Fashionably Worn - Trawling for Vintage Treasures

My love of vintage started in high school. Maybe the vintage fairy happened to wave her magic (tarnished but still slightly sparkling pre-used) wand over me one day because I developed a heartfelt longing and appreciation for old books, old china and old clothes. Pretty soon my modestly sized bedroom was filling up with all three. Pretty soon I couldn't imagine life without these things!

Then over the years of trawling through opshops, scouring markets and styling what others (not kindred spirits obviously) might describe as junk - has been an at-times seemingly full-time and always enjoyable past-time!

So when I had the opportunity to review a decorating book for Houzz.com.au I dived straight into my bag for this gorgeous tome! 

Leigh-Ann Pow is an ex-associate editor at Australian Vogue and definitely a kindred spirit - she shares her secrets and tips on the best way to find, use and display vintage treasures. And probably because of Pow's extensive magazine experience, this book is a visual feast. It's as if we've been allowed to borrow her Filofax (remember those? The paper diary is probably considered to be vintage these days) and luxuriate in her anecdotes, notes, witty quotes, pics and collected cards from her favourite haunts. 

It would also make a great gift - who's thinking Mother's Day?!

So click here to read my review - I'd love it if you liked it and shared it with your friends!

And just last week I did something Pow would be proud of. It was council cleanup. In our suburb the Council allocates a week four times a year where householders can put their unwanted goods/furniture/junk (yes rubbish, but not the sort you put out weekly in your ordinary bin), out on the footpath. Sometime during that week big trucks will come to collect and crush the piles and take them away. Until that happens it's pretty much a free for all. Those of us who love rifling through other people's stuff look forward to this week like others might look forward to a birthday. We have been known to screech the car to a halt beside a promising looking pile, jump out, find something and do a small victory dance before hopping back into the car and zooming off. I'm sure I'm not the only one..

I spotted something a few houses away. It caught my eye because we have a lovely old table  in my room that we use as a dumping ground work desk. The chair we use with it is not that old, certainly not comfortable and most importantly, not that attractive. 

The girls and I carried it home (the timber and metal base is dead heavy - thank goodness we didn't have far to go) and we have been admiring it in the back room ever since. (It's actually not the first time I have found a chair on the side of the road - the last one was an arm chair I adore! Read more here.)

My husband was cautiously pleased. It does needs a little bit of work however, and his pleasure is likely to diminish if I don't get it fixed up before, I think he said Christmas.
I'm sure he said Christmas. There's no way he said Easter. 

Easter?! 
Unless he meant 2016? ... 

And then, because Arch and I always like to keep an eye out for cute new stuff to add to and integrate with our vintage treasures, here's a few things we've found in our travels.

Okay, I am thinking Easter decorating here. Rabbit cushion anyone? Currently on sale in Myer.

Or these lovely cushions, in white and peachy pink with gorgeous gold foil spots. Only $10 each at Kmart. I actually added these to a spot-themed wedding gift I was giving to friends. They match the Robert Gordon china perfectly, don't you think?

Arch, who has inextricably taken a strong liking to Freedom Homewares shops, particularly liked this (on sale) Armchair, which looks to be straight out of Alice in Wonderland in my humble opinion. Personally I'd change the colour of the legs to walnut, or metallic. Just saying... 

And then, to end with vintage, I found this sweet gold banded etched glass jug for $5 in a local Vinnies, that fits in very well with the beautiful gold banded glasses we inherited from Jonathan's Grandma. 

Because life is too short not to sparkle!