New in Shop

I am always looking for beautiful vintage linen tea towels that I can repurpose. Here are a few recent additions to my Etsy Shop featuring some of my finds:

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My Creative Space

 

This week I've been working on additional stock for my last market of the year (Piccadilly Market, November 25th, Geelong Waterfront). I like to have something new on the stall for each market. I certainly have enough ideas in my head, just wish I had enough time!

I experimented earlier this year with using remanents from tea towels (I use them to make cushion covers) to make a few things, including zipper pouches and passport holders. I love how they turned out, so when I was accepted for Piccadilly Market, I decided they would be one of the new things I would have available on my stall.

Only one more week to go. Then I've got some serious Christmas crafting to do!

Hope you are getting lots done in your creative space this week. To see what others have been up to be sure to visit My Creative Space. Cyndy

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To Market To Market

One market down and one to go! This weekend I had a stall at the Ashby Primary School Market Day. This one is a bit special for me, as it's my children's school and not only did I have a stall, but I was one of the organisers:)

The market included indoor and outdoor stalls featuring handmade, vintage and eco-friendly goods, food, activities and the student art show. We were blessed with fabulous weather and it seems by all accounts (stall holders and patrons) it was a wonderful day.

The school didn't do to bad either, we raised about $1,000 more than last year despite shortening the event by an hour. The proceeds will help support the school's music and visual arts programs, both of which are fantastic. We are a lucky little school!

Despite having another market in two weeks (Piccadilly's Market, Sunday November 25th, Geelong Waterfront) I feel I can take a bit of a breather - only some stock to finish up. No worrying about volunteers, flyers, supplies etc....hooray! Cyndy Pin It

Day 30 and 31 Blogtoberfest - Wordless Wednesday (and Tuesday)

 

 

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Day 23 and 24 Blogtoberfest - Wordless Wednesday (and Tuesday:)

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Day 17 Blogtoberfest - Wordless Wednesday

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Day 11 Blogtoberfest - My Creative Space

Have you ever been afraid to make something? I have. I have embroidered many Australian native flowers, but for some reason I have been intimidated by the idea of embroidering a waratah. I am not sure why. Maybe because its big? Maybe because it has lots of texture? Maybe because it's red?

Honestly, I have no idea why, but I've been scared so I haven't.  And then a funny thing happened, last week some beautiful photographs of real and sketched versions of waratahs showed up in my instagram feed. I knew when I saw them I needed to bite the bullet and try one. So I did:

There are layers of stitches and a lot of them, so its taking me a while. And while not done yet, I can already see some things I would do differently when I make another one.

Yes, I can already tell I will make another one. You see, it turns out it's not as hard as I thought it would be to embroider one:)

Hope your not feeling intimidated or scared to make something in your creative space:) And don't forget to check out My Creative Space for more inspiration. Cyndy Pin It

Day 5 Blogtoberfest - Flannel Flower Pin Cushions in Progress

I love flannel flowers. I love the white and green colour combination and I love the different textures.

When I was playing around with the idea of pin cushions using my wool embroidery of Australian native flowers, it's no surprise that my first one featured a flannel flower. Unfortunately I didn't like how the pin cushion turned out (the round shape didn't work for me), so I kept it for myself and moved onto other flowers.

Since then I have made a number of pin cushions (square in shape, much nicer in my opinion) featuring bottle brush, gum flowers, Geraldton wax flowers and eremaea, but no flannel flowers until now. I made one similar to my very first one and then a different second one.

Same flower, but definitely two different looks. Which one do you like better? Cyndy

PS In case you hadn't noticed I decided to do this crazy thing called Blogtoberfest, an annual blogging festival hosted this year by I Saw You Dancing, where you challenge yourself to blog every day for 31 days.

When I first started blogging I set a goal of 2 posts a week, but since March I have averaged 1 post per week. I thought I needed a bit of a kick in the pants and I have found making public commitments makes me more accountable. And looky see, with this post I am already 1 post more this month than my average:)

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My Creative Space

Still making pin cushions (among other things). I have been trying to vary the Australian native flowers I use, but I do think some look better (and honestly are more recognizable) than others.

Here are two more finished pin cushions (wattle and eremaea) and two more embroidered (swan river daisies and another red bottle brush).

I have two more pinned for sewing (yellow bottle brush and geraldton wax flower)  and two more on the hoop (another wattle and heath). I would also like to do a flannel flower. Phew:)

Hope you are having a productive and creative week. For more inspiration be sure to check out My Creative Space. Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space

Only 6 weeks until my next market. I had visions of lots of making (the last market I did was in March), but somehow 6 weeks out it appears my vision is not yet a reality.

I have been working on a few new items for the market, including these pin cushions that feature my wool embroidered Australian native flowers. It's an idea that's been percolating for a while (i.e. what size, what shape, how to to do the back), but I only finished the first two in the last 2 weeks (the school holidays here).

I have embroidered the flowers on pieces of old wool blankets found at op shops and have backed them with coordinating quilting fabrics. They are square in shape and measure about 4 inches square finished.

Yes, I am moving at a bit of a snail's pace, but sometimes I need to let things sit for awhile until I work out what I really want to do. I think it's the anal retentive perfectionist in me:) I think their making will move faster now that I've worked out all the details. Well, that's what I am telling myself:) I hope people like them! I've kept the reject one (round in shape, about 3.5 inches in diameter and 2 inches tall) for myself and even though I am not in love with the shape/size, I do like looking at it every time I need a pin!

To see what others have been up to this week, surely at a faster pace than I, be sure to check out My Creative Space. Cyndy Pin It

Op Shop Finds

Sometimes your lucky and sometimes your not, that's the nature of op shopping. This weekend I was lucky:)

I've been looking for some vintage pot holders and  I found two, both in yellow my kitchen colour. Love this little lidded jar too:)

I also managed to find a few things for my girls: a sweet pillow case with embroidered flowers, a sleeping beauty puzzle and a crown cookie cutter.

But my favorite find of the weekend? This wool blanket found in the dog blanket bin! The colours are fabulous.

It has been cut in half (so it's two pieces). I am assuming this is because there are some damaged areas (holes from moths it looks like), but I think I can selvage enough to create a throw blanket for my lounge room and use the remaining bits as background for some of my wool embroidery.

Speaking of, here's a piece I finished this week featuring gum flowers on another op shopped blanket background:)

In case my finds aren't enough for you, be sure to check out Flea Market Finds over at Her Library Adventures:) Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space

I am not feeling I have much to show for my crafting time this week. It started well. On Sunday morning I managed to complete two accessories for littlest's dollhouse: a mattress and pillow for the bed and a potted plant for one of the rooms.

But since then its been all downhill. I tried to steal some time while I was waiting for littlest at swimming and middle at ballet on Monday, but you can only get so much done in 30 minutes:)

I had high hopes for our extra day off (ANZAC day). I thought it would give me time to complete the flooring and wallpaper in the dollhouse bathroom and bedroom. Unfortunately, I made some miscalculations in cutting, so I won't be able to finish until I get some more scrapbooking paper:(

I hope you have more to show for your crafting time this week than me:) To be inspired or to see what others have been up to you can visit Our Creative Spaces. Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space

A new school year is underway in our household. Middle and oldest started school mid last week, and littlest started kinder. I was thinking I would have more time for crafting, but I am still waiting for that to materialise. Littlest phases into her regular kinder schedule over the next couple of weeks, so still not much child free time. And I forgot with school also comes all the children's other activities (swimming, ballet, netball) plus all of my related volunteer work (toy library duty, school council, parent's association).

That's all to say I didn't get too creative this week. I made a wonky pencil case for middle (to her credit, she wanted to keep it even though I wanted to start again), sorted two containers of fabric, did some fabric cutting and started thinking through a new crafty project using a vintage tablecloth with Australian flora on it that has lots of stains (but it's still more of an idea than an actual project). I guess I need to be more patient with the transition to our new school year routine and lower my crafting expectations just a little:)

You can find lots more creative spaces over at Our Creative Spaces this week. Cyndy Pin It

My Place and Yours: Outside

This week's My Place and Yours meme theme at Punky and Me is "outside." My "outside" is currently a little worse for the neglect, so close up photos were the way to go:)

Lots of figs on the tree (but they won't be ready til March)...

Flowers going to seed...

Garden marker made by the kids...

Brick planters...

Table leg...

Privacy screen...

First blooms on flowers planted by littlest.

To play along your self or see more "outsides" make sure to visit this week's My Place and Yours. Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space

This past Saturday was my first market! The market itself was a piece of cake, the five hours went by quite quickly. It was the weeks leading up to the market that were a bit of a challenge. You see, the market wasn't just any market, it was a fundraising event (along with a student art show) at my children's school and I was also part of the committee that helped put on the overall event. Add to that my home commitments and a few other things, like organizing teacher appreciation activities at the school the week before, with trying to get stock together for my own stall and it was a bit overwhelming at the end.

That said, I am glad I had a stall. I got some lovely feedback about my handmade items and learned alot about what it takes to organize a stall. And it looks like I will be able to put what I learned to good use as I will be doing another market in a couple of weeks:)

So you would think with all the craziness leading up to my first market that I might take a bit of a break this week from making, but I didn't. A friend had some relatives visiting from overseas and wanted to give them a few of my items. Problem was two of them were still in progress (some more of my wool embroidery this time as hoop art) so I had to finish them. I pleased to say I delivered them yesterday and they loved them:)

After finishing these and seeing them all together, I am a little sad to see them go, 'cause I love them too. Looks like I will need to make some more for my own walls!

Hope you are taking a bit of a breather this week if you need it in your creative space. For more lovely spaces you can visit here. Cyndy

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My Creative Space - Bunting Swap

My bunting for the bunting swap hosted by Squiggly Rainbow is finally on its way here and overseas! With all my focus on market preparation I am sorry to say this project got away from me, but I managed to finally finish it earlier this week. So if you are still waiting to get one it could be from me - mea culpa:)

For some reason this project was way harder than it should have been. No, not sewing the bunting, but coming up with the actual bunting design. I knew I wanted to share a little Australiana, but what?

And then the wattle tree across the street inspired me. I have some lovely wattle cotton fabric that has just been waiting to be used. I initially toyed with the idea of embellishing each bunting with wattle embroidery, but it became clear that would require a little more time than I had at my disposal. Instead, I went with pairing the fabric with two of my all time favs gingham and ric rack.

So here they all are before I sent them out. Simple, but I like them. I even made one for myself, as I am planning to make a bunting from all the ones I get in the swap. Not very original I know, but fun to have all that handmade love from so many people in one place:)

Here's hoping you are not as far behind in your creative space as I am in mine! For more lovely spaces you can visit here. Cyndy Pin It

My Creative Space

Earlier this year I participated in the Hottie Challenge hosted by Cam at CurlyPops. The challenge was to make a hot water bottle cover to help raise funds for Margaret Pratt Foundation (Research for heart and Lung Transplants). I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to make for my cover - I could see it in my head. Unfortunately, at the time I couldn't find the material (kind and colour) that I could see in my head, so I had to come up with an alternative (don't worry I still love what I did, you can see it here:).

Fast forward to this past weekend. The children and I stopped at one of our regular op shops and guess what I found? The material (kind and colour) that I had seen in my head when I had envisioned my hot water bottle cover, so of course I bought it!

I think this grey colour is the perfect back drop for my wool embroidery. I love using wool embroidery to depict native flowers. I don't really need to make a hot water bottle cover, so I decided to make a pin cushion. I started with a flannel flower. I love how the flower turned out, not so happy about the placement on the material, which I unfortunately cut too small, so not much room for adjustment. I might have to come up with another use for this one (plus, think I need to take the words off, just did that to fill the space, but not happy with it).

I've started a second one, this time giving myself a little more wiggle room:) I am embroidering one of my all time favorites a red bottle brush. The tree by our fence is in full bloom right now and it's so vibrant. I also want to do one in hot pink. There is a hot pink bottle brush tree up the block in bloom that is gorgeous, I just need to get the right colour of wool.

So remember, good things come to those who wait:) Hope you are getting lots done in your creative space this week. To see more lovely creative spaces you can visit here. Cyndy Pin It

Visions of Spring

The first week of September was fabulous here, warmer than normal weather. The lavender in the front garden looked beautiful, so I couldn't resist taking a few pictures. I thought I would share them today in hopes of conjuring up a little bit of that nice warm spring weather:) Can you feel the warmth? Cyndy

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