The Envelope Project

Blogland, as I have discovered, is full of the most generous people.

They give things away.

They share.

Patterns.

Tutorials.

Ideas.

Stuff.

Lots and lots of stuff.

So over here in the land of Pip you can find huge amounts of sharing going on.

I'd like to be a part of this sharing, so I am sending some of my stuff for Pip to share.

With you...or you...

There is a crochet and button brooch that I made(yes...really...I did and I didn't know I had it in me to actually make something so cool! - well I hope it's cool), and I want to see it pinned to a lapel, on a jacket, on a person in Far Far Away just to say "I made that, see, and  someone in Outer Upper North Far Far Away is wearing it!"

Some charming charms, a metal knotty button, bit of lace, some gift tags and 

that square of blackboard fabric - that I wrote Pip's name on. In chalk.

If you win you can rub it off though!

I might have to send the fat quarter of fabric too - it's asking to be included.

So go and have a look here, and here and here and be amazed what can happen in this crafty world of ours.

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

My Creative Space

This has been a week of crochet, mostly because it is so portable, but also because I really liked this mystery crochet project from Sarah London in May. A pair were made for a friend's birthday, but I liked them so much I needed my own - for Chai tea - of course.

I had to make a granny square shrug, just to say I've done it. I got as far as a dolly sized one. Doesn't she look pleased with herself, with her new fashion item?  I don't know if I'll make a me-size one - maybe I'll just tick it off the bucket list and be done. The only tension I do well is the one when I'm arguing with Miss Diva about what time she has to bring the car back! 

Pop on over to Kootoyou and have a look at some other creative spaces. You'll find all sorts of inspiration there you know!

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

My Place and Yours - 3 things I do everyday

I haven't played this for a while and I do miss seeing what is going on at Your Place.
This weeks theme, thanks to Helloowl , is "3 things I do everyday".


Like you, I juggle 333million things every day and I had a hard time narrowing it down to ONLY 3! I thought I could catalogue my day using this clever timewaster ...and it can also substitute for a photo - after all who'd want to see a photo of me brushing me teeth - UGGH!

To see what other people do everyday check out helloowl and add your link too.

(I also take no responsibility for the hours that disappear as you play with the card generator...it is quite addictive. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!)

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Great Apron Swap of 2010

I am very late in posting my show and tell for the Apron Swap, that was wonderfully organised by Sarah at Red Gingham.


I was sewing for Hetty from Crafts and Stuff. She has done a beautiful job of photographing the apron I sent - with a delightful model! You can see it here,  so I will just show you the sweet apron that I received. It has beautiful lace crochet detailing on the apron and pockets and is made of the cutest Canadian animals fabric. The Polar Bear and Moose are beyond adorable!

In the second photo you can see the lovely wide ties that turn into such elegant bows. I love that look and I hope the 'skinny ties' I made for you aren't too fiddly Hetty!

Thanks again Sarah for putting the swap together and introducing me to Hetty. I am fascinated by her hexagon flowers and am looking forward to following their progress from in amongst the flowers in her real garden, into a quilt!

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Deployment at the Craft & Quilt Fair

Thursday morning our household was moving with the precision of army manoeuvres. Kids to get to school and 'Operation Craft Fair', saw me and The House Guest (from Heaven [Newcastle actually]) maintaining a strict timetable. Out of the house for the 8.21 fast train to Bliss for 8 hours! Between 9am - 5pm I was only contactable on the Craft Fair hotline and I was operating on a 'don't ask don't tell' budget policy. You know the one where you are allowed as much fabric, notions and patterns as you can hide!


The House Guest and I decided to split up and meet at 11.30 and 2.20 for refuelling. We had taken a packed lunch which meant we didn't have long to wait to get our coffee, sat down when we wanted, and saved ourselves a bit of spending money to boot!.


Starting at Stand 1, I took my time to look at each stand and even spent time at crafts that I don't do, but was able to admire and appreciate the work that went into each persons own passion. 
I fell in love all over again with Hot Possum - especially their matroushka quilt. I snaffled me some sprout design fabric, drooled over Prints Charming, chatted to shoppers and stall holders, spent a bit here and there and slowly filled my backpack with purchases, flyers, patterns and cards. 
I was mesmerised by the variety of ribbons on display. They are like the offspring of the bolts of fabric that can have me staring for hours on end. Oh so many more of them fit on a display shelf too!. I did show some restraint and took lots of business cards for 'follow up' purposes.


As if I don't have enough bag pattens already, but this CD from Jody at Quilt block of the month club was too good to pass up. Especially as we got a discount for going to the afternoon workshop. I have some plans for this bag pattern, (picked up from Retallacks). Actually I have some paisley material, that has plans for all these bag patterns...

I bought a couple of kits too. This mug holder, with it's own little matching fabric coaster, was justified on the grounds that I will need something to take with me when I get the opportunity to go to Brown Owls or the Craftroom...
The other kit is for a sewing bag, but I've already worked on modifying the kit to turn it into a laptop bag. The little paisley birdie was the clincher in that sale!


I stared at every single one of the 300+ quilts on display. I have a few little pics, but for reasons of fairness to the quilters, you will just have to imagine how wonderful they are.


I also picked up some other little bits and bobs - one being for the postcard swap. I found a few little 'time' related goodies - but you'll have to wait to see those later...


Foot sore,  but well satisfied, the House Guest and I reluctantly left at 5pm, lugged our bulging bags back up to Town Hall, fluked the fast-train to Beverly Hills, and were sitting, warm and cosy at home, with a reviving cuppa, in under an hour. 
Operation Craft Fair a resounding success!

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

Vivid Festival in Sydney

This month, Sydney is lit up for the VIVID FESTIVAL. Last night the MATH and I met some friends at St Mary's Cathedral for the start of the light show and made our way down to the Rocks for dinner.

Vivid is a light show with a difference. Buildings are lit up with the story of Governor Lachlan Macquarie who was the 5th governor of NSW from 1810-1821.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, left a wonderful legacy of buildings through public works and social reforms for convicts. The walk down Macquarie street is spectacular.

These wonderful photographs are all taken by the MATH.




And you know what else was so wonderful, the number of families with children of all ages, rugged up and wandering happily through the city. 

The Opera House has a spectacular light show on it's sails every evening too. We had a brilliant view walking along the Cahill Expressway and a similarly breathtaking view from the Glenmore Hotel, where we had dinner.


Just to finish up, here are a few gratuitous photos of Sydney Harbour, lit up in it's usual 'light show', that you can see virtually any evening through the year.

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

What do we do when the craft show is in town?

Look what is coming to town.

I can't wait...

Now I have a little question...How do we bloggers find each other? 

Should we wear little badges with out blog name? 

Is there a secret handshake?. 

Do we boldly walk up to stall holders and likely looking crafters and whisper "I blog" in a mysterious tone of voice!

Will I eventually have to put a picture of myself up so that others know what I look like!!!

My Creative Space

Back to what's brewing in My Creative Space today (though I will show the Princess and Minky's progress 'cause I can't help myself).


A long while ago I took a walk through nature, found some colours that looked great together

and chose some wool that, theoretically, should also look great together...
I learnt to crochet (well given my lack of attention to tension - still learning is more accurate), and here is the result.

Not quite what I had in mind. It's scrappy, but black was supposed to be dramatic. The 'dramat' is missing - all I get is the 'ic' part...in fact the s....py is missing from scrappy too!


In my creative space, I am adding a border in one of these colours - maybe yellow - to liven it up and find some sense of...mmm...cohesion...could be the word I'm looking for. There is also some weaving in of ends to be done.

Mind you...it's pure wool, it's WARM, and I can live with it on my knees in front of the tv.
Best of all, I know that I can do it. Some of the colours work well together - just not all at once. There is a better 'granny' in me yet!
So wander on over to Kootoyoo and have a look at all those creative types who are...well...creative...

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...

PS I just worked out how to make a mosaic of photos....mucho excited about that!

A little bit of Crochet in my life

Sorry about the enormous in-yer-face pic.
Yes, I am a Dr Who fan (it's a whole family thing)...but the reason this gigantic photo is here you ask?
Look over the Doctor's shoulder, at the little bit of bench seat...Ah now you see it don't you!!!???!!!

GRANNY SQUARES!!!!!

This was the only photo on the official BBC site that gave even this tiny glimpse and I had to make it Large so you could see what I see. But the rug was HUGE. It COVERED the entire bench seat. It is gloriously MULTICOLOURED

Forget Dr Who, I want the rug...(and a better picture, but I don't do piracy...)

So what's in store for June?

I've joined the postcard swap over at Beth's. 

This is the the second swap I've joined. 

It's a great way to have a good reason to spend hours on the internet meet people and a big shove to be creative and keep making things - I've got 3 weeks and I know how to procrastinate, and worse still, how to justify procrastinating.

The apron swap went off just in time (if you count that in Canada it was still May 31- see what I mean?).

I actually have quite a few ideas already buzzing about in my head...hoping that it will come out in 'time' (hehe swap joke in there!)...

Then there's the 2010 Challenge and this month's is something self-designed or self-drafted. I'm going to make a knit jacket from material that I bought via a co-op from here. The jacket will be like this one from here (minus the pregnant belly and belt). A lot of this seasons cardigans are like this and they are a bit flattering and I need  all the flattening flattering I can get... I am also hoping to get this pattern made too, as I've seen a few peoples' versions and it also looks easy and flattering. Easy pieces to get me through wintery work days - I hope.

I'm still sticking to the project plan, and have finished both the apron and the purple quilt, which was a *mumble* *mumble* 4 yr old ufo, so can in all conscience take on another project. 

thanks for taking a peek over the fence...