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I really wish I could get to update this blog more often. It just never seems to happen, despite good intentions. Since starting my part-time job (which I am loving by the way) it has been hard to find time for everything I want to do. Hanging out with the kids, sewing, housework, cooking, watching TV, reading (blogs and magazines are really stacking up) and of course, blogging.

I know, it’s boring and you’ve probably heard it all before. So what’s been happening lately in my world?

Here is Sam with his novelty half-beard on the morning of his birthday. He turned 16 last week and he was really happy with the jacket and hat we got him. I know he doesn’t look happy in the photo, but he’s a teenager so that’s just how it goes really.

And here is Jack (7) wearing big brother’s new jacket and hat. And crooked sunnies.

I recently picked up a big tin of interesting old buttons for $3.00. There are some really lovely buttons in this lot. I had a lot of fun sorting and looking through them all the other day. I want to make some more button jewellery soon.

I have been busy getting a big order together for a lady who is opening a shop up in Darwin. I only have a couple more things to complete and then I can send it out.

She wanted eight of the patch cushions and I only had four on hand so I made another four.

Look - another cushion!

Paul and I recently had a really great weekend away in Sydney - just us, no kids! We went up for the wedding of my dearest friends Yvette and Dan and it was such a great wedding. The reception was held in a five star hotel in Double Bay and there was no expense spared. I wish I had taken a photo of the huge and beautiful chandeliers that dotted the ceiling in the reception hall.

Such a lovely family and I have to say it - so glorious to be near so much old money. They are honeymooning in Paris for a month! Who does that? Seriously, the reception reminded us so much of My Big Fat Greek Wedding - not that they are Greek, but many of the invited guests were and there was much dancing. Yvette’s family is Asian and there were so many cousins and family friends and so much tradition and ceremony, and then there was Dan and his tiny little quiet New Zealand family. Gorgeous!

I better check with Yvette and Dan before I post their wedding photos online but here is Paul and me. Would you believe Paul is wearing my dad’s old dinner suit? They both wear it so rarely that they have decided to share it. Paul bought a new bowtie and lovely new cuff links though.

Isn’t it fun to dress up? There just isn’t the occasion for it these days. So if you’ve got it, flaunt it, I say! I love this dress so much. First of all, it’s red. Next it draws all the attention to my bust (and hopefully nobody will notice my round tummy) and finally - it was the first and only dress I tried on and I loved it. Superfast shopping. So quick and easy. Oh, and before you ask - I really didn’t have time to make a dress.

I did cover up a little for the church service though, thanks to a little bolero top.

I had wardrobe issues on the day though. I bought some of those stay up stockings that stay up with the use of elastic and lace and I spent the whole wedding ceremony hoping that my left stocking wasn’t about to end up around my ankle. I was glad my dress wasn’t too short as I could feel the stocking lolling about on my knee. Can you imagine how hard it is to fix this problem when you are in the middle of a church?

Back at the hotel room before the reception, I went to change into my emergency backup pantihose and when I opened the packet, I found that one of the legs had been sewn into the crotch seam and they were totally unusable. In the end, I just went with bare legs and by the end of the night, I was in excrutiating pain from my beautiful new shoes. We had a wonderful time though!

Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a comment for my blogiversay giveaway - I’m so sorry it took me this long to get organised!  I would like to announce that the winner of the vintage wallpaper pack is… Vicki from Turkey Feathers.  Please send me your address Vicki so I can mail your pack out to you.

 

Here are the “Pretty Paper Packs” that I made up - of course, one is off to Vicki and the others will be going to my market stall.  If you would like one, please let me know in the comments.  They are US$10.  They may also appear at my online store soon too.

Look at what my friend Jess made, after hearing some ideas at my recent Brindabella session on op shop refashioning:

 

She took an op shop singlet top and sewed up the bottom, then added trim and decorations and now she has a shopping bag!  The bag even folds up into the denim pocket!  Go Jess! 

Today is Blog Action Day and the theme for this year is the environment.

I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see so many people making small (or big) changes in their day-to-day lives and in their consumption choices. I am old enough to remember (as a child) when “greenies” were in the minority and much maligned. If only the world and it’s leaders had listened back then!

I have been making changes in my life on a more serious level over the last six months or so. Thanks to Wardrobe Refashion, I haven’t bought any new clothes for myself for over four months, and I have enjoyed it so much that I am going to make it an ongoing lifestyle choice. I love love LOVE to look down and notice that every single thing I am wearing (except for underwear and shoes) either came from the op shop (thrift store) or was made by me and my sewing machine.

I remember years and years ago, going second hand shopping meant avoiding the “smelly” old clothes and heading for books and toys only. Yes, there can be a musty smell in some of the shops, but either they have cleaned up or I simply don’t notice it these days because now I am more likely to make a beeline for the clothes first and then the fabric second. I have found some excellent “as new” clothing, Summer and Winter, and all of it cheap.

My 4 year old daughter has her entire Summer wardrobe sorted already (we are still in Spring here in Australia) and ALL of it is from the op shop. Clothes for my 6 year old and 15 year old sons are much harder to find but I pick up things when I see them.

My sister is happy to buy used toys for her child, but she still can’t get over the “old” and “musty” clothes idea and jokingly asks me if what I am wearing came from a dead person. She thinks that I could be wearing something from someone who was murdered, or even that I could be wearing a murderer’s clothes, for instance. My attitude is that it’s much more likely that I am wearing something that someone got too fat or skinny for, got sick of or simply didn’t like.

I like that I am reusing these perfectly good clothes and I like to think that I am doing my part to change things, just a little.

These photos show some of my recent (and favourite) finds - from skirts, pants, dresses, sweaters, fabric (old sheets) and even shoes. And look at it all, in near perfect condition - we all buy too much and throw too much away.

Sure, you’ll have to search hard to find the treasures in amongst the old daggy things but really, the thrill of the chase and the eventual finding of that special item is half the fun of thrift shopping! An added bonus is that you’ll be able to afford to wear things that you never normally would, or to try brands from shops that you wouldn’t normally step inside (because you would prefer chain stores prices to designer boutique prices).

I also find that I am experimenting with wearing new styles and new colours - all because I am spending less than $10 instead of more than $40. Suddenly, I have more options - just so long as you don’t mind a little searching. And remember the golden rule - just because it’s cheap (and second hand) doesn’t mean that you need it! Practice responsible consumption and think: do I really need this?

This afternoon we had a lovely time at our friends Nicole and Gerry, at a party to celebrate their Freya’s first birthday. It was so great, dressing up a little and having a few wines, chatting to new people and watching all the many kids racing around and making up games together. I guess we don’t get out to parties much these days!

You might remember the doll I made Freya when she was a tiny wee thing:

I liked the doll so much I even did a scrapbook layout about her, ages ago:

Speaking of which, yes it has been a hundred years since I have done any scrapping and I am really getting the urge to get right back into it. The scrapping desk is a bit crammed with junk right now but I am itching to clean it up and have a go soon.

Back to Freya: Well, I can’t believe it either, but she’s just turned one and so about 45 mins before we were due at the party (yes, we were late!) I decided to make her a little pillowcase dress for her first birthday.

I had a vintage thrifted pillowcase that I knew would be just perfect and so I added some rick rack and some bobble fringe. Isn’t it just the sweetest dress. I love how it turned out:

I also added one of the crochet yoyo button brooches that I made recently:

Happy Birthday Freya!