my creative space

Im able to join in the creative spaces over at Kootoyoo this week. Im finally sewing again after way too long. I have orders from one of my favourite customers and a deadline.

I had to tidy up first just to be able to 'feel' my way around the new room. I still havent painted the table as I cant seem to decide on a colour choice. I have a raw piece of MDF on top of it to 'make' it larger.

Massive achievement, ladies. Ive never used this cabinet before for my fabrics

 and was glad most things fit.

Etsy custom orders are good for me. They keep me on track and force me to face my insecurities head on.

Ill be ignoring this massive pile of unfinished quilts that sits at one end of the table including the one I started 6 years ago (bottom),

the one for Mali that has to be finished before winter (3rd from bottom),

I dont even like pink and theres a pink one in there. What? Why? Who knows. Maybe im pregnant. Pink is for nurturing after all.

Loving the green one though, which only needs to be edged.

 If only....Yeh right.

One silly diagonal brown and red number I started after watching way too many shows of 'Simply Quilts' on Foxtel (while laughing of course, they take themselves way too seriously) I do admit I learned a couple of things though.

The order was for blue and purple but I just couldnt get past the blues.

After I found this embroidery in my stash I knew I had my jumping off point and the rest was easy.

Even for the boys pants. The circle helped me decide the shape of the pockets.

 So a top for a little girl,

and pants for a little boy.

The first things made in my new sewing room.

a good sort

I have one thing on my mind at the moment and that is the need to sort all of my clothes out. And the rest of the family's as well. A change of season is in the air and with the rain that has been promised us over the next few days I always feel cleansed and ready for an adventure into clearing out and freshening things up.

I LOVE RAIN.

Now, I know we have only just moved house. Its not like we have been here long enough to need to spring clean. This isnt what I mean. Its more the feeling of downsizing our clothing and sorting things into summer clothing and winter clothing, in order to be able to store the winter stuff high up and maximise the ready at hand space below. Our cupboards reach the ceiling, you see. But theres no way I want to be foraging around perched high up on a stool just to find a favourite pair of jeans. Believe me, this kind of search happens almost daily. Im pretty slack when it comes to folding and putting away. The boys rooms have no storage at all (and I dont want to buy wardrobes just for this house that I wont need again) so their dressy clothes that need to be hung are going to be in our room as well. This picture above is the only hanging space.

Our old house had double deep wardrobes, thats two layers of hanging that you could step into, and these were in 3 rooms. Plus masses of floor to ceiling shelving as far as the eye could see.

No wonder the clothing situation is on my mind!

I have done a whole stash of sorting already but it doesnt seem enough. In fact it feels as if im only half way.

So far......

I have a huge op-shop box that is on the front porch. Outside is always best, then the risk of it being brought back inside is considerably less. Plus youre halfway to the car. Another bonus.

There is an even larger box of goodies for a friend. Including these wonderful crocheted rugs. I found this box sheer childish fun to fill as I think I know her taste and shes going to ooh and ahh over things that I no longer need. I have a secret desire to see them in a new home. And theres a piece of furniture for her too. Nothing wonderful, but a chest of drawers that will come in handy.

I sorted out my ornaments into colours for each room. This is always a jumping off point for me. Its a simplistic approach that works even when im tired. I like to group all the baskets, then glassware, green ceramics, paintings in a stack in one room so I can see them all together and so on. Im getting away from the subject of clothes though, arent I? Im trying to muster up the courage, I suppose. Especially for one room in particular....

My sewing room is diabolical just as I anticipated. No photo needed here just imagine about ten boxes after the cupboards are full and youll be close.

It is my laundry as well, you see. Dont know how this will work as a space but im definitely gonna give it a good try for a few months. Ill need to be ultra organised to follow through with my creativity. I always feel as if I cant quite get there. Cant get on top of my mending and re-purposing. Thats why im in the predicament that im in with our clothes in the first place. I dont like being wasteful so its hard to get rid of things unless I know they are going to a good home. Well with that final realisation I think ive found my clothing mojo. Im going to start another box. A big one. With a nice friendly 'free to a good home' sign on the front. That can live on the front porch too for a little while.

Hope youre having a nice rainy weekend and the hailstorms dont do too much damage!

kids room inspiration

I found these wonderful inspiring photos for my boys room today. Over here.

Yeh. I know, I know! They are more like girls rooms but when your kids want to cover their walls with posters I thought this was a good reference point.

Youll see what I mean once I can get in there past the massive pile of clothes!

Come to think of it its not gonna look anywhere near this wonderful.

But maybe we can try sticking to a simpler colour palette.

some people just have it

Some people just have the whole photography thing down. Dont they?

These images sent me to another time and place.

 Evoked memories of my childhood.

Rekindled feelings of living in the country.

The sense of space you get when you are dwarfed by sky.

And the last one fills me with the dream of planting a wildflower meadow one day.

six degrees of separation

Well its not quite six in some instances and more than six in others but the thoughts that this old saying conjures up will give you an indication of where I wanted to go with this. Play along if you please.

Ive been visiting a few memorable blogs this past week in my down time. Blogs that I still have images from when I go to sleep at night. Im sharing my favourites here in case you havent come across these gems.

So grab your cup of tea. Click on the links, and be inspired.



Belle Maison for quick fix interior motivation plus drool worthy images. Weep freely. No one will see you.

My Owl Barn for giveaways but more importantly up to the minute websites of note. Not to mention heaps of owl love. Wonderful!

The Paris Market & Brocante for all the francophiles out there. Lots of street scapes and markets. It almost feels like im back there...... almost.

Fits & Starts & Crafts one cool chic thats got something going on. Really creative and she makes me laugh.

DanielleQ Curiouser and Curiouser she has a nice fresh natural writing style and shares her daily family happenings openly with all of us. Her little ones are gorgeous!

willow sculptures by patrick dougherty

Have you heard of this amazing sculptor, Patrick Dougherty?

Gardening is on my mind at the moment and I happened across his work. What an amazing mind he must have to conjure up these forms.

This one gets a bit fuzzy enlarged so I had to shrink it.

Arent the ones in the snow so ethereal?

free vintage prints

I had a visitor here the other day from my owl barn and I always like to do a bit of visiting of my own.

Well, Im so glad I did as her blog is all about owls. My mum has always been a huge fan and of course growing up with someone who loves them, it is kind of contageous.
She has found a wonderful site for free vintage prints.
Yepp. Thats right. Free.
 And gorgeous.

Take yourselves over there right now I promise its a real feast.

These are just two that I wanted to look at a little bit longer.  I have a couple of stones in pieces of jewellery that I still dont recognise so this will come in handy.

even more white in the country

More 'White in the Country'.

Our renovation in Warburton, Victoria.

Above is the staircase after just being constructed and in a very raw state, complete with problem plumbing pipe from the ensuite that would have to be dealt with somehow.

If I knew it was going to look this good I probably wouldnt have taken months to finish it. Two bug infestations later. In forty degree heat. After the first coat of lime wash. If youve ever limewashed anything this means that if you sand back anything (meaning hardened bug carcases) it alters the wonderful effect you were trying for and you risk it looking whited out completely. May as well have just painted it plain white to begin with. Much simpler. I consider myself lucky.

This gives you a great indication of how I tackled the pipe. I couldnt bear to waste the space I had gained so opted to build (yes me on my lonesome) a decent sized linen cupboard. I was going to put a door on it but it really looked homely just the way it was.

This is a close up of the ugly cumbersome stair rail that we inherited with this place. These are in way too many australian homes if you ask me. The two lower bars were removed and we painted it white. (They are normally in dark stain wood look)

Here you get a glimpse of what we were dealing with and the sheer darkness of the wood stains.

A good friend built this over a weekend and he gave us a crash course in welding (my hubby had done it before but I hadnt). Im totally hooked especially with the forging part. It happens very quickly and you almost cant believe your eyes. Beautiful curves made by fire.This ended up costing only $340 for the steel. Although we did have to purchase the welder as well. 

I hope to inspire you to deal with ugly features that you want to change around your home. It took us three long years to decide to take the plunge with the stairs. I wish we had done it the very first weekend!

slowing down

while one was here

another was here

 

so I led him here

to show him this

and another

he showed me his jump

'I can go higher'

and his sun mask

he took this 'no. ill just look tired'

'wait. theres something on me'

'do they bite, mum?'

'no! rustico'

'are you sure they dont bite?'

 'mum, get a close up'

were finally slowing down

its nice


hoping you have a nice slow weekend

embroidery circa 1964

My latest find, embroidery circa 1964

Ive saved the best til last. This little gem is on green linen.