Friday, July 29, 2011

oh look terrible photos too !


I've whined before about my computer problems .
Hopefully it will all be sorted soon and I can
show you some things I've been working on .


If you squint your eyes these photos
might look better .


Now would you believe it my camera is playing up !

These little bags are just so cute
but they look a bit ordinary in these photos .
I scaled down my Catchit bag pattern
and I've been having fun making
little Catchits for little girls .

Thanks to all who have stuck by me.
As some of you know the last 6 months have been
very difficult for me but I'm getting there .

So next time you visit you may just
find inspiration and non blurry photos ,
maybe ..


Saturday, July 23, 2011

keeping teens tidy ha ha ha !


In an effort to try and get the teen girl
to keep her room tidy I've made her
some pretty boxes to store her things in.

I know I'm not the only one with messy teenagers
so I've done a little tutorial for the boxes in case
you need help too .

They really are so quick and easy to make
that I thought they'd be great Christmas presents
with a few nice things inside .

You can make these any size just adjust
the measurements to suit .


First I cut 4 x 20cm x 20cm squares in two colours.
I then ironed a firm interfacing to the wrong side
of the fabric that I chose to have on the outside .

Stitch around 3 sides of the two front pieces
with right sides facing.
Repeat with the inner fabric but in this case
leave a generous gap for turning .

On the wrong sides of each base corner
mark out a square 3cm x 3cm.


Fold the fabric to make a neat corner .

Pin and stitch across the line .


Trim excess .
Repeat with inner fabric .

Place inner box inside the outer box
with right sides facing and side seams even
and stitch all the way around .


Turn your box the right side out through the gap
you left in the inner fabric .
Stitch gap neatly closed .

Press along the top edge of the box and top stitch .

Now your pretty box is ready to be filled
with junk by your messy teenager
or is this just what happens in my house !

Sunday, July 17, 2011

I can't think of a title for this post


We are almost at the end of school holidays here .

Right at the beginning of the holidays
I felt I needed to make the decision to continue
working around the kids and their friends,
juggling two part time jobs ,
renovations and all the other stuff we seem to manage.


Or let something go for just two weeks .

So except for orders I have done no work,
designing or sewing for Clare's Craftroom
for two long weeks .

My girl and I made these cards together
and a bit of scrapbooking and that's it !


I think the break has refreshed me and I can't
wait to get back into it .

In the meantime to kick me back into some
sort of creativity I have started a paperbag swap
over on facebook .
If you are an Aussie interested in a small swap
click over , like my page and let me know .
I'd love for you to join in .

There's only a few days until the kids go back
to school , do you think I can last that long ?

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

still nothing going right


I flattened some of my old spoons the other day
as I wanted to stamp them to use
as garden markers .
So I wrote out the herbs that I wanted printed
and got started .


I tried stamping basil and got this .


I tried again .


and again ...


I hate basil anyway .





Thursday, July 7, 2011

craft fail


My friend Jodie from Ric Rac first alerted
me to a condition known as E.I.T.T.T.S.

Every thing I touch turns to shit .

Personally I don't believe she has really ever suffered
from this as she is one of
 the most talented crafters I know .

Anyway I seem to be suffering from
this condition in a big way .
Some of the things I have attempted lately
I can't even laugh at them yet but I know I will soon .

So instead of showing you still painful recent disasters
I thought I'd relive an old one .

Obviously this one is quite old as it has been a
while since my house has had a rustic , country theme.
Quite a while back I was a decorative painting teacher
and painted everything that would stay still and
this was how it was for my old cupboard here .
I whipped the doors off and took it to my Craftroom
to paint it with chooks and wire .

At the time I was very pleased with it and wanted
the cupboard completed as a surprise for the family .


It was all going to plan until I realised I'd
painted the design upside down on the doors
so now the doors don't shut properly and it
is forever flopping open .

It has been known by my lovely family
as Mums' Failed Cupboard .


Do you have a crafting disaster you can share ?
Please leave details so we can come and mock visit you.



Please share your disasters
you just might make me feel better !

Friday, July 1, 2011

the art of dying



I've been meaning to dye for a while and
have finally gotten around to it .

Please note this is not professional tutorial
this is just the way I did it .

I had a very old stained lacy tablecloth
that I washed and cut up .

This is what I used to dye -
6 RIT colour packs , 6 empty honey containers (1.5kg)
6 plastic forks , 6 sachets of salt from Maccas ,
rubber gloves , hot water and a plastic
cloth to cover the table .

I did try and read the instructions on the
inside of the packet but the print was very small
and I really can't be bothered with instructions
so I ignored them because I couldn't
find my glasses anyway .

I scooped out 2 teaspoons of dye from each packet
and put it into a plastic pot with a sachet of salt .



I then poured some boiling water over to dissolve it all.
Then I filled the pots up to about 2/3 with hot water.



Then I put in the doilies and sloshed them around
with the plastic fork.



When the water had cooled and I had become
really impatient I tipped the dye outside .

(I tipped the full strength dye behind the shed ssshhh)
I don't think anything like this belongs in
our waterways , stepping off soapbox.

Then I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed the fabric
until the water ran clear .
My rinsing photo I took inside but
it is a good idea to do it outside on the grass
because you do use a bit of water and
you may as well water the yard .
PS One day later my grass is still alive .



Spread the dyed pieces out to dry .
I waited until mine were dry and then poured
hot water over a couple of them to see if they ran
but they didn't .



Just in case you were wondering these are
the colours I used .



I enjoyed dying and hope to dye again soon !