T is for Teeyore

Well it has been a while since I updated this blog and I have a bit to share with you. First up is that I have finally finished my university course. I got my results to day and am so happy as I got 3 High Distinctions and 1 Credit. It is such a nice feeling to have it finally over and I can now spend more time playing with all my craft supplies.


A few weeks ago I attended my 20yr Highschool reunion in Wauchope, NSW. It's hard to believe that it has been 20 years since I was at school....I don't feel that old. It was a tradition in our school that when you reach yr 11 the form had to adopt a name and it was used in sporting matches against the grade 12's, fun days etc. After being cooped up for ages in a hot school hall (no air conditioning in those days), we decided to name ourselves the 'Yoghurt Blowflies', a name we wore with pride as we defeated the 'Limespiders' in various events.




Here's a photo of the girls, Julie, me, Kirrily, Kylie, Melissa (Biddle) and Lisa in the front.


Here is our class photo. It was a great night and most of the gang I hung around with came.

Now on the craft front I have been working on a new doll. Her name is Babette. She is all hand embroidered and has beading and button detailing. I have a few minor modifications and then will have her for sale in me etsy store. Let me know what you think of her.

My friend Niss has gone button fairy mad. Check out her blog here to have a look at what she's been making. I think they are so cute and inspired me to create a stitchery version of a button fairy.

I think she has turned out to be quiet cute and I had a lot of fun making her. I've drawn up a few designs version of her and plan to make some more.

Speaking of Niss, she is very fortunate to work in a thread and bead store. I popped in for a visit last week and they were having a sale. I stocked up on a whole heap of beads, threads, wool (I'm making a felted bag) and needle felting equipment (always have wanted to give it a go).

Here is the beads I bought. Don't they look yummy??? I can't wait to start creating with them. I have so many ideas in my head and things I want to try. My two weeks annual leave over christmas will largely be spent crafting. I have a heap of different things in various stages of production....some for christmas presents and some just because I want to make them. I am hoping to get them finished this week and then I will be able to share them with you then.


I'm off to bed now to do some reading. I started reading the Twilight series of books a couple of weeks ago and I am totally obsessed. I've nearly finished the third book in the series and can't wait to read the 4th. My son has also started reading it as well and is also enjoying it.

Until next time (hopefully it wont be as long as it took to write the last update),

Terri xx

I found this lovely idea on this blog. The idea is that I will make some lovely handmade item for the first 3 people to comment on this blog., and they have to be willing to do the same for another 3 people. Everyone has 365 days to make their items (I think that will give everyone enough time). So what do you think?....come on join in the fun and spread some joy to another person.

Well it's been a funny old time since we lost our dog Benson the other week (see last post). I still get sad when I think about him but it is getting easier. My other dog Mischka continues to be spoilt. Turns out she is fully housetrained. We've had her for 9 years and never thought she was. So we have been having her inside with us more and more. Locky (our labrador puppy) has really got his nose out of joint about it though. It's just like having two naughty kids fighting at times. The only problem is Mischka is so small and Locky is so big, so when she runs under the cofee table he tries to follow her and everything ends up getting knocked over.

Here's a photo of Kiara nd Mischka having a smooch. She is such a loveable little puppy and Kiara is treating her like a little baby.



The flu bug has hit our house this past week. Kiara was the first. It hit her pretty hard and she had most of last week off school. Her friend Maddy was also quite sick with it as well. I felt so sorry for them as they had their big dance exams on Thurdsay. They both felt they went pretty good....we get the final results next month.

I was next to get it and it has made me pretty sick as well. Unfortunately as I am doing the bed manager's position for the next few weeks fulltime as the girl I job share it with is on leave, I had to still go to work (noone else knows how to do the job). Luckily it wasn't too busy as I just have not had any energy at all. At least I wasn't working on the ward....It's too hard to look after sick people when you feel sick yourself.

Even though I've been sick I still managed to get my last big uni assignment completed...just emailed it to the lecturer just now. Only one presentation and one big 3 hour exam to go. 24 more days and then I will be free!!!!! I can't wait. I have so many craft projects in various stages of production that I want to get finished and a whole heap more designs in my head to make. I also want to alter my Amika dolls a little bit. And I have a heap of sewing etc to get done for Christmas presents. No photos to post however as everything is not finished as yet.

Today I was determined not to miss out on the BIG SING, so I forced myself out of bed and am so glad that I did. The BIG SING is a day of music workshops in which a heap of choirs get together with a few conductors and learn new songs and then put on a concert at the end of the day. It was incredibly hard work but so much fun. We had to learn about 8 songs, some quie complex with 6 part harmonies. We sang no stop for 6 hrs and I just couldn't believe how we managed to learn everything and the perform them in only 6 hrs. I haven't done anything like that since I used to go to music camp at school. I can't wait until next year.



That's it for me for now.
T xx

I mentioned a few posts back that my dog Benson had to be taken to the vet for a tumour on his back foot. Unfortunately it had continued to grow at a rapid rate and bursts open yesterday. It meant that he now was is pain and had the possibility of having it become infected and him developing septicaemia. So we had to make the hardest decision I have ever had to make and have him put down. I have had Benson for 14yrs and I could never imagine how much I would be greiving for him. It was just so incredibly hard taking him into the vets, knowing that he was never going to be coming home with us. He looked so happy to be in the car, and I felt just so awful.

I can't even find any photos of him to post here to show just how cute he was. My other dog, Mischka, who is 10yrs old is just looking for him everywhere. She has never known a time when Benson wasn't around. It is just so heartbreaking watching her look for him. Lockyer, the labrador puppy we got 7 months ago, doesn't understand I don't think, but he knows something is just not right.

I was to perform with St Aiden's choir tonight, but my heart just isn't in it. I have never had a close friend or relative pass away before so haver never experienced the pain of losing someone....it is not pleasant. I feel as if my heart is a heavy weight...I know it will get better with time, buit at the moment, I just wish he was back with us.

I spent a lovely 4 hrs yesterday with Lyn & Kate (girls from work) as we were entranced by the delightful stage production of My Fair Lady. I absolutely love going to see musical productions and this was certainly one of the best shows I have ever seen. We were seated in the fourth row so had a wonderful view.... the bonus was that two small boys were seated directly in front off us so I didn't have to contend with a tall man's head obscuring the view (this usually is what happens to me).

The cast were just wondeful and Reg Livermore certainly made Professor Higgins his own....I hadn't realised how talented he was. The sets were magnificent but the costumes were the ultimate.

Here is a sketch of one of the fabulous creations from the scene at Ascot. The hats were just incredible and so big. No two costumes were the same. It was such an amazing site to see so many of these wonderful creations all together. Lyn, was so excited and couldn't stop talking about them on the drive home.

Here's another example of Eliza Doolittle's costume at Ascot.

Everything was so well thought out and everything was colour coordinated to perfection. It was a wonderful way to spend the last day of my mini break....back to work today. Eight more weeks of university to go. I haven't been as diligent as I should have so it is going to be heads down until then....may not get much stitching done (but I will certainly try).

Until next time.
Terri xx

I have stayed true to my word and have spent the last five days leave from work, stitching my heart out and recharging my batteries. As a result I have quite alot to share.

Here are some stitchery matryoshka dolls that I made using a pattern I found on Rachel's (sorry I don't know her last name) blog. She offers this pattern for free and has a link so you can to email her to get it. I just added some of my own detail to make it more my style.




The following photos are of stitcheries I have done using Lynette Anderson-O'Rourke's free Noah's Ark block of the month. Lynette is avery talented and well known international designer and has designed this little stitchery to celebrate a year of blogging. If you click on the Noah's Ark image at the right of my block it will take you to the design and Lynette's photos of the stitchery quilt. She has also put links to others who are making her design and it is really interesting to look at the different colourways and styles everyone has used. I have another three to stitch up and then I will be up-to-date with the blocks.

I just spent the day with my friend Jo teaching her how to do redwork stitcheries. She is going to make up one of my original designs as a present for her friend's birthday. And tonight, my friend Milly has just phoned to say she wants to come over and have me teach her to make dotee dolls. What a wonderful way to spend the whole day and night, being with friends and sharing my love of craft. I love helping others discover their own love of craft.

Now I can't end this post without sharing a photo of Lockyer going for his first swim in our pool. At first he was scared and kept going to the side, but after a while he started to enjoy it and we couldn't get him to get out of the pool. Mark will kill me for putting this photo of him on my blog, but it was so cute seeing him teaching Locky to get used to the pool. Mark doesn't have any kids of his own (although he treats mine like they were his own), so this puppy is very much his baby. I love watching the two of them together.

Well I better get going. I want to have a shower before Milly arrives and the stitching continues.

Terri xx

I mentioned in the previous post that I was taking my dog Benson to the vet. Well the vet wasn't too sure about the lump on his foot, but thought that it is most likely cancer. She thought it might pay to get it cut off and amputate part of his paw.....all for $1000.00. But she also said that if it was cancer it would have spread throughout his whole body by now.

As the lump isn't causing him any concern at all and the fact that he is quite old and may not survive the anaesthetic we decided to do nothing for now, but just to watch it. If he was in any pain or wasn't able to walk properly we would do it.

I'm off shopping with a friend today. As I have had this week off from work I've had the redecorating bug and have been rearranging all the furniture in the house (much to Mark's annoyance). I bought some vases, candles, lampshades and a new rug yesterday and now want to find something nice to put in the centre of the dining table.

I've also been sewing but haven't taken photos yet....I'll do that today and post them later tonight.

Terri xx

Last week was my first wedding anniversary. Yes, Mark and I eloped last September to Long Island in the Whitsunday's and got married. We then spent a wonderful10 days on the island and at Airlie Beach. I love it up there, it is just so beautiful. If we could we'd move up there in a heartbeat. Hopefully we'll get to take the kids up there next year.

I was very spoilt and received some beautiful roses, a card and a willow tree figurine. Aren't the roses just beautiful? He isn't much of a flower buyer so I was really surprised.

This is the beautiful card he gave me. Doesn't it look like a scrapbook layout?

On the sewing front, I have been having a lot of fun. I haven't sewn anything that wasn't my own design for a couple of years so have had fun sewing from patterns. I've been getting up early and going into my craft studio before anyone else wakes up and having a lovely time locked away in there by myself.

This is a chair caddy I made using a free pattern from Helen from Hugs n' Kisses. She has started a wonderful project called a Stitcher's Angel. It was set up as a swap where prominent designers designed free projects for people to use, you could join as a swap member or just use the available free patterns. The patterns so far have been lovely and include pin cushions, totes and a scissor keeper. You should go and have a look. There is also a link to the flikr group and it is interesting to see everyone's interpretation on the pattern.

I would have loved to have been a part of the swap but just didn't have the time. So I made this arm chair caddy using the free pattern, but added my own stitchery to it. I also added a thread catcher to the design that can be removed if needed. I used some lovely Heather bailey fabric as well as red and aqua polka-dot fabric I had in my stash.

I just love it and it is very handy to have all my threads etc at hand while I am stitching.

I am also working on a new stitchery quilt design using some very pretty and girly fabrics I bought off etsy. I've been enjoying doing this stitchery. Here it is with the design drawn on one of the blocks just before I started stitching it. I'll post some more photos when I've stitched some more.


I have a week off work and although I need to get on top of my uni work (can't believe there is only nine weeks to go). I am planning on catching up with friends, sewing, tidying up around the house and enjoying having time to myself to do whatever I want to do. Mark will be working and the kids have gone to Cairns for a holiday with their Dad, so I will have the house to myself. Yippee!! It will be bliss.

Well I have to run and take my dog Benson to the vet. He is a 14 year old shitzu-pomeranian cross who has a rather nasty lump on his back paw. It has been there for a while but has been very small. I just noticed yesterday that it is now the size of an egg and looks very vascular and is starting to spread his toes apart (do dog's have toes?). So I hope it isn't anything too serious. He's a bit of a pain as he has never been a very affectionate dog, barks alot, is deaf and incontinent, but I still love him and wouldn't like anything to happen to him.

Terri xx

Well I've finished another few Amika dolls to sell in my etsy shop. I just love making these little dolls.
Amika Doll No.2


Amika Doll No.3

Amika Doll No.4

Here's a closeup of the beading detail I did on this little doll.


I find it very relaxing....although this time I spilt the whole container of these tiny seed beads on the floor and spent ages picking them all up before the dog ate them.

I spent a lovely morning yesterday with all the girls at work at a little patissrie in New Farm. Michelle is one of my co-workers who has successfully fought breast cancer twice. A couple of years ago her fight resulted in her having a mastectomy. She has been saving since then to have breast reconstruction surgery and is scheduled to have the procedure this Thursday. Because she will be off work for a few motnhs we went out to celebrate. I took my camera with me but as I had just finished night shift was a bit scattered and forgot all about it....so don't have any photos.

I ordered an italian hot chocolate (I don't drink tea or coffee). I had never had one before so wasn't sure what it would be like, I thought it would be like every oother type of hot chocolate. Well it wasn't. It was a cup of the thickest, yummiest chocolate I had ever eaten....so much for my low carb diet...must have had about a months worth of carbs in it. It was so thick I couldn't drink it. I had to eat it with a spoon. Here is a picture I got of the net so you can see just how thick they are.



It was nice to get together with everyone away from the hospital....and we all get on so well. Michelle was very excited to receive the bag, nightie and robe we all had bought her. I also gave her a special pink dotee doll to take to hospital for goodluck.

Well I have to run....have uni work I keep putting off to go through.

T xx

In a previous post I mentioned that I was designing a softie doll based on the Japanese Kokeshi dolls. Well I have finally perfected a version that I am really happy with. I call them Amkia Dolls. Amika is a japanese name which means bright & beautiful, which I believe these dolls to be. I have finally opened up my new etsy shop.....t is for teeyore. See it here. There is only the one doll for sale at the moment but she has 5 sisters almost ready to go on sale, just finishing the embellishing on them.

This is the original Amika doll that I made....I'm not selling this one as she has very special importance to me.

This is the first one I have for sale in my etsy shop.
Amika Doll #1

A girl at work wanted me to make her one in soft girly colours. Not what I would usually do but I think she turned out quite pretty.

Here is the first batch of these little ladies, waiting to be sewn together and stuffed. Don't they all look yummy together?

And here they are waiting for the finishing touches....beads, buttons, trim & ribbons. This is the best part of making these little dolls. It is so relaxing sewing on the beads and other details.

I also finished another Ruby Doll. I love these little dolls.

I made this special round dotee doll as a surprise for a very special person. I really hope she likes it. I loved the brown & pinks on this fabric.

While I was sewing in my studio I looked up and saw all these pretty dolls.....and thought what a lovely view.

Here is a photo Kiara took of Lockyer. Not really immpressed that she put him in my bed..... but he does look cute doesn't he?

Well that's about it for this blog post. I have some more dolls waiting to be embellished.

T xx

I had so much fun sewing all the beads and trim onto her. I have nearly finished another one in a blue and green colourway which I will share with you. They are very addictive. If you want to have a look at some other versions people have made check this out.

Here is a dotee ATC that I made for a swap on swap-bot This little item should have arrived in the USA by now.

I really love the orangey pink against the teal background.

This gorgeous duo also arrived in the mail last week for me.

They were made for me by the lovely and talented Niss after I was flaked on in a mummy & baby dotee doll swap. Niss kindly agreed to be my angel and I think she has done a wonderful job. Thankyou so much Miss Niss, I love them both and have them hanging up in my studio.

I also received one of Dot Cristian's Amelia dolls in the mail this week.

I have long admired Dot's work and unfortunately she has closed her blog so can't provide a link to it here for you. It is such a shame as she does some amazing art which is very inspiring. Dot sells these dolls on etsy. If you haven't looked there please go there is such wonderful and creative stuff to buy or just look at to gain inspiration. I love the colours and all the beadwork on this doll ans she now takes pride of place on a shelf in my studio.

I was also lucky as Dot also sent me a dotee doll kit (she also sells these on etsy). Love the colours, beads and charms she has included. I am looking forward to making a Dot version of the dotee doll.

Now some of you may know that I used to have a stitchery design business. It was starting to generate some success and had shops locally & in NSW stocking my products. Unfortunately I wasn't able to give it the attention I would have liked due to work and family commitments and of course Uni this year, so ended up closing it. However, the plan is to relaunch it next year (when I've finished this course) under a new name with a new website. I have been steadily working on some new designs (when time has permitted) and here is a sneak peek of my latest design which will end up being a small quilt. The stitchery is redwork and I'm planning to team it with some pale blues and all sorts of 3D embellishments.


Another project I have been working on is creating some small siftie dolls based on the japanese Kokeshi dolls. I really would like to have a go seling these on etsy. Here is the first version I created on the weekend. I haven't completed all the embellishments as I'm not sure if I'm happy with the overall shape. I'm thinking of making her head just a bit bigger so you can see more of the fabric that it's made out of. What do you think? Am I stark raving mad and should just quit while I'm ahead? Please let me know your thoughts.


I have also acquired a new toy which arrived in the mail this morning.

I am such a gadget geek but I really need this item this time (really I do). It is a PDA and with everything going on in this house, work, uni, kids, etc I was starting to feel like my brain was going to explode as I tried to remember dates etc. Now I realise that diaries have been around for ages and people use them all the time. Believe me I have tried to use one, but keep forgetting to write stuff down in it. I really think that as I love gadgets that I would be more inclined to use this as opposed to a paper diary and it also does alot more. You can buy add ons programs that organise your budget, keep track of your diet & exercise (which is handy as I'm in the process of ridding my body of the excess weight I've gained this year), write shopping lists etc. Now I just have to wait for it to charge up so I can start playing with it. I hope it's easy to use. I may love technology but I hate it when it doesn't work easily.

Well that's all for now, Kiara has to get to dancing and Brady has to get to work.
T xx