Day four: freezing cold and raining, hmm let's stay inside and sew

Winter turned up unannounced today. It rained in the night and was freezing when I got up. I dawdled for a while. I wanted to go back to the gardening I started yesterday. I kept hoping it would warm up a little or perhaps just that I would get brave and ignore the chill and get out there anyway. Before I knew it, it started pouring and it didn't stop for hours and hours. Hmm what to do?

Easy! I stayed inside and sewed.

First I tidied my desk. It was a disaster.

Then I sewed two new skirts. I used a basic knee length, straight, side-zip skirt pattern that is my favourite. Fabulous fabric just needs a basic pattern. I bought this fabric ages ago. I am going to a conference next month - I think these will add some pizzazz to my travel wardrobe.

All I need is basic black tops and shoes and I'm set. 

And I've reclaimed my desk for my next project! I've had a great day. 

Day one of my homespun bliss week: where do I start?

Day one: where do I begin? Its sunny, but windy. The chooks are scratching around in the yard. The dogs are under my feet, the cats are sleeping in their favourite sunny spot. I got lots of housework done on Saturday but I didn't quite finish it. So I suppose I'll quickly round up the rest of the vacuuming, laundry and sorting. I have a small bag to go off to charity: I think there are a few more things to go in there. 

Once that is done I'll feel I have more space to be creative. 

Oh what a wonderful feeling a week at home is! Homespunbliss ahead.

Vintage update to cheap cardigan

Last week I bought a cheap cardigan. Its soft and comfy and a gorgeous shade of blue. Just the thing to throw over basic black work attire.

This morning I wore it for the first time. On the way to work I folded back the sleeves to a comfortable length. Oops, I noticed a small fault on the sleeve. A pucker and bleach spot.

Not to worry its fixed. A couple of sparkly vintage buttons and no one will ever notice.  One on each cuff - now they are permanently cuffed but the length is just right. I replaced the top button to make sure the cuffs tied in. And besides, now its really mine! It feels less mass produced, less cheap and no one else has one the same. Simple and one of my favourite fixes.

A little homespunbliss at work

For the first time ever I have my own space at work. Its technically a cubicle, but large with high walls.  I have plenty of storage: to the point where I have two shelves that don't need to store files or any work stuff.  I have cupboards where storage can be both organised and out of sight. I have a little conference table, with two chairs for guests. But how to make this space home?

Work-life balance is important to me. I don't always wear my heart on my sleeve and I don' want to impose myself on others. But making my space personal helps me concentrate, and keep going when my workload is tough.

Well, I have carved out this space to be mine, paired back, neat, but with personality. I have things that remind me of home and lets face it: me.  Our individualism can easily get lost in the big corporate world. So please step into my office and let me show you around.

These shelves sit above my desk and hold some special reminders of friends and good times: toy cars my husband gave me, gorgeous vintage cats that were a Christmas present a couple of years ago from Darling Fi. She knows I love cats and vintage. They have remained at work because a/ my cats would smash them 'cos they are good at that, and b/ cos I started to realise I needed to make space for special things at work. A plant of course: living things are so important. The paper hearts are from my good friend Very Marie. The photos on the left are from my recent trip to Huskisson, tea from a friend who went to Sri Lanka and my darling Howard.

 Its nice to have chairs for guests but in truth they are horribly uncomfortable and very grey. I have meetings here and sit to read reports and generally get away from my computer once in a while. My Mum sent me the bright and cheerful zodiac tea towel: I rummaged around my stash for backing fabric, trim and cut up an old pillow for the inserts. Recycling? Tick. The description of my star sign: strong and reliable. Hmm, would have preferred something more creative!

I'd like to swap this for a low coffee table and some chunky floor cushions. I know I'd make lots of people very uncomfortable but I'm not the only one who would love it. So, so tempted. What do you think?

At the front of my desk I have strung some Tibetan prayer flags my beautiful sister gave me. Colourful, peaceful and soulful. An important reminder.  And the little hanging plaque is a quilt from the incongruous village in Pennsylvania named Intercourse! We visited last October on our USA trip and met lots of lovely people. Howard and I bought a pair of mirror quilts to hang up at work. They have everything going for them: my favourite earthy colour scheme, leaf/floral motifs and a souvenir from our holiday.

So how do you make your work space your own?

Feeing frustrated and trapped - not terribly homespun right now

I have started studying two business subjects by distance education for the first time in almost a decade. Since starting this blog I have increasingly embraced a homespun life, working towards the life of my dreams.  I go through stages of doing nothing but sewing and others cooking and gardening in equal measure.  I gardened all winter so my vegie garden is a picture of abundance. I have a lovely cottage garden of flowers in the front and a steadily expandng fernery. We created a lovely lush lawn in the place of bare dirt in the back yard, a perfect picnic spot under large trees.

I have been eating home made granola and yogurt. Packing nutritious, tasty lunches every day and cooking great dinners as well.

I freely chose to do the study. I need to reach closure on a half completed qualification from what feels like a previous life. It will free me to undertake other study that fits better with who I am now and what I want for my future.

But I am not feeling free. I feel trapped. I keep telling myself that it really is only a few days of my life. That this too will pass. Good words but hard to take to heart.

It is perhaps the lack of balance in my life. Right now I feel guilty about taking time out from study to write this post. My darling niece arrived yesterday to visit until after Christmas and I feel guilty about taking time out from her. We need to finish painting the laundry and bathroom but I can't right now. My garden is looking neglected - I need to pull weeds, mulch with compost and lucerne and plant the next lot of summer crop.

But I must spend all my time out of work doing my study. My second assignment is due Monday. Once that is done I will have a month to complete the next two. So it really is only a couple of days until I can make my next batch of granola, refill the freezer, get back into the garden and enjoy the countdown to Christmas.

Why can't I accept that and be zen and embrace the opportunity in front of me?

Sewing new things for DarlingBridget label

 I've been sewing cute new satchel bags for my DarlingBridget label. This bright red bag features a towel with embroidered Japanese lady and crocheted edge. The bag has a magnetic clasp and long strap. Very cute.

 Same satchel design but this time a green embroidered motif with scalloped edge over funky "ice cream" fabric. This satchel is finished off with a pale pink satin trim with beads.

 And a lingerie wrap in simple white. I have had one of these myself for years and it adds a little bit of luxury to one's luggage. And does away with that fear that you bags might be opened in public ;).

 A white lace trimmed cloth has been lined in satin and is held together with a simple white satin ribbon. This is going to be a give away so watch this space.

All these bags include some upcycled fabrics, repurposing hand towels and cloths that normally are tossed in a drawer or sadly, tossed away. Now they're pretty again.

Making bunting

I spent a day making bunting with a good friend this week. After an excursion to the fabric store we came home with ecru gingham and palest mauve linen with hydrangeas.

We stitched the flags uncut in a long line.

 After cutting out and turning we laid the flags out - we chose to leave a small gap in between and alternated the fabric.

 Sewing on the bias binding.

 The finished flags. So pretty.

This was our first try at bunting. It is easy if a little fiddly. Sad to see so many makers selling their work for so little though - this takes a lot of materials and a fair bit of time. Great result and so worthwhile. I want to see creative work valued. At least these flags will be well loved.

Kris Kringle handmade fun

Merry Christmas everyone. I wish everyone good cheer, good health and all their wishes to come true in 2012.

I am spending Christmas with family. This requires some travel, and three of my four furr kids have to stay in a kennel. I have dropped them off already so my house seems empty. I will spend some of my break regrouping, thinking about goals for 2012 and deciding what direction to take my DarlingBridget business in.  I have packed my camera and my sketchbook, very important. You never know what inspiration I may find along the way. When I return there will be many gardening jobs to do, a chook house to build and populate, cooking and creative stuff.

Thanks for being part of my journey and I hope to have you along in 2012.

And here's a Christmassey post for the day before Christmas Eve. Peace and joy to all.

 I entered the Haby Goddess's Kris Kringle this year as a bit of fun. I received this lovely Christmas stocking in the mail from Laura in South Australia. It was beautifully packaged and came with a card and well wishes.

Isn't it darling. Thanks Laura for your lovely homemade gift and thanks to the Haby Goddess for organising it.

This is the gift I sent off - mini Christmas bunting.

Link here to see some of the other gifts that were shared.

10 things Mondays

10 great craft books

Books in my collection include:

1. Creative Awakenings: Envisioning the life of your dream through art by Sheri Gaynor
A great book that helps you explore creative journalling. Sheri balances creative how to projects with inspiring stories from working artists. The book also comes with a set of cards to inspire you to create your own visual diary. Randomly choose a card then explore its theme whether its challenging your beliefs and assumptions, listing your mentors or having a gypsy spirit day.


2. The creative license: giving yourself permision to be the artist you truly are by Danny Gregory
Another book about letting go of artists block and using drawing and journally to explore creativity. Danny's book is a visual feast as well as being jam packed full of inspiration, helpful tips and projects to follow. There is a great blog to follow as well.

3. Creative time and space: making room for making art by Rice Freeman-Zachery
Love all of Rice's books. They are so very, very inspiring. Every page is a work of art. Rice interviews artists to find out what their studios look like, how they fit art into their lives, how to cope with creative blocks. This book features photos of studios and artists work galore. Highly recommended.

4. Living the creative life: ideas and inspiration from working artists by Rice Freeman-Zachery
The first of Rice's books, the format is the same as above: working artists share their lives, their passion and their adive. Very inspiring, full of coloured photos and little tips like: invite fellow participants from an art class to meet up outside the class for a get together and art discussion.

5. Taking flight: inspiration and techniques to give your creative spirit wings by Kelly Rae Roberts
I love Kelly Rae's art which features whimsical and sadly beautiful women.  I discovered her as a contributor to one of Rice's books. Similar to Sheri Gaynor's book, Taking flight uses how to projects to invite readers to explore their fears and passions and become more intune to their innate creativity.

6. Sew pretty homestyle by Tone Finnanger
Shabby chic sewing projects using pretty floral and gingham cottons. This book inspired my tea towel bags with their simple shape and gathered top around a ring shaped handle. I picked up my best sewing tip so far from this book. If sewing a tight shape like a heart to make a lavender pouch or instance don't cut the shape out before you sew. Instead sew the shape within a square of rectangle and then cut the shape out before turning right sides out. Makes such an enormous difference! If my explanation doesn't make sense you'll have to get the book.

7. Destination creativity: the life-altering journey of the art retreat by Rice Freeman-Zachery
Rice and her husband spent a year travelling America from art retreat to art retreat and wrote a book about it. I want her job! Another great book that reviews both big and small retreats. Lots of helpful tips about what to take, how to prepare, even how to set up your own retreat.

8. The truth and the questions a journal by Sabrina Ward Harrison
This lovely book was a gift from a friend. An art journal in it own right with painted and colalged pages this book leaves space for you to contribute. Pre-painted pages are headed things like 'what I really want to say is' and 'I crave', 'I remember' and 'I must create a life that is filled with'.  It is inviting me to fill in the pages with my own thoughts and dreams and scribblings. I have not begun yet. It is so lovely I don't want to muck it up. But really that's the point of the book, to get you beyond that fear and help you create.

9. The new handmade simple sewing for contemporary style by Cassie Barden
Really practical sewing book with great instructions, diagrams and photos for a range of projects including zippered purses, hand bags and accessories. This along with Sew Pretty Homestlye is my sewing bible.

10. Finish this book by Keri Smith
Keri Smith is a really excellent creativity coach. This is another book designed to help the reader explore his or her own creativity. A journal with exercises to take you on a whimsical journey exploring your surrounds. This is a challenge for me to complete on my next holiday.

Custom DarlingBridget order for groovy retro bag

 I made this satchel bag as a custom order for my friend Paula. The bag features a long strap to fit over the shoulder.

 And a large leather button to close.

There are some hidden details inside: 70s style suede fringing and a pocket made from a groovy doily with brown, orange and yellow crocheted edgeing.

It was great fun to make and now that I have the pattern all worked out I will make some more from some other vintage tablecloths I found last week at an op shop.

This is the last of this funky retro fabric but I have a bag with tortoise shell handles for sale on my etsy store if you want to check it out.

Homespun day

Today I have enjoyed a quiet, homespun sort of a day so I thought I'd share a few vignettes about how I spent my time.  I had a balanced day with time for art, cooking, gardening and me.

Art
I started the day by finishing two mosaic coffee tables.  I tiled them a couple of weekends ago so only needed to grout today. This is the best grouting job I have done, I am improving. I like playing around with different colour schemes and patterns trying to fit the table rather than a preconceived plan. How did I do?

They are both recycled tables from my local tip, cleaned up painted and with a mosaic of my own design. They are both destined to be sold at a market as part of my DarlingBridget label.

I also spent a little bit of time working on some embroidery. These petals will become my first flower brooche in my art to wear range. 

Gardening

I got outside and got dirty planting some more flowers in my front garden.

My ranunculas are opening out. These are a new and delightful addition to my garden. I bought a mixed pack of bulbs so there will be many surprises as they open.

 
I have one last lone daffodil. I have never had this type before and was struck by its delicacy. It reminds me of a frangipani, my favourite flower which unfortunately does not grow here.

 

Cooking

Then lunch for one. 

The view from my kitchen while my lunch cooked.  My tree fern and giant waratahs.

I enjoyed organic penne with mushrooms, zucchini, sun dried tomotoes, walnuts and shaved romano.  A glass of prosecco rounded off the Italian theme.

I ate my lunch on my back verandah. Its overcast and cold but I spend too much time inside so ventured out to enjoy my lunch. My meals are usually rushed during the week so to make it special I chose a sweet little serviette and used my silver plate, hollow handled fish cutlery set.  I just have some this one set and am very fond of it. It belongs to a growing collection of mis-matched cutlery chosen for its decorative details or uniqueness.
All eaten. Yum

Homespun
I made  batch of soap which I haven't done for a few months.

Soap is easy and fun to make. I enjoy knowing exactly what's in my soap.  A lot of the "handmade soap" sold at markets is actually pre-made granulated soap that is melted down and molded. Mine is made from scratch from simple vegetable oil and lye.

I have coloured this batch with food colouring, in this case blue. It doesn't look it now but the colour will fade dramatically as the soap sets. For more information about my soap making click here for an earlier post.

I got all the washing done


but had to scramble to bring it in again when it started to rain.

Tapas and Doctor Who
Saturday night is Doctor Who night. I have been a huge fan since I was a child and Doctor Who was on for half an hour each week night. We don't watch TV otherwise, preferring DVDs to all those ads. So when we do sit down in front of the box an easy dinner is called on.

Tonight we are having tapas. Chunky potato, zucchini and cauliflower fitters and mushroom arancini (risotto) balls with boccocini. Yummo!

Me
And I squeezed in time for a steamy bath.

All in all a productive but relaxing day with a little bit of everything that makes for home spun bliss.
Night!