Made it Monday...........

Over the last few months my little blog has been floundering all about the place. I lost interest a bit, I didn't think I had much to write about and sometimes I just didn't have the time. I was having thoughts of giving it up but then did a backflip on that idea. I do really like having my blog and sharing some of my life with you all. Anyway I thought to get No life without wife back on track I would give it a bit of structure. A few days of the week I will talk about something in particular. I am going to start it off with Made it Monday. Usually on the weekends I get a little time to do some crafting and thought on a Monday I can showcase what I have done and if I don't get to do anything I am sure I will find someone in blogland that has been crafty.

Here is my offering for this week! Yesterday while watching the rugby with my hubby I finally worked out the pattern for a pixie helmut for my dollies. I love it and the pattern is so easy I have completed another 2 already in between looking after everybody else in the house. 

Decorated with a couple of flower shaped yo-yo's.

Let me know if you got up to anything crafty on the weekend that's what Made it Monday is for!!

 

Pay it forward 2011...........

I did this a couple of years back and found another one going around on flickr. It is the same deal as last time but this time it is 5 recipients!! If anyone is interested leave a comment and I will be in touch. 

Anyway this is my gift I received from Mandy. Isn't he the cutest bear you have seen!! She has an Etsy shop & flickr where you can see many of her handmade bears and her extensive collection of Blythe dolls.

PAY IT FORWARD FOR 2011. Read below...........
Pay It Forward

Pay it Forward 2011: As an arty type I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this & send something they make to the first 5 people who comment on their status. *Rules: it must be handmade by you & it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011.

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5.

I am excited to participate and look forward to deciding what to make-glad I have the whole year:o)

Another wee dress............

Another wee crocheted dress. I like this one very much and wouldn't mind something similar for myself.

A wee dress........

Over a few afternoons while having a cup of tea I finally worked out a pattern for a crocheted dress for the Blythe girls. Very simple when you know how!!

Bijoux Commemoratifs....................

 I have a very good friend here Kris and she is a jeweller, mum and super women. Late last year she put the feelers out and got a group of Noumean artists together for an exhibition. In a moment of madness she asked me to contribute something..........now I am no jeweller but a women with fabric and an idea can go along way. The exhibition was titled ' Bijoux Commemoratifs '- Commemorative Jewellery. I knew right from the beginning I wanted to celebrate the birth of my twins, they are the only ones I will have and they are special. I also had the idea I wanted it to look like it was a Victorian papercut piece. So out came the embroidery thread, some calico, an old book that had some papercut illustrations and off I went.
 

Did I acheive what I originally set out to do?  I don't know as I never work with a picture in front of me just an idea in my head but I did like the way it turned out in the end and so did lots of other people. At the gallery it is hanging on a very rusty piece of corrigated iron which adds to the whole olde worlde feel.

 I don't know how many readers I have here in Noumea but you all should take a half an hour out of your day to go and have alook at the exhibition. I think you will find it very interesting.

Orange & green...............

What else can you do when your daughter is sick on the couch and wants company but  crochet another hat. I think I have made 5 now. It really is too hot here to crochet but I have bee in my bonnet about doing it. So I do it!!!

Weekend crafting...........

A little something for Francoises to wear on Easter Sunday.........more will be revealed tomorrow.

Weekend reading...........

This is far to early to be blogging but seen as I am up, showered, the kids are feed and happily playing. I have a cup of tea in hand I am going to show you my reading material for the weekend. I finally succumbed to buying one of these fabulous Japanese books that I have seen all around blogland. I bought it from Pompadour24 and I can't say how quick her service was. Here in Noumea I usually have to wait weeks before things arrive but not with this book........5 days was all it took. I am impressed the postal services stars must have all been aligned!
Anyway I am going to look through the book and see what I will make first. I may even get the pattern cut out and the fabric on the table.

Happy weekend crafting to all whatever it may be!

Bunnies...............

It is a lovely day today for coffee staining more bunnies. These have turned out a much nicer lighter colour, the coffee wasn't quite so strong.

They will be embellished and heading off to the festival.

Drying off...............

One little coffee stained bunny( 2nd attempt) drying in the sun. I might be using to much coffee on them as they smell really wonderful, like a freshly brewed cup of coffee.

A sweet bear..............

We all went off to a party today and the birthday girl had requested a little amigurumi bear dou-dou and this is what she got. Complete with earrings.

My creative space........

He's done!! In my creative space this week I got to finish my boy doll for the casa bernabe orphanage/craft hope project. I am happy with the way he turned out in the end as I found it a bit tricky making a boy look like a boy when I usually make such girly girl kinds of things. His outfit kinda looks like he has pj's but I don't think the recipient will mind. I just hope he makes somebody happy when they receive it.

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

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

Nothing fancy but very sweet!

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.

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!