softie sewing day

softie sewing day
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Three sweet little softies for three sweet little children. On Saturday I organised a sewing bee with my sister in law and cousin in law, and we made these softies from the Softies book. I got the book for my birthday in August but this was my first project from the book. So, two Devil Cosmonauts - though the vinyl one didn't get horns - and one Mabel Monkey. Each one was given to a special little child on the weekend - and each was well received. Especially the yellow cosmonaut, he got lots of hugs.

I was really impressed with how the faces turned out - not bad for two hand sewing newbies!

As for making a softie out of vinyl - it's not easy, not least because you can't use pins - but the effect is almost worth it. And he went to this newborn, so his super drool proof powers will come in handy!

sparkles for opening night

brown and gold sequin cuff
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Well tonight is the opening of the Re-Creations exhibition and, as usual, I decided at the last minute that I absolutely must make something new to wear. I quickly discarded the idea of making a fabulous new blouse or dress - too risky. What if it turns out bad, leaving me with no time for plan B? So, I got out this box of fabric samples that I was given by Lyssy May who recklessly ignores my fabric diet - anyone doing a project that requires small rectangles of tweed or taffeta? I've got a few to spare... Anyway I found some gems in there and managed to make this cuff which I think is quite fabulous. Having something new to wear is like a secret talisman that will keep me safe through the nerves of crowds and meeting new people. Plus, it's brown, and it's got sequins! Two of my favourite things.

Eek! I've been tagged by Mel. I don't know about this tagging thing, it feels a bit like chain mail but ok just this once... Also I've been a bit slack on the craft front due to a sore back so this will have to do for a blog post.

The rules:
1. Link to your tagger (see above), and also post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself (random or weird) on your blog.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog.

... so 7 facts about me:
1. I have an ever-expanding collection of fabrics, buttons, lace and ribbons - but mostly fabric.
2. I'm on a fabric diet.
3. It's not really working.
4. I was born on a cattle property.
5. I don't iron unless absolutely necessary.
6. I abide by the philosophy that any problem can be lessened by a cup of tea.
7. I love cheese. All kinds.

And I hereby tag the following (but I'll understand if you conscientiously object to blog-chain-mail):
1. Ali
2. Kim
3. Martine
4. Claire
5. Fi
6. Ellie
7. Hilde

PS If you're in Brisbane, don't forget to check out the Re-Creations Christmas Exhibition at Reverse Garbage. If you can make it to the opening on Friday night I'll be there - would love to meet you!

Christmas cards

selection of christmas cards on cream
Originally uploaded by djbebe

We're having a pre-Christmas mini craft market at work - it was meant to be today but it seems I was the only one organised enough so it's now next week. So I got all seasonal and made some Christmas cards and gift tags. It's fun to play with gold thread and sparkly fabrics - and I thought the musical paper (last seen here) made good trees. It would have been perfect if the music was Christmasy but unless you can decipher the tune from that tiny fragment you'd never know it was just random olde tunes, right?

I also got carried away and made about a million furoshiki. I've been practising the various wrapping techniques, wrapping up empty boxes, wine bottles, boxes of tissues, wallets etc. If nobody buys them HandyMan will come home one day to find everything in the house festively wrapped up. Now which one of these contains the tv remote...

antique polyester

Or, adventures with a soldering iron. I finally made something for Whiplash - the fibre and mixed-media inspired jewellery is right up my alley.

A while ago I got a book out of the library called Stitch, Dissolve, Distort in Machine Embroidery - interesting effects, but since it required the acquisition of a soldering iron, I put that one on the backburner for a while. HandyMan handles all the power tools and HandyMan stuff in our house, and if I need a nail hammered or a jar opened I go to him - hence I wasn't sure I should be allowed near a soldering iron. But since I've been making brooches with raw edges, I've found there are some fabrics that just fray too much, even with top stitching and gentle handling - these seem to be the super synthetic polyesters. Also, somewhere in the FJ restoring process, HandyMan bought a soldering iron.

So, on the weekend I was feeling reckless enough to get out said soldering iron and have a go at melting some synthetic fibers. It's a bit scary to handle something that hot - I was worried I'd accidentally drop it and set something on fire, so I made sure HandyMan was standing by. I got the hang of it after a while and was able to cut through nylon like a hot knife through butter. It's hard to be precise though - straight lines are easy but circles are difficult, since the fabric moved around a bit, and I found Christmas tree shapes impossible. As for fabrics, nylon works the best; polyester works too but rayon just burns without melting.

And I teamed the results of this experimenting with my new love, vinyl - and whipped up a couple of brooches this afternoon.

I like how the edges look like old photographs. You can get that effect on paper with lemon juice and candles - or on synthetic fabric with a soldering iron. Just watch out for the fumes!

Go stop by the OCT/NOV whiplash thread to check out the other fabulous and unique entries!

teapot coaster

teapot coaster
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I was sick of looking at the teapot rings on my desk at work - and I've just got my own office for the first time ever so I'm still in that honeymoon phase where I don't want to mess it up. You know, like when you tidy up your craft room and for a while you're really conscientious with putting things away?

For something made purely out of scraps of recent projects it turned out rather cohesively, I thought. Made using foundation piecing method onto a piece of sturdy flanellette, then backed using the envelope method and machine quilted with pink thread - because that's what was on the machine at the time. I was on a roll - no time for changing threads!

adventures in vinyl

wasp bag and matching wristlet
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I got so many things crossed off my todo list this weekend that I didn't even have time to blog them. I got this wristlet made - loosely based on a Denyse Schmidt pattern - and possibly the beginning of a love affair between me and vinyl. So easy to sew with, once you have a teflon foot, and no need to worry about finishing edges. More experimentation required - but I can see brooches, cuffs, hair thingies, napkin rings - the possibilities are endless!

I also finished off a batch of cuffs - they've been waiting patiently for press-studs for oh a couple of months... Then I filed some stuff in our new filing cabinet - hopefully it will magically make all the piles of papers in our kitchen and everywhere else disappear. I'm still in denial re tax time, however.

Don't tell anyone, but I also vacuumed the house. Don't worry, I'm over it now.

tiger tongues

tiger birthday cake
Originally uploaded by djbebe

This photo is a bit old - sorry blog, for cheating - but the thing that I've spent all day working on and just finished (yay!) has to stay secret until Kim has her baby. (Not long now!) So instead, you can all admire the totally awesome cake that HandyMan and I made for my nephew Henry's second birthday. I somewhat foolishly volunteered for the cake making duties since the mother and grandmothers were all sick or too busy. I seem to recall I was also sick and too busy but the alternative was my mother slapping up some cake mix and sticking some smarties on top. Henry might not have cared that much but I did - so armed with the Women's Weekly Birthday Cake book, some pinking shears and a whole lot of butter, we whipped this cake up in record time. Squashed marshmallows for eyes, licorice stripes and the tongue is made from an orange sugar jube, cut in half so the shiny side is showing - and irresistable to a 2 year old. I attempted to get Henry to admire and appreciate the artistic skill involved in making such an awesome looking tiger - yeah, it's a tiger, whatever - but he just kept reaching for that shiny tongue. And there's only a certain amount of time where it's socially acceptable to keep a small child away from his own birthday cake.

flowers

flowers
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I made a long todo list at the start of the weekend, and as per usual I did lots of things but didn't get many crossed off the list. But that's ok because in my world, the list is just to remind you that you once meant or wanted to do something, as opposed to my good friend Kim who makes lists so she doesn't get distracted by other stuff - my list is so that when I come back from being distracted, I remember where I was.

Plus, since this is my first weekend home in 2 months, I decided I could do whatever I wanted for the whole weekend.

So from my list, I finished an order for brooches, made covers for my mp3 player and started on some new shirts for me. Ali, I aim to finish them tonight!

Not from my list, I baked 3 kinds of cookies, planted tomatoes, beans, basil and cucumbers, made ginger and lime granita, started some bean sprouts, arranged some flowers, and made a big mess in my craft room. I also hemmed a dress, sewed the buttons back on some shorts and rearranged the entire kitchen. The plates are so much easier to get to - I can't believe it's taken me a year to figure that out!

And then, see, the remainder of the things on the list just get carried over to the next list - that is if I still desire to do the thing. If not, too bad, thing, you had your chance.

And now, I can cross 'blog post' off the list. Yay.

reverse garbage + workplace agreement

I may have mentioned Reverse Garbage before - well they're having a pre-Christmas exhibition and some of my creations will be on display there. And if you're super observant, you may notice that one of my brooches is featured in the flier. If you're in the area, maybe I'll see you at the exhibition launch?

Jungle brooch

Jungle brooch
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Thanks for the good thoughts and karma - got back from Parkes last night so we're both a bit exhausted from driving (almost 20 hours all up), funeral matters and family overload. I know what you mean about crafty diversions - if I wasn't a crafter I might be forced to clean the fridge or something. Anyhow, today I made some more coasters and this brooch, in the aforementioned not-quite-leopard-skin rayon. I think it works. I scored a handful of these upholstery buttons at an op shop a while back, and they go perfectly with this vinyl which I also thrifted - for a dollar a metre.

And now I'm waiting for HandyMan to cook me dinner.

seascape brooch

seascape brooch
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I've had a fairly crappy couple of weeks and I don't want to talk about it any more. To cut a long story short I'm staying home from work this week to recover from surgery and attend a funeral. The only good news is that I get to spend some quality time in my craft room so have been churning out some new brooches. Check out my etsy and/or madeit store to see more. I'm quite partial to the minty polka dot one myself - I might just make another one. The one you see here is made from a recycled Ken Done (in case you're blissfully unaware of his work) silk scarf. I'm working on the theory that any fabric, no matter how hideous, can work in small amounts. My next challenge is a particularly hideous yellow not-quite-leopard-print rayon that I accepted in a moment of weakness when a friend (I won't embarrass her by linking from this to her neo-cool blog) was throwing it out. It has been on death row in my stash for a while now but it's going to get one more chance to become a brooch like this.

cold feet

cold feet
Originally uploaded by djbebe

We had a hail storm on Saturday night - it was very loud and fairly short but it left a mountain of hail. This pic was taken at 7am the next morning - Calico had fun exploring but got very cold little paws!

In other news, I'm putting some brooches and coasters on a stall at the IWC at USQ on Friday. I won't be there though - one more wedding in Armidale. Then wedding season will be officially over - 3 weddings in 4 weeks is a bit taxing really.

No more progress on the baby quilt - I've been getting ready for the market - covering boxes with fabric, labelling etc. Also preparing a submission for Reverse Garbage's Christmas market. Working on an idea for manly cuffs.

samples for mixtape

samples for mixtape
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Posted off to mixtapezine today in a rush - hope I didn't forget anything! I didn't leave work quite early enough to get all my jobs done before my physio appointment so I was running late all afternoon - hate that! I posted 12 cuffs and 18 brooches, with discount vouchers - so if you've ordered a "special edition" of issue 2, you will get one! yay!

Also posted this bag to California - one more item sold on etsy!

In other news, these baby shoes from tinyhappy arrived in the mail yesterday and they are ever so sweet. Not sure yet whether to give them away or keep them...

pink elephant quilt

pink elephant quilt
Originally uploaded by djbebe

This is a closeup of the hand-quilting I'm doing on the baby quilt (my third - quilt that is, not baby) for my brother's second baby, due in February. Aren't I organised?! Should be finished in another week or two. I'm quilting it from the back, using the print as the template. So I'm stitching around pink elephants, and tigers, and flowers and giraffes. Easier than drawing templates! I went to visit my nan for lunch and went with her to the retirement village's "craft ladies" group; I took my quilt and did a bit of stitching, while listening to the ladies chatter in the background. What are you doing there Madge? Ohhh, I'm just crocheting around the edge of this hankie, the cotton hankies that my Cheryl used to get for me down at... Oh here's a pattern for 3 ply, you can't get that any more, it's all gone 4 ply... Yes it was all Azalea and do you remember when Jet came in? Oh yes it was 12 ply - that was fast knitting! Ohhh, and have you been listening to the news? My Beryl's in Phuket but thank goodness I got a text message from her yesterday and she's ok... And how about Dulcie, she shouldn't be still living on her own in that house...

A very relaxing soundtrack to hand quilting!

I also spent some time in Brisbane on the weekend with Kim and did some ironic? satirical? handquilting while sitting next to a machine-quilting frame. I can see the benefits of machine-quilting, especially for large projects, but I still prefer the more forgiving, meditative approach of handquilting. I'm about a quarter of the way to being finished!

green wasp bag

green wasp: exterior
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Based on the now famous wasp bag pattern I made this. (And I got to be the first, apart from the original wasp bag, to post it up to flickr - yay!) All from my stash - which is why it doesn't have a magnetic clasp but I think it has enough body to overcome that - and I like a basket bag anyhow. I got this roll of green vinyl thrown in for free when we bought a timber and glass cabinet at a furniture closing down sale - bargain! I think I was much more excited about my roll of green vinyl than I was about the lovely cabinet. So this is its first use - turned out well though the vinyl was a bit of a pain to sew. Gotta get me a teflon foot.

blue dandelion kimono vest

blue dandelion kimono vest
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I decided to have an internet-free weekend - amazing how much you can get done! So I made a list of all the things I should be doing - starting the baby quilt for my brother's impending second bub, sewing brooch backs on the mountain of denim-backed brooches I've churned out, etc etc. And I decided to do something completely different - namely, make a couple of new shirts for myself - we have 3 weddings coming up in the next month and I've got nothing to wear! I got this blue dandelion fabric from Gardams (I love that shop not only for all the gorgeous fabrics but because they wrap your purchases in brown paper and tie it with string) in Brisbane last year. It's cotton with a subtle herringbone weave which gives it a really soft texture. And, from the leftovers I made this darling little "vest" from a thrifted vintage pattern - thought I should start trying them out instead of just collecting them... Kim it was going to be for you but I really like it! Still deliberating! Not that I even have a bub, or would ever dress myself and bub in the same fabric...? Would I? Maybe I should just make another one.

And then I was on a roll with the vintage baby pattern thing so I churned out a couple of sets of bloomers with matching singlet tops. I even appliqued, though I skipped the part where you iron on interfacing to stop the stretching. But they didn't turn out too bad. Baby clothes use hardly any fabric - this still isn't helping thin out my stash much!

purple denim brooch

purple
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I whipped up 10 or so of these today, from this pile. Barely made a dent. I've signed up to 'use what I have' for August which is giving me a lot more time to be creative - I didn't realise how addicted I was to my weekly round of the thrift stores. Seriously, the stash is getting out of control. There's no room for any more!

It's raining here! For the first time in a month or so. Decent rain too, hopefully we're getting some in the dams - our water supply was at 13% last time I looked.

In other news, if you care to take a look at page 38 of this week's Brisbane news you can see my friend Alyssa the designer behind Lyssy May, and if you're observant you may notice that she's wearing one of my cuffs. Yeah, I know - you have to look closely, but do you think it might be enough to kickstart the cuff craze in Brisvegas? Subliminally?

tea and sympathy

sympathy flowers
Originally uploaded by djbebe

This has been a very long week, and I'm totally pooped. My grandfather, known to everyone as Pa, passed away on Sunday. It wasn't unexpected but that only makes so much difference. He'd been in hospital for the last five weeks, gradually getting worse. I saw him in the hospital on Saturday and that was one of the hardest things I've done. He looked so small and empty, like a shell. Then Tuesday was my birthday and Wednesday was the funeral. So I've been giving hugs and having cups of tea and washing dishes and looking after my grandma all week. They were married for 61 years. He was very special, always had time for everyone, and is very loved.

It has been good though, in a way, to have the time to spend with family that we don't see that often. I also managed some diversionary crafting, as you may have noticed. But now I'm going to have a beer and veg in front of the telly. Goodnight!

platypus for Henry

platypus
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Inspired by the lovelies I saw at Two Little Banshees - go check out her etsy store - I made a platypus for my nephew Henry's birthday - he'll be 2 in 2 weeks. Think he'll know what it is?

cover for a dvd player

cover for a dvd player
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I whipped up this cover for my little nephew's portable dvd player - he's almost 2 - that keeps him amused on long car trips. On their last trip up this way they said he was very concerned by the viewing - chewing his fingernails, frowning etc. I asked what he was watching, they said Chicken Little - now I remember seeing this at the movies and there were aliens and big spaceships and scary stuff - so I said they should stick to Tractor Tom for the moment.

Anyhow, they said the player was getting dusty in the car so I said I would make them a cover for it. I just hope I've put the holes for the cords in the right places. You know when you measure something and then when it's not in front of you any more you're can't be absolutely sure that you wrote it down right? Well they're back coming back tomorrow so we'll see.

reverse garbage and old-school cinema

I had a super excellent weekend - starting with Friday off and a visit with HandyMan and ex-bridesmaid Sponky to various fabric stores and spare car parts shops (something for everyone!), Lyssy May's shop and - finally got there - Reverse Garbage. I've been meaning to visit Reverse Garbage for a while and I read about an art exhibition here so decided to have a look. I love making things from recycled or rescued materials so it was right up my alley. The art exhibition was small but interesting, and I found some fabrics that have reuse potential - though I think the art exhibitionists may have cleaned out the haberdashery section! Worth a look for supplies if you're in Brisbane and don't have anything specific in mind.

And then, on Saturday night we finally got around to going to Toowoomba's Icon Cinema where one weekend each month they show old movies from the 30's and 40's and you sit in old bench seats with a blanket over your knees and watch a pre-movie serial and drink wine and have intermission. Intermission! Fabulous. I can't believe we haven't been before. We saw Mr Deeds goes to Town, and it was sweet and funny and starred the handsome Gary Cooper.

And Sunday, I had the whole day to myself in my craft room, and got lots of things done.

the evils of velvet

I was previously aware of the evils of satin but have only recently become fully versed in the evils of velvet. I have a mountain of velvet that I bought at a Lincraft sale - back in the good old days, when Lincraft still stocked fabric. It's been hanging up in my cupboard for about 10 years I reckon, and I just figured out one use for it - fabulous velvet cuffs. There were about 5 failed methods before I found this one that works - I had an idea for combining velvet and thrifted silk ties but couldn't get them to play nice together. Shifting and sliding, bunching and gathering. Abandon ship! Ribbon on velvet - same problem. Finally, a quilting foot and vintage cotton print border manage to save the day. And I really like the effect. Also it seems to be an acceptable use for these garish rhinestone buttons that were clearly thrifted on some very deep instinct... Anyhow, I've listed some on etsy if you want to take a look.

denim aprons + 5 minutes of fame

Two sets of full-length aprons + oven mitt + pot holder, with denim as the backing. This denim was a remnant from Spotlight and is nice and soft with yellow/green undertones - so matched perfectly with these fabrics. The floral is an Amy Butler fat quarter - and there was only scraps left over from this project that I used to make a few cards. The bird fabric was thrifted so I'm unsure of its origin - the print is a little bit Liberty but the fabric has a stiffer hand.

This wooden table is an old rickety one of HandyMan's that is only really used by me for hammering in press studs. I'm not normally trusted with HandyMan tools so using press studs for the cuffs has been exciting. I haven't hammered my fingers once! Yet. However I still don't trust myself with an axe - and although HandyMan did chop up an amount of kindling before he went away, I've run out. He better get home tonight. Because it's freezing! I stepped across the back lawn this morning to take some pics of Calico and heard the grass crunch underfoot.

In other news, HandyMan and I appeared in the local paper on Wednesday - there was apparently a backlog of wedding pics - but it was a good one - worth the wait! Hopefully we should see the professional proofs in the next couple of days - and we'll be able to relive the glamour of the day.

the return of the craft mojo

Well 2 months after the wedding, I finally have my craft mojo back. I didn't realise until it was all over just how exhausted I was, in all aspects. Strangely HandyMan doesn't seem similarly afflicted... I visited LyssyMay a couple of weeks ago and was much inspired by all the goodies in that sweet little shop, as well as catching up on what's hot right now in Brisvegas, and getting some ideas for collaboration. Also we have a craft gathering at work this week, so I have been madly making brooches, aprons, oven mitts, coasters and other bits and pieces. And inspired by all the cuffness that's going on out there in CraftLand (too many to mention!), I've been experimenting with these, which are an extremely good way to use special little bits of vintage fabric that won't mix with anything else. I have so many little pieces like this that just get lost when put with other fabrics, and this is a way for them to stand alone. I don't know if these are going to take off in the "rural business centre" in which I live - I've noticed curious looks whenever I've worn one to work - we'll see. Also on a practical note, this is one type of bracelet/bangle that I can wear to work and still happily type on the keyboard - they're flat and they don't jangle. Awesome!

Almost forgot - there is a new independent online site for selling handmade goods - like etsy I suppose, but just for Australian makers. madeit - it just opened last week so it's early days, but go check it out. I've listed a few things so fingers crossed.

In other news, HandyMan has been away for a week for work, and was supposed to be home in two more days. However some other not-so-handy-man broke the work car so now they have to wait in the middle of nowhere for it to be fixed. Either that or they put him on a plane and send him home. I'm hoping for Option B, because despite the fact that I normally just enjoy the precious time alone with the cat and my craft, I'm actually missing him. So that's what marriage does to you then...

thank you wedding helpers

For our recent 1920's wedding I collected lots of vintagey blue and brown thrift store goodies - and pearls - for the table decorations, and some lovely friends helped lay them out. They did an awesome job - when we walked in after hours of getting our photos taken and looking lovingly at each other (exhausting after a while!), it was such an amazing surprise to see it all so beautiful. Not that it was a surprise that they did an awesome job, but a surprise to see it all at once, together - and so perfect! Anyway I finally got in this weekend and got their thank you gifts made.

I've also just given some new life to my etsy shop with some cute new handbags.

luxury bird house

bird house fabric
Originally uploaded by djbebe

I like this take on the bird house. If I was a bird, I would like to live in a house like this. I used this fabric to make a sweet little handbag for my cousin, which I promised months ago but then got carried away with wedding stuff. I also used buttons from our grandma's button box which I inherited last time she downsized. It contains all kinds of treasures which she saved for many years - which I will only use for the most special of projects.

the honeymoon is over

wishing birdcage
Originally uploaded by djbebe

Well my poor blog has been silent and neglected for a while now - I had other things on my mind. Not much to report, just that I got married and went on a honeymoon to Vanuatu.

Thanks to my Super Bridesmaids who made their fabulous dresses, and all the guests who dressed up in 1920's garb - just for me! I never knew I had such power - too bad you only get to be the bride for one day. Although the luscious (as stated in groom's speech) bridesmaids may tell you I milked it for a bit longer than that. I didn't make my dress but I played with lots of beads and feathers and fabric to assemble the decorations. And fascinators. Isn't that a great term - an accessory that has no object but to draw attention to itself.

Everything went smoothly on the day, and everyone had heaps of fun - and now that it's all over, the lack of wedding preparation leaves somewhat of a void in my evenings. So once I get over the flu that hit me when I got home from my honeymoon, I can start crafting again.

new orange skirt + pincushion

new orange shirt + pincushion
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

I was beginning to think that the mailman ate my pincushion prize from Pink Chalk Studio - turns out I'm just impatient. Isn't it cute! Thanks Miss Pink Chalk! And it matches perfectly with my new skirt #3. I toyed with the idea of spending my 4 day weekend in bed reading a book but came to my senses and sewed myself 3 new skirts. After all, if a girl's honeymooning on a tropical island (6 weeks to go!), she needs new outfits, does she not? New shirts next weekend...

djbebe-south-park

djbebe-south-park
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

Thanks for the tip, Sponky - I went and did my South Park portrait straight away. It turned out a little more surly than I envisioned, but that's me these days - daily increasing stress from wedding preparations and work means I'm livin' on the edge, baby. A colleague at work is moving on this week and I'm getting most of his workload added to mine, and frankly feeling a little overwhelmed. In 8 weeks, I'll be on a beach in Vanuatu and I won't care a bit - but until then it's all a bit much for this bebe. We did HandyMan's portrait too. Notice he doesn't look like he's stressed about the wedding!
http://www.vexatori.de/zib/spstudio.html

thrifty love

thrifty love
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

Last weekend was a good one for thrifting (this weekend we're driving 4 hours to Roma for a birhday party so unfortunately no thrifting to be had). I found those blue feather flowers at The Lifeline Emporium (you can't go past an emporium) amongst the crockery. They are so perfect for the collection I have going for the centrepieces for the tables at the wedding (10 weeks to go!). They weren't priced so I took them to the counter half expecting to be told they weren't for sale but the nice lady sold them to me for 50c. Two of them had broken stems which I had to fix with a spot of glue - but still - bargain! I also found a box full of doornobs at a garage sale - don't know what I'm going to do with them but couldn't resist the bright orange and green ceramic ones - 10c each. They're quite heavy so not suitable for tote bags or the like - maybe I should get HandyMan to mount them on a board so I can hang things...

red and black card

red and black card
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

Between herniated discs and wedding preparations, I haven't been doing much crafting lately - but I did make this card, for a friend's wedding. It matches the present (made a few months ago), but that's a secret - at least until they receive it. It's made from bits of red satin, black and cream satin, net-ribbon, sequins and cardstock. I really like how it turned out.

green bag with flower

green bag with flower
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

Well I spent all long Australia Day weekend making handbags and matching little flower brooches. This green one is for me so I've added it to the get your craft on group at flickr - but there's a few more for sale at my etsy shop. I have a few more that I didn't quite get finished on the weekend - and now I have to go to work. Work! I don't have time for work...

number one etsy listing

Since our internet is back on deck - I finally took the plunge and listed some of these babies on etsy. Crossed fingers I did it right! Well actually, a glass or two of semillon and a dvd to relax - whatever. There's also some coasters of different kinds... Let me know what you reckon!

Little green bag

Our internet is broken at home! Just when I'd gotten used to it - so for about a week I've been wandering around answering every question with "well if we had the internet, we could LOOK IT UP"... Most frustrating. But with any luck the wireless internet radio antenna boys are fixing it right now and I can spend a long weekend surfing to my hearts content... Anyway I have been making lots of bags like this one here. This one is my favourite, so I brought it into work to show everyone, and coincidentally found the previous owner of the thrifted black spotty fabric pictured here - she works upstairs. "Oh," she said, "my mum had a dress out of that - so glad it's gone to a good home!". Which made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
It's a reversible bag and the other side is a bit more retro but that photo turned out blurry... But my favourite part is the little flower brooch. Just the right amount of pretty!

tea party

tea party
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

Nothing better than a cup of tea and a good book in a hammock - if you can manage not to swing too much! This sugar bowl and milk jug with the cutest little kitty face on them came from my aunt who was going to throw them out some years back - but I had to save them. And they seemed perfect to share for the international tea party which I found by clicking from the glass doorknob. Thanks in advance, risa, for the fabulous party! I know I'm a bit early for the tea party over there, but over here I've had three cups and getting ready for lunch!

blue and brown bib

blue and brown
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

This one is my new favourite. Love the combination of blue and brown.

more coasters

red coasters III
Originally uploaded by djbebe.

I've been on a coaster bender the last couple of weeks - they're the perfect size for my penchant for small pieces of patchwork. And a good Christmas present because they're easy to post. Apologies for the dark and dreary photo but I don't dare complain about the rain!