I Would Like

(Image from here  )

Isn't this the best door ever!

I Heart Saturdays

Saturdays are for curling up on the floor when you are so tired from the week and having a lovely nap with the sun streaming in through the window.  Poor Little Moo was too tired to even make it to her bed this afternoon.  (excuse the blurry image but you never want to wake a sleeping child)

I also have had lots and lots of fun playing with the wonderful Birch fabric by Lara Cameron.  It has been so lovely to see the success of Lara and the girls at Ink and Spindle.  We really are so lucky in Australia to have such talented textile designers.  

I love the deep red in the screen print and how it co-ordinates with the black/gray denim.  It has been at least six weeks since I have sewn a bag and this was such a lovely way to get back into it.  I'm still trying to find a place that I like to take my photos in my new house.  I have to say that I am struggling with this some what and I am not altogether happy with the light.  I'm sure I'll work it out in time.  But for now this bag has taken up home in my etsy shop.

My sister's 40th Birthday is just around the corner.  I was really struggling with something to get her that she didn't have and that she might use and enjoy.  I ordered her some of these lovely Moo Postcards last week.  They have her address on the back for when she sends them out.  I love all these prints and I hope she is happy with them.  There is nothing more exciting then opening the mail box to see something just for you (that isn't a bill!).  These prints are so sweet and I'm sure she will go on to make her friends and family very happy when she sends them off.   

Mixed Bag

Finally managed to get a photo of Lilly wearing her very fab collar from Pret a pawte.

This was not an easy task so you will have to excuse the head in the bucket pic but it was the only time she would be still enough to get a decent shot without her fur covering the collar.  I have to say that she does look quite smashing and it is the only collar she has ever been happy enough to wear and keep on.  

On a much sadder note Little Mary Moo's Place Employee of the Month for January, Oscar the cat passed away very suddenly.  We all miss him very much.  I miss having him come and sew with me and steal my bobbins - he did love to wrangle more than the odd bobbin.  Silly how they become such a comforting part of daily life.  We got Oscar from the RSPCA as a kitten just over three years ago when life was a little bit tough and we all needed some fun and laughter and boy did he deliver.  

Yay!

What a nice surprise to wake up and find my Crafty Cookies Purse has been hanging out with such lovely handmade goods on the front page of etsy.  

Saturday Afternoon Sewing

This purse has just been added to my etsy shop.  It is made from wonderful hand screen printed fabric from Lara Cameron.  I love the sweet little birds on their birch branches on the deep chocolate fabric.  The texture of this fabric is just beautiful to sew with too.  I'm sure there will be more of these little gems to come.

Life's Hard At Little Mary Moo's Place (As told by Lilly)

What a terrible morning I've had.  I was sound asleep after having a hard morning being hydro bathed and chasing the cat and that bossy lady who lives inside woke me up.  She told me that deck chairs aren't for dogs.  Honestly she expected me to sleep on that dog bed after all that pampering.  (I'm not really a dog you know - just a person caught up in a dog body).  Deck chairs are after all the perfect fit for a big Golden Retriever.  

Then the bossy lady told me that she had planned to sit on this chair with a steaming hot cup of tea to enjoy the cooling cyclonic breezes.  "Really?  I think you must be joking"  I said.  

So then when the bossy lady again told me to get my furry but off the chair with a little enticement from a smacko I decided I best oblige.  She did after all buy me a new collar from this cool BrisStyle etsy shop.  (You know these collars are soon to be stocked in a boutique in New York!  How lucky am I.)  I am so looking forward to the collar arriving in the mail that I make sure I bark extra loud at the post man everyday.  

Starting to Feel Like Home

Today I finally got to dig my sewing machine out and make these two little gems for my etsy shop.  I have a beautiful place to sew with huge windows on three sides of the room.  Lots of lovely natural light.  Nice to get some normality back into life.  

Admiration

The above print is from Dazey Chic's illustration and mixed media etsy shop Studio Mela.  I do love this shop very much.  The simplicity of the designs are just lovely and the reason I haven't brought any yet is that I am terrible at making decisions and there are so many prints to admire in this shop.  Dazey Chic's blog  is also worth a peek at.  

Due to life changing so rapidly at the moment I've had a bit of a rethink of  my  etsy shop and where my focus will lie.  For the time being I think I will head towards making the purses/pouches made mainly with independent Australian Textile designer's fabric.  They are achievable in a shorter time frame than the bags and are really the most popular of the lot.  I still want to keep the momentum going and get my etsy shop to fit in with everything else.  This is not to say that I will not make bags at all but that I will have to shift priorities.  So stay tuned!  

Saturday Afternoon Catch Up

I have had a lovely afternoon catching up with some of the great crafty and design blogs that I haven't had a chance to hang out at for some time.  So over I popped to Whip Up  and there was this great tutorial from Clever Girl.

The tutorial is how to refashion a men's shirt into this fab women's shirt.  How cute would one of these look with some jeans as the cooler months ebb in.  

(photos from Whip Up )

Super Girl

Back in January I blogged about my dilemmas photographing my eldest on the trampoline in this post.  Maybe choosing an easier subject would be a solution but I do really enjoying watching Cait and it is a challenge to photograph her doing something she loves so much.  This clever BrisStyle girl gave me the idea of hopping up on the trampoline with her but to be honest I haven't been quite brave enough to (working on the whole brave thing).  But this is the latest photo that was the best of the last session.  

The lovely Cait is super in more than her ability to fly.  I know I'm biased being her Mum and all but she really is a great kid.  I took the littlest Moo out for a few hours this morning  while Cait stayed at home with my Mum and  I came home to this note: 

"Dear Mum,

I have cleaned all three rooms, washed the dishes, cleaned the fridge, kitchen, art corner, pantry, tea area, fish and skool bag area, both bathrooms, your room"

God Bless her cotton socks.  All without being asked and everything.  How very spoilt am I.  

Peace and Happiness

Are you too looking for some peace and happiness in your life.  Take yourself for a peek at Hey Harriet's  TtV (through the view finder) photos in her wonderful etsy shop.  Just amazing. There has been some very recent additions of some fab seagulls that are sure to give you a giggle and take you to sitting on the beach with hot chips burning your lap.  Wish I was there.  I brought the two above photos just before I moved and I adore them.  Hey Harriet explains the whole TtV business better than I ever could so I leave it to you to read. 

Peace and Happiness are two things that seem a little far off for now.  Not enough hours in the day and all that crapola.  Then again compared to many in the world my life is full of peace and happiness.  Just wish my bones didn't ache with the tiredness off it all.  Maybe if I wasn't so stupid and do stupid things like put my coffee cup three quarters full on the uneven part of the lounge I wouldn't have quite as much work to do.  Oh well the stain will probably just blend in to all the others to get the lived in look - right?  

Back on Board

So the best thing about moving has to be the plethora of large boxes to play in doesn't it!  The park around the corner has a huge grassy hill that the girls have been begging to slide down on the flattened boxes.  Well that sure is one good way to reuse and recycle.   

All moved, done and dusted.  I still have about 10 boxes left to organise and a very messy garage but I am nearly sorted.  Most importantly the fabric stash has been given a brand new home.  I can't wait to sit and sew and look after my neglected etsy shop again.  I really miss it now.  

Looking for something fun to do?  Head on over the fab BrisStyle blog for a wonderful giveaway.