some cool stuff

Wellington was lovely!  It was one of those fantastic sunny Wellington days and we made the most of it!  Mostly window shopping (love here and here!).  I did make a few wee purchases.  We had a lovely lunch (arancini - crispy risotto balls with mozzarella - on a rocket and parmesan salad! nom.).  The show was great, and featured dancers from the Royal New Zealand Ballet which was a bit of a treat.  Also featured John Rowles which was, well, not really a treat at all haha.  The next morning we had a wander through a farmers market down by the waterfront before heading back home.

one of my purchases!

a few more rolls of washi tape to add to my stash

Then once I got home I found the lovely Ella had sent me a wee surprise.  She was getting rid of some of her fabric and sent me a bundle...

loving the yellow cord and that white/grey/yellow stripe on top!

I've also just signed up for Sew September over at City Birds Nest!  It's going to be great.  I'm going to make sure I fit in a little bit of sewing everyday for the whole month.  Can't wait!

great timing

My copy of this book arrived today.  Just in time for me to pop it in my bag, some 'in flight' reading for tomorrow.  I'm very excited to be heading to Wellington for the night to see this show.  It will be my first night ever away from my daughter, so I'll probably miss her a lot too.  I don't know whether I'm more excited about the shops or the show!
Hopefully I'll have some treats to show you next week!
Have a lovely weekend x

shop update

I added a couple of zip purses to the shop yesterday.  It is a bit of a funny mix of stuff in there at the moment, but that is a good reflection of me, my crafting and my short attention span! x

thrifted and gifted

This morning was a good morning for vintage thrifted goodies!  I picked up a couple of bargains at the opshop, but first let me show you what arrived on my doorstep from Sarah at Miss Molly Coddle as part of Stella's* vintage kitchen swap!

Beautifully wrapped

Duraware for my daughter!

Pretty plate and a glass juicer

Crown Lynn jug - love this, love the roses! 

 Thanks so much Sarah!  If you haven't checked out Sarah's blog you really should.  She makes the most gorgeous vintage baby creations.  This jacket?  Arrrgh, so sweet.  You can buy here stuff here and here.

On top of those lovely goodies, I picked up some great fabric at the op shop...

There is 4 metres of the floral.  I'm planning a dress.

Smurf offcuts - bag for $1

And these sheets, still in their bags.  Originally from Ballentynes.

And for those of you asking about yesterday's post...that lovely hem was an apron hem!

*ps.  Speaking of Stella - have you seen the amazing giveaway she's got going at the moment?!  Enter enter!!

a week in photos

ahem... just me going on about the stamp again

Third post in a row about my stamp.  I promise I'll try to find something else to blog about soon.  I'm currently loving these tags I made up to go out with a few parcels this week.  Oh the possibilities! 

For sanity's sake

Sometimes you just have to make something.  Right?  For sanity's sake. 
Last night was one of those times, so while my lovely husband cooked dinner and my daughter made a mess, I whipped up a little zip purse to replace my tattered wallet.

For some reason I have had a bit of a fear of trying to make a lined zip purse.  Turns out, it was pretty easy, though I did push the zip to the wrong side when sewing it all together.  It still works fine, just means it looks tidier inside out!  I can see a lot of these in my future, especially since I got a rotary cutter, which makes cutting them out a breeze!
I should have tidied up a bit first, but I didn't.   This is the mess I sewed in amongst.

 I did stack some of my fabric on my new (old) shelves though.  If you ever see me at spotlight please direct me AWAY from the printed cotton.  I think I have plenty to be going on with...

Today I got this new stamp in the mail, and I managed to scrape 5 minutes this afternoon to try it out.  I'm pleased!  However, it does make me a little sad, only because I have no time at the moment to make any goodies to stamp.  I'm finding this course of study challenging, not in the content of the paper, but in my ability to balance my time and to find some solid hours to concentrate.  I'm getting there, but I am definitely noticing my lack of time for creative endeavours.  Hopefully I'll get a great library job one day to help my family and it will all be worth it.  In the meantime, I hope you keep popping by this space.  I know it isn't that interesting at the moment, I feel a bit like I'm getting left behind...

PS.... the stamp is from here

what I wore - flea market morning

It's a kind of ritual observed by many Nelsonians, that one must go to the Saturday market.  For food, veges, fruit, cheese, bread, chocolate, crafts, candles, coffee, shoes, wooden toys, baby clothes...  We go regularly, and it's funny, because we never buy much.  A few vege seedlings, a bag of pears, a flat white.  We say hi to people we bump into.  It's just something we do.
This is what I wore today.

Dress - thrifted by my dear friend Ella

Belt, Glasses and Cardi - Glassons

Tights - Farmers

Shoes - Local shop

Bag - Croutons by Rhiannon

Gorgeous new sparkly bow ring from my beautiful SIL - by Madame Fancy Pants

Now I'm off to take off my tidy clothes and pop these in the garden. 

season

I feel like I am ready for spring.  Though I do prefer the cooler weather, there is something about the new-ness of spring, the freshness and the rejuvenation that I am yearning for.  Cardies and skirts, spring flowers, planting seeds for future dinners, cool drinks, and evenings that grow longer by the day.  Those fresh crunchy foods, garden picked lettuce, snow peas, with a homemade herby dressing, yes!  Bring it on.  Never mind that the home garden is going to be more of a necessity than ever this year, with trips to the supermarket becoming more and more ridiculous every week.  I am considering reverting back to vegetarianism, it's cheaper.  If you've never had a garden before, make this the year.  Just plant a few things, you'll be surprised how easily they grow (try lettuce, parsley, silverbeet to begin with, all pretty fool-proof.)

All my dress making has had to be put aside, as I've realised that multi-tasking wasn't doing my study any good.  However, there are busy times and quiet times and I hope to get some crafting in soon.  Sales in my shop are growing, and this makes me very happy.  Thanks for your support.
Of course some of this reflection may be to do with the fact that I've just celebrated my birthday, and it was one of those ones ending in a 0.
Of course, the no baking rule went out the window...

Caramel and Lemon curd cupcakes - worth every bite

I surprised myself.

I really thought I was going to end up painting that bedside cabinet.  But some of your comments made me reconsider.  I had a good look around my home.  As it turns out, perhaps I couldn't see the (ahem) wood for the trees...

So, yes.  I do believe she'll fit in just fine as she is. 

your advice

I have acquired myself a new (old) bedside table.  I don't love it in it's current condition.  What would you do with it?  Leave it?  Change the handle?  Re-paint the whole thing??  All suggestions (and links!) most welcome.  Thanks! x