turning Japanese, i think i'm turning Japanese...i really think so.

I have been collecting, for some time now (along with many other treasures) cutesy Japanese ceramics and pottery.  Mainly from the 60s and 70s, they seem to have the cutest little patterns on them, and occasionally I come across something crazy like the pussy cat feather duster above, isn't it just mad?!  I have an array of things from little pots and cups to usable plates and casserole dishes (even a little froggy pot that made it into to my fish tank :-). I think the passion began subtlely when I was handed down my first little coffee cup and saucer set from my mum.  Bright orange and white, no pattern as such but I just loved the richness of the colour.  Sad to say, today only one little cup remains, the rest have gone to mosaic heaven.  I'm loving the thrill of the hunt, and most of my finds come from Op shops or Thrifty stores.  I did one day dream to set up my own little second hand homewares boutique, but for now i'm toying with setting up an Etsy shop instead, i've just got to get my act together.  The biggest problem though?  Parting with any of these little finds, i tend to fall in love with them far too easily. Though perhaps I will keep them and maybe you'll see them pop up from time to time in some of my visual displays :-)

my most recent find, 4 side plates and a dinner plate for $3.50! Love the pattern, though the colour is more green than brown as seen in this pic.

flameproof, oven proof....straight to table...love this little casserole with handle!

A trusty Mikasa i've had for years and years, from oven to table to dishwasher.  It's a little gem of a bowl!

this one just says "Japan", looks like it was missing it's lid...
i use it as a vase, love the pattern and colour.

"TEETIME" Japan...a little lonely cup I picked up, love the colour and pattern!

my froggy pot featuring Pip and Pop the Goldfish..:-)

the spark that set the fire alight: my original Schmid Kreglinger cup and saucer
in all it's bright orange loveliness!

...a bit of vintage love and my nan's trusty Singer!

...another new season and another new range to be Merch'd and I felt a vintage inspiration vibe....the new Nancybird handbag range channelling nature, vintage and some lovely patterns and textures.  Off I went with my little basket of inspiring goodies to see what I could create.  Firstly I gathered some old crochet doilies from the thrifty shops and sewed them together to make a "curtain"....after a few tweaks, it was up and looking lovely.  I trailed it down to meet a vintage Singer sewing machine so it gives the appearance that it's just been stitched together on the old girl....that old girl very dear to my heart, as it was my nan's and has been passed down to me...spesh :-) To complete my window I then worked in a gorgeous Peacock chair (from my own home!) and vintage crochet tablecloth and finished with some lovely fairy lights along window's edge.  All vintage touches lovingly placed together to highlight the Nancybird new season bags and silk scarves, divine.

..if it's interesting, Pin it!

Okay, i have a new addiction.  It's probably been around for quite some time already, and it seems i'm a latecomer, but i'm totally ADDICTED!  It's a new form of voyeurism...no longer am I peering into other's relationship status's, friendships and the like, aka Facebook, now I am peering into other people's inspirations!  SO MUCH MORE FUN!  These, "Pins" in the form of interiors, foods or whatever categories you like. No more of this having to rat out the darn right boring, predictable and whingeing and whining...I now get to choose what I want to view.  Not only that, I can then share it with the world!  ahh!  It's got me seeking out the most inspiring pics I can find and i'm completely loving compiling my own little world via my own "boards".  Know what i'm talking about?  Not discovered it yet?  It's called Pinterest, and I love it!  If you get on, go and follow my boards.  Hopefully I'll inspire you in some way.  Then you can go on and inspire me right back....ahhh.

**don't forget to read the etiquette, this is a NICE place to be, so only respectful comments on peoples pins.  Credit your sources, avoid self promotion...it's a pretty world, keep it that way :-)

the girl with the kaleidoscope eyes

I've always been a fan of styling with the five senses....even down to writing about it on my college entry form, many, many moons ago, so it was with visual delight that I recently visited the kid's Kaleidoscope Art and Colour exhibit at the National Gallery of Victoria.  This wonderful little display of colour and art probably took more of my interest than the little one's, however it was such a lovely stimulant to my visual sense I was happy to while away the time in there.  If you haven't already, go check it out....especially if, like me, you love a bit of colour therapy occasionally.

hillbillies come to town

...another shop window and this time I couldn't help but bring out a little bit of country.  With some vintage inspired rustic jugs, character ducks and terracotta potted flowers for inspiration I went off on a hillbilly whim.  I searched high and low for a preloved little wheelbarrow and already had this little bike at home, for my props.  I even threw in my daughter's first little faded gumboots, planted up with some greenery just for fun. Just add some dirt and straw and there you have it...country stylin' in the middle of little ol' Canterbury!  Fun!  I also got to play with some gorgeous Samantha Robinson porcelain, and as this stuff is so divine itself, I just used the plain white background to highlight it...

...enjoy?  Immensely!  Loved it.

anyone for tea?

Has anyone noticed there aren't many Vintage teacups out there anymore (when thrifting)?  I mean, Vintage  these days is a broad classification I guess, but I'm talking really olde worldy ones, you know pretty little  floral patterned, fine bone china, tea-cup-and-saucer teacups?  Or even 60s or 70s cutesy ones?... sigh.  On the flip side though there are some fabulously clever peeps out there doing something very AMAZING with these, slowly disappearing, tea cup and saucers.  Take Gregory Bonasera for instance, his light installations are just gorgeous and clever...and then of course there's several folk dabbling in candle making out of them...such as this little online shop making teacup candles in the UK, and this gorgeousness a little closer to home, with a name like Whiskers Lane how could you resist? meeeeooooooooooow!   I mean what about this little DIY project to make your own tea cup bird feeder!   Pretty quirky huh?!

These are just a few i've stumbled across in my travels....feel free to share anymore you've seen, it's inspiring and very very clever.

In my browsing I did come across this fab little page from the US of A, called Domestic-Construction.  I just have to share it with you.  Their "Domestic-construction" apartment is well, just my cup of tea (pardon the pun :-)...I also love their little opening philosophy, they are doing some fantastically, inspiring creative projects and they will even make tea cup chandeliers to order!  ....go on you know you want to....sigh.

...i'll buy that for a dollar!

In a recent grocery stop I found these awesome little lemon (and apple!) storers, for a buck!  Yep, folks, One dollar each! Eek!  Think of all that horrid cling film you can do away with!  Love love love it!  Clearly though I should have used some of the lemon juice on the apple first, before storing it....hmmmm.

Lemons, lemons everywhere...it seems there's an overload of the lovely little yellow things at the moment.  Every little Thrifty shop I visited today had some on the counter...4 for a $1 and some even free (which i found after paying for some, doh!!)  

So with my little storers, and a string bag full of golden juicy ones, it was time to make some  "memomade"  (or 'lemonade' to those that don't quite catch on to 3 year old speak).  It's her favourite "treat" to drink at the mo.  So whilst we're not quite ready to set up a stall out the front garden to sell to passer by's....(and i'm unsure we'd get a roaring trade mid-Winter out in these here hills!!)  I would like to compliment my little concoction, it kept some of us happy, and well, it didn't take too much effort neither.

Lemons, water, sugar....stir.  Add more sugar, or water, and keep on stirrin' Mmmmmemondae!