library bag

Some of you may recognise this fabric from a post a few days ago....well while the house is sleeping I decided to make Arthur a library bag. My first attempt at lining/reversible anything....don't look too close at the stitching.
Shop life is good. Thanks to all who came to the opening celebrations, and people wandering by.

shop talk

A story about Donald..... he's originally from the carousel at the Melbourne zoo circa 1950-60's. He's our shop duck. We bought him with the base (although the two were not fitted together). So we had them welded, gave him a clear varnish so he wouldn't flake no more and put him to work in the window. Plugged him in (Nick used to be an electrician) put Arthur on top and away we went. Although Donald wasn't so smooth, he was like a wild bucking bronco; he headbutted Arthur, there were tears and much "I don't like it". So the cord was cut and now he sits still. What with children and public liability. Geez.
Last pic is a sample of Thelma's stuffies which arrived today. So very ace. I'm not going to link this one. (is that mean and not allowed in blog land?) I think you need to come to the shop and look for youself and buy one. ha ha.

open for business

First up a big thankyou to my sister who was our first (buying) customer and for bringing me lunch. Yay. So we opened yesterday, thanks to shannon for also popping in. We had quite a few locals on their way to and from work/home/the shops, pop in and say lovely things. All good. Gearing up for tonights opening fiesta ... I am a little worried about the weather - severe wind warning. hmmm as long as she don't rain I say, as I have a feeling things may be spilling onto the footpath.
I love mail, yesterday saw kara smith's (link coming) handbags arrive. Oh so lovely. Created with vintage fabric and buttons. I actually had to buy one myself. Other photo is of some super cute fabric from good ole ebay usa. It's always such a fluke to find things in there as there's so much stuff to try and sort through. I'm thinking cushions or library bags... although I can't imagine cutting into such ace fabric.

one more sleep

I can hardly believe that we will be opening our doors tomorrow. Yay, years of hoarding, collecting, dust catching may all be worth it. A story about the pigeon holes in our shop. They were once oregon beams holding up a ceiling. We saved them from the wood heap, overloaded a trailer to a friends warehouse for six months. They renovated so we packed them up (not an easy feat) and drove them to our old house in the burbs where they lived down the side for 18 months. Time to move again, jacknifing a trailer in the process, travelling 40km an hour to the shop front, where they sat for a while longer, before going to the sawmill for milling. Pick up again and take to a talented man/friend/carpenter and hey presto pigeon holes. Then Nick and I added a bit of snazz, tongue oil and board game backing. Phew. There was much wailing, splinters, gnashing of teeth and what are we lugging this around for (by me), but I'm glad we did.

Oh Dear

So much to do, so little time... Arthur has yet another lergy, it seems he doesn't even get a chance to fully recover from one before another launches it's attack. 4 to 5 week rotation it seems....So what does that have to do with my biscuit photo.? I am eating apallingly. I recall a recent post by aunty cookie about fairy bread consumption, well biscuits are outlawed in our house. If they're around I eat them, if they're not... well I can't. These rascals found their way into our home during the week. Bad. So I photographed them to make myself feel better. They're in the house now for artistic purposes!! I actually like the little differences of 100's and 1000's and patterns. Found a great cookie jar today for $5, couldn't believe it. I collect them, which is pretty funny now that I am writing, seeing as we don't usually have biscuits in our house.

shameless promotion

What a week it's been, more super ace items arriving, more interruption disruption and lack of sleep and shameless publicity. We were interviewed by a journalist from the age last friday and this morning a photographer came and took some photos of the shop and us folk at Arthur's Circus. You will be pleased to note that I wore one of betty jo's lino brooches, a hair clip and knitting needle bracelet by liana kabel and Arthur held one of Leah's nongs....smooth or what. So look out for us in Sunday week's M supplement. (Or don't because it could be kinda emabarrassing.) Five more sleeps.....

I love mail

Yesterdays trip to Camberwell Market was not in vain. Would anyone else out there agree, that it's not as good as it used to be. Maybe there's more people into the same aesthetic, maybe there's getting to be less good stuff around, maybe there's a change in stall holders and what they sell (I noticed cheap knock off perfume and new plastic crap). We've found that we're lucky to leave with 3 good things. One of the good things yesterday was this set of mix and match cards. How ace are they. I want to keep them, but I have other snazzy uses for them up my sleeve.
Today was a great mail day. I received some great fabric from reprodepot, these fantastic hand bound journals made from vintage bingo cards from Kelly which we will be selling instore and the best was an ebay usa parcel gone awol. A long story but they were accidently sent to our old address which is now a building site. Many phone calls and visits to the post office and many pleas to outer space...Yeah 7, I repeat 7 very cute and all different vintage planters arrived unbroken. (A minor miracle when it comes to receiving breakables in the mail.)