Etchings

I seem to have headed down a sewing rabbit hole the past few months. It's strangely addictive. You'd think that making a few garments badly would put one off, but it has made me all the more determined to make a few successful things to show for all the effort. Actually my persistence is probably more to do with all the sewing blogs I read, and seeing the amazing things that other people create.

Anyway - I've been shy about taking photos of myself and posting them on here, which is why most of what I'm making doesn't make it onto the blog. That's my excuse for such infrequent posts! And I'm sticking to it. For the moment. Actually, although I've been sewing since I was very young, I have really only picked it up regularly in the last couple of years. In the past most of my creative energy has gone into other things... bookbinding, drawing, painting, printmaking, jewellery making, etc. I've been getting the urge to get back into some creative things other than sewing. Mark making of some kind.

So I have been pulling out a few old etchings, hoping to get inspired to do some more. I love etching, the quality of the mark that you can get by drawing into plastic with a needle (as in drypoint) or the irregular marks that are made by acid biting into the plate. And the ink getting pulled into the paper. There's the apprehension when you pull back the paper after it has gone through the press, and seeing what emerges. It frustratingly hit and miss. And addictive.

Taking Stock

Playing Along with Pip, here.

Making: someone happy
Cooking: raspberry ripple. Yum!
Drinking: tea, tea and more tea
Reading: The Dressmaker, Rosalie Ham
Wanting: My Colette Anise pattern to arrive in the mail
Looking: for inspiration
Playing: Willbee the Bumblebee
Wasting: away. Not!
Sewing: the Valerie top
Wishing: for Green and Black 85%
Enjoying: The Good Wife
Waiting: for a winter break
Liking: kinas
Wondering: whether Alicia and Will will get together at the end of season 4
Loving: that extra half hour of daylight
Hoping: that they will!
Marvelling: screen prints
Needing: miles under my belt
Smelling: winter sea breezes
Wearing: ugg boots. They're an investment!
Following: friends
Noticing: stone cold tea
Knowing: that if you do fun things every day, the universe re-configures around you
Thinking: about red highlights
Feeling: like bed
Bookmarking: healthy treats
Opening: packages
Giggling: with little people
Feeling: finished.

Letterpress workshop

A few months ago I attended a one day class to learn the basics of letterpress printing at GTO Printers in Auckland.  It was a small class, only three of us in total, which worked out perfectly.  It was so much fun, the day just flew by.  We started by working with a little Adana press (hope I've got that right), setting metal type into an alphabet.  Getting all the letters set correctly, left to right (or was it right to left???) and the right way up really messed with my head.  There were a few back to front, upside down mishaps to start with.  And if you get it wrong, you have to pull the whole row out and start again.   Then we designed a postcard to print, also in metal type.

By the end of the day we progressed to using the wood type.  We were running short of time, so did a collaborative print on the proofing press.  I loved using the wood type.  The objects themselves, with all of the different shapes and colours left from previous print jobs make just as nice an image as the final print, don't you think?

Dress-ups

I have been collecting items for our dress up box, and when I came across something similar in a shop recently, I thought it might be fun to have a go at making my own.   This is my second attempt.  The first was a more 'boy-like' version with lightening bolts and crosses.  I couldn't get a photo of my little miss in this version (she will happily pose for any photo except the one you want!), so her brother was happy to oblige.

Linen Teddy

Last month I was lucky enough to get a whole weekend to myself to attend Handmade in Wellington.   There was so much inspiration, from fun classes on handmade cosmetics and jewellery making, to wandering around the shops and cafes in Wellington, and actually being able to browse for as long as I wanted!  One of the highlights was meeting the lovely Melissa Wastney from Tiny Happy.  When I got home, I ordered a copy of her book Sweet & Simple Handmade.  It's a really beautiful book, with so many lovely projects to make for kids.   This is the first one I've made - the linen teddy.  It was a really easy project to start with and I enjoyed making it, with a bit of input on fabric choices from the kids.  I added the dress (which isn't in the pattern), just because I could :)   It's for a little friend of ours who just turned one.

My Creative Space

Hi.  Over at My Creative Space again this week with lots of lovely crafty people.  I've actually been doing a bit of sewing this week, attempting to make Tessuti's Valerie top, which looks pretty straightforward except that I have used this beautiful satin fabric (kind of Japanese looking) which is slipping around like a fish all over the place and is so far a dismal failure.  I have pulled a thread right across the front of it, so badly that I think I'm going to have to get more fabric and cut another front.  So I'm a bit bummed about that, and too chicken to post any photos just yet!

But I've also been doing a bit of bookbinding, making some more blank books / sketchbooks out of some lovely thick blank paper, covered with old maps and pieces of paper I have collected over the years.  Sometimes they are just slivers of paper bags from my favorite bookshops, so small you would hardly notice, but it is enough to make me daydream for a while when I look at them.  The one I used this time was from Berkelouw Books in Eumundi.  Sigh.... if only I had a magic wand.  Anyway, not quite sure what I'm going to do with all of these blank books.  I guess one can never have too many sketchbooks, right?

Home Grown

We got all enthusiastic about our vege garden this year, after moving into our new house.  It has been such a beautiful sunny summer this year.  Almost no rain for months.  The rest of the garden has really suffered but we were a bit more careful with this little patch .  The best thing has been the telegraph cucumbers, which started out as one tiny little seedling and has now crawled all the way off the garden bed and down the path, producing at least twenty huge cucumbers.

What do you think of the purple capsicum?  Looks better than it tasted unfortunately. It was an interesting texture, but quite dry and not very fleshy on the inside.  It has inspired me to see what interesting varieties I can grow from seed next year though.

Camping

We've just returned from a two week camping trip to Great Barrier Island.  A four and a half hour ferry ride from Auckland, this has to be one of the most beautiful, unspoilt places in the country.  Days spent reading, swimming, exploring and traipsing backwards and forwards to the beach.

Our twice daily commute to the beach.

Heading home

It feels a bit strange to be back in the city, with so many things to do and so little time to do them.

I took a couple of projects along with me, but only managed to get stuck into one. Too much reading, dreaming and making plans!

This shirt started out as a purchase from the menswear section from a local opshop. A couple of hours later, and here it is as a tank. A super easy Wiksten Tank. I must start remembering to take 'before' photos!

Best Bread Ever

I'm not much of a baker, especially bread.  And I'm pretty happy with my Vogels toast with Vegemite and a poached egg on top.  Yum.   But when I discovered this recipe on my favourite foodie website My New Roots the other day, I couldn't resist.  I am converted.  I dare you to try it!  The Life Changing Loaf of Bread