respect

Today I have developed a new sense of respect for builders and users of power tools!  I have been sanding back reclaimed timber to make buttons.  My hands are sore, I am coated in dust, and even now as I type this, I feel my hands being pulled forward, as if I were still sanding!  But!  Soon I will have buttons, lovely buttons made from redwood and mirboo.  A bit of scrabbling down the side of my house, and at a friends house, has uncovered some lovely wood.  Now I'm about to strap all the sanded wood to my bike and venture off to the house of a friend who has kindly offered to let me use his drop saw.  Ah yes... all my buttony plans are coming to fruition!

afternoon

As soon as my son is in bed for his nap, most afternoons run the same course. I make tea or coffee, and head into the sewing room to work. This is a precious stretch of time where I get as much done as possible. This afternoon, I’ve been sewing up skirts: simple a-line skirts with contrasting lining in the pockets with a matching fabric covered button detail. But why oh why does 3pm come by so fast? It’s always suddenly time to wake up Zeph and get the other boys from school. Seems kind of criminal to wake a sleeping child!

funnel necked tunic

It's raining outside... hoorah for rain! I love this kind of weather- it's makes me feel great about being inside pottering. Today I've made myself a red funnel necked tunic. I love layering in the cooler months. Maybe that's come from necessity... I haven't owned a winter jacket in years!

(Excuse the dodgy pics- rainy, dim days do not make for great photograps!)

Shagpile Designs

I received a lovely parcel in the mail yesterday from Andria from Shagpile Designs.  Andria is an Australian currently living in Spain... what a life!  My little parcel was a giveaway... she sent me an email to let me know I had won- I can completely forgotten that all people who follow her blog go into the running to win a prize.  Hooray!  You should go an visit Andria's blog to see at the goodness she creates, and while you're out and about, maybe visit her shop too?  Thanks Andria, I love the buttons, especially the blue one.

new pants pattern

Yesterday I said I was going to post pictures of the pants I recently drafted and sewed. It's great to have a pair of pants that are made exactly to my measure. They come in where I want them to (ie. a little higher on the waist to hold in all that mummy goodness!!) and flare out a little below the knee (to balance out the hips!). The idea with the pockets was to have a contrasting lining with matching buttons. They aren't sewn in yet, I got a bit keen and wore and washed them before they were fully finished. I'm not fully sold on the lining, and not sure about the buttons... what do you think?

my creative space

This afternoon, I will be seeing my childhood friend for the first time in maybe seven or eight years. It's funny how things change, and people drift apart. This friend was a hugely important part of my growing up years. Our parents were friends as children, and through their married lives. Every May school holidays, my brother and I would travel down to Melbourne to spend a week or two with them, and every Christmas, they would hitch their caravan to holiday with us. So many childish dreams were shared between us, and confidences shared as we grew older. When adulthood hit, we went our own ways. She did her thing, I did mine. I always thought we would see each others children come and grow. She hasn't seen two of my children. I missed her wedding and the birth of her daughter some weeks ago. I didn't even know.

So today, my creative space is thoughtful. I'm thinking about the past, and the future. I'm cooking from my favourite cookbook, and hoping to re-establish a very special childhood friendship.

Come back and visit tomorrow. I'll show a pair of pants I made the other day from my first attempt at drafting a pants pattern... I'm very happy with how they turned out!

(That's me on the right in the photos- except on the tandem where I'm at the back. The gorgeous wooden spoon was made for me by a Ngaanyatjarra woman out of mulga wood when I spent some time working in a desert community.)

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo. Thanks for hosting Kirsty!

to gift

I'm feeling a little wordless today, so thought I'd just show a bag I made recently. It's made of a strong flat denim, 'birch forest' fabric by Ink & Spindle, and finished with a handmade wooden button. (I'm loving those buttons at the moment!!)

new stock, and a new stockist!

I've been getting the nudge from my Mum to start blogging a bit more regularly again. She lives a long days drive away, so blogging has been a way to keep her in the loop with what I'm doing. So Mum- here I am... blogging again!!

I wanted to show some photos of the 'wrapt' top I posted the other week. It looks so much different on a body form rather than just hanging flat on a hanger. I've been loving the versatlity of this top. You can have a completely different looking top depending on how you wrap the scarf. I initially chose to fasten these with kilt pins, but unfortunately, they left holes in the fabric. In the end, I made brooches with handmade buttons of recycled timber. I wasn't sure how they would work out, but I'm happy with the result.

These are in stock both at Olive Grove in Brunswick, and also at my new stockist I Dream A Highway in Northcote. (It's a bit exciting to be branching out!!)