Linen Birdy by Red Stitch Designs

Brenda from Red Stitch Designs creates the most amazing little creatures. I asked her to make Anya a little birdie for her bedroom - using some of the fabric from her bedroom makeover. This sweet bird sits on the bedhead (for now) to keep Anya company while she sleeps.





Brenda's attention to detail is close to perfect, her stitching is beautiful and she makes gorgeous original, well-priced designs. Visit her madeit store or if you are lucky enough to swing by Canberra, you can purchase Brenda's lovely work at Shop Handmade.

Photos courtesy of Red Stitch Designs

Giant Handmade Paper Flowers

Tania took these stunning photos of my paper flowers at Shop Handmade a little while back - I don't think I have shared them as yet. Isn't the blue bird painting behind beautiful? It was painted by local artist Annie Pritchard, it also sold quite a few weeks ago!



This flower was constructed petal by petal and individually wired and taped, made from a stiff paper from Eckersleys art shop. My trusty old floristry skills came in handy for this one and it was definitely a favourite. I hope you all had a great weekend.

Ivy and Bird - Brisbane

Next time you visit Brisbane or New Farm specifically, make sure you pop into Ivy and Bird! A gorgeous little shop on Arthur street that was so inviting from the outside and inside didn't disappoint! The shop is filled with gorgeous goodies and the lovely owner Maria, gave great service with a smile.





Mostly handmade items from Brisbane & Tasmanian artists / mum-preneurs. Gorgeous fabrics for sale including Liberty of London (top shelf... literally).







My only disappointment was buying some Liberty of London hair pins for myself and then leaving them in the hire car :-( booo

My Creative Space - Mini Bean Bags

Did you have these at school when you were a kid? I have vague memories of them but saw them about the web last week and *bing* - the perfect way to use our Moda Pillow scraps! They are just charm squares filled with split peas from the supermarket.



Anya delighted in filling them with me - thank goodness for the funnel and vacuum cleaners I say! We have been practising our throwing and catching, balancing on our heads and even Josiah is enjoying playing with them. For more fun join in here.

Reincarnated Kimono Project

Our lovely Handmade Market stall-holder and jeweller extraordinare, Emma Kidson is participating in a cool group exhibition called the "Reincarnated Kimono Project" in West End, Qld this month.



Above is Emma's piece. The concept was to repurpose two vintage kimono's and give them new life. Some cute ideas and diverse pieces.





If you are in Qld, get along to Hanasho, 5/235 Boundary Street West End, Qld. April 2 - 31st 2011.

Paper Flowers

I have been making paper flowers for a wedding and can't wait to show them off but that will be a while down the track... in the meantime here are some sample flowers I made! The first two are made from tissue paper and the third craft paper.





The scale is deceiving they are larger than a dinner plate! Number 2 & 3 were my favourites! Each petal is individual wired on this last flower, it took a long time to make! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Real Wedding - Grace Designs Hair Accessories

Here is another gorgeous bride of mine from last year! Thea wore an Organza Ballet Blossom available in my etsy store with a birdcage veil, sold separately.



The bridesmaids wore a smaller version of the ballet blossom, folded over. I know I say this every time but I love seeing my work in real life, it makes my day! Pop here for more photos.



Images courtesy of Esh Photography.

My Creative Space - Moda Floor Cushion

Last time you saw this cushion it was a work in progress. I am happy to say I finally finished it! Anya is so pleased and loves to sit on it for reading and watching ABC kids! I think her brother likes the colourful fabric but he regretfully gets 'shoved' off by his big sister any times he tries to use it! ha ha I may need to make him one too! Any good boy material recommendations along the same style as Moda?



For good crafty inspiration visit Kirsty's.

My Creative Space - Photos as props

I found this gorgeous photo on Pinterest and thought it would be perfect to display some of my hair combs going off to the shop! I think when we are given an image of how an item may look like 'on', we are more likely to buy it! Well, that is my theory anyway... apologies to the photographer as I can't find the source to credit this image! If you know, please let me know or leave a comment.



Some other items I have been working on this week and also off to the shop are some infant headbands. I was trialling a new spot for photos with the morning light and all these 3 pics are taken moments from each other - how different are the results!







For more craftiness.... you know where to visit....

Real Wedding - Grace Designs Hair Accessories

I went to see the lovely Stephanie get married on Saturday, the church was conveniently five minutes from my place. The bride wore this pin in ivory.



My chiffon hair pin in action for the bridesmaids.

Handmade Hair acessories - Hydrangea Clip

More from my Summer Garden range, the Hydrangea clip! The hydrangea also looks lovely on a headband, elastic or metal. I now have black metal 3mm bands too.



I have sold a few hydrangea bands and clips in Shop Handmade but they will be hitting my etsy store soon too!



Gorgeous pics again by Pascale!

African Violet headband in crepe

The African Violet headband grew up - I have made a few felt ones for adults on metal headbands which look great but also doing some in finer fabric for a more grown up feel :-) Coming to my Etsy store soon!



I love this shot of Eliana it makes me smile - taken by her clever Mum- Pascale.



I made a 'sample' band similar to this but with layered fabric but decided less was more and made this second headband (above) with crepe only. The other band went off to Shop Handmade and I was happy to see it had sold when I popped in the other day, then today I am in town crossing the street and see a girl walk past wearing it! That also made me smile :-)

Introducing the Petunia Headband

I don't usually post on a Saturday but had to share these new photos with you and a new design hot off the creative 'press'.



These Petunia flowers are fresh from my 'Summer Garden' Collection! The simply stunning model photos are from Pascale Wowak. You may recognise her gorgeous daughter Ellie from here :-)





Available today in my Etsy store and at Shop Handmade Canberra, Australia. Only two more days until my giveaway over at Amanda's is drawn, so hop on over and enter! More photos to come....

New Infant Headbands

I have been slack in the infant headband department, the last one I made was this design and Zoe is now well over one year old!



On gorgeous skinny elastic and no embellishments in this one as I know Mum's worry about babies choking.



Just photographed - so they be in my Etsy store soon! Did you know it is only 3 weeks until the next Handmade Market. At a new venue too - may no-one ever complain about the market and the weather ever again in the same sentence! It is really worth coming to and why not make a weekend out of it and see the sites of Canberra while you are here! There are lots of free things to do here. Happy Weekend! We are off to our day of first pre-school this morning - eeeeeeeeeeeee - wish me no tears (for Anya that is).

Grace Designs Giveaway on Amanda Keeys Photography Blog

Hello everyone - it was a bit quiet around here last week because we did a last minute trip to Sydney for hubby's work - we're not a fan of announcing when we go away as we don't want to appear here but happy to say we are home and thrilled with the announcement of a GIVEAWAY!!! woooo hoooo



The super talented photographer Amanda Keeys is hosting my giveaway so you need to visit Amanda's blog and enter there!



Winner is announced Feb 7th... and the prize is a $50AU voucher to my Etsy store and a copy of the HANDMADE LIVING book!



Comments on my blog won't be counted as entries, so get on over to Amanda's!

'Love Me Do' range

"Love, love me do... you know I love you, I'll always be true - so pleaseeee... love me do...dum dum, dum dum de-da-da-da...." you are singing along aren't you?!



Something fun & sparkly to wear for Valentines!




Dropping these to Shop Handmade tomorrow, who incidentally are doing their bit towards raising money for the Queensland Flood Appeal. Participating designers ( including me) are donating 10% of their sale price towards the appeal, while Julie and Rachel are matching each dollar raised - generous, no?!



These hearts have been a long time coming, like well over a year :-) Finally getting some shoe clips out there too... I 'borrowed' the shoe photo from a well known site*, printed it out and cut out holes to clip on my shoe clips. I wanted customers to know what they were straight away. My hair accessories can be quite hard to merchandise at times.

*That site incidentally, have similar clips for sale - if you can't beat them, join them - at least I am in good company. Are you finding it just as hard to have original ideas?