Music's What I Need to Keep My Sanity

That blog title comes from a line in a song from my favourite band 311. There's a random piece of trivia for you. And the reason why I mention it is that this week has been music filled. On Thursday I went to the Big Day Out. I am definitely getting old, many things about festivals make me grumpy. But I will focus on the positives, which were seeing Sia and the Deftones, amongst others. Some piccies.

I think this was during Lupe Fiasco's set

Sia's set. Wish I got a better pic. Her stage set up was awesomely crafty, inspired by granny squares!

Lazers

Rides which I avoid, as I don't want to die

During Rammstein's set. Can't see much here

I also went to see the Deftones do their own show on Friday night, which was pretty damn good if I do say so myself!

I have managed to continue being crafty (in a non criminal way) during the week too.

Used a fair bit of floss on this one

I also picked up this cool necklace at Tree of Life whilst perusing for gifts. Isn't it always the way, when you are looking for gifts for other people, you find stuff for yourself and nothing for them. Anyway, I think is going to inspire some jewellery ideas, so stay tuned for those!

And tonight I decided to be all homely and cook Mushroom and Spinach pastries. God knows, once teaching starts back at work I probably will find cooking a foreign concept (let's hope though I leave the office earlier more often this year). Tonight I tried something healthy. Although, with the pastry, cream and butter that was required, perhaps it wasn't really that healthy after all!

Nom nom nom

And to end today's post, a mandatory shot of my cat Millie

Done

The clean up job is done. This is how the room looks at the moment. I still have the mattress to get rid of, so that will have temporary status in the craft room until it is gone

I also need to vacuum and put up the pictures you can see on top of the bookcase, but otherwise all the hard stuff has been finished.

Organising my sewing room

Ever since moving into my new apartment (*cue song from Custard*) I have been trying to make it look all nice and pretty. Unfortunately I had an ongoing dilemma with some furniture, which has meant everything has looked half finished, and my progress has been hampered in completing 'the look'. Anyway, my furniture issue is now sorted (it's amazing how quickly things get done when you actually have time off work) and I have started working on my spare room. Initially this room had a single bed in it and my random sewing junk, but I have decided now to turn it into a dedicated study/sewing/craft room. First things first was to get a new table for the room, so off to ikea I went and this is what I got...

VIKA GRUVAN/ VIKA FAGERLID desk

Now I am onto the fun task of tidying the sewing room. Hopefully I get it done by the end of the day. Here is the before shot...well, almost before. I did move some things before taking this, but you get the idea.

Lots of junk...

So now I need to get inspired to organise everything *sigh*

I don't think the bed is going to fit in there anymore, which is fine. It seems kinda silly to have the room being half filled by something that gets used by visitors maybe a few times a year. I do have a strategy, however, for when I do have guests. My parents have these pretty nifty blow up double beds, so that is what I will use instead. Otherwise, there is also the lounge, which is pretty comfy to sleep on (says the experienced arvo couch napper).

Oh, and this is my next project- stitching on these Prints Charming prints (you can buy the same print HERE if you like them).

Better get started on these

Back to craft room organising.....after lunch maybe

Stitching fancy

Finished another project last night. This one was something I should have done ages ago. Probably two craft shows ago I bought some prints from Prints Charming. This one was sitting around, and I got inspired to get to work on it. I purchased some threads recently to match the table runner I made AGES ago. The reason I did this is because I am going to make some cushions for my lounge and want to do some stitcheries on some of them with the same colour theme. Anyway, I thought I might use the same threads on this little number, and then hang it on the wall. I quite like how it turned out. I just came up with random ideas and went with them.

I started with the pink and went from there

In progress

The final product. Thought I would make the pic bigger so you can see the detail

I actually took these photos in daylight for once, which seems to really help the products look better. Note to self: try to avoid taking photos of finishing products in the middle of the night when I complete them!

Funnily I came across some old photos when loading these ones onto my computer. The story goes, my little point and shoot ran out of batteries. I got really lazy and didn't get around to charging them again, and then I got a new phone with a fancy camera in it, so I decided to use that for my pics instead. It then turned out that it was a major drama to load the phone camera pics onto my computer, so I went back to the trusty point and shoot. Anyway, what a boring story! The point being, in doing this, I came across the very few crafty activities I participated in last year. One was the Sue Spargo class in Bathurst in August. I think mum has more pics, but these are the ones I took (can't show them all, as we were not allowed to load pics of her projects, they are only for personal use)

The gifts for each class member

Mum in action

Making badges. My birdy

I love wool!

Mum's birdy

Final product (mine)

And here is a photo I took of the Melbourne Finders Keepers Markets, which I dropped into in October, during my flying visit to Melbourne. I liked it much better than the Sydney one (probably because the last Sydney one I attended felt like we were sardines in a can)

Was this a good idea? As if I am not already busy enough

Today I signed up for THIS exciting looking Block of the Month from Prints Charming. It is being 'hosted' (is that the right explanation for it?!) by Addicted 2 Fabric in Canberra. I got the second last spot, with the patterns to be posted to me. Canberra is just a tad too far to travel for this one!

I realised after posting my last blog that there were a couple of jewellery items I made as presents for people that I forgot to take photos of! :( Bummer. Oh well, maybe I can take some snaps if/when I ever spot the recipients wearing the items.

In other news, I just found out there is a craft store not far from me. Well, not 100% a craft store. I think it's a fashion/clothing store that also holds some classes on sewing. I must have driven past it dozens of times since I moved to my new place and didn't realise it existed until I got a random email from one of the owners asking if I could tell our Brown Owls members about it.

Speaking of Brown Owls, Amelie and Atticus and I decided on meeting dates for the first half of the year. You can find details HERE.

I think it is time now to add a random picture to brighten up this post.....

'Fred the Head', my office mascot, looks on in awe at the paperweight Mum made for me.

Off to the new Calico and Ivy store tomorrow (no buying, I promise). Happy sewing adventures!

Some secret activities

I had to keep some of these latest projects secret because certain recipients might see this blog and the surprise would be spoilt. I have actually enjoyed this latest venture- embroidered button brooches! I bought some kits way back when I was living in Bathurst and they sat stagnant until a few weeks ago when I was inspired to freestyle some designs on linen after catching up on all the embroidery blogs I have missed in the past year. I think I am going to keep the french knot one for myself. The red, grey, white and black design was part of Amelie and Atticus's Christmas gift...and the pink one, well the recipient is TBC.

Early beginnings

Random continuations

Hmm better backdrop needed. This was my first effort...not bad

Second brooch.....the back. Quite scary

French knots....lots of knots

Finished product

Quite happy with these

Not sure why I only had the one photo of the red and black one on the left. That was the one I have gifted

After (IMHO) the success of those 3, I went to Spotlight and Lincraft to hunt down some more button kits. Geez, talk about a mission! I eventually found a few packs at Spotlight Rockdale (bigger sized and looked like old stock given the beaten up boxes they were in), so I grabbed them all. Maybe I need to go back to Bathurst to find more there!

I also finished the Grug stitchery for my friend. If you recall I was just waiting for her to have the baby so I could write his/her name in the apple. Well, on new years day, some 13 days after her due date, my friend gave birth to baby boy Keenan.

The finished product!

I think she liked it. I got a bit lazy with the freehanding of the name, but I figured it could be a little rustic given the rest of the content...as long as Grug looks good that's all that matters!

This past week I was lucky enough to get some little gifts of my own....from my Mum! Check out the yummy fabric!

I like Mum's idea of embroidering over the flowers here

Close up

Owwwwwwls

And, part of my Christmas present from Amelie and Atticus

DEXTER! Everyone's favourite serial killer

LOVE IT! Yes I am weird, okay