Retro Delights

Kitchen Reno Continues...

2012-01-30T22:18:00.001+10:30

A quick time-lapse of our complete kitchen reno. Denis and I have had so much fun putting this together. Although it was hard work during some very hot and sticky days! It has taken us two weeks to get to this point so far.

Tiling still to come and then the floor needs to be re-sanded. Will post official before and after photos very soon!

Toodle-pip,

Kyrie

PS Photos will be uploaded here too!

Australia Day

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000+10:30

My friend Mardi and I just adore kitsch Australiana! We think the combination of the Australian map, our quirky native animals and vibrant retro colours are just awesome!

Celebrating Australia day in true Aussie style! Ave a good one!

Kitchen Reno Begins!

2012-01-18T10:23:00.002+10:30

Denis was a busy bee on the weekend. Yay the Kitchen reno has begun! Check out this time-lapse of the old 70s kitchen being removed! If only things would happen this fast in real-time!

Dear Photograph

2012-01-06T19:27:00.000+10:30

I recently stumbled across the brilliant website "Dear Photograph". A beautiful collection of photos of a photo from the past in the present. The captions on each image also pull on the heart strings!!

Enjoy looking over the website. I totally understand why this site has over 65,000 followers on Facebook!

Dreams Turned to Rubble

2012-01-05T18:00:00.000+10:30

It Begins

The jaws go straight in...

No mercy...

Dreams turned to rubble.

The sun was shinning, but there seemed to be a grey cloud hovering over my street today. Sadly the house 2 doors down from us was demolished. I walked past a couple of times to take the photos above, and felt an overwhelming sense of sadness coming from the remains of this home.

It is amazing to think that this lovely home was once someone's life dream, would have probably taken months to build, and yet within a few short hours the only thing remaining is a pile of rubble.

I was disappointed to know that the owners and demo company in charge did not salvage anything from the building. I don't understand why, there were beautiful floor boards, windows, solid wood internal doors, and the original 1950s bathroom with pink tiles and blue bath! Oh yeah, did I mention all of the original hardwood and stone that would have been useful for other building projects. WHAT A WASTE!

On the weekend I went through the house. The blinds and light fittings were still all in place and there was a cute little sewing room with 1950s cupboards and laminate bench. I was imagining the previous owner sitting at the little bench sewing up a storm.

Sorry, no inside photos as it was getting dark when I was sneaking through. The house was crying out to me for help and I felt absolutely helpless - after all, I was kind of trespassing and there was little I could do. I did manage to salvage a couple of things but will talk more about that in a future post.

This land is now the future dream of a new couple with plans to build a brand new home.

Hidden Surprise

2012-01-04T18:02:00.000+10:30

I bought this West German vase from a seller on eBay this week and it was delivered via post today. When I opened the box, to my surprise the box was cushioned out with retro wall paper! Plus inside was another box containing the vase wrapped in some old pages from the Australian Motor Manual from 1970! I think I might have to contact this seller to see if she has anymore groovy wallpaper before she throws it out!

Happy New Year people!

Xmas Blessings

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000+10:30

This year has been one fast and crazy ride. It's that time to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2012.

Looking forward to bringing you more Retro Delights in the new year. Our kitchen and bathroom projects are still on the go, and there is of course a never ending supply of Retro Delights to share with you.

Thanks for your interest and for following along. Best wishes, Kyrie K.

Retro Sewing Machine

2011-12-20T11:11:00.000+10:30

I'm loving my sewing projects at the moment, but it just hasn't felt right using a newish plastic sewing machine. So I have been on the hunt for a reliable retro model.

After hunting on e-bay for weeks I found this beautiful vintage green "Singer". It is made of metal, and is very strong and robust. Certainly not like my other plastic model! I will keep the plastic one as a back up machine, but somehow I don't think I will need it. This is definitely a case of "they just don't make them like they used to!"

I feel much happier now making my retro inspired creations (K2 Scarf) on my retro sewing machine!

Laundry Before and After

2011-12-18T18:34:00.002+10:30

Finally our laundry reno is complete apart from a couple minor changes (tiles). I am so pleased with how it has come together and it is exactly how I visualised it to be. We have set up the laundry as a mini kitchenette while we work on the kitchen. It is handy to have the sink and storage... the fridge will live in the lounge for a while, and we can work around the oven still connected when pulling the kitchen apart!

We had a "Reverse Osmosis" filter system fitted by Filter King. It is the tastiest and cleanest water which means I will now drink more (a good thing) and also our tea and coffee will taste the best.

Cupboards, shelving, bench tops, sink, tap and handles all IKEA. Once the kitchen is together I plan to paint the kick boards charcoal, just to give it that little extra lift.

We decided to paint the back of the door in chalkboard paint so we can keep lists and write messages to each other. I sent Denis down to the hardware store to grab the paint, and without looking he accidentally grabbed "Green" chalkboard paint! We decided to go for it anyway. We can always paint over it with the black version later... but it is growing on me. Lucky it is a nice green, plus we do have a bit of a green theme going on throughout the house!

I think the floor tiles look great, I am glad we left them original. They just bring another texture to the room. We now just need to tile around the skirting and behind the sink - will probably go for a plain square white tile.

Everytime I walk through the laundry now I feel like I am in a different house. Everything so sparkly and new! View more photos here. More will be added once this room is an actual laundry not temporary kitchen!

Retro Inspired "K2 Scarf"

2011-12-14T21:14:00.000+10:30

Introducing my limited edition "K2 Scarf" designed and handmade by 'me' exclusively for Foundabout.

The K2 Scarf is inspired by the swanky style of the mid-twentieth century with an added modern twist... a reversible design!

The new "Summer" range features Adelaide designed fabrics from Surface Art Textile Design. Each scarf is delivered beautifully packaged in the Foundabout giftbox, and also includes the extremely cute 'how to tie' instruction flyer! I found the K2 Scarf model on one of my vintage sewing patterns!

No cookie cutters here... each scarf is made in a limited run, be quick so you don't miss out!

Retro Delights in our Garden

2011-12-04T09:30:00.000+10:30

Old Tea Chest used as a side table...

Vege store used for plants and old washing machine drum used as a planter...

Cute cat bird scarer, my favourite for sure.

Outdoor setting we inherited with the house.

Outdoor shelving, hard rubbish wooden boxes mounted on the wall.

My new to me rocking chair. LOVE!

Front door chair - big plans to paint this one black!

Hard Rubbish bird cage and old street sign

Retro cushions on our lovely outdoor setting.

See more photos from of Retro Delights in the Garden here >

Laundry Renovation

2011-12-02T08:30:00.000+10:30

Last weekend we started our Kitchen/Laundry renovation. The idea is to do the laundry first, and get it to a state where we can use it as a mini kitchen while the kitchen reno is in progress.

So far Denis removed all the cupboards, pulled off the tiles and wall paper. We then had plumbers move all the taps down below cupboard height. Next a plasterer popped by to re-plaster the wall and fill the odd crack.

Right, now we are at painting stage. Heading to the paint shop tonight to select the colours... Going for charcoal door, white window and trim, and Dulux Pale Tendrill Half for the walls.

The flat pack cupboards are waiting patiently in our garage to be assembled and installed hopefully this weekend. Yes if all goes to plan we are hoping to finish this product (except tiling) this weekend...Painting, new power points, cupboards installed, taps connected, new lighting and shelves etc.

VERY EXCITING. Will post more photos here when complete!

Best Hard Rubbish Finds EVER!

2011-12-01T16:09:00.001+10:30

My friend Mardi and I are partial to the odd Hard Rubbish outing... last weekend Mardi went out for a wee trip around the local streets and ended up getting two car loads. Amongst her collection I think she found the best score EVER!

Yes a "Componibili" from Kartell designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri in 1969. The amazing thing about this is that it was in pieces and so was potentially very easy to miss amongst the rubbish. But something drew Mardi to this particular heap and in a flurry she quickly grabbed all the bits she could find. When back home she started to clean it up not knowing if she had all components. She put it together and voila, a complete unit! FABULOUS!

I really couldn't believe it when she sent me a photo. I have to admit I am a bit jealous (but in a good way) and still can't believe it. We just love the buzz you get when you find something this good - and I certainly share her excitement on this one!

I can't be too upset because Mardi did give me her other fab score, a set of old school pigeon holes that I currently use in my studio.

Scoping out Hard Rubbish is certainly not something Mardi and I can do together. I'm sure we would end up fighting over the treasures! Go Mardi!!

Trackside Breaky

2011-11-09T17:19:00.000+10:30

On the weekend Denis and I were delighted to visit the very first pop up "Breakfast Rave" held in the Barossa Valley. Organised by my dear friend Cherie, along a team of like minded foodies from the Barossa, the Rave is a spontaneous community event expected to pop up in various iconic Barossa locations.

Sunday's event was held at the Angaston Train Station. No longer in use, it was the perfect backdrop for this sustainable breakfast affair. I love the fact that a new breath of life was given to this old building even if only for a day!

It was such a warm and friendly atmosphere, with locals catching up, dogs happily hanging out, and kids entertaining themselves along the old train track. The train station was looking extremely well dressed with hanging baskets full of succulents, hessian table cloths, bus blind tea towels, and this gorgeous bunting made from recycled flour bags & hand printed fabric.

We even got to take home an heirloom tomato plant in a compostable pot as a thank you for supporting the first event! Actually the whole event was compostable ... all cups, plates, forks, bin bags and food scraps were compostable and thrown straight into the Rave's compost! I'm impressed!

Breakfast was divine, Spanish style slow-cooked beans with free range poached eggs, grilled sourdough and a dollop of natural yoghurt - all for only $10. Oh yeah, top that with some coriander and chilli!

Finished with a gluten free chocolate brownie by Scullery Made Tea. YUMBO! And I must say, I think I had the best Mocha I've ever had from Barossa Coffee Roasters - a big call but it is true!

Keep in the loop on The Breakfast Rave Facebook page or check out more photos from Sunday's event here >

Scooby-Doo

2011-10-03T20:06:00.007+10:30

Denis and I bought a Campervan - it's a 1984 Toyota Pop-top. We are so thrilled with it. The previous owners have lovingly cared for the camper, adding little gadgets here and there to make the whole camping experience more enjoyable... for example, a bracket to hold the laptop with speakers to watch movies in bed, an outdoor shower, plus a pillow top mattress for optimum comfort in the outback! The best bit is it is a true retro camper. Super plain, but still has some quirky features like the special bug catcher on the front window and the stickers from previous trips. We have named him Scooby.

Today we put up the annex, and it dawned on me the colour scheme for Scooby. Orange, green, mustard and brown is the go. My mum recently bought me the melamine dinner set not knowing we had bought the camper. Perfect, and it's orange! I also just bought the floral cushions from Foundabout made with love by my friend Mardi out of retro fabric. Note the table cloth in green and orange floral, also a gift from Mardi. Loving the fringe!

My donkey "Earl Grey" is looking right at home on the biscuit coloured Onkaparinga wool rug - another op shop find! So all in all Scooby is looking a treat decked out in our second hand retro delights. Now we just need to plan our first trip away!

Toy Time Again

2011-09-26T17:50:00.004+09:30

It's a wonderful thing when you can dig out your old toys and find a new use for them. Today my fully working toy cash register was used as part of a promo for a Spring Sale happening over at Foundabout.

While I had it out, I thought I would take a few extra photos of this delightful example, and discovered the date on the bottom. My mum was a school teacher and labeled everything which at the time was a wee bit frustrating but I'm so glad she did now. A gift from my Grandma K given to me on my 4th Birthday. Sweet!

Mini Designer Chairs

2011-09-19T13:00:00.000+09:30

Our new range of miniature designer chairs are now available in store at Foundabout!

If you have a chair fetish like me then maybe these might help. Just like when you were a kid collecting stickers, rocks, feathers and stamps, now you can collect chairs but in a grown up kind of way. Each chair is sold individually so you can pick and choose as you grow your collection!

A complete celebration of the designers who were well ahead of their time. Unique, inspiring and basically totally COOL.

A great gift idea, each chair is delivered to you lovingly packaged in our special Foundabout gift box.

Get in quick because stocks are rather limited.

Toodle-Pip!

Kitchen Styling

2011-07-20T19:44:00.000+09:30

Absolutely loving this Kitchen display found in "Decorate", a book I bought from One Small Room last week. Definitely need to start collecting an assortment of green, white and brown crockery!

I Collect Typewriters...

2011-07-07T21:58:00.000+09:30

Well not really. But I do like them A LOT. Denis wants to keep them but I personally think it is kind of ridiculous to start another collection!

So I have listed 2 of these beauties on Foundabout for sale. They are ready and waiting to go to a loving home!

Budding Photographer?

2011-07-04T12:15:00.000+09:30

Denis and I looked after our nephew Nicholas on Sat night. Nik thoroughly enjoyed exploring our house and looking at all the unusual bits and pieces that we have around. Denis captured Nik having a wee play with his retro cool Zeiss Ikon Camera! How cute!

Gigantic Slide Rule!

2011-07-02T15:19:00.000+09:30

Denis and I own this gigantic slide rule (like most normal couples, not!). We had it sitting outside when moving house and our neighbour spotted it! Being an ex school principal he was absolutely fascinated by our large version of a slide rule. He promptly brought over his mini version (actually normal size) and to our delight we discovered they were the same brand "ARISTO". Perhaps our version was originally used as a teaching aid in university. Any ideas?

Family Now Complete

2011-06-24T15:50:00.000+09:30

Mamma and Dadda jug are pleased to announce the adoption of their baby brown jug!

Now I have the complete set. My Aunty gave me the large and medium jugs, but wanted to keep the small brown jug as she was still using it.

To my pleasant surprise, I came across the Small Brown Jug in a second hand shop yesterday for $3. Couldn't believe it...Meant to be!

Mamma and Dadda jug are very happy with the new addition to their family!

Melbourne Finds

2011-06-22T23:27:00.000+09:30

I had so much fun exploring Brunswick when visiting Melbourne a few weeks back. We spent most of the day walking up one side of Brunswick Street then back down the other side so we didn't miss anything. So many quirky retro shops and heaps of cool cafes drawing you in with the aroma of delicious coffee.

We stumbled across Meet me at Mike's little shop. What a delightful space. Of course Denis and I couldn't leave without each buying something. For those who don't know, Meet me at Mike's are the creative folk (Pip Lincolne) behind the crafty book titled Sew La Tea Do and a newby to be released in October this year called Make Hey While the Sun Shines.

Me, I bought a vintage board game called Park and Shop. To my surprise I found 2 more retro games hidden away under the cardboard insert inside! One called "Money" and the other "Careers".

Denis took this photo of me walking proudly with my game through the Melbourne streets as we made our way back to the hotel. Yeah I did get a few looks...

Denis spotted this retro cool Zeiss Ikon Camera complete with flash and leather case. Denis's camera collection is rapidly growing, but I have to admit I particularly like this one.

Foundabout is born...

2011-06-21T23:33:00.000+09:30

After sharing vintage shopping and styling knowledge for 2 years, my friend Mardi and I have decided to extend our long term friendship and love of the 'unique' into a business.

We both have an eye for design, unique styles, and mixing old with new, so merging our talents was the next logical step.

Foundabout is simply a play on words making a suitable name for a shop that sells lovely found items to furnish, decorate and brighten up your self or space. We also appreciate vintage and retro, and products that are fair trade or kind to our earth in production and materials, so Foundabout also touches on the lifecycle of a product.

We both love to find unique items and where possible breathe new life into them. You can't keep us away from op shops, garage sales, anything home made, and even hard rubbish collections. So Foundabout has given us the opportunity to find and revive till our hearts content!

Online store coming soon...

A Rainbow of Colour and Creativity

2011-06-11T11:31:00.000+09:30

Designer Jessi Arrington packed nothing for her TED experience but 7 pairs of undies, buying the rest of her clothes in thrift stores around LA. Jessi explains how buying secondhand clothes reduces the impact her wardrobe has on the environment and her wallet, with her shopping experience described as a big treasure hunt supporting charities.

Jessi is a rainbow of colour and creativity (her fave colour is "Rainbow"). A true op shop diva with a totally unique style. I Love it! See more on her blog "Lucky So and So".

Image from Jessi's Outfit Page

Our Train Journey

2011-05-26T12:58:00.000+09:30

To celebrate Denis' special Birthday we have decided to take a train journey to Melbourne this weekend. We both really love train travel, and find it to be so relaxing. It must be the motion, noise and time out to just sit back and watch the world pass by!

You could say passenger trains are an old school / retro form of travel. My parents went on a train journey to Melbourne for their honeymoon back in the 1960s. I think the trains have somewhat been updated since this picture was taken above. What a shame!

Our sunny lounge...

2011-05-24T16:28:00.000+09:30

It's been one week and things are already starting to take shape at our Retro Abode. The floors have come up a treat, and with the old curtains gone the lounge room is now light, bright and airy. Just how I like it. Bring on the sunny winter afternoons!

I decided that we needed a round dining table to fit the shape of the room better so luckily this week I found an original (mint condition) Parker setting with matching lounge suite in a gorgeous sage green on E-Bay.

Now all we need to do is purchase a new light fitting, paint the walls, have the blinds cleaned, and bring in our floor rug once the floors have completely hardened in a couple of weeks. Oh yeah, and I must remove the skirt on the new retro lounge to reveal the teak legs!

BEFORE (PREVIOUS OWNERS FURNITURE)

FLOOR BOARDS POLISHED / CURTAINS REMOVED

AFTER (OUR NEW 2.2M SOFA!)

MATCHING PARKER TEAK DINING TABLE AND CHAIRS!

See more photos here...

Chair Obsessed

2011-05-18T10:17:00.000+09:30

It's official, I am obsessed with lounge suites! We now own 5, plus I just gave away 2! But I think this will be it as I think I have pushed Denis' patience to the limit!

I just bought this one off eBay for $57 and it is a custom made 'Parker' copy in a gorgeous sage green velvet. Solid teak legs are hiding beneath the skirt, so I will be whipping that off when I get it!

The suite includes a 4 seater lounge (2200mm long!), a single chair and foot stool. In primo condition because it had resided in the "Formal Lounge" for all of its glorious life!

And to top it off I also scored the matching Teak dining table and 6 x Parker Chairs! ($160). Perfect for our new lounge room at the Retro Abode! Will post more pics once the skirt has been removed and it is sitting pretty in our lounge!

It Begins!

2011-05-11T10:54:00.000+09:30

We picked up the keys to our Retro Abode last Monday and so the work has begun. Denis and I are so excited, it is still sinking in that we are now home owners and can't believe our score!

LOUNGE
Our first job was to remove the carpet downstairs in preparation for the floor sander to do his thing this week. So Denis went to work Tuesday night. It is amazing what a difference it has made already by exposing the pine floor boards. I can't wait to see the floor finished! I also took down all the old net curtains. The rooms are now light and bright and open.

TV ROOM
We have decided to transform one of the back bedrooms into a cosy TV room. Our plan is to install some bi-fold doors to create an indoor-outdoor flow to the back garden.

To start the transformation Denis removed the built in wardrobes. This room will eventually be painted because the wallpaper has faded in some areas. Even though the paper is pretty groovy, it is a bit much pattern for one room! Being the south west side of the house this room is asking for light walls!

SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE >

Big Treasure Chest

2011-04-30T16:11:00.000+09:30

Look what we found when we popped over to see our new place today. A skip bin full of treasures!

The previous owners hired a skip and had a big clean out...luckily we were able to check it out before being collected this week. We salvaged a few boxes of books - not entirely sure what I will do with them yet! It's a wonderful range of hard cover novels and encyclopedias. Seriously, how could I let this lot go to the dump!!

There are a few boxes to sort through, plus a suitcase, but will wait till we have moved in a couple of weeks to go through it all.

Picking up the keys on Monday, very exciting!

SOLD!!!

2011-04-03T13:29:00.000+09:30

2/4/2011 the day we bought our dream Retro Abode at Auction. A nail biting experience, but in the end it was meant to be.

We were happy and lucky to meet the previous owner Cyril who has now started a new chapter in his life in an old folks home. An absolute sweetheart... I just wanted to give him heaps of cuddles but thought that may seem weird!

He was happy to meet us too, knowing our plans and love for his home of 50 years.

Might have to frame this one to pop up on the wall when we move in!

So the fun begins... as we start renovations I will post images and details of the transformation! The photo collection will be stored here >

Our 1960s Abode?

2011-03-25T20:51:00.000+10:30

Denis and I are currently looking at a property to buy in Largs North South Australia 200m from the beach! Built in 1960, this property has been owned by the same family for over 50 years!

Today we found out that our home loan was approved, so the next step is to have the property inspected by a builder on Monday. I am trying not to get too excited about the whole prospect of this property being ours, but I have already drawn up modifications to the floor plan - I just couldn't help myself! Such a flexible floor plan and big enough to accommodate both my business Messagemark and Denis Smith Photography! Also, it has a decent size yard so we can get stuck into the vege patch!

This property is just waiting for us to make it sparkle again and bring it back to it's former 1960s glory. If we are fortunate to be the new owners, I have decided that I will regularly post photos of the transformation as we slowly renovate and enhance the original retro features.

Fingers crossed it works out... will keep you posted! More photos here...

Weekend Treasure Hunt!

2011-03-22T18:59:00.000+10:30

Made in Japan, World Globe

Teak Cookie Jar with Lid

Vintage Olivetti Typewriter (working)

Australian Kitsch Tray

Vintage "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" Game

We treated ourselves and went to 6 garage sales in the Barossa Valley on Saturday morning. There is something exciting and exhilarating about prioritising which sales to hit first, working out the most efficient travel route to ensure we don't miss out on anything!

Denis drives, and I frantically punch in each address into the GPS. It can sometimes be a mad panic, especially when we find treasures we end up on a bit of a natural high (yes cheap entertainment), so want to get to the next one asap!

More more photos of our found treasures visit my flickr page here.

Orange Flash

2011-03-05T23:50:00.000+10:30

We were driving through Largs North today and out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of orange. "STOP THE CAR!"

In the middle of some hard rubbish outside a house I spotted an orange typewriter case. Excited, I jumped out of the car and grabbed it not even noticing what else was there. To my delight the case was heavy so there had to be a typewriter inside. I quickly opened it in the car, it was like revealing the hidden treasure! Made in Japan, immaculate metal case, and in working condition...

Memories came back from my old school days when I studied typing in year 10. I remembered how to load the paper and adjust the line spacing! It probably needs a new ribbon but I still managed to do some typing.

Thank you to the person who put it out on the side of the road for me to find. It made my day!

Good Honest Design

2011-03-04T12:13:00.000+10:30

The Honesty Box is a new business delivering fresh fruit boxes to corporates around Auckland CBD. A cool business concept, but what caught my eye is their branding. Love the look and feel of their logo, the colour pallet, fonts and product display. Semi retro, yet fresh! Of course good design coming out of New Zealand again! Absolutely nailed it!

As seen on NZ's Best Design Awards and The Honesty Box website.

A Shared Treasure

2011-02-26T23:07:00.000+10:30

To my delight I found this cute old ladder in the last hard rubbish collection, someone's trash and now my treasure.

I originally grabbed it thinking it would be useful for product displays at a market or in my studio window. Then after catching up with an old school friend recently I worked out a new use for it...

My friend Cherie from Scullery Made Tea blends delicious leaf teas, and among many other things she also designed and hand printed this limited edition destination tea towel. We were both at the Grange Twilight Market, and after seeing Cherie's gorgeous stall I knew my old ladder would be perfect for her product displays.

I just love the prospect of finding something old and then creating a new use for it!

I already own an authentic bus blind from Auckland that hangs in my kitchen so I just had to have one of these matching tea towels especially considering they feature the main towns of the Barossa Valley! Thanks for my tea towel Cherie!

Another Kyrie K Retro Original!

2011-02-24T17:08:00.001+10:30

It's been a sewing frenzy in my house. This is my second attempt at sewing a dress using an old 1960s McCalls sewing pattern (see first attempt here). I am so happy we are having some hotter days this week because my new dress is so cool and comfy. I even included a pocket on the front for my iPhone! I bought the fabric at an op shop and absolutely loving it with my yellow vintage wallpaper brooch from Delilah devine.

Vinnie's Visit

2011-02-21T15:10:00.000+10:30

Last week I popped into Vinnie's on Grange Road. It was meant to be a quick visit but who was I kidding! 60 minutes and $60 later I left with an arm full of treasures.

These lovely 1960s cookbooks were a score! Love the photography and image collage, typefaces, illustrations and of course the recipes!

See more photos here

Dinky-Dye Window Display

2011-02-17T17:02:00.000+10:30

My friend Georgia (a visual merchandiser) and I caught up last week at the Messagemark Studio to create a display featuring my new range "Dinky-Dye Designs".

It's so fantastic to be using my old bits and bobs from my Grandma, Parents and random hard rubbish adventures! I am now seeing everything with fresh eyes - Georgia did such a FAB job of combining my more modern designs with the old vintage and retro pieces. An eclectic mix, and the colours really work well together. I LOVE it!! So so cute. Wish my Grandma could see it!

For more photos visit Flickr here...

McCall's Quickie!

2011-01-30T23:56:00.000+10:30

I bought this cutsie dress pattern dated 1967 for 50c from an op shop last year and have been meaning to try sewing this. I hadn't sewn a dress before, so thought this looked like a simple pattern to try ... after all the packaging does say "McCall's Time Saving Quickie Pattern!"

Today was 42 degrees so it was a good option to stay indoors in my air conditioned lounge and give this a go! I got started at about 1.00pm and finished it at about 11.00pm. The instructions weren't very clear and I had to unpick a seam and re-do one part, but eventually I got there!

The fabric I used was also an op shop find for about $2. Brand new, never been used retro fabric. So here is my first attempt. Not too bad in the photos, a bit rough around the edges if you look closely. I decided to add a tie belt for a slight variation. Might end up using it as the neck tie to lengthen it so I can tie a bow in the front!

I'm pretty chuffed with the result. I think I might wear it tomorrow! Just need a nice brooch to go with it now.

Teak Treats

2011-01-27T14:08:00.000+10:30

I have been on the hunt for the perfect seating for the Messagemark studio. As you would gather by now, I have a love for the mid-twentieth century era. Well to my delight I found this sweet ensemble on E-Bay in December and ended up being the only bidder. It is solid teak, and was restored last year with new cushions, webbing, and fabric.

Totally modular, this setting can be positioned in many configurations. I particularly love the single chair. Low line, wide seat, and a perfectly angled back. Surprisingly, this set is not only good looking but comfortable too! A keeper that's for sure! See more photos here...

The home we collected this set from was absolutely amazing, a true 1960s pad, a collectors paradise, and the best collection of 1950-1960s home-wares I have seen being used daily, and not just on display. We will be posting a feature about this Retro Haven very soon.

Time Standing Still

2011-01-24T16:35:00.000+10:30

For Christmas 2010, I decided to scan my parents old slide collection from the 60s, 70s and 80s, and make a photo book for a gift for my family. I bought a slide scanner off Ebay, and then scanned the collection of old family photos, both BW and colour. It took quite while to adjust each image, sharpness, brightness and contrast, and some of the images needed cleaning up a tad.

It was a fascinating project because I had never seen some of the photos before, or only seen them once or twice during a family slide evening!

I called the book, Time Standing Still. My family absolutely love it and now I often find myself sitting down looking through the book, analysing the clothes, the hair, the poses... so retro cute!

This is my fave photo. My two sisters playing on the front lawn. Love the composition, the old car in the background and little Susan about to catch the ball!

QLD's Flood Appeal

2011-01-12T09:33:00.000+10:30

Looking out the window today and seeing the beautiful day it is so hard to believe these horrific floods are happening in the same country. A devastating time for so many and it's very hard to comprehend what it must be like for all those affected. The best we can do is help through monetary donations.

I have decided to donate my gorgeous mustard 1960s vinyl couch to the flood appeal. 100% of the sale price will be donated to the cause in QLD. More photos and details about the couch can be viewed on the Retro Delights Facebook page here...

So if keen, go to It's a Vintage Thing Facebook page here and place your bid. It's a vintage thing has instigated a quick fire sale to raise money to help those in need. A terrific idea!

Season's Greetings

2010-12-23T19:05:00.000+10:30

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a delightful New Year! Looking forward to sharing more Retro Delights with you throughout 2011. Best wishes, Kyrie K

Up-cycled Softies

2010-12-22T03:30:00.000+10:30

I discovered the talented Helen Hedding through Facebook and instantly fell in love with her beautiful up-cycled softies made from retro fabrics, second-hand jumpers and clothes.

A bit about Helen
I have been sewing and recycling for as long as I can remember. I had a fabulous Mum who would let me cut up old clothes to make things out of, so I have always eyed off second hand clothing as fabric. I worked in a textile agency in the late '90's and started collecting all the (once abandoned) fabric samples and made them into handbags. When I had my daughter the need for hand bags was superseded and toys took over.

I now use a combination of saved fabric samples and recycled clothes found in thrift shops for a majority of my works. When I start a new project I don't go shopping I just use what I already have stashed in my studio. Re-using and using up old clothes and fabrics gives a certain character to my toys and also ensures that each toy is nearly always a one off original.

A Retro Christmas

2010-12-17T19:21:00.000+10:30

I did a search on "retro Christmas" and came across this wonderful collection of scanned vintage Christmas Ephemera on Flickr. I particularly love the pussy cat!

I so appreciate that "Calsidyrose" on Flickr has taken the time to scan each of these retro delights for us all to enjoy. Thank you Calsiyrose!

Prop Envy

2010-12-08T19:21:00.000+10:30

I had my friend Georgia over this week to do a photo shoot of her gorgeous lino cut prints for some promo material. Many of Georgia's prints feature retro styled interiors so I delved into my wooden trunk full of retro goodness, and pulled out a heap of objects to use as props alongside the prints.

Georgia has a visual merchandising background and inspired me by the way she was arranging everything. I found myself looking at my random belongings through different eyes, and now am determined to find new homes for them around my lounge room. So the wooden trunk is now called the Prop Box! The props complimented Georgia's designs so well. Georgia did say that she had Prop Envy!

Next project...we are going to do a photo shoot just for fun of all my retro collections to add to the Retro Delights Website. Maybe a fun task for the holidays.

Beach Party Inspiration

2010-11-23T12:29:00.000+10:30

To celebrate summer, we are planning a Retro Beach party for close friends, so for some inspiration I headed over to the Retro Beach group on Flickr.

The Yellow Chair

2010-11-20T18:02:00.000+10:30

I spotted this chair during the Henley Beach hard rubbish collection last month and straight away it reminded me of the bamboo style chairs recently featured in Real Living Magazine. I was inspired so grabbed it!

One can of yellow spray paint later and I'm pretty happy with the result. Not quite the same as the chairs featured in Real Living (above), but not the price tag either! I decided to go with yellow, a happy spring colour, also seems to be the thing at the moment in interiors - a touch of yellow here and a touch of yellow there!

My new yellow chair is going to reside in the spare bedroom, I just need to get a cushion for it now!

The Perfect Picnic

2010-11-18T21:54:00.000+10:30

Now that Spring is here, I have been starting to think about the perfect picnic set. Even though you can buy modern versions of these sets, they simply just don't make them like they used to. Here is a wee collection that I found for sale on ebay and NZ TradeMe. Absolutely delightful!

Retro Bullet Planter

2010-11-11T22:10:00.000+10:30

"Bullet" planters take their name from their conical bowl shape. Nested in a steel tripod stand, they appear almost ready for take-off. First manufactured in mid-20th century America, the planters reflected the era's fascination with all things "space age" and "modern."

Technological advancements in the 1950’s opened up new avenues for designers, allowing them to build light, durable objects with curves, lines, and integral colors not possible with traditional materials. Fiberglass-reinforced resin was especially popular. Used early-on in crash helmets, this fire-resistant, waterproof material was introduced into a wide variety of household objects from colorful lamp shades, to the classic Eames shell chair, to the ubiquitous bullet planter. Equally suited to a Modernist urban apartment as to the era’s new crop of "atomic ranch" suburban homes, the colorful planters with were an instant classic.

Flash forward 50 years, Mid-century Modern design has earned its place history and continues to thrive in the form of high-quality reproductions. The Retro Bullet Planter by Hip Haven™ is faithful to its predecessors in shape, texture, color and quality. Available in 16 colors and three heights, these delightful retro planters provide the finishing touches to round out mid-century influenced interiors, while at the same time harmonizing with a wide range of other decorative styles.

Please shrink me...

2010-11-10T17:32:00.001+10:30

The Nov/Dec issue of Frankie Magazine features a gorgeous dolls house collection by Georgia Smith. This caught my eye being a lover of all things miniature and retro. Georgia has furnished her dolls house with a collection of furniture sourced offshore on eBay - unfortunately this kind of thing just isn't available in Australia. Maybe there is a market there...Mmmmm!

Please shrink me so I can play in this house!

Chair Fetish

2010-11-01T16:43:00.000+10:30

Last night Denis and I did a quick drive by the Hard Rubbish collection in Henley Beach and started a new chair collection. Once we got started we couldn't stop! Back in NZ I had a chair fetish, and at one stage owned 36 dining chairs!!! Don't ask why, I just like the design of chairs.(I am lucky I have a very patient and tolerant husband). We sold them all before moving back to Australia, and now suddenly my collection has grown again!

Anyway, I am keeping these teak chairs for a project, not sure what yet... I am considering recovering them with matching fabric for our dining room. I could design the fabric myself and have it screen printed. This delightful collection has the potential to look quite stylie.

Hard Rubbish Finds

2010-10-30T21:49:00.000+10:30

Hard rubbish in Henley Beach today. We popped out briefly and ended up coming home with two trailer loads! I think this was the best find for the day, a solid room divider / wall unit made in South Australia still with the original makers label "Buttery's". It just needed a quick clean, then the hardest part was working out where to put it!

The chair was picked up last week from Grange Hard Rubbish, my goal being to find a special chair for our new cat Hestor. The frame is in great condition and Hestor feels right at home in his new chair.

The white tape recorder on the shelf is my original SHARP QT27 Stereo Radio Cassette Recorder that my parents gave me for my 13th Birthday back in the 80s. It certainly was the business! Remember, they also came in red, yellow, black, pink and blue! I was obviously quite a conservative child back in the 80s and chose white!

Corsica Sideboard - Nathan Furniture

2010-10-23T21:17:00.000+10:30

This is a rather lovely 1966 sideboard from UK furniture manufacturer Barnett Nathan.

In 1963 Barnett's eldest son Jerrold, took the brave decision to develop a Scandinavian styled range in teak - a decision that was to mould the company's future and influence the designs that are still in production today.

Under advertisements proclaiming 'Scandinavian Design by Nathan' the first range of teak furniture, called Citadel, was launched. Now considered to be a design classic, the styling was simple and elegant with no decoration other than plain recessed handles.

Citadel was an outstanding success and other teak ranges quickly followed, all beginning with the letter "C": Corinthian, Cortina and Corsica. Backed by a nationwide advertising campaign, Corsica became Nathan's best selling range of the late 1960's.

Original ad for the "Corsica" 6ft sideboard.

I just happened to come across this wonderful example of the Corsica currently for sale on New Zealands TradeMe website. Click here to read more about the history of Nathan furniture.

Retro Matchbox Labels

2010-10-19T21:15:00.000+10:30

I discovered this wonderful collection of Matchbox labels from the 1950s and 60s on Flickr. I love them in this collage format, but if you have time I do recommend browsing all 1,228 labels here on Flickr!

Apparently it was quite popular in Eastern Europe to utilise the small amount of real estate on a match box for advertising or public announcements making the most of this this far reaching product.

Thank you Jayne from Maraid Design for sharing your unique collection with us.

little luv

2010-09-24T18:51:00.000+09:30

I received this gorgeous cushion today made with love from a vintage tablecloth by little luv. If you love hand made vintage goodies then do take a look at little luv's range.

While most people would overlook a discarded sewing machine by the side of the road, one entrepreneurial mother, Mardi Zeunert, saw it as an opportunity to unleash her creative passion and as a result, bespoke toys, little luv was born.

little luv also uses an Australian product called Innergreen who manufacture toy filling using 100% natural corn! Well done little luv for designing such a sustainable product.

"nonite owls"

"save the whaley"

"tweet tweet birdie mobiles"

www.littleluv.com.au
on facebook

Hey Skip!

2010-09-21T16:27:00.000+09:30

A true classic. Skippy is so so clever with his paws.

One Very Creative Girl!

2010-09-14T13:08:00.000+09:30

If you are wondering what to do with those old mags lying around then here's an idea. Melissa Gable from Austin Texas creates these wonderful paper collage/compositions using imagery from retro mags. Absolutely love it. A great inspiration!
See more at One Creative Girl Blog

Packaging Spotlight

2010-08-19T21:20:00.000+09:30

I spotted this wonderful retro inspired packaging on The Dieline. Designed by an ingenious Australian firm Studio Bomba, this packaging would look absolutely gorgeous in my 1950s kitchen!

Studio Reno

2010-08-18T22:02:00.000+09:30

For those of you interested here are a few pics of the Messagemark Studio renovation before and after! It was a fun project to work on with my best buddy Denis. It certainly kept the renovation bug at bay for a few months anyway! I thrive on projects like this!

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Nonite Owls and Retro Finds

2010-08-04T16:26:00.001+09:30

My new "Nonite Owl" from little luv completes the picture in my current RETRO OWL window display. Little Luv lovingly makes a beautiful range of handmade toys made from gorgeous retro fabric. Each character is completely unique.

The cushion behind nonite owl has a cool story too. It was a Birthday gift from my sister Lynne, and was originally a prop from the Australian TV Program McLeods Daughters!! Lynne was an 'extra' in the show, however she actually found the pillow at a local garage sale in the Barossa. So I now own something famous - well kind of!

Retro Print from Hype & Seek

2010-07-20T19:18:00.000+09:30

My latest purchase from Hype & Seek, Croydon. Lovely retro print looking rather at home in the Messagemark Studio.

It's a small retro world...

2010-06-14T18:46:00.001+09:30

After my "mini-me" product shoot I decided to do a search on Flickr to see what other miniature ideas were out there... and I came across these delightful photos.

Annina Günther, a graphic designer in England, is a collector of dolls-houses which she stages for photographs and then posts on her blog Miniatures by Annina. I absolutely love the mid-century decor and the fact that all rooms have a lived in quality. I believe she even makes most of the accessories and furniture herself. The detail is unbelievable - You have to look closely to realise they are not actual full scale rooms! Check out her Flickr page here...

Gigantic Slide Rule

2010-06-09T20:28:00.000+09:30

We hit the second-hand furniture shops on the weekend and found this treasure. Well it is actually for Denis to put up in his photo studio - a gigantic slide rule for doing those tricky calculations. Trust us to go out in the Smart Car and ending up with a random purchase that really doesn't fit. Luckily we managed to get it back to the studio safely without any trouble, but having said that we did turn a few heads driving across town!

We are not sure of the origin and why anyone would need such a large Slide Rule. Oh well it will make a pretty unique piece of art.

Colourful Collections

2010-03-24T13:48:00.000+10:30

Vintage collection from Hilda - see her Flickr page here...

Croquettes Anyone?

2010-01-12T12:39:00.000+10:30

For your next dinner party or progressive dinner?

Outdoor Furniture Revival

2009-12-28T14:29:00.000+10:30

We found this outdoor furniture on the side of the road during our council hard rubbish collection, (yes we are scavangers!!!) and just couldn't see it end up at the tip. So after pondering for a while on colours and 3 pots of paint later ($90 worth), here are the results. Denis and I think we are likely to keep this set forever! We are now on the hunt for a similar set so we have more chairs.

Considering we live near the beach this outdoor furniture is perfect as we don't have to worry about weather damage because it was free! Plus it was a fun project!

What else did we find during hard rubbish collection?
- Mid century lounge / day bed (to be restored)
- a perfectly good spade
- some artificial grass that I now use as a feature on my table at markets
- 2 x beach umbrellas
- outdoor coffee table (pictured above), and bench
- wooden boxes to display greeting cards
- a dust cover for my guillotine
- a door to make a work bench in the garage
- 6 x louver doors to make a card stand and headboard for our bed (still a project to do)
- 5 x deck chairs
- an old ornate picture frame

Bingy, Bang and Bong

2009-09-30T22:05:00.000+09:30

My Koala family from my childhood - Bingy (baby koala), Bang (mum koala) and Bong (father). Made from Kangaroo Fur these Koalas are pretty special to me. The smallest Koala is 'Bingy'. I received Bingy on my 1st Birthday and he was so so fluffy when I got him but over the years I slowly rubbed his fur off completely! Not something that would happen to the synthetic Koalas you can buy today! Bang has a pocket on the back to store money or small objects, and Bong plays Waltzing Matilda!!

Our Retro Abode...

2009-09-27T21:50:00.000+09:30

We have just moved into this gorgeous 1940s-1950s rental property which is still in original condition - untouched with no nasty 1990s renovations. This is a rare find. The kitchen is so so cute with the original latches on the cupboard doors, a tiny sink, and marble design green bench tops.

The bathroom features original tiles, basin, bath and floor. It has taken a bit to get used to having a shower curtain again but we are managing. Lucky it's just the two of us as the old hot water service in the roof doesn't hold a great deal of water!!

Unfortunately, the green handbasin in the bathroom has a crack through it so it will need replacing at some stage soon. So if anyone has a similar basin they would like to part with in the same green then please let me know as we really want to preserve the retro ambiance of this property.

Kitchen - no dishwasher!

Our old bus blind looks a treat in the kitchen too.

Original slate floor but painted green!

Loving the colour scheme in the Bathroom too.

Port Adelaide Market

2009-09-20T21:41:00.000+09:30

Denis and I went to the Port Adelaide Market today which is held every Sun and Monday. I was blown away by the size of this market. Held under cover this is the perfect year round market experience. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves collecting, and fossiking through 'brick-a-brack shops.

Many of the stalls sell retro and second-hand kitchenware, ornaments, records, books, furniture, old tin toys, tools, and clothing. I couldnt believe how much stuff was there... you really do need the whole day to explore this market!

Port Adelaide Market

Gorgeous Retro Glass

So much stuff!!

Barbie Townhouse

2009-07-12T20:42:00.000+09:30

How cool is this... I was going through some stuff stored at my parents home and came across my original Barbie Townhouse. Yes, it is sad, I have kept all of my Barbie bits and pieces all these years. But hey who could blame me, this is so cool. I always thought that if I had a kid one day maybe they might like to play with it too? I will take more photos of it when I get it out of the box and set it up one day. Maybe tomorrow...

Retro Tupperware

2009-07-09T20:55:00.000+09:30

I decided to reorganise my pantry and what better way than using authentic retro Tupperware Modular Mates. Yes I collected these containers from different people on TradeMe and now have close to a full set. Loving the press top lids and the bright retro green and yellow! They remind me of my childhood. My mum still uses the same containers too. Good one Tupperware!

"Brian" - our 1979 Sprite Caravan

2009-07-05T20:17:00.000+09:30

Denis and I decided to buy a retro caravan for weekend getaways exploring the New Zealand country side. We also thought it would be a fun project to slowly restore a retro caravan back to it's original condition.

So we bought this 1979 Sprite Caravan on TradeMe from an elderly gentleman who used it for whitebait fishing trips. I named the caravan 'Brian' after an old mate of mine, and in the end we didn't have to change anything on the inside. Brian was in great condition and included the original light shades, orange squabs, formica cupboards etc. He was just longing for a new paint job externally. So so cute.

We certainly turned heads wherever we went towing Brian, and had heaps of requests from veteran caravaners asking for a squiz inside.

Unfortunately when we moved to Australia Brian couldn't come with us. Luckily we found a new owner who had plans to respray the exterior and restore Brian to his former glory.

Trellis Tiles

2009-06-25T20:10:00.000+09:30

I bought this retro tile set from "Trade Me" for about $120 thinking that I would create a groovy feature wall in my studio. This is classic... Absolutely love the marketing blurb on the box! Unfortunately I never got around to using them so sold them on.

Chair Reno

2009-06-17T22:07:00.001+09:30

I have a bit of a fetish with chairs so thought I would post a couple of my recovering projects. These chairs were purchased from TradeMe, a New Zealand based trading site

Chair Project No. 1
Cost me $22 for two arm chairs, and I recovered them with fabric from IKEA, using approx 2M of fabric per chair. This was my first big sewing project, and so I was pretty wrapped with the finished product!!

Project No. 2
My fave butterfly chair or also known as a lip chair. Purchased for $40 and I simply recovered it in a green/grey check fabric using a staple gun.