Fair days

We had our stall today at the Albany campus of Massey Uni. We didn`t sell that much, but that`s ok, we kinda expected it. I remember my university days, I never had a cent to spare, let alone to indulge in crafty things! Luckily an email tumbled into da box today about a crafty-stall event on K-road called Carnival Against Carmageddon and yippie we`ll be there! So you are welcome to check Anemone out there from 3 pm onwards this saturday! Also we have the Craftwerk-fair coming up in only two weeks, so hey, it`s all a-o-k! More than!
These are some of my baby-stuffies :
-baby sun-hats

-bibs


-reversable pinafores


Oh! A very special thanku Special K for the earrings, you lovely you.
And all the rest of the supporters, ta `t feels good ye like our endevours in craft X

cards

cards

Gifts!

A little Sparrow flew by and dropped these lovelies in my mail box and Lies and I could not be more thrilled. SO THANK YOU Kimberley special K for the beautiful jewelry. Check out more of her jewelry here.

Lies and I have been very busy getting ready for the craft fair tomorrow and haven't had much time to post . We did take a break on Saturday avo to meet up with our friend Emily, otherwise known as the knitting master, to get a tutorial on knitting socks. She is such a patient teacher and soon Lies and I were knitting in miniature and a complicated way I never thought possible -with four tiny sticks as needles and some very fine string like yarn. I have not made any progress on my sock since that day (have you Lies?) but at least now I know how. I will never under estimate the complexity of socks again.

Okay I must go, I have a life drawing class in a half an hour and I am no where near ready! More to come about the market day!

-K

Thursdaypassionpoemhat

How do you like our Anemone piccie on the left here? Aren`t they beautiful creatures? A bit hazy, a bit mystic, a bit dancing... Thanks Kimberlee for this! Hmmmm it`s sooo warm today puff puff. I made myself a refreshing drink : squeeze an orange and a couple of very ripe passionfruit into a glass, add some icecubes, some fresh mint and a tiny bit of water (or, for the daring : a scoop of vanilla icecream!!!), and SIP it up!

Here is my latest op-shop find, a chinese robe, yum yum hot pink, one of my favourite colors.
Et voici my new (thank you sales-godess) party dress, hot pink and yummier yummier black and gold. And what a coincidence, it`s reversable! When the golden silk is on the outside it turns into a very sleek tight gala thing. Drama!
Take a look at what I`m reading, Laura Esquivel`s Malinche. I lived in Mexico`s Oaxaca for a while and have very strong and yet fond memories of it. This book is inspired on the ancient Mexica tradition of codices : rather than writing the peoples of Mexico drew their mythic and godly stories in a codex on a stone disc or a cloth scroll, which was passed down from generation to generation and which allows us now to imagine vividly their times. Oh and here`s how the knitting is coming along.

Shhhh, here is NZ`s Michael Harlow with `Cassandra`s daughter ':
Cassy for short.
We`re discussing the color green
and why. And how last night
in her dreamtime a wooden horse
appeared. And look- how the wind
puts shivers in the water, shaking
the keys in their locks.
Only five years old, she is
already in love with how
one word wants another
with astonishing ease.
Inside the alphabet now,
inside the lining of a word
she asks me as we sit
on the garden wall under
a plum-coloured sun : why
were you born at seven o` clock
that night? I was a morning baby
my mum says, the best kind.
I was born with my eyes open,
you see? Would you like to
hear me sing? I can almost dance,
too. Would you? I can hear that
she knows, Priam`s daughter,
all her years to heaven-
that every word was once
a poem, isn`t it?

And here are my reversable kids-hats : print on the one side, (grrr sturdy, but tamed after a wash and a tumble) dark blue denim on the other. Both hats are a plus one year old size. I have to say, I think the cow print is one of my all-time-favo funky kiddy prints. Am very looking forward to the Massey-fair next week oh golly still lots to sew! Come see our goodies! Come?
L-

finishing projects

I received an email yesterday that confirmed our place as stall holders at Massey University's market day on the 28th of Feb (next Wednesday!!!) held on Albany Campus. It's part of the orientation kick off for their students so there will also be bands playing, free food, and many other stalls selling miscellaneous items.

It should be a good time and a bit of an experiment for Anemone. You see, this is not exclusively a craft fair so other stalls are not required to have hand made goods. This means there will be a totally different feel than what we are used to at Craftwerk and we will probably be competing with stalls that carry machine made goods manufactured in third world countries with items priced very low. I guess we will have to come up with a marketing plan to stress that everything at our stall is *LOVINGLY HANDMADE IN NZ *MADE FROM OUR OWN DESIGNS* with many*ONE OFF ORIGINALS! and hope that people will be willing to pay a fair price for it. Relatively speaking our things are still inexpensive. Everything we sell is between $3.50-$40, which is more than fair.
At any rate here are a the things I have been finishing up : 4 new ipod covers (i sold a few the other day) 30 new envelopes, and 4 new bags.



Also on other note, I discovered the most beautiful child's kimono today on this blog and wanted to share it (with permission). Feast your eyes on this:

Beautiful eh?

Well, all for now
xoxxo
-k

photo therapy

Last week was a hard one for being away from your home country. Lies first posted about feeling homesick for Belgium and not long after that I received some sad news from my family back in North America that made me want to be with them so badly. I was out of sorts for a while but as soon as I was feeling more like myself, I took a few pictures of things around my house that make me smile. I call it photo therapy, and I swear there is something to it. Maybe its the physical act of capturing a blessed moment that makes you feel better, or maybe it's in the way the camera helps you see things through different eyes, or maybe its just a distraction. Anyway, here are a few photos from around our apartment.

'The Yosh' clowning around per usual





bottles that look pretty in the light and remind me of the dear friends who emptied them :)




Pictures of my sweetie pie niece




The lonely palm tree that lives on our patio

Well that's all for now. I will be posting many photos this week of projects I am finishing for the upcoming market day. Also thanks for your responses to the online store question, good suggestions and its nice to know the level of interest. I would never want to use this blog as a sales push, but we are looking into making things available if people are interested.

-Kimberlee

Gifts

The weekend was sunny and sweetly breezy... Wonderful light this time of year: the green outside is lit-up in a thousand shades. Here`s how pretty the terrace looks :


No crafting apart from a bit of unsatisfactory baby-hat-sewing (the inside jeansy-material is just too sturdy for little ones I feel) on saturday morning... I`m now washing the denim with lots of fabric softener and then will tumble it in the dryer, see if that helps...
There are a couple-a-gals who`ve showered us with generous gifts. Ta so much! I love warm ethnic floral prints and beautiful Hana picked up on this. From her trip to Indonesia she brought back a batik-top for Lieveke with crochet edges. She also gave a fab bag that belonged to her gran. Oooh yippy pretty.
I`m a bit of a knitter at times and gentle Emily decided to help a little : she gave Kimberlee and me some gorgeous yarn. Kimberlee will use the thin purple-variegated wool for I-pod covers (can`t wait to see!) and I kept the rich fantastic earthy yarn, -all my favorite colors together! I think I`ve just enough for a shabby-chic winter coat for Lieveke.
-L

Thursdaythankupoempixy

Here she is performing an intricate bead-dance. Thanku my Lieveke.

Here`s my sewing corner with beautiful gladiola-flowers. Thanku my Gabriel.


Thanku blogfriends for your suggestions and encouraging echo`s.
I am thinking of a friend who just had bad news. I`m thinking of another, from long ago, who was wondering how I was. I`m also thinking of my papa and mama, family and friends in on the other side, in Belgium, I miss them so. Sometimes it`s a wee bit silent in me ... Sometimes stuff is just friggin` difficult, but that`s alright... Ah I dunno, I`m just so clumsy when it comes to writing... `t Is not my language you see... This poem by J.K. Baxter says so much more and helps me come to terms with my new New Zealand life :

I do not relish the role of David, in confronting that Goliath,
who numbs the soul wherever he touches it.
But I find myself curiously, perhaps absurdly, cast in that role.
And the five water-warn stones I choose from the river to put in my sling,
are five spiritual aspects of Maori community life
-arohanui, the love of many;
-manuhiritanga : hospitality to the guest and stranger;
-Korero : speech that begets peace and understanding;
-matewa : the night life of the soul;
-mahi : work undertaken from communal love;
I do not know what the outcome of the battle will be.
My aim may be poor.
But I think my weapons are well chosen.

Well said J, eh? Aaaah sugars! When in doubt craft, and so I made these pinafores for the upcoming Cratfwerk. Both are in a white linen fabric. one with circle-embroidery, the other with silver rimmed tiny holes, as if some pixy had a day of perforating magic.
-L

INTRODUCING.......

No, we did not make this stuff!! Our dear friend Hana did and isn't it beautiful?!?! Check out her new blog here to see more. She is also unveiling her new line at the next craftwerk (Auckland) which is Saturday March 17, from 1-4 pm and is to be held at Britomart as part of AK'07.

Here is the official news from our coordinator, Sam:.finally the announcement of the next auckland Craftwerk!!!! To happen on march 17 from 1- 4pm, it will be a part of an auckland festival event organised by the winners of the westpac young producers competition. The event is called Ripped and will be held at Britomart square with an outdoor stage, a "rockNroll" area in britomart pavilion and an "indie" space inside The Famous Speigeltent (which is a 1920's touring circus tent and Marlene Dietrich played in it in the 30s). Just like a usual Craftwerk there will acoustic/folk/indie bands, unfortunately the bands are not yet confirmed, but its likely there will be 3 to 4 bands playing 20 mins sets.

I hope many of you can make it as it sounds like extra fun this time. I think there will be more stalls which means more crafty goodness created by local artist and designers, all handmade and original!!! Of course Lies and I will be there under Anemone so come and say hello.

I have been crafting a lot these days because I'm trying to take advantage of what's left of my free time before school starts, hence my silence as of late. Thankfully there's two of us! and Lies has been posting all her goodies to keep you entertained and inspired. If only my craft burst included things to sell but, alas, I've just been making things for me! Mainly I have been knitting which is always an adventure and will post pictures of the tunic/vest when I am finished. But today I vow to make things for the stall so I must crank out some cards, envelopes, ipod covers and handbags! The knitting is on hold and self control is the key.

Happy Love Day to all you readers! Make St. Valentine proud and give kisses to those you hold dear!!

-Kimberlee

ps Thanks for all your comments recently, we are always very encouraged to get some feedback and know we are not just posting for our own amusement! There are people reading this! Many of you seemed interested in some of the things we have been making, reckon we should set up an online store? show of hands please.

Sweet-shirt

Made another top for Lieveke out of an old T-shirt of mine and cut-outs of cutie rabbits and some beautiful very old roses fabric. She is HAPPPPPPYYYYYYYYYYY. She is chubby, plump and rounded! She is sunshine and sparkles. Bubbles and fun. Sweety noodle. Funny dumpling. Yum.
-L (ehm I like my daughter)

Le bag and les hats

During the last Craftwerk-fair lots of people were drawn to the colorful and bright hats I made. Alas! Most only realised when holding the wee hatties that they only came in baby sizes... Ok! This time no-one can be dissapointed : for the next fairs I`m sewing a series of ADULT bags and hats! To figure out the right sizes I`ve had to trouble family and friends `uh oh do ya mind a little fit?` I was surprised (well, really...) to find out that almost every-one has a fairly unique head-size. Bon, I went for small (my size and older kids`), medium (my friends Tess and Kimberlee are the models) and large (Gabriel, when we were pregnant we participated in some research thing and it turned out that Gabe had the largest head the nurse had ever measured! Hee hee X). I unconsciously seem to have chosen an over-all green theme for my adult gear. The hats are reversable (my trade mark) and on the even-colored side I`ve machine-appliqued some vignettes, as shown in the rather blurry (sorry bad old but well loved darling digi-cam) close-up of the owls. All items have been puzzled, as usual, out of my own patterns, yes. Sorry no, we won`t be going to Craft 2.0 - I wish we were, but we`re based in Auckland and my money-purse is sooo skinny... It`s definitely something to work towards!
-L.

Seaweed and appleblossom

I`m back to making reversable baby-pinafores as Anemone will be participating in 2 craftfairs shortly. I found through experience with my 10 month old baby girl that the pinafores are excellent practical wear for the tiniest : easy to put on, plenty of space for moving and just made to slip over a simple growsuit. I love combining the right fabrics and textures. This one is a newborn-size and is made of a very old vintage blue-green appleflower fabric on the one side and an auburn-green finely woven organza that reminds me of gently swishing seaweed on the other.
-L

Bed stuff petite

During the blog-absence I made a couple of sleep-necessities for my little Lieveke. A light quilt : I particulary like this photo because the light in it is quite beautiful. A soft sleepingbag : the material -a supersoft flannel- came from a 9 kg (!) parcel of random pieces of fabric I bought via Trade Me for only 15 dollars! And a fleecy blanky with flower-trim.
Slaap wel kleintje.
-L

Bed stuff and fabric buddies.

You know those tri-pillows? The ones you get in order to breast-feed `properly`? What to do with them when the baby is big enough to feed without? MAJOR ISSUE! Ha ha. No really, those things cost an arm and a leg. Luckily my partner Gabriel and I have developed a taste for them : excellent support for zonking out in front of TV or cosy neck-friend when zzzzz. The pillow-cases are very expensive too. And so, bien sur, I had to sew some cases, as you can see in the pictures of our bed. Any excuse for a project really... I made them in an orange-blue flowery fabric. And whadayano? Kimberlee got the same fabric for the lining of her tote-bag! We are unconscious spontaneous fabric buddies! Budettes! Wow!
-L

Actually Lies,
Not only do we unknowingly purchase the same fabric, we use it for the same project. Eerie, isn't?... we have twin craft minds. (enter creepy music) nah-nah nah-nah, nah-nah nah-nah YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE CRAFTLIGHT ZONE.