chartreuse

This week is brought to you by chartreuse and her sister saffron. These favourite colours are obviously dear to my heart because when I chose yarn colours for my granny hottie along with Kate they were the first ones in the pile.

It might have something to do with this Posie embroidery sampler which is my official car craft. I think you've seen it before, it comes out for road trips but is neglected a bit in between. I'm quite proud of that 'O' which I finished last. I think my embroidery skills have definitely improved as I've been sewing it.

My crochet skills and confidence have grown with the hottie too and I was brave enough to chance a scalloped edge to the top opening (quite easy actually with the help of Ms Google). It is my first finished crochet project (that bullseye blanket is a longterm wip I might just pick up again after my enjoyment of the hottie, a bit shamemaking when I look at the date on that post!).

The other green in my life this week is this stash of bottle green Chrysanthemum tea towels in cotton I found while cleaning my work space. I spent some time the other day packaging them up and they are in the newly refreshed shop with all the other stuff I found in the clean up. Good for the present cupboard these ones and only $10 this week.

The other yellow is this little pot which is the only one of my ceramics makes I'm using. The others are still too precious to actually handle! Is that a bit dumb do you think? It makes me very happy anyway this little yellow bowl. I feel pretty clever and crafty everytime it holds actual stuff. I think that pretty much sums up my love of crafting - I get such a kick out of making practical objects that become part of my day, or someone else's.

That other yellow is the radar map which shows our weather week, mad rain for days, which we need, but thank god for those spots of sun that come in between that make it bearable.

My other wip this week is a new baby quilt. New baby (so cute!) came early though so must get back to that very soon! Would help if I didn't cut all the blocks in half on a whim and start making the pattern up as I went along!

Happy week everyone. I am teaching a stamp carving and printing class on Saturday at SewMakeCreate. I think its too late to get into this one but I'll be doing more this year. Just ring Melissa if you want to come play. Its lots of fun!

p.s. I love this blog I came across this week, lovely photos which will make you smile.

flower

The light is changing here and spring's vanguard have arrived. The jasmine and the daphne and the magnolias are all showing off their delicate shades of pink and soft perfumes. And although its cold again at night there's something in the air, a warmth, a light, a feeling. I love this pretty spring light and the way it slants into the garden.

I have been working away, head down, lots of projects in the making, lots of different creative thought processes fighting for attention in my busy brain. I still haven't got my kiln wired in, but I am still making and still decorating clay pieces. I am uncharacteristically patient with the slow progress on this front. As long as I can keep making while I wait I'm happy.

We have plans, literally, and hopes that these will become reality soon. I'm hoping the stars eventually align... I'm pretty sure they will.

The other day I signed up for an online discounted Illustrator course and I've had fun playing around and learning some new tips and tricks for this favourite program. I've also joined in with Kate using up some of the colourful yarn stash crocheting a Granny Square hot water bottle cover. Its not the first hot water bottle cover I've made, but it will be the first I've kept.

I like crochet, I'm not great at it but it is so much quicker than knitting and these little granny squares are such a great way to play with lots of different colours. I'm a bit behind though, I better get to it!

I've also had the screens out again, for something I hope to share quite soon. You'll have to wait for that one, but not too long.

I had such a fun weekend last weekend. It started with dinner and a sleepover at my sister's place on Friday night. Such a delicious dinner and it was so nice to have time to natter and catch up properly. I've been coveting her vintage style scales she brought back from Vietnam for ages so it was a lovely surprise she brought me my own set on her last visit.

On Saturday I had dinner with friends, a really nice and interesting bunch of women, more fabulous food and this moreish cocktail of Aperol and Prosecco. Worth drinking just for its looks I think!

Sunday the boys soccer team won against the odds (header goal from Master D), another team lost against the odds and so we made it through to the finals.

A grab bag of pictures again this week. Its the best way for me to blog at the moment, and I always enjoy it when others share their weeks, I hope you do too!!

The last picture is of the wonderful guinea fowl feathers that Jenni sent me, just because. Aren't they beautiful.

guardian angels

One of the things I love about craft bloggers is their generosity. There is so much time and thought put into a handmade item that it can't help but be personal. And whenever there is a cause or a need, I've noticed crafters can be counted on to be there to help.

Which is why I am so happy to pass on information about this drive by Guardian pharmacies for their Guardian Angels Knitting Program. They are aiming to collect knitted and crocheted items to donate to those in need this winter again. I hadn't heard of this inititiative before but in fact this year marks the 15th year of the program and over that time they have donated handmade garments to over two million children! I have donated before to Wrap with Love and this seems an equally wonderful cause.

This year the charity is partnering Save the Children Australia, the nation's leading independent and emergency relief and development organisation for children. Personally I'm a big fan of child focussed charity efforts and I love that this is such a personal one, where you can actually warm and comfort a child directly with your handiwork.

Guardian have produced a knit and crochet pattern pamphlet in association with their sponsor Spotlight which is available for download on their site. They have also given me some yarn to giveaway. I have two big 100 gram balls of Marvel acrylic 8 ply, one in red and one blue, and some size 4 Birch knitting needles for one person. I think these would make a good beginner's kit for an aspiring knitter. To enter just tell me in the comments your favourite knitting pattern for kids or if you are a newbie knitter your best project so far. My big achievement is a cardigan, knitted this time two years ago and my favourite kids project  is a cabled hat I made for a new little baby a few years ago. Both are on my ravelry page if you're interested.

You don't have to make something from the Guardian pamphlet patterns, but there are some really cute designs included as you can see from the pics above. To help inspire you I've also had a quick look through Ravelry too, for free and simple patterns for small people. Ravelry is such a wonderful site, its a great resource for advice and inspiration in the yarny arts so if you aren't part of it, think about joining now.

I just love that image of the little girl in the supermarket trolley, and even more because it reminds me of a tiny little person who arrived the other day at the Berkelouw Barn when we were having lunch. She had a similar elfy hatted cape in bright red, hand knitted with little matching socks, and all the girls at my table swooned when we saw her!

So go, be knitty and crochety, and donate your handmade project through your nearest Guardian pharmacy before August 31st. There is a store locator on their site. Oh and this week is World Wide Knit in Public Day, so you'll be in good company :-)

Ravelry links from above:
pembroke vest • little scallops hat
mossy knit • chubby cat hat
landree's hooded cape 
basic winter hat • baby sophisticate cardi

show & tell - ellie beck

I'm so pleased to have another north coast nsw blogger this week for you in Show & Tell. I've known Ellie Beck who writes as petalplum for a few years now, in fact looking back, ever since she won a giveaway on flowerpress way back in 2009!

Over the years we've continued to cross paths on the interwebs and these days she is also one of my favourite instagrammers. I love her tranquil still life photos and covet the crocheted stones she makes, so I was delighted to see her open a new shop recently selling these stones along with her beautiful screenprinted fabrics.

There is a lot of talk online about living simply. While not making a big deal about it, since a tree change a few years ago Ellie lives in a small 6 x 4m house with her partner and two children, but without electricity! They are slowly and carefully building their new house and studio themselves. And yet those restrictions are never what I remember after reading her posts or seeing her photos. Rather it is her delight in her surroundings and her love of creativity, the art and beauty of the everyday.

Ellie is also a community minded artist who helps promote art and craft in her local area, she recently helped set up the Hey Maker collective which reinvigorated empty shops around her local town with art and craft and workshops. She also runs a local craft market at the wonderful Tweed River gallery.

While choosing photos for the post I was again taken with with all the beautiful images on Ellie's blog. If you haven't seen them, or don't follow her instagram stream, do go and spend some time with her in her simple, but beautiful and creative life. You will be inspired.

name
Ellie Beck
location
Crystal Creek, in the rainforest outside of Murwillumbah
blog
petalplum
shop
elliebeck.com.au
flickr
petalplum
instagram
@petalplum
pinterest
petalplum

1. Can you give us a short description of your blog/style/work.
My blog is about my daily life, my family, the things I do and things that catch my fancy along the way. It's ever evolving, but always somehow me. My style is personal and quiet and thoughtful. I like handcrafted pieces that have mistakes, and a story, and meaning; an impression of the maker. Also, very experimental.

2. Why blog? How did you start?
I started my blog many years ago, I think 2006 or so. When my kids were little.

At the start it was about connecting with other young mothers, and having an outlet for showing/sharing my creativeness. The connections are the best part, and why I still blog today. And having a record of things I've done, and occasionally remembering to write about milestones in my children's growing up!

I also like the accountability of having a blog - wanting to keep my blog updated with new things, and things that I've made/making. I know I'm not the only one who'll make and then photograph something for my blog; I sometimes wonder if some things wouldn't get finished if it weren't for my blog.

3. Family taught/Self-taught/Trained?
Oh, family taught and self-trained. I grew up in a very creative and nurturing family; everybody was always making something or doing something in a creative way. I was very lucky to go to a Steiner school for primary, where being creative was part of every day schooling. I also had excellent high school art and drama teachers.

Apart from a short time at TAFE a million years ago ("graphic design" then was not what it is now), everything I currently do/make is an experimental journey. Continual practice and persistence and enjoying the process - it's still about the process for me. {Also, blogs and the plethora of crafty books available have helped me to learn little skills along the way!}

4. Workspace - studio or kitchen table?
Mainly kitchen table. Anywhere really. Crochet and embroidery are so portable (at the creek, at a party, in the car). Screen printing on the kitchen table around life. (Wet fabric hanging everywhere waiting for the prints to dry!). We are currently building our home, and studio - so one day I'll have a real printing table. Oh, I can't wait!!

5. Blog/Shop name, where does it come from?
My blog name, Petalplum, comes from the name my mama used to call us when we were children. One day I heard my Grandma call my nephew Petalplum, and it made my heart sing!

6. Favourite media/style/medium to work in?
I love fabric and texture. Screen printing will always be a favourite, and important to me. I love the fact that all the dirty ink and rambling of my image/design making produces something so crisp and clear. Seeing your own design printed onto fabric is really just one of the best feelings. I also love thread - stitch work, simple lines along textural fabrics, embroidery.

Over the past few years  I've come back to crochet (my mama taught me when I was young), and I'm loving it so much. Small projects normally, that are quick and easy to finish.

I'm also really loving the experiments of natural plant dyeing. Unlike the crisp marks of the screen printing, this produces unexpected, often glorious results - shapes and colours and patterns that really make my heart sing. It's a bit magic, a bit witch like (bubbling pots and such), and also a connection to past skills and crafts; a remembering of how things used to be. Enjoying the ephemeral marks of life.

I'd let to get back into drawing and watercolouring again more this year.

7. Ambitions/future directions/future projects you'd like to try?
At the moment finishing building our house, and having a studio space are big in my life. I'd love to host workshops and gatherings at my home, one day down the track.

Connecting people is important in my life at the moment. Getting together with like-minded creatives; even just for a cup of tea and some inspiration, but making things together is wonderful too. Sharing skills and learning (or relearning) new skills. I have a few big projects in mind for this year that relate to this making, and being creative, and connecting together.

Also, continuing on with my natural plant dyeing experiments is exciting. And a new online shop has giving me a creative burst to fill it with things that represent me, things that make me happy, and bring me joy to create.

8. Are you neat and organised or, ahem, creatively messy?
Just plain messy. As much as I try (and as much as my husband wishes) for the neatness it never happens. At present we are living in a teeny 6m x 4m teahouse/shack with the four of us; so storage and space for spreading out my creative wips and thinking space is super tight. We're all four (my two children and my husband) building creative piles on any spare surface! Thankfully my husband mostly puts up with it, and eventually cleans it all up.

9. Favourite handmade, handcrafted item you own not made by you.
Two things. The tea cup that my mama made, that I am lucky to own. I remember her making it / painting it. It makes me happy to use it. The other thing is a little felt needle case my 8yr old son made me, with the sweetest stitches. He made it to swap with something I'd made that he wanted.

10. Favourite food/recipe?
We make subzi a lot in our family. Subzi (or subji) is the Hindi word for vegetable. So, really it's the meal that most Australian's would call curry. I grew up eating it most every night, and despite whinging as a child, we make now make it at home, and I love my dad making it when we visit him.

We make our own spice mixture, rather than using a bottle thing. Also chai is being drunk a bit around here lately - I gave up coffee a while ago, so needed a replacement (I love green tea, but it's not the same as a milky drink). I never ever use syrup, only ever make our own mixture up.
I'm also getting into raw chocolate - somehow I feel like it's better for me, so we can eat a bit more. Only ever dark chocolate. 

11. Favourite colour?
I think a deep indigo inky blue. Something that might come out of a dye pot (but I also have a screen printing ink colour I mix up that's pretty close). The golden sparkling yellow I dyed this week onto vintage Kimono silk, using turmeric powder is also very amazing!

12. Star sign?
Gemini - hence the fact that I'm so indecisive.

13. Favourite place, landscape (not necessarily Australian)?
I think here where I live. It's pretty magical - in the forest, amongst ancient trees and moss and ferns.
I haven't done a lot of traveling in my life - New Zealand was quite magical. I'd like to visit Morocco.
Actually - standing on the headland at Fingal Head at sunrise is a favourite place.

14. Any tricks for juggling life/work/family with creative pursuits?
Oh, I'm not excellent at this - some days are easy and lots gets happily achieved. On other days, when I see I'm not going to get my own making happening, it's best for me to stop having those expectations. To give into the joy of being in the moment with my children, rather than be annoyed that I can't do what I want. It's better that way as I'm more peaceful, and more connected with them.

We often all end up crafting/painting/making together. If I sit down to stitch or crochet one or the other of them wants to join in. Having little projects to pick up whenever I can (a stitch here or there) is a good technique too.
I do stay up later than everyone, in that quiet time of night where I can think and be and make (or blog - which is creative too). And other times I simply skip off from duties and have a half day of being with other creatives.
My house isn't tidy, though I try to do whatever little bits I can around other things. Multi-tasking.

15. Favourite designers/artists/crafters/writers etc?
Again with the choosing favourites thing... Writers: Lily Brett makes me laugh, Helen Garner makes me nostalgic for a time I didn't even live through, Roald Dahl... Artists: Joseph Cornell, Eva Hesse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Fred Williams, Frank Lloyd Wright. UK stylist Twig Hutchinson (she does all the Toast styling). Photographer Tim Walker. Fabric designer Nani Iro (Naomi Ito).
Crafters / makers - I endlessly love the Ink & Spindle girls for more than their designs. The quilts and little dolls and artwork of Tiel Sievl-Keevers (tsktsk). Everything that my friend, Jo Olive (of Olive and the Volcano) makes. The fine delicate work of (local to me) ceramicist Pinky & Maurice. Kate of Greedy for Colour blog, and Kate of Foxs Lane blog are injections of colour and beauty into my life.
I'll stop there!

16. Your favourite thing you've made/written/done.
A simple tiny painting I made when I was young. It's a purple iris - it's perfect. Still now all these years later it's pinned to the wall in my dad's house upstairs. Also, I'm pretty proud of this skirt that I made a couple of years ago using all the scraps of my screen printed fabric. I loved wearing it, and got so many wonderful comments.

17. Three words to describe yourself?
Muchness, impulsive, dedicated

18. What do you like to do besides creating?
Reading - curled up in bed quietly. Standing in my yard dreaming and talking to the birds. Planning new crazy ideas. Wishing my garden looked beautiful again. Cooking (which is a different sort of creative). Playing at the beach with my family, and my sisters and their children. (and let's be honest here - instagram....)

2012

I can't quite believe we've left 2012 behind already, can you?!

It was a good year, a busy year with lots of happy times and not too many sad.

Looking back, it was a creative year too. I often feel like I don't get everything I want done, so I love these end of year roundups and photo mosaics, where I get to see what I've actually achieved - it gives me a great sense of accomplishment!

There's nothing like collecting all your work together to remember the times through the year, what you were doing, what was happening, what you made.

For example looking here I see that this was the year I finally learnt to crochet and embarked on a bullseye quilt, which is still 'in progress'.

I made a quilt for little Poppy, my second, but definitely not my last, in fact I've started another starry quilt which I need to get back to...

This was a year for sewing and one where I actually made some clothes for myself. I grew in confidence and started to learn more about how patterns come together, how sleeves fit armholes, how linings fit within skirts. I have many new patterns in the stash and one of my dreams is to design and print some material and then make some clothes with it for me!

At the end of the year I celebrated five years blogging and was included in Pip's Ace Bloggers list around the same time. It feels like a wonderful milestone to have blogged regularly for five years, it has given me so much. My little Flower Press business which has also enriched my life marked its fifth anniversary too and that felt good.

I created tutorials - for foam and perspex printing, for my small baby quilt and for stencil screenprinting. It felt good to share what I'd learnt. In return I followed many tutorials, pinned many projects and became an instagram addict!

I did my first collaboration and made a wonderful marble starter kit with dear Alisa, something we're both very proud of.

I made soap, I made bread, I made yoghurt, ricotta and jam. I planted more vegies and reorganised the garden to make it more a mix of ornamental and productive. 

Our family worked hard, we played hard, we did our best. We ate healthier, we lived simpler, we cared for others around us, we looked at art, we were creative, we exercised, we lived. My heart is full watching my beautiful children grow a little more into the wonderful people they are.

I'm excited about 2013. Some ideas are slowly percolating in my mind. I've learnt not to be too specific about goals, to let life steer me through my year. But I do know that there will be more of all of this, another big mosaic next year with lots of creative life. 

And I know that as always my lovely blogging community will inspire and encourage me and help show me the way.

While making this I couldn't resist looking back at the last four years of mosaics, I think this one's the biggest! Here's the list of links for 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008 if you're interested. And for individual photo links for those images above, click the mosaic picture to be taken to flickr.

my creative space - Zigo Zago Giveaway

I was delighted last week when Alex from online yarn and fabric shop Zigo Zago contacted me about a having a giveaway for Flower Press readers. Zigo Zago stocks the most beautiful collection of artisan yarns, sewing and knitting patterns, fabrics and knitting needles.

All the fabulous artisan yarn brands are here, including Swans Island organic hand dyed merinos, the famous Madeline Tosh and Malabrigo brands, Cascade with all its beautiful colours, Skein, the Fibre Company, Abuelita and Dream in Color. What a fantastic selection. And how wonderful to be able to buy all these greats in one place with local shipping.

Alex also has a carefully curated, well priced selection of fabrics, sewing and knitting patterns, and knitting needles. There are some lovely kid's knitting patterns that I haven't seen before from Coastal Kids and Never not Knitting, and the great French Citronille sewing patterns for children and adults as well as lots of Make it Perfect designs. She stocks needles from Addi, Knit Pro and cute Tasmanian wooden needles from ArtViva.

I'm so lucky - Alex sent me a skein of Classy with Cashmere to try, the wine coloured In Vino Veritas above. This hand dyed yarn made by small indie company Dream in Color is a mix of merino, with 20% cashmere and a touch of nylon. It is sooo soft against the skin, such luxury. I'd told her I'd been dying to make a cowl and this will be perfect for the project. (I'm thinking the Honey Cowl pattern by Madeline Tosh). There's nothing worse than spending ages knitting something that turns out to be too itchy to wear. I really think this is going to be a learning curve for me, a new stage in my knitting, working with a luxury yarn like this, I feel there might be no going back!

The really fabulous news is that Alex sent two extra skeins of this wonderful Classy with Cashmere yarn and a cute pattern mag called PomPom Quarterly to give away to you guys! Between us we've chosen two beautiful colours, Deap Sea Flower and Cocoa Kiss, you really need to see these in person to see the subtle hand dyed mix of colour and to feel the softness of the cashmere mix! These would be perfect to knit up a special Christmas gift for someone special.

To enter all you need to do is tell me which of the skeins you would like to win, the Sea Flower or Cocoa Kiss, and what you think you might make with it. There will be two winners of a skein each. Easy! The Giveaway is open for a week, closing Wednesday night with the winners announced on Thursday. The first entry chosen will also win the copy of PomPom Quarterly, produced by two ladies who work at the famed LOOP in London. It has some great new patterns, don't you love this cardie.

One more thing, Alex has also generously given Flower Press readers a discount code of 10% to use on purchases - the code is Flowerpress and just needs to be entered at checkout to redeem.

For lucky locals, Alex is opening a bricks and mortar shop in Castlemaine next month. I'm jealous of all of you who will be close enough to check it out. I think she has such a great selection and I would love to be closer to support a small indie yarn and fabric seller!

So my creative space for the next little while will be filled with beautiful wool and meditative knitting.

my creative space - patterns

Busy with boring bits today but the creative stuff is calling to me. I started this little crochet experiment while I was away, it was my car craft and while I haven't quite worked out the edges (because I'm trying to cheat and jump to the tricky bits without learning the basics of crochet!) I love the pattern. It was inspired by the Wavy Blanket pattern which I saw someone making on Instagram. I've adapted it to make a shorter, scarf length to play with and I'm having fun again mixing colours. My new method is lining up balls of wool till I'm happy with the combination and then taking a pic on my phone to remind me of the order.

I seem to have caught the clothes sewing bug too and I couldn't resist these patterns which I saw on Marina's Wink Designs blog. They come from Australian designer Megan Neilsen, a young Aussie designer living in the US. Check out her blog for the sewalong which gives heaps of tips for sewing these patterns. Can't wait to try them. Its exciting to see some of the new home sewing patterns coming out. I've been wearing my Tovas and just loving them. I need another couple I think. And I've seen some Colette patterns I like, any recommendations welcome.

This is a glimpse at a bit of my stash, amassed recently with different projects in mind, and some fabrics picked up when opping the other day. I was surprised when I put them together about how many are blue, which I don't wear that much of. I need to start sewing some of it soon!

Back to the boring now though... To check out some creative projects pop in to our creative space.