I have been reading "The Creative Family" lately. I found it simultaneously inspiring and overwhelming. We're not ready for nature walks yet, or even family drawing time. But, there was one thing we could do and that is to start a vegetable garden.I thought I would start small. There was a small grassy patch that was once a herb garden. I talked to...

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When I saw these plate, I thought of my Great Aunt. She could be both firm and loving, and often in the same sentence. My Great Aunt was fiercely independent and quite simply never had it overly easy. Legend has it she became the liberal aunt that my Mother and her sisters went to for a hot tea, stiff gin and a shoulder...

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Following in my series of things to do on a train...There are some important things to consider when applying makeup on a train. As you are applying it on a train you are obviously pushed for time. To apply it at home would mean getting up even earlier.Above: An extreme example of applying makeup on a train taken from The Marshall Cavendish Complete...

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This was in the box. My cupcake swap has arrived at Susan's house. I took the opportunity to re purpose some table linen picked up at a church fair. Consider it a beginners attempt at applique. There were scorch marks and burnt finger tips galore before I was finished.The softies are magnets too. I had to call in the bolt cutters to get...

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My next tip for knitting on a train would have to be “read the pattern carefully”, followed closely by “it's not too late to unpick” I have finished the cardigan for little e. It looks a little different from the picture on the pattern and possibly a little tighter. I mis-read some instructions and cast the arms off a little too narrow. This...

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The seeing stars top is finished and so is my attempt to thriftily piece together the back. The weather is finally good enough to take the quilt outside and so here they are. I'm pleased with the quilt. Thank-you so much to those who helped with my dilemma about the setting blocks a few weeks ago. I've looked at a few of the...

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Tomorrow marks the end of my no fabric buying strategy. I was trying to only spend $15 a week. I started at the beginning of June. After overspending in July, I worked out that I couldn't buy any more until August 18. I have failed miserably. In the interim, I have succumbed to the allure of:5 balls of woolAn Amy Butler Card Kit1m...

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There are quaint sayings about making lemonade,when given lemons. I literally had one of those moments when little e systematically took a bite of each apple on the fruit bowl. I knew it was time for crumble. (I got excited about my new to me fruit bowls and took a photo well before the fruit was attacked) My mum makes the best crumble....

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When I saw this kitset many years ago it reminded me of sitting and chatting with my friend, M. I had just left university and started my first job in a new city. I was really missing my friends too. M and I have been friends since the beginning of university and lived in number of dodgy flats together, before striking out to...

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Last time I gave any serous thought to tidying my craft space, I vowed once again to reduce the number of WISPS. After counting up an embarrassing number of Works in Slow Progress, I decided to start with some that were almost finished and this pair fits the bill. I adored these Jennifer Pudney kitsets. I finished stitching them in 2000 and 2002...

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A lovely note in little e's daycare note book: “We have noticed that e loves taking off her socks and giving her toes a tickle”Yes, we've noticed too.The tide line of socks around her crib is a dead giveaway. She waves the things like streamers at a victory parade. ...

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As some people have asked - World Sweet World is a magazine "for makers and creative folk". You can get it at lots of little stores for stylie people.So far I have read about making thingsBeer Glasses (maybe for Christmas)A Cardboard Magazine Holder (I'm sure it could be tweaked for cookbooks) andA recycled window cloche.Then there is the goings on with Craft 2.0,...

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I now have my very own copies of World Sweet World and I am impressed. On our weekend shopping trip to the big smoke I was able to call in at Madam Fancy Pants to get World Sweet World. I had read about it and am stoked that it lives up to the hype with a number of new ideas and information about...

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Maybe I'm getting a little hopeful but the signs of spring are around me this week. This is what greeted me at the kitchen window on Friday morning. I love borrowed gardens. The neighbor's plum tree hangs over the fence at our kitchen window. From here I can see the other plums trees and a lone feijoa. I've also been watching our magnolia...

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There was a strange package in our mail box yesterday. I couldn't remember ordering anything on line lately, and there were no trade me purchases either. Then I saw the US postal mark. It's my cupcakes and just in time for morning tea. I put the jug on, put my feet up and opened the package. The quilt and softie are wonderful and...

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