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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