Self Portrait Tuesday - Seven @ 7

Week 3 (from left to right, top to bottom):
1. 7am Tuesday 14 March 06: Loading books onto Bookcrossing before I send them off to Sewthrifty.
2. 7pm Tuesday 14 March 06: Trying to decide what to make for dinner.
3. 7pm Wednesday 15 March 06: On the phone with Mum.
4. 7am Friday 17 March 06: Putting away CDs.
5. 7pm Friday 17 March 06: Friday night drinks at Trinity with J & M.
6. 7pm Saturday 18 March 06: Clearing up the study
7. 7am Monday 20 March 06: Having a sleep in because it’s Canberra Day.

The $78 Pump class...

I went to the gym this morning. It cost me $78.

No, I don't belong to a wanky posh super expensive gym. I belong to one of the (if not the) cheapest gyms in town.

So why did my class cost me $78? Because I pay for my membership monthly and I haven't been in six weeks. *blush*

(Soundtrack: The Christians, The Christians)

Domestics, drama and dawdling

Today was my favorite sort of Sunday - it started off quiet and overcast. The sort of day where you feel that you have every right to throw any grandiose plans (ie: go to gym, attend 6:15 am launching of hot air balloons for Circus of the Air) out the window and spend it pottering instead.

In the morning I did some baking:They don't look much like I planned but they still taste damned good which is the important part. Ginger cakes with ginger icing (and if that wasn't enough in the ginger department) dark chocolate coated ginger delight on the top. Next time I'll make double quantity of the ginger icing to get that properly covered look.

Then, as MR was coming for lunch I did some more baking. And soup making:(home made tomato soup with feta, spinach and olive muffins. Yuuum!)

Then we headed off to the National Museum to see The Dora Fay Davenport Show: how to achieve domestic bliss ("This lifestyle show is set in a television studio in 1957, the year after television was introduced in Australia. The Dora Fay Davenport Show: How to Achieve Domestic Bliss is presented by Dora Fay Davenport, a fictitious celebrity") which has to have been the best $5 I have spent in a good long while.

And I was very happy to see Nigel Sutton involved as I've been a fan of his since I did my first Krispin K tour of the Powerhouse Museum during design week. Speaking of The Powerhouse - the show is heading that way next month so go see it if you get the chance.

WARNING: GRATUITOUS APRON SHOT COMING UP:

Afterwards I dragged poor MR off to experience K Space without telling her a thing about it. Luckily she had fun and is still talking to me...

Into town for last minute shoe hunting for MR then coffee. And on the way back to the car we passed an old friend who obviously has other admirers...

(Soundtrack: Bluespeak, Dark Blue)

Second Hand Saturday

Let me share two of my favorite frugalling destinations with you - and since they are within a block of each other it seems silly not to visit one when you visit the other. Vinnies in Belconnen (one of the things I like about Vinnies is their shops are all clean and bright) As you can see from this picture taken at the door this is rather a lot bigger than The Brain Injury Foundation shop (but still not big enough to need a cart!) First stop is the craft area to check out what's new. Unfortunately nothing interesting here today... It was obviously book day as that's all I ended up with (all together now: Like I need any more books!) plus a set of cupboard safety catches which are destined for V & M - not that Little is anywhere near the stage of needing something like that to keep him safe. Total: $18. Onwards and across the carpark to Salvos, stopping on the way to use the wipes I bought last week to clean my hands (great tip and what a difference it made!) View from the door to the left (bric a brac and furniture) And to the right (clothes and manchester)But I left empty handed and headed home. Where I discovered a garage sale about 10 doors up the road so stopped in to have a nosy and found this chair for $15. I suspect it's originally from the ANU and if I'm very lucky it might be a Fred Ward (have emailed a colleague at The National Capital Authority Library to see if she can throw some light on the matter) Then again it would be a good thing if it's not a Fred Ward as straight after lunch I attacked it with my wenge stain and next I plan to see if I can recover the seat without ruining it...
(Soundtrack: Waves complilation)

The bird has landed!

Since I know Pink Rocket does Air Force speak I thought that would be a good code to let her know her pacakage arrived this morning. One of the dishes she sent in my original swap turned up broken so she decided to send me this as a replacement. What a sweetie! (Both the bird and Pink Rocket)

And he was wrapped in so many layers of bubble wrap and tissue paper I felt like I should invite my friends over for a game of Pass the Parcel.

But instead we headed off to check out the Majura Festival vintage night market (where I was tempted but held firm with the repeated use of the mantra "Nyork nyork nyork" which seemed to work quite well) followed by wine and free nibbles at Trinity. Not bad for $5:It's Canberra Day weekend this weekend and I'd planned a lovely relaxed catch-up-with-stuff sort of weekend. Then I blinked and suddenly my weekend is a seething mass of activity. Sigh...

(Soundtrack: Sola Rosa, Entrance to Skyway)

Tits!

I really should ban myself from reading magazines when knitting as this is the second whoopsie on The Jumper Based on a True Pattern caused because I was too busy reading to notice what I was doing.

Sigh... I think it's time for bed. I'll sort it out later.
(Soundtrack: Jane Siberry, When I was a Boy)

Corners of my Home: Week 6 (mini version)

Wendy's bedroom in the Kaleidoscope House. I made the wardrobe during Craft Catch Up earlier this year after having it on my "To Do" list for, oh, about three and a half years. Block mounted Vepsa pictures are souvenirs from Florence (magnets) and the "inflatable" chair and orange bag are from the (sadly) now defunct American Girl AG Minis line. Cushions were new from eBay as were the vintage bed and (just seen) daisy rug. Through the door to the very left of the previous photo is Wendy's study. This was originally designed as a bathroom but as Wendy lives alone she converted the second bedroom into a larger bathroom and this room became the study.

Study unit built by me. Jacobsen tulip chair by Kim Selwood at The London Dolls House Festival. He kindly let me buy his samples when he heard I was heading back to Australia. Files from Delph Miniatures and iMac from the Our Generation range by Battat (I believe it was originally sold in Target in the USA but I got mine from eBay). Red chair model came from a nuphonic compilation CD called cap one (which just goes to show you can find stuff for your dolls house almost anywhere if you have your eyes open!) And finally, vintage German lamp from eBay.Downstairs is the lounge with a Jasper Morrison couch made for Kaleidoscope Houses pairs with an AG Minis rug, picture (on fireplace) and coffee table. In the far corner are a pair of vintage German made orange Panton chairs around Kim Selwood's tulip table and and a German green cabinet. The Eames stool in the foreground is by Herman Miller and the Le Corsusier chair to the left is from Raine's Take a Seat range. I only wish I could afford to have this sort of furniture in full size...

The ongoing saga of The Jumper Based on a True Pattern...

At Craft Catch Up on Monday I realised that if I continued on with my arm knitting the way I was I would possibly end up with a jumper that looked like this:

Which isn't really the look I was after.

So in order to let the ol' subconscious come up with a solution I decided the best course of action was to have another glass of wine (now that was a mistake, let me tell you!), set aside the first sleeve and start on the second one.

You see, my plan is that by the time I get to the same point in sleeve number 2 I will know what to do next. Which will probably entail knitting the neck, sewing in the ends and having another glass of wine while still trying to decide what to do.

If all else fails I'll go with the "What's the worst that could happen?" question to which I know the answer now - I'll end up with too short sleeves instead and will have to wear the jumper with the sleeves pushed up to try and hide the fact. Or brazen it out muttering randomly about how bracelet length sleeves are really fashionable right now didn't you know?

(Soundtrack: Eddi Reader, Mirmama)

Package arrived, mysteries revealed...

Chrissie from The Grace Space left a note today to say my swap parcel had arrived safely so I can now unveil the Swap Mysteries (and all the other goodies I sent her)

In her swap questionnaire Chrissie said she liked purples, yellows, lime green, & turquoise. She had just started collecting softies, loved and collected mermaids, birds, peacocks already. She enjoys quilting, loves chocolate and is about to have a baby girl to join her two sons.(Top to bottom left(ish) to right(ish):

1. 3 second-hand pillowcases to use for patchwork plus 1 metre of pink, lime green and yellow denim (might make a cute baby overall or carry bag?)
2. (Swap Mystery number 5) 2 Wiggles colouring books, 1 each (so no fighting!)
3. Australian children's book: No mermaids here
4. Vintage 1950s flamingo picture
5. Second-hand pink scarf with green and blue stripes
6. (Swap Mystery number 3) Second-hand pop up book: The secret mermaid handbook
7. (Swap Mystery number 2) Pre loved bunny softie who followed me home one day - he declared, since he was a Canberra bunny, his name was Walter. Walter Bunny Griffin.
8. Multi pack of Caramello chocolate koalas. To eat in the bath. (Not second-hand, you'll be pleased to hear!)
9. Ditto bag of salt & vinegar chips. Pink. Also to eat in the bath
10. Second-hand Rock Australia compilation CD
11. (Swap Mystery number 1) Thrifted pink vase
12. Baby sized mermaid pyjamas
13. Two small vintage notebooks
14. (Swap Mystery number 6) Second-hand limited edition Arnotts 125 anniversary Ken Done biscuit tin with parrot on the top
15. Sheet of Australia stickers
16. Vintage lime green and pink bird playing swap card
17. (Swap Mystery number 4) Second-hand round tin and cork coaster set
18. Second-hand pink cord backpack bag with appliqued cat.

Self Portrait Tuesday - Seven @ 7

Week 2 (from left to right, top to bottom):

1. 7am Tuesday 7 March 06: Spending quality time with Nibbs.
2. 7am Thursday 9 March 06: Eating breakfast and reading Wallpaper*.
3. 7pm Thursday 9 March 06: Working on The Jumper Based on a True Pattern.
4. 7am Friday 10 March 06: In the shower early so I can drop the beater off at the fixit place.
5. 7pm Friday 10 March 06: Driving back from feeding Daisy and George for J who is in NZ for the weekend.
6. 7am Saturday 11 March 06: A little light pre-breakfast reading.
7. 7pm Saturday 11 March 06: Hanging out the washing.

Why bother buying plane tickets?

I seem to be able to travel (without realising it) to the other side of the world...

Cool! Can't wait for a return visit....

And since I appear to be posting, I thought I'd share some pics of my visit today to my local op (thrift) shop (are you with me, Pink Rocket?): The approach (I'm never quite sure if the chair is for sale or to sit in while perusing the books outside the shop). Time from my desk? Oh, about 1 minute.Come inside! No need for a cart. Or a basket. If you like something, bring it to the counter and they'll hold onto it for you... Oh! I guess this would be the kitchenware/ bric a brac/ childrenswear/ patterns/ fabric/ craft/sound/luggage aisle!And way over the other side would be the shoes/ manchester/ books/ toys aisle. And look! The lovely Maria is working today and takes great pride in showing me the pile of stuff still waiting to be sorted in the back room (note: this picture was taken with me standing in the doorway to the back room)

And I left with a few little somethings for a certain saucy minx which I got cheap since I didn't have quite enought money. The refrain "That's OK, you're a regular" was music to my ears and I promised a donation next time I was in.

Travel Trivia: souvenirs

I was catching up on my teetering pile of magazines this weekend (you know you're in deep trouble when the new edition of something arrives and you still haven't read the last edition. Especially when the old edition was a double one) and was captivated by an article by Jane Withers in Dec/ Jan's Wallpaper* entitled "No more straw donkeys" (sorry, can't find the article online anywhere).

Its byline is "It's time souvenirs were sexy and sophisticated rather than tacky and cliched" which got me to thinking about what I might be wanting to get in The States and what I've bought as souvenirs in the past (no straw donkeys, you'll be pleased to hear!)

I won't mention souvenirs already discussed here (kitchen dresser goodies) here (round things), here (garland light) and here (tea towels). OK - I lied on the last one: here's a gratuitous shot of some tea towels:(L to R: Stockholm (Sweden); Conran Shop, London (United Kingdom); Wellington (New Zealand)

I have to have an I heart NY tshirt to add to my collection of gym T shirts. I love that I now have a reason to buy souvenir T shirts...
(top to bottom, L to R: Moomintroll, Helsinki (Finland); Vespa Cafe Aroma, Napier (New Zealand); Legend of the Seas kids tshirt from first cruise 2002; Mini The Minx, Glasgow (Scotland); Mickey to Tiki, Christchurch Art Gallery (New Zealand); Nice/ Monaco/ St Paul, Cote D'azure (France)

I seem to have a habit of collecting cheap "art" (in quotes in case you don't agree that it can be considered art) from wherever I find myself: 1. One of two metal relief pieces from The Glasgow School of Art. Total cost for both including frames: $AU30.2. Very cheap etching from Red October in St Petersburg showing the ports we visited on that cruise. Framed courtesy of IKEA. (Shall I mention the TaTu Cd I bought on the same day? Nah....) 3. Two little somethings I found in the back streets of Venice. Debated about which one I was going to get (almost resorted to "eeny meeny miney mo" until I discovered the 10 Euro quoted were for both. Frames and mats cost more that the prints!)

Books, of course, are always an excellent souvenir except for their weight. I have been known to take advantage of Book Rate postage but try to limit myself and carry the offending objects in my hand luggage (along with the piles of CDs I usually purchase - main reason I don't own an MP3 player) Dolls house furniture is small and easy to tuck away (shoes are a good place)(From the London Dolls House Festival)

Oddest souvenirs: A tie between the pegs I got in New Zealand and the black and white mop (also from New Zealand) which caused a few raised eyebrows in the customs hall.
Oh and the toothpaste and toothbrushes I bought in bulk from Boots The Chemist in London, England: Or maybe the very funky BEE cleaning range from New Zealand:

What's your favorite or oddest souvenir??

And should I consider this seriously as a suitable purchase in the USA?

(Soundtrack: Rogue Traders, We know what you're up to)

Today's posts brought to you by the letters P and C and the number 6

Let's play a little game shall we?

I spy with my little eye something beginning with C...

• Comfortable Couch maybe?
• Coffee plunger?
• Cup and saucer?
• Cool Cushions?
• Cake stand?

or could it possibly, just maybe, perhaps stand for

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES?

(To quote a favourite movie: inconceivable!)

Ahhh pizza - I've missed you so...

I remember a few years ago my friend Marilyn was visiting from New Zealand and asked "so, have you settled in and found your favorite pizza and takeaway places?" and thought it was quite odd that I didn't have a favourite pizza place like I had back there.

Firstly I think it's because pizza places in Canberra are pretty staid and boring compared to what I was used to in Wellington (can someone open a Hell Pizza franchise in Canberra please?) and secondly by the time you order the damned thing, wander off to pick it up (or if you're feeling very very rich, wait around while it comes to you) you could have made it, eaten it, done the dishes and be onto your second glass of wine.

So I make my own:

My standard "I can't be shagged making dinner*" storecupboard pizza

1 ready made small pizza base (I keep a pack of these in the freezer)
2 Tablespoons tomato salsa
A handful of baby spinach
50g smoked salmon
Quarter of a red capsicum, sliced lengthwise
Wedge of Blue Castello cheese
Salad

Turn oven on to 220 c to heat while you put the pizza together.

Spread the tomato salsa over the pizza base. Arrange the destalked spinach over the top then add the smoked salmon and the red capsicum slices (I tend to build a wall with it so the cheese doesn't all met off the edges but you might find that all a little too anal) and finally the cheese, cut into pieces.

Chuck (sorry, place gently) in the oven and wander off to do something else for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with salad.

(*or lunch, in this case)

(Soundtrack: Nordic Lounge Volume 1)

The Frugalling Forum

I set out today to cover four op shops I've not visited yet (St Vinnies and Salvos Tuggeranong, St Vinnies and the second Salvos in Queanbeyan) and round off the experience with one I have that I like (Salvos Queanbeyan, just in case the others turned out to be rotters). And I did pretty well, after a slow start... For me:

Scarf: $2, Mug with trees on: 50 cents, 3 pairs knitting needles: $1 each, Brand new icing set (for the mythical cupcakes): $3, red tartan pencil case: 50 cents, 3 books: $9 total and a black and white jam pot (for when I have people over for scones with jam and cream): 50 cents.

I also added my other 2 bargains to the picture- 1 kg pasta: $1.60 and a set of black coloured pencils (if that makes sense?!): $3.00 from The Warehouse (which just happens to be right next door to The Salvos in Queanbeyan)And for other people:

Cool green single doona cover which could be used as is or cut up for small people clothes: $3, a very old and very thick white cotton sheet which was to go to V for Little but might end up in my fabric stash instead: $2, 2 books by Australian authors which I have but others might enjoy: $2, very old book on Rome for Alison to use with her kids to make their trip diaries during their upcoming European jaunt (I figured old buildings always look the same no matter how old the book is): $1 and a Frost French (!) scarf with ladies and lingerie: $2.Today's total: $26.50 (excluding pasta and pencils)

Pink Rocket wrote today about her method of scoping out a store. I don't really have a method yet except walk in, start at the left and work my way round, panicking the whole time that someone else has already got to the perfect treasure meant just for me. Is this a normal reaction when in an op shop?

I don't bother with clothes on the whole as I already have quite a lot and I've not had much luck the few times I've been to an op shop looking for clothing. Although I do a very quick check for anything black and white striped!

Areas I always check are books, kitchenware, manchester, craft stuff (usually hidden in about three or four areas - hats off to Vinnies Belconnen for their recent reorganisation which now puts fabric, wool, haberdashery and craft books all in the same place. Extra kudos for moving the sewing patterns to a display rack which displays them face out. Points off for still having the knitting needles way over the other side of the shop along with the buttons.)

Not many of the shops I go to have a furniture section but if there is one I usually have a quick peek but so far all I've found is stuff that looks like it should be at Revolve out at the tip.

Sew Thrifty suggested she might start taking pics of her fave op shops and post them on her blog. I got thinking - maybe we should set up a community blog with op shop reviews around the world - including addresses, opening hours and photos.

Waddaya think?

(Soundtrack: Moby, Play)

Maybe a tad too organised?

Here's what I spent Friday night doing (apart from drinking wine, writing my blog and burning my old pictures to CD so my computer isn't so congested).

Yep, it's a spreadsheet of all the op shops in and around Canberra and when I last visited them. I discovered a few I didn't know about so I think my quest for today will be to visit the new ones. After I've picked up my beater from the repair shop.

I dropped it off yesterday morning and the chap behind the counter said "Oh, yes, I see what you mean. Our repairman is on holidays til Monday so we'll get onto it next week". Then I told him the (long) sad story of the ongoing quest for cupcakes and he decided he might be able to have a look at it before Monday. And yesterday afternoon I got a call ordering a delivery of cupcakes as the beater was fixed. Guess I'll be making two batches of them over the weekend, then...

Almost forgot - bottom right hand corner of the picture is a wee experiment with the Homespun yarn Pink Rocket sent me, the flower pattern and much larger needles. I like. A lot! Hoping to find a very cheap brooch in my travels today so I can cannibalise it for the backing and attach it to this - although maybe a safety pin would do the trick?

(Soundtrack: Men without Hats, Folk of the 80s (Part III))