If anyone out there.........

knows the whereabouts of the battery charger for my camera - please tell me where it is!!!!

I have been searching for weeks, but all I remember is that I put it somewhere that I would be able to put my hands on when needed.........hah!


cheers
Fi

Paper Bead Jewellery..

Well, it has certainly been a busy few months.

Why is that, I hear you ask.

Well, do you remember this post from last year?   Scrub that, I can't find the post I'm talking about.

Anyways, I was telling you about the charity event we held at Church last Christmas that I organised.

I taught the women how to make paper bead jewellery, which we then sold at an end of year Christmas event.  We raised the money to help with the building of a women's hospital in the Afar region of Ethiopia.

So, we are putting the event on again this year, but raising the money for an HIV/AIDS orphanage in Thailand.  A friend of mine takes a mission team over there each year, to create a holiday at home for the kids.
That might not sound like such a big deal, BUT, I can assure you, for those kids, it is huge.
Because they have HIV they are pretty well ostracised in the community (for fear of contracting the disease).  They can't even go to the local swimming pool in the heat of summer.  They can't go to school, or take part in other normal kids activities.

Here are some of the pics of the first lot of jewellery made for this year.

By the way, I've started a website for the night and a facebook page, to show some samples of the paper bead jewellery and to give peeps an inkling of what to expect on the night.

Lariat necklaces are such fun.  I love to add in charms like teapots and keys.

The pendant isn't a paper bead (in case you're wondering), but the rest are.

All the bead start off as white paper, and are handpainted.

Paper bead earrings don't drag on your ears.

I love the purple chunky beads.  And because they are paper, they are so lightweight.

The lettering was all painted on to the beads by hand.

Paper beads mix well with other sorts of beads, like crystals.

So many beads to make, sooooo little time.

Christmas will be here before you know it!

cheers

Fi

Coooooeeeee......

as they say in Oz.

That just means 'hello', really.  Or 'hey, how are you going'.

I've been suffering from a bit of 'after-holiday-itis' lately.  Probably heightened by the fact that it is winter in Ozland.

But I've also been having technical equipment issues.  Aren't these things supposed to make our lives easier?
To save time, not suck up your time?
Hmmmmm.......

My camera wouldn't work, so had to take the photos with my phone (which takes better pictures anyway), then I couldn't get the pictures off the phone and onto the computer (some software issue).

I think I have the camera sorted now, so should be back in business. (If truth be known, all that was wrong with the camera, was that I had inadvertently flipped the little thingy on the memory card to the 'locked' position, but, shhhhhhh..... don't tell anyone).

I really wanted to show you the photos I took just before I went on holiday.
It was the 'day my kitchenaid mixer died' episode.


I make my own sourdough bread.

It saves money, but, largely it's for health reasons.  Breads made with refined flours and refined yeast (bakers yeast) don't sit well with me.

Sourdough starter fermenting away

Dough being kneaded in my now defunct mixer

Bread in tins waiting to rise

I wanted to share the process with you.

I made the bread, taking photos of all the stages (the ones above are only a few of them).

The bread was kneading in the bowl (the kitchenaid has a dough hook).

I just popped out the back for a minute.

I came back in to a horrible labouring sound coming from the mixer and a horrible smell.

Goodbye mixer.
Sob.

It looked so pretty.

So, for mothers day, my sweetheart bought me a new mixer to make my bread in.

It is a Bosch.

So far, I am not convinced of its capabilities in bread kneading.

I'm considering going the 'no-knead' variety.

Or giving up bread.


Cheers
Fi

A few updates

Well, I'm off on a holiday tomorrow for about 9 days.

I'm not going too far, just up to a property near the Foster/Tuncurry area, where dear one and I plan to just chill out, doing nothing in particular.

I have added in a page for natural tips, which I will be sorting out proper when I come back, maybe categorising the info, not sure yet.  But for the moment, I have just uploaded the tips as you gave them to me.

I leave you with a farewell to a hardworking friend.....

R.I.P

Well, try and behave while I'm gone, see you soon.

cheers

Fi

Naturally nurturing ideas

Hi folks,

After feeling sick for the last few days (must have been all that blue sky and sunshine....... ;) , my mind has turned to natural alternatives to nurture ourselves.

You know, things like what beauty products do we use - are we predominantly using the story bought ones, or are we coming up with natural alternatives? Or using the tried and true methods hadn't done from the past.

Maybe we could share some of these healthy beauty/wellbeing ideas, and I could list some of them on the blog, a bit of a resource for ideas (with links back to your blog, of course).

I must admit, I'm not a great one for fussing with my appearance too much.  Too busy with crafty things for that. 
But, I do love natural products.

For a moisturiser I have a little squirty bottle that I fill with oils like Jojoba and a little rosehip oil, which is great for the 'mature' skin.  Jojoba, apparently, is very close in composition to the skins oils.

Actually, I think that technically it isn't an oil, but a wax - I could be wrong.

I then add in a few drops of essential oils, depending on my mood.  I often add geranium, or carrot seed, neroli, that sort of thing.

I am a huge proponent of essential oils

In fact, after the rainy, soggy Summer, I have discovered the benefits of clove essential oil in getting rid of mold.


In the last few days of being sick, I have been drinking elderberry syrup, elderflower tea, sipping on lemon, ginger and thyme tea and, even, wait for it, swallowing raw garlic!! 

Yes I know, yuk, but I hate being sick and will go to these lengths to get better without resorting to antibiotics.

I also believe in the power of prayer, which has been put into practice in the last few days (to great effect).

I ended up with pneumonia a few years ago, and believe me, I don't want to end up there, so, as they say - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Ain't that the truth!

So, come on, out with it.....

What's your favourite remedy, natural beauty treatment, etc.

cheers
Fi

Sorry, can't talk..........

....... because of this.

After complaining and whining all summer about the miserable weather, I'd better take advantage of this glorious Autumn day, by actually getting outside in it.

So........see you when I get back from my walk with dog, which may or may not end up under an umbrella at the local cafe.

'nuff said.

cheers
Fi

Selfsewn's Package Arrives!!.......

It arrived!!!!

Don't you just love the excitement of receiving something in the mail? (or post, for the Brits).

There is something about the anticipation of a package sitting there, waiting to be opened.

And I knew that this one held something special from a wonderful lady and talented artist - Clare from Selfsewn Blog

It held the prize I won at her new blog address giveaway.

Thankyou Clare!

And this is what I found when I opened up the package.

What a beautiful touch, with the note written on the star, and the crocheted heart tie - bonus!

Here is a close up of the heart and ribbon.

So, without further ado, here it is, Selfsewn's EPP (English paper piecing) star block.

With fabric pieced note.

What a wonderful colour sense she has.  The seed head fabric is a personal favourite of mine.  It reminds of walks along country lanes on Autumn days.

And the mark of true professionalism - a special touch on the back.

Thankyou Clare - you are a wonderful person and true craftswoman.

If you want to learn how to make your own EPP star block, Clare is hosting a flickr group and has tutorials on it.

Here is one of her tutorials here.

cheers

Fi

A chip off the old (crafty) block..

Hello all!
Have you wondered where I've been? I've missed you all!

Gosh, the last few weeks have been hectic - not that I have much to show for it, but there just seems to have been 'stuff' - you know..

Anyway, I was visiting my mother a few weeks ago, and took some photos while I was there.  I've been trying to get around to writing this post ever since.

Let me introduce you to my mother.

Mary.

What I would like to ask is - do you think that the desire/passion/addiction/obsession to craft is a genetic thing? 
Like, some of us have the 'gene' and others don't?

I think it must be the case.

I got it.  One of my sisters got it.  Two of them didn't.  My mother definitely has it.

My best friend certainly does NOT have it.  (she does, however, have lots of other wonderful qualities, and it's probably good that only one of us is up to our eyeballs in creative havoc)

So, my mother passed down the gene to me.

This is mum was working on while I was visiting. A crochet blanket.

I am really trying to convince her that it would look so much better at my house. ;)

This is the progress so far.

The colours look so vintagey.  I adore the old-fashionesness of it.

Ever since I can remember, my mum has been working away on something.
Always.

Years ago she used to knit the most brilliant Aran jumpers (sweaters, to some of you).  You know, like the big, thick fisherman's jumpers with all the fancy cable work.  In fact, the more intricate, the more she liked it.

Just like to point out, that I didn't get the knitting gene.

She could knit one of those in a couple of days.  I am in awe of that.


And when it comes to crochet, she blows me out of the water.  Well and truly.

Some of mum's crochet bits and pieces.

She has made the most beautiful patchwork quilts and cushions, made shadow applique curtains, tatted, did a course in machine knitting (which was an absolute obsession for some years) amongst numerous other things, but knitting and crochet have always been the big ones.

I didn't manage to get photos of the quilts this time.

Sorry. Maybe next time.

And this was mum's attempt at tatting.  I don't think she did much else with it - I think she just wanted to give it a try.  I haven't  tried it, but it sure looks like it needs a lot of patience.

Picture isn't too good - you don't get to see the proper detail unfortunately. 


So how about you?

Did you inherit the 'craft gene'?


Oh, and I did get a photo of this while I was there.
This is one of my own paintings, of a street in Tuscany.  It was one of the few paintings I did that I actually had hanging on my own wall.

But, mum loved it and I ended up giving it to her for her birthday some years ago.

(Do you think that could earn me the brownie points to get the crochet blanket?)



Anyways, sorry to have left you for so long.

cheers

Fi

 

I'm a winner!!!!!!

Here I am sipping martinis - because I'm a winner!

(Of course, you do realise that it's not really me, don't you?)

Just a photo in a crochet mag I happened to be reading whilst sipping coffee in my local.

So, why am I metaphorically sipping martinis?

Because, I won this!!!!

The lovely Clare over at Selfsewn Blog, had a giveaway to celebrate her newly relocated home on the web, (she used to be summerfete), and out of 102 entries, she picked me.

How brilliant.

Clare is a VERY talented young lady (actually, not sure how old she is, but she sure looks young in her photo) and is championing the side for the English paper piecing method of patchwork.

I have been intending for ages to make one of thse blocks myself - huh, we all now how long those 'Im going to one day' lists get - and now I will be the proud owner of one of hers. 

Brill.

She has tutorials on her blog for hand-piecing, and a really great one on 'fussy cutting'.

Don't know what that is, then, check it out.

OOOhhhhh, I should be so lucky,

lucky, lucky, lucky.

Thanks Clare,

cheers

Fi

Joining Hexagons Tutorial

While involved in the 'great craft room clean up of 2012' - I found a little packet with some balls of cotton yarn and crocheted hexagons from a forgotten project.

It was supposed to be a pin cushion - from a pattern I bought from Ravelry, can't remember the name of the pattern maker.

I had 6 hexagons finished, and I think I only needed 8, but looking at it now, I think the reason I tossed it aside was that, as I was assembling it, I realised it was going to make a pretty big pincushion.

So I did what might be expected and turned it into a doily/thingy.

Anyway, I get quite a few people asking me about joining hexagon crochet, so I took the opportunity to photograph my steps to show those that need the know-how, how to join hexagons together.

Five years ago today....

...was the day.


Most days I choose not to let it out.

Most days I choose to keep my secrets to myself, after all, I know in Whom is my hope.

Most days I just keep him close in my heart, knowing that one day, I will see him again.

Most days I know that we all have things to bear.  Deep things.


But not this day.


Today it is refusing to stay quiet, so please bear with me - tomorrow will be crochet and craft.  Life goes on.

This is the day he was born.

This was the day I took him to the zoo for a treat.  Just him and me.

This was one of the rare occasions we were at a 'social' event together.

Nathan, I miss you and think of you, today, and everyday.

love
Mum

Making Crazy with Daisies - On Video!!!

Hi all,

Super, super excited.........because......

It has taken most of my time for the last two days, but I managed to work my head around making a video tutorial (albeit simple), creating a youtube channel, and, uploading it to youtube.

Next step - embed it into this post.

Oh my gosh!  I cannot tell you how excited I was when it finally uploaded, and my dearest one and I sat down to watch it.  In fact, I couldn't even wait to eat my dinner, I sat and watched it with plate and fork in hand.

Trouble is, I just might have formed an addiction (already) and there goes all my bandwidth uploading videos.
Ah well. 



Making crazy daisies into rocket science, but I hope you enjoy it.

cheers
Fi

The Thing-a-my-bob aka Crazy Daisy Winder

Well, a few of you wanted to see what I would do with this thingamybob now that I know what it is!

My first attempts have been quite hilarious.

It seems that you make these daisy-like flowers, which look simple enough in themselves, BUT the possibilities of what you can do with them are endless.
I already have a few things in mind.

One of the main things is to crochet them together to make scarves, placemats, garments, anything really. 

Here are a few pics of me trying to work out how to make one.


Now, I am not going to go into too much details in words what I'm doing - because -

I am going to attempt doing a video clip!

I have to master the art of youtube videos for my other blog - The Vintage Folk Painter- so I am going to try it out on you lot first!!!

So, here is the pictorial version.

Ok, ok, I know thats not it.  But I'm still in blue-dresser-love-land.  What do you think of those little crochet doilies hanging over the edge?  I bought them on one of my nearly weekly trips to the vintagey/rustic/secondhand shop up at the Old Cheese Factory.  Only cost pennies. And when you think of the time and effort put into making them.......

Anyway, enough of that.

Necessary supplies:

Thread - check

Scissors - check

Thingamybob aka Crazy Daisy Winder - check

Darning needle - check

Cup of tea - check

If you hold the Crazy Daisy Winder in your hand and twist the knob - out pops the spokes.

You have to hold the thread in place with your thumb to start.

Then you start winding.

Now when I got to about here, I realised that this was going to be a very thin flower with one strand of that thread......

.......so I started again, this time winding the crochet thread around each spoke 6 times.

After it is wound, you thread the darning needle and start on the centre.

The side that is facing you is actually the back of the flower.

 Centre finished.

Now can you spot my mistake?

I wound it WAY too tightly.

See how the spokes won't turn down anymore than that?  I had to actually cut this one off the winder.

Shame.

Ok. Take 3.

This one is wound on a lot looser.

I chose a different colour for the centre.

And voila!  It is popping off the winder much easier. 

And there is the completed flower.

Quite simple, but it's my first - ; )

Stay tuned for the video version - once I work out the camera.

cheers

Fi