|
Inspired by amazing crafty mums, I decided early on that I would like to create a tradition where I make something for Millipede for his birthday each year.
6 months late, but I've finally finished foxy for his first birthday.
Here's how it all started...
And here's where it is now...
I originally made pattern pieces as I went thinking at the end I would be able to offer a free pattern and tutorial. BUT I have since decided I have no intention of inflicting the torture upon anyone else. Let me just say, I learnt the hard way that there is a very very good reason why most softies have short limbs and wide bodies.
Regardless, I must say I'm quite pleased with my first softie attempt, and was VERY happy when upon first meeting, Millipede tucked him under his arm and merrily took him off to meet the rest of his soft toys.
Great idea for a show right?!
Acme et al is a gallery in Yarra Glen, VIC, who endlessly supports my work. A bunch of genuine, kind, art-wise people, who as you can see, come up with innovative ideas.
Though I'm not a scarf maker, I know lots of you out there are very talented with that kind of thing, so I thought you might like to know about this. Not only to see the show, but to submit your own work. Go on!
Entry details are here.
All of Millipede's little friends have just celebrated their first birthdays. This gave me the opportunity to make a pretty little dress!!! Eeep!
Recycled from stuff from an op-shop, and based on a pattern that I made up as I went.
Can you tell I'm just a little bit proud? (blush)
At the end of this week I will be closing my shop down for a little while, in an effort to slow down and mentally prepare myself. Hoping to rest a bit too before the whole concept of rest and long sleeps become a thing of the past.
But as a send off, for these next few days I have stocked my shop to the brim with lots of brand new goodness. Get in quick while I'm still able to fit behind the steering wheel of the car and waddle my way to the post office. (I'm hoping to re-open the shop in a few months.)
There are wombat prints, pillowcases, cushion covers, and also 2 designs of whale library bags.
So go have a peep-see!
The reason it's been so lonesome on this here blog recently, is that I've been a-frenzy of activity, making lots and lots of new stock ready to take to the Finders Keepers Market this coming weekend.
So before I pack everything in my car for the journey, it's time for a big old fashioned show and tell...
Firstly:
So, what do we have here? A basket of tiny shapeless pillows?...
...
...
...
...
Noooo, it's a basket of eversocute whale stuffies!
See!
Next:
Library bags in two designs, each with unique backing fabric.
And Finally:
Pillowcases! Snuggly huggy pillowcases.
All packaged and ready to go :D
Of course I shall be selling all of my other products too: cards, postcards, and prints of varying sizes, plus my colouring book!
It's going to be so exciting. So again, a reminder, Finders Keepers Market this weekend, Brisbane.
If you do come, please say hello. I know it can be scary, but its scary for me too, and its much nicer for me when people say hi :)
I'll also be coming to the Finders Keepers in Sydney in early December too! More on that when I return next week.
  Once upon a time there were two bloggy friends who lived a world apart- flossy and Beth. Despite the distance they teamed up and did stuff together: wrote an article for Mix Tape Zine, submitted illustrations with matching themes, sent each other gifts, and even started an environmental blog together. Sadly, each of their lives got busy, the blog was never launched, Beth stopped blogging herself, and they lost contact (not the friendship however). Two years later, Beth went shopping on flossy's Etsy store and bought herself a print called "Wilderness". So excited to hear from her old friend, flossy recalled an item that had been on her "to do" list for TWO YEARS! ... "Make a bag for Beth". Beth had asked flossy to make her a messenger bag one day. This was very exciting, and flossy bought lovely fabric for the project, and even started, but then had to suddenly move towns, and got very busy... never getting around to finishing the bag. Until.... flossy realised she would never get a good night's sleep again if she posted the print without the long forgotten bag. So one day she kicked her own ass, and made the best bag she could for Beth.  Two weeks later, flossy was delighted and surprised to find a personalised video from Beth, so emotional and excited about her new bag (and the print... but mostly the bag that she had completely forgotten about), thanking flossy, and showing her how well her new bag suited her. flossy could see how sincerely Beth LOVED her new bag, how well it did indeed suit her, which made flossy happy for the rest of the week and reminded her how great bloggy friendships are! The End.
  Geek + Nerds dove has found a new nest. A lush bed of felty flowers and leaves. Our new woolly wreath.
The purpose of my trip to Sydney was to meet my friend's brand new baby! Their first. And to deliver the quilt I made for him...  Cotton and linen, big squares and bright green edging...  Some of the fabric is recycled from the table runners I made for our wedding...  With a little pesonalised embroidery on the back...  Baby is so cute, only 4 weeks old, and trying very hard to focus his eyes. The quilt was well liked. (News of the rest of my trip to follow shortly)
What comes with losing your job is much fantasizing about a dream job, moping around the house eating too many cookies, bouts of un-explained (and never before attempted) housework, to-do lists popping up on the walls like chicken pox on an itchy child, spurts of energy to grow your business into a booming empire, followed by a cranky and ravenous mission to retrieve money that's owed to you, and an ever-keen eye for a good bargain and general cost-cutting. Exhibit A: START WITH: Sweet but kinda boring new t-shirt nabbed for a measly $5 ADD: First attempt at homemade yo-yo's (thanks to a helpful tutorial by Heather Bailey) PLUS: Post-wedding hair chop-off ENDS WITH: Super-cute new top on somewhat cheered-up chick. P.S. Tomorrow I plan to announce something exciting. Something that happens here this time each year. Something I think you might like. :)
Decorate-a-thon:Planning and making the decorations has been by far the most fun part of planning this wedding. When I mention all the things I have planned, I think some people think I'm nuts. But it's definitely the BEST part. I'm having such a good time. Last week I revamped a stack of old lamps. This one was beyond a coat of paint or bit of ribbon, it had too many stains. But add some lace, careful snipping, and glue and VOILLA! Totally wedding-worthy I think. :) 
 What do you get when you start with a block of hebel stone, a box of tools, and a weekend ahead? When you add some physical exertion, a very necessary dust mask, and some helpful instruction from an expert? Then finish with a bit of sand paper and a splash of oxide? Well, for one you need a really good scrub in the shower... But you've also got yourself a chubby little tiki style owl! :D Mr You made an awesome stylised cat face, but I don't think he'll let me show it (he's a bit hard on himself). Anyway, we had a great weekend at the sculpture workshop. We keep talking about all the things you could do if you had more time. I think we'd definitely both love to try it again. But, all in all not bad for our first attempt.
 Thank-you so much to everyone for entering my Spring Brooch Giveaway! I've never had so many entrants for one of my wee gifties before, so it was very exciting. There were so many entries that I felt a bit scummy only giving away two brooches, so I'm going to make an extra one tonight, and I drew an extra winner. So all up there are 3 winners. And those lucky three are:  - Geek+Nerd, - Shellbells, and - BigCatYay! Congratulations :) These babies will be heading to brighten up your outfits, and spread the good karma asap! - - - - - Thank-you to everyone else. Sorry I couldn't make one for each of you. The next giveaway I'll be hosting will be my annual Thanksgiving Illo Giveaway, in the second half of November (that's only a couple of weeks away!). The winner of this one gets to commission a painting from me as their prize (they sell for upward of $350 USD these days, so it's a good deal). You can request anything at all, or leave it up to me to decide. It can be for you, or a gift for someone special... it's completely up to you. This will be it's third year running. Diana and Anastasia were the previous two winners. So if you're interested in that one, check back in November for updates and how to enter.
  I'm on a roll! We had a huge storm here yesterday, loads of heavy heavy rain, and while the rest of the garden has been a bit flattened, the felt flowers bloomed! Pansy, Blue and Yellow flower brooches now for sale in my Etsy store.
 I Heart Mirabel is another great charity event. Meet Me at Mikes has opened an invitation for people to make hearts to hang in their front window on Valentines Day. Each heart will be for sale for $10, with all profits going towards the Mirabel Foundation (children who have been orphaned or abandoned due to parental drug use). This bunch o'retro jungle hearts is my contribution. I picked this uber-retro fabric up really cheap at a country op shop a few years back, and have been holding on to it waiting for the right project to come along. (I have a few metres of it. I have no idea what to do with the rest.) Anyway, hopefully these wee softie hearts will have a fun Melbourne holiday, before finding a nice new home to dangle in.
 I just finished making this for a friend. She asked me to make it as a gift for her sister in law who is expecting her first baby. It's a keepsake purse. Inside it has small pockets; for a first tooth, first lock of hair, hospital band, and a larger pocket for letters and cards. I hope they both like it. 
 There's been a meme-ish type of thing ambling around the traps about the Mona Lisa. I didn't have a chance to get to it while it was fresh, but it reminded me of a few works I did when I was at uni. I still have them, so I dug them out from the bottom a box to show you...  They were works of protest (in a way). It annoyed me so much at the time, that what the lecturers responded well to, was if your work mimiced the look of an in-style-artist (there seemed to be a few to choose from). Make it slick, conceptual, and a rip-off of someone elses work, and you were in. One of the things they started to say to people in critiques was "well, it's not quite art, it's more like craft". ARGHHHHHH! God it pissed me off.  So... (rubs hand together maniacally) my next body of work were crafty reproductions of some of the most popular artworks of all time. I never explained the purpose of the work, so all they could say was, "yes, well they really are craft, not art". And despite me getting the terrible marks I expected, it gave me such a great laugh and sense of satisfaction. Anyway, I have chucked out most of my work from those days, but I hung onto these because I thought they were cute, and they still make me laugh.   
I am so excited to announce that a couple of my handmade bags will be for sale! Yes, I've finally gotten around to making some bags to sell. These babies are on their journey to Artstream Studios right now, as we speak. bag o' birds all seasons trees lone wolf They are due to arrive at the shop in the first week of September (that's next week). So keep your eye on Susan's blog, and the online shop for their arrival. I also made this little purse, out of some vintage fabric I picked up at the local secondhand store, for my friend for her birthday. I call it the "Spring in the South" purse, and I LOVE the fabric.  Now that I've finished all those, I can start packing all my sewing gear. Yikes!
|
|
