Ten things to do on rainy days...

Stay in bed, grab all the pillows, get comfy and read.

Go through your closet and make a pile of any unwanted items to give to charity. The same can go for your bookshelf, children's clothes and toys.

Bake. Cookies and cake are great on a rainy day.

Take photos of the clouds, puddles or anything that reminds you of rain.

Ring a friend and talk for an hour (as long as it isn't storming).

Rent a movie you loved as a teenager but haven't seen in years.

Write a letter to a friend and tell them a story about how you met, or a funny memory you have of a time you spent together.

Make yourself a mixtape, whether it be on your MP3 or burnt to CD, go through your favorite songs and make the perfect album for driving to work, or gardening, or just for a rainy day.

Take up that hem and sew on that button that you have been meaning to do for ages.

Sit in your favorite chair and knit or crochet or (insert craft of choice here) , listen to the rain and let your thoughts wander.

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Do you have any rainy day ideas to add to the list?

Pip's Blog Tour...

"Hello Pip, lovely to meet you! I'm Christina and this is my dear little boy, Cohen.

Let me take you coat and come in and have a seat.

I think you will know most of these ladies? Of course, it is a small world isn't it?

Tea? Sandwich? Scone? I made them myself.

I have been so looking forward to us all meeting like this. Thank you so much Pip for making the time for this lovely visit, I can't wait to see what you have been working on!"

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"How exciting to be visiting Christina today! I thought we could refashion these napkins (or whatever they are ...!) They are much used, tea stained and unravelling, so a re-make is just the thing! These are perfect for prettily picking up scorching hot coffee pots or tea pots.

Don't you dare use them on any grubby fry pans!" - Pip.

Ok, I am off to raid my basket full of linens!

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PS. My University application has been accepted! I start studying again next month.

Flea Market Finds...

On a particularly difficult day, a little 'I saw it and I thought of you' gift is always welcome.

And if that gift be eight balls of thrifted yarn, so much the better.

Thank you Clare, you brought some sunshine to my day.

More thrifty finds here.

You, me and a cup of tea...

If you can manage it, may I suggest you drop by this little old blog on Tuesday?

You see, the lovely Pip is dropping in on her blog tour and will be leaving us with a guest post. I know, I know, it is wonderful isn't it? You hope to be back? Oh good, that's lovely, I will put the kettle on.

Ahhh... a blog tour, sounds positively wonderful and I can see images of the 'tours' of olden days.

I imagine Pip will have sweet vintage suitcases, a travelling hat and a pair of gloves and she will hang her coat on the coat rack before sharing with us a little something, a little surprise something and I will make her tea and cucumber sandwiches.

I am quite excited by all this and have no idea how I shall sleep tonight or the following nights! Pip, the crafty goddess that she is?!

I had better go and get the good cups and saucers out...

(Image)

I love thrifting...

Yesterday my darling mother and I wound our way through three opportunity shops and found some little treasures amongst the racks and shelves of the unwanted. There was trash amongst those shelves and racks too of course, which always makes it all the more rewarding when you find your prize.

I came home with my hands full of sweet vintage tops, old belts, funny old beads,

a little something for the entry to the house, and a pair of NOVO flats that my husband is convinced are much too Nana-ish for me to ever wear...

But they looked quite nice with a pretty top and a vintage skirt today, thought I.

Loving Summer...

Loving the rain and the cooler change in the weather. Just what I had hoped for, though still not quite cool enough for the throw to be draped over legs and snuggled into.

Still loving this shawl and thinking about making another attempt at crocheting one for myself.

Loving Kylie's inspirations and cool plates.

Loving photography lessons with the Sometimes Crafter.

Loving friends coming for dinner and setting the table with the good stuff.

What are you loving?

The last stitch...

I am afraid my photography skill or lack of has been severely tested today!

A finished mustard throw, a brown lounge and an overcast day do not seem to add up to a great photo. So you will have to trust me that it looks nice laying over the lounge, and it feels so snugly and lovely being 100% wool.

It is such a great feeling too for it to be finished, ends woven in, and ready for some cool weather.

The design reminds me of snakes and ladders and the pattern is very simple and only requires two stitches;

chain stitch (Ch) and double crochet (Dbl).

Row 1- Ch odd no. to desired width, plus ch 3. Turn.

Row 2- 1 Dbl crochet in fourth ch from hook, 1 Dbl crochet into each chain until end. Turn.

Row3- Ch 3, 1 Dbl into first stitch and 1 Dbl crochet into each stitch until end. Turn.

Row4- Ch 4 (counts as 1 Bbl and ch1), 1 Dbl crochet into third stitch, Ch 1, miss next stitch, 1 Dbl crochet into next stitch, Ch 1, skip next stitch, 1 Dbl crochet into next stitch. Continue until end. Turn. Ch 3.

Repeat Row 2 - 4 until desired size.

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As this is the first pattern I have ever written I hope it makes sense and welcome any feedback. I think this would look great in stripes of colour as well...

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Edit: I used a 5.00 mm crochet hook and 10 balls of 50 gram 8 ply wool for this project and my finished piece is approximately 100 x 80 cm.

All that jazz...

The storm last night lowered the temperature and the lightening lit up the sky. After weeks of sleep without sheets or blankets, the storm brought the need to briefly pull up the sheet. How I miss my blankets.

The babe did not sleep well, perhaps because of the lightening. The many times I was up to him in the night I did not turn on a light, the flashes of lightening provided all the light I needed.

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Today has been one of those days that goes by slowly and somehow many things get done. The house is clean, the floor moped, the clothes washed, the dishes done...

Some more crochet stitches added to the throw, a chance to read more of 'Wishing on the Moon', a pleasant little nap, baking these delicious cookies and making this granola / muesli.

(Must try to stop eating these... must resist, I have eaten too many already...)

I hope this Friday finds you well and ready for a lovely weekend.

What have you been doing today?

And they're off and racing...

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Australia day. We caught up with friends and made our way to the mud crab races at the bowls club. The crabs were auctioned off, the money going to children with special needs, and the crabs went from $25 to $60 each. There were thrifty crabs in total, if you count the one that seems to have expired before the race, but had been paid for nonetheless. My husband went in on two crabs, the first hardly moved and the other one came second in it's heat.

I have never in my life seen crab racing before, but it was quite amusing.

Five crabs were put in the middle of the ring for each heat and the first one to make it over both circles was the winner. A winner from each heat made it to the final round.

(Sorry about the photos, it was too dark inside without the flash and it was quite crowded and difficult to take photos.)

Unfortunately I had to leave early because I wasn't feeling well and I missed my husband winning the thong throwing competition. Alas, I hadn't even had a single drink. Very un-Australian.How was your Australia day? How did you spend the day?

(Blogger, why are you underlining everything now?)

Summer loving...

Given the hot weather we have been experiencing a project made of wool is hardly practical. While I know this, I am so excited about the prospect of having the throw finished and on the lounge, ready to use when the weather cools down again that I have been managing to crochet while sitting under the fan...

Today we celebrate Australia Day.

I will be back later to share some of the days events.

I love op-shopping...

The beginnings of a new collection...

What is it about vintage plates?

I'm not sure, but they look quite sweet grouped together I think.

Do you have some thrifted goodness to share via Flea Market finds?

Please Vote...

The amazing, talented, inspiring, hilarious, witty and crafty Jodie of Ric-Rac fame has been nominated by the lovely Nic of Yardage Design, for the Poppies Handmade Crafter award.

Would you, dear supporters of handmade, be so kind as to vote for the lovely Jodie? And perhaps you would like to, as I have done, borrow this lovely image from Nic to spread the word on your own blog? Jodie is very deservedly in esteemed crafting company and competition for this award.

Wouldn't it be wonderful for an Aussie girl to win?!

Please vote!

Fabric shopping...

I did not come home empty handed yesterday.

Although I went to buy fabric for the Colette pattern, I succeeded in falling in love with some luxurious silk fabric, $35 per meter, that was little out of the budget I had in mind and didn't end up finding anything else nearly as lovely. So sadly the top has been put on the back burner for now.

But why waste the trip? I really needed no encouragement. I picked up two sweet fat quarters, a tube of buttons and more wool for the throw I have started for the lounge...

Thank you for the suggestions and links to the crochet patterns for the throw. While browsing through them I came across a design I thought looked simple and sweet that would fit in perfectly with the cushion fabric. There was no pattern, so I had a play and this is what I have come up with.

The wool is a warm mustard colour and is closer in colour to the first photo. It was being beastly and did not want to be photographed properly.

Look at that mustard coloured zig-zag rug on the top there.

Wouldn't it go perfectly...

Edit: Wouldn't that rug look fantastic under the coffee table, with the throw and new cushions?

Loving...

I'm reading 'Brideshead Revisited' by Evelyn Waugh.

I have been drawn into it and been reading at any chance.

Listening to old and diverse favorites on Youtube.

Crafting between crochet and sewing.

Laughing at Colbert.

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Have you made any new discoveries?

Do tell, I love finding new and interesting things!

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PS. This is the 300th post...

I love op-shopping...

This little darling was sitting, very lonely, atop of a pile of puzzles. That really was no place for a vintage sewing box of to live, is it? I thought not either.

So she came home with me, happy to start a new life.

I felt sure that she would love some vintage cotton for company.

There has been a bit of jealousy amongst the other sewing boxes, but she is settling in nicely.

Find and change...

A little thrifty find to share with you today, with this big beautiful old basket, for the sum of $2.50. Now I can't wait to fill it with all kinds of things.

I never thought I would be partial to baskets, but now I find them quite charming.

A basket full of yarn. A picnic basket full of food. An old basket full of toys.

Funny how your tastes change isn't it?

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If you have unearthed something vintage Sophie is inviting you to participate in her new meme, 'flea market finds'...

I have made some changes the header and layout on the blog, but for some reason the header doesn't want to be in the center. Not quite sure what to do about that and welcome any suggestions? And as with any blogger layout change, I have lost the list of blogs I read and hope to either re-list them, or as they are on my profile page, feature one blog a week instead.

I have started a craft page on facebook as an extension of this blog and would love you to join if you are interested and be able to contribute to discussions, tutorials and links, craft project ideas and photo's of your finished craft pieces.

I made this...

Some photo's of the new cushions I made, as promised. I still didn't seem to be able to get a decent photo of them, but these will give you a rough idea.

(I'm afraid everything is quite brown in this photo - lounge, table, cabinet - and I have previously decided to brighten things up and possibly paint our old coffee table white and get some colour on those walls. It doesn't look quite as bad in real life, well nearly as bad! I don't think Design Sponge will be asking for more photos. Maybe one day...)

I love this fabric and the 50's feel of the colours. I made simple cushion covers that close with buttons to make it easy to remove and wash them when necessary.

And, they are very comfortable.

Over the bridge and far away...

How wonderful is it to spend a warm fine day by the water with loved ones? A picnic by the water, a baby sitting at the waters edge, birds diving into the lake for fish and mullet jumping out of the water.

All kinds of wonderful I would say.

Especially kayaking our way around the lake with said loved ones, and pointing out our dream house overlooking the water.

Hope you have found a bit of wonderful too.

Things I have learnt...

I have learnt that I absolutely must double check that I have traced each and every dot and circle from the pattern as they are necessary later...

I have learnt that as there is a difference between 'turn under' and 'turn up' one must read the pattern instructions more carefully or one will have to do some unpicking...

And also, I have learnt that when ironing be careful not to accidentally touch the lining with the iron...

Lining melts onto irons.

Enough said.

Skinned knee, silly me...

"I'll just carry Cohen into the water over these rocks."

"It looks slippery, want me to go first in case?"

"Ok."

"Um, oh, it is slippery. I think I am going to fall."

"Don't be a big sissy mummy, go on."

(Slip, splash, owwww!)

"Oops! Oh look, there is sand over there and no rocks."

...

Thank you for the sisterly encouragement, you know who you are...

At least I went first, saving you from slipping and falling into the water while holding my son.

My knee has stopped bleeding thank you, though the first thing hubby said when he got home was,

"What happened to your knee?"

Sore knee aside I laughed so hard when I realised the rock that Cohen had been holding in (jazz) his hands ready to throw...

... actually fell down the back of his neck and sat in his collar, hiding there until he took his hat off.

Ahhh, sweet funny boy with your sand, rocks and seaweed, how you make me laugh.