My Creative Space........birdies...

Finally got these little birdies sewn together and ready for stuffing and wings! Yay!

I might get a bit of public crocheting done today, I'm taking the eldest and a mate into the city this afternoon for a concert ( some very loud and not too bad band - Escape the Fate, I think they're called), so will have a few hours to kill waiting for them. I'm thinking a cosy little cafe in one of the laneways might be just the place to pull out the hook and do a bit of people watching, there is always something to look at in the city. (although the weather is one of those gorgeous Autumn days, sunny and still, so maybe a stroll around the streets will be a better use of the me time)

Hope you all have lovely creative days !



Lots of other creative places over at Kirstys here.

Anzac Day....

It is Anzac Day here today , so Gary was home and we had a nice family day not doing much.

It is also Max's 11th birthday tomorrow and we are having a little party, well, it was supposed to be a little party but somehow when I counted the number of people coming, I get 30 people, a mix of adults and children, but still 30 people! So I really should have been getting organised today, but the day just kind of slipped away from me!

I have just made cupcakes and they are rising so nicely I just had to take a picture for you, at least we will have cakes! (and I've made a birthday cake as well ).

I think I'll have an early morning tomorrow and make sausage rolls, fairy bread and pea and ham soup. Then I had better clean the house up!
We are having a BBQ for the main bit so that is easy. We are supposed to have beautiful weather tomorrow ,so I thought we might set up a bit of a garden party and eat outside, probably for the last time before winter sets in.
If it looks any good I'll try and take a picture and show you all.

Just thought I'd pop a little picture of the granny owls progress, I've actually done more than this and sewn the front and backs together, but it is a bit dark to take a piccy.
Anyhow, you can get the idea how they are looking from this photo.

So I'll be having a big fun day tomorrow celebrating my baby hitting 11, hope you have fun too!

Remember this.... something has actually been finished!!

Hi there!!

Oops, over a week since the last post, where did that week go! Holidays seem to run at triple speed compared to 'normal' time in this house, the days are eaten up at break neck pace and before you know it a week has gone, it's Good Friday, and I haven't even sat at the computer!

Anyhoo, I do have something pretty awesome (I think) to share with you today......
remember I picked this little grubby cabinet up at a market ages ago, and it has been sitting on our front porch for many months waiting patiently for me to get my act into gear and 'fix it up'...... well I am pleased to report that the little cabinet has been given the special treatment and has finally taken up residence at our house !!! Yay!!

So what follows is a pictorial feast of colour and one extra special little cabinet, I hope you get as much enjoyment from the experience as I did from arranging my stuff on her!!
(probably not possible, as I realllyyy got a kick out of this little piece of furniture, bit sad I know!)

Placed in her new home, (already looking good even empty), you likey the paper backed shelves?....


.....did a nice little colour change inside the cupboard, and got to pick a different paper for in there.......


....filling up....


....filling up.....(the crochet jars have found their perfect place I think)...


....and full....!!!!


My collection of kitcheny things looking very spiffy.......


...gotta love the spots and stripes......


....you can see the paper a bit better here...


I love the cool fifties vibe of this sweet heart!!! And being able to see all my nice stuff any time I glance that way, makes me feel happy and satisfied with myself (pathetic I know!)


......lovely splayed legs.....


.....and here she is, right at home in my sunny room with the shadow box above, all looking colourful and making me extra extra happy!!!

Thanks for indulging me and my new/old cabinet, it is amazing what a bit of paint and time can do!...and sorry for the photo over load, I couldn't choose which ones to show you so put them all on!

We have been doing other things this week as well, but I have to admit finishing this project and seeing her in our house has been the icing on the holiday cake!!

I have been making progress on the crochet owls (show you next time), and been hanging out with the boys, driving them to their mates places and to work, (yes, Jesse my15 year old has a part time job that he is enjoying, so he is out in the big wide world earning for himself, good on him!!).

Hope you all have a great Easter break and have a chocolate feast!

New crochet happiness.....

.....Soooooo........ this is the crochet WIP I have been working on recently.

I really wanted a pattern for a solid circle in a square, and was going to have a go at making one up, when I came across what I was looking for in a book. I think everyone who crochets must know that "200 crochet Blocks" book by Jan Eaton (I think), there it was right in front of me, saving me a lot of hassle, so I could just start making to my hearts content.


These squares are going to be turned into a family of little owl softies.
Do you like the colours?


.....and when I have made them, I think I'll make some more for a blanket, I really like this colour scheme, it's a bit softer than I usually use but I like the change!

I'll show you more as I get them finished.
Have a great day!

mini break.....

Hello!

We have spent the last few days having a mini holiday at my folks' place, which has been very enjoyable. I am lucky that I get on really well with my parents and like spending time with them, and I think they like it too!
We only live 15 minutes away, but they live by the sea and have lots of space, so it was a nice place for a mini break and I could still visit home to look after the chooks and drive Jesse to his new part time job and all those type of things!

We had a nice picnic with my sister and her girls, walked on the beach, played a few sets of tennis, my other sister came down with her new baby and my other niece, and we had lots of delicious food! So it was really quite a family heavy time, which I am happy with!


Mum has still got shadow boxes with our little treasures sitting there looking very cute.
In the spirit of the Easter season, here are some bunnies that we used to collect, doing funny little bunny/human things. (Even a spot of knitting I think I spy! hehe)


The children tend to be pretty creative at nana and papa's place, so there are always new paintings to find homes for. Some art work by my nieces, bright and cheery.....



.....and 3 little paintings by my mum, bright and vibrant!! I think they are lovely and are going to look great on the wall all together.!! ( Sorry for the slightly blurry pics, definitely not my best work!!)


...Also managed to fit a fair bit of hooky action in too! But I'll save that for tomorrow....

Have a great day/night!

Weekend happenings and music....

Well, today I thought I'd share some music that I have been listening to recently. I love cranking it up nice and loud when I'm home by myself so I can hear it from all parts of the house and have a sing along with out getting laughed at by the boys

Have a look at Camille's blog Camille Creates where she has a Music Tuesday and shows her latest listenings, so I am joining in too! (On a Saturday though!)

So here are a few albums that I really like this week:

Josh Pike - Chimney's Afire
Pearl Jam - rearviewmirror
Angus and Julia Stone - Down the way
Alexander- Alexander
( PS. Alexander - This is the lead singer from Edward Sharp and the magnetic zeros, his solo effort - very cool!)

What are you listening too?

------------------------------------------

This photo is just to prove ( to myself mostly) that I can get our lounge room tidy and inviting, now I need to get everyone to help keep it this way!!


Finished the lacy edge bit of my flower pot holder, just got to do the back piece now.

I think these guys look really nice and cosy in this soft warm light, just thought I'd show you for no reason really.

We have got a nice weekend ahead of us, dinner with friends, bit of gardening , bit of crafting, bit of cooking, and with the school holidays here the boys can just have fun and be happy!

Hope you have some fun planned too, have a good one!

PS. I am doing a post about my garden happenings on my other blog Garden of Plenty today if you are interested.

My Creative Space....hooking along....

......doing a bit of this today if I get a chance. A really nice flowery pattern from one of those ace Japanese pattern books, I haven't made it before, but it isn't too hard to follow.

The kids have parent teacher interviews this afternoon so that will be a write off, and with school holidays starting tomorrow afternoon, I really should be taking this last day of aloneness to get the house into a semi state of order. Sigh.

On a more exciting note, I have been trying to kick my procrastinating ways and have actually sanded and repainted the little cabinet I bought for a song last year, and I have to say I am pretty pleased with it!!
It is a very colourful affair, and I still have a bit of finishing up to do, but I should have photos soon! Yay!

If you've got some to kill and want lots of inspiration, check out all the other creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

Have a great day!

Weekend makings...

Hi! I hope you all had a great weekend! I did!

We got a lot of cleaning up done in the garden, had a lovely family dinner at the pub on Saturday and another nice dinner at one of Jesse's friends place, had a few wines and listened to the boys playing the drums and guitar, they are actually very good!


..............and I finished this bunny.......called Bill....


what do you think?


I seem to come back to these colour combos all the time, I really like them all together, so cheery and happy.


(!!!This bunny will be going in my new shop very soon!!!)

Have a great day, see you soon!

New softie......

I seem to have lost the plot with the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week posting, sorry about that chief! I did try, but I have been kind of preoccupied with things and just haven't got to posting the 'proper' topics! My normal old life posts will have to do I'm afraid.....I really wanted to show you something I've been finishing off.....

soooo...... here is the newest addition to my softie clan.
She is a kind of cat/bear creature, I think.
I was trying a different type of construction with a skinnier body and bigger head, I think I need to practise my increases and decreases a bit more to make her head shape a little rounder, but I guess she is still quite cute with the longer head.


Also decided to do a stripey body instead of a granny square like the other ones I've made, I think she looks a bit plain and under dressed compared to my other super colourful guys.
What do you reckon? My boys don't like her much.



I think she needs a mini version of this granny flower necklace to dress her up a bit, I think I'll make one tomorrow!
Maybe a new friend for her with a flower granny square tummy? Hmmmm....... ideas!

Hope you all have a great weekend, see you soon!!