musings from open day

The weather was superb - sunny & humid, (are we in Hobart?!)  BUT what a day to be spending outside enjoying the sky, and good company from the lovely people that turned up. 

  Anna, from Nevanna Designs and I definitely had quality, not quantity.
 Maybe people decided it was so nice, they came to Blackmans Bay, saw the glistening blue water beckoning along the road from Anna's house, and decided to go to the beach instead - I know I would have! (did I say that?)

From our first open day, we learned that there is still lots of room for improvement in the area of promotion....however the blessing of fine weather and loyal customers and friends was so appreciated, and I'll think we'll have another go next year.   

A little happy moment for me on the day, was from a lovely young lass who came along, haven previously been given one of my bibs from her friend for the birth of her 1st baby.   She told me how she 'googled' Dance in my garden, from the bib label, found my blog, saw the open day advertised, turned up, and consequently bought some items for presents.    I was quite chuffed, that my blog is somehow 'working' from an exposure point of view (although this isn't the only reason I blog).  And it was really lovely to meet her in person too, we had a wee chat about home-schooling, and blogging.

I guess this is why I love doing markets, meeting people is the best part about this business.

sewing weather this week....

Sewing has taken over my life a tad, as I'm trying to increase my 'stockpile', a seemingly futile task at times.

  I have been madly making drink cozies, but my dilly bag pile sits sadly neglected.

The weather has just been too lovely to sit and sew inside....I definitely can see the feasability of moving my sewing machine on the table underneath the pergola outside...I'm sure it can be done...after all, one just needs a long enough extension cord, and the good sense to bring the jolly janome back inside at night...I am beginning to detest sewing inside, when the sun is a shining...and I tend to sew when little 'b' has her nap.

Ah, yes, I am about to coin a new phrase....'alfresco sewing'.

I like it.  Blogging is good like that, it clears the cobwebs, and provides little snippets of inspiration.

Oh....speaking of snippets...you must head over to Dottie Angel...she is having a snippety snip time on her blog.

So I did take to sitting outside in the sunshine, and started sewing on my mother of pearl buttons, but then it got too darn hot, so under the pergola I went, I had a fresh breeze, so I couldn't complain.

then I did stop for lunch....

I love the silveryness of these mother of pearl buttons, on the cream plate.

A Chrismassy message, for a dilly bag...

I'm trying to think of a 'catchy' name for these...not a santa bag, and yet more than just a dilly bag....

all I can think of at the moment is a 'silly dilly santa bag'....I'm not sure that is gonna work!  I'm quite receptive to ideas if anyone has any good ones?

open day this Saturday - Nevanna Designs & me

The lovely Anna from Nevanna Designs and I are having an open day at Anna's home this Saturday,

to provide our wonderful customers with an opportunity for a bit of early Christmas shopping, in an informal setting.  It's also a good way of  letting people know what we do.  

 Anna is going to set up a marquee in the front of her home, so we may get some passers-by inticed by the colourful goodies on display! 

We are doing a bit of advertising, so I hope it goes well!

So, incase you don't know, here is a little about Anna's business.....

Nevanna Designs specialises in home decor products, for kids & adults.  She uses beautiful designer fabrics, and turns them into the most stunning array of wall hangings...you can even get personalised ones now with your child's name on it.  Her range is constantly expanding to meet demand just around Hobart, and also includes cushions, bed linen, and ottomans.  You can check out her Facebook page here.

I'll be there with my usual array of baby's gifts, bunting, dilly bags, and drink cozies for the mums....

I do hope if you are in the area you will come along and say hello, it would be lovely to see you.

....so folks, it's

Saturday, 31st October

145 Wells Parade, Blackmans Bay

10am - 3pm

We will also have some lucky door prizes, and will be offering conveniences such as card facilities...

 It should be a fun day, now we just need to hope the weather is going to be kind to us!

 

a fishy story & an upcycled bathrobe.

Morning folks!  Hope you have all had a brilliant weekend...ours has been quiet and homey...except for 'dh', he went fishing on a yak in the Huon for two WHOLE days.....lucky for us he did land a very nice Searun Trout, which we had for Sunday dinner.  Not only did he catch the fish, he cooked it for us as well...and very tasty it was stuffed with fennel and lemon.

so here are some pretty pics from his trip....along the Huon River......

from 'dh's' kayak near Huonville

Who would ever know lurking under these pretty relective waters, lie millions of whitebait...?

'Mummy, when is daddy coming home?'....

answer:  'when he catches our dinner, dear.'

AND

 here is a little story of how a traditional innocent blue stripey cotton Japanese bathrobe, made it's way from a ryokan somewhere in Japan....

maybe like this one...?

or this......

and landed in a Japanese shop at Kingston Beach, called Wafu Works,
then ended up in my eager hands,

 to be transformed from an ugly duckly into a swan (ok..maybe that was overkill)...

any way it now floats in the breeze,
 flipping and flapping this-a-way and that.....
because now you may call it '17 flag bunting'.

I made it for our garden at home....but was so pleased with how it turned out, I popped it in the store....I have another one left, lucky I bought two eh?  Over 4 metres in length, not too bad for one kimono bathrobe.

Wednesday word of the day: zakka

I just love this word....I couldn't say this any better, so this is straight from the Wikipedia:

Zakka

Zakka (from the Japanese 'zak-ka'（雑貨）or 'many things') is a fashion and design phenomenon that has spread from Japan throughout Asia. The term refers to everything and anything that improves your home, life and outlook. It is often based on household items from the West that are regarded as kitsch in their countries of origin. But can also be Japanese goods, mainly from the fifties, sixties and seventies. In Japan there are also so-called Asian zakka stores; that usually refers to Southeast Asia. The interest in Nordic design or Scandinavian design, both contemporary and past, is also part of this zakka movement. Zakka can also be contemporary handicraft.
Zakka has also been described as "the art of seeing the savvy in the ordinary and mundane". The zakka boom could be recognized as merely another in a series of consumer fads, but it also touches issues of self-expression and spirituality. "Cute, corny and kitschy is not enough. To qualify as a zakka, a product must be attractive, sensitive, and laden with subtext."
The Danish independent film Zakka West (2003) by Mikael Colville-Andersen is one of the first examples of the zakka fad reaching the West.

anyone recognize this....?

 Verity from Joie de tea certainly will!

remember back when...?

some more Zakka goodness............

 

small zipper pouch by 'Simbiosisbyjulia'

cat with bird rubber stamp by Craft Pudding

 embroidered on linen - bonnie bear says hi, by chetanddot

happy elephant yellow passport cover by Noei

Peppermint mag anyone?

The 4th edition of  'Australia's 1st eco-fashion magazine' is out Nov 2nd....

I'm going to use my '1 mag per month allowance' and buy it, I just need to find out what all the fuss is about....sure hope it's worth it!

....plus I need to buy an extra copy to shoot off to Canada to Jen from Sewn Natural, as one of her dresses will be featured, how exciting.  You can get copies of it from http://www.leeloo.com.au/, heck knows where I would get one in Hobart?!
BIG FOOT note; thanks to Little Snoring, and the yellow pages, I can now rest assured that Hobart is certainly not the backwater that it was, and that yes...you can buy copies from good newsagents here. 

inky pinky

Pleased as punch I am!...I posted this pic early this Spring, when I was inspired by the new growth of the season......

and the lovely Narelle, from Ruby Victoria Printmaking has turned it into a print!

Doesn't it look gorgeous on the handmade rice paper?  Beautifully hand-carved detail, Narelle!  You are one talented lassie!  I'm sure this is going to be a best-seller!! 

Narelle has more lovely lino prints and very special letter-press stationary at her store.

She's also having a give-away, of one of her lovely tea-pot prints...check her blog out at http://www.rubyvictoria.blogspot.com/

Her prints would make a lovely 'light to post' gift for o'seas Chrissy pressies, too.  Often it's hard to find something uniquely Tasmanian (or even Australian!), that's light and flat to post, and reasonably priced.

Daisy chains and cheery toms

Wishing for more sunny days like this....

a 'cheery' cherry tomato tasting plate

and....we made daisy chain necklaces....

this was all before Daddy mowed the lawn of course.

Panda and friends

Happy Monday morning to everyone!

I thought I would share some hand-crafted softies with you, as this the beginning of week 5 of the challenge, for me....so far so good!

I made the panda from wool felt, and stuffed him with wool....perhaps not quite enough wool.

I found the tutorial for him at Molly Chicken.  I made him for 'd'....and no other panda would do.

The delightful wardorf dolly (Primrose) was a gift for our little 'b' when she was born.

The two retro rabbits, I made from old cotton sheeting my dad bought back from Singapore about 35 years ago.

Panda and friends discuss their beach-combing finds;

 Panda says he's not that impressed, and he's feeling a little flat.

Entrepreneurs can change the world

I don't normally watch YouTube, however I found this yesterday, and was so glad I did, because I really, really, really needed this.

My mum and dad were very poor Italian migrants, you wouldn't consider them 'entrepeneurs', they never set out to take on the world, make a million, or had any brilliant ideas....but they worked VERY hard, NEVER gave up, and on countless occasions, showed GREAT COURAGE. 

Sometimes, when in doubt, the hardest thing is to keep going....maybe sometimes we just have to...

and pray a lot.

'Whatever you think you can or cannot do, you are right.'

Henry Ford

'A bunting we will go...'

I have been busting my bunting flag making record this week, and although it doesn't look like it, here lie 117 of the little blighters....just waiting to be 'stringed up', with an assortment of tape and the like.

Some will have 'recycled' fabrics in them, some feature a Christmas theme, some for kids, and some for gardens and homes.  Actually, I plan to take over the world with bunting! aha!...there won't be a home left anywhere that hasn't been unashamadly adorned!

AND

soon there will be 'mini-bunting' - no shelf, doorway, or bookcase will be safe! 

Fine weather at the fair

Our family headed off Saturday morning to the Calvin School Fair, in Kingston for their Oliebollen Festival; for a biannual overdose of Oliebollen, a rumage through the infamous white elephant stall, and to catch up with half the population of Kingston, who always turn up for the festivities.  The blessing of fine sunny weather was most welcome.....here are some pics of goodies from the fair...oh yes, I almost forgot, it's week 3 of the challenge!  So far, so good.  Good on you too Rosie, from Notions who's have her own mini challenge for Christmas presents.

These Oliebollen don't last long in our house! Yum.

We did well at the toy stall.............

Beautiful wooden puzzles.

 

Scored well on games too!

finds from the white elephant stall: a nice big jug for cool summer drinks, whisk, linen, and a wooden chicken which serves no purpose whatsoever, but is very adorable. 

On Sunday we had a yummy lunch with lovely friends we hadn't seen for a while...I bought along a Madeira cake for dessert.

Madeira Cake

Here's the recipe....from the basic of all basic cookery books, the 'Central Cookery Book'.

Madeira Cake

250g butter

230g sugar

4 eggs - (from happy chickens)

2 cups SR flour

1/2 ts vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

2 TB madeira or sherry (optional, but highly recommended!)

2 t icing sugar

1.  Prepare a moderate oven 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C.

2.  Grease and paper deep, 20cm diameter round tin.

3.  Sift flour.

4.  Cream butter and sugar.

5.  Add eggs 1 at a time beating each well.

6.  Fold in flour and add essence, milk, and wine if used during the folding.

7.  Pour into prepared cake tin, sift icing sugar on top.

8.  Bake 1 & 1/2 hours or until judged cooked - test with fine skewer.

9.  Lower temperature to 325 degrees F or 160 degrees C for last 1/2 hour of cooking time.

10.Cool in tin for 15 mins, then gently turn out onto cake cooler.

oh...I also added the juice and rind of one orange....I'm sure lemon would work lovely too.  I think maybe even Nigella would approve.

my simple weekend aspirations...

...I'm going to relish a read that I bought yesterday for my 'one per month'  magazine allowance - So for October it's going to be Country Style. Pure escapism, and always puts me into an instant relaxed state.

And start a read of an English lass' (er..grammer?) girl's foray into farming. To lunch on Sunday with  friends, and hope to get a walk or two in, some time at a park for the kids, and oh..some sewing...when the other stuff is done though.

 and some wine and cheese and chocolate.

Hope you can enjoy the weekend everyone!

and the winner is...

Vicki! (from Redeem)- you have won the tag give-away!

Your name was drawn by my hubbie the old-fashioned 'from a bowl' way!

Congratulations! 

All you need to do is contact Berrylicious Buttons to claim your prize.

Thanks to all who entered. 

Perfect Packaging

I've been thinking a LOT about packaging my product to better effect.  A finishing touch that is essential, and often in my case overlooked!....so I've been scouring the net for inspiration, as usual!  I was so happy when I saw that Vandoros (the most comprehensive ribbon supplier in OZ), finally has their web site now up and running, - it has been for a couple of months apparently, and according to Vandoros they will be adding the functionality of being able to purchase on line soon. Whilst they only sell to wholesalers, if you spot a ribbon you can't live without, you can contact them and they will put you in touch with a local retailer.  Failing that you can always try on line store Ribbons Galore, who stock a lot of their product.

So here are a few packaging ideas...

Brown twine goes with almost anything, by Etsy seller Brown Bird Market.

If it's interesting envelopes you need, try these made from maps, by Etsy seller, 'picklehead':

ok...not quite packaging, but I like this map theme, and if you like old maps like me, you may need a booklet to record your packaging ideas, banter, sales, or memories,
this one is by Etsy seller Winstonpook,

who sells lovely cahier's like these:

Get a customised stamp made for your tags and stationary, like this one by Craft Pudding.

or check out this tutorial and make your own.

Eco friendly furoshiki packaging:

Altoid tins:

 Check out this helpful Storque article by Danielle Thompson for Etsy, for hints and tips to get your packaging pretty.

AND today is the last day to enter our lovely tag give-away by Berrylicious Buttons.
See top right hand side of this blog for entry details.

So, make it fun, make it unique, make it yours!

Market finds from the Weekend (week 2 of 'the Challenge')

Every Monday, I plan to share something handcrafted, or thrifted for the whole year of the 'Challenge of the Utmost Kind'... so without further ado here are the lovelies I found from a gift seeking mission yesterday at the market in Hobart.....see it's not hard to buy 'handmade'!

Pack of 3 bean bags.

Filled with different textured beans/lentils/rice and made from different materials. They are fantastic for gross motor skills. Children can use them to throw, catch, balance etc. and they are soft, so good to use indoors.

By Owlet 

Brooches

 by Rosie from Notions,

 where the packaging is as scrumptious as the product.

Trio of soaps

 by Natures Path, make the soap that smells divine, & contains Tasmanian olive oil.

 This selection: Grapefruit, Lime, & Calendula flowers, and Spearmint, Parsley, & Pine rosin. 

Here is little miss 'b' smelling the intoxicating goodness.

Craft Candy finds coffee cozie eco!

It's always pretty exciting (well for me it is!) to know that your work is seen and appreciated.

Craft Candy is run by a craft consortium based in Sheffield, UK, and they have featured my patchwork drink cozie for their 'eco theme'.   Check out the post here.

'Food and beverage' eco theme - cozie with lunch wraps, bag, and a market tote.

An almost finished custom cozie order, shown here minus the mother of pearl buttons!

Over the MOOn! Friday

My 'mini moo' cards arrived today!

After being inspired by Cathy from Little Eve's enthusiasm for these little treasures, I decided to be 'brave' and order some to use as product tags.  I'm happy with the results, and hope they will give my product a 'professional' touch.....

.....and hubbie comes home from a week away in Sydney,

so a good end to a busy week!

Have a great weekend everyone!