Surprise!

The Bump - 12 weeks 1 day and all's well
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

We are pregnant! This is our scan from 12 weeks and 1 day, when our ultrasonographer told us that this baby is "perfect". We are so thankful. Getting to this point, where we could celebrate this little person-in-progress, was a long time coming.

Our heartfelt thanks to the fabulous Kate (our gorgeous and wonderful fertility specialist and cheerleader).

A very special thankyou to our dear friends and family for being our best supports possible. Thankyou xo

And of course to my amazing hubby.... words are not enough. 2008 is going to be an amazing year my lovely xo

I could go on.....but if this were an Academy Award acceptance speech the music would have started playing at least two paragraphs ago.

Chat soon, xo

Oh, and Fi, we have three bedrooms in our new house... plenty of space for the baby! ;)

Terrifically Positioned Time Capsule... aka the house update

Hello all!!!

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas (to those of you who celebrate it) and if you don't celebrate Christmas, hope you enjoyed the public holidays. I am currently on leave from work, and it is absolute bliss! So I have been avoiding the computer (as I spend most of my working life in front of one), but realised it was really overdue for me to give you the house update... so here it is!

Soon we will be moving to the inner north side of Melbourne! (Very exciting).

Our new home to be (late January) was advertised as a "Terrifically Positioned Time Capsule" (a change from the usual term "renovators delight"... must admit I enjoyed their creativity here).

It's a 3br brick terrace with only one shared wall and a walkway down the left hand side. The bedrooms have striped wallpaper and shag carpet (noice!). Walking down the hallway past the bedrooms it has a large lounge room (2 whole metres deeper than the one we are in now) and an eat in kitchen. The bathroom and laundry (both in reasonable, if not pretty, condition) are at the back, before you head out to what we describe as an enormous backyard (after living with one just the size of one car for two and a half years). But enough words, I am sure the photos are much more exciting!

A couple of quick FAQs...

Is this another home you are planning to renovate?

Yes.

What's the first job on the list of things to do?
After any structural repairs we get into the fun stuff. Probably the shag carpet and the wallpaper in the bedrooms will be the place we start.

When will you get the time to do the renos?
In all of our "spare" time (!).

How long do you think you will live in this house?
A while... five? seven? years probably.

Any more questions are welcomed!

Have a fabulous week xo

christmas 07 - pavlova end result

christmas 07 - pavlova end result #2
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Here it is... my first ever pavlova baked for christmas day...the final product --- love these berries! (from the south melbourne market).

This photo also features the bargain fabric I got at spotlight on Christmas Eve... only $20 for 6 metres.

More Chrissie photos later... oh! and I promise the house update next post!!!

Chat soon, x

flashback friday! "christmas special"

Hello all

This is most likely going to be my last flashback friday of 2007, and what better way to end than to focus on christmases past.

The photo above is of my cousin Chris, me and Papa (my mum's dad). I don't have many photos with Papa, and I really love this one. My memories of Papa have really faded over time, but I can still feel how I felt about him, and am sad that I didn't get to know him for longer. as a kid, I always thought my cousin Chris was just incredible, and it is lovely that we are now "grown up" (in theory, anyway!) and are still in touch. This eat-in kitchen was the heart of this house for me. I think this is why I am so excited about our eat-in kitchen at our new house, hoping we can create the same warm, loving and fun environment in our kitchen and make it the heart of our home, too.

This next photo is of Mum, Dad, me, my brother, and our dear friends Fiona and Laura, all snuggled together and singing along to Carols By Candlelight on the TV (I'm at the back of the green beanbag). This is something that happened every year, and is one of the highlights for me at Christmas. I actually got to a Sydney Carols By Candleight a few years ago and it was a magical night... I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Anyway, in case I don't pop my head in here again to say hello before Christmas, wishing you a beautiful, wonderful, magical Christmas and a fabulous and safe new year. Thankyou for visiting and chatting this year... I have enjoyed your company!

Chat soon, xx

christmas shopping - instalment no. 1

Who here has finished their Christmas shopping already???

You have? Already? Well, I am afraid that I am not so organised, and thought it may be helpful to showcase some fantastic gifts available from Australians on etsy (as it is probably a wee bit late at this stage to be shopping o/s). In this first instalment, I am going to focus on gifts for the women in our lives... our mums, our aunts, our wives, etc...

veronica darling peppery olivia cheeky badge

magic jelly pocket mirror - lulu

ellenade chocolate hat with feature brim



anna laura felt badge - lana

siiri skull hairclip yellow polkadot

interrobang purple haze bucket tote

oneandonly retro hoop earrings

misswoolly cross stitch brooch

Happy shopping everyone!

Oh! and by the way, we bought a house today! (more details later... promise!)

xx

flashback friday! dressing up for a wedding....

Hello!

I am thrilled that we are no longer doing themes for Flashback Friday... it was all getting way too difficult to find photos to fit the theme!

This is a photo of me with my brother, all dressed up for my uncle's wedding. I reckon this was early-mid 1980s.

Check out the hair! I remember the day before, mum tied so many rags into my hair, I felt so special, and how exciting it felt to then go to bed with them still in!!! I felt quite different though when she had taken them all out the next morning, and stood me in front of a glass door so I could just see my reflection... I cried! But I am sure I got over it, and I remember how my hair felt, it was lovely and soft. I am not sure if it looks cute or if it is appropriate to laugh at this photo!

In this photo I am wearing my favourite blue dress with my favourite pale blue socks and gorgeous metallic blue Mary Janes.... my mum shopped incredibly well for this outfit! I wore it at every opportuninty, and remember wearing it in summer (without the shirt underneath) and in the winter... how sad when I grew out of it!

Now, looking at my brother, how cool was he in the brown and the cardi...? too funny!!!

Have a great weekend, xx

explanation for a brief absence

So, where have I been all of this time????

1. Toilet training the dog (still... any tips on toilet training dogs who refuse to go outside during or after rain will be much appreciated!)
2. Making softies for Mirabel, thanks Pip for organising this! (My softies are on their way ... sorry I am never on time!)
3. Hanging out with the hubby
4. Making secret surprises for my secret santa swap, organised by the good elf Donna

5. Celebrating my birthday (yippee! another year wiser! - ha!) with twilight lawn bowls with friends
6. House hunting...still hoping to find something by Christmas!

7. Reviewing the final print of my pages in a new slow craft book being published in China in January

8. Christmas crafting! (see the brief post below about my latest angel Josie)
9. And when I get the time, just lazing about the house!

Hope you all have a beautiful weekend! xx

josie the angel

josie the angel close
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

I have been very busily sewing for Christmas this past fortnight. Here is Josie, a new angel I have made. Lots of pink of course!
Chat soon, xx

etsy sale!!!

Hi all

Just a quick post to let you all know that my etsy shop is having a pre-christmas sale. Button rings, necklaces, hairclips (oh my!) plus a couple of softies. I am about to get out the sewing machine again, so hope to be adding in more softies, so watch this space!

Hope all is well in your part of the world...

xx

the house update

Ah, I see, more interested in the house news than the crafting news then? ;) ... thanks to those of you happily nagging for a house update!

Okay, so we sold our house! It was a very intense morning, we headed out for brekkie after I had been to the south melbourne markets for all of the goodies for our post-auction barbeque, had bought flowers for the house, and we had finished another brilliant (but quick) clean. Oddly for me, I couldn't eat much (too nervous). We then slowly wandered back home to sit in the front bedroom and watch the auction. It was incredibly stressful! But, all went well, we got well over the reserve price and so now are on the mad home hunt so we are not homeless come the 25th January!!!

Thankyou to all of you who wished us good luck, it all did turn out much better than we had expected. Feel free to keep your eyes peeled for more renovators delights within 10kms of the city, we are looking for our next house! (By the way, hubby will hate me for posting this photo... all of the photos were duds, sadly! But great to have a picture with the SOLD! sign.)

I have been reflecting on the process that got us to this point, of the cricket pitch green carpet that used to be on the floor, of the green walls, the yellow and brown bathroom (with palm tree feature tiles... noice), the green window frames, and it has gotten me wondering.... does anyone else have any stories out there about homes / rooms you have run your creativity and sparkle over? I am sure you do... come on, be brave and share!

Chat soon, xx

button bonanza!

Things have been quiet on the ol' blog front of late... why?
1. pug puppy who likes to chew computer cords
2. button bonanza!

Yep, I am back into making vintage button jewellery with a bang.... the dining table is covered in reloved vintage buttons and each night the mess gets bigger! I will post a collection for show and tell once I have photographed some more. But in the meantime, here is a taste of what I have been doing lately.

Available at my etsy ...

More soon, have a beautiful week!

xx

bethan short... hooray! i found some pictures!

Some of you may remember that I went to a class not long ago with an inspirational doll maker Bethan Short, but couldn't find any pics of her work anywhere. Well, this morning I was going through an old Cloth Doll Showcase magazine (no date) and found these pictures. These were obviously early on in her dollmaking career, her work is so much more detailed and exquisite now. But I thought I could at least share these, in the absence of much else.

What I loved about Bethan's workshop (other than all of the amazing learning and sharing of ideas!) was her focus on keeping the patterns simple, but making the detailing beautiful. I love the beading on the doll above in the white dress. This was probably giving a bit of a hint of where Bethan was going to go with her dollmaking. Love the headgear too! Just lovely.

Happy weekend everyone xx

flashback friday! my stylish mum

Hi all

Sorry, one day late with this post... dad's visiting from interstate at the moment which is lovely, keeping me away from the internerd!

So for flashback friday this week we are talking about our stylish mums. This one is tricky for me, given that it was always my mum behind the camera (as I have mentioned before, mum looks like she was MIA for much of my life... not many pics!).

The photo at the top of this post is just a beautiful photo, and mum looks gorgeous. This was taken in Nyngan (NSW), in our front yard. This must have been around 1981. Sadly, like many of our early family photos, the photo has not travelled well over time. But it is still a beautiful photo and one of the few we have with all four of us together. Look how happy and relaxed we all look! Love it.

I always thought Mum's hair was amazing. In the 70s it was long, in the 80s she had a bob with the spike/mullet top.... so cool. I really wish I had more photos of mum so I could have included a hair mosaic here... mum's hair has pretty much always been great. And at her 50th birthday it looked amazing too - good hair for mum wasn't limited to the 70s and 80s.

I wish I had copies of these photos to share here:

1. A wedding photo: mum had the most gorgeous wedding outfit. It included a stunning lace coat, which had a wide hood. Stunning. And very 1972...

2. Mum in her purple kaftan. Very cool.

3. That photo that mum and I were looking at just two weeks ago with the white top with the embroidered detail.

4. The 1980s blue dress with "wings" (batwing sleeves... very "in the moment"!). Mum definitely did the 80s with style. She was the shoulder pad queen, and had some great clothes in the 80s. But this was my favourite.

5. A photo of mum from the Miss Industry pageant (Broken Hill). Noice.

Have a great weekend everyone!

xx

ps. Hope you are having a good weekend Mum, we will return Dad soon xo.

ah, melbourne!

I know, I have gone on about Melbourne in the past, but here I go again.... am thinking this might be a regular feature on this blog, so I hope you will be happy to read these mini-tributes to a beautiful city!

So, some of you may remember my writing about Melbourne as a city with soul previously, and about my love of the little laneways with amazing secrets!

Well, this past week was no exception! I was fortunate enough last Wednesday, to go to the famous spiegeltent with some gorgeous friends, to see croque monsieur (wonderful Melbs band... see them if you get the opportunity!). Fab venue, fantastic music... just wonderful (though we wished there was dancing space, as we felt a bit held back by the seating!).


Then, after a brilliant time at the spiegeltent, we went in search of a restaurant one of our friends had heard of, but which none of us had been to.... gill's diner!

Gills Diner is a new favourite. It is NEW and hidden away down a little laneway in the city. The food is divine ! I had squids ink linguine with salted cod and potatoes... oh, so delicious! My friends had the gnocchi al forno (amazing), the fish of the day (melt in your mouth) and the spaghetti marinara (more marinara than spaghetti). We were also fortunate enough to receive a taste of the rabbit wrapped in proscuitto which was just beautiful... can't wait to return! (and very reasonably priced! under $20 a main). I should mention too that the staff were amazing... we could have stayed all night.

Ah, Melbourne. (I am in love).

xx

James Brown

James Brown
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

My new love.... and what an amazing pressie from my gorgeous hubby!!!

This is James Brown the Pug. What a delight!

(for those of you who don't know, I have been in love with pugs for at least ten years.... I am in doggie heaven!) xx

flashback friday! favourite activity

on the trampoline around 1984
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Yep, we really loved this trampoline!

Here we are again, and I think this is probably around 1984-1985, judging by my hair and the appearance of a small Laura in the background!

Happy Flashback Friday!!!
xx

ps. I have worked out that at the moment I can upload pics through flickr-based blog posting, hence the two posts for flashback friday (can only post with one photo at a time this way)

flashback friday! favourite activity

on the trampoline around 1982
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Here we are on the trampoline at Cliff, Mal, Fi and Laura's place. I think by my bad hair and lack of teeth that this must have been around 1982 (I am in the middle). I love Mally (Fi's mum) in the background of this photo! I also love my brother's pose in this one (nice one Rhys!).

This was their place in Gunnedah when we were living in Tamworth... it felt like such a long way as little kids. We would catch up with them probably nearly every school holidays, and in between, Fi and I would write letters to each other (I think I still have these somewhere).

This photo just reminds me of all of the amazing times we had together as kids, and all of the good times we are still having together now (Fi is the mum of the beautiful boy Jye who had his baptism and 1st birthday last weekend).

I can't help but smile and feel incredibly warm looking at these shots, and thinking just how lucky I am to have had friendships which have lasted for so many years.

Happy Flashback Friday!
xx

where on earth have I been all this time?

Ignoring you? No.

Well, no, not really! I have been selling our house (or at least trying to!) and then have been traipsing off all over Aus to various family events and get togethers. So, to spare you the details, here is some of what I have been up to, in pictures...

OOOPS! Blogger images not working today.... so here are the links to the photos anyway (but probably easiest to wait for the mosaic!)

1. on the move, 2. the boys, 3. in love, 4. tyges, han and paul, 5. the house, 6. buddies, 8. paul han crop, 9. jye and hannah (fairy godmother)

Also, while I am here, a very big thankyou to all of you for being so supportive of my crafting adventures. I am thrilled to see more positive feedback about my toile bag, so watch this space... they will be appearing in my etsy soon, hopefully in time for Christmas!

Will be back very soon with more updates (and once the house sells I will be back into crafting again - yippee!)

I will chat again soon, promise! xx

ps. be sure to pop back in on Friday, as I have caught up with mum and dad and their photo albums, so have more delightful flashback photos to share! Oddly enough, still no photos of my first dog, Barkly, though.

pay it forward, and thankyou!

Well, we have had the first open inspection for our house (! - people inspecting our renovations) and now I have limited opportunities to get the sewing machine out (can't make a mess when we have people potentially popping in at any time to get building inspections, an additional look-through etc etc...).

BUT, I have discovered that if I set my mind to it, between the Saturday lunchtime inspection, and going out on Saturday night, I can whip a little something up (with a little - actually, no, a lot - help from my friend Martine... and the hubby). But more on that later...

Firstly, to announce the winner of the pay it forward craft exchange. I am so sorry that this took me so long. So, drumroll please.... after writing everyone's name on a button, and getting hubby to draw one out, we have a winner.... Linny T! Congrats Linny, you will be receiving a little piece of summer pickles something in the post in November!

Now, about the top.... after much confusion about the top, Martine at greenolive popped in to my flickr page and gave me instructions of her own, which worked beautifully. The hubby was involved by standing near by, making incredibly helpful grunting noises, scratching his head and repeating small sections of the instructions again and again and again (this sounds sarcastic, but it truly was helpful).

So, thanks everyone for all of your help (if this did not come in the form of sewing directions, but in the form of understanding and shared confusion, this was just as good!). And in case you had not guessed, that's it, at the start of this post. I am feeling a wee bit proud of myself right now... (oh, and the lining is a fuschia pink... gorgeous!)

Chat soon,
xo

ps. sorry for missing the Melbs etsy catch up today gals... just remembered about 2 hours ago... this house stuff has completely taken over my brain at the moment. I am very disappointed, and kicking myself a little... hope to see you all there next month.

Pattern puzzlement... any ideas?

Hi everyone

Thought I would try to be really clever and "whip up" (ha!) a top (getting really adventurous with the sewing now!!!).

And I am completely STUCK on one stage! Driving me bonkers! Do any of you have any ideas????

I have posted pics of the pattern pieces and the instructions here should you be feeling generous with your advice...

Thankyou!
xo

Oh! and we do have a winner for pay it forward... just have to take the photos! (stay tuned...)

xx

just finished my first ever bag!

It's my first ever bag, no pattern, just me and my poor brain. This was lots of fun - fabric was left over from cushions. This one is not for sale, but is open for comment! Finished at 11:32pm Sat night...

Hope your weekend is treating you beautifully,

xo

flashback friday!!!!

I'm back! and apologies for not fitting with the theme this week - I don't know if I have any photos of me with my littl pup Barkley (yes, after the big Barkley on Sesame Street).

Barkley was lovely - I think I was about five when we had him, and I clearly remember his smell (of course!). Barkly had that real puppy smell... a bit like you would imagine dry crumbled weetbix would smell if it were out in the sun for a while and grew warm. I love that smell! I remember creeping out the back door to visit him when he was whimpering one night (he was still spending the night in a big box at that stage)... I remember he was so hard to reach to pat! I felt as though I was going to fall into the box!

I also remember very clearly that a dalmation got into our yard one day and bit Barkley's ear. I was so worried and upset. I remember the smell of him being washed, and the smell of Dettol. He was really shaken, poor little thing. I still don't trust dalmations.

But, sadly, I have no photo to go with this story... mum/dad - do you have one at home? Can you scan one in and email it to me?

Happy flashback everyone!
xo

my favourite things...

I haven't done this for a while (way too long!) but with the sewing machine and other crafting items firmly packed away by hubby today, thought I would take this opportunity to do another set of my favourite things!

And, prompted by Martine at greenolive to reflect on my love of all things pink, I thought it may be timely to show a group of my pink favourites!


1. Más lovely necklaces!!, 2. Set of 4 "pink pretty" badges, 3. Friendly Birds, 4. Broche Muffin, 5. Midnight Garden Detail, 8. Miki's wing, 9. Blossom PINK, 10. BONBON CANDY BUTTON PIN, 11. quilted bag, 12. Girl's open knit hat with detachable flower, 13. Embroidery in progress, 14. Doll for Greta, 15. lots of buttons, 16. Hearts and hearts and little hearts...

Enjoy!
xx

new button necklace!

Okay, so I still haven't given that monkey a head, but I can't get the sewing machine out at the moment... no space in the midst of renovations!

I have, though, made a new button necklace tonight, in gorgeous autumnnal browns and burnt oranges. I think this is my new favourite! And, it is now available at my etsy.*

It feels good to have done something creative tonight... thanks K for coming over for tea and giving me a little creative boost!

Have a happy Monday everyone!

xx

*sorry, a blatant plug there...

still no head for the monkey... but an exciting parcel in the mail!

Photo originally posted by Julia Laing

Hello! Just received this gorgeous bag in the mail on Friday, and had to show it off. The very clever Julia Laing made this. It came all the way to sunny Melbs Australia from the UK... (again, more o/s travel in my clothing, accessories and softies than I have had!). I was extremely fortunate to have won this on Julia's blog.

Thanks so much Julia, I love this bag, and it goes beautifully with my favourite jacket, which is a gorgeous shade of blue. This bag is what I refer to as a Mary Poppins bag - it is much bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside - so when I went out with is, I was able to fit in my wallet, camera, phone and a beanie. I love this fabric, and what I really love about the design, is the handle, which always has a lovely shape, whether is is being carried or is resting on a table/chair/lap. Can't wait til it is warm enough down here to wear with a light flippy skirt... I definitely feel very feminine and lovely carrying this bag!!!

Thanks Julia - I will be keeping a very close eye on your shop for more goodies!
xx

(now, back to sealing the bathtub!)

a bit quiet on the crafting front

1. monkey minus head, 2. doorknobs, 3. plants from the lounge room, 4. jessica the elephant - close up

Hello! (in case you crafters are still out there?)

Just a very quick post to apologise for my lack of crafting content of late... I am one of those people who believes that if you start something with a clear purpose (eg. this blog, talking crafting and creativity) then you should stick to that purpose, and it seems I have strayed....

So, the reason I have perhaps strayed a little is that I have (sadly) had no time for crafting or even scouring the world for incredible crafters.... we have been renovating! (Please don't read the exclamation mark as unbridled enthusiasm... it is some exhaustion, some frustration and a little bit of manic giggling as things don't quite turn out how we would have liked!)

What I can show you today is photos of a number of works in progress.... some renovation work, some crafting work... enjoy, and I hope to be back to the land of creating (and finding inspiration) very soon!
xx

I have been tagged!

Thanks Miss Cinti from my poppet for tagging me to join in this game... my first tag! And Lou Lou for tagging me again!

First the rules:

A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.

B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.

C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog....so off we go!!!


1. I am still completely smitten by my lovely hubby. Even when he's grumpy. Even with I'm grumpy. He's lovely.

We met at school, where I remember thinking he was one of the funniest and most fun boys to be around. He was my mate, we dated after school, broke up, went our separate ways.... then years later we "bumped into each other" via a group email, he came back to Aus, we got married and are living happily ever after. The End.

2. I call my mum and dad on the telephone - a lot! Quite often I will chat to one of them for my whole commute home from work (hands free everyone... quite legally). They are two of my very favourite people in the world (I am a lucky gal!).

3. I squeeze pimples. I know, it's disgusting, but I do it anyway... oh! and I scratch mozzie bites as well... terrible behaviour. I do intend to floss my teeth every day. I just forget...or don't feel like it.

4. I cannot stand advertising that uses children as props or gimmicks. Children are real little people, not status symbols or objects to be manipulated. I love children and am absolutely passionate about child rights, and supporting families and communities to look after their kids as best they can. I am dearly hoping one day to have a big family (we're working on it).

5. I sing every day, but only in private. Usually in the car, or in the shower. I used to dream that I would be an opera singer. I wish I could sing for my job... I wish I were that good at it.

6. I love Weetbix with cold soy milk and brown sugar... yum! I also love olives, sushi, chocolate, blue cheese and Jock's icecream's hokey pokey (but not all at once!)

7. People always assume that I am younger than I am. I think this is great (though can be frustrating too!). I think it is because I smile a lot, laugh a lot, grin a lot and am a generally happy human being. I also get really openly excited about exciting things. People don't seem to expect this as you get older.

8. My favourite books in the world all make me cry... Jane Eyre, The Time Travellers Wife, and Henry and Amy (yes, it's a children's picture book! but more on that another time).

Now, to tag some friends in blogland:

Linny T
Raggy Rat
Veronica Darling
Dear Fii
Scrappers

Thanks everyone have a fun Friday!
xx

lucky me... a gorgeous gift from greenolive!

I had the most wonderful surprise waiting for me today when I got home.... gifts from greenolive!!!

Now, for those of you who don't know greenolive, you should definitely visit her website! Greenolive is Martine Booth, a Melbourne woman who produces some amazingly beautiful crafts.

Just recently I was fortunate enough to win a prize on her blog. It arrived this afternoon, after a looong day at work, and really did brighten up my whole day, and I think will brighten up my whole week... whole month!

So, show and tell time... Here is the package as it arrived (I love this packaging... gorgeous!), and once it was unpacked.

I LOVE all of these brooches!!! I love that they are all hand-stitched (beautifully) and the fabric and colour combinations are just glorious... and thanks for all of the pink and red! Lovely!!! The summery colours and designs of the cards are also gorgeous, and will come to good use as I have recently started sending snail mail again... a lovely personal thing to do I think! (Funny that I have started this recently, now that I am spending so much time online).

(Can you tell by all of my exclamation marks that I am a little excited?!?)

Martine, I hope you don't mind that I tried one out in my hair... when I looked at the lighter pink one I realised how well it would go with my favourite racing carnival dress, and thought perhaps I could wear it as a fascinator?!? I think it looks lovely in hair, too? (Please ignore the saggy I-have-been-in-meetings-or-at-a-computer-all-day-eyes!).


(Ha! Love this look of concentration on my face as I take a self portrait... funny.)

Anyway, a very warm thankyou to Martine --- these are just so beautiful... you have motivated me now to come out to the Mt Dandenong markets and check out your stall! (For those of you not in sunny Melbs you can visit Martine online)

Have a fun week everyone, and thanks again for popping by!xx

ps.... more summer pickles cheeky monkeys in production at the moment... keep an eye open for an update very soon!

summer pickles softies getting out and about!

my babies
Originally uploaded by plur_bitch_plur

This is a photo posted by plur bitch plur after receiving Brett the Sausage Dog. Looks like he has already made a friend!

I really do get a kick out of photos taken of my softies once they "leave the nest".

Penelope the Kangaroo has also been out and about, and now actually has her own flickr site! You can see what she has been up to in Poland by visiting her here.

Hope you are enjoying your weekend.... it is a lovely one in Melbourne!
xx

flashback friday! sunday best - 1984

Okay, so this flashback friday for me really is about Sunday Best... these are photos of my first holy communion.

I remember these classes after school each week in the lead up - there were lots of people I didn't know in these (we went to public schools but then went into the catholic schools for all of the "training" for the big catholic events). My favourite thing about the classes (and scripture at school) was the singing. I think perhaps if there had been a greater focus on music in the church at that time, then I may have stayed involved for a little longer. I barely remember this day at all. I remember standing out the front with Dad, having mum take these photos, but don't remember much of the actual day at all - I think I must have been nervous (I tend to forget these times when I am really nervous).

I remember that after the day I got into trouble from the nun Sister Eileen, because once the photos were printed, she had discovered I was looking at the photographer in the church when he took the photo of us all lined up to receive communion... apparently I wasn't paying enough attention to the priest!

I used to love Sister Eileen, she was a bit intimidating, but for a while there (around this time) I really wanted to be a nun. That was until I realised that the Pope didn't allow contraception (even then I was worried about those women and families who felt having children was out of their control... public health leanings already?!?). I also remember thinking that most of my good friends were boys and how would I go living without them.

I really like these photos... I think I look really sweet in these... (hubby just thinks I look like a massive nerd!)... and I love my Dad's hair and moustache in the first photo!

Looking forward to checking everyone else out now.... happy flashback friday!

xx

Pay It Forward Craft Exchange

I saw this on kwoozy's blog, and signed up to pay it forward... this is what it is in a nutshell:

I will send a handmade gift to 3 random people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this Pay It Forward exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week… LOL… but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So, let me know your favourite colour(s) when you leave a comment, as well as your preference for button jewellery or a softie, and in two weeks I will randomly select one person who will receive a handmade gift from me! I will alter this promise a little and aim to have your gift in the mail and on its way to you by the end of November.

Two weeks to comment, everyone!
xx

flashback friday! (oops... monday!)... music

Well hello there! Apologies for the looong delay with my flashback friday.... I am rapidly running out of old photos (most are interstate still with my mum and dad), and then got absorbed in packing boxes (yes, we are moving!).

But, having now gotten myself organised, selected three (!) photos and sitting down at the computer I have realised that these photos are actually from 1986.... bother! Not sure if I am now officially disqualified (?) but will share the story anyway...

three little maids from school are we....

Yep, it's a young person's version of The Mikado! In this close up shot just above you can see me in the blue kimono in the middle. One of the things that really makes me laugh is the HIDEOUS makeup they piled on! We were told to white out our eyebrows and draw new ones on half way up our foreheads, and then, the eyeliner! (Terrible on so many levels) I remember being really worried about the top of my kimono popping open during the show, so I think mum pinned it up for me.

In the above shot is Lyndal (my best buddy for much of primary school) and ?Judith. Lyndal was extremely confident... at that stage in my life I was much more of a timid little thing, so Lyndal was great fun to be around. I also remember that her dad had the very best biscuits at his work... chocolate biscuits with marshmallows and Iced Vovos! (so exciting!)

Terrible that I can remember this level of detail, but can't remember everyone's names.

All of the people in this production were still at school. I remember the older boys and girls looked extremely old to me! The woman in the pink kimono was stunningly beautiful, and I wanted to be just like her when I grew up. I think her name was Sam, but I am not sure now... The older boys were funny - I remember during one of the shows one of them sat down and flashed his undies to the audience... absolutely accidental but it got a lot of laughs and he hammed it up to get more giggles out of it.

And I wanted to include this last photo just so you could get a glimpse of the very simple but lovely set. That backdrop was painted by one of the kid's mums, and the trees were branches with crepe paper flowers attached. Lovely!

Happy Monday everyone xx

lovely places in my favourite city of melbourne .... and thanks

I was on my way to a work do the other day and found this gorgeous shop hidden away in a little laneway... I love Melbourne! Happiness hiding round every corner...

Thankyou too to those of you who wished me congratulations and who seemed to be as excited as I was last week when I was on the front page of etsy.... it was so lovely to have the support of all you lovely people out on blogland! And thankyou too of course to my very first purchaser!

(Oh, and about flashback friday... sorry everyone, think it's going to be flashback sunday at this rate! I have to find more photos...)

happy saturday xo

oh my goodness I am excited excited excited!!!

Just a quick post.... YIPPEE!!!!

summer pickles got on the front page of etsy! (second row down, in the middle..."the flowers that bloom in the spring tra la! ring"... and that's my hand!

Thanks edee for including me in your showcase!!! Heavens above I am so excited! (Perhaps I will get my ever-elusive first sale?!?)

Hope everyone is having a beautiful week... Spring has arrived in Melbourne - yay for sunshine!

xx

baby elephant love - the mobile

Just finished another mobile!
This one is called baby elephant love... and is made from polkadotted felt (of course from my existing fabric collection - I am still going with use what you have). This is now available at my etsy ...

Now that I have finished stitching felt hearts I can go to bed (whew!) ... it is 1.46 am here!

xx

flashback friday! tshirt theme

Happy flashback Friday!

Okay, this week's theme is tshirts, so this is going to be quite a stretch for me. Fashion has never been my thing, so the closest I think I ever got to a popular tshirt as a child was a Cats tshirt (yes, musical theatre... no where near as cool as ET or Star Wars!)... and this was in I think about 1987.

So, with the limit set at 1985, this is the best I could do.

This is a photo of me with my brother in 1985, sitting in the open air chapel of a Brownies camp called Tintuppah Gunyah. Brownies were junior girl guides... guides got to wear blue, we had to wear yellow and brown... very attractive! I am in the skivvy on the left - I told you... not a fashion victim - whilst my brother is on the right.

Still with me? Okay, here comes the stretch.... My brother is wearing a Tshirt which has the wording "NYNGAN Beyond the Black Stump" on it. Nyngan is a tiny little town with a population of about 2,000 people, 575km inland from Sydney. My family lived there until about 1981ish, before moving to the bright lights of Tamworth (a big country town of 33,000 people).
Whilst this is not a popular Tshirt (like ET, Star Wars, Strawberry Shortcake etc), it does make me laugh that we were living in Tamworth but still wearing Nyngan tshirts 4 years later! (It also makes me laugh that my brother is dressed in brownie colours).


While we are talking brownies, have a look at this hilarious shot of me in my brownies beret! I loved that beret! (actually I think I still have it...) How serious I look! Just hilarious!

Happy flashback friday, and a happy weekend everyone!

xx

introducing brett the sausage dog

Before I madly hunt through what few childhood photos I have, to try to fit the theme for this week's flashback friday, thought I would give you a wee glimpse of one of my brand spanking new softies who is currently on his was to the US in a padded postbag, as part of a swap on flickr.



This is Brett the Sausage Dog. Dear little Brett... he is a bit of a nervous one, but loves a bit of adventure (dealt out in portions he can deal with).

The idea for Brett came only from the fact that my US swap partner loves dachshunds. But I think in the end, he turned out to be a lot of fun! I was also very excited that I made Brett from my existing stash of fabric and eyes to meet the conditions of the Use What You Have group, and that he also fitted in with the flickr Get Your Craft On theme for August (polkadots).

I am trying to decide now if I should focus on making more members of Brett's family, Frank's family, Penelope's family or Douglas' family first! (Ah, the decisions!!!)

Happy Friday!
xx