brooch making

This past week has been productive, its a wonderful feeling to be well again and living in a new space. I like the simple pleasures, noticing a pretty shadow cast by the fretwork above the door or tinted shades on the walls from the sun shining through the patterned coloured glass windows.

In the next few months I have some great things to look forward to. A trip to Victoria, my brothers wedding in the beautiful Dandenongs to attend, a mini break on the gold coast and lots of new and interesting projects to work on.

I am presently creating some vintage fabric coasters and coffee pot warmers for a fairtrade coffee shop a friend of mine is opening in the heart of West End in Novemeber...

here's a sampler of some....

In other cafe related news some of my brooches have hitched a ride into a store and gallery cafe. The Bleeding Hearts cafe and gallery is located on Ann street Brisbane and has great coffee and a cool collection of aboriginal art and social enterprise products. Little brooches, including these 2 feature on a new line of biddy bag clutches, which are quirky and bright. I will post up a photo soon as I can, I think the display is brilliant and it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to see my little brooches getting about...and I encourage anyone to grab thier coffee in there, the staff are so sweet.

My new house has shelves and spaces for my crockery and I do love to decorate...the boxes of plates and tea cups were one of the first things unpacked partly because I just wanted to play around with displaying them. Also as a wannabe nanna or nanna in training drinking huge amounts of tea is critically important!

While slurping down cup after cup of Vanilla roobois tea I made simple flat brooches, using retro images of children as subjects. I have been experimenting with acrylic 'felt'...ugh, the acrylic sheets are so flat and stiff, the colours, like the pretty green below, are great, but I can't get around the fact that the material itself is just so awful!

So handmade felt from old woolen garments is my material of choice, there is no contest. Recycling old garments into felt takes more time and effort but in the end who wants easy, hard and fake, give me warm, fuzzy and real everytime....

xdash

eco art

I have just moved house, so I am looking at my surroundings a bit more critically than usual. I need a bath mat.

The instructions are almost insultingly easy, did any one else do a latch hook rug as a kid, because it is basically like that? I remember my childhood latch hook project had a funky little cloud and rainbow design, and seemed to take forever to make, but that was with fine bits of yarn and as this is made with towel 'thread' it should be easy?!

Anyway instructions here;

http://ecologue.com/ShowArticle/recycled-bathroom-mat

This link is from the recyled craft section of the ecologue website;

http://ecologue.com/Default.aspx

a good resource, but it is designed by and for U.S folk.

My favourite basic resource about how to reduce environmental impact at home was put together by the Australian Conservation foundation;

http://www.acfonline.org.au/default.asp?section_id=86

This site has a carbon footprint calculator and so much information about household energy saving, it's easy to spend ages reading through it all.

I had a bit of a happy find yesterday. In my suburb it is kerbside collection time, people put out their large bits of junk, usually broken tvs and old fridges but surprisingly often good stuff . The council then collects it and trucks it off to thier tips...

Anyway, yesterday I got a unused large compost bin, a garden tool organiser-stand thing and some pots. Why do people throw theses things away, don't they know anyone, anyone who wants these things? $80 at Bunnings for the exact same compost bin and they throw it out? Not that I am complaining! My housemate did the whole permaculture certificate and is full of great plans for our garden, so I think this compost bin was meant to come to us...

I have a fun project planned for this weekend. I am going to transform a mdf book shelf into a painted and felt decorated masterpiece for the kids room...

I have some light blue paint and plan to glue on something like these fellas...

and paint some birds on it...hope the kids will like it!

I am really looking forward to some creative play after all this moving, driving,etc-ing...

xdash

moving

Moving is exhausting!

I am enjoying this day, sitting in the library listening to a coastal chill album via my headphones and laptop…people going in and out, studying, reading, its peaceful here. A good spot to sit and type these words down.

I spent most of last week either doing house inspections, cleaning or packing, and the weekend was flat out with the actual move.

First up though, my new house...well it is light and airy and open, a queenslander up on stilts surrounded by a spacious garden. I woke up so happy this morning, my windows have feature panels of pink and green patterned glass, and a gentle breeze was billowing the light streamed curtains. I don’t have a camera at the moment, so my descriptive writing will have to do!

And the best thing is the huge garden, I see the space available and dream of fresh tomatoes, oh yum. The dreadful photo above is the only one I have and is from the real estate agents, trust me it looks much better in real life!!At least it gives some vague idea.

It was a great feeling laying back on my bed after a hard days work, with my kids tucked up all happy, safe and sound, in a place we can call home.

This afternoon I will get my sewing machine unpacked, it will be in its own little spot, ready all the time...cool, huh. No excuses, I have the books, the fabric..now for some time.... :O)

xdash

edies new hat...

How very chic, yes?

Okay, so this is 'officially' the worlds most tolerant cat.

Aside from making cat hats I have been here and there, hardly ever home lately.

Mostly I have been roaming all over Brisvegas looking for houses, which is fun...well, not at all really.

-oooh, breaking news, have got a house!! Hooray!!- thankfully no more griping posts about house hunting!

Something wonderfully perspective giving for me, was seeing the film "Persepolis," http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/persepolis/

Based on a graphic novel of the same name, this film depicts the story of girl growing up in Iran, how her relatives and her own life unfolded and unraveled as the political climate altered the whole region. The animation and story is simpley told yet profoundly beautiful. I felt really moved and engaged by this illuminating story and thought a lot about Amnesty International, about the importance of human rights and the groups who exist to promote respect for them.

This link will take you to a page about childrens rights, http://www.amnesty.org/en/children

and about ways Amnesty International is involved in supporting them....some food for thought,

"There are estimated to be between 100 million and 150 million street children in the world, and this number is growing. Of those some 5-10% have run away from or been abandoned by their families."

Crap, huh? So join or do something, whatever you want, find whatever is it that makes your heart ache and educate yourself and others...there is important work to be done and we all have bit of spare time to put towards these kind of things. Towards kindness.

Aside from this, I have sold a few more brooches, and have had some sweet feedback, so thanks to anyone and everyone who supports me. And I mean this in any and every way, even just smiling at my stuff as they pass me by or a shop assistant saying they like my wallet, all of it means the world to me.

I am moving into a new house this weekend, in Kangaroo point, with a large leafy back yard...do you think it is called this because there will be kangaroos hopping through our back garden? Well, no, it is as close to the city as you can possibly get, but thank goodness, a house!

xKate

cute stuff links

It's a very hot day, so hot I was forced to cut some sass and bide jeans into shorts.

This is probably not what you are supposed to do with designer threads. However, they were bought at a garage sale and were a bit tatty so truly very acceptable...but now I am wishing I had cut them a bit shorter. Because did I mention..it is bloody hot!! Urghhkk!

This photo is very blurry, sorry one of those self timer ones...but as I am the subject a bit of blur is probably not such a bad thing...very kind on me... trimmed them, hemmed them with zigzag folded them up a little and straight stitched around, which gives the end the slightest flare, like boot cut shorts, I think a nice effect.

I was in the Avid Reader bookstore in West end yesterday in between housing searches (yes the search continues) and found they have a great range of craft and art books..one was this little gem...

I really want to make some key rings with the cute faces on them, and dont need to follow a pattern or buy the book to do it. It is a great source book though, full of cool and simple ideas presented in the clearest way.

When I got home I checked out the authors stuff a bit more. This led to their esty store (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5064725) which led to this cute piece of cartoon writing jewellery..it kind of rocks huh?

And I can see picture this working in felt too, perhaps aplliqued onto a t-shirt...could be cool in a pop art meets cute fuzzy felt kind of way, huh?

xdash

wood land elf hat

hello again. I woke up this morning possessed of the need to make the cute hat from the bend the rules sewing book, which I mentioned in an earlier post.

It was so easy to make, I used felt, no fraying, no hemming. Amy Karol (the author) suggests pinning the pieces together and ease stitching, but I did it slowly and carefully, used no pins, not a ease stitch in sight...and mine worked out fine. I bent the rules of the bend the rules book...

So here is the household cat wearing the woodland elf hat...hmmm...I am sure he liked it, just no where near his head. Its not for him anyway, so its a good thing he didnt get too attached.

Fortunately I found a much more willing subject in the form of this squirrel...he is rather stiff and un-lively but as he is made of stuffing and fake fur let's excuse his modelling abilities.

I used small pieces from a couple sheets of felt, and at most it took me half an hour to make, so I feel a sense of achievement, with very little effort or expense, so not a bad way to start the day!

xdash

spring lovin and beastie boys...odd

Hello, hello, what have we here then? A bit of spring lovin'?

So, you may notice a distinct lack of craft photography, well, yup, I had one of those crazy-too-busy-days and only managed to make 3 tiny little crocheted mushroom tops (not even time for a single stem)

Although I usually think there is not enough time in my days to 'make stuff' today I really felt the lack...sigh. There is nothing like searching for rental accommodation to make you feel like you are not using your time efficiently! Yes, I am trying to find a rental house and I am sure a lot of people could nod their heads in empathy, as so many others are searching too...in fact I am pretty sure they all turned up to look at the same house as me in Woolloongabba today...ha, ha!

But damn it, I want that house so fingers, toes, everything vaguely cross-able is firmly crossed tonight...please let the real estate rats overlook the over-lookish stuff about me and look on over the look-ish stuff instead!!

"Be realistic - demand the impossible!" - Soyez réalistes, demandez l'impossible! -

Anonymous graffiti, Paris 1968

Now, I want to take a moment to direct any would be crafters to the most amazing site...it truly has the broadest range of craft related information including links to the coolest tutorials...some recent ones include making jewelry from resin and making felt foods, they have competitions and all sorts of other interesting links too,

so ch-ch-check it out, what, what, what's it all about...um...where was I...

....er, sorry feeling a little bit...um...

beastie boy-ish tonight... so anyway, just go here, I swear it's good

http://whipup.net/

xdash

pom pom tea cozys and owls

This is the little owl complete with pom pom nest and (crocheted)mushroom snack.

He's on his way to my dad, with some little gingerbread-babies, sure to raise a smile?

It was fun making owl and especially adding the rick rack trim... love rick rack. Even the word is great!

And this was a gift I made a couple months back for my friend Teresa, for her birthday. It is a super kitsch pompom tea cosy and took an ridiculous amount of both time and pompoms to make, but it is pretty funny. It is the drag queen of the tea cozy world, all colour and glitter...and as I added the pompoms to an existing tea cozy(picked up from an op shop) there was no hassle of making that up.

It took approximately 7 hours to assemble...I was bored out of my brain so I watched some dvds, including Borat and little miss sunshine and a terrible movie with catherine zeta jones in it which I refuse to even name because it was so bad.

I hope everyone is enjoying this warmer weather and is getting out and about. I got 2 thumbs up from my littlest son yesterday for taking him to the southbank beach area, it has great squirting water features and is totally free.

xdash

new things...fun, fun, fun.

I am a happy little camper with my 2 juicy new sewing/plush b'day books full of inspiring goodness.

One is 'bend the rules sewing' and it is written by Amy Carol who is pretty "big" in the blogging community with her crafty-cooking blog http://angrychicken.typepad.com/ It has lots of cool easy sewing projects and is designed to introduce sewing to absolute beginners in a fun and friendly way.

First up I need to make the woodland elf hats,

not only for me and my boys but don't you agree this one would look a bit special in one as well?

The other book is 'plush you' by Kristen Rask

who is a toy store owner and gallery curator.

http://www.schmancytoys.com/

It is chock a block full of the cutest and oddest little soft toys you could imagine...plus tips and advice. Out of all the how-to toy books I have seen this is easilly the most open ended, much more than a pattern book. I love all the different toy makers question and answer details and the special little tips. Oh and if you get your hands on a copy, check out the authors photograph, she is as cute as any of the toys.

My dad is not well right now so I need to make him an owl like this, asap. Someone to watch over him, right?

So with all this sewing to be going on with, where shall I find time to crochet!?

Never fear, I have found time lately to whip up this brooch...

and this purse...

and this brooch...

and I am working on of all things a mushroom, yep, a crocheted mushy. Will post as soon as it is fully 'grown'

xdash

hoppy brithday

One word is sometimes all you need.

Gratitude.

melbourne graffitti

Just a short post today, following up once again from my little whirlwind trip down south. It would be nice to have some photos of some completed purses and other objects but I have been struck down with some virus or other so I will use this opportunity to revisit my love affair with Melbourne!!!

My god, I loved all the street art, stenciled, pasted, sprayed, its everywhere. I was like a kid in a candy shop.

This was a more obvious styled graffitti, but it caught my eye because of the lovely blending of the pretty colours...

Melbourne has a lot of grey walls, and a lot of grey skies, so these hits of colour make the place come alive.

It's obvious, art and culture is really important, design and image are present everywhere, from cafes decorated beautifully with cute paintings, to street signs to fashion shops with ceiling murals.

Another good thing that happened was meeting some inspiring people. One person I was lucky to meet at the thread den market was Katja, who is the creator of these sweet pieces of lovelieness. This is a beautiful journal she has made from recycled materials...sigh, so sweet, hey?

It was great to talk with someone who has a similar philosophy, and who makes such stunning things out of found objects and remnants. You can check out her stuff here: katja8.etsy.com and she will be selling her work at these markets; http://www.roundshegoes.com.au/Site/Home.html so keep October the 19th free.

Brisbane still has my heart though, and I am inspired by so many things around me, the weather is glorious again, the colours bursting out all over!

hope you're enjoying these days tooo000!

xkate

spring days

Spring has sprung. Along with my youngest son, I visited the botanical gardens in Redcliffe today. We checked out all the fantastic colours, flowers, leaves, bark, water reflections. In between wanderings, I lay beside my son on a blanket crocheting.

I have quite a collection of wools and was recently given 3 extra bags so I literally have no room to store it all anymore. Instead of trying to make it fit, I am instead using it as fast as I can! A pile of crocheted rectangles and lining fabrics will hopefully be purses by the end of this week.

The wools are mostly organic, 100% wool and have been dyed with a mixture of natural and chemical dyes. They are so beautiful and soft to use, I am seriously worried they will spoil ordinary wool for me!!

I am turning over the thought now of experimenting with dyeing. I keep dreaming up gorgeous shades of custom dyed wools. Mmmm, rich reddish brown, like the colour of the moist, delicious chocolate mud cake from the Three Monkeys Café in West End or y’know so I have been told…ahem. Okay, I need to get out more!! It’s just the idea of using specifically coloured wools to create things excites me…this much!!

I stumbled across this Anais Nin quote while reading (for the second time) The Hip Mama Survival Guide by Ariel Gore. By the way, I recommend this book in a HUGE way. Who could not love a writer who advises if anyone gives a breastfeeding mum a dirty look for nursing her toddler in public, she should "squirt 'em in the eye." Not a mother but a motherrrrr!

Anyhow, the quote below sums up how I am feeling about spring and kids and life as I love living it so I thought I’d share it here;

“The presence of young lightens the world and changes it from an oppressive, definite, solidified one, to a fluid, potentially marvellous, as-yet-to-be-created world”

but in case you think, wow she is deep, there was also this one…

‘I did what I could and I deserve a beer” Thanks to Ani di Franco.

…which maybe I liked as much if not more than the first.

Anyway, ‘stick around for joy’

and check this out…. http://www.hipmama.com/

and this…. http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/

P.S-I also recently checked out a cool book on the art of amigurumi, which is a Japanese craft of crocheting small cute animals. And I love this.

Victorias charms...

Well it seems I am back in Brisbane, I am slowly thawing out and am ready to update...

I so loved my trip. I spent one day in Ballarat with my dear brother and his family and was given so much. Sam gave me a amazingly generous load of wool and the gift of fun and play with my niece and nephews was priceless.

We visited a gloriously huge sized park, which I have dubbed the hundred acre woods and it was such a fun way to start my holiday, romping around with my little loves.

I had to leave them, all too soon, and head back to Melbourne for the thread den fundraising night. The show night was y'know fashion, frivolity, freezing. There were many chats about clothes and detailing and oohing and ahhing. The clothing was beautiful and I met some really sweet people, doing things that I really admired and felt inspired by.

I got some great ideas and feel really supported by the response to my projects and the pieces I had bought along.

This sample scottie dog felt brooch was popular and didn't return home, but I know he is in good hands.

I woke up Saturday morning with a bit of a flu but refused to surrender to it! As I wandered about lusting over way too expensive designer everythings I occasionally took breaks and hit myself up with juice blends. I had an amazing juicy power drink from a cafe called 'sustenance' So to the naturopath that works there(yes, a consulting naturopath in a cafe, how cool is that!?), your mix really did seem to help, thanks!

I also think florentines may well have undiscovered healing powers, in any case I am happy to be a guinea pig in any potential florentine medical trials!!

Melbourne is such a mixture of high art and design and street art and street life....it spins me out...the close proximity of the grand with the gross is amusing. I will finish up now on my favourite sight of all in Melbourne, it just made me laugh...