stitches and craft

Oooh ah... I just found out the Stitches and Craft Show is coming to Adelaide in March next year!

I remember following a couple of crafty girls last year (Onegirl and Kirin Notebook) as they prepared and experienced the Melbourne show and I seem to recall feeling a few twinges of envy.... damn it ...it's always the Eastern states that have all the fun!! For those of you not from Australia, the Eastern states include Victoria (capital Melbourne), New South Wales (Sydney) and Queensland (Brisbane). Little old Adelaide often gets missed (we are comparatively small) .... but I'm sure we can be big on creativity.

I'm feeling inclined to take part in the show next year - would be great to meet other local indie sellers and get feedback from face to face buyers. Up until now my only outlet has been online so it's appealing. However.... there is a lot of work to be done if this is to happen. Need to get my branding sorted, business cards, new bells (not happy with the ones I am using), look into wool fill as an alternative to polyester, bring the new ideas that have been floating around in my head into fruition (includes tutorials and sewing kits) and get sewing.....more more more stock.... oh dear... there is a lot to do!! Am I up for it??? This I shall ponder for a few weeks.... or should I just bite the bullet and book my space? Decisions. Decisions.

While talking about Adelaide, last weekend the first Bowerbird Bazaar was held in the old Queen's Theatre. A new event, it "showcases design driven art and wares by Australian designer/makers". See here for a snapshot summary of participants. I didn't get there myself but will be looking out for the next event dates and marking it in BOLD on my calender!

99 things

found and swiped this little meme - thought it would be fun - not too taxing on the old tired brain (and yes I'm too lazy to use capitals tonight too).

what's not to love about the world wide web? here's my journey to this meme. checked out this photo on flickr, then found this photo also from the same wonderfully talented photographer bunnybum which led me to this tutorial about making window stars, which led me to this blog where I kindly lifted the meme to share with you tonight.

so bold means yes I have, the rest is still to do, or not to do in the case of bungy jumping! never the less, there is still much to be done. tomorrow we are off to a gardening expo in an effort to cross number 18 off the list too!

please go ahead, copy and paste, share the love :)


1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (ain't gonna happen!!)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29 Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33 Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41 Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45 Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60 Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma (tried twice and been rejected!! - once glandular fever & then lived in London when mad cow disease was about)
65. Gone sky diving
66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67 Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

gardens in my head

Lately I've been doing a bit of garden design. Slightly challenging for an Interior Designer with a brown thumb, but a wonderful brain stretching, learning experience. I don't remember researching this much since my days at school! You see, the stubborn / perfectionist / control freak parts of my personality have stipulated that I must conquer this new outdoor design genre (much to my families frustration) as if I were an experienced Landscape Architect. Yes, I'm biting off more than I can probably chew given our house currently sits on approx 1100m2 of weeds, but I won't be beaten! Needless to say I am discovering some fabulous exterior products that are getting me excited. Watch this space as there may be a potential gardener in the making...

Coral Bench

Jak & Jil

Leaf Swing

ok it's not a toy....

..but it sure feels like one! I've been one snap happy Momma all weekend since I laid hands on my new Canon EOS 450D. Thanks to everyone who kindly left comments and helped me choose which camera to finally purchase after much deliberation. Also thanks to my darling 2 year old for dropping my compact digital camera on Friday, and thankyou to my clever husband for amazingly fixing it yesterday AFTER I bought the new one. Maybe the sequence of events was a little bit out of order but hey! I'm not complaining :)

to market to market

I've just discovered The Cool Hunter and let me tell you there is a lot to discover! If you like to be inspired by design & innovation then this will get your groove on.

Check out this amazing building designed by Willy Muller Architects - it's the Barcelona Flower Market. I'd be shopping for flowers every weekend if I lived in Barcelona! I like the fact that the vertical bands of colour were inspired by ariel views of flower fields.

Also on The Cool Hunter I found this Vila Sofa store in Amsterdam designed by Tjep. It looks like a cross between Interior and Set Design. Not surprisingly the brand Vila Sofa is positioned a little like IKEA where products are warehoused on site and reasonably priced. In addition to the simple use of just four colours (red, white, grey, black) I also love the clever cutouts in the facade - oh that chandelier!

little things can mean a lot (to mum)

I am a happy camper tonight.

Last night I went to bed at 10pm and woke up at 7.30am. Yeah so what? Well, the thing is, my head hit the pillow at 10pm and I was out like a light. The next thing I knew it was 7.30 in the morning. This hasn't happened for a looooong time. With illness, nightmares, darkness fears, dogs barking (you get the gist) my sleep pattern has been made up of several broken sleeps throughout the night. Man! Did I feel refreshed this morning. Let's hope for another big zzzz tonight :)

Then.... this evening.... every member at the family table ate all of their dinner. I mean ALL! No plate scraping necessary. Straight in the dishwasher and thanks for coming. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Woo hoo!!

See! Mums don't ask for much.

sun. sand. squid. seagull. smiles

Ask and you shall receive! Thankyou for the sunny Spring weather today. Yes, it was I complaining earlier in the day about a lack of such. I now bite my tongue and share with you the lovely afternoon it turned out to be.

has anyone seen our spring?

We had a taste and teaser of spring weather and now it's gone again. I know it will come back and I should stop being so impatient but.... well.... I'm a little over winter now. Had enough. We want to play outside. Rain is good and thankyou but please come back next year.

With our thoughts on the coming warm weather we've been getting the summer wardrobes ready. Sorting the piles of out-grown winter clothes and making room for bigger new season versions.

I've been wanting to try this pillowslip summer dress idea for a while and yesterday was the day. It was as easy as I had imagined in my head. Cut the open flap end off the pillowslip then seam and run elastic through. Then cut open the bottom closed end and hem to the right length (I added a little ric rac for fun). I made the straps from the leftover fabric cut from the inside flap of the pillowslip.

See, quick and easy and it only cost about $1.50. The pillowslip was an Op-shop (Thirft Store) find for 50c as was the flower button (20c) plus the cost of elastic and cotton.

I think we may be making a few more of these before the summer is out!

my name is fiona and I'm....

a . f a b r i c . j u n k i e

OK OK so now it's out. Isn't that the first step to recovery?

...only, hang on.... I DON'T WANT TO RECOVER!

Oops. Sorry for yelling at you. I just wanted to make that point very clear.

So this is the thing. When I should be doing more productive, important things I often find myself standing in front of the fabric shelves admiring my collection like it is one of my babies. Sad but true. There is a rainbow of colours and textures, big prints and little prints, textiles of old and new and they all make me smile.

I've been selfishly enjoying them all to myself for long enough now. It's time to open my collection to the world! Well, how about to the few of you who would like to have a gander.

Today I have started to create a photo record of some of my fave vintage fabrics that have been found in op-shops (thrift stores). Absolutely my favourite way to buy them. You get both the thrill of discovery and an affordable price tag. What's not to love?

At some stage down the track I will post more of my collection. Don't know when - you know me - not the most disciplined or regular blogger, but I will do it, someday :)