Diddle and Ro

Vintage Thrifty Finds

2012-01-22T18:24:00.002+11:00

What a week it has been been for vintage thrifty finds!!! Every op shop I went into I found some treasure. Starting with this portable typewriter.

My favourite would have to be this vintage Fisher Price "Happy Apple" for only 50c. It makes the sweetest chimes when shaken.

Two tiny baskets. I love the contact in the bottom.

Pretty Johnson plates.

Two as-new rolls of vintage wallpaper in a groovy brown/yellow floral print.

This charming book called "Mark and Michelle in the Forest" by Marcel Marlier. The illustrations are just beautiful.

I love this vintage chenille bedspread. My daughter has the same one on her bed.

Pretty vintage wrapping paper with artwork by Phil Taylor (Daisy Lane)
More pretty plates from Japan (Freebies!!)
Wood and Sons plate with "April Rose" design
Unopened vintage bed sheet sets...yay!!

Phew! :)

For more lovely vintage finds look HERE

My sweet addiction

2012-01-19T00:05:00.001+11:00

I really love my little online craft supply shop SweetnKitsch.

I have the best time searching for new stock. It's fast becoming an addiction actually.

I'm currently having a sale to make room for heaps of lovely new items arriving.

You can find us HERE and HERE.

Hurry! as the sale ends tonight at midnight.

Here are just a few things you can buy -

Happy crafting everyone!

getting in early

2012-01-16T20:58:00.000+11:00

ok ok i know i usually wait until the weekend to post my vintage finds, but i just have to show you what i found today. A vintage Fisher Price "Happy Apple" for only 50c. I decided to get an early start with my op shopping this week by heading out first thing this morning. Well! what a week of great finds it has been already. I can't wait to show you the other great stuff i found. I normally don't look in the bins of toys(gross!) but i had my 3yr old with me and he desperately 'needed' a new car. I found this sweet find right at the bottom...hiding...waiting for me.

Vintage Thrifty Finds

2012-01-15T18:16:00.002+11:00

Hi Folks! Hope you all had (or are having) a lovely Sunday. Not a lot of opportunities to op shop this week. I've been cutting back on shopping as I'm starting to run out of places to store my vintage treasures. I couldn't go past this cute green kitchen scales and groovy table cloth though.

This sweet little lady was a freebie (gotta love that). My mum was having a huge clean-out when she came across this Avon milk glass perfume bottle. My mother gave it to her mother in the early 1970's. I remember it sitting on the side table in the guest bedroom when I would stay for sleep-overs as a child. She's in beautiful condition and still smells glorious.

Find more lovely vintage thrifty finds HERE

No words :)

2012-01-13T23:20:00.001+11:00

My new years resolution is to be as happy as my son Ronan.

There are no words to describe how much I love this little guy :)

10 things I'm lovin right now

2012-01-13T02:06:00.001+11:00

1.this Goyte cover version by Walk off the Earth and Sarah Blackwood...wow!

2. these chairs

3.crochet print tights

4.warm chicken salad....yum

5. lattes at Vegas and Rose

6. these headphones...love all the colours

7. cute shoes

8. these bags

9. this movie

10. this chat show....almost as good as the Graham Norton Show...well almost.

Music Monday

2012-01-09T22:55:00.001+11:00

Just a few songs that got me through the day :) Enjoy

A lazy Sunday afternoon treasure hunting

2012-01-08T22:22:00.002+11:00

'Hi Folks! I just got back from my 'after dinner" walk (don't you just love warm summer evenings!) with hubby and Liam, when I realized it's 9.45pm and I haven't done a post yet. Hope you all had a lovely day.

I really love Sundays!!!

Slept in LATE! Breakfast in bed.

Enjoyed a relaxing lunch with family.

After we couldn't eat anymore, we jumped in the car and headed for the Mill Markets in Ballarat, in search for some vintage treasures.

I decided to take some pictures rather than buy as I'm trying to be good.

Here are just a few things that caught my eye.

vintage luggage

Books, books and more books

pretty kitchen tins and dinner sets

globes

never used vintage bed sheets

AND this amazing Johnson tea cups set( in original packaging wow!), that John (my hubby) bought for me.. I''m the luckiest girl :)

Thrifty Vintage Finds

2012-01-07T19:33:00.002+11:00

It's been ages since I did a vintage finds post.

I haven't had a chance to do alot of thrift store shopping and finding vintage is getting harder and harder these days...but not impossible.

I managed to find a few lovely treasures ....check them out

*a poodle tin plate, a tiny Johnson plate and the cutest vintage Japanese elephant dish.

*a large Pyrex bowl in my fav green daisy print and a Japanese ceramic bowl

*Brand new/still in pack vintage bed sheets, pretty crochet table cloths ready for some TLC, an olive green chenille blanket, and a huge vintage clothes rack in a shabby pink colour (this sure came in handy with all the rain we have been having lately)

*LOADS of lovely Johnson plates in lots of pretty designs...this is just a few that I found....yippee :)

Did you find some lovely vintage treasures this week?
You can check out lots of other great finds here at Her Library Adventures.

Happy thrifting everyone!

Art Love - Theater Clouds

2012-01-06T21:56:00.000+11:00

I haven't posted on my blog for some time....my bad.

Anyhow.. while on "vacation" I'd been doing alot of online browsing, when I came across this very talented artist Elly Mackay. Her Esty store Theater Clouds is full of whimsical, dreamlike prints...I can't decide which one I love the most.

22 sleeps

2011-12-02T23:59:00.000+11:00

It's Christmas time in Ballarat :)

New in store

2011-11-27T21:10:00.000+11:00

Did you have a nice Sunday? I sure did!

I just finished making these sweet summer overalls.

Made from light weight denim. They feature vintage fabric lining, pockets and covered buttons.

I'm rather pleased with how they turned out.

Two sewing projects finished....18 more to go.

The Daylesford Christmas Twilight Makers Market is only 13 days away....yikes

Take a look at my store HERE or better yet, why not come along on Saturday night, the 10th of December and say hello.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Market day

2011-11-26T19:40:00.000+11:00

Diddle & Ro had a stall at Daylesford Makers Market today.

It feels like ages since I last attended a market as a stall holderr.

What better venue to break the market drought than Daylesford.

It rained!!..sigh

This didn't stop the serious market shoppers....no sir.

There were many happy customers and tired stall holders by the end of the day.

So what did I buy?

This sweet little candle cup and saucer by Unmatched and a nifty vintage wall paper bookmark by Moon Mum.

Sorry you missed it?

Don't worry, there is a Daylesford Makers Twilight Christmas Market on Saturday the 10th of December.

Diddle & Ro will be there!

New to Diddle & Ro

2011-11-07T19:19:00.001+11:00

Vintage Fabric Flower Brooches

I just listed lots of them in the shop...take a look

Thrifty Tuesday

2011-10-25T23:37:00.001+11:00

Wow! What a great week it has been for vintage thrifty finds.

I haven't had much time for thrift shopping the past few weeks (or blogging!) so I was thrilled when I found all these goodies. It was as if they had been hiding somewhere waiting for me to find them.

Check out the huge pile of vintage fabrics I found...yay. All of it is pre 1980's (some 1950's) cottons with interesting prints.

Other great finds- vintage children's books - dinner plates (not all shown) - vintage craft books - groovy tablecloth - 2 cute figurines (not sure if these are vintage but Miranda loves them).

My favourite find would have to be the little book called "Woodland Adventures" It has the sweetest illustrations :)

For more vintage/thrifty finds head over to Her Library Adventures.

Sweet thrifty dreams everyone

SweetnKitsch Giveaway

2011-10-05T18:36:00.009+11:00

Time for a sweet little giveaway?

Here is what you can win -

-Four rolls of the sweetest Crocheted Fabric Tape in pink, cream, white and pale pink. The tape has an adhesive strip so you can stick it anywhere you want. Great for scrap booking, gift wrapping and all sorts of paper crafts.

AND

-A packet of Pretty Japanese Sticker Sheets.There are 12 precut sheets per pack.

To enter all you need to do is-

1. 'like' Sweetnkitsch on Facebook

AND

2. share this giveaway link on your facebook or group page.

After you enter just leave a comment on either this blog or on facebook.

Of course if you really want to win you can also share this link on your blog, twitter etc

The more times you share, the more entries you'll get...got it? :)

I will announce the winner at the end of October.

GOOD LUCK!

Just a few things that made me smile this week

2011-09-17T19:16:00.000+10:00

Its been over a week since I last posted on my blog. I must confess I've been feeling a little blue lately. Nothing serious! I'm just a bit disappointed that I had to postpone a holiday that I'd been planning (and really needing) for some time..boo hoo :-) It hasn't helped that the weather has been miserable here in Ballarat. What better way to cheer myself up than to do a bit of thrift shopping. It's getting so hard these days to find any vintage in op shops but I managed to find these.... heaps of vintage 70's brown cotton fabric with sweet children's print......a little Pyrex dish ( a freebie..yippee!)....vintage 70/80's bed sheet with the cutest storybook print....and a tiny ceramic cat.

I really felt like doing some sewing this week. These vintage fabric flower brooches turned out really well I think. I showed them to my husband and 19yr old daughter and they weren't that impressed, but I really like them.

I love these two books - Modern Vintage Style by Emily Chalmers and Vintage Craft Workshop by Cathy Callahan. I had ordered them some time ago and completely forgotten about it, so I was pleasantly surprised when they showed up at my front door this week. New books...Yay!

Here are a few images taken from Vintage Modern Style.....

....and Vintage Craft Workshop.

**Another thing that made me smile this week was finding out my little craft shop SweetnKitsch is currently the 2nd top seller on Craftumi...YAY! A big THANK YOU to all my lovely customers.

Have a great weekend everyone :-)

Shop Love - Blonde Vintage

2011-09-03T18:23:00.000+10:00

Time for a bit of shop lovin!

Feast your eyes on this sweeeet gem.

Blonde Vintage is probably my all time favourite shops in Ballarat. I've found some real treasures here.

Martine the shop owner has a natural flare for styling and this busy little shop is constantly changing decor.

I try to pop in here at least once a week as I always manage to find just the thing I'm looking for.

You can even shop online....take a look HERE ...or follow her on Facebook.

Here are are my latest finds - a lovely old table cloth in my favourite colours.....and this 6 setting retro dinner set.

My beautiful boy

2011-09-02T00:45:00.000+10:00

My eldest son Liam turned 16yrs old on the 26th of August. Just another birthday for some, but a very special day for our family.

Liam is the sweetest 16 yr old I know. He loves going to school, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline, going out to dinner with his family, watching Toy Story over and over again...he is completely obsessed, swimming, cuddling..he gives the best cuddles, playing with Lego...basically having fun like any other teenager.

He was such a cute baby...big and chubby. He was a great sleeper and feeder (to begin with anyway) He started walking at 10 months and was happy most of the time.

We first started to notice something was 'not quite right' around the time he turned 2. He was still not talking, started screaming all the time and when he wasn't screaming he was 'off with the fairies'.

Liam seemed very distant...he rarely made eye contact with anyone....even me. He would go into wild screaming fits at the smallest thing. Friends and family told me not to worry "My little Johnny didn't talk till he was 3" "He's just going through the terrible 2's" blah blah blah.

When I spoke to my doctor he suggested my 'parenting skills' were to blame for the screaming fits and that I should use 'time out' to get him under control. Bad idea!!! Liam would scream and hit his head on his bedroom door until he would almost pass out. I shudder when I think back to that time.

I decided just before he turned 3 to enrol him in part-time childcare. I thought being around other children his age might help. On his very first day he had only been there for 10mins with I got a phone call from the childcare centre to come collect him. When I arrived the childcare director told me they couldn't have Liam at the centre anymore and recommended I take him to see a doctor. Well the doctor had only to observe Liam playing for no more than 5 minutes when he turned to me and said "I think your son is autistic" I was devastated. Liam was offically diagnosed with autism soon after.

Liam has come a long way since those days. I'm so proud of him :) There have been many tears (mostly by me) and triumphs. He can say a few words but is still mostly nonverbal. He is learning to use an iPod Touch to help communicate with others... so exciting. He can almost shower himself...he loves the water and would stay in the shower all day if you let him. He is 99% toilet trained ...yay! I thought the day would never come when I could say goodbye to that damn nappy bucket. His overall behaviour has improved greatly. His screaming fits are less frequent....He whinges alot but don't most teenagers? :)

He still doesn't like to go to the hairdressers. Touching Liam's head is a big no no. We have been fortunate to find an understanding barber to cut his hair. Going to the doctors or dentist is still a drama..ha..ha

Probably to most noticeable change with Liam over the past year has been his height. Sometimes I miss that chubby little baby, but I must admit it's nice having another man around the house.

Did we do anything exciting for his birthday? Not really. Liam's no fan of crowds and loud noises so we had close family over for lunch where Liam got to blow out the candles on his Boston mud cake (the Cheesecake shop to the rescue again :)) Liam thought it was wonderful. He is such a sucker for chocolate cake (ain't we all?)

I'm just so happy to be Liam's mum . I'm looking forward to many more triumphs...and hopefully not too many tears.

Happy Birthday Liam!

I like Wednesdays

2011-08-24T23:18:00.001+10:00

I really like.....

......this world map John brought home from work.

It's not vintage but I think it looks great. The kiddies are having a great time searching for different countries.

.....this sweet vintage tea towel wall hanging.

I actually made this on Sunday night but I've only just managed to hang it on the wall and take some photos.

It was really easy to make. All I did was make casing on either end, add some fringe, thread thru some dowel, then add some garden twine....easy peasy.

.....this finished 'made to order' Gnometown Pinafore.

One lucky little girl will be very happy when this sweet package appears on her doorstep.

What I like most about Wednesdays, is that Miranda goes to after school care, so I have time to relax with a cuppa and a favourite magazine....bliss.

Shop love

2011-08-23T20:07:00.003+10:00

Another glorious day here in Ballarat, so I thought I would do a bit of shopping...why not :)

There are some great shops in Ballarat. Over the next few weeks I'm going to show you a few of my favourites (in no particular order).

The first shop I'm gonna show you is Big House Collective on Sturt Street.

I haven't been in here for some time so there were lots of new surprises.

Kelly, the shop owner, has a great eye for all things vintage so the store was packed with loads of retro kitschy loveliness. See pics below.

After 3-4 'laps' of the store I finally decided on a few items.
Here is what I bought -

A kitschy 'cuddling puppies' ceramic figurine in a lovely olive green colour......

and three vintage Pyrex mixing bowls (at bargain prices!) Gotta love that.

Love the different red designs. You can never have too many Pyrex mixing bowls.

PS - What do you thick of the new spotty background?

I've also worked out how make the blog wider and the photo's bigger ...yay! It was so easy. I don't know why it's taken me so long to work it out. Oh yeah! that's right, it's because I'm a silly head. Now I just have to work out how to change my blog header ;)

A blissful weekend

2011-08-21T23:30:00.002+10:00

Did you have a great weekend? I sure did.

The weather has been glorious here. Spring is so near....yay!

A drive to Daylesford was a definite must do.

Had a look at the Mill Markets. Lots of interesting things. Didn't buy anything....sigh :( Saving up my $ for something exciting (he he)

Ronan loved this vintage rocking horse....so did mummy.

Miranda looked so pretty today, I had to take her picture.

She is so camera shy (ha ha)

She is wearing a very sweet dress by Seed and a cute floral Cath Kidston bag.

After church, family came over for lunch. Chocolate brownies....yum :)

Didn't have a lot of luck thrift shopping this week.

What I did find was a cute nanna rug, a couple of retro cups, a 1960's big pencil with a tin world globe, and this ace sewing book. It has a pattern sheet for the clothes pictured. Some of the clothing is just wild... I love it :)
Check out all these other great flea market finds at Her Library Adventures.

I really like this dress

hmmm :)

sweet

I also managed to do a bit of sewing. Something pretty for the house. I ran out of light to take photos so you'll just have to wait till tomorrow.

Sweet n Kitsch Selection - Pretty in Pink

2011-08-07T20:09:00.000+10:00

A very girly craft collection this week.

Just click on the pictures to go to the shop.

Vintage Bookshelf - Alain Gree

2011-08-06T23:41:00.002+10:00

I love Alain Gree illustrations. I found this book from 1969 on eBay. It's in French so I have no idea what it's called. Anyone got an idea? Sorry about the not so great pics. My scanner didn't love this book as much as i did (grrr), so i had to take pics with my camera instead.

Spring cleaning the vintage fabric stash

2011-08-03T23:50:00.000+10:00

I've been doing some major sorting of my craft supplies this week. My dinning/sewing room was starting to look like war zone. My first plan of attack was to downsize my ever growing collection of vintage fabric.

I've listed this sweet selection of fabrics in the Sweet n Kitsch shop.

AND for this week only I'm giving Australian customers FREE POSTAGE on orders over AUD$20. How good is that? This offer ends this Sunday at midnight.

thrifty tuesday vintage finds

2011-08-02T13:32:00.004+10:00

I'm so pleased with my vintage finds this week. All of them were found in local op shops at bargain prices..gotta love that :)

What i found -A 50's cream/red cake tin, retro 70's food canister (perfect for cookies), a pile of Golden Hands craft magazines, three vintage 60's/early 70's Ladybird books, two very sweet retro floral cups (love these!), and a cute little ceramic bunny.

For more vintage and thrifty finds, check out this post HERE at Her Library Adventures.

seeing mushrooms everywhere

2011-07-31T00:12:00.000+10:00

Another collection of lovely things from my shops. Can you guess the theme for this weeks collection?

You guessed it - Mushrooms

Michael Miller fabric in Retro Mushroom print.

Here is the same fabric made into a very popular dress. This pinafore is currently for sale in sizes 4 and 5.

I've almost run out of fabric for this cute dress. So if you want a Gnometown Pinafore you better be quick.

Mushroom buttons

Mushroom Embroidered Ribbon.

New to the shop this week - Mushroom Glass beads.

Happy crafting everyone :)

floral vintage and thrifty finds

2011-07-26T18:04:00.001+10:00

I must confess, i've been really slack when it comes to thrift shopping lately. It might have something to do with the appalling weather here in Ballarat. Not letting rain get in the way of shopping, i've been doing a bit of browsing online. Here are my latest finds - a super cute floral suitcase (an ebay find) - green retro 60's alarm clock - pretty floral vintage fabric - a early 70's child's book on gardening...a local op shop find.

All these pretty floral prints reminds me that Spring is 'only' 37 days away (but who's counting) - a that makes me smile :)

it ain't easy being green

2011-07-22T23:22:00.000+10:00

It's Friday YAY!

After surviving the kids first week back at school (Ballarat's cold mornings are killing me), I'm really looking forward to having a sleep-in.

Just for a bit of fun and because I'm running out of things to blog about. I thought i would put together a collection of lovely craft supplies from SweetnKitsch.

The theme for this collection(if you haven't already guessed) is GREEN' (my favourite colour)

These crochet covered beads are available in lots of colours.

Cute frog charms.

I'm in love with these transparent plastic buttons. I only just listed them today in the shop. They look so much like green depression glass- just stunning. You can also get these buttons in pink.

Also new in the store today is this sweet Pom Pom Trim in Olive Green.(also available in Pink and Turquoise)

Vintage buttons

Scottie Dog Charms (available in six colours)

Polymer Clay Flower Beads (in a mixture of colours)

more Vintage Buttons

SweetnKitsch is currently having a sale. These Large Bird Cabochons in Lime Green were $4.40 (for 4) are now $2.20. Also available (at reduced prices) in blue, pink and cream.

Vintage style Kissing Birds Cabochons.

I'm not making any promises, but I'm going to do a new collection each week. I can hardly wait to show you the new things i've found for the shop.

Happy Crafting everyone :)

O how i love vintage craft books

2011-07-10T18:48:00.001+10:00

Yet another cold wintry day here in Ballarat.

What better reason to stay indoors and flick through my ever growing collection of vintage 70's craft books.

Alot of people find these books ugly and out-dated, but i just love them.

Here are a few pics that caught my attention.

I really love the crochet zig zag bedspread, but i think it might be too big a project for me to tackle. I'll stick to granny squares and pot holders....for now.

No vintage 70's craft book is complete without an Owl Wall Hanging.

Love this!

Sigh!!!!

(heads off to look for crochet hook and wool)

Happy crafting everyone :)

Love this song

2011-07-02T15:12:00.000+10:00

Enjoying this glorious sunny Saturday while listening to this great song....great 60's sound. Life is good :)

Vintage Finds

2011-07-02T13:51:00.002+10:00

It's been ages since i posted on my blog...oops.For some reason my computer won't let me sign into my blog, so I've borrowed my husbands computer.

Here are my recent vintage finds.

The cute vintage 70's floral suitcase is an etsy buy.

I found heaps of golden books, fabric, a lovely vintage sheet set, early 70's craft book ( love this!), dress patterns, and a cute egg cup.

For more vintage thrifty finds,check out this post at Her Library Adventures.

my rocket man

2011-06-15T22:09:00.004+10:00

Check out Ronans new Pj's

I managed to take a few picks today. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy.

My little rocket man darted all over the place. I took heaps of pics, but these were the only ones in focus.

Want some cute pj's like these for your own little rocket man ?

They are on sale for $29.95 (normally $49.95) Hurry! limited stock available.

Go check it out HERE

Clearance Sale

2011-06-12T22:06:00.002+10:00

I'm having a huge clear out of old stock at both my shops, to make room for lots of new products. Take a look here and here. Heaps of great bargains. Sale prices don't apply to 'made-to-order' items...sorry. Happy shopping :)

a little loveliness

2011-05-22T18:43:00.003+10:00

Lots of new pretty accessories in the madeit and etsy stores this week.

What better way to chase those winter blues away than by wearing a lovely bird in your hair.

It sure works for me! (a good book and cuppa also helps ;))

A sweet little post

2011-04-28T22:26:00.006+10:00

I just love these sweet vintage cabochon earrings. Buy them HERE

2011-04-27T23:06:00.003+10:00

I finished reading this book today. It was ace!

New in store this week

2011-04-26T18:33:00.002+10:00

Here are a few items I've listed this week-

The Mini Pinafore- this is my favourite. I'll be listing a few more in the next few weeks, in different styles and sizes.

More hairpins on swing cards.
Vintage fabric badges.

Boys Rompers in the cutest vintage reproduction fabric.

Go check them out!

Time out

2011-04-25T21:57:00.006+10:00

It's been some time since i last blogged....oops

I could give you a heap of reasons for this but the truth is i just haven't wanted to (gasp!)I haven't even been keeping up with what's happening on the blogs i follow. So much to catch up on :)

I've really been enjoying my 'time out' though. I've been doing Mummy/housewife stuff , sewing, reading, but mostly enjoying life. Here is just a few things I've been up to lately.

Earlier in the month, Diddle & Ro had a stall at the Sisters' Market in Brunswick, Melbourne.

Wow! What an experience.

After a stressful unloading of the car and setting up the stall , John and I settled in and had a great time. City markets certainly have a different feel to country markets. There were heaps of fantastic stalls there. I will definitely be coming back here as a shopper.. I just loved it.

Miranda celebrated her 9th birthday this month (Where has the time gone?)

We decided to do something a bit different this year, so we had her party at a scrap booking shop called the Imagination Factory in Ballarat.

Miranda and her friends had the best time. They each got to create a diary to take home. I got so wrapped up making my own diary, I completely forgot to take photos......so much fun. At the end we had some cake and some treats. I certainly noticed a change in their energy levels after cake and lollies. So glad I left the sweets to last :)

Of course we had to make good use of the beautiful Autumn weather we have been having lately.

We did a few family drives in the country. Victoria is just so beautiful this time of year.

On Saturday, we attended the Daylesford Easter Makers Market. There is John in background trying to look glad he gave up his Saturday sleep-in to come to a craft market with me. The 'Gnome Town' Pinafore has been a real hit. I've been kept busy this month with orders for this cute dress (yippee).Hope you all have had a lovely Easter long weekend.

Take care :)

Hip to be Square

2011-03-26T20:50:00.008+11:00

What a day!

6.00am Got up bright and early(well early for Saturday) packed the car with boxes, clothes racks, mannequins etc, and headed off to the The Square -Bendigo's Handmade Market.

As we left cold and rainy Ballarat I was thinking to myself "Why the heck am I doing this?, It's Saturday morning! I should be home asleep in my lovely warm bed" but as we got closer to Bendigo the sun came out and I thought to myself "O yeah! I'm doing this because I love it".

I get a real buzz seeing people enjoy the clothing I've worked so hard to create.

This was Diddle & Ro's first time at The Square. I'm so glad we decided to go. Such a lovely market.

What a fabulous venue!! There were people everywhere the entire day. I think I only managed to sit down for 5 minutes the entire time. Now that is my kind of market!

John and I got to meet some very creative stallholders and heaps of lovely customers.

We had a great day :)

It's hard work smiling all day :)

After a few sales it's gets alot easier, I have to admit.

Lots of pretty hairpins again this time of course.

The Miss Wendy dress dress looked very sweet on the mannequin.

Both mannequins had a few changes of clothes during the course of the day.

I'm really looking forward to the next market in Bendigo.

This week I'm getting ready for the Sisters Market in Brunswick on Saturday 2nd April....yay!!!

GIVEAWAY

2011-03-25T13:46:00.003+11:00

It's been a while since my last giveaway.

The nice folks at madeit.com.au are hosting this sweet giveaway ...thanks guys.

This prize pack includes a -

- kissing birds brooch on a vintage wallpaper tag

- pink flower hairpins on a vintage swap card

- and a matching pair of pink earring

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment HERE telling us about your favourite vintage/thrifty find.

Good luck!

And don't forget!!!! Starting tomorrow, you can get FREE POSTAGE on orders over $50, at the shop. Be quick as this offer expires on April 1st.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Elethea X

Spring cleaning in Autumn

2011-03-24T23:50:00.004+11:00

Before I list some new items this weekend, I really need to clean out the store.

I've reduced the price of my Vintage Button Hairpins on Swing Tags (online only)from $12.50 to $8.50 ...sweet :)

Also, for 1 week only, I'm offering FREE POSTAGE on all orders over $50.

What are you waiting for?

To claim FREE POSTAGE -

ETSY - just enter the code 'FREEPOST1' at checkout.

MADEIT - If paying by Paypal, I will refund postage after you pay. If paying by Bank Deposit, just pay for items and not postage.

Happy Shopping ;)

Sweet n Kitschy Sunday

2011-03-20T14:07:00.002+11:00

Hello everyone!

Hope you're having a lovely Sunday.

I'm in a really great mood. It might have something to do with the glorious sunny weather we have been having or that there have been some lovely new items arriving in my craft shop Sweetnkitsch.

And because I'm in such a great mood I have this great offer for all my customers -

*All orders over $50 will receive free postage* ...Yay!

Sisters Market

2011-03-19T16:07:00.005+11:00

If you didn't already know, Diddle & Ro are going to be at the Sisters Market on Saturday 2 April. This will be my first time as a stall owner and shopper. So excited!!!

Lovely vintage find

2011-03-18T23:42:00.003+11:00

Check out this sweet vintage wooden magazine rack I found at Blonde Vintage. I just love the faded rose stickers on the sides. After a trip to the post office to mail one of my 'Gnome Town' Pinafores to a lucky customer I just couldn't resist having a look in one of my favourite shops in Ballarat. Now my fave magazines have a home.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Back to the Markets

2011-03-13T17:23:00.013+11:00

I couldn't have wished for better weather (check out the blue sky :)) here in Ballarat for our first market of the year. John and I loaded up the Saab with lots of new Diddle & Ro goodies, said goodbye to the kids and headed off to the Daylesford Makers Market.

It was my very first market since the Christmas Twilight market back in December 2010, so I was feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. It was great having John with me to help set up and take over the stall when I needed a break. He's also a pretty good salesman!

Daylesford was absolutely jam-packed with visitors for the Chillout Festival this weekend. The market was held in the Primary school this time, instead of the town hall, however people didn't seem to mind having to walk a little further to reach us. There was a steady stream of customers most of the time....it was a great day.

The 'Gnome Town' dress looked very sweet displayed on the new mannequin. There were heaps of "that's so cute'" the whole day and I just had to smile each time someone would stop 'dead in their tracks' to take a closer look.

The "Go Scottie' Romper (seen on the small mannequin in the middle) was a real hit. I wasn't sure whether I would sell any at this market as its Autumn here and I thought no one would want summer clothes. I was so wrong!

Of course while in Daylesford I had to visit some of my favourite thrifty shops. I left John to mind the stall while I ducked into the Daylesford Bazaar. I found a few metres of bright 1960's cotton fabric, the cutest 1970's wrapping paper and a 10mt roll of vintage wallpaper with pretty green flowers.

It's a public holiday in Victoria this Monday...Yay. I'm really looking forward to a sleep-in, then getting to work on some new items for our next market. We'll be in Bendigo on the March 26....I'm really looking forward to it.

Have a great weekend, where ever you are.

xx Elethea :)

Sweet Brooches

2011-03-01T19:05:00.004+11:00

Hello!

Have you all been enjoying the first day of Autumn? I sure have.

I found these cute vintage look cabochons some time ago and thought they would make great brooches.

I also made some sweet vintage wallpaper luggage tags to display them on.

A very enjoyable and relaxing project.

I've just listed a few in the shop.

A great gift for mum on Mothers Day?

Out of orner!!!!!!!

2011-02-25T18:39:00.002+11:00

Is Miranda trying to tell me something?

She's often hinting that I need to have a break from my work.
Maybe I should pretend my machine is "out of orner" and have a mummy n daughter day. Sounds really good:)

10 things i love

2011-02-23T14:08:00.018+11:00

1. Mini cupcakes. Yum!

2. Teal coloured opaque tights.

3. Jarod Schorr artwork.

4. Cross body/messenger bags like this one.

5. Project Restyle at A Beautiful Mess. I just love this 'mans shirt turned into a pretty skirt' transformation. Gosh there are some imaginative people out there.

6. This movie. Michael Keaton plays the ultimate 'tenant from hell'. A classic thriller!

7. Illustrations by Dutch artist Fiep Westendorp. I would love to get my hands on some of her books from the 60's and 70's. I've been searching everywhere but they appear to be very rare.

8. The first print issue of Papier Mache magazine. It arrived in my letterbox a few days ago and I'm just loving it. Full of gorgeous pics.

9. This notebook by Hokey Croquis.

10. This book - Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Miranda and I have been reading it every night before bedtime. So funny.

:) Elethea x

New friends

2011-02-22T19:47:00.004+11:00

When I arrived home today, after dropping an order off at the Post Office and collecting Miranda from school, I found this very large box waiting for me at my front door. Want to know what was inside ?????? My two new adopted children, that's what.

No complaining when I want to take 'a few' pics of them modelling D&R clothes. Always quiet and obedient. And best of all, I can pack them away in a box at the end of the day.

They are the perfect children :)

All kidding aside, these guys will be heading off to the markets with me and will also be showing up in our online stores modelling lovely new clothes (and old favourites) very soon.

I'm so happy they've arrived safe and sound.

Hope you all had a great day.

Elethea x

To Market, To Market

2011-02-21T20:30:00.010+11:00

I finally have some market dates for March and April.

Our last market was way back in December 2010, so I'm more than eager to load up the car with lots of new Diddle & Ro goodies and hit the road.

MARCH
12th – Daylesford Markers Market – Daylesford Primary School 10am -3pm

26th – The Square – Bendigo Town Hall 10am – 4pm

APRIL
2nd – Sisters Market – Brunswick Town hall 10am – 4pm

23rd – Daylesford Easter Market at Daylesford Primary School 10am -3pm

See ya there

Elethea x

Bag Lady

2011-02-12T21:48:00.005+11:00

I just love having a sticky beak in other peoples handbags......do you?

I know, I'm a very sad lady.

But you know, you can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her handbag.

What's inside yours?

This is what I manage to fit inside my tiny saddle bag.

I wonder what it says about me (???)

THE BAG - Cath Kidston Mini Saddle Bag. I really love this bag. It's taken me a bit of time to get used to not being able to carry so much stuff around...but I really like it now and I always get heaps of complements when I carry it. (If only I made these:))

1. Cath Kidston purse- I bought this today at Lark. It was soooo tempting to also buy the super cute mini Saddle Bag in a matching print, but I didn't...sigh :(

2. Mobile Phone

3. Cheapie Sunglasses - The 'nicer' ones never seem to last more than a week. I've had this pair for almost 2 years and my toddler hasn't broken them yet(???)

4. Vintage wallpaper notebook - also from Lark :)

5. A book -Vintage 1942 Jane Austen 'Pride and Prejudice'.

6. Sunblock - Of course!!

7. Keys

8. My Flip - You never know when you might need to capture that great Youtube moment (still waiting....he he)

9. Lip balm - XX

10. Pen - Just in case I need to jot down any brilliant ideas that might pop into my head :)

NOT SHOWN - used tissues, lolly wrappers, fluff !

Now wasn't that thrilling?

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Super Cute Etsy Shop

2011-02-10T23:14:00.004+11:00

Check out this fantastic new store at Etsy.

I just love badges, and these custom made badges are divine.

LOVE the Alice in Wonderland one.

OK OK I must confess, I may be a little bias, as this lovely shop is the creation of my talented daughter Winona.

She's been a busy bee the last couple of weeks making badges, taking orders, designing her shop. I'm just so proud of her. Good on you girl :)

Holy huge pile of fabric!!

2011-02-07T18:45:00.004+11:00

Take a look at all the lovely fabric that's been arriving at my place. This sweet pile should keep me busy for awhile. As promised, there's even some fabric for the boys. There's heaps more to arrive yet, believe it or not.

Love is in the air

2011-02-04T19:32:00.004+11:00

I'm feeling very generous lately. It may be because the kiddies are finally back at school (yippee!!) and I can finally get some work done or maybe it's because Valentines Day is only 10 days away. So what better way to spread the love than by giving our Diddle & Ro customers a 10% discount. All you need to do is add the coupon code ' heart' when shopping at our Etsy store OR add it to the comment box when shopping at our Madeit store....easy. But you had better be quick, as this offer expires on the 15th Feb.

We have a Winner :)

2011-02-01T19:17:00.005+11:00

Congratulations Elizabeth Santana for being our first giveaway winner for 2011.

Thanks so much to the lovely ladies Dottie and Alix at Modern Kiddo for being our wonderful hosts.....You guys rock!

A big thankyou to everyone who entered.

Don't be disheartened if you didn't win this time as we will definitely be doing more giveaways during the year.

In the meantime, take a look at our stores at ETSY and MADEIT. Lots of new lovelies arriving in store this month.

I read this....

2011-01-31T10:33:00.006+11:00

I've FINALLY finished reading this book!

This charming historical novel is based on the life of Alice Liddell Hargreaves, the woman who was the inspiration behind Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
I have to admit I found this book very slow moving at first, but by the end I was sobbing. A lovely read!

Pinafore Giveaway

2011-01-30T21:31:00.004+11:00

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Just a quick reminder to anyone who hasn't entered our giveaway yet.

If you would like to win a sweet pinny for your little girlie, then get over to Modern Kiddo pronto, as tonight is your last chance to enter. We will be anouncing the winner on Monday.

Good luck everyone!

I want/need this....

2011-01-25T14:52:00.016+11:00

OK! I think it's about time I had a break from sewing and did a bit of online window shopping. Good idea?

Here are just a few things i found (sigh) -

This lovely vintage dress, in my favourite shade of green from {twin set}.

OK! I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of tattoos but when they have illustrations by French artist Alain Gree, how can I resist. I found these sweeties at Kidostore.

How adorably delicious are these reproduction retro vintage dolls from Lapin & Me.

A knitted Birthday cake from Creme de la Creme ala EdgarSuper . Super sweet but without the calories.
I'm in love with this vintage Tom Thumb kids size typewriter from Blue Carrot. Just look at those bright green keys....love it!

This sweet one of a kind retro necklace by Mad Mame. Love the vintage enamel earring and chunky white beads...very clever.
This adorable vintage mushroom kitchen canister set is from Freckle Wonder.

Well that was fun and I didn't even spend one cent...er....not yet anyway.

Now! back to sewing.

:) Sweet Fan Pic :)

2011-01-23T23:09:00.006+11:00

Things have been a little quiet at the Diddle & Ro blog lately. Sorry about the lack of posts:( It's not that there hasn't been anything happening, it's just that I've realized January is almost over and I still have a mountain of sewing that needs to be done...Yikes!!!

Here is a gorgeous fan pic that was sent to me recently :)

This is a photo of 7 mth old Lily taken by her mum Jayne, posing with her very own Diddle & Ro vintage fabric quilt. Lucky girl! Lily is also the proud owner of a 'Miss Miranda' Pinafore, but she may need to grow a little before she can model it for us. I can't wait to see those pics :)

Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful Lily with us Jayne!

We just love Fan Pics here at Diddle & Ro! It really makes my day when I see someone enjoying something I created.

Would you like me to post your pics?

Just send them via email or you can post them on our Facebook page.

We do have a Flickr account but I'm not 100% sure how to use Flickr yet (???) Something else for me to do. Maybe after I get on top of all the work I need to do :)

Go Scottie!

2011-01-20T23:51:00.008+11:00

Here's a look at one of the things I've been making in preparation for the up-coming markets.

I've had this lovely Scottie Dog fabric for some time but haven't known what to do with it......until now.

As it is Summer here in Australia, I thought I'd make up a few summery baby rompers.

Scottie dogs, spots, Ric Rac...does it get any better.

I just love the bright red trim and buttons, it really makes this outfit POP!

They are not quite ready to go into the shops just yet, but should be arriving in store very soon....yay!

"Go Scottie"

***These sweeties will be available in size 000(0-3mths), 00(3-6mths), 0(6-12mths) and size 1(12-18mths)***

2011-01-19T22:20:00.004+11:00

WOW! I'm so flattered by all the lovely comments being left on the Moddern Kiddo blog and on our blog. You guys are just too sweet. I'm officially blown away!!

Just want to remind you all about our FREE POSTAGE offer on ALL clothing at our Madeit and Etsy stores.

Don't worry, as this offer applies to all our Australian and overseas customers.

You had better be quick, as this offer ends on the 31st January at midnight (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)

Miss Miranda Pinafore Giveaway at Modern Kiddo

2011-01-19T01:07:00.000+11:00

Its finally here! The very first Diddle & Ro Giveaway for 2011 !!!!

I'm so excited to announce that for this giveaway we are joining forces with the lovely ladies Alix and Dottie at Modern Kiddo. one of my absolute favourite blogs!!!

One lucky reader gets to win one of our 'Miss Miranda' Pinafores.

A real favourite with Diddle & Ro customers, you too will also love having one of these charming dresses hanging in your child's wardrobe.

Check out how to enter HERE

A sweet blog

2011-01-16T12:05:00.007+11:00

I usually like to post a recipe on Sunday, but seeing as I'm feeling a bit under the weather I thought i would share this lovely blog with you. It's called The Decorated Cookie and has some of the sweetest pics and projects. Here are a few of my faves -

(Please note i havent included original links to these pics, as i did this post in a hurry)

SHOP NEWS

2011-01-12T00:27:00.004+11:00

Attention customers!!! You can now pay for Diddle & Ro items at our Madeit and Etsy stores using -

- PayPal

- Money order

- Bank cheque

- Direct Bank Deposit

Everyone happy? :)

Thrifty Tuesday - Vintage Finds

2011-01-11T23:24:00.004+11:00

I haven't really had many opportunities to do much vintage hunting for the last few weeks as op shops have been closed due to Christmas and it has been raining heaps here in Ballarat.
I did get the chance to attend a market in Daylesford on the weekend and here is what I found -

Very sweet vintage fabric with cute bunnies - 2 1/2 mts for $5

Tubes and tubes of pretty vintage buttons in lots of lovely colours. Only $2 per tube......bargain.

Memories

2011-01-10T15:31:00.009+11:00

My Dad found these old pictures of me of when I was little.

This seems to be a favourite dress, as I'm wearing it in heaps of pics.

This is a picture taken by my Dad just before we headed off on an adventure (moving to QLD) in our bus/home on wheels. My Dad converted an old school bus into a mobile home. I must find some photo's of the interior. It had 2 bedrooms with bunk beds and a kitchen that would turn into a bedroom at night. I think I may have to do a blog post on it.

I'm the one in the yellow dress, if you are wondering....another favourite dress maybe?

Me having my first pony ride at a school fete. I remember this ride vividly as I screamed the whole time. My dad had to walk next to me as I was terrified I would fall off.

Memories :)

Sunday Lunch Recipe - Crunchy Chicken & Pasta Salad

2011-01-10T00:03:00.004+11:00

Here is a great recipe for a salad I like to make on summer days or to take on family picnics. It can be eaten as a side dish or as a meal on it's own. It's easy to make and super yummy.

You can use left over barbecue chicken but I like to use chicken tenders.

Ingredients-

3-4 cups cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups of cooked pasta

3/4 cup celery sliced

1 sml can of water chestnuts (drained)

1/2 cup grapes (cut in half)

1 sml can of pineapple pieces (drained)

1 teaspoon of onion flakes

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Place mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a sml bowl. Mix well and set aside.

2. Place all other ingredients in a larger bowl and mix.

3. Add mayonnaise mixture to large bowl. Mix. Allow to sit in fridge until all ingredients are cold.

4. Enjoy!

Crochet Inspiration

2011-01-09T15:52:00.005+11:00

Sorry about the lack of posts this week. My internet has been really slow, so I've been having trouble uploading pictures. I promise to make it up to you.

One of my New Years Resolutions is to learn how to crochet.

I've made granny squares when I was a child but have never finished a project.

What better place to look for crochet inspiration but Etsy. Here are a few of my fave finds -

How sweet are these apple coasters.

These two mobiles from one of my fave Etsy stores Emma Lamb - HERE and HERE

I just love these vintage crocheted blankets/throws -

HERE

HERE and HERE

I love the zig zag pattern on these -

Another Emma Lamb creation HERE

More lovely vintage blankets -

LOVE the colours of this one HERE

and HERE

A must-have beanie with flaps for Mr.Ro this winter.

Cute bow beanie, available in lots of lovely colours. I may have to order a couple of these :)

Time to grab a crochet hook and some wool and get started.....er....maybe next week.

French Vintage

2011-01-03T23:28:00.006+11:00

Take a look at this lovely online Vintage shop called Pomme de Jour.
Its full of bright and fun vintage from the 50's till the early 80's.

Here are my favourites -

French Alain Gree books.....love love love

Groovy vintage wallpaper

Cheerful birdie tray.

Tats also has a store on etsy and ebay.
Go have a look.

Lovely vintage book

2011-01-03T22:22:00.004+11:00

How sweet is this book?

I found it for 50c at one of my favourite op shops in Ballarat, when I was hunting for old neglected books I could use for craft.

This gem was printed in 1972 and is in 'as new' condition.

There is no mention anywhere in the book of who the illustrator is, but aren't the pictures just lovely?

Sunday Lunch Recipe - Blackberry Coconut Slice

2011-01-02T23:23:00.005+11:00

When John and I moved to Ballarat approx. 18 months ago I decided to start a new tradition of having family over for lunch every Sunday.

It's been a great way to rebuild relationships with family members that unfortunately have suffered due to living long distances apart.

My Family aren't exactly the most sociable group of people, so what better way to entice them over but by offering food.

Feed them and they will come..... I say.

Unfortunately in 2010 I'd gotten into a rut when it came to choosing the lunch menu.

This year I've decided to surprise my family with something different each week.

I've been rummaging around through my recipes boxes and came across this lovely old favourite and thought... this will be perfect for the Blackberry Jam I bought at a recent local Twilight Craft Market...Yummo!

I didn't get a chance to take a pic of the slice all cut up (oops) as it was gobbled up before I had a chance to get my camera.

Anyway, here is the recipe if you would like to try it. It's very easy.

BLACKBERRY COCONUT SLICE

for the base -

90g butter

1/4 cup Castor sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup plain flour

2 tablespoons cornflour

3-4 tablespoons of Blackberry jam

topping -

40g butter

2 tablespoons of Castor sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups of coconut

2 tablespoons self-raising flour

BASE

1. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy.

2. Add egg, beat well.

3. Sift flour and cornflour, fold into creamy mixture using spoon.

4. Spread mixture evenly into a lined and greased lamington tin.

5. Spread jam over base.

TOPPING

6. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy.

7. Add egg, beat well.

8. Fold in sifted flour and coconut.

9. Spread topping over jam ( crumble spoonful at a time).

10. Bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes.

11. Cut it into slices when cold.

VERDICT - Super yummy :)

2011 - Day 1

2011-01-01T00:54:00.004+11:00

Hope you all had a great first day of 2011.

After sleeping-in very late (don't you just love school holidays?), we packed the kids in the car and went for a drive in the country.

The weather was alot more pleasant than New Years Eve thank goodness.

Firstly, we went to Daylesford (of course) and checked out the Daylesford Bazaar and the Mill Markets.

I just loved these cookie jars.

I bought some vintage fabric, the cutest vintage cot sheets and two Enid Gilchrist pattern magazines from the 60's.

Then we drove out to Hepburn Springs, found a playground and let the kids run around.

One happy little man.

On the way home we ate chocolates left over from Christmas while the little kiddies slept.

It doesn't get much better than that.

Have a great weekend everyone :)

Diddle & Ro - Looking back at 2010

2011-01-01T00:13:00.004+11:00

What a year it has been for Diddle & Ro.

It seems like I’ve spent the majority of the year in my sewing/dining room with my sewing machine, sewing up a storm. I’ve estimated that this year I’ve made about 50 pinafores, 6 party dresses, 6 pj’s, a vintage quilt (hand quilted I might add) about 10 ‘one of a kind’ vintage outfits and hundreds of hairpins. Phew! Its no wonder I’ve been so tired….happy but tired.

Wow! After typing that list I’m feeling quite proud of myself. Not bad for a full time mum of four, who has to fit sewing in amongst - taking kids to school, cleaning, washing mountains of laundry, caring for a toddler, moving house, birthday parties and all the other stuff that comes with being a mum.

I started Diddle & Ro in April 2010 (has it really only been 9 months?) and attended my first market ( as a stall holder) in November 2010 at the Daylesford Makers Market. I’ve been going to the Makers Market in Daylesford every month as a customer since we moved to Ballarat, 18 months ago, so I was thrilled ( and a little terrified) when my application was accepted….I’ve done two more markets since.

2011 is going to be an exciting year for Diddle & Ro…..lot’s of markets to attend, heaps of lovely new items in the shop, great giveaways and more. Bring on 2011 I say.

Happy New Year everyone !!

But wait! there's more....

2010-12-30T19:36:00.003+11:00

Just when you thought I have had enough of making hairpins, I go and make some more.

Check out these cute flower and bird hairpins on vintage swap cards - HERE. I've made heaps but i've only listed 1/2 dozen. I love the brown dog with big eyes.......so sweet.

Lovely shop find

2010-12-30T18:22:00.004+11:00

I just have to share with you this lovely shop I discovered while doing some "research" on the web. After spending almost an hour browsing the isles (when I should have been doing some work), I thought it warranted a post....Don't you think?

The shop is called Red Velvet Art and was started by Elsie from A Beautiful Mess, her friend Rachel and little sister Emma.

They sell a huge range of gorgeous handmade craft and original artwork by independent artists.

I think this cute sewing machine softie is my favourite...see below.

After looking at all the lovely things on offer I felt very inspired and warm and fuzzy inside, so I guess it wasn't a complete waste of my time...I had better get back to work :)

SHOP NEWS FREE Postage!

2010-12-27T14:55:00.005+11:00

Didn't get what you wanted for Christmas?

Well, here is a great post-Christmas special from Diddle & Ro.

FREE POSTAGE !! (on ALL clothing) till the end of January.

We won't be doing any markets until February, so if you want to get your hands on some lovely Diddle & Ro clothing, NOW is the time!

lovely vintage find

2010-12-22T00:35:00.006+11:00

As I haven't had a chance to do any op shopping this month, I thought i would share with you a lovely book i found not long ago. I found it at a Salvo's in the 5 for $1 section.

It's a 1963 version of 'The Night Before Christmas' by Clement C. Moore. I'm sure i had a copy of this as a child.

The line "He had a broad face and a round little belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly'' always made me giggle as a child and still makes me smile today. I must admit i was a little disappointed that my daughter didn't find this as funny when i read it to her.

Beautiful illustrations. A smoking Santa!!!! What? he he he ho ho ho

Merry Christmas Everyone

Chocolate Play dough!!!

2010-12-19T15:09:00.009+11:00

Need a quick and easy last minute gift for a child?

Why not try this -

CHOCOLATE PLAY DOUGH!

Yes, you read that right.

I needed something special to give to the students in my Nursery class at church. They love playing with the normal homemade play dough each week so i decided to make them their own play dough, but with a twist. I also gave them a set of cutters and roller each and put it all into individual gift bags...too easy.

Like this idea? Here is the recipe -

Chocolate Play dough

1 1/2 cups of plain flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup salt

1/2 tablespoon Cream of tartar

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

1 cup water

1. Place all dry ingredients in a medium size saucepan - mix.

2. Add wet ingredients and stir.

3. Stir over low heat until the mixture thickens and forms a ball of dough.

3. Remove from saucepan, cool slightly, then knead until dough is smooth and even coloured.

4. Store in an air-tight container in a dry cool place.

WARNING -Your whole house will smell heavenly :)

Christmas Twilight Makers Market

2010-12-18T22:50:00.004+11:00

Just spent a lovely evening at the Daylesford Twilight Makers Market.

It was very quiet tonight.....unlike the last Makers Market.

I made a few sales and met some lovely people, so it was well worth attending.

There was a guy cooking waffles right next to me, which smelt heavenly (but I'm on a diet, damn it) and there was live music as usual.

The tree looked very sweet, covered in hairpins.

Miranda decided to come along this time. Her first (and maybe last) market.

She got to see Santa....but wouldn't smile for the camera because she is missing 2 front teeth (typical girl).

She managed to squirt tomato sauce all over her shirt 15 mins after this photo was taken.

She enjoyed the first hour, then it was .."Mum, how long is this going for"...."Mum, why aren't people buying anything?" ha ha ha

Well! that's about it. My brain is asleep.

It's been a long day...I'm off to bed.

Enjoy your weekend everybody.

I love this.....

2010-12-17T20:33:00.003+11:00

I'm on a high!

One of my dresses got a mention on the Kid Independent blog today.......yippee.

I just love it when people say lovely things about my products.

It really makes all the hard work worth while.

That really made my day :)

NEW Hairpins!

2010-12-16T12:53:00.003+11:00

I've just listed a few new hairpins in my shop. This is just a small selection of the hairpins that I've made. They are so bright and cheerful....don't you think? My little Christmas tree will be covered in these lovelies at the market this weekend. I think the little girl dancing in the snow is my favourite set from this batch. Why not go over to the store and have a look. I would love to know which one is your favourite.

NEW Sweet as candy

2010-12-15T16:26:00.005+11:00

It's been very quiet here at the Diddle & Ro blog. Sorry about the lack of posts.

It's not that I've been too lazy it's just that I've been busy making new stuff for the shop.

Here is just one of the lovely items I've been working on.

Yet another "Miss Miranda" Pinafore. I so love making this dress!

I noticed at the last market, lots of people asking for something pink. Well! You ask for it, you get it. I'm so in love with this print. It's a reproduction of a vintage fabric that features children playing with kites...so sweet.

Unfortunately this sweetie is only available in sizes 1 - 3.

If you would like one you had better get over to the shop quick, as there is only a limited quantity of each size. Better still, why not get along to the Daylesford "Twilight"Makers Market this Saturday. I would love to see you there.

For some reason this dress reminds me of musk stick lollies.....I really need some sugar.

Bring on Christmas I say.

Christmas Twilight Makers Market

2010-12-10T19:26:00.002+11:00

Only 8 more sleeps until the next Makers Market. It should be a lovely evening. The stalls will be trading until 10pm unless things get quiet. So make sure you come early. A great night out for the whole family.

new pj's for Ronan

2010-12-08T13:10:00.010+11:00

How sweet are these pj's? How adorable is the model?...my cute two year old son Ronan. I'm so thrilled with how they turned out, I've made some for the shop in sizes 0-3. Ronan is modelling a size 2. The fabric is so cute!!! It's a high quality quilters cotton with a toy soldiers print (see close-up pics) If you would like a pair, you'll need to be quick as I only had a limited amount of fabric. I'm keeping a set for Ronan....he will look so cute sitting under the Christmas tree Christmas morning, opening presents, dressed in these sweeties.

If you think the size 2 are cute, wait till you see the size 0 (awwww)

The pjs are starting to work their magic. Notice how sleepy he looks.

" That's it mum, I quit!

I'm ready for a nap".

thrifty tuesday - vintage finds

2010-12-07T15:02:00.011+11:00

It's been a while since i did a post of my vintage finds..and boy... have i found lots of great stuff. I found heaps of vintage fabric and books(too many to show here) that I'm going to make into lovely things for Diddle & Ro. Here are a few of my favourite finds.

Vintage wallpaper. I love the purple and blue paisley roll at the front. I think i may have found a new obsession.

A set of four doe-eyed children prints from the 60's. They are in pristine condition. A great buy from my favourite Ballarat store - Blonde Vintage.

This cute flour sifter from my favourite op shop.

This sweet 60's chest of drawers, also in pristine condition (no painting yay!) Yet another great buy from Blonde Vintage.

Hope you are all having a great Tuesday :)

Great gifts for under $20 on Madeit

2010-12-05T22:37:00.007+11:00

With Christmas only 20 days away (yikes) i thought I might put together a list of great buys under $20 on my favourite online crafty store - Madeit. Here are just a few things i found - sushi roll felt toy from Life's a Stitch

Vintage button and cabochon hairpins from Diddle & Ro (now how did that get in here....he he)

Toadstool phone pouch by The rabbit and the duck

cute vintage button earrings at Chirp

Tasmanian myrtle earrings by That Vintage

Sweet Doily necklace from Kitty Robot

And last but not lest, vintage chenille Scotty dog by Vintage Chenille

Happy Christmas shopping everyone!

SHOP NEWS !! Twilight Market

2010-12-02T21:38:00.002+11:00

Diddle & Ro are going to be at the Twilight Makers Market in Daylesford on Saturday 18th December between 4pm - 10pm. I'm working on lots of new pinafores and something special for little boys. Hopefully I'll be able to show you some pics tonight or tomorrow. I'm just hoping my sewing machine holds it together - it's starting to sound weird - time for a break and service I think.

Market Day

2010-11-27T19:19:00.005+11:00

Phew...what a day!

4 things I've learnt in the past 24 hours -

#1. Don't stay up till 2am sewing on clothing tags. I don't know how many times I jabbed my finger...ouch!

#2. Don't decide to colour my hair at midnight no matter how many grey hairs I find. Applying hair colour with tired blurry eyes is never a good idea.

#3 Make heaps more great stuff for Diddle & Ro......because Diddle & Ro ROCKS!!!!

#4 Take husband John to markets from now on. Whenever I would leave to go to the ladies or get something to eat he would sell something....so funny watching a man selling little girls clothing :)

We had a fantastic day at the Daylesford Makers Market today. There was a great turnout, even though it rained all day.

Sorry about the first two blurry pics( see lesson #1) but you should get the general idea.

The mushroom pinafores were a real hit this time, so were the vintage baby clothes. Of course the hairpins were a success...the Christmas tree was looking very bare by the end of the day.

I'm really looking forward to having some time off. Not too much time. Got lots of plans for Diddle & Ro. Stay tuned folks.

Market Eve - Friday night

2010-11-27T01:31:00.011+11:00

Well, I'm off to the Daylesford Makers Market again this weekend.

Here are a couple of things I've been making lately.

I decided to use some of my vintage fabric collection to make some 'one of a kind' baby clothes.

These 2 outfits are probably my favourite.

I just love that brown floral fabric.

Those bright green vintage buttons are heavenly.

Instead of running around like a headless chook, getting all stressed, I decided to have a relaxing evening with the family at a local twilight market held at the Caledonian Primary School.

I was pleasantly surprised.

There were lots of lovely stalls (and not so lovely).

What did I buy?

Mmmmmm.......fudge. I don't think the piece I bought even made it home

I'm so starting a diet...next week ;)

No market is complete without someone selling knitted toys...classic.

Very tempting but I don't think I could fit another soft toy into our house.

I bought some locally made blackberry jam. I'm thinking I make jam drop biscuits with this....YUM!

I love the cute Scottie dog biscuit cutter.....sweet :)

Don't you just love markets.

"Somewhere, over the rainbow"

A beautiful ending to a lovely evening.

Back to work Dorothy....you've got a market to get ready for...sigh.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Happy Birthday Ronan

2010-11-21T22:53:00.007+11:00

My baby turned 2 today.

Where did the time go? Seems like only yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital....sigh.

I've really enjoyed being a mum the fourth time around.

Ronan is the sweetest little boy. That smile and cheeky giggle melts my heart every time.

Happy Birthday little man.

The Black forest cake was delicious....by the way...YUM!

Seven more sleeps until......

2010-11-20T18:23:00.003+11:00

.........the next Makers Market in Daylesford. Diddle & Ro will be there again...yippee! With only 35 sleeps until Christmas (YIKES!) what better reason to come only and grab some great gifts. It's going to be a fantastic day.

Vintage Finds

2010-11-17T21:50:00.003+11:00

I had some amazing vintage finds this week!

Left to right - A french 1969 Alain Gree book .... an eBay find.

A super cute jewelry box....that works perfectly.

A 1965 wooden Fisher Price 'Little Snoopy' .....missing his pull string, but still very cute.

Lots of lovely 1950's vintage fabric...eBay and op shops.

Lots of vintage buttons....just waiting to be made into hair pins.

Vintage 1970's Christmas wrapping paper.

Vintage cabochons. Some of them are so dainty. Not sure what I'll do with these yet.

Looks like we are in for some more beautiful weather tomorrow, so I'll be heading out to the op shops first thing in the morning.

The early bird gets the worm!

things I'm loving this week.....

2010-11-14T21:57:00.018+11:00

I can't wait to get my hands on this beautiful book. Its full of great pics from talented artsy/crafty folk. It's been put together by the clever people at Frankie magazine and hits the news stands on 17 November......yippee.
Sweet illustrations by Nan Lawson. Check out her etsy shop.

How sweet is this leather hand stitched apple brooch? It's just one of the lovely items on offer at this too-sweet-for-words shop. I've been a subscriber to their newsletters for ages, so I was so excited to hear that they have finally opened an online store. Now I won't have to travel all the way to Denmark to get my Creme de la creme fix.

Love this tutorial on crocheted clothes hangers.......very nana chic.

The cutest lamp......EVER! from probably the cutest online shop I have ever seen - Bianca & Family.

These 70's inspired shoes by Swedish Hasbeens....too many colours and styles to choose from.

Hope that made your day a little brighter. It sure cheared me up :)

Goodbye old friend

2010-11-13T19:09:00.002+11:00

It's a sad day here at the Davidson household. 'Casper' our beloved 14 yr old Japanese Spitz passed away this morning. The weather here in Ballarat today was very fitting......cold and dreary :( .

He had the softest head and ears. And the sweetest chocolate brown eyes.

I'm going to miss seeing that cheerful face when I arrive home each day.

I'm even going to miss cleaning up all that white fluff he would leave all over our furniture.

This is my favourite pic of all :)

He never quite got the rules of the game fetch....he he

What a happy face.

I miss the little guy already.

Introducing the 'Wendy' party dress

2010-11-08T23:22:00.005+11:00

A new dress has arrived at the Diddle & Ro store and her name is Wendy. This sweet party dress is just lovely. I really love making them. I've used new quality cotton fabric and 'yes' it has piping...just a little. It can be worn with or without the ribbon sash and has a darling 'peter pan' collar. The hem line reaches just below the knee....perfect for your little lady.
The 'Wendy' party dress is also available in different fabrics. Make sure you keep checking the store over the next couple of weeks for new arrivals.

Market Day

2010-11-06T23:06:00.004+11:00

It was another fantastic Makers Market this weekend in Daylesford. Even more special as Diddle & Ro was there for the first time. I got to meet lots of lovely people, both customers and stall holders. My stall was situated between Sillee Billee and Kandystripe. Stall owners Robyn and Carman are both successful market sellers so I really enjoyed chatting with them. I managed to collect lots of great ideas for my shop and future markets. It was a really successful day for Diddle & Ro.

New homes for vintage fabric pini's

2010-11-01T00:05:00.003+11:00

These sweet little vintage fabric dresses really need to find a new home, so for November only I am offering FREE POSTAGE. Take a look at my madeit and etsy stores for more lovely buys.

and the winner is...........

2010-10-31T22:43:00.002+11:00

The winner of the first Diddle & Ro is.....Yvonne Goldman!!! Congratulations Yvonne! Please send me your details and I'll get those hair pins to you ASAP.
Hmmmm....What will I giveaway next???? Stay tuned folks :)

SHOP NEWS - FREE POSTAGE!!!!

2010-10-31T20:53:00.003+11:00

Christmas is just around the corner.....yikes, so what better time to get started on that Christmas shopping.

These cute Vintage Button and Cabochon hair pins would make a lovely gift for any girl.

There are lots of different styles to choose from and you will pay NO postage .....ho ho ho

Go and check out my Etsy and madeit stores.

Diddle and Ro

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Vintage Thrifty Finds

No words :)

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I want/need this....

:) Sweet Fan Pic :)

Go Scottie!

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A sweet blog

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Memories

Sunday Lunch Recipe - Crunchy Chicken & Pasta Salad

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Sunday Lunch Recipe - Blackberry Coconut Slice

2011 - Day 1

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But wait! there's more....

Lovely shop find

***SHOP NEWS*** FREE Postage!

lovely vintage find

Chocolate Play dough!!!

Christmas Twilight Makers Market

I love this.....

GIVEAWAY

SHOP NEWS FREE Postage!

NEW Hairpins!

NEW Sweet as candy

Market Day

Happy Birthday Ronan

Vintage Finds

Introducing the 'Wendy' party dress