Journal Pages

Pages from "Flights of Fancy" journal: torn magazine paper machine stitched to used envelopes.....
a bit of doodling.....with Faber Castell Pitt artist pens.
& torn paper from magazines & used wrapping paper, a print from a photo of a hand made peg angel with recycled office paper for the  wings & a dress from a paper napkin.......a gift from  a six year old.
(raylee).

Big Sis and Little Sis again

things have been pretty quiet on the creative side...

but very busy on the life side...

little girls came and wanted to make more dollies...

so they picked some pieces of material out of the scrap box...

faces...arms...dress..legs...

Miss 6 did some cutting...

Miss 2 trying to get a turn with the scissors...



Nanny's turn on the sewing machine...

then we were ready for the stuffing...

lots of play with stuffing being made into balls and thrown around...

I wasnt quick enough to get their faces on...

so Miss 6 grabbed a biro and did it herself...

big Sis and little Sis again...

Patchwork Blue Crochet Rug

My mother taught me to crochet when i was about 13 or 14, & i then taught others.some of them were very prolific & made lots of granny square rugs. i don't remember making anything very big in those days. smaller things appealed to me  like halter tops & bikinis. later on i crocheted myself a sky blue cotton smock that lasted right through my second pregnancy.
i hadn't crocheted for a long time but was inspired by a request by pip lincoln, meetmeatmike's, to make granny squares to donate to the qld flood appeal.
you get hooked on crochet, it's such an easy craft once you learn the basics, & there are lots of ways to use it.
i have just finished my second rug.i found the pattern in "better homes and gardens magazine,june 2010."
i have found that if i get something started i can pick it up & do a bit in between other projects, keep it in a bag & take it with me for times when i'm waiting ,eg. doctor's, dentist etc., or in front of the tv.
how long have you been crocheting?
who taught you?
what have you made recently?
or do you buy items already made?
would you like to learn to crochet?
(raylee).

Sponge Cake

I baked a cake!!!........so what?.... anyone can bake a cake.
not just a cake ......a SPONGE cake!!
i remember afternoon tea at aunties & nana's eagerly awaiting the cutting of the Sponge cake. no other cake tastes like it, the sweet strawberry jam , homemade of course & the cream fresh from the cow that very morning.
the oohing & ahhing about the taste , the texture, the lightness, the golden colour from the fresh laid eggs collected from the chook house in the backyard, & don't forget the bowls, the utensils,  the heat of the oven ,what kind of wood to burn to get the correct heat & the ingredients. it went on & on & on.
all of these things made me scared.....very scared.......when it comes to baking i don't have a lot of patience. so i have procrastinated for years......& years, but i finally got up the courage to have a go at baking a Sponge cake.
i don't have a vast array of baking utensils, some cooks would cringe in horror if they looked in my kitchen cupboards, some probably have & were too nice to say anything!
anyway i did it! ......i followed the recipe exactly , just  that was an accomplishment for me, until the part about separating the mix into two cake tins......i only had one.... so one it was. one of those tins where the bottom is supposed to come out with the pull of the thingy on the side of the tin so the cake is easy to remove once it is cooked,...... yes that worked about twice.....never again.
so i poured all the mixture into my one cake tin with the non removable bottom........kept a close eye on it as i wasn't  sure how long to leave it in the oven........it came out ok!!
now what to cool it on......not owning a cake rack i turned the dish rack upside down, put some paper over it & carefully placed the cake still inside the tin upside down on the rack to cool.
then put a cold wet dishcloth over the tin just to make sure it would come away from the cake cleanly, someone was watching over me ...it worked! i put the cooled cake in the freezer for about ten minutes then cut it in two.

i didn't have any strawberry jam so mixed the pulp of a passion fruit from my garden with some apricot jam & heated them in a small saucepan, when it was cool spread it on one half of the cake, added the whipped cream, placed the other half on top & iced it with passion fruit icing.....yes i do like cream!!! (raylee).

Mixed Media Art

from here.........

....to here........
(bird & ribbon from " the graphics fairy" ).
(raylee).

Crocheted Necklace Purse & Button Bangle

 Some more crocheted jewellery necklace purses & a button bangle made by the model.

the instructions can be found in this book, "street-chic jewellery' by Susie Johns.

(raylee).

patchwork

had a play with some old towels and leftover denim...

I thought they went together...colour wise...

haven't used them yet...

I think the pedestal mat is a bit small...

but alright for spares...

Crocheted Jewellery Necklace Purse

Always on the lookout for new things to make, .......found this book - "Street-Chic Jewellery" by Susie Johns at the local book store. there are lots of projects inside with very comprehensive instructions for making jewellery.

 some of the pieces are made from found items & bits & pieces of scraps & leftovers.

 i crocheted  this cute little necklace purse from pale pink crochet cotton, added a silver button to fasten it, a small silver charm, & little sparkly star beads.  i did make some more but they were quickly snapped up by some little girls before i could get the camera out!

they didn't take long to make, so some more will be on the way soon. (raylee).