tiny happy

linen + hoop

(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.

all about the love

(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.

christmas in october - an interview

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.

wishes in glass

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..

pattern 28 and a move

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.

sea of lilies

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!

crafty flashbacks

- 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. 

pattern friday- 27 again

Here's #27 again- in colour this time. I hope you've had a lovely week! Mine has been a bit quieter than usual. We've had wild storms. Each morning when I step out the door, the road is covered in petals and leaves. It can't be easy being a plant in Wellington.

These things are on my optimistic weekend list:

Make some lemon blueberry pudding

Watch Moonrise Kingdom

Sew a new spring dress (have some fabric, need to find a pattern. Any suggestions?)

See you next week.

sampling

Threads, needles, scissors, linen, old embroidery books. These are some of the things I've been gathering today, in preparation for my classes at The Craft Sessions. For this particular class, I've written a little booklet for each student containing ideas, stitch diagrams and freehand embroidery encouragement. 

Now I just need to get them copied and stapled together. 

Today is the last day to register for TCS, if you're thinking about it. (To find out more, you can listen to a podcast all about it here.)

As well as all sorts of crafty delights, there will be yoga, pastries, gift bags, delicious food, and a sauna. Really. It would be so great to see you there.

jewel colours

I had lunch (and saw this amazing show) with my friend Karuna and her daughter Poppy over the weekend. K gave me a huge stash of her embroidery threads which have inspired me to try all sorts of different stitches. The threads are beautiful hand dyed yarns in jewellery-box colours: rich gold, blues and greens.

The really exciting thing about them is that they're coming with me to The Craft Sessions in Australia at the end of October. I'm teaching a few classes: two of them are free-form embroidery and I will be sharing these beautiful threads, different linens and visual inspiration I've been collecting for this very purpose. 

There are few spots available at The Craft Sessions- it will be really quite a special thing. The registrations close on the 10th so you have a couple more days to join in.