the pumpkins are gone...

Taken with my first film in my shiny blue supersampler ~ lomo = love

Freesias!!

And spring has sprung into action (despite it still being dreadfully cold here still - what is WITH that!?). I'm gradually picking all of the freesias out of our garden, they are free freesias in a sense that I didn't plant them, they magically appeared...thanks birds and your magic poop?! Either that or it's those damn ninjas again. Speaking of ninjas...there was one in the backyard the other day, hanging out the washing...I mean, he NEVER does this....but now, I have proof (and it shocks me).

Washing Nin ~ Taken again with my shiny supersampler

I hope the washing ninja has friends ~ namely the cooking-dinner ninja and the dusting and vacuuming the house ninja. I can but dream, but at least I have the renovating the house ninja, and for that I am truly thankful.

thank you paypal!

I bit the bullet and took a chance and found I had enough money in my paypal account to pay for a eco-tasty subscription to Peppermint Magazine........lots of pretties coming straight to my door!! Will do a mini-review as soon as I have drooled over [and mopped up] it's eco-savvy pages.

Oh and here's something to inspire ~ taken from Lists Galore!
Clever bento ~ delightful! The eiffel tower is most excellent. Would be a shame to eat but at the same time you got to know what sky really tastes like!

an old favourite

Last week I travelled down to Hobart with my lovely Mum, who had a nursing seminar to attend. It was a dismal day, cold, and wet. We made a short stop half-way as you do, in the lovely town of Ross. A tasty bakewell tart and soy latte later, and we were browsing through "Antiques and Treasures", seriously one of the nicest shops I've been into in a long time! I didn't buy much, but what I did buy was a hanky.
Pocket Art is an Australian product, this design is by Alma B and has renewed my love of the handkerchief! Trying to find a website for the product was difficult though and I ended up on a tangent ~ so please have a look at this great directory for Australian independent designers, artists and craftspeople Indie Art. It will inspire, as will Peppermint Magazine [I'm finding myself lost in the world of tangents...but we're still on topic, right?]
I would like to get a copy...will have to track one down! One of the articles features the lovely Angela White, of Sew Your Own, a great company that produces cute fabric and pattern kits to create totes and plush toys with that slight vintage/Japanese twist. I was given one a year ago and it turned out super super cute! Her name is Miss Loli there's a picture of her in the album on the website! So yes, hankies. I have collected a few over the years. As a little girl I did own one for every day of the week, and you could tell because they had the days on them! Now days I have several larger ones, usually Japanese or paisley-style prints, so finding this new one was great. Having a story on the fabric you blow your nose on is unique! I still have very fond memories of my mum stuffing her hanky down the cuff of her sleeve or strategically placing it down her bra between her breasts. I can safely say that until I have kids, the stuffing my sleeve rule will be observed!

Subtle Vintage Divas

I'm the first to admit that my wardrobe is far from innovative, or even vintage for that matter. To be honest I'm yet to establish my own style so at the moment I'm still very much a jeans and t-shirt kinda gal. I lean towards a little bit of bling, the odd crazy pair of shoes but nothing that says I'm influenced by any era. With that in mind I ventured onto the internet to find some lovely images of two interesting Australian divas of whom I consider have found their own style, rehashed from decades past, but ones that suit them to a tea without being cheap, trashy or over the top. I'm sure both would look beautiful in any of the delicious vintage treats at weary sister...don't you?!

Kate Miller-Hieke [top] and Sarah Blasko [bottom] Both singers are incredibly talented and have a quirky and very artistic eye for details. Their fashion, performance and film clips are perfect examples of this, almost reminiscent of that of Kate Bush back in the eighties and Fiona Apple (less than 10 years ago). I admire artists like these two, they express themselves perfectly without having to compromise their integrity.

~Vintage Fare~

Weary Sister's Etsy Home has just been stocked up with some delightful vintage blouses, tops, dresses and lingerie. Be sure to have a looksie!

too much effort?

A year and a half ago I embarked on a knitting project. A knitting project that gave me sore wrists, black fingers, but promised to be epic. I'd purchased an amazing knitting book by the talented Erika Knight, an author I had spent many an hour flipping the pages of in our local library. Each page shined with projects I myself had had sparks of at some point, such as the cable knit chair cover or the upcycled denim jean bean bag cover, but all pailed in comparison to this project. A shopping bag tote knitted out of plastic bags. My inner greenie has a little squee of excitement at the prospect of using up the last few remaining heavier plastic bags that were contained in our plastic bag bag [made out of an old fabric flour bag with the elastic slowly losing it's elasticity]. And so my quest was clear. Any time I was perched in front of the television or listening to music, I was cutting up the bags into 1.5cm strips and winding them into balls, making sure a nice mix of colours would be included. Once I'd done enough I began the task of weaving them together. I grabbed my op-shop purchased 6.5 mm knitting needles and began.

Quickly I learnt that this was a task that would not only take some time, but that would require a break or two for my hands. The hard plastic, was a lot harder than I expected! Several months into it I got distracted, as usual, and other projects looked more shiny, simpler and faster than the poor tote! But as I pushed on with it every now and then, there was some progress and nearly a year in, I was liking what I saw.
I love the colours and decided the struggle was worth it so far, this was going to be good! I headed straight towards the finish line, after completing the front and back panels I got stuck into the gusset piece which was a lovely meter and a bit long...so that took a little longer than expected. Then I hand stitched the pieces together with strong nylon fishing line and attached leather thonging for the handles.

The finished bag disappointed me and perhaps my expectations were a little high and maybe if I fill it with shopping or knitting things it will suprise me, but to be honest at the moment I feel I need a grandmother to give it to in order to give it some value! Terrible thoughts considering the amount of effort I've put into it. For now it's placed amongst mine and my sister's ever growing handbag collection, and I'm not yet decided as to whether or not it'll get used. If I ever do this project again I know which plastic bags to use and perhaps to make the tote a little smaller. At least I've learnt something and now my wrists can relax a little whilst I head back to using wool for a while!

Have you ever had a project that has not met your expectations? Do you find you learn anything from it or do you just accumulate items for a garage sale that you hope goes home to the right person?!

Rethink, Revisit, Rehash.

I did my usual troll through op-shops [what we call thrift stores], and amongst the late 90's high waisted jeans, target shirts and "I'm with stupid" t-shirts, I found a pair of what I can only describe as fashion-fail, leather pants. You all know the type, because you've all seen them and only imagined the type of person who would have dared to step [well, squeek] out in them.
To my shock and well to be honest a little giggle, they were $2. Two bucks for enough leather to try my hand at sewing with. Enough that may even result in something good to place in my Etsy store...but that is still to be seen to be believed. I have done some wandering through some beautiful Etsy shops and found inspiration for a style of bag that might make best use of the leather I have in front of me. It's thin [ish] and it looks gorgeous when it's pleated. The wonder in this design, from what I can see, is that the bag still holds a really pretty shape, with little to nothing in it and looks wonderfully plump, tulip-like with enough in it. Experimentation ahead. I'll be sure to post any progress I have.