tiny happy

Happy Friday. Here's a painterly, blue pattern for today. I've been reading about Leeanne Shapton and her design work (I wrote about her a few years ago) and looking at her beautiful painted book covers. I really like her style. Today's pattern was definitely Shapton-inspired. I am about to start reading Was She Pretty, and hopefully there'll be some time to do that this weekend. 

It's been pretty exciting to see my book slowly make its way into the world. This week a few copies arrived at Lopdell House Gallery in Auckland. I met the lovely Lisa from Lopdell House at Handmade, and now I want to visit the gallery in person.

Deb made a cape for her daughter's dress-up box and a dress, too.

Louana made this beautiful coat for her daughter.

Please post your pictures to the new Sweet and Simple Handmade pinterest page, if you like. I'd love to see what you're making with the patterns.

I've been trying to write letters, lately. Along with everyone in the world, I love receiving letters. But I don't write enough myself. The old email is just too easy and (sad to say) sometimes the act of handwriting (as opposed to typing) can feel laborious and foreign. But I'm determined to write more paper letters. And so I thought having a stack of stationery on hand would be a good start.

A while back I found a plain set of writing paper (cream) with matching envelopes amongst all my craft supplies. I used some hand-carved stamps to print some matching sets. And on some other pieces, I did a spot of good old-fashioned paper collage. I used mod-podge and some pictures from old gardening books and random bits of paper I'd been saving for such a job.

And now the 'stationery cupboard' is all set up for some serious correspondence. That's the plan, anyway.

I recently read about this letter-writing club in Auckland. Does anyone know if there's one in Wellington?

Have you ever taken a look at my pinterest board 'ways to wrap'? I've been collecting favourite papery tricks on there for a while now.

I was looking through some old photos and found these that I took while preparing images for my book. They were taken about this time last year, on a late-afternoon walk down at Lyall Bay beach. The project I was photographing was the 'winter coat' pattern (pg 112) which is a very simple design for a lined, hooded jacket that fastens with two toggles slightly to the side of the front. I used a thick grey corduroy for the outer and this lining print for Arlo's coat and some tweedy wool with cotton lawn lining for Keira's. These photos weren't used in the final book but I like them anyway, and their misty wild feel which I think captures a South coast Wellington beach nicely.

I found a use for that cake plate I mentioned yesterday- displaying cloud cakes.

We had family around for dinner and I decided coconut macaroons and oranges would be a nice dessert. And there were enough leftover for morning tea on Sunday. Not bad at all.

I used this recipe from a while back, but didn't have sliced almonds for the top this time. I also added a bit more coconut to make the finished cookies a bit firmer.

Have you heard the latest National album, Trouble Will Find Me? I'm finding it a good accompaniment to my winter days.

I don't often go opshopping these days, but I still love finding useful and beautiful things to buy second-hand when I get the chance. Here are three recent finds that I bought with 'making things' in mind.

– a beautiful old cake plate. I have a couple of pudding bowls in this same anemone-type pattern, so I was very pleased to find this matching cake plate. It's marked 'Lord Nelson Pottery'.

– a length of very beautiful oatmeal linen. I have embroidery plans lined up for this. (I bought this online, not from a second-hand shop.)

– a crazy old book: 'A Handbook of Bulbs and Perennials for the Southern Hemisphere' by Richard E. Harrison. The pages have come away from the spine and some are missing, but there are some great strangely-coloured photos and diagrams I could put to use.

Are you an op-shopper? Have you had any great finds lately? 

A watercolour pattern for today, a sunny Friday in June. I'm imagining this printed on fine linen curtains in a log cabin with the windows open. In a summerhouse in Sweden by a lake. That's about as far away from a Wellington winter I can imagine right now.

Speaking of good imaginary places to visit: I humbly offer you…

lettuce garden

feather-grass

icelandic scape

skyscape

See you next week.

This week I wanted to show you another favourite Wellington place: The Massey Memorial, which is a short walk up from Shelley Bay near Miramar. It's a great place to visit if you want a quick dose of (very) fresh air and a good vista of the city.

The memorial is the mausoleum of former Prime Minister William Massey and his wife. It was finished in marble in 1930. It's pretty striking and in the most amazing spot, overlooking the harbour and city. There are also a few paths leading further up the hill from the memorial, where you can explore old concrete army bunkers and get blown about by the wind. Maybe also get a view of these guys at work on their set.

(dear strangers, I hope you don't mind me taking your portrait.)

Last week I wrote about a new gig I have- contributing craft projects to this magazine each month. But I'm worried I mislead you- it's only a very small job, and I actually have another, as a journalist writing about science. It's my first ever job in an office, which is pretty different, but good.

I'm just going into my second month in the job and the thing I've found the hardest so far is getting everyone organised in the morning in a calm fashion. (I say 'everyone', but the others are all pretty good, it's me who is not calm). I'm sure we'll learn all the tricks in time, but right now I have discovered one thing that really helps.

I'm not really into eating breakfast so early in the morning. But I don't mind eating baked goods (no surprise there, right?) So on Sundays I've been making these 'breakfast biscuits' which are kind of like a bowl of cereal, but baked. I add chopped walnuts and sunflower seeds but you could add whatever is in the pantry. You can even eat them on the way to the bus stop.

BREAKFAST BISCUITS

150 grams butter

3 Tb honey

1 cup sultanas

1 3/4 cups plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (or any other dried fruit)

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup boiling water

Place the butter, honey and dried fruit in a saucepan over a medium heat until the butter is melted. In a large bowl, mix together all the other ingredients, except for the baking soda and hot water. Stir well.

In a small bowl, pour the hot water over the baking soda then add this to the melted butter mixture. Stir, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix well. Roll into large balls then press flat with a fork. Bake at 180 degrees celcius for about 10-15 minutes then cool on a rack.

HANDMADE this year was the best one yet, I reckon.

My classes went well- I put quite a lot of time into preparing for them and it definitely paid off in making the whole weekend smoother. I made these baby pants with a tiny elephant for one of my classes, and did a bit of stamping on linen for the other. I wanted to bring finished examples to both classes and I also brought along some 'inspiration books' (my favourite printing books- this and this, and a botanical book too).

The students really got into making things and I loved seeing what they did with the materials. I also got to meet up with some dear crafty friends from out of town and make some new ones, too. 

Thank you to everyone who made it a success. I hope I can join in again next year.

A printed pattern this Friday- inspired by my favourite plant: ferns.

I'm getting ready for my workshops this weekend and hand-printed this length of vintage cream silk to bring along to my hand-carved stamp class at HANDMADE as an example of what can be made. I'm not sure what I will do with the fabric- but I do love silk and the way it falls. I also think it elevates the hand-printing to something quite special and luxurious. Maybe it would make a nice blouse/dress.

I'm pretty sure there are some spaces left (to book your spot, scroll down this list until you find my class then click on the booking link). I am taking this workshop on both Saturday and Sunday, and this class on both days, as well. 

The printing class sold out last year and the baby clothes class is a new one, it would be lovely to have you along. I'm looking forward to a weekend of crafty goodness in Wellington.

Enjoy your weekend, dear readers.