O Inspiration, wherefore art thou?

Inspiration, I have been searching for you, for a couple of weeks now. You are the expert of hide and seek but it's time now for you to come out of hiding and play with me.
You weren't here on the jewellery mannequins, but I do intend to come back here for another look.
I was sure that I had caught a glimpse of you, with these collaged backgrounds, but it wasn't to be.

Even the family have been out searching on my behalf - yes things are getting a bit desperate.

I got lost myself in this pile of books and magazines.

You weren't at the bottom of the Curry Egg Dip but the recipe is worth sharing (see below) for other lovers of curried egg.

So dear Inspiration, please feel free to do the big reveal to me very soon - (or even sooner) - it would be appreciated because I miss you!

Curried Egg Dip

250g cream cheese, 1/2c mayonnaise, 1/2c whipped cream, 30g butter, 1 small onion, 3 rashers bacon,

2 tspns curry powder, 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp paprika, 3 hard boiled eggs, salt & pepper

Beat cream cheese until soft, add mayonnaise and cream.

Heat butter in pan, add finely chopped onion and paprika. Saute gently until onion is tender - allow to cool.

Add bacon mixture to cream cheese mixture and mix well with the chopped boiled eggs.

Season to taste.

(Serve with a crusty loaf, carrot & celery sticks or crackers)

1750

1750 items sewn, knitted, crocheted and created by the craft group for the "Care-a-thon" this year. An amazing effort by the women. The charity group for this year is the Salvation Army and we all know the fabulous work that they do.

In 2009, there were 1148 items donated, so there was quite an increase this year. Hopefully these blankets and clothing will supply warmth to those who need it.

This is only a portion of what was given, a lot had already been packed in boxes ready to go.

"O Wise One" (my mother) knitted 83 jumpers this year so not too bad an effort from the olde girl.

My contribution ended up with 4 skirts, 8 caps and 1 scarf, I have a long way to go to catch up with some of the others.

And now a warning........... - this isn't from a passionate kiss!

Beware of travel mugs and steam burns - it hurts and looks so attractive!

Non Fattening Easter Goodies....or googies

The latest Homespun magazine is available now and has our project for Needlefelted eggs in it. And an article about Marion and me - our photo looks like we have had a spray tan!

The eggs are a larger version of these ones, that some of you might have seen previously.My achievement this week has been to tidy husband's office.

Everytime I tidy, I threaten that it will be the last time 9 bags of rubbish were removed and the big reveal was

that there was actually a desk under the piles!!

Isn't it Valentine's Day?

I have been trying to do this post since Valentine's Day and a host of interruptions to the plan have occurred - so better late than never, I suppose.  And at least it is a post to let you know that I am still around!
These photos are of a few things we have made over the years,  using a heart theme.

Happy New Year and happy me

After several weeks of not being able to do anything creative, I have been enjoying being part of an online class "Remains of the Day ~ a shabby journal of scraps".

This is the journal cover all folded up -

the wrap around tie is made from

the off cuts from silk sari's.The open cover - it was great to use some of the scraps of fabric I have had around for awhile. The inside of the cover. I didn't bother to embellish it anymore as I love it as it is.And my first attempt at free form sewing!

You can still sign up to do the class, you know you want to!

Just head over to Mary Ann's blog for the details.

Using the scraps

When I finish a project, I try and use the scraps lying around on the table to make a card or a tag.

This tag flew around the world to be part of a 'tag gate' of encouragement, for a lady called Tina who is very sick and undergoing treatment.

It is a lovely idea and this is the finished piece here below.

(photo courtesy of The Polka Dot Barn)

Just lying around

The boys had a friend over during the holidays, for a sleepover - and he brought his little teddybear with him. Poor little bear.

Also lying around the house was "Sam" , enjoying the sun!

When I was in Spotlight towards the end of last week, I found a packet of wood chips apparently used in mosaic work. I loved the green colour and thought they would be great to use in a necklace. As soon as possible I had to have a play to see if my idea would work and I'm quite happy with the result.

Love that green!

When one door closes........

After more than 4 years, selling on The Chocolate Crow Trader, we have decided to "call it a day". We have been pondering the decision for quite a few months now. It's a bit sad that it has come to an end, but since making the decision we have also felt like a weight has been lifted from us, so obviously it was time.

We have made lots of friends, during this time, for which we are grateful.

I was looking through the photos of all our items that we have had on The Choc Crow and came across these ones. These are the 3 items that we had for sale in June 2005....a blast from the past.

The cherubs are looking forward to me spending more time with them - and that is one of my plan's too - but I don't think they realise that MY plan involves working on times tables and other fun things like that!

Charming Day

Charming no. 1 = These charms were finished over the weekend - they are to be attached to coathangers as a gift (from the mother of the bride to the wedding party). The back of the charm has a piece of printed fabric whilst the front is a bunch of tulips and their initial.

Marion has made the coathangers so once we have tied the charms to the

coathangers I'll show you the finished product.
Originally it was to be ribbon embroidered tulips but

I'm sure a young wedding party would like the charms better.Charming no. 2 = I received these goodies from Kylie as part of her Pay it Forward pledge. They are so well made and very cute! Thank you Kylie.Charming no. 3 = I participated in my first ATC swap with the theme "Twisted". It was interesting to see all the techniques used and the different 'takes'. My ATC is the one with the "mad monkey scientist" who has been so twisted that his body has been split in two - he's holding some paper dolls that he has cut out! I have a spare ATC (maybe 2?)so if anyone would like to swap one with me, just let me know. (Sorry I don't know why you can't click on the photo for a better look - if you would like to see a more detailed photo I will do it in another post)Charming no. 4 = Probably for farmers and those of us who were needing to wash our cars.....it is raining. I think it is probably the heaviest rain we have had this year - including thunder, lightening and hailstones.

Charming no. 5 = Melissa's giveaway. You have until this Wednesday to leave a comment about your favourite season and you will have a chance to win this bundle of lovely goodies.

Charming no. 6 = I'm very, very close to my 200th post

Not so Charming = I haven't got a giveaway organised yet to celebrate the 200th!

A ring for moi and a ring for Her

These were our 'rewards' for the knitted strips that we had done for the National Art Gallery - thank you Denise!

O Wise One was wearing hers, with her engagement, wedding & eternity rings = how sweet!!!

Do you aspire to be an Aussie????

I was reading Jenny Doh's blog recently, only to discover that she was talking about the infamous Australian "Tim Tam Slam" - have a look here.

Are you still unsure about the Tim Tam Slam - then check out this You Tube clip featuring Natalie Imbruglia

Do you live outside of Australia and would like to experience a Tim Tam Slam for yourself? Leave me a comment and I will post the first two 'wanna-be-Aussies' a packet of Tim Tams each - and for you other Australians who blog, maybe you would like to offer a similar deal - lets spread our Tim Tams around the world!

I have often read my Somerset Studio magazine and been amazed at how some people decorate their envelopes and parcels before they post them - I often include one photo on the address label of parcels that I send and think that is decorative....lol! On Friday, I was the lucky recipient of a parcel from Denise. Not only was it gorgeous on the outside but I loved what was on the inside.

I'll show you the contents next blog, as the camera battery is recharging,

but I can tell you that I am sitting here typing this with my bling ring on!

Husband and the two cherubs have gone to Adelaide tonight to watch WWE wrestling - I can't believe that my cherubs are keen on wrestling! So I am off to get settled in my chair ready to watch Masterchef and finish this project.

The scarf

I decided that I needed a black scarf to wear out to a dinner (with other clothes!) on Saturday night, at which husband was the MC, so I bought this e-pattern from MK Carroll .
One ball of wool later.....a nice lacy scarf.
As it was some time since I had done much crocheting I was quite happy with the way it turned out and it would be interesting to do the same pattern in different types of yarn. However, I didn't get to wear the scarf as I had a cold....... so wasn't able to go to the dinner after all.

The last time I was in Lincraft I saw this book **twinkling** at me - it is very comprehensive and should answer any of my questions in the future.

There are lots of stitches in there for me to try out - maybe in YELLOW!

Then in a parcel last week I received a tintype photo album that I was lucky to win on ebay. I have been watching out for a cheap one for ages and this one was mine.It has 13 old tintype photos inside and a few gaps.

You know how it is.....

When you are really wanting to offload some of your 'stuff' - things that you don't really want anymore but before you have a chance to do it, you see something else that you WANT?
We spent Saturday night in Adelaide - the cherubs invited a school friend and so we went to see the movie "Night at the Museum 2", (which has made us also want to visit the Smithsonian Museum in Washington next year).
On Sunday, my lovely nephew offered to look after the cherubs+1 so husband and I decided to go and check out the Gepps Cross markets - held on the site of the last existing drive in cinema, in Adelaide. That is the place to go to buy wonderful fresh fruit, veggies, fish, bread etc - and there were some trash'n'treasure sellers too.
We found some lovely old books, with covers full of charm and promising all sorts of things!

I love the pattern on this spine

This is from The King's English Dictionary - great pictures, if you don't understand the words.

This is the book that had provided lots of laughs though.......

(oh and it also has a lovely textured cover!)Two doctors have written this book and it is interspersed with photos and pictures like these:

LOL - I might learn something yet! Watch out for further developments....