making some Christmassy things...

Advent bunting...

After spending so many hours making these little pockets, and hand stitching many many numbers 1 - 24 and not to mention making bias - binding I finally photographed these today...

Jeez...it's going to be 1st December before I know it and the countdown to Christmas will begin.

These advent bunting calenders are now available for purchase www.madeit.com.au/goziandpop

make your own flatscreen TV cover!!!

What a cool idea I hear you say!  Well it was my husband's idea actually...he sometimes says to me "why don't you make this?" or " Why don't you make one of these?"   And then..."why don't you make a cover for the TV?"

No worries, I'll just whip one up.  As it turned out, it was very easy.  You can make one too if you like.

Here..I'll show you how.

Step 1.
Measure your TV and write your measurements on a piece of paper to take to IKEA if there is one near you (or your fabric store).

Step 2.
Get in the car and drive to IKEA (or your fabric store).

Step 3.
Once at IKEA go straight past the Swedish meatballs (do not stop), do not go around in a maze - go straight to the fabric section at IKEA.  They have a great range of fabrics perfect for this sort of project.  Once you have chosen and paid for your fabric you need to then get out of there...quick!

Step 4.

When you get home, chuck the fabric in the 'too hard basket' and leave it there for a few weeks, until you find the motivation to start sewing.  (Going to IKEA can be exhausting especially if you get trapped buying other things and then have to lug it all home). 

Step 5.

Okay better get on with it.  So one fine sunny day when there are no sick kids or husbands around and everyone has gone to work and school as they should,  it's a good time to get the fabric out of the 'too hard basket' and get started.  

Step 6.
Cut a large enough piece of fabric that will cover your TV screen and also fold over the top of the TV to hang over the back. Hang the piece of fabric over your TV to check.

Step 7.

Lay the fabric piece out and hem up the top and bottom.  

Sew up the top and bottom edges on the sewing machine.  Pedal to the floor, go fast, no need to be fancy.

Once the top and bottom hems are sewn, hang the piece of fabric inside out over the TV.  This is to get the correct length for the fabric to hang over the front of the TV.  

Pin the sides into place.

Then back to the sewing machine and sew up the two sides.

Turn right side out, a quick iron and it's ready to hang over your TV.

See...easy peasy.  Why not make a couple more? 

Under $10.00 each 

Choose your favourite colours to suit your decor.

Summer is coming - no need to be inside.  Keep the television covered and it will be dust free and away from sunlight.  

Make one for your computer too!

new stockist in Mornington

The Mornington Peninsula is only an hour's drive from Melbourne but it seems a world away.  It reminds me of the Mediterranean with its vineyards and seaside villages and country roads.

There's so much to explore with wineries, national parks, beaches, ferry rides to French Island and a vehicular ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff which leads to the Great Ocean Road.

In the heart of Mornington is Main Street which is filled with over 300 boutique shops, restaurants and cafes.
Nestled almost halfway down at 188 Main Street is a lovely book and gift store named Page8.  I'm very excited to be stocking my framed fabric word arts and maps of Australia here amongst so many other beautiful things.  Here's a few pics of Page8 Mornington store:

sweet cushions plus rows of books to browse

                                                                 
                                                                  books galore

gifts

                                                                  more books..

love this feature wall behind the front counter

You can read more about Mornington here !

On Wednesdays there is a street market which is also worth a visit, check it out here.

Spring is in the air...

We've been having some beautiful spring days in Melbourne recently, thank goodness winter is over as it was a very long, cold season this year.

This is the only time of the year our garden looks good, as so many flowers come out naturally  (without any help from me as I'm not a very good gardener).

I'm having a short rest from making fabric word arts (only for a couple of weeks) as I was getting a little crazy sewing all those little letters, and now I'm going crazy making bunting.

floral fabric is my favourite at the moment

i love hanging bunting through the garden, it makes me feel happy

the view from my sewing corner, my window is getting squirted from the water pistols

also loving spots and stripes - these happy little strings of bunting match my latest fabric word arts - i've been using lots of spots for the letters

this week i discovered how to make my own bias binding - so nice to be able to make binding to match

enjoying some walks around the neighbourhood

these bluebells come out once a year same time without fail and only for the month of September

the air smells of flowers - it's so nice

getting inspiration from this sweet book by Selina Lake 

How are you enjoying the change of season?

more fabric word arts...

Have been busy cutting lots and lots of letters lately...making more fabric word art for my stockists, presents for friends and custom orders too.

for stockist Davies & Son

taking over the dining room table

house warming present for a friend

for stockist Fresco House & Flowers

custom order for a teen birthday present ... her favourite quote comes from the movie 'Inception'

I hadn't seen the movie so I had to 'google' it....

scene from 'Inception'

and a little going away present for my daughter's school friend who has headed back to the USA

Monet Exhibition...

My Nanna used to have a Renoir painting (not the original of course) but a copy she bought on her travels to Paris.  It was Girl with Dog from the Luncheon of the Boating Party and it was hung on the back of her kitchen door.  I loved that painting.  Ever since then I have loved the works of The Impressionists - a 19th century art movement that originated with a group of Paris-based artists.

I missed the Renoir Exhibition when it came to Adelaide some years ago, so when I heard there was to be a Monet exhibition (Claude Monet was one of the Impressionists) I was definitely not going to miss it.

With my best friend outside the National Gallery of Victoria

You may be familiar with Monet's paintings of his garden

  Japanese bridge

Waterlilies

Afterwards we headed off for lunch.

One of my favourite things to do in Melbourne is wandering down the laneways.  They are filled with cozy little places to eat.

This is Degraves Laneway

After looking at all the famous French paintings and having lunch down here we kind of felt like we were in Paris!