October 2007

October 31st, 2007

This

…is what happens when craft bloggers meet. They buy far too much cake. And then eat it all. (That’s actually a lie, we all had to take some home).

Aunty Polly couldn’t believe her eyes at all the cakes to choose from.

We had fun! Babychops liked playing with Lieveke’s toys. Now she wants a piano xylophone thing.

So nice to meet you Kimberlee and Lies and Emily too :)

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October 31st, 2007

These

…are now in the shop. More pairs coming in a few weeks.

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October 31st, 2007

Little Orchard prize draw winners

The prize draw has been drawn and the winners are:

The $30 gift voucher goes to Leta. A mixed set of 2007 cards each go to Marlene, Amy and Lianne.

There was mention of a special bonus prize – it being the most voted item. The most voted item was the Lavender floral water – but I think that was because you aren’t all familiar with the Neroli – which is Orange Blossom and it so so divine! So I have made that the bonus prize and added in a special category for Paula for being the most excited about wanting to win.

So, well done Paula, you win a set of cards and the Neroli floral water.

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October 30th, 2007

Ruby & Sol

One of the best shops in Auckland – run by a very old friend – if you’re in Auckland you must must must visit. It’s full of amazing stuff and it’s actually affordable – such a rarity these days in shops of this ilk. Sherry buys her pieces from all over the place – some of it her daughter Rachel sends over from the UK.

When we first discovered her shop in February we could barely contain our glee – and now Sherry’s got a permanent shop we are very happy indeed. And in case you’re wondering who ‘we’ is, that’s me, Polly and Fay. Fay is Polly’s mum. Maybe this is a story partly about old school friends and being friends with their mums too.

More about Ruby & Sol over at Lovely Shops.

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October 29th, 2007

I want one!

And so should you (maybe).

www.guardian.co.ukÂ

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October 25th, 2007

Baby steps

I am not sure whether or not I have mentioned here that my burning ambition for many years was (and still is) to be a shoe designer. Just now I want to be lots of other things too. Whenever I bump into someone I’ve not seen for years they first thing they will without fail ask is about the shoe design.

Back in 1994 I was enrolled and ready to go to college in Melbourne, but the week before the course was to start they shut it down. A few years later I found Camper and decided I didn’t need to design shoes. Not yet anyway. I still harbour ambitions to go to Cordwainers in London – but for now I’m going to be making more of these:

For people who would like to be notified when the shoes go into the shop please click here to let me know. Thanks :)

I’ve had such a good week. I think it’s the first week where I have really felt like I’m back in the swing of work. There are projects aplenty and I am really enjoying all of them. Currently I’m designing an identity for Louise of GiGi – and it’s great because I can just design exactly what I love and it’s perfect for her. Yay!

This morning I went to see Lisani – an old school friend – who is a textile and wallpaper designer. So it’s really cool to be working with her too. She lives very close to where I grew up so Astrid and I had a little walk along the beach at lunchtime.

Then back to town to buy some natural linen from Martha’s for Astrid’s Christmas stocking and lots and lots of elastic for baby shoes.

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October 23rd, 2007

Kawaii print fabrics from Sweden

I’ve been quietly collecting some rather lovely pieces of linen from Sweden over the past few months. So this long weekend I sat down and made a few of them into zip purses of many shapes, sizes and colours.

I am so in love with these fabrics – and so when Bernadette blogged about this book on vintage Swedish textiles while back I just had to get myself a copy.

These little green ones are such cuties! They fit my new camera perfectly. Hmmm. Maybe a christmas present to self?

Ah! And look at what I have just seen in the book – although I am surely pleased I didn’t pay 3,800Y for it – that’s around sixteen pounds. Goodness me.

And of course there are more to see in the purse department.

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October 22nd, 2007

Some super deliciousness

Poor old Lovely NZ seems to have been so neglected of late. Secretly though I have been collecting up stories – all just waiting for me to have a day to update the sites. And build a new central home page – ah ah – hopefully Wednesday will be the day.

In the meantime I have done a little update at Lovely Food. Warning – this might make you want to eat cake.

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October 19th, 2007

Baby clothes dans la Shoppe

Ach well – it’s the end of another week – and time for some more productivity photos. My Bernette sewing machine is on the blink again – so I am now permanently back to my trusty old 1970s Janome which I do so love (now I know how to use it properly).

I have made some little tops for the shop. They’re one-offs – made from my tiny wee pieces of babycord I got from my Liberty man. I only just managed to squeeze each little top into the fabric – although there is a bit left for a pencil case or two.

They are lovely summer mini dresses – tops really – they will be so cute avec bikini in summer – but Astrid also looks terribly sweet with hers on over a merino top. That’s a photo for another day.

She was such a good wee model – she really enjoyed crawling around on a bit of calico, chasing the world. Even if she does look rather bored here. Don’t worry, that’s just her special distant model pose.

Oh, and just in case you’re not sure how to get to the shop. It’s this a way.

And here’s a wee outfit I made for Astrid too – she looks like a little wizard in it! Note the lining on the pants – it’s the electric garden from an earlier post this week.

And now my eyes fail me so I’m off for a(nother) glass of sav, to cook the butterfly lamb from the Pyrenees deli on the barbeque and to steam some lovely fresh Spargel (asparagus). Yum.