Washi out

Please choose the correct response ...

This lovely new Japanese washi masking tape:

1. is a unique craft and design product
2. will have an abundance of creative and decorative uses
3. will most likely have its life cut short (please refer Exhibit A, below)

Yes: two boys and a roll of (non-washi) masking tape. The elder completely taped to the chair.

I was forced to intervene at the end of this game, when I overheard Bargy saying to his older brother "Now Argy, you will have to be a brave boy".

I'll leave you to imagine where the scissors were poised.


MT masking tape
10 pack - pastels
10m x 15mm

The cover-up

Cover-up: (n) concealment of evidence of wrong-doing, error or other embarrassing information

I love a good cover-up - especially if its in the creative domain. So when I saw a craft idol discussing the judicious placement of a faux cabbage rose or spray of feathers to disguise a millinery mistake, I was full of admiration.

In my mind it completely legitimises the use of the cover-up.

For most, "quick, hide the evidence" is a last resort. For me: a personal mantra. If I had a dollar for every sunken cake back-filled with icing, or decorative applique sewn over a scorch mark, I'd be a wealthy woman indeed.

Of course, not every cover-up is a success and there are many traps for the young player.

Take this early sketch, for example. Following a number of failed nose renderings, the furry marsupial got a ... leaf.

Its all about the context, people. Hat with cabbage rose: good. Possum with naso-mandibular-foliage-substitution ... well I'll leave you to decide.


How about you? Do you engage in the creative cover-up? Do tell - it will just be our little secret. I promise.

21 again

Do you think there is a limit on how many years in a row you can announce "21 again" on your birthday? I rather suspect I reached it yesterday.

Never mind - it was a lovely day regardless. Thank you to all the kind people who e-mailed and left messages here - it was a very nice surprise. I was also spoilt by family and friends.

Would you like to see the craft-related eye candy?

The pretty vintage florals, pictured above, were a lovely surprise from Curlypops ( ... thanks for increasing the girly quotient in my stash, Cam!).



These beautiful sharp sprung snips are from my auntie and uncle. They have the most amazingly fine point I have seen and will be really handy.



This very exciting hot fix applicator is from my sister - I can't wait to try it out! Amongst all the interchangable fittings are some amazing teeny tiny ironing tips.



Also from my sister is this fabulous upholstery-weight print from Darwin, that she thought would be good for a bag. I think it will look sensational made up as Nikki's beach bag, which I have in my pattern stash.



And more from my sister. This fabulous hardcover book (complete with flocked cover) is written by Charlotte Smith. Its the story of the some 3000 vintage gowns she inherited from her godmother, Doris Darnell. The colour plates throughout are gorgeous.



And finally courtesy of Mr HB, Argy and Bargy, this interesting gadget is currently winging its way from the US. Its Simplicity's Bias Binding Maker - a little machine that guarantees to make 12 feet of bias tape in less than 60 seconds. Woohoo!

I am really looking forward to trying out all my new gadgets and supplies. Perhaps a clever combined project is in order?

Do you see where I am about to go with this? Yes, a Dior-style vintage evening gown. Cut - daintily with pointy snips - from vintage florals and a turtle print. Carefully pressed with a teeny tiny iron. Trimmed with handmade bias binding. Embellished with hot fix rhinestones over the turtles' eyes.

Did I cross a line yet? (Well at least at 42, I am not also still pretending to be 21)

Danger is not my middle name

I worry a lot. I am faint-of-heart.

I imagine all sorts of craft-related accidents. Like cutting my hands with the rotary cutter. Or dangling my hair into the path of overlocker blades. Or searing my fingers whilst ironing bias binding.

Frankly, I don't do dangerous particularly well.

Which is why my attention was diverted from the promise of rich, intense and profoundly dark on the packaging of "Velvet Black". And how I came to hone-in on the warning.

Blah blah ... breathing difficulties ... blah blah blah ... serious skin and eye irritation ... blah blah blah ... allergic reaction ... blah blah blah.

Perhaps the restoration of my favourite skirt - and removal of an infuriating bleach mark - need not involve fabric dye at all.



Call it unconventional ... or even a little bit wrong ... (and correct me if I am mistaken) but I am yet to hear of a serious mishap involving a Sharpie marker.

Embellishing your craft searches with Google

I love the idea of trademarked name becoming a verb. Take Hoovering the carpet. Or Xeroxing a copy. Or Cadbury-Dairy-Milk-Chocolating a bad day. (Okay, maybe that one is not common venacular, but its is most certainly common practice.)

Then of course there is the most universal: don't worry, I'll Google it.

Google [verb]
Googled [past participle]
Googling [present participle]

Have you ever wondered whether you can conjugate Google? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the answer is yes. Google is the real deal - a recognised verb. And I have heard my mum talk about Googling. So that seals it.

But enough of conjugation - I have chanced* upon something far more exciting. Did you know that the Google search engine has its own secret language? Special stuff you can add to refine your searches - its magic.

* I mean "chanced" in the sense of following a comment left on my blog by someone called Generic Viagra. Its a long story. And possibly not easily explained. So I think I should stop now.

---

define:word/phrase

Use define: to search for definitions of the words listed after it it. For example if you Google ...

define:stitch in the ditch

... you will receive definitions for "stitch in the ditch" sourced from various websites. Each version is referenced back to the original source.

---

link:URL

Combine link: with a webpage address and you will see a list of webpages that have links to the specified webpage. For example if I wanted to see who links to Hoppo Bumpo I would Google ...

link:http://hoppobumpo.blogspot.com

---

related:URL

Combine related: with a webpage address and you will see a list of webpages that Google identifies as being similar to the page you have specified. For example, if you Google ...

related:http://www.sewing.patternreview.com

... the search will return a list of websites related to sewing patterns.

---

info:URL

Combine info: with a webpage address and Google will return some background information about the page. The information is usually about 23 words.

---

filetype:file type

Combine filetype: with a file extension, such as PDF or PPT to locate specific file types. For example if I Google ...

filetype:PDF "pressing ham"

... the search will return an excellent list of PDF documents that mention pressing hams.

---

site:domain

Adding site: to a search restricts the results to those websites in the domain you have added. For example if you Google ...

garbage site:hoppobumpo.blogspot.com

... the results will show all posts on Hoppo Bumpo refering to garbage (as opposed to showing all the posts that are garbage ... which would retrieve my blog in its entirety)

---

allintitle:keyword/s

Using this modifier ensures that only webpage titles are seached for the keyword or words you specify. The text within pages is not searched. For example, if you Google ...

allintitle:pattern alterations

... the results will show only pages that have the words pattern and alterations in the title. None of the page text will be searched. Allintitle cannot be combined with other search criteria.

intitle:keyword/s

This works like the allintitle modifier, but you can can combine it with other search criteria. For example if you Google ...

intitle:pattern alterations

.... the results will show all pages that have the word pattern in the page title and the word alterations somewhere in the text of the webpages.

---

allinurl:keywords/s

Using this modifier ensures that only URLs are seached for the word or words you specify. There's no search of the webpage text. For example, if you Google ...

intitle:dress pattern

... the results will only contain websites with both the words dress and pattern in the URL.


inurl:keyword/s

This works like the allinurl modifier, but you can can combine it with other search criteria. For example if you Google ...

intitle:dress pattern

... the results will contain websites with the word dress in the URL and the word pattern somewhere in the text of the page.

Nothing to see here ... please move along (to the Stitches and Craft Show)

Can you guess what this pile of pom-poms, sparkly pipe cleaners and googly eyes is? Squint very hard and use your imagination. Do you see the dragon fly yet?

I thought not. Frankly, nothing dents your confidence more than a craft project gone wrong. Especially when the kit says "Ages 4 and up" ... and you are clearly a bit older than 4.

Thankfully I can point you in the direction of some genuinely beautiful and inspiring craft and design instead. The craft event of the year - The Stitches & Craft Show 2010 - starts in Melbourne tomorrow.

Make sure you pop in say hello to my very talented friend Caitlin of Pippijoe. Her beautiful hand screen printed fabrics are just irresistible. (If she has side kick there on Wednesday or Saturday - one with brown shoulder length hair and glasses - please don't mention the dragon fly).

Then head straight on to look at the fabulous bag patterns at Nicole Mallalieu Design. I am looking forward to picking up one of Nikki's lovely brand new Party Purse patterns.

After that, grab your show guide and head post haste to see Jodie at Ric Rac, Sandra at Pepperberry & Co, Nic of Yardage Designs, Holly of Two Cheese Please, the girls at Ink & Spindle ..... and ....

Gosh, the list of craft talent is endless. Check out the show guide. Maybe you will need to go twice? I know I will be!

The Stitches and Craft Show, Melbourne 2010
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 5 May - Sunday 9 May 2010
Caulfield Racecourse
http://www.stitchesandcraft.com.au/

Playing it safe

77 felt hydrangea blooms short of a table runner
27 short of a place-mat
4 short of a coaster

When on a long-haul journey, always familiarise yourself with the emergency exits

Origami box

I have been trying out a bit of origami.

You see, the delightful Jay of Finki is hosting a monthly design challenge. The aim is to create a project to a monthly theme, using your own medium and interpretation. "Japanese" was the theme selected for the first month.

(Thankfully I have finished my contribution just in the nick of time on the 33rd of January.)

Its not a particularly original contribution, but I really wanted to try origami. I have never had any success with the art of paper folding. Flowers and cranes have baffled me; paper airplanes have plummeted to the ground. Paper is not my friend.

So I decided to try using something a little more familiar and forgiving: fabric. (Fabric doesn't rip like paper does. And it can be salvaged with an iron, when you put a crease in the wrong place.)



I chose a very simply project - a traditional little origami box called a Masu box. I began by interfacing a square and pinking the edges, so that it wouldn't fray. Then I got to work using the excellent diagrams at www.origami-instructions.com.



To start, I folded the square in half in both directions. I used my trusty iron to press nice crisp folds.



Next I folded the points in and pressed the folds again.



Then brought the top and bottom edges to the middle.



Followed by the left and right edges to the middle. Then I pressed it all again.



Following the instructions, I opened out the square, leaving just the points at the sides folded inward.



The next bit was a little tricky - its a sort of squeeze-flip-fold manoevere, that I suspect is common to all beautiful origami. You know ... all in the wrist action. My squeeze-flip-fold technique was a bit flawed, so this side of my Masu box is a little bit wonky.





I repeated the manoeuvre on the remaining side of the box.



Finished!

(And ready to be commandeered by Argy and Bargy who filled it with headless Lego men. Perhaps something from a a Manga story-line?)



With thanks to Jay, for hosting this challenge. To see some absolutely beautiful Japanese-inspired projects - including collage, sewing and jewellry-making - head over here.

The truth of the matter

A discussion with Anna from Shiny Happy Thoughts prompted today's admission: I have a collection of ... ahem ... abandoned Christmas craft projects. I'm not proud.

Exhibit A ~ Christmas wall-hanging (pictured above)

98% complete

Single panel, hand-quilted. Handmade binding. Was looking good until I reached the bit where I needed to make 35 button holes to poke Christmas lights through. Lost enthusiasm with just 10 of those confounded buttonholes to go. Bother.



Exhibit B ~ Christmas cards (pictured above)

5% complete

Perhaps the less said about the stack of untouched cardboard, the better, yes? I can only apologise to all the family and friends who did not receive a nice handmade card (actually make that any card at all) this festive season.



Exhibit C ~ Gingerbread cottage (pictured above)

1% complete

At least I had collected the delectable decorations - and its the thought that counts, right? Sweetie anyone?


What about you? Do you have any unfinished Christmas business?

Cheat's bunting

With apologies ...



... for bring the gentle art of sewing bunting into disrepute.

Yes, its cardboard (... but a lovely way for Argy and Bargy to use their special Christmas stickers)

Block loaf ... or loaf block? (Blogtoberfest day 28)

Some days I just have to be realistic and grab my craft fix where I can get it. So let me introduce Quilting with food.

Not too much cutting. Simple piecing. Multigrain on white. And of course, white on multigrain as the backing.

Idea completely lifted from here.

How to disguise your junk food habit as craft (Blogtoberfest day 3)

1. Consume contents
2. Refashion packaging
3. Wear

May we present the Cheezelosaurus.

Is it just me, or do you think he looks a little lonely? Perhaps he needs a brother? Or extended family?


Brought to you as part of Tinniegirl's Blogtoberfest - a post a day in October.

Tutorial: quick and easy decorated jar

Every time I finish a jar of something-or-the-other I carefully remove the label, wash the jar in hot soapy water and save it for jam making. I am the owner of a lot jars. And so very little jam.

I've decided to face up to the harsh reality that I am never going to make the indutrial quantities of jam needed to fill all those jars. Instead I am re-purposing some of the stockpile as storage.

Now as we know, homemade jam looks quite attractive in an old jar ... but a pile of dishwasher tablets, rubber bands or rechargable batteries tend to look a little less so. A little simple decoration with fabric and paint is in order!

Equipment and supplies

• Old jar, washed and dried
• Steel wool (preferably not the soapy type)
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Fabric scraps
• Modge Podge waterbased glue/sealer or similar product

Instructions

1. If your jar lid is painted, strip it back by rubbing it with steel wool.You might want to wear gloves as you may need to apply some pressure and steel wool can hurt your fingers. Take it from one who knows!



2. Using even brush strokes, apply 2 coats of paint to the inside of the jar. Allow drying time between coats and after finishing (I used a hair dryer to speed up the process - but remember to only do this in a well ventilated area).



3. Cut motifs from your fabric. If you have partial prints at the fabric edge, these are perfect for lining up with the top or the bottom of the jar.

I have used a beautiful piece of vintage butterfly fabric (from here). Much better to have the butterflies prettying-up my kitchen than lying flat in a pile of fabric in the cupboard!



4. Hold the jar at its neck and cover the entire surface of the jar with sealant. Working quickly, arrange each motif on the jar, applying a good coat of sealant over the top. If you want a very smooth finish on the jar, make sure you even out the brush stokes over the whole surface, before the sealant starts to dry.



5. Allow the jar to dry fully. Depending upon what you wish to store in your jar, you may want to also seal the inside of the jar. This will prevent the paint chipping. Dry fully again before using the jar.

Now fill the jar and add the polished lid.

Before and after - a lovely jar for storing your knick-knacks.

Note: due to interior paint, not suitable for storing foodstuffs, permeable items such as soap or for full immersion in water

I wish I had remembered: its a marathon ...

... not a sprint.

You see at just Day Two of the school holidays, I panicked. Poor Argy and Bargy both have croup. So I wheeled out the craft supplies. All of them. At once.

The boys worked frenetically: cutting, pasting, drawing. folding, bending, colouring, threading, sticking. Think locusts and crops. Piranhas and .... well, I think you get the picture. Mountains of supplies laid to waste used in one fell swoop sitting.

Day 3 is looking grim.

Tutorial: 3-by-3 kiddie canvas

This is the "pretty craft" fix I was craving last week. There's not even the merest hint of blue ... or a racing car ... or a muddy digger in sight. Flowers and pink fabric: just the tonic for the mother of two small boys!

The picture is a gift for my 4 year-old niece, Miss Pink. Yep that's her in the middle; in all her pixelated glory.



The picture is designed to be either free-standing or hung. The nine squares are individual canvases padded with batting and fabric. The corner designs are appliqued and the little girl's photo is inkjet-printed to a special cotton fabric. The canvases are secured with a plastic backing and then again around the perimeter with satin ribbon.



I loved using all the girly fabric and doing a bit of pretty applique. Please excuse Miss Pink's photo (I can assure you that in real life she looks a lot less pixelated) and the embroidery (which is so bad, that it should be pixelated).



If you would like to make something similar (or better!), I have posted a little tutorial.



It has additional applique ideas, including those that would be suitable for a boy.



You can view the tutorial online here (where there is also a PDF download available). Have fun - I'm sure your embroidery will be better than mine!

Sewjourn

The house at Sewjourn

This weekend past, I stayed at the craft retreat Sewjourn, with a delightful group of crafty girls. Located in a pretty country town in Victoria, Sewjourn comprises a beautifully renovated house and a separate well-appointed - and very spacious - studio.

Craft heaven.

The studio has a magnificent, polished wood table that was large enough to accommodate the 7 sewing machines, 2 overlockers and other paraphernalia that we had brought with us. Double power points are spaced regularly around the table. There is an additional table, cutting mats, ironing boards, a kitchenette and bathroom.


Extreme crafting bloggers: Tinniegirl, Curlypops, Taccolina, Reenie-Su, Bellgirl and Beccasauras hard at work in the studio

The house which has four bedrooms and two bathrooms, can sleep up to ten people through various combinations of single, double and bunk beds. Jan, who owns Sewjourn, has thought of every necessity and comfort. The kitchen is well equipped, there is a beautiful dining room and a comfy loungeroom, complete with wood fired heater and piles of magazines.


Table laid for (yet another) fancy meal

So what did we do for the weekend?

The studio was a hive of sewing activity. There were quilts, jackets, bags, coasters, pin cushions, zippered pouches. Knitting, crochet and sketching also featured. There was also 80's music, some dancing and singing (did you know you can sing Amazing Grace to the theme tune from Gilligan's Island? No?), some op shopping and quite a lot of cooking and eating. Unexpected gifts too. Oh ... and the most important part .... loads of laughter.


Crikey - I finished a project!

It was a really perfect weekend. Thank you, Tinniegirl, for organising it all.

Sewjourn
92 Main Street
Lancefield, Victoria
http://www.sewjourn.net.au/