I've mentioned before how much I love school holidays. BUT we are super busy these holidays. There is way too much gym training & work & football & the like. The date's pretty annoyed about the amount of gym but that's another story.
You might remember last holidays I had Slide Night. Which I really enjoyed but there won't be time for that sort of hoo ha.
So these holidays I'm going to share the big girl's Polaroid Photo Diary from our family holiday in 2001.
The Barbie Polaroid Camera was a gift from her Grandpa & we loved making this diary together. The text dictated to me after each image was added to the page.
I'll post everyday but I won't really be around the blog so I'll catch you all at the end of the break.
If you've got kids enjoy the time at home & if you haven't ... enjoy the peace on the roads.
The date & I talk a lot about the making of a memory.
I have so many wonderful childhood memories & we really want that for the smalls.
We've come to the conclusion that the very best memories of childhood holidays were not the "once in a lifetime" trips. It's more about the ritual type of holiday. The annual event...
the packing the pilgrimage the daily routine
These annual holidays & therefore the memories seem to merge into one event. I can't remember on exactly which Murray River holiday I learnt to slalom, or which year I burnt my feet on the parched earth, or when it was that we purchased garbage pail lollies from the milk bar. I've no idea which year we invented thong skiing, I'm pretty sketchy on the details of when the Block Ice Manufacturer closed, & how many years it rained.
In my memory... every day was 40 degrees, the sprinklers were always going, the meals at the golf club were in a class of their own, cartwheels on the putting green were always perfect, I never got burnt, the shrimps stayed away & a soft heavenly glow settled over our holiday rental belonging to Bee Jones.
Part of what has helped cement these memories is the footage shot on our Super 8 camera.
My Dad had these put onto video about 15 years ago...this confirmed that our holidays were nothing short of perfect (I'm skiing to Chariots of Fire!).
I'm planning to share some holiday snaps "Super 8" style. Feel free to switch off if you like...
OR maybe you've got some great holiday memories to share.
Thinking lots about Christmas & giving & sharing & eating & drinking & making & appreciating...
I'm trying really hard to give handmade this year & I thought this might be a good way to spread a bit of Christmas Spirit around.
The Winner Takes it all!
Vintage Father Christmas pillowcase filled with great holiday gift ideas all handmade by me from mostly thrifted/recycled materials. I think that this would cross a LOT of people off your nice list this Holiday Season. You could win the lot! I'm happy to post anywhere! You can view this image with notes on Flickr.
I like to be organised...
Here's a list of places I've been & things I've seen to help me prepare for the upcoming holidays.
COPY FROM HERE:
Still feeling totally inspired by the handmade issue of mankind mag from my favourite design blog. Q What is the blog author's first name? ANSWER: use the first letter - LETTER:
We like to keep lunch casual, I've found some fabulous BBQ recipes for the big day. Q What type of meat is pictured on the rotisserie? ANSWER: use the first letter - LETTER:
Getting some great ideas for upcycling (my favourite craft) & enjoying the revamp over at this fabulous craft website. Q They list everyone's favourite Portland based author mama as one of their inspirational sites. Which Portland based author mama is she? ANSWER: use the second letter of her last name - LETTER:
Looking forward to being able to buy handmade at the shopping shindig with the craft book Queen. Q What type of car is pictured? ANSWER: use the first letter - LETTER:
All these letters unscramble to reveal: WHAT? is all you need.
STOP COPYING
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The "worst" house in the best street. It's a very posh street in Canterbury & all the other houses are quite beautifully kept. I love this place.
I'm feeling heartily sick of myself & kootoyoo in general.
I feel I need a distraction & with the kids on holidays for the next couple of weeks I think it's the perfect opportunity to down the craft tools & pick up the camera. I'm noticing stuff (& hopefully I'll have the camera ready when I do).
Not all the good stuff can be clicked mind you ... on Saturday morning the kids & I actually saw the end of a rainbow. This has never happened to me before - it was magical & amazing. I shan't be sacrificing these noticings digging around in my bag for the camera.
If you feel like noticing some stuff right along with me...feel free. I'd love to have some company.
I've been up to my neck in it trying to get the old house ready for sale. It's been a massive job. It hasn't left much time (or inclination) for any making or even thinking about making.
All this means that I've been pretty bad at keeping up with things in this space. I'm looking forward to having more time to share with you here & see what you've all been up to as well.
As much as I love school holidays and having the kids around I'm looking forward to a bit of routine myself. I don't even know what day it is, but I do know that I'm looking forward to Thursday & getting back to My Creative Space.
Instead of cleaning, clearing, moving, skipping or even making today I'm having lunch with a few mates. It's going to be nice to take a break.
This is the fabric cover for the something I was creating from nothing the other day. Care to take a guess at what I'm making?
Just before the holidays I received a parcel from The Toy Society. Inside was a beautiful babushka made by Tutti Fruiti.
A quick assessment of her size & shape led me to believe she wasn't a runner!
Earlier this week I packed her into my camel back & gave her the camera. Off we set & these are the shots she took on the run. I'm not sure being a passenger on the run counts for much but she was smiling the whole time so I guess she enjoyed it.
Hays Paddock is a super busy park so she'd have been adopted pretty quickly. You'll be able to track her progress over at The Toy Society.
I did get excited about these & made more than one & less than a few. They are in the shop now if this kind of thing is up your alley. There's a "steak knife" sweetener too you know...matching pins & free postage in Australia.
In other balancing act type activity ... I am preparing for the smaller two people to finish up school on Friday. We've got a pretty full couple of weeks planned. The September holidays are my favourite. Everyone really needs the break & we're all excited about a less rigid timetable for a couple of weeks.
We're still on school holidays. I'm soaking up the last couple of days with my fresh-back-from-the-snow kids and we've got big plans for today.
I've noticed how much the anticipation & lead up to something new excites me. I've been making myself finish off a few things before I got stuck into my next project. With it firmly in the forefront of my mind I do plan to spend a couple of hours curled up on the couch with this DIVINE cheater print from the ever fabulous Aunty Cookie. It's available in three colourways in her store now.
Noticed elsewhere: hairpin leg wine cabinet (I really want to get my hands on some of those legs for the whole daybed idea)
Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week. I'll looking forward to catching up next week.
This is the finish of My Creative Space for 2009. I figure we could all use a bit of a break so the space is officially on holidays. My Creative Space will fire up again on Thursday 28th January. So mark it in your diary, write a post it note or set yourself an alarm on the iPhone - I'll look forward to seeing you back here for more Creative Space action in 2010.
It's all about finishing off for me this week. Finishing off & posting out the music boxes I've been making this week. Printed fabrics by: Kristen Doran & Aunty Cookie.
I didn't get around to everyone last week (it's that time of the year) so no favourite this week but I thought you Thursday folk might like to take a look at my new craft space. Tour my house here.
Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.
These little easter egg hunt bags were made by her from entirely recycled materials. The fabric comes from a sample book & the jute was Op Shopped/thrifted a couple of years ago.
She's giving these to her brother & sister & her little cousins too. Sweet!
I love school holidays.
PS: The fancy new (but made of old bits o' technology by techie brother) media centre has caused us to exceed our download limit (which means it's faster to dial-up)!!! See you once we've sorted it out.
I had the very best of intentions for keeping my hands busy this weekend. Things went haywire, as they are prone to do when you've got kids & I spent most of the weekend behind the steering wheel.
So...the plans will have to wait. Bring on the holidays I say, I'm ready.
Did you know that lovely Melbourne girl Michelle is making some VERY exciting plans of her own? Do you think that you could help her out by taking her super quick little survey? She's ace & it's all about fabric!
When we were working through our bookings through the week I wondered if perhaps I was going to be seeing a blast from my past. But...her name is not uncommon so I'd decided it was just a bit too unlikely. Of course, the girl who stitched this owl last night with an obvious level of skill passed down from her Nanna is the very same girl I spent summer holidays with as a child.
The world is so small & Melbourne - it's teeny tiny. Forget 6 degrees of separation - in Melbourne I reckon it is about 2.
Brown Owls was really lovely last night. Lots of gorgeous new faces, lots of laughs & broad smiles. It's just a really good place to be. Pip has a great blow by blow post today. Check it out & come along to the clubhouse. It's ACE!
And another thing...did you know Brown Owl has a blog now? Stop in for a cuppa.
I admit that the space has been a little barren this week. The trip & school holidays have left me without much craft time.
I have managed to...
-neatly fold a pile of vintage aprons to be included in my little HAC craft session kits. *NOTE* it looks as though I may have a couple of spots free so if you're keen to come along drop me an email: kootoyoo {@} gmail {.} com -pretty things up a bit with the little "blue" shelves. -load up the thread rack with thread that was being sold for $2 at the little wool shop around the corner.
Pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.
I think today is going to be a creative feet up kind of day.
The kids are still on holidays & I'm not quite ready to tackle anything too major on the crafting front.
I've so much I want to do...
- make myself a new handbag - a quilty something - a quiet bit of stitching
but I think I shall sip tea & look for more inspiration amongst the pages of Home Journal.
I'm also admiring my new bluebird tape measure necklace. Just purchased from lovely Yasmin Ellis - I found her via find make do & fell in love with the bluebird. She makes other excellent pieces & she's got an etsy shop right here.
Don't forget to pop in & add your link if you're playing along this week.
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