My Place and Yours - My Favourite Piece of Clothing

Honestly, I've got many pieces of clothing in my wardrobe (some might say way too many) that I love but I tend to wear some of them over and over again as they are just too comfy and functional... 
To try and break this cycle, last winter I committed to wearing skirts and dresses six days a week and really enjoyed my little self-imposed challenge. 

In summer, I do love my capri shorts and linen pants so it will be a bit harder for me. However, I am pleased to say that this new dress that I bought from Anthropology shop in London will be my favourite piece of clothing this season! 

It's a knee length, most of my dresses are, and I love navy and coral together! The fabric is soft but heavy so it hangs perfectly without clinging. 

Thank you Jody for a great theme! 

To visit other's places got to Punky & Me and why not join in?

My Place and Yours - My Pin Cushion

This pincushion has been helping me to create for 3 years now... Made by my mum, from plastic jar lid and the strawberry embroidery that I cross-stitched more then 10 years ago! 

It's very sweet and makes me smile every time I look at it:) 

I love it so much! 

Thank you Vic from Punky & Me for hosting this theme again! I am looking forward joining it next week and adding it to my Blogging routine:) 

It was so much fun joining this theme last year, click here to see last year's posts.

Why not join in?


P.S. Have you entered my giveaway yet? Go here for your chance to win an issue of Mollie Makes magazine!

Giveaway winner and My place and yours...PINK

Thank you so much to everyone who visited and left wonderful comments on my

"All buttoned up" Giveaway! I just love hosting giveaways, meeting new followers and reading their blogs and hearing from all of you!

I've done pretty well last week and visited almost all blogs but if I haven't done yet, I will definitely visit your blog this week and say hi!

I wrote all names on the pink pieces of paper – once, twice or even three times for those lovely people who put orders through last week. So by method of my crochet basket the winner is.....

Congratulations Bee @ Honey jumble!

I hope one of my buttons will match the dress of your hand stitched doll!

(I will contact you to organise the best way to get the prize to you)

For those of you who didn't win please don't be disappointed as I will have another giveaway really soon. I already have great prize in mind that will consist of two items from my upcoming limited addition collection (cross-stitched of course)!

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My Place and Yours has a lovely new home over at Hello Owl and I could not resist to playing along this week because:

"This weeks theme is PINK. I'm a mother of girls. So for me..it's kind of a package deal. But for you. How does pink fit into your life? Do you love it or hate it? I'd love to hear your side of the story..."

I though that I am not really into pink... but when I looked at my blog....

pink packaging for my little crafts,

I adore pink roses,

more and more pink fabric in my stash,

I could not resist pink fairy floss at the market the other day...

Pictures found on weheartit

I realized that PINK is growing on me:)

If you love PINK pop over to Hello Owl to play along and share your love for this girly colour!

My place and Yours: shoes

It's time for another My place & Yours that is hosted by the Vic.

This week's theme queen is Gypsy and she's chosen a wonderful theme - shoes!!!

I remember trying on my mum's shoes when she was not at home and modeling in front of the mirror just dreaming about owning a pair one day. Well, I did not stop on one pair...and I didn't even stop after having 10...oh, who is counting!!! Shoes are just beautiful!!!

I've chosen my turquoise suede shoes and green suede boots for this post. They were bought on huge sale and very much treasured! I can never resist buying suede shoes/boots especially of unusual colour and if they fit me I just have to! (size 5 is hard to find!)

I love high hills and although I do not where them everyday, I am trying to use every opportunity!

Pop over to Punky & Me to join the fun and show off your favorite stilettos:)

P.S. Only 2 days left till I will draw a winner for my 100th post's giveaway for your chance to win a surprise package which I will customize for the winner. To enter for your chance to win pop over here.

My place and Yours: Wherever I lay my hat, That's my home

I did not have to think long for this week's theme at Meet me at Mikes. I knew straight away what makes the place I live in, my home:

• Cute blue elephant that I had since I was 12. It needs a new stuffing but it's a part of it's character that I do not want to change. It reminds me of my childhood and home.

• The mouse that I bought during my first trip to China and it's being traveling with me ever since.

• my photo album with pictures from back home. I've got a few that I treasure the most like the pictures of me as a child. I am particularly careful with those black & white ones that I won't be able to print again. Pictures are a great way to bring your past into your present.

The last and the most important thing is my family. My home will always be the place where they are. Unfortunately, I have two homes at the moment as my mum is still in Russia and I started my family here in Australia. It's a wired feeling not belonging in a place like Sydney as I am sure a few people out there will understand.

What makes your place your home? Pop on over to Pip’s and join in!

My place & Yours: My Collection

I've already posted once before a few pictures of my collection here, but thanks to Meet Me At Mikes and Fox's Lane I now have a great opportunity to tell you a little bit more about it and other things I collect. My collection started with a white and blue bowl and a piggy, then I bought a matreshka doll, a bird and then I found a dark blue matreshka at the markets. I also like that small chopping board that my mum brought for me in traditional Russian colours.

It’s the primary collection that I actively search shops back home for. One of the reasons why I started this collection is due to nostalgia and passion for traditional handmade crafts. I do not have any strict rules about this collection but I do have some boundaries for my other ones.

S0, besides Russian souvenirs, I also collect:

• vintage/secondhand embroidery books. The rule for this collection is buying a book only if there are at least 3 projects I want to put on my to stitch list. This collection comprises only two books 1991/1994 but I am working on finding more. I enjoy going through the shelves of the secondhand bookshops trying to find preloved embroidery books.

• Teddy Bears (I particular like David Jones charity bears). I have been collecting soft toys, bears in particular, since I was a child. Unfortunately, I had to leave most of them behind when I came to Australia but I packed my passion with me and started collecting again.
  
  
  
  

• vintage craft supplies. I bought this sewing box in Tasmania. I loved it when I saw the beautiful paper box with all those hookes and other sewing necessities in it.

I recently got into hunting for vintage bobbins and lace. Nothing much to show yet so I might keep it under my sleeve for later.

It is so exiting reading about other people's collections! Thank you Fox's Lane for the great theme.

My place and Yours: Secret Weapon

It's Saturday, so it’s time for a new theme from Meet Me at Mikes. The Theme queen this week, My Bricole has chosen 'Secret Weapon'. It took me a few hours to think about my secret weapon. I was thinking about people I love, things that I have, things that I made but after some time I realised that my culture, traditions of my motherland, memories of my childhood and my family are the secret weapons that formed me as a person. It is not possible for me to choose one. They are and continue to be a great part of me.

However, one thing that helps me through my tough moments, times when I do not have inspiration or strength to keep going or I miss my home is a cup of Russian tea with a spoon of blackcurrant jam in it, served in a glass and traditional cup holder. That is my small, for some silly, “secret weapon”.

So I made myself a cup of tea.....

Playing along with the My Place and Yours at Meet Me At Mikes

My place & Yours: Blog HQ

Playing along again this week with Pip. Thanks Ninon for choosing a great theme this week!

This is where all my blogging and websites hopping takes place, in the living room on the ikea coffee table. It is also the place where I take a break with a cup of tea from sewing or housework. What can I say, blog is my favourite place to relax and get some new ideas:)

You can see a cup of tea in my favourite cup that I bought in Japanese shop and Country Style magazine.

Hope you are having a wonderful Saturday!

To see other blog headquarters go to Meet Me At Mike's.

My place & Yours: Bedside

Unlike for the previous theme On the shelf, I had to clean up my bedside table a bit to take this photo. I had to put all jewellery back in the boxes and remove a huge pile of sewing books that I read before going to bed. Also by my bed:

• Brooches organiser that I made last year when I realised that I have so many brooches that I forget to where them! I used black and white fabric to match other pictures we have in the bedroom.
• Great book The Flea Markets of France by Sandy Price that I felt inspired by in September.
• The Body shop hand cream
• Two make-up bags. One crochet and one with embroidery. All made by my mom.

Visit Meet Me At Mikes if you want to see what other people have by their bed.

My Place & Yours....

On the shelf:


This is one of my favourite bookshelves in the house. I keep some of my sewing and embroidery books here including:



Amy Butler's Midwest Modern : A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle

Eco Colour: Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles by India Flint
Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects
Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing by Anna Maria Horner



As well as a few cross-stitching secondhand books, cooking books and Paper craft and Knitting books that I hope one day will inspire me to start developing new skills.


At the front there is a button jar and two vintage bobbins with woolen threads that i bought at the Vintage show few days ago.

To play along, pop over to Meet me at Mike's.


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just leave me a comment here (only 24 hours left to go)*