Found Friday

The first Found Fridays for the new year

a vase that when I saw it had my sisters name all over it - or the next best thing: pink and green flowers, seen here along some flowers I found on a walk - her favourite hydrangeas which sadly didn't make it until I could give her both.

And the other great finds of the week - his and hers needlepoints although if truth be told we both like both of them. I can't wait to find a space for them in the unofficial needlepoint gallery our garage/office/workshop has become.

Found Friday

Some of this weeks little treasures. I learnt a ribbon weaving technique the other week and can't wait to practice with this beautiful orange crossgrain.

I also have a portfolio of properties I found this week - little embroidery hoop ones that is what else would it be in Sydney.

Found Friday

Found Friday (on a Sunday of course)


It seems my little techno holiday had an impact on my technical abilities as I typed this post Friday and it disappeared. Oh well!


I have enjoyed my break - time to rebalance my virtual and physical lives - something I hope to continue. I have tried to invest the time in my little people one outside and one breaking out soon. 
Today's FF is all about finding space - the metaphorical space I found by having a self imposed social media break of 3 weeks and an actual physical one.


We recently started off our reno in a most unglamorous but necessary way by replacing the leaking asbestos roof on our garage. Hum drum as it was it gave us an opportunity to do what we fully intended on moving in 18 moths ago - setting up the garage as 1/2 storage 1/2 create space. It never happened then as the boxes and furniture, and my finds if I'm really honest, just kept piling in. Now we have reorganized, consolidated and shuffled to have a 2/3 storage 1/3 create space scenario - better than nothing!


There is now a corner of the new 'create space' which is the new home of Find and Dandy - still very much in unpack and organize mode itself but now my finds can have a temporary home, other than my desk or dining room table, as they await their permanent home or their Dandy do over. 


I can't wait to set it up properly and get creative. It will also double as an extra space for rainy day craft projects and generally getting little people out of the house - perfect new space much needed in out tiny - soon to become teeny - little home.

Here is the still to be dandy-ied "find parking station".

Found Friday

As you may have seen this week I have put a little spotlight on gingham - a favourite of mine and as I mentioned I am seeing it everywhere.

Here is a photo I took a little while ago when sorting through my linens - a small sample (I am not kidding) of my own gingham finding goodness - napkins, potholders and aprons.

Happy weekend all!

Found Friday

In a week where we have the roof off the garage and all our belongings in the yard in trailers under tarpaulins accompanied by Sydney's wettest weather in months, nay years, you would think the idea of purchasing more stuff would be the farthest from my mind. You would think, but  the op shops call to me. I was literally driving home and was compelled to turn left and visit an op shop I hadn't seen in a while. I tried to convince myself that it was because I had some things to donate in the boot, yes I do take stuff there too, but really I only remembered them when I had my haul to fit in. I was excitedly blessed by a number of little joyful finds and only share some with you here.

A milk glass bowl with pink rose detail sitting on top of some Irish linen placemats in the most divinely complimentary colours that come with matching napkins.

The placemats were part of a $2 linen lottery bag along with some gingham green and blue placemats. I love an opshop lucky dip! For those uninitiated some opshops bundle less valuable items together in bags to sell more and clear room - often you can't see all the contents so you take a bit of a gamble as to what's really inside but it's hardly high stakes and usually pays off. The anticipation is worth it and what I don't want I donate back - win win!

I hope your gambles pay up big this weekend, or even just small in the most delightful way.

Found Friday

It is no secret here that I love other peoples unfinished craft projects, I have my own as well but they are a frustration rather than a delight. I especially love finding unfinished embroideries and needle points at op-shops and I have no intention of finishing them. It is their incomplete, given up on selves I appreciate so much. The enthusiasm that the project was started with is evident, even in the tiniest areas  of coloured thread, but at some point the maker couldn't make it and here it is right where they finished.

A few weeks ago I found a new favourite in this Paddington Bear 'artist' in the op-shop and I want to frame him just as he is for a children's bedroom wall. (maybe with an iron?) The little speech bubble above the picture of Paddington on the packet says it all "I can't wait to start my Paddington Artist Picture'. I for one am glad they could wait to finish it.

Found Friday

The kind of week it's been where I find Friday where Wednesday is supposed to be again. Oops!

Other kinds of finding have been limited this week but today I found a cardigan that I find impossible to resist - its not mine - yet - but I am seriously contemplating purchasing it at all costs. Stripes, red and blue, PARROTS! 

Yep Polly really want that cracker!

I will let you know if/when it makes its way to my avery. In the meantime have a great weekend whether you plan on scratching around, flitting about or just perching. 

Found Friday

A little collection of finds to shine on you this Friday.

I had a day of finding a week or so ago where I found little jugs everywhere I went. Abandoned by their tea sets who'd long since moved on they are now part of a new family of sorts. On the same day I found this metallic splatter pattern contact - oh the shiny possibilities of covering things, perhaps old school book style. Last but not least today I got an opportunity  after a busy week, to take a leisurely weed walk and gather these pretties and make them shine like flowers. I am now finding farmers friends everywhere - but it's worth it.

I hope your weekend is shiny, bright and groovy too!

Found Friday

I have found much this week to be excited about, little trinkets and treasures - unfortunately I have not found the time to capture it and show you so I will have to play catchup.

In the meantime here is a little snippet of some of this weeks finding goodness captured in the autumn light falling over my bed.

Sometimes in finding I see a pattern or theme emerging over the week or even just in one shop - this all came from one place and for me it spoke of the feeling of winter arriving soon and the textures and colours - some leather boots, a woollen nanna rug in wintery tones, more needlepoint and a snuggly green cardy to keep me (and my growing bump) warm. Browns, greens, reds, navy and grey - all for me winter tones especially red because winter is when I need it most, a splash of colour to ward off the wintery blues.

I hope you find your splash of colour and something (or someone) to snuggle up to this weekend too.

Found Friday

This weeks Found Friday is short and sweet and crafty.

I have a thing for the craft section of Op-shops - all the abandoned projects and scraps of completed ones sing to me. I also love nothing more than a surprise bag of craftyness that you can't quite see inside and only find the treasure, hopefully, when you get to unpack it at home. I think it makes me feel like a kid again in that lucky dip excitement way.

Yesterday, among other things, I bought one such abandoned bag of craftyness - inside these little bead people, some angel wings and buttons. I'm thinking it is an omen for a good weekend ahead.

I hope you get some surprises of the good kind this weekend!

Found Friday

THIS WEEKS FINDS

A weed walk, as I like to call them, hunting and gathering for little botanical gems in the neighbourhood, on verges and in parking lots, yielded these beauties among others.
Happy colours for the home.

A lucky preschool drop off find on the path outside the school heralded what was to be a great day - first day no tears! These blossoms were a sign of my little mans blossoming confidence.

I found this bag on uncovet this week and I indeed did want to uncovet it and have it for my own, as a new nappy bag - last time I bought the cheapest one I could and needless to say it lacked any style or longevity - this time I want some happy nappies. The find turned into a forget me when I calculate a whopping $70 US for shipping. But then I found this little big guy at a local shop on sale for half the price and no shipping - it's similar enough for me for now - happy nappies and happy me!

Lastly this is a little rediscovery rather than a find - I was hunting down ceramics for the Instagram comp I was playing this week - another post on that pending - when I refound these little pineapple shakers I bought out op-shopping a few months ago. You may recall my love of the pine form from a post I did way back in the very beginning of blogging days Pining for the tropics well it hasn't abated - and just look at them how could it?

I hope your discoveries are as exotic and bright this weekend as mine has been this week.
Happy finding!

Found Friday

There is definitely a theme this week.
Continuing on from the pastels of this weeks Finding Everywhere look at these pretties I found.
I do love a nanna coat-hanger!

I also wanted to share with you some other, more virtual, finds discovered this week on my pastel journey.

The beautiful blog and work of textile designer Hermine Vandijck. Her exploration of colour and texture are truly inspiring.

Lastly the amazing work of French design duo Isabelle Gilles and Yann Poncelet that are Colonel.
One look at their online folio of work and shop and I wanted it ALL!

I hope you discover lots of colour this weekend! Happy finding.

Found Friday

Time together and patterns in rock pools - great day to find yourself at the beach.

Found Friday

I haven't done one of these for a while so here is a little catch up of just some scoops and scores from my latest trips to the op shops and related bargain bestowing places I like to frequent.

A cuter than cute vintage cosmetic case

Snooker balls - because we all need snooker balls right? 

Actually my vision for these is to have them in a nice wooden bowl as a centrepiece of vibrant colour. 

That will only work when the little people around here are big enough not to throw them. 

I can wait - just!

Some very now - but really old school - macrame 

And my favourite a classic rocking horse! It now has pride of place in the little mans room. 

It also has a home made cloth saddle that I intend to use as a pattern to make my own fresh one. 

On top an 80's plastic apple money box who has a little worm that pops up to say hello every time you add a coin.

Hope your weekends are full of happy findings folks.

Found Friday

The holiday specials.

I always enjoy myself on my country holidays visiting my family. It is always relaxing and fun. Beyond that though you can't beat a country op-shop.

Here is a little sample of some of my favourite finds while there

Alas being the christmas holidays my op-shopping days were limited, volunteers deserve holidays
more than most, so the haul was less than some other visits but there is always next time!

Found Friday

The first Found Friday for the year and while I have been on an Op-Shop adventure or two and have some treasures to share, most likely next week, I have for the most part been finding myself in nature and among family and friends here is a little insight via 10 shots of where I find myself right now. Happy holidaying, if like me you are lucky enough to still be indulging, or if you have returned to work yeah the weekend has found you again!

Found Friday

This weeks finds are all Christmas related - I haven't found them all this week but gathered then along the way and they are in my once a year bag of goodies. Most of them aren't on display this year - I am down 5 mantle pieces from my last home and last Christmas and as you well know I went all neon this year - see the Neon Christmas here. They will resurface next year and hopefully will find some additional walls and shelves to call home for December. Here is a sneak peek before then,

A little one footed Robin who resided in London when we met (as did I) - he had both feet then. That Christmas with not a lot of cash to spend on presents or posting back home we chose a special decoration for each member of the family - I don't remember now who this was meant to be for but I couldn't part with him so bought another and kept him for my very own.

A vintage Santa tin

Two sweet little Santa cross-stitches - the first must once have been framed at some point and I think I would like to re-frame him before next year.

Lastly - not really xmas but I found these chunky blocks a while ago and couldn't resist - ho ho ho