Scouting Around.

Well hello there, I'm finally back from down under and feeling a little disorientated as usual. Going home to my house in Melbourne is always so strange because it's a real mind flip swapping life in an English village for the more familiar life in my own neighborhood.

Then to have to turn around nearly three weeks later and zoom back to the other side of the world leaving the kids (and the cat) again...back to an English winter...well let's just say it takes me about a week to fall in love with England again!

Whilst in Melbourne I did do a little shopping, but of course I forgot to take the camera nearly everywhere with me. However I did take some shots at a very interesting new vintage store in St. Kilda. It's called "Scout" and has been put together by a really friendly guy named Orlando Mesiti.

My sister was so excited to show me this store, so with my daughter in toe, we headed on down only to find it closed!  Disappointed, we pressed our noses up against the window...squinting...peering in...we discovered Orlando in his store doing some orders...he kindly opened the shop up for us!

Really great stuff!

See ya later mates!

Well, I'm madly washing and chucking things in the suitcases, ready for our trip down under. It's not so much the packing that is the work, as I don't generally iron anything (whats the point, freshly ironed does not cope with being chucked on a plane for 24 hours)...no it's trying to get the linen, towels and various winter clothing washed so that I don't come back to a mountain of laundry!

 But, aside from all of that, I will be in my house soon to be greeted by this big fat thing...

Puss (he want's to remain anonymous) has had a complete lifestyle change since I left. The poor darling never knows when anyone is going to be home...my kids work late and come and go at all hours. If one of them goes away on holidays he gets particularly nervous, worrying that he's going to be deserted. He has been known to wake my son up early in the morning by dancing around on his chest.
Being the clever cat that he is, he has worked out how to be fed two dinners...he just simply carries on like his throat has been cut, then whoever happens to be home assumes that Puss hasn't been fed! Every time I see him he has grown considerably around the middle.

I'm sure after a certain amount of tormenting by mummy, and after I've chased him around the house for three weeks, he will lose some weight...(hopefully so will I).

I plan to post from Australia, as I'm dying to try out my son's new camera...so stay tuned!

In the meantime, be good and see ya later!

The Little Things.

Sometimes during my foraging through antique fairs and shops

I come across little bits and pieces that simply jump out at me...saying

'buy me..buy me'!

These pocket ashtrays did just that...crying out to be taken home...

I definitely had a date with this little gem...

this homecoming ribbon just had to come home with me...

I gravitated to these gravity thermometers.

in case I get thirsty on my shopping trips I can keep a nip in my pocket...

I can rest my head on my money bag...

vintage jelly moulds...ideal for tea lights....

this ribbon was a winner...

tiny vintage watch faces...

a shorthand certificate, achieved by Thomas Nicholls...

and finally this young man found a new home with me.

For more Good Life Wednesday link up with Sarah.

What if Anthropologie did weddings?

Have a peek at this site here.

Friday Flower.

Hi from very cold chilly England. The wind is blowing straight off the North Pole

and I'm sure even the penguins are shivering away today!

Boy am I ready for some Aussie sunshine...one week to go!

I'm sorry to say I am totally losing interest in everything in the house 

as I'm so focused on going home.

I even walked around a huge antique emporium yesterday

and didn't see one thing that inspired me.

As a result I haven't even bought flowers this week,

so I have photographed a single rose out of an older bunch...

Have a great weekend!

Link up with Laura at A Place for Tea to see some more
Friday Flowers!

Typo!

My husband is going to kill me, but I just couldn't resist...couldn't turn my back on him and walk out of the shop...couldn't leave him sitting forlornly on the floor...waiting for someone else to snaffle him up...

I already have a small, portable version...but this big old bloke is far more impressive....

He was born around 1925 and he's in pretty good nick considering his age...

It's so funny seeing my son's reaction to such an archaic looking machine...he is fascinated with the ribbon and the keys! This computer savvy generation can't quite fathom that in the days of no word processing or laser printers this was it!

No matter how smart his mac may be nothing's quite as handsome as this old guy!

Happy Birthday Australia!

 

 

Australia Day January 26th 2011.

 

 

 

Missing Home!