S#!t Knitters Say

Enjoy!

Neglecting creativity

So, I have neglected this blog a lot lately. And probably will do for a while still. It's not intentional, it's just that I'm so busy with work that I haven't been making anything. I'm not happy about that, but in time it will change, so I just need to be patient.

After such a long time away from doing something creatively crafty, I feel as if my creative mojo has gone. I have a lot of idea seeds in my head, but feel lost on how to make them more cohesive thoughts and ideas. How do you deal with creative neglect and kick start the ideas flowing more freely?

I believe creativity is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Cliched? Maybe, but it seems true for me.

I look forward to reading your responses.

Happy crafting xx

Music Monday

I think I will dedicate this year's Music Mondays to great covers and mash ups.

Here is a cover of one of my favourite songs at the moment - Every Teardrop is a Waterfall by Coldplay - done by Boyce Avenue.

My goal for the year...to be organised

This is one of the goals I want to achieve this year. The reason it's a goal and not a resolution is because it is something I will need to work towards achieving. I'm hoping that by the end of the year I will be able to do what I need to at work so don't need to bring it home (or at least very little home), be able to keep things a lot tidier so I don't have to do massive clean ups every few months, will be able to do what is needed first so I can enjoy my free time instead of procrastinating and not having enough time for either and be able to sew more.

I know that this is going to take a lot of work in order to achieve, but I'm gonna push myself to achieve it. Of course, that means I will need to tidy up and organise my sewing space so I can use it when I want to. I don't sew no where near as much as I want to (the sewing table has become a dumping ground for a lot of my crafty stuff). There are so many things I want to make.

Spending time on sites like Pinterest and Burda Style have definitely inspired me to create!

So now I'm going to go have a go at the "doing what I have to when I have to" thing....

Wish me luck!

P xx

Music Monday: Rolling In The Deep covers ultimate mash up

Do you know that Adele's Rolling In The Deep has been covered more 350 000 times on Youtube? It's true - kinda amazing isn't it! Here is a mash up (not mine) that uses 70 of those covers.



Enjoy
P xx

OPI nail polish review

So I have been a little naughty this week. I bought five new nail polishes from OPI. I've been wearing nail polish a lot lately as I find that I don't bite my nails really when wearing nail polish. Which means my nails have been able to grow. I'm still working on getting them in a nice shape and all a similar length,but they are getting there.

One of the reasons that I love OPI nail polish so much is that it dries really quickly. And not just touch dry, but fully dry. I used to hate having to be so careful when I put nail polish on before (including "quick dry" polishes) because I would always end up smudging them. Now I dont have to worry as much about that.

Another reason is the huge variety of colours - there are so many that I think pretty much everyone would be able to find that one colour they could wear all the time.

One more reason I like OPI nail polish is because of the consistency - not to thick, not to thin - just right. Two coats is all you need!

L-R: Bay Bridge Sunset, Dulce De Leche, Rainbow Connection, Penny For Your Thoughts, Yodel Me On My Cell.

These colours are fantastic (you can google colour swatches) and come out pretty much identical to how they are in the bottle. I also own I Juggle...Men, Jade Is The New Black, OPI Inc, Tickle My France-y and My Address is "Hollywood".  If you are after a new nail polish, try OPI - it is worth the extra cost. 

So what is your favourite nail polish and colour?

P xx

A visit to Taronga Zoo

On Tuesday I went to Taronga Zoo for the first time in about 5 years! I wanted to go to see the tiger cubs before they got too big to be called tiger cubs! I got my kitty three months ago so I know how quickly they grow! It was a nice sunny day and despite putting on sunscreen (and reapplying it throughout the day) I still got a bit sun burnt :( But despite that it was a great day.

Here is a photo I took on one of the cubs with mama tiger. (Taken behind glass)

And here are some photos of the cubs at lunch time. Aren't they cute?

  

Taronga Zoo has lots of other great animals to see. Some of my favourites were the snow leopard, lions, elephants and mere cats.

Plus Taronga Zoo has some great views of the city :)

If you are in Sydney or are visiting Sydney soon, I really do recommend a visit to the zoo.

P xx

How-To Tuesday: Turning badges & buttons into magnets.

A while ago I had turned a pile of my hair ties with fabric covered buttons into magnets because I wasn't using them. Recently I acquired some badges that I wanted to do the same to and made a tutorial to go with it. This is really good if you have fabric covered buttons and/or badges you like but don't get to admire as much as you would like. Let's get started...

What you need:

A pair of wire cutters, magnets, buttons and/or badges and an adhesive (I used Selley's multi grip). I bought the magnet in an assorted pack from the craft section at my local Bunnings hardware. 

Step 1: Using the wire cutters, cut as much of the wire on the back off. 

I cut the pin off at the hinge (you could also cut the hinge off too if your magnet is small or thin) and the hook. You want to make sure that you cut off enough of the wire so once the magnet is glued on it wont scratch your fridge/white board.

Step 2: Following the directions of your adhesive glue the magnet to the back of your badge/button.

If you are using Selley's Multi grip, you need to apply the adhesive to both surfaces, wait a minute and then put the two surfaces together. I recommend leaving the magnet on the table/bench you are working on because it can get a bit fiddly trying to put the magnet down after putting the adhesive on the back of the magnet. 

Step 3: Wait for the glue/adhesive to dry.

Selley's multigrip recommends 24hrs for the glue to dry and reach maximum strength.


Step 4: Enjoy your new magnets!

 

Easy peasy!

If you make any of your buttons or badges into magnets, post a link to your blog or the photos in a comment below. I'd love to see the magnet love!

P xx

Passionfruit Butter

I was introduced to passionfruit butter by my mum a few years ago. At first I didn't like it, but, the more she bought it, the more I grew to like it. I had though about making it a few times and then never got around to it.

At the end of November we went down to the Hunter Valley to go and see the Christmas lights at the Hunter Valley Gardens. Whilst we were down there we picked up some passionfruit butter and it was the best I've ever tasted. The perfect balance between sweet and tangy. I knew I would have to make some of my own now so I scoured the Internet for a recipe that looked easy enough and had good reviews. I found this recipe that had gotten 5 stars from each of it's reviewers. And it looked so easy, just four ingredients and four steps. Easy!

And it was easy (phew!). There was one stage that I thought it might not work but i kept going and it turned out well. It did take longer than stated in the recipe, but I can see how it could only take 15minutes to prepare if you were seasoned in making stuff like this. Anyway, here are the results:

 This is just after putting it into jars. The recipe made heaps, filling all four jars.

And here is what it looks like after being refrigerated all night.

The recipe called for the pulp of 12 passionfruits, but seeing as passionfruit isn't in season I used 3 small (170g each) tins of passionfruit pulp instead.

So if you ever want to make passionfruit butter, I highly recommend this recipe. I really want to try making a lemon & lime butter recipe and maybe even an orange, lemon and lime recipe. Leave a comment if you have ever made these and link to your fave recipe. I'd love to see what your fave recipes are!


P xx

Music Monday

This video has been making the rounds on social media websites so there is a good chance that you have seen this already. But I wanted to share it with you because it is that awesome! I am amazed that five people using just ONE guitar can create such a great cover of Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know.



Enjoy!

2012...A Year of Possibilites

2011 is over! Highlights include graduating university and visiting Melbourne for the first time.

I didn't achieve many of my goals for 2011 - I did not finish 12 projects or sleep more, but overall I am happy with everything that I did in 2011. I just intend to make 2012 a better year!

2012 should be a more exciting year for a few reasons: two good friends of mine will be getting married, I start a new job (and get to quit my old job!) and I've booked my first overseas holiday!

I will be going to Europe in winter and am looking for suggestions on what to do there! I will be going to London, Paris, Lucerne, Barcelona, French Riviera, Rome, Venice, Vienna, Prague, Berlin & Amsterdam. Except for London, I will only have one full day in each place, so if you have been, what would you recommend to see, do or experience?

Enjoy a great start to the 2012 and make the most out of it!

I bought myself an early Christmas present...

I decided after all to treat myself to a DSLR, an early Christmas present to myself and I am so glad that I did. My kitty, however, has show some loathing towards it! I decided on a Canon EOS 550D with a twin lens kit. I'm still learning to use it (I've mastered the auto settings, but really want to learn the manual settings). Once I've done that I'll plan a few trips up the Blue Mountains and to a few other places to test the camera out a bit more.

After looking around for a suitable camera bag, one that would hold the camera body with a lens attached, plus room for 1-2 other lenses and not finding a one that I liked I turned to the Internet. The problem with all the camera bags in the shops was that they looked like a camera bag - an unmistakable sign for "I'm carrying around expensive equipment". That was definitely was not what I was looking for. I found this nice bag that looked big enough and more like a handbag from Camera Chick:

The bag is "B Hobo" by Kelly Moore. It fits my camera and spare lens and has room for my wallet etc so I wont need to carry around a second bag when I want to carry my camera around with me. It's just the right size and is well made too, but it does need a few good outings to really test it out.

If you have any photography tips or have/know of any good photography blogs, leave a comment below.

And here is a photo of my kitty, just coz:

 

Have a good Christmas :)

To get a DSLR or not?

I have been tossing up between getting a DSLR or not lately. I love the idea of having much more creative control over my photos, but am daunted by it at the same time. There is so much to learn in order to use the full potential of the cameras. I have used them a few times when my friends have had theirs out and loved it. But I still can't decide. I don't know if the investment is worth it for me...

You see, I bought myself a Panasonic Lumix TZ10 last year with the money I got for Christmas.

I have used it more than I usually would and have learnt how to use some of the features, but not all of the features. So, I'm not sure if I should learn how to use my point and shoot to it's full potential before I dive into the world of DSLR's or not. I was thinking that if I did get a DSLR, I would get a Canon EOS 550D.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions? Help me make this decision!

Taking a hiatus

I will be taking a break from blogging for a while, mostly due to the fact that I wont have much time to make anything in the next few months. If I happen to come across of anything of interest, I may blog about it for your viewing pleasure, but we will have to wait and see.

But in the mean time, take care and Happy Crafting!

For the love of Pinterest!

I know I haven't been very crafty lately, or very active on the blogosphere either. I start a new job soon and there is a lot to prepare for that and I've been catching up with some old friends, so that hasn't left much time for creating. Or when I do have the time, its not suitable to craft (as other people in the house are generally asleep) or I make little progress that it's not worth showing you.

Despite that lack of crafting, I still have been trying to get that creative and inspirational hit. Thanks to Pinterest, I have been able to get that instant gratification from the creativity of others! Just warning you, it can become addictive - mainly because it is full of beautiful, inspirational and creative ideas.

Whilst I have never spent that long on Pinterest, I can see how that is possible!

Happy pinning!

Ton of Wool Project

 I just pledged my support to get a Ton of Wool of local corma fleece to be processed for DIY'ers like us.

Love Lace Exhibit at The Powerhouse Museum

Today I went to the Love Lace exhibit at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. Overall it was a fantastic exhibit showcase people's different interpretations of lace from all over the world. And we aren't just talking about lace in the textile terms. There were exhibits made from old cars, paper, fences & wire and ceramics. It is well worth the visit if you can make it, but be prepared for a few wierd ones, like the uterus knitted from human hair!

Sydney Fabric Stores

Recently I bought some new sewing patterns that I wanted to try out, but Spotlight and Lincraft didnt have any fabric that tickled my bones so I plan to head into the city this Saturday to try and find some fabric. I'm looking for stores mainly int he CBD area. So far I've found Tessuti (both the Surry Hills and the city store) and the Fabric Store in Surry Hills.

Are there any others out there that I should know about and will be open on a Saturday. I'm looking for stores that sell cotton (woven) and knit fabrics.

Thanks for any suggestions

Happy crafting :)
P x

Lace & embroidery floss dyeing

I mentioned in my last post that I went to the Craft & Sewing Show at Newcastle last weekend, and whilst I was there I picked up some craft dyes from Starr Laces & Ribbons. These are concentrate liquid dyes that will dye any natural fibre and are non-toxic. All you need to do is dilute the dye (I used 1 part dye to 4 parts water), then paint the dye on or immerse the fibre article in the dye and then heat set the dye. You can heat set the dye in your microwave (small items take a minute or less) or on the stove top if you want to dye/heat set at the same time. The best thing about these dyes is that you dont need to throw out the left overs once you've finished because they will keep pretty much indeffinately! You can even mix the dyes, make them up in different strengths etc to get whatever colour you want. I bought some bows so I could make a refernce sample for the dyes.

I'm pretty happy with these colours but think I might get a dark blue and brown to give me a larger choice of colours.

I also used some plain white embroidery floss/thread and dyed them using the dyes. I did use four different colours below even though it is hard to see. I'm looking forward to using them in an upcoming embroidery project.


I do reccommend that if you like dyeing lace, ribbon, embroidery floss, fabric etc that you check out the range dyes available. They are resonably priced and super simple to use!

Happy crafting :)

Where is my mojo?

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last wrote a blog post. I seem to have lost my mojo lately - maybe because I have not been feeling the best thanks to a nasty virus that has been doing the rounds. I went to the Craft and Sewing Show up at Newcastle last weekend to help inspire me and kicked my mojo back into working order - and it seems to have worked. I been working on putting this quilt together that I started way back in April!

It's coming along well so far - here is a picture of the blocks laid out ready to be sewn together.


Sorry for the poor quality, I took it on my phone. But hopefully you will be able to see the finished version sooner rather than later. The blocks are all sewn together, I now need to add the borders and sew the backing together. Then I can quilt it! Which I have to admit I'm kind of nervous about as this will be the first quilt where I don't "stitch in the ditch" and will be the first quilt that isn't destined for a wall.

And as we are talking about mojo, my knitting mojo seems to be on vacation. I've had no desire to knit lately as well as no desire to buy any more yarn!

Happy crafting!