nesting

Our first bub is on its way!

My first trimester was hideous with  nausea and fatigue so I'm in action mode during my second trimester to be set for the worst when third trimester starts in a few weeks time!

I've had such fun delving into my op shop stashes getting creative and making our bub's room a place I'd love to hang out in at any time of the day!  Finished off a few things today and wanted to share it with you all...

Op-shopped embroidery frames and vintage sheet fabrics:

Op-shopped wooden photo frames; a cute pic from an old Frankie mag and a 'Father's love letter' from God to a child:

Op-shopped alphabet blocks, wooden pins and golden books. Love this old crate I got from my mum:

Op-shopped brown cut-out detailed cushion - it needed some love and care to be sew down again but for 50c I love the texture and interest it gives to the room; old cushion which I'd got bored of, but the blue back face of it is perfect for this room. And a rolled cane chair I've had for about 9yrs and my husband wanted to get rid of but I knew it would have a perfect spot one day.  Can sit here and stare out the window at the trees and weather rolling in. A lovely cosy corner.

Some of my favourite little creatures I've found at op-shops.  There is just so much more interest and warmth in oldstyle toys I reckon.

And the cot quilt/play mat in progress! Gender is unknown so I'm sticking to blues and greens mostly. Loving creating my own patterns for different projects and being inspired by the materials I have on hand.

Can't wait to introduce our little bundle me new favourite room in the house!

sew summer

Christmas in my family this year had the theme of recycled, second hand or hand made.  So for my sister and mum I challenged myself to projects that required me to step up my sewing skills

I have conquered continuous bias binding, piping and zips! Oh it feels so good. 

We have a new european cushion cover for my sister's couches... my first attempt was but through quality control test by her 2yr old... fail.  I'm learning! Time and practice will improve the quality of my work I'm promising myself!

A cot quilt for my mum who has now kitted her home out for when her 'grandies' take over when visiting!  My projects are all from recycled fabrics.  This quilt used vintage hankies, sheets, doily and scrap material from the op shops.  Love the individuality and one-off preciousness it gives my projects.

And then a little New Years present for myself.  Some summer cotton cushions.  Just need some more piping to finish off the others for my new lounge collection.  My hubby is a texture phob - so there are a few cushions I have collected over the years that he relegates to being foot cushions as he can't stand the feeling on his skin.  We have success with this one. It's his new favourite!

They all have their lovingly individual imperfections. :)  Looking forward to practicing more so I can look at selling creations in the future! That day will come... when my sewing skills catch up to my dreams!

my second wedding...

If I had the chance to have another wedding, I would just as easily choose this one as I would my original own.

Our friends Brendo and Jess married on December 3, 2011. A wedding in the park, riverside in our beachside town and a reception at a nearby organic tea-tree and vegie farm set next to a serene water scene with amazing birdlife and horses wandering by in the background.. A wonderful atmosphere with family and friends for a couple truely in love.  The vintage and personal touches that they placed around their ceremony and reception venue were so lovely and all of my favourite things.  Jess is a girl after my own heart!

Hydrangeas and garden flowers,  old chairs from our church for the signing (which I envy every time I see them and think they'd look so inviting in a corner of my home!) doilies her girlfriends and grandmas collected (and made!), herb and vegie pots for the guests, dress-up and photo booth, my favourite - the guest libs and instead of a signature book or board they had a fingerprint tree to remember the guests at their wedding. There were even more touches that I missed capturing but oh it was such a lovely evening you wanted to sit back and enjoy it rather then miss it by being caught up behind the camera.

As I'd say to anyone getting married soon or in the future, a lot of effort is involved but it is so special to make the day your own, a day that speaks of your relationship, interests and things you want to share and remember - and it is all worth it.  Weddings have become more special to me as I reminisce at every one I attend, since my own, of the specialness of our day and what my marriage means to me everyday since. It is the start of a beautiful, yes challenging, but always rewarding journey.

Blessings to you both, Brendo and Jess.

best buys

have come to the realisation i should perhaps share with you only my favourite bargin buys so as to not overload blog inboxes...

so here's this weeks best buys...

wooden pin toys - the lot $2 at local wellspring op shop
plans for these to line a shelf somewhere in my future bub's room.
we're talking years away... don't get excited just yet!



wallpaper sourced by my wonderful mum at her regular op shops
 in toowoomba. she's fabulous.
she knows how much i love green-ness. 
and my lack of luck in sourcing wallpaper for crafting.



$5 set of wooden kitchen canisters -
from yesterdays brisbane suitcase rumamge
i plan to use them for storage on top of my fridge.
got to be effective with storage in a small kitchen.
i like the use of wooden items to warmify and calm the use of colour
in my kitchen/dining room.

$3 indian decorative bowl from local wellspring op shop.
bit different to my latest 70s johnson of australia plate collection
added to my kitchen but i think it helps to be the decorative step
between my wooden pieces and colourful bowls etc.

and there is my spending ration done for the week! oh dear. :)

grace in casino

no, not a day gambling but a unique op shop experience at a nearby town, casino nsw.

a lifeline store next to where i've been working is one of my regular haunts.  was in there and found a new table runner (see below) which is one of my most fav finds ever as i just love butterflies and don't often find tasteful butterfly pieces to match my home.... however that is not the story... back to it... was admiring the doilys looking for something cute and quality to add to mum's collection.  a lovely lady came up and spoke to me... her name was grace... she offered for me to come out the back and look through their boxes!! of other doilys and handiwork.  its always feels like sweet forbidden territory entering into the back room of an op shop... such a buzz... feels like you'll get an even earlier peek at amazing finds before they make it to the shelves and other hunting eyes.

she slowly unrolled... yes she stores the 'something special' ones on plasitc and paper rolls... she is the one that takes them home, soaks them for stain removal, starches and irons them... and still sells them at great prices. such care is taken.  as we went through 3 boxes (i had to get going by that stage!!) she, and gradually another 3 ladies helping in the shop that day gathered round, described the techniques and errors of the doily creators' ways.  'oh this one has been knitted and then crocheted'... 'oh dear, they've ruined that one by using too many stiches on the edging'... 'oh i remember that pattern'... i was surrounded by a lovely group of old ducks who were capable of all my needlework and sewing dreams!

despite my subtle hints that i would love to learn from such skilled ladies, it took till i was almost finished my transaction and out the door for grace to offer to teach me.  she then shared that she has 12 grand-daughters and none of them have an interest or appreciation of the skills of their generation. i think she was stoked to see a young person take the time to share this joy with her. 

while i was in there, i was thinking how much of a buzz my mum would get having this experience.  grace offered to have my mum come to the back room and delve through the boxes herself when she visits. she introduced me to the manager, told me her volunteer schedule and such was my day. 

i picked out a couple that i thought mum might like. but the real buzz was being able to show an interest and share the appreciation for the hours of work that went into these delicate creations.

thank you casino lifeline and st vinnies for my few finds from that day...

and most of all, thank you grace.

'oopsie daisy'

you know how when you're travelling through a town you hardly ever visit... you might be travelling to visit someone... or like me today just out for a drive to escape a dreary day in the house...

and a little voice in your head says to you... 'you can't possibly not stop at that op-shop... you don't know when you'll be here again and who knows what amazing finds will be lost in there forever. it is up to you to discover them!'

well that voice spoke loud in my head today.  and 'oopsie daisy'... op shopped today with only 6 days to go of my free living challenge!

and when i have an 'oopsie daisy' moment i do it well...

my favourite scores being....pretty much got a whole new collection of dinner plates and side plates, 2 dresses to alter, a wollen jumper destined to become my favourite, vintage doona, more soup bowls to add to my collection for sunday soup nights with friends and a tan document wallet - been looking for one of these for months!

oh dear. might have to hand the eftpos card back to hubby i think!  still got the buzz from all these finds hours later. i'm glad there are other vintage bargin lovers out there like you who know this feeling and also have those days where we have to justify some impulse buys to ourselves.

i am a faulty human being. imperfect with poor discipline. but oh today was so exciting!!

free living challenge - day 8&7... home days

goal... to abstain from spending hobbies - to focus on finding daily joy in no cost living.

today's joy...

was family dinner and nan & pa's.  the familiarity of family. the weekly ice-cream brand debate... the rare sharing of past memories from nan & pa's upbringing... such a lovely evening sitting round the kitchen table just sharing life. so good to be able to do this every week.

bit of a dreary weekend down my way.  indoor adventures were the order of the day.

my other joyous moments came from...

a spontaneous decision friday night to have a garage sale over the weekend while school holidayers were in town. the good old cardboard signs worked a treat! what a great feeling to sit back at the end of the day and have the bonus of a slightly emptier, clearer house and a few more dollars back in the wallet. i'm getting a lot  better of letting go of things and being realistic about what we need in the house.

these little guys kept me company... smarties were the treat of the morning...

we won't comment on the stereotypical gender status of these characters.... funny that my hubby is going to be a teacher and we had a female ambulance office stop by the garage sale. :)

did decide to keep a couple of things from my market boxes to grace my shelves...

got my rummage cases out starting to get ready for the may brissy suitcase rummage. took way to much stuff last time. decided next month's cases will be filled vintage sheet squares and clothing only. kiss. oh i find it hard letting go of some cute sheets! but i do oh so enjoy sharing the love with other crafters.

with only one more week to go of this challenge i am stoked and excited.  i miss my op shop adventures and think the goal of finding a better balance of my shopping hobbies and finding some free adventures through my week will be a natural progression after these free living days. 

how's this for timing... forget the wallet, this could be my reward!! there is a vintage market being held in a community hall down the road over the easter long weekend! i might limit myself to one dress or skirt to practice the self discipline and balance i aim to keep for my future. :)

free living challenge - day 36... doily joy

goal... to abstain from spending hobbies - to focus on finding daily joy in no cost living.

today's joy...

came from a fabulous girls night in with my mum... read through some mags, had left over home made pizza... AND... browsed through her doily collection... sourced from her local op shops in toowoomba... didn't realise she had so many!  

here are some pics...

she has ideas for these for cushions, quilts... but she doesn't sew!! i think she just needs to start learning but she's want's to recruit the help of her sister.  we'll have to wait and see what these lovely finds turn into. if only i lived closer! we'd have such fun. :)

not difficult to guess where i got my love of op shopping and all things vintage from!

belated lent challenge - day 44

i was thinking about this before Ash Wednesday hit... the day signifying the start Lent...

Lent is a time of abstinence... the christian season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. a season of celebration of the salvation and rebirth on offer through Jesus.

i read this on a 'pancake day (Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday) explained' website today:
"In many traditions, Lent is a time for cleaning, in preparation for Easter and spring. First your soul, then your kitchen, then the rest of the house was cleansed and purified of the past year's accumulations."

previous years i have cut out habits of mine (like TV) that i believe interrupt the balance in my life and are distracting and futile in living a life of purpose and fulfillment.  it is my hope that by having a time of abstinence i fill that time with other more worthwhile interests and have improved balance, discipline and motivation following this period of time.

Ash Wednesday was this past Wednesday, March 9. so i've missed the start by 2 days.

this past year i have had massive issues with impulse spending and not getting on top of debt. so for this year's lent i am giving up excess spending. i am cutting myself off un-necessary spending... that means no op-shopping, no magazines, no ebay or online shopping... so aside from food and fuel, no spending for me until easter sunday.

the outcome is not just to prove to myself that i can survive not spending, but to know i can be just as satisfied and fulfilled without buying things to make my day feel good.  its having the motivation and the discipline to stick to a budget and be accountable for my spending.

that means free activities for me for the next 44days.  everyday's goal is to occupy myself with no cost adventures and hobbies.... beaching, riding, visiting friends, reading by the river, creating, crafting, organising... sounds very productive!

have just started setting up my crafting space so i can have a place of joy to spend these days.
i shall keep you posted on what i get up to. :)

op shop finds

this week's op shop finds. consistency is certainly the key.

thanx to my usual jaunts - casino lifeline, evans st vinnies/wellspring, woodburn anglican and lismore lifeline/st vinnies op shops. oh its the joy of my week!

this may be for my mum - she already has a purse of this style.
i love the tortoiseshell like detail.

some stoneware salt and pepper shakers... not sure if these are a keeper or a seller yet!

skinny ties for the men of a future brissy suitcase rummage....

particulary love the find of the genuine leather green tie!  had a few lads delve into my vintage ties for the skinnys. stoked there are still some around in the oppies.

found some additions to my vintage nightie collection... i have great plans for these for my future business idea....

some old school games for home and hubby... forget battleships... it's land and air battle!

and lastly some sheets for the upcoming and much anticipated vintage sheet FQ swap...

i hope kellie approves!



oh such fun. loving that op shopping is now a self funding hobby!

rummage results

well i made it! survived my first suitcase rummage in brissy and made my goal profit of over $200. stoked!

here's what i learnt:

lesson 1.
no matter how well you plan your set up, it will not go as planned when you get there! no 1. wind is not your friend. no 2. will your space be square? rectangular?  no 3. aim your set up to grab visual attention as rummagers enter your row. lesson learnt - be flexible!

  

lesson 2.
take along your best buds.  so great being able to set up next to kellie, mali and chanelle. they're not only experienced rummagers they helped the 5hrs speed by with laughs and act as treat couriers bring back yummy treats while on coffee runs.

lesson 3.
do not assume who your customers will be. my customers ranged from funky young girls (i can't believe how fashion savy these girls are at their age! i am so embarassed for myself about how i dressed at 14!!) to resourceful lovely nannas. met people who live down my way in northern nsw and others who are brissy locals and lovers of all things vintage. 

  

lesson 4.
do not assume what will sell. my girlfriends and i were sure my two vintage thermos' would be definate sellers. they had hardly any interest all day. wrong season maybe? might try them again next time. and a set of stoneware ramekins still in their original packaging - no one picked them up at all! no worries - i was eyeing them off for my kitchen collection so they will find a loving home. :)
the old school photo album still including original photo corners was popular. and aprons were a slow starter but a definate winner in the end.

 

could not believe the crowd of people in the first few hours. busy busy.  i know i'm a newbie so not all would have had the excitement i had - i had that joy like a kid in a candy store. it gave me such a buzz. i was made to market!

so for the next month i will revise my wares selection strategies, definately shop for more vintage sheets for fabric square sales (so fun selling fabulous vintage prints to other crafters!) and see you all for suitcase rummage again in april!