Wrong blog.

Oops I've done it again.

I've published the wrong post on the wrong blog.

If you want to read about these cute little fluffy ducklings head over to my Daylesford Organics blog, otherwise I'll see you back here tomorrow.

Yarn storage solution.

How do you store your wool?

A fabric stash is easily displayed in neatly folded squares, one on top of the other, in colour or weight order or just randomly in piles.

A wool stash is much more difficult.

It needs to be contained inside something like a box or bag but still easily accessible for times when you need inspiration, or at the start of a new project when you need to pull it all out to see what's there.

At the moment I have several bags and baskets filled with different types of yarns. These bags are all in a pile on the floor under and around my sewing table. It is not ideal for me or anyone else needing to enter or exit the office/sewing room.

Last week we bought this lovely side table home. It lives in our kitchen/dining area which is where we spend most of our time. It brightens the place up and adds some storage solutions to a house with too much stuff.

This morning when Bren took Jazzy to school it occurred to me that the cottons would look lovely and fit nicely into one of the three drawers.

I was right.

The side table has three drawers and three double cupboards. In a family of five how many of its storage solutions can I claim for myself?

Have you entered my giveaway yet?

Vintage Rose Potholder.

The other night while looking at pretty pictures of crochet on the internet I found the pattern for this Vintage Rose Potholder. I quickly made it up and am thrilled with how it turned out.

But what next?

I could make a whole lot more pot holders and hang them on the wall in a lovely display, or I could make something really functional and practical.

The functional and practical won.

Jazzy is having a birthday on Thursday and considering how much time I am anticipating will be spent in waiting rooms this week, I might even get it finished by then.

Can you guess what it is going to be?

Probably a bit early for that.

Have you entered my giveaway yet?

I hope your Monday is a funday.

My Giveaway!!

My Mum wrote a book.
A real book that will be published next month by Scribe Publications and available in book shops all over Australia and maybe one day all over the world.

The book is called Alzheimer's: A Love Story and this is what it says on her website about it;

When the last of Vivienne Ulman’s four children left home, she and her husband were poised to enjoy their freedom. Then her mother’s Alzheimer’s intervened.

In Alzheimer’s: a love story, Ulman records with tender lyricism and searing honesty the progress of her mother’s Alzheimer’s, her own grief over the gradual loss of her beloved mother, and the way in which her parents’ enduring love for each other sustained them.

Into this she weaves an account of her family’s history, in particular her father’s rise from farm boy to confidant of prime ministers — achievements made possible by the loving strength of the woman by his side. In a reversal of roles, he now amply returned this support.

This inspiring Australian story is a tale for the sandwich generation, squeezed on one side by concerns for their children and on the other by anxiety about their parents. It is about illness, grief, and hardship, but it is also about love, determination, and joy.

I have one, signed by the author, advanced reading copy (the draft before the final draft) of Alzheimer's: A Love Story to give away. To make this a gift from me and my girls too I will include in the package a crocheted flower brooch and a t-shirt designed and screen printed my girls.

I am happy to post it anywhere, all you have to do is leave me a comment telling me the name of a book you loved, that inspired you, or you have been dying to read. I will randomly choose the winner on the 23rd of October.

I am so proud and inspired by my Mum and know that I am the type of Mother and person I am today because of the creativity she surrounded us with when we were growing up.

Hook holders.

A few nights ago I made up the Petite Fleur Vase out of uncommon crochet by Julie Armstrong Holetz.

As soon as I finished it I undid it and started again. It was a great shape but at about eight centimetres tall it was a bit too petite for me.

The next night I made it again following the same sort of shape but changing the pattern to make mine bigger and a bit more useful.

I am really happy with it now. It stands up by itself and can easily hold a handful of pens or crochet hooks.

Last night at a bushfire forum I crocheted this Lace Vase.

Before the forum began a lovely middle aged woman sat down next to me and asked me what I was making. I went into a bit of detail showing her the picture and talking about the pattern. Little did I know at that time that she was to be the key note speaker for the night Joan Webster.

I am pleased with the shape and size of this vase but I will need to have another go in a sturdier yarn as it falls over with anything heavier than a crochet hook in it. Alternatively I might investigate some type of fabric stiffener.

I hope you are having a lovely creative weekend where ever you are.

Painting Jazzy's cupcakes.

This morning we're making the invitations for Jazzy's cupcake party.

I took over the drawing and cutting after the first few drawn by the almost six year old looked like hmmmm a part of the male anatomy.

And then for the fun part.

Later on today or tomorrow we'll write the details on the back of each cupcake.

Time to wash up.

My Creative Space.

If you scroll down through the pictures at the bottom of this post you'll see that my creative space this week has been full of school holiday drawing, screen printing, softies and sewing.

But when the little lovelies are in bed at night I have been making these baskets.

I love the shape and that they are so practical. They are also really quick to make. Bren really loves them too, which is unusual for crochet, and has asked me to make him one as a garlic display at farmers' markets.

The white one was made out of 100% cotton kitchen string. It changes colour half way down where one ball finished and I started a new one.

The green one is crocheted from 100% wool and came in this package from Jodie.

My plan is to crochet another really big one that will hold and display my wool stash. I'm not sure what I'll crochet it out of yet but it needs to be something that will hold it's shape. Any suggestions?

The basket pattern, as well as the pink vase I have just started are from this lovely book. uncommon crochet by Julie Armstrong Holetz is one of those rare books that inspire me to make every single pattern in it, except maybe the crochet sushi. It has beautiful ideas, great photos and easy to follow instructions. What more could a gal ask for?

At this stage I should probably warn you that I have signed up for Blogtoberfest this year. This involves all sorts of festivities with the main part being a blog post a day for the month of October. Being relatively new to blogging, I have no idea where this will lead me or if I need another 'have to' in my life, or if in fact I have enough to say, but I have signed my name on the dotted line and am ready for the ride........

For lots more creative spaces check out Kootoyoo's blog.

See you tomorrow.