For the chair

It seems that I have passed on some of my love for old things to at least one child.

Kara, my eldest, keeps appropriating my precious finds. This chair cost me a mere two dollars at a garage sale years ago. 

It was quickly recovered and then served as a dog chair downstairs at our last house. It's been sprayed for fleas many times and lately washed with a gentle bleach solution. The rain hit it often and possibly even the rottweiler and some native birds have sat in it. 

But now it serves as a cushion holder in Kara's bedroom. She claims she is taking it when she moves out shortly along with some of my other vintage bits and bobs. 

OK. I've agreed but only because I have too many. 

The latest batch of cushions were made from recycled skirts - one from a swap and the other bought at the thrift store - and filled with brand new inserts gifted by a friend who bought the covers cushions but didn't like the fact that they were so plump. 

The map at the rear is a piece of printed fabric found on the net and turned into a throw with a backing of fabric from Ikea.

Super fast sewing

Just a quick sew up of a pencil case with fabric from the stash. 

A note pad made with left over scrapbooking papers and a few other bits scrounged from the paper drawers and there you have it. 

A few things to occupy a two year old who has a day full of sitting in front of her.

Corners of my home

Today Kate spoke about her home being a Copper Art home. Now I don't for a moment believe that to be really true but I guess many of us can identify with starting our homes with stock, standard decorating ideas.

There is no real reason though why we should continue to be crowd followers if we don't want to. 

I've used my very dodgy camera to point and shoot a few corners of my home to prove that it doen't need to take a lot of money to make a home feel individual.

 

Shoe cupboard $5  garage sale 

Picture $1 op shop 

Small table free curbside 

Basket from my childhood 

Table free curbside find
Doily $1 op shop
Jug $3 op shop

Table from ebay $200 including 6 chairs some of which are no longer with us

Various chairs from op shop or garage sale - most expensive $15

China cabinet free from friend
Pretties from ebay, op shops or garage sales.
Only the cats were bought new.

One jug bought new.

The other one thrifted.

Lavender left over from days gone by when I had more money than sense.

Curbside boutique shopping list

OK So this what I threw out.

Loads of worn out stuff from the dog motel under my house, and miles of rust. I graciously offered my friends any amount of rust they wanted, but only for this week, but they all refused.

Funny that.

Anyway I thought it was time to clear out as much as I could, especially in view of the fact that my kids want me to move again in a couple of months if we can find a landlord kind enough to take our three little dogs as well as us and the rent. 

I was intending to be a good girl and not bring anything home and I believe I showed remarkable restraint.
I left behind a vintage bassinette complete with stand and tray underneath, loads of carved table legs that could always be used for something, two painted lattices with frames and even a huge peg board.
How good is that?!
Then there were the other two white cane chairs with suss bottoms and some possible vintage suitcases, white concrete planters and I dread to think what else.
O yes. There was that gorgeous stripped old dresser minus it's mirror and some picture frames I managed to ignore.
I think I had better not dwell too long on all those lost goodies or I might have to have a little cry because I know their fate is the crusher truck.
 *******

For my memory - the list of goodies found:

*2 humungous, perfect clay pots with saucers for an eighty year old friends garden

*1 perfect wave board to be shared by everyone

*2 large baskets for me

*1 big pink cane toy box with attached lid - not sure who for yet

*1 cane picnic basket in perfect condition sans the dishes

*1 white cane decorative planter basket for me

*4 different leather or leather type bags including a Gladstone style one - probably to be sold, possibly on ebay

*2 heavy metal dining style chairs in wrought iron for me - must keep them out of the rain so they don't rust

*1 perfect, virtually new, white cane chair to add to my collection but being minded by a special friend who doesn't want the big dog downstairs to wreck it (!)

*1 vintage treadle base (the rest is going to be removed as it is already falling to pieces), slightly rusty - but who cares - it's a Singer

 *1 already stripped vintage small table to  be used as a gardening table for now - seen here with items from past shopping sprees

*1 el-cheapo style milk tin with lid - I just love milk pails so this one will have to do

and

TaDaa!:

I've left the best for last.

I surreptiously stripped these covers from a ruined parker chair on the outskirts of town.  only to see newer style fabric underneath. 

Somebody went to great lengths to cover these with gorgeous fabric then threw them out before there were any major signs of wear. Lucky me!

Co-ordinated travel folder and camera case.

I wonder if I can remember, between now and the next time I make a camera case, that the real trick is to make the flap seperately and insert it before the final seam.

I'm sure that would make for a neater finish as well as allowing for a better padding than  was used this time.

Maybe 11cm wide instead of the 10 I used too.

mmm. Must try to remember. 

I did manage to line the flap with a thin fabric while the rest of the case has a fine velour so that it doesn't scratch the camera.

It's funny that my daughter is not really a red person because it is the common colour for all of her little bits.

But maybe it's because she has been thinking about the Big Apple all along. 

All homemade items from the stash.

Magnetic clasp pinch from last camera case attempt.

More non-bedroom sewing

Still further derilection of duty occured in order to make these little girls bags, suddenly requested for a friend's two and three year old grand-daughters.

 They are completely made from stash items and were quicker than normal because I made the executive decision that such little girls don't need pockets.

I've been a good girl. Really I have!

Despite the fact that this November is my No-spender I am allowed to buy secondhand doilies and sewing necessities which are defined as things needed to finish projects. 

Taking advantage of this gap in the rules I visited three op shops today and was remarkably restrained in my spending. 

As you can see I picked up some delicious doilies and some very 'essential to sewing' things. 

I can safely say that all of these will be used to finish projects in someone's lifetime.

I did buy this non-essential record though, because my son is VERY keen on Beethoven and I just thought the cover was brilliant. 

Can you imagine it hanging on his wall amongst all those long haired, black clothed other musicians he loves?

O! I forgot.

I did buy one teeny tiny t-shirt for a friends son but that was only 50 cents so I don't think it really counts.

November is my no-spender

Well it has finally happened.
After a couple of years of enjoying the rewards of constant op-shopping I have been put on a diet.
Almost like an AA for op-shoppers.
I have promised to not frequent or possibly even enter these places for the whole month of November.
It is going to be hard, real hard.
I'll have to take the less scenic route into town now so that the desire of my eyes does not force me to make a little foray in to my favourite one.
But at least I have admitted I have a problem.
So anyone else up around here who loves vintage tablecloths, doilies and crocheted cardies can rest easy for this month knowing that the said items will still be there for them when they get there a little later than I used to.......
Please think of me people's while you are enjoying your month of goodies.

O and did I tell you I have also pledged not to buy anything unnecessary for November either?
Sadly that also is true.

And if I just slip up and post about some special goodies (wink, wink) please don't tell the local police, er, I mean my daughters.
I don't weant to get in trouble.

Sigh.
Well here goes.....

These pictures that my son took have nothing to do with this post.
But I still like them.

Thanks Tinniegirl and Curlypops for a fantastic Blogtoberfest.

PS Monetpaisley has just offered to go shopping on my
behalf in November which makes me feel SO much better.
lol