I have been just itching to share this with you! Have you seen the new craft book: “One Yard Wonders“?

Following on from the success of the book “One Skein Wonders“, Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins have put together this wonderful craft book full of simple projects that you can sew up using just one yard of fabric.

I got my copy in the mail today and I can honestly say that this is already one of my favourite craft books. There are 101 projects covering household decoration and storage, craft organisation, on-the-go storage, clothing for adults and kids, bags, accessories, kids toys and even sweet craft projects for your favourite pet! The front of the book covers all areas of sewing fundamentals.

I am also thrilled because I have one project in this book!

Now you can make your very own Peg Bear using just one (actually only a 1/2) yard of your favourite fabric! :-)

Other projects from the book that I really like -

Adorable elephant by Sarah Faix:

Toddler dress by Rachael Theis:

Folklore bag by Lauren Booth:

Kitschy apron by Mother’s Apron Strings:

and laptop sleeve by Becka Rahn:

If you like to sew (no matter what skill level) this will be a great addition to your library, especially if you are keen to make quick-to-sew gifts this Christmas. If you know someone who likes to sew, this book would make a fantastic Christmas gift!

You can buy the book over at Amazon, or if you’re in Australia, you can now find it stocked online at Fishpond.

Congratulations to Rebecca and Patricia for the great job that they’ve done putting this book together and thank you for giving me the opportunity to be involved!

HOT:

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>> Rice pudding – eaten hot or cold. I love the home made stuff but lack of time means I’ve been hooked on the Yoplait Le Rice versions (especially White Choc and Raspberries!). Admittedly I am also craving some Filipino chocolate rice pudding known as Champorado, topped with lots of condensed milk. *YUM!*

>> Prints by Christina/Jamfancy arrived in the mail. Pure awesomeness. Just got to frame them up now.

>> Christmas Concerts and Costumes – Ava has her school Christmas Concert next week and both girls will be performing at our Church Christmas Concert in a few weeks’ time, so I’ve been spending lunch breaks gathering bits and pieces for their costumes. I’m sure there will be many more Christmas Concerts to come for these two and I hope I never get sick of it! I can’t wait to see them perform!

>> Nikki Hall (owner of Hudson, where my little exhibition is currently running) was featured in the Sunday Age magazine this past weekend, in an article about DIY gifts for Christmas. She’s framed some gorgeous hankies from Junie Moon as gifts (they’re not pictured in the article but I did see them in person and they are soooo cool) and she also makes mosaics. It was also a little treat to see her holding Woodland Girl Myrtle in the pic :-)

>> And speaking of DIY Christmas links, Pip posted up 287 (yes 287!) links to free craft projects from around the net. I will be using a few of the tutorials this Christmas. And while you’re over there, don’t forget to wish Pip and Mikes a happy 3rd blog birthday!

NOT:

>> Wow, how hard is it to get up in the morning?! You’d think I’d be jumping out of bed since it’s nice and bright so early in the morning these days but I’ve really been struggling. Hence, I’ve been missing a lot of training runs. This can’t be a good thing as the Sussan’s 10km Fun Run is next Sunday (yikes!) and I am so unprepared!

>> Moving offices. I’m moving to the other side of the city next week. I love the current location of our office. It is close to everything I enjoy like my favourite coffee shop, favourite cafes/eateries, cool little shops on Flinders Lane and Degraves St, Tessuti, and my favourite Dymocks book shop (which always stocks the best stationery too – this week I spotted notebooks/diaries with illustrations by Jen Corace and Belle & Boo amongst others – plus they have a fantastic craft book section!). I will miss it!

>> On November 23rd 2009, Nestle announced that they will cease production of the iconic Polly Waffle. Not happy. Stocking up now!!!

Thanks to Claire for hosting What’s Hot & What’s Not Wednesdays!

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How about that blue toadstool up there? I have never seen anything like it. Love it!

It has been a week of no sewing or crafting for me and I will admit that it has been a nice break :-) I’m feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the remaining things on my To Make/Craft list for 2009 (including a few Christmas presents – someone told me it was only 35 days or so away?!).

I’ve finally caught up on my blog reading. I’ve missed a  lot of good stuff while I was working on the show. Here are just a few of the things that have really inspired me/got me excited about making again:

>> New paintings by Amy Sol entitled “Wilderness Buffet”

>> Anna Maria Horner’s Little Folks Dobby Dots fabric

>> Hop Skip Jump’s Jack Rabbit softie pattern is now available!

>> Jamfancy has a new blog AND her prints are now available on etsy! Yay!

>> My Paper Crane’s dolls and photo shoot for her Christmas cards. Wow.

>> Very, very much looking forward to Helen Dardik’s “Mod Kitchen” range that she has designed for P&B Textiles!

>> Softie pattern for Jodie’s gorgeous elephant softies, Parsley & Beet, is now available too!

>> Beautiful new tulip and bird prints from Tiel

>> The artists and the artwork that make up the “Once Upon A Time Exhibition”, held to celebrate Leeloo’s 2nd Birthday.

Hope you enjoy that little list! Would you like to share what’s been inspiring you/getting you excited about making lately?

I once read a quote by Robert Benchley that goes like this: “Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn’t the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment” :-)

That’s pretty much procrastination in a nut shell, isn’t it? Well, in the midst of preparing for the show, I will admit to doing just that. Instead of sewing up softies, there I was (for no real reason other than just to be distracted) cleaning up my craft room. I was putting away things I would have actually needed; folding up fabric I was going to cut into anyway; dusting down surfaces that were going to be covered in mess again in no time; even picking up the stray miniscule pieces of fabric and thread off the floor!

At least this strange form of procrastination yielded some fruit – I found some fabric I had printed with Spoonflower yonks ago and had completely forgotten about!

Two fat quarters of Michi in grey and yellow on cotton:

A few fat quarters of Woodland Girl on cotton (I made a cushion with this fabric that you can see here):

And way back in June I had received my order of some designs printed on a 55% linen/45% cotton blend basecloth (Spoonflower no longer offers this basecloth as an option). So I also found a number of fat quarters of the following designs on the linen/cotton blend fabric:

Woodland Cutout in blue and grey:

Woodland Cutout in yellow and black:

And Woodland Girl on the off-white basecloth:

I’ve put all of these fat quarters up in my shoppe. I only have a limited number of pieces in each design. I won’t be re-printing these designs or printing new designs onto fabric until mid-next year so you might want to buy them now if you are interested in any of the designs.

They are all available in fat quarters only, which is a good size for things like small bags/purses, softies, placemats, cushion fronts, aprons, oven/pot holders, and a few panels on a quilt.

Find them all here.
(BTW how hard is it to photograph fabric?!)

Thanks so much for all your lovely comments about the show! I can’t tell you how much I really appreciate your support. I’m sure all of you can understand the feeling of making a whole bunch of things – putting a lot of time and effort (and love!) into each one – and then just putting it out there, wondering if people will like it or loathe it. Whether it’s in a store window or posting them up on the internet, I still get those butterflies whirling around in my tummy.

So thank you, thank you for your feedback!

I popped into Hudson this morning to set up the show. It was good to see Nikki once again and we had a nice little catch up as the dolls and softies slowly found their places.

If you are in Melbourne any time from tomorrow until the end of December, I do hope you will get a chance to visit the Woodland Folk and their friends :-)

If you are interested in any of the dolls or softies, you can contact Nikki at Hudson (03 9525 8066). This year, you’ll be able to take the softie with you when you purchase it rather than waiting until the exhibition is over. This means that as the weeks go on, the display may get smaller and smaller – so if you wanted to see all of the display, you might want to visit earlier rather than later.

Thanks again for all your support and lovely comments/feedback regarding the stuff I’ve been making for this show. I’m going to take a little break from sewing and hope to get caught up on all the emails and blogs this week. Happy week all!

Wow, this weekend was a blur! A fun time was had at the AQM on Saturday catching up with some lovely ladies and I hope to do a post about it this week. It still feels like I have been sewing non-stop though and as a result, my brain has turned to jelly.

So I’ll stop jabbering on. Here are the final batch of softies for the show.

Ojai, Okena and Oriole the Owls (all made using thrifted crocheted squares and doilies):

And a few Ze Bun-Buns:

I didn’t get a chance to make hybrid creatures for this show but I have another show planned for early next year and I am hoping to focus purely on hybrid creatures for that one (something a little different from what I usually make).

Now off to get some sleep and then it’s off to install the show tomorrow!

Three new bright and cheery Fawns for the show.

Fitzroy:

Francesca:

And Firenze:

I’ve reinforced the legs on Fitzroy and Francesca with wire so they are definitely more sturdy than previous fawns.

I’m still sewing like a crazy woman. My creative space this week has branched onto the kitchen bench in order to get as much sewing done as possible whilst looking after the Youngest.

I’m also spending the day at the Australian Quilt Market tomorrow, hanging out with the lovely ladies of Pattern Press :-) I’m looking forward to meeting and catching up with other designers, visiting all the booths, and given the forecast for tomorrow – air conditioning! It will be a nice break from sewing. Hopefully I’ll remember to bring my camera.

Back here on Sunday with the last batch of softies for the show – Bun-buns and Owls (that’s the plan anyway!).

More creative spaces at Kirsty’s.

Thank you for your lovely comments about the upcoming show! Here are the Peg Bears who will be attending the Tea party:

Peg Bear Ranchera:

Peg Bear Rara:

Peg Bear Requiem:

Peg Bear Rhapsody:

Peg Bear Rocknoir:

Peg Bear Rondeaux:

All the Peggies are sporting op-shopped or donated crocheted squares and doilies.

I’ve also just completed 3 fawns. About 6 more softies to go in the next 5 or so days – I think I might just make it! Hope to share pics of the fawns soon. Thanks again for all your support and best wishes ♥

Inspired by the colours of Spring and kids’ outdoor tea parties, I really wanted this show to be full of colour and pattern. Thanks to the wonderful and supportive Nikki, it will be once again held at Hudson Clothes (Balaclava, Victoria) this year, starting November 17. Please do pop in and have a look if you are in the area!

I’ll continue to post up pics of what will be in the show over the coming week.

. . . crocheted-belly Peg Bears in progress for the show:

Happy November! We arrived a few days ago from our very short holiday in Sydney where we had a long overdue catch-up with friends – friends I’ve had since high school. We get together every once in a while and it’s always a wonderful and amazing experience to see each other again and see how our families have grown, and where we are in our individual lives. Every time we get together it really is as if we have never been apart. A real blessing.

{The Youngest and I having an important conversation at Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney}

I’ve taken time off from work to make softies for the show and I think I am almost half-way there. Hope to post the details of the show on the weekend – it opens in about 10 days time – yikes! Back to the sewing machine!

Thanks to Kirsty, you can find more Creative Spaces here.