Unearthed last week a small collection of mostly haberdashery! An old wooden shadow box, vintage piggy bank, half a dozen old spools of coloured ric-rac, a couple of metres of sturdy pink polka dot fabric, button sample cards, old fancy dress ‘Bear’ paper pattern by Weigel’s and a hand glazed cup (signed ‘Pam’ underneath!)

I think the shadow box was intended for displaying thimbles (it is not a printers tray although it looks similar to one in the photo). I’m going to paint it up and create a collage in it. It’s quite small 5 x 6 2.5cm boxes. So a nice size for a project and not that old, so I don’t feel I am ‘destroying’ anything valuable.

I love the vintage piggy bank. It reminds me of a bigger one my Mum has saved from her childhood. This one is tiny, about the size of a tennis ball. It’s made even more special by ‘Katoomba’ written on it’s top! Having grown up in the Blue Mountains I have found myself collecting vintage tourism memorabillia of the area by default. So…cute piggy AND nostalgic piece!

But wait…I am not done yet….look look look!!!

More vintage trim!!! I trekked back to my local antique store where I originally found this vintage trim and they had more!!! LOTS more!! 20 old sales sample cards from W Schuller & Sohn. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I found 8 old sales sample button cards. 195 individual button designs in total, by Goko Trading Company (Osaka, Japan)

I have been an avid collector, stasher, hoarder of vintage fabrics for many years. I hunt, I gather and then I get too scared to use these one offs. My head fills with questions and I panic…

“What if I never find any lovely vintage fabrics again?”
“What if I think of something better to use the fabric for later?”
“What if I make a mistake and the fabric is lost forever?”

I suffer the same dilemma with most of the items I collect for my art and craft and it is becoming a bit of a problem. Not to mention I am suffering some serious organisation/space issues about the house, especially now that we have a little third person to consider who seems to be gathering a stash of her own.

I just found these samples in a box that my folks bought down from Sydney. Every time they visit they bring more of my ‘junk’ that I had stored under their house. That means I collected these pieces over eight years ago. Oh dear, that’s a little embarrassing! I found most of these at the Reverse Garbage in Marrickville. Oh how I LOVED that place. There’s a little one in Vic but it just doesn’t compare to the scale of the two Sydney ones…and for my sake that’s probably just as well! Most are fabric swatches from sample books so are less than one metre square. On the plus side many come in bundles of the same pattern in various colour schemes so there’s quite a bit of potential there for some crafty cleverness.

I know it’s a little late for new years resolutions, but I am going to attempt to make some changes. My ‘resolution’ is two-fold. Part One: Get organised and resolve storage issues (Oh boy this one is a bit overwhelming!) Part Two: I am going to try and take the leap and finally start using some of my stash.

I am scared, I am excited, I am optimistic. Wish me luck! If I succeed you’ll see the result here in the coming months. I wasn’t ready before, but I think I am ready now!

Very exciting! I finally picked up this old sewing box. I bought it on Ebay last year but hadn’t had the chance to trek up the mountains to fetch it. I can’t believe I took so long to collect it, but with Christmas holidays, a sick poppet and deadlines to meet the months added up quickly!

I was purchasing it for the lovely wooden box. The box is indeed wonderful, and I am delighted by its construction, patina and size, but when I got it home I discovered it was still full of old sewing bits and pieces. A wonderful array of textures and colours. Among the things I discovered inside: two gorgeous old hand embroidered needle books, an old tape measure, various fasteners, wooden cotton reels, two old patterns, embroidery transfers and old sewing scissors.

My folks have been visiting from interstate this week and today we set off on a thrift store adventure and trekked to a few of my favourite vintage item and ephemera haunts. We all have a passion for collecting things so days like this are great fun. We had a lovely day looking for treasures and drinking lots of coffee!

I have been obsessed with reading craft orientated blogs of late (current must reads: SouleMama, Turkey Feathers, LoobyLu and Angry Chicken) and have found myself drawn to the haberdashery and linen departments of various thrift stores. I’ve always collected fabrics, buttons and the like for my collages, but it has been too long since I cranked up the machine or picked up the knitting needles and I am really yearning to get sewing and crafting again!

I am not sure if having my daughter is inspiring me to make ‘softies’, sew toddler clothes and become a domestic cupcake baking queen but there is definitely something brewing and I like it!

Among the items I could not resist:
These two vintage pattern books. Turabast ‘Swiss Straw’ by Myart and ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Fashions’ (Patons knitting book No. 749) Now I can’t see myself making a fuzzy wuzzy bonnet anytime soon (just imagine wearing THAT up to the shops?) but the swiss straw bags are brilliant!

I also found a bag of upholtsery fabric containing about 30 large squares from a sales sample book in lovely bright colours. It is such lovely quality and was an absolute steal at a dollar for the whole bag! Hmmm… cushion covers, bags or softies. I then discovered three sheets of Beutron Buttons also from a sales folder, each containing forty buttons in wonderful earthy natural shades and several different styles and sizes. A few seventies Simplicity toddler sewing patterns for ‘pinnies and slacks’ also found their way into my shopping basket.

I always look at the crockery and kitchenalia. I like to use little items as display pieces, vases and pot plants, vessels for knick-nacks, pens and pencils. I found this 1960 chook mug by Holt Howard. I love the shape and colour. I also discovered a wonderful little jug decorated with shell illustrations. It has no markings on it and I have no idea how old it is but it looks quite weathered. It’s all textured and crazed with age which I LOVE.

Eloise also lucked out. I found a great toddler swing for outside and a huge basket full of colourful wooden blocks.

Browsing through a local antique store I came across a box of old lace trim and ribbons at ten cents a piece. What a find! These will be perfect additions to my collages. They look like samples from an old sales folder. I got a bit excited and I bought a bag full! I like the fact that many already look a little aged and distressed. Now to make something…