Journey and Inspiration

Interlude - What I've Been Up To

2009-09-09T17:28:00.005+10:00

Many apologies for my long absence. We have Impending Houseguests (!), including a friend coming for half a week next week and my parents for a month in Oct-Nov, so we've been basically tearing up the apt and rearranging and reorganizing it all. This, among other projects, has been keeping me far too busy.

I did want to stop in, though, and share one cool thing I did earlier today. We had this ratty old lamp given to us by my Mother in Law a couple years back. We use it as a bedside table lamp, but it was pretty boring. So, today I decided it needed an upgrade. The base of it is actually quite nice, made of a rich-coloured wood, so really it was only the boring, cream lampshade that had to go.

(I wish I had thought to take a before photo... but really, just imagine a the most boring lampshade cover you can.)

It is actually now covered with Japanese Yuzen paper. I chose that because, one, it's really pretty! and two, I happened to have large half-sheets of it lying around.

Because of the shape (very narrow on top, very wide at the bottom), I was nervous about cutting it and getting the size totally wrong. So, I actually painted on PVA glue with an old brush I didn't care about and rolled the lampshade on the paper, wrapping it around as I went. (I had made a slit at the top so it wouldn't wrinkle weirdly as I turned it.) Then, I trimmed the top and bottom to about a centimeter or two, and made perpendicular cuts to the edges, forming tabs all around. I then glued each tab down separately, forming a nice edge

Nothing too fancy, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Mostly, I just love the paper I used. It has some wrinkles in it, but the paper is pretty textured so I think it just adds to its character. And now I have a bright, colourful lamp to perk up my bedroom. :)

(The chest of drawers in the photos is from IKEA, and I put that together today too. At some point I will stain and lacquer it with a pretty design, but that's a project for another day.)

Weekend Wishlist - Extra Geeky Warcraft Edition

2009-08-23T21:14:00.003+10:00

So.. I spent this weekend at home watching the streaming Blizzcon coverage with my husband. For those of you that might not know, Blizzcon is the gaming convention put on by the company Blizzard, responsible for World of Warcraft and other video games. There were far too many unhealthy snacks and a whole lot of geeking out, I can tell you.

In honour of this epicly nerdy occasion, I'm showing off a few of my favourite Warcraft-themed items from Etsy.

Curious Yellow Stained Glass Question Mark Garden Sculpture by FeralGlass

World of Warcraft Hearthstone Earrings by TheClayCollection

World of Warcraft Guild Tabard by SterlingStitches

Mrrgluglg Custom Handmade Tadpole by lulahoops

A Ghoulish Companion by ChewyPopcorn

Etched 16 oz. Glass World of Warcraft Alliance Symbol by NanajofNine

World of Warcraft Horde Insignia Laptop Decal by sprocketbox

Crafty To-Do List

2009-08-19T23:32:00.004+10:00

Sorry I've been quiet recently. I didn't even manage a Weekend Wishlist this week, because I've been super busy. I pushed myself a lot over the weekend (including staying up till 4am cleaning one night) and I'm paying for it by being really worn out this week. I do have some things on my mind to post about to make this blog much more exciting than it is now (which is not much!), including my adventures through teaching myself crochet and a perfume oil review I owe Artemesia from Owlchemy from ages ago.

This post, however, is about all the projects I have piling up around me that I really need to sit down and get to work on! I figure if I make a list of it somewhere, I can check it off as I go along. Or at least stare at it for a while until I feel guilty enough I'm not getting anything done. :p

1) Craft swap journal for the DUST craft swap this month. (Plus a few other goodies?)

2) Finish embroidering my husband's jacket, since he can't wear it till I'm done

3) Finish journals in progress for my shop, as well as make new ones. Expanding stock = good.

4) Sew the pile of scraps I've set aside into more pieces of wall art

5) Introduce a few new paper card designs into my shop that I've got tucked away up my sleeve.

6) Work out the logistics of bookmarks for the shop!

7) Continue teaching myself crochet, particularly finishing the scarf I just started.

8) Shadowbox project for my husband I've been tooootally slack on. Eep.

9) Finally open the not-so-supersecret art shop I've been planning.

Yeah.. I have a lot to get done, and always so little time, or at least that's what it feels like! What have you got on your crafting plate in the near future? I'm always happy to trade virtual motivational pokes!

Weekend Wishlist - Melbourne

2009-08-12T10:11:00.006+10:00

I spent last weekend down in Melbourne, and had a fabulous time. My inlaws put my husband and I up in a swanky hotel as a wedding anniversary gift, so we spent a night on the 25th floor of the Grand Hyatt. The view was beautiful and we took advantage of room service for both dinner and breakfast, and I'm so glad we did. The food was really delicious and it's not like we splurge on fancy food often. Just thinking about the steak is making me hungry again. Below is our view from the Hyatt, both day and night (click for big versions):

Anyway, the other highlight of the trip was meeting up with our friend Sophie (who lives in Sydney, like us, but happened to be in Melbourne at the same time). She showed Chris and I around the laneways and all the lovely little shops and cafes that line the tiny streets. There were some amazing stores, and if I had had any amount of money to spend, it would've been gone in a heartbeat.

Every time we visit Melbourne, I fall a bit more in love with it and realize it is my type of city. It's possible Chris and I will move there someday, when the time is right. For now, here's a collection of things I found in shops and loved (and also remembered the name of/to grab a business card):

Women's Ballet Slipper by Blu Moose
I couldn't resist a pair of these. I am glad I waited to buy online, though, simply because they didn't have the argyle print I ended up getting in the store. Not that the pink and purple mooses (meese?) weren't tempting, because they sure were. :)

Charcoal Porcelain Disc Earrings by klei
The craftsmanship of this jewellery designer is pretty amazing. I fell in love with some earrings I saw in a store, but couldn't afford to purchase any. The range is much larger than what is online, since what I saw in person was very different. All of it is gorgeous.

'Wallpaper' Laptop Sleeve by tropicalhowie
These amazing laptop sleeves are made of neoprene, padded inside, and decorated with some striking prints. I love that they are both stylish and unisex. Men need some downright pretty laptop sleeves too.

te. virre handstitched wallet by te.
Leatherworking is a fascinating and beautiful craft. These stylish wallets really catch your eye. Te. creates a wide range of wallets, as well as some amazing bags and belts. Functional design at its best!

Weekend Wishlist - Alice in Wonderland

2009-08-02T14:46:00.003+10:00

My birthday isn't until January, but I've been inspired to have an Alice in Wonderland-themed cupcake and tea party next year. Mostly, I love the excuse to bake a whole bunch of cupcakes, but themes are also a lot of fun. I'm super excited about it, even though it's months away. So, I've been browsing though Etsy for inspiration for the party, and I've found some really delightful items.

Queen of Hearts Fascinator by QUID

Top Hat Mini by beccamari

Kitsch Alice in Wonderland Drink Me Necklace by Pesthouse

Queen of Hearts Tutu Skirt by CutiePatootieTutus

Cheshire Cat T-Shirt by bayantreeclothing

Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Invitations by VivaLaViolette
They also come with envelopes that have "Open Me" stickers. Love it!

Inspiration - Clever Ways to Use Up Scraps

2009-07-29T02:41:00.004+10:00

So, as with any crafter, I collect a lot of tidbits, cutoffs, random scraps, etc. in the process of creating my items. Sometimes I drive myself mad trying to figure out what to do with them all. Other times (a rare occurrence), I manage a moment of inspiration and come up with a clever use for them.

Recently, I've ended up with square bits of fabric and card stock leftover from how I make my coptic-stitched journals. I was staring at them long and hard the other night, driving myself mad (as you do), when I thought to try stitching the two together then tossing them onto a gift tag!

Here's the result:

What do you think? I'm pretty pleased with the result, even if my hand-stitching is pretty atrocious, but the roughness and the organic process is what I like about them so much. It's not a new or out of the blue idea, for sure, but I loooooooove using up my little tidbits in useful ways. That makes me very happy. :)

I'd love comments and opinions, since I'm not sure if I'll throw them into the shop or use them as fun little extras in my packages. Also, should I make cards in this style?

Weekend Wishlist - Bath and Body

2009-07-25T14:27:00.003+10:00

So, I'm a total convert to handmade soaps. They come in fantastic varieties, are all natural and non-irritating, and they make your skin feel *fantastic*. I have soft elbows for the first time in my entire life. How crazy is that? It's pretty much unheard of. Here's a list of a couple shops I can completely vouch for and a few items from shops I'm dying to try out. :)

Cinnamon Vanilla Sugar Scrub Soap by omshanti
This soap is pure love. Kate makes the most fantastic soaps, as well as some other amazing all natural body products. Check out her bug spray. It's saved me from summer mozzies!

Blackberry Oatmeal Soap by innerearthsoaps

Erin makes really lovely soaps, and she changes flavours often. It's great fun seeing what she'll come up with next!

Women's Solid Shampoo Bar by ShopRedLeaf

I really want to find a great shampoo alternative, and these bars are very tempting. You get to pick your flavour and they come with a sturdy travel tin!

Breathe Easy Eucalyptus Soap by newearthsoaps
I've been wanting to try some soaps from this fellow DUSTer, and this eucalyptus one is hard to resist. I imagine it smells fantastic. I'm not sure one can ever have enough soap, really.

Complete Foot Care Gift Set by morganstreet
I don't know about you, but my feet need some serious love. How lush is this gift set? I'm dying to try it. My feet would be sparkling!

10 Things I've Learned So Far

2009-07-24T13:31:00.004+10:00

DUST's Christmas in July is almost in full swing. Many participating shops have already started their sales (mine included), and over the entire weekend there will be giveaways on the Etsy forums. Just look for the DUST Christmas in July thread in Promotions!

This is a big event for the team, and it's the first big thing I've done with my shop since opening it a few months ago. In honor of that, I'm going to post a list of things I've learned along the way so far. It is by no means comprehensive, but part of what I love about crafting and my business is the education process. There is a lot of problem solving and plenty of mistakes are made, but the feeling of figuring things out and making them work is pretty much priceless. I'm sure all you crafty types out there agree.

Anyway, here are my ten things. I'd love to read about yours, so feel free to steal this idea for your own blog!

10 Things I've Learned While Crafting

10) Cats are very helpful while crafting, especially if your definition of helpful is eating whatever you're currently working on.

9) Glue does manage to lodge itself in the strangest places.

8) I am still working out the glue on me vs. things turning out well ratio, but it seems to be exponential.

7) Many glues that say they bond fabrics have never met the silks I work with.

6) Finding a box that perfectly fits an A6 card with a C6 envelope is pretty much impossible.

5) I'm pretty terrible at making boxes.

4) Getting hemp thread through a needle eye never takes less than half an hour.

3) The scissors are never where you think you left them last.

2) Never keep a needle "safe" in your pantleg. Especially ones you are wearing.

1) Needles are pokey!!

Weekend Wishlist - DUST Christmas in July

2009-07-19T19:22:00.004+10:00

With my street team's huge sale event on Etsy coming up next weekend, I'm already planning how to spend more money than I'll make! Hehe. Here's just a shortlist of some of the fabulous items by shops from the Down Under Street Team participating in the sale that I am drooling over:

This absolutely gorgeous Bamboo Jersey Loop Scarf is by the lovely Leanne of rainbowrevolution. Look at these colours!

Alanna of bobishi creates Custom Laptop Bags that every girl should own. I have a new laptop, too, so I've been eyeing these a lot.

Choosing a favourite pendant made by Deb of uniquedichroic is practically impossible. This Silver Moonlight Tree of Life pendant especially blew me away.

I'm completely in love with this new print, The Landing, by Penny of pocketcarnival. She also makes beautiful clutches and coin purses with her original illustrations.

Sue of SooPdesign does some amazing things with Japanese chiyogami paper. This Liquid Gold necklace is just breathtakingly beautiful.

Discovery - Chinese Knotting Part 2

2009-07-15T11:56:00.005+10:00

So, ages ago I talked about discovering Chinese Knotting and purchasing a book so I could try it out. I finally sat down with the book and tried out a few very basic knots.

(Remember, you can click on photos to enlarge them!)

This is the first knot in the book. There weren't really any steps to photograph, but you can see that mine actually looks kind of like the photo! Amazing, if you ask me. This is obviously a very loose knot, so to keep its shape, the author reccommends stitching it together (a dab of glue would work too, but wouldn't look as nice).

This is my cat, Asmodeus, "helping" me. At least I managed to keep him from sitting on my book. I wasn't so lucky keeping him from trying to eat my cord as I knotted.

This is the start of the next knot I tried. Interestingly, it's just a basic square knot around the other side of the cord. I suppose I shouldn't expect anything too intricate from beginner's knotting. I don't know about you, though, but I don't think of square knots as being very pretty.

Voila! Done. Well... it was at about this point that I learned that the cord I was using was probably too thin, especially for just starting out. It's hard to tell that my knot is much like the picture below, the diagram I was working from.

You can see my cat was still helping out. By covering the instructions. (Sigh :) ). I do think the diagrams work well for teaching the knots, but I do have to sit there a few moments making sure I'm certain which part goes above or below which other part. And you can see how thin my cord is compared to the example. I was using some nylon cord I had lying around, but I'll probably have to get a sturdier rattail cord.

And here begins knot number three. The author, Lydia Chen, suggest sometimes using pins in a board (or cardboard, in my case) to help keep everything in place. I decided to give it a go for the most complicated knot I've tried yet.

In the process of tying the knot. It's called a Sauvastika Knot (yes, that should sound familiar), but looks more like a simple flower when finished. If I were clever, I would have taken a picture of the diagram so you could compare mine to the example, but I had trouble with this one and got frustrated and forgot. Oops.

At this point, I had tried to tighten the knot after the previous step, but it didn't look right. So, I started over, since I realized I wasn't tightening the right bits. You can see that the basis of this knot is two intertwined square knots. Clever, that.

The "finished" knot. I still don't think it was correct, but the thin cord was hiding any mistakes I was making. Comparing this to the diagram, I couldn't tell exactly where I went wrong. So, that is certainly a lesson learned. I'll be giving it another go when I get a hold of a thicker cord. Still, it's a lot of fun trying something new. It's going to take some work before I'm at a point where I can knot properly, I'm guessing. But worth it, since I hope to learn a few knots that will look good on my greeting cards.

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of my learning process, and a just a few of the very basic knots you can make with this pretty unique craft. You can bet I'll keep updating you on how it's going over time.

Christmas in July Giveaway Sneak Peek

2009-07-14T14:56:00.005+10:00

DUST's Christmas in July promotion is coming to Etsy! And for the entire weekend, there will be giveaways on the forum, featuring fantastic products by all the clever DUST creatives. Here's a sneak peek at my contribution to the giveaway:

Weekend Wishlist - Pounce

2009-07-13T15:32:00.002+10:00

Well, our internet is capped for the next few days, but I'm going to attempt to get a Weekend Wishlist posted anyway. Let's hope it doesn't take all day.

Pounce is a tool on Etsy's website that lets you discover new shops (and by new, they mean any shop without a sale yet) or popular shops (shops that have recently had a sale). I have so much fun bouncing through the undiscovered shops. You can find some real gems in there, so today I am doing my part and sharing things I've found through Pounce. Hopefully, I can give these shops a bit more of the exposure they deserve!

aqua pink sweetpea cuff by SueGregor

Bloodwood Titanium Wedding Band Set by MinterandRichterDes

School: A Ghost Story tile coasters by BrianDefferding

Ring with Crackled Bead by berki

Wave of the Storm Print by BryanODaly

DUST Christmas in July!!

2009-07-10T13:10:00.003+10:00

Do these words conjure up an Australian Christmas for you??

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
(Torme & Wells, 1946)

No, not usually. Unless, of course, they refer to the Etsy Down Under Street Team (DUST) “Aussie Christmas in July” promotional weekend.

Etsy DUST members from all around Australia are coming together for one whole weekend, 12.01AM Saturday 25th July through to 11.59PM Sunday 26th July (AEST), to showcase their talents & stunningly handmade creations.

All stores participating will be offering a promotion to their customers - free worldwide shipping or % off sales; a selection of items at reduced prices or reverse auctions.

With so much variety, including jewellery, children’s clothing & accessories, art, supplies, vintage items, stationery & bags, you are sure to find something to suit each & every taste.

The DUST team will also be running giveaways for the entirety of the weekend, giving you the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes from Australian sellers. Poke your nose into the Etsy Forums during the promotion for your chance to win.

I encourage you to visit the participating stores (http://www.dustteam.com/sales/julyCIJlist.php), as well as our team website – http://www.dustteam.com/ – and support the handmade revolution sweeping Australia.

Stay tuned for more details as the weekend draws nearer...

I Just Have to Brag

2009-07-07T12:07:00.005+10:00

The wonderful Emma Kidd of benconservato had a giveaway on her blog of two of her gorgeous little monsters. And I won!! I feel super lucky. Her artwork is just amazing and having some for my own is fantastic!

I'm borrowing her photos but now I have two adorable monster postcards:

And she even included this fantastic screenprinted card:

Aren't they amazing? I can't wait to get some framing for them all and hang them up somewhere. Our walls here are sadly quite bare so having artwork to show off is just perfect. Whee.

Thank you so much Emma for your generosity. :)

(Just a teensy belated) Weekend Wishlist - Red, White, and Blue

2009-07-06T11:16:00.004+10:00

I feel like I should have had more to say between the last Weekend Wishlist and this one, but I was in bed most of last week with the flu. This time of year is always horrible for me. I've never had a very good immune system, and often get one cold and flu after another. I know better and I really should keep up a regiment of Vitamin C and Echinacea, but I'm slack about it. At least it's orange season, so I try to keep a bunch around the house. And who can say no to fresh oranges. Yum!

Well... it's Fourth of July weekend in the US, and as an expat, I figure I should at least acknowledge it. I'm not particularly patriotic and I don't have any special memories associated with the weekend, but I never would say no to a long weekend and an excuse to bbq with friends. Besides, the colours are still true to my new country's flag, so it makes a nice theme. (Though, Australia feels more green and gold to me, as it should! Those are the sporting colours. :) )

Splendor Necklace by LieblingDesigns

Blue Slate V-Neck T Shirt by sealmaiden

Uninvited Guests by AlloverArt

Reversible Bib by AmyRoseDesigns

Mini Whale Note Cards by Stockton

Weekend Wishlist - Cherry Blossoms

2009-06-28T17:38:00.003+10:00

I am not convinced about my new blog background yet. I might play with it more, so bear with me if you catch this site in progress.

It was beautifully sunny in Sydney today while my husband and I were out and about buying me a laptop! My computer has completely died and is in the shop until further notice, so I am pleased to have a replacement for the moment. It'll be useful for all sorts of reasons, but really... new toys are just fun. ;)

Anyway, the weather had me longing for spring already, so I'm celebrating with some of my favorite cherry blossom items from Etsy. I'm actually surprised I haven't done this list already, since I have a slight obsession with cherry blossoms. They are both beautiful and meaningful, representing change and appreciating what you have while you have it. My first tattoo was a gorgeous watercolour-style cherry blossom branch on my shoulder, and I love it dearly. So, I hope you enjoy this list as much as I do!

Pink Cherry Blossom Jewelry Box by designhutusa

Cherry Blossom Vinyl Wall Art by janeymacpress

Cherry Blossom Handcarved Stamp Set by sugarskull7

Cherry Blossoms on Colour Card Set by thecraftpantry

Petal Pink Bangle Bracelet by amy987

Discovery - Five Stab Stitch Bookbinding

2009-06-22T18:13:00.012+10:00

Recently, I've taught myself how to do a couple simple forms of bookbinding, so that I could start creating notebooks and journals. There are lots of great resources online, which is how I have learned what to do, but I wanted to take you through my learning process with a little how-to along the way. As with anything, there is a lot of trial and error (and quite a few needle pokes, if you're me), so hopefully I can save you some of that if you decide to give bookbinding a go!

I'm starting with a very simple form of bookbinding, called Five Stab Stitch binding. This is what I am using for my smaller and more lightweight notebooks. The upside to this style of binding is that it's easy to learn, only takes a few minutes to do once you get the hang of it, and it's flexible with what type of materials you use for the book. The downside is that your books will never lay flat easily (or at all, really), and you can't make books too thick, or it becomes too difficult to stab through all the layers. These problems are solved by a type of binding called Coptic Stitching, which I will address in a separate blog post!

(Please forgive the flash-tastic photos. And don't forget you can click any of them to make them bigger.)

So, to begin, let's look at the materials and tools you need:

Card stock for the covers
Plain paper for the pages inside
Binder Clips to hold it all together
An awl, to stab through the pages
Another piece of paper marked as a guide of where you want your holes to be
Thread or cord of some sort (I am using hemp thread)
A sturdy needle (some sort of large embroidery or bookbinding needle

Step one is the assemble the covers and pages and line them up as neatly as possible. I cut a piece of A4 card stock in half for the covers, and then this particular journal has 15 sheets of 100% recycled A4 plain paper cut in half to form 30 pages inside. (I also tend to trim a smidge (yes, that is a technical term) extra off the plain paper pages so that there is no chance they peek past the covers.) Once the paper is lined up, you bind everything tightly with the clips. I like to use one in between each hole I am going to punch, so I don't bend the book too much while I'm doing so.

The next step is to punch the holes for the stitching with the awl. What you probably can't see in the photos is that I've scored the card stock where I will punch. This allows you to neatly open the cover after it's stitched and ensures your holes are aligned. I'm using 30 pages because it is pretty much the perfect thickness. It gives you a decent amount of pages, but isn't too difficult to punch through. I've done one notebook with 50 pages, and let me tell you, my muscles sure got a work out. As you can see on the left, I put my template in place under the binder clip handles to hold it in place as I punch the holes. When the five holes are punched, I flip back the clip handles, but leave them in place for the stitching.

Now, if you're like me, at this point you will spend about 20 minutes trying to get fat, clunky hemp thread through a tiny needle hole. Yes, I have a huge, sturdy needle, but for some reason it has a tiny thread hole! Well, maybe hemp thread isn't the absolute best choice for bookbinding, but I love its texture and natural look. Ah well...

So, when you're finally ready to begin stitching, you start at the very centre hole, threading from the back to the front. Leave a few centimetres to tie off later, as shown on the left. Then you stitch through the next hole above the center one, from front to back. At this point, you wrap the thread around the spine, and pass through the same hole again. Then you stitch through the topmost hole, from back to front. Again, you stitch around the spine, passing through the topmost hole for a second time. Then you stitch around the top of the book, pulling the thread through the topmost hole for a third time. At this point, I have used the awl to help widen my holes just a smidge to make sure the thread goes through smoothly. Just additional complications from using a thick thread, I suppose.

At this point, you thread back down through the hole second from the top. The easiest way to describe it is that you've got thread either on one side of the spine or the other as you made your way to the top of the book. Now we are going to lay down thread on the opposite sides of the spine. So, if you are doubling up thread at any point, you've taken a misstep and will need to figure out at what point my convoluted instructions have lost you.

And so, you should have the thread at the back of the spine with the tail you left through the centre hole staring at you. What you want to do is skip the centre hole entirely and thread from back to front through the second hole from the bottom. You can see this illustrated in the photo to the right. You should lay down the tail so it faces the front of the book and make sure the line of thread sits on the crease on the spine side of the tail. This is the trickiest bit of the whole process, so if you can sort that out from the way I've described it, you're a champ at this bookbinding business. (And a champ at deciphering what I mean. Seriously, can I hire you to translate things between me and my husband? He never seems to get what I'm talking about.)

So, the bottom half of the book is stitched exactly like the top half, just in the other direction. Your thread should be coming out of the front of the book from the second lowest hole. You should stitch around the spine and back through this same hole, and then proceed front to back through the bottom hole. Just as you did at the top, you stitch around the spine and through the bottom hole, and then around the bottom and through the bottom hole a third time. Once you stitch from back to front back through the second lowest hole, your book should look much like mine does on the right-hand side.

To finish, you stitch back through the centre hole, from front to back. You want to keep the thread on the spine side of the thread you laid down previously when you skipped the centre hole at the back. You then stitch around the spine and back through the centre hole, still staying on the spine side. It should look like the photo on the left. At this point, you simply take the needle off the thread and tie it together with the tail you left at the start. Make sure you tie around the thread so that it's nice and secure.

And that's it! Now you have a notebook set to have its cover decorated and then it's ready for use. Below you'll find all the steps simplified as a reference, so you don't have to pour through the whole explanation again and again.

Assemble the pages and clip together with binder clips.
Punch the holes along the scored crease of the cardstock, using your template for spacing.
Stitch up through the centre hole, leaving a tail of a few centimetres.
Stitch down through the hole second from the top, then around the spine and back through the same hole.
Stitch from back to front through the topmost hole. Then, stitch around the spine and through the same hole, and then again over the top of the book and through the hole a third time.
Stitch back down through the hole second from the top.
SKIP the centre hole, and stitch through the second hole from the bottom, leaving the tail on the side closest to the front of the book.
Stitch around the spine and back through the hole second from the bottom.
Stitch through the lowest hole, then around the spine back through it, and around the bottom and through it again.
Stitch back up through the hole second from the bottom.
Stitch through the centre hole, keeping the thread on the spine side.
Stitch around the spine and through the centre hole one last time.
Remove the needle and tie off the remaining thread with the tail you left at the beginning OVER the bit of thread left from skipping the centre hole previously.
And done!

I hope that inspires you to give it a go yourself, assuming I have made it seem simple, rather than more complicated. If you have any questions about the proccess, feel free to comment here or take a look around the net. There are a lot of good resources out there!

(Wednesday) Weekend Wishlist - Retro

2009-06-17T16:06:00.006+10:00

Sorry for the absence recently. Our internet got capped (I may have downloaded too much tv... oops!), so doing anything online was just painful. Most websites wouldn't even load in. So, here is a very late Weekend Wishlist for this week.

I am a total sucker for anything retro, particularly inspired by the 40s and 50s. Our wedding had a party swing music theme, and really, I'd dress in full skirts and gorgeous shoes all the time, if I could get away with it. (I'm all for feminism, of course, but some days I want to just don pearls and high heels and get some housework done. ;) )

Sailor Dress by FablesbyBarrie

Cat Garter Belt by Hopeless

Bella Full Apron by boojiboo

Very Sexy Retro Vixen Halter by audreyandgrace

Vintage Black Vamp 40s Pumps from jitterbugvintage

Sneak Peek and Special Announcement

2009-06-12T00:20:00.004+10:00

So, I have been alternately under the weather and playing with learning new fun and exciting things! I will talk about them at length when I get them into my shop, but I wanted to give you all a first sneak peek at what I'm working on:

Hmm, why yes, that may look a bit like bookbinding... :)

In other news, I also wanted to explain the Mall Crawl button to the left by posting this announcement from the Online Shopping Mall:

June 12-19, 2009 Mall Crawl Promotion

Online Shopping Mall is having its popular monthly Mall Crawl Event. Visitors at the mall will shop EXCLUSIVE UNADVERTISED SALES for a limited time only. This is the perfect event for deal seekers, craft & artisan lovers and lovers of one-of-a-kind unique products.

June's Mall Crawl starts Friday June 12th and ends Friday June 19th. You won’t want to miss this event. See what our newest merchant members have to offer you. You are bound to find great products and gifts you just have to have. While you’re shopping also take a look around at all the stores listed at Online Shopping Mall. Here’s just a sampling of the types of stores you’ll find at the mall:

Baby*Children Stores

Jewelry*Accessories Stores

Gifts*Boutiques*Specialty Stores

Beauty*Health & Wellness Stores

Art*Crafts*Home Décor Stores

Food*Kitchen*Cookware Stores

Bridal*Wedding Stores

Services*Supplies

Don’t miss out on these LIMITED TIME DISCOUNTS. See you at the Mall & Happy Shopping!

This is based on US time zones, so consider the dates June 13th through the 20th for us Aussies and our friendly neighbors nearby. Check out the Online Shopping Mall (through the above link or my button on the left) during the promotion to find the sales! On the 13th, I'll put up a link to my shop page there so you can see what all the fuss is about.

Weekend Wishlist - Bamboo

2009-06-07T21:05:00.005+10:00

I love bamboo. Absolutely adore it. Not only is it visually fantastic on many items, but it can also be MADE into many items! And it's a wonderfully renewable resource, so it's amazing for the environment. It doesn't get much better than that for me.

Bamboo Leaves Purse by katnfiddle

Bamboo and Organic Cotton Scarf by rainbowrevolution

Bamboo Eco Grey Bag by zerva

Bamboo Vinyl Wall Decals by singlestonestudios

Bird in Bamboo Pocket Mirror by KootiesCloset

Bamboo Leggings by chicffonintimate

I could post bamboo items all day long. Lucky for you all, I'll save the rest for another Weekend Wishlist sometime. I still intend to do a proper blog post about Design sometime very soon. My brain just hasn't been working properly these last few days to concentrate on it. But thanks for reading, I hope to get it up soon.

Feature Alert! - Etsy Item of the Day

2009-06-02T21:55:00.005+10:00

My gift box is being featured as the Item of the Day on this amazing blog. Each day, a new item from Etsy is picked, and I am really flattered that Jackie thought my stuff was up to par with all the other fantastic things on the site!

Check out the feature here!

Also, a big thank you to everyone who's volunteered for my letter project! I've been pondering the topic, and I'll be contacting everyone with details and getting mailing addresses for organization within the next day or two!

"I'm Only Human" Giveaway Winners!!!

2009-06-01T18:48:00.005+10:00

Alright, I collated a list (see right) of valid entries from the comments on my giveaway blog post and then had Random.org pick 8 (yes, 8! I found another card to giveaway) numbers from the number of entries! Unfortunately, I had to not include some comments if I couldn't find an easy way to contact the commenter, since that was part of the rules. I did include those with email addresses, etc. I could find in various profiles, even if they weren't left in the comment. I'm nice like that. ;)

On to the winners!!!

Congratulations to:

ikkinlala
desiree
Deb
Angi
The Shumate Family
melonkelli
Julie
Paul Thompson

Yay!! I will be in touch through email to get mailing addresses from all of you so I can send out your cards!

I want to thank everyone who participated, and especially so, because you all left me such lovely, lovely comments about my work. I was glad to get an idea of what sort of things people like, so I appreciate you putting up with my shameless bit of self-promotion.

I'm sure I'll get a collection of not-quite-perfect cards again in the near future, so keep an eye out here for other giveaways.

Weekend Wishlist - Dust Storm

2009-05-31T12:32:00.004+10:00

It has been a busy couple of days here cleaning, cooking and entertaining. Lots of fun, awesome friends, and geekiness, but now I'm looking forward to the rest of my lazy, lazy Sunday.

Planned for this week: I need to close up my giveaway tomorrow and pick the winners, so that will be announced tomorrow evening AEST. I will also be contacting my lovely volunteers for my collaborative letter project later in the week and get that sorted out. Lastly, I hope to get a blog up about the art of design and what that means to me. Plenty to look forward to!

This weekend's wishlist features some fantastic items from my fellow DUSTers (Down Under Street Team). It is really hard not to want to snatch up all their beautiful things for myself, but I already indulged in some retail therapy in their shops earlier this week. (But we're not going to talk about that....) There is a dust storm on the horizon...

Wintry Rose Necklace by realisationcreations

Ginkgo Clutch in Plum by pocketcarnival

Soft Flower Stripes Tags by koot

Long Pencil Skirt by lyptis

Pink Plumeria Earrings by incalesco

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Call for Volunteers

2009-05-27T10:07:00.005+10:00

So, I got this awesome idea from my friend Kate (of Om Shanti Handcrafts) about writing on the merits of the lost art of handwritten letters. But I got to thinking... I don't actually hand write letters myself, so that's not really fair, is it?

Therefore, I propose an experiment! And this is the part where YOU come in!

A Call for Volunteers

My idea is to write a collaborative letter. It is a lot like collaborative art that sometimes gets mailed from person to person, only I want everyone to contribute to the same letter. I haven't quite decided on the topic yet, though I imagine it will be along the lines of a letter to the internet and the merits of handwriting things for snail mail.

I'm also asking that you answer a few questions about the whole experience after you've contributed yourself, so I can get people's reactions to the whole thing.

What exactly is required of you:
- Have a snail mail address you check regularly so you can receive the letter.
- To contribute a few sentences to the letter (a limit will be imposed once I get a count of volunteers.)
- Mail the letter out in a timely manner to the next person on the list.
- Answer a brief questionnaire about the entire experience.

And that's it! If you are interested in participating, please leave a comment on this post with some way to get in touch with you (email, preferably). Once I get an accurate idea of numbers involved, I'll be in touch with everyone with details and how I'm organizing the whole thing.

Thanks for your attention!

Feature Alert!

2009-05-25T22:35:00.003+10:00

Sweet Silver Spirals by Epheriell Designs

Jess, behind the fantastic Epheriell Designs, put up a really fun feature of me in her blog.

Find the interview here!!

Thank you, Jess!

Monday Blahs

2009-05-25T17:03:00.001+10:00

It's just been one of those days. When in doubt, add cats.

Hope the rest of you are having a better Monday than me.

Inspiration - The Kimono

2009-05-24T23:44:00.000+10:00

Undoubtedly, you have noticed that I use vintage kimono fabrics in my cards. To say I am inspired by the kimono would be an understatement. They are works of art in and of themselves, not just in the patterns and quality of fabrics, but also the specific and complex ways they are put on and worn.

Kimonos circa. 1938

Now, I'm not going to go into a long history of the kimono (I leave that for sites like Wikipedia and Japanesekimono.com), but I would like to discuss why the inspire me so.

Modern Kimono

Firstly, there are the fabrics, of course. Kimonos come in all shapes, sizes, and colours, and, needless to say, they are all beautiful. Many are decorated with traditional Japanese iconography, such as sakura and chrysanthemum. Traditionally, many fabrics were hand-painted with their designs. I can't even imagine walking around wearing an extremely unique piece of art on my clothing! We get so spoiled with simple, mass-produced things these days that I think this is pretty special in and of itself.

Kimonos are actually just huge rectangular panels. I sort of admire how they are streamlined in shape to fit pretty much everyone. Yes, it's not always very flattering, but from a design sense, the clean lines they make by the way they are wrapped and tied by an obi are very pleasing to the eye. There is a lot of elegance in the way they are worn for a garment that is so simple in design. They achieve a lovely balance between form and function.

Lastly, I love that I get to take a piece of these wonderful garments and recycle them further so that others can enjoy their beauty, even if it's just in some small way. I try and reflect the same clean lines on my cards, while showcasing the fantastic fabric designs. I believe nothing should go to waste, and they still get to keep some of their original purpose in my creations.

I hope that gave you a bit more insight into why I do what I do!

Weekend Wishlist - Octopodes!

2009-05-23T17:39:00.004+10:00

Sorry, I can't get my brain moving today. Tomorrow I'll finish my post about kimonos. For now, enjoy these lovely and quirky octopus items on Etsy.

LIFE ISN'T COMPLETE WITHOUT AN OCTOPUS by NotRocketSurgery

(So true. I own one of these myself and it is love. <3)

Octopus Field Bag by rainbowswirlz

Pink Super Cute Porcelain Octopus Pendant by lusterbunny

Oktapous by UntamedMenagerie

Sterling Silver Octopus Earrings by lydialayne

Addendum - Giveaway Day!

2009-05-23T12:55:00.005+10:00

So, apparently May 27th is Giveaway Day! Who knew!! So, I am extending the deadline of my giveaway to the 31st of May! Get to this post and enter now!

Also, be sure to click the image above for links to all the giveaways around the interblog on the day!

I have an Inspiration post in the works about kimonos and tomorrow will be my Weekend Wishlist. Please check back for updates! Till then.

(P.S. - Sorry for exclamation point abuse in this post. Teehee.)

Treasury Alert!

2009-05-21T12:14:00.005+10:00

Okay, I really will post a real blog entry soon. But I got featured in my first Treasury on Etsy today and I am squeeing far too much to keep it to myself.

A beautiful collection of items put together by stylinstuff. Whee. :) Don't forget about my giveaway, either!

"I'm Only Human" Giveaway!

2009-05-20T16:41:00.006+10:00

So, inspired by a fellow DUSTer's booboo giveaway, I realized I have quite a few cards lying around that are just not quite nice enough to sell. Most of the mistakes are extremely minor, an ink smudge here or a glue smudge there, and some of the cards are even just prototypes before I perfected my technique. So, they are not perfect, but still a beautiful card for that not-quite-as-special someone.

At the moment, I have seven cards to give away. I'm giving away each card separately (and at random), so there will be seven winners in total. The selection will be made using Random.org and posted here as a screenie. Shipping anywhere in the world *is* included in the giveaway.

All you have to do to enter is visit my Etsy shop, or the shop of anyone mentioned in my blog so far, and comment on this post with your favorite item from one of the shops. Also include contact info, please, such as an email address or Etsy username, so I can be in touch if you are a winner! Deadline for entries is the 31st of May, that's Sunday week.

Go thee forth into the internet and good luck to everyone!

Midnight Interlude - Where I Work

2009-05-20T01:03:00.009+10:00

I was trying to describe to my father the other day how I turned my living room into a workspace (albeit a bit haphazardly), and he suggested I take photos and show him what I mean. Well, I'm up far too late and so I have decided to share these photos with the entire internet. I should probably not do these things when I'm tired and can't think properly, but oh well!

So, here we have my homemade lightbox set up for photographing my products, the ironing board covered in everything from the iron to bits of cards and fabric, and a few finished cards lying around waiting to be photographed. You can see how I've taken over the entire entertainment area. Fortunately, we don't use it all that often, since we have a separate TV in our study.

Next, we have what used to be our coffee table. Now it is my workspace (well, that and the floor), and you will notice all sorts of random bits, lots and lots of various types of paper, and many tools of the trade. I at least try to keep the tiny unusable leftover scraps under control.

Lastly, this is the random, very large, and heavy chest that takes up space in our apartment. You will observe how I have cunningly turned it into a storage space for the stocks of all my crafting and packing materials. Very cleverly hidden, indeed.

And that, my friends, is my life. Basically, anyway. Somewhere, beyond the edges of the photographs, there is a cat skulking around, waiting impatiently to get his little paws on everything I have worked hard to put together and destroy it. But that is a story for another time.

Now, I'd like to change gears entirely, and give myself a little pat on the back (as well as a much-deserved shout out to some lovely people). Recently, I've been featured on two different blogs, and I admit I am extremely flattered.

First was the Australian Etsy Blog, run by an extremely busy Aussie Etsy seller and fellow DUSTer (see my banner at the bottom of this page). She runs two Etsy stores: Not Rocket Surgery and Vintage Principessa. I myself bought one of those adorably gaudy pink octopus necklaces, and not only is it fantastic, but she provided lovely service, as well. Please give her shops a peek.

Second, I was featured by the lovely, lovely Kate, who runs Om Shanti Handcrafts, on her related blog. She makes amazing bath and body products, which I have tested both personally and extensively. I cannot recommend her more. If you love all natural, smelly good things, she is the woman to see.

Thanks to both of you for the features. You have made my whole week! Probably even the whole month!

And now it is very late here, and I know it is way past my bedtime. Good night, internet.

Journey - A Discovery of Chinese Knotting

2009-05-19T09:30:00.007+10:00

Okay, so.. I'm a little late posting. Yesterday just ended up flying by, but I am reassuring myself by pointing out that it is still Monday elsewhere in the world. Right. Ahem! Moving on...

Recently, while browsing shops online for various supplies, I came across an interesting set of tools:

Asian Knot Templates at Punch with Judy

Now, I knew Chinese knotting existed. I own some in various forms, being as obsessed with all things Asian as I am. So, I'm not sure why it came as such a surprise to me that it is an art form all its own. It really shouldn't have. I just never thought about it before, really.

Chinese Knotting

So, I immediately went googling for more info about Chinese Knotting (which first led me to learn that it is called that, but similar arts are found in Japan and Korea.) and how I could learn to do it. These would be brilliant additions to my cards, I thought. Not only are they gorgeous, but they look like a lot of fun to do. Now it doesn't surprise me that there are greeting cards out there with them already (how could there not be?). But mine would specially handmade, of course. Oh, who am I kidding? I just thought it'd be fun.

Red Kanji Asian Knot Card at The Japanese Shop

Now, I won't reproduce the Wikipedia entry here, but suffice to say that it is a very ancient folk art and Westerners see it everywhere without truly appreciating it as an art in and of itself. (I mean, I know I sure didn't... and I have seen shop displays much like the one below many, many times.)

Examples of Chinese Knotting

There are some websites out there with basic tutorials of how to knot, but, despite the inclusion of how-to photos, I find them a bit vague and hard to follow. I think a book will be the way to go for me, and I found one by a woman who is knowledgeable not just about the art, but it's history as well. Chinese Knotting: Creative Designs That are Easy and Fun has some good reviews on Amazon for it's clarity and easy-to-follow instructions, so I've ordered it for myself. When it arrives, and I try some knotting myself, I hope to update with a full review and some of my (probably hilarious) first attempts at the art!

Till then, I hope to be back later in the week with gorgeous design inspirations of mine. TTFN!

Weekend Wishlist - Winter Fuzzies

2009-05-16T16:38:00.006+10:00

Weekends make me think of one thing: shopping. Not that I don't shop at other times (I certainly do), but I don't drive myself around, so weekends are when I have my husband take me to the bigger exciting shops that aren't just around the corner. In this spirit (and due to feeling ill today and unable to think of much exciting to say), I present a weekly feature of things and shops on Etsy I would spend money on if I could. (Weekends are also for wishful thinking, after all.)

Winter is just around the corner here in Australia, and the weather is getting colder by the day. I'm not a huge fan of cold weather, except for the fact that you get to wear all sorts scarves and knitted clothing to stay comfy and warm. I have a huge scarf collection as it is (and always want more!), but I don't actually have any in today's post. Instead, here are few more unusual knitted items that caught my eye.

Kimono Cape in Oatmeal by seedknits

Pink Cup Cozy/Wrist Warmer by onaroll

The Miss Bennett Cowl by missindie

Bohemian Wrap Cowl Warmer by beautifulbridget

Fingerless Gloves - Black by Branda

That's it for today, folks. On Monday, I hope to share with you something I have just discovered (so it's new for me, but probably not new to a lot of you in the craft scene), and hope to invest some time into learning to do myself: Chinese Knotting! Till next time.

By Way of Introduction...

2009-05-15T09:36:00.008+10:00

Welcome to my blog. :)

First, an explanation of what I hope to do here...

I love being creative. There is little more satisfying to me than creating things with my hands. As with all creative types, our ideas don't just come out of thin air. We are influenced and inspired by everything around us, whether we like it or not. What I hope to do is collect and acknowledge where my own ideas come from, and keep them in one easily accessible place. This is mostly for my own benefit, but if you enjoy looking at pretty things, you may want to stick around. :)

To kick things off, here is one of my favorite sites of all time:

KimoYes Vintage Japanese Fabrics

This website sells panels, fabrics and entire vintage kimonos, along with a section purely for handcrafted items such as bags, dolls, paper, etc. I could browse the gorgeous fabrics all day, seriously. Jill, who runs the business, is very honest about the condition of the fabrics and always ships things super quick. This is where I source my fabrics for my greeting cards, and now that my secret is out, I hope you'll appreciate them a bit more. Or, at the very least, show Jill some love, because it is an amazing business she's running.

I discovered her site when I was designing and crafting my wedding invitations. (I will post a photo of said invitation when I figure out where the heck I stashed one away.) It was exactly the sort of thing I was looking for, since our theme was retro swing meets Asian design. When I decided to go ahead with selling greeting cards on Etsy, her site was the first thing that came to mind. Buying up a bunch of her gorgeous fabric panels filled me with unnatural glee. :)

Culture Shock Couture Wedding Gowns

On the subject of gorgeous japanese fabrics and weddings, my wedding dress was created by Culture Shock here in Sydney. They custom design gowns and Lisa, the owner and designer, has a quirky, classic, and Eastern-inspired design sense. In other words, so totally my kind of thing. I wore a 50's style swing dress with a sweetheart neckline and an amazing panel of obi fabric front and back:

Me, my husband Chris, and the amazing dress

It even had a fun, frilly petticoat underneath. Our ceremony was in the Royal Botanic Gardens (where the photo was taken) with a view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. It was, to say the least, a perfect sort of day.

We have a friend getting married soon and she is getting her dress designed by Culture Shock as well. I cannot wait to see what they come up with.

Hopefully you have a better idea of who I am and what sort of things I like. I can't guarantee I'll update every day, but I definitely will be posting often, as there is no shortage of things out there that inspire me. Till next time!