The funniest thing happened...

Tracy this ones for you!!!!

hehehe....after a full morning shopping on Friday we (Mum, Dad, sister (Tracy) and I) arrived home. Dad was bending down on the floor counting coins, while mum and I went to the school to pick up the kids. When we got back Dad said that we was walking around and heard a strange flapping sound. Little did he realise that his shoe had a blowout...hahaha.

He continued to wear the said shoe for another hour before leaving to drive home. He tripped over some coins on the way out and the entire shoe base flew off halfway across the room.....well I nearly wet my pants from laughing I dare say.

I said that it was lucky that it wasn't his driving foot, otherwise mum would have to drive..which she never does. I suggested that he shouldn't pack these shoes for our England trip.

(the kids are counting coins from their money boxes for our trip....$740 so far, not bad hey!!)

Too funny I say....maybe you had to be there! Have a great weekend!

Once upon a time....

While rummaging around my cupboards I found my little stash of jewellery I made long ago (in my past life I started a Visual Arts Degree, majoring in Jewellery and Silversmithing, but left to pursue other avenues. Now I am a database manager and work with computers all day, how did that happen???).

I have always enjoyed hand making items, and it is something that I encourage the kids to do too. I thought you might like to see a few of my bits and bobs.

The first is a series of rings; the two geometric shapes are made with resin and cut on the lathe. The bases are silver. The silver pieces were cast from mushrooms (a ring and brooch). The last rods are cufflinks, made from aluminum, hand cut on the lathe and then anodized.

I know the yellow ring looks like a pencil and is very deadly....hahaha

I hope you have enjoyed something a little different,

bye for now, T x

The House of Thorne's

Here are the latest additions to my never ending Thorne's toffee tin collection. The bottom tin is my favourite so far. It is quite a large size (16cm tall x 24cm wide). You can see my others in this post.

More from my other collections soon :)

Hope you have all been enjoying your break! I have been very busy, hence the short post. Bye for now, Tam x

Remembering our Anzac's

We must not ever forget what that spirit demanded; or the lives those men gave in the name of our nation.

Lest We Forget.

Woof Woof

I have been playing around with some discarded slide mounts, thinking of different ways to upcycle them.

I added some cute scruffy terriers, from the same story set sourced from 'My Choice' published by Blackie books, c1950's. Backed with a metal brooch clasp they have a new life as wearable art.

Of course I kept one for myself.

These are now available in my Etsy shop.

~~~ 10% Discount Easter Special Coupon Code: EASTERMANIA -valid until 28th April 2011; on all ATreasuredPast Etsy items~~~

The Key to My Heart

Hiya,

We bought a whole bunch of keys on the weekend. Kade had a lovely time sorting through them and found some safety pins that he promptly made into a bracelet for me. He also made a brooch using a safety pin and a key. The key he chose is marked 'Do not duplicate' which he thought was funny. I was instructed to wear them to work and not to take them off all day.

I showed the guys (male workmates) who said 'hmm...' and even at my meetings nobody mentioned them, hahaha. As it is school holidays, Mr T has taken a few days off and the family have been dropping me into work. When they picked me up, the first thing Kade said was 'Mum, where is your brooch?!'. It was on my top, which he didn't see and I assured him that it was there all day. Apparently I am to wear them everyday, but this morning I forgot..oopsy.

Mr T isn't impressed, as I have been wearing my whistle necklace (other one listed in my new Etsy shop) and now wearing keys. He said that he doesn't want to be married to 'one of those women that wear crazy stuff'...hahaha.

Thank goodness Easter is nearly here, I can't wait for a break from work, it is doing my head in.

Hope you all have a safe and Happy Easter and that the Easter bunny brings you all lots of chocolate.

~~~ 10% Discount Easter Special Coupon Code: EASTERMANIA -valid until 28th April 2011; on all ATreasuredPast Etsy items~~~

Some Images Around Town

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!

Jolly Golly Dancing Illusion Toy

Evening all. This post is a little late, as we have been gallivanting around all day (school holidays here in NSW).

Today I thought that I would share with you my Jolly Golly Dancing Illusion Doll, made from card and jointed with little brass rings.

"You have been fascinated and mystified by this attractive doll. You also can mystify and fascinate your friends in exactly the same way providing you keep the Secret". The secret being to place a small thread or string across the bottom of a chair, preferably in a dark corner of the room, so that it is not noticed. Place the thread under each arm to support the doll. Turn on the Wireless or Gramophone (this should indicate the age of the toy) and tug the string to the tune to make him dance. After the performance let the audience inspect the doll, but not the thread, and let them be mystified by the sheer magic of the Dancing Golly!

The envelope reads, "The Golliwog That Comes To Life. Dances to Your Command, Causes Endless Fun", Reg Design No. 864033, Made in England. (I think it dates to around 1950's by the design number but it may be earlier).

Have a good night, don't let the bed bugs bite :)

p.s. are you guys having problems with your followers not showing?...it is driving me mad trying to get them to show again. Apparently others are having the same problem and the blogger team are looking into it.

Thanks Nelly

The fabulous Nelly @ My friends call me Nelly has graciously honoured me with a very unexpected award...Thank you Nelly, you have brightened up my night :)

O.k so I have to tell you 10 things about me...boy, I had trouble last time....so below are 10 things as described by Mr T:

• I let the kids get away with murder...I don't think so,
• I talk too much in the car when we are driving to and from work...that's because he doesn't like to talk,
• I am incredibly funny...o.k. I added that one..hahaha,
• I am good at crafty sh*t....incredible I know and mind his language..hahaha

He couldn't think of anything else so that rest is from me:

• I hate yellow cars and clothes,
• Mozzies (mosquitoes) love me, and have a tendency of biting me on my fingers and face..argh!,
• I cannot stand flies in the house and have passed it on to the children. Whenever there is a fly, the kids yell, "Mum there's a fly!" and we run frantically around the house trying to locate the fly spray....it's ridiculous.
• I have a pseudo phobia about sharks and they are always in the back on my mind when swimming in the ocean. Also I would not swim at the beach on our honeymoon at the Port Douglas (QLD) because I was scared of crocodiles and sharks in the water, double whammy...Mr T said there was nothing to worry about but in the taxi on the way from the airport they said that the beach was closed at Cairns because of a crocodile...my point was proven.
• I have not travelled outside of Australia...travelling to the UK in September,
• I am turning 40 this year...bluurrr

Now I have to pass the 'Kreativ Blogger' award to ten fabulous bloggers. Ooh this is hard as I love reading all my blog favourites but I have to choose so here we go......in no particular order:

1. La Maison de Maristella
2. Vintage and Art
3. Bayside Rose
4. An Angel in the Garden
5. Bord & Butik
6. Shabby Vintage Junk
7. Fading Grace
8. Vintage Retro & Simply Cute Shopping
9. Crazy House Capers
10. Vintage Mum
    
11. and a little extra one for good luck Serendipity Cafe
    

These are some of my favourite blogs (including Nelly's) for all different reasons; from vintage to new, thought provoking and meaningful, inspirational and creative...pop on over, you wont regret it, each blog is full to the brim with eye candy and they are incredibly lovely people. If I have not mentioned you, but you visit my blog often, please feel free to take the award for yourselves also.

Have a great night, T

What do you do with your Doilies?

This is my doily stash. I always scoop up doilies and hand worked linens when I see them. It makes me quite sad to see them thrown in a pile at the op shop.

I hot glued a few doilies to cover an old lamp shade and added some pretty trim inside and out.


The quilt on our bed was wearing quite thin in places, so I stitched on pretty doilies to cover the holes.


I made the organiser below by sewing little doily pockets onto a vintage hand linen and adding a lace hanger.

I pieced together the doily curtains above the kitchen sink and side door. Mr T always grumbles that they make us look poor, but I like them :)



The ultimate in doily recycling is this fabulous doily car, how inspiring.

Pam @ Bayside Rose recently posted the most fantastic art pieces that she made, pop on over and have a look.

Do you love doilies, and what do you do with them?

New Flea Market in Canberra

If you are in the Canberra area, you may not be aware that the Phoenix Pub @ the Civic Bus Interchange, is now holding a regular Flea Market on Sunday afternoons...it may be interesting.

Have a great week,