Thrifty finds

Vintage curtains
Our little town sometimes yields great thrifty finds. We have a Hospice shop, Red Cross, and a Salvation Army. The Red Cross ladies are my favorites but I often find the best things at the other shops. I love to see what Jannelle has found each month, her finds usually make me wish I was visiting the thrift stores in her neighbourhood. This last month I think my finds are worth a mention. Boy's room, re-created warm curtains
Warm thermal curtains, too short for the window so I added a striped fabric and a wool backing to make the boys room cosy for winter. Skatey helped me hang a new curtain rail, he's better on a drill than me. He has a quilt on his wall for warmth as well.
A spiral bound book of Enid Gilchrist patterns

Merino off cuts

Probably my favorite find this month, Merino fabric off cuts at the market one Sunday. Perfect timing for making winter clothing, hoodies and long sleeve tops for the small children. We all need an extra layer in the morning when we do our outside jobs. Picking fruit for school lunches, with warm new tops.

I've hared it said that if you are an addict you often replace one addiction with another. I do have an addictive personality and having overcome some addictions in my life I'm seriously affected by an op shop addiction at this stage in my life. I can barely pass through town without popping in. (could be worse right?) Man I wish I'd replaced my old addictions with an exercise addiction though, I tried but it didn't catch on. So anyway got quite a rush when I found a funky kind of felted crochet blanket last week. It has taken up residence on a little sofa and pleases me every time I look at it. Kind of Kaffe Fassett ish colour combos I reckon.

Washing

I get so stressed when my washing machine breaks down, usually every few years. It broke down on Monday, the guy was supposed to fix it Tuesday. He came out and replaced a part and left a reasonable bill but, I didn't get a load on until last night because I was behind with everything else. Skatey boy came in and said "Mum there's someone in the house hear that bashing?" We both looked at each other scared to death. I said "hold my hand we'll check it out" (Quite stupid looking back) Anyway it was the washing machine in what seemed to be it's death throw. Relief on one hand and gutted on the other. Called back said fix it guy who said he can't look at it till Monday. Pleading about four kids didn't sway him a bit either. Unfortunately he's the only appliance guy in our town and looking back it took him 3 goes to fix it last time too. I'm grateful they're all out of nappies to say the least. I have some cool bits of fabric that I'm dying to wash up too.

From left: cool old floral curtain, fab orange sheet, and a bit of "viyella" all found at the op shops today. As well as two super cheap bits from that Spot place. Red head boy needs new long pants and shorts, have you noticed it's so hard to find cool boy fabric second hand? Hopefully the washing machine will live again on Monday.

Keeping it real

If I truly had to be self sufficient this year I think we'd starve or get scurvy. I could barter lemons and grapefruit, but I have planted nowhere near enough winter veges! I might have saved enough pumpkins to see us through but the canelenni and berlotti beans only yielded enough for seed for next season. I'm giving broad beans ( fava) another chance after being totally put off them as a kid. About about a months worth of corn is frozen with about the same of tomatoes, a row of salad veges are in and drying apples is on the agenda but I only see them lasting a month as well. The frozen berries should see me through for jam and smoothies and there are a good crop of cabbages, spring onions and celery but I forgot to plant more beetroot for winter. The brassicas are getting eaten, we'll be all right, we'll just dim the lights for dinner! ( so the kids don't spot the caterpillars) and there is rhubarb for puddings after all. When the situation dawned on me I got motivated to clean out the glasshouse. I gave it a good scrub ( to improve light) and pulled all the old tomatoes out. I will put some pea seed in when the moon is right and hope they are ready for spring. We'd survive on calaendula and chickweed if worst camre to worst, from under the roses. I looked for my garden diary to compare the seasons and couldn't find it so I'm keeping my garden notes here on my blog from now on. ( see below)


In other news..... a great garage sale day! Got curtains for the sun room we turned into a bedroom for the "teen". Also I've been a fan of retro tablecloths for years, long before they were trendy in fact. Four today, couldn't believe my luck. One large sale was to fund Herceptin treatment for a local, defiantly no haggling on my behalf, I hope they made heaps. NZ Health system sucks!!!!! Fancy having to have a garage sale to fund cancer treatment.


In other news, the "teen" is at his first party with girls tonight! Oh to be a teenager again!!!!!!!!!! Very exciting.

My best garage sale find in ages. A lovely big crock in perfect condition. My Aunty use to do salted beans in hers, I'm just displaying mine in the entrance so I can enjoy it as I come in and out. $5. For once I bet the dealers to something great.
I've been doing a little bit of everything in the last few weeks.

Got loaned this great book written by Paul Moon who spent a good deal of time talking to an old Maori Tohunga (Shaman/medicine/spiritual man). It offers a spiritual or traditional approach to gardening in N.Z. Things which really stuck in my mind were saying a prayer before working in your garden to rid yourself of any negative energy which you might pass onto your seedlings and veges. Also the traditional way of community gardening which I think people are beginning to move back towards. As people garden together they share their knowledge, pass on their traditions and strengthen their community. In Hohepa Kereopa's old community they all planted the crops together, then at harvest time the person who travelled the farthest got first pick of the crop while the plot owner got last, but when it was their turn to travel the farthest they got first pick. The book has information about traditional planting methods, including for Kumara, native medicinal plants and flax weaving traditions. I was inspired by it because I have real hope that we can create communities that care about each other and the land.From another book I've been making a few Softies. I'm enjoying doing a bit of hand embroidery but was very frustrated at myself and Mum for not knowing how to do a simple French knot despite having a diagram and instructions right in front of me. I'm one who has to be shown. He still looks good even if he hasn't got french knot nostrils.
Other sewing attempts have been disastrous so I've been sowing seeds and making compost instead.

Wind and rain

We got our much needed rain today, a great excuse to do some sewing. Usually when I make things for myself they're too big or too small but this skirt was spot on. I only got the fabric yesterday, in a previous life it was a halterneck dress that didn't suit me at all. I over- looked it at first but when I didn't find any other goodies I bought it for $4. I'm so glad I did now cos I have heaps of tops it will go with.
I have to keep myself busy during storms because high winds really freak me out, the wind blew over my sunflower house and 3 out of 4 plots of corn but every thing else survived and is looking much better having had a good drink. I was very relieved when it stopped blowing that all our old sheds still had their roofs. I finished sewing up a woolly vest for the "red head" pity it won't fit him till he's four. That will teach me, I'm always too impatient to do a tension square.

Patchwork garden

This blog is being a little neglected as summer settles in and Christmas quickly approaches. Middle of summer is a stupid time to have Christmas, there's far too much to do in the garden to be inside sewing or even worse shopping in town. Motueka is a tourist town and a summer work destination so traffic is terrible at this time of year, a quick trip to town for groceries can take hours during the summer months. I have had a great week though, just not alot of spare time. There were heaps of garage sales on in the weekend and I'm rather pleased with the bright tea towels I got for 50c each. I was going to cut them up for bags but I'm getting quite attached to them the way they are.
I was also a winner on Sally Anne's blog! I haven't won anything for a long time so it really made my day when I read I had won. It was meant to be because my daughter gets called "sweet pea" on the rare occasions that's she's not driving me nuts! I watched her sing solo at a performance for the old folks club on Friday. I was so nervous for her, but she was amazing. Huge credit needs to go to her wonderful teacher who nurtured the shy girl who didn't even want to go to school to a point where she'll sing on her own in front of an audience. What a treasure she is.
I Love how the garden looks in summer, it comes together to remind me of a patchwork quilt. These views are from the top of the kid's slide. I am disappointed that a new plum tree I bought seems to have silverleaf. From what I've read nothing can get rid of it and it spreads very easily. I'll be devastated if I have to start cutting trees out.
Mating stink bugs got squashed today with a satisfying crunch. I am not a Buddhist gardener! The aphids in the tunnel house will be dealt to tomorrow as soon as I decide weather it's better to make a garlic spray with the last of last years garlic or pyrethrum spray which has the disadvantage of killing ladybugs too, which we don't want. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Worrywort

Some pretty big weather events in Tasman in the last couple of weeks. I have to go over this bridge to get to work and town, it's pretty skinny and scary on a good day but it really freaked me out seeing the water up this high. I am a worrier, often asking myself, OK what am I worrying about? It may be a kind of comfort or habit to be worrying. The bridge collapsing while I'm on it is a fairly common worry as is our old shed blowing down onto the road and causing an accident, being too decrepit to insure makes the worry worse. So after the rain subsided the wind started and a couple of earthquakes shook me up for for good measure. It would be fair to say I've been in a state. It runs in my family, my dear Aunt doesn't go into "the Warehouse" in case there is an earthquake and every thing falls off the shelves and won't drive around rocks road in Nelson when it's raining in case the hillside comes down.
While I sewed for the festival the weeds grew thick and fast in the front garden so it looks more like a wild lawn with flowers in it at the moment than a cottage garden. Never mind I'm more into vege gardens anyway but it will need some attention I guess before all the weeds set seed. My sewing was worth it though, I got lots of nice comments at the festival and made some good sales. Lots of organically grown seedlings went to new homes too so I have alot more room to plant in the glasshouse now and a bit more time on my hands to get the garden set for summer. I had anticipated being alot less busy this week but it's not working out as planned either, I may need a holiday it's all becoming a bit of a slog. Roll on summer!
Fabric hunting is getting to be a huge challenge too I found 2 pieces in a small antique shop round the corner from where my Mum lives but I wouldn't want to buy at antique shop prices very often! The mushroom bit is from Spotlight the day after the festival, 20% off was too good to resist. I have a theory that the red cross ladies are getting all the yummy fabric before it goes out into the shop. I have been contemplating my career options in the last 6 months there are about half a dozen paths I'd bee keen to explore but nothing that I just know is right. Perhaps volunteering in the op shop would be a good way to contemplate?

op shop goodies

The other day after a long day in Nelson visiting people and an appointment with the chiropractor I decided to call into my favorite op shop on the way home. I just wanted to stretch my legs really. Imagine my delight when I found this bag of quilting " fat quarters" and a few bigger bits too, it was just what I needed to inspire me to do some sewing. I don't quilt yet but love flowery fabric and will use for applique. The browny bits are very inspiring for autumn. I'm half way through alot of projects but instead of working on them I'm full of excitement waiting for my brother to send me photos from Adelaide of my new baby nephew. I'm a first time Aunty so it's pretty exciting. I'll have to settle with photos for now as I visited them last year for their wedding, I'd so love to be cuddling a new baby today though.
I'm off to make booties for my nephew now. He's a darling.

Cluckky

The ladies at the op shop are just wonderful, I'm kind of a regular and they exclaimed "Gilly do you have some news?" when I picked this beautiful handmade baby gown out. No I don't have any exciting news but must admit I'm ever so cluckky. I'm sure it's a case of wanting what you can't have more than anything. I just can't resist handmade and antique baby clothes especially gowns. Before my Grandma died she and I would go through baby clothes she had made 60 years ago and choose things for my babies. When she died I picked out some items that were destined for the dump because they were falling apart, the buttons, smocking and embroidery inspire me and when I have the skills I want to create a memory quilt to remind me of our days spent waiting for my babies, knitting and talking. Marcie at the op shop said "what are you going to do with it?" Save it, hang it, show it. Maybe give it, one day when I let go of the thought of having any more babies. Talking about it to my friends, it's a hard phase of life to leave behind. A totally different kind of cluckky, mummy chook has nine babies. I still spend most of my free time visiting all the babies but have managed to pot up some seedlings and prune the hedge.