Ideas and doings ...

Well, we are certainly getting to the pointy end of the Uni semester - just 3 studio weeks left to go and still several projects to get off the drawing board and printed up! Yikes. Despite all that though I have been having fun with my friend Audrey Harnett organising a 'pop-up shop' that we plan to have in December. It is funny how ideas are born you know - sometimes they come as a great crash and sometimes as a gentle melding of experiences and circumstances. Audrey spent some time in Paris earlier this year and was just smitten with all the vintage gorgeousness she found there. Then she discovered an old postcard in a second-hand store, that "Girty" had written to "Ethel", wishing her a very Merry Christmas. An idea was taking shape - we could be Ethel and Girty and have a Christmas sale featuring not just our jewellery but other vintagy handcrafted wares we have both been longing to make! Of course we plan to have Bubbles in tea cups and cup cakes too - a tea party of sorts really! First step has been to make an invite - and here it is ...

So if you happen to be around our way on the 10th Dec. do drop in! Now to get making ...

Saturday Market.

The very best thing about our local Farmers Market - apart from the coffee - is that buying yummy fresh produce really stimulates the creative cook in me. All the fruit and veg is grown locally, we have a local cheese maker, several bakeries, dried fruit producer, free range chicken farmer, amazing local smallgoods and even a local coffee roaster - the beans are free-trade and roasted here! Heaven - pure Heaven.

Just look at those tomatoes! Looks like the makings of Saturday brunch ...

We roasted these vegies to have with our free range chook - beetroot, spuds and carrots - yummo!

I haven't replanted my basil yet so it was great to snag a bunch at the market. It tasted great mixed in with those tomatoes all chopped up on some of the wholegrain bread and topped with grilled haloumi! We do love our food here in the Barossa! If only we could grow bananas here ...!

Remnants ..

No, not the fabric kind (although I am rather partial to those ...). This is about when the party is over and all your guests have gone home. Remnants of the party and happy memories.

This is what was left of the party that we had to wish our daughter

as she heads off to live in the exciting wonderment that is Sydney. We shared plenty of food and wine with our nearest and dearest to celebrate her adventure and reminisce about bygone days. There was laughter and a tear or two (admittedly I think I was the only one that teared up but hey - I am the MUM!) and of course there are always loads of dishes that get washed up by ready volunteers throughout the day!

It has been one whole week since the move - kinda feels longer ...

Spring is in the air ...

It all started with the purchase of just one more piece of vintage fabric from the oppie. A harmless enough activity you might think but it led to a full scale tip-everything-out-of-the-cupboard-and-start-over session. My poor fabric cupboard had gotten so untidy that bits fell out when I opened it and everything was either hiding or MIA because I could never find what I wanted. The time had come for a full-on attack and I have to admit folks, I was ruthless! I kept only the materials that I really loved and sorted and folded for a couple of hours!

Can you see my dog in the background? He didn't seem all that impressed with my efforts but I am sure all you fabric hounds appreciate the effort and trauma involved in this kind of overhaul!

Piles stacked up, awaiting classification ..

... I tried hard to only keep the really nice pieces!

Here is the result of the final sorting - labelled crates that stack into my cupboard. I have to admit that it is not as much fun as looking at stacks of fabric piled up on the shelves but at least it isn't all falling out of the cupboard to greet me every time I open the door!

... and the folded fabrics still look pretty nestled in their crates - and a whole lot more managable!

Has Spring Clean Fever hit your household this year?

Flogging my wares ...

The last month or so has flown by in a blur of activity - I seem to hardly have had time to read other blogs let alone post on mine! Towards the end of September, I had the opportunity to head over to the Yorke Peninsula to attend a bi-annual event that lasts three days. I was plying my trade - jewellery that is folks - and as a major bonus, hanging out with my dear friend Melissa. Sales were down on other years but Melissa and her dear hubby kept my spirits buoyed with lovely food, daily trips to the beach and gin! Here is what our stall looked like - we crammed alot into a fairly small space ...

This was taken on Day 2 so there were a few less things on display - it was an effort let me tell you! Melissa had made some fantastic clothes from revamped thrift store finds - hard to see here but let me tell you they were GORGEOUS!

Lots of colourful things - as you might expect!

These little tree necklaces are my new favourite thing. I hand-cut the wooden tree, decorated it with inks and paint and added a little bird that I cast from reclaimed pewter.

One of the best things about direct selling is that you get to meet the people who buy your things. This necklace looked so stunning on the lovely woman that purchased it that had she asked, I would have given it to her for free! Well prolly not but you know what I mean?! That gorgeous cardi is one of Melissa's revamped creations - she made all those lovely flowers - can you believe it?!

I included some of the "higher end" things this year and they were well received but may take another year or two to reach their full potential at this particular venue I think!

More colourful bits - can you see the tree necklace in the background? I loved making these so much I did a few colorways! All in all it was a fun and exhausting couple of days and this time around the financial reward probably didn't warrant the effort but on a personal level - spending a solid bunch of time with a bestie - is quite frankly, reward enough!