my creative space with dorothybills

Eleesa and I enjoyed a long awaited sewing day on thursday. We have both moved house and are trying to get motivated to get back into the sewing way of life.

I just had to show you her new home. As soon as I entered I was squealing with delight at all the colour she had going on.

She is a master at the white vase vignette. Im not sure if you realise how famous you are Eleesa?

Even though ive seen this sort of thing before I stood and stared for ages at all her finds that must have been hiding away in a cupboard at the last place.

I found that the laundry was so soothing to be in.

And yes, im even showing you the toilet as my mouth dropped open when I spotted the original artwork carefully chosen to match one vintage weave basket.

Here is where we spent some of our day. We actually got stuck into setting up her studio

 but that is not my story to tell.

I broke a needle ten minutes into my first eskimo so was forced (happily) to cut out wrap dresses for spring/summer that I had been putting off doing for the rest of the afternoon.

The first one is in the shop tonight.

I really dont like cutting out when im home but find it easy to do while im at a friends. I think its the clarity of purpose and having no housework to distract me.

I am trying to come up with another one of my hairbrain plans

to motivate me on the sewing front. My focus just isnt happening like it usually does and I want to kickstart myself for the upcoming markets. A crazy unrealistic daily challenge again just for a couple of weeks or so should be enough to build up stock.

op shop props

This morning MrTL and I went op-shopping together. Yes. You read right.

Thats Op-Shopping with a capital 'OH! Are you sure?'

Ahem. Thinks are definitely looking up around Textured Leaf Central.

To start us off today we have this gorgeous coat I found. I mean blanket. I mean coat.

This $5 blanket above will become a coat for me in this style.

We were supposed to be shopping for props for my market stall. I found this for $7 and

will do something with it so it looks more 'me'. I thinking aqua or red. Any thoughts?  My son wants it for a bedside table.

I was dropping off a teenager late the other night and parked next to a stack of firewood. So after looking sideways at the stack decided they looked like they came from a nice 'little tree'.

Of course I brought the rest home for old fashioned firewood.

Perfect for weighing down tablecloths at the market and great with little things perched on top.

Theyll send the look towards the scandinavian which I adore. While im writing this theres a funny crow outside making me crack up. I find the sound of crows in the early morning starts me giggling when im half asleep.

These were just waiting for me. The book in the background will be a great nursery bunting.

This quilt will come in handy for the new grandbaby. Its a Lazybones and was only $4!

The pillowcases are a lovely thick soft cotton linen. Wow I never find these, the feel of them makes me think of my nanna.

The best thing about having someone over to sew with you for the day is finding their scraps in your bin the next morning. Naughty Eleesa for throwing these away. I dont know what she was thinking, she normally uses every last little bit like me. But im guessing she was probably tired after all that sewing so ill give her the benefit of the doubt. These are going into my stash!

For any new people who have joined The Textured Leaf, please make sure you enter
my Pin-cushion Giveaway.

Have a lovely weekend!

P.S.  for those of you still around Kate has done a post with 4 favourite photos and I may just be joining in  posting my Favourite Four later this evening. For now im off to the bank to post a cheque ive been neglecting all week.  Come on Rustico!

happy hour

Animated gif maker

My Happy Hour for the week was going to be about the market until.....
Yesterday when Eleesa came over and we sewed all day together.
There was no competing with that! And of course I just had to turn her into an animation. So because today is Animation Friday over at My Poppet you get to see her in action. (This was the action I spoke of yesterday) Enjoy!

an announcement

Id like to announce the small beginnings of my fresh new label Little Tree Kids. Ive finally made a decision to do this kids clothes making for real. Not just as a side line to my life, but, now that I have a wonderful studio space to work in, I feel like ive found my feet. But if you peeked in the window of an evening youd still find me cutting out at the kitchen table.
So... im taking a big deep breath and jumping in. My first market will be this weekend at The Mulgrave Makers Market. (See sidebar for details) Look for me next door to the retro inspired offerings of Eleesa from DorothyBills. Are you allowed to drink champagne at markets? You may see us celebrating getting there! Be sure to say hi, after all thats what markets are all about really, arent they?

Please note;  living with an artist for a husband does not always ensure he will complete artworked banners for you with a deadline/ultimatum given. Ahem, I kind of had to do this for myself after he had done a rough sketch of a tree not meant to serve as the finished work. It set me back a few weeks waiting.

In other news, my shop The Textured Leaf on Etsy will simply house some homewares. Updated with the seasons, as if you didnt guess. If this doesnt motivate me to finish off my quilts more regularly then I dont know what will. I have been hurriedly trying to empty one shop while stocking the other ( I need to figure out how to work Microsoft Office pronto)! Do not try this in the same week of an upcoming market. Enough said.

Perhaps this now explains my recent energy being channeled into trying to finish off my huge list of things around the house? Does anyone want to see the actual list? It gets added to each week of course. Lets call it the domino effect list.

To visit my new kids clothes shop click here, while the old one is still here waiting to be restocked with some homewares in the follow up weeks after the market this weekend.
Stay tuned for what ill be working on this week. Im going into the studio and closing the door as soon as ive given the youngest son his way-too-overdue haircut. I wonder if he'll cook me dinner tonight as payment?

In the meantime why dont you check out these gorgeous pencil wraps Eleesa has been working on. Shes offering one in a giveaway and theres still time to enter.

Hope youve had a nice weekend!

my happy hour

My happy hour this week happened right just then when I saw my youngest son trying on the jacket I made for my eldest son last night. (Which was another happy hour moment in the making. Can we have two?)

He wants one now! You dont know this child...he never wants anything I make. Of course ive tried over the years to tempt him with different things and he did order one of my kids vests last winter, but then had trouble deciding on a colour. Very frustrating. I will be offering these in the shop in adult sizes for next winter as a few of you asked about them. Ill keep you posted.

Its not lined yet but I have to finish it before he flies for home saturday.

Made from an op-shopped blanket.

For more happy hour moments head over to Dorothy Bills.

Im loving this new meme Eleesa.

sewing with dorothybills

Last week Eleesa and I sewed together for the Rosebubs Market held at Rosebud. We had been invited by our good friend Elisha of MonetPaisley. (check out our stall here)

We worked on a couple of baby quilts. Mine was in the early stages (I started that day) and hers was already well on its way to being completed and she finished it while chatting over cups of tea.

Did you know she used to run a cafe? Thats the poster for it in the background. What a lovely reminder. Cafe Tootsies it was called.  Shes a wonderful hostess, so with my pot of homemade chai on hand we sewed and chatted and had a productive day.

Heres what we did.

I looked in my BIG scrap bag for blue things, an old shirt with a gorgeous etching print and off-cuts from a summer skirt a couple of years back (middle),

yellow rose tablecloth left over from this day(okay.. so yellow isnt blue),

and some gorgeous linen im making pants from for this summer on the left hand side (pants making post coming later if you like), and if you can spy the small piece of blue and white stripe? well thats from the first quilt cover I made EVER. 25 years ago!

For when we were first married. As soon as we got back from honeymoon I fell pregnant with Zjahlii (runs in the family right?) and started home making. Lucky it was an extended overseas honeymoon of nearly nine months. No wonder I felt like setting up home, hey?

And it will be no surprise to you all that it had about 50 doileys on it, including 5 or 6 my nanna had embroidered herself.

I think I have been fascinated with embroidery my whole life.

I lay them all out, made sure there were darks and lights evenly across the rows (doesnt matter about mediums), asked Eleesa's opinion during this because she has the most incredible eye for all things stylish and I started stitching. Really soon I had three nice rows.

The circle print is from my sons favourite pyjamas top (he only really wore the bottoms) and the pink floral is an off-cut from my scarf cushion covers. To be honest I only finished them the other week after starting them way back here, oh ...the shame

This is the full quilt top but this is how it stayed. I didnt get it finished for the market. I dont mind though instead I was pleased to get my mountain of unfinished childrens clothes completed apart from 3 or 4 things that were fiddly.

Mr TL had the audacity to ask me to turn my overhead lighting off because it was hurting his eyes while he watched the rugby. I sewed late into the night by lamplight until my eyes started flickering. I might have a mild case of Tourettes developing.

This is a sneak peek at Eleesas beautiful quilt, (for her big reveal pop over to her blog soon).

 She effortlessly finished this green number 

 and then started on another with these great retro fabrics. Her stash is to die for!

I adore the black and white stripe floral, dont you?  She lists these in her MadeIt store if you want to look in detail.

And the market was superfun!!!!!!

Im happy to say I have a couple of orders from some lovely mums in addition to what I sold on the day.

elsie marley: kids clothes week challenge

I have news!

The fabulously inspiring Elsie Marley has once again given us what we have all been asking for.

Yes its finally arrived!

Our much anticipated Kids Clothes Week Challenge is happening throughout the land of blog.

It doesnt seem that long ago we were merrily, if not frantically, sewing our little brains out.

 As if things arent crazy/frantic enough around here....what, with the new baby announcement and lots of production for a kids market on the weekend (sorry no time to blog about that one - maybe later), my new job I started today, heck I had only just started to put the feelers out a fortnight ago!, art classes with the mr....need I go on? Thats why she calls it a challenge I guess.

breathe...just breathe* says to self

 Well! Im in once again. How about you? Check out the gorgeous things on Flickr everyone made last time and hey,  I dare you to say no. 

Ill be at the Rosebubs Market down at Rosebud this Sunday with Monetpaisley and Dorothybills.

Come and say hi if youre there!

a versatile blogger award

Last week I recieved an award from The Moerks and Ive been searching my brain trying to come up with some things to write about but there was no room inside my head for anything but the necessary stuff like keeping up with housework and kids and feeding everyone on time (when they walk in the door) so Im just going to have to start this post and see where it leads! Before too much time passes and I forget to mention a huge Thankyou for thinking of me.

The rules for the Versatile Blogger Award are to thank the giver (tick), then list 7 things about myself and pass the award on to 15 others. Ill probably do more or less than this number, sorry for bending the rules.

I might need to pop the kettle on while I procrastinate a bit longer. Hang on....

Can one of the seven things be my new teapot? Im sure it can!

Number 1.

 My teapot! (which I imagined breaking before I got it home as that was the way last week felt it was heading). My search for the perfect pot had been extensive and lasted about a year and a half. No. Wait! Its been almost two years now. Shame on me for taking so long to choose but im an instant love kind of girl. It has to be love at first sight for the things that ill be using everyday in my life. I mean ill be waking up to this pot for many years to come. See Matchbox at D.F.O. for a great basics selection.

Number 2.

Time for procrastinating is over. Unless I talk about the fact that I procrastinate! Yes! Thats it! 

It was lovingly pointed out in a friendly email today by a nice lady that we, she and I, have this in common. 

Now I know a few of you are on the same page and are probably nodding your heads while they are embedded in the sand. A difficult thing to do you would think.

Im gonna be really specific here.

These are the things I procrastinate about.

Waking up.(I can pretend im not awake)

Having a shower.(our shower here is evil and I burnt my stomach and my feet the first time I used it cos I was too cocky and thought everyone else was exaggerating how touchy it was)

Getting dressed.(I hate my clothes and should be sewing more right now but im PROCRASTINATING)

Eating breakfast.( I dont like eating in the morning even though its 'the most important meal of the day')

(okay youve guessed im not a morning person but I would secretly love to be and I often try to trick myself into getting up and walking the dog before I realise my mistake)

Finishing patchwork quilts. There. Ive said it. I love to start them but if I cant finish them in a day they sit there. For years it seems. The first one I started 8 years ago is still unfinished. I probably only have another 2 hours to go and it will be done. Why cant I give myself the gift of completion?

Number 3.

I rave.

I realise the part where Ill admit to raving will be one of the shortest of these 7 but I have nothing to add to this.

Number 4.

I like to draw house plans in my spare time as I can imagine the spaces and rooms as I draw them and walking through it I envision the light coming through the windows. Maybe a missed calling as an interior architect, who knows? I would never have completed a project anyway. I did make a model once so I could spin it around to watch the light flow in from different aspects. We never built that house.

Number 5.

I havent hung one iota of fabric by way of a curtain in this new abode even though every single day since weve moved in I fully intended to put them up that day! The rods are on the floor ready to go in every room and the cordless is plugged in and everything. But no! Not a curtain in sight. Oh! Did I mention before about how the neighbours can see in to half of our rooms. Uh huh.... dumb. And I have a shortage of storage space so if I did put the curtains up it would solve my storage issues in the linen cupboard which irks me constantly as well!

Could I get more stupid?

Number 6.

I think im organised.

Number 7.

I dont like cooking for my family, I only enjoy it when other people are coming for dinner.

I dont know why. If I knew why, would I then be able to finally enjoy it because I could turn my thoughts around?

Now for the fun part. Who to pass this on to....

DorothyBills because Id love to know more about Eleesa.

Sara from InTheLightOfTheSun. Come on, enlighten us.

Lets have some good old crazy talk from Michelle @ MishMaccas.

 Kate @ Foxs Lane because, lets face it, who doesnt want to know more about this creative lady?

Beccasauras because she loves to share and is good at it,

and Abbe from CopperPatch because she doesnt rave. Need I say more?

Dorothy Bills giveaway!

Hey all you girls who need just one more pin-cushion. Head on over to Dorothy Bills and snag yourself a chance to win one of her beautiful creations. I assure you, you wont be dissapointed if youre the winner of one of three she is giving away.

Speaking of pin-cushions .....I was the lucky recipient of this from Leonie at Raglan Guld.
And I mean Lucky!

Meet Helena. She will never be lost under a pile of fabric.
How divine is she?  I have no words.
Theres no way ill be sticking pins in her anytime soon.
Sorry Leonie, but she and I will be getting to know each other first over many cups of tea.