teacups on treetops

Are you a Clever Mamma?

2011-05-29T15:28:00.006+10:00

Busy times have been had in the Teacups camp! Between a house move and usual mum/work stuff, I've just started a new exciting venture.

It's called Clever Mamma and is a way for all those super amazing mums who run their own small business (and a household!), to connect to each other. It started from my own business where I often needed to hire someone to help me out with various bits and bobs. I've found it hard to find someone like-minded who understood me, my business and my personal responsibilities, so I decided to start an online directory where mums like us could find each other and help each other out. I've met some amazing mums through my own clients and always found that when you understand each other the end product is always a success.

Clever Mamma has been about two years in the making but finally happening and so we'll see where it goes from here. Fingers and toes crossed!

PS: We are getting all Gen Y and even have a Facebook page too. Yippee for social networking!

playing catch up

2010-12-11T16:43:00.008+11:00

After spending a lovely afternoon catching up with this super lovely crafty-lady and her hubby, I feel all inspired to do my own bit of catching up in the teacups world. Mr Monkey has been finished for a couple of months now and is the secret to mummy getting up to a good three hours quiet time during the day. I'm very pleased to report that Little Mr Teacups has grown very fond of his little friend but I have been warned to make Mr Monkey the 2nd in case of emergency! Lucky for me there is enough fabric in the stash to do so, but finding the time... well that's another story.

ahoy it's a party

2010-08-31T21:43:00.005+10:00

Little Mr Teacups has turned 1! We had a lovely day with sooo much scrumptious food, very special friends and family, and a yummy monkey even popped by. It was my first trip down the cake decorating train but I even impressed myself! The little fella had lots of fun in an overwhelmingly-fun way and was lucky enough to pick up this handmade treasure.

the coolest doily in town

2010-08-19T21:08:00.003+10:00

The minute I saw this rug I wanted it. Unfortunately the Teacups budget is not stretching that far, but if you have the $$ it would definitely be money well spent. Buy it here.

have you heard about daisy lane?

2010-08-11T15:36:00.007+10:00

The swap card's making a comeback!!!! As a crazy swappie-lover I am very excited... can you tell?? What's even more exciting is that I was able to work with Lark in their latest and greatest venture. This is the logo I designed for them as well as a pattern that will be used across the range. There are a whole heap of very cute products. If I were you I'd boot-scoot over here to check them all out and read all about this amazing story (trust me it's worth it!).

finally a craft project

2010-07-28T18:10:00.004+10:00

Before Little Mr Teacups I was very good when new babies were being born, making little softies as presents. And yet with my own I have never found the time... I am determined though! Before we have the 1st birthday (in about a month) Mikey the Monkey WILL be made... Maybe this post will be the encouragement I need (or guilt me into it!). I am co-ordinating fabrics now from my stash which in itself could take a while. You can find the pattern here.

fancy a walk with the ducks?

2010-07-23T22:11:00.004+10:00

The latest ad for Duckcloth designed by me (with the help of some very beautiful fabric, including Lara Cameron's Birch Forest in Robins Egg).

a great big world

2010-07-23T20:45:00.008+10:00

I have decided that now that I watch children's tv, I may as well enjoy it just as much as Little Mr Teacups. Enter... Justine Clarke's 'Great Big World' DVD! With art direction by the super talented Beci Orpin it's a visual feast for bubs and mums alike. I think I may have even gotten over the thought that Alf Stewart might pop up at any minute.

swap card goodness

2010-06-03T22:30:00.006+10:00

If you'd like to sneak a peek at my very treasured swap card collection, I'm very happy to report that the lovely Allison from Lark has featured it on her blog. There's lots of my faves on there but I do think this one is still my bestest ever.

it's been nine months...

2010-06-03T20:43:00.009+10:00

It's been nine months... since my last blog post. Shocking I know! Little Mr Teacups has kept me busy but I'm loving my new life and just wishing there were more hours in the day for everything else. Thankfully working from home has meant I can wear my mummy and graphic designer hats all at the same time. It's still very challenging but I think I'm doing okay so far. I've finally found the time to update my website folio (for those wanting to waste some time... umm.. I mean research take a lookie here). Needless to say, crafting has taken a back seat for the time being... Maybe one day soon... I hope...

my latest (and most beautiful) creation

2009-09-19T18:31:00.007+10:00

I'd like to introduce you to the latest addition to the Teacups family. Little Mr Lucas Nicholas Teacups is now just over 3 weeks old. He kept us all waiting, arriving fashionably late ten days after he was due. We are very slowly settling into our new life full of feeds, sleeping (or lack of), changing nappies and general baby chaos. No crafting in this household for a while...

some new additions

2009-08-13T18:25:00.005+10:00

Introducing Little Mr Oliver and Little Miss Maya. Both of these cuties are on their way to new homes where they will get lots of cuddles from their new little owners. The Baby Chibi Doll pattern is by the very talented Jhoanna from One Red Robin... Can you tell I'm trying to finish all projects before my own bundle of joy arrives?

my very first finished quilt

2009-08-13T17:53:00.005+10:00

With my due date fast approaching (less than a week now!) I thought I better show the finished baby quilt before time truly gets away from me. I'm really happy with the finished result and was even able to make a matching pillow and lampshade with the remaining fabric... looks like baby is taking after mummy's co-ordinated ways already!

baby quilt progress

2009-06-17T16:53:00.004+10:00

I'm finally making some progress on my baby cot quilt. It's been sewn, appliqued and all that is left is a very good iron and quilting. I'm a bit scared about the quilting part but as a quilting newbie I'll be crossing my fingers and toes!

oh my goodness, oh my goodness...

2009-05-26T15:11:00.005+10:00

The day has finally come that I can say I have completed my crochet blanket. After a few nights working out the scallop edging it is officially finished and now takes pride of place on the arm of my couch ready to keep me toasty warm. The final size isn't quite as big as I first intended due to the weight of it (and my under-estimation of the amount of wool I'd need), so it sits at just over a metre by a metre thirty. It is such a relief to have it finished as I don't like to have too many projects on the go at the one time, plus my pregnancy brain can't handle too much these days.

super-simple quilt

2009-05-18T15:31:00.006+10:00

I've always admired patchwork quilts but never been game enough to give one a go... until now. My very first baby project is a cot quilt. The design is super-simple with strips of fabric and if all goes to plan some circle bits too. Currently in progress but hopefully not for too much longer.

249 granny squares... but who's counting

2009-05-14T14:51:00.005+10:00

I have been going a bit crochet-crazy in the last few weeks and granny squaring up a storm! I'm very happy to report that all 249 granny squares are now complete (and joined thanks to my lovely mum), and all that is left to do for my crochet blanket is a scalloped edge. Now I'm sure you can guess what I'll be doing for the next few nights... hint, it may also involve the couch, a cuppa and a chocolate (or two or three).

can i resist?

2009-05-08T17:51:00.005+10:00

So far I have been very good and not gone too baby-crazy... BUT I have just spotted these very cute booties. Can I resist the temptation? Handmade by Pedrosprout they are super-cute and are even made from recycled plastic bottles. So not only will Little Miss or Mr Teacups look adorable but they will be helping the planet too... Now where's my wallet?

crochet inspiration

2009-05-06T14:17:00.004+10:00

After seeing this absolutely amazing crochet blanket by Smosch, I've got the inspiration I need to finish this one off. Stay tuned it WILL happen!

can i put my feet up?

2009-05-04T15:44:00.006+10:00

It's got to that time of the day when all I want to do is put my feet up... I must keep going though, there is work to be done!

i'm so crafty i make people

2009-04-28T18:13:00.004+10:00

I think this t-shirt sums up what I've been up to in the past few months perfectly! Yes, I am very happy to announce that Little Miss OR Little Mr Teacups is on the way. The perfect inspiration for some itty-bitty-baby-crafting.

summer sewing

2009-02-02T11:03:00.007+11:00

This is one of the projects I completed over the Summer break. It was a Christmas pressie for Little Miss Jenna, who isn't so little anymore! I didnt have enough fabric to make it into a dress so opted for a singlet top instead. It was made on my very new and exciting sewing machine. Thanks for your advice a little while ago, I did decide on a Janome in the end and luckily Santa (aka Mr Teacups) complied.

welcome back

2009-01-19T14:30:00.006+11:00

Well it seems I took more than an extended break from Blog-land... much longer than anticipated! There are a couple of completed craft projects to catch up on so stay tuned in the week to come as I slowly ease back into posting.

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year and that 2009 is shaping up to be a good one for you and your loved ones.

D (& Penny) x

i'm dreaming of a crafty christmas

2008-12-03T15:57:00.006+11:00

I've never had the pleasure of a white Christmas, so this year I'm planning on a crafty one instead. These decorations are the first of a few projects I have up my sleeve. They are for a friend and her family. And I even learnt to blanket stitch in the process!

what do i do?

2008-12-02T11:46:00.004+11:00

Working from home definitely has more ups than downs... I get to walk the dog in my lunch break, wear ugg boots to work and put the kettle on around 100 times a day (not to mention doing some of my own crafty stuff on the side!). I've also been very lucky to work with some lovely like-minded small business owners. Meetings consisting of friendly chatter and cups of tea feels like your catching up with friends rather than clients... Anyway enough about me, here is a sneak peek of some of the work I've done lately.

are you a sewing machine?

2008-11-18T16:52:00.004+11:00

I've decided it's time to get my very own sewing machine but with so many options out there I have no idea where to begin. I don't want anything too fancy or complicated just something that will get the job done (I'm seeing lots more sewing in the future!). I've used Mum's Janome so I'm thinking that's a starting point but any advice you may have will be very happily taken on board.

PS: How cute is this t-shirt? It's available from here.

warm and fuzzy

2008-11-17T16:17:00.017+11:00

I am constantly amazed at the generosity of the crafty gals in blog-land. A little while ago I signed up for a Pay It Forward on Big Cat's blog and to my surprise and delight, a special package was waiting when I got home yesterday. Wrapped ever-so-lovely, it comprised of a gorgeous hand-made hook roll (complete with knitting gauge, hook and knitter's needles), some very well co-ordinated wool, a knitting and yarn edition of Get Creative magazine, and some very cute "Tea Time" tape. It's amazing how well someone I've only met in blog-land knows me! Thanks so much Cathy, it was the perfect way to end a perfect weekend.

So now it's my turn to share the love with all you lovely bloggers. If you would like to take part in a Pay It Forward just let me know in the comments section of this post. On Friday I'll randomly select one lovely blogger. The lucky person will receive a package in the mail from me within the next 365 days, and then you have another 365 days to Pay It Forward to someone else... Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

one finished dress

2008-11-17T11:16:00.008+11:00

This is my very first item of clothing I have sewn! Much help was needed from my craft-master mum but it's now all finished and ready to wear. The pattern was just a cheapie from Spotlight but the beautiful Amy Butler fabric came from the delightful Lisa from Duckcloth (sneak a peek at her website featuring a new logo by yours truly). Now I just need an occasion to wear it, but with Christmas not too far away there is sure to be a shindig or two on the cards.

this is... my favourite film

2008-10-20T09:10:00.004+11:00

Things have been a bit crazy in the Teacups-camp of late and I haven't had a chance to play along with "This is..." for a while, BUT I could not resist this week's topic from the delightful Hokey. Of course my favourite film is Amelie. When in Paris a few years back we visited the cafe where it was set. We tried our very best to not look like tourists and fit into the very cool french crowd... Somehow the camera flash going off when we were sneaking happy snaps soon gave us away.

a tweety tag

2008-10-17T12:26:00.007+11:00

I've been tagged by the lovely Shellbells and ever-delightful Handmade Romance. So here are 6 random tweet-delights about myself:

1. I refuse to wear heels even though I'm a shortie.

2. I can't bite into icy poles.

3. Any conversation remotely scientific makes my eyes glaze over.

4. I firmly believe it is a man's job to take the bins out.

5. Mr Teacups doesn't agree with the above but does it for me anyway.

6. I have successfully taught Penny the puppy to "sit" and now have proof.

In other non-tag related news. I finally sat down to begin (and finish) my Birdcage Kit from this amazingly talented blogger AND a big, huge, ginormous thank you to Claire for awarding me my very first "Love Your Blog" award!

finally a finished crochet blanket

2008-10-13T10:33:00.008+11:00

Yes it's true, I have finished a crochet blanket but unfortunately it is not my BIG crochet blanket. This one is baby sized for the beautiful Little Miss Bianca. The extent of my crocheting skills is limited to granny squares so this one is a giant sized granny at around a metre square. And I'm very happy to report that Bianca's mummy loved it but unfortunately the little miss was sleeping at the time.

hello

2008-10-01T08:23:00.006+10:00

Hello! My name is Penny Lane. I love nothing more than being cuddled by my new friends and family. I also like chewing up my toys and the odd shoe (when I can sneak past the big people). Like a good girl should, I demand lots of attention and have been the reason for Danielle's lack of blogging and crafty stuff in the past week. I don't mind though cause it means I am getting LOTS of puppy love!

curlypops rocks

2008-09-16T14:13:00.007+10:00

Another lovely surprise was waiting in my mailbox today. After a chance encounter in the Brown Owls carpark last week, the very generous Cam of CurlyPops fame sent me this lovely gift. A gorgeous little bag with absolutely divine flower lining and a very sweet flower brooch. Absolutely perfect for Spring! Check out some more of Cam's creations here.

granny squares galore

2008-09-12T12:52:00.005+10:00

My crochet blanket has turned into a bit of a combined effort with me and my mum. I crochet granny squares galore and she has the not-so-fun job of stitching them all together (I do love her!). So far it is approximately 1 metre square but I am hoping to make it around 1.5 x 2.5 metres. We shall see how long my fingers can keep going!

postie-love

2008-09-09T13:06:00.008+10:00

I arrived home earlier to discover a treasure trove in my mailbox. A couple of weeks ago I won a giveaway (my very first!) over at Above All Fabric, and the delightful Melanie sent me some beautifully quilted Christmas Cards as well as some very well co-ordinated fabric. I'm getting quite a beautiful fabric stash happening (you should see what the lovely Lisa from Duckcloth sent my way!!), but I need to take the plunge and get those scissors out!

Even more postie-goodness was had with the arrival of my Birdcage kit from Ric-Rac. I had just ordered it on the weekend so Jodie must have had her running shoes on to get it to me super-quick!

brown owls printing goodness

2008-09-09T12:22:00.004+10:00

I haven't been to Brown Owls for a while so was very much looking forward to it last night. The task was simple fabric printing and print, print, print we did. The one above was a test but I ended up liking it more than the final so think I will use it for something... any ideas?

penny lane

2008-09-05T16:08:00.005+10:00

We are about to have a new addition to the Teacups family. This is Miss Penny Lane who will be coming to live with us in a few short weeks. In the above photo (far right) she is with her puppy siblings... and looks a lot like Chewbacca from Star Wars. I think she is the cutest spoodle in the whole wide world!

PS: Yes, Mr Teacups has become a doggy person!

PPS: Thanks to a lot of you for asking about the crochet blanket. It is still a work in progress but getting there. I will take a photo in the next few days so you can see how it's coming along.

another doll bites the dust

2008-08-28T09:15:00.009+10:00

It was my older sister's birthday last week and as always I had the dilemna... what do you buy someone who has everything?? With my newfound sewing powers and crafty ways, I soon came up with the perfect solution. While you may have noticed that I am a huge believer in the "Ways of the Co-ordinated", I learnt absolutely everything I know off my sister, the Matching Master. So without further ado, may I present the Divine Miss Marie! She wears gorgeous gold necklace with leaf detail, complimented perfectly by her ribbon trim belt. And a girl can never wear too much gold! Gold trim on both shoes and handbag and of course no outfit is complete without a touch of "M" bling!

The pattern is based on the one from here but with a few little tweaks. I'm really happy with the finished result and think my sewing is finally improving (I've even let you sneak a peek up close!).

a cup of handmade romance

2008-08-25T11:20:00.016+10:00

On your next trip down blogging lane, why not sneak a peek at the brand spanking new handmade romance. It's created by a super-crafty, super-lovely, super-talented, super-dooper friend of mine. You may recognise her crafty goodness from her pirate-y contribution to the Softies for Mirabel auction or this post. Why not stop by and say a big howdy ho!

anyone for camping?

2008-08-20T17:44:00.010+10:00

Mr Teacups would be the first to say that I'm not one for camping. On the other hand, I would say I'm a perfectly happy camper just as long as a toilet and shower are close by. Apparently by "boy" standards this is not "real" camping... Oh well, I don't mind because I'll always be a happy camper in these lovely Camper shoes! If you see me walking down the street, make sure you check out my fancy feet.

softies for mirab-owl

2008-08-14T15:19:00.005+10:00

The owls I made a few months ago are now on ebay as part of the Softies for Mirabel charity auction. It's a great cause so please sneak a peek and give generously, your new softie will be sure to give you a lifetime of cuddles in return.

six random things i heart

2008-08-12T13:32:00.007+10:00

I've just been tagged by Strawberry Season! See below for six random things about me. I've decided to go for a "things I heart" theme.

1. Flanellette sheets on the bed.

2. A cup of chamomile tea at the end of the day.

3. Co-ordinating anything and everything.

4. Trakkies around the house (and maybe down the street... occasionally!).

5. The smell of coffee even though I don't like the taste.

6. My brand new heart brooch from here.

I'm going to bend the rules a teeny-tiny bit, and tag anyone who wants to join in the fun.

crochet crazy

2008-08-04T12:22:00.006+10:00

My crochet blanket is coming along. It's taking a while as I want it to be a decent size but now that I can see a pattern forming it's a nice little incentive to keep at it. I am now averaging around 3 squares a night and have completed 40 so far. All other crafting has been put aside until this blanket is finished... It may take a while but I'm determined (and stubborn as Mr Teacups would say) so I'll be sticking at it until it's complete!

this is... my next splurge

2008-07-28T09:35:00.007+10:00

I have been eyeing this for a while, and then when I saw it at the Melbourne Design Market I decided it just had to be mine. Made by the super-talented Victoria Mason, it will be a reward to myself for all the hard work I've been doing lately... Now all I have to do is wait for my next pay cheque and it shall be mine!

Head over to Three Buttons to check out more random "This Is" posts.

this is... what makes me happy

2008-07-22T16:51:00.005+10:00

Image originally uploaded by Lori Joy. You can see some more of her very cool work here.

At the moment I am extremely happy (and lucky) to be able to work from home. It's taken a year or two to build up the business but it is at a point where I am working on some really fun jobs for some great clients (yes, it is possible!).

Thanks to One Little Acorn & Three Buttons for this theme & meme... I'm a few days late (again).

on my desk...

2008-07-16T15:32:00.009+10:00

On my desk this week are SIX granny squares! They are for my very first crochet blanket so lots more to go...

Check out more desks-in-action here.

this is... what gives me goosebumps

2008-07-13T12:48:00.005+10:00

Image originally uploaded by Mergemind.

It's true, the sound of cutlery scraping together gives me goosebumps! I've had this problem since I was little and when asked (or more often, told) to dry the dishes my mum knew not to expect me to go anywhere near it. To this day I allow cutlery to drip-dry for fear of the scraping sound!

Thanks to Flightless Boyds for this goose-bumpy theme and also to Angela for all the fun of "This is...".

meet kenny the cowboy

2008-07-12T11:37:00.006+10:00

Kenny likes gun-toting action at the local saloon, and line dancin' with the ladies!

oh my goodness, i can crochet!

2008-07-11T13:16:00.004+10:00

Since Brown Owls quite a few weeks back, I have been attempting to crochet. There's been tears, tantrums and now FINALLY triumph! I finished my very first granny square last night and if you can't already tell, am very proud of myself. Now will have to take a trip to the wool shop and pick up some pretty wool (unlike the one above) to make a crochet blankie.

a chance encounter

2008-07-09T09:16:00.021+10:00

Image originally uploaded by james cg.

A few weeks back I posted about my favourite travel memory. It was a trip to Venice where we met a delightful old barber called Umberto. As I had mentioned, my parents were travelling there in the coming weeks and I've just received an SMS saying they met the man himself! Mum said he was as lovely and friendly as ever, and had received our photos we sent him. Not sure if they made it into the "show and tell" album but when I chat to them in the next couple of weeks I'm sure we'll hear all the details. I did a search on Flickr for a photo of Venice and look who I happened to find, mind you I had a few photos to choose from... Someone is far more famous than I had thought!

this is... my most treasured childhood possession

2008-07-06T19:10:00.006+10:00

It wasn't too hard for me to think of what my most treasured childhood possession was. For my very first Christmas, Santa gave me a stuffed pig. This photo was taken on that Christmas morning and I'm (the one with the mohawk) with my brother and sister. I called him Bobby but I think that must have happened a few years later when I was actually able to talk! He was named after Bobby from Young Talent Time and as you can probably guess I was a big fan.

A year later I was still very much attached to Bobby the pig as you can see above. Throughout my childhood I didn't go anywhere without him and on a family holiday he was sadly left behind... After an hour of driving and many, many tears later, my father (who was not known for succumbing to his children's tantrums!) turned the car around and an extra two hours was added to the journey. I couldn't sleep without him by my side and after many years of cuddles he began falling apart but I of course still loved him the same. These days his head is falling off, he has been re-stuffed with stockings, his ribbon is badly frayed and his fur has been worn down, but my mum has promised that one day she will restore him to his former glory. I can't wait!

I've had lots of fun choosing this week's theme so a big thanks to Angela. Head over here to see some more treasured childhood possesions... I know I will be!

this is... my best op shop find

2008-06-29T14:56:00.004+10:00

This is my best and also my latest op shop find. It's a bangle that is covered with embroidery thread in three of my favourite colours. I'm a bit of an accessories junkie and usually buy something in the hope that I can find other bits to match, but this time around I was set to go. As you can tell my current colour of the moment is turquoise!

A big thanks to Angela for all the fun of "This is" and the very talented Lino Forest for this great theme.

Stay tuned for next week's "This is" as yours truly is lucky enough to be picking the theme. I've had a long hard think about it and I've decided on "This is... my most treasured childhood possession". So it could be anything (object, memory, person) that you have held near and dear as you were growing up. Look forward to taking a peek at them all next week.

something in the water?

2008-06-27T14:55:00.009+10:00

There seems to be something in the water these days as more and more friends and family are popping up pregnant... No announcements from yours truly so don't get too excited boys and girls (do I have any boy readers apart from Mr Teacups?). As I like to be prepared, I've decided to begin my present-making-frenzy before these little peeps make their welcome into the world. With four beautiful bellies growing I am softie-ing up a storm! The first one of these is above. As I'm unsure who the lucky munchkin receiving her will be, for now she shall be called Little Miss Ruby-Rose... Little Miss Ruby-Rose has told me that she can't wait to find out who her new owner will be, and with the first due date in a couple of weeks she won't have to wait too long!

To even out the boy/girl bubsy possibilities, a Mr Softie is next on the list. Currently he is sitting on my dining room table waiting for a spare moment to sew him together. He is very patient as he has already been sitting there for a week! I'm also hoping to get embroidered little labels made so I can sew them on to my softies. Does anyone know where I can get these done? I've found a place on eBay but not sure of the quality. Thanks blog-land :)

tote-alicious pin-cushion goodness

2008-06-24T20:25:00.008+10:00

These are my latest sewing creations! A tote bag I made from my "Simple Sewing" book by Lotta Jansdotter, and next to it is the hand pieced pin cushion I made at Brown Owls last night. As usual an owly great night was had by all and under the careful guidance of Pip & Kirsty our flat seams were perfected!

I'm very happy to say I'm back on the sewing bandwagon too. I've had to take a back burner in the last few weeks, namely because I thought I broke my mum's sewing machine. Lucky for me my aunty was on hand and it was sorted very quickly... turns out my newbie sewing skills need some threading lessons! Oh well I guess we learn from our mistakes and since then the machine has been running hot.

sharing the love

2008-06-16T14:46:00.004+10:00

Thanks to CurlyPops I've just found out about this amazing project. It's called The Toy Society and is all about sharing the love throughout the streets of Melbourne via handmade toys. A great project thought up by the very lovely SadieandLance!

this is... the space in which i create

2008-06-15T18:42:00.007+10:00

This is the space in which I create... most of the time. I mainly work from home so between the hours of 9(ish) and 5 I'm in here. It's a spare bedroom which I have taken over. There is a nice big window to the right of my desk which easily distracts me during the day. Working on a laptop takes up minimal space which is just the way I like it. I much prefer the focus to be on my inspiration board and anything else I can find to pretty up the place. During my beloved craft-time I'm usually found at the dining table or on the couch where I can catch up on dvd's and tv... there's nothing like multi-tasking!

Thanks to Michelle for this great theme.

on my desk...

2008-06-11T13:21:00.007+10:00

I've given "on my desk" a miss in the past few weeks as things have been quite hectic in the business world. This week though I thought I'd show you a teensy weensy bit of what I have been working on. It's some illustrations and overall design of a small book. I had a meeting with the client this morning and she loved it, so it looks like all systems go. Pop over here to see some more of what is on desks this Wednesday.

this is... my favourite travel memory

2008-06-08T16:04:00.007+10:00

Or should I say one of my favourite travel memories. We travelled through Europe a couple of years ago and had lots of little European adventures along the way... not quite National Lampoons but we loved it.

While in Venice we stumbled upon a lonesome barber and Mr Teacups took it upon himself to take it as a sign for a haircut... And that's where we met Umberto. A quiet old Italian man (or so we thought) who didn't speak any english. Lucky for us I speak italian so we were able to communicate, and on finding out we were from Melbourne, this quiet man transformed into quite the talker. He then elusively slipped behind his beautiful bright pink floral curtain to bring out a book on our fine city. He explained that one of his closest friend's migrated to Melbourne many, many years ago and sent it to him. Opening it up to a page on football he explained that he used to be quite the soccer star and then again slipped behind the curtain to bring out a photo album containing photos of him as a young soccer star. With a big smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, he then treated us to a demonstration of his fancy footwork. Very impressive and even moreso considering he must have been in his 70s! Our next "show and tell" items were letters of thanks he had received from other tourists, one of which had taken shelter in his store during a downpour of rain. Basking in the limelight, he then began demonstrating the technique of a Gondoliere (we were in Venice after all), and encouraged Mr Teacups to join in. On his final trip behind the curtain he brought out a Gondoliere hat to complete the Venetian scene and of course photos were necessary!

When we arrived home a few months later we sent him the photos, but to this day are not sure if they made it into his precious "show and tell" items. My parents are heading to Venice in the next few weeks so I've told them to keep an eye out for a barber with a bright pink floral curtain and a cheeky twinkle in his eye...

Head over here to check out more favourite travel memories and big thanks to Hila for this great theme.

happy snaps

2008-06-05T21:36:00.004+10:00

I received some lovely comments about the photography in my last post. Unfortunately I can't take all the credit. Mr Teacups is quite the talented photographer in his spare time (not that I'm biased at all), so I thought I'd share some of my favourites. If you want to see some more happy snaps take a look at his site or sneak a peak on his RedBubble profile.

this is... my pet

2008-06-01T17:03:00.006+10:00

Some of you may remember Poncho from when he first came to stay with us a month or so ago. He had just had a knee reconstruction and I am very happy to say he is recovering nicely. He is mum and dad's dog (so mine too while I was living at home), but while they are on their three month holiday he is part of the Teacups family... and more spoilt than ever before! He loves sleeping in the sun, belly rubs, schmakos and walkies but hates being home alone and going to the vet.

this is... something I got but still haven't used

2008-05-26T10:49:00.004+10:00

This was a wedding pressie that has been allocated some permanent space in one of our wardrobes, sitting next to Mastermind... both sadly still in their plastic wrapping. I don't know what it is but we are just not board-game people. I used to enjoy the odd Guess Who or Monopoly growing up but nowadays tend to read a book (or blog), or attempt something craftalicious. My best friend is mortified... she is a Scrabble-fiend!

Thanks flossy-p for this weeks theme (sorry I'm late).

tagging time

2008-05-24T19:11:00.014+10:00

I have this swap card on my inspiration board and every time I look at it those big brown eyes stare back at me. Do you think she looks sad, possibly pining over her lost love? Or do you think she is hiding something?... Her blank expression giving nothing away. The cup of tea and pink rose on the table are our only clues! Speaking of clues, here are a few to find out a bit more about me. I've been tagged by Catherine from Little Glowing Lights. It's my first time so here we go!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

That would have been while I was studying at tafe... probably eyeing off my husband to be, cause that's where we met. Or I could have been taking a long lunch with the girls cause we tended to do that a bit too.

2. Five things on my to-do list today?
- The joy of grocery shopping on a Saturday (annoying, but necessary)
- Spend a gift voucher that expires next week (kinda fun, but not a store I usually shop at so not overly excited)
- Wrap up Little Miss Jenna and make a matching card for the birthday party tomorrow (yippee! I love party pies and cake)
- Cut out fabric for a little tote bag (I haven't made a tote before but been told it's super easy... wish me luck!)
- Post on my blog (I can mark this off my list very soon)

3. Snacks I enjoy?

Chocolate, chocolate muffins, chocolate cake, chocolate teddy bear biscuits, chocolate gelati... all with a cup of tea. Is there a pattern?

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire?

Live a life of craft 9 months of the year, and spend the remaining 3 months travelling around the globe. And in true beauty pageant style, save the planet and stop world hunger.

5. Places I have lived before?

I'm a Melbourne girl through and through.

Join in if you'd like :)

some new friends

2008-05-19T20:30:00.007+10:00

I'd like you to meet my latest softie friends. Little Miss Jenna came from the pattern you can find here and is for a very special little girl who is turning one next Sunday. I changed the pattern slightly by adding some shoes, a scarf and a little bow in her hair. She loves drinking cups of tea and eating lots of birthday cake! Secondly we have Mr Baby Harrison, a pressie for a friend's newborn. This is a smaller version of the one I made a few weeks ago but this time I used some felt to contrast the very cute cowboy fabric. Harrison likes sleeping and snuggling with mummy... and wants to be a cowboy when he grows up!

just owl-ing around

2008-05-16T17:15:00.005+10:00

Thank goodness it's Friday! I've been a busy bee this week. While I am enjoying working from home whenever I can, I do have to be strict and restrict my blog-reading and blog-surfing during business hours... It's so easy to turn ten mins of blogging into two hours! I am intending to have a craft-ful weekend though so lots of pics of my latest projects in the next few days. In the meantime you can take a look at Mr Treetop Mirab-Owl with his little Owl-ette! They are sitting high on their perch watching the world go by. I must admit I was going to try making two little-ies but I soon realised that the smaller they are, the more time consuming and detailed they need to be (not very appropriate for a softie-newbie like me). I did take some time out yesterday to drop them into Mike's and while they no longer watch me while I work, I know they will be going into a new home with lots of owly-cuddles very soon! In return I treated myself to the latest copy of Mixtape which I started to enjoy over a cuppa earlier today (it was during my lunch break - I promise!).

softies for mirab-owl?

2008-05-07T15:02:00.006+10:00

I have just finished my Owl Softie for Mirabel! Here he is sitting proudly on his perch in the Treetops house. Don't look too closely though as the wings were a bit more difficult than expected. He is a Teacups on Treetops original (the very first!) so I think I might call him Mr Treetop Mirab-Owl. Hopefully I will get some time to make a few more in the coming weeks... maybe some mini Owl-ettes could be cute. And of course it's dedicated to our very lovely friend Brown Owl!

this is... the pair of shoes I would sleep in if I could

2008-05-04T22:20:00.005+10:00

I've had these for a couple of years now but they are super comfy and add a hint of sparkle to nearly any outfit (I promise I do not wear them with tracksuit pants!!). They were a Christmas present that Mr Teacups bought for me (without any help) and he even managed to get the size right. Unfortunately I am a bit obsessed with co-ordinating outfits with shoes... those who know me may think it's a family curse! I've had a couple of years though so have used the time wisely to invest in many more green accessories. Thanks to Hip Hop & Banana Bread for this great theme.

this is... me pre-1985

2008-05-04T22:05:00.004+10:00

...well 1979 to be exact. I think I would wear that pinafore dress and mary jane shoes now! Thanks Angela for the extra "This is". It gave me a chance to look through some old photos and reminisce about the good old days of wearing matching outfits with my sister (hers always in pink, mine in blue), terry towling shorts and hand knitted jumpers (love them now but not so much then).

on my desk...

2008-04-30T22:48:00.012+10:00

This week I have decided to share a couple of my beloved swap cards with you. I actually thought I would be uploading more of them throughout my posts but I'm keeping busy with craft projects and haven't had the chance. The first one is my absolute favourite. It's by an artist called Sally... I have tried to make out the surname from the tiny signatures on the cards but all is can get is that it starts with G. The Owl swap card is because I have decided to design my very own Owl softie for my Softies for Mirabel. I am very excited about this as it's the first pattern I have ever made. No doubt there will be some teething problems but we shall see how we go. My inspiration being Brown Owls of course! It's definately given me loads of crafty enjoyment and what better way to pass on the love to a special little person.

Sneak a peak at Kirsty's blog to see what others have on their desk this Wednesday.

who's a crafty chicken?

2008-04-27T19:51:00.009+10:00

With my nephew Jesse's first birthday on Saturday it was the excuse I needed to make another softie. I found a free pattern for a chicken here and decided to put some of the fabrics I bought a couple weeks back to good use. While I did struggle a tiny bit, after some deep breaths and a calming cuppa, it all made sense and the chicken (or rooster?) was born. And I'm very happy to say that Jesse was very pleased with it too. With 2 softies under my belt, I'm on the hunt for a special pattern to make my Softie for Mirabel. Hopefully I get onto this in the next few nights!

party girl

2008-04-23T22:26:00.004+10:00

This is a little illustration that I have been working on. It needs a bit more work but I think it could be cute on some birthday party invitations. It's going to be one of those things that I get to... eventually! In the meantime I think I'll have a cuppa, there's always time for one of those.

little mr poncho

2008-04-23T21:15:00.004+10:00

I'd like you to meet the little fellow who has been keeping me busy and away from blog-land for the past week. His name is Poncho and he is a member of the Teacup On Treetops family for the next few months. Unfortunately he has just had a knee reconstruction so needs some extra TLC and supervision. I can't complain though he is certainly a good doggy and I'm enjoying having the company during the day. Even Mr Teacups may change his cat-loving ways!

on my desk...

2008-04-16T18:22:00.004+10:00

So technically, this is not on my desk (it's on my dining table) BUT I could not pass up this chance to share these gorgeous things. I have the sweetest friends in the world. Here are a couple of presents I received for my birthday that I LOVED. At the top is a Nancybird clutch with blue screenprinted bird detail. I had been admiring this for a while and someone sneaky had a very good memory. Underneath it is a crochet neck scarf with an extra special 'teatime' teacup brooch - both made especially for me!!! After I received it this morning I couldn't take it off. It is so snuggly warm. A fellow Brown Owl is so talented... all she needs now is an E-Teacup blog!

a lovely day

2008-04-15T22:39:00.011+10:00

What a lovely day it was today! It was my birthday and Mr Teacups spoilt me rotten. We both took the day off work so made the most of it. After sleeping in, we went to our favourite local deli for a yummy brekkie, then visited our local op shops. I found some awesome vintage fabrics in the shape of a bed sheet, pillow case and serviettes plus some buttons and a very cute old book "Miss Flora McFlimsey's Birthday" by Mariana, which was a perfect find for today. Then came the best bit... my very first visit to Patchwork On Central Park! Oh my goodness what an amazing store. So many lovely fabrics. It took me ages to pick out a few for some new projects and Mr Teacups even helped. Plus I scored some very cute fabric scraps AND a "Simple Sewing" book by Lotta Jansdotter. Lots of new things to make in there! So with Mr Teacups' wallet noticeably lighter we came home to get ready for a scrumptious thai dinner... Such a lovely day perfectly finished off with a chamomile cuppa as I type this.

introducing miss treetop buttons

2008-04-14T11:23:00.008+10:00

After a few busy days with family, I finally spent some time making my very first softie! I am really happy with her and big thanks to Three Buttons for making it nice and easy. Little Miss Treetop Buttons has now been given pride of place overlooking my work area and most importantly keeping me company.

With my newfound softie-skills I will definately be taking part in a great cause, Softies for Mirabel over at Mike's!

on my desk...

2008-04-09T16:33:00.009+10:00

Today has been spent sleeping and watching very bad daytime tv... yep you guessed it, I'm home sick. I had hoped to begin cutting out the fabric for my next project Miss Buttons, but the furthest I got was opening up the kit and laying it out on my desk. I haven't even been to the mailbox to get the mail... it must be serious! Thankfully I have found many people who share my postman-mail-obsession here at Ric-Rac so I'm not alone. What makes it worse though, is that I can also see junk mail sticking out of my mail box... I only know one special E-Teacup who is crazy enough to love junk mail as much as I do!!

this is... my knick knack/jewellery box

2008-04-08T14:37:00.015+10:00

I'm a couple of days late with this one but seeing as though I love my accessories I couldn't miss out. Now normally my jewellery box is much messier than this, but this was a great excuse for a little bit of a clean up. I seem to be having a bit of a butterfly/dragonfly theme with my trinket boxes but this is all coincidental as they have all been pressies from those near and dear. Some of my fave items you may be able to spot are: Polli earrings, Love birdhouse necklace, Matroyshka brooch (pressie) and one of my latest purchases, gorgeous teacup earrings from Etsy!

the coast is clear

2008-04-07T21:21:00.010+10:00

The coast is now clear to show an illustration I just finished for a very special friend's birthday. There was a sneak peak of it "on my desk" but I couldn't give too much away just in case. I gave it to her yesterday and to my delight she loved it. She is due to have her very first bubsy in September so the pitter patter of little feet isn't too far away.

on my desk...

2008-04-02T21:37:00.009+11:00

On my desk this week we have:

very cute swap cards i just bought waiting to put in the album

coloured pencils carved out of a tree branch

teacup pin cushion from the "stitches and craft show"

paper samples with receipt

small canvas frame i just finished covering with fabric (super easy!!)

my very own mini SEDA barking dog

mickey mouse ruler

If you sneak a peek at the computer screen you can see a project I have just finished. Can't give too much away as it's a pressie for someone special. Stay tuned in the next few days! In the meantime take a look here for some more "on my desks". Thanks Kootoyoo :)

this is... the contents of my handbag

2008-04-01T12:57:00.007+11:00

This is the contents of my handbag! I've got the usual, keys, phone, and wallet, and then the smallest-umbrella-ever, my favourite pink scarf, my diary, lip gloss, hair clips, ipod and perfume. Hopefully I'm prepared for anything...

Thanks to threebuttons and iris + lily for this great meme. This is also my first "this is..." so I'm looking forward to taking part in lots more.

welcome to teacups on treetops!

2008-03-30T22:41:00.008+11:00

So it's taken some time but 'teacups on treetops' has begun. Believe me there were headaches setting this up (the pressure in coming up with a name!), but with time and my newfound computer powers, the world of blog is my oyster... At the moment I am awakening my inner craft and the grand unveiling of my first project is above. A uniform for Brown Owls was the task, complete with embroidery. I must admit having a mum who knows more than a little bit about sewing helped... Now all I have to do is come up with an idea for project number two.

Anytime you feel like joining my teaparty, teacups on treetops awaits!