Huzzah! Huzzah!

The last couple of weeks, I haven't even been able to see a lot of blogs, let alone comment. The final crunch came when Explorer lost my list of blogs that I follow. I felt as if my arms had been cut off! My newest friend, Zara, gave me some good advice. "Switch to Chrome" said she. I thought I would give it a go,  and now I can see, I can speak! I feel like Helen Keller! (W..A..T..E..R!!!) I made the change...and now I am a new woman! (Disclaimer:I am not being paid by, nor do I own shares in Chrome)

Anyhoo, today I toddled off down to Bexhill Hall to a mini Vintage Fair held by Retro Mumma and including a couple of other vintage dealers from Lismore. I have been looking for an old school map to decorate my husbands 'man cave.' He was pretty apathetic about the idea but once he saw this map that Gina had saved for me he was sold! It is called Australian Explorer's and it is a doozy! It fits perfectly into the only bit of wall space, (the rest of the walls being used for storage of his CD's and war books)...and it is educational!

Look at that silly bugger in Western Australia. His name was Forrest. Looks like he walked around in circles! Couldn't see the forest from the trees (ha ha) except he was in the desert.

I also got a couple of old swap card books. I already have some early twentieth century and sixties matchbox collections here, that I have shown you before. I just revisited them again and ye gods, I had palpitations! I love them so much!

These new Swap Cards were made to swap specifically in the seventies.  I first saw them here on the Lark site. I never experienced these in my childhood, and so I couldn't go past these two books. I don't need them, they hold no emotional value to me...yet I had to have them! What is wrong with me!

Lotsa frocks

I have been busy of late. Painting the house, cleaning the house, lying around in the house. I don't seem to have done anything very constructive. Of course I have been opshopping as well. I have PILES of stuff. Methinks it is becoming a very serious problem indeed. SO serious, that I have decided that I have had the cheap thrills of collecting my treasures, and now I have to get rid of them.

I won't show you the  pics of the piles of debris I have collected, it is a bit too negative, (and one must remain upbeat!) but, I have got some pics of the dresses that I am starting to shed, like a chrysalis in a cocoon. (but seriously, I have to make some room in my life or my collecting will overwhelm me)

 I have begun to list my finds in my Laughing Duck Vintage Shop. Daisy my Formomatic Dummy was kind enough to lend her services. True, her breasts are a bit too pointy and her bottom looks like a Gibson Girl silhouette, but she does the job pretty well. You go girrl!!

It is a time consuming process. Thank goodness I am obsessed with vintage, otherwise it would be a chore.

If I was living in the big smoke I would do markets, (if wishes were pigs horse would fly), but I will give this Etsy store a go until the fun wears off.
RRRR, my comments are still not working, sorry all...I feel like an awful snob, not being able to reply. I have tried deleting my history and cookies, but to no avail. Maybe it I restart my machine...or give it a chocolate. Maybe that will make it happy. Grumpy ol' thing! 

I am playing with Sophie and Apron Thrift Girl.

Is it Woody?

New banners are in my Etsy store. Daddies is a classic! I don't think that Woody Allen was around in 1953 when Tibor Gergely was illustrating this book, but his doppleganger looks as if he was  busywriting books!

The book asks, "What do daddies do all day? Daddies work while children play." It shows Daddies working in all dinds of careers from farming to teaching to even singing in the opera! And it assures children that at the end of the workday, "by taxi, train, by car and bus, Daddy rushes home-to us!"

  Hmm, what else have I been busy making?





A purty rug

Last Monday I mosied on down to Byron with a girlfriend for the NV New Vintage opening. We stopped on the way at Lazy Bones in Bangalow and found the purtiest rug I have ever seen. (Am I channelling a dead cowboy? Speak to me Coyote Jim, speak to me!)

It is by Kaffe Fassett, called Bed of Roses and this picture does not do it justice. It looks like a 21st century Axminster. Massive pink and orange roses on a blue background. It was big enough to put in the middle of a lounge room. The shop assistant laid it on the floor for us, and we were all gobsmacked by its beauty. It was truly food for the soul.

I  am currently  yearning to eclecticise and feminise my home. There is too much brown and masculine cowpoke stuff. I reckon this would go quite well with my minimalist mid century clutter. It is also, spookily the colour of some my sculptures that I have scattered around the place.

I want to mix things up a bit. (I feel) that it would be  very witty, a statement of  unique individuality (mine), a juxtaposition between styles...however, my husband hates it with a passion. He thinks it is the ugliest thing on this God's earth! Also, unfortunately, the price would take food from our mouths...and more importantly as I am as cheap as chips,  it goes against the grain to pay full retail price for anything.

If I can't get it for a bargain, it is simply not worth buying. 

More Hessian Banners

I spent much of last week making hessian banners,  mainly for weddings and engagement parties, and have uploaded them to my Made It store.

I am also doing a 'Just Married' for an order, and maybe I will include a run of 'Forever' as well this week. So much to do, so little time.

Putting Weigel's on the map!

You may remember my recent post about Madame Weigel's patterns.They were my first listings in my Laughing Duck Vintage Shop. (actually they are my only listings....I just haven't had time to list anything else)  Anyhoo, since discovering her her, I have gone beserk! Libby from Bessie and Maeve contacted me and she had begun a collection of Weigels patterns on  Vintage Patterns Wikia.

We are committed to documenting as many Weigel patterns as possible. We both think that it is so important that this part of Australian history is retained, particularly as it is contained within the 'women's realm.' Historically sewing has been an outlet for women's creativity as well as being practical and economical. Plus these patterns are really, really rare, and are in danger of being lost forever if they aren't documented, collected and cherished.

 A whole new world has opened for me! I am like a pit bull, snuffling my way through boxes of paper patterns in opshops. I have contacted a couple of dealers here in Lismore and they are happy for me to upload any of their patterns. The patterns from today are from Christine at Gleanings, Star Court Arcade, Lismore. Christine speaks vintage language, and I love visiting her and her clothes. They are mostly childrens costumes and toys, all in excellent condition, factory folded. The stock would have been pre 1963, and with decimalisation (is that a word) a price sticker was placed over the old price.

I will regularly post patterns I find to spread the love of Madame Weigel. (I think it is pronounced V-eye-gel.)

Maybe everyone can ferret through their stashes of patterns and see if they have any Weigel's luking in them and post them to Vintage Patterns . Also, I just found an interesting article suggesting that these patterns may be worth alot more than we are selling them for at the The Money Manager.

 I won't be listing these for sale, they are going back into Gleanings, and Christine doesn't have a computer (quell horreur!) If anyone is interested in these to purchase, you can contact me at my email address.

Chairs

I had a good run of op-shopping in Casino and Kyogle last week. Packed the car up good and proper! The oppy gods dictated that I was to find chairs and stools which was OK by me, as I have some plug ugly stools that I got as a temporary measure only, from the two dollar shop about ten years ago. I wanted to mix up some styles and industrialise the decor, and these little beauties fell in my lap.

The little stool has a fabulous original starburst patterned vinyl.

I love finding original labels. Somebody must have been very lazy, there is the original yellow sticker of the manufacturer on the leg, Kenstead at West Ryde, and this foam label sticking out of the cushion.

I also got two of these from a garage sale for $1 each. Bargain baby. They need to be cleaned and stained, and are only vinyl but I am happy. Ofcourse I would prefer an original Featherstone, but until then...

 I am playing with Sophie and ATG. My computer is playing up again and it looks like I can't comment, though lordy I have tried. No wonder I try to keep away from it!

More and more vintage cushions

I have been very busy making stock this past week. I didn't want to get sidetracked blogging, or indeed touching the computer, as it is like a drug, and yes, 'man, like, I am like hooked...man!'

I always have high expectations of my abilities to make copious amounts of stock. Getting ready for the Bris Style market last Saturday I thought I could make ten new cushions, sixteen garlands, five buntings, twenty new cards, ten LOVE and HOME banners and a whole manner of others little bits and bobs that are in my head. However, in the time I allocated,  and at 11.00pm on Friday night I realised that I had to be happy with five cushions and eight garlands. Ah, you have to be happy if you achieve small goals, and then you may have to move the posts arounda bit.
I will be loading these onto Etsy when my slow computer allows me.

Great Barrier Reef



Quack, quack

But I won't be loading this lovely red one, it is sold, but I thought it was worth a squiz.

This Sydney cushion turned out very well. It is backed with a cotton brown and white striped poplin, and looks very masculine and clean. I noticed a few blokes picking it up at the markets. Perfect for a 'man cave.'

I am in love with this cushion. It is pure cotton and more of a twill tablecloth weave. I bought the tea towel from an Antique Fair. The pom poms are vintage as well. They are nice as they are not perfect spheres, but irregular and full of character. (As if a pom pom can be full of character. Ye gods! )