tiny happy

We had the most beautiful sunshine over the weekend. I wandered around the house with my camera and tried to capture it, here are a few glimpses. I think I'm focusing on light, but when I look at the photos, it seems I was paying attention to different textiles- colour + pattern.

Thanks for entering the book giveaway in the last post. I will draw a winner on Wednesday, so there are still a couple of days to enter if you'd like to.

I've been completely immersed in 1970s Norway, reading Karl Ove Knausgaard. It's good.

Here's a song for you: Lost in the Dream.

I ordered some new copies of my book, Sweet & Simple Handmade, and would like to offer one up to a reader. Would you like to win your own copy, or one for a friend? Just leave a comment on this post, or over on the facebook page, and i'll enter your name in the draw. International entries welcome : )

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What's the book all about? It's a collection of 25 original projects, with instructions and a pocket at the back of the book containing all the tissue paper patterns you'll need to make them. Most patterns are for clothes, bags and toys for kids aged newborn to 10 years. But there is also the pattern for the pleated tote bag you see above. 

You can also find it here on etsy, felt, or directly (e-book or print version) from my publisher.

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Happy weekend! We will be celebrating a family birthday, standing on a soccer field, and staying close to the fire at all other times. 

A favourite winter bake: simple lemon cake (from last July- recipe and post here.)

And a lemon-cream top I sewed for Keira in 2011, as it turns out- I wondered when it was because she put it on for a family dinner on the weekend and it has become very short! Time to pass down to a younger cousin, I think. The pattern was from this Japanese book, the fabric was some vintage printed silk/crepe.

I have another book giveaway organised for Friday, so maybe see you then..?

Today I'm writing over here at Anissa's place, about a favourite possession. Thanks for inviting me, A!

Happy new week, dear readers.

I found a beautiful new cookbook at the library this week: Isa Does It, which features everyday vegan recipes. I'm not vegan but like the idea of eating less animal products, and this book is very inspiring to me. Isa Chandra Moskowitz, of Post Punk Kitchen fame, has been writing cookbooks since 2005. This one is really beautifully styled, written in a friendly and fun way and filled with recipes that suit us as a family so I need to order a household copy of this book.

Kiera and I made these Isa muesli bars together – she did the pouring and mixing while I rummaged around in the pantry for all the ingredients. The verdict: yummier than shop ones, and the best thing: no wrappers to worry about: just a bit of waxed paper within the kids' lunchboxes. I conveniently found the recipe here on the book's facebook page, in case you want to give it a whirl.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Two finished projects from this week: a project bag from some great woven cotton in a minty-green shade, and a drum lightshade, in mint and cream striped cotton. I had a lot of fun making the lightshade and it's now in Arlo's bedroom because that's where it was most needed. He helped choose the fabric ('something with stripes and not too bright please') – we ended up using a duvet cover with thin stripes that had seen better days.

And the actual shade was made with the help of a do-it-yourself kit given to me for Mother's Day, bought locally here. 

Given that it was a Mother's Day gift I demanded that everyone help me make up the project – family fun…

We celebrated Arlo's eleventh birthday over the weekend. Eleven! 

X X X X x x x x X X X X x x x x X X X X 

p.s. Thanks for entering the printing book giveaway. Anna drew a winner – congratulations Glenys.

I'm guest-posting today about free-form embroidery over at The Craft Sessions blog. Will you follow me there?

Also, there's still a little time to enter this giveaway, if you haven't already. 

Hope the sun is shining where you are. 

I came across some beautiful old fabrics in a second-hand shop recently. They provided the inspiration I needed to spend some time at the sewing machine, putting their best parts to use. And updating my usually-neglected etsy shop.

I love turning unwanted things into new, useful things. And old fabrics feature the best colours, don't you think?

Here's a scarf to match the cloudy weather: hand-printed at both ends with Xs of various sizes.

I was going for a hand-drawn, random look (conveniently..) so I carved quite a large printing block with the shapes and stamped it on this grey cotton scarf ($1 at the op-shop- hooray!)

This particular op-shop trip was initiated by our resident teenager who, since living in Wellington, has been growing her passion for secondhand clothes and eclectic style. She has an amazing eye for colour, shape and pattern and unending patience for looking through old stuff with me… : )