Friday, November 4, 2011

It's a lighting frenzy!

Free lighting apparatus.  How many lights can one have?  I've gone a little overboard with my collection yet there is something so captivating about them,  I really do need to pick them up.  

Ok, I don't use all the ones I find and a lot of them are for spare parts, which means I strip them down and toss away what I don't need.  Thankfully less apparatus means more space in my cupboards!

On with the lighting show...



These are lovelier than they look in the photo.  Most of the parts are there, but that pesky brown paint on the edge a little on the hideous side - and I can tell it was hand painted (absolutely no artistic flare was found!).  I will attempt to erase that ugliness with paint stripper and hope that it doesn't eat away at the glass.




I picked this up for the lovely white and gold ceramic part.





Not the prettiest shade, and I might just spray paint it and sand down the base... then Bob's my uncle.





This didn't have one scratch on it.





My favourite... and it reminds me of the roaring 1920 with its bold Art Deco style.  She's a big and heavy lady indeed.




If you look closely, you will see dust clinging to it... but believe me this photo was taken AFTER I cleaned it.  Black is the worst colour for cleaning, especially black ceramic!




And lastly, the ugliest of them all....

Thursday, November 3, 2011

More Free Toys

Kustom Metal Toys with the original box.  Unfortunately there were some aeroplane parts missing, but I did manage to put the motorcycle and go-cart together;







5 Dominoes... for a very short game;




McDonald's toy ruler;




Gosh, what do you call these things... little banging drums?





Snoopy Twins! 



Aahhh, the mother load;
 


You must think my home is full of toys... but the truth is that most of the ones from the above photo were given to the op shop (as they should!) and to other people.  Yay for charity!


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Shocked and Gobsmacked

Life.  It's a wonderful thing.  But on the flip side, it can be down right heart breaking.

Heart broken AND shocked AND gobsmacked is what I felt today.

You see, yesterday I came into my crafting/computer room and smelled something quite lovely.  It was a familiar smell and I quite enjoyed smelling it, but never had I smelled it this strong, and in my room.  I first though maybe my dear hubby had splashed on some aftershave and went a little overboard with the splashing, but his aftershave is nothing like what I was smelling.  I just couldn't figure it out.  I then though it was me because I had just showered but again, I didn't spray myself with THAT SMELL!

Yes, it was literally driving me crazy.  Until this morning.  I sat down to turn on my laptop and again, THAT SMELL was overwhelmingly strong.  My eyes went straight to my miniature perfume bottle collection on my wooden bookshelf.  Oh wow???  I was positively speechless when I saw what I had seen right before my eyes.

It was one of my miniature Avon perfume bottles.... the bottom of it was stuck to the shelf, surrounded by a sticky residue of perfume... and the upper part was in big chunks surrounding it!!!  WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED??  

And just to be more dumbfounding with my story.... this particular bottle was behind a bunch of other bottles, yet none of those surrounding bottles were harmed.  How on God's good earth does this happen?  Nobody comes into my room.... and they would have had to pick up the bottle from behind the others, and smash it where it is.  Nope, not even my own husband would touch those bottles and there is nobody else in the house.  It was not a 'pick up and break' situation and that's the spooky thing.

Then when I woke up from my big shock and came to terms with it - I was so very upset to have lost THIS BOTTLE... the little Avon Christmas Bell shaped one.

Now I ask you... do perfume bottles self combust?  Am I right in thinking this? Can somebody shed some light on this dumbfounding subject?

The upside to this story?  My room still smells wonderful.  But now, I refuse to let it get me down.  As much as I loved that little bottle, it was only just that:  A bottle.  (bbbwwaaaahhhh!)



Golly gosh... now's a good time to show you something a little more uplifting.

Free clothing and it's official; I have a desperate need to open my own ebay clothing store! 
Just kidding of course.



White puffy sleeve t-shirt.  Functional, clean and boring.




Penang, anyone? 




This was 'passed on' because a 40+ year old woman doesn't stand a chance.




Nice design though...



OK folks, the only time I'd wear this out is when I feel like being picked on - which would be never in a million years.  Good for around the home though.  ;)  Note to self; must iron this beast!



In case you didn't know...

 

Not a favourite, but still wearable at home;





Nice and baggy is how I love them... but it's another that is begging - 'please iron me'.





This is a perky & sporty little number.... I quite like it - only the bottom needs to be ironed!




Yet another that was passed on... but only because it was too tight and too 'young & sweet' (too many cupcakes for my liking) for me...




Bland... and also passed on...




Who wears short shorts???  I don't unless they are for bedtime.  I loved these but looked a tad 'misshapen' on me.  They've gone to a better home.

 





Mini me!  Looks are deceiving though, this skirt nearly reaches my knees.






I do like this, but unfortunately I'd look like a hideous pork sausage if I were to actually fit in it;






Dancing / ballet tights, but and I can barely fit my foot.. let alone a whole leg in there...













Tuesday, November 1, 2011

A bunch of random free stuff...

Lot's of baskets;









Kitsch blue mug; 





This plate was a big shame.... my niece picked it up, saw that it had a broken (but glued) corner so she passed it onto me.  A few days later I dropped it.  Goodbye, nice plate;





Large resin pot / vase; 






People throw away fake flowers, it's true:




And my favourite out of the whole lot, a vintage magazine rack;