Happy New Year - well almost...

Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2008 is fab for all of us!

I have just created a series of little clutch purses and my new ballerina clutches. I am delighted to say that one has already sold and is on its way to New Zealand today...


I just found this blog and wanted to share it:
Tacky Christmas Yards - very american but very cute!



Oh oh oh! And this one... Flawless Beauty which has a lovely masthead (worth looking at the blog just for that) but this fab pic of a balinese home. How gorgeous!

Have a lovely Christmas everyone and a well deserved break! I will see you in the New Year with lots more lovely and exciting new bags!


This gorgeous old photo is my Grandmother Barbara's xmas in the 1920's in San Francisco. Can you believe all the toys and dolls for TWO little girls!!! I just love this photo...



I just love vintage Christmas photos and came acr0ss these 2 via flickr.com. They are both circa 1958 and so American!

Cookies for Christmas...

These are orange and pecan cookies from the Donna Hay xmas magazine. Now, mine don't look quite like the stylishly shot biccies in the magazine but they are close enough! (I'm not much of a 'recipe' cook and prefer to throw everything in stirfry style!).


I bought the cute little bowls from House in red & blue stripes. These gifts are going with us today for an xmas party in Wentworth Falls (Steven's work party).

Have a great Christmas everyone!

And the winner is...

The winner of my Christmas competition - the lovely Francoise ballerina clutch purse is:

N. Clarke, Orchard Park, Victoria

The clutch has been posted today so that it can go under the winner's xmas tree by Monday night!

Thanks to everyone who entered - and have a great xmas!

K

Lovely gift from Made By White

This beautiful brooch - a tea cup and pot - was given to me by Lyndsay at Made By White at the Markets last week. I had mentioned I love pink & red and she turned up with this! Isn't it just so gorgeous... I've placed it on cute 50's seersucker. Thank you Lyndsay and Kelly!


I have been wrapping presents and can't find the sticky tape. But really, do we need it? I have used wool to wrap it and stuck a couple of cute heart stickers to hold the tissue down here and there. Looks ok to me!

Other than that, I am getting ready to go to Paddington Market tomorrow (Thursday). They are having a Christmas market at the Church from 2pm-9pm. This is a great way to grab last minute presents, and Paddington is famous for its great markets, so come on down!

Fabulous recycling

I just spotted this in the latest issue of 'Donna Hay' magazine. They are glasses and jugs made from recycled glassware by dutch designers Boontje and Woofenden. Aren't they divine!
Created from recycled bottles, the glasses and jug are made in Guatemala by a local artisan group who have developed skills in cutting and polishing glassware to create beautiful works of art.

The Guatemalan scheme is part of a Design with Conscience campaign that aims to use design to foster humanitarian and environmental causes around the world.

The glassware comes frosted, in various shades of green or in white, depending on the type of bottles used.

Got blogged...

Dailyimprint ('an inspiration hit for creative individuals') has asked me a series of questions and blogged me! Check it out...


I'm having fun looking into accommodation in Melbourne. We'd like to go down there at Easter and do the Rose Street Markets. Then possibly go down again in July and do the Melbourne designer markets at the National Design Centre... I have heard there is an Art Deco exhibition on then too...

This weekend I have updated my site to include names and prices under each item in my shop... sounds straightforward but boy, it takes some time! This has also been updated in the wholesale area to make it easier...

I went to Lawson Markets today and finally met Freedom of Laughing Bird textiles with her gorgeous range of screenprinted linen tea towels. These are for sale on madeit too! Isn't it divine?! This one is for my mum and I just love the echidna and the vase of flowers.


Besides slobbing out and watching The Royle Family and People Like Us (series 2) this weekend, we are just getting ready for family and Christmas. I have spent Friday in the city as my grandfather was in hospital. He now has a pacemaker so will get lots of ribbing about his 'dodgy ticker' this Christmas.


There are over 20 new products added to my website now - with a final 4 ballerina totes being added this week - last chance to grab something for yourself before Christmas! Oh, and if you haven't checked out my newsletter on my site - make sure you do... this week I draw the winner of the fabulous Francoise ballerina clutch.

Flickr.com friends

I wanted to show some of the clever work by other crafties - these are from groups on flickr.com. Above is Betty Jo's linocut and recycled button jewellery, of which I own a red, brown and pink Suzie Sparrow! I love her stuff!



Florence Forrest makes delightful one-off special toys. These guys are four Pimmie Parrots that are handpainted. You'd want all four as they look so cute together!


These cute baby shoes are by Spool Queen - so very, very sweet!


These beautiful Christmas hearts are by Not Yet The Dodo - made from luxurious wallpaper. So clever!


This stall is by Ladyfort - so much great stuff - taken at the Manchester Craft Mafia December Market... love to be there!

Swaps at the Powerhouse

Oh Oh Oh - just had to blog about the fab finds at the Powerhouse Markets over the weekend. Thanks to everyone who swapped stuff - so much fun! (Above top) are beautiful resin bracelets and ring by Bamboo Chutney. (Middle) is a gorgeous screenprinted skirt by Surface Art.

Below that is a gorgeous handprinted table runner by Ella and Sofia.

Above (top) is a beautiful waratah brooch by insync design. Above (bottom) is fabulous cards by Matou En Peluche - just lovely! 

It was amazing to see so much creativity under one roof!

Lovely things...

I got these two lovely items in the post when I got home on Sunday and just had to blog about them! This beautiful card (above) is from dedicated bag addict Kirsten from Cheek Pinchy in Auckland, NZ. She has made this card especially for me - complete with handbag! It's just divine! You can find her range at www.toggle.co.nz. Just search for 'Cheek Pinchy' under print.


Then... I also got a lovely item that I had ordered via the madeit.com.au website. This lovely button case (above) is by Pixie Lane. Its made with cute buttons that move around under the plastic and a recycled old pattern... mmm....

Market pretty...

Just about ready to head to Sydney for the Youngblood Market this weekend at the Powerhouse Museum. I have made some cute pricing cards for my stall. The backs of the cards are recycled pages of the fabulous Frankie magazine!


As usual I have no idea of the weather in Sydney, its still misty and overcast here in the Mountains.

Just beautiful

These beautiful photos are from Toast, UK online store. Aren't they just so divine? I am just beside myself and have sent these off to Lisa, who is going to take photos of Belle with my bags in January - pressure's on Lisa!

This reminds me of our kitchen which is very, very rustic...



This is a bit like our place in the mountains.... always raining so there is clothes drying everywhere! I'm ready to get a non-environmentally friendly dryer if it continues as I just can't get things dry and mildew free. Yuck!



Isn't this the sweetest dress?! I think I'd happily give my right arm for this one...

Lovely find...

On Sunday I picked up this beautiful vintage italian bedspread very cheap. I was toying with the idea of creating bags from it, but once it was washed - no way - it is just too lovely! It has very old labels "made in Italy" and "Kemtvattas".

Does anyone know this brand? I'd love to find out more...


I am finalising a lot of bags ready for the 2 day market this weekend at the Powerhouse. Here's what my studio kinda looks like at the moment.



This award has been forwarded by my aunt Lesley at Port Macquarie. It says:

Port Macquarie Maternity Unit 'Old Bag' award Lesley Byron For Outstanding performance in the area of bags; tea bags, coffee bags and her endless supply of gorgeous handbags.

Great fun!

Ballerina bags - new style!

These are my new ballerina bags - as clutches! I've created them in small and medium sized clutches and they will premiere at Powerhouse Xmas Market next weekend. They are a bit of fun!