Nostalgia

More on Niche soon. I'd like to show you some of the other stallholders but didn't get a chance to get photos so I'll try to show some examples of their designs soon.

First though, I wanted to post a couple of photos of our current house. It's so tidy at the moment and it's the perfect time to show you! Even my work room is tidy - totally unheard of. I'll get a photo of it to show you tomorrow.

These are some of the photos the agent took of our house and they're making me the tiniest bit sad to be leaving. We've put so much work and love into this house. It's crazy to be nostalgic before we even leave!



We built this deck when I was pregnant with Chloe. There are some huge beams underneath that I had to help lift and hold in place for Sam. We have some photos of a huge bellied me banging nails into the decking. I get so much satisfaction out of making things - be it dresses or decks!


Chloe's room is perhaps my favourite in the house. It is a calm, restful room and sometimes I feel like going to have a little afternoon nap in her bed.


This red laminex table is a favourite thing. It has been a multi-purpose dining, cutting and miscellaneous stuff storage spot here so unfortunately that meant it could often be almost hidden! In the new house it may become a dedicated work table or it may get pride of place on the covered verandah - I'm leaning towards this option. That red needs to be seen.


This is our lovely sunny lounge room. I love the paint colour and am keeping the name stored in my head for the new place.

Niche

Just a quick post - I know I've been a slacker with the blogging!

Today was the first day of "Niche - All wrapped up" the market in support of St Giles at the University of Tasmania Art School in Launceston. Above are a couple of photos of my stall taken by Jen (with a much lovelier camera and a much better eye for photos than me). Thank you!

I was nervous and hadn't managed to fit in a practice stall set up so just had to do it cold this morning. I was really happy with how it turned out. It needs a little tidy up in the photos but that's a good thing. It means people were looking. I had a great day and may be sold on this market thing. So exciting to chat with customers and other makers.

There are so many amazing stalls at Niche. If you're in or near Launceston do pop in tomorrow. You'll love it! I'm hoping to manage a little shopping tomorrow too!

Yikes

Things here at the "House of Black Eyed Susie" are what you might call, in a charitable mood, chaotic. If I let you see into the work room you may feel your charitable mood slipping away and you may feel compelled to call it a disaster area.

We have less than three weeks untils settlement date for our new house (Yay, yay, yay!), we need to get this house on the market asap and it's only a week until Niche Market. I'm desperately sewing but finding myself procrastinating with cleaning walls and packing boxes both of which need done so maybe it's not true procrastination, just a very ineffective way to get everything done. Sam (and I when I need another break from sewing) is painting some window frames that I started stripping a very long time ago and never finished. We also some finishing off to do on the verandah that we replaced about a year ago and have to paint the lounge room as the wall behind a heater we had removed wasn't painted. Nevermind the garden - cutting the grass will be as good as it gets. Poor Chloe is stuck in the middle of all this thinking "What on earth is going on?" She's so obsessed with Maisy at the moment that we've been resorting to the TV quite a lot. I just tell myslef it's OK, it's just a couple of weeks until she has a great new garden and house to explore. I'm sure that'll break the TV habit.

I did have some photos to show you but my camera has currently taken itself into hiding and I don't blame it really. I bet it's found a nice cosy spot under some of my fabric piles.



I'll be taking whatever clothing I have ready, including a range of dresses, pants and skirts (and the two new cord dresses pictured - perfect for winter), to Niche. I'll also have a bunch of belts, some in new fabrics. I had a little fun at Seworld yesterday (when I should have been sewing or cleaning or painting) and if I had the camera I'd show you my haul. Just gorgeous. There will be a few purses for the grown ups (photos will come one day) and a big bunch of hair ties and clips in new fabrics. Maybe some badges too if I get that far. Fun!

I've realised recently that my ideas and plans are always far, far ahead of my current capabilities so I reserve the right to go back in these promises at any moment!

Soon, soon....

Soon to be our house. I can't wait - am just bursting with excitement - although this is slightly tempered by the stress of banks, money, house selling or not and all the other things that make moving complicated. This house is so much more a family house than our current one and it has a great space for my work area - I may even feel I can call it a studio!!



I'm looking forward to having a new baby and being allowed a small glass of wine on the back verandah soaking in some winter sun and the views.

This

Niche Market

I'm very excited to be taking part in my first market and even prouder that it's such a lovely one with such wonderful makers involved. Go take a look at the Niche blog for info on stall holders.

Even better, Niche is a fundraising venture so a portion of stall takings will go to St Giles which is a wonderful charity that provides all sorts of therapy for kids who need it.

Niche is on from 10am to 4 pm on Saturday the 2nd and Sunday the 3rd of May at the Academy of Arts at Inveresk in Launceston. A perfect place to pick up a Mother's Day present or something for yourself! I must start dropping large hints.

Don't get sand in your eggs

Happy belated Easter everyone. Hope yours was as lovely as ours.

The weather was stunning. It was warm, still and sunny. Too warm for a fire at night and I had to forego my ritual marshmallow charring.

We had 4 days at Binalong Bay, 2 of them with Gemma, Duncan and Edie. We had a great time and it seems they did too! So glad! I had the best sleeps I've had in months, the best of which I'm putting down to Dunc's amazing roast beef with a huge range of veggies and even cauliflower cheese, yum, yum. I felt they were trying to build up my iron and vitamin stores - so lovely.

Chloe and Edie enjoyed each others company and froliced in the water together. Sam swam every day but one and Chloe had her first dip in the ocean. She's always been worried about waves before. We went to Beer Barrel Beach and she even ran in and out of the water by herself. My was she proud!

Lots of sandcastles were built, chocolate eggs consumed and Gemma and I even got to scour the local collectables shops. Will show a couple of pictures of my finds soon.



This is Chloe's current fashion statement. Any attempt to discuss removing the band aid required a very, very brave mother. Those Wiggles have a lot to answer for.

By the way, Gemma has a competition on now and much as I'd like to limit the entries so I have more chance of winning, you should go enter.

My laptop may have to go to hospital tomorrow. Eeek. All my photos and documents have gone off somewhere - hopefully retrievable not into the ether or, basically, I'm going to be in disaster mode.

Newsflash

I've been trying to get to sleep whilst thinking about all the things that need to be done.

This has led to the decision to shut my Etsy and Made It shops down for a few weeks. They'll be closing down next Tuesday evening so if you want anything grab it before then!

My tentative plans are to give myself 3-4 weeks to get a few things done and organised and then reopen with only what is in stock listed. We are probably going to put our house on the market and hope to find a new one so, as you can imagine, I'll need more time to pick up toys, vacuum crumbs up and clean cornflakes off the wooden floor.

I am committed to doing a market in early May (Niche for St. Giles - more info to come) and so I'll be making a bit more stock. What's left after that will be listed online. And then I'll have a little bit of maternity leave!

If anybody wants to join a mailing list to find out when the shops are opening again please just shoot an email to blackeyed-susie@hotmail.com

The Good Life

If you want to be made envious of those of us lucky enough to live or holiday in the Apple Isle please go and read this. (Found via Georgia)

Living here, it's easy to get caught up in work and everyday chores and forget to take time to enjoy the place. Sam, Chloe and I recently went on a trip up to the north west coast to visit my Gran. The weather was clear, warm and sunny and I found myself incredibly frustrated that we had such a limited time. We've realised that we've stopped going away on the weekends. Part of the reason is that we have such lovely friends here in Launceston and more of a social life here than we used to. I have to admit, thought, that it's also a touch of laziness, tiredness and just that we've let the busy life take over. We have a lot going on at the moment (hopefully some news soon!)

I can't see having a newborn making this any easier but we will try to get a few trips in before the babe comes along. Starting this weekend with a trip to the shack as I mentioned in a previous post.

Bright and Cheery

I just love this cord skirt on Chloe. I know I've already blogged it but the weather has been so dull here and it's so bright and cheery. As is the red tunic below. There's only one left of these now. It's a size 3. How I wish I'd bought more of this fabric but I've left it way, way too late.



Things are looking up here. Sam went to work late today so he could get Chloe to childcare and I could have a lie in. I'm starting to feel better although it's somewhat hidden by a cold that's hanging around. And, I think the sun may actually get through the clouds today. It's about time let me tell you.

Looking forward to the weekend and maybe a leisurely bbq at the picnic ground below Liffey Falls. Such a gentle peaceful place and the bbqs are still wood burning which makes it very exciting for Chloe.

Also looking forward to a relaxing and (hopefully) rejuvenating Easter at Binalong Bay with leisurely walks on the beach, good food, sandcastle building, a spot of secondhand shop trawling and great chat with these lovely folks.

And also, making something for myself. I bought a purse kit from Nicole of You Sew Girl. I'm thinking maybe grey wool flannel with a little snippet of vintage Japanese owl print cotton I've been hoarding for a while now.

Change of Plans

Thanks for all the lovely comments and encouragement about the market. Sadly I won't be there after all.

I've had a wake up call in the form of a day in hospital having an iron transfusion. It took three times as long as is should have because I fainted for the first time in my life and they had to wait for me to recover enough to start. This just made me realise how tired and run down I really was.

So, I'm doing the sensible thing and slowing down. For the sake of the Chloe and the babe on the way. I had to admit I have been pushing it to get everything as perfect as I wanted it for the market.

I'll still be filling online orders. I have a lot of stock made so it's mostly just a matter of mailing things. The iron boost has already made a difference in 24 hours and so I'll be able to gear up again in a week or so. It's funny what you accept as normal and push through. I just thought that my tiredness was pregnancy with a toddler but this morning, as soon as I woke up, my limbs felt lighter and it made me realise they'd felt like lead weights for a couple of weeks.

I have plans to do a market in Launceston in early May and with 4 weeks to prepare (and all the work I'd done for this weekend's market) it should be a doddle (mostly!).

Soon to come, when we have a nice bright day, a belly photo as requested by Jen. Don't worry I'll keep it under clothing! Also, a couple of new dresses that I'm just thrilled with.

The Market

Deep breaths are required. I'm going to take Black Eyed Susie to it's first market in less than a week and a half. If anybody is in or near Hobart and feels like a little retail therapy this would be a great place to go. I'd love it if you said hello too!

In case you can't read this on the picture it's at the Masonic Temple at 3 Sandy Bay Rd (opposite St David's Park) on the 5th of April. Doors are open from 10 to 3.

Just had to post this photo. Chloe seems to like the idea of being a model now (well at least, for a couple of minutes and one outfit's worth which means it takes days to get new photos). She loves the close up shot.

I've been busily trying to get a few things that have been in my head for months up and going. Particularly some winter clothes for Chloe which may or may not end up in the shops. I bought some green wool coating on line in the hope that it would be a soft, muted sort of green. This may have been my worst internet buying mistake ever. It's more of a radioactive, toxic waste sort of green. It wasn't the vendors fault. There photo is actually fairly true to colour. I must have just had a moment when my desire to believe was too strong. I'm thinking of buying some blue dye and attempting to make it useable. Anyone got any tips for me??

This is a little box pleat skirt I've been meaning to make for ages. The fabric is a soft babywale cord. Very bright and cheery for dull days. Chloe initially refused even to try it on but loves it now. Lots of colours to look at.





In other news, the latest oft reported saying in our house is "I need to watch Maisy." I'm happy Charlie and Lola are back on in the mornings, cheery 70s theme song and cute fabrics used in the animation. What more could I ask for in a kids show?

New dress...

... and this time it's for me - not the shop. I bought this dress/tunic online recently. I love it and would wear it every day if people wouldn't be horrified! I can safely say it's my favourite maternity item so far. I even like it more than my non-maternity clothes. Now if only I were as tall and thin as the model and had some boots like hers.

Picture filched from here.

Renovate? Are you crazy?

As I said in a previous post, we're finding it difficult to find a larger house. There seems to be a few really crappy larger ones and a few really beautiful, really expensive ones and nothing in the middle price range. I'm finding more and more that I want to buy a cheaper one and do a full renovation. I'm 25 weeks pregnant now and what I want to know is, is this a serious desire or is this a fairly extreme form of nesting?

Is it even a possibility to renovate with a 2 year old and a baby?

Am I loosing my grip on reality???

Elephants

Elephant trim denim pants I've just finished for a little boy. I love how these turned out. I love, love, love the elephant fabric. It's a Japanese cotton and I only bought half a yard. Must get more - please don't buy it all or I'll regret leaving the link!

Nesting

I think my nesting instinct has set in, unfortunately not in a glamorous, excting way. More in a practical, sensible way. I've made Sam rearrange our laundry and have been painting the window frame. It's given us a lot more space - or at least the feeling of more space.

We're trying to find a new, larger house before this baby comes along but I'm starting to think it's not going to happen. There isn't much around at the moment. Hence the need to start making the most of what we have. I do love our house but it is very small and my work things are taking over well and truly.


Style Collective has a competition on at the moment to win a $500 kids gear spending spree. Sounds perfect for this time when a lot of people are starting to tighten their belts. I'm off to enter.

Early morning hours

Naomi said to let her know if I tried any middle of the night sewing during my sleepless hours. I haven't - yet. I did, however spend a long time teaching myself how to get rid of the background in my photos. I'm not that great at it but am improving.





These are some of the fruits of my very early morning efforts and the beginnings of a range of belts for the shop.

6x6

OK, I've been dragging the chain a bit on this. I was tagged for 6 x 6 by Jo from Rousabout and Kali from Poppy Lane. This means I have to show and tell the 6th photo from my 6th folder. Hmm, problem. My 6th folder only has two photos so how about the 2nd photo from the 6th folder.

This is a silk wall hanging I bought from an antique shop in New Norfolk. All I know about it is that it came from the collection of a woman who travelled a lot and brought home lots of goodies. I love the colours in it - which aren't great in this photo. In fact this proves that my camera skills have at least improved a bit. I bought it while I was pregnant with Chloe and the pathetic thing I have to admit is that I still haven't hung it up.

I'm not going to tag anyone because I'm so far behind with this I'm sure almost everyone has done it. If you feel like joining in though, please do, and let me know so I can check out your photos.

Dorothy & Evelyn

Dorothy & Evelyn in St Kilda are now stocking some Black Eyed Susie clothing and accessories including this one off vintage fabric dress. I'm desperate to get over to Melbourne to check out the shop. It's 158 Barkly St if anyone's passing by!

Softies

I'm back and feeling a bit energised although my legs are tired from the aqua aerobics. Have vowed to go back although I found it almost a chore. I'm feeling far less fit this pregnancy. The first trimester nausea and tiredness followed by a couple of bad colds really got rid of any fitness I had.

Here, as promised, are the softies. All I can say is it's a good thing I'm not trying to sell softies. Anyway, doesn't slightly wonky equal charm? They were very satisfying to make especially as that was this first craft night I've been to since I lived in a very, very small mining town in WA and craft night was really the only social activity. I was so excited to be amongst people doing what I love. Most of my close friends are not into sewing at all. Most are creative in some way just not my way!



I found the patterns for my softies here. This owl is from a tutorial by Lollychops. It's probably a great softie to start with. I didn;t have the instructions with me and relied on my memory which could be better!



Lucy Goosey by the Long Thread. A bit trickier and again, if I'd paid more attention to the tutorial rather than chatting mine could have been more polished. He's kinda cute.

A few other geese were produced on the night and Gemma has some pictures with more to come I think.