Sweet Fabric [Search results for coffee] 

Such a lovely way to end the weekend.

I couldn't bear to cut my single cover up so I used it whole.

Gemma was extremely well prepared (no surprises there) & I spent a relaxed afternoon chatting, drinking coffee, eating musk sticks & working away.

Miss Kitty's Emporium is super cute - jam packed with Cath Kidston.

Looking forward to the next kute event.

x marks the spot
Magnetic Corner Bookmark
a tutorial

Gather your supplies:
Embroidery floss, scrap cardboard (a used cereal box is ideal), calico, scissors, craft knife, needle, fade out marker, adhesive backed magnetic tape.

Step 1:
Take a deep breath…there’s a bit of maths here.
Prepare your templates.
Cut a 13cm (5.1 inches) square from scrap cardboard
Cut a right angle triangle measuring: 7.5cm (2.95 inches) x 7.5cm (2.95 inches) with a hypotenuse of 10.5cm (4.13 inches).

Step 2:
Cut your magnetic tape to fit & stick it to the triangles so that they come together neatly. Set aside for later.

Step 3:
Using your square template as a guide cut out your calico. Leave a seam allowance outside the template of approximately 1.5 cm (3/4 inch).

Step 4:
Press your calico square around your cardboard template.

Begin by pressing the corners as pictured above.

Next press each of the sides as pictured. This removes a lot of the bulk in the corners & will keep the folds nice & neat.

Step 5:
Remove the cardboard template & fold the square in half to form a triangle.

Press. Fold in half again & press.

Step 6:

Print this template or just trace/draw your own "x".

Unfold your pressed triangle & positioned it right side up. Whip out your fade out marker, check your folds carefully & mark your “x” where you would like it positioned on the face of the book mark. You need to make sure that you mark your “x” in the left hand (or 9 o’clock) triangle of your square. Just bear in mind that the centre seam will run parallel to the spine of the book.

Step 7:
Stitch your “x”. Gift…use a speedy stitch like running or back stitch.

Step 8:

Once you’ve finished stitching your design place your work face down on the ironing board & repress the folds.

Step 9:

Position your triangle shapes (magnet side down) inside the seams & fold in half.

Step 10:

Pin to secure.

Step 11:

Running stitch along each of the short sides of your triangle.

Step 12:

Once you’ve completed the running stitch – make the final fold & remove your pin. Now blanket stitch the short side closed to form your “cuff”.

You’re finished & ready to gift.

...

Would you like the premium how to? There are lots more images, printable templates & some extra tips too. All for less that the price of a coffee & delivered to your inbox. CDs & kits also available - over here.

Eeeek...I taught the big girl to granny square. She's really, really good. Her granny square is lovely & square & even.

Pt Lonsdale is home to a beautiful shop called Wildpurl so the lucky girl learned to crochet using Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. This was absolutely the perfect yarn for a small person to learn with. It doesn't separate at all.

Our break was really lovely.

The pace at Lonsdale is super slow & the only planned activities for the day are the run, coffee & the dog beach.

I devoted my down time to crochet & was feeling quite pleased with my efforts until I laid these squares & the 21 I had at home out & realised that I'm probably only half way to my goal. I really think that I'm going to have to revise the original plan & just make it big enough to drape across the foot of the bed. That would be OK wouldn't it?

heavens door.

It feels good to be home.

I have to confess to loving being in Melbourne in January. Nobody is around & there is never a wait for a table at Coffee Max.

I've made a few crafty plans...but more on that tomorrow. I've got to unpack.

for a friend.

We caught up for coffee last week & spent a lazy hour discussing The Sartorialist & the merits of the perfect handbag.

For me..
worn across the body, single strap, slouchy, soft

For her...
sacky, bright, wide straps, big enough to fit lunch, gusseted

It was her birthday yesterday so I made "the perfect bag" for her.

It's fully lined & made from thrifted everything.

As I finished it all I could think of was the iconic Country Road bag. This baby is "vintage" circa 1989. My sack bag has a similar capacity but with perhaps a nicer shape...

I'm without a car for a couple of weeks.

I've noticed just how much I rely on the car. Today I walked and caught the tram into the city with the girls for a doctor's appointment and then rode my bike to visit my sister...I'm shattered.

Much as I love living in the leafy green suburbs (where not even a coffee is walking distance) today would have been much easier if I lived in Fitzroy.

This map is from an old street directory picked up at the Camberwell market yesterday - so good!

Today was supposed to be the day I officially launched building our future & showed you a pic of the site cut & got all excited & then promised to only bore you on the building blog.

But...we're on hold until Friday.

At around 7:25am my brain threatened to burst out of my temples...so in an attempt to cheer myself up I put on some cherry gear (yep - including cherry undies!) & headed out for coffee. It was just a little too early for a vodka!

Almost good for you.

Banana Bread

1 cup Self Raising Flour
100g Almond Meal
2/3 cup Caster Sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
4 ripe bananas peeled & mashed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cap of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180C.

Line a 4 cup loaf tin with baking paper.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

In another bowl beat the eggs, banana, olive oil & vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry & mix with a spoon.

Pour into prepared tin & bake for about an hour (just until the top is golden & your skewer comes out clean).

I've made this 3 days in a row. The kids LOVE it & I'm freezing left overs for school lunches next week.

PS: I came in here with my coffee ready to check more creative spaces but the blasted link seems to be on the blink. Sorry & check back later eh? Thanks

Making this day happy...

having the date back home
coffee with a lovely friend
a nice clean house
the smell of eucalyptus
watching the kids walk down the street to school
neatly folded washing
bulk "crafting" for Thursday Evening (I've posted details in the sidebar if you're interested).

Image story: I've never even had a drag of a cigarette but these holders make me so happy & actually make me consider taking up the habit. This was a gift from a very good friend. Thrifted in Clunes. So happy.

Since my coffee & crochet session with this lovely girl I've been obsessing about Granny Squares.

Then I checked in here & saw Claire's book with this gorgeous blanket on the cover. I spent some time pouring over a few vintage craft books and now I'm committed.

I'm hoping to make a Granny Square rug for the foot of everyone's beds in the new ranch. I've made a start on ours.

I think I'm going to aim for a square a night - I'll mix it up so I don't get bored. Every second night I'll do a square for the the little guy. He's having red white & blue. Very Jennyesque I think.
49

I had reason to be at The Mall in West Heidelberg yesterday. A place I haven't been since about 1985.

I stepped out of my car and as I took my first steps towards Cambridge Arcade I felt my scalp tingle and every hair on my body stand on end.

I could hear Non's Italian heeled shoes clip clopping beside me and I could smell her sickly sweet perfume. Max Bygraves was singing somewhere in the distance. Non's knitting was spilling out of the hessian bag I was carrying for her. I smiled knowing that she'd not be wanting to waste her 15 minute tea break just sitting in the tea room and chatting to the storeman.

I notice that the heavy steel grate that we'd struggled with had long been replaced but the terrazzo stairs are still there and I gasp...remembering how strangely scared I felt when I had to take those stairs alone.

I leave Non in the arcade and take the front entrance into the store. I feel tears welling in my eyes and a lump rising in my throat. Surely the store was bigger than this. It's a discount store now. Gone are the bays for holding yarn and the wall that divided the shop front from the "warehouse". There's been no refit though. The same peg board lines the wall where we used to keep the laybys and the floor and wall paint remain as they were.

As I walk toward the back of the store I spy the door to the tea room and a faint waft of International Roast coffee fills the air.

The shop which now occupies the space at the end of Cambridge Arcade is fittingly called The Family Store.

And this morning I went back to snap myself some memory anchors.

Thank you Bricolagelife for the inspiration.

I've actually got a few today:

One good thing: Meet Me at Mikes Pendant. Handmade by the mikes crew & super good. Available here.

One good thing: Good tradesmen who work on Saturdays & are clean & neat & making my house look so good.

One good thing: Going out for good coffee & breakfast with a good guy.

I'm looking forward to a day filled with good things.

Hello! It's a public holiday in Melbourne.

Today I ran in the rain, had a terrible coffee, sewed a bit, shopped with the kids, cooked a bit & generally took things pretty easy.

There have been a few questions about the placemat covers so I've put together a HAC "how to".

Gather your supplies...
Fabric
Fold Over Elastic
Pins
Sewing machine
Circular placemat

If you're planning on doing any embroidery (either traditional or machine), or maybe some other decorative application like gocco or applique - do that before you cut your circles.

Cut two circles approximately 1.5 inches larger than your placemat.

Pin with wrong sides together.

Set your machine to zig zag & stitch the fold over elastic to the outside of the circle shape. You need to stretch the elastic fully. Go slow & remember to keep your needle in your work as you stretch. If you're stumped now's the time to visit Amy Karol's FOE tute...it's a ripper.

Once you're finished the cover should look something like this.

Slip the cover onto your circular placemat & enjoy. Look Liesl it's a shower cap!

Time yourself...super speedy gift idea.

I haven't had much time for the Oppy lately...I've been a bit stretched.

Today I did a big loop on the way to & fro having coffee with my dad.

I wasn't disappointed. I got a few owlie bits & pieces in Kew as well as come great vintage sheets. In Balwyn I picked up some stationery sets & in Mont Albert some craft books, craft supplies & more sheeting.

On the way to pick the kids up from school I popped into my very closest Op Shop & these are the beauties I purchased. Air France tiny dishes (just perfect for dipping sauce) & these Japanese bread plates. Tuesday is a good day to Op.

Sunday coffee at The Maling Room as reviewed here. Just lovely.

The pool table was picked up on Wednesday night.

This space is going to be all mine until the new ranch gets built. Hopefully sometime before I turn 40! (I'm only just on the slippery slope from 35)

BUT... I've got perfomance anxiety, I can only get as far as the doorway. It's tragic.

I need coffee...and then I've got to work...and then I've got to cook & make stuff & chat & drink pretty drinks. Maybe tomorrow.

I'm pretty excited about being able to say that all my Op Shop treasures are going "straight to the pool room". Just quietly I think the date is too.

I think I might cover the door in green felt...tomorrow.

What Your Latte Says About You

You don't treat yourself very often. You find that indulging doesn't jibe with your very disciplined life.

You can be quite silly at times, but you know when to buckle down and be serious.

You have a good deal of energy, but you pace yourself. You never burn out too fast.

You're addicted to caffeine. There's no denying it.

You are responsible, mature, and truly an adult. You're occasionally playful, but you find it hard to be carefree.

You are complex and philosophical, but you are never arrogant.

What Does Your Latte Say About You?

Hmmm a very tricky This is... week for me. Steph's theme is a curly one.

I've really thought a fair bit about this & I'm offering my addictive personality as my demon. I don't think I'm dangerously addicted to anything (except maybe coffee). However, it is certainly something that I have to be mindful of.

Some of the things that I consider teetering on the edge of becoming demons are also the things that I am successful at or work hard at...interesting isn't it?

The Big Bite is here!

I've been mucking around with spacing of holes & I'm almost ready to make a start. It won't be today though (I'm working). It won't be tomorrow (I've friends for lunch). It won't be Saturday either (I'm ferrying kids around all day). Pity about life getting in the way really.

Hoping that you're finding time in your life for plenty of makings.

Lovely space from last week right here.

Sorry about the Link man having an afternoon snooze last week. Hopefully he's had his coffee this morning.

Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.

In the laneway on the way to pick up my coffee this morning. I didn't touch it - I hope it made someone else smile.

They are popping up everywhere.

Do you know where this laneway is?

Friday is my big run day. The route begins the same as my regular run & then instead of turning back for home I continue & turn & wind & weave.

Autopilot is so weird. I often arrive at places I've driven to with no recollection of how I got there. I haven't had that experience running until today. I turned for home when I should have kept going so I ended up running an extra kilometre. Then the butterfly effect...

I was 6 minutes later getting to the garbage run. So I ran 1 km playing tag with the garbos inhaling fumes & garbage stench - yuck!

I was later getting to Camberwell which meant my coffee shop man was in full swing & I wanted to stop.

I was later getting to the main roads & I discovered that 6 minutes makes a big difference to the amount of traffic on the road.

I was later getting home which meant I got caught in the rain - YAY. Rain is my absolute favourite thing in the whole world. I love it even more now because we never get it.

Image taken by Pip. This is my favourite rainy day photo.