Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. - Roger Miller

It has been steadily raining where I live for more than 7 weeks now. We get the odd day of sunshine but usually it's rain. There seems to be a congestion of cyclonic weather off the coast and most of our usually lovely, sunny, better-put-your-sunscreen-on-before-your-skin-melts-off heated summer days have become wet, dreary and beyond irritating. Flooding, roads blocked, roads broken up by wet ground under the tarmac, mould growing on everything, and it all coincides with the school holidays. Big Yay.

So this blog is picture tribute to the loveliness of rain, because if I don't start thinking about the lovliness I'm going to go crazy

All images from weheartit.com

All things Tea Party

So Tea Parties have been on my mind ever since the women in my family have decided to pool together every qtr and drink tea, coffee, booze and hang out. We're talking cousins, Aunts, Grandparents, 2nd cousins, etc etc.

I'm hosting the next one. It will be the 4th Tea Party and I have been inspired by so many things ... as it's going to be in March I've decided everyone must come with a hat on their head.

I think that eventually I'll let colour dictate the rest ...

Maybe you can organise a tea party for your family or friends? Here's some prettiness to inspire you

All images from weheartit

Kitty Boo Boo's Last Market for 2010

5pm - 9pm

Spread over three venues

King George Square 

Albert St

Burnett Lane

Brisbane City, Qld

BRISSTYLE BRINGS "HANDMADE HOLIDAYS" TO THE CBD

The BrisStyle Indie Twilight Markets in Brisbane's CBD have become renowned for being "Brisbane's HOTtest destination for everything "handmade" under the stars", promoting local indie artists and bringing to the city the most fashionable, hip and quirky wares that revive traditional crafts with a decidedly contemporary feel.

The December 17 Christmas Market is set to evoke those nostalgic and traditional memories from the Queensland Christmases and Summer Holidays of everyone's childhoods and will be a night of entertainment and Christmas cheer for all the family.

The City centre will provide the perfect setting to showcase the talented local designers BrisStyle, with marketeers setting up their lantern-lit stalls beneath the King George Square's statuesque Christmas tree and down into Albert Street and around into the hip Burnett Lane precinct.

In particular, Burnett Lane will turn on its own quirky and unique brand of Christmas magic with edgy designers as well as local indie performers. A video Installation will be projected onto the walls of the Laneway depicting the Handmade Holiday theme which will capture the quirky Christmas memories of days gone by.

The big band sounds of the "Brisbane Excelsior Band" Australasia's premier brass band will fill King George Square with the sounds of Christmas while the Allstar Jazz trio and street performers roam through the crowds.

The Markets will be supporting the Lord Mayor's Community Trust with a Christmas Hamper full of gorgeous handmade wares donated by all the stallholders with councilor Fiona King drawing the winning ticket on the night.

Support your local community and shop ethically this Christmas at Brisbane's HOTtest destination for everything handmade under the stars.

Tutorial: Vintage Paper Christmas Star Ornament

Vintage Paper Star Ornament

Materials: 

• Star pattern 
• Sheet music 
• Photo copier
•  Silver thread 
• Scrapbooking eyelets 

Optional
 

·         Marking pen

·         Jump rings

·         Pliers to manipulate the jump rings

Instructions:

1. Print, and cut out the pattern. Choose the solid outline that gives you the star size you like, or make three copies to create small, medium, or large ornaments.

2. Use a photocopy machine to transfer the sheet music to standard copy paper.

3. Trace the outline of the star pattern on the copied sheet music. For extra visual interest, tilt the paper slightly.

4. Using the pattern as your guide, fold the cut out stars. Solid lines indicate "mountain folds" (fold comes toward you); dashed lines indicate "valley folds."

5. Punch a small hole in the location shown on the pattern. Insert an eyelet for reinforcement. Use the silver thread to hang the ornament.

Optional extra:

Using the marking pen I have drawn an Angel on the sheet music and cut it out.

I then inserted an eyelet in the bottom of the star and the top of the Angel. I attached the Angel to the stars using the jump rings.

Tutorial: Christmas Feather Wreath

Christmas Feather Wreath

Materials:

•  Small embroidery hoop 
• Cream grosgrain ribbon
•  Satin ribbon 25cm – 50cm wide 
• Pearl buttons 
• Cream Turkey Feathers 
• Hot-glue gun and hot  glue sticks

Instructions:

1.     Wrap the embroidery hoop with the grosgrain ribbon leaving a tail at the top to form a loop to hang the wreath.

2.     Using the hot glue attach the feathers to the ribbon wrapped hoop

3.     Cut the ribbon into strips and using a running stitch gather them into small flower shapes

 

4.    Hot-glue the flower shapes to the feathers and attach the pearl the middle of the flowers

Tutorial: Victorian Silhouette Ornaments

Victorian Silhouette Ornaments

Materials:

•  Silhouette pattern 
• Scrapbooking paper 
• GlueScissors 
• Miniature embroidery or cross stitch frames
•  Cord to match frame colour

Instructions:

1. Print, and cut out the silhouette patterns. 

2. Take the frame apart and cut the scrapbooking paper to the same size and shape of the inner part of the frame using it as a template.

   

3. Glue the silhouette to the paper

4. Reassemble the frames, cut some cord and attach to the top of the frame to hang

Tutorial: Christmas Bauble

Christmas Ball Ornaments

Embellish plain purchased Christmas ornaments with purchased ribbon flowers, bows and lace

Materials:

• Ball ornament
• Hot-glue gun and hot glue (Note: For certain surfaces, such as thin glass, a low-temperature glue may be safer than hot glue.) 
• 1- to 1-1/2-inch-wide ribbon in various lengths 
• Satin Ribbon flowers 
• Small folly bells

Instructions:

1. Attach ribbon bows. Fold the ribbon into bows and loops as you like. Glue them directly to the ornament top. Use glue sparingly so it does not show through.

2. Attach flowers. Use additional glue to attach the satin flowers to the ornament. Let dry.

3. Attach folly bells. Use a thin piece of ribbon to loop through the top of the folly bell and then glue to the ball hiding the loop of ribbon under a flower or bow loop.

More Ideas:

• Cordinate the colors of the ornament, flowers, and ribbons to match the décor of someone special. 
• For a great hostess gift, tie an ornament around the neck of a bottle of champagne or sparkling cider, or atop a box of hot chocolate mix.

Etsy treasury ... vintage elegance ... quick!

Want more? Check out this Etsy Treasury

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Tutorial - Owl Bunting (Felt)

Owl Bunting - Felt

Materials:

·         Fabric for owl front(12.5cm x 10cm)

·         Felt for owl back (12.5cm x 10cm)

·         Fabric for tummy (8.5 x 5cm)

·         Fusible web – Bondaweb, Vliesofix

·         Buttons – 2 per owl

·         Ribbon or Yarn or twine for hanging

·         Iron-on letters – or alphabet stamps

·         Scissors

·         Pinking Shears

·         Thread

·         Owl template – seam allowances included

STEP 1

Cutting fabric

Work out how many owls you would like and according to this number cut one owl of fabric and one of felt.

Using manufacturer’s instructions attach fusible web to fabric reserved for the tummy piece (amount of fabric depending on how many owls you want to make). Cut one belly piece for each owl

STEP 2

Sewing owls together

Place two pieces of the owl body wrong sides together. Sew with a straight stitch around the outside edge. Trim with pinking shears

STEP 3

Owl tummy’s

Peel the backing paper off the tummy fabric pieces and place in position on the owl body. Iron together. You can stitch this down if you like.

STEP 4

Making the owl’s face

Fold point down the belly to just above half way and stitch in place. This is the beak. Stitch on two buttons either side of the beak.

 

STEP 5

Making the bunting

Arrange in the order you would like them to be displayed and affix the iron on letters (or stamp your own) onto the tummy of the owl.

Thread onto the ribbon, yarn or twine just under the beak and hang!