Mini-break & Op Shop finds!

I had a mini-break last weekend with my best buddy, Narelle. We rented a cabin in Dromana, down on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. The weather was perfect, the cabin was immaculate, and the shops were fantastic! Especially the Op shops!

I shall write more about our weekend away later on in the week as I need to borrow some pics from Narelle. My camera decided to go on a mini-break too after the first 10 shots I took!! So until then, I thought I'd show you some of my Op-shop bargains from the best charity shop I've ever been to! Vinnies, in Rosebud! The store is interestingly laid-out, bright and clean, and ever-so-big! It is so well organised. Kids toys are kept tidy in plastic packets, clothes are presented well, but the best bit of all is that the shop has a dedicated area for crafty bits & pieces. There was a pin-board on the wall full of tiny packets containing antique laces and vintage buttons. Pattern packets were on display, and all this adjacent to the Manchester section which had the most gorgeous crochet table-cloths for sale. So without further a-do, here are my finds:The silver-plated bowl is a gift for a friend, and the contents are gifts for my craft room (aren't I thoughtful?!!!!) he he he... The crochet table cloth was one of three that I was umm-ing & ahh-ing about, but I think I chose well.

These vintage laces were my favourite find. But I love those buttons too, especially the orange retro one... I bet that saw a few discotheques in its day!

The rhinestone trim looks interesting, I have no idea what I shall do with it but it would look good on an art quilt or as a trimming for a cloth doll. I purchased the brown buttons because my dear old dad's favourite cardigan adorned the same ones.

Oh, and this little fella just made me laugh! My daughter has now adopted him!

I shall post more later this week! Until then, happy creating!

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But, Mummy, it's YOU!

My three-year-old daughter and I share the kitchen most mornings. Rosie sits in her "clip-on chair" at the workbench while I get on with some dishes, or ironing, or whatever job needs doing at the time (I always draw the short straw!) While this is going on Rosie usually pursues some artistic quest, and one of her favourite activities is making 'stuff' out of Play doe. Anyway, the other day I was almost squealing with delight admiring her new creation, "ah, you clever girl! You clever girl!" I was singing. But then I made the fatal error of asking "So Rosie... who is it?", to which she gave a big sigh and replied, "But Mummy, it's YOU!"

All I can say is, it must have been a good night out on the town!!! he he he... especially to have had all that plastic work done! Easy on the collagen next time, Dr Potato Head! And maybe a trip to the dentist is in order...

Besides posing for gallery pieces, I have been stitching away to my heart's content. I have almost completed my project, and took this pic last week before I started piecing it all together.

The question is... da da daaaaa... Can you guess which Australian artisan designed this project? Answers on a postcard please to: I'm sure I must have something better to do,

PO Box I haven't? Postcode: Ah well, that's OK then.

I'm in a silly mood! It must be all that plastic surgery going to my head!

Until next time, happy creating!

Vikki :-)

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Stitches & Craft & lots of fun!

Ahhhh yes! I felt like a kid in a lolly shop last Sunday when I visited the Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show with the delightful Kerryanne from the Shabby Art Boutique, our darling friend, Anne, and her lovely mum, Joy.

The event was hosted by Living Creatively this year - and held at a new venue - the Melbourne Showgrounds. The space was well organised, light and spacious, and had plenty of eye-candy on display!

Immediately after arriving I recognised a couple of designers from their appearances in Australian Homespun magazine and was delighted to meet them in person. Kristen Doran, at Cheeky Beaks, designs and sells her own unique range of fabrics and was an inspiration to talk to! And Jhoanna Monte Aranez of One Red Robin delighted me with her display of softies, personally-designed fabrics and patterns! In fact, I haven't stopped reading her blog since I came back from the Show!! If anyone is worried, please don't be, I'm not a stalker - I promise! What really amazes me is that so many of the talented ladies I met at the show are not only industrious and ambitous artisans, but they also juggle paid jobs, raising young families and running their houses as well. Please share with me how you do it ladies, as you have no idea how much I admire you for it!

Another big highlight for me was to meet one of my doll-designing idols, Karlene Atkins of Katkins Designs. I'm yet to meet anyone who does not fall in love with Karlene's dolls! They each have fresh, sweet and pretty dispositions with the most beautiful faces that are instantly recognisable as Karlene's designs. It was such a pleasure to meet this modest and charming lady, and my buddies were giggling away at me as I gushed with childish enthusiasm over our meeting! Karlene shared with us her beautiful new range of buttons and new doll designs - and do you know - I was so excited by chatting with her that I completely overlooked buying some of those scrummy buttons... I shall have to rectify that in the very near future! Here is a picture of me with Anne on my left and Karlene on my right.

Kerryanne caught up with one of her blogging buddies, Jodie from Vintage Ric-Rac. What an inspirational lady she is! Not only is she an incredibly talented and original artist, but she is genuinely humble and modest with it. Jodie is famous for making garments and soft furnishings from selvedges - yes - what most sewers would consider to be useless strips of fabric to throw out, are what makes Jodie's creations so unique. Well not only that of course, she is a damn fine seamstress with a tasteful and classy flair for design! If you get the opportunity to see Jodie's work, I would highly recommend it.

I don't think I have slept properly since Sunday as my mind is just buzzing!

Until next time, happy creating!

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A tour of Rosie's Room

As I'm wiling away the hours stitching for my new project, I thought I'd share some photographs with you of my daughter's nursery. These pics were taken around four years ago now, just before she was born.

I wanted to make soft furnishings in an original style with a floral theme that would hopefully stand the test of time. I teamed up the floral print with various checks, plains, and tone-on-tone fabrics. Being heavily pregnant at the time, I needed a helping hand to get me started on the process. My always loyal and uplifting friend, Narelle, stepped in and made the curtains and cot valance for me. I was unstoppable once she had got me inspired! I designed and made the nappy stacker to look like a pretty little dress (I am currently writing a pattern for this nappy stacker and it will be available in my shop very soon).

I then set to work on the cot mobile. I re-used my son's baby mobile, covering the trunk of it with burgundy tonal fabric, overlaid in green checkered vines, and finishing it with four hung heart-shapes, two of each kind. One has buttons embroidered all over a felt heart background and the other has a 3D rose embroidered on to it and applique leaves. I had great fun designing and making this and the great thing is that I can just take it all off and use the mobile again for a little boy's room. Although I'm rather planning on keeping it in my son's memory box instead!! (A pattern packet for this will be in my shop very soon, also!)

As a centre-piece for the room, I bought five cheap photo frames and painted them up with a crackle-medium to get the finish you see. I then painted the letters of Rosie's name and placed one each in a frame, glued on top of co-ordinating fabrics.

Narelle also covered a tissue box and a "wipes" packet in the same fabrics as the room. What a nice touch!

Finally, I finished off the room by making a dressing-table valance and re-covering the lampshade.

Until next time, happy creating!

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Thank you SO much!

Thank you to all you lovely and talented ladies that have stopped by to welcome me in to this new blogging community! Your support and interest has really given me a boost!

I would also like to say a BIG THANK YOU to the very kind, generous and down-right lovely Kerryanne English at the Shabby Art Boutique, as without her help I would still be dreaming my dreams and wouldn't have yet began coaxing them on their way to reality.

Kerryanne and I met through her blog last year. Before we met I was feeling pretty low and to cheer myself up I had a read through all my old craft magazines (I'm sure some chocolate was involved too! LOL). I came across one of Kerryanne's ads which led me to looking her up on the internet... I then spent the next few hours ooh-ing and aah-ing over the wonderful projects featured on her blog, and giggling like a schoolgirl at her witty anecdotes. I sent her an email - and as they say - the rest is history! We hit it off straight away and I joined Kerryanne's painting group shortly after and made even more lovely friends! I feel really blessed to be a part of this wonderful group of ladies, and would like to thank you ALL (Marisa, Anne and Karen) for your friendship, because it really has enhanced my life.

On a personal note - Thank You Kerryanne! Thank you for making my blog look so beautiful, for guiding me every step of the way, for being my mentor and for being you! If I knew how to send you an award for being the angel that you are, then I'd surely be forwarding it right away! For now, I hope that the graphic will suffice!

Until next time, to all you lovely angels out there, happy creating! x

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A new project!

I have so many projects on the go that are yet to be completed, but there are times when the creative juices aren't flowing as efficiently as one would like... and what better way to get them flowing again than by starting a new project?

I love nothing better than making creative gifts for people, it really motivates me. And it is often a great source of inspiration to put yourself into the shoes of the recipient-to-be and think about what they would like, and not necessarily what you want to make for them! They may prefer colour palettes that aren't necessarily in your comfort zone, or have a love of handbags of which you've never made before. By putting yourself in the mindset of another allows you the opportunity to think outside the box.

However, there comes a time when you want to look very much "inside the box" and just need to make something for yourself. And for me, that time had come! So I took myself off to the craft store and discovered these beautiful fabrics. I teamed them up with some co-ordinating threads and will be posting soon to show you what I've made with them!

Until next time, happy creating!

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