Do you want to wear a rainbow?

Hello peeps,

Do you want to wear a rainbow?  If so, now you can.  New in my shop are RAINBOW necklaces.

There are two different types at the moment (the yellow bead is a different shape in each one).

I have a funny feeling I will be making many more of these.  Mine has been worn almost every day since I fist made it.  I love my rainbow necklace, I love wearing a rainbow.

Also in the shop are other beaded necklaces, these are some of them:

I have a special offer for all my friends and family.  Use the code "FRIENDS" at check out and receive 10% off your order (does not include shipping)

Happy Monday to you.

Cat xox

More reasons why I love Hong Kong

 

 Hello peeps,

I need to write more about Hong Kong.  I love it here, there are many reasons why I love it so much.  The most obvious reason, for me, is of course Sham Shui Po.

I had to take my sewing machine in for a service and possible repair, she has not been quite right for a few weeks, and now the bobbin case won't sit in place properly. So yesterday my sewing machine and I caught a taxi to my beloved Sham Shui Po.  I love the taxi's here, they are almost always punctual - I ordered a taxi, and it arrived within minutes.  I always forget that the driver has a button to open and close the rear doors.  It is a great idea in my opinion.

Yesterday I was greeted by a happy "Hello Missy".  I passed my driver the address of where I needed to go, and he said "Yes, Missy.  OK Missy".  It makes me giggle being called Missy.  It happens often in Hong Kong.  It makes me feel like a teenager again, in a good way.

When riding in the taxi, with no children chattering to me, out of the apartment, I had uninterrupted thoughts, so rare it seems nowadays.  I was thinking how much Hong Kong has stolen my heart, made me love her.  She is a beautiful city.  I love all the high rises, a mixture of old and new architecture. Such an urban jungle, so many people, so much diversity.  I always hear so many different accents and languages being spoken. There are people from all over the world here, calling Hong Kong home.  And it hit me - this is my home, and I am so grateful we took a crazy chance, a HUGE leap of faith, and made the move to Hong Kong.

We have been here for almost two years now.  In some ways, it only feels like 1 year, in other ways, I feel like I have been here much longer.  But only last week, I was thinking of returning to Australia.  We had a challenging week on so many levels, I was naturally thinking of my my old home Melbourne and all the special, gorgeous people still there who we miss dearly. I was craving some clean air, some fresh salad (not wilted) and a sherbet cone (or 4).  Then I had this urge, I wanted to take my girls camping - in Australia. I want them to grow up having experienced camping, to see a wombat in the wild at Wilson's Promontory and to go swimming at one of the many, many amazing beaches in Australia.  Then I felt a pang of sadness, I would miss Hong Kong so much if we left.  There is still so much here I want to see.

I feel so torn, questioning where I belong. I still feel in limbo, like Hong Kong won't be our home forever.  I am impatient to know where (and when) we will end up next. I also crave and cringe, both at the same time, to be in Melbourne again.  How do you ever settle in one place after you have become an "ex-pat"?  Is it possible? I must be thinking too much.  Hurry up and fix my sewing machine please, and keep me busy again.

Amongst all my crazy thoughts, I noticed my taxi driver.  I was reminded again why I love this city so much - here was a fully grown man, not afraid to wear purple shorts or bracelets.  I loved the jingle the bracelets made when he moved his arm. No one would bat an eye lid here at his ensemble.  Can I tell you again, I love this city and the people in it.

When, or if,  we move, part of my heart will be broken.  Hong Kong, I love you.

Have a great week.  Cat xox

I made my very first quilt (photographic evidence I did it)

Hey peeps,

I made a quilt!  From start to finish, I made it.  My mum helped a little too with piecing the top.  It was gifted to my Grandma on her recent 90th birthday.

I first talked about it here.  Here are the photos documenting the making of this quilt.

The backing, stuck to the floor with tape.  We had to move our couch to have enough room, we do live in a very cosy tiny apartment. 

   

 Pin basting, making a quilt sandwich with the backing, batting and quilt top.  

All pinned together, ready to quilt.  

Oh my gosh, I am quilting this!

 

 Quilting complete, removing the pins.  

 The backing, quilted.

   

 Beautiful binding, ready to attach.  

 Quilt top all trimmed and squared up, ready for binding.  

 Hand sewing on the binding.

   

 Finished. The front.

   

 My mum holding up the quilt.

   

The back.

   

 Oh my gosh, I really made this!  

 The label. 

 

I can honestly say the internet help make this quilt.  There are so many great tutorials and so much information on the web now about quilting.  So thank you, interwebs.

The good news is my Grandma loves her new quilt.  It makes her nursing home room so much brighter.  I feel better, knowing she has a hand made, with love, quilt to keep her warm and remind her she is so dear to us, even if we live in another country now. 

I faced my fears, and I finished this quilt on time.  I can honestly say I loved making this quilt.  I want to make more.  I now have 2 more quilts on the go and fabric collections to make another two.  I want to sleep under my own hand made quilt one day (soon).  I want my girls to sleep under a mumma made quilt.  You could say I am a "wanna be" quilter now.  That is fine with me.

Have you made a quilt?  Did you enjoy it?

Happy day to you.  Cat xox

My (pattern testing) Creative Space

 

Hey Peeps,

How are you?  Good I hope.  I recently had the very lovely pleasure to help Kathryn from The Smallest Tribe by pattern testing her new Girls' Explorer Skirt.

 

How cute is this skirt?  Very I say.  The pattern was easy to sew and came together so quickly.  The pockets are lovely and big, perfect for little girls to fill with found objects and treasures.

I believe the pattern will be released soon for purchase.  I may have to add a few to my shop. 

What have you been making/baking/crafting?  Happy Creative Space Day to you.

Cat xox

 

My (washi tape) Creative Space

 

 Hey peeps,

I hope you are all good?  Are you a washi tape addict? So many people are.  I do love the stuff.  Don't ask me why I only have a handful of rolls, I honestly have no idea (that needs to change!)

There must be eleventy billion uses for washi tape. This week, we discovered one more use for washi tape: decorated rocks.

Grab some washi tape and a rock.  Pre-cut the washi tape for little kids.  For Zoe, who is 3 years old, I cut many strips for her and stuck them on the edge of the table.  She could then easily use them to cover her rock. 

Bigger kids can rip it easily themselves or use scissors to cut their own strips.  Cover your rock with as much or as little washi tape as you like. Use the one type of washi tape or mix it up. My girls loved this activity. I know we will be making more of them soon. 

Ta-da, cute washi tape covered rocks. Matching outfits are optional (and were a happy accident)

Happy Creative Space day to you.

Cat xox

My (very first quilt) Creative Space

 

Hey peeps,

I am making a quilt!  Yes, I am.  I really am. It will be for my Grandma, who turns 90 next month.  She has recently moved into a nursing home.  She does not want to be there, she wants to be back at home. I can't blame her, but she needs lots of help with everyday things and the nursing home can help her with these.

We visited her in February when we were in Melbourne.  I immediately felt that her room needed some more hand made goodness.  She has been able to bring a few items of furniture from home.  My step-dad installed some shelves, and they have been filled up with family photos. I felt she needed a happy, bright quilt for her bed.  One made with love - so my mum and I got started right away.

I had "won" some fabric charm packs (pre-cut fabric squares) in the Let's get Maybelle to the Ellen Show charity auction.  We used two packs of "Honey Honey" by Kate Spain for Moda and part of a "Trade Winds" by Lily Ashbury for Moda.

The charm pack squares were all arranged and sewn together over a few days while I was still in Melbourne. I added the border to the quilt top when I got back to Hong Kong. The border is "Petunias" by Phillip Jacobs for Rowan, Westminster Fibers (pastel colour way)

Yesterday, I finally found the courage to make the backing.  We had chosen more of the petunias fabric (in different colour ways).

Today I will finish sewing the petunias backing together.  Then I will be ready to quilt this.  This is what I am scared about.  I have never done this before.  I'll read a few more (hundred) online tutorials.  I hope I'll be ready then to quilt.

If you can recommend any great online tutorials, please let me know.

Wish me luck!

Happy Creative Space Day to you.

Cat xox

I made a giant, stuffed carrot: it must be Easter soon.

 

Hi peeps,

Where has this year gone?  It is the middle of March already, how did that happen?  Easter will be here soon.  

Zoe's kinder is having a 3D Easter Decoration competition. I looked through Pinterest for some ideas, but nothing grabbed me.  All the ones I liked required craft supplies I did not have (like large polystyrene eggs)

I thought Zoe could take a few of my fabric carrots, but they are quite small (compared to most of the other decorations - yes, I did check out the other competitors!)  Instead, I decided to make a huge, fabric carrot and give it a happy face.

I know I promised way back in March of 2011, that there would be no more fabric carrot posts, after the carrots in the ear incident.  But that was two years ago and giant fabric carrots are a whole new type of carrot, right?

Zoe carried her carrot all the way to kinder, there was no way I was allowed to help with that important job.

If you want to make your own fabric carrots, get the know how here (thanks Clare).  If you are making large ones, I recommend adding interfacing to the leaves, it helps them to stand up and not be too floppy.  I don't have this problem with the smaller carrots.

Have a great weekend.

Cat xox