zippered purse

I seem to have a problem with zippered purses, I can't get enough of them.  I don't even use them all but I keep buying them.  The latest one is from bookhou, I love hand printed designs on natural fabrics.

a bit of crafting and cooking

My grand plans of making things this weekend were pushed aside for the gorgeous weather, lots of bike riding and gardening was done instead.  This afternoon I happened upon a Pippijoe pattern I'd bought years ago and it looked easy so I gave it a go.

It's a 'Sling Bag' and as I thought was easy to whip up in an hour.  My only disappointment was the size, it will be perfect for my friend's 10 year old daughter.  I also missed the bit in the pattern which said to lengthen the straps....  The fabric I used is more from the Tokyo stash, including the lining.  Unfortunately my photography doesn't do it justice.

The little bit of cooking I did were some meat pies for my dad, he absolutely loves them but they seem to take hours and hours to make so I don't do them very often.

spotty brooch

I didn't get much crafting done today, just a little spotty brooch.  It was easy peasy, it's a self covering button I covered with more Tokyo fabric and super glued on a brooch back.

my allotment

In April this year I was lucky to get an allotment at a community garden, I'd been on the waiting list for 18 months and was told there were 17 people after me.  My allotment is for the 'beginner', it's the smallest in the garden at 25sq metres.  I was a bit disheartened when I was shown my garden as it was a big patch of weeds (that's my dad in the photo).

After much weeding it started to take shape and look like a veggie patch.

I've started to put a brick edging around the garden (it's still a bit wonky) and I've planted rhubarb, turnips, brussel sprouts, potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, snow peas, spring onions, jostaberries and raspberries. 

I'm loving the allotment, everything is growing, touch wood.  I'm finding the weeding ridiculous, I have to spend at least two hours at it every time I'm there.  It'll all be worth it when I can eat what I've grown.

remember walk carefully

 

I saw this sign in the car park at the High Court today, it made me feel like I was back in Tokyo for a minute.

I've just submitted my last assignment for the year, just hope I pass now...  Very excited, I might have a glass of wine to celebrate now.  I can get back to doing things I enjoy now, a few crafty plans I have are to make some brooches, attempt a summer dress, finish my enormous granny square which will go in the cupboard for next winter and start thinking about gifts I can make for Christmas. 

one down

And one assignment to go, at least the worst one is done.  This weekend I've had some well earned crafting time and made a few purses.  Two purses are more Nicole Mallalieu patterns, as I've said before I love her patterns for their clear instructions.  The first is a biggish coin purse with box corners made with some fabric I bought in Tokyo earlier this year, I lined it with some yukata fabric I also bought in Tokyo.  The yukata fabric is great, it's cheapish and comes in 30cm rolls of about 10 metres. 

Next is a tiny coin purse I made for a friends birthday, I'm going to put some Acorn & Will earrings in it.  It's the first time I've made this pattern and my fabric choice wasn't the best, it's a bit bulky for this tiny purse.  Can't remember where I got this fabric but I know it's hand printed and I'm down to the scraps so a tiny project is perfect.

Lastly is an easy drawstring bag for my new Fuji Instax camera (which I'm loving).  Also made with some of my Tokyo fabric stash, some polka dot ready quilted fabric.  I thought the camera bag needed a bit of padding and why go to that effort if the fabric is ready quilted.

Better get back to that last assignment now...

procrastination

I finish Uni for the year on 19 October and have two assignments to do before then.  In my panicked state I'm doing anything but the assignments, crafting (my giant granny square is growing quickly), cooking and eating are favourite distractions.  I made this Italian Jam Tart and it is delicious.

I can't find a link to the recipe I used but it was in the Sunday Canberra Times of 16 September.  I'm not sure what makes it Italian either.