Full moon freaks

Some very odd happenings today, and to be honest a pretty crap few days.
Two standout things. The first was a conversation. The health store was out of catnip so alas, the catnip toys will have to wait a couple of weeks. This is the conversation I had with the freaks behind the counter (and freaks is being nice about them):

Sane Girl(SG): Do you know when you're getting more catnip?
Loopy Girl(LG):Ahahahaaaahhahaa(in a random tone)
Permanently stoned guy(PSG): We'll be getting some in...soon. I had catnip tea last night and I gave some to my flatmate and she started turning into a cat.
LG: Ahahhhaaaahhhaaa
SG: Thinks: he's a winner Says: oh. This is for an ACTUAL cat.
PSG: Oh ok. Are you a cat person? Do you become a cat?
SG: Thinks: get me out of here! Says: No
LG: Ahhhhaaahhhhaaahahahaha
PSG: I'll make a request for us to get some catnip in. Tell your cat it won't be long.
SG: OK. *rolls eyes*

The other noteworthy thing: a fabric purchase! And a big one for me too, 4 different fabrics! I felt like dancing because it can be hard to find worthy fabrics there. The goldfish one is even a Heather Ross print.


A perpetual calender panel:


Today has been so crap other than the fabric score that I had to take myself off to bed for a long nap. You are never too old, young, whatever for a good, long, refreshing nap.

Randomness

- I have a confession. I don't do cross stitch. It seems like I am sometimes the only crafter who doesn't. Most importantly because I am enjoying learning to embroider so much I have noticed all embroidery magazines seem to be 'cross stitch and embroidery' magazines. It seems like people think you must enjoy one if you enjoy the other and you're less of a crafter if you don't cross stitch. I tried cross stitch but stitching xxxxx repetitively made me want to poke my eyes out with the needle. I have much respect for those who can do it, some of the patterns are incredibly complex, but personally it's filed right next to Greek and guitar as things I will just never be good at.

- This is my 300th blog post in this blog. Thats as close to a blogiversary as I will ever get.

- It was Dave's and my 8 month anniversary yesterday. I'm always surprised when we make it to another month but I'm totally happy.

- I'm not big on punctuality at times. Yesterday I bought Dave his 6 month anniversary present. Around the 6 month mark I bought him his birthday present, also 2 months late. I get there in the end.

- I finally came up with something for my other swap partner. Don't look too closely, it's not my best work.

A random act of kindness and one of stupidity

I decided it was time for another random act of kindness. That really means that I finally thought of something to do. So far I have:

• donated 12,000 air miles to a sick childrens charity
• sent cards to friends on the other side of the world for no reason

This time I decided to make some catnip toys for a cat shelter. Originally I thought of the SPCA but the shelter here is so up themselves I honestly doubt the cats would even get the toys. :( So I decided to give them to a plain cats only shelter, along with a couple of cans of cat food.

So last night I made 10 little pouches, ready to sew up once filled with catnip. I plan to do about 20 in total.



On another and completely dumber topic I have truly outdone myself in stupidity. When I bought the Wizard of Oz recently I just picked it up and bought it. You have to act fast to beat the professional thrifters (I'm still semi-pro: I sell for profit but not terribly successfully). SO I got it home and put it on a shelf. Fast forward a week and I picked it up to look at it. Flicking through it I saw some of the pages were upside down. I turned it over to find...a whole new book. Yep, it took me a week to notice The Prince and the Pauper on the back half. I have reached a new level.

If anyone asks its meant to be that shape

I have my first swap-bot swap underway at the moment and I have two swap partners. The first is easier because her profile is very thorough. We have only got $5 to spend on each partner and so I decided I'd make a pincushion. Originally it was a circle but circle pincushions were not my best work at school. When I came back to sewing after 10 yrs I was 100x better, so I suppose I hoped that I could now magically make a circle pincushion. No, still can't. So it's offically "shaped like the flower". The linen holds up really well, it looks good.



It's when you turn it over to the cotton side that you start to really snigger and point. I cut little splits all the way around the inside seam to stop puckering, but alas. So I stuck a ribbon loop in the top to distract people. I bet all you can think is how it clashes with the cotton...see, distracted ya didn't I? My ribbon stash is only 5 months old, I only had 2 jars to choose from.


After I gave up on it last night I started fiddling with my sewing machines fancy stitches. I bought it 4 months ago for the fancy stitches, I kinda figured I better use them. Alas $600 doesn't buy you any fancy ducky or flower stitches though but this is one of the prettiest:

Nearly better

The cleaning bug has mostly passed other than a few light urges to wipe stuff which I manage to resist. It got bad at one point yesterday when I found myself ironing a couch cover. You know how big those things are? Luckily the fever broke and I'm in an exceptionally crafty mood now.

My little ironing helper:


I spend so long trying to find my desk to craft on that the crafting part often doesn't happen but I found myself with free time and enough desk space to do something. And since the ironing board was already out....I tried the first page of my Sublime Stitching book that I got months ago.

My first attempt!!!


May I draw your attention to the beauty that is my first try at stem stitch and the first successful french knot.



I'm a little bit giddy that I actually did these so well!

Don't tempt fate

Fate is a bitch. It's apparently not a good idea for me to write about how my day is feeling a bit off kilter because apparently fate reads my blog and thought "oh ho! You think that's a shit day? THIS is a shit day!" It's really just little things but together they all add up to an atomic wedgie from the universe. For the second time this week I have had a fleeting yet traumatic glimpse of what the girl upstairs would look like in underwear if their door wasn't frosted. Frosted glass I love you!! A classful of kids at the library turned an in-out trip into a mission. I undercharged postage yet again on a sale. Etc etc.

Plus I think I'm sick. I have a c...c...c...cleaning bug. I've only got a mild dose (fates chuckling right about now) so far but it's enough to scare me. I've put the clean dishes away (I volunteeraly washed them yesterday, an early symptom of this affliction), washed, dried, folded and put away a full load of laundry. Yes, there is space on the bedroom floor folks. I've emptied Dave's undies and socks drawers of the stuff so ratty I wouldn't put it on a scarecrow - he'll probably want to wear it if he sees it's being thrown out, he's a total pack rat. Sometimes I vaguely worry that he'll turn into one of those creepy old people who has hoarded so much stuff that every room is full and you have to take a running push to get the door open.

Anyway, dishes, laundry, and now I'm actually off to do ironing and vacuuming. Yep, cleaning activities that require plugging things in and setting stuff up to do it. Send help, I'm starting to get worried now.

On the bright side I sat in the sun down near the shops and watched the freak show that is suburbia pass by. Since some of the individuals scare me a little I played it safe and took a photo of my feet. As you do.

Crafting for sanity

You know what I mean. It's been days since you made something, you're dying for a good fabric hit, theres no glue on your fingertips, the paint is long dry. You gotta make something!!! But what??

The books are piled so high around here waiting for someone to buy them and give them a new home that I am genuinely scared to touch the piles in case they come thundering down and squash stuff. There is already a CD orphaned under the fridge from a spill last week that we haven't yet rescued. So I can't move a lot around and make much space. It has to be a small craft. So I decided a couple of pincushions will numb the pain nicely. But I have to know...what do you stuff your pincushions with?? Just regular old stuffing? Steel wool covered in soap to keep them sharp? Craft sand?

Lovely Blogs

I've been featured on Lovely Blogs! Thanks Charlotte!

It's different being me

Do you ever have those days that are slightly surreal, not enough to be worth writing about or mentioning (unless you're me then it's a highlight of my week) but just really.....not normal. You can't put your finger on it but life is off kilter.

Being brave I fought through the oddness and to celebrate, or whatever, I went to the thrift store where they've done a major tidy up and all sorts of things have appeared. I could only stagger up the hill with a bag load so I had to resist buying the childs easel. Honestly I have got to get knocked up soon cos I have started buying second hand baby cardigans. Just for the buttons (SHE SAYS) but I took the buttons off one over two weeks ago and it's still here!

The ladies outdo themselves with their low prices sometimes. For $5 I got what I expected to cost me $15. The standout treasures included these:

A mint condition book of Noahs Ark knitting patterns. You can knit Noah and....Mrs Noah? (thats what the book calls her anyway) and the animals. I'll probably sell it because I can't knit and with carpal tunnel I won't be learning anytime soon (in reality my carpal tunnel gives me a chance to bitch and moan but I very rarely admit that its too sore to craft. Do the dishes hell yes, but craft no. I'm just sick of getting my tension so tight the needles wont move!) but I'd also possibly give it away in return for a knitted elephant. Hint, hint.


This was the score of all scores. Apparently it's from 1940 when they were asking people to knit for the boys.



Steady yourselves ladies, I know Errol Flynn here is hot. It's all in the smirk and the girlish cheekbones.



This is going right beside the 1950's Alice in Wonderland in the inheritance pile for my future kids. Everything I got was spiffy and new as a kid and I never learned the value of things. I hope that by sharing these treasures I'll be able to pass on a different message to my future kids.

bookworm

I'm a bookworm from waaaayy back and today was the release of Harry Potter at 11.01am. We all shuffled forward to get our copy (yes, I was waiting in the queue and no I wasn't in costume or waiting overnight. I swear. I just rocked up 1 minute early to a store that I was fairly sure would have plenty.) then zoomed through the checkout and home to read. I'm up to page 34 but I guess age is hitting me cos as the books and the plots have grown so has my need to take constant mental breaks from all the concentration.

So to concentrate on something else...I mostly finished my WIP although the edges of the card it is on need tidying, the cork didn't come out that great and I think it's lacking something (talent hehehe). The clumsy oaf in me competes often with the perfectionist in me. I don't know how she got in there, I can only assume I ate her cos perfectionism is certainly not a natural thing for me.

I'm antsy to get back to the book (after 6 books you kinda just want to just finish the damn 7th one and move the f*** on, ya know?) so heres a quick peek at my score of the day. The local rotary club had a huuugeeee book sale today. Way overpriced but I staggered out with plenty all the same. But anyway it was an awesome score. Brand new copies of amazing modern books but my best buy was this vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland from the 50's. Most of the books I buy are to sell, as a way of earning income. But theres just some things that I see and instantly know I want to keep for my future kids.

On the bias

Regular bias binding is so depressingly normal so I bought myself a bias tape maker and put it in a drawer for a month. As you do. Well, as I do anyway. In this crazy fit of doing stuff tonight I decided to cut something in my fabric stash and finally make bias binding. Thats pretty rash of me, considering my stash is only the size of many peoples scrap pile.

The vintage linen I used on the cushion was given to me by my grandma along with (and those two words 'along with' give me great excitement because my grandma normally would refuse to give me a cold if she could at all help it. Lovely woman, slight psychotic streak though.)...along with this strange trippy peacock fabric which are two of my stash favourites. I used most of the linen on the cushion and draft snake so I decided to sacrifice some of the trippy peacock stuff to make the binding. It was a little boring to be honest, ironing 2.4 metres of it but it looks so damn cool! Now I have to find something to use it on. Or just put it in one of my ribbon jars and look at it through the glass muttering how pretty it is and how it would be a shame to use it.

W.I.P. = a chance to shop

I have long wanted to have a WIP worth showing on my blog. In lieu of that this will have to do. It's on cork, it involves my first public attempt at embroidery (a bit of a stretch to call it that really but I can so I shall) and it's all a little bit...yeah. But for what it is (small and sort of rough in places) it's cute as!



I used one of those needle threaders to thread the embroidery cotton (6 strands takes lot of tugging btw) and promptly broke it, then the next. I never thought I would use them, let alone use to them breaking point. Suddenly it's 30 minutes until the only local shop with haby stuff closes and I have to decide....wait until tomorow to get more or walk down NOW. Wait, walk, wait, walk....I walked down to the shops for the second time today. When did I get so....unlazy? Turned out needle threaders are piss cheap so I had a bunch of change left over to spend. I accidentally purchased these cuties:

Groundhog day

Today seems to be kinda like yesterday was...only worse. Some guy was coming at 10am to value the property so I had gotten in a tizzy thinking maybe the owners are selling, we'd have to move, etc. First he was late, and I do not like having to get up that early to clean only to have someone be late! I even put clothes on!!! Last time I go to that much trouble, I swear. Pfffft. Anyway turns out the owners sold the house...in April!

I also had round two with the shrinky dink. Here is attempt 1,2 & 3 for the day. Attempt#1: No really, I was going for the bowl look. It was a circle shape, and it hardened SO fast that I couldn't flatten it. When they say 'fast' they mean 'OMG not even half out of the oven and it's set'. Attempt #2 was a halfcircle that I actually flattened still in the oven (whacked it down with a cookie tray for lack of something else lying nearby) and #3 I did the same. Only problem is the gold ink which is fast drying is...not. The words are smudged and my fingertips look sparkly.



And in the process I knocked over a huge stack of CD's I was sorting and a disc of photos of a soldier friend that he took in Iraq is now either magically missing or under the fridge with the cat fur and mice. And Dave is sick as a dog but has insisted on going to work. The slightest cough and I'm in bed with lemon drinks and a good book. He's perfectly happy to go work himself to death while I worry.

Plus the other cat found the laundry basket so we're just gonna give it to them and buy a new one. A prickly wicker one.

Challenges

Last time I left a basket of unfolded laundry lying around in the living room that was the room Ginga chose to kill and eat a bird in. Well, thats the room the myriad of feathers was scattered in when we came in after a day at work. We never did find a bird but 1. feathers assumes they were once attached to a bird and 2. one of the cats didn't want dinner cos he was full.

I learned my lesson. No laundry is ever left unfolded anymore. Yes, that does mean it usually just hangs on the line for a week rather than folding it but thats not the issue here. I folded MOST of this basket before my wrists became too much. I apparently left just enough to pad the hard bottom for a cat to lie on.



Since laundry was out of the question (darn) I was forced (oh the humanity) to do craft stuff. I finally got to try my shrinky dink. Oh boy. I will only show you one attempt (utter failure) to spare you some of the laughter and sniggering but rest assured this is the best utter failure of the lot. It cupped in the middle and set before I could flatten it out. I think I left it in just a bit too long. Oh well, thats ok cos I get to fiddle around trying again and god I love to fiddle with stuff.

And it's not even my birthday

I got a present in the mail today and I'm so happy! The wonderful Eva sent it to me. The embroidery is exquisite and I am so lucky!

Thank you so much Eva!


Her embroidery is such an inspiration that one of these days I just might pull out my mothers hoops and threads and actually start to learn myself. But then I said that about knitting and crochet....I really do need to learn at least ONE of them.

At last!

It's finally finished! The cushion is f i n a l l y done. It took me so damn long I thought I was gonna give up. And then there was the horrible realisation that there was nothing in my stash that would go with the floral linen. I managed to buy this pink stuff to go with it and I think it works. I hope.


The back is an envelope opening and as long as it isn't moved in any way you can't see the seams on the underflap. This photo is terrible, it makes it look like the first attempt it is but it looks much better in real life. But I made it so I would say that.


This is my washing steaming in the winter sun. Neither here nor there but it can be quite alarming to look out the door at the laundry and see it steaming like it's about to catch on fire!

I'm ready for summer now thanks

Yep, it's been swell but I'd like summer now please. Please? Just a wee preview? Even the cats are huddling for warmth. Well, yes Ginga does have his nose in Rastus's ass end but I tell myself that it's for warmth.



I am participating in my first online swap here and I am so excited. Irrationally so really when you consider how simple the swap is but it gets very exciting these days receiving any mail that isn't the winter power bill (due next week and I'm bracing myself) or my Avon catalogue. Yes, it's a small life I lead. This is what I sent:

It pays to warn people

I really think it's only fair to warn people what they're in for. You may have to enlarge the pic, red is apparently not a good colour to photograph.



The weather is arctic outside and the woind is making me feel like Dorothy spinning away from Kansas so I stayed in and baked. Like I need a reason. I finally got the Hokey Pokey biscuits (cookies) right! Thin and crunchy mmmmmm. The enormousnous of them is just a bonus. The huge one down the bottom is 5 inches at it's widest! Needless to say there was some fast slicing to seperate them before they hardened into one giant supercookie...(why I decided against that I'll never know)

The thrift gods were kind indeed

I was randomly flicking through books and magazines at the best local thrift store (I keep the good stuff for myself and sell the rest to pay for my fabric addiction) and this jumped out at me. I'm not sure if it's his blinding teeth, sunglasses, dreamy smile, the 80's font in the title but it just jumped out at me. I didn't buy it but I'm going past there today and I'm gonna buy it for sure!



This is what I did get for the huge total of $2.30. Here was me hoping to be under $5. Those ladies are both kind hearted and completely ignorant of the true cost of some of the things they sell.


Despite trying I am not pregnant but I really wanted the baby cardigan for the Peter Rabbit buttons. As usual I have nothing to use them on but I'd hardly let that stop me. (Him:"what are you going to use that fabric for?" Me evasively:"mumble mumble stuff")


Amongst the treasures was this huge mint condition transfer sheet of teddy bear images. Oh my.


Token shot of my button jar where only the elite buttons go to die. These buttons are the ones that are too good to actually USE. I need professional help. You know I do and I haven't even revealed my ribbon jar.

Inheritance

My mother bequeathed me all her cross stitch stuff recently. Really, the second I said I was sorta, kinda, dabbling in it she gave me every thread, hoops, pattern she possessed. She's loving my new found domesticity more than me it seems at times. However being my mother my inheritance was presented to me looking like this: Only imagine about 8 of the rattiest bags, of varying sizes, each holding a number group.



Me being the anal retentive first child I have started to turn the mess into this:


It's not helping my carpal tunnel at all but it's very therapeutic to wind onto the bobbins muttering "5 skeins of the same baby poo brown? I have got to talk to that woman about priorities".

I sorted out the doubles (triples, quadruples and even beyond) into one bag and once I count then I have got to figure out what to do with them. I'm going to sell some to pay for the gaps in my new set (not to mention storage containers for them) but if you want any let me know. I can spare them for sure.

I know I'm hot but....

Creepiest thing ever: I got the bus and asked for a $6 day pass. I didn't realise they are $3 all this month. Thank you very much. So that was nice BUT the driver (and most drivers are middle aged guys direct from the pacific islands near NZ, rather rough looking weathered types) looks at my money and gives me $3 change and my ticket and says "is $3, juss for yoo baby" in this creeeeepy voice! My eyes nearly rolled out of my head I was so shocked! LOL, it was funny and icky at the same time. I'm desperately trying to think of something similar sounding that he might have said that I misheard but nope, just can't do it.

Not quite a Domestic Goddess

My life has lately become all about my home, my cats, my boyfriend and the things very local to me. Staying at home from choice (albeit forced on by carpal tunnel syndrome in my wrists) and in a relationship is far different than being stuck at home with no job. This time I'm out to take care of someone else and our cats (which are as close to babies as we'll be getting for now).

Suddenly I have a reason to bake...well other than the usual reason which is to eat the dough. I'm not very good at it and I did forget to press them with a fork until a bit late but if theres fresh baking to feed him with maybe he won't notice the sinkful of dishes the baking process created.

It's my first attempt at baking biscuits in years and they are....well it's version 1 anyway.



The cushion inner is done at last! I will not willingly make the whole thing from scratch again after the time and effort involved when I can buy one for cheaper but this first cushion is going to be completely from scratch.



The cushion cover is proving harder still. Do I cut two of my beautiful fabrics from my rather pitiful collection and hope that it looks like I want when it's done or do I hold off on the offchance that the fabric store might actually have something cushiony? I'm leaning towards just cutting them since waiting for my fabric store to provide is like waiting for my butt to shrink. Miracles just don't happen.

Something to remember

Find your passion

Follow your passion

Share your passion

TEACH your passion

Free time

Since I quit work to stay at home almost a week ago I have done nothing but clean. Wheres this mythical free time to craft? Dishes, laundry, wiping muddy cat prints off...everything. And right now there's a sink full of dishes and a line full of washing drying. Is someone else slipping their laundry and dishes in with mine? I'm not doing mine, so I definately am not doing yours!!

I really want to find a website with information on making cushion inners. I read somewhere that your inner needs to be made about an inch bigger than the cover so it's really stuffed in and wont settle as fast. But there's nothing online to help me check this before I start sewing.