Fundraising update and thank yous

I just wanted to let everyone know how I'm going so far with my fundraising for Plan Australia to help the flood victims of Pakistan. In only four days, I exceeded my $500 target! Now on day five, the total is sitting on $580. A HUGE thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.

There are now an estimated 14 million people affected, which makes this crisis worse than that of the tsunami of late 2004. Therefore, I'll be keeping the appeal running right up until I begin my week of no internet in order to raise as much money as possible. I will begin my week of no internet on Saturday 21 August (the day of the federal election). Hopefully I'll use my time constructively and make some progress with sewing or fixing up my found table!

What do you think? Should I now aim to raise $1000?

Image: Arab Times

Let the sewing fun begin!

Last weekend I took a trip to Lincraft and trawled through the pattern books. I found the one I had originally been wanting to make - the McCall's skirt seen in this post. However, I decided to have a quick look through the New Look patterns, and I found this very similar one for almost half the price - and it includes a pocket version!

Image: Simplicity/New Look

There was a half-price sale on fabric at Lincraft, so I bought a nice black linen and cotton blend. I've decided to make the skirt in the main picture using Thea & Sami Marguerite fabric for contrast pockets. Making the one with the contrast band at the bottom was going to mean cutting and joining the fabric, which I didn't really want to do.

Image: Thea & Sami

This morning I've traced the pattern so I can use it again, and later Shilo and Rebecca are coming over to help me carefully pin the pieces on to the fabric ready for cutting (Rebecca is also learning to sew, and she's being very ambitious and making a maxi dress for her first project). As you can see on the packet image, the pattern is 'easy' - but, of course, I have no idea where to start, and everything looks confusing to me. Hopefully with a bit of patience I'll soon have myself a skirt!

Also, don't forget my fundraising for Plan Australia. There are now more than 14 million people affected by the floods in Pakistan and close to 2000 have been killed. Thankfully, my sponsor child's community has so far been spared. If I reach my $500 target, I'll be committing to not using the internet for a whole week. For more information, please visit my fundraising page.

Help support Plan Australia assist those affected by the flood in Pakistan

In order to help Plan Australia raise much-needed funds for the current flood crisis in Pakistan, I have set up a fundraising page. As a sponsor of a child in Pakistan, I would like to see Plan get as much financial support as possible in order for them to reach the 2.5 million people currently affected.

Image: Reuters

If I reach my fundraising target of $500, I will be removing myself from all internet activities for a week (except for work and study purposes) beginning 21 August. Those who know me well will be aware that this will be a huge challenge for me.

To read more, please visit my fundraising page here: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/kylie_timmins

Thanks for your support!

Sewing table: The plan!

After speaking to some knowledgeable people, I have established that my 'found' table is all pine, aside from the silky oak drawers. Therefore, I am reverting to my original plan of stripping it back and painting it, as well as raising the legs so I can actually use it as a sewing table!

I've decided to paint the bulk of the table white, and I'm leaning towards the lovely Wattyl colour 'Manhattan Snow'. I will affix wallpaper to panel across the back of the table - I finally have an excuse to use my Florence Broadhurst 'Aubrey' wallpaper given to me by Terese from designed to a T. (I'll be referring to Terese's online tutorials for tips on how best to affix the paper.) For the cupboard doors and drawer, I really like Wattyl's 'Scandinavian Grey' (although 'Summer Sky' is also lovely). I'll be raising the height of the table by about 12 centimetres by adding new pine cabriole (Queen Anne) legs at a cost of about $25 each, retaining the wings at the sides. Here's a little snapshot of all the components I hope to use.

Image: Wattyl

Image: Hammersmith Woodturners

Here's a look at my draft plan. What do you think? Would you add or change anything? I'm certainly open to suggestions!

Inside Robin Boyd’s Walsh Street House

I am VERY excited to report that when John and I visit Melbourne at the end of next week, we’ll be attending a very exclusive party at Robin Boyd’s fabulous Walsh Street House. The party, organised by Outré Gallery is hailed as a ‘mid-century soiree’ and will include none other than American artist Shag.

So, in honour of this party and Shag’s latest visit to Australia, here are some pictures inside the glorious Walsh Street House in South Yarra. Boyd designed this home for his family to reside in back in 1958, and it’s now considered to be one of the architectural icons of Australia. It goes without saying that I’m very excited to be able to attend a party in this house (not to mention the fact that I’ll be meeting the lovely Jenny Butler from Apartment Therapy there!). For more information about Robin Boyd’s work, visit the Robin Boyd Foundation website.

Images: Robin Boyd Flickr

Inside my new sewing table

For interest's sake, here are some pictures of the inside of our awesome table find. I know nothing about timber - does it look like it's all silky oak, or just the drawers?

So I found my sewing table... sort of

Yesterday afternoon I was driving around the neighbourhood for a quick afternoon lesson with John when he spotted a retro table on the footpath (along with a whole heap of junk like a torn mattress). I drove around the block so we could have another look. What we found was a solid timber dressing table, which we quickly realised would make a perfect sewing table for me! We dragged the filthy old thing into the back seat of the car and drove it home. There was also an old mirror with kids' stickers all over it, but we left that behind.

Obviously as it's meant to be a dressing table used with one of those little stools (or perhaps it's meant for a child?), it's far too low. The section in the middle (above the drawer) is the perfect width for my sewing machine. My plan is to ask my resourceful neighbour and his woodworking friends to make the table sit about 15 centimetres higher by removing the pretty legs, adding blocks of timber in the right shape, and then screwing the legs back on. Then it will hopefully be a perfect fit for my ladder chair!

This is the best part. I opened the cupboard doors expecting to find cobwebs and old lining paper. Instead I found these stunning drawers - perfect to hide sewing bits and pieces! Why anyone would just throw this away is beyond my comprehension.

I'm thinking that I'll strip the whole thing back and paint it gloss white (the same as what I plan on doing to the chair). I was tempted to paint the doors and outer drawer gloss red, but now I'm thinking a lovely charcoal grey would look nice.

Can anyone out there tell me how old the dressing table is? My guess would be 40 or 50 years, but I really have no clue!