adventuring

last week we decided to get out of town
and just go adventuring for the day...
we called at a great mural that friend and local artist
"Fran" had completed at a nearby town...
Fran and her friend Charlotte do the most
amazing things with tin and iron...
and often have exhibitions in country towns
and in Sydney...
while not a great photo as the weather was overcast
it really is very detailed and amazing up close...

then we drove on...

we decided to take a hike to my husbands brothers
"retreat" and even though we knew roughly the way
it was hard not to get lost...
everything had just grown so much
and it had been a very, very long time
since we have been there...

luckily the river was pretty low
and we were able to get through...

now was it right or left at the piano?
my husband said to get out and look for
tyre marks....yer right!!!
i promptly said
"do i ask the brown snake on the right path
or the black snake on the left"

we decided that we were better of asking
"Skippy"

Maroon and Monsoon

well it was probably just coincidence
but as i checked my e- mail messages
and then my snail mail
two things happened...
one was a great comment
and the next was a wonderful
"cheer me up" gift...
both from the ever thoughtful and sweet curlypops...
so either coincidence or the greater powers to be
i knew i had to get to the machine
and sew, sew, sew...
and create...

so here is the divine "Maroon"
and her uni-corn "Monsoon"

many an adventure they will have...

thanks cam....for everything...

art-uni-type

now as usual I'm a tad stuck with options
for this new funky sister...
as i don't see her as the horse riding sort...
i see her more as the uni-art student type...
and a pony will just not do...
so i tried really hard to do a scooter...
yes a vespa would be appropriate but
that's really beyond me so i though a scooter would be a
cool accessory...
but that's when things just didn't work out...
you see a scooter does not balance like a "hobby horse" does
and no matter how hard i tried
it was by no means going to hold her upright,
even when i tried sewing her arm to the handle bars...
so it's back to the drawing board...

so if any clever bloggers out there can possible think of
an alternative to the "hobby horse"
it would be very much appreciated...

and hopefully we will have some clearer weather in the next
couple of days so i can take a few
better pics....
the flashy inside shots really
doesn't do the poor girl justice...

***and you know a girl likes to look her best***

Great idea

i really don't know where to start ...

I'm on one hand overjoyed that my
very close friend who lives in
bendigo is safe...
the fire got to the end of her street...
but they are all safe and well...
and this is such a relief, i couldn't
bare to loss her or any of her family...
but i feel sick and useless
every time i look at the news...
knowing that it will take so long for the families
who have lost so much to rebuild
and try to have a normal life...

as the pic above suggests
handmade help
is a crown of a idea...great auctions and updates...
and a great place to go and list a item or purchase
something to help the people that need it the most...

make a long with mike

meet me at mikes
are having a felt-a-long...
this month...
and seeing as though i did
felt one of my old jumpers last week...
i thought why not...
and a big thanks to curlypops for passing on the great idea..
there is a flickr group
where you can upload your picks onto...
and the one with the most votes wins a voucher...
i finished the second one tonight
so you have to see both in a "flashy shot"
so hopefully i will have a better "pair" pick
tomorrow and will post it on flickr...
don't know why i though of making
wristlets in 40 degree heat...
but they will be great once winter comes along...

cheery

after really hating the thought of wearing
another black top to work tonight...
i decided at 3 pm that i would whip up
something from the "bright" material i had left
from the bag i had made...
now as a might have mentioned i hate
making myself clothes as they always look
handmade (not in a good way)...
and i did nearly give up with this
number as a tried it on and it looked
all smock toppy...
but back to the machine i when and
added a band around the bust
and threaded through another tie
and yeah!!!
it worked...
i had enough time to make a quick headband
and the guys thought it look very "cheery"
i think that was a complement...
i could get the hang of this clothes making thing yet...

princess ballerina

WOW don't you just LOVE mail

a huge thank you to sarah-jo from ideyspidey
this amazing tu-tu is gorgeous
and "little miss"
thinks she is now a "proper" ballerina...

on the home front...

my sewing room
is in the hottest part of the cottage
and there is no sewing going on for now...

also the kitchen
so there is no cooking happening either
well that's my excuse for take-out tonight
and I'm sticking to it...

on the pub front

business is slow
very slow
i hate to say...
and unless a miracle happens soon...
we can kiss 6 years of hard work goodbye...
and it's not just the recession
it's a combination of lots of things
that are happening to country towns
right across the state...
i could write for hours about it...
but i really can't see the point of whinging...
I'm a bit beyond that point...

by the way please check out sketch
she has the most divine totally amazing
lino print of a vw beetle...
if there is anyone in your family
that loves vw's and
(usually there are some in every family)
her cushion with this print on it is a
absolute must....
check it out now...

20...

Hip Hip Horray
"oldest and dearest"
was 20...the other day

He is now the same age i was when
i had him...
20 years have flown by
and i miss them all...

polaroid goodness

came across a great post by
paper and dolls

click the link above or find it in my side bar
(great blog by the way)
and you will find pics from a Polaroid maker
like the one i have above...
what a great programme...
a must if you love old Polaroids as much as i do...
here is the link poladroid.net
it is easy to download FREE
for mac and windows...
it was a little tricky to start the programme
after i downloaded it, so if you can't
work it out e-mail me and i can try to explain...

on other news
i have had to cancel my spot at the next
market...
so disappointed...
work...
need i say more...

but i am trying to look on the bright side
and hope that i can get even more things
made for the one in march...
...TELEGRAPH CAFE...

i have made a few sales
by putting my dolls into a newly
opened gift shop in town...
and they do get quiet a lot of Sydney tourist trade
as there is a very popular cafe right next door...
...see pic above...
the people who own the cafe also
own the gift shop building and rent it out
and they have
a entrance to it via a side door
so they are very keep for people
to browse and buy gifts from them as well...
it works really well for both businesses...
and here's hoping it does really well for me too...

p.s to all my blogging friends
in Victoria and South Australia
try to stay cool and safe...
I'm thinking about you all...

prizes and award

I was more than lucky
when I entered SARAH-JO'S
giveaway
cause I won a gorgeous
tu tu
for little miss...
here is a pic from sarah-jo's blog
as it is in the mail
as we speak...
little miss will look soooooo
pretty in this...
I love reading sarah-jo's blog
as she seems so down to earth
and has great ideas for kids...
clothes, games and just because she is sweet
if you get the chance this blog is a must to follow...
Also i was more than
surprised
but very excited
on receiving my very first
blog award
from clare

clare gave me a bit of inspiration
with what to name
my lastest creations
they are now called...

COWGIRL CLARE
AND HER MAGICAL MARE...

do check out her blog as there are lots
of craft happening there...
clare has also been in a few great magazines
like Handmade and Homespun
so it was a very big deal
to me to get an award from such a popular girl...

And if you have had problems e-mailing me lately
I have fixed it all up
so e-mail away...

I love aprons

'Little Miss'
is getting into the swing of things
with a very
"I LOVE LUCY"
moment...I will have a few of these little aprons
and matching headbands
at the Olive Tree Market
on the 7th of February
so don't forget

to say "hi"

cowgirls

"GIDDY UP I SAY"
Wow what a mammoth task
these little treasures ended up begin...
But they are so cute...

the pink one i only just finished today...
and i would have liked some more outdoor
shots but its raining
and way too wet for them to be
galloping in the fields...
the purple one i had finished yesterday
so luckily you can see her standing...
and they stand SO well...

now i am yet to name them
and of course come up with a little poem
hopefully now i have finished at least two,
and can sit down and relax
for two seconds...
something might pop into my head...

p.s... it really shouldn't matter
that I'm totally and utterly
terrified of horses???
we have two Shetland ponies called
"jack and rex"
and while very cute from a distance
i stay at a distance...

and it just isn't horses
I'm truly not bias
cows, camels, sheep, turkeys, geese
you name it...
unless they are totally docile
you can forget me ever getting into
a paddock with it...

so anyhoo
i hope you like the new "cowgirl"
and any name suggestions are great to hear...

Noble Steed

Now I don't often get beside myself...
well all right I do but
I'm so happy with the way
that Prince Hayden
here worked out...
not just because i had finished him though...
and not just because he has a pretty cool steed in toe...

no the reason is more to do with what he has done
for my creative drive...
with the newly added
"leg parting" LOL
and horse i realized he can stand on his
own two feet...
and now i have visions (in a good way)
of a new line...
I could let you wait and see but
i know you all better than that...
i think my new project will be obvious to most...
yes...Little royal cowgirls and cowboys
i have only just finished prince Hayden
this morning so it will take a few days
to come up with this new "look"
BUT I'M EXCITED...
NO BESIDE MYSELF!!!

noble steed - ???
insert name here...any suggestions

AH! THE HAPPY COUPLE
TOGETHER AT LAST...

dolls dolls dolls

Now i know what you will be thinking
with this little creation
"creative block-my aunt sally"
for want of a better term...
but i can seem to do my dolls etc...
but what i really meant to say
in my other post was i can't seem to come up
with the "under $10-00 cheap things"
you know the things that you need to stock
to get a few sales these days...
even at a market it is hard to get a $10 sale
at the moment and i can't see things improving
in the immediate future...
***
so dolls it is...for now anyway...
i will be looking into some sort of printing
of a collage when I'm "insanely" happy with it...
i know I'm a bit of a perfectionist at times LOL...
***
So here is Petra
and her little poem...
she comes complete with a head scarf
and crown...
so she can change to suit the poem...
and hopefully soon there will
be a prince charming...

Pretty little Petra
Cleans all day
Dreaming of her prince
To take her away.

Hale prince Hayden
Riding on his horse
Whisks our maiden
Off to a course.

There she learns
Etiquette and grace
In gowns of blue
Denim not lace

A lavish ball
Guests to greet
They danced all night
To each other’s heart beat.

Now with her handsome
Prince by her side
She’s a vision of beauty
A blushing bride.

second attempt

second attempt...
getting there i hope...
this time i managed to put the
whole thing under the scanner
and nothing fell off...
i think i might get the hang of this yet???

creative block

In a attempt to sit down and get some
fete savvy items sewn up
translation (cheap,quick and sell-able)
I am constantly getting side tracked...
I say to myself
how hard can it be....
I look at my material,
I do a few sketches,
I take the scissors in hand...then I just
stare into space........................
And I end up with things like this...

a collage (of material and felt)...
I think it needs another colour boarder
the whites a bit stark...but you work with what
you have...
***
thanks to everyone out there who have been
patiently waiting for a post...
I'm finding creative block to be a
right pain in my b-tt...
especially seeing as though i keep
sitting on it...

thumper

What a funny little bunny...
She sort of looks a bit like a cross between
a bunny and a lamb...
but i love her nose...
and her thin long "thumper" feet...

***
and this butterfly fabric is very nice
as a new bag...

I'm trying really hard to get some more
things done for the market...
but i keep on getting side tracked with
other stuff...like thumper here...
and i have a few ideas for some other dolls...
which do take much longer to finish than cute bags...

fabric find

Came across some fantastic fabric today
at the most unlikely place
it was at a really unusual bric-a-brac shop
and they had a basket full of really
nice fabrics all measured and wrapped in plastic...
all be back to say the least...

and all these buttons only cost $2-00
love a bargain...

***

but of course on arriving home
I was slightly possessed
and sat at the machine turning
half of this fabric into a bag...
I even put a pocket in it...
I know I'm out doing myself now...

I picked up a few "cane" handles last time
I was at spotlight...
well they did have 20% off
another bargain...
now what to do with the rest???