31 October 2009

My Place and Yours : Blog HQ







I'm a bit of a nomad... Anywhere comfy will do.

See Blog HQ at other people's places at Pip's. Thanks to Ninon for this week's theme.

30 October 2009

Mad scientists...


The owlets are all about science experiments since we had so much luck observing celery earlier in the week. They watched floppy celery stand up on its own and turn pink! We're watching seeds emerge before our eyes... Now they want more. They love observing change and guessing what might happen. So we've had fun with some simple and fun experiments. There's the good old playdough, bicarb, vinegar and food dye trick... Who doesn't love to watch pink lava flowing from a blue volcano?

And the yeast, sugar and water, magic balloon experiment. The surprise on their faces when the ballon stood up all on its own was magic!

29 October 2009

My creative space


Looking for gaps, sending bits and pieces off to new homes, preparing for the next market...


Playing with colours...


And patterns...


My favourite thing... And wondering where I'll find time!!

See some inspiring creative spaces over here.

28 October 2009

What's hot + what's not



Hot

Tasmania... What a beautiful part of the world! We are so lucky.
Chocolate covered raspberries... She says, scoffing the last one.
Disappearing ants... a week of reprieve?
Seeds sprouting... c'mon vegies!!

Not
Hidden potholes in the backyard... or more accurately, falling in one and then spectacularly landing in a guinea pig cage, breaking said cage and ending up with so many bruises, I could pass for a dalmation. Not Hot.
Mount washmore... will I ever conquer it?
The Australian Government... They've put an end to homebirth as we know it and taken away our right to choose how we give birth. Most certainly not hot.

See what's hot and not in other peoples worlds this week at Loobylu

Owlet days...

The wheels haven't quite fallen off despite my absence for day 27 of Blogtober. We've been super busy! Its been one of those weeks. There are just so many things that need to be done in a day... I've barely finished breakfast and we are in the thick of some craft activity or hugely involved project. Often we haven't finished one thing before we've started the next! So after two days like that, I was one very tired owlet mama last night... Here's a peek into what we've been up to...


Big owlet has been busy being her own designer. She chose the fabrics and the trim, sewed the skirt...


Then strutted around the front yard in her new designer gear! Apparently yellow is the go when you are six.


Then we had time for a little exprimenting. Plants are one of our big interests this spring.


A spot of painting outside, playing with colours, candles and watercolours...


While mama made a cubby!! I upcycled some old garden bits and pieces to make an outdoor space for the girls. I figured if they really use it and love it we might consider something more glam, but for now this is just fine. Oh and hammer and nails aren't so much my thing, so I sewed the walls on! Gotta love it when craft and construction mix.

26 October 2009

In the shop



I've restocked my etsy shop with some old faves... Apron decorating kits, crowns... Play capes in various colours and fabrics are coming.... Lounge pants have made their debut and there will be more on the way - boys and unisex designs too!

25 October 2009

Lazy sunday...


A little pottering for me today... some tidying sewing while Huz and the owlets watched the Back to the Future Trilogy... This skirt will be in the shop tomorrow along with some other treats.

24 October 2009

My place and yours : Bedside



Its rather simple and plain, I'm afraid. I don't spend much relaxing time in bed, and the bedroom is sadly one of the last rooms we'll renovate... But its calm and quiet enough and has a little view down to the water so I like it there... The bedside table was made by my father in law (aka. Popsicle), from reclaimed wood. A gift for our wedding. The clock was given to Huz in 1984 - we still have the instruction booklet and receipt! Its daggy, I know, but I prefer red numbers to bright green/blue ones when I wake in the night as I usually do, tending to my little owlet. Its had water, breastmilk and all manner of things spilled on it through the years and it just ploughs on... The elephant bookend is one of a pair that I've always liked since I was small. The book is next on the list and the flowers are from the garden...

See whats on the bedside at other peoples places over here. Thanks to Pottymouthmama for this week's theme.

Weekend away...


Well right after my previous post it became clear that my creative space was to be swept aside for some creative planning... The big owlet had won out. The car was packed and of we set for the sunny east coast! Just like that! Spontaneity is one of our fave things... so by 3pm, naturally we found ourselves with 2 cranky owlets and no place to pitch our tent. It was show day... what were we thinking!! Then we saw a friend and his two children cycling up the dirt road ahead... as you do in Tasmania. We pitched a tent next to his shack and enjoyed some delish food and company... Then set out the next day towards Frecinet. The weather was beautiful, the scenery gorgeous, just as we remembered.


We pitched a tent behind the dunes...


and chatted to the locals.


Big owlet discovered a talent for naming animals... this is Ricky Rock and baby Patch...


and Shufflebuds... We slept snug among the dunes, frogs, wallabies and waves...


Then peeked over the dunes in the morning...


To warm ourselves in the sun. What a blissful way to recharge... and appreciate the conveniences of home. The best bit is that we still have a chunk of weekend left!! Now, where was I again?....

22 October 2009

My creative space...


Its a holiday here today, so we're a bit more relaxed than usual (is that possible?...). I'm catching up on some reading. I'm loving the old sewing book I bought last weekend. There's my new frankie and a camping guide... cos the big owlet is rather insistent... I'm also ordering some new crafty bits and planning a return to screenprinting... oh and there's the garden to plan and dig too!! Hmmm... time to put the kettle on for a cuppa or two.

See some inspiring creative spaces here.

21 October 2009

What's hot + what's not


Hot

Sunshine...especially now that the solar has been switched on! Its been a long, wet winter.
Five day weekends... Loving this upside down week so far!
River Cottage on iview... inspiring us to get out in the garden. Expect more gardening posts.
Haircuts... me and big owlet. I do all the haircutting around here and I must say I do a fine job of it! We haven't been to a hairdresser in over 3yrs and feeling pretty fab about it!
The tooth faerie... she's been visiting again
Camping... we're getting ready for some spring wandering!

Not

Wind... it makes me a bit crazy and my face itchy
Losing things in the park... particularly big owlet's fave green jacket
Ants... the major down side of living in our neighborhood
24hr days... its not enough I tells ya!!

Go see what other peeps find hot + not this week at Loobylu

20 October 2009

Sowing seeds...


And the wait begins...

We're really hoping for watermelons this year!

19 October 2009

Day 19 - Lounging around


Well two posts on Saturday helped me feel like I deserved a day off yesterday. And as I said, I needed to catch up with my trusty husky! So I did. We made these pants for the little owlet to lounge around in during the warmer months. I used an old sheet and some new trims. Then I lounged around with the fam for a while... I'll be making some more pants like this and using other recycled bits and new pieces in the next couple of weeks for the shop and the ever growing list of markets! My lounging days are numbered!

17 October 2009

My Place & Yours : On the Shelf



Or rather; on the floor, in the corner, under the dining table... My trusty husky has been on the shelf, so to speak, for the better part of a week and a half. Hello old girl! I see you down there! Miss you! Lets hang out tomorrow, huh? x

Go and see whats on the shelf at other peoples places over at Pip's

Saturday Scavenge


One of our favourite saturday morning things is racing out the door after breakfast and hunting for garage sales nearby. Once in the car, we meander slowly and get a better idea of local suburbs, get a little peek into peoples lives and hopefully pick up some bargains. Like today for example... One set of 1980s playdough moulds and accessories...


A microscope set, old flour jar, ceramic teaset, clothes, slippers for the dressups...


Then onto the local high school for the annual booksale...


To find more books to help our learning days...


We arrived at just the right time, when they dropped all the books to 50c!!


I think this sewing one is my fave...




And its so lovely to find old clippings slipped inside the cover. Soft furnishings for the well-run home.... hmmm... might learn a thing or two... We came home with classics, books on science, health, art, everything! We'll be reading for weeks!!

16 October 2009

We heart screenprinting



A long chat with the big owlet the other day about my crafty history and her crafty aspirations led us to screenprinting. She'd seen the screen, but never seen it in action... So I led her to Foxs Lane for a wander... Next morning we cleared the breakfast dishes away and were printing before teeth were brushed! There are balloon hearts everywhere now. She wears one around and we have many crafty intentions for the others... Some will hopefully make it in some form or other to Mirabel. The verdict: "Screen printing is so cool!! Mama, I want to practise this every day and be an artist when I grow up!!"

15 October 2009

My Creative Space... the hub


This cupboard is the centre of our days. Found neglected up the back of the op shop, fitted with new handles bought in NY by my sister...


Filled and overfilled with crafty goodness. It needs some new shelves and re-organising daily after the creative cyclone has passed through... but we do love it so.

More creative spaces here.

14 October 2009

In the shop...



I've put quite a few new things in my etsy shop. Lots more to come. Keep checking in... I'm hoping to have some more gifty stuff there soon for the silly season. x

13 October 2009

Blogtober Day 13 - Socktober


Badskirt's theme of the day is Socktober... So I suppose its time I shared a little about my past life... For about ten years, before, during and after having owlets and until about a year ago, I designed socks. Thousands of socks... stripes, spots, dogs, cats, flowers, butterflies and more recently, birds... You name it. I loved the speed of the work, the colours, the range of ideas you could play with and put there. Towards the end the socks started getting more conservative, the colours more restrained, the ideas less out there... The quality sadly not as fabulous as when I started... Ahh but that is the way of things and the way of the Australian fashion industry... And so it goes full circle and now we have handmade and quality, colour and quirky are ever on the rise. Happy designers, happy customers. Another great reason to buy handmade... Here's a sample of my souvenirs from that past life. I'm applying the same principles and method of working now of course, its just skirts and onesies these days ;)



12 October 2009

Blogtober Day 12 - Chalktober



They always save the best drawings for the chalk board! This was drawn by the big owlet when she was not yet 3yo. I think it was the first face she drew, her first non-scribble drawing. Now the little owlet is drawing faces like this... I don't take photos of the chalk ones anymore, but I take pleasure in the fact that I'm there to see them. Brief moments of genius wiped away in an instant...