Archives for category: randomness

skippy-melamine-70s-mug

Whats that Skip, you want a double mocha decaf half caf soy latte with a twist of lemon?

Well you can’t because Urban Rustic is closed today. But you can have this original Bessemer melamine mug from the 70’s. The one on top is mine,  it’s quite fuzzy and faded from years of Milo addiction [not for sale] the bottom one’s in great shape. Considering.
Want? $25 + post. Hop to it.

And if you are wondering what the flaming heck I am talking about Ailsa?

Australiana by Austen Tayshus
Produced by Billy Birmingham & Paul Goodwin 1983

The story you are about to witness is true. It actually happened. Only the names have been changed to make it funny…

Sitting at home last Sunday morning, me mate boomerang
Said he was having a few people around for a barbie, said he might kookaburra or two
I said, “Sounds great, will Wallaby there?”
He said, “Yeah and Vegemite come too”
So I said to the wife, “Do you wanna goanna?”
She said, “I’ll go if dingos”
So I said, “Wattle we do about Nulla?”
He said, “Nullabors me to tears, leave him at home”

We got to the party about two and walked straight out the kitchen to put some booze in the fridge
And you wouldn’t believe it, there’s Boomer’s wife Warra sitting there trying to platypus!
Now, I don’t like to speak Illawarra, but I was shocked; I mean how much can a koala bear?
So I grabbed a beer, flashed me Wangaratta and went out and joined the party

Pretty soon Ayers Rocks in and things really started jumping
This Indian girl Marsu turns up, dying to go to the toilet, but she couldn’t find it
I said to me mate Al, “Hey, where can marsupial?”
He said “She can go outback with the fellas, she’s probably seen a cockatoo”

Well just then Warra comes out of the kitchen with a few drinks for everybody
Fair dinkum, you’ve never seen a Coolabah maid
I grabbed a beer and said, “Thanks Warra – tah”

A couple of Queensland at the party, one smelling pretty strongly of aftershave
One of them sat down next to me and I turned to him and I said, “Ya know mate, Eureka Stockade!”

It was a really hot day; Oscar felt like a swim
He said to Ina, “Do you want a have a dip in the Riverina?”
She said, “I haven’t got my Kosciusko”
Well Bo says, “Come in starkers, Wattle Lake Eyre!”
Ina says, “What, without so much as a Thredbo?”
“Ah, Perisher thought! Has Eucumbene in yet?”

Well a few of the blokes decided to play some cricket
Boomer says “Why doesn’t wombat?”
“Yeah, and let Tenterfield”
He said I should have a bowl, but I was too out of it to play cricket so I suggested a game of cards
I said to Lyptus, “Wanna game of eucalyptus?”
He said, “There’s no point mate, Darwins every time”

Well Bill said he’d like a smoke
Nobody knew where the dope was stashed
I said, “I think Merinos”
But I was just spinning a bit of a yarn
Barry pulls a joint out of his pocket
Bill says “Great, Barrier Reefer, what is it mate?”
“Noosa Heads of course. Me mate Adelaide ’em on me”
And it was a great joint too, Blue Mountains away and his Three Sisters

Well I thought I’d roll one meself, I said, “Chuck us the Tally Hobart”
He said “They’re out on the Laun, Ceston, can you get ’em for us?”
Burnie says, “It’s okay mate, she’s apples, I’ll get em for ya”

Just then Alice Springs into action, starts to pack billabong
And you wouldn’t believe it, the bong’s broken
I said “Lord Howe!”
“Hayman,” somebody says, “will a didgeridoo?”
I said “Hummmmm, mummmm, mummmmm, mummmmm, maybe it’ll have to”

I look in the corner and there’s Bass sitting there, not getting into it, not getting out of it
I said, “What, is Bass Strait or something?”
Boomer says, “As a matter a fact mate, he’s a cop”
I said, “You’re joking mate, a cop? I’m getting outta here, let’s goanna”
She said, “No way, I’m hangin round till Gum leaves. Besides, I don’t wanna leave Jacaranda party on his own
Have you seen him? I think he’s trying to crack on Toowoomba; he’s already tried to Mount Isa
And he’ll definitely try to lead you Australiana!”

 

Happy Australia Day

Pyrex Moderne tall.jpg

SO HOT + SO COOL + SO MODERNE

Model Maggie Tabberer says: Look! My New Moderne pyrex ware really lives up to it’s name…

Everything about it is in tune with today – so bright and so warm…
Woman’s Day  September 1975.

That fab pattern.  And the warmer kills me. Crazy insect like Atomic structure.
Still holding up over 40 years on though getting harder to find.

Ready to party.
$70 + post

 

px

 

A little late but here’s my Anzac Day offering…

champion tin rosemary

Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile,
While you’ve a Lucifer to light your fag,
Smile, boys, that’s the style.
What’s the use of worrying?
It never was worth while, so
Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile.

World War 1 marching song,
Felix & George Henry Powell 1915

To our Champions. Lest we forget.
But seriously,  we can’t imagine, can we?
And then, remember. Don’t Smoke kids.

Peace out.

pez sq.jpg

Vintage Pez dispensers diligently collected by Katy.

The large Darth Vader display model complete with lights and sound, sold on the day it hit the shelves. Darth always prevails.

Still a lot of other super cute characters remain and are ready for a new life on or off the shelf. Candy refills [non vintage] available in most supermarkets.

Who’s your hero? Mine’s Kermit. I think I already pocketed him, before I snapped this pic.

$6 each plus plus post. Just pop me an email and you’ll be sweet as.

And dispensing another Pez favourite.
Classic Seinfeld:  The Pez .

 

flying china ducks in a box rect

Time to bring out the big guns or at least something out of the box, still in the box.

new vintage wall ducks in a box

I stumbled on these little ducks at a crazy collector’s Garage sale, I won’t say for how much but I did get them pretty cheap cheap considering.

Sceptical, thinking they must be replicas, but then what the hell? You never see them anymore, do you?  Except the 3 ceramic wall birds I have of my Mums somewhere, broken wings included, which I have neither hung nor sold. Why not hang? Dunno, lazy, can’t commit on a spot, scared of how retro they are.  All of the above.

Anyway…so when I got home, inspecting my treasures more carefully once the hazy shopping blinkers where off, I looked for the barcode on the box . None. Hmm. How long has it been since the introduction of barcodes?

According to our trusty wikipedia and other lessor known more dubious urls the barcode started with a packet of Wrigley Gum in 1974. So these birds are definitely vintage.  Common criteria is 20 years old +.

AND when you read the packaging it’s kind of confirmed right? How long since we used the term Whimsy to market a product? [Shabby Chic’s Rachel Ashwell excluded]  No wiki info on that one but I’m guessing the 50’s or 60s? Rolling with the hunches.

There’s no markings on them, the truly collectable/collectible  [? never know which word is right] ducks were first produced in 1938 in Longton, England by JW Beswick. The company flew high and prospered, and Beswick ducks were on everyone’s walls in the 1950s and 1960s. They fell from favour as trends do and the ducks stopped coming in 1973.

beswick 4 mallard ducks

Beswick ducks image from The Saleroom

There’s been many copies since, most recently from China and most commonly a grouping of just three ducks. If you have five, you are ahead of the game, says Ainslie Paton

Discovered another species of wall birds when I spotted a gorgeous set of 3 blue swallows while treasure hunting in Kiama NSW. For $50 I so quickly thought I HAVE to have them, a closer squint with my damn-you-ahem-forty -something eyes, had me just as quickly putting them back up on the wall. Actually, missed a zero. $500!

They had the original stickers. What you need apparently.

Turns out the ones I have from our family home, are the same brand, Lyndale [modelled by J Moss] How about that? They may get a chance to fly again after all.

Flying Birds Lynedale J Moss 2

Meanwhile this gorgeous box of ducks is up for grabs. I can’t decide how old they are, definitely vintage but most likely not Beswick, I finally got the courage to open the package and unstick one from the cardboard, probably a collector no no, but I did need to know know. You know?

ducks in a box

No.  No markings, though some Beswick escaped the stamping and marking. But you would think if they did come in a box it would have had the company logo? Bueller?  And on another look, the wording “New delightful & wall decor” is that a poor translation?  From Japan? China? Who knows? The china is quite fine and beautifully hand painted but again, only  3 [Beswick were most commonly a set of 5]  but considering the new replicas are selling for $85 AU +  and not nearly as nice, I would have to say at $180 they are fair game. The colours [purples and aquas are actually nicer than the browny green Mallard if you ask me]

And if there’s any expert wall bird watchers/ collectors out there this hack would welcome your advice. It’s open season.  Tally ho. What what.

School summer holidays are over, and as usual I’m a bit behind the times, but that’s ok, late is the new early, said no one ever…

old school noddy car and book

Nodding already? Or possibly groaning…

Whatever, moving on

old school tudor systems sq

here’s are a few items from my new Old School catalogue.

back to old school case sq

old school? old skool?
if you believe the Urban Dictionary
old skool originated from old is kool >> old’s kool =old skool

derr

or

Anything that is from an earlier era and looked upon with high regard or respect. Can be used to refer to music, clothing, language, or anything really.

whichever way you label it, it’s old cool stuff
old school case of dymo labels white

panam bag mickey mouse thermos care bears lunch box2

too cool for school…

old school case vintage golden books, manners sq

How about old school manners? What’s still relevant?

Please and thank you and other polite words and phrases = always cool.
[unlike the ‘Ettiquette Expert’ Debbie Mayne I have no problem with no problem. Do you?]

Children should be seen and not heard? Not so much. [Although after 6 long weeks, the silence is golden]

little golden book manner.jpg

ur welcome 🙂

awesome face copy

saucy splat tomato crown lynn plate

Summer’s ready to burst on the scene here in Sydney and across the country the bbqs are cranking up. 

kiwi sauce bottle bbq

kiwi sauce bottle tupperware tomato timer

Time to get saucy again bro. There’s much to celebrate.

 

kiwi sauce bottle splat

You say tom mate o. I say tom ahto

but we all say this is the Kiwi Sauce Bottle, don’t we?
The tomato shaped dispenser is a retro icon from the 1950’/ 60s used by Watties for years in New Zealand. Now classic Kiwiana. Even been seen on Happy Days at the Cunningham’s kitchen table apparently.
Source: The Good Store

and it’s all about the squeeze people

One good one is all you need.  There’s a reason some things endure, and it’s quite often design. One squirt = one serve. Be elegant in your portions. Control waste. Trust the mechanism.

sauce saucy dishes tomato saucepan

And while I’m dishing out info like a google pro, what’s the difference between Tomato Sauce and Ketchup? From what I can pick up its definitely more sugar, and less important, less vinegar. Seems it’s hard to go back once you’ve had Ketchup, but I’ve been to America recently eating way too many french fries with ketchup and I’m not hunting it out in my local supermarket.

Totes happy with the original. But liking ketchup is not a mis-allegiance to the Aussie or Kiwi flag no matter how you slice it. Found this funny forum thread here in Poh’s Kitchen FYI.

tomato slicer murano glass

extra sauce:

Remember the tomato joke from Pulp Fiction?

And to source these quirky saucy tomato based products [purchase or hire]
click here

Ketchup later, ey?

tomato sauce products urban rustic

Still buzzing from my guest post on www.interiorsaddict.com. Jen does an amazing job/blog, it’s a stayer, and gone from strength.

Unlike some of us [pfft my last blog entry was in September]…

Check it out if you haven’t already.
The case for shopping local in our online world

urban rustic Sandy urbanrustic_exterior urban rustic_hawaiin_lamp stool industrial filing

Throwing in a few extra shots. This is my new shop. Urban Rustic. 1/371 Barrenjoey Rd Newport Beach Australia
If you’re in the area I’d love for you to drop in. UR welcome.

urban rustic wallsurban rustic deskurban rustic_parker chairs throwdown

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