*crickets*

Well hello blog. Long time no see. Remember me? Here's a photo in case you've forgotten.

Yes I know. It's been worse than silent here.  *crickets *  I’m surprised I have remembered the password let alone how to write a blog post. You’ve been long neglected dear blog. I don’t expect you to forgive me but it would be great if you could take the time to at least listen to my excuses.
 

I got a full time job! Hooray! I’m working in a library surrounded by books which is just perfect and I also get to do crazy craft with kids...like this....ninjas and rocket jet pack!

AND sing silly songs  AND yes! I even get paid for it. I know. It’s hard to believe.  I love it.

Here's me on my first day smiling my face in half. I wore my 'specially bought Our Lady of Guadalupe frock.

Starting a job after being home with kids for over 9 years has been *ahem* challenging. And I will write more about that...later.

To add to my new roller coaster life there has been the school fete. In the past I have made things for the Made in Merri craft stall and the enviro stall and shown off my creations here for you all. This year I made a little...

button necklaces...

 pom pom hair bands and clips...

crochet card boxes and bowls...

 

 

 

but I was also one of the dynamic duo of gals who coordinated the WHOLE SHEBANG!It was huge! An organisational (nightmare) feat!  (stay tuned for the sitcom "Fete Mums") But it all came together and we made $70,000 for the school. A great achievement and I was so glad to put in the hard work and be involved.

And just because I wasn’t quite busy enough I also formed a band to play at the fete. We’re called Best Western and we did a short sharp set of Country duets.

So yes blog. I’ve been busy! But I’ll try and swing by and tickle your fancies when I can!

Craft Free Christmas?

Remember when this was a craft blog? Oh Christmas used to be the time for my fingers to get calloused from stitching and  my nails inadvertantly polished with glue. 

But you know something? I'm having myself a craft free Christmas.
I can't be tempted by all you devil crafts people! I won't look at 30 great last minute DIY gifts and you won't catch me clicking on the link to 24 great wrapping ideas by Martha Stewart OR the 52 Christmas decorations to make from a discarded cork.

The craft giver in me has gone on holiday. In the Bahamas. Sorry.

But the good news is I won't be making any of the following tin foil centre pieces. No really. I can't be tempted!
Not even by the shiny snowman....

 nor the groovin' alien angel.....

 Or the incongrous kitten cookie holders.

Yes I'll admit the demonic elf pyjama bag is tempting. And just in case it has taken possession of your craft soul here are the instructions!

And if you want to remember the good old crafty Christmases of yore or get some ideas then click on this link and you'll see that I've crafted myself into a Christmas collapse on rather too many occasions!

Doppelganger take 2!

More love bundles have arrived from across the Nullarbor Plain. Kylie has sent me another parcel (what would I do without you Kylie?) and look what it was! 

She saw this in an op shop and thought of me a) because it looked a bit like me (thanks Kylie - if only I had smooth transculecnt face that doubled as a useful container rather than a receptical for this rather frenetic brain of mine!) and 

b) because she though I could make some for our environment stall at the school fete!

And she's on the money there - It ticks all the boxes. Recycled and fun and lovely! I have lots of scraps of fabric perfect for the head scarf and oodles of ric rac to make more of these dolly faced containers. 

I just love her! And I know she is supposed to be a container for hair rollers and pins but I couldn't resist accessorising with her and carrying her as my better smoother doppleleganger hand bag! It's fun to walk along swinging my own head from my wrist. Too much hilarity! I could wear my doppelganger earrings at the same time and become so self referential I almost cease to exist!

Can't thank you enough Kylie. Blogger friends are the best (should I put that on a t-shirt? Actually I always wanted a t -shirt that said: I blog therefore I am....not that I really wear t-shirts...ever...but still... if I did....)

A Poncho for all Seasons!

I declare that 2015 has been my year of the poncho.

With the seasons changing and finally a glimmer of sunshine on our horizon I asked myself,

"Julianne, how do you plan to incorporate a poncho into your Summer wardrobe?"

"Well, Julianne," I answered myself, "With a vintage towel beach poncho OF COURSE!" D'uh!"

 Two matching "palm beach" vintage towels at Savers the other day were exactly what I needed. A  pair for $2.99!

Fortunately, I had the trusty "Golden Hands Encyclopedia of Craft" poncho instructions at the ready...

 

The towels were a lot larger than the size in Golden Hands.  I cut some of the length but kept the width so it's a large coverall for the beach. I included the darts too as suggested in the book.

In one crafternoon I made it, finishing it off with some fringing. So simple!
Now...where's the sun?

I've made it and I'm wearing it...

What do you think? Thanks for all the help - you were right. Stripes were the way to go! I ended up putting in the pink because I was worried I wouldn't have enough of the other colours and I like it. It's a heavy, fringy colourful, warm poncho and what was it the pattern said? It has a little touch of Mexico about it.

Flourishing Fringes!

yes...there is quite a bit of fringing in this poncho...yesterday was a day of endings. I finished the poncho with a thick flourish of fringing and I finished the book I was reading ("How to be Both" by Ali Smith)too. Now I have a bit of a combined post-craft-project/post-good-book blues....

Op shop Finds....

With the kids back at school this week the op shops have been singing their siren call. "Come to me Julianne! Come to me!" And I have.

In one shop I found: The Woman's Day Complete Book of Handicrafts. And goodness it is complete. Will share some of it in the coming weeks. The book is from 1974.

An Australiana tray which I just adore. I love kangaroos....

And some super thick wool which I've started knitting....

 

And there's even more but I won't want to make you explode with thrift envy so I will show you more....another day.