Happy Halloween everyone....

Not that its a big deal here but we usually get a few trick or treaters and this year i actually have something for them!

Have had a dreadful week here with an allergy that has me covered from head to toe. It was going but has flared up today again, i am so sick of scratching. I have used every lotion and potion in the house this week and even been raiding the pantry as olive oil is quite soothing LOL!

We had a great time at my sil's 50th but i spent the day indoors with people paying me visits. It wasnt too bad tho because i got to sit under the air con!
I ended up buying my Sil a pressie because the allergy tablets made me so tired and i just didnt have the energy to finish it. i also ended up havng to work on the thursday. I will still finish it though and send it to her, it will just be late, oh well.

I did make this quick atc on wed for a choclate challenge on one of my online forums. I used the wrap from some cadbury's choccie and my favourite baby image. The little black wings are from Scraptivate and were on my my wishlist from Paperific. I got some beautiful swan wing ones too and a border as well.

'Chocolate angel'


The pic at the top is one of my prim babies waiting for her head to be attatched. Thought it was kind of appropriate for Halloween! bye jenxo

a bit more.....

I was able to get a quite a bit more done on my quilt today.
I used Merry's machine at craft and free motioned away. I really enjoy doing that. Its very new to me but i am very good at doing loops!!!!








Sewed a few beads on too but this afternoon i made fabric beads. [I am thinking of putting a 'fringing arrangement' on the bottom.]It was so very relaxing and then I made a big mess embossing them with micro beads [bought really cheap from Paperific ] and clear utee. Not sure if they are going to look too heavy but i can always them for something else. I love just the lace ones too. There are so many options for these like wrapping text or wire around but being pressed for time [have to work tomorrow] these will have to do.





Then again i may use the non-embossed ones!!! Hmmmm.

Still havent decided on a bird, butterfly or hummingbird yet either......

lovely Sunday....

what a beautiful day it has been. I dont know where spring has gone, it seems to have just jumped into summer.

Apart for doing washing, i spent this afternoon making my 'let it go ' quilt!

Its my SIL's 50th next weekend and i needed something quick to make for her. She is a more traditional quilter and makes quilts for everyone else so i thought i would do one for her. I hate traditional quilt making, all that correct cutting drives me nuts, i had enough trouble getting my felted atcs square.... even with the help of a rotary cutter and quilting rule!

I've been folowing Calamity Kim and her 'what if ' quilt and decided that i would give it a go. However , while i was making it, i kept saying let it go, let go of all those pre-concieved notions and try and free myself up.

I used up a bits of curtain laces, doilies, part of a beautiful lace collar and and even an old tablecloth. I layed down a base piece of curtain that still had the hem on it. I was about to cut it off and then had a ligtblub moment. It would make a great hanger, so it became the top instead. I cut lots of different flowers and leaves from curtain fabric and down they went too.
I just used basting spray to hold everything down while i stitched. Had awful trouble with my machine, didnt think i was going to get anything done. It was only when i put the cheap thread on that it worked, that was after i had bought 3 new reels of embroidery thread! go figure.





its all stitched down now, need to add some final touches like some beads and hand embroidery, which i can do at night. Needs a bird or a butterfly too i think?

2 new atc's...

So i should be cleaning out the fridge [got it half done!] and the shower but instead I am taking photos and blogging!!! i have a very short attention span when it comes to housework these days!!!

These two i am taking to Paperific for the atc trade there. Should be fun although i have never done any thing like that before!
The background is tissue paper scrunched and glued and then water soluble crayons to color. The images are from a Gaby Braun collage sheet. they are such beautiful colors and i printed them out on some vietnamese paper.
Can you see the brown flakes down the edge? i found a container on our fridge full of interesting stuff, looked like toffee flakes. Turned out it was Shellac! Bonus! So i flaked it some more and gelled it on.
I also couldnt find an embellishment for the sides but on my way to work , walked thru the these elm blossoms. They are all dry and papery and were perfect!

Anyhow, if they dont go they will be up for trade Friday night!!

the black around the edge of this pic is a scrap from the soot technique, using a weeties box!

Off to...

Paperific on Friday. Must say this is one of my highlights of the year. I am heading off on the train bright and early with 3 of my craft girls.

It's the third year i have been down and hopefully the venue [at the showgrounds] will be heaps better than the hot stuffy and very crowded marquee at Docklands last year!!

The first stand i am heading to, is Collections , i love their stuff and hopefully they will do some make and takes like last year. i have my wishlist ready , mainly things i cant get here, like stamps and different ribbons. Last year i scored polished pigments and twinkling h2os going out cheap as!!! [the lady was going out of business so had reduced them, i couldnt believe my luck!]

Pity i have to work Saturday but at least all the overtime came at just came at the right time!!!

Sharing some pics from the ag art . This was the avant garde and national winner, there were 42 cockies on this dress and they were all different.....

and I want those shoes!!!


it was hard to get a decent shot, they dont stop for long!

Can you tell what this was made of......



The yellow plastic stuff that they wrap bananas in. It was very clever, see the cutwork on the side [just!] They had cut small flowers into it , the bag was gorgeous too. This won the national contest so they are off to nz too.....



This was made by a 13 yr old. Her mum and aunt were so inspired by her win last year that they entered the yellow one above this year!!

So here goes.....

I cant believe i did this...idjit!!

remember , you have to watch it with your head stuck to your shoulder!!!!

[but doesnt it look wonderful!!]

So proud!!!!!

Well Lucy got 3rd place in the under 21 division. We were so proud and happy and her outfit looked fantastic.

When we got there they said they couldnt show everyones as they would run out of time :(

We were a bit stunned as they would only parade 5 finalists from the 3 categories. As the second model paraded down the runway we could see lucys stick poking out the top of the stage divider!!! so we knew she was in!!!!

then she got into the final 3 [it was all very nervewracking!!] and ended up getting beaten by the young girl who won last year!!



Now, i am the world's worst photographer, I took a vid of her dress but too tired now to work out how to save and put it here!!! i have looked at it and DUH!! i turned the camera around and the model is walking sideways!!!!! [told you i was a shocker !!] I need to edit the others so here is Charlie modelling [we had to send these photos in for the dressing instructions.] only problem was , it wasnt quite finished!! I'll try and post some more pics romorrow i need to edit them first!!


Some of the outfits were absolutely amazing and its so hard to believe they were made from things found on a farm!!!





Charlie being tough!!

Watch this space......

Lucy's dress is being judged tomorrow.

We cant wait.......

Apparently she is no 30 so they must have quite a few entries.

Poor kid is really crook with the sore throat and a cold so i hope she is feeling a bit better tomorrow.

Will take lots of pics and let you know tomorrow night ...jenxo

Funky Felted Fish.....

Well, its official, needlefelting is fun. lOl!! i havent done much of it before,only to use it for dolls hair!
Its so nice to sit and jab away and see what unfolds! Made these two fish atc's today, not that they started as fish, just sort of evolved that way!
I added some angelina which probably doesnt show in the photo but gives them a wonderful sparkle and lift. To felt the angelina, i laid a very light layer of wool over the top and felted it in so it peeps thru.
I have been wanting to try this wonderful craft for ages and working atc size i get can them done quickly. I like the simple overcast stitch too rather than blanketstitching.
I have always loved working with felt, its such a lovely medium.


FunkyFish and Jelly Fish