supporting the Queensland economy with dreamy shopping . . .

Greetings all,

Oh boy, why did we ever leave Queensland & come home to the rain & freezing cold Canberra??  We had such a lovely holiday & did lots of dreamy shopping.  First stop, like always, was beautiful Simone from Beach Vintage blog's shop Just Plain Gorgeous in Bulimba (just around from fancy Kangaroo Point) it's where the beautiful people live.

 I picked up a pretty pink kaftan & delicious blue dress in there + some fabric, bliss!!

 Further along Oxford Street is a cute shop called Green Glass - they have the cafe by the park in this post.  Really lovely goodies & service to boot.

 Of course, a treat for the children to have some stationery fun in the school holidays involves a trip to Kikki-K, i think we went to the Chermside store??  I love this flag stamp!!

 Next time i'm in Brisbane, i'm checking out this shop, Frankie & the Fox, i was forbidden to enter by my husband, he doesn't understand my constant need for fashion eye candy.

 So just a quick snap on our way past.  The sign alone screams my kind of store.

 So farewell beautiful blue skies & sunshiney Queensland Winter.  I shouldn't complain, i've spent 7 Winters of my life in Darwin cruising along at 30C every day, no chance of rain, just that holiday feeling. 

Canberra is technically the sunniest city in Australia, i must admit, we have many Winter days which look like stunning Summer, it's just 2C outside & you're wearing gloves, so i'm just playing spoilt.  The best thing about Queensland is most positively definitely my husband, i miss him, sigh.  Have happy weeks everyone, love Posie

our creative space 'climb every mountain of fabric'

Greetings all,

Another week, another creative space & another Blogger malfunction where i can't leave comments, followers come & go + i can't download images from Picasa, just a limited selection from my computer.  Anyway . . . that won't ruin the sunshine that is the Handmade Market on this Saturday & the mountain of fabric i'm chopping up to sell there.  This is me pretending i'm not in panic making mode of course!!  It's a long weekend in Canberra so i can recover (read: fix the mess that is my pre-market-madness studio & finally switch the 3 girls' bedrooms around, as you do when you need to relax!!)

I've been collecting small selections of colour to brighten up my patchwork fabric-for-sale baskets!!  Considering we're hovering around -4C to 4C at the moment in Canberra, brrr, i like my sunshine & happiness colours, even if it's only inside my cosy studio right now?? 

 I'm going to make these gorgeous Joel Dewberry bird prints into cushions for the Market & Shop.  They are so beautiful, it's an inexpensive cushiony way to bulk out my stall.  I'm thinking of having them on a card table behind my stall, so they don't hog prime grab worthy real estate.

 Such pretty designs & colourways, they'll look grogeous in my huge French baskets. 

 The cutting was the easy part, i have about 400 new FQ - my baskets are a bit empty from the last Handmade Market - restocking is a big job.  I will be very happy to relax at the Handmade Business Summit lunch on Friday, i can rest my aching hands.

My mountain of fabric . . . good thing i'm a speed-folder.  I have my routine: fold, stack & lay books on top to press them flat, then slide into cello & seal with some Japanese washi tape.  Done!!  It's not torture at all, the fabrics take me back to . . . when i bought them . . . what i've made with the same fabric . . . what collection they are from . . . it's like a photo album.  I'm slowly clearing fabrics from when i started my business over a decade ago, it's hard but i'm planning to seriously de-stash for when we move next, thus no new bolts!! 
For actual creativity, check out Our Creative Spaces this Thursday, love Posie

a day trip with fabric on my mind

Greetings all,

I have a brother & a sister both born on the same day, many years apart.  Seeing my sister is only 200km away (compared to the birthday brother who is 1000km away) i opted to visit my near by Bowral sibling. 
It's such a lovely trip from Canberra, we stop to get up close with the cows . . .

 made the poor decision to take our German Shepherd . . .

 who sat between/ on the twins in the centre row!!

 But all the while, in the car, i was dreaming of the fabrics which arrived earlier this week.

 I don't think there is a Babushka fabric i have been able to resist!!

 I can not wait to sew with these sewing themed fabrics!!

Have yourselves a lovely wrap up to the week.  We're crusising into school holidays (finally), it's starting to get very cold here in Canberra . . . which reminds me - i need to purchase the Winter uniform for high school.  Kind of dreading the tights part of the ensemble, i constantly ruined my expensive official/  school/ regulation Winter tights, must have driven my mother crazy!!  I remember having to put nail polish on the ladders to prevent them from going the full length of my leg.  Classy but handy.  Love Posie

my creative space 'spotty inspiration'

Greetings all,

Is it just me or is this year speeding up & are Thursdays coming around more quickly??  Feeling about 80% capacity right now, i'm hoping Zumba can knock out the kinks this morning.  I miss my husband, a lot, weekends are especially empty without him, so very much looking forward to his next trip home (in 8 days!!)
That means i have to jam a whole lot of sewing into the next week, devote a day to cleaning, gardening, mowing & sorting the garage so i can pretend we're always this organised without a man around.  I have more quilts on my mind & was super thrilled to see these Amy Butler Full Moon Polka Dot fabrics reprinted & reintroduced to my stash!!

 These prints scream "patchwork me".

 Oh then Anna Maria Horner made a veleteen collection, yes please, patchwork me into a Winter quilt now!!

 But it's always the spots-pin-polka-dots which steal my heart.

 I feel like having a bit of a "Devil Wears Prada" moment (remember the scene about the two blue, i mean cerulean belts which to the untrained eye were thought to be the same, gasp??)  I could easily go into a monologue about how incredibly different these amazing shades of creamy yellow spots, dots & honeycomb prints are & how they coordinate to make dramatic effects against other fabrics in a patchwork combination . . . without drawing a breath or blinking, Meryl Streep style. 

 Now for something completely different but still creative - i headed to school early yesterday with a headache & intentions of heading my son off at his classroom door to divert him straight to the car & NOT the playground . . . on the wall i found this drawing with a story about the book 'The Wrong Stone' (no, i've never heard of it either).  His story went like this, remember he's 7 years old & in year 2 . . . "My favourite part of the story was the start.  And the end."  Have to say, exactly like his 3 sisters, he had the most detailed drawing of his class & spent as little time & imagination as possible on the writing - but his punctuation was excellent.   

 Finally, if you're heading to Sew It Together in Sydney weekend after next, you'll find some screen printed love from Posie in your 'show bag'.  UPDATE: Sheridan has just received them - among other amazing sponsor prizes!!

For your regular Thursday dose of Creative Space invading, check out Kootoyoo & see who is playing along with Kirsty this week.  Up for a $200 pink giveaway, follow this blog & comment at this post.  Good luck!!  Love Posie
PS Thanks for the Eat Pray Love comments, either crafty blogging mummies are very content & grounded, or we're all missing the point of the book/ movie/ casting/ story/ action/ constant seeking of approval & path she took.  I'll watch it again, i just love Italy & listening to the language.  I can cook Italian & shock horror, i eat it too.

a long weekend, happy birthday Canberra

Greetings all,

Well what a long weekend, celebrating Canberra Day (happy 98th birthday).  I was very good, i ran a school fundraiser BBQ, went to the gym every day & there was a LOT of sewing.  I really believe sewing it therapy for me, it's pretty full on raising 4 smart, social, sporty children & high school is a whole new pressure (for both of us) alas, sewing melts all my stress away. 
Ditto for Yoga - very excited, did a new Yoga class on the weekend with a new teacher, she's American & her voice is like honey, so soothing & encouraging.  She's teaching many new poses i'd never heard of (mind you, i haven't been devoted to Yoga for a good 8 years, but i'm making a come back) like a dolphin, camel & inch worms, yyyeeeooowww!!

Ready, set, sew . . . i loathe spooling bobbins, i get my children to do them.

View from my sewing table . . . television (cooking shows) i watched Eat Pray Love twice, i'm still trying to get into it, either i'm too happy with my life, young or immature, i'm not sure, i'm certainly not looking for the same thing Liz Gilbert was.  I'm not a flighty person, anyway, i'll watch it again if only as a spectator into someone else's life.  Maybe it's because it's Julia Roberts & she's such a personality i find it difficult to look beyond her & see who she is playing.

Out the window, i really should mow the front lawn.

I made 4 dozen baby body suits . . . trying to do them a little different (yes, i know everyone does applique onto baby body suits or onesies) i still enjoy making them 7 years on & think these vintage boys & girls are really sweet.

They're all in the Posie wardrobe at Shop Handmade now!!

These are like dress ups - just add the baby head, tee hee.

Oh hello Hello Kitty, bit of a fan of these new prints!!

I started the weekend by spreading out 3 new patchwork quilt tops onto the floor.

Loving the darker shades & textures of Anna Maria Horner.

Then something a little lighter & brighter.

Spots & florals, stripes & patterns, love!!

A little Saturday night Christmas pudding made by this lovely lady - she runs a Handmade EMPIRE & makes a pretty fabulous pudding gift too.  As always, i'm fish bowl cleaning.

Finally a little giggle, i first met Lisa from The Red Thread when she was sourcing some Cath Kidston fabric 6-8 years ago??  Anyway, i had kept the postcard she sent me with the swatch - tell me this has made your day??!!

"gosh he went well with her drapes"

I chose my husband to match the window dressing, did you?? 
I need a good giggle today, a high school swimming carnival made for a very long day, yawn, love Posie

my creative space 'my new creative space'

Greetings all,
Da dah, my new creative space.  Sure i had visions of quirky ornaments & repurposed furnishings with beautiful finishes on a palate of pastel, even an inspiration board or art on the walls, flowers & a view . . . nope, this is a working studio & as functional as you can get!!  I can save that dainty dream for when we move.  This was more a quick fix, halve the studio space (yes, i used to have twice this much space, greedy me) & it feels great!!

Everything is so easy to access from shelves, pigeon holes & cabinettes.

Still not sure if i should move my sewing table into the centre??  At least it would hide the mark on the carpet, ooppss.

Voila, the fabric wall/ room divider.  Next time my husband is in town we'll move our 4 children around their now 4 bedroom options & finish off the other side/ the high schooler's bedroom.

This neat cabinette was $25 from Revolve, who knew i had so many pegs??  Acutally i know there are more in the garage, sorting sorting sorting - it never ends!!

Honestly, this was a HUGE & all consuming effort, i sorted every safety pin, needle & thread - total 7 garbage bags of things-i-can-live-without, so i'll make this a picture-post.  I have a lot of bulk to use up to free up more space (batting, wadding, denim & chunky blanket making materials) so i had better get busy before Winter strikes.  There is another book case & television storage cabinette opposite the sewing machine table, oh & a cutting table with wings next to the fabric racks, so more images to come. 
Happy Creative Spacing this Thursday folks, thank you Kirsty at Kootoyoo for hosting . . . but before you go, check out my latest G I V E A W A Y, just follow & comment, share the love & comment for extra entries, 'tis simple!!  Love Posie