illustration friday - rain

rain, coloured pencil

loving the postman

Miss L and I love to check the mail box each day, because there just might be a parcel which is always exciting, although there can be a debate about who will open it! (whose the grown-up?!) So the past week, the postman has been very nice to us, and lovely things have been delivered. Firstly, my magazines from Laura arrived,
along with some surprise goodies that were totally my thing. A really cute tissue holder (now in my handbag), some great fabrics and a new treat for us - sunflower seed candy! Plus three mags that have been my night time reading - just loving Adorn - what a great mag, and the cutting edge has some projects dying to be added to my to do list! Thanks so much Laura. (please go check out her blog for a good belly laugh too, she has a great sense of humour).

Then this gorgeous selection of wool felt arrived from Winterwood, along with some wool stuffing I ordered. I read about this local store on someone's blog - but can't remember who - but thank you.

Recently, I sent some squirrels to Yasmin, and she kindly sent me this lovely box of favourites in return. Thanks Yasmin for your research and knowing just what to send :) There was also a lady bird mask, but Miss L made off with it before I could get my hands on the camera. The box itself is completed covered in stamps, which is so cool.

So apart from sending warm fuzzies to the postman, I have managed to get some other things done (despite Miss L being on school holidays). A trip to the Buttonmania sale,
some more mini moopies made for baby presents, Amelia and Jemima. And a new little project I've been working on, since the Robe weekend. This is the first effort which is to go to my niece, Miss Z. I'm calling them pocket pals, for when you turn them belly up there is a little pocket to keep secret things in. I've even thought about putting a little crystal in there for good dreams. So, next maybe a ladybird, a frog, an elephant? (during the week, I then saw these too - what's that about great minds?!)

I was extremely lucky to receive this beautiful hand carved bone from my gorgeous sewing teacher, Judith. I haven't decided what to do with yet, I just keep playing with it! I'd like to tell you the story behind it, but my dreadful memory isn't being cooperative.

Only one day left of school holidays, yay how sad! We are having a day at home to draw and craft together to our hearts content , bliss!

Bookshelf Tuesday

once again Tuesday rolls around (it is still Tuesday isn't it? with all the soccer watching I'm not really sure anymore!), and this means Bookshelf Tuesday is here again...

Something new - Poetry in Stitches by Solveig Hisdal, ISBN 8251784352

You may have read in an early post that this book was the inspiration behind my Wall of Yarn entry. The designs are quite beautiful and the photos stunning. The book is based on Hisdal's visits of her country's museums, and she outlines well her ideas and inspiration behind each piece she designed. Okay the designs are not necessarily things I (or my family) would wear in a pink fit, but I admire the creativity, the colours and her knowledge. Hisdal wants this book to be an inspiration, and for me it already has been - but I'm afraid you won't find me knitting a completely fairisled cardigan in twelve colours knitted in 2 ply. I like a challenge but sometimes I can know my limits!

Something old - Patch Pictures by Norma Slabbert, ISBN 1853680265

The dabbler in me has been very keen to try collage for a while now- fabric, paper, mixed media. Last year I tracked down this great book on eBay. It is still the best book on collage that I have (and I have a few!). The ideas are great, but I really just love the retro pictures and motifs. Yeah, I haven't quite got around to doing anything from this book (have you noticed this theme yet?!) but I plan to - it is of course on my to do list, well one of my to do lists anyway.

Something borrowed - Making Things For Your Home, by Valerie Janitch.ISBN 0706402855

This book was a little expensive in the thrifting category, $5.50, however, I still love these 70's books, with their crazy ideas and kooky combinations. I mean what do you really want a crochet poodle bottle cover for?! But most of these books also contain little gems of ideas that can be interpreted and updated. And you usually get the patterns and very clear instructions. In fact quite a substantial part of my library can be dated to the 1970's, so maybe I am just trying to capture my childhood!


now really I must get some sleep - don't want to miss too much of Wimbledon.

The Tea Lady - a whiplash entry

I watched and read the last round of whiplash avidly. I loved the immense variety of creativity displayed by those who entered. In fact, there are several blogs I now read and have subscribed to, who I found via whiplash entries. So when a new round was announced I decided to enter. So here is a snippet of who, what & why!

I am what I officially call a 'dabbler'. I can confidently say I can sew and knit, I can crochet a little, quilt a little, embroider a little, paint and draw even less! But I am all about having a go. For me one of the main thrills of crafting is trying something new, and challenging the 'rules' I have been taught. My mum would tell you I am an 'unfinished dabbler'! Because, like her, if I get bored with a project, well, I just move on to the next! Our cupboards and drawers (and anywhere else we can stash them!) abound with projects in varying states of distress completeness. However, when I love something I am making, well then there is no holding me back. My head will chant, "must finish, must finish, must finish", and nothing can sway me from it until finished it is.
The Tea Lady is one such project.
I made the tea lady from some vintage linen and a collection of cottons and silks from my stash. She originates from the superb illustration I love, by the extremely talented Shannon at aunty cookie. I look at Shannon's illustrations (I am lucky to own more than one) every day - they make me smile. When I first dreamed up the idea to bring the tea lady into 3D, it was as a thank you to Shannon for the art. However, I found it so hard to part with her when she was finished, that I am now making a second one for myself. Fingers crossed, there will be more like her to come...

If you want to see more of my dabbling then check out my flickr site, and of course if you haven't already go check out the wonderful collection of introductions at

- (you'll need to make yourself a cup of tea first)

craft? what craft?!

Sunday nights, every fortnight is 'date night' for R and I. So, every fortnight we have been trying a new restaurant, and in Melbourne there are plenty to choose from. Tonight, was the pinnacle of our date night dinners so far. We went to Cafe di Stasio. The food is soooo scrummy, that my eyes are still partially closed in that complete feeling of being full and having eaten well I don't really want to move. Fantastic wine, a pinot from the mornington peninsula; buckwheat pasta with savoy cabbage, lots of cheese and garlic; finished with the best zabaglione I have ever had, with poached quinces. R had to stop me from licking the bowl clean! R had a magnificent rib veal with cheese & prosicutto (I was a teeny tiny bit jealous!) followed by rich chocolate torte. Heaven was eaten tonight!! And we were given a complimentary glass of frangelico with lime to finish a superb meal. So, there will be no pictures tonight, and craft? well, I guess there is always tomorrow...

Illustration friday - dance

autumn leaves dancing in the wind, watercolour

buttons, squirrels, what?

some catching up

1. bon voyage to more squirrels

who are headed off to Yasmin.

2. My buttons from the button club.
As a member subscriber I got the bonus little necklace in two of my favourite colours too. One button is missing (a helicopter) which Miss L has adopted for one of her t-shirts (photo vetoed by Miss L - boy does she need an agent!)

3. must get to the post office today to send off my mag swap to my partner - I promise it will be today!!

4. now to finish my illustration friday entry - check back later (much later okay?!) to see it.

What equals the best day of your life?

Well if your a four year old apparently it takes an enormous block of ice, a large collection of similar aged like-minded children, snacks and all your favourite Disney characters!! Miss L and I went to see Disney on Ice today, and I was actually suitably impressed. In fact, I think I nearly enjoyed it as much as her, although I did do less dancing in the aisles! :) This was the first 'show' that we have been to, and going on today's experience we shall be seeking more 'shows'! I'm all for living vicariously...

Something old, something new, something borrowed, forget the blue...

Self-portrait Tuesday is very popular in blog world, and as much as I like to take up most challenges - posting photos of my self is not one I am up to. I hate any photos that have me in them and prefer to take photos than pose. Instead I decided to start my own weekly post - Bookshelf Tuesday. So what's with today's post title? Well, the method in my madness equals each Bookshelf Tuesday will be about three books: One that I've had on my shelf a while, one I've recently acquired and one I've thrifted. Being a self confessed bookaholic, wait there's a real word for that, um, a bibliophile, I figured that I will have no problem previewing three books each week (that's 3 x 52 = um, a lot of books per year!) because I have a lot of books! I am one of those bibliophiles who has to own a book. Yes I use the local library, but generally for DVD's and research. I sometimes try to hold myself back from buying a book on the spot, but I usually only last a few days, maybe a week maximum, before I have to purchase. (I can hear you groaning Mum!!) So without any further ado, here are the first three books, for the inaugural,

Bookshelf Tuesday

Something Old: Le monde de Lea: Patchwork & Broderies by Lea Stansal. ISBN270060346

The book itself is not particularly old, it was published in 2004. I purchased it last year on our trip to France even though my French is below basic! However, the photos within are so beautiful that I am constantly pulling it out to look at. I haven't actually made anything from it yet, but the patterns' look fairly self explanatory (and I'm into 'winging it'!). Here are just a few examples, even though I was tempted to show the whole book.

Something New: and so to bed...by Lucinda Guy. ISBN 9781570763298

This book only arrived on my doorstep this morning, and I am so in love. Once again, there are so many things I want to make, and the illustrations are just gorgeous. Once again, I wanted to show everything, but I've limited myself to the following - it was hard!

P.s. if you love Lucinda Guy and missed yesterday's post, you may want to flick back because there's a link to a free pattern for her Snoozy Owl.

Something Borrowed: Doll Houses by Karin Kelly. ISBN0822508540

This very cute little book, which you may have noticed only cost me 60 cents! is actually a very concise craft book for building and furnishing your own doll house. Okay, I haven't got around to making anything from this one yet either, but I am sure that there will be a time when Miss L will be very keen. The pictures are sparse but with intro's like this "Every one of us seems to want to make a home life that we ca control and organize ourselves. And a doll house is a perfect and beautiful home. We can build it, put furniture in it, and run it as we like." it was a must to have!

Well I hope you enjoyed Bookshelf Tuesday, normal(?!) posting will resume tomorrow...