Right as rain

Peek-a-boo-boo-boo!
Je suis revenue! Hello there blog-in craft-sphere-and-every-one-that-dewelleth-within I`m back from a looooooooong way away. Sigh sigh sigh... I went to present my child to my kin on the other side of da Earth. In my language child is kind. It took such a long journey for me to really and fully comprehend how important family is and how warm, comforting and anchored it feels to be near your kindred spirits. It was an ever so lovely and good encounter. Wonderful mother and father, so dear. Nephews and nieces, curiously blissful stares and beckoning little hands. Precious and creatively funny friends, warm arms and generous spirits. Thoughtful spring sun, green budding gardens, late night church bells, old stone chapel, path of my chilhood to village superette. Tears, cause when I was five, I lost my shopping wallet for I was a dreamer all the way to the superette and then my mama was cross for loosing the money and not getting the bread...
And so hey, I got a bit lost that way on my return to NZ... Doest the pixie live in water or on land? Where is the place where dreams come true? What and who to leave behind? What and who to find? Have I been forgotton or overlooked? Should I look a bit closer though? Where to begin to pick up? How not to discard? Luckily my other loved ones, here in NZ, embraced me patiently, let me rest, gave me space and let me find my true bearings : an anchor needs both elements, it is ok. Through it all my baby and sole travel companion Lieveke was braver than me, smiled for ever and so inspired me with her father Gabriel, my family - oh my family, into the world again. And then gently gently slowly slowly it tentatively felt like good and fresh and yum again, 'right as rain'. Do you know that perfectly beautiful song by Morphine?
Here we are just after coming back home, tired but safe and cuddley.

What pulled me right as rain also was -waddayathonk- ZE CRAFT! Ooooh I caressed my lonely sewing-machine and gently let it sing again. I felt like re-inventing my touch and came up with a new pattern to doctor : baby-kimono-jackets. They were so fulfilling to make - choosing and combining the right fabrics and sewing it all up into one tiny sweety thing. They will be available on this thursday`s CRAFTWERK, yessy yes.



I know I don`t need to explain or justify myself but I felt I had to write a little bit about my seemingly indifferent absence and confusing aloofness. So I wrote this post for all you blogfriends but especially for you Kimberlee, I wrote it straight from my

Kia kaha!
-L.

organic farm

the small lavender farm with the owner's house in background

Yesterday we took the ferry across the Waiheke Island to visit friends Hana and Jake who are currently WWOOFing (working on an organic farm). Its a pretty amazing set up where they work for 4 hours a day in exchange for free room and board. The farm they are working on is land share between several families who jointly run two separate projects, 'the olive project' (for olive oil) and the 'grape project'(wine). The profits from these projects are put back into running the farm or go toward living costs. The different houses on the land are technically owned by everybody and they practice some forms of communal living like a shared kitchen, meals, and work. Separately one woman runs a small lavender farm then sells lavender oil and Lavender water to shops, through the Internet, and at local markets.

Hana and Jake have embraced the lifestyle. Each they wake up naturally, eat a breakfast of rolled oats, seeds and yogurt, outside with their hosts, then get on with working for the next 4-5 hours. This means something different each day... gardening, grape picking, digging trenches for irrigation, housework, and if you are lucky, barefooted grape stomping. After working they eat a main mid-day meal then spend the rest of the day doing what they please. For Hana, this means sewing union caps and for Jake, well he's been biding time reading and playing guitar. Dinner is really just a light snack, followed by a relaxing evening, an early bed.

the protective netting for these olive trees looks eerie and beautiful, don't you think?

jake showing us the fermenting grapes that earlier hana and pressed via foot stomping

They have been on the farm for three weeks, which is a long stay for a WWOOFer, so they are saying goodbye and Tuesday and coming back to Auckland just in time for craftwerk(this Thursday)! Hana will be selling her fabulous union caps that she made while on the farm so maybe they will faintly smell of lavender.

-kimberlee

a-hoy matey

A GAME FOR YOU
Hana and I were having WAY too much fun posing in front of these real estate signs in waiheke. Can you spot the FAKES? :) which ones are real? this shouldn't be hard :)

I forgot to brag

*update
I guess I should have explained this a bit. I was a little shy (don't ask me why, its really not in my nature) about posting it earlier but I was in the New Zealand Herald's Viva section two Wednesdays ago 11/04/07. Lies would have been featured as well but she was overseas. The article was about luxury and its changing meaning. I represented handmade (go team go) under the section 'imperfect.' There were other sections as well but I'll share just one because I can't be bothered to type out the whole article.

by Cathrin Schaer

IMPERFECT: As in, this object was made by human hand rather than perfectly mass-produced by machine. "It becomes a lot more meaningful to see the person who made the item. It's special for the customer and the seller," says Kimberlee Munn. She and her friend Lies Vandesande sell things like hand knitted bracelets, iPod covers and babywear, as well as cards made out of collages of vintage children's books and fashion magazines.
"Our idea was to take traditional skills and revamp them, to turn them into something that's relevant to the modern world. And I think the imperfection in work like that is great because it reminds you it was made by another human being."
Munn and Vandesande sell their wares at craftwerk fairs and on their website (www.anemonecrafts.blogspot.com). Munn says that even in the process of making the things she does, there's a luxury. "Because you had the time and the skills and the know-how to do this. Luxury is just having something really personal."

So that was me, kind of. Obviously I didn't write the article and I have to admit that those quotations are not directly word for word what I said which I find interesting. But it was great exposure and I am really thankful to Cathrin for thinking of Anemone for her article. It definitely surprised me when she rang me up seemingly out of the blue and proposed the idea, but she had bought two iPod covers from me in the past so there was a genuine connection.

I hope that answers some questions except how many fingers special K is holding up (3?).

All for now!
Kimberlee

love is on the inside

photos my uncle took for city side church

well sometimes it feels as though lots of little unrelated things come together to send me one clear, undeniable message. Today I was reading Tiny Happy's post about the challenges of writing a blog and having what you say there be a true reflection of what is happening in your life and what you are really thinking. She talks a bit about self censorship and basically not posting about certain subjects for fear that they don't relate to craft. I don't mean to put words in her mouth, so read her post yourself... but that is what I got out of it anyway. And I thought it was a bit true for me as well.
Then today I stumbled across the amazing varied work of a two person art team called Wary Meyers. Flip. The interior spaces they design (and they do a lot more than just that) were so inspiring to me that I realised how uninspired I have been lately. I have just been plodding along, sort of half asleep crocheting ipod covers, knitting baby hats, and finishing illustration briefs for school. But seeing this stuff makes me excited. I don't want to be passive, I want to take creative risks and be bold. so behold! I am awake now.

Please check out their stuff, it will be to your benefit. I would post photos here but I am bandwidth conscious and don't want to make trouble:) I really like this one overall and this one for the beautiful stencils and this one for the boys room and painted radiator, and this one for the log bedside tables and reading loft. Note: one of the designers used to work for Anthropologie curating displays.

okay since this is rather photo bare, I'll show some of the hats I have been making.

Thursday Picture Post

Today I am posting random things that are on my mind so first and foremost, WELCOME BACK LIES AND LIEVEKE!!!!! I have missed my crafting friends so much since they have been away in Belgium. I hear that Grandma had Lieve drinking extra milk and now she is beautifully rotund and ready for a growth spurt. I have not seen them since they got back yesterday but hopefully I will very soon.

These are my friends who just got married and are expecting a child very soon. This baby has the working title of Billie Montana and they have an inkling that she is a she. So we're going with that. I am making them a baby quilt and below are a few shots of my work in progress. It has taken a while because this is my first quilt. Thanks to some instructions from Melissa, I feel it is coming along. Of course there are a mighty few imperfections but i am sure Billie Montana won't mind. :) This quilt is meant to be a surprise and since Mayana doesn't read this blog (i don't think) I feel it is safe to post. And if she does, act surprised anyway when I give it to you.

I chose these colours mainly because it was scrap fabric I already had and I thought they went well together and weren't gender specific. I think boys can like flowers too!

This is a hat I knitted recently from some lovely hand spun hand dyed wool from Canada. My friend Emily gifted it so me because being the avid extraordinary knitter that she is, her collection of yarn is truly epic. Now she just gives the stuff away because she knows she could never use it in her lifetime (we are talking suitcases and suitcases full). So thanks to you! And Thanks to little Arwyn for modeling it for me. I think it best fits a 2-4 year old and I also have one just like it for a tiny baby. I am planning on making more. What do you think of the shape?

This gorgeous little munchkin is my dear sweet niece who has been on my mind a lot lately. I miss her much and am wishing that I could kiss and cuddle her. I am thinking of channeling that energy into a gift. Perhaps my second quilt will be for her :)

Last but not least is the Beautiful Bride to Be, Laura. These pictures were taken on her hens night (yes that is me next to her in the first pic) and I am very excited to be going to her wedding this Saturday. She and Mike are getting married at her family home out in the country. I anticipate a very enchanting event. Doesn't Laura look stunning even in her silly hen's night get-up!

okay must get going for today. 9;30 in the AM and I am still in my bathrobe (the shame)!
-Kimberlee

Arwyn Storyboard

This was the finished version of my illustration project. Sorry it took me so long to post it but I just needed a break from looking at it for a while. The quality of the originals is obviously different from what is posted here because you lose colour and detail when scanning especially since I was working in water colour. The first section of 8 images is the storyboard. Below that are two images I didn't end up using in the storyboard sequence (they just weren't working) and then the character development picture of Arwyn standing front on, which is part of the finished work and is originally a larger size than the rest.

I am sure it doesn't look like much and certainly not something worthy of the pulling-my-hair-out stress I experienced trying to complete this project. But there is so much unseen developmental work that goes into these types of projects and for some reason I just had massive problems every step of the way. Basically anything that could go wrong, did. But I am pleased with the end result and that is the main thing. :)

Lately in craftworld I have been making more cards and envelopes. Also the cold snap we are experiencing here in Auckland has been very conducive to knitting and I have done so, with GUSTO! It feels so great to get back into it! Expect photos soon.

All for now,
Kimberlee

Order iPod covers

Sorry Blogger is being buggy now. will fix images when I can :)

Hello and thanks for your interest in my handmade, crochet ipod covers. If you would like to order one, it's a simple process and works very similarly to trademe. Just email me details of yourself and the cover you want, I send you back bank account information for you to deposit cash into. Once this is in, I send out the covers in a few days. Sorry, only orders for NEW ZEALAND because overseas banking and shipping is problematic.

$15 + $2 shipping/handling ($17 total)
Send an email with these details to me (anemone.crafts@gmail.com).

-Name:
-Email:
-Address:
-iPod model (old with small screen, new with large screen, or nano)
-Cover style: (using numbers 1-8 from photos above, or special request)

Thanks Again,
Kimberlee


****** UPDATE******IF you live in Auckland, you are in luck. Anemone will have a table at the upcoming Craftwerk. The next Craftwerk is on its way! Its set to happen Thursday May 3rd at Alleluya Cafe in St Kevins Arcade, starting at 6pm and finishing up at around 9pm. So come check out our full range of craft goodness: knitted bangles, collage cards & envolopes, journal covers, reversable baby hats, bibs, dresses all in funky or vintage fabric, and of course, Ipod covers.

also....

Helen's cards