Giveaway update

Due to my current computer problems and the upcoming Easter long weekend...

I have extended the closing date of the Giveaway to 5th April 2013. 

All you need to do is click HERE and leave a comment !!

The "Thank You" Giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSING DATED EXTENDED TO 5th APRIL 2013

In March last year, with a fair amount of trepidation and very few computer skills, I started this blog.  Then in June I started Sugarbird's facebook page.  Oh what a journey it has been so far!  

I have learnt a lot and met such wonderful people, who have helped me technically and encouraged me creatively.  This month the facebook page has reached 1,000+ likes and the blog as surpassed 9,000 pageviews.  

So as a thank you to you for your wonderful support and being there as I continue along my path of creativity, I am having my (I believe) biggest and best GIVEAWAY ever!

I will be giving away the 3 Sugarbird products, pictured below

• 1st PRIZE is the Sugarbird T-Shirt from my collection at Redbubble.  Large Girlie Fit (Ladies Size 14)
• 2nd PRIZE is the A4 LoveBird Print
• 3rd PRIZE is the set of two Doodle Bird Cards and matching Tags

The rules are really simple

• All you have to do is leave a comment on this post (preferably a nice one)
• The competition will open tonight (22nd March 2013) and close Friday night (5th April 2013 at 10pm QLD Time)  I will randomly pick the winners and make an announcement on my fb page and this blog, at that time.
• The giveaway is open to anyone anywhere in the world  
• As an added bonus, if we get over 50 comments....I will add a 4th prize to the giveaway, so I would LOVE for you to share this around :)
• Also, if you are one of the winners and you are a follower of this blog, here will be an extra present with your win :) 

Basket case

If you remember my last post here I was saying that I needed to finish one crochet project before starting another one....well, that DID'NT happen.  I have now done 7 granny squares of my jumper, but I just had to have a go at making a crochet basket.  Here is my first one, it needs a bit of tweaking, so I am calling this my prototype.  It was fun to make, so there are bound to be more :)

 I started with 8ply wool and a size 3 hook.  The base is done in double crochet and I just went round and round, with no seams.

 Then I went round and round, to build up the sides, again, no seams or joining rows.

When I was happy with the hight, I finished off and folded the edge over.

I am thinking of doing a bigger one next, and possibly adding a handmade polymer clay button to dress it up :)

Bitten by the bug

Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE drawing, doodling and colouring (and lord knows I have orders waiting to be completed)  But yet again I have been bitten by one of those other craft bugs.  This time it is crocheting.  It is one of my favourites and I always seem to come back to it when the weather starts to turn a bit nippy.  The thought of curling up on the lounge at night and crocheting something that will keep me or mine warm has always been appealing.  This particular bug started with the idea of making granny square slippers.  Trawling through images on the net, I soon discovered that, as with many "older crafts" it has had a resurgence :)  So from the slipper idea I moved onto a granny square jumper.  I bought a brilliant pattern from Sarah London and last night I did 5 squares (15 to go)  

BUT today I discovered crochet baskets!!!!!  OMG, what a find for a lover of boxes, baskets and anything related to storage.  I have had to rein myself in though.  I have promised myself I wont make any baskets until I have finished the jumper.....but you know, a basket could be whipped up in a night, where the jumper will take at least a week, so maybe I could make a basket.........you get the picture :)  Here are a couple of the baskets that court my eye.

gretchkalsloomknitting.wordpress.com

www.crochetincolor.blogspot.com.au

Doodle Cards

I have been card making this afternoon.  Here a some that I have done with white pigment ink.

 Purple Doodle Card

 Pink Doodle Card

Blue Doodle Card

A place to work......

I was having a wander through cyberspace and drooling over images of work areas today.  Oh there are so many gorgeous sets ups, colours and storage ideas.  Here is one of today's favourites.

http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/jsassy710/Lifestyle%20Bohemia/craft2.jpg

All of the lovely images got me thinking about me work area, and I started to think that it wasn't all that good.  You see, it and the laundry, are the two areas downstairs that we haven't finished renovating yet.  It has a cement floor and a particle board ceiling.  It has no natural light and only one piece of furniture was bought specifically for the space.  The remainder are all cast-offs and second hand acquisitions. 

BUT then I got to thinking a bit further and remembered that until we moved into this house, I had no work space of my own.  I may have a cement floor, but at least I have a floor and eventually it will have a covering, as will the ceiling.  I do actually have a window, it is just stored in the shed at the moment and will be part of the renovation when we get that far.  And my work space may not be perfect or look like a magazine photo, but it is mine and most of the time I am really happy with what I produce in there.  And the furniture might not all match, but it all fits in perfectly and serves its purpose.

Having said all of that, I thought you might like a tour of my work area, because after all the belly button gazing today, I realized that I like where I create and thought you might like to see it.

I love little sets of drawers and shelves.  They make great storage for little bits and pieces and paper.  All of these were picked up second hand and redecorated.

 This is my desk where I sit and draw.  It was picked up from a garage sale. It is collapsible and so heavy.  Every thing I use regularly is within reach and I love collecting and displaying other peoples artwork.

We bought this shelving from Ikea especially for this space.  It fits in perfectly and holds paper, paper, paper, cards, embellishments and displays my artwork and Hoopla Creations artwork.  This is the wall that will eventually have a window in it.

 years years ago when I was 9

This bookcase was bought second hand and had seen service in both the kids rooms before it made it down into my work space.  It holds magazines, embellishments, beading supplies and other assorted thingies.

And this is my craft cupboard.  I painted it over 9 years ago and sometimes I think it could do with a make over, but I think it still looks OK and it definitely works OK.  It hold all of the larger things, things I don't use all of the time and thanks that I just don't want to part with. 

So there you have it........my work space is still a work in progress and there are a lot nicer ones around, but it works for me, it is a child free space and I like and enjoy what I make in it.

Thank you for dropping by for a visit :)

Message in a Bottle

I had a jewellery making night tonight....with some drawing thrown in :)

From this.....

to this......

to this.....

My little strip of paper morphed into a Message in a Bottle Pendant.  I am thinking they could be personalised with any message and in any colour you like, and would make great Mothers Day presents.

just how far can a giraffe go?

I had a lot of fun when the lovely Carolyn asked if I could do a giraffe card for her.....I had so much fun that I not only did the card for her, but then I made more of the little cuties, in different colours.

Then I decided to do some prints.....

and finally I thought they would look cute on t-shirts

If you enjoy giraffes as much as I discovered I do, here is where they are available, just click on the word and it will take you to the links...

CARDS

PRINTS

T-SHIRTS

Busy busy busy.......

So many ideas and so little time........here is some of what I have played with this week.

DOODLE BIRDS

I haven't made any gift tags in a while and came up with this idea while driving to work on Monday.  The bodies are cut from Kraft cardstock, the wings are scrapbooking paper and then I decorate them with white pigment ink....there are so many colour combos and possibilities that I just had to make more than one set :)

I actually made so many and got so many lovely comments on my facebook page that I held an impromptu giveaway over a couple of nights and some of my doodle birds found new homes. 

One of my all time fave customers asked me to do a giraffe card for her - and I did, but if you know me at all, you just know that I wasn't going to stop at one :)  Above are some of the other ones I did.  Below are some prints that I am working on now.

So.....with so many ideas and not enough time, I am not happy that it is raining again in sunny Brisbane, but I am certainly using the indoor time to draw, colour, cut and past.  Happy weekend everyone :)