would you come and visit?

so I have been dreaming (again) of how I would like to spend my days.. Then I came across this retail property for rent across the road from one of my favourite parks.

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there it is, the red one. And yes, that's a yellow bus stop right out the front.

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Do you see what I see?
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I see...

barstools at the counter for little crafting stations. A long table for crafty meetings, and crafty tutorials

seasonal window displays, starting maybe with fabric clouds and rain drops for winter with monsters wrapped in warm scarves

armchairs next to shelves of pre-loved craft books like this one or this one. Big prints framed on the (maybe green?) walls.

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teapots with cosies and coffee plungers, rows of hooks under the counter for mugs and teacups, and a jar for spare change

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a wall of embroidery thread of every colour. Big jars of buttons. Racks of ribbons, threads, notions. Bundles of soft wool, rolls of felt, boxes of vintage sewing patterns. Tall cube shelves with vintage suitcases on top to hold extra stock.

a big noticeboard for this months sewing project, upcoming tutorial dates, brown owls meeting times, markets, second-hand sewing machines, giveaways

A clipboard for people to join the mailing list. A little e-zine for the shop with upcoming projects, and craft tips, and the tutorials, what's on-sale, and blogger profiles

Shelves like tiny market stalls for people (like those damn talented people on etsy and so many of you crafty bloggers) to sell their gorgeous creations

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me in the corner chatting, sipping tea, creating, knitting, typing, smiling.

That's what I see. Would you come and visit?

the-sweetest-thing

Jayne from The Little Passenger has made me a mix cd! What an awesomely sweet thing to do! I am so excited! Look at this supremely awesome goodness! (can you tell that I am excited?! Is it the liberal use of exclamation marks that gives it away?!)

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the pepper compilation

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(1) "i love you, awesome" - the phoenix foundation

(2) "funny shadow" - age pryor & tessa rain

(3) "blood and peanut butter" - bc camplight

(4) "parentheses" - the blow

(5) "emmawood" - buildings breeding

(6) "bruises" - chairlift

(7) "it's my own cheating heart that makes me cry" - glasvegas

(8) "you and i" - ingrid michaelson

(9) "you are the light {by which i travel i travel into this and that}" - jens lekman

(10) "cha cha cha" - the little ones

(11) "daylight" - matt & kim

(12) "little drummer girl" - buildings breeding

(13) "all the wine" - the national

(14) "people got a lotta nerve" - neko case

(15) "calling and not calling my ex" - okkervil river

(16) "life on a chain" - pete yorn

(17) "apples and tangerines" - the phoenix foundation

(18) "sentimental heart" - she & him

(19) "awkward kisser" - telekinesis

(20) "this is the one" - the stone roses

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An unexpected bonus of this blogging business, reading inspiring stories and meeting such incredible people that just make my day! Thank you so much Jayne, I can't wait to lie upside down with a glass of wine and listen to this baby.

remember this guy?

for this project. Well here he is, hanging out on the stove (it's got good lighting, ok?)

Still some stitching to do around his eyes, and I don't know about the beanie, what do you think? It would have to be a bloody big beanie! (Plus I could use the lovely green wool for a scarf for me..) His tattooed arms are ready to sew up and attach- but I'm out of pillows! (also my first attempt at embroidering tattoos, I started simple but I think it's pretty uh-huh.)

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I ransacked my bed and gutted two pillows and two cushions to stuff him; I ran out of the nice firm pillow stuffing in his giant head, and had to use squishy cushion filling that has made his bum all squishy and unstable and mushy. I like my monsters with nice firm bums thank.you.

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I don't have a car, I don't relish the thought of balancing bags of stuffing on my bike- does anyone know who you can order delivered stuffing from in Sydney?

careful!

For Pip's words and pictures, I seem to be running late lately but here we go! These guys lived in the fomerly-duck-bath-turned-into-garden-bed at my old house. To this day I have no idea how he lost his head (although I suspect the green one did it). More words and pictures here.

woohoo!

image credit

This morning I am sitting snugly with my cup of tea, having arrived cheerfully and earlier than I expected because I got every green light! And intersection! All the way to work! I glided here on my bike like a freakin’ superstar.

This phenomenon is known all around the world. My sister likes to call it ‘Running the Gauntlet’ down a particular stretch of road in Brisbane littered with lights. Also known as ‘The Green Mile’, or ‘Green Run’, or just plain ‘Miraculous’.

No matter where you are, getting to where you’re going unencumbered is like winning a victory. You smile, you punch the air, you feel, well, victorious!

When was your last perfect run? (and what do you call it?) Do tell!

She looks like ET doesn't she

the doll for this project. . Do you think some eyebrows would help?

Guerrilla Knitting Part 3

A while back I found knitting on sign poles around the place (also here), and thought it whimsical and lovely. Here's some more from my neighbourhood, courtesy of 'Nosy in Newtown', a blog inscribing the goings-on and surprises around the Newtown area, which I love, because I recognize and go 'yeah, I saw that too!'

Oh guerrilla knitters, you bring sweet randomness and smiles to my day.

love...

Love Stamps from Kikki-K

get your skates on and

Happy Monday everyone x

first scarf finished ever

for my friend Zana. She loved it. Yay!

also on my desk

Or, 'Why I've been a slack blogger'


plans for melancholy monster for this exhibition


playing with new watercolours


almost-finished-scarf and bigger-than-I-meant shawl

a doll-in-the-making

On my desk at the moment, the beginnings of a little doll with a summer dress. She's destined for adventures, this girl, she's part of the Craft Hope Project#2.

Craft Hope is a lovely blog, 'spreading seeds of hope one stitch at a time'.

(image courtesy of Craft Hope blog)

Their current project is for the casa berne orphange; Craft Hope is working with Eren and the ORPHANetwork to provide handmade, soft-bodied dolls for the children. They're asking for participants to sew a simple doll, with dark skin and hair, to be collected and distributed and loved to bits!

(image courtesy of Craft Hope blog)

Dolls are already arriving, visit the Craft Hope blog for more info on the children, the project and how you can participate too! Go on!

e=mc2 yarn

How great is it? Free printable cards like this one, and heaps of free knitting patterns at lion brand yarn.

I have almost finished my scarf, first knitting project completed ever! Now I know how to knit, purl, increase, decrease AND cast on/off, the challenge of a pattern is tempting me. Baby booties perhaps. A beanie for a monster, a jumper even. How hard could it be? (famous last words if ever I've uttered them..)

I like knitting. It is (one of) my new things. I curl up on the couch, with a cup of tea, and a cat, and knit away and chat. And my housemates look at me and smile, and shake their head. I am in my mid-twenties. I love nanna-styles now, where can I go from here? Perhaps I will have a mid-life crises and take up skydiving and extreme adventures.. Perhaps I will keep on knitting.

inkin'

More embroidery patterns, my mixed tape. Also added the vw beetle to the side bar there; I've gotten to drawing now and can't.seem.to.stop.

I promise I'll blog soon, with words and everything.

Don't look at the 'n'. Please don't.

You DID didn't you!

uh huh

another embroidery pattern for yooouuuu.

Encouraged by recent feedback (thanks!) I've also just popped a list of the embroidery patterns i've done so far on the sidebar for easy access.

i just know

I was talking to my friend yesterday and said something like 'blah blah when I have kids', and she turned to me and said 'How do you know? How do you know you'll have kids?' Well I just stopped and furrowed my brow and, well, I don't know. I've just always assumed I will. I love kids. I want several. I have never considered not having children.

Today, being mothers day, has me thinking of these things.

I also know it's not as easy as you imagine. My good friend went through exhausting IVF treatments (she exclaimed- all those years of fastidious birth control for nothing!) but now has a beautiful boy, and is pregnant again. My big sister was told that she may never be able to have kids, and she is expecting her fourth. Yes, fourth. I know others through friends who have adopted, or fostered. And becoming a mum means so many things, it does my head in thinking about it.

So kudos to all the mums. Whether you planned it, got surprised, went though adoption, help raise children in your community, mortgaged your house to pay for fertility treatments, danced naked under the full moon in a rite, carried a baby for someone else, had twins, had triplets, were overjoyed or terrified, or both; kudos to you. I have heard it is exciting, painful, rewarding, amazing, boring, thrilling, expensive, tiring, inspiring and every emotion there is. I hope to join you one day.

If you could go back and whisper something in your ear before you embarked on the parenthood adventure, what would you say?

love it love it

Book Mobile from ShopHouse

Like the pages are dripping from the book, and the words escaping into the air to hover above your head.

hey!

just a quick post to say i have the best twin sister in the world! she is awesome!!

whooo whoooo

On Wednesday I went to my first Brown Owls meeting, and it was lovely!

First, pep talks from a work collegue (don't be nervous, you only meet them once and after that they won't be strangers anymore!) and my housemate (go! a bunch of people with similar interests, you'll have fun. Don't you turn around half way and come back!) and I was off on my bike with a paper bag of current craftiness to complete.

I wandered through the bookstore for half an hour, too shy to go upstairs (it's a very nice bookstore by the way!), but then I took a deep breath, trudged up the stair, took a seat and pulled out my knitting.

Me= 1 Shyness=0

I had a lovely time chatting and soaking in all the craftiness. It was just swell to sit amongst all that thread and fabric and stitchin' and knitting and discussion of various techniques and craft fails and craft successes. I also met some fine bloggers I have been following for a while, it's a strange feeling to meet someone and already know that they have a penchant for trolleys, or a collection of teacups.

(Note: Jess, the lovely lass with the penchant for tea cups and books is hosting a surprise giveaway to celebrate her 100th post! Head over to her sweet blog The Crafty Librarian to enter.)

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You can see more photos at the Brown Owls members blog. Can't wait for the next meeting!

three bears

Sewing madly before I left for Brisbane on Friday (the day of the deadline) I managed to finish the plushies for Mortal Plush. They asked for a title so I just called them the 'three bears'- suspicion, revenge and remorse. Their faces are hurried and not as big and clear as I would've liked, but I finished them at least.

I like they way they've turned out, 'cept for the rushed faces, but shucks. The one in the middle is my favourite. I have no idea what to do with them. I guess they will find a little spot around the house, like other creatures who get comfy on a ledge or shelf or corner, until maybe a visitor comes and says 'oooh' and takes them home.

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(edit) I just received an email from Mortal Plush and they've extended the deadline to June 19! Now I've time to make an emotional & tattooed Edwardo! Which emotion do you think would suit him best?

Do I Have To?

To Do List, originally uploaded by gamookie.

I haven't blogged for ages, I feel the last two weeks I've been stuck doing all those things you don't want to but know that they’re for your own good. How boring and grown up they are. Like flossing. Vacuuming. Running on mornings so cold you think your ears might drop off. Finishing a report before you leave the office. Booking travel/hotels. Homework. Practising musical instrument again and again. Eating your greens. Almost all appointments.
Some of these things can be enjoyable some of the time, but sometimes things that you usually enjoy fall into this category; like finishing a sewing project after you’ve lost heart, or finishing a book that you don’t really like but. have. to. otherwise. you’ll. never. know. how. it. ends. I realise my rant sounds a bit pitiful next to those brave lovely souls with offspring to add to the mix, and I look forward to ranting about that too, but sometimes it seems no matter how much you have to do, it’s too much.