I'll Swap Ya!

This weekend was the 20th annual Broadford Swap Meet and while it is usually the blokes domain, this year the organisers allowed antiques and collectibles stalls too.

The event is major fundraiser for the town's football and netball club's and this year was hailed as the largest yet with over 300 stallholders on the ground. As I mentioned, the stalls are usually full of car parts, tools and general men's shed crap so I've never been, but with the promise of nic-knacks, I was raring to go by 9am Sunday morning.

I was surprised to find a good selection of antique stalls and had a lovely morning fossicking about in the hope of finding hidden treasures. I picked up a few bits and pieces but first I'd like to share some of the more interesting stuff that was for sale.

A replica hunting trophy head for those who aren't taxidermy fans.

The iconic Australian Redheads safety matches from the mid 1940s.

I get the impression Totopoly (c.1938) wasn't as successful as Monopoly.

What at first appeared to be an art deco desk top calendar...

...Turned out to be a musical cigarette dispenser!

 Lastly, here's my meagre haul

Some swap cards, a small, brass 'Bonnie Scotland' dish, a Scottie dog pin, a Dept of Defence brooch issued to Women of Australia for duty done, and an embroidered 'Souvenir from France' postcard.

I've since done some research on the postcard and was pleased to discover it dates back to WWI. French women embroidered patriotic or romantic designs on silk and sold to soldiers as a means of supporting themselves. This particular one is in excellent condition and imagine my joy at discovering it also had a hand written message on the back.

Not at all what I'd would have unexpected find at a swap meet!

- Tamara



Too Cool for Skool

This Sunday was Kustom Lane Gallery's first 'Market for the Cool' for the year - and my first time as a stall-holder. After my last market at Thread Den I wasn't sure if I wanted to do another, but this one sounded a little more like my kinda thing so I thought I'd give it a go.

Kustom Lane Gallery, 6 Luton Lane, Hawthorn.

The 'Market for the Cool' is a vintage & collectables swap-meet, held four times a year at Kustom Lane Gallery in Hawthorn. I'd never even been to the market before Sunday so I had no idea what to expect. 

There were some weird and wonderfully kitsch things on offer...

The 'Strom-Bot' was very popular,
 but I don't think anyone took him home.

How about these recycled books from Made By Matt (.com.au)? I love 'em!

Their website should be live by the end of the week so be sure to check back later.

Unfortunately, there were a couple of other rockabilly events on this weekend which meant numbers were down, but there was a really relaxed atmosphere and everyone was very friendly. And, when it came time to pack up, I didn't even have to think twice about booking a stall for the next market.

Market for the Cool
Sunday, 14th April
 8am - 12 noon

That's roughly five weeks away so be sure to mark it in your diaries!!

-Tamara

Sales & Symphony

I did some more garage sale-ing this weekend, this time it was a deceased estate in Northcote and it was well worth the fourty minute drive.

The dear departed was a woman of extremely good taste with lots of high quality linen clothing up for sale. She also appeared to be a bit of a sewer too, there was a decent collection of Vogue patterns but they were from the early 1980s so I left them. I did however end up going home with a few pieces of velvet, some books, a box of buttons, and a good selection of vintage hats - two of which are hand-made.

Three 1960s berets

Tassel detail of hand-made pill-box hat



From Northcote I rushed to my favourite 'yeast free' bakery, Loafer Bread in North Fitzroy to stock up on real sourdough bread before heading home to prepare for an evening at the symphony...

Picnickers at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra free concert series is another summer tradition I've been trying to keep alive since moving from the inner city. Each year, the MSO play four free concerts at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl and is a great opportunity for the uninitiated (like myself) to experience classical music - not to mention a good excuse for a picnic.

Our selection of gourmet sandwiches;
mine's turkey & cranberry!

This Saturday's concert was called Kulkadungu and is also the name of the featured a piece written for the didjeridu - not my cup of tea but it was something different. The first piece, El Salon Mexico, also fell a bit flat and I was ready to head home at intermission. Thankfully, the third piece 'Sibelius Symphony No. 2' was a bit more traditional and had lots of soaring violins and chellos. As the sun went down, the crowd relaxed into the music and the atmosphere became magical.

Sadly, there is only one concert left for the season - Saturday 25th February - and is billed as 'a celebration of Latin American music'., which sounds promising. The weather is also looking good so if you plan to go, make sure you get there early, it's bound to be popular.  Gates open 4pm, concert starts at 7pm.

- Tamara

Garage Sale-ing

This weekend was pretty quiet, lots of domestic duties to be done, but I did get in a bit of garage sale-ing on Saturday morning. It was slim pickin' I'm afraid, but we did happen to stumble upon a fundraising trash & treasure. It was held in a local retirement community and I picked up some knitting patterns for the princely sum of 10 cents. Can you believe the lovely lady even offered to give me change?!

I was also very naughty and bought some more fabric for my stash - a retro-style print from the quilting fabric section. My local Spotlight store appears to clearing out some of the older quilting stock - there are so many awesome prints and they're all reduced to $4 per metre! All things considered, I was very restrained.

Regular readers will know I can't knit but I like to collect knitting patterns for hair & styling inspiration. Here are a couple of my favourite patterns from my new acquisitions:

Kath





Bulli

Judith

Alps

Rencie

Lastly, a very nautical Regina

- Tamara

To market, to market to buy...?

Greetings!!

What a great start to the week, my new camera arrived yesterday! I've decided to upgrade slightly so I think it's gonna take a few days to figure out how to work it. I will read the instructions before using...

In other news, this Saturday was spent wandering around the local market in Kilmore. It's one of my favourites because it is quite small and while the traders rotate throughout the region each weekend, there is a man in Kilmore I can never find at any of the other markets. He always has interesting bits & pieces but I like him for his vintage knitting patterns. Sadly there weren't any on offer this weekend but I did score a few of his other treasures.

My meager haul consisted of two books, a jazz CD, a small box and some sewing notions. The CD will likely head off to the second-hand shop, it's a bit too brassy for my liking; one of the books is a memoir and the other...

Twentieth Century Teenagers by a Friend of Youth.

"Teen time is wonderful time! It can also be a trying time" states the blurb inside this little book by the Daughters of St Paul from the 1960s. It covers a range of issues facing the so-called modern teenager and with chapter headings like: How's your popularity rating?; Getting to know you better; Can you mix well without drinks?; Have you spotted the pros & cons of the "Gang"? I really couldn't go wrong for 50c. Plus, just look how cute the cover is!

Speaking of cute... Check out the graphics on this box for Original Mitcham Lavender

by Potter & Moore! So pretty.

And, leaving the most exciting find for last...

Six sequin & beaded flowers still on their original card! An absolute bargain at $5.

Oh, how I love our country markets.

- Tamara