Kitchen Workbench...........

I seem to have forgotten to take a photo of this table rightway up! Oops..

Due to rearranging my kitchen table and chairs to the front room, creating a Dining Room

We have made a portable work bench for the kitchen! Mr S and myself went to the Oppy and found quite a tall table for $40.00.

Off to Bunnings we went to buy some MDF and Castor Wheels which Mr S put together for me!

I then sanded the table and restained it to suit the kitchen more..

Finito! Now I have a workbench and table for use in the kitchen where ever I need it. I have some retro stools to use with it and it has been really handy thus far with moving it as I need to.....

New Piece of Fire King..........

This book has been my constant companion since recieving it as a gift at Christmas. It is called: Anchor Hocking's Fire King Identification and Value guide Third Edition....

If you have an interest in a certain collectable, its great to have a book to give you the history, identification and values by your side!!!

Todays page was opened at Anniversary Rose 1964-1965....



Obviously they were manufactured with a rose decal and gold trim. The book states they were only manufactured for two years and so are in short supply.

My mum found me this Creamer from a little Op Shop in Inverleigh, it is alittle worn but still has the gold trim which is great.

I love finding new pieces with designs that I have not found previously. If I find and buy one piece then I usually end up with a few pieces of the same design.....

The book is great to identify which design is what and values the pieces in US dollars.....

I love Fire King and am currently filling my second cabinet in my Dining room with more Fire King........

My love....???

My love is my family... Families come in many forms for us "The Essess" here is our family... Sophie will shortly turn 13! Silky Terrier. She is Curlypops prodigal sons mother! Here she is in her bed, a kids couch from the Op shop that I got for $2. And a donut bed and towel. She sleeps next to me everynight close to the heater... SHe has the cataracts on her eyes and recently began going deaf!

Shelby will be 3 years old in August, black Labrador asleep on her Foldup Trundle bed scored at a Garage Sale for $4.00.... Shes having her afternoon sleep with Snowball and her Teddy Bear..

Snowball is Mr Essess little boy kitteh, he is 5 months old and seems to think that the Labrador is his mother.....

This is my 5 month old kitteh Sparkles... Sleeping.. We went to get one kitten and came home with two because Mr S decided that they would need a friend to play with??

Another photo of Sophie with longer hair, she usually has a haircut in summer to keep her cool...

Shelby with one of her many Teddy Bears in her mouth! I buy a few from the Op Shop when they are cheap so that her and her little friend Mr Socket can play tug of war, usually meaning the Bear becomes demolished..?

My little man Mr Socket turned two on New Years Eve, he is a Chihuahua X Jack Russell...

I went and picked him out myself. Mr S thought I was nutts getting a third dog but Shelby being young needed a young dog to play with.

Mr Socket had bad teeth and an overbite so I took him home fearing no one would want him. His overbite grew out and he has crooked teeth just like me! He is somewhat sooky but gets quite grumpy when moving him whilst he is tired.

We put it down to Little Dog Syndrome.....

Who forms your family? Let me know!

Lounge Room Make Over/Retro Style.................

You would have read from my last post that I had a special trip to make saturday morning. Mr S and myself took the van to a Monster Garage Sale......We bought quite a few items but I have been looking for a couch/fold out bed similar to one I owned in my early twenties... I found this couch at the Garage Sale for $10.00.................................................

Close up picture of the white vinyl pattern...................................

MAKE OVER TIME.............

My sister Curlypops has been advising me for quite a while to change our front room. When we first bought this house this room was our lounge room but now we use the extension at the back of the house as the loungeroom......

We set up the front room as a sitting room with an extra tv......

But guess what? We never use this room....

Cool coloured blue walls, with a fireplace and mantle that I love. Also love the old mirror that came with the house.......

So today I decided my new kittehs(retro cats) needed a new home...........

I bought this pair at The MAryborough Railway Station Antique Fair for $15 a few months ago!

I love the orange colour as it particularly suits my house.......

$10 Sofa/couch in the corner for any visitors, just need an orange throw rug/quilt to pop over the couch to break up the colour of the couch to the wall....

Moved our dining setting (Mr Esssess great grandfathers originally, when he passed we inherited it) so apart from looking great it has sentimental value for us!

So now the front room has become the dining room, and a place to show my Fire King collectibles in cabinets.....

I think it looks alot better.....

Next we may remove the carpet and stain and varnish the Hardwood floors, but that may happen after winter.

The carpet helps keep the house warm!

Thanks to Curlypops for her advise!

Next may be the kitchen, I am on the look out for a work bench to use in the middle of the room so I can surround it with my collection of retro stools.................................

The Essess Op Shopping Adventures across country Victoria..

Mr S and myself went on a little road trip, first stop Beaufort, second stop Ararat and last stop Stawell............................ First my favourite Op Shop purchase for the day was this great Orange Cake Platter with Plastic Lid that was in the Bargain Bin for .50c................

Another purchase was $2! This little duck will be going to live with my mum, perfect for her collecting fresh eggs from her chickens.............................

Some Vintage Table Cloths that will be rehomed to Curlypops, I am sure they will make great panels for handbags or something crafty...

We took the Transit VAn luckily because I found a great cabinet to store some of my collectibles.

Mr S purchased some magazines and waited in the van while I shopped, perfect way to get your husbands to join you shopping..

We drove past the Old J Ward Jail for the criminally insane! Entry was $14 for adults, so next time we will make time for a tour. The old Bluestone building was amazing...

The front of J Ward.........

I am guessing the van entry to J Ward to deliver inmates....

Whilst in Beaufort I came across this shop "Beaufort Keepsakes".

Inside was craft supplies and lots of handmade items, quilts, handpainted plates etc..

Also another craft shop in town but ran out of time to check it all out!

Its a nice drive from Clunes along the Western Highway towards the Grampians and well worth a day trip!

Beaufort has one Op Shop,m Ararat has 5 Oppys and Stawell had three that I found although the St Patricks recycle shop in Stawell closed at 2pm so we missed it!

Thanks for a lovely day out Mr S...................

P.S. I am very excited about our trip tomorrow morning, can't tell you too much but I have high hopes of finding some bargains.... Stay Tuned.................

Oh the Memories

Oh the Memories....................7th April 2006..

It is The Essess 4 year Wedding Anniversary today 7th April.......
This is one of my favourite photos because I was happy and have the photo to prove it!

We met through Curlypops, he moved in within 2 weeks, engaged in 4weeks and married a year later! When you find someone special you don't mess around and you snap them up!

I was extremely worried telling my family that after 4 weeks we were engaged.. I remember thinking they will be saying well she is the crazy one in the family and she has totally lost her mind!!

After spending my twenties convincing myself I never wanted to get married and that I would be happpily single my entire life I met Mr S.....

Curlypops was talking about fate on her blog today and this was fate! I remember Cam laughed and said we should meet because we were the only two people she knew who liked bbq sauce on pizza! Yes this sounds crazy but this is how it happened.....

Curlypops was a big part of the organistaion of our small immediate family only wedding in an old Mariners Chapel in Williamstown....

Here we are four years later and there has never been a dull moment! But I think we have finally found our place in the world where we will remain happy to live in the goldfields area..

The bride (me) wore black? I kept my maiden name and had a small ceremony to make a committment to each other!

Keeping my maiden name was keeping me? Thats who I am and I didn't see why I had to change my name or identity? I am happy with the decision.........

I was happy with our plans although I do wish I was one of those thin brides, but I am me and thats the way it goes..

Happy Anniversary Mr S and heres to many more together!............................................

A Little Birdie..(miss CUrly Pops).....

A Little Birdie named Curly Pops sent out a little mission for me to recieve a lot of Happy Birthday wishes yesterday!! My big sister can be a little sneaky and only when I read Curlypops Blog that I realised what she was up to?!

I am sure everyone saw those very attractive photos of me in my special Chefs Hat?! The nephews had a good laugh at me, and it fitted my big head really well!

Not only did Curlypops make me a Chefs Hat she also gave me this bag that I have had my eye on for quite a while! Anyone who knows me knows I love purple and I love this purple fabric, although my camera does not do it justice it is DIVINE!!! Thanks big sis!!

After I read all of my wonderful birthday wishes I realised I have not blogged for a very long time, so here is an update photo of my cabinet from my last post.. Retro Canisters, Corningware Pots and lots of cool stuff I love!

RAMBLING AHEAD!!

I would really like to say thanks to Cam for my suprise from blog land and every single blogger who sent me good wishes, just goes to show you never know how you may affect someones day with a good wish or a good deed?

I had a wonderful morning, slept in, Mr S made me coffee in bed then back to sleep with my three dogs on their beds inside...

Mr S bought me a beautiful set of White gold and diamond earrings that match my wedding rings. Firstly great present and secondly he managed to keep a secret...

Birthdays are a funny thing, you get excited about little cards and gifts and the you realise you are 34 and haven't quite done everything that you may have thought you would by this age...

We had a car accident 4 weeks ago and since then I have thought about the what ifs??

Did I do what I love! Who would look after our dogs etc..

What I love about crafty bloggers is that these people do what they love, they may never get rich from selling handmade but they are following their crafty hearts and doing what makes them happy!

After the initial excitement of my bday I was a little sad thinking about a few things I should be changing in my life. When I opened up my blog and saw so many wishes from people I may or may not know it warmed my heart and I may never meet you but I am ever grateful for well wishes....

So I am really going to organise myself this year:

Should anything happen, then Sophie my Silky Terrier is going to live with Curlypops!

Shelby our black Labrador and Socket my Chihuahua cross goes to my inlaws..

We never think about these things but now I have written it I feel better knowing there is aplan should anything ever happen......Whoa thats hard to write..

I work in a job I don't really like in the same industry since I was 15 years old. Having Curlypops find her love for craft over the past few years I always thought what is my passion? Will I ever work it out??

I enjoy some craft and sewing etc but really my passion is Op Shops and collecting retro items for my house!

So here it goes, my back should be better soon from the Car accident and I have been talking about holding a stall at the Mill Market for quite while. But I think its time, I need to just do it!

So over the next few weeks, back to blogging and reading blogs, organise my stall of collectibles, get a tattoo(I want to get THE ESSESS tattooed somewhere?)

And time to put my self first, do what I want to do! I am sure other people get the pressure of looking after family and spending time with them when it doesnt suit you and keeping the peace etc..

My family is fine but certain inlaws have been pushing the boundaries! Mr S and myself will be saying NO for now on and living and doing what we want.....

This may seem like rambling and I apologise but I feel much better writing this down and relieving myself from the pressure!

Thanks for my birthday wishes they really did arrive when I needed it most! And stay tuned, someone is celebrating a birthday very soon!! I have a couple of weeks to think of a plan for Miss Curlypops! Very lucky to have a good sister and great people in the land of Bloggers...........