Happy Day!

I wasn't going to do anything halloweeny this year because 2 years in a row I carefully placed fake spider webs across my porch, laden it with spiders and lined my driveway hedges with bats and all such weird spooky things...and no one came.......

So up until yesterday I stuck to my guns.

Nope I am NOT doing Halloween.

And yet today I found myself drawing little faces on ghosty marshmallow and filling Halloween cups up with candy. I let Connor loose with the decorations and I even hung a few bats from the mop tops but THAT'S IT... Im not doing all the sawn off fingers, axes, blood n stuff and strange stuffed children with scary faces staring out from the back of my car. I will make this vow though. If at least one family that I am not related to knocks on my door and say trick or treat and is dressed appropriately it will restore my faith in my favourite(except for easter bunny) holiday event.
some one please knock on my door for some candy.

oh oh I have to run, I forgot to put the fake vomit on the doorstep....well if they want their candy they gotta work for it muwahahaha

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Rainy Fridays. Feel the Serenity!

Today it rained all morning at work and although there was a function being held at the cafe, the work was slow and relaxed.

It is overwhelming how popular The Homestead has become and I am so pleased to be a part of it even if it is in some miniscule way.

It has gone from being a home style cafe to a bustling hive of activity with the newly added High Tea's, small weddings, meetings and even funerals. I never imagined we would be this popular.

It is the Medeival Faire next weekend so adorn your favourite hessian undies and come along for some jousting fun. I just can't help sharing my happy place with you and sharing the calm
serene, relaxing, hmmm wait I think I am forgetting something..... OH NO!! ..............I forgot there was a *&&^% function that I needed to make stuff for TONIGHT!!!!!!!!
And there goes the serenity....
Have a great Friday. Im off to my shed to knuckle down for the next 3 hours. /sigh

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My Creative Space

Oh its not a pretty Space today but it sure is creative
For a really cheap, fully pro and seriously refashioned spray booth I draped a very used drop sheet over my clothes line and an old metal desk used for outside jobs.(a gift from Jules because she knows Ill take anything and find a use for it) I pegged it everywhere and used professional grade drop sheet weights aka dirty ol' bricks to keep the wind from flapping it around the sides.


And there you have it. A safe, clean space to spray my repurposed lolly stand for the next craft market. And what an awesome day in Victoria to paint!
Now I feel a bit mean not giving you something froofy like what you normally find in my creative space so to add some pink I asked my flowers to smile for you.



And so they did!
I am loving this weather!
But wait, theres more.....for other, probably more pretty creative spaces go check out the ever growing list as Kootoyoos. Wow you girls have been busy.
Cheers
Melanie

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Lovely loot!

Loot from Laurel
I am over a week late and I am so sorry Laurel(Missmuggins)
I won this gift for commenting on Laurels blog and I was so chuffed when she popped in to P.I.P.S to give it to me. She even gave me the square that I chose as the yummiest square. The little purse/pouch is made from a vintage Sheridan sheet and the clever clogs even incorporated the original Sheridan tag into the inner lining.
Thanks Laurel...mmm I am already busting to make those buttons. Awesome!


OP Shop Loot
Cost $1.00 kids mango jumper from the Berwick Op Shop
Purpose - To be re-purposed into a bag and anything else that comes to mind. Stay tuned.




I can't wait to get stuck into this.
Cheers
Melanie

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Little Presents for Special Friends

Pam's sister gave this tiny cup to Pam

Pam needed a pin cushion but not a tiny cup

Pam gave me the tiny cup to make a pin cushion with

I made it for Pam before P.I.P.S this morning

and this made Pam smile

Awesome!

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My creative space - day 22 of Blogtober fest

Today my work bench in my little pink, green, brown and orange space that we now refer as Lady Land thanks to a funny commercial on TV, is covered in a wedding dress. I was about to throw it away as it had no sentimental value and no end of coaxing would make my daughter want it because there was no sentimental attachment for her either to an event that took place in it a life time ago which is a bit sad but oh well. But then I remembered with much sentimental value the journey my mother and I had in the making of this dress. Her making, me whining and my best friend laughing because no one had EVER seen me in a dress before.
My mum made it in 9 weeks whilst working 2 jobs as a single mum and I remember every pin prick she delivered as she nipped and tucked. Where they on purpose? Who knows? I mean I was a little bugger of a kid so ....

So anyhow, I decided to hunt down the woman's weekly craft book that Elsie gave me because I fell in love with the picture below. I have rummaged and found my daughters first little flower girl dress, her lace from her first canopy princess bed ( I know, I went over board) and various lace and bits from through out my life that I have stashed

I am very excited about this. I have never done a quilt before.....Help!!!
To see what other arty crafty sorts have on the go, check out Kootoyoo's blog
I am off to finish building shelves in the walk in robe now ( man land) which is what started all of this finding hidden dresses in the first place.
Cheers all
Melanie

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Lilac

Love it..........

Smell it.........

Look at it ......

It is always worth the wait.

Love Spring

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An what about this gorgeous weather we are having...

What would have been blogtoberfest post 14 but was so busy, forgot to hit post. So much for a well planned month of blogging

..........This is where I volunteer.




Just thought I would share the images I gaze at as I wander around, breathing it all and feeling peaceful.

100 year old wysteria. I bet it knows things of old and long forgotten.......

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Trash talk- tober

Now this is my kind of recycled art.

Lamps made from unwanted car parts and other metal components.

My cousin Gary makes these.

Yes, making stuff out of rubbish runs in the family and these lamps are quite stylish as well as being very blokey.

Gary takes it one step further in his recycling efforts by locating items that large companies are going to fill up our landfill with even though the items may just have a printing error on the packaging. These companies will remain nameless but they would rather throw perfectly good items, and masses of them, into landfill, rather than give them away or bother to sell them as seconds.

So its a good thing we have people like Gary. I would like to nick name them The Rubbish Police but that doesn't sound very flattering does it? I would also like to see Gary wearing a Cape as he protects our planet from these polluting perpetrators. OK OK sorry Gary, I went off into cartoon super hero world then, as I am prone to do.

Looking forward to showing off his next work of art.

Cheers all

Melanie

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12 Favourite Blogs - tober day 12

Bainos Banter
Curlypops
Kraftypanda
Lucybowler
Onepairofhands
Ooty
Bimbimbie
5orangepotatoes
littlechrissy
maytheclothbewithyou
Theenchantedcloset
Missmuggins

Of course there are oodles more. I picked the first 12 I read today as they are on my regular reads list. Tomorrow I will probably catch up with another dozen or so. You know how it goes dont you? Cant fit them all in in just one day or we would never get any work done:)

Cheers!
Melanie

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market - tober

The very first market at The Old Cheese Factory went well for its first day.

Plenty of people came through and a few awesome people bought some nunde stuff THANKS!! And no, it wasn't my mum. I do know that 2 dear friends did buy something which is very sweet and yo guys are first to ride around with me in my BMW when I get rich.

I cant show you pictures because I was working in the Cafe. I was flat out. If I sold as many bags as I made coffees I would be driving us round in that Beamer already.
My daughter manned the stall and poor thing was so sun burnt because her bad mother didn't take sunscreen or cover. Bad mother!!! Who knew the sun would shine, I mean sheesh, this is Melbourne. Ya just never know. Its like you need to take your entire seasonal wardrobe with you round here.
Next Market is 2nd saturday in November. Here is the application form if some of you clever clogs want to set up stall there. PRESS HERE

Or just come and have a cuppa
For those of you, specially Elsie and Pam and anyone else I may have missed, Im sorry I didnt get to chat or if I didnt even see you at all. I was just so busy making cuppa's.
See ya at the next one!!
cheers
Melanie

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Creative Space- tober 1 day to go until market

My creative space is a mess, chaotic and fabric is flying everywhere.

Did I tell you I am in love with this little ripper. Yes I said little ripper. I sound like an Aussie from the 50's but I am in love with it all the same.

I can not imagine making so many bags without it.

I also love my Vanilla chai, get some, even if you don't drink it the smell in your creative space is aromatically awesome. I have to drink it because I took this at 9.30pm and I was still sewing. No coffee for me past 7pm or I get hyper.

And Look! 1 bag of 49 almost finished. Yes 49 bags...... Not a round, even Stevens 50......Forty nine!! I have no idea why and my obsessive compulsiveness is not dealing with that I can tell you.





and finally a boy bag, as designed by Master nunde 8, complete with skulls of course. If it is to scale it is going to be huge unless they are teeny tiny trees.

Well girls, Im tired. I was going to say something more bogan then but I realize you are all far more refined than me so I refrained. Oh and hey, any tips on setting up a market stall? I am worried I will forget something.
Cheers everyone
Melanie

Oh I almost forgot. for loads of peeking at other creative spaces check out Kootoyoos for the ever growing massive list of creative people

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Work - tober Day 7 ,2 days until the market

No time to blog, working my sausage fingers to the bone.
Have a great day
Melanie

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BOOM- tober A front row seat view

My step dad emailed me these pics from the sinking of HMAS Canberra. Cant get a much better view than this. Lucky John. Thought I would share them with you.

BOOM!!!!

BYE BYE

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Day 5 Health-tober - 5 days to go until market

Yet another lifestyle change attempt begins. Beginning with a bowl of porridge and the standard 2 cups of coffee (I have to keep some staples). My goal is to be healthy for a whole month......starting today.

From the minute I got up, I cut and cut and cut

sewed and sewed and sewed

fabric wandered in from the big shed to my studio waiting for more cutting

and are you going to ask the same thing as Mr nunde and Master nunde asked "How many bags have you made today" ..................To which I will answer you the same as I answer them NONE. I know you girls are cleverer than them though and you know that there is a process in whipping up 100 odd bags from scratch.
I worked hard today. Time for a coffee break I reckon. Yay!

Cheers
Melanie

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Day 4 blogtoberfest -Sunday was a big day

For what seems like forever my step dad has been heavily involved with the sinking of the HMAS Canberra and today was the day.

If you watched the news in Melbourne he was the very very excited man being interviewed. I have no doubt he will try to lure us all into diving with him when it's all crusty and rusty to admire the handy work of all that was involved . 5 hours they were out on my step dads boat getting it set up and assisting one of the news teams. It's a good thing Johns boat has a dunny on it:) Oh and a big cheer for my mum who has had to hear nothing but sinking ship this, sinking ship that and she even roughed it out there with him for the 5 hours.
Anyhow, I am off to watch it again. It isn't every day someone in our family is famous so I am making the most of braggers rights while I can.
Cheers everyone
Melanie

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6 days to go and 3 days into blogtoberfest

Slim nundes in the making. Hands up who loves using these little doovalackies. Bias binding thingy whatsits?

I just love em to bits!

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I had a great day

Today was the day I was going to notify the powers that be that I was unable to attend the very first craft market due to certain obstacles............ Today I was gifted, by the powers that be, without any prompting or expectations, with having every obstacle removed so that I could attend the very first market at The Homestead.
I never expected such a thing. So what does this all mean?
I have ONE WEEK to get my products ready for the first market................................... (insert panicked expression here)

Anyhow. Enough about me. Here is a little something about a lovely lass called Laurel. Miss Muggins is offering a giveaway to celebrate her 1st year blogaversary and up for grabs is some sweet treats. I wish you luck if you do enter but I have to warn you, my fingers are crossed hoping I win *snicker*

I would also like to steer you towards my friend Elsie who is fast becoming a pro at this blogging stuff and is a clever lady to boot.
I am off to lay on the couch and contemplate the very very busy week ahead.
Cheers!

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My Creative Space

Piles of gold chain that we purchased from a Diva sale.

When I see Diva sales I see a multitude of creations that can be made with cheap bling.

This was 3 separate necklaces for $5.00 a piece. I am estimating that I can make about 10 bracelets, some phone bling, bag bling and extra chain for my gold chain Garland that I am making and still have some left over. Bargain!!!

On my creative e-space I am proudly showing this badge because I have decided to play along.

1 post per day for 1 month

So, like, if I run out of cool stuff to say I can like just make it up right? OK ???

I also want to announce the winner of my Blog Birthday Give away...........................................................

PIPPIWILLOW

Pippiwillow has won one my tiny takeaway cappuccino bags.

Congratulations!!!!!

So WOOT for me!

I did one bloggerfest post and one creative space post in one hit. Oh yeah baby, Im da man! err I mean WoMan. Check out the crafty little chicks at Kootoyoos. I wonder how many others cheated like I did.

Cheers!

Melanie

xox

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