Mail, the IRL kind!

Yay, I got some great sewing things arrive yesterday! GREAT sewing things! To kickstart my sewing career in 2013, I jumped on the internerds (don't we all?) and grabbed myself a couple of good starting points. Colette's new Laurel (I'm sure you've seen it!) sewing pattern and Sew Liberated 'Growing Up' book (with lots of sewing patterns).

Colette's Laurel has a zillion possibilities as a basic shift dress, and there's prizes prizes prizes to be won. And you should totally get Laurel and enter all of them, because... if I can, I'll try and enter all categories! They are: Print, Colour, Self Designed Fabric (that's going to be hard for me!), Embellishment or Details, Autumn or Winter version & the Reader's Choice. So I'd LOVE to set myself the goal of sewing 6 Laurel's before April 30th... but we'll see how well I go. I'm all 'Go With The Flow' around here, as we all know... so we'll see.

I've sewn Colette's patterns before, and they're always quick and great (with different tips/techniques in the instructions, I've often found), so here's hoping the Laurel is the same. I cannot WAIT to get my freaking sewing room de-cluttered to find some stash fabrics!

But I'm also excited for the Sew Liberated book, I just had a flick through yesterday when the mail arrived and loved the look of a few projects already for Baby Darling (some soft balloon pants for someone who'd love to be crawling!), but how gorgeous is the tee pee tent!

I'd seen the Sew Liberated blog before, but only just discovered it again after googling up sleeping options for children. My only advice for new mums (as I've been told) is to never share where your baby sleeps because there's lots of different opinions on safety and what's best and that you don't want to 'start bad habits'... but late late late at night feeding (in my own bed) I started googling up where children sleep and what other families get up to. Baby Darling has slept everywhere and anywhere (and is not shy of sleep), but once he's crawling and being a proper standing up little human, I'm wondering where he'll park himself to slumber, and I discovered these Montessori type bedrooms, and then found Sew Liberated's post on her boy's bedroom (and a post on after he was born). A lot of this Montessori world isn't new to me, but it's so good to SEE what people do in their homes, so it's so lovely that people post photos on how spaces are used by little ones. THANK THE INTERNETS!

Anyways, I'm keen to be creating for me and my family now I have the inspiration and guidance, so let's see how I go! YAY!

Happy Friday to you, whether it's a good one, or just a NOM chocolate one! I ate a homemade Hot Cross Bun (however it was crossless, and SO yummy) that my Mum brought, and I can't wait to eat more over the weekend. More buns and more food! I love being with family and the meals we make!

xo

Hanging in the kitchen with my gal

Oh boy, half an hour ago I was almost freaking out! My darling doggie found some awesomely yum organic milk chocolate in my handbag (what was *that* doing there!) while my back was turned and in true staffy style, she'd wolfed down about 80g of the stuff.

Luckily today I had a letter from the Vets on the kitchen table and called them almost in a bind (Husbie has the car, it's raining and the vets are about 20 minutes drive away) but the darling lady said she would be worried if Doggie Darling had eaten more than 300 grams. SO FREAKING LUCKY!

Anyways, I took these photos to show you how my uber big scarf hangs around my neck and my new fun book (straight from the States c/o my darling friend Emma!) about sewing How Tos from the 1970s!

It's really flat chat at the moment! I've got big plans for The Big Picture, and could probably explain all soon, so thanks for bearing with me here on my crafty blog as I've been vague and boring! LOLZ! Things will be changing soon.

New Knitting Cafe!

ARGH!

Sydney's Inner West crafty queens have an official new hangout! I walked past last week coming back from the hairdressers and almost tripped over myself! Newtown just keeps getting better and better at the moment.

First up, our first official 'bar' opened up (Corridor - Newtown) and got us all excited, then another bar got an excellent write up in the paper (Bloodwood - I keep calling it Bloodbank after the Bon Iver song though) and is hideously full each Friday/Saturday so you'll never get a table (Husbie and I had a drink there the other day!) and then my favourite Thai place (I would travel across town for, it's that good) opened up on King Street too!

So, things are looking up, especially when King Street goes crafty! The cafe is called 'A Coffee and A Yarn' and after googling I see that Amy over at Badskirt has also given the place a thorough review! Here are a few pictures I managed to sneak when I visited today for GREAT chats with my darling friend Emma!

We just chatted a LOT, so no knitting, but heaps of people were knitting! Emma was going to take her mum there, and I've got to spend a bit more time browsing 'good wool' instead of my second hand stash!

Yay for the Inner West!

What I'm carrying around for light reading at the moment

My light reading at the moment is 1100 Stitches Patterns and Knitting Crochet Basic Techniques. I picked it up at the Oppie a few weeks back, and really honestly am trying to learn how to crochet.

Everyone online here seems to be a whiz kid at it, but I'm yet to get it. My hands and brain just don't go with the flow. Now, I taught myself (after years of knitting the slow way) recently how to knit the fast way (continental) so am uber proud with myself at learning new things.

BUT I just can't crochet.

How funny are the names for some of these stitches though, my friend (who was shocked that I was carrying this around as light reading claiming 'We are SO different') thinks they'd suit horse names...

Palm-leaves

Cock's Head

Webbed Arcs

And Small Fans coming in for win by a nose.

A cute Little Flirty Apron giveaway & some booky news

Happy Sunday morning!

If you like sweet bright colours in the kitchen, have a look at this Boojiboo Flirty Apron GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!! over at Grosgrain!

As for the booky news, I've finished John Fowlers' creepy but 'unputdownable' book The Collecter, and am adding it to my library thing now.


I didn't realise until the end that he wrote it in 1965, as it was very yesteryear in the setting, I thought he was just being nostalgic. There are SO many older books and authors I've never heard of nor read, so I really should get my literary gear on! I've just found my old Kurt Vonnegut Jr's 'Player Piano' and remembered that I started it and never finished... so that's on the go for my next book.

I'm going to venture out now in my Husbie's trakkies and oversized offensive hoody to buy some milk for tea. Gotta have tea!

Back to Crafty Adventures with my 200th Post

Well, it was a busy time, but I got through it *just* and now have a day off today. Yay! I don't tend to harp on about my day job, but let's just say it was extremely busy but altogether a great time (now that it's over!), so hence my EXTREME lack of blogging and crafting here.

KNITTING UPDATE: When I was in Melbs I went to Borders in the citz and bought "The Knitted Odd-bod Bunch: 35 Unique and Quirky Knitted Creatures":


As I was thinking of learning crocheting, to make little toys for little friends, but discovered I can knit little toys instead! Much easier for me, and whilst I know my knit and purl stitches, I don't know a lot of the terms, (skbo or kbtl - I'm making them up now, I have a puppy on my lap and can't run over to pick up the book) BUT the knitting lingo is explained in the back of the book. The photos are gorgeous, and I'm making a shorter tummied daschund, for my little fairygodson in the UK. I'm making her up in black wool, like my little Doggie Darling! Counting the stitches is the worst part, but you can see the shape straight away and I've finished the body of the toy and up to her little ears (hope to finish tonight during telly time).

WARDROBE REFASHION PLEDGE UPDATE: Whilst on my working trip I also raided a few country op shops for wool, fabrics and patterns. Oh! I just remembered a really cool burgundy disco dress I got too, better stick that in the wash today too! So for my wardrobe refashion pledge, it's still intact, although I bought tonnes of tights and stockings and socks from Melbs. I'm also going to buy a pair of shoes:


But it's my reward for getting my last year's tax return in in time to get stimulated by K Rudd! Shoe Reward! So shoes and tights I can't make just yet, so fine for the WRP (no new clothes, just what you can make etc).

BOOKY NEWS: I finished "Up a Tree in the Park at Night with a Hedgehog" by Paul Robert Smith (Hee hee, Robert Smith) and it was pretty good. I read it only because my all time fave author Douglas Coupland had a quote on the front, so it wasn't brilliant but a fun look at relationships.


GARDEN NEWS: My banana tree is now taller than me, my coriander seeds sprouted with great success as did the snow peas. I have absolutely no idea how to grow snow peas, so have left up the tomato stakes with twine between them, so we'll see.

AND LASTLY A LIST OF WHERE I'M AT WITH SEWING STUFF:

- Art smock dress x2 (at least)
- Trousers for Men x2
- Wiggle Dress x3
- Baby bigs x 1 million (however many I can sew actually, as babes continue to be born)
- Vest for a Man x2
- Skirts for skinny hot friends
- Winter Dresses for me
- Baby jumpsuit for Baby Friend

Phew! Also, I'll promise more blogging! I miss it! I look forward to reading your blogs, I'm off to check you out now and see what's been going on!

Booky News: Short stories in America

GAH! I tried to blog this yesterday, because I have HEAPS to blog about, but my computer, the internerd or the blogger machine is not working to my schedule!

Book time! This is my 8/50 book, and 'Birds of America' by Lorrie Moore.



It's a collection of short stories, I found them via a David Sedaris site (whom I LOVE - go and read everything of his right this second), and bored one day I ebay searched his top tips... Lorrie's book was the only one currently listed on ebay. So I got it!

I've got so much on the go so better rush off. Mother in Law flies in tonight, and the house is yukky due to little puppy. I have 2 dresses to finish this arvo too, as our spare room is also the sewing room. Wish I had the big bucks and had a 3 bedroom house. Sigh. Phew.

Bye!

Booky News: Handling the Dead

Zombies!

I read this guy's other book and had to read his next one! It's pretty awesome, but not sure about the ending... you'll have to read it so we can talk. It's not totally frightening, just exciting to find out what's going to happen as it's pretty bizaro!


It's part of My Library Thing's book challenge... obvs zombie books make me read fast! AND, found out that this guy is also a stand up comedian and an author... interesting considering he write such dark things rather than funny fun times stories...

I'm just finishing this post off at work, as I got a bit busy last night, I made pumpkin soup and dashed to see a weird Seth Rogen film with my pal. WEIRD. That guy is so weird. My friend LOVES him though.

Anyways, I'll leave you with my fave song at the moment (as it's on the radio right now!) they're from Brissie:



It's Yves Klein Blue's "Getting Wise"!! Here's the behind the scenes:

Booky News: Let the Right One In

OMG!

Just finished this book by John Ajvide Lindqvist yesterday:



And I've already started his next one (about zombies). But Let the Right One In is just GREAT! I saw the film down in Melbs, and heard there was so much more in the novel, and whilst the film is totally amazing and a piece of art in its own way, the book just is unstoppable reading. I haven't really read any scary stories for a while (since I read all the Stephen King's when I was like 12) so this was romantic, beautifully written and behind belief, but believable!

It's 6/50 in my Libary Thing's Book Challenge. I wish I'd said 25 books in a year... but I was wishful thinking, and I guess you never know! I've got til the end of November-ish, so who knows I could speed up if I keep reading John Ajvide Lindqvist's books.

Booky News on a beautiful day!

Today we cleaned *almost* the whole house, and sadly it's still a bit yuck, and it was really hard work! So, the active modern couple we are ... we called and got cleaning quotes ... and now have a cleaner. It's so bad that we can't do it ourselves, but I've thought about it for ages and our household runs pretty smoothly apart from the regular cleaning.

I cook, Husbie cleans up... I'm the boss of the money, Husbie's the boss of the clothes cleaning & hanging out... but the overall cleaning hasn't been very balanced. I get frustrated that I can't clean very well (perhaps I never bothered to learn) and then Husbie ends up doing more cleaning and plus gets allergies from the DUST! CRISIS!

So we met our CLEANERS this afternoon! How quick and organised! Yay! I'm also imagining all these economy things as well... we're giving dosh to people and stimulating the economy right Kevin? Creating jobs for others. You can justify everything, right?!

ANYWAYS, the rest of my day was about reading the papers, taking the dog for a walk a few times (we're minding her again! And I made this really fun toy for her!) and going to the Remnants Warehouse for new scissors (I got the second best pair, only $50 and my first 'real' pair). I also made a nice 'zesty' couscous and tofu salad last night, and am picking at the leftovers now, listening to Dean Martin on the record player!



My booky news is that I've finished ANOTHER Richard Yates book, a collection of short stories... Called 'Eleven Kinds of Loneliness' and once again it's amazing. I posted about 'Revolutionary Road' the other day, and luckily my friend has heaps of Richard Yates books so is going to find me 'Easter Parade' next. It's totally amazing and he's just so vivid with his descriptions and delightfully sad with his narrative. I love his stories and can't get enough! FYI, I'm reading 50 Books for My Library Thing's yearly challenge, and luckily there's a few more Richard Yates stories around!

*** This post wouldn't publish y/day for some reason... here it is now... ***

50 Book Challenge - Revolutionary Road & Naked!

I've got two books to update to 'My Library' over at Library Thing, where I'm completing a 50 Book Challenge! I work in a very oral/aural place (ie I talk A LOT and listen a LOT too) and I find that when my mind tries to rest on more than 6 paragraphs, I get BORED! Reading takes TOO MUCH TIME! I'm always flittering around.

So, in my 'off' time I like to sew (as you know) and I've been trying to amp up my brain so I can get back into READING NOVELS again. Before full time work, I used to read ALL the time (I majored in Literature at Uni), and now that it's been over 5 years of work work work, I'm worried I'll never get back into it again... and how will I ever enjoy my life properly if I'm not a reader!!!???!!!

Naked by David Sedaris

Fabulous! Please go and do yourself a favour and read all his books NOW! I love him and got to meet him last year! He said to me 'My! You look like a happy witch', as I was wearing all black, but quite energetic (as usual!).

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

This was AMAZING! I've heard this will be on ABC 1's First Tuesday Bookclub too, and my friend recommended it last year. As I've been watching a lot of Madmen, I can see where it got it's character development and some relationship inspiration from... it's such a great read! I can't believe so many things are different in society now, and it's 50 - 60 years ago. I LOVED this book, and really got into the characters. The writing is just enough detail, and a lot of thought provoking attitudes and issues from that time.

Anyways, now I've read 4 books since starting the 50 book challenge, but I reckon I should get cracking on that!

Hope you're week has started ok! I'm getting a lot of locals saying they've seen my knitting pole! And also a lot of friends wanting one in their street! Woo!

A little post to collect my thoughts

1. I'd like to make a few baby things to have 'up my sleeve'. Babies are born all the time, and I know people who are pregs all the time and I should just have some ready to go! One boy was born last week (a lovely friend of a friend!) and one baby is due at the end of March. That would be great to have baby goods on hand. (Jeepers you can see where my life is at, at the moment, 5 outta 6 couples who got married around the same time as me, ie 2 years ago, are pregs or have had babies already. Can you tell which 1 outta 6 couples *hasn't* had a baby yet?*)

Some googling time has revealed:

Make and Takes Baby Stuff - bibs, shoes, cloths, burp cloth

The Domestic Diva - absolutely everything, heaps of girl ideas too.

2. I must try and get to the beach more while the weather holds up! We went to Coogee today for the first time! Even though I got dumped (only a little bit) I really loved it! See, finishing work at 12noon is good for the beach! I've really got to make the most of it!

3. As a LOVELY wedding is approaching, I've got to plan a 'garden attire' type dress. I've been watching Mad Men like CRAZY, so I think it'll have to be a wiggle type dress like Joan's.

That's all for now! Just a few thoughts! Still updating the shop etc, reading David Sedaris' 'Naked', and working out Outfit Number 49. (And working an insanely busy fulltime job too - but who cares about that!)


* Me! And perhaps isn't ready to have babies yet? And dare I say (to keep inlaws at bay) IF AT ALL?

50 Book Challenge Begins!

Cause I'm not busy enough I've signed up for a 50 Book Challenge!

I was reading The Crafty Librarian's blog and she mentioned the 75 Book Challenge, and I thought I'd give myself a slightly smaller goal of 50, as I've been reading a lot recently but earlier in the year I was treading water... I'd hardly finished 1 book in the first six months! Yikes! I think 50 is a pretty good goal for one year!

I've started with 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' by Michael Chabon as I was given it for my birthday and so far so good. I'm not much of a reviewer, so don't stress, this is still a craft blog, but I want to give myself more goals of DOING things rather than talk about them all the time. I'm SUCH a good talker these days and not much of a Do-er type.

This morning at work I felt a tickle on my arm, and thought it was my long locks on my bare skin, but I looked down and it was a SPIDER that I yelled at, "Spider!" and then brushed away, but all day since I keep thinking there's more on me! My hair really is tickling my neck now, but I keep thinking more spiders have come!

Isn't funny, the first think I did when I saw it was to say "spider" and then flick it off... what a dork! "Spider!"

Lonely ARTS Club

I've become addicted to Sydney!

Yay! I've only lived here for two years! Oh, I've had some fantastic days here but Sunday was easily the best so far! I ate pancakes with Miss Claire and then saw my friend Craig talk about cool guys:



That's his first book, but he spoke at the Writers Fest at the MCA with bits from his new book!

And then we popped downstairs with a big gang to view the Zine Fair and I found Dear Dudley Redhead with all her fantastic things!!! I got really hot in my oversized fake fur, DR, otherwise I would have stuck around a bit more! I've never met a blogger from the crafty community before! Yay to you DR and all your beautiful things! Hope you had a great day! Here's a pic I stole from your blog:



Cuties!

And then we mopped up the day at the Opera Bar loving Sydney's sunny skies! Yay!

Currently I'm making a few more zipper purses (Rozelle markets are on this Sunday and I'm hopping in on a stall with a few friends - first market for me!) and a few dresses. One's black with a white colour, I'll see if it fits me or not, otherwise it's to market to market with it!

xoxo