goodbye for 2008

Now its time to say goodbye, to all our company A-N-E (see you real soon!) -M-O-N-E (why? because we like you!) C-R-A-F-T.

This will be our last post for the year, we are shutting down everything until mid January (like proper kiwis do) so that we can enjoy the holidays with our friends and family. I am leaving you with a few random pictures from the last few markets we have done and some misc news.

loan sharks by paper fish!

paper skulls that are individually decorated by hand! sorry vendor, I'll get your name next time :)

Little Golden Books notebooks by ruby in the dust.

Illustrated characters by Xander (note 80s wresters at top) who also makes Sparkle Friends for What Now.

Some new toys made by yours truly.

The latest issue of world sweet world has some great stuff in it including how to make a couch from an old door, how to knit with plastic bags, and my little card and envelope tutorial.

You can get this at several locations in Auckland including, iko iko, oiu boutique (in st kevs), and the eco store in freemans bay. Here is their website for more info.

also I am working on getting our games up on the side bar so that everyone can play again without having to hunt through our archives. This is why I had to repost them below. I'm halfway there, but just need Luke for technical assistance in order to get the wabbit breeder up.

Well, its been a good year, thanks very much for following along! Have happy holidays everyone!

-k

GAMES

You can choose from one of three characters, mix and match outfits, and select a friend before printing your creation. *click the yellow arrow to make the magic happen



COMING SOON: Breeding Wabbits game

world domination: part 2 (or, becoming world famous one country at a time)

What is this all about ??? hmmmm. go to werkhaus to find out more/
-k

the wabbit breeder

a loss and gain

First I wanted to say a big fat thank you to everyone who went to my new illustration site. It helped heaps and I was very encouraged to see it rising up the google ranks.


In other news, a friend of mine is leaving for melbourne this week and his goodbye party is tonight. Since he can't take much with him, he donated this huge box of crafting supplies to me. Yes, a male crafter, you heard right, a rare breed indeed.

inside was stacks of quality paper, great images for collage, a stamping kit including an embossing melter gun thingie, and a glue gun. So I am armed and dangerous, packing crafty heat.


Also inside was this....
A genuine Japanese kimono !!!! thankyouthankyouthankyou! I am not worthy!
(if you think I am summoning the power of chlorophyll in this photo, you would be correct. Its just something I like to do in my spare time)

So as a thank you and goodbye, I made him this. Its between a4 and a5 and includes images from a transformers book, a childrens cooking book, and an origami manual. I've also done some pencil drawing and watercolour over the top.

I have been interested in manual colouring of black and white photos ever since I saw it done in the film 'sweet land' (which is wonderful by the way). so I watercoloured over the balck and white photo of the japanese girl as my first go at this technique. I want to do more now.


i thought I would leave you with two things: This video of my dog struggling with the lid of the previously mentioned craftbox. I don't know why I am posting this other than, posting videos mixes it up and bit and you might like to hear me sound like yoshi's crazy stage mom.

Secondly I also encouragement you to visit Werkhaus if you are interested in seeing an amnesty international commercial starring luke (the husband), and a work in progress pencil drawing of my niece.

cheers all, hope you are having a good week.
-k

werkhaus AND business as usual?

Well last time I said I had news which had some people jumping to conclusions, but no I am not pregnant. :) the news is actually about the new company my husband and I have called WERKHAUS. We've had it for a while and have mainly used it for tax purposes because we both do contract work and are considered 'self employed', anyway....

Now we are focusing more on our company identity so we finally have our website/blog done. IF you ever wanted to see more creative out put by me, or are interested in what my husband gets up to, you should definately visit me HERE.

when birds land on your fingers, #1 in a the four part series Perfect Day

On this site I can promise you will see more illustration as it has quite a lot of my work up. (for example the collage above .... there are 3 others like it so check them out on werkhaus)
Also see the new media and design work Luke does, read about his music projects, and visit links to his band's (the ribbon) myspace.

Hopefully I have sufficiently plugged werkhaus. But just in case, I will periodically give updates, and also will add werkhaus to our sidebar of links of friends/inspiration. so you won't forget about us:)

THE ETSY UPDATE

owl collage

Lies and I have been busy crafters and have FINALLY updated the etsy. She has her lovely tunics from the last post for sale there. And I am trying something new.

I have these two works for sale. They are not cards, they are special bigger collages mounted on the backs of children's books. I think they might look great in some child's bedroom, or in a crafter's studio, or maybe in the kitchen. I also have some prints from my 'perfect day' collages for sale. I'd be really interested in feedback because I have never tried to sell artwork as 'artwork' before. It's always been disguised as something more functional (like cards), but will people like it enough just to have it around? even if it doesn't 'do' anything except look nice? time will tell.

flock to new life
*update: SOLD thanks!

CARD SETS

Robots in Space: one of four

Also in the store are new card sets. I am only showing one card from each set because there are too many to post ALL of them. but if you want to see them all, you know where to find them...
here, here, and here.

What trees look like : one of four

Oh Lassie: one of four

*update: SOLD, thanks

I have been very inspired (I use that word too much here) by the new stash of books I got last week. I went to this out of the way, hard to find, secret place run by a 92 year old woman who hasn't done a tidy in the 40 years the shop has been open. And in a little corner of this elusive shop was a hidden box full of vintage and retro $1 books. I got many treasures from the 60's and 70's, a few from the 50's and one from 1949 (Little Dutch Girls). Be still my heart.

Unlike most people, I cut up my treasures.

*update, both SOLD, thanks

These final cards I am just posting for look seeies as they are going to the markets. These and everything else I have shown off today have come from the secret shop, so thanks 92 year old collector!

okay all for now. take care everyone and it was great to hear from all of you about the ALMIGHTY craftwerk post. I was happy to show you around.

-k