Grouchy Crafts?

This is my 2nd blog called Grouchy Crafts... I decided to name it Grouchy Crafts after Oscar the Grouch. I've been an Oscar fan from way back (my stuffed oscar became my sports team mascot during highschool ~ one year he was even abducted & another year he was nearly drowned, kids can be so cruel) I also own pretty much everything you could imagine with Oscar on it or Oscar related.

My first blog is mainly filled with updates on our new baby K & occasionally I've thrown in some arts & crafts entries... however we decided to lock that blog to the general public thus allowing me to post photos of our family, friends & our new bub without the whole world perving on us.


With the general public locked out, I'm not able to share my craft projects & I haven't recieved much feedback on my ideas / projects. So the idea for this 2nd blog 'open to all & sundry' is to show off my projects & get some feedback from all those in the crafty world that are one (or ten) step(s) ahead of me.


I should warn you now ~ I am total beginner material. I started sewing many years ago (having a mother & a grandmother who were both self taught, it was hard to miss the sewing bug) I was given an old bernina sewing machine back in the early 80's that must have been 20 years old when I got my hands on it, it is currently on loan to my best friend L & I hear it is still going strong. I myself recently invested in a brand spanking new Janome sewing machine & overlocker along with a new Horn cabinet to store them in. I haven't done a lot of sewing on the machine yet, but recently I completed my first quilt for our new baby, I am pretty darn impressed with how it turned out ~ not bad for a beginner if I do say so myself. I am currently sewing my 2nd quilt - this one has no outside help :) let's hope I don't stuff it up! I also have another 3 quilt projects ready to go ~ just need to find the time between feeds to cut the panels & start sewing. This is the main area I need to build my confidence in - my lines still don't match up & I would love to start some baby clothes for little miss K.


Other crafty notes...

I have been doing cross-stitch for many many years now, I would probably step out of my comfort zone here & say I am advanced at this craft (maybe even good LOL) Again I have a lot of projects on the go at any one time, my biggest would be my art deco Bugs Bunny. It would have to be one of the most tedious designs I've attempted & I did promise myself I would have it finished for my new baby, alas it's still a WIP. I have completed one few major designs over the years, of which I will eventually photograph & post here!


You will notice listed in my current projects a DOLLHOUSE. The dollhouse in question was built by my dad & given to me as a Christmas pressie several years back. It is an exact replica of the first Government house in Parramatta, Sydney (NSW) I started painting it years ago, but never got around to finishing it ~ now that I have a baby girl who I will assume will want to play with it when she gets older, I best get cracking. For the dollhouse, I have purchased the furniture ~ flat packed, I mean really can you buy anything these days that ain't flat packed :) LOL
I need to get started on these pieces soon as they all need to be painted & glued together. and lastly I have recently purchased a book "Needlework Designs for miniature projects" from http://www.foxcollection.com.au/ this book has 60 x-stitch designs for miniature quilts, pillows, curtains, napkins etc. Can't wait to get started!!!

Until Next time
Grouch