my little birdie

flea market finds

2011-01-16T18:58:00.000+11:00

my two fave finds of the moment is this little kodak instamatic 33. i dont believe it to be anything special to anyone else but to me its got a lot of character and is very cute. and for 50 cents who could resist such charm?
and secondly is this (now) black gloss frame. unfortunately i forgot to take a 'before' shot, however am sure you could guess what it looked like in its former life. it wasnt unsightly by any means however the 'after' life is more my taste. ive added some extra string and thinking of hanging some pictures. we'll see. for $10 i couldnt resist as i've been on the look out for months. very pleased indeed.

check out the beautiful finds of the week at sophies.

hope

2011-01-16T10:52:00.000+11:00

i hold a lot of hope for 2011. i of course hope for all those affected by the floods find strength, compassion, love and support. we feel for them and they are in our thoughts.
the hope i'm most holding onto for 2011 is that my little poppet and i can get through the year too unscathed. without seeing too many doctors, specialist appointments & hospital visits. the last 6 months have been exhausting and i am ready for this year to be an all good one. i hope for everyone this year is better than the last!

handmade christmas challenge

2010-08-28T09:33:00.000+10:00

when christmas time comes around, as fast as it does, i prepare the pressies, place them in their individual piles and review the amount of items per person, the total cost, the quality and of course are they relatively equal. cos you know, 1 person can not have 'more' than the other. (these are the kids pressies i'm talking about of course ; )

i always feel i need to add something extra, just one more little thing and so then i rush out to the shops face the hordes of people and roam aimlessly in a mad panic trying to find these last minute 'pressie' fillers. well that wont be happening this year because i've already i found them. these gorgeous handmade felt softie cupcakes. aren't they adorable. courtesy of the fantastic toys blog/website. the pattern is free to download and there are heaps more very cute toys to make. have a little look see.

see the fabulous handmade christmas ideas over at knicky knacks. (the tea looks fantastic)

mornington

2010-08-09T08:00:00.001+10:00

we had a fabulous morning yesterday. the sun was shining it was a glorious and we took ourselves off to mornington. the racecourse market was on always buzzing and full of people. its been ages since i enjoyed a stroll through the stalls and thoroughly enjoyed seeing lots of new stalls have been added to the mix. after picking up some chocolate coated licorice (yum), a hotdog, handprinted teatowel and some scone cutter a very belated mothers day present for my mum,

we headed off to catch the mornington train.

it runs from mornington to mooroduc, and was so much fun! $14 return for adults and kids under 4 free all money goes to help maintain the train and tracks as its volunteer ran. such a fabulous job they all do sharing their love of trains with everyone. something we will definitely be doing again as miss poppet grows up but for now her first ride on a 'toot toot' was fantastic!

flea market finds

2010-08-08T21:39:00.001+10:00

well i had quite a week with my oppy finds. i was so happy with all my finds i felt i had the fairies on my side this week.

firstly was this lovely necklace, who knows it could quite possibly be from diva but i wasn't too fussed it was boxed in a lovely old aqua blue box and looks lovely on, something a bit different, sold!

next i found another lovely aqua blue jug this one a melmac made in australia one very happy! that makes two in the new 'collection'!

i found this lovely table cloth very 70's and a bit touristy but it made me think of my childhood and gave me a bit of that proud to be an aussie feeling!

and lastly these i could not walk past, they are not my normal footwear and i'm not a shoes girl, but i love them! very glam and high and for strutting ones stuff around town. as i don't get out on the town so much anymore i may save them for an occasion if not i'll wear them whilst vacuuming!

check out the other flea market finds of the week over at sophies.

handmade christmas challenge

2010-08-07T11:58:00.000+10:00

do you remember when flower pressing was all the go? i used luv it. i have been all inspired to give it another go. retrieve the old flower press hopefully somewhere in my mums cupboards and try my hand at making handmade xmas cards such as the likes of this gorgeous deer one from studio flower power. well mine will look nothing like this beautiful one above however i love the idea of using pressed flowers for creating pretty pictures. i'm off to raid some gardens!

pop on over to knicky knacks to check out everyone elses handmade christmas ideas.

a bone to pick

2010-08-07T11:36:00.001+10:00

its been a little while since i posted for that i apologise and as i'm starting off with a whinge i apologise. weight is an ongoing issue in our society and it annoys the hell out of me. you cant talk about it, its all you talk about, etc! arrgghh its annoying. i'm not big, the only time i put on weight was during my pregnancy when i gained an extra 21 kilos. but so what. i am now the same weight as i was before i was pregnant, as i literally walked my arse off. i don't look like i'm fading away, i am as i am. i have bits i'd like to tone and tighten but thats my problem.
what i am truly sick of is people telling me i need to eat! "you need to put some weight on, oh my god your tiny!" i don't hear them saying to others "god your fat you need to get rid of that butt so you should stop eating!" that would be rude. so what gives them the right to tell me what to do!! i eat breakfast, lunch and tea! so for all those 'opinionated' & 'caring' souls who have so much to say about my weight... shut up and mind your own business, please!

thank you i needed to vent i feel like a weight has been lifted (no pun intended)! : )

drum roll please

2010-07-31T11:04:00.000+10:00

and the winner of my giveaway is megan from mousehouse

congratulations megan, when you can send me an email with your details. i hope you enjoy the beautiful home-made vintage book and find it inspiring. have a lovely weekend. xo

i used random.org to draw the numbers, winning number being 10.

flea market finds

2010-07-25T21:24:00.001+10:00

as i have been a little under the weather this week, i didnt get myself out to any op shops so i thought i'd post some piccys of my two favourite baskets i have found recently in my rummagings and had yet to post about. a lovely sized round basket perfect for more sewing bits and pieces and a lovely old deep washing basket (pics dont do it justice i'm afraid) but deep enough that miss poppet can fit right on in shoulders and all : ) i have a love of baskets i blame/thank (which ever way you look at it!) my mother she always had beautiful baskets dotted around the house whilst i was growing up, well she still does in fact. they remind me of our country blood : )

check out the fabulous finds of week over at sophies

christmas handmade challenge

2010-07-24T16:36:00.000+10:00

as we have a new little man in the extended family this year i've been thinking what to buy him for christmas this year. i have this very cute monster fabric on its way to me and for part of his birth present i'll be making him a cushion with his initial on it. as is becoming a traditional part of my gift.

so wondered if i would maybe use the rest of the fabric to make him a matching quilt for christmas. knowing me im sure if i manage to do just that i wont be able to wait till christmas! : )

see what everyone else is adding to their christmas list over at knicky knacks.

it's my party...

2010-07-23T13:23:00.001+10:00

...and i'll cry if i want to. it's my birthday today and i'm feeling very sorry for myself as im quite sick, slowly on the mend but still out of sorts and a little blue. so in order to try cheer myself up i thought i'd take a leaf out of brenda's blog and have a birthday giveaway.

as i'm now vintage and wish my home was feeling a little more lovely, the beautiful book "home made vintage" by christina srutt is up for grabs

to enter just leave me a comment and i'll draw the winner next friday 30th july (melbourne australia time). good luck.

wednesday wardrobe wish list

2010-07-21T20:27:00.004+10:00

H&M

GAP

here a few items i am wishing for this week and the exciting part is i wont have to drool over them from afar for much longer as gap will be at chadstone, melbourne by the end of next month and h&m apparently by the beginning of next year. i'm just a teensy bit excited. h&m was my favourite store whilst in the uk. my pennys are being saved.

market today

2010-07-17T19:20:00.010+10:00

if you're out and about today (in melbourne that is) dont forget to pop into the handmade show at the oakleigh/carnegie rsl in drummond street. jade from holigoddess will be there along with some fabulous other crafters including

found and bound

& charlie parker.

they'd love to see you xo

latest crush

2010-07-17T08:23:00.000+10:00

my latest crush is with melbourne based artist cindy-lee davies and her beautiful recycled vintage plate 'chrysalis' collection and adorable children shaped mirrors. you can find and fall in love with all her delights here. i think they are simply beautiful and the 'to wear' mirror, little girl in big girl shoes reminds me of a beautiful little golden book "come play house". so cute!

i think i'll have to move these to the top of my wish list!

flea market finds

2010-07-11T13:25:00.001+10:00

this little beauty is my fave find of the week. white wind up alarm clock made in czechoslovakia $2 at a local oppy.

i love it.

others in the house arent so keen with his ticking and i must admit i kept having little moments where id panic at the sound coming from the back seat while driving him home. now its grown on me and i find it quite soothing and as he now sits on my sewing table he doesnt bother anyone! : )

check out everyone elses market finds at sophies.

handmade christmas challenge

2010-07-10T18:09:00.000+10:00

i have a really bad habit of buying xmas cards at the last minute, writing in them all then not sending them. i have last years in my card box still waiting to be posted. thought about saving them for this year recycle in a sense but no just kidding i wont be doing that instead inspired by the handmade challenge at knicky knacks i though i'd make my own early this year using ex library picture story books, buy the stamps then i have no excuse!
join in the christmas handmade challenge at knicky knacks.

international happiness day

2010-07-10T10:21:00.000+10:00

{image via google}

happy international happiness day!
we are off to a wedding a very happy occasion.
what are you doing today?
xo

new inspiration

2010-07-06T20:35:00.001+10:00

a lovely fellow colleague of mine informed me she will be purchasing some new home and craft books she found on decor8's blog and thought i may be interested when they come in. so after having a sticky beak around this beautiful and truly inspiring blog i am very keen to get my hands on these new books. i'm certain that very soon my bookdepository wishlist will grow more out of control ; ) enjoy

help!

2010-07-05T21:05:00.000+10:00

{image: sue storm a.k.a invisible girl via here}

started back full time last monday. wasn't that fun!!

anyway i'll stop whinging and get to the point i need help.

tips, cheat sheets, advice, fail proof 5 minute recipes whatever it may be on how on earth people do this! work full time study part time run a house hold love educate cherish discipline encourage etc an 18 month old ~~have some me time~~ & sleep. people do it all the time i know they do but i'm still trying to figure out how. what's the trick?

feist & sesame street

2010-07-01T07:51:00.003+10:00

not that i need an excuse to watch sesame street, now that miss poppet is starting to take an interest however if i did this would be a fabulous one, feist and sesame street, a fabulous combination. its very addictive (poppet 2 mama 4) enjoy x

spinach

2010-06-28T21:11:00.000+10:00

how do you get veggies into a little miss (poppet) who refuses to eat anything that is of course even remotely good for her?

you put it in chocolate!

i heard of this method years ago, (not sure where now) and thought remember that for 'one day' well my 'one day' has arrived it's at the end of my tether. and in the hopes of getting something into her that contains vitamins, calcium and iron i have combined chocolate muffins and spinach. they look 'normal' and taste 'normal'. i'll just have to wait to see if she thinks they are 'normal'.

new stock

2010-06-27T22:34:00.000+10:00

check out some of the new stock in my made it store

flea market finds

2010-06-27T21:38:00.000+10:00

this weeks fave flea market finds are going to go perfectly with the bedroom makeover instigated by the chair i bought a few weeks ago. as i'm going with a green/jade colour scheme i think these new pieces will work very well. all thats missing is a beautiful bunch of flowers to fill that milk jug!

check out all the other flea market finds of the week over at sophies. i'd love to get my hands on something similar to the beautiful jug she found!

made it...

2010-06-25T08:12:00.001+10:00

...sold it!

how exciting i've now made two sales on madeit. i was told it would be a pretty amazing feeling when i sold something and it is! will have to pop a few new things on over the weekend. please pop back later and check them out. have a wonderful friday xo

on its way

2010-06-23T19:20:00.000+10:00

two of my pay it forward parcels are on their way. hope you like your goodies ladies and are having a lovely week!

2010-06-21T08:13:00.001+10:00

{image via weheartit}

"i want to be remembered as the girl who always smiles even when her heart is broken. the one that could always brighten up your day even if she couldnt brighten her own." unknown

flea market finds

2010-06-20T22:06:00.001+10:00

this weeks favourite find- matching retro pyrex $4 for the pair.
i was very psyched! : )

very cool thrifty finds over at sophies

nothing like it

2010-06-18T19:49:00.001+10:00

{image via weheartit}

theres nothing quite like arriving home after a full on day at work (still paying for not being open on the public holiday) and being greeted by one very happy and excited little poppet cause mama is home. playing pretend on the surfboard in the lounge room, drawing with pen at the big table, catching bubbles and then sitting down to homemade lasagne. my day got one hell of a lot better. hope you had a lovely friday and you and yours have a fabulous weekend xo

the best kind

2010-06-12T19:21:00.000+10:00

promises needing payment

2010-06-11T20:42:00.001+10:00

right, well the pinny has finally been completed (with some wonderful instructions from gypsy i managed to make it reverse correctly) and sent. (forgot to take a final picture as my beautiful mum did the buttonholes for me and i mailed from her house. thanks mum xoxo) a little late however, i hope that will be ok?
now i feel it's time to finialise my pay it forward promise. i can not believe it was january i joined in (i'm so bad) so its well and truly time i sent my three participants their handmade pressies.
just shoot me an email with your addresses thrifted treasure, manca un buttone & just trying to find my way and i'll get your goodies in the mail. hope everyone had a lovely week and enjoy a fabulous long weekend!

so excited

2010-06-08T13:17:00.001+10:00

i know you've been seeing these posts around blogland for awhile now. but i'm jumping on that bandwagon all the same. i am so very excited am off tonight to check out the glam, glitz and aiden of sex and the city! i dont like wishing my life away but i'm hoping the afternoon at work flies by!

a lot like love

2010-06-08T07:30:00.000+10:00

i just love this movie. i can watch it over and over again ive lost count how many times i have done. i know its just a movie but it reminds me to believe in fate.

flea market finds

2010-06-06T19:23:00.002+10:00

this table cloth is one of my favourite flea market finds of the week i can not wait to cut it all up and use these beautiful flowers for a more pretty and comfy use. the centre flower is my fave and matches my lounge room colours perfectly.

however the piece de resistance flea market find of the week wasnt actually my find but jades.

this beautiful dolls house which is the newest addition to my projects list, was found by the fabulous jade from holigoddess. she knew i was looking for one for miss poppet and her gorgeous nina has one already so she quickly snapped it up for me for a sweet $10. i am over the moon she's such a sweetheart for thinking of us. i now have a beautiful old school dolls house of my poppets very own.

for more special finds pop on over to sophies

my creative space

2010-06-03T15:13:00.001+10:00

is a complete jumble i have projects going left, right and center with another on the way. (will fill you in later when it arrives).

i'm finalising my fairytale swap goodies to send off in the next few days.

& am trying to decide what colour to paint my chair? (last colour 'taste tested' by miss poppet!)

these are just two of the projects sitting unfinished in my creative space. whats going on in yours? pop on over to kirsty's to see what everyone else is getting up to and let everyone know what in yours.

my reward

2010-05-31T20:21:00.000+10:00

i have just submitted my final assignment for the semester, who knew i could design and write a website? not me but apparently i can. i'm a little bit excited, i can now go and pour myself a big glass of wine and relax. the champagne i will keep on ice till i get the results so until then...cheers.

pinny progress

2010-05-27T10:31:00.000+10:00

so the pinafore for the orphange project is coming along, a little differently than i was hoping. you'd never believe that this was traced from a pinny i made miss poppet for when she was 7months old. i tried to allow extra seem allowance as i was aiming to make it for an 2 year old i dont know what size you'd call this! and trying to figure out how to make it reversible, now thats been interesting. but i'll keep on it, play around with it a bit and hopefully it'll fit a 3 or 4 year old when i'm done : )

deadline

2010-05-23T20:11:00.003+10:00

well my deadline is fast approaching, my assignment is due midnight tomorrow and instead of being head down bum up i've had a lovely day with my little poppet. because as most know trying to tell a 16 month old mummy has to ignore her, lock myself in a room and study is just not acceptable!
so instead we did a big walk around the perimeter of our local golf course hung out at the park with heaps of other kids and parents and then back again.
followed by an itty bitty nap that i was hoping would last 2 hours but instead gave me all of 40mins.

we topped off the afternoon by baking some chocolate chip cookies from a fabulous cookbook "baking with tiny tots". and as the recipe has oats in it i had less guilt than usual about letting her lick the spoon.
now that she's sound asleep i now have a chance to freak out about how much work i have to do, how much i just don't understand, that i should have started this earlier and you know what i had better get cracking on re-arranging those cupboards ; )

my creative space

2010-05-20T19:29:00.002+10:00

my creative space this week has been trying to get some new purse/clutches finished. however while perusing other creative spaces over at kootoyo i found something i'd rather do.
thanks to mon petit poppet for posting about a fabulous project she found on dance for cheese blog. the bayswater spotlight are asking their staff and customers to make a reversible pinafore for the little girls in a kenyan orphanage (dago dala hera) who are without much clothing.
these sort of projects make me cry, warm my heart, make me feel guilty and make me want to jump on board. so i will jump on board and endeavour to make a little girls reversible, any size pinafore from the floral and purple polka dot fabrics you see above by june 2nd. want to join in check out gypsys blog for more info.

that time again..

2010-05-19T19:48:00.002+10:00

..when i have assignments due. as you may have figured out, i'm last minute when it comes to these. naughty i know but you just cant change me, oh how i've tried. anyway the next two weeks see two of the hideous things due and all i want to do is play with pretty fabrics. wouldn't you?

sew mama sew

2010-05-18T08:28:00.001+10:00

sew mama sew are having a giveaway day (week- 17th till 20th) where lots and lots and lots of very generous beautiful people from all around the world host a giveaway. pop on over and check out some of the links to these amazingly talented people. also a great way to discover some beautiful new blogs. but beware you'll loose track of time! have fun!

fast new fabric

2010-05-17T19:31:00.000+10:00

i have ordered some new fabrics from etsy. this is very exciting as i don't do so as often as i'd like : ) however i'm partaking in this fairytale swap and am having an interesting time (not about to shy from the challenge) finding "sleeping beauty" items, which is the fairy tale requested by my partner. so i was very excited to find this very cute kawaii fabric with "sleeping beauty" included in the selection of characters. isn't it cute. i love it. anyway i ordered it on the 13th may and it arrived today from japan. i am completely blown away by how fast it arrived. so i thought i'd give her etsy store emi craft in japan a little plug. pop on over and have a little look at all her goodies and the service is fantastic!

flea market find

2010-05-16T15:32:00.000+10:00

(well its from ebay the cyber space flea market) this beautiful queen anne style chair for $20. its crying out for me to fix her up and give her a new make over which i am more than happy to do. at the moment however she will be my new sewing chair, very comfy. will show you the new her soon. what treasure did you discover this week? pop over to sophies to see many other wonderful finds.

and the winner is...

2010-05-13T19:36:00.002+10:00

brenda from mira narnie.

Congratulations you are the winner of my 103rd post giveaway!

email me your address when you get a chance and i'll pop your new bag in the mail. hope you like it!

as you can see i popped the numbers of entrants into the random number generator. 1 being the first comment to 7 being the last and 2 was the random chosen number.

thank you to everyone who commented/entered it meant a lot. x

Random Number Generator

This page simply picks a random number, within a range you specify.

For example, to pick a number between 1 and 100, set the Lowest Number to be 1, and the Highest Number to be 100.

Then click on Pick a Number to pick the number. That's it. Have fun!

If you found this useful, consider visiting the main Violet Cottage website. Thanks for visiting!

The randomly picked number is: 2

happy snail mail

2010-05-11T20:02:00.001+10:00

on arriving home from work tonight i was very excited to see some happy snail mail from the states. camille from camille creates very generously hosted a giveaway back in april and declared everyone a winner, so she sent a mini banner to all of us. so sweet! it's gorgeous, i love the colours of the banner and the wrapping with lovely notecard was a special touch. i cant wait to pop it up in miss poppets room and see it in all its glory! thanks camille you made my day so much sweeter!

i "made it"

2010-05-10T21:20:00.008+10:00

i did it! i opened my made it store! theres only 4 items listed at present but its a start. oooohhhh i'm just a teeny bit excited can you tell? hop on over and have a sticky.

ps dont forget to enter my giveaway ends this wednesday.

an update from the market

2010-05-09T17:15:00.003+10:00

my first ever stall was a wonderful success.
thank you to so many of my family and friends who helped make it so!
everyone was so encouraging i love you all.
i had a fabulous day. the overall experience was a positive one and i will be back again in july. i'm very excited.
jade from holigoddess was a wonderful support, as always. thank you.
i met some other lovely stall holders and everyone seemed to have a great day. the sun was shining and there was so many people out and about. the whole atmosphere seemed to buzz with vibrant energy.
please continue to keep an eye out for details of the next market july 17th which will be even bigger and better.
check out some of the other stall holders goodies over at the handmade show.

flea market find

2010-05-03T19:43:00.000+10:00

my fave flea market find this week is this beautiful photo of st. kilda purchased for $2 from a local oppy. the photographer is leslie fratkin a new york based photographer.
and as i had a fabulous night out in st. kilda this weekend the timing of the find means even more.
to see more fabulous flea market finds pop over to sophies.

my interview

2010-05-03T09:07:00.000+10:00

the organisers of the handmade show are interviewing the stall holders attending the next market and its my turn. Yay! so pop on over to read the interview with yours truly.

help make the market grow and come on down this saturday 8th may to the oakleigh/carnegie RSL we'd all love to see you. make sure you come say hi : )

my creative space...

2010-04-29T19:19:00.004+10:00

is the bag in the previous post. i have had this brewing in my wish to make list for awhile, so very pleased i've completed it. now i'm working on things for an upcoming stall at the handmade show, my very first stall its all very exciting. check out lots of lovely creative spaces over with kirsty at kootoyoo

103rd post giveaway

2010-04-29T11:49:00.002+10:00

i wanted to host a giveaway in honour of my 100th post but that didn't quite happen so instead it is in honour of my 103rd post. i have made my very first mini messenger style bag and would love to give it away.
so if interested just leave me a comment by wednesday 12th may and i'll pop your name into a hat.
the bag is made from lovely soft chocolate brown cord and lined with beautiful studio e fabric-birds of a feather, which is also used as a ruffle feature on the front. perfect autumn/wintery colours.
thanks for stopping by & good luck!

lions, tigers and bears, oh my!

2010-04-26T19:36:00.005+10:00

we took miss poppet to the melbourne zoo today. it was a beautiful day for it and half of melbourne agreed with us! her attention was held mainly by the many, many people milling about her however i'd have to say the giraffes were the hit of the day. they are magnificent, i'd have to agree with her. you forget when reading saffy and miffy at the zoo the actual size and grandeur of these amazing creatures. we all had a wonderful yet tiring day, hopefully no peeps will be heard throughout the night : )

made me smile

2010-04-23T20:20:00.001+10:00

i'd like to say a big thank you to jade from holigoddess and jessi from mad stitches for managing to cheer me up. i was a bit miffed the other day when i saw yet another post about scoring a fabulous holly hobbie op shop find (i somehow always manage to miss them) so i had a little sook. jade spoke to jessi and lo and behold this little bundle of joy arrived in my mail box today. thank you so much jade for thinking of me and asking jessi and a big thank you to jessi for happy mailing me some vintage holly hobbie fabric, a holly hobbie applique and a beautiful mad stitches bobby pin. it has been a pretty crappy day today and you have made me smile with such an amazing beautiful gesture. THANK YOU! xo

happy birth(day)

2010-04-22T22:07:00.002+10:00

this morning at 7.25 my day went from being just another day to a very special one!
my gorgeous friend of many, many years and her darling husband welcomed into the world a beautiful little girl.
welcome to the world sophie, it was lovely to finally meet you.
you have been blessed with two fabulous people who will make the best parents.
we look forward to spending many play dates, catch ups, holidays and of course birthdays with you.
see you tomorrow beautiful girl sweet dreams xo

a little shoe crush

2010-04-21T08:01:00.002+10:00

i have a bit of a thing for cons, have done for years. colours have come and gone but i still get a kick out of my pink ones. now that miss poppet is walking, running, growing up so so fast i can don her in my favourite shoes. she received her first pair from her nana and papa when born and her second from her mama the other day. i'm now treading dangerous waters as i was unaware just how many colours are also available for little feet. ah oh!

keys please?

2010-04-17T17:39:00.001+10:00

there is only so many times one can search for hidden keys before losing the plot. so off i headed to mitre 10 in order to buy miss poppet a few uncut keys of her very own. where upon the lovely lady at the keys counter handed me 3 miscut keys free of charge. i was a teeny bit excited a) because that was really, really sweet of her, b) put a big smile on my face & c) saved me $4.25 per key. so now miss poppet has her very own keys, mama has her very own key hook and we are both very happy girls. it's the little things!

sneak peak

2010-04-16T20:29:00.000+10:00

i am now finally finding time to start preparing for my stall at the upcoming handmade show. here is a little sneak peak at some items i'm working on.

weight off my mind

2010-04-12T21:15:00.004+10:00

a weight has been lifted and i feel as light as a feather, i have finished my 2nd assignment. i am now able to relax. (however not with a cup of tea as i still feel buzzed from the umpteen cups i've had today : )

image from weheartit

little golden delights

2010-04-09T20:09:00.000+10:00

i, like many, adore little golden books and was overjoyed to discover a substantial sized bundle at a local op shop. so for $10 i scored myself and miss poppet of course 45 vintage little golden books. some are doubles to what we already own, so i will have to find another purpose for those. such joy they bring.

giveaways

2010-04-08T09:03:00.003+10:00

while miss poppet has her morning nap i've jumped online to get stuck into homework, but it just wouldn't be right not to check out some of the latest posts from some blogs i love and they have alerted me to some very generous giveaways. so easy distracted!

firstly from kittyrobot is this fabulous giveaway which includes a fabulous selection of handmade buttons. they are simply gorgeous. however we may be hard pressed wrestling them off kellie from push my button jewellery : )

second is the equally generous giveaway from kellie at tickled pink stamps. pop on over and take a look to see which is your favourite. it's a hard choice!

little breather

2010-04-06T20:30:00.005+10:00

one assignment down one more to go but in the meantime some projects cut and waiting to be finished to help keep me sane. some hey dee ho's for the upcoming market and an initial cushion for my friend whose baby is due in 2 weeks.

robin hood tax

2010-04-01T09:51:00.000+11:00

the robin hood tax... oo-de-lally what a difference it would make!

stitchbird's fabric giveaway

2010-03-31T08:09:00.002+11:00

i have just stubbled upon a fabulous and extremely generous fabric giveaway. interested? pop on over to stitchbird to be in it. good luck!

thrifting queen

2010-03-29T15:50:00.003+11:00

in my eyes my mum is a thifting queen. just look at what she scored at her last garage sale. a beautiful tea set including 6 cups and saucers, 6 plates, a milk jug and a sugar bowl. all in the gorgeous "provence" style made in england for a grand total of 10 dollars. and what makes all this extra special is she bought it for me as she knew i'd adore it. mothers know best!

an A in procrastination

2010-03-28T14:01:00.002+11:00

as i mentioned before going away i have two assignments that are fast nearing their deadline. but hey i always get an A in procrastination and again i wont let that subject go unattended. i have been itching to sew for ages now as it's been, well simply ages. so instead of studying i'm doing just that. i've started to make some things for the next handmade show. and i'm loving it. oh sewing machine how i've missed you!

violence on the swings

2010-03-28T12:29:00.000+11:00

just back from a long yet lovely walk to one of our local parks.

miss poppet and i made a bee line for the swings, of course.

and were met by a little miss who didn't wish to give up either of the 2 swings.

after much toing and froing i popped my poppet in swing number 1, much to this little misses horror.

who then preceded to poke the big stick she was holding at the swing and then once i started pushing swung the stick right next to my miss poppet and struck the swing seat.

now when faced with other children's misbehaviors i really struggle. what is appropriate for me to say or not to say?

my initial reaction was a very stern 'no', while her grandma smiled and laughed from up in the adjacent play equipment. she then finally came over took the stick from the little girl, pretended to then hit her in the neck with it and then threw it in the bushes.

hhmmhh??

on a jet plane...

2010-03-13T23:28:00.002+11:00

tomorrow we are leaving for 10 days in samoa. i can not wait. bf has been working way, way too hard for the last 2 years but especially the last 4 months and is in dire need of a break. so, i'm very excited, this is to be our first big holiday as a family. miss poppet of course has no idea what is soon to transpire but once we're there i know she'll love it too. lots and lots of swimming, sand (which i hope she will soon get sick of eating), friendly people and relaxed parents what more could a little girl ask for!

running out of time

2010-03-11T08:00:00.000+11:00

i'm feeling, stressed, frazzled, out of control. the house looks a schoomozle. hence why every other aspect of my life is failing, i feel. i was obviously an evil girl cos' theres no resting yet for me.
we're off on a holiday this sunday and it's dawning on me that a) i am far far from being organized, b) leaving so many things undone, and c) coming back to not one but two big fat assignments that i just havent had the time to even look at.
well i better scoot another day has started and i have appointments i need to keep. have a good one : )

love in strange places

2010-03-04T22:32:00.000+11:00

we walked to miss poppets 12 month check up today. yes i know she's 14 months but hey, the nurse is very popular and mama's just disorganized. anyway along the way we sighted some random love.

- on the footpath

- one of my favourite local houses

- a tree out the front of a church

and here are some other's love in strange places

raring to go

2010-03-03T19:24:00.000+11:00

i was having a nowhere day the other day and decided i needed some re-focusing. as i told you i've applied for a market stall at the may date of the handmade show. and i really dont have that many things made and wasn't really sure what i should start on. so i had a little chat with jade from holigoddess and wow can she inspire! thanks jade for your encouragement, ideas, support and enthusiasm. i'm sorted, raring to go and of course need about 5 more hours in everyday just for me, but hey who doesn't! and although i'm itching to go, knowing me i really hope i don't leave everything to the last minute like i do with my assignments.

fun in the sun

2010-03-01T15:15:00.001+11:00

yesterday miss poppet and i popped in to a nearby community event called Fun in the Sun. it was a fabulous event with so much for all the family.

miss poppet had her first ride - the teacups, potted her first plant - which included putting the dirt into the watering can (oops sorry bout that!), painting a plaster of paris butterfly and holding her first event helium balloon. It was so wonderful to watch her taking everything in. And to top it all off we left via a swing on the swing. Yay! Fun in the sun it was.

gripe/whinge/bitch

2010-02-28T16:05:00.001+11:00

i am sick of other drivers. i like to think i'm a courteous and an aware driver. (i'm sure there's the odd moment or two in my entire driving history where i may have been at fault : )
i was reassured by my parents that when driving "it's not you i'm worried about, its the other(?) idiots on the road, if you drive anticipating their moves and mistakes, you'll be fine" well they were right, when i drive i do just that and thank god otherwise i'd be a goner.

the other gripe, my BIG gripe i have with other drivers and this really really boils my blood is when i politely pull over to the side to let the 'nice' car go past first and they DONT acknowledge me. not even a finger lift! i'm only looking for the index finger nothing too strenuous, this lack of acknowledgement sometimes results in me acknowledging them with a slight raise of my middle one.

yay, my very own piece of pyrex

2010-02-26T20:28:00.002+11:00

i have been hunting high and low for a piece of pyrex, ever since being inspired by thrifted treasure, i had decided i wanted to own a piece too. every op shop i step foot in, i have a good old search for a piece and finally, today in my lunch break i found one. i think it's pretty cute and all for the tidy sum of .30c. i was very pleased my perseverance paid off. my other joy was this cute little retro looking clock for .50c. my faith in thrift stores has been restored. although i am still on the look out for a bargain piece of furniture to makeover, just like the sort punky and me is lucky finding. inspired i'm on a mission!

beautiful morning

2010-02-25T10:05:00.004+11:00

its is such a beautiful morning today in melbourne, its due to get hotter later so miss poppet and i went for a quick walk to the park this morning as she was cranky yet not quite tired enough. we had a swing which we both love, saw lots of kids walking to school and we blew some bubbles. a nice start to the day! hope you have a good day.

confession

2010-02-22T21:19:00.001+11:00

i can not sew a buttonhole.
i used to be able to many, many years ago in textiles at school, but something has happened since that forbids my brain to work it out.
it drives me mad, i love buttons and want to be able to use them on clothes and bags.
instead im stuck with the boring & limited selection of press stud.
i dont mean to knock the press stud they are clearly my saviour, i'm simply frustrated.
i would like to have more options in my crafting side of life and with the ever growing array of buttons available im so jealous i can not use them. please help me!

m & b's wedding

2010-02-21T19:05:00.008+11:00

yesterday's wedding was beautiful, as i've said before i love wedding's i always tear up and love how romantic they are. but when its a close friend im not such a sook yes i get teary but mostly my heart just swells with happiness and love for the bride and groom, they have found each other which in turn means they are happy. and isn't that want we all want for our friends and loved ones, is for them to be happy.

the beautiful bride & her handsome groom with stunning bay views as they said their vows

groom daddy's jacket and gorgeous flower girl daughter's dress removed in the afternoon heat

the owners chooks seeking sweet cool relief in the dirt

the magnificent bridal car

the stunning wedding cake with a specially made mini family with a fabulous likeness the newly wed family

weekend

2010-02-20T10:15:00.002+11:00

it was my friends hens dinner last night and it was lovely, her maid of honor (another beautiful friend) put on a seafood fiesta for us all and it was divine. thank goodness the bride isn't a big drinker as her wedding is today. so this afternoon we are off to tanglewood estate to celebrate her marriage. i can not wait i love weddings. i'm hoping to take some pictures to share the day with you all. well i had better go start getting ready. have a great weekend whatever your up to!

the handmade show

2010-02-18T19:40:00.005+11:00

well i strapped them on and put in an application to have a stall at the may date of the handmade show.

i'm very excited and of course terrified.

i've had plenty of camberwell markets stalls selling second hand wares but never one that involves selling goods that i have made myself. shall be interesting!

will keep you posted : )

sleeping beauty

2010-02-17T07:04:00.003+11:00

my little poppet has so far this week slept through the night 3 times. now i'm not getting too excited, oh who am i kidding, it's been wonderful! i have most likely jinxed us now. but i'm so excited that this could very well be my foreseeable future. hope everyone has a lovely day today!

HAPPY valentines day

2010-02-14T09:29:00.008+11:00

we dont celebrate valentines day in our house either,
however i'm happy, because i am loved, whatever the day.
happy valentines to you and yours xo

image: mango-star

valentines day yesterday

2010-02-13T09:42:00.004+11:00

saw valentines day movie last night. with a girlfriend of course not my man, that wouldn't happen in a million years or not without lots of favours! anyway it's not bad, light entertainment.
very cute, a little corny but lots and lots of phwoar! so all in all very enjoyable : )

big girl

2010-02-11T14:20:00.000+11:00

i have just enrolled miss poppet into child care this morning. i'm still very anxious and nervy about it. i am being assured by my peers and friends she will benefit from being with other children and will most likely adapt faster than i will. it still doesnt make it easier. sniff, sniff, sook, sook : ) oh well i'll just have to grow up and be a big girl and let my little girl grow too.

any takers?

2010-02-10T08:12:00.001+11:00

1 spot left for Pay it Forward, any takers?

breaking heart

2010-02-08T07:52:00.000+11:00

dont you wish that when someone you love dearly's heart is breaking you could give them yours till the pain starts to fade?

a bunting of advice

2010-02-06T22:22:00.001+11:00

i finally finished the bunting i wanted to make for my friends baby shower tomorrow. it wasn't too time consuming i simply leave things till the last minute. thats just me. i decided to use the same fabric that i used for the invites and have made the reverse side of each flag plain white in order for her guests to each write a piece of advice. i hope she likes it!
the baby shower is in the arvo before it we have my twin nieces 3rd birthday party, their cards are done and the goldfish will be collected on the way. see last minute ; )

this week

2010-02-06T14:50:00.002+11:00

i've been cooking from -

i've watched -

and i'm still going on the bunting i'm making for the baby shower tomorrow. will show you later.

happy mail exchange

2010-01-29T22:23:00.002+11:00

like most people i love nice mail. to open the letter box and see a little parcel just for me gives me a thrill of excitement. a nice needed change from the dread feeling accompanied with the mean bill variety. chantelle over at fat mum slim is hosting a happy mail exchange. you will be allocated another participant to send a bundle of surprises, gifts and joy. pop over and register cos' the more the merrier!

for me

2010-01-29T10:09:00.009+11:00

over the years i have made numerous items of clothing for myself (correction- started making) however have never been able to either finish or wear a piece. i soon loose the love after it not quite turning out how i envisioned in my inspired mind or i mess it up! however i have a hens day tomorrow and was doing a mad race around the shops yesterday in my self permitted half an hour as miss poppet was needing home sanctuary time. so i was quite shirty when there was nothing that caught my eye, fit right or made me feel yay i've a night out and i dont look too bad. so coming home i was thinking what can i wear then i remembered a piece of fabric (by john kaldor) i bought from my young cousins over 10 years ago that was lying in their dress up box. i have been terrified to cut it as i love it and surprise surprise didnt want to stuff it! well i've cut it and now sewed it into a very simple tank style top. and i quite like it. it's pretty, feminine yet not too fussy. theres a few areas i could have taken more care and time with, and i still need to hem it but all in all i'm pretty happy with it. i feel it was worth the wait.

pay it forward

2010-01-25T17:51:00.005+11:00

I've seen this blog project/game/fun floating around and have decided.. I'M IN!

- I will make a handmade gift for the first 3 people who comment on this post.

- I have 365 days to do it in…

- What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise!

The catch is that you must participate as well:

- you must have a blog and before you leave your comment here, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going.

Just cut and paste this one from my page if you like. Can't wait to see what my lil handmade gift will be and when it will arrive from holigoddess

and her card

2010-01-24T13:05:00.005+11:00

for a little angel(ina)

2010-01-24T09:26:00.005+11:00

today miss poppet and i are off to a first birthday.
we hope angelina likes her pressie!

paper tree

2010-01-22T20:01:00.002+11:00

here is my favourite of todays projects. it's a paper tree on canvas. very colourful and adds some cheer to little miss poppets wall.

brilliant

2010-01-21T14:24:00.008+11:00

brilliant! 5 and a half metres of vintage (made in west germany) chocolate brown velvet ribbon for $3 at the little local op shop plus 4 little golden books .60cents. transported back to being a little girl again! brown velvet and golden books

friends

2010-01-14T14:26:00.007+11:00

its funny how people come into your life for one reason and then stay for another. when my parents group started last year i went along with a bundle of nerves, i'm not always that comfortable in social situations unless there's a few vodkas before hand. so i wasn't hopeful that i would stick it out. however being a new mum i was also really keen to chat to people that were in the same situation, so that need won over the uncomfortableness and a year on i feel so grateful that i did, as i have acquired some lovely new friends. people who have come to be very important to me and people who i can trust with my inner thoughts, feelings and fears not only in relation to my daughter but also in relation to me. it means the world!

pic. from m.i.l.k

thrifted treasure

2010-01-12T19:14:00.003+11:00

thrifted treasure is having a giveaway to celebrate her 1 year anniversary, and the prize is a copy of "flea market style" by emily chalmers. i adore this book, its gorgeous, pop on over to go in the draw.

1st birthday

2010-01-09T21:39:00.009+11:00

today we had little miss poppets 1st birthday celebrations. it was a lovely day and she coped extremely well with all the love, attention and presents. she had all her family (lots of them) here to spoil her and to help her blow out her candles. her cake took her mama 3 tries and til 2am last night, but end result, i was quite pleased and her smile at seeing miffy from one of her fave books "miffy is hiding" made it worth every minute.

my birthday girl

2010-01-08T00:23:00.006+11:00

this time last year I was in the midst of contractions. i can not believe that this time last year i was soon to give birth to my little baby girl and just how fast that year has gone. she's one today and grown up beyond believe. she's stubborn, gentle, trouble, cheeky, adventurous, bold, sweet, mischievous, naughty, kind, loving, inquisitive, chatty, brave. i never really knew how much personality could be in one so small. i love her beyond words and can not imagine my life without her she makes my world. i am a very lucky mama. we clash already and i know there will be hellish times but i also know we will come out the other side strongly bonded and friends. happy first birthday my angel i'm looking forward to many more milestones with you and thank you for being mine. xox

pressie

2010-01-08T00:12:00.003+11:00

pressie just finished, now wrapped and card attached for a gorgeous little girl who shares my little poppets birthday. hope she likes it!

birthday girl #1

2010-01-04T21:56:00.005+11:00

happy birthday mum lots and lots of love and hugs xox

baby shower

2010-01-02T19:34:00.006+11:00

i am helping organise my dear friends baby shower and have been really unsatisfied with the baby shower invite options available so decided i would make my own. i then decided i wanted to use this fabric and rather than cut out numerous giraffe shapes i decided to use iron on transfer paper instead. alternatively you could use freezer paper and print directly onto the fabric but the transfer worked better. i'm very happy with the result, pleased as punch!

dawn of a new year

2010-01-01T22:18:00.003+11:00

Early flight
Originally uploaded by Photogel

so the new year has dawned and it's set to be a good year. my little poppet turns 1 in 8 days, we have 2 more weddings and a 21st in the first few months. Going back to study part time officially and work will return to full time later this year. Have a trip to Samoa to look forward to and a possible trip to see my little brother in Perth, if can sort out those pennys. it's going to be a big and fabulous year with lots more adventures and events unveiling themselves along the way. bring it on. happy new year to all! xo

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