One Hour Craft

Christmas Inspiration – Pompoms!

I can’t believe I am already writing about Christmas and thinking about it. Seems just a day ago when I was making my New Year’s resolutions and holidaying in Denmark.
This year I am loving pompoms. I am in the middle of making a tutorial for you all. I will have it up soon. But for now, enjoy some pompom inspiration.

I think that my presents will look a little like this, this year. So cute (via bleubird vintage)

Miss James of Bleubird Vintage has come up with this lovely pompom wreath. See how it is made here…
Here is a good tutorial for making pompoms. I promise it’s completely addictive.
Back with more soon…
Mia
xx

What a Great Night – Book Launch Photos

The book launch was so fun! Thanks for New Edition for hosting such a great party. Thanks to everyone who came and shared the party. There were about fifty people there. It was just the perfect number for the night. And thanks for your support. For me, it was a real landmark event in my life. Really it was the first party to celebrate nearly four years of work on the site and two on the book. It was time for me to get over the fear of sharing my book with the world and just enjoy it! And I did. I hope everyone had a good time.

Thanks to Emma for giving a speech and for all the help getting ready. Thanks to dad for the photos.

Here are photos of the event. There are lots and lots….

The display table, so much fun making all this.

;”>The book display table with the gorgeous embroidery made by Sarah, my sister

Me and my girl.

Emma and me

My favourite flowers – thanks Em

Glenys and Linda

Dilip

Andrew and Jason

Emma introducing me

Emma’s speech

Lisa, Linda and Anna

My speech

Emma, Carla and Clare

A goodnight kiss for Kate

Thanks again everyone for a great night. I appreciate it!

There are more photos on flickr here!

Mia

xxx

When life gives you lemons…….

Was thinking this morning….

When life gives you lemons(and not if, it’s a certainty there will be lemons) make lemonade, or candied lemons or lemon butter or pickled lemons, lemon syrup, lemon gelato or dried lemons, lemon meringue pie, lemon facial scrub, roast lemons???

What I am trying to say is that when life throws **** your way you always have the option of sitting down in that **** or thinking creatively and using your creativity to create many options for happiness. I believe there is a way to make every situation better.  Sometimes we just lose our way of finding these solutions.

My friend Kate teaches me this a lot.  She is the only person I know who could make having a lumbar puncture seem more like a trip to a great cafe for a catchup than the horrible procedure it is.  She always says, ‘just be fabulous’ and she always manages it.  She can make a gourmet meal in the middle of the Australian outback with only potatoes, sausages, a saucepan and a knife.  She makes a boring afternoon into a fun-filled day full of silk screened tshirts, mosaic mirrors, organic herbs and vegies. 

When really big lemons are thrown at us, there is always a way to make lemonade . I started making jewellery and silversmithing during a really hard time in my life. I sat at home each evening and made things. I found that gradually just using my hands and being creative gave me happiness and it also gave me options. Out of my sadness, came some really cool silver rings, and many, many necklaces. Somehow pouring myself, bit by bit, into the act of creating something gave me hope that life would be ok again — and it was.  Of.  Course. 

I just thought I would share this little story with you because I know many people who are going through hard times right now. When a mate asks me, ‘what should I do?’ I want to say, ‘think of a hundred different solutions, think creatively and make them happen but also, use your hands to make something, even something little. It will help you turn your lemons into lemonade…

Today a mate of mine, wrote a song out of one of my lemons.  I was so touched by that……..

Happy day,
Mia
xx
PS. The book launch was unreal. Photos coming very soon. Thanks for coming and supporting me. I am so appreciative.

One Hour Craft – Book Launch

Finally, it’s organised….

You are invited to One Hour Craft Book Launch

Date:  Friday 23 October 2009

Place:  New Edition Bookstore, 82 High Street Fremantle, Western Australia

Time: 6.30pm

Please send me an email at mariabinns@hotmail.com to RSVP just to make sure we have enough beer and wine for everyone!

And send these details to anyone you know who you think may be interested in coming!

Hope to see you there!

Mia xxx

Where I Surf….

Just a quick post to update you with the current sites I surf. I am giving up social networking but still love my daily surfing.  I follow craft sites, fashion sites, and lifestyle sites.

Sites I love (a motley mix I agree).  Click the ♥ to visit:

The Cherry Blossom Girl♥  A very cool Parisienne who works as a stylist, with a penchant for beautiful shoes and vintage-y things.

Bleubird Vintage♥  James, another fashion blogger, everything vintage and fantastic.

Ismoyo♥  A crafty designy blog, a lovely girl half-Dutch, half-Indonesian living in NYC.  Cute, quirky style.

Fashion is Spinach♥  Betsy a fashion writer and blogger, living in Washington DC.  Great fashion blog written in a very down-to-earth style.  Always well written and interesting.

Not Martha♥   A crafty site by Megan Reardon, Seattle girl.  lots of crafty links and great product links.  No fuss, quick to read and always interesting.

One Lucky Duck♥  Sarma Melngailis dishes on raw food benefits.  Will get ya drinking green juice and eating raw foods.  Eat raw, sparkle more!

We Like it Raw♥  Raw foodists site, interesting articles.

Crazy Sexy Life♥  Chris Karr has set up an on-line health community.  So many super-fantastic health experts and amazing people in one place.  Always interesting, always great read (even if you eat meet this will interest you. i’m sure). Vibrant.

Crazy Aunt Purl♥  Laurie, a southern girl living in LA.  Funny.  Funnier.  Knitting blog (sort of), more just tales of living in la la land.  She’s a staple in my internet diet.

Andrea Scher♥  Another staple.  Berkeley girl, photos are wicked.  Jewellery designer.  Posts to lift your spirits.  

Gala Darling♥  A New Zealander living in NYC.  Lifestyle, fashion, articles, photos.  Such a fun, amazing blog.  Always makes me smile.

I think I have covered everything I love, making things, eating good stuff, having fun, dressing up..

Oh how could I forget…Each time I get a chance I am working my way through all the episodes at..

Darryl Hannah Love Life♥  All I can say is…go and have a look.  It is the best!

Mia

Shredded Tshirt Tutorial (Tshirt Surgery)

I had a spare few hours in front of the tv last night and a new camera to play with. I am in love with my new Canon EOS 500D. It was impossible not to fall in love with! So I whipped up a quick shredded tshirt and tutorial to go with it. Shredding is so easy and reminded me so much of high school, sitting on the bus shredding my new tan stockings – the more shredded your stockings were, the better back then. Well, I still love the shredded effect.

I am obsessed with torturing textiles, i.e doing things with them to make them different. One day soon I will post more textiles treatments (or maybe save them for a lovely little book). I just love taking fabric and playing with it. There is so much you can do to it, paint it, dye it, crush it, fold it, pleat it, shred it. If only I could spend all my time just playing….

All you need to shred is a knit tee. I suppose you could shred a skirt (if you have a slip to wear under it) or a jumper, but I like the look of a tee. Next, I am going to try shredding an oversized white tee. For shredding it’s best to use a new tee so that the stitches aren’t compacted together from washing.

Step 1
Take your stitch ripper and undo the bottom hem of the tee so that it is a raw edge.

Step 2
You will notice some loose threads running parallel along the edge of tee. Pull one of these threads. Keep pulling for as long as you would like the shredded panel to be. Then start separating the stitches of the tee between your thumbs and fingers, pulling the stitches wider. This is a bit fiddly. It is easiest to shred inch-long sections of the tee. Work from the bottom to the top of the tee, separating the stitches. You can make all different sized holes. My fingers got a little bit sore doing this. Work your way one inch at a time, pulling apart the stitches until you have a panel as wide as you want. Oh yeah, before I began I make two marks with tailor’s chalk on the bottom of the shirt to mark the size of the panel I wanted.

Ta Da! Here is the finished product. It took me about two hours in front of the TV to shred this. As you are doing it, it is easy to make holes. It just seems to add to the whole torn effect that I love!
I hope you have fun shredding!
Let me know…
Mia
xxx

Crafty Spaces in My Home

Because I have been writing my book and awaiting its arrival on shelves that I haven’t showed you the things which live in my house and also appear in the book.

So I did a little photo shoot….luckily I have the best daughter and kitty katty in the world, who says ‘never work with children and animals’?

Applique Cushion & Sweet Kitty Calvin

Humbug Party Bag – Ready to be ripped open…

Sweet Suzy Bag – Made with vintage Bugs Bunny fabric sourced at a local thrift store

Ripped fabric basket sits on my bedside table, holding my knick knacks

Felted lavender bear – made from a felted woollen sweater also sourced at a local thrift store. It smells too good and has a permanent spot on my pillow.

Etched bird mirror which also has a spot on my bedroom wall. This was one of my favourite things I designed and made for the book. So much fun!

Flower wall tablet – this lives above my bed…..yeah I loved making this too…

Well I hope you enjoyed a sneak peak around my home and into the book.

Today was very exciting. I walked into a bookstore and saw copies of One Hour Craft on the shelves – the first time this has happened since it is only due out in Australia tomorrow.

Other news – there is going to be a book launch in about three weeks time (will let you in on details in the next few weeks) at my favourite bookstore -The New Edition Bookshop in Fremantle. I can’t wait. Should be a great time to celebrate.

Also, we have a trunk show going around stores. If you know anyone who would like a trunkload of things from the book to make a display let me know..

And I promise that in the next little while, when all the craziness dies down, I will be back with other crafty loveliness. Until then, keep making stuff……

Mia

xxx

Maggie Doyne – A Creative Inspiration!

At the beginning of this year I heard about Maggie Doyne, a 23 year old American lady who has started up a home for orphaned children in Nepal. When I read her story I couldn’t believe her guts and her enthusiasm.

Maggie won the 2009 “Do Something” Awards, and this is what they write about her journey so far:

Maggie took off after high school to see the world and when she was trekking through the Himalayas, she stumbled upon hundreds of kids living in the streets, orphaned by years of human rights violations and war. Maggie knew she could stay and make a difference in these childrens’ lives, granting them the rights that every child around the world should have. She built and now runs Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Nepal, housing these innocent victims and saving them from lives of instability and hunger.
Through her work, Maggie has given shelter to 24 kids, sent 60 others to school, and assisted in the placement of over 700 orphans in the region. She has tackled human rights issues in the region, improving the lives of children affected by violence, child labor, sex trafficking, and poverty.

Frankly, I just had to get in contact with her.  So, I emailed her and I was even more inspired.

Well, I encourage you to read her story and be inspired and donate whatever you can.

Thanks Maggie for inspiring me and so many others!

Mia

PS Just to let you know I have been looking for a charity to donate to and this one is I really believe in.  I have decided to donate 10% of my profits from my book to the Kripala Children’s Home.

Mia

xxx

One Hour Craft (the book) Q & A

I have had a lot of emails asking about the book so I thought I would do a Q & A to answer those questions and some more…

What’s One Hour Craft (the book) about? The book is a way of encouraging people to start or continue to use their hands to make things, to create. The book contains quality crafts which can be made in an hour or less. If you only have fifteen minutes a day, it will only take you four days to create something from the book. I wanted to take the pressure off people these days, who are overwhelmed by the thought of starting enormous crafting activities that they know they may never finish!

Can you make a quality craft in one hour or are you kidding me? Yes, you can absolutely make something of quality in one hour. For example, you can sew a gorgeous bag in one hour, make and glaze a clay vase, make delicious tomato relish, make your own earrings etc. I do it all the time, and so do many of the readers of this site.

Who is the book written for? I wrote this book mainly for the female population! But I do have many male readers of this site and I welcome them on board. This book is aimed at a readership of 12 years old and up.

I have written the book for beginner or advanced crafters – I believe that there is something for everyone in the book. If you have been making things for a while, then this will teach you to make other things. On the other hand, if you have never crafted, this book provides you with easy-to-read photo tutorials to make the crafts.

I also think that One Hour Craft would really appeal to homeschooling mothers of adolescents. Most of the crafts are inexpensive to make and are written as lessons (me being a teacher and all). I know that a lot of homeschooling mamas read this site! Actually just buy it for yourself, forget the children!

What is the format of One Hour Craft? One Hour Craft is written in 10 chapters, covering crafts from across the design spectrum. The chapters are sewing & felt, plastic, soaps & lotions, plastic, clay, food, garden, jewellery, paper.

Tell us more about the tutorials in the book? Well there are so many (47 all together). I had so much fun making the book. I love the clay vase in the book, it is so easy to make and brilliant. I love the bean bag, the humbug bags, I love the earrings (you make the findings yourself). I really enjoyed designing the teacup bird feeder. Oh and I love the clock in the book – it is so fun and funky. Also the succulent crescent – I was so proud of myself for designing that beauty for the garden….. Must I go on? In this book you definitely get the creative best of me! Oh I forgot – The Sweet Suzy Bag *love, love, love* and the perfect tomato relish and the etched bird mirror is magical to make!

What was your aim in writing the book? To give people a way into crafting and creativity. To take any stress out of the process. Being a teacher, I believe that with clear instruction, you can learn anything easily! I also wanted everything in the book to be fun and bold and colourful!

What is your background? Firstly, I must say I am a crazy workaholic, who is trying to cut down a little and take more time out to, well, daydream . My day job is working as a fulltime lecturer at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. I love my work and my students – they give me so much in return for what I give them. I teach English and I am passionate about my work. Before this I taught in high schools and primary schools and at TAFE for about six years.
I have also worked in Public Relations. I enjoyed public relations too, but didn’t like working such long hours. I have also owned my own business, making and selling silver jewellery. Great fun!
My degrees are in English and French. I speak French and would love to go and live in the south of France for a few years. I have also studied jewellery design and manufacturing at TAFE. Silversmithing is one of my greatest passions (but one I rarely get to indulge in these days!)
As for crafting, I have been making things ever since I remember. My mother is one of the most creative people ever to grace this planet and she insisted that we find things to do other than watch tv or play computer games (for this I am forever grateful). She taught all her daughters to sew and to cook and to knit, to make candles, to embroider etc. I have been making jewellery for the last seven years. I am a passionate sewer (as you know if you read this site). But I am a person who likes to try my hand at anything and everything. If I see something I like I obsessively try to make it myself.

So how did you get time to write a book? That’s a good question and an obvious one. While I was writing, my schedule was to get up early (6.30 -6.45am), get myself and my daughter ready for the day. Out the door by 7.15am. Work all day. Pick up Millie from daycare and home by 5.00pm. Talk to my girl, housework, cooking etc until 7.00pm. Relax for half an hour. 7.30pm put Millie to bed. 7.30 -12.00 design things, make prototypes, re-make things while taking photos, type up the tutorials on the computer, download photos from my camera etc. 12.00 – 12.30am collapse into bed.
As a side, I must say I had a lot of help from a particularly lovely man in my life, who collated a lot of the data and spent night after night helping me with photo shoots, running out to shops for supplies, editing etc (and even more in his defense, I was not that fun to work with, impatient, perfectionistic and really tired!)

Will you be writing another book? Why stop at one more? I would like to write 100 more (is that possible?) I have two projects on the go at the moment. All I can say is that I am really excited and am going to be working with some creative and interesting people!

Back to the book, where can we buy it? You can buy it at the moment in bookstores in the UK and on-line at several bookstores (google it!) and on amazon.co.uk. On September 1 the book will be available in bookstores across Australia and I am excited about this. We will be having a book launch in Perth and some book signings around Perth – I will keep you posted. This is a really exciting time for me, where I get to sit back and enjoy.

*A big thanks to all of you for your support of me, this website and my first book and to A&C Black for publishing it.*

I hope this answers your questions….

Mia
xxx

Machine Applique (Em’s just trying to make me jealous!)

Machine applique airplane tshirt.

Machine applique horse on sweater for my little girl.

Reversible tote bag with applique horse.

Applique cowboy t-shirt.

Applique lion t-shirt.

In my last post I was complaining that my sisters make me jealous by the beauty and skill of their creations, on a weekly basis *big sigh*. Well, I just thought I would let you see what I am talking about. Here are some of the gorgeous machine applique that Em has made lately.

I think all of our crafting lives go in cycles and there are times when we are extremely prolific with our creativity. This is one of those times for Em. I think she is spending about three hours a night sewing, screenprinting, appliqueing and designing. A mammoth effort for a mum of two little boys.

And… look at the results. Every time I see my lovely little nephews they are decked out in another amazing creation. And the pink sweater appliqued with the horse was a present for my girl, Millie. It has not been taken off very often in the last two weeks!

Oh, and the beautiful reversible applique tote bags. I will be putting up my hand for one of those definitely.

Well, in the next week we will put together a pattern or two for you to download and maybe a little tutorial.

There is lots more coming from Em. Can’t wait…

Mia xx