YO YOS!

Cassi Griffin is the next blogger in the book The Crafter´s Companion and hers was one of the first blogs I ever read. She has an amazing collection of Japanese craft books and makes beautiful things. She is a home-schooling Mum to 3 kids and I can truly relate to her words "what I like least about it (housework) is that you never have much to show for your labor. When I craft I end up with something tangible. I have something that says, look what I did!".

Above you can see the scarf I made from her fabric scarf pattern. I used 2 different silks and it turned out very soft and summery. I used Cassi´s instructions and a yo yo tutorial by Heather to make some brooches and now I´m addicted to making those yo yos! I can´t stop !

Inspiration: The Crafter´s Companion

I want to do the projects in the order that they come in the book so I´ve started on a quilt but that´s going to take a while. I finished some log cabin squares a while back which I have incorporated into the top of the quilt and I´ll be using some old bed linen for underneath. I have yet to buy batting and do the real work which is very well outlined in the book by Amy Carol. Her instructions have finally given me the courage to start something that I´ve wanted to do for ages.

In the meantime... I do a lot of shopping as there are 5 mouths to feed in this household so I have gone on to make something practical, a market bag - designed by Anna Torborg, the mastermind behind this wonderful book. I added a crochet base to the bag to make it stronger and I made the handles a little longer so they would fit over my shoulder. I love how it fits into its little pouch so I can take it with me in my handbag and don´t have to buy plastic bags to carry my shopping home.

"6 weird things about you"

I have been tagged by Diana...

so here are 6 weird things about me:

1. I have a black spot on my right eye, next to my pupil. The kids say it´s my 3rd eye.

2. I often watch up to 3 tv shows at the same time because I hate advertising so I jump between channels.

3. I must sleep nearest to the bedroom door. It doesn´t have to be the left or the right side, just closest to the door.

4. I love to challenge myself to do different things with each hand that involve different motions, for example mix a cake batter with my right hand and wipe clean the stove with my left hand, or brush my hair with my left hand and clean my teeth with my right hand.

5. I get teary eyed at the drop of a hat...a sad movie, a beautiful magazine layout, watching my kids wait for the bus in the morning...

6. I can remember really small details about events or people, they just jump into my head - even if I haven´t seen someone for years I am often able to remember their phone number, address, what they wore at a wedding or party, their favourite colour, foods, movies and their star sign and who they dated. I can drive people crazy with this because I can remember things that they have long forgotten.

Alexandra, Laini, Jorth, Ihanna, Mijk and Mirre, you´re tagged. I dare you to write 6 weird things about yourselves.

Little Pouches

I made these little pouches to use up left over crochet cotton and wool. They are similar to my large one, just more simple. I crocheted the base first, sewed the fabric tube (leaving a gap in the side seem for the ribbon before hemming the top and bottom seems) and then stitched the two parts together by hand, threaded a chain-stitch crochet ribbon through and voilá!

Sunday Scribblings #42 - I have an idea.

I am often heard saying "I have an idea!". The look on Erich´s face usually says "Oh no! What is it this time?" but he patiently asks "really darling, what is it!". The ideas I have are usually for little face-lifts around the house, which require drilling, building or painting (by Erich) or a trip to Ikea. But there are other times when people I know have asked me for advice on decorating, sewing, cooking, buying or making a gift for someone, an idea for a party or song lyrics. I always have an idea. Sometimes it jumps into my head straight away and sometimes I say I´ll think about it and get back to them and I go about my day and suddenly the idea will come to me. Not just vaguely mind you, I can see, smell and feel the idea, I can picture it in all it´s detail and my enthusiasm can be overwhelming because I get impatient when I describe the idea and the other person can´t see it, or when someone wants to work on my idea and change it so I say "just trust me, it will be wonderful!" and it always is. I love to pass my ideas on to other people and see them work.

Ideas for my own creativity seem to be endless at the moment and although I´m concentrating on the projects in The Crafter´s Companion, new ideas pop into my head all the time. I made a collage last year called Meine Kleine Welt (my little world) by covering a styropor head (used to display wigs) with magazine clippings and it´s like my head inside out - full of pictures, full of words, full of so many ideas. Will I ever be able to harness them all? Will there ever be enough time to accomplish everything? I don´t know but I´m going with it because this is what really makes me happy, seeing ideas in my head and then watching them become real things, things that can be touched, things that please, soothe and warm and things that motivate other people to have new ideas. Ideas make the world go round!

More Sunday Scribblings here.

Lots of ideas here, here and here.

On My Table

On my breakfast table this morning...a vintage glass plate (thrifted), a polish milk jug (bought at a local shop), a vintage Edelweiss butter dish (flea market) and a plastic strawberry sugar bowl(a swap gift from Jessica). Jamie wrote about watching for signs over at Create a Connection, Try Day and I have my eyes open. What really speaks to me is COLOUR, it can take my breath away and make me almost giddy. There is such beauty in orange, aqua is energizing, pale yellow soothes me and I can get lost in red. . I also love the beauty in useful objects like dishes and jugs, especially when they have a history. I often imagine where my flea market finds have been and who they have belonged to in the past.

Sunday Scribblings #41 - Kissing

The faces that I like kissing the most.

INSPIRATION : The Crafter´s Companion

Erich bought me this book a while ago after I´d seen the list of contributers and wouldn´t stop raving about it. I was so excited when it arrived and read it from cover to cover within a few days, it was even better than I expected and I recommend it to anyone interested in people and crafts. It´s full of inspiring tales, workspaces and projects - new ideas and viewpoints aswell as a lot that I can relate to. I´m going to make everything in the book, with my own personal touch - here´s the first project completed...This Zakka-Style Pouch (below) was inspired by Alison Brookbanks, an architect from Sydney whose blog is called sixandahalfstitches and whose pages in the book are so beautifully written.
I knitted the grey fabric from Australian sheep´s wool I received from my mother and felted it myself following Alison´s instructions.The bottom and the ribbon are crocheted and I lined the bag to give it extra strength. The drawstring ribbon is sewn onto the base of the bag so I can wear it as a backpack or throw it over my shoulder and it´s big enough to hold my knitting, a book, a pencil case and a journal aswell as my ipod, wallet and phone. Thankyou Alison, I really enjoyed making this!