Hand-knitted Dishcloths and Other Such Things

I'm looking forward to the Easter Markets this weekend.  Not only am I completely oranised, but I'm also working on a new line of little things to add to my stall - which are also hand-made, just like everything else I have on sale there.

I was taught to knit aged 12 when I was only holidays at my Grandparents' house at Tarragindi here in Brisbane.  It was a wet day and my brother and I were both bored and so Grandma taught me to knit and show my brother how to crochet (not that he'd let on that he picked it up as he never kept up the skill).  
When we returned to school, I remember in Home Ec., we were asked if anyone could knit or crochet.  Only two girls put their hands up - me and one other girl - and we were set to work on a 10x10 stitch of knitting.  While we both found this skill hard at the time, I have kept up my practice of knitting and have been making scarves and beanies for the last few years.  

However, I've begun making dishcloths and washers to sell at my market; deciding over the last few days to start making them.  So far, I've completed two and I'm onto my third one.  Each one is individual and are of my own pattern, being made from yarn I've had for years and wish to get rid of - so the yarn is perfect.  

This will take time though.  I'm not going to put any of them out on the stall until next year.  So, even though I'm making the first few now, I've got the rest of the year to get in and make well over 60 by Christmas.  And during the New Year break, I'll be making even more while I'm down the coast too.  So, it'll be nice to be able to enjoy making them there.  

Well, what have you been up to lately?  Anything new?  Anything old that you've picked up from years gone by?  Until my next post, keep creating!

Easter Markets

This Saturday coming I'm attending my Easter Market at Murarrie Progress Hall.  There's going to be a lot of fun things there from food stalls, a coffee van, a sausage sizzle and other great stalls where you can do and buy wonderful things for your loved ones this Easter.

Crafty Pegs has an All Ages Lucky Dip... yes, you can pay $4.00 and dip your hand into the gorgeous box and pull out something beautiful to take home with you.  

I've also been creating a new line of goodies to sell at the market too: a hand-knitted dishcloths.  They're lovely, colourful, bright and very pretty to use around the house.  I've only made two so far, but I'm hoping to bring them in at around Christmas-time and then over the NYE break, I'll go away and make a whole lot more and bring in the New Year with a lovely lot of new stock to sell to you all!

I also have a few other plans on the drawing board which aren't completely set in concrete just yet, but if all goes to plan, I'll be selling more than just pegs, coat hangers and cute little pencils and magnets to you all.  So, keep your eyes on this space and on my Facebook page as well as my website for updates... you never know what might show up on those places before here. Until my next post, keep creating!

March Creativeness

Wow!  It's been going on here for the last few weeks; so much so that I've been meaning to come in here and chat, but putting it off.

But I've been working on quite a few things since my workbench has been put into my house.  

Firstly, my chair has been driving me nuts... the gas in it isn't what it is supposed to be.  But then, I'm standing up more, so that's a positive spin on that.

Then, I've been painting up a very cool tiny set of drawers for the bathroom linen closet.  I'm trying to keep things neat and tidy.  so, to do that, I'm hoping to put my hair things into this set of drawers - you know hair ties, clips and bobby pins - to keep them nice and neat. 

I'm also doing an ANZAC Day painting for an online art group.  It's going well, and I'm more than halfway through it, so I'm hoping to take a day or two off from doing work on it.  
While I've been doing that, I've worked on 3 picture frames, almost got a 4th one finished and then I've gotten another 15 or so magna-pegs all bagged up and ready to varnish too.  

Yes, I'm working hard on my gear.  However, the next market isn't far off - on 21st, March - and I'm looking at doing a Lucky Dip to move some stock out and about for the kids and adults.  It'll be $2.00 per dip and each person will get something worthwhile... I may not make a lot of money from it, but then again, it'll move stock I haven't been able to move for a long time; mainly small stuff.  Well, that's about all from me, what have you been up to?  Until my next post, keep creating.

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.