I must be inspired...

I must have been inspired by all this arty-crafty stuff that I have been doing lately (yes, it is addictive), that when I was in Napier I went on a retro-craft shopping binge....

First up was a trip to Raku, a Japanese gift shop for some kimono fabric. I love Japanese design, both modern and traditional (my graduate collection was inspired by the world of Murasaki Shikibu, a Heian era Japanese author), so this was a treat. I have intentions using this for the fantasy quilt (despite the fact that the light fabric is silk) so I was looking for reasonably patterned fabrics on a smaller scale. I received these fabric beauiflly wrapped up and complete with a paper crane- I am very fond of paper cranes and have some hanging around the house.

Onwards and upwards I went to the Art Deco Centre (or whatever they call it now) where they have a mad range of antiques and vintage clothing. I picked up an embroidered doily with a cute little house on it- I'm not actually sure of what I will do with it but its cute!

I also brought an unfinished embroidery with an Asian -inspired seaside scene. I really like the simplicity of the piece and especially the shape of the tree. I think, in time I might finish the embroidery (in my own funny way), but for now I'm just happy to look at it (and possibly subject it to Napisan...).

The prize purchase was a couple of 1950's dress patterns. I love old patterns, and the quirkier the drawing, the better (I also picked up a couple of 70's numbers from an op-shop). I think these two are really cool- the one on the left has a lovely little jacket with tricky little diamond gussets in the underarm (try sewing them!!), and the other has "La Nouvelle Vaugue" in a kitschy font- the pictures totally sold it!

There were more than a few other things (including mustard yellow wool and knitting needles for that scraft I have been meaning to knit...) that I brought, but that would make this post a bit tedious, so I will leave it at that!

PS. Thank you to my lovely readers who have added me to their blogroll :)

lazy days

I have been staying with my parents over the past few days. Going 'back home' is always so lovely. Napier is such a relaxing little seaside town- I often don't appreciate it fully until I get there and realise that it is much much more relaxing than Auckland is!!!

I have been busy working on my embroidery- now all that remains is an odd triangle shape which I am struggling to figure out what to put in it..! But however I can easily busy myself with putting in all the peripheral bits and pieces (mice, a spider, a toadstool somewhere) that have been pushed aside to make way for more important things (like what to put in the middle of the embroidery).

You may wonder why I have been inspired to make a piece like this for my niece (apart from being a time-rich but cash poor student at the time I started it). When I was about 5 one of my sisters (I have 4 sisters and 1 brother- and I am the baby) was in Scotland on her O.E and I think she may have been nannying or working in a craft shop, where she made me this pencil case. It has been worn to death- note the hole and the ink stains (!) - but is still very much treasured. So now I am reciprocating that gesture for her little daughters.

My embroidery, and the well worn and well loved inspiration for it all!

rain

Today it is raining. And raining. And raining.

I have a bad case of cabin-fever, which I think is due to it seeming like it is 5pm all day. My work day has been very very slow and I have been figity. It is one of those days where staying at home is very inviting. In that repect, I am very much looking forward to going home (and that means braving the rain- I take the bus- and hoping that my umbrella survives the journey) and sitting down to work on my embroidery.
I have moved onto the next stage- Miss E herself, who is holding some balloons, wearing an auntie dress with 'funky girl' tights (spotty). Sounds simple in concept, but has been a bit of a nightmare- I have changed the eyecolour back and forth about 4 times! (at the moment it is bright aqua). I'm also starting to think ahead to the cushion it will be turned into- I'm thinking of a cream or tea-stained felt background, trimmed with a border of Liberty fabric scalloped edges...

And while I'm in a crafty mood I'm getting quite inspired about perhaps making myself a patchwork quilt- nothing fancy like you see in magazines, just small squares of lovely fabrics stitched together. I don't know much about quilting- I don't have quilters in my family, so it will be all about learning. I am particularly inspired by the lovely Chocolate Box Quilt on yarnstorm... However this quilt idea would be a long term plan- so for now I will hoard fabric and dream...


Oh look! The rain has gone and the sun has (kind of) come out...

lets build a home!

A little house grew on my embroidery... and the large gaping hole in the middle is no longer so big. It is eciting to see the embroidery start to take on its final forms, but I'm starting to get a little sad, like its an end of an era. Not all of my ideas for the embroidery made it onto the felt, but plenty, I'm sure, will spill onto the next one I will do.

I am loving... Julie Knoblock's interactive illustration project. It is quite amazing to see how someone's suggestion is translated and incorporated into an artwork. It is quite a fun idea...


I am off to... the Craftwerk fair on Saturday to have a little look around. It has crossed my mind on more than one occasion that I could sell my auntie dresses there...

ridiculously cute

Wow, I can scratch off something from my listy-list! I have been busy sewing these auntie dresses for my nieces. I love making these- minimum input, maximum impact. There is something satisfying about making children's clothes, especially since they are almost always cute.

I have contemplated making these to sell on Etsy... but it would be quite a process, that may conflict more than a little with my plans for The T-Shirt Project (more about that later...) I really love this fabric- its double-sided (but I have make these garments in a reversible way)- stripy on one side, dotty on the other.

And for talented creative people- a big congratulations to my friend Emily, who was placed 2nd in the Vodafone ID Dunedin Emerging Designer Awards!

Other news is that I have decided not to enter The Triplets into the Hokonui Fashion Awards- I am so over looking at the same drawing of the same designs that it doesnt really interest me any more- I have worked with the same group of ideas for about a year, so they are definately stale. A bit of an executive decision there, but I don't want to waste my time on something that doesn't inpire me anymore. Onwards and upwards with The T-Shirt Project- my new design baby