This weeks..

including the floral sheet, magnetic alphabet letters and the earrings.

These three sweet colourful lidded saucepans, $1, $1.50 and $2 each.

Johnson plates, in a design I don't have.

And my first find of the in between size Johnson plate, smaller than the dinner plate, larger than the bread & butter plate.

Another tea towel, still with its Coles tag stapled on, normally 78c but on sale at 2 for $1.

 I paid $1.

Beautiful illustrations in this 1962 copy of 'Australian Animals and Birds', 60c.

Add your thrifted finds here.

Thrifted Finds

Thursday saw a spot of op-shopping, and there were some bargains to be had for a grand total of $3.20. Tomorrow will see the start of the week off with more thrifting, so hopefully more treasures will find themselves a new home.

Floral saucer, 50c

Fire King mug ($2), Pyrex mug (50c).

1980 edition atlas (20c).

I'm thinking about cutting this one up.. maybe some paper bunting and gift cards.

Any other ideas for crafting with old maps?

Check out all the other thrifted treasures at Sophie's.

Pin Cushion

After last weeks 'On the Shelf' theme over at My Place and Yours, hosted by Vic of Punky & Me, this week its 'My Pin Cushion'.
After one two many a times of locating lost pins in the carpet with the heel of my foot, I decided to make a pin cushion. Using the concept of making a fabric Yo-Yo, I then stuffed it and added a button.
Simple, but oh so effective in keeping those pins off the ground.

I used a piece of this thrifted fabric, with the cutest city print and a thrifted button too.

Come join in the fun here.

Lists

At the moment there is a whole lot of list making happening. My final Uni placement is done, only one assignment left to complete; followed by a couple of months of no Uni commitments for the first time in three years; and a move to Orange in the new year to be planned, the scrap pieces of paper are quickly filling with all those important, ever growing lists.

Sewing and Craft List

- a patchwork quilt using the fat quarters from this swap, with inspiration from Karlyn's Springtime quilt

- tea towel market bags using this CurlyPops tutorial, and maybe a couple as gifts for the fast approaching Christmas
- a spot of cross stitch, with this sweet bird house pattern looking like a good place to start

Shopping List

- Choc honeycomb and malt biscuits (for this recipe. One of the nurses on placement brought this in, and it sure tasted delicious)
- Coconut milk (to give this a try) to use as the filling with this sponge cake

Christmas Wishlist

- one of these food dehydrators
- a couple of metres of this beautiful Ink & Spindle fabric
- Permaculture handbook
- Another gardening book
- Sofia and Isabella's cook book
- this looks like an interesting tree change story
- Lark goodies, including a cute hole punch, and how much more fun would washing up be using this beauty

Moving List

- organising a place to live near Orange, and all that comes with it (Internet, phone, redirecting mail)
- sorting through the accumulation of 'stuff' that finds its way into every drawer, cupboard and wardrobe
- possible garage sale
- listing some no longer needed items on Free Cycle and Gumtree
- compare costs (both time and money) to hire a removalist, hire a small truck, or borrow a Ute and trailer
- start collecting packing boxes and newspapers
- and all those fun cleaning tasks involved in vacating our current place- cleaning those out of sight, out of mind dusty light fittings, plus the venetian blinds, washing windows, cleaning out the back of the kitchen cupboards etc. etc.


And with all the tidying and sorting going on I have unearthed a number of forgotten about treasures, I think I may just have the beginnings of my very first giveaway, so stay tuned.

What's on your list?

Fabulous Finds

Silver cutlery, at 10c a piece how could I not.

This very large two-piece steamer, for $16 it was a bit more than I'd have liked to pay, but a steamer had been on the list for a while, and this English one was perfect.

Another suitcase added to the collection brings the total to four, $5 for this pretty blue one.

And finally, why it pays to have a quick look through the 'Dog blanket' box that most Oppies have. A great condition Country Road beach towel for $1 and a woollen blanket with only a small hole for $2.50

Happy Op-shopping for the week ahead. x

On the shelf...

Today, I am joining in with the newly discovered weekly My Place & Yours hosted by Vic of Punky & Me, whereby every Saturday a new theme is posted of a "common place or perspective we all have". This week is 'On the shelf' and mine is of the shelves in my kitchen cupboards, filled with all my favourite op-shopped crockery collected over the past year or two.

The steadily growing collection of Johnson bread and butter plates, they have so many pretty designs, one can never have too much beautiful crockery I say...

Come join in the fun, and check out what everyone else has on their shelves.

Vintage Finds and the Week that was..

A spot of cross stitch for 50c.

This set of pale mint green coloured Johnson crockery, half a dozen each of large dinner plates, smaller dinner plates, bread and butter plates and bowls.

Another Johnson plate (50c) and the contents of a jar of buttons ($2).

This week has proved a bit of a stressful one. Firstly our cats, both inside pets, escaped outside, we live near a busy main road, so of course we were very worried. We found our first cat 'Tilly' the next morning, after a sleepless night, hiding in a garden bed close to home, but our second cat, 'FiFi' is yet to be found, this happened mid week, so it's not looking to promising for her return.

FiFi

New graduate positions were also released on Friday for those completing their Bachelor of Nursing this year, and I was majorly disappointed to think I did not get a position at my first hospital preference, but then the next day I received an email and I had in fact been offered a full time position near Orange, NSW for next year, so I guess it was meant to be. I haven't been to Orange before, any fellow bloggers live there or know the area, I'd love to hear about it.

So with a move now a definite in the new year the sorting and getting rid of all the accumulated 'stuff' begins. Currently I've placed a box labelled 'Op shop' in nearly every room in the house, with the thought that if the box is within easy reach then there's no excuse to not to get rid of whatever it is that is no longer being used or is no longer wanted. The boxes are already being filling up, so I'll classify that idea as a success. Anyone have any other tried and tested methods of decluttering their homes? 

Wishing you one and all a wonderful week ahead. x

This week from the...

'Glomesh, Made in Australia' already in use. $2.50 for the coin purse, and $2 for the wallet, from different Op-shops about a week apart. Isn't it funny how sometimes matching pieces turn up in groups, and then nothing for ages.

The Hostess Cook Book (1952), featuring over 700 recipes. First on my list is Yo-Yo' and Coconut Butterscotch Pie. 50c for this one.

And lastly this quite large pumpkin canister ($4).

Happy thrifting for the week ahead.

And...

has been spent again at placement for Uni, so again not much free time, but I have managed a bit, and am enjoying the weekend off.

what I think I'll turn into a bag, perfect for the markets.

the October issue of Country Style. So many inspiring stories and beautiful photos.

Roast beetroot for lunch, delicious.

my final two essays. I will be so happy when these are done and dusted.

seedlings for the vegie patch.

the chookies, who like to cluck loudly in the morning so as we don't forget to move them to a fresh patch of grass and chuck in a handful of grain, and listening to their contented chatter when there demands are met.

And

yoghurt cake.

May your weekend bring a bit of free time to get sewing, reading, eating, writing, growing, watching or baking.

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things.

Robert Brault