tiny happy

spoonflower shop and running stitch

I ordered some new fabrics from Spoonflower- my own designs, but in different materials. The top one is a cotton voile in the 'heidi' pattern and the bottom is kona cotton in a reduced-scale print of the 'vita' design. In the past I've also ordered the cotton sateen and the linen canvas, and been very pleased with them.

The cotton voile I ordered is so fine and beautiful. I had originally intended to make K a little top from it but I think it will be too lightweight and sheer so instead I've been handsewing (very slowly and rather wonkily) a doll's blanket or quilt, for my littlest niece who has a birthday coming up. I layered up the voile with nice organic cotton batting inside and a different cotton print on the underside. When I've finished the running-stitch quilting, I'll bind around the edge I think. I would love to make a full-sized quilt like this- maybe one of these day I will- I imagine something like these but from pale fabrics.

I've set up my own Spoonflower shop- it's here. I thought it would be easier for anyone who wanted to buy fabric to get it from there directly because it will always be in stock (it gets printed on demand), can be ordered in a variety of different fabric types such as stretch cotton or sateen, is a fair bit cheaper (if you order a yard or more) and won't be shipped around the world twice- I was having twinges of guilt about my fabric and its air miles. And of course, even better, there are lots of other designs on Spoonflower to browse and admire. I have a little bit of original fabric still in my etsy shop and I've reduced the price of that until it's all used up. Thank you!

I hope you have a great weekend! See you next week.

from the weekend

These instagram pictures have been on my phone since the weekend. We went to a great weekly produce/farmer's market, after which Tom and I made a giant batch of tomato sauce (like ketchup, from this recipe) to (hopefully) last throughout the year. Or the best part of it, anyway. 

I took a trip to the rubbish tip and found some abandoned tyre outers. I filled them with compost and planted herb seedlings we bought also that morning at the market. I'm thinking that the tyres should provide a bit of heat and shelter for the plant when it is still quite small, and it will keep rambly herbs contained once they grow a bit, I was also thinking that it would be quite simple to clear the garden of these when we move (we are renting currently.) I was really inspired to expand our garden after I read an article about urban gardening in BUST magazine. People (ok, young women) were growing veges and herbs, keeping bees and chickens in downtown Brooklyn, New York. And I saw this picture, which was my inspiration.

In other news, we don't have TV but I found this clip from TV3 via Facebook. I don't know if you can watch it in other countries, but it's worth a go. It's about 'fat activism' and is truly cool and inspiring. I just love those strong and clever and funny women, and we need to them to make the world better, i believe.

wednesday the 22nd

Wednesday the 22nd. It's raining a lot today, and windy too. I've made some cushion covers and other assorted things to update my etsy shop for the week. I woke up early this morning, with Tom who had to leave town for work, and made these cheese scones for school lunches. Simple and old-fashioned, using this recipe. Scones are so nostalgic and comforting, don't you think?

So today is the first anniversary of the second earthquake in Christchurch last year and I've been listening to the stories about it on the radio as I work. It's still all pretty raw. Apparently people have been floating flowers down the Avon river today. Hope you're doing well, dear blog-readers.

inspired by ceramics

These are some small embroideries done on wool fabric, with vintage wool embroidery yarns. Both are inspired by old ceramic designs from my collection- the first being a little pot in Crown Lynn's 'springflower' pattern (my parents' wedding set) and the second based on my favourite bowl that I've never used- I don't know the pattern name but it's by Johnson Bros.

It was nice to hear your clover stories yesterday- I will have to have a better look now that I know the four-leaved variety is really out there. Yesterday turned out to be quite an unlucky one for me (actually, only mildly unlucky in the scheme of things) which I am putting down to lack of sleep. I spilled coffee all over an embroidery I had just finished, tripped over, dropped my son's icecream cone on the pavement and smashed our car's front right light into the back of a truck. The truck, incidently, was fine, but sadly I had quite an audience enjoying my clumsy driving. 

Here are some cheering things:

I love these small paintings by Tiel and they make me want to do some painting myself

This house (belonging to Nanette from Rummage) is pretty inspiring, don't you think?

I really love these knits by Nicole... and in Wellington you could wear them all year around.

See you tomorrow!

four-leaved

We never can seem to find four-leaved clovers, I wonder if they really exist?

What we do find is the commonplace three-leaved clover though, all over the garden and in parks and along the sea's edge.

I was asked by a customer whether I could made some brooches with the clover embroidered design worked on linen, rather than felt. I love the idea but admit defeat- my linen was just not smooth enough around the edges for me to be happy with it. And my fingers were nearly stuck together with superglue in the process. So the new brooches might have to just live on my crinkly linen top for a while.

I hope you have a lucky week, no matter what you're up to.

today

I found a blonde wood cabinet in a nearby opshop and knew I had to buy it, even though it only just fit in the back of our little car. Since moving I've been coveting such a cabinet for housing all my art and stationery supplies and those that belong to the children, too. And now we have one in our dining area, which fills me with joy every time I pass it. It also contains all the supplies required for wrapping parcels and writing letters, so sending mail is very simple. And the top can house all sorts of bottles and books, etc.

Also today I've been tidying up a bit. It's something that has stayed with me since childhood (I grew up in a Seventh-Day-Adventist family and only just realised that's why I get the urge to do lots of washing and baking on a Friday.)

Also pictured above- some embroidery done today. I really need to start checking my clothes for threads before leaving the house- I'm sure I must resemble a crazy craft lady most of the time. Which I probably am.

I was honoured to have some old work featured in this post in Anthology Magazine- thank you!

And have you seen this crazy-but-amazing video by Connan Mockasin? Keira is now asking me to make her a pair of lemon-glasses. But of course.

See you next week!

white petals

Some white-petalled things for this week's shop update- inspired by all the daisies and clover flowers populating our lawn right now. I've been hoarding the chamomile/daisy print vintage fabric for a while now, but I thought it was time to make somethinng from it. And the tiny flowers on grey linen were embroidered by me like an allover, but slightly random, pattern. It was made into a case for the shop. 

I hope you're having a good day! Did you see this beautiful piece of paper-cutting over on etsy? Some people have such fine fingers.

2011 makes- part 2

This is the predictable 'part II' to yesterday's post- where I show a few more things I made in 2011. I hadn't realised how many things I was dreaming up each week- I'm sure I could have made about five of these mosaics. Ah well, it was a very fun and productive year I guess. Sometimes I worry that I have used up my all of my ideas and creativity...but then I've always secretly thought that creative work leads to yet more creative work... we'll see, I suppose.

Speaking of creative work, last night Tom and I went to hear some live music- a local band and then Shenandoah Davis from Seattle, USA. She was quite amazing, a true talent I think and she played this great song. Hopefully she'll be on her way to a town near you soon.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

what i made in 2011 - part 1

I got invited to join this flickr group, where members post a mosaic of the work they did in 2011. Turns out I made quite a few things, so here are some of the finished objects from the second half of the year. You can click here to find the flickr links to individual projects. Looks like I had lots of fun, eh? 

Happy new week, blog friends.

ferny

I was inspired by our ferny garden to do some illustrations on the last of my plain white ceramicware. These pieces are from my hometown- the op-shops there seemed to be brimming with great ceramics, but I haven't had so much luck here. But there are some great second-hand shops here - they just have other things in them. :)

The kids have re-discovered their deep love for the songs of FatCat and FishFace, who are Wellington locals. They especially enjoy The Wreck of the Diddley, which allegedly happened not far from our house, and My Mother's Locked Out of the House, for obvious reasons. 

When we're having a break from kids' songs, I love listening to this Wilco Tiny Desk Concert on NPR.

Enjoy your weekend, friends!