What have you been making?

After reading Pip's lovely what have you been making post, I was inspired share to share what I have been creating over the past week. Although still in the midst of chaos at my day job (as you can see from my sad lack of posting over the last few weeks) I have been trying to spend a little time for myself making lovely things.

Some exciting crochet projects I'm working on... One is a secret, the other is the beginnings of a lovely giant granny square blanket for my bed.

And a wonderful chocolate cake recipe I found in Susan Southam's beautiful book Velvet Pears, with yummy ganache icing from Nigella's delightful How to be a Domestic Goddess.

Today I'm off to cut some fabric for my Christmas stock I am busily working on and I'm also looking forward to a spot of letter writing later this evening. What have you been making?

Much love
xxx

Read More

Brownies and Twittering...

How did Monday go by so fast? I'm not used to having a whole Monday to myself at home and now I know why its so hard to get things done when there are so many lovely distractions, like blogs and twitter... Yes I finally gave in to temptation, so now you can follow my adventures and ramblings on Twitter.

So while I was twittering, I was meant to be cleaning my house as my lovely in-laws are coming to visit on Wednesday. My hubby and I had a fabulous time yesterday choosing some new colours for the lounge room, buying plants and building a crazy 'DIY with no instructions' TV unit. A fun weekend indeed. But it is still not over yet, all the little bits and pieces still to go. Was desperately trying to take photos to show you today but have run out of sunshine, so stay tuned for a makeover special tomorrow. Hopefully by then I will have a few more rooms complete and my studio will not look like I've been through a tornado with Dorothy.

So what do I have for you today... Brownies. You see I don't really like Easter egg chocolate all that much so I decided to make brownies instead, because well it's Easter and if everyone else gets to have chocolate than why can't I. So the recipe can be found in the gorgeous book How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson and I highly recommend it!

Best Chocolate Brownies ever!

Well I'm off to cook dinner and attempt to sort and fold all my fabric into my new stacking drawers that are actually on wheels. Could be the most exciting part of my day yet, the nerdy crafter in my can't wait to colour code all my fabric. What fun!

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday
Much love and yummy brownies
xxx

Read More

Smile on Mondays..

What a fabulous weekend it has been and now Monday has also come and gone and I am still beaming with joy! Sorry about my lack of a post last night, I was fabulously busy making a little custom order for the amazing BugandPop and a little commissioned tea cup artwork for a friend at work.

After a beautiful session of Yoga at Eleventh Street Yoga I'm all chilled out and very happy to be sharing the lovely moments of my weekend with you. My biggest accomplishment for the weekend was shifting my little cottage around to create an office space for my growing little business. The moments of sprawling all over the lounge room are now transformed into a beautiful space that my darling hubby helped me create. I'm so delighted that I now have a space to create as well as a lovely little office to pack up my goodies, write and design. It even has a chandelier!

My lovely office..

Desk complete with inspiration board and a cup holder that doubles perfectly to hold all my ribbon.

Close up of all my bit and pieces including my beautiful Hens Teeth journal, postcards from Marmee Craft and November Moon and one of my favourite creations, my tree house pin cushion.

In tray table with op shop fabric, vintage tin, garage sale tea cup and beautiful owl print, a gift from my sister.

I am loving so many things this week I just have to share them all with you!

My hubby's yummy Saturday morning pancakes.

My beautiful vintage find of the week - Italian leather gloves in their original box. How could I resist! Now I just have to wait for winter..

Finally..... My brooch back supplier called me with wonderful news, they arrived! Now I have over 200 brooch backs and many many new brooches to create.

Some very girly fabric I found in the depths of the Spotlight pile. Lovely fabric makes me smile.

My very favourite new friend Ruby.
We finally got our lovely parrot Mallee a big cage to spread his wings in, which also meant we could get him a girlfriend. Ruby is a very special Opaline Red Rump Parrot, although she is a little shy, I think she is already fond of her new boy.

I hope everyone has had a delightful start to the week. I'm off to curl up on the couch with my hubby and check out some of the lovely frocks and awards from the Oscars.

Much love and joyful moments of inspiration..
xxx

Read More

A weekend of love..

It's been a delightful weekend of love all round.. everyone has really embraced the loving spirit. My hubby and I have shared a beautiful quiet few days together, with yummy food, late sleep ins and sharing our hopes and dreams for the future. We love to dream big and have spent the afternoon discussing our ideas for the perfect creative retreat, which includes my very own island complete with little row boat and the studio of my dreams. I just love to create these visions and put them out to the universe and on inspiration boards as I believe it's one step closer to bringing them to life.

These are all the fabulous things I'm loving this week:

My gorgeous new business cards! A big thanks to Phoebe and Jared for creating the beautiful design. I heart the round edges!

My very sweet new Mary Janes from I heart Billy

Yummy morning tea.. My homemade Valentine's Scones

I finally got a free moment to organise my tower of fabric.. I just wonder how long it will stay like that.

Image from weheartit
I've found my dream studio, now I just need my island.

With five more days left of my proceeds going to the Red Cross bushfire appeal I'm continuing to busily stock my little shop, keep an eye out over the next few days for more new brooches with come very quirky phrases. Here are a few of my favourites currently in stock..

A new design I've been working on the 'Jane Austen' cameo, more of these to come

I heart Wild Flowers

I heart Spring Days

I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend with your loved ones. Enjoy the last moments of Sunday, take a deep breath, smile and get ready for a new and amazing week.

Much love
xxx

Read More

Treasure hunting...

While I'm on holidays I thought I would make the most of my opportunity to search the second hand shops in the little towns nearby. My lovely friend Joelene and I went on the hunt to Merbein today and found a number of very intriguing little country antique and op shops, which bought some delightful finds. All those years of watching Antiques Roadshow are finally paying off. Some of my lovely purchases include:

These gorgeous little fabric prints

An amazing vintage tin, with cute little handles. Perfect for stashing thread in.

My favourite find.. Very girly vintage gloves! I was going to use them in a piece of artwork but after wearing them around the house I can't bare to part with them. Anyone for a tea party?

I've spent the afternoon hand dyeing my lovely new napkins and doilies for some new mixed media pieces I am working on. I don't think I was ever allowed to use dye when I was younger and wanted to make crazy fairy wings, so I was in my element this afternoon dyeing up a storm. The great thing is with the 38 degree (celcius) heat today, everything was dry in five minutes.

A few of my newly dyed pieces with some sweet lace I found nestled deep at the bottom of a haberdashery basket today.

With all my girly purchases I decided my afternoon would not be complete without a batch of vanilla cupcakes and some delightful Moulin Rogue tea from the lovely Kristy at Floating Lotus. The perfect end to my treasure hunting adventures.

Vanilla cupcakes with rose icing..

I'll be back tomorrow with some behind the scenes photos from my day of creation in the little studio.

Much love and vintage dreams..
xxx

Read More

On the eve of all things mysterious..

Just when I think the weeks can't get any busier they just continue to fill up and roll on by! I've had another busy weekend, working on my teaching portfolio for work and spending time in my studio creating some interesting bits and pieces.

First off my bestie Courtney asked me to make her a Halloween outfit similar to some costumes that I made for a theatre production. I had a fabulous time recreating a skirt and 18th century choker to match.

The skirt is made from faux velvet, lace, and organza.

18th century inspired choker complete with vintage button engraved with initials

The choker was an after thought but I am so happy with the way it turned out I'm going to make some for my little shop in both black and cream. For any time you want to feel like Marie Antoinette !

I've also create my first piece of mixed media artwork which can now be purchased in my little shop. I had an idea during the week about creating a piece of art the mixed my favourite worlds of art and literature and so I created 'Les Girls'.

Collage on a 1950's book with vintage postcard and drawings

I wanted it to feel as if the book was found in the depths of an early 20th century haberdashery shop.

I have also been working on some ideas for the festive season. I wanted to make some old world Christmas decorations inspired by a beautiful tree my Aunt had years ago that was filled with the most beautiful decorations. I've got one in the shop and will be making more next weekend.

Using an old typewriter I've been able to personalise each decoration with text and embroidery.

A strawberry update, just had to show you my strawberries are loving the weather at the moment and finally one has a strawberry like colour.

If I get enough growing I would love to make some jam.

Speaking of jam I made some really yummy home made muffins this afternoon (whilst procrastinating from doing my portfolio). I made them using a recipe from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson, my all time favourite cook book. The recipe was Strawberry Jam muffins but I replaced the strawberry with Rose's plum and cinnamon jam (its so beautiful!) and they turned out really well! Perfect for afternoon tea.

Sophie's plum and cinnamon jam muffins...

Well I'm off to cook dinner and watch Australian Idol. Going to Melbourne on Wednesday with my friend Joelene and three students for a Social Justice conference. Should be lots of fun. Have a lovely and inspiring week.

Much love xx

Read More

Morning walks and afternoon tea parties..

How quickly the week has flown by and again I have seen the beauty of country Victoria. I had the opportunity to go to Horsham (north of Ballarat) on Thursday for a graduate teachers professional development. Had a lovely time meeting other teachers from the area and reflecting on what a wonderful year it has been. When I got home look what was waiting in the mailbox for me, a lovely little package that I got from Marmeeraft. I just love Marjorie's amazing work and just had to purchase these adorable owlet bookplates. And look at the sweet little postard and envelope she included, just beauitful.

My lovely bookplates

Lots of extra goodies!

We have had a lovely weekend, very busy as they all seem to be. I've been asked to accompany a group of year 9 and 10 students with another teacher Outdoor Education expedition camping, bush walking and canoeing for two days, this Thursday and Friday. I'm so excited and a little nervous as well, mainly of the 19kms I have to canoe! What I have enjoyed is buying all the bits and pieces I have to take with me. Ben and I have had a lovely time in the local camping stores. As I am not a regular camper we had to start from scratch so now I'm all set for our expedition.

I got some flash new hiking boots and so this morning we decided to go through a walk down at the local nature reserve King's Billabong to break them in. We had a wonderful time particularly because it had rained all day yesterday so there was plenty of wildlife about and plenty of mud to squelch around in. Here are some photos from our little adventure..

The trees are already in full blossom just in time for the start of spring

There is just something about the red gums and salt bushes that makes the Mallee so beautiful and haunting

Can you see the beautiful Kangaroo? Her little joey just jumped in for a ride

I just had to take a photo of these adorable print made by a joey. How cute are the little paw prints!

After our delightful walk I finished my shopping for my bestie Courtney and her little bub who is due to enter the world any time now. Been having so much fun buying sweet things for Lily and Courtney and something her gorgeous little boy Elijah too. Here it all is wrapped and ready for the mail.

Brown paper packages tied up with sting (and ribbon!)

And now for my favourite things this week:

Journaling my spiritual moments

Afternoon tea parties with lovely cups and vanilla cake

The beautiful work of Immortal Longings. As I am teaching Macbeth at the moment I am just loving all thing Shakespeare and the works of Elizabeth E. Schuch are just stunning. She embraces all the most exquisite moments of Shakespeare.

Beautiful Immortal Longings Romeo and Juliet journal


Much love to everyone, hope you have a fabulous week as I will be!
Three weeks of the term to go!

xxx

Read More

Beauty in the garden...

What a lovely weekend it has been. It is the first time in months that it's been over 15 degrees during the day so we made the most of it and had a great weekend in the garden. I love a beautiful garden although my one flaw is that I am very impatient and want all the flowers to come out straight away. Failing that I often use inspiration from the garden in my creation as I have done with my latest beret.

First off I must show you the lovely strawberry plants we bought today. I was really inspired last week after seeing amazing strawberries growing at Pleasantrees. I felt I had to have some of my own. We bought a really lovely variety that have pretty pink flowers. Now I just have to wait patiently until spring.

I also spent some time working on extending my hat range to include berets with detachable fabric flowers. I have been wanting to try it for a while and after my gardening was very inspired to create a little secret garden beret. I like so much I want to keep it, but it will most likely go in the shop and find a lovely new home. There will be more to come and I would also like to work on some little headbands for Spring.

The wool is a beautiful rich pale green and reminds me of the colour of rose bush leaves.

As modeled by Molly it can be worn as a beanie or a beret.

Close up of the detachable fabric flower with vintage button

Other than gardening, crocheting and making cute flowers I have spent much of the week writing. I have just become involved with a local writers organisation Poetic Justice Publishing and we met on Saturday to talk all things writing and make journals of poetry and prose. It was a lovely afternoon and inspired me a great deal to put pen to paper. Can't wait for our meeting on Tuesday night where everyone reads their work. Just have to decide what to read. Speaking of all things writing, after a year of scribbling ideas down for a novel I have finally taken a leap of faith and dedicated a moleskine to my very exciting project.

Now that all my ideas have a home they seem to be flowing very freely and I am finally beginning to write my very first novel. Will keep you updated and may even post little sections every now and then. I am really beginning to like the characters and the tale of love, sisterhood and secrets is slowly coming together.

The rest of my ramblings find their way into my moleskine and it to is taking on a life of its own. Here are some of my most recent favourite pages...

A collage inspired by Florence Broadhurst and Amy Butler

I am really loving this mix of black and white for a bookshelf

One of my most loved pages.. I collect film quotes (often as I am watching the film) and this is my little collection.

So here are my favourite things for the week...

My new lovelinks bead I got with from my grandmother Mary for my birthday. Finally my bracelet has some colour!

The cupcakes I made this afternoon (gluten free orange and poppyseed) YUM!

I finally saw Paris Jet' Aime! It is one of the most beautiful films I have seen this year. A must!

And finally this little droplet of water I found when I was weeding the garden today. It reminded my to watch out for the beautiful little things in life.

I'm so excited about the release of Breaking Dawn tomorrow! If you need me this week, you will find me somewhere in Forks with Bella and Edward...

Happy Sunday and much love to everyone

xxx

Read More