Crafty Wednesday..

There is plenty of crafty action going on in my studio today.. I've been listing, sorting, cutting and creating the day away.

Many delightfully colourful brooches in the making process...

The glorious (and warm) afternoon sun shines in on my baskets full of fabric. It's all too much fun for my easily excited Olive.

Hope your day has been filled with creativity. Sending lovely summer vibes to those of you feeling the cold of winter at the moment. Say tuned for my shop reopening with some BIG stock updates over the coming days as well as a wee summer giveaway!

Much Love and sunny afternoons
xxx

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A Creative New Year..

Happy New Year! I hope your first day of 2010 was a delightful and relaxing one, full of creative moments.

I'm so excited, my new studio space is almost all unpacked and nearly ready to begin creating again. I have missed my space so much and I can't to get started on a new collection and a few surprises too.

Have a lovely evening, I'm off to curl up with a cup of tea and my favourite new book, Etcetera etc. by the ever inspiring Sibella Court.

Much Love
xxx

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I heart weekends..

There is something so lovely about a weekend that just meanders along at its own pace. When you have no where important to be and the days are overcast and the afternoons are a glowing treat. These are the weekends I adore and I was very fortunate to spend the last two days at a lovely, quite meandering pace, with a little shopping, creating, reorganising, decorating and of course relaxing, filling my days.

After a few hectic weeks my studio needed a big overhaul and with the cold nights still about I have decided to concentrate most of my work in my office, which is the central part of the house attached to the living room. As it is usually the dining room, it has a fabulous old chandelier and I just love it as a space to work in. Previously I had been splitting my work between my studio in the spare room and the office, but now I have grown so attached to my lovely little dining room it just felt like the perfect time to move all my bits and pieces into one space.

My studio space now complete with Lucy the mannequin, my great grandmother's cabinet and my grandmother's sewing machine. I just love all the beautiful light the old windows let in.

I feel like a child with a life size barbie doll, I had so much fun finding Lucy something to wear, lucky we are the same size, I think this may become a weekly little routine.

My treasured cabinet holds all of my favourite books and years of inspiration journals.

I love reorganising and it always leaves me dreaming up new ideas and excited to sit down at my sewing machine and create. So I took a little break from my consignment orders this morning to work on a prototype for an idea I have been thinking about for so long. Ever inspired by mustard and indigo I just couldn't resist creating a my first wrist cuff, embracing these beautiful colours along with a line from one of my poems, together a piece of gorgeous Thea and Sami fabric and a few vintage buttons. Here is a sneak peak..

'And Dinah Danced..' wrist cuff

I'm very excited with this little prototype and can not wait to make some more for my Etsy shop which will be reopening on Saturday the 8th of August. I will be having a giveaway to launch my new brooches and accessories which will include an exclusive Thea and Sami collection. So pop in throughout the next few weeks for more details and some sneak peaks into my new pieces. I'm so excited!

Well I hope your weekend and been a productive and relaxing one. I'm off to settle in for the evening with a little button sewing and fabric folding.

Much love and decorating
xxx

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Makeovers and Easter Love...

There is light at the end of the tunnel, I can see it drawing closer, although as I battled with the shopping trolley through the supermarket this afternoon I wondered if someone had told everyone to stock up for the apocalypse. My little house makeover is nearly complete, just a few touches to go and by the morning I will be tip toeing around not ever wanting to make a mess again (this is very unlike me).

So here are a few of the results of our little project...

Lounge room- Inspired by Paris and the beautiful ruby red of the Moulin Rouge.

I love a clustered wall of art - (l to r) Wallflower print by MarmeeCraft from my beautiful sister, Parisian hook from the delightful Courtney, Print of Notre Dame, old keys from London, prints from Paris

Fireplace (with our faux fire) the perfect spot for all my favourite bits and pieces.

The ultimate sewing accessory - stacking drawers on wheels

We added a new outdoor setting and some lovely native plants outside but my favourite addition to the garden was this yummy rocket!

So we are almost ready for our visitors and are very excited as we don't often have guests come all the way to Mildura. I will be away from my little blog and shop for the next few days to play hostess and tour guide around our little town. I will miss my little blog dearly and can't wait to show you our adventures on the paddle steamer and the wineries. My little Etsy shop will be open but I will not be sending orders until Tuesday the 14th. I will also be having a lovely little shop update next week inspired by all things girly and sweet.

Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Easter long weekend.
Enjoy the little moments and the chance to freely love chocolate!

Much Love and chocolate!
xxx

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My Creative Space..

My creative space is an antique interwoven world of colour, texture and literature. It is ephemeral, constantly evolving... Today the broom has not yet found the floor and little bits and pieces are starting to pile up, but some days I like it that way, tangled in beauty, wild and free.. The best way to create.

These are the corners of my world...

Cards, letters, writing paper, ideas scribbled at early hours, books that will soon be works of art..

Custom declarations dance with measuring tapes and ribbon.

My Polaroid camera takes a nap amongst the fabric and an envelope of old stamps

Vintage crochet cotton, ribbon, brown paper bags and sheet music..

Artworks and scrap brooches in progress and a exciting little shop update to come very soon. I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful and adventurous Thursday. I'm off to immerse myself in the my creative space and chase a little beauty this afternoon.

Head over to Kristy at Kootoyoo to join in the fun and show off your Creative Space.

Much love and beautiful creative chaos..

xxx

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The corners of my desk..

Inspired my the ever beautiful Sparrow Salvage and her lovely studio table shots I thought might share a few of my own studio shots and the interesting little corners of my desk.

Scraps ready to be transformed..

Brooches about to be sewn..

A little safe place for lost pins..

I just love fabric and paper together.

Vintage saucer perfect for sorting buttons.

I must leave you with a fabulous treasury I was so delighted to be a part of, curated by the very sweet Anastasia at Percival Road Designs.

What a beautiful collection..

It's Wednesday and the week is definitely picking up pace. I'm very much looking forward to our first Poetic Licence event of the year at the Big Screen Film Festival on Friday night. We will be doing poetry readings and selling our wares including my brooches and artwork before a screening of Australia. Plenty of preparation and planning still to do but it is very exciting indeed.

Much love and warm thoughts for Wednesday
xxx

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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

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Hot days and nice surprises..

It's been another hot day here in Mildura as the girls in Melbourne will know, we are definitely in the middle of summer. I've been getting back into work mode with school joining back at the end of next week, writing lesson plans and finishing my teaching portfolio. I must say I've also been procrastinating from thinking too much about work, instead finding some fabulous blogs to discover and read.

I also found spent a little while cleaning up my studio after the weekend's creations which are now on their way to Stay Human Gallery. My favourite part of the studio are the old inbuilt selves that are just perfect to display all my favourite things. Every now and then I give them a bit of a makeover and fill them with beautiful bits and pieces.

Every piece tells a story... My favourites include, my vintage wooden box of buttons, Romeo and Juliet cigar box, op shop vase, cup and saucers, Sark cards and delightfu handmade owl pin cushion from Courtney, beautiful photograph of Montmartre from Tara, bird card I purchased recently from moonmum and just some of my collection of diaries, notebooks and journals I have been keeping for the last 10 years.

My experimenting went well last night, got to love some crafty experimenting, I really want to create tiny little wearable canvases. I found some cute little ones from Lincraft had a fiddle last night to see what I could come up with. I'm really happy with the design, however the canvas is still a little big to wear as a necklace, so I think I will have to make them myself. I think this size might just work well as little brooches so I will do some further experimenting on the weekend to see. Here is my little prototype I was working on last night.

Tiny wearable art..

My little thrill for the day was being included in a treasury for the first time. My lovely bestie Courtney made her first treasury today and was very sweet and included one of my brooches. I've always wanted to see one of those little stars appear and I nearly jumped out of my chair when I saw it today. She has put together a beautiful collection which is just a must to check out.

Her Writing

I will leave you with my very favourite find of the day.. A gorgeous little bird (I know I just love birds) beautifully created by Ann Wood handmade.

'Jolly- Grey Scarf'

I hope your Tuesday was cooler then mine.. I only wish that tomorrow would bring a little rain or maybe just a dip in the pool.

Much love

xxx

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Behind the scenes..

Its been a lovely day here in the country, not quite as hot as yesterday which has been lovely and with the sun shining and the roses blossoming in the garden what a perfect day to be creative.

I've been busy in my studio working on quite a few different artworks, including some new pieces for Art on your Sleeve an upcoming exhibition at Stay Human in Richmond, Melbourne which is being curated by the fabulous Nicole Tattersall. It's been fabulous creating some diverse pieces and developing tiny works of art what will be transformed into badges.

Inspired by Cori's recent post of the loveliness in her studio, I thought I would take a few photos of my own little space while in the midst of creating this afternoon.

Mixed Media work in progress..

Little piles of vintage pages, fabric and postcards seem to develop everywhere!

An old jug filled with ribbon and lace..

One of my typewriters. When the sewing machine isn't going, the constant humming of the typewriter can be heard throughout the house.

My little studio..

A big thank you to the delightful Tinniegirl for her feature of my brooches over on her lovely blog. Tinniegirl has been so supportive of my work. You must check out her fabulous 'Tinnies', yummy vintage tins filled with crafty goodness. I can't wait to purchase one very soon.

I'm off to start work on my besty Courtney's custom order. Keep an eye out for this girl, she is making some of the most amazing hand dyed wool around!

Hope you are enjoying a fabulous day.
xxx

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