moopy & me

The latest

The latest issue of Okido mag is an absolute winner! all about poo... My own moopy poo can't get enough, it is on high rotation at our place (even at bedtime!). You can get a copy at Nest if you like. I am a big fan off this magazine for 2-7 year olds... every issue is jam packed full of quality, wonderful illustrations, stories and activities. I have been stocking Okido since it began (there are even a few back issues available offline at Nest if you missed out) as I was so impressed with the vibrancy and integrity (no ads..just super fun and educational).

In other latest news ... it's a girl! (phew.. Lily would have already had me lined up for #3 otherwise) Of course she almost cried with excitement yelling out "I knew it would be a sister mummy, I told yooooou". Bring it on ... let the 'house flipping upside down and turned around' decorating begin! I will have loads of pics to share soon as the shop reno is almost complete too and Amy's show is in full swing.

And because I never seem to have time to reply to comments and emails (sorry) I need to answer the "how did you make the stickers" questions. They were made by drawing in pencil on recycled paper, cutting out the shapes and then using one of those inexpensive nifty Xyron machines.

AND last but not least, Umbrella Prints textiles, Flip Dolls and Zakka packs are so very close to being ready... frustrating I know but so very close! I am even confident enough to report the NEW SHOP UPDATE for May 20 (those on the mailing list via this blog or the comments over at the Flip Doll blog will hear from us ASAP) I can't wait to show you the colours we have carefully chosen... so many colours in the world, so little fabric to print!!! Let me just say that all that orange (as much as I lurve it) was just to throw you.

I can seeeee youuuu

Let the reno begin!

Just incase you don't hear from me ever again... lost in a hole somewhere at Nest ... covered in plasterdust and paint... here is what I (and some very wonderful helpers!!) will be cleaning up this week. It will be so refreshing to have a new space to move in and brighter walls (currently paint splattered due to much fun had in the old artroom).

I can also now see you and you can see me when you pop into the shop!

 

I am sure those of you who have experienced home renos know that feeling of being so close yet so far away...

see you soon with after photos (I hope).... and that fabric hanging in the window (above) was so much fun to make ... simply done with a silk screen.. I will show you how soon, it's a great one to do with the kids!

Paper Cuts

*UPDATED* Opening night is Saturday May 3

Look what the fabulously talented Amy has been up to, all while setting up print runs with me for Umbrella Prints! Her new exhibition starts in a couple of weeks (Saturday May 3 at A Room of Her Own :: which is a gallery just across the road from Nest Studio) I have been getting special previews of the works and know exactly which piece I am going to try and nab first.

Some very sneaky photos ... just a tiny hint of whats on show

I have been helping out as much I can, such as putting this little postcard/invite together for her...(typos corrected!!) her work is stunning and evocative ..yeah? I will get Amy to put a few words together later on, closer to the  night to go along with the photos I will take .. I don't wan't to try and put the words together now in fear of not giving her work the justice it deserves. I will say this however, watching Amy work and seeing how her imagination, creativity and intelligence all come together to create such beautiful unique art, is a true inspiration.

Delightfulness

I was going to post another printing tutorial today but alas, Lily and I got side tracked making stickers. I love hers so much I have made her promise not to use them until I have been down to officeworks to colourcopy them. I absolutely hoard every tiny little mark that Lily makes, I can't help myself...we have files and files of the stuff... I have recently been collecting her attempts at writing... she has no idea what she has written... she comes to me with a scrap of paper asking me what it says... yesterday a piece had the carefully written words "Autograph Book".

I was most impressed and slightly stunned at Lily's own "Moopy Bunny" illustration...

Speaking of Moopy's... I will have this relatively simple toy pattern available soon.. and just incase you are not tired of seeing Umbrella Prints textiles .. there they are again on Moopy's ears and skirt. This is a WIP by the way... I still need to stuff and stitch on the face. I think of this bunny as MiniMoopy's older sister... there has been alot of that kind of talk around here lately..

I have an Umbrella Prints update to announce :: due to the overwhelming amount of support we have had ... the textiles will no longer be printed inhouse! yes, that means more fabric, quicker deliveries and possibly a more consistent quality. Originally Amy and I had been printing from our big screen in Nest Studio but this has proven to be far too slow and sometimes a bit frustrating... so we are almost to tears with excitement to be able to offer a much larger range than we had first hoped. The only draw back to this is waiting a bit longer in the beginning, for suppliers to deliver the goods. We have had a minor hicup with our favourite linen being discontinued... so are also searching crazily for another supplier.. All good news really, except we just have to be patient...

We have been keeping track of emails that come through from the comments list & via our inboxes... so when we are ready those who have left a comment over here will get notified first as well as those on my MoopyMe mailing list.

A little ray of sunshine

We have welcomed our recent rainy days with gumboots and jumping in puddles... for those here in Adelaide you will be forgiven for thinking I have resorted to talking about the weather...because our draught has broken... the grass has already bounced back! but for those who were a little confused about why my most recent posts vanished yesturday... let me direct you here ...It is so nice to be a part of this creative community, thanks for your support, I know Hillary appreciates it very much....and that's is it for now, we'll talk about it later.....

Now, onto more sunshine

I like to call this baby's play quilt, my "Peek 'a' Boo" quilt.... little Moopy bunny is hiding under those flaps for baby to find (inspired by our new Flip Dolls) ... and the draw string up top, hidden inside my rather oversized and lumpy looking bias tape, is for vanishing baby toys away at the pull of a cord.

I have never made/designed a quilt before so there were a few bunchy issues (hiding at the back thank goodness) but overall I am quite stoked to have something already whipped up for Moopy-poo #2. You will also be able to make this quilt if you so desire (along with a bunch of other sweet baby quilts) from a new pattern book coming out at the end of the year (published in the US)....  I will let you know all the details when they become available. All fabric except the spots and solids are from our new Umbrella Prints range... I love it!! I am so excited to see them sewn up into a cute quilt.

   

Project #2 revealed

A little baby in the belly is obviously my number one project at the moment but following very closely behind is Umbrella Prints (lets face it, the baby practically makes itself)

How exciting! MORE FABRIC and two new dollies for you to make. Amy and I have been working super hard on this project for almost a year now and are very proud to finally reveal all the creativity. Half of the textiles in our 12 modern Australian range are Amy's and the other half are mine... can you guess?

Both Amy and I have had team leaders, Lily (aged 4) & Grace (aged almost 3) bossing us from the side lines... most creative sessions have been reduced to washing up mud pies from clothes and explaining the rules of sharing for the millionth time (while we were busy ignoring them, they were busy making for sure we took more notice!)

We have 3 producty things for you to look at to start:: Flip Doll kits, Patchwork sets & meterage of the textiles used in both (meterage coming very soon, but dolly & patch sets available almost now...as soon as we get the Etsy store up and running... next week)

I will be putting aside my love hate relationship with Etsy in order to make things easier for you guys... I have a few gripes with the way they handle orders but hopefully the glitches have been ironed out since the last time I was there.... 

Thank you for all the wishes of joy in the last post .. I suck terribly at getting back to people but believe me when I say I love to hear from you and if time permits I try to read up on what you are up to aswell.

One of the FlipDolls is based on Lily and the other is Grace by the way...

Moopy-poo number two

Yes this blurry blobby photo is a sweet little moopy who will be ready to join our family some time in September.

My goodness havn't I been hanging out to tell the world such exciting news, I am so proud of myself for not blabbing our secret any sooner (to too many people anyhow).... it was no easy task keeping my big mouth shut I can tell you!

Moopy number one is absolutely over the moon... she has been begging for a baby sister for over two years now ... she is so sure of the baby being a sister??  but has come up with a very cunning plan if she happens to be blessed with a brother..... she has simply stated that I will have another baby!! well, I know what I am praying for.

I am quite suprised at the fact I am pregnant again... I swore black and blue that I would only have one baby... I found the baby 'thing' far more trying than I had ever thought it would be (but of course endlessly joyous at the same time). But come mid 2007, I had this sudden urgency to have another baby... I became obsessed.. wall paint was chosen .. a quilt was half made (in gender neutral orange and green) ... my GP only laughed and looked surprised that I had never heard of the four year itch. Why didn't any one tell me! I had been warned that getting pregnant again (due to some minor health issues) would not be so simple... so Chris and I thought the beginning of 2008 would be a good time to start and hope that Lily wouldn't become a teenager before we got the good news... well not even a week had gone by and presto! pregnant. I am not so sure I am going to listen to the doc in future... once is a fluke but twice... I think it's safe to say there are no fertility issues to worry about.

So you can expect a darn site more craftyness going on around here in the near future... I have some sewing to do!.. bibs.. booties... a quilt to finish.. my mind is a buzz with little pint sized projects, especially now that, that nasty bout of 'all day' sickness has cleared up. That is except for a few bigger issues like ... literally picking the house up and turning it around to fit a new baby in.. (how could something so small need so much space!) finding an art teacher to help out at the studio and a consultant who needs a beautiful studio to work in while I am not using it so much..... Let me know if you are keen!

Catching up

I have a student who's mother is very clever and knows me too well..... she found this (and the one below) adorable 50's vinyl night light for me whilst on one of her op shopping adventures... I'd love to say I found them but I just don't seem to have the time these days to go op shopping.... I really need to book myself in for a session! How satisfying it must be to find such treasures.

Thursday Nights at Nest have been a blast these last few weeks.... The 'gals' and I have spent a couple of weeks crocheting Camilla Creatures (pattern found in this book, to purchase if you are super quick here) and now we are screen printing up a storm with the Gocco. In a few weeks time we are going to practice some of the simple printing techniques (such as monoprinting & faux lino cutting) that I usually do with the children... the mums are getting jealous of their kids having all the fun, so we will get out the inks and get messy too!

These are a couple of the silk screen prints the kids did towards the end of last term... done with stencils not chemicals... so much fun and the results are stunning as you can see.

Here are a some pics of the new artroom (some what finished...) I still have a while to go before it and the shop are how I had planned...

Moopy Bunny has taken over my shop! There are four or so stretched prints still available (for those of you who live near enough, sorry no online sales)

A little crafting

for a little fellow, Master H...

I have been making so many other lovely things lately but sadly I can not share... they are all for other peoples top secret projects..... it is so frustrating ... because I don't get much time to do anything extra and therefore the blog is a little bare of craft... I can say that I have been screen printing up a storm with my dear good friend Amy.... (you can buy her adorable funky brooches here, at the Hive Gallery in Canberra and Wasabi in Norwood SA) ... and we will share very very soon!! I am super excited about this new textile/toy/products project.... I would have to be one of the worst people at keeping secrets, so I won't be able to keep quiet for much longer...

Nest Studio art class #1

Monoprinting

I often get requests for online art classes for those of you who don't live here in Adelaide... so I am going to do my best at posting a few of my favourite little projects for young children over the next couple of months. They will be short and hopefully something you will feel comfortable doing at home... Of course, in Nest classes we go into much more depth and don't only focus on the method as done here... you could go for a walk or read a favourite book etc .. to get imaginations flowing.

Step 1 you will need :: block ink (it is sticky not runny), ink roller, paper, plastic sheet (or plastic placemat you can ruin), pencil & butter knife

Step 2 Using your butter knife, spread a large grape sized dollop of ink onto the plastic sheet

Step 3 Roll the ink gently in an up/down rolling motion, until the ink has spread the width of your roller

Step 4 Now roll the ink in a left to right motion until you start to smooth it out over the length of the plastic sheet

Step 5 Aternate this with the up/down motion until the whole sheet is covered nice and smoothly and thin

Step 6 Gently place the paper over the ink covered plastic sheet, DO NOT TOUCH the paper as it will leave big fat finger marks.... you may like to hold the paper down in the corner where there is no ink for your little artist when they begin drawing. Now this is the fun part.... START DRAWING (but remember not to touch the paper, show your child how to hold the pencil upright so that their little hands don't rest on the paper... although sometimes this can make for a nice texture)

Gently pull the paper away and presto! a really stunning monoprint appears, this photo does no justice to the delicate texture that the ink creates under the pressure of the pencil.

Try using different things to draw with (fingers, sticks..) and you can let this dry and get out other ink colours for a layered ..two/three/four coloured monoprint. Lily went ahead and used watercolour pencils to add some colour to her prints :: Above print is a cat with lovely long whiskers :: Top is another cat but this one has many wings for flying.... next to Lily on her first day of "proper" Kindy this week.

I have so much fun with my Moopy's art ... here is the "flying cat" with digital colour added and printed up on my trusty bubble jet.