Monday BlogDay :: Record the Day

I have such good intentions of making a book to stick all the interesting paper things and snippets from magazines I collect. Or even an inspiration board would be good. But I have nothing to report on either front as yet.

I think that's why I love to visit Record the Day. How fabulous and inspiring it is to see beautiful collages created every day. More often than not they are simple, but always well considered and lovely.

All images: Record the Day

I tend to just put paper ephemera and magazine tear sheets in a ring binder or folder. At one stage I had them in lovely boxes, but I found they were a bit less accessible. What do you do with yours?
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Inspiration :: Gorgeous Creative Women

I'd like to show you some of the beautiful things that surrounded me each day at the Stitches and Craft Show. I started to write a description of all the gorgeousness on offer and the wonderful, creative, fun 'Incubator Chicks' I was surrounded by each day, but I ran out of adjectives to describe them! Everyone and everything was full of lovely crafty goodness. So I've settled on showing you some photos and giving you some links so you can find out more if you'd like to.

Berlinski

Dear Fii :::: pippijoe

Kristin Doran :::: Audrey & Maude

Two Little Banshees

Sprout Design :::: Shelbyville & Dudley Redhead

Rummage

Kids With Crayons :::: Mon Alisa Design

Gifts Created :::: MixTape

Tutti Fruiti :::: Nicole Mallalieu Design

Surface Art :::: Craft Schmaft

Lots of wonderful stuff huh? And there was much more. Given all that I was tempted by I think I was pretty restrained with my purchases - I'll take some photos and show them to you next week.

Thanks to the team at Living Creatively for the wonderful job they did with the Show and for their support of, and enthusiasm for, the younger generation of crafters. Lexi wrote a great post about the Show, so if you go and read it there's no need for me to sit here any later on a Saturday night (how sad am I?!) writing stuff.

I hope you're having a wonderful weekend - I didn't get around to posting and signing off on Friday... but I'll see you Monday. Enjoy your Sunday.

xx
Lisa
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I Spy :: Random Beauty

totally gorgeous embroidery :: tiny happy



hydrangeas and paper lace :: A Field Journal



ceramic letters :: Leanne McAllister via Tea for Joy



the latest issue of small



lashes in nature :: Shu Uemura



silk collar :: Mady Dooijes



signe vase :: Karin Eriksson

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Colour Inspiration :: Amy Butler

If ever I need to brighten my day with a burst of colour I know I can find something to do just that on Amy Butler's inspiration pages.

When checking out her website this week I discovered that there is a new range of Amy Butler floor rugs about to be released. Fabric, patterns, homewares, books, bags, bedding, paper, stationery and now rugs!

Image Source: Amy Butler

I'm loving that pink and green Zinnia Pillow - it's so retro and fun - I think I'll have to buy the pattern. I already have the Gum Drop Pillow pattern and they'd look great together.

Love 'em!
Love Amy!
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I want to go to Madison Bouckville, New York

... and I want to go on August 20th next year! I am positively swooning after reading Maya's post about her trip to the outdoor antiques show over the weekend.

Maya said The entire town was one ginourmous flea market... the best darn flea market we'd ever seen!! We'll not miss this for the world next year. Mark your calendars, if you're anywhere close by. The prices are great! The vintage wares are delicious. I never need go to another garage sale/auction/anything again... just this annual trip.

Images from maya*made

With over 1,000 sellers spread across 90 acres of farmland it looks like absolute heaven to me. I am so far away that there is less than zero chance that I'd ever get to Madison Bouckville, but wow would I love it there!

Read Maya's post here, and see more of her wonderful photos on her flickr set here.

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Monday Blogday :: Cafe Cartolina

Yes, I realise that it's Tuesday, but I still wanted to give you an installment of Monday BlogDay this week.

Have you ever visited Cafe Cartolina? If not, grab yourself a cuppa, because you're in for a visual treat. But be warned, you might become addicted and Fiona is a bit of a prolific poster, so if you miss a few days there'll be a lot to catch up on... too many beautiful and inspiring things!

Images via Cafe Cartolina.

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Revisiting :: Japanese Linens and Embroidery

This is another favourite post from a year ago.


Simple.
Contemporary.
Stunning.
Japanese embroidery.


Simplicity of
line
colour
styling.

Photos taken by me of my copy of Simple Stitch Life.

There is a lovely Japanese website called Linnet that sells gorgeous linens, ribbons and notions. Their photos are so simply styled and very typical of that contemporary Japanese look. I just love them.

Image Source: Linnet

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Lovely :: Wink Designs

I mentioned last week that Marina of Wink Designs had been helping me to sew some prototypes and samples, and I wanted to show you some of the lovely things that she creates.


Marina has a great eye for colour and design and everything is beautifully made. Take a look at Wink Designs on Etsy to see her cushions, appliqued scarves, bunting and more. Her children's aprons would make great gifts, and how sweet are those little house buttons!
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Running to Catch Up

I did have good intentions of being back here today, but it seems good intentions aren't enough! I hadn't counted on all the catching up I had to do - life, work, etc.

I had such a wonderful time meeting so many really lovely people and chatting all day for 5 days straight. No wonder I'm still tired! Thanks so much to those of you who came by to say hello. It made my day to meet you all. And big thanks to my lovely helpers Amy, Bec and Donna who gave me some breaks and time to shop and watch Handmade Nation (which I loved). Thanks lovelies!

I'll get some images and links together to review some of my crafty neighbours from the incubator section later in the week. In the meantime, here's a few snaps showing how my stall looked.


I had this idea to write "the red thread" on the wall behind my stand. With a red marker that kept dieing on me 40 minutes later I began to question my decision. It turned out OK in the end, though I might not try it again. You might be able to get an idea how things looked from the photos, but it was a bit difficult to photograph the stand with that million watt light above it. I strung a red thread along the back wall like a clothes line to hang things off... it looks like a bit of a mess in the photos, but I think it was OK in person.

Edit: I just found a couple of better photos (above) on my "good" camera, so I replaced the original ones. I took these shots before the show opened... my display changed bit bit the next day as I mucked around with the placement of things.




Back tomorrow... promise!

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Well hello

Just popping in quickly to say hello and to promise to be back blogging full steam next week.

I'm having a great time at The Stitches & Craft Show and have met so many lovely people who read my blog, other bloggers, lots of crafty women as well as the wonderful, inspiring and talented women in the incubator section. If you come along please stop by and say hello - I'd love to meet you. I promise you won't be disappointed with all the crafty goodness in the incubator. We've had such great feedback, including from the older crowd who seem to be as enthused as we are about the next generation of craft.

2 days down 3 to go. It's exhausting standing and chatting all day every day, but it's a welcome change from working at home and I'm loving every minute... even if all I can do at the end of the day is veg out in my jammies.

I hope you're having a great week.

x
Lisa

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Revisiting :: Embroidered House

This is another favourite post of mine from a year ago.


I'm not entirely sure why, but when I saw this divine installation it made my heart sing. It could be a number of reasons: firstly the title "Embroidered House" - how romantic does that sound? It could also be that it's reminiscent of playing with a torch in childhood cubby houses, or the magic that seems to surround the little house. The contradiction of fragile/strong is wonderful - again that comes from the title of the piece as well as the fine detail and strength of materials. Whatever it is I absolutely love this piece of art by installation artist and sculptor Greer Honeywill. You can see more of Greer's work at the Flinders Lane Gallery website and on her website here.

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See you at the show?

If you're in Sydney this week please come and visit me at The Stitches and Craft Show. I'm sure by now you're absolutely sick of me going on and on about it... but it's going to be great, and I'd love to see you there. I'm off tomorrow to set everything up, and the Show opens on Wednesday morning.

You'll find me in good company with other crafters and makers in the incubator section which is on level 4. You can check out the list of retailers here. There's also lots of interesting demos and hands on workshops as well as fashion parades, daily screenings of Handmade Nation, and a children's craft area. Entry is only $10, and the show is on from Wednesday to Sunday 10am - 5pm at Rosehill Gardens. Here are some directions for getting there.

I did a mock set up of my stand yesterday and I'm pleased with how everything is coming together. And I made some little things using the hand printed panels I'll be selling.


Below are some other panels which I had digitally printed. I really had fun making the doll - I didn't have a pattern, but just made it up as I went along (which explains her extra long arms!). I think it's important when you're selling things like this to give people ideas on how they can use them.


The lovely Marina from Wink Designs has been helping me out with sewing some early Sweetie Petite prototypes, writing the instructions for the kits and sewing the appliqued cushions (above) for me. Make sure you take a look at Marina's Etsy shop - she makes some lovely things and is absolutely meticulous with her sewing. Thanks Marina!

I'm not sure how I'll go with blogging for the rest of the week, but I'm hoping to manage a Show update or 2. I know there'll be lots of wonderful things to blog about.

See you there?
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