Baby Boudoir

Glamping

2012-01-19T20:34:00.000+11:00

Just some pics, no words needed.

Happy New Year

2012-01-10T16:30:00.001+11:00

Happy New Year peeps. New Year brings new projects, fresh starts and clean-ups. This weekend after having abit of a tidy-up in my sewing room where I had been just dumping stuff (including some more lovely braids from mum), I started on some new childen's clothes using a pretty pink cheesecloth and a gorgeous floral jersey knit. I bought the fabric super cheap months ago at Spotlight when they had an extra 50% off their sale prices. I used my favourite Sabine Pollehn pattern for the top (from the book 'Sewing Clothes Kids Love') which never fails to leave me satisfied. For the bottoms I wanted to use a pattern for bloomer type pants I used many times when Maggie was a baby but I'm buggered if I could find the damm thing now so I had to adapt another pattern.

This is where the problem lies. Damm stupid pattern sizing. Does anyone else have problems with pattern sizes? I intended to make size 18 months and I thought they looked abit on the large size when I started to cut, but I'm trying to train myself to do as I am told and follow patterns and instructions properly. Well flippin heck, I should have trusted my judgement as now that they are finished I would say they'd be size 4-5!

I always seem to have this problem with patterns! They are always larger than they say. I even checked the measurement charts and seam allowances and still everything I make is larger than it says it should be. It's so silly billy.

Maybe this year I should not do as I'm told and trust my judgement more. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out though despite the size issue and it's nice to use the trimming I bought from a garage sale in Marrawah. Marrawah of all places, a remote surfy village on the rugged wild west coast of Tasmania where we spend most of our weekends in the summer. It's a gorgeous place, abit like a second home for us. I'll have to remember to show you some pics from our New Years trip.

I hope you all had a jolly Christmas and are full of New Year enthusiasm. What new projects are on your table?

Memories from Home - Good Sensible Shoes

2012-01-06T21:31:00.001+11:00

My dad had this little ritual when me and my brother were young when it came to time for new shoes. My dad is abit of (well actually a lot of ) a 'Made in England' man. He would only ever drive Triumph cars, wear Marks and Spencers clothes (when they were still made in blighty) and wear Clarks shoes. Clarks Shoes is and always has been based in Somerset England, although the shoes are now manufactured elsewhere. Famed for designing the iconic desert boot and the wallabee. Their shoes have always had a reputation for quality and good ergonomic design. And this is what my dad liked about them. He considered them to be 'good sensible shoes'.

Clarks Desert Boots

Clarks Wallabees

Although these are now considered pretty darn cool, at the time they certainly were not. Fashion did not sit high on my dads list of priorities when it came to selecting 'good sensible shoes'. I remember sitting with my legs crossed in assembly trying to hide my shoes underneath my skirt so that the cool kids with their cool shoes didn't take the mickey. These are often what we would come home with, called playdecks.

Clarks Playdecks

I remember the sales assistants seemed very stern and important as they approached with their special machine to measure every contour of the foot which was a pretty scary prospect to a seven year old who has ridiculously ticklish feet. Although dad always saw the funny side of my nervous giggles. After buying the shoes we'd go and buy a pasty for lunch which we'd eat out of the bag and then he'd take us to the swimming baths in Street. It became abit of a ritual for us so when dad said that he wanted to take Maggie to buy her a 'good sensible pair of shoes' whilst we were visiting home this year, I felt an overwhelming love for him and the little ritual that we enjoyed together.

It was just as I remembered it, although this lady was very friendly. Thank you Clarks.

Fair Isle

2011-12-14T21:03:00.001+11:00

So back to the Isabel Green wardrobe and a Fair Isle tank top to wear over the 1940's dresses. Fair Isle is one of the small islands off Scotland that make up the Shetlands and is where the 'Fair Isle' knitting technique originated. Yes that's right, not only are they responsible for the very cute little ponies, but also the gorgeous geometric knitting pattern. Imagine what a quaint little place it must be, everyone running around in cosy cardies on miniature ponies!

I sense that there has been abit of a Fair Isle comeback in the fashion stakes (we often miss these in Tasmania) and I have to say I want to jump right on that band wagon. I'm really loving the whole 1940's wartime look thanks to the Nanny McPhee inspiration.

So when Mum said that she wanted to knit something, I was just a little bit thrilled about the prospect of picking my very own Fair Isle cardy or tank top pattern and then she found this amazing website called The Vintage Knitting Lady where you can buy copies of old knitting patterns in pdf format. Mum currently has one on the go for Maggie (the 1st picture) and I can't wait for my turn.

Mum also joked that maybe Kim would like one too. But that really would be way too Sullivans!!!!

Beautiful Braids

2011-12-09T16:46:00.006+11:00

My mum (aka Dora the explorer) travels the world and is very interested in textiles, art and design and from time to time brings me back some amazing little gifts. She has recently arrived in Tasmania to spend Christmas with us after travelling around Borneo, the Phillipines, Vietnam and Malaysia. In Vietnam she bought some beautiful braiding which I think is my favourite gift yet. They were bought from a woman in a mountain village in Northern Vietnam. Mum explained how the ladies wore beautifully embroidered bright couloured clothes and would sit at the roadside stitching away passing time. Mum bought me two lengths of just under a metre each. They are actually very old ones which would have been cut off old clothes to sell. Gosh I really treasure things like this. And is it me, or are they abit 'gypsy'?

When she gave them to me I had so many uses in mind; curtain edging, embellishment on a peasant style dress, stick onto the edge of a table which I'm planning to decoupage, but I decided to put them on Maggie's Christmas stocking as I hope this will see out many years. As Christmas decorations often do, only being enjoyed once a year.

I bought the purple velvet a while ago. It was a boring little a-line skirt I bought in Vinnie's but it was the fabric that caught my eye, such a lush purple velvet. And just enough for a stocking. The braid on the top was from Rajasthan in India (where she went last year) and is made from sequins and little beads sewn on to create the little flowers.

It's all been getting abit jolly in the Gale household. Last weekend we scrumped our Christmas tree which is now standing tall, proud and rather tastefully decorated in our lounge. And when I say tall I mean TALL, it's just a squeeny bit over three metres! I also managed to get hold of some of those lovely tacky consatina style metallic decorations that every home in the 1970's adorned over the festive period. I'm finding them quite nostalgic actually.

I've also been really trying hard to embrace Australian Christmas traditions instead of trying to recreate an English Christmas which just never works here and leaves me feeling so disappointed. So I enjoyed making some kiss biscuits and was very happy indeed with my first ever batch. Sorry I can't share them with you but I'm afraid they've all gone already as we mostly gave them away as little gifts for friends.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas. Happy preparations peeps xxx

An Update on the Isabel Green Dress

2011-11-29T21:47:00.014+11:00

I must apoligise for keeping you in suspenders for so long over the Isabel Green dress but to be honest I can still only just bare to bring myself to talk about it. Abit like the cowboys I got myself into a pickle with a couple of weeks ago, but that's a whole other story! For those new to my blog, I'll briefly fill you in. After watching Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang and getting very excited indeed about the costumes and sets, I decided to set myself the impossible task of creating an Isabel Green wardrobe (she's the main character). Eventhough I accepted that it would be a stupidly difficult task as the costume designer was also responsible for Atonement and Pride and Prejudice.

Anyway, my gorgeous 'hopefully sister-in-law to be' found the perfect Vogue pattern for the dress so I made it my mission to devote an entire 'Stitch n Bitch weekender' to making the dress. I had been warned that Vogue patterns were ridiculously difficult and the pattern had 14 pieces!! But it really was very nice and the closest to the 1940's style that I had seen.

Making the dress was a massive learning experience for me which I have to say I gained a lot from and enjoyed the challenge, but unfortunately when I finished it I realised that the dress was way too big for me. So whilst I was pretty happy with the fact that I had managed to make a really complicated and detailed dress, I could not wear it!

Not to be defeated, I decided to just whip up another one! I did the obligitory half thumb adjustments and was pretty pleased with how easy the second dress was to make. However, I could not believe it when I tried it on and it was still too big! How can this be? I had even measured myself and checked the guide on the pattern. I was so frustrated so out of desperation I just took it to the overlocker and whizzed it in another inch each side, tried to put it on and woops, I couldn't even get it on. It was too small!!!! Ok so I give up, it isn't meant to be.

The Isabel Green wardrobe project has been abit of a 'I don't want to talk about it' subject around here ever since. Until last week that is when I decided it was time to try another pattern. I have had real difficulty finding 1940's style patterns but I liked the look of the little blue and white dress with the collar and gathered sleeves so I thought I'd give it a go and I'm really pleased with the way it's turned out so I took some photos of me wearing it today. The chartreuse coloured fabric with the little white flowers isn't really 1940's style either but I love it. I bought it in the Retro Shop in Bangalow during our road trip and saved it for a dress. I may have gone off on a bit of a tangent with this dress but never mind, it's certainly been inspired by Isabel Green.

But if you can help me out on where to find 1940's patterns, I'd love to hear from you.

More Gypsy Love

2011-11-21T20:33:00.000+11:00

Oh my giddy aunt, have you ever seen anything more cute than this? It's a sewing box and is made by Cath Kidston, you can find them here.

I reckon on average I must type gypsy caravan into google at least once a week for a regular fix of all things gypsy and hopefully inspire Mr Gale to build us our very own, but I have never stumbled upon this little beauty before. It's certainly got me thinking, maybe something new for my gypsy range?

I'm even more perplexed though that I didn't find myself with one tucked into a shopping bag on leaving the shop as I did in fact visit the Cath Kidston Marylebone High Street shop during my recent visit to the UK. It was quite a treat as I hadn't gone in search for it. I was there hunting out posh charity shops. Incidentally, I found many posh charity shops and bought the most awesome pair of Zara jeans.

Pssst! Just for the record, Cath Kidston to me is very much like that record that you loved until it was played to death on the radio and you become very bored of it indeed. I guess that makes me a mainstream snob does it? Having said that, I wouldn't be dissappointed if Father Christmas decided to stuff one in my stocking! After all, I have been a good girl:)

Memories from Home - Montecute House

2011-11-20T21:47:00.001+11:00

Promise you won't laugh? I know you will though, I would if I were you, but I get this funny feeling when I'm in old country homes. Yes I am about to absorb myself in dillisions of grandeur, so if you want to just look at the gorgeous pictures and ignore the dribble, I fully understand.

My mum has always said that I have "ideas above my station" and this just proves it. My friend Delia puts it down to some spiritual sensation suggesting that "maybe in a past life you were an aristocrat or something". I don't know, whatever it is, I just feel comfortable. I can spend hours wandering around the rooms, admiring the antiques, fabrics, furniture and art. The smells of old just make everything so real and strangely familiar. I can really imagine how life would have been back then. I can feel the history, imagine the family sagas and personalities that would have existed there.

I guess we can all dream and maybe that's just it, maybe I have an overactive imagination and have read too many historical romances.

On our visit to the National Trust property Montecute House it was such a beautiful day that we decided not to pay the entrance fee and just hang out in the gardens instead. We spent the whole afternoon strolling around the gardens, looking at the beautiful flowers, playing chase, watching the fish in the pond, waiting just waiting for Mr Darcy. See that's another thing, being a complete romantic means that I really do believe in knights in shinning armour who whisk woman away to a happy fullfilled life.

Mr Darcy didn't arrive that day but I am pleased that Mr Darcy has since revved into Delia's life, albeit on a bright shiny motorbike.

My Creative Space

2011-11-04T13:29:00.000+11:00

Do you ever get sewers block? I usually get it when I'm a little bit under pressure to perform, rendering me not entirely unable to sew, but just unmotivated to sew what I should be getting into, wishing instead to work on one of the other many projects I have on the go. You see time is ticking by and I want to make some chrismassy things for our forthcoming market, but I'm just not in the mood yet for christmas. So instead I made these lovely bright needlecases. I've been meaning to make these for a while to go with my pin cushions. A lovely little gift together don't you think.

But what I should really be making is some cute little birds but they just aren't turning out how I hoped. Still more design work needed. Hopefully I'll manage to sort it out over the next couple of weeks. How about you, got any lovely christmas projects on the go.

On a more positive note, last week I managed to make two loose covers for the gorgeous old armchairs I bought in Vinnies last year. It ended up being one of those projects which you think would take ages but in fact was relatively quick and painless. Don't we just love it when that happens. Hope your projects are going swimmingly.

To Market To Market

2011-10-31T21:39:00.001+11:00

Sarah, Michelle and Me - Trashy housewife theme market

It's been so long since I mentioned our little market the 'Made With Love Bazaar' and I actually have a very big reason to mention it now as we will celebrating our first year of success at our next market in November. It can't believe it's been one year since we decided to stop talking about it and do it!

rockMYroll

Crooked Stitch

I first met Michelle when we were at an antenatal group. We were the 'naughty' ones who got the giggles during the birthing video, talked about sewing when we should have been discussing birth plans and left the group feeling pleased we'd met each other but not really knowing much about what we were about to experience in child birth!

Adore U

Angie Freeman Mosiacs

Baby Boudoir

During the months that followed it wasn't just our babies that were born but a plan to start some kind of co-op/market to sell locally handmade products. Michelle was heavily involved with the local art scene and therefore had many contacts, a suitable venue and was ultimately the one that was brave enough to run with it.

Baby Boudoir

Buttercup Cakes

We were also eagerly encouraged by the other 'stitch n bitch' girls who were excited about becoming involved in a community based handmade market. And thank goodness for Sarah, who managed to organise all our chaos. So it was with nervous anticipation that we all set up for our first market, hoping and praying that enough people would come along to make it a success.

Clever Zebra Designs

Grace of Autumn

Having a Hoot

Lisaloo

The community has really embraced our market and we are so appreciative of them, especially our 'regulars'. We have also been blown away by the amount of talented artisans on the North West coast of Tasmania wanting to become involved, it is just amazing it really is.

Pure Sense

Turning Trixie

Sweet Mia

Last week I saw a friend in town, a friend that is very supportive of local artisans and has been supportive of our market and she said "you know you guys should be so proud of yourselves and what you've achieved, everyone talks about the market and how brilliant it is". Thanks Alison, we are and it was lovely of you to remind us. Thanks also to everyone that is or has been involved; shoppers, stall holders, Naomi our photographer, the Advocate Newspaper, SeaFM radio, buskers you've all been awesome and we couldn't have done it without each other. Cheers all and here's to another year of fun and dress-ups. Come along and experience the LOVE: Artscape Building, 45 Jackson Street, Wynyard, Tasmania every second Saturday of the month between 9am - 1pm.

Third Vine

More 'Gypsy Dreams' Clothes

2011-10-02T21:34:00.000+11:00

I'm so pleased with these cute little hippy/gypsy style fur waistcoats I made using some teddy bear fur that I had picked up at Vinnies just before I left Aus. It was sat on my sewing table when I returned. By the way, the bird fabric isn't upside down, it's ......... whatever it's called when it can't be upside down ........ hehehehe. I think you'll know what I mean!

I've pretty much used it all now making four waistcoats but that's the way it goes when you make things from recycled. You only have what there is, there's no going back for more and when it's gone, you have to come up with something new. But that's what I love about making everything out of recycled stuff.

What have you all been up to? It's been a while hey. Just gonna pop over now to the new 'Our Creative Space' to have a good catch-up.

Memories from Home - Dunster Country Show

2011-09-25T21:33:00.028+10:00

Don't we all just love a good country fare to evoke nostalgic feelings of happy childhood summers days? Pony rides, scones, fizzy pop, fair rides, face painting, sunburn, the beautiful sweet smell of hay and horses tack and Punch and Judy belly laughs.

As a parent it gets even better. Not only do you get to relive those memories but you get to relish in the enjoyment of seeing your little kiddiwinks experience it all. Plus, you discover a whole other side of the show - the adult entertainment. No I don’t mean of the risqué variety, but the local cider, microbrewed beers and gournmet farmers gastronomic delights. I have also entered into the official ‘boring old farts club’ by discovering an interest in the more traditional country crafts such as spinning and thatching which before would have made me adopt the “yeh right whatever” kind of attitude. I even went for a little lookie at the tweeds, no I didn't buy any, way to itchy for me, but I just wondered if I could mix it up abit with a couple of my vintage dresses and run a queenie type look!

But seriously is there anything more fun, I ask you? And with the backdrop of Dunster Castle, it was all pretty perfect really for us at the Dunster Show. See the castle? It's one of my favourite things to do in England, visit the National Trust country homes and estates. I'll be sharing some pictures from Montecute House real soon, where Sense and Sensability was filmed.

Kim didn’t quite know what to make of the ferret racing (it’s an English thing), but was very proud of his achievement on the clay pigeon shoot after the guy told him he was way to good and had to shoot blindfolded! Maggie as always loved all things horsey and especially enjoyed the fun games put on by the pony clubs.

This was all very serious, which made me giggle. Though I have always thought of hunting as a cruel sport with the prolonged chase and savage kill of animals just doing what they do, I do however like some of the associated traditions and respect the skills of the master of the hound. Hypocritical maybe.

Oh and did I tell you? There was even a crooked house. Remember these? I was so excited about going in this when I saw it (you see you can do things like this again when you have a child). Actually it was disappointingly 'pikey' inside, but I tried to see it through kids eyes and looked past the gaffer tap holding the boxing bags together as I exaggerated my bash into them each time the wibbly woobly floor moved.

Face paints smudged, we returned to our barn properly tired, dirty and sticky from sugar and sweat. I just flipping love it I do. When I say returned home, it wasn’t quite as simple as just popping the key in the ignition and off we trot as I had left a ‘thingy’ on and flattened the car battery requiring the local scout group to push us around the flat field a couple of times to bump start the car! I felt abit like Benny Hill.

Been Sewing

2011-09-22T17:53:00.003+10:00

I've been back in Tasmania after my trip to England for five weeks now and at last I feel like I have my sewing mojo back. Feeling seriously homesick isn't psychologically conducive to creativity. I would mooch into the haven of my sewing room in a miserable state, sit for a while, drink a cup of tea and then mooch back out feeling deflated, uninspired and incapable.

How stupid is that? Just when I really needed that outlet, I couldn't find it in me. But I do think that brains and bodies can only cope with so much and sometimes mine just says NO! And on this occasion it was fair enough. I was seriously jet-lagged having found myself wide awake at night time unable to sleep. I was also redecorating Maggie-May's room after realising upon our return that there was no way she was going to fit into her cot. I was also trying to remain sympathetic to husband and child who had serious flu's, unpack 70kgs worth of stuff, deal with my own flu and make the house back into our home. Therefore, sewing up a storm on a new collection of childrens clothes was probaly asking just a little bit too much. It was time for brain to say NO - ENOUGH ALREADY.

But isn't it amazing that as soon as Maggie's room was finished, the patients were better and the house back in shape I went into my sewing room and whizzed up three gorgeous little 'gypsy dreams' tops and the following day I had fun making two more blanket dresses. I love the way the raw edges on the blanket dresses 'felt' (as in matt together) and improve with each wash. This A-line pattern came from one of my favourite dresses of Maggie's. When she was small (about one and a half) she wore it as a dress and now at three she wears it as a cool little vest. It's a really great shape. The blanket obsession will go on the back burner now until next winter as I start to think about more spring summer ideas. Thankgoodness things are looking a whole lot brighter around here.

I still have heaps more photos and stories of 'Memories from Home' to share with all you lovely readers so please feel free to become a follower if you're interested in hearing all about our English adventures. If you are interested in purchasing from me, email me claireyloo@hotmail.com I'd love to hear from you.

Farm Shops

2011-09-21T21:00:00.001+10:00

Just a quick little post about farm shops. This is one that I became a bit of a fan of during our stay on my Uncle's farm in Over Stowey in Somerset, England.

It's just simple, how life should be.

They grow it.

We buy it.

Bobs your Uncle. Farm fresh locally produced fruit and vegies. Come on, lets all just buy direct from our local suppliers, find them, use them, it just makes sense. It's just one of those little things we can all do easily to collectively make a difference.

Memories from Home - Tracey Emin Exhibition

2011-08-28T15:23:00.000+10:00

I had always sat uncomfortably on the fence on the subject of appreciation of controversial artist Tracey Emin's work until I went to her exhibition 'Love is What You Want' at the Hayward Gallery in London recently. Knowing a little about her controversial status in the contemporary art world I went with an open mind and ready to consider the ever looming question 'what is art anyway' and 'are you taking the piss'? Not surprisingly, the answer to those questions when faced with an exhibit of a used tampon was the latter and the constant references to her abortion experiences left me feeling awkward and emotionally drained.

Sure her previous work 'My Bed' (link here) could be considered abit 'lazy' and her tent piece 'Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-1995' (link here) was a little unnecessarily informative but what I didn't realise about Tracey Emin is her uncanny knack with a needle. Check out the amazing quilts she has produced, they blew me away and not something I had expected to see at all.

She had patchworked, appliqued and embroidered snippets of her life in proper memory quilt style using old clothes, swatches and keep sakes. I can just imagine her sat in a little stitch n bitch sewing group stitching away on these........NOT!

One thing you can say about her work is that it's truly personal. She is outspoken. She challenges personal thoughts and makes statements that others might not be so brave to make. And whilst her mono prints were a little too dark for me, I could appreciate their rawness. They really make you feel like she's scratched out her heart and soul on the paper. Hmm serious shit really! And I guess that's what art is, expressionism. This is where it starts getting abit deep so I'll leave you with your own thoughts on this.

So do I like Tracey Emins work? Yeh, I love the quilts. And anything controversial is good for the mind. And yes I appreciate her abilities as a mixed media artist. I also love the way her work is so personal and tells her story, just probably not one to share with the kids though.

I chose not to put up pictures of her more controversial work, but if you're interested, Mr Google is always more than willing to oblige.

Memories from Home - Godney Gathering

2011-08-17T23:59:00.004+10:00

Ever wondered what happened to that band, that did that song, that went "................"? Well I have a stonker for you here. Remember that song that went "put your hands on, put your hands on"? It's by a surfy/bluesy/rock band called Reef who are from Somerset, England - very near home. They stopped recording in 2003 after five brilliant albums but have recently reformed and here they are now.

I've been abit of a groupie since the days when they played grungy gigs in dodgy little pubs in and around Somerset. I use the word groupie very lightly as this was really only in my dreams as I had/have a very serious crush on Mr lead singer, Gary Stringer. So on my recent visit home can you imagine how excited I was to enjoy a very special evening in a field deep in the Somerset countyside with the aforementioned Mr Stringer. Unfortunately so too were 4000 other faithful local fans, including Mr Gale. Who was quite happy for me to rock my little socks off and even passed without comment on the not so delicately put "get your kit off Gary" shouts that shrilled from my lungs. I fully embraced the vibe in that edgy cider fuelled moshpit. What's a rock concert without a few elbow wacks in the head and cider spills down your cleavage. Look out for the Godney Gathering next year.

Gary Stringer and Jack Bessant (half the band) are keeping it real playing some seriously cool mellow yellow acoustic tunes on a side project called Stringer Bessant and Reef are back on the road better than ever. Schoolgirl crush aside, they are one seriously talented riff-ridden rock band with too many belting tunes, soulful slowies and singalong anthems to mention. They're often not shy of some proper rock n roll star gynastics on stage too. Gary you rock, and just for the record, I love that little bum wiggle thingy you do too:)

Two and a half months spent at home in England and so many special memories to share and record, follow the 'Memories from Home' posts by hitting the 'join this site' button on the right. Life's not just all about sewing you know:)

Wild Ponies

2011-06-19T09:41:00.000+10:00

Isn't it amazing what can arise from a simple trip to the shop to get bread and milk. Especially in place as special as this. The village of Nether Stowey sits in the foothills of the Quantocks, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the South West of England.

I'm staying here for a couple of months whilst we spend time visiting family and friends. My Uncle has lived on a farm here for as long as I can remember and when I was a child, my Grandma and Grandad lived in the cottage next door. I always used to love staying with my Grandma and Grandad, not just because they were so special to me at such a difficult period of my life, but also because of their quirky little home with the wibbly wobbly floors and walls, the massive wood burner that used to fill the whole house with warmth and comfort and the mature laden fruit tress in the garden. But what was most special was that at night I would wake to the sound of the wild ponies cantering down past the cottage from the hills into the village to feast on the cricket green grass. It was like a magical fairy tale. I would quickly run to the tiny window and watch them by the moonlight. I'll never forget that. The wild ponies are still on the Quantocks but I think their numbers are diminishing and the cattle grids now keep them more contained.

So with this in my kind, after buying our freshly baked bread, milk, faggots, apples and cream for our apple pie desert I decided to take a quick detour via 'dead womans ditch' to see if Maggie and I could spot wild ponies up on the hills.

I could not believe our luck because all of a sudden there in the middle of the road in front of us, slowly crossing the road was a family of wild ponies, including two very young foals. We watched them cross in peace and then followed them through the bushes.

It was a really wintery day today, very windy and rainy so it felt extra special, seeing them in their wooly coats, with long tangly manes and wild eyes.

It's experiences like this that I hope stick in Maggie's mind, feed her imagination and make magical dreams.

Speaking of feeding imaginations and making magical dreams, you may be interested to know that the village of Nether Stowey, where we go to our local shop, is famed for being where Samuel Coleridge lived for three years and wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Frost at Midnight and Kubla Khan.

Elderflower Cordial

2011-06-14T06:41:00.003+10:00

Tonight after diner we went picking elderflowers in Uncle Johns fields to make cordial so I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

But first a note on the flowers. Pick the flowers early. Not too early that the flowers haven't opened, but not too late that they have started to turn brown and smell of cats wee.

For 1 litre of cordial, you need to pick about 20 large flower heads.

The best flowers are often quite high so unless you want to carry a ladder/chair with you, I find it best to use scissors and 'jump and snip' so that they fall to the ground. Maggie then gathered and counted.

Use a heavy based large pan over a high heat. To 1 litre of boiling water, add 1.8kg of caster sugar and stir over the heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Zest and juice 2 lemons, then slice and add to pan. Add 75g of citric acid and the elderflower heads. Leave to infuse for 24 hours. Strain through muslin and pour into steralised bottles. Done. Easy peasy hey and a lovely gift.

This is where we walked home to our barn with our elderflowers.

Ice Creams with Delia

2011-06-06T22:30:00.001+10:00

You know how I was talking earlier about how wonderful it would be if my two worlds could collide, if my English friends could meet my Ausssie friends and experience each others worlds and life's, well there has kinda been a little bit of that happening. And it's all thanks to blogland!

As you may know I have 'real' friends in Tassie that are bloggers, these include Michelle from Michelle Walker Designs and Allana from High Maintenance Hippie. I also have friends in the UK that have become bloggers, these include my bestie Delia from Dee Dee's Vintage Retro Delights and my 'hopefully to be' sister in law Kirsty from The Sometime Seamstress.

Now thanks to blogland these friends have 'met' albeit in cyberspace and have now become lovely friends. They take an interest in each others life's and are always keen to hear about each others news from me. How spiffing don't you think. What with all that linking, I seem to have forgotton where I was going with this, but the point is, blogland can be a thoroughly smashing place for people to meet, become friends and share experinces. And who knows maybe one day they'll meet in person.

I'm sure you'll be hearing more from Delia and I as we have several excursions planned. Including a day trip to Montacute House, a period home where Sense and Sensability was shot. And I have also been invited to their little 'Bitch and Stitch' group.....eeeek very excited about this!

Home

2011-06-04T07:13:00.001+10:00

I always feel such a mish mash of emotions when I embark on a trip home. The fact that I still naturally call England home will give you an indication of how I regard England despite leaving seven years ago to travel the world and hang out with a guy I had only spent two weeks with in Indonesia! He ended up becoming my husband, we had Maggie and the rest of the story is pretty happy ever after. Apart from the yearning I have for home, for the things that made me who I am, the things I took for granted when I had them and the things that I didn't even realise I'd miss the most. Can you imagine the excitement of seeing my family again? I haven't seen my dad for two big fat years. The thought of seeing him again makes my heart flutter. Hanging out with my homies, dancing with my girlfriends, long walks in the countryside where I grew up, drinking beer in a local pub, village jumble sales and fates, proper curries, seeing old school mates. It's what drives me to endure the ridiculously long journey home and the anxiety leading up to it.

Stir all that excitement around with a big helping of guilt at putting Maggie through the arduous journey and seperating her from her dad for a relatively long periods of time and it makes me feel pretty weighty. And whilst Kim and I actually love having the time apart for all those reasons of rekindled love, appreciation and having time to do our own thing, I actually feel abit like my right arm has been cut off when he's not by my side.

But it will always be this way. I will never be able to have everyone and everything in the one place at one time. I will never be able to make my two life's collide. And I make no apoligies for feeling sad about this. No matter how hard I try not to, I will always miss home and will always feel the need to return.

So now I'm here, in Somerset England and still it's beauty just blows me away. The feeling of belonging is something I will never be able to explain.

Tomorrow another lovely family reunion with my dear Aunty Florrie who this year celebrated her 100th birthday. And Sunday a day on the beach with my bestie and her boys. Time really does make the heart grow much fonder indeed.

Children of the 70's

2011-04-01T11:57:00.002+11:00

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the passenger seat was a treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle - it tasted the same.

We ate dripping sandwiches, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.

Our baby cots were covered with brightly coloured lead-based paint which was promptly chewed and licked.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, or latches on doors or cabinets and it was fine to play with pans.

When we rode our bikes, we wore no helmets, just flip flops and fluorescent clackers' on our wheels.

We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and no one actually died from this.

We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then went top speed down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into stinging nettles a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us all day and no one minded.

We did not have Playstations or X-Boxes, no video games at all. No 99 channels on TV, no videotape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet chat rooms. We had friends - we went outside and found them.

We played elastics and street rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt.

We fell out of trees, got cuts and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits. They were accidents. We learnt not to do the same thing again.

We had fights, punched each other hard and got black and blue- we learned to get over it.

We walked to friend's homes.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate live stuff, and although we were told it would happen, we did not have very many eyes out, nor did the live stuff live inside us forever.

We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law. Imagine that!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
For children growing up now…

They have never heard of we are the World, we are the children, and the Uptown Girl they know is by Westlife not Billy Joel.

For them, there has always been only one Germany and one Vietnam.

AIDS has existed since they were born.

CD's have existed since they were born.

Michael Jackson was always white.

To them John Travolta has always been round in shape and they can't imagine how this fat guy could be a god of dance.

They can never imagine life before computers.

They'll never have pretended to be the A Team, Red Hand Gang or the Famous Five.

They'll never have applied to be on Jim'll Fix It or Why Don't You.

They can't believe a black and white television ever existed and don't even know how to switch on a TV without a remote control.

And they will never understand how we could leave the house without a mobile phone and travel on a bus.

I wish I knew who was responsible for this so that I could credit them. It's something that was flying around the Internet a long time ago and has always stuck in my mind. I think about it from time to time when trying to 'keep it real'.

My Creative Space

2011-03-31T08:12:00.002+11:00

After coming over all inspired, refreshed and excited by my new book Sewing Clothes Kids Love, in my creative space I have been working on my new children's clothes range for the Made with LOVE Bazaar and I have to say, it's been a big hit with little Maggie-May. She has given me lots and lots of feedback on every miniscule detail! Her favourite was the wolf on the 'little red riding hood' ribbon.

I'm still trying to maintain the gypsy theme, so lots of ruffles and bright mismatch colour but I fear the style is more imaginary than real-life.

I made more recycled blanket jackets which I posted about before here, here and here as well as some trousers using the Dortje pattern. I love this style because it's given them more of a jeans look than just plain pyjama style pants. I've been looking for a pattern like this for ages, although I did alter it a little by straightening off the kick flair for the smaller sizes. I like the kick flair for older children but hate that 'Elvis' look it gives toddlers.

Of course I'm still using the usual op-shopped fabrics, bed linens, doilies, table clothes, tea towels, zips and buttons but mixing it all up with my very special new ribbons from Farbenmix.

I've also been playing around with my jersey knits more than I ever have. It's especially handy the way these curl over on the ends, I love that for a change from the normal seams.

I can't wait for our next market as I missed the last when we were away at the surf competition, which Kim came 3rd in - stoked!!!! The fancy dress theme is 80's and at the moment I'm thinking Karate Kid, Breakfast Club or Dexy's Midnight Runners and as a back up I can always get a disgusting satin prom dress from my local Vinnie's that has the best dress-up hire upstairs.

The market is on Saturday 9th April between 9am-1pm in the Artscape Building, Jackson Street, Wynyard, Tas. I wish you could all come, you'd love it so much.

Thanks for continuing to host My Creative Space Kirsty, it gives me an aim every week. See more here.

The Isabel Green Dress

2011-03-29T11:23:00.000+11:00

Wow you'll never guess what has happened? My brothers gorgeous girlfriend, who also sews, has only gone and got me THE best pattern for the 'Isabel Green dress' I posted about before here. It's pretty funny really because as you may know, I have been searchng for the perfect pattern for a while now and out of the zillions and zillions of dress patterns I've looked at, we chose the same one.

I just wasn't confident enough to actually buy it because I thought it looked way to difficult for me. Plus it's very fancy being a special Vogue pattern, especially when like me you're just used to tatty old op-shopped patterns.

But since she kindly bought it for me, I think it's given me the little push I needed to give it a try. I'm sure the lovely girls at Stitch n Bitch will help me out when (not if) I get stuck and it's good to try something out of your comfort zone from time to time right?

Not sure when I'll make a start on it, at the moment I just keep loooking at it affectionately:) Oh yeh, and I still need to choose the fabric, but that's the fun part. Wish me luck.

Monday Morning Book Club

2011-03-28T19:16:00.003+11:00

I have been thinking about reviving the Baby Boudoir Monday Morning Book Club for a while now as it’s a really good way to share and recommend good books. In fact the one I’m going to tell you about today was mentioned by the gorgeous Kate who writes Foxes Lane blog a long long time ago and I’ve been dying to get my hands on a copy ever since. So after sitting on my christmas wish list for two christmas' I ordered it from Mr Amazon and now I’m left wondering why oh why did I wait so long!!!

Sewing Clothes Kids Love has completely and utterly inspired and consumed me ever since it arrived a couple of weeks ago. It’s given me a fresh approach to my sewing and I’m loving it......and it's all about indulgence.

The contributing author Sabine Pollehn started out like many of us using op-shopped recycled cheap fabrics to create unique practical clothing for her kiddiwinks. And I love the fact that still now as an enormously successful designer, her clothes manage to maintain that unique thrown together mismatched style. For me, this book reaffirms two golden rules of design in sewing; you can never over embellish and you should always mismatch.

The way she mixes colours, patterns and textures is truly inspirational. And the way she incorporates ribbons, braids, trimmings, buttons, applique and graphics gives you the confidence to dismiss nothing for fear of not matching.

Sabine’s daughters online shop Farbenmix that I posted about before here, sells these exceptionally cute ribbons which I think give garments that little bit of extra charm. They are very reasonably priced and easy to buy online, arriving in Australia from Germany in just over a week.

Anyone making clothes for kiddiwinks really should get a copy of this book (ISB no 5294401747). It contains all the patterns you'll need to produce an entire handmade wardrobe. Including lovely basic patterns for leggings, skirt, trousers, l/s & s/s tops, hoody, jacket and a dress. Thank you so much Nancy J. S. Langdon and Sabine Pollehn for this super brilliant book. I will treasure it forever and look forward to passing it onto Maggie-May one day. Apparently there is a second one too.

I really want to revive the Monday Morning Book Club as it’s such a good reference point for anyone looking to buy a new book. But I can’t manage it alone. Whilst there are many wonderful craft books out there I generally don’t stumble across a new one each and every week. So this is where you come in. If you’ve got a book you'd like to tell everyone about or have recently discovered a book that has truly made your fingers fidget for the fabric, please write a post titled Monday Morning Book Club and share the love using our friend Mr Linky. Maybe someone could review the second Sewing Clothes Kids Love book.

PS. The monday morning thingy is more a title than a rule, born out of an old habit of mine.

My Creative Space

2011-03-10T08:00:00.002+11:00

I've been pottering about in my creative space this week, not really getting into anything in particular. I think I have sewers block! I'm still searching for the perfect pattern for the Isabel Green dress and coat. So I revisited my covered buttons which I posted about before here, and made some more.

A nice little project. Maybe I'll see how they go at the market as pretty little hair bands. I made one for myself that I've been wearing all day.

Do you like them on the vintage childrens playing cards. Maybe abit confusing, as they're really for adults, not children. But they look cute don't they? Hmmmmm......more pondering required. Hope your creative space is a wee bit more fruitful than mine this week.

Visit more creative spaces here.