Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Not much happening on the craft front, in holiday mode at the moment!
Merry Christmas to all, enjoy the holidays and hope you find time to do some crafting!

Chocolate anyone???

Still deciding what to do for the final craft group for the year.  Thinking it should definitely involve eating chocolate!  Maybe Koko black or another chocolate place in Lygon St (parking can be a problem - maybe we can meet somewhere on the way and then carpool?)  OR Max Brenner or the other choc place over at Highpoint.  Sorry - brain has gone blank and forgot the names.

Still 7:30 Monday, just talking and eating - no crafting this time (sticky fingers might prove a problem).

Any ideas?
Email/text/phone or see me at school tomorrow.  Need to work out a plan before Monday night!!!

Craft Group - last catch up for 2010

It is that busy time of the year again with Christmas break-up parties etc.  I haven't got around to organizing anything for craft group yet, and I have HSC last meeting tomorrow night, school council on Tuesday and cubs on Thursday. SO I hope it is not too late notice to say - can we catch up NEXT week - Monday 13th, venue yet to be announced.  The plan is to go somewhere for dessert!  I will try and phone/text/email everyone to confirm.

We have been a bit busy lately...

Sorry there hasn't been  much in the way of posts lately, things have been a bit busy.  First the Twlight Market at school, with the craft stall and cupcake stall proving to both be a HUGE success.

Thanks so much to all those involved all through the year, and on the day itself!!!

The next day I was busy building a CASTLE for  the Jedi Kid's 10th birthday.

Then the following Saturday was the election day BBQ and cake stall at school.

And this week the car is being repaired so I have had to get lifts from friends, trams, trains and buses to and from work. So not much craft happening around here lately. BUT there are only 2 weeks of school to go so I HAVE to get started on making gifts for 2 great classroom teachers!

GJ's Fabric sale

GJ's are having a 25% off sale on patchwork fabric and supplies, starting this Thursday 2 December.  Note to panel beater - you had better have my car fixed by then so I can get there Thursday  or Friday afternoon!

Craft Dates for November

Next craft group at the PO is Monday 22, I dare say we will be having a post-craft stall discussion, and start planning for next year!

Up-coming craft dates for November - Coburg West PS Twilight Market THIS FRIDAY straight after school 3:30-7pm, come and check out our FANTASTIC craft stall! Plus BBQ, coffee (yes we have been able to borrow a proper coffee machine!), and the kids can make their own badges and decorate a cup-cake. So please drop in and say hi!

Saturday 20th November is the Maribrynong Makers Market
Sunday 21st Flemington Market
Thursday 25 - Kris Kringle market at the Northcote town hall 5:30-10pm
Saturday 27 - Election day BBQ and cake stall at CWPS!

My friend Janine and I braved the rain on Saturday to head out to the Flemington market.  Lots of yummy jams and things to taste - had to buy my H a jar of quince jelly, and a jar of pear and cinnamon jam for the Jedi Kid who is rather partial to cinnamon!

Next Monday...

Yep, craft group is on next Monday night 8th November, 7:30-9:30.  Had to check the calendar, I went to work on Monday (usually the one day I don't go to work, and then had the kids home from school yesterday for Cup day; so I'm not really sure what day it is today!
Here are some more fat quarters from the Craft Expo the other week. Not sure what they will be yet, but they were all so cute - I love the little cup cakes!  The centre one is all about coffee, might be cool on a scarf or a bag; likewise the asian-inspired spot print.
Made another skirt yesterday - Cup Day last year I made my babushka t-shirt, so I had to make something this year too.  I have 3 more skirts cut out, they will have to wait til the weekend, but I really should be concentrating on sewing for the craft stall. November 19th is rocketing up all too fast really!

Dates for your diary...

Made 'n' Thornbury craft market - this Saturday afternoon, 10 - 2.
North Melbourne market - this Sunday, 10-5.  I am DEFINITELY going to make it there THIS time!
Coburg Craft Group - Monday night 7:30pm !

More craft stall sewing

Found these cute ribbons at the Craft Expo the other day, then went to GJ's for some black elastic on the way home - Melinda had a great idea to turn them into hairbands. Made about 16 so far, very quick and easy. Amazing how much better my trusty old Janome sews with a brand new needle!
 Planning on making the rest up today, the JediKid is home today, recovering from feeling off-colour yesterday, so he is watching Dr Who (Aliens of London).
Had a quick meeting at school this morning to organize the Twilight Market - only a month away! One more favour to ask from all my lovely crafting volunteers - I need people to volunteer to man the craft stall on the day, 3:30-7pm.  Plus the badge making stall, and maybe face painting.  If you can talk some other school parents into  helping out  as well, please???

The latest edition to the craft library

I couldn't resist buying this book at the craft expo last week, I love "Sew what skirts" so I knew this one would be just as good. Lots of sewing tips and hints, pattern making ideas etc. before you get into the actual projects section.

What a craft filled week! Craft expo on Thursday, Sister's Market Saturday, Finders Keepers on Sunday (once we finally found it, I do not know that part of town at all, rather confusing with all the building hoardings up), and then craft group last night!  

I had planned on doing lots of sewing yesterday, but all I managed was to line the little cane suitcase ready for a display in the school office to promote the craft stall at the up-coming twilight market.  And there was a lot of sorting to do, looking at the items made so far and working out how to attach them onto cards for a more professional looking presentation.  I am itching to make a new skirt or two - might have to wait until the weekend!

Moonee Ponds Central school are having their school fete this Sunday too, come along if you can!

Craft Expo excursion

Fellow crafter Melinda and I had a great day out at the CraftExpo yesterday.  The Melbourne Exhibition building is such a beautiful setting, I must admit I did spend some time walking around looking up at the ceiling at the beautifully restored  stencil work!

I found some groovy fabric destined to become a summer skirt-

And some cute rubber stamps!  I have been eying off the little japanese doll stamps for about 2 years, but they were always sooo expensive before! Yesterday they were $6 each!

I remember about 20 years ago when I bought my first "new" rubber stamps (as opposed to the old alphabet and animal ones I had as a child), I had to order them by post from either Adelaide, or Nunnawading! Now there are shops, mail order, parties - and of course, art  & craft shops, Spotlight etc. selling stamps!

I couldn't resist the funny little owls, I especially love the long-legged one!  And yes I know there are some doubles - they will be put aside for a Christmas present for a special crafty little girl (whose mum happens to collect owls!)

Craft Expo!

I'm off to Craft Expo tomorrow, it runs Thursday til Sunday, check out info/program at http://www.craftfest.com.au/ 
Don't forget that the Sister's Market http://www.sistersmarket.com.au/  is on at the  Brunswick Town Hall this Saturday, and the Finders Keepers Market http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/  at Docklands  makes its Melbourne debut this weekend.

Craft group is NEXT Monday

Hiya all, craft group is next Monday, 11th.  I figured no one would remember or have the energy to go out tonight, what with school starting back this morning AND daylight saving just starting.  It was a bit of a shock to the system getting going this morning.

 The best thing about the school hols is NOT HAVING TO MAKE THE LUNCHBOXES UP.  I so don't miss doing that for 2 weeks! And of course I hadn't looked at them for a fortnight and didn't remember until 11pm last night that Tigerboy's lunchbox was falling apart.  So being a cheapskate (and not having any other option at 11pm) I sat down and roughly sewed it back together (one of those zippered, insulated ones). It should hold for a few more weeks - maybe til the end of the year if I am lucky.

Counting on kmart

Have you seen the newest kmart ad on tv? Keep an eye out for it, it is my new favourite ad. It is nothing fancy, just a mum and a 3 year old in a shopping trolley.  They are walking through a kmart store and and mum asks the little boy to look for some numbers "let's see if we can find some numbers" or somesuch. So he points out "5" and "2", and mum says "yes 2, hmm mugs $2, lets get ...2".

What is so good about this ad ? - it is about "environmental print" - how you teach your kids to be aware of print (words and numbers) around them in everyday life, the start of learning how to read! As  a primary teacher I love it!  The mum picking up 2 mugs to buy - even reinforces the concrete 1:1 number of 2 items, matching the printed number 2 on the sign!
I'm sure they didn't intend this ad to be a teaching tool, but it is just perfect!

Ok, I'm done raving about it now.

Holiday Sewing

First I made a new handbag...

Then using this pattern, and this most excellent book...

I made not one, but 2 skirts so far ....  and plan to make several more!

Denim wrap skirt with babushka and ribbon trim (bargain denim from Rathdowne Remnants - $7.50 for 2.5m because it had a water stain on it - which came out in the wash.  And the skirt uses less than a metre. There will be more denim skirts to come!)  The babushka fabric was from the Kelani stall at the Stitches and Craft Show, with a bit of ribbon from Spotlight.

Blue and brown fabric from GJ's, brown ric-rac from Rathdowne Remnants (yes, you have to look closely for the ric-rac).

It took a while to tweak the pattern, but it was well the effort. I have never made a skirt before! Now I am hooked! And thanks to the" Sew what! Skirts" book, I used two different finishing methods for the waitbands - bias binding for the denim one, and a facing on the blue/brown one - neither of which is in the original pattern!  The book explained how to use the A-line pattern to make a wrap-around skirt - and it worked!
I will be going back to work next week with a whole new wardrobe! I am really quite chuffed with the results!

school holidays so far...

It has been a very quiet start to the school holidays this week, both boys have come down with a dreaded lurgy, and have not been up to much. But at least I have got some sewing done, finally used my owl fabric bought from GJ's ages ago to make a new handbag, and have been experimenting with a bought  pattern to make a skirt. I tried last hols with another pattern, it was a disaster! So I have been very good and made a "muslin" version out of calico first, which I have already had to modify once. Thank goodness I didn't cut it out of my good fabric!  And I am so glad I have been reading Nichola's blog  http://nikkishell.typepad.com/   with regular sewing tips; she often talks about making a muslin first and tweaking patterns.
Pattern sizes are crazy- I had to cut out the size 18/16 pattern - to make a skirt the same size as my (op) shop bought size 10/12 skirts! Are  all  patterns like this?

A recipe or two...

I made this Potato Slice for dinner last week, and took the left overs to work for lunch. A couple of people asked for the recipe, so I thought I would post it here.  It is sooo easy, very yummy as a side dish or main, and you can add in whatever you like.  It makes a nice change from traditional scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes (which I have only been able to eat again in the last few years, I always say  one of the best things about moving out of home was not having to eat mashed potato all the time!

 The recipe comes from the 1996 "Carlton North Primary School Favourite Recipes" book, bought from the Brunswick North West Primary School fete a year or two back!

Nonna's Baked Potato Slice


Wash peel, steam (I use our microwave vege steamer for nearly everything!) and mash 8 large potatoes
Add 2 tbspns butter, 1/2 cup milk and a cup of grated cheese 
(I buy a bag of  grated tasty and a bag of mozzarella, mix them up and distribute into  former dip containers, and put them in the freezer. Makes about 10 lots of grated cheese.) 
Add in 4-5 lightly beaten eggs, mix to smooth creamy texture.
Spread mix into lightly greased oven dish, sprinkle bread crumbs on top, dot surface with butter if you like (I usually forget to!)
Bake in a pre-heated moderate oven 45 mins or so, allow to rest in dish 5-10 mins before slicing.


You can add other  steamed veges, chopped ham, parsley etc.


I also made this "lunchbox" slice last week, a double batch will get me through the entire family's lunches for the whole week!  Plus it only uses one bowl and one knife - less washing up is always good! It has the added bonus of only taking about 12 mins to cook, so when I go to make up the kid's lunches at 10 o'clock at night and realise we are out of homemade snacks, I can whip this up nice and fast. I don't like baking too late at night, because our oven has a very annoying habit of randomly going out, not good when baking a mud cake which can take over an hour to cook - and the bloody oven goes out AND I DON'T NOTICE til 40 minutes in!!!

Quick crunchy slice
4 vita-brits/oat brits, crushed
1 cup rolled oats OR 1 cup plain puffed wheat cereal
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
125g melted butter
1 tbspn honey
optional 1/2 cup dessicated coconut (but I don't really like coconut so I don't put it in this slice)


Pre-heat oven 180, line slice tray with baking paper (whatever did we do before they invented this brilliant stuff!)
Melt butter in microwave mixing bowl, add in all other ingredients (I just crumble the oat brits in as I go)
Press mixture  evenly into tray, bake 12-15 min or until golden brown and bubbling.
Cool, then cut into squares.


I always made this with oats, then decided to try out the puffed wheat cereal, which makes a nice variation and is actually even more yummy! Plus it is good to have a slice without oats, because my other two standard lunch box slices both have oats in them! I am still trying to find one more quick, yummy lunchbox friendly slice recipe - I figure 4 different slices, making one per week, will give me a good variety for the lunchboxes that hopefully no-one will turn their noses up at!

Anyone for a cuppa?

My latest idea for the craft stall - when I am going to find the time do do all this is a WHOLE 'nother story!  But I figure there will be a day or two in the school hols of staying home while the kids get knee-deep in lego, so I just might be able to spend a day sewing. 

 I saw some "play" teabags on http://www.madeit.com.au/  the other day, and remembered that I had made some for the Jedikid when he was little.  So I took a  real tea-bag apart and made a toy one.  I will write up a tutorial for it soon. But I must admit an embarrassing fact here - when I went to take a photo, I realised I do not posses a single china teacup and saucer at all! Thousand of mugs of all shapes and sizes, but no teacups!  I guess  I can't stand the smell of tea, and I don't drink coffee either (coffee flavoured cakes/biscuits/chocolates are another thing entirely though! I don't say no to those!), hence the lack of teacups!

Cookie Cutter Crtitters

I have been making a range of these critters for the school craft stall in November.  In theory, I will pin them onto a sheet of felt and sew around each one (maybe poking a bit of stuffing in there at the same time) and then cutting them out. In theory, will get back to you on that one...

Speaking of birthday parties...

Tigerboy turned 7 yesterday! We had a mini party - afternoon tea and a play at the park with family and friends on the weekend. Tried out a new recipe for giant freckle biscuits found in a copy of good old WW left on the kitchen table at work earlier in the week.  When I say recipe... more that I used the idea - I made my usual "easy to roll out and cut shapes" biscuit  recipe - with added cocoa- and coated them in melted choc.  Much easier and better looking end result to dip the choc coated biscuits into a bowl of 100's & 1000's though than sprinkle like the recipe said - I would have been vacuuming those tiny coloured balls up for the next 6 months if I sprinked! Used nearly a whole bag of them too! They were very tasty though!
I made a batch of what I call "grown up" chocolate crackles, from the current Donna Hay kid's party annual. No copha - 'cos seriously, who keeps that in the fridge "just in case"?- but of course there are always rice bubbles (for last minute dinner invite mars bar slice) and cooking chocolate in the cupboard.

In fact there is a whole special section in the cupboard just for chocolate, I mean you have to buy up when it is on special don't you? And you never know when you might need to make mudcake, which now involves a block and a bit of chocolate thanks to Cadbury's stupid idea of reducing block size from 250g down to 200g -contrary to most recipes in my Cadbury Cookbook which require a 250g block. Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.  Anyway, the kids had a great time at the party and much yummy food was consumed by all. Must tell you  sometime about this year's  birthday cake challenge too, that was a doozy!

Next Monday night...

Craft Group is on again next Monday night 6th September, we might have a break over the school hols after that, but can talk about it on Monday. I might bring my "new toy" along again - my wonderful little sister lent my her sizzix die-cutter machine.  It was put to good use last craft group, and at home, to cut out lots of little felt hearts, dots and flowers. Felt heart/flower plus glue gun and hair clip = nice and easy stock for the school craft stall in November!  I made a couple of clips already, Tigerboy has a birthday party to go to on Sunday, so I am going to make up a little package of various hair clips in a zippered purse for the birthday girl.

I don't follow football but I do love actual magpies - they have moved back into our street again recently. We had a bachelor flock of youngsters a few months ago - at one stage I counted 19 on our carport roof and front fence!  There are 4-5 of them now, and they are from the original group because they remember me, and come when I call them and throw a handful of  broken bread crusts on to the roof of the carport.  They even land in the back yard, much to the bemusement of the chooks who are not quite sure what to make of them! At least when the maggies are in the back yard, to other mynahs, sparrows and doves stay away - thank goodness. Those cheeky buggers pinch all the chook's pellets and are costing me a fortune- and keeping "Andrew's stock foods" in business!

Apparently the Heart Foundation has proclaimed that eggs are more healthy than previously assumed-they are now recommending that people can eat up to 6 eggs a week!

So the demand for eggs - and the price - is already starting to increase. Experts (notice how I resisted the urge to type "eggspurts") have predicted the price will increase quite a lot and there may be a shortage of eggs available on the market!  So no excuses (or "eggscuses") girls - I expect at least 2 a day! (Even I know that one of you is slacking off and there should be 3 a day).    Maybe if I increase the hot garlic porridge, and a few extra tins of cat food mixed in, I might get enough eggs to set up a bit of  a blackmarket trade to cater for the demand! Get in that nesting box and get laying!

Craft group TOMORROW

Sorry for the short notice, and the lack of posts this week, things have been a bit busy with meetings, LOTS of baking etc. Because of the up-coming school holidays (I know, can you believe it?!) we will squeeze in one extra craft group TOMORROW NIGHT and then there will still be one more in 2 weeks, before the holidays get in the way!
SO 7:30pm at the Post Office. Have heard from a few people who have eaten in the new restaurant  there which just opened last Wednesday.  Glowing reports - very flash food, made for tasting/sharing, definitely not pub food!  But the dining room isn't open on Monday nights, just bar food, so we should be right to get the big table for craft group still! All the more reason why we need a few more people to come along each fortnight!
Got to go and finish sewing up a scarf for the Jedikid's teacher - it's her birthday tomorrow, and the whole grade have secretly organized a partly for her at school tomorrow.  The Jedikid made a batch of "allergy free" cupcakes for the kids, I still have to make a mudcake for the teacher!

Up-coming craft markets

The Sister's Market is on again at the Brunswick Town Hall next Saturday, 14th August.
Saturday 21 August is the Federal Election, but more importantly - since Coburg West is a polling venue, I will be baking my heart out on Thursday and Friday after work to help stock the cake stall and sausage sizzle the school is running at the polling booth.
I just bought 3 kilos of bananas for a bargain, and since I tried a new banana bread recipe  last week which was a hit (when I remember which blog I copied it from I will put the link in!) my plan is to make several loaves (easy to slice and sell with a cuppa), as well as some muffins, and yummy fudgy choc chip bickies.  I think dinner next Friday night will be from M&M's fish & chips, because the oven will be flat out baking stuff!
The North Melbourne Market is on again the next day - Sunday 22- 10am-2pm.
"Melbourne Day" is on the next weekend - Monday 30th August marks the 175th anniversary of the first Euopean settlers landing on the banks of the Yarra river (yep, I copied that straight out of the book). There is a whole bunch of free and 2 for 1 offers on for weekend. I picked up a copy of the booklet at one of those free postcard stands at the Vic Market the other weekend. Or  you can check out www.thatsmelbourne.com.au

Craft Group comming up...

Craft group should be on next Monday, but since it is a Statewide curriculum day and people might be away/busy and/or exhausted from having the kids home from school 3 days in a row - we will meet again the following Monday 16th August. See you there! Same bat-time, same bat-channel. (Must see if the library has a DVD of the old Batman tv series.  I have been recording "The Goodies" on ABC2 Monday nights, and showed one to the kids yesterday - it was so cool so see them rolling around on the floor laughing at Tim. Bill and Graeme- just like I did when I was a kid!  They love the Flintstones, the Jetsons (not that we had that one on country tv when I was a kid), I dream of Jeanie, and Bewitched too!

Fat quarters from the Craft Fair

I never used to buy fat quarters - I only discovered them early last year, as a cheaper way of buying small pieces of groovy fabrics.  I used the first one to make-over a plain grey satchel bag from an op-shop, and a couple more to make covered fabric buttons for the craft stall at the school fair. And I used a couple bought from GJ's sometime, to make my first patched scarf.  I have bought a few more as I have taken orders for the scarves, and had on my list for the Craft Fair to find some more reds, and a couple of black/grey prints. Then I found owl fabrics, and these cute little Japanese prints, and ended up with all this lot!
I do have a project in mind for most of them - I finally got around to trying out Nikki's zip coin purse pattern which I bought ohhh... about 18 months ago! But I was so excited with the results, after doing a little dance around the house ( I'm not generally good following patterns you see, I tend to just make stuff up as I go, and also am zipper-challenged) I had a BRILLIANT idea! Zip coin purses for everyone for Christmas! Last year I made the journal/note-book covers for friends, family and the kid's teachers; this year it will be zip purses!  Sorry if  that has spoilt the surprise for some people reading this...just forget it by December, or act surprised ok?

Off to the Fair!

My usual Thursday client has cancelled tomorrow so I am off to the Craft Fair!!!   A fellow craft-grouper and I will be dropping the kids at school then jumping on the train to head in to the show!
I will be looking at some beads and jewellery findings to fix a couple of things; maybe a couple of fat quarters for craft projects ( I have sold 2 scarves and have orders for more!); and just looking forward to a few hours of browsing through some amazing craftwork, fabrics and ideas!
*** Craft Group is on NEXT  MONDAY night, 7:30-9:30 as the Post Office pub - see you there!

Up-coming craft markets

There are a couple of craft markets coming up soon. The  Made'n'Thornbury market is on this Friday 4pm-7pm. Leinster Grove Thornbury - see the link on the blog roll on the right.
The Sisiter's Market is on at the Brunswick Town Hall on Saturday 14 August.
The North Melbourne Market, presented by The Thread Den, is an indoor event held at the Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol St. North Melbourne; 10am-2pm, $2 entry fee. Dates for the  rest of the year are 22 August, 24 October, 5 December.  For more details  -  http://www.northmelbournemarket.com/

PLUS the quilt and craft fair is on at Jeff's shed July 22-25, look at http://www.craftfair.com.au/ .

Craft Group next Monday night!

Half way through the school holidays, it always goes so quickly.

Lots of this going on in our house during the holidays, plus the boys have been getting up about 7:30/8am and have worked their way through 5 Star Wars movies in a row for the last 5 mornings.  I wonder what they will watch tomorrow? (we won't let them watch number 3, it is a bit too dark/scary at the end). Clone Wars animated series perhaps, or maybe it is time for some Pokemon, hmm...

 I should remind them that we have Toy Story on video - went to see Toy Story 3 at the Westgarth yesterday, quite good movie, lots of funny scenes,  but a little dark in places (the big baby doll stomping along in silhoutte could be a bit freaky for some kids) I was a bit  worried at the end, how would our heroes survive this one!!! And when we got home, Tigerboy got his box of Buzz toys out and played with them for the first time in ages (which is really what the movie is all about!)

Craft Group is on next Monday night, 12th July, the day school goes back!
7:30-9:30 at the Post Office Hotel, see you there!

scrap circle brooches

I just couldn't sleep last night until I had tried making one of these, it was all I could think about all day!

So I made the one on the top left - orange, brown and burgundy circles on a base of black felt- and wore it to work today.  Had a couple of people admire it at work!  I tried out a button hair clip idea too - buttons sewn onto a small strip of black felt, then glued to a hair clip.

When the afternoon tea after school visitors went home and the boys were busy battling each other in Mario, I sat down to make a couple more scrap circle brooches - but this time I got out a compass and made some pattern pieces first, 7 circles starting with a 6 1/2 cm one, gradually getting smaller. Easy as! The only hard part is playing around with colour combinations and choosing the right button for the centre.

AND we have a FEMALE Prime Minister! What a day!  For the first time in my life I turned the car radio away from Triple J and tuned into 774 to hear the anouncement on the way to work this morning! (thanks to a mate at school telling me about it, I don't get to hear the radio much in the morning at home).

  Although the kids were listening to Michael Winslow on breakfast with Tom and Alex the day before.  They watched "Spaceballs" the other weekend, which they loved, - a send up of Star Wars- and know Michael Winslow from a cameo spot as the radar guy making cool radar sound effects. They thought it was hilarious, the "jamming the radar" (with jam) and "combing the desert". But we  told them they are NOT allowed to quote the couple of naughty words in it!

school craft market sewing

My motto (well, one of them) is "it doesn't hurt to ask, all you can do is ask nicely. The worst that can happen is that they will say no!".  So I put a note in the school newsletter asking for people who can sew/knit if they would like to help out making stuff at home, in their own time, for the school twilight market next November.  And WOW about 8 people so far are have taken home kits to make pincushions (like the one in the left hand side of the headline photo up above), scrap circle flowers to make hairclips and decorate an assortment of up-coming projects, and working on some simple softie ideas.  Plus some fabric was donated, and I found more donated fabric in the PFA storeroom, already have plans for that!
THANK YOU all you wonderful helpers, I have to get organized and work on making more kits - instructions, finished  "demo" item, fabric etc. ready to send home next term/over the holidays.

But first I do have to try out a larger version of the scrap circle brooch that I was admiring  this morning! And I have 3 patch-piece scarves to finish for   work colleagues who spotted mine the day after I made it and wore to work, and immediately all put an order in for me to make them one!

Next Monday night...

Next Monday night is craft group at the Post office pub again, see you there from 7:30pm.  I will be there early with the kids to order some dinner from Antalya since my H will be away at a conference. 

These are the finished - and one not quite finished - Cozy Creatures!  Other craft achievments - I have knitted a beanie! (Hey it's my first time, ok!) a bit big but it fits over a pony tail/hairclip so the extra size comes in handy. So  then I worked out how to make it smaller and did a kid size one  for Tigerboy.   Started a pink one for my neice, and my nephew wants a brown one "but with the bit in front, you know, like a cap" he says. The pattern I used - guaranteed to work, since it is printed on the band on the ball of wool - does not include a brim. Not sure how to solve this one yet...

Making cozy creatures

Latest crafting in my house - Cozy Creatures!  I wanted to make a special (last minute) birthday present  for a little friend who lives in our street.  I had been keen to make the "Zet the Monster" from  the wonderful Australian Homesewn magazine since it came out last year.  I modified the pattern to be all one piece, used appliqued felt instead of buttons for the eyes, and use some of the chook's wheat (sorry girls, I'll buy you some more) to make a kid-friendly wheat bag.  Of course it was a hit, and got taken to school and carried around all week, plus my boys and their friends  all put and order on for one as well! I definitely need to buy some more wheat!

Next Monday night...

Next Monday night is getting busy ... Craft Group is on next Monday 7th June.
 Might be a bit tricky for me - I have just realised I am triple booked for Monday night!!! Craft group 7:30pm, then I got a message at work asking me to be the guest speaker at the Fawkner Playgroup AGM - at 7:30.  And now  I checked my emails and realised that the High School for Coburg meeting is also on at 7:30 on Monday AND it is also at the Post Office pub.  So we may not be able to get the lovely big table.  Hmmm... to quote the Dr from Sunday night  "this could be a tricky one"   - I may need to borrow the TARDIS to get around.

Craft Group tonight!

Craft group is on again tonight, 7:30pm at the Post Office Hotel.  See you there! Bring a friend or 2, the more the merrier.  Knit, sew, create, mend - plus you can have a glass of wine or cup of coffee at the same time!  Or if you are hungry or ran out the door without dinner - you can order yummy turkish food from Antalya across the road.

If you like knitting - take a trip to the Yarn Barn - http://www.yarnbarn.com.au/  in Reynard St. Coburg, an Aladdin's cave of wool in every colour of the rainbow - and more!

"Stitch 'n'Bitch" , "Sew & Glow" whatever you like to call it - Craft group is on TOMORROW night, 12 May at the POST OFFICE pub, corner Reynard St. and Sydney Rd. , 7:30-9:30pm.  I have booked the big "boardroom" table for our first try at the pub.   We had a High School for Coburg meeting there a few weeks back, and it is a HUGE table.  

There have been some major renovations  at the Post Office and it is looking really good, with the kitchen due to open very soon. In the mean time you can order meals from the wonderful turkish restaurant Antalya across the road, and they will deliver to the pub!  There is also a portable wood fired oven on a trailer (I kid you not, we drove past it last week!) parked out the back on Thursday - Saturday nights for wood fired pizzas.  So pack up some portable craft and come along tomorrow night!  See you there!

Babushka Jeans bag

Here is the bag I made from the Babushka fabric from Spotlight, and pair of old jeans from the op shop.  Apologies for the rather dark photo, I thought I would try out the inbuilt camera on the computer, but it is hard to get the angle and lighting right.  If nothing else, doing this will make me have to learn how to use the digital camera, iphoto and so on!

Craft from Christmas last year - using instructions from the wonderful "Australian Home Sewn" magazine, I made up a pile of notebook covers for gifts for friends and family.  The hardest part was choosing the colours and trims to suit each person!

25 April

No craft group tomorrow night due to the Anzac Day holiday.  Next date is Wednesday 12th May.

Latest craft - lots of knitting done at my all day staff conference last Thursday. I figured I was just going to be sitting and listening all day, so perfect for sitting and knitting! One of my work collegues said he thought I was joking when I said I was going to bring my knitting, and then was amazed to see me sitting there knitting!

Plus - spotted this gorgeous Babushka fabric in the  latest Spotlight catalogue and just had to have some, so I did! Very pleased with this bag, made with some lovely soft denim cut from an old pair of jeans bought from the Brotherhood store $2 a pair!  I seem to have a thing for red polka dot fabric this week - this is the second bag I have used it on in a week!

Hi this is the first post for the Coburg Craft Group.  We meet at the Coburg Library meeting room fortnightly, to get out of the house, do some craft and chat with friends (and eat chocolate of course!).  New people always welcome, bring along your UFO craft bits - knitting, cross-stitch, hand sewing, jewelry making, repairs ... whatever you are working on. Hope to see you there!