today for a CRAZY $9.99....!!  I'm STILL SMILING....  :o)

I have a THING for cowhide/pony skin.....At last count I have 6 x Vintage handbags & two vintage purses & I ALWAYS smile when I open my wardrobe & see them all lined up waiting for me....
** contented sigh ** 

Funny thing is, I was reading a post at Dottie Angel a while back about Sweedish Clogs & I was thinking they look so comfy & low & behold, I walk into the Salvos today at Bentleigh & there they were waiting for me....They've NEVER even been worn....LOL....Mr SVJ is away this weekend & I rang him up & prattled on about them for almost 10 minutes....He agreed that finding two pairs of hand knitted socks (a dark pair & a cream pair) to wear with my new clogs was indeed a priority....hahahahahaha.....!!!

Well I must fly to the land of nod for a short time....Don't forget I'll be sharing SOMETHING BIG tomorrow so don't forget to pop back....!!!

I think my feet look VERY happy don't you....hahahahaha....!!

Cheers,
Tamarah  :o)

Sunday Wrap Up - Castlemaine Swap Meet (Part 2)

As promised here's my haul from the Swap Meet....The pic below shows everything together....** sigh ** does my heart good to look at all my Treasures in one place like this....hahahahaha....!!

I spent $278.50 & LUCKY for me, I came out in front with my sales so in a way....These were FREE....hahahahaha....!!!

I LOVE white enamel bread bins....This makes number FIVE....PERFECT for storage with KILLER graphics....So much BETTER than hoarding shoes don't you think....??!!!

The patina on the sweet little drawer on top is TO DIE FOR....With chippy grey paint the little handle has a heart motif....I couldn't get my $2- out fast enough..... :o)

The little metal hook device on top comes from a car I think....I may mount it on a board & use it to display jewellery or hang a hand towel from it in the loo....!

OK....Next we have an AWESOME funnel, a SENSATIONAL chippy green galvanised flour bin with YUMMY handles....Needs a major clean inside as it's spattered with plaster....The DROP DEAD GORGEOUS heavy black box at the front also needs a good clean & a date with 'poly' to bring out it's handsome side.....While the green scales need some serious degreasing....yeccckkkkkk....Aren't those round platforms on the scales BRILLIANT....I can see chunky beeswax candles on them now.....Indeedy....!!

I bought four small earthen ware bottles (two pictured only)....Each with a yummy perfectly pitted & crazed patina....They'll make sweet vases for a floral display on our vanity basin.....!!

I haven't presented my four earthen ware bowls very well unfortunately....They are pitted & crazed to PERFECTION & are GREAT for everything from fruit to salads & wooden balls.....LOVE these bowls....  :o) !!

I collect these jars with their ribbed sides....I have around 30 of them though ONLY about 12 of them with these YUMMY green tin lids....!!!

Large chippy white steel trunk....SERIOUSLY grubby but a little elbow grease will sort that out quick smart....I'm HEAD OVER HEELS for the two sweet water colours at the front....At a DOLLAR each I couldn't pass them by.... :o)

I ADORE galvanised anything but when it's a tub like this BEAUTY below....Well....Words really do fail me.... ** sigh **

The green Willow bread bin is the perfect perfect PERFECT green....I call it 1940's green & I often take a piece to Bunnings & get them to colour match paint for me....Just LOVE it....!!

Grubby & crusty I just KNOW it's going to take AGES to clean these magnificent bread trays.  It'll be worth it to see the handsome black colouring after a coat of poly has been applied....GREAT storage items FOR SURE & I can see them filled with cutlery, floral displays, condiments etc....!!!

I bought this early 1920's STUNNING oil on canvas horse painting as everyone was packing up....I can't believe no-one bought it during the Swap Meet....It was $2- & goes beautifully with another horse painting I have from the same era....!!!

Love love LOVE the crinkly wire welcome matt in the background....I see this as a message board with bits & pieces clipped to it....!

This tall chippy grey gavanised flour bin made my heart SING when I saw it....Could NOT get my money out QUICK ENOUGH....!!!

And last but by no means least are the 'smalls'....Three DIVINE clocks....The black & the cream ones are KEEPERS....I wish I could find DOZENS of these....!!

The watering can rose was TOO CUTE to pass up & I was THRILLED to find a few more coat hooks & a rake head for ongoing projects....!!

SO there you have it....I'm THRILLED with my haul & my ONLY regret is that I can't gather this amount of stuff EACH & EVERY weekend....!!

Speaking of gathering....Something BIG is happening....Over the last few months I've been in full on organisational mode & will be announcing my plans at the end of the week....Stay tuned....!

Have a GREAT week....!!

Cheers,
Tamarah  :o)

Sunday Wrap Up - Castlemaine Swap Meet (Part 1)

This is just a short post to say HI & to let you know the REAL Sunday Wrap Up ie pics of my loot (haul, bounty, TREASURES) will appear tomorrow on my return from work.... :o) !!!

Team SVJ headed to the Castlemaine Swap Meet early yesterday to set up for today....I had my van pretty much filled to the brim while Mr SVJ's van had just a few pieces....As the Swap Meet wasn't open to the general public yesterday, the intention was to set up, find ALL the good stuff & fill Mr SVJ's van in case I didn't sell anything....hahahaha....!!

As it was my FIRST swap meet as a vendor, I didn't know how people would respond to the mix of Granny Vintage & Pretty Floral Vintage stuff that I took....!!

If you're in Victoria & you have NOT attended this Swap Meet you MUST next April....It ROCKS BIG TIME....!

Unfortunately, my plans to run amock were thwarted by crappy crappy weather....Just check out these clouds....Most of the vendors didn't arrive until AFTER I left for the hotel at 6pm last night....DOH....!!!

When I arrived this morning I had a mere 15 minutes in the dark AND the rain before they let the public in & then back to my stall I went....SOPPING WET....!!!

Oh did I mention I was INSIDE....?? One of ONLY FIVE stalls at the WHOLE Swap Meet that had an inside stall....And there were HUNDREDS of stalls....S-W-E-E-E-E-T....!!!

After the first downfall, I left my stall unattended (I know VERY BAD but my fellow vendors were wise to my needs & had my mobile number to give to potential buyers if they felt they MUST have something etc) & raced out to spend some money....!!

I saw some GREAT pieces which I would have loved to have bought home with me like this roll top bath....YUMMO....!!!

Or this SWEET little trike....** sigh **

It goes without saying that I seriously coveted these galvanised & enamel pieces....hahahahaha....It's not like I found enough galvanised stuff already to satisfy my hearts desires.....Be sure & pop back tomorrow for Part 2.

Hope everyone had a GREAT weekend....!!!

Cheers,
Tamarah  :o)

Sunday Wrap Up - COUNTRY Garage & Clearance Sales, an op-Shop AND the Market....!

Happy Easter....!! Well I don't know bout you but I've had ONE HECK of an Easter break & I still have ONE DAY before I have to go back to work....YAYYYYYYYY....!!

OK....So to recap....Mr SVJ & I left for Bonnie Doon to visit my gal pal Wendy for some serious serenity / junkin on Friday morning around 7am....Blame it on the CRAZINESS of my day job recently or perhaps the fact that I'm trying to fit a little too much into the 19 hours a day I have available to me but I seriously STUFFED up with what was going to be happening in so far as the whole 'junkin situation' was concerned....!

OK so Wendy WASN'T having an Auction....She was having a garage sale....DON'T STRESS though as there WAS an auction which I'll yack about shortly....!!

We arrived WELL AFTER it had started & I was having an aneurism thinking I'd missed out....HA....I spent $45- & snagged some amazing pieces....Pics 1 - 3 show a yard long roses print, English cottage scene in an AMAZING gesso frame, 3 Aussie Country Style Magazines (MORE great pics for my design folder), 2 x rose china plates, Brockoff biscuit barrel, red chippy metal tool box AND a scrolly magazine rack....!!!

After a quick cuppa & a catch up, we headed off to visit with Wendy & Keith's friend Keith Pollard....Keith is a local identity with a passion for collecting....To give you an indication of the MASSIVE size of this AWESOME private collection....Ken has around 40 wool presses & 100 tractor seats & has at least FOUR BUILDINGS devoted to housing his 'stuff'....I took MASSES of pics & will actually devote an entire post to this amazing guy....Suffice is to say we had a BALL....!

The pic below is an insert from a Victorian cast iron bed head Ken graciously allowed me to buy from the 'scrap pile'....$20- wall art....S-C-H-A-W-I-N-G....!!!

Now the rest of the day involves another post again as Mr SVJ & I walked up the top of the hill behind Wendy & Keith's farm & played tennis....Suffice is to say....Serenity....Serinity....SERENITY....!!!

Saturday morning saw a division amongst 'Camp Serenity' with Keith, Mr SVJ & Co heading off to play golf, while Wendy,Kelly, Liz & I headed into Mansfield for some Garage Sales....ahhhhhhhhhh....Let's see what $9- can get you in country Victoria on Easter Saturday....!!

My first score was this SUPER COOL tin globe at a TINY TWO DOLLARS....I was so stoked to find this....I want to line a shelf in my office with them as the lovely Colleen has done over at Fresh Vintage....Colleen's GORGEOUS collection actually features as the picture for March in Sue's Junking Calendar....Sue of course IS Vintage Rescue Squad & I suggest with GUSTO if you want a GOOD belly laugh that leads to snorting ** guilty ** & want to read about some WAY COOL 'stuff', you visit these blogs....NUFF said....!!

Anyways.....back to my Garage Sale haul....Let me see....Oh yes....I also scored one of those heavy cardboard files FILLED with wooden cotton reels, a hammer....The patina of which is so YUMMY....Can't WAIT to use that....It's resting in my tool box as I type....A magnifying glass....Every GOOD junker needs one of these....hahahahaha....Oh & a compass....Pairs NICELY with the MG I thought....It has a loop & will find it's way onto a necklace....Both of these are oldies hailing from Japan....And last but by no means least is the lovely litho you see of the Collie dog (aka Lassie dog) & the lamb....THAT would you believe was an INSANE $0.50....All I can say about the Garage Sales I attended in Mansfield is WOOFREAKINHOO.....hahahahaha....!!!

Once we'd refuelled with breakfast at a local eatery in main street Mansfield, we headed into St Vinnies for a spot of Op-Shopping & this is where I scored this black corduroy WITCHERY jacket for a SILLY $9-....I can ONLY imagine it would have cost somewhere around the $150- mark a year or so ago & it is in PERFECT nick....Don't you just LOVE the bound seems....** sigh ** I'm chuffed to say thanks to some MIGHTY hard work on the Tready at 4.30am EVERY FREAKIN morning...It fits like a glove.... :o) !!! My aim is to be a well heeled Junker....hahahahahaSNORT....!!!

Once the guys made it back from Golf, as much as I would have LOVED to stay at Wendy's & Keith's, we bid our fond farethewells & headed off to Molesworth for the annual Easter Clearance Sale....!!!

I swear to you now in ALL SERIOUSNESS....I almost CHOKED when we walked through the gate & I spied ROW UPON FREAKIN ROW of the most AWESOME COUNTRY JUNK....My poor heart....There was so much STUFF they had two auctions running simultaneously & I skipped from one to the other....Now I didn't get a LOT of stuff but the $54- I parted with was some of my BEST SPENT dollars EVER....!!

I scored these two GREAT kitchen tables....The one on the right has a YUKKY top that I'll remove & Mr SVJ will shorten the width to make it into a console table....We may even give it a bench at the bottom for extra storage....It will need to be painted unfortunately as the paint is coming off in fat strips....!

The second table is so YUMMY....Made of kauri pine, it will need to be cleaned & re-glued & have a VERY light hand sand to take off some of the peely paint at the edges....NO biggy....!! The top that did have a piece of lino stuck to it will need to be sanded & have a clear finish....hmmmmmm....POSSIBLY beeswax applied....I'll see how I'm feeling about that one....!

I also scored another Italian wine bottle....A clearer bluey green one this time AND a half gallon imperial bottle as well as the NIFTY chippy red metal tool box insert....The ABSOLUTE best thing I bought though.....DRUM ROLL please, were these FAIR DINKUM AWESOME factory card holders....B-E S-T-I-L-L M-Y B-E-A-T-I-N-G H-E-A-R-T....!!!

21 years ago I worked at the Yakka factory in Wangaratta (long closed with production moving offshore to FREAKIN China.....yeckkkkkk yeckkkkk & DOUBLE yeckkkkkkk)  Anyways.....Every morning I would take my card out of one of these numbered slots, pop it in the clock punch machine which sat between the two metal card holders, & pop it back in it's slot.....At the end of the day, you'd punch out & put your card over in the OUT box....The next morning ALL the cards would appear as if by magic back in the IN box after the office girl had counted the hours noting them in red on the card....!!!

The MOMENT I spied these beauties I saw them in my minds eye mounted on the wall in my office/work room.....I waited ALL day.....ALL DAY in the hot sun with no umbrella, no sunscreen & NO hat.....When the Auctioneer picked one up & held it above his head & said, "What am I bid for these?" I moved forward, gave my 'don't mess with me stare to the sea of eager faces around me & said in my most authoritative voice, "Five dollars"......Heart beating like a drum my eyes swept the crowd & there was a silence I'd not encountered the entire time we'd been there....The Auctioneer looked around & at the lack of bids said, "Then I guess they're yours Little Lady."

I was so happy I could have exploded....SERIOUSLY....I wonder if it was the STARE.....hahahahahahaSNORT....!!  I've removed the numbers & scrubbed each piece.....If I EVER finish this post, I'll go out & introduce them to 'poly', put the numbers back in & Mr SVJ will mount them for me....!!  They are going to keep track of the 5000 projects I currently have on the go.....!!!

All in all I had a BLAST & CAN'T WAIT for next year....I'll be taking some tools, my van AND a trailer though....!!!

OK we're on the HOME STRETCH....Though if you're drinking coffee you MAY want a top up....hahahahaha....Daylight savings ended yesterday (It's OK....I ONLY cried for an hour.....SO LOVE my daylight savings..... ** mope ** !!!) but I wasn't fooled....I took advantage of the EXTRA hour & caught up on some MUCH NEEDED & required zzzzzzzzzz's before springing out of bed at my usual 4.30am & heading off to the Market....** NB: Sunday is the ONLY day I don't do the Tready at 4.30am.....I do it when I get home from the Market instead...! **

It was a GREAT morning.....Starting with a BIG BELLY laugh at my Friend Trevor's expense as he forgot DS was ending & arrived an HOUR EARLY.....hahahahahaSNORT.....Then as usual I spent time socialising with vendors & buyers as I scoured for Treasures, met up with Mr SVJ who rolls out of bed at a more respectable 8am for breakfast & ended with the $130- worth of YUMMINESS you see below.....  :o) !!!

Now because I've been at this post SO LONG I'm going to bullet point my finds to save some time:

1. 3 x Marchants bottle with GREAT red & white graphics....Stoppers included....!
2. 2 x Hoffman mixing bowls....Red & green to go with a blue one I have....ALMOST have the set now...!!
3. 4 x rusty coat hooks....Always always ALWAYS need these for 'projects'....!!
4. LOVELY shaped bottle just waiting to be utilised as a vase.
5. 2 x rustic funnels....Projects projects PROJECTS....!!!!
6. GORGEOUS chippy green galvanised (my three FAVE words) tool tray..... ** sigh **
7. SEXY (been nicely oiled) wooden box for Mr SVJ's YUKKY tool magazines he INSISTS on having on his side of the couch......yeckkkkkk....!!!
8. DIVINE divided wooden tray with handle (lower right side)....The patina of this piece is STUNNING....!!
9. 4 x rectangular patty pans & 8 x jelly (?) moulds....I do a whole ORGANISATIONAL type thang with these....  :o) !!
10. 2 x BEAUTIFUL French cardboard soap boxes....KILLER graphics on these....!!
11. Grey leather clutch.....I may use this as my NEW Market purse.....Big enough to hold my notebook & phone & has FOUR compartments to separate my moolah....!!!
12. Two LOVELY funnels.....Dare I say....P-R-O-J-E-C-T-S....??!!
13. And the pice de RÉSISTANCE (sp?) has GOT TO BE these SEVEN rusty 1950's garden stake/drink holder things....I used to find these ALL THE TIME in Hard Rubbish but have not done so for at LEAST 5 years.....These (most of them) will be KEEPERS & I'll use them in the garden to hold stubbies when we have Barbies or to hold tea lights....They were a C-R-A-Z-Y $2- each.....YAY ME.... :o)

Ooh & NEARLY forgot....The last pic shows three VERY SWEET velvet flower brooches ($2- a pop) that I bought to CELEBRATE a new phase in my work life....After some serious stress over the last couple of months my REAL JOB looks like it may evolve into something a tad more fulfilling & challenging than it otherwise has been for a while....I was looking for some jaunty colourful scarves but thought these would do just nicely....They will certainly make me smile when I look down at them each day.....!!!

All in all a FABO weekend filled with the five F's.....Friendship, Fun & FREAKINgreatVintageTreasures.....!!!

To my FAVOURITE Friend Wendy, THANK YOU so much for having us, for accepting me as I am & for your continued ENTHUSIASM AND support for each & EVERY hair brained scheme I squeal down the telephone at you....Of ALL the Treasures I have EVER found.....You my Friend, are the most valuable.....!!!

Here's hoping EVERYONE has a Friend like my mate Wendy....!!

Cheers,
Tamarah  :o)