More crafty inspiration.

It must be the spring air, something about this time of year really inspires me to get crafty.

I’ve been promising kinder some new art smocks for over a term now (I was going to get them done last school holidays, oops!) I made the first two fine and they are much loved and paint spattered by now. Well, finally here are the last two.

Plus, I have two quilts on the go (yes, now I know I’m just bragging, or rather confessing as I often start these things and then they don’t really get finished very quickly).

I hope all this creativity inspires you to begin a new project (or finish an old one!)

New season craftiness.

So much to share. I’ve been particularly crafty of late and doing my best to complete projects and not just start them and get distracted by making cups of tea, demands from the kiddies or distractions of little bits of fluff on my sleeve… oh sorry, now where was I?

I wish I was more organised and managed to ever take some before shots. If I had, this would be much more impressive.

These were little home made chairs that were sitting around my grandparents-in-law’s house. They were originally stained (a very pine-y yellow gloss) and had mustard yellow vinyl covers with these strange high backs. The new upholstery is a Moda Home fabric we sell in the shop, very durable heavy weave. I just love how they turned out (the kids are pretty happy too!)

As weak as it is- I do believe this constitutes an Ikea hack. Some Dulux spray paint in Volcano Orange and I’m very impressed with my glossy little kitchen accessory/ extra chair.

This one I did quite a white back, I just don’t think I ever got around to blogging it. I found the lamp base at Mill Markets in Geelong -oh how I love that place! The shade was a plain white one I bought for $2 (super bargain basement price) from Kmart which I recovered in some yummy Amy Butler Wildflowers fabric from the Daisy Chain range. It now graces the sideboard in my dining room.

It appears that I’m not the only one. The little guy has been painting to his heart’s content and is super keen to practise his newly acquired skill of turning one’s painting into a stamp (where you turn your painting face down and rub the back so that you get a mirror image). Only thing is, he doesn’t always have the paper lined up underneath.

Needless to say we did end up with some lovely reverse paintings directly transfered onto the table top.

Fabric, quilts & birthdays.

Oh, it’s been too long between posts. Crazy, crazy sale, thank you to all the lovely customers who shopped ’till they dropped. We now have loads more room for the next round of goodies. Can’t wait (she says, rubbing her hands together in glee).

Super sale stash.

Also recently decided that the new Red Letter Days and David Walker Rockets ranges were far too yum to disappear without hacking into them for my own stash. The result?

A cute kinder nap time binkee for my pumpkin…

Tomorrow my wee one turns three- full of attitude, sleeping in a bed and giving up his dummy all by himself.

No more babies.

Sigh.

Wee One.

I just had to share something so delightful that my wee one came out with the other day. Don’t you love it when they’re learning to talk and the wonderful way they can put words together?

Driving to pick up daddy, they were both drawing with their magnadoodles in the back seat (incidentally, they’re a great thing to keep in the car to stop fighting and complaining- generally! Like until one decides to use the pen to poke the other one in the eye or the string to garrote him with!)

I digress…

The wee one was drawing swirls semi-in-time to the music and he said: “Look mama, look. My drawing is dancing.”

I tell you, I’m coming off a fortnight from hell. It’s so important to find at least one gem in every day. Thank you to Poppysmiles flickr project on 365 Days of Grateful, which I first read about in Frankie I believe and then in Notebook mag. I try to keep it in the back of my mind- to remember to be grateful for stuff. I frequently forget.

Also, I love them little tootsies!

Oooh, how lovely!

Look what I’ve received from the lovely Anjie at http://www.pompomemporium.com , whose blog is incredibly classy and makes me a bit homesick for my time in the UK. To accept this award, I must list 5 things that I am addicted to and pass the award on to blogs I enjoy reading.

• Coffee- I am rarely without one in my hand wherever I go, even if it means I’m juggling steaming takeaway cup, handbag, mobile, small children, shopping and car keys.
• Sleeping. You wouldn’t think the two went together, but I am a gold medal sleeper, no matter how much caffine I have zinging ’round my system.
• Fabric. I am so addicted. I have trouble cutting up fabric in my stash, ’cause I love it so much.
• Chocolate. Sorry to be a cliche, but it’s true. I don’t have an off switch when it comes to chocolate!
• Colour. Love colour, can’t have enough- preferably bright and clashing.

I am passing this award on to:

Dear Fii http://dearfii.blogspot.com/

Aunty Cookie http://www.auntycookie.com/blog/

Curly pops http://curlypops.blogspot.com/

Hey, all Melbourne bloggers, who I find very creative and entertaining. Thanks again Anjie!

Home Economics.

We have an abundance of apricots at the moment.

So I baked. It’s something my mum used to make with grated apple, but this version is a little more country.

Easy Apricot Pudding.

Cream 1 dessert spoon of butter with 1/2 cup sugar. Add one egg and mix well. Add wholemeal self raising flour gradually until mixture is stiff.

Spread 3/4 of mixture onto a small, greased lasagne dish. Place apricot halves over mixture. Sprinkle apricots with 2-3 dessert spoons of brown sugar.

Thin down remaining mixture with milk until it resembles pancake batter. Pour over the top of the apricots.

Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 45mins (up to an hour). Check after 25 mins and adjust baking time to suit your oven. Eat warm- it’s yummy with vanilla ice cream.

Obamarama.

Can you dig it?

Something new to believe in.

Clever, clever Denyse Schmidt. With links to the oldest, truest tradition of American quilters, this beautiful, powerful (and dare I say humorous?) Obama campain fundraiser. This is what Denyse herself said on her blog:

Long before women had the vote, they voiced their opinions by creating quilts with political and commemorative themes.

Wonderful.

We should sell these.

I came across these Keep Calm rugs last night while surfing about and how much do I want one???

A LOT. I’d stock them in the shop but for the fact they’re so pricey and kind of tricky to post. You’ll have to make do with a tea towel, poster, tote or apron I’m afraid.

Pumpkin went to a pirate party today and I just have to give my totally nuts friend an honourable mention in the birthday cake department. This is a birthday cake par excellence, as was the fabulously hand painted invitation with singed “treasure map” inside  and the bespoke, totally realistic with flashing lights Ghostbusters outfit she made Pumpkin for his birthday . She is incredibly talented and creative. Yay Annabelle!

One more shout out for creative excellence goes to our lovely customer Kristy, who made this Birdie Sling and then took the time to share it with us.

What a clever girl! Thanks Kirsty, it looks great with the martini and the poppy fabrics. 

It’s just so lovely to see the finished creations our customers make and hear snippets of your lives. We’ve only been around a little while, but you are all so generous with your time,  giving us feedback and keeping in touch that I’m getting to know some of you already.

Mostly plants.

Here are some things that make me smile… 

Fijoa blooms, my spoilt bubbas, peaches ripening on the tree.

my herb garden, thriving on neglect. It gives me a little Jamie Oliver rush every time I make a roast chicken and cut herbs from the garden to stuff it with.

Hydrangeas picked from my garden in a beautiful hand thrown vessel I bought myself as a little self birthday pressie. These hydrangeas grew from a cutting my father-in-law gave me.

They are my favourite, favourite flower. Hope your weekend was a good one.

One wedding cake.

Lovely Ruthie was married yesterday in Ocean Grove. She looked just lovely in her red dress.

I made the cake and was quite proud of the way it turned out (although I must say that you can’t go too wrong as far as decoration goes if you use real flowers.

After the wedding we stopped in Geelong and had a look at the waterfront.

Life in a Northern town (I know it’s not, it just feels like Manchester or Liverpool or somewhere, quite cool and industrial)…

It’s my Birthday.

Today was my birthday, and a pretty good one too, even though I didn’t get to see husband!

Got lots of lovely birthday wishes and some lovely gifties including an ace camera for making blogging, shop, etsy shop and flickr prettier (now I just have to learn how to use it- it is very complicated!)

Also, check out these fab-u-lous Dorothy ruby slippers. Actual slippers too, super comfy from a much loved girlfriend.

I was also spoilt with flowers and a gorgeous soy candle in a teacup from another lovely girlfriend. I’m so lucky! Hope your day was equally good.

The original Stitch’n'bitchers.

I’ve decided I want a sewing group. And a flapper bob. Like this…

I’m thinking freestyle here, but who would be interested in a shopping and craft night (Melbourne bloggsters)?

Tea & coffee and cupcakes. Music and crafting and craft shopping. Leave me a comment if you have any thoughts.