Oh boy....Blogtoberfest!

Tonight while trolling my favorite blogs, I stumbled upon a reference to something called "Blogtoberfest" on Cadi's wonderful Chocolate Fishies.  Curious, I googled away and was led directly to an awesome new-to-me blog called Tinnie Girl.  The premise seems simple -- try to blog daily, try to keep it interesting.   I know I said I was going to take a bit of a break over school holidays, but things seem to be back under control as the flu-ishness subsides..... Oh heck, why not? A good challenge never hurt anyone.

I have a new button on my sidebar; if you're a blogger and would like to sign up too, just follow the link.

Wish me luck!

At My House....

....we've been working on this house!

The latest treasure from the flea market, I picked up this sturdy, handmade doll's house for a scant ten dollars over the weekend.  I happened to arrive just as its seller unloaded and I pounced, inordinately excited by my good luck and timing.  As a little girl, doll houses completely captured my imagination and I loved creating small spaces of my own (call it pre-nesting.)  I've so been looking forward to this kind of play!

The kids and I spent some time removing the stickers that the previous owner had liberally decorated with and cleaned up good thick layer of dust and grime before we moved it indoors.  Last night, I pulled the sewing machine from where it's been malaising under my desk in the studio and got to work.  I made a bed set with dual-sided covers, a pillow, and a carpet.  Simple, but a beginning.  I can't wait to get some test-pots of paint for the interior and exterior, make some curtains, and begin to look for more wooden furniture.

By the way, I'm so happy to be back into sewing!  I managed to finish a few items on my Christmas to-do list, hem a pair of pants, and make a little tunic for a doll who has been sadly under-dressed for some time.  I think when I get too far out of the habit of sewing (and this applies to other things too, like yoga or running) I build up a certain amount of anticipation and anxiety around them; amazing how quickly that disappears and I think, "This feels awesome; I should do it more often."  Hey, sewing is fun!  Not scary.  I think I'll take the week off from doing prints and leave my machine out in the place of pride in the middle of the desk -- it's incredible how satisfying ticking off a few long-procrastinated projects can be.

Ps. If you have the time, go visiting and and see what other crafty bloggers are up to at their homes over here on Buttons by Lou Lou.

Another Saturday Night....

It's Saturday night.  What am I doing?  I'm listening to a favorite podcast, I'm baking a double batch of bread, I'm cleaning out and organizing my pantry, I'm playing around with this awesome new application I've just discovered (oh and this one too!  I'm feeling a bit out of the loop; is everyone else already aware of these things?), and I'm writing out a list for our first-ever attempt at a monthly grocery shop. 

Quiet, peaceful, perfect.

Now off to curl up in bed to savor the last quarter of this amazing novel I've been meaning to read for ages....I'm so glad I finally plucked it off the shelf.

Taking it easy on the Seedling front for a few days....the family is recovering from a bout of flu, Solomon's afternoon program is on break for another week, and I think it's best to plan on focusing my energies elsewhere.

See you in a few days....

My Creative Space

Something very strange seems to have happened to my camera, creating this other-wordly glow in some of my photos.  I've resisted replacing this camera, having finally warmed to it, but it's getting a bit crotchety in its old age: I have to recharge the battery every other day, sometimes it decides to randomly turn itself off, and now this.  I feel overwhelmed by the plenitude of choices for a replacement.  I need something decent, but simple and economical.  Any suggestions?

Anyway, I've begun working on these super-sturdy eco-totes, made from a wonderfully thick 100% cotton canvas, and perfect for carrying a load of library books or for vegetables, flowers and a baguette from the farmer's market.

Both sides of the bags are printed with slightly different prints.  I'm excited to list these, but think I may need to sort out what's going on with my camera first.  Or else include a disclaimer: "Contrary to appearance, bag does not actually glow."

Hm.

Happy to be joining in with Kirsty from Kootoyoo this week!  Find many more creatives and their spaces here.

Felt....like thinking ahead.

Okay, I know that some people begin their holiday planning in June, but for me late September is way way ahead of my usual schedule (I've always derived a certain frenetic pleasure in buying gifts mainly in the few days just before Christmas.)  At any rate, my goals for this holiday season are:
1. To make most of my gifts.
2. Those which I don't make will be handmade by others.
3. And those which aren't "gifts" in the tangible sense will be donations to charities.

Certainly making gifts requires a bit of planning and time.  Perhaps it's time to put holiday frenzy aside and embrace a bit of grace and organization.  Time then, also to begin to look for items in category two.
I've been trolling the depths of Felt, finding heaps of desirables -- so many, that the pressure is certainly off should I get too busy to make as many gifts as I'd like. This showcase is a combination of things I'd like to get others and a wishlist for myself (ahem, significant other - feel free to take note!)

Enjoy.

Lavender Essential O...

lavender

$12.00

Sage Bird Mini Illus...

inmybackyard

$4.50

Custom Miniature In ...

frankanddean

$32.00

Unlined.journal

baka

$22.50

Play Food - Felt Fru...

speers

$30.00

Basket Coffee Cosies

pbshomemades

$27.00

Reversable Hat With ...

2bluemonkeys

$22.00

Merino Pants

leaf

$30.00

Custom Made Monster ...

rockit

$40.00

Fridge Magnets - Rob...

littlethings

$12.00

Today I Saw.... - Or...

mightymouse

$80.00

Coin Purse

kraftyas

$20.00

At My House: The Little Things

 

I remember reading an article once about how the measure of "happiness" in one's life is far more a product of little everyday enjoyments than of big momentous ones like getting married, going on holiday, graduating, etc. I'm glad that it doesn't take much to make me happy -- the little stuff is more than enough. I look forward to things like my morning toast, a hot shower, listening to a good podcast, or time spent reading in bed in the evening. Especially now that I'm home with my two little ones, I rely on day-to-day pleasures to keep me sane and stimulated. Here are a few of the things that made me happy this week....

 Some new reading material....

The toy library....

 Making salt-dough beads....

 A perfect day in Picton spent with visiting family.  Cousins played, grown-ups talked,
and starfish, crabs, snails, and tiny fish were found under rocks on the beach as the tide went out....

 

 Flea market finds: wooden truck,  a beautiful piece of Nelson pottery, new
Lambert merino leggings (they are the absolute best thing to sleep in.  I have one well-loved pair.
It will be good to have two) and strawberry seedlings.  Total, $12.00....

Birthday-gift train set from Ikea.  Endless combinations, endless hours of play....

These incredibly beautiful alphabet cards with illustrations by Charley Harper.
One side has letter flashcards and the other creates two stunning floor puzzles.
I bought them originally for Aya's birthday, and then held on to them for thinking that
Solomon would enjoy them more.  Finally, I thought "Nah, I love them too much to see them
chewed on or lost."  So they're mine, all mine.  (But as you can see, I share sometimes....)

By the way, if you have the time, do follow the link to see more of Charley Harper's incredible wildlife illustrations.  I'd never heard of him before I found the flashcards, but they are so so beautiful.

Hope you have had a week filled with little happinesses too.

ps  This is my first week participating with At My House...  Visit a few other homes here, on Buttons By Lou Lou. 

My Creative Space

This week, I've been working away on a custom order for some bigger (bigger being size 4) kids t-shirts.  The custom order, from a persistent and very friendly buyer was the inspiration for the big box of organic kids clothing I imported from the United States last week.  Sadly, I've been unable to source quality organic blanks in sizes larger than 18 months from New Zealand (if anyone reading this has ideas about that, I would love to hear them!)  The clothing I ordered is wonderful -- great colors and designs.  But....when taking into account exchange rates, shipping, import fees, and 12.5% (soon to be 15%) GST, well -- it seems as though I should keep searching for good alternatives closer to home.

Anyway, the custom order was for a Poppies print, a Hen print and a Fantail -- all except the Fantail are still in progress.  If I'm doing multiple layers of inks or detailing post-print, the prints can take a few days while I wait for each layer to dry.....The Grass shirt I've done at the top isn't part of the order, but I'm really loving the simplicity and the lushness of the greens against the natural white background.

About a week and a half in, I'm still (mostly) coffee-free.  I've had a cup once or twice (ok, twice) when going out to a cafe with friends, but otherwise it's been green tea for me.  Aren't I feeling virtuous!  Actually, I'm mostly just feeling good.  A bit calmer, a bit more hydrated, and counter intuitively a bit less tired.  My husband used up the beans we had in the house, so they haven't been a temptation.  Also, I've been making green tea with leaves in the press, so I've been able to retain some of that ritualistic feel I love so much.  I believe everything is fine in moderation; it's all about balance, right?

Kirsty from Kootoyoo is away this week,  but I'm sure lots of other bloggers will be keeping up the creative spirit on their own sites this Thursday all the same.