Wishlist Wednesday.

Well obviously procrastinating getting any of my own work done and truth is I should probably be in bed, but I just thought I'd give you some of my favourites from this week.

• Gorgeous skirts by koosi from the Netherlands.

• I think I need a Moleskine journal to keep all my ideas in. I'm thinking this one is pretty funky by tamptation in Sydney.
  

• I love the work by local Newcastle artist sketch & jones. I bought Eliza's Christmas dress from her on the weekend at the Art Bazaar. Her prints are gorgeous. These softies are just gorgeous but unfortunately not a necessity around here at the moment...

• Well I gave into this wish and bought myself this bag. I have been eyeing this one off for ages. I love fellow DUSTer Penny's prints from pocketcarnival.

The postman woke the baby.

But all was forgiven once I opened my parcel!

I was a winner in the 'Lil Sonny Sky blog giveaway by the ever so talented and generous Lisa Stubbs. There was a massive amount of gorgeous cards, pins, tags, prints and mini chupa chups! arriving all the way from England. Too bad I had already posted out my Christmas cards this year, let's just say that I am already looking forward to next Christmas so I can post out some of these sweet ones. This little tree card is my favourite :)

I have also been working on a temporary business card that I can just print out a few little ones onto photo paper to hand out at the Red Lantern Night Markets this Friday.

What are your thoughts?

Wearable photography.

This is a sneak peek of my latest project, and as you can see I like to get around a bit and jump from one craft to another!

These are brooches made from upcycled scrabble tiles and bottle caps. I have downsized and printed my photographs so that they fit into this space. Poured some resin over the top, wait a day and ta da, we have some wearable photography.

I had to experiment with the paper to see which would work with the resin the best and I found that the photographs printed on the photographic paper came out the best. They were still bright and the contrast was still good. The ones that were just printed onto colour paper tended to go a bit grey.

All of my Newcastle themed brooches were quite a hit at the Red Lantern Night Market on Friday night so I was quite happy with that. Now I have to get busy and make some more for this coming Friday night market!

Toodooloo :)

Recycled Paper Christmas Garland

recycled paper christmas garland, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I saved the paper that was used for our crackers at the early family christmas lunch yesterday. I punched some circles out of it and now I am sewing through them to make a lovely garland!

Our Handmade Christmas Tree.

Having an almost 2 year old and not a huge amount of space meant that this year's tree is a bit of paper stuck to the window. It's up high enough that little E is not going to pull it down. We have used sticky tape to attach many of the sentimental Christmas decorations. I'm looking forward to next year when E should hopefully have a bit more respect for a real tree.

A few finds from the World's Biggest Car Boot Sale!

Although it's a few weeks late, I just thought that I would share with you some of my treasures from the World's Biggest Car Boot Sale! I believe this event needs an exclamation mark! I'm not 100% sure if it is officially the "World's Biggest" but it did have around 400 stalls and is definitely one of my most looked forward to events of the year.

This year particular year it was stinking hot and I had a tired and cranky almost 2 year old toddler on my hands. She did finally fall asleep in the pram which gave me about an hour to myself to race around and look for goodies.

• I bought this sweet Minolta SLR to replace my old Minolta that is now filled with mould after it experienced the 2007 floods. I haven't had a real close look at it yet but I would like to throw a roll of film in it over the Christmas break.

• I grabbed this roll of retro wallpaper with the intention of using as a bit of a backing on Eliza's toy kitchen, which is a work in progress.

• And this gorgeous kids book for 20 cents, it is falling apart, but I am probably only going to cut it up anyway!
  
  
  

I forgot to take photos of the safari beige old school telephone I grabbed too. I didn't tell the collector that I wanted to give it to my daughter as a play toy. Hehe.

UPDATE : Here is the photo of the phone -->

Smocking, the cheat's way.

I have been wanting to give this technique a try for ages. To create a smocked look by sewing straight lines with your sewing machine and some shirring elastic . Lucky I didn't attempt this on my own. I originally thought that you put the shirring elastic on the spool AND in the bobbin! You basically just have to hand wind the elastic onto your bobbin, not too tight and not too loose.

This dress that I started last night is made from old t-shirt that I scored at an op shop in Mullumbimby whilst holidaying a few months back. It was only $1. The print is on both the back and the front.

I tried it on Eliza and I am going to have a lot of trouble parting with this one. The colours are just so gorgeous. I really need to keep all my stock for my upcoming markets at the Red Lantern Night Markets. I am doing 3 markets in a row and currently don't have a huge amount of things made. I haven't been putting much on my Etsy because I just want to concentrate on the market for now.

:)

Upcycled bottom!

Upcycled bottom!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

This is yesterdays creation. Made from 2 old t-shirts and is now 1 cute pair of bloomers!

This is the first time I have worked with stretch fabric. Having the ballpoint needle makes such a difference.

Looking forward to making a few more of these :)

tied up with string...

tied up with string..., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I made a couple of sales on etsy last night and I had so much fun today packaging the items up to send. I used a page from the index of an old atlas to wrap the purchases in, topped with some thrifted ribbon and a homemade gift tag punced from a vintage storybook.

I also created the envelope that is being sent in with an old calender page that has a photograph of Melbourne on it and I used the sewing machine to zig zag down the edges to seal it.

Now all I need is a few more sales so I can have more fun packaging!! Hint, hint, nudge, nudge! :P

Succumbed to the Facebook Fan Page.

Just a quick post to let you know that I ended up going all out and getting myself a Facebook Fan Page.

Here is the URL for you to add me if you wish! http://facebook.com/encircled

Off to pick my bro up from the airport now, we have only seen him twice over the last 2 years as he has been off gallivanting. We are super excited.

:)

My first Etsy listing in awhile!

My first Etsy listing in awhile!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

Eliza is having a big nap and I managed to do some quiet work and got some of my new heart shaped button clips listed in my Etsy shop. The Down Under Street Team have a November Sale for Stocking Stuffers (these clips are perfect fillers!), so I am offering FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING and to all the Aussies (in Australia) pay only $6AUD with free shipping included if you pay by Direct Debit.

Update: Eliza ended up having a 3 hour nap. I had to wake her up so that we could go do some grocery shopping! I'm just hoping that she can still sleep in in the morning!

Oh so professional...

oh so professional..., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I have moved up in the world and now am the owner of some personalized embroidered ribbon.

I also started working on some more clips last night and got myself a little production line going. I am really happy with the way the heart clips turned out.

Thanks tillytom for a beautiful skirt!

Thanks tillytom for a beautiful skirt!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

Thank you to tillytom designs for sending us out this gorgeous skirt. We were lucky enough to win a $20 voucher for becoming a fan on her facebook page. I had so much trouble deciding which skirt or dress to choose. The fabrics are just beautiful. Thanks again!

I also appliqued this little singlet last night. It's hard to see the detail but I accidently sewed it under the sleeve (I was too lazy to use any iron on stuff), the outcome actually looked quite cute. It made it look a little bit different from everything else that is out there. Don't you just love some things that come from mistakes!

Hat.

Hat., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I whipped up this hat the other night. I cut a pattern from an old hat of Eliza's. It didn't turn out quite right.

I got impatient and ended up going to Spotlight to buy a bucket hat pattern so I could hurry up make some more!

A plan.

A plan., originally uploaded by [mummalu].

After many months of searching for the "right" toy kitchen for Eliza's Christmas present I have come to the decision to make it myself. I was completely obsessed with buying a second hand kitchen and they seem to be hard to come by. When the do appear, they are never quite right. Too plastic, too faded, too dirty, too toxic.

So here we have my little plan for a toy kitchen. We have a scrap yard not too far from ours where I should be able to salvage most of the materials.

Now let's see if I can get this all done by Christmas...

My favourite one so far!

My favourite one so far!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

I like this one because it's a bit more bright and cheerful than the other ones I have done. This was once a ladies shirt and the sleeves were once old curtains! Ha, I'm having fun!

Ta da! Another dress, Could I be on a roll?

Ta da!, originally uploaded by [mummalu].

Now that I have a goal, that being my market stalls at the Red Lantern Night Market over December. I am actually a little bit more motivated to create. This new dress was made using an old pillowcase. Now my biggest issue is not wanting to part with any of my creations and keeping them all for Eliza!

My other issue is do I attempt to sell online or do I just save everything I've got for the markets? I've got a feeling they are going to be busy.

Upcycled Shirt Dress

This isn't an original idea, I have seen these dresses made from men's old shirts on others blogs. I'm not sure who to credit in this case but I can tell you that I did score this pattern from Whole Grain Baby on Etsy. I popped into my fave op shop the other day and managed to get 8 shirts into my "fill a bag for $3"! I also had a chat to one of the girls at my local op shop and she is going to save me some more shirts that are not suitable for sale over the next few days. I would much rather chop some of the more stained and torn shirts, than to chop up a decent one that could be sold to someone who really needs it :)


This is not the best photo, but Eliza was doing the the full on model pose for me! She was walking back and forth with her hand on her hip, it was beautiful.

I have just been accepted to have a stall at the Red Lantern Night Market in Newcastle in December, NOW I just need to go and make some stuff!!

I didn't realise that roses really do have thorns.

You can tell I don't get flowers very often! Paul was home for the weekend and said he would like to buy me some flowers while we were at the Farmer's Market. So I thought I'd try something different and got some roses... never again! I ended up with some so many scratches and bleeds! And I have decided that I never want to be a florist, not that I ever wanted to be one anyway.

I don't own any vases but I do love my reused tomato passata jar!

Peas on a stick.

I came across this blog post by Weelicious and thought to myself "too easy, let's give it a go!". So the Pea Popsicle was a great success. It looks so cute and was so simple to make.

All you need is some popsicle (icy pole) moulds, frozen peas, water & a freezer!

1. Place frozen peas in popsicle moulds filling to the top.
2. Cover with cold water and place sticks in the molds.
3. Place in freezer for 3 hours or until frozen.
4. Serve.

We got given some of these moulds from a friend who bought them through Tupperware. I love the fact that I can give Eliza some tasty & healthy treats. We just recently finished off the plain frozen blended mango pops. I am looking forward to having a go at layering some flavours!

Friday's Finds.

o
t

Yesterday we made a brief trip to my favourite op shop. I don't get much time to peruse the goods instore because of a smaller hanger on called Eliza (DD). So with a quick scan of the shop we found these:

• Vintage Scrabble Tiles: My plan is to have a play with the epoxy resin I have bought and also using my own original photographs to create pendants and brooches. I know that this is fairly unoriginal, but I am having trouble with ideas for another medium to use for the base of the pendants. So for now, this is great.

• Kids Dustpan & Broom: I have been on the look out for one of these for a while. I have been so proud of myself that I have not purchased any "new" toys for Eliza in over a year. All of the toys (which is not many luckily) have come from garage sales, op shops and second hand markets.
  

• Christmas Storybooks: Due to be massacred to create christmas cards and gift tags!

These are the gift tags I have been busily punching out over the last few nights. Planning on listing them in bulk in my etsy store once I am back from my Melbourne trip.

x.x.x.

More clips and if only there were more hours in the day

So I did fall asleep on the couch in front of the TV at 7pm. Had a kip for an hour and then managed to get myself up for a minute. Deciding that it was too early for bed I have sat here in front of the computer for the past 2 hours, editing photos and getting ready to do a batch upload for my etsy shop. I had hoped on getting them up tonight, but it's now 10pm and at the speed my computer works, I just don't think it's going to happen. We will just have to wait for tomorrow evening.

I went to a seminar today on Toddler Tactics. I had very different expectations of what I was going to come of the course with, but I just ended up hearing everything I'd already heard before. The speaker was fantastic, animated, humorous and enjoyable. I just had gone there thinking that I would find all the answers to deal with discipline techniques in real life scenarios. It was not the case, the talk was good, but not worth $35. On the upside there was a lovely cheese platter for morning tea!

x.x.x.

A moment to create

Instead of falling asleep in front of the tv at 7.30pm or sitting on the computer till late, I ended up setting up the sewing machine and got creative. I made 4 small non slip hair clips made from scrap fabrics. They were lots of fun to put together. I was wearing one as a brooch today and it fell off, oh well I'm sure I can make another one!



I am a little bit confused with the whole CSPIA laws that are now in place in the USA when it comes to selling products marketed at kids under 12. But from what I can gather, as a small time manufacturer (that's me) and from Australia, I don't really have to do much, possibly just keep an inventory of stock purchased and used. It is basically the discretion of the buyer or importer to make sure that my products have been tested for lead.

This is the most exciting blog ever!

I am beginning to wonder if starting a blog was the best idea. I sit here now, with my head swollen with mucus and once again I have not much to report. Eliza and I are both sick. I managed to get her to sit down and watch a play school dvd for 30 mins this morning while I lay next to her and drifted in and out of sleep. 5am starts are just beginning to get a little too much after sitting up till midnight.

Grandfolks are arriving tomorrow. We're looking forward to it. x.x.x.

10.20pm, knackered and my etsy shop is officially open.

My computer has been horribly slow this evening and I have just spent the last 4 hours listing only 6 items into my etsy shop. I'm not sure if just me, but is there an easier way to upload listings that are similar? It's like they need saved tags, as it was being so slow everytime I had to add a new tag, even though all my listing were pretty much the same...

So yay, first day as an etsian shop keeper! Hip, hip, hooray :)

So this is my journey and it all starts here.

I have decided to start a blog to accompany my etsy shop, because that's what all the good etsians seem to be doing! I don't have all that much to say right now, but I'm looking forward to be able to follow my process as a part time crafter & hobbyist.

I am finding that I have too many projects on the go and it's now time that if I want to keep spending money on sewing machines/overlockers/fabric/scrapbooking junk/resin stuff, then I am going to have to start making some money to cover my costs.

So this is today's project. Resin filled beer bottle caps with fabric and vintage storybook pictures. I am currently attatching the brooch backs so that I can sell them as pins.