Good things: My Creative Space

I’ve been sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of My Creative Space ... because I’ve been creating! Yes ... after so long not doing anything I have actually been doing something.

Knitting: I've started the lace scarf at least five times. This sounds bad but there's been such a huge learning curve like tension and learning the pattern so I now feel as though these are behind me ... and the rest is scarf! And I now have my seating issues on the train sorted out and about an hour per day to get some work done.


Wall plaque: I’ve had these papers for so long and I’ve been longing to do something with them. They’re so elegant and timeless ... and by the Australian firm Kaiser Scrapbooking. Their stuff is so nice.

Cushion: I’ve been promising myself to get to this for so long ... and on the weekend I picked up some vintage buttons from Cheeky Little Monsters at the Daylesford Makers’ Market. The buttons are amazing ... and Tania's stuff was really cute but I don’t have any littlies to buy for any more.


How's your crafty week been?

PS If you're interested in all things creative ... pop over to kootoyoo for more crafty spaces.

Good Things/My Creative Space

It’s Thursday and time for My Creative Space ... a very, very good thing.

This week it’s all about public and private creative spaces ... and I think I’ve decided on names: indoor and outdoor spaces. Private space still sounds kinky and secretive to me.

My outdoor creative space is still a gift for my mother.

I junked the wool I bought (a very boring beige) because it was driving me crazy (the colour and the feel) and I ordered a pretty lilac from Bendigo Woollen Mills ... which arrived in two days. Unbelievably fast so thank you to the Mills!


At first I wondered whether I’d made a mistake but the colour darkens a trifle as I knit and I’m loving it. So far very little to show but at least I have a project for the train ... and two months to finish it. time to start some serious knitting.


In the indoors creative space, I’ve also managed some work on a cushion for my niece ... a mock up rather than the real thing because the felt I’m going to use is so gorgeous I don’t want to waste a skerrick!


The inspiration for this cushion has come from Jay at Finki’s blog, where she runs a monthly theme. February’s theme is circles and it was really fun putting this together.


The next step is to get a few more buttons to mix it up, cut the felt to size and sew it all together. Using a sewing machine is not my forte (which is why quilting is so daunting) but the plan is to make the cushion look really funky ... which will hide my lack of talent! I can’t wait to start.

If you’re interested in seeing more creative spaces, drop in and visit Kirsty at kootoyoo.

Good things Sun 24 Jan 10

GOOD THINGS: Sunshine at the Lake

Instead of me blogging, today my niece Tamika is taking over the reins and this will be her first blog post ... on my blog or the blogging world full stop. And hopefully not the last for me.

Hi, my name is Tamika. I am the niece of Susan and on the 24th of January we went to the Lake. It was a great afternoon.


The lovely first time blogger herself ... Tamika.

I was accompanied by Auntie Susan, Nan, Auntie Carol and my cousin Vanessa.


Nan, Vanessa and Carol ... good luck getting them to look at the camera when a photo's taken.

There was also an event being held called Arts in the Park. There was music and paintings being sold. There were lots of paintings that I liked, but I didn't like the painting of onions. Yuk!


Part of the Arts in the Park ... one of the live bands for people to enjoy.

At the event an elderly lady had fallen over the tram tracks. My cousin Vanessa who is a nursing aide at an old people's home had come to her assistance to help. I thought it was very kind of her to give assistance and luckily she works at a nursing home that gave her the skills to help with the elderly.

After a while Nan, Auntie Sue and I went over to the Botanical Gardens across the road from Lake Wendouree. We went to the Adam Lindsay Gordon craft cottage and it had many beautiful things. Then we went to the pond near the fernery. In the pond there were many lily pads and fish. One particular fish that caught my eye was black with orange and was at least 30 cms long. It was huge.


You can just see the fish poking out from under the lily pad. Tamika loved this fish.

And here's where we say goodbye to Tamika as she's had to go home with her dad ... but there just a few more photos I wanted to share of water in Lake Wendouree ... who would expect it; a lake with water or there's at least water in some parts of it. Something I was glad to see after seeing the lake completely empty of water for such a long time.


Tamika watching the ducks on what used to be part of the wetlands ... but which now seems to set aside for the ducks.


And the view across the ponds towards the Lake ... as you can see it has puddles in places but is now dry with isolated puddles.

Good things Sun 10 Jan 10

GOOD THINGS: Felt flowers
It's been way too long since I got any crafting done but today I actually sat down and started playing with the felt flowers I purchased in early December from Pompom Rouge. (PS Check out the store. It's really cute.)


The flowers ... and the flower centres.

My idea is to make a simple calico cushion cover and use the flowers and circles in a centre pattern around my niece's initial (which is obviously T).


What I came up with before I packed it all away ... the cardboard T isn't permanent. I still have to come up with a fabric or other alternative.

The colours go with the almost finished cross stitched cushion cover I'm currently working on and the scrapbooking picture I gave to her for Christmas.

The two cushions will make a great birthday gift for May ... and it's so nice to get such an early start.

Project 365 Wed 18 Nov 09

WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT
I feel really dull and blah, with a head full of cotton wool ... roll on the cool change.

But I still wanted to participate in Loobylu's What's Hot and What's Not ... it's so good taking stock once a week to give thanks for what's been good during the week.

What's hot:
Visiting mum and the family. That was really nice. It's the first time I visited since July and we went away so I was well and truly overdue.

Spending time with Tamika. She's such a sweetheart and we won't get to do so much together for much longer ... and then who will I go to the show with?


My little darling in my Mum's yard.

Writing manuals. I've just finished a work manual about using a database we use and I've been working on it almost exclusively for the last six weeks. It's huge (115 pages) and it has not been a labour of love ... but it's finished and I'm free to do other things. Woo hoo! LOL

Getting organised for Christmas. I am so enthused this year, and I'm already planning was home baked goodies I might hand out at work for the work colleages ... I'm thinking ANZACS?

Laughing with Horace. Even after 27 years together we sit together holding hands and laughing ... and this week's be

Blogs. Gosh I love the commitment and energy people put into their blogs ... and I read a lot. Blogs about people living on narrowboats in the UK like NarrowboatsOakfield, women who love to knit (Bellsknits), quilt (MargaretARowe), women who scrapbook (ABitEast), women who love vintage and recycled clothing (BallaratVintageStyle), women who aspire to add creativity to every day (tinniegirl) ... thanks for the inspiration.

What's not:
The heat. Some might like it hot ... but the list doesn't include me. I burn, I don't sleep well and that leaves me cranky. I am so tired as I type this I feel as though my head's stuffed with cotton wool!

No time for knitting. I've tried but between the weather and the cotton wool head I've yanked out every stitch I've done over the last couple of weeks.

On balance things are going better than the fog in my head can comprehend ... it's nice to feel as though I'm getting the balance right.

Project 365 Sat 14 Nov 09

IT'S BALLARAT SHOW TIME AGAIN ... YAY!
This year, as is our tradition, my niece Tamika and I went to the Ballarat Show.


Tamika intent on the sideshow. Her mum was working at this concession ... and she won the cutest little teddy bear.

But this year with a difference … we went at night so we could see the fireworks.


Got to love the fireworks ... and these were the best I've seen for a while.


Our view of the rides as the fireworks went off.

It was a nice night: the weather was beautifully cool after a hot day and it wasn’t too crowded.

I love the atmosphere of the Agricultural Shows, and what they meant to me when I was a kid and how much my own kids enjoyed them. They’re part of the rites of passage for Aussie kids.

Of course Tamika loves the rides, although we're not big ride people.


Tamika only went on this ride and the trampoline ... she and her cousin were shaking down to their toes when they got off.

I love the showbags ... and they are so much better than when I was kid.


We only got a couple of bags ... Girlfriend for the grown-up girl, chocolate for her dad and Fruit Tingles for me.

And I can't go without checking out the arts and crafts. My girls always entered in the cookery when they were kids and always won something and I really must remember to enter some of my stuff some year.


Tamika liked this particular piece of art work ... and I couldn't disagree.


How clever is this ... it's made of painted bread bag seals.


The funniest thing at the show ... melted slices.


And last, but not least, something for the quilters.

I savour each year even more as it won’t be long before Tamika will only go to the Show with her friends … next year is probably our last year.

Project 365 Thu 5 Nov 09

FINALLY SCRAPBOOKING
After so long I've gone back to work on Tamika's present ... something I started for her before I left for overseas and something I want to get finished for her by Christmas.

So far: the background is put together and machine stitched. I love the Basic Grey scrapbooking papers I've used. It's so girlie but so bright at the same time.


The range of colours used and the machine stitching detail.

I've also used all sorts of chipboard shapes that I've painted and covered with a gloss called dimensional magic.


All the shapes are so sweet ... and all of them are Collections chipboard painted by Making Memories paints.

I still have to find the photos I want to use ... three to be exact ... and add a couple of strips of journaling.


The journaling and one of the photo spots.

Now next week to trek through some op shops, perhaps in Ballarat, to find a frame I can use. I'm thinking something chunky and solid, and something I can add a frame. I know I've seen really nice ones around here for $2, and then it's all done.

Woo hoo!

Project 365 Fri 27 Mar 09

I FINISHED A LAYOUT!
It's been so long since I've finished a scrapbooking layout. I've started half a dozen and all of them sit unfinished, except for the journaling. So I made a concerted effort to get one finished, and here it is.


I love this photo of Tamika; it's one of my favourites.

What I've found to be great for getting my scrapbooking mojo back is doing a challenge. And there are a million of them out there for scrapbookers.

One of the sites I've signed up to is 52 sketches 52 weeks at http://52sketches52weeks.com. The layout of Tamika was made using a sketch from this site; the sketch is #8 (21 Feb 09) at http://52sketches52weeks.com/?p=131.

Even though I love the sketch I still altered it a little: I swapped the letter T for the flower, replaced one of the photos along the bottom with journaling, and used a single large photo at the top instead of 3 photos to name a few.

I'm also working on a few other sketches and challenges from other sites which I'll post when I'm finished ... again mostly the journaling to finish.

Fabulous Day

Yesterday I spent the day with Jason and Tamika at Lunar Park and we had the best day. Originally Mum was to come with us but she bowed out because the weather was going to be too hot, but as it turned out the promised cool change came through in the morning and the weather was brilliant: 23 and with the most beautiful cool breeze off the bay.


Jason and Tamika at the entrance to Lunar Park.

I wondered how the day would go because I thought Tamika would get bored with going on rides by herself, and be constantly bugging Jason and I to go on with her. That happened at first (plus being scared on the first couple of rides), with Jason and I going on one rides with her: me on a mini roller coaster and Jason on the Scenic Railway around the park.


Tamika looking apprehensive on her first ride.


Jason and Tamika on the mini roller coaster.


Tamika and I on the mini roller coaster.


Jason and Tamika on the Scenic Railway; the two of them are right at the end.

But somehow or other Tamika and this little girl Brianna hooked up and the two of them spent the rest of the afternoon together, and I mean three hours of non-stop riding! The two of them were in complete agreement about which rides they would and wouldn't ride on (and there were two very scary rides they agreed they wouldn't go on), and both gave the other the confidence to try a couple of rides they wouldn't otherwise have touched.


The first ride the girls went on together.


The girls enjoying the mini roller coaster together.


The last ride of the day

And Jason and I got to spend the afternoon with Brianna's very nice mother--whose name I've already forgotten (typical me and names).


Tamika, Brianna and her Mum on the carousel.

But in general the girls ran from ride to ride; without taking a toilet break, anything to eat or even a sip of water, and we ended up leaving the park at 5.30pm after 5 hours of non-stop rides! Not bad value for a $27.95 'all you can eat smorgasbord' for Tamika and a ride each for Jason and I.

And after Tamika was so keen to get to the beach to go swimming all we managed was a quick half hour paddle around 4pm when Jason felt that Tamika really had to stop and get something to eat (and Brianna and her mother did the same thing). So Jason, Tamika and I wandered down to the beach for something to eat and a paddle in the bay, and to soak up some of the atmosphere that was St Kilda Beach.


Tamika walking across the sand.


Jason sitting on the boardwalk watching Tamika in the waves.

All in all a brilliant day, and no downside (including sunburn) to mar the day.

Tamika on Christmas Day

The only person I have left who isn't camera shy is Tamika, and so I took plenty of photos of her on Christmas Day as she opened her presents. And she got so much lovely stuff:


1. Ripping open the paper on a present; I think this one was her Betty Boop doona set from Vanessa.


2. Opening a present from Horace and I; a High School Musical 3 interactive book.


3. Opening another present from Horace and I; this time clothing.


4. Putting down one of her presents, with a present from Mum (the big stuffed toy) in front of her.


5. Holding up some trousers from Horace and I, with the Betty Boop doona set from Vanessa on her lap.