Resist the Plastic!

With little Maggie-May's birthday recently upon us, conversation turned once again to present buying for kiddiwinks. I always procrastinate way too much on what to do for birthday and christmas presents for our little girl.

I want Maggie to grow up realising that toys and belongings are special, are to be valued and do not just get given willy-nilly to be then thrown away a month later when they become broken or get bored of it. I also want her to experience the joy that is had in making and creating toys, games and amusement ideas.

Check out this blog the homemade dolls house. A mother pledges to "engage in one-on-one playing for an entire year" and they create the most wonderful little 'dolls house' world. When I read this I thought it was just so special, a real character building project. I think it's so important to feed our children's imaginations, let them experiment with their abilities and express their feelings in ways other than the obvious.

I hate all those horrible plastic toys, particulalry those that have mass consumerism 'branding' plastered across them. I just don't think they're neccessary - like mosquitos! I'm also very concerned about the social and environmental issues in mass consumerism but that's a whole other soapbox:) But then I feel torn with guilt. Is she missing out? Is it unfair to put all this on her when she is still so ickle? But I guess she'll still get given all the 'plastic toys' that other kiddiwinks have.

I always like to make Maggie a present and when the gift she receives from us is as cute as this upcycled rocking horse, I don't feel so guilty.

Next time you head to your local charity shop, check out the toy section too and see the potential of those toys. It's such a good feeling to recycle and recreate.

My Creative Space

Woops, wow this is late! I've just been so busy playing with all Maggie's new toys:)

Michelle and I have decided to do a little swap: she - a crochet jumper for Maggie, me - a jacket for Georgie. I've been in ponderland about making a jacket/coat out of an old blanket for some time now (just the 'using a pattern issue' to get over) so this swap was the impetus I needed to get going with it. Michelle also had a piece of black/white striped jersey cotton which she thought would be good to use. So I combined our ideas and came up with this.

I've just got to sew on the toggle buttons. I'm so pleased with it, it will be so warm and it isn't heavy at all. This was the first time I've actually persevered with a proper pattern, although I nearly gave up on it at the inital cutting stage at Tuesdays 'Stitch and Bitch' cos I wasn't enjoying having to concentrate and miss out on all the chatting.

I ended up adding my own 'design elements' i.e. the red binding, the frill at the join on the chest and the toggle buttons. I just can't help myself! What do you think to a red pom-pom on the point of the hood? I'm just abit scared it looks abit klu-klux-klan'ey at the moment ....... hehehehe.

And of course I can never make just one of anything so this will be Maggie's - my weekend project. Yep that's right, four layers to cut in one go thanks to my brilliant new scissors. To see what everyone else has been up to in their creative spaces this week have a peek here.

My Creative Space

My 'Village' applique bags have still been completely and utterly consuming me this week. These are just perfect for kiddiwinks library bags as I made them big enough for the lovely large picture books.

And yesturday I spent a couple of hours just cutting fabric as I was getting abit low on squares and triangles for quilts and  bunting. Not my favourite thing to be doing but it's so satisfying seeing them all cut and ready to go in my cupboard. It also makes it fun for people to choose their fabrics and have a play with designs when they want a bespoke quilt or bunting, with a matching toy. 

What have you been up to this week? I'd love to hear. And don't forget to pop over to Kirsty's blog Kootoyoo to see what others have been busy creating.

Lavender and Tea Tree

Hey peeps, time for a quickie? I was just hanging my latest charity shop fabrics on the line and thought i'd share with you one of my household tips - a true good housekeeping special from the ultimate desperate housewife.

When you're washing your new charity shop purchases, add a capful of water soluble lavender or tea tree oil to the wash once it's in full swing, preferably on the last rinse cycle. You can buy these in Woolies, often in the medical/vitamins aisle.

It leaves your linens smelling fresh and as beautiful as a gorgeous summers day. Especially if they were bought from a particulalry whiffy charity shop!

Have a beautiful day all and please feel free to share your favourite household hints, the ones passed down from Grandma's are the best don't you think?

My Creative Space

Don't you just love it when you're looking through your fabrics, deciding which ones to use on a project and you whip one out you haven't seen for a while, give it a shake out, smooth your hands over it and immediately you can't wait to use it? That's what happened in my creative space this week with this cute pillowcase. The price tag was still attached; Devon Air Ambulence Charity Shop 25p!.......I would imagine I bought this a very long time ago.

I'm gonna use it with this sheet to make another sleeping bag for Maggie, for the camper.

Here are the other fabrics I choose; another bluey turquoise sheet, turquoise dots and yellow gingham.

I just drew around the sleeping bag I wanted to copy to make a pattern and now I'm cutting whilst the layers are 'sandwiched' together (a claireyloo technical term).

Top - flowery fabric

Middle - blanket

Bottom - dots or gingham

I need to get a zip from Spotlight next so I'll pop back and let you know how I get on. Don't forget also to let me have any questions you want asked at the Vinnies Interview..........and check out the other creative spaces in planet blog at Kootoyoo.

Vinnie's Interview - Questions Please

Sometime soon, I'll be interviewing my local Vinnie's manager, Shane. I thought it'll be really cool to have a chat with him and ask him some questions to discover how Vinnie's operates to put up on my blog. What projects does Vinnie's support? How do our purchases contribute to these. I'm interested in learning about what happens to all the massive sackfuls of things that don't get sold or don't even make it into the shops. What is lurking back there behind the scenes that doesn't make it into the shops and where does it go? I assume I know the answers to these questions, but is my understanding correct? Is there anything you'd like to know? Please suggest any questions you'd like asked.

Monday Morning Book Club

For those of us that seem to collect and treasure other peoples 'junk', this book has heaps of inspiration on how to use and arrange that 'junk' in a way that gives your home that ecclectic, shabby, boho style look that makes a house a home. Whilst I was born into a home that really did have books propping up my bed, where empty Perrier water bottles were more an inconvenience than a design feature, I now find myself loving this 'lived-in' look. I love a home full of things that tell stories, where people inquisitively pick things up and ask "where did this come from?" This book makes you ask this question time and time again, and the answer is usuallly the same "this op shop" or "that junk yard". This book proves that you don't have to shop in expensive high street department stores, buy the latest design pieces or the newest style furniture to make your home look attractive. It's just a case of working with what you've got and can easily find. Think laterally and explore what's available to reuse and upcycle. Enjoy.

A very wet day in Bampton in Somerset, England where I found a set of Alfred Meakin dinner plates, side plates and desert bowls.....Happy Days:)

Monday Morning Book Club

Better late than never hey! First on my list of things to do upon my return from a very wet weekend at Marrawah for my brilliant husbands surf comp is to do my Monday Morning Book Club blog - see I have my priorities very right indeed:)

I suppose this book should really have been No.1 on my 'must have' list of books for fellow crafters. This book sits besides my sewing machine and doesn't dare move. I refer to it as often as the pope refers to his bible. You know when you're working on a project and you just can't quite work out how to do this or should I do this before I do that, well this baby has all your answers. It's what Mrs Beeton is to coooking or a good housekeeping manuel is to the desprate housewife. It covers everything; equipment and supplies, how to get the best out of your sewing machine, explains all about different fabrics, methods and sewing techniques, using patterns, projects, decorative touches, mending, tailoring, home furnishings.....it's got the lot with step-by-step pictorial instructions. This one is circa 1972 but there are many out there in charity shops, all very similiar. So grab yourself a copy today from your local Vinnies for about $2.

Hmmm now to tackle the mountain of wet sandy washing and a very messy campervan.

The Golden Rule of Op-Shopping: If You Love It - Buy It!

Sunday morning love sings on BBC Radio 2, cup of tea at my side and Maggie-May tucked up having her morning sleep, time for me to write my blog. Which this week will be about a subject very close to our hearts - op-shopping. I guess everyone has their tactics, their favourite haunts and their contacts, but for me there is only one golden rule - IF YOU LOVE IT, BUY IT! (and if you don't - don't).

Remind yourself how inexpensive it is, how you're making a donation to a charity and of the positive environmental implications of recycling. Furthermore, how many times have you heard yourself and others say " I so wished I had bought that chair/quilt....." because it's almost guarateed to be gone if you go back for it. And if the new purchase doesn't quite work out as you hoped then a friend who is a fellow (but not so frequent) op-shopper may love to take it off your hands........there's an idea - an op-shop swap meet! So these are my purchases this week.


A white wicker chair for the garden, a white and blue enamel colander, some 1960's childrens books, 'bird' pattern fabric, bright coloured zips and buttons and some beautiful embroidery. You can never have too many enamel colanders and pots; hang them in the kitchen, use them for planters in the garden, for picking your fruit/vegies in the garden or for displaying things in the house. Think ecclectic, another good reason to BUY IT. Forget those notions of 'it won't go with....'. You'll find a use or a place for everything, even if it is just in the shed.


I have plans for the books, buttons, zips and embroidery. In fact I went to Vinnies specifically to find these so was very happy with the result.


I would love you to pop back to Baby Boudoir again, bring a cup of tea and see what I have created with this weeks op-shop finds. I'm sorry to say I seem to be having problems with the comments section of the blog, but please feel free to email me any comments whilst I work out how to fix it (especially if you know how to fix it!)....and don't forget to follow me, sign-up over there on the left. Wishing you all happy and successful op-shopping :)