My creative space... part one

"And...the Treasure Bag, made out of repurposed window screening, just right for keeping the sand out, and the treasures in." - Amanda Blake Soule

When I first bought this book, I thought that this would be the first project that I would make from it. We are all very big collectors in this house. No outing is complete without a little piece of nature coming home with us.

I eventually got around to making them and they are now waiting for an adventure this weekend. In keeping with 'my rumpelstiltskin challenge', I have used things from my stash to make them.

• the fabric is from old clothes, Spunky Monkey's shorts and Miss Moo Moo's peasant top.
• the one for me is made from a thrifted vintage cushion cover.
• the aqua trim, linen detail and cotton tape used for the handles were all op shop finds from long ago
• the brown fabric paint used for stamping was in the cupboard, waiting for a project
• the screens are from our house, they were taken off when we got security screens

Please Note: don't try and make these when you are suppose to cooking dinner. This will only cause you to rush and make mistakes. Maybe you will forget to change your cotton from white to black, and let me tell you, unpicking white cotton from fly screens is no fun at all!





If you want to see some more creative spaces, go over to kootoyoo and be inspired.

Our weekend at home

A weekend at home. We didn't even leave the house, well not by car.

It was lovely.

Sandcastles, roads and tunnels in the sandpit, lots of gardening - thanks for your help mum, dress ups, craft for kids and craft for mummy, making cubbie houses from pillows and blankets, more blankets and even more blankets. Mr Moo played with his 'rusty car' (I'll tell you about this another time). We took a long walk around the neighbourhood and the kids did some serious splashing in very big and very muddy puddles. We had apple and rhubarb sponge pudding for dessert. And on Sunday night, we ate a barbecue dinner outside.





Today, however, we have driven everywhere. It was hectic, there was lateness, forgetfulness, appointment cancellations, chaos! Luckily we ended the day with a few glorious hours on the beach. I wished that I had taken my camera. It was purely magic.

Spring is here and so is the beginning of our long hot summer

Made

Searching through some photos last night I realised that I had not shared these photos of my Family Hearts. Inspired by The Family Heart project in Amanda's book, I made them the day after receiving my copy of the book in the post.



This is unusual for me. I am a procrastinator by nature and often start projects, but don't finish them. So to have made not one, but four Family Hearts over a day or two, is really saying something.

I was just so inspired by this simple and beautiful project.



In case you are wondering what this is all about, here is a quote from the book:

"This Family Heart project was created as a small token of family, love and connection that loved ones can carry with them as they leave the family to pursue their own adventures. With a little pocket for love notes, the stuffed family heart can be wonderfully comforting and a soft reminder of the family love we all carry with us - regardless of our physical space from one another ."



Amanda makes only one heart in her book, but I made one for each of us. As my children are small and often a sleepover means going off to Grandma's together, I thought it would be nice if they both could snuggle into a little Family Heart of there own. And sometimes we have visited friends or relatives and Mr Moo has had to stay home because of work. In these times, we have filled his Family Heart pocket with notes and drawings. (I don't think he has been sleeping with his!) This is a beautiful way to show your children another way to express their love.

I'm also glad I could use some of my treasured vintage flannelette fabric for these little keepsakes.