Not much to report this week, I'm afraid. Instagram has stolen the blog's thunder.
But I'll show you a few bits and pieces which have come into the house, or that I've seen on my travels.
Five Arabia Ruska espresso cups and six saucers, all thanks to my friend Helen who bought the whole lot in an Op Shop for ... wait for it ... $2.
Knowing they were on their way, I purchased eight Ruska side plates on ebay for ... wait for it ... $31.00. The economy is obviously not riding on the back of Finnish crockery. I'm presently sweating on six dinner plates on ebay. Here's hoping they stay at ... wait for it ... $20.50.
I went to Toowoomba on Friday and picked up this snazzy cotton apron for ... wait for it ... $10. Possibly a bit exxy for an old apron, but it'd never seen a kitchen so I was prepared to pay the big bucks.
Toowoomba's St Vinnies had an apron stairway to heaven. Aprons, aprons everywhere.
I also snaffled this piece of studioware for ... wait for it ... $2.50.
Country Road has jumped on the gelati-pastel bandwagon. Pastels and fluoro is everywhere at the moment. It's cheery for young girls, I think. We also picked up some yellow jeans and a fluro orange-striped shirt, and some pink jeans for the soon-to-be three-year-old.
Furniture re-arranging is not only calming, but refreshing. Our house only has one hook in the wall, so all the pictures have to be propped against the walls. Frustrating.
Thoughts on this wood-mounted Scandinavia ceramic plaque? I really like it. Priced at ... wait for it ... $275.00. Walked away thinking about it.
And how's this fabulous Polish hand-woven wall-hanging? This is only a fraction of its size. Price .... wait for it ... $275.00. Walked away thinking about it.
Some time ago, I found this concrete pot and bromeliad unceremoniously tossed into the back of the garden.
Shocking how some people can treat kitsch, isn't it? Any kitsch-treatment horror stories?
You have done really well on the thrift front, those Ruska's were mean't to be yours! Sorry to hear you had to walk away from the wall plaque but really that price is :(!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could get pink jeans to fit me, I'm lovin the gelati spring colours! :)
Pippa,
DeleteI like the gelati colours too. But I think I may be pushing my luck wearing any. NB: Aged.
That's why I like having daughters and I can buy them that sort of thing. I'm thinking of getting the eldest one of those necklaces for her birthday.
I'd keep walking too. I like them, but !
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts on $1600 (I think we can get it a bit cheaper) for a T H Brown (still got stickers) eight seater (two are carvers) extendable dining suite? It's huge. I don't know if it's a good price or not. The bar stools (remember my five dollar bargain OF THE CENTURY?) I see for sale are ridiculously expensive.
Any thoughts from your readers-in-the-know welcome too. Please. And thank you.
I'm not sure if that's too much. But for a huge table and eight chairs, maybe it's a good buy. Particularly if it's in good condition. Do you love it? Would you regret it if you don't buy it? That's my general impetus.
DeleteI think the best people to advise (hope they're reading) is Katherine from the OBH and Anita from Fun & VJs. I know Anita has TH Brown stools and watches them on ebay. And Katherine is wise, like Yoda.
I hope they've got time to scribble me a note. I do love it but I don't want to be ripped off (I think it's a good price, but I know nothing!)
DeleteBtw did you watch Zelig? I only watched a bit, not because I didn't like it, but because I've seen it many times before. Sadly that's it from Woody on ABC2 for a while. Now they're on to Marilyn Monroe. Not quite as fond.
TH Brown is very well made furniture. Most of the retro store prices for a vintage dining suite ...the table alone would sell for the $1500 mark depending on its condition. So yes, $1600 is not bad for the lot especially if you love it and particularly as it has two carvers. xx
DeleteMy god, I was on the edge of my seat reading this post. I'm very tempted to buy some loud print jeans. I don't care about being old mutton. I think they'd make me happy. Try some 3M hooks! I buy them from... wait for it... The Reject Shop. Much cheaper than Safeway (or do you have Woolworths in QLD?) and work just as well. My stepmother-in-law has the entire dinner set of... wait for it... Arabia Ruska. Gorgeous, but if you're hungover and someone scrapes their fork a little too quickly across their plate... (I'm always hungover at my inlaws'.)
ReplyDeleteHere goes ... I tried suspense in this post, Zigsma. You know, and I know, how tired I get being pigeon-holed as an hysterically, humourous, hipster blogger with a touch-of-irony and a twinge-of-sadness. So, casting asunder those literary shackles, I thought I'd give a new genre - "PECUNIARY SUSPENSE" - a whirl. I think it worked.
DeleteNext post will be all "gothic blog noir". Bring your forests and maltese falcons, Zigsula.
PS I know the Arabia Ruska scrape. Painful.
DeleteYou make me want to visit St Vinnies. And I have no idea about all this stuff!
ReplyDeleteIt's your home town sister. Though, I also went to Lifeline on Ruthven Street, and couldn't get out of there fast enough. I felt like a complete middle-class fraud. There were a good deal of elderly people shopping for warm clothes and kitchenware, and here I was swanning around with a french-label handbag looking for the biggest West German pottery bargain that'd struck the blog world.
DeleteI was embarrassed for myself, and felt cheap and mean. Really. I was ashamed of myself.
Oh dear...but you know that they wouldn't be shopping for West German pottery...And someone has to buy it as it's a retail shop which needs to turn over the stock. Please don't fee guilty, as I never do. xx
DeleteReally like the Scandinavian wood-mounted piece, not the Polish number so much. There's a bit of knowledgeable art-appreciating advice for you. You have a ... wait for it ... great week.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you say, Fiona.
DeleteI'm into ... wait for it ... freedom of expression. I'm glad you speak your mind. Ekka's around the corner!
I agree that whether you love it or not is crucial in buying.
ReplyDeleteIf that applies I'd be in that dining suite at that price.
And I think you might be able to negotiate down.
I love the plaque but not the price.
Listen to DMC, Kylie. She's the reason I have so much groovy M-C stuff. Buy what you love, without having to sell minors into slavery, of course.
DeleteYou are on a bargain roll with your pottery! I've got a couple of new aprons you can have. Wait for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am on a roll. But then you're on a roll with avoiding killer brown bears! You do have lovely new aprons on your ... wait for it ... etsy shop!! Go there, readers. Deb'll throw in an autographed photo of Sassy. I know she will.
DeleteI just saw your walk plaque and rug this morning! They must have had a slow weekend as both now on sale. I think 175 and 120 or 220. Sorry but I can't remember which was what price but they had both been marked down on the tags. I thought the rug particularly delightful - I thought they were the 7 dwarves but it just kept going and going. Might be worth ringing?
ReplyDeleteReader 3, really? Dammit. I might have to think of something to go back there. Interesting that they caught your eye too.
DeleteDid you perchance see the Danish chair? The other place I think you need to go is that Vinyl Frontier at Petrie Terrace, I saw on Facebook they had a leather Danish sling-back chair for a very reasonable ... wait for it ... $595. I thought of the Red Baron as soon as I saw it. Tell me what you do.
So many great finds at good prices! You really did well. I like the plaque and wall hanging too, but I think I would have walked away from those prices too.
ReplyDeleteAs for Kylie's dilemma...I don't think that's a bad price for a set that large. We sell 4- and 6-seaters for that much and more.
Dana, I'm glad you commented. I think you're right, if Kylie can knock a bit off then I think she's made a great investment. You can pay $1600- for a crappy modern dining suite now-a-days, and I know what I'd prefer.
DeleteWe should all charter a plane and fly to Dallas and check out your store ... actually, we'd probaly all never leave, and that may not be so good for business.
I came back to see what you'd replied!
ReplyDeleteI replied to you, and it was funny. I'll have to re-reply and see if I can re-create my unfailing humourousnessness.
DeleteI missed my daily dose of Carmel hilarity!! I felt all rejected for a second, because I'm very immature.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy from op shops unless I find myself in one when shopping with friends. I'm thinking maybe I should. My problem is I cannot bring myself to pay so little and I end up making ridiculous donations. I find it particularly difficult when people haggle in such stores . I love your pot and I am glad, as I am sure it is, that you have rescued it .
ReplyDeleteYes, haggling in an op-shop is a no, no. I saw a guy do it the other day and he certainly wasn't down at heel. xx
DeleteHaggling is shameful. I pay hand-over-fist for everything.
DeleteI think your $2.50 pottery is just excellent. It's good when pieces that are no longer wanted find the right home. xx
ReplyDeleteThank you lady.
DeleteYep - colour jeans are in apparently!!
ReplyDeleteKnow how frustrating it is not to be able to hang pictures on the wall -
can't wait till we move into our own place, its a nightmare!! (and very bare)X
Your bank account thanks you for walking away....:)
ReplyDeleteI am green with envy at your arabia finds and gifts I was fortunate to snaffle for $5 2 arabia planters with the dishes never been used in dark brown they are seriously gorgeous and made a couple of coold dudes gag when they held open the door as they were arriving as I left with the little beauties in my hands. I was very sympathetic to their obvious devastation at just missing out.
You have to be careful though some of that kitsch is seriously overpriced.