NEWS ~ More Space at the WAC

 I must have been spending too much time on my new couch , ha, because when the space next to our other two spaces became available recently Kristen thought it was too good a chance and so now we have 32 square meters of oldboathouse space at the wonderful Woolloongabba Antique Centre. My existing spaces are on the other side of the wall. I thought about taking down the wall but it was such a good wall that I thought I would see if I can work with it for now. The new space will give us more room to do more furniture...the big stuff.

 I can't help adding what have become my signature shelves though. I feel this will tie the three spaces together and also you can't beat them for being able to squeeze in as much vintage goodies as I can.

 You can see from the picture taken at lunch time today I still have a way to go to get it looking lovely and full.

 The first piece to go in the space was this wonderful old cupboard. Solid as, made from thick pine. The paint is old paint and is such a great grey blue colour don't you think?

 I love the warm signs of age and wear. I gave it an estapol to seal the old paint and to livin it up a bit.

                                             I also freshened up the interior with a coat of white.

 Maple dining table. Chairs, sold seperately , are a set of eight which includes two carvers.

                                                                         The matching sideboard.

                                                                  Romantic plaster figurine

Lovely large old platter. Are you all going to be glued to the tele for the big event tonight...you know some wedding? I'm sure I will be. No cleaning tonight! I hope I don't fall asleep though.

Some of my ebay auctions for this week

I tried a little experiment this week and put buy it now prices on most of my auctions I listed on ebay. As I seem at the moment to be really tight for room so the quicker things sell the more room I will have for new finds. So far above, the door, the dressing table and cot have sold. 3 other pieces, the lamp, one of the kitchen cabinets and the couch have lost their buy it now prices which disappear when the lower opening price bid is made. Maybe if I am lucky they will sell for more than the buy it now price I originally set, which sometimes happens.

To see all my ebay auctions for this week please click here

ANZAC Day ~ Remembering growing up ARMY

 This is my Dad in his Major's Uniform and below are photos of him marching. I along with my three much older brothers had an Army childhood in the 1970's and 1980's. This is something I particularly remember on Anzac day and I remember all those families we met as we moved from base to base around Australia.
      
 We felt we were special...we weren't civilian...we were ARMY. We lived in small communities, where nearly everything we needed was on base. The medical centre, was on base, the movies, were on base, the kindy, the pool, ballet lessons and so on. Our friends houses were almost mirror images of our own. We never had to ask where the toilet was, ha. When the school bus broke down, which was regularly, we went to school in Army trucks, the kind with a canvas roof. You had to cling on for dear life and I was terrified of having to sit near the open back. When we lived on Canungra Barracks for four years our house backed onto the Golf Course which had a river that meandered through it. You crossed the river in one spot via rope and timber foot bridge, very Indiana Jones and very scary for a little girl whose brothers were wont to rock it.  We Collins children also found a more inventive way to get to the otherside.

This was our raft. My mother hated me going on it, I think my brothers hated me going on it too because I was younger and they had to be "responsible". Canungra is home to some of the most deadly snakes on the planet. I look back and wonder how no one was ever bitten. On the other side of the river the men used to "play" war. We would often collect the empty bullet shells. I still love the sound of chinooks. Tomorrow morning 3 of my neices, Maddie, Mary and Lily and I going to the dawn service in the city. We are catching the 3.20 am train from Manly. Ugh ! We are meeting their Uncle, Mr Rooney. Yes the same Mr Rooney of Fun and VJ's fame.  My brother Jon, who is their Dad, and is pictured seated in the red shirt, met his wife Julie at Canungra when they were in Grade 5. Julie's family were posted at Canungra at the same time as us. Their Dad was part of the highly decorated Australian military unit, The Vietnam Training Team.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them, Lest we Forget. 

New Furniture at the WAC today ~ Tables, Chairs and More

 Just got back from the WAC and it was full of hustle and bustle with everyone stocking up their spaces ready for Easter Saturday. I took over some cute kitchen tables.

 I particularly like this one. It has lino on the top which makes it look very funky I think.

 I also took over a set of six chairs, below. They fold up and are made from timber with groovy red seats and back.

 Silky Oak bedside table painted a shabby white.

 Nice old blue trunk. Would make a groovy coffee or side table, with the added bonus of a bit of storage.

 Ornate marble side table

 Sleek Mid century sideboard.

 I feel very nostalgic about this dinner set c. 1970's. It was the same as we had growing up. The bowls in this set are an excellent size and are proper bowls not those big flat bowls that seem popular today but are hopeless for cereal I think. The set has never been used, and only the original box was a bit tatty I would have kept them in it.

 Humphrey looking for a friend to join him at the table.

 We often have musical instruments like this guitar,

 and cello. String instruments are always so romantic looking.

 Bottles big, small and inbetween. I particularly like the fowler bottles on the right.

 Thought I would get in the "Royal" spirit of things.

 Cutest little stool. Hope you all have a wonderful Easter Saturday. I hope to get around and visit you all soon. The weather in Brissie today is just perfect. The WAC is open all day today. Closed Sunday and Monday For Easter and ANZAC day but is open on Tuesday, 9am to 5pm.

Amazing retro Kitsch Lamp

I just cleaned up this retro lamp for the Wac, though I will not take it over there till after the Easter break when I will have some news to share about a possible coming addition to theoldboathouse.

Some of my items up for auction this week on ebay

To see all my ebay auctions for this week please click here

Ouch ~ Vintage Syringe

Vintage medical related items can be quite collectable. This syringe is about 1.5 cm in diameter and is made from glass. I always find there is something slightly creepy about them, but yet very interesting and fun to have a play with.