moopy & me

I'm in back tack bliss

I just can't believe that after spying Clementine Shoes backtack goodness late last night on flickr and then linking to it in my post, that I am infact the super spoilt recipient (spooky or just Di's pure genius). You couldn't find a happier girl in Adelaide today! Of course Moopy and I are already fighting over it :D

I was on the phone when the parcel arrived and I had to tell the person to "go away... the posty is here with a parcel...must open it now.. bye". My posty has finally seen me in my pyjamas... it had to happen one day.

Moopy enjoying the wrapping.

The goodies... the bag (my fave colour) is exquisitly made and fits all the gear perfectly... My first Japanese craft book YAH!! I am so excited. I am sipping some of the yummy tea as I type...mmm red green vanilla , how appropriate.

Give that back Lily!

No mummy! Mine!

She finally agreed to sit down with me (while holding the bag) and we picked out the first toy I am going to have a go at.

Better late than never

Back tack buddy turn away NOW.
I know the rules are: for parcels to arrive safe and sound at your BTB house by October 31, but well I don't really have an excuse, call me slacker... I have softies coming out my ears at the moment... all a lot of fun but I am starting to get a pain in my shoulder... I think I am sitting at my machine too low? All the goodies over at Flickr are so inspiring.... I am loving this one especially.

So funnily enough my buddy wanted to try her hand at some softies, I have put together a pile of felt, fabric, threads, stuffing, needles case and pin cushion plus my prototype puppy for inspiration and a pattern for one of my other toys. Watch this space for some of my patterns coming out for you to use!! It has all happened very quickly (not sure if I am supposed to say really?) and there are a bunch of other crafty people involved too. Ssshh.

I didn't use any patterns so the bigger bag is interesting to say the least..... a bit floppy... but I like the colours and textures. I hope my BTB likes it and isn't too cross with me for missing the deadline :(

Gone fishing

There is nothing like a lazy afternoon at the beach (Port Willunga) for a bit of inspiration. Chris and his brother did their best to catch us some dinner (I am sure the fish are all grateful that their fishing skills are not up to scratch... or as chris would say "not biting today"). Moopy and I argued over who got to use the bucket and spade.... she won... and had fun stomping on every structure made. We went for a long walk and found these ruins... and of course rock pools to splash in... even though it was jumper and beany weather Lily insisted, lucky for mums and the boot load of spare clothes we drive around with.

No, I am not that clever, we saw this guy at Manly beach in Sydney a few weeks ago.
The sea breeze has been getting around a bit this weekend.

Gocco on my mind

I get very annoyed when I see candy canes in September, fruit mince pies in October and even stocking fillers in November don't impress me, however I can't deny the urge to start thinking about christmas card designs. I make christmas cards for family and friends every year and it is usually something I organise around the week before christmas. I don't think that is something I can afford to do this year, what with Moopy's to look after (who actually knows what presents are!), classes to run & toys to make, so the above is an idea for some screen printed cards that may spread some christmas hope around.

I also thought I would make mention of the significance of having the Morphe exhibition open on December 6. It is Saint Nicholas day. If you have been a good little girl you traditionaly get some nuts and maybe a piece of citrus in your shoe.... if you were bad you of course got a dirty lump of coal. Growing up my Oma and Mum filled my stocking with nuts, lebkuchen, new knickers and a small toy I had been wishing for (like a My Little Pony). I felt like the luckiest kid in town... presents BEFORE everyone else! This year it will be Moopy's first St Nicholas where she understands a bit about what's going on, so what better way to celebrate than with an exhibition filled with beautiful handcrafted toys.

Morphe update

A bit of moral support for those who have the nasty task of sending in photos for Morphe.

Get all the latest on the morphe exhibition here! A little rushed but neststudio.com will be arriving shortly. The title morphe was chosen due to my fascination with Anthropomorphisism in children's literature, I started a thesis on the topic during uni but never finished it... I might have been Dr Schwerdt by now HA! :D

Back to regular craftyness soon.....
All the plush inspiration you need, check out the HUGE expo of toys in Ohio!

Elefont

I woke up this morning with a silly idea to make some 'font' fabric and use it to make an elephant.... it made ME giggle however no one else in my family really got the joke? I suppose you need to study typography for 4 years to find the humour in it. At uni we used helvetica so much that I almost thought there was no other font... for years I steered well away from it ... until today... meet Helveta The Elefont. She is on the extreme side of quirky, so much so that you can bearly see the elephant resemblance... but I had so much fun and I have been chuckling to myself all day. Of course I can already see that the letters would have looked better a bit bigger... geesh.

I used my trusty gocco machine to make the screen. It is the first time I have consciously tried to make a pattern that can be repeated....sounds simple but it took a few goes.

Moopy and I went to the Gallery of South Australia today, where she promptly pointed out all the paintings..... of course 90% of what we looked at were paintings, I didn't have the heart to tell her she was pointing out the obvious :) But seriously it was really interesting to hear what she had to say about the paintings... she interpreted a lot of things as water! and mummy!, oh and the Auguste Rodin sculptures of men were all daddy! (don't tell him that). She had a lot of fun sounding out cow noises when we saw them in paintings.... that started to get a little embarrassing once we got into the colonial section ... every second painting had cows. The security guard didn't seem to mind all the loud 'Mooooing' going on though.

Then we popped into the museum and looked at all the stuffed animals... she could of ran around in that room all day asking me what each animal was over and over and over again.... There was even a stuffed elephant.... we found this elephant too and couldn't resist taking him home with us to join Elefont.

Morphe

more info coming soon!

We're back

I have been testing out some new toy designs... but the puppies are being very stubborn and not turning out the way I have them in my head (or the pattern) however I do love the nesting bird. The nesting bird will be made in 3 sizes so that they rest on top of one another and can be used as pillows.

Our holiday in Coogee was the most relaxing holiday yet, I have my very good friend Tali to thank for that. She took Lily off our hands on so many occasions so that Chris and I could do simple things like take a walk. I bought a couple of fun things in a funky store called MADE (who will be stocking kittens and the like very soon).

My one ask for this holiday was that we didn't come home so exhausted that we needed another holiday, what I did come home to were 2 parcels!! YAH! Thanks Monica and Kelly, your thoughtfulness really capped off the holiday nicely

(sorry these photos do no justice)

Now I have to get back to work......