Long time no ... well ... write I guess

Yes it has been a couple of weeks hasn't it. I keep checking up on lots of other people's hauls, and overhauls, and stashes... and creativity too.

Life has seemed a little hectic lately - family stuff that needed attention.

I went to another auction, and this time got the contents of a sewing cupboard to bring home - lots of nice materials, and bits and pieces. This has meant a major overhaul of my crafting area. Out of desperation, a lot of "stuff" got packed into big plastic bins, and placed in our storage area downstairs at the units. So my cards, and miniatures, and many dolls, and wool have been stacked up and stored for a while. Just think of all the fun I am going to have when my mood changes, and I want to take up a different hobby! I have rearranged the craft cupboards to store the piles, and piles and more piles of material I have gained over the past month. Many of the clothes I bought at the auction that I didn't want to wear have been prepared for re-purposing, and I have added to my collection of zippers and buttons.

Now it is sewing time. I have been doing some - but the camera needs charging, and the charger is .... well you know what happens. I will take some photos shortly. This is all with the goal of setting up an Etsy / Made-It shop online, and also going to some markets.

In the midst of all of this, I have gone from full-time at work back to part-time - 3 days a week. It seemed the best thing to do in all sorts of circumstances, but there is a definite gap in the finances as a result - hence the sewing ideas.

There are some other ideas on the back burner - I will get them into writing some time soon too - I will be looking for your feed back about them

Cheers - I have to finish the big move around in my crafting area - and make the lounge just a little tidier....

Frugalling Saturday 1

This morning, we got a newspaper, and marked some garage sales to visit. What fun, even if we had to drive 80km to do it!

I found two boxes of scraps at garage sales - and people who understood the principle - "She who dies with the most stash - wins!" (there was another box of scraps, but no picture...)

and a pile of remnants I found at a church garage sale for $10

A bag of fabrics - including these curtains and the wool (shown later on) for $5

In the boxes I found these little treasures - some silk fabric

This tablecloth - what a cutie

Some Solomon Island place mats - make nice bags I think

A couple of Malaysian theme batik fabric


and this beauty - made with batik, and something like silk painting (on cotton fabric though) and signed by Arka. It will be stretched over a canvas and placed on the wall - I love it...
And of course, a bag of Totem bluebell wool bits... Nice for a patchwork blanket I have started.


I left home with $50 - and I spent it all (including the stuff below). But I think it was incredible value.

Tomorrow, Liz and the grandies come over, and we are having a sewing day. make some skirts for Liz, and some pants and shirts for the boys - as well as teaching Liz some sewing techniques. Will be fun. I will take photos.

Super Saturday

Boy am I glad I am not counting ins and outs...

It all started with a visit to St Andrews fair this morning... and found Betsy and Paula who just cried out to be loved again.

Then I searched through a box of material and found this stash (well that is what was left after MiniBella took some out of it).


Then it was the ACT Miniature Enthusiast Doll House and Miniatures Fair at Weston Creek. More photos from that later on (I hope if TSS shares hers... I forgot my camera didn't I!)

Anyhow, I bought some fabric pieces from Jen. 80 pieces of beautiful fabric - even if it is only 10cm by 10cm big.



Then at the end of the show - the unbelievable happened. I won the basket of Minis Raffle. Apparently buying 6 tickets and stuffing them into one box worked...

That is kitchen furniture, an old cast iron stove, some crockery, little pots, books, a tea set, and oh so much more... Thank you people.

It followed me home - can I keep it!!

First of all - here are the three premmie hats I made - and the latest wash cloth made from the cotton yarn I picked up at Salvos with TSS

I was such a good girl - I took the Shopping trolley FULL of things to Vinnies - and these all lept into my hands, and pleaded to be taken home. I am resistant to most dolls calling out to be loved these days - but these two just snuck in under the radar. Just love the orange knitted jacket - it cries out for a little dress under it, and matching booties.

Look at that wool - 10 balls of 50g Sirdar Pullman for a man's scarf and what else for $7.50 and 5 balls of Patons Caressa for$4.! The material would make a nice T-shirt for Liz.

Which reminds me - I promised two young lads a new T-shirt from my material stash - and they are coming to visit some time soon - so I really ought to get it out and make up shouldn't I?

So that makes totals for this week (including an extra shoe rack and laundry hamper taken to Vinnies)

Ins 287
Outs 662
TIAA still 111

What do you do with a drunken stash???

A drunken stash you say! I am sure I am not the only one with a drunken stash.

You know the characteristics - when everyone else in the room can clearly that the stash has had enough, it says - just one more, one more can't hurt. But you know that it will never stop at one more.

Then when you have something you want it to do, it cannot be found. If you insist that it gives up what you want - it disgorges its contents all over the floor. But will it clean up its own mess? Never. It is still there 3 days later waiting for you to clean it all up again.

OK - tell me I am not the only one with a drunken stash.

So what do you do - the stash was in a total mess yesterday, and it had spewed its contents all over the floor. Pity the floor was Bob's office too. He was none to happy.

So what did I do - remember what my Mama did with her stash - though it was never a drunken stash - she would roll up the material to store it. Hey that is a good idea. It compresses the material into a smaller area, and if you stacked them right, you could see everything on the pile. Also. going through the pile would mean that it would not get into a complete mess.

So here is my sober stash. Lets see how long that lasts. As you can see, there really is NO more room for more...

Seven Things Summer - Week 6

This has been a reverse week for me - so much "stuff" came into my house, and not too much went out. Well, I guess it will all balance up in the end. So here goes my confessions:

INS:

• First of all there were two wonderful surprises in the post for me. M1K1 sent me the most exquisite miniature knitting for my Granny - a little shawl, a wicker bassinet and knitted little blanket. They are made from such incredibly fine thread, a sight to behold. (3 tiems)

• 
  
• Cass sent me another little parcel with the most wonderful tapestry style cushion cover (to be made up) - just look how it matches our sofa.
• ... and two parcels - one with a maroon satin pillowcase kit (Exactly the right colour for my bedroom - I have some jaquard maroon pillowcases already - and I have about 6 pillows on the bed), and a huge bundle of ribbons and satin bias strips (2 items - well that is all I am counting anyhow)
  

• Then there are my freecycle gains - two boxes of goodies - fabric left overs, enough special yarns for about 3 big projects, and some other wool/cotton yarn. (probably 25 items)
  

• Knitting needles - much appreciated, including some tortoise shell ones.
  

• Then today - I went shopping in Covic - spent a gift voucher for Christmas and got the tin of DERWENT water colour pencils - a luxury I have been wanting for many years, as well as some stamps, ink pads, little dolly ornaments and some buttons for cards
  

• 2 packages of knitting yarn - frugalled
• 2 pieces material
• 2 Zapf dolls
• 1 very large Dulux dog (Bob)

So the total of INS this week: 49

OUTS: (Total 5)

• 2 T shirts - grandies
• 1 card and wash cloth - in return for knitting needles
• 2 Cards - grandies

TURN IT ALL ABOUT: (Total 7)

• 2 Tshirts - grandies
• 2 wash cloth
• 1 mini blanket
• 1 baby doll booties
• 1 Time Thief Beanie

That is very definitely a reverse from the last couple of weeks - and I guess there is balance in the world somewhere...

TOTALS:

• IN - 133
• OUT - 362
• TIAA - 96