My Creative Space

Well looky here, I actually have a creative space today! For the first time in OVER A WEEK. I know none of you are reading this though, because you are all at the Stitches and Craft show in Melbourne, you lucky lucky things. I curled up with disappointment when I found out I was going to miss it.

For those of you not in Melbourne and swanning about the show, you might remember my dilemma about what crafty thing to bring with me to Kununurra (known crafty spot that it is ..... not).

There were strong recommendations for embroidery (which I need to learn), crochet (which I need to learn) and knitting (which I will never learn because I am crap at it and my mum is excellent, so I don't need to.)

I was all set to choose embroidery, and then time got the better of me. I managed to buy a little book to show me how to learn the stitches, but I didn't even get close to buying the right needles, a hoop, or linen.

In a last minute panic, I shoved some scraps into my bag along with the necessary button-making equipment. So now in the evenings here, I'm going to make myself 200 buttons. I think that's achievable in the three and a half weeks I've got left.

My hands have been itching and tingling to keep busy, too, because I'm not used to being without my sewing machine. I gave My One True Love strict instructions to have it serviced while I'm away - it's the perfect opportunity - but I have this feeling that it might have fallen off his list of things to do. Poor machine, that means it'll have to wait until .... um .... er ..... Christmas? to have its service. Ah well. As my Greek tailor would say, What can I do?

I'm on the Living Creatively blogroll!

First, here is the latest Hoot. His name is "Everywhere A Hoot" Hoot.

It's because his front is made from gorgeous Alexander Henry fabric (in green tea colourway) and there are marvellous little owls printed all over it. Isn't it adorable?

And his name is slightly lateral, it comes from the nursery rhyme "Old McDonald Had A Farm" .... and yes, you've got the obvious link now, it's Here a Hoot, There a Hoot, Everywhere a Hoot ...Hoot. Perfect!

And another bit of crafty news is that this blog is now featured on the Living Creatively blogroll - they of the fantastic Stitches And Craft show we all know and love - I am immensely proud of this! Have a look and check me out; I'm on the Sewing page of the blogroll. I am just about hugging myself with excitement. I hope I get to meet lots of new visitors! If you are new to this blog and you came to it via the Living Creatively page, I am very VERY happy to meet you. I hope you enjoy it here.

Lastly, I am about to embark on a new line of Hoots ... I remember saying a while ago that I felt there was a need for some slightly quirky toys to be added to my crafting efforts, in recognition of my appreciation for the arch side of life. And I think I've got a plan now, so watch this space for more news .....




(reverse side of Everywhere A Hoot Hoot. I love those hippos!)

There's something in the air ....

There's something in the air tonight.

I don't know what it is, but it's magical.

First of all, I received an email from an Etsy member in the USA, the Bead Aerie. She saw my Perfect Picnic Roll and has featured it in a Treasury list, and wanted to let me know. Hooray! What an honour!

Then, I discovered a picture of my A Beauty Of A Bathroom Bag on a Norwegian blog. I can't speak Norwegian, but from the gist of the words I gather she was doing a post on babushkas and featuring some of her favourite products with babushkas on them.

So I went to her blog and commented in English to say thanks. I hope she can read me.

Amazing! And I only listed it on Saturday, along with the picnic roll - they've been up around 48 hours. This has never happened to me before.

Then the mailman delivered this striking fabric called Sugar Snap - it's by Melissa Averinos for Free Spirit. And shortly afterwards, so too arrived my first ever real business cards! How exciting!

They're in my flickettysplits name, which is a nickname given to me by my friend the Doctor - she made it up, and then My One True Love suggested I use it as my brandname. I thought it was a good idea too.

Once I got home from work I checked my blog stats and lo and behold, they'd skyrocketed around 530pm. And everyone seemed to be clicking on the link to This Is A Love Letter, which I wrote about the Stitches and Craft Show. Just the link itself, with no referring website, which made me think, how are people finding this? And it was people from everywhere - Tasmanica, and the ACT, and New South Wales, and Perth - people who ordinarily wouldn't know about my blog.

Lo and behold, there came an email from Tinniegirl, who let me know that Living Creatively - the people who organise the Stitches and Craft Show - had featured my post in their latest newsletter! Oh my goodness! It's like being recognised by your favourite celebrity! I'm so very very proud!

I don't have a copy yet but I can't WAIT to see the reference!

My Creative Space

Ah, it's that time of the week again ..... time for My Creative Space, courtesy of Kootoyoo.

My space is chockablock right now, with all of the lovely goodies I picked up at the fabulous Stitches and Craft show last Saturday. In the middle you can see a copy of Mixtape - I'm a subscriber now! - and on the left are two lovely Melly and Me patterns.

I'm going to use the pink and white patterned fabric behind Mixtape to make the flamingo I think. He has wonderful knobbly knees that are just crying out to be made up.

There's also three metres of new fabric from Anna Maria Horner, which is going to become a 1950's style dress with a scoop neck, seamed waist, and full circle skirt. It's going to be eye-poppingly bright in this teal and orange print, but that's the way I like it.

I love this guilty secret here, posted by someone on the Craft Secrets wall. This woman has stolen my identity! I'm constantly having to sneak new crafty supplies into the house so that My One True Love doesn't see.

I know I shouldn't feel guilty, as I have a specific budget and (usually) stick to it .... but the volume of it, people, the volume.

My fabric stash is so big that I fully expect to come home one day and find that it's eaten the cats and made a bid for independence out the front door. Watch out, rampant stash on the loose! I can see the six o'clock news headlines now. I'd have to shame-facedly admit that yes, I allowed the stash to get to this size. I knew it was wrong. I knew someday it would come back to haunt me. And I'd have to make a tearful apology to the Australian public, vowing to enter some kind of Fabrics Anonymous 12-step program.

I added to the stash considerably at the Stitches and Craft Show. Look at the expression of amazement on that Babushka's face there when she saw what I had done.

On the right hand side of the top photo you can see a darling Japanese print by Kokka, with pictures of a cute black cat doing cute things. All the text is in German, so it reads Die Schwarzen cat, etc. It's very cute.

And there are some delightfully bright ribbons - I've already used some of the orange one on Toof, in the post below this one.

See the yellow tape measure? It's NOT a tape measure - it's a ribbon! I absolutely loved this one, so I bought ten metres of it because I've never seen it before and not sure I'll ever see it again.
My stash philosophy, you may have guessed, relies heavily on quantity. If you like something, buy enough of it so that you don't get Fabric Regret, where you nearly have enough to make something lovely .... but not quite. It's happened to me often enough that I've started taking preventative measures.

I try to live a life without regrets, you see. And that is precisely the reason I need to convert our attic into an Amazing Stash Storage facility.

Onwards and upwards, o great stash of mine!

This is a love letter

Dear Stitches and Craft Show,

We hadn't met before today. Not officially, that is.

Oh, I'd eyed you up and down from afar, that's for sure. I'd drunk in your smooth and glossy brochure, running my fingertips over its cool skin and shivering with the thought of what was inside. Once I even sidled up close to you and breathed in your inky scent, though you never noticed me of course.

You were a beacon of light captured inside four high walls. A shining star hovering at the horizon of my mind. And I've heard your siren song, oh yes I have. I've been a clandestine admirer, longing to make your acquaintance.

Today I took a deep breath, screwed up my courage, and took my chance on you.

It was your deep, wide aisles that finally seduced me, you see. Your rich lusciousness, set in the jewel of my heart. The promise of your tantalising wares made me catch my breath with anticipation, and I bit my lip as I approached, nearly wincing with the deliciousness of it all.

Stitches and Craft Show, you did not disappoint me. Today the rest of the world disappeared before us. You were mine, and mine alone, and I adored you.

I revelled in your colours, your textures, your kits and buttons. I wanted to gather your madeira threads into piles and roll in them, and bathe in pools of your ribbons. Your miles of trim cried out to be strung from the ceiling like lacy, glittering chandeliers.

I spun from stall to stall, nearly blinded and aching with desire for your fabrics. My chest tightened with every step, every stall, and I held myself back until the last moment, until finally, your beauteous craft labs wrapped themselves around me, and I rocked myself in delirium at their bosom.

You're no cheap hussy, Stitches and Craft Show. Your exhibitors scale the heights of talent and accomplishment. I met your bloggers and smiled in their welcoming embrace. Your fat quarters, your quilt kits, your multitudinous handbag handles, your softies to end all softies. Your warm and wonderful bundles of yarn, your cashmere hanks and delicate beaded embroidery - I loved them all.

Oh Stitches and Craft Show, be mine for ever!

You see, you've ruined me now, Stitches and Craft Show. I cannot compare you to any other. Here at the pinnacle, all other craft shows will pale beside your brilliance. They should hang their heads in shame.

But you, stitchiest of stitchy Stitches and Craft Shows, stand tall and hold your head high. Alone in your superior excellence, you have eclipsed them.

And I have gone gladly into your light.

Love Fridays .... and the book nook

It's cosy. It's dim. It's quiet.

It's Mountaingirl's new book nook.

I aspire to levels of neatness like this. My Love Friday post last week was all about restoring order and symmetry to my life, if you remember.

And then I flew to Sydney for Mountaingirl's housewarming, and the minute I walked through the door I fell in love with the book nook.

Who wouldn't love this spot? It's tidy and organised, it's beautifully presented, and so so inviting .... don't you just want to fall onto that lovely soft daybed, snuggle under the Laura Ashley chenille throw, and drift off into daydreams?

This is the kind of order and symmetry I was talking about.

So this week I still Love Fridays - because Friday today means Saturday tomorrow, and Saturday means going to the Stitches and Craft Show with my good friend The Headmistress, yay - but this week my Friday post is more about what I'm Hooked On.

And I'm so totally hooked on Mountaingirl's new home.

I've known Mountaingirl since we were 14 or 15 - so we share some significant history together. In fact, her brother The Guitar Hero was my first proper boyfriend. And while that relationship didn't last (though we're still friends to this day), my friendship with Mountaingirl has blossomed more beautifully over that time than I could have imagined.

Mountaingirl has a talent for interior design, though she won't hear a word from me about it. No, she says, it's just the way I like things. And I say Yes, my dear, and that's what makes it so special!

Look at these spices here to the left. Those are little spice packs from Ikea, and they sit flat against the inside wall of her pantry door on a magnetic strip, so that she can immediately see what she's got, and how much, and what needs refilling. What a fantastic idea!!

(I am restraining the urge though, as we speak, to practice some metaphorical spoon-bending by reaching into the picture and straightening them slightly, neurotic symmetry-straightener that I am).

I would never have thought of this. My spice rack is far more unkempt.

But Mountaingirl's kitchen is exemplary. Open any kitchen design magazine and hers would look like it belonged there. She has matching pink canisters on the shelf along the wall, and her cream KitchenAid beautifully coordinates with them, and all of her often-used pans and colanders and things hang from a nifty wrought-iron rack that she's installed from the ceiling above the bench. It's beautiful, and I wish I had her knack.

And the book nook - back to the book nook, the jewel of the entire picture. Look closely. It's painted grey. Not a cold gunmetal grey, but a warm, dark-dove grey.

Who'd have thought of painting a room GREY? Only Mountaingirl. And the effect is astonishing, it makes the space warm and calm and inviting. The daybed is a pale sage green, and the chenille throw is a pale taupe. And see that cushion with the pom-pom edging? I made that, and my mother chose the fabric at Christmastime. All of the colours just work together beautifully, like something out of a magazine.

She's balanced the dark cosiness with white Expedit bookshelves from Ikea, which brighten the walls. And all the books are arranged by topic - and this is the best bit - by size. All the quartos together. All the small paperbacks together. All the Jodi Picoult together. All the Marian Keyes together (though the Sister Of My Heart swooped on the latest release to borrow it, before I could elbow her out of the way and lunge for it myself. Damnation.)

I love this room. It makes me feel serene, and calm, and self-possessed. Like a more beautiful version of my usual self. And while I don't have the talent she does for putting together a perfectly constructed "look", I also arrange my books too, by genre first, then size and colour. So Mountaingirl's approach really appeals to me.

And I suppose that's part of the reason - a very small but nevertheless significant part - of why we're such good friends.