Just Pottering

I am having surgery next week on both of my knees which means a couple of days in hospital.  So I've been just pottering around trying to get things in order and get a few things made before I am not able to do anything again for awhile.  I made these little bunnies on wooden spools with a magnet on the bottom.  Aren't they cute :)

And on my "To Do" list for awhile has been some Shabby Style linen tote bags.  I have managed to make 2 from the 7 I have cut out and ready to finish.

They are such fun to make.

And of course my creative adventures wouldn't be complete without playing with the paint brush.  I picked up these frames for 50c each at the local op shop.  I have grand plans for these !

And I finally made some more lavender bags with some pretty shabby bling on them.  They smell divine.

Today hasn't amounted to very much with just a little tidying of my shelves in the craft studio.  The lovely baskets are from Kmart and are perfect for my lace and trim collection don't you think ?  

Hopefully over the weekend I will be able to prepare some stitching for hospital and the recovery time afterwards.

Have a great weekend.

Hugs - Fee x

Maggie Beer

As always our Lets Get Stitched weekends are full of memories and lots of fun but one thing that stood out for a lot of the ladies this year including me was the visit to Maggie Beer's farm.  Maggie Beer is a wonderful country style cook who wastes nothing.  She is also a judge on The Great Australian Bake Off and has her own television cookery show "The Cook and the Chef".  We were lucky enough to get a private class in Maggie's very own farm studio kitchen.

Our class was run by the lovely Bianca who obviously has a love of not only Maggie and her wonderful style of cooking but is also very passionate about food.  The menu was Roasted Pumpkin, Onions in their skins, Egg Plant and Buttered Mushrooms and then Apple & Rhubarb Roasted.

The lovely Shez was lucky enough to be Bianca's assistant and did the job very well.  The mushrooms that she cooked were divine and I don't even like mushrooms !!!

It was such a great class.  Everything tasted delicious.  Bianca told the story of how the television network wanted to film in Maggie's home kitchen but her hubby wasn't keen so instead they re-created here beautiful homely country kitchen at the farm shop and turned it into a cooking studio.  It was just beautiful.  Homely and warm - Just how a kitchen should be.

 We were able to wander around the studio and take as many photographs as we liked.

 So much about that kitchen reminded me of my grandma and her frugal ways.  Maggie wastes no vegetable peel and cooks everything the skins and all.  It was so refreshing to hear - Almost like we have come full circle.

 As soon as I arrived home I recreated the baked apple and rhubarb dish cooked with Maggie's Saville Vino Cotto.

And I'm pleased to report that mine tasted just as good as the one we had at the farm.  So healthy and just good old fashioned food !

The trip to the farm is one that I will remember for a very long time !  Just writing about it makes me want to cook it again !

Today I am creating a version of a FREE Easter Bunny Treat Bag that my friend Dawn has designed as an extra Freebie for the Let's Get Stitched & More Magazine subscribers.  It is so cute !  I can't wait to show you.

Hugs,

Fee xx

Hand Painted Lace

For may years I have loved hand painted lace - It is just so pretty and just so shabby 

But the cost of the supplies it a little prohibitive when you are living a frugal life so I experimented with what I already had .......  I had some failures but finally I came up with a process that not only looks amazing but is colour safe ( doesn't wash out)

My first project from one of my tiny little hand painted lace doilies was to make a pin cushion for the pin cushion club in the Let's Get Stitched and More Magazine.

And this is what I came up with.  Isn't it adorable ?  The full pattern and kits will be available in the April Issue which will include already painted little doilies or you can purchase a kit of supplies and watch my LIVE online class in the Let's Get Stitched and More Subscribers Lounge during April and paint your very own.

They became so addictive that I just couldn't stop making them !   These 10 became cuff bracelet pin cushions.  They all found new homes at the Let's Get Stitched retreat a few weeks ago but there are more on the way in a few days and they will be offered for sale to new loving homes in my ETSY store next week.

The magazine is great value with 8 - 10 projects in every issue !  Including Quilting, Sewing, Embroidery, Kids Crafts, Quick Crafts, Paper Crafts, Beading and much much more.  It's just $8.95 per month or $60 for a full year !  Subscription details can be found HERE.

Hugs,

Fee xx

Secret

I've had a secret since late last year which has been very difficult to keep.  2 of my closest friends and I have joined forces to produce a monthly digital magazine which will encompass all types of crafts including Quilting, Sewing, Embroidery, Paper Crafts, Beading, Upcycling and much much more.

I have so much to show you but that can wait for another blog post.  It was important to us to have at least a couple of issues under our belt and ready for publication before we made the BIG announcement which we did last Sunday at our annual Lets Get Stitched Retreat !  My illness is unpredictable so I have to be super organised.

All of the info about subscribing is here :-   http://letsgetstitchedmagazine.blogspot.com.au/p/the-magazine.html

I have quite a number of projects in each issue.  This is the first of mine for the APRIL Issue.  Most projects in every issue will have kits available in our online store and also supplies that are not readily available in your local store.

This project is a very simple vintage style collage designed to be framed.  It features VINTAGE style fabric, lace, buttons and a hand painted birdy button.

It's suitable for ANY skill level.  I framed it in an upcycled frame which I painted with Chalk Paint.

Next Blog Post I'll show you another of my projects and also the new Stitchery BOM of mine which will feature in the magazine for the next 9 months.  It's all finished and just in the process of being put together ready for photographing.  It has a little touch of applique as well which gives it an extra special pop.

I also have to confess that I have another couple of secrets as well.......  All will be revealed really soon.

Love and Hugs,

Fee xxx