Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Source :  https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/536913586811870155/ Advent Blog Day 4 : Button Up  It won't be a surprise to my crafty friends that buttons make the best little table top Christmas trees. Admittedly, these Christmas trees aren't the 2 metre tall trees like yesterday's cycle trees but these make a lovely addition to Christmas home decorating and are fun to make.  Source: http://www.diyhomelife.com/60-awesomely-cute-christmas-crafts/ Wouldn't you like to show off those buttons you keep in an old tin or a glass bottle ?  Source :  https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/292311832049860580/ Sorting into colours might be  a good idea before starting this project but then an eclectic mix of old and new do just as well.  Source:  https://www.boredpanda.com/ And when you don't have enough of the right colour, a coat of paint or go metallic can add bling to the project.  Source:  http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/ ...

Congratulations Del, from DELiciousDesignz whose name was drawn from my polymer clay covered gourd - just the perfect container for such an occasion. My husband Jim was very happy to do the honours. There are jobs he can do even with a broken leg! Del said "I love that babushka bag .... ( and favourite colours?) red, pink and black.." Sorry, Del, I'm keeping the bag, but a red, pink and black button and felt brooch will be made especially for you. Please send me your address, so I can post it - hopefully by the end of the week. I'm sorry that not everyone could win. Many thanks for participating and sharing your favourite colour combinations. Here are two brooches which I have put on sale this month for the DUST ( Down Under Street Team) Etsy Sale which has a theme of "August - Leo, the Lion". How do my brooches fit the theme? I chose them because of their colour. The orange/yellow/red tones are those that I associate with the astrological sign, Leo. It doe...

Not sure where the last week went? I seem have less and less time .... so the blog has suffered this week. Here are a few button and felt brooches I've made this week. Perhaps I'm just feeling old this week ... our son, Adrian was 37 last Sunday.- but not too old to have his Mum's homemade birthday cake with chocolate frosting and M &Ms. Brandon, his son and Dylan, his bnephew, didn't seem to mind it either. Have a great week - I will try to get back to my blogging routine this weekend.

Each month, the younger women in the Simmons family enjoy a Sunday afternoon get-together, usually without children, husbands and partners. My daughter-in-law Kellie, my daughter Naomi and her cousins Lisa, Melanie and Natalie share their creative skills, produce beauitful handmade things and generally chat, advise and support one another. Last Sunday, they all came to my place and asked me to to get them started on " something different", a creative challenge. Occasionally, the "mothers" are invited to share in the group, but generally, we do not interfere! This time, while Kellie did some scrapbooking, some made beaded art dolls with forms I prepared, and the others went through my button stash and made funky bracelets and necklaces. Naomi also finished another baby blanket, after learning to crochet late last year. It is so wonderfully comforting and reassuring to see such talented strong young women in our family enjoying each other's company. They all le...