OP SHOP SCORE!!!!

Ok this is soooo cool, after stalking this Blog 'Made' I found that she often goes to Op shops to pick up 'stuff' and makes goodies from them or she spots 'vintage' bargains for her decor etc well it reminded me how much I love op shopping and that I haven't done it in ages. So after I dropped off the kids as school this morning I decided to pop into at least one of the 3 op shops down the road from school. I was very excited with my stash:

A wig for the kids dress up box $4.00 (for some reason my lovely olive skinned, brown haired daughters always want to be blonde!)

But she looks much better like this:

An attempt to dress up the dog LOL

A navy blue corduroy bean bag cover which looks brand new $5

3m (150cm wide) of navy blue stretch material, it's quite thick I'm thinking it's something like rugby knit $6 and some lovely floral knit fabric 3m x 0.5m $2. I think I will make an Ellie the Elephant out of this navy with the floral as an accent on her foot pads and inner ear, I'll let you know how I go....I think my son will get plenty of shorts and pants out of this navy fabric too!

And the best thing ever!!! I can't believe how cool this is....I got a Matryoshka doll (commonly know as Babushka dolls or nesting dolls) for $3

This starting doll is approx. 10cm tall, it is beautifully hand painted and has 10 dolls in total!! I can't believe it....10....when I was opening it at the shop and it kept going and going, the lady said "If I knew how many there were I would have put the price up!! Ha! I score!

This is where they normally stop at about 5......

......but it just kept going and going and just when you think it HAS to be the last one, there is one more inside that little one - look how small it already is compared to my fingers.....

......and then the last doll is the size of a grain of rice, I have never seen nesting dolls go that small and still have a hand painted designed on it - it's just amazing and impressive of the skill of that artist!

I am so excited because I just LOVE Matryoshka dolls and this one is so lovely and for such a steal.

So get out there and op shop your little hearts out and then tell me what YOU have scored :)

I Love Sewing

I have been sewing so much lately, and I have been really enjoying it. When I was younger I used to sew clothes for myself all the time - in fact the very first thing I ever made for myself was a shift dress, no pattern, I just lay down on this huge piece of black stretch material that my mum had stored in her sewing cupboard that I knew she would never use as she hates black, then I drew around myself. I then cut it out sewed some side seams and shoulder seams leaving gaps from my head and arms and voila a shift dress!!! I added a belt I think and I actually wore it to town!!! I was about 13 years old and I was allowed to go to the city with my girlfriends by ourselves so it was a big deal :) I continued to sew and all the way through high school I did Home Ec and always got A's for sewing (just a little bit of bragging is ok isn't LOL)

I sewed a little when I had 1 child, made sheets and valance etc for the cot to save money, but I guess the more children I had and the lack of a sewing machine meant the end of that for a while. So when I turned 30 I wanted a sewing machine just to be able to mend things at least! My husband and my mum put in together and I got an awesome Janome sewing machine that had more stitch varieties than my mum's....so that was sooooo cool LOL. I have made various things in the last 4 years (now you know how old I am) but lately I have really gotten into it again for some reason and I am LOVING IT.

I am trying quilting for the first time, I am still very impatient but I am enjoying it none the less. I have made some bags that I am really excited about and I have just recently bought some toy patterns to make some stuffed toys.

I must give gratitude to my mum who introduced me to sewing and guided me through it and who on many occasions would unpick my mistakes after I threw it in a pile never wanting to see it again (I still hate unpicking), and I am forever greatfull for my talents and I thank my Father above for all that he has given me :)

This is my very cool Beach Bag I made in January 2011

An inside view

This is a cute little patchwork tote I made for my niece who turned 11 recently (I just finished it today)

and here is the inside view

So I hope I have inspired you to dust off your sewing machines and get sewing - it's so much fun and so rewarding....Luv ya, Bec