my creative space

I still don't have an actual space to call my own, but the good news is that it will probably be TOMORROW I can set up my new work space YAY. I can't wait to be able to have my sewing machine sitting on a specific table waiting to be used, and another table just for mixed media work, yipppeeeeee.

meanwhile here is my machine. I managed to get to it this week. It is sitting here with a whole bunch of stuff on this dresser that is in the middle of the lounge room. It usually houses my teacup collection but they are safely in a box until I can put them back. I am going to paint this dresser white before setting it back up.

I didn't want to start anything from scratch until I can have a clean from dust surface to cut out on. So I did a few more raw edge t-shirts. The ones on the outside are short sleeve and the middle is long sleeve. I have recycled a t-shirt that didn't fit Bel anymore and put Little Miss Sunshine on this thrifted one.

The other two are done with pieces of fabric from the stash on new but cheap cotton tees.

I have a few more long sleeve ones to do now for winter.

I put the fabric on with Vlisofix then sew around the edge about half a cm in. These have had one wash and as you can see they have started to fray already.

You could try this without the Vlisofix, but I have tried without much luck. Even though I used lots of pins, the stretchy fabric of the tee stretched out of shape and it was a mess!!!

It's a great cheap way to get new tops for the kids and also keep favourite ones when they have grown out of them.

pop over to Kirsty's for more creative spaces, so many crafty peeps playing along!!!

lucky me

A few weeks ago I won the most beautiful giveaway over at Missie Krissie!! The other day my custom made necklace arrived, and how happy I am!! It is gorgeous. Kris has kindly let me use her photo as it is such a great macro shot!

Thank you so much Kris, it is the most delightful piece and so pretty!!!!

my creative space?

I'm not sure if I can call it a "creative space". I still don't really have any space at all with the house still upside down. As you can see the knitting has not got very far, but it is nice to pick it up for a soothing, rhythmic row here and there. I don't imagine I will be wearing these wrist warmers anytime soon!

I have started work on a couple of mixed media pieces. Here is a sneak of the two of them with the very very initial stages done. A long way to go with them. But at the moment I don't seem to be worried about getting to a finished stage with projects, which is unlike me. I like to finish something before I start something else. I am just enjoying having something to work on when I am able to. Maybe that's my excuse for just not being able to focus??!!

A little bit of creative fun was had in the kitchen on Sunday as I iced the cake for Isobel's birthday. I piled on the icing and lollies and sprinkles and made a very sickly but tasty chocolate cake.

pop over to Kirsty's to see other Creative Spaces!

brooch love

I just had to buy two more brooches from Sophie! I couldn't help myself! What is a girl to do with such treats on offer? I have these two in a crocheted hat mum made for me a few winters ago. My other three brooches from Sophie I have been wearing in my straw hat.

Now as winter approaches I may need to put those ones on the lapels of jackets. Oh I am so happy we are in Autumn with the promise of winter to come. I love it.

Now Sophie has gone and started making petite versions of these!! Just tooooo much gorgeousness!!!

magical knits

I wanted to show you this gorgeously sweet Unicorn. She was just finished a few weeks ago. Mum was knitting her for Bel and had finished the unicorn and started on the blanket with crocheted flowers that goes with it when she fell ill and had to go into hospital.

After about a week in hospital mum asked me to give the unicorn to Bel and explain that she may never get to finish the blanket.

Needless to say Bel loves her unicorn, and feels she is extra special. She knew mum was knitting her and chose pink hooves over the fawn ones in the pattern.

The pattern comes from this delightful book of Clare Garland's. She has some great books of which I am lucky enough to own two. But as is the usual story of mine, I haven't made any of the toys yet, but I do dream about it. Especially these magical toys. Fairies and princesses in a mythical world of dragons and potions.

I really want to try to knit the Fairy. She is almost the same as the Princess on the front of the book. I really hope to give her a go. I am so scared of trying to read a knitting pattern, yet I really want to knit more than scarves. I look at a knitting pattern and seem to glaze over!

Has anyone made anything from this book? I would love to hear about it.

I am off now to attempt to ice a big birthday cake as my little baby, that same little Bel turns 10 today!!! Double digits already, that's just crazy!!!!

xx

keeping calm amidst the mess

I would love to say I have spent the Easter holidays doing lots of this

lots of creative quality time with Isobel, Miss 16 is a little passed baking with her mum. She loves to do cupcakes on her own now.

I would like to say after a happy day baking and creating I then look like this

But in reality I have done nothing of the sort. I have been trying to remain sane as hubby still is ripping up carpet and painting rooms, one by one. The house is a crazy place and I am really over it but of course I can't complain as it will be lovely when it's finished, and yes I will eventually have a new studio space.

I have been trying to get to the hospital as much as I can to see mum (she thankfully is a lot better now) .

I have however been reading a wonderful book. It is Geisha of Gion. It is written by the Geisha of whom Memoirs of a Geisha was based upon. That book was so fictionalised, in the end Mineko Iwasaki wanted to tell her own story, a great read.

Something else I have been enjoying is re watching some favourite movies like Bridget Jones's Diary, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Nanny Diaries, Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring (almost a total Scarlett Johansson fest going on there but she is so good).

How was your Easter?

I am about to go and watch Freaky Friday with Bel and finally pick up my stitchery wip and get on with that. I don't do Disney movies without working on something else at the same time!!

I do like this film though, and I like Jamie Lee Curtis.

xx

chocolate!!

I'm hoping everyone is having some time to chill out over Easter, maybe even creating new projects. I am not getting very far with mine. A little bit here, a little bit there. But it gives
me comfort knowing the little projects are there just waiting for me.
I have my knitting of course, then there is the stitchery I showed a little of a few posts back. I have undone the eyes on that one. They were done with buttonhole stitch and I felt they looked too busy, so I am doing them again.
I'm also about to start reading a new book and I'm really looking forward to escaping into that.
I hope you get to eat lots of chocolate, whether it is in the form of eggs or a gluten free chocolate cake made with the help of a gorgeous 9yo daughter :)

wee little woodland girls

These very cute little girls came in the mail last week. I have been waiting for ages for these to be available in Jhoanna's shop. They are her Woodland Girl Brooch Kits! Aren't they adorable. I bought three and Jhoanna sent me four which was very sweet of her. I do love Jhoanna's work.

The plan is to make one for myself, then make the others as gifts as needed. I thought it would be lovely to have such things just waiting to be made when I need a gift for someone close!

Another hand held project which I am looking forward to :)

happy creating xx

yummy yarn

I cast on a new project last week so I had something portable to carry to the hospital. (post before last) I am making wrist warmers, the ones that were in Mixtapezine last year. The yarn I used I had used before when I made a pair as a practise run. They were too loose.

The Mixtape pattern doesn't have bands either end and just looks lovely. But the yarn I was using isn't pure wool and as I started knitting it up I really didn't like the feel. I finally wound this wool into a ball and decided to use it. It is sock yarn and I bought it about a year ago from Cherry Tree Hill Yarn determined it would make me try to knit socks! Well it didn't and I haven't, so here it is ready to be knitted into wrist warmers. It feels divine!!

The house is still topsy turvy, two rooms done and stuff everywhere as stuff is piled out of one room into the main living area so that room can be painted. But in a few days it should be the space that will be my new work space. yippeeeee

At the moment I can't even get to my sewing machine let alone use it, so it is just little hand held projects which is kinda nice. I like that.

Sometimes I wish I could curl up in front of a movie with my sewing machine!! But it's just not the same as knitting or stitching!!

Mum is still in hospital. It is such an emotional roller coaster. She seems to improve and be quite good, then suddenly she has a very bad turn. They are thinking her Lupus is now Cerebral Lupus.

I am stressed out and worn ragged, so I don't know when I will have a finished project to share.

I did win a fabulous giveaway on Friday. It was such a treat to read the email telling me that news. I will share that as soon as my treasure arrives!!!

my creative space

I have done most of my creating on the bed this week, in between fatigue and Nana naps!! I have done a little in my art journal. I also have roughed out some of my A4 journal drawings onto A3 to be done in different colours, textures etc

.A4 journal with water soluble oil crayons

.A3 drawings roughed out

.A5 journal with hardly a thing in it yet but I had fun doing the cover!

.one of my many cases full of art stuff

I love my Sharpies! and my glitter pens

...........and just because I love macro!!!!

more creative spaces over at Kirsty's!