Time Worn Style

Tablescapes around the house....

I love creating little "tablescapes" around the house, little highlighted areas of favourite pieces. They bring a smile to my face as I pass by them each day, even more so when one of the girls leaves a little something of their own upon them...

(the following are pictures of tablescapes I created here at Greystanes over the years)

PEWTER ~ I love it, everything about it, that gorgeous special dull sheen that it has. This is two of my favourite pieces. For something unusual I added an Antique Glass Floral Funeral Dome behind.  One of my girls added the little Rhinestone buckle to the marble grapes, a special touch!

And speaking of Rhinestones, you can't go past a Vintage Rhinestone clock for that special tablescape piece. Very hard to find over here in Australia, you need to look across the seas to the USA to find some gorgeous ones...

You see that little blue Rhinestone clock has made it into a few of my tablescapes over the years, its one of my favourite pieces!

as has the Vintage marble grapes....

Of course the problem is when you are a collector like me that you tend to display too many treasures at once and it takes away from what it is you are trying to display...

In the end I think my favourite tablescapes have been ones that have only a few pieces in them. Ones that I have kept simple...

I've joined Cindys Show and Tell Friday over at My Romantic Home, pop over for a feast for the eyes!

Recycling continues...

 I do love to repurpose old finds into something functional.

This pink Art Deco sink was a roadside find from last year. I'm hoping to get a few flowers from the primroses before Winter sets in (fingers crossed).

The old pram makes a great portable herb garden ~ although the herbs are looking a little tired as Autumn comes upon us..

How to...

Line the pram with thick black plastic and put a few holes in the bottom for drainage with a fork (or other sharp instrument)

Fill with potting mix and herbs and you are away.

Wheels are perfect for making sure your herb garden is always in the sun!

This is another Queen Anne bedside table I restored recently.

Don't you love those cabriole legs?

Added some pretty crystal knobs and here she is....

She's been SOLD and ready to go to her new home..

School holidays are upon us here in Victoria, will have to put my other restorations on hold till the kids are back at school, in the meantime I get to do lots of fun kid things!!

I've joined COASTAL CHARMS NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY, check out all the wonderful links there, make a cuppa, sit back and enjoy!

Also FADED CHARMS WHITE WEDNESDAY so make that cuppa last whilst browsing through these lovelies too!

Currently ready for purchase at my EBAY STORE

VINTAGE FRENCH SHOE LAST

Wonderful weekend and roadside collections..

Its been a beauty this weekend, lovely warm weather and a house full of people.

And now its still warm and raining, aaaah the serenity...

Anyhow have been very busy this weekend with one thing and another but never too busy to find some treasures.

Some of these lovelies were just waiting for me on the side of the road, unloved and unwanted.

Happy to give them a home....

I think this old banded suitcase has travelled enough already, will make a great storage item for extra clothes on top of a wardrobe.

But really why would anyone throw out such a lovely old table?  Besides a few knocks to the top, its in great condition. Its going to make a lovely desk in my daughters room..

And that antique mirrored cabinet, I'm hoping that's going to fit on our ensuites wall cause I am a sucker for bevelled mirrors...

and then of course there was this little chair in a pile of junk on the side of the road, all green sponge effect and1990's fairy fabrc BUT as solid as a rock..

 

My favourite staple gun (I've had since art school days and I wont say how long ago that was!) and some nice natural cotton duck...

A little "how to" on fitting fabric to drop in seats:

1. place seat on freshly ironed (and preshrunk/prewashed fabric) and cut around outline with enough room to fold over the sides and underneath for stapling.

2. Staple each side in the centre

3. Turning the seat around as you go staple outwards from the centre whilst slight pulling the fabric taut  ie. staple one on one side, turn, staple on the next side, turn, staple on the next side. This way the fabric is evenly "stretched" across the seat.

4. Fold under the corners as you would fold a "hospital corner" on a bedsheet. Gives a nice neat finish to each corner. Use a few staples to keep corners in place.

5. If you dont like the edges of the top fabric looking raw underneath, get a plain piece of calico.  Iron under the edges and staple neatly on the underside of the seat insert. Or you could use small tacks if you prefer that look.

It sits nicely with my op shopped French provincial table...

So you see ~ Antiques and second hand furniture ARE the ulitmate recycling!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend too!

I've joined Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Night Special

Pop over for some wonderful inspirations!

 

AND check out the THRIFTY TREASURES over at Southern Hospitality

Lets get industrial.....

I've been moving in this direction for some time now I think...

I mean there are still roses on the seats (old kitchen lino from the 1940's) but the legs are nice strong industrial metal.

The carpet is a rosey Axminster but the door stop (set on a large nail) is an old glass electrical conductor.

And there are little industrial touches on my tablescapes around the house (number 15 courtesy of roadside find by my wonderful husband)

So when I spotted this beauty at my friend Daphnes shop Tangerine Vintage Store

The 1930's Green always calls to me, the brass handles....

The criss cross metal grill........

I mean we always need more storage don't we?

And I sorta like it next to my Antique Roses painting and Sanderson Slip covered arm chair....

Just need to take off those red name stickers after that I'm loving it!

Have a great weekend of treasure hunting everyone :0)

I'm making a habit of it now but its a good habit to have, I've joined Cindy's Show and tell over at My Romantic Home, check out all the lovely stuff!

A picture paints a thousand words.........

Dont you just love these vintage pictures?  I especially love still life pictures/paintings, that is what I enjoyed the most at Art school. Especially the Dutch masters, amazing details.......

So when I was treasure hunting today (I know, I know does this woman ever stop looking for treasures? Well no.... everyday takes you somewhere new, theres always a treasure to be found!) I jumped quickly upon these two.

Ok, not literally you know but I did move quickly...

And have I mentioned how much I love the Antique wavy glass, you know the old stuff that was made by hand with rollers so there are "waves and bubbles" across the glass. Makes those frames real old, like this one....

Looks so pretty by my vintage lace dress I found over the weekend 

I already have enough pictures for my walls at the moment though so these both can be purchased at my ebay store

Have a great week everyone!

Soda Syphons & floaty dresses

I think I am becoming a bit entranced by Soda Syphons of all things lately.

I do love the way the look grouped together, the surprise of a French Blue Lyons bottle, an elegant clear Australian bottle against the large Paris France bubble bottle in wire.

I think they would look even better with the sunlight streaming in behind them, will have to rearrange again I think!

And then on my treasure hunting over the weekend a lovely lady gave me some old dresses she had lying around the house.

I wish I had asked her some of their history now that I have unpacked them..

I didnt look straight away till I got home, there was a real mix in there from the 1970's way back to this gorgeous lacy 1940's dress...

The most gorgeous colour with yards of delicate lace and capped sleeves

 
And then the most delightful prom dress, the blue tulle gave it away peeking out under the others...

Look at that pretty blue bow at the back..

I did decide to keep one, its the 1940's gown as I just love the elegance of it.

This pretty blue prom dress has gone to my ebay store to find a new home

Thankyou..........

Found this little parcel in the post this week...

And wrapped so beautifully inside ........

A beautiful hanging heart which has now found pride of place on my bedroom door, I was the luckiest of winners YAY!.

Thankyou so much Sue (from Junk it Junction blogspot!) Do pop over there for a visit, as Sue makes absolute magic with wonderful finds, if you love before and afters this is the place to go ~ THANKYOU SUE!!

And just to top it off the lovely Natasha from Five minutes Just for Me (what a great name for a blog) gave me this fabulous award, how sweet is that? I think giving and receiving these awards is the sweetest thing to do, still not sure why some bloggers dont like them, I reckon they give you a real boost which is sometimes just what you need in blogland when you think you are talking to yourself!

Now I know I am supposed to tag this on but I would really just like to send it out there to all you beautiful bloggers. Its an amazing community on the world wide web and I think you are all just beautiful bloggers :0)

Hows the serenity....

Beautiful  weather here on our Mountain this week, have been doing a few long walks with friends to make the most of it as there are some beautiful walks around the area.

Love listening to my old valve radio whilst doing the house work with its crackles and pops, not looking forward to the new age of digital radio..

Found some gorgeous Autumn roses yesterday too, one is called BLUE MOON the other JUST JOEY (a favourite of my mums and my Grandmothers who had them lining her driveway).

Both are fragrant and totally yummy!

And ~ as everyone knows I do love a bargain ~ they only cost $10 each, even the standard roses were only $15 each..

If you are in Melbourne pop on down to the Caribbean Markets on a Wednesday. Cheap fruit and Vegies too, I might see you there!

Have put these roses in the garden bed coming up to the front door.

Remember the set of drawers I mentioned last post? Thought I would show you some before and afters of this transformed piece today.

Then realised I didnt have any "before" pics!! Needless to say it was a horrid yellow brown colour with equally horrid handles.

Steve took the top off with our favourite and for ever useful belt sander and I then put three coats of satin varnish on it.

Whipped off the black horrid 1970's plastic handles and replaced with some sweet clear glass knobs.

 

We were going to use it to put our TV on in the family room but not quite the right size for us so it can be purchased here at my ebay store if you would like it. Dont you love the little pointy sides on this cabinet, very sweet!!

Also found another magazine rack, I did a similar makeover here as I am loving little shelves for magazines lately rather than those floor ones that you trip over.

Its a lovely shape ....

Makes a great little telephone table too...

Also available for purchase at my ebay store

Was going to have a nice day at home and get a few things done but one of the girls has missed her bus to school aaaah the best laid plans.........

I have joined  FADED CHARMS WHITE WEDNESDAY

I've joined Cindys Show and Tell Friday, do pop over to My Romantic Home and check out lists and lists of other creative bloggers.

Do visit all the lovely bloggers over there!

Windows....

Thanks everyone for all your lovely feedback regarding my French Provincial style table makeover, I really appreciated hearing from you all.

I have a matching set of drawers coming up soon so stay tuned...

Took some photos around Greystanes today as it was such beautiful autumn weather here on the mountain but I kept being drawn to the same theme, can you guess?.....

The French shutters outside our bedroom windows look so pretty against the blue hydrangeas...

The lattice windows around the side....

The little box window tucked further around....

A platoon of sash windows across the front........

My favourite bay window further on.......

To a window with a view........

Around to our sweet French doors that open on a hot summers night.....

And our girls little cubby house sad and neglected....

I am thinking this little house would make a lovely garden shed, the girls dont play in it anymore and its starting to be covered by ivy and holly.

Will have to make some plans.....

Currently in my ebay store

and.....

A worn out old Table to a bit of French Provincial

Found this lovely old table at the op shop, looking a bit sad and damaged

It was taking up too much room and they wanted it gone so it didnt cost much at all.

Same day I found this sweet little chair at a garage sale for $2

My lovely husband got the sand belter out and took the damaged varnish off the top.

We were careful not to damage the elegant appliques on the side and how about those sweet curvy legs?

Varnish to the top and Antique White to the base. I've been wanting this style of table for ages but the ones I had my eye on were over $1000. Too much!

This table and the chair cost under $50 for the same look, just what I wanted and I can still feed the kids!

I've joined Cindys Show and Tell Friday, do pop over to My Romantic Home and check out lists and lists of other creative bloggers.