it's a love-hate thing

it's been a tough year, i think for most people, and with the holiday season (though always my favourite time of the year) things just seem to be getting tougher. i don't tend to go crazy with Christmas celebrations but for some reason, there always seem to be more bills, and more expenses, and less cash to pay for them. what is with that? and being without a job, urgh, it is so very hard.

i have held onto some of my goodies for as long as possible but have bitten the bullet and decided that the 'unnecessarys' just have to go. i have listed a whole heap of my beloved items on ebay: craft books + magazines, cook books, photography goodies (including my adored collection of jpg magazine! sob) etc etc to try and fund my ever growing list of 'things to be paid' (otherwise known around here on more cynical days as 'the rope around ones neck'). a lot of the goodies can be shipped internationally (the ones that are not so heavy i have listed with international postage but if you really want something that isn't just let me know and i will see what i can do) and all of them can be combined for postage- just shoot me a message or email for options. you can check it all out on ebay here. oh yeah, and the next to go will be the interweave knits collection. gasp! i know. so if you are missing any issues from your collection- stay tuned!

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the little mini-forest above has been the crafting highlight of my week. project 'Christmas decorating' has been in full swing this week. the satisfaction of using scrap yarns + bits and pieces from around the house to make my little home a teensy bit prettier cannot be expressed in words. the pattern, of course, comes from here.

the purl bee just posted a holiday gift list for the crafter in your life. looking at little packages like that makes me so happy. i love putting together collections of goodies as gifts. and these left-handed gingher dressmakers shears, look like a dream come true for me. which will become a reality when i win the lottery. one day.


bring on december 1st and let the holiday cheer begin!
have a happy week, everyone.

2009- bring it on!

it's hard to not be excited about the upcoming new year when there is such arty-goodness to be had...


check out the new frankie magazine calendar! so many of my favourite-est artists are featured. but i have to say, the gorgeous print from Rob Ryan (bottom left) really takes the cake.

all the info you need is here.
now run, don't walk.
come on, you know you want to.

come on, come out

i usually need a little more persuading than just watching one solitary video clip to fall in love with an artist. but, oh my. after i saw this feature on Alison Sudol, otherwise known as a fine frenzy over at decor8 the other day i didn't waste a minute before i headed over to the site to check her out. after which, i promptly scooted on over to itunes to buy her album. sometimes you just know that something is going to be magical.

i think my heart burst with joy watching her come on, come out video clip. the clothes, the beautiful scenery, and that hair- love. but most of all her musical ability and voice- plain and simply enchanting. i have such respect for singer/songwriters. especially adorable ones.

***

if you love music that makes you feel happy and inspired you may also love this song of Yael Naim's. i can't say enough about how wonderful i think this video clip is.

was so excited to get my hands on a copy of the new stitch magazine by interweave. hope it becomes a regular thing.

heather bailey's gift-card box pattern has come at just the right time for my Christmas preparations.

i splurged on some of the built by wendy sewing patterns that i had been coveting for some time, particularly as found them on sale at lincraft online. i love a good bargain.

and lastly, i am going to spend the rest of the afternoon in the magical world that is small magazine. i just adore the sartorial illustrations by emily martin in this new issue. and perhaps this evening i will do a little colouring- the 'small draw' illustration in this issue is by Kareena Zerefos and is my favourite by far.

happy weekend all.


{images from a fine frenzy}

things i must have + a giveaway!

i wouldn't classify myself as being overly materialistic in nature. but every now and again i stumble upon something that, to me, is so completely wonderful i struggle to imagine being able to exist in this life without it.
i had one of those moments when i saw these new penguin classic editions via design*sponge:

it made me so happy to see two of my most favourite stories among the 10 chosen: Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice.

fingers crossed they become available here in Australia very soon or at least available through my favourite online bookstore sometime in the near future. until that day though i must try to live my life as best i can without them, however difficult it may be.

and it seems rather coincidental that i saw these online just after i had finished watching Becoming Jane. again. so beautiful yet so depressing at the same time. i often wonder whether i am the only one who finds themselves sobbing uncontrollably throughout the majority of this film? if you are a Jane Austen fan and have yet to see this film, you must. that's all i can say.


also, i have been doing a lot of cleaning up and clearing out over the past few months and have been passing on a few bits and pieces that are serving no real purpose. most recently i raided by sewing stash and sorted everything into the 'must have' and 'don't really need' piles. so now, it is either toss them out, which i hate doing, or give them away, which i really like doing. so, if any of you Australian gals would like a stack of fabric bits + pieces: there are small pieces, some bigger pieces, a lot of amy butler, some echino, other quilting cotton scraps, a few zippers + thread + beads, a spare copy of issue 5 of mixtape zine and any other goodies i can gather etc etc. just pop me an email (freehandsketchingATgmailDOTcom), and if there are a couple i will just pick someone out. it's that easy.

it is grey and drizzly here today so i am off to snuggle up on the couch with my crochet. hope you are all having a lovely weekend.