Saturday, August 1, 2015

Swaps, Racks & Drains

Greetings dear friends & readers
Gosh that sounds like a fascinating post title don't you think??

There are quite a few mid-winter christmas swaps in blogland at the moment
Last year, two dear friends & myself decided we would do a little mid-winter christmas swap amongst ourselves
Well it only took us an entire year to actually get ourselves organised !!!!


This is what I made my two friends .... he is Rustic Santa, a very old pattern from the Woodcutters Daughter who now goes under the title of Theodora Cleave

I have a homemade Rustic Santa of my own (several christmas's old now) & just really adore him when he comes out each year at christmas time.

His jacket is made from quilted calico strongly dyed in parissiene essence ... his beard is some boucle wool & I added a few little embellishments such as a rusty tin birdhouse & a bunch of  artificial greenery, pip berries & scented cinnamon sticks tucked into his arms
I made his hat from an Op Shop jersey ... which was the princely sum of $6 but I happened to pop in on a "50% off all clothing day" so it cost me just $3.00 .... it has been used in many projects now

My friend Leeanne's parcel arrived this week - her timing was perfect as it was "one of those weeks" ... this is the amazing, generous package that Leeanne put together for me . . .

A wonderful array of goodies, a gorgeous stitchery wallhanging, teatowel, notepad, serviettes, rusty bell .... 
Oh there were some choccies in the parcel but Blackie must've sneaked in & stolen them !!!!!


I have a couple of Leeanne's stitcheries now - she does such beautiful fine detailed work, I just adore them.  
She especially loves winter-time so the snowman theme was appropriate.
Thank You Leeanne So much :-)

This magazine rack came home with me on my last trip down to Mums ... it had been $5 in her local Hospice Shop & was in immaculate condition but the lady told me, it had sat there for ages

I hauled it out this past week & gave it the wax candle & paint treatment ... I have been working on some painting projects in front of the fire these damp wintery days.
It actually took 4 coats to cover it well & I must confess, it was a fiddly darn thing painting between those slats ... but after the paint had hardened, I sanded it lightly to distress it ...
. . .  then the fun part ...   embellishing & "doiley-fying"



Goodness what IS that stuff shining in my bedroom windows .... Oh yes, its sunshine !!!!  
We just haven't seen any for awhile around these parts ! !


The doilies at each end got mod-podged onto the wood

Then I got to "try it out" to make sure it all actually worked okay !!!!
It is going for sale in my Cottage so will be useful to have some magazines in it, for those customers that will ask me "what do you actually use this for ???!!!

Poor Pippi has had a rough week .... I got her spayed last week & she was coming along well until she developed a nasty infection under her wound site
Back to the vets for more surgery & home again with two drains in her wound
(I promised her I would Not put any photos of her drains on my blog)



Needless to say there has been quite a bit of the above going on ....
And she has been getting away with doing pretty much as she pleases while I keep her distracted
Put it this way  .  .  .  we shall have a little bit of "retraining" to do once she mends
Helping Mum sort out her silk flowers
And as for Blackie  .  .  .



...  well he's being his kind, caring & understanding self ! ! !

Thanks so much for stopping by today dear readers
Gosh, where on earth did July slip away to I ask you ???
Have a wonderful weekend & I hope to be back real soon with a new painting project to show you 
(completed, hopefully)
with much love & friendship,
Julie, Blackie & poor wee Pippi Longstocking
x0x0x0x

18 comments:

  1. Your Santa is absolutely adorable and so creative. What a lovely package you've received too. I really love what you've done with the magazine rack, it's great to see something salvaged and upcycled.

    Poor, sweet little Pippi. She's such a cutie and I hope she heals soon.

    I think Blackie's gorgeous, too. When I was a little girl I named my cat Blackie. She used to sleep on my bed at night, sometimes with her head beneath my chin, and we'd wake up in exactly the same position each morning. She gave birth to her kittens on my bed too, which, at the time, seemed really disgusting (I was about 6 or 7), so I stopped letting her into my room after that.

    Anyway, rambling aside. Such a lovely post. Enjoy your weekend! ♥

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    1. I do enjoy your "ramblings" as you call them Yvonne ... thanks so much for taking the time to drop by & leave your lovely comments.
      Pippi is coming along okay I think - she must've been feeling a bit brighter today as she whined & carried on all day to be let outside - which I am not allowed to do yet. Its hard work being Pippi's Nursemaid.

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  2. Poor little Pippi - hoping she is much better soon. The magazine rack looks so much nicer now - love the heart shaped dollie.
    Love the rustic Santa's - you have done a wonderful job making them.

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  3. Ah! Bless! Poor Pippi....! Hope she heals soon...!
    Drains? Drains? HeHe! Lost it there l think! :).
    And...I think Blackie has life, just about sussed...
    Wake me up...and food in the bowl!
    I'll miss Flossy for a few days..My daughter's down
    for the weekend..Annual Barby tomorrow...! And she
    brings Zeeva down, one of their Staffy's, who never
    leaves me alone, Grandig..(That's me)...is always here
    to look after her and make a fuss over her...Dogs! There
    alright l suppose, but...'Nowt like a cat'.

    Love the the Santa's...Especially the beards...They look great.
    Very Characteristic and certainly seasonal...Lovely!

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  4. Hello Julie, you have had a lovely swap, I do like everything. Those little kittens are so sweet, I do hope Pippi heals quickly. The basket with blanket for kitty is a really nice idea, my basket has been empty for a long time so I will get it out and see if Ambercat would like to lie inside. Betty

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  5. Your goodies are gorgeous, Julie. You are a lucky gal. Those Santas you have stitched are gorgeous. They add such a homely and rustic feel to your lovely home.I love those 5% off days at the op shop, too. You have done wonders with the magazine rack. I can't imagine this sitting too long in your cottage; it will be snapped up in no time at all. The sight of a lick (or two or.......) of white paint on furniture that is distressed puts a little puts a smile on my dial. I love the addition of the doilies and the hearts; they finish the magazine rack perfectly. Doesn't Pippi look so comfy in that basket......as as for your Blackie.....well he has the look of one contented and mischievous cat..

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  6. Yes indeed....what is that shiny stuff?...did you say sunshine? lol. We've
    actually got some here today in West Oz. Had heaps of rain too.
    Love the rustic santa's, very cute. Of course you had to try to magazine stand
    out.....er.....to make sure it works.
    Cheers, Anita.

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  7. Oohh Julie I love your Santa's, they are fabulous. Dear Missy Pippi, hope you mend soon and start scampering around. Just love that magazine rack. Hugs Shirley

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  8. Your Christmas swap looks fun Julie - love the Santas that you made - just looking at them gets me in the mood for Christmas!! Clever work on your magazine rack, you've really made it into soemthing special. Special little hugs to Miss Pippa, hope she heals soon...and hope she'll be back to fulltime supervising soon!

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  9. Julie you are so clever and very very crafty and I know that Leeanne loves her Santa!!! Awesome wee man he is. And I just love what you manage to do to items that no one else wants.
    Hope Pippi is feeling better, and that you have managed to get your pruning done in between the rain and caring for Pippi!!
    Have a great week.
    Hugs
    Kerry

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  10. They are amazing Santas!! Your goodies swap from Leeanne is beautiful, so many lovely things. The magazine rack looks wonderful too. I hope Pippi heals soon and is back to her usual cheeky self.

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  11. oh how I wish I lived closer... what a fun swap to take part in. I am busy here making christmas as well.
    But those dolls of yours WOW! so talented Julie
    Oh poor kitty. its been so long since I have had a pet go thru this. The worst was always having the claws taken out. I hope for a fast recovery.
    Enjoy that bit of sunshine!!

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  12. Hello Julie, oh dear, what a kerfuffle with the infection business. That drew it all out a bit didn't it. Don't think I could be bothered thinking of Christmas in the middle of winter, but what a lovely swap idea. Quite astonishing how something quite so um..er plain, can be transformed with your shabby chiccing attentions. An entirely different piece of furniture! I do hope that you manage to keep up the sunshine over your way. New growth budding on so many things here. Hundreds of violets all round my garden..so lovely. Hope you & the Furs manage to have some nice time outside this week. Much love Catherine x0x0x

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  13. Love the magazine rack Julie, it looks sooooo much better , it's really lovely now. Hope Pippi's gets better soon, Jillxxxx

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  14. Poor little Ms Pippi, she looks like her recovery is going well, and as for the sympathetic Blackie, well he is a bloke and we all know how they think, or is that don't think!! Again you have been wonderfully industrious with your finds. Your wax and paint look is a favourite of mine and I really need to give it a go.

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  15. What a wonderful swap between you two! Blessings on both sides. :-)
    Love your magazine rack...you have such style in your work, Julie.
    Hugs to sweet Pippi. xxx

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  16. Oh you mentioned the 'C' word in August.....*faints dead away* ;-D

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