Watercolour beginnings
September 15, 2011
I had an art shop adventure today. There’s something about the smell of an art shop that takes me straight back to university days. Today’s purchase was a brush (for that damn decoupage) and three little tubes of watercolour. I’m happy to report, on the decoupage note, that stage one of applying paper to placemat has gone well and stage two of sealing the paper with another layer of glue will commence tonight. Fingers crossed! Martha’s little brush wasn’t helping things so the larger, flat brush is meant to aid in getting even glue distribution. Seriously, who would have through that sticking a few sheets of paper down could be so complex?
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On another note, I’ve wanted to try designing my own fabric and having it printed through spoonflower for a long time. I got all inspired earlier in the week when I saw a chair covered in a watercolour print and thought I might have a little play with paints myself. The plan is to do some simple brush strokes in turqoise and yellow, scan them in and have them printed. Stay tuned!
Craft Fail
September 11, 2011
I admitted a while back that I was going to attempt some decoupage. I have previously been of the belief that decoupage was a dirty word. Dear god, the mere thought of it filled me with visions of cherubs, teddy bears, flora and fauna… however this decoupage was in the name of creating vintage map inspired placemats.
Having found what I believed to be the perfect map, 99 cent placemats from eBay and armed with Martha Stewart purpose built decoupage glue, I set about the first attempt. Cutting went well.
Gluing did not go so well.
What we have here people is a craft fail.
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Having snorted at the word decoupage my first attempt resulted in bubbles, wrinkling and general disaster. I didn’t realise I had to wait for the first lot of glue to set before doing the top layer. I’d like to blame Martha Stewart for not having this instruction on the back of purpose decoupage glue, but really, I should have looked it up.
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My craft ego is in tatters. To make matters worse I spent precious minutes trying to photograph the full fail effect and half the glue set. It then took me 20 minutes to scrape the paper off the placemat – 10 minutes in and me covered in glue, the 3 yr old started screaming help from the bathroom, woke the toddler up and had me running around like a headless chook with very sticky feet . Fail mark II.
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Having had the vision of said vintage inspired placemats in my dining room I’m going to attempt this again next weekend. Decoupage will not get the better of me damn it!!
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How was your weekend?
Vintage map frenzy
September 5, 2011
There’s something about maps that draws me in every time. I think it’s the possibility of adventure; the allure of new places and cultures to explore.
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Whenever I get on a plane I find myself flicking to the route map section of the in-flight magazine. Retracing the steps of journeys long gone or dreaming up overland trails of new places to discover. OK. Slightly obsessive. I know. But seriously, I do it every time. And lots of people I’ve spoken to do the same thing so I’m hoping you’re nodding your head in agreement rather than thinking “dear God, she is weird”.
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I spotted this beautiful idea on pinterest and instantly wished I’d kept more maps of the places I’d been as souvenirs. Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s by Bombus who create bespoke furniture and art from vintage items.
It has also sent me off on a map induced craft frenzy that I hope to be able to post here very soon.
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Sunday crafting and the baby Zilla
August 28, 2011
I spent today crafting with the lovely ladies of The Craft Room. So great to catch up with everyone, Sophie was making an incredibly twirly skirt, Belinda stitching bunting, quilting and lots more crochet, kitting and sewing going on. Thanks for a great day girls!
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I’m not sure what came over me this week but I had the urge to make a baby Godzilla, or Zilla as I’ve fondly nicknamed him. It probably has something to do with bubba Frankie starting to walk – that cute zombie type walk with his hands in the air, destroying everything in his path. The nearly-4-year-old inspired the monster pattern so it’s only fair that the one-year-old has a softie design in his honour.
Zilla isn’t quite finished yet – I’m not happy with his mouth but the general shape of him and the spikes are coming together. I think on the next version I’ll try sewing felt into the mouth and having little teeth hanging out. Frankie was delighted with him and even has a bit of a “raaawwwh” going on. Bless.
How to live before you die
August 25, 2011
Steve Jobs resigned from Apple today. *sigh* The world has a little less magic in it’s technology.
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I was watching this speech he made in 2005 on How to Live before you Die. Inspirational stuff on doing what you love, having faith in life’s twists and staying true to yourself.
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At one point he says:
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“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself – if this were the last day in my life would I want to do what I am about to do today. Whenever the answer was no too many days in a row I knew I needed to change something.”
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Wise words. Time to change.
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The 1st Birthday
August 21, 2011
A whole year has gone past. A whole year!!! I’m not sure how that happened but here I am with my cuddly baby walking, singing and turning one. Happy Birthday to my gorgeous boy.
I may have overdone it with the table decorations for the first birthday but with a total lack of crafting going on I have to say that it was the most fun I’ve had in a while. The only down side was that all the adults were too scared to touch the display. Luckily the 3 year olds had no qualms about tucking in and got the party started.
For a new bundle of pink…
July 20, 2011
This for a new bundle of pink who I have yet to meet. If she’s anything like her mother she’ll be one of the most kind, caring and thoughtful people in the entire world. Welcome baby Annabelle.
Meet Radcliffe
July 17, 2011
I hinted back in January that I was making a toy for Christmas in July. Ta-dah! Here he is, Radcliffe the Reindeer. He’s a pull-along sock reindeer to be exact and a full tutorial on how to make him is in this month’s Homespun magazine.
My word, doesn’t January seem like a long time ago? We’re in the midst of cold rainy days and huddling under blankets on the couch now. We’ve almost unpacked the last box from the big house move and I’m looking forward to more crafting time soon. Looking back at this lovey Mr Reindeer makes me want to get stitching all over again.
The big move
May 29, 2011
Radio silence from me for a whole month. I know. This past month has been all about moving house which is happening next weekend. I will finally have an office/crafting room to myself which, as you can imagine, I’m ever so excited about. It’s kinda my light at the end of the moving hell, starting new job, drowning in mother guilt month.
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Apart from holding back my insane urges to knit or crochet in this wintry weather I have also been out about with family things. My gorgeous brother got married on Friday and we had the most fantastic weekend away in the Southern Highlands of NSW. It was open fires, red wine and lots of love. In exciting news the newlyweds are expecting a baby… hooray… cousins for my boys!! I’m already thinking about a new softie design to welcome the new arrival in January. So you see there will be crafting again, just as soon as I’ve unpacked the boxes.
PS: above photo posted as proof that I’m still alive.
Hello
May 1, 2011
Well it’s about time I stopped by.
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Life got a little bit crazy I’m afraid and Craft Schmaft, along with crafting, has been missing in action for a month now. Never fear, it will all be back, but I have started a very exciting new job which has had my undivided attention for the past three weeks. Then last week we finally bought a house! Hooray! Months of searching and the emotional roller coaster of me getting attached to everything we saw are finally over.Now it’s dawned on me that we actually have to move in 5 weeks time (eek!) but the crafty thoughts of how we’re going to decorate the place are already flowing.
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I’ve been playing around with Pinterest - so much fun. I’ve always found myself drawn to mid-century style and have been planning what to do with our new dining room. I have a thing for 1950s turquoise/blue so you can imagine my delight when I found these incredible industrial lights on ebay. In a moment of being at home on the couch with glass of red watching Royal Wedding I bought them. My other obsession are Vintage Travel posters so I’m hoping to combine the two in the room.
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Where’s the craft, I hear you say? Well would you be horrified if I mentioned the word decoupage? I would have been until I saw a genius tutorial in Frankie magazine (sorry can’t remember the issue) which showed covering old cork placemats in new funky paper by way of decoupage. It was gorgeous and so simple. So I’ve bought some vintage style world map wrapping paper and bargain thrifted placemats (a whole dollar) and will be on my way. Stay tuned. It could be brilliant or a sticky disaster.
Hello. My name is Claire. I have a sock toy addiction. It began two years ago when I was pregnant and nesting. At first I dismissed it. I hadn't sewn in years. "Craft Schmaft" I said. Well it seems this crafty thing is here to stay. This blog brings you the delights of making sock softies, fabric finds and crafty inspiration from round the interweb.
