WILLOW VALLEY STORE

I spy macho sew

Some pics from the windows of Collins St...

on my way to work....

I admire these masculine sewing scenes in the tailor's windows

sometimes I have to wait until there are no cars going past to avoid capturing them in the window reflection...

or step off to the side on an angle so that I dont end up with ME in it...

the making of a suit...

I can't make out the name on this antique sewing machine....does anyone recognize it??? Isnt it lovely. So different to the white plastic ones of today.

I learnt to sew on my MIL's old Singer from the 60's.

xo Cath

Op Shopping in Melbourne

In my commute to the city this week I picked up a City Weekly - its a free mag with stuff about Melb in it -  usually handed out at Flinders St station.

This edition had a great article about op shopping in Melbourne and a blog link to check out.

I op therefore I am.

There are maps and lists to download that will make the hunt easier and even where to shop on Sundays....I am going to print them off and keep them in my car glovebox....cos I LOVE OP SHOPPING!!!

  Op shopping is addictive because you

• $ save lots and lots of money $
• contribute to charities
• live sustainably - recycling and upcycling is better for the planet
• find unexpected treasure
• become unique - develop your own style
• never know what you will find - the thrill of the hunt!
• can brag about how flukey/smart you are to your op shop buddies and bathe in their admiration
• come across unusual and vintage items that inspire creatively and artistically

Here is a recent "score that I adore".

A Boo Radley skirt for $6. Its brand new. They retail for about $130. I wear this a lot on weekends. I  really like the multi hems of tulle and raggyness of it. It is beautifully made with lots of gathers tucks and embellishments.

Goes well with leggings, my long boots,  layered tops, lacey thingy - steam punk watch pendant and weekend scruffy hair ;-)

Happy hunting....

xo Catherine

PS my op shop adventures can be found under the Categories to the right VINTAGE INSPIRATION and YESTERYEAR

Homespun - The Church Block

The latest Homespun is out - I look forward to them all - but this issue is one I have been waiting AGES for!!!

As you know,  Homespun - is running a 2011 BOM program called My Town. The completed quilt will be auctioned and the proceeds go to the Starlight Foundation - a fantastic cause!

The blocks all feature the beautiful new fabric range Wild Rose by Blackbird Designs (I am a HUGE fan of their fabric and patterns - LOVE THEM).

Each month you receive a pattern to make a structure for your town. At the end of the year you will have a wonderful village featuring iconic buildings to create your quilt.

Yikes - its always a bit scarey (understatement!) when you turn the page and see something that you have dreamt up, sketched, planned and stitched on your dining room table  - (aka: craft room)  right there in those glossy pages.

This month you will find my block - The Church.....

Here are 2 of my most inspirational photos -  taken in the Melbourne CBD

 

Issue 98 Vol 12 No 7.

 

xo Catherine

 

PS Churches are pretty good inspiration on the inside too!!!

Quality Vintage in the Melbourne CBD.

Can you guess what I am looking at?    Do you know where I am?   

Aren't these just the most gorgeous french doors. Isnt it interesting how the thick bevelled glass makes a distorted view of the outside world.

Have you worked it out yet?

I am gazing at beautiful St Pauls Cathedral and I am @ L'uccello!

The reason I want you to see and remember this photo is so that you will ALWAYS be able to find L'uccello. Even if you havent got the address!! If you KNOW when you are IN  L'uccello you can spy St Pauls across the road - surely you will find it by working backwards!

Enter via the Cathedral Arcade - (which is opposite St Pauls on the Swanston St side) - and L'uccello is on the 2nd floor.  Easy!

Inside L'uccello you will find incredible architecture - such a fitting backdrop to all the wonderful vintage treats that Kim constantly sources from around the world.

 let's wander around.....

see anything you like?...I sure do

lots of baskets and drawers to poke around in....

Kim is delightful and her shop specializing in Quality Vintage just gets better and better every time I go there. You might be thinking - hhmmm looks expensive....NOT AT ALL!  (and you know what a thrifty shopper I am LOL!)

Its a real treat for me to have this little slice of heaven to drop into on my way home from work. I am ALWAYS inspired and enjoy buying  goodies to treasure - at great prices.  Thanks Kim!

Visit Kim@  L'uccello

xo Catherine

Open studios....

This looks inspiring....check out what Kim at L'uccello forwarded onto me....(thanks Kim!)

Download Open_studios_invite_2010

once a year the artisians that live in the Nicholas Building host "Open Studios".

This iconic Melbourne building is home to a huge range of artists - and for this event you are welcome to visit them all behind the scenes.

If you are a fan of these books....

...I think you will enjoy this.

xo Cath

Melbourne Central....

The last few weeks have found me in the city most days. Work and study. No stitching or drawing for me. Leave home in the dark and get home in the dark.

Anyway, this has given me some (rushed!)  opportunities to explore some parts of the city that I don't usually get to....and I thought I would show you this one....

the Coop's Shot tower built in 1889 - 9 storeys high and 327 steps to the top. The tower produced six tonnes of shot weekly up until 1961, when the demand for the lead shot dwindled.
When a new development in 1991 comprising of a shopping centre, office tower, and Melbourne Central railway station were planned for this site - rather than  knock the 50 metre tower down - it was saved and made into a focal point. The tower is housed in a huge 84m glass cone. Its a great success story of old and new existing together.

I enjoy seeking out old treasures in the city....and there are lots of them....

but I am longing for some more simple country days here in the foothills where I can relax and exhale....and bring the designs in my head into reality.

xo Catherine

Blue button fix and more from L'uccello

swoon swoon - here is my vintage blue button fix this week from Kim @ L'uccello.....

plus some cute  little needles in their sweet old packet....

and a crinoline lady crochet - that I am going to add to some wool felt to and make into an old fashioned needle keep....

and some gorgeous red and cream stripey ribbon (that will be perfect as the hanging ribbon for my latest Kathy Schmitz pattern that I am loving)

Lots of yummy goodness to find there so put L'uccello on your Melb CBD - MUST VISIT list

Where to find it : L'uccello is opposite St Paul's Cathedral (thats the really big one diagonal to Flinder's St station) in the Nicholas Building in Swanston St - level 2 - next door to Kate @ Buttonmania....which you should check out too ;-) 

L'uccello is open Thursday Friday and Saturday. If you are visiting Melb another day and can't return on those days - give Kim a call - she is often in the shop anyway because it is also her studio - and you can have "exclusive access" - isnt that neat! And she has Eftpos too.

xo Cath

Merry Christmas 2009.

Today we had a fun family day in the city.  Melbourne is a great place to shop and enjoy at this time of year.

The Block Arcade and The Royal Arcade were decorated beautifully. 

We visited St Paul's Cathedral because it always has a peaceful calm - and it just feels so right to pause there and give thanks for all the good things in your life. 

Saw the Myer Christmas windows (yawn) . Checked out the light show in the Crown Casino - that was pretty good!

And took the boys to see Avatar - Gold Class in 3D - which was really sensational - if you get the chance definitely see it in 3D.

I picked up the 2009 U.S.  Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest edition from MagNation in Elizabeth St. I still have last years one too and flick through it regularly.

These are really great and the pages are full of inspiring creative people and how they decorate their homes for Christmas. Lots and lots of unique ideas and "how to's. Big tick from me on these!!

Not sure what my 3 boys are up to but, my present is the smallest under the tree - its about half the size of a matchbox and they have been stirring me and giving me crazy clues.

Such as - 1. it has the potential to earn you tens of thousands of dollars if used correctly (Hm love the sound of that - but really really seriously doubt it )

2. Brian's dad bought one just like it 30 years ago. ( I was thinking it was a mobile broadband thingy so that eliminates that )

3. I am going to love it and Brian isn't.  (Hm well isn't he sweet for buying it for me)

Have a Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy a day of fun, food and laughter with those you love.
Lots of love Catherine xo

Melbourne Town Hall tour

Tours of the Melbourne Town Hall currently run twice a day and are free. They are really interesting and educational too. You learn a lot about the early days of Melbourne's settlement, its people - their lifestyle,  the huge influence of the goldrush, the history of the Town Hall and the significance of its architecture.

Photography is only permitted in 2 locations which was disappointing. Its a good one to put on the "to do list" when you are visiting Melbourne so you can see it with your own eyes - or perhaps be inspired to visit your nearest capital city Town Hall.

So here we are in the Council Chamber. I loved it in here. The roof is Italian Renaissance style - but with an Aussie flavour with gumnuts and eucalyptus leaves - isn't it amazing.

The carved woodwork is all Tassie Blackwood.

 

The stained glass windows are just beautiful and so much nicer in real life. As our tour members sat in the councilors seats our guide explained the coat of arms to us and why it looks the way it does. In this very early image of it both ocean pictures (the whale and ship) are on the right with one above the other - and they are surrounded by wattle leaves. Later this was changed so that both ocean pictures were in the lower section side by side and the wattle leaves were replaced with lions.  The motto is ‘Vires Acquirit Eundo’ (we gather strength as we go). What a great motto - I love that!!! Did you know that Kangaroos can only move forwards not backwards? I s'pose that big tail is a hassle to backward movement! The Kangaroo depicted on top of the coat of arms represents always moving forward - but he is also looking back over his shoulder - and therefore remembering his past/origins. 

It was incredible to see pictures on the walls of Melbourne's iconic buildings (like Flinders St station) surrounded by dirt and horses.

We also went into the main auditorium. The colour scheme is pale blue, cream, white, beige - spacious and peaceful - and there are incredible paintings of human forms - sort of Leonardo Da Vinci style all over the walls. The main painter had his right arm injured in the war and so he completed the work with his left arm - talk about dedicated.  The auditorium has a pipe organ and you can see about 20 towering pipes from the front.  We got to go back stage and see the other 8,000+ of them!!!!! The organ is a massive piece of "machinery"  spread out over 4 stories. Our tour guide even played it for us.

Then we got to walk out onto the Portico - the big balcony that overhangs the sidewalk. 

The Beatles waved to their screaming fans from here in the 60's.

The tour takes about an hour and a half and is really really worthwhile.

Plan your visit -  lots of inspiration at these links....

Melbourne Town Hall

eMelbourne

Walking Melbourne

City Museum at  Old Treasury    

Jane Austen at NGV

National Trust

xo Cath

P.S. There are some reproduction postcards available in the foyer - and I liked this one. Its an old ad for electricity. I collect anything vintage to do with ironing ;-0

Check out the unique way her iron is plugged in. Looks like the lead is coming out of the light fitting?

Exploring Melbourne

One of the best things about working in the Melb CBD is the exploring that I get to enjoy during lunch breaks or that unexpected early finish....

I love old buildings and architecture and it takes an awful lot for a modern establishment to win me. But, this is my favourite place to have my lunch.  Its clean and modern and the temperature in here is always perfect - its a calm oasis.

The glass cubes have Melbourne landmarks featured on them. The centre square where the cubes are is actually a step down island. You step onto the island via 4  stairs at the West end - walk across it - step up 4 stairs at the other end to leave it - and then you are at the Green Cat Cafe - where the food, coffee, music and service is GREAT. The centre of the roof is a skylight about 10 stories up - so the centre atrium ceiling  really soars.

The island is surrounded by pebbles and covered with about 15cm of running water that constantly circulates the island. Which is kinda neat as most of the city water features have been boarded up or planted with succulents.

Every so often someone actually fails to realize that - and when a "suited up smarty pants type of guy" steps in it - and gets saturated up to his ankle and his Italian leather shoe is full of water - that is pretty darn funny!

The city is NEVER boring and there is always new things to discover. Just when you think you have walked down an alley, lane or street 1,000 times and seen it all - you find an unexpected delight. Its great like that.

This week I was walking along Collins Street and stopped in an interesting doorway. It was closed for renovation and there were signs saying no admittance.

Hmm wonder what they are doing...the door is open....might take a peak inside.

There was a really cute (did I say cute? Nah I wouldn't notice...) tradie who said it was ok for me to hang out and take some pics. Gee thanks!!!

There is a lovely old staircase and the afternoon sun coming in these windows next to them was jewel like.  My pics of the staircase aren't very good - poor lighting and lots and lots of dust! See that sign on the pole - it says something along the lines of no admittance renos in progress....

The roof reminded me of an old wooden boat. Isn't it beautiful. I love the warmth of wood.

 

Lots of dust back here.... it had an eerie kind of atmosphere...but it was calm and sort of  "safe" too. I don't think it has been used for a while. It looks like a church on the inside - which surprised me because it doesn't look like one on the outside.

 

ok better get back to work....

xo Catherine