Market Madness

I am convinced that getting out of bed on a Sunday morning, before the sun is up, is absolute madness.  I struggle to remove myself from that blissful horizontal position called bed every other day of the week, so how can I manage it on a Sunday morning ???
Maybe its Market Madness. Endorphins and other little neurotransmitters that give me that buzz when I finally find a bargain. Madness is  rife in our market goers. I have seen grown women argue over a 50c blouse, children with one elephant ear each only to almost pull poor Dumbo apart, and men bartering a seller down to save a mere 20 cents. On days I have ventured to the markets as a seller I have been almost set upon like a swarm of bees while trying to unload my car. 

Could markets be addictive?

Do we really need the items we buy or are we just after the feeling of a              

Bargain Rush ? 

These few items below definately gave me a moment of pleasure 

@ $ 1 or less .......

I love glass jars 

and wooden boxes .....

Of all sizes  &  ages

even  my 5 year old cant say no to anything musical 

So get out of bed sleepy head and get down to your markets this Sunday

and discover your own

 Market Madness

Ms V x

Postcard from the Edge

Well its been a long week & truthfully one that saw me hanging on by my fingernails. My oldest son has had exams at school & he isn't renowned for high marks but has previously managed to usually at least pass. This is his first year in highschool & he is struggling, thou like most teenagers won't admit it nor does it seem to bother him as much as it does me. 

I remember being in his shoes and the transition from primary school to high school was incredibly daunting, not to mention that paying private school fees is financially pretty tough on me, so I guess I had hoped he'de be a high achiever being in a focused academic environment, but like most parents you come to realise that your children are only capable of what they are capable of . I'm proud of him for trying and he is a polite & talented boy in other areas and is healthy & happy. I do the best I can for my boys with what I have & I have to keep reminding myself that it's ok if they don't turn  to be Einstein's.

  I enjoyed a week off from my job this week & I sure achieved alot at home.    I've have been getting stuck into unfinished projects while the boys are at school . The magazine table that was all rusted I showed in an earlier post is all but finished. I have also given this little box from a flea market a new lease of life & now have a place for my postcards family & friends send from overseas.

Before

During

After



This is one of my favourite postcards from New York of the Brooklyn Bridge.
I am itching to get back there on holidays. One day ! 



Tomorrow its back to work for me & exams are done for my boy.

Another bite of the apple taken .. Phew  

&  another day done

Good night all

Ms   V   xx

Not so Oar-dinary !

A few weeks ago I bought a set of old oars from a local flea market for a couple of dollars. Actually they are probably correctly known as paddles being somewhat shorter than oars. I was fairly pleased when I realised they still had the original makers branding on them, but sadly on closer examination the branding was only on the surface varnish, which was well and truly peeling off and I didn't have the expertise to save it.

Luckily I came up with Plan B & I think it turned out really well thanks to a little decoupaging with my new favourite product Mod Podge.
This is the most brilliant product that allows you to glue, seal & finish your project all in one tub using almost anything, paper, wood, fabric ...
the possibilies are endless.
Mod Podge really does rock !


Before

After

So the Oars are done ....

 Now I just need an old wooden boat & it will be

Smooth Sailing

Ms V x

Before Bed Bargains

Im about to toddle off to bed but before I do I wanted to share my latest bargain finds from Sunday's Flea Market.

I remember my younger brother having a little case just like this about 35 years ago.

If this is the same its in amazing condition for it's years.

So cute

I also grabbed these matching lampbases.

Perfect for my bedroom as the ones I had weren't a pair.

A quick project to repair the shades is needed as they were rather beaten up

which is why they arent attached



Faux Leather Lamps



I'm thinking I might try to utilise this yarn. It was only 

 a couple of  dollars and may be useful on the lamp shades somehow.

Yarn, Wooden Beads & Macrame bits

Also scored this cute little horse stool

originally from Ikea

More Tools and just look at the metal hammer & chisel ...

Made In England with adorable old wood handles

My new favourite Hammer 

but the clear winning bargain for the day before I head to bed

is this dollar magazine side table...

Ill be working on this in the morning

Potential ... Potential

Sweet Dreams to all my Blog friends

Ms  V  x

Had to Have Books

Yesterday's finds were all Had to Have Books

The end of last month was a little tough financially so

I decided to limit my spending but still scored a few bargains

 & didnt spend over $ 10 !



Here's what I got

Drawing Books for my young one !



DIY  Books 



Card Making & other cool magazines.
This was a job lot because they were going in the bin ...
Nooooooooooooo  !!!!!



 

 ...and some still had new stamps attached to the magazines

BONUS !

 

Madonna Style
What can I say ... I'm still a fan !

         

Gorgeous Gardening Hardcover








Spicery Cookbook  .....   I love the bright colours



 

Now the question is.... do I cook, garden, diy or craft today ?

So much reading ... so little time !!!

Ms   V x

Finished Finds

   Tool  Box  to  Soap  Box   -  Makeover

After a stressful week I have managed to fit in a little R & R ... thats repair & repurpose, not to be confused with rest & recouperation ... something I never get much time for !

I have been busy getting my little vintage toolbox find finished (I showed a few blogs back) and decided to make it into something neat for my Laundry.

So here's a memory refresh of the original find

....   Before  ....

....Followed by a Stain, Varnish &  Little Light Sanding Later ....

 

  

Finally  She's  All  Done 

A  New  Home  in  the  Laundry !

 

Practical  &  Portable

 


 Laundry Sign was originally a brass plaque I found at the local op shop for $ 2.

I used white primer, a lime wash paint & a little antiquing medium.

Happy Tooling

     Ms V   x



Friday Finds

Had a pretty good day at the Salvo's Op Shop yesterday finding a few pieces for the kitchen. I think you can never have enough kitchen things especially if you love throwing kid's party's or for coffee mornings for the girls  .... which reminds me I must have a coffee morning really soon.

Lovely White Jug ... no chips no cracks

2 Large & 2 Mini Porcelain Ramekins

  

 Ceramic Square Pots 

  

 This Childs Wooden Chair was a mere $1 from last weeks flea market.
It will scrub up beautifully.
Bring on tomorrow's Sunday morning haul !





For The Birds

Today I have decided to show you around my home, well its not mine, but I call it home.
Sadly 18 months ago I finally succumbed to selling my home due to separation. This has taken me a long time to come to terms with , being a house I designed, built, decorated passionately & brought up our children in for over 10 years, so it was with huge regret we had to sell. I always said renting was for the birds. Now I live in a rental property.                                         Famous Last Words ... 
Its a brick & tile,  large 4 x 2 with a separate office & play room for the boys & a huge paved yard only a street from their school.One of my best girlfriends lives over the road with her hubby & 3 children so its not all bad now I am getting used to the move. I think the most difficult for me personally is living with rules of renting... such as not being able to paint the walls, having vertical blinds which I hate & freaking out if a plant dies or if my kids put a hand print on the walls. Now any of my friends will tell you I am so fussy you could eat of my floor & my kids wouldnt dare draw on walls etc for fear of my rath , so personally I think I am a dream tenant. Shocked I was yesterday when my real estate agent commented on the house inspection by saying....   "It Went Well ! "......... Could I consider this praise ??? Well I guess ?? maybe ??  I might have preferred " The Owners will be thrilled you keep their property so nice " or  " Thank you for keeping the home so beautiful & paying your rent before its due date " .... I got " It Went Well " . Not even a comment on the hours spent in the garden.  I was rather deflated to say the least.
So what do you think ?? Am I being too hard on my agent expecting her to feather my nest a little ??? 
                                               Brutally Honest Comments Welcome



                                                          Dining  Room




Loving The Bird Cage




Bird Cage Wall Decals - so easy & so cheep !!!




Chair - an Op Shop Find ...
I think its groovy with the red cushion




Cute little table - as shown in my previous blog




 Moving around the room a little more




My CD Cupboard ... I Love Music 
The Beaded Lamp and The Crystal Cut Bowl were also op shop finds



Brilliant Books & My Beautiful Boy !

Tea Anyone ?

                                                        *************************



On Sunday at the local market I picked up a neat little stand for my hanging bird. 

I didnt want him in the cage where I couldnt admire him.  

50 c  flea market purchase

Respray done

For The Birds  !!

Just Hanging Around !



Sweet Tweet



Feel free to leave me comments  &  please rejoin my blog.

For some bizarre reason my followers all dropped off the face of the earth !

Such an enjoyable pastime blogging, yet so frustrating some days.

Big hugs 

Ms V  xx