Auckland love

When you love your city and surrounds, it makes living there such a pleasure. This design is a tribute to Auckland and North Island summers. Upcycled an old map book I found in the car and printed a lino cut fantail onto the sheet. The most fun is trying out a technique and then using the off-cuts and turning them into something totally unplanned.

A break from work

School holidays and a few days off work. After spending some quality time in the hammock and digging the garden, a craft project beckoned. What seemed a small project took longer than expected - some Matryoshka angel decorations. Sewing the bodies was a piece of cake, but the wings, they were tricky. All that handsewing stuff- I'd forgotten how hard it is! But got there in the end. Back to the salt mines tomorrow.

Holiday reading included Sibella Court's "Nomad"- check it out, what a lovely life the lady does lead!

Something useful

My favourite time of the year is coming soon. The end of another busy year is approaching fast, there's the promise of summer to look forward to and more time for family and friends, food and fun. In preparation for Christmas, I have tried  screen printing fabric and thrown together some Christmas stockings. I also tried my hand at making padded ipad covers and found it quite a challenge figuring out how to sew the bits togther and where the padding goes. I should really find a pattern - would be so much easier!

Embracing found items

Based in the Coromandel, artist Daniel Kirsch does some interesting graphic-crossover-fine art work. He upcycles old beehives, scrap metal and native timber onto which he screen prints simple graphics, creating a whimsical effect. I love his pieces and they inspired me to make my 'in the garden' sign.

Find out more about him at

http://www.waikatomuseum.co.nz/file/fileid/40540

Examples of his work at

http://www.inspirit.co.nz/page/154-printmaking-and-mixed-media+daniel-kirsch

Re-lived

The upcycling movement really appeals to me. I have always enjoyed making the best of what I have and challenging myself to come up with new ways of adding quirky features to my home. Whether  it be remodelling furniture and splashing some paint around or making my own homewares. My latest craze is playing with fonts. I tried using stamps to decorate some fun napkins. There are some lovely paper napkins these days, but cost an arm and a leg. And you then throw them away. These ones you can fling in the wash instead.

 

Following on from this idea, I hauled out my coloured cottons from years ago and embroidered away while watching my favourite shows.

Tails & antlers

Fun weekend project trying out some printing techniques. Started with some Christmas-y ideas with a deer and a bird in mind. Screen printing's a bit messy and have to try not to get ink all over. But it provided heaps of enjoyment and doing it outside gave my vit D dose at the same time. 

Designing and cutting the lino takes time, but pulling the print is magical and makes the work worthwhile.

A stitch in time

Weekends are a time for me catch up with chores (ugh!), spend time with family and friends (like!), and if I plan things well, there may even be time for a little creativity.

I get my inspiration from one of my favourite homewares stylists - Sania Pell. She brings a fresh and quirky take on everyday items by pulling them together in simple toned palettes and harmonius layouts. Visit her blog at http://www.saniapell.com/athomeblog/

Sania also has some great crafting ideas. This is a little project I did one weekend after seeing her book. I used remnants of fabric and recycled a cushion cover. A kind of applique.

 

I used a similar idea to make another cushion. The leaves in the design below are embroidered around the edge.