blogging - the holly grail

No - not a typo - Holly Becker is the blogging queen! She is the author of decor8 blog, and recently co-hosted the Blogging Your Way e-course which I took ... it was AMAZING! She's running another one in September, but in the mean time, she's just posted an interview she did with Darren from Problogger. The interview runs for about an hour, but covers some of the best advice and information you'll ever hear from a professional, successful and lovely blogger - how she started, what she's learnt and what's on the horizon. It really is worth a listen - I just sewed up a stack of tea towels while listening.

Click here to go to Holly's blog and listen to the interview.

Image from decor8

pin cushion progress ...

It's been a bit topsy turvy here lately, but this afternoon I got a few minutes to work on my idea for the great pin cushion swap hosted by Kate. A while ago, a got a couple of rolls of jute webbing, and I've had an idea about maybe weaving it to make something ...

I'm not exactly sure how it is going to end up, but I like the direction so far. In related news, some beautiful pins arrived from june at noon the other day (how gorgeous is the packaging?) which will go very nicely with my pin cushion ...

... they are all lovely, but this one is my favourite ...

my creative space ... improvising

I found a bunch of these at my local op shop yesterday ...

... old pianola rolls. I don't own a pianola, and I don't plan to in the near future, BUT, don't you love it when your brain immediately thinks of using things in another way? I do, because mine usually takes ages to work! Can you guess my idea ...

Does that look like a spool/spindle to anyone else? It did to me, so I set about unrolling the pianola paper (great for the boy to draw on, great for me to use for making patterns) and using the spindle to keep bias binding and twill tape uncreased ...

... I still have a few more spindles to liberate and lots more ribbons and things to save from being creased, but it is very theraputic work! Check out what other people are up to in their creative spaces, or to share yours, by visiting Kootoyoo.

pears tea towel ... printed at last!

... at last ... my falling pears tea towel is printed! I was playing around with different settings for the photos this afternoon and thought it would look lovely hanging from one of our ornamental pear trees in the backyard. I just love the green - such a nice, fresh colour. I had actually half printed quite a few of these a couple of weeks ago, but they got a bit wet ...

Anyway, I really enjoyed printing my first two colour design ... especially once I'd worked out a little template for my table to ensure the registration of the two colour components was the same each time ...

And mixing ink colours is always great ... doesn't this look yummy enough to eat? OK, maybe not!

Anyway, the new pears tea towel is in the shop and on etsy now!
See you tomorrow for my creative space with Kootoyoo!

market finds ...

Little Mister came with me to the markets this morning, which was good (because you get to move around pretty slowly and see things you otherwise might not) and not so good (aparently we had to stop at EVERY stall selling toys!). Still, we both came home happy - lots of dinosaur books for him, and these treasures for me ...

Some lovely red and blue trim ... love it!

A box of pool balls ... I want lots more of these - I have a picture in my mind of a large glass vessel full of these coloured balls, and I have just the spot for it on the bookcase. For now, an old vase will do!

Last, but not least, a vintage doiley - green for a change ...

I hope you've found some treasures this week too. To share yours, or to check out what others have found pop over to Her Library Adventures. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

my kitchen goes global!

That's right ... my kitchen reno has just been featured on the design blog APARTMENT THERAPY (thanks Jenny!). You can pop over for a squizz at the interview and pics by clicking here!

my creative space ... canvas art

This week, I've been tarting up the kitchen and taking photos ready for a secret squirrel project which can hopefully be revealed in the next day or two. Anyway, I had a space above the fridge I wanted to fill, and with an idea that came from this lovely lady, I thought I would have a go at some quick canvas kitchen art. Here's how I did it ...

Step 1 - gather a canvas that will fit the fabric you want to show off, some double sided fabric tape and a stapler ...

Step 2 - position the fabric on the front of the canvas so it looks good, then flip it over and lie flat on a the table. Put a length of fabric tape along each of the longer edges of the canvas and evenly fold up those edges of the fabric and stick down.

Step 3 - Fold the corners and staple as shown below ... keep everything as firm as possible.

Step 4 - Put another length of fabric tape along the two remaining sides of the canvas, evenly fold up the fabric and stick down.

Step 5 - Staple to secure, then staple some string or twine about 15cm from the top of each side of the canvas so you can hang it on a hook.

TIP: to make the edges and folded corners of your canvas look even better, run your iron lightly over them - very profesh!

This is how mine turned out ...

It must be said that my trio of artichokes has nothing on Little Mister's beautiful painting, but I think they look nice together. I love a bit of art in the kitchen!
I hope your week has been creative too. Catch up with Kirsty at Kootoyoo for some other lovely creative spaces or to join in. Thanks for stopping by!

flea market finds ...

I'm playing along with Sophie and lots of others, and sharing my market finds this week. I found some real gems this morning at Camberwell Market - worth getting up early for! This metal butterfly caught my eye under a heap of other stuff ...

I also found a small platter that matches some china I'm collecting. It's called Creampetal by Grindley of England. The bowl was my Nana's, and I found the jug last year at the markets, and today I found the platter - happy days!

I also found a lovely old bottle/jar to put one of my M* hand crochetted and beaded covers (that I got yesterday at the Northside Makers Market), as well as the retro jug in the background.

Here's the other jug cover I bought yesterday - I just love them!

Pop in here to get the lowdown on some great finds (and sources), or to share your market/thrift/op shop finds.

lovely online mags

I know that many of you love mags as much as I do, and while there's no substituting the real thing, there are some lovely (free) online mags when you just feel like a browse ...

LMNOP - laugh, make, nurture, organise, play
~ a lovely Australian online mag with an emphasis on kids and family. I've been reading this one for a while - great for finding new and interesting products and things to do.

N.E.E.T Magazine
~ a UK based showcase for grassroots fashion and creativity and full of beautiful pics and ideas (nice to see Aussie designers Umbrella Prints fabric featured too!)

Lonny Magazine
~ a beautiful American home decor magazine with lots of other interesting articles - I really like their Eco-Style  and Blogger Style sections - nice!

We Love Crafts Magazine
~ a lovely Spanish (and written in Spanish) craft mag with lots of great ideas. Excellent pictures and projects which don't necessarily require the words to complete (lucky - cos I can't read Spanish!).

OK ... so we're all set with weekend reading? Enjoy!
Thanks to oh, hello friend for some new online mag leads.

my creative space ... blue

Lots of blue this week ... in the garden (purpley-blue!) ...

... and in the kitchen ... this was Little Misters idea - blue Cherry Ripe Slice! I love it! It makes me smile!

My actual creative space (the studio) was seriously flooded over the weekend with the deluge of rain and hail that Melbourne received. Nothing more to say, except that we all just make do and get on with it. No one was hurt, and that's the main thing. But it does make me feel a bit blue.

In less depressing news, I have been printing and sewing some tram roll menu aprons this week - thanks to those who requested them - you made my week. These are in the shop now ...

Visit Kootoyoo to share your creative space or to have a look at more than 100 other spaces from all over the world - you're bound to be inspired!

dessert

A bit of baking this weekend, inlcuding some delicious mini fresh strawberry tarts (using Julia Child's recipe) ...

 

And some "matching" typography from the studio ...

Hope you enjoyed (or are still enjoying - if you live in Victoria) your weekend.

goodness gracious, great balls of ICE!

We've just had a massive storm here in Melbourne, with hail and everything.

The sky went black, and then you could hear the hail coming .... like a cyclone. No damage to property here thank goodness. We're pleased to get the rain though. Hope your Saturday is a bit less eventful as far as mother nature is concerned!

my creative space ... trying new things

This week I've been flat out sewing tea towels and aprons - thanks to lots of bloggers (and others) who have been ordering from my shop - your support for the new vintage tram roll menu tea towel (in particular) has been amazing and greatly appreciated.

Aside from that industriousness (!) I have had some time to try out a pattern I found in a lovely little Japanese craft book called Zakka Sewing. I have been wanting to make one of these fabric buckets for ages ...

I just used some fabric that I already had, but I can see more of these in my future .... bigger and made with my own fabric ... stay tuned!

I've also been trying out a new variegated thread on my machine embroidered artichoke design ...

 

I love the shades of green and blue in this one. I'd like to do some new designs for embroidery using the machine - I think I'll have to move this one up the list of things to do!

I hope your space has been creative this week too. For more creativity, or to join in, visit Kirsty at Kootoyoo.

P.S. Found the best Cherry Ripe Slice recipe here on the weekend - no bake - yummo!

new stockist: little shop of ....

You can now buy Yardage Design products (along with lots of other wonderful handmade things by clever people) at Little Shop of ... in Carnegie, Melbourne.

Bec, the lovely owner of the store, stocks only handmade items from Melbourne and rural Victoria, supporting local designers and makers. It's worth a look if you haven't been (nothing is over $50), and Spotlight is just around the corner - double bonus!
Hope you're having a great week!