Nice things to do...

When it comes to craft, like many of us, I admit to ADD. I always finish projects but then want to move on to something else, crochet to knitting, journals to laminating (my new favourite thing!) new things all the time to keep me inspired. I read way too many awesome projects on blogs and in books to ever do in one lifetime and this can mean that nothing gets started as I don't know what project to start. The Munchkin laughs at me sometimes (often) as I literally walk around in circles deciding what to do first! Thankfully other crafters I have spoken to lately admit to the same thing!

So Autumn brought with it a need to knit up some gorgeous alpaca bland yarn I bought last year and since my knitting skills are very basic a scarf was the order of the day. I finished it by crocheting the red trim and weaving through the lines and I love the way the grey and red look together. It is so warm and soft and I am very proud of the lack of dropped stitches and the fact that it is wearable!

I found this tutorial over at this bright and fun blog a few days ago and set about making this sweet mint green heart for a lovely new friend. A little wonky but still cute... 

Last week I was honoured to receive a custom order for an amigurumi owl. The sweet client wanted duck egg blue/green and for the life of me I could not find it anywhere! I compromised and double stranded mint green and a pretty blue to make the prettiest colour. Jemima is quite big at approx 15cm, much bigger than I usually make. I think she is just gorgeous, hopefully so will my client! 

While out oppie hunting for vintage sheets I came across 2 matching ones with the most gorgeous border and pretty blue and purple flowers. I had visions of Munchkin peasant dresses and maybe a dress for me. Mum had a thrifted pattern for a shift dress which looked easy and cute so despite not sewing anything for myself since highschool I gave it a go.( Please excuse the photos as it was hard to get the colours to show up as sweet as they are.)

 I got away with not putting a back zip in as the pattern advised and have kept it nice and loose. The silk sash I had from another dress belts it beautifully and stops it looking too sack-like. I had intended this dress just for layering up over autumn/winter but am so happy with it I will be wearing it to my sister-in-laws wedding this weekend. It is the perfect tea dress, and I love that it fits my shape perfectly. I will be making some more clothes for myself for sure! A dress for less than $8, yes please! 

 Last night The Munchkin and I painted the hallway of our house so now all the floors are done finally!! I used paving paint and I love it! We are so close to being finished it is crazy. I will post some more pics soon! 

What have you been up to?

Till next time, xxx

Coming soon to a town near me...

Guess what, guess what, guess what, guess what???????

I am starting a local chapter of the gorgeous Pip's Brown Owl Craft Group!!!

Yes!! I am VERY EXCITED!!!!

Do you live close to Burnie or Somerset Tasmania?? Do you want to come too???  

We will get together Wednesday fortnights during the morning from 10am till approx 12pm starting on:

 the 6th of April 2011 at Two Oaks Cafe  {CONFIRMED!!!!}

Sessions are FREE!! 

You can purchase drinks and meals/snacks from the Cafe.

Bring along a crafty project or even just come along to chat about crafty projects with other crafty peeps. 

We aim to:

 Have fun

Learn new things and share skills

Make mistakes

Meet new people

and basically follow these excellent  "Rules Of Owly Conduct"

 We are friendly, welcoming and looking forward to meeting you!! 

Till next time, xxx

Free shipping...

As an opening special for my brand new High Maintenance Hippy etsy shop I am pleased to offer you, for a limited time only - FREE SHIPPING!! Yay!!!

Just use coupon code:

NEWHIPPY11 

  

Till next time, xxx

Unschoolers Credo...

Today I happened upon the excellent blog Rainbow Love Farm and was particularly excited to read a copy of the unschoolers Credo that she had reposted there. Unfortunately there is no info as to who I should credit this too but if you know, please share and I will do so. 

I often struggle to explain why we have chosen to Unschool. There are so many varied reasons and in the conservative area we live in it can feel like we are criticising other more mainstream choices. We are not. This feels right for us. We are co-sleeping, long term breastfeeding, non-immunising, intentional parenting, unschoolers. We do not ask for approval, or negative input but rather seek to be able to raise our child the way we feel is right, just as others do. The fact that our choices are seen as different sometimes just makes the world more interesting don't you think? We can't all do the same thing after all. :) 

Here is the credo in it's entirety. I hope it is able to provide you with some answers, or confirm your thoughts or maybe even start off a chain of questions that you would like answers too. It resonated with us and I am so glad I found it.

...

I am an unschooler, and so is my family. Please, indulge me for a few moments while I explain. I am an unschooler. I believe in my child's ability and desire to learn. I believe that she is an intelligent, capable human being, and I believe that when the time for her to learn a certain thing arrives, that she will learn it. I am an unschooler. I do not believe in force feeding my child a bunch of useless facts and rote learning that will be forgotten next week, next month, next year. I am confident that when my child learns a thing, that it stays learned, because she chose to learn it and put her entire being into discovering what its secrets and mysteries are. I am an unschooler. I refuse to force my child to grow up before she is ready. I will not put her into situations where she is forced to compete instead of play and learn. I cannot push her to achieve and in so doing lose sight of the child in the quest for rewards. I am an unschooler. I encourage my child to be a self starter and self aware. I guide her gently and offer assistance when she requests it. I do not tell her that she is doing it wrong just because that isn't how it was taught to me. I am an unschooler. I threw away the clock years ago. I do not believe that a child can learn to read only between the hours of 10 and 11, or 1 to 2. Our days are a crazy quilt of activity, ranging from a day doing nothing but drawing pictures or playing computer games to doing fifty different activities ranging from staring at a snail to counting the number of rice grains in a cup. I am an unschooler. Our textbooks include old catalogues, junk mail, and encyclopedias. Our on hand science materials are made up of a beaker, some magnets, and a few goldfish. We create our learning materials and we buy them. We find them in fields and in flea markets. We see the educational value in everything, because children will learn from anything that you hand them, even a Barbie doll. Please don't try to force your curriculum on us. We don't need it. I am an unschooler. Our family has its own moral values which we share openly among ourselves, and with those who are genuinely interested. We do not want to have our souls saved, or our lifestyle condemned. If you wish to be our friend and share our journey, we welcome you, no matter what your philosophy. All that we ask is that you allow us the space to be ourselves just as we will give that to you. Share with us, please, but don't ram it into us? I am an unschooler. My child has many friends of all ages, and from all walks of life. She is not a person to be pitied for her "isolation". She is a person experiencing the best that life can give and enjoying it to its fullest. She is happy, healthy, and well adjusted. She is bright, eager, and intensely interested in her world and universe. She is incredible, and she is a source of amazing joy and interest to everybody who knows her. I am an unschooler. And I am glad to be one.

I would also like to say a huge Thankyou to everyone who has left messages of support for the brand new High Maintenance Hippy etsy shop. Your kind words have been so encouraging :) 

Till next time, xxx

High Maintenence Hippy Launches an Etsy store...

High Maintenance Hippy Etsy Shop online here

Blank greeting cards here

Limited Edition Bookmark here

So I have finally taken the plunge and started the High Maintenance Hippy etsy shop!! I have uploaded a heap of blank greeting cards and a bookmark so far with postcards, amigurumi pals, journals, some more cards and my new product to launch soon! Very exciting!!

I would love for you to stop by and let me know what you think of the banner, listings etc, and of course to find something you like! 

Stay safe, 

Till next time, xxx

New products and milestones...

...new journals...

...new displays...

...owl friends...

...new up-cycled coasters, and the library drawer debut...

... a product launch (hopefully!)...

...and new cards, with more to be released at the April market.

Lots of new things happening at the High Maintenance Hippy stall at the Made With Love Bazaar this Saturday, 9 - 1. Very exciting! The theme this month is March Hare and Mad Hatters which should be fun :)

...

On the weekend I was lucky enough to raid Michelle's wonderful garden, such a treat. Michelle is off on a four week adventure with her family to Victoria and New South Wales, lucky thing. I'm sure they will have heaps of fun! :)

Also this week marked a big occasion in the HMH household with The Munchkin officially completely weaned from "the boobies". She isn't completely happy with this but she knew it was time as she told me it no longer tasted like pink milk, just water. I have assured her that we can still talk about the lovely, nurturing time we shared and that cosy cuddles will still be the order of the day and night. We co-sleep and it was mostly me that was ready to sleep in a normal position again and also to sleep a bit more soundly. We celebrated with a delicious carob cake with pink icing (made with this) and yes, they are meringue boobs on top! 

In honour of this big occassion I whipped up a vintage sheet rainbow snake based on this one by the lovely Beck. It was needed to fill in the gap on her side of the bed and is also great for wacking her Daddy with...ah hum. She was very happy with her, and I was happy to use up a bag of yucky poly wadding that I no longer use in my amigurumi creations. 

My computer currently has a virus/Malware attack and until I fix it I'm out of action. I am stopping by my favourite blogs for a visit but as commenting on my phone is a bit of a pain I'm really only stalking ;) Will be back next week hopefully once the market is behind me and I have some free headspace.

Thanks for stopping by,

 Till next time, xxx