A Bedtime Story

an anytime story actually...

I know it's a big ask, but I hope you'll take the time to read this gorgeous childrens story written by Robert Bright in 1962.

I have scanned all twenty eight pages (phew!) in the hope you will. I promise you, all that scrolling action will be rewarded...there's a message for us all, in this simple little book and I really wanted to share it with you. 

I'll let Mr Bright (and Willy) do the talking:
(oh! and remember you can click on the pics if you want to make them bigger - it's worth it to see the detail in the illustrations)

Fin.

x

p.s. it's this little label on the back of the book that really made me go awwwww

The Small Schools. Oh.

And how sweet is that kangaroo...

I assume small schools are too small to have a library of their own...

(I'll have to do some research on this, keep you posted)

Thanks for your lovely comments about our industrial light (which also btw, doubles as a heater - it gets very hot. An added bonus? Hmmmm, it will be...in Winter!)

You'll be glad to know we don't pick up all of our treasures from the side-of-the-road. Sometimes (quite often actually) a cash transaction is involved.

What do you think of our latest purchase?

Isn't it beautiful. We found it at a fantastic new shop here in Perth called Industriart. It is an original piece from the old Midland Railway Workshops (1904-1994. My Grandfather was the nurse there for many years) It stands as it was found, the only addition is some steel bracing attached to keep it steady.

I don't know what a die is, or a tap for that matter! And I was a tiny bit disappointed to discover that the drawer marked odd dies didn't read oddies like I thought it did  (that would've been too sweet) but I do know, that I love this little industrial storage cabinet very much.

We have popped it in our nearly renovated kitchen (we've done our bit, just waiting on the tradies...) Not sure it will stay there, but for the moment I think it looks pretty good. Especially with my treasured vintage koala textile hanging above it

(found in a junk shop in Albany years ago. I'm so happy to have it hanging again - its been stored in "the shed" for almost two years!)

and my lovely Bitossi vase and other bits including the little handpainted Studio Anna Geraldton dish (picked up in an oppy for one dollar yesterday) atop it.

  

p.s. Industriart is at Unit D, 29 Clayton Street Bellevue. An industrial shop in a proper industrial area, perfect! There aren't many places like this in Perth, do check it out, you'll be glad you did.

p.p.s. I treated myself to a bunch of red gladdies to celebrate a month of hard graft in our kitchen (they are also the flowers I carried on our wedding day)

The little green stool belonged to Lucy Violet's husband, Tom. Your postcard is there too Lakota x

NOTE: info on dies and taps

If you are still wondering what die/tap means,they are cutting tools used in metal machining, the die cuts the outside thread and the tap cuts the inside thread of any metal component made for repairing machinery, the 3/8 etc.are imperial measurements.Did that make any sense?(married to a machinist amongst other things,lol)Gorgeous drawers. Love your red gladdies!

Thanks Simmone x 

Look what we found on the side of the road while we were taking the dog for a walk

I took over "walkie"  duties while Anth (in a Hurculean effort) carried this industrial (and extremely heavy) beauty home (we did try pushing it, but it was early on a Sunday morning and the noise it made was horrendous)

We took a punt it would work and

to our delight and relief it did.

So, thank goodness (it really is bloody heavy, it practically killed Anthony getting it home!) all that hard yakka was worth it. Good looking and useful too* (it's a fantastic light to paint walls by)

I can't believe someone ditched it and left it there for the taking, can you?

p.s. these things are all the rage you know...read this if you think I'm fibbing... 

* just like Anth

(ha-ha! never know when I'll need something heavy carried home again, got to stay on his good side)

x

Iconic Iwanoff for Sale



Looking for the ultimate modernist home to call your own?

Money, no problem?

How about this concrete beauty for sale in Dianella (or Iwanella if you're one of those cool architect types)

Marsala House, built in 1976

It reminds me of this

Frank Lloyd Wright's Ennis House built in 1924. Image via

It's definetely got a similar Aztec/Mayan temple thing going on.

The interiors will blow your mind!

Told you!

It's not my favourite Iwanoff, but I could be persuaded to live there...if push came to shove. Ha-ha!



There's a Home Open next week, dare I check it out?

More info (and all pics from) here 

p.s. thanks for the tip-off Vicky and Sarah x   

Wave Rock, getting there.

Interesting things we saw on our journey...

A road to nowhere. The sign said Christmas Tree Well, an irresistable combo no? We had to turn off and check it out, didn't we? And guess. Yep, you're right. We didn't see a well...or a Christmas tree. I started humming the Deliverance theme song the further into the bush we got. It popped into my mind when we saw a burnt out old car rusting away, in the distance (I know there isn't an abandonded car in the movie, but you know what I mean) Sometimes when I'm in an isolated place I let my imagination get the better of me. We were all glad to high-tail outta there, so to speak...

Next stop Brookton. Not a hillbilly in sight, not a single solitary person in fact (remember our trip was on Good Friday, the locals must've been busy eating hot cross buns)

There are some lovely old buildings in Brookton

Can you make out the words? Mon Repose Hostel. Sounds more like a funeral parlour to me. Mon repose means my rest, apparently alot of French retirement homes are called this. I'd love to know the history of this shabby old weatherboard. 

I would've loved to have a cuppa at the Blue Bell too...but sadly, from the looks of it, its been a long time between cups of tea.

and some newer, very nice modernist ones too...



Our next stop was Corrigin. I've already shown you the Corrigin Dog Cemetery but there were some lovely old buildings in this little wheatbelt town too. And a very interesting looking Lions op-shop - it's window full of lovely old religionalia (you would've been in heaven Tam) not sure if it was a special Easter display and I couldn't find out because it was closed. Sigh. Worth a three hour drive to check it out when it's open? Hmmmm, I'm thinking about it...there's a plaster Jesus in the window with my name on it.

We think this was the local drive-in...

and we all loved this old sign outside Stumpy's Roadhouse. If only I was one of those picker chicks...(wouldn't mind their legs either)

No tea towel today (or last week - oops!)

I wish I had a Wave Rock one to show you. The only vintage one I could find on the net had sold and I didn't buy a new one because new souvenir t.ts. aren't my thing. I think they're a bit tacky, and not in a good way (because tacky can sometimes be good, don't you think?)

I'll show you the "wave" next time x

  

  

  

    

Picnic at Wave Rock

Yesterday was a good Friday for us. We went on a 345km road trip to Wave Rock. I have wanted to hang ten on "the wave" since I was a little girl and yesterday, finally, I did. There will be embarrassing pics of me trying my hardest (and failing!) to do the surfie chick thing soon enough, but there are other interesting things we saw on our journey there that I'd like to share with you first. Like the Corrigin Dog Cemetery. Yes. Really.

The Corrigin Dog Cemetery was established in 1974 by Paddy Wright following the death of his best mate Strike. It is the final resting place for over 80 well-loved pooches. If you feel like having your heart strings tugged, it is definetely the place to go. Honestly, you'd have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by this slightly wonky pet cemetery, in the middle of the bush.

Our little wander through the cemetery was quite a sniffly one, although I have to admit, our own loyal pooch, the Jedster, didn't show quite the same reverence and respect for his dearly departed doggie "brothers" as we did...he happily cocked his leg on more than a few of their graves (much to the girls dismay..."Muuuum, Jed's weeing on Shep's grave!")

Here are a few graves I found particularly touching

(got your tissues ready?)

Paddy's best friend Strike, the hound who started it all...

Rusty, faithful companion, loved by all who met him. Awwww.

This is Lassie's grave (not as famous, but just as loved as his namesake)

oh Tiny!

just the name was enough to start me blubbing

sometimes words aren't necessary...

is it o.k. to admit I like the tiles on this one?

and the concrete mosaics on this one?

I hope she is...

The last grave I'll show you is very special. It belongs to

faithful, loveable Rob and his master Reg. I can only presume Reg's ashes were scattered on Bob's grave by his family. The headstone reads: Finally at peace now. Resting with his old mate and friend Bobby. I bet that has you reaching for your tissues. 

I'll return on a less sombre note to share more of our trip in a few days x

p.s. Corrigin is 235km South-East of Perth. More info here  

An instant collection of

Ladybirds!

Sixty nine lovely "ladies" all  up. A few of them I've discovered, quite rare. A teetering stack of happiness found amongst a pile of junk at a local Swap Meet on Sunday morning.

I paid a dollar a Ladybird, the bloke selling them wanted two "they're collectable, you know"

I spent hours pouring over their delicious illustrations when I got home (delicious = perfect adjective to describe L.BS.) and then even more time arranging them, colourful spine by spine on my little bookshelf. Which is now jam packed you'll be happy (for me) to know.

In total I now have one hundred and fifty Ladybirds. How awesome is that! Pretty bloody awesome I say!

This bounty from the Swap Meet also means I'm now in possession of a handful of "doubles" which I'm planning to give to anyone who wants them. I've been the lucky recipient of much Ladybird lovin from generous bloggy friends, and I'm chuffed to be in the position to spread some Ladybird love myself. More details soon.

And on lovely bloggy friends, big thanks to Curtise and Max for their generous donation to the Lucy Violet Vintage Ladybird cause x

    

Ladybird fact: more than six hundred and sixty Ladybird titles have been published! That's alot of little books out there for me to get my hands on. The hunt continues...

(info via)

Doing the flea market thing with Sophie