THANK YOU!!!

A big thank you for all the birthday greetings and lovely wishes to all of you. I had a lovely day, and it was made lovelier by your greetings, and feeling really part of a lovely community. I feel very lucky. So thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. You know how to make a girl feel special.

Also a HUGE thank you to the naughty but so kind Pip, for her sweet post. I am very lucky to know this extraordinary  woman and have her as my friend. 

I will post more soon birthday related stuff, how spoilt I was later, I'm pushed for time right now, but wanted very much to give my thanks.

xo

Jess

Just a minute in September

Listening:  Yo la Tengo's latest Popular songs.The Crayon fields newest All the pleasures of the world, I love the Crayon Fields and this album is lovely. They are so sweet as well, really quite daggy and kick around in old nanna knits from the op shops, but not the "cool" ones, but the almost really ugly type yet somehow still cute.

Also Hidden Hands from Jen Cloher and the Endless sea.

Watching: Lots of football, it's been the month of football, almost every final, The Brownlow-I love how terrible it is, the terrible dresses ( although this year it was a bit more tasteful ) and seeing the player in suits and getting slowly wasted) and the big one.

 I have to say I really enjoyed the first season of Eli Stone (is that terrible) and right now I'm watching the Mentalist  season 1, which I have to say is really good.

Making: Lots of bears, and again both mohair and amigurumi, including two Peabodys, finally finishing Colin, and a whole bunch of little guys. And also a Lamb for something different- for Mirabel.

Ageing: Yep, lets just say in the next couple of days I will be another year older, 1 year away from the big 30.

Planning: Getting ready for the trip to the US, I leave on Sunday!!

Wanting; SOme of these, and these and these too!

Eating I really enjoying the asparagus this year, as well as my usual toast, noodles, and  cupcakes. I've been craving some scones as well, as I think it must be because of the show. 

Adding : I've been enjoying heaps of new ( to me) blogs the month and adding them to my reader.

Thanks to Jen for hosting Just a Minute every month. Pop over to her places to see what others have been up to!

My weekend.

On Saturday morning I went to Looking Forward the latest exhibiton by Brendan Huntley of both painting and sculpture. I have never seen his work before but I totally loved it, and I would urge you to go see it only it was the last day yesterday, but I will definitly urge you to go to his next one. To read more about Brendan Huntley click here.

I had a quick lunch and watch 2/12 hours of  the agonizing, exhausting  and fantastic and sad Grand Final. I had a little sob - I know it's just a game. And St Kilda aren't even my team, but I so wanted them to win although I always get a bit teary at the Grand Final seeing the losing side and how crushed they are. It's not just a game to them, it's like their main dream. I like Geelong alot too so well done Cats.

Today  I went to the South Melbourne Market in the morning, where there was a one of those kids portable farms. There were some beautiful ducklings and a mother hen with her chicks, and a black and what kid, who seemed to take a bit of shine to me, and nuzzled me and stuck close. It was very 

And I also finished off Enid, started and bear and was very cold.

Newborn Lamb

This weekend I made this little lamb for Softies for Mirabel, a great appeal that Pip runs every year in which gives softies to  children of parents of drug abuse.With it being spring and all, I really been in a very lamby mood. When I saw this little lamb on Flickr I really wanted to make one of my own so Jo kindly sent me the pattern.

I have called her Enid. She likes picking flowers, embroidery and those little english sandwiches served at high tea.

I think she came out pretty well, though not as cute as Jo's.

Granny chic

, originally uploaded by emma lamb.

I'm super greatful to Pip for the window into Emma Lamb's amazing crocheted potholders and things. Each potholder is like it's own little work of art. Click on the photo to see more of her work on flickr or click here.

GO SAINTS!!!

Love this time of year!

My creative space

Much of the same, another bear, I'm sorry I hope it's not boring, week after week pretty much the same story over here. ( I'm not bored with bears, but you know I'm just a little bear nut)

SO, today i'll be finishing off another Peabody ( I have to make another arm, as it went walk about) and looking on is an ever growing line of bears, including the completed bear from last week : Colin, whose fate is undecided, he may go to this special shop along with most of these guys, or to my store.

For more creative spaces and inspiration head over here. 

Sticking together

They literally are, there's a magnetic  in their mouths, so they are attracted to each other in more ways the one.

Found at the op shop, along with this sweet tiny rabbit.

Fineto!

Well here is he, the much agonized head has become whole. His name is Colin. He's a very gentle bear. He is inspired by my antique bear Gus.

He measure 13" is fully jointed, made from a ditressed mohair which I have additionally plucked and aged to hopefully make him look like an old bear. 

My creative space

A big thank you to all those lovely peeps who left lovely comments on my space last week. It really does mean alot.

A big thank you also to Kirsty for hosting and running this every week.

In my creative space to day is the much agonized over bear nearly done, getting ready for his body.

I'm having some wobbles about his head, so there's been lots of walking round with this guy.

Cat mint

Albi the elephant

I really love these gorgeous baby things from Nest. The orginal artwork was done by Jane Reiseger, who also does some beautiful nursery murals. What a pity they are only for children...

Hanging out

hills hoist, originally uploaded by james m.

I really love hanging washing out on the line do you? ( although unfortunately I don't have one as fabulous as this one). Perhaps it's especially nice when the day is as beautiful as it was here. I love the old fashionedness of it. Hanging clothes inside your house however doesn't have the same appeal.

Free Rabbit Pattern

Today I was looking for something, and found this vintage Women's Weekly knitted Rabbit Family, which I had bought a while ago, lost and forgotten about.
It's too gorgeous not to share and to be honest I'm not much of a knitted. And I thought if people were wanting to make something for Softies for Mirabel but didn't have any ideas, well they could use this gorgeous pattern. Click on the images to bring up a larger more readable version.
( Please note there is part of the pattern on page 3 that is hard to read, from the scan so here it is
58th row as 54th row. 59th row as 55th row, 60th row as 54th row)
Happy Knitting!!

Song love

If you want to here more of this super cute band, the Crayon Fields are playing a free instore at Polyester in this Thursday at 6pm.

My creative space

The usual bearness. As usual I've got a few guys on the go: A Peabody that I'll finish off today and that other head ( now with ears!! ) from last week whose body is in I'll start on today, and Gus his helper.

Looking on is some boys I'll finished over the last week or so including Moby, the three tone from last week's space.

To Play along and see what other peeps have been up to go here.

Bear in reverse

moby2, originally uploaded by teddybearswednesday.

Well not really only sort of. this is the little guy that featured in a less 3D from in My Creatvie Space this week.
I've never done a bear using the other side of the crochet and it's amazing how different it looks texturely. he's also my first "3 tone " bear. I had seen some gorgeous amigurumi on flickr using this other side and wanting to give it a go.
His name is Moby, because when I was stuffing his head and givinig him a face, he really reminded me of a whale and then the name stuck.
His little body and head is just some alpaca I had lying around. and he has a little sticky outy nose which he likes to smell flowers. He also likes fairy bread ( with the crusts cut off thank you very much!) and playing pick up sticks.

My creative space

Two bears in progress, an earless guy ( who will get ears very soon) inspired by my old bear Gus,(who is part of my collection NOT i bear I've made I don't think I could ever make something that beautiful)  who I haven't made as much progress on as I had hoped, due to lack of time, and too much bear head agonising and obsessing  and also the fact that I stuff some of my "antique" style bears with the strawy stuff : excelesior which takes longer to stuff properly  and is very messy but I really love the results. Also I do admit that I love a project that takes a long time, I love to obsess and walk around a bear head to see it in all different lights.

Also a new little amigurumi bear I'm working on, I'm stepping out a bit for me and doing a three toned bear, and using the reverse side.

Also a pin cushion that someone very special made and gave to me.

this may all change later today as I've just gotten 2 Peabody orders, and so I'm a bit thrown in to a bit of confusion about what to do.

For more creative spaces check out a queen of craftiness.

Bear dreaming

Wilbur, I wonder what you are thinking about?

Sticky business

Look at these fabulous deco tapes I got from MissMacau ! Aren't they sweet and super exciting! I want to tape everything up, and not use one scrap of them at the same time. I'm especially love the one with the bear ( surprise surprise) and that elephant is really doing good things for me. Miss Macau has over 110 different deco tapes, from sweet animal themed ones like them, to lovely patterns, pastels, bright colours you name it and heaps of other kawaii stationery and the like.