Another weekend of wonderful

Oh bliss

It was full and it was great, I need a wee lie down now but no time for that.

Saturday morning we had some of our friends over for breakfast, some of our new friends and a couple of long time friends that we managed to bring over from New Zealand. We have lived in Melbourne for just over a year now and it was great to be able to have friends in our house, and to have those that hadn't before, meet each other.

Do you like to have guests? Sure it is a bit scary, my work space wasn't as tidy as I would like it and we nearly ran out of cups, but it is great to meet that scary and find out that your friends do like you despite the less than perfect surroundings and to connect the different parts of our lives. I love breakfast and I love feeding people. We had so much fun I forgot to take photos.

Sunday morning it was cold (yes really New Zealand readers it really was) but I managed to get myself out of bed and down to the Camberwell market to meet the other brave Brown Owl girls. It was lovely to meet some for the first time to share a coffee a chat and some good bargains. I found this great tin, a perfect find for a cold autumn day. It will replace one of my shoe boxes currently used for storage.

On Friday the felt I have been waiting for for my new kits arrives so after I defrosted I spent Sunday afternoon cutting it up. The colours are fantastic I just love to pile them up and rearrange them. But they are all destined to be out the door very soon so best I get stop playing with them and pack them up.

Embroidery off to Brisbane

It is the Stitches and Craft Show in Brisbane shortly.

It was in Melbourne recently and I spent 5 days teaching lots of lovely people embroidery stitches at the one of the Craft Bars with patterns by Sublime Stitching. I had so much fun that although I was exhausted by the end of it I couldn't stop stitching. So I kept on going and made some samples for Angela at Living Creatively to take to the Brisbane show. I hope to inspire peps on the cool things they can make with their projects. If you are in Brisbane go and check the show out, and have a go at the craft bars, a great way to give something new a try.

I am planning to teach some basic embroidery classes soon with these great patterns, I have irons in the fire, so keep an eye here if you are keen.

Off to Little Sparrow tonight for a handwork circle evening. What will we do?? I am imagining knitting stitching, hooking and a lot of chatting, plus a wee cup of tea I think.

Weekend of Wonderful

My silence of the last few days is not because I have been lying around eating chocolates, no, but because I have been busy busy busy, so lots to tell you... first instalment...

Finally the kids are back at school and so I can get to the computer and have a wee browse on the net and fill you in with what we have been up to. Saturday: Husband and I went to Sisters Market, I hadn't been before but found it with the help of Justine at Mixtape, saw her, wished her a happy birthday and got these great wee Dr Seuss badges. I will be sending them to my sister who is knitting a whole farm yard worth of animals. I also got these cute little bird hair clips, I don't know why cause my hair is fairly sort at the moment, but I am sure I can wear them somehow. I forgot to write down who made them. I hadn't read kims post on brown owls at that point and it was all a little girly for Husband so he bribed me away with a coffee. I did have more shopping to do but I guess next time..... (I will just leave him at home)....

Sunday was Husbands birthday so I spent the day being slave for the day, making yummy yummy food and fetching coffees and then beers. I planned to make these chicken parcels, I had seen a recipe but my highly efficient system failed me and I couldn't find the recipe, so I made it up and it was fantastic! I reckon it might even count as crafty since it was in paper tied up with string. yum yum yum.

Husband is a white chocolate fan so I made a chocolate moose. You can see it is a little lumpy as I got sacred of knocking out the air, but yum. Husband and I couldn't eat it all so keep some aside for the next night but the girls took on the challenge and polished theirs all

off. And then I sent them to bed all wired, hee hee.

Best be off now, big list of must dos but to remind me and tempt you ...further instalments due....

Embroidery off to Brisbaine

New Outlet!

Comedy Festival

Stitching the Husband up

Have a great day see you soon.

Out and about crafting

Two stories in the news recently have been getting me to thinking. First there was a great story out of the tragedy's of the Italy earthquakes of the 98 year old women who whilst trapped by rubble passed her time knitting. Obviously someone who doesn't believe in being idle. Then this week there has been a story about a women in Perth being asked to leave a restaurant because she was breastfeeding, I am not even going to go into my opinion about that here, but it has led me to thinking......

I breastfeed for an extended length of time and was involved with the breastfeeding support group La Leche League. One of the things I loved about breastfeeding (apart from its health benefits) was the practical accessibility of it. I had milk in the right quantity and temperature for by baby at any time and any place. I used to have a wee list in my head about some of the places I had nursed my baby. At home of course, but also on planes, boats, beaches, mountains, hospital, waiting rooms, cablecars, conferences, at concerts, cafes and restaurants. This photo shows me breastfeeding the second born at the Sydney zoo during our first overseas trip.

At the moment my favourite crafting is hand stitching, mostly embroidery. Part of the reason I love it is the portability of it, I travel by public transport and I am able to stitch while I wait for the train and then on the train or tram or bus... In fact I am doing a wee project examining the passing of time whilst travelling.

I have been known to stitch my way on the tram and then stitch on the beach or cafe. Traveling by plane and crafting has been getting trickier but I suppose you could finger knit? Usually I settle with reading about crafting or brainstorming and sketching out the next project. I think that still counts.

I have crafted in hospital, at meetings, in waiting rooms, in parks and recently at a music gig. This photo shows my two princess friends creating in a caravan during a creative escape weekend. I like crafting in different places, for a start it gets me out of the house and I think of different things when I have a different view. It is a great way to meet interesting people when they ask you what you are up to or to collect compliments as folk admire your handy work.

I am challenging myself to starting a new list and to craft in some interesting places throughout the year. Have you crafted in an unusual place? or where is your favourite place?

I am thinking I would love to organise a crafty train trip- meet and craft our way out to the end of the line or into the country, refuel at a country cafe and craft all the way back into the city. Any Melbourne people keen? leave a comment or email me at princesskirstiejane (at) gmail (dot) com

wednesday and wearing....

It has been a great autumn day today and I decided to give myself a bit of a lift with these very loud pants. Not to be worn when I am feeling shy as you can be pretty sure that I will stand out a bit. The shoes were hand-me-downs from my bestest mate; she received them a long time ago from her boyfriend and I am pretty sure he found them in an op shop. I guess they are well out of date but I love to wear them cause they make me think of her.

Sharing the stash

The first born is doing a design and technology course at school or what I used to call sewing. She is making a bag this semester, I recently invited her to go thru my stash and see if there was something suitable she wanted to use. One of the options I presented her with was this op-shop dress I had brought with the intention of cutting it up and recycling, but "no" she cried "I could wear that!" And so with a little bit of altering -taking it in and bringing up the hem, she has headed out for the evening in a brand spanking new dress.

Browsing in town this afternoon she was complemented by an assistant in a groovy wee shop, proof I am told that this is indeed a great wee number. I love that I have a kid confident enough to believe she can alter clothing and that she wants to wear something rescued from her mother stash.

Don't you think it would be perfectly suitable to have a picnic of this fabric, just like wearing a flash table cloth- in a good way. And the good thing about taking up that hem is I get a little bit of fabric to play with - hooray everyone is happy when we share the stash.

A new start

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I have just been browsing thru some old

photos. This is one of my sister and I having a late night dance at a family gathering of Easter 2007.

Easter symbolises rebirth; for us Easter of 2007 was for us a time for a new start, or at least the start of a new idea. An idea was planted for us to move to countries and we decided to contemplate it. A few short months later we had a job and were underway with moving all of us over. Husband and I were both born and have lived all our lives in the same area so moving our family overseas was a big deal. This has been a journey that has taught me a lot about myself, about my relationship with family and friends, our priorities, attraction and creation and that if you want an adventure it helps if you leave the house. Lately I have been finding a lot of new adventures, I know they are good adventures cause I am feeling that great mixture of excitement and fear. Even blogging for me has been a great new adventure, a chance to meet new people and to share some of our lives and adventures. Thank you to those of you who share your adventures. I love to read about them and thanks for stopping by and reading mine.

Wearing....

Today I am wearing a dress a friend gave me.... I love to wear hand me downs, and I love to wear op shop finds, and I love to wear things made with love by clever people. I have grown to love all these things, it wasn't always the way.

When I was a kid in a small town in New Zealand, op shopping was oh so very embarrassing. I loathed being dragged into an op shop by my mother- what if a friend from school saw me? or worse my teacher! Oh I so wanted to impress Mr Farr.

My Mum has always been super clever and resourceful, I liked being able to draw pictures and then having her make them into applique t-shirts or knitted jerseys (jumpers) but I don't think I really appreciated the wonders of having a mum who would stay up late the night before we went skiing to make us all new ski pants. Or our floral togs! Thanks Mum

Then at some time it changed, I raided Mums wardrobe most mornings and wanted the 'opshop' look and even made some clothes for myself. What I love most is to wear outfits with a story. I love to know who else has worn it, or where I found it and what a bargain it was. In our house one of our games is to add up our outfit - how much did it cost, the reward- looking stylish at a bargain price. I am glad I caught on to Mums great idea and I love to share these adventures with my first born. I reckon even Mr Farr would be impressed. Do you love to op-shop? what do your kids think?

Confessions

Imagine if you will a picture here of lovely autumn fruit, apples, pear, figs and lemons. I did take a photo to share with you all but the first born took the camera to a friends and it slipped her adolescent mind to bring it back home again. Damn she has been telling me we need another camera, "need?" I reply "I do not think that word means what you think it means." However now I want to use it and I am thinking maybe it is a need after all.

But back to the point of this story. I have a confession. I have lived in this fair city for just over a year now and yesterday I finally made it to my local St Kilda farmers market. I didn't mean to leave it so long it just, you know, happened. But yesterday I snuck out of the house before the house stirred. Oh joy, I found bounds of lovely fruit and veg. I found sausages sizzling and music playing. I visited some new friends selling cake for the local Steiner playgroup/preschool. They have been playing with me recently at Little Sparrow making lovely wee rabbits. One confessed she is now making more, it makes me happy to be a part of someone giving a new craft a go and wanting to carry on.

So I headed home happy with a trolley and a heart full and I promise not to leave it so long again. :)

In the afternoon Husband and I headed to the city on the train, to visit the Craft Victoria Craft Hatch a little market held in the city library. I loved to see what people are making and to have a chat with a couple of the artists too. Then we went to the NGV to see the Top Arts VCE 2008 It is an inspiring show of some of the works completed by high school students studying art and studio art in Victoria last year. I will be taking my girls back to see it at least once before mid June when it closes. I am inspired by their amazing work and commitment to see their vision thru. I have to work hard to talk nice to myself while I look around as it is tempting to think 'why bother'. Self talk is something that I often have to work hard with. Years of training make it easy for me to tell I myself, I am not talented, to be ready for others to find out the truth about me, that I am a big fake, that the stories I tell are silly, I am not skilled enough, smart enough, pretty enough...... I know you know the stories that we tell ourselves because I know that I am not the only one. These days mostly I talk nice to myself and am gathering evidence that prove those thoughts wrong, but you know sometimes I slip, especially when it is that time of the month, or when I see someones work I admire, or when I put my heart on the table and overhear a negative comment. But mostly I remember that I have something unique to offer and that I have a place in this creative world.

Goodness I didn't know I was going to go there... but there you go confessions on a Sunday afternoon....

I hope you all had or are having a lovely weekend and remember to talk nice to yourself. :)

Today is Wednesday and I'm wearing......

Didn't have to go far today, just for another 'business' meeting with Shelley at Little Sparrow. Occasion enough for these lovely shoes which I got from an op-shop a long time ago for I think about 4 dollars. I love them, when I wear them I feel old fashioned elegant.

Checklist

Rabbits made - check

New skills learnt - check

Tea drunk - check

Cake eaten - check

Wide range of topics covered - check

Giggles and laughs - check

Plans for the next projects - check

A very successful evening I think - just a bit wired from all the fun