from the quiet
Just a few photos I took when Sam + I were down at the land, on the weekend. Sitting quietly at the creek, listening to the water tumbling and the cicadas calling. We had the most relaxing and quiet time; no kids, no worries, no thoughts but what meandered through our minds and sometimes came out as words, sometimes didn't need to be spoken at all.
We scrubbed and cleaned and swept and mopped. Years of spider webs, and dust in the little bush house. All gone now. {Except that the bush has a way of creeping back in when you're not there for even one night, let alone all the days we have to be back in Brisbane planning our move}.
We walked along the road, for at least an hour. Just ourselves to talk to. No one demanding to be picked up, or that they were tired or hungry or any number of other things that those little kids of ours often proclaim.
We skipped across creeks; stepping on stones so as not to get our shoes wet. We stopped and watched little birds playing in the grasses and trees. We saw dragonflies flit and dash around the water.
We chatted about how we imagine our new home. Talked practical things like solar power, hot water systems, water tanks and pumping water from the creek. Planned our studio - how big, and where, and what things we really want + need to have.
Our little dreams. Slowly creeping forward and being realised.......
happy sunday
Sam + I are off to our little piece of little house in the bush. To clean, and write lists, and determine what we need to do before we can all move in in a few short weeks.
The kids are staying with Grandma + Aunty Sylv & Cousin Ashey. And will be good and have a lovely time. And we will have a quiet time without them. Listening to the birds. And to our own thoughts.
*These photos are from the Sydney Botanic Gardens, when Sylv + I went there, was it last year?
{a handcrafted holiday} Pop-Up Market
When we moved into our new studio, both Nina and I said we wanted to have an open studio day - for fun, and to show off our space and also, really, I do love being a hostess (with the mostess!). Well, that didn't happen (due to markets taking over our lives, and then Nina dashing off to have the adventure of a lifetime in Vietnam).
One day while chatting with a few of my crafty friends, I decided that I would actually like to indeed have a little open / pop-up day. With the collection of some of my favourite local crafting.making.designing.talented peeps, we're having ::
Please come along for an afternoon of friends, food, music and some of the best {handcrafted}shopping you'll have this side of Christmas. I'm so excited to be hosting this event, and getting just the teeniest bit scared that there's still no music, or coffee van (if you are local and know someone who would fit the bill of making great coffee or playing/singing beautiful and lowkey music, please send me an email redseedstudio@gmail.com). Visit our facebook event, and invite your friends and family to come along too. Bring the kids, as we'll have a special area set up for kids crafting and fun.
The lineup includes ::
KW Ceramics, of Udessi fame.
{Who'll be having a hugh studio sale on the day, with samples and seconds of her ceramics}.
& Nook Shop, Lotus Flower Designs...... and more.
Hope yo see you there!
{my creative space} Printing some new designs
On my two studio days this week (Sunday + Monday, when Sam has his days off work), I did some hand cut stencils and some test printing with them.
I had so much fun sitting in the quiet of my studio (no kids, only the chooks in the neighbour's yard making their little noises). Drawing, designing, hand cutting the stencils and then just exploring printing some new design ideas.
Over the past few months, I've been so caught up in the designing of my fashion range, that I haven't really had time to stop and think of new projects. And with our studio+house+job move happening within weeks, there's lots of other stuff getting in the way of planning for next year's fashion, textile + homewares range. Lots of things are going on the back burner while we move and build our new house + studio space.
So, it was just perfect for my mental wellbeing to do something for the now. Not for thinking about future designs, just for the next few weeks. I printed up a few tote bags (hemp + organic cotton) that I'll have at the Southbank Young Designer's Market next weekend. Actually, I won't be there, my lovely sister will be taking my place as I have a workshop to present. They'll also be at our little studio market day on 11th Dec, full details over here - we'd love to see you there!
I really like 'rainy cloud is pretty blue'.
Orange umbrella needs a little reworking; Ari suggested spots which I quite like the idea of.
The trees are being done as a four colour print, which takes a lot of waiting for paint to dry, but I can't wait to see the final results. The blossoms haven't quite lined up on the branches as I planned, but the whole thing has been recut and will line up when I do the final print (perhaps tomorrow - if we get out of the house at all!).
These will all be limited edition designs and products (I'm thinking cushions for the grove of trees, though may change my mind when it comes to sewing them up!). Being a hand cut stencil they only has a limited amount of reprints. Of course, I'm sure I'll rework them at a later stage to become something else. The grove of trees has been in my sketch books (and mind) for quite a long time now, so you will see them again.
More creatives over at Kootoyoo.
now we are 6*
This is a little letter to my boy. Hello Boy. Now you are 6! {25/10/04}
Little one, you have grown so big, and bold, and confident and so yourself.
It really is wonderful to see how you can easily interact with everybody you meet on your daily adventures. You are confident chatting with adults, and easily take the lead when in a group of other children.
Your ideas, thoughts, observations are amazing to be part of. To see the things you notice, and how your brain leads you to conclusions or the stories you make up about little things.
I really do like the way you tell you little lies to me; about how you've brushed your teeth or done something or other, when really I can tell by looking at your face that you're trying to trick me.
This is you on pirate day at school (in prep, in Mrs F's class). You've loved being in this class, coming home with all sorts of facts and bits of information, new songs and stories. Constantly singing pirate songs that you've learnt.
Your drawings constantly inspire and amaze us. The dedication to your artwork, and the pride with which you present your new piece to us is so good to see and be part of. I love seeing you grow and develop into your own drawing techniques.
This is you on the walk to school, for the art night. You are dressed in those red+white striped pants that I love so much (from Blossom Child), with the singlet we made for your friend's robot party. You threw the jacket on at the last minute, as we walked out the door, announcing it made you look like a real artist! You do really care about how you look, mostly, and take pride in wearing your lovely clothes. Thankfully you will wear what we ask you to (not at all like your sister, who will only wear exactly what she wants and nothing else). I love your sense of style, and also how you appreciate other people's clothes and outfits - often you tell me in a very loving voice that you like my dress, or skirt or that I look pretty today.
You are such a beautiful, loving and caring big brother - when you want to be! Both you and the little one play fantastic games together, making up stories and making a mess all over the place. You love playing shops; you are always the shop keeper. Or if you play cafes, you make the best little menus for us to peruse before we place our order. Sometimes, with Grandma, you are a travel agent booking tickets for her to go to Italy on a cruise ship.
You got a new bike for your birthday. A beautiful blue + white treasure. You and daddy have been spending time in the street learning to ride (no training wheels on this bike!), and I think you'll be quite the bike trickster. Especially when we move to the land and you have lots of flat space to ride about with no cars nearby.
I love you, my boy. To the moon and back. The boy who made me a mum. And made your dad a dad.
*{any excuse to use an A.A. Milne reference}.
** top picture of Ari in his Mad Hatter's tea party hat, with the hat cake we made, was taken by Sally (a school friend mum).
peonies + pippi
My sister gave me these beautiful beautiful flowers last week. She brought them home from the market on wednesday, as a little surprise gift.
They arrived as tight buds, and have slowly unfurled over the days to this full glorious bloom.
I love their pungent, earth, musky perfume.
Sometimes we (Sylv + me) say to each other that we don't deserve fresh flowers unless our house is nice and tidy. But sometimes the nice and tidy doesn't happen, or stay for long enough. And beautiful flowers are what one needs to ignore/life with/tolerate the mess that happens with two small (crafty.messy.playful) children combined with the rest of things that happen in life. {yes, my house is a mess again!}.
Thank you Sylv for these very very beautiful flowers. I'm enjoying watching and enjoying them in our front room. And even taking some fun little photos with them.
{these two are fuzzy, due to low light-photography conditions,
but i love the shapes and lines and colours. don't they look like frilly dancing dresses!
especially with that ripple of pink along the top edge of the petal.}
We are reading Pippi Longstocking at the moment. I bought it, on a whim, at the bookstore, in mind to keep it for a Christmas gift for the kids. It's illustrated by Lauren Child, of Charlie + Lola fame. The kids are loving listening to the crazy antics of Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim's Daughter Longstocking. We've been reading one or two chapters each day for the past three days now, and they both sit and listen with rapture at the funny things pippi does and says. And wait for the great pictures of Pippi rolling out biscuits on the floor, or riding her horse to school.
I love that they are both old enough now to sit and listen to chapter books. Old classics are the best way to go - we've been working on Wind in the Willows (which I think they are a little too young for still). Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox, George's Marvelous Medicine and Charlie are also much loved readers.
young, carefree and rosy cheeked
a school friend just posted this on her facebook page. i'm putting it here, to remind myself...........
......... that i once was young. and how super skinny i was back in high school.
{i'm the one in the pink top, with that super short denim skirt on. and the rosy cheeks. and that long hennaed hair.}. i think it was our final year of high school. we had all spent the day at the tea tree lakes near Byron Bay, swimming in the murky brown tea tree water (that is so excellent for your skin). in those last weeks and months, while we waited for school to be over, and to get our final school exam results, and have our school formal all dressed up.
in those days before...
children,
partners, marriage,
jobs,
the real world,
being grown up,
living in the big smoke.
oh, those were the days - weren't they. to be young, carefree and rosy cheeked!
{hi Christy, Manda, Nym + Bel.}
......... that i once was young. and how super skinny i was back in high school.
{i'm the one in the pink top, with that super short denim skirt on. and the rosy cheeks. and that long hennaed hair.}. i think it was our final year of high school. we had all spent the day at the tea tree lakes near Byron Bay, swimming in the murky brown tea tree water (that is so excellent for your skin). in those last weeks and months, while we waited for school to be over, and to get our final school exam results, and have our school formal all dressed up.
in those days before...
children,
partners, marriage,
jobs,
the real world,
being grown up,
living in the big smoke.
oh, those were the days - weren't they. to be young, carefree and rosy cheeked!
{hi Christy, Manda, Nym + Bel.}
this will be.....
the sunlight is bright.
the grass is shimmery and brilliant.
the (tiny temporary) house needs much work before we can move in.
the creek is perfect for exploring
and walking and drinking the freshest water around.
and finding lovely little water spiders.
and rocks shaped like a heart.
i put it in the roots of a tree. i wonder if it'll still be there next time we visit.
As I put Ari to bed tonight, he asked if we could just get up in the morning and go to the beach. We live about 1hr+20mins from any decent beach I like to go to, so this isn't something we do often. In fact it's something we do not often enough. Tomorrow is a school day. So naturally I said no, we wouldn't go to the beach. Then I stopped and thought. ...... and perhaps we will go to the beach tomorrow afterall. And stay with my grandma and make a little holiday of it. Ari, Mish + me (while poor Sam has to stay at home, and go to work).
{In the school newsletter that came home today, it said that parents were not to just take their children out of school for days off, without written notice, and permission from school. They wanted to make sure that it wasn't an interruption to their education. Can someone please remind the state schooling system that a little thing called life is education. Spending time with family, doing whimsical, wonderful, important things - like skipping school to go to the beach - is education!
In other school news - we visited Ari's new school on Monday, and I love that they have a sustainability program that includes a wonderful vege garden, chooks and a kids in the kitchen weekly cooking class, where they use fresh garden produce to cook themselves lunch. I'm so excited.}
le tour Eiffel, cupcakes, coffee pots, trees & flowers
I had another lovely group of screen printing ladies last weekend, at my little studio. Everyone arrived early, and got stuck straight into some design thinking, and a bit of chatting too!
Despite the heat of the day, we got a lot done and finished up on time.
Deb (above left), who had recently returned from Paris, hand drew this fantastic stylised Le Tour Eiffel. I love that she also hand cut her initials into the stencil. A true artist! These printed up beautifully, and will make excellent gifts, and a great keepsake memory of her time in France. Deb also cut out this wonderful, and quite intricate, little moose head with antlers and a heart face (top photo).
Eryn (above right, in the black) came to the class with a few rough ideas for a design, and started sketching different ideas. She came up with this lovely swirl shape, which she rotated to make three different angles, hand cut them all and then printed them up in deep grey onto the black linen tea towels. (The lighting in the photo is not doing justice to the great print or colours). Eryn also had time to cut out some more from her sketching ideas, and came up with this lovely little cupcake, tea cut and pot design. It looked so cute in bright pink. Both of these designs are a perfect example of how a simple, crisp and bold design is just suited for stencil cut screen printing, and gives wonderful results.
Sue brought along a beautiful tote bag she had made (which I forgot to photograph, but it was so sweet), of a tree with bright red apple buttons. She cut and printed this as two stencils, first the chocolate brown trunk and then the bright green leaves over the top. We planned it that when she printed the top design, there would be some overlap of colours, and some sections where it wouldn't overlap leaving a little bit of fabric showing. When you're lining up designs by hand, and have to move the fabric between prints, it's best to work with that and plan for the beautiful little imperfections that happen. I think it really added to the print, having them all be placed just a teeny bit differently to each other. Once these t-shirts have their red apple buttons stitched on, they are going to look super-duper cute on Sue's neices. Yah.
Jacki (who writes the lovely monkeemoomoo blog) had her husband size these images up to perfectly fit a tea towel. What a wonderfully cute idea (the coffee pots and spoons, rather than using her husband to do the design work - though I must admit, I do that with my husband too!). This turned out so well, the pots, spoon and mixing machine looked excellent in a deep grey print on white + black linen. What lucky family and friends, who'll be getting this for their presents. Jacki also cut this simple, retro looking design and printed it in red (this image is the one I printed on our backing fabric, with an orange mixed through). Jacki told us her son had them all drawing and cutting designs, which is what lead to her pebble shapes with negative and positive cut-outs. Take it from me - young kids are some of the best art instructors and inspiration around, use them if you have them!
I had such a lovely time watching everyone come up with their designs, and learning the techniques of printing. Some of them were a bit nervous for the first print run, but had totally slipped into the fun of it by the time they got their second printing done. I do hope they're all inspired to go off and keep printing at home. Sorry Sue + Jacki, somehow I didn't end up with a photo of either of you.
If you are interested in learning how to screen print, then I have a few spots left in the last classes of the year. You can bring your own fabric to print on (like Sue's t-shirts for presents), or print onto tea towels - which make excellent gifts for local and overseas friends and family. Full details are here, with info on how to book. I've decided to cancel one class due to the year running away from me too much, so only have two more classes left.
I had such a lovely time watching everyone come up with their designs, and learning the techniques of printing. Some of them were a bit nervous for the first print run, but had totally slipped into the fun of it by the time they got their second printing done. I do hope they're all inspired to go off and keep printing at home. Sorry Sue + Jacki, somehow I didn't end up with a photo of either of you.
If you are interested in learning how to screen print, then I have a few spots left in the last classes of the year. You can bring your own fabric to print on (like Sue's t-shirts for presents), or print onto tea towels - which make excellent gifts for local and overseas friends and family. Full details are here, with info on how to book. I've decided to cancel one class due to the year running away from me too much, so only have two more classes left.
things to be grateful for
sometimes i go through my days feeling a bit complainy,
and wishing things were other than they are.
doing that whole 'it's not fair' dance that we humans sometimes do.
well, my mum did used to remind me that life
wasn't meant to be fair.
but, you know what.
sometimes i think i do just have to keep reminding myself
how fair things really are
for me.
in my life.
my days.
my family.
myself.
i think i've got better than the fair share of good things.
things to be grateful for.
i have this little journal that i bought, on a whim,
to help remind me to be grateful.
I enjoy sitting with it, at quiet moments, to stop
and positively think about the things that are good.
that make me happy.
that make me feel grateful for my life.
This morning I am grateful for:
// the little baby kitten who lives with us. her name is red flower, and she climbs into bed with me in the morning giving me sweet little kisses and kicks her legs about in the air. she likes wearing rainbow dresses and no shoes and eating mangoes and dancing pretty little dances.// my parents-in-law, for always being there to help me out, with a smile and kindness.
// being able to pick the carrots this morning, with the kids from Ari's classroom, from their little garden (which we have been tending the past few months). to spend time with a whole classroom of growing minds is just wonderful.
// the breeze blowing in through my window, and fluttering upon my face in a soft and kind manner.
// organising enrolments at new schools and pre-schools for both my kids; this means we really are moving, and it's happening so so soon.
*all images borrowed, with deep thanks, from Erin Endicott. Her work uplifts and inspires me, in an usual and strong way. Do go and have a look at her exquisite hand work.
lofty goals
I'm thinking a lovely blue-ish sort of one for Ari. I've even been collecting the fabrics, not sure if they're right or not, but I suppose i should make a start anyway to see how it will go.
There's one I made for Mishi quite a while ago, in pinks and greens (some old Joel Dewberry and just as 'vintage' Amy Butler), which still hasn't been bound. We do use it, on our couch, with the horrible edges poking out - but the fear of learning how to bind it is putting me off finishing it.
I'm wanting something very special to make for Sam's + my bed. Perhaps some beautiful soft creamy white hemp. I've been thinking of white, black and grey. Hemp, organic cotton and hand screen printed images - very intriguing sorts of ideas, something a bit obscure with detail that you have to look closely at. Of course, it will turn out quite differently than the vague images in my head.
And then I'd like to have a couple of little lap quilts, for our couch. For snuggling and reading or hand sewing or perhaps even finishing off some crochet (I started late in Winter, and may finish some time next Winter?!).
Not to mention one that I've been working on since May. Stitching by hand, slowly here and there. Which lately hasn't had any hands touching it, and does need some more attention to be finished so it can go to it's intended new owner.
Not to mention one that I've been working on since May. Stitching by hand, slowly here and there. Which lately hasn't had any hands touching it, and does need some more attention to be finished so it can go to it's intended new owner.
Tiel is so much further along on her quilt list. I actually remember seeing (at least a year or more ago) her doing some hand piecing on the one she talks about having sitting on her bed. It makes me realise that we all continue to add things to our long list of to-dos, while we are all so caught up in reality of daily living. And how things so easily continue to be put away, especially lovely quiet quilts that don't demand our daily attention.
Amanda looks like she's so very close to fulfilling her high Summer wish of completing five knitted jumpers for her family for her Winter. Throughout a busy-filled year, she has taken moments here and there to work on her pieces. Reminding me that each moment really does count; that things can be completed bit by slow tiny bit, and I don't need to expect to start and finish something at once.
I'd love to hear your quilt, knitting, crochet, sewing to-do list. The plans that you have, be they dreams or closer to reality. What are you making?
more house inspiration
our house is just a wee bit teeny tiny much too messy at the moment (still picking up thread from all the sewing for the market weekend....). these images are fueling my imagination, and providing moments of beauty in my day. total inspiration for our own home building next year.
Newly remodeled lounge/living room, from the Queen of all beautiful, and quirky, Ms Rummage ::
Not sure if I've posted these (below) before, but I love everything about this house. It's Geninne's. I love everything about her design and art work as well, and it flows into her house so beautifully. This house is exactly as I can see myself living. That grey/slate blue wall with the wooden window frames is perfect, don't you think. You can see more of the house here.
I really can barely wait until we can start building our own home. From ground up. It is taking much longer to get to the start of the prep and design and ideas and planning as it should. We are caught up in being in Brisbane still, and won't be able to really start until Sam finishes up at his work, and Ari leaves school, and we move down onto the land. Then, it will start. In the meantime, I dream and think and plan and wish.
after the market....
These are some photos of our stall at the Finders Keepers market this weekend past. We had a lovely, very tiring weekend. Great people watching - all those pretty bright-young-things showing off their legs! The flowers we arranged on my op-shopped bookshelf (taken from my front room at home), got a lot of attention. I wouldn't be surprised to see them popping up on some other blogs, as there was a few photos taken (one sweet couple left us a little flower from their own bouquet). All the other props were from Sylv, Lea or my house.
As you may notice, we changed the whole stall around after only half an hour on the first morning. {A tiny bit of watching, showed me that it wasn't the best lay-out and people were looking at the clothes racks without coming into the stall. I always like to be able to say hello to everyone}.
I'm still a bit at a loss as to what to think about the reactions to my launch fashion collection. I do think that it wasn't the best customer base for me to show my pieces at. So, that's something I'm really going to have to rethink (as I did think it would be a good place). All feedback we received was very positive, and made me feel good about it - and everyone who tried something on looked really good, and it fit them in a flattering and comfortable way, while still being pretty and show-offy. That's exactly how I designed my range, and it was good to see it all on a range of women and find that all the styles and cuts worked as I had designed.
So - with the market over now, and the house + studio (+ our family life) yet to be set back to normal, I'm already planning and starting to think out the next steps. The new collections, and designs, cuts styles products........ I think that's the way it has to be, but it's also the way I am. I put so much into getting this all ready for Finders Keepers, and now I'm ready to move onto the next collection. Just need to find someone to enjoy the process of marketing the current collection! (Sylv? Lea?)
I want to say the biggest ever thanks to ::
+ My sweet lovely beautiful sisters, Sylv + Lea, who helped all weekend at the market, and stayed up late sewing buttons and cutting fabric circles for the button making machine. Who kept me positive throughout the weekend, and supported me (when I felt like I may have a tiny bit of a break down in our cosy make-shift change room).
+ Sylv, who continued to help me screen print, and talked through designs and fabrics. And modeled everything for me, so perfectly and beautifully. And so much more.
+ of course Sam, who always helps me out, even though sometimes it's not as obvious to me in my stressed.freaked.out.caffeined.overworked.overthinking frame of mind.
+ and Sam's parents, who put their holiday off for an extra day to look after the kids. Always thankful.
+ Sam's brother + sister-in-law for driving especially out of their way to lend me their mobile eftpos machine (of so needed in this age of technology).
+ all the positive feedback + support from you all as well. And my friends who popped in to see me at the market, and during the weekend before. Thanks thanks thanks.
Okay - hopping off my podium now.
After the market we all slept in for as long as possible.........
The lighting was quite low in our room, and my digital camera doesn't like minimal lighting, and I don't like using flash. Hence the graininess of all the photos.
Printing weekend - oh.what.fun
above image :: many hands helping. Was so great to see how everyone jumped in and helped each other out with the mechanics of learning to screen print. Things that I have learnt to do over the years (hold the screen and the squeedgie and not get blobs ink on the fabric all at once), was like a little operating theatre - with tools being past and held as needed.
below :: Bree's perfectly cut little pots. The colour looks black here, but is was actually a deep redish / maroon / chocolate colour. She repeated the pots at the opposite end of the tea towel. She also printed some of our berry hemp with deep grey pots, which she plans on sewing into placemats. Bree's design came from an all-time favourite Lotta Prints.
above :: left - Michelle's beautifully cut tree design. right - Michelle + Estelle, cutting their intricate designs. Michelle's was a round branchy tree, and Estelle's was a mangrove (below left). Both of them came with ideas, which we talked about and decided to make them opposite of the original design. The negative background was cut out to form the design, rather than the actual tree shape itself. They both turned out as beautiful pieces of artwork, esp the grey ink on black linen tea towels.
below :: right - Doreen's sweet little houses. Crisp blue on white and black tea towels - was amazing to see the difference the same ink looks on different fabrics. I can't wait to see the details Doreen's going to add to these houses - a talented quilter, she has a big list of gifts to make before she can start on the sashiko flowers and clouds she was planning on adding to her houses.
above :: Geraldine's leafy-vine shapes, printed in a eucalyptus green / grey colour, which looked super lovely on the black linen. Our little visiting friend thought it melded into the backyard just perfectly, and came for a bit of a look around and laugh. This design had a second print run, to put a third leaf in the middle.
below :: Geraldine and Christine printing the most amazing aqua colour, onto our berry hemp. Christine's hand cut seed pod design looked excellent as a repeat pattern along the width of fabric. Unfortunately, I didn't get any more than this photo of it. Can't wait to hear what you make with it Christine!
above:: Michelle's tree design, which also looks like a leaf with veins. Deep grey on white and black linen.
If you're interested in learning how to screen print - Come along to one of our fun beginner's workshops at our little studio. You'll hand cut your own stencils, using your original designs (I'll be there to help with design inspiration!), and then print using a blank screen and toxic-free printing ink. All materials will be provided as well as ongoing help, and access to extra materials at wholesale prices. We'll be printing onto sustainable and organic fabrics. You're welcome to bring along your own materials for printing onto (t-shirts, pillow cases, baby onesies, etc).We'll talk about designs suitable for stencil cut printing, as well as exposed screens.
I'm opening bookings up for the following dates:
Saturday 27th Nov, Saturday 4th Dec & Sunday 5th Dec. Gather some friends and have a crafty day out together - a yummy lunch is included, and perhaps our little kookaburra friend will come along too. Bookings and further info here. Or email me {redseedstudio@gmail.com} with any questions.
knowledge :: heart
“All the knowledge I possess
everyone else can acquire,
but my heart is all my own.”
{can't remember where image is from, sorry - I'll let you know when I find the link}
still life {moments}
I should be washing up the breakfast dishes. And then rushing to the studio to cut some more fabric to send to my machinist. (Cute little camisole-style tops in soft flowing hemp / organic cotton. I still have to find just the right buttons to make the finishing details right).
I just wanted to show you this collection of flowers. Still life. Mishi picks them on her way home from the school walk each morning. Plucking them from the tree, or plant (or directing Sam or me to do it for the hard to reach ones). This is her collection from this week. She adds to it each day, as she brings more home.
The white bottle brush have just started flowering. And the red ones are near the ending of their flowering. Both from trees on the street - council planted trees. The yellows are sweet little dandelion weeds - so pretty and cheery. The little daisy is right from our front steps, a tiny little plant that sprouts up these happy little flowers, and Mishi loves to pick them. All in a little Turkish tea glass (we have lots of them, for our water drinking glasses), in our bathroom.
Little moments of still life. And pretty things to look at while I brush my teeth or put on my moisturiser. Moments to still my mind. To focus on something for one moment longer than the fleeting craziness that is happening at the moment.
I hope you are having a lovely day and week. That you, too, are finding tiny moments of quiet and still in your life.
{now back to the craziness of organising two workshops this weekend, and then The Finders Keepers market next weekend. I do like to do everything at once, don't I?}.
just a bit mad......
Just wanted to pop in and say hi. I've got a busy weekend coming up. It's Ari's birthday, and we're having a Mad Hatter's Tea Party themed party. Eeeekkkk. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to make it look all mad hatterish, without spending heaps of money and lots of time to make it work. Hoping the sunshine will hold out so we can be outside, and not have 20 kids running around inside!
Ari wants to theme himself on Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter. I wouldn't mind to look a little like Mia Wasikowska, but I'll be wearing this outfit (it's already made and requires no extra effort). Ari + Mish have both asked me to sew them a 'patchwork shirt' and 'little dress', just sew it up today, mummy. No worries at all.
Why oh why do I keep adding to my list of things to do, instead of sticking with crossing off the one list and trying to keep my life simple and slow and quiet - where I can breathe steadily and deeply. My slow project has been rapidly pushed to the backburner, as I feel my heart beat and mind running ahead of me. The next few months are going to test me and my ability to multi-task, and not have a breakdown, and manage to do the washing up and keep some food in the house as well {had to ask my sister to bring some lunch to school for Ari today, as I haven't managed to go shopping since we got home from holiday!!}.
So - xxxxxxx Enjoy your weekend.
{*Alice + Mad Hatter images from here. The animal ones were taken while on our holiday at the Cairns Zoo}.
{my creative space} stacks and layers and piles of beautiful fabric
My creative space over the next few weeks will include stacks and layers and piles and stitches and lots of beautiful beautiful fabric. and screen printing, too. and cutting and sewing. and organising. and deciding. {all for this reason}.
These are some extraordinarily beautiful pieces of vintage Japanese Kimono silks and cottons. Scraps and off-cuts, all tidily rolled into unassuming bundles. These will be curated into little zippered purses and a new version of the Cumulus Clutch. And perhaps, only perhaps, if I have time some cushion covers as well.
But for now it's all about picking and choosing and layering and deciding which colours and designs and patterns match best together, or clash best together as the case may be. I'll show you the finished results once they're done.
These little piles of orange glowing loveliness are for some new skirts in the collection. I cut them before we went on holiday, and will be picking them up from my sewer/machinist in a few days (when I drop her off some more work). oh.i.do.love.having.a.sewer to help me out; more time for me to design and create, rather than unpicking fussy and disobedient zips!
The orange is a Japanese cotton with sweet little leaves and blossoms. Combined with the black hemp/organic cotton. Sewn into a simple cut. Easy to wear - I've been wearing my sample for the past week.
Head over to Kootoyoo for some more creative peeps.
Finders Keepers {the secret is out}
Now that the announcements have been made, I can finally let the secret slip that I've been not quite mentioning for a few weeks now. I've been talking about this big design market, but haven't been able to say which one until now.
So - YAH! We'll be at Brisbane Finders Keepers in a few short week's time.
I'm super excited about being part of this excellent market for many reasons ::
- because I'll be launching my very first fashion collection.
- because I'll be spending the whole weekend with two of my sisters*, which in itself is going to be just.super.duper.fun and giggly.
- there's so much hand picked talent and design/art/craft/maker skill at these markets; it's a real pleasure and privilege to be part of it.
- the Old Museum, at Herston, is such a wonderful.beautiful place to spend a weekend.
- there'll be so many excellent.interesting.beautiful people to chat with.
- people watching at Finders Keepers is super fun.
- I'm excited about styling my market stall - clothing will be different than homewares and textiles (there'll be that too, but the clothes are the feature).
- and many other reasons.
Apologies in advance if the next few weeks turns into market chit chat. And major stress out! I may need your help to keep me in control, to offer me advice and assistance, to soothe my brow and remind me to breathe and have a cup of tea. And mostly to keep telling me that it's all fun, and that whatever I can do is all that I can do. And that I'm not super woman, so there's limits to what I can design and make.
I'm going to start the market chatter with a little request for help......
I'm still trying to decide on whether I should only have my fashion collection there, or should I also have cushions, tea towels, little zippered purses, etc, etc etc (you know those little things I like to make the night before market day - don't even bother telling me you haven't done it!). Please tell me what are your favourite items that I make, that you've spotted on my blog or online shops (things you remember** you may have seen...). I'm keen to hear your thoughts on what you like best - colours, designs, etc.
*For those of you keeping track, or trying to keep up, with my sister (and the sibling count). I have two sisters and one brother. My younger sister, Sylv, is the one in the photos of my fashion collection, and who I talk about most often as we live nearby to each other and our boys go to school together. She'll be with me at the market stall. The other sister mentioned isn't my 'blood sister', she's a 'relation sister' (the mother of my nephew; my brother's first girlfriend, who spent a lot of high school years at our house as a friend and sister; who I love chatting with, and hanging out with, and have much in common with, and who just happens to look like she could be our 'blood sister').
I have another sister, my oldest sister, who is currently having a wonderful time in the UK (and nearby fun little places to visit). Hi to all my sisters and brothers - blood or relation or friend.
**Unfortunately I don't have a full website at the moment, as it's being rebuilt, and I also don't have all my products on my online shops - so everything isn't easy to look at. And I've been pretty slack lately in loading all my new things onto Flickr. Hmmmmm........ so, I realise I'm asking a pretty hard question here; which means that any answers are totally awsomely appreciated!
back home, in our own beds.
We're home now. Arrived late last night, around 11pm. Two kids who were quite wired and chatty on the plane ride, then became super sleepy on the drive home and slept all night back in their beds until 7.30am. There really is nothing like being in your own bed is there. Even if you know that the next morning means unpacking all your junk, and washing clothes and sorting everything out (and paying late phone bills, and mowing the overgrown yard - it's rained the whole time we've been away, and we now have a jungle outside).
It's raining here, in Brisbane. Cold, compared to the skin-burning sun of Cairns (on the days it wasn't raining there as well).
I'm mentally writing my to-do list for today, and the coming weeks. There's a lot.lot.lot.lot happening over the next 2 - 3 weeks (and continuing after that as well).
{Birthday parties - means tidy house, and organising those 'necessary' party bags and food and games and entertainment for the whole swarm of school people.
{Screen printing workshops - I have two in one weekend, need to finalise some details and things I need to get for that.
{Big design market coming up in 2.5 weeks. Lots of stuff to get finished before then - some stuff to get started...... But, thankfully at the moment I'm still feeling under control and excited, rather than stressed, by it all.
Here's some photos from our day at Green Island, about an hour by big boat from Cairns. What a glorious day it was; despite the fact that it was overcast and not nice and sunny beach weather. The glass bottom boat was quite amazing - seeing the reef, corals and fishes - as well as a turtle - up close. (Though the pictures aren't really that good, as they're all taken through greenish glass).
Walking in the forest was probably one of the best times of the holiday {next holiday, we're just going camping!}. Stopping and looking at all the little seedpods, leaf skeletons, discarded eggshells, forest snail shells, mushrooms, tangles of tree branches, and listening to the doves coo.coo.cooing to each other the whole time.
Then stepping out of the forest onto the beach. And exploring washed-up coral and seashells and wind worn dead branches.
Two moments in the cold of the water, then the feel of the rain coming down, meant we didn't have a proper swim, but we felt the sand under our feet and that was lovely enough.
