Indefinite Space

School time for James….

2012-01-31T16:36:00.000-08:00

James loves school. He hasn't started yet but he is sure he loves it. There are two more sleeps until James starts school. His big brother starts back tomorrow and James and I will have one more day, just the two of us, before he joins the "big kids".

Summer holidays are over….

I am ready for him to start. As ready as I can be. I am more excited and happy than sad and worried. I know he will be in a class with some great mates whose mums are great fun. I know that his teacher is a good one. I know that he will listen and learn and have his lunch and play games and tell stories. I know all that. I just wish I could be a fly on the wall, looking over him and making sure that all these things are happening and that he is happy and relaxed.

I will not cry on Friday when I drop him off. I will give him a squish and wish him luck. I will tell him to remember his manners, to be kind to his friends, to listen to his teacher, to eat the things in his lunch box. I will tell him I love him. But I will not tell him that I will miss him. I will not tell him that I am worried or anxious. I will not tell him that other kids can be mean sometimes or that the work may be tricky. I don't want him to focus on things that could go wrong or be difficult.

James will have a great time. And I have a lot to look forward to this year too. I'll be going back to work and doing some short courses and generally getting back into the swing of things after a challenging 2011.

I had better go and get things organised for school bags, lunchboxes, uniforms, shoes, hats, sunscreen, water bottles …...

Have a great start to the the school year!

x Miss G

Camping Happens to Happy Campers

2012-01-04T00:45:00.000-08:00

I love camping. I have only just discovered this about myself in the last week or so. After a lovely Christmas in Rutherglen with my hubby's family, we headed to Colac Colac (pronounced Clack Clack) Caravan Park. Not sure what I expected but I was incredibly impressed when the guy led us to our "unpowered site" which was under 3 shady trees overlooking the creek. Wow!

My last experience with camping involved hiking with a heavy backpack through Wilson's Prom in the drizzling rain, at "that" time of the month, with people I didn't really know very well. I fell over a lot and sooked a bit. The setting up of camp was ok but sleeping on a cold, hard surface with a girl who shot daggers at me was NOT FUN! I certainly was not a happy camper. I filed that experience under "things I don't like doing and will not do again."

The difference this time was I had my adorable and adored little family with me and we were all excited by the adventure that laid ahead. We set up camp and got a bit organised and then settled down for some dinner - pasta with sauce which tasted awesome because we had cooked it on a little gas cooker. The boys wanted to go to bed early - the sun was still up and the birds were still singing!

Camping is something we would do again I think. Once we were set up it was actually really fun and easy. We heading into nearby Corryong for supplies and to catch up with friends who live there. We fished, we went to the Cudgewa pub for a parmi, and just enjoyed each other's company without our usual distractions!

We didn't have very much new equipment - our inflatable beds, sleeping bags for the kids and a couple of torches were the only new things we bought. The tents combined age is about 50 years old and they were great at keeping the wind out. It didn't rain so we didn't have to test their water-proofness (frankly they may have failed that test) but we got some comments from fellow campers about our "cool vintage tents".

The creek was a great source of entertainment and it also provided a serene view from our tent. Not too shabby for $28 a night and the daily papers delivered to your tent!

Happy Camping

x Miss G

A Dr Seuss Birthday Party

2011-12-14T03:57:00.000-08:00

James is turning 6. Not until January next year but we thought we'd get in early and celebrate his and his friend Lachie's birthdays last week. They are born on the same day so are like twins with different mothers…. Hence the Thing 1 and Thing 2 theme for the party! Blue hair and great t-shirts topped off with some Dr Seuss inspired party stuff made by Lachie's mum and me!

We made some jumping sacks out of calico and Cat in the Hat fabric - the kids had a ball as they raced each other for glory and medals!

An egg and spoon race was easy to organise and with a few salad servers and juggling balls no eggs were lost in the process!

The boys each had a cake - James had the Thing 1 and Thing 2 cupcakes and Lachie had a cake with a personalised cake topper. The cake board for James' cupcakes is a Dr Seuss gameboard that I found at the opshop! This game came with cards and other cute things that we used to decorate our cakes and party favour boxes.

Continuing the theme to the end, I made a Pin the Number on the Thing game - I drew the Things and made some stick on labels that the kids had to attach while blind folded. Fun and easy!

The day culminated in the Blue Fish Pinata! This was a shark from Spotlight and the closest thing we could find to go with the Dr Seuss theme. That's Alexi having a go!

The kids went home with a party favours box which we decorated with cards from the Op Shop found game and labels we printed ourselves.

All in all, we had a ball.

Happy Party Planning

x Miss G

Sunday Funday Sunday

2011-10-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

I did not get out of my pyjamas today. And most of yesterday too. I woke up, showered and then got back into pyjamas. These are special Super Productive Pyjamas. Yesterday I wore them as I pottered around home, cleaning, cooking, hanging out with the kids and hubby. I had my dad over for a lamb roast. That was a nice get together.

Today was not as productive although I did make some headway on my Babette Blanket. A few of my friends are walking around with baby on board! The first one to have a GIRL will get this as a gift! I am trying to not get scared of the sewing up and sewing in part.

Another exciting thing happened today! I finished my Teepee AKA Wig Wam! I started this project ages ago and had nearly finished it but just needed some holes drilled in the top of the poles to loop through the rope that holds everything up and together. My husband and the boys had fun with the task of drilling the holes and then the boys busied themselves filling it with books and toys. I think they are enjoying their cubby corner with its new addition!

I watched some old movies today as I crocheted. There was one called Jeanne Eagels - It was based on the story of an actress who was around in the 1920's. A really interesting story about a then famous Broadway and Hollywood actress. The movie starring Kim Novak, Jeff Chandler and Agnes Moorehead was very dramatic with beautiful fashion throughout. Some of the fairground scenes were amazing too - if you like Carousels there are a few good ones in this!

And have you noticed lately that there is often an Elvis movie on a Sunday afternoon? Today's offering was Follow Your Dream. Nice to crochet to and fun to watch (listen to!)

That was my Pyjama Clad Weekend!

Happy PJ Days

x Miss G

Craft Room Make Over

2011-10-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Don't you love Make Over shows? Whether they are making up a scruffy man or a tired lady, I can't help but watch the transformation. Hair, make-up, clothes and hey presto they are new people (until they go home and pull on their favourite overalls, tie their hair back and be themselves again).

Well, my office was getting very scruffy and tired and required a make over intervention. I hope it will not become the crazy, unfriendly place it was before. This was also a bit of an anniversary present from my husband as we recently celebrated 10 years of marriage!

So it started last Wednesday. I called Vinnies so they could come and take some furniture away as there was a lovely floral 4 piece lounge suite in the room which I had bought from them 8 years ago. I also looked into storage furniture and a work table - alas my op shop visits were fruitless as there was nothing really big and wide enough to accommodate all the things I wanted to have in my room.

I had my plan. I made this about 6 months ago. I had it hanging on my office wall so I wouldn't lose sight of the vision.

Okay. This was the reality. With no storage in the room, the lounge suite became a dumping place for everything. I also had fabric and sewing machines, wool and needles, craft books and whole lotta other stuff in the lounge room. Any attempts at crafting had to be packed up for meal times and I was not able to leave things out to ponder and think about them. They got tucked away and sometimes forgotten about.

On Friday, the lovely guys from Vinnies came along with a truck and took the furniture away.

Just before they got there Officeworks had delivered the new storage furniture in flat packs ready for assembly. I had a blank canvas and it started getting exciting as I started putting a small book shelf together.

This was the space I had to work with. It's quite a large room with good natural light in the morning.

On Saturday, I waved my husband and boys off as they headed to Rutherglen for the weekend. The Rutherglen show was on and it was a good chance for them to catch up with their Pa Frankie.

I got right into it. I started with the large storage shelves. I found some tools and built one slowly. The second one was faster and soon I had two done!

After a little visit to Officeworks and Ikea to pick up some small storage stuff and a new light fitting, I kept going.

At around 5.30 I found myself up a ladder trying to rip an old light fitting out of the ceiling. NOT CLEVER GINA! I took a deep breath, swallowed my pride and admitted that I would need a professional! Lucky for me, I have a neighbour who is a friend and electrician. I popped round to his place and his daughter told me she would ask him to call me back. He popped around a little later and installed the new light fitting.

OH MY GOD - THEN THERE WAS LIGHT! This room has never been so bright. EVER! He left and I happy danced!

By the end of Sunday, after a lovely visit to the Camberwell Market, I started sorting, packing, deciding and shooshing the room. The work table is enormous - big enough for everything I need to do! The bookshelf is full of my favourite craft books, the storage shelves are full of boxes of my crafty bits and bobs. Even my lovely Dr Esse Jane has a place from which to survey her new surroundings (she has no head but I know she feels it!)

By the time the boys got back from the country I had practically finished. The boys were impressed that they could see the top of my desk and that they could find the mouse. They have started making plans on how they will use the room too….. mmm….

It's been a long time coming so I am feeling very happy that I have achieved one of my main goals this year…. and its only October!

Happy Make Overs but be yourself!

x Miss G

Op Shops & Skip Bins!

2011-10-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

Holly Hobby says it all in this cute ceramic apple shaped dish. This was found at Salvos in Ringwood and it ticked all my boxes! Apple shaped, ceramic, cute, nostalgic … check! I also found some scarves and knitting needles.

And just as we were about to leave, I noticed something in the Skip Bin at the Salvos. I could see there were some car track games so I thought I'd go over and have a look….. it started raining so all I could rescue from the Skip was this incredible Milton Bradley Twister Game! FROM 1967!! In amazing condition down to its spinner card and plastic mat! SCORE! How cute are the box graphics, I ask you?

Happy cute things & fun games!

x Miss G

Making and Baking

2011-10-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

I've been making a few things! Brianna (rollinginfabric) taught me the fundamentals of embroidery at the Northern Craft Bonanza session a few weeks ago and I practiced at home with French Knots! So much fun and terribly cute!

I have been working on this blanket for a little while now. I am growing it daily and I am loving the colours! Next I will try a Babette Blanket like the one in the Smurfs Movie! It is scrummy!

I made a wicked Spanakopita! Yum for the whole family! Dad grows all the greens in his garden and this turned out better than even I could have hoped. Really easy and delicious!

More to follow!

Happy Baking and Making!

x Miss G

UPHOLSTERY IMPOSTERY

2011-09-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

I love UPHOLSTERY!! What fun I've been having with some old bits and pieces from the footpath and the op shop and some new bits and bobs from the hardware store.

The picture below shows the original footstool frame. A dark cherry reddish brown colour - it had no cushion left but it still had the frame that the cushion went in.

I picked up the foam from Resource Rescue and the fabric from East Kew Vinnies. Paint and upholstery nails were from the hardware.

The timber footstool came from the footpath just a little way up from here. SCORE!

To cover the dark stain, I painted on a couple of coats of undercoat. Now its white.

While that dried I put the new cushion together. I wanted it to be square so that I could put a tea tray on it and use it as an occasional table occasionally! This was done with the piece of wood layered with foam, covered with calico and then covered again with the bluey-greeny fabric from Vinnies.

Then I painted the frame a mustard colour - Its called HAYRIDE if you want to be proper about its painterly moniker. I think it looks really sweet and above all it is FINISHED and out of my craft room! It will take pride of place in the spare room. I think I will drape my negligee (ie flanny pj's) over it. Or use it for cups of tea and tired feet! Its so cheery and fun!

Love my Staple Gun and Paintbrush!

xox Miss G

Those were the days.

2011-09-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

We've been looking at some great old photos of mum and dad as young parents in the last few weeks. Here are some of my favourites.

My mum and dad with me and my Godfather after my christening.

On a family outing in 1972, mum is pregnant with my little brother George and that's Mary with the funky sunnies.

Mum and me and a giant teddy at a family function in the early 70's.

Our family passport photo around 1976, just before out 6 month trip to Greece.

A tribute to My Mum

2011-09-04T17:24:00.000-07:00

My mum passed away on the 25th August. She had been diagnosed with liver cancer in early July. We had 5 weeks with her before she died and we are really feeling her loss right now. Being Greek Orthodox, her funeral was a traditional one but the priest is Australian born and he performed the ceremony, along with my uncle (also a priest) in both Greek and English. This helped to include everyone in the service and made it all the more meaningful for those of us who don't speak fluent ancient Greek.

I wrote a tribute for the priest to read during the service.

Vicky was born on the 12^th of April, 1942 in themountain village of Karaiskaki, Western Greece. Her parents, Andreas and Ionna Skapetis lived in a two roomstone house with their six children, Frosini, Haralambos, Vasiliki, Gerasimoula,Phillipas and Maiyoula.

Their life in the village was a poor yet happy one. Theirs was a very close family thatworked hard on the land. They hadvery little and yet managed to look after each other. The children went to school and worked alongside theirparents to make their simple living.

Opportunities in village life were few. With the desire for better lives andwith the encouragement of their parents, the older children, in their lateteens and early twenties were given the option to come to Australia. Frosini and Vicky came to Australia in1961 to live with their Uncle Yianni and Aunt Nicky who had settled here a fewyears earlier. The girls werefollowed a few years later by Haralambos, Gerasimoula and Maiyoula. The family settled into life in aforeign country and with very little English they secured jobs at Manola ShoeFactory where they worked until 1967.

Emmanuel Zouglakis came to Australia in June 1964. He had met Vicky a few years earlier inthe village where he had worked as a health surveyor. He left Greece for a better life in Australia and on the 5^thof September, 1964, he and Vicky were married. Their first child, Mary, was born in October 1965.

In 1968 Vicky and Emmanuel together with Frosini and herhusband Fotis opened their first small business, a milk bar in Richmond. Gina was born in July 1970 and Georgewas born in December 1972. The 2families worked in the shop and lived in the house behind the shop with theirchildren. Together with theircousins Chris and Louis, the children Mary, Gina and George grew up happily asthe business thrived. Thispartnership continued for 10 years.

Their next business venture lasted 20 years. Vicky andEmmanuel’s small supermarket in Wattle Park thrived in those years. Vicky made so many friends there. She worked hard but always had time tolisten to her customers’ stories. Vicky balanced full time work and motherhood extremely well. The business was closed in 1997 andEmmanuel and Vicky retired.

Along with Emmanuel, Vicky worked tirelessly over 14 yearswith Melbourne’s Cretan community. She organised and catered numerous small and large social events. The Brotherhood of Lasithion wasgrateful for her work with them. Over the years Vicky provided beautiful meals for hundreds of people andwas a beloved friend to all in this community.

Vicky and Emmanuel were inseparable as life partners, asparents and as business operators. Everything they built for themselves and their families they builttogether. Side by side theymanaged the rigours of work and family life. They watched proudly as their children succeeded throughschool, university and into the workforce. Vicky loved all of their partners John, Kathy and Gavan asher own and was beyond thrilled when each of her 6 grandchildren wereborn. Saski, Alexi, Katia, James,Jasmine and Aris were all adored by their Yia Yai.

Vicky loved her garden, growing fruit, vegetables andflowers successfully for many years. Vicky also loved to cook. Her greatest joy came from seeing her family sit down to enjoy a mealtogether.

Family gatherings were happy occasions with Vicky enjoyingthe love and company of her children and grandchildren. She was surrounded by people who lovedher for her generosity, humour and warm spirit. Her strength made her family strong. Her intelligence and courage forged afuture for her family that is something for which they will be eternally grateful.

Remember Vicky now for all the special gifts she brought toyour lives. She cared deeply forothers in their time of need and rose to every challenge with great energy anddetermination. Her memory lives on in each of you and with your remembrance herspirit will continue to touch your lives. Think fondly of the times you have spent with Vicky and hold on to yourmemories.

May she live forever in our hearts.

love you mum x

Miss G

So Fast + So Fun = Soft Furnishings

2011-08-12T01:14:00.000-07:00

I love changing the stuff in my house. I get sick of things sometimes and feel a change is needed. But, I'm not working so the change has to be cheap and cheerful and somewhat environmentally friendly. No waste permitted! It has to look ok though - it can't be too shabby, either.

My favourite place to shop for materials is Resource Rescue. I know, I know… you've heard it before! But really it is quite special and popping along there regularly means picking up new stuff. I went yesterday as it had been a while since the last time and James and I were sick of being sickies, stuck inside!

Gary was there when we arrived. He was making something yummy smelling for lunch. I picked up some great drawing paper for the kids - large sheets of white paper - perfect condition. I grabbed some lovely large pieces of leather and then I stumbled on some great fabric samples. Large swathes of coordinating fabric as well as a huge roll of upholstery fabric…. my mind started singing Soft Furnishings Are The Gateway Craft to Upholstery! And I really want to learn upholstery… what a great way to start. Resource Rescue has some great upholstery fabrics for next to nothing. My whole shopping trolley full of treasures set me back the princessly sum of $20.

So this is what came out of the visit. The fabric was a very large sample of coordinating fabrics by Unique Fabrics. The back of the large cushions is the stripey fabric you can see on the small cushion at the front. The small cushion is a bit of a patchwork effort to counterbalance the flouncy flowers on the large cushions. It even has a zip (which are getting less scary!)

Happy UpCycled Soft Furnishings (nearly Upholstering)!

x Miss G

I'm a Craft Group Newbie!

2011-08-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

I love craft. You know that, I know that. Pretty much anyone who knows me knows that. Up until yesterday I was a solo crafter. I could be found at home sewing, knitting, crocheting. Alone. I can be quite shy at times and meeting new people can be anxiety inspiring.

I have been thinking about craft groups lately. The evolution of the social crafting group has been amazing at connecting likeminded crafty people in a fun and creative way. The aim is to share skills and come together through craft. Up until last week I had only thought about going along to one of the many regular gatherings around Melbourne. I don't know why it took so long for me to pluck up the courage to take stick and yarn to a group.

I have been a fervent fan of Twitter lately primarily because of the crafty gals that are there. We chat about life, kids, work, what we've made or are making. Milo, ice-cream and mint slices feature quite a lot too. Last Wednesday, Cathie from Melbourne Epicure invited me along to the NCB. The Northern Craft Bonanza. I was thrilled to meet some of the Tweeters in person. It was funny how we had our real names and our Twitter names. Introductions were made as Gina, or Miss G or Gidgeroo. An instant rapport existed due to the familiarity of names on Twitter. Crazy nice and I was instantly rid of my usual shyness! I also have new Twitter friends and some new Blogs to read!

So the focus for me was not on what I was doing but what others were doing. There were crochet squares, blankets and shawls, there was embroidery, there was needle felting and pom pom making! I took some Tunisian Crochet to do and gave a little demo on how it worked. I SO want to try needle felting as Mel was teaching Brianna and it looked like such a fun thing to do! Next time will be needle felting time! I, for one, cannot wait!

Happy Public Displays of Crafting

x Miss G

A Birthday Quilt.

2011-07-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

It's my niece Jasmine's birthday tomorrow. She will be 5 and is having a fancy dress party with a bunch of her friends and family to celebrate. Jasmine is also my God Daughter which means that I am supposed to be a good spiritual role model for her. Her grandma, mum and I are all crafty so Jasmine will have no shortage of good creative influences in her life. She is also an AWESOME artist in her own right. Her pictures are amazing. My brother is good at drawing too. Must be in the genes, I reckon!

With her birthday coming up and my year of living creatively well and truly underway, I decided another birthday quilt was in order! The floral fabric for this project was sourced from op shops, the wadding and backing were from Spotlight. It is pieced together with a bunch of 6" squares arranged not very randomly (there is a pattern of sorts in there).

This shows the quilt pieced together and the border sewn on. Very girly, a bit Liberty Print and the more I worked on it the more I liked the look of it. Hope she likes it!

In this pic below, I have quilted together the 3 layers of the quilt. This part always causes me to fall in a heap as I fight with my lovely sewing machine for cooperation. I ditched the walking foot I had put on due to the backing fabric bunching as I sewed. I cried, unpicked, tried again, cried some more. argh! Then I spoke with my buddy Lucianne and she put me back on track with words of advice and encouragement. Plus I changed to a proper quilting needle and showed the fabric who was BOSS!

So it came to today. Tomorrow is Jasmine's birthday and well, I really had a deadline, don't you think? I had already cut the binding so today I sewed the binding together, ironed the length of it into a bias binding, pinned into place and sewed it on.

FINITO! I have a gift to give Jasmine tomorrow!

I had made the cushion a little while ago with the same fabrics. It just has a calico back and a velcro fastening.

Happy Birthday Jasmine!

x Miss G

A Nomad in My Own Home

2011-07-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

I love my home. I love so many things about it - its location and closeness to things and people I like, the way it has a big room that we can all hang out in, the way I have my own (yet to be organised) study. BUT for some reason I struggle to confine my activities to one place. I make nests instead.

Lots of different nests that serve different purposes. If I am in one of my nests I feel fine.
In any one week I could sleep in 3 different beds depending on how I feel or whether I am going to bed late and don't want to disturb my hubby. I have been known to move my stuff from room to room in a basket depending on where I am in the house. All my clothes are in the one place most of the time but this can change too. Some things are downstairs and others upstairs.

These habits started early on before kids. With a husband that is a light sleeper and with me being a deep & noisy sleeper, slumber compatibility is never going to happen. No one can cope with a busy life with too little sleep so sleeping solo became accepted as normal. Then kids came along and middle of the night feeds and the other nocturnal disturbances wreaked havoc on everyone's sleeping habits.

I am really trying to be more refined in my habits. I am organising my crafting things and my personal things so that they have an easily accessible home within the home. This is a slow process as getting everyone else organised is usually prioritised higher than getting myself organised. I am chipping away at it, at least a little every day.

I have started keeping a notebook of ideals. Not ideas. Ideals. The ideal bedroom, studio, bathroom, kitchen, living room. By ideal, I don't really mean it has to be a photogenic space with everything perfect. I could not live like that for more than an hour. It just has to function well and be nice to spend time in. Where things are easy to find and put away. That cupboard contents do not fall on my head when I open the door.

The day will come when things are Ideal. In the meantime I will enjoy converting my mind and my space so that my nests are fewer and tidier but still cosy!

Happy Nesting

x Miss G

Making Stuff, Finding Stuff, Giving Stuff, Selling Stuff

2011-07-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

Life is full of STUFF. We are made of stuff, we surround ourselves with useful and not so useful stuff, we covet stuff, we give stuff away, we find stuff, we keep stuff, we buy & sell stuff. "Stuff" is such a weird word. We use it to describe what we are doing or wanting or making or collecting. We use it when we can't find real words for the individual items in our life or when we want to be a bit mysterious and not give away the whole enchilada. And we use it when we can't be stuffed. Or when we have had too much food or activity and feel stuffed.

This is some of my recent STUFF

Stuff I've Made

Stuff I've Sold

Stuff I've Bought

Stuff I LOVE

Stuff I've Given

Hope you've enjoyed my recent stuff!

Stuff and Nonsense
x Miss G

I Crocheted Some Fruit Nests

2011-07-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

I love fruit! I love it so much that I thought I would use the fabric strips I picked up at Resource Rescue to make some nests for my fruit bowl. I used a giant tunisian hook (about 11.5mm) and the bright orange and turquoise t-shirt fabric strips for these bowls. My first attempt left the nest with a friend about 2 hours after being finished. Then I made another orange one and an orange and blue one. Forgive my crochet language below - please get in touch if you require an interpreter… I am still very much learning this lingo!

The technique was pretty simple. Start with a slip knot and crochet a chain of about 7, connect the chain into a ring and treble crochet into the ring about 7 or 8 times. Next round is increasing so treble crochet twice into each gap of the first round, connect round and do the same for the third round. Then to make the walls of the bowl, double crochet once into the gaps of the 3rd round and continue doing this until the wall is the desired height for your desirable fruit. I finish with a single round of double crochet and then tie in and sew in all ends.

It is very deceptive, but you do need quite a lot of the fabric strips so if you are cutting up a t-shirt or heading to Resource Rescue make sure you get yourself a goodly pile - you can never have too much of this stuff. Any small lengths can be used for staking plants in your garden!

Happy Nesting!

x Miss G

Hottie Challenge!

2011-07-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

I love hot water bottles! I had a red one when I was a kid - it had no cover on it. And now we seem to use wheat bags more and more. Wheat bags are great but there is a nostalgia embedded in hot water bottles - the way they feel, smell, stay warm, get cold, leak etc…. takes me back to the good ol' days!

Last night, the opening of the Hottie Challenge exhibition at Open Drawer Gallery in Hartwell, saw crafters and their families mingle amongst magnificent hand made hottie cover treasures. So many to look at, so hard to pick a favourite, harder still to choose which one to buy! Scroll down to the end to see which one I bought! The one I made is second from the left in the first pic and in the third pic on its own.

Get along to the exhibition and support the Margaret Pratt Foundation, pick your favourite hottie by a coin vote, and even buy one if there are any left without red dots! All proceeds go to the Margaret Pratt Foundation and all Hotties are for sale at $50. Thanks to Cam from CurlyPops for mobilising all her crafty friends to create Hotties for the exhibition and fundraising! It was great to meet her in real life! Check out Cam's blog for pics of more gorgeous Hotties! Using our craft for good made us all feel AMAZING!! And also Liz from Betty Jo Designs has more Hotties on her blog - Find Make Do !

Yes, I bought this gorgeous Robot Hottie! He caught my eye and kept me going back for more!

Hope you're feeling HOT!
xo Miss G

I bought, I made, I picnicked …..

2011-06-17T03:12:00.000-07:00

The Queens Birthday long weekend always means a trip to Rutherglen to hang out with my father-in-law, Frank, on the farm. The barrel rolling, the street market and the wineries were great fun. We caught up with some friends and looked after Frank as he's recently had surgery.

Main Street, Rutherglen was a throng of people. The air was crisp but the sky was blue and by mid morning people filled every available space.

Handcrafts and food are always good at this market. There is also the obligatory racks of clothing and socks that people also really like. Soaps, jams, jewellery, vintage clothing, quilts, wool the list is endless. This market has always been somewhere I go on my own and where my family meets me later after I've had a good look around. I like markets on my own. I am a mono-marketeer.

I made this floor cushion. It is really ace, I think. It took ages and cost very little in materials and I think it looks really effective. It has also become something of a centre for play for the boys and their toys. As you can see James is loving this for his Club Penguin Puffles….

I also made this Hot Water Bottle cover for the Hottie Challenge - gee it was fun to make. And the charity it is supporting is the Margaret Pratt Foundation Heart Lung Transplant Trust. www.mprattfoundation.com.au So many beautiful Hotties are being made for this super cause.

I was so inspired by this Hottie that today I made myself a picnic rug, It is made out of 12 Dimmeys retro-esque teatowels and a lacy crocheted table cloth. I also made a cushion and a bag for the picnic rug.

And here are a few things I've bought recently. My eclectic stash from the Camberwell Market, a stack of lovely crafting fabric from a couple of op shops and an amazing coffee table from Ebay. I had been watching the coffee table and bid $1 over the reserve price. I was the only bidder so I won it. so lucky. I picked it up from the seller and popped it in the loungeroom where it looks great along with its twin baby tables, I think. The kids have very strict instructions to use the COASTERS! and my husband thinks I did a great job as it really is beautiful!

That's been my week. Hope yours has been fun, too.

Happy Everything
Miss G

Future Fashion Now - pics!

2011-06-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

me and Tamara - looking lovely, Tam!

some knitting examples

my kit

more kit

This is what my workshop looked like!

2011-06-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

thanks to the lovely Miss Tallulah Porkchop for this photo! x

Knitting Workshop Wrap Up

2011-06-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

I loved teaching knitting yesterday! I was asked by my friend Belinda Evans to help on the Future Fashion Now event (see previous post!). She asked if I would like to teach some people how to knit. 3 twenty five minute sessions for 5 people at a time over a couple of hours.

Over the last month or so I gathered all my bits and pieces together, wrote a little knitting manual, cleaned all the bits of sticky tape off my lovely vintage knitting needles, found lots of balls of wool in my stash and at the oppies and grabbed a stack of knitting books to display. I packed all this into a very vintage suitcase and off I went to the St Kilda Town Hall.

On arrival, I found my very cute little table behind a white picket fence. I laid out my thrifted embroidered tablecloth over the other lovely tablecloths that were already there and set up my materials. Knitting needles in an old metal milkshake container and my balls of wool piled generously in a wicker basket. Looked lovely. Lots of people looked at the loveliness and then wandered on. I settled myself at the table and started knitting. Maybe it was the act of knitting that attracted people because very soon I had a full table of knitters for my first session. It was really fun and also very interesting. There are so many different ways of knitting - I saw about 12 different ways of casting on alone! I had a couple of ladies come to the table who knew how to knit which was great because they helped the novices with tricky things. Also, I had a few young girls from the local high school who were gorgeous! the quote of the day came from one of them: "knitting is slow and it hurts my arms." So funny and true!!

By the 3rd session I had dragged over about 6 more chairs - there were 12 of us at the table - some knitting happily and showing others how to do things, others taking their time and redoing their work, some becoming frustrated but laughing about it. I know there are photos floating around which hopefully I will be able to post on this blog.

Everyone who attended was given the knitting needles and wool they had been working with and also the How To Knit instructions in a little bag. I hope they took what they had done home and kept going. Teaching knitting was the most satisfying thing I have done in a long time. Loved it.

xo
Click Clack
Miss G

Future Fashion NOW! Learn how to KNIT!!

2011-05-28T03:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Ya! If you are into fashion and creating your own individual style, come along and celebrate a night of fashion with the future in mind.

I will be holding workshops at the BeeHive Knitting Workshop from 4.15pm until 5.55pm - 3 x 25 minute sessions.

Friday 3 June

4pm - 7.30pm St Kilda Town Hall Auditorium

Future Fashion Now is the City of Port Phillip’s key community event World Environment Day on 3 June 2011 celebrating sustainable fashion and creative skills to avoid over-consumption.

The event showcases a range of Australian fashion designers, vintage suppliers, and crafty-people who apply environmental or social sustainability principles to their creations by reducing waste, water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions linked to the purchase and disposal of fashion related items.

"Future Fashion Now is a step forward to improve community understanding on climate change," said Mayor Cr Rachel Powning.

"It also increases community action in caring for our environment and provides an opportunity for the community to get together and have some fun while helping the planet". Participants are encouraged to bring along clothes to swap. They will learn how to make gorgeous jewellery from old/broken pieces,

sew necklaces from fabric off-cuts, transform worn t-shirts into funky accessories, make a bolero from old jumpers, make sock monkeys, dolls and baskets from reused materials, and even learn to knit.

Attendees will be treated to the hip-hop dance talents of RISE, and see Elwood College students parade outfits designed from material waste during the event’s ‘Trash to Treasure,’ design race. A range of workshops will also be on offer at the event. ‘Green Queen’ of St Kilda, Kaye Sera, and Port Phillip's very own ‘Vintage Beauty,’ Louarna will MC the fashion parade. Kaye is known for the flamboyant

outfits she often re-fashions instead of buying new clothes. She will be accompanied by old school funky beats spun on good old fashioned vinyl records by DJ Damian Laird.

The event will also feature a photo exhibition from the ‘I Made This!’ Facebook competition with winners decided by a secret audience ballot on the night. "I Made This!" is a competition for amateur makers of clothes, shoes, accessories, craft, homewares and decorations. First and second place prize packs will be awarded to the winners, valued at over $600.

Audience prizes will also be handed out including vouchers from Passionfoods, Frocks and Slacks, South Melbourne Market, Knit Knit, and some of the featured designers. The event is free and everyone is welcome.

Photo and interview opportunities available.

Media enquiries: Katie Elles, Media Adviser 9209 6163/0435 657 336

kelles@portphillip.vic.gov.au / http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/

Things I have made (or collected) this week.

2011-05-28T00:23:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was my niece Katia's Birthday. I made this lemon meringue tart to bring along to the party. Yes. It was as good as it looked. Apologies to my sister for overshadowing her very valiant attempt at a mermaid cake .... ;) As a gift for Katia, I made this quilt, cushion and door stop set (you have probably already seen this.

A quick visit to the Mental Health OpShop yielded some very colourful Queen's head stamps. All kinds of designs and colours. Some look really old. I think I have a decoupage project planned for this. An old wooden tray is crying out for the royal treatment!

I have picked up a lot of small scraps of leather lately at Reverse Art Truck. I thought I would test the mettle of my machine and try and make a novel or notebook cover. It is abit St Kilda football club in its colours but when one is working with what one has, one must make do. I think it is very useful and will prevent my novels from getting beaten up in my bag.

So my creative space is a mess. I am constantly moving my stuff from the loungeroom to the spare room or to my "office". It is doing my head in and making me a bit sad with the state of affairs around the place. Looking at lovely studio spaces online has become a little bit of an obsession. I know I am lucky to have a room of my own so now the challenge has presented itself to create a space where I can store, spread out, and make all the things I want to make. I can close the door on my mess or I can chose to keep it very tidy and ordered. On my limited budget I could have gone down the path of second hand furniture but I am determined that the room look modern and bright so I have opted for some very basic white furniture. Shelves, roller storage and a big work table from Ikea. I would love to find a feature chair in which to sit and knit/crochet/read/dream. I know I will find one if I put on my wishing hat before entering opshops. Here is my plan that is a) to scale, b) held down by my favourite glass apple, and c) incredibly achievable!

In the spirit of studio orderliness, I made these pin board frames from things I bought from Resource Rescue. Clean, tidy and totally ready to display my ideas, colours, pictures - whatever I darn well want to display! YAY!

My nieces are getting so cold on these wicked Melbourne mornings so I have made them these lovely little Tunisian Crochet neck scarves with matching brooches an buttons. Two of the girls love pink. The one in the middle is blue although this picture makes it look grey. Hope they love wearing them as much as I loved making them.

This was the big project of the week. It all started with Pip Lincolne and her Zpagetti floor rug. I thought it was such a cute idea and looked really easy. Well whilst out at Resource Rescue, I found some fabric rope that looked kinda like what Pip was using. I'm on a budget so I thought this might be the cheapster's option. It was available in limited colours - black, white and red. I picked up some black and white and grabbed my giant 9mm Tunisian Crochet hook and started the giant potholder. As I continued it dawn on me that this would actually make a super floor cushion for my new studio! So I finished the round piece and started on the wall - this is being done in a Tunisian simple stitch on an 11.5mm giant hook. It is really solid and structural. I have finished all the fabric rope I had so I will be heading to Bayswater for some more. While I am there I will pick up some foam sheets to fill it with and something sturdy for the base part. It is all going to be finished by hand - all pieces hand stitched together.

So that has been my week. Giant crochet is a great way to work off tuckshoparmitis.

Gee ya later

xo Miss G

This week in Indefinite Space. Fun-raising!

2011-05-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

I've loved this week. Its been lovely to catch up with some of my friends with more to come tonight. This week has been a little bit about fundraising for James' kinder and Alexi's school. Coming up with some ideas on how to raise money through a Trivia Night the kinder is holding and thinking about things to make for a market day the school will be running. We've put our thinking caps on and have started the ball rolling with asking local businesses for donations of goods and services (they are ridiculously generous, these businesses!).

picture from skip to my lou

As for the market, I think we may need a meeting of crafty minds sometime soon to come up with a few choice wares to sell at our craft stall. There will also be treasure (no trash :)), books, toys & clothes, a sausage sizzle. A fun day held by the school for the parish of St Anne's. I think maybe crochet pot holders and tissue cosies might be my contribution. We have quilters, card makers, jewellery makers - the works. So a cool little craft stall should be fun to pull together..... And jams! don't forget the sweet stuff! I think a few jars of homemade jam always go down a treat!

We fundraised for cancer with the Biggest Morning Tea at school, too. That was fun - we raised $288 for this very worthwhile charity and we got to drink tea, eat yummies, chat to friends, and for some of us, even win a raffle! Not me this time.

Op-shopping this week has also been rather outstanding. The vinnies had some wonderful wool which is a rare treat. I will be putting together my Knitting Workshop materials from some of this wool. They also had a remarkably good selection of dressmaking patterns - all in lovely condition and in a size 12 - 14. Perfect! picked up quite a few of those. Also found an old typewriter - lovely!

Very excited by my visit to Resource Rescue Inc this week. James and I headed down to Bayswater and found Peter Van Os and his treasure trove of surplus offcuts from local industry. You can become a member for $80 and that lets you have 6 x 54 litre garbage bags full. If you want to head down as a one off, a bag will cost $25 but if you grab less than a bag it is charged accordingly. For all the great stuff I picked up, I paid $15. I have already made 3 of these pinboards out of the frames and pinboard material I found. So easy. So modern. So inexpensive!

I also picked up some fabric rope (the trimmings off fabric manufacturing) in black and white. This is slowly becoming a cute little round crocheted rag rug. I am loving making it and will post pics when I've finished it. Thanks to Pip at Meet Me at Mikes for the great idea!

What else? Keeping it all up and running with only the occasional spanner in the works. Nice.

Gee you later!
x Miss G

The thing about quilting .....

2011-05-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

I love quilting. This has taken me by surprise as I never thought it would be something I would love. It can look abit chintzy and naff at times but I have seen some amazing quilts which are neither. They are beautiful and inspirational and full of love and passion. I was ridiculously lucky a few weeks ago on a visit to the North East.... bored out of my brain, I took the boys into Corowa for a look around on Sunday. Whilst there I found that the local quilting group were holding their annual exhibition. I was AWESTRUCK. Struck by Awe. These quilts were enormous, amazing, uplifting and exquisite. There was a whole room full of small quilts which were to be donated to local hospitals to comfort children with cancer and other serious illnesses - I cried. I was truly moved.

These ladies were so lovely that they even gave my small boys a pair of cotton gloves each so they could TOUCH the quilts..... how amazing is that! I looked at the tiny stitches and the intricate detail and was completely blown away by the commitment and love that went into every piece. Some were bright and energetic while others were serene and elegant. I was in goosebump land with every quilt expressing something beautiful and meaningful.

I finished my first quilt and made another over the last week or so. This has been super rewarding as I've learnt so much along the way. My quilts are not perfect (in fact a pretty long way off that) but they are good attempts at something new.

The sewing machine I have been given recently has really made life easy and sewing fun again. I am eternally grateful to my gorgeous father in law and his supreme generosity. This machine belonged to my beloved mother in law who passed away a few years ago. I think of her every time I use her machine. I have had her serviced and bought her a new foot for quilting. She is lovely!

My boys have been asking for a quilt each so I will take them shopping and get them to chose a feature fabric which we can put together with some thrifted fabric (like the ones above). I heard the word skulls and spiders in relation to quilt fabrics from my eldest.... not sure about this but will check out the selection at Darn Cheap Fabrics in Heidelberg or GJ's in Brunswick.

So there. Quilting is fun and the finished product brings warmth and happiness! xo

Happy stitching

xo Miss G

The week that still is....

2011-04-21T02:24:00.000-07:00

So we are well and truly into the second week of the school holidays.

Today we had a fun day. We headed down to Brunswick St and had pizza for lunch and then headed into Meet Me At Mikes for a look around. I have been following Pip Lincolne's work for a number of years now when her shop first opened in Richmond. And I have snapped up her books as she's made them. A new one called Make! Hey! is coming out in October (cannot wait!). These books, Meet Me At Mikes and Sew, La, Tea, Do! are so much fun and are filled with lots of ideas, beautiful photos and instructions about making things. It is easy to put your own spin on things and make something lovely for yourself or a friend.

I have a lot of books, new books and books picked up from opshops and second hand bookshops. I can't not buy a book if it has good pictures and instructions. I pull these books out and look at them to get the creativity flowing. Whether its vintage colour combinations, or a technique that has fallen out of fashion. The 70's are coming back. I will learn smocking and macrame and embroidery.

Making things is fun. It's hard to make things sometimes. Beautiful things can take a long time to make and it would be nice to be able to sell beautiful things that you've made. Once you factor in your materials and time, the beautiful thing seems so expensive. But its a one off or a small run. It's an original design made from scratch by the designer. It is not mass produced and lugged across the sea in a giant environmentally unfriendly freighter ship. It is made here. In my home. With my hands. It is handmade. If you buy something handmade no-one else would have the same thing. Ever.

I bought a green leather wallet today from Meet Me At Mikes. Never in a million years could I make this thing of beauty. I didn't think it was expensive. In fact it was much less expensive that one you would buy in a large department store with an important looking name. I think it is beautiful and it fits all my cards and bits and bobs in it happily. I love it. The designer's name is Pooky (sp?) and she is from Sydney. Her beautiful things are available at Meet Me At Mikes.

Then we went over to my folks house for a visit and to pick up Greek Easter supplies. Red Eggs, Koulourakia, that sort of thing. It was good to see them and the boys each received a rather large chocolate bunny from their grandparents.

I missed the making of the Easter delights this year. I vow to be involved next year! We head up to Rutherglen tomorrow to celebrate Easter with my husband's family. These delights will come along with us to add a tiny bit of Greece to the festivities. No lamb on the spit but we will crack eggs.

Whatever you do and whoever you do it with, be safe and be nice to each other.

Xristos Anesti. Kallo Paska.

Miss G x

This Week that Is!

2011-04-19T03:09:00.000-07:00

Its only Tuesday night and its already been a busy week.

On Sunday I tried my hand at archery. Just for fun. I was invited to go along to a Come and Try Day being held at Waverley City Archers Club by my sister and brother in law. They have just started taking lessons and thought I might enjoy it. I did enjoy it. When I hit the target. I did think of Robin Hood the whole time. It was fun but maybe I won't join the club just yet. I have enough hobbies, don't you think?

Oh and its been a great week in the op-shops near home this week. Here are few of the treasures I've picked up along the way. Some great books about quilting. A lovely bag of buttons. Some great coloured yarn. And some very cute sewing patterns from the good old days! mmm. a good week indeed.

And we have been entertaining and visiting friends during the day. This always calls for Friands for Friends. So I have made 2 batches this week. We have a few left over to have with a cup of tea after the boys go to bed! yum.

More friends tomorrow but going out and being entertained so that will be fun. More later.

x Miss G

Bombalina Designs

2011-04-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here is my banner for Made It.

The name Bombalina comes from a name my manager called me. He always inspired me to be myself and trust my instincts and loved it when he called me Miss Bombalina. It caught on, this nickname, and pretty soon everyone was calling me this at work. It reminds me of a time when we could take risks and be creative without suffering serious consequences.

There are many naysayers out there and I really have stopped listening to all their negativity. I make them things instead.

I think its cute. do you?

x Miss G

Deep breath ... the shop is open! :)

2011-04-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I love making things for myself or as little gifts for my friends and family.

I have now decided to see if what I've been making might appeal to the wider public. It's very scary because I'm not sure if my things are up to scratch for sale but I will let the marketplace decide....

We will see. Find my things at Made It . Look under the store named Bombalina. I have only put up 8 things. Here are some of the things I have listed.

x Miss G

Amigarumi .... hard to say easy to do.

2011-04-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

I love to crochet. Amigarumi is the Japanese art of crocheting small, cute things.

You need to know how to crochet and once you have that down, the next step is to picture something small and cute and then go for it. There are patterns you can find in books and online but I like to go with my imagination, adding and reducing stitches to get to the shape I picture in my head.

I started with owls. They are basically a crochet tube, increased at the bottom and reduced at the top. Sometimes they have "ears" and they always have big eyes - crocheted separately with buttons in the middle. Sometimes they have beaks but usually they don't. All these guys have found new homes with friends where they can impart their owly wisdom on nice girls.

Sometimes I am inspired by a friends new pet. I have made a budgie for my friend Margot and a pug for my friend Louarna. Tallulah Porkchop is a gorgeous little black pug. Too cute for words and perfect to model this. Her ears and tail were crocheted separately and sewn on along with her button eyes. Her nose and mouth were chainstitched. And now she lives with the family of the real Tallulah Porkchop!!

And with Easter fast approaching, I thought I'd show you this cute bunny. He is a simple tube with smaller tubes for his ears which have been stitched on. His face is a little crocheted disk which has been stitched on along with eyes, nose and whiskers.

Each of these critters has been filled with toyfill or wadding available from craft shops. They are not perfect but that is the beauty of the handmade! If you'd like to learn Amigarumi, the best place is Youtube as there are some fantastic tutorials available or check out this adorable Free Amigarumi Blog for some wonderful inspiration.

Happy Cute Crocheting!

x Miss G

My Backyard Critters

2011-04-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

My backyard is small but teeming with life. I love discovering all the critters that live out there. Sometimes they discover me like the praying mantis that was hanging out on the tomato I had just picked. Or the gecko that was discovered while moving some timber. Most of these animals are photographed and released. Some are just admired because by the time I go and grab my camera the critter is gone.

We had a spate of marbled geckos. These three guys were all so different. The first one had the most luscious tail. The second one had no tail. The third one had a forked tail .... weird!

A week ago I noticed a giant spider web had been spun each night in the same spot. I went out one night and tried to take photos of the spider and its web but to no avail. I asked my facebook friends and they came up with some good advice. I tried again last night and after a few attempts (2 rolls of film would have been used in the good old days!!) I managed to focus in and capture this incredible beastie. An amazing Golden Orb Spider with amazing crimson bits - its just so beautiful and hairy and clever.

I am totally inspired now to photograph every animal I see in my yard. Stay tuned!

happy snapping
Miss G

I learn to make a simple quilt.

2011-04-04T23:38:00.000-07:00

I love learning new things from people who really know their stuff!

I have a friend who is an amazing quilter. Lucianne is also very generous with her time and knowledge! We got together to learn the art of the quilt. She has made some amazing things over the years which will be heirlooms forever.

We started with some fabric which we cut up using a fabric cutting roller and a big ruler. We used a simple squares pattern with complimentary fabrics.

We arranged the squares on the floor until we liked the "randomness" of the pattern. Then we sewed them into strips and then sewed the strips together to form a big square.

Here is a close up of the fabric. It is so sweet. Little mice riding bikes with cupcakes in the trailers!

Then we picked a border to frame the quilt. We chose pink and brown which worked well with the colours in our fabrics. Lucianne cut the strips and sewed them onto the big square of little squares.

Lucianne has backed the front piece with wadding and a backing sheet and has quilted the quilt and bound the edges. So much to learn still but it was so much fun. We will offer the quilt to our kids school for the dinner dance auction!! I'll keep you posted on how much it fetches!!

off to cut strips.

Miss G x

Zippidy Doo Da ....

2011-03-03T16:57:00.000-08:00

I am learning to love the humble zip. I have always taken them for granted. You know what I mean. So long as they work properly we really don't notice them very much. It's when they fail to help us maintain our meagre modesty that we are made aware of them. "Your fly's undone", "oh THANKS! this bloody thing always falls down!"

In the last few weeks I have been scouring the haberdashery baskets in countless op shops. This is some of the bounty of my search. Zips, patterns, bias binding, heaps of stuff that I can practice with without ruining a brand new zipper. And this stuff is always around in op shops. Always my first stop!

So yesterday I thought I would explore the mystery of the zip. Yup. I spent 2 hours working out how to put one into a small pencil case bag I was making. With some help from Youtube tutorials I managed to get one in. The little bag has a cute silky inside and the outside is a linen napkin in a very nice mustard colour. All the materials are recycled ... even the incredible matching zip!

This is one of the best zipper tutorials known to exist in the world. Really easy method to put in an invisible zip without the jargon. Perfect for the novice newbie like me. I put on my zipper foot and went slowly and once I got my head around it, it was done. I now have a cute case for stuff. I made some little crochet brooches last night while watching telly. One of these on the front would be nice, I think.

Bye for now from Zippidy Doo Da Land!

xx Miss G

A Week in Indefinite Space

2011-02-27T19:53:00.000-08:00

I love a busy week. Catching up with dear friends, hanging out with my lovely, funny family and trying out a few new crafty things.

I caught up with two groups of wonderful girls, most of whom I've known for more than 20 years. Catching up with girlfriends is like a years worth of couch and laughter therapy condensed into 3 or 4 hours. We talk about stuff. The stuff we do or want to do or don't want to do. The stuff we should or could do. We talk about people we love the most and why they make us crazy! Most of all we just get to finish a conversation without someone needing a banana peeled or a yoghurt opened .... and there's no lego under the dining table!

I caught up with my mum and my sister at Colossus Deli in Doncaster. A Greek foodies heaven. I bought so many yummy things which I used to cook a Bougatsa (or cheese pie pictured below). I LOVE their Loukoumia (aka Turkish Delight), and I LOVE their Nougat. James was with me so he was allowed to chose some pasta shapes which we'll use for tonights dinner. It was fun shopping there with my family. We are like a comedy act when we're together - at least we find ourselves extremely funny!

I made a dress! This blue one below. Again, a Pip Lincolne pattern from Sew, La, Tea, Do! Sunday was a really rainy, wet day so after breakfast and a quick read of the paper, I made some space and got stuck in. I think it turned out ok and it looks nice on. Making this has given me a bit more confidence so I might crack open one of the vintage patterns I've picked up recently and see how I go.

Oh and I have tried my hand at Embroidery! I found the embroidery frame and yellow napkin at an op shop, along with a book about How to Embroider! This is my first chain stitch attempt and it looks super cute on the front and really messy on the back ... It will be ok once I frame it! :)

And I even made a crocheted pot stand so hot pots don't melt my benches! I took a little break from my granny square blanket (going well btw) and made this cute little purple, green and cream pot stand with a hanging doover! Its sitting on a Golden Hands magazine!

That's the week that was last week. This week is looking bright. Today is the last day of the Wettest Summer In Recorded History for Victoria. This is a photo of my husband's family's wheat and sheep paddock. I have never seen such a green, lush Rutherglen and the swamps are teeming with life - especially frogs and dragon flies - so so glad they got their harvest in before this happened though!

I am looking forward to a russetty, crinkly, fresh and sprinkly Autumn. Aren't you?

love Miss G xoxoxo

Golden Hands - Inaugural Meeting 17th Feb 2011

2011-02-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun yesterday when five Golden Hands members got together for an excursion with crafty intentions!

Pia, Bel, Lucianne and I met at Flashback in Northcote ..... what a treasure trove of vintage and modern vintage fabrics and wall paper! A great mix of colours, patterns, textures and inspired furnishings (lampshades in luscious fabrics!). We looked, we touched, we drooled. We left empty handed but I'm sure we'll be back when we have some projects in mind for the wonderful textiles we saw!!

We then headed across to GJ's Discount Fabrics and perused the three levels of spangly leotard fabrics, sheer organzas, thread, buttons and gorgeous patchwork fabrics. We met Adriana there after spotting her across the road and yelling out of a second storey window! Funny. I bought some cute fabric (owls and stripes) and Lucianne bought some amazing fabric for what will be a stunning quilt! Very impressed with the array of fabric, how it was organised and the service provided. We are going there again, for sure!

Lunch was had at Vege 2 Go at 452 Lygon St. YUM! The kids had a great play and the food was lovely!

All round what a great day we had! Thanks Girls!! We hope to meet again at Lucianne's place for a quilting workshop! Bring your projects! More details soon!

happy crafters!

x Miss G

Op Shop Jewels of the Fortnight.

2011-02-15T22:03:00.000-08:00

I love op-shopping. Its something we do as a family ie I drag the boys around op shops and they might pick up a 50c car while I check things out. There are 4 decent op shops within walking distance of my house - theres Vinnies, Epilepsy, Senior Citizens and Mental Health - all great charities that I love to support. There are also a few I drive past regularly which merit a stop - Greythorn, Doncaster, Kew Junction, Rutherglen, such fun!

It's always good to go in with a game plan. I have a few things that I always look for - knitting needles/crochet hooks, sewing patterns, scarves, vintage glass jugs, fabric and glomesh/oroton mesh handbags. Since op shops are a favourite haunt I thought I would update you on what I've found in the last 2 weeks or so. Here goes!

I picked up this fabric at about 3 different op shops. I think the most expensive piece was the textured blue fabric in the middle ($5) the rest are little pieces ranging from 50c to $3. Bargains! I have already turned the green fabric into pyjama pants! I have plans for everything else too!

Then I found some sewing patterns - these look easy and I particularly love the wrap around skirt pattern! In a second hand bookshop in Rutherglen, Tapsells Books I found this book - Successful Dressmaking. Straight out of the 50's, this book is gorgeous and at $20 I thought it was a bargain! The patterns were all about 50c each and found in various op shops. Hope all the bits are there!

And vintage tea towels! This one is amazing and I have another that says I Love Pears (which I do - such a coincidence!) This one though, I might frame. It really is totally beautiful! The one below is very sweet too - cute 70's motif and vivid colours. I could see this in a frame too! Both of these were from Vinnies for about $3 each.

So apart from a few other bits and bobs, these were the jewels in the op shopping crown this fortnight! Get out there and have a look. You might be surprised (pleasantly) by what you might find!.

Happy Rifling!

x Miss G

The Gym? Huh?

2011-02-10T00:48:00.000-08:00

I loved being a couch potato. This year I have no excuses to be a sofa spud. With a year of not working looming ahead of me like some happy shiny joyful magic rainbow, I have made myself a few promises.

I will work on my creativity and associated skills.
I will go to bed earlier than normal (12.30am is normal)
I will peel the spud, chuck it in boiling water and get it moving
I will be organised around the house (clean, tidy, neat, decluttered)
I will be sensible with what little money comes my way
I will try and sell some of the things I love to make
I will only read hardcover books written before 1970
I will sort out the front garden
I will cook a new thing every week
I will whistle while I work

This post is about number 3. I joined the gym this week. Yes, I joined the gym. I can see the people who know me well scratching their heads with a thoroughly puzzled look on their face. My idea of exercise is a gentle stretching class, maybe a walk up to school or the shops, or a little bike ride with the kids. The idea of sweating is anathema to me. Totally against the grain - I get all red and flustered and my hair goes frizzy - it ain't pretty. But I joined anyway.

Tuesday night was spent balancing my body in Body Balance (a bit of a mix of yoga, pilates and tai chi). Fun, relaxing, downward doggish. I'll go back - not too sweaty or frizzy after that one and I feel good for days afterwards.

Today was a class called Danzika taken by Carlos from Columbia. Set to crazy good Latin music, we shook, shimmied, kicked and laughed our way through the hour class. I think we learnt 4 different choreographies and clapped at the end of each one celebrating the fact we didn't fall flat on our faces. I did sweat. I did frizz. I smiled the whole way through it. I'll be back next week and I'm taking a coordination pill before I go!

If you're interested I think Carlos might actually take every Danzika class in Melbourne - he has the market cornered so he might be shaking his stuff at a Rec Centre or Gym near you. Ay Carumba!

So the journey to a fitter me has begun. Do or Do Not. There is no Try. May the force be with me!

And stretch. Miss G x

Finishing UFO's (un-finished objects)

2011-02-09T23:06:00.000-08:00

I love starting things. I get all excited about making something new. It's becomes an infatuation, I flirt with the idea, I make my first move, I get all involved and then I stop. Luckily I'm not like that in my marriage :).

On cleaning out some drawers and project bags a few weeks ago I found a couple of projects, hanging patiently on their needles. A scarf and a neck warmer. I started these objects last winter and then life must have distracted me because I put them away. I remember starting them both - they held my attention for a while - long enough for me to nearly finish both of them. I needed closure. I found the remaining colours I needed buried deep in my stash. The scarf needed about 20 more rows and fringed ends and lovely - I have a new scarf for winter!

The other UFO was a neck warmer which needed a bit more work on it than the scarf. I remember buying the wool from the "Wool Man" at Camberwell Market. Gorgeous stuff! It was a bit trickier as I had to remember the pattern I had used when I started making it - it has a couple of ribbed sections. I also had to work out how to do buttonholes and find some cute buttons. A few days later I had finished it and it worked out ok I think. Now I have a cute new neck warmer!

I feel a great sense of satisfaction having finished these projects and I am scouting around trying to find other forgotten UFO's to finish. I may even decide to remove the needles and return the knitting to its original home (the skein). Either way we both know where we stand.

Finish a UFO today!

x Miss G

Public Displays of Crafting

2011-02-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

I took my son to his Leaping Lizards class today. This is an hour of play based activity which helps to improve fine and gross motor skills. The girls who run it, Sandy & Helen are amazing in how they teach, what they teach and their ability to remember everybody's names!

For me its an opportunity to zone out for an hour. Today I took my crochet hook and yarn so I could keep going with my Afghan rug squares. It was a new group today. I didn't know anyone so once James was settled I took out my stuff and started. It was really awkward to begin with. Not sure how it would be received and was feeling a bit self conscious about it all. Anyway, as the moments went by I started really enjoying what I was doing and where I was - I could listen to the hubbub of the room without necessarily feeling out of it and not feeling obliged to join in any of the conversations. I completed about 3 squares in the time I was there (with the occasional look through the window to check that James was behaving).

Right at the end, a girl came up and said "Not sure if you overheard our conversation, but my daughter wants me to make her a crochet rug and I don't know how to crochet." We introduced ourselves and I said I would bring in some extra hooks and yarn next week and I would teach her the basics (all I know) in the hour we had at Leaping Lizards. Rapt. I discovered that PDC's (public displays of crafting) can be contagious!

So get out of the closet! If you catch public transport, are waiting for an appointment or taking your small ones to activities get out your latest project and get into it. Who knows we could have an epidemic on our hands!

x Miss G

169 Granny Squares = Fire & Brimstone

2011-02-07T21:12:00.000-08:00

I love crochet. I didn't know this until about a month ago when I decided I would teach myself how. I pulled out some books, looked at some tutorials on You Tube and got out hook and yarn. My little knotted masses of crap started to take shape as the concept of crochet turned to reality. I've always loved stuff made out of granny squares. It reminds me of the 70's when I was a kid and I like to be reminded of the 70's (that's a whole different post!). I thought I would make a rug out of granny squares.

I found some colours I like in my little stash of yarn and started making them. The first few were a bit weird but they started to come together quickly and I found myself relaxing more and more with each one. This was the desired effect. Fun, relaxing and productive - why can't all work be like that?

As soon as I had a few done I laid them on the floor to see how many I would need .....

I love these colours - they do remind me of fire with the soft grey reminiscent of the ash that camp fire leaves behind. It looked ok but then I realised something was missing. It needed a colour to bind it all together when I joined the squares to create the finished product. BLACK! Of course!

So I crocheted a black round on each completed square and things started to come together. Each square measures 13cm x 13cm and I worked out I would need 169 squares for a 1.3m x 1.3m rug. Needless to say I have a bit of work to do until I get there but winters a little way off!

I now have to work out how to join them and I am sure there is a handy tutorial out there in etherspace explaining the ins and outs of connecting a bunch of isolated grannies into a bright, warm community!

Happy Crocheting! x

Golden Hands: Project 2011 - The Year of Living Creatively

2011-02-07T19:22:00.000-08:00

I've taken the year off work. A whole year to hang out with the boys and be around for their first year of kinder and Grade 3. The challenge is to keep my mind occupied and improve my basic craft skills while at the same time not spending money. I've been a bit of a bower bird over the last few years - collecting wool, knitting & crochet needles, sewing bits and bobs, fabric, jewellery making doodads - so I reckon I have enough stuff in the house to keep me busy for a while!

I have a few projects on the go - an afghan rug which is going to be very warm - its called Fire and Brimstone. I taught myself to crochet about a month ago and this project has been a fun intro. I am making a few squares every day and I only need another 100 or so before I can join it all together ....

I keep promising myself that I will make pants. Pants for everyone! Green, baggy, comfy pants for those rare yet wonderful pyjama days on school holidays!

I made a hat yesterday which was fiddly but fun. It was a pattern from Pip Lincolne's Book Sew, La, Tea, Do. I had the denim fabric in my stash - I think I bought it from an op shop years ago and the tulip fabric is patchwork fabric from Spotlight. The instructions in the book were very easy to follow and turned out much better than I thought my limited sewing skills would allow. Its all lined and everything.

This is my first blog ever - what fun! I will be coming up with more projects, showing things on the go, things that I've finished, and things that I want to make. I am looking forward to a year of living creatively. Miss G

Welcome: You're Floating in Indefinite Space

2011-02-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Indefinite Space. It's indefinite because it will be a blog about stuff I like, stuff I don't like, things I make, things I buy, op-shopping, entertaining kids, collecting, fun stuff, boring stuff, etc etc. So put on your space suits and come float with me in Indefinite Space.