hall's habitat

the garden, aquaponics, preserving & beef...

2011-01-11T16:35:00.000-08:00

my vegie garden is kinda happening, its taking me a while to get used to the raised beds to be quite honest & the formal structure. our previous vegie garden was down the back of a chook pen on 5 acres that wasn't visible from the house, it sprawled, quite often became overgrown & i just chucked things in all over the place. being confined to the raised beds is challenging me & my meandering herb garden on the ground surrounding the beds is doing far better as i just chuck things in randomly. i can't for the life of me grow tomatoes, capsicums or parsley...don't ask me why...i just can't. i'm sticking to cherry tomatoes this year to try & avoid fungus attacks (i don't know why i get this when i use drip irrigation) & i've bought seedlings of the others. i have a serious lack of lettuce aswell which leads me to my aquaponics...

our little system was doing just wonders...strawberries going mad & lettuce seedlings emmerging but then....the heat kicked in...the tank is greening over a lot more frequently & everything is struggling in the grow bed. so i've just rigged up some shade (not shown, as my attempt to construct anything in the garden always looks awful). cross fingers that we get some progress coz i would love some plate size barra's by may.my lack of tomatoes hasn't stopped the preserving though. you can get tomatoes (good tomatoes) cheap as chips this time of year & i've even given whole tomatoes a crack this time round. still not enough yet, need to make some pasta sauce & salsa, plus probably some more passatta. stone fruit are also in abundance & the best chutney recipe ever is in Sally Wise's 'A Year in a Bottle'...if you're keen on preserving the seasonal harvest its fantastic.

so i'm off to order my side of beef, we order one each year. reason? here comes my rant...people go to the shops and buy meat each week...depending on their budget they generally buy the same thing over & over like rump steak. you buy rump steak all year & you've probably killed a couple of cows & basically disposed of most of it (don't think that everyone else is using buying the rest because it's highly unlikely). i buy 1/2 cow (i know they don't come in half sizes but a whole 1 is just too much...splitting with family is a good way to solve this problem) i know that way our family is responsible for the death of only 1 cow & we use every bit of it. sometimes its hard when all you want is a BBQ & all that you have left is casserole meat but we try & work with the seasons. vegetarian would be a much better option but this our compromise as a meat loving family.

doing stuff...

2010-12-01T21:08:00.000-08:00

so i even got the paintbrushes out about a month ago & slapped a cow on a canvas...then even after convincing myself that I could actually commit to painting another couple of things...alas a distraction in the form of a little girl who is in love with hoot the owl from abc for kids...

a little backpack that was supposed to be a chrissy gift but she has already been caught a couple of times wearing it. so now there's just a whole heap more chrissy gifts to finish & i might have to get back to making myself some clothes...summer is here & my wardrobe is bare!!

on a side note...my aquaponics experiment didn't exactly fail but it didn't exactly work either...an abundance of strawberries...not very sweet & some very sickly looking plants meant that some drastic action needed to be taken....so i bought a proper system from backyard aquaponics. what can i say...i got the aquaponics bug...so now we have 17 little barramundi living with the goldfish from the previous system (until they become barra food or relocated). will take some happy snaps but its going through a 'greening' faze at the moment ie its got a lot of algae & so its a little hard to see the fishies. i still only plan to grow strawberries but i am experimenting with trying to sprout some more water hungry plants in it aswell...fun stuff.

how adorable...

2010-10-28T04:41:00.001-07:00

these, and these...

are now at ikea & i think they are just the cutest...especially given that my felt food making has not gone beyond the 3 cakes discussed previously.

now i'm off to work out a way of displaying my bubby's artwork in a practical and creative manner...i'm thinking either metal strips for use with magnets or the clothesline style with pegs.

tea anyone?...

2010-08-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

a favourite item of my daughter is her tin tea set...its very cute watching her pour out a cup of pretend tea & hand it to you whilst she waits in anticipation for your over dramatised sipping. so although we often pretend to eat lots of yummy things whilst enjoying tea, i thought it might be nice to actually have some food every now and then. so i googled some images of felt goodies & was amazed and what some people have created out of felt. if i could stick to one craft project long enough i would love to create more but alas i know that i'll probably move on to something else soon so morning tea it is for now.

2010-08-10T21:57:00.001-07:00

i started writing a post on the weekend about all things nice...sewing accomplishments & look at me how fabulous i am kinda stuff...puke...but i thought i'd fess up instead.

sewing achievements, yes there have been some (2) but amidst all that the chaos of a little one that i think is teething (when i see the tooth then i'll feel all guilty and go "ah yes, of course, thats why") or it could just be an early onset of the terrible 2's, i'm not sure, how early can that kick in? lots of tanties, testing the boundaries, screaming at all the things that used to bring comfort, she'll scrunch her face up & point at me whilst babbling lots of random things in a very loud & angry fashion...this is my fortnightly circle of events...crazy!! so i don't really want to do the whole 'look at what i've done' at the moment nor do i want to check out what other people have been able to achieve in their chaos.

i think i'll head back to the garden, we love the garden...we might just hang there for a while. spring is just around the corner my nectarine tree is telling me, sunny days ahead!

happy tree planting day...

2010-08-01T17:46:00.000-07:00

yesterday was national tree planting day & although it wasn't a new tree...we relocated a very old pear tree that my dad gave us to our backyard. lots of cursing and a sore back but its in the ground and now all fingers crossed that it settles in well.

the beautiful weather we're having at the moment has also made me contemplate my spring vegie garden but as we're suffering some serious frost i thought indoors might be the best place to kick start some tomatoes & basil. i also found a new use for my cake stand...its creating the perfect humid environment for them. they've been in a week & they're already showing their little heads. i'm keeping my fingers crossed for a lot of little experiments at the moment.

last but by no means least...i'd thought i'd reintroduce our old ladies & introduce our new ones. our old ladies we purchased whilst we were renting but made the move to our new place with us & we've now added 2 more to the brood. i absolutely adore my ladies & couldn't live without the eggs & compost they create for us...they're also our garbage disposal units & fabulous entertainment for my daughter. weeds in the garden (not necessarily always just weeds, sometimes newly planted vegies) are quickly picked up by her & eagerly fed to them at arm length away from the fence. the chooks extend their heads through the fence as much as they can squeeze but often give up much to her disappointment. they're the best babysitters by far!!

i'm back baby...

2010-07-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

this time i mean it...internet sorted...no more excuses...its time to get blogging. a fair bit of gardening, cooking & crafting has been happening & i have a couple of ideas up my sleeve that i'm hopefully going to be able to showcase here shortly.

in the meantime i'm going to hit the garden. winter means there isn't much action happening but with my daughters love affair with fish at the moment i decided to rig up a mini aquaponics system to grow some strawberries and some goldfish for her. i've never done it before & its a bit of an experiment but i'm keeping fingers crossed that it'll work & i may be able to roll out a bigger version one day with fish of the edible variety.

the setup is pretty simple:

pond full of water with submersible pump

water is pumped up to a dish full of aerated gravel

the dish has a drainage hole on the side that sends the water back into the pond

the idea is that:

the water pumped up to the plants carries the fish poo which feeds the plants

the water that drains back into the pond has been cleaned by the plants providing a clean environment for the fishies

the strawberries should grow in a weeping fashion over the side, hiding the gravel & my unsightly makeshift construction work. keeping the strawberries elevated should also keep them away from hungry ground dwelling bugs. i'll let you know how it goes.

oh my goodness how time flies...

2010-04-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

christmas has been & gone...my bubby is teetering towards a year old & i am struggling...struggling to keep my head above water & actually knuckle down & commit to anything. the tasks & projects keep piling up & my willingness is strong but the time...oh my goodness where did that go.

not to say things haven't been accomplished...there is nothing like unpicking your favourite item of extremely worn clothing - with a glass of wine in hand - (like pj bottoms for instance) & recreating some spanking new ones. but my world now constists of attemping to keep the freezer stocked with enough food to tempt the taste buds of a little girl that strangely enjoys sour & salt rather than her mothers sweet tooth...whilst poorly neglecting the fact that both her mum & dad don't have anything to eat for the week.

i can't believe how my dreams of being a 'stay at home mum' with frilly apron tending to casseroles simmering on the stove whilst whipping up a couple of items of clothing on the sewing machine & tending to the vegie garden have been quashed. being a stay at home mum i have now resolved is about letting go...forget the finger prints on the window, the vegemite squashed into the couch, the juice dribbled all over the rug & any ideas of achieving any of the many crafts you have listed...somehow you have to let go & just immerse yourself in their world & play ( & then attempt all the normal, rational cleaning up & general home duties in the very short periods of napping they have). i haven't quite learnt the art of letting go yet & we often battle it out over many tanties where i want to tend to some vegies whilst my beautiful girl would prefer that i pick her up & point out every bird that flies over head but we're both learning. a year on & i'm ready to get a little more organised & hopefully some more crafting & blogging will be on the horizon.

christmas comes early...

2009-11-19T03:47:00.000-08:00

i got back into some serious crafting this week inspired by the looming onset of chrissy. our christmas decorations are old & very skungy & i don't really want to replace them with a whole lot of store bought crap....so i made some.

doves dangling in the windows:

christmas trees by the fire:

& a table runner (which i didn't manage to get a photo of). now i just need to make poppy a chrissy stocking & go out and buy a living chrissy tree & we'll be all set for the festivities...sort of.

quarterly posts...

2009-11-12T02:56:00.000-08:00

it seems my posting is on a quarterly basis these days but time flies with a little baby & the rumours are true...they do grow up very fast.

so have i been able to achieve much?...well of course...do i have photos to prove it?...not right at this moment...but i do have a photo of a gorgeous poppy growing in my garden inspired by my little girl.

so will you believe me then when i tell you my vegies are in full swing & so is the orchard...we're munching away on zucchini's, silverbeet, potatoes, carrotts, lettuces, remnant snow peas & shortly some cherry tomatoes. i've finished installing the drip line reticulation system from the rain water tanks (yes me...no hubby help...me only) & watching carefully as every drop slowly disappears from the tanks (its amazing how conscious you become of water when you're limited to a certain amount...& how much you love every drop of rain to replinish the supply).

i'm also trying to cook up a storm (it's hard to get to the shops much these days & certainly makes me get stuck into creating, rather than spending). so my latest is yoghurt. i've made in the past with great success, simply by putting it in a warm oven after baking but i have this new wizz bang oven that cools itself down & doesn't maintain the heat. so i've splashed out & get myself one of these:

it works great & it was cheap. we have yoghurt on so much & this is certainly allowing us to create in bulk (without all the packaging that comes along with the store bought yoghurt). i flavour it with my strawberry jam or just have it natural. you can buy the sachets of the ready to go stuff which i would also highly recommend but if you look online for yoghurt making instructions you'll find its just as easy to create from scratch.

so next on the agenda is some sewing...it's been a while!!

my little distraction...

2009-08-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

i can't beleive it has been almost 3 months since my last post. i have been a little distracted though by moving house 1 week before the arrival of our beautiful little girl...poppy mae...born 26th june. she is trully a wonderful distraction.

the adjustment to motherhood has been somewhat daunting & we're learning every day...which has left little time for anything else.

we have started up the vegie garden & orchard at the new place & i'll post some progress pics soon. the chooks have been relocated to their half complete house & the worm farm is in full swing. we've currently planted an orange, lemon, lime, 2 x apples & 2 x macadamias...we're still planning on squeezing in an avocado, 2 x pears, olive, banana & a passionfruit vine...which we have 3 large rainwater tanks collecting water from the shed, a total of 27000 litres of water which will hopefully be able to drip irrigate all of them with no need for scheme water.

i just can't wait to be out their picking all our own food with my beautiful little poppy.

i've done lots...

2009-05-17T17:46:00.001-07:00

so its been a while but that just means i've actually been completing the 'i'm a gonna' tasks that i'm always rabbiting on about.

i've been knitting feverishly, actually got to the point where i had developed rsi but the result is about 8 lovely little sweaters...

i've also been doing the odd bit of sewing, like the cute little flares above (bit big for a newborn, so they'll have to wait) & lots of nappy covers.

there are lots of patterns for nappies & nappy covers on the net. i took a nappy pattern & reversed it to make these trendy little covers (nappies normally have an absorbent fabric on the inside & then a waterproof layer on the outside). mine have pul inside (the new waterproof but breathable fabric, better than the plastic that pilchers of the past used to be made of). i also had to tweak the pattern to make it a little roomier to fit over a traditional terry square nappy but in saying that, nappies would have to be the easiest thing i have ever sewed.

so my non disposable nappy stash now consists of a whole bunch of organic terry cotton squares, which these covers will go over. some hemp & bamboo fitted nappies from baby beehinds (online nappy store). my covers will also have to go over these as they don't have a waterproof layer. plus a bunch of all in ones from peapod. these have a soft absorbent layer on the inside with the pul on the outside, they also have a pocket right down gusset so that you can add in any extra absorbent layer. i'm now experimenting by making my own of these & again, they're really easy.

then i actually finished my little frog...

i broke the number one knitting rule though & started knitting with leftover wool, ran out half way & then the store where i originally got it from decided to sell out. i had to wait forever for them to get some more in & was finally able to finish this up. a very tedious knitting project but very worth it in the end.

then there's been just a little nesting...not long now!

a bit of frogginess...

2009-04-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

anyone who knows me, knows that my most favourite animal in the world is the frog & when i stumbled across this free pattern for the cutest knitted frog ever...i almost fell off my chair.

i was trying to slow down on my knitting projects, after making 6 cardigans & a rug already but the sight of this cutey has me itching to cast on straight away...it looks a bit more complicated than my current skill level but i think i'm willing to put in the hard yards for this one.

for those interested i found it on www.livingcreatively.com.au & there are plenty more handcrafted projects here.

seeing the light...

2009-04-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

...we're only weeks away from completing our house now & i can finally see the light. watching peter cundall on 60min last night just made me realise how much i have been missing growing my own produce & so i can't wait to get stuck into creating the edible food garden at our new place.

all hasn't been lost where we are renting, with the chooks all set up in their run that incorporates a couple of citrus trees, there are now baby lemons appearing everywhere & the soil actually has worms in it. a little bit late for us to do anything with but it does show that it is possible to get life into dead sand.

with the economic crisis a lot of people are re-evaluating how they live their lives & looking to the past for inspiration to save a few dollars. its all over the media & being highly promoted at the moment & i love it. spend less, make more, grow more...i love it! for those that don't know where to start you have to check these fewblogs that i frequent a little too regularly http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/ , http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/ and http://www.towards-sustainability.com/

hope they inspire you to make something or grow something or even cut back on the 'crap'.

some more inspiration...

2009-03-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

i picked up this book last week that is filled with contributions by many of the bloggers i follow...lots of crafty inspiration & gorgeous use of vintage or reclaimed fabrics...definitely my kind of thing. i highly recommend it.

so it got me inspired to get onto the sewing machine again & make the little booties pattern that features in the book. they're made with organic terry as the lining...ultra soft. then i couldn't resist making some matching bibs.

what you been up to lately?

2009-03-22T16:01:00.001-07:00

a little bit of this:

making some bibs, got the fantastic little template from http://www.chickpeastudio.typepad.com/ i have heaps more cut out & ready to sew, i figure you can't have too many. these ones were made from an old dressing gown & yes they are pink (the dressing gown wasn't mine) but the others are being made from hemp towelling.

and a little bit of that:

another little knitted creation made form bamboo & cotton yarn...soooo soft. i'll be interested to see how the neckline sits on an actual baby & not my monkey toy.

and a few more of these:

a fabric bucket with handles for all those knitting projects that keep sprawling across the couch & a couple of square & rectanglar buckets for the baby change table. i've previously posted on these & you can find the link to the buckets tutorial on the previous post.

so whats next...i have a recipe tucked away somewhere for some baby wipe solution that i'm going to make. plus i have another cardigan on the needles & about 30 more wipes to overlock....busy, busy!! plus i'm on the hunt for some more fabric for other little projects that keep popping into my head when i'm wrestling all night hunting for a comfortable sleeping position.

nursery colour scheme...

2009-03-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

i don't have a nursery to set up yet until our house is finished, so i've been torchering myself looking at images of other peoples nurseries. i decided to compile the colours & patterns together of all the stuff that i've been working on to shed a bit of light on the colour scheme i've adopted & this is what i came up with.

it looks very bright & bold, none of that boring pastel stuff...i can't wait to actually put it all together!!

modelling monkey...

2009-03-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

ok...so i've been really hit & miss lately...i'm just thorougly enjoying my downtime at the moment & lots & lots of knitting. i've finished the little green kimono wrap, which i just have to tidy up, i also completed the crib blanket (which hopefully i'll snap a photo of) & then there's this cute little hoodie that the monkey is modelling for me. again, this is a freebie lion brand pattern. i think i'm going to make this in every size because its just adorable.

so i've found 2 more patterns on lion brand that i'm going to cast on shortly & then who knows...might have to get that sewing machine warmed up again.

oh my gosh, is that what i think it is...

2009-02-26T14:53:00.000-08:00

...yes, thats a handbag...i'm in a little bit of shock myself. upon special request i actually got my butt into gear & whipped up this little baby. my only problem is that i want to keep it. i love having vague instructions for requests coz that just means i make what i would like & therefore the problem arises...i don't want to give it up.

so the specs are that it is an upcycled jumper with a vintage dress lining...the buttons are all different, thrifted from previous upcycled items....its very soft & cosy...perfect for winter!!

i have been doing stuff...

2009-02-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

so there's been a bit of learning how to read patterns...going well so far & almost completed this cute little kimono jacket in a gorgeous wool & bamboo blend yarn...sooooo soft.

excess eggplants were dealt with in the best way i know how...marination...yummm!

my recipe was:

slice & dice eggplants, dose in salt, put in a colander over a pot with something heavy on top & let drain for 24 hours. rinse in vinegar. soak in vinegar for about 5 hours. place in a sterilised jar with garlic slices & top up with hot oil.

then there's this little crib blanket i'm working on...i'm about half way. i'm really enjoying my knitting at the moment!!
over at lion brand yarns (i can't remember the web address), you can register for heaps of free patterns...my backlog is building up again. plus i even have a handbag in the pipeline as a special request.

say hello to lulu...

2009-02-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

isn't she just the cutest. i found the pattern here & she was super easy to make. the pattern came out a little small for overlocked edges, so the next one i'll make a little bigger...trying to turn those mini legs & arms inside out was a bit of a nightmare.

i stuffed the arms & legs with rice, which gives her a really nice weight & ensures that they hang nicely. the face & arms were made from left over hemp terry towelling & i embroidered her face rather than painting it on.

so i got a bit distracted from the knitting, but armed with a book i've been quietly developing my skill set...i can now increase, decrease, do fancy stitches & somewhat follow a pattern...so i'm off to buy some wool.

lavender & luffa...

2009-02-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

when i start something, i'm on a roll for a while & then move onto something completely different. right now its soap & more soap. here is another batch i just made of lavender & luffa. i've never used luffa before & it was a bit of an obstacle when cutting up the soap, creating chunks & an uneven texture...i don't mind though...smells delightful & i'm sure it will feel delightful.

so what's next? ...i am comtemplating getting the knitting needles out again & progressing my skills so that i can make some little baby beanies & maybe even a cardi. i have a teacher lined up so we'll just have to see if i can get inspired.

avocado, hemp & chamomile swirl...

2009-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

so i didn't end up having any sweet almond oil, so i substituted hemp seed oil (which is another nourishing oil)...and this is the end result...now i just have to wait 6 months before it hardens completely. once i got a whiff of the chamomile i decided to not use lavender & just stick to the lovely calming chamomile. i have the soap bug again & i'm now contemplating my next batch as i have almost sold/used all of my stash...i'm loving the swirly style so i think the next batch will feature that to.

soap recipe...

2009-01-29T15:03:00.000-08:00

...so this is what i've come up with for a lovely gentle moisturising baby bar:

50g sweet almond oil
100g avocado oil
250g coconut oil (instead of palm oil, google palm oil & you'll see why i steer clear of it)
400g olive oil (infused with chamomile)
106g caustic soda
240g water

some white clay & lavender oil at trace

lets see how i go over the weekend!!

another finished product...

2009-01-28T16:04:00.000-08:00

so i did actually make the pasta sauce, my 5 of everything recipe (5kg of tomatoes, 5 capsicums, 5 onions) & they're all bottled up & on display. this is a lovely light sauce that is perfect for tossing through some freshly made pasta.

so what's next? i don't know. i keep looking over my list of projects & some i simply don't have the inspiration to commence & i've already tackled a lot of the others. so i need inspiration...buying fabric always does that but i'm trying to be a little more conservative with my purchases.

some yoga pants might be on the cards (but again i need fabric)...soap could be good, baby soap, a nice & gentle recipe....ooh i think i can feel some soap making coming on. i think i'll tizzy up my basic recipe with some avocado oil, sweet almond oil & infuse the olive oil with chamomile for lots of lovely moisture richness. lets see how i go.

a couple of cusions & a concert...

2009-01-22T15:19:00.000-08:00

i finally got round to making the cushions out of the fabric matching all that other stuff i've been constructing & now i have plans for some more...some plain ones in the blue canvas, maybe one with the lara cameron fabric in it & maybe a white waffle weave one to match the cot quilt....maybe.

on another note we went to the waifs concert last night featuring ani di franco. i'm not a big waifs fan & went predominantly to see ani di franco and i was not disappointed....she was fabulous. if you get a chance to see her while she is in oz, i'd highly recommend it & if you're into the waifs well they sing too (sorry, they were good aswell...ani just blew it away for me).

this is what i meant...

2009-01-18T15:16:00.000-08:00

so my drawing last week of the bag i was proposing to make was pretty average, so here is the almost finished product to give you a better idea of what it looks like.

using these fabrics is very different for me & proving to be a bit of a challenge, they're a weave & fray very easily. i have been overlocking & then reinforcing with a heavy duty stitch on all edges but in the stress points you can still see glimpses of stitches. i'm and sewing these points to ensure they are extremely robust, this bag is going to be put through its paces so it needs to be strong.

note: inside the bag are a whole lot of hemp wipes that i've been making, so much cheaper to make than to buy the washable ones in the store, plus hemp is naturally antibacterial (so i've heard).

as i might not be able to post much this week i thought i'd chuck in a recipe too. i've been trying to eradicate those cold coffee drinks you buy from the store which my husband buys most days. so i created a coffee syrup which you can mix with milk that makes a delightful substitution...no packaging & cheap!!

Coffee Syrup
*1/2 cup of coffee (make sure its good quality, preferably organic & fair trade)
*1 cup of water
*2 cups of sugar
*1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Dissolve the coffee in the water over the stove, then add the sugar. Stir until all the sugar dissolves & then bring to the boil for a few minutes. Turn off heat & add vanilla essence. Store in a sterilised container in the fridge (lasts for ages).

To make your coffee drink, add 1tbl of the syrup to about 350ml of milk...give it a good shake & serve on ice....delightful!!

finally a bag...

2009-01-13T18:54:00.000-08:00

try to look beyond the very lame nature of my drawing and hopefully you will see a messenger style bag that i am planning on making. all the squares are cut & ready to go. it will have a couple of pockets on each side & some pockets on the inside. the outside will be my leftover lara cameron fabric with hemp all around & the inside is french blue canvas.

i'm hoping it will be roomy enough to cart around all those nappies & baby things that i'm sure will accompany me whenever i venture out in the not to distant future.

what a loaf...

2009-01-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

guess what i got for chrissy...a breadmaker!! it's so good being able to make a loaf as you wish & not have to head up to the shops.

i'm still trying to perfect the recipe as it is still a bit course course inside. i'm using a local biodynamic white bakers flour which could be a little heavier than most, i've started adding some gluten flour to make it fluffier but it still isn't quite right. good...but needs to be better.

today is pasta sauce day (given that it is the only day we've had recently that isn't touching the high 30's in temperature, i have to squeeze in some serious cooking). the plan is to turn 5kg of tomatoes, 5 capsicums, 5 onions & some herbs into a lovely sauce that i'll jar up. just hope I get enough from my recipe...note for future - ensure that i record how many jars i get from this batch so that i remember for when i make it next time. last time i made it, i can't remember how many jars i got & i want heaps this time!!

bound bub quilt...

2009-01-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

well i finally finished it...the binding continued to haunt me as i was too impatient to wait for any online purchases to be delivered, so i simply used some scrap fabric, cut it into strips & purchased a little tape maker to make my own.

a couple of challenges along the way were overcome & now i'm in love...can't wait to see it in the little white cot that we'll eventually get our hands on.

i'm part time now & my list of crafting pursuits is soon to be conquered...need to source some more inspiration & some more fabric. thanks to all eco, i now have a little sample stash of some fabulous plain organic fabrics that i'm hoping to make heaps of stuff out of...i just need to try & minimise my quantities...got to keep an eye on that budget!!

little bluebird...

2008-12-21T14:47:00.000-08:00

...isn't he just the cutest. i was dreaming about chubby little bluebirds ever since i bought the french blue canvas. so i drew up a sketch over the weekend. this is the result...a very chubby little birdy.

i now have another 2 under production & am thinking of making them into a mobile. i also might try my hand at a real big one that can sit all fat & cute in the corner of the baby room.

note for anyone considering sewing with canvas, it is painful!! especially with little fiddly things like this. it frays very easily. felt would be so much easier but i did want them to match the buckets & the cushions that will be on their way shortly.

look, i actually made something...

2008-12-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

and i finished it...unlike a lot of my 'pending projects'. these fabric buckets were so much fun to make. i bought a french blue canvas that was nice and rigid to keep the whole thing standing on its own...it worked ok but they certainly benefit from having things stuffed in them, like my latest anna hadwin aquisition...how could i resist a froggy friend for the turtle.

the floor cushions will probably feature the blue canvas as a backing...that could be the next project.

a little bit of this & a little bit of that...

2008-12-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

so here's a couple of my recent purchases & some vintage fabric that you may have seen made into handbags. the two on the left are sprout design...lovely, bright, fabulous & the one on the right is the vintage fabric (which i think is fabulous too).

i've mounted them into embroidery frames because they will eventually be hung on the wall but as for the rest of the fabric; i'm thinking a couple of floor cushions, nice big, flatish, square ones (so i can curl up & sleep on in the event that i don't make it back to my own bed) & maybe some of these fabric buckets over at pippijoe, they look great & will be perfect for storing 'stuff'.

as i will only be working part time in the new year, i will have no excuse to get these whipped up in no time (we'll see).

bumpy journey...

2008-12-16T20:41:00.000-08:00

been a bit hit & miss lately, not much crafting, gardening, bag making or blogging but i have been hording...fabric that is, for special little projects.

the reason, well i have grown the most beautiful belly bump...long awaited & desperately cherished. i'm not going to make this a bump diary but i thought i might warn you that my crafting has taken a slightly different angle, which may already be apparent.

the first project i wanted to accomplish was a quilt, hence the 'pretending to make a quilt'. a quilt has conotations of warmth, coziness, security & can be cherished for quite some time. white, probably wasn't the most appropriate colour but the crispness against the organic cotton/hemp of lara cameron's design was irresistable. i'm still working on it as i just can't find the right binding. i want something linen looking or even hemp but the only hemp i can get my hands on is rigid & hard to work with as binding.

i'm not really into pastels or commercial prints & the excitement of discovering so many gorgeous locally designed prints available online certainly hasn't been resisted. so now i can let you into my new crafting world, i'm looking forward to the journey!!

wrapping the pressies...

2008-12-10T14:33:00.000-08:00

i absolutely loathe going through the stores this time of year & seeing boxes upon boxes and armfuls upon armfuls of christmas wrapping. oh yes i agree, the pretty colours are delightful but seeing the pile of 'pretty' paper crunched into a giant ball & tossed into the recycling on christmas day is devastating.

i am the other extreme & all presents are wrapped in newspaper with pretty raffia & a gift tag cut from an old cereal box. i personally think it looks very attractive in a a very simple sort of way. you could however stamp the black & white newspaper with bright red christmas trees & decorate your gift tags with smaller stamps or drawings to liven things up a bit. last year we even made salt dough ornaments which we painted & used as decorations on the pressies...very cute.

so i urge you to steer away from the glossy, pretty, colourful christmas wrapping & get creative with newspaper or the tissue paper that they often wrap ladies clothing in. if you're concerned about how the recipient will take it...not a worry, it'll all be unwrapped in 2 seconds flat anyway. we have now reached a point where our recipients are more enthralled by what section of newspaper their present is wrapped in.

pretending to know how to make a quilt...

2008-12-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

so far so good. this little project is coming together very well...see i haven't been doing absolutely nothing during my blogging absences.

so the quilt has a back, a semi quilted front (if you call a lovely big strip of lara cameron designed fabric down the centre quilting...then thats what it is), a bit of cotton wadding sandwiched in the middle and a whole bunch of pins holding it all together. i didn't have a fancy foot for the machine (like you're apparently supposed to), i just backed off the tension slightly & increased the stitch length...not sure if thats right, but it seems to work really well.

this bit was easy, the sewing was a little more difficult. i started in the centre, following the grids in the white cotton fabric, but trying to squish all that fabric through the sewing machine was an obstacle. when you start in the middle, you end up with all the sides gathering under the arm of the sewing machine, makes it a little difficult to stop it from bunching.

i'm still quilting away...not sure what to do with the centre panel yet as i don't want to disrupt the design with patches of sewed bits, i'll keep thinking about that one. next will be the binding, i hear lots of horror stories about binding so i'm a little aprehensive. hopefully i'll have a finished picture to show you by next week. i want to give it a wash & see if i get all that lovely crinklyness in between the sewn lines that you often see with quilts...we'll see!

plus i have heaps of pics of fabric i've been buying up & the long list of things to make out of them is growing. there's going to be a lot of christmas sewing i think!

i really want to get myself one of these...

2008-11-26T20:58:00.000-08:00

a bread maker. i used to bake a fair bit of bread in our last house because my oven was reliable, unlike the one we currently have to use. on many of the blogs i read, people generally use a bread maker instead of the oven. i can understand that if you weren't cooking up a storm in the oven, it would be far more energy efficient to use this nifty little electrical appliance. the convenience factor also impresses me, plus the limited mess (i'm great at getting dough & flour everywhere, especially when making pasta dough). we currently make all our own pasta, pizza & flat bread doughs, but have not had the time to whip up a loaf of bread every 2nd or 3rd day (depending on how fast we go through it).

so, what do i get? they come in all sorts of sizes, with different functions, so i'm getting a little baffled trying to disect the important vs the non important features. help would certainly be appreciated.

i'm excited already at the prospect of all the different seed & nut variations i can make...plus the smell of fresh bread!! oh yum!! need to do more research first though before i can convince hubby.

people frustrate me...

2008-11-25T14:47:00.000-08:00

i don't profess to know that much about a lot of stuff, i am particuarly terrible with statistics & remembering fabulous facts that i would often love to repeat. i am passionate however, especially about the environment & my impact on it. i buy a lot of local or organic products. in particular, i attempt to buy organic cotton products like manchester where possible as i have heard that cottom farming is one of the largest uses of chemical fertilisers (again one of those stats/facts that i can't quite remember the entirety of).

my facination with all this 'organic crap' as it is often referred to by many of my peers dumbfounds them. i even had somebody say to me 'why do you buy organic cotton, don't you know that some bacteria is good for you'. i also get a lot of people saying to me 'its such a waste of money for food that isn't necessarily better for you'. the common topic here is ones self...people seem to think that the term organic has a direct impact on them ie it's supposed to be better for you, make you healthier & they are therefore dubious about what sort of impact it really has on them.

now for the rant...it isn't all about us...there is a bigger picture...the simple summation is that organic farming does not use synthetic pesticides, chemicals and all those bad things. organic farming generally adopts a more holistic approach to farming, nurturing the soil & creating a diverse ecosystem that can balance itself. it all means less chemicals, rich soils & a style of farming that supports a variety of flora & fauna, a happier earth for us to live on.

hey, all my facts might be a little wobbly but i have the gist of it which is something that is obviously lacking in a lot of people. the wider impact of supporting the organic industry needs to be communicated a lot more...so i suppose i'll keep ranting!!

i also get asked by those that i manage to 'convert', where can i get all that 'organic crap', the best place to start is the green directory; http://www.thegreendirectory.com.au in particular i love biome; http://www.biome.com.au

cheeky chickens & another essential purchase...

2008-11-23T23:24:00.000-08:00

a quick update on our suburban chickens, the free range concept seemed good at the time...but it isn't going so well. we have decided that we're going to have to rig up a small run for them & not have access to the entire backyard all day.

the reason? they've taken over the dog beds & dog food (might be why they're not laying any eggs anymore). they have worked out that the garage where all these doggy essentials are kept (which isn't fully enclosed by the way) is the best place to hang out all day & apparently the best place to poop. plus, they have discovered that when the garage door goes up, they can quickly run out whilst i'm trying to park my car. the decision is that they can be confined to a smaller run during the day & we'll let them out in the arvo...hopefully that way i'll start getting some eggs again.

then there's the little purchase i made & forgot to report the other week. i went & checked out the made on the left markets a couple of weekends ago & stumbled across anna's stall with the most gorgeous little critters. i just had to snap up this turtle & given my frog obsession it was hard not to also purchase a froggy mate. anna will be at the upcoming perth upmarket where i might just have to snap up that little frog (if someone hasn't already beaten me to it).

totally unrelated...

2008-11-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

picture for bulk food...but its pretty.

for all you perth residents i just thought i'd give you the heads up if you haven't already been to loose produce in como. its a bulk food store with a massive biodynamic & organic range that is clearly labeled on each item. the best part is that you take all your own containers & fill them up there. there's all your dry pantry ingredients, coffee/tea plus a great organic range of toiletries, dairy products, cordials, honey etc etc etc.

i have a large selection of glass preserving jars that i take up with me, you have them weighed before you fill them with your goodies & thats it. it means that you can buy up in bulk or if you don't use much of something, take a little container & only buy that. it eliminates wastage & also a lot of packaging. its also great when you get home because there is no need to unpack & pour all your flour etc into containers...you've already done it!! if you're not in perth, i'd highly recommend hunting down something similar. if you time it right you may only have to make the trip once every three months or even less. check out http://www.looseproduce.com/ for their location & further details.

just stuff...

2008-11-12T15:20:00.000-08:00

a little bit of pondering in the garden i noticed the mango tree has quite a few little buds on it. considering it was almost dead when we arrived, its going to be exciting to see if we get a full grown mango from this rather stunted little tree.
my project update is that i'm currently working on another dress, have 1 more to complete after that for a wedding & then that is it for the summer clothes.

my list of things i just can't wait to sink my teeth into is getting very, very long including these very scrumptious looking oreo truffles & these fabric storage cubes plus the doona cover i still want to make & a new ironing board cover. i think i need to stop procrastinating & just get stuck into it.

suburban chickens...

2008-11-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

since leaving our property, i have missed our chickens terribly. i could very well have brought them with us but the thought of them leaving the surroundings in which they had grown up & all that space felt a little cruel, plus the new owners seemed very happy to keep them.

so this weekend i adopted two little ladies that are just adorable. we were going to get babies & hand rear them but the thought of waiting 6 months for eggs was just too long. so these little ladies are 20 weeks & they are gorgeous. the naughty thing is that we didn't buy them from a pure bred breeder, which i feel a little guilty about but the next ones will definitely be pure breeds (much like buying non hybrid seeds, its all about preserving heirloom breeds which haven't been bread to specifically churn out a million eggs etc etc).

they have an old bird avairy to roost at night & lay eggs but they are free range & have the entire backyard to run around in. they have settled in beautifully & i think they're enjoying this new found freedom a lot. they thanked me with 2 eggs the morning after we bought them...fabulous!

such low maintenance & rewarding pets. i have neighbours with avairies of finches & weeros but simply do not understand why a couple of chickens couldn't take their place. at $7.00 a carton for organic, free range eggs...it makes a lot of sense.

what a find...

2008-11-06T15:16:00.001-08:00

whilst on holidays we went and visited a local arts festival in the hills. an absolutely gorgeous day showcasing local sculptors, performers, cooks & crafty people.

i stumbled across this adorable teapot amongst a display of your very typical beige or blue, pottery bowls & dishes.

this quirky little character could not be overlooked & then when i was brave enough to check out the price it was only $10. i quickly grabbed it & it is now waiting desperately near our television for our house to be completed so that it can enjoy a spot in our kitchen. i only wish i knew who made this, i believe the wares were products made at a potters school but i didn't think to investigate any further at the time.

i have always been fond of pottery & even purchased a kiln at one stage (it was a bargain), but never got it connected & then moved into a tiny unit where i lacked the ventillation space to set it up. boundless books on how to turn & fire are all packed away but it is something that i wouldn't mind having a go at one day. stop dreaming...next project.

as promised...

2008-11-05T16:16:00.000-08:00

here's my black shirt that i've converted into another dress. i got really lazy with the hemming this time & so i just overlocked the edges & then sewed some black ribbon over the top to cover the stitching, worked a treat & solves my 'i hate hemming' issue.

again, i just cut off the sleeves, cut the length so it fell just under my bust & unstitched the side underarm seam. i created a basic skirt with a slight gather at the front and back, put in the side zipper then used the original sleeves as a template to create to some new ones (i made them a little bigger than the original sleeves so that i could gather them up on the shoulder so that they're cute & puffy).

the black & white fabric used was left over from a skirt i had made previously, therefore this has turned out to be a very cheap work dress.

i could easily keep making these but i must keep focused, there are many other projects to complete.

camp fires, lazing around & some strolls on the beach...

2008-11-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

...thats what camping is all about & we did plenty of exactly just that. pity the weather wasn't as cooperative. i am also normally wizzing through craft projects, namely knitting whilst camping but i achieved absolutely nothing. i cast on, knitted a row & forgot about it for the rest of the holiday.

i made up for it when i got back by making another dress from a recycled shirt. i'm even happier with the results of this one & now have plans for a 3rd. will hopefully get some pics so that i can show you. i'm really good at getting stains at the bottoms of my perfectly good shirts & converting them into a dress, solves this problem beautifully. i need to think of some more conversion projects because i'm loving this concept.

off we go...

2008-10-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

we're off to enjoy a bit of serenity in the form of camping, fishing & lazing around...speak to you when we get back.

my story...

2008-10-16T16:30:00.001-07:00

with so much talk at the moment about the economic situation i thought it all only fitting to share my story of the freedom that downsizing can give you. you maybe sinical as i had something quite substantial to downsize from but none the less we gave up something that we had worked extremely hard to achieve for financial freedom.

we had always dreamed of having a larger block, space to bring up kids, have unrestricted space for vegies & fruit trees & maybe even a bit of bush where we could witness our impact on nature first hand. three years ago the dream came true & we purchased our peice of paradise (as far as we were concerned, our friends probably thought otherwise). to afford this dream we lived in a very basic shed while our house was being built. we didn't have an oven & so i taught myself how to bake cakes in a fry pan. we didn't have rainwater feeding the shed, just very dirty bore water, so i'd wash my hair outside in a tub. we built chook pens, vegie gardens, herb gardens, orchards, eradicated weeds, revegetated & loved the 'home' we were creating.

though all this simplicity & joy came at a cost, we both would always have to work fulltime to maintain this home we were creating. we had no buffer in the event that either of us didn't work, we were stretched to our max. this was not through our everyday living costs, we grew our own vegies, rarely ate meat, i preserved, baked, made our own soap...we cut out the waste in our lives & still always knew that we would never have breathing space in the event of a dire situation like what is currently being experienced by many.

we decided to sell, downsize to a suburban block, still large enough to have vegies & chooks but we wouldn't have the blue wrens bouncing on our back lawn, the orchids in the bush, the odd visit by bandicoots. the decision seemed highly logical & we moved forward but i was absolutely gutted to be losing what we had worked so long & hard for. i had tears & anger, frequently.

we moved out in july & i can now say that the decision was the best we have ever made. even without living in the new house we're building. the freedom that downsizing gives you is amazing. it is true that 'home is where the heart is', no matter where or what size. we're now renting a little old house but we can now, again make plans for the future because we have the freedom to do so.

downsizing comes in a matter of forms & can be experienced by moving to a less expensive rental or getting rid of the flash car that sits in the garage to only be paraded on sunny days. it is about living within our means & giving yourself the flexbility to build for the future. i highly recommend it.

i think i might have a problem...

2008-10-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

i am in love with fabric, especially this one that kristen doran from www.cheekybeaks.blogspot.com just posted on her site (i hope she doesn't mind that i'm flashing her pic around). i can't wait until she gets some in her shop. i'm thinking summer dress or maybe a retro inspired full skirt.

my aim is to steer away from the spotlight sales & grab myself some locally designed & printed fabric. my hesitatation in the past has only been because fabric is such a tactile thing & not being able to feel the fabric makes it hard for me to vision if it'll work in a project. we need more people selling their fabric in perth at markets etc or if they are, they need to tell me where they're selling it but it can't be little a piddly square, i need metres & metres!!

look what i found...

2008-10-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

a soda stream machine. i had posted previously about making lemon cordial & how great it would be to have the ability to give it some fizz, now i can. i have tried both orange & lemon cordial & its great. no more buying cans or bottles of softdrink, plus the gas cylinder (which i'm sure is catastrophically bad to manufacture - i hope it is still better than what the carbon emmissions would be if i was to buy cans or bottles of soft drink on a regular basis) is on an exchange program so they only refill & don't allow you to buy more cylinders which i think is great. the other benefit is that i can now make the best lemon, lime & bitters.

lemon, lime & bitters recipe

grab yourself a tall glass with ice & splash about 6 dashes of angostura bitters
add 15-20ml of your home made lemon cordial
fizz up some cold water in the soda stream as per the manufacturers instructions (or you could cheat & buy soda water but just think of all the landfill you're going to go create when you discover how yummy this is & want it on a regular basis)
pour fizzed water over bitters & cordial, but don't fill right to the top
now add about a tablespooon of lime cordial (i don't have any of this handmade yet but that is definitely the aim)
top up with a bit more fizzed water & stir
sit back & enjoy!!

back to the garden...

2008-10-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

sewing a side for a moment, i need to update you on my suburban vegie garden. coming from large acreage - where i had quite an efficiently run herb garden, orchard, vegetable garden & chook pen that was only just starting to be highly productive after 3 years - i didn't think creating a vegetable/herb garden in a suburban backyard would be a massive challenge....i was wrong. for one we're renting, so the whole layout couldn't be restructured but in saying that there wasn't much there & creating areas for planting herbs & some vegies wasn't a real drama. secondly, the backyard was sand, no nutrient content what so ever in any of the beds...not a single worm anywhere. thirdly, i have 2 giant dogs that are used to running around acres of property, not square metres.

the soil was bad so i planted up pots, they dried out very quickly if i didn't hand water them everyday but now i am seeing the results of planting seeds back in july...very slow.

with the slow progress of the pots, i decided to improve the soil so that i could plant directly into the ground, we brought in trailer loads of compost & then planted out potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes & basil. the snails moved in & took the tops off the potatoes everytime they popped up, they then moved onto to the lettuce. the dogs ensured that the tomatoes & basil had no chance of survival by trampling them.

of the few lettuces that survived the snail onslaught, i transplanted them to any area where i could keep a regular eye on them for snails & covered them with chicken wire to prevent trampling. i resorted to buying seedling cherry tomatoes & basil because i thought i'd never be eating my own vegies again. these are now also protected with chicken wire.

the challenge has been evaded & we are now eating our own lettuces & the cherry tomatoes are starting to flower. the silverbeet planted in the pots got a surge of energy & have now also been planted into the garden bed. so thats a start, now i just have to keep the ball rolling & whole lot of pea hay to protect my precious vegies from the heat is the next step. i'm probably going to stay clear of seeds whilst we're at this place as the turn around time is way too long. the only other bit missing from the equation is chooks. baby chickens are definitely on the agenda so that they'll be at laying age by the time our new house is built...that might have to be a chrissy pressie for me.

when is a shirt a dress?

2008-10-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

what a great weekend, i went & bought some fabric & various coloured zippers, different size elastic & lining for all those random sewing creations that i never seem to be able to complete as i don't have the bits & bobs to complete them. so, armed with my 'stuff' my first project was to transform this shirt (i'd already trimmed the sleeves before taking the pic):

into a dress. i completely forgot to document the process with the camera but i'll give you an overview of what i did.

unpicked each sleeve from the shirt

trimmed the sleeve to desired length

as the shirt was a little big i brought in each of the sides (only basting the left side as the zipper was going in there)

tried the shirt on & marked where is sat about 1inch under my bust

cut shirt to the marked length

gather edge on each side of shirt where shirt will sit under the bust

created the base of dress using another dress pattern i had as a guide, modifying to make the zipper on the side rather than the back (you could even use a thrifted to skirt to make the whole dress recycled)

sewed dress bottom to the shirt top

sewed in side zipper

reattached sleeves

finish all edges

this was the end product without hemmed sleeves mind you, it sits very fitted under the bust & my bottom part of dress has a very full skirt as i used a retro pattern as a guide:

here is a close up of the zipper so that you can see how it sits under the reattached sleeve. excuse all the random threads & non overlocked edges...i'm a very messy sewer that doesn't neaten anything up until right at the end.so thats one shirt, that was supposed to end up as a bag that has now been transformed into a dress that i just love. i already have the shirt for the next one.

dog bed complete...

2008-10-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

another project down. you can't really see it well in this pic but my subject kept wanting to get up & play. i haven't managed to put the foam in it yet, just an old doona. it really does need the foam in it to give it a little more structure & to ensure the dogs are completely off the floor.

so what next? well, i have a shirt that i'm thinking of converting into a dress. i'll try & record the progress of it & report back on whether or not i succeed.

bloggy inspiration...

2008-10-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

i haven't been well the last couple of weeks (i know, get out the violin) & therefore i have had frequent absences from internet access & the ability to view blogs & write on mine plus do anything creative. blogging is a wonderful thing, giving you access to inspiration that might have normally been unreachable.

so after my dose up today of bloggy inspiration my plan is to start some of the things i keep talking about & actually finish them.

project 1 - dog bed

why?

i have lots of remnant fabric i can make it out of, they cost a bomb at the stores (especially for 2 at this size), it won't be made offshore (except for the bit of foam probably) so less travel emmissions, the cover comes off for cleaning & because i can..

the plan is that our giant dogs will actually sleep on it, fit & be comfortable & less inclined to lie on the floor causing lots of limping the next morning or lie on our rug, creating a dog shagpile. my stuffing inside will be a square of foam about 6cm high & then an old doona on top of that for extra comfort . so here goes nothing...

you tell me...

2008-10-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

ok i think i'm ready to take the plunge & get some more bags done. i have a few ideas, especially from the feedback given at the markets. though i want your feedback. what colours, what size, do you like 2 straps or 1...you tell me & then lets see if i can deliver.

a bit hit & miss...

2008-09-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

that is how my blogging this week will be due to limited access to internet...we'll have to see how i go. had a very productive weekend though...made a new summer dress & another 3/4 complete. when the weather fines up i'll try & get some pics. also received some vintage fabric parcels from rellies over the weekend. i'm hoping they'll inspire me to get some bags underway. on another note, my lilliums are in full bloom...they are just gorgeous. i only wish they weren't confined to pots...next house they'll feature rather prominently throughout the herb garden...thats the plan.

lemon cordial...

2008-09-24T16:47:00.000-07:00

i whipped up some lemon cordial last night, its so simple. one part sugar is added to one part water in a pot, stirred over heat until the sugar dissolves, then cooled. you then squeeze the lemons. i created half, half...so the sugar syrup ended up being 2 cups & therefore i added 2 cups of lemon juice. i strained the lemons through some cheesecloth into a bottle & then added the syrup....easy. it is so zingy & refreshing.
i would love to have it as a fizzy drink & so have been thinking about getting one of those sodastream's...i haven't seen one since i was about 12 but i'll go on the hunt. this way i could eliminate a lot of softdrink packaging that we seem to accumlate. so it has an environmental benefit also. plus it isn't full of all those nasty chemicals that go into a lot of soft drinks.

yay its finished...

2008-09-23T16:31:00.001-07:00

after utilising some old high school art class creativity. i created a linoleum stamp. to which i stamped some fabric & overlocked the edges......which i then attached to the back of the finished t-shirt...
...and then hey presto, a finished t-shirt. i know its basic stuff & its just a t-shirt, but its my first one, its my first attempt at sewing with really stretchy stuff, its my first attempt at sewing something completely with my overlocker & so i'm kind of chuffed. the negatives are that it isn't quite the 'very fitted' style that i had hoped. i used an old t-shirt of hubby's as the base template, knowing it was a little big i just sewed away from the edge a bit more in the hope that it would reduce it slightly. not quite enough apparently. still, it fits & probably cost me a whole $2.00 to make....next project here i come!!

a 3/4 finished project...

2008-09-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

have to shorten the sleeves, put the neckline in & a fancy label on the back & then we're done. that is tonights project hopefully. no bag action at all. just not feeling it i'm afraid. the next perth upmarket is looking unachievable at this stage. working fulltime & attempting to fulfill a whole lot of other challenges makes it a little hard & i want to maintain the enjoyment of making the bags & not force it. so i'll power through this list:

make a summer wardrobe for myself (2 tops already completed)
make another batch of moisturiser
find an antique footstool & recover to match our newly restored club lounge (the tshirt above is lying on the green velvet covered couch)
if i find the right fabric (looking for a very natural linen look fabric, ecologically sound would be preferred or organic) i want to attempt some new bed linen, very minimalist style with maybe just white cotton exposed stitching...i need to find a pic i think.
make some more dishcloths
make lots of jars of tomato pasta sauce
think about some chrissy gifts...what to do this year (i've got a couple of ideas up my sleeve but need so many more)...i don't think everyone wants soap again this year :-(
then maybe a couple of more clothing items for hubby, depending on if he likes how his tshirt pans out

then once i've cleared my head of these, some more bags maybe on the agenda.

i'm a gonna...

2008-09-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

phew, what a weekend. with the wet & blustery weather yesterday, it was perfect sewing & organising weather. i made some 'i'm a gonna' piles of fabric, meaning i match fabric together for construction into a bag & declare that 'i'm a gonna' get round to that one day.

a promise i made came to fruition (almost). the tshirt came together very quickly & easily but with an absent hubby to try it on, it'll have to wait a bit for finishing touches. any excuse to stop that & move onto a top for me, which i completed, love & wore it out last night. no pics just yet as the light was terrible.

on another note, i came across a tutorial to make fabric boxes, not that i can remember where. so i think thats another item that i'm going to add to the 'i'm a gonna' pile. they'd be perfect for using up remnant fabric & storing everything in, rather than baskets plus their construction method is very similar to making a bag...another mission.

yum, yum, yum...

2008-09-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

food in our house is a rare comodity. we get our fruit & vegies delivered each week from freshline organics (can't recommend then enough). we don't eat a massive amount of meat but i attempt to buy organic, otherwise its from the local butcher & i buy it up in bulk & freeze it. then there's the pantry staples of flour, sugar etc which i used to get from a fabulous store in como called loose produce. you can take your own containers & fill them up right there and then, no packaging & no time wasted when you get home having to refill your containers, they also have a great organic range.

coz i walk to work each day, i don't get to do a mid week shop of all that other 'stuff' like jar, tin or packaged foods (coz its bloody heavy to carry) this is kind of good coz it means i generally have to make them from scratch. that means no preservatives or additives & i know exactly what i'm putting in my mouth. so when i had a craving for some TORTILLAS the other night...i had to make them from scratch...but its sooo easy & they tasted so good. crazy mumma who's 'towards sustainabilty' blog i read daily has another blog with simple recipes for these kind of things. i followed this recipe http://simple-living-simple-cooking.blogspot.com/2007/09/flour-tortillas.html and it turned out great. those few more seconds preparing make all the difference but she does say you can freeze them for when you don't have extra time.

i reckon this is the perfect weekend snack and lo and behold, here comes the weekend...yay!

a promise is a promise...

2008-09-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

again i am side tracked, but with good reason. i promised my hubby after the last clothing item i made for myself that i would attempt to tackle something for him. so empowered by my new overlocker i'm going to give it a go. the shape is 'hopefully' going to be something like this pic, a light weight v neck. mine will be a lot more rustic, as i want raw overlocked edges but i'm sure you get the general idea. now i just need to find the material & pretend that i know what i'm doing. then decorating, i could screen print something small on it or just add a label to the back of the neck..not sure yet. 'hopefully' ( i keep using that word) this will be a little project for this weekend.

the love...

2008-09-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

how absolutely gorgeous is this fabric...it was formerly a sheet...not sure i'd like love hearts on my bed but as a handbag, thats a whole other ball game. so after a very late night of sewing in my 'sweat shop' (one day i'll post a pic of how tiny my sewing area is whilst we're renting), the hearts were made into a bag.

i'll post some further pics up on flickr (click on the images on the top right of the page). there's probably an easier way to be posting these pics, i'll stumble across the answer one day. so this is my first completed bag since the markets. my very biased hubby thinks its the best one to date.

looking for inspiration...

2008-09-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

lets just say, i'm not a very big fan of pink...but...when i stumbled across this pink linen skirt (which by the way was a hideous looking skirt) and this teal curtain fabric...i must admit...i was inspired. so now comes the fun part, working out how big, what sort of straps, should they be long or short...decisions, decisions...time to get cracking!

a very big thankyou...

2008-09-14T16:18:00.001-07:00

to everyone that came to the perth upmarket on sunday. i'm sure you'd agree that it was a fabulous event. a special thankyou to all of you that purchased your own 'upcycled' handbag made by me...i hope you enjoy it. a lot of you wanted to see more of my bags...the truth is, i was virtually cleaned out on sunday. i'll be posting pics of all of the styles made to date over the next couple of days (as soon as i work out how to do it) & the ones still available.

the next round of bags starts straight away and i'll make sure you guys are the first to see them on this blog. i'll post pics as soon as their finished so that you will have the opportunity to pick them up before they hit the next market stall. thanks again & make sure you come back and visit my blog regularly as i try to update it daily.

excuse the background...

2008-09-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

but i had to put up the only photo i have of this bag i made recently. this one is definitely my favourite (i know i say that everytime) & i'm almost half hoping that it doesn't sell at the markets so that i can keep it for myself. the photo doesn't do it justice but the fabric is devine. the lining has a sateen feel, it is vintage curtain fabric with bamboo and birds on it with a teal background. the exterior is a wool blend vintage skirt. the straps are nice and long and widen at the top, which makes it really comfy when wearing it on your shoulder.

strawberry jam...

2008-09-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

a busy busy weekend, which included some cooking (in a rather petite kitchen with a stove top that only knows one heat...very high & an oven that burns the bottom of everything). that a side, i've been anxious to start bottling again & with the abundance of strawberries at the moment, its the perfect opportunity. plus it's easy.

strawberry jam

2kg strawberries

1 3/4 sugar

juice of 4 lemons

place hulled strawberries in a large pot with lemon juice, simmer for 30-40 minutes. pour in sugar & stir until dissolved. bring to a rapid boil for about 15 minutes & then test for setting. bottle in sterilised jars & enjoy!

just hanging around...

2008-08-31T16:49:00.000-07:00

we have a newly planted deciduous tree in our backyard now, with lots of bare branches. i decided to brighten it up a bit by hanging a couple of new bags. this bag is made from 2 thrifted skirts, its about 30cm wide & 20cm high. you can catch it at the perth upmarket. as i retrieve all my pics, i'll post more images. stay tuned.

bag number...i've lost count...

2008-08-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

here's another little glimpse of a big giant slouchy bag being made. this material is from a thrifted skirt, i can not believe that someone would've worn a skirt made from this fabric but as a handbag it is going to be stunning!!

long time between chats...

2008-08-21T17:02:00.001-07:00

it has been a long time but don't think i haven't been a busy little beaver. our temporary accommodation has an open lounge room as you walk into the house, this has been converted into my own little 'sweat shop'. there are bags, bags and more bags. i'm hoping to get some pics of some of them this weeked to post here.

this weekend is going to be a bag free zone though, the vegies are beckoning. i have sprouted silverbeet, snow peas (i think it might be a bit late for these), lettuce, tatsoi and brocolli in pots and they're busting to get in the ground. the ground is absolute crappy grey sand though & therefore we're going to have to bring in some soil with some good stuff in it. thats the plan for this weekend. i'll probably cheat and go and grab some seedlings too. in the meantime, whilst we wait for our goodies to grow, i'll be getting my produce from www.freshline.com.au which is local organic grower that delivers to your door. i've used them in the past & they were great. it's a bit pricey when you compare it to your conventional produce from the store, but by the time i travel all over the countryside to get my organic bits & pieces it balances out.

note: the pic isn't exactly related but i couldn't resist, as it forms really good shapes against the fence...plus it's starting to sprout some leaves which is why i must get stuck into the garden quick smart...spring is on its way.

work in progress...

2008-08-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

i have 2 bags on the go at the moment that are very much still works in progress. however, i'm feeling distracted by the idea of making some more wine bags for the perth upmarket. these have proven popular in the past and with remnants i have left over from the handbags i'll be able to make a matching wine bag.

so you can glam up, grab your 'upcycled' handbag, stuff a bottle of wine in your matching wine bag and head out for dinner. this sounds like a project for this evening.

hows the serenity...

2008-08-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

there isn't really any, but i can dream of it. jumped right in and got half way through another bag last night. this one is my new favourite. who am i kidding, each time i make one its my new favourite, thats the beauty of upcycling...each handcrafted bag is unique. i'll make sure i post a pic as soon as i'm done. i think this latest creation is going to need a matching purse or two.

some fresh faces...

2008-08-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

some new photos & some new bags.

perth upmarket...

2008-07-31T16:36:00.001-07:00

well that cat is out of the bag now. i'll be at my first ever markets on september 14. its called perth upmarket & i've been given a plug on their blog. the photo of my bag isn't that crash hot & i will be doing a whole lot more this weekend (don't know what that big black line is). you can check out the site by clicking this link www.perthupmarket.blogspot.com i hope you will all be down at the perth town hall on the day to check it out. i'll post further info as we get closer.

finally finished...

2008-07-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

it took me forever, but i have finally hemmed my ball gown. having a full skirt, creates alot of fabric to hem. i really need to invest in a hemming foot for my sewing machine.

now onto those bags...

bring on spring...

2008-07-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

it may appear that i jump from one hobby to the next at the drop of a hat but the fact of the matter is i kinda do it all together at once and love all of it. my gardening is a very big passion. my desire to eat only organic vegies drives me to create a garden i can rely on, even if it only delivers at least spinach at any moment (give me some pantry staples and spinach and dinner is served).

since we left our very large vegetable garden, progress is occuring in the form of a potted vegie garden. the silverbeet, rocket, potatoes, peas and tatsoi have all popped their heads through the soil in only a matter of weeks. it is extremely satisfying to see this progress and to know that soon we'll be eating our own homegrown supplies again...yeah.

although edibles and natives are my highest gardening priority, i simply can't walk past a bunch of lilliums and not be tempted to have them on display in my house. so i have again planted bulbs...last year i planted these out in pots and i was able to enjoy masses of flowers all through spring. i popped the bulbs in the fridge over winter (unfortunately some didn't fair very well) and have again potted them out. they're all up and the anticipation for the first flower and what colour it will be is killing me (i didn't label them when i stored them in the fridge, so i have a random mix of yellow and white). the pic above is one of these lovely bulbs standing a whole 7cm tall...i've got a long wait ahead.

i think thats me done...for now...

2008-07-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

i've been on a mission lately, to complete a couple of dresses for upcoming special occassions. one ball dress complete & this dress pretty much done and now i can move on. a couple of orders for bags has gotten me anxious to get back into that quick smart. so from here in, hopefully i will be posting about all the fabulous bags that i'm completing. as a side note, the kalamunda markets has been stalled somewhat by another upcoming event in september. once it is confirmed i'll be sure to let you all know.

all dressed up with somewhere to go...

2008-07-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

the sewing machine is unpacked in our temporary accommodation & already been thrown into a challenge. i bypassed the bags & decided to attempt a dress for an upcoming ball. initially not using a pattern was working but i was continually stumbling on what i should do to get to the next step. a trip to get some fabric to just launch myself into the project & i stumbled across this pattern for a ball gown. i'm not really a 'gown' sort of person, i generally prefer a more simple style. not having made any clothing for roughly 10-14 years it took a while for the terminology to come back to me. anyway, i polished it off in a 2.30pm - 10.30pm non stop sewing marathon. i now have a ball gown, that requires a hem & a couple of hook & eye latches to finish it but i'm just a little chuffed with my efforts. i am now planning on tackling a whole new wardrobe (not quite) with the current enthusiasm i have for patterns. not sure when any of those bags are ever going to get completed.

time to take five...

2008-07-02T16:20:00.001-07:00

we've moved, semi settled & just taking five for a breather. i am however anxious to get back to sewing, but i'm also anxious to re-establish some herbs & other edibles in the garden as quickly as possible. you take it for granted being about to step into your backyard when there is nothing left in the fridge & grab some silverbeet, eggs, herbs & other goodies that are forever in the garden & able to provide a substantial meal. i'm really looking forward to achieving at least those basics again this temporary garden. those half made bags however, are beckoning me. i have a feeling the weather will dictate which job is completed first.

medium grey slouch bag...

2008-06-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

this is a medium sized, fleecy grey, slouch bag with vintage sheet detailing on the outside & orange on the inside. the zipper opens to reveal a gorgeous green vintage lining. the bag features large pockets, including one on the sleeve which is also lined with a green vintage sheet.

giant slouch bag & matching mini purse...

2008-06-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

the sewing machine didn't stay packed away for long. i finally finished this floppy, giant slouch bag made from cozy fleece. it features various sized pockets, including one on the strap (perfect for a mobile). made from a vintage fleecy jacket there are also splashes of remnant red & white fabric. both the bag & purse have a concealed zipper which opens to reveal a gorgeous electric blue lining. you could fit the whole kitchen sink in this oversized bag, perfect for any woman.

bye bye banjup...

2008-06-15T16:57:00.000-07:00

i finally did it, i packed away the sewing machine on the weekend. the fabric is all packed, all the half made handbags, its all away. only a week and a half left until we leave our lovely abode, just when all of last years hard work starts to reveal itself. the bulbs are all showing their pretty faces and our citrus are actually fruiting. but now the planning begins for the next productive garden albeit it in pots whilst the house is being built. so no more photos of finalised handbag creations for a little while, hopefully the break will give me inspiration to actually finish off all the half made bags.

a slight distraction...

2008-06-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

another pressie. this cushion was printed with a linoleum stamp i made the other week. the white material is a type of canvas and when printed gives a lovely dappled affect. not originally what i had planned but i think it turned out really good. the back is a lovely black fake mink. i even accomplished my first ever zipper which finishes it off alot better than buttons. should look lovely on the recipients red couch.

when is a skirt a handbag...

2008-06-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

click on image to enlarge

when it's this gorgeous bag made with vintage timber handles, a bit more linen, a vintage floral, yellow & orange sheet and a stunning pin stripe skirt with button detailing on the back and pleating across the front. it measures about 45cm wide & high.

lovely linen...

2008-05-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

click on image to enlarge

this 'sack style' handbag is made from a gorgeous textured, checkered pre-loved skirt. fully lined with vintage linen it has a very rustic charm about it. three handmade buttons feature on the front of the bag and a cute mini belt gathers the top. about 40cm wide by 30cm high. to enquire about this handbag, please email me.

little mushies...

2008-05-22T17:33:00.001-07:00

whilst i was making some buttons the other day, i also whipped up these mini mushrooms. they are very cute & the largest is only about 4cm high. i'm going to mount some of them on sticks so that they can be placed in pots but these ones i think will just stay inside looking ever so cute.

and another...

2008-05-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

this is a little shoulder bag made from remnant curtain & cushion fabrics that have been lovingly donated to me. i've done a close up of the button because this is also handmade by me.

bags, bags & more bags...

2008-05-20T16:46:00.001-07:00

1 done, plenty more to go. i have finished the first of the 'new lease on life' handbags that will be on sale at the kalamunda markets when i finally make my appearance there (i'm currently sitting on the waiting list). this handbag is made from a thrifted sheet & is a medium tote style. no two bags will ever be the same as their shape & colour is dictated by whatever remnants or thrifted peices they are made out of. a true 'one off' and a true eco friendly, recycled fashion accessory.

note: did you see my new labels. they're printed on recycled card & i'm quite happy with the way they turned out.

looking for inspiration...

2008-05-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

not much to report. flicking through images of winter colour from last year. attempting to draw inspiration for a big evening of bag making. kalamunda market appearance will be soon & i need to increase my stock pile...quickly!!

a birthday pressie...

2008-05-18T16:34:00.001-07:00

this is a sneak peak at the new range of hand bags i've been working on. i'm giving thrifted pieces a 'a new lease on life'. this one is a pressie, so i'll keep it under wraps.

clean as a whistle...

2008-05-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

back to the practical. i have finished several of these organic, naturally dyed, cotton reusable dishcloths. i have quite a stash of them now and their longevity has surprised me. i'm sure most people don't give a second thought to their throw away dish cloths but if you consider the synthetic products used to manufacture these, the extensive packaging and pollution it must create to produce both the product and the packaging and then how long those synthetic products are going to take to break down...this is a small item that people could change but have a large impact.

i have tried an array of store bought cloths but found they got quite smelly after a short period of time, even after boiling and disinfecting. these handmade cloths are from natural products and are simply thrown in the wash time and time again. i have been using my handmade cloths for over 6 months now and they're still going strong.

i ocassionally wash them with some eucalyptus oil to disinfect them, another good trick is to dampen the cloth all over and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. the cloth steams up and gets real hot, so be careful when getting it out. this also loosens up any gunk in your microwave, making it easy to give it a quick wipe over.

by the way, the bar of soap that snuck into the photo is a new batch of lavender and blue clay. this is a very nourishing bar and is probably about 6 months off being completely hardened.

so toasty...

2008-05-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

just to add another string to the bow, I have delved into 'a new lease on life' range. this range includes items made from pre-loved items, like this old towel. coverted into slippers with a bird applique, they are mightly comfy for this time of year.

for the love of wine...

2008-05-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

this isn't a particularly fabulous picture of one of my wine bags, it was quickly taken prior to giving it to a friend for their birthday. it proved to be quite a hit though, so i have plans for many more.

the first of many to come...

2008-04-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

i recently thrifted a vintage green sheet that has been given a new lease of life in the form of a handbag. big and floppy, this bag is perfect for stuffing absolutely everything in.

oh so bubbly...

2008-04-22T23:58:00.000-07:00

my latest batch of soap

is lavender & green tea, a lovely long lasting bar that gently exfoliates. another three months and it will be ready for use.