the bird mobile... completed!

Hoping everyone has had a beautiful week. We had a rough ol' week in this house last week, but life goes on...

So, I finished off the bird mobile on the weekend, and so wanted of course to give you all the progress update. Here 'tis:

(more pics on my flickr)

I found the threading much more difficult than I had ever imagined (!) as I had to get the entry and exit points "just right" to get the birds to "sit" properly. I am also not particularly thrilled with the black thread... I was thinking of fishing wire but didn't know that there was enough weight on the thread to keep fishing wire straight. Any ideas very much welcomed!!!

I love how they move... the birds seem to be bobbing their little heads up and down... I must admit I was thrilled with this result!

The mobile was a great hit with the recipients as well... even the grandparents gushed, which made all of it incredibly worthwhile (of course giving a handmade gift always is extremely rewarding!).

Hoping you have a gorgeous, wonderful week. I will promise to pop back in and let you know about the Melbourne craft fair which was a great source of inspiration, but not now... later!
xx

flashback friday! me in 1976

Yay!Flashback Friday again....

I am sure that if dad were in this photo, it would be the right era for him to have had a packet of smokes up the sleeve of his tshirt, and he probably had big sideburns as well. Mum would have had gorgeous long brown hair.

This is a photo of me back in 1976. What a round little face! So cute! (even if I do say so myself...). Funny how you can still see yourself, even in older photos like these... I don't know that my face has actually changed all that much! I guess when I think about it, it is not so surprising that I have such a love of sunshine and being outside. This photo was one of many photos taken at various barbeques with loads of mum and dad's friends about.

Do you have experiences from when you were very young that you think may have shaped who you are?

xx

Oops! Roll call... other flashbackers include:

http://visitatwhitsend.blogspot.com/

http://house-n-baby.blogspot.com/

http://lovelybutton.blogspot.com/

http://one-little-acorn.blogspot.com/

http://threebuttons.blogspot.com/

http://linoforest.blogspot.com/

http://chalk-jenny.blogspot.com/

http://craftedbykylie.blogspot.com/

http://meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/

http://isthatthetimealready.blogspot.com/

http://www.auntycookie.com/

welcome to the outside world little man!

I have some lovely news (and a picture to ooh and ahh over!).

Announcing the arrival of:

Hugo Alexander

Born 23rd July 2007

4.04kg (8lb 14.5oz)

Hugo is the first-born of two of my dearest friends. Congratulations Tash & Pete! We are so incredibly happy and excited for you all, and so thrilled to be able to meet Hugo in the outside world! Welcome little man! May your days be filled with many blessings, love and loads of gorgeous, warm cuddles.
xx

good luck Tash! and a work in progress

Hi there!

Just a quick one (have to get out and do the gricery shopping at some point!).

Thought I would post an update on my secret squirrel pressie to be. My girlfriend is in hospital as I type this post, so I KNOW she won't be checking out the blog... Good luck Tash & Pete! We can't wait to meet your new member of the family in the outside world! xx

So, here is a bit of an update on my bird project... I had fun with these small scraps of fabric... I need to remember to put a coin next to my toys when I take a photo so you can get a sense of scale... next time! My own pattern, so a bit of room for improvement! But I am really enjoying working on these.

Have a gorgeous week!
xx

etsy catch up! and 500 visitors!!!

The Melbs ETSY catch up yesterday was lovely - got to meet loads of beautiful, talented women, all with a common interest. The show and tell session was fun and encouraged loads of shopping on Melbourne ETSY stores.... there are some amazing crafters/designers/artists in Melbourne!!!

I will be trying to feature one of these stores per fortnight on this blog... so keep watching this space!

Little Rebel in Fitzroy was a terrific host for the event, too.

Here are some pics of the crowd that attended...

I also had to share my excitement and thanks that this blog has now had 500+ visitors! Thanks so much for dropping in, I am hoping to continue to provide something that is interesting to keep in touch with, so remember to pop back in when you get a chance!

Have a gorgeous weekend! xx

(shhhh.....) secret squirrel baby gift & a wee bit nervous...

(Shhhh.....) I am on a secret squirrel mission at the moment, to make my girlfriend something special for her new baby, who is very soon to arrive to the outside world!

As I am not sure if she will be whiling away these last few days on the net, I won't put too much detail in here (and certainly won't include my sketches of the hoped-for-finished product!), but did want to show you some of the amazing bird crafts that are out there. My heartfelt thanks to all of these brilliant people who have been completely inspiring!!!

1. 9 birds, 2. Bird bag and coin purses from one of my Japanese Crafts books, 3. Carved Folky Birds, 4. Flock Together, 5. another birdie, 6. Bird, 7. Erin, 8. peaky beaky bird, 9. Botanical bird, 10. ♥ bird, 11. Berri, 12. 03/08/07, 13. passaropapel, 14. Bird ornament, 15. in progress, 16. FINALLY!!!!, 17. One of my little bird mobiles, 18. 1_bird with paper flowered, 19. Egbert, 20. birdmobile_31, 21. Easter Tree Hangers, 22. birds on a string, 23. felt bird ornament, 24. bird quilt patch, 25. gift for enya, 26. crib mobile, 27. Handmade bird mobile, 28. Friendly Birds, 29. flock of birds closeup, 30. 9 birds

Keep an eye open for the finished product.... think this will be a big weekend project, so I hope to have photos up early next week....

Am also doing something quite exciting/terrifying today, which is going to a Melb Etsy catch up in Fitzroy. I do feel very much like a beginner at all of this, so don't know that I can exactly go along feeling like I belong, which immediately makes me feel terrified! But I am counting on those in the craft world being lovely and generous.... I guess I can always pop in for a coffee and leave if I am not comfortable, but it is still incredibly nerve wracking!!! I will let you know how it all goes...

Happy Saturday!
xx

flashback friday!

Ah, the days of sitting outside in your short terry towelling shorts, eating a sambo on the grass... I am the toothless wonder on the right, with the pigtails and short shorts! My lovely friend Fi is the one flashing her nappy, with the short hair (sooo cute!). I can still smell this day (or days like it), the smell of geraniums getting warmer in the sun, the smell of someone watering the garden (and the hot footpath!) next door.

(For those of you who aren't aware, we now have very tight water restrictions in Australia because of drought. We can only handwater on designated nights on the week according to your house number, between certain hours of the evening....times have changed!).

But I am not taking you back to pre-1985 land to talk about water restrictions...

This is all a part of the new Flashback Fridays initiated by Angela at three buttons. There are currently four bloggers involved, and you might like to check out the fabulous pre-1985 shots of Jacinta , Emma, and of course Angela. Ah, nostalgia! (I love it!!!)

Want to join us in Flashback Friday??? If so, drop me a note so we know you're in and I'll include you on our group list next week!
xx