trying not to gloat...

more of my op shopping delights over at I op therefore I am....

not all talk

1. melways cover, 2. owls looking at you, 3. new top, 4. quick skirt, 5. new dresses, 6. she wore flowers in her hair, 7. pirate, 8. alice in wonderland, 9. keeping me warm, 10. nightdress, 11. superhero, 12. take away art

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

I have promised for over a month now to show the crafting that went on during the summer holidays, and at last I am making good.  Miss Whizzme is home from school today with a slight fever.  This means a lot of colouring in, watching Charlie & Lola and eating cinnamon toast.  It also means that I have been able to finally organise and upload all our holiday picks - phew what a task. You can click on the links to see further details of each project. See, I'm not all talk! sometimes I even get stuff done.

If you are not interested in crafty things, then maybe you might want to check out my summer op shop finds.  Or maybe you would just like to see how good a dog's life can be....

another not so average joe blogger

you may remember towards the end of last year, I posted an interview with Linda of Two Pink Possums.  This year I am continuing this series and my first interviewee is Carolyn from Comfy & Cosy a blog I have been reading for quite a while now, and always admiring her op shop finds.  So get to know her a little bit more;

1. Where did your blog name come from?
We use the words comfy and cosy often in our house: it’s to be warm (or cool!), safe and content, doing something or nothing, with someone or thinking of someone, feeling good to be home. I also think of it as Me and Him together, the two of us: old comfy and cosy.

2. What inspires you to blog?
Other bloggers! I’m so inspired by the collections and creativity shown on by people on their blogs. At first it was the big bloggers, as I think of them, like Loobylu , Nikki-Shell , Angry Chicken , Hop Skip Jump , 62Cherry and Aunty Cookie.

The amazing Australian and NZ community of bloggers inspires me (just look at my blogroll!). There are so many people with similar interests and collections that we can connect on.

In my neck of the woods, I like to blog about my op-shop finds, the fabric and buttons (oh the buttons!) and books I pick up along the way. I slip in the occasion bit of knitting or embroidery (oh so occasional!).

3. How often do you read other blogs?
I read blogs every day. I sometimes get a little fixated and the blog reading becomes an obsession. But I can also let go and my bloglines show all the catching up I have to do. I always read my Aus/NZ bloglines first and for some reason Ask Moxie  (not very craft-related!).

4. If you could only read one blog, which one would you choose?
That’s far too hard to answer but I really, really like Muppinstuff for her wonderful photos, creativity and her wonderful ability to write about day to day life.

5. What's your favourite crafting tool?
Buttons! (Are buttons a tool?)

6. If you could have your dream job tomorrow, what would it be?
I think I’d like to sell fabric. And buttons! An online and mail order shop: something where I could post out a newsletter. So maybe not all online after all. I’d like to combine the wonderful immediacy of the internet with the thrills of receiving newsletters and cards and parcels in the mail. I LOVE parcels, wrapping and addressing them, going to the post office: the whole process. So, something mail order, I think.

So please, go over and say hello to Carolyn.  She is celebrating her blogoversary and has a giveaway too.

And check out my first post at I Op therefore I Am.

*Note: the bangles were recently spotted in Husk at Albert Park.

i've been a little bit naughty*

(photo by Carlos Porto, found on flickr)

Books, books, and more books.  In case you hadn't noticed I really love books. I did a quick scan and realise that there have been 14 previous posts on books.  There have also been some photos supplying evidence of my book collections.  But there is no such thing as too many books. Well not in my world anyway, and, thankfully Mr Whizzme has nothing to say on this subject (which is quite amazing given how much he has to say on most other things!)  Anyway, today I discovered a like minded soul who likes to have several books on 'the go'.  Over the years I have been asked about this bigamous reading habit a lot.  I know many people prefer to read one book at a time, cover to cover, until beginning the next.  And, yes, sometimes I do too.  But generally, I like to have a selection next to the bed, so that no matter what mood takes me, I have a suitable book.  Don't get me wrong, this habit can have its down sides;  it can take a long time to finish a book,  sometimes I have to re-read bits because I've forgotten the gist of the story line between readings, and some books can sit on the bedside stack never being chosen, forgotten, neglected, buried beneath more recent purchases.  Our discussion of this phenomena led to confessions of the books we currently have waiting for their reading moment.  I thought this would make a interesting meme (and has probably been done before but I missed it).  So, in no particular order here is my list of current books that keep me company in bed.

• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (about a third read, my favourite read this week)
• A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Sonit (purchased after reading about it on Keri's blog, and have been randomly reading chapters)
• A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (recently finished and kept because I still have book questions to answer)
• The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall (recent purchase - not yet started)
• The Dressmaker's Daughter (another recent purchase not yet started)
• The Art of Domesiticity by Jane Brocket (about 2/3 read, my second favourite read this week)
• Australian Story - off the record (also a recent purchase not yet read)
• The Meaning of the Night by Michael Cox (bought from the secondhand bookstore because it looked good, but haven't started it yet)
• The Bay by Di Morrissey (present from Mum at Christmas, but haven't looked at yet)
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (a favourite of mine, and there in case I need a book to read to Miss Whizzme when she is sharing my bed if Mr Whizzme is out of town)
• A Vintage Ladybird Annual (same as above)
• The Passionate Shopper by Marion van Alderstein (a gift from Mr Whizzme that I love dipping into)
• Agatha Christie by Andy Easts (a vintage quiz book given to me by a friend who knows how much I love the queen of crime although the quizzes are quite hard!)
• On Friendship by Michel de Montaigne (a gift from the best friend - I just like looking at the cover)
• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf (also a gift from the best friend, but have only read a few pages so far)
• Crochet Handmade Style (a little inspiration, and for when I'm too tired for words)
• It's in the details by Lucinda Ganderton (there for the same reason as the previous book)
• Book Lust by Nancy Pearl (in case I'm hunting for a particular book)
• So Many Books so Little Time by Sara Nelson (purchased a long time ago, keep meaning to read it one of those buried at the bottom of the pile books)
• Then there is the magazine pile which includes the lastest issue of Frankie, the last few issues of Dumbo Feather, some Marie Claires, an Australian Country Style, and an older issue of Home Companion.
  

Phew! No wonder my little reading light's batteries keep needing replacement!

Well, that's me, now I wonder what these people have on their bedside tables?

Stacey, Jodie, Martine

or feel free to play, but please let me know so I can check it out too.

*If you are Mr Whizzme don't read any further because it good cause you some distress.

I visited one of my favourite, very well stocked, book stores today and spent a while in absolute bliss finding new titles to add to my book list.  In fact, the sales assistant was feeding me so many 'have you seen this one' titles even I became a little overwhelmed. So, it probably would come as no surprise to learn that this visit unearthed two titles which have been burning holes in my book list for a while now.  They. Had. To. Be. Purchased.  I know you understand...

not so gloomy

it is very dark, and some would say gloomy here today. I had lots of ideas to sew,craft, and photograph recent purchases and op-shop finds. The Optus man must have known, because yesterday he gave* me a brand new phone. Those who know me well, will know that yes I have spent most of yesterday and today fiddling with all the tricks it does. Oh it is just so exciting (oops that was my inner nerd escaping). It takes wonderful photos (as shown above), sync's with my lovely imac, and looks pretty damn good. Even Mr Whizzme is having trouble hiding his envious glances. It's making the Blackberry he uses look passe! But enough of that there is meant to be crafting** here! 

I have managed a few more rows on the ripple blanket while watching continuous episodes of Jeeves and Wooster. Oh to have a jeeves, especially a Stephen Fry one.

Well, now that I think I know everthing about my new phone, I might just have some time left in the day to do something else. Hope you are enjoying your weekend, there is a lull in the rain so I am off to walk the dog.

**well it wasn't really a present, but it felt like one after my latest phone saga. I only a few months ago received a new phone as my other one was no longer working.  While we were at the beach Miss Whizzme decided to offer it a glass of water, which it didn't take to very well.  Optus wanted me to pay $175 for another phone - "phooey to that" I said.  I haven't been a customer for 10 years to pay stupid fees for a phone, specially as I have paid insurance for all that time.  So the nice man decided to waive the whole thing, let me start a new plan, and pick a new phone.  Of course I chose the phone at the top of list (who wouldn't), but with all the savings my new plan is making (I was averaging a jaw-dropping monthly amount on my previous plan) I figured - what the hell!  Best customer service I have had for a long time.  If you are in my area next time you need Optus, go to the Glenferrie Rd store and asked for Rick.  Here ends the saga of the phone. 

*Mr Whizzme believes that I am forever crafting - witch craft that is! Hilarious this man, I tell you.

so far so good

well a week of school down and we have not been late... so far!  Miss Whizzme has settled in well, and is enjoying being back with her friends.  That her first question to me on the way to school on the first day was "how late are we Mum?" was not the most amusing moment, but the following day when we arrived extraordinarily early and she asked "is it lunch time Mum?" even I had to admit that her expectations of us getting back into routine were pretty low!  

It took most of last week to finish all the final unpacking, washing, putting away that coming back from holidays brings, so I was much encouraged this week to think I might get some sewing done.  Unfortunately, I miss calculated just how long it was going to take to finish the winter edition for the Four Seasons Quilt Swap - a few days late - sorry partner.  But it is finally in the post - phew!  Now on to the mobile swap - I have some ideas but not ready to share them yet.  So instead I will share the new project I have started for 2008.

I have wanted to create a ripple blanket ever since I saw one on Alicia's blog.  While we were at the beach my sister was finishing off the throw from Erika Knight's Simple Crochet book.  It looked so wonderful, and moved along so quickly that I immediately abandoned everything else, took out my odd balls of 4-ply cotton and started.  It is now being allocated as a single bed throw for Miss Whizzme's bed.  The odd balls of 4-ply cotton I have (and I have quite a few) make me think about new colour combinations as I crochet, rather than working it all out beforehand.  I really have no idea how long my cotton will last, but I am determined not to have to buy any yarn for this project.  It is currently being carried every where I go, as it is quite addicted once you get started, and easily picked up when stuck in traffic, waiting for school to finish, waiting for a Dr.'s appointment, sitting in front of the tv.  In fact, it even went to the swimming centre with me on Monday, when I took Miss Whizzme and her friend there for a swim after school since the weather was so swelteringly hot.  The photo you see is actually my progress up until then, as I had planned to post Monday night (dreaming!) so there are even more rows now.  The joys of a project that is mediating but progressive enough that you can see it growing.  I also managed to finally up load all the holiday photos, but now need to sort them, so no more pics just yet.  Might be my weekend project, especially as I have so many great op shop finds to show, and finished projects, yes, you read that right - finished projects!  I am still basking in my own glory of that.  Hope your week has been great so far... back again soon.