Jake Shimabukuro - Ukelele Master

Don't you just love it when you find someone who's passionate about what they do - whatever it is.  I recently came across this YouTube clip of Jake Shimabukuro who plays the ukelele - not how you've seen it played before.  Check him out playing George Harrison's "While My Guitar (or ukelele in this case) Gently Weeps"

JUST LISTED... (and My Creative Space)

Finally found the time to list my new brooches on etsy as I'm sitting around waiting for my new TV to be delivered - should be here sometime between 8am and 1pm today - very handy when you really should be at work (and as a contractor, I'm paid by the hour - grrrrr!).  On the plus side, I've been getting heaps done so am feeling very satisfied with myself.

Check out these little darlings here

My Creative Space is looking particularly bare at the moment.  I cleared my worktable on the weekend (finally) and was going to cut out some patterns but got sidetracked and ended up knitting as I'm trying to finish my green Tamzin cardy - just about done - finished the first sleeve but have run into a wee problem - I'm 1 ball short so am hoping Morris & Sons still have some left in the same dyelot otherwise it's short sleeves for this little green cardy.

And... I put my world-class procrastination behind me and made up the bag that I bought the handle for at the Quilt and Craft Fair that was on in July (I think).  It turned out quite well except that I'm not going to show the lining as it's a bit wobbly inside.  If/when I make another one I'll sew it up slightly differently to give a cleaner finish to the lining but I think it looks pretty cute - will go well with my one-sleeved green cardy!!

And look, I've got furry bookends...

For more great creative spaces, visit Kirsty's blog.

My Creative Space

Hi and welcome to my blog - this is my first contribution to Kirsty's My Creative Space Thursday - although I have been reading along and visiting everyone's spaces for the last few weeks - love to see what others are creating and where they create.

Since I sold a brooch on etsy last week, I've been re-inspired to make some more (they'll be going up on etsy and made it soon).

 

I also bought some patterns last week to go with my yummy fabric from Tesutti and hope to get cutting out this weekend ready to sew up as soon as I can buy myself an overlocker - it's my birthday later this month so may that's what I'll get myself as a pressy.

I also had a bit of a splurge last Saturday at Patchwork House's Market Day (and I won second prize in their raffle - thanks Kylie - I'll be picking up my threads this weekend).

I think i'm going to be busy for the next few weeks but will try to give an update next Thursday - have a great week!!

Dream Catcher featured in etsy Treasury

Very exciting - one of my Dream Catchers has been included in an etsy Treasury on Dreams. Thanks Lauren (forbiddenworlds) for including me.

Just listed...

This weekend I'm trying to get my act together and am listing some new items on etsy and made it.  So far, I've listed my 3 machine embroidered dream catcher wall hangings. These are made of silk which has been freehand machine embroidered and then I've embroidered the dream catcher onto the silk background and hand embellished with floaty feathers and beads.  The back is lined in black poly/cotton with lightweight dowel hanging rod

In Ojibwa (Chippewa) culture, they believe that a dreamcatcher filters a person's dreams. According to legend "Good dreams pass through the center hole to the sleeping person. The bad dreams are trapped in the web, where they perish in the light of dawn."

Woo Hoo!!! My first etsy sale!!

Yes, I know I'm overdoing the exclamation marks but I made my first etsy sale last night - my Here Kitty brooch is on it's way to Memphis.  Very exciting - just the motivation I need to get cracking on some more brooches and list some of my other pieces that I've been procrastinating about.

BROOCH - The Subject... IV

Received the poster for the Contemporary Art Society brooch exhibition today.  From the examples shown it looks like it's going to have a lot of interesting pieces in it.  I'm going to be sure to pop along and have a look.  I've put in 4 of my beaded brooches - hopefully they'll sell.

So much to do, so little time....

I wandered into my workroom last night and realised that I had so many projects either on the go, in the planning stages or in the I really not sure what I'm going to do with this stage.  It was all getting too much and I wasn't doing anything at all so I decided that I needed a To Do list and here it is:

Cherry Blossoms - the blossoms are bursting on the trees outside my building and they got my creative juices flowing - not exactly what I'm going to do but I have ideas for 2 pieces - both using this beautiful blue silk I've had in my stash for some time.  One piece will be representational with stitching and little handmade silk blossoms (if I can work out how to make them) and the other will involve printing a photo of the blossoms onto fabric and stitching onto the silk background with some words and buttons as well.  Both will be framed pieces - just need to find some interesting frames and I can get started.

l'ucello - I bought some beautiful vintage goodies from l'ucello in the Nicholas Building (if you haven't been - GO!!! - it's divine) and I want to do something romantic with them - patchworky with flowers, dyed doilies perhaps, trims and I'm not sure what else.  This will probably be another framed piece so the frame will dictate the size.

Netbook Bag - I've just bought myself the cutest little netbook (it's the latest Vivienne Tam edition from HP) and want to make a sassy case for it - I'm thinking something with a purse/handbag frame and have it either as a clutch or add a handle and make it into a handbag rather than a boring pouch but am not sure if the fabric will stay in the frame with the weight of the netbook in it.

Handbag & Purse - bought handbag & coin purse frames at the recent Quilt & Craft Fair - and fabric - but then I decided I wasn't really sure about the fabric so I've bought some more off ebay and now I'm good to go.  Started the purse this past weekend but haven't got any fabric glue and I've since found better instructions on the internet which gives a cleaner finish so need to do some rejigging once I've got some glue

Brooches - make some more brooches - check out my etsy & made it stores for more...

stay tuned ... there's plenty more to come - this list going to be loooooong

Saturday

It was a miserable Saturday  morning here in Melbourne today but I braved the elemennts and headed to the Sisters Market at the Brunswick Town Hall.  There was a wonderful range of crafted goodies - beautiful jewellery, things for the kiddliwinks, candles, books and the most gorgeous skirts from Dora Ruby, a Melbourne based designer.  I picked up this fab example of her work - I think it's going to be one of those skirts you can wear out to lunch or throw on when you want to dash out for a bottle of ...

She has stores on both etsy and made it.

It's so cute and I think it will go nicely with the cardie I'm knitting in Jo Sharp's Alpaca Silk Georgette - the colour's called Twig and it's more beautiful shade of green.  I using Katya Frankel's Tamzin pattern (from Ravelry, of course) - very easy, well written and it's top down so no sewing up once it's knitted (yay) - here's my work in progress

Finally, I'm blogging again

Well, I've finally made it back to the blogosphere after a long time away. I've been knitting up a storm since I moved to Melbourne in January and wanted to share some of my creations - I've fallen in love with hats - don't ya just love circular needles and the wonderful yarns that are out there.

First up is a lacy beret knit in a gorgeous Royal Blue mohair - I bought this yarn at an opp shop for about a buck and it's divine although a bit of a pain to knit and especially to pull back when I realise I've made a mistake in the lace pattern but I got there in the end. The beret is finished with a perky little I-cord at the top - tres chic!

Next up is a cheeky little merino/silk number - the pattern is apparently based on lotus blossoms and it has a lovely rhythm to it. The yarn, which I bought from etsy.com, is very pretty with shades of greens, lavenders and turquoise/aqua. It was really nice to knit with and the beret is so cute.

I'll be back again soon with more great berets.