Sunday, December 18, 2011

My new love, buttered crumpets and rocket in my wine.

Hi peeps,

My new love is Instagram.  I am quite positively addicted to it.  It gives me such happy flash backs of being 18 again, studying Medical Photography at University.  Back then, I loved experimenting with different photographic techniques and processes.  Now I can do it all on my iphone.  So much fun!

Oh, I forgot to mention we are back in Melbourne now for Christmas.  It feels quite weird to be back in my old home town, it is so familiar yet so unfamiliar, all at the same time.  For the first few days, I found it difficult to contact any one - we were enjoying just hanging out with my mum and step-dad.  We had been missed and we had missed them.  You really appreciate your loved ones when you have been away from them.

But now, let the fun begin.  We can't wait to catch up with so many lovely people we have missed hanging out with.

This is my week in Instagram photographs.  A lot of the week has involved enjoying many of the foods we can't get in Hong Kong.  Like buttered crumpets.  The ones we can buy in Hong Kong are not this good.  

Buttered crumpets.

Cheese is ridiculously expensive in Hong Kong.  I am going to enjoy my favourite while I am here.  Often.

Mmmmmmmm.

Playing in the sand pit is so much fun.  Especially when you are 5 or 2 years old.  Even more fun when you have not done it for over 5 months.

Sand pit time.

There has been rocket in my wine.

There is some rocket in my wine.

Iced coffee shared with dear friends who have been missed (Hi Nell!)

Iced coffee on a warm day.

I now feel like a craft pusher.  I took some unfinished fabric covered button components over to Nell's house yesterday and she loved making them as much as I do.  Her 6 year old daughter had a great time making some too.  They are now addicted.  So I am the craft pusher - all healthy fun at least.

This is our finished hair bobble posie.  So pretty.

A poise of hair bobbles.

Have a lovely week.  I know I will :)

Cat.

Friday, December 16, 2011

This Moment - Her Idea.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Her idea.

Joining in with SouleMama.

Night, night peeps, Cat.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

My (Pink and Sparkly) Creative Space

Pink and sparkly bunting

Hi peeps,

Sham Shui Po has offered up some really unusual fabric finds when Zoe and I have been out exploring Hong Kong.  There is so much different fabric here to choose from.  I love natural fibres and prefer to be sewing with 100% cottons and linens.  When I found these two fabrics though, I had to embrace the polyester.

Pink and sparkly bunting.

I think they will be perfect Christmas presents for some special little girls in my life, who love pink and sparkly things.

Silver sparkly.

This bunting has taken me over two months to complete. The pink fabric is quite awful to cut accurately, it frays easily and the little bits stick to everything.  I mean everything.  I have not really enjoyed working with this fabric.  I wanted the comfort zone of my usual 100% cotton fabric.

Along the way, I also found these two fabrics (more polyesters). I had intended to include them, but I think they don't fit with the pink and sparkly bunting.

Pink and lacy bunting

They make gorgeous buntings on their own (and possibly together, now I see them side by side above) just not with the pink and sparkly bunting.  What do you think?

Have a lovely Creative Space day.

Cat

Thursday, December 1, 2011

My (Furoshiki) Creative Space

Hello there,

For the last 2 years, I have been collecting Christmas fabric with the intention of using it like wrapping paper.  For the last two years, I have run out of time to do this.

This year, I have managed to wrap some Christmas presents in fabric, Furoshiki like.  I first stumbled upon Furoshiki a few years ago and ever since I have wanted to give it a try.  Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth used to transport gifts or other items.  There is some great info on Furoshiki here and here and a video here if you want to know more.

I am not using the traditional Furoshiki cloths, I have been cutting up my Christmas fabric stash and overlocking the edges.

So, take one home made zip pouch, add it to a square of fabric, fold, wrap and tie the fabric.

Wrapped in fabric.

And here you have it, a hand made Christmas present, wrapped in fabric.  

Wrapped in fabric.

Add a hand made gift tag if you like too.

Here are a few more.  For a difficult to wrap present, I used some Christmas ribbon to fasten the fabric.

Green wrapped in fabric

Wrapped in fabric.

I hope to wrap many more Christmas presents this year in fabric.  For me, the best bit about fabric wrapped presents is that the fabric can be used again and again.   There will be a lot less paper in the rubbish or recycling.  Not to mention, I found it fun to wrap using fabric.

Three wrapped in fabric

Have a great Creative Space day.

Cat.