Day 7 Blogtoberfest - Paper Buntings and Garlands

Pretty much every time I am in an op shop I bring home a book (or two or three:). Sometimes for the story, but mostly for the illustrations.

Many books are hidden works of art, particularly children's books. Many are also damaged. Despite the damage I figure something can be done with them. Magnets, brooches and cards are just a few of the things I have made with illustrations from books. And bunting and garlands, of course:)

I have several in progress right now including a 1970's version of Blinky Bill bunting:

And a Bananas in Pajamas garland:

Now I will admit, it is hard to cut into a book, even a damaged book, but in the long run I figure it's better to cut and create something that will be used then for the book to end up pulped or in a landfill.

Have you ever used illustrations from books? What have you made? Cyndy Pin It

Day 6 Blogtoberfest - Real Life Mountains

This is my kitchen floor; mountains of dirty laundry. It's the result of a week without a washing machine and a household of three children. There are definitely less piles as I end the day, but more to do tomorrow.

Welcome to real life:) Cyndy Pin It

Day 5 Blogtoberfest - Flannel Flower Pin Cushions in Progress

I love flannel flowers. I love the white and green colour combination and I love the different textures.

When I was playing around with the idea of pin cushions using my wool embroidery of Australian native flowers, it's no surprise that my first one featured a flannel flower. Unfortunately I didn't like how the pin cushion turned out (the round shape didn't work for me), so I kept it for myself and moved onto other flowers.

Since then I have made a number of pin cushions (square in shape, much nicer in my opinion) featuring bottle brush, gum flowers, Geraldton wax flowers and eremaea, but no flannel flowers until now. I made one similar to my very first one and then a different second one.

Same flower, but definitely two different looks. Which one do you like better? Cyndy

PS In case you hadn't noticed I decided to do this crazy thing called Blogtoberfest, an annual blogging festival hosted this year by I Saw You Dancing, where you challenge yourself to blog every day for 31 days.

When I first started blogging I set a goal of 2 posts a week, but since March I have averaged 1 post per week. I thought I needed a bit of a kick in the pants and I have found making public commitments makes me more accountable. And looky see, with this post I am already 1 post more this month than my average:)

Pin It

Day 4 Blogtoberfest - My Creative Space

I am one of those people who likes to keep busy, so I always carry a project I can work on in my purse. Although it's the school holidays, the children have had an hour and twenty minutes of swimming lessons each morning, so I have been working on finishing up some felt strawberries and blueberries.

I might have also finished a lamington...

or tim tam or two:)

Hope you are getting lots done in your creative space this week, little or big:) To see what others have been up to be sure to vist My Creative Space. Cyndy Pin It

Day 3 Blogtoberfest - Are the school holidays over yet?

We are in the 2nd week of our Term 3 school holidays here, and its about now that I start to lag. I will admit 24 hours a day with three children starts to take its toll and yesterday I hit the wall. A trip to Melbourne with the 3 said children (for business, not pleasure unfortunately) probably contributed. I find driving in Melbourne (as I don't live there) stressful and the closure of the Burnely and Domain tunnels (they go under part of the city) added to my stress.

Even before we were back home I had announced (to the delight of the children) we would be getting takeaway for dinner, as I couldn't even get my head around the idea of cooking.

But today is a new morning and we are off to swimming lessons (intensive swim during the school holidays), we have cookie dough in the refrigerator to bake and oldest needs a new pair of shoes! The weather is also supposed to be glorious in our part of the world, so maybe some work in the backyard is in store.

Only 4 more sleeps left and the children are back at kinder and school. I'm sure come Monday I will be wishing it was still the school holidays:) Cyndy Pin It

Day 2 Blogtoberfest - What's rolling around in my head

Some project ideas I get move easily from vision to reality, while others roll around and around in my head, or take multiple attempts before I am satisfied with the outcome.

I've been playing around recently with two felt food ideas, that still aren't quite where I want them to be. One is pavlova. It was one of the first felt food items I made and sold when I opened my Madeit shop, but I haven't made one since. I like how it turned out, but there is something about the design that doesn't feel quite right to me.

Pavlova (aside from the fruit) has texture and the first version I made ignored this. So I have been playing with ways to create the swirls of the meringue and cream. I have also been playing with the idea of individual pavlovas.

The other is Vegemite on saladas (saladas are saltines or a square cracker if your not Australian:). Saladas are easy shape wise, but they are mottled in colour. I've been experimenting with tea dying and think this might be the answer, but haven't quite achieved the affect I want yet. And then there is the Vegemite. I thought about using "puffy"paint or dimensional paint and spreading it with a real knife. I've also looked at the idea of creating "worms" (for non Australians you put Vegemite (or Vegemite and and butter) between two saladas and press so that "worms" squeeze out of the holes in the saladas). But how to create the "worms?" Yarn or multiple strands of embroidery thread?

OK, I might not have the answers yet for my pavlova or saladas and Vegemite, but don't worry I am not giving up. I just need to let them roll around a little longer in my head and try a few more ideas:) Cyndy Pin It

Day 1 Blogtoberfest - It was meant to be

Over two weeks ago I opened my laptop, pushed the start button and then the thing we all fear happened - NOTHING, NADA, ZIPPO. My heart skipped a beat. I popped the battery pack out and in; unplugged and replugged the cord; tried the cord in another outlet (or two or three); closed the lid and opened it back up; hit the start button again and again and still NOTHING.

I tried not to panic, but at this point I swore a little (OK a lot) and said something to the effect of "why me, what have I done to deserve this?" I then broke into a sweat and thought about the fact that I hadn't backed up my hard drive recently (read I might have lost everything) and swore a little (OK a lot) again.

And so, more than two weeks with no laptop began. Thank goodness I have a smart phone, but in all fairness it's not the same. I came to realize that I rely on my laptop for so much; from little things like links to my favourite websites, to document templates, to auto passwords, to catching up on episodes of TV shows I miss, to checking my email properly.

I can safely say being without my laptop drove me crazy. I can't tell you how many times I thought of something I needed/wanted to do, and would realize I couldn't because I needed/it was on my laptop.

Prior to my laptop breakdown I had been thinking about participating in Blogtoberfest. My blog has been a bit neglected this year and I thought it might be a nice way to challenge myself and get my blogging mojo back, but sans laptop, well that was crazy talk. But lo and behold, I got my laptop back today, October 1st. I decided it was a sign, my participation was meant to be and so Day 1 of Blogtoberfest begins.

Here's hoping I won't have any technical difficulties this month! Cyndy

PS In case you are wondering I backed up my hard drive today:)

Pin It