Recognising happiness

L - R: firsts from the garden - beans, chilli and purple carrots; recycling an old watering can; 

a new discovery; windows stacked like so many books on a book shelf;

those few moments when the whole house is clean; thrifted treasure

Life is good. So very good. I feel that I have left illness and struggles behind me, and my gratitude list gets longer and longer. It's a wonderful place to be. Of course I am mindful that 'this too shall pass.' But it is lovely to stop in the moment and feel that all is right with our little world. Perfectly imperfect, but perfectly lovely. (Complete with teething one year old and runny nosed four year old.)

I want to thank you all for taking the time to read and comment on this blog of mine. I'm so pleased to share this journey with you. I seem to have an idea of what this blog is, then it pleasantly surprises me again and I find that it is something else - as inconstant and evolving as I am. Mama blogger? Craft blogger? Business blog? All and more. Whether parenting, crafting, creating jewellery, knitting, gardening - I bring my creative self to all these tasks. I guess Creative Blog sums it up best then? 

Creativity is something that we recognise and connect with in each other. This community has, and continues to, encourage and inspire me. I'm looking forward to meeting members of the blogging community at Thea & Sami's Morning Tea next week in Brisbane. (I believe there are still places available.) I'm also looking forward to my first guest post being published on one of my favourite blogs soon, accompanied by a giveaway.

An update on my eyes for those who have followed along as I went from surprise diagnosis of two severe retinal detachments, to surgeries and on to recovery. I drove today for the first time in three months! (With my optometrists approval.) With glasses the vision in my right eye is very, very good. Unfortunately the damage done to my left eye was not completely repairable and my right eye is going to have to do most of the work, while my left eye offers a little peripheral assistance. It's been a little difficult to mentally adjust to this change, though my right eye does a fantastic job of compensating for my left. I feel incredibly lucky that I was able to have the treatment I received and save the vision in my right eye. Modern medicine is a marvel.

Thank you again for your support of my little shop and my Mother's Day shop update. There was a time when I couldn't picture myself ever returning to the jewellery bench to work. Now I love the creative freedom of working from home and being a stay at home Mother. My blog provided me with a place to share my work and receive feed back, which lead to the opening of my shop. In a couple of months my shop will be turning three! I'm pleased to say that half of the pieces in the Mother's Day update have sold and I am currently in the process of designing and working on a collection of brooches for my next update.

All these things I could not accomplish on my own. So thank you.

Life is good. 

Thrifting sisters

I am finding that thrifting with two children presents more challenges. (Mothers who have been here before me will no doubt be nodding their heads, or perhaps laughing a little.) Navigating the nap, feeding and snack schedule's, as well as buckling and unbuckling two children from the car, makes any kind of shopping more of a mission than it was previously. 

Wearing one in a sling and chasing after the other, I've noticed that I am scanning the shelves, answering Cohen's running list of questions, juggling my finds and rocking the baby, simultaneously. This is where op-shopping with ones twin sister becomes an especially attractive invitation. Two sets of hands are indeed better than one. Thank you dear Fiona.

So it is with thanks to my sister that my romance with old coat hangers continues. No longer shall our woollen clothing be slipping from plastic hangers and be found at the bottom of the closet. And, at a dollar a bundle at the op-shop, they are cheaper as well as cuter than their plastic counterparts.

Without her second set of toddler watching eyes, I may have missed this sweet $3 vintage baby tunic. Judging from the tag I'm guessing it is from the late 70's or early 80's? I find 'Orlon' sounds more appealing than 'acrylic,' don't you?

It's a shame however that Fiona is only available weekends...

Thrifty, crafty, rainy days

When our plans for fruit and veg shopping at the markets were washed out yesterday, my sister Fiona and I undertook a little wander through a craft shop, an op-shop and an independant fruit and veg shop instead. My goodies from the day included a cute hand knit baby cardigan for $3, a vintage knitting pattern featuring men in hand knits discussing a riffle (thrown in for free), a bundle of lovely old covered hangers for $2, a white (wool storage) basket for 50c, some great old Tupperware in perfect condition and $2 a piece, as well as wool for two new projects. 

I couldn't wait to start playing with the Noro-like Moda Vera yarn, casting on another Age of Brass and Steam kerchief yesterday afternoon, this time for Fiona. I am enjoying watching the colours unfold with each row. High on my to-do list is learning how to knit socks, which meant of course that I could justify buying the Noir sock yarn above, given it was reduced from $12 to $5 a ball. Another project added to the queue...

Any thrifting, crafting or rain for you this weekend?

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New sofa approval

Today's thrifty finds

Cohen's self portrait with hair

Book club reading

Yesterday I was stood on our back deck, overlooking the work going on below, as palm trees are cut down and carted away to make way for fruit trees. I found myself lost in thought regarding our plans and dreams and how far we have come this past year. Last year selling our house to move away from the coast and closer to the City was just a dream. As was overcoming my thyroid problems and becoming pregnant, or buying a high set house with a big yard and room for a studio underneath. Together Dave and I have traversed many obstacles. We worked hard. We stay focused. We supported each other. And now, here we are, living those dreams.

We are shaping this house into our home. Renovating, nesting, building. Planning on investing in solar panels and water tanks. Creating a garden for vegetables, herbs, fruit trees and chickens, so that we can live closer to nature, be in tune with our seasons and teach our children the same. I've made a connection with a lot of bloggers lately who are of a similar frame of mind. Who wish to slow down, spend less, live intentionally and appreciate more fully all that they have. It seems to be a reaction to a number of things. Our imprint on the environment, work/life balance, the cost of living, our dreams for our children's futures, to name but a few. I'm incredibly inspired by the likes of Rhonda, Kate, Amanda and Tania.

Already Cohen recognises basil and picks and eats it as we wander around the garden. Something I couldn't do until I was in my 20's. Living at the coast I felt I was in a sort of limbo, now I feel more purpose. I feel more at home and I am excited about the future. And in two months we shall be welcoming a new member to our family for which I am unimaginably grateful. 

I look forward to welcoming more change.
What are you looking forward to?

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Right now... the good and the bad.

Loving: being 26 weeks pregnant

Admiring: the hand knitted cardigan and woolen blanket I thrifted yesterday

Making: embroidered linen Christmas napkins

Reading: Several books from the library, including 'Raising Boys' (again) and 'Possum Magic'

Eating: home made scones with home made jam - yum!

Grateful: for a cool, overcast day so far, after all this heat

Excited: about doing a Resin ring and bangle workshop, meeting a friends new baby and visiting the new Matisse exhibition this weekend

Apprehensive: unwelcome and upsetting news from my thyroid specialist yesterday, which means more doctors, specialists and tests, to care for the baby and myself

Trying: not to be overcome by the news or focus on the worse case scenarios

Thankful: for the support and love of family and friends on this journey

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Sometimes happiness can be measured by way of vintage craft finds.

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Happy 8th Wedding Anniversary my love.

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I can't seem to photograph the true colour of the Hornsea pottery vase I brought yesterday. It isn't actually brown. (It isn't actually a vase either, but rather a vinegar jug. But hence forth it shall be enlisted as a vase.) The seventies shade of olive green and the wonderful abstract pattern attracted my eye. 

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Last year my heart skipped a beat when I found this green tablecloth while thrifting. Since then it has come out of the linen closet for several special occasions and my love for it has only grown. The colour! Those flowers! The sweetness!

No where near in the same league as Veronica Darlings amazing dress, I was inspired nonetheless to cut into the fabric. The tablecloth wasn't large enough to cut the whole skirt from, so I mixed in pieces from another tablecloth found on the same thrifting venture.

Now I have a simple, sweet, fun skirt to wear to the park or swimming lessons with Cohen. The pattern was great too. Can't wait to make another skirt using this pattern.

Pattern: 'Amour Skirt' from Make It Perfect by Toni Coward

Fabric: Thrifted tablecloths
Notions: Thrifted zipper and stashed bias binding

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PS. Don't forget to enter the giveaway if you are an American or Canadian reader! Not many comments as yet, so your chances are high!

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.

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.