You sew, girl

Finally a chance to sew...and in my new craft room too! The wet and windy weather this weekend gave me the perfect excuse to stay indoors and get stuck into some long awaited projects. It's been ages since I've sewn anything and I didn't realise how much I had missed it! 

Weeks ago I received a lovely package of vintage fabric from Zwizzle, and I have been itching to use it ever since. I finally started cutting and sewing these pretty floral pieces today, and they will become the 'pockets' on some fold-up shopping bags.

I also stitched together the front pieces for a pair of patchwork cushion covers. The various patterned pieces in gorgeous greens are all off-cuts left over from other projects. I'm going to do the back of each cover in plain green, with an envelope opening.

And I finished off a little bunch of felt flower hair elastics.

The new room was great to work in. The kids were close by, building towers with their blocks, doing a bit of craft...and then pulling out the entire contents from a bag of wadding and using it as snow!

Aside from the actual sewing and craft I also managed to organise my blogging and Etsy photos, list a couple more crochet hats, and have a bit of a play with my brand new overlocker...AND my husband and I even spent an afternoon out at the movies.

All in all, quite a productive weekend...hope yours was too!

Creative Spaces

Interiors magazines are my weakness. I read them, hoard them and re-read them. I have a couple of favourites delivered to my door every month (well, to my mailbox at least) and the sense of excitement I get never waivers.

You can imagine my delight then, when I recently discovered two new creative/interiors type magazines, when they were mentioned by the very peachy Dottie Angel. The first was frankie magazine, an Australian publication, with a bit of everything from art and craft to interiors, music and fashion. But even better than frankie, was the discovery of Spaces, a 'mook' (part magazine, part book) that was recently published by frankie magazine.

Spaces is a collection of interviews and photographs exploring the spaces where creative people live, work and play. I have not been able to put this magazine down since it arrived on my doorstep (yes this one really was delivered to my door!) There is so much creative goodness to be discovered in just the photos alone, and after a week I have barely scratched the surface.

Not all of the spaces featured are quite my cup of tea, but there is definitely inspiration to be found in them all. The 'Creatives' featured are from all corners of the world and it is fascinating to get a little bit of insight into the way their minds tick, and what gets their creative juices flowing.

The little corner that is Cotton And Card

My own creative space is really just that...a space. It isn't a studio, or even a whole room, but a little corner set aside, within a room, in my home. It is a newly created space, and a work in progress, just like Cotton And Card. Not all of my creating happens in this corner. Sometimes it moves to the dining table, or the lounge room, or often wherever my children are playing. But no matter where I choose to create, having this little space set aside helps to keep me focused and organised.

A couple of weeks ago I set myself the challenge of learning crochet. I am happy to report that I have made some progress, and you may now occasionally (when a rare spare moment presents itself) find me happily (if not rather awkwardly) working a double crochet. 

But until my skills improve, my mum is my supplier of pretty crochet flowers, which I have been stitching onto hair elastics and glittery hair bands. I will be listing these accessories in the shop over the next couple of days. 

And now for a good interiors magazine and a cup of green tea...