Felt Kiddies Key Rings

This is an idea I have been wanting to do for a while - it is amazing what planting yourself in a blogging community can do to your productivity; it just grows and expands.

It is a key ring for Hj's new creche bag she got from santa -

It is made from felt and I used a new embroidery stitch for me; the danish knot. I didn't exactly follow the instructions - as I wanted the knot to be reasonably small

I am pleased how it has turned out - starting one for Kd and his new bag this arvo.

The book that I get most of my stitch instructions from is The Needlecraft Magazine Book of Embroidery Stitches by Rebecca Bradshaw. Mum picked it up for me from the Bendigo library book sale and I just did a google to see if I could find its cover online and someone is trying to sell it for $68 - I think Mum brought it for $2 - it is a good book!

First do to list embroidery

Remember that show I was umming and arring about? Well I still haven't canceled - but naughty me still hasn't paid the deposit for the space. But I have starting making the first piece of the idea I am planning to work with for the show. I am going to submit it as a digital image to a friend who is starting a zine here in Bendigo.


Then I added some scribble (thanks Hj)



The work is on a thin glossy paper that I picked up years back from a church charity photocopy business - it used to be used in photocopying process some how years ago - it is quite strong and forgiving to the needle and thread.

The thread I used for the text is a lovely black cotton I found at an op shop year ago too on a black spool and it would have to be my most favoritest thread there is - it is nice and thick and sure of itself.

For the scribble it is an embroidery thread - I really should have used brown - I need to do some crafty shopping.



Here is the work as a scan, which I am quite excited about!

New Year Resolutions

I got a phone call early this week from a writer from one of our local papers and she invited me to write a 100 word piece about my New Years Resolutions for 2008. So I had a bash at it and once I started writing I couldn't stop Here is the text that will be in print today.

I have broken my 2008 New Years resolutions! 2008 is looking busier than 2007. I am a mother of two darlings and work as a producer and artist. 2008 is looking exciting with the festival I am producer of the Australian regional projects with Next Wave Festival taking place in May and two solo shows coming up in Melbourne of my sewing.

I am a bit of a goal/organitional-kind-of person and last year my New Years resolutions were about daily activities to build into our routine; like practicing yoga and drawing daily and being a loving and compassionate wife! I wasn’t too bad (was I J?)

Similarly this year I am focusing energy on active sustainability goals for my family and myself. Little day to day things like changing from commercial cleaning products to making our own; making our own dog food rather than buying canned food. Excitingly I received a bike for Christmas from my brother who made it from parts he found at the tip (the bike is called called the Intimidator!) and I can now ride my bike to gym, the local shops and the kiddies to crèche and preschool.

You can find out more about my work as an artist and a mother and how my sustainability goals are coming along at my blog http://tjoyy.blogspot.com

Late Christmas sewing

Last night in the cool of my cellar I finished off two project that I hoped to give as Christmas gifts.

A little late; but can wrap and share as new years gifts tonight!




Tonight me and the kids are having a sleep over at Mums (Kd has his bag packed on his back already it is 8am!) and my sisters are coming too. We are having a crafting new years party. J if off to a festival to play in a band in Lorne.

Finished Kds snuggy too - he was in the cellar with me while I finished it off - I gave it too him and he told me it isnt the snuggy that he wanted. I felt the same - it is finished but not really with the grand vision that I had.


A quick reference to the source material for the transformer forms on the rug - I used images from a collage that Kd made for his 4th birthday invites



Finally a special gift from my Mum a sewing camel with some embroidery scissors - her web site is here and her blog here so you can learn more about what an amazing woman my mum is. (gee mum is that a proper sentence?)

more Christmas making exchanges

My family is rather large with six children (me and five brothers and sisters) in all and to make Christmas affordable and fun we have started a hand made chris cringle - this year being the second.

My last post was of the miraculous lap top cover I made (seriously proud of myself) and here are some pics of the lap top cover & the new owner and some other gifts made by my family (sorry I haven't documented them all - next year I will do this - sometimes Christmas grumpiness gets the better of my mind)


This is the amazing and wonderful apron made by my sister R by my sister soon to be C - it even came in its own little pouch - I have been making a lot of hints that an apron like this would make an excellent birthday present for me!


This is a coffee banger thing - no idea what it is called and it is a really bad picture of this useful gadget; although a good pic of J being very appreciative of the gift made by my Dad.

Lap top Christmas pressie

This little project was very exciting for me - thanks to E for the pattern making assistance and boost of confidence & also the inspiration of my family who do a hand made criss cringle!

This is a lap top cover I made for my mac mad brother in law.



The stitching reads geeking - but a bad quality image and the stitching a very close colour to the fabric!

Sunday afternoon cafe stitiching

I had a lovely Sunday afternoon with a good friend stitching in our local Wine Bank. Very nice - lots of gossping and lots of stitching. - a regular stitch in bitch

Here is a poker shot of my friend and also her work - isnt it lovely!