tiny happy

This is a pretty unoriginal post. And also, quite an unoriginal project. But after making this the other day, I just had to make another one, because everyone in the family except me was using it.

It was such a simple, but actually quite lovely, thing. A very heavy, overstuffed feather pillow. With a piece of pure linen (cream with hand-drawn lines in grey) for the front and big-floral for the back. Cotton twill tape to tie it closed at one end.

This week (when I find time to luxuriously settle against this pillow, that is) I've been reading The Faraway Nearby, by Rebecca Solnit. I'm really enjoying it, especially Apricots, which is about storytelling and memories.

Have you seen these amazing drawings that decorated Charles Darwin's 'Origins of the Species' manuscript? I love that his ten children made their mark on the pages. The fruit and vegetable army has my heart forever.

These birds are not geese, I'm afraid, but seagulls. I hardly ever see a flock of geese passing overhead. Gulls are more our thing in our coastal city. But I found them beautiful, nevertheless.

I mention geese because I made some coin purses for my shop from a stack of 'flying geese' blocks that I'd previously been saving to make a quilt inspired by this I'd seen some time ago on Pinterest. But I don't think I'll make that quilt any time soon. And the geese blocks have been sitting on my worktable, waiting to fly.

If you like flying geese, I think you should have a look at this most amazing quilt. 

The yellow lupins were captured here at the beginning of summer, and the ferns were snapped a couple of weeks ago. Lush and crinkly, those ferns. I love them so.

I got cards printed up from some of my photographs and have been having a good time writing notes to friends. Postcards are do-able because there's only so much room on the back – there's always time to write a postcard, don't you think?

I'm lucky because my daughter K loves to write letters and postcards almost as much as I do. She even volunteers to walk to the postbox for me, for the princely sum of a $1 mixture (sweets), and the cost of the stamps.

I've admired the art of Fleur Wickes for ages, and recently I bought a piece to give to T. as a gift, though it's sort of for me too, because it will go into a frame in our room. It's called 'Cinderella Valentine' and is printed on thick black photo-paper. (Click on the photo for a bigger view.)

Fleur Wickes makes beautiful work that combines photography, typography/illustration, and poetry. It always has a heart-stopping quality for me and a certain kind of vulnerability and elegance.

Fleur has a studio in Whanganui, but you can find her website here.

Because it's the 14th of February, here is a favourite poem. Wishing you a love-filled day.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The kitchen has been a busy place this summer, with visiting family and friends and extra kids racing around and the door permanently open to let bees, flies and sometimes cicadas in.

I've got the children making iceblocks, and in the photo above K is holding the family favourite variety, which is made by whisking equal parts coconut milk and pineapple juice together. We've also made pops by freezing berries and yoghurt, milkshakes, and different kinds of fruit smoothies in the moulds (which are these ones.) 

I recently saw Nicola's amazing recipe for blueberry jelly-tip ice blocks and hope to try making those on the weekend.

Anna Jones' book A Modern Way to Eat was a happy library find. I really like it- the philosophy (simple, delicious, vegetarian food that isn't overtly 'vegetarian') the recipes (easy, no-fuss, the kind of food I like to make for the family), and the design (I think it's a really beautiful book.) 

I have made Anna's avocado and lemon spaghetti a few times lately, because there always seems to be an avocado in our fruit bowl these days, and everyone really likes it. You can find the recipe here. 

Here's a recent small project I finished: a reading pillow. I bought the green handwoven fabric over the summer (wrote about it here) and couldn't bear to use it for its intended purpose (imagining instant lasagne contact, etc) So I sewed it up into a cover for a big fat feather pillow and reading happiness and comfort was the result. Tom makes more time for reading than I do, so it mostly lives on his side of the bed.

I recently finished Burial Rites, by Hannah Kent, which took me to 1820s Iceland. It's beautifully written, I loved it.

I have a beautiful hardback edition of The Mijo Tree by Janet Frame, along with some New Yorker magazines I found at the second-hand bookshop on the bedside table too.

And I'm making my way through A Modern Way to Eat, by Anna Jones. Will write more about this soon, specifically, spaghetti recipes of note.

What are you reading these days? 

I haven't felt like doing anything much this past week (though have had to go work regardless, alas), but the other day I sat down with Keira and her friend and did some drawing and painting with them. I got out a stack of old magazines and we cut them up- K made collages in her scrapbook and I made a big pile of tags, cards, envelopes (like these) and stickers- all for wrapping etsy orders and birthday presents throughout the year. It was fun and a good 'gentle crafty' thing to do. I'm hoping to get stuck into some more creative work this weekend.

When sad things happen in my life, I've always found it alluring to switch off and do nothing: stare out of a window, go to bed earlier, mooch around. But taking a photo, cooking something for someone, making the effort to go for a walk with a friend… these are all things that can have a good healing effect. Do you think so too?

I love the ferns in our garden. They are beautiful all year round.

I can see angels standing around you.
they shimmer like mirrors in summer.
But you don't know it.
And they will carry you o'er the walls,
If you need us, just call.

– Among Angels, Kate Bush

We've been enjoying some beautifully warm weather here in Wellington (dare I say, unusually warm?) It seemed like a good time to get a few summery projects finished, the first being this top, which was made using Jenny Gordy's Wiksten Tank pattern (you can find it for sale here.)

I loved the watercolour-painted style of this cotton as soon as I saw it (in Global Fabrics, Ghuznee St, central Wellington and they just happen to be having a sale, if you're local…)

The Wiksten Tank is a nice pattern with a generous fit and French seam finishing, as well as bias edging around the neckline and armholes (I used a contrasting brown gingham fabric for this job.)

I plan on matching it with my favourite work pants and new Saltwater sandals on Monday. Fingers crossed this weather settles in for another week…

This is a handwoven lap blanket my Mum made and gave to me – isn't it beautiful?

The yarns used are silk – wool – merino – possum and the colours range from a mossy green to a dark purple/blue, with iridescent, butterfly-wing-blue shot through. She also crocheted a wide green border at each end.

My current plan is to sneak it into my office in the city – there is a distinct lack of handweaving in there.