School Holidays come to an end

Sadly, today was the last day of Grand daughter's holiday here in Melbourne. We have had loads of fun, shopped in dozens of Op Shops, crafted a soft toy and Cross Stitched, tried our hand at Yarn Bombing, enjoyed Art and Scenery.  What a wonderful 2 weeks.

Now it is time to pack away all the crafty bits brought out from every nook and cranny until next holidays, so to save time next term, I found the perfect, lined, basket at an Op Shop yesterday

more will be added tomorrow after we do the final going home suitcase pack, and the next 10-12 weeks will see it overflowing I'm sure, as I collect new things for next holiday.

No shopping today, instead we took the tram into the city and went to the top of the Eureka Tower, Out on the Edge at the 88th floor.  GD has done it before with grandad but it was a first for me!

NO I can't say, been there, done that, got the TShirt but I can say
Been there, done that, got the wristband!!

For those not familiar with The EDGE, you walk into a small room with 8 people, and like a drawer, it slides 3 meters out of the side of the building, it is all glass and 88 floors above street level, 300 metres above actually!
Interesting!

Happy Australia Day

Capt.Arthur Phillip arriving at Botany Bay, 26 Jan 1788

To all my new found Blog friends, Australia Wide I wish you all a very happy Australia Day.
Melbourne has started out with cool weather, rain overnight, but I have seen on the TV news that many of you are headed for heatwaves, take care out there.. .. remember slip, slop, slap!

the Beautiful Yarra Valley [Victoria]

Today was not so much about shopping as it was about looking at beautiful things.

GD and I took a drive out into the Yarra Valley Ranges, to visit Tarrawarra, and the Museum of Art there.  The current exhibition is of Brett Whiteley art, mostly vibrant paintings, and although the Gallery is only small, the trip there and the wonderful views from the Gallery and the Restaurant made for a lovely day out.

Artistic Photography by my young Grand daughter.

We did stop off at a few shops on the way there, and back, and did make a good day of it !

in Need of Tender Loving Care . . .

a quick trip to the Camberwell Market this morning, before breakfast found us this wonderful little 'boudoir chair' in much need of some TLC. It's already had at least one makeover, under the red, is some green velvet.  At some time a little darling has scribbled all over the seat, and the red is all somewhat faded.
I have a piece of pink and white Laura Ashley stripe fabric that I think will be just perfect for it.  Have to decide on what to do with the metal first, so it may take a few weeks (or months) before you all get to see the end result.

No other purchases, just coffee, hot donuts and home again, as Grand daughter had a sewing project she wanted to get started on a.s.a.p.



I am hoping to enter this Flea Market Find into the draw for a Give Away over at Her Library Adventures .. .. please check out her blog, apart from the great Give Aways, you can buy a few little brooches too, all in a good cause.

Greensborough Saturday

Have not been to Greensborough Op shopping for at least 5 or 6 years.  I used to do some part time work in G'borough,  and would slip into Savers and the Brotherhood every lunchtime.
As my Grand daughter was so impressed with Savers in Frankston, we decided Sat.morning would be SAVERS day.  Off we went and we, well she, was not disappointed.  3 more tiny frames for her Cross Stitch project  as well as some other crafty bits and pieces and  a lovely Japanese jewellery/music box

I found a few pattern books, a Notebook magazine, and some amazing Retro orange and white drinks coasters. 

We then had some lunch, visited the local Sewing Center to buy new needlework scissors and a needle threader.  All in all a very successful morning.  check her blog later today, or tomorrow for the results of her next bit of cross stitching!  -- she got home and got straight into it, while I had a cup of tea and watched the tennis.

foray into Frankston, Vic.

When I first moved to Victoria some 30 years ago we lived in Frankston, but they never had any fun things like Sand Sculpting then.

Today we took a family trip down the bay to see the 2010-2011 Sand Sculpting Australia presentation of CREEPY CRAWLIES in sand.  Unfortunately, recent heavy rains and winds had destroyed some of the installations, a few were being re-modelled and repaired as best as possible.  The whole thing is on display until 26th April.. .. so still lots of time to get them re-done.  Until they are completed entry fee has been reduced to just $5..
Each year there is a different Theme to the display and this year's  ''Creepy Crawlies" really was a good one, with spiders, cockroaches, fleas, bees, all looking wonderful in sand.

This was one entitled "A Closer Look" and was a giant magnifying glass showing all the bugs,
but it really looked like a Tim Burton horror story!!

After a good look around, lunch and a walk on the Frankston Pier, we made a quick stop off at 2 Op Shops, the RSPCA and the Savers, but as LJ and I had to be mindful that Grandad was waiting in the car for us, we didn't stay for as long as we would have liked to !  Savers in Frankston is on TWO levels.  I did find a few good buys in the RSPCA tho!

School Holiday Op Shopping

Having my grand daughter here in Melbourne means lots of op shopping, and a few of my most recent finds are over on I op therefore I am 
Today we went into Melbourne and had a girly day looking a real shops. We did get some 'cute' buys, such as matching Pandora Charms for our bracelets, and chocolate for Grandad.

Tomorrow off to Frankston to see the Sand Modelling.

Fun Friday

Although I live in Melbourne's east, I travel over to North Fitzroy every 6 weeks or so to have my hair cut.  Long story, I started with this hairdresser when we were both in Bourke St in the City, as he moved, first to Brunswick St and later to St Georges Rd, I followed.... nearly 30 years now at the same hairdresser, I'm too old to change.

So.. after getting my hair done I thought I'd pop up to see Miss Pen Pen, and her wonderful shop in Gertrude Street, ... what a delightful shop  -- and how lovely that she's made a heap of Qld Souvenir TeaTowels into cushions to sell for the Flood Relief.

On my way I popped into another favourite shop in Brunswick Street, Clara Fox Vintage and Retro.  Now, I must make it clear I never wear Retro clothes, but scarves, jewellery and handbags I do,  and I could not resist a couple of new scarves, and a brooch.
Clara has just got a whole new consignment of scarves.... so so so many to choose from.

alas!  I had to narrow it down to just 3 -- the lilac one is silk, screen printed with NZ ferns, still had a little card attached stating this, and dated 1980 Auckland Museum Shop.  Cute!   The other 2 I had to have for the colours.

Was about to pay and leave, but checked out her little jewellery cabinet, and fell in love with this silver and amber brooch... so a great day for me!
Clara Fox is at 479 Brunswick St, Fitzroy North, just north of Alexander Avenue, and well worth a trip if you are out that way.

This weekend my delightful granddaughter (LJ) arrives from Sydney for 2 weeks holiday, so we will be doing lots of shopping (she's a good Op Shopper), and lots of fun things.

Terrific Tuesday

Well, I know I should be sitting at the computer working out some new eBay listings, or out in the kitchen cleaning and tidying, as we have our granddaughter arriving on Saturday for a 2 week holiday, but NO.... I was out and about in the car, visiting Op shops and bringing home more treasures.
Hubby loves to see me walking in the front door with a bag of goodies, and he loves seeing me walking out again with parcels for the mail, but lately I've been doing a lot more buying than selling.

Today was no exception.

After some household shopping in Camberwell a quick detour home via Mont Albert, and I had filled a shopping bag!
There are a couple of embroidery projects, including a Yardley's Cries of London, from 1992,  some iron on transfers, pattern books and sewing patterns, 20 skeins of Threads, a Volvo car manual, a Singer Dressmaking Guide,  and a great piece of fabric, that I may transform into a cushion.

The fabric is 122 wide and only 1m long, and it is 'BEST SELLERS - an exclusive screen print by GREIG'.  I'm sure my son would say 'it is very brown,  Mum'  But I think it has potential.

so here I am home again, reading blogs and wishing I had more enthusiasm to do some work, but Melbourne is hot and sticky today, bit of rain, bit of sun .. not my kind of weather at all.
I think I'll go and make a cup of tea, read a bit more, and maybe, just maybe do a few photos.

Friday shopping

Today was HOT in Melbourne, but I decided to venture out after lunch to somewhere different. I have not been up Blackburn / Forest Hill way for some time.

Well.. Brentford Square was a disappointment 2 shops, nothing for me... Animal Aid in Blackburn Sth was closed, and again nothing for me at the Rotary shop, I didn't stop in Forest Hill Mahoneys Rd but decided to head over to the other Doncare at  North Blackburn.  Found some nice Crabtree & Evelyn shower gel and body lotion, a few knitting patterns,  1973 New Idea (that'll be fun reading), a book about Corporate Logos,  a sweet little crumb brush from Mildura, and an almost new Corning Ware casserole dish, in a size I always love to use.  Will replace my exact same one that is looking a bit worse for wear.

Was going to do more shopping, but it was just too hot, so I came home to the comfort of the a/c.

The Challenge

Although I love all thinks crafty, and I love receiving handmade gifts, it is a long time since I actually made anything myself.
well, today on facebook my son's partner put out the Challenge

and I have accepted.

Craft it forward 2011. I promise to send (or deliver) something handmade to the 1st 5 people who leave a comment. They must in turn post this and send something they made to the first 5 people who comment on their status. The rules are that it must be handmade by you and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011

Now FIVE I may manage, but I doubt I could make TEN handmade things so I will not put out a challenge on my blog too, that would be just too much for this one little 'not-so-crafty' person.
However some of you may like to start it on your facebook or blog pages?
seems my '2011 To Do List' just got a little longer.

My son's partner makes all sorts of wonderful things, including soft toys.... This is one she made me, a little giraffe, called OPPY, named after a lovely morning we had searching Op shops for fabric.

 

THE List

I read on another of my favourite blogs that, tinniegirl has thrown down the wonderful and a slightly scary challenge of creating a to do list for 2011.
I thought, why not? I've managed to reach this ripe old age without one, but why not do something different.

 so...

• make lists  (we can tick that one already!)

• make more use of notebooks, and the prettier the better

• declutter/downsize my 'stuff' in preparation for a move

• visit more local Markets

• find more 'me' time

• do a course or lessons to learn something new

• blog regularly  (being a relative new-comer this will be easy for now)

well that will do for a start
may have to review and rewrite in July.


No op shopping today, stopped off at one in Mt.Waverley but they were Closed, and we were on our way to the movies to see THE KINGS SPEECH... great film sure gets 5* from me.

Out and About on a Tuesday

First day open for a few OpShops in my area, so I dropped in at Ashburton to the Community Services OpShop on the corner of High Street, near the railway.  They'd had a huge tidy up over the holidays, lots of fresh new stock out, and I scored this lovely little pottery Cat, a rose brooch made from a necktie, another brooch made from a large button and a kilt pin, a piece of what at first glance was vintage fabric, but its a Retro Style made in 2004. Ladies Ironing how lovely!!! And.... a TeaTowel with a dog made into a cushion, but strange large size, more like a PillowCase.  Don't know yet what I' ll do with that.
So, a trip to the PO and Bank to pay all the bills that came in Christmas Eve (Gas, Electricity and Phone all on one day!!), at least ended with a smile on my face.

So, that was Tuesday, what will Wednesday bring?  May head out Mt Waverley / Glen Waverley way.. .. depends on what else I have to do.