Bursting

Finches Teatowel - Photo Courtesy Shiny Happy Art

I finished this project well over a week ago.... and I've been completely bursting to show it off!

 On my cutting table in pieces

But first, I needed to find a very large box to fit it into without crushing it.

Then I had to make sure that it arrived as a big surprise, while Anna thought that I was still working on it.

The thing that I love the most about making these bags is that depending on the size of the original teatowel, and the placement of the print, you never quite know what it's going to look like until it all comes together.

This one features couple of very happy accidents.....

When I cut the teatowel into pieces, I didn't realise it at the time, that when I was going to piece them back together, the blue border would become a lovely feature running along the front of the bag. It sort of looks like I've added piping running along the join.

On the other side, I managed to incoporate Anna's signature from her original artwork up the top....

I'm totally in love with this bag..... so isn't it lucky that I have another Finches Teatowel in the stash?

Obsession

Obsession: an emotional state in which someone or something is so important to you that you are always thinking about them, in a way that seems extreme to other people

When it comes to colour, I most definitely have an obsession.

So when Nic posed the 'fave colour combo' question on her Yardage Design FB page, for me, it was completely obvious.

But, can you imagine the surprise when I arrived home from my appointment at the Alfred last Thursday to find this package on my front doorstep?

Pink and Orange together are completely outside Nic's classic colour range.... and I know how hard it is for a designer to work outside a fave colour palette, which is why I'm even more appreciative of my very own custom colour Yardage Design teatowels.

Thankyou so much for the lovely surprise Nic - your timing was absolutely perfect!

Sunday Snippets

The home of Sunday Snippets... at Tinniegirl

Granny Square Fabric is Go!

Gosh, such super exciting news today...

You may remember a little while back I designed and sampled some of my granny square fabric.

I even used it as a background in the promo shot that I used for the Cosmo FFF competition.

Well, in the coming week, I'm moving into production mode, and having it printed right here in Melbourne, by Frankie and Swiss, a new boutique textile printer.

I'm hoping to be able to offer for sale very very very soon.... but at the moment I'm doing a little happy dance!

Manca Un Bottone.... There is a Button Missing

Thanks to the lovely Ainslie from Manca Un Bottone, there's a little bloggy interview featuring moi.

Pop on over... if you dare!

My Creative Space...

In my creative space today.........beads

A lovely little gift from Prue and Robyn at Open Drawer

I have the picture in my head of what they're going to look like once transformed..... I just need to find the time.

The home of my creative space

Zero Words

Yes, zero words today.

There are zero words available to explain why things happen some days.... so I will just tell a story.

My sister has keys to my house, so she often pops in when I'm not home. In fact, she seems to pop in more often when I'm not home than when I'm at home (does that tell you something)?

Anyway, I drove up the driveway on Monday afternoon and noticed the first sign of a visitor. My bedroom curtains were open, and the blinds had been lifted, so that Mr Limpy Houdini Dog could stare out the window and watch the world go by during the day.

Then as I walked into the house, I noticed that my bed had been made.... (I never bother), and as I walked into the kitchen, there was a mystery parcel on the bench.

Of course, I'm racking my brain - online shopping??? I had done a little bit, but the package was far too large for anything that I'd bought.

But, as soon as I'd opened a little corner of the packaging, I knew exactly what it was!

I'd commented on the red yarn that Tracey was using just a couple of weeks ago.... and now it's a vest and it's mine!

You see, I really have no words to explain that amazing generousity.

I can only say thankyou so much Tracey for adding such a beautiful bright spark to my week!

It was a waiting game....

But, for those of you who have waited so patiently....

Turquoise Flower Brooches...

....and Purple Flower Brooches....

... are both now available in the SHOP.

Have a very lovely day!

Sunday Snippets.... so far

 

 Sunday Snippets.... playing along with Tinniegirl

Twelve to Go....

It's the final countdown.... 2 days left to buy the last twelve Hotties.

It's really simple - for a $25 donation to the Margaret Pratt Foundation (to benefit Heart and Lung Transplant Research), you can buy one of these magnificent handmade Hottie covers.

Just pop on over to Facebook and comment SOLD under any of the photos in the album to make a purchase.

Have a wonderful weekend crafty peeps!

My Creative Space

In my creative space today..... it's the Leaning Tower of Flower Brooch bases.

I managed to finish the hand stitching on these bases yesterday, so I'm hoping that I may actually have a chance to complete them over the weekend.

The home of  my creative space

Warming the Cockles This Week

After more than three and a half years of sitting at my computer writing about little crafty bits and bobs and things that happen in my life, I still get totally flabbergasted when I receive messages from wonderful peeps telling me that they love what I do each day.

I get even more flabbergasted when they find lovely things for me and pop them in the mail!

Today I need to thank Zoe for this supercute matching pillowcase set, and co-ordinating fabric, and the lovely card.

I'm having trouble deciding what to make with those kitty cats, but I certainly do have an idea..... watch this space.

Tththankyou so much Zoe!

Why hoarding is a good thing

Because you know that when you buy a cute little $10 top with white buttons that you don't like...

It only takes five minutes to change them when you get home.

On the weekend I....

Made turquoise flower petals

Please excuse the mobile phone photo!

Washed and tidied, and babysat and watched cartoons...

Made green flowerpetals

Sewed a prototype for a client and packed lots of Last Chance Hotties ready to be taken to the post office

...and made two tones of purple flower petals.

What did you get up to?

Felty

I'm jumping on the felty bandwagon and looking forward to a bit of stabby action, and a lesson from Mel at the next NCB.

I picked up this beautiful wool while I was at Open Drawer on Friday.

Do I sense yet another crafty obsession coming on???

Last Chance to buy a Hottie

Hello lovely crafty peeps!

I've just been for a little visit to Open Drawer to pick up any leftover Hotties from our group.
This is great news for anyone who didn't get the chance to visit the exhibition to make a purchase.

We're still aiming to raise as much money as possible for the Margaret Pratt Foundation, so for the next week, the remaining Hotties will be available for a $25 donation each plus the cost of postage ($1.80 if I can pack them completely flat).

The available Hotties are in this photo album on my Facebook Page.
To make a purchase, simply comment SOLD underneath the photo, and I will get in contact to organise payment.

Thankyou all so much for your support with the fundraising!


PS - I find out next Thursday at 2PM whether I'm accepted onto the waiting list for a double lung transplant so keep your fingers crossed for me!
Received a call thisafternoon to delay my appointment as my case hasn't been presented to the medical panel yet.... but still keep your fingers crossed!

Stuffed...

He has his very own donut bed and his very own granny blankie on the couch.... but thismorning I find him in the spare bedroom scratching around trying to make himself a bed in a bag of polyfill.

Why?

My Creative Space

Sometimes there are only snippets of time available for crafting.
Those snippets demand something mindless.
A crazy stitching production line.
Stitched in snippets.

The home of my creative space

Pop Up Studio Sale at the Nicholas Building

Looking for something to do this Thursday, Friday or Saturday?

Why not pop into the city and visit the beautiful Nicholas building for this fab pop-up sale!

You'll be able to see work by Betty Jo, Emily Green, Dawn Tan, Lynnelle Moran of Crumb Threads, Madeline Stamer, Shara Lambeth and Peta Pledger.

While you're there, make sure to also pop in to see Buttonmania and Kimono House.

So much craftiness in one space!

iPad iPhone iPod

I've said it before and I'll say it again.... I'm the latest of late adopters of the latest in technology.

So I had to have a little chuckle when my dad asked me to make an iPad cover for a friends 6 year old daughter (yes... she's 6, and I'm ummmmm quite a lot older than that, and I don't have an iPad)!

Actually, I think I'm the only person in the world who also doesn't have an iPhone, although I do have a second-hand old school iPod.

Anyhow, back to the iPad cover.....

I checked the Apple website for the iPad dimensions and then pulled out the tape measure, and didn't believe it.


I've never ever seen an iPad in real life.
Was it really that small?

The only solution was to ask..... da da da dum.... The Twitter (that's just for you Kate).

The Crafty Tweeps on The Twitter always know about the technology, and so my crisis was averted. It seems that the dimensions on the Apple website are, in fact, correct.

And herewith ends todays tale.

Shrooms...

It's taken me well over a week, but I've finally finished the 'Shrooms handbag....

Made using a lovely 100% linen handscreenprinted Thea & Sami teatowel which was a lovely surprise from Melissa.

Luckily, I have a very lovely Fisher and Paykel Double Dishdrawer dishwasher (which I highly recommend purely just from an ergonomic point of view) so I never, ever, ever dry the dishes....

... and anyhow, I think every teatowel deserves to become a stylish handbag... don't you?

PS - this one is now available in the shop...