some sewing

I did manage a little sewing just before xmas. I made this pencil roll for my nephew (age 12). These are so simple to make and I think I simplified it even more by making it with all one piece and folding it over. The fabric is canvas and adds a great thickness to it. This is my kind of sewing, simple but the best quality I can do. I have put the felt pens in and also a grey lead drawing pencil.

My nephew loves to draw and even loves to design skateboard decks so I thought this would be good for him. Great to take in the car during the holidays. He did however seem to love the movie tickets we put with it even more, but I was happy to give him something handmade.

I wanted to give his 15 yo brother one too with Sharpies in it, but my Miss 16 thought that was just crazy, "why give him one of those at his age??" so I felt quite deflated and therefore didn't.

But, I have now decided to make one anyway for his birthday in March! Despite his age!!

I had this dilemma a few months ago, what do you make for teenage boys???????? If anyone has any ideas please let me know! I will start looking around all year I think. If I find anything I will post about it. I know Jodie had this problem and she blogged about it a while ago, so there must be others out there????!!!!!!!!!!

Isobel really would like one so I will make her one (had planned to before xmas but didn't get it done) I will make that one huge. 12 pencils 12 felt pens and a drawing pencil and a small ruler!!!!

relax

I hope you are all managing to relax and put your feet up, especially now The Big Day is over :)

hohoho

I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, may it be stress free and just the kind of Christmas you were hoping for! I want to thank all of you for all your wonderful sweet bloggy support through the year especially the last few months, it has meant a great deal to me and really helped me through!!! Truly.

I REALLY appreciate all comments and have been a little slack in replying to them over the last month or two and I apologise for that, but I do love them coming in!!

See you on the other side so to speak, in a few days. Have a good one!!! :O

photo courtesy of LargePresentationCakes

santa came early

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that Santa came early to our house. Well it was the very very sweet Marian. Marian and I are doing a swap of a couple of handmade goodies and some op shop goodies. We have put it off until after xmas but Marian said she wanted to post "a couple of things now" well what an understatement!! A huge box arrived and there were even goodies for both my girls!!
These 3 gifts for Zoe and she LOVED them. This is the same girl I NEVER buy for unless she has chosen it because at 16 she is very hard to buy for! But she was so happy with these!

These 3 were for Isobel and she was so excited, she collects Golden books and loves kids vintagey pillowcases. I have to buy them if she is with me at the op shop and she also loves softies that are animal types! This is an Anne Geddes toy remember her??? Does she still photograph babies and little kids????

now onto my pressies, 3 vintage books, all very cool but especially Alice. Marian knows I love Alice and I have never seen this version and it was even printed the year I was born! Under the books is a linen kids xmas apron which was in the parcel too

Now check this out Marian knows I love these too so when I unwrapped it of it's teddy fabric wrapping I was gobsmacked!!!!

and when I opened the card box look what greeted me! An owl tea cosy! How cute I LOVE HIM!!! Also some hankies, vintage tablecloth, a kids pattern AND a linen tea towel with Possums on it!! Just for Two Pink Possums, how's that for cute.

The kindness of blogger's is amazing! Marian and I only know each other from blogging and she has totally spoilt us. It's as if she has known us for ages as everything is just so perfect!!! Thank you soooooo much Marian. I don't know how I will meet such a high standard of goodies for our swap but I sure will try!!! Pop over and check out Marian's vintagey heaven on her blog!!!

meringue magic

I seem to be doing stuff that's not xmas related in any way, does that mean I am in denial???? Anyway I have been having fun making meringues. You get results so fast with these, 2 ingredients (60g of castor sugar to every 60g egg)plus sprinkles and you are done - love em! But I must say the mixture is better than the cooked thing. Since I was a child I just loved meringue mixture so much I used to say to mum "when I'm grown up I'm going to make this mixture to eat the whole lot and not cook it" well I haven't exactly done that but maybe I have come quite close!!!!!!

and I finished this collage a few nights ago, again nothing to do with xmas sewing, but I just love doing these!

nicely naive

I just love naive style whether it be in crafting, folk art or art in general. It would be my favourite to do and see.

I wanted to share with you some decorations made by mum and myself over the last few years (I don't have any from this year as we haven't done any)

First up is Santa sewn by mum, he is the cutest santa ever. Mum made two but in different colourways, one for me and one for my sister. I would have to say he is my favourite decoration of all.

Mum has painted a lot of decorations over the years, all beautiful but this one is special. A tree with candles and the two pieces of the tree pull apart and it can be laid flat for storage.
The next two santas I have made. I loved doing them. I drew straight onto Pine and cut them out with a Jig-Saw, sanded and painted. It was a lot of fun, very easy to do and one of those things I always think "I must make more of these" but of course xmas is just upon us every year before I think of it, let alone actually do it!



and look!!!!!! Santa has been to our house. This huge box of goodies was delivered earlier in the week. It is from a lovely blogger peep, such a kind generous, like minded soul. She said we could open it all early, and we have!! I just have to get good photos before I can share it all with you! So come back soon to see! It is all WONDERFUL op shoppy vintage goodness!! Thank you Marian :) You truly have spoilt us

I do hope you all are managing to stay sane in this time of insanity! I ventured into Target for the first time during this craziness the other day, only to get some smalls for the smallest, on my way to the ABC Bookshop. Well, it just strengthens my feelings of how out of conrol xmas is and it is something that really is forced upon us and more so each year.

We have always kept it modest by a lot of folk's standards and I say every year that I am going to ban it in our house. But once you start it with children it is a hard thing to stop. But now BOTH girls know the drill about Santa, we are going to try and tone it down even more. My main mission for next year is to have way more handmade goodies for people.

This last couple of months haven't really gone to plan for me and that's my excuse, I certainly hope there will be no excuse next year!!

happy weekend :)

pencil pain

This is one of my favourite new tools lately. It's an iron on transfer pencil and it works so well. You trace your desired picture and it looks a little nondescript, but then you put the iron over the tracing paper and it goes onto the calico so thickly and brightly. It really is magic!!

Only it works a little tooooo well. I am tracing everything now. Nothing is safe. The stitchery below is the main part of a colouring in competition from Woolworth's!! I traced it, ironed it on and then do what I normally do, add bits freehand with the washable blue embroidery pen. BUT I have learnt the hard way - the iron on pencil (or this one anyway) DOESN'T WASH OUT!!!

As you see there are pink bits still visible (santa's hat and reindeer's heads - although quite pale in this photo) so I am trying to figure out whether to try and fix it or just move on. I am inclined to move on as I get bored once something feels finished.

So if you have this Clover Iron On Transfer Pencil, it is magic, but beware, don't put it where you don't want it!!!

post edit: I have decided to move on. I am soaking the stitchery in white vinegar as a last attempt to remove the pencil, otherwise I will ditch it and start another, only thing is that another one won't be stitched and made into a tote bag and posted before Xmas!!!

wips and gingerbread

This is a small pile of fabric that is supposed to be Christmas gifts by now! But I am not phased yet, I still have hope they will be made....stayed tuned...and the stitchery I showed you a peek of a couple of posts ago...well I have totally stuffed that up and am trying to see if I can save it, so I might be back with that one......................or I might not!!!!!

I would love to say I made this cake!!! But of course you know I didn't. Mum bought it from the German Cake Shop. Mum likes to do this every year and have the grand kids over to demolish it, which they did! (us grown-ups too, I LOVE the royal icing) Every year I say "I'm going to make one of these" so maybe next year will be the time......or not!!!
I don't know if I could replicate the royal icing, so maybe I shouldn't try, maybe we should just carry on the tradition of buying this yummy treat!!!! Mum has done it for about 20 years now since my sister was young and brave and headed off to Germany with a backpack to have a white Christmas! I do love Cindy's version of it though, pop over to check it out!

journal journey

I have had a couple of days away. I had a few nights at my sister's place and it was lovely. We had retail therapy, got some movies and just hung out and I really feel as if I have had a little holiday! I have decided I MUST do it more often!!!! Thank you sis :)

I thought I would share a few journal pages, it seems when I am doodling in my journal of late I have a thing for trees!!!

My pages never really feel finished. I can create a page and days later or a couple of months later really feel the need to change it or add to it. There were even a few I took photos of the other day and then haven't put them up here as I have changed them already, so they need new photos.

I just wanted to share a little of what journaling is to me and how different it can be for everyone. I also have recently finished another collage in my A3 journal so I will take a photo of that soonish. (this journal is A4)

I love whimsy, so I am constantly trying to find a whimsical style I can call my own. At the moment though, I just sketch from sources like Bel's books!! I guess that's how it will develop.

happy weekend to everyone and I hope everyone feels relaxed about the whole Christmas thing. I won't have all the handmade things done I had hoped for, but I am feeling ok about that for the most part. The last thing I want is this one day a year, that should be just about being together and good food, to cause me more grief than I need!!!

S is for...stitching

S is for....soothing

S is for....serene

and S is for.........Sooooooo close to finishing this stitchery!!!!!!!!

tupperware and cupcakes

I still have some bits and pieces I want to share to catch up, photos I took some weeks ago and haven't blogged yet and some new ones too. So here is some wonderful vintage Tupperware found at the oppies over the last weeks. Below is the Tuppercraft Box I have already blogged!

I must admit if I find vintage Tupperware in good condition my heart misses a beat!!! Mum has said to me recently she has cleaned out and wants to know if I want all her Tupperware from the late 50's early 60's!!!!!! Well what could I say????? If she needs the room in her cupboards I guess I could take it!!!!

Hubby has an affection for vintage typewriters and he bought one quite some time ago from the op shop (must get photo of that one too) THEN he found this at Vinnies, it is sooo gorgeous. Bright glossy red so I guess it goes faster than others???? In such good condition, in its case with the manual and it was..........$2!!!!!!!!!! unreal
I have been gathering some new fabric too and here are a couple of pieces. These are destined for a band on a sun hat and also some more raw edge applique

and as usual we have been making lots of cupcakes here....only this lot got to be in a photo!!!!! I tried a shot of my beloved Sunbeam in action and it actually worked!!!!!

from this......

to these........

Isobel made and decorated these by herself, I was just supervising!! and taste testing the mixture to make sure she was on the right track!!! :O

art and stuff

I have been doing a lot of work with these

and these.....working every day. I have been so inspired to work in my art journals.

wishing I had lots more of these......................

I have had a couple of therapy sessions. Even though we haven't really got down to any nitty gritty yet, it has really inspired me to journal everyday even if it is only painting pages to prepare for other work on top - drawing, collage, words etc. It is the last thing I do every night now is to paint a few pages so they are dry for the next day.

There are days where I may not be well or am very fatigued but I can lie on the bed, I put on a favourite dvd then get out my journal. I still get the feeling of creating even if I am resting!!

So I need to pass on to those of you who are interested the importance of journaling. It feels wonderful. I love to add layers and layers of paint, text, charcoal and the list goes on, and just this simple process feels wonderfully creative and can lead to other work, or your pages are ready for another day. So I am making this part of EVERYDAY now, not just every now and then.

While we haven't been using art as such for therapy yet, one thing my therapist told me (she is wonderful by the way, I wish I met her years ago) is writing is a great thing to do also.

I think most of us know this but we don't do it.

I have had a smaller journal for some time I write in sometimes. I write a few pages in the third person and then paint and draw over it. So I must do more of this too.

I have also learnt to write a list of feelings, a short list or a long one it doesn't matter and then maybe even try to draw those feelings in some way through colour or however I want.

I have started a few stitcheries too. It is SUCH wonderful therapy to stitch. I should be sewing though. There are at least 3 things I want to sew for xmas presents so I must find the motivation for those too.

I have taken a few photos of some new journal pages and will blog them or Flickr them soon.

happy weekend xx

photos courtesy of Google Images

cute guys at my house!!!

During Blogtoberfest I won a couple of giveaways which was lovely. There was one I won however, which kind of got a little forgotten due to my dark days and illness. I won some Golden Books to add to our collection from Gillian over at Silly Gilly. After sending my address to Gillian weeks after the fact, I received them earlier this week and Gillian had also put in a cute as vintage children's dress pattern! Thank you so much Gillian. I haven't taken any photos of anything for a week or more so I will get onto it soon.

Look as this cute little guy. Hubby found him while digging in the garden. We often get Blue Tongues in the yard during summer. They come in from the bush looking for food and water but we have never had a baby one!!!

According to the websites they make good pets and get used to being handled which this one did very quickly (we kept him for a few days) He didn't try to get away from us at all, he just sat on us.

I did in the end talk Bel into letting him go as you need a large heated tank to keep them properly and that was one expense we don't need. We fed him strawberries (ones that had gone a bit yuk) cuddled him a lot, then let him go.

I put him with my phone for scale as he is so tiny compared to an adult one!! We do miss him.

the vegie patch

I have been a bit slack on the blogging front lately, but I have had a horrible flu thing and also had Bel home all last week with it too. Thankfully Bel is better this week and today I am determined to be up and catch up on what's been happening with all you guys!!

I too have been plagued by the loser John who had been leaving Viagra comments on Jodie's blog! Has anyone else had this happening too?? So for now I have had to put the Moderate Comments switch on my blog for the first time, which is a hassle, but I will leave it there for now so this idiot doesn't get published. Why can't Blogger wipe out these losers who set up a Blogger account purely for the purpose to spam on every one's blog??? Please Blogger - get rid of him!

Now moving on to more important stuff........Over on my sidebar you will see a button for The Veg About Gang. Pop over to Bellgirl and say hi and join The Gang. It's all about joining in the highs and lows of growing our own vegies! Below are some photos of us setting up our patch.

A lot of the gang are trying their patch in tubs. We have had trouble in the past with possums eating everything, so then I moved just a few things into tubs lettuce, tomato and herbs. I had the tubs at the front door thinking they would be safe and we came home one day and a peacock had pulled it all out and was having a feast!!! So we have had nothing for a few years. But this year we are very keen to have vegies that TASTE like vegies and also to save money.

We will have to find a balance between using enough water to grow our vegies and not using too much. We are very water wise anyway as we live in one of only 2 Councils in Tassie that charge for every drop of water used. When we first moved into this house 7 years ago we thought how unfair, there are people a few streets away in a different Council only paying for water with their rates, not for every drop they use as well. While this is still unfair, I am glad of it now as we have become very conscience of what we use and so have the girls.

I now feel VERY strongly about this and if only EVERY Council across the country did this then we would all be forced to think about every drop we use.

Bel got into it too, it's great for the kids to grow things, they learn so much and love it too. Of course our gorgeous boofhead dog Ruby wanted to help too!! She thought this lovely soft soil was the best place for her newest bone!

So this photo was taken a couple of weeks ago and we have more planted more. So, if you are doing this too, pop over to Annabel and join the gang!!!!