Pastime Annual

This old book was falling apart and about to be thrown out but the cover caught my eye... The two color illustrations are lovely and too good to end up in the bin lost forever - They would make great cards or look wonderful framed..

OldPhotoPRO

I love the effects you can create using iphone apps - this photo was taken using the OldPhotoPRO app and really highlights the shape of the lamp shade....

© Karen Hinde Photography

Breakfast

Breakfast has to be one of the best meals of the day!

I love cooking scrambled eggs in this old fry pan and it looks great presented on this old wicker placemat..... from stove top to table how easy!!!!

© Karen Hinde Photography

Heirloom Embroidery

This framed embroidery half stitch is really old and looks beautiful in its original frame hanging in the hallway - it came from a great Op Shop in Tauranga, New Zealand a couple of years ago and was ridiculously cheap....

© Karen Hinde Photography 

 I was given a great cross stitch kit of old world fonts recently and am looking forward to creating some great letters to frame up and hang nearby....

Wicker Basket

This wicker basket ( from the Lost and Found Market in Collingwood) looked and smelled great filled with basil seedlings which I used to make Pesto -  It was really yummy Pesto and unfortunately I don't have any left..... 

© Karen Hinde Photography

Cherub Jug

© Karen Hinde Photography

This gorgeous jug came from an antique shop in Edenbridge - a small English country town in Kent.
If you ever find yourself in Edenbridge the local Indian Resturant, Op Shops and Antique Stores are  worth visiting - along of course with the Traditional English Pubs  - London is only an hour away on the train making Edenbridge my kind of town...

Japanese cheese platter

Copyright Karen Hinde Photography

This serving platter was made in Japan and has quite an interesting shape with a great handle - I bought it at BSL Moonee Ponds, which is worth checking out from time to time....

BSL Moonee Ponds
24 Margaret Street
Moonee Ponds   VIC   3039

Abstract Sprite

I love taking abstract images using a macro lens and these two images of sprite bottles are currently being shown at the Monash Gallery of Art (Ramp Gallery) until the 25th of March 2012....

© Karen Hinde Photography

© Karen Hinde Photography

Monash Gallery of Art

860 Ferntree Gully Road

Wheelers Hill VIC 3150

Telephone +61 3 8544 0500

www.mga.org.au

Blue Willow - Johnson Brothers

This Johnson Brothers "Willow" dinner plate (with matching side plate, & cereal bowl) came from the Salvo's store in Abbotsford. I love using the cereal bowl for breakfast but learned a couple of valuable Op Shopping lessons that day..... When you find an almost complete set of (old) Johnson Bros Willow ware in an Op Shop don't spend time procrastinating about how many of each piece to buy.

BACK YOURSELF and BUY ALL OF IT ....... especially when its cheap!!  

I got to the counter with my carefully chosen pieces and learned my lesson...  As I went to get the remaining pieces they were rather quickly being snapped up by another keen Op Shopper... Lesson No. 2 If you can't carry it all to the counter DON'T ADVERTISE your find by sorting through the pile in a busy Salvo's Store - Simply pick up as much as you can carry, put it on the counter and quietly go back for the rest......

Lesson No 3  - IT'S ALL PART OF THE FUN 

© Karen Hinde Photography

Johnson Brothers was founded by Fedrick and Alfred Johnson in 1883. They were later joined by brothers Robert and Henry and built an extremely successful Earthernware company in Hanley, England. In 1968 Johnson Brothers became part of the Wedgwood Group. 

ABC Blocks

On my recent Op Shopping adventures I came across a box (48 pieces) of old wooden children's ABC Blocks. There were enough letters to spell out Ten Green Balloons and they are now sitting on a book shelf near my desk.... I might change the Ten Green Balloon blog title to feature these blocks............. 

they are pretty cute!

Juliet's Balcony, Verona, Italy

Love is in the air.... Happy Valentines day!!

Copyright Karen Hinde Photography

I loved taking this photo of the graffiti at Juliet's Balcony (Casa di Giulietta) in Verona late last year. It was taken on my phone with the Tilt Shift Generator App - the blurred the effect it creates is fantastic.

Even though Juliet's balcony isn't real and was set up as a tourist attraction it has become a symbol of love with thousands of tourists visiting every year...... if you can't get to Verona you could watch the movie "Letters to Juliet" (2010) starring Amanda Seyfried, Gael Garcia Bernal and Vanessa Redgrave.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is the story of two star crossed lovers - and you can at a stretch imagine Juliet standing on her balcony in Verona........

"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo" William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, 2.2

Yellow Wicker Salt and Pepper Shakers

Copyright Anne McNeill Photography

On the 24th of January I featured a pair of green wicker Salt and Pepper shakers and was really excited when my friend Anne emailed me this photo of her gorgeous yellow set. They belonged to Anne's Mum, and are now a much loved part of Anne's picnic set....

Anne is a Melbourne based photographer and I particularly like her milk images - which are really quite clever.

Check out Anne's Website
www.annemcneill.com.au

Jolly Cats

Karen Hinde Photography

How cute are these Jolly Cats........... out strolling in their Sunday best!!!

I find the Salvation Army Shop in Abbotsford (Melbourne) generally a little expensive, but found this great retro fabric in the bottom of a basket filled with pretty ordinary sheets and towels..... its a good idea to rummage through ordinary looking piles of fabric because sometimes the rewards are really worthwhile.... The cat design runs along the bottom of the fabric and is pretty cute...

Copyright Karen Hinde Photography

Coastal Op Shops

A friend of mine found these great bowls in an Op Shop while on holiday in NSW for the bargain price of 50c. I love the shape and the colors are just fantastic....very retro!!!!

Copyright Karen Hinde Photography

Note:..............
if you ever find yourself on a Road Trip along the East Coast of Australia, you could probably find a good Op Shop and pick up a bargain in every town!

Retro Porcelain Doll

I've had this delightful little porcelain doll for years - It was given to me by my Nanna as part of a Birthday Cake when I was quite young.  She used to make amazing birthday cakes and don't get me started on her Neenish tarts............ they were amazing!!!!

Copyright Karen Hinde Photography

Johnson Bros Fish Design No:7

Copyright Karen Hinde Photography

I'm not normally a fan of fish designs but this quirky Johnson Bros Fish Design caught my eye. I saw it sitting at the top of a pile of plates for $1.00 each and couldn't believe my luck when I turned it over and saw the Johnson Bros makers mark - am sure it was the only one in the pile but really should have gone through and double checked....

The Johnson Brothers Fish range included 7 different designs and was produced between 1955 - 1976 

Johnson Brothers was founded by Fedrick and Alfred Johnson in 1883, they were joined by brothers Robert in 1888 and Henry in 1893 and built an extremely  successful Earthernware company in Hanley, England. In 1968 Johnson Brothers became part of the Wedgwood Group. 
WWRD (Waterford, Wedgwood, & Royal Doulton)

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