Beads Beads Beads

The beads we got for Judy from the Farmers Markets. They came from one of her favourite shops, Thousand Island dressing.
I work this saturday, but I have the next two off. Next saturday I am off to Paddington taking Madeline and Courtney with me. That's after my mum and I hit the garage sales at 7am! Lets hope the luck I had last weekend is with me. This week I would like a silky oak 1920's bedroom set with marble tops please! I would also like matching bedside tables despite at that time, they didnt really use them! I was speaking to the dealer yesterday about how hard it is to find 1920's sets, as after world war 1, nearly 30% of australias men were all killed off in the war, so we didnt have any cabneit makers left, hence the skilled migrant program. There is an abundance of 1950's and deco stuff about though. To be honest you would think places like Scotland would be better than Australia for antiques and collectables overall (they definatly have more Victorian and French inspired furniture than we do here) but for popularity and accesibilty, its far better over here. In that its pretty much a national pastime to have garage sales! I guess thats how I got the bug so early. The whole 50's and retro thing is very big over here aswell, which explains all the old cars, the rockabilly shows, my wardrobe!. I'm quite enjoying being back home, I guess because I liked scotland so much, I wasnt the one who was so excited about being home, but there is something about the feeling of sun every day, the lovely colourful and unique houses, you dont realise how different the houses are over here, some of the old Qlders are works of art!
I'm glad Stevie's enjoying it aswell, Id hate it if he didnt like it, Id feel responsible for bringing him over this side of the world!
Package with a dress for the girls will be sent over on next day off, promise!

Fishing days

Stevie and Wade went and got a boat today and went to Pine Rivers and Stevie caught 5 whittings and Wade got 7.
I am quite amazed at him liking fishing. I think he's becoming a local! He's already got the board shorts and now he only needs the thongs (flip flops)! Unlikely though!
Its getting quite coolish. Brisbane is great during winter, 20-23 degrees during the day with bright sunshine and down to about 10 at night. The other night it got down to 5 and was very coolish! My hello kitty pjs and booties have come in handy.
Desa trys coming in, in the mornings to snuggle. He's so cute, when I wake up he follows me where ever I go and always trys to open the shower.
If we get the house, once we fix up the aviary, we'd be looking at maybe getting a lil bengal friend for him! They sell them for only about $500 here!

Stevie phoned the mortgage broker today and he had spoken to the bank this morning, he said that they hadn't phoned him with any problems as yet! Only 2 days to go.

sandgate antiques

Today we had a fabulous day out at sandgate, antique shopping and having a seafood basket for two by the beach. Sandgate is beautiful and we had a great day on the train and basking in the winter sun.
At the antique shop I got some more Japanese 50's fun, with a cat biscuit jar and mug and got 13 knitted coathangers for only $3.00. Stevie got a virgin mary vintage picture.

Other Goodies.

Alot of the big furniture peices are at my Mum's house as we dont have room at Dad's, I tried putting these pics on Friday Finds but didnt know how to. The photos are bad quality as the battery's on stevies camera were going and I had to dodge Desa trying to get into everysingle photo!

Cat salt and pepper shakers, Japan origin.







Eames Teak Drink Tray


Antique Chair



Aqua Shag Queensized Bedspread


Eames Ashtray


Rose Tin Trays


Japanese Goodies



My duck doorstop, pink salt and pepper shakers and napkin log


Close Ups

Mixed Porcelain Goodies

Peacock Plate and Vase

Some of my weekend finds

Depression Glass

Blue Vase

Art Deco plate and Jewellery Box

Kewpie Doll money box

Shadow Box

Fete and Market Days!

Today I went to Madeline and Courtney's school, St Andrew's Fete at fern Grove. My mum and I went down to the markets and got some good bargains.
Bear in mind today I spent $30 in TOTAL on the following things!(That's about £12-13 quid!)

From the Markets.
Amber Glass MURANO vase!
Art Deco Limited Edition Plate
Pink Vase
Japanese Box
Peacock Japanese Plate.

All this cost me $4.00 I had also bought a fantastic mirror which was $6.00 but when I went to pick it up, the guy had mistakingly resold it. I was a lil peeved but that soon was forgotten when I got all the following goodies from the fete.

The fete had a small trash and treasure area which we lined up at 9.30am with about 50 others to go into. I had found a lovely antique chair out side, which I got my Aunty Di to sit on whilst we went inside.
Inside I got the following:
Japanese Oragami Picture
2x knitted coat hangers
Kewpie doll Japanese Money Box
2x Rose flowered tin trays
Queen sized bed Turqouise Shag Bedspread (perfect condition)
Small bird glass trinket
Art Nouveau George Barbier jewellery box
Shadow Box
Ashtray
Rose Sugar Caddy
2x ceramic egg cups
Ix rabbit egg cup
Pig salt and pepper shakers
Black and white striped vase
Black, yellow and white spotted vase
1xblack lamb ceramic holder
4x anodised metal trays
1x teak drinks trolley

So hows that for a weekend or garage sales,markets and fetes! Imagine how many houses I can fill if I go every 2nd weekend!
I'll definatly post all the things tonight when Stevie gets home. Apart from that, I ate and ate and ate.Steamed bun for brekkie, vegie lentil burger for lunch and caramel fudge and lamingtons for dessert. Theyre was a hobby farm at the fete and I got to pet some cute little sheep and a lil calf, I'm in love!

When we were walking home last night from the gig, which was surrounded by botanical gardens, a lil possum or bush baby as Stevie likes to call them, came running across the path, very tame! and Stevie followed it behind a tree where it just sat there looking at us.

I heart Garage Sales.

The last two and a bit weeks have been horrible and I've been doing it pretty tough.Today has been my first day off in 10 days, I've done over 60 hours in the last week and thats not including the three days this week I went into work at 7.30am to sit and type up pages of information to send to the stupid banks. Its nearing the end and the final decision is out of our hands.
I spent this morning getting up at 7am and having my mum pick me up to take us to the Farmers Markets at New Farm. On the way there, I was reading the weekend shopper part of the Saturday Newspaper, which is about 50 pages of classifieds of people selling everything you can imagine. I searched the pages of garage sales and deceased estates and found one in Northgate which was advertised as a retro house. I pleaded with Mum to take me there first, bear in mind it was only 7.15am and Mum knew the 'dealers' would have been waiting there from 7! When we got there, there were people leaving with truckloads of things, but I still managed to get a great lot of things for only $50.
I got a lovely huge lamp/kidney table which had two levels which was only $15.00 and in perfect condition. I got a beautiful large painting of roses for $15.00. I got an awesome little pouffe/stool of cream vinyl and wooden legs for $5.00. A great wire magazine rack for $5.00. Some pink pepper and salt shakers, a pink fruit bowl, a rose ceramic soap holder, 3x ruby red carnival glass vases, 2x orange vases, a telephone salt and pepper shaker, a lovely log napkin holder for 50 cents. My mum took the lamp and pouffe home with her.

Northgate is a lovely old area of Brisbane, where my Mum actually grew up just before I was born which is full of Qlders and Federation like houses. Its beautiful with large tree lined streets and qauint little shops. The house that we went to was a beautiful neat little 50's house, all intact and in perfect condition.

After that, at about 8am we went into New Farm. The farmers markets are on every 2nd Saturday and is full of gourmet and local food produce shops/stalls. It also has little stalls of people selling beads, hand made soaps, organic meat,flower producers, local cheese producers and beautiful bakers like sol breads. Every little stall has little taste tests and My mum and I pretty much ate ourselves silly on these alone! It was beautiful, New Farm is quite a trendy place and though it is sometimes full of pretencious rich yuppies, today it was mainly just foodies! I got some beads for Judy, bought a delicious corn on the cob to eat on the way home, a madras curry paste pack( you got free testers with this awesome sri lankan rice and naan), some vietnamese vegie rice paper spring rolls for lunch, some pumpkin and pepita bread, pita bread chips, and some hand made tapenades, one sweet capscuim and tomato and another a very garlicy humous! Yum!
We're going to take Stevie next time we go so he can pick out some things as there was a english stand selling home made pork pies and lemon curd.

Tommorow I'm going to Madeline and Courtney's school fete which is always good. They have a really excellent trash and treasure there, so I'll be on the hunt for more goodies.
I've asked my work to have atleast every 2nd saturday off so I can go to garage sales.
I'm not happy at work though as I'm totally getting taken advantage off. If we dont get the house, I'm going to put my name down for jobs anywhere whilst I apply for public service jobs.
Speaking of work, I got two presents from work customers this week, one a hand embroided kitchen towel and card from a nun called Sister Cecilla Norris and a set of handmade bookmarks with famous qoutes on them.

On Monday Stevie and I are going to Paddington to potter about the antique shops on our day off together, he's going fishing again on Tuesday (obsessed I say!) and we're heading out to see some bands tonight. Its good to get out and about and have our mind off the whole will they wont they/ house problems.
I'm not very confident but think that the more it drags on the more I'm getting less connected with it all, so I think I'll be able to handle it a little better.

Pictures of my goodies when Stevie gets home as I can't find the batteries to my camera.

Mortage Blues

This home loan thing is making me miserable. I have definatly lost over 2 kgs in a week, I can't eat and have no want to , but worst of all is the distinct lack of sleep. I've always been a nervous sleeper, but I'm barely getting two-three hours a night, I'm exhausted every night and go to bed about 11ish, pretty much fall asleep straight away but within three hours, I'm wide awake and tossing and turning. I'm getting up and getting dressed for work earlier and earlier these days. Yesterday was the first thing we heard back from the mortage broker and they supposedly don't like the fact that Stevie is a sub contractor. His work was really good, and Ben the manager wrote a good letter and put supporting documents of Aaron's wages from last year, the guy he replaced. They are numpties though, because Stevie only worked 2 weeks in his first month and they are going on about the fluctuating income. His work have written in the letter that they will offer him a wage package if the bank would prefer it (but he will just remain as usual). I don't have good feelings about it at all, I really don't think we will get the loan. In one way I think, this is the only thing they have questioned us on, which is a good thing as the mortage broker said he'd probably need us to verify a few things, but then I start thinking its a pretty BIG thing to question. I know of a home loan agency called Rams who do loans for self emplyed and contractors so I emailed them this morning, just to ask a few questions incase. If we are unsuccesful with this one we could possibly extend the contract and try with them. It just annoys me! Stevie thinks its his fault which it isnt at all, its just that we dont fix the little box that the bank want. If we dont get it, it will be such a big dissapointment as its such a beautiful house that we both soooooo love and its in our price range. I doubt we'd be lucky enough to get something as nice again. It came through flying with its pest and house inspection
I am working all weekend, doing 1o hours overtime, I am working 9 days straight, from wednsday to next saturday where I have the weekend off. To be honest I'd rather be at work trying not to think of it all. We will be put out of our misery soon enough, the contract ends on Thursday. I emailed the broker this morning asking some honest questions and his opinion of it all. It will mean extra money to drown my sorrows in, incase we dont get it. I think I'd rather think that we arent going to get it then that we are, just to try to talk myself into the disapointment. The broker at our interview said it was 70-30, I think it may have swung in the oppisite way.

Antique Shopping.

Today I had the day off, after setting up the new store. Its very swish and modern with clean lines, I don't like the mirrors at the dispensing desk, as in the dispensing desk which holds the computer is one big mirror with the computer peeking through, with the bright lights in the store, its very easy to look quite haggard!
I went to a few antique shops/lifeline furniture stores and pocketed some bargains! I got a wonderful 1960's eames day bed, with wood frame, the upholstry is perfect but I would redo it to something simple, for only $45.00. I was bidding on one last night and it went for $287!I also got a wonderful eames armchair, it had a really nice rose cover on it, but when you took that off there was a lovely seagreen small checked cover, that was only $12.50! I also got a beautiful very heavy teak 1960's eames desk which had two little curpboard doors which slide across it also had quite high sides. It was in perfect condition and was on $45.00. I also got two wonderful 1960s mod bedside tables which are identical. They are on two levels, with the first level, the door opens up downwards and there are two shelves, then there is a large shelf/pidgeon hole on the bottom shelf. They are such unusual and great peices. All they really require is a sand and I would make then teak. They were $15 each. So all that and my $60 delivery fee and it is just on $200. How great!They are being delivered tommorow, so I might take some pictures on the weekend. I'm thinking I might start sanding them back today.
I love going to shops like this, I'm going to take a Saturday off every week so I can go around to garage sales and deceased estates.

sandgate on mothers day

Some Eames style winnings.
I havent been sleeping well since last Thursday, its terrible, I go to sleep around 10-11 as I'm dead tired, but wake up at about 2am and then toss and turn for a few hours until I just get up at 4.30/5am. I've watched Good Morning America for the last 4 days. I can barely eat and have lost about 2kgs already. I keep on going from being super happy to just thinking theres no hope. This will have to be the longest 2 weeks of my life!
I went out with Mum and Di, Marion and the girls and there grandmother out to Sandgate beach for lunch. We went for some nibbles on the beach and had a lovely lunch from Dougs Seafood. The beach was packed and it was such a lovely day, we then took a drive to Scarborough to see the house and then had dinner for Mothers day at Dhillion Fort our fav indian. It was such a busy day I feel asleep around about 9-10pm.
Today I spent the day setting up our new store, it does look very nice! though the day came with bad news, Rachel who I had been working with the last month at Brookside, her partner was killed in a motorcycle accident this morning on the way to work :(

Scarborough, Queensland

Scarborough is the name given to the suburb of Redcliffe at the tip of Queensland's Redcliffe Peninsula in Australia. To the north lies Deception Bay and the southern parts of Bribie Island.

The suburb is known primarily for having won both the 'Queensland's Friendliest Beach' and 'Australia's Friendliest Beach' awards in 2004. The main street of the town is situated across from the recipient of the award, Queens Beach, a hotspot for families, windsurfers and day visitors from Queensland's capital Brisbane. There is also a thriving seafood industry, and the suburb acts as a gateway to Moreton Island through the ferry terminal.

Parts of the film 'Scooby Doo' were filmed at Queens Beach in Scarborough, the majority of the movie was filmed at Tangalooma Resort at Moreton Island.

Scarborough is also the home to 'Morgans', the most popular seafood restaurant in South East Queensland.

Our house!, we put a deposit on it today, everyone cross their fingers for the loan! The house is two blocks from the beautiful Scarborough Beach and when you walk down our street and look right you can see the water. We are right at the tip of Scarborough which is surrounded by a marina, lots of cafes and a big bbq park on the beach which is surrounded by pines. The beach is less then a 5 min walk away! I can't believe we've found something so beautiful that is so us, for so cheap I'm talking about 85 thousand pounds only for 4 double bedrooms with built ins, two loungue rooms, huge bathroom and kitchen, two decks! Its gorgeous. Apart from maybe changing the colour of the carpet in the formal loungue and a few room colours, we have nothing to do. Please let the next 10 days go quick and that the bank like us!
Front of the house



Entrance Longue



Kitchen and Dining




Huge Living Area and Hallway

Our house

Main bedroom with french doors opening to deck


3 bedrooms




Bathroom






Back of the House