http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377 http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377 A heavy rainstorm visited our part of the country on the weekend. I took the children to the beach and we watched the water moving towards us, then getting dragged back. Noone was there except us, a few keen surfers and some birds circling overhead. Sorry about the shakiness of this videoclip- I…

  When we were in Wellington a few weeks ago, Tom and I visited the City Gallery and saw the large exhibition of NZ painter Séraphine Pick. I really enjoyed seeing such a wide selection of her work: there were paintings from the early 1990's ranging to very recent works. There was one painting, though,…

    I'm preparing for Craft 2.0, a great craft/art show that will be held at the New Dowse gallery in Wellington on June 12th. I'm feeling pretty excited and nervous about having my own stall there. One thing I thought I would make are cushion/pillow covers, and I liked the idea of making a…

      I rediscovered a vintage children's book on my shelf the other day (i blogged about it a few years ago here), entitled Riding to Canonbie by Cara Lockhart Smith. The book is filled with rather ethereal poems and illustrated with black and white pen drawings. It was published in 1972. Even though…

  It was a good weekend here. We had golden autumnal weather, fresh feijoas, new books for the children, embroidery, and a bit of playing with watercolour paints and pencils. These flowers are for you, dear mothers of the world, both future and present, and all of the people who look after others. Thank you!…

  Earlier this week I bought a copy of the British magazine Lula from my local bookshop, because I noticed there was an interview with Joanna Newsom. (It's a great magazine otherwise though- beautiful photography especially.) I've been obsessively listening to J.N's latest album, Have One on Me. It's dreamy and rich, and I feel…

      Now that both of my children are at primary school, I miss those rambly relaxed days when we used to make huts and draw and make things together. Although I don't miss the noise, prams, playgroups and trying in vain to get them to have naps. So I guess you can't have…

        I found the art print (top photo) at a second-hand shop this week, and even though it was old and dirty, something made me buy it… I love its fine details and Scandinavian feel. It's marked HA76 in one corner, but other than that, I don't know who the artist is.…

    My son Arlo is a quiet boy who likes reading and playing with lego. Yet still all his corduroy pants and jeans seem to wear out in the knees before he's grown out of them. Maybe it's all that kneeling, sorting through little lego bits to make an amazing spaceship or jet. And…

    Pictured above are some small corners of our little house. We're enjoying all that autumn has to offer: lots of rain and then that golden light, acorns and walnuts, time inside for drawing and reading. Cycling through dried leaves at the park. Fresh flowers, figs and preserving pears. (Thank you, Pearl, for the…