New Art and Craft Projects

After finishing off my blanket, which you can see in my last post, I was a little bored. Crocheting back and forth, back and forth for 13 months, I really wanted to do something different. Though, kind of strangely, I still wanted to make things with crochet. So I started this scumble. Scumbles are freeform crochet -- they can be any mixture of stitches, shapes and textures. This one evolved in a completely un-planned way. I started out just mucking around, sticking with a blue and green colour scheme, then decided to add some sequins and beads. Then I decided to make it round and attach it to a backing board to make it easier to hang. Some bamboo plates I found at the supermarket make perfect backings. It just needs to be filled out around the edges now. I'll probably stuff parts of it to make it more 3-D. Maybe there'll be bits hanging off it. Who knows.

I also had an urge to make another plushy monster, so here is Splodge. All they need is some stuffing, attaching the arms and adding hair to be complete. Hopefully that won't take too long.

I've been working on this paint-by-number for a while, and it's almost finished. The kitten is finished, anyway. I want to add some text, and I've ordered a stencil for that. I hope it arrives soon!

Finally, well, I've already warned you that I can't draw, but I want to improve. I had an urge to use my dip pen to try some drawing, so I did pictures of Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo. I always get the urge to draw them in the darker part of the year. Though it's not quite Winter yet here, they're as good a subject for drawing as any. I confess: I smudged them a few times and tried to make it look like it was deliberate. Perhaps I'll practice some more before I waste any more good watercolour paper.

I've ordered some wool for making a Newt Scamander scarf, so perhaps you'll see that soon!

My January and 3rd Cativersary

January was very hot, most days -- except for a wonderful -- day/night-long thunderstorm right at the end. I'm "between jobs" right now, so I've had plenty of time for crafting, reading and doing things around the house. I heard the term 'funemployed' for the first time recently -- I'm not quite sure how I feel about it!

What I've been journalling...
I've been very much focussed on my Hobonichi art diary again -- probably because I've finally been able to start using my brand new 2019 edition. To kick things off, I've been doing Rainbowholic's Dare to Dream cute journalling challenge, and started documenting things that I wouldn't have before. As Kaila from Rainbowholic says, daily journalling is all about the little things in life.

What I've been working on ...
Way back in April last year, I posted that I started crocheting a blanket. It's both a craft and art project (I'm doubling up, but it's not cheating, honest!) and I'll do a proper post about what it's all about soon. I've been working hard on it in January, so I thought I'd share a couple of 'preview' photos:

What I've been embroidering...
As a change from constant crocheting, I've been doing a bit on my tapestry project as my TV craft in the evenings. In the artificial light it can be hard to tell the difference between the colours, but it's still enjoyable.

What I've been reading ...
I did the 24in48 Readathon challenge last weekend -- to read for any combination totalling 24 hours in a 48-hour period over the weekend. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be! I ended up with a total just shy of 11 hours. My eyes were sore and dry! I did however finish one book that I'd started a year ago ... and one I'd started over two years ago! Having the challenge there to motivate me helped to keep my short attention span on track and read for longer periods than I would normally.

Here's my to-read stack before the challenge (not all shown):

Here are the books I donated to the Little Library afterwards (only the top one was finished during the challenge! I just had a big stack built up. Also, my mother-in-law gives me a lot of her old romance novels -- don't judge me!):

Here are the books I picked up in exchange from the Little Library:

3rd Cativersary
And now here are some kitty spams to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of Sharick coming to live with us, which was on 6th January. He's such a part of our household now, I can't remember life before he came to live with us.

April Unfinished Report

I meant to post my unfinished crafts report on the last weekend of April, but due to the health issues I mentioned in my last post, I spend most of that weekend sleeping. But never fear, here it is now:


Project: Squares Blanket
Craft: Crochet
Started: 1 March 2011
This was the first large blanket I'd planned. I was inspired by a photo of a bedspread from a magazine. I didn't have a pattern so I made up my own -- and I think that was the problem! The corners of the squares kept rolling up. Later I found a pattern in a book and started making the squares from it, but then I had the problem of the earlier, failure-y squares. I started fixing them, but then I must have unconsciously given up, because I started making the Granny Square blanket from last month's report.
Chance of completion: I'd say about 60%.

Project: Kitten Embroidery
Craft: Embroidery (tapestry)
Started: Mid-2011
I do like embroidery, I just don't have the patience most of the time. For some reason I chose this piece with tiny, tiny squares as one of my first projects. Some of the colours are also very similar, and it was very difficult to make them out on the pattern. I managed to get the grey parts finished last year, and I'm pretty sure I'll finish it one day. Then I need to find a place that will frame it, as I probably won't be confident to frame a circular piece myself.

Project: Rambunctious Roy
Craft: knitting
Started: 2008
This project is an experimental piece. I was trying to create monsters using various techniques of crochet and knitting. I figured out pretty early on that this technique wasn't really my thing -- too fiddly, too many double-pointed needles. Unfortunately that means poor Roy lay, languishing and unfinished, in my cupboard ever since. I really only want to finish Roy so I can have this particular project off my plate, and because ... well, look at that face!

Top Secret Project #1

Well, hello! The last few weeks have been a little bit nuts. There's just been way too much ... life ... going on to be doing much crafting. But it's mostly been the good sort of life, so I can't complain too much.

Here, finally, is the reveal of Top Secret Project #1:

Yup, it's a ring cushion! Yup, I got married! Surprise!

It was a very small and no-fuss wedding with very few of the normal accoutrements, but for some unfathomable reason, I became fixated on having a ring cushion. And on making it myself. And on incorporating all of my favourite crafts into it. I had very little time, though!

I mulled over a few different designs in my head before making a crocheted backing (which I showed off a few posts ago). I wanted an embroidery on the front, but didn't have time to execute it, so Boy** suggested that I buy a vintage piece. The doiley I bought had a lovely piece in the corner, but when I cut it out, it didn't fit in well with the crochet piece I'd already made. I fixed that though, by sewing it to a brown fabric backing and edging the border with some lovely lace. I added some beads and flower bits from my stash, and some ribbons to tie the rings on to. (A blue one for Boy and a pink one for me, of course!) Lastly I stuffed it lightly and hand-sewed the crochet square to the back.

So there it is.
I had thought of re-purposing it as a pin cushion after the wedding, but I did notice that the vintage fabric really showed up pinholes from when I pinned it together to sew it. So perhaps that's not such a good idea after all. I'll see what I can do.

---

** Or should that be Husband now, instead of Boy??

The Month of November

Normally I try to post at least once a week, if not with updates, but at least a little interesting tidbit. The number of times I've wanted to post about my crafty progress, but didn't due to lack of photos, I can't tell you! Even in the middle of summer when I get home from work, I have a window of about half an hour to take photos in good light, slightly longer if I take them in the toilet. And who wants to do that?! (It must be something about the frosted glass that diffuses the light evenly??) Guess which of the following photos was taken in the loo? So now that confession time is over, a very short summary of my activities over the last month:

Boy had a birthday with a '0' in it at the end of October, and his fondest wish was for a Doughnut Cake, so I made him one:

No-one can say I don't look after my man!





I didn't do much for Dias de los Muertos this year, except for the one most important thing. My Opa (grandfather) was diagnosed with lung cancer in April this year, and passed away in July. I dedicated an altar to him. I decorated it with some of his favourite foods, and bought him a tie because he liked to dress nicely.

This year has been such a strange year. My Opa is the first person I've known well who has died. I'm 35 years old. I have a feeling it's quite rare to be so old when that happens to a person for the first time. I've noticed some changes in myself since he passed. Perhaps I'll talk about it a little sometime soon.



I mentioned in my last post my latest obsession - gingham embroidery! My first project is nearly finished already. It's a small table mat:

I scrounged through my fabric stash and I only had one small piece of gingham! How could this be?? But it was enough to make a small project to start off with. I wanted to lay out the design beforehand, but where to get a template from? I had a brainwave and printed out some downloadable gingham scrapbooking paper from the pastels section of this site here. I printed it out in black-and-white. I had to enlarge it by 200% so I didn't go cross-eyed, but then it was perfect. Most gingham embroidery uses white thread as the main colour, sometimes with a contrast colour as well. I chose orange. I designed it during my lunch break at work. I decided to use the full thickness of the 6-strand embroidery thread, because the squares of the gingham are so large (either 8mm or 10mm, I believe). Using the full thickness means that much more thread is used up in one go. I was worried at one point that I'd run out of thread, but I think I'll be OK. I've worked on it like an embroidery-crazy woman so far, and I'm nearly finished already! Then all I will have to do is sew on a calico backing and it'll be done. I already know where I want to put it.

And never fear, I've ordered some more gingham in 3 different colours from ebay for future projects. I'm starting to think I'll need more white thread, too. Lots more!

{Ditzy Tuesday} Embroidery

I have a sudden and all-consuming obsession with Gingham Embroidery, also known as Depression Lace or Chicken Scratch. (More about it and why it's called that here.)

1. Chicken Scratch blue on white, 2. Chicken Scratch tan and brown,
3. Chicken Scratch red and white, 4. Chicken Scratch black and white (Link not available.)


It all started on Sunday afternoon, when I was at Boy's parents house and happened to glance over at their side table and see an embroidered mat. Suddenly a flood of creative juices left me in a daze, and since then the ideas have been flowing non-stop. I love it because it's retro and whimsical, but the grid gives it a base of order and stability. Co-ordinating the threads with the colour of the fabric is fun. Not to mention that you can embroider directly onto the fabric without having to transfer the pattern first, which I always find highly annoying. It's put me off embroidery in the past.

I only found a small piece of yellow gingham in my fabric stash, but it was enough to plan a small rectangular doiley. I drew up the design earlier today, and I'm looking forward to starting it when I get home from work tonight. I haven't been so obsessed about anything for a while. It feels good!

Works In Progress!

Work In Progress No. 1:

Remember a few weeks ago I reviewed Jane Austen's Sewing Box and I mentioned that I was enthused by the needlepoint project? Well, soon after I rushed out and bought a needlework canvas and some crewel wool and got to work. I went to Morris and Sons, the (relatively) new knitting and needlework shop in the city. I was pretty impressed with the place. I'd never seen actual Noro yarn in the flesh before, only in photos on the cool kids' blogs. I immediately rushed up and fondled it a bit. I chose a small needlepoint canvas from the huge range, and two staff members helped me choose some coloured yarns for it. Morris and Sons certainly isn't a place you visit in a hurry. It's also a little more expensive than other craft shops. Or maybe it just seems that way because they only stock quality merchandise. But the service is excellent, and I'll be going back.

Work In Progress No. 2:

Mystery project!

Work In Progress No. 3:

I started this just today. It's a pouch. Instead of crocheting it and then sewing the zip on (I hate sewing), I'm going to try using the zip as the base and making it from the top down. I have no idea if it'll work. It would be great if I could finish it!

Book Review: Jane Austen's Sewing Box

Jane Austen's Sewing Box explores the Regency Period crafts mentioned in the novels of Jane Austen. Craft work was integral to women's lives at the time, and so is referred to frequently in all of her writing. A knowledgeable yet entertaining introduction explains the perception of women and their role in society of the time. The sewing of clothes and manchester for themselves, male relatives and impoverished neighbours was known as 'women's work', and every respectable woman was to be seen with a work basket prominently placed in the home. 'Fancy work', as decorative embroidery was then known, was an acceptable activity to perform in front of guests, and allowed a woman to show off her skill and wealth - having the leisure time to work on unnecessary items was a sign of status in society. There is also a section on materials used at the time and how they were made, which is indispensable for anyone wishing to make truly authentic period pieces.

There are 18 projects, covering sewing, knitting, netting, glass painting, and papercraft, all of which are based on actual craft projects or handmade items mentioned in Jane Austen's novels. An introduction to each one, with quotes from Austen's writing, explains the item's context in womens' daily life. The projects are rated Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced, and those that contain mixed crafts (e.g. sewing and embroidery) are specified. Some projects, such as the Cravat or Muff, are not very practical and would appeal more to an enthusiast of the period. Others, like the Embroidered Work Bag or the Huswife (a pouch for keeping sewing tools in) would be very handy even today.

The first thing that struck me about this book was how beautifully designed it was. Period wallpaper and fabric designs border every page. The liberal full-page close-up photographs of furniture details and luscious coloured fashion plates could be construed as filler, but to me it had the effect of immersing me in the aesthetic of the time.

The second thing that struck me was the vagueness of the instructions. They're accompanied by hand-drawn diagrams, but not every step is illustrated. There are very few templates; instead we are told to cut a rectangle with an oval at the top 10cm high, for example. Personally, if I had to hand-draw that myself, it would look rather wonky. Some of the embroidery patterns require enlarging on a photocopier, whereas they would have easily fitted into the book at life size. To me, this detracts from the authentic historical feel of the creative process.

Despite the fact that some projects are labelled Beginner, I would not feel confident at all following the instructions if I had never tried that craft before. I have never done netting for example, and even though there are diagrams, I found myself at a loss. Perhaps it's a case where it would all fit together once I started, but I don't like working that way. By and large, the finished projects are photographed with either artistic blurring or from an odd angle or both, which make them of no use for the struggling crafter needing a visual reference. There are also a few errors - in Paper Flowers, for example, the materials list includes ribbon, which is not actually used in the construction.

Regardless of these flaws, I found Jane Austen's Sewing Box a delight. The mixture of history lesson and literature appreciation is highly readable, and I'm very enthusiastic about trying some of the projects, even if they do need a bit of nutting out. The Carpetwork Cushion (aka Tapestry work or Needlepoint) caught my eye in particular, and I think I need about 10 Huswives. I have a sudden urge for everything in my life to be floral.

I wonder what Boy thinks of that?

Finish A Project Month

I've declared this month Finish A Project Month!
(It was nearly going to be No-Buy Supplies Month, but I'm just not that strong.)

I noticed that I was cycling through new projects pretty regularly, while the old ones lie, languishing in the back of the cupboard. They really need to be dusted off and given some love.

Here we have my set of three embroidered Art Cards which I finished yesterday:

flowery
(A new project, I know, but I haven't gotten started dusting yet!) Some are for swaps on Swap-bot, and I'll probably chuck the spare one on Etsy if I can get a good photo of it. I've already started a new set of 2. I also made these bookmarks for another swap:

Bookmarky goodness
The idea was to make them with stuff you have lying around the house. Materials include paint, a patterned paper bag, a brochure for the Bell Shakespeare Company, and a copy of National Trust magazine. I'm quite proud of some of them.

Yesterday we all left work early due to the possibility of the trains being cancelled due to a storm (I work for the Government, okay??) and I was a bit bored. I was listening to some craft podcasts and got inspired by what I perceived at that moment as a lack of receptacles in my bedroom. So I made these:

They're crocheted bowls (not quite finished yet). I made them to keep bobby pins in. The taller one falls over when I put bobby pins in it, so I made the wider one as well. They're OK. Now I have an (even more) insane amount of projects on the go.

More in progress means more to finish! Yay!

Tragedies, Swaps and Cats

I don't really have too much to say right now. The bushfires were just horrible, and they've left me feeling very sad and helpless. I've been thinking a lot about how lucky I am to have a house, and the things in it, and all my family and friends. Work has been absolutely flat out too. Because I work for a Government department, we are directly involved with some aspects of the bushfire recovery. It has been very draining, and I come home from work every night exhausted. I'm not complaining though - it's been very satisfying to be able to help in some way.

I have managed to make a few things in the last week though. I made this fabric bookmark for a swap on Swap-bot. Yes, I know, I've been going on about that site a lot! But it's my current obsession, so just get used to it! =)

Fabric Felt Bookmark
Once again, I missed the point and made something a bit different to the specifications. It didn't really need to have all that embroidery and needle-felting. But I enjoyed making it anyway.

Then I started making some sewn Artist Trading Cards for another swap. There's also an embroidery on a bought pouch that I'm working on there, too:

My portable workspace
(ATCs are playing-card-sized pieces of art. They are exactly the same as ACEOs, but you use the term ATC when you are swapping them, and the term ACEO selling them. I gotta get the terminology right!)
I've been working on my stable table (which has a background of coffee beans embedded in it) because it seems to be easier than getting everything out and putting it away again every time I want to work on something. I don't have any free table space anyway. I'm much more inclined to do some work when it seems easy!

I think I prefer using felt rather than fabric for the backing of the ATCs as it doesn't need finishing around the edges. I have cut out a second piece of felt for each one as a backing, and I'll probably blanket stitch around the edge to finish them off as with the first one. I'm a bit stuck at the moment as to what to put on next. Perhaps I should plan them out next time? Today I was looking at the blog Dot's Life and Art for inspiration. She is a lady who lives in Melbourne and does the most amazing embroidered and beaded works. I really admire her creativity - and her patience! She has a full time job just like me, but she manages to make the most beautiful, detailed work that she must spend hours and hours on.

I have also been doing a bit of writing this week (though not on my zine, unfortunately!). I've done both creative writing and a biographical piece. I'm not going to share that as I'm not very confident with it yet. Plus it's kinda yawn-worthy on a craft blog.

I was mucking around with the camera this morning, and I took some shots of the cat being schmoozy on the windowsill. On their own they weren't too crash hot, so I found a photo editing website and made them into a collage:

Amy-La
I have more Fabric ATC swaps and a handmade bookmark swap coming up, so there'll be more of that next time, probably.
Take care everyone.

This....

Louise Just Knew that Her Soul Mate Was Out There Somewhere, She Just Hadn't Met Him Yet, originally uploaded by viviennestrauss.

This is the kind of embroidery I want to do!
How whimsical, how sweet, what a witty title! What composition, use of different stitches and materials! What a large amount it was sold for!

*sighs*

Of course, I can't do work exactly like hers, cause that would be cheating now, wouldn't it?
To be honest, I really don't like it when embroideries are presented on the hoop. To me they feel unfinished. I'm looking around for other options.

It's been too hot to do anything lately, even hold a book up to read at times. I've been doing a bit of 'head-crafting' (I just made that word up) where I spend time thinking up ideas or imagining that I'm making stuff. Sometimes, when I'm at work or in other situations where I have to be doing something else, I imagine that my hands are knitting or crocheting something. It can be almost as calming as the real thing. I hope that doesn't sound too pathological. Other times, like when it's 45oC, my brain won't even do that.

I have to write a zine by tomorrow. Crap.

A Dodgy Start

I can't help but think that 2009 has gotten off to a bit of a shaky start for me. Shocks, stupid mistakes, annoyances, disappointments and physical injuries seem to be the order of the day lately. The shop's been as dead as a dodo. But I'm not surprised, it being post-Christmas and the economic you-know-what. I decided to re-start my exercise regime proper, and perhaps even do one of those Couch to 5km thingies, and the very next day I fell over and hurt 4 areas of my body all in one go (actually, it would have been kinda impressive if it wasn't so painful). According to my chiropractor I also knocked my pelvis out of alignment too, so I guess that makes 5 body parts! Go, me!

My quest to turn my blog into a book using the Blurb software is going very slowly. There are a lot of little annoying hiccups with it, e.g. when you try to change the font of a section of text, only random parts of it change and you have to go through and check each line. But whenever I press the 'preview book' button, it looks oh so pretty, so I slowly persist.

One thing I wanted to do was finish an old project, and on the weekend after New Year, I finished this:

Sorry about the terrible lighting. I'm experimenting.
It's one of two (possibly three) cat blankets that I'm making to donate to the Lost Dogs' Home (yes, they do cats too). See that short piece of yarn coming off the edge of the blanket into the middle? That's how much yarn I had left over when I finished. It was touch and go there for a while. Thrilling stuff.

I've also been working on a new concept. A few weeks ago I bought all 3 issues of Hoopla zine in one go. This is a brilliant zine all about craftivism. It doesn't have a huge amount of projects, but lots of articles and inspiration. One was about the quilts that oppressed African American women made which had coded messages in them, and even coded maps showing safe houses and escape routes. I was really impressed by this idea of messages and maps in a hand-crafted item. I don't do quilting, but I'm on an embroidery roll, so I decided to stitch something. Then I remembered that when I was a kid, I would spend all day drawing maps of imaginary deserted islands and mediaeval villages and that sort of thing. I guess it was my way of 'escaping' in my head. So I drew a very simple island, traced it onto some calico and got out the hoop I had been given at the Brown Owls night. The picture shows it inside a plastic pouch I found when I was clearing out some stuff. It's the perfect size. Bonus!

Sorry again about the lighting.
I had enough colours to get me started, but I'll need to buy a yellow and maybe a light green before I can finish it. I'm not sure yet how I'm going to frame it, but I imagine felt may be involved. I think I might call it Freedom I. It's a good project to do even in very hot weather.

I also ordered these Sublime Stitching patterns from Etsy. I got them for half-price because the seller is clearing out her real-life store. These were the only four left. She also gave me a refund for one because a mouse chewed on the cover a little bit. And she included this adorable card with a personal message in it. What a sweetie! It makes me want to go to Canada so I can visit the store! Check her out at Knit-O-Matic.

Overall, I feel like I haven't made much progress lately, but I think that's because I've been working on things that aren't tangible. I've been practicing the piano at least 1/2 hour twice a week, and I've been writing my Japan trip zine. I've also become completely obsessed with reading in the last week. And as a symptom of that, I've become utterly fixated on my page at Lists of Bests. You choose a list or create one and then start ticking stuff off. Being a bit anal and organise-y, this kind of thing really appeals to me. I've been on this site for a few years, but hadn't looked at it for a while until I was trying to decide what to read next. Most of my lists are to do with books, a couple with movies, and the big one - 1,001 Things To Do Before You Die (customised of course!). I'm finding it a great way to keep track of series of books and movies by certain directors, etc. The only problem is: I'm spending more time looking at the darned site than reading or anything else! =)

To end with, I want to show you a few things I got for Christmas. I was very lucky last season, and I feel very special. Boy gave me (among many other things!) this knitted toy that he bought from the Kris Kringle Night Market in Northcote:

I call him Slurfie! Isn't he adorable? Apparently the woman who made him wasn't very happy with him and didn't think anyone would like him or that he would sell. Boy told her that he knew I would love him, and I do!
Mum got me some gel medium and some acrylic paints - a really good brand instead of the crap I normally buy! I have been using them a little and I really love them.
I also received this from my Kris Kringle friend:

It's a magnetic chalk board calendar! She made the whole thing herself! I am amazed at her talent and persistance, knowing how hard it was. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends. I'm (almost) too awed to write on it!

Busy Little Beaver

So many things have happened! I think I'll start with the trivial and work my way up to the 'wow'.

I cancelled my subscription to Handmade Magazine. I really should have checked it out at Mag Nation before I subscribed. Lesson learned! They put out three Christmas editions in a row, and I don't do Christmas. Even if there had been one or two generic projects in it, I would have been happy. There's a big emphasis on patchwork, quilting and beaded jewellery-making as well - again, things I'm not interested in. I saw a special Spring issue in the shops a few months back, but I was never sent it as part of the subscription, so I don't know what was going on there. Although, after I called up to cancel it, I received the final issue and it had a couple of nice embroidery patterns in it. But only a couple out of about 40 projects. So schnyeh. I'd rather have the back issues of Craft: Magazine. I love that mag - I always want to do every project in it! How many magazines can you say that about? I really wish there was a local equivalent. Speaking of cool mags, I asked for a subscription to Frankie Mag for Christmas. If I don't get it then I will definitely subscribe this year. I went to buy the latest issue last week from Mag Nation, but the guy said it wasn't there yet and was maybe coming out late. His indifference was inversely proportionate to my distress.

I used the refund I got from Handmade to buy a membership to Brown Owls for 2009. I'm not too sure about this. Don't get me wrong - I went to one session this year and it seems to be a lovely group with fabulous people. However, I pulled out of three Etsy meetups in a row due to extreme shyness and a sense of inferiority. (No, I didn't really hurt my back.) So I don't know how many sessions I will actually make it to. I feel really silly now thinking back on those last-minute mind-changes, but meeting new people is for me like public speaking while someone is running their fingernails down a blackboard for other people. It's multiplied by 100 when my crafts are involved. I wish I could blog at people, or something like that. I'm so much better at writing than talking. When I have the time to think about what I'm going to say I do much better. If it weren't for the internet I might not have any friends! And I probably wouldn't have a job either.

Anyhoo, now I will talk about my new book, Beginners Guide to Braiding: The Craft of Kumihimo by Jacqui Carey:

Book cover
I bought it as a reward for myself for reaching my first weight loss goal. It explains how to make kumihimo braid using the marudai, which is the frame used traditionally. Here is a picture of one:

Marudai frame (not from book - stolen from interwubs)
One of the first things I realised is that my foam disc can only be used to make one type of braid. There are many other types (square, flat, etc.) and patterns that can be made on the frame. These involve sliding the cords back and forth around the frame as you work. This would be a massive pain if using the disc, as the cords are all stuck fast in the slits around the disc, plus you'd really need a frame so you can use both hands to move the cords around. Also, you can attach weights to the braid to control the tension and make it looser or more dense, which you can't do with the disc. Thankfully, the book explains how you can make your own marudai from cardboard. Cool! Literally hundreds of different colour and patterns combinations are shown. The instructions are very clear and are accompanied by useful diagrams. The pictures have that special grainy, off-colour look that you see in books from the 70s and 80s, but I think this just adds to the charm!
Now I just need a whole bunch of this:

Bunches of biron - Japanese silk threads - from the careycompany.com website
Interestingly enough, when I did some quick Googling I found the author's online shop: Carey Company. Unfortunately, the prices are a bit too much for me. Thank goodness for cotton and cardboard!

A few days ago, I started this embroidery:

I saw the pattern on a blog (sorry, I read so many, I don't know which) and just fell in love with it. I know I've said I don't do Christmas, but it combines 3 of the things I love best about it - Christmas trees/ornaments, reindeer and sausage dogs. I know sausage dogs aren't particularly associated with the season, but they are so adorable, I just want to associate them with everything! I'm hoping to incorporate him into a pouch somehow; I'd like to make up 2-3 embroideries and then break out the sewing machine and make a bunch of pouches and bags in a big batch (well, big for me, anyway!).

Last but not least, I sold my Kokeshi Doll 1 after it being on Etsy for 9 months. Here's a reminder photo of it:

Turns out, the buyer is the owner of a shop in Northcote. Turns out, he and his partner are really cool and they want to stock my work! :0

*pause to let that sink in*

So if I can make about 10 dolls, they would be interested in seeing them. Ten is a huge amount for someone with as little spare time as me! I have a second finished one which I'm not happy with and never posted about cause I think it looks like a stubbie with a face, and a third one I'm nearly half way through that I was never really satisfied with either. Perhaps I will get them out and try to see them with less critical eyes.

Speaking of, the other day I wrote a list of New Years' Resolutions / Goals For 2009. I've become strangely interested in self-improvement the last few years and it always gives me a feeling of optimism to write a list of goals. Some of them are crafty and some not, but they are all to do with improving my life. I will have a look and think about the current year's list next week perhaps.

Pronto!

Hello! Just a quick update on what I've been making.
I apologise in advance - all my photos came out a bit fuzzy today. It was just one of those days, I guess!

There's these bookmarks that I made for a swap. The actual swap was for a Reading Log - these were extra treats:

Creative, no? No, not really.
[The text reads: "Let's get married, go home and read a book. "Sure thing, dollface!"] It was quite fun working with the airbrush pen and collage, though I think my mojo was a bit off that day. Then today I made this:

L for Lenny.
Well, technically I cut it out last week, embroidered it on the weekend and sewed it tonight. It's a pouch to keep my mouse and laptop cables in. Note the wonkiness of the sewing along the zip and ric rac. It's actually a lot more pronounced in real life. It's just for me though, so who cares! I bought a bulk lot of 50 zips on Ebay today, so I'll be able to practice quite a bit!

Then this happened! The plushes that I bought in the Softies for Mirabel auction arrived!

I have decided to call the one on the left Miranda. It just popped into my head and I tend to trust that. The car ones on the right are called Beep, Toot and Vroom. I am going to keep them in my car. (It's my first anniversary of getting her it, so they're a bit like an anniversary gift.) My own Monstrous Muriel has popped up in the middle there. She just loves to socialise! This morning I almost had the feeling that she was looking at me, but then again, it was 6.30am and I was distracted with getting ready for work. I do like the way her face has turned out though - much more expressive than I had hoped for.

Speaking of Monstrosity, Etsy has created a new item category for dolls, which has forced me to decide whether Muriel et al are toys or dolls. Or art toys or art dolls. Or soft sculpture. Geez, I don't know!!