I'm in! Brisbane Finders Keepers

I am so incredibly pleased to announce that my application to the Brisbane Finders Keepers Market in July has been successful! I'm so excited. There really is no other market in Brisbane as wonderful as the two days on offer at The Old Museum. The crafty goodness, delicious food, the gorgeous flowers and the talented musicians - I'm wrapped that I get to be a part of it again.

For a small handmade business like mine, this is such a big deal. It's such a great sales opportunity for sure, but it is also so wonderful to be able to get to meet and chat with the lovely people that buy my pieces and really feel a part of a bigger community of crafters and business owners. I learnt so much at the last market, and it really pushed me to aim high and take my business forward.

This time you will find me inside, with a bigger table, new display, new packaging, a new collection I've been working on especially for the market, as well as several new one of a kind pieces. Giving you lots of reasons to come and visit. I will also most likely have a five week old baby asleep in a sling on my chest too! Thankfully Didi, my talented intern, will also be joining me.

I really want to thank you for all your encouragement and support. I promise to keep you up to date with our progress and I hope to see you there!

Project Life: Weeks 1 - 9

My supplies - stickers, date stamp, stamp pad, Midnight Edition Core Kit, journaling cards, scissors, pen, corner rounder and Heritage Edition cloth album.

1 - 5 January 2014

6 - 12 January 2014

13 - 19 January 2014

20 - 26 January 2014

27 January - 2 February 2014

 27 January 2014 / 3 - 9 January 2014

10 - 16 February 2014

17 - 23 February 2014

24 February - 2 March 2014

I've been meaning to share my Project Life album with you since I first began it at the start of the year, but until yesterday, I still didn't have an actual album to put my pages in. My local craft shop has finally restocked their albums, and now my pages have a home.

I have gotten in to a rhythm each Sunday evening of going over the photos from the week, editing them and uploading them to an online printing site (I use Harvey Norman because it is convenient to me). I pick them up from the shop on our way to the weekly family dinner, to save on postage, and eagerly cut them up and slip them in their places once we get home again. 

To make the smaller images, I use picmonkey.com and this tutorial to print two 3 x 4 images on a normal 4 x 6 print. I also use picmonkey.com collage to put the white bars beside the instagram images. I draw a little map of where the images will go and tuck them in to an empty page while I wait for the photos to be printed, and often write the journaling cards and stamp the dates on one of the printed cards at the same time. I keep a note in my diary of what has happened each day, or funny things the kids have said, that I want to record in the album.

When I started I decided on a week to an opening, which has been working well for all but one spread of the nine. This worked out anyway, as I had enough photos for three pages for week 5, but only enough photos for one page for week 6. 

Already I am enjoying being able to flick back over the year and see all these little, wonderful snippets from our everyday life. I was a bit worried about whether I could make the commitment, but I'm less worried now, as I am enjoying how simple it is. I've realised I just like to keep the pages simple and not use many embellishments, but include things like the Valentine's card and paper flower Cohen made us. I wanted it to be less 'scrapbooky', more photo album with notes, where the layout of the photos helps tell the story. 

I love how it reminds me to document our everyday, to stop and take notice of all that happened in the week past.

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I'm guest posting all this week at the Bespokezine blog. I'll be talking about all things jewellery, inspiration and small business. Do pop over and say hi!

Yarn Along

My beautiful 'stash market bag from Yardage Design, filled with woolly goodness.

It's been quite a while since I joined in with Yarn Along, as I seem to have hit a black hole with both the projects I was working on. No matter how many rows I did, they just didn't seem to be growing at all, they were just sucked in to a knitting black hole instead. Despite the guilt I felt at abandoning them, I decided to give them both a rest and allow myself a spot of yarn shopping. I have since been working on a simple stripey scarf, and I have the makings of a baby blanket to go on with once the scarf is complete. 

Yesterday, my 28 week bump and I had to spend two hours at Pathology doing a Glucose Tolerance test for pregnancy. I was secretly a little excited about this. Two whole hours of knitting and reading with only a couple of interruptions?! Even if those interruptions were three blood tests, I could manage that. One learns to accept blood tests when you have Graves disease. So, while my dear parents took Cohen to school and kept the little Miss amused, I read the beginnings of Walking on Trampolines for my book club, and knitted away on a Cleckheaton scarf pattern I've long admired. 

It feels good to be knitting again.

And you dear reader, what are you making or reading?

It's so quite out there in blog land these days, feel free to leave a comment. :)

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Joining in with Ginny.

Ravelry.

'Designing Craft/ Crafting Design'

The Moon, 2012
Peter Walker

Midnight and Midday and Midnight Neckpieces, 2012
Midnight and Midday and Midnight brooches, 2013
Leslie Matthews

Flotsam and Jetsam, 2012
Lisa Farrant

Still Life with Bosc and Strange Fruit, 2012
Nick Mount

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining, 2012
Honor Freeman

Oil Can and Tea Can, 2012
Kirsten Coelho

De Qi - Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, 2012
Belinda Newick

Holey light 1 and 2, 2012
Illumini

Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

Tools from the studio of Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

Still life with two cups, 2005
Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

'Still life with 2 cups, is an example of the style of work for which Hanssen Pigott has now been acclaimed for decades. Simple, but in a refined modernist rather than rustic sense, the beautifully executed wood-fired vessels pay homage to the sensory domestic pleasures offered by the perfect teapot or cup.'

Bright Shadow, 2011
Gwyn Hanssen Pigott

My little artists, pleased as can be to be playing with clay.

I've often heard mention of The Jam Factory in books and magazines, however yesterday was my first opportunity to see a collection of work from an institution which has spanned forty years. The Ipswich Art Gallery hosts a diverse array of exhibitions, events and children's workshops, and while I wandered slowly from plinth to plinth on the lower level, my dear husband took the children to Create with Clay on the upper level.

I am always drawn to exhibitions that delve in to the world and skill of craft, while crossing the divide usually noticeable between craft and art. Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, a renowned ceramicist, is known for bridging this gap with her work. But I felt the same could be said of any of the artists in the exhibition. I found the exhibitions title apt at addressing the dual nature of such skilled crafters and artists. From glass to metal, ceramics to wood, lighting to furniture, the diversity was as wide as it was inspiring; as you can see by the images I have shared above.

I was quite taken with the work of Gwyn Hanssen Pigott. Her elegant pieces, behind their glass boxes, made me want to touch them all the more. That last line from the didactic panel alongside Still life with two cups lingered with me all afternoon - 'pay homage to the sensory domestic pleasures offered by the perfect teapot or cup.' The sensory domestic pleasures offered by the perfect teapot or cup. So simple, so poetic, so profound. Do we not all have a tea cup that we always reach for first? Do we not appreciate the beauty in, say, a hand cut crystal candle holder as opposed to a variety store $2 version of the same. Do not beautiful objects bring beauty to our day and to our lives?

I took my musings with me as I joined my husband and watched my children so perfectly engaged with their own creative pursuits. A Picasso quote came back to me, 'Every child is an artist, the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.'

Right Now

Stashing: Sale wool for a simple striped baby blanket and a scarf (40% off at Spotlight)

Knitting: A Cleckheaton Country Style Stripe scarf. It feels good to be knitting again.

Pet Sitting: The class guinea pig, Cuddles, for the weekend. (Poor wee thing, the life of a class pet can't be easy.)

Excited: About seeing the Designing Craft/ Crafting Design Exhibition on at Ipswich Art Gallery. 40 years of Jam Factory, here I come.

Doubly Excited: There's also a kids clay workshop running at the same time, which I am sure Cohen will love.

28 Weeks Pregnant: And starting to feel more tired and uncomfortable. I'm listening to my body and slowing down; trading nights at the jewellery bench for nights knitting on the couch.

Listening: To the 'Stuff you missed in History class' Podcast - how utterly fantastic. My new go to Podcast while working or knitting.

Writing: A weeks worth of blog posts for the lovely Bespoke blog. I'll be guest posting over there from March 17th - 23rd.

Nesting: I'm overhauling my studio at the moment. I've done away with an old rickety bookcase that will be replaced, I'm upgrading my desk and culling through way too many craft supplies. It''s all a messy pile of boxes awaiting decluttering at the moment. Hope to share some before and afters with you soon!

Reading: Wholehearted a journal, honey & jam, Fast Company

Anticipating: The arrival of a custom ordered logo stamp from a local Brisbane company. Love me some customised stationary!

Smiling: Each time I see the bunch of lipstick pink roses on my dining table. Life is too short not to buy flowers (even if only occasionally.)

Missing: The package delivery driver three days straight, because I have been at the post office each time picking up a package!

Hoping: You are having a lovely weekend!

Autumn Inspiration

There is a loveliness about Autumn to which the other seasons can not compare. The cool mornings, warm days, dappled sunshine, cozy blanketed nights. The allure to read, knit, write, walk. The warm tones of fallen leaves, tweed, yarn and baked goods. I couldn't resist putting together a collection of images to inspire me these coming months. After a particularly hot Summer, I am welcoming each small sign of the change of season.

L-R: Inspiration Board, Autumn, Winterwoods,
Bookcase, Botanical Knits, Cottage in the Oaks,
Craftgawker, Grand-Palais, Heart Handmade.

New in the Shop - Cabinet of Wonders

Cabinet of Wonders

Finished this afternoon and in the shop now, a unique and unusual large Quartz pendant. There's a dorky photo on Instagram of me wearing it, to give you an idea of the scale.

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One of the things that draws me to stones is the way they gesture to other things in nature. They are so solid, and yet seem so earthy, the inclusions in quartz can mimic organic forms. This stone reminds me of a terrarium, a glass cabinet filled with little plants; a microcosm of life. The setting has been designed to present this cabinet of wonders without detracting from the natural beauty of the quartz.

Wear this gorgeous necklace to work, while you’re visiting your local nursery, or to the botanical gardens. This unusual piece will bring a natural warmth to any outfit.

This one of a kind pendant was handmade from Sterling Silver by Christina Lowry. It features a 28 x 15 mm Emerald cut Quartz with natural green-ish coloured inclusions. The gem is set in a four claw setting with a large bail, which will accommodate a variety of chains.

In the shop now.