A Hand-Made Christmas Round Up

By Robyna on November 29, 2015

It’s a steamy day in Brisbane and the kids and I have just finished putting up the tree. It’s the kind that looked magnificent in the warehouse but just, just fits in our house. I used to have major Christmas tree OCD, but I have let that go this year. The end result being a tree full to the brim of decorations and no perceptible theme aside from unbridled joy. Now to place the hand-made Christmas presents under said tree.

This Christmas I am all about locally sourced and hand-made presents. Many of my incredibly talented online friends are thinking similarly, and I wanted to share with you some of their amazing ideas for hand-made presents. Read more…

How to make a fabric basket out of tea towels

By Robyna on November 25, 2015

These great little fabric baskets are a cinch to sew. I have used tea towels to make this super quick, but fabric also works well. You’ll just have to do some extra hemming.

How to Make Felt Flower Brooches

By Robyna on November 11, 2015

These lovely brooches can be worn on clothes, hats or in your hair. Or you could use the flowers to adorne cushions, canvases or as a detail on a blanket.

31 Days. 31 Frocks. 31 Ways. Frocktober.

By Robyna on September 28, 2015

You know what I think I love most about spring? Dresses. I could say it’s all about the sunshine, the freshly mown grass, the budding blooms and the promises of new life but I am siding with the dresses.

Next month dresses are all I will be wearing. For a reason. Frocktober raises money and awareness for Ovarian Cancer.

Unlike many other cancers there is no early detection test. Consequently ovarian cancer is often diagnosed in its late stages and only 20%-30% of women will survive beyond five years of diagnosis. In comparison, survival rates increase to 80-100% when ovarian cancer is detected and treated early.
(source: Frocktober everydayhero page)

That sounds to me like a really good reason to fund research for an early detection test and to bring awareness to a cancer we don’t talk about all that much. AND it’s fun to wear dresses all the time.

Last year, I am slightly embarrassed to admit, I didn’t need to re-wear any dresses. A recent dress re-count of my wardrobe and I could probably extend Frocktober well into Frockvember and still have a few unworn pieces. But I know not everyone is quite as dress-obsessed, makes their own clothes or has a spare downstairs wardrobe. So I put together some inspiration on how to wear dresses for thirty-one days straight.

My creative childhood

By Robyna on July 29, 2015

When I was very young, I desperately wanted a secret keyper.

Specifically, I was quite taken with Sheldon, a plastic jewellery box in the shape of a turtle. You could keep all your trinkets in his shell, replete with a lock. If you are of a certain age, you might remember the ad. My parents where not so keen on buying me Sheldon. Undeterred, I set about making my own. A strawberry punnet, an empty toilet roll, some glitter, stickers and a small lock and key (purloined from my tiny diary) were fashioned into something approximating Sheldon. And I loved that thing.

My husband thinks this is a sad story. I think it’s a great reflection of childhood imagination and innovation.

Being creative and making beauty with kids

By Robyna on July 24, 2015

I love creating things with my kids. Messy spaces, paint from here to there and smiles just as wide. If they are entertained for longer than it took to set up, I am happy. The goal isn’t really to produce something lovely or useful, it’s simply to get our hands dirty and enjoy the process. In fact, many times the end result is discretely relegated to the recycling bin. Every mum knows: you cannot keep everything.

As much as I love messy craft with my kids, it doesn’t satisfy my need to create something beautiful. So I put together a list that allows parents to create something lovely while crafting in parallel with their children.