hello spring

I know I promised hexagon's but I haven't managed any photo's yet, as once again I have succumbed to another infection - throat this time - no talking?  lucky I can still type!! so here is a little bit of the activity spring has brought.

A finished tote and crochet holdall for the back to school swap.  The swap also included a journal and photo album.  Once again I used my version of the tote from the simple gifts to stitch book - and I lined it. - so much better.

The crochet holdall was  based on an idea from this book.  

ISBN 978-4+415-30004-7

(Ok, a few more japanese craft books seem to have snuck into the house...)

I also added lining to the aunty cookie tote's.

 

doesn't that look better?! the one on the left is now on its way to a new home.

Miss L had a friend over to play so I fashioned the trampoline into a cubby.  This kept them out of my hair amused for hours.  Which meant I could get busy on my quilt for the Four Seasons Swap.  Here is a sneak peak at the fabric's I'm using.  

This is a very new colour way for me, and I'm quite enjoying it.

Meanwhile, I'll still be hexagoning, chevroning, sewing, dreaming, reading, oh wait it's school holidays - there goes all my free time - hmph!

Sorry this post is so short, but if you leave a comment you'll go into the draw for this month's giveaway - the prize will be announced with the winner. (mysterious!!) You have until Monday.

crafty japanese inspiration

continuing with the inspiration theme from my last post, I thought I would share my latest Japanese craft books. Superbuzzy had a sale recently, and after giving so much away recently I thought I was due a spend up - any excuse really :) So for your viewing pleasure here are my latest additions.

Cotton Paint Issue 12 : see more pictures and buy here

Cotton friend Spring 2007 : buy here



Cotton & Paint Volume 27: see more pictures and buy here


pochee fall 2006 : see more pictures and buy here


Cafe Summer 2007 : see more pictures and buy here

As you can see plenty more inspiration to fill my head. But if you don't have the money to spend on Japanese craft books at the moment, here are some places you can get some free patterns. Of course the text is in Japanese but the drawings are so easy to follow that it won't matter. Have fun.

naniIRO (thanks to Purl for this link)
kitty craft (I've been using this one for over a year now)

sensory delights

The last few days have been full of pleasures for both Miss L and myself. On Thursday Miss I from Miss L's class came to play and we made cupcakes - well I baked them and the girls had a wonderful time eating the icing decorating them!

On Friday I spent the morning visiting some of my favourite shops -
Artisan books to pick up some copies of Selvedge they were holding for me, Porter's Paints to get some sample pots to paint Miss L's bed (I think weshe has decided on Loralie in Duchess Satin), then, Aesop where the lovely Joshua massaged my hands and customised my beauty routine for me (bliss!), onto,
Zakkaya where I picked up some cute cards, a little bird and some lovely trim then a visit to
Kimono House (thanks to Bianca) where I signed up for the fabric club and also purchased some thread and a handbag kit. Phew! what a morning - so full of things I love. I also spotted the Mag Nation store but ran out of time (probably a good thing for the bank balance) but-must-go-back! All this shopping has meant that projects are dawdling along, and in fact the bathmat took a dive when Wally the dog knocked red wine all over it - grrr! All those hours of hand stitching. And why hand stitched? I'm not sure, I know it would be much quicker on the machine but I love the calming effect hand sewing has. Which I guess means it will be years before that bath mat ever gets finished. Oh well!

I did however, finish a little Cinderella for Miss E which I based on Claire Garland's vintage lady pattern from embroidered treasures (I didn't enlarge the pattern so Cinderalla will fit in a pocket).

And finally a wip for Master H which was 6 months over due got finished and delivered. Master H drew a picture of a squid which I turned into a softie for him. I think it was a success!

With all this activity I'm slightly extremely behind with housework so today is washing day - blah! But that too has hit a snag as I was folding some washing and realised what I need is a peg bag, so I'm just off to find the pattern....

Camping

I'd like to be able to say this is a photo of us on our recent camping trip - don't we just look super organised - but alas it is a photo from my book Cooking for Campers that I picked up recently at the op shop for $2. We have just been camping, but being the newbies we are didn't manage to cook anything over the fire except the requisite marshmellows. All other meals were made in the camp kitchen or take away. Looking at the photo I guess this family must of been packing a trailer, because our Subaru Outback was packed to the hilt and we wouldn't have been able to fit in all that food and extra gear. But no matter, we had fun, and relaxed. I managed to knit a little bit more of Lucy's sock which at this rate will be finished sometime in 2008 if I'm lucky!

I have managed to get a little bit more organised and finished Miss Z's black lamb from the pictured japanese book - she has been appropriately named 'Wooly' (ps. it is hard to photograph black softies)

Another top for me - with the bad self photograph


And I signed up to Amitie's blog membership and these lovely fabric sample's arrived in the mail. Click on the button to the right if you would like to see more about them. They have a great range of fabrics.

And thanks Justine for getting me involved.