tiny happy

Keira's birthday is coming up soon, and I had ordered some fabric from Japan ages ago with the idea of making her a dress for autumn. The fabric is a light cotton- dark grey with a vine design in cream. I finished it last night, and got it wrapped up even with a bit of time to spare- which is most unlike me. To make the dress, I used my own pattern- it's a very simple one with a lined bodice and gathered skirt.

This morning when I got up I stood on one of Keira's 'collections' with my bare feet (it consisted mostly of spiky acorn cases and baby pine cones.) And that is how I got the idea to make her a little purse with a long strap from the leftover vines fabric. I will try and train her to keep such nature delights in the bag, rather than on the floor. I can try, at least.

Friday afternoon: coffee and a chat with a friend, while 5 children made a racket in the next room.

And a little bit of playing around with my new watercolour set, inventing matching china.

Happy weekend, friends!

I found a beautiful book on my last trip to the library: The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffeneggar. The book is what the author describes as a 'visual novel'- a kind of grown-up picture-book, or 'art book' that consists of a simple, sad tale about three sisters, illustrated by the author's aquatints. You can see some more of Audrey Niffeneggar's beautiful prints here.

One of the pages shows two of the characters kissing in front of a door, framed on either side by aging sunflowers. It must be very late summertime in the story, because that is exactly how the sunflowers in my garden look right now. They're starting to bend their heads and their petals are curling and crisping.

Inspired by these and the beautiful sunflowers in AN's book, I made a stack of notecards using thick paper and watercolour paints. Late-summer stationery.

The children came home from an afternoon at my Mum's house with a painting of flowers and jellybeans. I like it very much. And I think it's inspired a bit of a colour-burst around here today, even though it's grey and overcast outside.

Pictured above: jelly-bean painting, vintage embroidered mats, flowers from Tom's Mum in an old ceramic vase, housewife needlecases with vintage embroidered ribbon, and pencil cases for today's etsy shop update, made from retro NZ fabrics.

Wishing you a bright day…

Lately, when the days have been feeling full, and our little townhouse is noisy with the sound of trucks and cars and people going past the front door, I've been dreaming of a small, wooden house tucked under the pine trees on the hill. With just the sound of cicadas and birds overhead.

I made this embroidery on linen and illustrated some creamy ceramic cups to match. Potential furnishings for my imaginary pine-house, perhaps. Do you have an imaginary house somewhere?

Arlo and his school friends are really into making paper planes at the moment. Most days I spend some time picking up abandoned paper plane models that litter our house and if a friend is over to play, the plane count doubles. Arlo spends a lot of time perfecting his designs: which type of plan will fly the highest, which will stay in the air the longest, and so on. It's all rather scientific.

I sewed him this top on the weekend – it's a fairly loose-fitting sweater that will hopefully keep him warm this autumn. I used a thick stretch cotton that is brushed on one side. And to make the pattern, I traced around one of his old sweatshirts, and added a bit of length to the arms and body. I wanted to put a paper plane on there somewhere, so did a freeform embroidery and constructed a little pocket from that, lined in cotton and stitched straight on to the front of the top.

Just found these printable designs in case you have a plane enthusiast in your house too.

Early in the mornings, when I'm hanging the washing outside, it's cool enough to make me think that autumn is gradually arriving. I love the crisp coolness of late summer. It's probably too early to be thinking of brown and red earthy colours already, but I sewed something brown anyway: a new dress/top, from drapey vintage fabric. It's raisin-brown with a print of blue and cream flowers. I used this trusty pattern, like I did more than a year ago. The size of the fabric I used resulted in a rather short garment to be worn as a dress, but it might be okay with leggings and boots in the autumn. But probably best with jeans underneath.

Also pictured: something very small that I made to send to a friend: a little felt pincushion. Hand-sewn and embroidered with wool felt. 

Have you seen this music video? Hand on your heart, by Jose Gonzales. I like it very much. Even though I laugh when I think of my sister and I listening to the original version (Kylie Minogue) in our bedroom circa 1989.

Wishing you a happy, warm weekend wherever you might happen to be.

I've been working with quite a bit of wool this week, stitching up both gifts for friends, and some things for my shop update today. I made a small stack of wool needlecases, with botanical embroideries. Willow, tansy and queen anne's lace. I do love sewing with wool, even in the summertime. It comforts and protects.

I found this poem by Mary Oliver last night. It makes me think about observing what is around me and being patient. Thought you might like it too.

Next Time

Next time what I'd do is look at
the earth before saying anything. I'd stop
just before going into a house
and be an emperor for a minute
and listen better to the wind
or to the air being still.

When anyone talked to me, whether
blame or praise or just passing time,
I'd watch the face, how the mouth
has to work, and see any strain, any
sign of what lifted the voice.

And for all, I'd know more — the earth
bracing itself and soaring, the air
finding every leaf and feather over
forest and water, and for every person
the body glowing inside the clothes
like a light.

– Mary Oliver