tiny happy

(More photos by Felicia Semple)

Felicia sent through the group photo of those smiling faces from the last hour of The Craft Sessions and I couldn't resist posting it here. It really sums up the whole weekend: smiling faces, peace, friendship (not forgetting a proliferation of hand-made clothes.)

So we still have no internet at home- there's been a bit of a mix-up, but we should have it again next week. Thank you for all the kind messages about our new place. It's exciting to have our own house, and we are feeling settled and very grateful. The big windows are the best place to view Wellington's 'characterful' weather from a safe and warm environment..

I hope you're having a good week. Do you need something lovely to look at? Today (via a friend on FB) I found these portraits: mothers with their one-day-old babies.

Our new house is on a hill, looking out at the coloured rooftops and cabbage trees. It's peaceful up here, I like the sense of perspective and watching the buses trundle past in the morning.

The only thing wrong is our internet connection: it's still not sorted out so I'm not able to post many pictures without the computer crashing. I'll have to make do with two today- will be back with some more tomorrow.

I hope you had a lovely weekend.

I was sent a link to this blog post, written by Emanuela in Italy. I don't understand what it says, but I'm really honoured that she wrote about my photos and words. I suppose we don't always need to understand the written language. Much can be communicated by colours, textures, landscape and form. 

(photos by Felicia Semple)

Here are some more images from The Craft Sessions: in particular from my embroidery classes. It was rather special to have a whole day to devote to walking outside, gathering branches and leaves, drawing them, and translating those forms onto linen. I loved seeing how the different students approached the work. Even down to small things like the thread colours and forms they chose. On the Sunday, we made 'modern samplers' – you can see Anna above with her piece.

I'm feeling inspired by the students to try some different colour combinations and stitches. And to see if I can somehow replicate that long, quiet time chatting and working, with no phone, computer or other distractions.

(photos by Felicia Semple)

Poor blog, sorry I have been neglecting you! I've been away, you see. And moving house. It looks like we won't have internet connected for another week.

BUT I had to write about the magnificent weekend I had, and I didn't want to leave it another day. On Friday I flew to Melbourne, where I attended The Craft Sessions retreat. There are so many things to say about this event. It's hard to know where to start, except to say that first and foremost, it centred around love and generosity.

I was honoured to be a teacher for the weekend. I taught three classes: 'embroidery from the natural world', 'making a modern sampler' and 'reversible baby shoes'.

I got to know some beautifully creative and kind new friends, in particular Felicia, who was the main coordinator of the event. I drank red wine around an open fire. I woke up to the sound of a king parrot. I ate some really nice organic chocolate. I talked deeply about the creative process. I shared a room with this inspiring woman. I admired many hand-knitted cardigans and hats.

There are lots more photos and words over at The Craft Sessions blog. I will sort out my own photos and write again soon.

I hope this finds you well, dear reader.

I answered some questions about making Christmas stuff for Louana over on her lovely blog- you can find the interview here.

I love Christmas time, although it does seem somewhat distant right now. Can't wait for all that baking, present-wrapping, chocolate-eating and friend- visiting ahead.

The photo above was taken back in 2008, when we were living in Norway. I enjoyed the Scandinavian Christmas traditions very much. In fact, I can't say which I enjoy more- river-swimming, salad-eating Christmas, or its opposite.

It was my birthday last week, and among some other gorgeous things, I was given this wish necklace from Helen. It's a tiny glass bottle containing dandelion seeds from her home garden. Like H, I'm a weed/wildflower fan and the idea of carrying some tiny seeds around my neck appeals greatly. It reminded me of these dandelion sketches I did a while back. Also the way I couldn't walk past a dandelion seedhead as a kid without blowing to disperse the seeds. Okay, so I still do that as an adult..

This week's pattern is even later than usual. Wasn't here on Friday, or Saturday. Sunday is a good day. It's bright and sunny, and the lawn is covered in tiny daisies, which obviously sparked the idea for today's design. I was also thinking of small-scale Laura Ashley kitchen wallpaper- I think this could nearly qualify. It would need a frieze to complete the look though, really.

Also for this pattern, I had to use the kid's crayons. This is because I had mislaid my paintbox and coloured pencils and actually, all other art supplies. We are moving house in five days or so. Lots of things are in boxes. We have moved house many times, so you would think that the packing could happen in a more organised fashion. But it never seems to.

I'm hoping this move will be the last in a long while. We have finally bought our first Wellington house, which is thrilling (before now we have been renting.) We're very lucky. 

I will pop back here a few times over the next week or so, and after that I'll be able to introduce you to our new place. I can't wait to show you!

Here's my favourite piece of music these days. Happy new week, dear readers.

There's a sea of lilies in our backyard- aren't they beautiful? It must be arum lily season. There is an elderly lady who sells bunches of them tied with string outside the supermarket. I wonder who buys them? They seem to be growing wild everywhere, but still, she patiently waits for customers.

Thank you to Anoushka who sent me some of her illustrated cards, all the way from Switzerland. And this gorgeous tote bag. I feel a bit like that head-standing woman this week, although I think my actual gymnastic days are over.

Today is a happy one for the New Zealand arts community: local writer Eleanor Catton became the youngest ever writer to win the Man Booker prize for her novel The Luminaries. Go Eleanor!

– hand-printed whole cloth quilt for a new baby

– trio of linen rabbits

– dandelion tea cups. 

In absence of anything recently handmade, here are some projects from other Octobers. It's strange to think these were made about three years ago- it doesn't seem long at all since I dug out the ceramic pens and raided the roadside for dandelion inspiration.

For various reasons, my workdesk is piled up high with half-finished projects that I haven't quite had the fortitude to tackle. But I'm hoping that will change as these spring days warm up and get longer.

In other news, do you know what IKTSUARPOK means? Here's a list of eleven beauitful foreign words that we don't have equivalents for in English.