My creative space {a cape}

When you're children adoringly look at you and ask those precious word it's hard not to oblige. Lately my daughther had been asking I make her something.

 "what would you like?" I ask
There were a few random suggestions and a request for more skirts (she had more skirts than days to wear them!)

So when she came across this little poppet sporting a wonderful cape she was decided. A little girly trip to spotty to pick out fabric of her choice (with a little guidance from mum!) and we were set.

 She wanted me to make it straight away and so began transferring the pattern and cutting and sewing.

My skills at "imaginary enlarging of pattern from book" must be non existent and the pressure added by an impatient customer added to my woes. The dimensions of the neck of the cape and the joining of the hood all required a bit of imagination...but my little miss just wanted it finished!  So it's definitely not the perfect cape (sorry Steph!)

It's a lovely girly pink fabric with wonderful little flowers and the reverse is a yellow and pink check. So some bright yellow ribbon for ties and the cape was done. Pity she was not so happy when I decided to take some pictures!!

Pattern by this very clever gal, in the great handmade living book!

For a whole lot of creativity we could fill several volumes - head over here

Skirt Sew Along {a winter skirt}

 I set myself a goal this year to make more clothes for myself.  Alas, I was motivated enough to buy some yummy scrummy fabric but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why that gorgeous fabric wasn't turning itself into equally stunning garments for me to sashay about in.

This is were Cam from Curlypops stepped in and gave us all fabric hoarders a wonderful challenge for May!  A skirt sew-a-long!

With some gorgeous wool suiting bought on sale at spotty and the most frustrating Burda Skirt Pattern I think I own, I set to the task of making me a winter skirt!  I measured myself, and cut the pattern, I read and read and read that pattern until my eyes were bulging out of my head, that is how difficult Burda patterns are to read (please tell me I'm not alone!).  It seemed I measured myself incorrectly or that the measurements are just plan wrong, because I spent more time adjusting the skirt than in making it!

For this self taught sewer, I am pleased with my results.  I decided on giving this skirt two splits, instead of one (as per the pattern) given that I didn't make the skirt quite as mid thigh length as was suggested. I do love the pocket though (Cam you will be happy!) although next time I'll use a lighter fabric as the pocket lining as the wool is a little bulky when you add an extra two layers for a pocket on your hip!

It's the perfect Melbourne Winter Skirt!

Thanks Cam!

Read, reading, next....

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Source: amazon.co.uk via Fliss on Pinterest

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Ok....So the fifty pages a day Challenge is still going.  I'm pleased.  I'm making so much more of an effort to dedicate to books on my list...and I'm proud to say I've knocked off thirteen books this year already! 

So what's been read, what am I reading and what's next I hear you ask...

Well I finished Room, by Emma O'Donahue which was such a provocative and heart wrenching book all in one.  It was one of those books that was so well written and so well described that I quivered at times at the 'realness' of it all.  It was a bit 'can't put down' and I was at the end before I knew it. 

Reading
Death at Pemberly by P.D James.  Ok I picked up this book as it was in the top 10 when I bought it....I've heard about this author (who is apparently very adept in the crime writing department) but my interest was in the detail.  Yes, it's set in the era with our lovely characters of Jane Austen's P & P.  I'm half way through, and yes, it's intriguing....not enough Darcy and Lizzy yet, but a fun read so far....a great "who dunnit?"

Next....Freudian Slip by Marion Von Alderstein - this book is set in the sixties in Sydney and about the success (and ways of getting it!) of women in the publication and advertising business.  I am intrgiued about this one!

Do you give yourself a list of books to read?
I tried recording the books I've read and a little synopsis of them, but I found I got a bit lazy (hence i now blog about them!)....do you keep a book diary?

xx

my {actual} creative space....

Well, I'm not sure if words are necessary with such a photo overload of a post, but there was just so much to capture.  This is now my actual craft room in the "after" category.  If you'd like to see the before have a look at this post. 

A quick summary....

• I completely removed everything and tried to start from scratch
• A visit to ikea for a portable trolley and some storage for the cupboard
• Some contact from Bunnings for the sewing machine bench
• A pin board covering in some Ikea fabric
• A chair cover made
• A organisation rack made from an old cot rail
• A make-shift desk made with milk crates, four years worth of Real Living Magazines and a bit of coated ply board. 
• A coat of paint to the cupboard door (miss tint from Bunnings! - Yellow suede effect) 
• Heaps of 3M hooks 
• Personal touches....some artwork from the kids, a favourite photo of my Grandmother in Egypt, a cross stitch I did when I was twelve, some overseas momento's and retro finds at the local oppy. 

Voila!  A revamped craft room...

For a total room full of creativity head over to A NEW space for us creative types over here....

snap {bianco e nero}

We get together each week with dear friends of ours so us Mothers can teach our daughters Italian.  It started at the beginning of the year when we lamented over our laziness at using the italian language daily with our children.  Now...we meet each week, learn, dance, talk and make fun games all in Italian.  The results have been marvellous.  My daughter can count, knows colours, parts of the body, and we made a photo book of themselves to prompt Italian conversation.

During the photo session, I snapped these two gorgeous girls having a giggle. The simple black and white  emphasises their features and the beauty that is friendship.

Do you teach your kids another language?
Do you have a black and white snap?  Share it with Sarah here...

craft room repair {before}

I'm getting there - it's almost complete - I can see the end is near.

My craft room has been getting a major overhaul of late. I literally emptied out all the contents...sorted, stashed, chucked, shrieked "Oh my goodness" when I found five packs of velcro all in various parts of the room.  There was fabric everywhere, all in a mess, bags of "I'll get to that project one day" in all corners and just general disarray of every sort.  I wonder how I managed any creativity in such a disaster zone. But slowly and surely this space is being transformed.  It's only small.  1.7 metres by 2 metres.  With a window and a cupboard there's not much room to swing a cat....when I first dedicated this room as a craft room we rather haphazardly put in a bit of a built in desk.  It's not perfect but it sure does the job as I can sit my sewing machine along side my overlocker....no packing up one to get out the other.

So.... Organisation has followed, alongside some decorating, prettying and shooshing up.

Oh it's been fun.  I even painted.  the cupboard door.  yellow.  Just because.

So before I reveal the new look craft room take a look at how it looked before.  Pretty miserable right.

Do you love a good spruce up?
What's your craft area/room/cupboard/nook like?
What is your best craft room organisation tip??

xx

blog gone....

Source: thesitsgirls.com via Brenda on Pinterest

Ok yesterday the strangest thing occurred.    I turned on my computer and typed in my blog address and I met with an error....

My blog address could not be found.

It disappeared. Poof!  Gone....

I typed it in again, and again and again but to no avail, that little message read that my blog had been deleted and the address could not be re-used at this present time.

Oh dear.

Strangely enough I felt really odd.  I think I may have panicked slightly.  A lot of things are on this blog that I want to keep, like a journal, a record....of sort.

Never fear..the fact that you are reading this post suggests that the problem was solved.  Thanks Google!

Ever lost your blog?  or even something else in the depth of the www?

Did you freak out just how cyber space can loose something but then magically find it?  Can it help me find all my odd socks?

Should I be backing up the stuff I post on my blog (the stuff I really really want to keep?)

xx