tiny happy

gathered linen

This is a new design I've been working on- soft linen skirts for small girls (2-8 yrs). They are pretty simple, really: creamy, soft vintage fabric or crisp navy linen with an appliqued crochet patch. All the skirts have a double-gathered waistband and lots of room to grow. I'm hoping to add them to my shop update tomorrow.

I think I was quite influenced by the children's clothes in Noa Noa in the making of these skirts. And when I found the cream vintage linen in a second-hand shop, I knew what I wanted to do with it.

 

It turns out that children will model any clothing for you, as long as you supply them with food...

in the city

busker at Vigelund Park, Oslo.

Last night we arrived home from a weekend in Oslo where we made full use of the city's excellent public transport system, especially the trains. It's a wonderful place to soak up the big-city sights and sounds, yet it's really child-friendly, too. Lots of playgrounds and cafes and parks. We visited the International Children's Art Museum which was a colourful old house crammed full of pictures, art materials, handmade toys, dolls and kitsch items. A must-visit if you're in Oslo with little ones!

Just thought I'd share some pictures from the city...

crow's nests in a park

a monument to chocolate.

waiting for a train

part of an amazing scuplture at Vigeland Park by Gustav Vigeland

more Vigeland sculptures

learning to catch

Keira and I spent a morning making some fabric balls for her to throw around the house, and a couple as baby gifts. I let K choose the fabrics from a big basket, a job she really likes. And then, because we didn't have any polyfill or wool stuffing, she stuffed the sewn balls with small scraps of fabric (leftover cuttings) I'd been saving up for a while.

Because the fabric-filled balls are quite heavy and squishy, they're perfect for learning to catch inside our little house. And of course, a good way to use up small bits of fabric. That's always good.

en plein air

The sunshine we've been enjoying is just perfect for a bit of painting outside, if you're in the mood. The children were, for about 5 minutes. But it was a good five minutes.

press

I am honoured to be featured in an article in this month's NZ House and Garden magazine. My copy hasn't arrived yet, so these (poor quality- sorry!) images are taken from a file of the article that was sent to me a couple of months ago. The article was written by Jacquetta Bell and the amazing photography by Daniel Allen, both friends from my hometown of Nelson, New Zealand. So I want to welcome you to my blog, if you're visiting after reading NZ House and Garden.

Looking at these photos (which were taken just before we moved to Norway) makes me feel quite homesick for our old house! Especially my workroom, I have to admit. It was so nice in there.

I also want to thank you for all your emails, comments and enquiries about my work. I hope to reply to most of them, but if I don't manage it, I have come up with a new way to organise my online shop- weekly updates. Instead of making up a mailing list or writing to each customer individually, I will try to put some new stock into my shop every Wednesday morning. Hopefully, if you're after a pair of baby shoes or something else you'll be able to check in then. I hope that's helpful.

Thank you all for the support!

roadside flowers

I found these little shiny flowers on the walk from school today, growing against a brick wall. So these are the flowers that grow out of concrete here. Shiny and yellow, and clean.

I bought some vintage fabric a while ago that made me think of roadside flowers- it's a light cotton fabric with a pale brown botanical pattern, and I made it into a top using the Built By Wendy pattern - Simplicity 3835. I think I am the last person in craft-blog-world to make this one- but I am really happy with it, and have a couple more cut out already. It's very quick and simple to make.

monday afternoon

painting poppies, wearing polish slippers.

printed forest

(a little note: i put some new pairs of baby shoes in my shop today.)

Last week our local library had a book sale and I found a few to take home, including this Norwegian children's book entitled 'Treet som ikke sto stille'. (Written by Henning Kramer Dahl, published by Solum Forlag, 2002). I'm not sure what the title means- (norwegian readers?!) but perhaps it's something like, 'The tree that wasn't quiet'...? It seems to be a story about the adventures of a little green pine tree and her squirrel-friend.

The illustrations are woodcuts by Norwegian artists Lasse Kolsrud and Gunhild Vegge and are the reason I bought the book, although one day I do hope to understand some of the writing!

I love the subtle colours used for the prints, the textural feel of the woodcuts, and of course, the way in which simple shapes can have such feeling and integrity.

Inspiration for painting, gocco-printing, lino-cutting, maybe even potato-printing with the kids..?

chain stitch

Tom is away travelling in Germany and Poland this week with his history class, and I discovered a very nice way to spend an evening alone: listening to National Radio podcasts and practicing my chain stitch.

 

I made a dent in this stash of embroidery thread, and stitched onto some fine beige linen to make these little 'nature portraits' for our kitchen. Upon reflection, it might have been easier if I'd traced a design onto the fabric first, but it was quite fun and liberating to work free-hand, and let the stitches go where they wanted to. If you know what I mean.

I left the edges of the linen raw and slightly fraying inside their wooden frames. A bit of spring on the kitchen bench.

doll love

Thank you for your comments on my last post! That was fun- I must give things away on here more often. I used a random number generator online to pick a winner- and funnily enough, it was my Dad! (Hi, Dad!) I don't know if he would take his lunch to work in the yellow bag (although, he might) and I've been meaning to send him some chocolate for a while, anyway. So I got another number, and it was Pat's. Hope you like it, Pat! Thanks for helping me celebrate my blog birthday.

Last week K and A were given this wooden doll's cot, and two pre-loved dolls from Arlo's kindergarten/school. They've never shown much interest in dolls before, but they're really into these ones, even though they're pretty battered and have interesting haircuts. Maybe their tough, around-the-block style is what appeals. Over the last couple of days, we've been working on fixing up the bed and making some clothes for the dolls. I'm surprised by how enjoyable it is! I never cared for dolls much when I was little.

The 'duvet' is constructed from two old sheets, and I made the bed a new mattress from some favourite Norwegian cotton.