A week of Nanna... Day 3!

DSC00807, originally uploaded by jljorna.

Here is a blanket that my Nanna crocheted for me. I've had it fir a long as I can remember, but I also remember picking out the colours fir it when I was younger. So I guess that that doesn't make any sense really!

After all these years, 15 at least it's still holding up awesome and I still use it ALL the time! Love it.

She also made one for my lovely sister and our cousin who Is right I'm between our ages. Not sure what colours theirs are, but they're all the same size and equally lovely!

See you again tomorrow.

- Jemma

A week of Nanna.... Day Three

Well,I'm feeling pretty yucky tonight. I've had a tummy ache all week and it's just not going away :(

Today is just a quick story about Nanna then!

Many many years ago (10? 15?) when I was younger, we went to see some of my older boy cousins playing footy up in the hills. Nanna was there, and my girl cousin who's just a few years older than me. At this particular ground there is a big lake right next to it. Impractical? I think so! Well because football is very uninteresting to a young lass like me and my cousin, Nanna took us for a walk where we encountered the most terrifying, humongous and rabid goose in the world!!!!

After about half of a lap getting chased by the goose my nanna finally turns around and says something to the effect of "That's enough" and belts it with her heavy grandma handbag!

Although now I have mixed feelings about hitting a little birdy with a bag. At the time it made her my hero!

Needless to say, I'm still have some lingering fears of geese!

Hope you'll be back tomorrow after this terrible showing, I'm going to be writing about my blanky that Nanna made me. It'll be much better, I promise!

-Jemma

A week of Nanna.... Day Two

These are a few books that I got from my nanna last month. They're so funny, they're technically vintage I guess. But they're not quite old enough to be cool again yet!

Some of the things are just so strange. The handicrafts book has rug making or something of that ilk? I haven't really had much chance to look through them yet, but I'm pretty sure every second quilt in the patchwork book has some creepy animal applique on it.

These aren't the first books I've got from her, I've been slowly taking more over the years, because she's always saying that one day that she's going to just throw them all out. The tragedy!

Look out for more tomorrow.

-Jemma

A week of Nanna.... Day One

I think it's very funny that I started "A week of nanna" a day early all by myself. An omen so I'd know to join in? Perhaps!

Below is a gorgeous early 60's (I believe) bakelite vintage canister that my lovely nanna gifted me soon after she discovered that I was starting to collect canisters. This canister pretty much sums up how I would like my whole kitchen to look. The feeling of it at least.


With BugandPop and many others.

Ideas for posts later in nanna week:
- Funny things nanna says.
- Surprise gifts she's given me (that are sometimes also funny)
- Nanna's recipes
- General stories from childhood involving nanna
- Reasons I'm not worried about being just like her when I grow up!

I've made some nice progess on my latest quilt. About 1/3 of the way into the basting process. I'm also a little preoccupied with thoughts of giving the local incredibly tiny craft market a go next time to see if anyone would buy anything I make. Oh how I wish to break even with my material purchasing!

See you tomorrow! (Probably!)

-Jemma


(Sorry for the parenthesis heavy post!)

This is...

What I'm surprised that I like.

Hanging out with my mum and nanna.

This one isn't something that I'm surprised about so much, but other people sure are. I had a bit of trouble with the topic this week. But since I went out with them today, it was good inspiration!

Today we went to the Como Gardens. It's a private estate in the Basin near my house with the most beautiful grounds, including a lake, mini rain forest and formal vegetable garden. I'm sure that a lot of people that live around the Dandenong Ranges will have heard of the garden. They open their gates twice a year with all proceeds going towards charities such as the SES, St John's Ambulance and the CFA.

Here are some photos of the gorgeous lily's, hydrangeas and other flowers that I saw today. I'm really happy with how they turned out! I'm going to select four or so and have them printed and put them in a frame for my nanna's Christmas present.









Hope you Enjoyed.

-Jemma

Thank you!

Or Live from my new Laptop it's Thursday night!

So, it's been a very exciting day for me today! This morning my bright new shiny laptop arrived at work. In the specified delivery time and everything! My boyfriend has done a bunch of fancy things to it, and now it's all up and running and nice. Any suggestions for stylish laptop bag/sleeve suppliers? I was thinking of making something, but I'm a little nervous leaving the safety of my laptop in my not so crafty hands. So suggest away!

I was lucky enough to win a give away from the lovely Liz over at Bowerbirdz. And it was waiting for me when I got home tonight. Which was very exciting. My package was of some totally gorgeous vintage flower style buttons. All very pretty and great colours. I'm itching to get something going to highlight there beauty, but I'm just so tuckered out at the moment after going back to work. I'm hoping to get alot done this weekend. I want to at least baste the quilt top that I started many moons ago. It's all Japanese craft fabric, and I'm not really seeing it anywhere in my house. But I think that it'd be some nice practice at least. I'm still not really getting the hang of cutting everything exactly the same size. So it might be a little skewed. I've actually just now had the idea of a Christmas giveaway, for someone who's house decor it might work better with. That gives me a good time constraint too!

Well, enough yabbering for now :)

-Jemma

This is... My favourite movie!

I have a hard time with things like this. I can't handle the commitment, and I don't want to look back on this when I'm older. Kind of on par with someone going "Why did I announce to the whole world that the Backstreet Boys are the only band I'll ever love?!!"

Or something. That being said, here's a really good one that I just bought on DVD recently. It's still good!

Empire Records

A couple of my favourite clips below.







I like the parts that aren't singing too! It's just very hard to find any good clips. Don't you just wish you worked in a independent record store in the late nineties?

And don't you just remember when Ethan Embry was dreamy?

Enjoy.

-Jemma

A quick clutch

I whipped up this little baby last night to take out. Once again it's the pattern from Bend the Rules Sewing, just altered to make it how i wanted!

I wanted to reinforce it a bit so it would be easier to hold, so I popped in the piece of plastic that comes at the bottom of those green enviro bags. Worked a treat! It's nice and bendy, but sturdy too! I'm thinking about taking the ric rac off and putting in some plain white cord though. I think that maybe there's a little too much going on?

I got loads of compliments on it though. One of my friends even asked me to make her one. As her 21st present! That's an easy, fun and cheap solution to the problems I have with choosing good presents for people that aren't my mum or sister.

I've been busy with a big project recently. But sadly, it's a secret one. So no posts about it till after Christmas! But it's a doozy, I promise.

Hope you're enjoying the nice weather if you're here in Victoria!

- Jemma


(Please excuse my chubbo arm and smelly looking t shirt. I wanted to give a good size reference!)

Just call me Nona....

This is a pot of spaghetti sauce with 1.5kgs of mince, 5 cans of tomatoes and a jar of tomato paste.

Should see us though a few meals!!!

- Jemma

This is... My current reading material.

This is.... my first this is!

Theme this week by My Champagne Dreams.

I got these beauties the other day when Jessie was down.



My plan is to at lease START one of the before my holidays are over.

I'm not sure yet if I've been added to the This is blogroll. Hopefully yes.

If not..... I'll be back again next week!

- Jemma

Tagged

My lovely sister at The Crafty Librarian has tagged me for my first blog game!

The rules:
- Link to the person who tagged you.
- Mention the rules.
- Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
- Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
- Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged.

I've decided to omit passing it on. I don't actually have any blogger friends yet really, so I don't have anyone to ask! But, if you read this then consider yourself tagged. If you want to do it, then just tell me and I'll link you at the bottom of this post!

Without further ado.

6 unique things about me:

1. I collect canisters, almost obsessively! I might do a week of my canisters soon? There's plenty of content!

2. I have at least 5 pairs of purple shoes. Minimum.

3. I'm terrible at laundry, everything is covered in fluff.

4. I have never seen or touched snow. I want to though!

5. I've given my car a name. It's Norman. If you ever saw him, you'd know he's totally a Norman.

6. I love buying doona covers. What fun!

Just leave me a comment if you want to play along!!

- Jemma

First Week Gone Already

My first week of Holidays is over already! How sad.
I've just gotten back from a few days in Lorne, and it was lovely! The weather really put on a good show. Not quite warm enough for swimming, but great just the same. We spent most of the time just wandering the main street and eating. Nice!




One of the best things while we were away was my awesome Oppy find!!!!
It's the best, an excellent vintage sewing box. It just makes me want to buy lots and lots of different cottons. One for every spool! The views were pretty good too ;)





This next week I plan on getting a lot of crafting in, hoping on some improvements overall. And, I also the have the very bold plan of getting all the things done that we didn't have time for when we moved here 6 months ago. A place for everything, and everything in its place! But lets be honest, I'll probably just lie in bed and watch DVD's.

On another note, IKEA cannot beat me! I've just finally finished putting together the most unnecessarily complicated little set of drawers. I just had to have it, they'd put a little sewing display up in IKEA and the drawers had little letter stickers on them. Just too cute!

Hopefully I'll have lots of good updates in the next few days!


- Jemma


{Ed. Did I mention the box was $4?}

Brown Owls and Holidays

I've already had a largish gap in posting, oh no!



Last night I went to my first ever Brown Owls meeting! It was awesome fun, I had my first experience with embroidery and it went very well I think. We made a little sausage dog CD envelope and I love it.

As of yesterday I am on Holidays from work for 2 weeks, and I'm mega excited. I haven't had a break in over a year. So this is very nice. I celebrated my first day by going to 8 (!) various patchwork shops in the Hills around where I live with my sister and mum. It was a great if very very tiring day.

Since Jess is only here from Sydney for a few days we're making the most of it, so today we're getting back into it and going to Amitie, Patchwork on Central AND Ikea. I'm tired just thinking about it.

I've just now put myself down to join "This is..." and I'll also hopefully get lots of crafting done next week. So expect some good photos.

I'm off to Lorne tomorrow for a few day, so wish me luck with some nice weather!

- Jemma

Dinner?

I've decided to openly solicit you for your recipes!

I'm sick of having the same things week in week out for tea.

So, what are you favourite recipes?

- Jemma

Share Your Stash

Day 4 !



This one make me wish I could sew clothes.

An oversized shirt maybe? With a big belt...?

-Jemma

Share Your Stash

Day 3

I was hoping to post another nice navy and red fabric in honour of the first person to comment on my blog (who isn't my sister), Bird Bath!

But sadly, I had none.

This is just a guy that I got from spotlight, that I'm particularly fond of for 2 reasons.



1. It was shamefully cheap.
2. It's pretty!

Had enough?

- Jemma

Share Your Stash

Day 2!

This is another find from the wonderful Op Shop.


Not sure what I could ever make out of it really, since it's such an unusual pattern. I just think it's pretty.



The photos don't really do it justice, it's actually a very dark navy blue.


Ready for more tomorrow?

-Jemma