Thursday, April 30, 2009

Perth Owls Meeting Reminder...

Just another friendly reminder for Brown Owls in Perth. Places are still available but filling up fast so make sure you RSVP by 11.59pm today. :)

Date: 2nd May 2009

Time: 2-4pm

Venue: Baby Goose, 945 Beaufort Street, Inglewood.

Theme: Crochet. So bring a crochet hook, what ever yarn you have and $2 for tea and coffee.


[image via skymagenta]

Since the Theme this month will be Crochet, the Prefects have decided that we would crochet Granny Squares!! Yippiee!!

I will be printing basic crochet instructions for the day just in case but maybe you would like to read up on Pip's post on How to Crochet Granny Squares HERE, HERE and HERE before going to the meeting.

Pip also directs us to a few websites that she has found on the subject.

Can't wait!!

xoxo,

Twittering Owl (Feli)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

brown owl packaging

I couldn't not post this here. d.Sharp shares this awesome tutorial for gift packaging, in the form of an owl. HOOT! Link.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Rock Out With Your Gocc Out!









Some shots from last night's fantastic and fun Gocco demo night! Hosted by Gemma Jones and myself! A pack of Brown Owls braved the crazy weather (again!), making a bee-line for the Balwyn Community House ceramics studio where we printed the night away and marvelled at the amazing Print Gocco system! Everyone had a turn at using the Gocco and took home a little bundle of prints - which I think was ace!

Thanks to Kirsty for booking the venue for us! The next Gocco meet will be on RSVP very soon - please check in here often so you don't miss out!

xx Pip

Monday, April 27, 2009

Brisbane Brown Owls do the Granny


Brown Owls flocked together on another sunny day in Brisbane to learn the art of the granny square.


Crochet guru Em bestowed her knowledge and experience on the beginners.


Well, we weren't all beginners...


Thank you Em for being so patient with all of us, especially those who were a little chatty (hehe... me included)


We were all there for each other through the highs and lows.


and in the end we finally pulled through (check out all those squares and that bunny!!!)


Em, you'll be pleased to know that even though I was at the remedial end of the table I have pumped out three granny squares since yesterday! It seems you've created another crochet addict :)

For those who missed the crochet lesson fear not, we now have a very talented group of Brown Owls who can give guidance at the next meeting on 17 May (more details soon!)

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Thanks Brissy Owls!

Hi everyone,
thanks for a great day of Granny Crocheting - honestly you ARE ALL star pupils!!
wow we really made some headway today into making sure we can comfortably sit in our rockers and crochet away once we are official Grannies :D

I am sure Rebecca will be sharing some of the pictures that she took today and anyone else that took photos, email them through to us so we can share them with the group.

Just wanted to do a little post to congratulate you all, and to thank you for putting up with me as a pseudo teacher! heehee

Oh, and dont forget the secret knock for the next catch up! ;-)
xEm

Brrrrrr-own Owls.... (teeth chattering)





Oh YES!

A group of brave and lovely owls DID brave the Camberwell Market this morning!
We caught up for coffee and muffins first (nutty raisin toast for some!) - and then did a couple of laps of the market en masse before we split up for some final solo marketing.

I picked up some yarn in many, many colours and some really cute old colouring books. I DO wonder what the other girls took home after they left the main group!

Thanks to the ace gals that came - I think we'll do that regularly, because it was really nice. Perhaps you might like to come next time and meet some of the other Owls? We'll look after you, really we will!

xx Pip

Melbourne - Gocco Tomorrow - Further Details On Finding Us- -

Kirsty kindly booked the venue for us. She says:

Yes...The house is a little bit hard to find. There are just Tennis Courts on Whitehorse Road. The house is in a little oasis of community gardens & parkland at the back of the block. You need to drive/walk down the driveway past the courts to the carpark.
If you can't find us - please call 9857 4546

xx

Saturday, April 25, 2009

BOOKED OUT : New Guest Chatter - 6th May Melbourne Meet!

EDIT - NOW BOOKED OUT!

Attendees are:

Kim B, Kelly Z, Cindy H, Polly Pratt, Suze M, Andrea M, Anna J, Jo K, Shannon R,
Chantelle T, Debora L, Karen C, Nycole W, Nicole J, Lara F, Kirstie L, Evie, Ebony B, Soula K, Jemma J



Only a few spots left at this meet - and we've got confirmation that lovely Lucy from uber blog The Design Files is going to pop in and let us quiz her about blogging, design and inspiration (as well as her fave sites!). Plus the ever gorgeous Angela from Three Buttons too! And I think I've got another guest up my sleeve, so fingers crossed for a third excellent speaker/chatter!

Bring your notepad and your pencil sharpener - it's going to be an inspiration fest!

Hurry hurry! (Note that a couple of the comments are not RSVPs too - so there's more space then it looks like! Seven spots at this very second!) Please don't RSVP here!

Interstate girls - perhaps we could set up some 'inspiration' meets in your area too?!

xx Pip

Brown Owls - Global Update!





Hi!

Brown Owls is now running nicely in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and Mongolia! Huge props to our interstate prefects and members, as well as our enthusiastic Melbourne girls and helpers like Angela and Lara and Kirsty. Fantastic. Due to popular demand we are opening up memberships for a short period in some areas :

New rural, interstate and international membership options are now up in the Brown Owls Store. Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane Metro memberships are sold out, but there has been lots of interest in other States and Cities!

Perhaps now is the time to start a Brown Owls group in YOUR area!? Brown Owls is a crafty club, where you can meet other great people and work on crafty projects, together or independently. We learn from each other, chat, eat biscuits and just have nice times. It's designed to create connections, share skills and provide a nice social time for it's members. Does this sound like something you'd like to do in your neighbourhood? Yes?! Okay, you need a venue, a few members and some crafty enthusiasm! You can follow the lead of the other Brown Owls meets - or you can Brown Owl in your own way!

Some things you should know:
  • Please allow a few weeks for me to print up and post your memberships, people.
  • Brown Owls meets at LEAST every 2 weeks in Melbourne, but MONTHLY in other areas - meeting frequency is up to you.
  • Brown Owls is a 'learn from one-another' environment - it's not a craft 'class' (although sometimes someone nice will come and teach the whole group something!)
  • Brown Owls relies on member enthusiasm and participation - so try and get involved if you are not too shy. But we like shy people too.
  • Interstate memberships are $10 per annum (to cover admin, membership tags and postage) - and $15 for NZ and International.
  • All other costs (such as tea and coffee, snacks and room hire) are covered by members (hence the importance of low-cost or no-cost venues!)
  • I've prepared a 'Meeting and Venue Charter' for the 'prefects' in new Brown Owls packs.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Sydney : There's been some interest in starting a second Brown Owls pack in Sydney. Please email me with SYDNEY WAITING LIST in the subject line if you'd like to be part of this second group. We would need to appoint some prefects to run these meets - and find a low cost venue (such as a library meeting room or community centre) too.

Brisbane : With regard to BRISBANE - same thing - we could start a second pack if there is enough interest. Please email me with BRISBANE WAITING LIST in the subject line and we'll see what sort of numbers we can come up with.

Canberra : Sold Out at this stage.

Perth : Sold Out at this stage.

Melbourne : Sold out. No further memberships available this year. Sorry.

Pip's Brown Owls Blog
Brown Owls Member Blog
Brown Owls Membership Store

xx Pip

PS - If you are a member you can now get your 2009 Brown Owls Blog Badge designed by threebuttons over here

PPS - I'll post this over at the Brown Owls Blog too.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Booked Out : Wednesday 6th May Melbourne Meet - HERE - From 7pm tomorrow ( Friday) night!



Ari's WIP 'Sublime Stitching' embroidery from Brown Owls at the Union Club - with permission from Ari (aged 9)



Booked Out - Attendees are:

Kim B, Kelly Z, Cindy H, Polly Pratt, Suze M, Andrea M, Anna J, Jo K, Shannon R,
Chantelle T, Debora L, Karen C, Nycole W, Nicole J, Lara F, Kirstie L, Evie, Ebony B, Soula K, Jemma J


Wednesday 6th May - Blogging, Crafting, Community and
Inspiration 'Talk and Craft
'

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RSVPs will open on this post at 7pm tomorrow (Friday) night. Only RSVPs commented after 7pm will be counted.



Event : Blogging, Community and Inspiration Discussion
At : Fitzroy Library : 128 Moor Street : Meeting Room
Time : 7pm - 9pm
With : Guest Speakers : Angela White from Three Buttons, Pip from Mike's and more TBA
Numbers : We have space for 25 members
Bring : $2 for tea and coffee and bring a notebook
Also : bring your knitting or crochet or stitching if you'd like to craft along too
Worth Knowing : the library has some very good Art/Craft books - get there a bit early to take a peek
Plus : heaps of good restaurants around the corner on Brunswick Street - in case you want to have dinner with some other owls afterwards!



RSVPs for other listed events will be posted in the coming weeks, usually a week or so before the event - please watch this space - we'll always give you some forward notice so you are in with a chance! Waiting lists are now closed for Gocco and Granny Squares. Thank you.

Thank you!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Canberra Brown Owls Felt Brooch Frenzy


On a glorious autumn afternoon last Saturday, a parliament of Brown Owls came together to make felt brooches.



Fabulous brooches were created, including flowers, toadstools and matryoshkas (designed by our own Prefect Georgie - link to the tutorial coming soon!). A cloud, cupcake and icecream also made a showing.


Yet again, Canberra's Brown Owls shone in the afternoon tea department, with the centrepiece being a delectable brownie. So our fellow Brown Owls do not miss out on the chance to sample them, here's the recipe!


Chewy chocolate brownies

150 grams unsalted butter

200 g block dark chocolate, chopped

1 ½ cups self raising flour

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup dessicated coconut

1 395 g tin sweetened condensed milk

2 x 50 g packets Rolos

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
  2. Grease a 20cm x 20 cm lamington pan. Line with baking paper.
  3. Place flour, brown sugar, and coconut in bowl. Mix well.
  4. Melt butter and chopped chocolate in a saucepan on a low heat. Combine well.
  5. Add condensed milk and chocolate mixture to the flour, brown sugar and coconut mixture and mix.
  6. Spread the mixture into the lamington pan.
  7. Cook for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Do not over-cook.
  8. Cool slice in pan completely before removing and cutting (if you don’t do this it will fall apart when you cut it up).


Special thanks to Joanne, who made the brownies and kindly gave us her Granma's recipe to share.


- Emma

Brown Owls Blog Badges Are Here! Hurrah!

Well, actually, they're over here! And do you know who designed them?!

xx Pip

Brisbane Meet - Crochet Class Requirements

by creative breathing on Flickr


Hi Ladies,
I have emailed everyone that showed interest in their comment that they wanted to join the crochet -along class at our meet this weekend, but thought I would put the info on here too just in case you don't see your emails..
Ok, so you will need to bring:

1 x 5.5mm crochet hook

8ply yarn (this can be acrylic or anything you might have lying around, bring a few colours if you want)

$2 for photocopying/paper costs for the instructional handouts

a smile

from Flickr pool here

xEm

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Melbourne - Gocco Demonstration - Venue Details

Balwyn Community House
'The Studio'
412 Whitehorse Rd, Surrey Hills
109 Tram Over Balwyn Road, just past the McDonalds on Whitehorse Road.

Monday 27th April - 7.30 - 9.00pm

Bring: Yourself and something yummy to share

The Lucky Attendees: Nycole W, Fiona S, Jessica N, Ness C, Cindy H, Jess M, Keti D, Engela M, Cindy A, Lisa H, Lara F, Ebony B, Catie M, Clare B, Jan J, Carolyn E, Aisha S, Peta P, Hollie S, Becca C

If you missed out - please email me with GOCCO WAITING LIST and you'll be included in a repeat session down the track.


Melbourne Brown Owls - Last Night







Oh yes. We crocheted! Some people got it... and some people nearly got it. And it was a really fun night. We had so very many biscuits... and the library was a fantastic venue for our little meet! I think everyone had a great time!

Here are the refresher links we discussed last night:
I've put the instructions up online too - they are over here. Print and hook, peeps.

Don't forget to check Youtube for left-handed tutorials, lefties. And please send me photos of your granny squares too - however wonky!

xx Pip

Monday, April 20, 2009

Melbourne Social - Sunday 26th April - 8.30am - Camberwell Market Thriftalong


image via Sweet William

Would you like to meet up at the Camberwell Market this Sunday, with some other Brown Owls?! Comment here if you would! We'll have coffee and jam doughnuts and do a bit of marketing together! We'll be meeting outside the Pet Shop at 8.30am (the Pet Shop is in the Car Park where the market is held.) Come along and have some thrifty fun!

xx Pip

once upon a time there were two brown owls


my name is kim, and i... am a marketaholic.
i can't get enough. if it's handmade and on a trestle table, i need to see it. and probably touch it, and coo over it, and add it to my 'i'm pretty sure i need that to live' list.

i'm sure that markets are the natural habitat for many a brown owl, raise your wing if you too thrive on that mix of inspiration and intimidation only to be found amongst the stalls of melbourne's finest crafters...

well then gather 'round, my dear strigiformes, so i can tell you about my saturday adventure with my lovely friend aisha (winner of 2009 'brown owl with the best finnish accent').

stop 1: sister's market, 233 sydney rd, brunswick. www.sistersmarket.com.au
(lampshades in foreground are from 'hibernate design').
shout outs to mixtape for letting me in on this little gem. set in the charming brunswick town hall, this market is run on a saturday every 2 months. 13th june is the next date for your diaries ladies, and be sure to take a peek. you might have guessed from the name, there is quite a girly vibe so it's a great one to take your mum/sister (der)/nanna to. if you have a member of the male species in tow, maybe scroll down to stop 3 for a better option (and by the way, where did you find one that is interested in craft markets? nice one!).


There is also lots on offer to spruce up your little'uns. thanks to aisha for the reminder that it would be unethical to bear children with the sole intention of dressing them in market clothing.

After a quick whip around (secondary to poor parking decision), i picked up an incredible pair of earrings from 'this is' for $15. It might be hard to see in the photo (i love my mac, but close-ups don't appear to be her strength), they are little teensy tiny origami cranes! after close inspection, i'm assuming that they are paper dipped in some kind of plastic to make them a bit rubbery and stop them from getting squashed. awesome. aisha got some brooches that looked like little teensy tiny envelopes from 'madz has runaway', and so it was clear that the more miniature something was, the more we fell in love with it. if that wasn't enough to smile about, the sister's market also supports beyondblue- the national depression initiative. grin.

After a hurried re-parking maneuver, it was on to...

stop 2: episode (recycled clothing), 175-179 sydney rd, brunswick.
ok, so it's not technically craft, but i know all of you trendy owls will dig it so it's worth a mention. also on sydney rd brunswick, this shop is like a big 'ol pool of vintage goodness just begging you to dive in. there are endless racks to trawl through, so make sure you have some time up your sleeve. i had my heart set on a long brown patterned skirt from germany, but since i am yet to convince centrelink to introduce a vintage clothing allowance, i had to be content with holding it up to myself and doing a few 'fraulein maria' twirls. the prices aren't in the op-shop range, but they aren't snobby boutique style either, they find a happy medium and it's still a fair bit less than you might pay for a new item of clothing. with bonus coolness and recyclyness.

stop 3: rose st market, fitzroy. www.rosestmarket.com.au
this half indoor, half outdoor market is on every saturday and like i mentioned earlier, has a bit more on offer for the testosteroned ones in your life. it's well worth a look, with quite a few stalls that i haven't seen at any other market. i picked up a bookmark made from the spine of a pre-loved book for $3 from 'rebound books'. i couldn't resist after my housemate had complained that morning about her "disgusting habit" of using receipts as bookmarks.... ew?
anyway, problem solved.

i was a little chuffed after one of the stallholders (selling jewellery made from second-hand cutlery) complimented me on my new paper crane earrings.
Another great thing about this market is that it's only a stone's throw from brunswick st, so if you get a little peckish (as we owl's often do) you could head somewhere like...


stop 4: bimbo deluxe, 376 brunswick st, fitzroy. www.bimbodeluxe.com.au
again, not craft, because the pizza here is ART. this is old news for melbournites, but if you are new in town add it to your 'induction to melbs' criteria. if you have an indecisive companion like my dear aisha, possibly get yourself a copy of the menu early for pre-selection purposes. there are too many good choices! aisha had a salmon one (note the wink of approval) and i went with a dessert pizza -Belgian dark chocolate and marscapone- to satisfy my demanding sweet tooth and partly out of curiosity...
also get a seat upstairs in the courtyard if you can, and marvel at the beautiful people under the enormous metal lanterns.
that's all for now brown owls, it's time to uncross my eyes from staring at this screen...
looking forward to seeing you all at a meet soon (when i manage to RSVP on time) and sharing some more of my crafty adventures and distaste for capital letters on the blog.

kim
xx




Friday, April 17, 2009

Canberra Brown Owls - reminder!

Hi Canberra girls!

Just a reminder that the April meeting of the Canberra Brown Owls is tomorrow (Saturday 18 April) from 2 pm to 4.30 pm.

Actually, this is more of a reminder for myself, given I am so forgetful!

See you then!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Melbourne - Gocco Demo - BOOKED OUT!



The Lucky Attendees: Nycole W, Fiona S, Jessica N, Ness C, Cindy H, Jess M, Keti D, Engela M, Cindy A, Lisa H, Lara F, Ebony B, Catie M, Clare B, Jan J, Carolyn E, Aisha S, Peta P, Hollie S, Becca C

If you missed out - please email me with GOCCO WAITING LIST and you'll be included in a repeat session down the track.
Blogger Blogger

Further details about our 27th April Gocco Demonstration will be coming soon - but you are all very keen to get your RSVP in - so here we go! I'll fill you in on the details asap (Venue etc) - and we'll be sure to help anyone with transport issues get there, if need be!

Okey doke - RSVP away - only 20 spots for this one (and if it's popular a repeat soon!)

You'll all get to see what the Gocco system is about - and get a print or 2 to take home! It's not a Gocco Workshop - it's a Gocco Demo. Okey doke?!

xx Pip

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Calling Brisbane Brown Owls - RSVP here for the next meeting

Calling all Brisbane Brown Owls - RSVP for the next meeting by leaving a comment on this post

Date: Sunday 26 April

Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm

Venue: Same as the last meeting. Recreation Room in Building 7 of Roma Street Parklands Apartments, Parkland Blvd, Brisbane. The Rec Room is on the ground floor of building 7. Building 7 is the end apartment block furthest away from the City. There is plenty of parking at the Parklands or if coming by public transport catch the train/bus to Roma Street and take the Parklands exit at the back of the station.

Craft-Along-Project: Crochet Scarf, or Granny Squares - if you are interested in joining this tutorial, please make clear in your RSVP comment so a separate email can be sent to you with things you will need to bring with you on the day (our teacher is Em)

Or if this doesn't interest you Bring Your Own craft and craft along with us! There will be a sewing machine set up again for those finishing off totes from the last meeting.

Tea and coffee provided.

Feel free to show off your baking skills by bringing a plate for morning tea :)

Please RSVP by leaving a comment on this post by Thursday 23 April.

We look forward to catching up again!

My Crafty Spark - Amy at Badskirt


One year minus two days ago, I started my blog. But that's not where my craft adventure started. It started a few months before that. My friend Cindy lives in the US. Cindy and I went to grad school together to study visual effects. Then we worked together at film studios in California. I'm not sure that I'd call that crafty, but there a big art component to it. We made digital images pretty. We made movies you loved and more likely movies you didn't see. We looked at light, colour and composition. We made pixels, but nothing tangible. It was a craft, but in a different sense of the word.


Cindy has always been creative and a maker of things, but I always came up short on the tangible side of things. I studied business. I programmed computers. I lost my creative edge. In February 2008, Cindy participated in A Thing A Day. I watched with envy as Cindy made 29 pieces for February and then some. I looked at my husband and said, "I want to do that. I want to make things."



Fuelled with an energy to create, I headed to the local jewellry supply shop. I bought beads. I bought wire. I bought jump rings, and then I brought it all home. I sat on my couch and started to make. After a few hours, I failed to cobble anything together. My husband sat next to me and asked if he could try. He promised to take apart his disaster to recycle the beads. Craig's creations left me a little stunned. In 15 mintues, he had created a gorgeous necklace. This left me dumbfounded as I was still struggling to pair the bits. Feeling a bit defeated and deflated, I put the beads aside for another 8 months.


Hot on the heels of my beading disaster, I launched into the idea of buying a sewing machine. That was March of 2008. Now I sew all of the time. I wasn't very good in the beginning, but I had moxie to carry me through. I launched my online store in October and poor Pip bought my very first softie for sale. I feel sad sometimes when I think about that first softie and how bad it was. Pip is inspiring, she's a crafty spark in herself and I want her to have the very best softie in the world. I don't make them good enough for Pip yet, so I keep sewing and smiling and enjoying craft.


That's where my spark started. The photos are from my first month of sewing. Whatever your style or materials, I hope you like to make too.

Amy


Amy is a 35 year old American who has lived in Australia for 5 1/2 years. Her house has a loving husband, big sofa and a lot of soft toys. Amy now blogs at badskirt.

My Crafty Spark - The Crafty Librarian

Pip has set the prefects and authors on this blog an assignment...being a bit nerdy, I love this sort of thing! She has asked for us to post the tale of our "Crafty Spark", to tell the story of what it was that made us say, "Wow, I want to make things!"

I have posted about this a little before actually...but I do like reminiscing... it seems like such a long time ago now, but was actually only about 18 months ago.

First of all, a bit about me: my name is Jess a.k.a. The Crafty Librarian. I am a teacher librarian who lives in Sydney with my boyfriend. I have only been a Sydneysider for just over a year now, previously hailing from Melbourne. I'm still sussing out the craftiness of Sydney but seem to have found it with the awesome group of girls in Sydney Brown Owls.

Image from here.

So what was my Crafty Spark? This book right here: Softies. I saw it at my local library and couldn't believe how cute everything was. It had the blog addresses of all the very clever authors and I just started clicking away and I haven't stopped since. This book linked me to all my favourite blogs that I read today. It lead me to Mike's and to the shop and to my first crafty project: Miss Buttons.

I have been crafting away ever since; sewing, crocheting, embroidery, you name it!

My Crafty Spark - Author and Prefect Assignment



Are you an author on this blog or a prefect? Perhaps you might like to try a little exercise? Don't get up... it's not that kind of exercise. It's a wee bit more sedate then that! It's a bit like 'Words and Pictures' I guess - but the Brown Owls theme is 'My Crafty Spark'. I'd love you to write a little bit (in your own 'voice') about the thing or things that conspired to make you want to start making things!

I'm sure we'd all love to share in the sorts of things that got you thinking 'HEY! I WANT TO MAKE THINGS!!!'. Perhaps it was a person. Perhaps it was book, or a movie.. that's good too! Perhaps it was 'Useful Box Envy', like me, from watching too many episodes of 'Playschool'. (And let's not even get into the fabric buying scenes on 'Little House On The Prairie'. Those make me get goosebumps.)

Start posting your 'My Crafty Spark' stories, if you would like to - and tell us your very own story - and a little bit about who YOU are and where you LIVE and who you LIVE with too!

(If you are not an author on this blog and would like to be, so you can join in, please email me and i'll invite you to be an author!)

xx Pip

Monday, April 13, 2009

Melbourne Update


via

I've just emailed ALL Melbourne members an update - please let me know if you didn't receive yours so we can get to the bottom of it! Be sure to check your spam folder!

It's a bit tricky this year - some people want to receive email prompts and some people are happy to check the blog - so I will post all updates here AND via email. Hopefully that will keep everyone smiling and positive. You have the option to unsubscribe to the email update, of course.

The email read:

Just checking in with some news and things. As you know, the crochet meet is booked out! Don't worry though, we'll add another crochet date if there is enough interest! If you would like a second How To Granny Square meet to run, email me with GRANNY WAITING LIST! in the subject line. I'll arrange something in the coming month and you'll be first on the list!

The RSVPs for the GOCCO printing demonstration will open on the Brown Owls Members Blog this Friday 17th Yes. 7.30am. Hopefully you'll all be fresh out of bed and at your computers and you'll be in with a great chance.

We'll show you how to use a gocco printer - and you'll get to take a print home - but we won't have enough time or printers for everyone to have a turn. That's why it's a DEMO, not a WORKSHOP! This meet is designed to show you what all the Gocco printing fuss is about, in case it might be something you might like to do in your spare time! I think it might just be!

I'll let you know venue details on Friday too! These details will be announced on the blog later today too.

I've decided to allow non-members to come to any meetings that don't fill up - but I'll allow 3 days for Member RSVPs first. That way we'll be able to run all the meetings no matter what and we won't have to cancel any due to low RSVPs (like the Museum one!). I hope that seems okay to you all.

Also - there are some details of the first badges you can earn here - go take a peep if you haven't already!

I was thinking of heading to Borders Carlton later today (around 5pm) - does anyone feel like a coffee and a stitch/knit/crochet/craft book browse for an hour or so? Email me if you would like to meet up. It might be nice! Gloria Jean's (within Borders) seats about 30 or so - so we might have to squish, depending on how busy it is there!

AND - I just wanted to reiterate that you can run a mini Brown Owls at your place this year at any time - if you would like to! Just send me the details and I'll put it up on the blog - or I can add you as an author and you can put it up yourself! ALSO - if you have any bright ideas for other events you might like to run for the Owls - or help me run - let me know about that too! It could be a tour of somewhere crafty, a trip to the country, a visit to a crafty market... Whatever you think would be great! It's going to be a fun packed crafty year!


xx pip

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Booked Out - Melbourne Meet - 20th April - Crochet

Sorry I'm a wee bit late - Mr Bigpond would not let me on the internet. Darn him.
RSVPs so far for Crochet are:

EDIT - Thanks everyone - here is the list of girls who booked for crochet. We are full now!

Lara F
Peta P
Joanna M
Jodes
Andrea M
Jess J
Jemma J
Emma G
Kellie S
Sue H
Ness
Anna B-D
Anne C
Shannon
Joanna F
Rebecca N
Cindy H
Lisa H
Danielle P
Evie S



Details are:

Monday 20th April
Carlton Library Meeting Room
Carlton Library
Rathdowne Street, Carlton North

Learn to crochet a granny square!

7.30pm til 9.30pm

Bring a 5.50mm crochet hook (metal is best) and a ball or 2 of 8 ply yarn
Bring $2 for the tea and coffee kitty - a packet of biscuits won't go astray either - or some baked goods - bring some if you would like to!
If you have a car bring a cushion to sit on (there will be limited seating)
Bring any crochet books you have at your place to share


We'll be tackling basic crochet on the night - and would encourage both beginners and experienced crochet-ers to come!

I'll be posting some handy hints and how-tos on the Mike's blog in the mean time too!

xx Pip

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Brown Owls Mongolia (Still) Love Felt


Brown Owls Mongolia have been getting busy following in the footsteps the nation's felt-making traditions. This time we've taken craft back indoors to learn from local felt, spinning, knitting and crafting gurus at the Mongolian Wool Craft NGO. Read more about our latest Ulaanbaatar adventures in felt here!

Want To Earn Brown Owls Badges?!


badges from elsewhere

The first tasks for the Brown Owls badges are up! The details are on Pip's Brown Owls blog! There are more project options and other Badges coming soon!

Earn your Sewing Badge
Earn your Knitting Badge

I hope you have heaps of fun with this! I'm super excited about these!

xx Pip

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Brown Owls Perth April Meet...


[image via A Foothill Come Companion]

Since the last Saturday for the month of April falls on ANZAC day, the WA Prefects have decided to move it to the next Saturday (2nd May 2009) instead. So here is the scoop...


Date: 2nd May 2009

Time: 2-4pm

Venue: Baby Goose, 945 Beaufort Street, Inglewood.

Theme: Crochet. So bring a crochet hook, what ever yarn you have and $2 for tea and coffee.


RSVP by
leaving a comment on this post by Thursday 30th April , limit of 20.


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Sydney Brown Owls - May meeting

Sydney Brown Owls are meeting on Wednesday May 6 from 7PM-10PM. We are once again congregating at Berkelouw Books in Leichhardt as we had such a lovely time in April!

Image from here.

This month is "bring-your-own-craft-along", so if there's something that you've been wanting to try, make sure to bring it along because there may be a Brown Owl that will be able to help you!

Please RSVP in the comments, if we'll see you on May 6th at:
Berkelouw Books
Upstairs area
70 Norton St
Leichhardt
Telephone - 02 9560 3200

From the city you can take the following bus routes: 436, 437, 438, 440.

P.S. If you would like to make the owl shown in the above picture, go here. Free pattern!

Melbourne Meet - Crochet Update!


image via


Hello Hookers and Hookers to be!

I've posted a wee tutorial on basic crochet skills over here - if you'd like to whet your appetite and get cracking a bit early, then go and have a peek at that over the Easter break!

It covers - supplies you will need, how to hold your yarn and hook and how to chain stitch - the basic foundations for making a granny square!

I can't wait for crochet night!


xx Pip