Flea Market Finds

Flea Market Finds
I've been looking for a couple of months, together with my Mum, for a cabinet she could use in her kitchen .

My Mum wanted something quite specific to put her bag and umbrella etc in so she didn't have to see it lying around the place.

It had to be a cabinet, not a shelf.


And it had to be small so it would fit under the bench in her kitchen and not get in the way of the stools under the bench.


What I found isn't perfect by any strength of the imagination. It's very slightly the worse for wear on the top but I think it'll be easy enough to glue and clamp where it's slightly lifted at the front.


But I love the groovy detail that is the recess that's used to open the door ... and even if it's not perfect it cost me the princely sum of $5!

Thank you so much to Amelia over at I op therefore I am who put me on to the Lions Trash and Treasure in Vermont Saturday. I absolutely recommend you go next time ... it's the most amazing rummage and supporting a great organisation.

And for lots more flea market finds visit Sophie Isobel over at Her Library Adventures.

Good things: Doing stuff for my Mum
In my family saying I love you isn't the way things are done ... what can I say? We're repressed English.

Instead it's all about doing things ... and for me it's all about helping my Mum with the many little things on her wish list.

Whatever she asks isn't a burden for me ... I know she'd do the same anytime I ask, and has been all my life.

We always have a great time fossicking around together and going out ... and I'm loving finding a cabinet for Mum knowing it's what she wants.

I love you Mum. xoxoxoxoxoxo

My Creative Space and Good things

My Creative Space
My space for this week is a tease ... for my Aunt Mary.


You see, my cousin Holly, my Aunt Mary's daughter is having her first baby in August. And these are the colours I'm using to make a few things for the baby.

I don't know if it's a girl or a boy ... I just picked colours I liked and thought go well together. The colour that looks burgundy is actually a deep pink and if the baby's a boy and my cousin doesn't like pink on a boy ... she'll at least have a gift for the next girl baby she (herself or a friend) has.

In any event, I'm enjoying making things for a baby ... they're so sweet and quick! I finished one item a few minutes ago ... and I'll probably get another finished by the end of the weekend. And I still have a couple of other things planned.

Maybe next week I should give my aunt a teaser of one of the finished items?

For more creative space visit Kirsty at kootoyoo.

Good thing for the day: Sophie Isobel brooches
I am so happy today because my brooch from Sophie Isobel at Her Library Adventures arrived.


I've been a follower of Sophie for ages and always play along with her Sunday thrifting meme. She was having a special on her brooches on Etsy.com and I asked for a red, cream/white and black brooch ... with "I Heart Cameras and Craft".

Just look at what I got. I love the man and woman ... I'm a total history buff and this is absolutely me.. And it came with a sweet note and an extra brooch in purple. I love purple too!


I've already added it to my favourite jacket.

Thanks Sophie for brightening my day.

What's Hot & Not and Good Things

It’s the end of the month (again) and time to reflect on what’s been hot and not for the month … a good month in general. I’m loving how 2010 just seems to be coming together for me.

What’s been Hot

Explore. This is becoming easier all the time. I’m feeling more comfortable working out who I want to be and where I’m going. The world feels a far less formidable place, I’m sleeping better and feeling more refreshed when I wake up … and I think where I chose to channel my energies are really helping. They’re all things I enjoy, it’s the space I want to occupy and it’s a perfect balance of doing things for myself and with/for others. (And many thanks to Cathy (Tinniegirl) for keeping my wish for me for the year. It’s made all the difference).

Cook more. I have actually cooked this month, so I’m counting that as a plus! Not impressive though.


Exercise more. This is going really well. I’ve lost about an inch off my waist and no weight at all … which is exactly my aim. So the yoga and pilates each week are really paying dividends and now I’m planning to add climbing up and down ten flights of stairs twice a week before work to my weekly exercise regime. I just feel brighter and more alert now I’m exercising … and so much better at coping with life.

Spend more time with friends and family. I’ve been working hard to make sure Mr H and I spend time together and this month I’ve managed quite a lot of spending time with friends too. Far more than usual: a weekend away at Sew It Together, lunch a couple of times with my regular foodies and I joined a new crafting group, the Perle 8s. The Perle 8s are very close to me and meet every Thursday evening. It will be nice not to travel so far and once a month I will make the effort to travel over to NCB. I really love NCB, but it’s a long way to travel when it’s cold at night and will only get harder.

Find something good each day. I decided I was coasting against this, just accepting that what I was writing each day was positive without having to put any effort into it. I’ve decided to challenge myself, at least for a while, to actually come up with something good. It doesn’t have to be different every day … just something I’m grateful for. I’ll see how I go in a month’s time.

Finish 5 craft projects. This has been easier than I thought with one craft project finished this month (the SIT felted flowers) and another almost finished except for the blocking (my mother’s shawl). I might actually get anywhere up to ten projects finished this year … although I really should keep quiet, shouldn’t I?

What Not been Hot

Travel. No travel here … unless you count a bus fabric tour? Although the trip Mum and I have booked for Lake Macquarie in August is getting ever closer and we really need to get the accommodation booked.

Good thing for the day: Messages from the Universe

One of the things that had come to bother me was how unobservant I’d become … and I was once the most observant person that if I returned somewhere after an absence I could remember exactly what had changed. I’ve lost that skill and it makes me feel disconnected from the world … but I’ve been working hard on this and the world actually spoke to me.

In a lane in Melbourne, coming out of a dumpling restaurant there they were … half a dozen or more crazy, kooky messages.


I really liked this one ... it spoke to me in some strange way. After all I feel as thought I've been lost for a long time ...

Good Things & My Place & Yours

My Place & Yours: Preloved-inherited or thrifted
Danielle at HelloOwl's theme for this week is Preloved-inherited or thrifted ... chosen by Zoe over at A Boy's Mummy. A lovely theme .... given the amount of time I spent in op shops.

And it was an easy choice to share one of the first thrifted items I bought when I left home some 30+ years ago.


And I love it as much today as the day it called out to me.

Good thing for today: Embracing the Inner Child
I'm not always good at embracing the inner child ... I'm the practical one, the organiser, the bill payer.


But Mr H always see the possibilities ... that's one of his strengths. He never gets too old to try everything including this push pedal bike in Sovereign Hill earlier this year.

Flea Market Finds

Flea Market Finds

It's been a reasonable few weeks for flea market finds with yesterday hitting pay dirt at Savers in Dandenong with this scrumptious plate. I can't work out whether it's from the 50s or 60s ... and if you know the answer or have any stories about plates like this I'd love to hear.


And for $4.99 I thought it was a steal!

Visit Sophie Isobel at Her Library Adventures for more flea market finds.

Good thing for the day

My good thing for the day is so obvious given it's flea market day ... it's the amazing things available in op shops and vintage stores across Melbourne.

I was reading Kirsty's blog at kootoyoo a few minutes ago and she added a list of her favourite places to searching out vintage goodies.

And it brought home to me how amazing Melbourne is for stuff. Sometimes it can be a little harder ... like when you trawl through op shops, but then there are the many amazing vintage places around Melbourne too.

Good things: Sew It Together

I was asked more than once what I was doing over the weekend spent at Sew It Together ... and what do you say? I told people I was going to a fabric convention, which got me many a blank stare. And I know others had the same problem before they went ... and gave various excuses/explanations.

And why wouldn't you when we spent the weekend ...


... embroidering fabric,


... endlessly discussing the merits of fabric (at Patchwork on Central Park, East Malvern),


... sewing fabric to make skirts and quilts,


... watching fabric being screen printed (at the amazing studio of ink and spindle who did a one off print run of this gorgeous chocolate coloured bamboo for us

... quilting fabric (can you believe this quilt was sewing up, had binding added and was quilted in a day? I'm still amazed),


... drooling over goodies made with fabric (at the amazing Nicole Mallalieu Studio in Brunswick),


... perplexed about which fabric to buy (Sheridan, the fabric convention organiser, deep in thought at Amitie in Bentleigh)

... and fortunately doing it with 60 other like minded women because it's so much more understandable when more than one person is doing it!

Thanks guys for a great weekend. I had a blast and I can't wait to catch up again.

(PS What did you tell people? I'm curious as I'd love something better to say next time ... because yes, I'm thinking of going to Sew It Together 2011 in Sydney).

Good things: What's Hot & What's Not

Time to sum up for the week … and I’m feeling really peeved at the moment. I’ve been working on project at work that's really bugging me. Thanks to written instructions, which are contradictory in part, I may have wasted more than half a day and the person I’m supposed to go to for explanations isn’t returning emails or phone calls. So if my week pans out as less than wonderful … it’s no doubt coloured by this.

What’s been Hot

TV/DVD in the bedroom. I am so loving this … and it's probably why I’m getting so much done (see above). I’m up to the last episode of the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice and I’m loving Colin Firth as Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Lizzie. He looks stunning in the clothes of the period … so slim and manly, and he can say so much with expression alone. And I love Jennifer Ehle’s brightness and wit … her response to Darcy’s first proposal and reactions as she reads his letter are perfect. Not to mention I love anything with Julia Sawalha in it. The last episode tonight will bring it all to a happy conclusion and I don’t know what to watch next … maybe something sci fi like Farscape. Any suggestions?


Sew It Together. I’m on the slippery slope to Sew It Together starting Thursday night and I can’t wait. I’ve already started my packing etc and I bought baggies today to hold my swap stuff. Fun, fun, fun and only a few days to go.

Craft. I'm really enjoying this craft thing. On the weekend I took an inventory of my yarn (and there was quite a bit), and this morning I started a baby’s bonnet for charity with leftover yarn from Mum’s shawl because I need some simple and quick to do on the train. When it’s done I’ll drop it into Morris & Sons in the city, and I’m thinking about doing that with any leftover yarn I get.

Organisation. I’ve been scoring a few runs getting myself organised. I always have far too good a time over the weekend, with the result things end up topsy turvy at home. But I’ve started on my bedroom and it’s looking a little tidier than usual at the moment, and the kitchen's reasonably in order. I just need to stay on top of things in the future … which I know isn’t going to happen but hope springs eternal!

Cherry Liquer chocolate. For the first time in my life I’ve discovered a love of cherry liquer chocolate. What the ….? I have no idea where it came from but I’m loving it for as long as it lasts. I went to Haighs today and bought 3 cherry liquers and they were gorgeous.


What not been Hot

Work. Total pain in the arse! It can be hard being on a steep learning curve on a time critical project … and even worse when the instructions you get are the equivalent of a conversation with a 15 year old (the pulling teeth part of it and the confusion!). I guess it’ll all be alright in the end … but if I go grey I’m not going to be very happy.

How’s your week been? Are you kicking goals and scoring points … or has it all gone to hell in a handbasket? If you want to play don’t forget to link back … I’d love to know what you’re up to.

Good things: Ruby Tuesday

A few weeks ago my Ruby Tuesday choice was a red tin I picked up for a $1. At the time I was using it for craft ... my cross stitch.


I found a new crafty use for the tin ... to hold my niece Miss T's birthday present, a cross stitch kit that she loved.


For more Ruby Redness visit Mary at Work of the Poet.

Flea Market Finds

Mr H and I headed for Frankston for our weekly op shop fix and managed to take in seven ... that's right, seven op shops. The only one we'd visited before was Savers. I usually end up in Frankston too late to get to most of them, although we turned up 15 minutes too late for Vinnies and another doesn't open on Saturdays at all. More op shop goodness per square mile than anywhere else I've ever been!

RSPCA 4 Peninsula Walk
Savers 16 Playne St
St Pauls Anglican 29 Ross Smith Ave
Salvos 17 Thompson St
Red Cross 13b Thompson St
Op Shop 13 Playne St
City Life 6 Clyde Street

The stand out for the day was this tea towel in Savers. Not because it's amazing but because I felt so sad someone had donated it. I just couldn't do that ... and Mr H suggested I buy the tea towel and find a good home for it. So if your child, your sister, your brother, your cousin, your friend's brother's nephew was one of the senior teachers or students for 1999 at Gardenvale Primary School let me know and I'll mail you the tea towel. I can't bear for it not to be with one of the teachers or students on the tea towel.


And I picked up another sheet for the vintage sheet swap ... the top floral pink sheet. The two blue sheets at the bottom I picked up last week in Ballarat. When I started I was sure I wouldn't find anything but I think I was over eager and not very realistic. Now I seem to find something good every week ... it just takes a lot of patient and at least 5 or 6 op shops to find one good sheet.


And that's not all. Mr H got some more music, and we both got a couple of tins. We also picked up a food processor for $10, complete with attachments. And I found a vintage knitting pattern that I knitted something from during the 80s ... I'll share that next week because I'm so excited about it. But no needles this week ... can you believe one op shop was selling them for $3 a pair?

For more vintage goodness, please visit Sophie Isabel at Her Library Adventures.

PS Happy Mother's Day everybody. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Good things: What's Hot & What's Not

It's that time of the week where I look back over the week that was and see how things are tracking. Before I even start, I'm sure it's been good!

What's been totally Hot

Visiting. I had a great weekend visiting Mum including Tamika's birthday. We took her shopping and had a dinner for her ... check her blowing out her candles. I love the shot of her mid blow ... even if it's blurry! She's growing up so quickly.I can hardly believe she's 13.


Craft. I've had a great crafting week: the felting for the Sew It Together convention swap is finished and the items need to be put together, my mother's shawl is now 95% done, I finally have a crochet hook to finish a scarf I recently finished and then I can move on and finish the baby's cardigan I started.

Vintage sheet finds. I found another two in Ballarat and now have six high quality sheets to swap, and another six not quite so good. I'm still looking around ... well, because I can but the pressure's gone.

August trip away. I've booked and paid for flights to Newcastle for Mum and I in August. I'm looking around for accommodation now ... the site I prefer to book packages through doesn't have anywhere close and I'm looking at a holiday park to the south of Newcastle. Any suggestions?

Op shopping. I've been having so much luck op shopping recently ... probably because I go to so many. I've been managing to find sheets, lots of good knitting needles including a bamboo pair for $1 and fantastic 1940s knitting patterns. I even managed to find some old crocheted doily patterns ... and I'm on the look out for hinged tins in good condition.

TV/DVD back in the bedroom. Clarissa bought a wide screen TV for her room a few weeks ago and I'm settled back into the bedroom watching DVDs. Last night I finished Band of Brothers for the umpteenth time as I try to finish Mum's shawl ... and I'm not sure what I'll watch tomorrow. Either way I'm getting more done now I have something to listen to.

Exercise. My two classes per week are going really well. The pilates and yoga are doing wonders for my core muscles, the thing that's really bothered me after two pregnancies and no real exercise after the last child 22 years ago! And I have to start now before I get into those 'critical years' where it will be harder to regain lost ground.

What's been Hot
Wet washing. I don't want to complain about the rain since we need the water so much, but it's hell getting stuff dry.

Vertigo. This is pretty much my life but it's usually limited to when I roll onto my right side and when I'm exercising. But the world was spinning from the minute I woke up and I felt nauseous so I went back to sleep. Fortunately it didn't progress to vomiting, which I hate ... and I've noticed that if I'm well hydrated and eat well it's better managed, so I headed for the kitchen as early as I could.

How has your week been? Have you had a good one or has something driven you crazy?

Good things: Ruby Tuesday

Time for Ruby Tuesday again ... for more ruby goodness wander over and visit MaryT at Work of the Poet.

My photo for this week is a watering can ... wedged handily in the railings at waist height.


The perfect height to grab without bending over to pick it up.

Good things: My Place & Yours

Danielle over at HelloOwl always comes up with something interesting to start the week ... this week it's your favourite place.

My favourite place is easy ... sitting on my bed crafting as I watch a DVD or chat.


And everybody knows where to find me.

Drop over at visit Danielle to visit lots more favourite places.

Flea Market Finds

I've been at my mother's for the weekend ... it was my niece Miss T's birthday yesterday, and my Mum's birthday and mother's day in exactly a week.

So not much by way of photos to share ... so I thought I'd share the boots I bought at Vinnies in Edithvale a couple of weeks ago.


The boots are exactly what I've been looking for. They fit perfectly and haven't hurt me from the day I bought them.

I hope everybody had a great weekend ... and check out Her Library Adventures for more Flea Market Finds.

Good things: My Creative Space

My Creative Space has been a flurry of activity because of looming deadlines: well, the weekend really when I travel to Ballarat to visit my mother for mother's day (7 May), see my mother for her birthday (7 May), and see my niece Miss T for her birthday (1 May).

I need to finish my mother's shawl ... which I've only been working on for 2 months and it's still sitting at about 90% finished.


I'm putting together a cross stitch kit for Miss T's birthday. I know exactly what I want to do but I still have to pull the threads (sorry for the pun, it wasn't deliberate) together. The last things to do are to get the hand towel and draw up a pattern. I'm sure she'll like it ... she's definitely following in the family crafty tradition.


And I'm right at the end of my stuff for the Sew It Together swap. I'm more than 80% there but the pressure is always on at the last moment to get it right. And if this doesn't work I have less than a fortnight to make something new from scratch. Now, that's pressure.


What does your creative space look like ... check out kootoyoo for more crafting goodness.

Good things: What's Hot & What's Not

I haven’t posted What’s Hot & What’s Not for a couple of weeks. For a lot of reasons I haven’t really felt motivated to blog at all, although that’s changing at the moment. I find the urge not to blog usually hits me every six weeks or so. But I’m feeling energised at the moment and happy because it’s coincided with the end of the month when I compare how I’m going with my New Year’s Plans.

What’s been Hot

Cook more. I actually cooked twice this month. Amazing I know! It’s usually the same thing … lamb, although most recently I’ve experimented with lamb neck and barley, on a bed of mashed potatoes. Wonderfully warming and soothing as winter approaches.


Explore. I feel as though I’m really growing this year, both personally and creatively. I’m branching out in all sorts of ways creatively, and this month joined a local knitting group a few suburbs away that will be much easier to meet up with. I’m also exploring op shops in all sorts of new areas I don’t usually visit: the weekend just past I went to Malvern and the week before to Noble Park.

Spend time with others. I feel as though I’ve done well with friends and family this month. Plenty of time with crafting and other friends, including going out to dinner last weekend. I also went down to Ballarat to visit the family and I’m there again the weekend coming.

Find something good each day. In some ways I started this because I thought I could be too negative but I realise as time passes that isn’t the case.

5 craft projects. I’m well on my way to finishing 5 projects for 2010. The first two finished were for swaps but I deliberately joined them because the deadline kept me focussed. Now I’m working on a couple of knitting projects: a shawl, baby’s scarf, baby’s cardigan and another swap for Sew It Together. Three of them are 2/3 done with the baby’s scarf 95% finished.

Travel. I’ve been doing a few day trips including a walk around the city Saturday going looking at the graffiti in various laneways. I always enjoy that. Plus Mum and I are planning a trip to the Blue Mountains in August … I’ve wanted to return there for many years and haven’t got around to organising something before now.


What’s Not

Renovations. As usual this is a total dud … so I’m putting it on the hiatus pile until further notice. I’m so much more focussed on the craft side of things, which is so busy and fun at the moment, that I want to reduce that pile and get back to the renovations. If only the two coincided in some way.

Good things: My Place and Yours

Yesterday Danielle didn't put up the theme and I thought it was because her husband hadn't given the internet access back. It turns out she wasn't feeling very well--I hope you're feeling better Danielle. I wish every week started on Tuesday, and I love this week’s theme … what’s on your keyring.

My keyrings are a huge part of my life, littered as they are with reminders of the good things that have happened to me and what I love best.


They’re also hugely heavy … definitely not the sort of thing you could carry in your pocket or without the number of a chiropractor.

They showcase the places I’ve visited and love: New York and London in the last 12 months.


They include the World’s Greatest Mother keyring from my daughters.


And a bunch of other assorted stuff.


I think there’s still room for a few more.

Check out HelloOwl for more key rings. I'm off to check out a few now.

Good things: Ruby Tuesday

I like graffiti.

Done well it can be topical. Done well it can be art.

Together with a couple of friends I often go for a wander to see what's on the walls of certain alleys.

The red of this one I thought is perfect for Ruby Tuesday.


Go to Work of the Poet for more ruby goodness.

Good things: My Place & Yours

My Place & Yours isn't happening today ... because Danielle over at HelloOwl obviously still hasn't found the internet hidden by her husband a few days ago.

I wonder when she'll find it?

LMAO

Good things: Vintage sheets and swaps

A few people posted yesterday (who I've emailed privately where they included their email address) about being happy to see my vintage sheets or wanting more information about the vintage sheet swap I've been referring to.

First up, my sheets. Every op shop I've visited over the last couple of months I've looked in for sheets and I've probably found something worth getting almost every weekend.


Yesterday I found a single bed pair of sheets ... the pair with the yellow daisies. Last week I found the pretty pink floral sheet and four identical (brand new) pink pillowcases.

And if you look really closely, you'll notice the top five sheets and the pillow cases match beautifully. Looks like the patron saint of vintage sheet quilts has decided I'll be making a yellow, green and pink quilt.

Now to the vintage sheet swap. I love reading blogs and I gladly follow embedded links because I often find something interesting or fun ... and this time I found the germ of an idea for a vintage sheet swap on Ange's Ramblings.

The post I hit was Ange bemoaning a recent US only swap and, lucky for me, she was looking for interest from Australians. You've no idea how long I've been interested too ... so I hurriedly added my name and now it's official. Hip hip hooray!


If you want to sign up, registrations are open until 30 June 2010. The details for the swap as well as the blog post to sign up are on Ange's Ramblings. It's best to read the details there in case I misquote or confusing things ... but I will add the swap is limited to Australians only.

PS If you're planning on entering and have photos of your sheets to share add a link to your post below ... I'd love to take a sneak peak too.

Good things: Flea Market Finds

I visited 5 op shops on the weekend ... in pretty quick succession, I admit, because I was in a hurry: two in Mordialloc and three in Malvern.

I really enjoyed trying new shops. Malvern has three in close proximity and one was an independent called MECWA (ie not Vinnie or Salvos). Op shops run by independents are always my favourites.

I got a few of my usual favourites (a pair of gorgeous single bed sheets for the vintage sheet swap coming up in July, a couple of delicate doilies and a few pairs of knitting needles) so I won't bore you with the usual.

Instead I'll share a favourite in our house for almost 30 years, and something Mr H sourced in an op shop before we even met ... the orange enamel tea pot we brew our tea in.


I love this baby.

More flea market finds can be found at Her Library Adventures.