Boxing day beach bracelet

It's Boxing day in Sydney and where do you go if you're not going to the sales?

To the beach of course.

Here is a simple pearl bracelet - wrap the strands three times around your wrist for an elegantly casual little bracelet.

Could also double as a necklace.

pastel bead charm bracelet

Season's greetings all.

A slightly different take on the charm bracelet theme. Made of gemstone beads and quartz 'points', interspersed with silver charms and bead drops.

something to sparkle along with the tinsel

gingerbread house

I thought I'd attempt to make a decorate gingerbread house for a family gathering tomorrow (children present). I used a cardboard template made out of a crispbread packet for the house... and of course the bits didn't fit together properly but it's amazing what you can do with a whole bowlful of royal icing!

The first attempt ended in collapse but with a little perseverance and the icing talents of the resident 18 year old we have a centrepiece worthy of Christmas.

Hurrah.

peonies

Oh yes....

I finished the peonies

earrings for a Tuesday

I've been so caught up in the whole Christmas palava I haven't had time to post.

Apologies.

Here is a selection of dangly earrings to counterbalance those festive numbers I've seen dangling from ears at office parties.... I like to call them 'chandeliers for the ears'.




Rose quartz, labradorite, swarovski crystal and amethyst: To enhance wisdom, intuition and truthfulness. For happiness in love.


Turquoise nuggets and coral: To cool tempers and promote friendship.


Amethyst and clear quartz: To promote wisdom, intuition and truthfulness. For balance.


Vintage crystal, amethyst, garnet & cloisonne beads: To increase self confidence, promote wisdom and truthfulness. For luck.



And I'm very proud of these: Indian silver 'tassel' earring fixtures (from Hyderabad), rose quartz, amethyst and swarovski crystal: To promote wisdom, intuition and happiness in love.

Mango frooty spicy tea

To drink with all those cupcakes and gingerbread cookies.

Ingredients: Hibiscus (Rosella), ginger, citrus peel, green tea and cloves. If I'm feeling adventurous I'll add pineapple shavings as well. Him indoors insists on cloves in the mix....

watercolour work in progress

After a bit of a slow-up in the painting department, I've started again.

It really does take me a while to get into the swing of it and pictures have to get built up after days. I bit problematic when trying to capture flowers - by the time I got around to some beautiful peonies him indoors bought me, they'd mostly blown and started to lose their petals and stamens.

Here is a picture of the one remaining peony in full bloom after a week and work in progress.

batik beach bag

So I took note of the feedback from friends asking for a shoulder version of the batik and denim bag.

Here is a prototype.

The handles keep their shape by way of nifty plastic tubing. Him indoors put in the holes - makes it look less 'handmade'.

I haven't gotten around to addressing the zipper in the pocket request yet... I'm thinking about a button fastening rather than a zip.

mango frooty party

Another mango frooty craft fair was held yesterday. More cupcakes and gingerbread cookies, cups of tea, glasses of wine...

There were two of us selling our crafts. Not the stress of a public market but probably not the profitability either. But I had a nice day and I hope the others did too.

Him indoors is most happy about the mountain of leftover cakes and goodies....

Christmas bush

Yesterday I had a craft fair at my house. More cupcakes and ginger cookies amongst other things were made, the place cleaned and materials put away for the day.

Some of my lovely friends brought flowers.

The tiny pinky flowery bush is called 'Christmas bush' because it flowers right on Christmas time and is apparently everywhere in the Australian bush (Aussies don't mince words). It really is fantastic to look at en masse - and compliments those bright yellow gerberas very well.