Colour Crochet Bags!

When the recent Quilt Camp was fast approaching, I decided that I needed a special Crochet Project to take along with me. Especially for Quilt Camp (we decided we would sit up all night and crochet, not realising the Sewing hall was open till 10pm!) I ordered some gorgeous Biggan wool from Tangled Yarns ~ quite the decadent purchase for me! I am a self-confessed Spotlight / Big W cheap wool shopper... partly because I am a tight arse and partly because I am notorious for NOT finishing projects. I will happily start them... but finishing is not my strong suit!

It also didn't matter that I was heading to the craft show the next day and probably should have saved my dollars, not to mention buying ANOTHER crochet kit that became my new Quilt Camp Project. Of course with a new Quilt Camp project, I had to finish this bag to take it away in right? So I madly crocheted and the Monday night before camp I just eeked out the shell edging along the top!   

With only a little wool left and and two handles and 4 flowers still to make what was a girl to do but order MORE wool. This time I just ordered 2 of the same colour + 3 new colours (for future projects of course... and it was cheaper for the freight) and I managed 2 short handles that I sewed on just before the weekend and 4 flowers with ends to be sewn in awaiting construction!

Doesn't it look so delightful with my new Crochet project in it (ok so this shot is totally posed!) I am about half way through the new project, hoping to show you the finished project before Christmas IF it doesn't get too hectic around here with the blog-a-long!

The flowers and vintage buttons (from my Nan's button stash) were sewn on the final morning of Quilt Camp. I absolutely love, love, love my new funky bag! And I had several ladies commenting on it at camp and all of who decided they wanted the pattern link too!

Pattern - Attic24 Crochet Bag by Lucy (highly recommend this pattern, it is so easy to follow!)

Wool used - Biggan Design DK Merino First Cross (colours: 945 CandyFloss, Gentle Green, 830 Jacaranda, 060 GhostGum, 705 Turquoise) 1 ball of each + a little extra as I added 3 extra increase rows and then ran out for the handles!

If I were to do this bag again, I would probably try to source some Aran wool as I'm sure the DK will stretch, but as I'm only intending to use it to carry small crochet projects - I'm hoping that won't be an issue!   

Sneak Peak

A little sneak peak of my First (yes FIRST) quilt finished this year! & I deem fit to call myself a quilter - shame on me! All will be revealed ONCE it arrives safely at it's new home!   

Sunday Snippets of my Monday Morning...

Yesterday was a busy day, we attended a birthday party for a gorgeous little 2 year old and we got home later than expected. I may or may not have had a few too many cups of home brew (OMG it was so good I want to brew my own... perhaps I should add that to next years' to-do lists) and rather than do a post last night of my Sunday Snippets (none of which were taken on the phone) I thought I'd totally cheat and take some of our Monday morning.

Big J started yesterday morning with Bacon & Eggs and decided to sit out on the back patio. I suggested we should make the effort to do it every morning & why wouldn't you!

THIS is why I love Queensland!!!



Cereal served in Reindeer bowls (of course... would you expect anything less of me???)

And Vegemite toast

Cheesy {early morning} Grins   

And satisfied customers (he was happy eating the vegemite toast leftovers)

My Instagram decided to freeze while taking that last photo & well it was too good to delete, so I did a screen shot (if you are new to iPhones you press the top button and the round button together and it will photograph your screen - good if there's a photo on Facebook you want to share with friends - rather than scrolling through history etc!)

Having breakfast outside was wonderful, no TV to distract. No iPad to distract and best part was once we'd eaten we came back inside and had enough time to run around getting washing done and the house tidied up before Daycare drop off. For ME that is an accomplishment, I'm afraid I am the type to roll out of bed, roll onto the couch and NOT move until well past the time I like to get her to daycare. At least this way I am actually up and moving for the day ahead.

It's coming...

3 more sleeps peeps... Advent Blog~a~long will be back by popular demand (ok - so perhaps 2 people is NOT classed as Popular demand...) I really struggled the previous 2 years to keep up the pace while working but the good news THIS year, I am no longer working (well not to the capacity I once was) so I have more time to spend doing more christmassy themed posts. Are you with me again this year?

   

Seeing Granny

Today was a GOOD mail day! We poor people in Queensland have been getting some SERIOUS delays on our Melbourne mail. DH ordered a DVD for Miss 4 and stupidly told her it would be here on Wednesday, 2 days after they sent it. Wednesday came and went, no DVD. Same on Thursday. Again on Friday. This went on for another whole week before DH went and bought another DVD for the poor chicken as she was so upset waiting for the mail each day only to find it didn't arrive once again! It finally arrived after 2 weeks.

I had the exact same problem when I ordered parcel number 1 from Curly Pops. We all know that waiting for delightful goodies from Curly Pops is hard enough for a day or two... but when Australia Post makes you wait 10 BUSINESS days. OMG I felt a bit like Homer Simpson awaiting his gun licence!

Luckily Parcel number 2 arrived today... a day or two less time to arrive than the first parcel (still 8 business days... good one Australia Post) but still very exciting to finally have it in my hands!!

Awww - I totally love handmade!

Especially when it is as cute as this little gadget pouch! Isn't the fabric so rad!!! It was a nice bright interlude to a day spent diligently studying!

Last weeks parcel (which I never got a chance to blog about was jam packed with wonderful Curlypops Goodies. I have a few handmade christmas presents sorted out now and was stoked to get this Go Granny fabric that Cam designed and released. I had been putting off ordering it for ages as I figured it would sit in my stash to be admired but never touched... I didn't want that and finally I bit the bullet when I had to order some christmas goodies and I bought a panel. OMG it is seriously delicious! I love, love, love it!



Starting small - I cut into it this afternoon and have put three little granny patches on my denim iPad cover (the cover was half price $9 at Target)    





The rest of the granny square fabric is in the to-do pile as the time has come to replace the cover of my lounge cushion. I bought this little cushion when I was pregnant with Miss K and it's taken quite a battering from constant use! I have already patched it up once with some denim, but even that has fallen away, so in the next week or two I will be cutting out a Go Granny Panel and teaming it with some denim and giving new life to this little beauty!



BTW - I had no issues with Cam during all the stuff around Australia Post were doing. I'm just mentioning it here incase you are wanting to order early for Christmas - the post is just so VERY SLOW at the moment! Incidentally... it only took 8 days (including weekend) to receive parcels from Hong Kong and the US... go figure!   

Sunday Snippets {taken on Saturday}

We are LOVING the hot weather Queensland has been turning on recently.

It means lots of late afternoon swinging...



Lots of swimming in clear water (though I do admit yesterday was my first swim!)

Pulling out my favourite sun-lounge & enjoying the cool breeze!



Having to fight for space on the sunlounge *sigh* and reading. Miss 4 now informs me, she totally wants one too. Pink of course!



Finding new bikini bottoms that actually COVER the still red scars (pulled down a bit to show off said scar)



Talking to these little cuties in the backyard!



And better yet, today has dawned another bright day. I'm sure today will be something similar!

Linking up with Cathy, be sure to pop by and see what others are up to this fine day!

Upcyling Creativity

Although I am rather crafty, I sometimes lack the oomph to turn my visions into reality. Many a project I've started and it hasn't turned out as expected, but I haven't given up hope yet. Last week (even though there were many more far better things to be getting on with) I started printing out my recently purchased copy of the 2012 Domestic Guru - you can get your very own copy right here and well as with anything that my mate Skip produces - it is down right EXCELLENT! Go on, I promise you won't regret it!

In 2012 I want to accomplish two major things.

1. Keep my house clean & in order - this organiser will be perfect for this (I used it back in 2009 and it was brilliant!)

2. Keeping control of the household budget and remove mindless spending, especially if I can 'do it myself'

So as I printed out my organiser this morning, I thought to myself it would be lovely to put it in a nice new folder to reside in for next year... my initial thought was to go buy one but that defeats the purpose of my household budgeting goal. So it was time to watch my pennies and put my recent crafty mo-jo into action.

Found in the bottom of my craft cupboard - one hideous 2 ring binder purchased just after I finished HIGH SCHOOL. Yes folks, this one has been sitting on the floor of my craft room cupboard gathering dust since 1990-something and yes I am a hoarder!

With no real plan of where I was headed, I started painting the inside with a light layer of Gesso.   



I added a bit of pink & a touch of silver but found the pink was a bit too in your face, so next step I cut out some scrapping paper and covered that pink over. I also taped the edges with some masking tape (note to future crafty self - add the masking tape BEFORE you paint *sigh*

Pretty Scrapbooking paper (pink of course) and lots of Washi tape to finish off the edges and lastly a light layer of gel medium over the top to get a more rustic type look happening. Now I know this style wouldn't be too everyone's taste - but with limited scrapping skills & a few tips I picked up when doing some art journalling - I actually really really love this new binder!

  

To complete the look, I added some snowflake Washi tape around the edges and cut into the first page of Skips Organiser (I hope she is ok about me defacing her beautiful page) Some light pink Washi tape to hold it all on and Ta-dah, one girly folder all ready to go!

The inside, I have put Skips introduction page on one side & all my pages will be hole punched and added - ready for my year of gaining control of this house!

What do you think? I'm hoping that by putting the dreary old housework stuff into a pretty crafty folder it will inspire me to work harder so I have more time to craft!

Craft Retreat Part 2

One final post on our weekend away crafting. Organised all the way back at the start of 2011, seven of us were keen to get away and spend the weekend at Cunninghams Gap crafting to our hearts content. Unfortunately two of the girls pulled out due to other commitments. The five remaining girls had an absolutely ball and it was great to meet up with all of them. Two of the girls I have been chatting to online for about 4 years now, so it was nice to finally meet and connect and craft together! I took along FAR too many projects - what was I thinking...??? I didn't even pull out my big camera which is a shame as it would have been good to get some pointers on photography from Rachel, but maybe I can do that next year!

At the last minute, I threw in a little mini album that I had cutout and done nothing further with & decided it would make a great little craft trip momento of our weekend away! It's not great as I took very limited scrapping supplies with me & today I need to finish it off with more journalling and the last of the instax photos I took!

I opted to use the word ANNUAL on my booklet as we have every intention of going away again next year - I can't wait ladies!  

The second page I added a photo of the cabin we stayed in, it was just like school camp! We stayed in "Boonah"

A few more instax of the weekend - I should have gone crazy and got more... but alas I was too busy attempting to craft!

On the Saturday afternoon, they arranged for one of the local quilt stores to pop by and do a quick little demo and set up a mini shop. OMG. I thought I would be safe in the country far away from shops... Luckily I had just enough cash on me to buy these & pay for my coffees! Some perle threads, crochet cotton, a forrest friends jelly roll and some Christmas Fabrics!

We decided before we left, to have a little goodie bag! OMG the girls spoilt us something terribly! Thanks so much ladies, I love all of it!

My contribution to the goody bags was rather funny. Remember the design board I made? I decided after that it would be a great 'quilt' related gift bag gift for the retreat. So I made my husband drive me to North Lakes so I could swing by the art store and pick up the amount of boards I needed. I ended up buying 6 thinking 5 for the retreat + 1 for me. Turns out I counted wrong *doh* and ended up with an extra 2 for me. When I packed for the retreat, I cut out four new Dear Jane blocks and set them out on my 4 boards and it was really funny how the girls were commenting and saying they are really great, I must get some supplies and make myself one. I was giggling to myself! Actually a lot of other ladies popped by our table and asked what they were too. I've decided they are so good, to go buy a bigger board and make a larger one for my bigger projects too. Anyhow here are the 8 boards stacked up awaiting wrapping!

I also made each of the girls a pincushion that I had seen floating around on Pinterest. I can't find the link right this second, but I just cut it to how big I wanted them and they were super quick and easy to make!

Of course I had to test run it and make myself one before hand!

  

So that is the final instalment of Quilt Retreat 2011. I am so looking forward to 2012 and it would be lovely if we were to get a few more ladies to come along. If you are shy thinking you've never met any of us before - don't be! We did not stop talking all weekend!! Lots of fun and I'd highly recommend it! And the best part - my energy for crafting had been renewed - so I'm off to create!

Sunday Snippets on Monday... & Craft Retreat Part 1

Linking up late with Cathy this week!

I had a busy weekend away on a craft retreat & thought it might be a good idea to share some little snippets (more to come when I scan my instax photos!) A few instagrams from the weekend crafting!

Roadworks are great when you are stopped at the foot of a huge mountain range!

I grew up not far from these ranges - glorious countryside in South East Qld!

At the retreat we all had one big table to work on. Setting up my machine on Friday night!

The start of piecing work... one of these squares was finished by Breakfast Saturday!

Four more squares to add to my small pile of Dear Janes! I picked the easiest ones to take along with me.



Snow came along to the retreat (and freaked some people out) I finally pushed myself to finish off a dress I had cut out long ago - just in time for Christmas!   

Some wildlife greeted us upon arrival, this little man was far less scarier than the 6ft snake skin they removed from the roof - thankfully the snake had long since disappeared.   

I had every intention of starting my new cushion cover, except ran out of time chatting and teaching others how to crochet! I did manage two rounds (which I had to frog and re-do when I got home as I'd read the pattern wrong) I did finish it off last night on the couch so it still counts as craft retreat finish!

As for Quilting... while I had every intention of finishing the 'machine' quilting on this little wallhanging, a very good friend convinced me it would look far better hand sewn! Luckily the retreat had organised for the local quilt shop to come by & set up a mini shop at the retreat & I bought some No 8 Perle threads to work on this today! I've never worked with these before & OMG I am sold!   



I'm home now feeling thoroughly refreshed & am back to reality this week, though taking it a bit easy today. I've finished the hand sewing on my EBDQ Swap, now just need to bind and send.   

A bit of this... bit of that...

I am heading off to a quilt retreat this weekend that has been in planning since early this year! Three days and 2 nights with like minded souls to relax with, eat with, exercise with (hahahah, not me!) and craft with. I am particularly excited because two of the girls I have been chatting with online for years now - maybe 3-4 years?

Because I was going away, I decided to buy some new expensive (for me) Biggan yarn. I thought it would be a great project to do while I was away, ha-hahahaha. I hooked on and haven't looked back until last night I just managed to eek out the top of the bag and realised I don't have enough balls left over to make the handles or flowers. DAMN IT. I had every intention of using this bag as my crochet project carry bag. I am hopeful that after a late night order last night that my order will arrive before I leave! I did get a shipping notification this morning that it's on it's way - fingers crossed! I just love, love, love the beautiful edging on this bag. Pattern is from here the instructions are easy to understand and it comes together so very quickly. I added an extra 3 rounds to the bottom of my bag - quite possibly the reason I ran out of wool for the handles 'doh'

It was a happy mail today with the arrival of my daughters Christmas present - A Simply Guava Blythe. Oh how will I keep her in her box until Christmas morning, she is so cute! I was a little hesitant about buying a Blythe for my girl as they can be a little expensive, but after seeing the price of cabbage patch dolls the other week - I decided to bite the bullet. Miss K is 4.5 and starting prep next year which maybe a little young, but I want to teach her the meaning of a special dolly early on in the peace and I have confidence in her after the way she has treated my own girls that she can be gentle. Can't wait until she sees her pink hair on Christmas morning!!!

And speaking of hair. If you haven't seen my Facebook feed today you won't know that I have had a hair cut and got my first fringe since high school. I have been contemplating doing this for some time now, and today I just went with it - it covers up my big long forehead quite nicely! What do you think?

Not much else to share, I am trying to work out what projects to take to the quilt retreat on Friday... and I am wanting to take them all. So will have to see how much I can accomplish on Thursday and try to prep a few to go.

The story of a tablecloth

Many years ago, a lovely yellowy / orange crocheted tablecloth was born.



The colour was a bit too much and the poor tablecloth languished in deep dark cupboards awaiting rescue.



Realising how well it fitted and would look on my dining room table, I saved that table cloth from it's deep dark banishment.



A small bath revealed a mottled colour. The orangey a stark reminder against the lighter sea-green splotches.

      

Until today with the help of two packets of ocean blue, my tablecloth is proud to be seen in public once again.

   

Not wanting to toot my own horn or anything, but it is now truly glorious! Can't wait to see it on my table this summer!

Huge, huge thank you to my MIL for creating this gorgeous piece in the first place, thanks to Dylon for those new packet mixes, awesome dyes though my fingers will never look the same again (MUST WEAR GLOVES) and to me for not giving in when others would!!!