Sweet Fabric [Search results for books] 

Lots of favourites in this shot.

Swizzles
Tin cans
Tins which once held our favourite ice cream
Vintage craft books

Click image

A stack of books beside your bed & you can still vacuum - genius.

(faux).

If you're a die hard kootoyoo reader (thank you from the bottom of my teeny tiny heart) you might remember I went to a Kaotic Kraft Kuties day to make my own hand bound book. Then for Backtack 4 I embroidered a notebook cover & bound it myself using the same technique. I loved that book but it did make me a little sad to think that once all the pages were used then that was the end of it.

I know I've been guilty of buying lovely hand bound books and then not using them because I don't want to "spoil" them...such a waste. Maybe you have too?

Anyhoo, I've made a faux one as a gift for The Big Girl's drama teacher & I'm most chuffed with it. I followed my own notebook cover tutorial to make it up & I love that not only is it refillable time after time after time but it can be washed too.

PS: Most excited that Vic now has the granny square necklace for sale (& it's in Frankie this month too).

Oops...I missed it.

This is what was on my desk yesterday.

- Op Shopped seersucker
- Op Shopped books. Some of those colouring book pages will make great embroidery.
- Op Shopped apple salt & pepper shakers. I think that they look a bit halloweenish actually.
- Combi van in progress. The big girl is making it for her book report on "The Floods".

On my desk...the players
On my desk...fresh updates

Now it is time to go home.
Goodbye, Sally, Jane, and Pip!
Goodbye, Lottie and Polly!
There will be more lessons tomorrow.

I'm going out in style. Dick Bruna is an absolute classic & so much a part of my own childhood that I just had to feature The School.

Illustrated & Written by Dick Bruna
Published by Methuen Children's Books London

Since my coffee & crochet session with this lovely girl I've been obsessing about Granny Squares.

Then I checked in here & saw Claire's book with this gorgeous blanket on the cover. I spent some time pouring over a few vintage craft books and now I'm committed.

I'm hoping to make a Granny Square rug for the foot of everyone's beds in the new ranch. I've made a start on ours.

I think I'm going to aim for a square a night - I'll mix it up so I don't get bored. Every second night I'll do a square for the the little guy. He's having red white & blue. Very Jennyesque I think.
49

HOW TO MAKE AND DO
100 NEW THINGS
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

I do love books & I have many favourites - some previously featured but today I'm featuring my favourite vintage Craft Book.

The make & do book is jam packed full of gorgeous projects all really simple & really effective. I love this book & refer to it frequently. The kids & I have made quite a few lovely things from this book.

Thanks Dees & Angela any excuse to get out the make & do book is fabulous.

I haven't had much time for the Oppy lately...I've been a bit stretched.

Today I did a big loop on the way to & fro having coffee with my dad.

I wasn't disappointed. I got a few owlie bits & pieces in Kew as well as come great vintage sheets. In Balwyn I picked up some stationery sets & in Mont Albert some craft books, craft supplies & more sheeting.

On the way to pick the kids up from school I popped into my very closest Op Shop & these are the beauties I purchased. Air France tiny dishes (just perfect for dipping sauce) & these Japanese bread plates. Tuesday is a good day to Op.

I was lucky enough to pick up quite a haul of Enid Gilchrist pattern books as well as a New Idea magazine from 1965.

I've spent hours pouring over the patterns & have read the New Idea cover to cover.

New Idea circa 1965 was very much like a crafty pages I read online.

-there's only an occasional mention of a celebrity
-there are tips contributed by large numbers of women from all around the country
-there are patterns contributed by readers as well as women with considerable skill
-recipes & cooking tips
-reader advertisements
-& my very favourite feature...

Readers' Requests
WOOL: Mrs B Richardson, Buckaroo PO via Mudgee, NSW: A pattern for a man's knitted balaclava or helmet, to borrow or buy.

Mmmm stylish!

Actually this is me (centre) in 1985 with my brother & sister. Photo courtesy of The Marlboro Man (TRUE & a Celebrity Sighting).

Trevor ‘Butch’ Lemke (’56) recently visited the School. Trevor has lived in Thailand for 14 years where he is a professional photographer. Many of his photos feature the exotic Thai landscape and are used in travel books and brochures. Trevor was the last ‘Marlboro Man’ in 1975 and featured as the Cleo centerfold in January 1976! Great Scot.

I didn't know (or remember the bit about the Cleo centrefold). Thank you Google!

For Angela because she's ace & because Flashback Friday was lots of fun.

I haven't forgotten my tags & I promise them for this week!

are lots of new bits & pieces.

The article from yesterday featuring lovely Pip.

The preliminary drawings for our big & exciting something (I haven't reduced the image so you can have a snoop & just see what that room on the right is - it makes me quite squirmy- eeeek).

A lovely Loobylu parcel in the post today & waiting on my desk when I got home from work.

My luscious crown the girls made me last year. The small crowned me when I was at the computer last night.

Blank Matryoshka. I've been wanting to have a crack at a set of these for a while now. This lovely girl is working on a set too.

The remains of the crochet baby blanket that the small has slept with, watched TV with & basically carted around with her for her entire life. It's name is Huky & it's the most revolting, manky old bit of string but loved more than anything! Jess will appreciate its importance.

All sorts of other little books, knick knacks & crafty supplies.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts on my community post from yesterday - they have been greatly appreciated.

Please excuse the awful pic - this daylight saving thing has thrown me a bit.

the ever lovely Pip is hosting a bit of play-along-fun.

I'm not a serious collector of anything - I just pick up bits & pieces that I like along the way.

I've always had a soft spot for children's books & I was lucky enough to find a copy of The Witty Wizard of Warrandyte a goodly long time ago.

Illustrated by Armstrong
Written by Frances Chapman
Published by Boobook productions (would ya believe it Brooki?). I think around the mid 1940s

I think the black & white illustrations in this book would make lovely stitchery. If I get my act together I might have a crack at one tonight at Brown Owls.

Woodish Loveliness

1. ACEO- She wore Beauty Brown - Original fabric/colored pencil on wood art, 2. Live stump, 3. rabbit companions flee scene, 4. Green Room Sketch- print of original drawing on wood, 5. powerful books, 6. Wood slice

There has been a bit of layering happening on my desk this week. All the stuff from last week is still there but there have been a few additions.

Grey wool for a new softie project.
Inspiration 3 which I printed this morning & read while I ate my toast. Erin has done a terrific job.
This gorgeous Yellena print which arrived in the mail this week is resting up against the pile of craft books from last week. She is currently at Poppytalk Handmade with lots of lovely prints to buy. This is my favourite.
The packaging from my most recent online purchase. They know a thing or two about presentation - let me tell you!

If you are new to On my desk...let me know so I can stop by.

is a whole lot of loveliness.

Some silver fabric. I've been waiting since before Christmas for this to appear at one of my favourite Op Shops & this week it did.

Great vintage craft books. The soft toy one on top is particularly good.

Mint leaves. What's not to love about a mint leaf?

A little data entry to keep me out of mischief.

Chubby crayons. The chubby ones are the best kind.

The I op therefore I am guide.

are inspiring.

The Story Blanket is just the most wonderful book. It's a children's book (obviously) but I think it's something that belongs on the bookshelf of every crafty spirit. Babba Zarrah & her community will touch your heart.

I bought the book at Readings when I was ordering my copy of this wonderful & exciting project. Meet Me at Mike's includes projects from some of my favourite Australian Crafty Spirits & I'm very much looking forward to the end of March.

Just as Babba Zarrah used the wool provided by her community, Pip has pulled together these projects from the online craft community. She has poured lots of love into the book to make something really beautiful.

I'm sure of one thing...if you're as dedicated & passionate about something as Babba Zarrah & Pip - it's going to be really, really good.

PS: If the opportunity to purchase these books from Readings isn't enough...Did you know that Readings supports the HIPPY programme run by the Brotherhood of St Lawrence?

The desk has been pretty busy this week. Lots of comings & goings.

Today:

Handbound book from Kitty @ Fred & George books...
plus a gorgeous pillowcase for the collection. Thanks Kitty!
Printout of Pip's swappies & some of my own
Avant Card by Joel Tarling. The illustration really appeals to me & makes me think of The Plant Sitter. I absolutely loved that book when I was small.
My Grandma's document wallet & all her important papers. I really want to know what was in that envelope that was so important.

The bell rings…another term over. I meet Bind and Cal in the playground and we walk home together. We’re chatting excitedly about our impeding road trip and what adventures we’re going to have.

We stop briefly to tease the mad, barking Rottweiler and snap imaginary pictures of his nether regions as he leaps against the gate. We laugh crazily until we get to the lane.

The banter all the way home is constant. Pauses are quickly filled with embellished and misremembered stories of past trips.

We’ve had our bags packed for a week and they are waiting in the hall. Mum will load them into the car tonight so we can get away early in the morning.

The TV is flicked on and the others flop on the couch, it's been a long term. They are all long terms when you're a primary school kid.

I’ve made my way over to our wall map of Victoria and am tracing our previous road trips with my finger.

As I trace the texta lines we’ve drawn in, I remember. I remember stalactites and stalagmites, gold mines, museums, long walks, scrap books, musty smelling hotels and cold toast breakfasts.

I wonder what we might discover about our state and each other on this trip.

We don’t know where we are headed. Mum will just drive, turning when she sees something that captures her imagination.

Mum wakes us all early. The car is packed with our luggage and we’ve all got our pillows in the car. I’m not sure why, we never sleep. The pillows cause us to niggle for space and draw imaginary yours/mine lines on the velour car seat.

When you’re one of three kids there always seems to be an issue about not sitting in the middle. There’s a lot of negotiation going on about who’s going to sit where and for how long. I’m thankful that Mum’s still inside because if she hears all this carry on she might just decide it’s all too hard.

Before the car pulls out of the driveway we’re all sporting corky bruises on our thighs and we know it’s going to be a long drive.