my creative space

My wool stash is getting out of hand...

Pictured here-Gladstone bag full, cupboard with 2 big bags of organic wool(10 balls of pale lemon wool...what was I thinking!!??)...also a couple of the many random bags which are distributed around the lounge room, my bed, my office, etc....plus not pictured is another huge cardboard tub full...

Fortunately there are scarves being made and sold, so the 'Imelda Marcus of wools'(me) can sleep easier knowing they are being used...
xkate
for more creative goings on go on to here
http://www.kootoyoo.com/

p.s-tomorrow is Autism awareness day...
please if you know any parents of children with Aspergers or Autism I urge you to let them know they are great parents. And if you know anyone with Autism or Aspergers let them know you love them. Simple stuff but so important.
I have one son diagnosed with Aspergers who is adored and doing great but there have been times I have been a broken soul.
Struggling and feeling judged by other parents, in-laws(now outlaws) or the community while both my child and I did our utmost best to cope while out and about...the upside is my beautiful son who has many, many more strengths than weaknesses and a sense of strengthened empathy for others who for whatever reasons or disabilities are struggling.

http://www.autismspectrum.org.au/a2i1i1l445l487/welcome.htm
A very positive site!

And to help improve the situation for people with disabilities in very poor communities...

http://www.cbmi.org.au/

little market moments

Some shots from Friday nights little market at Avid Reader.

I spent the day before the market rigging up my suitcase-as it opens all the items pop up into place! The brooches strung across, postcards and clutch purses stand up, toys in position and hat box inside once opened displays more brooches.

It was fun to arrange and even more fun to open and close for my and the other stall holders amusement....we are a merry group!

The wine helps but even without it(as a driver one glass only for me) there are always lots of smiles and warmth...(by the way in the shot below Alex is holding a tube of lip balm, not doing anything else with her finger, honest.)


And on my way home, crossing the William Jolly bridge I couldn't help but notice even the new pedestrian bridge seemed tipsy...what is with the poles?!

xkate

my creative space

Coffee, check. Pastry, check. Let the creative crafting love begin....

I woke up the other day in a cranky mood, grumpy about, of all things, my lack of a nice pin cushion-I will confess I was actually using a cork!! So I traced around my fave retro apple shaped dish to make a template to produce this apple shaped felt pin cushion-took about 10 minutes, including machine sewing, stuffing and hand stitching. I think this would make a good simple project for a little one and it could even be Snow Whites apple...

Also sewing birds...no plan or use in mind yet, sometimes I simply have an idea and see where it will go...any ideas out there for what to do with very small stitched birds?
xkate
http://www.kootoyoo.com/ for more creative types...

beach girl*

I love the beach....in autumn. Not in summer. I put up with beach for the cool sea water in Summer-the glare, need for heavy sun cream (and the sand sticking to every part of me that I just applied the sun cream to)...I find it uncomfortable.

But on days like yesterday, showery, billowing clouds and fleeting rainbows, brisk breezes...mmmm, lovely.

My kids and I loved looking at the little blue crabs rising up out of the muddy sand and creeping towards the pier...

The colours as the sun sank over the horizon were gorgeous.

And being under the pier with the slightly gloomy tangy smelling water lapping over my toes as I snapped this was a real treat.

I have to remind myself to go beach more often...now that pesky summers done. (Not much of Queenslander am I?)
xkate
*beach girl-in season now.

tim burton fans

This is coming to Melbourne...kind of amazing. I love, love, love Tim Burtons films, especially Big Fish and his stop motion animations leave me spellbound too. It is awhile away but maybe some other folk out there are not based in Vic and need some planning time...see here for a bit more about it...
http://www.acmi.net.au/timburton.aspx

I also have some other very compelling reasons(family, friends-love) to want to visit Victoria so my thinking and planning cap is definetely on,
xkate

Bleeding Heart gift store launch

Everyones invited-today 4 til 9 p.m, School of arts building, Ann Street, Brisbane City...
Bleeding Heart have expanded and fitted out thier gift store and are holding an event tonight to celebrate! There will be cupcakes and champers at the launch of what hopefully will become the cities hotspot for local artisan activity...


I am really proud to have been selected to have my work displayed in the shop. The special part for me about being part of this store is that Bleeding Heart is a profit for purpose company. All profits they make go into wonderful projects-including providing play equipment and other aid to children in East Timor, running free courses on business for women and much more.

So if great art and great compassion interest you, make sure you check out this great new shop.

Pictured here are some of my items in the shop but there is such a huge range of lovely things in there from a wide ranging pool of talented artists.
Okay, shameless big plug over, have a lovely weekend all,
xkate

my creative space

I am getting stuck into sewing projects again...maybe inspired by this nifty reel holder from a garage sale...It is more fun than you can imagine for me organising the colours on here.


But in order to turn this half cut up pinned together dress into wearable stage by tomorrow night I shall put the reels aside and focus for the rest of the day...

Happy crafting,
xkate
p.s-thank you for your sweet comments last week and suggestions in my scarf competition...the pressure to pick one out was too much for me so I asked around and miss muggins with her autumn spice is the winner...congratulations to you!
now off you pop to
http://www.kootoyoo.com/ for links to more creative spaces and to peek at Kirsty's constantly lovely blog.

comfort shopping

Here are some lovely finds from today's op shop trip...

I love the rich blues and purples teamed with the brown.

Aside from the usual stuff today's big plan was to find some fabric and a pattern. I wanted it to be recycled, of course. And in order to make something pretty to wear to the gift shop launch this Friday night the pressure was on. Somehow I found 3 lovely large pieces of retro fabric and a pattern in my size and in a cute style. The pattern was only 50 cents!!!
....am not the fastest sewer and will need many tea breaks to cope but here's hoping it will come together in time...
xkate

deer jar

Meet my new cookie jar...

It cost way too much but is so utterly excellently ace I could not resist.
Aren't garage sales so hit and miss though?? Some are wonderful, sweet people selling interesting and realistically priced things then there is just plain scary people selling a bunch of junk at ridiculous prices.
I am *never* going to any in a certain suburb ever again after going to 2 seperate ones where the people holding them were getting heavilly stuck into the booze at 9 a.m...and giving me slow menacing and steady up and down gazes...creeeeeeepy...much like this...


I can assure you shopping at Bleeding Heart is a much more charming and safe experience and if you are up for a night out this Friday pop on in for the opening of the gift store. Featuring a whole host of local Brisbane craft workers, artists wares and yummy food and drinkys it is sure to be lovely...to check out the details head here...
http://www.bleedingheart.com.au/?p=239

And I am going through the comments for a scarfy winner but theres still time to enter, see my last post for more info...
xkate

my creative space

I have been delighting in waking up the past few days, its been all about slow starts, I love the easy mornings of the school holidays. Found time for some more crochet...

I like making simple scarves, but I am enjoying blending different yarn types to get texture and add interest.

I played about making this birdy too...

I added the beret just for fun! Next to my old suitcase he looks like he's on his way home-Paris?

I also did some kitchen creating-making a lurid and kind of grotesquely decorated sponge bob birthday cake...

for my still utterly adorable now 13 year old!! (who by the way loves kind of lurid and grotesque things and LOVES sponge bob)

And finally I have found some time to set up these...3 scarves I made a while back but just listed on made it today...can you tell I love my old suitcase?!

and if you have read this far...you might like to enter my fun friendly little competition...

just leave a comment with a name for the scarf pictured above...it can be the colour-anything, think creatively- and the best comment/name will receive a scarf in your choice of colour! I will select the winner and let you know by next Thursday...
happy crafting, get on over here for more creative spaces...http://www.kootoyoo.com/
xdash

happy fertility day!

My feelings towards some christians views of Easter is best summed up by this...http://www.27bslash6.com/easter.html
which I think is so very funny....especially the 'pray for me' bit.

But I do love how we continue ancient pagan traditions in fun chocolate rich ways...and clearly so do these guys!! So happy guts on chocolate day everyone!
I have finally finished the bunny I began over a year ago...he is loosely based on a pattern for Stan from this wonderful book which I have mentioned before.

I didn't follow the head or ear part at all and went my own way....he is pretty happy to be here on eggy day and also the day my son Jack turns 13!!

hope everyone's having a fun holiday,
xkate

my creative space

I LOVE my new glass, 50 cents from an op shop, it is now my new crochet hook holder.

and mmmm....pretty new wool too.
...at the same op shop I got this little group of rainbow coloured yarns...

...so now some cute amigurumi creatures will be made. Happy easter all!
xkate
http://www.kootoyoo.com/ for more creative spaces