Found Friday

This weeks finds

It doesn't rain it pours - cross-stitch
These roses need a frame - I love the orange and white stripe washi tape next to it so maybe an orange stripe frame to make it pop, I'm already imagining how I might make that project work??

The little owl and the little house both need a little attention too and possibly a little more space to breathe, they seem a bit penned in in these wee frames - maybe it's just the gold trim.

I think the owl is perfect for a nursery or little boys room - the woodlands themed room I want to do for my little man may have just found a feathered friend. The house tapestry is a little twee as it is but I think I can dandy it up with an ultra bright frame say in green or orange and berry combined? Projects #178, #179, #180 (really I lost count a while ago)

This week I hunted this

And gathered these

On a beautiful walk through our local Botanic Gardens. There is so much space there for little legs to run and so many things to touch and see - we had a simple but delicious picnic by the duck pond, soaked up some winter sun and collected these cool leaves the simple things are the best.

And stole some cars, from my son that is, I bought him some bags of toy cars from the op-shop and amongst them were this yellow 50's looking number and this London black cab - there are lots more I hope he doesn't miss these.

Happy weekend - I hope you find what you are looking for. x

DIY Tie Dye Skirt

I have been enjoying the fashion and homewares trends of tie dye and dip dye a lot, you might recall I wrote about it in Got the blues way back in January. I have been inspired by that and a few fashion revamp blogs I am following to make my own little op-shop revamp.

I bought this very plain and very beige skirt for a few dollars and while the shape and fit were great beige is not my cup of tea.

Some scrunching, rubber bands and a go in the washing machine with some grey dye, I chose grey as it is a staple in my wardrobe but I have been loving the neutral ties dyes that have been so in and I thought with beige as a background dark grey would work well...

And voila a new skirt 

Today it had it's first outing on a visit to the museum - I am quite happy with the result.

Pause on the Paper

This week I promised would be the Roshambo week of paper but as it turns out I will be away for most of it with very limited access to the internet (not always a bad thing) so I will have to put a pause on the paperfest until the week after next - you may still get some intermittent ramblings and findings.

As a taste of what's to come (and where we have been) here is a little sample. Rock meets paper

Canadian photographer Evonne Bellefleur photographic art prints of paper 'blocks' created by prop stylist Caitlin Doherty. They are available via Bellefleur's store SOTI (something of interest) where she sells art and photography for people looking for art to compliment the design of their space. They are really reasonably priced and you can shop by colour. I think this is great as too often mass produced art to be used for styling or interiors is a little scary and home craft-tastic.

And below - Lydia Kasumi Shirreff's Small 3D objects created for installation in her Animal, Mineral, Vegetable exhibition in 2011. In her own words this 'Half-Brit half-Japanese illustrator / 3D paper modeller....thrives on good-looking minerals and dusty astronomy books' - I will hopefully show some more of her paper works the week after next - until then take care.

Found Friday

I have had a fantastically full week for finding - if I didn't have rocks on the brain I would have spread these out. Deep breaths (that's for me) here we go.

Mini tourist souvenir plates  - I picked these up and even though they were individually priced there was no way I was leaving any of them behind - they are a family. I plan on hanging them like this together on a slither of wall next to my front door or possibly to move to my kitchen when it is renovated (fingers crossed later this year or early next)

While we are talking souvenirs my partner started to collect souvenir coasters a few years ago - when I say he started he did with one or two but I fuel it by bringing him home the odd treasure from my finding expeditions. This week I found two delightful packs of a 1970's or 80's New Zealand intact - happy anniversary honey.

Mr C's other collection is retro wooden serving bowls. He has collected a whole raft and this week I found a whole bag for him for only $2 (not all shown) - no expenses spared in our house in the gift giving stakes. He has a plan for them all which I will keep secret for now as I hope to show you when we get a bigger place.

I'm also loving my new retro phone table with drawer and magazine shelf. I saw this and ummed and ahhed before taking C there for a second opinion  - in that time it had been reduced to only $8 so I stopped umming and ahhing and just bought it - It needs a little TLC, especially reupholstering, but is fundamentally intact and the drawer is designed to swivel around to be positioned just right. I bought it home and sat it beside the front door for keys etc (although with a curious 18 month old I may need to rethink that) - I placed some of Mr C's new wooden bowls and this cushion on it and have been happily admiring it since.

I hope to reupholster it asap - maybe with this second hand fabric I have been saving for the right project?

But I do love the floral so maybe this vintage floral fabric I have also been looking for the perfect home for ? Which do you think?

I also found these chairs - they did have a table too but I was less impressed with that so re-donated it. These chairs are so simple and beautifully aged, although needing a little repair.

They make me think of chairs lined around and old fashioned dance hall - I almost feel I should just line them up around the room and ask people to wear their best outfits and sit around awkwardly together.

Lastly beauty, and in this case quality, is in the eye of the beholder.

No-one would say these scarves are the finest knitting, that the colours were carefully selected and that the execution isn't rough in places but that is why I love them. They would not appeal to me half as much if they looked like they had been made by a champion CWA crafter choosing obviously complimentary colour combinations and never dropping a stitch - toasty treasures.

Wow that was a great week - I find that is the way when it rains it poors and this week it rained vintage, homemade and quirky treasures.

Rock My Round Up

This week I have covered all things Rock in a series of things that have rocked my world - I hope they have rocked your world too, here is a recap or a round up so to speak.

Indoor Zen stepping stone in a Danish house of hygge

Crochet rocks improves on nature

Faking it with Felt - Felted stones and pebbles

French Country Kitchens with heart

Cliff Face House makes itself at home in it's setting

Not animal or vegetable Magnificent minerals

Bathed in stone and pebbles - Beautiful bathrooms of stone

New York park community - Teardrop Park Lower Manhattan

Award winning Rock Pool installation

Art Rocks - Rock sculpture and photography

Rock Gardens - Australian and beyond

THE Rock - rock bling for your finger

Pet Rocks like never before - Painted Rock works of art

Rock My World - Painted Pets

My final 'Rock My World' is a nod to the age old art of painting on rocks. These beauties are a far cry from the slap of colour and boggly eyes of the pet rocks I remember from my childhood though.

I can feel a craft day coming up of getting cosy with some rocks and channeling my inner childhood nerd. 

Next week on this roshambo journey is paper - and as you know paper beats rock!

Rock My World - THE Rock Ladies

So I am not married - happily paired 14 years this week mind, however if I ever were to go there I am not necessarily one of those 'diamonds are a girls best friend' kind of girls, I am mad for rutilated and tourmalated quartz and, as it turns out I am partial to a raw uncut diamond especially paired with a beautiful pearl.

I also don't buy into the need for a ring to be expensive, it's what it represents that counts. I mostly think it should reflect the wearer in an impressive way.

I find these impressive. Just 10 of my favourites!

And don't worry I signed my partner up to receive my blog posts ages ago on his behalf (he would have done so anyway but I just made sure) so if we ever we both change our minds I have saved him some time - tee hee