Category Archives: Life

When life hands you lemons….

Instagram? Insta-fun!

I have had my special phone for a while now. I know it can do many, many amazing things I just don’t use it for, but a more recent thing I have gotten into is Instagram. I do hang out occasionally on Twitter, but it doesn’t hold my interest long. I guess I must be a visual kinda person though, because, I am just love checking out Instagram.

All the pics I’ll share here today are mine.

There are some great photographers on there & its just like the twitter – you follow people & see their pics. You can comment and like and share your pics on twitter, facebook, flickr & others.

Its easy to get the pics onto your good old puter too. INK361.com is a great site you join & log in & voila – there are your pics

Buy why? Well its fun. I have made some lovely connections with people I have “known” via etsy, facebook, twitter etc for a while that I feel is much more than what we have had before. Seeing what each other is doing, making, cooking etc makes it more real life to me. I feel more connected with them.

I also like it because we are just posting our own pics. I have gone off pinterest a bit because of the recent kerfuffles about rights to share pics. I just don’t feel as good about it anymore. If I like something on Instagram, we like the pic & the author of the post knows who is digging their stuff, & that’s where it ends. Simple

I also like that you can comment & interact with the folks taking the pics. You can #tag stuff very easily too & if you are wanting some inspiration for a crochet project etc – you can search everyone’s pics by typing in #crochet. Awesome!

As well as posting everyday stuff, there are fun creative challenges to do. I am really liking doing the FatMumSlim photo-a-day challenges. Its fun seeing how so many folks all over the world interpret a few words. Cool! This is the May list :

My user name on Instagram is “spincushions” – what a surprise!

I’d love to see what photos you take – drop your Instagram username here & I’ll check you out (in a non-creepy way – honest LOL)

I’m a crotchety old lady

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I love good old fashioned crochet. I do. When I was 10, I crocheted a granny square rug for my new baby sister. Clever huh?

But then, I did not pick up a crochet hook again until last year. That’s a LOT of years in between! I became enamoured of arimigumi and thought, hey I could do that! I got all enthusiastic and bought heaps of wool and hooks & pretty quickly found out that I could not crochet. Sure I could crochet a granny using 3 treble clusters, but there is SO much more to crochet than I ever knew. It was all so confusing to my tiny mind – another language really :( So I gave it up in disgust.

Then, not so long ago, I saw on Facebook that Spotlightwas going to release a block a week pattern for a throw rug that uses all different crochet stitches for each block. It called the Krista Throw. Hooray! A way to play & learn. I can do that I thought!

And I have been doing it. Each week, I have been looking forward to Friday when I can come home, print the new pattern & sit down after dinner to crochet my lil heart out

I’m up to block 8 now & while some have been a little challenging, I am pretty pleased with my efforts so far. I know they are far from perfect, but hey I’m still happy

I have decided to make 3 throws – one for each girlchild. One I am doing multicoloured using up all that wool I bought last year, using US terminology and the recommended hook size. It will be , um, eye catching to say the least LOL. The other 2 I am doing in a lovely blue using International terminology, but each using a different sized hook. I figure doing each block 3 times helps me to learn and remember what I am doing. I feel like I am beginning to understand this other language

I would not have made the progress I have without the help of a lovely group of ladies in a Facebook Group set up for the Krista throw. Each week, the experienced crocheters help out us beginners with the pattern wordings and tips on stuff you don’t know about just reading the pattern – like the fact that there is US & International terminology that mean different things and what blocking is. They also tempt us with lots of fabulous crochet projects.

I have a few things on my wish list of things I want to make next – including this one which is a free pattern available through Redheart.com.

Then I had to go to my local library & just happened to borrow some crochet books.

So many options!

I was very happy to find Renate’s book at my tiny little local library. Ren is a member of the DUST team on etsy like me and is so creative with her crochet. Check out her blog to see just how amazing she is. I think I might need to devote a whole blog post to Renate. So much to share!

I’ll show you the finished throws later in the year when I am done. I love a new challenge!

Have you started a new creatively challenging thing lately? I’d love to hear about it

Once upon a time..

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Stages. I go through them. Some last years (current pincushion obsession) others last months.

One about 9 years ago that lasted about 6 months was my drawing stage. For my birthday I received a gift voucher for an art supplies shop. I love art supplies. I love the potential of all the lovely colours, pencils, charcoal, chalks, paper. I love looking at it all, but had never before been game to have a go. I had not drawn since school and never classed myself as a drawer – I still don’t. I think it is something anyone can do, but to be called an illustrator or artist you need that special talent that takes your work above and beyond the everyday.

Anyway, I bought myself some lovely paper, pencils & charcoals and had some fun doodling. My kids recently found my efforts and while they are all very amatuerish and doodley, I am still quite happy with some of them so I thought I would share some with you.

I was going to explain each, but I think I’ll let you take what you will from them. I will say the last one is my favourite. Hope you enjoy

A sad blog post..

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Earlier this week, Julie-Anne was involved in a terrible plane accident. Sadly, her daughter and the pilot perished and Julie-Anne herself is in intensive care fighting for her life.

Julie-Anne is a much loved leader of the DUST etsy team – the Down Under Street Team. As in the past when terrible things have happened, our team has banded together to help in a small way by donating the proceeds of items in our shops to Julie-Anne’s family.

Please have a look at this constantly changing treasury as things are selling fast and pass it on to you friends.

‘For Julie-Ann…’ by uniquedichroic

100% of the sale of all items in this treasury are being donated to the family of Julie-Ann Twigg.

BigDreamsEmbro… $39.95	bsylvar $11.50	secretjewellz $35.00	lyptis $95.00
laceandluxurie… $25.00	laceandlinks $24.00	elbiesparks $5.00	spincushions $4.00
rivergum $64.00	AngelLeaDesign… $8.50	bsylvar $16.50	Starzyia $18.00
lizetfrijters $20.00	alipink $12.00	wiccked $33.00	bobishi $58.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Setting the table was never so much fun

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I do love a beautiful Etsy treasury. I really admire those who take the time to ensure a consistent look and feel in a common theme.

Tonight I was in the mood to have a go myself and this is the result. Hope you like it.

‘Set the table and the scene’ by spincushions

vicandalbie $25.00	toocutecustomc… $14.00	boardwalkcandl… $3.50	ElkhornDesign $65.00
Swede13 $36.50	TakeMeHomeware $42.00	giardino $32.00	ReFlamedGlassw… $14.00
SuiteOneStudio $84.00	ArtByKristin $20.00	teresadahmen $68.00	bizzylizzyshop $4.25
jjevensen $36.00	BurlapAndBlue $14.00	lottahelleberg $24.00	jenspopshoppe $30.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

What’s coming up next…

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Sorry blog. I have neglected you so. Life got very busy, but I never fogot you.

These are the up coming posts I have planned

Where’s me jumper – Part 2

I have found some wool and wool blend jumpers in local op shops I intend to felt in my washing machine as I found all the info on in this post. I want to share with you the before, during & after progress I make as time allows.

I have brains!

Yes I do & I keep them in a jar. I swapped with Your Organ Grinder as featured in this post and I am so very happy with my brain! I’ll take some pics to show you how awesome it is.

Ladybird tutorial

I adorn many pincushions with little ladybirds and I will share with you the steps so you too can add some ladybird joy to your life. Just need some good light so I can show you detailed pictures as well. Not much chance of that at the moment in the middle of a very wet winter.

Ladybirds Pincushion

Arty Goodness

I am planning on featuring a wonderful artist soon. Some great stuff for your eyes

Craft Spaces

I am often in complete awe of other people’s craft spaces. I plan on showing you some amazing one’s. I’ll leave you with a teaser pic from Allsorts Blog, written by Jenny who is a designer, illustrator & general crafty person.

Wow!

A Natural Wonder

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I love receiving mail. Especially parcels! Today I received this in a lovely package from New Earth Soaps.

Silky moisture lotion

It is wonderful stuff! I love the feel of it. So smooth and silky. It goes on so well and does not leave a greasy feeling at all. Added bonus, it smells divine too! Ahhhh. I love a good moisturiser. This one is especially great because of the thought and care the maker puts into it.

I have purchased a few things from Kaz, and each one is special in its own way. My braces-wearing daughter swears by Softly, softly lip balm and the Shea Butter Bars smell so divine.

I want to share with you just how awesome Kaz and her products are, so here’s a bit of q & a with the lovely Karen of New Earth Soaps.

Describe your products.

Natural, natural, natural. That is the only thing that matters to me. An ingredient must be from nature, from plants (except for beeswax but I use so little of this) and have therapeutic benefits to your skin. For years, there have been dangerous things put in to our everyday products, but now we are questioning them. Thank goodness! Nature can and does provide all that we need to cleanse, moisturise, protect and nourish. We needn’t look any further. I research each ingredient I use extensively, but if you would like to look into what products you are using, a great website is www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.

Super Fruity Soap by New Earth Soaps

Tell me why natural, sustainable ingredients are so important to you?

Way back in february 2000 I got quite sick, which lead to further illness and then a compromised immune system. Chemicals became intolerable. I couldn’t spend long in public due to perfumes, deodorants, smoking, plastics, paints. They all made me ill. Now just like wheat, dairy and processed foods, I must avoid chemicals and toxins as best I can. To keep control of what I put on my body, I began to make a basic olive oil soap, my own laundry liquid and began cleaning with simple things like vinegar and bi-carb. It worked. Within just 2 weeks there was a remarkable improvement in my health. I believe if it can help me, it can improve everyones general wellbeing.

Choosing sustainable ingredients is important to me because I honestly don’t see any other way forward. If we continue to use the planet’s resources without forethought, we are going to be left with nothing. I saw a great Greenpeace sticker on a car recently. It simply said “There are no jobs if the planet is dead!” Brilliant, just brilliant.

: Love and Peace Perfume Balm

What new things are you working on right now? (Intensive hand cream is on my wishlist )

Intensive hand cream you may just well have. I have been working on a body butter. I have tried several blends in the past but was never quite happy with them. I didn’t like the greasiness. But, guess what? I have cracked the code. I have now worked out a blend that soaks right in and nourishes beautifully. It’s working great on hands. I am so excited. It will be in my store this week.

: Happy Feet Sugar Feet & Body Scrub

Describe your creative space – I bet it smells divine!

Visitors smell the essential oils at the front door. It certainly creates an inviting atmosphere. I am lucky to have two rooms to utilise. One room is just for storing packaging, crafty stuff, packing up parcels etc and the other is my soapy lab. I have huge bench space and lots of peronsal space. Perfect for creating and inventing.

: Clay Face Mask

What does the future hold?

I feel on a roll right now. I’m ready to extend myself, push the limits, and get new products out there and into my store. One thing I have missed is perfumes, so I have been working on essential oil blending and have a few almost ready to go. I can’t wait to show you. Oh I wish for scratch ‘n’ sniff computer screens.

: Two Soaps Gift Pack

Have I got you hooked yet? Here is where you can find Karen about the internet :

Website : New Earth Soaps

Etsy shop : New Earth Soaps

Facebook : New Earth Soaps

Twitter : New Earth Soaps

If you’ve experienced the wonder of New Earth Soaps too, I’d love to hear your comments

Today’s music to craft by

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I love music. I can’t play any instruments, or sing. I don’t let that stop me of course Music motivates me, lifts my mood and helps me get things done.

I love all sorts. I love to listen to my 80′s LP’s, my ipod, the radio – whatever suits my mood at the time.

Today I am super exited because one of my all time favourite singers Sarah Blasko has teemed up with 2 other Aussie songstresses, Holly Throsby and Sally Seltmann to form Seeker Lover Keeper and their album was released today.

If I lived somewhere with a cd shop, I’d be playing it right now. As I don’t, I’m going to have to wait for the mail to come.

Yes. This is one album I want to hold the actual cd in my hands. Some albums need to be heard properly in order on the stereo with no shuffling or potential of loss due to computer malfunction. I miss intently reading every inch of liner notes. One thing the digital age has detracted from with my music love. I want to know the lyrics. I want to know who the band wants to thank. I want to know it all.

I have planned what I will do when my cd arrives. I will sit in my crafting chair, with my sewing, headphones on & soak up the joy and peace that these girls gorgeous voices entwining will bring.

If you’d like to hear what these ladies sound like, you can stream the album from their Facebook page. Just like them and head to the events page to listen.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do

A local tourist

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I live in a very beautiful part of the world. We are very lucky to live where we do, but sometimes we need reminding of what is around us, so today we set out for a family brunch to a place about 40 km’s from our house. The weather was a bit dicey, but we were lucky.

After our brunch, we took the short drive out to the blowholes.

The blowholes - so hard to catch that water up in the air on camera

Then we strolled up the path to the other feature here and it was like walking on the moon. It is called the Petrified Forest, but recently its been claimed that these aren’t trees at all, but solution tubes. Not as magical if you think of it that way I reckon.