On the Move

It's done:  after months of being on the market we've just gone unconditional on the sale of our house.  Hurrah!  Now that it's all behind us, I can see in retrospect how stressful and all-consuming this process has been.  I've felt a complete lack of creativity for some time now, but as soon as we got the final word, I felt a sudden urge to get back into the studio.  If was as though I was putting all of my energy into the project of selling the house, and as soon as I was able to put my mind at rest, everything else relaxed and opened up.  I'm spending as much time out in the studio as possible before we go -- tying up loose ends, finishing WIPs, and working on one last custom order.  A bittersweet leaving.  Feeling happy and lucky that this move has all worked out and sad to leave the spaces that I love so much.

We'll move into a rental now while we begin the long process of looking and saving for a piece of land in the country.  While the rental we've found is incredibly beautiful and has many wonderful merits, it does not have a studio space.  I'm not sure where exactly this leaves Seedling Clothing -- whether I will be taking an extended hiatus, or whether the business will evolve in some other direction.

 An enormous thank you to everyone who has supported me here on the blog and also in other venues like Facebook or through my Felt and Etsy shops.  You've been amazing!  Will certainly keep you updated as my ideas develop and we've resettled.

All the best,  Jen  xx

Taking some time.....

....to reflect.  To relax.  To be with family.  Blogging has certainly been on the back burner lately. December was a bit of a whirlwind for us: weekly craft markets, working toward my all-handmade gift goal, school holidays, and a good dose of flu/ear infection/chest infection/broken arm/tummy bug spread liberally amongst our family.  Whew.  When my son's Montessori program ended for the year, and Christmas really got into full swing I decided to take a break from Seedling stuff for a few weeks. In my normal routine, I can get a bit focused on productivity and crossing items off of my list, so it's been good to step back and take time for lots of kid-centered and kid-paced fun.

I just thought I'd stop by to share a few hopes and goals for the coming year.  I think these are a natural progression of where we're already at -- no drastic lifestyle changes here.  All the same, they say accountability helps, so with that in mind....

:: Pay off all of my credit card debt. Groan. Yes, I have some -- unfortunately, that's how we funded part of our travel a few months ago.  I'm used to having a clean slate and I'm eager to get back there....I've set up a plan and I know that I'll be able to realize this goal within the year.  I hate having debt looming over my head.

:: Continue to run; invest in new running shoes.  Since this post a little over a month ago, I've been running five days a week.  My initial expectations were so modest that it was easy to surpass them.  I try to go in the morning to beat the heat -- it's been amazing!  Such a good way to start the day.  I ran on my school teams from when I was 14 through 22, and then for a few years as an adult before letting it slip.  It's great to feel like a runner again.

:: Try craft night at Ka-pie (a local cafe.)  I tend to be a real homebody, especially in the evenings when I'm sleepy and just want to crawl into bed and read.  But...I know I would love this and would glean a lot from a group of like-minded craftsters.  Time to break out of my homebody habits....at least once a fortnight or so.  If I were also to make it to a few other evening activities (dance, yoga, rock-climbing, the movies....) that would be a huge extra bonus.

:: Aim for one date-night per season.  Seems doable, right?

:: Get us all sleeping through the night.  Once this one is achieved, I know everything else will go so much more smoothly.

:: Get the house warm for winter.  Mainly, this entails taking off the walls of our coldest room, insulating them, and then putting up new gib.  Also, we'll insulate the entire house underfloor.  Still blows my mind that older houses here were built without insulation.  Kiwis are tough!

:: Grow more food.  Make more of our own food from scratch.  I.e. preserving, jams, making yogurt, attempting cheese, etc.  I've recently begun making my own peanut butter; I'm a huge pb fan, and I can honestly say it's the best I've ever eaten.  More on that later.

:: Work toward finding the right balance between Seedling Clothing and being a full-time mother.  My oldest is about to begin a Montessori program 4 mornings a week (previously, he's been in the less-frequent introductory class), but my youngest is still with me all the time.  This is just how I want it, but I do sometimes feel torn -- when I'm working, I want to be able to have more space and time for that, and simultaneously, I want to give my kids the best grade-A mama attention I can.  I want to be fully present for each of my roles -- I'm sure that balance is something I'll forever be striving toward in this area....

:: Nurture relationships that bring me up, give me energy and a foster sense of true connection.  

:: Invest in our health and boosting our immune systems.  I've always been one of those people that gets a cold once a year.  Suddenly, it seems we're all playing "pass the parcel" with germs (not nearly as fun as with gifts) in spite of stringent hand-washing, healthy eating habits, and drinking tons of water.  This week, our entire family is well, and I'd like to keep it that way (see also: Get us all sleeping through the night....)  I'm not exactly sure how to keep us healthier, but I'm looking into it.  I know quality sleep will help.

That's me...my goals for the foreseeable future, at least.  My mother is here for a visit, and we're continuing with our Montessori break.  I imagine I'll take time away from Seedling for the rest of January -- focusing my energy on summer, the kids, and play.  I'm also looking forward to doing a few experimental projects just for us.  Perhaps I'll check in again and share them here.

Happy New Year to you!

xx Jen

To Market To Market

Getting ready for a month full of markets.....

...with a few new prints on short-sleeved kimonos.

And I've managed to get this far with the terrycloth rag rug from yesterday's post:

So I think it's officially a WIP now.

Happy weekend!

Itsy Atsy Etsy (A Coupon Code for You!)

Hello readers.  First, a huge thank you for being here at the Seedling blog.  It's wonderful to see the numbers slowly creep up both here and on Facebook, and it's lovely to hear from a few new readers in the comments section.  Welcome everyone!  I'm so glad you're here.

To celebrate both you and the opening of my new Etsy shop, I thought I'd try out a spanking-new feature they've got over there called "coupon codes."  Just enter "goseedling25" when you check out and receive 25% off anything in my shop.  Etsy's got it sussed!  This is such a cool idea. 

Follow the link below to find my shop and take your coupon code for a spin.

ps.  I should probably note that unfortunately, we've passed the Christmas deadline for shipping items from New Zealand to places beyond Australia (I know -- it's ridiculously early) but I'll do my very best to get your item to you asap wherever you may be.  New Years gifts are always nice too! 

xx

Ta-da!

I'm on Etsy!  I'm not quite sure why it took me so long to set up a shop on Felt's bigger, older, global sister.  In part, I've been intimidated by the sense that Etsy is so huge that in order to get noticed, I would need to devote myself to forums and treasuries in a seriously time-sucking (and frankly impossible) way.  And perhaps I'm right, but well....nothing to lose in trying, hey?

Over the past few days I've listed a few items, fiddled with my banner and filled in my shop policies.  Click on the button below to have a look. 

I welcome any and all critiques!  Please, if you have any feedback, constructive or otherwise, I would love to hear it.  Thanks!  xx Jen

At My House....

 ....it's feeling a lot like summer.  Windows thrown open, kiddie pool out, trips to the beach, and today my first attempt at homemade yogurt pops.  So easy!  So healthy!  Definitely a new seasonal staple.

And I finished heat-setting my order for My Baby and Me -- I so love working with MBAM.  The quality of their clothing is amazing and I love the practicality and ease of kimono-style closures on these little newborn onesies.

I did 12 kimonos in all, but only photographed 10 since two of the prints repeated.  Looking forward to sending these off tomorrow and getting to work on a few kimono prints in bigger sizes for the Nelson market on Saturday.

Happy to be joining in with Lou's blog today -- go visiting and see what other crafty bloggers are up to here.

My First Advertisment

Huzzah!

It's pretty exciting to see the "Birds on Wire" photo I submitted through Felt featured the back spread of Extra-Curricular.  Extra Curricular is such a gorgeous little magazine; visually and intellectually stimulating, it's an incredibly satisfying read.  Worth every penny!  Find it here.

My Creative Space

Hello!  It's good to be back.  I think a bit of a break was vital, but I'm feeling fresh, recharged, and ready to enjoy this space again....

While I was away from the blog we've done quite a lot:

:: We've begun our landscaping and gardening business -- nearly two weeks in, and all going well.
:: I've done my first craft market, which was a wonderful experience.  I loved meeting people and the other vendors couldn't have been nicer.  My stall-mate Amelia and I will be doing another Nelson market on November the 20th, and every Saturday through December.  Please stop by and say hello if you happen to come down!
:: We've finished putting in our spring gardens - - we have fruits and veggies tucked into every possible corner.  I think this year's crop will be amazing.  I'm so excited for summer's bounty of fresh organic produce.  (Full credit to my husband -- this is very much his domain.)
:: I've churned out a few new designs -- I'm most excited about this one....

The print has been hand-cut and will be used just once.  I've hand-detailed a few of the vehicles as well.  Though this design won't be repeated I see a lot of potential in the idea and am excited to see where it goes.

I've also been doing a few summery prints on blankets....

I think I'll need to put prints aside over the next week to complete a few Christmas projects to get ready to send before the deadlines.  (FYI Dec 6 for Australia and November 29th for all other international if you send via airmail.)

Happy to once again be joining in with Kootoyoo!  Find many more creatives and their spaces here.

My Creative Space

Oh, I am loving my time out in the studio these days.  When I finally get out there, it's usually after 8 -- but lo and behold, there's still a hint of daylight in the sky.  The air smells fresh, and all is peaceful and quiet.  A few friendly hedgehogs poke around on the borders of the yard.    I've been on a bit of a podcast blitz as well.  I've been listening to episode after episode of This American Life.  Have you heard of it?  It's classified as a radio journal and the premise is that every week a theme is chosen and stories that are variants on that theme are explored.  Quite simply, it's brilliant.  I often stay out in the studio after I'm done working just so that I can finish listening to an episode.  I'm sure all of you mamas out there (stay-at-home or otherwise) appreciate what I mean when I say that I crave social and cultural stimulation.  TAL (among a few other podcasts, like Radio Lab) help provide that for me.  If you haven't yet had the pleasure of listening, find This American Life here, and Radio Lab here.  You can stream all of the programs directly from the sites.  Working in the studio + listening to a podcast is for me, multitasking in the best way.

Anyway.  Here's what I've been up to:  Lots of prints, including some very satisfying new mosaics (each of which is one-of-a-kind.)  Still building up stock though unfortunately, I won't be at the Nelson Market this Saturday.  My stall-mate has had something important come up, so we're aiming for next Saturday, November 6th instead.

I have the pleasure of playing along with Kootoyoo today.  If you have the time, check out many other creatives and their spaces here.

My Creative Space

In my creative space this week, I'm gearing up for my second attempt at the Nelson Saturday Market on October 30th.  Fingers crossed for better weather this time....

Just building up some stock.  A few of the organic baby tees and lots of organic sleep sacks and blankets.  It's nice to focus on prints again after taking a break for a few weeks....

And speaking of breaks, I think I'll definitely be taking a bit of a blogging hiatus after this whole Blogtoberfest shenanigan is over.  You may be able to tell by my erratic posting this week -- I'm getting a little burned out.  If there's one thing I've learned, it's that I'm more of a when-the-mood-strikes sort of blogger than an every-day sort of bloggger.  Which is a valuable thing to know about oneself, I guess.

At any rate, I'll do my best to push though the wall and finish what I set out to do.  One bright spot in my immediate blogging future will be picking the winner for my Handmade Marketplace giveaway!  Stop by and enter here if you haven't yet.  (And thank you to those of you who have.  You guys are one clever bunch -- I'm loving your tips.)

And finally.....If you have the time, it's well worth checking out the lovely Kootoyoo to find many other creatives and their spaces.  Always a pleasure....

Spring Cleaning: SALE!

 In the spirit of spring (cleansing, renewal, growth) I've decided to have my very first sale.  Absolutely everything in my shop is reduced by 15 to 20%.  Yay!

I think the sale will go on for about a week.  I'm excited to make room for some new stock!

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.

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.

Wordless Wednesday

Yellow and Blue: New Stock, Sneak Peak

 

Paintings by Solomon and me, together: "Long Tail" and "Bowl of Lemons (With Legs)"

 I have a real thing for this color combination right now -- I can't seem to get enough.  Marigold and Aqua.  Mustard and Indigo.  Navy and Saffron.  All.  Lucky for me, I just received a shipment of brand new stock!  Love love loving this new background to work with.  The clothing is fair trade/organic, and just beautiful.  I'm so excited to be widening my range.  Soon, I think I'll be able to offer bigger kids' sizes in addition to baby-wear.  Here's a preview:

Just getting a few more pieces ready, and then they'll go up in my shop.  More (and more colors) to come!