Normal service will resume soon

2009 has been awful but I’m finally starting the chug through the last week of work today.

During the Christmas and New Year period I need some time away so I’m putting the blog on a summer holiday too. I’ll be back in the New Year – hopefully with lots of new entries, a more stable life and interesting photos  - but right now Tom and I just need some time out away from the rest of the world. Keep us in your feed reader. I imagine we’ll return mid-January.

Felt like Friday

This week I did all the Christmas shopping online. It’s something I’ve always thought about doing and this year there are lots of great online shops with stylish wares that I actually wanted to buy from. It also saved me going to shops and dealing with questions like, “how are yoooouuuu?” and ensured that I didn’t get tricked by shop displays into buying more than I meant to.

In the spirit of online shopping, here’s a few favourites from online craft shop Felt. They’re all New Zealand made objects by people who will be thrilled to have made a sale before Christmas. Click on each image to go through to the right place in the site. Everything can be bought online and hopefully this might save you a trip to the shops too.

Printed doilly cushion

Teatowel of the family cat

Great new magazine

Green hair clips

Slightly scary cat

A cool t-shirt

Man's utility apron

Notebooks - always handy

Flamin’ Artichoke

Goodies galore at the gallery

One of the great things about Featherston (there are so many) is that after we arrived a whole lot more enthusiastic people came over the hill with good ideas.

One of those good ideas is Flamin’ Artichoke, potentially the world’s smallest gallery but one that has great well-priced art and a good selection of craft too.

It’s run by a collective of (I think four) local women and they’ve been good enough to stock my craft, which is selling slowly but surely.

The gallery has regular exhibitions, a great atmosphere and is another way we can all shop local. They’ve also got a great blog, which shows latest exhibitions and goings on.

Twilight

Not that crappy vampire movie series for teens: twilight Craft 2.0 is happening after school/work on Thursday 3 December 2009. Come along and see me.

One dress, two ways

A while ago when Helen and I were op-shopping in Palmerston North I bought a floral smock-fronted dress that I had on intention of wearing. It was beautiful though and there was something about the fabric that I couldn’t pass up.

Ever since it’s been sitting in the sewing pile and was recently made into a petticoat for me (by adding lace detail) and a zip purse for my friend Abby’s birthday. Here it is:

My new petticoat made from an op-shop dress

Front smocking detail of the zip purse

Back pleated detail of zip purse

Inside detail of the zip purse