Thursday, August 27, 2009

My (away at work) creative space

My 'other job' (the one gives me with money in return for my efforts) - at present, requires me to leave home, often for up to five days straight. The days are long and the nights can be longer (depending on how much work I am asked to undertake). I miss my children and the Mr and the undulating love bound tidal chaos that is our home life.

However, the fact is, that I am in and out of a house of which I am the sole occupant for five days straight (with frequent 'work' interruptions) and it is not lost on, nor unappreciated by me as, I get to leave it looking like this!!!

And as I am the only one coming and going from it - I can pick up directly where I left off OR NOT! As the case often is.

I might just move on to some other project...and pick back up again much later where I had left the other one off earlier.

There are scissors left with gay abandon, pins dangerously close to rolling off the table onto the floor, patterns (even though I can't follow them properly), a sewing machine - left plugged in and set up! bags of wool tops, a rainbow of felt, needling tools, note pads with ideas and scribbles (not from the kids), bags of choke-on-able buttons (but I don't have to worry - unless I should have some kind of sleep walking button eating mishap).

That is of course unless the Mr and kidlets have come to visit.
In which case I run about like a (very excited) mad woman trying to tidy and put away my fabric, my oh so dangerous pins and needles, the bag of choke-on-able buttons, my felt, my books of inspiration, my unfinished or perhaps even not yet started projects in some sort of order so that I might feel inspired to start creating when they depart rather than slowed down by the enormity of sorting it all out again..

It is, generally speaking, 'my place of creative chaos' (some of the time anyway - it is not my home nor is it my shag pile carpet - for those who were alarmed at it's presence and colour) and I thought I'd share it with you all.


In half an hour I will again depart for this house of creative whimsy. In two & a half hours I guarantee it will again look like this!

Have a great and creative week. Check out some other creative places at Kootoyoo.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Felt Booties


My lovely neighbour recently had her third baby - a gorgeous wee girl.
I wasn't sure what to make for her.
I'll take a slight tangent here (or "waffle on a bit" as I have been recently advised).

Generally speaking I don't buy many gifts or 'thing's for people as I prefer to make them stuff instead.

I guess I have the romantic notion that 'handmade stuff' is made with and from love, has been given much thought, has been constructed especially for that particular person and maybe just maybe they'll like it - maybe like it enough to keep it for a long time. And one day, when they are older, they'll maybe still have that 'thing' that was made just for them because they will know that they are loved, liked, cared for, family, friend, neighbour, etc and their heart will sing.

I also have the idea that by making the 'thing' myself, the receiver of such finery will not already have one. (or at least not like the one I've just made!)

Anyway I digress....

The gift... after much thought, I remembered that a few years ago friend gave me a super simple bootie pattern made using......FELT of course!

So after a bit of cutting, pinning, blanket stitching and artistic licence....

TADAAAAAA!

These are dangerous things to make for those teetering dangerously on the cusp of having the third, fourth, fifth, second whatever numbered child would come next... VERY DANGEROUS INDEED.

Just looking at them has been the catalyst for many a "oh I'd love another baby" themed comment.

It's like looking at the clothes your own babes wore, feeling them all soft and lovely. The wave of nostalgia gently urging you to reminisce about times they were worn.

The mere sight and touch invoking all manner of maternal/paternal urge.

What do you think? Does that urge ever dissipate?

Monday, August 10, 2009

A Large Mushroom House & a Family


Sometime ago I suggested that you 'watch this space' as I was making a big Mushroom House for the small girls Kinder.. *

Well here it is all finished.

I really enjoyed needle/dry felting the roof, it was such a big area so I used two shades of red to give it a bit more character.

The 'stalk' section is 28cm height and although the felt was about 7mm thick it still needed a bit a support to stand upright without buckling from the weight of the roof so I used the rather interestingly named "stiffy" - a fabric stiffener.

I used it in vertical sections rather like pillars to provide support as I didn't want the whole house to become stiff and hard, I wanted to retain the natural soft fibrous feel of wool felt where possible.

I think it worked well, the house stands with no sign of buckling and it is still soft and natural to the touch.

I think the people are fairly happy in their new digs too.

Ooh Babies! It would seem the people are very happy in their new digs indeed.



* I am aware I also stated we'd be "off to Africa" last week but my journey has been delayed - my apologies for this.
We will most definitely be going though - soonish.