Stash Busting Creation #1

Incase you haven't heard, Robin over at The T-Shirt Diaries has a MAD competition going on!! It's called Stashbusting September... which may come across as an odd or alarming title. BUT... it is a fantastic idea. Basically all you have to do is take a pledge that you will buy copious amounts of fantastic supplies not buy any new crafting supplies for the month of September, and dig through your "stashes" and be creative with what you already have. So if you want to participate (cause there is a prize!) head on over to Robin's blog. Hurry, time is running out!
 
Now for what I've whipped up. I have HEAPS of fabric. Now for those who may have only just started following my blog, let me fill you in a little about me. I do not buy new fabric from fabric stores. It's my general rule. I prefer to buy my fabric in the form of old quilt covers, old sheets, old clothes, scraps etc etc - from Op Shops (Thrift Stores). That way everything stays fun and different and I like it that way.

I started off with a bunch of fabrics that I thought went well together in a fun way...

....and made these!

I love them!  What do you think?

Happy crafting... (and stash busting)

My First Official Stall!

I am heaps excited folks! Next Friday afternoon/evening I'll be holding my first official stall at the Hilliard State School Fete. I am busily going through all my things, working out what I need to make, which things to take, putting prices on everything in preparation for the big day. I'll let you know more throughout the week!

My creative space...

In our current town house, I have the use of the spare bedroom as my (newly named) Craft Quarters. (one of the perks of having no children I suppose). It is ever changing. I buy more, I need to re-organise to fit it. Of late I have become 'obsessed' with Op Shops (Thrift stores). Until recently I never noticed the copious bins full of fabric offcuts, quilt covers, bed sheets, tableclothes etc etc, sitting there, awaiting to be recreated. Almost every week I wander through an Op shop... I'm lucky enough to have 6 within 5 minutes of my house. Not many people are as lucky as I am in that department :D

Today, I visited the Lifeline Furniture Store! It has all the other goodies, but does specialise in bigger items of furniture. For some months I have been frustrated with my main work table in my Quarters. Boxes stacked on top of each other, my folders & craft magazines falling over, trying to fit the sewing machine on there... it was grinding on my nerves. So I've been keeping an eye out for some sort of new smaller shelving to put things on in a more effective manner! Today was my lucky day. I found what some may think is an odd piece of furniture but is PERFECT for my work table. So folks... here is my "creative space"...

My main work bench. This is where all the goodness happens. It is only clean like this about once a week, and only lasts until I sit at the table again and then the chaos returns. (I'm not good at cleaning up as I go when it comes to crafting)


My fantastic new shelf thing.. I really don't know what to call it. I love that I can stack things on each shelf, and also tuck things underneath. As of today my laces live underneath! The green & brown boxes are full of ribbon! I hope to one day have my husband build me rods on the wall with the spools of ribbon on them - but as of now we rent and the boxes will do. My rule is that all my ribbons must fit in those two boxes - this is the ensure I don't buy too much (cause I'll have nowhere to put it). The box on the right up the top is all my sewing bits. Cottons, elastic, needles, pins, scissors, measuring tape, fabric pencils, and all those kinds of goodies. On the bottom shelf, the black box is FULL of embellishments for my cards. Geez I love $2 shops :D The blue box is my hot glue gun and all the glue sticks ready to go. Then all my craft magazines & my green idea's folder. I'm LOVING the shelf.


Drawers contain felt, ink pads, sponges, pens, punches, cardstock & smaller patterned papers/cardstock. On top is my cutter, buttons, brads, stationery, and then the black box is full of unfinished card projects and cut outs from the Big Shot all ready to go.


My trusty drawers from Ikea. Full of goodness. On top is my box full of cards ready to sell, embellishments & pillow boxes ready to sell, my box of stamps, and then cards & boxes I want to keep and use myself. I have to keep these seperate or else they vanish.


Top drawer. All my supplies or card making: tape, dimensionals, sticky spots, bags etc.


Second drawer. Non Stampin Up! rubber stamps, embossing powders (in he cardboard box) and beading supplies.


Third drawer. Fabric scraps.


Fourth drawer. Projects waiting to be started or finished.


Fifth drawer. Other odds and ends supplies. Spray paint, acrylic paint, brushes, wool, fabric embellishments, etc.


Sixth drawer. I think it's obvious my husband took over this drawer. I hope to buy him his own storage bin and transfer these to that :D


And all my paper scraps sorted into their colours. It makes it easier to use them up instead of wasting the good stuff!


All my fabrics. I love having them hanging, it makes creating so much easier.


Then there's my presentation table. This has a handful of my finished products on them ready to sell.


And tucked underneath is all my baskets and baby gifts (inside the bags) ready for all the baby showers I'll be attending in the upcoming months.


And then my beading bag. All this stuff used to be in the Ikea drawers, but they have been kicked out to fit in fabric.


Then there's my Blog To Do List. I can now cross off "my creatice space"...


What does your creative space look like??

Catch-up

As previously mentioned I'm quite behind in my blogging. Here are a few more things that I've purchased/made/done over the last month.

I bought coathangers. Lots of them. All of my fabric is now hanging in the wardrobe in my Craft Room (which still needs a name). It makes my life SO MUCH EASIER. Before it was all stacked in drawers. Inspiration comes more freely these days, cause I can see!!!!





It was Nanna's birthday earlier in the month. So I made her some cushions for her bed. She LOVES THEM.



Mum gave me all her old laces that have been in her sewing cupboard since we were wee ones. I'll use them on something one day I'm sure!







I whipped up a pincushion. My mini apple one just wasn't cutting it anymore. I needed a big soft one. It's a bit wobbly, but functions perfectly.





Tonight I finished a skirt off.. for me! First time I've made myself something.... cause let's be honest, this body ain't easy to fit. But I had fun, and it's not toooo bad. The fabric is hell cute - and was only $4.50 from a Thrift Shop.. and best of all, it was a Quilt Cover. Ahh, the things you find when you dig :)





And lastly, the other day I had a big ole pile of fabrics and things on my table. I thought it looked cool, so I took a pic.

More FANTASTIC giveaway opportunities for Quilters!!

Hi folks. Once again, Canton Village Quilt Works has an awesome competition in progress. Be sure to enter here if you are interested in winning Barbara Cline's "Star Struck Quilts" book.

She is amazing! (geez I wish I had the skills to do this....)



Jackie, of Canton Village Quilt Works is also adding in a bonus second prize of a $20 gift voucher to her online shop.

Don't miss out ladies. You gotta be in it to win it... :o)

What i've been up to lately...

To be honest I haven't had time to do anything much lately in my Craft Room. She, she being my Craft Room, has been cold, empty and lonely for quite some time. Don't you love over-scheduling?? :)

I have a few projects to show you from earlier in the month that I haven't had time to blog about yet.

Firstly, Lil Blue Boo recently had an Ugly Knit Upcycle competition. I didn't have much time to come up with something super fantastic, but did manage to whip up a skirt out of an old tank/singlet my sister gave me. It never did fit my properly and I hated the crocheting up the top (I like crocheting as a general rule, but this one just didn't fry my burger).

So it went from this...

...to this!!

(closeup of the fabric rosettes at the bottom of the skirt)


It is nothing fantastic but it was fun to make. I don't expect to win, the competition is far too stiff... geez I hate clever people :P

Also, I saw this fantastic idea whilst blog surfing a looooong time ago. I printed out the picture and put it into my "idea's folder" thinking one day I might take a stab at it. Well about two weeks ago I was quenching my Op Shop thirst/obsession and found a giant bin FULL of doily's. I sorted through the entire box, and bought every single one I liked, in all different shapes and sizes. There was all the bedding and such next to where I was looking through the box, and a lady was sorting through it, and she turned to me and said "so you like your doily's do you?" I laughed and explained what their purpose was. I don't think she believed me cause she gave me a funny look.

Anywhoooo.. I made it!! I took a different approach on how to attach them all together - I sewed them on the machine. I wanted it to be long lasting and sturdy. I love it. My husband thinks otherwise. What do you think??


I like it and it's a keeper. If you want one let me know, I've still got plenty of doily's!! (especially considering I bought MORE today hehe)

Well that's all I have time for now folks.. I'm only about 4 blog posts behind. Maybe I'll catch up in my 'free time'.

Fantastic Giveaway for all you clever Quilters...

Hello my crafting buddies. Today during my daily blog surf/stalk I came across a neat competition!! Jackie from Canton Village Quilt Works has a AccuQuilt GO! Cutter up for grabs! Simply stop by her blog, and make sure you enter four times so you are in with a good chance! Good luck to you all!!

Sprucing up

Last week I was wondering around Target and found some onesies on sale for $3 each. Now I have over 10 friends/family currently pregnant, so I have started stocking up on baby goodies in preparation for the onslaught of baby showers and births. I grabbed 6 onesies (and upon reflection should have got MORE). 2 pink, 2 blue and 2 white. I also found a fantastic stripey onesie in the clearance section because the stitching had come undone in the armpit area. I brought my 7 onesies home, and promptly repaired the hole in the stripey suit. Then I had the sewing bug... and wanted to sew some more! I soon had the idea of sprucing up the onesies! Now so far I've only done one of the pink suits and one of the blue, but I have plans for the other 4 suits. Here is what I did...





and...



They're not perfect, and there are things I will do differently when I spruce up the other pink & blue suits, but I still like them, and am happy with them. They were fun to make, and hopefully the bodies that fill them will be just as cute :)

Flower Headband

Recently my good friend had a baby girl. I decided to make a little something as a gift for bubby on her blessing day - a lace flower headband. Doesn't it look schnookums on her?

Op Shop Finds!!!

I frequent the Op Shops on a regular basis. I'm in them at least once a month. Did you know that they have a fabric section? Do you know how happy this makes me? There are advantages & disadvantages to doing this. Advantage = you have one of a kind fabric, cause it's mostly old weird stuff that smells like mothballs, which brings me to my Disadvantage = it smells like mothballs and you have to wash it TWENTY times before the smell leaves. I really do need to google a more effective way of being rid of that odour. The other disadvantage is you only have half a metre of this wonderful fabric and you want to use it in the best way possible, knowing you will never be able to find it again!

But I can deal with this disadvantages cause I love a bargain. And I love my work being unique in it's appearance.

I might also add that I have a fabric store up the road. When you walk in, you have three BEAUTIFUL bins full off offcut's for a discounted price. I quite frequent these bins as much as the Op Shops - and find just as much goodness for around the same price.

Here are some of my finds this month and my ideas of what I'd like to make out of them!!


These two yellow baby blankets were $2. I was SO pleased. I'm going to get myself a fabric shaver, so I can clean up the fabric a little, and I am looking at making some matching babies cushions or soft toys... not totally decided yet. Either way it is going to be super cute!


Pastel stripey flannelette single top sheet - this baby was $4. It is brand new, it hasn't even been washed. It has that new soft fluff on it! I am thrilled about this one. I'm thinking more baby cushions and toys. My sister also wants some of it so she can make some stuff out of it. Maybe even some spit rags?


Zebra print silk - $4, White & Black Sateen, $4 each. I couldn't pass this one by. I love love love animal print but am a big sook and can't bring myself to wear it.. so I'm gonna MAKE something with it for someone else! Hoping to make two matching cushions out of these beautiful fabrics. Sateen is quickly becoming one of my more favourite fabrics.. its so lovely!


The stripey fabric I found at the fabric store for a few dollars. The paisley strech fabric was an awesome find at the Op Shop. There is about 3 metres of it, and it was only $5. I actually have already made something out of these vibrant fabrics. A little skirt for my niece. It looks SCHNOOKUMS on her... I really must get a photo of her in it.

(sorry it's a bit blurry)


Another great find in the bargain bin at the fabric store. Few bucks I think, and I've already used it to make a Rosette Hair Accessory!

(the colours aren't showing up great cause I took the photo on my phone)


Both a few dollars from the Op Shop.. I'm thinking a fun cushion or little girls skirt. The stripey fabric could also be a heaps cute tie for a little boy!


These were again a few dollars each. The tartan looks like a school uniform fabric from my area... but I thought ahh why not, I'll just have to make it look so fantastic that no one will notice haha!! Maybe some more cushions again? Or some hair accessories.

And last but not least...

I bought some ties. They were only $1 each from the Op Shop. Funny thing is I bought 6 ties in total. 3 were really nice and 3 were a little more daggy. My husband decided the 3 really nice ones needed to live in his closet... so they are no longer in my possession. The 3 daggy ones are the ones you see photographed above!! I saw on this blog many many months ago now some hair accessories made from ties.. so I thought I'd give it a go.. at $1 a piece I'm not going to be losing out on much if they don't work out!


So there we have it. I have PLENTY to work on! And plenty more blog posts to write to show you what I've bought and made.....