This is the predictable 'part II' to yesterday's post– where I show a few more things I made in 2011. I hadn't realised how many things I was dreaming up each week- I'm sure I could have made about five of these mosaics. Ah well, it was a very fun and productive year I guess.…

I got invited to join this flickr group, where members post a mosaic of the work they did in 2011. Turns out I made quite a few things, so here are some of the finished objects from the second half of the year. You can click here to find the flickr links to individual projects.…

I was inspired by our ferny garden to do some illustrations on the last of my plain white ceramicware. These pieces are from my hometown- the op-shops there seemed to be brimming with great ceramics, but I haven't had so much luck here. But there are some great second-hand shops here – they just have…

Well I know that I'm a little late to the party, but recently I've discovered my instagram account (I signed up some time last year then promptly forgot my password AND username…) and have been enjoying the simplicity and immediacy of it very much. I guess it's kind of like very simple photoblogging through the…

I made some cushion covers for my shop update this week- one is made from some vintage poppy fabric I'd been hoarding, and the other two are from antique kimono coats that I carefully unpicked, although some bits of lining and hand-stitched seams do remain. The very cheerful daisy plants shown in the first photo…

We ventured north a little yesterday until we reached Paekakariki, a small seaside village, and listened to a great band in the hot Waitangi Day sun. Face-painting and candy floss mandatory, of course.  Then we took our sandy, sticky, salty, sunburned selves back to the city again. And now we've returned  to rain and wind,…

One good thing about moving and packing is discovering old treasures again, like books for example. When I was hastily packing dusty books into cardboard boxes last month, I came across my copy of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden.  I did some botanical-type embroidery on this hand-dyed linen of Margie's,…

Three photos for this Thursday: * cheese straws were made and loved several times these holidays- I once posted the recipe here. They're a bit like cheesy, pastryish, salty crackers and a numer one comfort food, definitely. * I just finished reading this graphic novel, Stitches: A Memoir by David Small. It's amazing, and heartbreaking.…

I made these 'project bags' (I thought they were pretty similar to these ones from a couple of years back)  except this time I used vintage kimono which I found, washed and carefully unstitched to reuse the best pieces. I stabilised each piece and lined the bags with strong cream cotton and sewed in brown…