Pip's Game

Pip started this over at Meet Me At Mike's.

I am feeling a bit down and blah and uninspired lately, and haven't blogged. Hoping this will get me back into the swing of things!

Making : pyjama pants; birthday cakes; birthday presents; whoopee
Cooking : birthday cakes
Drinking : water, LLB
Reading: just finished 1788. About to start on some old fashioned chick-lit
Wanting: time. space. inspiration.
Looking: through photos, trying to choose prints for my sis' birthday gift
Playing: sea shanties
Wasting: time jumping through centrelink hoops
Sewing: pyjama pants
Wishing: I had the time and the money
Enjoying: my relationship; sewing; travelling
Waiting: to co-habit
Liking: my new grandpa vest; cookie jars; thermos'
Wondering: about stuff
Loving: massive birthday spoils
Hoping: for more massive birthday spoils
Marvelling: at people. good. bad. ugly.
Needing: more hours in the day
Smelling: lamb shanks in the slow cooker
Wearing: awesome sailor style pants, most comfortable boots ever, warm salvos jumper
Following: peeps on twitter, rafters
Noticing: that it's lighter later
Knowing: that there is an end point for the tough stuff
Thinking: alot about those passed
Feeling: furklempt
Bookmarking: so many places: craft, bloggy shopping goodness
Opening: deliveries from ebay/etsy (hello gocco!)
Giggling: @ that pesky pop up squirrel photo bomber
Feeling: still furklempt

So that's where I'm at.. 

Have had some awesome oppy finds, house stuff and clothes, and was whisked away to Tassie for a glorious birthday weekend adventure...

And I take great pleasure in saying that I got soaking wet at the swollen gorge on the weekend...

(feel free to copy the list and repost.. credit where it's due.. backlink to here)

:: I'm Coveting :: v2.0

So Pip started this game last week over here, and I decided, in honour of my impending birthday, and a lil bit of play money I am soon to have, I have been checking out loads of stuff online, and hereby present my Covet List, aka If-You-Wanna-Know-What-I-Want-For-My-Birthday-Look-Here list.

A sewing mannequin. I have been sewing some, and am planning to sew some more, particularly now that Sally has come along. I think having this in my space will be motivating. Also I could use it for all kinds of display stuff when I am not sewing. The Chief used to have

 one, but I think my sister has it. A vintage one would be awesome.

A gocco printing press. What is gocco? You can find out here, here and here. I want one. No really. I really, really do. I have found a site to buy one from, and hopefully when the Tax Dept is done, I will be able to get one! Huzzah!!!

This necklace is awesome.

Polaroid film is totally floating my boat.

Season 6 of NCIS. Yes!!!

and Season 4 of How I Met Your Mother. It's GOLD!!!

A copy of Pip's book, Meet Me At Mike's

A copy of 

or another book like it. This kind of crafting is what I like!

Also, Melbourne Design Guide, as seen here or you can buy it here. While you're in there, have a browse. It's an awesome, awesome bookshop.

I love lots and lots of other stuff too..  I do. Maybe you can share things you are lusting after?

Sally the Sewing Machine

This is Sally. Sally is my new sewing machine. I scored Sally for the princely sum of $20 from a lovely guy at Laverton market on Saturday. (He was asking $35. Oh yes. I am the master!!) She is sweet, clean and runs like a dream. I am in the process of looking up all of her ins and outs, how to thread her up and use her in the best way.

I have started making my pyjamas and getting them ready for Evie & Mabel's launch, some time in late October. I am using repurposed op-shop sheets, that are smooth, soft cotton and some of them even have the quaint, faint smell of moth balls.

Suggestions are more than welcome. Colour combinations, custom orders, pocket ideas, or even just what you love best about your favourite PJs is what I need!!

In fact: Comment and tell me... 

What do you love most about your favourite PJs??

I heart Vinnies

Just a short un, but I scored these treasures at my local Vinnie's today for 50 cents each! Joy!!!

Crafty Angus - Gratuitous Photos from a Proud Mama

Angus helping me with my crafting.. We were working on Gary Mark 2.

All tuckered out from a tough day of crafty goodness.

Gary

Miss NitaJane has a thing for owls. I'm not entirely sure where it comes from. I know that since we've been together I have added to her collection of owls from such worldy places as Paris, Cesky Krumlov, and Laverton Market. She is quite picky with the owls she likes. They're not allowed to be mean or scary owls. They should be happy and friendly (a fair enough prerequisite, I would think!). Happy and friendly owls generally have eyelashes. You should file that away for future reference.

So with the time I have on my hands, the limited funding, and the desire, inspiration and motivation that I have been getting from blogs, shops and life in general, I decided to try my hand at making soft toys. Where to begin? I checked out a load of my crafting books. Making Stuff had, as always some cool ideas. As did Sock and Glove. However, ultimately, I hunted around for resources, and they were what dictated how my owl would work out. 

On Friday, after having completed all of my duties, I sat down with Stella the Sewing Kit, an old scarf and a bag of stuffing that I had picked up at Vinnie's ($3 each! bargain!) and some felt. I totally made it up as I went along. I sewed the outline of the owl and used the offcuts to make wings. I stitched on the wings in a very haphazard fashion and went about making some eyes for my owl. The easy bit was working out what they looked like. The hard bit was finding the right size. I persevered. I had bits and pieces in all the right colours.

I decided that he needed some feet. Claws don't make for a friendly owl (so I'm told) so he is quite the flat-footed little one. I used back stitch, a shabby and quick version of blanket stitch, some felt and some stuffing, then attached these to the bottom of the toy. And I need to sew him a beak too. Otherwise, how will he talk?

The owl is not quite finished. I need two black buttons for eyes. I am considering a tuft of hair on top. I will definitely be making another one and trying to perfect the art. In the meantime though, he has been dubbed Gary by Nita Jane, who has tried to steal him away for bedtime cuddles already! Lo, please find and enjoy the photos of Gary the Owl. Latest edition to NitaJane's ever expanding motley crue of happy, friendly owls.