"Have a happy weekend" that's what I'm pretending this rather manic and scary looking clown is saying...I don't really know why I bought this as I find clowns a tad on the freaky side... but there was something about this one that caught my eye...perhaps it was the ninety nine cent price tag? (he's out of harms way in the laundry so we should be o.k.)  

Anyway, I do hope you all have a lovely weekend and that not too many of you have woken with crushing hang-overs following yesterday's big wedding. For the record I thought the bride (and her bridesmaid) looked absolutely beautiful. Sometimes less really is more...

Just a quick up-date on those teak cabinets...in a nutshell my husband didn't like either of them. Sigh. Boo. Hiss. I tried my hardest to convince him that they were too good to leave behind and that we could sell them ourselves for A-L-O-T more, but sadly he would not budge. And this time I decided the cabinets were not worth fighting over...I'm sure they will have new homes very quickly. Sniff. They just wont be living at our house...

Now here's a tea towel

a picnic would be lovely this weekend....

Thank you for visiting, following and commenting too x

I had a lovely time op-shopping this morning...I found so many treasures and spent hardly any money...Perfect. What more could a girl wish for???

Well I have been wishing for rain, but guess what? that wish has been granted.  Yesterday we had our first proper rain in ages and it is wonderful...we went to bed last night to the sound of rain-drops hitting our tin roof...there could be no sweeter lullaby. I know this sounds terribly OTT and corny too but I am not exaggerating...we have had a very long, dry, hot Summer...if I was less inhibited I'd take off my clothes and dance in it! 

O.K. that's definetely enough of that kind of talk, that's s-c-a-r-y stuff! Back to op-shopping...the little softie in the pic is one of the things that came home with me today...he was hiding under a pile of ordinary stuffed toys and when I saw him, well could you resist that sweet little face? and those gorgeous orange patches? I don't think so...

what is it about orange?

I've got to go - will show you more tomorrow. I'm off to the op-shop with my husband to (hopefully) get his approval on a gorgeous 60's teak cabinet...there is actually two to choose from...one of them forty five dollars the other fifty. Unbelievable! Got to hurry. Wish me luck x

p.s. I told you I'd had a good day!

I first read about Katie Thompson in Frankie. Katie is a South African interior designer with a difference,
she creates unique furniture and lighting from discarded "junk" she finds at garage sales and auctions.

As someone who has accumulated lots of junk (two sheds full to the brim... AND counting!) I am really interested in Katie's ability to see beauty in old discarded objects and in her talent to create quirky new purposes for them. Like...

the suitcase chair in crackle acorn

and this

hatbox ottoman in red roses

 I wouldn't worry so much about my lack of self control and inability to resist the temptation of every op-shop I pass if I had Katies talent for giving the stuff I buy a more practical use. Have a look at what she has done with old muffin tins...

she's made vases out of them!

cookie vase collection. framed in perspex.

My fears about starring in an episode of Hoarders  would be totally unfounded if I could make these (or get Katie to make them for me...)

the scale clock collection. Salter no 34 in mint

(I love this colour)

the mail rack

(I found one of these on the verge a few weeks ago, remember?)

beer bottle glasses

My husband could drink ALL the beer he wanted to if he could make me some of these (only joking Anthony!)And I'm sure I remember my Dad making these...or at least drinking from similar ones in the 70's.  Made from old Swan Lager bottles...)

And I could look at myself in the mirror (in THIS mirror) without feeling guilty about spending too much cash at the swap meet if I was as clever as Katie at recycling it!

ruler mirror

All pics from Katie's shop, Recreate

I hope you've enjoyed looking at Katies re-creations. We all like to collect stuff, love op-shopping, finding treasure etc and I think what Katie does is interesting and inspiring...do you agree?

Now, I wonder what I can make with this???

whatever I do the stickers have to stay!

Now I suppose I'd better show you a tea towel

just think of all the treasures you could find on this journey...

Hi, I  hope you've had a hoppy happy Easter. Sorry.
I was just having a sticky beak at a few blogs (wine glass in hand) when I came across this pic. It's too clever, wonderful and easy-peasy NOT to share and I know you will love it... 

pic from Allison's lovely blog, The Lark

don't you love them?

I think this is one idea definetely worth copying, don't you?

Next time you find a slightly threadbare granny blanket, or one that might be a bit smaller than what you were hoping for, don't turn your nose up at it...take it home, give it a wash (and some love) and hang it on your wall just like Allison did.

gorgeous granny

 I can't believe I have never thought of this! BUT I suppose that's why Allison is Allison and I'm... well, me!

There are always some grannies that need a little more love than others...and this could be one way of ensuring they all get the love they deserve. Let me know what you think.

Hi again, it's nearly Easter and we are getting ready for a family lunch in our garden on Sunday...Annabel has made these yummy biscuits to have with coffee after lunch

The recipe she used is an old favourite from Nigella Lawson's How to Eat, they are made with lots of lovely Golden Syrup and cinnamon.

isn't this old tin wonderful...

it's one of four my husband found at a church fete a couple of years ago...I can't believe ice cream was sold in tins!

love those fauns!

I am also going to (try to) make Nigella's Hot Cross Buns... I'll make up the dough tomorrow, leave it in the fridge overnight to let it do its thing, then I'll stick them in the oven first thing in the morning so my family can wake to their heavenly smell. We will eat them dripping with butter for breaky... Yum!

 

pic from Ladybird Book of Nursery Rhymes

 I have also made miles (well not quite, but you know what I mean...) of pretty bunting from vintage sheets to hang in our tree

We are going to have an Easter egg hunt for the littler cousins, but mostly our day will be spent enjoying the Autumn sunshine and spending time together.

What are your plans? Are you going to eat lots of these?

and I'm talking chocolate not boiled of course!

I have to admit that I don't really like Easter egg chocolate although I do like to keep the pretty foil wrappers and still have some that I carefully flattened and smoothed out when I was little... it was a delicate operation and I remember chucking the biggest tantrums whenever I accidently tore one of them! I wish I could show them to you but they are packed away... the ones from the 70's must be pretty cool... 

Happy Easter, have a lovely day

See you next week, now here's the tea towel

I've been saving this one for Easter x

Went to the Swap Meet on Sunday for the first time in ages (due to Sunday morning sleep-ins)I found a few interesting bits and pieces, and surprised myself by turning my nose up at three tea towels and leaving them for someone else to buy...I've decided to be a bit more selective and only buy the ones I really like from now on...this should increase the availability of vintage tea towels in Perth quite considerably. Ha-Ha.

Anyway here's some of the things I bought, first up more Religionalia, this time it's wierdly 3D

one on a "timber" mount

the other on black glass

(apologies for lousy pics)

I also found some more souvenir pennants...these ones have a European flavour and although they are not as cool as my Australian ones I still like them

the Jamaica Inn one is especially nice, it looks hand painted...I'm familiar with Jamaica Inn from the Daphne du Maurier novel but I wasn't aware it really existed...does it?

Capri cannisters

Flour missing lid, but for two dollars who cares!

gorgeous Gay ware cannister one dollar

yes I know butterflies should be free, but I kind of like this...my husband DETESTS it

he does like this stripey vase though.

I've been looking for one of these (at the right price) for ages.

I also gave a new home to:

vintage flower frog

perfect for displaying cards, photos etc

made in Japan and lovely

plastic fantastic for my flower wall

A Cherry Product. Made in Australia

I think this was originally used to serve Hors d'oeuvres...I'm thinking toothpicks in the little holes?

70's souvenir coaster/placemat set

Manjimup is a very pretty little country town about 300kms South of Perth.

And lastly, one of two unused vintage tablecloths

They are still in original packaging... I am saving the other one as part of a  give-away I have planned when/if I reach one hundred posts.

That's it apart from Monday's tea towel

Linking to Flea Market Finds and Thrift Share Monday

can't wait to see all the treasures you found!

 

   

Have a nice weekend everyone...see you Monday x

Just a little bit of house-keeping before I start enjoying the weekend...firstly I  gave you the wrong link to Brittany's lovely stripey jumper give-away...I have corrected my mistake but here it is again just in case you want to try your luck... My Unintentional Life

Secondly I have entered a competition to win a copy of "The Flea Markets of France" by Sandy Price and because sharing is caring I've decided to let you know about it so that you can enter too... all you have to do is

check out Kimberly's blog Wife in Captivity (not as scary as it sounds!) and comment for your chance to win. Too easy!

Van over at the always interesting, Thrift Core has a written all about Kimberly in her Thrifters Around the World series, which is definetely worth looking at too.

Image via

This is Ben Quilty's Archibald Prize winning portrait of the Australian artist Margaret Olley.  I'm including it in my blog not only because I think it's a wonderful, wonderful painting but also because at eighty eight years of age Margaret Olley is a living treasure...she is well loved, unique and certainly has history. Just like all of the other treasures I like to blog about on Lucy Violet Vintage. 

Here is a photo of Margaret Olley

image via northernstar.com.au

Don't you think Ben Quilty is deserving of the Archibald?

 Ms Olley is considered a living legend by Australians in the know (you know, those clever arty people!) and is known best for her wonderful still life interiors like these...

image: familyartsstories.com

Mallee Rose

image: galeriaaniela.com.au

still life with oranges

image: savill.com.au

image: geelong-visual-diary.blogspot.com

image: ipswitchartgallery.qld.gov.au

Lots of lovely orange! Mallee Rose is probably my favourite of these, which one do you like best? 

I would love to have even the tiniest bit of Margaret Olley's talent and ability (and Ben Quilty's for that matter)...even my stick figures are wonky!

Just one more pic to show you, Ben Quilty's painting of a Torana (they stopped making these in the 70's so I guess they could almost be considered vintage...)

It's a great painting, look

Elwood Torana no.7 2003

image:www.abc.net.au (artworks)

And here's a tea towel version of a still life...