Thursday, September 25, 2008

sketching bunnies

Perhaps I was inspired by Delphine Doreau at Non dairy Diary who's been drawing hens ... perhaps it was the kozyndan prints we have on our wall (this one and this one) ... perhaps it was that I had an idea to embroider some bunnies onto a quilt I'm working on ... anyway I now have a collection of bunny sketches, that don't really work, scale wise, on my quilt ... but I'm sure I can find a use for them somewhere. hmmm?

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

wellington wall


This pic was taken a wee while ago, in Wellington. I think its quite beautiful. I love the way a pattern can be unconsciously created.

First the bricklayer placed each brick systematically in its position, then the painter sealed the bricks with some white paint. But it seems that things did not stop there, more layers were attached and the wall performed its intended task of protecting its inhabitants from the elements.

Then the demolition team and perhaps the weather (it is Wellington after all), pulled away at the extra layers ... revealing a beautiful texture.

Friday, September 19, 2008

why i knit

I could let the picture do the talking. But I won't as I'm too thrilled at the wearer's appreciation of the scarf I knit her.

Nell is 5 years old ... just off to School. A few weeks before her 5th birthday Aunty Sarah looked through her yarn stash and collected up the most colourful yarns and made a simple scarf. After a couple of weeks the scarf was long enough to cast off. It had to be long enough to be 'grown up' and short enough not to drag in the mud.

A few days later Nell received the parcel in New Zealand.

Much to my delight Nell absolutely loved the scarf ...
"its 10 metres long Aunty Sarah!" she exclaimed over the phone
"10 metres long Nell ... are you sure?" her ever sensible Aunty replied
"oh silly me, perhaps I'll have to count again"
Her mum reported that a metre for Nell is one of her feet ... she had placed the scarf down on the ground and walked next to it to measure it. How cute.

So now Nell wears the scarf TO and FROM school ... not at school as she thinks it may get lost and she wouldn't like that. And each time Aunty Sarah calls she tells me that she's wearing the scarf. Brilliant.

Friday, September 12, 2008

How cute are these illustrations. They're from a children's book, 'Iggy Peck, Architect' (ISBN 13: 978-0-8109-1106-2) and the illustrations are by David Roberts.

I want to make clothes like the ones in his illustrations ... with all their stripes and patterns and colours.
I quite like this cushion also ... hmmm?

Thursday, September 11, 2008

c'est beau

Isn't he beautiful. This little fulla was found while on a walk up to Lac de L'orceyrette. At the top of the lac there is a type of grass/marshlands where I took the following photo ... the colours were beautiful ... had to make a colour palette from it.
After spending the majority of our time in the Alps we visited a friend near Lyon. He lives in a beautiful rural area near his very hospitiable family. We were spoilt with their good food and company.

I was taken by this little road which resembled something of a patchwork quilt. Perhaps I'll design one inspired by the patterns on this road!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

a weekend in the french alps


I've been away ... and it was lovely. Adam and I went to the French Alps for a friend's wedding. We went to Serre Chevalier and stayed in my favourite town there, Monetier.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

happy shopping


Its sale time. Check out my shop for lots of savings.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

onion teatowel sketch


The beautiful text sitting amongst the onions is by my friend Rachel Smith. Its part I of a two part poem ... stand by for the next installment. I hope to print this one on Thursday at the studio ... it needs a bit of cleaning up tomorrow but I pretty happy with it overall. The roots look a bit mushy and the text is a little hard to read in places ... oh and I need to put a capital T on the first word ... but these things aside ... its working for me. You'll need to click on the image to really see it.

tomato red


My first tomato! This big fulla has been hanging out on my tomato plant for AGES ... the weather hasn't really been warm enough to redden him up ... till now ... the last couple of weeks have had a couple of deliciously warm days ... and voila ... Mr Tom was able to show his true colours! He was absolutely delicious on a piece of Vogel's Soy and Linseed, with butter, salt, pepper and basil ... mmmmmmmm.