More working on the cabinet....

Such a project... who knew it would be such as epic task... well I did:) Here is the latest pics of the apothcary cabinet we have been working on:)

At this point I have a feeling it isn't going to be finished before I go back to work in a week... hmmm I guess that's ok right? right? :)

The top holes are open, the bottom ones are drawers and cupboards:) Tomorrow I will be patching up all the holes and making everything nice and smooth for the first primer coat:) Yay it should look super nice:)

This weeks projects... been a busy lady!

This week has been a SUPER busy week!
I have been working hard up up to my sisters birthday because as a crazy lady I decided to make this....

(image from here)

From the So You Think You're Crafty blog tutorials, here is the linky link to part 1, from there you can get to part 2 to make your own knotty delight:)  This was the winning entry from season 5 by KoJo designs:)  Pretty awesome huh??

This one is the one I made for my sister:) As you might notice the squares are smaller, also my bed is smaller... yes that's my queen sized wearing king sized clothes...  It would look different on my sisters bed:) Also although I enjoy this colour I think I would enjoy a gunmetal grey or latte colour... I was somewhat limited by the amount of fabric on the rolls at my favourite fabric store!  So limited that there wasn't enough to make 56 large squares as instructed in the tutorial... I ended up making smaller ones... 80 smaller ones to be exact! That made it the right size:)

Here's a close up:) It was a bit time consuming, lucky my friend Chelsea helped me handsew some squares on a beach day:)  The sewing together 80 squares took me nearly 2 days and attaching it to the backing and wadding by hand took a day too... I had to deviate a bit because my new sewing machine needed some service man love and my old one couldn't love a whole king size item!

I also received a custom order for a kindle cover for my sister - but not gifted by me! Hehe:) My sister requested any fabric I thought would be good, but she did enjoy birds! Hmmm well that's a big decision... I have a good stash of fabrics! So I chose my new favourite velveteen by Anna Maria Horner from her Innocent Crush collection. It's soooo soft and nice and lovely to sew with!

So I had to add some birds on the inside:) I can't remember who made this one... but I love it!

I have to include some super cute photos of my sisters lovely babies:) We had soooo many cuddles, a trip to the park and the boy didn't spew on me today! So that was a bonus!:) 



So today we got on with making the apothecary cabinet... more pics to come for that one! I must reccommend the jersey quilt tutorial! It was so well written and quite simple! It did seem a bit weird as I was making it, but afterwards I seriously considered making my own! Unfortunately my furbaby is obsessed with smoothing and so that quilt would do her poor bunny brain in! I hope you can give it a try!

What else is going on at the ghetto??

Well yes... you might ask this question... surely in the 6.5 weeks on holidays you are not just making your sister a birthday present! Especially when you have such a helpful bunny assistant.
No. The task today involved no bunnies.
But it is mainly due to a certain cord eating bunny that this project had to be pursued. Also a certain husband who believes that you can attach anything to the tv and leave it hanging out all over the place...

A new tv unit was in order! Bunny proof! Sufficient for all the TV things! Cord hiding! Pretty! Here is the plans... http://ana-white.com/2010/04/furniture-plans-apothecary-cabinet-console-part-1.html

We are going to go for a distressed look in neutral tones:) Kind of more like this picture...

So we started with a trip to bunnings and a particularly horrid drive home in the car with a full sheet of MDF because that bunnings doesn't cut MDF.... also must say terrible recommendation on particle board... Bunnings man you were wrong. Particle board is a terrible idea when the ends aren't capped... Use MDF or plywood!
But all the same we will sort it out with a thick primer or something!!

Here are a our materials for part 1 of the plans -

Didn't use all that much stuff... I was surprised...  Next part of the plan only requires the ingredients for the drawers so almost a bargain!:)

This is the bits all cut up for the framework of the cabinet... not tooooo many bits... I'm pretty bad at cutting so if there are too many bits things can go very very wrong...

It was definately a two preson task without the appropriate workbench and clamps... but its nice to build with someone else anyway... as you can see... Alex was very "excited" about building with me... its not really his thing... at all... but when a lady needs building help!! Especially when he realised we would be customising it for easy cord access (for humans not bunnies) he was there!!

This is the first sticking everything together step... the frame now has a top and one side... the drill ran out of batteries so we had to stop for the day... Alex was somewhat concerned about the stability of the framework when combined with the giant tv and all his special items inside... but I believe it will be ok... We will have to investigate later:) When it has two legs...

I can't lie. I am super excited about it.  I am imagining it finished right now. yes. nice. :)

I've been working on a few things....

Including a super cool present for my sister... Which Suki is super helpful with....

A Creative Odyssey:)

Image from here :)

Today I am participating in the Creative Odyssey blog hop run by the lovely Jess Van Den:)  Today is day 9 of the blog hop and my turn to share my creative odyssey for 2011. You can catch up on the line up here or check out the other participant from today quiet paws:)

This year I followed the advice of the image above by Leah Rosenberg:) I embraced my inner granny. I practised my crochet. I painted my floor boards white. I learnt a little more about myself and the fact that I can just enjoy what I am doing without worrying about what other people think of my granny activities:)

My creative odyssey for 2011 stems from my need to streamline:) Next year I plan to creatively streamline my craft room so I can use the space more effectively! My odyssey involves using my lovely fabric stash and all the lovely bits and pieces I have stored all over house!:) At the end of this week I start 6 weeks of holidays and I can't wait to start my mission:) I want to use what I have rather than buy new fabrics for every new task. I want to make sure I am using up all my scraps and not wasting anything!

I plan to make lots of beautiful things for my family, friends and my etsy store:) Right now I have so many ideas and just no time to make them all! So next year I want to make the time and the space (in my craftroom, not on the couch) to take advantage of the opportunities I have to create beautiful things.

I also want to build things! Especially this....

Image from here:)



I love building furniture and this is my creative making goal for the year:)

I hope you have enjoyed hearing a few of my creative odyssey ideas for 2011, make sure you check in with the other bloggers following the Creative Odyssey blog hop:)

How to grow yourself a new collection:)

Sometimes things are looking a little shabby in the old succulent department... These little bubbies haven't really been well loved in sometime... sitting under the eaves with no water and a lot of sun... mistake! They have become a little misformed and somewhat crispy!

So this is the perfect occasion to do some succulent maintainence... Now I must tell you, this is the way I've been doing this for nearly 2 years, so it may not be the most effective way but it is my way...

So first you need the things above -

- Succulent and cacti potting mix (this gives the best result... although i have used normal potting mix and at one point even straight compost...)

- Somewhat overgrown succulents

-Scissors

- Seed raising tray (Not always essential I guess... but I think it helps the process a bit)

The seed raising tray below is one of mine... it is a bunnings one... my friend got similar at aldi for 1/3 of the price so if you see them there snap up a couple! I have another one but it's just not as pretty... also from bunnings..

First step is to fill the little holes with the potting mix, usually nearly all the way up to the top!

Then find some weird looking succulents that need some maintainence...

This first one is not so weird, it just has some extra babies hanging off its side... Perfect! 

This next one went weird and long... trim that back... will see what happens there... haven't ever cut the main stem off before.. usually I would take that extra little bubby one out of the middle...

This one also had long bits... and a flower coming! But the flower needs to be removed if the succulent is going to grow more successfully this season! Also I did some pruning...

  

Found this little selection on the footpath after someone tore it off a bush.

Next step is to snip off the babies and pruning bits so there is a little bit to stick in the dirt:) Luckily these ones have little roots as well.  They could have probably just have gone straight in a pot with the root system, but they are very tiny for a pot!

(At this point better homes and gardens man would have left them in the sun to form a callous on the cut so they don't rot.. but i have never done this.. not sure how much more successful it would be..)

Then just pop them in the dirt!

Then after maintaining a couple of plants you will end up with a little tray of loveliness like this:) I have two trays of lovelies right now! And in about 6 weeks they will be ready for planting in pots or you could pop them in the garden... or whatever!:)



Goodluck with your future succulent garden collection!

We've been feeling a litttttle under the weather....

I have been absent from my blog... my sister reminded me... apparently she is no longer interested in my paint work lesson?

May be these will explain something? Our little Suki-La has been a little under the weather! She went to the special bunny vet and they were very very excellent! But unfortunately the antibiotics she was given didn't agree with her and she stopped eating or drinking:( Resulting in a number of vet visits, a cage to go in when in the car, force feeding every two hours and a day in bunny hospital!

Poor bunny! No wonder she felt like this ....

And then just as she was starting to feel a little more like this.....



She had to go back to the vet again to sort out her first issue! The sneezing! So she had to have her tear ducts flushed with antibiotics.... it made her very unhappy:(

Although now just to ease all your minds, the lovely Suki-La is feeling much better and is fine with getting cold antibiotic drops in her eyes twice a day, especially when broccoli follows! She is also enjoying her new delicious green diet:)

Super cute.

Suki sends her love and kisses:)