More handmade & Cookie Christmas

Things are going along, slowly, but so far I've stuck to the handmade for Christmas theme. Am sure I'll stray as I run out of time (um, that'll be pretty soon), but so far it's been fun and rather satisfying. Now just have to hope the recipients dig 'em too!


On the left is one of a batch of singlets I screen printed, to go with the first set of sewn pj shorts (taken from the Amy Butler Lounge Pants pattern but shortened - super comfortable and with a neat drawstring to hold them up).

And I discovered the joy of the crafty swap the other day, following a brilliant suggestion from Aunty Cookie. She sent a wonderful pack of fabric samples, cards and more, along with a Cookie doll (which I loooove most of all). Here she is, hanging up in our window along with the only Christmas decorations in our place - some suction cap-stuck baubles. She looks so cute there, I love looking up at her. Thanks Shannon, enjoy your holiday :)

Handmade Christmas 2

OK, I'm slowly moving along with my handmade Christmas gift making, and here's the first half of the second batch of gifts - more cushions.



Have been pondering what to put on the cushion covers for aaages, but inspiration hit when I was in the country a little while back and found a most beautiful leaf.

They're two-colour - a yellowy-green for the larger leaves, and a grey for the smaller leaves. I'm thinking the next batch will be maroon and grey. It's a little hard to see in these photos, so here's another pic to get an idea of what they look like close up.



Now I just have to hope the recipients don't look here and see their "surprise" gift!

Handmade Christmas 1

I'm starting to feel, um, a little behind in my Christmas preparation, but today I completed handmade gift number one. Not sure if a gift for a dog actually counts, though...




The pic is an outline of my parents' dog, Emma, screen printed onto a cushion for her basket. Hope it doesn't freak her out! And here's the obligatory dog snap -


She's rather shagging in this old snap, and is wearing a tshirt that me or my sister wore as kids. Aww.

And was reminded on the weekend that it really, well and truly is summer here -

Wow, cherries are amazing. As are strawberries and pretty much every other summer fruit. And not a single one of them was picked by me, which made them taste even better!

More for Mikes

Took this batch of stuff over to Mikes Fitzroy the other day, complete with custom-made paper bag (with Akzidenz type on the outside). The bag is super wonky (I really should have used a ruler from the outset) but did the job!

And here's a close up of the loot -

This is a behind shot of the elephants, complete with new hang tags. And the middle one - with blue and brown - is now sitting in the Mikes Fitzroy Christmas window. Yay!


And there is the batch of lavender bags with tags.

It's always nice seeing everything finally finished off, tagged and ready to go - that alone always makes it all feel worthwhile. And funnily enough two people I know bought my stuff at Mikes shopping night the other night (that's definitely a novelty for me!) Wooh!

Saturday & Sunday

Whew, had a fun crazy weekend. On Saturday morning I found out that Idlewild Press, a letterpress studio based in the Nicholas Building in downtown Melbourne, was having having an open day that day. How exciting! It's a one-person studio run by Carolyn Fraser of the Girlprinter blog. I went and had a look and as expected, the space is beautiful and the equiptment and type drawers and type pieces and various pieces of paraphernalia were just asking to be photographed.



I had to stop myself by only buying this set of cards - so sweet - but could have bought everything



While trying to find my way out from the sixth floor of the Nicholas Buidling I stumbled upon this great shop called Buttonmania, that just happened to be having its twice-yearly button sale. I got a handful of great looking buttons along with these great old knitting patterns.



Melbourne Design Market was excellent, as ever, and picked up a few great things including some coasters by Lightly, some earings (which punch out, how fun) by Limedrop, and a beautiful vase.

And stitching at Mikes was fun. Here's a before and during shot. The glass of bubbly explains the slight wonkiness in the pole!