The Lovely Bones

I read the book The Lovely Bones back when I was living in London. I loved the book.

Trev was home sick most of the weekend so I grabbed a few DVD's for him and the kids so we could survive the weekend and The Lovely Bones movie was on the shelf so I grabbed it for me!

It has been such a long time since I last sat down to watch a movie of my choosing. I enjoyed the movie (probably because I'd forgotten the details of the book). It was a bit weird (in a good way) and great to watch while stitching or knitting.

Most of all I enjoyed the 1970-ness of the setting. Esepcially after the Vintage Sheet FQ swap I couldn't help but marvel at all the lovely vintage bed linen they were sleeping on!

Random Swapping!

38 packages...

800+ FQ's of vintage goodness...

SWAPPED!

And some fabulously generous thankyou gifts (unnecessary but lovely all the same)!

More Vintage Sheety Inspiration

Saw this over here and thought I'd share!








I just love the retro green backing fabric!

I have finally devised a way to "swap" the lovely vintage sheet FQ's that have come in for the swap and look forward to doing this over the weekend and take some photos to share with you all. As much as I like the idea of throwing them all in a pile in the middle of the room and pick FQ's randomly for you all (and what a great picture a massive pile of hundreds of FQ's would make) I have a system! I really, really, really hope that people will be happy with what they receive back.

Oh My Goodness, Oh My Goodness!!

(think that annoying orphan in Annie - which my daughter chose from the Video Store and has watched almost constantly over the weekend!)

I have so far received 10 packages of vintage sheety goodness and I opened them tonight once the kids were tucked up in bed and Dr Who had finished. There are over 300 gorgeous vintage linen fat quarters here already and I'm just trying to work out the best way to keep track of these when I get swapping - I'm expecting another 40 more packages over the next week!!

My apologies for the dark photos, taken in my sewing room on a dark winters night!!

It is just like Christmas. I can't wait to send these back to you all so you can share in the excitement of it all!!

Vintage Sheet FQ Swappers?

Just checking that everyone who's signed up has received an email from me with the posting details. I sent it out last week but it seems that a few people have fallen through the cracks that make up my life!!

Also, it's not too late to sign up - just have to have your stuff in the mail on Friday!

First Harvest!

Look what we grew (it's beetroot)!

Look what we made (it's soup)!

Yummy (and a bit messy). Recipe here - recommended!

There's a 4 year old living at my place now!

Matilda had her birthday today! It was perfect weather for a winter party at the local 'sandy' playground.

She picked out a cake (which I made - thanks to the local French patisserie which hire out cake tins),

She and her friends played pass the parcel, and ate lots of party food (and Kelvin helped)!

The highlight of the party for her was the treasure hunt we'd organised - especially for pre-school kids that can't read yet! It involved photos and some helpful adults and lots of running about by the kids.

The highlight for Trev's uncle was the semi-naked lady leaping from the cake draped in nothing but a ribbon!!

Happy Birthday my beautiful, strong willed girl, who knows her mind and stands her ground!!

Looking forward to a long weekend Monday and perhaps some crafting too.

Weirdo Photographs Linen Drying!

That's what my new neighbour must be thinking!!

Who hangs their washing on the line and then gets their camera out of their pocket to photograph it?

(sheets and some great fabric finds from Spotlight - Monaluna, Riley Blake, etc. Who'd've thought!)

Only a blogger!!

(latest op-shop sheets - ready for a swap!)

Thought some of you might be interested to see some of my latest vintage sheet finds - just in time for the Vintage Sheet Fat Quarter Swap (and it's not too late to join in if you're interested - click here).


I'm dreaming about sitting at my sewing machine and there is a window of opportunity opening up! My exam is tomorrow, Matilda's birthday is on Sunday and after that my evenings will be all about sewing and crafting and being creative. I can't wait (for both the exam to be over and the sewing to begin).

Kate's 8 Questions

So I have been following Kate over at Fox's Lane for quite a while now. What she writes resonates with me. She's one of those amazing ladies who creates beautiful things whilst raising three girls, living (and working) on a farm!

So, instead of studying for my exam next week I'm procrastinating and will answer Kate's Eight!

1/ Favourite meal to eat?
Anything I haven't had to cook myself! I love Italian food (best if cooked and consumed in Italy); licorice icecream; Grandma's lamb roasts as a birthday tea (accompanied by an iced sponge cake with jam in the middle); Sunday morning pancakes with my little family.
2/ Do you have a quirky eccentricity?
I can't whistle or click my fingers! I didn't want to know the gender of my babies because I don't really like pink and wanted to stay in denial about how pink life can get when a little girl joins your family!!
3/ My middle name is Jane. My mum wanted to call me that as a first name. I'm glad my dad overruled because I don't fancy being plain Jane! My daughter also has Jane as a middle name (because it seemed to match).
4/ I am passionate about all sorts of things! But I seem to be passionate about my latest 'thing'. When I craft I get obsessive about finding about all I can on materials, techniques, chat rooms / blogs etc. When I work I get passionate about my latest project - like car parking (at the moment) although I also feel the need to "move on" with my passion after a few years (like I'm ready to get passionate about local area traffic management and sustainable transport planning - sad, I know)!
5/ Thongs or Birkenstocks? Neither - I'm more of a Blundstone girl! I put it down to being an engineer and not wanting to own an impractial footwear!!
6/ Who was I before I had kids? Pretty much what I am now (except uninterupted)!! I studied Civil Engineering at university, have been involved in building highways (and No, I was NOT work for the dole - I have a degree!!), designing highways and planning highways. I have lived and worked and travelled overseas. I have always need to create, even though my mum thinks I'm genetically-modified because she doesn't seem to have the 'passion to create' gene - she plays hockey instead!!
7/ Have I ever been arrested? No. Perhaps I could be plain Jane...
8/ This weekend I will be studying (and procrastinating) for an exam next Friday. I am nearly finished my Masters in Traffic Engineering - this is my penultimate subject and I'll be done by the end of this year. Be warned - 2011 will be the year of crafting for me!!

More Vintage Linen Project Ideas

I've just been browsing over at Oh, Fransson! and found this fabulous tutorial for a quilt she's made using thrifted pillowcases.
Still plenty of time to sign up for the Australian Vintage Sheet FQ Swap if you'd like!

Buying Books Online

I just bought Baby Beanies, by Amanda Keeys after falling in love with the copy I'd borrowed from the library.

I did it online - at The Huggies Bookclub. If you join the bookclub (which is free), you get a 10% discount on all books and postage is also free! I ordered Baby Beanies as a special order and they got back to me within 4 hours of my email with all the details I needed. I have ordered through these guys before and have been very, very happy with their service and range and it means I don't have to drag the kids into town to buy books (and try to explain the difference between a bookstore and the library)!! And I have no affiliation with Huggies - I just really like their bookclub!

Also, my friend Jo just dropped in a shopping bag full of fabulous retro linen she'd bought from an elderly neighbour who was moving into a home. Some lovely greens, spots and florals - all ready for the Vintage Sheet FQ Swap!!

What are you making with Vintage Sheets?

I've just been checking out the blogs of people who have signed up for the Vintage Sheet Fat Quarter Swap and OH MY GOODNESS, there are some mighty talented people out there making some fabulous things from vintage sheets.

Have a look at this great quilt that Melissa has made using vintage sheets and some Amy Butler Love (and she's new to blogging too so might appreciate some visitors)...

...and this bunting over at Collecting Feathers (the "I" is some vintage boy sheeting).

And I found these vintage sheet inspirations after only visiting about 5 blogs (and there are more than 20 people signed up for the swap) - what will I discover once I've visited them all!

Lovely Autumn Sunday!

Don't forget about the vintage sheet fat quarter swap - click here if you're interested!

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It's May. The weather is windy and a bit sun-showery but we rugged up and went to the local park anyway and took the beach cricket set and some balls.

Cricket was unsuccessful but it was great fun wacking the ball with the wickets...

...or just chasing the windswept ball around the park...

...or contemplating great things whilst climbing the stairs to have a slide...

...or disobeying instructions and climbing up the slide rather than sliding down!

It was great fun. But now I'm studying and a bit bored with it. Why did I decide to do this? What was I thinking!! I'd much prefer to be sewing.

BTW: Matilda is wearing a beanie sewn by mum and a skirt I refashioned from an old t-shirt (not before seen on my blog!) and an outfit entirely selected by her father!!

Vintage Sheet FQ Swap - It's Official!!

After my last post there were at least 12 people who seemed interested in a Vintage Sheet Fat Quarter Swap - so let's just do it! The swap will happen in July - you'll need to have your FQ's in the post by Friday 2 July 2010 and I'll try and have them winging their way back to you by 23 July 2010. You can sign up for the swap (by leaving a comment on this post - including an email address so I can contact you) anytime until 30 June 2010 - as long as you are aware of the impending deadline! If you sign up and want to add a button - use the picture below and link to this post!

1. Swap is for Australian residents only. This is to try and minimise postage costs, shipping time and also make organising the swap much easier for me!


2. We'll be swapping METRIC fat quarters which measures 50cm x 56cm (or about 20" x 22").


3. Mailing will only be done using pre-paid Parcel Post Satchels from Australia Post. These pre-paid satchels come in two sizes - 500g (for $5.70) and 3kg (for $9.90). Once you've worked out how many fat quarters you want to swap go to the post office and buy TWO parcel post satchels - one to post the fat quarters to me and one you'll self-address (and put into the other satchel) to allow me to return your new vintage sheet loveliness to you!


4. You can choose how many fat quarters you wish to sent and therefore receive. I think you'll be able to fit up to 15 fat quarters into a 500g satchel and heaps more than that in a 3kg satchel (but please check your weight - I just weighed random FQ's at home to come up with this).


5. As far as the quality of the sheets themselves, please only send what you would like to receive. That's why we're swapping fat quarters and not whole sheets! It's fine for you to send several fat quarters from the same sheet. Please send only cotton or cotton blends. Avoid anything that's overly 80's, has cartoon characters etc. Also avoid sending solids or neutrals.


6. Please wash the sheets prior to cutting and sending them.


7. If you send sheets I deem to be "unacceptable" (i.e. one that is stained, torn or overly worn) I will send it back to you. This may seem harsh but it's unfair on other swappers who spent time inspecting their sheets and who sent only "nice" fat quarters.
   

Some useful links:

• Cutting your sheets
• US Vintage FQ Swap

Vintage Sheet Swap - Anyone?

OK, so I've been away from here for a while - but I have excuses.

I've been to my sister-in-law's wedding in Hawaii.

I've also been busy writing a traffic engineering assignment on all sorts of dull policy and planning type stuff.

I've had tonsillitis, again.

But apart from all this, I have noticed there is a Vintage Sheet Fat Quarter Swap happening but it's for US residents only (which made me a bit sad). And then I thought, "perhaps I could organise a swap for Australian residents only". Would anyone be interested? It'd have to happen in July since that's when I have my break from study. If you're interested, just leave a comment and maybe if you think your blog-followers may be interested you could pop something on your blog too!

If this goes ahead I think I'll have to make one of these (thanks to Rita at Red Pepper Quilts for the ongoing inspiration)...

There has been little crafting happening at my place and I'm desperately missing it! Bring on 2011.