Friday, December 30, 2011

hello old friends!

We made it! Here we are in Sunny Pannawonica. It was a warm welcome, literally, as it reached over 48 degrees for the first three days in a row. Nothing could have prepared me for that sort of dry heat. Our last stop before we reached Panna was Nanutarra road house, about 140km away. The themometer read 50 degrees! As soon as I stepped out of the car I felt my eyes sting with the heat, and I actually felt feint. I used the restrooms there, and I can honestly tell you that the toilet paper was hot on my bum. HOT TOILET PAPER!! Seriously!

I was so relieved to reach the township and unpack into our transit house. This would be home for one week until our stuff arrived. The house was a cute renovated fibro and it suited me perfectly! Unfortunately after a power outage our air conditioner stopped working. It was so hot that Levi spent the first night sleeping on the floor next to the open front door, trying to catch anything that resembled a cool breeze. 

The days since then have been around a mild (in comparison) 38 degrees. And with the air-con working the heat really is not a problem. One problem, perhaps, will be the warm balmy evenings, and the temptation to spend the late afternoon indulging in a few cold drinks... It seems lately I am easily persuaded... I am sure that once my sewing machine is set up again and the silly season has past us by, things will return back to normal. 

Anyway, I have a few instagram pics of my new town, the drive up here and our twiggy Christmas tree.... I hope you enjoy them and I look forward to bringing you a few pictures of my new home in the days to come.

BY THE WAY - I am  very much looking forward to spending a few hours checking in with all of my favourite blogs and saying hello. So happy to have the Internet back!! I hope you all had a splendid Christmas!! Mwah!





Sunday, December 18, 2011

we are going on an adventure...








Eeeeep! The countdown is over. Tomorrow we leave our Southwest home and we head North to our new life in the area unofficially nicknamed cyclone alley. We will be spending 2 nights in Perth before an early morning start and a 5 hour drive to Geraldton. The next night will be spent in Carnarvon and the night after that we will be in a transit house in Pannawonica. Our furniture and belongings will be a week or more behind us, so we wont be moving into our new home until the 29th. 

To keep me going I have packed a crafty bag of tricks full of hand sewing projects for while I wait for my sewing machines to arrive. I have a stockpile of magazines (refraining  from opening the latest frankie till we hit the road) and a pile of goodness waiting for me (hopefully) at the Pannawonica post office. I Can't wait! It really will be like Christmas!!

Farewell house. So long studio. Goodbye coast.

Speak to you soon!!

Bec x

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Giveaway announcement!



I am thrilled and pleased and happy and all that stuff to announce that Miss betty jo of the lino forest blog is the winner of my end of year giveaway.


Betty jo makes the most incredible creations from old lino floors. I have been a reader of her blog for a while now. This woman is seriously talented and quirky to boot. Her version of the classic three flying ducks has been on my wishlist for ages now!
Definitely check her out.


Thanks so much to everyone for entering and spreading the word. We had such a great response! Just to let you know that I used Random.org to generate the winner as I am no good at choosing a favourite and I wish so much that I could make you all a dress.


Ok, have a fabulous day! Miss Betty Jo please email me at naughtyshorts@y7mail.com so that we can get the ball rolling on your prize. Yay!!


Bec x


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

today was....


Today was spent sewing together the last 6 dresses needed to  bring me right up to date with my orders. I know I said 27 dresses - but it ended up being more like 37 dresses. In my haste to get things done I made some silly mistakes on a few orders. Wrong sizes, wrong fabric, a little snip, a missed stain... It has meant that I had to sew a few orders twice. A good lesson to slow down and make sure that things are done right the first time. Not all is lost, as I will have a few extra dresses ready to ship when I re-open the shop.

Today I received a gorgeous package from a gorgeous customer. It was completely unexpected and such a delight. An illustrated 2012 calendar to keep me on track and some divine little love-bird salt and pepper shakers. Too cute!! This lovely lady was one of my first supporters and she has an ever growing collection of my dresses. She was the recipient of my first ever Annie dress! I have to pinch myself sometimes. It is such a dream come true to be able to do what I love every day, and sensational clients are just the icing on the cake!! I am so lucky. 

Well I must away. I have a snotty small person to cuddle. 

P.s - TODAY is the last day to enter my giveaway. Winner drawn TOMORROW!!!
Good luck x

Sunday, December 11, 2011

I can not help myself!








On the drive to Perth yesterday I couldn't help but stop off at one my favourite op-shopping spots. It never fails to deliver the good stuff and this occasion was certainly no different. A splendid selection of floral sheets, a gorgeous oriental rice-warmer-thingo, a happy sunflower tapestry AND a lovely mid century stool that will undergo a dottie angel inspired make-over once I get home... You wouldn't believe that I got the lot for less than 10 smackers! I must have looked pitiful as when I asked the the lady at the counter how much I owed her she said something along the lines of "well it is Christmas and you have a child..."

What about the culling?? Hmmm, yes. I am sure that these pretties will have a place in my new home... Fingers crossed.

I hope you are having a sensational weekend so far.

Much love,

Bec x

P.s - I found four (4!!!) vintage typewriters in the one oppy. All priced at $10.00 each. I was so tempted to buy them all, but I recently purchased one online (it will be waiting for me at the panna house) and I thought I would leave them there to share the love. If you are a Southwest lady (or gentleman) on the hunt for a typewriter give me an message with your email and I will send you the details... I am not sure if they worked but they looked in good condition. x

Friday, December 9, 2011

our days are numbered....







This weekend I am heading to Perth to spend some time with family and close friends before we start the drive to Pannawonica. Planned is a Sunday breakfast with my besties, a family dinner on Monday night, and a date with ikea to pick up a few essentials for the new pad.

This week I have been finishing the last of my outstanding orders and conducting the final edit of our belongings. I am no longer stressed about storage and it has indeed been liberating and cleansing culling the less important clutter from around my home... I have culled some fabric, but not much, they are way too important to me and my business...(you might be interested to know that my sheets have been insured for nearly $13000.00 WTF!).

As they say, out with the old and in with the new. Today I treated myself to an extremely gorgeous floor pillow from Bonnie and Neil. It might seem ridiculous to be nesting just days before we move, but knowing that everything has its place is making the culling easier and the move seem less daunting. The pillow is just what I needed to pull my lounge together. It makes the space feel comfy and inviting without being warm and cosy... (which I am trying to avoid seeing as we are moving to one of the hottest places in Australia!!)



Well I am not sure how often I will be in touch between now and the road trip. There are only 5 days left to enter my end of year giveaway. If you haven't entered yet please take a look. Remember that spreading the word via your blog will gain you two extra entries - Your help sharing the love will be so much appreciated!!

That's it!  I'm off!! I hope you have a great weekend. The best weekend ever even!

Much love, Bec x

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Freakin out....

















I have spent the day with my mum, going through every box/drawer/shelf/cupboard/nook in my house. Eliminating the junk and finding homes for the stuff I plan to keep. I thought we were doing really well. I was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we would manage to fit all of our belongings from our 4x2  plus studio into an older style 3x1 home.... That was until Levi sent me a pxt of the built in robes in our new house... Excuse me while I hyperventilate.

There is no freakin way it's going to fit...

Oh, and did I tell you we might be moving next week??

I am going to have to make a few tough decisions, me thinks. I know its just stuff, but I am a collector. I have been gathering these precious things, imagining them one day in my 'forever home'... It's going to be sad but I have to let go of some pretty awesome stuff. If you live around the Dunsborough area and you are partial to op-shopping, keep your eyes peeled for some treasures...

In other news, I have made another dottie angel inspired wall hanging. I gave a pink cardigan a 'green button' make-over & tomorrow and Friday will be my last days sewing before we move...

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Should probably get myself into bed to catch some crucial Zzzzz's. I hope I don't have nightmares about storage or suffocating in a mountain of vintage bed sheets...

Bec x

Saturday, December 3, 2011

joy to the world...










This morning I found my Christmas mojo, after gazing upon a most beautiful project from none-other than the sublime 'dottie angel'....

I have to confess that last year I did not bother with Christmas at all. No tree, decorations or presents. This year we will have just moved into our new home in Panna, so I want to make the Christmas day special for the three of us and start a few new traditions. Especially as miss Zavian is two now, and I want to create special memories for her.

Now, dottie angels project is for a 'terribly nice table runner' but I decided to make a wall hanging instead. It is still a work in progress, a few finishing touches are needed, but since making it I have gone back to gaze upon it a few times and I am quite chuffed with how it has turned out. I think I will be making a few others to be its friend...

This morning we headed to the beach so Levi could catch some abalone. Tonight we will enjoy a seafood feast with friends on the back porch. Summer has arrived!

Bec x