Meaghan Makes.....

52 Weeks- Week 10 - Vintage Love

2011-06-21T14:11:00.000+10:00

I love old knitting patterns and parifinalia. I have a cupboard full of it, or rather should have a cupboard full of it. Somehow the cupboard is empty (actually it's full of all sorts of other useless stuff) and all my vintage knitting bits and bobs are all over the rest of the house, my studio, in my backpack and handbag....well you get the picture.....

I also have about a gazillion half finished and planned but not executed vintage knitting projects. If you have ever done any vintage knitting, you will know that it is usually done with very fine wool on small gauge needles and can take a VERY LONG TIME to get that lovely smooth tailored look that makes knitwear from bygone times so appealing. For a flibbergibbit like myself, who flits from project to project and often has a dozen different things on the go at once, this can be VERY challanging.

This week I finally got sick of not being able to find what I wanted without a four hour jungle trek through tangled balls of wool and pointy things to find it and began to sort and organise my collection.

I have also sorted all my wool and parifinalia into bags, boxes and projects. I now have an organised collection of things to do, complete with materials and pattern/needles etc to see each project through to completion.

Now this may take me much longer than a single week to complete, but the lovely blue knitted piece that I have started above will eventually be something like the cardi pictured below. I found the picture in an Australian ladies magazine from the early 1950's. I'm going to attempt to recreate it using this lovely blue 4ply and some fine vintage needles.

52 Weeks - Weeks 8 & 9 - Todos Arte

2011-06-18T19:34:00.000+10:00

I recently spent two weeks working with fellow artist Michelle Oxlee (pictured below hard at work) on TODOS ARTE. This is Spanish for "Total Art" (or so I was told, I do not speak spanish, so if this is wrong, please correct me) and runs for two weeks in a public park in the middle of the city of Wodonga, Australia. Six artists, one very enthusiatic musician, lots of community groups and lots of fun.

This is an arts festival held each year by the City of Wodonga in the lead up to their Carnivale.

The theme this year was STOMP and we were charged with the visual decor for the street on Carnivale night, so Michelle and I spent two weeks making lovely recycled paper feet with school groups and members of the public to hang from big red papier mache trees.

Outdoor public workshops can be great fun, for both the artist and those participating. It can also be incredibly frustrating, like when two days before Carnivale a big rainstorm lifted the side of our storage tent and soaked half a dozen of our big mache trees.

But it all came together in the end and a great time was had by all.

52 Weeks- Week 7- Techie Pockets

2011-03-18T21:48:00.000+11:00

This week I got a new mobile (cell) phone for my business. Those of you that know me, already know that I rarely purchase anything "new" as I have a love of vintage and pre-loved items, so this new phone is rather a big deal for me...

The sales man at Telstra has assured me that this one is 'Meaghan Proof' - my last new phone accidently landed in a full bucket of white housepaint, a long story, but no, I wasn't painting a house. This one is meant to be water, dust and scratch resistant and to top it all off, it's a "smart" phone, so I can Facebook, twitter and keep up with blog post etc right from my phone. Sounds great doesn't it, only problem is, I think my "smart" phone is much smarter than I am. I've never been particularly tech savy, but at present am feeling .... well.... not very smart at all....

But even a "dumb" phone has to be stored somewhere, and I figured that I'd better make it some sort of home before I proved the sales man completely wrong. I'm actually rather pleased with how these turned out. A few pieces of felt, some measuring and handstitching and wa-la! A pocket for your techie device... I enjoyed making these so much I might even ad a new line to the KnitmeStitchme Etsy Store I share with mum....

52 Weeks- Week 6 - Smelly Cats

2011-03-15T23:54:00.000+11:00

Sorry this is so late.... I'd been really good, but life and technology (or lack there of) sort of got in the way. We have had some major storms here in North East Victoria (Australia) over the last month. Not as bad as Queensland (or poor Japan), but still quite devistating in some areas, and it has played havoc with our internet system. Access was non-existant for a few weeks and is now intermittent.

One of the hazards of living in rural Australia, unfortuneately. Technology is wonderful stuff, when it works.... when it doesn't you realise just how reliant you are on it.... and that's actually a little scary.

For the past month I have been doing the most important things (business emails/ordering etc) first, while the internet was available, and everything else has taken a back seat. We seem to have better access now, so over the next week or so, I'll try and catch up.....

The first of my "catch-up" entries for this week are these little cuties.

They took me quite a bit of fiddling to get the bases right sonthat they would sit up by themselves, but with all the rain we had, the studio was very quiet, so I had time on my hands.

I have filled them with rose pot pourri, hence my daughter dubbed them... Smelly Cats...handstitched to the sound of rain on a tin roof from scraps of vintage fabric and salvedged buttons, I have fallen in love with them and plan to make many more....

Cutting Crafty Costs : 10 Suggestions for Saving Time and Money in your Arty/Crafty Biz

2011-02-09T22:55:00.001+11:00

My eldest child is about to leave home and head off into the big city to University. We are very proud of him and wish him every success but University costs A LOT of Money..... A big scary lot of money...

As a result I have been looking at ways that I can cut costs around my studio and home so that we will have that little extra to get him (and us) through the next four years.

This is just a small list of some of the things that I’ve come up with and plan to implement in my arty-crafty pursuits to save both time and a little money and thought that I would share them with you.

1. Spend less – while this should be glaringly obvious through past experience I have found it easier said than done. I am a hoarder of crafty stuff, wool and cotton fibre in particular. I am obsessed with vintage patterns and quirky bits of ephemera and a total eBay addict... If you can't cut out buying ( I do have to do a certain amount of it for my shop-front gallery) make yourself a list of nessecities and stick to it or better still, make yourself accountable to someone before you buy. Let a friend/business college or partner know what your budget is and discuss that need for any purchases... you might think twice if you need someone elses approval for what you spend

2. Wholesale- I am a registered business. I have an ABN. I quite often forget this when in the midst of an arty-crafty spending frenzy.... before I buy anything I have vowed to first stop and look at whether or not I actually need it.... and then see if I can get it wholesale. The trick here is to remember that just because it’s cheaper to buy something in lots of 100 through the wholesaler, doesn’t make it cheaper in the long run if you only need 1 or 2 of the item to complete a project. Even if you’re not a registered business, you can still often get great discounts for bulk buys or even through store loyalty programs.

3. Mass Produce- I don’t mean like from a factory, but that if you’re going to replace that small item from the shop-front or on-line store, make several. This will not only lessen material wastage, but save some time in the long-run too.

4. Use Popular Colours- visit design blogs, keep your eyes on what’s selling in popular crafty stores, a good excuse to browse Etsy or ArtFire stores – just browse, don’t log in so you are less tempted to hit the Buy Button- even browse fashion magazines at the supermarket checkout to see what are the most popular colours are for this season. I personally LOVE RED, but this season’s colour may be pink or blue, so unless I want to keep every item I make in red for my own use, there’s not much point in making 20 red items. Even better having a range of colours in popular hues should also help keep a healthy turnover of stock.

5. Coordination- coordination of items can be a distinct selling advantage. For example, I go to craft markets with my mum who produces hand appliqué tea towels, I am currently knitting dishcloths, many of which will coordinate with her tea towels.

6. Equipment – using quality equipment and materials not only produces a more professional looking and saleable item, but can also save you BIG on both time and materials. If you use glue, buy the best quality you can afford, what you’ve glued will last longer and my bet is you will use much less and save yourself dollars in the long run.

7. Quality Control- This kind of goes with Number 6, but especially if you are “Mass Producing”, make sure your seams are straight, loose threads are cut, glue is fast and paint drips are cleaned up (unless you meant to have drippy paint- in that case, drip away). Customers will be turned off by items that are sloppily made and even if they buy once and don’t return it for a refund, you can bet they won’t buy again.

8. Use What You Have - chances are, whatever your arty-crafty pursuit, unless you are just starting out, you will have at least some of the materials you need on hand. Use them, before you go shopping for materials for that new project, go through what you already have at hand and make a list of what you NEED, rather than just buying every item you might need for that new project.

9. Household Items- take advantage of what is in your home. I love working with clay and Fimo modelling stuff, but recently discovered salt dough. It works just as well for small items, can be coloured with dye, painted, varnished, moulded, cut and best of all it costs next to nothing to make... I’m sure that if we really think about it we can come up with heaps of substitutes for arty-crafty stuff just from around our own homes (or the supermarket). Not only cost cutting, but probably really good for the environment too.

10. Imagination- I’ve put this last, but maybe it should be top of the list. Always look for new ways of refining what you do by saving time and money. Any savings you can make in turn add significantly to your profits.

These are just for starters, I’m sure there are a lot more ideas for cutting crafty costs out there. What’s yours?

Happy Creating!

52 Weeks - Week 5- Flower Fairy Cards

2011-02-06T14:42:00.001+11:00

This week I gave in and sorted through the drawers and boxes of card and scraps of wrapping paper etc stashed in the studio down at the Shop-Front Gallery.

I am by nature a hoarder of anything that may one day be "useful", espescially craft supplies. I am also reluctant to throw away anything that someone has "donated" for my Creative Kids to use....

In amongest the stash of bits of old cards and wrapping paper were a whole stack of Fairy images that were just too pretty to toss or re-stash....

so I set to work with my trusty scalpal (one of my favourite craft impliments - which my family finds a little scary) and cut and sliced my way through a whole box of images, layering sections on top of each other with double sided foam tape and attching them to folded card.

I even managed to find a pile of envolopes of the right size amongest my stash.

I must admit that I went just a little nuts, slicing and sticking a few dozen of these cards together. But at least there is now one less box of "stuff" floating around the studio.

I've popped a few up in my ArtFire Studio for sale and the rest are available through the Shop-Front Gallery here in Chiltern.

52 Weeks- Week 4- Great Aunt Bea's Great Dishcloth Project

2011-02-01T00:27:00.001+11:00

I have actually achieved quite a number of things this week, and even spent two days camping with my family, so am feeling quite empowered.

My main accomplishment this week was inspired by Maggie Weldon. I am a huge fan of her site and follow her on Facebook. Recently she started a "Dishcloth a Day" project. She has been creating, collecting and posting patterns for crocheted dishcloths in all shapes and sizes... I haven't actually crocheted any of her patterns yet, but they're on my "2 do" list.

I started the big de-stash project a few weeks ago around my home (part of my promise to myself to be more organised this year....) and finally opened the pink cupboard in the entrance way.... and found.... a whole bag of lovely soft cotton that I'd brought on sale some time ago with plans to produce... well something multicoloured obviously.... there was one ball of this colour and two balls of that colour....

Being too lazy to go through the mess I had made "destashing" my work basket to find my container of reasonably sized crochet hooks (I've been working with fine cottons lately so had lots on hand that were way too small), I grabbed a pair of 4.5mm needles and made some dishcloths, from the simplest pattern ever invented... cast on and work two rows of one colour, two rows of another, carrying your colours up one side until you have a square, or there-abouts, cast off and leave a long tail to make a hanging loop when you're done.

I whipped up several of these before moving onto the next simplest pattern....

This one is not mine, and I cannot remember exactly where it came from, but it was handwritten on a scrap of yellowed paper possibly in Great Aunt Bea's handwritting...

or maybe Aunty Ruby's or Olive's, but not Aunty Minnie's because we used to write to each other once a month when I was about ten or so, and her writting was very scratchy, this was quite loopy and smooth

Anyways... whomever wrote it, I am sure it is very old and will reproduce it here with my own spin on it...the original was written for quite fine thread and small gauge needles, I needed something a little quicker and larger for my lovely soft 8ply cottons...

Two 50gram balls of 8ply or equivilant cotton will make approximately 3 dishcloths. If you are worried about being a little short of fibre, simple add some stripes. This is a great "stash buster" project

With 4.5mm needles cast on 4 stitches.

Knit one row.

Next and every row: Knit 2 Yarn round needle, knit to end

Continue until you have 43 stitches on your needle.

Next and every row: Knit 1, Knit 2 together, yarn round needle, Knit 2 together, knit to end

Continue until there are only 4 stitches left.

Cast off leaveing a long tail to crochet a chain for hanging if desired.

Weave in any loose threads and you are done.

These are great as they won't scratch glass or benchtops or even your non-stick cookware.

They're washable, reusable and even soft enough to use as face cloths.

An added bonus is that when they eventually wear away and become too holey to scrub your dishes, they are cotton, and thus completely bio-degradable and can go straight into your compost bin or garden...

I have already completed a dozen of these this week, and am slowly working my way through my bag of lovely cotton. I'm hoping next week to find time to add some of Maggies lovely crocheted versions to this pile.

52 Weeks - Week 3 - Happy Valentines

2011-01-23T16:40:00.002+11:00

Went a little overboard this week. Last year I promised that I wouldn't miss Valentine's in the Shop-Front Gallery, so instead of painting this week I've been making pretty hearts out of everything I can get my hands on....

of course there had to be knitting or crochet in there somewhere.....

I made this heart garland to string across the gallery window from a pattern I found on Skip to my Lou

one of my favourite crafty places on the net.

Next I went nuts with pretty paper, cutting out hearts of different sizes and sticking them everywhere...

The picture above is the pattern for the actual hearts I made, feel free to right click and save to your computer to print out on A4 paper and use as a template to make your own.

I also stitched some hearts cut from felt onto a piece of ribbon and added a glass bead to the bottom to hang in the shop-front window. I even added lace to some. I love stitching with felt, it's so easy to use and doesn't slip around everywhere like some fibres, so you don't really need pins. One less thing for a clutz like me to stick themselves with....

These would also make pretty hairclip holders ... just snap or slide your clips over the ribbon to keep them together and stop them disappearing in the bottom of the bathroom drawer...

Here's some of my crochet hearts hanging across the gallery window.

Valentine's Day is nowhere as big a deal here in Australia as it is in some other countries, but I do think it's a lovely idea, having a day to let those special people in your life how much you appreciate them (even though we really SHOULD do this everyday) and it really doesn't have to be about spending heaps of money on gifts...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S.

52 Weeks - Week 2 - My Sketchbook Project Submission

2011-01-15T17:53:00.000+11:00

I don't know about you, but I'm a real "gonnah" at times.... I'm gonnah do this or I'm gonnah finish that....

One of my biggest gonnah's over the past few years has been to participate more outside of my own little arts and crafts community... Nothing huge, just an entry into an exhibition, or to look at some artist sites and blogs and send compliments when I see something I like, or help someone out with ideas or advice when they're stuck. I regularly collect information and entry forms (either on paper or via email etc) to participate in exhibitions and art competitions all over the world.

At the time I collect them, I actually have every intention of participating, sometimes I even have an amazing, mindblowing idea of what I intend to send in/do/create/say...

and then well.....

I was gonnah.....

The first item on my list of gonnah's for this year was the Sketchbook Project . I actually signed up late last year and recieved my sketchbook a few days before Christmas.... it sat neglected on my desk until this week. I had a million "totally brilliant" (well mildly interesting at least) ideas for what to put in it, but seemed to lack the courage to just mess up that first page.....

Once I did though, I was off....

The theme I had been given for my sketchbook was "Mystery Maps", I could do anything I wanted ... just so long as the outside dimensions of the sketchbook remained the same.... I found myself sticking things in, tearing things out and scribbling a whole story about a character called Miss Kaliope Carter of Carter's Clothing Company who has an obsession with handknitted knickers..... The last five pages have handwritten recipes for knitting your own pair of undies and are removeable, so you can tear one out and take it home. I also added some other patterns inside the back cover in case someone would like to knit their own, but all the patterns have been removed.

Tour Dates for the Sketchbook Project are available here if you live in the US and would like to see what all the participating artists came up with.

52 Weeks - Week 1 - Vintage style knitted shrug

2011-01-07T18:42:00.001+11:00

OK. So the challange was to complete one project per week for the next year, Ufo's (or unfinished objects) allowed. Here's the first, I muddled around with the idea for this months ago after seeing some 1950's images of ladies in ballgowns. I can't find where I originally saw the images, but I had already started and made some scribbly pencil notes in my scribbly book.. As a bonus, for those of you who knit, I'm even going to share the pattern with you all ... A little vintage style shrug

(sometimes known as a hug-me-tight)

For those who don't know a shrug is a sort of little wrap with sleeves, like a bolero, but smaller. Just the thing for chilly Indian summer evenings when the cool breeze starts a blowin'..... Knitted in soft 8ply/DK acrylic (I prefer pure wool myself, but my kids think its itchy) this is a VERY simple pattern, suitable for beginners as it only uses knit, purl, cast on and bind off and there is only a little sewing up. This pattern is written for a small to medium women's size, but is easily adjustable.

Materials

150 grams 8ply/Dk/Light worsted wool (or equivalent)

1 pair 3.25mm/ UK10/US3 needles

1 pair 6mm/UK4/US10 needles

Pattern

With smaller needles cast on 76 sts

Row 1: Knit one Purl one to end

Row 2: Purl one Knit one to end

Continue in pattern for 6cm/2.5inches

Change to larger needles continuing in pattern until 72cm/ 28 inches from beginning. You can adjust your length here if you need a smaller or wider shrug.

Change back to smaller needles and continue in pattern for another 6cm/ 2.5 inches.

Bind off .

To make up simply fold in half length ways and sew the cuffs (parts knitted with the smaller needles) using a flat seam or whip stitch. Make sure you sew your ends in well.

Feel Free to make as many of these as you like.

You can even sell them if you're so inclined.

Share the pattern with your friends even, all I ask is that you link back here when you do.

Happy knitting!

Resale Rights for Australian Artists

2010-09-07T19:26:00.000+10:00

I originally posted this on my website "news" page, but thought that it might fit here.
This is Great News for Australian Artists and their beneficiaries!

The resale royalty scheme entitles artists and their beneficiaries to a 5% royalty on certain resales of their works.

The Australian government has appointed Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) to manage the scheme. CAL is a non-profit company that has been managing rights for authors, artists, publishers and others for more than 20 years.

About the artists resale royalty scheme

Key features of the scheme:

-it applies to resales of existing as well as new works;

-it applies to a range of original artworks, included -limited edition prints authorised by the artist;

-it does not apply to a private sale from one individual to another;

-a royalty is not payable on the first change of hands after 9 June, but all resales must be reported;

-a royalty is not payable on resales for under $1,000;

-the scheme will be extended to artworks from countries that have similar schemes.

To participate in the resale royalty scheme and be able to receive royalties, artists (or their beneficiaries) also need to register. Registration for artists or beneficiaries is important, because it ensures CAL can contact you to advise when a resale of your work entitles you to receive a royalty.

You can register here

Making Time and Space for Art

2010-09-05T23:07:00.000+10:00

”Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” -- Picasso.

Since 2005, I have been a full-time professional artist, whilst living with the love of my life and raising four children.

One of the questions that I frequently hear is: "How do you make time for Art?"

When I first decided that I wasn't happy in my (accidently) chosen career of hospitality and that I was going to pursue my artistic desires as more than merely a hobby, I did not have a studio and my partner was working outside the home. My two youngest children were still quit small, so I had to cope with many distractions and interruptions while I worked. I have (to some degree) learnt to multitask while maintaining focus on my artwork and business. I have also learnt to prioritize.

How can you find more time for art?

Here's my advice:

Lower Your Standards

No, not for your artwork... but there are a lot of other things in life that I was spending far too much time on.

Cooking, cleaning and childcare are necessities as a mother, but they do take up ALL of your time.

By lowering my standards and expectations, I have found hours more each day todevote to my art and my business.

It isn't that I don't do housework or look after my family, but I have learnt to be more effective at it and do what is necessary and needed. Not what others expect that I should do (including myself)

I have become accoustomed to living in a somewhat messy house, I spend one day a month making BULK amounts of spagetti sauce, stews and the like to freeze for microwaveable lunches and dinners.

I have also trained my older children to do their own washing (it took a few weeks of no clean socks or underwear, but they eventually gave in and learned how to use the washing machine). I have even taught my partner how to reheat my homemade frozen dinners. Remember that ironed underwear and polished floors are soon forgotten, but a fine work of art could last almost for eternity.

Establish a Workspace

It doesn't really matter where it is.

I now have a lovely studio room at the back of my shop-front gallery, with a big window for natural light and an open fireplace for cold winter days, but I started off with a small corner of my bedroom and then my dining table.

In late 2005 I graduated to a corner of the shed, then a small garden shed of my own with a workbench and old cupboards for storage. It doesn't matter where your space is, the key is to establish one. All you need is a spot where you can leave your tools and equiptment, no matter how small.

A french easel packed with supplies, a backpack with drawing gear. The key is to keep it handy, so you can set up and pack up with ease, no matter where you choose to work.

Follow a Schedule.

Set aside time for your art each day.

Let everyone know that you are working! If you can't find the inspiration or bring yourself to draw or paint, use the time to photograph artwork, prepare your slides, contact galleries, read art books or order supplies. Begin with just an hour a day. Once you get started you will find more time, believe me.

Learn to Say NO!

This can be a hard one, especially for mothers. Sometimes people assume that because you're an artist that you don't really work, which means that you are available for socializing and volunteer service. It's REALLY IMPORTANT to limit social phone calls, emails, Facebook and visits during "work" hours.

I have learned to say "NO!" to a lot of community organisations and events that just do not fit in with my schedule or are not relivant to my skills. I still co-ordinate the local community art show and write publicity articles for the local tourism association, but otherwise I decline the invitation to become "involved" in every charity event or social group I am asked to join. I am simply to busy with work and family.

Choose those few things that you are really passionate about, or can complete when it suits your schedule and politely say no to everything else. It's incredibly hard at first, but the more you say, "sorry I'd love to, but I'm working", the sooner others will respect that you are actually "working" .

Seek Advice and Training

Formal or informal, any artistic and business eductaion is beneficial to your art career. Seek out local arts organisations, business guidence centres, or even search the internet. Talk to other artists or research artists in your area that you admire and see if they teach workshops. Spending weeks or months drawing or painting will not guarentee success, only skill and understanding can achieve that. It also shows you how to work swiftly and economically. This in the end results in better art and use of your time.

Obstacles to creating art are different for every individual, but the fact remains that every one of us only has 24 hours in a day. By prioritizing and organising your days, you will make time for your art. If you truly dream of becoming a "real" artist, now is the time to begin!

MeaghanArt

2010-07-28T20:45:00.000+10:00

MeaghanArt

In the merry merry Month of May

2010-05-08T00:20:00.001+10:00

This month is proving to be extremely busy already.

I've been asked by a friend to illustrate a series of children's books that she has written. Drawings are still in the preliminary stages, and like everything we sort of need them done "yesterday". Nothing like a little pressure to get things moving, hey.

Plans for the annual Chiltern Visual Art Exhibition (June 11-June 15) are well underway, I'm still running around chasing sponsorship and donations, but all seemed to be on track until I was told that the art stands that we had booked to use to display the 300 or so expected entries had been double booked and that they had to honour the first booking, which unfortuneately wasn't us (by a mere day or so). So now I must find "stand-in" stands sometime in the next few weeks, or we will be viewing art on the floor.

The weather here in Indigo Shire has begun to turn frosty as winter appraoches. I lit the fire in the back-room studio for the first time the other day. I was toasty warm, the house-spiders and daddy-long-legs that were inhabiting my chimney, however were mightily unimpressed and vacated to more habitable spaces. Unfortuneately, these all seem to be in the shop-front gallery, so I spent most of one afternoon relocating them to the garden.

When it's cold outside, I like to sit by the fire and knit or spin or draw. But most of all I like to surround myself with warm, colourful things, so when graphic artist Richard Theil approached me the other day with his nude sillohutes on their vibrant backgrounds, I was more than happy to put them up on display...

We've had some lovely comments on them so far from visitors this afternoon and I expect that they will sell rather well for Richard as they are decorative, reasonably priced and well finished works.

The Sock Knitter

2010-05-06T00:10:00.000+10:00

One of my favourite paintings is by Grace Cossington-Smith and is called "The Sock Knitter".

I used to knit socks, and recently found a half-finished pair amongest my wool stash in the bottom of my craft chest. I was meant to be cleaning up and packing ready to move house in a few weeks, instead I sat and finished the half a sock that was left to complete the pair. I felt quite proud of my achievement (even if it was not what I had initially intended to achieve) and decided that rather than giving away all my lovely single and half balls of wool to charity, that I would complete my de-stashing exercise by knitting small items for our market stall and as gifts for friends.

I have since completed two more pairs of socks and am becoming quite inventive (with weird twisted stitch patterns and fuzzy woolen tops etc). Only problem is, like everything I do, I have three or four versions on the go at the same time.

I now have half finished sock projects all over the house and studio, a couple in my day-bag and even a small crochet childrens pair in my handbag... and the box is still not destashed, nor has any packing been done..

.

We're all mad here...

2010-02-15T23:40:00.001+11:00

I finally got my little Mad Hatter finished.

His hat turned out not to be as complicated as I thought, after I'd put him down for a while and looked at it from a few different angles. I'm now in the process of typing up my handwritten scrawl into an easy to follow? pattern. I'm hoping to post it here soon. I'm now playing with Alice and the Queen of Hearts as well.

Back to Work

2010-02-15T09:41:00.000+11:00

Well we had a fabulous time in Melbourne. ACDC went OFF! It was fantastic. We then spent two days wandering the streets of the city (like real tourists - even though the Big Hairy Guy used to live there). We brought tram tickets and spent a good deal of time bouncing on and off trams and trains. The BHG doesn't much appreciate public transport, but I love it! Trams, trains, buses and ferry's... not only do you not have to drive and deal with all the other drivers on the roads, and lets face it even the most intelligent of us can somehow become a complete moron once behind the wheel of a car, but you can DO STUFF. Knit, draw read or just take in the sites around you.

We visited some great little galleries and some quirky off the wall spaces, like: http://www.villainstore.com/Home.html and

http://www.outregallery.com/

We spent Friday night wandering down Southbank where they had stalls and entertainment all day and into the evening for Chinese new year. We started at one end and ate our way to the other, sampling all manner of Asian cuisine.

The whole street was lined with red laterns, it looked fabulous.

We stopped to watch a couple of young fellows play with fire before heading back to the hotel

BHG's little neice Roxy B was turning two on saturday so we stopped off at the Victoria Markets on the way home. We had just intended to have breakfast there and find her a present, four hours and a few hundred dollars later... You can seriously buy just about ANYTHING there and really really cheap.

But now it's back to work as usual and I have a lot of it to do, so I'd best sign out for now......

On the hop.....

2010-02-09T14:02:00.000+11:00

Just a quick update on the hop...
I finally managed to get my knit for Charity's items finished out in the post the other day, I've been so busy preparing for Todos Arte and Carnivale, setting up the new Etsy and MadeIT stores and changing over artwork in the shop-front gallery, that I've let a few things slide by.
I'm looking forward to a few days off starting thursday (my partner and I are heading to Melbourne to the ACDC concert to relive our miss-spent youth and to tour some galleries that have shown an interest stocking some of in my artwork) It will be the first "holiday" we have had in over three years. Soooo excited, but in the meantime....
I usually take Tuesdays off, to do family stuff and organise myself and everyone else here for the week, however today has been spent writing newspaper articles for the Chiltern Tourism Association (I'm their volunteer publicity Officer) and catching up on paperwork for the shop-front gallery as I will be away Thursday to Saturday and then again to work at Todos Arte from the 21st Feb to the 7th of March.
I have however managed to sneak in a few moments of knitting and designing.... my next project is a small doll that is suposed to look like a mad hatter... I'm having a little trouble getting his "hat" the right shape, I promise to post some pics as soon as I get time.

Just a Quick Hello...

2010-01-29T18:47:00.000+11:00

Here's the address for the new store: madeit.com.au/meaghanart
I'm off now to finish some crochet items for the Knit for Charities yahoo group.
I've done the crocheting, but as usual I've left the weaving in of ends etc until the last minute.
If procrastination was a profession, I'm pretty sure I'd be at top executive status by now..LOL.

The new store

2010-01-28T02:03:00.000+11:00

The new "MadeIt" store is now up and running. MadeIt is sort of Australia's version of Etsy. Only Aussie sellers allowed, but anyone can buy. I've been a member for a while now, and finally decided to take the plunge and set up a store front.
I've only listed a few things so far, some of my button rings and hair accessories, but am planning to add quite a bit more now that I seem to have the hang of it. Now I just have to figure out how to place one of those look at my store box thing -a -mes on here.
But before I do, I have a few crochet squares to finish off for my contribution to this months charity. They may have to wait until tomorrow, as it has taken much longer than I anticipated to get my items loaded onto MadeIt.

Ninja Space Bunny

2010-01-17T00:24:00.000+11:00

I have "...decided that Bunnies are cooler than ninjas, but super cool ninja space bunnies are even better. :)"

I wrote this comment on my facebook after a random conversation with some of my friends.

One of them then challanged me to make a Ninja Bunny, and not having enough to do (just a touch of sarcasm there), that's exactly what I did.

Now if I can only duplicate him and get the pattern right and written down....

He even has his own two little Ninja swords strapped to his back...