op shop finds.. DECEMBER

It's been a while since we have posted some of our op shop finds. Since we did a second hand/handmade christmas we have been busy op shopping, but not really for ourselves. But here are a few of our most recent op shop finds.

This little picture was love at first sight, $2 and helps to remind to pray each day.
This typewriter needs a little work, but at 25cents I couldn't turn it down. We gave this to a good friend who hopefully will restore it and then we can all write little typed notes to each other.
20 cents each, I love Bribie Island opshops, best kept not so secret.
And who can turn down highly flammable clothing.

Lady at the counter: 'Is this style coming into fashion?'
Me: 'Not sure, I'll let you know how I go.'
Lady at the counter: 'Oh...um...just don't iron it.'

If you don't already op-shop or thrift-store in your local town, get amongst it, you'll save heaps of dosh, look sweet in sometime one off threads and your minimizing the need to buy slave made, high priced clothes from busy shopping centers. yep.
-morgan

i made: coffee date dress

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, and finally with the post Christmas holidays i have found some time to write it.. so here goes..

I made the coffee date dress from Burda Style. I am always trying to be ethical in what I wear and have been trying more and more to make my own clothes from recycled materials. Sorry about the crazy photos... they were done in a rush before I ran off to work. This is a sweet pretty easy pattern, which creates a very nice shape. I actually didn't put a zip in this as I can just fit it on over my head, so very simple.

I used an old bed valance which I found at an op shop for a couple of dollars. I love that this is a completely recycled outfit, and cost next to nothing except for my time. I liked the gray fabric, but it was a pretty bad decision for this dress. Because I made it mostly to wear to work and the fabric is cotton it reacts to water and goes dark. So if you spill some water on you it is VERY visible which is not good with high pressure taps in the bathroom at my work. I quite enjoy the zig-zag frills on the front, simple but effective.

I like that I can try things and learn from them. I still wear this dress, but it was a good learning curve. My friend Talia tried to make this dress too, but ended up making something even better. I recommend this pattern for you to use, its a lovely dress.
enjoy. kim

collections.. pt 2 [the broaches]

My favourite piece of jewelry are definitely broaches.
I love that a beautiful broach can transform an outfit. I used to be a girl who would never leave the house with a necklace on. Now I'm like that, but with broaches. I have been so fortunate to be given so many beautiful broaches and have build up quite an amazing collection.
Here are MY top 5:
1. This is one of my newest broaches which was a Christmas present from morgan. He brought it from this amazingly talented Frenchie who goes by the name Cordialement Bisous. This stuff is incredible and each item is unique. I got one from his village series and the one pictured is from his Neurons series.
2. Morgan brought me this broach home when he came back from france a year and a half ago. I love this guy, it used to belong to Morgan's grandmother. Some people tell me he is a English Naval Officer, but all I know is I love wearing him.
3.This bird came from a little shop in Afghanistan. I went over about two years ago on my way to Europe to visit my friend gaby who was living there. She gave me this one as a birthday present just before I left. I believe this is Kuchi (the nomadic tribe of Afghanistan) style jewelry but if your reading this Gaby, please correct me.

4.What is special about this broach is that my friend Sarah designed the fabric, printed the fabric, then sowed it to make a broach! Sarah is super talented and studied textile design at Uni. Unfortunately she is pretty busy working now days, so I don't think she gets to do many markets these days.

5.Finally another special broach from Morgan. This one also came from his last French adventure, from a sweet vinatge market in Fountaine-de-Vauclause. He has a small tattoo of an anchor on the back of his leg (which his mum also has) so I like wearing this to be in the club without having the tattoo.

I also got these two broaches for Christmas as well, but they missed the earlier photo shoot.

-kim

merry christmas

we hope you all have had a fantastic day.
thanks for all your support as we start our blog.
x m&k

collections.. pt 1 [the cameras]

So for a while now we have collected many different little things. This can be a somewhat dangerous thing when separating collection and addiction. When it comes to our vinyl collection I am often stopped mid-way through an online purchase and ask the question by a voice within saying 'do you really need this'. But I think that a healthy collection of something beautiful (and useful) can be a marvelous thing.

Recently kim asked me to pull out all the cameras I owned, having been given four recently by friends, workmates, as well as purchased a couple online. We were both blown away by the amount and decide we needed to make a trip to the op-shop to give a couple away.

Here are my top 5:

1- My newest is a Pentax k-1000, this baby is heavy, but you can really play around with a lot of settings and I am excited to see a roll developed very soon. I recently bought a 80-210mm lens for this on eBay and am very excited to lug this thing around at the next music festival.

2- My Fujica Compact 35- this things is vin to the tage. Still waiting to get a roll developed.

3- Our Super Headz Digital Harinezumi 2++ is what we bought to shoot our own wedding, although we did not use it a lot, we got some great shots and it films like an old Super 8 but digitally great little investment and always fun to have in your bag.

4- My Palmat 40mm, this one has caused alot of pain with ripping film out of its spool or taking 36 shots in one frame while at an epic music festival, but the day I have a successful run with this shall be talked about for decades.

5- Kims Polaroid Joycam, we don't really use this but you gotta love polaroids.

These are but a few, and eventually I will post some shots but for now we use mainly my iPhone 4 Hipstmatic App and other digital Cameras. We also may have bought a Lomo Robot 3 shot Camera for a self Christmas present...maybe.

-morgan

our christmas traditions

A few years ago I started a Christmas tradition with my family which has continued in the years that have followed. What we do is each member of the family writes words of encouragement or what they like about the person aka. "Kind Words". This is a great time to refocus with all the present craziness, and remind each other why we like each other. To challenge ourselves to express how we feel and think about the great people we have around us. We now try and do "Kind Words" each Christmas and on each persons birthday (but only kindness for the birthday boy or girl).

This year, because my brother and his family are heading north to spend Christmas with his wives family, we did Christmas all together a little early. I always love writing encouragement for each person in my family. This year I couldn't find morgan and my stockings, so I quickly sowed our initials onto some santa hats that got left at our house. My sister couldn't find hers either, so she used a paper bag. hee hee.
-kim


Since I've known Kim she has always enforced the rule 'Kind Words' at all major family events...mainly Christmas and Birthdays. Although we are not always in the mood it really brings the family together. Growing up my family and I never shared too many kind word, but don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change my family for a million bucks, but once again it's nice to be apart of Kims family and share new traditions.
- morgan


so tell us.... What are your Christmas Traditions?

christmas cheer.

is there anyone yet to find their christmas cheer? this will get you in the mood...

Some friends of mine, Holly and Grace have been making a video each day in the count down of the 12 days to Christmas. This is todays... Enjoy.



You can find the first and second days here and here.

Updated:

Here is the full list of days so far..

first, second, third, forth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth....

12 Days of Christmas mix!

We love Christmas music. Kim has been listening to Christmas music heaps for the last couple of months as she has been planning the Christmas promotions at work.

So... today we have some of morgan and kim's favourite christmas tunes for you to download and enjoy. We hope this mix brings you so much joy and can help you get in a festive mood in the lead up to Christmas.

So here is your 12 Days of Christmas Mix...
1. Put The Lights On The Tree by Sufjan Stevens from the album Songs For Christmas
2. By The Christmas Tree by Jeff Pianki
3. Merry Christmas by Mardi Lumsden
4. I Hate Christmas Parties by Relient K from the album Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
5. I Heard the Bells on Christmas by Johnny Cash from the album Christmas with Johnny Cash
6. Christmas Thanks for Nothing by Slow Club from the album Christmas Thanks for Nothing
7. O Come, O Come Emmanuel by The Civil Wars
8. Splitting Up Christmas by Kevin Devine from the album Make The Clocks Move
9. Christmas Lights by Coldplay
10. Amazing Grace by Sufjan Stevens from the album Songs For Christmas
11. Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year by Rosie Thomas from the album A Very Rosie Christmas
12. I Wish You A Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby

CLICK HERE to download and enjoy

ps. There are some other great Christmas mixes on the rounds you should check out..
The gluttonous vegan loves You has a lovely gingerbread mix for download. You can also get all old school with the dead format and his very traditional Christmas playlist.
And Kyle and Jen at Our Marriage Project have a list of great itunes christmas buys.

i made: a christmas tree p2.

So this years tree.. is made from FABRIC.


It was morgans idea. We were at finders keepers markets in Brisbane a few months ago, and morgan saw a felted stuffed sowing machine. It was so cool, and he suggested this year our tree would be a fabric stuffed tree...


I didn't have any stuffing to use to stuff the tree so started again, and decided some sticks (or chop sticks) would be great to prop it up. It works so well, and we used some scrap red and white striped fabric my friend jo gave me, to make the baubles. Its pretty small, but so have all our other tree been. I also had a great time with my sister this week making paper chains to decorate the house. Its beginning to look a LOT like CHRISTMAS indeed around our place...
::kim::

I thought a big, green stuffed tree with a brown base and big yellow star would be an amazing Christmas tree this year. However every year since Kim and I have made trees together, they have never turned out as the first original thought. But this years tree is GREAT, made from chopsticks and recycled fabric, I love it. I had alot of fun making the little baubles. Kim is so talented and a whiz on the sewer.
::morgan::