Flea Market Finds & the things you find in Nanna's cupboard.

I was at my Nanna's the other day.  She was excited I came, because she had a box to show me.  It was an old box full of crafting supplies and she just KNEW I'd want some of it.  This isn't the first time she has given me the opportunity to raid her stash.  Last time I took about 70% of what was on offer.  That's why she was wanting to show me this box.  Here's what I ended up with...

Can you guess what it is?  I didn't know at first...

It was made by my great grandma, which is pretty cool.

It's a needle holder!  I think it's pretty neat!

Do you know what this is?

Nope, it's not a puppet.  It's a pot pad!!  Another of my great grandma's creations.  It seems this crafting gene has run through a couple of generations now.

Vintage lace!!! The one on the left is from a formal gown my Nan made once, and the lace on the left is from her wedding dress. 

And then I got a life supply of..

Paper doily's!!  She didn't think I'd want these.  I'm so glad she showed them to me 'just in case'.  I was so excited when I saw how many there were.  There are even a few gorgeous gold ones too..

And now for my finds from the past few weeks in Oppy shops, I haven't played along for a while so have some catching up to do! 

It was the first time I'd ever seen one in an Op shop with my own eyes.

It reminded me of Sophie, but I didn't buy it.  Just took a picture for everyone to drool over how gorgeous it is.  I promise I did buy the rest of the items in this post though..

Two pillowcase sets, which will make perfect summer dresses.

More gorgeous fabric cause I couldn't help myself.

I love this!  I was so stoked to find it!  A cotton holder, which quickly made me realise I have hardly any cotton at all!  I really do need to work on that.

How gorgeous are those little berry iron ons??  I can't wait to use them!  Also a new yellow zipper, and some lovely binding.

BUTTONS!  Cause I 'needed' more.  (Hey Wendy, are those the kind of buttons you are after for your Eskimo Jackets?  If so, you can have them.  I only impulse bought them anyway.)  Some cute doily's and a box I have no use for as of yet.. I'm sure I'll come up with something to put in there soon haha!!

And an Atlas I plan on tearing apart and using for little projects.

I have one last thing to show you.  It's a little giveaway item actually, for first in best dressed.  It's a small quilt pattern booklet that my Nan gave me but I will not ever use.  I'd rather it go to someone who will appreciate it, and who like that kind of quilting style.  So let me know if you would love to be the next owner of it!

As usual, I am getting in early with my post, but be sure to link up over on Sophie's!

Flea Market Finds - upcycling of an oldie but a goodie *choo choo*

About 6 months ago, I found a Thomas train mirror in the Op Shop.  It was $5.  I bought it.  Put it away to save until my nephew's birthday - which is this month.

It was in desperate need of a new paint job - and to remove the hand print of it's previous owner... 

I started it's transformation earlier this week.  I had a little paint each evening after work, and have finished it today.  Sorry i forgot to take a picture before I started painting it.  I thought of it a few paint strokes in.  Here's it's transformation..

Not bad I say.

Pop over here for more finds. 

Flea Market Finds - successes keep rolling in

I've had such good luck with my thrifting lately.  I've eased off on my visits which makes them more enjoyable.  I have been spending longer sorting through piles and digging through boxes.  I've also spent ALOT less money which is always a bonus.  I've been more particular about what I buy.  I refuse to pay more then it's worth and have learnt that there is no point in asking for a cheaper price - they will NEVER give it.  I read alot about other's thrifting adventures and am always ginormously jealous how HOW CHEAP your goodies are.  I have started to come to terms with the fact that all of the op shops in my area, are expensive.  I just have to hope that the day that the grandma dropped her doily supply off to the op shop, that the nice Salvo's lady decides to price them at a reasonable price - not at $3.50 each (go jump lady).  This week I found that exact stash of doily's that grandma dropped off and the nice Salvo's lady priced them at $1 each.  (that's the cheapest I've ever seen doily's go for around here).

So I bought a couple more...

... and I was talking to Wendy over at The Textured Leaf and she suggested a few ways to clean them and make them nice and bright and look new again.  They are currently hanging on the line drying.  I will do the same with all my existing doily's because they look 100% better!

Yes it's a mug stand, no I don't drink tea and coffee....  I heard this neat idea lately (my brain is a sift and I've ALREADY forgotten who's blog I saw it on.. SORRY!!) to use a mug holder to hang scissors, double sided tape... all those little bits and pieces you work with and lose easily, will now be found on my mug stand, which I intend on painting white or something more attractive.

I sifted through the patterns pile as i always do incase I find a cute vintage kids clothing pattern, this time I found this...

... I can't wait to have a play with these!  Adorable.

A couple of baby blankets - perfect for quilt backs maybe?

And then I found this mini cutting mat.  I have a decent sized one that I use on my craft desk and whenever I go somewhere else to sew or craft and need to take it, it's kind of awkward to transport.  So I found this smaller version to travel around with me.

And last but not least...

A queen quilt cover and pillowcase set.  Isn't it divine?  Will be perfect for my guest bedroom (if we ever have one haha).  Absolutely gorgeous and I'm almost certain it's never been used.  It has that lovely stiff new fabric feel to it.  SO pleased with this find.

Well that's it for this week.  Link in over at Sophie's!

Flea Market Finds... always finding!!!

I love finding new crafty treats.  Sometimes I don't know what I'm going to do with them.  Which is a problem in itself.  Last week I did a huge clean up and found some things I'd found a while back in an op shop.  This week I returned them to that same op shop.  I don't know WHY I bought it in the first place.  Obsession comes to mind.

So I have been making a great effort to only buy stuff that I KNOW what I can make out of it!!!  AND WILL make it into that.... one day :)

So here are my latest finds.

  

and...

and...

Not a bad effort I say!

Oh, and I realised after writing this post, that I infact bought other stuff but forgot to photograph it because they were already in the washing pile.  One disadvantage to thrifting any sort of fabric - the smell!! Maybe next week!

Go here if you want to join in!

Flea Market Finds

This week I had a chance and some funds to pop into my local Vinnies.  I'm on a new budget and can't go spending up in the Op Shops as I please anymore.  I have 6 within a 5 minute radius of my house - which I am incredibly grateful for!!  In the old days I'd visit them all in one day and come home with giant stashes of goodness.  Now that my visits are less frequent and my funds are reduced, I am finding I am buying only the GOOD stuff.  I actually prefer it this way :)  

Here are my finds:

Not bought for their more obvious reasons.  I have pegs & embellishments in mind.

Not sure what to do with these yet, but I just couldn't leave the behind.

ALWAYS on the hunt for more doily's!

Gorgeous doily runner.

Napkin rings - all different.  Love them!

Having a little fun with reflections :)

 Pop over here to join in!

Flea Market Finds

Well this week I think was the most successful thrifting experience in my life thus far.  I just kept finding amazing things.  There's no real story to go along with these pictures.  So I'll just show you all the pictures and you can drool :)

Fabric

Vintage pillowcases

More pillowcases

Vintage kids clothes patterns

More patterns...

And more again.

Delicious wool

Someone cleared out their button collection..,

Check out the one in the top right corner... It's adorable.

A closeup.

Love these buttons!

Love these vintage random buttons!

Not sure how I'm going to use this gorgeous trim yet but I'm sure I'll find something!

Some amazingly talented granny out there threw out her collection of doiley's.  How cute are all these little ones!! That's not even all of them!!

Some of the big ones made by the same lady.

And I stocked up on some of the basic colours.

 So as you can see I was rather successful.  Finding new homes for all these goodies was interesting.  I can't wait to start creating with it all!

Now don't forget my Auctions end tomorrow night at midnight.

Go here, here and here to check them out and make last minute bids!