Why, I think it may be autumn!

best looking toadstool I've seen in quite some time

ornamental grape

I took the kids to visit family this week. A beautiful little property near Gembrook in the Dandenongs. The air was brisk, the fire was cranking and we drank a lot of tea, ah the good life!  

One day........

Dark Side of the Loom

Welcome, to the Dark Side of the loom! Created by my friend, weaver Milly Formby, Dark Side of the Loom is home to one seriously spooky menagerie of hand woven 'Milly Monsters'. 

Taught to knit, sew and crochet by her mother as a child, Milly developed a love for textiles that would see her go on to major in Tapestry as part of her fine art's degree. For the last 10 years, Milly has been working as a professional weaver for the Victorian Tapestry Workshop,  collaborating with artists to interpret their work into large scale tapestries.


Milly also has a great love of animals and the natural world and is currently doing a zoology major at the University of Melbourne. Animals greatly influence her art as does Japanese anime, graphic illustration and comics.


Milly will be holding an exhibition of her work at The Mill Provedore & Gallery in Launceston, Tasmania from next month, so if you're local, why not take a trip to the Dark Side of the Looooooom!


The Mill Provedore & Gallery
2 Bridge Rd, Launceston TAS 7250
+64 6331 0777‎ – (03) 6331 0777‎


or if a trip to the Apple Isle is a little out of your way you can always visit her esty shop here!  

The Big Five O!

I'm having a mini celebration tonight to mark a small blogland milestone, my fiftieth post! It's raging here right now, cup's of tea are getting spilled, the neighbours have called the cops, it's totally wild! I wish you could all join me.  Seriously, I'm on to my second cup of tea and I just freebased six anzac bickies, like I said, wild! 

I'm starting to feel like I might actually have a place in blogland! I've got me some followers (Thanks folks!) and it feel's good to know people are reading my posts. It's still early days yet, and there are lot's of things I would like to tweek and change, but for now I'm happy just to have somewhere to put down my ideas, have a rant, or a gloat and share all the good bit's! So...if you're reading this, thank you, you make my day!

x

Thomas Wold Design

(all images courtesy of Thomas Wold Design)

Master of the 're-purpose', Thomas Wold is a multi disciplinarian who creates the most beautiful and odd bespoke furniture. The top image is from a project he did for Ready Made magazine made entirely from found objects! Iv'e been seeing a bit of his stuff around recently (check out his sneak peek for Design Sponge here) so I thought I would share it with you!

Now I'm feeling all inspired to get the hack saw out and start 're-purposing' some of my own furniture, it just smacks of disaster waiting to happen doesn't it!

for mosaic sake

Is more than two a collection? If so, then this is my collection of vintage mosaic home wares. From top to bottom we have a trivet, a dish and a decorative wall plate. I'm rather fond of this little collection and am keenly awaiting the opportunity to expand its ranks! I once found a lovely pair of pastel mosaic lamp bases at Chapel St Bazaar, at $400 for the pair I was happy just to look at them, but I would love to find something like that again, a real statement piece!

I don't know much about the history of these items. I haven't been able to find any information on the web and there are no makers marks or signatures on the backs of the pieces. The large plate above did have a 'made in Italy' sticker on the back and I wonder if they weren't produced for the tourist market.

Do you know anything about this stuff? Let me know! 

some promises are very hard to keep.

I bought a new lounge suite on the weekend, one I've been eyeing off for almost two years! It's a big, long, low line, modular one with lot's of  cushions and room for the whole family to sink into and watch tv, read stories, feed babies and have tickle fights! I hadn't actually planned on a large scale purchase before we moved, but sometimes fate intervenes with a different plan. I say fate because my couch was not bought from the store where I have been ogling it online for the last two years, my new couch was bought from my local Salvo's in brand spankin' new condition with not a mark on it, for a tenth of the original $4000.00 price tag!!!!! Op shop score of the century, quite possibly.

The problem with this unplanned purchase was that Andrew is quite happy with our original couch and didn't really see a need for a new one, and so a deal was struck. In order to negate the cost of this unplanned acquisition I have promised to make absolutely no unnecessary purchases until after we have moved in mid June! Not a bunch of flowers, no books, no traipsing the shiny marble floors of some enormous shopping centre eating food court sushi and drinking smoothies, no clothes and the hardest of all, no op shops or markets, OUCH! Like I said, some promises are very hard to keep.

The thing is, I tend to post about the crap I find, it's part of the fun, sharing your good fortune with other people and comparing notes. So what now? maybe I will have to focus on the stuff I already have and just 'make do'!

at least I can console myself with the thought that when I can start shopping again, it will be in a whole new area, with lot's of new place to explore, op shops to find and markets to hunt in!

I Heart Pinny's!

Sarah from Red Gingham is hosting 'The Great Apron Swap', I love an apron (or ten) so I'm quite excited to take part. If you want to get a fancy apron made just for you and are up to the task of making one just for someone else, why don't you pop over to the Red Gingham blog and sign up! Be sure to get in before April 25th though, registration closes then!

The Mother Load

Of all the things I collect, vintage towels would have to be my favourites. I LOVE colour and pattern and nothing  deals up a good serve of both like a brilliant vintage towel! I found these on Saturday at the local St Vinnies and I can't believe my luck, half of them have never been used! I have plans for a few of the older ones, bib's for Freddy, some new bath mats and a change mat for a friend who's having a baby. I really like seeing them all pegged out on the clothes line, but I keep looking at the grass thinking, you're really going to have to mow that! Ah, it never ends.

and finally.......

two re-upholstered spade back dinning chairs, poorly photographed BUT after many, many attempts at taking something clear and well lit, I gave up in order to have a cup of tea and a lie down. I am happy with the end result, it would be nice if my photographic skillz actually came close to doing them justice! Ah well, we can't all be Man Ray.

I have had a phenomenally  busy weekend involving Caribbean dinner parties, enormous skips, massive clean out's, spiders, dead rats, new couches, old couches AND some really very cool vintage scores (I'll post these flea market fancies tomorrow). So, given that it is now Monday evening and I am still going on about something that was soooo yesterday, clearly I need an early night.

A trip to the gift shop, North Korean style.

 Ok, so I was lurking around the internet the other night, kids in bed with glass in hand (as you do) when I came across the official Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea website (the ONLY North Korean website 'official' or otherwise I might add). Regardless of your political beliefs it's a really interesting place to visit and I lost a good hour looking at pictures of vigorous, straight-limbed youth in uniforms, young girls smiling in traditional costume, children waving and enormous parades of people all marching in time. I had a bit of a chortle to myself when I read some of the essays, and the article on the 'reunification' of Korea was well, enlightening.

All this is good and well, nothing out of the realm of what you would expect from a North Korean conduit, right? Everything was pretty much as you would imagine it to be, that is until I stumbled across the 'Official' Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea GIFT SHOP! That's right, a gift shop and quite a well stocked one at that. Run by the Korean Friendship Association, it's a one stop shop for all your propaganda needs. T-shirt's, mug's, laptop bag's, totes (and my favourite) posters, bucket loads of them! I felt like a kid in a candy store, a one-flavour-for-all; if that flavour was cabbage, candy store. An old house mate brought a bunch of similar Chinese propaganda posters back from a holiday and I've been in love with their anti-capitalist, Yankee, bone crushing images ever since, in a purely post ironic way of course ;) 

I come across copies (and the odd original) of Russian & Chinese propaganda posters fairly regularly, but not a lot of stuff actually makes it's way out of North Korea so I was a bit excited to find that I could get them directly from the source and at quite a reasonably priced too! Of course I would never seriously consider purchasing propaganda from Kim Jong Il's gift shop. Although I find the irony palpable; Communists, capitalising on Communism by selling baseball t-shirts emblazoned with anti-American, anti-capitalist sentiments back to the people of who it is most afraid.... you'll be happy to know they accept American Express.

Stop! That official Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea souvenir mug still has a security tag on! Thank You, have a nice day!

Stash Bust Progress Report

After a week of stolen moments I  finally completed Ada's 'rainy day' apartment today. The construction itself was pretty easy (even for this rudimentary stitcher) but those bloody Yoyo's took forever and I damn near cried when I realised that I would have to baste all the way around each of them to stop them being pulled off! Still, it did allow a for few relaxing hours in front of the telly and I am happy I made 'some' effort toward doing it properly.

I'm not renowned for my patience when it comes to my 'creative pursuits' (my implements of choice being hammer, glue gun and spray paint). However, the sewing machine is a necessary evil and a constant source of frustration for me so I feel I really should endeavour to improve our relationship. I've been thinking of taking a few classes (once Freddy can go for more than five minutes without a feed) so hopefully that will steer us on the path toward home economic bliss, or at least a reduction in the number of four letter expletives escaping from my potty mouth at ever increasing intervals!

I also finished the Spade Back chairs I posted about here, but it was too dark for a decent photo so I'll have to wait until the sun decides to bless me with it's shiny presence again.


Next on the Stash Busting agenda, some vintage towel bib's and a couple of blankets for Freddy (again with the sewing machine).


peace out....


x

FIVE really excellent things this week,

Yo kid's, what's up? Here's my high fives for the week!

1, Fat Acorns! How cute are these babies??

2, Going home to visit the family in Warburton. I love the Valley at this time of year. Cold air, wood smoke, lot's of wine, amazing food and superb conversation.

3, Spending time with my best friend! Rare these day's but every second is precious and revitalising.

4, 'Trespassing' on private property to spy on a super cool semi abandoned mid century home. Seriously so much fun  and just an absolute dream :)

5, Venus fly traps, because who doesn't love a plant that can feed it's self?

.......sick.

getting my stitch on

Did you ever build cubby houses under the dinning room table when you were a kid? 

I remember being compelled by some kind of budding nesting instinct to take every pillow, doona and blanket off every bed in the house and build my own little manchester micro forts? I would spend whole day's under the dining room table with my dolls and my books, playing house and ignoring the world outside. Those were special times when my imagination had yet to be tempered and I had a whole circus of pretend friends and animals to keep me company.

Recently, Ada has started to do the same thing and it is just fascinating to watch. However,  I am getting a little tired of re-making the beds 5 times a day! So, in the spirit of 'Stash busting April' I thought I would get my stitch on and come up with what I hope is a most pleasing solution.

Introducing the 'Table Tent"! Almost complete with just a few decorative bit's to be added, I'm quietly confident this baby is going to be a winner! It's basically a slip cover for my table made from vintage sheets and fabric scraps. I've added a few decorative, non functional bits like the faux windows and window boxes and I will finish adding the yo-yo flowers tonight. 

I hope she likes it, but if not I can always rent it out :)

(I'll pop a pic up of the finished product hopefully tomorrow).

My Poppet, a little shop full of BIG ideas.

It was almost three years ago when I first walked through the big door into the tiny shop called My Poppet. I had just had my first baby and Cintia had just opened her first shop. I spent much of my time over the next year popping in to look at all the beautiful clothing and toy's and to talk crafty bizzness with Cintia. Last year I was lucky enough to work in that little shop while Cintia was on maternity leave. A year on and a lot has changed. Cintia has just announced on her Blog that My Poppet will be closing it's big door for the final time in June. Sad but happy she say's, I can understand why.

some of Cintia's handmade felted bears

the always popular melemine cup's 
all pic's courtesy of  the My Poppet blog

So.....onto the business side of things, if you want to grab some seriously lovely kid's clothing at some seriously discounted prices, I suggest you help a sista out and pop on over to the My Poppet shop 717 Glenhuntly Road
Caulfield South, Victoria Australia  (03) 9528 5465.

In the mean time, keep your eye on the My Poppet and Made of Cloth blog's because we haven't heard the last from Cintia and this seriously talented chic has got truck loads of awesomeness up her sleeves.

now where did I put my wallet?..................

Stash Busting April

Betty Jo is on to something over at Lino Forest! The cool folks at cosa verde are hosting 'April Stash Bust' in line with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on the 22nd of April. What's the gist you ask?  Instead of buying new, you pledge to make April a Craft Destash Month! That means "for the entire month of the April, let's pledge not to buy any new craft materials, tools or supplies for the April Stash Bust!" What a perfect way to use up left overs, finish the un-finished and make some headway into all of those crafty bit's and bob's we put aside but never quite get around too! Now there's also a competition for your finished crafty masterpieces if your really into it. I think I'll leave that to some other folks and join along in spirit only.

For a long time now my craft collection has been teetering on the verge of crazy lady and the idea of moving it all to Ballarat makes me throw up just a little so I'm all in, are you with me?

Big Game Hunting

I really wasn't expecting to come across anything this week just gone. What, with weddings, appointments and public holidays I was all but prepared to write it off, but I was pleasantly surprised to find Oakliegh market kicking on like an old horse and so I managed a few choice pieces after all.

Carlton ware 'Magnolia' dish ($8 buckeroos and not a single chip!)

Vintage guessing game, full of fun cryptic questions such as " Toes not found on man or beast"

the answer, potatoes. 

Royal Copenhagen miniature wall plaque of 'The Little Mermaid' in Denmark (score)!

Ceramic vase, probably East German but without a makers mark.

Vintage Dri Glo sheet set in mint condition. I'm absolutely loving the green!

not a bad collection of thrifty trophies for almost zero effort!

Five fave's

Are you playing along with Pip's five fave's this week? Me too!

here goes....

1, Easter egg hunting, fun to set up and even funnier to watch. Pickle doesn't get to eat chocolate very often so she was running around the backyard like a deranged chicken yelling 'Egg's, egg's, egg's'. Sometimes that kid makes my heart just sing!

2, Family weddings! I have a HUGE family, with over 80 nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews (crazy I know, Andrew is the youngest of 14) I got to see one of them tie the knot yesterday with a much loved sweetheart and it was awesome! I absolutely love being part of such a big family!

3, Fresh flowers, my biggest indulgence! I get a few bunches every Sunday at the local market directly from the grower. My first job was picking flowers and working in the farms florist shop and now I'm fussy as hell about freshness. I can tell if they have been sitting in a cool room for a week!

4, Listening to Beach House, this song is called  Zebra from the recent Teen Dream album.

and lastly

5, 2004 Whitebox, Heathcote Shiraz. It's getting hard to find now and for $19 bucks a bottle an very nice drop indeed! I've heard the other vintages are good, but this is my favourite.

so, what are your five fave's of the week?

Happy Easter!

Hurrah for the Easter long weekend! 

Weddings, family dinners, Easter egg hunts and a list as long as my arm that needs ticking off will insure plenty of things to post about next week. Have a happy and safe weekend!