One week to go

I'm going to Morphe II. It's only a week away, so I can start to get excited now. We've booked out plane tickets, organised places to stay and now it's time to make a frock to wear. I went to a friend's house for a girlie night of take-away, chick flick and chocolate. We watched Monster-in-law and laughed all night. I cut out my fabric for my new frock while watching all the out-take and extra stuff on the DVD. Here's a peek.


The other thing that's exciting about going to Adelaide is that I haven't been there for 35 years! I was born there and my parents sold the house and moved us back to Sydney before I turned 1. Here is the original photo of the house they owned in Toorak Gardens. I hope to check it out and see how it's changed.

Back to sewing

This morning the sewing bug bit me again. "What shall I make boys?" And the answer was a pencil case for Jack. So I finally cut into my cute fabric from the second hand store. And then made another out of my Floral Circles to show to some stores in Sydney. Harry will choose his pencil case fabric after school today and we'll whip it up then.

Then, while I was still in the sewing mood, I made this drawstring pouch from a pattern in my Japanese craft book. My sun hat fits in it perfectly. The beautiful red and white stripe cotton string came wrapped around a parcel from Sabine Brant. I had to reuse it as I haven't seen such cool looking string in Australia. I do have a bit a bit of a thing about really nice string and have been very disappointed at the rubbish they sell at the supermarket lately.

Finished Mum

Mum and Dad are going to a 50th birthday party and had this great idea for a present. They wanted to give their friend a bracelet with 50 glass beads on it.

So Mum and I headed down to Cronulla and visited Etelage for all our supplies and then it was off to the park to start beading while Jack played. Sadly we had to leave early as Jack went on this spinning thing and got so dizzy he freaked himself out and wouldn't stop crying.

I finished it off last night. There were a few spare beads so I made some earrings.

And thanks to Aunty Cookie for this. I really do agree, it's all about the print...

My blog friend

This is a world first for me - one of my friends has started a blog! Blogs don't seem to have taken off in Sydney, yet. Every single person that I have told I have a blog just stares at me blankly. I then have to explain what it is as they nod and smile politely.

So it was very exciting to have a friend that just lives around the corner to not only get the whole concept, but jump in and have a go too. She's a very talented girl with a lot to say! And she always encourages me to think about the environment. We even started a veggie patch a few weeks ago and credit for that burst of energy goes to Nat. So take a moment to read what she has to say at Green Fox Barking.

Shop stuff

There are some new goodies in my shop today. Go and have a look...

Thanks for all the well wishes, again. Jack and I are well... for the moment.

Postcard goodies

Jack and I have come down with the flu AGAIN. So no crafting this week. Not much going on here at all. We were so ill on Monday that I couldn't even get Harry to school. The thought of making his lunch turned my stomach and finding his clothes just didn't compute with my brain. So he got to stay home and play with lego!



We are on the mend now and it's catch up time. Here's some beautiful postcards Sabine sent me a few weeks back and I also must mention some stamps by Frizz - photos to come.

My $100 socks

Why $100 you ask. Because I can't knit but my lovely Mum can. And after spending many hours knitting, she proclaimed that if anyone else wanted some the price has risen dramatically from free to $100.

When I saw this wool at the local craft shop I bought some and handed it to my patient Mum. Patient because it takes hours to knit these little things! And that's why I can't knit. Just don't have the patience and concentration to follow through on a project like this. I admire all those knitters out there, you are legends. I just wasn't passed down the knitting gene. Maybe it skipped a generation and one of my boys will take it up. Mum has already taught my 12 year-old nephew - go Caleb!

Which leads me to the $30,000 dollar shirt my Dad owns. Mum and Dad supported me while I studied Fashion Design at college in the late '80s. Three years full-time and I loved every minute. When I finished I made Dad a shirt. He claims after all the money spent during the course of my time at college, my one shirt for him would have cost $30,000.

My workspace revealed

A while back the lovely Marybeth asked to see my workspace. Then a friend asked if he could bring his high school art class to see my studio. Hah! I had to laugh, if they only knew. Well now they will. My kitchen table is where I sew, design, cut, brainstorm new ideas (I have to admit this is a very tidy photo, at the moment the whole top of the piece of furniture is covered in fabrics and new projects).

And my son's cupboard is where I attempt to keep my fabrics under control.

No studio, not even a craft room, just a distant dream...

One day late

I'm joining in on Fiona's WIP friday today. Yeah, I know it's Saturday. The above quilt is a commision from a friend at school. Her sister in Holland in having a baby soon. We are not sure if it's a boy or a girl, so we went for red, blue, light green and cream. And with the scraps I made another bunny. I just need to put the top wadding and backing together on the quilt and we are done.