How to knit a shotgun from a crucifix and other useful skills.

                                A big week, a big weekend and an even bigger weekend next weekend.  I really don't know how I keep up.  The annual mouse cull is proceeding apace - it's them or me, they're really pushy. Luckily, I'm an experienced hunter.

Anzac Day on Wednesday, a day off on Thursday (puppy-sitting) and a day of op shop trawling on Friday.  After 3 op shops I had only a DVD to show - Constantine with Keanu Reeves. I'm not a huge fan of young Keanu,but any comic-based demon hunter who carries a shotgun made from a crucifix is worth a couple of hours of my time, and coming up to winter I can watch it while knitting.  Slightly ironic - knitting and demon hunting.  Who thought those two terms would be used in the same sentence? But I digress...

Things were looking pretty darn grim till, virtually empty handed, we got to the last oppie - where lots of goodies leapt into my $5-a-basket.  A lion's head (I already have a paw, it seemed appropriate), the cutest 50's/60's 'made in Japan' doll, a stack of good books, a Mela Purdie top - gotta love a good sale.

 

Saturday morning dawned cool and misty.  Well, actually it dawned quite clear but by garage sale time the drizzle had commenced.  That's not a bad thing, as it keeps the crowds down.  

At the first sale of the day I found something I've been looking everywhere for - a metal locker for the back veranda.  And this one is not only in really good condition, someone had already put nice shelves into it.  Those who have visited regularly may know that I am something of a packrat and I need to be able to stash some collections.  To celebrate the incoming, this morning I removed a very tatty old set of shelves, broke them up with the axe, and put them on the firewood pile (see above reference to oncoming winter.)

This a) made space for the locker and

     b) was kind of fun, in a violent recycling sort of way.

We proceeded to a fete at the Lions' Daycare Centre - where instead of designated parking for motor bikes, they have parking for mobility scooters, with the cutest little spray painted icons.

There were some brilliant recycled frames, lots of great books, all sorts of good stuff and the prices were great.  Note to fete goers:  it's NOT good manners to scrabble between other shoppers' feet as they are shopping.  You risk serious injury to your fingers and possible social embarrassment.  Note to fete givers: PLEASE don't put books on the floor, under tables.  People get crazy. 

In between, I've been busy preparing for the Mother's Day market at the Vancouver Arts Centre in Albany next weekend.  I've put jewellery on display boards, priced, packed, and even given some thought to stall setup.  Not many sleeps now.

Back from the brink....

Phew - my laptop has only just been restored to health after a little spack attack, and I was offline for 2 weeks.    I felt so alone (not really!) and I got heaps done because I wasn't wasting so much time looking at randomly interesting things.  As a result, of course, there's jewellery festooned over everything, and half completed projects everywhere else.  So now I need to sort it all out, finish and stash it for the Mother's Day market in early May.  

Strangely (for me) I backed up and saved all the artwork a couple of days before - lucky, really, although as it happens I didn't lose anything in the end. 

I also managed to frame a heap of fish drawings and prints, now leaning gratuitously against walls and giving the place an arty look (as long as you don't want to walk anywhere).  There will be new Alices soon, and I'm hoping to have some brand new merchandise too! Watch this space.

A friend and work colleague came back from Melbourne raving about the fabric and patterns from a little shop she found -  I found it on the interweb and thought it is worth sharing, for all those who remember that clothing can be made by hand.  It's called Tessuti, and this is the link to the online shop.  They also have a blog, for inspiration and ideas.  It's the next best thing to being there. One of my vintage dressmakers' models has gone to live with her to help her to bring those patterns to life.

I made some floral shorts for the Girl last week.  She was helping by making cups of tea and making sure I didn't wander off.  One of her little mates called, seeking companionship, to be told that she was making shorts.  The mate called back at five minute intervals to ask if we'd finished yet - finally she came over but the thrill of home fashion creation just couldn't beat the excitement of playing games on the ubiquitous iphone or equivalent. Although she did seem impressed by the finished product, and felt there was enough fabric for her to have some shorts too.

I adapted a pattern from the early nineties, and the Girl was most impressed with the suitcase of patterns held in reserve - just going to show that things go around and come back into style. (It seems like yesterday.)  It's nice to see some decent fabric shops re-appearing, I'm kind of tired of the random rolls of seconds and the warehouse approach, its nice to see new designs while they're still new. 

I'm currently thinking about steampunk inspired 

cuffs and scarves - as soon as I work out which suitcases hold the reserves of vintage lace, fabric, and trims. But first, I should pack some of that jewellery.....and maybe do some housework.

The winter of our warm content....

Back at home, back at work.  Cold, wet, cold, cold cold.

I gave in, after many a year. I weakened and bought an electric blanket.  O, so snuggly warm when the wind is howling and the rain is pouring - and I do mean pouring. How did I manage without it?  My next challenge will be to drag myself from the warmth and face the working week - tomorrow morning.
The rain did put a damper on the garage sales for the weekend, and the end of financial year meant that my opshopping partner was delayed.  Really the only score for the weekend was a vintage steamer trunk, snatched from a garage sale after 1pm on Sunday and dragged back to my lair to join its cousins.

With my travels a dimming memory, I did think I would share a couple of the trinkets I bought for myself along the way - a lucky cicada from the 50's/60's, lucite with just a touch of silver, and a glorious bug-on-a-bar brooch in sterling silver.















 I have finally bitten the bullet and opened an Etsy shop:   at http://www.etsy.com/shop/travellingbeautifull

Here are a couple of the things which are presently listed.


I have listed a few pieces and will be listing more as time goes on.