Melbourne Round Up

Since I got back it has been crazy at work and i've been feeling less than fabulous so there has been a bleep in the blog.

The rest of my Melbourne trip was busy, challenging and thought provoking.  Plus some fun.  Most of my friends had lots of life stuff going on so not much socialising around the conference but I did get to have breakfast with Ben on his Birthday - AMAZING french toast with caramelised banana at Gas Eateries & Supply Cafe in South Melbourne and then of course Ben's 30th party where I got to catch up with Andrew and some old faces.

Ben had a Bonn Voyage party so I trimmed up a tee-shirt for a sailor girl look.  wearing it made me feel very anime, sailor moon.....

ahoy- thanks costume store for inspiration

On Sunday the lovely Louris and I went and checked out the Rose Street Artist Market which was filled with lovely things.  nothing I had to buy - luck because i had my suitcase with me and there was NO room in it.  But lots of inspiration!  Then we went to The Vegie Bar for coffee (and juice for me as a bit seedy fro the 30th!) I haven't been there for so long - not surprising since i don't live in Melbourne but I was reminded of the amazing menu they have, I wish I'd been hungry.

With time to kill and nothing to do but wonder before I headed to the airport I found myself at the Sustainable Living Festival at Fed Square.  I was tired and hot but I found a lovely vege buger (finally hungry) and some shade and chilled out on the river front.  Melbourne really has a lot going for it, that i didn't always make the most of when I lived there.

The flight home involved a mid air delay and diversion around a storm and I landed in Mildura very tired.  Dinner with Thom turned into a an overnight stay thanks to a spare room with inviting new1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, bit not before I was introduce to the PlayStation and war games - not really my thing but insightful watching the boys all the same...

Treat One - from Craft Victoria shop

Material Treats from Clear It on Brunswick - Dangerfield and Alana Hill

 

Alana Hill Ribbon treat - pretty

Food for Thought

I found this apron at my local op shop and paid 50 cents.  While I was in Melbourne I checked out Hunter Gatherer on Brunswick St - they had a suitcase full of vintage aprons - most at $20.00  

No more trips for me (at least nothing interstate) until I head back to Tas.  But I think I have plenty to keep me busy......

melborne town

in melbourne for a conference, limited regional flights meant a whole day in melbourne before registartion and did i make the most of that.

breakfast at St Ali
wondering around south melbourne market
checking out Counter at Craft Victoria
japanese for lunch with a lovely friend
brunswick st window shopping
fabric purchases of Dangerfield and Alanna Hill
gelati from trampoline
kick off key note at Dramturgies #4 conference

all in all a fine day

how does my garden grow

in the shade now, thanks to it being cool enough (30C ish) for me to get stuck into building a shade house for my herbs.

I've been pondering this for a while.  There has been a bare piece of bordered earth that i have tried to keep weed free - sort of successfully, and grow herbs in boxes in  - successful for a little while.  But it is so hot here and everything drys out so fast that it is hard to maintain fragile vegetables and herbs.  so shade was required if I was to attempt again.

I thought of a few options and in the end went with a construction of chicken wire, stakes and shade cloth, with a neat brush screen up against the fence to keep it contained.

I'm still planting in boxes to keep it simple and have put in some pine bark to help maintain the moisture in the area and protect/cover the weed mat.  Of course I will only be here for a couple more months but hopefully it is strong enough construction that it stays and is useful for the luck people who live in the church after me.

I've planted seeds - parsley, basil, coriander, thyme, chilli,  & rocket.  there are a few tiny leaves starting to show - fingers crossed.

op-shop stash

ah, sometimes it pays off living in a little(ish) country town and dropping into the op shop.  Yesterday I got quiet a stash for just $10.  Lots of interesting bits and pieces for crafty things.  if only I had more time.....

 

some fabulous retro gems in there

  

not very pc but very cute

 

and cotton to match, how thoughtful

Land Owner

Today was settlement day for my purchase of a lovely little block of land in Tasmania.

 my little bit of lower snug

It's actually not so little at nearly 2 acres but i am planning to build a little house and plant some fruit trees and grow a little garden and have room to sew in a place that is my home.  Sounds so wonderful.  I never imagined (until quite recently) that i would ever have my own home it always seemed so out of reach with the freelance artist lifestyle.  But things change and here i am.

My brother will be building the house (with lots of help from contractors and family and friends) and it is really lovely to be working on this together.  He is just as excited as I am that I am heading back home (maybe more - they will get another very willing babysitter!)

My stepfather has drawn up a couple of plans from my initial drawings for the house.  I am lucky to have so many talented people willing to help out.

 

this is close is my realistic dream house - or one version of it

downstairs will eventually be extra bedroom(s) / living and or studio space for crafty pursuits

A few years ago  two of my dearest friends lives on the same street - just across the road from the block.  I used to visit for wondrous dinners by Jac and cups of tea and walks with Jo and often stay the night when I was down in tassie.  I never really paid attention to the land across the road. Buying land, especially in Tasmania was so not on my radar.  It goes to show how much and how quickly things can change.  I must remember that.

 

 North West Bay looking across to Tinderbox

5 mins walk from my future home

taken at least 4 years ago on a jo and julie walk

night of cake

Tomorrow it is the RYT Program Launch for 2010.  My last and I have decided that since it is RYT's 25th birthday this year that it should be a year of cake! even if i'm not around all year to partake.

So to kick it off I've spent a good part of the night making cakes.  36 cup cakes, 36 little carrot patty cakes and two chocolate cakes. 

I decided to try out a few recipes from  my new cook book afternoon tea by frankie!  Vanilla cup cakes, simplicity chocolate cake and carrot cake which i made in little patty cases too. All very easy and turned out pretty well.  I have cup cake stands and plates ready to go.  Now I just need people to turn up and eat them!

 

cup of tea?

bags & more softies

another crafty weekend.  the heat here is so oppressive i can't go out and enjoy summer but staying inside means time to sew - so not so bad.

A friend asked me for a photo for a charity auction for the Cystic Fibrosis foundation, but i'm not quite that confident with my photography to think people would want a blown up print of mine on their wall, but have had many comments about my bags over the years so it was time to make another 'waddington'!

I like to feature a fabric and keep the rest simple and complementary and i like my bags to be practical.  Years of various variations have lead to the current incarnation that is big enough to fit an A4 diary or notebook but not so big you put too much in it.  Something fun and stylish, yet functional, that can take you from the office to dinner or shopping, 

As i'm trying to reacquaint myself with all my sewing prowess i also had a go at making a little makeup bag with a zip.  for some reason i've been afraid of zips - not sure why - was not so bad.

I was pretty happy with my products.  the photo is a little reflective as i've put a protective plastic over the feature panel, one of those little extras - like my matching pocket and contrasting lining. 

little things that are not hard but make the bag a bit more special.  I hope this set goes to a nice new home.

I also played with another softy from meet me at mikes

 

any ideas?

i couldn't decide so started three

I've had fun with all the embroidery.  I love blanket stitch and got back into back stitch. Next i have to try chain stitch...

 

how cute is he!  and he cooks!!

when i finished my first udderly lovely cow i was smitten.  will be hard to send him on to his new home...  none of the three are for me?  

I think I'll be ready to design my own softie soon, getting a feel what what style i like.  Before then I want to try to master granny squares.  Got  the crochet happening but not the square - the challenge will be on this weekend.

The Lovers Keepsake

I picked this gem up in a secondhand book shop in Adelaide my last trip down before Christmas last year.  I think I struck gold, it is simply gorgeous.

Raymond Peynet was born in Paris, France in 1908 and died in 1999.  He was a freelance artist and illustrator, working for several magazines. In 1942, he came up with the characters of 'Les Amoureux', 'The Lovers'.  He drew over 6000 pictures of 'The Lovers' and now I have a few of them myself. They are quirky, fun and sweet and often a bit cheeky. - just gorgeous

 

this is one of my favourites, something romantic

last craft

last sunday I worked my way through a few of my projects. 

My second cat was fun and gorgeous, made from some wool material i found in an op shop in tas that i felted.

 

 He has found a special spot to watch over me until he travels to his new home.

then I had a go at butterfly Evelyn also from the meet me at mikes book.  I couldn't decide what material to use so I made two.

Can you see where she is flying over?

I sadly thinks she looks like mr hanky

this weekend I need to work on some up coming birthday projects and I have promised to make one of my bags for a charity auction.

 

here's one I made earlier - but it is mine!

I nearly ordered a stack of books off amazon, about 8, but it cam to nearly 4 times the money I got from Mum for my birthday and I am now trying to be more careful with the new mortgage looming and even more money to be required to build.  Will try to be careful over the next few weeks and watch the $ and maybe get them later.  it is better to get a stack at once rather than lots of little orders, but I do have enough to keep me busy for quiet a while!