Textile Lamp

If you haven't heard by now, I am attending the Textile Show here in Brisbane purely as a teacher this year.  Our products will be there like normal but will be on Catherinas Country Collections Stand 133.

I am running a class in the afternoon that is a 2 hour 'hands on' class making a lamp shade.  You need to register with Catherinas stand to come do the class and is super value at only $25 (which includes your lampshade for you to work on).

This lampshade is all fibre work and we will be doing some of this in class but it requires a sewing machine.  I will have mine for you to have a go with so your lampshade won't look exactly like this one but we will be covering this technique too.
You will also learn how to make your own button trim for the lamp as well.
Watch this space as I create some more lamps over the next week to give you a closer look at what else we will be doing in class.
(I did this one from a recycled lamp I bought at an op shop)

Hope you will come and join me.

email me at
buttons@powerup.com.au
 if you would like more information
or follow this link below
www.textileart.com.au/Brisbane2011/app/pages/view/make__take__1_hour/

Slaves at work

We can't tell you what we are doing but let's just say my slaves are hard at work and all will be revealed later. Robyn Pandolf is involved though so watch this space.....

To market to market

Well if life gets a bit mundane then stir up the hubby and kids and have some fun!

I found some finger puppets at the Peru stand at the Chandler markets. Total blast from the past as I used to crochet these as a kid myself with Gran.
$2 each was a bargain but if you bought 5 you got an extra one for free! Can you imagine me walking around the markets not only puppeting all the little kids in strollers but you should have seen Mike when I flashed him the bird (rooster) and then crowed at the top of my lungs. Needless to say, john found me very easily.
Then we all got introduced to a fellow member of the market nutty factory when I befriended 'the pavlova man'. He was very white so had to wear a hat! LOL Then sadly we were out of money and all drove home.
                                                
Penguin was great with the gears and donkey was excellent with the indicators.
Watch for our next exciting adventure.

(for those of you who have kids that live in terror of becoming just like their parents- while we were out Matt was studying and had literally drawn two finger puppets on his hand to keep himself company!!! Now that was hilarious)

His were a man being mugged so I reckon mine were cuter but Matt's face when I showed him mine, and we had seriously done them at the same time not knowing, was hysterical.

Testing one two three LOL

Two of my favourite friends Jen and Terry from Patchwork by Sea


Just lazing around in a gorgeous park down in Adelaide


Another friend, Dinie, who joined us in the park


And me of course, just had to live it up by lying down. Adelaide has fabulous grass!!

Matt helping me

-trying to now get really techno with all this and thanks to my son I may just be able to keep up a bit more


Isn't he cute!!!

Serenity Prayer

Sometimes in my life, I spend so much time wishing and hoping and trying so hard to get everything done that I just end up achieving nothing because I have used up all my energy in the first part.  Add to that a general disinterest in computers and you basically have a very frustrated person who now really hates computers.  LOL  I have wanted to create a blog for years but the inability to find the information on how to do it let alone the time to have it done or do it has just compounded my woes.
I can't tell you how much I have wanted to get a blog.  It seemed like such a great way to just chat about all sorts of stuff.  And hopefully have other people chat back.
Now with me not traveling to the shows it has gotten even more frustrating that I can't get the whole computer, clay, stitching, family, pets etc etc all balanced into a nice little bundle.
I just have to tell you that I ended up stitching this little prayer because of my frustration of all the things I wanted to do and just couldn't get to.
With all my heart I would like to thank my lovely new friend Joy from JoyPatch, for coming over today and sitting through what would have been the most tedious job of trying to teach me the ins and outs of blogging.  What a joy.......

Anyway here is my lovely little stitchery that I thought you might like to see to remind us all of what is important when we get into this constant state of frustration.  To see further details of this please click here

Miracles

After doing so much soul searching over the last 12 to 18 months I started to get inspired to have things around me that reminded me of all the great things in my life.

Thus the following stitchery was created.  You can find it here on my website.  I think it is lovely and the little grub button always makes me laugh when I paint them.  They really are a total giggle as they come out of my paint brush.  I hope the poem brings a smile to your world too.  Nikki

Having Fun???

Well as you all know, computers and I don't really get on too well.  In fact it has just taken me over 20 minutes just to log in.  LOL  Luckily I have a trusty friend Joy, from JoyPatch and my son Matthew who have just helped me at least do this much.  So come for the journey and watch me get better as I try to keep up with the modern world and not be just a 'clay dog' and make buttons.

Today we will be putting a few posts up so I hope you enjoy the laughs as we go.
Keep Smilin'  Nikki