Stormy Weather....

Hi Everyone....!!

A short time after arriving home from the US early October I encountered some 'stormy weather'....An exceptionally appropro metaphor of course for the 'stuff' that comes at you out of nowhere leaving a trail of destruction in it's path....!

I had some tough choices to make....Though to be perfectly honest, it would have been much easier to immerse myself in the more pleasant side of life & simply disappear into the blogisphere & ignore the chaos....

Instead....I got busy....For 7 weeks I left this place to work on the issues at hand & concentrate on my business....I'm pleased to say the time away has been well worth it....The 'stormy weather' has abated & I've made it through a PLETHORA of Shabby Vintage Junk projects....One of which I've shared below....!!

THANK YOU for your emails of concern & well wishes....I hope to be able to start visiting with you all again soon....In the mean time, if you visit when I post I'll be commenting here on my blog....!!!!!

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When I moved into The Vintage Shed at the beginning of July I was hoping to be able to pop a lock up cabinet into my space for smalls straight away....Alas....I was unable to find the right piece....Week in week out I searched until one day a few weeks ago I received a call from a Friend to say he may have what I was looking for....Even better though....He had a PAIR....!

I popped over to have a look & was THRILLED to find two of the sweetest little deco kitchen cabinets with sliding glass doors....P-E-R-F-E-C-T....!!!!!

One cabinet required very little work....LOVED the chippy cream paint....Just had to freshen up the interior with some white paint, line the shelves with yummy vintage wallpaper & change out the crinkly glass with plain glass....DONE....!!

The other one though was a real fixerupperer....The cream paint had blistered from exposure to heat & I just wasn't happy with it....

Ok so this isn't the BEST before shot....You can't see the blistered paint & I've ALREADY removed the crinkly glass....DOH....! 

At least you get an idea of how the shelves looked after the contact was removed....! 

I LOVED the chippy cream & green trim of these little cabinets so no matter what I did THAT particular sign of wear was STAYING....!! 

Initially I scraped the blistered cream paint off to expose the darker cream underneath.... 

But I decided I really wanted it to match the other cabinet so committed to repainting the entire piece....MINUS the top & bottom trim of course....! 

The inside after two prep coats & two top coats.... 

I kept the paint splattered metal rails....

And there's the chippy trim at the top & the first prep coat on the exterior.... 

And here she is in all her glory....**sigh**....! 

They are GORGEOUS if I don't say so myself....Since installing them in my space I've had several inquiries as to whether I'd sell them....Ummmmmm....NO....  :o) !!!!!

I've been obsessively holding onto this wallpaper for almost TEN years....I just KNEW it was waiting for the RIGHT piece....**wink**....!! 

Bunnings matched the paint BEAUTIFULLY if not perfectly & I'm really happy with the end result....!!! 

And Mr SVJ added an unobtrusive locking mechanism which can be removed & repaired easily as required.... 

I also left the chippy shelf trim....Love....Love....LOVE that....!! 

And there you have it....Total cost of the makeovers for BOTH cabinets was $35.00

$5.00 - Undercoat

$8.00 - Sample pot of matched cream paint

$20.00 - Two locks

$2.00 - Wallpaper

Replacement glass for the doors was found in the Hard Rubbish....!

I hope you're all having an EXCEPTIONALLY creative, productive week filled with LOVE & LAUGHTER....Perhaps most importantly though....I hope you're surrounded by WONDERFUL Friends....Because without those....We might all just disappear into ourselves & walk around in circles when faced with 'stormy weather'....!!!!!

Cheers,
Tamarah  :o)

ALMOST FAMOUS....'Sunday Service'....An AWESOME history of the Camberwell Market by Leah Annetta....!

Last year when I was busy promoting the FIRST Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza, I was VERY fortunate to have been contacted by Leah Annetta after reading the article in the local Progress Leader newspaper about my home & the upcoming Show.

Leah asked if she could come over & interview me about my experiences & association with the Camberwell Market as both a stall holder & seeker of Vintage Treasures....!

ALWAYS happy to talk to a fellow Treasure Hunter & THRILLED by the idea someone was going to write a book about one of my FAVOURITE places on earth I jumped at the chance....!

Several days after our initial conversation, Leah arrived on our doorstep with a plate of THE most AWESOME home made jam drop bikkies & we spent time swapping Camberwell Market yarns....The early starts, Treasures found & our shared enjoyment of the 'characters' that MAKE the Market....HOME....!

It was a WONDERFUL meeting which has caused me to ponder from time to time how very fortunate I am to have met such a kindred spirit purely by chance....If it weren't for the SVJ-X & the local paper, we may NEVER have met....SURELY I would have bought the book on it's release & I would have probably stood in line to have it signed by the author, but this would have just been a fleeting moment in time & probably not sufficient to generate an enduring bond of any kind....INDEED....I was VERY LUCKY....!

And LUCKIER STILL when I received my copy of Leah's recently released book, 'Sunday Service' at the Market last Sunday to find Leah had kindly included TWO whole pages of my Camberwell 'story' INCLUDING both my business AND blog details....!!!!!

The front cover of the book has a GREAT pic of the Market from the 1970's while the back cover has a pic of the GORGEOUS Leah between two of her FAVE Market finds....A pair of INCREDIBLE carousel animals....!

The history of the Market from the very FIRST meetings that lead to it's establishment along with it's trials & tribulations, it's volunteers, traders & buyers has been BRILLIANTLY documented by Leah & I KNOW anyone who purchases a copy is in for a very ENJOYABLE read....!!!!!

There will be a formal book launch at the Camberwell Market Sunday 6th November when Leah will be on hand to sign your copy however, if like me you're ITCHING to see it NOW, you can pop by the Rotary van in the walkway & purchase your copy over the next two Sundays....!!

If you live interstate & would like a copy feel free to contact me directly at: shabbyvintagejunk@hotmail.com
'Sunday Service' retails for $43.00 & postage in a pre-paid satchel will be at the current cost which I think is around $11.00 or so....!

Well I must away....PLEASE forgive my lack of posts of late as I'm flat out running between my spaces at The Vintage Shed & the Wholesale Antiques & Collectibles Bazaar in Glen Waverley as well as working on those 'other' projects I've been hinting at over the past month or so....All of this combined with negotiations re the next Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza & I'm a tad on the busy side....!!!

I hope you're all enjoying a BRILLIANT week....!!

Cheers for now,
Tamarah  :o)

Wholesale Antiques - Glen Waverley .... Melbourne's NEWEST Antique / Vintage Centre

Hello Vintage Friends....!

After arriving back home Saturday morning I literally hit the ground running....I'll be back with updates, exciting news & a Dottie Angel giveaway of the UTMOST kind SOON I promise but for now....I wanted to share some AWESOME news with you....!!!!!

For those of you ITCHING to do some SERIOUS Vintage Shopping during the week, I'm pleased to advise a NEW Antique / Vintage Centre has just opened in Glen Waverley....YES folks IN THE BURBS....!!!!!

WOOHOO....Open 7 days a week from 10am - 5pm this place is HUGE....747 hanger size....Now granted, ALL the spaces haven't filled as yet but they're filling as I type & filling FAST....!!

I have a stall myself....It's TOTALLY different from my space out at The Vintage Shed but I'll talk more about that in another post....!

Right now I want you to hop in your car, get on a train, tram or bus or heck just LEG IT out to:



11a Aristoc Rd, Glen Waverley

Aristoc Road is between Blackburn & Springvale Roads on the left as you're heading AWAY from Chadstone....The Centre itself is signposted as per above....ODD name I know but hey I'm not gonna complain....!!

You actually make a left hand turn OFF Aristoc Road when you see this sign & drive down to a factory complex....The building doesn't have a sign as yet but you'll know when you've found the place....!!!

Now what are you waiting for....Go on....GIT....!!!

Hope you're all enjoying a WONDROUS week....!!!!!

Cheers from Camp SVJ,

Tamarah  :o)

Shabby Chic....Rachel Ashwell & Me....!!!!!

I remember back in 1995 when I was living in Dallas, Texas I watched a show on telly where an actress from Y&R was being interviewed in her home....She picked up a pretty floral cup & saucer & said, "Oh & I love this....It's very shabby chic"....I wondered at the time what this 'shabby chic' was but wasn't able to find any info....

Fast forward to December 1999 when Mr SVJ & I were away on holidays....I popped into a bookstore & spied Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Treasure Hunting & Decorating Guide....The cover alone set my heart racing....You know when you discover something so WONDERFUL your body tingles with anticipation of what's to come....?  Well THAT'S how I felt....!!!!!

I raced back to the hotel with my TREASURE....Ran a bath & emerged SEVERAL hours later with the BIGGEST smile on my face & a NEW appreciation for all things Shabby Chic....!

In 2003 Mr SVJ & I were in the US in St Louis & I took the opportunity to fly to Chicago for the day for no other reason than to visit the Shabby Chic store there....**magic**....!!

Then....In 2009 when Rachel's business faced some serious challenges I flew to LA for five days to visit the Santa Monica & Malibu stores before they closed....I drove back & forth....Back & forth between both stores for five days....**heaven**....!  You can't imagine how HAPPY I was to learn Rachel would be re-opening her Santa Monica store....

On travelling to Texas to source Treasures for my business Shabby Vintage Junk in 2010, I KNEW it was one of Rachel's FAVE places to shop....I heard from vendor after vendor, "Rachel's just been by"....DRAT....I missed her by a hair each time....I was dying to spy her in action but three Shows in I kept missing her....

Well....I'm so VERY PLEASED to say I FINALLY had the opportunity to meet the FABULOUS Rachel Ashwell last night out at The Prairie at the opening of her NEW store....And I have to say....The smile on my face is still just as BROAD as the smile you see below....

I have some FAB pics I took of the grounds while I was there....Be sure to pop back in a couple of days....!!

Wordless Monday....**wink**....!!

Shopping for PATINA....

Howdy Vintage Friends EVERYWHERE....!

As ALWAYS, I hope this post finds your 'junking cup' running over....hahahahaha....At the very LEAST....I hope you're having a SWELL weekend....!

I'm working my butt off shopping the GREATEST Show in the US so PLEASE forgive my lack of posts....I'm just popping in quickly to share some YUMMY finds with you....Each & every piece has the most D.I.V.I.N.E patina my eyes have had the PLEASURE of alighting on....!!

REAL patina can't be manufactured....It's a a natural process occurring over a period of time through constant use & wear.....**happy sigh**

Painted over & over through the years....This pieces patina is PERFECTION....!

Chippy....Metal....!

If this LOVELY piece of hardware could only talk....I wonder what it would say about the hands that have touched it over the years....

Breathtaking....

Well Friends I must away....Along with sourcing Treasures comes a myriad of responsibilities....Paperwork & packing to name but two....!

Cheers for now,

Tamarah :o)

Processing....PROCESSING....P-R-O-C-E-S-S-I-N-G....!!!!!

Dear Vintage Friends....!

I hope this post finds you all enjoying a FANTASTIC week....!  As it seems more often than not these days I'm literally 'all over the shop'....Running here....Running there....Running bloody EVERYWHERE in a mad flap trying to get everything done....So busy if truth be told I don't know whether to laugh or throw my hands up in the air & just BE DONE WITH IT sometimes....Rather than sit & wallow though, I thought it might be a good idea to write a series of posts on what it's actually like running a small TINY Vintage Reselling business full time....It may very well serve as a deterant for anyone out there who thinks we're all leading a GLAM, carefree life surrounded by neat vintage stuff....**wink**....!

So....To start....When I resigned from work this past January it was done so after careful consideration & contemplation....Mr SVJ & I have no debt other than our mortgage which is in GREAT shape due to spending the first five years paying above & BEYOND the minimum payment....!!

I'm a frugal girl by nature & was happy to pay 93% of my wage towards our home & made a game of seeing how much I could scrimp & save from the amount I was left with each fortnight....!  I don't BUY retail/new....EVER....Unless of course you count the Stoopidmarket but then I shop at Aldi so that doesn't really count & as our fruit & vegies are purchased at the Dandy Market each Tuesday....It counts even less....!!

I digress though....

The point is I didn't just resign from work....I sat down, looked at our finances, put a business plan together & weighed up the risks....CAREFULLY....If it wasn't for the support of Mr SVJ & his SECURE income, I wouldn't have been able to leave my job....PERIOD....!!!!!

Alas....As FRUGAL a girl as I am though....I started my business with NO capital other than a home filled with yummy vintage furniture & homewares that I would be able to sell as required....There were NO funds in my business account to act as a buffer so I was reliant on my LAST pay packet AND the proceeds of my stall at Fryerstown in January to get things going....Add a couple of well timed tax returns into the mix & I've managed to keep my head above water these past 6 months....It hasn't been easy though & I'm NOWHERE near drawing a wage....!!

Due to my tight constrictor like budget, I need to pay as LITTLE as possible for my Treasures....There is of course a downside to this....Rather than buying in bulk STRAIGHT from Pickers who've spent the time sourcing Treasures themselves, I need to do the leg work myself....And this involves time....Lots & LOTS of time....!!

On average, I spend a MINIMUM of 35 hours a week just trying to find NEAT stuff....These hours are spent in the car driving from one end of Melbourne to the other as well as country runs & costs me around $150- a week in petrol....

Then comes....The PROCESSING....Which is the NUMBER ONE downside for me (next to the FREAKIN' paperwork)....Because my Treasures come to me as they are filthy, broken, almost BEYOND hope....I then need to clean, repair & decide how far to refurbish a piece to get it to a state that I would then be happy to have in MY HOME....!

Today for example....I spent from 6.30am to 11.45am out the back cleaning my stuff....Bent over, scrubbing my heart out....The yellow rubber dish gloves protecting my hands perished within the first hour so I did the rest 'commando' & have bruised & bloody knuckles, scratches up my wrists & a few more bruises up my shins for my efforts....

In the end....I was left with a pile of ALMOST ready to go pieces....!

In this lot there are several small projects requiring spraying with metal poly....I also need to cut a piece of ply to fit the black atomic looking 50's magazine stand & paint it a cheery red....

Mr SVJ will be happy with these yellow storage containers I found him for his 'bits'....! 

I was initially a little bummed when I found this orange enamel piece as it was missing one of the containers....Of course all I need to do is pop a terracotta pot in there with a succulent & away you go....!! 

Galvanised crates, wire bird cages, wooden & metal stools, Willow trays & buckets....DELICIOUSNESS....! 

This one's a KEEPER....This is the THIRD one of these I've found over the last 12 years & each time I say I'm gonna keep it I end up selling it....Well not this time....It's STAYIN'....!!

Just in case you're wondering, it's a hospital maternity ward bassinet....K-E-E_P-E-R....!!!!! 

After the BIG STUFF was cleaned & drying I started on my textile pile....This is a YUMMY barkcloth curtain I salvaged to sell as fabric....I've NEVER ever found a penny weight before....Usually, lead fishing weights were used etc....This time around I found TWO coins dated 1959 & 1962....**smile**....!!

So there you have it....PROCESSING day at Casa SVJ....

Cleaning heavy items = 5 1/4 hours

Cleaning, sorting textiles = 1 hour

Loading van to go to storage = 1/2 hour

Unloading & reorganising AT storage unit = 1 hour

TOTAL = 7 3/4 hours

** My days not finished though....As I'm off to the The Vintage Shed to restock tomorrow, I need to spend a couple of hours sorting what stock I'm taking down, pricing it, adding the info to my spreadsheet & loading the van....But that's a WHOLE new post....! **

NB: there's probably another 1 1/2 hours worth of work in the items requiring additional work/repair but as it's windy today, I can't spray....This means, items go into storage tagged as WAITING to have work done when I can fit it in....!!

** If you have any questions re this post & PROCESSING day, feel free to ask....I'll answer any & ALL questions in the comment section....!! **

This post was not written to illicit sympathy....Just sayin' it as it is & keepin' it real....I AM hoping it might provide 'food for thought' for anyone thinking of taking the plunge into the world of vintage furniture & homewares or indeed for anyone who visits me when I have a stall at the Market thinking the clean, repaired, YUMMY vintage item READY to place STRAIGHT into your home I'm asking $20- for is TOO much to pay....**wink**....!

Well I gotta go....I still need to get ready for The Vintage Shed before I can even THINK about organising something for dinner....!

Cheers for now,

Tamarah  :o)

Thinking of my Friends in the US....!!

September 11 has become a date in our lives that no longer passes by without reflection on some level....No matter where you were or who you are, this day is now a day to remember....To give thanks for all we have & to think of those no longer here with us....

Source

An INVITATION from FAR AWAY saves the day....!!!

Hey Fellow Gleaners....!

As ALWAYS....I hope this post finds you well & HAPPY....!

I have something a little 'different' for you today....Yep....NO JUNK this time around....Just my HORRID feet....hahahahaha....

Sunday week ago I was at the Market talking to my Friend Kylie about a trip we were planning to the US....I was concerned a problem I had with my left foot was going to pose a bit of an 'issue' with all the walking we were going to be doing....!!

I was diagnosed as having Hallux Limitus almost two years ago & was advised I needed to stop using the treadmill & try some orthotics in an endeavour to possibly correct the problem....Alas....I FOOLISHLY continued on my merry way thinking all would be well....!!

Well....now I need surgery which of course is TREMENDOUSLY inconvenient & will no doubt put me out of action for a good long WHACK....BUGGER....!!!!!

Anyways....Out of the blue....Several days after discussing the problem with Kylie I received an invitation to help out a Friend from Oregon....I was ELATED to say the least at the prospect as it will mean I'll spend a lot less time on my feet....Needless to say this called for some frantic juggling as our flights required changing....(THANK HEAVENS for travel insurance)....And I'm pleased to say we're all systems go again....Yayyyyyyy....!!

STOOPID toes seem to be heading SOUTH for the summer....hahahahaha....

I've always said feet are the UGLIEST part of the body....Well....They certainly are on MY body anyway....!

Well I must away....I'm off to The Vintage Shed to REFOOF....!

I hope you're all having a FABULOUS week....!!

Cheers for now,

Tamarah  :o)

A few more TREASURES rescued over the weekend....!

*** This post is dedicated to my ever FAITHFUL Friend Wendy from Bonnie Doon....Wendy Love....Once again, I am SO SORRY to have 'missed' your birthday earlier this month....I am EVER grateful for your tolerance & forgiving ways....!!!!! ***

Morning fellow Seekers Of The Past....!

I trust you all had a FABULOUS relaxing weekend filled with Treasures....!  Once again I'm just popping in BRIEFLY to share some of the pieces I've seen as I've made my way through the HR....Alas....I've not been able to pick them all up so I've documented their existence with my trusty Iphone....!!


Comments on this post have been disabled as I'm unable to come & visit with you at the moment as along with sourcing, I have several projects on the go keeping me away from the computer....!!

This piece requires HOURS of restoration AND cleaning but I'm SURE you'll all agree.... 

It's one SERIOUSLY S-E-X-Y piece of wood....!!!!! 

DIVINELY tattered 1940's hope chest....Originally covered in brocade it was recovered at some stage with this BEAUTIFUL floral linen fabric....It was SO HEAVY I almost left it behind....ALMOST....**wink**....!! 

PERFECT blue....Aussie made 1970's....And NO restoration required....A RARITY indeed....! 

GREAT industrial bookshelf....The ply backing has had the RICHARD so I'll replace that & I'll use it when I have a stall at the Market for my smalls....!! 

Aluminium hospital bedside cabinet....LOVE the quirky veneer finish but that POOR MANS WOOD (chipboard) will have to go....A nice hardwood top & some metal handles will finish this one off just nicely....! 

I thought this was a PAINT BY NUMBERS piece when I drove by but on closer inspection it turned out to be Hobbytex....! 

ORIGINAL Sebel Hobnob chairs....WOOHOO....! 

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS head board....I'll chop the legs off & use the other side to make one of my YUMMY blackboards....! 

LOVELY drop leaf table....! 

....Almost peed my pants laughing when I spied this....ALMOST....  :o) !! 

I ALWAYS know where to go if I need some EXTRA luggage....! 

This one's a CUTIE....

Yayyyyyyyy....I haven't found a crinkly wire rubbish bin in the HR for SEVEN LONG YEARS....**long sigh**....!!!!! 

Aussie (pronounced OZZIE) manufacturers stamp dates this WICKEDLY SEXY piece to 1956 back when Elvis was turning from from a Prince....To THE King....  :o) !!!!! 

Just no room in the van to squeeze this beauty....**sob**....!

OK....Must away....Take care & have a BRILLIANT week one & ALL....!

Cheers,

Tamarah  :o)