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

Lazy days.

Today I spend the day relatively productively.
I woke up at 6 and got ready to go the markets with Mum. I wore a bright pink and red spotted dress and a lil belted black cardigan and bright red shoes and bright pink ribbon as a headband in my hair. My colourfull dress matched my colourfull mood. I got two of my watches fixed for only $10 and bought a large bag of popcorn for only $2.50. I then went to my mums and had some breakfast and watched some real life crime shows until 11. On the way to marions I saw a antique shop which I made Mum and Di stop at which was lovely, I wanted the whole shop, the lady complimented me on my dress outfit :) and told me that in two weeks the shop is being taken over by a guy who is a french polisher who restores furniture and will have alot of antiques. I'm going there to get some bed side tables!
We then went to my Aunty Marion's where we had a beautiful lunch of salad, fresh bread, spaghetti marinara and a dressing of homemade parmessan breadcrumbs. This was followed up by the best chocolate mud cake in the world from Jacobs bakery. I brought home half the cake this afternoon and we've already gone through about 3 peices each!
I got home around 3pmish and put on the washing and had a lil nap. I then looked on the net for some houses and saw a great one at mitchelton near us, its under contract but I emailed the seller saying if it fell through, to contact us. Its quite lovely!
EDIT... we saw a house which is in our price range and is tres cute! We keep on ringing up scotland when we know Judy and the girls will be at church to get them online to see the house! I've emailed the vendor and will phone first thing regarding getting an inspection.

Play that funky music.

I went out with mum last night and three of her friends from work, she came and got her eyes tested with me yesterday afternoon and is getting new reading glasses, some tres chic plastic leopard print prada specs! The ones I'm getting no less! We'll be matching!
She picked me up at 7, which was coolish enough for a light jacket yeah! and we went to Ben Woh Chinese and Vietnamese restraunt which holds about 200. It was absolutley packed and at 9pm it becomes a very cheesy karaoke bar too! Lets just say, I killed the Caprenters..Close to you...literally! Its one of my fav songs too in a kitsch way. There was a guy there who was fantastic who sang Caroline by Neil Diamond and there was also a very fine performance by a girl called Yuki who sang Bonnie Tylers 'Total eclipse of the heart'. Considering about half of the diners were asian, it was alot of fun for all! We got there at about 7 and didnt leave till past 11. The food was also very good, we got a banquet for only $25.00 each which was 8 courses. The first course of make your own spring rolls came with about 50 rice paper sheets no less. We couldn't even eat half the food they brought us. Its a place we'd definatly go back to. They had quite a good selection of songs including Boys of Summer, Baby in Blue jeans, Girls just wanna have fun! There were a few tragic choices for some like Desperado and You've lost that loving feeling by a woman who I swear was tone deaf.

Ahoy the post!

Guess what turned up yesterday and took 13 weeks to get here? My pink jacket!

The Godfather

Here are my recent ebat acquisitions. I've had a lil trouble with a few things not fitting as well as I would like, so my aunty di is fixing the ones that can be brought in, though the ones which are just a lil too big or small I'm putting on ebay this sunday. I'm not going to buy anything for a few weeks as I'm taking Madeline and Courtney to paddington in 2 sundays time for some vintage retail shopping. If I dont find anything perfect there, I'm actually going to get a dress or two made from a 1940's blue dress that I got of ebay which I really love. I'd love another in black and possibly one in red. I'm still upset about my beautiful blue spotted one which went missing which was just perfect! Grrr I'm hoping it will turn up one day (unlikely).
Stevie and I had today off, we went to Brookside and got a few things, some nice salads and grapes and apples and fruit for my work (I'm on a diet..grr), some donuts, a xbox game for him, THE GODFATHER which he has been playing and loving all afternoon!, had some lunch and looked in Target. I like a black knee length jacket there which has a belt which I might put on layby tommorow for the winter months (what winter!). I'm just going to have the two jackets for now, the pink check one and a black one. We also went into our favourite shop Anthea's which had lovely mucha prints for sale amongst all the bags, jewellery, knick knacks that I liked. If I had of won the $17,000 one of my first stops would have been there!
I had my bone density test today, my spine is equivilant to a 78 yr old but my hips are actually quite good. I have to take my results to the specialist on the 17th. Whilst I was getting my scan done, an old guy commented to another about a 16yr old girl who had lots of tattoos! 16! hahahaha. We're thinking of going up to dayobro on sunday to the village markets up there.
http://www.dayborotourism.com.au/index.html

stevies fishing adventure

Stevie and Wade's fishing adventure at Redcliffe yesterday. Stevie
caught a fish! and flowers I recieved from work