Idle Pines

Final thrifted goodies of 2011

2012-01-08T21:53:00.004+10:00

So slightly late here are details of my final thrifting for 2011. I am playing along with Sophie's Her Library Adventure's Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday

I spent the Christmas holiday week back in NSW visiting my lovely brother and his beautiful wife.

We hit the local Penrith opshops. Penrith is a really good locale for opshops: there are 6 all within walking distance of each other: sadly the Lifeline was closed for the Christmas week so we had to content ourselves with glimpsing in the windows: apparently it is as good as the Salvo’s but not just not as chock-a-block crammed with stuff!! So a bit easier to browse and wander around.

I splashed out at the Anglicare half-price sale and got some lovely jeans, dresses and a top. Fashionable good fitting jeans seem to be notoriously hard to thrift so I was thrilled to find these skinny leg Dr Denim & Ladakh jeans. The grey dress is so pretty: the label is Sewn.

Its now 3 years and counting since I last bought a piece of new/non opshopped clothing (fraggle rock tee @ Myer sales) but I did a 4 year stretch at uni, so I still have a ways to go…

Some lovely shoes from the Salvo’s

Fabric & manchester love:

And some bits and bobs: cute stationary, floral trivet?, jar of buttons, cute mug, vintage cards, egg cup...

The Salvos was pretty breathtaking: its big and full of STUFF!! I could have wandered around for hours (I did actually make a 2nd visit before I left!)

I snatched a bad photo of just half of the crockery section.

Prices were a bit steep at the Salvos but there were certainly bargains to be found in there (I just had to think about the suitcase space)
I put on 6 kilos over Christmas... in my suitcase!

Details of the shops we visited are below.

ENDEAVOUR RECYLCLED CLOTHING
479 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750
(02) 4722 3432

SALVOS
499 High Street PENRITH
Ph (02) 4721 7321 Fax (02) 4721 7321
Mon- Fri 9.00am-4.20pm
Sat 9.00am-1.45pm

ANGLICARE
563 High Street Penrith NSW 2750
(02) 4732 2753

LIFELINE
109 Henry Street PENRITH
Ph/Fax 4721 7603
Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm Sat 9:00am - 1:00pm

VINNIES
2/144 Henry Street Penrith, 2750
Phone: 4722 3450
Mon - Fri 9am -4pm; Sat 9am -12pm; Sun Closed

SMITH FAMILY
82 Station Street, Penrith
02) 4731 3011
Mon to Fri: 9.00am to 4.45pm
Saturday: 10.00am to 2.45pm

thrifted style Summer 2012

May your 2012 be full of the most delightful opshopping, thrifting, garage sale-ing, tip shops, kerbside collections, etc, etc for you all! xo

Wynnum Op Shopping Guide

2011-10-31T09:46:00.001+10:00

I think Wynnum would have to be the best opshopping location in all of Brisbane: I have the details of 11 op shops in Wynnum for you all!

Easily all within walking distance and close to the train station and bus stops.

Helpful Note: visiting so many op shops is quite a big day: dont forget to take a nanna trolley if you are going by bus/train and remember to take a break for snacks & lunch: opshopping can be tiring work!

I have made a Wynnum Op Shopping Google Maps with the details too:

View Wynnum Op Shopping Guide in a larger map

Aid for the Blind Op Shop
82 Florence Street
(07) 3893 0252 ‎

Association for Pre-School Education of Deaf Children Thrift Shop
96 Florence St
Phone: (07) 3396 8517

Vinnies
44 Charlotte St (cnr Bay Terrace)
Opening hours: Specialising in Furniture. Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm Sat 9am - 1pm
Phone: (07) 3393 4418

Mary's Op Shop
Shop 5/ 89 Bay Tce
(07) 3348 6696

Endeavour Recycled Clothing
99 Bay Terrace
Phone 07 3396 0100

Lifeline
101 Bay Terrace
07 3393 5669

Salvos
111 Bay Terrace
Ph (07) 3393 3217 Fax (07) 3393 3217
Mon - Sat: 9.00am to 5.00pm

Asthma Foundation
131 Bay Terrace cnr Bay Terrace & Edith St

Australian Red Cross
Edith St Arcade
(07) 3893 3350

Salvation Army (not Salvo’s!)
128 Tingal Rd near Train Station

Pandora’s St Peter's Wynnum Church Thrift Shop
77 Charlotte St or Bride Street
Monday to Friday 9am to 12 noon
3393 3945

Happy thrifting everyone!!

Wynnum Wednesday Thrifting

2011-10-31T09:05:00.000+10:00

Just a 'bit' of thrifting! Well I did hit up Wynnum: on 'Wynnum Wednesday' and perused the 11 opshops there!

Vintage sheets: lots of 'em!, plus a gorgeous woollen/mohair blanket and some woollen remnants stacked on top (with a few teeny holes near the edges but at least that way I know its beautiful wool! Cant be the only one who buys 'eaten' fabric...)

Playing along with Sophie's Flea Market Finds & Selena's Thrift Share Monday

tower of opshopped goodness...

a lovely pair of thrifted shoes

Only $2 for a woollen/mohair blanket!

Pillowcase

Autumnal flowers: set plus pillowcases

Green and lemon double set

My all time favourite print (but not my fave colourways!)

Purple flowers

Blue Green poly cotton double set

Kind of 1981 rather than 1970s vintage sheets: but still a pretty cotton colourful vintage-ish sheet.

Happy thrifting everyone!! xo

September Thrifted Finds

2011-09-19T16:31:00.002+10:00

I do so love opshopping!! I have been able to fit some opshopping in and purchased some lovely finds recently.

I may have already broken this year's resolve to only buy clothes from my fave opshop and their fill a bag for $2 rummage sales last month.... (hello pretty $9 dress from Red Cross!) and I continued this wanton spending at the rummage sale: got lots of nice tees and tanks in my $2 bag but a girl cant live on tees and tanks alone and I found some lovely things on the $3 table that I just had to have and splashed out on!!

Pretty shoes, a sweet bag, gorgeous dress & cardi, work clothes, some lovely vintage sheets & pillowcases, fabrics including some awesome tartan plaid: what more could a girl want?! Well this girl ended up wanting a woolen dress for winter refashioning next year even though it was a beautiful hot summery day: a future present to future me! Favourite find would have to be the One Teaspoon Pink Lace 'festival style' Butterfly top I scored in the fill a bag section: 16 items for $2!

Linking up with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share

Happy thrifting to you all! xx

Refashioned Top

2011-06-05T13:49:00.001+10:00

In this week's Creative Space I finally whipped up a quick refashion I've had in the works for a while.

I've also submiited it to Project Restyle's Flickr group too:

When going through my Mum's stash ages ago I found these pretty white lace motifs:

White Lace Motif

I have not sure where she got them, I think it was from an embellished tablecloth and she unpicked the motifs. When I saw them I thought they would look great stitched onto a black top of some kind... and so the search for a suitable black top began... Which ended up being harder than I thought because I only buy thrifted and I just needed some sort of plain black top in my size...

At last I thrifted a black slightly sparkly knit racer back style tank.

On Thursday night I experimented with the exact placement of the motif on the tank and stitched the front on first, just with a row of stitching near the neck & near the bottom of the motif, then stitched the back, and had a pretty new top refashion ready for casual Friday at work!!

Refashioned Top: front

Refashioned Top: back

I have several more of these motifs so I see some other top refashions being done in the future.

I love creating my own fashion and looks: part of the sense of individuality inherited from my very much unique Mum!

Happy restyling!! xx

Vintage Sheet FQ Swap loveliness

2011-06-04T18:56:00.001+10:00

Well I have participated in 2 Vintage Sheet FQ Swaps over the last year and want to share with everyone the Vintage Sheet loveliness.

Most recently was Green tea and Red nail's Vintage Sheet FQ Swap. The wonderful Kelly organised a mammoth swap!

I was busy selecting...

washing...

& FQ-ing vintage sheets...

Then later admiring the sheets some of the swappees received: Patch Andi; Rosa's Room & weliketomakestuff.

Here are the lovely FQs I received:

Vintage Sheet FQ Stack

Rainbow circle of Vintage Sheet FQs

Last year I participated in Ange's Ramblings Vintage Sheet FQ Swap and for your vintage sheet enjoyment I belatedly present my FQs!

Pretty rainbow circle of FQs

Vintage Sheet FQ Stack

Vintage Sheet FQs!!

Hoping everyone has some vintage sheet loveliness to brighten their world xx

Cushion Swap

2011-05-23T20:23:00.002+10:00

So I finished my cushion for Punky & Me's Cushion Swap, yay! then like Lauren from Lozalicious suffered some severe cushion swap performance anxiety: my simple cushion seemed a little plain Jane compared to the beauties some people have created: perhaps to make myself feel better I shall describe the style of cushion as 'understated simplicity'?!

I wanted to make a snuggly colourful winter cushion with a men's shirt back and totally from the stash: I had a knitted strip made with a lovely variegated yarn which I sandwiched between some dusky pink corduroy, et volia! Made for Jacinta who turned out to be a fellow corduroy fan!

Men's shirt back: cant wait to make more cushion backs like this!

Snuggly winter cushion with knitted front.

Received my amazing cushion in the post today: I LOVE it!!
Made by knitgirl66 from all pre-loved fabrics: and I totally love the green brown orange 70s hues: just my thing!! Currently residing on my tan recliner looking very much at home! Thank you knitgirl66: it is gorgeous!!

Cushion ♥

My Creative Space: Owlie

2011-05-22T18:06:00.000+10:00

Well this creativity in my creative space is from a couple of weeks ago: I made some 'Happy Goodbye' presents for the kiddies of my 2 of my dear work friends as I was leaving my old work for a new job and adventure in my life, hence I created a new gift giving occasion: 'Happy Goodbye!'
For more creative spaces curated by kootoyoo head over to Our Creative Spaces.

I had wanted to make the Bernina Sewing Republic Snuggly Owl Softie Pattern created by Ashley from Make it and Love It as it looked so darn cute!

I made one change, omitting the red strip so it was a flatter softie (primarily so it was easier for me to make it!) I used thrifted and reclaimed fabrics from our stash inlcuding a soft purple polar fleece for the back & the stripe was from a knit dress I thrifted.

Cutting out the pieces

Owlie!! too-whit too-whoo...

Owlie plus friend ready for their new pals

I seriously want to make more of them: they are so cute and the colour, fabric and print combination possibilities are endless! Thanks to Ashley from Make it and Love it for her amazing talent & creativity and her awesome pattern!!

Flea Market Finds: May

2011-05-22T17:30:00.001+10:00

At last I am belatedly posting some of my recent(ish) thrifted finds. Playing along this week with Apron Thrift Girl Thrift Share Monday and Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds

Assorted thrifted manchester and fabics goodies: old and new sheets, Hello Kitty bath mat, woollen fabric, tea towel, polished cotten, linen remnants, etc, etc.

Pretty thrifted $2 flats: scarely worn (by the previous owner that is: these are my new fave shoes!)

Pink Plastic Tote: how could I resist! Hope to put a knitting project in it (when I get a knitting project that is!)

Cant get enough 1970s floral bath towels.

I do love my opshopping: I think it must time to organise another trip to Wynnum/Manly, armed with my nanna trolley, very very soon.

Hoping everyone has delightful wonderful serendipitous thrifting!! xx

MUSIC MONDAY

2011-03-07T21:03:00.000+10:00

For your listening and viewing pleasure I give you 1960s British band The Honeycombs with their hit: Have I the Right.

Despite my tender years I do love listening to 'oldies' radio stations: starting back in my late teens in Wollongong listening to 96.5 WAVEFM where my love of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap first started, to up here in Brisbane where I love listening to 4KQ especially on the weekend with all their great 60s and 70s songs.

The Honeycombs took this song to Number 1 in the UK in 1964. The single sold over a million copies but sadly the group's success didnt continue and they split up in 1966.

I just cant stop clapping my hands when I listen to this song!! I love it: my new favourite old song!

Handmade Advent Calendar

2010-12-07T22:13:00.003+10:00

I loved our childhood advent calendar, a beautiful olde worlde stable scene with cute biblical pictures behind each window and glitter, whats not to like about glitter! From Etsy these kind of calendars seem to be called vintage West German advent calendars. Each Christmas I would eagerly open each window even though I had been opening the same windows for about the last 15 years! I LOVED that advent calendar.

Sadly our beautiful advent calendar along with the rest of our christmas decorations (including some beautiful cane christmas churches my mum had had for years) disappeared in mysterious circumstances over ten years ago *sob*

I have mourned the loss of that advent calendar since and this weekend I finally finished this new advent calendar:

The image is from a children's book: "My Big Christmas Book" which I picked up at an opshop last year and its full of the most beautiful illustrations, some of which, including this one, must be done by the same illustrator who designed the images for the Piatnik Finding Pairs memory game we played as children because the kids faces in this picture are exactly the same as the doll from the memory game. I would cry if I didnt get that dolly! My brother always took great delight in trying to match the dolls because I loved them so much but my mum, bless her, would let me trade one of my pairs for the dolls if she matched them!

The details. I thought this picture would be great for an advent calendar because aside from it being a gorgeous illustration I could put images behind the candles. There werent quite enough candles so I used some of the other ornaments. I scanned the image so I could edit the picture on my pc then on one copy copied and pasted small cute nativity style illustrations onto the candle and other ornament areas. I found some cute images through googling. I had the star for day 24 and put a large nativity scene behind that window.

Then on the original image I randomly added the advent numbers then had both images printed on card at Officeworks. I cut out the candle and ornament windows leaving one edge for the fold using a craft knife and a cutting board, then glued the two cards together when I realised I hadnt cut out one window! oops! Thankfully I was able to cut it out without cutting through the back card.

Volia one cute advent calendar which I am seriously enjoying opening each window!

Hooray for crafting, thrifting and advent calendars AND 'finding pairs'!!

Playing along this week with Apron Thrift Girl's Make Share.

Eazi-Eater

2010-09-25T11:54:00.000+10:00

Other people may have used Splayds which were invented by William McArthur in the 1940s in Sydney, Australia and are a spoon, fork and knife in one utensil, or Sporfs, Spifes, Sporks or Knorks...

But I grew up using the delicious Eazi-Eater: "It scoops...LIKE A SPOON It spears...LIKE A FORK It cuts...LIKE A KNIFE": the Eazi-Eater!!

We still have 4 of the 6 Eazi-Eaters my Mum had. We gave a couple to my brother and I jokingly bemoan this when I am trying to find an Eazi-Eater! He is adamant we only gave him one!! I love my Eazi-Eater, particularly when eating Tuna Casserole which our family have been making since before I was born. I could almost just use an Eazi-Eater for every meal!

Sadly there is very little information on these delighful eating utensils so I have done some googling and can now present my findings.

I was able to find some images of Eazi-Eaters and can now share them for your sporf/spork enjoyment.

The Es in the Eazi-Eater logo (which was engraved on the back of the utensils) had the Eazi-Eaters as part of the Es.

This package states they are made by Clarion/Heath in Japan.
These Eazi-Eaters have a different style handle

This quote was included in a listing for a six pack of Eazi -Eaters on eBay:

"Silver Birch De- Luxe

Eazi-Eater reg. Design no 50717

The sensational 3-in-1 Eating Utensil

Swedish Design Quality Stainless Steel

It scoops...LIKE A SPOON

It spears...LIKE A FORK

It cuts...LIKE A KNIFE

Ideal for all BUFFET MEALS-PICNICS-PARTIES

YOUNGSTERS AND OLDIES LOVE THEM."

I LOVE them! I so need a six pack of Eazi-Eaters, I would like to take one with me when I eat out and I could probably give a spare or 2 to my brother!!

Hopefully courtesy of eBay I will be able to have more Eazi-Eaters in the not too distant future. :o)

My heart skipped a beat... Op Shopping Finds

2010-09-14T20:56:00.002+10:00

So ever since I participated in Ange's Ramblings Vintage Sheet FQ Swap I have experienced some severe vintage sheet lust… looking at the FQs everyone else got, searching on flickr… even contemplating making a bid on this gorgeous sheet on ebay

One of my favourite designs and in a purple colourways too!!

But my natural economic sensibilities got in the way and I consoled myself with saving the picture instead.

Recently I decided I would ‘pop into' Lutwyche to go the Salvos and Lifeline there whilst my mum was having a nap. Wandered in, looked at the clothes, turned around to the manchester and…

my
heart
skipped
a
beat…

Only $6.50. I clutched it to my chest and gave it a hug!!! Yay!!!
The next day I thought I would go to Annerley to visit the 3 or 4 opshops there. It’s probably been at least 2 years since we have been there, and I thought it’s a good opportunity to hit them up!

First Lifeline
This stunning sheet $4

What a beautiful print, never seen this before.

This this gorgeous double at the Red Cross

I am in heaven!!!
I think I have just scored the vintage sheets of dreams.

Still more vintage sheets goodness...
Haven’t been to Wynnum in years, so decided to go on a Wednesday ‘Wynnum Wednesday’ I called it: I had a list of 11 op shops and I saw another.
Made the mistake of buying too much at the 2nd opshop I went to so then had too much to lug around so I had to buy a nanna trolley.

No sheets as exciting as the ‘beautiful three’ but all these lovely linens and more for only $10:

(half in this photo were from this lot, the other from the Red Cross at Alderley the next week)

I wish my name was KYM:

This cushion is from a delightful store called the Upstairs Shop in London, in the 70s I think
This lovely doona cover for $3

I love quilt covers: they havent been worn as much as sheets!

This double from the Red Cross

Then at the Vinnies I saw all of these, but had too much already so left them behind?! I must have been delirious! Got my nanna trolley, lunched and visited all the other shops then finally came back here, how could I have left these behind!!

I really really love the green one.

Vintage tablecoth

I also scored a Cadbury doona cover which I have tidied away and now cant find to take a picture of.

Despite my seasoned years didn’t buy a jacket I liked, so went back Friday a week later to see if it was there but NO! But found these ballerina sheets

Okay: enough sheet buying!!!!

I can now start on the vintage sheet quilt to end all quilts!!

Whoops forgot about these:

Lifeline on the way to catch the bus, cant actually remember when I bought them, but between Annerley and Wynnum sometime!!

I ♥ vintage sheets, but I do occasionally buy other things too!!
like vintage fabric:

and adorable tins:

I scored the Hello Kitty one on the right, the other I bought years ago at Lifeline: a yummy picnic suitcase:

Playing along this week with Her Library Adventure's Flea Market Finds &
Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday

Happy thrifting and opshopping wherever you may be!

Flea Market Finds

2010-07-11T18:58:00.005+10:00

Well I am seriously behind in reading everyone's gorgeous finds over the last few weeks on Flea Market Finds on Sophie's Her Library Adventures

I have actually been able to do some opshopping over the last few weeks :o) but only because my mum is back in hospital :o( So I have hit the opshops for a round of plus one-less shopping. My mum & I have been op shopping buddies for over a decade: gee we have had some awesome opshopping adventures and mis-adventures over the last 10 years!!!

I was able to find some treats for my mum: vintage flannelette and a piece of vintage woollen fabric for her which even had the original tag on it! I love it when you find things like that! I am also thinking it might be fun to dye it!

From the Lifeline Bookfest I went to in June, I had a major case of bookfair envy when I saw a woman with a Print Gocco in box with the price of $3 written on it!!!! I would have LOVED that! Good on her though!! Great find!

However, I did find some great craft books:

We love Ondori books!

And some more cool lotto type & word games to add to my collection. I hope to use them in some creative/crafty way sometime in the future…

Cute vintage block game from the lifeline bookfest:

From normal opshopping: 2 vintage linen teatowels, a floral face washer and a crochet pot holder. I attempted to relearn how to crochet recently, but I need a bit more practice. I did a whole row of slip stitch thinking I was crocheting chain stitch! I am going to use Meet me at Mike’s Granny Square Tutorials in another attempt to get it right!

I also scored a heap of one dollar clothes from my favourite opshop, including some much needed long sleeve tops for this cold weather we are suffering in Brisbane: its always good to find things you actually need isnt it!

I have gotten 3 pairs of gorgeous summer sandals from the opshops over the last few weeks:

(L-R) Leather sandals $1 from aforementioned fave one dollar opshop; just this week $2 sandals (might be leather but they had such great flexible soles had to buy them!) from Geebung Red Cross and lastly Mollini leather gladiator sandals $3 from Lifeline.

I discovered I can catch a bus to Geebung so popped off to visit their 4 opshops and got these: lovely dull plum velvet cushion covers, cute children's pillowcase, a lovely fat DJ copy of DFB Nancy to the Rescue (to replace my non DJ copy!) & a floral pink shower curtain I am hoping to use somehow: I am thinking wrapping paper, maybe stitching up a small envelope style bag or something! have to put my thinking cap on!!!

And lastly, just less than one minute after I had posted off my vintage sheet FQs for Ange’s Ramblings Vintage Sheet FQ Swap I found some vintage cotton sheets at the local opshop!! Two singles and 2 pillowcases. I love the floral print, less so the colours, would have looked gorgeous in a pink, purple, green or blue colourways, but I wont say no to some cotton vintage floral sheets! They will have to be for the next FQ swap whenever that might be….

I hope everyone enjoys fun and fruitful opshopping this week!!

Flea Market Finds

2010-05-30T20:08:00.002+10:00

Well I have been having such a delightful time reading everyone's posts on Flea Market Finds at Her Library Adventures with Sophie over the last couple of weeks and wishing I could go opshopping, but alas there is not much opshopping adventures for me on the horizon. Hopefully in a couple of months...

Instead here are some of my former finds: hope that's okay to share some of my fave recent (ish) finds!

Gorgeous vintage teatowel, bought at Vinnies at Wynnum, and smuggled to the counter while I told my mum to go off elsewhere in the shop! The perfect gift for a loved mum!

Bath Towels

Well I remember the beautiful floral bath towels from my very early childhood and I have been fortunate enough to find some awesome floral vintage bath towels earlier this year.

These gorgeous beauties all together at the local, they must have come from someone's household linen:

Closeups of the 5 towels: I love the different print and colour combinations.

This last one was from an earlier find at my fave opshop in Alderley: Red Cross: I love an opshop that has a bit of everything: clothes, shoes, bric a brac, books, manchester, and this op shop never fails to produce finds!

I hope everyone has some great thrifting/flea marketing/opshopping this week!

To play along visit Sophie at Her Library Adventures

Bargain Buy of the Century!?!

2010-05-28T20:32:00.000+10:00

I have been doing online grocery shops for the last 5 weeks or so, and on Thursday I was browsing the bin aisle whilst finalising my order when I saw it... 1c items!!!

First of all I thought they must be selling zip lock bags individually!

I had no idea what the items exactly were, they did not have any pictures, so I googled the names and figured they were 2 types of bins and 1 type of storage container with those snap lids.... for one cent each! I promptly put some in my order. I have very thrifty genes I couldnt do otherwise!

I wasnt sure if I would actually end up with some or any of the one cent items, in my confirmation order email I was informed the Sterelite bins were out of stock, so I was thinking... well... they didnt say the other items were out of stock... I could be getting some 1c storage containers...

And then this morning when the lovely Coles delivery guy dropped off my groceries, he also dropped off some one cent storage containers! Well actually 10 because thats how many I ordered!!

I am not sure why they were listed as 1c, perhaps its a final final clearance?!

I am looking forward to better storing some fabrics and crafty items & supplies and other things in them instead of in random bags, odd boxes and suchlike

So if anyone has to do an online Coles grocery shop soon and needs some new storage containers and can scrounge together an extra few cents, order some!

They also had lidded Huro Billy buckets for one cent, but I didnt find them until after later that day. :(

I did also get some of the wastepaper bins for one cent each, and now can boast of having matching wastepapers bins in the house!

10c for 10 storage containers: I think the best 10 cents I have ever spent!!

Flea Market Finds

2010-05-02T20:48:00.020+10:00

Well I have enjoying everyone's posts over the last almost two months and it is my pleasure to be able to join in (at last!) with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds. I am a long time opshopper first time Flea Market Finds poster! I have enjoyed over 11 glorious years of equally glorious opshopping.
I have actually not done any opshopping in the last 2 weeks, so I will show what I found earlier in April. I had a very good run of opshopping in November and December last year, managing to hit all my favourite op shops and scored lots of good finds, then I fasted from opshopping for almost a whole month then decided that was enough time and I should really hit all my favourite haunts again! I was able to break my fast with a delightful fill a bag for $1 clothes sale at the Windsor Road Thrift Shop, and um well I certainly made up for my near months fast! 6c clothes are very pleasing!

Here are some of my recent April finds...

As soon as I looked over at the manchester in Lifeline I grabbed this gorgeous Sheridan vintage floral sheet: I already have a set in black so I had to buy it in these amazing blue/purple tones:

And here is the original sheet I found a couple of years ago:

I LOVE these prints!!

I bought some old girls' 1960s/1970s annuals for only $1 each at the Salvation Army Depot in Red Hill in April. They have some delightful illustrations and I thought I would post this very appropiate scan:

Last but not least... one BNWT Bonds Thermocolour Singlet!!

This is Bonds' modern version of the glorious hypercolour of my youth. I already have one and was actually wearing it when I found this new one. They do say when you like something you should buy a couple of them. I am now set for the future with not one but 2 hypercolour singlets and the future is certainly looking good!

From the Vault:

One thrifted jumper, bought from the Salvos a couple of years ago. Gorgeous Entrelac knitting (Mum told me that is what it is!).

The plan is to make one square cushion cover from it and two neck roll cushions from the huge arms. At the moment its not even a UFO its a Not Even Started Un Finished Object!!

Happy Flea Market Finding everyone! and thanks to Sophie for such a lovely weekly feature.

Australian Vintage Sheet FQ Swap 2010

2010-05-02T11:01:00.001+10:00

Run by Ange the details are all here.

I cant wait, ever since I stumbled (too late!) across Chalet Girl's Vintage Sheet Swap I have been dreaming of vintage sheet quilts.

I am hoping I can squeeze some opshopping in between then and now, to add to my existing stash of vintage sheets. I must get busy washing and cutting sheets into fat quarters! yay!!

I am hoping to make something like Pins & Thimbles Vintage Sheet Quilt. Ever since I saw this quilt I have been desiring to make something like it, but more of a quilt cover and not actually quilted.

My Place & Yours: My Collection

2009-11-27T22:59:00.001+10:00

Well I simply had to join in with this weeks My Place & Yours: My Collection, from the lovely Meet me at Mikes.

Some of the things Kate wanted to know

I want to see a photo or photos of what it is that you collect.

Then if you feel like it you could let us know what your collection rules are;
Does it have to be green? Does it have to be from another country? Does it have to be second hand or a gift? Does it have to be old or complete?...
What constitutes a collection for you? Is it more than three of the same thing? Is it rare things?
Is your collection ongoing or is it complete?
...what's your story?

Collections, collections, where do I start?....

My first love collecting wise is British School Stories.

I guess my collection is ongoing. Considering there are c. 2500 British School Stories published between the 1880s and 1960s and I do not have them all then it an ongoing collection!!

Having first stumbled across school stories when I was 8 years old and we went to a secondhand book sale and I purchased 21 old childrens novels including a few school stories, I didnt really begin to find many more until I was in my late teens and I started going to op shops and found some more examples then started looking for similar books and becoming interested in the genre and wanting to know more about the authors and the novels. Fast forward to now and I have managed to acquire a massive collection through much opshopping, book fairing, and purchasing from other collectors. I also managed to acquire an MPhil in Australian school stories along the way!

Over the last couple of years I have slowed down in acquiring new titles, and I have done quite a lot of non school story reading! but I am looking forward to re-reading all my favourites and just spending some time in my library looking through the annuals (another collection!!), updating the spreadsheet, scanning covers, trying to do a few bits of research and just generally enjoying them.

Enid Blyton...

I also bought some Enid Blyton titles that fateful day when I was 8 years old... which have now been added to considerably...

Over the rest of my years I have also somehow managed to acquire some other mini collections....

hankies

1980s noveltly erasers

1970s linen tea towels

I think with all my 'collections', you first discover one item, ie one glorious 1970s linen teatowel, and then you want to find more... and more... and more...!! I guess being such a passionate op shopper for over a decade it is perhaps almost inevitable that I have ended with a collection or two!

I am also very partial to: kawaii stationary, patterned envelopes, vintage pillowcases, vintage aprons, vintage children's picture books & fabric! but these remain photoless at this stage...

Thanks very much to Pip for My Place & Yours and to Kate for her theme this week.

The Quilt Project: Redwork Design

2009-09-29T19:38:00.002+10:00

For Kootoyoo's The Quilt Project.

I love 70s floral fabric prints so I wanted to create a floral design reflecting this. I used a 70s linen teatowel, stool cover and bedsheet for the inspiration for my design, with the final design looking quite different from my early drafts.

I really liked the layout of the teatowel and the bold flowers on the stool cover so I mixed them together then right at the last moment altered the flower in the middle drawing ideas from the bedsheet.

Technical details: DMC in 666: 3 strands

Stem, running & back stitches & french knots.

Searching for Clues with Kootoyoo

2009-09-21T13:03:00.000+10:00

I have been busy searching for clues with Kootoyoo this week,
and after much Nancy Drew style clue collecting, and wandering around gathering milkbars, softies for mirabel, plywood, crochet and various other othings, I have unjumbled the letters (YMINOTUMC) and I think the word is

COMMUNITY

:o)

Secret Seven Passwords

2009-06-15T17:55:00.000+10:00

For your Blyton enjoyment, here is a list of the passwords used in the Secret Seven series:

Secret Seven Passwords

Adventure
Beware
Cheek Charlie
Easter Egg
Fireworks
Grim
Guy Fawkes
Holidays
Indians
Jack Sprat
Lollipops
Mint Sauce
Picked Onions
Rabbits
Scamper
Stable Boy
Telescope
Thump
Thursday
Toad in the Hole
Wee Willie Winkie
Weekdays
Wenceslas
Wuff
Wuff-Wuff

Secret Seven Passwords by title

1. The Secret Seven (1949)
Wenceslas
Weekdays

2. Secret Seven Adventure (1950)
Rabbits
Indians

3. Well Done Secret Seven (1951)
Adventure

4. Secret Seven on the Trail (1952)
Picked Onions
Cheek Charlie

5. Go Ahead Secret Seven (1953)
Jack Sprat
Beware

6. Good Work Secret Seven (1954)
Guy Fawkes
Fireworks

7. Secret Seven Win Through (1955)
Thursday
Easter Egg

8. Three Cheers Secret Seven (1956)
Lollipops
Grim

9. Secret Seven Mystery (1957)
Mint Sauce
Stable Boy

10. Puzzle for the Secret Seven (1958)
Wuff
Thump

11. Secret Seven Fireworks (1959)
Wee Willie Winkie

12. Good Old Secret Seven (1960)
Wuff-Wuff
Telescope

13. Shock for the Secret Seven (1961)
Toad in the Hole

14. Look Out Secret Seven (1962)
Holidays

15. Fun for the Secret Seven (1963)
Scamper

Hopefully more Blyton tit bits to come soon!

Summer of 69 Thrift Store Refashion Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-31T21:40:00.000+10:00

Summer of 69 Thrift Store Refashion Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

How could I resist the chance of winning this amazing dress!!
I am signed up to Wardrobe Refashion, but am better at opshopping than actual refashioning but I am really excited about having a go and doing some refashion. This dress is gorgeous! I feel inspired to rummage through my opshop surplus and see what oversize dresses I have....

Awesome Quotes

2008-07-21T07:34:00.003+10:00

Some of my favnourite quotes & stuff....

Marty Sheargold: "only cockroaches and Tim Ferguson would survive a nuclear bomb."

Ed Kavalee: "When at an all you can place avoid non-delicious fillers like potatoes, rice and bread and head right for the good stuff like the roasts, and for desert don't go for just ice cream go for cake cause the ice cream will just fill you up and cake is always so much better."

Seinfeld: PABA Free
Jerry: You got a problem with paba?
George: Yes, I have a problem with paba.
Jerry: You don't even know what paba is.
George: I know enough to stay away from it.

Napoleon Dynamite: Chapstick
Napoleon Dynamite: Well, will you do me a favor then?Can you bring me my chapstick?
Kip: No, Napoleon.
Napoleon Dynamite: But my lips hurt real bad!

The Fast Show: Cheezy Peaz
Yuletide Cheezy Peaz! The same combination of cheese and peas, but - with added Xmas bwandy buttter! ...
Phoof! Look at that! Cheeses and peases for JesusIf you like cheese, if you like peas, you'll love Cheezy Peaz. Whoa! You'd go mad for these! NEW! Squeezy Cheezy Peaz! Tea's a breeze with Squeezy Cheezy Peaz! So, come on, Mams! Make it easier! Make it
cheesier! Make it peazier! Make it s-q-u-e-e-zier! With NEW Squeezy Cheezy Peaz! Available in traditional, and now, new STRAWBERRY flavour!Ross Noble from Terri & Ross on JJJ: 'Fade him down he's a nutter'

Ali G: 'Scientists tell us that global warming will make the south of England as hot as Ibiza... So, let's make it happen!'

That 70's Show: Anything Red says about dumb asses, including the very first
Red: He's dumb, he's an ass, [light starts shining on him] he's a dumbass.

That Mitchell and Webb Look: Bronze is brilliant! ... Bronze is user friendly, multipurpose, exciting, zeitgeisty and most importantly, it's slightly shiny

Hamish & Andy: Afternoon Delight

2008-07-05T03:22:00.004+10:00

I love listening to Hamish & Andy's Afternoon Delight!. They play awesome songs at the beginning of each show on their Pants Off Friday shows. Much in the same vein as the six o'clock shock on Triple J Breakfast with Adam & Will. There isnt any record kept of the great songs they play, & no other like minded soul on the internet seems to have done it, so I will start a little record of the fantastic songs they play.

Friday 4th July 2008

4pm: Montell Jordan This is How we Do It

5pm: East 17: Its Alright

7 September 2009
Alas I almost always manage to miss the Afternoon Deeeeelight because I work so my hoped for list never eventuated... :(
Richard Fidler from ABC Brisbane is doing an Afternoon Delight... copycat!!