Monday, November 30, 2009

a design a day ... one

OK ... I'm ready to (nervously) show and tell what I've been designing and making ...

There have been snippets here and there over the past weeks, but over the next few days, I want to share my first commercial designs with you - one at a time.

But first - a little scene setting ... I am one of the many crafters who went to this years Stitches & Craft show in Melbourne, and came away inspired, renewed and excited. I thought about it for many months, and then decided to put my creative passion for design and fabric into practice and have a go at making it my "job". And so, yardage design was born - a business name and a goal in one - the goal is to print my own yardage fabric one day. For now, though, I'm printing onto tea towels. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and this product is a great stepping off point for anyone starting out small. After testing lots of fabrics, I'm using a hemp/organic cotton blend basecloth. I think it prints really nicely, has better sustainability credentials than many other fabrics, and works extremely well as a tea towel - which is really important to me. I sew them up myself too, which is quite theraputic (glass half full) or a little sweatshoppy (glass half empty) depending on how I'm feeling!

Moving right along ... today, it's my first design - what I call my signature circles. It was the design that inspired the business name, actually. These circles are my version of the end of a bolt of fabric.





 

I love this design, and can't wait to print some yardage fabric using these ... hopefully in the new year.

I hope you've enjoyed this little window into my design world. Tune in tomorrow for the next design in the series ... we're building to a finale later in the week!

Have a great Monday!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

swap-o-licious!

My first blog-swap arrived in the post ... a beautiful button bracelet designed and made by Kylie.



I spotted this bracelet on Kylie's "my creative space" post last week and, voila!, a swap was hatched.

I loved the little bag it came in, and the hand-painted card - what a clever girl!



Thanks, Kylie - I love it. Your package is on it's way!

Friday, November 27, 2009

the-not-so-very-secret-at-all-bloggers-who-wear-yo-yo's-society

I'm heading up to the Dayslesford Makers Market tomorrow, but in preparation I needed to make a yo-yo. The brainchild of Julie, and found via Jodie, I made my very first yo-yo so others bloggers will know I'm a blogger - make sense?! Anyway, you might also recognise me as my yo-yo matches my bag!



See you there!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

my creative space ...

Sewing, sewing sewing ...




 
 

Lots of printing too, but nothing much more to report until next week - eeek! (Sorry - not trying to be evasive - I just need to pull everything together before I show'n'tell!)

Hope you're having a creative day in your space. Need inspiration? Drop in on Kootoyoo and check out other creatives at work.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

lmnop - cute online mag

Have you seen this online mag yet?



It's very cute, and very free. Enjoy

postage

I'm investigating postage at the moment, and was happy to find this at the Post Office this morning ...



... recycled options make me very happy! In related news, the postie delivered the latest delicious magazine this morning ... which means I've got heaps to read right now ...



Magazines make me smile too - I am addicted! Hope you're having a lovely Tuesday!

Sunday, November 22, 2009

treasure!

It's a cool and rainy morning here in Melbourne, and I've just got back from Mathilda's Market - what a brilliant collection of lovely things. I went early thinking I would dodge the crowds, but it was PACKED from the get-go! Here are just a few of the treasures I found (I can't show you the rest as they are chrissy pressies for nosey parkers!) ...



... a gorgeous Belle & Boo print for the Little Misters room, chrissy gift tags from Pocket Carnival (lovely to meet Penny!), gorgeous japanese masking tape from Lark (lovely to meet Allison too!), and a pretty red butterfly brooch from Ally Pops. I also ran into one of my studio neighbours - Dana from Twiglet with her lovely childrens clothes.

I hope your weekend is a good one too!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

my place and yours ... my collection ... vintage sewing machines

I'm joining in on the "my place and yours" fun over at Meet Me at Mikes for the first time ... how about you?

I collect lots of things ... I like old things ... things with a past, a story and charm. Today, I'm going to share my first serious collection - vintage sewing machines ...



It all started when my sister salvaged an old treadle sewing machine off our family property for my birthday about 10 years ago. The machine once belonged to my great aunt. The wood on the table was rotten, and the machine rusted beyond repair, but the cast iron base was lovely. Best of all, it was a WHITE sewing machine - an American brand, the same name as my maiden name. The addiction began. I still have the old machine in the shed, and I am currently sitting at the table I made from the cast iron treadle legs typing this blog post.

My rules for this collection are pretty simple - sewing machines must be hand crank or treadle (no electric models), they should preferably work, they must be lovely to look at, and there must be space to put them (this last one came from Mr Yardage - this from the man with every games console ever made - we both collect stuff!). I also don't have any Singers in my collection (yet) - not a rule, but I wanted to give the others a go and be a bit less predicable!

This machine is one of my favourites, and was my first aquisition. It's from a tiny antique shop in Handorf (South Australia) - it's German and still sews (once you get the hang of the hand crank!).



This one is also a favourite - a WHITE treadle in an art deco timber cabinet. It is in mint condition.



All in all, I have eight vintage machines - six on display in my home and two in the shed who need restoration (maybe when I retire??!). Five of the eight are WHITE sewing machines - I love them! This is definately an ongoing collection for me - I love the workmanship, the feel and the look of these old machines. To think that women 100 years ago made all of their clothes using one of these just amazes me.

Thanks to Kate at Fox's Lane for the brilliant theme, and Pip at Meet Me at Mikes for being a wonderful host!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

my creative space ... first print!

This morning, my creative space is full of my first prints, ready to be sewn and experimented with ...



Yesterday, I did my first print run - testing fabrics, colours, techniques and getting used to everything - here are some pics ...

 
organic fabrics - hemp, cotton and linen

 
mixing deep green

  
the printing table

 
artichokes in deep green

 
signature circles!

More printing and shop news soon!

Check out other very creative spaces by visiting Kootoyoo ...

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

playschool dip recipe

This dip was on Playschool this afternoon, and the Little Mister liked the look of it. So, off we walked to the market and got the ingredients to make it together ...



1 ripe avocado
1 ripe tomato
1 lemon
1tbs cream cheese
salt & pepper (to taste)

1. Mash avocado into a bowl
2. Sqeeze on some lemon to stop it going brown 
3. Add cream cheese and mix
4. De-seed and chop tomato
5. Add tomato and salt and pepper to bowl and mix

Serve with corn chips, crackers, on bread, by itself - it's delish!

Enjoy!

a bit of light relief ...

These t-shirts crack me up ...!


 
 
This one is particularly relevant to me today ...



You can see loads of these great tee's here!

While we're on the topic of procrastination - you'll laugh yourself silly over here too - who doesn't love watching as a troupe of cartoon bunnies parodies a collection of movies by re-enacting them in 30 seconds! 
OK, I'll stop bugging you now!

Friday, November 13, 2009

red pipe!

Today I painted the pipe in my studio ... what do you think?



 

I also got my screens, ink and base cloth delivered today. I'm pretty much ready to go (after I level and pad the table). Today was a really good day! Hope yours was too.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

my creative space ...

The decorating continues in my creative space this week! After fiddling around with colour samples, I finally chose my shade of green for the window wall, and started to prepare for painting by scraping off the flaking old paint and loose render from the last 100 years or so ...



... then I realised I had gotten carried away ...



... and then I realised that to do the whole wall would take hours and hours, so I stopped! But, I'm a bit of a sucker for original charm, so I came up with a way to "preserve" the bare brick look and have a bit of colour on the wall ...



I have some mdf letters that spell "Yardage Design" that I'm going to paint and arrange in the brick circle. I haven't had time to paint the pipe yet (although it looks OK in white now the wall is painted - no?), but I'm still thinking I might paint it bright red like the bargain ebay cane chairs I got a few weeks ago ...



These babies are waiting to show-off some handprinted fabric on the cushions! I'm really looking forward to my screens arriving tomorrow - it will be a big moment for me.

I just thought I'd add that the last remaining studio spaces here at Ironside have just been released, so if you're in Melbourne and looking for a studio, contact Laura at Ironside Studios.

For more creative spaces, or to join in, don't forget to visit Kootoyoo.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

stating the obvious ...

It's hot ...



I wish it were cooler ...



No creativity here - unless you count trying to keep a 2.5 year old occupied inside, when all he wants to do is jump on his new tramp-on-o-ween (as he calls it) outside which is volcanically hot (literally) right now. Thanks to Pam at Pippi Creates for dropping by this morning for a chat - her latest bubba outfit was gorgeous in the cloth - check it out here.

P.S. Thanks to Google for the pics!

Friday, November 6, 2009

friday flowers ...




 

 

I can't resist photographing flowers and plants - they make me smile. These are some from our recent trip to the NSW mid-north coast. Have a lovely Friday!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

my creative space ...

... is sparse (at the moment), but all mine!



I picked up the keys yesterday, and now I can begin making this space more like "me". At the moment it only has a desk and chair (more ebay bargains), but my big printing table (from Ikea - love that place) arrives tomorrow. I'm thinking about an apple green colour for the window wall and maybe fire engine red or cobalt blue for the pipe - I need some colour!

I met some of my lovely neighbours yesterday too - including Sandra from Pepperberry and Co. It's great to be surrounded by people who "get it"!

Aside from that, it's all about businessy stuff here - like getting screens  made and ordering base cloth fabric. I hope to be printing sometime next weeek - yahoo!

For more creative spaces, visit Kootoyoo. Have a great week!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

sun + sand + family = lovely

We've been away for a few days - and had a lovely time at the seaside on the mid-north coast of NSW ...



There was also a bit of photographic frolicking too ...





 

The cheeky magpie was a hit with the Little Mister!
 Hope you had a lovely weekend too!