Finishing up some UFOs!

As I've come to the end of my first year back at University doing my MFA, I've just had an overwhelming desire to get into sewing - hand sewing again. It is so meditative for me.
S L O W I N G   D O W N ! ! ! !

This was the first thing I worked on - some patchwork hexes and embroidery from a super old project - my SunFlower Fiesta quilt project from Nancy's (I adore the colour-way on this quilt, and I needed some practice on my hand embroidery for an up and coming project for school).

Now what to embroider on the plain blue squares? This square will form part of what effectively is a sampler quilt - crazy patch, machine and hand embroidery, etc.

Just do it!

For some reason I've always shied away from sewing stretch fabric, putting it in the too hard basket. At a recent Sewing Meetup, I got given some scrap stretch fabric and thought about making some leggings for Roro.

I made up a simple pattern from her existing leggings (minus a tad here and there to fit the remnant fabric), and it seems to have worked a treat. Still have yet to let Ro try them out :-)

Must say it has been good to just let go a little this year on the making front. Normally I might covet favourite fabrics or pin things to my board FOREVER and actually still not even get round to sewing it.  But really! What's the point! What's the worst that can happen? You might not like it, but you might LOVE it, right?!

Foxy and Badger

My wee Foxy right at home amongst my workroom :-) I've made several of these to go on a wee project I've been working on. Who says its only kids that can have all the fun!!

And Badger! When I was a little kid I was given the most beautiful set of little cards with British animals on that I absolutely loved - badger, fox, field mouse, hedgehog, and rabbit amongst others.

Woodland cute

Mollie Makes 23 is out with something dear to my heart gracing the cover:

I made FOXY last night and am completely smitten! The kids haven't even noticed him yet, otherwise he would be whisked away for play already ;-0

These guys would also look rather at home with Kajsa Wikman's woodland quilt from Scandinavian stitches, which incidentally is one of my UFOs at home.

http://syko.typepad.com/syko/  Definately check out her blog and book, she's one talented lady!

Happy 2013!

Well Happy New Year people! It has been a really LONG time since I blogged.

So, let's start the year with a flurry of creativity and tutorials, eh!

From the lovely Frankie magazine, via childerhouseblog.com, some wonderful potato printed tote bags

http://childerhouseblog.com/?p=392

Rosa and I are going to have a wee go at doing some potato printing. I love their colour choice and the ever popular geometrics.

Shout out from Ponoko

The lovely people from Ponoko, where I get my felt and bamboo decorations lasercut, have given me, and Graphic Solutions (Craig and my business) a lovely big shout out on their blog!
Thank you Ponoko!

http://blog.ponoko.com/2012/02/01/graphic-solutions/

Sister Love

Our family had a wonderful picnic at the lovely Balena bay for my sister's birthday. Yes, kids paddling, thermoses of coffee, bacon and egg pie, the stuff memories are made of!

As one of my sister's presents I made her a hottie cover with upcycled woollen blankets, a doily and embroidery.

Just Good Stuff

A friend Gen Packer http://www.genevievepacker.com/index.html runs this amazing cash and carry "pop-up shop" just weeks before Christmas. Just Good Stuff is full of some wonderfully creative art, textiles, jewellery, and the like. http://justgoodstuffs.blogspot.co.nz/

She asked me to partake this year (er, now last year), with a particular view to my christmas decorations and bunnies and tings. Much fun. A must in the lead up to mad christmas shopping, there are gifts from $5 upwards.

Knack Christmas Fair

A really enjoyable fair - lovely, creative, fun group of people, and the added event of Election Day to boot. Anyone that hasn't been to Knack (at Berhamphore School) before, it is a MUST-DO experience. There are many wonderful stall holders, and it is rare for me to walk away without spending all my pocket money plus going back for more from eftpos!

Your Home and Garden

A really EXCITING thing that happened last year was someone from Your Home and Garden contacting me about my Christmas decorations on felt. They asked if I could send them a whole bundle to style one of their Christmas trees with, as an au naturale look.

Here are the results:

Whoa!! Happy New year!!

Well, it has been a busy few months! I still haven't even updated my felt site from Christmas products yet - how bad is that! Its update time!

Last year I had a fascination with all things clouds (shared ofcourse by the littlies), so Rosa and I made her a mobile and when upcycling some old school chairs, we painted one all clouds.



Oh!! And I almost forgot - Ruby Tubes' bedroom wall: