Totem...

... has opened! Curated by the lovely 'Craft Rock Star' herself! So very eloquently spoken about here. (some lovely photos too) If you look, you can see 'haus frau' hanging up in the rafters, where she should be. We'll be down in Melbourne a week on Saturday. I've got a 'to-see-and-do-list' so long! Can't wait!

Ex-Tablecloth

Found the above tablecloth at the Oppy today at 10am, and at 12pm it's a skirt.

Looking forward to seeing this on my little one, it's a really thin

linen cotton blend,

good for the long, hot, summer ahead.

And, what's summer without a bit of 'home made eccentricity'?

I'm always looking for new ways to 'doilyfy' stuff!

This is just a full skirt, with an apron shape sewn on the front,

or side, this one is actually made on the side,

then doily sewn on to the apron.

Whilst at the Oppy I also found this sheet, it's a double with minimal fading.

Poseyish, don't you think?

Thrifty Tuesday

Pyrex bowl, hand embroidered table cloth, amazing work, and lovely colours.

Irish Linen tea towel.

There's nothing like a bunny in a tuxedo tossing salad to lift the spirits.

I can't believe I passed up a vintage Thredbo souvenir tea towel at the Oppy today, because it was $4.00 instead of the usual $2.00. I'll go have a look tomorrow and see if it's still there. What are the odds?

Ever since Victoria showed her vintage caravan, I've been dreaming of getting one. It's not so much the sea-side holidays, it's making the curtains, putting down vintage lino, playing with the old gas stoves tops, that sort of thing. Then there's the idea of just going away, where ever, when ever.

*sigh* we don't have anywhere to put one though, so for the moment, I'll be living vicariously, and holidaying along with Victoria and co!

But Where's Bobo?

Unlike anything I've ever seen!

Inspiring!

We all loved it all!

Miss P even likes the programme....

And off to pre-school for yet another end of term service, Time is flying. Was really cute, P was yawning her head off through all the songs. And after the singing, an ice-block outside her class.

2 Wrongs Don't Make A Right

When sewing attacks!

I Just turned my machine off ... and walked away very slowly!

This looked great in my head, I love a bit of blue/red and white!!

it was going to be a pinafore, it looked awful, and frumpy - the combination just didn't work! So, to try and selvage something, I turned the bottom into a skirt, which I don't like either!

Not a great day in the sewing room.

Engrish

I found this Korean note pad at the oppy, full of the most bizarre English. This one: Yet not these melodramatic sunsets alone are beautiful.

Vintage Dresses

Some little pre-shcool dresses, for the little pre-schooler in the house!

These haven't photographed very well at all, but I did promise some pictures. Vintage fabric used in both of these, I'm liking the green theme.

'Go Yabba Yabba' is on in the back ground as I write, they are singing 'hands to yourself, keep your hands to yourself'. very catchy, think I'll be singing this for a while...

So ... I watched 'Australian Story' on Monday night, it was about a young girl who committed suicide at 18. I've been thinking about the family and the story this week.

What I learned from watching the show, is that we still don't accept mental illness, it's still seen as a weakness rather than an illness.

It made me realise that we need to talk, about anything - EVERYTHING.

Our generation of parents are so wired to produce 'brilliant offspring' everyone seems to want perfection. It's too much pressure on little people. Let them dag out, get bored, be average. Each person is good at something, no one can be good at everything, and you know, it's ok not to be brilliant at everything. I've met some competitive parents at pre-school, I'm expecting it to get worse at school next year. One Mum asked me a couple of weeks ago, out of nowhere: "Is Parker writing her name yet?" Why? Does it really matter if she is or isn't? I don't engage, I'd hate to be caught up in that sort of competition. It's like keeping up with the Jone's children.

So, that's my 'Ticked of Thursday'!

I Can Smile About it Now, But at The Time it Was Terrible ...

I've been tagged by Knitting Sprouts for the 7 random facts, I've done this a few times now, so there's at least 21 random facts within my blog already. I do like doing it though, so here they are, for this month:

1) I went to school in 3 different countries: Zimbabwe, England and Australia. There is NO comparison between ANY of them. I can honestly say though, that Zimbabwe had the most bizarre teachers! I had one teacher who would stand me next to her desk, to mark my work. A wrong answer would prompt her to pinch the side of my thigh! Kinky.

2) When I was 16 I wrote my only ever fan letter to Morrissey from 'The Smiths', declaring my undying love and pleading him to come and tour. They never did, perhaps another letter is in order ... 'Hi, me again ... still love you, um, when are you coming?'

3) Just lately, I've been wishing I was 16 again!

4) I'm the daughter of an alcoholic farther. That's quite cathartic saying that aloud! I was smacked for telling a neighbour in England that: 'My Dad's a raving alcoholic' I'd overheard my Mother talking, and actually thought it was something worth bragging about!

5) I was a vegetarian for 8 years. I still don't like handling meat. And lamb? Nope, I just see the cute little lambies so familiar in nursery rhymes. I struggle with lamb, and WONT do veal EVER. (note to self: remind Mozza that 'Meat is Murder').

6) I've been living in a perpetual state of cluckiness since I was about 28!

7) I love shoes - a lot.

There, not so hard really - think you all know about the shoe love, but you know, it's tough coming up with 7 on the spot! I'm piking on tagging 7 people for now.

Scanner arrangement by Parker.

Letters, Quirky Kids and Patience

An art work I really like from Parker this week. I'm just fascinated by the way she writes her name, look at the 'k' - it's like a spider! She's the quirkiest little person. But she's been very 'emo' this past week. Pulling my hair out type stuff, she does this every now and again, think it's just a mental growth spurt, usually after a week or so, she comes good again, so just riding this one out, exercising the 'Time Out' method, and hoping that things improve before the school hols start. Things are pretty quiet on the home front at the moment, I'm busy making dresses for summer - so should have some craft to show soon. We're going to Cirque de Soliel on Saturday, so I guess Parker may formulate an idea in her head that she'd like to run off with the Circus, I had the same plan, but the Circus I'd been to had weird clowns, bearded ladies and smelly, unhappy animals. Don't think I would have been happy in the long run!

Thursday-ish

Picked some flowers from the garden, to officially welcome spring to the kitchen.

Bought some fresh, organic, rhubarb, to officially say bye to winter. Will stew this with sugar, then have it with custard after dinner.

Made a twirly, summery, skirt for Little P, with fabric found on Monday.

Found an original Kartell table at the Oppy, my heart skipped a beat as I turned it upside down, and saw the Kartell mark! Then I looked at the price tag $5 - for a Kartell,

with legs what swivel like?!

P and I carried this off to the car!!

Needs a big clean up, then it'll live in P's bedroom.

Vertical Once More

After being layed up for 5 days, it was straight to the oppy for me - and just as well, else someone else would have got these cups (Mikasa) there's 4 of these ......

and some vintage fabric - yay for legs (and a back that doesn't hurt!)

Really love the orange and pink one. Can't wait to make some stuff again, I'm going to get reacquainted with my sewing machine right after lunch!

Received this gorgeous kitchy-doll from the super talented Superminx in the mail, Oh, I do love my postie, she came with lots of other cute goodies that Little P has already absconded with, thanks Miss Andi!

I couldn't get a decent photo of her, so I played around with this - and made it look all arty like! For a better representation you can have a look at Andi's blog, they are in her shop.

Fiddledy Flower Tots

Which in BBC terms means "f*%ckedy, f*%ck, f*%ck!"

On Sunday I sprained the muscles down each side of my spine.

Folding washing, coughing fit + ouch = immobility.

It has caused turret's style shouting out/swearing!!

Modified of course when the littlest one is around, but when she isn't, well lets just say Caligula would blush.

I've been trying my best to rest in bed.

Staring at the art nouveau ceiling.

I have new found respect/empathy for anyone who loses mobility permanently.

I've so much to share and show you, but once I'm mobile though hey?

x