what is

What is an electron: An electron is a negatively charged particle that whizzes around the nucleus of an atom.

Who is Mr Electron: A design your own superhero who whizzes around the globe teaching young boys to sew.

The Mr Electron kit will be available today at Magnolia Square. I'll be there with my friend Allison from Lark. Come by and say hello!

dorset buttons

One of my love-of-craft minded friends is a dorset button maker. Fiona is based in Melbourne and sells her intricate buttons at Buttonmania in the city. Below is a little history of the dorset button Fiona has kindly put together.

Dorset buttons are a woven thread button. Woven thread button making was a thriving cottage industry in southern England from the early 1700's until about 1860. Tens of thousands of buttons were made annually and exported globally. Dorset buttons were commonly used on children's clothing, women's blouses and underwear.

Men, women and children worked in the industry. To meet the global demand for dorset buttons, prisons, orphanages and even prostitutes(!) were engaged to make buttons. In the mid 1850's the industry came to an abrupt end with the introduction of the automated button machine. Tragically hundreds of families lost their livelihood, villages were abandoned as people emigrated to Australia and Canada.

The buttons are pretty easy to make and the brass/metal or plastic rings can be got from Spotlight (from either the craft or the curtain section). You can pretty much use whatever thread you like but I have used mainly perle cotton (usually used for crochet- i think). Instructions on how to make them can be found at the following site.

Thank Fiona for sharing your love of the dorset button and for kindly loaning me your buttons to be photographed.

Buttonmania, level 2, 37 Swanston Street, city. Phone: 9650 3627

why is it so

Why is it that when you create in your mind the perfect sewing project with a clear idea of the colour and fabric you want to use that it becomes near to impossible to actually find what you are looking for? It must work on the same notion that the book you read is better than the movie. Your imagination has worked up this amazing finished project that then the reality of finding the exact colours and fabrics that mirrors your ideal picture becomes an ongoing frustrated search.

My fabric search today was simple enough - 'brown gingham'. Apparently brown gingham is hard to come by in this here neck of the woods!

Grrrr!!

And don't even get me started on cupcake liners... although I do remember Emily recently posted a link of a great online shop for all your cupcake liner needs. I wish I had known about that online shop before I went in search of 'brown cupcake' liners last christmas.

It would appear that little old Brown is a little underrated these days. Brown should be the new black!

Photo Credits: 1. Day 43/365, 2. Untitled, 3. pre-tart polaroid, 4. dance?

P.S. I had a hard time finding brown gingham on flickr too!

this is...

This is something I got, but still haven't used. It's the trusty old need-to-have gym equipment. The hand weights I bought over 2 years ago. Unfortunately the only limbs getting bigger around here is my big toe for all the times I've tripped over them! Time to join The Freecycle me thinks!

I've had to cheat a little on my photo today as Melbourne's grey skies are making it somewhat difficult.

For next week's theme I would like to invite Two Peas In A Pod for her suggestion!

Photo Credit: blgrssby

the friday archives - on saturday again

The only thing I have been consistent with lately is being consistently late!

Above are my Friday Archive drawings for this week. I was once told by an art teacher that if you can master drawing a pear you can master drawing the human form.

I once attended life drawing classes at the Hawthorn Artists Society many years ago. I distinctly remember a guy who attended every weekend looking very much like Brad Pitt. This small fact made me awkward whenever I interacted with him as I felt like he was famous. Strange that.

For next weeks archives I've decided I'm going to riffle through my old life drawings for some show and tell and just so I don't disappoint please note the Brad Pitt look alike was an artist and not a still life model ; )

Thank you Flossy-P for your This Is theme for tomorrow, it's another good one and it's sure not to disappoint!

sale of vintage and retro fabrics

I received this email in my inbox today and I thought I would share with my fellow Melbournian bloggers!

Join us for a special sale of vintage and retro fabrics.

Alice is helping one of our special friends make room in their studio-probably for more fabric! There are delightful silks, furnishing velvets, fruity cottons and crazy oversized florals amongst hundreds of other designs. Most pieces are from 1-5 metres long. Priced from less than $10 a metre.

Come and check it out at 114 Gertrude Street this weekend.

Saturday 11am-6pm and Sunday 12-5pm.

Contact 9417 4300 for any enquiries.

Oh …and there may also be some retro and vintage finds from avid collectors of another sort. For two days only. Cash Only.

mirror image

i do

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. Untitled, 5. Untitled, 6. Untitled
I do like these wedding polariods very much.

take what you love

An interesting and artful concept thought up by this lovely miss here.

It's all about capturing the image that appears on your digital camera screen when you first turn on your camera. You should try it, maybe Brooke could start a Take It On Tuesday Meme : )

I hope she does!

toadstool tuesday

What do you do when you walk past a very adorable florist shop who have an amazing toadstool window display with toadstool teacups? You promptly rush home to grab your camera!

Not too mention that Jane can do wonders with flowers too!



If you live in Melbourne and would like Jane's details I've made a little mention below.

Flowers by Jane Louise
64 Pin Oak Cresent, Flemington (03) 9376 9916

Thank you for making my day Jane!!

this is how i recycle

I recycle in many ways from recycling my rubbish to recycling plastic bags. Around the office I always recycle cardboard boxes, shoe boxes and envelope boxes. I also can't bear to throw away carry bags and I reuse them whenever I can. I also use recycled paper in my printer and I keep a recycle bin under my desk. And as it so happens I have only just this morning drop of a load of goodies to the local op shop.

I'm sorry I'm late in my This is post. I'm having a big month with back to back social events, which has been great but unfortunately is keeping me behind with my posting. But hopefully I'm back on track this week.

For next week This is I would like to invite Flossy-P for her suggestion! Thank you for playing 'This is' Mum.

the abbotsford convent

The Abbotsford Convent is not only an amazing place to visit to take some great photos and to soak up some history but its also a great place to visit this weekend as it will be hosting the Shirt and Skirt Market and the The Makers' Market. Both are well worth a visit!

If on the other lucky hand you are in Sydney this weekend, a little birdie told me that Frankie will be at The Hope Street Markets with something of a trash and treasure stall, selling off back issue of the mag, vintage clothes and frankie cards and badges.

this weeks theme is

This is my way of recycling!

It could the council recycling bin, which are different in different localities, stuff in a box for kindi craft, remade clothes or a patchwork quilt, a meal made of leftovers, compost, anything that gets reused around the home.

Thank you for your theme Mum!
Photo Credit: Clairigami

on my desk

As staged as the top photo looks I really did have a desk full of birds. It amazes me that I can be unaware of such collections until I open my eyes and really see what is in front of me. Remember the day of elephants!

What makes my bird desk-nest so much more interesting is that last Thursday a Miss Bridget Farmer left me a comment and since her name looked new to me I headed over to take peak at her blog. The next day I received an invitation to an exhibition by the Australian Print Gallery and to my surprise Bridget's name and artwork were on the invite. To add last night I received a comment from this bird loving blogger.

Being a bit of a Bower Bird myself of late, the second on my desk photo is of my collection of Sew Your Own-ness combined with some packaging and newsletters for my new addition to the Sew Your Own product line.

On my desk today is...
My very well made and very clever swap card wallet, a present from my friend Pip.
Some bird clips, a present from my friend Sarah.
A parcel of craft fabric from Singapore.
My own bird illustration.
The Australian Print Workshop Gallery invitation.
Princess Tina box.

For more On My Desk-ness you should put the kettle on and head over to visit Kirsty!

discovery

I wanted to share some links to fellow bloggers I've discovered and met lately, take a peek and say hello!

Made By Girl
Meg's Threads
Sew Hum

my mum

My Mum is a pretty special and creative lady. She taught me to think outside of the square, think of other people and think of how something can be done better and quicker. She is a major influence behind all of my creative endeavours.

I would like to ask my Mum to suggest the 'This is...' theme for this week!

this is... what reminds me of my mum

1. Moroccan Vintage!, 2. Potato Rainbow, 3. Snoozing Lucy Series - 3/11, 4. Scouting for Badges, 5. Days of our Lives (9/4/06), 6. Out and About

Inspired be this talented lady here I logged into Mosaic Maker and created my own Mothers Day Mosaic.

Happy Mother's Day Mum!!

the friday archives - on time

My Friday Archive today is an illustration I created while learning about gradients in Illustrator, which is a fantastic program once you get to know it! If you have always been meaning to teach yourself Illustrator I would highly recommend you do, it will revolutionize your life - and party invitations.

There have been mixed votes for the Mothers Day This is... for this weekend so I will leave it open with these two themes and you can post either or both on Sunday.

Zoesquid has suggested a photo of Mum and This is the best piece of advice my mum ever gave me. A great idea! The other option is 'This reminds me of my Mum' or feel free to create your own This is... Mothers Day post!

See you Sunday. xx

cereal box

I remembered the other day that I met a woman about 10 years ago who won a House & Land Package from sending in an entry form found on the side of a cereal box. I then remembered how I also knew someone who won $50, 000 from a $1 scratchie.

I remembered all this after I received a letter in the mail for a competition to Win a Trip to New York. All I had to do was to write in 25 words or less why I wanted to go to New York. I threw it away thinking no-one ever wins these things...

Photo & Image Credit: The Beehive.

this is...

Apologies for my lateness this week! It was a hectic weekend and it's only now I find myself back in front of the computer. For my late 'This is...' post I have a photo of me pre-1985 with all my Farrah Fawcett fringe flick glory. And the shoes I would sleep in if I could, my little red numbers - super comfortable!

For next Sunday should we do a Mother's Day This is? I was thinking 'This is what reminds me of my Mum'. If you have a suggestion for a Mother's Day 'This is' I would love to hear!!

Thank you Hip Hop and Banana Bread for your theme on Sunday. And thank you for all your comments about my friend Audrey : )

the friday archives - on saturday

I've joined The Friday Archives, sorry for my lateness.

This was a technique I learnt in Illustration, very easy and very effective. The project involves firstly taking a photo of your subject, then placing the photo onto a light box with your drawing paper over top. Then taking a black ink pen start sketching in your shadows and leaving the highlights. Easy!

You should try it! If you don't have a light box try placing it up on a window with the sun coming through. And don't forget to post it on your blog so we can come and take a peek!!

offerings

The most bizzare but cutest thing has been happening in the last two days. Audrey the cat has been bringing pink flowers to our back door. Yesterday morning we opened the back door to find two pink flowers and today she bought this beauty : )

Audrey Grace is my neighbour's cat who recently moved out into an apartment. As Audrey popped over to visit us many times I was asked if I would like to look after her, kinda like a shared custody arrangement. I sent Audrey Grace's owner a txt telling her about our latest flower offerings and this was her reply...

R they camelias? She is obsessed with the camelia plant at no. 67 + pulls them off + carries them 2 your house thru the fence. She loves them. I hope u get 2 c her pick them, its hilarious + so cute.

Well I never! That is just too darn adorable!

month of may

2 x Weddings
1 x Christening
1 x Hen's Night
1 x Product Launch
1 x Dentist Appointment
1 x Friend's Art Exhibition Opening
1 x Very Special Lady's Birthday
1 x Possible Market Stall

Phew!

Have you checked to see this week's 'this is'!