This is where I'll be hangin on the weekend...

found on the side of the road by the way...

Thank you for visiting Lucy Violet this week, it's really nice to know you're out there...take care and have a lovely weekend.

More from me on Monday...

More of yesterday's finds as promised...

pretty faded vintage sheets

aren't they lovely...

Some of these are going to be cut into fat quarters for Kellie's  vintage sheet swap. If you live in Australia it's not too late to join in, just hit the pretty button for more info...imagine getting a package of prettiness like this in your mailbox...

 

not everyone shares my love for kitschy souvenirs...

I can nearly always find something that fits this description!

More flowers...

love that shiny disco frame!

 You've probably seen Vera Neumann's scarves before...every op-shop I visit seems to have at least one tucked away, but I have never found a print before. Yay! Apparently Vera was a houshold name in the 20th century. I like this description of her work "blooming florals and strong geometric prints" (can't remember source. sorry.)

And I couldn't resist these either

sweet sweet SWEET!

These make me smile. I love their naivete and innocence and for twenty cents each how could I leave them behind?

What have you bought for twenty cents lately?

Sticking with animals, one of my most favourite finds yesterday was this...

Golden Boy by Gig.

This is my first big eye animal print and it was also my first find of the day. This is from a series called Pity Puppies...our dog looks at me just like this whenever food's involved!

On her excellent web site Yorik describes Gig as "able to take pathetic to a whole new level" Perfect. See more here http://www.angelfire.com/ny/yorik/gig/puppy.html

I also bought this, more of a mythical animal. I'm not really sure what I like about it...probably the gorgeous orange silk background, but I do like it. My daughter says it's "fugly!" Ouch. What do you think?

like or loathe?

Just one more thing to show till next time, apart from tea towel of course...

bubbly glass vase. Made in Japan.

I like this. Alot.



And now at long last, here's the t.t.



p.s. one more thing before I go. Promise. Scarlett is giving away lots of pretty things on her blog, check it out here http://scarlettloveselvis.blogspot.com/ because you've got to be in it to win it!!!

Over and out.



I've had a slight case of the op-shop blues lately...treasure hunting has been more frustrating than fun and until today I'd almost lost enthusiasm for something that I've always loved doing.

Do you know what I mean? Does this happen to you too?
While I know that it's unrealistic to think I'll always find great stuff it is still a bit of a downer to consistently find a big, fat, NOTHING! Which is what's been happening to me lately...

Common scenarios include:
a) finding NOTHING
b) finding something really lovely but hugely over-priced
c) finding something terrific that has been wrecked by the placement of a price-tag which will only cause damage when it is removed

When I saw this sign I had a feeling that things might be going to change...

and I was right...

Things are on the up and up...I've made a speedy recovery and feel much better because today I found treasure! Yay!

There will be no more whinging from me, have a look at what I found...

p.s. I'll show you some today, tomorrow and Monday.

Webco. Made in Japan.

for my Mum. Japan.

another tacky Australian souvenir. 

It's special though because I worked on a sheep station in Carnarvon when I was younger. 

I bought these plates from three different op-shops, fifty cents each, funny how they've got similar edging...

I also found

The little pale blue vase is a Martin Boyd. Pretty neat for fifty cents! The little dish another souvenir, this time from Melbourne. I also bought the table cloth (one of several I was lucky enough to nab)

Next something I didn't buy, but liked enough to take a

photo of...

that Jack-in-a-Box is slightly worrying!

green chicks?

sweet cot mattress

Have you ever noticed the gorgeous fabric on old mattresses? It's always so pretty.

Today's tea towel was another lucky find. And it's a Rodriquez!

Not a particularly old one, but still cute AND it has its tag.

no prizes for guessing what I'll be doing tomorrow!

Yesterday I bought this little dish from Vinnies

It only cost me one dollar but the little journey of discovery that it has taken me on is worth way more than that!

Not only did I find out lots of cool stuff about the 1962 Seattle World's Fair but I also came across an interesting story about a wonderful modernist home which was built by the principal architect of the fair, Paul Thiry. I'll get to that later...

Treasure has been a bit hard to come by lately (finding treasure is NOT a problem btw but paying too much for it is! all the things I've liked have been far too pricey so I've been a good girl and resisted temptation...so far!)

For that reason (and because I love modernist design) today I'm going to show you some of the little gems I found when I googled Seattle Worlds Fair...

Image via surfacetoairmedia.com

I love this futuristic looking poster of the Space Needle. No wonder it was said to capture the hearts and minds of the nearly ten million people who went to the fair. Ten million people! For someone who lives in a state of just over two million people this is amazing!

Here's a pretty pic of the fair at night

Even Elvis went to the fair, his 1963 movie "It Happened at the World's Fair" was filmed there.

Image elvis-history-blog.com

(this is for you Scarlett)



And Prince Phillip was another visitor... apparently he wasn't overly impressed with the colour of the Space Needle and said that it "reminded him of the protective paint used on bridges" It was repainted a few years later but I'm not sure if this had anything to do with his comment!? 

Eye of the Needle Restaurant, Space Needle 1962

 I hope someone out there finds this interesting because guess what? there's more to come...My little plate also led me to the man known as a "warrior for modernism" (love that phrase!) Paul Thiry. For starters have a look at his beautiful weekender (yep I said weekender!)



I've got to show you the kitchen too

those tiles, well the whole space actually...sigh

Then I found this

a Paul Thiry home built in 1962



 It was featured on the cover of Sunset magazine and described as ground-breaking

I can't find the words to describe how much I love this building!

Is it your cup of tea?

Unfortunately and unbelievably this rather long-winded story of mine does not have a happy ending. This amazing home was for sale last year for one dollar!And it did NOT SELL! It was bought by developers who tried to find a buyer to relocate it, but were unsuccessful so it was demolished in April last year. Admittedly it was going to cost it's new owners more than 200 000 USD to move it, A LOT of money, but don't you think it was worth saving? I can't believe that something like this could be allowed to happen, but in saying that, even where I live wonderful buildings are demolished all the time (or wrecked with ugly extensions)

Last photo and then I'll climb down from my high horse

Images via http://thesundaytimesmarket.com/ 

This is an interesting blog about all things vintage and I wouldn't have found it without my little plate.

I know this isn't really what you'd call a paperchase but I really enjoyed learning about something I had no knowledge of before...maybe you did to. Thanks for hanging-in-there with me.

Back to normal programming tomorrow. Promise.

At LAST, a tea towel

Last night I blew away the cobwebs and dusted off my sewing machine (and I do mean that literally) and I made this...

Taa-daa!

Yes, it's a tea towel tote bag.

(and it's even toting something!)

Here's what it looks like at the back

Pity it's up-side-down...

As I said yesterday I am NO sewer and I do realise that many of you would think it's a bit cheeky to call this sewing, but I am thrilled with the way it turned out and let's just say that it wont be long before I have some Suzie Stanford-ish reupholstery of my very own to show you! Ha!

Oh what a seamstress!

It would be really lovely if this has inspired you to make your own tea towel tote. The Curlypops tutorial really is easy...the hardest thing about the whole process was threading the needle!

Please show and tell if you decide to make one I'd love to see.

And finally for your viewing pleasure(?) here's today's t.towel

an oldie but a goodie!

Today I've decided to show you some clever and beautiful things that equally clever people have made from vintage tea towels...some pics to inspire you (and me!)

I'm not sure who came up with the idea to re-style and re-purpose tea towels in such stylish and creative ways originally...perhaps you know? But they've certainly come a long way from their humble origins, and are gaining new appreciation for their vibrant colours and original kitschy designs. They've come out of the linen closet and into our homes in ways that the holiday makers who first bought them would never have dreamed of!

The superb quality of the fabric vintage tea towels are made of is also worth mentioning here, usually the most beautiful linen found more often than not in op-shops etc in unused, pristine condition. Frequently I find them beautifully ironed too...carefully kept memento's of past holidays, too special to use and then over the years forgotten about as they lay languishing in a linen cupboard! 

In Australia two well known people who make amazing things from tea towels are Suzie Stanford and Penelope Durston.
Let's have a look at Suzie Stanford's incredible furniture first...

wouldn't you just love to curl up in this chair?

and what about these?

I spy a few of my tea towels here!

These images are from www.suziestanford.com.au/furnitureteatowels.htm

Have a look to see more of her amazing furniture.

p.s. I would LOVE to own one of these...any piece would be o.k.

Now have a look at some of the lovely things made by Penelope Durston...

I told you they were lovely didn't I!

These pics via http://thedesignfiles.net/ (always inspiring by the way)

 

She also makes bunting from left-over scraps...

 

via http://www.larkmade.com.au/

 

 

Penelope or Miss Pen Pen and she is also known, has a shop called Cottage Industry in Fitzroy, Victoria and you can catch her here misspenpen.blogspot.com too.

 

a pic of my very own P.D. cushion

Tea towels can also be made into groovy purses and bags just like these...

wallet purse made by Zyana Walker via Burda Style

sweet little purse nade by Loopi,available here http://georgielove.com/

 

Made by Nic from http://yardagegirl.blogspot.com/ using this easy tutorial from http://www.curlypops.com.au/. And when I say easy I mean easy! Even a very basic sewer like me could make one of these! I'll show you tomorrow, hopefully...

Why don't you have a go, just look under tutorials.

 

 

Now I'm worried that I may have bored you with all this talk of tea towels, let me know if I have...I am slightly obsessed! Sorry.

Please humour me once more and let me show you my tea towel of the day...

 

 

I liked this sign enough to take a photo...something to think about don't you think?
(I like the thank you at the end most especially...it makes me smile)

I hope you are lucky enough to find more treasure than junk this weekend. Fingers crossed and good hunting.

Thanks for your company, I appreciate it. More Lucy Violet on Monday, till then here's another tea towel...

Message for Vildes...please get in touch so that I can post you your new dress x