off they go!

all bundled up and sent off to the U.S of A for this exhibition.
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A small group, but I sewed my fingers off on saturday and almost totally.lost.the.sewing.mojo. And that would be a terrible thing, so I stopped before my eyes rolled backwards in my head and while I could still go outside to feel the sun on my toes.
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There's a few new additions to the gang, but not all of them; I made some more including the 'monster imposter' but wasn't really satisfied with them and thought it better to send off the ones I was happy with. Otherwise I've ended up with one in the book and every time I looked at it I'd be thinking, 'Oh I should have just... and that bit there...'. You'll see the other dudes soon enough! (what's with me today? Dudes? Gang? have I woken up in the 'hood?)
. Mixed Tape

and 'think you're crazy' bunny, Hannibal Lector style.

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It was a bit sad to let them go..

But I'm sure they'll be ok.

Random Recipes

I've been looking around for a scrumptious recipt for amityville boronia's Recipe Monday, and I couldn't make up my mind. So I googled a random recipe, and found this Recipe Generator.

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Click the link and it will make up a recipe, just for you! Fun!

This is what I got..

Red Wine Tart
Serves 1

You will need:
110ml brandy
10ml lemonade
60ml red wine

Preparation:
1. rinse the lemonade
2. eat the red wine
3. rinse the brandy
4. order out

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So I get to drink wine and get takeout? Perfect!

Oh Knitta Please!

Thank you B.. for finding and sharing an AWESOME WEBSITE made by a group of guerilla knitters doing their thang in a sweet way (didn't mean to sound so bling there, but that's how it rolls, brothas. woah. should stop now.)

If you enjoy random knitting installations in unexpected suburbian places all over the world, go roll your eyes over knittaplease.

(While your wandering, go check out B's lovely blog Just Passing By, it's sweet like an icecream in the park.)

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Hope your weekend is going just ace. I'm almost *gasp* sick of sewing as I race to finish the pieces for the exhibition. Thank you for all the lovely comments, emails and support! You rock!

circa 1987

playing 'Too Cute for Words' Friday (sshhh.. pretend it's friday, k?) along with this lovely gal (see her adorable pic at here)

Playing with the neighbours dog, Buster. I loved this dog, we would play for hours, lordy knows what. And look at the size of that backyard! I love that sweater too. Don't love that haircut quite.so.much.

Won't you play along? Post a picture of a little you and leave a comment at handmade love. I'd love to see you!

she doesn't like the cold..

One of the keyrings I picked up at the Craft Show, stitched for a good friend. Let's just say she's more of a 'summer' person.

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(Apologies if I have offended anyone, I swear!)

I used a tiny part of a vintage map for the backing.
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More soon, and I will post the pattern on the sidebar if you would like to make one too.

Do you like it? Do you have any ideas for kitchy/bit rude cross stitch?

Holy Toledo Batman!

I'm in! an actual exhibition, and a book! Remember way back when I thought this was a cool idea?
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I spent last night drawing up creatures to join Melancholy Monster & The Three Bears across the sea. There's a monster impostor, a bunny in a straitjacket, and a sad bird creature with a tail.

The challenge is now:

- in order to get my work to the States by Friday the 3rd July, I need to post on Monday.That leaves 2 days to create a collection worthy of my first exhibition (oh and in between completing a weeks worth of Uni work)

- Oh and MY SEWING MACHINE JUST DIED last night. It just.won't.go.

Which brings me to the part where I say Holy Toledo Batman! How will I get this done?
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(You can see more about the exhibition here, and here, and here! You can also see some of the entries and works in this Flickr Pool. All the work looks really great!
Also some blog friends are on the exhibitors list, like Melissa from art=love=life who makes amazing creatures)

feeling blue

artist Li Xiaofeng

from bitsnpieces


photographer Roman Signer

I've been tagged, twice!

Hannah at Seeds and Stitches tagged me to answer some questions; I didn’t answer them all because there were so many! Visit her blog to see the full list, and see the end of the post to see if you’ve been tagged too!
Cath from ChunkyChooky tagged me too, as a Creative Blooger (thanks Cath!) to share 8 things about me that you might find interesting, hopefully I will cover 8 interesting things in the questions below!

What is your current obsession?

stitchin' stitchin' stitchin', you'll see why soon!

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Coffee or tea?
Tea tea tea!

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What’s for dinner?
um I've been very busy so I had egg & tofu sandwich. It was what's in the fridge.

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What was the last thing you bought?
3 guages of wire for having another go at wire sculputres and using wire in plushies

(isn't this deer AWESOME?)

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What are you listening to right now?

Sounds of the office waking up around me (sneaky posting) and Bon Iver. Mmmm.

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What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Peanut Butter gelato. With chocolate next door. And boysenberry. Maybe caramel butterscotch? Oh and macadamia. I like icecream, k?

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What is your favorite colour?
green. bet you knew that.
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What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
I want to say ugboots... (Can I have a 'yeah!' from this girl?)
But I'm sure it's not...

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What is your dream job?
Right now? I'd like to run a craft store and studio. I bet you knew that too.


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How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up?
Um only once usually. I have the alarm strategically placed on the OTHER side of the room.

(image credit)

I tag:
The Little Passenger
Through Lemongrass Eyes
Curious Me
..my life, nothing more, nothing less...
Playing Grown Up

You are not in any way obliged to answer, but I picked you 'cause I think you're swell and would like to know more about you!

note to self..

from kind over matter

Rhubarb, Apple & Berry Crumble

Recipe Monday with amityvilleboronia. Yum! I made this last weekend for my friend/official photographer/housemate who has just left on a three month overseas trip. (Expect the quality of photos here to sharply decline until she returns. Oh dear.)


Filling:
Rhuburb
Apple
Berries
Raw Sugar
Cinnamon
Bit of Fruit Juice

Chop up the fruit and pop in a casserole dish with other ingredients. Put the dish in a preheated oven to start cooking while you make the crumble.

Crumble:
Flour
Oats
Butter
Sugar
mix together to the consistency of breadcrumbs, then sprinkle into the casserole dish. Cook until golden brown on top.

Serve it with:
Cream Cheese
Natural Yogurt
Honey
mix together.

Double Yum!

week in pictures

I am sorry I have been away, I have missed you.

I have had one.of.those.weeks. One of those ones when you’re not.quite.sure. what you’re doing here. When you walk into rooms and then frown and walk out again. When you just.can’t.be.bothered. Hmm..

I think everyone has days like this, even a week like me. I know it will pass. Here is my week in pictures, like this lovely lass does every Friday.

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Abandoned whitegoods look lonely

.Toy phones are cute even if they are a bit wonky

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Someone in this house plays cello. I walk under the blue shutters and hope one day I can make mistakes that good.

. Yum cha is yummy

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I like finding love hearts, so do these people, and these guys too.

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Wandering my downtown at night

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I hope your week has been just swell, and I'm looking forward to catching up on your blogs and seeing what you've been up to!

sweet rose

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This is for Pip’s words and pictures, for her themes ‘Sweet’ and ‘Rose’. Is that cheating? I hope not. I do know that I would like this very very much. Any man that combines flowers and chocolates is ok in my book.

Knitting in the Library

1 July 2009 – 31 July 2009
Free event, During opening hours at Customs House, Newtown, Glebe, Ultimo, Haymarket, Surry Hills Libraries

The Library will provide you with wool and a comfy place to knit during Library opening hours. Bring your friends and your own knitting needles or crochet hook and you may even meet some new like-minded people.

You will need to knit squares 25cm x 25cm using 8 ply yarn and size 8 (4mm) needles (approximately 50-55 stitches).
Squares made at home to these specifications can also be donated.

All welcome.

Information about Wrap with Love can be found online at:
www.artsandcraftsnsw.com.au/Wrap

drumroll please

I wrote all the names on paper from an old book and popped them in this teapot to draw the winners of the monster giveaway.

My housemate did the honours and...

drumroll please... the monsters are off to their new homes with

Jayne from The Little Passenger

and Bek from RedChocolate

Please email your address to me at pepperstitches(at)yahoo(dot)com and I'll get the monsters to you pronto!

glorious and lovely

I just discovered some tumbler blogs, and I like them very much. They're full of lovely photos (and made me realise just how often I use the word 'lovely'. A lot. I think I need a new word that is just as lovely.) Here are three of my favourite tumbler blogs that I just spent half of Sunday morning drifting through, looking at pretty pictures and reading sweet quotes.

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whimsicalities

“ She loves life, loves it hopelessly, at least at certain moments. ”

The Hours by Michael Cunningham.

oneshouldreadeverything

i can read

(any suggestions for new lovely words to expand my vocabulary?)

craft show

I went to the Sydney craft show yesterday, I wandered around for hours as happy as a pig in mud. I browsed, and admired, and dreamed, and spent a wee bit more money than I meant to. But look at the sweet things I bought.

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Gorgeous japanese prints on linen

You can't have too many buttons

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Look how lovely and organized my thread is now with my new wire holder!

I also have some assorted ribbon, fabric samples, more thread (not shown, oops!) and other bits and pieces.

I love shows, so much information, so many things, so many like-minded people going 'ooh' and 'aaah' in the same space. I like that you can turn to the person next to you and strike up a conversation about a technique or idea. I like seeing amazing work and learning new things and being inspired so much that I've made a hundred projects in my head. (Thinking of it, they're all things that a good shop can do too. I'd like my craft store to feel like that.) I'm looking forward to next year already.

pay it forward

(image credit)

I have seen this little nicety doing the rounds for a little while, and now have the opportunity to join in. I found Beks lovely blog when she left a comment for the monsters giveaway and was quite besotted by her arguably the cutest.banner.photo.ever. also incredibly cute kidlets. and crochet..
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Here's what happens:
~I will make a handmade gift for the first 3 interested people who comment on this post.~I have 365 days to do it in…~What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise!
The catch is that you must participate as well:
~you must have a blog~and before you leave your comment here, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going.

Just cut and paste this one if you like, which I did!

brilliant bookcases

Ooh these are my favourites. See more here at incredible things. Or just look at incredible things, its full of, um, things that are pretty cool.

opus shelving

annotation bookshelf

cave bookstore

A-Z meme

another meme from the lovely Pip at Meet me at Mikes. Gee whiz that lady is excellent.

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It works like this; one by one, type each letter of the alphabet in the URL Line* of your Browser. Your most visited sites beginning with this letter - or using this letter within their address - will show in the little pop-up box below the URL Line. Take the top site - or the next one if you have privacy/security issues with the first - and add it to your A to Z list.

It gives a snapshot of your browsing habits, and if you'd like to do it too be sure to visit Pip's blog and let her know! Well here we go:


A: Abbeys Bookshop
B: Amy at Badskirt
C: Cardboard Love (this is CUTE, check it out!)
D: Daily horoscope. I know. I almost cheated and put the second choice here, but there you go (and I only believe the good stuff)
E: etsy of course
F: facebook
G: google
H: handmade love, a lovely blog I found just today
I: icanhascheezburger, funny pictures of cats. it makes me laugh.
J: Julie Morstad, beautiful illustrations
K: kind over matter
L: Lark handmade and ethical gifts and goodness
M: mammajoy my lovely big sis
N: noveltyknees
O: oasis student login. The hub of my uni life (apart from the pub)
P: pepperstitches! little ol' me!
Q: quiltsmith a fabric store near my place
R: random monkey design
S: seedsandstitches
T: taste for when I can't decide what to cook
U: unibooks. for textbooks. bit boring. move along
V: valore books more textbooks. nothing to see here.
W: whereis. for when I wonder where it is
X: nothing! nada. has anyone got something for x?
Y: youtube
Z: zoominfo. me? netstalk? never...


There you go, mostly what I expected. Blogs, books, uni, craft and design, references. Why don't you try it? (and let me know so I can come and have a look!)

hurrah!

for melancholy monster!

He's finished. And huge. I'm going to send the photos off now, wish me luck! (If you're just reading now, he's inspired by this project).

His tattoos turned out simple, but okay for my first go I think. I liked embroidering on felt and the heart with wings I found to be much more textured and interesting on the wrong side, so that's the way I sewed it. Yep. I was thinking of adding a nose, or eyebrows, but decided I liked his blank look. Kinda fits with the melancholiness. (I knitted that scarf so quick I got weird pains in my thumb. Has anyone else had random crafting injuries?)

Plus I used old pants for his bottom, so now he has a cute bum, look..

And hey! Don't forget these guys! If you haven't already entered, leave a comment on the original post and I'll be drawing two peeps out of a hat this weekend.

They can't wait to meet you!