7 days of loot, glorious loot finale.....

So our 7 days of loot, glorious loot organized by tinnie girl has come to an end.
Of course I've kept the best for last.

Food, glorious, food.

We need it, to grow up big and strong, so why not make sure every morsel put into your mouth, is nutritious and delicious. Why not?
Cause nutritious = blandishious. There's only so much salad, and veggies one can bare before we throw all good intentions in the bin and hit the takeaway trail with gusto.

Just when I couldn't stand the thought of another steamed veggie, I found a new spice range to save the day. Max & Dex.


My baked sweet potatoes smothered in a scrumptious herb loves garlic spice blend were transformed and then I turned that bland grilled chicken into a taste bud delight when marinated in the sensational backyard blend.


Proudly, and perfectly blended in the beautiful Yarra valley, is this exciting new range of blends and marinades to spice up your life. Preservative free and all natural, you can't go wrong.

From fennel spice rub for your seafood, to cocoa crust for your pork there is just so much to choose from.
I've had the pleasure of trialing some marinade in a bag prototypes, and It has honestly given my little health kick just what it needed to keep me on track. Turned my boring grilled chicken into a meal sensation I kid you not.
I savoured every bite................


And what better way to top off a perfect meal, than with some delicious gingerbread. This lovely stash from Cathie at Melbourne epicure is just the best gingerbread you're gunna try.

Happy mothers day, to all you crafty mothers.

I've had fun spending 7 days sharing all the loot I've acquired over the last month. A lot of it was due to the generous nature of fellow marketeers that traded with me. I'm so glad that I've had the opportunity to meet so many crafty peeps, and look forward to meeting many more.

Long live handmade and micro business.
Support the little guys, one day it could be you.

Day 6 of loot.

For day 6's post of 7 days of Loot, glorious loot, I'm taking you into the bedroom.

Who ever thought I'd get sooo personal when I started blogging!

Don't worry.

It's nothing from the X rated stores, just more of my fabulous goodies that have ranked so high on the I-love-it-so-much-o- meter that they have been taken into the bedroom.
The retreat, the palace, the boudoir.
If I was in 'The Castle' I'd be saying, these ones........go straight to the pool room.

Hoot the owl By: Flickettysplits

Firstly is my new owl. His body is a funky retro swirl and stripe, his eyes a brocade in sage, wit purple buttons peeping out. A glorious mishmash of fabrics, in all my favourite colors.
Originally I had seen a birdie at miss flickettysplits market stall in Thornbury, that I loved. He almost came home with me, but the day got away from me and before you knew it, it was time to pack up. I vowed to head over earlier at the next one so I didn't miss out.
To my delight this little owl was there drenched in me'ness hooting out to be taken home. T'was love at first sight and it was definitely straight to the pool room for this one.

Hubby asked on the way home, if it was for our son Finn. Not this one baby. He's mine.
Alas....who do you think gets his little mitts on it whenever he can.

Next is this fabulous, just fabulous bowl that I picked up at the trash n' treasure in Coburg.
The color is amazing, the shape and texture is just Divine. It also lives in the bedroom, pride of place on the dresser.


It's slowly being filled with all my favourite jewels. The seller said she had hundreds of pieces of this glassware at home (drool) and had decided to part with some of it............I'm so glad.

I've been back a few times hoping she'd have some more, but no luck. I can't complain. I got one at least.

Tomorrow's loot will be taking us into the kitchen.
To check out more looters visit tinniegirl.

Day 5 and still going strong!

Ti's day 5 of Loot, glorious loot, and there's still more goodies to show and tell.
Today it's back to accessories. Where would I be without them.

I finally bowed to my inner urge of needing one of those necklaces with chunky vintage beads. What draws me to them aside from the vintage appeal and bold block colors, is the unevenness of it all. The red flower sorta sits off centre. Very cute.

Blooming flower necklace: by Mykonos

When I design, everything is mirrored left to right. If I did try to break the mold of matching pairs, I would fear strangers approaching me and saying, you put odd earrings on today darl. But I do love the look.

One lump or two cute stud earrings by: fluffington

Haven't ventured out into the miss matched earrings as yet, but when I do I'm lovin' these.

Next is another curlypops original, shades of silver/grey and purple, with a scrumptiously textured button finishing it off perfectly. I see she has some more crazy stitching in the progress in shades of red. Hopefully it becomes another fab brooch for me to choose. Can't get enough of them.

Flower brooch by: curlypops

Now a market is not complete without another addition from buttons by loulou. This time her Little babushkas on denim captured my heart.

Bonny babushkas (thats what I call them) by: Buttons by lou lou

Finally some shoes for Finn. I love purple on little boy's and this design with a black bat by Konstant Kaos is just the bee's knees. I would have taken a picture with them on, but they are already in the wash after 5 days straight of new shoe love and baby boy adventures. That's probably the best part, that you can wash them, and dadaa! Like new again.

Kokka purple bat shoes by: konstant Kaos

Back tomorrow for part 6 of loot, where I'll be taking you into the bedroom. Oooooh.

Day 4 of Loot, glorious loot.

Well for today's entry of 7 days of loot, glorious loot, organized by the fabulous Tinniegirl I have decided to bring you into the bathroom.

Bird in a bath tub: by barkingbirdart

So often my crafty splurges are accessories, accessories and yes even more accessories. Bangles, pendants, rings, studs and a recent addition, hair pins.
I guess my love of accessories stems from the fact that my clothes are some what ordinary....ooh such a nasty word. O.k conservative, no still not quite right, ummm lets say classic basics. Yeah that's better.
So, for me accessories are my avenue of self expression. All the fun, color and quirkiness come out in the little bits I buy to complete my look. Tis' a look that is still evolving, as I sometimes feel I'm held back from truly presenting myself the way I would like, as I don't fit into the designer shop clothes. I tells yah, if the designers at Lupa in Westgarth, went to a size 20, I'd be in heaven. Totally broke, but in heaven.

Thank god for all the fabulous crafty accessory designers out there.
One size fits all. I Love you.

Oh Yes, I was taking you into the bathroom today, back to the subject at hand.

So, my glorious loot today is some of my finds at the Thornbury Market on the weekend. My stall neighbour was the lovely Sarah from Shameful, with an amazing display of shower caps. The fabrics used were just divine, so bright, bold and many retro inspired.

Once in the shower I do tend to always wet my hair, but....sometimes, just sometimes, late at night in the middle of winter, I have been know to turn the lights down low, amp up the heater and sink into a hot bubbly bath.
Now you don't want to go to bed with wet hair, do yah!

So in comes my fabuloso, positively gorgeous new shower cap. It was so hard to decide which color to get. And yes I did try them on in the mirror, to help me decide. Why?......I'm not quite sure. Cause, ain't no one gunna see me in the bath. Just me, hot hot water, some bubbles and the best shower cap ever!
Continuing the bathroom theme, next I have my new flannels. Two face washers lovingly crotchet around the edges, also from Thorbury market.
Old age pending, or something like that, has made my skin change from it's usual youthful oiliness. Now I have dry patches on my face.
It's all down hill they say.
So after experimenting with different exfoliates, I can testify that my daily face wash on a face washer has proved to be a better exfoliate than anything else I've tried so far.

Thank god for Nana's continuing the lost art of crotchet edged flannels.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more product updates, and day 5's offering of loot, glorious loot.
My best is yet to come.

Absence gave room for creativity to flourish...

My absence in blog land for 2 weeks out of this month was to take stock, refocus and put the hard yard in with some new designs.
I'm making up for my time away by taking part in tinniegirls 7 days of loot glorious loot. (I'll have day fours offering for ye'all a little later)

For now, I need to show off some of my new products.
Locals would have had a sneak preview at the Thornbury market on the weekend, but for my interstate and international comrades........check these out.
First up are these fabulous scissor holders. I created them as a special place to hold your number one scissors. You know the ones that no-one is allowed to touch.
Growing up I remember needing to cut up sticky tape, and egg cartons for sculptural masterpieces in grade 3. Now, as an 8 year old, my only thought when looking for tools of the trade where merely 'if it cuts, it'll do' I didn't know why mum's special scissors were any different to the orange handled ones I could never find. Well actually the one noticeable difference was the look on mums face when I got caught using the singer shears!!!! Runnnnn........

Now of course, I have become my mother in so many ways, especially imitating that look on my face if anyone.....anyone I tells yah, touches my special scissors. Ye'all know that you may as well forget about cutting chiffon if your tools of the trade have been cutting up egg cartons.
Oh, you know my other scissor problem. When I really really need them, they hide. Off with the odd socks I think.
So now a beautiful, funky and oh so useful scissor holder to hang on the wall behind your machine, safe and sound.Next I turned my attention to a much needed recipe card holder. Much needed as I have recently begun a healthy eating plan. Not so much a traditional diet, to lose weight, but more of a well being plan. I've just been so run down lately. 33 turning 55. Know that feeling?

It would be silly of me to go to a Doctor or nutritionist when I know full well that I'm not drinking my water, that fruit and vegetables rot in the crisper whilst I chow down on chocolate and bread, glorious bread.
So yeah, major overhaul needed, to start putting the good things back in. First of I pulled out all the recipe books. 20 or more, I kid you not. All with little bit's of paper sticking out. So me thinks there's got to be a better way.

The recipe card holder was born. Now all your favourite recipes can be in one place. Doesn't take up much space on the bench and is categorised to easily find the one your after. Even better is the fact you can pull out the one card you need, and work off that instead of trying to balance a cook book on your little work space. The cards are lined so you can write up you own, but you could also glue on ones you'd cut out of a magazine.
Perfect timing too was the release of this little cookbook from Northcote Primary, my daughters school. It's a collaboration of favourite recipes from families at the school. My favourite is the 'hummus with hidden veggies' you know we gotta squeeze them in where we can.

Lastly on the stitching front is a range of store/loyalty card holders. Finally!!!
I have had my prototype in test mode for months now, and couldn't be happier.
I've learnt that my everyday cards must stay in my purse, think license, credit, debit and all the rest go in the holder. From the video, library and lay by cards to the big city chic, doctor and hairdressers cards. You can't believe how streamlined and lightweight my purse is now.

The holder comes with a hook and ring to attach it to your handbag inner or outer zip, so you don't need to go fishing around the bottom.

I'll be trying my up most to upload these to my Etsy store over the next few days. Home with bubba, so sometimes things take a little longer than planned.

Keep posted for my next update on loot, glorious loot and tomorrow some more of my new products.

Day 3, of 7 days of Loot, glorious loot.

For today's offering of Loot, glorious loot organised by tinniegirl, I decided to step away from my love of accessories, just for a day, to show you some of the photographic art that I've found.

I often see photographers at the markets I do, and to be honest they don't draw much of a crowd. Maybe people are still in the frame of mind that photographers just do cheesy family portraits, and happy newlyweds. But really that little black box, in the right hands can capture the most amazing visual images. You know, even when the work of a certain photographer does appeal, and gets you to linger at the stall a bit longer, most of the displays I've seen present prints in a plastic slips, leaving you the work of finding a frame and possibly a matt to finish it off before it can be hung and admired at home. Too much hard work!

So when I came across the work of Angela McConnell, mounted on various sized blocks, ready to stand on a shelf or hang, I was sold. The guess work of presentation was taken out, so that all I had to do was pick the ones that spoke to me.
You know I'm always drawn to pattern, color and texture. I found myself wanting more than one, so I could create a little collage. Firstly I chose a black image with a raised impression of a silver dragonfly, then a black print of the underside of an umbrella showing the structural and elegant framework and lastly some color to break it up. A fabulous bright red oriental umbrella with a little embroidered green leaf on it.
I was so wrapped with my little collection, and even more excited that I could go home and hang it straight away.

Go ahead and smell the flowers by: Boopsiedaisy

Slowly my walls are filling with original artwork, and I find it fascinating that two people can look at the same piece and see something so different. For me what might represent freedom, and choice, could represent to you, confusion and loneliness. Art really is in the eye of the beholder.

Away by: ara133photography

This image at first appealed to me because of it's wonderful bluey green hues. Then the shape, form and repetition drew me in. The coldness and purity of the metal reflecting light here and there arouses a wonder of what sound it would make if the wind blew. Then I read that it was taken at a Memorial for fallen soldiers along the freedom trail in Boston and my heart fills with sadness.

That's what art is for me, images that stir emotion. Happiness, sadness, or wonderment. Whether your medium is a paintbrush, clay, paper, fabric or a camera, bringing something out of your heart and sharing it with the world is priceless.

Day two of loot....

More loot,glorious loot to show and tell.

Today's stash is more of my finds at the fabulous Sisters Market in Brunswick. I'm a sucker for anything bright and a little bit different, so when I spotted these fabulous bangles I was straight on over to squeeze my fat wrist in and pray they fit.

I love, love, love bangles, but have a big wrists, which are in perfect proportion to my big everything else, sooo they never fit. I'm sure the poor stall holders see me comin' and think, don't even try girlfriend. But I do, every time! Never give up hope.
I think that surely there are sellers and makers out there just like me, who model they're products on themselves, and if they have big wrists I'm in luck.

Well this time I was in luck. They are papier mache bangles, in fun vibrant shades to liven up all the winter outfits coming out of the wardrobe of late.

Next is this fab brooch by 'kids with crayons', in spotty pinks and reds with an illustration done by one of the sellers kids on it. I have used some of kierah' s pics in my journals, gift cards and jewellery, and just love the way kids pics have such innocence and playfulness about them.

Lastly some more ponytail elastics for Kierah by 'miss piggy tales'. I couldn't go past these echidna's on such a bright blue, and retro looking apples.

Back tomorrow for day 3 of loot with some lovely work by a local photographer.
...............and day 4, I finally get to show you my stash from Thornbury Market on the weekend.

Loot, glorius loot......where to begin?

Well, I have so much catching up to do with y'all after my 2 week hiatus from blog land, that I thought tinniegirls idea of 7 days of loot, glorious loot would be a perfect way of covering all my shopping adventures of late.

But.............where oh where to begin.

I've had two stalls at fabulous local markets where I picked up heaps of glorious handmade goodies. Then there's my usual op shopping adventures, and weekend trash n' treasures.
I think I'll back track to my day at the sisters market on the 20th.
My main aim for the day, aside from hoping to make a few quid, was to buy some birthday presents for my sister in law.

She's effortlessly trendy, and loves all things vintage. So I couldn't go past these goodies.
A library bag featuring a funky Vogue pattern cover of a 50's diva in plaid. The chunky glasses she's wearing sold me on this one. The seller (so sorry I forget to get a business card, so I can't tell you her name) also had the best selection of gift cards with old romance novel art work on them.A little birdie brooch, and some handmade soap smelling ever so sweetly of cinnamon and pudding, was just right to fill the parcel for gift giving. Of course I nabbed a lemon Myrtle soap for me too. Such an invigorating scent. It gets me every time.

I picked up much more at The Sisters Market, but you'll have to pop back tomorrow for day two's report on Loot, glorious loot.