Wet Weekend of Work

This weekend is going to be a wet one... very wet.  Cyclone Marcia is going to affect everyone within coo-ee of it - which includes my city of Brisbane and all the way down past the New South Wales border.

However, this also gives me plenty of time to work on more art and craft than ever.  Now I have enough paint and plenty of magnets all set up, I can have everything worked on at my bench for as long as I wish - even if the power fails on me, as I have a headlamp stored away nearby to attached to me.

So, what do you get up to when the weather turns foul?  After I run out of things to do at my work bench (which will take a while), I'll be reading, writing and cleaning out the house.  Well, keep creating - no matter what the weather!

Murrarie Mini Markets

For those who couldn't make it to the markets last Saturday afternoon and evening, they were good; for a first market of the year.

I arrived in time to be able to set up with about 20 minutes to spare, to make sure I had everything looking good.  And despite having the place next door doing some noisy building, we had a good turn-out.  

However, nobody really made any money... I sold a few little things.  But I wasn't the only one who didn't really sell anything big.

I had flowers on my stall, and tiny roses on my table as well as a vase of fake roses on there too.  Everyone loved the way I had dressed up my stall and thought my new lot of Magna-Pegs in gold, silver and all colours of pink were delicious!  I sold a few of those... and I also sold a picture frame; but not the new ones I had done up this past week.

Well, I'll be there next month.  Just go and have a look on my Crafty Pegs site on Wix.com and you'll see it on Calendar Days for March.  If you can't find me there, jump on Facebook, look up Crafty Pegs and on the left of the screen, as you scroll down a little, you'll find my website... click on it and it'll show you the rest! Until my next post, keep creating!

Photos of the New Bench!

At long last, the new work bench has got everything happening for it... I have everything attached to it I want and it's looking great!

And I have my Dad to thank for helping my pipedream move from the sketch pad into my art/craft area next to my back door... he's helped me work on it so that it'll last me a long time. 

... and well, here's some photos for you all to have a look at:

photo collage 1

photo 2

photo 3

photo 4

I hope you have enjoyed the photos of how my bench has progressed into the work station I am currently loving to jump into in the afternoons and at night... so, do share.  What kind of work station do you have?  Is it like mine, or smaller and more portable?  Until my next post, keep creating.

My New Work Bench - Completed!

A few days ago, I talked about my new work bench for Crafty Pegs being worked on with my Dad.

First off, we ordered the pieces being pre-cut at a kitchen place - so it was cheaper for me and the pieces were square.  This was a good move.  I picked them all up on Saturday morning, took them to my folks' house and we started putting edging along the edges of it with a dry iron.  

However, Mother Nature had other plans for us... and it nasty!  A huge storm was brewing and it came up fast and ugly.  So, we packed up quickly and I headed off home.

Today, I was back there again, armed with a light and a few other little things to work on the bench again.  

And man!  Did we work!  We got right into it!  The bench was put together today, and before I knew it, lunch had been and gone, we had been back to Bunnings and picked up a few last minute items and needs for it, and I had spend all the money I had saved up for it - every last dime!  

I'm so pleased it's happened this way.  I saved up $140 for it... and spent exactly that amount!

Very cool!  There's one photo and one collage for you guys to look at.  I hope you've been as busy as I have.  I got the chair from Officeworks for $88.00 and it was easy as dirt to put together! 

Now, the legs on the bench are little long, but it's nothing my Dad and I can't fix... anyway, welcome to the beginning of another yet... another lot of fun times of me showing you more photos of my new works - this time, on my new workbench! 

Photo No.1

Photo No. 2

The Work Bench - Part 1!

This morning, I was up by 8am and out the door by 9:15am.  Yes, today was the day Dad and I started on working on my Crafty Pegs Work Bench.

After I got in and took some donations to Vinnies at Springwood, then went to the bank to get out the much-needed money, I was off to Mum and Dad's place where we got ourselves organised to go out and have a look at kitchen counter tops at the industrial estate, not far from where I live.

But the place Dad had in mind was closed today, so we found another kitchen place nearby and they told us where they supplied for, and we took off there.

We showed them what we wanted and we were offered a very good price, and informed we could pick it up on Saturday.  Great!  After I paid for it, Dad and I walked around 'Total Kitchens' on Compton Road to see what else they had - and did they have some stuff!  I'll be going there to look at a new drainer for my kitchen because mine's on its way out.

Anyway, I digress...

We had done all we could today.  Now, we have until Saturday to get things sorted out.  Yesterday, I cleaned up, cleaned out and threw out a lot of things in my craft area; so it was ready for the new bench.  I have the rest of the week to myself... to get what I need done; that's mainly varnishing and wrapping and organising myself for next month's market on 7th, February, at Murarrie Progress Hall, from 3pm - 8pm.  Until my next post, keep creating!

A Busy Few Weeks

Crafty Pegs have been coming along well lately.  I've been working on more black pegs - with some gorgeous little bright designs on them.  Some of them are their own peg collections, while others have been turned into magnets.  

Then, I had to take off to a cheapie store and find things for the Valentine's Day themed market I'm going to next week.  If found garlands, little bunches of roses, itty-bitty tiny roses, hearts (to put into my bags when people purchase anything) and then a few single roses to place on my table just to make it look nice.  All these flowers are plastic and can be put away for next year - or Mother's Day - and I'll put them into a larger box for when I need to make a themed market stall.  

My work bench is coming along well.  Dad and I have looked at my finances - and I have a good enough saved up to get what we need for it.  Tomorrow, we'll hopefully be getting the money out and buying the things we need for it.  Dad's looking forward to this as much as I am.  

Well, that's all the news about Crafty Pegs for now.  Keep and eye out for new markets I'm attending on my website - on 'Calendar Days' - and I'll keep you updated with any news that comes along.  I have been offered to return to the Murarrie State School Organic & Craft Market on 2nd May; and I've accepted their invite to it.  So that ought to be fun to do that one!  Until my next post, keep creating!

The Devil's in the Details

Today I went out and bought the last two boxes that I'll be using to pack away things when the time comes to move all my gear out and install the new work bench in.  

The time will fly by when we build it, and it won't take long to get it all done and it'll be at my place.  So, I have to be prepared to have it moved in and all my stuff moved out; along with the bookcase for my neighbours.  

This is going to be so good once it's all done and installed.  My work will look amazing, I'll have more room to be creative and there'll be better storage space for my craft items too.  I'm keeping money aside to buy shelving for the walls too, not just buy timber for the bench... and I think I've impressed Dad in this aspect that I have the money to do this, and will work on it too with him.

Well, tell us all what kinds of projects you're getting into this year - big or small - and keep us updated about them.  Until my next post, keep creating.

The New Art Area

Today, I really started in on the new art area.  I went out and bought a box that is big enough for all the small stuff and will be used for the coat hangers later on when the bench is finished.  Most of the gear I have boxed up already is ready to be moved out and cleared out, but there's little things that need to be put away.  I also need to have probably two more boxes with lids for rags for cleaning brushes and another to hold all my other bits; but I'll see what I really need first.

I will be looking for a new chair next week and so will be searching the charity stores to see what's available.  It's gotta be a nice bar stool with a gas-lift style chair so I can sit on it when I really need to.  Otherwise, I'm ready to start in on this piece of work once the money is pulled together.  

I'm really looking forward to doing this bench.  I hope Dad is... it'll be fun to do.  This weekend, I'll be working on cleaning out the drawers in the wardrobe in the guest room and taking them outside to sand down and paint them up with a couple of coats of colour.  It should look good... or maybe just leave it the way it is after I clean it out and let the spots of paint I drop on it give it character.

I did some new work tonight, and really ran out of space fast... I am looking forward to getting this new work bench put together and here at my place before March.  It ought to be a good thing to have here.  Until my next post, keep creating!

Happy New Year!

Okay, you may have noticed a few new changes to 'A Natural Background's blog... like, it's not called that anymore.

Yep!  I've changed the name of it to 'Crafty Pegs' so it can reflect what I'm doing on my Crafty Pegs Facebook page and on my website too.  

Do you like the colours and font?  I thought to go with something fun and colourful this time around so you love to come back here again.

This year, Crafty Pegs is moving forward again.  I've been planning on working on a work bench for my craft area; and my Dad is going to help me get it done.  It's going to fit into the spot where my original table and bookcase has been sitting for the last year or so and will be a standing table.  It will also double as an easel for when I want to do other canvas'.

Sounds good, eh?  I'll show you pictures on my other sites and here when it's finished and put into place.

Anyway, I've begun working on other things to do with the Markets and other projects this year... I hope they work out the way I imagine them to.  Well, until my next post (and that will be soon), keep creating!

Busy With All Kinds of Things

Crafty Pegs has grown so much since the last time I've written here.  But first, a huge apology for not posting... my bad, honestly.  It's been so hectic lately, it's not that I have forgotten, but I've been working so much, I haven't had time to write.

But today, I do.

Let's see, where to start...

Since July, the Creative Markets at Springwood were sold to another party. So, I stuck it out for a month or so to see how it would go.  But it hasn't gotten any better.  

I haven't been making any money, and the rent is still the same - $50 for half a day - and the people just came and looked then didn't buy anything.  Then, in August, we had our 2nd Birthday, and the owner of the Creative Markets advertised that there'd be freebies and the place was bursting with people!  But they were only there for the freebies and they didn't buy anything... they scored the freebies and went around looking at our stuff, told us we were so clever and our things looked lovely and gorgeous and oh, did they mention we were clever?  Then, they went home.  

I went to a night market at Murarrie - Mama Mia's Mini market - and I made over $70 at that one market alone.  So, that made up my mind.  I was going to have one last market at Springwood and take up any other market I was offered - within reason - and pay nothing over $30 for a spot and make sure it was undercover (and pay extra for that if needs be).  Anyway, I've been booked into two other markets since my last market tomorrow... and they're all at the Murrarie.  I can't wait!  

I also started up a website on wix.com.  It's very cool and I love it.  I attached it to my Facebook page and people have been able to see my work on there better and read the blog there instead of just look at the pictures on my Facebook page; and there's a calendar there too, so they can keep up with where I'm going to be at as well.  I've also made the page cute and pretty enough that people will want to come back and look at it more too.  But it still needs work, as I've only just put it up online.  

Lynda's Crafty Pegs

So, there you go... what I've been up to over the last two months; and why I've been so quiet lately.  Until my next post, keep creating!