Watcha Wearin' Wednesday

It's not quite warm enough to be wearing it just yet, but look what arrived in the mail yesterday.

I was the lucky winner of Jennie's giveaway, and she made this beautiful top in my size, with my choice of fabric.  I think it must be the very first custom made top that I've ever owned, which is very exciting indeed.

I think Jennie may just be psychic..... she also included some very cute dinosaur fabric, and sewing machine needles. I've been breaking quite a few lately while sewing with wire so they were just perfect!

Frances has taken over modelling duties for me thismorning. She's a very obliging stand-in model.

Of course, if you also love this top, you can pop down to Olive Grove Studios and buy one of your very own.

Speaking of giveaways, I also won some beautiful vintage sheet fat quarters from Susan which she bought along to NCB last week.

Thanks so much Jennie and Susan!

My Creative Space

Please excuse the photo quality - I only have my mobile phone on hand

In my creative space today (errr well yesterday anyway)....
I finally finished Susan's long delayed camera bag (sorry Susan)!

There were a few things that I forgot to pack and bring along with me, but I'd finished the machine stitching on this Monday morning, and I knew that I only had the finishing touches of hand stitching left to do. It's actually one of my favourite things to do right at the very end. It somehow makes it feel more handmade to me, when the last little bit is finished off by hand.

It's now on it's way to Susan, via Cathie (thanks so much Cathie)!
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that the camera fits.

Also in my creative space - two very cute little munchkins came to visit yesterday and kept busy with lots of lovely oil pastel drawings. Just in case you haven't guessed it, on the left is a Hippo, and on the right is a very scary Lion!

A huge thankyou must go out to everyone who sent me get well wishes, and who took me up on my challenge to write extra blog posts to keep me entertained. I've hardly even had time to watch tv... I've been up to my ears in crafty reading on the internet instead!

Make sure to pop on over and visit Kirsty and check out all the other wonderful creative spaces on the list!

My Creative Space

In my creative space today.... all the bits and pieces for Susan's long awaited camera bag (just try to ignore all of the random clutter and mess in the background).

It was a bit of a tricky challenge. Susan requires a tall skinny bag for her camera, so that she can pop it straight inside with the very tall flash still attached.

This was the first opportunity where I've needed to use my vintage sleeve press. I would have been completely lost trying to iron it without that press.

The bag outer and front flap (which you can't see in the photo) were made using a very beautiful Ink and Spindle fabric that Susan supplied. I've used the same fabric on the underside of the adjustable strap, with a black denim on the top. The inner of the bag is black with white polkadots with an internal zip pocket. The strap will be finished off with some lovely silver hardware.

I'm going to have it all finished and ready to give to Susan next Thursday night at NCB.

There's one last piece of the puzzle still to be made. Do you see that little piece of pink cardboard at the bottom centre of the photo? That's a little template that I've made up, so that I can cut out the two side pieces that fit between the body of the bag, and the adjustable strap. Once they're finished, then it's just a matter of sewing all of the puzzle pieces together, and giving it very hot and steamy iron so that it's nice and smooth and crease free.

I think my poor little workhorse (sewing machine) will then be going on a little holiday for a bit of rest and relaxation with the nice sewing machine service man. Never fear, I have my little sisters machine as backup!

Make sure to pop in and visit Kirsty today and check out the hundreds of others creative spacers. I'm off to work, but I'll be checking the list when I get home.

Busy Busy

Phew!

Between leaving home for work yesterday morning and then arriving back home after the Northern Craft Bonanza lastnight, blogland had been super busy. I quickly read through the more than one hundred posts in my google reader (sorry I didn't stop to say hi anywhere, but I had to get to bed at a reasonable hour).

Today I'll be packing my bags for my final market of the month. I'm sharing a stall with Annmarie from Map 29 at the Made'n'Thornbury Market tomorrow, so it should be a lovely fun day out.

It's a bit different this month. The hall is being renovated, so the market is actually at the Thornbury Women's Neighbourhood House in Shaftesbury Parade.

Here's a little of what I was working on lastnight (photo courtesy of Susan). I'll be adding some more photos over here... and there are also more here.