Friday Finds - Sarah Renae Clark

 Let's see whether I keep this going again! I've done 3 posts this week! We'll see how I go! 

I stumbled onto this colouring artist on YouTube a few months ago and absolutely fell in love with her work. She's funny and honest about her mistakes and her achievements. On top of that she's amazing at making colours look AMAZING!  So check out her awesome videos.

Happy Stitching,

Caitlin

Down The Rabbit Hole - In Flander's Fields

I know I did talk about this when I first started designing for this magazine all the way back in 2020! Gosh that seems like a long time ago! You can see the first design I did for them here.

They are now onto issue 6 and each issue I have designed a new piece. It has been a great bonus. I finished the Aussie Animal Seasons series. They were so much fun to design. I love these little characters :D You can still get these patterns by buying magazines 1-4. I will eventually release these in my shop but I haven't gotten there yet. 

 

Once that series was done I had to come up with something else for the next summer issue... so I ended up making this cute little cricket owl :D Because cricket is such a great summer sport here. Also owls... do I need anything more?

The autumn issue is always hard. Living where I do in Australia I don't feel any connection the autumn because it seems to just disappear between summer and then suddenly it's mildly cold. But ANZAC day falls within Autumn and I found myself drawing a poppy. I had so much fun playing with pens and pencils. I love it when my drawings become designs it makes me really proud of how they turn out.

 I had this stunning red music fabric and I surrounded my piece with it and it just makes it sing.

 So this piece 'In Flander's Fields' can be found in the latest issue of Down The Rabbit Hole that has been released on the 15th of Feb.

I hope you enjoy all these pretty designs.
Happy Stitching, 

Caitlin

Free Valentine's Day Pattern - Owl Love

 

It's been a while since I've released a free pattern and I had a need to make this cute little pattern. As normal at the moment I started with an idea I randomly sketched out and then decided I needed to make it happen. So if you're looking for a cute little piece to stitch for your partner or for your friends this weekend this little piece would be perfect!

Though the final result ended up being a lot simpler than this was I just loved the idea of it. You can find the pattern in my facebook group HERE. If you aren't on facebook send me an email/message and I can send you the pattern another way but facebook is the easiest way to share PDFs with large groups of people. Please remember to answer the questions if you aren't in the group yet as I tend to turn down people who don't! 

 

 

I hope you enjoy this little pair of owls and if you stitch it share your finished piece with me. 

 

Happy Stitching, 

Caitlin

My last Year

This last year has been an adventure. When I look back just over a year ago I didn't even know I was pregnant and then all of a sudden we had a newborn to look after and she was growing so quickly. I have neglected this blog partially because I was posting on instagram, partially because crafting has been slow and just because it takes more effort to write for a blog than it takes to just share a photo. But I always love blogging. I love the extended story telling and what you can share vs what instagram will let you share. So here is a shortened version of the last year, craft projects, some ups and downs. All the new patterns that are out and all that fun stuff. 

I last left you after showing cute photos of the outfit I managed to make for my daughter. She was due around the 20th of March and by that time she was very comfy and didn't want to make an appearance. They booked me into be induced on the 3rd of April and bubs made her appearance late in the day on the 4th of April. It wasn't an easy delivery and she ended up going straight to NICU after. Thankfully after the first day it was just for monitoring so she spent most of the days with me on the main ward.

 

Meet Hannah Jade

Isn't she so cute? I keep forgetting how small she was then. Hannah was only 3.3kg when born so not a big baby but not a small one. I was so happy when we could take her home after only 5 days. At first she was too small to fit the outfit that I made for her but it wasn't too long before she was looking so cute in the beanie and dress :D Kinda sad now though that she can't fit it anymore.

Hannah and her Dad

Cuteness to the extreme :D

Hannah and Me

 

She has been such a happy baby but it has been such a change that at times I've been struggling to keep up. She's so happy to play but was also very clingy to me. I could do nothing if it wasn't with her touching me, or so it seemed. A trip to the toilet would end in her screaming because I was out of her sight. I couldn't leave her to go to the shops because she would scream the whole time etc. It was an adjustment. While I did still manage to craft during that time it was limited.

 

 

I was able to do some stitching but it was mainly designs for the magazine. I started designing for Down The Rabbit Hole from their first issue and I've managed to keep up and design as much as I could. I finished my Animal Seasons patterns and I'm looking forward to designing more aussie animals in the future. I think I have even managed to work out how to make an echidna pattern I just need to test colours!

Aussie Seasons

I've also been drawing a LOT it has been one of the things that is really easy to do with Hannah asleep on me particularly as she got bigger and started taking up more room. I drew this little guy playing cricket and just knew that I had to turn it into a cross stitch pattern as well. So this little pattern came to be. That seems to be the way most things are happening at the moment.

Cricket Owl

 

Then I released a few patterns just before Christmas. Some more cure animal patterns and a mermaid. These were both great fun to stitch and work on. You can find these patterns in my etsy store.

Woodland Animals

Mermaid

And if I remember I will do separate posts about all these patterns ... I just need to remember that I need to do this. It's not hard to do I just get distracted easily...

My cutest distraction

So now I'm back in the office most days and creating and making things when I do find the time. Bubs is 10 months old now and while she loves days spent with her grandparents she is wanting time with me and her siblings and Dad in the evenings. 

Happy Stitching and I will see you sooner this time around :D 

Caitlin

Baby Dress and Beanie

 When you're a crafter what do you do when you find out that you're expecting a baby? After freaking out for a week or two because everything is happening so quickly you can't keep up!  I just couldn't resist when I was staring at all my gorgeous cottons to pick this one up and look up a knitting pattern.

I was recommended by someone to check out the designer Marianna's Lazy Days and her stuff is just gorgeous!

 Now I meant to post this up about a month ago when I actually finished this little dress but I've been struggling a little bit. I have a lot less motivation to do anything at the moment. I quickly run out of energy. I have about 10 posts sticking around in my head but I just need to get around to posting them. I will do it soon I hope. 

The little dress is called the Lazy Daisy all in one baby dress it can be found for free here. It was such a quick little knit and I can't wait to see it on my baby girl in a month!

The beanie is the Karina Baby Turban but without tying the last little turban part. You can find the pattern here.

I am going to go and write up a couple more posts though they won't be appearing straight away I'll try and pace them a little bit. But lots of cool announcements a few new patterns that I have released and of course pregnancy updates. Anyway I will be back with you shortly.

 

Happy Stitching, 

Caitlin