she didn't like where our garbage bins were so she had to move them

My parents came to visit and it made for a rather enjoyable weekend. Much dining, over-the-top conversations, laughter, my dad hiding from the camera, and a scrabble game that didn't go my way. My mum even rescued our winter-hurt herb and vegetable garden!

this is my favourite fabric/craft supplies store

There is a one craft store and one paper-craft store in my town. They are good for purchasing generic type supplies but specifically don't appeal. The best craft supply stores I have locally are the op-shops; fabrics, buttons, zippers, knitting-needles, yarn, and now even sewing machines.
I do buy a bunch of supplies online, especially fabric, often searching random places for what I am after, but here is a list of my favourites.

• nuno.plus - as mentioned before is the hub of Japanese fabric and notions for me.

• morning star - for natural fleece stuffing and the most luxurious organic linen i have ever used.
• kristen, cookie or lara for Australian hand-printed fabric
  
• a little goodness - Japanese fabric and supplies on etsy
• 3point5dollars - more Japanese fabric and fun supplies on etsy. yes everything is 3 point 5 dollars.
• sakura fabrics - Japanese fabric on etsy, yep!

Handmaiden chose the topic this week.

there is somebody i want you to meet

Her name is Ursula and I think she is the bee's knees. Eb promised her to me a couple of birthday's ago, but it has taken me this long to find a snowboard that I liked both the graphics of and riding. This year we found her. Thank you Eb!

Those mini gelato cones were adorable and delicious.

Thank you for all of the birthday wishes, I will have to show my great present haul. I am spoilt.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

away in powdered hills

eb and i have spent a wonderful four days in the snowy mountains.

saturday was my birthday and classified as the best day of the season.
good thing my birthday falls in winter, as a snow trip is close to my most favourite thing in the world.

(as always we forget to take many photographs whilst boarding)

Ruby,Ruby, when will you be mine

Two inspiring little Ruby Mag books arrived in the mail. I think I am going to have to share them and buy myself some more copies.
Just a few of the wonderful artists that grace the pages are:
Zeynep Kayan, (I just adore this photograph)
Riikka Sormunen
Betsy Davis

i found it on the ground

I have been finding these broken seed chambers/pods on the road out front of our house. They almost freak me out in the same way wasp nests do, but I really find their fragility quite beautiful.

a pig but at least i eat fruit

This is a common scene on the floor by the end of daytime. Banana skin in glass from breakfast, apple core in glass from when I come home to eat lunch, and extra glass because i like to waste them. I really should pick up after myself as I go, not leave it until evening.

do i have to give these away?

Fennel earrings by Kyo Hashimoto.These are a birthday gift for a special lass, but I don't want to give them away. I purchased them here.

file pocket

As promised here is the completed file pocket/folder.

paper keyboard paper

Eb picked up a lost shopping list at the supermarket. It is great how you can judge someones age by their handwriting. Do you think that one day everyone will only have type, not handwriting?

I hope you all use recycled toilet paper.

I would be very interested to watch Elisabeth's animation.

fruit in the letterbox

The saga of fruiting flora in our letterbox continues. This time a little apricot was left. I suspect I know who is doing it, but she stays adamant that it is not her...

For those who asked about where I purchased the fabric from the last post; I am pretty sure I bought it from Nuno.Plus a while ago. They are great, I buy most of my Japanese fabric from there. Otherwise there are a number of etsy sellers who supply cute Japanese fabric too.

this is a work in progress

I am making a fabric covered file pocket as part of an architect friend's birthday present. I feel an architect needs one? I know this doesn't show much except the cute fabric, I will show and tell when complete.

Thanks to kept in a jar for the theme.

sheep stabling birds

I had a wander at the farmers market today.

last night's snow

Evidence.

Have a great weekend.

staple soup

Putting together some Pho, a staple of ours.

Today it snowed in the middle of the day, big huge snowflakes. It was gorgeous but I didn't have a camera. Through my window at work I enjoyed watching the people who unexpectedly found themselves in the snow. The lady walking with her pram and big dog, the man riding his bicycle, the eldery person zipping around on their gopher. When they left home I don't think they were prepared for snow, but noone seemed to mind.

Edit: It is snowing again tonight, yipee.

around

Lumetta - a blog always full of stunning images.

happy birthday rbj

a snail-mailed card, a few sms and a telephone call will have to do for now.
hugs and pressie when we see you next.

we heart you.

loitering

Just some things hanging about.

Finally put one of my pay it forward gifts together. 4 to go. Hope my lovely recipients aren't impatient.

Some links:
Louise Goldin Autumn/Winter 08 collection. Found via Loveology.
astulabee softies.
Bought this as a gift on the weekend.

Hope everyone has a nice week.

this is my trade secret

My tip for making or taking or crafting is don't be afraid of things evolving away from your original idea. I have had to learn that shaping the idea throughout the process is okay and this has stopped me from being disappointed all the time. Work with the failures. As an example I was trying to draw a simple girl for a card this morning and the closest I could come up with was oscar the grouch's wife up there! A few sketches later there was something I was happy with on the paper that I wouldn't have thought of off-the-bat.

As for techniques, mine aren't too consistent but Eb taught me to score cards along the middle with my knife for a crisp fold.
Sewing Stars explains here how to sew up a softie with a hidden stick. Very helpful.

Theme from this lady.

is that what this is?

toothbrush sex?

more than a drawer

Today it properly rained and the determined winds blew me into the local op shops.
The blue of the knitting needles attracted me immediately, and just because they aren't the same colour or even the same length doesn't mean I can't love them anyway. I also scored some fabric, mostly a bunch of upholstery samples for 20cents, a well-read version of Oliver Twist, and a brand new pair of grey school-boy pants for 3 dollars. Bargain, I know.

I saw her then. It took some testing, some discussion, some research and the eating of a sopressa roll, but I decided to buy her as an early birthday present to myself. The drawer in the third photo belongs to a table that holds my Singer 201k treadle operated sewing machine. She will be delivered on Monday, I am very happy, I will show and tell when she arrives. Thank you Mr op-shop, I hope her price-tag goes to good use.

have you been here?

Have you been to Photofunia? The name isn't misleading. Found via Junker Jane.