Rearranging Complete

Here are the before and after photos of our creative space.

Before


After

I ended up sorting through my magazines and kept all of my Homespuns but only kept the others that had projects in them that I knew I would use. I actually have a notebook that I had written projects in that I have used or knew that I would use so that made the job a little easier. The plastic crate and green shopping bag that you can see in front of my craft table are FULL of the magazines that I am getting rid of. I am not sure how I am going to move them as they are really heavy.

I am so glad that we finally did this as it feels so much roomier and I can even extend my table out now when I am doing paper crafts.

I put one of my magazines to good use and made some of these fabric buckets. The pattern was in Patchwork and Stitching Vol. 7 No. 3. They were actually called Easter Baskets, but I left off the handles as I thought they may get in the way for what I want to use them for.

The January Stitchery of the month arrived last week and it is by Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly Designs.

I am not sure what I think of this one. I will probably have to admire it for a little while to get used to it.

Finally, I joined a Tea Towel Swap here and am looking forward to creating something for this. I signed up to do 2 towels and am thinking stitching on one and maybe applique or patchwork on the other. I have until the end of March to complete them.

Until next time

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Under Construction

We finally got around to rearranging our Study/Craft room. It is quite difficult when you have to share your creative space with tech geeks, but I think that we have come up with a very good layout that keeps us all happy. I now have the daunting task of culling my craft magazine collection which I started in 2003. Due to the new layout I had to get rid of my bookshelf and downsize to this one (it actually lies across the floor horizontally) so therefore there is not enough room for all of my craft magazines. I have lots of Handmade, Patchwork & Stitching, Australian Country Threads and Homespun. It is so hard working out what to get rid of, even though most of them I don't even look at anymore, I think it is the knowledge of the accumulative cost over the years but I think I need to be ruthless. I will take them along to my craft group when it starts back at the end of January and see if anyone there would like any.

Any way enough procrastinating and more doing. I must say I am looking forward to getting this all sorted and set up how I want it so that I can get to being creative again.

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Crafting my Time Away

Natalie Lymer of Cinerberry Stitches was this months Stitchery of the Month Contributor. She designed a cute little needle book with matching zippered pouch to carry your project and bits and pieces in. This will come in handy when it gets made, for carrying around future stitchery projects. For those wondering about the Stitchery of the Month Club, there is a link over in my sidebar.

I have still been busy making things for to place on the Craft Stall at Carols Alive. I designed and made these little baby bibs that I have backed using towels.

I had a clean out of my linen cupboard and found an abundance of regular sized bath towels that we recived as engagment and wedding gifts (17 years ago). As all members of my family enjoy using bath sheets these towels are all way too small. Some of the more thicker ones I have given to my beautiful sister in law, but the thin ones make great backing fabric for bibs as well as being very good for wiping faces. One towel was used to make all of these so I guess I will be needing to make some more to get rid of the excess.

I received permission from Mellanie Hurlston of Melly & Me to sell the Kokeshi Softies at our Craft Stall so made some more, I will definately be doing these again.

They were so quick to do and I think they look very cute. I really loved picking out colours in the backing fabric to use for the little Kimono and hair ribbons.

I feel it is important to mention that 10% of all sales at the craft stall are going to this charity and also, if you find a pattern that someone has willingly shared on the Internet, you should ask permission before making them to sell. It is their perogative to say yes or no. And by the way, just using a different fabric, doesn't then mean that you can say it is now your design.

Until next time

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