Kelly Doust introduces readers to her wonderful world of reviving and customising vintage pieces, while bringing a modern and unique twist to wearing vintage clothes – Dita Von Teese
Mila’s daydreams
Such a cute idea – Adele Enerson spent her maternity leave blogging pictures of her daughter, Mila, against imaginative backdrops while she was sleeping. To be published in a book soon.
Decisions, decisions
Fab fabric find
I found this metre-wide length of heavy vintage linen not too long ago at the Rozelle Markets, and am in two minds about what to do with it: a stapled wall canvas for the babe’s room, or a sturdy tote for me? A wall canvas would show off the unusual print, which has a fairytale feel, but a tote would be grand, don’t you think?
A sofa cushion’s another possibility… this may take some time.
You floozy
Saucy teacup by TrixieDelicious
Look at this reinvented porcelain teacup and saucer, available on Etsy from TrixieDelicious. It’s a seriously cool idea… so much so, I’m looking into ceramic paints to personalise a vintage gilt-edged plate for a friend’s birthday immediately.
Fancy raising chickens?
A while back my lovely neighbour, Anna, mentioned she considered raising chickens in her backyard. I don’t think I could cope with the extra cleaning – a two-year-old and two adults is quite enough for now – but the thought of collecting fresh eggs every day holds a certain romantic appeal.
If you’re tempted to turn your backyard into a farm, see The Illustrated Guide to Chickens by Celia Lewis. Focusing on European and North American breeds, many are available in Australia, and the info on varying temperaments and uses is fascinating. Plus I loved the author’s handpainted illustrations, and foreword by Prince Charles. One day, perhaps…
Satisfying upcycling
My old/new picnic kit
Look inside
We’ve just returned from a lovely long weekend in the Hunter Valley, spent wine-tasting with a bunch of favourite people.
Shauna, who’s an auctioneer at Lawson’s Auction House (for her insider tips on bidding, click here) brought this picnic basket away with us, which she won in a job lot last Friday. When I commented on it she insisted I keep it, generous lady that she is.
My old/new basket’s missing its original glasses, plates and cutlery, but came with matching napkins and a tablecloth. I’ve added my own hardy plastic cups, but will be on the lookout for the right bits and pieces to store inside when on my travels.
Olive in her thrifty skirt
Another recycled find is this $2 skirt from a flea market – Olive loves to twirl in it, and had a bit of a dance to the bands put on by the vineyards on Sunday.
Old oil panting
As is this oil painting, which I bought for $5 at a charity store and liberated from its ugly frame. It now lives in our teeny tiny bathroom, simply attached to the wall by a 3M hook. Staring at a peaceful scene like this from the bathtub is definitely the way to start a day off on the right foot.
Simple idea #5: cute & inventive storage
Old boxes, new tricks
I have a thing for collecting lovely old boxes and tins for re-purposing. It’s clearly in my genes – when I was young, we had to clear out my great-grandparents’ farm after they died, and found decades’ worth of odd vessels hoarded in the outbuildings. From those once used to store gramophone needles or ointment, to liquor and denture cream(!).
Give me a sweet tin from Provence to store random bits of jewellery in any day, I say. Or a wooden camembert box for my rickrack. Here’s some ideas for recycling like Grandma used to.
Brightly coloured bias binding
Monsieur camembert loves to rickrack
Are they sweets?
Not quite, but almost good enough to eat
A cigar tray of Japanese insect brooches
Once Voluspa candle box, now a box full of string
Sugared almonds in a cut crystal sugar jar - as was intended
Click here for simple idea #1
Click here for simple idea #2
Click here for simple idea #3
Click here for simple idea #4
A couple of simple ideas
Sort-of Union Jack cushion
It’s a bit rainy and miserable outside today, which puts me in mind of ‘ol blighty. I pulled a bunch of linen scraps out from the crafts cabinet earlier and created this cushion – they’re sewn to the front of an old velvet cushion I’d grown tired of. I don’t mind the fraying edges at all, which should only improve in the wash.
And above, a pleasant oil painting found in a charity store and pulled out of its ugly frame sits behind Olive’s heirloom; a porcelain ballerina music box passed down from her doting grandmama. It’s a day for soft, smudged blues.
Revival of the friendship bracelet
Remember braided friendship bands from high school? I’ve been noticing a lot of playful new jewellery lately, which reminds me of times before I sought more precious pieces in silver and gold.
I’ve had this crescent moon charm hanging about in my jewellery box for years now, but never wore it. Here I’ve braided it into some bright red tapestry thread and created a strap which adjusts – I’m happy it’s found a new home, where it can finally see the light of day.
Make your own book
I’m not usually fond of self-published books, no matter how worthy the subject – there’s something quite special about having a team of people working together on a book project to come up with the very best of all visions. Throughout the process of producing The Crafty Minx, my clever publisher Kay Scarlett, editor Sophia Oravecz or designer Vivien Valk would suggest something that changed my direction or influenced the book here and there. It always made an improvement – more heads are better than one.
That said, I read about this service on Daily Addict and felt it was too good not to mention: Blurb.com provides software you can download to make your own books, and inexpensive printing and postage. I’m thinking of making a book of our family life, just for us (and for Olive to see when she’s big) and maybe an additional copy for my lovely in-laws. This is a great idea for publishing images of your own photography, design or craft projects, don’t you think?
Simple idea #4
Driftwood: designed by nature
I’ve always had a thing for collecting shells, pebbles, feathers and dried leaves – particularly when I’m on holiday. Just one or two at a time, but now we have quite a few dotted all over the house in ceramic bowls and mini-middens, reminding me of the places we’ve been. It’s also a way of bringing the outside in to our urban home.
A few weeks ago I found this beautiful piece of driftwood on the beach after an early morning swim, currently residing on our living room sideboard. Forget expensive ceramics or sculptures if you’ve no budget to speak of – just keep your eyes open for the very best decoration nature has to offer.
Click here for simple idea #1
Click here for simple idea #2
Click here for simple idea #3
Gnarly