The ultimate button up cycle....

Just dropping in quickly tonight before I retire for the evening, I just couldn't go to bed without sharing this most awesome button up cycle. Most of my vowers and dear friends know how I love an odd button or two and how I like a bit of art action. Well you just have to pop over to Lil Blue BooLil Blue Boo and check out what I am in awe of......night, night all.

Sweet Sunday and Father's Day

Lovely Sunday morning to you all. You know what? I have a wonderful man in my life, my husband my little vowers daddy. Today is Fathers Day and he has still been happy for me to pop down the road this morning for my Sweet Sunday start to the morning. I asked him if he wanted to go instead, so he could have some time out, but he insisted it was still I who should go. Thanks baby.

I never really plan in advance what I will write about on a Sunday morning, I am usually struck by some inspiration on a Sunday morning as I am driving here for my chai This morning I am just going to ramble just a wee bit. I have been meaning and wanting to welcome new followers and thank you for joining me in this journey. I also want to say hello and thank you to those who have been through this whole My Vintage Vow journey with me since I conceived the idea and passion and desire for it all. I know there are some of you who have been with me from my slow start well before Little V was born and you have ridden roller coasters with me and me toying around with running things from my MVV FB page etc. You also endured me pulling the pin on next to everything I was doing, when I was having a hard time with Little V's pregnancy. To you who have been through that part of the journey with me I am ever so grateful for your continued support and belief in what I am doing and where I am wanting to go with My Vintage Vow and all that I have planned. Those of you who follow my other blog Journey to Bliss will understand just how much I have endured in the last few years, but you will also know how far I am along in that journey now and you will probably all agree I am starting to hit my stride in achieving some of my goals and dreams again......yippee.

To all my vowers, today is really just to say thank you, and please continue to pop in I have so many things I want to do and achieve here and as life with two little ones at home allows, you will see more and more things evolve and happen.

I hope this fine Sunday meets you well this morning, that you are either going to pop in and see your daddy's, give them a call, skype them or whatever you will do. I think I will head home now to my hubby (hmmm maybe I should call him the Big V, what do you think????) and plan our day, maybe a stroll around a car boot sale and some fish and chips for lunch. What do you have planned this fine Sunday?

Funky Finds Friday is a bit Frilly

Would you believe I haven't had much opping time lately, they have been very brief half hour jaunts out recently. Not to worry I can still scout out a bargain in that time. Early in the week I headed off with Master and Little V in tow. With Master V having been given my word that he could hold and carry things for me. Oh well that little bit of bribery wasn't needed because once we got to this little oppy (one I haven't been to before) he was happy to chat to the man behind the counter, waving to him from the pram and yelling out to him about a cat jumping on our roof......his running story he tells everyone at the moment.

Anyways I scored these two vintage dresses they are very, very similar I am assuming that they are likely from the same maker, but the tag has been cut off one of the dresses. They are perfect dresses for spring and summer, perhaps even a race day dress in November what do you think?

Closer look at all those luscious frills and layers.

Tag shot.

I am tossing up between the two and wondering if I should find a home for one of these beauties in my wardrobe or if both will go into my stock for the vintage fashion market I am hoping to get into the next few months with my vintage adults clothing, genuine vintage children's clothing and my handmade up cycled wares (will have more and more to show in coming weeks and months). Anyways I digress, I am leaning towards the one on the right to find a home here with me!

We will be linking up with Sophie again this weekend at Her Library Adventures.

A little goodbye to Winter....

After days of rain and a chilly start to this morning, and the faint sounds of spring in the air I bid a little farewell to winter this morning. With my steaming hot soy chai (yes I made this one at home I didn't buy it) and a wee bit of sticky date cake. I made an occasion of it, on a much, much, much loved plate that was one of several that was gifted to me it's very genuinely vintage in every way and as is my understanding probably older then me.

Goodbye Winter, bring on Spring and all your possibilities.

Thrifting with your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

I have been getting thrifty with my iPad, the last few weeks. Who would of thought that out of all the apps available I came across one that can help me find a bargain. Not only find me a bargain give me directions to getting there.

Designer Lookout, is an app developed in Australia, for the Australian market. Not only is it a great fashion app helping put you in cyber fingertips reach of great and upcoming designers. But they have the most extensive database of op shops; listings give you the location and directions to the stores as well as contact numbers and often a blurb about what they stock or what they do within the community. It is as simple as entering in your post code and you will get a list of places to check out in your region. For example I live on Gold Coast, Queensland at the more the northern end and I have a list as long as my arm of places from Yatala to over the boarder to Tweed Heads. There are so many places on there that I didn't even know existed, I have weeks of opping trips and day trips planned now and new places to rummage through. For a seasoned op shopper to have discovered this app I am floored because I thought I was pretty up on thrifty places to check out. What else is great is when I head to Melbourne in a few months with Little V, I will simply be able to type in a new post code and be given a thrifty list to check out there.

Although the app is rather comprehensive I noticed some of the really small church run op shops weren't listed. Sure it's a shame but the extensive list I still have to check out far out weighs some exceptions to the list.

So if you're still reading this post (I imagine some have slinked off already to get this app and I am now talking to myself), I can not encourage you enough to go and get Designer Lookout. It truely is the greatest thrifters tool and best of all in true thifty style the app is FREE and available for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

Sweet Sunday and Surprises

It's been a wet old time around here the last week or so and this morning I have got up to drive down the road for my Sunday Chai only to find the skies are clear and blue and I had some wallabies waving at me on the side of the road. Okay so they weren't waving but they were standing there watching me curiously. Anyways I don't know if my morning chai is going to be cut short this morning. Little V ended up in bed with us last night (hubby decided he would sleep on the lounge) because she was having trouble falling to sleep with what I suspect was a tummy ache. Anyways would you believe that she has ended up sleeping through the night and was still totally out to it when I left. I normally would have waited for her to be awake, feed her and then head down here. But I took a risk this morning, so let's see of this little surprise (her first night sleeping through) doesn't bit me in the rear, with an emergency call from hubby to come and feed her (not a job hubby can do because she is a breastfed babe).

Anyways what a week it has been for me, so much has been happening here on and off line and for me personally. One thing that has been achieved this week that I am rather chuffed about is my creative space has been reorganised and tidied. I will have to share pics this coming week. I am in the midst of trialing a little upcycled kiddie product that I brainstormed in my cleaning and organising madness. I am documenting the process with pics and hoping that my efforts will pay off and I can show you here. But to give you an idea of what I am working on I will just give you two things to go on - Little Golden Books and Blackboards (I know your mind is whirring now wondering what I am up to he he he).

Whilst getting organised this week I have also been going through the culling process and getting things organised for an upcoming car boot sale that hubby and our little vowers will be selling our household junk and treasures at. On another note I am desperately trying to get a local printer to do a run of my business cards for me, as I am also looking at having a small table selling some of my handmade pieces ie. rings, bangles and some other kiddie products I have been working on. A car boot sale isn't the particular market I am trying to look at getting into but, the one we are attending there is starting to be an increase in people selling some of their handmade wares whilst off loading the excess household junk. So I am figuring that whilst I am still not fully ready for the bigger market scene for another few months this might be interesting exercise to see how it goes. It's not going to cost us anymore then the $20 site fee for our household junk so I will just set up a little table or section to the side and see what happens.

Whilst I am at it and mentioning markets, I got talking with a women at our friends daughters fundraiser day last Sunday and she runs a monthly handmade market here on the Gold Coast up the Southern end. We had a lovely chat and I told her all about me starting back up and relaunching and what sort of products I am designing as well as my vintage clothing. She said that she didn't have anyone trading in genuine vintage clothing and up cycled gift ware, accessories etc. She is very keen to have me join her market just as soon as I am ready.

I have plenty more to share you, but it looks like I am going to have to cut this Sweet Sunday short at least for now. I hope this post finds all my vowers enjoying some sunshine this morning, I don't know what my day holds but either way I'm sure it will be a productive one. Let me know what you're up to this Sweet Sunday?

An iPad can be thrifty or help you at least!

As most of you know it was my birthday just a few wee weeks ago and one of the coolest gifts I got was an iPad from hubby. I will probably hear the deafening sounds of cyber screams when I say that for the longest time it didn't see the point in one. I couldn't see how one would be particularly beneficial to my blogging experience or to my opping, thrifty and crafty antics. But I am so very pleased to say that I have been pleasantly surprised. I should pre-fix what I am about to say and mention that I am not a techie person by any means. But I have done my best to try and surround myself with people who do know what they are doing so I can get on with the job at hand of opping, thrifting, creating and blogging. So with that being said I have been spending time investigating aps on the iPad that can add to those experiences for me and for you. I'm already amazed to have an ap that helps me find op shops and boutiques in my area, along with vintage and retro photography editing aps, html and blogging aps that allow so much freedom on and off line. So stick with me as I get my techie groove on and I will share some cool ap finds as well.

Seriously though who doesn't need an ap that helps you find a thrifty bargain

See look at me go, doing up this post on the iPad, hubby took pic on his iPhone and then I edited the pic in a free ap that offers an array of vintagey filters. Check it out if you like, Pixlr-o-matic, it's a free ap, so give it a go. So anyways I shall bid you a good afternoon, I have some stock to list on my madeit.com store this evening. Leave me a comment if you're dropping by this afternoon and let me know what you're up to this evening, also let me know if you have an iPad or iPhone and what aps you're checking out.

Funky Finds Friday - Comin' Up Roses

Morning Vowers I have been busy, busy this fine Friday morning. But I have been able to stop to enjoy a little sunshine and flowers. I have a small but sweet little haul to share with you this week.

I picked up this beautiful vintage rose print silk scarf and this unusual silver pendant and chain. I have quite a collection of vintage scarves both in my personal collection and my stock. Scarves are versatile and add an extra little something to an outfit. I like using them for bad hair days, they also help dress up a plain t-shirt draped around the neck and tied. I even throw them around the straps of a handbag to drape down, helps hide the odd scuff mark on a leather bag you haven't had a chance to take care of. But most of all I like using them as a head scarf, but I have always struggled to keep them comfortably on my head for a whole day until I came by this tutorial.

Firstly excuse pic and tired eyes and no foundation, we had a late night on a very rare night out for dinner with our little vowers and I am in domestic mode this morning with a massive day ahead tomorrow. But here we are with my attempt following the tutorial, I did however tweak it because it's such a big scarf and I tied it at the back. It's so super comfy but I think the indulgence of silk helps though. Oh and check me flashing you a closer look at the pendant.

Whoops nearly forgot don't forget to check out Little V with another one of our finds this week.

How did everyone else go this week with their opping and thrifting? Add a comment and link and share your little find of the week!

My Vintage Vow will also be linking up with Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds this weekend, check out everyone finds from the week.

Juky and Beatrix Giveaway Winners

Juky and Beatrix Giveaway winners have been notified, congrats to those who have a sweet little set of bookplates on the way. Further congrats to the lucky winner of the mystery surprise for meeting all three criteria in the conditions. If all of those who entered, could you please ensure you check either your Facebook messages or your email accounts connected to your blog or blogger account so I can have your prizes off to you as soon as possible.

Please enjoy and thank you once again for supporting My Vintage Vow and Juky and Beatrix .

Because she is mine!

Because she is mine and because she is just so darn cute, I just had to share this with you all. My Little V getting cuddly with a new find this week. We are both so in love with this granny blanket, how could you not smile look at those yummy colours and look at that sweet girl. It truly is one of the nicest granny blankets I have seen in the longest of times this one has found a home here, it's not going anywhere.

Versatile Blogger Award

I would like to thank Vintage Sweetheart for awarding me the Versatile Blogger Award she is truly as her blog name states "a Sweetheart".

Here's how the award works. After accepting the Versatile Blogger Award the blogger must:

1. Thank the person who gave them the award and link back to them in your post
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3.Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs

Seven things about moi:
1. I like jam and cheese sandwiches, weird to some but oh so yummy in my tummy.
2. I am terrified of cockroaches.
3. When I watch Playschool with Master V, I try to use mind control in a hope that it will be the day they use the arch window......the arch window is neglected in my opinion.
4. I can never read one book at a time, I often have 3 or so books on the go which are spread over the house ready to be picked up where ever I land in a moment of rest and relaxation.
5. I own a guitar but don't know how to play......it's on the to do list.
6. I used to be a pre-school teacher.
7. Thrifting and opping must be in my blood I can't remember a time in my life, even as a little thing that I wasn't rummaging around in some old dusty shop.

I'm going to cheat a little as my 15 are a mix of recently discovered blogs and old faithfuls they are a mix of all sorts of interests and inspirations to me whether personally or professionally.

1. Shabby Vintage Junk
2. Emily Q Handmade
3. Her Library Adventures
4. Joyful Treasure Hunting
5. Let the Children Play
6. Lil Blue Boo
7. My Poppet
8. Primrose Design
9. Retromummy
10. The Magic Onions
11. The Shopping Sherpa
12. Three Buttons
13. Little Poppa
14. The Lark
15. Recycled Sewing

I hope you enjoy having a look at some of these blogs, perhaps they too will end up on your blogroll.

Funky Finds Friday is going to Link Up.

In the effort to move forward, expand, share the love the blog love, mix with others and see some of the coolest finds from here and all over Australia and the world, My Vintage Vow is going to be linking up on a Friday. Funky Finds Friday will still be our day here to show off cool finds, you will still be most welcomed to post comment and link on my posts and share your finds. But My Vintage Vow will also be linking up with Sophie at Her Library Adventures and her Flea Market Finds.

If there is one thing I know about opping and thrifting is you can't just stick to one plan in mind of what you are looking for, it's an organic process and you just have to let things take your fancy. So with that being said, just hop to it each week, get your groove on and just get out there, search each nook and cranny in your favourite haunts and ones you've never been to before and see what wonders you come up with and then come back here each Friday and share with us and while you're at it why not link up with Sophie at Her Library Adventures on the weekends.

Wet and Rambling Sunday

I'm no stranger to being up early, with my two little Vowers it is to be expected. However this morning it was the rain that woke me. I had been laying in bed for a good hour or so listening to the rain on the roof and just thinking and letting my thoughts drift off to all sorts of different places. As it is I have slipped out of bed and left hubby at home with a doey eyed Master V quietly watching some kiddie show and Little V is still all snug in our bed. I am of course at my regular Sunday haunt now enjoying my soy chai latte and and raisin toast.

I am uncertain to today's plans now due to the rain. We are meant to be attending a big fundraiser day for a friends sick little girl. A local school is letting the organisers have the school grounds for the day, but with this rain I don't know if that includes use of the school buildings. I guess a few phone calls later on and we will find out. In lieu of the fundraiser day being cancelled, I think it will be a quiet day at home. If we have to stay in today I can probably get a bit achieved. I went out yesterday morning for a spot of thrifting with Little V and bought home another haul of vintage buttons, so I have some sorting to do there.

I could also make further headway on sorting out my creative space, I actually got started on that massive task this week and things are looking good. It won't be long though and that space will be a hub of buzzing creativeness as I have heaps of projects lined up which are going to be timely for spring, summer and the races. Those who have been fans of My Vintage Vow before Little V came along will be excited to hear that my uber cool clutch bags and purses with one off designs and embellishments will be back on offer. Along with the bags will be buntings with a shabby chic twist and more accessories, my staple at the moment.

So with all that said I best bid you all a good day even if it is a rainy one where ever you are. Come to think of it as I look off out the window here, it might just be a fun day to don the wellies and get out and about and splish and splosh around with Master V and do something fun and unexpected. Oh well clearly my day is up in the air, anything is possible. What are you doing today?

Oh and don't forget to check out the review for Juky and Beatrix if you are catching up on your blog reading today and deatils for a giveaway.

Juky and Beatrix Giveaway

If you are a book lover and have a bookcase or library of your own filled of much loved books that you can't part with but are forever on loan to friends on the recommendation of a particular book being a must read, this will be a giveaway you will want to be in the draw for.

I have four Juky and Beatrix bookplate sets. Bookplates go on the inside cover of your book for you to have your details neatly in one place. No more scribbling in pen on the inside cover. With Juky and Beatrix bookplates all of that is taken care of with these beautiful designs and a bit of whimsy. They make a great little thank you gift to that book loving friend who lent you a book, or maybe even a great little stocking filler for Christmas if you want to start getting organised.

If you would like to be in the draw for this giveaway you will need to be a follower for My Vintage Vow Blog or Facebook Page you will need to post a comment here or on Facebook telling us what your favourite book is. You can double your chances of winning a set of Juky and Beatrix bookplates, so if you aren't already a Facebook fan pop over there and double your chances. Likewise if you're a Facebook Fan and you are popping in here, and you aren't already a blog follower, double your chances by becoming a follower and leaving your comment here as well. Cut and paste comments will be fine for your entry.

I also have one last chance for someone to win one of the four bookplate sets as well as an additional mystery Juky and Beatrix surprise so if you would like to be in the draw for that you will need to meet three criteria leave me a comment here, to tell me that you are one of our Facebook fans as well, but you will need to pop on over to Juky and Beatrix Facebook Page and become a fan.

Entries Closed

ETA: I have had to edit this post due to a calender blunder in planning this post and giveaway. Entries were meant to in my planning to close 8pm on 24/8/2011. But in error I quoted the 31/8/2011 at 8pm to be the closing date. Due to this major blunder and oversight this giveaway and it's winner have already been drawn. I am clearly very upset that I have allowed made this blunder. All winners who were drawn will still receive their prizes legitimately and those who have entered since the draw have been contacted privately.

Juky and Beatrix Review

Juky and Beatrix sound like names from a wonderful children's fairytale don't they? I imagine them to be gorgeous rosey cheeked characters behind the cover of a well loved children's book of a time gone by.

Juky and Beatrix is a sweet little business based on the Gold Coast in Australia. A handmade stationery label which was conceived through creator May's experiences in her university library. These experiences saw her stumble upon a wall of old books that looked like they hadn't been touched in years. In May's words, "the dust was so thick I could have drawn a picture. The particular journal I picked out was called Temple Bar and there was just something magical about the way that time had aged that book. The pages were brittle and spotted with age. They felt rough and powdery and had that wonderful oaky smell. And there were stories! So, many. stories. I probably spent my first two years of uni in the library reading those journals. After that, I started collecting those sorts of books when I could. Sometimes you'd find stuff pressed between the pages like advertisements for soaps and medicine which could be more precious than the book itself".

Through May's experiences she has been inspired to create a range of products which I am so utterly in love with. Up cycling and recycling old books into functional, unique, more often then not one off journals, notebooks and stationery for your choosing. She is a women after My Vintage Vow's heart being inspired at times by genuine vintage fabrics and vintage inspired prints to cover many of her creations.

I stopped by to see May just last weekend at the Mount Tambourine Market on my birthday to look through her creations and to treat myself to more then one of her gorgeous designs.

My eye caught a glimpse of, one of Juky and Beatirx's storybooks and I couldn't pass it up, one it's my favourite colour green of course and two the book title spoke to me. It didn't speak to me because I am some sort of number crunching fancy pants, far from in fact, but the words of the title spoke to me and my opping and thrifting love. I am often reckoning with objects of desires from the racks and tables (discount tables if you like) in my thrifty adventures to op shops, garage sales, car boot sales and the like. May has included some of the original mathematical tables throughout the book amongst blank pages for my journalings and musings. I will be using this journal exclusively for My Vintage Vow musings, blog post ideas, crafty projects, products to work on and design and more.

I couldn't help myself and also nabbed a Mushrakazam Notebook which amongst it's pages includes images of old advertisements from a time gone by. I will likely use this journal for more personal musings about life, love and my children, hopes, dreams and goals, favourite quotes and words.
You can check out Juky and Beatrix's range of products here, listings of May's products can often be found online at her Etsy Store, mind you this wonderfully talented women has had her creations flying off the bookshelves so to speak lately that you might have to check in at the end of the month to see if she has re-stocked. Otherwise if you can't hold out until then and you are local to the Gold Coast/Brisbane region get along to one the markets Juky and Beatrix frequent and get up close and personal with May's creations and pick yourself up something special. May will be only too happy to see you and she will great you with the happiest of cheer and smile on her face. If you return that cheer and smile and you can't find a journal or notebook that's just right for you, you might be able to discuss a custom order with her.

Many thanks must got to May at Juky and Beatrix, I will be listing a giveaway over the weekend which will give you a taste of another one of Juky and Beatrix products. So if you are a lover of books, literature, times gone by, imagery, the unique and things that are lovingly handmade please stop by to check out terms and conditions.

Funky Finds Friday $20 Challenge!

I set the challenge a little later in the week for this weeks Funky Finds Friday, but hopefully it was an easy challenge. It was certainly an easy one for me in as much as I had one very short trip out to op this week and scored all my finds at the one place Salvation Army Molendinar. It was one of those trips where you throw a whole bunch of things in the basket and then think you might need to do a cull at the register. To my surprise when I got to the register I was bang on for the challenge. So what did I score:

1. The most deliciously beautiful vintage tablecloth one of those beautiful soft ones like chenille that will go straight from the wash to the line, to the table without an iron. 2. Brown woven bag, it's big and has an internal drawstring section to protect your goodies from falling out. 3. Navy patterned vintage dress (close up pic below). 4. Vintage black and white stripe pleat skirt. 5 & 6. Are 2 old school green and white check place mats and a collection of lovely dollies (close up pic below).....both the place mats and dollies will be up cycled into new products I will be selling coming up to spring, so stay tuned.

The dress pattern has yellow dots in it, I am thinking a nice yellow cami poking through underneath with a few buttons undone and some canary yellow pumps and this is going to be a too die for number.
Loving this little collection can't wait to get crafting with them, my favs are the sheer yellow ones on the right.

So how did everyone else go this week with their opping and thrifting adventures did you stay on budget? What did you score, post a comment and link and share. Whilst you're at it let me know what kind of thrifting adventures we should be on next week, what are we going to search for?

Would you believe?

Would you believe this bag and it's contents are packed full with wonderful thrifty, vintagey goodness? Before you ask yes it's all for this weeks Funky Finds Friday $20 challenge.

How are you going with your $20 challenge?

Let loose this Friday

It just occurred to me this morning.....yes I know it's early but I have been up feeding Little V, that we have no direction, no plan, no idea for what we are on the hunt for this week, it will be Funky Finds Friday before I know it. I guess that's what I get for derailing the process last week huh?

I have plans tomorrow with a very sweet and special mumma friend, she is going to be visiting me tomorrow to help with some babywearing techniques and so I can have a look at a stash of wraps and then we are thinking of heading off after to indulge in a love we both share......Op Shopping of course. So with no real plan in mind this week, how about a challenge for this Friday how far will $20 get you? Depending on what thrifty places you visit it could be a little or a lot, depending on where you go I probably would have no shame in a little bartering?

The challenge has been set, who can find the funkiest of things for Friday and how much of it can you score on a $20 budget. Check back Friday to see what I have scored and share your links and finds with me.

You'll have to be a follower......

Just thought I would pop in before I retreat for the evening for a little teaser. Just want to give any closet readers the heads up that I will be posting our first giveaway this week. So you will need to be an active follower of My Vintage Vow blog to have your chance at the giveaway. The giveaway comes courtesy of a wonderful business I will be posting a review on this week. So if you're a lover of books, literature, stationery, textiles, imagery, handmade, up cycled, recycled and the like you will want to see this weeks sweet, sweet review and giveaway.

Sweet Dreams Vowers.

Sweet Scent and Cents

Happy Monday to all my lovely Vowers, I hope this post finds you all enjoying a nice start to the week. I am off to a lovely, relaxing start to the week, after a weekend of celebrating my birthday. In fact the high spirits and good times have just continued with good company this morning with some lovely mumma friends visiting with their sweet poopets. I had an early start to my morning and got straight into some tidying up around here. One of my first jobs on hand was to take care of all the gorgeous flowers I got over the weekend, as I seriously didn't have a moment Saturday night or yesterday to take care of the appropriate snipping and trimming to rearrange them.

Because I had so many flowers I decided to group flowers as single varieties which I often like to do rather then having a whole mixed bunch on show. I like single varieties on show as you can often take in and appreciate them so much more. It was only on the weekend that I discovered how thin on the ground I am for appropriate vases to show off flowers. However I think I did alright with these up cycles here don't you think, all of which have cost me next to nothing?

From top left - miniature roses and if you saw last weeks Whoops....I got off track post you will notice my half litre bottle I picked up last week opping, middle is - Iris's with foliage in an old teapot I picked up for $2 many month ago only to get home to find the nob on the lid was busted........oh well good thing I kept the teapot it has come in handy, right is - white and red alstroemerias in an old jam jar, front left - apricot roses - old jam jar again and up front we have orange gerbras in a sweet little hour glass vases for 50cents at a car boot sale.

Pretty thrifty don't you think and no need for expensive vases and all these vessels can be used for all other variety of needs once I am done with the flowers.

Happiest of Days Vowers

Are you up? I am! Have been for a little while and have already had sweet lovely snuggles with my little vowers in bed. The sweetest words I have heard this morning are from Master V rolling over putting his little hand on my chest and saying "Happy Birthday, love you more, more". Awww he's is just the cutest, goodness me I love my life and love my family and to boot I have the best friends in the world I really, really do.

We had a little gathering at home yesterday afternoon with a few of my most wonderful friends, of which most of us have known each other for over 25 years. I have been utterly spoilt with love, kindness, kisses, cuddles, laughter, flowers, massages and all sorts. With the group of friends we invited to celebrate some of us have only just been reunited after a ten or so year absence but I am the one who has been the constant with everyone. It has just warmed my heart and put the smiliest of smiles on my face to have the gang together again. Friends are a great measure and reminder of who you are, where you have been and where you are going, with friends like I have I really can't go wrong.

I can't draw out my Sunday Zarrraffas jaunt to long this morning, because I must get home and get myself sorted because hubby and my little vowers are treating me to a visit up to Mount Tambourine this morning to the markets. I am so looking forward to it, because I am going to be nabbing myself a lovely handmade journal, of which delights I hope to be sharing with you during the week as well as the maker and designer behind them so stay tuned.

Anyways I best get on my way and munching down my raisin toast and steaming hot chai. I wouldn't mind some time before heading off this morning to enjoy some time with my birthday present....................a nice new, crisp clean apple, yes I got a white Apple ipad from my adoring hubby and vowers. I am a very lucky mumma. So looking forward to playing around with different applicantions and some photography and posting here. Hope you all enjoy your days today, it's the happiest of days, let me know what you're up to and take care.

Funky Finds Friday - A crafty project!

So I confessed the other day that I totally derailed Funky Finds Friday with a mid week opping session and didn't focus a moment on the task at hand of finding things to help sort my creative space. But the show must go on so here I am to report in with a little something to share with you. What I do have is just an ordinary something I picked up from an op shop years ago that we are going to get a little crafty with.

I picked up this plain white canister years ago to store my odds and ends and paintbrushes in when I went through a massive painting phase. It has been a long time since I have hit the canvases since my crafty and arty interests have taken me in different directions. So this canister is moving out of the dark laundry cupboard to a new home in my creative space. But not before it has a little revamp.

Inspired by an idea I saw over at Lil Blue Boo a while ago now. I have set about using that idea for my canister.
So this is what you will need: your canister or vessel in question, coarse sandpaper and blackboard paint, I selected black rather then green blackboard paint and I also decided on spray can rather then apply with brush or roller.....but it's up to you of course.

To start you will want to make sure the surface on your canister is clean and free of grime. If your vessel has previously been painted you will need to rough up the existing paint surface a bit, with coarse sandpaper to assist in getting good coverage with the paint. After a bit of roughing up give it another wipe down to get rid of that dusty paint residue, then your ready to paint.

Following directions on the can using sweeping motions back and forth to get an even coat, do a first coat and let dry.

Then finish off with a second coat and if you think you need it for coverage do a third. Make sure you follow directions allowing appropriate drying time between coats and then you're done.

Excuse the dodgy scissors drawing, I raided Master V's chalk stash only to find he had the big thick stuff left.
I like the functionality of the canister with the blackboard paint, I can choose to label it with a word, a phrase, a picture of what should be store in it. I am also often in the habit of (when already organised) reorganising myself and playing around with new places to store things. So now it will be easy if I decide today it will hold scissors and shears, tomorrow it might hold knitting needles, I can simply wipe off the label or pic and relabel. This should also help with anyone stepping into my creative space to find and identify where things belong, as I will be using this same technique with a few other vessels.

So there you go, I'm now about to slink off for a cheeky glass of red. I will touch base over the weekend and we'll have a chat about what I am contemplating for next weeks Funky Finds Friday.

Whoops...I got off track

After dropping off Master V at family day care this morning Little V and I headed out for an hour or so of opping. I was meant to be on the look out for odds and ends to help with organising my creative space in the the office I share with hubby. But, I must confess I got side tracked and my search for this weeks Funky Finds Friday has been derailed.....whoops. But it's ok I do have a little something up my sleeve for Friday that I can share with you and a little project for up cycling something into something functional. I further blame my derailment on not actually getting started on clearing the office on Sunday.....yes I know I said I was going home after my morning outing to do it. Unfortunately when hubby and I headed out later in the morning with our little Vowers we had an incident with Master V which saw him having an accident in a store we visited and a trip to hospital. Master V is fine, thankfully, a little bruised and shaken but fine.

So what did I score this morning?
1. Single bed vintage sheet set 2. Funky Half Litre Bottle 3. Two cute little bunny cups 4. Black bow espadrilles

Close up of the wee cute bunny's

How cool is the bottle?

I am so in love with the sheet set! My birthday is on the weekend and we are having a BBQ out in the lovely winter sun here on the GC and I needed a pretty tablecloth or sheet to dress up a trestle table we will be using to sit everyone around. Since I still have another sheet to use and a pillowcase, I am thinking some lovely A-line skirts might in order and a pillowcase dress.....what do you think????

The bunny mugs, well they were just so cute I couldn't pass them up. My first thought was to tuck them away for the kids for our special Easter breakfast each year and pass them on down to them when they leave home. I like having little traditions for my kids.

The 1/2 litre bottle, well I picked this up thinking I might put it to use in my creative space in the office. But I think, it's too cool for that I think it will be put to good use in the kitchen. I also think it could double as a funky vase. I like using unusual vessels for displaying flowers and foliage.

A little tid-bit about me is that I have completed a commercial floristry course.

The black espadrilles well, what women doesn't need another pair of shoes? They are in good shape and have had very little to now wear.

I also managed to pick up some other odds and ends this morning and a special little something for my darling husband a lovely pewter St Christopher medal and chain.

All of my lovely finds were found between 3 different op shops within walking distance at Nerang, I will have to post about this little precinct in reviews just as soon as I get a chance, so stay tuned for that. Oh and all these finds and the others not pictured for a little over $20, not bad huh?

Also make sure you still check in on Friday for Funky Finds Friday I have a little something I picked up awhile ago that I have a little project planned for and I will put that to good use my creative space.