I love hanging things

Garlands really brighten things up I think. And with my brown floors and brown window furnishings I have slowly become addicted to using them to bring colour into my house.

This is the main dining area - we look out at the view through salt dough yellow and orange stars.

In the guest bedroom I strung up my first attempt at crochet flowers.

In Paddy's room I made pom poms and another round of salt dough - this time Christmas decorations.

And this is all the things we want to do. Every time we think of something we peg it up on our dreams garland.

Quite fitting that I have taken a photo of the photography course card. Think I might have to invest in that soon judging on the quality of these photos!

I don't Op-Shop, I Garage Sale

Anyone for a picnic?

The back basket is fully lined and was $15.

The picnic basket at the front was only $0.50.

Rain, rain go away.....it's picnic time!

New Addition to my Sewing Space

I am lucky enough to work at a factory and right now some mistakes in a refurbishment of a work space left me with this awesome cabinet.

I have filled it with pretty colours and it just makes me smile every time.

Great addition to a creative space that needed a little boost.

And the good news is there are more to come. I think the next one might live in my guest bedroom full of fun things to play with. I might even give that one a bright coat of paint.

Ah the possibilities.....

Button Toy

Paddy always plays with the buttons on the clothes I am wearing. So I thought I would make him a button toy.

Apparently he doesn't like it.....

I don't Op Shop, I Garage Sale

Today's Garage Sale finds....

A set of Australian legend story books for Paddy.

Two brand new hanging lanterns (the other one is blue) for $5

I always pick up cheap baskets and use them to store stuff at home or to put gifts in. Today I got a wicker hanging basket to put Paddy's outside toys in.

I also got a book of card games to take with us on our camping trips when everyone has nowhere else to go and are forced to play cards with me.

One women hosted her garage sale outside her shipping container in the container yard. She was unpacking more boxes as things were being sold. I think I might head back there again soon to see what else she has unpacked.....

Pizza Dough

I will remember one day to take photos of the food BEFORE it is all eaten. Everytime I take the last bite I slam my fist on the table in frustration because I didn't take any photos....AGAIN. Sorry guys.

Pizza has fast become my go-to food when I am out of time or lacking desire to stand over a stove stirring.

Every weekend I make a batch of pizza dough which does us for 6 pizzas for lunch and dinner through the week. I wrap them up and put them in the freezer. They can defrost in a matter of hours (or in about 2 seconds with this crazy heat!)

Here is the recipe I stole from Jamie Oliver.

1kg tipo '00' flour

1 tspn salt

2 x 7g sachets of dried yeast or 6 tspns

1 tbsn caster sugar

4 tbsn extra virgin olive oil

650ml lukewarm water

: Mix together the yeast, sugar, evoo & water in a jug and set aside for a few minutes

: Sieve together the flour and salt.

: Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in your jug of wet stuff.

: Slowly mix the two together.

: Put in a floured bowl with a damp tea towel over the top and set aside to double in size (in the crazy heat yesterday this took about 30 mins!)

: Knock the air out of the dough and divide into 6 balls.

: Use straight away or wrap in glad wrap and then alfoil and freeze.

When you are going to make your pizza, turn up the oven to the hottest it can go and put in a baking tray to heat up.

Get all your ingredients ready to go so you can whip the baking tray out, put the dough on it and assemble the pizza as fast as humanly possible and then back in the hot oven. Turn the oven down then to 180 or 200 degrees and watch it cook away. It will only take about 10mins.

Beautiful and easy I promise!

I don't Op-Shop, I Garage Sale

I started when I was pregnant and has become the thing I must do on a Saturday morning.

There can be some dodgy ones that's for sure but this morning was a cracker!

I bought this great Japanese fabric for $4!! Destined to become a cushion cover I think.

It is made up of all these little story squares, kinda like a cartoon.

This is mine and Paddy's favourite square. He loves birds.

I bought gorgeous doilies, a few books and a bag of wooden clothes pegs to turn into little people.

All up a total spend of $18.50. Gotta love garage sales!

Improvising

Wooden floors and a baby new to crawling = sore knees and lots of frustration.

I found these little things in the "crafts to finish" pile and strapped them on.

After a bit of freaking out and lots of tugging on them they seem to be doing their job.

Next in the crafts to start pile - baby crawling knee pads