My Creative Space

I have been looking forward to my next market and my first one in over a year. Konstant Kaos will be at Made n Thornbury on Saturday 5th May, 2012.

So my Creative Space this week is full of bits and bobs, necklaces and roses! My creations often start off as something that I would create for myself and then they take on a life of their own.

Saturday 5th May seems to be a great day for Markets, after going to Made n Thornbury head on over to the Sisters Market at Northcote Town Hall (or vice versa).

Want to see more creative spaces? Head on over and take a look.

Happy Annivesary Andreas

Today, Andreas and I celebrate 17 years being married (22 years together).

The last year has certainly been a full one for us. A new baby, selling the house that we built, moving into a rental, and all the emotional strain that goes with that. But I have my happy place back (my sewing room) and with it renewed energy to create my little "hobby" businesses into something more sustainable.

We are fortunate to be surrounded by genuine friends who have also been in long term relationships. Granted, it is not easy at times. Growing old together has it's ups and down's, but as I tell the kids that I teach, anything that is worthwhile tends to be hard.

The next year will bring it's own strains with the pending house project. But we are now closer to our support system and in a space which will allow us to live and grow the way we want to.

Andreas, I love you.

It is too tempting ...

It isn't until you pack all your stuff up that you realize how much "stuff" you really have! I have tubs upon tubs of gorgeous quilting fabric that I can't wait to cut into when I get to the new house. If course every piece is allocated to at least one of the one thousand projects that I have going at any point in time.

via

So why am I thinking about the fact that GJ's in East Brunswick have 25% off all quilting fabrics until Wednesday 18th April? It isn't mentioned on their web site, but if you subscribe to their newsletter you will get a wee email every time they have this sale on. They have such a fabulous range of fabrics and the ladies behind the counter are so helpful.

I really don't need any more fabric do I?

Semblance of order, don't you think?

There is no elegant way to move house. Half of our house is piled high with boxes. There is a semblance of order, but only just.

Today my sewing stuff gets all packed up. I've been trying to squeeze as much craft into my non-teaching break as possible, but it just hasn't been possible. But in the new place, a new sewing space and opportunity to start anew once more.

I need to send my machines off today to get serviced in Coburg so that when I do crack them open again they run like a dream!

The things that you find at the back of a cupboard

Emptying the kitchen cupboards, it really doesn't feel like we have been here for 6 years. I came across this Womble cup up the top of the cupboard. Too precious for everyday use ..

I was a big Womble fan when I was little. Wombles, the first environmentalists ..

I found these on etsy, aren't they gorgeous! Although I probably couldn't bring myself to chop up a Wombles Annual to make them. I must hunt out my Womble stuff and pass it onto Victoria, I am sure that she will get hooked on it as much as I did.

Nine Patch Quilted Cushion and Bunting.

Ahh Easter Weekend, time to spend with family and friends and perhaps finish a few of my one thousand projects! Lovely Leanne hosts the blog, one thousand projects and I can definitely relate. I might not have 1000 projects kicking around, but ask my hubby and he will tell you that I probably have too many for my own good!

I knocked over another UFO, cushion for daughter and bunting from left overs. This project was finished before the "sarah" project, I've just posted them in reverse order!

When I started to decorate my daughters bedroom last year I wanted to make her as much handmade stuff for her room as possible. I started patching this pillow and then changed my mind about the type of sashing. I unpicked and then used the lovely Kokka linen that I found at GJ's in East Brunswick.

I quilted it with a layer of cotton batting, using calico as the backing fabric. Then I did some simple stitching around the outside of the nine patch using Perle. I used 4 different fat quarters for this plus 1/2 a meter of linen.

The cushion is made to fit a 50cm Ikea feather cushion insert.

But what about the offcuts? Well, I decided to make her some matching bunting for her bedroom wall.

In hindsight, I would swap around the bunting so that every second one is linen. I could even over-engineer it and do a matching linen love heart on every flag, but it is up on her wall now and looking lovely.

Another project done and dusted .. oh did I tell you that I am moving house on the weekend ... best pack a few boxes in between finishing those projects!

Bunting Pillow for Sarah

What started as a quick finish on an UFO last night turned into a crafty bonanza for a party Tori and I were off to today.

Tori insisted that we make something for her friend Sarah who was turning 4 even though we had bought her something for her birthday. I am sure that someone has done this type of design better than I have, but I will share anyway.

Tori went through my fat quarter collection and chose a bundle and then I "shortlisted". The bunting on the pillow is held on with some fancy stitching that my Janome does. The linen is a gorgeous Kokka blend (GJs) that is so easy to sew with and the pillow is backed with the pink butterfly pattern fabric (Spotlight).

I actually made the bunting first, the pillow was an afterthought from offcuts that I wanted to use up. A bit of freeze paper and double sided interfacing and I had a pillow cover. The pillow is made to fit an IKEA 50cm x 50cm feather pillow (I quite like feather).

Tomorrow I might post all about the UFO that I finished!

Are you doing crafty things this Easter?

Are you having a crafty Easter?

I managed to steal some time this afternoon to finish an overdue UFO. What are you working on over Easter?

A very different Birthday Gift

When I awoke Wednesday morning I didn't think that I would end up in Sydney, or even climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

It was my 40th Birthday this year (on the 4th), a significant one .. My hubby gave me a present, it was a frame and a picture inside it that my daughter drew. It was of me on the Harbour Bridge. What the? I was to be whisked away to Sydney to do the Bridge Climb at dusk followed by dinner a swish restaurant.

The easiest bit of the climb is the Bridge bit. The hardest is going up the step ladders and ducking underneath and around the bowels of the Bridge. But once you are on the Bridge, it is relatively easy and whatever fear you had is washed away with the beauty of the view.

Bridge Climb run a slick operation, with some training of the equipment before you make it onto the Bridge itself. There are a lot of checks and balances along the way and people to help you out at the difficult bits of the climb. All up it takes about 3 hours including changing, training and collecting your photo's afterwards.

What an adventure! I am back in Melbourne to pack my house up so that I can move Friday week. Lots of boxes to pack, but I am looking forward to my sewing room.

Hey Girl, Ryan is on my Bookshelf!

A rather crafty friend of mine created the best Birthday card for me ...

What do you think??

Essay writing time

Chained to the computer with a deadline of midnight on monday it is important to maintain your standards. Where would we be without Earl Grey?

On a memory card

Working through an old memory card, I came across this one!

My daughter is quite expressive and it is wonderful to capture something like this that I can use against her on her 21st ... it would have been such a lovely photo with Nanna if she was smiling!

Heh! I have no idea where she gets it from ...

I should clean my memory card more often ... things like this get done when you have an essay to complete!