hello embroidery hoop art

after a bit of a break from the sewing machine (well apart from the mending jobs) i decided a small patchwork piece was next. the fabric is mainly vintage sheets, with plenty from the FQ swap, and a couple of tea towels too.
the embroidery hoop was op-shopped way back and the beautiful yellow woollen pom-poms were a recent etsy purchase from Azalea Cottage Crafts.
i've seen some beautiful wire word art around blog-land of late so decided to try my hand at making my own. i simply folded in half and stitched a long length of bias binding and threaded through the wire. I then bent it to shape.
the pretty little milk glass bowls were op-shopped for $4.
now just to find a bare section of wall to hang it.  x

stills: cinnamon and sewing

1. Cinnamon crunch skillet bread baking this afternoon
2. patchwork sewing. i can't wait to share it with you this week
3. finally the comfrey is sprouting. it's been in the pot for months but each time it had began to shoot the chooks would attack. not this time hopefully
4. a morning spent at the swap meet yesterday and we came home with this cooking pot
5. growing chicks and (adoptive mama) in the morning sunshine

weekly still time.

op-shopping time.

a collection of my op-shop finds from the past couple of weeks..
a new Johnson design.
Pyrex
a few more sheets for the stash
a Cath Kidston-inspired top
and these very retro flower arranging and table setting cards. with instructions to create your very own fruit wall screen or maybe a couple of violet nosegays for your next dinner party (these made me think of you Kylie).

 

op-shop show-off time.

stills: chicks and reading

1. the chicks are doing well. everyday we let them outside to have a scratch around. they've learnt to dust bathe already
2. Country Style mag reading
3. kitchen rearranging
4. a little wonder around an open garden today

 

weekly still time.

doily upcycling

slowly but surely the dated light fittings around here are being replaced with doily covered shades. the frames have all been op-shopped and the doilies have been gifted and thrifted. the shadows cast on the ceiling bring a smile to my face.

do you have a favourite doily upcycling project?

 

joining in with Christina's made by hand link up.

stills: magazines and vintage sheets

1. vintage sheet FQs all posted off. expect to find them in your letter boxes in the next few days
2. handmade op-shopped daisy print top ($3). i can see this getting a lot of wear in the coming months
3. magazine reading. Mezz and Taz's new magazine hundreds and thousands (i was lucky enough to have a little article in this mag). and tickle the imagination
4. beautiful fresh eggs
5. sprouting basil

weekly stills at the beetle shack

additions to the (chook) family

Monday saw one of the chooks become clucky. none of the others have been clucky before, i don't think Light Sussex are really known for their broodiness. the big hen though is persistent. we picked her up from the nest box and placed her outside but time and time again she returned to her straw lined nest.
we considered buying some fertile eggs to pop under her, but the thought of poor hatching rate, male chicks amongst the hatchlings and the big hen giving up on being clucky before the eggs hatched was not appealing. instead we ended up with two Australorp cross chicks. speaking to the man from the pet shop it was just a matter of waiting until night-time then removing the eggs from under her and replacing them with the chicks. this was last night and so far so good. the chicks snuggle under her wings and she is very protective of them, a good sign. hopefully this good mothering continues.

have you tried putting chicks under a clucky hen before? did it work?

poppy bark cloth dress

one bark cloth dress (with pocket) all finished. paired with handmade button hair pins and new shoes.
i wore it today..all the girls at work dressed up for Melbourne Cup. a nice change from the usual slacks and shirt attire.
tomorrow i hope to cut out another dress, maybe this time from a tablecloth or a selection of tea towels.

x

stills: dress wearing

1. & 2. my latest op-shopped finds
3. custard making
4. Pearl and Elspeth dress wearing at Bowral
5. spring onions about to flower

weekly still time.