Hello dears, ta K

Oh my! I thought I better post some proof of existence. Phew, I've just been too busy for my own good. So sorry I neglected y'all. Yup I'm working hard in my new and wonderful job and yup yup the rest of the time is dedicated to bubby mostly. But.. mustn't let da bloggers down!
Hey Kimberlee, this is for you. Ta for posting many-a-pretty-and-interest-tickling thing. 't Is time for me to do my bit, as you are away in the States. Ta for being my good and trusted friend and for teaching Lieveke (while I was away working in da gallery of course grrr) to WALK! Oh dear she is growing so fast! Ta for being so patient when we whisk away and dissapear to the emergency doctors cause our little one has a burning fever. And ta for a lovely relaxed dinner afterwards, your presence was kindly reassuring to me, shaky worried little mama. Here you are with my daughter -two beauties! :

Hope your little sweetie niece enjoys the kimono jacket I made her. I lined it (eh a wee bit wonkyly, sorry) with soft cords, so she can use it as a real jacket on a chilly summer eve. So she is extra cosy, and feels safe. Lavender, rose and chocolate kisses little darling. Enjoy your stay good friend K. X X
-L

must do a post must do a post must do a post.....

Over the past week or so, I have just not felt like blogging and it is only by sheer will and focused motivation that I bring you this post. Ta-da! I do have my reasons though. First of all I was busy making this quilt. I know it looks quite similar to the one I made before but I am not one of those crafters with loads of fabric, in fact I hardly have any (shock horror) and since I quite liked the last one, I basically did the same thing all over again only much bigger. This second quilt is almost twice the size as the first. I made yoshi jump in the picture for size indication but dogs can be all kinds of sizes so I don't think he helped.

This is the quilts recipient, my cuter than cuter baby niece Ella. I am going to be seeing her very soon because we are going to the states on Friday. Which is another reason I have not been blogging. I have mentally checked out and though my body is still wandering around in NZ, my mind is floating somewhere over the pacific ocean. many of you may know this feeling.

Since I don't have much else to show you today, I thought you might like to see around tiny city apartment. This is the GRAND MASTER WARDROBE which came with the flat. Its sheer size made me think we would never fill it (there are also cupboards above which wouldn't fit into the shot) but we have. Note: all of luke's clothes are in the two baskets on the right, and the rest are mine. blush.

Here is some baking I did YESTERDAY, and its almost gone. Oh the power of banana muffins.

I didn't tidy up for this shot (obviously) so now it has all kinds of integrity. this is my kitchen.

I don't know if I will be able to post while I am overseas. but I am only gone 3 weeks so hopefully you will forgive my absence. Lies may or may not post while I am away. As I mentioned before, she is now working at a gallery and is finding it hard to blog. I don't think she has much spare time at the moment but she said she has been so inspired and wanted to share many things here.

over and out comrades,
kimberlee

knitting square

So lately Lies, Emily, Mayana and I have been getting together to knit.... on might call this a knitting circle but until we get more members, we remain a square. Its nice to be knitting again, it seems the only time I am doing it is at these gatherings so progress is slow. Down below are all the projects we are working on and mine is the burnt orange in the circular needles. Don't expect any 'all finished' photos anytime soon:)

Mayana is new knitter which I find very exciting. It is a great privilege to teach someone to knit, and since I am the only one in the group who knits continental style, I was the one the who got to help Mayana get knitty wit it. IN case you didn't know, continental style is a bit more fluid because one holds the yarn in the left hand which means there is no wrapping around the needle with the right like when knitting the British way. Also the continental style supposedly has lower risk of repetitive injuries/RSI and I've heard its a bit friendlier for left handed folk like Mayana. Go lefties go!

We traveled to Mayana's new house for this fun event. Below is mayana... I'll give you one guess as to why she has a new interest in knitting.

Answer: She wanted to make some leg warmers. Tricked ya. But its true, she has a mother in law who is knitting for the new baby so Mayana is focusing on keeping herself warm this winter. She has just entered her 3rd trimester!

And I thought I would share a random drawing I did last week. I did it while watching baby Lieveke (she was napping) and was inspired by the eclectic decor around Gabe and Lies' house. I like this drawing because I was simply having fun. As an student illustrator much of my creative time is spent completing projects with specific guidelines and I have been finding lately that I don't take enough time to play and explore. I need to remember that the most important creative work is often fueled by ones own initiative.

Speaking of illustration, we have an end of semester exhibition HERE ARE YOU that opens tomorrow night, Monday June 11th at St Paul St Gallery (yes the same place as the last craftwerk.) and it is open to the public. So if you live in Auckland and are interested in visual communication, come along. Its open all week.

I will be showing you the enviro bags I made soon (i can only post four pictures at a time so it will have to wait). They are admittedly cheeky gifts for my mom and sister to encourage greener shopping. I will deliver them myself when I go to the states.... only 12 more sleeps!

-kimberlee

The Narnia coat

Since I have been on the topic of fashion, I decided to share this vintage coat with you. I got it second hand last year and have not worn it very much. In fact, I unearthed it from storage last week, have since worn it thrice, and can't for the life of me understand why I put it away in the first place. This coat should be worn frequently and put on display when not in use. It has that VA-VOOM quality that I find particularly pleasing. What more can I say, oh yes.. it's blue velvet, and no that fur is not real.

This photo was taken from a party we went to on Saturday night. (Can you spy Lies? she is in both shots) Also pictured above is Canadian master knitter, Emily, and it was her partner's birthday that we were celebrating. My man took these photos and I quite like the moody quality they have.

Here is 'the yosh'. I am not sure if I have shown him to you before and I know that he hasn't got much to do with crafting, illustration, fashion or vintage finds, but I figure he's part of the family life so he fits into crafting somehow. Currently he has been banished to his 'kennel kennel' because he broke into his treats and ate them all, including part of the packaging. BAD DOG! normally he is too much of a wuss to defy me with such bad behaviour, he must have grown a spine while I was at the library. It may have been that I left his treats on the floor in plain sight...... whoops.

Yosh and I like to play this game I call 'temptation' where I make him lie down with his head on the ground then I put all these bacon treats in a circle around his nose. Then I tell him he must 'stay' and not eat the treats yet. After a good 45 seconds of steely obedience, I tell him 'okay' and he consumes the treats in .6 seconds. I know this may seem cruel from the outside but the yosh LOVES to prove his loyalty. This game may also have something to do with what happened while I was at the library.

I've let him out of 'kennel kennel', you can all feel better now.

Okay I am off to make a slew of recycle 'green' bags to bring to the states with me. I am trying to discourage my mother from using so much of the plastic. Melissa gave me this idea.

Cheerio,
Kimberlee

random fashion collage to INSPIRE

(^^this woman with the hand warmer
is my ultimate favourite!) click to enlarge

Last night was craftwerk which charmed me as usual for I love to see all the beautiful people that support craft. Lies and I have much fun chatting to each other and our faithful customers.
More than anything else, I was much inspired by an 11 year old boy who arrived to buy zines and browse the handmade goods. He seemed to have only coins to spend so I know the zine he bought was chosen with great care (the zine maker should be honoured by such a purchase).

But what really inspired me was his sense of style... he made such bold choices for such a young lad-a funky over sized 80s knitted jumper that he had thrifted, and skinny jeans to match his very skinny pre adolescent self. Anyway he reminded me of my favourite fashion blog that features photographs of street fashion in Helsinki Finland. So here are some of my favourite looks. Hope it inspires you too!

the woman in the lower right corner wearing the party dress is a close second
click to enlarege

BY BYE BANG BANG

Here is proof that men can be crafters too. The above vinyl stickers were created by two chaps on the vinyl cutter at Elam art school. They call themselves BYE BYE BANG BANG (no web page to link yet, but I'll share as soon as then get on the world wide web) and they also have a selection of pins... but I assure you its all very tough stuff. very manly ... guns, skulls, jet planes etc. We actually did a trade which I think is the finest way to come by crafts... 3 cards for a pack of vinyl stickers and a pin. My sewing machine is now looking very 'street' and that horse is dancing across my fridge. Random bird stuck in there just because.... gift from Lies :)

I do a little twirl

here is a skirt I made last Tuesday afternoon when I was feeling particularly inspired. I got the fabric in Indonesia a few years back and I decided to go with a short pleated skirt because I thought is would make the fabric more playful instead its propensity to look hippy/world (which is just not my bag). This is the first skirt I have ever made and I didn't use a pattern. I am still a little hesitant when I am wearing it because I fear it screams 'hey, I made this myself' and not in a good way. I did get some sideways looks from people at school which didn't help my confidence -though design students are so different from fine arts students I have noticed :)

okay I hope to show you a few more things this week but we'll see. I need to be working on my illustration piece for exhibition, and I am watching baby sweet Lieveke today. yipeee! that child and I are fast friends :)

-Kimberlee

Craftwerk is THIS WEDNESDAY

Hey everyone.... Its that time again! So soon? Wasn't craftwerk JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO? Yesmm but this is a mini one to celebrate the closing of the FUNKY RAZORS show which exhibited some crafter's work as art. It is in a different venue.... can you read that above? no? okay here it goes:
6-8:30 PM Wednesday May 30th at St. Paul st. Gallery, AUT. FREEEEEE! per usual :)

And will Anemone be there? Of course! with their full range? errrr ummm ... welll... almost. Its only been a few weeks since the last one so we are doing our best. Lies is sewing up a storm today trying to get as much done as she can, which I think is remarkable. Did you know that as of last week she is managing a gallery, being a mother, and getting ready for craftwerk? Super-woman, I tell you.

okay must run to life drawing class!
-kimberlee
ps I did NOT do the illustration above.. though I think it is so sweet :)

the way i see things

Today I am sharing with you some pages from my sketch book. Our latest brief has been a real treat. We are supposed to keep a visual diary and record the area we live in... I have been trying to see and record things that people tend not to notice, specifically things on the ground. I have taken rubbings, photocopies, reliefs etc of rubbish, dead leaves, manhole covers, fire hydrants , footprints, etc .....so look closely and you just might spot something you've left behind.

I've also done some Naive style drawings on top of some photocopies Its been fun to approach this project openly and playfully and have a chance to experiment more with different media. Can you tell that I have been having fun?

Unsuspecting people at the Library.... I keep a low profile and then my 'victims' are none the wiser. They've been DRAWN!

highlighter pen, you are my friend! I like drawing with materials that are not 'high art' because it seems to be more interesting to use something that has a different intention... in this case office supplies :)

This tree had been manicured over the years and many of it's lower branches had been cut down so that it fit into the public space. The result are all scares over the base of the trunk that look very much like eyes. Do you sense something watching you?

nature in a not so natural spot


That's all for today.

One more thing, I have been working on a book cover and it looks as though my submission has been chosen. This is a rather big deal for me to have a published book cover so I am quite happy. The illustration itself is pretty straight forward because that's what they wanted, so its not anything that special, but a book cover! oh me oh my!

-kimberlee