Eye on the prize

The weekend before last I toddled off to the Finders Keepers Market in Melbourne.

I was on a mission !

1st stop - The best Aunty in blogland for a few bits and bobs and a chat with her and Kirsty

Shannon's stall looked great and she and Kirst cracked me up with their stitching conversation.

2nd stop - Yardage design - you guys remember Nic, and her beautiful bunting....

well you can see why I needed to have some of this new fabric as well. It is divine and appeals to my love of typography in a big way.

Then, with my eye on the prize, I sought out Victoria Mason (who is just lovely by the way)

and bought my hearts desire.

Bah Humbug !!!

Now that my smalls are actually quite big (like 18 and 14), I have to say a lot of the "magic" of Christmas is gone.

I find myself concentrating more and more on all the effort it requires and I must admit to being a bit Bah-Humbug about it all at the moment. (mind you that could be because every bloody shop in town has been spruiking Christmas since September).

But yesterday I found, bought and printed this from everybodies favourite Aunty and now I am determined to buy some presents just so I can wrap them.....

(once again its all about the packaging for me)

Back with buckets !

Hiya,

Here is my very belated bucket tutorial. I was hoping to do this for Whiplash but never mind. I fluffed the first lot of photos but had to use one of them here as I missed a step - just ignore the fact that the fabrics change won't you?

There are probably a gazillion versions of these floating around in the craft cyberspace, so these are the way I make mine. They are super useful for little things in the sewing room or for hair ties and stuff !

For each bucket you will need:
· 5 ½ x 18 ½ inch strips of outer fabric, light wadding and iron–on interfacing.
· 6 x 18 ½ inch strip of lining fabric (note it is a bit bigger so you get the nice trim at the top.
· Circles measuring 6 inches across in outer, wadding, interfacing and lining for the base.

Step 1.

• 
  You may do this differently but I prefer to iron my interfacing to my wadding rather than my fabric – I hate those little wrinkles I always get if I iron onto the fabric.
  Do the same for the bucket bottoms as well.

Step 2.

With outer fabric and lining right sides together (and the wadding interfaced piece under the outer fabric) sew along the long (18 1/2 inch) edge that will be the top of the bucket.

You can see the layers here. The black is the lining (face down) linen is the outer (face up) and then the wadding/interfacing on the back of the linen.

Open up and press the seam.

Step 3.

Take the short (5 1/2 inch) sides together and sew along creating a tube. Almost done now –

Step 4.

Sew the bottom into the outer fabric end right sides together. I do this by dividing the circle and the outer into fourths and than matching up the pins. You can clip this seam after you have sewn it if you like. Do the same at the other end with the lining base BUT leave a turning space (I leave about 1/4 of the circle).

(the brown is the lining in this photo)

Step 5.

Turn the whole bucket back through the space you left in the bottom. Then you simply tuck your lining into your bucket and slip stitch the opening closed. I like to top stitch around the top.

You can stitch-in-the-ditch for a nice finish.

Add a bit of Auntie Cookie or whatever you please and they are ready to fill ! You can add handles too !!

On we go

So, after all that shopping we had to have some morning tea.

All the chairs (there weren't many ) were taken so Annie and I ate on the church steps. My cake is the one half eaten (of course) and two of them did make it home to my kids.

Then we headed back inside for our second visit to Aunty cookie, where Annie pulled out her "reserve purse" and continued to shop.

The Aunty cookie stall really did look great !

The market was an interesting mix of things but the venue was waaaaaaaaaay to small. There were more than a few nudges and bumps and "excuse Me's" as people jostled around to see things.

I bought this brooch for myself, isn't it great ??? - the bag is the name of the designer / business I believe. I wish i had asked for a card.

I never wear brooches but figure at 38 I am bound to grow up and become one of those well groomed women who can wear brooches and those casually tossed shawly things any day now !!! So I am prepared !!!!

Hang around tomorrow for the final installment of our day - who knows I may even turn into one of those women over night (There were lots of them at the market as teacup noticed )

Presents !!!

Present for a Friend

This is a belated present for one of my gorgeous friends. It is a craft cushion, featuring every bit of crafty fabric I could find in the stash and a few of her favourites as well. Some embroidery and wonky logs and hey presto !!!

This little embroidery is a design by the most talented Aunty Cookie ? Do you like the bit that says " Nimble fingers required" ? That is one of Aunty Cookies fabrics too, as well as the other texty piece. I have some of Shannon's great art as well and I just find I love everything she does. She is like uber-talented, a Renaissance crafter - drawing, sewing, goccoing, and now even badges.

I can't wait to buy more of her stuff at the Magnolia Square market. I wonder if I'll be brave enough to say HI?

If you haven't "met" Aunty cookie pop on over now - I'm sure she's there.

Presents for you guys !

Pay It Forward !!

I have no idea about the Pay it Forward movie but I love the idea of giving things away so I have joined The Pay it Forward Exchange over at Fiona's blog .
Here is how it works -( copied from Fiona)

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange!I don't know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week...LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that's a promise! and it will be something yummy!!The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog...

However I will add that you will receive it within a month because if I don't do it by then I will forget to do it at all. I have no idea what the gift will be but I will do my best. (Not a wonky purse I promise) So there you go - first three to make the same promise are my prizewinners - Couldn't be easier.

And the buttons? Well they are a pressie for me that I grabbed at the op-shop today. A huge jar for $6.

One day I will show you my button collection - and that is a threat !