My Creative Space

I'm in the middle of making a birthday gift for my niece this week.
A bird purse, which I've managed to finish,


and a matching applique bag, which I've only just started....



I haven't managed to do a lot else this week, just been busy busy busy with little m.

Pop over to kootoyoo to have a look at more creative spaces.

It's finished!

We had a lovely Easter break in Anglesea, by the beach.
Very lazy, very relaxing.
And beautiful weather, sunny days, cloudless skies and a cool autumn chill in the air, my absolute favourite kind of days. (I can't help it, I think it's the English in me, I just love cold weather!)


And little m got his first taste of life in the country. We showed him the ocean, koalas, and the kangaroos that were jumping just outside the front door, he soaked it all in.


And I managed to finish the baby quilt. Phew!


Mostly machine quilted, with a little bit of hand quilting too. I'm not sure if you're supposed to mix the two things together... but then I never follow the rules.....

My Creative Space

This is a little corner of my creative space this week.
The beginnings of some little pouches. I'm a bit obsessed with making these, you can never seem to have too many pouches, for housing all your little bits and pieces.


You can see more lovely creative spaces if you pop over here.

And over in another corner, are a couple of Easter bunnies. The little handmade felt mushroom bunny arrived in her own little egg home from Effunia this week, and I just love her. She'll be good company for my Christina Gordon toy bunny, as she is a little grumpy, being on her own she for such a long time.....



We're heading off to the beach for the Easter break with Little m. We live in the heart of the city, sometimes I think all he sees are people, trams and cars. So I can't wait to show him the ocean, trees, cockatoos and koalas, I think he'll get excited.

Have a good Easter everyone xx

Handmade presents

I've had a busy week making things. I decided at the beginning of the year that all gifts given this year would be handmade by me. I'm enjoying the challenge, and thinking of things to make. And I have to plan in advance (not something that comes naturally to me) so I have time to make them.
It was my husband's birthday this week, and I decided to make him a special print using my gocco. (My love affair with my gocco continues, though half way through printing we fell out and I wanted to smash it...all is forgiven now though. Phew.) All of the motifs have special, personal meaning to us both, and I was pleased with it in the end.


I think he liked it too.



And I have been having a frenzy cutting out fabric squares and embroidering for the baby quilt. It has to be completely finished and ready for the baby shower in less than two weeks. Aaaaarrgh!! (I told you planning was not something that comes naturally...)

More printing...

I'm in love with my gocco printer now that I've started using it! My husband bought it me for Christmas as a surprise (isn't he fabulous?) And I was a bit scared to use it, but now there's no stopping me.
I've done some more colourways of my "Elephant Family" fabric,


and also a new design,

which I plan to use in a quilt for a friend whose baby is due in May. She doesn't know if it will be a boy or girl yet, so I thought shades of grey, linen and white would be best. Here are some of the other fabrics that I'll use. I'm looking forward to starting this quilt, though I haven't got a lot of time to complete it in, it's bound to be a complete rush!

For Little m

Oh, I haven't blogged for long time I know.
And here's the reason why......

Little m.
He's becoming so much fun to be with at the moment. I just can't resist spending all of my day time with him. (Which means absolutely no housework gets done...)
But he's also growing teeth, having his first cold, and now that he has turned six months, he's demanding my time more than ever before. He has also decided that daytime sleeping is no longer the thing for him....and as a consequence of being so exhausted by the end of the day, over the last week or so I have only made crafting disasters. Including an elephant softie that has the most ridiculous ears you have ever seen. It was straight into the bin for that little guy.

I did however manage to get to the Stitches and Craft show last week here in Melbourne, which was fabulous. I did a brilliant craft lab on acetate etching by Tegan Rose from Ink and Spindle.
Here's what I did on the day,I'm not really in love with the picture I created, but I love the technique.
And it also inspired me to get out my print Gocco and start designing and printing some fabric for Little m's new quilt.
Here's my first attempt at printing on fabric
I need a bit more practice with my technique I think....but at least my creatively disastrous phase has hopefully ended.

Mmmmmmm

lovely new fabrics that arrived the other day.....

Its so hard finding cute fabrics that are boy friendly. There is so much gorgeous stuff for girls, but finding things for boys is so much harder. After hours of searching online, I found these. To be turned into a quilt for little m, whenever I find the time.......