Pretty Plate Friday..Thankyou Lucy Violet Vintage

It's the first day of autumn. It's friday. It's cool. So here is a warming pretty plate. This one was sent to my by the lovely Kylie at Lucy Violet Vintage. I've never met her in person, but can say she is just lovely. I love her blog, her creativity and her generosity so thankyou for sending this to me.
Today the sun is shining through my windows and is warming as I have cold legs and im feeling very happy. Today I plan to do a fair bit of new craft and perhaps relax with some not so new crafting. I hired some books from the library with some brilliant ideas so am hoping to make some of the things out of them.

Enjoy todays plate design. It even came with a wooden handled cake server!!!

 

 

Happy Friday!

 

Taz

Crocheting my way.

I don't know about you, but I cannot understand crochet patterns. I have quite a few crochet books, including ones written for children by children, yet the words ch1, sl2 (ch5, wrh7), second row ch1, ch1, ch1..MAKE NO SENSE TO ME!!! I know everything is explained in the books, but I don't have the patience to go back and forward trying to figure out what they are talking about. I wish I could, and will not throw my books out because a goal of mine is to open them and for them to make as much sense as 'spread the chocolate over the warm cake and enjoy' like in my cookbooks!

From my frustration and eagerness to try more than just a granny square, but lack of understanding and patience to try understand books, Ive been crocheting my way. It's probably all wrong, and Im sure there are profesh crocheters out there feeling a little ill at how im doing things, but its working for me and Im excited. Here are some new things ive created by looking at a picture and making it up as I go along!

Have made myself a crochet ball necklace

 

 

 

Have made crochet flowers

 

Make a circle with a square around it granny square

 

Making circles and red doily

 

Starting triangles for a bunting

 

And I've figured out a way to join squares..if its correct or not I'm not sure!

 

Do please share with me if you know of any real fool proof books, blogs or online videos for learning crochet. Im excited to get making with these new "skills" and hope you don't mind me sharing with you along the way!

 

 

Anything you've made from just making it up?

 

 

Taz

 

Making sunny day hats.

I went to a fete a few weeks ago, and it was a terribly hot and sunny day. I needed a hat. There were lovely handmade hats for sale, but for $60. I completely respect someones decision to charge that much because of all the time, effort, materials, quirkyness put in, but I didn't have $60 to just spend on a hat. So, I decided to make my own. One thing I learnt, I HAVE A BIG HEAD! I got out my copy of Pip Lincolne's Sew La Tea Do and found a hat pattern. I followed it very carefully until I realised it was not going to fit around my head, so added extra length. Then silly me, took off some of the height of the hat, thinking it would be in my eyes, and the finished product did not sit on my head well at all! I was slightly annoyed as I was so happy with how it looked and that I actually made a hat! Note to self, just do as your told!
Anywayyy, I made a second attempt and it does fit, hoorah! Im now feeling like an actual mad hatter, wanting to pop these out every few minutes. Once I knew what I was doing, it was pretty easy and fun to come up with different fabric combos! Have a look at my new sunny day hat, and a spare for someone with a small head!

 

It's reversable!

 

 

 

The hat that does not fit!

 

 

 

 

So now I have a new hat to wear on sunny days. Today however is rainy and cloudy and I couldn't be happier!

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Taz

 

70's Greeting Cards

I love finding unused interesting, vintage, handmade greeting cards in opshops, and recently found an unopen box of 20 beautiful 1970's greeting cards for $2. They were to celebrate Unicef Year Of the Child. The images are reproductions of chinese poetry paper from the 1800's. I love these and will love writing in them for birthdays, I love you's, and just to say hi!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm about to write in one now, so will say bye!

 

Taz

 

 

What I've been making..

Ive been busy...not making huge things, but small, quick, pretty and long lasting. Have a look..

Mini pompoms for cushion trimmings and mini pompom garlands...

 

Finishing off another crochet cushion cover...

 

Making Mollie Makes foxes and racoons with fabric scraps with friends... 

 

Making reusable lunch bags...

 

And making splashes (and memories) with my little Percy on the hot days we've been having 

 

 Love that he's a water baby!

 

 

What have you been getting up to? How have you handled the heat if you live in melbourne like me?

 

Taz

 

 

Pretty Polyester

I seem to have a thing for polyester clothes. I don't go looking for them but was sorting through my clothes and realised some of my favourite items were polyester. I opshop all my clothes, so have found some very pretty gems over time. Perhaps thats why I seem to like the polyester types..it always seems to come in the best patterns and colours! Here are my opshopped polyester favourites...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't you think they just have the best colours and patterns! I must just remind myself to not wear them on a hot day..polyester is not good for sweatyness!

 

Do you go for a particular type of fabric or pattern with your clothes?

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Taz