Friday, July 20, 2007

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.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

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...