this is my best op-shop find(s)

I have loved a good op-shop for a long time, and my favourite finds that come to mind are the three above.

First is Mehlma, and gee I was a happy camper when I found her a few years ago. I think she was an old hairdressing head, but she evolved into one very popular prop/model for my uni photography assignments.

A recent find, (you may recognise them), are teacups to add to my collection.

Don't laugh but it was love at first sight when I saw my little conehead. She was $1, has the strangest noggin and fat legs. I love her. I like to believe that if I didn't take her home no one else would, and that makes her super special...even if other people think she is creepy. She inspires me.

Not pictured but a recent op-shop treasure that I have just thought of are my 3.25mm set of dpns. They are bendy and perfect to knit softies with.

Thanks Lino Forest for a fab topic this week, check more out here.

today is saturday, last night was friday

Happy weekend.

I have a day by myself full of washing and cleaning and unpacking. (Strangely I like the idea). Guests arrive this evening, hooray.

I am going to try and sneak in some amigurumi. I began attempting an elephant pattern last night. It makes me laugh that I think because I can make a crochet chain that I could make a crochet stuffed animal. We will see.

If you are up for some weekend blog browsing my 'always looking' list has been growing.

angela miller

I have a print of the first painting currently at the framers. I discovered Angela Miller whilst trawling through etsy for something to hang in our bathroom. She is a mixed-media artist and her paintings, using bitumen as one of the many ingredients, made me look twice. Quite involved yet not overdone, well balanced and great use of colour. You like? I encourage you to check out her shop. Thanks Angela for the use of the images.

in the box

Yesterday the post-box was brimming with goodies:
Special flossy-P postcards (packaged so cutely too)
Adorable Gemma Flack comic
Lina Scheynius' book, (beautifully grungy)
Temper Temper by Sonja Ahlers ( I only discovered her recently through a lovely daydreamer, and bought this book as a present for someone special).

So stoked with them all.

Eb bought me a light tent that I am still learning to use properly, I better start making more things to photograph. Noticed that I have not been making anything lately? Told you I was lazy.

a freezer full of yum-cha

Ask me what I miss about living in a city? Yum-cha.
Thankfully our weekend pals stocked our freezer full of Chinese delicacies so I can grab my steamer baskets and push them around on a trolley. Yum-O, anyone for chickens' feet?. ( I once did a proper homemade yum-cha myself, but it is too involved for a Sunday morning).
We were also spoilt other with things like plush lollipops, black sesame jelly, and Korean stationary.
Lucky ducks.
(The Vietnamese coffee will have to wait until July).

I like when artists find a blank canvas in odd places found via here.

fogged on the weekend

We had a splendid weekend, our gorgeous friends were here to visit. A lot of walking was done and the new tea-house, (and their beef tea), proved a steamy harbour from the cold.

On Sunday morning we wanted to take the Czech contingent up the mountain for a view over the bush, however up there we were in the thick of the freezing fog and couldn't see a thing . Instead of driving up with us, O ran the 2o kms from our house to the top of the mountain. That is him arriving in the last photo, how is he still standing?

Come back lovelies, we miss you already.

this is my most favourite outfit that expresses my individual style

Kitty picked a hard topic this week, but there it is. My Yoshi Jones dress, worn with jeans( my legs are good for walking but not looking at so i usually cover them with little pants or tights) and a vintage head scarf. I wear it with red flats, a vintage clutch (they are kind of my thing) and my bamboo ring. At the moment I am always wearing my winter coat with hood and peter-pan collar. To keep it fresh I change my brooch, I love brooches. (Don't worry that crap is on the mirror not my face).

I actually think my wardrobe needs refreshing, and would love to go nuts on IVANA Helsinki clothing, (click on archive, as the older stuff is my fave, the new collection is a bit too glam for me). I like this too.

Can't wait to see what other people are wearing be pointed in some good directions.

time for the weekend

Can you see the rainbow?
Have a terrific weekend.

shopping spree

i went on a wee internet shopping spree when i got home last night. too much fun.
if you want to take a peek i purchased: the wooden postcard pictured above, (thanks my dear paperschmaper lady for the picture), this print as a pressie for a friend who just finished her last uni exam ever, a cute comic, and these three postcards.

i also bought a book as a present that i better not show yet, in case the cutie is lurking.

baby wants to be a banana

I was pigging out on some lolly bananas this afternoon before yoga, (yes I know, asking to vomit), and I found a jelly-baby in the bag. Identity crisis?

The supermarket seemed colourful tonight. That baby pinata was too cute!

(Large or medium sized pictures? Does anyone have an opinion on which look better in posts?)

blue bathroom

Discovered this great bathroom at the party on Saturday night. Can you believe it, a blue claw bath.

Borrowed Art Photography Now from the library and aside from some of my already favourites, the pages are filled with talent I haven't come across before. I thought you might like to check some of them out:
Hellen van Meene
Dan Holdsworth, (especially check out his 'the world in itself' series).
Sarah Jones
Gregory Crewdson

this is the space in which I create

This photograph is of my little sewing centre at our old house. I haven't set up my sewing machine in the new house yet, gulp! Aside from the sewing table I sprawl my makings all over the floor, the dining table, outside etc. Creating anywhere is good.

farmers market

Rose early for the farmers market today. I would love to convert the old shed that holds them into a house. A night of unmatched food courses and wine ahead. (Yes, totally breaking the booze-ban, but have resisted coffee and chocolate).

Hope you are all having a good weekend and continue to do so.

I want to be his friend.

this is my favourite travel memory (multiplied)

You can't ask an indecisive person to choose just one...so here is a collection of travel memories that make me smile. (Buckle in).

The first photographs were taken during the Budapest Autumn Festival, at a night-time installation exhibition where artworks where projected onto buildings, trees and the ground. It was an incredible night and made you feel so submerged in the contemporary artistic movement that they have going on there. Budapest is a favourite of mine, (I love a good hot spring).
This was during our trip to Europe in 2005. Although not photographed one of my favourite memories, after a day of Gaudi, wonderful food, a siesta and just a general feeling of vibrancy, is wandering down to the Barcelona harbour with Eb. The water, an illuminated blue from the lights, was filled with millions of carp swimming around. We just sat there,by ourselves, watching the fish, and I loved it.

I love the snow, like almost love nothing more than snowboarding with that boy. This is Mayrhofen, Austria in 2006. At the end of a day in this gorgeous environment nothing could beat sitting at the snowfield huts on a deckchair with a blanket and a beer. Bliss.

For number three, we are tracking back to 2003 in Banff, Canada. Cramped inside a van with 2 Aussies, 2 Canadians, 4 Mexicans, a Colombian and our luggage I wake up after a long drive to this. I am Australian so I don't see proper mountains with proper snow. Seeing this for the first time is storybook stuff.

There are many more, perhaps I will post travel reminiscing more often.
Thanks for the topic, thanks for the game.

oh my and thanks for the books

The best big brother + sister a girl never had gave me the most tremendous present. Curvy five, and a Fiona Hall book. I am so chuffed. I hadn't come across Fiona Hall before, but am loving learning about her art. I am sure I will share more from the books later.
I had to make them a thank you note card.

Architecture with a cause.

Recognise anyone?

will catch up

We visited my parents in the capital for the long weekend. I really enjoy the landscape as we drive. I tried a delicious japanese 'sangria' soft drink, it is always exciting to get good asian food when we are in a big-smoke. Was nice to browse shops, especially when you can see in real life things you have gushed over on the internet.

I must catch up on 'this is'.
I must let you know that the gorgeous Hila tagged me, however I had already been tagged with this one so go read her lovely bloggie instead.

a game-a game

1. Jade Vine, 2. torrone di pistacchi, 3. Scarlet Robin female, Narrabundah Hill (7)a], 4. The red one, 5. sonic youth-5, 6. bloody mary double group, 7. blue lagoon_001, 8. sew, a needle pulling thread..., 9. shampoo, 10. electric, 11. for a minute there, i lost myself, 12. red on grey

All the cool kids are doing it. Playing this flickr game. I thought I would have a go too, looked fun.

the rules:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

the questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Remember these are other people's photographs, so if you like them, please click on the links.
Thank you.

diary decisions

Please help me decide which of these three fabrics I should cover my new work diary with? Scraping the bottom of the posting barrel huh.
I think I will make some little patches to sew onto it too.

I believe the answer to the F-stamped timber mystery is that it is stamped on to indicate the structural grade of the wood. Want to know more?
Are there stamped F's hiding in your world too?

i love when winter is being winter

but it proves difficult to get the washing dry

a recent blog find, gorgeous ...

have been tempted to spend money recently to buy this, or one of these. (Last one found via here).

F is for ...

F's stamped in wood. Must research the reason.

This doodles page makes me smile.

this is my pet

The top is Opal, my favourite dog, whom my family got when I was a teenager. She was a kelpie x border collie,adorable, totally spoiled and was obsessed with playing ball. I have to mention La-La too, (although I couldn't find the photos), a black kelpie, the first pet I really remember. The next cuties are Banff and Jasper, who are technically my parents cats, but I still consider mine. I harass them endlessly when I visit.

I currently don't have any pets, (unless you count our worms). When we one day settle down the first pets we will get are two of these.

More this is here.

happy birthday bunny

Happy birthday drini, have a gorgeous day.
I hope your card made it in time, if not above is a sneak-peek. (Present to follow when complete).
We heart you, xx.