A broochfest

There seems to be a little bit of a broochfest happening around crafty blogland, so here's my show and tell!

I try to co-ordinate a brooch to my outfit every day, even if I'm just schlepping about the house. Brooches just seem to make me happy.

• Top row - Beaded Heart and Flower Brooches by me
• 2nd Row - Aunty Mabels Handbag & Owl by Betty Jo - Wonderland and Chocolate by Sophie Isobel
• 3rd Row - Flower by Greenolive, Owl by Hokey, Vintage Diamante Cluster bought from second hand shop in Clunes, INXS badge from the 80's gifted to me from Steph.
• Bottom Row - Necklace / Badge Combo by Lauren Williams, 3 vintage floral & 1 Pippijoe fabric badge from Starashan.
• Cluster of badges on the right hand side made by me at Brown Owls last year.

Do you have a little bit of a brooch collecting obsession that you'd like to share?

My creative space

My creative space is taking a number, joining a queue, and waiting patiently (or not so patiently) in line.....

There are so many ideas and creative visions rolling around in my head at the moment, and it's impossible to do everything that I want all at the same time - so all new ideas are now required to join the queue.

I'm not really sure where this project fits in the queue. I spotted the jumper at an oppy in Yarraville on Saturday. It's pure wool, and I'm assuming that somebody accidentally felted it (therefore saving me the trouble of felting it myself), and then gave it away.

The neck opening is so small now, that even a child would have trouble getting this jumper over their head.

Inspired by the refashioning talents of Gina and Nikki and Tania, I am going to try to refashion it into either a scoop necked cardigan, or a scoop necked vest.

Please try to ignore my pathetic attempts to illustrate what I'm trying to do in photoshop (hopefully it makes enough sense though)!
I've never attempted anything like this before so I need a little advice.

The jumper looks felted to me. If I just cut it, will it unravel, or am I safe?
How do I finish it - do I have to hem, or overlock the edges?

Disclaimer - I make no promises that I'll even attempt this in the next month!

Swiney strikes again

I really wanted to enter the Smiths 'Do us a flavour' competition.... after all, potato chips are one of my favourite foods in the world (only beaten by chocolate and ice-cream).

I'd been trying to think of a really yummy flavour for a little while, and then kept promptly forgetting to enter, until last Sunday which was the final day of the competition. I logged on to the website to find that I not only had to enter my flavour (Roasted Pork Crackling), but also an image to go with it.

Panic set in..... I was out of time to create an image and my brain was on a go slow, so I couldn't even think of anything.... until a little lightbulb moment. Could Swiney help me to win?

I figured that Pork = Swine
I also figured that the Swine Flu Epidemic = Lots of extra publicity
But, do the judges have a sense of humour?
But, would Smiths want their product associated with the Swine Flu?

I have no idea, so I'll just have to wait and see.....

I hope that they at least get a laugh out of it!

Ignoring Swiney

Hmmmm I seem to be scowling at myself in the camera lens - this was the best of a very bad lot!

Swiney has been out and about gallivanting around the countryside this week on a mission to get noticed. I teamed him with a black jacket on each ocassion so that there was a huge colour contrast between what I was wearing, and Swiney himself.

Sadly, Swiney has been virtually totally ignored by each and every person that I've come into contact with.

Monday Morning

Appointment with Respiratory Specialist (surely he would recognise Swiney).
No comment from the Receptionist upon entry.
No comment from Specialist during appointment.
Wasn't expecting much due to lack of sense of humour.

Thursday Morning

Picking up films from Radiology department at Hospital number one.
No comment from Radiology Receptionist who dealt with my query.
No comment from Radiology Receptionist who delivered my films to the waiting room.
Lots of stares from other people in the waiting room (not sure whether that was due to Swiney or whether they were just staring at me).

Thursday Lunchtime

Dropped into a friends house for lunch.
No comment from the three adult friends who were there.
While eating lunch, the 2 Year Old points out the yellow fuzzy with red bits on my jacket.
Yah for Swiney - he's finally been noticed!

Thursday Afternoon

Appointment at Hospital number 2.
No comment from Receptionist who books me in.
Arrive at day ward.
No comment from the three nurses on duty.
After two hours, one of the nurses tells me "that I always look colourful" when I come in.
Not sure what that means.
Is Swiney colourful? Am I colourful? Do I dress like a freak when I come in? Is it a compliment? Is it an insult? Is she just making conversation? I am wearing an orange t-shirt and matching orange socks after all.
I say "thanks" and just keep reading my book.

Conclusion

The two year old wins the Swiney challenge!

My little Swiney

I just so happened to win the funniest giveaway in blogland last week over at Clutterpunk.

If you know me in real life, then you'll realise that it's quite hilarious and ironic that I won a Swiney Softie which has been modelled on a cross-section of the swine flu virus.

From Gina:
"it's virologically accurate, from the cute green neuraminidases and swanky red haemagglutinin right down to the 8 strands of RNA in the middle"

So, just what should I do with my sweet little Swiney? I'm thinking of adding a brooch clasp and wearing to my next doctors appointment, just to see if he dares to ask me "what the"?

Gina also included a gorgeous piece of retro kitchen fabric.... the brain is whirring.... can you hear it?