Music to Make to: Adele

Hometown Glory (High Contrast remix)

For those in training to shadow box and make stuff at the same time. I’m workin’ on it.

Nellie's Cooking Adventures: Marshmallow shot cups

Welcome to Summer! My favourite time of year, it's all about camping, drinking, swimming, laughing and overall good times! Why not cook in the mood of the season?

It's super easy and fun to make - read more after the jump!

Music to Make to: The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera

I actually really hate musicals but this particular one… I mean, how ideal would it be to have someone behind the scenes dedicated to advancing your career (with threat and sabotage but that’s a minor detail)? Where do I sign?

Tutorial: Sequin Collar Top

Christmas can almost be spotted in the horizon - yes, scary but thankfully it won't arrive before the party invites do wooooo hoooo! I love these parties, not only is it a great time to catch up with your local taxi driver but it's a great excuse to wear sparkly outfits in the name of getting festive. Check out this video tute on how to 'bling' a shirt collar. It looks pretty simple and the result looks convincing, but it could go either way... I think re-inforcing the sequin ribbon with some hand stitching wouldn't hurt.

Spotted this over at the Thread Bangers you tube page.

Music to Make to: Jib Jab

Jib Jab make these animated ecards where you can place your face in the scene, someone posted this to you tube. Happy Halloween if you're celebrating it tonight!

Dying stuff from the op-shop

Hey ya Sam! I went to a posh suburb op-shop this morning hoping to find rich people throw aways, unfortunately it was all pretty much crap (obviously I'm not the first person who's had this idea). BUT I did get a shirt, it's not white but I still think a dye job will look cool! Photo doesn't really do it justice but it's a shortish button up shirt with a floral print on it. I was thinking dip dye the base of the body and the sleeves in a moss green? Or maybe grey.. Dunno. What do you think?

Tutorials: Fruit Balloons

Dear God this is cool. I especially love the grapes, some people are just so clever!

I expect this garland to be present at every party I attend from now on. Click here to find out how to do it! I found this over at the Oh Happy Day blog, they have heaps of other cool projects kicking around the site too. Love, love, love.

Music to Make to: Fleetwood Mac

Say You Will

I’ve had to go through my craft stash today. I could hear the pieces I threw out singing this song to me.

Tutorial: Welders Hat

I got a great welders styled hat for Christmas a couple of years ago, I loved it dearly but I sat on it (without realising of course) and crushed it out of shape *smacks forehead*. I should make one of these.

There are some pretty helpful comments under the tute, make sure you have a bit of a read before you get started to avoid potential frustrations.

Spotted at the Ricochet and Away blog.

Music to Make to: Lykke Li

Little Bit

A little bit cute, but only if you think it’s a little bit cute too.

Tutorials: Water Bottle Chandelier

Okay, I admit when I first saw the heading for this little project I thought, hmm okay.... Acceptable at a hobo's dinner party maybe but I would never...

Well, after looking at the end result and digesting its awesomeness, I'm going to start thieving used water bottles from my neighbours recycling bin.

Click here to be re-directed to the tute on the Oh Happy Day blog you can find other really amazing DIYs there too!

Did you know that Australians recycle only 36% of their PET plastic drink bottles? Isn't that just shocking?

Tutorial: Embroidered Toasties

 One of my favourite friends had her first baby around a month ago. I love her to bits, so I wanted to hand embroider her some baby bibs as a gift. Both the parents are French, but the newbie will be a little Aussie, so I thought one bib should have a picture of French toast and the other should have a toast triangle with vegemite!

After the jump I'll show you how to transfer the French Toast template to fabric, then how to fill it in using Back Stitch, French Knots and Long and Short stitch. You can then apply a similar method to the Vegemite design!

Music to Make to: Prince

Sexy Mother Fucker

That’s right. It’s winter and I haven’t waxed my legs for 3 months, so hot right now.

Tutorial: X-mas in July stuffed animals

Do you get into Christmas in July? I don't personally but I found this video tute via Threadbanger (with a Christmas in July theme) on how to create toys from a pair of old jeans. As an amendment to the instruction, I would stuff the bottom of the toy with soup mix or uncooked rice and use it as either a door stoppers or (if you made two) bookends?!

A question though, would you give a Christmas present that you made from recycled clothes?

Music to Make to: Florence and the Machine

No Light, No Light

Don’t mean to rub it in (that’s a lie) but I’m in Spain at the moment participating in the Benicassim music festival!! Woooooooo no making anything for me other than ‘hells yeah’ signals at Florence and the Machine.

Tutorial: Magical Forest in a Jar

I've been itching to do a little growing scene in a bowl for ages, but very unfortunately I just can't seem to find the time/occasion : (


So I'm going to live through Mrs F at the cheekiest monkey of all blog who has created the most beautiful little forest in a jar! She has also been so kind to document how she did it, check it out.

Music to Make to: Little Dragon

Constant Surprises

Who knows what’s around the corner : )

Inspirations: Colourful Zippers

Counter attack the grey winter sky (yep, I live in Melbourne, I desperately need a bit of colour in my world at the moment) and add a stripe of ridiculously bright colour to your next project. I spotted these pouches over at the Heodeza blog, the brights look hot against brown and would probably look equally great on a dark grey.

Music to Make to: Third Eye Blind

Semi Charmed Life

Suddenly I’m 15 making crappy flower shaped pincushions out of felt. Shit, turn it off!

Tutorial: DIY Crocheted Bracelet

I spotted this over at Oh the Lovely Things blog, I like it because it looks like a bought one.
When you head over to the link, scroll down the page a bit to see the original source. Enjoy.

Colour Palette: Miss Fox

My cousins and I chipped in to buy my Auntie a Day Spa package at Miss Fox for her 50th. I went into the studio to get the gift voucher and all I can say is Me-ow, the colour palette and visuals they use to brand themselves where just so chic. Was a tad impressed.

Inspirations: Crochet for Pets

Oh wow this poor animal, he has the same expression on his face as an ex did when I used to get him to try on blazers hahahaha. Bernadette from Sykesville USA crochets these incredibly imaginative pooch beanies. Head over to her Etsy store Sweet Hoots to see more (don't miss the viking helmet).

Tutorial:Planting Winter Veggies

I have a certified black thumb (you get one when you kill a Succulent), still I'm always excited by the idea of growing your own veggies. If you're planning on starting a little crop for winter I think this weekend is the time to get onto it! Check out this tute that uses recycled toilet rolls to start seedlings off before being transferred into your veggie patch. Good Luck.

Freebies: The Queen's Corgis knitting pattern

I'm hardly a monarchist but it's the Queens Diamond Jubilee this year and 60 years in the one job is a fair effort.

There's a book out by Lauren O'Farrell (fearless leader of the English knitting community Stitch London) that has a heap of patterns that recreate the characters of london, from Big Ben to rats! And to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee she's released the pattern for the Queens Corgis as a free download via Ravelry. Looks pretty cool.

Inspirations: Les Trois Inventeurs

A really beautiful animation created entirely out of paper in 1980 by French animator Michel Ocelot. The script is in French so I have no idea what it is about, my guess is that it's about paper doily jealousy.... 
So much reckless destruction of paper doilys.


I'm jealous of the following: Paper doily dress, Paper doiley bike, Paper doily piano that produces more paper doilys.

Music to Make to: Faces

Ooh La La

I was getting myself pumped for the new Wes Anderson film ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (I’m hoping it’s getting released in Oz the same time as the US) by watching Rushmore, one of his older movies and this song comes on at the very end of the movie, it’s a goodie I promise.

Colour Palette: Cherry Tree on a Bright Day

Inspirations: Giant Cross Stitch

Jaydee Decker, a crafter from the states makes GIANT cross stitch pictures.

I love the idea of enlarging the (actual) cross stitch, it takes sooooooo long to finish anything using the little ones. Ms Decker can customise a picture for you at a neat $160USD, forage through her wares at her Etsy shop jdmakesthings

Spotted at Design Sponge

Tell us about your craftiness comp winners!

 


Congratulations to the four lucky winners of the Dabbles patterns packs (below) and a big thank-you to everyone who entered!

I value each and every response to the survey, your feedback will help shape the next range of Dabbles patterns (looks like Crochet is in high demand!). I'll update the blog as I start to develop to get your feedback : )

Helen, Sue, Ruth and Nicola keep an eye on your inbox I've sent you a little note : )
If you haven't received anything just let me know! (email = nellie_dabbles@hotmail.com)

Inspiration: Maranon Embroidered Jewellery

Embroidered jewellery pieces by Lorena Maranon. The geometrical style that is getting round at the moment is pretty neat (literally haha) I like the thread + metal combo, would translate well to a ring set too, hmm maybe I should develop something along these lines?! What do you think?

Craft Spaces: The Finders Keepers Market

The Finders Keepers market is back in Melbourne! That got a big 'Yay - Whoot' from me when I found out. This market is a biannual event that showcases indie designers that produce anything from fashion accessories to stationery.

Browsing the stall holder list, all of them look really exciting, interesting, inspirational and have massive potential to leave a void space in my wallet.

Ignoring my bag fetish for the moment, I'm looking forward to visiting some of the hand printed textile stands:

1. Maze & Vale

2. PinkInk

3. Mookah

4. Pippijoe

Music to Make to: Eryka Badu

Back in the Day

The naughtiest thing I ever did as a teen was be late for homeroom – lame.

Dabbles 1st Birthday - $1 pattern celebration!

The above image is taken from Bernadetter Goolsby's  range of crochet dog hats, purchase one from her etsy shop!

Wow Dabbles is a year old today!!! To celebrate 365 days of learning and general fun times, this week (9th - 15th April 2012) I'm going to sell all the patterns on the Dabbles site for $1 each! That's 4 patterns for the price of 1!!! OMG what a bargain. 


Please note, the sale excludes the limited edition prints and freebies range (of course).

Craft Places: Crafternoon

This wicked illustration is by Megan Nairn I can't draw like that : )

If your the type whose creative are juices flowing at their fullest when your eating, then I hope your sitting down when I tell you about Crafternoon. A little cafe in North Carlton (Melbourne) where the discerning crafter can draw, paint, collage and mould whilst having a cup of tea (coffee, ninja bread etc...).


The customer creations hanging from the ceiling and the whole corner full of craft condiments not only treats you to a unique greeting but will timewarp you back to your grade 2 art room (but with much friendlier adults and a coffee machine).


Take a seat at your table which adorns a pot of drawing materials and select an activity from the craft menu. You can make greeting cards, masks, a picture and badges using either collage, paint, pencils or playdoh. Not so keen on eating pom poms for lunch? The nice girls at Crafternoon can relate, so they also provide breakfast and lunch which is very reasonably priced (nothing over $9 for lunch) and diverse - the bowl of Billie Jean (coco pops mixed with rice bubbles) will meet your dietary needs to create a work of pure genius.


A great way to spend the afternoon with friends, I highly recommend you put this craft place on your to-do list!

Crafternoon: 531 Nicholson St, Carlton North

Nellie's Cooking Adventures: The Teacup Pig Cake

It was my little sisters 21^st and I was in charge of the cake. She’s trumped me a few times in the cooking arena so the pressure was on! She LOVES teacup pigs, the gauntlet was thrown and I signed up to make a cake in the shape of a teacup pig.

That image isn’t mine by the way, it’s by the very talented Libby's Cake Creations  See how I went after the jump. 

Music to Make to: Seeker Lover Keeper

Even though I'm a woman

Little Deities Exhibiton

I have a very clever bunch of creative friends, one of which - Daniel Atkinson who is an illustrator and lecturer at NMIT has put together an exhibition ‘Little Deities’ and he’s sumed it up perfectly as 

‘Sixty of Melbourne's most talented mortals (were) summoned and each given the task 

of transforming a doll into a god’

There’s been sneak previews of these doll gods on the LD facebook page and blog and the doll transformations been totally amazing, the participants have done a really great job and I’m so pumped for opening night! If you’re in the Melbourne area you definitely have to pop in and see this exhibition. It’s on at the No Vacancy Gallery from the 8^th to the 18^th of March, get more info on the event at the LD facebook page or more info on the very talented group who are participating at the site.

Snaps to Simone Bennett for the site design!

Neil Sanders - The Great Calabaza

Kathleen Wrigglesworth - Obie (Work in Progress)

Nathanael Scott - Time & Space

Amz Kelso - Bubba Koi

Marijka Gooding - Handsome Monkey King

Megan Nairn - Snot Baby

Tell us about your craftiness!

Well, it’s time that I start developing new patterns for Dabbles and I want to know what is missing from your crafty life! So get on your soapbox and tell me about your craftiness in this quick survey. 

Research shows* people who complete surveys receive some of the thickest good karma going (second only to people who adopt stray dogs) but as an added bonus (upon completion of this survey) they’ll also go into the draw to win one of four Dabbles Pattern sets valued at $47.75 (AUD)! Each set includes a: Stitch – Bloom Bouquet, Knit – Chain Scarf, Paper – 3 from 1 Gift Box, Sew – Family Tree Mini Quilt and Bead – Bottle Wraps. Winners will be announced on the Facebook page and Blog on the 30^th of April. Good Luck!

* This is marketing bullshit, no research has been done in this area.

Dabbles Pattern Re-visited: Chain Scarf

Well, it’s the start of Autumn. Time to return the sunblock to its cupboard and dust off the ol' knitting needles to get cracking on winter woollies! Pantone has released its colour report for Autumn 2012 (I don’t want to sound like I’m in the loop here, I saw it over at Nidhi Saxena’s blog), I wouldn’t mind re-visiting the Chain Scarf pattern with a new colour palette, but which one?!

Stitchy Hands

I want to give this man a high five. Spotted at the Victory patterns blog.

Stitch and cut appliqué tute

 

When your adding shaped (odd or otherwise) fabric pieces to a quilt, garment or bag. The stitch and cut appliqué technique is your best friend! It does 3 things for you; neatens the shapes edge, attaches it to the garment and reduces the likelihood of the fabric piece fraying. In the past I've blanket stitched (shakes head), not only is this a massive effort, it's putting the efforts of the industrial revolution go to waste by not letting the sewing machine do all the hard work! Click 'read more' to view the how-to. 

Sophie Blackall - Missed Connections

 

Sophie Blackall, an Australian (but Brooklyn based) illustrator has put together a book of the sweetest drawings inspired by notes written to newspapers (like the Here's Looking At You section in MX) and missed connection websites. 

I love the randomness of the bear suit one, I wonder if any of the original ads worked?!

You can buy a copy of the book (Missed Connections) from here or flick through Sophies' prints at her etsy store.

Stockist Profile: Jodie from the Haby Goddess

I met Jodie from the Haby Goddess at my very first craft show under the Dabbles banner, she visited my stall and we got talking about general crafty things as you do. It wasn’t until she signed up for out e-newsletter that I noticed the @thehabygoddess.com ending and realised I’d been chatting to a craft rockstar!

Jodie has been online with the Haby Goddess for over 3 years and sells a range of unique sewing accessories and patterns predominantly by independent crafters & suppliers. Amongst keeping her blog updated with neat craft tutorials, she’s been working on an online sewing school (exciting) due to start up this year, but I won’t spoil the profile write up – you can find out more after the jump!