my new home

Yes it's been a while but you are welcome to come

in and see my new home.

Although it is over 100 years old it is in great condition

and it is just perfect for me.

There are no new, modern doors in this house.

The crooked walls are the perfect place for

 displaying vintage pieces.

There are weird little nooks and ledges everywhere.

An orange tree is almost ready to be stripped of her fruit.

The kitchen is tiny but so very cozy.

The front gate welcomes me home with all its character.

It also appears that the cat is settling in too.

Love my new home and can't wait to show you more!

PS. I can't find my camera again so these are photos from my instagram

account. I will find my camera soon but in the meantime 

follow along on instagram for more photos of my dream home.

PPS Thanks for sticking around I know it's been a long time 

since I've posted here xxx

creative challenge link up

Hi and welcome to the Creative Challenge Link Party.

I have been very distracted lately and didn't get 

around to reminding the challengers

that the link was going up up today

so I do apologise and hope that their

heads are a lot more level than mine at the moment

and they remember that today is the day!

The next Creative Challenge won't be until May

so I look forward to more joining in then .

PS My bigcartel shop still has a few patterns for 1/2 price

read here for what is going on.

closing down sale

Things have changed for me over the last couple 

of years and I have changed too.

After much thought I have decided to close my pattern business.

My circumstances have changed and I will soon be 

moving to a much smaller home

so I thought this was as good time as 

any to make some life changes.

All of my remaining patterns in my bigcartel shop

will be half price until sold out.

I won't be reprinting any.

I will only be posting within Australia.

I have some new ideas for my shop that I hope to

get going once I settle into my new place.

Something I hope that will bring a little sparkle 

back into my life and hopefully into yours.

My blog will stay as is as I still need to craft

even if I do have to put on a brave front.

Thanks to all who have supported me and sold

or made my designs it has been so much fun.

Thank you xxx

tim tam rocky road (you're welcome)

You'll love this!

Tim tam rocky road is delicious 

even if I do say so myself.

It's not a very cheap recipe but it makes a lot

and because it's so rich you really can't eat that 

much of it anyway but you could try.

You will need ~

2 x 375g pkts of Choc Melts

1 pkt of raspberry tim tams roughly chopped

3 x 55g Turkish Delight

1 cup chopped pistachios

1 cup shredded coconut lightly toasted

1 pkt mini marshmallows

Melt the choc melts in a large bowl over

a saucepan of simmering water.

Let it cool slightly before throwing all the 

other ingredients in and mix well.

Spread into a greased and lined 18 cm x 28 cm slice pan.

You can make a thinner version by using two tins

and dividing the mix in half . 

I prefer the smaller pieces but that's just me.

Refrigerate until firm.

Enjoy!

easter crafts

With Easter speeding towards us I thought 

I would round up a few of my Easter craft projects

here so you can get a head start on that bunny.

Fabric Carrots tutorial here.

Crepe paper carrots filled with popcorn here.

Beautiful and easy fabric daffodils here.

Shabby placemats and coasters here.

Some quick and easy craft for the kids here.

I'll be looking for more great Easter craft on

Pinterest in the next few days and I'll share

some more links here.

See you again soon!

really, really easy comb cover tutorial

Do you scrabble around in the bottom

of your bag for your comb

and when you eventually find it it has all sorts

gunk over it?

Or is that just me?

Anyway I've been meaning to make a cover

for ages so I thought you might like to make one too.

First cut out one strip of fabric 20" long x 3" wide.

The size depends on the comb you will be using 

just be sure not to make it too snug because 

it would be a pain to be able to finally find your comb

and then not be able to get it out of the cover.

Trim corners.

Once you have turned it right side out and pressed it

fold it in half and press it again.

Now just stitch down the two long sides.

That's it!

Just pop your comb in and it will be so much easier (and cleaner)

to find in the bottom of your handbag.

These don't take a lot of fabric so they would be great for

Mother's Day stalls wrapped in celophane with a pretty comb.

or just for you!

Don't forget the Creative Challenge sign ups close today.

chickpea and vegetable curry

 

Sometimes you need something that is not only quick

but nourishing too without having to run back

and forth to the supermarket.

 

Did I mention easy?

I love easy ~ I'm all about easy.

 

I make this curry from stuff I already have in the cupboard

and any left over vegies in the fridge.

 

Fry some onion, garlic and capsicum.

Add some curry powder or garam masala.

For this one I threw in some cumin and coriander

mainly because I love the smell.

 

Add 2 cans chopped tomatoes and a can of chickpeas.

Now go to the bottom of your fridge and chop up all

 the vegetables that need to go,

broccoli, pumpkin, carrot, potato anything!

If you are in a big hurry you can steam the vegies first

or just throw them in with the tomatoes and cook all together.

Pop the lid of your saucepan on and heat the lot

on low, just check the liquids by adding more water

or stock if you need it.

 

Serve with rice and a dollop of natural yoghurt or light sour cream.

This is delicious and you can freeze it too.

Enjoy!

 

Don't forget the signups for the Creative Challenge

close on Sunday, come and join in!

creative challenge sign up no 2

Are you up for a creative challenge?

Well you have come to the right place.

Just in case you don't know what

the creative challenge is ~

* not a competition

* a fun way to reinvigorate your creativity

* a new way share your creation with like minded crafters

* a chance make some new friends

How it works ~

Firstly you comment on this post.

Next you must email me.

When the signups close I will then send you ~

a colour and a random picture.

From these clues you create something using whatever medium

you prefer it can be fabric, paint, glue, beads anything!

Write up a blog post but don't publish it yet.

At the completion of the challenge I will add a linky thing here.

You add your link to show what you've created.

What do you think? Are you game?

We only had two challengers last month but they were

both so outstanding you really have to see them!

Check out their creativity here.

Sign ups close next Sunday 8th of March.

Clues sent to you by Tuesday 10th of  March.

Complete your item and have a blog post ready for Tuesday 24th of March.

Ok first things first

 Leave a comment on this post.

Email me and say "I'm in !" or something like that.

Yay! Can't wait to hear from you!

Edited to add ~ I really need you to email me

that way there is no confusion about addresses.

easy tissue holder tutorial

 

Here's an easy tutorial for a tissue holder with a self facing trim

and these ones are lined so they aren't so flimsy.

Are you ready to make one or ten?

 

 

These are so good to have on hand as a little gift

or make a stack of them for fetes or Mother's Day stalls.

 

The longest part of making these is choosing the fabric!

 

these are a few of my favourite pins ~ overlocker/serger tips

 

I have an overlocker in fact I have two.

One I have had for years but haven't used in ages

and the other was a gift that is still in the box.

 

Part of my problem is finding time to set

myself up to use them.

 

The other part is fear and dread of threading

and actually using my overlocker.

 

I'm psyching myself up and checking out some

great posts on using my overlocker.

 

I'm not alone here am I?

I'm not the only one who keeps putting

off learning overlocker secrets?

 

Tell me I'm not alone.

 

Anyway I hope I'm not the only sook and

some of these posts help you too.

 

Bottom left ~

Getting started with a new serger from Create Kids Couture

Top right ~

Serger 101 from Sweet Verbena

Bottom right ~

 Using a serger from Make It and Love It.

 

What do you call it overlocker or serger?

 

 

 

creative challenge link up

 

Welcome to the first Creative Challenge of 2015!

I may have started this one a bit early for the

start of the year as we only had two signups

but the ones that have accepted the challenge

are phenomenal!

 

I hope you can visit these and see how

creative they have been with their clues.

 

The next challenge sign up will be at the

beginning of March so I maybe you'd like to join in then.

 

 

if you haven't got a Valentine

 

I've told you before I don't do Valentine's Day

but I do have a heart.

As a heart attack survivor I can't sing the praises

of The Heart Foundation enough.

 

Every year on February 14 I make a donation.

Maybe you'd like to too.

 

See you tomorrow for The Creative Challenge.

 

so easily distracted

 

I was meant to be stripping the beds on my day off

but when I discovered one of the sheets

was looking a bit tatty

I stripped it instead.

 

I have visions of a lovely oval rug

and I have started a few times ~ got it wrong

and had to start again.

 

I think I'm getting there now.

 

Well I hope so.

 

The sheet was just ripped to make the lengths

and the many stray strands of cotton

were spread around the yard.

 

I then watched the birds collecting the cotton for

their nests for ages.

 

Told you I was easily distracted.

 

PS The first Creative Challenge for the year

is up on Sunday and although we only had two

challengers sign up I know these creations

will be just amazing!

let's socialise

 

I'm not here as much as I'd like to be.

I work a lot of hours outside home and although

I still squeeze in craft every chance I get

I sometimes feel they aren't worthy of a full blog post.

 

I blab all about them all over the internet still.

 

Where you may ask?

 

Well....

 

I'm on Instagram

also on facebook

and twitter

and google +.

or maybe chatting away about books on GoodReads.

I also have a profiles on linkedin and I pin madly at pinterest.

Of course I still have my lovely shop too.

 

Phew! That's a lot of socialising isn't it!

 

Speaking of socialising I have a lovely visitor

for morning tea soon, just wait till you see what she makes!

 

Also coming up is new tutorial with a small giveaway

from a great Australian business.

 

So yes as you can see if I'm not here I'm there.

Or there or there or there.

 

Where are you?

Let me know so I can find you too.

 

 

Here's another photo of Lucy

I mean really who doesn't love Lucy!

 

 

 

 

 

these are a few of my favourite pins ~ skirts

 

I like skirts, I really do but I don't often wear them.

My clothing board on pinterest is bulging with

lovely skirts that I'd like to try and make one day.

 

Here are just a few of my favourites ~

 

Left ~ Elastic waist skirt from A Small Snippet.

Top right ~ Striped skirt from Life is Beautiful.

Bottom right ~ Easy tulle skirt from Everyday Reading.

 

Are you a skirt girl?

 

 

vintage sheet pillowcases

 

I have a few lovely vintage sheets and as hard

as it is sometimes to cut into them I know

I should sometimes.

 

I don't just hack into them for no reason

I like to make something special with them

like my lounge pants or my dressing gown. or even

doing up some old bookshelves.

 

 

It's been a while since I have made a pillowcase

or my medication is making me dopier than usual

but the part where you fold the pieces over to make the

flap so you don't see the pillow inside

was doing my head in!

 

I got it eventually but have left myself this little diagram

here to remind myself because I need to make

lots more pillowcases.

 

But for now I think I'll just rest on these lovely, soft ones.

 

Don't forget the sign ups for the Creative Challenge

close on this Sunday.

Read all about it here.

I'd love for you to play.