Flea Market Finds

This is my first time playing along with Sophie from Her Library Adventures with her excellent meme Fleamarket Finds. As you may already know I am a compulsive op shopper & also love junk shops, bazaars, markets of all kinds & garage sales. I've also been known to peek into skips, poke around at the tip & eye of hard garbage. I think it's a genetic thing. Like my bunions but a whole lot better.

Anyways, this week I found this sweet little Japanese music box, and guess what? Although I have four daughters who would all love it....I kept it for myself!

It plays Raindrops in a funny, jaunty kind of way. I love it's little red door way,

and of course the ballerina who lives inside.

It seems that half one of her arms has broken off but that doesn't stop her from dancing.

This lovely treasure cost all of $1.50. Ahhhh...country op shops, you're the best.

From the same oppy came these two books. Check out the kooky/evil eyes on the March sisters above! Is that Bette Davis top right?

Jennifer sure new how to give a good present back in the 60's. Wonder where she & Barbara are now?

Also on the book front I'm loving the illustrations in this book, Mary Goes Travelling (by Gilbert Delahaye & Marcel Marlier).

You may recognise them from Pip's banner. On each page a wonderful scene unfolds, usually with a little sausage dog called Poppet.

Lastly I must show you this doona cover I found for Bill. It's covered in vintage Australian stamps & he loves it!

What a great score. This one is definitely too good to cut up!

For more Flea market finds go and have a look here, and enjoy the rest of your weekend, where ever you are xo

My Creative Space

My creative space today is all about looking for creative ways to get through One of Those Days. You know those days when the minutes drag, you just want to be in bed or just Somewhere Else? Rosie is happy painting though while I have another cup of tea to keep awake.

Yesterday was a long and not so fun day with Bill having his dental work done, thanks everyone by the way, for your supportive comments. Isn't this one of the nicest things about blogging? The sense of community & caring is amazing. Bill came through it all well, although he was pretty distressed when he came out of the anaesthetic, but he seems fine today. I hated all of it and found it very unsettling. I really feel for people whose children have ongoing medical issues, it must be so tough. Anyway, today is another day but after a disturbed night with Rosie having nightmares I am feeling pretty ordinary.

There is quite a racket in the garden which is proving to be a good distraction. Tiger the rooster is being very creative with his new found cock-a-doodle-dooing. He is practicing religiously and calling out to the girls in the other coop. Maybe he is also calling out a mourning song as sadly his mumma, who was not well, died yesterday morning. The kids and I talked about her lovely attributes and said a little prayer for this funny old feathered chook. She was a great mum to her little ones and kept them warm and safe. She was so sweet to them and let them sit on her back when they were small. Farewell Mamma Chook.

On a happier note I'm excited to tell you that Daisy is a reformed character. Her chook chasing/killing days may be over. I never thought I would say it but I think I can actually leave her out now and not worry about a potential massacre. Perhaps she is growing up. She really is a dear dog. This is her practicing restraint.

I may have mentioned that I am in the middle of a big order of Love Hearts for a shop in Melbourne. I've really been enjoying cutting out the heart shapes and picking out an interesting mixture of fabrics.

Speaking of fabric I wandered into an op shop in Ballarat yesterday while I was waiting for Bill & happened upon four beautiful, mint condition Australiana tea towels. Oh happiness! Just what I need to add some colour to my latest batch of Love Hearts.

It's been a busy week this week with Book Club last night & my course starting on Tuesday night. Tomorrow I am meant to be off to week garlic at Callawadda but I'm thinking it might have to wait till next week. I really need a day at home, sewing and getting ready for the weekend. We have the Swiss Italian Festa starting on the weekend in Hepburn Springs and the kids will be in the Grande Parade and performing with their school in the concert. It's a great festival, if you are looking for something to do you can access the program online. My brother and family are also coming up to visit which will be lovely. Sunday is going to a Cupcake party & a Fairy Tea Party too so that should be fun. I'm off now to have a look at some other creative spaces...Hope you have a great, creative and happy weekend too. See you soon xo

On the mend...

This winter I have hardly been sick at all which makes a nice change from previous winters - the worst being the one when Rosie was born and I had the flu & pneumonia. So, health wise, I have been travelling along nicely. But now it is Spring and this week I have been laid up with a tummy bug of some sort which has left me very drained and in bed alot of the time. You know that 'hit by a truck' feeling? Well a whole lot of that & a nice dose of total body fatigue has knocked me for a six.

It's actually been weirdly relaxing as I haven't been able to rush around in my usual mode. Rather than fighting the bug I've been going with it and not worrying too much about keeping up around the house. Lets face it I'm never going to be a great housewife as there are too many more interesting things to do than keep a tidy house. So there has been alot of lolling around in bed and a tiny bit of pottering around, picking up a few things here and there in a lackadaisical fashion. Oh and a bit of quiet cutting and sewing which has been therapeutic.

(This being sick caper is a whole lot easier now that I don't have as many under fives running around. In the past when I have been sick there was NO TIME for me to be unwell, it was impossible to even lie down. People out there with several small children, I remember how it is, boy do I remember.)

Whilst tucked up in my bed I have found myself soothed by my collections of odd things, memorabilia, colours, photo's, things that are distinctly me.

This glass dish above was my Nan's sugar bowl. Now it holds little precious bits & pieces, watched over by Nan and her baby (my mum).

Can you tell I'm not a minimalist? I love all my treasures, they all have some kind of significance or memory. Having said that I am also better at letting things go that are not meaningful anymore, or that may bring someone else more pleasure than me. Do you have room of your own, a study/bedroom, a place that is just about you? I really need this as it seems to ground me in my hectic life and gives me the space I need to think, dream, plan, relax, be.

I know not everyone has the luxury of their own room but even a part of a room can be good, or perhaps somewhere outside in the garden. I also like to have something I've recently made nearby to look at or pat affectionately (I think the illness is unhinging me slightly...) eg. my Australiana tea towel covered pillow, see above (also not too familiar with irons...)

Today I woke up feeling a bit better and managed to stumble up the road to meet Kate in a warm cafe filled with beautiful Spring sunlight. It was good to sit there and chat about the millions of things that fill our worlds and to feel vaguely human again. I always come away from coffee with Kate feeling inspired & happy, she's one of those friends that gives me alot in so many ways. If you live in Melbourne or are visiting, pop in and see Kate & Bren at the Farmers Market, at the Collingwood Children's Farm tomorrow. You can pick up some of their amazing produce from their Daylesford Organics stall. I think it's going to be a windy, windy day so hold onto your hat and watch out for flying chooks.

Besides feeling like I'm on the mend it's also been a real tonic to be enjoying some long overdue sunshine. Today I have been out chatting to the chooks and GET THIS, hanging actual washing on the actual washing line. (As opposed to draping items all over the house in an attempt to dry them within several days...) To me this is close to bliss. I love my wonky washing line and the dreamy state I get in when hanging out the washing. It's sad but true, being out there with the birds and flowers, smelling that good country air and pegging away, I'm in heaven.

So, that's me for another week. Tomorrow I'm going to have dinner in Melbourne with Charlotte, followed by a good old snoop around the books at Borders in Carlton. Can't wait. What are you up to on the weekend? xox