when you want to find us, we're always around

Anemone crafts is spreading out a bit more, and I am happy to see the growth. Having our things in OUI shop this year has been one of those steps out, and this week we walked a little further, all the way to south Auckland.

Our gear is now in Pakuranga's Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts. No, we are not getting all high brow on you, we're just in the shop alongside other NZ designers and crafters, such as jelly bones and antifashion league. What an honour! So if you are there, look out for our bags, pinnies, little wabbits, and collage cards and more.

Another new place you can find us is KRAFTBOMB. We are looking forward to this brand spanking new fair which will run at the end of this month! I will be talking more about this so consider this just your first dose. For more details they are here.

And we just got confirmation that we will be at the next craftwerk (a week thursday!) so we are busy busy busy and happy happy happy. Lies posted their flier earlier, but this other one is worth seeing too .

With all this craft action coming up, I have been in the studio working and discovering new ways of getting R.S.I.
One way to cause repetitive stress injury is to try tracing, cutting, and folding 50 envelopes in one afternoon power session. But its all worth is when I look at this pretty stack of completed envelopes. Imagine all these old pages from books would have just been thrown out! but now they have a second life. hmmm its craft poetry, I tells ya.

Here also are some cards I have made:





This set of cards uses images from my favourite outsider artist Henry Darger. Maybe this is causing you long time readers to roll your eyes for I have gushed about my love for Darger in the past probably more than once. But if this is news to you and you want to see more go here. and if you want to know more, go here.


Another arist I am charmed with is Yeondoo Jung who stages photographs based on childrens drawings, I had seen his work a while back but Helen of stripy socks reminded me again the other day, thanks. He has a whole series of these called Wonderland and some are simply magical. so check him out here.

I think its important to do 'just for fun' projects as well and in that spirit I made these peasant tops for my 2 and a half year old niece. My brother is finally getting to see her more regularily so I wanted Ella to have a some fun clothes to wear at his house. They are not pink and are not endorsed by cartoon celebrities -yeah a break from what she usually wears at her other house. (*for the record I am not against pink or totally against cartoon clothes, kids love that stuff, you just need a bit of variety, right?)

Thanks to lies for letting me borrow her custom pattern and also to little lieveke who kindly let me try them on her and said, "I think ella will like it" what a sweet muffin!

I leave you with this battered business card I found in my stash, it was printed by an artist friend of mine a few years back, and is, at my best guess, an ironic gesture. But a very beautiful one. The back is blank aside from her name, kate newby.

bye!
-k

Works of craft...

Yes friends, good times are ahead :

If you happen to be in the hood, don't miss! I'm busily crafting (like Kimberlee), to get things ready. Here is a preview of new girly skirts (a little batch might even end up in the Etsy, shhh). I used some sweet Olympus bubbles with an Echino rim. The fun new Echino fabric gives the skirts a patchwork look. And Lieveke was happy to model! In the first photo she wears a 'Liberty -red pepper'-top that was my second ever sewing project. The fabric is one of my all time favorites, so funky and different. I didn't have a sewing machine back then (didn't even know how to work one even!) and so I handstitched the whole thing. It took for ever, but this 'nice-'n-slow-method' did teach me a thing or two about piecing together a garment. Lievie has been wearing it for a good 2 years now (!). Well worth a few handstitches eh.




Showing at the OUI wall, now for the last week, an amazing collection of fantastic tea-cozies! The few times when I was doing a shift in the shop this month, certain people actually dashed in and plonked this or that cozy on their kids heads, thinking oh cute and warm! Ha ha I know they do look so appealing. The cozies are definitely cozies and not for sale, some of them are very very old (two from the 1930's - that is ancient in NZ!).

And as for the last 'work of craft', I'm proud to say that I got the formidable overlocker on the go (wheehee) and made two cross-over merino dresses for Lieveke. Yes. I am dead proud. Merino knit, dear people. The stuff I thought I'd never be able to handle, let alone sew with. Merino. And the dresses fit. And don't fall appart. Gah!



Hey -I think tomorrow the talented and versatile Joshi -Kimberlee's sweet little dog, is going to draw names from his little hat for Kimberlee's fab paper dolls. I've been training Josh all week ('no hon draw, not lick, no not munch, nooo....'). If ya still wanna be in, quickly comment, do! (And thanks for commenting all ye others!)

And have a gentle start of the week.
-Lies

Now here's some craft

First of all : a big thank you for putting up with my grumpy 'got too much on my plate so gotta do my long snake moan' of the previous post. You are kind ones. Thanks dears for your encouraging comments. Even Lieveke was telling me 'relax ma'.

The lovely (promised!) news is that heh heh I did get a whole lot of craftiness done this week and that feels very very satistfying.

Because in our Etsy shop, we're about to have the 50th purchase, I want to throw a tiny party and so the purchasers of item #50, item #51 and item #52 will be gifted with a little handmade extra. I actually love sneeking little surprises in (those of you that had a new baby or bought more than one item know!) and thinking up little things that will make someone smile kinda is great fun. I'll also add a few new little girls-garments to the shop tonight, including these 'kimono-pinafores'. I'm very happy with the way these pinnies have turned out -I used some authentic Mameyakko kimono cottons.

For OUI boutique, I've made some flower-dresses for 2 to 3 year olds with Noami Ito's stunning Fuccra fabrics in black and yellow. I must admit - and I fall in love with all the textiles i use- I'm making a black one for Lieveke too, just too beautiful. If you want one (***I've enough for one more black one*** edit : last of the black on hold for Kirsten! - and not enough yellow sadly) let me know...

Ah, and Im currently also making leggings. I've finally gotten over my fobia for knits and stretchy fabric, found some yum stretchy cotton in turqouise/green and coral/red and well hello my stripy ones! Umph the sewing is 'technically' going well but it took me a few pattern-drafts (and reject-sews) to get the sizing right... At first I made a pair for a 6 month to 1 year old bub with way-too-wide-flapping legs. No good cause I want them nicely and sleekly hugging the leg. Then I made a 1 years to 2 years pair without a bum (yes i forgot to allow extra space for those 'sexy curves'...). I'm proud to report I now have the two sizes more or less 'drafted', and the test-driver Lieveke was pleasantly chuffed with her new 'legs' as she calls them.

I just love those little test-toes to bits. I want to nibble them right now.
Ok I'm sure you'll agree that I'm over my grump.

X Lies

The shop (1)

Welcome to OUI Boutique (where I sell the baby/toddler clothes and some bags), it's such a cute shop, in a gorgeous 1920's Gallery -one of the few untouched old building-complexes in Auckland.

Gabriel and the door (both 6 foot 6)

Corner/window, some of Loulou's awesome clothes

My corner!

I like these lights and also the little window
(my favorite that little window)

Mural (by Loulou and her partner Rob)

No not Lieveke, this is Aiko, a little client, fitting the spotty tunic
(the tunic now lives at Aiko's house)

My leopard bag (sold)

Lieve and Narcissus in the fitting room

Swing by, anytime.

For an update on Kimberlee touring the States on the way to a wedding - read the comment on the previous post!
For now, I shall bid you a good weekend friends.
-Lies