Monday, June 30, 2008

Random stuff.

It's been a while since I last posted. I've been feeling very ho-hum about the old blog. Mainly because I started this to help motivate me with my creative stuff but I've just been doing nothing of late. I have been a bit overwhelmed just with the house and the kids. Everything just got on top of me. In trying to do everything I have been doing nothing. Blah.
I have just spent a couple of days really attacking the house, and I'm hoping that if I keep at it for, say another week or so, I might get this house, paperwork etc, sorted enough for me to get on with other more interesting things.
I feel like laughing even as I typed that because, really, as if I'm ever going to get this crap sorted out, LOL.
I can dream.
Anyway I have made a dress for Ruby. Yes it's the same old, same old pinni pattern.
If I could fit more pictures into this post I would post the one I took before this one, with her poking tongues and giving three year old attitude.

The only reason she changed her attitude is because I told her that if she got happy and let me take a picture I would let her watch the cartoons.

I got these cute fairy cake (cupcake) papers at Woolworths the other day, they are so cute. There are strawberry, banana, cherry, and whatever the purple fruit is, plums?? I thought I might use them for scrapbooking, flatten them out and journal on them.

Now I put 'random' in the title of this post so I can just put whatever I want in it. Like these cute little shoes. I got them at the op shop. It was one of those op shops that you dream about finding. Full of stuff, and everything as cheap as chips. Lots of kids clothes, ranging from 10cents to one dollar. These shoes are leather, by OshKosh, and cost me just 50cents. Bargain.

Lastly are these little beauties. Fingerless gloves. Great for keeping your wrists warm. Perfect for people like me who hate the cold and just want to rug up every little part of their body. I got these at a little craft stall for $4.
And I prefer to think of them as funky, rather than the 'gaudy' that they might actually be in reality.

OK, I hope it won't be as long before I post next.
As you can tell I don't actually put a lot of thought into my posts. I don't plan them. I just jump on here and type. I'd like to put a little more thought and time into this. We'll see what happens. Life is so busy.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Etsy

If you haven't yet discovered the joy of Etsy, get over there now and have a good look around. Really. I love that from the comfort of your own home you can browse through hand made goodies from all corners of the globe. Most of it, I think, very well made while some of the things you can find are just plain obscure. Go and have a look.
I have bought a few things off Etsy, the most recent is this custom made photo pendant which I gave my sister for her birthday.

It was made by a lovely Etsy lady called Emily who does gorgeous resin pendant jewellery which I love. Must start writing out a little Etsy Christmas wish list for myself.

What's that you say, Christmas is soooo far away? Yes it is but guess what?! I have actually made a good dent on my Christmas shopping, as of yesterday. I was out and about shopping with my sister when we stumbled upon a treasure trove of goodies marked way down and then and there I took care of quite a few family members Christmas presents. Sad, aren't I. But I was so excited to have made a start AND saved myself a packet of money too. Can't tell you what I got. Spys 'n all, you know.

But just thought I'd put it out there that it's just never too early to start. I think with any occasion that involves the amount of money that Christams does makes it OK to start mid-year, LOL. And I know it's not about money, but even if you were hand making all your Christmas presents you'd still be spending a heap. In fact if you were making your gifts you'd probably be spending more than you would if you were buying them.
So there you go, do yourself a favour and think about Christmas early (OK you don't have to start as early as I have), think hand made, think Etsy.

And just because I think they're gorgeous, check out these two girls I picked up at the op shop the other day. Their hair is not in good shape but I love them.

So so cute.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Three is the new two.

Yep, that's right, three IS the new two. Apparently my punishment for pretty much missing out on the terrible twos' with Ruby, is that I now have to endure the "Absolutely-Revolting-You-May-Want-To-Stick-Your-Head-In-The-Oven-To-Escape-It-Truly-Horrendous-Threes'"
Apparently.
And it is so awful.
Three.
Attitude.
No.
No, I won't do that.
No, I won't eat my tea (OR breakfast OR lunch)
No, I will not behave at all, not at home and not in public either.
No.
No.
No.
But.
Yes I do want that and I WANT IT NOW.
Yes, I will continually raid the fridge when you are not looking.
Yes, I will bash my brother if I want to 'cause he's MY brother.
And last but not least
Yes if I hear you swear, I will totally repeat the words you say. And maybe I'll do that while we're out. Maybe. I don't know. I haven't decided yet.

I cannot stand it, when does this stop. And please don't say NEVER.

Anyway, on a more positive note, she did agree to participate in hopscotch. Don't tell her I drew the whole hopscotch thing all wrong, she'll totally go off the handle.

Although she actually cannot hop to save herself, it does look like she can in these pictures.
And don't tell her I said she doesn't know how to hop.

She has reduced me to a mere shell of my former self, so must go to bed.
More tomorrow. If Ruby says that's OK.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Sssshhhh

I scrapped. OK, it's a little rough, as it has been a while, and it's only one page but I put glue to paper and at the moment that's enough to make me feel better.


The Diva and The Dude - reading.

We love Lottielulu

So, as I mentioned last week I recieved a package from a very lovely person. That person being Ingrid of Lottielulu. I first 'met' Ingrid (I've never met her IRL, but you know what I mean) when I first started sewing a couple of years ago. I was briefly part of an online group of sewers, many of us just learning to sew. I think a lot of them went on to become quite the experts with their machines, but I just kind of stalled at beginner level and, I dare say, that's where I'll stay. But I'm quite happy with that. I don't have any lofty sewing aspirations. Not at the moment anyway.
Anyway at the time I was living in the middle of nowhere, no shops for miles, and absolutely no fabric/craft shops within, say 600km. In, I think, my first experience of someone I knew only online doing something wonderful for me, Ingrid sent me some fabric.
I have never forgotten that. Think of it as my introduction to a world of clever and generous crafty bloggers.
We had a sewing swap in that same group and I was lucky enough to score Ingrid as one of my swap partners and recieve my first piece(s) of 'hand made by Lottielulu' goodness. Oh my goodness it was too sweet for words. It included this outfit here as worn by Ruby taking out the Grandma and Grandaughter award at the local hospital fair.This picture would be just over two years old. Considering we've moved three times since then, it seems like so much longer ago. Just searching this picture out on my computer was like a little trip down memory lane.

It is now safetly packed away with other precious outfits from Rubys' 'little' days.
Excuse if I'm rambling.
A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enought to nab another of Ingrids' creations, this gorgeous smock. It is reversible and absolutely perfect for Ruby. Unfortunately a picture of it actually on Ruby is out of the question. In fact from here on in, let's just drop the 'Ruby' and refer to her as 'The Diva'
The will be no pictures of The Diva and don't you forget it.

And The Diva will be bribed with nothing so do not waste your time.
When I opened the package my heart started beating very fast when I saw that the smock was not the only thing in it.
We had also been sent this adorable dress. Crafted from a table cloth, of course. My favourite kind of dress.


And an apron that any little girl would love to tie on, this was ours too.

As if that wasn't enough to make my little heart pound with glee, Ingrid had also sent some vintage buttons, trim, and 'made by Lottielulu' storybook tags. The lack of a picture of these things is partly to blame on The Diva and partly to blame on me. See, The Diva very quickly spread the contents of the package throughout the entire house, depositing buttons, tags, and trims in to a number of her different hidey holes, and I used those tags pretty promptly too, once I'd found them again. I had a few presents and parcels just waiting for those tags to be attatched, so forgive me for not having a picture.
So, thank you ever so much Ingrid, we love each and every little bit of that parcel.
If it's made by Lottielulu you know it will be made with every attention to detail and be absolutely adorable. With a capital A.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Kewpie love

Sneaking a quick post in here while the visitors are glued to the box. I had an hour to myself this morning to took some pictures of my new kewpie dolls. I love kewpie dolls, they are just so sweet.
I loved them as a kid but, as an adult whenever I've found them they are usually a little bit expensive to justify buying. You know, 'cause big girls shouldn't be buying dolls 'n all. But I found these little babies at the Pumpkin Festival. Of course. They were five bucks a pop. Wish I'd got a couple more.

I practiced a bit of photoshop on the one above. Trying to go for a bit of a vintage look. I don't know if it just looks washed out instead.
And kewpie dolls AND gumboots like that, how could you possibly go wrong?

The kids love them too, and the girls are regularly armless. The blue one had only one arm when I took these pictures but I have since found the lost arm and all girls have both arms restored. For now.
Kewpie silhouette.

These came from the Pumpkin Festival and it's so nice to have them in my house. I have five kewpies now, does that make me a collector?
Gotta go, don't want to get caught out and have people taking the piss out of my blog.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Blogging on hold again

House guests arriving tomorrow.
Ruby has pretty much summed up how I feel about these particular guests here

Will blog again when I reclaim my house. Next Wednesday I think.
I have recieved a lovely parcel from a very lovely person, can't wait to show it off.