Inspiration

I woke up the other night with a great giraffe idea in my head (I'm still on the hunt for the perfect frog and giraffe softies). I had the perfect picture in my head. But today I've been thinking, was this great creativity or have I ripped off someone elses design. I have read so many blogs and looked at so many pictures on flickr that my head is spinning. I have been thinking a bit about the difference between copying and inspiration. I want to make things that are unique, but there are only so many ways to do a facial feature or do a leg.
I have found some inspiration in some books I was reading with the girls yesterday.
The Gigantic Turnip - love the cow and the lady.


Russell the Sheep - gorgeous sheep and frog.

In other news:
-Grace has learnt to stand up on her own.
-I'm can't wait for my copy of the Wee Wonderfuls book to get here to make some for the girls.
- I went to Bilby Yarns in Perth - great to find a local supplier of fleece, wool, dye and spinning equipment and back issues of Interweave Knits and Spin Off magazine.

Tales from the Expedition.

We had a really busy 10 days on our travels. We caught up with Chris' family in Perth and my Grandmother. Unfortunately Chris was really sick last weekend and could not even get out of bed to go to the football (that is how we realised he was really sick).
I spent the week at Mum and Dad's. I always want to say 'at home'. Even though I haven't really lived there for years I still tend to think of the farm as home and it is always so great to be home. It would have been even better if there had been some rain. I can't believe how dry the ground is, not just there, but everywhere. It is really quite depressing.
We took the girls out to see some lambs which they loved, the poor dogs were chased everywhere as well.
It is good to be back here though at my other real home and to see Chris - the girls were so excited and Amelia in particular has needed to be near him all weekend.

Some pics from last week - Grace on the left and Amelia on the right.

Grace spent all weekend clapping and sitting on her tractor (well technically it is a 4 wheel motorbike, but tractors are more fun).Amelia quickly found the piano and snuck into the lounge to play.
I managed to finish one of Mum's bed socks last week - I hate the second sock, but I'm plodding along - I have incentive now - the gorgeous Fleece Artist Merino I recieved in the backtack swap.
Here is the proof Mum can knit. I'll admit I did doubt you Mum, but you have made a great start. Keep going, you only have about 62 squares left! This is going to be for my sister Jane who is having a baby later this year.

Backtack!!

I got home late yesterday from 10 days away to find this fantastic package from Angela at Food and Yarn. I am very spoilt! A gorgeous bunny (with a very cute K in its ear), little brooches for the girls, very cute little sheep, a pouch perfect for my crochet needles and Fleece Artist Sock Yarn - it is just heavenly to touch.
This bunny is just perfect and so petite. I am amazed as I had such a hard time making mine.
My label order has arrived as well so I can start sewing them into things I make or knit.

Going on an Expedition

Since having Amelia and Grace going anywhere is just not that easy and not that fun. You may as well be going to Antarctica with all the organising and packing you do, but I think we are on schedule to hit the road tomorrow. We are off to Perth for a few days and then I am off to Mum and Dad's for a few days and Chris gets a few days of peace and quiet.
We have even planned a night out together in Perth. We have only been out together once since the girls came home - to one of Chris' staff things, so I am a bit excited.
I have packed some craft to do and I am hoping that the bag actually gets at least opened. If I do anything there will be pictures on my return. Have a great week!
Just a couple of cute shots from the other day. Chris and Grace

Amelia pretty excited as she made it through the tunnel.

New and Improved Frog and Spider

Just the idea of Morphe II has inspired me to create. So this Sunday was sewing day. I have a new and improved frog. A little bigger and a happier face. More frog pictures here.

And I have a spider. I tried a bit of stitchery on the back which I am pretty happy with. I thought I would try something simple to see how it looks. I have been very inspired by Print and Pattern and a book called East and West. More spider pictures here.

Backtack 3 Revealed

The wonderful needlefelter and softie maker Marieke at Wol and Zo has received my backtack parcel. So here is my bunny I made.
Amelia and Grace love the tails on the elephants I make and they love to touch fabrics (I'm training them well). So I made a cube with many tails and some chenille. My plan is to make one with all the sides being different types of fabrics. A very tactile toy for babies.

Totally loving the children's clothes and sewing I've seen at Sweet Caroline, Farbenmix and Moonstitches.

It's a Beetle!

Chris thought this was a dust mite. It is definetely a beetle! I was inspired by Eric Carle's The Very Clumsy Click Beetle. I need to get a copy of this for the girls (can't have too many Eric Carle books). I am finding children's books to be great inspiration not just for softies, but for quilts and applique and colour schemes.
So this is my beetle prototype. I just need to fix it a little and the next one probably needs some stitchery or applique inspired by Jean Ray Laury on its wings. I can already see theis morphing into a new spider or a new frog design - yes still on the hunt for the perfect frog.
Chris has been to the toy library again. And the girls love it!

2 More Little Creatures

I can't believe how cold it is here. Who thought moving here was a good idea?
I finished 2 more things. A giraffe and a puppy dog. I'm off to sit next to the fire again.

Another Doll

I have taken a while to finish this doll. I wanted to do something very child safe with the hair. I often wear a scarf in my hair (saves getting the knots out!) so I thought she could do the same.



We have had a great weekend - it's been all about food. Mum, Dad, Jane and Ian came over for the day yesterday. We all went to the Cidery to celebrate my birthday and then ate one of Jane's fantastic chocolate cakes. I am just about to cook Chris' favourite curry from scratch to celebrate his birthday and then I think I might need to stop eating for a while.
The weather this weekend has just been fantastic (not fantastic for farmers and ducks though). The girls have played outside, all the washing is actually dry and Mum and Dad did a great job on the lawns. I love being outside in the winter sun.

Little Shabby Chic Bag

I was meant to making softies, but ended up making this. I couldn't help it. I just had to do something when I saw this material. I have seen a few bags with this kind of shape so I thought I would give it a try. It is the perfect size to fit a purse, or sock knitting. Do you really need an excuse to have more handbags?

In other thinking today. Soozs has summed up what I have been thinking about Spotlight and industrial relations. I have just discovered Spike Jonze is making a movie of "Where the Wild Things Are". I can't wait to see what he does with this.

Giraffe and Frog

I finished a big frog and a big giraffe. Not quite how I had drawn them, but I see potential. Both of them have stitching on their tummies. Bad flash pictures tonight, but you get the idea.

Grace is a big fan of the giraffe. She is not a big fan of the flash, so all the pictures look like this tonight.

I was looking through some Eric Carle books and have been inspired to make a six-legged creature. Hopefully more on that tomorrow.