when you can't knit

Like most of the people whose blogs I read, and probably those who read mine as well, I spend a fair bit of time cruising op-shops. One of the things I invariably pick up is knitting needles. Which is probably silly as my knitting skills are probably at the same level as when my mum tried to teach me when I was seven. She would patiently cast on the ten stitches for me, and take me through what to do- but before long the ten stitches would be twelve, then eight, and back again. Throw in a few dropped stitches for good measure and there you have it. I suck at knitting. So here's what I do with knitting needles: boil the absolute bejesus out of them and turn them into bangles. The bonus part of this little activity is that it takes next to no time. Zeph is particularly enamoured with all these 'pretties'. "My pretty?" he says. Maybe one. Ten at once looks like technicolour vomit.

for the love of figs

I love figs. I never used to think I did. While I was at uni, I lived in a little flat with a huge tree absolutely dripping with figs right across the driveway. No-one ever picked the figs; they were just left to drop and create a sticky mess. It seems that without fail, each fig season I think about sneaking back to that flat and taking the figs. I think of all the things I would make. Now I watch my tiny fig tree in the back yard grow, and ration the few fruits between myself and the boys. If summer tastes like fresh tomatoes warm from the sun, then early autumn tastes like figs. The figs bubbling away in this pot come courtesy of our lovely neighbour. His tree was positively groaning with figs this year. I turned most into pots of fig and ginger jam. It's a super thick jam- I'm wondering how it would go kneaded into scone dough?

autumn

I'm feeling a little wordless today... but wanted to share some of the beautiful autumn images I've been discovering on Flickr today. It is truly a beautiful season.

Photo credits:
1. Crying..., 2. Autumn's Apple, 3. AUTUMN MELODY, 4. Gourds in autumn sun, 5. Bye, Bye, Autumn, 6. Autumn Ride !, 7. Autumn Colours, 8. twig II, 9. Mushroom / Fungi # 1 / Flammulina Populicola

the friendship tree

A friends little girl is having her third birthday party tomorrow, so I spent some time wandering about today looking for a gift for her. There is a gorgeous little shop in Northcote called The Friendship Tree. Everything is handmade, largely locally made. The shop has a beautiful vibe, and when I was there, one of the women was busily making some felted toys. I don't think I saw even one piece of plastic in the shop- hooray! I bought a few little bits and pieces, but most is already wrapped, so I can only show a couple of things- this gorgeous card, and also a little brooch I made from a couple of felt flowers I bought there. Those two flowers collectively cost 50 cents- bargain! I hope it appeals to a three year old fashion sensibility!!

my creative space

Would you believe it... this weeks creative space holds more soap. You'd think I'd have enough to keep me clean for a lifetime by now. But no. I have the soap bug. I have to keep churning this stuff out. I also have a big vase of gumnuts on my desk. I picked them up yesterday in the park thinking I could use them when packaging up soap. Until I get around to doing that, I am enjoying just looking at them.More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

hands in the earth

At times I feel a really powerful urge to get my hands dirty, put them deep into the earth and reconnect. Today was one of those days. I find that the more time I spend in my garden, the better I feel. I love gardening, more so vege gardening. I love to raise my seeds and watch them grow. I love that because of this, my children know where food comes from. I love that they have a good understanding of the seasons, and why it's important to save and recycle water. I love that they are always asking for things to work in their own little spot of earth.For too long now my garden has been really neglected. This crazy summer past completely fried everything. The plants didn't know what was going on. I did get some veges, but not the same amount that I normally would. And now, the garden is deciding to do it's own thing. Marvelous thing that nature is! A butternut pumpkin that I never planted is fruiting, and there are other little self-sown surprises around. The joy of composting, and allowing plants to go to seed!After a journey to the Northcote Nursery today, we have some new things in the ground, and more waiting to be planted. Not everything will be raised from seed this time, but at least it's getting in the ground. It was depressing looking out onto my overgrown and weed filled vege patch. Now it's mulched, weeded, and looking much happier. Before I know it, the boys will be out there thinning the peas before any can come inside. And this small feline will have more places to hide. I know, Mao. It's a hard life.

skirty, take 2

With the smalls are back in their respective Monday and Tuesday places after the school holidays, both days are full of creating and being busy. While I love hanging out with my boys, I do relish the times I have to myself to get stuck into what I have to/want to do without being distracted, or without feeling guilty that I should be reading/playing/making etc.! I have had a productive day today. I got some screen printing done in the morning, and finished up some more skirts as well. These ones are in indigo denim - very hard to photograph when you have an un-cooperative shapeless model... and also when you are too lazy to go outside on a beautiful day to get natural light! (hrm... might have made a difference to the images!!!)

skirty

I have been making lots of these skirts... a simple a-line skirt with a fold over top that hides and flatters most women's shapes. When I make pants for myself, they invariably have a fold over top. After three kids, my hips enjoy a bit of coverage and support!! Putting a fold-over top on a skirt seemed like a natural progression. I really like the line it gives to the hip, with a little flick out at the bottom with the a-line shape. The first lot I made are in this black (I'm now making some in an indgo denim) and are currently at the shop. The indigo ones should be at Olive Grove sometime this week. It's a lot easier getting stuff done now that schools back. Hooray!

my creative space

Today in amongst doing the follow up trip to the dentist and a few other bits and bobs ( Ash loosened teeth after putting them through his bottom lip (eep!) ), I have been playing around with how to package up all the bars of soap I have been making. I have heaps of bars in varying stages of readiness (sometimes it's hard to wait the full six weeks for proper curing!). I am thinking that I will start selling them at Olive Grove. Hey, I've got to fund the soap-making addiction somehow!! So after a few trail and error versions, this is what I've come up with - plain and simple and a little bit earthy. Just the plain bar (chocolate and cinnamon) with some paper bark and a cinnamon stick, and wrapped three times with jute.And other creative endeavours today - trying to salvage my pretty much dead slippers. I think that ones a lost cause!!

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

salvaging scraps

It's been a while since I brought out the gocco to play, and even longer since I burned a new image. Yesterday I did a little drawing of a bird having a piggyback ride on an elephant, and printed up a gazillion of them. Using the ink block strips means you get so many more prints out of one inking. Sometimes almost too many! So here's said card, dressed up a little with some fabric scraps. See, it pays to never throw anything away... even the smallest scrap of fabric will come to good use eventually! I am especially loving that the scraps I have of Pippijoe's 'nest' fabric work out well right under the bird.I hope you're all having a good start to the long weekend!

my creative space

My 'creative space' this week is covering and dribbling from every surface in my sewing room, and has now made it's way into the dining room. I am making lots more cards- some screen printed dragsters that you see here (yep, I'm gonna keep dragging that image out til it slides off the screen!), and some new cards are waiting to be printed with a freshly burned gocco screen. I'm also making lots of backings for badges that are heading on up to the Torquay market on Saturday. A friend is having a stall there (deb fell over), and she has been kind enough to offer to take up some of my cards and badges. She makes awesome clothes- both for women and children- so if you're in the area, go and say hi!

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo.

who would have thought...

...that sweet little Short Round could cause so much trouble? My boys adore Indiana Jones, and they are right into Lego. A match made in heaven maybe. Except for when the smallest man decides to hide the treasure up his nose. Not so good. So last night, a trip to the Eye and Ear Hospital was in order. How do you explain to the emergency staff why your two year old has a small green lego crystal firmly wedged (very deeply!) up his nose?

new stock!

The badge making is finished, and I am still feeling the after effects... who would have thought that this many days on, I would still have a numb point in the side of my finger from all the cutting. Mental note to self: make sure scissors are freshly sharpened before cutting a gazillion fabric circles!!I have just finished uploading a few of the new badges to my etsy store. Over the next few days there will be more up. Go on, have a look!

big fat rain

rain, originally uploaded by sadaiche.

Today was the most beautiful day in Melbourne. A day filled with big fat raindrops, thunder and puddles. I love the rain. While other people are complaining about the wet weather, I find myself reveling in it. It's funny that in Melbourne we are in the middle of climate change and the biggest drought in years, and yet as soon as it rains, people revert to complaining about the weather. How could you complain about drenching rains when it has been so dry for so long. I bet as soon as the weather clears, there will be a rise in water consumption. As soon as there is rain, people seem to think that they can use water however they please, and do crazy things like water their driveways- like the extra water they are wasting is going to make their concrete grow! Another thing that is doing my head in is the 155 litre a day water 'target'. I cannot see how using 155 litres of water a day can be a good thing. You'd have to be letting taps run and having 20 minute showers to reach that level. I feel that we use a hell of a lot more water than we need to, and we still use a little less than a household of 3 people with a large garden. And there are five of us. Crazy times!

Image found here.

my creative space

In an attempt to keep up with blogging regularly (and 'cause I like a good stickybeaking meme!!), it's time to jump on the meme band wagon. Kirsty ran a great one last year, a bit of a show and tell of desks about the traps. This one works similarly, but isn't restricted to your 'desk', but rather wherever you are being creative.

So here's my creative space tonight. The dining table. (God I love this table. It's my partners family table, bought in the early 70's.) As we speak (...as I write?) it is full to overflowing with badge parts and scraps of fabric. The gorgeous fabric I showed the other day is being made into badges. Not all of it though. Some will become other things. This is such hard fabric to cut into. I don't want to waste any, so I tend to deliberate about where to plunge the scissors in. I'm saving every scrap I can!! (Tomorrow I'll show one of the ways I've been saving all scraps. :o) )

If you want to join in on this meme, or see who else is playing, go visit Kirsty at Kootoyoo.

in card production

The past couple of days has seen mass card production happening. My cards have been selling pretty well at the shop, and I now have a new supplier for them in a little shop in the city called Fokus. So if you're in the city, go check them out at 18 Centre Place. They stock all sorts of Melbourne goodness, largely locally handmade and designed. My next mission is to approach a few other retailers... the idea of which scares the shite out of me! I am new to wholesaling etc, and am still very much learning the ropes.