Thursday, May 31, 2012

If You Go Out In The Woods Today......

My creative space today is looking a little blue....

A couple of Bunnies in Blue have been finished and are awaiting new homes....





Being a beautiful, sunny afternoon, we wandered out to the Wild Wood for some pics........

They were warned not to touch the Fly Agaric Mushrooms and were very careful, but a little concerned about the chooks who were out on their afternoon wander!!






Back inside where it's warmer and safer!!
These little mushrooms are fun to knit and I have a feeling they may be rather addictive too.......





Who doesn't want to hug a cute little bunny all through the night?
Now that the nights are quite chilly, snuggling down under the doona has become a favourite past time......





The best way to finish the afternoon.......a cuppa and a choc cherry muffin, yum.



 I'm back home after a lovely break, it's time to get back into the crafting mode as there will be another market in June.
My sewing room is in need of a tidy up, so that will be the starting point.......

To see other people in creative mode, click here

Take Care,

Claire ❀❀❀

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Creating While On Holidays

Helllooooo.......this week's creative, crafty blog post is coming to you from sunny Queensland, miles from home in chilly Victoria...


I've been on hols for a week and it's been very relaxing, but there's been plenty of craft action taking place. In fact I found a UFO whilst packing for my holiday and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to continue working on it.

I started this embroidered panel some years ago now. 

 There is an Angel for each season but this is the first to be completed, well a few more stitches are needed yet.
 They were going to be cushion panels, but I think I may frame them and hang them in my sewing room.....







I finished the Fly Agaric mushroom....it just needs to be stuffed and stitched.....

What am I going to do with it, hmmm, not sure perhaps make a couple more so it won't feel lonely..





A couple of days were spent in Byron Bay, we had beautiful weather, scenery, food and time to leave a small token of my yarn bombing affection!!


The 'wavy' pattern and colours represented:-

sky,surf,sand,sun, green lifestyle and sunburnt tourists

(Actually didn't think of this until I had made it....I really just liked the colour combos!!)

So if you are visiting Byron Bay in the not too distant future, it's on the 'tree' by the playground park above the beach.
Let me know if it's still there..... and to Alison over at 
Tweed Delights, I really didnt' need much encouragement!!




That same afternoon a storm cell formed over the mountains and I snapped this pic.......

Check out the 'sand art' on the beach.....

Lots of creative people around doing 'their thing'....




 Anyone needing a 'sunshine fix' 

Hope it does the trick ☀ ☀ ☀



Eeeeek....I just clicked DELETE instead of ENTER and the whole screen went blank, arrgh!!
All is not lost fortunately.......

One last bit of creativity.....this mornings breakfast for my chauffeur, hehe...

Waffles were ordered with blueberries and caramelised banana and vanilla cream.

Check out the strawberry Mohawk....creative or what?...yummmmm



Lots more creative people over here for you to visit and be inspired by..

Thanks for coming over to say 'hi' and I appreciate all the lovely comments on my Hedgehog brooch post....

Take care,

Claire ❀❀❀

Monday, May 21, 2012

The 3 S's...Sun, Sand, Surf.....oops and Stitching

Hello everyone, thanks for coming over to visit.....

No.1 and I are away at the moment, enjoying some time in warmer climes....
Byron Bay to be precise.

It's a beautiful spot, the weather at this time of the year is just 'perfick' no humidity, yeeeeees!!



Some stitchy time was had in the park by the beach this afternoon.
 No. 1 playing some tunes and me knitting  this Fly Agaric toadstool from my new book.......
It was a little bit tricky dicky and some fudging took place but I am making headway...





The day started off the best way with eggs Benedict for my chauffeur hehe.....

He needs to keep up his energy for the sightseeing tour...





Shall we take a little wander around the town?


Some interesting street art.....

I did notice there was no yarn bombing around .
Hmmm, just wondering if I have time to leave a little yarny goodness on a palm tree or some such?....



A late blooming Hibiscus.
 A colorful reminder of Summer's beauty...

❀❀❀




Some words of wisdom from Pooh....

He's one smart bear 

♥♥♥




Byron Bay is a mecca for back packing tourists and bikes are an easy way to get around town.

Can't beat a turquoise treadly with a wicker basket....




After lunch our sightseeing tour took us to Bangalow.

A lovely little town up in the hills....

I spied one 4 legged local waiting patiently for his 2 legged mate.....

I wonder what he was thinking?



Heading back down to Lennox Head for a wander along the beach, keeping an eye out for sea glass.......





No sea glass to be found this time but a rather colourful Starfish..


✼✼✼✼✼✼✼✼




I have a few more days here before I head South to the colder weather. I'm making the most of it and catching up on my Vitamin D intake,enjoying the change of scenery along with walks on the beach...

I'd like to say a big thankyou for all the lovely comments on my last post about my Hedgie Brooch......must say I haven't seen too many broochie kinda gals up this way either...

Hope your week has gotten off to a good start, thanks for popping by and a warm welcome to all my new Followers...

Take Care,

Claire ♥♥












Thursday, May 17, 2012

Stamp It, Stitch It, Wear It ♥♥

Hello, thanks for coming over for a visit.....

I whipped up a little Hedgie brooch today and wanted to share him with you as I do love a  brooch or two or three or four or five or more!! 





I spied a set of fab little Woodland stamps over at Modes website and resistance was futile, so I just gave in and bought them......

Well, it was a Mother's Day gift to myself.......



♥♥♥♥






Stamp on some calico and add some some hand stitching here and there.
I'm sticking with the Bluebell theme ❀❀❀




I fused it onto some recycled blanketing and then added the
free motion embroidery.
 I felt it needed a bit more body, so fused it again to another piece of woollen fabric
Stitched around the border once more to add definition and texture then....


Added a brooch back and ........



Voila.......it's ready to wear.


Apologies for the lack of a good close up, my little camera, doesn't like taking them, hmmm!

A simple and fun little project. 
I plan to use a few more of these stamps and turn them into brooches.

Maybe I'll do a series of Woodland brooches.......


I'm joining in with lots of other crafty people over here.


Hope you are all having a crafty & creative week.


Now I must go and finish packing my case as my flight leaves in a couple of hours......
.
Lookout Queensland, there's a lady with a Hedgehog brooch on her cardi coming to visit, hehe.


Take Care,


Claire ❀❀❀





Monday, May 14, 2012

Sew, Cook, Dig...........







Monday, Monday it's a beautiful Autumn day here, the sun is shining after a frosty start.

I knew it was going to be a cold morning,(-2 deg.)I had to get up some time after midnight and drag the doona out of the cupboard and put it on the bed!! 
 Snuggling in under it's feathery warmth and I didn't stir till morning.......

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and a belated happy Mother's Day to all you hard working mums......







            Saturday was quite a productive day......

A new version of my Blanket Bunny came to life. 
This little Bunny in Blue is looking a little sad.
 I'm not sure why, but I know that all he needs is a cuddle and everything will be OK.....





'Hug me tight all through the night and 
cuddle me till dawn......'

Obviously I had my head on the side as I sewed this, hehe...

He has two mates who need stuffing and stitching and then hopefully they will find some new homes where little arms will wrap around them and together they'll journey to the
 Land of Nod......

After the creative, fun came the other stuff.....
cleaning out the chook house, hmmmm.....
It needed to be done and I'm sure the girls are happy with a lovely clean home and some fresh straw.

You'd think the least they could do to  show their appreciation would be to lay some eggs.....





It's soup weather and lamb shank with pearl barley and lots of vegies is the current favourite....
 So when my sister popped out for lunch last Monday and a friend came over today it was the soup d jour and I have to say it was delicious.
You can't beat a savoury muffin  with a bowl of hot soup ......






After I waved goodbye to my visitor, I got out into the garden and planted cauliflower, silverbeet and spinach seedlings.


Nice to find some locally grown and cheap seedlings at a weekend market....


This unused chook cage will hopefully, keep the cabbage moths off the caulies and I can retire my badminton racquet!!










My favourite, feathered friend the Flame Robin decided to pay a visit to my property this afternoon........

He had just landed on the barbed wire fence, when whoooosh from seemingly nowhere a Mudlark or Magpie (couldn't tell which) decided to see him off......

Obviously, my little friend wasn't welcome.....

Please don't stay away too long, you add a bright spot to my day.

 Photography and card made by Carol Hawke 






More handmade cards I bought at the market......

You know I love these flowers, how could I resist this card?.....


No label on the card, so I can't credit the maker




Have you seen this book?

I bought it online and it arrived last week.

Much earlier than expected, yipppee, thanks Postie Pam...




There's lots of wonderful things to either crochet or knit......

Where to start?

Look at that cute little Blue Tit, or those gorgeous deep pink Foxgloves.

It has me longing for Spring!!




Wouldn't I love some of those Bumble Bees, buzzing and bumbling their way around my garden?

Not sure about that caterpillar or some of those other creepy crawlies though, eek!!





Toadstools, mushrooms, acorns and oak leaves, yeeeees, I love them all.......

What's first on my list to whip up?

Might have to be some mushrooms or toadstools, they are just too cute.......

I'm heading North to warmer climes later this week.I'll be away for a few days or so and first thing to be packed into my case will be this book and a selection of yarns. Unfortunately, I can't take my little hooky stick on the plane, what am I going to do?





Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post. It seems a few of you have been lucky enough to wander through a Bluebell wood recently........

I thought I might create my own and turn the 'Wild Wood' into a Bluebell wood.....

Love the stark, white Birch trunks.......



'
'No finer carpet was ever laid than that which Autumns' treasures made.......'

quote by me, hehe.....



------OOOOO------

This time next week, I hope to be strolling along a beach, sand  between my toes, sun on my skin,(upping my vitamin D intake) and searching for sea glass.
There will be new op shops to discover and hopefully treasures to be found. Maybe a market or two along the way and lots of hooky time.

I will be taking on the role of 'unpaid roadie' for No.1 son so there's a bit of work involved too, oh well, the price you pay!!

I hope you all have a happy and creative week and a BIG welcome to all new followers that have found their way to my blog and decided to stick around......nice to have you here.



Take Care,

❀ Claire ❀



Thursday, May 3, 2012

On The Third Day of May..........





 Monday got off to a good start, a coffee catchup with friends and the latest Mollie Makes magazine......

It was a cool morning but I spied someone with a pair of thongs on at the next table......can you see that naked foot hehe?


(UK mags always make it into our newsagents a month or so after they've been issued unless you want to pay extra for an Express Delivery issue)








Today I took a little road trip down to Benalla, Op shopping along the way......

I found this beautiful hand knitted jumper and had to buy it.

Someone has put a lot of 

Love
Care
Time 
Effort
&
Thought

into making it....





It's soft and warm......

'You can't beat wool for warmth'
My mums words ringing in my ears.

It's in perfect condition, either it hasn't been worn alot or it has been well cared for.........

There's a little row of ♡♡♡♡♡♡ at the bottom of the pattern and a little further up.


Is it vintage retro or just old fashioned?...


It's definitely not the latest fashion, but I love it and will wear it when I have a coffee catchup....
 Sitting outside in the cool weather I'll be as snug as a bug in a rug....



Another recent Op shop find is this sewing box.......

After the Bright market and a visit to the local Op shop,I spied this little beauty on a high shelf above my head.

It needed some tricky, tip toe action to reach it.

It's quite heavy with a wooden base and  was made in Czechoslovakia....




I ummed and aahed.....did I need another sewing box? 

Of course not, but at $3.50 it was a bargain and would anyone else love it and appreciate it?

The inside is pink satin and in perfect nick apart from the strip of fabric on the RHS which I assume held reels of cotton....

 ♥♥♥

How many items do you think you have to have before you can call it an obsession/collection?



Back to Monday and it was a lovely day, perfect for gardening.

I pulled all the spent plants out of the vegie garden along with the Zinnias.

It was great to be out in the sunshine enjoying the Autumnal beauty...