{Creative Spaces} My Craft Studio and exciting news!

Posted on July 13, 2017 by redagapeblog

My Creative Space Mood Board – created on Style Source Book

The sound of building has been ringing in the air, as construction on my new craft studio has begun. I feel like the luckiest crafter in the world to have a dedicated creative space that is all my own. In fact, i have been feeling a little guilty about have something that is just for me. Lots of exciting things have happened in my life and this ranks pretty high on the list – after marriage and children of course. And there’s something else pretty exciting ahead for me that makes the timing of my creative space just perfect. Can you guess what it is? I will reveal it soon….keep reading. 😉

I have been planning my creative space for such a long time that i know exactly what it will look like when it is finished. Crisp clean white walls and ceilings, a medium toned wooden floor and accents of grey and wood throughout. Colour will be injected with YARN (of course!), crochet cushions and blankets. I will also be including pieces from other Instagrammers, crafters and artists i admire. I already have my little Curlie from Tiny Curl and wonderful paintings from artists Kyah Wilson and Jacinta Haycock.

Okay, enough about the Craft Studio, scroll down for the big NEWS!!

Here are a couple of shots of my shed that is being transformed into the creative space of my dreams!

The timing of my craft studio just could not be better as i begin work on my first book!! Hooray!! I have partnered up with the greatest publisher MeteoorBooks to create a book about crocheting all year round and it is going to be fantastic! I am pouring all of my creative heart and soul into this book and i am certain you will LOVE it! Check out #12monthsofcrochetwithredagape for updates and sneak peaks on Instagram.

Mandy xx

Creative and comforting interiors

Posted on August 22, 2016 by redagapeblog

This year so far has been a whirlwind of new challenges, some exciting and others a little scary. I cannot believe that August has arrived already….not just arrived, but almost gone. Over the last month the pace has slowed down giving me a chance to stop and gather myself up. Mum’s birthday, early August, is always a time for me to reflect and address the grief I still feel. I passed a lady on the street recently who looked like Mum, not the physically fit and trim mum I remember, but the Mum that was fighting brain cancer, overweight from the drugs and losing her sense of dignity. I recognised the same look in this stranger and I felt sad for her. A lot has changed since Mum passed almost 3 years ago and sometimes the shock of this rises up and hits me unexpectedly, hard and sharp.

When I feel this way I try to spend more time at home. Home for me is my sanctuary, a safe place for me to refuel. I like to spend time moving things around, styling and planning mini makeovers. On the surface it seems superficial, but it’s not just about making things look pretty. A home should be a reflection of those who live there, a gallery of memories and a place where you can decorate however you like! So this month I restocked my yarn storage, started planning a bedroom makeover and finished off a granny square cushion for the office. And with my spare time, I channeled my grandmother and started learning a new skill – knitting. Here’s a snapshot –

How to Style a Pegboard – Easy Tutorial

Posted on November 6, 2015 by redagapeblog

I am a little obsessed with styling the pegboard in my office and my Instagram followers have become familiar with my habit of giving it a makeover. I like to fill it with essential items, pretty things and inspirational quotes. It helps to make my office a happy place to work. My pegboard recieves lots of ‘oohs and ahhs’ when i post pics of it on social media, which is why i have put together this easy peasy tutorial today. It looks impressive, but it is so easy to do and a great way to keep all of your bits and bobs sorted…..perfect for crafters in particular. Okay, here’s what you’ll need –

sheet of pegboard (available at hardware stores and it’s cheap!)
some baskets for storing bigger items (i found mine at bunnings)
some pegboard hooks (these should be available where you buy your pegboard)
sturdy rope and wall hooks (although you may prefer a different method of attachment)
bits and bobs

{Creatives’ Spaces} Belinda Satterthwaite of Tomolly

Posted on October 28, 2015 by redagapeblog

I’d like to introduce you to Belinda Satterthwaite, the creative and clever owner of Tomolly, a beautiful homewares and gift shop in the heart of historic Millthorpe. Belinda was kind enough to let me into her home and shop to take a few pictures, so i can share with you her unique sense of style. I don’t know about you, but i get tired of seeing the same old, same old ‘on trend’ pieces in every store. It all gets so boring and repetitive. Belinda has a fresh approach when looking for stock to fill her store. She doesn’t like to fill her shelves with the same thing as everybody else and is constantly on the lookout for something a bit different. She has an eclectic mix of functional, stylish, upcycled and handmade items in Tomolly. It really is a treasure trove!

Her home decorating is very unique too. Belinda’s floors, walls and skirts are all white, providing a crisp blank canvas on which to decorate. Most of the items in her home are found, collected and often upcycled. The house is perfectly curated and completely original. I love it! Thanks Belinda for letting me into your creative space!

You can find Belinda and Tomolly online here – Facebook Website Instagram

{Creatives’ Spaces} Robyn from @crochetgirl99

Posted on August 9, 2015 by redagapeblog

Meet Robyn from @crochetgirl99 Image by Robyn

Todays creative space belongs to self confessed crochet addict and my good friend Robyn Hicks. Robyn lives in an old cottage called “Firbank” that is situated in a secluded country setting just 20minutes from town. It is here that she pursues her interest in crochet. The house is full of collected vintage objects and upcycled/recycled op shop finds, plus an abundance of beautiful handmade crochet pieces. Robyn is known for her #crochetinthegreatoutdoors pictures on Instagram but not many would have seen inside her beautifully styled home. Today we’re going to take a little look at her living/dining area. I hope you enjoy this little tour and if your interested in discovering and admiring more of Robyn’s makes, you can follow her on IG here.

Image Credit @crochetgirl99

Upcycled and repurposed dresser – painted a fresh, crisp white and transformed into a hat rack and display unit.

Robyn’s style is country, vintage and eclectic. Her old cottage, Firgrove, is the perfect backdrop for her collected pieces.

A sweet little tapestry, found at an op shop hangs alongside the transformed dresser.

Robyn’s country dining room

One of Robyn’s beautiful crochet cushions – handmade with love. It sits prettily on top of this vintage boudoir chair, which belonged to Robyn’s aunt.

Crochet items are used as display when not in use. This gypsy shawl takes pride of place next to the transformed dresser.

An upcycled printer’s tray is used to store Robyn’s little treasures. An old bedhead has been transformed into a bench seat that holds a beautiful stack of Robyn’s crochet blankets.

The transformed dresser also works beautifully as yarn storage – practical and beautiful.

Image Credit – @crochetgirl99

{Creative Makers} Indri from Inkibabinki

Posted on July 28, 2015 by redagapeblog

Image Credit @inkibabinki

I’m excited to announce a great new segment to the blog called “Creative Makers”. I come across an almost endless amount of inspirational and clever makers on Instagram and i thought it was about time i shared them with you. First up i have the super sewer Indri from Inkibabinki. Indri lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children, 4 and 1. After the birth of her first child she decided she would work from home. With a background in Interior Architecture, it just made sense for her to combine her love of sewing with childrens’ interiors. According to Indri, Inkibabinki is all about being fun, fresh and comfortable, while focusing on minimalistic design.

Image Credit @_myminime_

Indri began her business slowly in 2013. She was intitially focusing on childrens’ fashion but she eventually moved back to her roots as an interior architect and began to explore the world of kids’ interiors. Her monochrome cushions are bang on trend and bring an element of fun into kids spaces. Geometric grids and lines keep her designs minimal, which leaves plenty of room for imaginative play for the kids.

Image Credit @inkibabinki

Inkibabinki’s etsy store is bursting with fun and fantasic cushions, clothing and even the custest little temporary tattoos for kids – all in contemporary black and white. And there’s no reason these fabulous monochrome cushions can’t be incorporated into grown up interiors too.

Image Credit @bhranti1

Pictured above is a jumpsuit from Inkibabinki childrens’ clothing range. Indri also creates pants, t-shirts and onsies.

Image Credit @jensonandbeau

The contemporary black and white grids, slot in easily into already establised monochrome interiors. Inkibabinki has many happy customers sharing images of their children’s spaces on Instagram. Pop over to Inkibabinki’s IG account to check out more beautiful childrens’ spaces.

Image Credit @kidsgiftsandtoys

And seriously, what kid wouldn’t want an ice cream cushion!? Please check out Indri’s gorgeous etsy store here and support small business.

Image Credit @pamdosal

You can find Inkibabinki –

Inkibabinki on Instagram

Inkibabinki Etsy Store

Inkibabinki Facebook

{Creative Makers} Nikki from Brown Paper Lemon

Posted on June 17, 2015 by redagapeblog

Nikki from Brown Paper Lemon – image by @brownpaperlemon

Meet Nikki from Brown Paper Lemon, a talented illustrator living on the Gold Coast, bringing her creations to life on beautiful pillowcases. I first came across Nikki playing #7vignettes on Instagram. Have you played before? It’s a fun Instagram game, hosted by the Jen Bishop from the Interiors Addict, where you are challenged to create little vignettes based on 7 themes or prompts.

Image @brownpaperlemon

Nikki’s vignettes always stand out in the feed. I found myself immediately drawn to her unique images and talent for drawing. Her crisp images often feature an illustration or two, making her vignettes completely original, impossible to replicate. You can check out Nikki’s Instagram feed here. Seriously, this girl has talent! Just check out his gorgeous costume, Max from Where the Wild Things Are, that she created for her son.

Max – Where the Wild Things Are
Image by @brownpaperlemon

And this fabulous Kmart hack – Nikki added her Brown Paper Lemon stamp to this one and doesn’t it look great!

Nikki added a gorgeous Humpback Whale to this Kmart clock. Image by @brownpaperlemon

Instagram is a gold mine for locating fellow creatives and handmade artisans and Nikki is no exception. I get so excited when i see fellow creatives stepping up and developing their own businesses based on their passion. And this is exactly what Nikki has done!

Pillowcases from Brown Paper Lemon Image by @brownpaperlemon

Nikki has started printing her beautiful illustrations onto pillowcases. There are two illustrated pillowcases currently available through Brown Paper Lemon, Humpback Whale and Sperm Whale, but Nikki promises that there are more to come. I can’t wait!

Humpback Whale Pillowcase by Brown Paper Lemon

Sperm Whale Pillowcase by Brown Paper Lemon

Brown Paper Lemon pillowcase are available through Nikki’s store – www.brownpaperlemon.bigcartel.com and you can keep up to date with her new releases on Facebook.

Image by @brownpaperlemon

{My Houzz Articles} Multi-Functional Furniture

Posted on May 5, 2015 by admin

I like to choose pieces of furniture for my home that can work in a variety of ways. For example – a stool can be used for seating or as a small stand for a plant. In my lastest artice on Houzz i look at 5 furniture pieces that i call magical multi-taskers! They are furniture pieces that i love to have around my home, because they get used so often and in so many ways. Click the image below to get the full story –

Click on the image to read the full article on Houzz Australia

{Creatives’ Spaces} Janelle from @awhitestyle

Posted on April 20, 2015 by admin