Bits and bobs...vintage sewing

It's the start of a new week and I hope it's a good one for all of us. That also means that today is Bits and bobs day and this photo's theme is all about vintage sewing.

To be more specific, all these little bits came from an old, brown tupperware container that belonged to my dear Great Auntie Ila. She gave it to me a year or so before she passed away.

Ila was from the era of mend and make do, so she kept little buttons and bits that could have been used later on. Clothing was fixed, not replaced. Anyway, I love these bits and bobs.

We have an old thimble, threads, buttons, measuring tape, nappy pin, fasteners, a needle threader, fine thread for fixing stockings and some unusual needles (not sure of their use?).

xx

* pop over and visit Penny from Paisley Summer who has posted a beautiful floral Bits and bobs!
x

Bits and bobs... sparkle

It's Bits and bobs day and today I have gone with the theme "sparkle".

It's such a grey, rainy Monday that I thought some sparkle would be nice.

I love sparkly things and here we have some swarovski crystals, large clear sequins, vintage mini pastry cases, two lots of vintage buttons (love those heart ones), my special Chanel necklace and the most stunning length of handbeaded trim that I have had for years and haven't had a project special enough to use it.

And speaking of special, here's another photo of my baby niece Hannah who was born last Friday. This photo was taken yesterday. Look at all that hair!

I'd love to see a few of you join in with Bits and bobs but I fear I am too disorganised with my planning. Hopefully some of you can, no rush, just leave me a comment here and I'll add you in.

Thanks for dropping by.

* Please drop by Penny at Paisley Summer who has posted a great gardening Bits and bobs!

xx

Friday flowers and very exciting news!

Happy Friday friends!

It's an exciting day today with green blooms and happy news.

Why is that, you ask?

My little niece Hannah was born today :)

Happy Birthday Hannah. Welcome to the world!

Very grainy pics but it wasn't very bright in the room.

There's Auntie Sarah getting acquainted :)

And the flowers, they were for my sister. Lots of green and white - kale, lilies, spider chrysanthemums and green carnations with magnolia leaves. A bit different I thought.

Have a lovely weekend everyone and I hope to see some of you on Monday for a Bits and bobs post!

xx

New acquisition

Here it is! I mentioned in my last post that I had recently purchased myself something special with some money left to me by my dear Great Auntie Ila.

I present "Reunited" by Melbourne artist Arite Kannavos.

Despite the fact I love art, am an artist myself and also work in the industry I have never really been in a position to acquire much art. I knew that's what I wanted to do with Ila's gift.

Something special to keep forever.

It really was most difficult to photograph!

Some closeups :)

You might be able to see there are many layers of paint, some washy, some thicker and there are even layers of metallic paint.

I just love the blues, greens, mauves and yellows.

Above you can see one of the bronze metallic patches.

It sounds a bit silly but I was also rather drawn to the title, "Reunited".

I haven't mentioned Ila's husband Max before. He passed away around 1988. He was the best! He grew the biggest carrots and didn't mind when my sister and I raided his pea patch. He had false teeth that he'd pop out to give us a laugh and then Ila would give him a telling off. I thought Ila and Max were the most fantastic couple.

Anyway, I suppose I wondered when Ila passed if she reunited with Max, having lost him so long ago. I think that's why the title of the painting resonated with me as well.

I realise not all of you will be enamoured by abstract art, but I like the way you can respond to the colours as opposed to the direct imagery of realistic art. I like the dreamy, emotive aspects of it.

Are you an abstract fan?

ps I should tell you I discovered Arite's work on the Design Files blog  :)

xx

Friday flowers...white

This Friday we have a lovely posy of white icebergs picked from the bushes along our front fence. They've flowered so brilliantly this year. We have had nice comments from people in the street so that's lovely.

I actually picked these on Thursday and gave them to Mum who is today travelling up to her hometown in NW Tas to visit her sister and see my Great Auntie Ila's grave plaque.

She wanted to take some flowers from each of our gardens to leave there.

Ila was never one for fuss, or flowers for that matter. I can just hear what she'd say, telling us to stop fussing.

Oh well, it's just a nice, simple gesture.

Speaking of Ila, I have something fab to share in an upcoming post. I bought myself a pressie with a little money Ila left for me. Something to keep for always.

I'll show you all as soon as I can get some decent photographs :)

Have a happy weekend friends.

xx

sad news + a funny memory

Artwork by Katie Daisy

My adored Great Auntie Ila passed away last night, just a week shy of 91 years.

We are all really sad but she wanted to go and so she did, peacefully in her sleep.

I wasn't sure what to post but I was just now browsing and found this gorgeous image, perfect for Ila with it's pretty flowers, lace and fresh colour.

She was such a generous, caring soul. So strong yet very humble.

She never had any children of her own, but had many many 'adopted' children and grandchildren. I considered her to be my extra grandmother. She had a massive, positive impact on so many people's lives.

I have so many great memories of her - I just have to share one funny one...

Mum, Rachael and I were visiting her, gosh, probably 15 or so years ago. She used to have a combustion stove in the kitchen (oh I loved it - we could put our socks in it to warm them up). She'd just received a load of wood and so Rachael and I thought we'd help out by splitting it for her. We worked for hours and both ended up with blistered hands. Ila had just the remedy. She painted Rachael's blisters with metholated spirits. Oh the screams! I declined from Ila's offer to fix my blisters.

Good memories xx

Friday flower + birthday wishes

Hello friends, thank you so very much for your lovely comments over the past few days.

Auntie Ila is hanging on but for how much longer we just don't know.

Mum and Rachael have popped up there again tonight as Rachael had a work meeting down the coast.

A sad trip for Mum, especially seeing as today is her birthday.

So, these Friday flowers are for her.

Mum gave me these poppies from her garden last night and I thought we could all do with something cheery to look at today.

Happy Birthday Mum and I wish the rest of you a nice Friday and peaceful weekend :)

xx

thank yous and sad bits

I really wanted to say a big thank you to my bloggy friends who left me lovely birthday messages over the weekend. It really brightened my day. You are such a lovely bunch of people  :)

The day after my birthday, Mum, my sister Rachael and I made a quick dash to Smithton (NW Tasmania) to visit with my favourite relative, Great Auntie Ila. You see, she's almost 91 and rather poorly. Last Thursday no-one thought she'd make it through the night.

It was so good to see her, but at the same time I was deeply shocked at seeing her fade away. We all had a good laugh or two, as well as a good cry. I'm good at that. I hated saying goodbye as I doubt I'll get to see her again.

Geez life is hard sometimes :)

xx

ps the rose above is a bud I picked from my garden to take up for Ila. I've talked about this rose a few times on this blog. I first saw it in a bunch given to Ila a few years ago on her birthday. I discovered what it was and planted it in my garden. It is the most beautiful rose called Scentimental. It always reminds me of Ila.

Family vegie competition

Hmm...the things families do.... :-)
Yesterday my sister hosted the inaugural family vegie growing competition. There were entries called in the sections of biggest tomato, most flavoursome tomato, longest leaf vegie, longest non-leaf vegie and heaviest vegie.
Below are some of the entries...
Lyn and I didn't have much growing at the moment so I had to enter some ugly looking cucumbers, butter beans and some insect-munched-on silverbeet. We only got 2 3rd places. Oh well. Mum and Dad had the best tasting tomato...

Lyn's parents had the heaviest vegie but also took home some other prizes...

My sister and her husband Adrian won some prizes as well. They had the heaviest tomato at almost half a kilogram.

It was all a bit of fun for a Sunday lunch. I might mention that if we had held a bread making section yours truly would have been champion - I made a yummy Italian style cheese loaf for lunch - yum!!!