I'd better stick to the needle arts and crafts

I tried to be as clever as Bakerella. I am not. Nope, definitely not!

Check out her Cake Pops if you haven't seen her before. They are gorgeous. I thought "How hard can it be?". Well, to put it simply, it's very hard! Making cake & melting chocolate isn't hard. But combining the 2 & trying to get them on sticks, & to stay on the sticks as well, is a whole other matter. I have tried a couple of times. I didn't give up after just one go. No I thought about it & tried a couple of things differently this time. I did get the chocolate runny enough finally. After burning some too! lol Live & learn. If I could just get a simple round cake ball to stay on a stick & have the chocolate runny enough to go on I would be set. Well I did get that, but no it still wasn't working. I can't afford to keep testing this out. Financially or calorie cost! Having to eat leftovers of experiments gets a bit old. We aren't big cake eaters anyway, so it is a waste of time.

As if that wasn't enough I thought I would play around with royal icing too. Again, hard. There are some books out there with very artistic cookies in them. I will leave it to the experts & just make plain ones for at home. Less messy too!

Lessons learnt. Don't bother. Stick to what you know. Unless you have more patience than I do & some lessons maybe from an expert. I don't need more things to do though so it's all cool!

My Creative Space

I am finally cutting out my pieces for the needleturn applique piece. You can make out some pencil lines on the 3 fabrics so far. Maybe you can. The only thing I must remember when I take scissors in hand is to NOT cut on the lines! You know I will do it once at least I know! lol There is no shortage of fabric though so that isn't an issue. I think it is just automatic if you aren't really concentrating on it though that you will just cut on the line without a thought. I have just about finished stitching on my stalks. So then I can start on these pieces. The stems weren't too bad to stitch on as like I showed the other day, they were folded under already as are bias cuts. When I start on these pieces & have to start trying the turning of the seam allowance it is going to be quite different I think. I imagine it will feel rather clumsy & awkward for a time until I find my stitching groove. I hope to get quite a bit done in the next few days as the calendar is clear. Wow, how did that happen! Doesn't mean I won't be busy of course, but at least it looks like I can do some fun stuff. Oh & blocks too. Need to get cracking on some new sets.

For other interesting spaces today pop over here & have a nosey around at all the talented folk out there that do & huge variety of creative pursuits!

Finally Finished Fish

I finally finished my fish last night. Survivor final helped with that as I was home on time to watch the final & some of the reunion. It didn't take long really but I hadn't had a chance to do any of it for a few days! Now I will have to move on to the applique for a bit.

Last night my friend Karen & I went to a Cuppa Suppa at the local LQS. It was their version of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea. It is held at night there to allow many of the regulars to attend & take advantage of the specials on the night & also enjoy a homemade supper & some fun things like Lucky Door prizes. I won one of those! Woohoo! The cup below & the cup wrap which is handmade of course with appliqued flowers. I love it. I was extra lucky as I got the first prize so I had the choice of the 3 wraps available. One of the ladies that works there made them all. The fabric are from Nancy Halverson & the pattern is also one of hers I believe from one of the Art to Heart books, but I don't have a clue which one. There are a lot of them. I nearly got a Christmas one but must not increase my ideas on things to make right now.

I was looking through the books last night & only bought a small embroidery one like my animals. Plus a street panel for a mini quilt/play mat for BJ. Ok, he doesn't need a play mat but it was a good deal & you need to buy something when it is such a good deal. It will be an easy sew though really. I will probably get one of the new Advent calendars some other time. I don't need one as I made one from there a couple of years ago but the new one is really cute. I'm sure someone I know would like it!

BJ just aged a few years!

It's amazing what difference a hair cut will make! This is the shaggy version! & I don't mean Elmo who is also strapped in the seat. lol

To this new child! Not that he takes the school bus anywhere yet either!

Needleturn Applique has begun

Not much to show yet of course. Just the stalk & a couple of stems. This bit I actually got done at class the other night. We got to cheat with our stems/stalks because they are cut on the bias. That makes them bend better of course. Since we are living in the 2000's we get to use fancy gadgets unlike the ladies of old who didn't have the luxury of items like a bias folder & 5mm fusible webbing! Hooray for gadgets! I am sure the classes are a ploy to make you buy groovy gadgets. Ok, I didn't buy a bias turner yet as they didn't have any left in stock that had the groove in it for the fusible webbing to go in at the same time. But I will. I did get a couple of other bits though. Like a thimble for this project. Umm... so far I haven't used it. Pity cos it really is a nice pretty one. The new silicone thimbles are the bees knees if you ask me. I did get a very cool glue stick though which I will use when I stick petals on. I haven't even traced or cut out the bits yet. I have got a bit more stitched down the stalk now however.

My problem though is that I can't do 2 things at once! Ekkk... it is a bit crazy I know. (some have loads on the go at once!) I have another one of my animal embroideries started. I will have to finish that first before I sit & commit to more time on the needleturn. I just can't leave that sitting half done. Sorry, but I can't. So the fish come first - I started it first so it is first. (& you thought it was the chicken or the egg didn't you? Actually I am saving the chickens until last as they are my favourite!) Only when fish are done, then this class project can continue. We have lots of homework to do before the next class in 2 weeks. Of course it won't matter if it doesn't all get done - It's not school! (fortunately no exams either! Phew)

My Creative Space

Ok, there isn't much to show really, but at least it isn't blocks this week.

This is a pile of bright fabric that I am using tonight in a class I am taking. I am going to learn Needleturn Applique. Why? Because I can!

I have moved away from the usual type of fabrics that people select for such a thing. The ones I have seen so far (at work) have chosen the usual patterned mixed bunch of fabrics. The design is going to be a flower vase with a long wavy stalk & three flowers on it. Lots of petals! Ekkkk.... So I should know what I am doing by the end. So stay tuned for updates on what the fabrics turn into. I think mine will be very unusual compared to most but at the moment brights are my thing.

For more views on Creative spaces check out here...

Owl and the Pussy Cat

I guess these animals are getting as boring to look at as my blocks were. But that is all that is going on right now really. Maybe tomorrow there will be something different!