Posts Tagged ‘Treasures’

It’s a great feeling  knowing there’s a great team of dedicated workers who are using their talents & skills and giving their time to build up a successful show.  The Handmade Show committee members are workers, parents, artists and crafters (mostly a combination of each), yet they give their precious time to help organise and build up a boutique style market … to make a dream become reality; to give an opportunity to the exhibit & sell extraordinary creative works; to offer benefits to the community as a not-for-profit organisation.

 This is not an easy task but it is an exciting one especially when you can see progress. Karen from MooBee Tees (and a committee member) says –

I’m proud to say that our baby is no longer crawling, and is now walking :0)

I must also give a big Thank You  to Karen, Bobbie, Samone, Jade, Kerri and Regina - we’ve still got lots to do but the job that’s been done so far is fabulous.

Are you an op shopper?  If so, what is it about op shops that draw you in? These stores are usually overflowing with all kinds of paraphernalia. Stocked full from floor to ceiling there’s sure to be an abundance of stuff to send a spark of interest and keep it zapping like a live wire as you fossick through. What was someone’s one time treasure has become their trash; and now this trash will eventually become someone else’s new treasure.

Op shopping is something you either love to do & can’t resist or you loathe it and avoid it. I wonder how many non-op shoppers have had a change of heart? I don’t have any ‘statistics’ to go by but I’m sure that when most people take their first or second look at an op shop they’re surprised. Even the most adamant of shoppers of new, modern & fashionable trends is sure to become hooked – all it takes is the glimmer of one tiny little trinket or trifle to catch the corner of your eye & lead you to that incredible ‘bargain’ item you just have to have.

Yes, I’ve seen it happen in the op shop – people walking through from the car park just to go to the cafe, their pace getting slower as they glimpse something of interest. Not looking for anything? But they DO find something… or it finds ythem! Can’t go past it- Got to have it. And so begins a new relationship between op shop & shopper. That walk through from the car park to the cafe becomes a daily or weekly ritual.

New items, old items, used or renewed, modern or fashionable, collectors’ delights, antique, vintage, retro, trinkets & frills, cute & sweet, fanciful costumes and classical clothes – it’s all there to be found. 

A bargain find – I needed a jewellery box & this one is in fabulous condition & looks great on my dresser too;  two watches – both in working order of course, and batteries included (I no longer need to keep checking my mobile phone for the time); plus a set of 5 silver bangles (I love bangles & bracelets) - I handed over a $20 bill & received more than enough change  for a cappuccino. Now, I’m not the one who walked from the car park to the cafe – I was hooked years ago – but I have seen it happen.

Have you found any great op shop bargains lately? Please share them with me, I’d love to hear your story.

After visiting a market recently and seeing lots of gorgeous hand crafted teddy bears, I was prompted to write about my ‘recreated’ bears. Making or recreating Teddy bears is not my usual craft but a few years back I was inspired to dress up a few cute little bears. I’d given them each a name & a little story attached. Here is one of the bears I called Daisy.

DAISY BEAR – A HAPPY  HEART.
Daisy Bear adores her garden. It is her favourite pastime. It’s her passion and she reaps many rewards from her labours. But Daisy is not a selfish bear. She loves to share the fruits of her labour; and many neighbours & friends often find Daisy on their doorstep with an armful of blooms, a pretty bouquet, a basket of fragrant roses, handfuls of spring flowers or a special arrangement of her favourite picks.

Daisy is a special little bear who’s found a home with a special little girl.

Do you ever end up with a collection of gifted items that don’t match up or belong as one set? Cups and mugs seem to be a popular gift idea but single or double they usually end up a mismatched set – different size, shape & colours ….. but is that a bad thing?

 The theme here is cups & roses …. and I think this little batch looks rather fabulous.

Welcome to Pink Saturday!

Roses are always liked around here - these mugs have been gifted in the past as birthday or Mother’s Day gifts.

Drinking coffee, tea or hot chocolate from a gorgeous china cup or mug makes it taste so much better & it’s more enjoyable – don’t you think?

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There are many wonderful entries for Pink Saturday which is hosted by Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. Take time to visit other participants’ blogs and see how Pink everyone’s Saturdays can be – you won’t be disappointed.

PS: My apologies to those who may have visited my blog last saturday looking for the current Pink Saturday post as I wasn’t able to publish it.

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Wishing all mums everywhere a very Happy & Pink  Mother’s Day!

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If I didn’t procrastinate so much then I’m sure these Fluffy Fancies would have been complete & ready for their  ’photo shoot’….. or maybe I shouldn’t admit to this?

Welcome to Pink Saturday!

Seeing I won’t be taking part in Pink Saturday for a couple of weeks I’ve decided to show you what I’ve been working on anyway….. My Fluffy Fancy Pin Cushions

My collection of old & worn silverware includes these liqueur/sherry stem goblets which have been painted & given some gold antiquing.

I’ve added a big handful of craft stuffing contained within a covering of crushed panne velvet, to form a round ball for the a pin cushion. The cushion & beaded fringing are fixed firmly onto the goblets …. but the lace & feathery embellishments are only pinned into place at the moment. The look may change slightly when I eventually finalise these trims.

So far the above design is my favourite, but I have more designs on the go – these will all be available for sale as soon as they’re finished.

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… And now for our weekly challenge – here is a delightful participant I’d like to introduce you to -

Anna from Frosted Petunias

There are many wonderful entries for Pink Saturday which is hosted by Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. Take time to visit other participants’ blogs and see how Pink everyone’s Saturdays can be – you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Pink Saturday Everyone!

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Welcome to Pink Saturday!

It’s exciting to get back into Pink Saturday. For those of you who pop in frequently, you will notice I have a New Look blog. This coincides nicely with my 200th blog post…. So stay tuned for a celebration to mark these two events!

While doing my ‘on again – off again’ clean up around the garage & work area I organised a small collection of teapots. Some will need to be recreated & some are more of the ‘collecting’ type. I don’t have any newer recreations to show you so I fossicked through my photo archives to find one old teapot which was given a makeover a few year back.

Of course this can’t be used as a teapot but it can be used as a decorative piece. The teapot is more pink in colour than is showing up in the photo. In the above photo it’s sitting elegantly on a recreated tray.

Old teapots make charming vessels for beautiful blooms …. preferably the real kind though – don’t know what I was thinking when I took this photo, lol.

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… And now for our weekly challenge - here is a delightful participant I’d like to introduce you to -

Diana from Sissie’s Shabby Cottage

There are many wonderful entries for Pink Saturday which is hosted by Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. Take time to visit other participants’ blogs and see how Pink everyone’s Saturdays can be – you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Pink Saturday Everyone!

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PS: I would love your thoughts on my New Blog design – so if you have some feedback for me I loved to read it - Here .

Miniature collectables or dust gatherers? After my last major clean out where I went too far I decided to take some time to ‘think’ about what goes out next. These are just a few rediscovered treasures which have been in hiding. Occasionally when I tidy up and can’t decide what to do, or where to put certain things they usually end up in a bag or drawer or box. The unfortunate thing is they end up staying there for ages, sometimes years,  before I find them again.

These miniatures are not items of any great value except that they are sentimental in some ways. The little pink & gold Limoges teapot was given to me by a very dear friend; the other items are mementos from overseas trips or gifts from friends while overseas. The milk jug cover is something I bought for myself several years ago but have never used it….. Well it’s out of the drawer now so it will be put to use …finally. I think the others need a little display case … I’ll have a think about it – any suggestions on how to display them would be appreciated

I’m still moving things about the house – it seems to be an ongoing & never ending chore but at least I get to rediscover some of those past treasures. I wonder what I’ll find next?