my creative space...

I'm catching up on missing buttons today. Which isn't very creative at all. But what is creative, is Nanna Lynn's new dress she knitted for Kitty (waiting for buttons) and my ROSE sign (I used rosey fabric for all the letters) which I made yesterday. So, Wednesday was creative, Thursday is productive.

Until next time, pop over to Kootoyoo for something a little more exciting than the most basic of all crafty tasks, sewing on a button.

boy banner

I just made one for a little boy called Joseph. Do you like it?

A to Z

Another one of those lazy Saturday afternoons with a couple of whinging girls asking me over and over again 'what can we do? '. Being a mum covers so many job areas, sometimes I feel like I need to employ some entertainment staff.

I saw the above idea in a crafty mag recently and thankfully remembered it at that vital 'I'm about to explode with boredom if you don't think of something for me to do right NOW'. I've always loved the letters plain white, but after a dig around my box of odd trims, they've come up pretty jazzy. I think the girls did a great job, I like them, do you?

my creative space...

More name banners!

I had a couple of orders from my previous post so have been working on those this week....and here they are!

It's a learning curve and I'm working out ways to cut time on the fiddly bits. So, I'm using cotton ready made tabs instead of fabric George made ones {I really really don't like turning tabs inside out, I just really don't} and I taught myself blanket stitch to secure the letters. Much quicker than the straight stitch I used previously! Yes, yes I'm just a beginner at this!

At first my hands felt so awkward, like starting to knit or crochet where you can't work out what finger, thumb or wrist to put where but once I got the hang of it I was speedy gonzales.

I really enjoyed making them, and hope my customer enjoys hanging them!

Check out more creative peeps over at Kootoyoo. Cheers!

derek turned doris?

I must introduce you to Derek. I think this is the strangest looking doll in history, he is so out of proportion it's ridiculous. But, I sort of feel sorry for him so I've highlighted him amongst Kitty's babies as being somebody very special. I named him Derek.

Last week, unbeknownst to me, my 10 year old stepdaughter decided to knit Derek.... wait for it....a dress!!!! When I mentioned that he was a boy she replied 'I know, he's a male that likes to wear dresses'.

I think it's totally fantastic that Ashley has learnt to knit and done such a fine job of it, but also, that Kitty's baby collection now includes one cross dresser. Gold!

the envelope project

I'm sending my envelope (envelope...what a weird word) in the morning. This idea of Pip's is the best and totally takes me back to the days of having a million (or thereabouts) American Penpals in my teens. I was published in a US magazine as a British gal needing penpals and I have a smidgen of how Pip must feel receiving the envelopes as I used to get home from school to a pile of letters on the dining table. It was beyond exciting.

Instead of New Kids on the Block stickers and Corey Haim cutouts Pip's envelopes will be filled with crafty bits. It's funny how our interests change along the way.

That's it. Join in on this fun project. Button is on my blog!

my creative space....

I think the most exciting thing about making things is putting fabrics together (for the record I think the most unexciting thing is turning tabs inside out) .I still need to expand my material collection (huh, try telling my husband this!) but am still managing to put some cute things together.

So with the above creation for my friend's wee lass I hand stitched and used applique for the first time! I read up on it in Cath Kidston's gorgeous MAKE, and gave it a go.

I'm pretty happy with the result and guess practise makes perfect.

Check out more creativity over at Kootoyoo. Ta ta for now!

a new vinnies, a new cafe, a happy day....

Vinnies in Oatley is fabulous! And it's all thanks to my lovely friend Tara Tots, who introduced me to this treasure trove and helped me find lots of gold. Amongst the treasure was a couple of Charlie Chaplin matts. How cool is the design on them?!

Tars found this tin tray which I'm in love with. She also found the cute English made tea cups, love the colour and perfect size for the big girls who have just taken to drinking a cuppa after dinner. The table cloth is pretty cute too, and disguises our decrepit dining table perfectly!

We stopped at a super nice black and white themed cafe for a really super cup a coffee too. Kitty's here waiting on her babycino (yes, yes, I succumbed to this ridiculous mix of children and caffeine, but ANYTHING for a cuppa in peace).

I think this cafe is so homely don't you?

And I really like the stripey decor.

A great day. A happy day.

the smurfs are back!

I collected smurf figurines as a kid. So I was a little bit excited to find an original 1980's smurf duvet cover at Vinnies last week. Had absolutely no idea what I planned to do with it but I knew I had to make something. It was pretty gutting having to cut it up, but, needs must, and this is the result!

I had some fabulous yellow binding that was about a hundred years old (not far off!) so coupled with my smurf find I made some flags. How cute would they be in a boys room?! I personally think they work whatever age but I'll pop them in the shop as a new Kitty n' Kitsch nursery accessory.

I'm now on the hunt for some more of my childhood friends, Holly Hobbie, Strawberry Shortcake, Snoopy....oooh yeah, the list goes on.....

(in fact I just purchased some original Holly Hobbie fabric from eBay. watch this space!!)

my creative space...

Super busy week on the sewing machine for me! I've been pondering how to put my alphabet patches to use other than boats and cards. I fell in love with a paper alphabet frieze in Melbourne recently, so thought I'd replace paper with patches and make a fabric version.So I stocked up on some matching gingham and used contrasting coloured threads and this was the result in it's full glory;

It's pretty long once it's hung out but I think it would really brighten up a room, especially strung across a playroom wall. I would love to hang it in Kitty's room but she has bunting a plenty. Think I'll pop it in the Kitty n' Kitsch store and see how it goes......

Pop over to Kootoyoo for more fantastic craft inspiration!

flea market finds...

Still super rainy in Sydney, BUT, I still managed a wet and windy walk to my local Vinnies. And the 50% store wide sale is still on! Gold! So I picked up;


This serving dish (what's the correct name for these things again?) It's a bit ostentatious, but I think it's pretty, plus the glass dishes are oven to table and it's made in England like me. I'm hosting a dinner party on Tuesday night. Must make some side dishes so I can put this thing to use!

This ice bucket. I think it's original. It seems so. And I like the cars. I'll use it for the wine on Tuesday. Cos it will match that silver platter perfectly won't it! Hmmm....my house is just a collection of things I love, nothing matches. I have every taste from every era covered!

This letter rack. Just cos I thought it was cute.

Along with all of the above, I got some Liberty of London slippers (brand new in carry case), 2 necklaces, one bracelet, 2 shirts and it all came to $25! I bundled it all on the pram and rattled my way home in a euphoric state indeed!

Pop over to Sophies for more found treasures!

my creative space

I'm having one of those days. Three useless telephone calls with Optus will do that to you (hence no Internet to check my emails and blogs this morning-the root of my grumpiness!) So I took to the sewing machine and with some cheery uppy coloured threads at the ready, I took to making some more greeting cards.

I love anything alphabet, and think this old sheet has transformed perfectly from bed to paper! I've been dishing them out for Kitty's friends birthdays recently, and seem to always be able to fit one to the theme of the day. Lola just received 'P for Pig' for our farm party on Tuesday.

I also recently sent out 'H for house' as a housewarming card (which my friend has since framed-looks cute) and 'J for Jam' as a tea party invitation. Oh, the ideas are endless....

Check out Kootoyoo for more fantastic Thursday crafters!