Fathers' Day and Flowers

Yesterday was Fathers' Day ~ here in Australia we celebrate it on the first Sunday of September.
I spent most of yesterday morning playing around with images to put on my dad's card.
I considered these three:

and I ended up choosing the last photo of the yellow daisy on the blue tile.

Craftwise, it's been a quiet week.
I've been op~shopping (thrifting for my American friends) and found these floral sheets:

I have a vague notion that I'd like to use these in a quilt. I've never quilted anything big before but these gorgeous examples over at Bella Dia, Old Red Barn Co. and Alicia Paulson's make me want to try.

I also thought that I'd share something that I made, as a practice piece, a while ago:

It's a piece of calico that I tie dyed and then drew on with Pentel Fabric Pastels. It was a lot of fun to make ~ the Pentel pastels were very soft and oily, and blended really well. It would be good to repeat the patten on a larger piece of fabric...and I've a vague notion that I'd like to quilt with this too!

What's inspiring you this week?

Holiday Happenings

I'm on holidays!
...and I've been busy renovating.

I'm having air conditioning installed and I've had a blind put into my spare room. The spare room houses all of my crafting supplies which have been, um, a little disorganised (actually, one of my sisters calls my spare room "the hell hole") so I've spent a lot of time tidying it up ('cause if I hadn't the blinds installer wouldn't have been able to get to the window) and it now looks wonderfully ordered. I'm going to try really, really, really hard to keep it that way.

The air conditioning installation is turning into a drama, but I'm telling myself that it's only to be expected ~ that renovations and frustration go hand in hand, and that I'm not going to let it get in way of having a good break.

Of course, I've managed to fit some crafting in between the tidying.

My fan scarf is getting longer:

I've made a pentagon washcloth for a friend's birthday,
using a free pattern from Drew Emborsky:

and I've started crocheting a floral neck warmer from Hook and Needle Designs:

I'm using a silk wool blend, Cleckheaton Silk, which is lovely and soft.

I've been op~shopping too and adding to my button collection:

I like the texture of these small white ones:

I haven't spent time in the garden (not yet anyway) but the hibiscus is flourishing regardless:

...and I've been quietly waiting for a Wanderer butterfly to emerge, from this pupa that a friend at work gave to me:

You can't really tell from the photograph, but wings are visible from the casing now which means that the butterfly is almost ready to make its entrance into the world. I love the delicacy and the wonder of these little creatures.

Wishing all of you moments of wonder too.
Happy Thursday!

Beads, Blossoms and Vintage Treasure

I've been so busy at work I've had little time to make anything
so I'm going to share some photos of a necklace that I crocheted a little while ago,
made out of ceramic beads and mercerised cotton:

I've received compliments when I've worn it, which is lovely, but I don't put it on very often because the beads chip easily. If I make another I'll use wooden beads, something like this necklace. (If you follow the link you'll find a tutorial on how to construct one yourself.)

Although there hasn't been time to do much crafting I've managed to squeeze in a bit of op~shopping, always good for my morale! I've bought a sweet little milk jug:

and a metal placard with a biblical quotation:

It's not clear in the photograph but it says He Faileth Not in gold letters on the bottom. I'd say they're both from the 1960s. I love 'em.

I still haven't registered for Green Thumb Sunday (an association of gardening bloggers) 'cause I haven't yet worked out how to add the blogroll but I'm going to post some photos from my garden anyway!

Here's one of the grevilleas:

Here,
at my backdoor,
is a pot of succulents and a little, wooden statue of a Balinese dancer
(she looks so gentle and sad):

and,
lastly,
here's a photo of one of the Marguerite Daisies,
flowering in profusion right now:

Just before I finish I'd like to say thank you to everybody who's left comments here of late.
I really appreciate your friendship.
Have a wonderful week!

All Wrapped Up

It's getting pretty wintry here in Australia.
I lay in bed last night listening to rain pelting onto the roof.
I think this time of the year is wonderful.
I love it because it's such a blessed relief after the intense heat of summer
...and I love it because it means I get to take out my woollens!
I unpacked my scarves recently,
they're so colourful and soft,
and I've been wearing this wrap, which I rescued from a Salvation Army Opportunity Shop:

It's difficult to see the pattern from the picture,
(black is so hard to photograph)
but it's a bit like this lacy stole
(and I should warn you that,
although this is a link to a free pattern,
it's on the Lion Brand site and you have to be registered with them to see it.)
My wrap cost $4.00 AUD
which thrills the bargain hunter in me
but also makes me a little sad.
It is beautifully knitted and its drape is fabulous ~ I think it's a shame that no~one else seemed to recognise its worth.
But it's definitely loved now ~
I wore it to work three times last week.

I've also been wearing this stole,
bought from the Lesmurdie Arts and Crafts Association a few weeks ago:

Isn't it gorgeous?
... and it's surprisingly warm.
Unfortunately,
I didn't catch the name of the craftswoman who sold it to me but I did speak at some length with her. She told me that she spun the wool out of pre~dyed New Zealand topping before knitting it up.
I love the way she's placed the colours.
It's such a simple yet striking design,
and so inspiring!
I'd love to make something similar.
Luckily, although I'm very rusty, I already know how to spin.
Here's some wool, amongst other fibres, that I spun and dyed years ago:

And,
thanks to my darling cousin
(who's mother, incidentally, made this lovely filet crochet),
I have a spinning wheel:

Hmmm, I think a trip to Bilby Yarns for spinning supplies is in order!

Have a fabulous week everybody.

Op~Shopping Treasures

I recently spent a day op~shopping and cafe hopping with my sister (one of my most favourite ways of unwinding.) I found a little vase, at St Vincent de Paul's, to add to my growing array of hand~painted and hand~thrown ceramics. Here it is, along with a few other pieces from my collection, on the right:

Incidentally, the roses are a gift from my darling neighbour...and the delectable apple slice was purchased from the New Norcia cafe. I (decadently) ate it for breakfast right after taking these photos...mmm...

Sweet

I bought these sweet crocheted and knitted coat hangers a few weeks ago. They were made by the good women of the Little Daughters of Charity Bargain Box, my favourite opportunity shop. The hangers are resting on a lovely, faded, floral pillow case that I also thrifted from the Bargain Box. I'm planning on edging this pillow with a white thread edging like this one here. I've been inspired by these absolutely beautiful pillows that Alicia Paulson has embroidered...I love the idea of resting my sleepy head on something hand~stitched.

Thrifted Teacozy

Look at what I found at the local Save The Children Fund op shop:


Aren't those little crocheted flowers sweet?! It only cost me $2.00 and it's a perfect fit for the teapot I brew my green tea in. =P