Spring bulbs, vintage fishing and antique cameras

The first of the spring bulbs have optimistically burst forth in the garden.  Just love the scent of jonquils.  Hopefully there will be lots in the next few weeks, having planted a humungous bag of bulbs bought at a garage sale for $1.

The weekend's garage sales, op shops, and tip shops were on the whole disappointing.  I guess the winter-cold-wet-dreariness of the time of year is impacting.  

I've been collecting vintage fishing gear for an upcoming exhibition and some very cool vintage lures arrived in the mail this week.  Getting back from the grand tour to a stack of parcels was just like Xmas, and almost made up for getting back from the grand tour.  I long ago gave up dragging stuff with me and post home - way cheaper than paying excess for baggage and way lighter for the bags.  The vintage cameras did manage to set off every airport xray security system between Tassie and Perth though.

I'm due back at the pit of despair this week, and I've got heaps of ideas for projects I want to finish before the (shortened) working week commences.  I've had a lovely day of paint and tools and mess, but now my little friend is having some serious snuggles.

How to knit a shotgun from a crucifix and other useful skills.

                                A big week, a big weekend and an even bigger weekend next weekend.  I really don't know how I keep up.  The annual mouse cull is proceeding apace - it's them or me, they're really pushy. Luckily, I'm an experienced hunter.

Anzac Day on Wednesday, a day off on Thursday (puppy-sitting) and a day of op shop trawling on Friday.  After 3 op shops I had only a DVD to show - Constantine with Keanu Reeves. I'm not a huge fan of young Keanu,but any comic-based demon hunter who carries a shotgun made from a crucifix is worth a couple of hours of my time, and coming up to winter I can watch it while knitting.  Slightly ironic - knitting and demon hunting.  Who thought those two terms would be used in the same sentence? But I digress...

Things were looking pretty darn grim till, virtually empty handed, we got to the last oppie - where lots of goodies leapt into my $5-a-basket.  A lion's head (I already have a paw, it seemed appropriate), the cutest 50's/60's 'made in Japan' doll, a stack of good books, a Mela Purdie top - gotta love a good sale.

 

Saturday morning dawned cool and misty.  Well, actually it dawned quite clear but by garage sale time the drizzle had commenced.  That's not a bad thing, as it keeps the crowds down.  

At the first sale of the day I found something I've been looking everywhere for - a metal locker for the back veranda.  And this one is not only in really good condition, someone had already put nice shelves into it.  Those who have visited regularly may know that I am something of a packrat and I need to be able to stash some collections.  To celebrate the incoming, this morning I removed a very tatty old set of shelves, broke them up with the axe, and put them on the firewood pile (see above reference to oncoming winter.)

This a) made space for the locker and

     b) was kind of fun, in a violent recycling sort of way.

We proceeded to a fete at the Lions' Daycare Centre - where instead of designated parking for motor bikes, they have parking for mobility scooters, with the cutest little spray painted icons.

There were some brilliant recycled frames, lots of great books, all sorts of good stuff and the prices were great.  Note to fete goers:  it's NOT good manners to scrabble between other shoppers' feet as they are shopping.  You risk serious injury to your fingers and possible social embarrassment.  Note to fete givers: PLEASE don't put books on the floor, under tables.  People get crazy. 

In between, I've been busy preparing for the Mother's Day market at the Vancouver Arts Centre in Albany next weekend.  I've put jewellery on display boards, priced, packed, and even given some thought to stall setup.  Not many sleeps now.

A little light reading

This week's pickings were a little thin on the ground - in numbers as low as the temperature. However, in as many layers as an onion, with a huge padded coat, gloves and scarves, the feeling seeps away mainly in your fingers, toes and nose so there are a couple of hours available for scavenging.

A pair of real (authentic, genuine) RayBan sunnies - OK, not really needed at this time of year but the sun WILL shine again - in a truly funky style and a couple of books were all I managed yesterday. The reduced spend will possibly offset the mega-spend in glorious books awaiting me under the counter at Angus and Robertson in Albany. There is nothing like finding fantastic interesting and inspiring books in a big lump all on one shelf, unless it is actually buying them.

Is there some sort of group for book addiction? Luckily I got that jarrah bookcase last week....

Today, apart from the homemade biccies and even more wooden spoons, there was a bundle of 1960's do-it-yourself home-decorating magazines. Full to the brim will faaaabulous decorating ideas as well as wonderful wardrobe tips for the lil woman at home.

I may share some of the more interesting projects at a later date, when the twitching stops. And for those who have ever rented or renovated a 60's house, I found the cow who put up that timberpanel.