The Vintage Ginger Pot That Almost Got Away...

The Camelias are blooming in the garden.

Really pleased with this thrift store find at Capalaba.

A gorgeous Sadler rose ginger pot.

A Camelia is laying inside the lid which also has beautiful roses on the top!

Two Royal Standard sideplates on two metres of unused and really bright rosey fabric.

I can see a cushion or two here.

I am finding thrift store and antique shopping with like-minded friends very inspiring.

Sometimes they see what I don't and I see what they don't.

Always look up and under in a thrift store.

It is a very polite business.

See what I found the previous time I went thrift store shopping with the fabulous Linda  from Lilly Cottage!

This time Linda found the ginger pot for me - I simply walked past it - I hate to admit that one!

I am still having blogging problems and unable comment on some blogs.

Able to leave comments on some blogs if the name/URL option is available.

I can log in to my dashboard now but not in to 'view' my blog and update any changes.

Followed all trouble shooting instructions and deleted browsing history and cleared the cookies.

So many others are experiencing the same problems.

Come on Blogger!

Have a wonderful day.

Hope you liked my new finds.

Pam x

A Sneak Peek...

Here is a sneak peek of my mini handmade soaps in the mini flax linen bags that I have made.

These are especially for Thea's  Morning Tea she is kindly hosting this morning.

Australian Biggest Morning Tea is an annual event held all across the country.

These mini soaps and bags, along with an amazing collection of other handmade and natural items are going to be put in the goodie bag which will be given to each wonderful person attending this morning.

I can't wait!

Raising funds for Cancer Council research.

A cause so dear to my heart.

Don't you wish you were coming too?

Wordless Wednesday on Moreton Bay.

Linking up here today for Wordless Wednesday.

First Quilt - Update # 1.

Not one to call myself an idiot, I have to admit I found the 'Idiots guide to Quilting' book is an excellent resource to fall back on.

I found there is so much information about quilting online, in the library and from lovely people 'in the know' I was getting a bit overwhelmed with it all.

What I loved about this book in particular, for me, was that  it was simple to understand.

Does that mean I really am an idiot?

Better not answer that question! :)

                     I really enjoyed the interesting snippets of the history of quilting.

Heaps of tips and hints and inspiration.

In my previous  post about my first quilt, I had pieced the squares and sewen them together.

The next step was to 'sandwich' the backing, the batting and the top of the quilt together.

Wow!

I say wow because I had never done this before and I must say was a bit apprehensive.

It takes a lot of time and I waited until I had a spare day to get on with it.

Anyhow, I bought a packet of curved safety pins because I was at the pinning stage.

They are brilliant and make this part effortless.

I was surprised.

I laid the backing fabric right side down on our dining table outside on the deck

I then had to tape it to the table so that it wouldn't move.

Next came the cotton batting layer on top.

The top of the quilt right side up was the final layer.

I began to pin through all three layers in each corner of the squares with these amazing curved safety pins.

A quilt sandwich!

After sandwiching the backing, the batting and the top of the quilt, the safety pins began to sparkle as the afternoon sun descended.

Our huge dining table on the deck was the perfect place to lay out and pin all layers together.

Then it was time to sew.

I went for simple stitching on a diagonal angle through each square.

Remembering, I am using the machine and not hand stitching.

That is as far as I have got.

However, I am now up to Chapter 17 which is entitled 'The Finishing Touches.'

Yay!!!

Trimming and binding around the quilt.

Then it will be finished.

Will keep you posted

.

Beginner Pam

x

Cottage Style Dining Room chairs

Loving these white cottage farmhouse style chairs that I found at a garage sale recently.

...and they were already painted!

Speaking of painting , the walls are needing a minor patch and re paint to cover up the previous picture hook holes.

The frame around the shutters also has to be sanded and painted.

Never-ending isn't it?

I also found a gorgeous rosey vintage sheet that I have made into a couple of cushion covers.

 Such a beautiful bright and sunny day in Brisbane today.

Do you remember where the dining room changes all began?

Have a lovely weekend!

Pam x

Linking up today with Feathered Nest Friday.

Ticking and Denim Find

A blue and white ticking and denim find yesterday at the charity store.

Three fabric covered boxes with original Freedom price tag and label.

Threw some roses in that I picked from the garden this morning.
I have a hundred and one uses for these boxes.

The lady bird that came in with the roses looks quite content exploring the denim lid.

Enjoy today!
Pam x

Romantic Agnes Waters

We relaxed over the weekend and stayed here.

The weather was stunning.

Plenty of walks on the beach - even a swim!

A magic part of the Discovery Coast and close to the Barrier Reef.

5kms away from the historic town of 1770.

About a 6 hour drive North of Brisbane.

So romantic!

Country QLD at it's Finest...

We travelled up north for a few days on the weekend.

We came across and abandoned homestead.

This has to be Queensland Country at it's finest.

This Grand Old Lady was originally an original farmstead house for a huge sugar cane plantation.

It is in a sad state of repair.

It is overgrown and unloved.

Original and very vintage.

Intriguing and very beautiful...

...we took a look...

I love these original shutters on old Queenslander homes.

She would have been a beauty in her day.

The room adjacent to this one was a very elegant room with silky oak panelling on the walls.

Fine dining I expect!

A shame my photo of it didn't turn out.

Look what was left behind though...

I didn't expect this discovery downstairs.

 Don't you just love it? 

The original french doors that would have adorned the verandahs were under the house. 

A collection of bridles, saddles and stirrups under a mountain of dust.



The front garden would have been very stately with it's fine palms.

Look what was in the undergrowth.

There were two others.

We said goodbye to this gorgeous lady and headed on our way.

We then had the pleasure of meeting Wendy.

Wendy owns 17 acres of fruit and vegetables.

She sells them at her roadside stall which was originally the homestead's kitchen.

It's very cottagey and welcoming.

I felt I was in my grandmothers kitchen.

Freshly picked bunches of veges everywhere.

Shelves of secondhand books were available to take.

When Wendy had finished serving us she jumped on to her cycle and bid her goodbyes, and peddled off to pick up the fruit that had dropped on the ground over night!



Bye Wendy, it was an absolute pleasure.

There is nothing like Country Queensland with it's charm, it's history and its' myriad of colourful characters.

We also stayed at a very special coastal spot.

I will share another time.

Pam x

Linen and Lavender.

I dropped in to see Thea  about two weeks ago at her studio and her new studio shop was well underway.

There was a lot of sorting, painting and assembling going on.
It is all up and running now.

Anyway, I came home with some of her natural Flax Linen that I wanted to sew.

But, first of all I had to take some images of this beautiful and so very natural fabric that just loves lavender and handmade soap.

I bought this small heart shaped pan in a small homewares store in Montmartre, Paris.

I have never used it.

It's one of those things that I just love to look at.

Too sentimental?

It brings back sweet memories of Paris and makes me think of when I will get to visit there again.

After using some of the linen I realised that I could not part with any of the left over bits.

 I love the feel of it and it is just gorgeous to sew.

Why not take a close-up of the bits?

A simple natural linen bag for natural handmade lavender soap.

 Du Savon Dans Un Sac

Don't forget Thea is hosting a morning tea as part of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea for Cancer Research at her new studio shop. See here for details.