Hey lovely bloggers, so the power is back on now (yay!) and I am happy to say my house is still standing and all is well for my family. We have a bit of paint damage from hail, my favourite tree to read under has no leaves left on it and my second favourite tree to read under fell down, and the most serious damage we have suffered is that our office carpet is ruined and needed to be ripped up, so we have no computer at the moment. Unfortunately, no computer means limited blogging ability and I am struggling without my daily computer fix! (serious techno junky here!) but have no fear, we have already found someone to replace our carpet cheaply and my cousin is giving us his leftover carpet that he is currently laying to save us the huge amount of money that is the balance of this years insurance payments and excess.
In other news, although the weather still looks sketchy as, Jake and I are heading for Jerusalem Creek this afternoon for a camping trip! We originally were going to go further and stay in a hotel but I said I wanted to go camping instead (I've only been once in my life and it's such a novelty for me) and since the sky is grey and gloomy, we decided against going to far in case we need to make a quick exit at some point! Jerusalem creek is about half an hour from my place and it is supposed to be absolutely beautiful! It's in the middle of a national park and the camping grounds are quite simple without many facilities but it's a great place to go and everyone around here loves it!
I'm hoping that you won't hear from me until Sunday night - that is when we plan to return if the weather holds out long enough for us, so I hope you all have a great rest of the week and I can't wait to get back into the full swing of blogging after my camping trip!
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Sunday, 18 November 2012
Storm
Last night a fast but frightening storm hit my little old town and did some major damage. I, luckily enough, was at my boyfriend's place in Lennox and missed all the commotion, but I have since been filled in by my family that there have been houses torn apart by the wind, power lines are down on nearly every street, trees have been uprooted and roofs have come off a lot of houses. Mum and dad and my sister and brother are thankfully all okay, and our house suffered minimal damage with only a fallen tree against our verandah and water damage to a few rooms where water seeped around the edges of windows and under doors, but power isn't expected to be restored for about a week due to the massive amount of damage to power lines and it is rumoured that another storm is due to hit some time tonight.
Jake and I are hoping that the weather clears in time for our trip away at the end of the week, especially since we decided to go camping, but in the meantime, blog posts might be a bit minimal, as I wont have access to internet when I am at home, and i'm quite unable to sew without my sewing machine so my Gift Exchange Gift, which I was hoping I would get finished today will have to wait until power is restored.
Here are a few pictures my friend posted on facebook of the damage to his street:
Unfortunately, these aren't the worst affected houses, either. A few people lost most of their possessions when their houses sort of caved in in the storm. I'm definitely praying for these people with all my might right now. Mum and dad said there is no point in me coming home, so all I've seen is a few pictures here and there, but what with Woodburn being such a small town (population around about 500) and tight-knit community, all I really want to do is help.
Jake and I are hoping that the weather clears in time for our trip away at the end of the week, especially since we decided to go camping, but in the meantime, blog posts might be a bit minimal, as I wont have access to internet when I am at home, and i'm quite unable to sew without my sewing machine so my Gift Exchange Gift, which I was hoping I would get finished today will have to wait until power is restored.
Here are a few pictures my friend posted on facebook of the damage to his street:
Unfortunately, these aren't the worst affected houses, either. A few people lost most of their possessions when their houses sort of caved in in the storm. I'm definitely praying for these people with all my might right now. Mum and dad said there is no point in me coming home, so all I've seen is a few pictures here and there, but what with Woodburn being such a small town (population around about 500) and tight-knit community, all I really want to do is help.
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Last minute holiday! YAY!
So, I have just been informed by my lovely and handsome boyfriend that he has next week off... I have also been informed that he wants to go on a last minute, mini holiday! YAY! I absolutely love it when Jake surprises me like this, especially when it's his shout ;)
The only question now is, where to go on such short notice for such a short amount of time? Jake wants to go south since we basically live at the Gold Coast lately, and will literally be living there soon, but I just can't make up my mind with all the pretty beaches south to where we live to choose from. What do you think?
Yamba?
Minnie Water?
Woody Head?
These places are all quite close to home and quite beautiful, but for some reason I'm always drawn to the north? Maybe it's my impending excitement about moving there? Maybe its just cos I think it will be warmer? (as if it needs to be! It's 6pm here and still a sweltering 28 degrees!)
Anyway, the place I'd really like to go is Cabarita beach, or maybe Fingal Head? They're both north and both lovely! I don't know why, but they're always my first port of call when an opportunity like this arises!
Of course, I do have a custom order lingering over my head waiting to be done, a handmade gift exchange present to finish and absolutely zero stock for the impending relocation of The Corner Store, but that can all wait right? I mean I can take my crochet with me to do at night time, and the gift exchange present is nearly done - I can't help that I ran out of white cotton for my overlocker!
With all this in hand though, I am still excited for some time away, just me and Jake. Living with parents can be so restricting to a relationship sometimes and it's nice when we get alone time together :) Besides, the gift exchange present is almost done, and I'm starting to wish I could keep it for myself because its turning out so nice! I will have no troubles getting cotton and finishing it over the weekend and I have all the time in the world to get stock made.
Well, someone help me decide where to go next week. Where would you go if you got to have a spur-of-the-moment, mini holiday? Do you know of any other nice places on the Far North Coast of NSW that Jake and I could go to?
Hopefully I will have some more posts about craft and sewing for you soon, I'm very busy trying new things so if they all work out, I should have quite a wealth of things to show you! Bye for now, I'm off to lie in front of a fan somewhere... xx
The only question now is, where to go on such short notice for such a short amount of time? Jake wants to go south since we basically live at the Gold Coast lately, and will literally be living there soon, but I just can't make up my mind with all the pretty beaches south to where we live to choose from. What do you think?
These places are all quite close to home and quite beautiful, but for some reason I'm always drawn to the north? Maybe it's my impending excitement about moving there? Maybe its just cos I think it will be warmer? (as if it needs to be! It's 6pm here and still a sweltering 28 degrees!)
Anyway, the place I'd really like to go is Cabarita beach, or maybe Fingal Head? They're both north and both lovely! I don't know why, but they're always my first port of call when an opportunity like this arises!
Of course, I do have a custom order lingering over my head waiting to be done, a handmade gift exchange present to finish and absolutely zero stock for the impending relocation of The Corner Store, but that can all wait right? I mean I can take my crochet with me to do at night time, and the gift exchange present is nearly done - I can't help that I ran out of white cotton for my overlocker!
With all this in hand though, I am still excited for some time away, just me and Jake. Living with parents can be so restricting to a relationship sometimes and it's nice when we get alone time together :) Besides, the gift exchange present is almost done, and I'm starting to wish I could keep it for myself because its turning out so nice! I will have no troubles getting cotton and finishing it over the weekend and I have all the time in the world to get stock made.
Well, someone help me decide where to go next week. Where would you go if you got to have a spur-of-the-moment, mini holiday? Do you know of any other nice places on the Far North Coast of NSW that Jake and I could go to?
Hopefully I will have some more posts about craft and sewing for you soon, I'm very busy trying new things so if they all work out, I should have quite a wealth of things to show you! Bye for now, I'm off to lie in front of a fan somewhere... xx
Monday, 12 November 2012
Gift Exchanges... How exciting!
So, last Friday I finally found out who my partner for the Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange is! Her name is Sheryl, and over the weekend I have greatly enjoyed getting to know her a little bit and brainstorming what to make her while browsing her blog. I found out that she, like me, is a fan of shabby chic decor, she loves roses and she loves light green. I now have a few ideas floating around my little brain of what to make her, and am excited to get started! This is my first gift exchange, and I am finding it to be a thrilling process - making something especially for another person is always great, but especially when you are getting to know a new person in the process!
I loved the idea of the handmade exchange so much, that when I saw that Lara's Vintage and The Busy Bee are hosting a thrifted gift exchange, I signed up for that one as well! My two loves - thrifting and sewing, and two chances to share my loves with another person and make some new friends in the process! If you would like to join the thrifted gift exchange, click here for details. I can't wait to share with you what I turn out for these special people, as well as what I recieve in return!
For a look at my CA Handmade Gift Exchange inspiration board on Pinterest, click here!
I loved the idea of the handmade exchange so much, that when I saw that Lara's Vintage and The Busy Bee are hosting a thrifted gift exchange, I signed up for that one as well! My two loves - thrifting and sewing, and two chances to share my loves with another person and make some new friends in the process! If you would like to join the thrifted gift exchange, click here for details. I can't wait to share with you what I turn out for these special people, as well as what I recieve in return!
For a look at my CA Handmade Gift Exchange inspiration board on Pinterest, click here!
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Recipe Book!
On Tuesday I spent a wonderful day with my good friend, Ellie. We hung out in Byron Bay in the morning and went shopping/swimming and in the afternoon we made some A4 recipe books to take with us when we move out of home.
As you can see, my recipe book is quite simpe on the outside, with just a wooden frame from Spotlight bordering the word "recipes" which I typed on the computer. The books themselves are mont marte sketch books, the only plainly covered, hardcover book we could find with no lines on the pages. The pages are wonderfully thick and yellowish, which I love, and we have decided to sort of scrapbook our recipes into this book, adding decorative paper and other embellishments to the recipes we put in there.
Ellie made her book a lot more colourful on the outside than mine, covering it with bright pink cherry fabric, and adding sparkly cardboard letters to form the word "recipes" on the front. The books are a real reflection of our personal styles, I think. It's a shame I dont have a picture of Ellie's book to show you!
We also made some muffins this weekend (gluten free of course) that turned out delicious! They are incredibly healthy as well, so we were both glad to scoff some down for brekky the next day and are keen to alter the recipe a little to make the muffins a little sweeter and stickier!
As you can see, my recipe book is quite simpe on the outside, with just a wooden frame from Spotlight bordering the word "recipes" which I typed on the computer. The books themselves are mont marte sketch books, the only plainly covered, hardcover book we could find with no lines on the pages. The pages are wonderfully thick and yellowish, which I love, and we have decided to sort of scrapbook our recipes into this book, adding decorative paper and other embellishments to the recipes we put in there.
Ellie made her book a lot more colourful on the outside than mine, covering it with bright pink cherry fabric, and adding sparkly cardboard letters to form the word "recipes" on the front. The books are a real reflection of our personal styles, I think. It's a shame I dont have a picture of Ellie's book to show you!
We also made some muffins this weekend (gluten free of course) that turned out delicious! They are incredibly healthy as well, so we were both glad to scoff some down for brekky the next day and are keen to alter the recipe a little to make the muffins a little sweeter and stickier!
Tags!!!!
Hey guys, look what came for me in the mail today...
The iron-on tags I bought from Green Beans n Strings!!!
Green Beans n Strings do wonderfully cheap, printed iron-on labels in a variety of sizes as well as other types of tags perfect for any up and coming business that sells handmade clothing. I am so excited to have recieved these today that I have already added one to a dress I made! It went on nice and smooth and I am incredibly happy with the results! I chose iron on labels because I hate the scratchyness that comes with swing tags and dont want my customers cutting my tags off, because otherwise how will they remember where they bought it?
It makes me feel so professional to now have busiess cards AND tags for the things I make!
The iron-on tags I bought from Green Beans n Strings!!!
Green Beans n Strings do wonderfully cheap, printed iron-on labels in a variety of sizes as well as other types of tags perfect for any up and coming business that sells handmade clothing. I am so excited to have recieved these today that I have already added one to a dress I made! It went on nice and smooth and I am incredibly happy with the results! I chose iron on labels because I hate the scratchyness that comes with swing tags and dont want my customers cutting my tags off, because otherwise how will they remember where they bought it?
It makes me feel so professional to now have busiess cards AND tags for the things I make!
Berry Iced Tea Recipe
With summer fast approaching, there is nothing I love more than laying in the sun with a good book, whilst sipping iced tea. Here is a quick and simple recipe for a mixed berry iced tea which is absolutely delicious!
1 1/2 cups berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, black currants)
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
6 cups tea, brewed (hot)
Ingredients:
Method:
- Simmer berries with 3/4 cup water and sugar until berries break apart.
- Add hot tea; steep until cool. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, pressing only lightly on the solids to keep the liquid clear.
- Serve in a tall glass with ice cubes.
This recipe is to serve 6, but you can easily adjust itfor smaller or larger portions. Usually, if I am making it just for me, I just guess the amounts of berries and sugar to use :)
Monday, 5 November 2012
In Amira's Closet: Retro Leotards
So, here is the first installment of the photos from the weekend. This part of the shoot was inspired by the 80's and we all dug into Amira's vintage leotards for a bit of fun :)
I am so in love with some of these photos, especially the black and white ones. I am also totally in love with our gorgeous photographer, Amira, who I am in the process of coercing into starting a blog ;)
That girl has some real talent, and I can't wait to show you the rest of the photos, which include some rather surprising and awesome props!
I am so in love with some of these photos, especially the black and white ones. I am also totally in love with our gorgeous photographer, Amira, who I am in the process of coercing into starting a blog ;)
That girl has some real talent, and I can't wait to show you the rest of the photos, which include some rather surprising and awesome props!
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Disaster Strikes!
SO, I should have known that completing a collection of clothes in two weeks is un-doable for a complete beginner in the sewing world, but I gave it a go nevertheless and when disaster struck, I took it in my stride and got on with things. This is why when the photos from today's shoot go up in a few day's time, you will only see two handmade items of clothing in them. Both skirts. You will also see a few accessories I have made though, and that's gotta count for something, right?
Well, you probably already knew that I had grand plans for this collection that I hoped would blow everybody's minds away, but I have to say, even though my overlocker is experiencing problems at the moment and there was no way I would get any more sewing done before the shoot, I am incredibly proud of what I achieved these past two weeks anyway. The two skirts I made look awesome, and all my sketches are superb! I worked incredibly hard on planning the items I would make, and once my overlocker is working again, I promise to make and share the garments anyway.
Here is proof that I actually did plan to make and had cut out tops for the collection:
Anyway, I can't wait to share the photos from the shoot with you all. They will be used to launch my Etsy and Made it shops as well, so this really is a big deal for me. Hopefully the tops I am making will be completed and photographed soon (if only in a lunch break at work) and they too can be added to my new online shops!
Well, you probably already knew that I had grand plans for this collection that I hoped would blow everybody's minds away, but I have to say, even though my overlocker is experiencing problems at the moment and there was no way I would get any more sewing done before the shoot, I am incredibly proud of what I achieved these past two weeks anyway. The two skirts I made look awesome, and all my sketches are superb! I worked incredibly hard on planning the items I would make, and once my overlocker is working again, I promise to make and share the garments anyway.
Here is proof that I actually did plan to make and had cut out tops for the collection:
Anyway, I can't wait to share the photos from the shoot with you all. They will be used to launch my Etsy and Made it shops as well, so this really is a big deal for me. Hopefully the tops I am making will be completed and photographed soon (if only in a lunch break at work) and they too can be added to my new online shops!
Photo Shoot Recap!
Had such a blast with the girls today doing our photo shoot! It was truly a great day. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pics of my handmade treasures done, as we all had way too many things we wanted to fit into our day and the weather got in the way, but Amira promised me we would have another little photo sesh through the week once my overlocker is fixed and the rest of the clothes are complete.
I wish I had the photos in my hot little hands already, but I will just have to wait until they have gone through the editing process. I can't wait to see how they turned out and I promise to share them as soon as I have them, or some of them at least. (There are well over 1000 photos on that camera!)
The two themes we decided on for the day were 80's (Audrey's special request) and boho (a shoot Amira has had her heart set on doing for a while). We did plan on doing my product photos as well, while we were in the beautiful park setting of the boho shoot, however an impromptu discovery of some really awesome human-props led us down a different pathway which I absolutely can't wait to show you!
There were some great vintage items used in the shoot. Amira's mum used to run a circus so their house is an absolute costumes galore! I swear Amira has an outfit for everything, and I am constantly suprised at the things she finds around her house to use in costumes and as props!
It was also super nice to have my gorgeous sister come along today. She is an absolute stunner and so photogenic. I'm keen to see if we got any cute sisterly photos which could be used this Christmas!
Oh, and speaking about Christmas, should I have some sort of a Christmas craft planned to show you all? Since I still live with my parents, I usually leave the decorating up to mum. Oh well, we shall se what I can come up with I guess :)
I wish I had the photos in my hot little hands already, but I will just have to wait until they have gone through the editing process. I can't wait to see how they turned out and I promise to share them as soon as I have them, or some of them at least. (There are well over 1000 photos on that camera!)
The two themes we decided on for the day were 80's (Audrey's special request) and boho (a shoot Amira has had her heart set on doing for a while). We did plan on doing my product photos as well, while we were in the beautiful park setting of the boho shoot, however an impromptu discovery of some really awesome human-props led us down a different pathway which I absolutely can't wait to show you!
There were some great vintage items used in the shoot. Amira's mum used to run a circus so their house is an absolute costumes galore! I swear Amira has an outfit for everything, and I am constantly suprised at the things she finds around her house to use in costumes and as props!
It was also super nice to have my gorgeous sister come along today. She is an absolute stunner and so photogenic. I'm keen to see if we got any cute sisterly photos which could be used this Christmas!
Oh, and speaking about Christmas, should I have some sort of a Christmas craft planned to show you all? Since I still live with my parents, I usually leave the decorating up to mum. Oh well, we shall se what I can come up with I guess :)
Friday, 2 November 2012
Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange!
I'm so, so, SO excited to be participating in the Craftaholics Anonymous Handmade Gift Exchange this month! Linda over at Craftaholics Anonymous hosts this wonderful event twice a year and I think it is a fantastic idea!
In Linda's words, the Handmade Gift Exchange is:
If you want to join, head on over to Craftaholics Anonymous. I am so excited to meet some new people through this and to share my creativity with someone new! I find out on Nov 8 who I am paired with, so prepare for a few posts as I get to know what my partner likes, create her gift and recieve one in return!
In Linda's words, the Handmade Gift Exchange is:
loads of fun!! It gives you the opportunity to meet a fellow crafter AND the perfect excuse to get your craft on! There is no skill or cost requirement, that way everyone can participate! {if you want to see what people have made/received in the past, check out previous gift exchange linky parties: Summer 2012 and Winter 2011.}
If you want to join, head on over to Craftaholics Anonymous. I am so excited to meet some new people through this and to share my creativity with someone new! I find out on Nov 8 who I am paired with, so prepare for a few posts as I get to know what my partner likes, create her gift and recieve one in return!
New Series: Friday Finds
Today I am introducing you all to a brand new series here on Little foal which I call:
I absolutely love going op-shopping in my spare time and find this a great way to get my hands on beautiful antiques, cute little homewares, second hand clothes for wearing or refashioning, as well as books, movies and vintage sewing notions. There are heaps of great op-shops in my area and I am constantly popping in to various ones to see what's new.
My Friday Finds:
Today I found some great things at a few of my local op shops. Here they are:
I fell in love with the white biscuit tin the moment I saw it! There is nothing I like better than a hot cup of tea and a biscuit on a cold day and there is this gorgeous white tea box which I want so badly that would look great with this lil' porcelain bikky tin next to it on the kitchen counter! The doily I will use for craft, more than likely. I bought the sewing pattern because it looked in awesome condition and i wouldn't mind making a few of those breezy summer dresses and comfy looking pants (out of muslin maybe?). The fabric is a huge piece - a steal at $2.50! The scarf is for a project that I am thinking of doing soon - keep your eyes peeled, and I just could not walk away from the BBC series of Pride and Prejudice, even though it is a video version! I will be a Lit student next year, so you can imagine how excited I egt over Pride and Prejudice, my second favourite classic book (behind Wuthering Heights of course).
All in all, I think I scored well! Have you scored any great op shop finds this week?
I absolutely love going op-shopping in my spare time and find this a great way to get my hands on beautiful antiques, cute little homewares, second hand clothes for wearing or refashioning, as well as books, movies and vintage sewing notions. There are heaps of great op-shops in my area and I am constantly popping in to various ones to see what's new.
My Friday Finds:
Today I found some great things at a few of my local op shops. Here they are:
I fell in love with the white biscuit tin the moment I saw it! There is nothing I like better than a hot cup of tea and a biscuit on a cold day and there is this gorgeous white tea box which I want so badly that would look great with this lil' porcelain bikky tin next to it on the kitchen counter! The doily I will use for craft, more than likely. I bought the sewing pattern because it looked in awesome condition and i wouldn't mind making a few of those breezy summer dresses and comfy looking pants (out of muslin maybe?). The fabric is a huge piece - a steal at $2.50! The scarf is for a project that I am thinking of doing soon - keep your eyes peeled, and I just could not walk away from the BBC series of Pride and Prejudice, even though it is a video version! I will be a Lit student next year, so you can imagine how excited I egt over Pride and Prejudice, my second favourite classic book (behind Wuthering Heights of course).
All in all, I think I scored well! Have you scored any great op shop finds this week?
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