in my hands :: reworking :: remaking :: remembering

Market prep work today. Kids were at Sylv's. After pancake breakfast (yes, third day in a row - no bread in the house*).
Sam went downstairs to his little room, and measured and cut and then sanded. He kept running back upstairs to show me the newest piece. Each one beautiful and unique and fun. I'll show you tomorrow the buttons and little pieces he's been making. All from used skateboards. They have such colours and graphics.
He's been using a big sanding machine, of my dad's. It sounded like there was a steam train downstairs!And me, upstairs. I've been slowly unpicking some special treasures that some dear dear friends sent to us a little while ago, from Japan. Thank you Dan + Aya. We treasure your friendship so dearly.The kimonos and obis are sewn with care and tenderness. I've been thinking about who sewed them; those tiny, invisible and accurate stitches. And who wore them; the stains along the bottom as it dragged on the ground; the extra piece patched in that was possibly from another family heirloom. And thinking about where they will go once I unpick and then resew them into new pieces. For other people to take home. To add their memories and stories to the material.
So. That's what we've been doing today. Taking apart and reworking pieces of life, of memories, of thoughts, of feelings, of adventures.
Sam with those skateboards that have been ridden** and jumped and snapped (with excitement and joy and sometimes fear).
Me with the fabric and material of everyday cottons or special day silks.

Please do come and visit us at the BrisStyle market, if you live round these parts. Otherwise, I'll be sure to have some photos here, or flickr or even on our website soon.

*I am sad, sorry, embarrassed to say that I have not made any bread this whole entire year. I could be a bit wrong, but I really do think that it's been all this calendar year that we have not kneaded or risen any bread in this house. I guess I should make one last loaf before we move out.
**Some were ridden by him, some by other skaters that he knows.

Ms Peppermint :: she's one pretty crafty girl

The cover of the newest issue 0f Peppermint is a beautiful purply hue. It's such a nostalgic cover image, the whole feel. Very Wintry indeed.
I received my issue on Friday and wanted to devour the whole thing instantly. Instead I visited the Avid Reader Little Market, and then the Vintage Fair, and then chocolate mud cake and tea. All with Ms Peppermint herself.
I am slowly reading through the stories. Life is getting in the way!
I so love the handcrafted story, written by Tess Curran. She is the talented features writer for Peppermint - and such a sweet and lovely young woman. It's a must read for every-single one of you. About blogging and crafting and work-at-home-mums. (If you look very closely in the corner of this page, you'll notice that I made these little letters - it was such a fun project, and I feel proud to have been asked to help.)The fashion pages are beautiful. I may be a tad biased, but I do believe that the model on pages 32-39 is something a whole lot of gorgeous and especially beautiful. I showed a sneak peek here, but sorry you'll have to get the mag to see the rest. (okay, okay - just a couple more). There's a lovely little story on Justine of MixtapeZine and also the Kiwi World Sweet World.
As well as a crazy amount of anything else handcrafted, eco, local, realistic, interesting, current, fashionable.......Peppermint has the latest on all that you want to be reading. Printed on 100% recycled paper, with a waterless printing process, right here in Brisbane.
Check out the website, facebook or twitter. For you Brisbanites, we'll be selling Peppermint Issue 3 + subscriptions at our stall at the BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market. This Saturday. 9am - 2pm. St Augustine's Church, Racecourse Road, Hamilton. It will be at newsagents on Friday.

*photos from Peppermint facebook page, have a look here for more sneak peeks.

weekend

A lovely weekend was spent with my family.
With the raggle-taggle-pell-mell-tumble-bumble pile of kids, and the worn out though contented mummas.
I did not get any crochet done. I sat, once the kids were all in bed, but the crochet counting didn't happen - too distracted with girly talk.
Thank you my sisters three, for a lovely weekend. For understanding looks, and knowing glances. For not having to explain anything about anything.
For sharing conversations around the bath and the fire.
For working together to have a lovely memorable weekend for all the cousins.
And thank you little ones, all seven of you, for being the terrible beautiful - beautiful terrors that you all are. And for laughing and jumping and playing and riding and running and screaming and talking.
Yes, you may ask who was the silly crazy mum to give them ice cream and sprinkles - but we like to be nice occasionally. Just so you know, the cake and ice cream were on different days. We do like to extend the sugar-highs out as best we can!
I will upload more photos onto flickr when the new month starts. We have all but used up our upload quota and I am NOT paying some crazy extra fees.

my creative space

Things are happening here in little spurts and bursts.
Time and inspiration seem hard to come by this week.

This book has been so helpful and instrumental in me not only learning Granny Squares, but also in learning some new stitches and shapes. Have a look at my crochet woolen flower - oh, well umm that's just the start of it. I'll show you more photos another day, just to prove that it does actually look like in the book. More flowers and snowflakes and spirals in the book, to give me more ideas and dreams.
I am planning (hoping) on making at least a few of these little shapes to sew onto some bags (hemp / organic cotton, of course) for selling at the BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market.
Okay, don't remind me that the market is in only one more week. I have a whole weekend ahead of spending with my sisters and the clan of kids. I'll be the one wedged into the corner of the couch surrounded by yarns (fingers crossed).

More creative spaces over at Kootoyoo. I'm going to try and play along with this game fairly regularly.
And this little fairy princess was playing in the garden while I over looked from the balcony.

just to prove she loves me

Mishi had to go to the doctor this morning. Sam took her, plus Ari. I went to Contours - I'm just joining up (not much of a gym girl, but have to do something to counteract all the chocolate + sitting around crocheting).

Mishi asked, in her sweet little sing-song voice "the girl doctor?". She's at an age where girl / boy things are quite distinct; ie - this is a girl song, that's a boy show, girl book, not for boys, etc. Honestly I don't know where she gets it from, but she's a pink and fairy princess sort of girl. She very much likes that she has a girl doctor.
While I was washing up this morning, she came in and quietly mumbled that the girl doctor was prettier than me. It took me a moment to work out what she'd actually said. And when I asked her to repeat it, she didn't want to. Saying "nothing, nothing", in a mysterious little voice. But I finally got it out of her. And simply had to laugh, and run and tell Sam.
The girl doctor is prettier than me. She's very funky in her clothing choices, and tall and blonde, well built. She's a grown-up, mature woman, she has 4 almost grown-up kids. Very striking woman.
I did think it very funny that Mishi said that. Little bit worried what it may turn into in a handful of years of peer influence.

Just to prove that she really does love me, she brought this bright yellow flower home from her walk to the doctor. I do know that even if other people do surpass me in her eyes of impressiveness, that she will always still love me.

inside :: outside

outside ::

It's raining today. I couldn't help but capture this image of the beautiful Chinese Elm outside the window. It's turned the most vibrant glowing yellow. Perfect against the rain-sky. And the red roof of the next door neighbour's garage.

inside ::

A boat train from some boxes we brought home today from the fruit shop. Enough space for two little creatures, and some friends. The new robot friends we made at our workshop (mini Mondays at Reverse Garbage). Ari's robot is called Ari and Mishi's is called Ari, guess who named them both! I'm sure you can work out who made which one; let me just say that Mishi did her's ALL on her own. Because she wasn't officially booked in (and paid for) the lady wouldn't hot glue it (even though Mishi kept asking when her turn was), but sweet little creature that she is (can be), she made her own without any help at all.
They are great new friends. Ari-bot has a mouth that can change from smile to frown, very convenient I think.

(face) book list

Just found this on someones facebook - you know a link from a link. That sort of thing. Not that I'm over there too much, don't care at all for the whole facebook thing.

The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
2) Put a % after those you've read a portion of.
3) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE.
4) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
5) Tally your total read and put it in the title.


1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ()
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien ()
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte ()
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling ()
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (X)
6 The Bible ()
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte ()
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell (X)
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman ()
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens ()
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott (X)
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy ()
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller (%)
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare (%)
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier ()
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien ()
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk ()
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger ()
19 The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (?)
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot ()
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell ()
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald ()
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens ()
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy ()
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (x)
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh ()
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky ()
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck (X)
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (X)
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (X)
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy ()
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens ()
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis (X)
34 Emma - Jane Austen ()
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen ()
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (X)
37. Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (X)
38. Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres ()
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden ()
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (X)
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell (X)
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown ()
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (X)
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving ()
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ()
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery (X)
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy (%)
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood ()
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding (X)
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan ()
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel ()
52 Dune - Frank Herbert ()
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons ()
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen ()
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth ()
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon ()
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens ()
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (X)
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon ()
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (X)
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck ()
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov ()
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt ()
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold ()
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas ()
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac (X)
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy ()
68 Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding ()
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie ()
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville ()
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens ()
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker ()
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett ()
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson ()
75 Ulysses - James Joyce (%)
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath (X)
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome ()
78 Germinal - Emile Zola ()
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray ()
80 Possession - AS Byatt ()
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens ()
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell ()
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker ()
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro ()
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert ()
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry ()
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White (X)
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom ()
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (X)
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton (%)
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (?)
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery (X)
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks ()
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams (X)
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Toole ()
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas ()
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare (X)
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl (X)
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo ()

Hmmm. There's some on that list that I'd like to read; some that I'm pretty sure I have read but couldn't tell you what they were about; some that I read in school (because I had to - but loved all the same); some that I know I'll never read; some I've read but want to read again. And, I can't even think about what ones I love, or what I would read on that list. Oh, and I know I've read at least a few of the Jane Austen ones, but can't remember - you know they all sort of meld into each other after a while. (And one can hardly get Mr Darcy or Miss Elizabeth Bennet out of their minds, hey :: photo just for fun; don't know where it came from, sorry).

I'd love to hear your favourite books; either on this list or not. Tell me what I should read. In my small moments of quiet time. What's your most loved book of all time.

i forgot to say :: market

I forgot to mention that we'll be having a stall at the upcoming BrisStyle market.
I only just signed up today, so am a bit behind with preparations. Luckily we have a little bit of stock already screen printed and sewn, but I'm working on some new pieces that I've been planning for a while.

I'd like your help, on narrowing down what I should spend my next two weeks making (keep in mind that two weeks actually only equals about 2 - 3 days of sewing, plus maybe 1 for screen printing; if we're lucky. Life, you know, sort gets in the way).
So - what things would you like to see, and buy, from your local hand crafted market? What makes you pick something up, and better yet, what makes you take something home? I'd love some ideas on what you think I could / should make to add to our Red Seed Studio collection - what would you love to see made from our fabric.
In exchange for your ideas and thoughts and help, I'll do a draw from all the comments for a little something (shall we see what I end up making before we say what the prize may be; but I'm sure you'd like it).
I'm open to new ideas, and challenges, and keen to push myself to make some new patterns and products. So - come on you crafty peeps speak out and tell me your thoughts.


*First image is: a selection of inspiration from flickr market stalls and products. Click on image to see all photo credits.

style in the city

I've been accepted into the wonderful BrisStyle group.

BrisStyle is a fantastic group of artists, crafters and artisans, who have joined forces to show Brisbane how much talent there is, if only you have a little look. Check out the blog, and you'll see the vast selection of crafters and designers and artists. There is so much colour and vibrancy. All BrisStyle members sell their wares on their Etsy stores.

They are a very supportive and caring, and sharing group. Together to help each other out, and push each other to fulfill our skills and talents.

They also have regular giveaways, so make sure you check that out.

If you are in Brisbane, make sure you check out the BrisStyle Indie Designer's Market. It will be held Saturday 4th July, St Augustine's Church Hall, Racecourse Road, Hamilton. This market will be jam packed with some of the best and hottest designer's and crafters around Brisbane. Every stall holder will be selling their own wares; pieces they have designed, sewn, painted, crafted, beaded, knitted. So, please do come along and have a fun day out, while supporting some of your local crafters.

Grand Designs :: Infusion Fibers

When I got home today, there was a box waiting for me.
The kids tore it open, to reveal the most beautiful little slippers, that I won over here. Wrapping was so pretty, but we didn't get a photo of that.
Made with lovely blue/black striped cotton ticking, and hemp fabric as the sole and lining, these are special slippers that I know I'll love wearing day in and day out. I have only taken them off twice since I first put them on; one to go for an afternoon walk, the other to hang the clothes on the line.
Abby has such a sweet little blog, over here, with beautiful photos and lovely stories. Her shop is here - I have been eyeing off this dress for a long time now (and the modelling is very very lovely too, Miss Abby).
You can buy your own pair of ticking house shoes, or a selection of others too. Look at these beautiful baby boots; could you get anything cuter.Abby makes all her items using reclaimed, upcycled, organic or sustainable fibres. Her pieces have a timeless and lasting style. Her dresses are versatile and you would wear them for many seasons. And her bags are simple and bold at the same time, would fit with most any outfit, but have their own distinct features to make them stand out.
You can see the quality and work(wo)manship and dedication and love and attention to detail in the pieces that Abby makes.

It's so lovely to meet people like this, who live many seas away, yet has such a warmth and honesty about them, and lives life in a real natural manner.
She also sent me a lovely little zippered purse, made from indigo-dyed organic denim (same beautiful fabric that we use - I recognised it straight away!). And some little shells, that Mishi swished away in a moment - and somehow made through Australian customs.Thank you Abby for this sweet treasure and love you have sent to me.
*all photos by me, except 3rd one down of pink baby boots from Abby of Infusion Fibers.

sneak peek

This beautiful beautiful photo is of my beautiful beautiful beautiful sister. It's from the photo shoot for the soon-to-be released issue 3 of Peppermint Mag.
I was at the photo shoot, and it was a really special day - women working together to create something quite spectacular. I forgot my camera, so no behind-the-scenes photos, sorry. But, to be honest, would have looked like a group of cute and trendy and friendly and fun gals hanging out together. (okay, I'm not the cute, trendy one - but the others were; I was the making the coffee and tea and food).
Photographs by Elisabeth Harvey. Oh, she has some amazing images to look at on her website. I especially like the ones of the lingerie with the slides over them; animals and insects.
And of course, doesn't she just look amazing. That's my sister there. It's all shot at her house too.

Please do check out issue 3 of Peppermint. I'll let you know when it's out, or you can subscribe over here and you'll have it posted right to your door - that sounds good hey. By subscribing to this magazine you are supporting a self-published, hand crafted, one woman (with a strong man and some supportive friends beside her), highly crafted and beautifully relevant magazine. I've spoken about Peppermint before, and just so you know, I'll be speaking about it again.
For many reasons: I've seen the love and energy and sheer utter everything put into this magazine; this is the magazine I've been wanting to read for so many years (so many years); this magazine is really just like you and me (no high-flying fashion editor, or over-botoxed beauty-editor, or above everyone else features writer); the fashion is timeless, not over before the season's out; the stories are important and relevant and necessary and tough yet written with a soft hand, and easy to read and riveting. The founding editor (have a look at her over here*, with Summer Rayne Oakes - who was cover girl for issue 2 and recently spoke so inspiringly at GreenFest) is one the most special hardworking dedicated tireless intelligent knowledgeable thoughtful caring sharing loving fun laughing true real people women mother I am lucky to know.

*sorry Kelley.

now i know my abc

I saw this lovely little thing over at Pip's site. It's my a -z of web.
What you do is type each letter of the alphabet into the address bar of your web search, one letter at a time. And whatever first comes up is your most visited site. You can use the second or third one, if you need for security reasons. Let's see how busy I've been.
a :: australia post parcel postage calculator; amazon; anna maria horner
b ::big cartel; brisstyle; bits of sunshine
c :: chikaustin; camp creek blog; cheeky beaks
d :: dear fii; dell (check out there designs!); duckcloth
e :: ebay; etsy; ecoyarns
f :: flickr; fishpond; felt; for the riders (this one is Sam's, but I wanted to include it)
g :: green olive; google analytics; gaye abandon
h :: hemp gallery; house on hill road; helylle-fotrata styling experience
i :: ink and spindle; inspiration boards; infusion fibres
j :: jetstar (can dream and plan, can't I?!); jc handmade; kylie johnson - paper boat press
k :: kindling; kirin notebook; katelyn aslett
l :: living creatively; little red caboose; lisa mitchell
m :: meet me at mikes; mix tap zine; magdalena
n :: nesting bird interiors; national geographic kids; nicola cerini
o :: one small room; old yarns; open
p :: peppermint mag; papernstitch; powell peralta (another one of Sam's)
q :: quickbeds (more wishful thinking)
r :: red seed studio; red felt flower; real estate (more dreaming and planning)
s :: stitches and craft show; soulemama; sew mama sew
t :: two cheese please; tsk tsk; thread den
u :: udder; under the shade of a bonsai tree; udessi
v :: virgin blue (I so want to go to Sydney for the Stitches & Craft show - check out 'S')
w :: whereis; what katy did; windbag and thunder; world sweet world
x :: xe currency converter (does anyone have something different to this!); xln fabrics
y :: you tube (again, Sam's link); you sew girl
z :: zakkaya

I do have to admit there was a teeny bit of artistic editing here, but hey that's the beauty of a blog. Check out a few more abcd's here, here and here.

image found via Google Image search for alphabet. from HGTV:design happens site.
Tiel makes some very beautiful personalised abcs for kids or adults.

if they tried any harder

Our home is pretty damn tidy at the moment.
We have spent the past 2 weeks packing up, and 'decluttering'. And now, refreshing and reinvigorating, and clean. Even the windows have been scrubbed, the cupboards have been cleared out, the junk tossed away. (Just want to say a big big big thank you to Sam for doing so much of the work to get this house looking so good; he's my hero).Our house is officially on the market now. We had our first open for inspection yesterday. And it went pretty well, just have to see what happens now. Play that waiting game.
In the mean time, we have to keep this house tidy. Not just in case someone wants to view it at short notice, or that we have another inspection scheduled for Wednesday night. But for our sanity. For Sam + me to have a few moments of enjoying the tidiest house we've ever lived in. All styled and fresh.
We almost need to kick the kids out of home to keep it looking good.
When they came home yesterday (after a sleepover at Grandma + Granddad's), they took about 2.5 seconds before they were dragging things out and pulling things over. And today, well, today hasn't been too much better.With Sam at work today, it's only me to fend them off the toys and books and the cooking stuff and the clothes (Mishi is a little fashion princess, who needs at least 4 changes of clothes a day). Only me to ask and beg and plead and moan and cry and hope hope hope. I've pretty much given up; best to let them wreak havoc and then do one big clean-up at the end of the day.
But, please can someone tell me - how do they manage to make such a mess, with nothing at all. A book :: a scarf :: an abandoned outfit :: a breakfast/snack/snack/lunch/nibble bowl/plate/cup :: ice cream container boat :: office :: library :: shop :: drawing :: broken drinking glass (okay, this one's vacuumed up) ....... all scattered and strewn from the front to the back of the house.

If they tried any harder, they really couldn't do a better job.

just like that

A couple of nights ago, I sat down on the couch. All curled up. Trying to keep warm. I got out the fantastic little book that Sylve gave me for my birthday. Super Stitches Crochet. With heaps of excellent little tips and step by step instructions, it's a book about learning the crochet stitches and designs, rather than patterns to make actual projects. Which means that I can learn how to read a pattern, and what all the abbreviations actually mean, and pretty little stitches, that I can make my own patterns (or try and follow some) - but really, I'm not so good at actually following directions, patterns, recipes.Anyway. Granny squares. Being so well written, combined with the fact that I took the time to follow each process (generally I *think* I know what it's going to say, and barge ahead), I made perfect granny squares. Not like these ones. And I'm hooked, again. Just like that.
These are bigger than regular granny squares. I was going to make one really really big one, and that be the blanket. But it started getting a bit floppy, and I thought it best to make smaller ones and use their seams as a sort of strengthening. Don't know if that will work or not, but now I'm making lots of squares in all different colours and variations.
Yarns are: Chilli pepper organic Australian wool, Woolganic. And some beautiful hand dyed upcycled wools that I bought at the The Little Market at Avid a few weeks ago, from Rowena.
I don't anticipate this will be finished for this Winter, so we'll aim for next one.
Also, Just Like That is one of my most favourite ever books. Check it out if you like a bit of dark humour, real life writing, and beautiful intimate details. All with a background of a neurotic Jew - sounds fun hey. Believe me - Lily Brett is a fantastic author, try her short stories if you don't want to delve into a whole book.