My Creative Space

I'm a Great Godmother!

Little Lily has arrived in the world

and now I feel very old, but very excited.

My God Daughter was backpacking a couple of years ago

and guess what?! ...

Met a true blue Aussie in Noosa and hasn't left.

Happens to the best of us!

Even though this little pram blanket won't get too much use up there

in Queensland, it will be handy for chillier evening or early morning pram walks.

For the first time ever, I have planned this one.

I'd forgotten how much I love colouring in,

taking advantage of The Fairy's extensive felt tip collection.

For the last baby blanket I used the Random Strip Generator,

which was most excellent,

but ended up changing a few things as I went along.

On this one, I don't want the brown side by side with the plum,

which will be the least used colour.

Hoping to get cracking on some little singlets for Lily too.

Sharing here.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

The Fairy needed a new music bag to take to piano class.

On a thrift mission, I rifled through existing stocks of

doilies, hankies and fabric given to me by MIL.

The Fairy is delighted with the result

and can't wait to show her piano teacher next week.

If you are wanting to share your creative skills this week

pop here.

Always fun to have a look and be inspired.

Carmel

x 

My Creative Space

It's been a while since I joined in

Our Creative Spaces

I have not been idle.

A thrifted stool has been covered (not yet painted white)

and a blanket made for a new baby boy neighbour.

I struggled with the colours on this one,

but am so happy with the finished blanket.

I resisted the brown, but love the vintage flavour now it's

all mixed in, giving it a life span beyond babyhood.

The stool cover usually gets worn by one child or another at the kitchen

table and I have received requests for "actual hats".

If one of them paints the stool for me, I'll think about it.

The Fairy has been busy too.  Last weekend we brought a fruit box home

and she has been busy making a house for visiting fairies.

A wash station has been set up on top, to avoid splashes onto the bedding.

Soap has been provided (where did she get that?!)

In a separate tissue box annexe, waits a feast of quail eggs

and fruit shakes for any hungry visiting fairies .

The Fairy went back to school wearing lace ups.

Back to school means back to piano, ballet, basketball and saxophone and

more crochet whilst waiting.

The baby blanket was done in a week.

What to do next?

Happy Creating.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

In the Round.

I've almost finished this sleep over bag for The Fairy.

I had crocheted a strap to put over it,

but it just didn't seem right.

I've left it alone for a couple of days,

in the hope that I'll come up with

that something right.

I'm leaning heavily towards making it a back pack.

The pattern is based on

Lucy's crochet bag from

Attic 24.

I say based, because I came across it on another blog

(sorry, I cannot remember)

and just looked at the picture and decided I could do that.

There was another bag before this one.

It is eNORmous.

That's what just looking does.

For this one I used a smaller hook and less rows in the round before I started

decreasing the stitches.

I have put a drawstring with pom poms through the top.

It is super cute, even if I do say so myself.

Two back pack straps will just finish it off,

keeping the super cute intact, me thinks.

Have a wander here for a view onto a creative world.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

It's been Granny Central around here recently.

When I was pregnant with The Fairy I attempted

The Granny  Square.

What I ended up with, couldn't have been less square.

It's taken me a long time to go back there,

and now I just can't stop.

The cushion started out as a project for the

plane journey to Darwin.

The Fairy is completely delighted with the new

addition to her bedroom.

Having completed this,

and loving the colours so much,

I started a blanket for each niece in London.

One is finished - Hooray.

I joined the squares on the last round of each square

and made it up as I went along.

It looks a bit strange I know,

but there's nothing like a bit of texture

and I've learnt how to do it more neatly in future

through the process.

Shipping to London for Christmas is the end of September.

I am determined not to sink into a lull of false security,

and am on a mission to get the second one finished ASAP.

I'm love, love, loving the Granny Square!

Woo Hoo.

I've tried all the suggestions to try and put my inability to leave comments on blogger problem right.

Nothing has worked and I still unable to leave comments on blogs that do not have a separate pop up box for comments, but an embedded comments section on post.

Apologies in advance for all the comments I will not be leaving today.

Be assured I love flitting around and visiting all the creations happening out there.

You can click here to see them for yourself.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

Another WIP.

This is the blanket for my son,

ordered to match his Miami Dolphins room theme.

Although it is now really steaming along,

I keep checking he is still a top fan.

It is going to be enormous.

I got a bit carried away with the foundation row,

and overcompensated for the chevron pattern.

Oh well it will be lovely and snugly.

Not sure that it will actually be ready for

the end of winter.

Click Here

to see some more creations.

Carmel

x

My Lost Creative Space

Blogger had a major dummy spit last Thursday.

My original post was lost along with all

the lovely comments.

 I was unable to log on to my blogger ID

and leave comments

on anyone else's.

Please accept apologies for not getting back to you

and thank you for your comments

I always love to read them.

I am hoping that all is up and running properly again.

This is the hexagon blanket started last November

Kirsty at Kootoyoo

has set up a whole new blog

for the Creative Space sharing scene

pop by and have a wander.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

   The Mother-in-Law Blanket is finished

and in the bag - literally.

To present this as a gift, I decided to make a bag

which also doubles up as a cushion.

The blanket gets bunged in the bag when not in use,

and acts as an extra comfy cushion.

Nifty, heh?!  I have amazed myself here.

To say that:

1. I am completely chuffed this is finished
2. I am in love with the bag concept

would not be exaggerating.

And I think I even managed to spell that right.

It weighs a tonne.
Well , I am exaggerating there,
so, a lot.
The next challenge is getting it down to Victoria
without it costing more than the wool cost
in June 1986.
Yes, I found the receipt in the Myers bag
the wool was still in.  I have put a copy
on the back of  the cloth bag.
I was tickled pink to come across it.

For miles of creation,

grab a coffee and

call into Kootoyoo

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

With Valentine's Day around the corner,

I'm working with hearts this week.

I made and sent one of these to my sister for Christmas.

My niece has now put an order in,

so this one will be making its merry way to London.

My sister has also asked me to make some bunting for her guest room.

For someone who once asked me

 'can you buy me something for Christmas this year, instead of making it'

I don't know whether to be mouth agape or flattered.

Head over to Kootoyoo

for more creative spaces

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

The first of 2011.

It is always with disappointment that I greet the end of the school holidays.  Australia Day, 26 January, signals the imminent close to worry and rush free days, spent swimming, eating late, sleeping late and crocheting by the water.  Yesterday was a scorcher here on the Northern Beaches, we set up camp early at the dam and stayed cool all day in the water.  My favourite kind of day.  It is something of a marathon effort to pack up for the day;  food and drinks to feed a small army, kayaks and various water boards, suncreams, swimmers, towels and one chair for me.  We had a great day with friends, building the fire to cook our vittles and swimming, swimming, swimming, paddling, paddling, paddling.

Poor Man o'Mine was on a flight to Perth at 6am in the morning for a meeting and missed the fun.  Luckily with my kiddos it's a case of  have water will play happily - which means I got to get up close and personal with my crochet hook and some wool my mother-in-law gave me while we were in Victoria.  I am making a throw to give back to her, for those chilly winter evenings on Bells Beach.  She must have originally bought all that wool as she liked the colours and just never got round to making anything with them.

Time to take a deep breath before crazy starts again next week.
Miss O is back to school on Monday.

I hope all of you had a fabulous summer hols.
More creative spaces to be found here.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

... literally.

This is where I was at 8.00am this morning.

Me, my crochet hook and a hexagon or two.

Waiting for the Fairy while she had her piano lesson.

Which, by the way, are going extremely well

(3 so far).

She is counting the days to the Christmas recital,

as she is bell No Five in Jingle Bells.

I had a better picture, but am having trouble uploading at the moment.

This is one that I played around with on Piknick

(does that count as creative ?)

and it's the only one that will upload.

A quiet one today.

Let us pause a moment for the mining families

in New Zealand.

Hop over to here for some beautiful spaces.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

 Phoff! Where did the week go?!

I've pulled my fabric stash apart
and gathered together some ingredients
to make some Christmas stockings.

My inspiration came from this Christmas Things pattern,

picked up at the Op Shop the other day.

My challenge will be making at least one by Christmas Eve

 

Loving hessian at the moment.

It brings memories of holidays in the Greek Islands flooding back.

It's the espadrille connection - the smell and texture.

Scary how my mind works, I know.

I rescued this piece off the top of a friends' skip,

due to travel to the dump the next day.

I was as happy as Larry.

This was used on a special project that

someone asked me to work with them.

All to be revealed in the New Year.

Having served its purpose in one piece,

it is now destined for other things,

which include the string crochet flowers.

I'm looking forward to this one.

This project is a commission I will be parting with,

but I will be making more for me if it turns out how I envisage

Tune in here for some clever clogs.

Carmel

x

My Creative Space

Saturday was rainy and miserable.

A perfect day for sitting in front of the computer.

Looking for tutorials and how tos.

These hexagons from Meet Me At Mikes are addictive.

I was thinking cushion cover ...
but they are breeding like wildflower,
so possibly a throw.
I will have to head back to google and You Tube
for ideas on how to edge the final product.

I found this little frame on Coco Rose Textiles.

Originally from Lola Nova.

Waiting for pay day,
to order some yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills.

I have a feeling these will be addictive too.
I raided Miss Fairy's jewellery stash
looking for bangles, of which there should have been many.
I do believe there must have been a secret cull
by the Lone Dad when I was in England.
I used a scoobie wrapped round twice,
so that explains the wonky middle. 
It's also not quite right on the edging either,
as I made this in the car on the way to the
opening of the Australian Baseball League
on Saturday night.

Red pipe cleaner is one of Miss Fairy's
many pipe cleaner creations made on Saturday.
I just borrowed it for a bit of colour.

Thursday is the day to check in here.
Happy Creating

Carmel
x

My Creative Space

Terribly late today.  I've been possessed by migraine for 2 days and have only just surfaced.  As you can imagine not much has been created in that time.  The weekend was totally taken over with our school spring fair, the major fundraiser of the year.  On Saturday I cooked a pot of veggie curry big enough to feed a small village and made cupcakes anyone under the age of 8 could not pass on.

We are still waiting on the final tally, but I think it was all worth the effort.  My two had a super dooper day and fell into bed exhausted, as did I.  My Mr CC came and helped set up the lolly stall, but missed out on all the fun as he flew out to Perth at lunchtime for work.

Today I've just been looking at my vintage sheet collection, which I am slowly building.  A bit of contemplating went on.  I think I need a few more to add to the mix, before I start making a summer quilt for Miss O.  Our local Spotlight now stocks candlewick in the quilting section, so I have this piece ready to go.  I will use this as backing and no filling.  My Miss O is a bit of a nordic creature, and doesn't like heavy bedding.

 I picked up this tablecloth on my trip to Berrima last month, with the intention of cutting it into patches for quilts.  After I washed it and it came up beautiful and sparkly, I decided that it is going to be our outdoor tablecloth this year.  It really would be criminal to cut it up.

Remember to pop in to Kootoyoo to see what the creative world has been up to.

My Creative Space

I'm running late with this today.  Hubby was working from home for the morning, before going into Miss O's class for Maths Group.  The computer was completely hijacked, so I had to do laundry and general tidying up instead.
This week I have managed to finish (bar tying in the loose threads) the crochet dolls blanket.  I got a bit carried away and decided to work a border into it.  To say I am completely thrilled with the end result, would be an understatement.  I am gobsmacked a) that I finished something b) that it looks good (to me).

Drum Roll moment .... 

 On the knitting front ...

A frenzy of knitting patches.  Last weekend we spent a day with friends catching up.  "Do you mind if I knit?" I asked as I sat down.  A peel of laughter ensued ha ha - 3 hours later and cupboards are being pulled apart looking for those knitting needles and odd balls of wool.  To keep my interest level high - as I am prone to drift - I put a 'what it might look like' together.  I'm liking it.  This is going to be a knee throw, so there isn't a great deal more knitting now.

Maybe.

 I managed to also FINISH (loving that word today) the paper garland

for my new little great nephew.

So sweet.

My neighbour had a baby girl yesterday.  I think she will be home today.

Labour has been stopping and starting for the past week.

Looking after a two year old was exhausting.  I was in bed by 9.00pm last night.

Being a night owl, this was out of the ordinary for me.

I will start on a couple of little singlets for the new arrival today.

Time to pop into Kootoyoo to see everyone else.

My Creative Space

This week has been full of sewing and crochet.  I set up the camp table in the corner of the kitchen to allow me to leave my sewing machine out.  This way I can carry on where I left off around all the catering, eating, homework etc that happens ordinarily on the kitchen table.  A few of you were curious to know what I would do with the crochet flowers.  I am making a garland for my niece in London.  That's started, but still a work in progress.

Miss O has a dress up day tomorrow. They have a parade dressed as a helper in the community. She wants to be a nurse. I know we could have put something together a la 'Scrubs' in blue or green, but my nostalgic self set about making an old fashioned nurses pinafore. Just have to try and figure out how to make a little hat today. 

My family in England has welcomed a brand spanking new great step-nephew. I am putting a little bundle together to send over. Yesterday I appliqued these baby singlets with some of my favourite Japanese fabrics. My lovely friend Chelle, from Curly Music Box Co is also making up a special order music box too. I started crocheting a dolls blanket for Miss O at the weekend. It is coming together surprisingly quickly. I will save a photo for next week. I thought about making one for new nephew, but the postage cost would be over the top. I might make a little garland to finish off the bundle.

Hoping you have all enjoyed your creative weeks and here's to the next one.

Off to Kootoyoo to see who's been making what.

Happy Thursday!

Carmel

PS.  My neighbour has just gone into labour - very exciting.  But I might not be around for a few days as I think I may be looking after their 2 year old.  Her mother-in-law is now not coming down from Queensland.  Fun Fun.

My Creative Space

How quickly did Thursday come around again?!

This week I decided to learn something I have wanted to learn how to do for a long time.  Something that has just been sitting at the back of mind in the "I'd like to do that" box.  Having the wonderful tools of Google and You Tube at my disposal, I found a tutorial on how to make these little crochet flowers.

This one was really easy to follow.

I am a bit obsessed now and the house is covered in five petal crocheted flowers.

 I'm off  to Kootoyoo to see who else is joining in today.

My Creative Space

Can I learn to knit? asked my Miss O.  Well, maybe we can do that together. I replied.

I give you the fruits of our efforts.

We have been using A Ladybird Book about Knitting, which was in the box set I found a couple of months ago.

We are only up to the garter stitch, deciding to become masters of this before moving on.  I am a fan of the texture of this stitch, so am happy with the decision.

Miss O has opted to make a scarf of a multicoloured nature.

I am working on a patchwork, probably knee throw.  I have now used all my one ball of grey wool I purchased for practise.  I am very proud of my pile of squares.  My skills will never reach the heights of this novice knitter.  I am in awe of her ability.  However, I did achieve the incredible skill of watching a bit of television whilst knitting - true granny style!

The challenge for me will be pattern reading.  To be completely honest, it looks like a maths problem to me.  I am hopelessly BAD at maths.  I'm hoping that my plan to take this in small steps and learn alongside my 6 year old will stand me in good stead.

With this post I am joining in  Kootoyoo found through the lovely m.e.

Happy Thursday to you all!

Carmel