Vintage Thriftstore Finds

There are two very large op-shops (both of which sell furniture along with clothing and bric a brac) the next suburb away from the college I am attending for my massage course. I drive past one of them every morning and every afternoon, and look at it longingly, but am never able to go in as our days are so long and we only get a half hour break to shove down lunch, try and let it digest and then back into class.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the course after the end of my second week - in fact I think I love it more and more each day. However, the fact remains that spare time during the day is a precious commodity for me now.

We have one day off a week - Wednesday, and I filled it this week with running errands, cleaning the house, painting the wardrobe in the spare room and getting started on an assignment. 

I went to the library to start on said assignment, and oh, what do you know - it's right near those op-shops, so I popped in after I'd had enough skim-reading peer reviewed articles in medical journals to see if they contained any relevant information - note: psychology journal articles are D.R.Y.

Brain = fried.

Imagine my complete and utter delight when I found this dress. Maybe it's because I've just finished watching Mad Men Season 4, but I am in total, complete, head over heels LOVE with this dress!

Needs a steam - in fact needs some dry-cleaning, but am waiting till I have time to go down and chat with them about how to make sure they take good care of her,

I also found a pair of sweet handkerchiefs cocktail napkins (thanks Jennifer). Something about blue embroidery on crisp white cotton. Makes me smile.

Linked to this weeks Flea Market Finds over at Her Library Adventures

Today I: learned how to crochet

First ever granny square & the new Frankie magazine - lovely way to while away the time.

Don't believe anybody when they tell you crochet is easier than knitting. It is definitely harder.

I say this with the wisdom of someone who has been a crochet-er for approx 8 hours.

However, our lovely instructor today, Tia agreed with this sentiment, and in fact started the class by informing us in no uncertain terms of the fact that when it comes to knitting and crochet - knitting is the easiest of the two needle-crafts. 

She is both a knitter and crocheter herself, and has been crocheting for as long as I've been alive (30 yrs) so is much better informed than myself about these matters.

I went along to the Beginner's Crochet lesson held at Morris & Son's.

It was great, and I am so glad that I went along to a lesson, rather than try and teach myself, like I was going to. Definitely something you need to learn in person.

I can highly recommend the class held at Morris & Son's (formerly Tapestry Craft, and I keep having to stop myself from calling it that!) Tia was very patient, explained things very clearly, and was perfectly fine with the amount of swearing that was coming from our little corner as we started wrangling with the yarn and hook whilst at the same time trying to read a pattern from symbols. We were keeping it mainly under our breath, but there may have been a rapid succession of four letter words at various points during the lesson.

All in all it was a lovely day. I didn't take my good camera, so only managed to shoot some pics off on my phone. 

View out the train window. Way too early to be on public transport on a weekend.

Lucy might have been getting a bit frustrated - she learned very quickly the evil of acrylic yarn!

Ceiling of the QVB. I enjoy structure.

Yum cha for lunch, we were starving about halfway into the lesson and basically ran to yum cha to fill our belly's with yummy food.

Simple drawstring library bag

Friday is library day at Miss J's school. She still didn't have a library bag, so I whipped one up last night.

And I liked it so much I made another one at the same time for ballet.

L: Library bag R: Ballet bag
Far Right: Broken hook that needs replacing - add it to the to-do list....

I was up fairly late getting it finished. Then I picked her up today and they didn't have library today because the school library was flooded during the heavy rains we've been having.......

I could have used that sleep, but oh well, at least it's made now - although I do need to get some roping to replace the ribbon that is currently being used as the drawstring, and she's asked me to applique a heart onto the ballet bag and a flower onto the library bag.

I used this tutorial over at make it and love it as a basis, but didn't have enough ribbon to make it a backpack, so I just left them as simple drawstring bags that she can throw over one shoulder. I double stitched the library bag for extra durability, and I added handles also - so she can carry it if she has to carry heavy books and doesn't like it over her shoulder.

Originally, I was going to machine stitch her name and class onto the brown tape and attach that to the bag, as I'm still (very patiently) waiting on the iron-in labels I ordered for her over a month ago. I'm getting worried - I know they had a server crash, so it was a pretty huge issue, and must have been an absolute nightmare for them to try an sort out - however I've sent them two emails, with no response, and have since received an advertising email from them... so they obviously can send emails - why haven't I received a response on where my order is? Fingers crossed it turns up soon - I ordered a new water bottle and a very cute pencil case for Miss J as a 'starting school' gift. I'm hoping it gets here before first term is over!

You can see the J in the pic below. In the end, it was getting late, and I just sewed in a piece of cream tape and wrote her name on it, and used these as handles.

 Meanwhile, I am in love with this fabric. I used it in the apron that was sewn up for a birthday gift earlier in the year, and I seriously can't get enough of the sweetness! Look at those birds and bunnies, and branches, and.... acorns. Ok, so I guess acorns can't really be classed as sweet, can they? But isn't the pattern just divine?

I am finding that sewing is giving me a lot of satisfaction. I mean projects like these equal instant gratification, they are so quick. Plus, Miss J has now requested me to make more things for her, which, is a very nice thing to hear after all the skirts/tops/dresses I've knitted for her that she's refused to wear!

Ballet bag all ready to go

Speaking of Miss J - I picked her up from school early on Tues for an appt, and her teacher told me she's elected her for the student representative council. Am I the proudest Mum in the world right now or what?

That's right, this cheeky little thing will be representing

I didn't even know they had kids from Kindy in the SRC these days. Things have changed from when I was a kid.

You know what's kinda nice though? Lot's of things also haven't.

To order from the canteen you still have to write the order on a brown paper bag, and put the money inside it. When I read that, it made me smile.

After all progress is good, but really, you just can't beat the simple, brown paper bag.

Vintage finds..... close to home

Vintage sheets, still in packaging

Recently, I went home to my parents house looking for old books for Miss J. She's now getting to the age that I can read 'chapter books' as she calls them, and I was looking for some of my old books to read to her.

While I was over there I found a few items I'm going to share with you now.

First off, there are the sheets I found, still in their packaging, meaning they are all in perfect condition still. A fairly boring stripe, and a bright and happy orange floral.

L: pillow cases R: sheets

You can see from the pillow cases, which have been used and washed a LOT of times, just how much fabric fades with use. 

Yellow floral

I also found quite a lot of fabric. Some of which I think my Mum had earmarked originally for clothing, quilts etc for myself and my brother.

Fairy tale fabric

This pink fabric is covered with tableau's of various fairy tales. I wish there were more of it, but there was only a very small amount, it had been sewn up into a doll quilt cover and pillow case.

Look at how cranky that lion is

I think a lot of people of a certain ago would be familiar with this fabric. This set of sheets was in very good condition, and I think hadn't been used much. It was most likely a spare set. My brother had a set of sheets made out of this fabric on his bed down the coast. I remember it clearly, and seeing it brings back memories of when we used to visit our old house down there, when we were little, making cubby houses in our bunk beds (by sticking a sheet up, so that the bottom bunk was fully enclosed). I have plans to use this for some drawstring bags, possibly some pants & shorts.

Very large cars

The car fabric is a difficult one. It was obviously meant to be made into curtains for my brothers room when he was young. He had a car themed room, with vintage car wallpaper, so this would have fit right in. I really enjoy the print, however it is so large, it's really impossible to use it for anything apart from curtains or furnishing. It's a bit of a puzzle to me at the moment how I will use it, so it's just sitting there.

Embroidered napkins

I also found some beautiful tablecloths that used to belong to my grandmother. This is a tablecloth hand embroidered along with matching napkins.

I love the work involved in items such as these. Whenever I see hand embroidered items I can't help but admire them. Someone has hand-crafted it, and I appreciate the time and effort put into these items.

Just beautiful

I also found this simply gorgeous table cloth. It has some staining and discolouration though. I need to wash it and hang it in the sun. I don't want to ruin it though, this is an especially precious piece, with the family history that it has. Does anyone have any tips for washing delicate items such as these?

How do I wash this and get the stains out without damaging these delicate lace sections?

See the yellow of those walls?? That is what I have been doing for the past month, painting that room. It is the spare bedroom, it used to be painted a very boring, and actually quite an ugly, mushroom colour. It also used to be full of junk. And I mean full. So full in fact that you couldn't even walk in there.

Then I had to clean it out to paint it and all that junk was in the rest of my house. Driving. Me. Insane.

But it's pretty much all been sorted out, packed away into boxes or it's all set to be sold off at the next market.

I didn't choose that yellow colour but I do quite like it. It's very happy. That room will become my massage room.

Yarn waiting to be crocheted into a pillow

The chair was a thrift store find - I bought a pair of them, I just loved the shape of the arms, and I figured I would eventually recover them. They are in fact very comfy arm chairs. This one is currently covered with yet another old tablecloth of my grandmothers. It is just tucked in, but I quite like it on the chair, it matches the walls very nicely.

I am currently looking around for different covering material at the moment though. Originally when I found these striped sheets I thought perhaps I could cover the chair with it, but I don't think it's quite right. What I would like is a nice grey suiting material, and yellow covered buttons. Perhaps with yellow piping around the set cushion. This chair over at flourish and blume is my inspiration. Those ladies are amazing. I love seeing the transformed chairs on their blog. 

I'm really loving the colour combination of yellow and gray at the moment. I'm seeing a lighter gray fabric for this particular chair. The cotton fleece is going to be crocheted into a blooming flower cushion. I just am waiting on one skein in 'cottonball' from Tangled Yarns. Oh and also to learn how to crochet....

It just so happens that Kel at Tangled Yarns is making up a cushion in those exact same colours, so I can check out her finished product, she will be finished well before I even start. Handy!

Today was my day off, and I had to go lodge some forms and I called into the thrift store nearby and picked up some sewing and knitting patterns and a pretty fabulous dress. I'll post photo's later this week when I finally get a chance to take some.

Linked into Flea Market Finds over at Her Library Adventures

Feb photo a day {14}

Day 14 {heart}

It just so happened that yesterday (the 14th) I had class for anatomy and physiology, and we are currently studying the cardiovascular system. This is the giant heart that we were looking at while trying to locate the various chambers, veins, arteries etc.

I must say I am totally loving the course I am doing! It is exhausting.... last night I was supposed to post this pic, but I fell asleep at 7:30 with Jayda! But I am enjoying the course so much, and every day I just keep thinking..... why have I left it so long to do this?

I am loving everything I am learning, anatomy, health and awareness, professional development, aromatherapy and of course, the massage itself!

I've studied a lot of anatomy before, so most of it is coming back to me as I'm studying, which is good, as there is a LOT of content. They have condensed the course down from two years to one, so it's pretty full on, and we're supposed to match the hours in class with outside study & massage practice. I worked out today how many hours that would add up to per week - 64 hours. 32 in class, and 32 outside of class - including 16-20 hours of massage altogether (in class and at home) hmmmmm....... doesn't leave much time for sleeping, eating, knitting, the essentials in life.

I get the feeling I'm going to be very, very busy for the next 12 months!

Feb photo a day {13}

Day 13 {blue}

A selection of blue things around the house. I didn't want to choose just one, so I choose all of them.

Well.... actually.... I chose this pic as my actual photo:

Day 13 {blue} pegs

But thinking about today's theme made me start realising how surrounded by blue I am. It's everywhere. I started noticing blue cars, blue houses, blue everything.

I picked up Miss J from school today, she was wearing her blue uniform. Carrying her blue hat and blue lunch bag. Then dropped her to ballet, where she put on her blue leotard and skirt.

Now I have to get back to covering her books with contact (some of which are blue) and making her a library bag (which isn't blue - she picked the fabric!!)

Butterflies

Remember the paint chips from the other day?? They were originally destined to be made into a heart garland after I saw this tutorial over at grace and light

Photo's taken from tutorial by grace and light

Well, I couldn't find a heart punch the right size for the paint chips, they were all too large. So I settled on a sweet butterfly punch instead. I've never done any paper-punching before, not being a scrapbooker, and it was fun seeing these shapes come out. Although, the paint chip card is quite thick, so my hands got a work out! Which is actually a good thing, I need to build up the strength in them now that I'm massaging.

Pretty butterflies all in a row

I was hoping to machine stitch them together, but in the end I didn't. I'll post the final product tomorrow. Well, the two finished products - I made two garlands, each slightly different.

One is on my daughters wardrobe door - she came home from her Dad's this weekend and as soon as she saw it she was in awe..... Wow, Mum, that's so pretty, look what's on my door! Then I got a big hug and a thank you when I told her I was glad she liked them because I'd made them. So satisfying to get that reaction from something I made for her.

I've still got heaps of leftover paint chips, she there'll be some kiddy-crafting using them for certain!