Amy Gaines makes crochet cool!

I want this robot set really badly!

Then this one ....

..... then this one ....

I recently taught myself to crochet ... because of Amy Gaines and her awesome amigurumi. I happened across these gorgeous patterns on Etsy, and Amy was really helpful with my questions! You might remember that I featured Amigurumi patterns in my Friday favourites a while back, and Amy was in there. I am soooooo close to finishing the seahorse I'm crocheting and then I'll be treating myself to the robot set :D If you've never visited Amy's shop, click here and treat yourself.

www.AmyGaines.etsy.com

If you've never learned to crochet, then check out YouTube for some great tutorials. If you crochet, but aren't sure how to start an amigurmi, check this one out.

YouTube amigurumi tutorial

Just a little kittten-obsessed

This morning it's bright & sunny, so Ally has discovered sunbeams. She slept a lot more yesterday. I guess the novelty of being home wore off a little for her too. Thrilled to find that she's already litter trained and no accidents at all. She still enjoys sitting on my shoulder while I"m on thecomputer or at the sewing machine ... which is nice, but a little restrictive (especially typing one handed while she sleeps in my left arm).

Princess #1 took this photo on her first day ... cute, eh?

I finished listing patterns for the Kitty Curios in the shop this morning, and they're available as single patterns for $2, or all three patterns for $5.

Kitty Curios

I confess that I have gone just a tad overboard making toys for Ally. Today I made 9 ... I thought I'd better list a set in the shop LOL. I am also working on pattern sheets for these toys for the shop.

Click here to visit HelloDollies.

Ally is home!

Coming home in the car.

Here is our beautiful little tabby kitten. She is incredibly cute, and has been racing around like crazy She's just woken up from a nap on my chest at the computer and is now playing with a little mouse I made for her yesterday with scraps of fabric & ribbon. She really likes to climb ... on me ... and sits on my shoulder like a parrot LOL Maybe we shoudl have called her Polly!

Meet Ally!

Yes ... it's a dodgy photo, but it's the only one I'll have until Friday. She was very interested in the paperwork we were doing to finalise her adoption, and any kitty who loves paperwork will fit riiiiiiiiiiiight in at our house!

We adopted!

Well ... we adopted a kitten from the local RSPCA :D

Her name is Ally (did you laugh ... I hope you did), and she is a lovely 10 week old dark grey kitten with huge eyes and a curious nature. She's still at the RSPCA, and will come to live with us on Friday. She has to visit the vet to become what I like to call "a non-practicing girl". We have everything she needs, and I just nabbed an awesome kitty litter box on eBay less than what I could buy it locally. Sweet!

No photos yet, but you can bet I'll have hundreds next weekend!

These are a few of my favourite flamingo things

Dogartstudio ..... Blackleafstudio
WilsonGraphics ..... TheArtfulFlamingo
Doodlebugquilts ..... Alienbacon

Quilt & Craft Show, Sydney

Yesterday I attended the Quilt & Craft show in Sydney, and it was an awesome day! I demonstrated at the FDAA stand, and met some great people. My favourite part of the day was taking Linda Locke's image transfer class. I learned some awesome stuff, and I now have the knowledge to make fabric crowns for my Princess Pointy Shoes dolls!!

I did record sales, including 3 painted dolls and most of my teddy bear items. The photo above is my best seller, and I'm considering submitting it to Fine Art & Decorative Painting magazine as a project ... maybe LOL.

The Trash 2 Treasure competition was amazing, and I spent ages looking at all the entries. The winner of the People's Choice awards was Sue Raconello, who painted a pair of old boots with sheep on the right foot and sheepdogs on the left. They were incredible! No prizes for me, but lots of valuable experience in entering a competition that's for sure.

It was a long day, but I'm really glad I went, and can't wait for next year.

These are a few of my favourite pirate things

Sjane ..... AugustEve
BRadleyBB ..... SourOctopus
WithSugaronTop ..... Pinktophat
Spillsherrcoffee ..... Hobomoon

More Trash 2 Treasure pics

As promised, here are more pics of the inside and back of my cupboard (before I attached the hinges).

It's on display in Hall 1 at the Quilt & Craft Fair, Darling Harbour, Sydney at this very moment! I hope I'm getting some votes in the People's Choice awards :D

Say hello to Fifi & Frankie

Last year I was commissioned by Brandcorp (who produce Semco stitch kits) to paint 6 teddy bears. The bears were turned into charts, and I stitched them. They're really easy to do, and if you stitched in front of the tv at night you could probably knock them over in 3-5 days.

Anyway ... they've finally been released, and I was a bit beside myself when I found them on homepage of the Brandcorp Website. You can click here to get a closer look.

Kits will be available in Spotlights stores in August :)

WhoHub Interview

I received an invitation to be interviewed on WhoHub.com today ... how cool!

Click here

These are a few of my favourite amigurumi things

NeedleNoodles ..... Tildafilur
AJollyShop ..... Jaravee
StripeyBlue ..... AmyGaines
RosieOK ..... Theselovinghands
Mygurumi ..... Honeybee69

These are all gorgeous amigurumi patterns ... some I have drooled over for a long time, some I just found today! I bought a seahorse pattern from mygurumi, then I taught myself to crochet using YouTube tutorials ... click here to see my fave tutorial.

A sneek peek

So ... the painting is finished and the last coat of varnish has been applied. I still need to go bat my eyelashes at the boys at Bunnings to help me get the hardware fitted, and then it is delivered tonight!

If you're attending the big Quilt & Craft Fair at Darling Harbour, Sydney any time from 10-14th June, please make your way up to the back right corner and check out the FDAA exhibit. You can vote for your favourite piece in our Trash to Painted Treasure competition, including mine! *wink*

Bartering

Have you ever had a market stall, put on an art show or sold online, only to have people try to barter you down to a lower price on your item? Yeah? Then you are going to love this!

Click here for YouTube chuckles.

Makeover!

My painting association, the FDAA, is holding a new competition called Trash to Painted Treasure. What we have to do is find something to paint, and turn it into a real treasure with paint! We can get our piece from a council pick-up, op shop, garage sale or just a good scrounge around in our own garage.

I found my piece in my own garage. It's the Barbie wardrobe my Dad made for me in 1980. It's made from nasty old chipboard and had an awful 70's decal on the front. The metal hanging rail inside and hinges were terribly rusty. Yeah ... it was time for a makeover.

I decided it should fit with the 'Altered Art' theme of the FDAA for the Quilt & Craft show exhibit this year, and also that it should be bold and pretty. So my Princess Pointy Shoes has been enlarged and given some little tweeting friends, and she will grace the front of this little cupboard.

Today I finished the front of the door panel, but I still have a way to go with 5 other panels to complete. Everything has taken longer than expected ... for example it took 2.5 hours to remove the old rusty hinges!!! But I will get there with another late night and full day of painting :D

The Quilt & Craft show is on at Darling Harbour, Sydney from 10th-14th June, and all the Trash to Painted Treasure entries will be on display. Personally I'm hoping for the People's Choice award, so come along and cast a vote for me :D