My Place and Yours

Finally catching up with My Place & Yours hosted by HelloOwl.


The question is what's on your keyring?

Here I have:

• Car Keys,
• House Keys,
• Tiny torch, 
• 2" square template...what do you mean?...doesn't everyone has one of those???

To see what else could be on keyrings in blogland, or show what's on yours, drop by here.

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Friday Finds and Great Gifts

I have never done this before.

I picked up something from the side of the road. 
It felt really good.
It felt really, really good.
There are 2 of them.
I might have to do this more often.




Yesterday, I bought this in a shop.

Look at what it was wrapped in. "Recycling" said the cashier.





Look at what's inside


Willow love.

My sister returned from holidays and brought this back for me.


Can you guess what it is?

Nope - I didn't pick it either.

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

My Creative Space

I'm playing along with Kootoyoo and showing you my creative space.

Blind hemming Minky's winter tunic.


Grinning at my pincushion.


Can you guess where m.e pincushion came from?

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

It was old and forgotten - now it's "Vintage"

The holidays are over. Back to work today for me.
These were quite busy holidays and though we did do a lot of small trips and outings, I did manage to squeeze in a bit of sewing and crafting in there.
I finished two "ufo's" - one is the crochet drink bottle holder from a previous post.
The other is this bag.

This is from a 1981 magazine pattern and is made in a canvas fabric and is lined in the same canvas.
I'd cut it out years and years ago to take to uni (where did those years go?).
I'm going to count it towards the 2010 Challenge as my lined piece for April.

It's even got a modern addition of a phone pocket.

The front of the bag has these fabulous, deep, zippered pockets. The main reason this has been a ufo for so many years is that the instructions for putting the front pockets together had me completely stumped. Back then, I knew nothing about constructing anything other than a Simplicity or McCalls dress pattern. I had a 'eureka' moment at the start of the holidays, when I pulled out the bag from the bottom of the 'don't look in here too often' basket - suddenly it all made sense. And the bonus is that the May challenge is 'enclosed zip' - do these count as 'enclosed'???


Heres what I learned from this month's challenge:

• When the instructions say "leave opening in base for turning" you should really leave an opening in the base for turning.

• When attaching handles to the front of your bag, don't sew them to the back of your bag

• If you buy fabric then, it is vintage now!(I like this lesson best of all).

• A ufo can always be finished - you just have to resist all those who say "you will never finish that, why don't you just throw it out?".

Here's the happy recipient with her 'vintage' bag.

Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Giveaway Goodies at Mira Narnie

One of the things that I quite enjoy about the blogging world, are the many opportunities to win a little something from clever crafters. All it costs you is a little comment, and possibly a linked blog post!
You could head on over to Mira Narnie and leave a comment to be in with a chance to win a matching key fob and purse. There's a paisley one and you know how much I love paisley!!!

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Erecting the Opera House and Other Camping Tales

I have spent the last few days living in the Opera House...not that one...this one...
Putting up the Opera House - 

Nearly there! This is an eight person tent, and we used to fill it! Now just the three youngest come camping.

 

Rest time after all that hard work.

The wildlife around how is rich and varied!

Oh and that's us, including B-I-L and niece and nephew, we made a biggish, noisy group

This is our makeshift  'be careful of the guy rope' warning system, on the 'kitchen tent'. How perfect would some "camping" bunting be?

What I did take with me, was a half-finished crochet drink bottle cover. Bizarre I know. But Miss Bee wanted one ever since we saw it at a craft fair in Foster.

I know it's bad form to be somewhere and say "mmm, I think I can make that", but I was in a new crochet-convert fervour (and possibly delusion) and really did think I could possibly, probably, maybe, attempt, something like that.

The one we saw was much better made and had a tidier strap, but this one was made by me for her and is treasured for that reason.

Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

I am a good Mum...

I am a good mother.
I am going camping.
In the Blue Mountains.
In Autumn (brrrrr).
In a tent.
In a sleeping bag.
Bring your own water to campsite.
"Drop dunnies".
I even made Anzac slice to take with us.

Oh yes, I am a good mother - maybe even a saint (but that's a subject for another post...).


Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Spur of the Moment

You know how I said I was going to make gingerbread? Well this is what happened instead...
There aren't many things we do on the spur of the moment. Having six kids will do that to you. Two weeks of Easter holidays requires a calendar page printed out so that days can be planned: who has a birthday party to go to, movies, visits and visitors, a day out here and camping trip there...with a few 'unplanned' days for sewing, resting etc.

So when I realised that the "Masterpieces from Paris" exhibition was due to end on April 18, we urgently had to find a day (or 2) to flee to Canberra. Luckily the big C is only a two and a half hour trip away for us.

Anyway to cut a long story short, we booked our accommodation at about 10.30am on Wednedsay morning, told the kids, Princess, Minky and Miss Bee, we were going and to pack an overnight bag and left at 2pm for the Capital. Ms Diva (19) and Master Bath (18) were left a note to say we'd gone, we'd be back tomorrow at around 7pm and please make sure you feed the guinea pigs.
And this is what I saw

IN REAL LIFE WITHOUT GOING TO PARIS...YET

Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

*If you are wondering what happened to the sixth kid - she is "all growed up" (21) and has her own little flat 'n everything...

Sweet, Sweet Surprise

Picture this -

It's day 5 of the school holidays. Restlessness is setting in.

The doorbell rings.

Eager feet race to the door, jerking it open.

Parents jokingly call out "we don't want any".

"It's a parcel", yell the owners of the eager feet.

In they come bearing a purple, blue and black striped cube.

Your name is on the box.

Suddenly you no longer feel quite so laid-back and relaxed.

Your movements speed up as you quickly you reach for the scissors.

Cutting through the tape, grabbing at the cardboard folds, pulling them up, out, open, this way and that...

and out comes...

Minky and Miss B and quilary  - all talking at once, big and little fingers holding, stacking, grabbing at cards, gingerbread cutters, longingly holding  a gorgeous cupcake creation, marvelling at cute button magnets...

and, oh and if only you could smell the heavenly scent of this,

A hundred thankyous to the marvellous Cathie at m.e for this fabulous giveaway.

Well I'm off to make some gingerbread mum, dad and kids...

Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

El Cheapo Easter Bag Tutorial

Last night around 11.59pm, just before the Easter Bunny was due to make her appearance, I realised that the teens (all 4 of them), hadn't made a bag for all the eggs that were about to arrive in our household.
Miss B, 10, had already made and decorated hers and had wondered what the Easter Bunny would do for her older siblings (I still do have a believer in the house).
So here's what I did:
STEP 1: Take a plastic bag

STEP 2: Draw an Easter Bunny face

STEP 3: Make ears by scrunching up the base of each handle, close to the top of the bag and securing with sticky tape.

STEP 4: Tizzy up with ribbon, string, rattan, anything you can think of, or leave as is

STEP 5: Fill to your hearts content. Enjoy the smile on their faces.

Pat yourself on the back. Rejoice in doing your part for re-using plastic bags!

My first tutorial. That was fun!

Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Easter 2010

The Easter Bunny called in to wish us Happy Easter.

She found more carrots inside...

How could she not be a she with her pink paisley coat?

Easter Bunny tutorial and pattern here. (not by me, by Revoluzzza)

Carrots tutorial and pattern here. (not by me, by Clares Craftroom)

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter.

May this season of renewal and new life, carry you through the year.

Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...