101 Things in 1,001 Days : Year 1 Update

I can't believe it's been one year since I started my second 101 Things in 1,001 Days challenge already. It feels as though I've done more than I did at the one-year point the first time I did the challenge, but I can't really be sure. I've completed 11 items -- that's ten percent. I guess it's not too bad. Here are a few highlights:


DONE!
✦ read Ulysses by James Joyce - this book is considered to be one of the hardest to read in the English language, and I can see why. It's so beautiful and complex that I couldn't even attempt to review it. I would never have read it if it weren't for the Reading Ulysses with Conner Habib course. The course is run once a year to coincide with Bloomsday, which (actually coincidentally) is next week, on the 16th of June.
UPDATE: The course is now available year-round!

✦ finish making a blanket - yes, it's true, I have several blankets in progress, one of which I started when I was 14, and until a few months ago, had never actually finished one. If you read this blog at all, you'll recognise it as the one I made for my first solo art exhibition. I cherish it not only for the art in it, but the craft in it.

✦ get another tattoo - as with my other tattoos, I decided to get one design at first, but then changed my mind in the end. I got a candle in remembrance of all the forgotten people, all the people who have had violence done against them, who should be here but aren't. I chose a rose, poppy and peony for the flowers. The artist told me she usually does one flower showing from the back as her signature style, and I agreed to that. It only took 3 hours, and, I have to confess, it hardly hurt at all.

✦ watch 50 new movies - I finished this one very early, thanks to Netflix. I guess I'll increase it again next time, assuming we still have Netflix then!

IN PROGRESS!
✦ do nanowrimo - but isn't NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November? Yes, it is. But I still haven't finished my story, so I consider it to be 'In Progress'. I'm pleased to say that I'm up to the final editing stage though. After those few final tweaks, all that remains is formatting it (after figuring out how it needs to be formatted), creating a cover image, and then uploading it to some self-publishing site (after I choose which one/s). I can't say when it'll be done, but I'll be sure to let you know when it is.

✦ go to 15 exhibitions - It seems I'll finish this point early, too. I've been to 12 so far, big and small, from paintings to jewellery. It's been very inspiring! I want to make it a regular occurrence, if I can. I saw an original Frida Kahlo! A Yayoi Kusama! And so much more.

✦ go to 30 new restaurants - since Husband and I started having regular lunches with our foodie friend, this point has been easy to work towards. I/We have been to 25 so far, from Korean to Colombian.

✦ donate 101 items (new) - I recently replaced a point I no longer wanted to do with this one. So far I have donated 15 items. 11 of them were books I gave to the Melbourne Central Little Library. I bought a box of 25 random children's books from an op shop for a bit of light reading, so there will be plenty more to donate soon.

Op Shop Haul No. 1

Yesterday I went op-shopping (or thrifting, as it's known in many places) for the first time in a long time! The place where I work now has a large op shop right next door to the train station, so I decided to take up the hobby again (or habit, as Husband might say?).

I purchased two books: a fantasy novel about a unicorn and the enormous Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. (It was only $5!) My arm was sore from carrying it before long! I couldn't resist this pretty lavender floral tin, and I needed a drinking glass for work, so I chose this large tapered one.

In the manchester section I found these cute vintage coathangers. The set of 4 tapestry table mats were a bit of a splurge purchase. I'm sure I'll be able to find somewhere in the house for them; they might also make good backgrounds for photos. The floral pillowcases I thought might be good for a patchwork skirt. I was also looking out for something with lace on it to make into a skirt -- this huge tablecloth was a little more expensive than I would have liked, but it more than fits the bill. I think I might even be able to make two skirts from it!

Finally I got these fun dinosaur figurines. (Actually, I think some might be dragons!) I was looking out for figurines for painting on. I didn't find quite the type I was looking for, but the dinosaurs were 6 for the price of 1 (!!), so I figured they'd be good for practicing on.

The op shop that I went to is one that's familiar to me -- I used to volunteer there many years ago, before it changed locations, and visited quite a bit even after that. Unfortunately op-shopping in Melbourne isn't what it used to be. You're lucky to come across anything really good quality, and the amazing items that would sometimes come through just never appear anymore. There's a franchise of shops called Savers, who sell second hand goods, but are a profit company. They pay charities to let them take the best items to sell in their chain of stores -- and they don't pay very much. More people go there to shop because they have the best stock, even though most of the money is going into the shareholders' pockets. It's a sad situation. I do still want to believe that op-shopping can be fun and productive, and I did find some lovely things on my trip, so I'll keep going to the charity shops on pay day.

Op-Shop Recon ... Part 1

For the last few months now, I've been pining to get back into op-shopping (or thrifting, as it's known in many circles). I guess it's partly envy of the exciting vintage hauls that I've been seeing other people sharing online, and partly a reaction to my drive to get rid of stuff recently. But I am trying to be mindful not to re-stock too much and keep a balance!


It's been many years since I've been op-shopping, and I don't know where the good ones are anymore, so I thought it would be fun to go to several places, do a bit of a Reconnaissance Mission and report back my findings. The first shop I went to was the Salvation Army Store in the CBD, at the top end of Bourke Street. It was very small and, I thought, a bit overpriced. It was mostly clothes, with a book section, and no homewares. I was particularly looking for some clear glass mugs or a teapot, so I was a bit disappointed. I didn't end up buying anything. (I know, my friends will be shocked!)

The second shop I went to was the Brotherhood Shop in the basement of the Royal Arcade. It was larger and had the full range of what you would expect from an op shop -- clothes, books, linens, homewares, toys, etc. They didn't have the exact items I was looking for, but I came away with a few things.

Here we see some cute vintage mugs, a shelf-stand, a vintage sewing pattern, a hand-knitted baby blanket, and a travel guide to New Zealand in Chinese:

I positively swooned when I saw this hand-knitted baby blanket in pastels. It's now draped over the back of my couch. I'll add the sewing pattern to my collection. And the travel guide ... well, I've been really interested in Asian writing systems lately and I'm sure it will have many good pictures that I can use in my art journalling.

And I'd been wanting to get some more shelf-stands from Ikea to help re-organise my tea cupboard. But Ikea is so far away from where we live now. So when I saw this shelf-stand, I figure my visit was meant to be!

Things New and Old

Firstly, I decided that I would take some time out each month to visit Op Shops and try and score some cool stuff. So I initiated Thrifty Thursday, which I have decreed will be on the first Thursday of each month. Or whenever I have time to go. So I went last week and had a lovely time looking at everything and brought these home:

* books x 4 (half price)
* partitioned dish with flowers
* picture frames x 3 for painting and framing the prints I bought
* clothes. Including a beautiful drop-waist dress with a flowery border print that I just couldn't resist. It's about 3 sizes too small (I know, I can hear the groaning, not least from myself!) but I figure it's extra motivation for me to head to the gym every night.

Secondly, here is the picture of the kokeshi doll I finished on Sunday, as promised:

I'm not too happy with her proportions - her head is too small and/or her body too large. And her face is too small too. But I figure it'll take a few goes to find proportions I'm happy with. I tried embroidering the body this time, with a flower felt shape which I needle-felted to make it stick on, and used stranded cotton, a sequin and some tiny beads to embellish it. It was fun. I want to do it some more. I started embroidering some doll faces in preparation.

Lastly, I did get up my courage and I went to the Brown Owls craft night last night. And, gosh I had fun! Yeah, I did feel a bit awkward at times, but everyone was really friendly and I enjoyed making my project, vis:

embroidery and more stash enhancement

It's of some martini glasses and a cocktail. Sublime Stitching have some really cool patterns. At first I thought it was a bit pointless, if fun, but then I started thinking of some things I could make the fabric into - a drinks mat for our (at the moment) pretend retro bar that Boy and I are one day going to build. It would be really cute as a round mat with a crocheted edging. When I started thinking of all the things I could embroider, I got quite excited!
I also came away with a small stash of kitschy-cute stuff to decorate the hobby room with, and some pieces of fabric that I might use to applique a knitting project bag one day soon.
Unfortunately, the next craft night is sold out, but I'm on the waiting list and keeping my fingers crossed!

Now back to your regular programming - I really need to get that scarf finished!!

I got the knitting blues.

Hello, all.

What have I been doing lately? Not much!
I've mostly been working on Sparky's hoodie, at work. I haven't had many shifts, so I haven't done much unfortunately. And I can't knit and type at the same time, dammit! I bet you Debbie Stoller can!

I wish I had whizzy icons which showed how much I've done of each project, in the shape of a scarf or a hat or whatever, with the bottom part coloured in like a glass that's had coloured water poured into it, showing how much is completed. That would be really cool. But I never said my blog wasn't substandard, did I?

I still don't have any new pictures of my knitting, so here's a pic of the things I bought on my last trip to the Op Shop:

You see here:
* cheesy old 60's and 70's knitting books
* wierd orange top
* hand towel
* Body Shop products
* ridiculously large teapot
* glass jar
* original 60's inflatable coathangers that I don't think have ever been taken out of the packet
* etc.
I love op-shopping!