stamp class

I taught a Stamping on Fabric workshop on Saturday. I love teaching workshops. It really is the best job. Helping people get their making on never gets old! I love watching people's quiet concentration as they are carving a block or printing a stamp. It proves to me what I already know, that making is good for the soul, and that we all need a bit of it in our lives.

I'm always surprised that some workshop attendees haven't done any making or art since high school. I really believe everyone has a creative streak, that everyone can be taught to draw, and that everyone benefits from getting the chance to be creative. And so I love enabling that process.

Its not even the finished product that is the prize, its also the process of making which is a mindful meditation in itself (even that endless unpicking can be a time for daydreaming!)

It is lovely watching people relax into creative work. And it is wonderful to see their happy faces when they hold up their finished tote or tea towel at the end with pride and accomplishment, and a big smile on their face. Thanks to the lovely bunch of girls who were such a nice gang to hang out with on a rainy Saturday.

Thanks to Melissa and Pepper (pictured) for another great day at SewMakeCreate. We haven't scheduled a new date yet (!) but email Melissa (hello@sewmakecreate.com.au) to be notified about my next class which will probably be in October.

I sewed this piece of stamped fabric I shared on instagram a while ago into a zip purse to show people what you can make with a small piece of hand stamping. Its such a quick, cheap and easy craft this one, and so adaptable.

it's a wrap

Don’t you love a well wrapped present? I do, I love the way it adds another layer of care to a specially chosen gift.

I enjoy wrapping presents too. I like coordinating the giftwrap and card, and occasionally dressing it up with ribbon or a bow. The year before last I designed and shared my own gift tags.

One of the things I love the most about buying handmade is the wrapping. Don’t you think? I’ve rarely received a parcel from a maker that wasn’t wrapped with care and individuality, and a beautiful piece of string! And I love buying cards from artists I know and love. I have a bit of a collection as you can see, though I find it hard to give them away, as you can see!

You won’t be surprised to hear I am one of those annoyingly slow present openers who carefully removes the sticky tape, carefully unknots the string, and tries to save the paper!

I was a bit sad this Christmas that I didn’t get to spend as much time and thought on my wrapping as I’d have liked. I had grand plans to make some wrapping paper and gift tags using an inkpad and stamps. I’ve done this before with potato prints when the kids were small but it has remained one of those projects that I always mean to get too but run out of time.

So this year I am starting the year as I mean to go on. I got the stamps and tags out and some crispy new brown paper and made a start.

One of my sister’s in law is a great wrapper. She always personalises her parcels with string and stickers and layered wrapping. Her presents are always distinctive. I’d like to be more like her. Another sister in law always has the perfect card. Carefully chosen especially for each recipient, mine are always perfect for me, and I always end up saving them.

In line with my resolution to have my presents more organised this year, I bought four brooches from local maker Polli's sale last month. One for each of my four sister in laws’ birthdays this year. I’m feeling smugly organised. With that purchase out of the way I'm going to get them wrapped and tagged, ready to send out. I might try to buy some little gift boxes for that extra touch. Oh and these little shoes bought ages ago from Melissa Wastney that I've had tucked away were wrapped and tagged and gifted to a precious new little girl on the weekend!

To inspire me I've also started a new Wrap pinterest board to collect images for inspiration.

I’m also ahead of the game for Valentine’s Day with these special wine boxes sent to me by Pack Queen. I love the way they dress up a simple bottle of wine for gift giving, and the different colours make the perfect base for a bit of stamping. I’m going to personalise one with this newly carved heart stamp for Mr Flowerpress’s Valentine’s gift, a bottle of nice champagne which I’m hoping he will share with me!

How about you? Are you an organised present buyer and wrapper? And do you give Valentine’s Day presents? We aren't too fussed about it, but I'm lucky enough to get chocolates from my favourite local chocolate makers sometimes, and I always share!

my creative space - hottie two

It was the perfect weather this week to be working on my entry into the Open Drawer Hottie Cover Challenge Exhibition - it was freezing! It was also the final week before the Friday deadline which helped get me focussed, nothing like a deadline to spark your creativity!

I'm part of Cam's group entry again this year, the exhibition raises money and attention for the Margaret Pratt Foundation which supports lung and heart transplant patients, a cause I'm delighted to support again. (2011's entry is here in case you missed it.)

The idea of a hottie fabric design came to mind, and I thought I could make my hot water bottle cover from that. Teaching my stamp carving course has been inspiring me recently to get out the lino tools and make some new stamps. This craft is so versatile and simple, and it was a great way to make a multicolour print quickly and simply and cheaply. (If you're interested in learning this craft I have some more workshops coming up, check the SewMakeCreate site for dates.)

Here's the design I came up with. I'm in love with this repeat and it will definitely become a digital design so I can order some yardage for pajama pants! How cool would that be?! In the meantime I whipped up a pillowcase for my bed with a hottie repeat panel on the front. Something to make these chilly nights a little warmer.

The front is lined with cotton and the back is made with my Harlequin stencil print from way back here. It has an opening to slip the hottie in and an opening at the top to access the lid. I'm feeling quite smug that the pattern matches up on the back there. Actually though a hottie cover is a simple and rewarding sew. I might need to make some more.

If you want to see the rest of the amazing hottie covers, check the Flickr group or the instagram hashtag #hottiechallenge2013. And some of the hotties will be for sale either at the exhibition or afterwards. And its all for a great cause. I just wish I was close enough to be at Opening Night.

Joining in this week, after a long absence, with My Creative Space.

the week that was

I've been meaning to get back here all week to blog, but you know how it is. Here is some of what's been distracting me, fun stuff!

• Taught the first of my Stamp Carving workshops at SewMakeCreate on Saturday. It was fun! I gathered all my stamps together in preparation the other day and loved how they looked together. My students were so sweet, and it was great inspiring others to creative pursuits.

Before the class I bought some new stamp pads to play with (any excuse!) And then I couldn't resist personalising the cutting tools with a bit of my new washi tape. Don't they look sweet.

• The weekend before that I sewed this big batch of new marble bags. It is great to have Marble Kits back in the shop. These make such sweet handmade gifts.

• On Sunday I was especially spoilt for Mother's Day. Each of my cards was lovingly handmade and I was given some really thoughtful presents, including these new serious, big scissors for fabric cutting, researched and bought by my lovely Mr with help from the ladies at Spotlight. Master J said he loves me more than the size of Jupiter (they are studying the solar system this term) and provided a helpful diagram on the back of his card!