we've been chilling out

We've been waaay out west on holidays, visiting family.

The kids had fun mucking around in my old car, which is parked up in Grandmas' backyard awaiting restoration.

Lazing on the river bank while big people fished.

Searching the bush for echidnas, while the big people fished.

Had campfires. Big people still fishing.

Falling down in bars crying.

I'm kidding, this was on a walk down the street. He had HAD ENOUGH. This bench and chairs are on the outside of the pub. I did have to ring for his father to come and pick him up and give him a lift home though. The little legs just couldn't take any more walking.

the 30 minute TapeMeasure Cuff

I have been admiring a lot of cuffs I have been seeing lately on Etsy, but funds are limited so I decided to try my hand at making one myself. It's pretty rustic, but really, just fine I think.

And it only took 30 minutes from start to finish. Win.

The hardest part of the whole thing was actually trying to photograph this on my arm. Really.

I just cut two pieces of ticking fabric (I think that's what it's called, feel free to correct me on that one) and a piece of felt the same size which I sandwiched in the middle for a bit of thickness. I have an abundance of tape measures (pretty sure you could call it an actual 'collection'), so I chopped one up for this project.

When I started out I planned to use some hat elastic for the loop to secure the button, as I thought I had oodles of that stuff stashed away somewhere. I didn't. So I used one of Rubys' hairbands. Ended up not fitting quite as tightly as I would have liked, but it's secure anyway.

Here it is in all it's wonky glory.

Small town. Australia.

oh my goodness, it's been a while.  I'm trying to find a rhythm with everything. So that my days can be calm and organised, with time for all of the things I love. Clearly I'm not there yet. But I have to believe I'm getting closer.

our Day. today.

Our day. Via the iphone. I'd call it an iphone documentary of our day, but really, we were on a quest for vacuum cleaner filters which we never found and these pictures don't really cover that.

So, just pictures we took on the way.

Because we all know the journey is absolutely just as important as the destination ;)

Vintage Paper Pattern Give Away

Just a quick post to see if any of you out there would be interested in some old paper patterns (free!). 

These have got to go and if I can't give them away here on the blog they will be making their way to the op shop :(

I love them all and don't really want to part with them..........but I've made a commitment to make my 'work' space actually workable, and that means culling, culling and keep on culling until I have a space I can actually work in.

I have loads I want to get stuck into (photography, sewing and other) but my cluttered space is holding me back. I'm on a mission to clear it.

I have around 50 vintage paper patterns that have got to go. I haven't checked each and every pattern, some of the envelopes are torn, and some of the patterns MAY not be complete. Or they may all be completely all there, I have no idea.

I have childrens' patterns, dolls' clothes patterns, maternity patterns, all sorts.

Anyone interested?

Ok, just between you, my lovely readers, and me (seriously, don't tell my husband), I've succumbed to the lure of the op-shops, yet again, recently. I try to remain under a self-imposed ban from visiting op-shops most of the time, as I really do just go nuts buying stuff that I just do not need (and do not have space for). Which is exactly what I have to share with you here. Stuff I just had to have despite the fact the I did not need one single one of these items. But they're cute. All so cute.

Like this little lamb-with-a-cart vase. I almost walked out without it. Almost. So close. I knew I didn't need it. But I just pictured it up on a shelf looking all cute with *something* in it. I still don't know exactly what yet. But when I figure that out I just know it's going to be perfect ;)
And this gorgeous vintage outfit for a little boy. A little boy way smaller than MY little boy? Well, my sister just had a little boy, so I'd say in about two years I might be able to talk her into popping this on him, just for the day even. Yep, that'll make this purchase totally worth hanging on to for two years.

I won't even pretend that I considered leaving this gorgeous girl in yellow behind even for a second. I love her! Her hands and feet, the little kitty, with those jammies.......she was always going to be coming home with me. Just have to decide where to put her. Probably Rubys' room, I'm thinking.

But try as I might even I can't think of a way to justify the purchase of a set of very old Salt and Pepper shakers topped with little monkeys. Maybe you can help me. Oh, they were twenty cents, so it's not like I'm blowing huge sums of money on this stuff.

Do you not love them too?

Dolly

So I had planned to blog a little more of the past couple of weeks, but I didn't. I've just been enjoying the holidays. Although we haven't done most of the things I originally had planned, we've still kept ourselves busy. There are only two more days until school goes back, we're heading to the movies tomorrow, and will be doing things at home on Monday. The weather has been pretty chilly so I have had to improve my fire starting skills in order to keep us from freezing. Anyway, on with this post. About dolls. Paper dolls actually, which I'll get to in a minute. I am a doll person. Ever since I was a little girl I have loved dolls. Even when I was about 12 and no other 12 year old girl was still playing with dolls..........I was.

Even now I still have a few stashed around me, inspiring me and keeping me company.

Like Strawberry Shortcake here. She's looking a little dishevelled here as I'd knocked her off the shelf just before I took this picture and didn't tidy her hair up ;)*all of these pictures taken with my  iphone hence the dodgy quality*

While I have a good appreciation for the quirky Blythe doll, my budget does not..............so I settle for one, ahem, Blythe for Littlest Pet Shop. She does me just fine :)

And lastly I have these ugliest-dolls-you-have-ever-seen-I-just-had-to-have-them. I got these a few years ago, I have no idea what possessed me to buy them but I really am quite fond of them.

Which kind of sort of brings me to this which was something I had planned for the holidays but we haven't done, so I will save it for the next holidays. Paper dolls. Like this one below which is from the Friends Around the World paper doll collection.

This is her 'Australian' outfit. I wonder if Bindi Irwin knows about this. Maybe Bindi copied HER?

These little ladies are the Gingham Girls, I love 'em.

I especially love their gorgeous outfits, very 'Anne of Green Gables' I think.

Betsy McCall, from the 50's and 60's.

And how could you NOT love these two below??

If you want to see more and download and print some for your  little ones (or yourself), I found all of these (plus more) here at Teri's Paper Doll scans.