FINE LETTERFORMS

I remember being a kid and spending hours with a calligraphy set I got as a present the one year, meticulously crafting each line, each ascender and each descender. I reckon I got pretty good at it too. I can't seem to find that book, but I did recently rediscover this lettering book that belonged my grandfather on my mother's side. I can't remember whn this was given to me and I don't own too much of either of my grandfather's stuff, so this is a keepsake for me. It feels that if I own something that was his, I have a little more than a memory of a man I wish I'd gotten to know a little better.

Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got, till it's gone - Joni Mitchell

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This shop is a treasure trove. If you get round to visiting, let me know. I'd dig to find out what you bought.

MARYMANDY ECLECTIC EMPORIUM

A friend Mandy saw my recent posts about thrift and second hand stores around Durban and suggested I pay a vist to her spot in Ballito when I get a chance. Well, I had a couple of hours free on Saturday morning and felt like a mini road-trip up the coast. Mandy co-owns Mary Mandy with her Mom and has carefully curated a wide range of items from small and large pieces of furniture to shoes, accessories and clothing. Open 6 days a week, the shop is located next to Food Matters in The Well, Ballito. Directions to the store are as follows. If you take the M4 into Ballito, you will get to a set of traffic lights just before the Lifestyle Centre. Turn right at the lights and on your immediate left you will see a centre called The Well. MaryMandy are next door to popular restaurant Food Matters. If you like what you see why not join their group on Facebook or take a drive up that side next weekend.

TRAVELS FROM A TIME GONE BY

I used to spend many weekends browsing flea-markets and antique shops with my Dad, so I suppose part of the reason I've been posting so much old stuff is because I miss that. There are a few memories that stick out very vividly. Smells of varnish, the rich scent of freshly sanded oregon pine and my worst...moth balls. One of the first memories I have was of spending hours in our garage on this one particular piece. An old yellowwood table he picked up from a rural school. It was covered in drawing pins and staples. It turned out to be such a great piece in the end. Amazing rich colour and full of character. On another occasion a couple of years ago, we were at a local market and I stopped to browse an old photo album with a few old photos still inside. On asking how much it was the lady behind the counter said I could have it for free. These are some of the photos I found. They're travel photos from Greece and Egypt.

C'MON PEOPLE NOW

Years ago, on leaving to immigrate, my ex-girlfriend's folks had truckloads of stuff to get rid of. They asked if I wanted this 3 record set of Woodstock. I said yes. Love the way the back cover of each makes up this insane panoramic image of the masses gathered. Haven't had a chance to spin these babies yet. Record players are a little scarce these days. Got to try find one.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

I arrived home the other night and was told I had been given a new computer by a family friend. Yeah! A new one. New. So with much anticipation I asked to see it. Now...I know enough about computers to know this little guy ain't new. Nevertheless, impressed by it's retro coolness I booted the guy up at work and Presto! I was back in 2004. Running Mac OS 9.1, this bad boy has even got Photoshop 5.5 , an old version of iTunes and a groovy blue wave wallpaper. We all sang along to "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Toploader. Okay, well I sang along and have had the song stuck in my head since. I'm was also thinking how my Blackberry has more power than this thing. How odd is it how far technology has come in just a few years. So I have no idea what to do with it now, anyone got a suggestion. The top one so far is a doorstop.

FLICKR FIND 6: MYBROKENGLASSES

Vintage postcards from the States on Flickr here. Found on a time to get.

FLICKR FIND 4: BIRD IN THE HAND

Love the little collections San Francisco mixed media artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon's got going on. Thrift store junkies and flea-market fiends this is for you. See her website, etsy page, gallery and blog links here. Oh wow just saw now there's a similar post about collections on the Elle decor blog here, check it out.

ANIMAL FAMILIES

Maaike found these cards from Abbatt Toys online at things magazine. I presume Animal Families was a kids game from years gone by. I love the simple, bold quirkiness of the illustrations.