2009 - It's a Wrap .... edited with a linky widget

All I can say at the moment is 'phew.... what a year'

I've been busier than I ever could have imagined this year, which has meant that I've not had quite as much spare time as I was used to, but things change, people change, life changes.....

January

I was dreaming about furniture placement in my new house, planning on taking the plunge into the world craft markets, packing up my previous life, attempting my first ever (and only so far) pavlova, and finding hidden treasure at the oppy.

February

I was celebrating my crafty day out at Sewjourn, I joined in with the efforts of Handmade Help, there was even more packing, and a Valentines Toy Society drop.

March

March was a very crazy month.... I had to move out of my old house and into my Sister and BIL's house, my brother got married during that ten days where I was homeless, and then I moved out of their house and into my new house. I also welcomed Frances into my life (you may have noticed that she gets featured fairly regularly these days), and I had my very first market stall!

April

There were chocolate treats for Easter, I started working on adding homely pieces to my house, the craft space was starting to evolve, and I celebrated my birthday with more lovely treats.

May

I had my second market stall, I documented the beginnings of my obsession with crazy stitching, I started playing around with yarn weaving, and began chopping up doilies and creating flower brooches....

June

There were more craft space antics with the installation of a skylight, there was a wonderful Saturday trip to Daylesford, some freestyle clothes making.... and a dismal market, but then Swiney came to visit and cheered me up!

July

I did a little pattern testing, spent a wonderful weekend at Sewjourn, and had a bit of fun with Swiney in the midst of the swine flu panic.

August

I had a little market hopping adventure, worked on some new brooch designs, refashioned a felted woollen jumper, and made lots and lots of handbags...

September

Another market came and went, I worked on my quilt project square, shared my lack of gardening skills, hosted a crafty day, transformed a skirt into a bag, and introduced my alter-ego SuperPops.

October


Blogtoberfest..... need I say more.... and the Superpops Challenge.

November

I started sewing like a machine to prepare for the christmas markets, prototyped some new dress up creations, and had a weekend away and a stall at the Daylesford Market.

December

December was the busiest month of all - there were four markets, lots of handmade christmas pressies, a Toy Society drop, and I finished it off with the 65 Roses quilt square.

I want to thank each and every person who has read my blog, left a comment, visited me at a market, and bought something crafty from my shop. It's been a fun filled amazing year and I can only hope that 2010 will be even better!

Happy New Year


Miss Muggins had a fab idea to add a little linky list so everyone can play along with a 2009 wrap - join in if you like!

 

65 Roses Charity Quilt

Everyone is probably quite well aware of the fact that I am not a quilter. I just don't have the patience to take on a single project that takes so long to complete.... it's probably also the reason why I always need to be in charge of the remote control, and constantly flick channels (short attention span anyone)?

But, when it comes to whipping up a very simple quilt block to raise money for charity, I can't resist the challenge. Please join in if you can - you just need to be able to sew a straight line - I promise!

Info from Whip Up:

Dear Friends and crafters across the globe – I am organising a quilt block drive for a project very near to my heart and to my family. With a nephew with Cystic Fibrosis and a mother-in-law involved in the CF foundation in Australia, I have been thinking of a project that I could organise to help out. The 65 Roses quilt 65 roses day is named after a folklore story – and raises awareness of Cystic Fibrosis. is that project.

Would you like to make a block and send to me to be used in this quilt? All the details and the pattern can be downloaded from THIS PDF – the pdf also has 2 rose applique designs and 3 rose embroidery designs – however you can use your own design as well.

Its a simple block, comprised of 4xfive inch charm squares – one of which you will embroider/applique a rose design onto, the other three squares can be comprised of vintage/found/floral bits of lovely fabric – you can make one block or more and send to me to be made up into the 65 roses quilt. 

The quilt – comprised of 65 blocks will be auctioned at the CF Australia annual gala auction event in Canberra in September 2010.

Please contact me with any questions [whipup at gmail.com] – and I will be keeping whipup posted on progress on this project.

 You have until the 20th January 2010 to complete one quilt square and send it off, which is plenty of time to join in the fun. I'll be popping mine in the post today!

Break-ing

It's been lovely to have a restful and relaxing break over the last few days.

The lead up to Christmas was extremely busy, so I've been catching up on sleep, and spending hours as a couch potato catching up on all of those hours of tv that I'd been IQ-ing. I've also re-arranged some furniture, and planned a little change for my kitchen.

I did manage to meet up with my crafty partner-in-crime yesterday for a spot of shopping (and eating) in the city, and found this wonderful old printers tray.

I've been keeping an eye out for one for years....so I was extremely happy to finally find one in my price range!

The furniture re-arrangement has provided a perfect spot on the wall....... now to find some miniature treasures.

Christmas..... in pictures

My Year in Craft..... and a Merry Christmas to all

After a gigantic lead up to Christmas..... there's only one more sleep.
I hope Santa has checked his list and made sure that my name is on it somewhere - I'm sure I've been nice!
My presents are packed, and now I just need to make a potato salad to take with me tomorrow.

I'm sitting here waiting while a nice man installs my brand new security door out the front, which means that I'll be able to use my doorchook to hold the heavy door open, and a nice breeze can drift in and cool the house down.

I saw this cute little meme over at Northside Makers:

1. In my twelve months of crafting, my crafty self made all these... I've made so many things in the last twelve months that there is no way that I could count them all - brooches, handbags, aprons, shorts, pants, skirts, dress-ups, bookmarks, lanyards, keyrings, chefs hats, cushions, refashioned garments...etc etc

2. If my year was a colour it would be... I can't just choose one - it has to be the combo of red, pink and orange.

3. This year I spent way too many craft hours... dreaming when I could have been doing

4. This year I wish I'd had more craft hours for... making things for myself

5. My proudest craft moment of the year was... when I saw something that I created in an actual retail shop!

6. My biggest craft disaster was... there were really quite a few, but the ones that come to mind immediately are my Mookah challenge softie, and my upside down butterfly.

7. This year I had stalls at/visited this many markets... I ended up having stalls at 12 markets and visiting quite a few others too.

8. My most enjoyable market was... I always love the Made'n'Thornbury market, and the Northside Makers market was great, and Daylesford was fab too!

9. My best handmade purchase/present/swap/acquisition was... Oh dear, how can I choose? My waist tells me that I've frequented the Melbourne Epicure stall quite a bit, and my jewellery drawer contains quite a lot of Finki creations, and my wall has quite a bit of Tinniegirl art.

10. After this year I swear I'll never again... sign up for an outdoor market in the middle of winter

11. Next year I'm determined to... have more fun and make some skirts for myself

12. But I'll probably do this instead... procrastinate

I want to wish everyone a very very Merry Christmas. I haven't been able to make my way around blogland to comment personally as my wireless broadband could quite easily be mistaken for dial-up this week.
I'm not sure whether I'll be blogging right through, or taking a little break.... I'm leaving it to fate to decide.

'til then.....

The Mad Hatter

Photo blatantly stolen from Beccasaurus

The production line is in full swing..... and the hats are on their way!

Photo blatantly stolen from Beccasaurus

 Reversible too.... how cute!

The home stretch

Princess Skirt dress-up ensemble to go with Princess Crown

Even though it's quite a bit of work, making handmade christmas pressies is actually lots of fun. It's completely different than sewing for orders, or for markets, or for special requests.

Superhero Crown and matching Superhero Cape

My favourite part is always choosing the fabric from the stash. The fabric stash at my house is approximately twice the size of my walk-in-wardrobe.... I will never need to buy fabric again for the rest of my life (notice that I used the word need, which is completely different than want or will)...... the only thing that I've had to buy for the christmas presents was a lot more velcro.

More unidentified animal ears and matching tail

I sometimes spend just as much time choosing the fabric combinations, as I do actually making the end product.

The list has nearly been cleared. I just need to make another Superhero Crown and Cape for Moo Moo, and maybe some appliqued tees for all the boys, and then a trip to Bunnings for a gift voucher and I'm all done!

I'm promising myself to start earlier next year (even though I'm sure I said that last year)....oh well.

and the bandwagon keeps on rollin'.....

The weather was perfect yesterday for a little get together with friends, a bbq dinner, and some pressies for the kiddies.

For Belle - Chefs Hat and matching apron

For Jack - Chefs Hat and matching apron

 I used the same method as my tutorial for the hats, but instead of snaps, I used two strips of velcro which should make it easier for the kids to adjust by themselves.

Belle absolutely loved hers as I made a set for her brother earlier in the year and she has wanted one of her own ever since. Jack was not so sure.....

It's a Toy Society Christmas

I just love The Toy Society.

The whole concept of dropping a toy for some unsuspecting passerby to find, fills my heart with glee. It's been far too long since I played along, and so the worldwide christmas drop was the perfect thing to get me back into the swing!

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win this beautiful christmas themed softie from Anya at Banban Designs. His name is Bingle. I thought that he would be absolutely perfect to share the christmas love, and so I decided to send him on a very important mission.

On my way to a christmas get together, I stopped by the local park and quickly attached him to a tree.

It was such a beautiful day - perfect for just a bit of hanging around and waiting to be found.

I checked about six hours later on my way home, and Bingle had disappeared, so I'm hoping that he has found a fantabulous new family to live with.

Check him out over at The Toy Society..... and all of the other worldwide christmas droppers!

Minnie Pinnie

I'm still on the 'handmade christmas present making' bandwagon.

I'm heading off for a christmas get together with friends thisafternoon, so I had a deadline to have the gifts ready for the kiddies. I'm aiming for about 95% handmade this year... with a few purchased things as well.

This mini pinnie is for a friends little daughter. I found the vintage pattern at the Oppy a few months ago for 50 cents. It's a Simplicity 9513 Size 2 Toddler Jiffy pattern from 1982. I was supposed to add a lacy ruffle along the bottom, and there's also a pattern for bloomers, but I know my girlfriend wouldn't like either of those so there was no point adding them.

The pattern called for buttonholes and buttons, but my machine is too temperamental when sewing buttonholes, so I used my snap press instead.

This was super simple and probably only took about an hour to make. I probably spent longer procrastinating over the fabric choices from the stash..... another tick off the list.

In the tropics

I haven't made a tea towel apron for a very very long time, so it was a nice change when I had the request to make one as a christmas gift.

I'm sure we all wish that we were in Cairns on holiday at the moment.....

They made it!

I was a little bit worried that they wouldn't make it, even though I'd express posted a lovely new selection of brooches to Handmade Heaven yesterday.

If you're after a last minute christmas pressie, pop in and say hello to Liesa and have a cupcake for me!

Red Rover

The markets have finally finished for the year, and I've posted out the last minute orders (keeping my fingers crossed that the posties will actually deliver them).

I popped out to the shops thismorning to make two last minute purchases, and now I just have a few handmade pressies left to go..... but first, I'm going to plonk myself on the couch for a bit of rest and relaxation in front of the tv.... bliss!

It's a finale

I'm still working on dress ups....

It's lots of fun being able to just make anything. I picked up this spangly offcut in the remnant bin at Spotlight last week for $2. I've teamed it with some net curtain offcut, some ribbon from the stash, and some binding to finish the raw edge (have I mentioned how much I hate hemming). It reminds me of The Jetsons.

Tonight is the grand finale of the Northcote Kris Kringle Market, so if you've been meaning to come along over the past few weeks, it's the last chance. I'll be there from 5.30 PM - 10.00 PM, and I'm hoping that we can break the cycle of thunder and rain this week!

For the King and Queen

I managed to make a lot of progress on the list yesterday.


The King and Queen now have matching crowns for their dress up box.....

.... and matching tutus

I ended up making the tutus wrap around with a velcro closure as the recipients are very young and would struggle get them on if they were elastic waisted. I still need to shorten the pink one a little bit.
I had no idea just how how scratchy the tulle would be as I've never used it before.

The forecast is for 39 degrees today, so I'm going to sit in my little sweat shop with all of the blinds closed and sew sew sew!

Progress

One of the things that I love the most about crafting, is to just go freestyle and try to make what I can visualise in my head. It's not always successful - many things end up in the bin..... but sometimes it actually works.

So when my girlfriend requests various ears and tails for the dress up box for christmas, I say "Sure, I can make that", when I really have no idea if I can or not. But, I've had the picture in my head for a little while now, and today it was time to give it a go..... just don't ask me what type of animal it's supposed to be ok!

The list

I had a relaxing morning on the couch yesterday eating delicious lemon tart and mini red velvet cupcakes, before making a trip to Spotlight and then getting cracking back into working through all of the items on my christmas list....

I'm making pressies for friends to give their family members, and pressies for me to give my family members, and I've even managed to outsource some hatmaking for my nephews, as I know that I just won't have time to get to that one. Luckily, Bec has the exact same pattern as me, and can whip up a hat much faster!

I've been making some super simple tea towel totes, some zippered pencilcases in various sizes (I still need more practice with getting neat corners on the zips), and some bookmarks.

Still on the TO DO list:

1 x Pink Tutu
1 x Black Tutu
2 x Dress Up Skirts
6 x Animal ears and tails
2 x Chefs Hats
2 x Aprons
1 x Softie
1 x Baby Dress

....and I still need to think of something to make for a 5 year old boy.

How many days until Christmas again?

Just a blatant self promoting reminder

It's only twelve more days until Christmas, and if you factor in postage, then you'd better get your skates on to pick up a lovely handmade treat.

This one at Georgie Love is my current favourite

I still have some lovely brooches available over in The CurlyPops Shop, and there are some lovely happy colours available right here at Georgie Love.

Egg and Sauce

It seems like I've been playing around with dismembered pieces of crocheted tablecloths and doilies forever..... but I have finally managed to use them for something!

Jay found me these very cool little brooch backs which also have a pendant attachment - it's a bit like 'choose your own adventure', except it's for funky accessories - so, one day it's a brooch, the next day it's a pendant.

I'm taking some along to the market today.... does the yellow and red one remind you of egg and sauce?

Only two more to go....

I'm finally getting to the end of the market season, with only 2 more left until the end of the year.

I actually remembered my camera lastnight and managed to take some photos with the point and shoot, while Annmarie and I were setting up our stall.

As the weather experts predicted, there was a massive storm and downpour yet again. I can't believe that Melbourne has managed to have storms and rain three Thursday nights in a row.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we get some lovely weather for Made'n'Thornbury tomorrow. It's such a lovely market so I'm hoping that the sun will shine.

All of my favourite crafty bloggers will be there:

Tinniegirl
Betty Jo
Map 29
Melbourne Epicure
Finki
Konstant Kaos
Mrs Beckinsale
Cherry Stew
Flicketty Splits
Pepperberry and Co
Buttons by Lou Lou
Nettle and Brier

It's your second last chance to pick up a homemade treat for christmas!

My creative space.... is off to the market

There's no time for creating today. I'm sorting and packing my stock so that I can head off to the Kris Kringle Night Market at the Northcote Town Hall tonight. I don't mind the packing so much, but the unpacking is an absolute bore....... at least my sorting and packing skills are becoming much more efficient with all of these markets!

I just need to modify my handbag stand slightly, so I have the cordless drill on charge in the garage, and I'm waiting patiently for the litttle green light.

To find something that is actually being created, be sure to head over to visit Kirsty.

Just a little reminder - my free brooch offer at Handmade Heaven ends today (while stocks last) - if you can't make it into the shop in person, just contact Liesa for an online transaction!

New CurlyPops Stockist - Milk Thieves Art & Design

I have to thank Lou for letting me know about this lovely new shop, Milk Thieves Art & Design, that has opened in Wollongong, full to the brim with handmade loveliness.

A delivery of brooches and brooch kits are winging their way into the shop right now, and should be available very very soon.

If you're in the area, pop in and say hi to Emma-Lee - Shop 10A, 157 Crown St, Wollongong.