New projects have been on the go this year, including some satchel style shoulder bags, I have a good we stash of curtain fabrics and some other colourful pieces…

More embroidery, accompanied as always by Austin.

Austin and I have been working hard on a new design for shoulder bags, I have some lovely fabrics, older vintage pieces, some smallish curtain or upholstery samples.

Some embroidery detail…

The fabric I’m using to line this shoulder bag reminds me of vintage handbag lining, it seemed just perfect.   These bags have a small pocket.

There have been some tiny new little people coming into families I know this month, I whipped up a couple of these vintage sheet wraps, I used a length of chunky vintage rick rack too.  I love them.

They are quite big, I based them on a flat cloth nappy, giving a few extra centimeters.  One side is brushed cotton, from a winter weight sheet, the other is a cotton summer sheet.

Soft!

We’ve had a house guest for a week or so, and today we finally met them!

The other weekend, Luna picked me a most precious gift, a chrysalis for a monarch caterpillar we had in the garden…  oh she couldn’t help herself, and so we carefully tied it onto a stick and gave it to our David to take of.

This weekend, Luna came to me exclaiming, “The butterfly has hatched!” how exciting, I brought David down and set them on the table while I figured out how best to get the butterfly safely outside!

She started flexing those stunning wings…

Luna was very keen to have her on her hand to take outside, but it was just a bit too tickly… and I helped out.

She spent some time in our peach tree, before leaving.

Exciting stuff, this is a big event for local craftsy folk like me, it’s a great day to get your gift shopping done, with some of the best in local talent all in one place selling their wares.

I’m pretty much all packed and ready to go, with just a couple more orders to fill, I have some goodies for you!  My Cupcake Pincushion Sewing Kits have been popular with buyers on Felt.co.nz, and my new Hanging Strawberry Sewing Kits have been a hit for people looking for an activity for a child or craftsy friend…  I’ll have plenty available on the day, all ready to go!

Cupcake Pincushion Sewing Kits…

A kit box for Hanging Strawberries…

See you there!!

Saturday 10th December 2011
11am to 3pm
Aotea Centre, THE EDGE
Auckland Central
Gold coin entry donation

You’ve seen my festive little Hanging Strawberry Sewing Kits already?  The kits come complete with all you need, including soft corn fiber stuffing, but did you know I make kits without stuffing, to save you on postage?  These are great little gifts, and post well, I will be listing them on Felt and Etsy over the next couple of days…

Of course, you can still buy the cool noodle box kits too!  That’s them up there..

Can you imagine some of these hanging around your place?  They look so pretty…

I will have these little treats available at the next couple of markets, the Gladstone School Christmas Market, Thursday 1st December, from 5 pm – 9 pm, address: 8 Seaview Terrace, Mt Albert.

And at the Auckland Art and Craft Fair, Saturday 10th December, 11 am – 3 pm, Aotea Centre, THE EDGE, Auckland Central.

Here’s my artists interview!  Here!

So… here’s a cool new market, and I’ll be there!  Wohoo, come along to i.craft.kingsland next Sunday and say hello, see what everyone has been up to, here are the deets:

Sunday 30 October  3-6pm, at Crave Cafe, 25 Mcdonald Street, Morningside.

Some of the stall holders are Heather and Jasmine Dodson or The Grizzly Peasants
Leanne Martell from Lather and Lotion.

I’ll have a selection of purses, and sewing kits and of course, those favourites, cupcake pin cushions and needle books.

I’ve been busy…  pulling out some cool fabric samples and vintage material I have had stashed away for years and turning them into Mermaid’s Purses.. just for you!

I’ve made some smallish/medium size purses, and some more squareish ones.

Nice lining huh!  This one would make a snuggly sleeping bag.

This one is perfect for (my) sunglasses, I’ll whip up a few more incase you need one too..

Nice on the inside, some pretty cotton I’ve had for a wee while.

Picked up this pretty little number at the Auckland Vintage Textile Fair at the weekend.

And this pattern, unused and very sweet.  I have been looking out for some simple vintage dress patterns lately, I have plans to make one this year.  I also found a dress, it’s pretty stylish and home made by the looks, photo to come it does need a wash!

It was a fun morning out, very hot, so many beautiful things to look at and dream about taking home.  It was much more than textiles too, with costume vintage jewelry, heaps of hat boxes and haberdashery.  Patterns and other random antique and vintage articles like traveling cases, lasts for shoes, hat blocks, bags and accessories for every occasion and books.  Hanging out for the next one!

Some treats for sale at the Auckland Art and Craft Fair…

And some fuzzy photos of my lovely snuggly Sea Horses and Scallops.

Come and say hello, take home something lovely and have a delicious cupcake at Kraftbomb, in the Grey Lynn Community Centre, 11am – 2pm. x

My lovely sea horses are all coming along just well, swimmingly…  I’m enjoying using up some fabric pieces I’ve had stashed for years on one of my newest designs.  I decided to make some giant sea horses after I had a dream about huge sea horses, over one meter tall, they swam through the air, and were amazing, so real and just huge!

Here are the ones I have made out of a beautiful cot sheet mum gave me, they are sooo soft and snuggly, I have enough to make about three or four.  I have also used the material to make some scallop shell softies too.

I have been experimenting with some of the embroidery stitches on my machine..