catch-up

bubbling, originally uploaded by various brennemans.

I am feeling pretty happy this week.

I finally got round to picking up another sewing project, I'd felt like I'd maybe lost the sewing bug. I hadn't, it just got hidden under mounds of washing, yummy crumbles, too many apples (and chestnut spiky thing-ies) to pick up from the front yard, and sunny mornings too good to stay indoors.

But then the afternoon came this Tuesday where one child slept and one was at kinder, I'd prepared madly all morning, the washing was on the line, the table was clear a simple stir fry was on the menu, for dinner. Tuesday is mad for me, I get the kids ready for my one school pick up of the week that a friend does for me. The two little kids and I spend the morning at home together. We dash out at 1.30 to take Eliza to kinder. I won't even tell you how hard it is to keep Circe awake the whole drive there and back. One wink of sleep and it's a power nap, don't like those. I am out again for 4.30 and 5.00pm pick ups from after-care at school and kinder. Yes it's crazy. So a quiet me time in that kinder period whilst baby Circe sleeps is so rewarding. In that nap I managed to make... a strap for a bag.

I'd really wanted another bag, a smaller one for wallet phone and keys. My recently purchased Linen Wool Cotton book had a great pattern for a messenger bag. I altered the size, added an internal mobile-phone pocket, and used linen instead of wool and hemp. I thought it best to make it tailor my needs and petit-ness. Often bag straps in particular are too long if you are too short like me.

Later that night I finished off the bag, there was a frustrating unpicking episode. I ought to listen to my husband, he always says pin it and then turn it out, I hate it when he's right. Despite the unpicking the end result is a well made great little bag

I love the size and love the orange sugar and spice lining, makes me happy every time I open my bag.

Leading up to making the bag this week I had been on the look out for some vintage linens at the op shop. I have my few places I visit weekly, funnily enough I see the same one man each time I am there, I wonder does he realise he sees me every time he's there too. I wonder why he needs 6 bags, does he resell them, he seems to look for specific items. I wonder whether he is as intrigued by why I am buying 3 vintage linen sheets and 4 belts. Of my sheets purchased my favourite is the floral brown and yellow, I am seeing a lining for a black denim bag in that, and a summer dress and skirt for next year. Besides Pip Lincoln will have a new book out for the Summer and I will need fabric for that. The others may become toddler dresses, summer bloomers for Circe and shared with my neighbour.

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I am inspiration found and bound for the drawing board after tonight, Dawn Tan's pop up shop was at Harvest textiles.I had noticed a sign up on one of my many car trips to and from kids too far school from home trips. That day I said "Bea did you see that?"

"hah? what?"

She has her head in a book from the moment I pick her up till well after I get into the house everyday. "Dawn Tan is having a pop up store at the textile place," I say.

Her face lights up when I tell her I will take her. I wonder whether she ought to have her head less in a book sometimes and maybe talk to me on the drive home.
I like taking Beatrix out, she appreciates things some other kids wouldn't. We took along her best friend whom also love the work.

Beatrix loved seeing Dawn's work up close, especially the project on all that she ate for a week. We'd seen this project featured in Frankie. We were so inspired we tried it out for a day, I might add here that she is a mighty talented watercolour-ist my little Bea.

But I booked a spot for me in one of Dawn's watercolour class, I cannot wait.

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After my post last week on Ceres (my local environmental park, organic market- farm) I returned Wednesday to spend another sunny morning and took some shots I promised to deliver!

So if you'd like to see more take a closer look off to the side there at flickr and you will find more on the organic market and get a feel for the place and the kind of lovely laid-back morning one has there.

If you are perusing my blog from overseas note the cost per banana, due to recent cyclone Yasi, ouchh expensive, but hey those poor farmers lost everything.

This has been some of my week, the weekend involves, more picking up of apples and spiky thigies as a prickle under foot of a 17 month old is nasty. We have a couple of brunches one to attend and one to host, we have a friend's gorgoues son to meet a little better on their visit to Melbourne. There will be some baby swooning on my husband's part I am expecting. I wonder whether I will sneek a moment to make that denim bag some time tomorrow, maybe an extra hour from the end of daylight savings will help, ha that never happens when you have kids.