Roarrrr!

On the weekend I went to Daiso, a Japanese dollar store, where everything costs $2.80. When we lived in Japan, I would often visit Daiso, or the hyaku-en (100 yen) store to buy cute stuff for our home. I recently discovered that one had opened in Chatswood, near where we lived in Sydney, and I was so excited!

I found this cute little felt kit to make a lion, there were also other animals.  

All the instructions are in Japanese, but it looks fairly easy. I also have an amazing Aranzi Aronzo book that shows you how to make these “felt mascots” if I run into any trouble. I’m looking forward to cutting and sewing sometime this week!

Weekend links

Here are some links I liked this week:


How to make a triangle quilt on Elise Blahas's blog

Simple Tomato Salsa from Meet me at Mike's

Cute stationery store Present&Correct found via this post on panniken

How to take professional photos found via CRAFT

Spring Nails

These nails make me bright and cheery!



I've had a hard week, but painting my nails relaxes me, and then whenever I look at them, I smile!

Spring Inspiration

I'm feeling all inspired as the weather starts to warm up.

I've been thinking about starting an etsy shop.

I've been working on knitting a sweater.

I organised my embriodery threads.

 We walked to the library today and I got out some inspirational books, then stopped for a green tea.

Mr Postman

I've been getting lots of postcards in the mail!

Take a look!

 

  

 

You got Mail!

I joined iHanna's 2012 Postcard Swap again. I did it last year when I was off work, and really enjoyed creating postcards, then finding more in the letterbox! I received some amazing postcards, in fact, three are still on my noticeboard at work, and I'm looking forward to adding to it.

This year I tried a few different techniques to make my cards. I used a combination of:

• watercolours
• mt washi tape
• fabric tape
• rub on transfers
• Black Sharpie pens

I had ready made cards that I bought in Japan years ago that have lots of space on the front. I really enjoyed creating my designs, I liked using a variety of techniques to create different looking cards. They are now flying around the world - to the USA, Canada, Sweden, Norway and South Africa!

I can't wait to get my cards and see what everyone has made!

If you want to check out more postcards, have a look at this blog post by iHanna, or this Flickr group!

FO Friday - Baudelaire knit socks

Finished my Baudelaire socks!

I started them just under a year ago, but finally got the motivation to finish them.

Pattern: Baudelaire by Cookie A from Knitty

Yarn: Araucania Ranco Solid

Needles: 2.5mm Addi Turbos circular needles

Method: Magic Loop, toe up

I do love this yarn, the colour is so beautiful, with tiny, natural looking variegation throughout, the subtle changes add real depth to the colour. It was lovely to knit with, no splitting or knots.

The pattern was fun and easy to memorise, it was fun doing lace and cable patterns together in the leg. This was my first toe-up sock, and I don't really like the shape of the toe, it is a bit pointy and rectangular, so it doesn't fit my toes very well. I prefer the rounded toe shape of cuff-down socks. But it was fun to use a different construction method, and I may try it again, but maybe starting with more cast-on stitches, which would decrease the point. 

They are also slightly big, but I wouldn't wear them under shoes anyway, they'll be house socks. Overall I'm happy with them, and I'm inspired to keep knitting socks!

Check out other FO (Finished Object!) Friday's on Tami Amis