Working as intended

It's messy already but it is so very functional. It is all working as intended and I couldnt be happier. I have already stuck another table in behind this desk and its ready to use but covered in tools, clamps and not so froofy things that aren't aesthetically pleasing. I now have a separate sewing/sketching, more delicate work area and behind is my more hands on area and the other half of my shed is so empty except for the tread mill. I'm thinking a TV and a double bed would fit and I could just move in......peace and quite mmmmm

Any of you clever bunnies out there know where to buy typewriter ribbon?

speaking of writing/typing
I am off to read myself to sleep. I am on the second book in the Malazan Series by Steven Erikson. I love the start of a long series and since George RR Martin is too slack and far too LAZY to finish his last books of his series I have started another series in protest and may not preorder his book even if he does manage to finish it. (I am bluffing of course). I will be fighting my husband to read it. We wait for these books to finally come, sometimes they take years(like with G.R.R Martin) and it only takes us a few hours to read them and then we are left grieving that yet another book is over.

I love reading.

Goodnight and take care!

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Autumn Knits for Work

As mentioned previously, I work in a shed. Until now it had no lining but now I have one wall plastered at least. It will still be freezing though so I think it mandatory that I knit more work scarves to go with my "working in the shed" clothes. Hows this for a lucky find at Spotlight. It almost matches perfectly. Yep, even messy, grubby people like me like to have some kind of fashion sense. Or fashion nonsense, not sure which but at least I kinda sorta match. I think this lovely cotton would make fab socks too. Yippee. You wont miss me if you visit me out the back, I will be the big bright luminous pink and orange stripey chick.

Happy Autumn to us on the Southern side of the planet and Happy Spring to all the Northerners.

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Shed Make over

I live in my shed. I am a messy, grubby person that tinkers with all things grotty and had no problem trying to start my business in a 5.8mx3.5m timber shed. It was built as a studio but it always looked sheddish and I treated it as such UNTIL

I saw everyone elses work areas. There's a whole blog devoted to unbelievably gorgeous workspaces and I found myself coveting these areas and finding myself falling out of love with my sheddish chaos. The space I once loved now became a source of "dontwannaworkinthatyuckyspace-ness".

What could I do? I had no money. I am too busy reading blogs about really cool spaces people have where THEY work and make money in.

So I did what any other self respecting covet er of nicer work areas would do. Ripped everything off of one wall, carted loads of stuff out, pinched plaster(drywall) that was meant for another shed(yes I collect sheds) and I made myself a brand new nice area. This wall is almost 10 foot long which I thought was a perfect place to make a new desk.

I fitted the plaster and I got to use some of the timber cupboard doors I acquired, the fit was perfect.

The next day.

After the wall was puttied and painted and dried overnight I hung the prepainted shelves.

Pasted a strip of metallic paper on the top of the wood that would show for easy cleaning.

Then loaded jars full of stuff on my 2.5 metre long shelves because you can never have enough shelves. As usual I cut a crooked line and the hole was so big the putty fell through. I later fixed that.



I then added a lamp, some fairy lights and the 7foot long Tasmanian oak table I made from my mums kitchen left offs when she got her new kitchen(which was featured in a kitchen magazine)

And now I have one wall plastered and shelved. The only thing I have to buy was the shelving.


I am so tired and sore that I cannot move a muscle. My work area may not be as glamorous as the many I have drooled over but it no longer screams of shed and all things sheddy. I will be working on the larger walls when materials become available and I have already found my new lino I will lay.

One wall at a time!

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Things that make me go mmmmm!

I collect chickens. Seeing collections that are all of one thing make me go mmmm on the inside and OOOOOOOh out loud

I am painting the family room(have been for 4 years) so my many many chook pics and ornaments are in storage

My love of chickens came from when I worked as an AI'er working on a chook farm contracted to a serum laboratory who made flu vaccine. At the end of their 6 months theyre done with and sold off for soup. I escaped with 6 of them in the boot of my car. I would have taken the other 29994 but I had a small car boot.

Some of my chook's found here or in the UK are worth a dollar, some handmade or hand painted by people I know and some are made from fine china and worth a small fortune but they re all loved equally and they all honor the hard working chickens that sustain us in many aspects of our lives, many we are unaware of.

I am working on a related project that I seem to be forever afraid of starting for fear I will confirm my belief that when I get really arty farty I show signs of having zero talent. Wont know if I don't try. I have a sketch of a chicken that I want to put on canvas as a mixed media piece. Well I blogged it so I better make it so.

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Finished Cradle and blanket

I made this from scratch. Well that's no big deal , I have made about 50 cradles from scratch but I FINISHED this one!!!

I tried to find a paint similar to Milk paint used in the US to no avail. What I found was ridiculously expensive and would have made the cradle too costly. I used Dulux albino to get that nice chalky milky color yet with a smooth feel.

The bedding was fun to make. Gorgeous vibrant gingham patch cotton backed with soft, lush poly fleece and all blanket stitched.

A pillow for precious baby dolls' head

and a mattress, because baby dolls love comfort too

The finish is all hand done complete with hand painted gingham hearts on each end. The cradle is made from all new wood scraps that would have been landfill.

And finally I have found my new labels. Iron on transfers by Avery. I have tried them on various fabric, washed and ironed it according to normal washing methods and I am happy. It is so diverse which suits my 5 second fish focus so I can change how I use it with ease every time I change my mind.....on average every 5 seconds.

Unused CD cases. brilliant for storing my new labels Yay!!

Non crafting/ woodworking and totally unrelated to creating nunde

THE BIGGEST EASTER EGG HUNT

Yes yes, clearly the Easter Bunny has been watching The Biggest Loser(AU) and decided to make it a theme.

Instructions were placed by the Easter Bunny on the mantle which read " In these eggs contain instructions for The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt begins as soon as all Egg Hunters are awake"

We managed to get the teenagers awake by 9am before the 7 year old went postal on them.

4 plastic eggs containing the instructions

LET THE HUNT BEGIN

Ears on, plastic bags in hand.

And the winner is

Hope you and your family, where ever you are and whatever you do for this time of year, have a safe and happy time.

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The craft shoppe

I am sad and mopey today because I cannot go to the craft shop and hang out with my arty/crafty friends. My back is still giving me the *&^^%s and I am washed out from it and my usual anaemia. Thats life though and Im going to have to find a way to get on with it all regardless. My house is a pigsty!!!! i simply cannot be unwell under these conditions :)

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Laminated scrapbook paper Bunting

Yes, I am at it again. This Bunting is for my shed window. I took some yummy scrap booking paper and chucked it through a laminator and hacked it into triangles with my handy guillotine and sewed sewed sewed so now I have all weather bunting. Easter is coming up and I cannot find Easter paper anywhere. Should I draw an Easter design maybe? Nah, Ill leave that kind of drawing to the experts.

Useless trivia. During the 70's I sat at that table at that exact same spot. My Dad gave it to me many years later and now its my sewing table. I'm a true hoarder aren't I?

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Reclaimed/Recycled Sample Book Bunting

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Thursday Craft Shop stuff

I just love Thursdays. Lots of laughs, coffee, cake and craft and a little bit of work. No really we do work. L wrote out lots of tags, P did lots of data entry and stuff and I watched. JS finally finished her long awaited kids teepee cubbies and theyre fantastic. She received orders the minute she brought in the display and Im not surprised. Its so roomy inside. If only it was sound proof and had a lock on the door. I would get one and lock myself in it to get some peace and quiet.

A lady bought one of my cupcakes and then gave me lots of compliments so I was totally chuffed. Must finish off the rest because people are waiting on them.
P is letting me attempt to make her an anchor for one of her crafty projects so I now have a chance to make her something in return for her lovely embroidery (I hope I don't let her down, pressures on)

Joyce returned from her "share and care" class and told us stories of an elderly man that visited and told of his mother who kept winning an apple pie competition for her exquisite and unique pattern on her pie crust. Turns out she used her false teeth to create the effect. Joyce, who is 83 and a wag of a girl is making Apple pies for sweets next weeks class and she was giggling deviously on the way home because she plans to adorn them with fake false teeth.

Was such a fab day!

Now I am off to finish doing my first tutorial. Going to start off easy.

Hope your Thursday is great!

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Ive been tagged! *gasp*

I was tagged by the gorgeous Miz Carla

Here are the rules:
1. link to the person that tagged you - 2. post the rules on your blog - 3. share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself - 4. tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs - 5. let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their site.

1. I used to daydream that Sid Vicious and Billy Idol would fight over me.

2. I sneakily straighten crooked pictures where ever I am.

3. My actual trade is Agriculture. I used to get paid $50 a week for a 14 hours day 7 days a week when I was an apprentice. Being a city kid I wasn't going to cop that so I found an academic equivalent and got my trade cert that way . I was 1 of 3 girls amongst about 200 boys on campus when the apprentices would come in for their theory modules. oh yeah, life was sweet! I had fab jobs because of my trade which ranged from welding to artificial insemination to selling farm machinery. It has made me very versatile and handy.

4. I have seen Abba in concert.(yes, I'm that old)

5. I wont eat the last bite or drink the last mouthful of anything.

6. I was given a stuffed Panda when I was born and I cannot go anywhere without it. Pandy came with me when I traveled around AU and to the UK and then to the US and I will be taking him to China. I tell Pandy everything.

Now its my turn to tag 6 people So here goes! Knitty Bug

Lilly Cottage

mumistitches

jejunes place

Middle of Nowhere

Because its time for me to get ready for the craft Shop I have run out of time to find the 6th.

Have a fantastic Thursday

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Crafting with a crappy back!

2 days ago my back went into spasm as it did the time before that whilst MAKING the bed. See!!! Housework is bad for your health. This morning I went to load the front loader washing machine and my back went berserk and I was stuck in a loading position making a series of weird "ahhh ahhh ouch , oh , ahhhh" which brought the kids running and only then did they FINALLY offer to do the washing at my most embarrassing moment. Enough about that though. My challenge for myself, which every one trying to work at home must face, is how do I function and work still. Well, I have to adjust until my back settles. That's what would happen if I was employed. I'm not the type to take sick days, I only take them when I am well, like most Aussies lol. Nah, I think I have only had a few sickies in my life and one I needed a blood transfusion so I kinda think I was justified. As a wanna be self employed stay at home mum I will adjust and do what I can. Even if it means boring cleaning in my shed of all things at hip level. No bending or twisting. Lets see what I can do. Its better than sitting around whining about it eh? And there's no way I'm going to bugger it up any more because I will have to take a sickie from the craft shop tomorrow if I do and NO WAY am I going to do that!!!! Here Goes!

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Wooden Letters

Finished!

So easy to make!

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Doc Martins Unlove and sock love

Finished socks, just in time for boot wearin weather. Now I can start on my next pair.

About Doc Martins...... I have worn DM's since I cant remember when. Mum always brought some back from her trips to the UK when she visited the rellies and they lasted years and years. Up to 5, 6, 8 yrs and that was with everyday wear and lots of love because I love love love my DM's. Then I noticed that they started making them in China or Taiwan or some where(the country of origin has worn off) and these are now 2 yrs old with tears in the leather and the so called air step didnt have the bounce I knew and loved from previous DM's. The ones before that were from the UK but made elsewhere and they lasted the same. I am a total boot care nut too so its not from neglect, I mean I have been maintaining DMs for 20 plus years. So ! My love affair with Doc Martins is over unless some one can tell me where to get the real ridgey didge made in a country that CARES about QUALITY kind of Doc Martins. And I want the old Bounce back too. Any one else noticed the downgrading of quality of DM's? For $180 to $300 bucks a pair I expect more. As we all should. Why are we made to settle for crap quality yet pay the same price as when it was good quality?

I am going to try to find a good boot that is manufactured in the country that claims to own it. Its time I fell in love with a new boot. After all, the old one has betrayed me and I'm still young and have a lot of walking left in me. Nancy Sinatra's version of "these boots are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do, one of these day these boots are gonna walk all over you ... ... ... ... ... ... ... running through my head as I finish this post. Stomping off now. Blog ya later!

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