make

We have been having a nice and quiet weekend. It's been so cool and rainy and besides taking the new car out for a spin, last night I made a few little things.

I saw these beautiful felt cuckoo clocks at the Lark online shop and thought I would try and make my own because I found some spare wall.

Mine is nowhere near as lovely, but I am still proud of my first attempt.

I made this pendant and I wore it today. I love pendants and I have about 5 that I wear over and over. It cost about $5 to make all up.

I have a little button maker and I put together these buttons that have been wrapped in vintage material. I don't know what I will do with them yet, but for now they are nice to look at.

And this little purse was whipped up with some left over scraps. I found the braid in one of my ribbon jars. I think I will take this purse to see Jamie Oliver in two weeks time and counting!

x

i love garlands

Oh I love garlands. So happy and cheerful, waving in the breeze. There is too much good ceiling space not to stick something to it!

I made all our home garlands and I have ones that have been crocheted or finger knitted.....

garlands made from paper doilies sewn together........

felt garlands in the playroom......

from this vantage point you can see all four....and a little birdy swinging in his hoop.

Audrey has a garland,

and so does Elton.

A garland above our old fire that is now used for wood storage.

One over our bed,

and a garland of doily roses for this picture.

I just have to remember to hang them high enough so I don't strangle Ben. :)

Happy weekend to you!

x

5 things

I saw this on the RVA site and thought I would join in......you can too.

5 Things I am looking forward to:

Seeing Jamie Oliver in two weeks
Our driving trip around Tasmania in June
Wearing scarves
Winter
Starting my etsy shop

5 Things I did yesterday:
Colouring in with Audrey
Went to Kindy
Made spaghetti bolognaise
Did the washing and ironing
Made a purse

5 Things I wish I could do:
Master the 3mm crochet hook without swearing
Dance
Take a full length photo of myself
Be more confident
Get over my shyness

5 Places I'd like to travel:
Take Elton and Audrey to the 'high tower' - what they call the Eiffel Tower
Japan
Take the train across India
Go to Iceland and sit in the hot springs
See Ireland

5 Cute things I've found online lately:
Lovely little DIY's on Yvestown
Granny square pin cushions made by Emma Lamb
Lovely pendants from The Pendant Factory
Hot chocolate would go perfectly in these mugs
I would take any material bundle from Sweet Cottage Dreams

:)

i think this one is even more magical......

proof you can knit just about anything.....

Ben found this via Makers Market - aNITomy

pomplamoose

I love this version of Single Ladies! Thank you Jules for the song. :) x

how i read a magazine

When I buy a magazine from the store, I like to flick through it. Look at the pictures first. I can't read it slowly because I like to peek at what is on the next page and the next page and the next....

After I have looked through the whole thing, I go back to the beginning and read it page for page, and I sit it on my bedside table for a week and think about it.

I gather up my style file, some scissors, masking tape, punch and a pen and I start back at page one tearing out the pages that I like.

I put them into a few piles - these piles from the latest Notebook magazine are arranged into stories for my inspiration folder, pictures for my style file, a recipe to try and some websites to visit.

I trim them up and set aside the things I will read again or look at on the computer.

I layout all my pictures so I can see them all at once....

and place them into my style file......

under the dividers.

Little pictures are masking taped onto other larger pictures.

Or the backs of the pages are covered with images I like, such as this outfit.

When I need some inspiration, I can go through my file - like a tailor made magazine just for me.

When I write on the pages what I like about a certain image or why I placed it in the file, it has become an art journal.

When I am an old granny, I can look back at my style file for 2010 and see what I loved back then, if my taste ever changed, if anything has come back into fashion again that I loved when I was younger.

I do this every time I read a magazine. :)

a new week

I had a very busy weekend sitting in my craft room. Besides the exciting trip out on Saturday morning for the new car (I still can't believe it - I keep looking at my brochure), I spent the weekend in our little front room making invitations for my cousins wedding.

It was really nice. I haven't spent a big block of time focusing on one project and I listened to music and Ben watched Elton and Audrey so I could finish my job.

It's a great feeling when you can finish something completely, wipe it from your to do list and move on to the next things. I really want to try doing things for my etsy store now.

I also managed to complete this little light quilt made from hankies. It's so happy and cheery.

And I made a car tidy for my new car. It's lined and in the lining is two layers of stiff calico to hold the shape. It has gaps at the ends, so that when you line it with a plastic bag, you can tuck the handles in.

Happy week!

avatar in the car yard

I have been a bad blogger but I have been so busy these past few days. Busy with lots of excitement on the side!

We are a two car family and our little runabout car - the red rocket that was my first car- has been dying. It has been a marvellous car, so reliable, but it's 15 years old and has been giving us signs for the past month that it's on it's last legs...or wheels.

Now we switch to Friday night and Ben and I had a date night! We went to a movie and had dim sum for dinner.

We went and saw Avatar and I really loved it, but I have to say the 3D glasses gave me a blinding headache and after the movie I was stumbling about like I had had one too many glasses of chardonnay.

Ben and I made up our minds that we would see Alice In Wonderland in normal mode, because I found myself fiddling around with the glasses, designed to sit on the Incredible Hulk's head and not my pin head, and every time I put my head back on the headrest, the glasses would fly forward.

Aside from looking like Buddy Holly, I did watch the movie and I loved the choice and bonding message in Avatar and I actually got to put it to the test in the car yard on Saturday morning.

Ben and I had talked about looking for a car during the week and we drove down to take a look at a range of different types - something small, fuel efficient in our budget and I clamped eyes on a blue car and it was love at first sight.

When your eyes catch sight of a beautiful dress and it's in your size, or you buy a puppy and know from the choice of 5 that the one that is looking at you is yours, you walk into a house and it feels like home, or you meet a person and you click instantly, you know you were meant to be together.

Ben got me my very first brand new car. It's a Nissan Micra with huge headlights that look like eyes and it's in Paris blue.....and you have to name your car, so she is Tiffany.

I was so excited the sales people gave us two bottles of champagne instead of one!

Ben, I am always saying thank you for the things you do that thank you isn't enough anymore. Thank you for my new car that looks like me - a bubble with big eyes and is in my favourite colour - Tiffany Blue. I love you.

rosettes

Today's post is inspired by two lovely blog friends, Jamie and Janel.

Jamie featured a rosette brooch on her blog yesterday that is in her etsy store and a little down the page is an aqua and white headband which made me think of Janel - her current favourite colours.

Having a blog and also following blogs, you get to talk to other people that you share interests with, and two nicer girls you could not meet.

One day I hope to meet Janel and Jamie and everyone else that pops in for a visit. I am sure we would get along famously because I already know who you are.

So today's post is all about rosettes........gorgeous top on etsy found here at silvivia handmade in Italy
Do your shoes need a bit of a birthday? Clip on rosettes from Brydferth

a pretty pillow from this store - Sissie's Shabby Cottage

This top is gorgeous. I can picture it with a black pencil skirt, black pumps and a bright red belt. Very french. From Sue Bradbury.

I think this is my pick today. This would go very nicely indeed with my cream winter coat........

from Cherished Vintage.

Vintage aqua and white headband that I can see Janel wearing when she has a special date with her honey from Rosebud Lips.

and cute rosette magnets for your fridge from Lucy Goosey

Etsy has such great things!

these days....

I have to be organised....well, even more organised.

4 out of 5 days in the working week we are out the door by 8am, which is pretty good going considering the list of things that need to be done before we leave the house. Plus, there is my hair to consider. Almost an extra person.

One thing I thought I would change, with all the new things we are doing this year, is to forward plan all upcoming birthday's, and finish the things I am making with time left over. Not whip them up the night before.

I went to Alicia's blog and purchased the instructions for this granny rug - Sunshine Day Afghan Pattern for $6.

I can't stop looking at it. I think it is so beautiful.

I am also doing Pip's Granny A Day (also has fantastic crocheting lessons on her blog), so I figured the quilt would be a good start. I want to make this quilt for Audrey's birthday. For the end of her new bed (I am going to do her room for her birthday) to keep her warm when she has a nanna nap or to cuddle her dolls in. I loved the idea of the browns. Just for something different and she is unique miss Audrey.

I mean look at this face......

She is the sunshine in my life.

Alot of sunshine here.

Times 3.

giveaway winner!!

Ben and I thought we would chose the winner of the giveaway with a winter Olympic theme....getting into the spirit of the games (those whales were amazing and I love that Joni Mitchell song that was used when the boy was running across the land) - so here is Ben and Toni's 2010 Winter Olympics Snowball Fight.

Thank you to everyone for entering and for your lovely comments on the hand made things. You are fantastic. Thank you so much. Happy Valentines Day! x

...and to my hubby Ben - thank you for showing your lovely legs on the internet. Happy Valentines Day. Love you pickle. x

12 days of L.O.V.E - 1

Happy Valentines Day to you! I hope you are spending a fine Sunday with your loved ones - your partner, your friend, your mum, your four legged companion or maybe you are by yourself today. That's ok. Be kind to yourself and do nice things.

Our Sunday is still on the go (it's 6.05 pm here) but today I was treated to some lovely things.

Fresh flowers in my favourite thrifty jug and a beautiful card from Ben and he made me porridge for breakfast (my favourite).

Audrey got some headbands and Elton got some stick on stars for his wall that glow in the dark for our junior valentines.

Ben knows me so well because my best day is rummaging for treasure, so we spent the day digging at the secondhand store.

I found this tray and Ben found me this jewellery keepsake which I love. The top is so beautiful. It's perfect and it cost $3. Love doesn't have to be pricey.

I found this long, black robe with huge flowers all over it. It is so gaudy. I said to Ben I look like Tony Montana's wife from Scarface in this - drinks before 3pm in the afternoon, smokes long skinny cigarettes and dances at studio 54 in a boob tube.

It's fantastic!

Another queen size sheet in beautiful orange, yellow and green to save for a rainy day,

and a snap of my bed side table.

Ben and I found this warehouse around the corner that sells books for $4 a book and under. We stroll the circuit twice and load up our arms and pile them on our tables.

Lots of bargains. You just gotta rummage!

I am off to eat dinner but will be back with the winner of the giveaway in a few hours. x

12 days of L.O.V.E - 2

Words of love.

The stories that are etched in my brain and I can't forget are these 5 beauties.

The Gift of The Magi

Penned by O.Henry is the story of Jim and Della, a couple who are poor.

Jim has a watch given to him by his father but no chain, and Della has beautiful long hair but no combs.

Jim sells his watch to buy Della a comb, and she sells her hair to buy him a chain.

I read this short story when I was in primary school and I still remember it clearly to this day.


Oh my stars this story is romantic and so sad. You will cry buckets if you read this.

Eric is a medical student and Alex is an artist. She meets Eric at her drawing class (he is the model) and they hit it off.

Eric then finds out he has aids and it is heartbreaking.

Jeannie Brewer writes this book beautifully and I have often wondered if it was she who was Alex. A Crack in Forever.
The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a book I couldn't put down. I read it in a day and a half and couldn't start a new book for over two weeks.

It's a complex story of love and time and I kept flipping back and re-reading dates, but it made an unbelievable tale believable because it is written as the love between the characters unfolds. You get caught up in their love and I felt so sad when I turned the last 518th page over.

I am cheating here because this isn't a novel but a script and falls under the movie category I already covered. I slapped my head like Moe when I left this wonderful movie out....but we will now call a script by Anthony Minghella.

Truly, Madly, Deeply is the story of Nina and Jamie.

Nina is grief stricken because Jamie has died and he reappears as a ghost to get her through.

It's wonderful and funny and then so sad but I loved the idea that someone was always watching out for the people left behind.

oh Becoming Jane by Jon Spence is fantastic.

It meshes together biography on Jane Austin's life with actually letters and notes that you begin to understand who Jane really was and that her love story was prettier than some of the ones she wrote.

I look back over my top 5 and added to the love is also a running trend of terrible loss. I don't know if that is a good or bad thing. Am I reading all I can to prepare myself for the future, or do I want to know that there is sunshine after a storm?

ps - don't forget to enter the giveaway below!!