thrifty thursdays...

since it's turned november i am seeing little snippets of holiday crafting everywhere i look.

not necessarily when i look in my yard, my car or my cat litter tray... it's usually when i am looking in the cyberworld

so now i have got past halloween successfully ignoring all pumpkin buying or decorating, but in return having to listen to the 'moans' of discontent from our #4, i must really try and make an effort for christmas.

thanksgiving will come and go in a blink of an eye and then i will be looking at december the 1st and having to fix up a 'charlie brown' christmas tree due to my lack of 'foresight'.

i will not let that happen dearest readers, no for i am determined this year to be one foot ahead of the game.

of course if i was really one foot ahead of the game i would have started planning last january but let's ignore that bit and just focus on how great it is to be thinking ahead by around five weeks.

in my new found 'being prepared for christmas' state of mind, i have been perusing the figurine aisle at the thrift store, but alas there have been no pesky gnomes looking for a warm shed this holdiays. in fact, as is usual with the figurine aisle, it is full of 'horrendous crimes' committed with ceramics, wood, clay and other materials.

the only joy i've had so far is a little deer

apparently it traveled from china at some point

i looked at it and it looked at me

i asked, if it knew how to keep it's eyes closed

it said it did and so i took a chance

several coats later it is a glossy red (actually orangey/red as that was all i had) and is preparing to play 'some part' upon our mantlepiece this christmas.

i really have no direction this year, no vision of 'crafty delights' with which to add a warm eclectic vibe to my decorating. i am quite fearful that last year was the best it is ever going to get and it's down hill from now on.

i plan to get a few things down from the attic, my yarn balls, my crocheted popcorn garlands and little trees... take them out, in the off chance, they may inspire me in my creative thought process.

in the meantime, i'm happy to report the advent calendar situation is under control, more 'bemoaning' from one half of the shed clan, but the other half was relatively onboard.

even i have to admit i'm still not sure if i have crossed the boundaries of 'tasteful' holiday decor.

dearest readers it is with great delight and perhaps some trepidation that i report, stumbling upon a '1970's macrame christmas tree' wall hanging complete with pompoms, last night on vintage etsy. when it arrives via the mail man, only then will i be able to tell if i have truly crossed the 'iffy' boundary or if indeed it was $5 well spent...

and so it just leaves me to tell you i will be away for a few days, our #1 has her wisdom teeth removed tomorrow and so i must scrabble around the kitchen drawer trying to locate my florence nightingale hat along with my 'best' bedside manner...

i have plans of being a wonderful caring attendee to her, whilst also updating the shop with my latest offerings...

she is wishing you a lovely weekend, dearies (do you like that, she thought 'dearies' was rather endearing) and will see you next week ~ Tif

Mr Hook, myself and a sorrowful tale...

there are cat people,

there are dog people

and then

there are 'inbetweenies' like myself,

who even if their lives depended upon it, could not bring themselves to choose between the two.

i liken the same way of thinking to crochet...

there are 'roundies' like michelle,

there are 'squaries' like ingrid

and then

there are 'inbetweenies' like emma

and where do i place myself in my opinionated assumption of 'crocheting folk', well let's just say i strayed from the path of 'squaries' once before and that straying ended up in the trash can.

a year and a half on, i dared to stray again and dearest readers, i do believe that for one moment in time, there was a flicker of hope,

a short lived evening, filled with a lifetime of 'circular crocheted' possibilities to come

and then the flicker died...

no amount of recounting the increases,

no amount of blocking offending shape,

no amount of ironing it's 'extra' ripples,

for crying out loud,

no amount of praying to the 'roundie' gods up above,

could save my little mat...

my moment of 'never destined to be an inbetweenie' came late on friday night.

by monday morning, having studied the art of 'avoidance' for several days i faced the truth, my heart sinking in the realization that 'me and Mr Hook' were 'squaries' through and through.

but do not shed a tear for me and Mr Hook, for there is a happy ending to my doomed 'flying high for a moment' sorrowful tale .

yes, it's true, i perhaps will never own a crocheted circle of good proportions made by myself,

but at least my 'ripply circle' has been saved from the 'inevitable' trash can dumping.

for a good home has been found...

a home that appreciates the finer side of all things crocheted, whatever their shape or color

and so it would appear, little olive is most happy with her new crocheted frisbee and so far the frisbee hasn't made any complaints either...

she is thinking that some days it must be exhausting being 'little olive' ~ Tif

beavering...

yes, that's what i'm doing today dearest readers... i am beavering away with the help of Miss Ethel and my trusty hook, Mr Hook.

i am looking to add a few wares to my little store by the end of the week...

amongst my picture offerings for your perusal today, i have my little 'everyday' tags

if i were to tell you that they are not just any old 'ordinary everyday' tags for they hold a secret,

you may perhaps be thinking that Tif has finally flipped her lid.

and that maybe quite so,

but i like to think that my little set of 'everyday' tags are so much more than just 'tags', thus being 'multifunctional' and we all know how we love a bit of 'multifunctional' in our lives.

for these little sweeties can be placed upon the wall

brightening up a little area and then when all is said and done, the party is over, quite frankly you are bored with them (if there ever comes a time, of course you may never bore with them, choosing to live together forever and ever. which pleases me greatly)

but just in case you do find 'boredom' at some point, then take them down, locate your little bit of yarn they travelled to your door in and the voila! cut it into strips, add the yarn to the tags and use them to cheer up a package for a friend. i don't think really one can ask much more of an 'ordinary looking' little tag with special powers...

i'm quite happy with how they turned out.

also joining them, will be a garland or two made from recycled yarn and barkcloth,

a couple of 'rambling' frames similar to this one,

and more sets of 'every eventuality' cards,

i do believe it will be a nice little update for my empty shelves

she will be back tomorrow with the sorrowful tale of a 'crocheted circle' and her inabilities to stay 'in the round' ~ Tif

a thrifty tale...

once upon a time...

in a far off land, there lived Tif.

she lived in a shed surrounded by an acre of moss and now it would appear at least 10 different species of mushrooms and toadstools. why this is Tif does not know, she can only imagine their appearance has something to do with 'pesky gnomes' all over the globe 'planning and a plotting' to descend this christmas upon Tif and her shed.

Tif was an avid thrifter and would often take a trip, leaving the shed and it's contents behind, to go forth into the 'real' world looking for treasure.

one such day, Tif found herself in the furniture department of her local thrift store, now Tif knew this was usually a total waste of her thrifting time. only twice had the 'angels chorused all around' upon discovery of 'items with potential'.

once with her little sewing stool

and

once with her little set of drawers.

Tif thought perhaps her dearest readers may not believe her tale of 'furniture crappity crap department' woes and so armed with camera she recorded the evidence. knowing that even a jury and a judge would have to record a verdict of 'guilty' to the crime of 'articles with over priced tags for what they are'.

evidence #1

evidence #2

evidence #3

and so it was that Tif wandered into the area of 'crime', knowing she would soon be wandering out but then something caught her eye. piled high with other 'discards that stood little chance' she noted legs worth noting.

mid century legs no less...

"i see... a table shaped like a coffin", quiped Tif's second eldest child, as she discovered her mother pondering the little table

Tif looked at the table and the table looked at Tif.

the table tried hard to look like 'potential' and not a mini coffin lid,

Tif noted the table was trying hard and so she tried hard to find the 'vision' inside her head of what this little 'please take me home' table could become.

but she only saw a glimmer of potential,

trying not to notice the tables heartwrenching sobs, she shoved it back under the shelf and left empty handed.

the next morning Tif awoke in her shed surrounded by her clan, her critters and a 'vision' in her mind of what the table would become.

making her excuses she left the shed and it's contents to figure out their own sunday breakfast and headed back to the thrift store, hoping that no one else in the meantime had spied those good looking legs.

the little table sat just where Tif had left it, the coffin top all beat up and stacked high with other 'horrors' for sale.

"i'm back" Tif whispered, "i'm sorry i doubted your potential"

the little table smiled

(actually it didn't, but i think if it could smile it would have, so let's just say it did)

Tif paid her $15 and took the coffin table home

of course she had to listen to the usual "what is that?" and "why? seriously" questions for the rest of the day but she just smiled a smile to herself and went about her usual sunday chores.

and so it came to be a few days later, with the help of her trusty paint brush, a dwindling supply of glossy white paint and four coats later,

the ugly duckling with 'little potential' became a swan

Tif is most happy with her table and her table is most happy with her.

the end

and the moral to this story being, do not figure a 'chorus of angels' will appear every time and do not under any circumstances doubt your instincts in a thrift store, if you see a glimmer of potential, then that is all one needs...

she sees the sun is out, but alas that is not going to help one 'pesky sick' squirrel doing his dying act outside her studio window ~ Tif

snippets of...

'yarn envy'

that's what i've got and i've got it in the worst way.

i blame a number of things

i blame the examples i see daily of granny squares on flickr

i blame my new found 'embracing' of color

i blame my rubbish stash of sludgy colored yarn

i blame my not rushing out and stocking up before the challenge

and

i blame a little book that lurks inside my cabinet.

for this little book has made me lust like i have never lusted before

for the first few weeks of our living together i kept the book beside my bed, every night i would check on it, carefully looking from page to page, admiring the colors, admiring the styling and above all admiring the colorful yarn

once my challenge began, i had to lock the book away, for it was causing me to think terrible thoughts, to plan, to plot, to deceive, and yes... to dare myself to buy yarn.

"gasp, shock, horror" i hear you cry...

(i'm quite pleased with getting 'horror' in somewhere seeing as it's that time of year)

last saturday i found myself wandering the aisles of the yarn shop, i picked up balls, i hugged them, i played with color combinations, all the time the 'devil' himself upon my shoulder, encouraging me, daring me.

i'm pleased to report, i did not waiver from the path of my handcrafted thrifty challenge, but i did cry... i left empty handed and went home to look at my small pile of colorful acrylic yarn and reflect upon my little book

it would appear dearest readers, that i did the right thing, for not less than two days later i had the 'wonder' of spying some yarn at the thrift store, in creams no less... perfect for yarn balls at christmas. amongst the cream was a turquoise skein that positively made my heart sing.

and as if that wasn't enough to lift my spirits, the very same day, in my inbox was the lovely Ami, telling me she had an abundance of thrifted acrylic yarn in the colors i was craving.

she said she had so much, that perhaps some would like to come and live at mossy shed.

i have no doubt it was 'karma' for shunning the devil and his 'yarn tempting' ways

as i await my little package in the mail, i have set forth to conquer crocheted circles... for some, 'easy peasy' but as i am 'crappity crap' at anything other than squares or rectangles, it is a brave step.

whilst hiding out with my watermelon hair last night, i attempted a circle

and it would appear the 'handcrafted' gods shone down on me.

for my circle stayed a circle...

i could hardly breath, could it truly be i had mastered such a skill.

i started off thinking i'll just do enough to make a 'dot' for a garland, no need to push my luck.

then i thought, "mmm perhaps a coaster",

next my thoughts ventured to a cushion cover,

"dear god Tif" i thought to myself, "how about a circular cover for one of my stools"

in my giddiness the world of 'crocheted circles' was my oyster...

i was riding high with 9 rounds completed.

today however, i'm back to reality, thinking i'll just make a little mat instead, not to get above my 'crocheting stations'...

and so it appears even with my yarn supply being 'upped' i continue to have 'yarn envy' when i glance upon my little book...

thus my need to share 'snippets of it' with you today,

so perhaps you too may share my 'yarn envy'...

and if not, no worries for i know i am not alone in my envying ways,

ah yes, it would appear i have created a 'yarn envying' monster to rival even myself

she is wishing you plenty of 'yarn action' this weekend along with some 'spooky' good times, and will see you on monday ~ Tif

footynote:

isbn # for book is

ISBN978-4-07-262220-9

just incase it makes you lust too :)

thrifty thursdays...

i remembered what i was supposed to remember, but alas it was after i should have remembered it.

the lack of remembering, resulted in me dripping wet cursing my forgetfulness to steal shampoo from our #1 and #2, and trying to read the small print on the '2 in 1' kids shampoo located at my feet.

after much 'trying to see in focus' all i could discover was, i would smell like a watermelon.... it did not mention anything about highlighted, damaged hair and as i applied it (the fool that i am), i knew in my heart it was the 'devil's own' shampoo for women who pay to have their 'hair done' and are prone to frizzy color treated issues.

i sit before you tippity tapping, smelling like a watermelon and with hair three times the volume that is acceptable in public areas.

with rain outside, adding no doubt to the volumatic problems of my follicles, i shall stay inside the shed for fear of being 'fined'... until that is, 'musts' prevail when i am required to do the 'soccer run'.

i shall 'don' a hat of crochet, therefore allowing for the expansion of hair matter and stay within the comfort of my car, crocheting with my piddly bit of yarn left.

but for now, let us talk 'thrifty', let us talk 'handcrafted', yes dearest readers, let us talk about 'the challenge'.

it would appear by my calculations that some time has passed since the 20th September, time which i must admit has not dragged, but positively raced. i do believe it is the time of year, holiday celebrations all roll into one, that is until we get to January and then it's 'drag time' like no other.

i can declare 1 month and 8 days into my handcrafted thrifty year, things are looking pretty good. my man has commented on lack of funds leaving the shed, i pointed out perhaps the reason being my 'challenging' ways... (and then kicked myself, for that would mean i am the 'flitterer' of money and not he)

to which he quickly agreed.

i stopped listening when he started along the lines of "hallelujah Tif, why didn't you do this before..."

it's times like that, when i prefer the company of my chickens and my dogs.

but what he doesn't know, is what i know... and i'm not sure i want him to know either.

for this challenge has caused me to become an addicted thrifter like no other.

darn it, i can't get past a day before the shakes appear and the sweats set in...

my mind wanders to what thrifty delights could be waiting out there, neglected, cold, lonely, in need of a loving home.

i become unresponsive to my clan and their needs,

'my need' to nurture a thrifty waif, far out weighs my need to cook dinner...

and so it would appear this thrifty handcrafted challenge has caused me to become even more sneaky in my approach to bringing home the strays...

especially now i have a new love,

a love for color,

a love for enamel,

a love for kitchen items.

yes, i see their potential is endless

lovely bowls for holding yarn

little saucepans for props

but no where do i see their potential to enhance my cooking skills.

i have discovered i cannot have it all dearest readers,

i admire my little thrifty enamel finds for their ability to brighten up a small corner of the shed, gallantly holding my yarn balls safely

or to participate with chickens in my etsy shots.

to ask of them the miracle,

"dear god, Tif cooks an edible meal"

is enough for any little 'enameled sweetheart', beg to be left on the thrift store shelf...

she has been updating the shop and is looking forward to 'snippets of...' tomorrow ~ Tif

feeling grannified...

i finally plucked up the courage to unpick my 'love at first sight' granny curtains, snapped up in a frenzy of 'have to have you right now' moment, a few weeks back on a thrifty jolly out of the shed.

(and if you actually managed to read that sentence first time and understood what i was saying then i give you a gold star, the sort we had as kids, not the fancy smancy ones given out now at school. after you have adhered your gold star upon yourselves, you may feel most rewarded for the rest of the day... come what may, complaints or otherwise from people in your lives, you can glance down at your little imaginary gold sticky star and 'smile a smile' to yourself knowing you are 'a okay')

and so it was, after a few weeks of just admiring them, checking on them and generally 'cooing' to them, i finally located my missing unpicker that had mysteriously disappeared, at the same time as all the creatures in the shed started to look a little 'shifty'.

i did have grand plans on making a new slip cover for the daybed in our lounge, but that was until little olive discovered she could make a mouse hole at the bottom of the 'slip cover of the moment', and spend her time racing in and out playing 'squirrel nutkin' with used dog.

this told me that i would be positively, certifiably insane to use my fabulous granny bark cloth for a slipcover that eventually would end up with mouse holes at the bottom.
after all my unpicking, i then thought "crap". perhaps i shouldn't have unpicked them, but left them until i found my 'forever home' by the sea and hung them at the window there...
and so i folded up the washed fabric and pondered a while...

it took a fab find at Fremont Vintage Mall with Debbie, to spur me on, to give me the guts to wield my scissors in the direction of my granny fabric.

a wonderful little stool (yes, i know... i do believe i have become a collector of stools. that really does sound a little 'iffy' to say the least, especially if you are still in elementary school)
a perfect little granny stool, never been used by the looks of things and covered in vinyl of the mustardy yellow variety. 'peachy perfect' to say the least
i am fast running out of 'stool' appropriate space at the shed, but that did not stop me bringing this beauty home. i popped it by my fireplace for all to admire. the only admiration i have witnessed so far, apart from Debbie's kind
"oooh Tif, that was a lovely find"
is little olive and her licky tongue...

and so it came to be last week, as i sipped my tea sitting on the floor with little olive on my lap and used dog laying by my side, all three of us admiring the most recent granny stool to enter the shed. it dawned on me that my granny fabric was an exact match for this little stool and then it dawned on me how lovely it would be to make this little stool a cushion of it's own so it may feel 'admired' and 'loved'.

with a hoppity quick jump, i got up (actually it was more of a groan and a creak for used dog and myself, little olive did the hoppity quick bit). we scurried through to the studio, noting time was not on our side as school was soon to be over and got to work with an old pillow insert from the cupboard, a small tasteful amount of vintage lace and THEE granny fabric.

i am most happy with the little cushion,

little olive is most happy too,

as when i turn my back, the little cushion becomes hers.

and i am most happy as i look upon my fireplace to see all the handcrafted thrifty things that abound...

and on that note she will be back tomorrow with an update on her handcrafted thrifty challenge ~ Tif

a bonus to blogging...

luckily when typing i rest my hands and arms upon my little green desk,

"why is this lucky, Tif?" i hear you enquire.

well dearest readers, i am experiencing 'an experience' that happens to me on occassion, quite regularly actually and i do find it most inconvient when it appears at times such as 'shop updating'. a time when i should be super motivated, sweating it out with Miss Ethel and beavering away on vast quantities of 'lovelies'.

but alas i have been struck down in the worst way with 'pondering', 'procrastinating' and 'delaying'... causing my hands and arms to become heavy and slow.

i do not believe a little crocheted coaster should take the best part of the morning to produce... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that is not time well spent when thinking about an item one wishes to sell.

i am thinking it may have something to do with the crappy weather... i declared yesterday it did not bother me, but today i appear to be affected by the lack of daylight. perhaps also, by not finding 'closure' with my missing slip and let's add on top, missing my soul sister and her lovely company...

i think the best thing is to 'walk away', leave Miss Ethel to gather a little dust, blot out my vanished slip, push Debbie to the back of my mind and spend some time with you lovely lot instead.

so for today's 'pick me up', i thought it quite nice to tell you about Gloria, how we met and the story so far...

when i first started blogging in march 2007, after the initial 'bravo' of getting my blog started and feeling most pleased with myself (due to little prior blogging knowledge), i set about adding a few links on my sidebar.

sites i found lovely to look at. there were so many out there in cyberland but i added links to a few, that on greater inspection seemed to be most pleasing to my eye and let's be truthful, made me a little envious.

for they were doing what i would like to be doing but had yet to figure out how...

and so it was that i placed a link to The Laundry upon my blog, thinking nothing of it.

to my surprise, a little while later, a letter appeared in my inbox from Gloria Nicol, the brains behind The Laundry. she thanked me for adding a link to her shop and was most supportive of myself and my wares.

i was positively speechless, little me sitting in my 'other' home at the time, just dipping my toes into the cyber waters and Gloria had stopped by to say hello.

over the past few years we have exchanged letters, just like pen pals... i have seen her name in print on many an occasion and smiled a smile to myself, most happy at her growing recognition.

i was delighted when her cyber shop was joined by a reality shop and often wish to be able to step through the door, have 'a little potter' around, before going up to the till and saying

"hi Gloria, it's me... Tif".

who knows, perhaps one day that it will happen.

but for now i must 'make do' knowing that Gloria will appear from time to time in my inbox, with a few words of encouragement for me. one such appearance happened a couple of weeks back... encouraging words came forth and then Gloria asked me if i would like to make her an apron wrap, so she may wear it when working in The Laundry...

of course i did a little dance,

of course i ran around the shed, yelling to anyone who would listen whilst pointing to her latest writing in Selvedge,

and of course i sat right back down and replied "why YES! i would love to"

even though i didn't have the foggiest idea of how to make a full apron wrap...

two vintage pillowcases and two weeks on, with some clever work by Miss Ethel, a full apron wrap is winging it's way to old blighty to live life in The Laundry, and i have to tell you i am most chuffed to know it's final destination and to know it's owner.

and so there we have it dearest readers, it really is quite extraordinary the people i have had the pleasure of 'meeting' over the past few years.

along with Gloria, i have got to know many talented, generous, creative people through my little blog and i have often marvelled to 'used dog' and now of course 'little olive', as to why i should have the good fortune...

whatever the reasons maybe, i shall continue to think myself most lucky to have you, dearest readers, stumble across 'me and my ramblings' in the blogging world.

her hands and arms are feeling lighter now, she is thinking a cup of tea is in order ~ Tif