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My camera was clever and took this photograph of the moon on New Years Eve..... just thought I would share it. Enjoy the weekend x

ps: The dress was hemmed this morning and I actually wore it, unheard of it is that I would make something and like it enough to wear it *yay*

My Creative Space

On Monday night I started to make a dress, as I am fed up with not finding dresses to fit my long torso. I chose what Burda call an 'easy' pattern, and it sort of lived up to its name with the exception of the tricky interfaced yoke/collar section. I think those diagrams need some reviewing Burda - but I am pleased to have conquered your ridiculous expectations of a novice sewer at Steps 7 and 9! [note to self: do not select fabric with an irregular pattern for a first dress making attempt, even if it is $3 for 3m from an oppie!] And yes, the seam ripper was required. It's just a given for me. I just love to unpick lengths of crappo sewing once, sometimes twice, in each item I sew. fun times, and its always at a stage where your feeling so proud of your efforts then.. F*(@! .. spoke too soon.I think it's a bit long.... almost nanna-ish don't you think? Here is the funky yoke (what a word!) section. If I made the dress again I think I would gather the fabric more tightly together in the middle. I still need to add a tie casing on the waist line.

It hasn't been hemmed yet, but I think that's the length I prefer.

:) See lots of crafty Creative Spaces over at kootoyoo. I have missed this meme over the past month or so.

Thanks for stopping by!

nesting...

I finally got around to putting these sheets on the bed. I really am starting to love our bedroom decor as time passes. I do feel like painting that blue grey wall a new colour though!

In a craft room clean up over the weekend I decided that these Xmas tree teardrop doo-dads don't belong in a box marked 'Christmas Decorations' never to be seen for another 11 months. So they are out, and hanging on the passageway wall. I like them, they add a bit of fun and colour to the normally frame-plaid walls. The Boy hasn't seen them yet - bit worried :P

ps: I have been sewing a dress from this pattern - it is almost finished, but don't hold your breath. x

Square watermelon anyone?

I stumbled upon this peculiar sight while googling 'watermelon' today. Ericahi

I did a little research and apparently Japan has a 'space problem' and now grow watermelons in square glass boxes whilst growing on the vine. They sell for approx 85$ US EACH! The whole thing flabbergasts me to be quite honest. I do see the practical benefits, but it seems a tad extreme. What do you think?

My Place & Yours: What I am reading...

Yay! - Vic at Punky&Me is the new My Place & Yours meme owner. I am sure she'll do us proud. The first theme was chosen by Vic and is 'What I'm Reading".
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I must admit that books and I, we don't exactly get along. I just don't find many books entertaining or interesting. To most of those beautiful looking books on the Borders Top 100 Shelving - you look so beautifully bound and I wish I enjoyed reading you but you don't seem to do anything for me. I do find the odd book which I love 'Tuesday's with Morrie', 'A Man Named Dave', 'The House of Spirits'... but sadly its rare.
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So these are the things I have been reading. Nothing circa 1860. Nothing intellectual. Nothing sophisticated. Just piles of little words which inspire me to do stuff x
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I have been reading.....this blog - New Dress a Day - is wonderful. Marissa posts a new dress which she has made, embellished or thifted for $1 a day.....for 365 days. Some of her 'nanna dress' revamps are incredible. Her blog has inspired me to something special with this $6 frumpster dress one day soon.

I have been also been reading..... crochet cowl patterns on Ravelry. I made one while in Tassie, it was flipping freezing in those mountains!!! I have my Adelaide Fringe Guide, but I have yet to have the time to read up on events -although my dad did take a feral green texta and excitedly squiggle around the Knitting Nancy exhibition I will be in!!!! We have a little blog over here if you are curious as to what woolen goodness we are busying ourselves with.

I have plans to read this Burda patten for a pretty dress within the next few weeks, at least before the summer disappears. Note: Being 6'2" does not mean you can easily find clothes to fit you in shops :P

And lastly - Inside Out magazine. I find it has nice furniture and usually the types of home decor I like. We are going to start drawing some plans for a TV corner unit for my clever dad to make for us! We do like the idea of selvaged wood panels on front of doors.

That's it! Do head over to Vic's place to see more meme participants, and perhaps play along yourself!

rainbow ripple....

Before we went to Tassie I decided that I should spend no less than $50 on wool in Lincraft (thank u fab mother-in-law for the wonderful gift xx). Yes, I feel that it is going to be a very productive year in the crochet department. Just looking at the balls in their rainbowy brightness on the shelf is very exciting pastime in itself.

I have envied other crafter's "rippling" skills for a long time... so I decided that the clever Lucy at Attic24 shall teach me with her neat ripple tutorial. I printed it off so I don't have to strain my eyes at the lappie. I did have to pull out 3 rows and re-do them as I realised I missed one single treble, which shifted the ripple pattern of all rows which followed. It will be a cushion which will eventually reside on this rocking chair. I am finding the act of rippling a very relaxing thing to do. For me it requires some concentration to try to remember to count stitches as I go. I like that. I like that it's not too mundane.
Have you rippled? Did you love it too? I'd like to know if you have tried a different looking ripple pattern.

Tassie

hotel curtain

just a super bright house in Hobart? look closer... down there, by the door step...... it appears as though we stumbled upon someones collected treasures. I couldn't touch any items, I worried that some child would jump out from behind a wall and wrestle me to the floor to retrieve their treasure. spectacular finds if I do say so myself

old boat

an old theatre perhaps?

That's it. I thought I would keep it short and sweet this time. If you ever go to Tassie, you must go to Hobart. It is wonderful - small, cute, picturesque, hilly, charming and... well, warm-ish.

She's all mine *shriek!!*

Note: If you think Blythe are freaky, scary and a little weird you may not find this post acceptable :D

I caved and have finally endeavoured into the world of eBay (excellent) and PayPay (not so exciting) - yes, I am a bit slow in testing the waters of such great things. My first Blythe doll is going to be in my hands within the month! That means that I have approximately 30 days to sew and crochet a plethora of clothing, beanies and hair accessories.

I fear, hope rather !!! , that this will be the start of a very expensive obsession. No no... lets use the word hobby. Hobbies are healthy things to have. People go insane without one right?! yes. It will improve my health and perhaps my sanity. In short - it can't be anything other than good.

Some clothing I am liking a lot...

we love shopping

CERAMIC CLOGS! thai fab shop

blythe elegance + style

Under Lock and Key

4x2=8

Hello! Yep, we are back from our Tassie holiday. It was nice and relaxing. Lots of amazing scenery was seen, the biggest and juiciest cherries and raspberries were eaten, and houses were coveted over drooled upon (we really do love you Hobart! xxx)

I promise to get around to posting a few photos soon. At the moment though planning lessons and maths units for the nearing school year is all I can seem to manage.

I was googling 'Times Tables' just now I came across this very brilliant monstery robotish times tables. I seriously would prefer teaching my 5/6 class times tables this way instead of the traditional. My personal fave = TRex-Lincoln

the experts agree

Be back soon x

source: weheartit

Blythe you!

Source: Yatzer

Source: AbabieToy

I'd love one.

Just one.

Perhaps short black hair.

Maybe short red hair like 'Causual Affair' up there (hmmm..odd name)

Not blonde.

and definatly not peppermint...?

I would sew clothes for her, perhaps even crochet them.

One day.....

Untill them Ill just keep perusing google images, eBay, and online Japanese toy stores (which are only in Japanese... and wish I could read japanese) then obsess over conversions in Xe Currency Converter.

*sigh*

DIY furniture before & after

Two years ago we loved these dark brown laminate cubes and shelves. BUT ... I have been inspired by clean crispy white furniture recently so I got painting.

My fawn and two elephants now have two new mammy doll friends. They have been hiding in mum and dad's garage forever and were given to mum when she was about 5 yrs old. pretty cute huh. Oooooo -guess what? They bleat when you turn them upside down... !

x

new canisters!

Today I am happy to share a Christmas gift from Oma. She gave me her beautiful canisters from when she moved to Australia in the 60s from Holland. I really do LOVE them and all their retro/art deco glory. I especially love that they came at a time where we were stupendously bored with our ceramic canisters. Out with the old... and in with the older... hmm?!

This morning I put them in direct sunlight for 3 hours to bleach the plastic as they were slightly yellowing in areas. They are better but not super white. Oh well - adds a twinkle of character me thinks.I got excited at Spotlight last week when I noticed this lovely pattern on a Queen size sheet set. Even more excited when it priced at $16.95?!?!?!?! Bargain. I like.

New Years happenings

Our apricots ripened and were surprisingly delicious and sweet. We will be watering them more next fruit season in hope of more AND we will purchase a net as birds discovered their sweetness before we did.I visited two lovely friends who live some distance away for a little get away on my own. Nice. Swimming with Alissa at the beach on New Years was muddy and squelchy... but adventurous, and involved diving from a pontoon and scoring marks /10. fabulous funArtsy Clutches were sewn up from Bend the Rules Sewing, which are way too small to do anything of real great value with. Do enlarge the pattern even more than suggested if you ever make one.

I sewed up 3 bibs using a pattern from the same book, which was super simple, and used sew-on velcro for the first time.
I taught myself how to machine applique which was tricky. A Uhu glue stick worked a treat in sticking down those fiddly wings prior to stitching. Do you know what glue or spray I should have been using? I would really like to know!

Here is beautiful baby Claudia smiling away and wearing one of her freshly drooled on gifts. Snuggles galore. She is just sooo cute! Oh yes... I fitted in some opping. We really did need some new glasses! Promise.

I cannot believe it is 2010 already.... a very Happy New Year to you!