A Weekend in Black and White

Weekends are my favourite time for Instagram - both following what people are doing and sharing my own pics.

During the week I saw a beautiful black and white photo in my feed and decided I'd capture some moments in this classic medium. It was an interesting experiment - it only took a few pics for me to realise that the things that I would normally take a photo of because the colours were pretty were not going to work.

So I looked more closely at shades and texture - and shared some different subjects from my usual.

This was a fun experiment - I really liked the way these turned out.

Do you ever "shoot" in black and white? What's your fave Instagram filter?
 

Helper

I started the weekend with a plan. I even had a list - I was going to Get Stuff Done. The kind of stuff you keep putting off or can't do during the week. 

Instead, I got coerced into helping with one of my hubby's car projects. In the end I didn't mind, because it's always good to be learning and doing new things. And he bought me Japanese for lunch!

Basically we spent a few hours cleaning and prepping car interior panels for paint. It was not hard work and I got to stand in the warm sun doing it, which was nice. I've been missing some Vitamin D lately!

It was interesting being in a workshop that specializes in custom interior fit-outs - you never really think about the work that goes into these things. Lots of making, measuring, spraying, gluing and fitting going on. The workshop is owned by our friend and I like going there because he usually blasts opera and classical music while they're working, though today was all dance - disappointed!

We got a few panels done then called it a day. I'm now relaxing with my feet up having a cuppa, congratulating myself on being such a good helper. 

How's your weekend going?

Why I Like Going to Camp

Every year, Mum and I and our scrapbooking “mob” go to Camp. Well, strictly it’s cabins in the woods (minus the horrible dying) but it’s at lovely Lake Perseverance.

  

As it’s June, it’s usually cold, so we take along electric blankets, scarves and fluffy socks. The accommodation is basic (bunk beds with foam mattresses and an ensuite) and we share three to a room but it’s clean and sufficient for our needs. When we leave, we sweep and mop the floor, though this doesn’t take long.

Because we’re not there to sleep! We’re there to scrapbook. For two nights and two days. Some ladies are there to escape their families for a few days. Some are there to socialize and chat with their friends. But all of us are there to just Get Shit Done.

Because when you’re a scrapbooker, blocking out time at home to do it can be tricky – without a dedicated space, it is very hard to get motivated to get all your stuff out, then tidy it away again afterwards.

But at camp, you get an entire table to yourself, and you can leave your stuff lying around all weekend. You can borrow other people’s tools, and walk around chatting and getting inspiration by having a Nosey Parker at what they’re doing. Sometimes they run quick talks or classes, so we can learn a new technique too.

And one of the best parts? Once every few hours, someone cooks and serves us food. And then washes up everything. Paradise.

Mum and I like to walk in the mornings – she bullies me awake at dawn and out we go into the crisp (well, sometimes freezing) morning air. The bush is quiet, the air is clean and the scenery amazing. It’s so nice, even though generally I hate walking.

So, to sum up – scrapbook camp is awesome because:

• You get to do heaps of scrapbooking with people who also love it. It’s like therapy.
• You don’t have to cook or clean up afterward
•  It’s surprisingly cheap, given what you get
•  It’s a weekend in the country, with very little mobile service

Do you ever go on any “retreats”? What for?

Sunday Summary

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Happy Sunday everybody!

Doing - some blog reading for the first time in a long time. Doing my best to leave comments but sometimes I really just don't have anything to say and I struggle. Sigh.

Reading - just finished Dan Brown's Inferno. I liked it - but then I've liked his books since Angels and Demons. Yes, the plotline is sometimes very conveient and our bumbling hero is more lucky than smart - but the pace never slacks and you get to learn stuff along the way. This time, I learnt a heck of a lot about Dante and Renaissance art! The visual guide for this book would be very handy too. Who knew? Next, I'm going to start a book I've been wanting to read for AGES, a YA novel called The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.

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Watching - I've been trying to get through the first season of Hannibal but finding I can't watch more than one or two episodes at a time or I get terrible nightmares. If you've seen it you'll know what I mean. I thought that shows like SVU and Criminal Minds had numbed me to the horrors of the human psyche but this is a whole new level or horrifying for me. Now wanting to see Silence of the Lambs (nope, never seen it) and read Thomas Harris' novels.

Making - cards! I know, how quaint. But I had two birthdays coming up so I got out my brand spanking new Close to My Heart scrapping stuff and stamped my way to glory. Ended up with ink EVERYWHERE (how do they stay so clean in the Youtube tutorials?) but the cards turned out great. Can't show you because a) gave one away today and forgot to take a photo; and b) the second one is for a reader of this blog and want to surprise her! Did I tell you I'm officially a Close to My Heart consultant? Ha ha not seriously but I did buy the consultant's kit because it was no obligation and had so much cool stuff in it.

Wishing - that we could afford to shop anywhere other than Aldi again. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE Aldi fan, but sometimes I get sick of their same same stuff and crave some Kraft Peanut Butter.

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Planning - possibly I have been watching too much River Cottage Australia, but I'm bursting to start a vege garden. Other half keeps says "when the shed is finished". May have to take matters into my own hands and start some pots.


So... whatcha doin'?

Things this weekend has taught me

* Never underestimate the restorative power of a good lie-in.

* Thunderstorms are more fun when you can share them with someone. They are not fun when you are home alone.

* It is very hard to read by candlelight.

* My flatscreen tv looks feather-light but weighs two tonnes

* I have a lot more vintage stuff than I thought. A lot more.

* After 5 years of living in this house, I have yet to work out a storage solution for our collective stuff.

* A nice hot cup of tea and a pretty magazine cures most things.

How was your weekend? Learn anything?

Weekend thrifting

My mum once told me the key to enjoying your weekends instead of spending your whole time bogged down in housework was to go and do something nice for yourself on Saturday morning. First thing. Don't wash up. Don't put a load of laundry on. Just go out.

This morning I took her advice, and armed with Evernote and a list of garage sales in my area, I hit four places in quick sucession. The only good one was the last, a lady who was selling TONS of Christmas stuff - I'm assuming she was one of those obsessive Christmas lights people because she had so many items. But she also had a nice array of bric-a-brac and the most enormous glass jug I've ever seen. I bought it on the spot plus a nice little mini syrup jug.

Teacup for scale purposes

I then ran a few errands at the local mall (ugh! detestable place!) before dropping in on my favourite op shop on the way home. Bingo! Some lovely Johnson of Australia teacups, saucers, side plates and dinner plates. I didn't take the whole lot as some of it was crazed, also wanted to leave some for other folk. I also picked up a lovely little glazed Japanese coffee mug for 10c. 

Then I came home, washed up all my finds and sat down to do some stock photography for my shop! I'm getting better at taking photos, sharing my fave of the day with you below.

  Have you been thrifting this weekend? Any good finds?

Saturday

Today I did things. It was satisfying because I got to go to shops and I NEVER get to go to shops.

First I hit up my local Lifeline Supa Store, because one thing I learnt the last weekend I went thrifting is that by the afternoon, any good stuff is gone. I didn't have any luck - they had one Agee Pyrex casserole dish but it was badly discoloured. No decent Tupperware this week either! I ended up buying a camel coloured wool scarf for $2 and two floral pillowcases for a dollar apiece.

Next I was headed up to Westfield when on a whim, I decided to drop in to the Lifeline store at Strathpine. I'd never been in it before (always shut every time I go past) and blow me down if they didn't have a stack of Johnson plates on display! They don't have much bric-a-brac there so I guess what they do pick out to put on display must be the good stuff! I was so excited, because I've never seen this leaf pattern before.

When I got home I got stuck into the "present pile". This is what we have been calling the giant pile of boxes containing our wedding registry gifts, which were delivered about a fortnight ago! Well, I unboxed everything, and washed it all up... and frankly I was exhausted! I was flabbergasted by how much packaging goes into these items - cardboard, bubble wrap, plastic. This pile of junk is still in my living room, I can't face it right now. On the bright side, I have lots of boxes to ship my etsy store stuff to customers in!

After a little lie-down in front of the telly as a reward, I decided to christen THIS BEAUTY...

By making pumpkin soup! I had half a leftover pumpkin in the fridge so I chopped it up to use. I followed the 4 Ingredients book recipe, though I did saute the onions in butter with garlic first :) Is there a better smell in the whole world? I think not. It turned out amazingly. So good. I saw somewhere on the internets during the week some tip about freezing soups flat, so I bagged up some servings and they are now lying flat in my freezer, waiting to be consumed on a cold winter's day.

How was your Saturday?

A new friend

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On Saturday night, reclining on the couch in my most slothful position and discussing tall building engineering, I realized I have a new friend.

It’s my mum.

It was a lightbulb moment. I went up to the farm this weekend to visit our wedding photographer and collect our proper photos (excitement! But that’s news for another post) and C then went back to Brisbane as he had to work. I spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday just hanging out with my mum.

I realized that I love doing just that – spending time with her. Not only is she nice and willing to pay for things (thanks mum!), she’s smart and interesting and we can talk for hours. We’re interested in the same things, so we always have something to talk about. In fact, hubby is convinced that we talk TOO MUCH.

We had a fab old time – watering the garden, BBQ dinner on the patio drinking wine and listening to the radio, Sunday breakfast at a café (The Engine Room in Railway St, Toowoomba – highly recommended!), markets then garage sales. I think she was delighted to go to the markets and garage sales too because dad always refuses to take her! My newly-minted hubby is the same, though he supports my thrifting habit, he draws the line at going with me a lot of the time!

The whole time I spent up there was not only fun and relaxing, the fact that I discovered a new friendship made it a golden weekend. I think now that I’m older I can appreciate my mum more as a person, not just the lady who raised me.

Are you friends with your mum?

My Weekend in photos

This weekend, as it was another long one, I drove to the farm to see if I could be of some use to my mum. She has finally realised her limitations in that she can't do everything one-handed, so she pretty much worked me to the bone with little errands and tasks. But it wasn't all bad.


Captured a beautiful rural sunset. It just doesn't happen like that in the city.


Played with my brother's beautiful labrodor puppy


Woke up to dew on the window after a frosty dawn. Was glad to be rugged up under my doona that morning!




Took my mum to church for a farewell cuppa with the leaving minister and his wife. These are the stained glass windows which I have always admired. They are memorials for parishioners who have died. I hope someone dedicates a window to me when I go.


Took a photo of my grandparents' Agatha Christie collection. This is just a small sample. I love reading them when I'm at the farm.


Had a very civilised cuppa with brother's GF. She has the most awesome tea set.


Checked out my brother's latest car purchase. I think he has an addiction. Someone needs to ban him from ebay, seriously.


Picked up some special edition mags with Royal Wedding specials.


So what did you do on your weekend?