Cool cat........

Django went off to a party this morning and I found this on his goody bag. One cool cat with a granny square poncho. With all the granny square love going on in blogland I thought it was very appropriate.


Also I got a little package in the mail today. I need to go off now and make an outfit to match these cute things. I really really love that I get a nice postcard in the envelope.

The world of dolls...........

I have a thing for dolls and have had since I was a little girl. I have a collection of them somewhere in my mothers garage that were mine as a youngster. When I eventually get back to Melbourne I need to get them out to show the kids. This interest waned a little as I went through my teens but then came back when I had the kids and had an excuse to make or purchase nice dolls. I have a small collection slowly building here in Noumea which I would like to add to after seeing what some people out there can create.

I thought I would give you a little list of the girls I think make fabulous doll-

Appolineaparis- I love this website
Jess Brown
Blackedeyedsuzie
Prudence pouts- I have never really been into the Waldorf style of doll but these are great
Du Buh Du Designs
Raggidy Rag dolls

and the links for my latest obsession. I go here when I want to drool-
Jam Fancy
xoxo, Blythe
SqueakyMonkey
This is Blythe

My creative space........

The brain hasn't been in a very creative place this past week so there isn't anything started, half complete or about to be finished to show. What I do have is some fabric sitting in view waiting to be used in my 'Pay it forward' swap that is really overdue. I am hoping to get these surprises started and sent out next week otherwise I don't know when it will happen. I feel terrible that I haven't done it but I hope what my recipients receive will more than make up for my tardiness. By the way I still have one spot to fill so if you think you may want something from this fabric and haven't participated in this swap yet by all means let me know.

craft hope dolls

Yesterday while waltzing around blogland I read this post at the vintage chica. Then I moved onto the links she had provided for craft hope so now I am getting involved. Doing a little something to make somebody smile. Go over and read all about it. Maybe you can help too.

A caplet for Martine............

Nothing fancy but very sweet!

A weekend outing.......

On the weekend I went to a concert. I haven't been to see a live show for such a long time that I can't even remember the last. I think it was Queens of the Stoneage back in 2002 at the Palais in St.Kilda. I was asked to go and see Alpha Blondy-a very well known french reggae singer. Me I knew nothing about him but the girls who I went with filled me in on all the finer details. Anyway aside from not knowing anything it was fabulous. It was outside at the Tjibaou cultural centre which is one fantastic venue in the daylight and at night. There was a local outfit that stared the evening with their brand of ska/reggae kind of music. They got everybody up dancing but I think that was in anticipation of the headline act. When I got home I vowed to my husband that we needed to do more of these kinds of things. For a little place there is always alot going on, we just need to get up off the couch and get out the door.

Friday........

Martine has got herself a new dress-finally. It was made over our very rainy Easter weekend when we couldn't do much but inside activities. At Christmas time I had promised her she would have a new wardrobe and it has failed to materialise.

I have plans to make her a shawl to go with her dress but need to get some nice crochet cotton to do it with. Our weather is changing here and getting a bit cooler but it never gets really cold so wool might be a bit heavy. I also had a bit of a spending spree this morning and ordered her some fabulous cowboy boots and socks from This is Blythe. I can't wait till they arrive and she can be all sassyed up. I don't think this is a word but you all know what I mean.

Wednesday........

Wednesday is a odd kinda day here in Noumea. The kids go off to school at the usual time(early) but get picked up again at 10.45am. Literally they have about 2 1/2hrs at school and that includes recreation time. I'm not sure what the French are thinking or what the kids actually get time to do but I can tell you it impedes on my time for getting anything done. I get home from dropping them off, make the bed, pop a load of washing on, have a cuppa then it is time to go back. This morning though I did get to finish this bag for a wee lass. Her mum requested butterfly's. I had done all the hand stitching last night and just had to put it all together this morning. Juliette was kind enough to halt her playing in the garden so I could take a shot of her modeling the bag.
Getting back to my rant about the school issue I don't mind really that they have an afternoon off a week it allows us to do activities on that day and not be running around after school on the other days. They also get to relax and play and not feel so stressed about getting homework finished( yes they get homework) all before dinner, shower, relax, bed.

Rain, rain, rain.......................

It rained and rained and rained here for most of the Easter break. This is to be expected as it is the wet season but it has been like this for a good 4 weeks now. We like the rain but when you have a long weekend with kids stuck inside it can get a bit hard. There was a bit of tv watching, a few games played and cubby houses built. Don't forget the chocolate eating too. I got to start a cross stitch that was given to Juliette to do but it was a tad on the difficult side for her age. I am not really into this form of craft as it is fairly slow going but while one is sitting and watching the rain tumble down for hours on end it helps pass the time.

3 chicks...........

I made 3 wee chicks for the 3 other people living in my house. They are going to be given tomorrow morning with some nice chocolate eggs. I hope everybody is having a nice Easter break and that there is way too much chocolate being consumed. I'd like to think that it is not only happening in our house.

p.s The pattern for these adorable chicks was found at roman sock. She has sooooo many fabulous patterns that you can use and not too complicated either.

one ha' penny two ha' penny.......

You can not find a hot cross bun here anywhere. It is not at all French and I haven't quite worked out if there is an Easter bread or bun they do eat. All that aside last night I made my very first batch of hot cross buns to be eaten first thing on Good Friday morning. They were by no means the best buns I have eaten but they weren't too bad considering I couldn't find all the right ingredients all spice being the main one. There was a substitution of nutmeg and a little extra cinnamon.
As you can see we couldn't hold out till the morning and had to try one hot out of the oven last night with lashings of butter. Now looking at this picture it might just be time for a cup of tea and another one. I can hear them calling me from the kitchen " eat me before I go stale".

My creative space........

Sorry to disappoint everybody but I have no creative space happening today. I have been sewing and stuffing and creating for the last two weeks and in that time the house turned into a rather disastrous mess. The little monkeys were also a bit neglected so today is being spent cleaning the house and giving them some time. The other thing I am going to do though is head over to Kirsty's at look in on other peoples creativity.

Happy Thursday to you all.

Where have I been......

I have been away from this little space for a couple of weeks busy doing things. Things that involved making and showing. I was working up to having a small sale at my husbands place of work. They have a croissant morning every Wednesday that brings the staff together for morning tea and outsiders/artistic folk can set up a table and sell their wares if they like. I finally did it yesterday after speaking about it for 2 years. It was a reasonable success I wasn't sure what the response was going to be but I think I just wanted to get a wider audience to see what I can do. I have been basically making things for friends and then friends of friends. This is good without feeling to pressured but I think I need to move further afield .
In saying all of that I am back at the computer hopefully to catch up on my google reader, have you ever left it for a few days, my oh my so many posts so little time and also to figure out the best way of moving on the creatures I did not sell. I am going to ask for some help on this subject but that can be in another post and it will come with an incentive.

Stay tuned!

Love Friday...........

It's been a fairly nice Friday so far. I have been doing some more creating with the fabric and buttons from yesterday. Later on I am taking the kids to an early easter egg hunt then this evening I am off out with some girls for a nice meal. What more could I ask for an afternoon of chocolate then some good French tucker.

I am heading over to google reader now and check what is happening in blogland then I am going to sit and contemplate what I should do with the above buckle.
Any suggestions?

The brooch thingy's.........

Thought I would show what I got finished today. Not as much as I would have liked but it is something none the less.

The brooch's became duel purpose and can be worn as a necklace also.

My creative space........

Long time no see but I am back today with my creative space. It's full of looking into my old button tin trying to find interesting things to put on oddly folded bits of fabric to become brooches. How exciting is that and for more interesting stuff have a look over here.