top five friday- I'm off to Sydney!

It is, at long long last, the day beofre I am set to fly to Sydney. Bags packed? Nope. Not yet. Maybe later. But there are a few things that I will most certainly be looking forward to...

5. Those ferry trips. My dad loves the Sydney ferries, so on Sunday, we're off to Manly.

4. Priscilla. I'm going to see the last Sydney performance of the Priscilla queen of the Desert musical. I am expecting high camp. It's supposed to be really good.

3. Shopping. Duh, this will make my trip more exciting!

2. Sportsgirl. We don't have Sportsgirl in NZ, and for some reason it makes chain store shopping all the better when I'm in Aussie. I have brought a very good and very much beloved jacket there.

1. Getting away from it all. Rest and relaxation. Yay!

See you when I return.

it is indeed a blanket

At last my blanket is coming together after an excessive amount of knitting... of course it is 'not quite done' (meaning there is alot more knitting to come..) and I've come to realise that I will need to back it with a woven fabric after I've finished the knitting bit, or else it will stretch into eternity....

But all in all, homespun goodness it is!



On my doorstep not too long ago, this parcel turned up! My Back2School Swap has arrived all the way from over here. Thats right, the States! I really love the flower/cloud buttons (some look a little like clouds) and can't decide whether to use them for myself or for auntie dresses. My puppy-mad niece will adore the dog paper cutter, no less! Thanks!

I got a slight attack of the guilts as my parcel for my swap partner wasn't in the post yet- I had done the very clever thing of turning up to the post office with no address book. Ooops.

And last but not least, a bit missing from my last post- a big thank- you to those who commented on the Etsy dilemma- I'm still thinking about it... but would have to clear my craft backlog before I do anything else!

girl with s curve and lace ruffle cuff

to etsy or not to etsy

In a week of mad ideas, the latest mad idea has just hit. Etsy. I know I'm not the first crafter to go down this path, but you know it could be really cool. I have pondered about selling things like auntie dresses on Etsy before, but I'm not the most prolific of sewers (actually it takes a lot of motivation before I go near my machine. I think its because my room is dark). I thinking of perhaps selling my fashion illustrations there, perhaps in watercolour or acrylic (I have never used oils before), or if the work is digital, perhaps in a giclee print...

What do you think???

the trouble is, I don't know when to stop

I like to draw, and the trouble is that often I just don't know when to stop adding details, especially on little sketches like this one. There is a very fine line between a good sketch and a bad one. This is a development sketch for my jewellery work, but I'm off on a new tangent now...

the Haints are a-playing

The Haints of Dean Hall have a couple of gigs lined up very, very soon. My sister Kathryn and Steve are set to play..

This Friday 10 August, they play supporting Magnolia Electric Co. at the Kings Arms, Auckland at 8pm.

Next Tuesday 14 August, they play supporting Jose Gonzalez (he's the guy who did the song that went on the Sony ad with all the bouncy balls tumbling down the streets of San Francisco. You know the one.) at the Hopetoun Alpha, Auckland at 8pm.

top five friday...a picture a day...

This week held the start of a new month, and a week of images. This Top Five Friday, I have decided to do something a little different, and instead of giving my usual low-down on my top five, I thought that I would show an image that I discovered each day.

5. Monday. Monday's image is the completed interactive project by illustrator Julie Knoblock. I have been following the development of this artwork since its conception a few months ago. It is great to see the finished piece- the original was won by the lucky Dizzyjadey, but prints in A4 or A3 size can be found here. Another, more textile-y based interactive project has popped up at Syko- I'm sure to follow how it will grow.

4. Tuesday. On tuesday I opened up a sparkling new copy of Sportswear International to find this. I am such a denim fiend that I got quie excited about it "look at these jeans!". Mr Inspector Gadget (the hat and the trenchcoat do it) here is wearing the most interesting jeans that want to be boots that want to be spats. So very cool and what a great idea. I hope they have a ladies version...

3. Wednesday. Ok I may be cheating here ...this is actually last wednesday's image, but I love it just the same. I spotted this on Lena Corwin, who always manages to offer a good dose of inspiration. Scottish designer Emma McCorquordale, has a very textile-y approach that creates soft and organic forms, and she is not afraid to play with soft shapes- I love the ruffles.

2. Thursday. After a long period of knitting, I started sewing up my blanket. That doesn't mean that it is finished, of course, but it is exciting to get a glimpse of what is to come. It is quite a soothing and relaxing process, stitching this blanket together, unlike knitting, where I race to the end each row like a crazywoman. I have a good feeling about this project, which I think relates to the homespun colours used. It is warm to look at and warm to hold.

1. Friday. The aeroplane flies high. OK so I'm not jetting off to LA but I like this poster all the same- it captures the rose tinted view of going on holiday. There is more, of course to this aeroplane theme- I'm heading off to Sydney for a break in a few weeks time and I'm quite excited. The last time I went to Sydney I came away with a great pair of shoes and a jacket (the jacket is still going)- so who knows what my bank account will be like after this! I haven't been away for some time. So if you have any suggestions for places, shops and restaurants etc, please let me know- I'm all ears.

Have a great weekend!