tiny happy

space + time

So much has happened over the past month.
I haven't felt like writing here, or on my other social media accounts, much since the devastating terrorist attack that took place in Christchurch. But at the same time reading articles, blogs and social media posts online have been comforting and illuminating to me in the past few weeks.

It's just that I haven't found my own words to add. And I still haven't, really. In the last photo above you can see a sign someone left on a concrete wall on our street. It's a simple statement but it does sum things up. I hope it won't be painted over anytime soon.

At the beginning of March, we left Wellington for Japan. It was a trip we had been dreaming of, as a family, for a long time. While our house rather needs painting and many other things should have taken 'priority' we just decided to go for it while we could. I feel so incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to do this. We had a fabulous time - both as a break from work and just soaking up a different place with all its difference and energy and beauty.

I felt that we had stepped into a kind and calm place that was also very busy and important. I wish I had written a diary while we were there to help me remember all the details. I will have to see if Keira will let me read hers from time to time, as she carefully documented her days and annotated her journal pages with receipts and museum tickets, sweet wrappers and labels.

Photos, from top:

- in the hallway of my textile artist heroine, Naomi Ito (Nani Iro) on my way to visit her studio. More about this in my next post...

- one slice of the view from Tokyo's famous SkyTree tower.

- I took photos of the drain covers in each place we visited. This is the beautiful design on drains in Nara.

- Keira turned 14 while we were in Japan. Her wish was to visit the Tove Jansson Akebono Children's Forest Park in Saitama, so we did. This was one of the little buildings in the park. There was also a beautiful mud-brick house with a spiral wooden staircase and a reading room where you could sit and explore Tove Jansson's books. There will soon be a new Moomin park built nearby, but we missed the opening by a few days.

- we burned some incense alongside people from all over the world at this special communal shrine at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa.

- plum and cherry blossoms were starting to come out in the last few days we were in Japan, like party decorations. They're so pretty. Like nearly everyone else, I took a hundred photos of them.

I was lucky enough to bring a few craft-related purchases home with me. I'll show these in my next post, coming soon! 
I hope you are well and happy, dear reader.

craft camp in july

A weekend away with friends to learn, play and experiment with making.
That's on offer at the inaugural Craft Camp, a weekend-long retreat near Wellington organised by Tash and her team at Holland Road Yarn Company , July 12-14.

While Tash says this event is aimed at knitters and makers, there are no knitting classes. Each session is designed to complement your existing skills, either to help you celebrate what you already know or add a new talent to your tool belt.

The classes on offer feature weaving, photography, mindfulness and more. I'm thrilled to be attending and teaching wool embroidery.

In my class, we'll use fine wool yarn to embroider onto linen. Suitable for both beginners and more experienced stitchers, embroidering with yarn is fun and much faster than thread. It's also a great way to use up leftovers from your knitting stash. I'll be sure to bring lots of materials, samples and templates for us to use.

Tickets to Craft Camp go on sale on Monday March 11. I'd love to see you there if you can make it!

pressed flowers

My sister gave birth to her second daughter last week. Such an exciting time! I made some things for my new niece, including the knitted things you can see above. Baby was a little bigger than we were expecting so hopefully she will get some wear out of them! And if not I will happily knit her some more. 
The booties are a great design - the pattern is called 'Hodge' and you can find it free here. The cuff on each shoe folds over and is ribbed underneath for a snug fit. The little socks were made using this pattern and some leftover sock yarn, and the hat was knit from angora yarn and the pattern made up as I went. I can't wait to meet my little niece, H.S.N.

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Late summer is a good time to harvest flowers although it's been a bit dry here this summer. I did find a few things to put in the flower press though, and when I opened it up, I found a batch of last summer's blooms. I used these to make up some little tags to attach to presents and etsy orders, etc.

To make these, I place the flowers on scrap bits of card and then add a layer of clear plastic seal. Then I cut around the flowers and punch a hole in the top for fastening.

Inspired by the pressed flowers, I also embroidered some botanical pins. I really enjoy making these, and the way they provide the chance to use up the tiniest scraps of linen, thread and felt. 

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The middle photos above were taken from the deck of the inter-island ferry on the weekend, and walking down a fern-lined path upon our arrival in the South Island. Tom and I were lucky enough to attend our friends' wedding on the lawn in front of a beach house by the sea in the Marlborough Sounds. 

I hope you have had a lovely weekend, dear reader! 
We are going away on a family adventure for a couple of weeks. I'll be back in late March, so see you then.

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