The Thrill of the Chase

What a week! I went on Rosie's Year 5 camp this week which was so much fun, but we both came back exhausted. I'll write more on that another time with photos but for now I want to show you my garage sale goodies that I got yesterday. For after reading so many blogs on doing up "yard sale" finds, the bug has bitten me again. I know Mary would probably remember when I lived back in Brisbane, me going out nearly every week on my Saturday treasure hunts. She joined me for a few. Well I've started again, much to Mitch's horror. "We've got enough #*! already and can't keep clean what we do have." It's been one of those weeks where the house is an absolute pigsty and you fervently hope that the cops won't have any reason to come to your house because if they did, they would rescue the kids and photos of your lounge room would be plastered all over the newspapers. Well that's in my 3 o'clock in the morning nightmare. I'm blaming it on the fact I was away at camp, and before it, I was too busy getting ready, and afterwards I was to tired to do anything, and Mitch had the flu. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Anyway here's my treasures.



I bought this sunlounge for $10 after a bit of umming and ahhing ($10 is a bit of a commitment for me and I could just see what Mitch would say - after all, big things are a bit harder to hide) but I love lying outside and reading on the weekends and our old hammock gave up the ghost last summer. And it's metal, not plastic...priceless.



The fabric isn't too bad, but it is fabric and I have no intention of dragging it under cover every day, so I also bought some cheap vinyl tableclothes with which to cover it. I'll show you that when it's done.



I also bought this pink and white pine table for $10 (I know, another big purchase) which I have put outside in my laundry area to fold my washing up on. Maybe it could also double up as an eating table in summer for when it's too hot to eat inside. I don't know about that yet. On it you can see some dirty wicker baskets which I bought for 50 c each. They have only one handle and these I intend to spray paint white, tie a big ribbon onto the handle (blue and white spots maybe) and hang up on hooks in the girls' room (when I finish painting it) to put their teddies in.





Here's a close up of a pink transferware plate that I bought for $1 to add to my collection. One day I just want to have a crockery collection of plates and bowls that I love, no 16 piece matching dish sets for me. I particularly like transferware but only if they have "European" pictures on them. I don't like the Japanese style. I currently have them in blue and pink and one in brown, which I like because it reminds me of Oma's and Opa's plates. And if they have scalloped edges, that's even better.





This is some fabric I got for $2 this morning at the markets (along with a big punnet of juicy strawberries for $5 and some of Sally's slippers for me.)



I was going to make some cushions for my couch out of it but now I'm thinking I might make a wrap-around skirt like this (have a look at the second post)out of it. Maybe there would be enough for both, if I don't mind matching my couches.



And last of all, these footrests for $1 each. I bought them more for the girls to sit on, then for your feet and they are just the right height for sitting at the coffee table to play board games. I'll probably cover them sometime, but I don't know how yet and they are in perfect condition, so it's not a rush.



I also asked the guy at the garage sale if I could have a cutting from his gorgeous white geranium and he gave me the whole pot plant. It was his late mother's and he said she would be pleased it was going to someone who'd appreciate it and look after it. (So now I can't kill this one.) So overall, a very successful weekend and that's part of what I like about "saling"...you never know what you're gonna get. And yes Mitch, we will use those things and it will be all worth it. And no Ella, you can not bounce on the footrests on the trampoline....and stop having races on them with Rosie. I promise, it will be worth it.