I think I can feel another useless collection coming on.

I have been seeing these gorgeous floral flour sifters at some of our second hand markets. I have been avoiding buying them, because seriously, why do I need another flour sifter? Well this time we were at the Wickham markets and I just couldn't help myself. So here I now have the most delightful flour sifter to add to my utterly useless dust collecting collection of "stuff". But I can tell you that I am in love with it :)

Trains, Art Galleries & Op Shops. Oh my.

Yesterday we made the train journey out to Maitland to visit their fantastic art gallery. They put on some brilliant kids holiday programs. The theme for the pipsqueak littlies yesterday was to create some play food to coincide with one of the current exhibitions 'Lunch with the Trades'.

We made some sandwiches with cardboard bread filled with shredded coloured paper. A soft drink of red cellophane with a bendy straw (no ADD symptoms to deal with here!), Styrofoam cupcakes, stickered lollypops and cutout cookies. Junior Masterchef, eat your heart out!

I think I had more fun creating the food more than miss 2.5 did. The Maitland Art Gallery is well worth a visit. It has free entry & a fabulous gift shop. Some of the kids programs cost a little bit of money, but are cheaper if you are a member.

After all the fun and food, we took the kids to the play ground next door and wore them out. They crashed out in their prams and my friend and I managed to briefly raid some of the awesome op shops that Maitland has to offer. I think I could spend an entire day trawling the op shops of Maitland.

Not sure where Maitland Art Gallery is? Here's a map.

Some quiet days at home.

Yesterday afternoon was spent in the backyard digging for worms. We have transferred some earth worms over to one of our veggie patches that was just waiting for some wrigglies. E loved watching them burrow into the soil, but was not so keen of the squirming feeling in her hands. She now has a very small corner of the garden to dig holes and plant twigs in so that DP doesn't have a meltdown everytime a seedling gets squashed. :P

This morning we baked a carrot cake. A healthy one of course... It has carrots, it must be healthy? E and I were fighting over who got to lick the icing out of the bowl. Don't you just wish you were a kid again? Remember the magic of being able to lick the beaters after Mum had whipped up something yummy.

Upcycled Ladybirds in the making.

Upcycled Ladybirds in the making., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

These are currently being made by me. They are little ladybird purses with a zip through the middle. The dots have been screenprinted onto the fabric of old shirts. The little eyes have been sewn on using a free machine embroidery method. I can't wait to see them finished.

What do you call them: ladybirds, ladybugs or ladybeetles?

Weekend treasures.

Did some hunting at the Wickham Markets in Islington yesterday. It's always a fave. I came home with a few treasures:

1. The mushroom jars, two for $1. I don't know what I'll be putting in them yet. I just thought that they were cute.

2. The rusty enamel teapot, $2. This won't be getting used for anything, it's going up on the top shelf in the kitchen to gather dust with the rest of my teapots. I loved the retro pattern and couldn't pass it up for only $2!

3. A Paklite vintage suitcase, $10. I have been looking for a vintage suitcase to keep Miss 2.5 dress ups in. It has been hard to find one that doesn't smell like a cross between talcolm powder and mould. This one is just gorgeous, it is almost like new.

Check out some more Flea Market Finds from the weekend here.

Circles by Encircled

I am currently working on some circular coin purses with a zip through the centre. My niece is in love with ladybirds at the moment, so the plan is to do some screen printing and make some ladybird style purses very soon.

Yes, I'm still alive.

softies, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

Here are some little softies I made a few months back. It's not the best photo, but I am quite proud of the screen printed fabric. I did a photo emulsion of some lace on to a screen. I can now jazz up some old fabrics with a bit of lace texture :)