Secondhand Saturday

Lately I’ve had some awesome secondhand finds.

Hopefully they can be your inspiration for a successful secondhand saturday…

let me know what you find.

1. I love this textile. I didn’t know what I would do with it, but knew I had to get it home. At the moment it’s looking fab covering my pretty ordinary Ikea futon, which is a day bed in the kids toy room. Who knows if this is where it will stay. I kind of feel like it may have lived in a Kombi van at some time in it’s life. AUD$10.

2. This blouse was a steal and is great for layering over tanks or I can button it up as a mini shirt dress over leggings.

AUD$5

3. We bought this wardrobe door from a garage sale. My husband sanded it back and put a layer of laquer on it. I didn’t want it too glossy as the aged look of the wood was so beautiful. It’s currently at the glass shop getting mirror placed in the oval panel to become a full-length mirror. AUD$10 for the door.

4. Ceramics from Israel. The ramekin dishes at the top of the image I found last year, it’s not often that you discover ‘Made in Israel’ on the underside of ceramics and I loved their slightly mottled finish and perfect hand painted stripes. This week I found the matching dinner plates and side plates. They were actually given to me as the store was getting rid of all of it’s knick knacks… imagine, these would have been landfill. I can feel another ‘collection’ coming on… Made in Israel. AUD$0

5. This woollen blanket is actually going to the dog in my life, a beautiful Staffy named Finn. I love these classic woollen blankets with a stripe and edged with blanket stitching. This one can be cut up and made in  to two doggie blankets for Finn, IF I can part with it. My cat has already discovered it and slept on it all night. The loosened blanket stitching makes it all the more endearing. AUD$7

Fab Find: Balmain Road Antiques Centre

I have a confession to make, as an overt vintage/second-hand/shabby-whatever lover I have never delved into Balmain Road Antiques Centre (BAC) in Sydney. I seem to always spy it while I’m on my way elsewhere (usually Rozelle Markets) and it tends to be one of those places that I think I’ll pop into next time I’m in that neck of the woods.

Well today I finally made it my mission to get there and it proved very rewarding. Not as overwhelmingly extensive as Sydney Antiques Centre in Surry Hills and not as jam-packed as Mitchell Street Auction in Alexandria, BAC is a great first foray into antiques for the uninitiated.

The BAC happened to be having a ‘garage sale’ this weekend and I managed to pick up a great white sequinned blazer for $8 and a velour beaded turban for a dollar… score.

The Balmain Road Antiques Centre is located at 483A Balmain Road, Lilyfield NSW 2040

Here are some of the fab finds at the BAC today:

On the 6th day of Valentines my true love gave to me…

Vintage map of a place you both love, vintage New York map circa 1935 US$14, Etsy

The Details: Friday Finds

I always love a bit of a 70’s vibe and when I pulled together some things I’m loving this week, I realised they all had a feel that represents the seven-oh.

Statement tees, checked shirts, topstitched heels finished off with a love heart necklace…

Top to bottom:

LA Dodgers tee from New York, Van Ryke necklace available at Vaia Beauty

Zara checked blouse, Tiffany & Co love heart locket

70’s David Jones vintage heels

Throw Away Chic: Council Clean-Out Headboard

Finished Headboard. Photography by Eclectic Kate

I’ve been searching for the perfect headboard for quite a while now and had been scouring Ebay for an upholstered version. I found this wicker one in a council clean out and it’s a project that cost me less than $30 to complete.

When we picked up the headboard it was in OK condition, the varnish had mostly worn off and it looked a little tired.

Found Headboard. Photography by Eclectic Kate

As I already had cane side tables in my bedroom I didn’t want it to be too matchy matchy so I decided to paint it out in white. I gave it a quick sand first and then used White Knight spray paint in gloss white. I didn’t use a primer so I would get a grey-ish, faintly mottled undertone.

It took three cans of paint to complete two coats and painting the cross-hatching was the most difficult part. I found if you paint in one direction on one side and the alternate direction on the other side you achieve a good finish.

Spray paint dries in 10-15 minutes so this is really a project you can complete in an afternoon.

Headboard half painted. Photography by Eclectic Kate

I’ve found a lot of great pieces during council clean out, here are my tips for optimising finds:

– Contact local councils for clean out days, they happen twice a year in most areas.

– The best areas are more affluent suburbs or suburbs going through rejuvenation i.e. older population leaving and newer one coming in

– make friends with someone who owns a ute

– speak to the owners of the furniture if possible. They may have more like it, or at least a story to tell. It’s also always nice if you ask if you can take something

– use gloves and watch for spiders, splinters and nails

– Look for items such as kids backyard toys, they’re often found in great condition, if a little sun-faded

– garden pots and picture frames are other good finds.

– look for sound structure and interesting shaped furniture. The more damage, the more cost it will to repair it. Sanding and painting is easy to do, reupholstering is a little harder as is fixing broken arms and legs

– Only pick up things you can use or have a place for and if the piece doesn’t work, put it out on your foot path for someone else to collect.

Terra Terra Terrarium

Terrariums are having a moment.

I have very fond memories of my Nanna making them in the 80’s. She loved anything oriental, so along with bonsai’s, we’d make miniature Chinese gardens in these balloon shaped glass jars.

Driftwood would be collected as logs and we’d cover the soil in moss for grass.

Recently we’ve been cleaning out my grandparent’s home as they’ve now both passed on.

One of the many treasures I found was two unused terrarium jars, so I set about making a set of terrariums of my own.

Everything I know about terrariums I learned from The Terrarium Man website here.

Instructions after the jump…

One of my terrariums. Photography by Eclectic Kate

Instructions:

Tool Kit:

Large open jar or vase (available at thrift stores, Etsy, Ebay or $2 stores)

Stones, river pebbles or fish rocks (purchased at Bunnings)

Spagnum moss (purchased at Bunnings)

Potting mix

Plants (I used succulents as they don’t need a lot of water)

Terrarium essentials

Method:

1. Ensure the jar is clean and free of dust and finger marks

2. Layer stones, sphagnum moss, potting mix in that order

3. Play around with arrangement of plants before planting. Remember that terrariums are often viewed from all sides and the top, so you want to consider what it looks like from each of these angles. Place plants in soil once arrangement has been finalised

4. Give plants a water.

Tips:

Think about where you are going to place your terrarium before you create it. They don’t like to be in direct sunlight.

Feel the soil every few days and if it feels dry, give plants a little water. I use a water bottle with a drip nozzle so I don’t overwater.

Snip off any dead leaves as you see them.

This is a pretty cool project to do with kids and something they could have in their rooms. To add another element of fun for kids, let them choose a carnivirous plant such as a Venus Fly Trap. Small toy dinosaurs, wild animals or fairies can be added as decoration after planting the planting stage.

For more inspiration check out this beautiful book – The New Terrarium by Tovah Martin and Kindra Clineff on Booktopia. 

Finished Terrariums

The “don’t panic, it’s Christmas” guide to last minute gifts

My gorgeous niece Ruby, panicking. Photo by Kylie Jacobsen

The week before Christmas is usually the week where I run out of Christmas steam, I’m running out of good present ideas and the budget is getting tighter.

I blame this week for the plethora of gift-pack cosmetics, socks and singing Christmas kitchiness, because if you’re shopping this week, chances are you’re pretty over it, delusional and lost for ideas.

On top of that it is the week where you get gifts from people that you had no prior gift-giving relationship with… the random kid at preschool you’ve never heard of or the neighbour who moved in last week.

Cue another trip to the shops.

Therefore here is my guide to simple, inexpensive and thoughtful last minute gifts, that are available almost anywhere and that will hopefully save your sanity.

For the kids who have everything:

1. ART & CRAFT: My general rule for kids is they can never have too many books, art & craft or outdoor toys. Most $2 stores have a great selection of canvases, paints, glitter glue, crayons and pencils. Present them in a box or basket so that you’re also providing a storage solution. A trip to the thrift store may also uncover excess art supplies, still in packets and good quality used baskets.
2. BOOKS: Books are also an easily accessible gift, you can pick up good quality used books at thrift shops or new ones at the supermarket. The books to avoid are ones that come from movies or cartoon shows, from experience they’re either too wordy for the age group they’re marketed at or worse, they’re poorly written. The exception to this rule is for kids who never read… these books are good to at least get them interested in story time.
3. OUTDOOR TOYS: Outdoor toys and in particular water toys are great for holiday entertainment and get kids out of the house and burning off some energy. There’s nothing better than a water fight, so water pistols, water balloons, bath toys and anything that connects up to the hose are great for summer. Water & kids must always be accompanied by adult supervision. A simple gift could be a jar full of water balloons and ‘Just Add Water’ written on a sticky label across the jar.

For the adult you don’t know what to buy:

1. RECIPE CARDS: Think of 3-5 of your favourite dinners, type out the recipe for each and get them printed on A5 pieces of card. Present cards wrapped with a ribbon and a tag that reads, “Dinner ideas for 2012”. Go the extra mile by thinking of clever names for your dishes i.e. ‘One Dish Wonder‘, ‘Cupboard is bare spaghetti‘. You could do the same with cookie recipes and present with a few assorted cookie cutter shapes. If you really suck at cooking, that is what the internet is for, go to www.taste.com.au and cut & paste a few recipes.
2. INSTANT HERB GARDEN: Most supermarkets now sell small pots of parsley and basil. Purchase one or even three small pots of herbs and replant them in a more decorative planters available at hardwares, garden centres and department stores like Target, Kmart and Big W. Label pots with permanent marker or purchase garden labels which stick into the soil. Tie a simple bow around the pot rather than trying to wrap a living thing!
3. THE BEST WAY TO GIFT DECORATIVE SOAPS: Scented soaps on their own may seem a little lame (personally I love soap!) however by teaming it with a small decorative dish and a set of white hand towels, it becomes a more thoughtful gift. This is a great host gift if you are staying with someone over the holidays. Try and buy the nicest soap you can afford and/or something in either an interesting shape or with pretty packaging. The dish can be found at thrift stores or even a small blue and white china soup bowl. My tip is to not buy an actual soap dish, they’re always ugly and practical looking. Hand towels for the bathroom are always, excuse the pun, handy. Unless you can afford striped Missoni hand towels, stick to plain white as colours fade  & tend to look raggedy much quicker.

A Well Worn Pair

I’m absolutely in love with these leather chairs.
They’re $60 each at my local thrift shop and for today only they have 50% off all furniture… making them $60 for the pair!
Alas I have no room for them. They’d really be more at home in an open space loft with lots of white space to surround them. That way you could appreciate the wrinkles in the leather and the well-worn patina.

I hope someone see’s the beauty in them and goes to their rescue.

UPDATE: 2/1/2012 there’s a matching lounge available on Gumtree for $75, click here to check it out

Secondhand Saturday

I have a slight addiction to occasional chairs, and for some reason, they’re all yellow.
This is my latest acquisition, found at my local Salvos for a mere $40.

I didn’t actually need a new chair, however I’m a sucker for a button back and nail head trim (will post pics of these details tomorrow). I haven’t yet found her forever spot in my home yet, but perhaps I can post a few pics and you can let me know what you think looks best.