When can 4 percent make an enormous difference? When its a change in your home loan rate, or perhaps when a lovely dress you try on at the op shop contains FOUR PERCENT METAL. This is a true story…

I’ve been admiring a very cute casual denim dress/tunic a friend of mine owns for a long while. She bought it a couple of seasons ago, and I will admit to keeping my eyes peeled for my very own. Cut to Friday… I’ve had a lovely morning with my mums’ group ladies, we’ve sipped tea, supervised trampoline jumping, chatted, eaten cheese fondue and amired my mother’s flower arrangements. The other mums head home and I decide its time to break my op shop ban. Op shop number one (Vinnies) is a successful trip, the children make use of the amenities numerous times (insert rolled eyes), and I purchase a couple of tops, some great leggings (brand new), $3  jeans, an 80s barbie type doll (but bigger)  and a Sweet Valley Twins book for a dear little friend.

Op Shop number two (Salvos) provides the children with an opportunity to take their shoes off (rolled eyes again) and try roller skates for the first time (unsuccessfully). While they are so busy in the toy corner I have a good look through the clothing and come up with a pair of pants that fit like a glove AND.. a denim tunic! Off to the change rooms I go. I manage to keep the tunic on (which fits well and looks great) for approximately 2 seconds. It is the most uncomfortable scratchy, prickly thing I’ve ever worn. I immediately check the tag to find out what the fabric is made up of.  96% cotton/ 4% METAL. What madman designed a fabric containing metal? why? It has baffled me ever since.

I wonder who this little scamp has been watching?

xoxo

OK, this post has nothing to do with onions REALLY, I couldn’t even use any while cooking this evening because the one that was left was sprouting and smelt funny…. Buuuuut, I did wear this apron.

A lovely, crisp thrifty find

My lovely mum came over today, did some tidying and brought lots of flowers from her garden! I’m hosting mother’s group tomorrow and she wanted me to appear to be a domestic goddess, but who are we kidding? The flowers are very pretty, and have made my nose very tickly!

Please notice the clear surfaces on which these are sitting…. You can even see the floor in my sewing room. Oh yeah, daddy-o and the kids planted the strawberries yesterday. Doesn’t the handpainted pot look great? The kids think they do!  We used washable powder paints, so I’m not sure how long the designs will last….

xox

Its no secret that I love strawberries. To eat and anything with a strawberry motif. My most beloved strawberry themed item is this apron. It is very well worn and almost falling apart but I still love it to bits. A long time ago before children, in the summer of 2000 I would wear it ‘half apron’ style to dance parties teamed with chunky strawberry hair bobbles I bought in japan and possibly red legwarmers. Cute huh? It was so much fun. Now I get excited over the little strawberry shaker that holds my bi carb…

I made this little girl’s apron for a swap a while ago. It had a matching bag too.

 We still haven’t planted the strawberry seedlings, but I’ve found some pots and will pick up some potting mix.  Here’s a few more strawberries…

And finally a Baa Bums soaker free to good home…. size Large I think? Here is is on Miss Zoe’s bottie… Leave a comment if you want it I’ll throw in a brand new Cute Tooshies Bamboo Delight nappy too. I’ll choose the winner randomly in the morning (if there’s more than one comment!) more freebies to come

xoxo

Firstly, the bread was not a catastrophe, but quite a success! The kids were super excited and gave the flour and yeast a good old stir. Ten minutes or so of me hand kneading the dough quickly grew boring, as did the ‘letting it rise’ part. We were all suitably impressed when the bread came out looking like this (but without the ‘test’ slice cut off).

By the time my man or mum arrived and saw/tasted the bread, the mice CHILDREN had eaten a big hole in the middle. Hmph! And then Mum said the bread was like sourdough. Hmph! But it was lovely with honey. Although I’ve decided to borrow my folks’ bread machine tomorrow…

It was only today that I realised that the AU/US exchange rate is looking up… so I ordered a couple of things on my beloved ETSY. Some very nice looking patterns from Manimina ~ Casual Elegance for Extraordinary Kids and a pendant kit from Annie Howes Can’t wait to get them! I’m busting to make Zoe some summer dresses, and the pendants I’m hoping will make nice little christmas pressies. Unfortunately my sewing room is still ’out of order’, I think I’ll do 30 minutes in there tonight before bed to get started.

I picked up this weird/cute head scarf at an op shop last week in a ‘fill a bag for $5′ sale (gotta love them!). I truly love the yellow polkadot fabric, but I’m not sure about the padded section. Any comments?

I’m questioning my fashion sense at the moment. Crisis of confidence made worse by my mother handing me a ‘Fashion Makeover’ book. More on that once I’ve read it

xoxo

This little ceramic shaker. Currently filled with the bi carb I use for cleaning.

It is way cuter than the lost one, and sprinkles just the right amount. Easily pleased? Who me? uh huh!

So brooches on wee ones are super cute….. more to come!

The universe finally delivered. Our vintage, wind up, ceramic German clock. Found for $2 at local garage sale.

I love it’s tick tick tick.