Crazy Dog Lady of our neighbourhood

I love dogs.

Most dogs I meet I greet with smiles and pats if appropriate. Sometimes full on, can't hold it back excitement and adoration. I go out of my way to see dogs, talk about dogs, read about dogs, go to dog shows just to watch.

And that's cool. In my world it is. I don't know many other crazy dog ladies apart from one woman who is both our dog trainer and local vet nurse. She rocks. She understands my enthusiasm for canines.

As does Kelly, who lives in my neighbourhood. She also owns a Pyrenean Mountain Dog called Beau. Beau is big (think 60 - 70kg), beautiful and slobbery. He is the reason that I chose the breed for my next dog Banjo.

Poppet and Banjo at 2 months old

Poppet and Banjo at 5 months old
(small side note: nice thrifted authentic kilt $2 and thrifted jacket 50c!!)

So now that you understand that I have given myself the title Crazy Dog Lady you may appreciate that I am always on the ready to help any runaway dogs that are wandering the streets in my area. Just as we left the house on Thursday on our way to kindy, I spotted two black dogs running helter skelter past our house, no owner in sight. I screeched to a halt and jumped out to be enthusiastically greeted by the smaller of the pair. Thankfully he had on a name tag with his owners' mobile number on the back. The other dog came running back for her brother and I herded them into my front yard to keep them contained.

After a phone call, a confused then worried then grateful owner agreed to come and pick them up from my yard. My daughter and I continued on our way to kindy with my heart full of happiness and gratitude that those puppies had run by my particular house so I could help them get back home. I had done my good deed for the day. Those dogs were safe, together and on their way back home.

When I returned home, I was greeted at my door with a very appreciative owner with this stunning vase of tulips as her way of saying thank you for saving her dogs. Shucks. I don't rescue runaway pups for any reason other than I know the heartbreak of having your dog run away. But these spoils are so nice!!

Golden Finds

To console and distract myself this week whilst Poppet enjoys her very first full week of kindy, I've been trawling the local op shops. Imagine my squealy delight when I clapped my eyes on this. An internal squeal of course. Didn't want to let the op shop ladies know how excited I was.

To the untrained eye, it doesn't look like much. And with a 50 cent price tag, you wouldn't expect much of it either.

I found a Lutterloh Golden Rule pattern book in pristine condition. The Lutterloh system is a pattern drafting system where you use a special ruler and the patterns they provide to draft up a pattern tailored to your bust and waist measurement. Alas, the book didn't come with the ruler. Now I'm on the hunt for a Lutterloh Ruler. Dang. Anyone have one lying around they don't want?!

My edition of this book was published in 1969. So not my absolute favourite years, ala 1950's, but the styles are all gorgeous and very wearable nonetheless. Lots of adorable clothes that I could make for my daughter too. And considering there are 500+ designs, I couldn't be more lucky. Well, actually I could have.... I could have found the book with the ruler!

Ah, the serenity...

I have packaged up and posted my Gingerbread House off to it's next destination, to be seen early next year in another life form. The relief of meeting that deadline and sending it on it's way is fantastic. More time now to whip up some Silly Gilly stock for the shop.

Aprons cut, ready to sew.

Bakelite buttons found.... destined to be sold.

Lots of kicking back and admiring the view.

Home for lost sewing machines

I seem to have a knack for finding lost dogs and homeless sewing machines.

Visiting the op shop on Friday, I was leaving with my purchases, when outside the front door I spotted a old case someone had dropped off outside. Thinking it was a old typewriter, I got excited and opened the cover. Of course, it was an old Husqvarna Zig Zag class 20 sewing machine. I popped my head back into the op shop and told the lady in there it was out there, attempting to pass it to her. She asked me if I wanted the machine, as they don't accept electrical goods.

And of course I said yes. How could I leave a poor abandoned 1950's sewing machine to sit out in the cold and perhaps be thrown in the bin???

She runs. Quite nicely but there is a catch. The needle doesn't go up and down. Dang.

Complete with most of the attachments and the instruction book, she's a ripper of a find. Now.... what to do with her....

The gorgeous garrulous gremlin

I have a three year old chatterbox of a daughter. Don't know where she gets the prolific verbose persona...

But I am finding that if you live as a stay at home mum with a verbose 3 year old, then not much crafting of your own gets done. Especially when I, thinking that I'm an oh-so-clever-mummy by introducing my daughter to brain stretching educational computer games, have to now fight my 3 year old daughter for time on my own computer.

I was inspired by this recipient of the Golden Sick Mummy Award this week and thought, if she can craft and work with a three year old around, of course I can too!

Not so.

How the billy-o do I get crafty things done for my business or perhaps, heaven forbid, for myself, with a 3 year old in my creative space?????

Yes, venting just a tad here. And if another person looks at me with that knowing eye when I suggest to them that I will be able to work and create more next year when my daughter attends kindy, then I think I will curl up into a ball in the corner and rock.

Only one thing helps me when I keep being blocked in the creative process by a albeit very gorgeous garrulous gremlin.

Finding a big pile of 1950's children's story books at the op shop for $3.

Just brooching a subject here....

Yes, deliberate spelling mistake there...

I've discovered the love of shrinking perfectly good woollen jumpers for the sole purpose of cutting them up into little pieces. It's called felting and boyo, am I addicted!!??

I've been scouring the op shops and have found some great woollies to felt. Into the washing machine they go with boiling hot water and some detergent. Whizz them through about 6 wash cycles (no rinse or spin though) and then into a hot dryer. Result?

Brooches available in the Silly Gilly store now!

Where have I been?

Busy as a beaver in my studio, creating all sorts of things and working on the secret project!

I have discovered a new love for felting, and have been scouring the op shops for woollen jumpers to felt down so that I have a delicious supply of felt for new brooch designs. I'll take some pics tomorrow and show you the new ideas. Let's just say alpaca and merino shrink a lot when you launder them the way you're not supposed to!

A lovely arrival also landed on my doorstep. All the way from my fabric coop in the USA. Have a looksie at this box of absolute delight...

Michael Miller overload!! I have gallons of the Rocket Rascals now. I'm seriously in love with that spacey print. More bags and smocks to come in that soon.

I've overcome my hurdle on the secret project (thanks Jodie) and am coming along in leaps and bounds. Perhaps I will let you in on a little bit of what it is... you can put things in it and little kiddies might like it! The goal is to knock it over by the end of next week. Wish me luck!

I have an op shop which is quite close to where I live. I thought it opened every Thursday morning but it was always closed when I visited. But when I visited on the correct day it was open... Wednesday... I discovered the mother lode of button collections. I purchased one big bag which happened to be a blue collection and found some beauties within.

I just love the black button with the flower transfer, the mid blue button with the tiny flowers embossed and the greeny-jade flower buttons too. Next week I'm aiming to find some red buttons to add to the collection.

And of course, I just happened to cast my eyes across to the cookbook section and wouldn't you know it??! There were a couple of 50's cookbooks there that I don't already own. I thought I would share a few recipes from the latest find. Perhaps you'll serve the third recipe on the children's milk drinks list for the kiddies this weekend? And perhaps the lamb salad for yourself. Bear in mind this is a recipe book for a blender....

It's the little things that matter

Not much craftiness going on in the Silly Gilly household today. Too. dang. stinking. hot.
Cool change due tonight thank goodness!

For some reason I thought I would post about some little things that I do in our everyday lives or with my work with Silly Gilly that helps us tread just a little lighter on Mother Earth.

• Buy the majority of my daughters clothes at the op shop or garage sales
• Use scrap photocopy paper destined for the bin from Mr Silly Gilly's office to print Silly Gilly paperwork on
  
• Use my rinse water from one kitchen sink bowl to rinse out the suds in the other
• Donate clothing and toys to the op shop on a regular basis
  
• Use my daughter's kindy art work as wrapping paper for gifts
• Use only 2/3 of the required washing liquid on the clothes and it works just fine!
• Habitually turn off lights whenever I leave the room
• Either don't use plastic bags for my fruit and vegies when buying them or else reuse them for the next shopping trip

I'm sure there are other things... I'd love to hear of other little day to day things that you do that are unique to you or not many people have heard of. I'm always on the lookout for things to do which help us have less of an impact on the earth.

To finish the post here's a beautiful picture that helps just a teeny tiny bit to cool me down....
It's by jtravism

Back on track

Well I was off to the op shop this morning. As if Xmas didn't bring enough little goodies my way, I thought I might just take ten minutes, childless!!, and see what little treasures there were at the local Salvos.

Look what was waiting for me! All apparently from the same owner, as they all have the name Susan written in the same handwriting on in the inside cover.

And the gorgeous book titled Around the World Cutout Book has some great illustrations in it which I think would look lovely in a cloth book for a little girl I know! If only I had one of those trees on which grows money and time......

Exercise = Good Karma

It's a beautiful sunny spring day here in Adelaide and the sunshine inspired me this morning to get out and walk. Of course, a walk is even better if it has a destination, and what better motivation to have to exercise than to be aiming for a local and as yet unexplored op shop!

With my daughter loaded into the pram and many a healthy snack on board, we trundle off and I'm proud to say the round trip was 5.6km's. Wowser! But it gets better.

Look at what we found at the lovely op shop at the half way mark of our trip:

I don't know why I have such an interest and love for vintage children's books, particularly those from the 1950's and 1960's, as I grew up in the 1970's. But these are such fabulous examples. I particularly love 'The Party' which is a Ladybird book which you may remember from your childhood. The 'Bedtime Stories' book has great illustrations that I may frame for my daughter's room. And they were all such very good prices that I gave the lady a little extra out of conscience!

The other thing I'm going to start today is my first block for my new quilt, The Little Bluebirds quilt by Janelle Wind. I received my first pack in the mail yesterday from the very helpful Sarah of Quilt Fabric Delights. Photos tomorrow of my progress. I'm off to sit out in the sunshine and get started. Ah.... spring. Makes me happy.

Sunhats and Sausages

For some inspiration, lately I've been busily scouring my vintage sewing books. I've made this hat before and keep going back to it again and again as the brim is lovely and deep and the hat has such a happy feel.

It's a lovely cherry red colour, is adjustable at the back with some nice long ties and fits girls aged 3 - 5. I've popped it in the Silly Gilly store.

More op shopping yesterday revealed this sweet, sweet vintage childrens book about a sausage dog! Now I need your help, fellow bloggers. I know there is a great blog out there about a crafty gal and her sidekick sausage dog. Anyone know who it is? I just can't for the life of me find it amongst my terribly long list of bloggy bookmarks. I'd love to be able to send this book on to her....

I feel so happy but a smidge guilty

My sister in law told me of a book shed that's in the hills near here. It's a little like a book op shop where people donate their books and others, like me, then buy them. If you look at my purchase like this
it looks like I went crazy and bought two thirds of the Little Golden Books there (which I did, well 35 of them anyway). And all for the unheard of prices of 20 cents and 30 cents. That's the guilty bit for some reason...

But then if you look at them like this

you might say, oooh, ahhh, what choices you've made, what treasures you've found! That's the happy bit! This is a little selection of what I found today. My particular favourites in this shot are 'Happy Birthday' - love the illustrations, and 'The Twins' - that one reminds me of the Stepford Wives for some reason...... Now off to catalogue them!

Blatant 'Read My Blog' First Giveaway!!

Ok folks, so how am I going to get you kids to read my blog and come back for more vintagey, op shoppy, Silly Gilly goodness? Give you some free stuff of course!

In my latest rampaging op shop expedition, I came across some scrumptious boys vintage sewing patterns. In my travels, when I find vintage patterns, they are most always girls patterns. Well, lucky readers, I found three great boys outfits that I have no use for myself, but would love another vintage pattern lover to enjoy.

First up we have Style pattern for three boys jackets, size 4, dated 1969.

Second, we have McCalls pattern for Boys' Proportioned Pants, size 6, dated 1962. (This is a cracker as the three proportions include 'Husky' LOL. 'Why yes sir my son is husky'... LOL

Thirdly, we have Simplicity pattern for Boys' Shirt & Pants in two lengths, size 4, date unsure possibly pre 1965?

All patterns have their instructions and a little wear and tear to the packaging given their ages. Make the little man in your life look squeaky clean in retro fashion!!

If you would like to be the grand winner for this pack, please leave a comment below. Tell your friends too! The winner will be drawn by random name selector, aka my kidlet, on the eve of Tuesday 10th June. Good luck and happy sewing!!

Bundle of books

Another couple of days of op-shopping under my belt. My daughter now asks, when told that we are going shopping, 'To the op-shop Mummy?' with a hopeful tone... Am I starting her too early? I think not. Nothing like being a thrifty two year old.

So I thought I might update with my recent finds.... I think I have a new collection growing, aside from the Little Golden Book obsession collection. Fifties and sixties children's books with their gorgeous illustrations and sometimes scary and not entirely little kid appropriate messages.

I quite like the book titled Ginger the Foundling... do you know of anyone that uses the word foundling anymore? Of course I had to look it up in a dictionary - foundling: A deserted or abandoned infant; a child found without a parent or caretaker. The book had more full colour illustrations inside and curiously not one paragraph indent....

The Lazy Fox and Red Hen (1958) is a great parable, advising in a roundabout way that it's always handy to have scissors and thread in your pocket. Now there's a safety tip if ever I read one...

And of course there was a couple of cracker Little Golden Book finds, including Jerry at School (1972). Makes me think of Jerry Seinfeld!

My Grand Entrance!

Welcome one and all to the first post of Silly Gilly. Within and beyond you will find musings and chatterings about things that take my fancy, make my soul sing, and give my brain cells a good run for their money. Mostly it will be about vintage things, op shop finds and fabric!!

I thought I might start my blog off with a couple of recent finds at my local, and not so local, op shops.

I have a serious Little Golden Book addiction, mainly due to the grown up Silly Gilly making up for the childhood loss of her own LGB collection. Pictured also is a cracker of a gorgeous Tala Icing Set and a sweet Caltex Travel Fun Book.

I fall in love with most things 50's and 60's, especially those either children oriented or housewife oriented. And yes I have a growing apron collection too.... Here's a photo of my latest zip and press stud collection. It's great to be able to get retro styled packaging on these babies, and they are still great to use 50+ years on!!