Thrifty Thursday #9 - OP Shop Finds this week

I'm an op shopper. Where once I felt slightly weirded out by them, and their smell, now I love them. I will absolutely stop for one anytime anywhere. Well, there is one condition. If I have Emma and Harry are with me them it all depends on where we are on the crazy metre. That's life with kids isn't it? If they're past it I remember to come back later.

So this week I've had quite a few finds I'm a bit chuffed with...

So obviously I got stuck into this one straight away :). The 'before' is in the top right corner. As soon as I saw the mirror I grabbed her and did the happy dance down to the counter. She's now a pale blue / grey colour and her details stand out beautifully!

Just before closing time I also popped into one of my locals over the weekend. I didn't really think they'd have anything, but I couldn't drive on past. Thank goodness I went in, because this is what I found...

The record cabinet is just fantastic (though there were some splits in the top, but who could pass this up!!) They had it marked as a filing cabinet but I was sure records would fit. Thankfully DK has some lying around - The Clash for goodness sake!! but I did see an Abba in there :)

I think someone would have used these as a set, even thought they don't quite match. I LOVE finding matching bedsides because I hardly ever do, and I love their style. I'm half tempted to do some kind of ombre, but will sit with it for a little while and see what 'happens'.

I must admit that this caused complete insanity amongst my little group (we were already close in all honesty). Having to stand around while I make a purchase was not on the agenda for my small people, and eventually I had to let both pick up a toy or two to look at while they waited. Emma was fine when asked to put them back but not Harry. No. Crying ensued. When we finally got out of there I had to go straight to one of those supermarket ride on thingys to let them calm down and get it out of their system. SO, we had one princess, one child playing a broken Wiggles piano and one tired Mummy. It looked like this...

Poor Harry got cut out of the photo (I think I may have been leaning a little to one side by this stage) but you can see the thing he's holding onto. The fourth Wiggle is missing (for anyone who knows the Wiggles, it's the yellow one, how funny is that!). Three days later someone else was finally allowed to touch that thing. 

BUT it was worth it :)

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I'm sharing at Scandi Coast Home

An Art Deco Table

When I first started re-finishing furniture I kind of kept it a secret. I just did little things and put them on eBay and hoped they'd sell. I didn't blog them, and I certainly didn't link them on anyone else's page! As I got my confidence a little I started telling people, and then one day one of DK's friends gave me this...

And it stayed that way for a long time. For some reason I had decided it was an super duper special piece and I didn't think I was quite ready for it. Despite the fact there was coloured hand writing on the table top and pieces had broken off. I tackled loads of others things but this table stayed in the garage.

Then I got over it. I have NO IDEA what I was worried about. I was not nearly as difficult as I had convinced myself. I mean, I have sanded down a few pieces in my time, and painted a few, so what on earth was I worried about?? Who knows.

I've always liked two tone and this style of table seemed to be perfect for it. The black pieces were already a dark wood, so painting them black wasn't covering anything pretty. There was no way I could paint over the table top - it just seemed like I keeper :)

DK's friend could hardly believe the transformation! Its been a miserable few days here and I was lucky that my sister snapped a few pics before it was entirely too dark to see the details. Seems like Australia is having terrible weather all round, but none more so than our Queenslanders. So anyone reading from Queensland - I hope you and your family are safe.

To me art deco pieces have a very distinct style, and looking at the colour wall at Bunnings I just couldn't imagine using anything but black for this piece. What about you? Do you have art deco pieces at home? What do you think of the two tone?

Thanks for stopping by...






I'm sharing at...
Under the Table and Dreaming 
Tip Junkie
Sugar Bee Crafts
Twelve0eight
Savvy Southern Style
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Domestically Speaking 
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Redoux 
Miss Mustard Seed

Weekend Wanderings... A Leibster Award and More About Me!

This week I received a lovely message from Mandy at Mandy Made letting me know she'd nominated me for a Leibster Award! Just like Mandy, I had no idea what it was about, but in short - it's an award to recognise the effort of bloggers with less than 200 followers. It's so nice to get such support and feedback from people - so thank you Mandy!

It worked out to be great timing, because I was thinking about a post about me this weekend, and now I have a reason for it! So here goes...

First up I need to list 11 facts about myself...

1. I met my husband (commonly referred to as DK) on rsvp.com. Yes, that's right. Why open with that? Cause it makes people laugh or smile or whatever. Gets you thinking right??? I felt like I had gone out with every loser and user and decided I wanted to meet someone else. So I tried something else.

2. I have two children, Emma and Harry. Lights of my life.

3. Before being a stay at home mum I was a Human Resources Manager. Or Senior Vice President of People & Culture. Sounds great. It was... sometimes. And sometimes it was telling people to do the right thing when they didn't want to. And that was exhausting.

4. When I was in my twenties I packed up everything and moved to a little place called Alstonville (for those who know New South Wales Australia it's near Byron Bay) for a year.

5. I am definitely not one of those people that can eat a biscuit or two and then put them away. I'm a whole packet kind of girl, unless someone is there to stop me, or we have company. :)

6. In high school one of my teachers told me that I needed to adjust my expectations and that I wouldn't do very well in the HSC (leaving certificate). So I topped the subject for the school, achieved a mark within the top 10% of the state and told him what he could do with his opinion.

7. My favourite colour is purple, but I don't decorate my home with it or wear it.

8. I prefer op shopping over retail shopping anyday!

9. On our bush fire plan I wanted to include my vintage typewriter on the 'take' list. DK wasn't as keen. 

10. My first adult book was The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. I had no idea this type of book existed and it was love. Along with Lord of the Rings it's my favourite book, the Lord of the Rings Trilogy my favourite movie. If Aragorn ever turns up on my door stop DK is aware that I all bets are off.

11. I use the word 'cool' far more than I should.

And now I need to answer the questions from Mandy...
1. If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be?
My Dad. Dad passed away in 2009 and I miss him, and I would love him to meet my son Harry.

2. What kind of animal do you resemble most?
I have no idea. Emma (4) said 'A funny sheep'. It could have been worse I guess.

3. Do you yell at other drivers from inside your car when traffic is bad?  
Yes

4. If you could go back in time and listen to someone's advice (that you ignored before), what would that advise be?  
Anyone who said my high school boyfriend was no good.

5. What kind of music do you like?
You have a 70's and 80's tragic right here.
   
6. If you had a whole day to yourself without any obligations what would you do?
Op shop of course!

7. If you could learn a new language which one would you choose and why?
Teenager - in preparation for the future.

8. Who is your role model?
A million different people. My friends, family members. My children.

9. What actor or actress would play you in a movie?

I would love to have lived a life that Dame Judy Dench or Helen Mirren might want to portray. More age appropriate might be Kate Winslett or Renee Zellwegger. Bridget Jones Diary comes to mind...

10. How do you want people to remember you after they meet you?
Friendly, open and happy. 

11. What is the most important reason that you blog?
A combination of sharing and inspiration.

The next part of the award is to choose some blogs to pass the award on to. I'm going to share that positive stuff next weekend.

Thrifty Thursday #8

Last week Mum found this on the side of the road...

I KNOW!! Can you believe someone was throwing this away!! She's is in need of a huge overhaul, there are cracks, dings and broken bits, but that shape is enough to help me look past all her flaws. The cut outs on the shelves are beautiful.

 There are some fairly serious issues going on with the table top, so I'm yet to work out what to do with her, but isn't it nice to look at?? When I pulled the little draw out (it's sitting on the table top in the very first picture) a million ants came scurrying out (well, it felt like a million) but that's nothing a little spray won't fix!

I also visited a some local op shops this week, and came up with the globite suitcase above and the retro stool below. The suitcase is in great condition, though the inside needs a little love, and the stool is a perfect small project to reupholster. I've seen some great stools covered with retro tea towels which are definitely sparking my thoughts for this one.

So what about you? Found anything fantastic this week?

Thanks for stopping by...

Vintage Chair Makeover - Lady in grey

A couple of months ago I bought two dining chairs ready for a makeover. The first one you can see here, and here is the second one...

I cursed and grumbled about the first chair - I was mis-stapling all over the place when doing the back rest - but as predicted the second chair makeover went a whole lot easier. Probably the hardest thing for me was finding the right fabric. I knew I wanted a white-ish frame, with a bit of grey, so finding something in the right tones, and with a bit of pattern, was more difficult that I thought... but I think this damask does the job beautifully!

I painted the chair Antique White and then rubbed it over with a hodge podge grey I already had mixed, and finished it off with a coat of wax. I looked all over for fabric and finally found this damask pattern which I think has worked out lovely.

One of the fiddly bits was attaching the piping around the back rest and chair, which covers the stapled fabric. It was one of those things I had to have ALL my patience for, and just did a section at a time. If something didn't fit right I would just re-work it again. And eat another chocolate almond :)

So the two dining chairs came out completely different, and I'm happy with both! I can see how both would both in different types of rooms, depending on your style. On different days a different one is my favourite...

 SO what do you think - are you a bit shabby chic or bold statement!

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I'm sharing at...
Under the Table and Dreaming 
Twelve0eight 
Primp 
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Too Much Time on my Hands 
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Weekend Wanderings - So I Finally Joined Instagram!

I'm not an early adopter. I know this about myself, and I can accept it. Actually it makes me smile a little :) So while loads of people have been experiencing the fun of Instagram, I was thinking that I couldn't possibly add another piece of social media to the mix. I mean, when was I supposed to talk to my husband???

Then I got over it...

There's so much to love - there's the sharing, the inspiration, the getting into the habit of looking around and seeing those little things to capture, and of course, the ability for people to take photos of great finds at op shops and let me know so I can run out and get them :)

I was even able to hook up a friend with the cane bedhead that she'd been looking for - something I just so happened to have in my garage. I took the picture via Instagram, tagged her and it was sold! She's since painted it a gorgeous sunshine yellow and it's just beautiful.

My instagram photos are a combination of what I'm doing, feeling and working on. Landscapes, old doors, great finds and crazy small people.

So are you on Instagram? If you are I'd love you to share your name below so I can follow along, and I'd love you to follow me too :) I'm Paisley Vintage!

Thanks for stopping by...

Thrifty Thursday #7 - The Tender Centre

Just around the corner from my house is a Tender Centre and I have to admit, this place is one of my favourite places to find furniture. There is always something different - and something I would love to give a makeover... If you've never been to one, or been a little scared to give it a try (I'm yet to bid at an auction cause it scares me to death!!) I promise it's actually really easy.

I love this piece and I think it would look lovely in a hall, kitchen or dining room. One drawer was a little sticky (you can see it sitting a little open where I'd been fiddling with it) but it could be easily fixed. I can just imagine it in a beautiful blue with a natural top. If only I hadn't promised no more buys in January!!

At my tender centre it's a silent auction; most things have a reserve (though I always look out for the things with no reserve because I can get them CHEAP) and you work up from there. You bid what you're prepared to pay for it, but knowing that you might miss out if someone else comes along and bids more.

The table above is beautiful, but the reserve was over $100. Sometimes things are way over priced, so I just have to love them and leave them. Items usually have a four week turn around, so you often find those pieces that are really over priced are still there are the four weeks, with reduced reserves. It often pays to be patient!

There's also often loads of odds and ends at the Tender Centre - I loved these chairs, and their were four of them, but only one with arm rests. Seemed a little odd to me :) Or they'll be a dining table with only three chairs. It really is luck on the day. I've visited and been spoilt for choice on some weekends, and others have been disappointed. I guess just like op shopping, the discovery is half the fun!

My best ever find was this gorgeous typewriter. I've had offers, but there is no way I'm letting this girl go! The reserve was $20, and I got her for $25. I KNOW. Ridiculously good!

So what about you - do you have a tender centre near you? Or an auction house? And more importantly - are they any good???

Thanks for stopping by...

Dipped Wooden Necklace - Something Just for Me!

Over the weekend I had a little time to myself, so I decided to make something just for me. How often do you do that? When I realised I had half an hour or so before we were heading out, and I was looking at my holidays To Do list I thought, why not do something quick and easy, and for me for a change?? SO here it is...

I've seen these on Pinterest, Etsy, Madeit, on people in the street and at the markets. I had one on my To Do list for last year but it just didn't get done. So I finally went out, found some wooden beads, paint and painters tape, and got cracking. I had some rope and ribbon at home that I knew I could use as the necklace, but you could also use cord or chain, whatever takes your fancy :)

With the beads taped off I sanded off the shine, and gave them two coats of paint. I painted vertically on the bead but you could choose any direction or design. Keep in mind that the odd direction of one individual bead makes it a more interesting piece, so try to do something where you can incorporate this. And of course choosing a colour that really pops makes it stand out - I went with aqua, but I also considered yellow or red.

In case you're wondering, yes that is a Big Bird plastic cup. I KNOW I should not be using it to rest drying wooden beads in. BUT in my defense I thought they would just sit nicely on the taped side. That did not happen. So I grabbed the closest thing, Big Bird. Lucky for him (and me) he didn't get paint on him, my childhood self would never have gotten over it.

I picked up the beads for $5 at Spotlight, and I already had the painters tape, paint and ribbon (occupational luck!). So it's a seriously budget friendly piece of jewelery. AND it was for me, and that made me smile today.

I am REALLY not sure about a giant sized picture of myself here. It is rather confronting, especially when I have no makeup, lack of hair style and a shirt that has just been pulled out of the washing machine and is soaked, because I have nothing else to wear. But there you have it. This year is all about Growth people!!

Made anything just for yourself lately?







I'm sharing at
Under the Table and Dreaming
Actually Amy
Twelve-o-eight
Tip Junkie
Sugar Bee Crafts
Live Laugh Rowe 
Scandi Coast Home 
Too Much Time on my Hands 
Sew Many Ways

Weekend Wanderings - Home Goals 2013

Do you set goals for the year? I started this last year and well, there's some good and some bad really. Life sometimes takes you in different directions, and that certainly happened for me in 2012. At the beginning of the year I had no idea I would hold my first ever market stall in September and be selling my furniture to the public.

As a result, my two big home projects fell by the wayside. I got a lot done but not finished, so January is all about finishing the two projects I started - the entry and Emma's room. I put together inspiration collages at the very beginning of 2012, and I'm still working these into the two rooms.

The entry collage...

Emma's room collage...

If you follow me on facebook you know that I've been working a little stripe action in the entry, and I'm hoping to finish it all by the end of January. There I said it, so I better get it done!

I've also have some thoughts on my blog and my business Paisley Vintage. I'm regularly reminding myself to focus on what my primary passion is - upcycling furniture and home decor. I love the thrill of finding a tired and worn out piece and turning it into something beautiful. And then seeing someone fall in love with it and want to take it home. So my goal for Paisley Vintage, in one word is...

My blog will hopefully support that, and help me connect with other amazing DIYers and crafters. I am going to try my absolute best to blog three times a week (another big call!!) but if I don't I'm going to try not to be hard on myself and I hope you'll bear with me! At this stage of my life I can't manage blogging daily, but I think planning out Project Monday, Thrifty Thursdays and Weekend Wanderings will work.

Growth is a perfect word for me personally too. I've begun to realise in the last few weeks (the first few weeks of the new year) that I really haven't looked after myself for a while. Diet, exercise, me time have all gone by the wayside. So those are things I want to spend some time considering too - and I hope to share some of those experiences with you via Weekend Wanderings.

So that's me in a nutshell, finishing what I've started and then working personal growth, and growing my business and my blog. What about you? Got some home projects you're hoping to work on this year? I'd love to hear about them.

Thrifty Thursday #6 - Vintage Fabric

Thrifty Thursday is back for 2013 with a new love - vintage fabric! I just love the colour and pattern - doesn't it just make you smile??

My first foray into vintage fabric was via this little number... a tunic for Emma. She had just turned 2 in this picture - it seems so long ago!

Mum had produced a sealed packet of single bed sheets, pristine and beautiful, and asked if I wanted them or should she just donate them. Was she serious!! I still have one and probably a half sheet left in this and I still love it. I keep thinking I should make myself a kind of shift dress from this one, it's got a real body to it even after washing... maybe one day!!!

This doona cover was something I picked up at an Op Shop / Thrift Store just near me, and it's completely gorgeous. Turning it inside out I could tell it had been lovingly turned into the cover by someone and I just love it in Emma's room. The yellow floral is so lovely and I was so surprised to find it in perfect condition - the things people throw away!!

Of course, I can't talk about vintage fabric without showing off my market stall sign! A Beautiful Mess has a really easy to follow tutorial for covering suitcases if it's something you'd like to try. I practiced on a case that I wouldn't be heart broken over if it didn't work out - I was scared the glue would show through and I'd be devastated. Lucky for me it worked out fine and now I have a pretty unique piece of advertising!

I don't have a big stash, but the one on the top is my absolute favourite! I haven't decided what I will do with it, at the moment it just sits on my desk looking pretty ;)

I've also saved a few tea towels from Op Shops / Thrift Stores and made them into cushions for a bit of retro kitsch. I think the colours are just gorgeous!

If you're in the market for some vintage fabric I recently met Skye, the lovely person behind Sorry Grandma. This girl has a fabric stash to die for; it was quite literally like something from Pinterest, all beautifully folded and colour sorted, just beautiful. She has regular sales on Facebook and it's definitely worth a look!

So tell me, what have you found this week?