green tea and red nails

seriously.

2012-03-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

seriously. he was amazing.

we headed off to matt corby this weekend and i have to admit it was the most excited i have been about a live gig in AGES (i may or may not have made the comment that i wanted to be close enough to the stage to smell him)! and he was fabulous. usually by the time 11pm rolls by at a concert i have had enough standing and being shoved around and am absolutely ready to go home. but last night i could have stayed and listened til at least 11.30 - hahaha (im pretty much a nanna trapped in the body of a 26 year old).

he was brilliant. seriously.

do yourself a favour and watch the clip of matty singing his latest single 'brother'. you won't regret it. seriously.

*video is obviously not from last night but sounds just as wonderful.

around here...

2012-03-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

around here there are a lot of pretty vintage fabrics.

around here there is a lot of organising and sorting to do.

around here there are a few woollen blankets ready for the colder nights.

around here there is time to be quiet.

around here there are a lot of early mornings.

around here we wish that there was a 'new girl' episode this week.

around here we are looking forward to school holidays, weddings and babies (only the school holidays belong to me).

around here we are inspired by all the gorgeous fabric.

have a blessed weekend.

pumpkin and feta muffins

2012-02-28T15:18:00.001-08:00

my weekend was for cooking lots of yummy things and freezing them for lunched this week. these muffins are fabulous and full of good stuff :)

pumpkin and feta muffins

2 cups diced pumpkin
2 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large handful baby spinach leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp sunflower seeds
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
100g feta cheese, cubed
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
2 cups plain flour*
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pumpkin in roasting pan, sprinkle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and slightly mushy.
Transfer cooked pumpkin to a large mixing bowl, add spinach, parsley, sunflower seeds, parmesan, feta and mustard. Mix through. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk together and add to pumpkin mix. Sift flour and baking powder into the mixture, add salt and pepper and fold through, being careful not to over mix.
Spoon mixture into a greased 12 hole muffin tray and bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

*i substituted wholemeal flour for white and added chia seeds before baking

Happy Baking :)

a sheet swap reminder

2012-02-26T18:40:00.001-08:00

hello lovely people :)

I hope your weekend was full of morning walks, baby cuddles and other simple pleasures!
This is just a quick reminder to those of you who are participating in the vintage sheet FQ swap that your fat quarters need to be washed, cut up and in the post by WEDNESDAY at the latest! This is really important so that I can have them sorted, swapped and back to you as soon as possible! If you think that you might not be able to do this then please email me at greenteaandredmails (at) hotmail (dot) com

Thanks heaps - Kel x

at last.

2012-02-23T18:22:00.000-08:00

...we finally have chickens. hooray!! those of you who have been reading this blog for a while will know how long i have been waiting for chickens... and my persistence has paid off (who said nagging didn't work??)!

two happy little isa browns came to live with us over the weekend and so far they have layed 11 eggs between them. they are about four months old and a little skittish but have enjoyed pecking around the vegie garden and are very good at eating kitchen scraps :) their names are Peggy and Harriet and they are fabulous.

in this moment.

2012-02-22T18:34:00.001-08:00

. : waiting impatiently for the weekend. it's been one of those weeks.

. : loving that our new chickens have given us 9 eggs in 4 days (more on this tomorrow)

. : learning that i will never please everyone

. : awaiting the arrival of a new nephew

. : reading a little about chickens and a lot about food

. : thinking about studying again.

. : blessed by teenagers who love Jesus

. : appreciating when it rains just enough so that i don't have to water the vegie garden

. : eating eggplant

. : planning parties and paris trips

. : adding roasted sweet potato to everything

. : planting kale, basil and spinach

. : loving the change of season

. : dehydrating garden tomatoes

. : appreciating the morning quiet

. : loving that hubby googled and made up a 'garlic spray' for some of the pests around our house instead of using mortein

. : looking for ways to simplify (still)

. : admiring all the vintage sheet squares sitting in my sewing room

what does your life look like right now?

thrifted.

2012-02-21T12:11:00.000-08:00

a few treasures collected over the last couple of weeks.

1. johnson love. my collection is slowly growing :)
2. vintage sheets for swapping and crafting.
3&4. the most fabulous leather passport wallet with an old italian rail pass (i think) hiding in the back pocket.
5. little girl love.
6. my new favourite.

p.s - if you have signed up to the vintage sheet swap you should have definitely received an email from me. I have had a few emails from people saying that they have not got this yet which makes me thnk that there is a problem from my end. If you have not received an email from me with further details about the sheet swap then just leave a comment on this post with your email address and i'll shoot you off another one. thanks. and also... there is ONE WEEK left to get those FQ's in the postbox!

weekending.

2012-02-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

it was one of those weekends that you wish would go on forever (well at least until your marking finished itself)! a hens weekend for my favourite girl with some of my other favourite girls...

1. beach walking and dolphin spotting

2. four lovely people and one crazy lady

3&4. lawn bowls. seriously awesome!

5. river floating

hope you had a fabulous weekend too and didn't have to pay for them with a crazy Monday like I did!

p.s - just over a week to go for the vintage sheet swap! don't forget to pop your sheets in the post ASAP :) head here to sign up or for more details.

for my valentine.

2012-02-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

hubby and i don't really do valentines. we never have... i couldn't really even tell you why we originally decided to boycott this day... probably just lazy :)! but on sunday as i was sorting through three months of laundry (seriously) i realised that his sleeping shorts needed to be thrown out. and then i realised that instead of buying new ones i could make some. and then i realised that vintage floral is way cooler than sailboats anyway! haha!

i think vintage sheet sleeping shorts is our new valentines tradition. love.

p.s - in case you were wondering, he vacuumed my car and made machine coffee. totally awesome.

this weekend...

2012-02-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

. : picnic date nights were had
. : the new frankie was found in my mailbox and devoured
. : clothes were folded
. : a night out with my favourite girls was enjoyed
. : good music was listened to
. : puppies were walked
. : flowers were picked from neighbours gardens
. : seeds were planted
. : cupcakes were made
. : a baby shower was hosted
. : no photos were taken at said baby shower
. : many episodes of revenge were watched
. : washing was done
. : sheets were changed
. : a valentines present was started
. : eggplant recipes were appreciated (thanks heaps!!)

how was your weekend?

**vintage sheet FQ sign ups over here! only a couple of weeks to sign up and get your sheets washed, cut up and in the post!

why i am a dog person...

2012-02-10T01:53:00.000-08:00

...seriously.

p.s - if anyone has any favourite recipes that use a lot of eggplant i would be eternally grateful - the garden is going crazy!

garden produce...

2012-02-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

we have had an abundance of tomatoes this summer. after the many months it took for my winter crop to ripen i have come to understand the important role of sun in speeding up this process. i have also come to learn that many days of continuous rain will result in split and rotting tomatoes. however, we have managed to collect weekly basketfuls to turn into tomato passata. just another little baby step towards simple and sustainable living.

p.a - am currently looking for a good reference book for future canning and preserving - any reccommendations?

*** vintage sheet swap sign ups over here

thrifted...

2012-02-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

1. a pile of lovely pillowcases and teatowels
2&3. what might be the most gorgeous toddler dresses i have ever thrifted
4. a new to me johnson pattern found at the rummage markets from my stall buddy
5. floral tins
6. finally... a vintage scrabble set. i have had this on my 'to thrift' list for years!

scenes from my weekend...

2012-02-05T12:23:00.000-08:00

1. almost home
2. friday night church
3. savoury scones
4. campos breakfast
5. suitcase rummage

hope you all had a fabulous weekend! Kel x

a vintage sheet update...

2012-02-02T14:13:00.000-08:00

hello lovely people...

Just some quick vintage sheet news

1. if you have signed up you should have received an email with some more information about the swap. If you haven't then please let me know and i'll make sure to try again.

2. this will be the biggest swap yet! there are over 50 people signed up and there is still about 4 weeks to go! Thanks to those people who have spread the word via blogs or instagram

3. fat quarters have already started coming in - so if you are ready to go you don't need to wait until the end of february to get them in the post!

4. if you have signed up and you realise that you are unable to participate that is fine but please let me know so i am not waiting for your FQs to arrive

thanks again - have a happy weekend! Kel

p.s - some vintage sheet pretty for you sent from the lovely Zara

a little lady...

2012-01-31T14:09:00.000-08:00

i have had this little lady cut up and sitting in my 'to do' pile for the last 6 months. on the weekend i got a burst of energy and inspiration and finished her off in about 20 minutes... makes me wonder what else i have lurking in that pile!

p.s - dress is made from vintage fabric that was swapped in round one... if you would like to join the sheet swap for round three and make your own little lady pop over here to sign up

p.p.s - thanks for all your lovely comments on this post. it is always a bit scary sharing yourself!

thrifted...

2012-01-30T12:22:00.000-08:00

found a few treasures last week... it was one of those thrifting trips where everything i brought home i LOVED! im still trying to decide whether to use that gorgeous basket for sewing of picnicking. what a lovely problem to have...

p.s - vintage sheet swaps sign ups over here. if you have already signed up you should have received an email from me... please let me know if it hasnt arrived!

this weekend...

2012-01-29T12:19:00.000-08:00

. : pancakes were eaten for lunch
. : two loads of washing got done and is currently hanging on furniture around our house
. : a girly craft night was had that turned into a channing tatum movie marathon night
. : another bed was added to our vegie garden
. : a few hours were spent in the vegie garden trying to control the damage done from the crazy rain we have had this past week
. : thai was eaten for dinner
. : organisation started to happen
. : the last of the tomatoes were picked and made in to last batch of pasta sauce
. : treasures were found (more tomorrow)
. : new girl was watched
. : capsicum seeds were saved
. : fat quarters for the swap were cut
. : cinnamon scrolls were made with love and eaten with gusto
. : dinner was eaten that was almost entirely made of things we had grown

...was wonderful - a lovely productive home weekend! hope your weekend has left you relaxed and prepared for the week ahead...

xx

thanks australia...

2012-01-28T15:04:00.000-08:00

a public holiday in the first week of students was such a blessing. parents disagree with me but let me tell you... the teachers needed it. well this teacher did anyway!

i had a list a mile long of things to get through like mopping the floors, planning classes and cleaning the shower - you know... fun stuff! after a mini breakdown in the morning husband stepped in and told me that we were leaving the to do list at home and we were going out. it was just what i needed. a day of family, friends and fun. and before we left... he helped me mop the floors! pretty great huh?

p.s - vintage sheet swap sign ups over here

hi.

2012-01-25T13:29:00.000-08:00

it was recently brought to my attention that my blog has surprisingly few photos of me. this is not intentional... i guess i figure that op shops, a good book and vintage florals are more interesting than the everyday crazy that my life is made up of (and the fact that i always look horrible in photos)!

my favourite blogs are the ones where you can really get to know the person behind the blog and one of the best things that has come out of blogging has been the awesome people i have met and the sneak peeks into their lives...

so... in the spirit of new beginnings here are a few random facts about me and my world :)

*i have only had one panadol in the last 6 years! it's one of my completely stubborn and often irrational quirks where i refuse to take any painkillers but i will happily drink two cups of coffee a day (although i am trying to stop this coffee habit)

*i like words more than numbers (unless they are of the fill a bag for ONE dollar kind! haha!).

*i will almost always pull a face in photos (as evidenced by the top photo.. haha)! i justify this by arguing that i would rather look bad on purpose than try to look nice and still end up looking like some sort of stoned weirdo (ahem... like the gorgeous lady on the left of the top photo - love you mum)!

*i love feet. love them.

*i often wish that i was one of those strong, silent, graceful ladylike types. instead i am loud and obnoxious and burp really loudly!

*i have watched every episode of 'friends' at least 6 times each! season 5 is the best :)

*i feel really sad and personally insulted when i hear people say that they hate reading

*i swing wildly between wanting to cut my hair really short into a funky little pixie crop and dogged persistence to keep growing it (i have been growing it for the past 6 years... not that you would really be able to tell... haha)!

*i have an excessive amount of vintage baby clothes for someone who does not have any babies on the horizion! it often crosses my mind that i might be jinxing myself and the assumptions i make about the future status of my womb will result with an empty one!

*if i was going to be a character in a book i would want to be alice or lucy pevensie

p.s - have a happy day off my australian friends :)

p.p.s - vintage sheet swap info and sign ups over here!

on how to use up washi tape...

2012-01-23T17:49:00.000-08:00

i have an obscene amount of washi tape from tripping to japan and hours spent on etsy so i decided that it was time to start using it instead of looking at sitting in a glass jar on my desk (don't worry - i still have enough for this to happen). i started with this little graduation present to a lovely lady. i grabbed an old milo tin, removed the wrapped and used washi tape to pretty it up a little bit. The result - a pretty tin full of goodies and a little less wastage!

p.s - sheet swap sign up over here.

beginnings

2012-01-23T01:26:00.000-08:00

. : finally getting around to making our living room a place that we want to spend time in

. : new job. new school. new students. new challenges. new rewards.

. : planning for an adventure in france. and hopefully another one in new york.

. : feeling like i'm growing up (note that i am not a grown-up. there is a difference.)

. : being kind to myself

. : a return to my morning green tea ritual

. : unlikely friendships

am feeling a season of change in my life. scary. yet incredibly exciting.

a handmade christmas.

2012-01-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

i know. this is a very belated christmas post.

bt i wanted to share with you a few of the goodies i made for the 'handmade christmas' task i set myself. somehow in the middle of last minute christmas morning sewing and presents being frantically wrapped i missed out on taking photos of the majority of gifts. it was lots of fun making up granola, soap, lip balms, heat packs and softies but i think that next year i'll get started a bit earlier and maybe cut myself a bit of slack and work up the courage to brave the shops at christmas time... or just embrace online shopping!

1. a picnic blanket for my sister-in-law (made with some of the FQs i got in the last swap!)
2&3. fabric letters for a lovely niece
4. vintage pink folrals for a lovely new baby
5. frankie posters make pretty wrapping paper :)

p.s - dont forget to sign up to the vintage sheet FQ swap over here. spread the word!

vintage sheet FQ swap 3.0

2012-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

...it's here. again.

thanks so much for all your feedback, emails and lovely comments about the first few vintage sheet swaps that were hosted in 2011.

i love being able to be a little part in such a fun swap and see what you all create with the fabrics you receive. it is truly inspiring!

there is something about a new year that leaves you with so many plans and ideas to make and create! so much promise and potential. it's time like these that you need some new vintage fabrics to keep that new years inspiration rolling out well into the year!

alright. here goes.

What you need to do... if you are keen to be involved in this swap then just leave a comment on this post indicating your interest with your EMAIL ADDRESS (this makes it a lot easier for me)! Alternatively, you can email me at greenteaandrednails (at) hotmail (dot) com and let me know that way.

As people sign up for the swap I will send out all the necessary information via email to participants.

The time frame... Please have your vintage sheets washed, cut into FQ's and posted no later than the end of February (Wednesday the 29th). This should give you plenty of time to scout your local oppies for lovely sheets to cut and swap. I will attempt to have them back in the post within two weeks and you should receive your new stash of vintage fabric sometime mid March ready for autumn crafting!

Sign ups... I am happy to take sign ups until the end of February as long as you can meet the postage deadline. Please make sure that you have your FQ's in the mail by the cut off date.

Spread the word... the more people we have involved in this, the more variety you will receive in your vintage FQ's. Feel free to blog about this and save the above image to use as a button for this swap... just make sure you are linking back to this post.

How the swap will work... it is up to you how many fat quarters you want to contribute to the swap. The number of FQ's you send to me will be the number that you receive back. Once you have collected your fabulous sheets and cut them up into fat quarters you will need to place your washed, cut up sheets into a pre-paid parcel post satchel (available at the post office in 500g and 3kg varietys). You should be able to fit about 15 FQs in a 500g satchel and 50+ in the 3kg satchel. you MUST also include a self-addresses pre-paid post satchel in your parcel to me for me to mail your new vintage loveliness to you (a little hint - some poeple send an self-addressed express post parcel for the return FQs so that they get them ASAP and the parcel can be tracked).

A few more things... (PLEASE READ)
*sheets must be washed prior to being sent

*feel free to send as many FQs as you would like (multiple parcels are okay as long as they are clearly labelled)

*it really is much easier when people send their FQ's in the prepaid post satchels. MUCH EASIER!
*this swap is for AUSTRALIAN residents only (sorry to my other readers - it is just easier for postage)
*your fat quarters should measure approx 50cm x 56cm
*ensure your fat quarters are free from marks, rips and stains. only send sheets that you would want to receive (i reserve the right to return to you any sheets you send which do not meet this quality standard)

*this swap is not designed for you to simply get rid of any sheets or FQs that you don't want, like or use.

*only COTTON or COTTON BLEND sheets please (nothing flannelette or polyester - thanks!)
*it is more than okay for you to send multiple fat quarters from the one sheet!!
*please do not send any sheets with cartoon characters, kids sheets or any solid colours.

I will be updating all the swap participants through email and through this blog so stay tuned! i am so excited for this (again!)... I do hope that you will join me!

woohoo! KEL xx

p.s - feel free to ask any questions that you have in the comments section of this post...

in this moment.

2012-01-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

(*)

reading... 'the picture of dorian gray' by oscar wilde

excited about... a few little concerts coming up. we are off to see the paper kites and matt corby

ordering... ranunculus bulbs for an almost ready garden bed

planning... a few camping weekends away

watching... new girl. so much goodness. even my little brother said that it was his new favourite show!

dreaming about... paris.

baking... lots of bread. i think i am slowly perfecting my favourite loaf

feeling... nervous and excited about meeting all my new kiddies next week :) got to love the crazy of a new school year!

wanting... green jeans

grateful for... a little brother who sanded and sealed our deck ready for outdoor picnics

loving... having our puppies back after holidays

collecting... baskets full of ripe tomatoes from a dying vegie garden

what is happening in your moments?

thrifted.

2012-01-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

some treasures found over the last few weeks of holidaying...

i hope you have been lucky at the op shops too :) stay tuned for an announcement of the vintage sheet variety next week!!

the calm before the crazy.

2012-01-11T18:26:00.000-08:00

i have had beautiful summer holidays that finished with five fabulous days camping on fraser island. it is such a magical place and we spent our days walking, swimming, flying kites and playing scrabble. it was very hard to come home. and back to work. i have started another school year at yet another school. im looking forward to settling here for a few years but for now, im still trying to recapture some of that fraser magic and smiling every time i reach down to scratch those last few mozzie bites on my ankles... :)

p.s - that very average meal you see in the pictures is how hubby and i celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary - complete with citronella candlelight!

13 in 2012

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

goals seem more real if you write them down. there is something about getting them out there that makes me feel a bit more accountable and a bit more motivated. i have been so inspired from reading some of the lists that are floating around out there and have decided to share mine! some are a little silly and some are serious steps toward the simple, healthy and earth-friendly life i'm looking for...

1. have a harry potter movie marathon
2. sew myself a dress
3. plant a wildflower patch
4. complete the oxfam trailwalker
5. be present
6. open an etsy shop
7. print a book of my instagram photos
8. learn to crochet a granny square
9. grow as many of our fruit and vegies as we can and buy the rest from the local farmers markets
10. use reusable bags
11. make a teepee
12. get some chickens... finally!
13. organise our outdoor space so it is both human and puppy friendly. next summer im planning on lazy outdoor dinners and lots of bbqs.
what are your goals for 2012?? leave me a link in the comments and i'll pop over and have a look!

*this list started as 12 but i kept thinking of more things to do in 2012. at one stage it got up to 15 but in the spirit of simplifying i managed to get it back down to 13 :)

2011

2012-01-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

if i could sum up 2011 in one word it would be... busy.
if i could sum up the life i want in one word it would be... simple.

see the problem? haha!

in 2011 i...
*went on a family trip to japan
*survived teaching english to year 12s
*took a few road trips
*spent time looking for the happy things in my world
*started baking my own bread
*ran two vintage sheet FQ swaps (round three will be coming in a few weeks... stay tuned!!)
*helped celebrate my best friend's engagement
*discovered and fell in love with instagram
*had some success in the vegie garden
*learned some lessons about vegie gardening
*got a thermomix and fell in love with it!
*organised my craft room (it is currently looking decidedly unorganised)
*threw a few dinner parties
*went on the trip of a lifetime to nepal
*did a LOT of thrifting and found a few treasures along the way

2011 was a full and happy year but i'm looking forward to slowing down and simplifying in 2012. check back tomorrow for some of my 2012 goals!

hope all had happy and lovely times with your family over the christmas time... looking forward to sharing 2012 with you all!

Kel xx

summer is...

2012-01-01T23:24:00.000-08:00

...going for a walk every morning just so that you can eat the best gelato this side of italy every afternoon
...a saltwater sandal tan
...fighting with your brother because he beat you at rummy
...evening beach swims
...morning mountain climbs
...mum cooked meals
...feeling unborn nephew kicks
...icing your knee for a day and a half because you thought it would be a good idea to run 15k
...spending 45 minutes trying to log on to dodgy mcdonalds wi-fi just so you can write a blog post (hence the lack of photos... it took me over an hour to even get three!!)

i'll be back to regular posting and commenting soon with a christmas wrap-up and some goals for 2012 but for now im learning to 'be present' - with my family. with my husband. and with this glorious state of relaxation that sometimes borders on boredom. i'm loving it!

christmas spirit...

2011-12-21T16:19:00.000-08:00

in my mind i have a perfectly adorned christmas tree and lots of handmade decorations up around our house from december 1st and we play carols and decorate gingerbread and complete other various activities that our homemade advent calendar has outlined for us.

the reality is that i haven't felt very 'christmassy' this year. the reality is that i made up 21 (i ran out of calico at 21! haha!) little drawstring bags for an advent calendar, hung it up on the 16th of december and since then we have only filled three days worth of activities and gifts (it was my turn yesterday and i had no idea what to give chris so i took a photo of our puppy OFF THE FRIDGE and put it in the bag. hahah. good news is i don't think chris realised that we had been looking at that photo for the past month). the reality is that in almost 4 years of marraige we have never had a christmas tree and we don't really give each other christmas presents.

BUT... two days ago the christmas spirit hit me with a visit to bunnings of all places. i went along thinking that i might be able to pick up a little potted pine that we could use year after year (its the hippy in me) and i found a tiny little tree that looks a little flimsy but i'll be damned if i am going to pay $60 for an ugly brown pointy tree with a few baubles on it. our tree is a bit too delicate for any decorations at this stage but a string of ikea fairy lights later and that problem was solved. i am hoping that as the years go by it grows with us and maybe one day christmas baubles will find their place on our little tree that saved Kellie's christmas spirit.

at about 8.30 that night i thought that, being christmas and all, the situation really called for some vintage fabric garland. and stockings. so i made some.

the reality is that we are going on holidays tomorrow and our tiny corner of christmas will have only been enjoyed for 3.5 days. but that's okay. because it had brought a little bit of christmas spirit back into my home and my heart. and because now i have a headstart on next year.

how's your christmas spirit? could you use a trip to bunnings?

MERRY CHRISTMAS LOVELY PEOPLE!

winning...

2011-12-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway and to everyone who has read or commented on this blog over the past year! i have met some truly amazing and inspirational people through this little blog and i feel blessed to a part of this lovely little online community!

so thanks again and congratulations to.....

the fabulous and talented isis! pop on over and say hi at her blog and etsy store! Isis - if you could email (greenteaandrednails@hotmail.com) me your address that would be fabulous

Thanks again lovely people! i'll be back later with some christmas cheer :)

thrifted...

2011-12-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

1,2 & 3 - vintage sheets from country op shops all ready to go for a sheet swap early next year!
4, 5 & 6 - a lovely little vintage patchwork quilt. i have always seen thrifted vintage quilts on blogs that super lucky people find at op shops but have never found one in all my years of op shopping (also... i NEVER find pyrex. never ever). it is falling apart at the seams but those floral prints were just too pretty to leave behind.

p.s - last day to enter the giveaway. winner will be drawn tomorrow :)

scenes from the weekend

2011-12-18T16:16:00.000-08:00

not too many photos from the weekend. but we did attend a puppy birthday party, complete with dogs in party hats and lawn bowls!

p.s - two more days to enter the giveaway!

a giveaway...

2011-12-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

...just to say merry christmas and thank you for being fabulous!!

a few mismatched johnson goodies to enjoy a cup of tea - cups, saucers and a tea cosy (apologies for those of you who have to have everything matching - i can imagine you cringing at the idea of mismatching crockery)! and my very favourite green tea (of course)!

just leave a comment on this post and i'll draw a winner next wednesday :)

thrifted...

2011-12-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

1. floral tapestry
2. wayyyy too many hankies! but they were all so pretty :) if you know if any awesome crafty projects that use up hundreds of hankies throw them my way!
3. $1 leather mocs
4. the startings of a johnson plate collection
5. honey?
6. sheets - just a sneak peek! more coming soon :)
7. vintage towels. for camping or crafting... i haven't decided yet!
8. mismatched johnson
9. wooden soldiers
10. cookie jar
11. english mustard floral china - i've never been a teacup girl but i think i could start a collection if they were all this pretty!

country op shops really are the best. johnson crockery for 5c? yes please! i think i have another linen post in me from all the treasure i uncovered over the last few days so check back early next week to see some of the sheets that you will be getting in the 2012 sheet swap!

p.s - giveaway post THIS AFTERNOON!!! get back here!

seeking beauty...

2011-12-14T15:56:00.000-08:00

we are back from five days full of beach walking, swimming, op shopping, bike riding and coffee drinking. it was such a lovely time spent with lovely girls collecting lovely things. we got to test out the tent that hubby bought me for my birthday and it was super roomy and surprisingly easy to put up! it was my first proper summer road trip (that doesn't involve driving from brisbane to melbourne in 20 hours) with no set plans and no set destination and now i see what all the road tripping fuss is about! treasure hunting posts to follow :)

four happy things on friday...

2011-12-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

1. fairy bread at a party for adults
2. lovely puppies and half price op shop mocs
3. the blue sky peeking through
4. rain that makes my herbs double over two days

Feel free to join in! Just leave a comment and I will pop over to see your happy things this friday...

**i'll be off bright and early tomorrow morning on our sweet summer roadie so blogging will probably be a little bit light on (depending on how organised i get)! cant wait to share photos, treasures and stories with you when i get back :)! feel free to follow me on instagram (user name is kelliebenard)

xx

a christmas dinner party

2011-12-07T18:03:00.000-08:00

armed with a day off work, 8 of the most fabulous ladies i know and inspiration from here we managed to create a lovely night of joy, handmade christmas presents and a little dance party after dinner. mali (who is now blogging again - go and visit her) and i have been wanting to do something like this for ages and had so much fun planning, cooking and creating! yep... it's beginning to feel a little bit like christmas!

road tripping...

2011-12-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

i have mentioned our sweet op shopping/bike riding/coffee drinking road trip before but it is coming up in a few days and i thought i would get some reccommendations from you lovely folk! we will be heading south from brisbane and have no definite plans at this stage. we will be gone for 5 days so don't want to end up too far south and driving for days on end. we want to explore, discover and relax! if you have any suggestions or reccommendations for a cafe, national park, country town, op shop, camp ground or beach that is a must visit between brisbane and coffs harbour i would love to hear it! thank-you! you guys are the best!!

images from here and here

for a girl who is two...

2011-12-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

a few weeks ago my niece turned two and i decided that this would be my opportunity to venture into handmade clothing. armed with my trusty machine, a vintage sheet and pip's lovely book i managed to come up with something that has been worn several times now and is still in one piece. success? i think so!

have a look at what i made for her first birthday...

four happy things on friday...

2011-12-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

One of my resolutions for this year was to be more intentional - with my relationships, with my time and with my focus. In an effort to continue this, I will post four photos from my week of things or moments that have made me happy. I feel like I sometimes miss out on joy just because I'm not looking. Here's to changing that!

1. flowers from a friend
2. the makings of an advent calendar (at this rate i'll be luck to have it ready before december ends! haha!)
3. the best thing my mailbox has ever seen from the most fabulous lady ever! if you are looking for something amazing and unique for christmas you should pop on over to her shop and grab a gift voucher for one of the most gorgeous dresses you will probably ever see!
4. making words while eating breakfast

Feel free to join in! Just leave a comment and I will pop over to see your happy things this friday...

thrifted...

2011-11-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

1. lovely sheets
2. glitter shoes
3&4. two sets of scrabble tiles (no board tho) and a lovely little enamel container sitting on my dining table for word making
5. tea please :)

a playlist...

2011-11-29T12:46:00.000-08:00

Architecture in Helsinki - Contact High
The Contours - Do you Love Me?
The Kooks - She Moves in Her Own Way
Michael Jackson - Rockin Robin
The Mouldy Peaches - Anyone Else But You
The Temptations - Aint Too Proud To Beg
Oasis - Wonderwall
The Paper Kites - Bloom
Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
Paul Tiernan - How To Say Goodbye
Regina Spektor - The Call
Silverchair - Tomorrow
Stevie Wonder - Superstition
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Ben Harper - Diamonds on the Inside
Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams
The Temper Trap - Fader

A friend and I swapped CDs of some of our favourite music in an attempt to try and convince him that gangster rap is not the only genre out there :)! so i listened to nicki minaj (boo) and he got this fabulous selection of sweet tunes. seriously... the best. ever!

p.s - am also loving matt corby, little scream and king charles

*image from here

corners of home...

2011-11-28T17:20:00.000-08:00

a few glimpses of home on a sunny tuesday morning...

four happy things on friday...

2011-11-24T19:14:00.000-08:00

1. gifted little golden books
2. roast pumpkin for dinner
3. fresh totes in the mail
4. spotlight on sale

Feel free to join in! Just leave a comment and I will pop over to see your happy things this friday...

Check out some other things that make me happy on a friday over here

make.

2011-11-23T21:39:00.000-08:00

some for the markets and some for etsy...

p.s - clouds are deceptively difficult to make - these are my third or fourth attempt! but i was determined!

around here

2011-11-22T21:09:00.000-08:00

1. favourite photos taped up on the wall

2. home grown tomatoes ripening in the sun

3. baskets of toys packed up after lovely baby visits

4. bread rolls fresh from the oven

5. ripped calico just waiting for some christmas sewing

there really is something beautiful about the simple life...

a picnic roll

2011-11-20T22:35:00.000-08:00

in this lovely book there are lots of lovely things.
one of them is a picnic roll.
to store all your mismatched op shop cutlery and vintage napkins.
i am a picnic kind of person.
i have a lovely vintage picnic basket... but no special and lovely picnic utensils.
i usually just throw random things into my picnic basket which means i usually forget a sharp knife (i thought this through... you will notice a space for a sharp knife in the last photo).
i was inspired by these two lovely ladies who also made picnic rolls.
now i just need some sunshine and my favourite puppy (and some plates and cups but i have faith in my local oppies for this one)!

this moment...

2011-11-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

hoping... for some rain today to water the vegie garden

appreciating... my husband

learning... that it is okay to have a few bad days in a row

making... presents - for birthdays, babies and christmas

looking forward to... 2012

planning... the most epic op shop road trip complete with sunrise beach swims and rainforest walks

eating... home baked bread and this pasta (did someone say carb overload?)

reading... the old entries of this blog

listening... to the greatest mix cd ever. more about this next week :)

watching... the trailer for 'the hunger games'. um. amazing.

missing... nepal

dreaming... about vietnam or new york for our next holiday
____________________________

**thanks for all being such fabulous blog buddies! a few crafty projects and a giveaway planned for the next few weeks - stay tuned!

**photo from our time in nepal

thrifted

2011-11-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

days off work are good for my op shopping habits (my husband does not agree with this.. haha)

p.s - a vintage oroton bag for 50c?? yes please!
p.p.s - cannisters in the top photo and the mugs in the bottom photo will be for sale at the december rummage

collections...

2011-11-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

i am still unpacking boxes... 18 months after we moved.
on the weekend i unpacked this box and it made my heart happy.
all of my favourite vintage books :)
now i just need to find a bookshelf to display them...

mornings in the garden

2011-11-14T17:42:00.000-08:00

our vegie garden is undergoing a bit of a makeover as we move from four smallish garden beds to six big ones! It has been so nice growing our own fruit, vegies and herbs this last year but we have still been getting the majority of our fresh produce from the farmers markets or woolies (eek). Over the next season we are hoping to get the majority of our fruit and vegies from our garden and supplement what we can't grow from the markets. we still have a LONG way to go but my hope eventually is that we will have enough for our plates, enough to can/store/freeze/preserve and some to share with neighbours and family!

lately, because of the crazy daytime heat, we have been gardening in the morning. when the weather is nice, the morning sun helps to wake me up and the puppy sits outside the fence and waits for us. this morning the tomatoes were mulched, our compost bin was growing things, the morning coffee was enjoyed in the garden, a few prayers were said for the raspberries and the last of the old tomatoes and spinach were picked for ripening and eating.

5.30 in the morning has never looked so good...

weekending...

2011-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

1. craft in the park
2. rediscovering an old favourite
3. sunshine on the tweed river
4. lovely red shoes

wildflowers

2011-11-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

i took the puppy for a long walk the other morning (this is code for 'we got lost and almost attacked by a pitbull') and used the quiet to enjoy a morning off and pick wildflowers* that were then bundled up and gifted to a lovely girl who finished her last uni exam... ever!

*some of these are possibly very colourful weeds but they did the job!

love...

2011-11-09T20:21:00.000-08:00

...someone please go and buy this dress so that i won't! eek... it is so lovely!

i am bridesmaiding in the wedding of my favourite person next year and will be on the lookout for a dress like this in navy blue to wear for this grand occasion. if you see anything similar in navy i would love you forever! yep... FOREVER!

thrifted...

2011-11-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

the op shops have been good to me this week...

a weekend of happy...

2011-11-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

1. finders keepers markets
2&3. vintage umbrellas in the coutyard
4. my first macaroon. yep... EVER (what kind of blogger am i? haha)
5. my favourite boots
6&7. crafty purchases
8. picnic lunch

hope your weekend had a lot of happy in it too :)

to add to the collection

2011-11-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

...just a few of the vintage sheets i have been collecting lately! some for some special craft projects and some for the next swap (which should be happening early in the new year!!)

p.s - ill be frolicking at some markets this weekend. buying here and selling here... pop by and say hi if you are in the area!

be our guest...

2011-11-01T15:13:00.000-07:00

a few little looks into a nearly finished guestroom. i would really love something to hang above the bed and a few more 'homey' touches. but for now... it will do :) i love the vintage blankets tucked away in the corner (it also helped that i could show hubby that they really did have a purpose... haha)!

a vintage baby

2011-10-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

some of the vintage baby loot i scored last week. $8 has never bought so much :)

some of these will be for sale in my (coming soon) etsy shop! hooray!

p.s - i am not pregnant... just in case this post was raising questions!!

a birthday morning...

2011-10-27T17:37:00.000-07:00

on my 26th birthday...

jetlag woke me up

and i watched the sun rise over the Kathmandu valley

hubby and i talked about the future

and played around with camera settings

...all before 6am.

blessed? i think so...

a store near you...

2011-10-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

if you follow me on facebook then you will know that i went on a special errand yesterday to drop some goodies off to the lovely girls at cultiver in ipswich. they will be stocking some 'green tea and red nails' owls, softies and bibs! yay! i was more than a little bit excited to be part of such a fabulous space and will definitely be signing up for some of their christmas workshops. if you live in or around ipswich then i definitely recommend popping in for a browse and a chat... and some handmade christmas shopping!

p.s - photos from the cultiver facebook page. my camera is still on holidays with my sister.
p.p.s - i also hit the vintage baby clothes jackpot in some post shopping op shopping... photos soon :)

instagram love

2011-10-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

life seems to look better though the viewfinder of an iphone :)

...some instagram photos from my last two weeks

p.s - thanks for all of your lovey comments on my last post. nepal truly was a life changing experience and i feel very blessed to have been able to experience some of the things that we were able to.

my favourite photo from nepal...

2011-10-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

this is raj.
he has no parents. no family.
he shares his two bedroom house with 35 other orphans
he shares his single bed with another boy.
he decided that we were going to friends.
so he held my hand
and we made lots of friendship bracelets
and he brought me some flowers when i left
and made me cry...

this is raj.
he taught me about life.
that joy is possible.
that it isn't about what you have.
that holding someone's hand can change their life...

this is raj.
i am so glad that he decided we were going to be friends.

why i love farmers markets

2011-10-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

...because all of this cost me $9!

and it will be turned into sweet potato and coriander soup, potato salad, spinach pie, BBQed corn, potato bake, homemade pasta sauce and a stir-fry!

*please excuse the iphone photos - my sister has taken my lovely camera on a little joy trip to hayman island...!

mail = love

2011-10-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

1. a late birthday present (from myself.. haha). does anyone else feel like online shopping gives you twice the thrills? once when you hit that 'buy it now' button and again when it turns up all lovely and pretty in your mailbox?

2. a book from my 'wishlist'

3. the most gorgeous naughty shorts dress. i am saving it for the perfect occasion. i'm sure you will be seeing a lot of this beauty!

4 & 5. i returned from nepal to find this lovely handmade pot holder in my mailbox from the even lovelier kylie - it has quickly become my new favourite!

6. a new book (wrapped in an awesome handmade tote!) from Allana! can't wait to get creating for nieces and nephews!

have a happy weekend xx Kel

your opinion?

2011-10-19T21:24:00.000-07:00

i am jumping on the coloured jeans bandwagon... but i can't decide on which colour. please help??

*all jeans from ASOS

a vintage sheet swap wrap up...

2011-10-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

hello lovely people...

i have been meaning to do this for a while now but then i went to nepal and started a new job... you know how it goes :)

i would LOVE some feedback on the last two vintage FQ swaps - good or suggestions on how to improve for next time. I am thinking that this is something that I could run a couple of times a year and would really love to make it is painless as possible for everyone involved!

Here are a couple of things that I have learned from my end...
*it really is much easier when people send their FQ's in the prepaid post satchels. MUCH EASIER!

*this swap is not designed for you to simply get rid of any sheets or FQs that you don't want, like or use. you should only swap sheets and fabrics that you would be happy receiving back

*i need to be a bit tougher on people who send sheets that are not really up to par. it is disappointing when you send in some of your favourite sheets to swap and others don't do the same.

*i really love seeing all those sheets coming through my house and love seeing what you create with them even more! you are inspiring women!!

would LOVE some feedback from you all :) pretty please!
- is the time frame too long? too short? (i think a month between announcing the swap on my blog and closing postage seems to work best - thoughts?)

- do you receive enough information about the swap? is there too much about the swap on the blog? not enough?

- how many swaps each year would suit you? (keep in mind that you don't HAVE to be involved every time if it doesn't suit you)

- how many would be keen for another swap before christmas? to get inspired for all those handmade gifts?

Thanks in advance. you really are the best!

a (semi) clean craft room...

2011-10-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

a few sneak peeks from a mostly clean craft room...

colours of nepal...

2011-10-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

weekend crafting...

2011-10-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

sewing for markets.
sewing for presents.
sewing for local shops.

it was a good weekend.

at the op shop...

2011-10-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

like laura, i was back at the op shops the day after i arrived home from nepal. i don't even think i had done a load of washing before i headed off to see what treasures were awaiting me! i clearly have my priorities right :)

here are a few of the goodies i have picked up in the week since i have been back...
*the loveliest typewriter that still works... eek! i have been looking for a vintage typewriter throughout the 10 or so years i have been thrifting and have never seemed to have any luck so you can imagine my delight when i stumbled across this one for only $8!
*a few vintage sheets for quilting, crafting and swapping!
*lovely woolen blankets!

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post... more Nepal photos to come but I will stagger them with regular posting so you don't get too overwhelmed!

Have a GREAT day!

faces of nepal...

2011-10-11T04:01:00.000-07:00

regular posting will resume shortly. for now i just need some time to grieve the most wonderful few weeks of my life... does anyone else know the feeling? just me?

**photos are of some of the most awesome kiddies that we got to teach and work with and a few of the locals we were lucky enough to meet and photograph

love at first sight...

2011-10-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

i went to nepal... and i fell in love.
seriously.
it is exactly what my life has been missing.
the people, the smells, the colours, the joy, the smiles.

more to come... (plus a little tour of my newly cleaned craft room!! yay!)

exciting news

2011-09-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

...my tomatoes have started to ripen!!!! woohoo!!

i know that when you saw the title of this post tomato news is probably not what you were thinking you would find here. but these little guys have been sitting on my tomato plant for MONTHS! i was about a week away from ripping it out and giving up. i had spent some serious time on google searching for 'how long does it take tomatoes to ripen' which did not ease my troubles at all (the standard answer was a few weeks). however, they are finally ripening and they are delicious. yum yum yum!

four happy things on (a day that is close to) friday... an op shop edition

2011-09-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

just a few treasures that i have picked up at the op shops this week!
have a lovely weekend xx

an engagement present for my one true love...

2011-08-31T17:56:00.000-07:00

i am blessed with wonderful friends. the kind that you want to go 'through life' with. the kind that don't care if you are a little neurotic or your house is messy and the kind that you can imagine going on family holidays with when you decide that you are ready for kids (at the same time of course).

...and on the weekend two of them had an engagement party. i wanted to get them something lovely. something that they could use to go on dates and enjoy the sunshine in their life and their weekends.

after weeks of thinking about this and months of collecting here are some of the goodies that i included in their 'vintage love picnic basket'. a floral tablecloth, napkins, handmade drawstring bag to store all that mismatched cutlery (let me tell you - it is hard to find nice forks!) and a fabulous little vintage thermos flask.

my husband would remind me often throughout this collection process that 'boys don't like stuff like this' - in my defense, i kept the colour scheme fairly manly... not a pink floral in sight :)!!

scenes from the weekend... plus a vintage sheet update

2011-08-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

a lovely engagement party for one of my favourite people. and early birthday saltwater sandals. heck yes.

**vintage sheet FQs have been sorted and packaged up ready to go flying back to you tomorrow. am just finalising a few things before they go to the post office. please email me with any feedback you may have... i have tried to only send you the best sheets but i can't look through each individual FQ for rips or stains. that is where i am counting on your good swapping ethics - that you would only send sheets to swap that you would be happy receiving!

please shoot me an email or a blog comment if you post about your new FQs over at your space of the world wide web so i can come and visit!

thanks again :) have a most fabulous day!
and pop over here to wish the lovely Bec a happy birthday!!
(p.s - wait til i show you photos of my new naughty shorts dress!!!)

four happy things on friday

2011-08-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

finally getting my hands on the latest peppermint, the beginnings of a pair of socks, some baby burp cloths and flowers from my year 9's

Feel free to join in! Just leave a comment and I will pop over to see your happy things this friday...

check out past issues of 'four happy things on friday' over here

some thoughts on taking my life back...

2011-08-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

if you know me in real life or read this blog regularly you will know that the word i would use to describe my life is 'busy'. not 'lovely', 'fulfilling' or 'fun' but 'busy'. don't get me wrong, my life is lovely, fulfilling AND fun but more than all of those things it is busy. now i understand that some people thrive on being busy and i guess i am one of those people too, but only to a certain point. i cannot sustain busy for long periods of time without feeling like i am failing... at my relationships, and providing for my family (chris and i count as a family right?) and at living the life that i want to live. i tell myself that i will get it together... one day. it is getting to the point where there is always an excuse and 'one day' is looking further and further away.

so... im taking some steps to slow down and simplify and turn this 'busy' life into a 'lovely' one.

i want to find joy in little things.
i want to make, bake and create.
i want to be present rather than be everywhere.
i want to share rather than spend.
i want to walk on the beach and in the mountains and around our block.
i want to be home in the daylight.

sounds lovely right? but i have said this before. i need to do more. be more practical. take action rather than sending out happy thoughts. with this in mind... i do not have a teaching job lined up for term 4. this is something that i have been thinking and praying about for a long time. i really believe it is a blessing in the disguise of a substantial pay cut. i will still be working. but it will be part-time. and it will not involve 14 hour days. and i will be present and i will be home.

please remind me of this when i blog about the new dress i want. or the shoes. or the holiday. remind me that family is more important. health is more important. 'lovely' is more important.

p.s - it is really through the wonderful blogging community that i have found the inspiration to stop and be still and uncovered the lost skills on how to live a life of 'lovely' rather than 'busy' and that 'busy' can still come in the form of baking and sewing and growing and that kind of 'busy' is one that i can't wait to be a part of!

**photo from here

DIY business cards

2011-08-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

in the spirit of procrastination i spent a night last week making up some business cards for my little, yet to be established etsy store instead of cleaning and marking year 9 essays. i was pretty happy with how they turned out! who knew that some manilla tags and vintage fabric scraps could be something so pretty!

I am currently looking at the possibility of a few local crafty type stores stocking some of my softies but if that doesn't work out an etsy shop is on my list of things to do! and the room full of vintage clothes is begging to be sold on ebay! now i just need to find a way to fit more hours in my day... maybe less watching 'friends' and more getting organised!

at the op shop...

2011-08-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

us brisbane folk had a public holiday this week for the 'ekka' - a midweek day off is such a treat and i was determined not to waste mine! my sister and i headed up to the sunny coast for some quality time, op shopping and coffee on the run. It wasn't my most successful op shop roadie to date but it was great to hang with the sister and i did manage to come home with a few goodies :)

a most fabulous (but really small) umbrella, two gorgeous fabric scraps (why is it that i can never find full sheets in the patterns i love), a picnic blanket (blogger insisted on rotating my image so i wasn't able to include it... grr!) and a few plates for a lovely mismatched wedding...

have a most fabulous weekend! I will try to pop back for a 'four happy things' post a bit later!

Kel x

p.s - if you are participating in the Vintage Sheet FQ Swap your lovely FQs should all be in the mail by now!

in this moment

2011-08-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

frustrated... by blogger. I have some really fun things to share with you all but blogger keeps rotating my photos which has caused me to abort said 'fun things' and start again. I'll try again tomorrow. any advice would be appreciated :)

excited... by the knowledge that while i am at work, my husband is at home finally putting up a fence for our yet to be finished chicken coop. chicken countdown is on!

waiting... to hear about a job.

hating... being a contract teacher and having to leave my lovely students every few months

loving... all the vintage fabrics in my living room! if only i could keep them all... ahhhh!

making... am planning on attempting soap and yoghurt on the weekend (not together!)

wondering... why my cherry tomatoes won't ripen

enjoying... the rain

wishing... i could find some time to sew. am feeling really inspired lately (maybe it is all those lovely fabrics in my house) but can't seem to find the time to turn that into something tangible

eating... the most delicious snow peas straight from the garden

knitting... a very wonky pair of socks (i have managed 6 rows in 3 weeks - does that even count?)

(unknown image source)

three happy things on friday... a food edition

2011-08-11T23:08:00.000-07:00

snow peas from the garden, chocolate chip cookies and homemade pasta sauce

to brighten your day...

2011-08-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

here are some of the sheets that have been arriving in my living room over the past week and will soon be flying their way over to your house if you have signed up to the v intage sheet FQ swap!!!

*each of you who has signed up to the sheet swap should have received an email by now with all the extra details you need! Please leave a comment here or shoot me an email (kellie_fm(at)hotmail(dot)com) if you are still waiting on an email from me!

*please remember that your FQ's need to be posted by NEXT WEDNESDAY (the 17th)! it is really important that everyone is prompt with this so that I can finish the sorting and get them back to you ASAP!

Thanks again :) look forward to seeing what you all create with your stash! Kel x

scenes from the weekend...

2011-08-07T21:42:00.000-07:00

bushwalking, op shop goodies and homemade pizza

i also did a lot of marking, rummaged, ate sushi, drank hot chocolates and chatted to laura (check out her rummage post and photos here)

***last few days of the vintage kiddies clothes SALE on facebook! check it out here!

vintage sheets make lovely things

2011-08-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

i have a confession to make. i don't really go to spotlight anymore. i used to be there at least once a week - stocking up on wool or fabric in order to satisfy my over-ambitious approach to craft and life...

now i thrift. i mean... i thrift more. I have always op shopped... it started in high school and is something that my husband has slowly had to get used to. and i figure... since i am already there looking for clothes, furniture and homewares i might as well look for items to stock my craft room! and so my love of vintage sheets was born. now when i op shop i head straight to the bedding section and usually the craft section is close by. it is getting harder and harder to find vintage sheets as i know i am not alone in my love... hence the vintage sheet FQ swap - where vintage sheet lovers and crafters can pool their resources and expand their collections!

some crafty inspiration for your friday morning
1. baby bibs (inspired by this)
2. a still unbound quilt
3. owl softie
4. a different section of quilt (my guest bedroom is looking forward to its makeover)
5. more softie making

**you can sign up for the last few places in the vintage sheet FQ swap over here
**last few days of the vintage kiddies clothes sale over here
AND
i will be at the suitcase rummage markets this weekend in brisbane city this weekend selling vintage homewares, clothes and a few of the bibs and softies pictured above! pop by and say hi if you are around the area!

i will...

2011-08-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

*remember what is important
*show more love to my family than i do to my job
*use 'green bags' when i go to aldi (to prevent the dropping of groceries while packing the car boot)
*spend money on 'life' rather than 'stuff'
*speak with love
*do things straight away
*remember your name
*do something every day that makes me happy
*plant more zucchini
*make what i can
*play fetch with the puppy
*hang out my washing to dry

what will you do?

*image source unknown

a collection of vintage clothes

2011-07-31T14:13:00.000-07:00

i think i may have mentioned it before... but i have an ever growing collection of vintage baby and child clothes. i started buying them years ago as gifts and then realised how freaking gorgeous some of those little dresses and shirts were... so i started putting some of them aside. now i have almost two plastic crates full (and no immediate plans for children) so i thought that it was time to share the love and open my collection to some of you who do have children or nieces and nephews or friends with children. i am finding that it is becoming really difficult to find vintage childrens clothes... so look no further!

i will be starting to sell a few little goodies through my 'green tea and red nails' facebook page which you can find over HERE. like this page to receive blog updates, lovely images and access to some handmade and vintage goodies!

on this facebook page you should find an album full of vintage kiddies clothes (mainly for little girls - but a few things for boys and more will be added) in a variety of sizes. simply comment on the image with any questions or if you would like to purchase that item. alternatively, you can send me a private message. now for the good part...

as an OPENING SPECIAL - all items will be $8 only until the end of the week! Postage will be charged at $4 for as many items as you wish to order!

all items will be washed, ironed, gift wrapped and delivered to your door via Australia Post!

payment can be made via paypal or bank deposit!

Thanks for your love and support - you guys are the best!

Kel xx

p.s - will be back tomorrow with some vintage sheet crafty inspiration...

scenes from my weekend...

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breakfast in the sun, new jeans, magazine reading, a 21st birthday and some whale watching...

now, before you go and start thinking what a lovely weekend i must have had (which i did) i'll balance it out by telling you that whale watching ended... and began... with me seasick and vomiting into a bag! I have been wanting to go whale watching for years (it's on my 101 list) and i couldn't even enjoy it as i was curled up in the corner. I did manage to see a couple of whales before scurrying back inside to my vomit bag... eek!

hope you had a lovely weekend too... minus the vomiting!

p.s - dont forget to join up for the vintage sheet FQ swap - there are still a few more places left!

a morning on the farm...

2011-07-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

i use the term 'farm' very loosely as we currently have one acre, one dog, three fruit trees and four small beds of vegies... BUT we have big plans to expand the vegie garden in the next few weeks and as soon as hubby has finished the chicken coop we hope to adopt three chickens! I have wanted chickens for years and have been pestering hubby about building me a chicken coop for almost as long. Apparently nagging works because he woke up last weekend with coop building plans... hooray!!

As far as fruit trees go, we have two lime trees and a lemon tree which are growing VERY slowly... the soil we have on our 'farm' is terrible! I am planning to add some orange, mandarin and avocado trees to this in the next little while. Does anyone know the best time of the year to plant fruit trees?

I have a small blueberry plant that is looking very sad and sorry... am not sure that the Brisbane climate really suits it. Anyone in Brissie had success with blueberries or raspberries?

This time next year, I am hoping to be getting most of our fruit and vegies from OUR garden rather than the local farmers markets. While I love our weekly trips to the markets I would happily substitute them with daily walks out to the vegie patch to pick dinner :)

Have a happy week - Kel x

a winter holiday

2011-07-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

a winter school holiday in queensland means dress-up dinners, family picnics, lots of coffee and walks on the beach.

my mid year break has reminded me of how good life can be... now if only work didn't get in the way!

a vintage sheet FQ swap... take two

2011-07-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

lovely people...

Thanks so much for the support and positive feedback from the last vintage sheet FQ swap! since then I have been getting lots of comments and emails asking if there were plans for another one... last week i floated the idea on the blog and got such a great response that i have decided to take the leap and host round two of the AUSTRALIAN VINTAGE SHEET FQ SWAP!!!It is a big job but it was so lovely so see all those sheet squares coming through my living room (mu husband might disagree here) AND i have met some awesome people in the blog world through this swap which makes it completely worthwhile! have a look at part one over here and check out some of the lovely creations that came from the swap here and here.

This swap will be a little smaller than the last one and i will cut off sign-ups at 40 people or the postage date - whichever comes first! If you do sign up PLEASE make sure that you are sending your FQ's by the due dates. If you need to pull out that is okay but please let me know via email as soon as you know - it was difficult last time as i was waiting for FQ's to come in that never came!

What you need to do... if you are keen to be involved in this swap then just leave a comment on this post indicating your interest with your EMAIL ADDRESS (this makes it a lot easier for me)! Alternatively, you can email me at kellie_fm (at) hotmail (dot) com and let me know that way.

As people sign up for the swap I will send out all the necessary information via email to participants.

The time frame... Please have your vintage sheets washed, cut into FQ's and posted no later than the 17th of August. You have a little less time than the last swap but it should still give you plenty of time to scout your local oppies for lovely sheets to cut and swap. I will attempt to have them back in the post for you by the end of August and you should receive your new stash of vintage fabric sometime in the next week ready for spring crafting!

Sign ups... I am happy to take sign ups until the 17th of August or until we reach the limit of 40 people signed up. Please make sure that you have your FQ's in the mail by the cut off date.

Spread the word... the more people we have involved in this, the more variety you will receive in your vintage FQ's. Feel free to blog about this and save the above image to use as a button for this swap... just make sure you are linking back to this post.

How the swap will work... it is up to you how many fat quarters you want to contribute to the swap. The number of FQ's you send to me will be the number that you receive back. THEN... you will need to place your washed, cut up sheets into a pre-paid parcel post satchel (available at the post office in 500g and 3kg varietys). You should be able to fit about 15 FQs in a 500g satchel and 50+ in the 3kg satchel. you MUST also include a self-addresses pre-paid post satchel in your parcel to me for me to mail your new vintage loveliness to you.

A few more things...
*sheets must be washed prior to being sent
*this swap is for AUSTRALIAN residents only (sorry to my other readers - it is just easier for postage)
*your fat quarters should measure approx 50cm x 56cm
*ensure your fat quarters are free from marks, rips and stains. only send sheets that you would want to receive (i reserve the right to return to you any sheets you send which do not meet this quality standard)
*only COTTON or COTTON BLEND sheets please (nothing flannelette or polyester - thanks!)
*it is more than okay for you to send multiple fat quarters from the one sheet!!
*please do not send any sheets with cartoon characters, kids sheets or any solid colours.

I will be updating all the swap participants through email and through this blog so stay tuned! i am so excited for this (again!)... I do hope that you will join me!

woohoo! KEL xx

p.s - feel free to ask any questions that you have in the comments section of this post...

four happy things on friday

2011-07-14T15:24:00.001-07:00

a finally finished craft project (you know the ones that you start and then they sit around your craft room for months!!), some lovely mail from an even lovelier lady, finding a favourite lost polaroid, vintage goodies from wonderful people

leave a comment if you are playing along on your blog so i can pop over and see what has made you happy this week!

p.s - stay tuned for an exciting announcement on Monday of the vintage sheet variety :)

just a minute in... july

2011-07-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

reading... the hunger games. again.

listening to... silverchair. frogstomp is always somewhere in my rotation.

cooking... lots of yummy winter soups.

wanting... some shelves in my wardrobe. we have HEAPS of hanging space but no shelves which makes for a nice big pile of jumpers and t-shirts on the floor!

wishing... for a simpler life.

feeling... cold. all the time.

excited about... an upcoming wedding!

blessed by... a husband who scrapes the ice off my windscreen at 6.30am before he leaves for work.

looking forward to... Harry Potter!

*photo is of my bridesmaids flowers from two weekends ago. more photos to come!

a few things...

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*my very best friend got ENGAGED on the weekend! hip hip hooray for wedding planning :)!

*a new blog crush! (and where the above image has come from)

*the loveliest little jacket! that vintage sheet lining is perfection....

*i am thinking of hosting another vintage sheet swap in the near future. yes it's a big job but my love for vintage sheets is outweighing the big time sacrifice! i have been getting a few emails and comments asking about this so thought i would float the idea again. would definitely need to have a cut off number this time. Let me know if you are keen :)

*THANKS for all the comments about binding a quilt and commenting with blogger. i seem to have the commenting problem fixed and will hopefully get the quilt finished in the next few weeks (just need to find some spare time.. eek!). can't wait to show you the finished product!

a bridal shower

2011-07-05T20:56:00.001-07:00

a bridal shower for my little sister-in-law! lots of blue and white and lace and cake. perfect!

at the op shop...

2011-07-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

a few recent op shop finds... some more wooden toys, baby announcements (not for me!!) and some sheets and pillow cases.

I have sewn all the squares of my quilt together but am a bit scared to go any further! haha! I have bougt the batting and found the backing sheet (the top one in the last photo) but having never bound a quilt before i don't want to ruin all my hard work. do any of you quilters have any tips?

p.s - is anyone else having trouble commenting on blogs? I have been trying to commant on all the lovely posts of late but blogger seems to keep signing me out. i do not care for this. grrr.

four happy things on... wednesday

2011-06-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

i don't think there is anything better than school holidays (parents may disagree with me here). apologies for the late 'happy things' post. i have been filling my days with beach walks and barefoot weddings!

will be back later with some op shop finds.. xx