thornberry

As you can all tell, life has got in the way of sewing and craft in recent weeks.  I’m back in paid work two days per week, and between hubby’s new business, old business, and the kids, I’ve really only had time to dream about the things that I’d like to create.  Apologies also to all those people whose blogs I normally comment on but appear to be ignoring at the moment - I’m not really ignoring you, I’m still trying to keep up with your doings, but something has had to give and rather than it be my sanity (although some people would say that went a while ago) my internet time has become a little more limited.

But of course, I haven’t been able to resist doing a little bit of crafting!  I’ve had this little kit for “sweet treats” for a while, bought from eBay, and finally put it together.  It would have taken about an hour tops if I’d had uninterrupted time.  As it was, it took me three days.

These can now join the chenille chocolate cake and chenille cupcakes!  Hubby can’t understand why I’d want to make fabric food when I could be cooking real food that he could eat.  I did manage to fit in a couple of other crafty activities as well; another red crochet necklace as a gift for my cousin (no Freya, not you) and I cut out a few fat quarters for a vintage sheet patchwork swap.  And does ordering fabric count as craft?

 Nicole Mallalieu had a launch for her new Beach bag pattern on Sunday - what a brilliant morning, full of lovely nibbles, superb bag patterns, clever crafty people and generous giveaways.  It’s a good thing that you can never have too many bags - because each time I look at her range, I want to make more!  And last night was Brown Owls - yay!  I manage to get there once per month, and it is such a relaxing and friendly time.  This time the inimitable Aunty Pat was teaching us how to knit - except I was a rebel and continued with my crochet - I’m much better with the hook than with the pointy sticks!  I am rather excited that I am starting to build a new group of crafty friends through Brown Owls - thanks so much to Kirsty and Pip (& friends) for running it; I can’t quite get over their energy and generosity.

I have a huge list of things to do before I can go to bed this evening, so had better stop blogging and start ironing/hemming/folding/sorting/tidying/accounting.  Magnolia Square Market starts on Thursday; I’m considering a visit, but maybe I’d be better off saving my pennies for the Handknitters Guild mini wool expo at Brunswick Town Hall on Saturday 31st May (from 10.00am to 3.00pm).  Magnolia Square is a good place to get ideas, but the prices are way too steep for me to actually buy anything there.  But yarn, that could be another story …

I have mentioned a few times on my blog that I do often feel guilt for buying fabric, books and crochet hooks from overseas rather than from Australian retailers.  A retailer commented on a recent post that if we don’t support our local shops, we won’t have them, and that she was disappointed when people come into her shop, check out fabrics and books, then brag about buying from the net on their blogs.  After thinking about this (a lot) overnight, I feel that I need to respond publicly, even though my blog is really just a simple “show and tell” (with not all that many readers, I might add).

As a consumer, how many of us would pay more than double to buy exactly the same item locally when you can buy it elsewhere?  More than double?  I’d be happy to pay 10% more, possibly even 15% more to support local business, but for exactly the same item, to pay over 100% more?  No.

I do lots of my fabric and craft shopping online.  I have two small children.  It is convenient for me to research online, get information from retailers and from blogs online, and shop and pay online.  If Australian online shopping can provide me with what I am looking for at the same or a comparable price as overseas online shopping, I will buy from the Australian retailer - and I often do.  If not?  I’ll buy from the overseas retailer.

I will continue to blog about where I buy things, because my blog is a “show and tell” blog, it acts as a personal record, and because I appreciate this sharing of information when I read other people’s blogs.  It is how I have found many of the online retailers that I now use.  And - it’s my blog!  I try to keep it predominately craft and sewing based, but obviously my opinions will creep into it.  Because it’s my blog.

I do feel sorry for the Australian retailers (hence my guilt).  I understand that they are in a difficult position.  It is an issue that they will need to grapple with and come up with creative solutions to in the international world that we now live in.  It is something that they no doubt need to band together on and work through with their suppliers.  I would definitely be sorry to see Australian retailers close - but blaming the consumer for not supporting them is not going to solve the problem!  The reasons WHY consumers are going elsewhere are what need to be addressed.

At this stage there are many craft and fabric consumers that aren’t on the internet, and/or have no interest in shopping online.  But that is the way that things are moving.  Many brick and mortar stores still provide lots of things that online shopping can never provide - personal service and the ability to touch and feel items and see what they look like “in real life”.  Many hold retreats or workshops, really get to know their customers, and form a vital part of the crafting community.  For people like myself who can’t get to them very often - online shopping is simply easier.  In the past I have often gone to a brick and mortar retailer only to find that they haven’t had the product I’m looking for in stock.  Online research takes up less time, petrol and child-care organisation and circumvents this problem.

And the bottom line?  I’m not going to pay more than double for exactly the same item that I can buy elsewhere.  (Hubby adds that he wouldn’t want me to either).

I’ve jumped on the bandwagon to play the “this is” meme over at three buttons.  So, this is my favorite cup.

Okay, it’s not a cup, it’s a mug.  It holds a lot of black decaf, I can fit all my fingers through the handle, and I love the design.  It was a gift many years ago from my good friend Megan.  This is it’s usual spot - next to me at the computer.

Okay, I admit it, I was asleep when the clock rolled over past midnight and the calendar turned to 2008.  There was no way I was staying up late on purpose when I have a baby who is guaranteed to get me up at some stage overnight.  I was so tired that I didn’t even hear celebratory noises at midnight.

I have been reading lots of New Year’s Resolutions on many of the blogs that I frequent.  I then started to wonder why I don’t have any myself!  It’s going to be a year full of change - Miss Clare starts school, at some stage I’ll have to go back to work so Miss Stella will start childcare; Clare will turn five, Stella will turn one, and I’ll turn forty - gasp!  Hubby keeps asking me how I want to celebrate - luckily that’s not until June so I have plenty of time to think about it.

So, as for resolutions?  I don’t think that I’ll have time for any!  If I can keep on with all I’m currently doing I’ll be doing well!  I suppose that this means I’m fairly contented with my lot in life.  I’m also wary of making resolutions that I won’t be able to keep - why set myself up for failure!

So Happy New Year to all of you, and may your resolutions be ones that you can stick to!

Or more to the point, what don’t I do?  I’ve have a few people lately comment on how surprised they are that I can fit in so much craft and sewing while having two small kids.  This is how I do it - there is lots that I don’t do.  At the moment, I hardly read anything.  I’m even way behind on trash and fashion magazines, and there isn’t much reading in those!  I’m not working (other than keeping the business books).  I have a cleaner.  I don’t do the meals - hubby is the cook.  I don’t do much shopping, other than online ;-).  Hubby does most of the grocery shopping.  I don’t watch television without doing craft of some kind at the same time.  I don’t play enough with my children.  I don’t read enough to my children.  I don’t talk enough to my husband.  I don’t do the ironing as regularly as I should and then poor Mum does it when she visits.  My older daughter loves to watch television so she probably watches more than she should.  My baby sleeps a lot - more than most babies (all night, a couple of three-hour sleeps during the day - she’s only awake for 6-7 hours in 24).  I don’t sleep in.  My husband works from home and is very involved with the children, so I get some sewing/crafting/blogging time when he is interacting with them.

So how do I do it?  I’m rarely idle.  If watching TV or being a passenger in the car, I crochet (a legacy of watching my Mum knit while watching TV or being a car passenger, I think).  My sewing room is all set up and well organised.  If I’ve got fifteen minutes up my sleeve, I cut something out, or decide on fabrics for another project, or sew a couple of seams.  Much of what I make is pretty simple, so gets finished quickly.  I’ve been sewing for a long time, so I know what short cuts I can take without it affecting the finished product.  Children’s clothes are quick to make!  I do some craft once the children have gone to bed in the evening.  Clare likes to do craft too, so sometimes we are both busy in the sewing room together.

At the moment I find that I NEED to sew and create.  I need to see a finished product for my efforts.  Although my girls are my most beautiful works in progress, I still need to have something that I can look at when the day (or week) ends as tangible proof of the time I put in.

So that’s how I do it!  How do you fit in your crafting and sewing?

I don’t have as much time as I would like to properly respond to the lovely people that leave comments on my blog!  Please accept this as a thank-you!  There are a few people that regularly comment, and I really get a kick out of what you have to say.  This blog is all about “show and tell”, so I’m glad that some of you are enjoying it!  Thanks to (in no particular order) Jodie, Abby, Toni, Charli, Nikki, little miss meshell, southergirlmusings, carlafibers, judicreations, imperfectalia, lilbooger, appliejuice, Amy, Linda, the domestic diva, Donna, Claudia, Melly, and apologies to anyone I’ve inadvertently left out.

I do keep up with your blogs too - you all do fantastic work!  It is really inspiring to see the creativity of others and to share ideas.  Thanks again!

While many of you have been reading Harry Potter, I’ve been browsing these books and magazines over the past week or so.

I wonder how many of the projects within them are likely to come to fruition?  “Designer Smocking” has the most adorable children’s clothing - but I’ve never done any smocking!  I figure that since I can embroider (although I don’t do it often) I should be able to smock.  We’ll see!  I still have two unfinished embroidery projects from “Inspirations” sitting upstairs waiting to be completed - one started while Clare was still a baby - if I don’t get a move on soon Stella won’t fit into it either!

“The A-Z of Crochet” is an excellent crochet resource.  I am certain that it is going to be well used over the years.

And I love “Threads” and “Australian Stitches”!  I subscribe to both, and find that they often have excellent advice, tips and hints that assist in the quality of my sewn projects.

I’m enjoying browsing through these, although I’d love to be reading Harry Potter . . . but that would require extended periods of time and concentration . . . not likely to be found in this household at the moment . . .

This is where I usually sit to read, watch TV, do crochet, sew on buttons, or have a cuppa.

In the mornings the sun shines through the lace loungroom curtains and leaves their shadow behind my chair.

The furniture in this corner is all meaningful to me - either because of who gave it to me or where and when it was acquired.  The mirror is from my cousin, the painting bought on honeymoon in Vietnam, the lamp a present from my brother, and the three-legged shaker table that it is on was made by my father.  The lamp is sitting on an embroidered, crochet lace-edged doily made by my mother, and the beautiful quilt is a present for Stella made by a dear friend.  The craft project holder beside the chair was a birthday gift to me from Clare’s godparents.  The chair was bought when I first moved into a flat on my own, and I bought the footstool at Flemington Craft Market.

I completed a crocheted hat in a rainbow printed yarn for Miss Clare today - the photo will have to wait until I have my computer back!  She wore the pink woolen one I finished yesterday all day today; we had many compliments on it, which was lovely!  She looks so cute in a beanie (with crocheted flower on the side).

Spotlight had a sale on Simplicity patterns, so I stocked up a little.  It is frustrating though that we are so behind the US with pattern availability.  I use the internet to check out patterns and see which I am interested in; because of the difference in seasons, there are loads that I can’t buy here yet, even though I want them!  I also visited GJs Discount Fabrics in Lygon Street - they have a brilliant range of patchwork and quiliting fabrics.  I am trying to decide what ones to use to make a huge pinboard/wall pocket for the sewing room, but there are so many that are so beautiful that it all gets a bit difficult!  Today I just settled for a couple of dress fabric remnants ($2 per metre - bargain!) to go into the stash. 

Baby is now 8 days overdue; I had a CTG and AFI done this morning, and baby is doing fine.  Just doesn’t want to come out!  I think that it is frustrating those around me more than it bothers me.  I’ll go back to the hospital on Monday (11 days over) to repeat the tests, then to discuss induction later in the week if necessary.  I’m glad that I work in a maternity hospital so am pretty well informed; I think that it would all get a bit overwhelming otherwise.  It’s not unusual to be post-dates; actually, most women who aren’t induced give birth after 40 weeks, not before. 

Anyway, I’d better go and chat to my husband and daughter!  It’s a full moon tonight - I wonder if baby is likely to want to make an appearance!

No, I haven’t stopped posting because I’ve been off having a baby (incidentally, baby is now 7 days overdue) but because my computer has stopped working!  Disaster!  It simply wouldn’t turn on.  It’s now at the computer man being “looked at” and apparently needs a new motherboard and something or other chip but it’s an old computer so he has to find one somewhere . . .  ring back on MONDAY and see how it is going . . . I’ve been computerless since Tuesday so far and am suffering awful withdrawal symptoms!

Luckily hubby’s computer is fully operational, but there are many things that are stored on the hard drive on my computer that aren’t on his.  For example, all my email addresses, documents, photos, passwords for Flickr etc . . . yes, a good lesson learned, we need to do more backing up!

 Hence this photoless, craftless post.

I have been crafting though (won’t there be lots of photos once I have my computer back again) - I’ve finished hubby’s hat, am almost finished a crochet hat for Miss Clare, have completed two seamstress aprons, reorganised all my craft and sewing reference folders, and have cut out a winter cape for Miss Clare.  Then there’s the cushion covers for Freya that are cut out but need assembly . . . so it’s not as though I’ve been doing nothing!  Still plenty of projects planned as well - Tracey needs a knitting needle roll, I’ve got some great fabric waiting to be turned into tote bags . . .

Have fun everyone, I’ll blog as I’m able.  I now realise how addicted I am to being able to access information quickly and easily and how reliant I am on technology.