So this is gonna be one of those long posts, ones where I ramble…you get bored and roll that mouse down through the pictures…while I waffle on…
It all started a long long time ago. In fact when I was still in the Old Country. I came across some old bus blinds in a junk shop. Hmm, I'm likin those. But I walked away not really sure what I would do with them.
Now, sugarbums, I would clutch them to my breast, do the treasure hunting dance and run, run, run as fast as I could back to this old cottage. Put them on the wall, open a beer and stare at them, with my feet up, in gleeful thrifting ecstasy for a whole evening.
However, I have not come across real ones here in Australia, though I sure have not stopped looking for them, for four years. Certainly I've come across imitations of them, I've seen them on Ebay & stalked auctions wondering whether to bid or not, viewed them on blogs and I've even seen them made into cushions. Ahem.
I've come across them in shops in Sydney too, but since the real budget kicked in and is still very much in force right down under here in Beach Cottage Land, I haven't even tempted myself by looking at the price tag. As with most things in my life, if I like it, it probably won't be cheap. ( Edited to add: since writing this post I found myself in a shop up the beaches, and spied the price tag of $1000. Yes that said one thousand.)
What I didn't expect, on my way to pick up the kids from school just before Christmas, was to see one quietly sitting in the corner of the most lovely florists that I pass regularly as part of my day to day life. It sniggered beautifully at me from beside the stairs…
I stopped dead in my tracks, staring through the Christmas decorations and flowers. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.
I've been thinking about that unreal bus blind since then.
And then the other day, driving home from a sporting event, musing, I thought surely I must, somehow be able to make one myself. Think out of the box.
So I thought I'd try black paint on an old frame and print off my own bus destinations. Beaches ones.
And I did just that. Printed off a fictitious bus route around Sydney's beaches….
And stuck them to an old thrifted frame
And placed it on the wall in the kicthen…
I love the almost retro feel to it, hinting of days gone by when one might run for the bus in T-Bar shoes and utility skirts, the hand-typed feel of the font, when people sat at a chair with a clunky old typewriter with a wheel and a ribbon not pulled a Blueberry ;-) out of their pocket…
And the days when people got on buses and trams…I remember as a young girl commuting up to the big smoke, transfixed by those iconic London buses…I lusted after their red forms queued up at the bus depot at Victoria, I loved their curved bottoms, with the platform for anyone to hop on as it lurched along…and the ticket inspectors, more often grumpy than chirpy and nearly always Cockney, but mostly offering the term of endearment (or not) 'love' to most everything they said….where you going love?…that'll be 1 pound fifty pence love…you wanna get the Number Fifty Eight bus to there love…
There's certainly none of that here, and perhaps I am some kinda nostalgic fool…alright I definitely am…I can't deny this to me has some kinda vintage-life-gone-by appeal…somehow conveying a slower world of timetables, and shopping baskets, where one's main concern was to set out for a ride on a bus.
I wonder what you think? Don't forget the new Entry Conditions of this tatty old beach cottage…no lurkers, hahaha!!
I have to say, it turned out a whole lot better than I thought it would. I wondered how the black would go, but in fact I think it anchors things quite nicely…I love the way it's nautical and a little bit whimsical…it kinda speaks to me old beach vintage days….coastal towns…salty breezes…sand sandwiches…
It was easy peasy, even for those with the patience and craft skills of a knat and best of all it cost me under $10, so I was, oh, approximately $990 in pocket.
You can find more pictures, and a step-by-step tutorial of how I did it here.
Hit that comment button people and lemme know
remember, ya saw it here first lol!
you can find other Do It Yourself Beach Cottage Tutorials, including an old vintage table in our bathroom here, some shutters I made myself out of fence posts here and an old wooden ladder I madeover here.
{ and if you want some more vintage bus blind inspiration, go and see Michelle, at Retrophenia tell her I sent you and she'll give you a nice little discount }
and thanks to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her Met Monday event
Hi Sarah,
Fantastic idea! You are so clever. Look forward to more wonderful ideas.
Cheers,
Mary
Thanks for adding that picture of the bus to help explain what a bus blind is for us in busless areas!
It reminded me of riding one when I visited England back in ’05.
I love the names you chose, too! I remember some of the towns we drove through: Yanworth, Fossecroft, Perrots Brook, Ampney, Chippenham, Chicklade. Hmmmm….I’m thinking I might have to make a bus blind, too! I’m off to your tutorial!
I am jumping up and down with excitement.
I LOVE these things and have them on my wish list for this old living room when it gets fixed up. This is positively the absolute coolest project I have seen anywhere in a very very long time!!!
Lurker here. I love all the things you do with nearly nothing so I start my day here with you. I’m a grandmother in Connecticut in the US so I have quite a few years accumulation that I can ‘shop’ without leaving home. Thanks for all your inspiration.
Barbara
So I was really wrong in my guess. I am so glad I was. I have never seen one of these before. Here in the states the buses only have one sign( which is usually wrong). This would be so fitting here at the Jersey Shore as all the beaches are right in a row. Thanks for the great idea I’m off to read the tutorial. As usual Sarah… brilliant!
Wow, I learn something new every day. Never knew until today that bus blinds are such a sought after vintage item! (makes me wonder where I’ve been sometimes)
I love the ingenius way you came up with an alternative to spending 1000$ for one. Your comment about thinking outside the box hits the nail right on the head. I’m going to take it and run with it!
Cheers,
Siggie
Sarah, Love this idea, but I’m so not crafty. Please excuse the following questions: you mentioned the type of font, but what size did you choose so that it shows up so clearly on the wall? Also, did you make your background print color black in order for it to turn out this way and did your printer just naturally leave a white border around the paper as it printed? Apparently, I’m not crafty OR computer savvy!!
Thanks!
I. LOVE. IT. ’nuff said.
so many ideas are waking me in the wee hours of the night (morning?) and i try to figure out my next project for homesweethome. do you ever rest? entertaining, painting, shopping or “researching” what is out there…so impressive.
i lived in gidea park for a bit (a village of romford) and took the bus here and there (but mostly the tube to the city). what i fondly remember: the greens, with cows and public footpaths everywhere. through the traffic. and the signs for the bus to home are pure comfort! in fact, your sign caused me to google your area for the beaches you list. saw some beautiful photos, (not as nice as yours!) so i feel i got a tour of your area. sigh! lovely!
i have an old ladder like yours, which i am considering placing in the guest bathroom. (right now it is in the yard) (aging) have you secured it to the wall at all? doesn’t look like it.
and i’m thinking about shutters for my ALUMINIUM windows. (atleast they work, silver lining and all…) this is long enough for several lurkers to get credit. sorry! jkj
Love it! I haven’t commented before either, but I’m here all the time. (I’m shy, hahaha) Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got up your sleeve :)
I love it in your kitchen! Though I wouldn’t have known what it was…..
Love it! What a great idea–
Wow, Sarah! Perfection again at A Beach Cottage!
I remember hopping aboard buses to get to work in Shreveport, Louisiana, way back long ago. Somehow, not the same as the one above!
Hi Sarah
Again another brilliant idea! It looks great and like I said once before, I went the opposite way round to you – an Aussie in good ol’ England so I get where your coming from on both scores. Thanks for emailing the other day I felt quite priviliged lol and yep decorating with a budget and thrift store finds is um interesting. If I get fed up I just have a look at the good ol’ beach cottage pictures to cheer me up and more inspiration. K
Keep up the good work!
I love, love, love this!!! It looks classic, nostalagic and the black and white just goes. There’s a pub in Sydney – I forget which – where I saw some old tram signs high up on the wall – I liked that – this reminds me of them.
What a little ingenuity and paint can do!!!
Good for you!
I too have been looking for old bus or train schedules. (here in the USA) Not very affordable for me, either.
I’m about to do mine on wood.
I’ll let you know how it all turns out…
annie
p.s. I am SO envious of your weather right now. I could use a little sand between my cold white toes.
It’s fabulous! I like how you put it…”it sort of anchors things”…I liked all your ramblings here, such perfect use of words, like reading a favorite book. All of your nostalgia of the Old Country, “love, this, and love, that” so romantic really. It’s not like that here, in the States, either. We could sure use some of that here.
I didn’t realise you meant destination roller blinds when I began reading. I thought you meant those corrogated blinds the drivers used to let down at night on the window between the cab and the passengers. I thought ‘what’s she want one of those for?’. Now I understand. Your board looks really good. How about a London one for old times’ sake? xx
“The treasure hunting dance.” Love it! I am intimately familar with that one, it feels so good.
Kristina
Sweetfern Handmade
Well done you. Chanced upon your blog today – so glad I did. You know the old route masters are gone now. They are sadly missed.
Hi Sarah
Loving it!
Cheers
Judy
Well, aren’t you crafty! LOVE that sign. So glad to find your blog–it’s beeee-u-ti-ful!
Lara
I hate that my comments on your posts are so repetitive BUT… I love it!!! I think a bit of black anchors a scheme :)
Mel xxx
So lovely! Your projects are always an inspiration and this is no exception.
Sarah – sensational what else. Lesley
Amazing, I love the bus signs. I am also amazed at how many people you have managed to de-lurk including myself. well done Sarah.
I mangaged to pick up a tea towel of my local area in Victoria at our local Mitre ten for $5. I am just convincing hubby to make a frame. I was going to do it like a canvas but, now seeing the black frame is so stunning…………….
Hi Sarah! Very cute the Bus sign. I’ve been folowing you on Facebook(maybe a week from now), but I’m now blogging too! It’s good to feel the warmth from Australia around here!
Have a wonderful week,
:-) Li by Creamy White
I clicked on over here from Met Monday intrigued by what a bus blind was (being from “acrossed the pond” from the “Old Country” and all). I love it! It turned out darling. I love the price tag as well.
teri
oh my sarah….you have out done your creative self! i love it! but what i really love is that you figured out a way to get what you wanted with a budget in mind. AND that you created it yourself, which i love because it is truly YOU now. soooo inspiring you are!
kathi
DIY art on the cheap–my favorite! I’ve got some old tools that belonged to my husband’s grandpa that I’m still figuring out what to do with them.
Brilliant – love it, now off to look at your tutorial and copy LOL!
I LOVE it Sarah~ bravo! I’m off to check out your tutorial now…the black looks fab with all of your white too. :-)
Wow! it took me longer to scroll clean down to the bottom of the page to leave a comment, than it did to read the post lol
Anyhow, love it love it! gotta ck out the tut!
Thank you for a lovely post as always!
Jackie
Sarah your artwork looks great!
I also love the look and was lucky enough to find a black and white teatowel printed with lots of great Victorian beach towns, most of which we have enjoyed family holidays!
Popped it into a white Ikea frame and hung it on our family room wall.
I think it looks great and it is a relevent piece of art to our family!
Forgot to say the teatowel cost $6 and frame about $30
ohh I adore this idea, lets you pick your own destinations :D
Sarah,
I love your sign. These kinds of retro sign art are big nowadays. I really like the way yours came out. I am off to look at your tutorial.
One word for you Miss Cleverpants….
AMAZING !!!!!
Love your blog and this idea! I have seen these too and think they are utterly charming! Thanks for the tips!
http://www.downwhimsylane.com
I am in love with your blog, so happy I came accross you! Thank you, Kristin
Never would I have thought of this in a gazillion years! The creativity in you is just simply amazing!
I have seen these at shows, but their prices are way above me. I was wondering if doing one using a white window roller shade would look authentic. The material the authentic ones are made of seems similar. At the Country Living Show, a dealer had made pillows out of authentic ones and covered chairs and ottomans with them for clients. Great looking but a bit pricey for that use and the real ones can’t be cleaned.
I love your blog! I was looking for some design ideas to flesh out my Luxury Homes page the other day and left rather disappointed. I came back to your blog for a totally different reason and – Voila – here is exactly what I was looking for!
Nice work all the way around – content, theme, presentation!
If you want to buy real estate, you will have to get the loan. Moreover, my mother commonly utilizes a auto loan, which supposes to be really reliable.
So cute! Our cottage is under construction but mo ing in shortly. I love all of your DIY posts.
Love this, I came across your blog and love it! It’s freezing in Canada right now and it makes me happy to see sunshine, waves and cottage living!
Great idea Sarah. Reminds me of getting on what I thought was the right bus as a child. Only to watch the driver change the blind and therefore destination, 5 minutes or so into the journey. So I would have to get off and go back to the bus stop and start again. Not such good memories, so maybe I won’t be making one of these……………………