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

A fresh perspective

A found these pics my daughter took a while back and thought I would share.

I love the perspective that she, at 100cm tall, has compared to me.

I also love the textures that she’s picked up, whether this was on purpose or not.

Without discrediting the professionals, it’s interesting to see a photo you love and know that it was taken without the filter of a trained eye.

‘Nuff said, enjoy the pics:

Gracie in the daisies. Photography by AB

Yearning for a belly rub. Photography by AB

Like a tiger. Photography by AB

Orangespiration

Vintage Scarves

Last week Pantone announced their “Colour of the Year” …and the winner was Tangerine Tango.

Im not sure what other colours were in the running, or how said colours felt about losing, but Tangerine Tango sounds like a bad 2 4 1 cocktail. I do think the actual shade of orange that Tangerine Tango represents is a great colour. Think vermillion and you’re pretty close.

Here is some orangespiration in honour of the colour of the year…

Blocks

Just a hint of orange

Orange to Yellow to Green

Today's fruit

Poppy

All photo’s credited to Eclectic Kate

Be Still

All images in this post are credited to Robyn Stacey

Imagine being given free range to fossil through the archives of your favourite museum or library.

Access to back rooms, sorting through large-scale pull-out drawers while wearing white cotton gloves and perhaps even a lab coat… sorry I’m getting away from myself.

Last Wednesday night I was lucky enough to attend a talk at the Museum of Sydney (MOS) called Creating beautiful images with the things you love: Sibella Court on House. 

Sibella Court is a successful Sydney-based interiors stylist who works in publishing and commercial interiors, she also has a great little store in Surry Hills, Sydney, called The Society Inc, which she describes as “a haberdashery meets hardware store.”

Court has three published books, Etc., The Stylist’s Guide to NYC, and Nomad and is currently working on a fourth due out in October 2012. I could go on (and on) about Sibella Court’s work however things are better said from the horses’ mouth, so please click on The Society Inc link at the end of this post to find out more.

Wednesday night’s talk was held to open a new exhibition at the MOS called House which showcased sumptuous, still-life images by photographer Robyn Stacey. Stacey was given access to pillage the resources of the Caroline Simpson library and a selection of Historic Houses Trust properties to create a selection of evocative cornucopia’s of food, fruit, books, textiles and historical objects from around the home. While I don’t think it would be fair to Robyn to replicate the images in full here, I’ve cropped a few of her shots as a teaser in the hope that you all either attend the exhibition or purchase the accompanying book (written in conjunction with Peter Timms) and is available to purchase here

Sibella talked on her love of still life and the art of creating a perfect balance of object d’art. I feel this is something everyone can take and use in the context of your own home.

I encourage those who have even a smidge of an interest in interiors and design to either go see the exhibition or view the book, it’s as inspiring as it is beautiful.

I loved the spines and pages of the old books in the photograph below, this is a snapshot of a much larger image… you have to read the book or visit the exhibition to see more!

A great selection of covers, pages and spines

LINKS:

For more info on Sibella Court and The Society Inc click here

For more info on the Museum of Sydney, The Historic Houses Trust or the House – Robyn Stacey exhibition click here