unexpected op shop delights

I just had one of those moments while op-shopping today. One of those is-that-what-I-think-it-is?! moments. An unexpected op-shop delight.

See, I was op-shopping while on holiday in January about 100km from home. And I stumbled across the cutest fitted cot sheet.

I loved it and seeing we didn't have any cot sheets at all, felt completed justified in my purchase.

Fast forward to today and op-shopping unsuccessfully for a couple of things a few kms from home, as I am heading to the door I wander past this

it's the flat sheet - same print, same size! I couldn't quite believe it! And so, even though it was $4 (a bit expensive I thought for a cot sheet), I couldn't leave it behind. How delightful - I now have the set!

And it got me thinking about the slightly amazingly/slightly crazy experience that op-shopping can be. The best example that I know of actually happened to my mum and Nan when my Nan was in her 70s. They were op shopping close to my Nan's home and while looking through the doilies, came across a doily that my Nan had actually made as a teenager! She recognised her own work straight away, including the mistakes she had made and how she thought the reverse wasn't neat enough! Needless to say they bought it, and it now sits pride of place on my mum's sideboard...


How 'bout you? What's your best unexpected op-shop delight?

Linking in today with flea market finds over at her library adventures.

my creative space - with thanks and a question

hiya,

After complaining last week that my creative space was full and empty, I'd like to say a big thanks to those who encouraged me.

See, I finally sat down and started my next project. I thought I'd have another go at amigurumi and make a mobile for the bub. So I sat down with this jellyfish pattern and some good advice from a friend and, well, things didn't go so well. About a third of the way through, I realised it was way too small for what I wanted. So I unpulled it all and started out alone. Patternless...

 Scary, but I am so happy with the results!

Now, my question is: what else to make for this mobile? I want 3d things that are interesting from the underneath. My idea was to make the jellyfish, a fish, a bird and something else. But should I try to stay with an underwater theme instead? decisions decisions....

What's in your creative space this week?

wordless wednesday (at the Heide)

my creative space

My creative space this week both empty and full (and a little bit late)...
 

  

It feels empty as I've finally finished my baby blanket. I am very pleased with it, even the scalloped edges turned out pretty well! Although the corners are a little stretched and it does need a bit of a press. The problem there is that we currently don't own an iron... If you have a suggestion of how to press a blanket without an iron - I'd love to hear!

 But rather than leaving me with a feeling of satisfaction at completion, I have instead that empty feeling. My itchy fingers no longer have this blanket to work on. See, I've been working on the blanket for as long as I've been growing this baby - over 7 months now... And with the blanket finished I am at a bit of a loss on what to create now... 

And that's the other side of things. See at the same time my creative space feels full. I have a number of ideas and projects that I would like to start, and more things I'd like to make for the baby. but with projects swirling around my head and less than 2 months to go til the little one arrives, I can't seem to settle on starting any of them.

I want to make an animal arigurumi mobile - I even started a fish while on the tram last night. But I don't quite have the right wool, and I have so much wool that I'd prefer not to go out and buy more, so I'm trying to decide between making do or just splurging out...

I could finish off my elephant, who is still sitting in pieces. But I have to admit, I am a little disappointed in it. I messed up the American/Aussie terminology and made the elephant in too big a stitch, with too big a needle and too thick wool. So instead of a compact little elephant -I have a large softie, with gaps between the stitches where you can see the stuffing... So my enthusiasm for finishing it off isn't that high...

I also want to make a sleeping bag/cocoon for bubs - something like this. But again, which wool? do I have enough? Should I just suck it up and go out an buy some specific wool for this project?

I also have other grand ideas of stuff I'd like to make for the bub - baby wipes (from an old towel), a picture for the baby's room, a fabric baby quilt (although we already have plenty of baby blankets), cutting up some old towels into baby sized ones, making some cot sheets, even making curtains for the baby's room and and and...

with less than 2 months left (and 2 more weeks of work) - all my plans may just not be possible. So with such a full head space of plans, I can't seem to decide where to start!

What is happening in your creative space? Is it full or empty?

feeling blessed...

... by the generosity of good friends...

 

a dozen homelaid eggs


a fruit basket full of limes and feijoas

an afternoon of food and chat and friends who are more like family...

sour cherry pudding (converted to gluten free)

 mmm, this is one of our go-to desserts. I always keep a jar of sour cherries in the cupboard for "emergencies." We had one such "emergency" this week - dinner with a friend we hadn't seen in such a long time.

The original recipe is from here.I make a few changes, the main one being using a jar of morello (sour) cherries rather than the tinned cherries the recipe states. Since it already has the almond meal in it, it is easily converted to gluten free - I simply replace the SR flour with GF SR flour. Oh, and obviously, I leave it the right way up...

The one this about it though, is that in our house it tends to be called "shower cherry pudding." Why are the words "sour" and "cherry" so had to say? Go on, say "sour cherry" three times fast - see if you don't end up with a shower cherry too!

my creative space (with gluten free nutty chocolate slice)

It feels a bit like it has been one of those weeks. It's been really busy, and thinking about posting today in "my creative space" I wasn't sure I had anything creative to talk about. It's been a week of work, and washing and breastfeeding classes, and dinners with friends. All of which have meant I've felt like I've had limited time to create.

 But then again... I did finally finish sewing together the strips of squares for my baby blanket. And after avoiding dealing with the ends deliberating, I decided to edge the blanket before I finish off the ends. I was inspired by a lovely blogger from last week's creative spaces (I'm so sorry, I can't remember who it was - I've looked, but if I find you this in week's spaces, I'll link you up!) and have decided to try doing a scalloped edge. This is a first for me, as previously, I have always simply chained around the edges. Wish me luck.

I've also been creative in the kitchen. See, I get home from work pretty exhausted these days, so my lovely husband does pretty much all the cooking in our place at the moment. Although I have been stretching my baking fingers this week and make some Nutty Chocolate Slice - partly for a work colleague, who was having a bad week, and the rest has gone in the freezer to serve to our visitors when our little one is born.

I thought I'd share the recipe (given to me from a friend), as it is incredibly simple, fantastically tasty and gluten free (but without any fancy ingredients).

Nutty Chocolate Slice

1 cup chopped nuts (I use almonds, but any nuts will work)
1 cup choc chips
1 cup currants (or sultanas - whatever you've got)
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 tin sweetened condensed milk

Mix all ingredients together.
Put in a greased, lined lamington (slice) tin.
Bake covered @ 190 deg Celsius for 20min
Uncover and bake @ 170 deg for 15-20.
Cool in fridge and cut when cold.


So it seems I've had a creative week after all! How 'bout you - are you joining in with the creativity?

on being mum about mother's day

This year, for the first time, I qualify for mother's day. But I've been quite mum about it (terrible pun, I know, but it amused me).

See, I'm pregnant. Not just early-days-don't-want-to-tell-too-many-people-pregnant. But full belly-waddling-need-help-to-get-out-of-a-chair-pregnant. Only-four-weeks-left-of-work-pregnant. Just-about-to-pack-my-hospital-bag-pregnant.

I have people congratulating me and asking me when I am due all the time. Work associates, people I meet for the first time, shop assistants. People on the tram jump up to offer me a seat before I even ask. That is how pregnant I am.

At least when you meet me, that is how pregnant I am. Here, online, I've been a bit shy about it.

See, we told our family and close friends from about 8 weeks. Then told work and everyone else around 15 weeks. But I still haven't put it on facebook, despite there being a number of good friends (interstate and overseas) that we obviously haven't been able to tell in person. And I haven't really put it here yet. I mentioned it the other day, but on the whole I've been quiet about it online.

And the longer I have put it off, the harder it seems to be.

So here it is - I am pregnant. We're having a baby, due in mid-July.

And despite being quiet about it, we really are pretty excited!

my creative space

is right here on my lap, juggling for space with my computer...

I am still working on sewing together the strips of granny squares for my baby blanket.

and I'm also trying to check out all that my blog buddies have been up to whilst I am have been busy elsewhere!

Hopefully your creative space is also full of good projects and new and old friends!

what better way to celebrate...

With our first wedding anniversary this week, I thought what better way to celebrate than with:

gluten free mud cake (made from here, using GF flour), and:

more of my caramel slice (made from here, again replacing with GF flour). The same slice I made and made and made for guests at our wedding!

Lovely!

What is your favourite way to celebrate special occasions? What do you love to bake?

a year of change

One year ago this week we said our vows and declared that we would share our lives together. It is amazing to think I has only been a year, it feels so right, so much like this is exactly where we should be, and almost like we have always been.

But this year, this first year of marriage has also been a year of change. We packed up two houses and moved and unpacked into a home of our own. Then, for long winded reasons, we had to pack up all those boxes again 4 months later and move again. And unpack again. We moved to a new area of Melbourne and had to find our way around and settle into new spaces, shops, cafes and streets.

We moved to a new church, and have been settling into a new church community. Making new connections and finding new ways to serve.

We have had to find ways to mold our separate (ofttimes stubborn) ways into joint ones. And find new ways to communicate, to grow together and to love each other.

And now, we are learning about how to become parents.

It's been a big year (and due to that, fairly blogless), but its been a great year. An amazing year. A very special year.

Here's to many more years to come...