I have been long overdue in posting pictures of some wonderful artwork that came my way( Ok, the girls way!) just before Christmas. Tiel and I organised an artwork swap.....and here they are....
Actually ,my timing has worked out just right, because Tiel has just launched her new website - drop by and have a look!
Tiel and I organised a swap earlier in the year...I finally finished mine and sent it up this week. It arrived safely so now I can show you what I made....
Ari
Milena
It took me a while to work out exactly what I wanted to "say' about Tiel's two children - however she helped me out with lots of insights into their personalities. Finding just the right parts to 'make' Ari's robot was a challenge to say the least!
I have one more smallpeople collage to finish for this year and then I'll put the glue stick and scissors away for a week or so.
In January I am very pleased to announce that my 'smallpeople' collages will be featured in the first issue of Cloth.Paper. Scissors. for 2008. It will be very exciting to see them in print.... I can't wait!
A big thank you to everyone for their lovely comments on my last post. I'm almost 20 weeks and the baby is due the first week of May. (This means sometime in April as I have to have a c- section and if this pregnancy is anything like my one with Charlie than it may be a few weeks early.We'll see...)
We found out last week that we are happily expecting a girl....three girls!...I'm figuring the teenage years are going to be interesting to say the least in our household.
Charlotte is a little disappointed as she was hoping to call the baby 'Diego'.
Me,I'm thrilled as I was not -so -secretly hoping for a girl.
Now I'm off to find something girly to knit. A winter baby so at least she might wear a little hat or two. I really enjoy baby knits- so small and do-able!
I'm taking part in Uschi's travelling journal project.
My journal has been made from an old book cover with a new Coptic stitch bound text block.
The text block is made from mixed media paper with a few pages from the original book added in.
A bit of masking tape and my first page has a pocket for holding bits and pieces
( I went to see The Barber of Seville at the Opera House on Saturday. Yes,that was me tearing along the Opera House walk in The Dress and my big black boots,hair flying - sorry if I nearly knocked you over but I was running very, very late. I made it just in time. But only just!)
Rose has been making fairy beds....
and I have been making a hat for my very own fairy girl...all it need is a crocheted edging and a flower to finish it off!
The wool is the 'rose garden' colourway in the raindrops wool that I have for sale here. Lucky for me that there are some other fans of the Rainbow wools out there...sales have been very steady and I might just have to put in another order. I just love choosing which colours to buy,although I usually have to go back and narrow it down when I realise I've ordered way to much! 
.
A beautiful package of ribbons and treats arrived late last week from Tamara over at Bluebird makes her nest. Ribbons in school colours for Rose and a fabric brooch each for Charlie and I.
Tamara and I recently worked together to design a logo and packaging for her business 'ella and kate'.
(That's the new packaging in the photo)
Seriously if you have or know a little girl who loves ribbons ( and how many little girls don't) then you really should take a look. Tamara uses the most wonderful colours and print combinations to make hair bows on both elastics and clips. My girls adore them. The girls I have given them to adore them. I also adore them but feel I might just look a little bit silly dressed all up in bows. Sigh.....
or rather I love what my mailman leaves in my postbox or on my front doorstep!
Last week I received my much coveted 'fetchings' mitts made for me by the knit extrordinaire that is Brownpants (sometimes known as Kristie!). I had seen them on Knitty and had put them on my to do list , when I came across a pair made by Kristie on her blog. Not being the shy type , I asked very sweetly if she would consider making me a pair in return for a crochet scarf she had commented on. Lucky me, Kristie agreed and now I will have lovely warm and very stylish hands this winter.
There were also other goodies as well - a handy zip pouch and a perfect- for -my -denim-jacket flower pin! The girls were spoiled with some girly hair bands and clips - I was too slow with the camera to get a photo of those! Thank you , thank you Kristie...your parcel is on its way now that I finally decided which colour to send! 
Bring on winter- I'm ready.....
Next day another parcel arrived- this one from Ute in Switzerland. We share many interests in common and when Ute offered generously offered to send me a copy of Marie Claire Idees ,I most happily said yes.
Not only did the magazine show up but there was a copy of her favourite childhood book, a Swiss book called "The Snowstorm" written by Selina Chonz and illustrated by Alois Carigiet. It is such a lovely picture book about a brother and sister , a snowstorm and a 'weather tree'! Rose and I are going to read it tonight - I know that she will enjoy it as she is fascinated by the idea of living in a place where it snows.
Ute, thank you from myself and the girls- hugs and kisses to you in Switzerland from all of us over here!
I continue to be happily amazed by the generosity of the art/craftblog community - it's a great global community to be part of.
I'm off to make a cup of tea and enjoy my magazine...
These two froggies are just glorified beanbags made from the legs of old jeans and scraps of odd fabric...great for balancing on heads , throwing and catching. The girls love to take turns aiming for the washing basket or a bucket or sometimes each other ! These ones went off to Melissa over at tiny happy for her little ones - they smell kind of healthy as they are filled with brown rice- next time I might add some lavender in as well to make them smell a bit prettier. I probably should have sent them unfilled as they were quite heavy but somehow they didn't look quite as appealing flat!...here you go kiddos, a bit of floppy fabric, knock yourselves out! Definitely stuffed is the way to go!
Here they are flat so you can see the shape if you want to make a few - I sewed twice around them just in case....never hurts when they are filled with small bits of stuff!
Mine measured about 24cm in length - a good size for balancing on little one's heads. I'm quite keen to make a batch of little ones (about 12cm finished) for the girls to throw about ....add that to the "to do" list, I think .
As cute as they are I thought I'd best send something else for Melissa....she is the queen of the barkcloth bag so it took me a while to work out what I wanted to send.
This is the scarf that I sent , although I think it will be a little while yet before Melissa gets to try it out!
I went to my workshop at Primrose Park Art centre and spent the day making a Coptic stitched book and memento box. Great fun and very satisfying. It was a gloomy and dull old day here so no photo today but perhaps tomorrow. I am planning to go back to do the workshop on dowel spine books.....see you there?
I have had two lovely packages turn up in the mail over the past week...the first was from Tash over at poppyseeds who sent me a "just because" package. Such a generous gesture and filled with wonderful things! The first was a felt box that she had made based on this tutorial. Lined with a fabric map and finished with a covered button.
And there was more...some great old stamps of different weather conditions- stormy,cold,hot,windy....the girls will have fun with those;an lovely old Atlas that is destined for a new collage project I've been thinking about and some wonderful rosemary salt that smells divine.Oh and thread and buttons ( just love buttons!) Thank you, Tash!
The second came from Melissa in NZ. I had admired a wonderful barkcloth bag on her blog and after a few emails back and forth we organised a swap. It took me way too long to get my package together but happily it's on its way to NZ now and should be there any moment...Melissa not only sent me the coveted bag but a host of other goodies as well!
My bag...
and goodies!
What will be in the post this week , I wonder.....
This lovely box landed on my doorstep a few days ago all the way from Israel. And inside?
Such a joyful gift that brought a smile to all of our faces.
The very talented Julie,whose blog and work is a constant source of inspiration and entertainment,made it especially for me! It is based on a poem I used in this little accordion book.
There was also some pages of Hebrew script to use for collage work , a very cute candle in an apple shaped tin and a set of puzzle magnets for the girls to play with. Julie is about to open her Etsy store on the 8th of January, so be sure to pop by and take a look at her marvelous work.
Thank you, Julie- there is nothing as special as a gift made with so much thought and care.
I finally got my act together and finished up a long promised swap package for a patient girl -hopefully the contents will make up for the long wait!
This very small cat( he's about 6cm high) in his own small basket complete with cushion went along for the trip too....
These handmade envelopes flew off just before Christmas...
I used up my practice calendar page, a bit of wallpaper, a book page, a bright serviette and an old piece of artwork from my textiles designing days.
This is my first attempt at an art doll - she is made from collaged vintage letters, sheet music and silver foil and goes by the name of "musical wings" ( the theme was "winged"). I was much happier with her once I put her legs on the right way around....she's off to Tucson, USA.
And moi...I'm off to do a bit more work on another swap in progress. Tick, tick, tick!
April is completed and will go into the post tomorrow....off to the USA, Ecuador,Israel, The Netherlands, Portugal and Australia! Once I worked out what final touch was missing ( and added it) I was pleased with the outcome. All I need to do now is to take a couple of photos to post on the Flickr group page - can't wait to see what turns up in my letter box.....
In the meantime ( ie between cutting and pasting and painting) I have finally managed to turn these...
one pilled but much loved tee...
and a plain and rather boring tank
into this!
So now I don't have to say goodbye to one of my favourites....
and hopefully these ATC's for Marieke will have arrived safely in The Netherlands...
