Vintage Summer Princess

I love her for her imagination, her inquisitiveness, her stubbornness, her silliness.

I love her relentless requests to do "craft", to "investigate", to catch butterflies in the garden.

I love that she can suddenly ride a bike like an old pro, can suddenly read whole books on her own, will make up a song and stop whatever she's doing to write down the lyrics.

I love that she suggests dinner on the lawn, then declares, "Well, isn't this pleasant," as we share our rice with the mozzies.

I love her intensely choreographed dance routines, and that they're often to the songs from Broadway musicals. (And I love how far back in her head her eyes roll when I try out one of my routines on her...)

I love her gappy grin, her impossibly thick hair, her limbs that seem to stretch out longer and thinner every time she falls asleep.

And I love that, given free rein in my fabric stash, she doesn't hesitate before selecting a lairy vintage sheet for her new summer dress (and that when she tries it on the first time, she says, "It's just like a ball gown!") 

Bless.

Dress F from Girls Style Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori.

My Best Ever Op-Shop Find

Last year, when my littlest girls were getting ready to move out of their cots, I set to work to find them some big-girl beds. I had my heart set on a pair of matching antique wrought iron frames and, despite many hours trawling eBay and Gumtree, my efforts were futile. There were plenty of one-only beds that fit the bill, but not pairs. And the pairs I did find were not quite the right style. I decided to find something new but of a similar style, and I fell in love with these beds. I would have gone for it if I'd had only one to buy, but needing two, as well as mattresses and bedding, the budget just wasn't going to stretch. In the end, I settled for a pair of very affordable reproduction antique beds that did the job, even if they didn't set my world on fire.

Then, earlier this year, I wandered into an op shop and spied a bed. A single bed. One wrought iron antique bed that was EXACTLY what I had been looking for. It was all there, hiding against a back wall, with the price tag of $25. I couldn't pass it up and decided to buy it for Lola. Life had taken a turn and big decisions were being made, and I knew I'd be needing some new furniture soon anyway. I paid my money and arranged to pick up the bed in a few days time.

When I returned later that week to collect our new-old bed, I went to the back wall to pick it up, only to have the volunteer on duty say that no, my bed was out in the back room where the on-hold items are kept. "So what's this?" I asked, pointing at what I thought was my bed. "That's the other one," she said.

So that's how I came to find my pair of matching wrought iron antique beds, exactly - EXACTLY - the style I had envisaged. They're in beautiful condition, with just enough paint chips and rust to look entirely not-brand-new. They have so far withstood a lot of bouncing and jumping. And at $25 each, they might just be my best op-shop find ever.

We still have a long way to go to finish this room - bedside tables, a rug on the floor, pictures framed and on the walls. Slowly, slowly...

Inside/Outside

Inside

Easter jimjams made from vintage flannel sheets using a tried-and-true nightie pattern from this book.

Outside

Fairy parasols made on our trip to the park using twigs, fallen leaves and a few silly dance moves.

A Little Sewing

My new overlocker has been thrown into action. It calls to me when I walk past its room. "Turn on ABC Kids and come to me," it beckons. I try to resist. It's hard. 

Together we've created another of those sweet, and easy, little dresses, and a pair of pocket pants from this beautiful book. There'll be more of these in our near future. It would seem pockets are quite popular with at least one little girl in the house. 

The cuff and binding on the pants were the last scraps of a pillowcase I loved, so how fortuitous to come across a big double sheet in a similar print. The red chambray was a lucky op shop find as well.

I've since been busy with some of my growing collection of vintage patterns. Hopefully there'll be something to show for my work later in the week.

Sweet Little Dresses

I've been culling. Toys, books, clothes. I reckon I've halved the stuff they have access to at home, and yet they haven't noticed. I have, though - clean-up at the end of a typical messy day suddenly seems easy. EASY! 

But the room in which I sew, and keep my stash of crap crafting paraphernalia, is such a disaster zone at the moment. Bags of outgrown clothes, all the books that I've taken off their shelf but can't bear to get rid of (we'll rotate, yes?) and a haul for the Vinnie's bin that I have to hide so they don't find it and return it to my new streamlined toy shelves.

And then there's the tubs and tubs of fabric and yarn. And vintage sheets. Lots of vintage sheets in there. I made a bold statement to a friend recently that I'm not allowed to buy any more till I use the ones I have. Ahem.

Quick, make a dress! Or two! Sweet easy ones that can be thrown over tights and a top (or a pyjama top, in this instance) and worn for grubby things like playing, bringing in the wood and gardening.

Just don't go too heavy on the retro. While this mother may find '70s brown and orange floral prints fun and a bit cheeky, the opinionated two-year-olds in the house refuse flat-out to wear it. Seriously, they're two! I thought I had styling rights until they were at least five!

Can't you see it over a red skivvy and pair of jeans? Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this is cool. Or am I just being nostalgic for my own childhood? 

(It's been brought to my attention that one twin has featured in far more posts recently than the other. What can I say, she makes good copy. But here's the other one - here and here - wearing this very dress in the baby size, back before she became so fussy about her wardrobe...)

A Very Big Granny Square

I have big aspirations in the crochet stakes. But apart from a square or two, there never seems to be a spare moment to begin. With that in mind, I've been keeping my eyes open at the oppies for months hoping to find a crocheted rug that's just right. And they never were, until today. Bright colours, great design, and wool instead of icky acrylic. Best $8 I ever spent.

Man Talk

I threatened a while back to show you some of the vintage knitting patterns I've been finding lately. The stash is growing quickly enough that I think I could call it a collection. And it is eye candy in all its high-necked, skin-tight, hilarious lairy glory. So today, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a selection from the men's department.

Did someone say negative ease? I doubt these jumpers could get much tighter. These lads may look relaxed and fancy-free in the pics, but I bet they spend all day pulling at the bottom of the jumpers to stop them from riding up as they tug desperately at the neck line, gasping for breath. And at the end of a long day, they get home, peel off their clothes, and their torsos are lined with ribbed indents.

I'm not sure what's more startling here - the brown shirt and tie, the yellow vest, the mo or that hair. What is with that hair?!

Crocheted waistcoat, anyone? Imagine rocking up to your high-powered city job with that on under your suit coat.

It's not the handknits that appeal to me here as much as the expression on their faces. I am far too sophisticated for fart jokes, but seriously...

I've been wondering, if I were to knit this mustard skivvy for the GM, would he wear it with a leather belt and a jaunty neckerchief, and thread daisies through my hair as I gaze off into the middle distance...

No, this is definitely more the GM's style. 

And my absolute favourite...drumroll please...

..the crocheted poncho.

Man Talk. Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Business, and the Taking Care of It

Today I've been taking care of some business. Mostly boring business that's been lurking on the backburner for too long. I've had a phone meeting with the boss, I've paid bills, sent invoices to people who owe me money, finished a little photo project (this one wasn't boring) and typed up official sounding letters to our tenants. That feels good.

So while I'm on a roll, I'll tie up a few loose ends here in blogland. Firstly, the vintage sheet swap. I signed up a little while ago, which gave me an excuse to seek out and purchase another dozen or so old sheets from the oppy. Oops. But there were some lovely finds in there. I reckon I've pulled together about 25 fat quarters to send off to Kellie, keeping back plenty of goodness for myself, of course.

I also thought I'd send big thanksies out to lovely Colette, who has passed on the Liebster Award to me. I'll be sure to send it on to some other nice folks when I get a chance in the next few days. And also thanks to Tahnee from Milk Please Mum for tagging me. I'll add this to my to-do list as well!

And lastly, today one of my little projects went up on the Kidspot site. You can check it out here. This sling bag was really fun to make. Come to think of it, I used a vintage sheet for the lining. Go have a look. That's my lovely friend Sophia modelling for me. 

Alright, that's business taken care of. How good is that lairy orange floral number there? It's my absolute favourite (my sister found it and gave it to me - thanks, Gig).

Now I might go and plan some sewing projects with the leftovers from all this old-fashioned floral loveliness. 

Biscuit Tin

The transformation into a country cook in this lovely country kitchen (more pics of that soon, I promise) is happening before my very eyes. Take one batch of homemade cookies (outsourced to Lola and the GM this time, albeit with me screeching instructions in the  background), and accessorise with a very vintage tin picked up at the oppy yesterday for a few dollars.

Far more suitable than the plastic lunchbox we used to keep the bickies in, don't you think?