That's it then...

One lonely bunny was finally picked up yesterday from the empty shell that used to contain Knit 1 Blog 1.

Frugalling fun

(Please note: I took the photos before writing the post so some pictures have stuff from more than one place. Argh!)

Taph had a day off work on Wednesday and I was easily persuaded that op shopping could be considered TSS work (as long as I bought at least one piece of manchester that I might, one day before I die, turn into a bag) and so it was that we spent the afternoon catching up with the state of op shops in Canberra and surrounds. It was our first trip out in tandem which could have been scary but it worked out very well.

Our first stop was Kingston YMCA Op Shop. After a frugal coffee from Taph's thermos (which we drank on the brick wall outside the public toilets) we ventured inside and I found One Step Beyond: 45 classic Ska hits on CD - another of life's mysteries. A double CD, marked "normally £18.99, Sale Price £9.99" and I got it for $2.00. On the other side of the world. Hot on the heels of seeing This is England. Do you think the universe is telling me it's time to head back to Motorini and buy another Vespa?

Next stop was Vinnies Queanbeyan where we walked away empty handed (not surprisingly as it's a new style Vinnies. But Taph hadn't been there before so had to experience the full je ne sais quoi of it) Next door at Bargain Hunter we had better luck. I picked up a cotton chambray doona cover for $8.00 (destined for bag stash), a pair of cream knitting needles for $1.00 and two balls of red mohair for 75 cents.

Over the road we headed to Big Salvos where we discovered they've done some major rearranging. Yes it's lighter and airier but after having honed our journey through the store over many visits it's very disconcerting to have to reorient ourselves. I bought another Nokia 3310 car charger for $1.00 as mine was dead. And stopped to chat to my gym instructor who was behind the counter. Gotta love Canberra (and surrounding areas). Do you think the universe is telling me it's time to head back to the gym?

At Little Salvos I found a Holly Hobbie doona cover for $5 and some more cream knitting needles for $2.00. I was happy. Little Salvos remains the same. It's good to see some things haven't changed... At this point we paused for a frugal lunch of egg and parsley wraps and apples, once again courtesy of Taph, who is obviously a much better prepared frugaller than I. I bow to her greater organisational skills (I usually return from a day's frugalling dehydrated, starving (if I've not succumbed to $2 sushi rolls at the mall in Queanbeyan or $2 spinach pasties at Ali Baba) and with hands that feel like they need to be sandblasted to get clean...

Then, much refreshed we headed south to Tuggeranong. At Salvos I found a full length skirt which could be useful for formal nights on my upcoming cruise (since it's a 16 nighter I have 3 formal nights and I've kinda grown out of the other two long skirts I usually use for formal nights, and although I hope to shrink back into them (once I return to the gym) it's good to have a backup. Especially when it cost $3.50 (Taph had a half price card, bless her cotton (probably hand knitted) socks). And Taph found me a red cord jeans jacket which I certainly don't need (let me count the jackets I own, the red jackets I own. And the jeans jackets I own). But it was $12, half price to $6, fitted beautifully, so what the hey...

Lastly, I bought a set of Delicious magazine magnets for $1. Yes, I know they were originally free but if I remove the ones with "DELICIOUS" stamped all over them and repackage the rest I think I have a cool "extra" gift for Princess B's birthday (or Christmas)

The day ended back at Kingston (where I had left Miss Daisy) with more frugal coffee and the decision that we made good frugalling partners.

Total cost: just under $30. Oh, and if you want to know what Taph got, you'll have to ask her :-)

Meet Prudence Chastity d'sprett

We made her acquaintance today. It seems she's also planning a cruise soon and hopes to catch a good husband (if they don't run too fast!).She believes her well honed flirting skillscoupled with her obvious skills in the gentle arts will lead to a speedy marriage.And her first kiss...

Whatcha doin' moon?

We're in the middle of a lunar eclipse. I took photos but they're crap so I'm not sharing them. Sorry!

(Updated 30/8/07 with newly forwarded not crap in the slightest photo forwarded to me by Aunty A)
I feel like I should be tucked up in bed re-reading Nightfall to mark the occassion. While eating Blue Moon icecream. Oh, and listening to this
this

or this!

Bready, steady, go!

Ok, you all know I've been baking bread for a while.

But I've always felt I've been cheating somehow.

You see, there's a long and convoluted history with me and breadmaking.

Many many years ago, in another decade (and another country) I lived with someone who had Fridays off work. And on Fridays he baked bread. And it was good. So good, in fact that it was one of the reasons I lived with him. Along with his excellent taste in music. And stereos. And knives.

Fast forward to 1996 and I moved to Australia. One of the first things I bought was a "bread bowl" in the sense of "anything he can do..."

I never used it. Well, not for it's intended purpose!

Except once when I tried it with my No Knead Bread. But it was too big.

Anyway, for the last few months I've been tinkering with the No Knead Bread recipe. Adding more and more wholegrains and other healthy stuff.

But this weekend I saw Dinner Daily's Feta Bread and decided I just had to try it out. Scary as it was.

And today I baked bread. Fancy pull-apart bread. And it was good. And I was proud. And you know what? I still didn't use the bread bowl. It may end up at Vinnies. (The bowl, not the bread!)

Just as I was feeling glum because Knit 1 Blog 1 finished yesterday

Caffeine Fairy awarded me a Rockin' Girl Blogger award.

I'm so stoked. And I have another bright shiny new button for my sidebar.

Now I have to work out who I can award who hasn't already had the honour...

Place mat = Mini mat

Supplies for miniature making are right in front of you if you just think different (to steal a favorite quote)

Need a new rug for your dolls house or room box? The answer is probably staring you in the face three times a day!

Take one woven placemat (either bought especially (new around $5, op shopped around 50 cents or just steal one from your placemat stash...)
Using a contrasting pen and ruler to mark out the sized mat you want, then using your sewing machine on a wide zigzag and toning thread, sew around all four sides of the piece you have marked out. (making sure you leave three rows of the mat clear at each end for the fringe)
Cut close to the zigzag stitching down both sides of your mat, and across the ends three rows out from the stitching:Carefully pull the fringing free at each end and neaten if necessary:And it's as easy as that!(Wallpaper: Cristina Re DIY stationery $2 per sheet from most newsagents or stationers. Cork flooring: $2 for 2 A4 sheets from Go-Lo. Pink armchair: Purchased at a New Zealand miniature show in the 1980s. Price and maker long forgotten. Vintage octagonal table: eBay. Price forgotten. Babushka dolls: Approx $20 for the set from Red October gift shop, St Petersburg. Covered books: Made from commercial miniature books, covered with suitable paper cut from magazines (tutorial to follow). Green shot silk cushion: Made by me. Cream candlewick cushion: Mini swap gift. Woven bag with leather handles and flower embroidery: Made by Billie from ACTME club.)

Markets, Movies, Movenpick, Mending and being Munted

You can always tell when spring approaches in Canberra - life speeds up and the ways to spend your time multiply what seems like exponentially. Not that I'm complaining as life in Canberra is pretty damned fine except for about 8 weeks of the year, now almost passed...After a busy day yesterday a bunch of us went to check out the Night Markets down by the lake and drink mulled wine which was quite quite potent.

Afterwards there was a huge stir fry made from Farmers' Market ingredients (at J & M's - I'd spent my food money for the week on a Chocolate Mousse Martini, three raffle tickets for a bronze pear (which I didn't win) and a poster with a typo at the ANU School of Art plus a mulled wine at the night market) and we watched the short films from the Loop CD I got for my birthday. Or tried. There was too much rain and blood and general depressedness so we gave up.

Today S and I went to see Amazing Grace at:(a belated birthday treat). There were hidey holes for our handbags. Big comfy chairs with foot rests and buttons to make the chairs recline. Drinks and eats that were brought to us (not sure I liked that bit - the first time I wanted to scream "can't you see I'm trying to read the screen?! Just piss off!" but the chap had a glass of wine so I bit my tongue)
And I was quite shocked to discover a) that our food was cooked across the road at Candy Bar

but more importantly b) that they stocked Mövenpick, a favorite ice cream in New Zealand that I'd also stumbled across on my birthday a couple of years ago in Helsinki but had never seen in Australia until now. Oh - and I mended an IKEA Ribba frame that had fallen off the wall years ago, framed my poster with a typo, and hung it in pride of place in the office.
And now I'm feeling quite munted.

Saturday, and the culture continues...

Childers Street in the city was abuzz today from one end to the other.We started sort of in the middle outside The Street Theatre which was hosting State of Belonging as part of the Canberra Living Artists Week. It was described as "Loosely modelled on the Iron Chef television series, teams from the ACT and NSW will spar for the CLAW Trophy (created by glass artist Megan Bottari), with a ‘cast’ of artists, critics, judges, commentators featuring special guest H. G. Nelson from Triple J’s This Sporting Life." We arrived just in time for a parade of recycled fashions, stayed for a while to see what they were buildingthen wandered north and round the corner to The Drill Hall Gallery to see Three Creative Fellows, an exhibition of works by Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Narritjin Maymuru (who had all been awarded ANU Creative Arts Fellowships in the 1960s and 1970s.I particularly liked Sidney Nolan's 9 panelled Riverbend but also enjoyed sticky beaking at the architecture as I've not been in the Drill Hall before.From the Drill Hall it was back up the street to the ANU School of Art open day where S made a beeline to the glass department where we watched the winning designs from the Design a Goblet competition being made up. Then over to visit Ampersand Duckwhomade mea wanted poster(for incorrigible acts of blogging)

Five picture Friday

1. Let's call it lunch shall we? Koko Black Belgian Chocolate Mousse Martini.2. With the lovely Caffeine Fairy3. Followed by a visit to Civic Library to check out the Words... Pictures... Book! exhibition (which "traces the creation of a picture book from its idea to the published work, using well-known works from Australian authors and illustrators"). I found it fascinating to see how a book gets for initial idea to the final printed version.4. Speaking of children's books, I got good mail today: my Pay it Forward gift from Waldeck Dry Goods arrived today - a very cool set of four cards which are far too good to use so will probably be framed.5. And I went out today without a jumper on and didn't freeze. My trees are blossoming. Maybe just maybe Spring is within sight...

Dear Frugalling Fairy,

I have no idea what I did to make you so happy with me (but would be very grateful if you could let me know so I can do it again!).I still can't believe I managed to snaffle not only a full set of Venus fridge magnets MIPbut also an original set of Dress me up David (also MIP)PLUS extra MIP clothing sets for both Venus and David (neither of which I have in my collection) for a whopping $10 for the lot.

$10! Are you kidding me?! Let me tell you there was leaping up and down and arm waving and yelping when I spotted them, giving the Vinnies Ladies the best entertainment they've had in a good long while.

(Vinnies Lady after she's opened the cabinet and I've snatched them from the shelf: "Shall I just pop them on the counter for you while you look?"Me (clutching said magnet sets close to my chest in case the Vinnies Lady changes her mind about them being for sale, or some random op shopper leaps across the room to wrestle them from my grasp) "No, no, that's OK. I'll just hold on to them for now...")

Now, of course, the dilemma is To eBay or not to eBay?

Yours happily
The Shopping Sherpa

Ace, ay?

Ixillint news for us Kiwis without cable.

Flight of the Conchords HBO episodes in high quality, free and streaming!

Guess what I'm doing tonight?

Choiiiiiiiice!

Modern miniatures on Monday

Here's my modern mini tip for the week:

Cheap garish coloured nail varnish from Go-Lo or the $2 shop is just perfect for painting plain white china to give your mod mini scene that extra pop.

I painted a cheap basic vase bright lime green by upturning it onto a wooden skewer which I then held onto while I painted the vase (and placed in an empty bottle to hold it steady while it dried.)


After a couple of coats I had a one-of-a-kind decorative accent with a wonderful deep glaze effect.


(Cork flooring: $2 for 2 A4 sheets from the craft aisle of Go-Lo.
White coffee table: $48.95 (part of Lundby's Stockholm Living Room Set which includes sofa bed with complementing cushions, a throw rug, matching ottoman plus a credenza full of books - all 1/18th scale but some pieces work well in 1/12th.)
Turned wooden bowl from a miniature show long long ago: price and maker unfortunately forgotten.
White plastic footed fruit bowl: $2 from a pack of plastic dolls house bits found in a discount store)

Sunday

After a very quiet weekend (just what my grumpy self needed) Sunday was a tizzy of activity with a visit to the National Museum of Australia and The colours of Jenny Kee talk (which I think bookends nicely with my visit to Max Dupain - Modernist when I was in Sydney earlier this month.)

From there I raced into town to meet Aunty A as we planned to go see Boynton Beach Club with my freebie pass. Except it wasn't on when I thought it was so I took the opportunity to go see This is England instead. Good thing our next planned movie is Ratatouille as I think Aunty A needs time to recover after some of the scenes in This is England!

Fab Friday frugalling finds...

* Lovely vintage flowery double sheet: $2.00
* (Insert fanfare here) Maxwell Williams dinner plate: 50 cents. Thus bringing my total up to eight. Now all I need is those last three cereal bowls and my challenge is complete...
* Two chick lit books to read and send on their merry way: $3 each.

Grand total: $8.50.

A Kiwi quest

I got a call a few days ago from a friend: "We saw Grain Waves within the city limits and thought of you!"Once I got over the shock I asked for details. My brain was awhirl so I only remembered snippets. "...Monkey something.... car park..... Indian shop...."

The hunt was on! Google provided me with the first clue (yeah, shut up about the magnifying glass - don't all good detectives use needlework magnifiers?!) and a map.

The next day I called up my trusty not Kiwi but similarly Grain Wave addicted sidekick and we set out...Hmmm, Monkey Magic, getting close...What's that over there?My Magic Findy Finger is twitching! They're here somewhere!BINGO!Ah, I've missed you sooooooooo much (even if you are the wrong flavour!)Caffeine Fairy, meanwhile, was discovering the other Kiwi "delights" stocked by the shop. A return visit is definately in order.

Made it!

I'm stoked to see two of my items on the front page of Made It this morning!

Just the impetuous I need to spend the afternoon completing that pile of half finished items on my sewing table and get them listed.

When shall we three meet again?

In garter, stocking, or in tarsia?

Seriously though, tonight wasn't all about a reunion of three Knitaholic bags, but the first Stitch 'n' Bitch night at The Front Cafe in Lyneham.

We had a good turnout of crafty gals, some bloggy, some not. With a really interesting mix of projects.And Caffeine Fairy seemed pretty pleased with her Pay it Forward gifty from me.

Same time same place next month*, gals?

(7pm Sept 10th, The Front Cafe Lyneham Shops, if you'd like to join us)

Where to find modern miniatures: Part 2 (Furniture and accessories)

Have you caught the modern mini bug after last week's round-up of houses? Or perhaps you're thinking that maybe (just maybe) you could bring your Victorian dolls house kicking and screaming into the 21st century...

The following is a list of some of my favorite sources for buying modern miniatures (and a couple that look interesting but I haven't bought from. Yet!).

Unfortunately some of the best ranges (in my opinion) are now discontinued, but it may be worth setting up eBay alerts for if you're truly dedicated.
1. AG Minis. Alas, now discontinued and fairly highly sought after by collectors, this range was produced by American Girl between about 2000 - 2003.

I was fortunate enough to stumble across their sell out sale and bought all the pieces I loved at about half the regular price. They had a particularly good range of diner furniture (Lil's Diner) and a rather fabulous shoe shop (Petite Boutique) if you're into that sort of thing.

Voltage was 12 volt but the plugs needed to be changed if you wanted to use the lights in your standard 1/12th lighting system.

My pick:
Orange "inflatable" chair and blue atomic cushion from the Blue Room add-ons set. From this set I'm also currently using both (reversible) pictures and the vase of orange flowers, so it was money well spent. 2. Delph miniatures A UK based company with a wonderful range of appliances, office furniture and supplies, prepackaged food everything you might need for your miniature hairdressing salon. Well worth a visit.


My pick:I snapped up the coffee plunger the minute I saw it and also have their CD rack and Electric kettle in my Kaleidoscope House living area plus their binders , a document box and wallet in the study.

3. The Dolls House Emporium has a selection of modern furniture and accessories (but won't let me borrow their images...) Be careful though as some of their pieces run rather large. I bought their Bang & Olufsen stereo and ended up sending it back as it was just too big...

My pick:I believe their modern bathroom is the best around (and very Starck)
4. ELF Miniatures Another UK based company who specialise in up-to-the-minute kitchens, bathroomsand bedrooms for your dolls house.

My pick: Can I just move into that kitchen above? Pretty please with a cherry on top? 5. Kaleidoscope House furniture. Now discontinued, of course.

The furniture was designed by Jasper Morrison, Ron Arad, Michael Graves and Karim Rashid. Accessories by Jonathan Adler and artwork by Peter Halley, Carroll Dunham, Mel Kendrick, Mel Kruger and others. What wasn't to love? There was even promise of a 1/12th scale Marc Newson Car which never eventuated.

My pick:Hard as it is to decide, I'd go with the Jasper Morrison sectional sofa. 6. Kari Bloom Miniton Miniatures for great modern (and retro) sofas and chairs. Loving this 50s style rita chair!

7. Lundby. As I said last last week, this range would work if you were happy to move into 3/4 scale.

A number of the accessories would also work well in 1/12th scale, especially those that in real life come in a range of sizes (lights, bowls, books, rugs, pictures, dogs, cats and plants, for example)

My pick: I particularly like the rice paper ceiling lights and metal lights, although if I wanted them to be working lights in a 1/12th scene I have to change the wiring from 4 volt (Lundby standard) to 12 volt (1/12th scale standard) 8. Our Generation Miniatures Also discontinued. They were similar to the AG Minis line but cheaper (I believe they were mainly sold in Target in the States, but I also spotted a couple of sets in a department store in Windsor, England in 2003.)

My pick:They had fabulous iMac computers!

9. Reac Designer Chair Collections 1-5. You've heard me praise these several times already, and with good cause. 1/12th scale models of some of the most famous chairs in the world? At decent prices (around $24.95 each of you buy them retail in Australia, less if you buy them direct from Hong Kong on eBay)? What's not to love?!

My pick: Buy them all!

10. Re-ment My Room furniture and accessories. (Watch out as Rement does a large range of pieces in 1/6th Barbie/ Blythe scale. You're not after those, you're after the smaller (now discontinued, I believe- the story of a modern miniaturist's life!) versions. Once again, eBay is probably your best bet.

My pick: I particularly love the shelf cubes and the bubble clock.

11. The House that Jacq Built. Another UK based company which I don't know much about but has some interesting looking pieces...

12. eBay. A standard Houses, Miniatures search for (modern,contemporary) can often pull up all sorts of interesting bits and pieces. Make sure you check the Worldwide box for the best selection of goodies!

Baby steps

I've just opened my Made It store, even though there's only one thing in it at the moment. Yeah, I thought I'd go for the whole minimalist approach...

Seriously though, I figured I had to start sometime and if I waited until I had a huge teetering pile of beautiful goodies to list it might just never happen.

I'm thinking a small constant stream of new things might be easier all round than nothing for ages and a huge deluge once a month.

So there you go. Notice the nice new badge link over there on the left for your convenience.

Comments, ideas and (constructive!) criticism more than welcome!

A random Sunday afternoon post

It was a late night last night as it was J's 40th birthday party. So I had a slow start this morning.

I tried to do some sewing but the sewing mojo seems to have gone elsewhere for the day. After the second stuff-up I decided to give it a rest.But not before cleaning out my sewing machine tool box. I've had my sewing machine since 1983. So why is it I've still not worked out exactly what all these bits that came with it are for and how to use them? Maybe I should add that to the list of things I want to learn this year (Is there a sewing machine feet course available, do you think?)Since actually sewing wasn't going to be a happening thing today I thought I'd have a play with the idea of selling some of the vintage fabric I've collected. This is one set of fat quarters I put together which I plan to list on Made it.A post-lunch supermarket chocolate run was in order and I discovered stealth Kiwi food supplies!

I've not been focusing on the Woolies Select chocolate biscuit line but today realised it seems to be pretty much the entire NZ Griffins choccie bikkie line, repackaged!

Also discovered were "Pineapple Blocks" which I found in the lolly aisle skulking on the bottom shelf half hidden behind a pole. I can attest that they don't taste too different to the real thing (not that I've had the real thing for months)And I found a new time-waster: virtual Message in a bottle, and a rediscovered old favorite: Rockstarter - Make your own damn band!

And now I think it's about time for an afternoon nap...

Second Hand Saturday: all fabric, all the time!

Guess that answers my question as to whether I'll be partaking in Use What You Have Month for a third month running, then...

At least my faith in the op shops of the Canberra region is restored. On the other hand, my faith in my ability to actually get through all my stash is looking very shaky.

Do you think there's a market for vintage fabric fat quarter bundles?

Mirror in the bathroom...

Who do I see?

My small lunch guest on his best look don't touch behaviour.He enjoyed the company of my smaller lunch guest (who didn't seem so sure about his new friend's exuberance!)and happily modelled his favorite jumper for me:

How was your lunch?

Today is Singapore's National Day...

...and also the day my final payment was due for my November cruise to Singapore. Sort of fitting, I thought.

I'm a sad woman though - I was toying with the idea of buying a portable sewing machine to take with me to set up in my cabin. The thought of 18 days with no sewing was just too scary. Luckily I saw sense and talked myself out of such a mad cap scheme...

(Image courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board)

"What I've got for free" Wednesday

I had other plans for today's post but since I've not been able to deliver my first Pay it Forward gift as planned that will have to wait... (which reminds me - I still have one spot free if you'd like to join in!)

Instead here's a twist on my old Friday Frugal and Free posts. I've been pretty lucky this past week with free stuff:

* On Wednesday last week I got free tickets to see Boynton Beach Club coutesy of Canberra Theatre. I wonder how Hopscotch Films manage to stay in business when there are free tickets available to pretty much everything they release? I shouldn't complain as it makes me a happy girl indeed!* Also on Wednesday, the latest issue of Inside Out mag dropped into my post box with a set of free postcards attached. Pity I'm in no mood to update my notice board at the moment...

* Then Made it offered me free credit to list stuff this week. Unfortunately I'm running way WAY behind with this plan (blame the order fairy. Not a bad thing!)

* On Thursday Princess B and I noticed this sign in the window of Rowie's:and now Princess B's fridge is decorated thus:

(my cake was free anyway since Princess B paid for it. Just as well as I made a sticky mess all over her car...)

* On Friday I got a very nice bottle of wine from work (plus a slap up lunch) Both were consumed before pictures could be taken.

* Saturday saw Princess B and I get free entry to The Powerhouse Museum since I've got membership for the next 3 years...

* ... and we both got a free Home Beautiful magazine. Princess B also got a free newspaper but I wasn't interested.

That damned rabbit...

It would seem that Trudy has been lead astray by Lulu and got into the yarn stash at Knit 1 Blog 1.

I think I need to go and have a talk with her tomorrow...

My kitchen has reached a state of satorial splendour

Today at Woolies I spotted white sponges!

After doing the happy dance (luckily there was no one else in the aisle), I scooped up the entire supply and whisked them home. Which means I now have a three and a half year supply of sponges to go with my black rubber gloves. (I'm stopping myself from visiting every other supermarket in the city and cleaning (hardy har) them out too.)

My dish washing accessories coordinate. My life is fulfilled.

Where to find modern miniatures: Part 1 (Houses)

I'm very aware that finding modern dolls houses, furniture and accessories often takes a lot more digging that buying the standard Victorian. So over the next couple of weeks I'd like to share some of the sources I've found for modern houses (this week) and furniture and accessories (next week).

All items are standard 1/12th scale unless I mention otherwise. If I miss something out, please leave me a comment or drop me an email!1. The Dolls House Emporium stocks the Malibu Beach House (see above) which is available in a number of kit options plus fully assembled. They also have a miniature Mackintosh House and furniture and a Lutyens House for the 20th century purists among us.

2. Across the pond, Real Good Toys offers a contemporary ranch house kit.

3. If you're lucky you might be able to track down a Kaleidoscope House by Bozart Toys. eBay is probably your best bet at this stage as it's been out of production for quite some years. 4. Villa Sibi by Wolfgang Sirch & Christoph Bitzer is a true modernist house (and is currently on sale at Modern Nursery.)5. If price was no object I would have commissioned Mark Turpin to build me a house like Diamante .6. If you're happy to consider 3/4 scale, check out the new Lundby Stockholm house (with pull out patio and pool!)

Do you find this odd?

These are the adverts at Canberra airport baggage carousel...Betya don't get that anywhere else!

(Oh - and does that first one come in pink?)

My day in pictures (because I'm too stuffed to write screeds)

Today was:

1. An early start down at Pyrmont for the Good Living Growers' Market2. Followed by a wander around Darling Harbour while waiting for The Powerhouse Museum to open3. And the first Krispin K tour of the season (cue applause and cheering)Which, as self designated Head Nigel Sutton Groupie, I have to say was fabulous. (Luckily it's the truth!)4. This year we were extremely lucky to have not just the Krispin K tour, but also a Krispin K show in the afternoon

Which was just brilliant. He's promised it'll be up on the Powerhouse site sometime soon so I'll keep an eye out for it and add a link.

The sights of Sydney

So what's a girl to do with a day off in Sydney? Check out a gallery or two? Have a wander round Pitt Street Mall? Check out the Japanese craft books at Kinokuniya?

Of course not, I had a whole new suburb's worth of op shops to check out!

Meet Marrickville. Three op shops (and lots of discount stores and cheap crappy fabric shops.)

Op shop one: Salvos. Thumbs down big time, unfortunately. Were they playing "Salvos Radio" (is there such a thing?!) or just a happy clappy radio station? Whichever, it put me quite off. The shop was dark and cluttered, the stock looked particularly sad and tired. I bought nothing.

Further down the street, op shop two: The Smith Family (I fought the urge to have a two minute silence outside for the death of Canberra's Smith Family Shop)Once again, it was small and cluttered and nothing jumped out at me. No groovy vintage linen or fabric and no wool to be seen at all...

So by the time I got to the bottom of the hill and op shop three, I wasn't expecting much. But then I noticed the sign said St Vincent de Paul Society not Vinnies. My heart lept. My breath quickened. Yes! I had found an old style Vinnies!They had woo... err yarn (very lurid colours very odd ingredients. I left it alone). They had buttons (I bought 13, for a total of $1.30 - slight more than I'm used to paying but I was getting kinda desperate to buy something) Still no decent fabric or knitting needles but after the last two stops I was happy enough.

But on the whole, I won't be in a tearing hurry to head back to the op shops of Marrickville next time I'm in town.

Wanna see my picture on the cover...

The latest edition of The Tiny Times arrived today and I'm so chuffed to see my picture on the cover (and page 6, and page 10, oh and there I am again on page 22!)

I suppose this means I should actually, you know, make some miniatures sometime soon...