I like this

Found via here.

Another fave song

Fave Faves

Hooray for Pip! I need Five Faves to remind me that life is worth living on a Monday morning.
So here's mine:

1. This post...oh I love it. And I must borrow banjo man because for some reason he reminds me of Steve Poltz.

[Re the Poltz thing, Hubert would probably just tell you that's because I heart the Poltz too much.]

2. This chicken house.


3. Prints by this guy. Here's one:


4. Eurovision, Eurovision, Eurovision. All weekend.


5. Lou Reed.

Desert boots

[image source]

...are good. Remember them?

Back in the early '80s I had a pair that I loved.

Wear desert boots, you're in good company:

Motorcycle optional.

Frock me!

Winn's Department Store, Hunter St, Newcastle, 2 October 1953, by Sam Hood, originally uploaded by State Library of New South Wales collection.

I blame Toni (but in a good way) as she shared some great shopping links for those round of arse...I have a serious hankering for some new dresses. Festive and feminine would fit the bill. I'd also like to travel backwards in time and shop at some of these establishments.
I certain that this girl does.

Oh yes, I know I could try the sewing caper, but I'd like to hang onto what sanity I have left. For those of us who are lazy when it comes to clothes (much as I'd like to be excited about it), dresses are dreamy...you just pull one on, put on some shoes and you're done. Hurrah! More time for drinking tea, music, and dilettante crafting.

Holeproof hosiery display, 7 September 1948, by Sam Hood, originally uploaded by State Library of New South Wales collection.

Kayser silk hosiery and gloves display (taken for Mr Guille, General Display Co), 19 September 1947, by Sam Hood, originally uploaded by State Library of New South Wales collection.

Post

Option 2, originally uploaded by ilustrista.

I'm sure I have some words to go with this illustration soon, but they haven't come to me yet. All I know is that I find this drawing terribly uplifting. And I need that right now.

I also amused myself with this today. I luvs me some heffalump antics.

Thankful

, originally uploaded by mindazonaltal.

What this world needs is a new kind of army - the army of the kind. ~Cleveland Amory

Right now there's someone in my life whose kindness overwhelms me on a daily basis. And I'm grateful.

Chuckle

Billy and Graham Green from the Salvation Army Camp practise a little deceit, Collaroy Beach, ca. 1940 / photographer unknown, originally uploaded by State Library of New South Wales collection.

Eye Candy

Found this pic via FB this morning. I know the gorgeous girl is supposed to be the lust object, but that loungeroom is making me all hot and bothered (ha).

Photo credits:
PRETTY CLEAN, HELENA HANDBASKET
Photo by Dynamite Dames
MUAH: Vintage Flair
Found here.

Post it note Tuesday aka things on my mind

Today, being post it note Tuesday, has me thinking:

Considering a few things:
~am I blogging to a void?
~does that matter?

Fretting about:
~what's going to happen with my work...I really don't want to move into the city.
~has anyone rented my old flat yet?
~will I ever catch up with this money thing? I'm sick of people chasing me...grr.

Happy thoughts:
~buying some fabric from Ink & Spindle for bedroom curtain.
~Ask Alice's regular staffy posts.
~one of my best mates is now home from overseas.
~Hubert encouraging me to "just do it" when I was um-ing and err-ing over my commitment to granny blankie construction.

As my mate Chris says "It'll work out." so I guess I have to believe in that. At least there's more good than bad there!

Babblings on an Autumn Monday

Oh it's Monday. I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning...but it's actually a nice mild day today. On FB this morning, I found this lovely photo on Frankie's newsfeed. It perked me up somewhat ~ not that I want be in the garden with my bottom in the air right now (give the poor girl some pants someone!), but a crochet blankie in the sun is always lovely.

Weekend roundup:
~ hung out with Hubert and "the kids" (that's the furry beasts for anyone who's interested)
~ underwhelmed by the selection of quilting fabrics at Spotlight on Friday evening...nothing got me excited. (Back to quilting shops and online fabric stores I think.)
~ watched footy on the teev
~ drank lots o' Scotch
~ did a bit of shopping at Savers on Saturday
~ found a bedside lamp (as aforementioned "kids" broke the other one)
~ more china kittehs & a
~ vintage suitcase (to keep knitting projects in)
~ slept in
~ had half arsed attempt at granny malarkey
~ ate bacon and eggs
~ went to Antique Shed in Mornington on Sunday - came home with a wee bookcase and some old records
~ ate meat loaf and roast veg
~ coveted artwork on RedBubble.com
~ drank coffee and ate cake
~ sewed patchwork pieces in wrong spot while drunk
~ didn't want it to end

[wee china animals at the Antique Centre. I want those orange kittehs.]

Craft wise, still working away on my directionless hexagon patchwork, which I'm blaming Corrie for. I've definitely got the ol' Crafty ADD at the moment, I can't focus on much right now. I may make one of these as I think Pip's tutorial is fab. And speaking of crochet, sure you've all probably seen these by now, but I feel compelled to put a pic here seeing as I can't buy any:

The other thing that's been on my mind is trying to make the house more "us"... or cosier, or more aesthetically pleasing...or something. It's still not right yet. This is what it looked like when I moved in:
Just to give you an idea of what we're working with. The walls are actually white and the carpet is a dark dark brown. (Actually this is an old old pic, I just realised that the venetian blind is gone and we have white curtains.) I'd love to cover a wall in aforeposted wallpaper, but my lovely landlords would be horrified. Plus the fact that I can't afford to buy anything really at the moment. The house was built in 1963, so I'm trying to focus on retro stuff. I'll try and post some pics later of how it's looking at the moment.

And this post probably gives you an idea of how scattered my brain is at the moment. Eep!

Like like

I want this wallpaper. Oh yes.
[Found via here]

Poem

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men (both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

- ee cummings

Post it note Tuesday

Via links on Danimezza's side bar, I noticed a couple of people were doing "Post-it note Tuesdays".
The concept is here. I liked it so I'm playing along. Supahmommy's writing style makes me laugh too.

Reminder to self:

Monday Monday

saturday crafting session, originally uploaded by retro mummy.

This morning I did indeed have Monday-itis and was getting bogged down by money and work woes...however a coffee with Hubert perked me up somewhat and reminded me what is important.

Like the rest of the local blogsphere I went to Sew It Together on the weekend, although I only attended the Saturday Crafting Session (and yes I've pinched Retro Mummy's pic because I didn't take any of my own). I think I managed to stitch about half a flowerstem and knit two rows as a whole room of crafting chicks chatting and making was a bit of a challenge for me. I caught up with some lovelies I haven't seen for a while and put a some faces to names, which was great. Definitely recommended for anyone who is interested in next year's event.

Sunday was late Mother's Day parental commitments, and later I managed to do a little bit of paper piecing patchwork. This is Corrie's fault as she had little kits at SIT and so I sewed away at one of those. I've lost my embrojo somewhat, so this gives me something new to play with (not that I need another project, let alone a patchwork one, as I have a 3/4 finished Amy Butler quilt top at the old house still to do.) But as I'm now back living around the corner from one of the sweetest patchwork shops ever, I'm a bit enthused by fabric again. I'm feeling rather flat at the moment, so I think my attitude to craft is sort of reflected in that. I'm a bit "meh". But this too will pass.

Ms Cate was next to me at SIT and was working on this fab piece of embroidery:

IMG_6331, originally uploaded by ric rac.

Cate is organising an exhibition for the Fringe Festival - 'Home is Where the Craft is'. Check this out if you're interested...I might pull my socks up a bit and contribute too.

PS. Thanks for all the lovely comments on my photo from Friday's post. You're all too kind xx

Without makeup

Found via Ms Cate... "Bloggers Without Make up Day" ~ so here's random pic of me today, sans makeup. Actually this isn't a big deal for me, as I'm normally too lazy of late to care about slapping some on anyway. Hope I don't scare you too much, with my scars and bags and blue lips. But it is a valid point, that women should feel they can be themselves whatever they look like, and that makeup should be an optional enhancement and feel good tool, rather than a requirement.

Check out the other players here.

Love this

, originally uploaded by anja mulder.

One of my fave quotes from one of my fave books.
And I don't even like sci-fi.

Warm and cozy

colorful cozy, originally uploaded by LolaNova.

At the moment my crafting mojo is missing. This lovely collage is here to inspire me to make our new bedroom warm and colourful. I'm hating the fact that it's dark when I leave work now, and feel like the day is already gone when I get home. So let's hope I find my mojo again.

(click on the Flickr link for details of the individual pictures)

The dust is clearing

Another blue door, originally uploaded by macropoulos.

Sort of. I'm still all over the shop, so to speak, adjusting to new house, new boy, new cat, and soon, new dog. Not that I'm complaining. But I'm physically and mentally exhausted. (I'm not given to exaggeration, I might add.) My head is all over the place, and my body has pretty much given up as well. But anyway, whinging aside, all is good, and I'll catch up with everything soon(ish).