Here is a quick still life of a few of the gorgeous cards I received last month – some made by hand, others printed photographs and illustrations on beautiful card stock. Thank you lovely friends.

I hope everyone has had a peaceful, ‘time to reflect’ start to 2012. I’ve been nesting as you can imagine, and am happy to say our house now – finally – feels like home. It took a while but it’s ready – and I’m ready – to greet this new little person in our lives.

Happy holidays everyone! Here’s to 2012 being a year of hope, action, and positive change for all and each individual.

xx

PS my friend Jenni rented out the movie “babies” for us yesterday, something she’s been telling me about for months but I hadn’t yet got around to finding. We watched it last night and it’s truly fabulous, I was especially drawn to the Namibian family, and french boy loved the mongolian nomadic way of life (impressed that they had a satellite dish and mobile phone). An inspiring film, I hope you take the time to watch it if you haven’t seen it already.

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My dear friend Leslie recently sent me some of her latest creations from her studio in Amsterdam- pillow portraits, featuring some of her favourite once-forgotten portraits from her personal collection. They each have a name, and each their own little narrative which is screen printed in unique handwritten fonts on the back of each cushion. Here, I’ve taken some promotional photographs for Leslie to use. Below, meet Rolf…

…and Bridget, who tells us about journeying along a canal and finding the perfect shop …

I adore the anecdotes on the back of the cushions as much as I love the portraits themselves. There are six pillows in the collection thus far, and I secretly hope Leslie designs more. I can imagine collecting each one as they are made…

Leslie is happy to ship these anywhere in the world, so if you are keen to start your own portrait pillow collection, click here to read the details on her blog.

xx

PS I think my favourite is Rolf – he goes on walks and collects leaves and bits of nothing that mean something to him. Man after my own heart.

PPS wow, this time last year.

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This winter I’ve had the time to do some knitting, something I haven’t done in years. I’m not an experienced knitter by any means – I know the basics, I can knit simple shapes (such as squares and rectangles)… the idea of making a piece with curved edges, patterns or with multiple yarns is an adventure I’m not quite ready for.

To my delight, talented knitwear and textile designer Nikki Gabriel has come up with something fabulous for beginners and advanced knitters alike: a unique series of knitting patterns that are designed to be made in stages by simple knitting shapes. Called Construction kits, Nikki has cleverly designed 3 in total so far, and each kit comes complete with instructions for making a number of super stylish garments -  from simple scarves to vests, sweaters, and cardigans…

“Each shape is simple to knit and like a building block system, you can begin with a one-ball of wool construction; your first block. Knit one ball creating a garment; then add another knitted shape with two balls of wool building on the first garment. So begins your construction.”

I’ve been working on Construction No. 3 which is based on just one knitting shape – a square. In this kit, you have 7 garments to build on – a shrug (which consists of 3 squares), a sweater, a sweater with sleeves, bolero, cardigan, jumper and jumper with cape. Each garment is a stage built on the previous one. I decided to make the cardigan, which builds on the shrug and bolero, knitting 9 squares in total…

Nikki has also designed her own yarn called “Wooli” – a delicious mix of recycled factory fibre remnants like wool, alpaca, silk, and cashmere. The result is a wonderful mix of thick, lush yarn that feels soft and warm, and comes in colours ‘greige’, ‘burgundy’, grey and black. I used the black yarn to knit my cardigan as you can see below…

I’m so happy with the result. Creating the garment has been a lot of fun, and I love the way the garment feels to wear – it’s so warm and cozy.  This is a project that can easily be done over a weekend, or a series of weeknights  – for me each square only took about an hour, but if you’re an experienced knitter I’m sure it would take you no time. My cardigan is going to get a lot of wear for the rest of winter and into spring when there is still a chill in the air. Now, I can’t wait to make myself another garment… next up I’m thinking the bolero from kit no. 2 will be perfect for the months to come.

……………………………………………

+ To purchase a Nikki Gabriel Construction kit, click here.

+ To purchase Wooli and Nikki’s ebonised knitting needles made from recycled Rimu in New Zealand, click here. And for more info on Nikki and her creations, click here or to read her blog, click here.

Thank you dear Nikki for allowing me share your beautiful work here in the (blog)house.

xx

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I can’t believe this spectacular event in Brisbane was over a month ago. I’ve been wanting to share these photos with you for all that time. They were taken by the very talented Natalie McComas who is a Brisbane-based photographer. Natalie wandered around for the whole afternoon snapping gorgeous moments like you see above and below…

stunning flower arrangements made by my sweet friend Zoë

This book launch was the creation of the flourishing creative community in Brisbane, organised by my dear friend Kylie from paper boat press. How it came about is a wonderful story of its own: When I moved to Sydney in February, Kylie called to ask, “So what have you got planned to celebrate the release of My Heart Wanders?” In a rather deflated tone I said, “I haven’t thought of a thing. I’m so exhausted from the move and completion of the book itself, I can’t seem to find the energy to…” at which point she declared, “no need to do a thing! I have decided I am going to host a very special book party for you, it can be whatever you want.” To hear her enthusiasm and boundless support was enough to get me giddy with anticipation, and over the following months we chatted about what kind of a celebration it could be. An afternoon tea at the neighbouring secreted oasis (also known as st. francis theological college in milton) was what we conjured up, and before I knew it she had the support and enthusiasm of the creative community in Brisbane, all buying tickets to join in the celebration, and donating crafted goodness for lucky door prizes. When the day arrived it was truly magical, I could not have dreamed up anything like it…

On arrival, guests lined up to give their names and have raffle tickets issued, and then strolled along the patio to mingle. I was rapt to see they were quick to get hold of their copies of the book and flick through as they sipped tea and chatted with new friends…

Guests took their copies off to enjoy quiet moments reading the book…

…and when it came time to start signing, they lined up and waited patiently as I chatted with each guest.

The atmosphere was quite something, and I put it all down to the guests, the helpers, the venue, and Kylie – the amazing host herself -  who made me feel so relaxed, even when it came time to stand up in front of everyone and say a few words…

…and draw the winners of the amazing lucky door prizes. There were three large collections of handmade goodies to give away, all donated by some of Brisbane’s most creative and generous crafters – please click on all their links below to see what beautiful treasures they make and sell…

michelle at nook
nicole from hot toffee
alarna from little jane street
sarah from red felt flower
kia hing-fay
erin from blossom creations
toni from giddy girl design
kim from udessi
tiel from tsk tsk
sharon muir
louise from loose.leaf paper
liana kabel
kristina from old yarns
alischa from bespoke press
selene from heikehaus
jennifer orland

What beautiful smiles. To make the day so special took many many hands. In the kitchen were Kylie’s friends Maria and Jan, making cups of teas and bringing out sandwiches and cakes for everyone. Kylie’s dear friend Sarah made the cutest butterfly cakes, and my sweet pal and fellow ex-Amsterdam dweller Zoë spent the morning creating spectacular posies for the tables, bringing over the supplies and food, as well as greeting all the guests. Kylie’s mum brought along some stunning bouquets from her garden…

…and Kylie’s sister Tiffany graciously manned the book table for the afternoon. Kylie’s brother and Dad helped out on the day too – setting up all the chairs and tables, and putting up signs in the street to direct guests to parking places. Sweet Kristina from old yarns made all the garlands especially for the event – she had collected pages from old french books, maps, and soft blue card that matched the colours of my book cover, cutting them into pretty circles and flower motifs and sewing them together to make long garlands which were strung between the stone pillars.

At the end of the day, a handful of Kylie’s friends stayed back to clean, pack and collect. It was truly amazing to see such a community of support,  a shining example of what community spirit is all about. I cannot thank each of these contributors enough, I’m still mesmerized by their generosity. If this event was a microcosm of the city’s community at large, then I can now see how and why Brisbane recovered so swiftly from the floods earlier in the year – the city truly looks amazing right now, no doubt it’s with thanks to the people who live there.

Among the beautiful Brisbane bloggers who came along for the event was A-M from the house that A-M built – I’ve been following her blog for a few years now, inspired by her two beautiful boys who always write her the most incredible letters (I posted one here some years back). It was a treat to meet the lovely and talented fashion designer Mady from an abundance of and her friend dayle of green bean food.  There was also Tracey from Quiet Paws, Ana from coleccionando estrellas, and Cate from A White Carousel. I also met new blogger Hayley from stylimerence who interviewed me on the day, you can read her beautiful post about the event right here.  I was elated to meet the delightful and eminent author Kate Morton who also came along – I’ve been a fan of her novels (as you may recall this post in the (blog)house library) for some time now so it was a rather special moment to meet her in person.

Thank you again Natalie for all the fab photos, and to everyone who came along, you really made it a celebration I will always remember – it’s moments like these that make me feel like all the intense hard work was worth it.

xx

PS Also while I’m here in the (blog)house, I’d like to let you know that homelife (which is the website for publications such as inside out and country style) are giving members a chance to win one of ten signed copies of My Heart Wanders. The competition ends on June 22, to find out more,  just click here.

PPS There is more going on in the (blog)house, did you know? Yep, it’s a busy household! Marjorie’s been cooking up a succulent (cue french accent) seasonal menu in the (blog)kitchen, while Christine is saying her goodbyes in the guest quarters – thank you so much Christine for sharing the delights of New England with us all.  There will be a new guest arriving any minute now… I’ll give you only one hint: New York, New York.

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Letterpress from Naomie Ross on Vimeo.

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(found via graphic exchange which I found via the year I discovered sagmeister).

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I’m sitting here in my new home, ugg boots on, three layers of clothing, blanket wrapped around my shoulders, typing with frozen fingers. I am so very cold. Oh the irony. Although it is not ‘that’ cold here in Sydney compared to Amsterdam (all I have to do is stand out in the sunshine here and I will thaw) , I’m now fully aware that houses in this country are not built for cold weather – that is, weather that dips below 15C. I find that quite peculiar, because at the same time every year, the temperature drops. Winter might not last for long in this country, but it still exists, and it’s cold. Why not make a home accommodate that change in temperature? I don’t get it.

Anyway, here in the (blog)house the weather is always fine, and we are always cozy. Right now I have two special guests pottering around, have you noticed? Dear Marjorie has come back to cook a fabulous spring menu, starting this week with recipes for gougères and an endive salad – miam. In January I had the pleasure of meeting Marjorie in her new hometown of Beaune in France, I will post some photos of this amazing French town soon (needless to say I fell in love with this special place and everyone who lives there). Click here to visit Marjorie in the (blog)kitchen.

Also in the (blog)house, hanging out in the guest quarters is sweet Christine who has just published a book called “markets of new england” with The Little Bookroom. Christine is taking us through New England each week this month, and already she’s shown us some amazing discoveries. I adore New England, I have been wanting to take Romain there on a road trip since we met, and Christine is certainly enticing us ever more to head out on our New England adventure. Click here to visit Christine in the guest quarters. Thank you both Marjorie and Christine for coming to visit, I hope you will enjoy your stay.

While we’re here, would you like to hear about my weekend in Melbourne? After the book launch in Sydney at Ariel on Friday (April 29th) I had to get up bright and early the next morning to catch a plane to head to Melbourne for a special event at Magnolia Square in Malvern Town Hall.  My Heart Wanders book publicist Ashlea had made all the arrangements for the weekend and came along to help me with the events and window displays – what a treat that was.  Ashlea loves getting crafty and totally ‘got’ my ideas and what I wanted to do, I feel very lucky to have her on board. Once we got to Melbourne, it was full steam ahead – we headed straight from the airport to the town hall to find it a-buzz with creative people. Within minutes Magnolia Square founder & director Nic MacIsaac announced my arrival and before I blinked I was surrounded by the loveliest Melbourne dwellers, all wanting to get their hands on a copy of the book and chat. We barely had time to get the books out of the boxes…

all photos above courtesy of little bird photography

Lynn from Scarlet Jones provided all the incredible props for my signing area. Although I have not been to Lynn’s shop, I’d been in contact with her over the years through our blogs – it was serendipitous that she was going to be at the market and was able & willing to bring a whole bunch of beautiful wares for my use. Lynn brought old suitcases, birdcages, a tailor’s mannequin, french doors and tables – when I arrived, the little corner space was so perfectly styled and arranged thanks to Nic and Lynn, I dared not touch it. Now I am dying to visit Lynn’s boutique – I have seen lots of photos of this special treasure trove and next time I visit Melbourne, Scarlet Jones will be one of the first places I go.  Thank you dear Lynn and a big thank you to her daughter Emma who stood by me the whole time and organised all the book transactions.

Photographer Pru Trundle from Little Bird Photography was there to capture the event, she took the most beautiful photos. Although I was intending to style while at Magnolia Square, we realised quickly that it wasn’t possible with all the people, so we decided I should focus on my visitors and chat and sign, while Ashlea pottered around me putting some of the props I’d made around my signing table. It worked out well, Ashlea did a marvelous job at it, but if you came to see me style I do apologise, it just wasn’t possible. Instead, I met dozens of wonderful people, and at the end I found a minute or two to visit some of the stall owners and took some photos on my phone – I look forward to telling you about them in another post soon. One of the things that I’m so pleased I did get to do was put out a little notebook for visitors to write a message in. I will treasure that book. Thank you everyone who wrote something, and a big thank you to Nic and her team for having me at Magnolia Square, it was a truly wonderful experience.

At 4pm, Ashlea and I gathered up our things, said our goodbyes, and headed to Lynda Gardener’s boutique in Albert Park – Empire Vintage. Awaiting us was an intimate gathering of friends new and old – we sipped champagne and ate delicious dips and crackers outside on the walkway while the sun set. It was a wonderful way to end the festive day. Lynda took some great pics on her phone…

The next day, after a hearty breakfast at The Wall, Ashlea and Iheaded out to the first wandering window location – Coventry Bookstore. With many thanks to the florists at In Full Bloom (which is just around the corner from Coventry) who left a fabulous bunch of floral goodies for me to use for the displays, we got started on creating something whimsical in the window. I will tell you all about that in the next post…

xx

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Did you know that anthropologie in London (Kings Road)have a beautiful gallery space? And did you know that my friend Leslie – who is responsible for sending me that fabulous bag featured in my last post – has an exhibition of her wares in there right now? It’s times like these that I wish I could wiggle my nose and pop up just in front of that window, spending the afternoon wondering through the gallery, being inspired all the while…

I’ve known about the gallery exhibition for some time now as Leslie has been working on creating pieces for it for the last 6 months. And I’ve also been lucky enough to see all these pieces during the making of, so seeing these photos of the space all set up is super special…

If you are in London, I do hope you can find some time to go and visit the gallery to see all the amazing things made by swarm. The exhibition will be up until May 10th. In the meantime, you can also visit the anthroplogie online gallery which features more individual swarm pieces, with information and images on each creation.

……………………………….

All  photos are courtesy of Anthropologie, London.

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Dutch stylist & jewelry designer Miranda van Dijk has just created a beautiful new collection called hidden memories. I’ve known about it for some time, and have found myself going back to Miranda’s website to take ‘one more look’ a number of times over the past couple of months. Drawn to her new work but again last week, I figured it was about time I share it with you here in the (blog)house…

Inspired by the connection between nature and humankind, Miranda has fashioned brooches and necklaces from cotton fabric printed with old photographs. Above are some of the designs she has been working with, and I’m captivated by all of them, but especially love the necklaces. Miranda sells her work in markets around Holland (she was just part of the Swan Market in Rotterdam this weekend), but her work is also for sale online here.  And you’ll be rapt to know that Miranda is also offering custom creations as part of this collection, just send her an email.

Now I’m inspired to rummage through my old family albums and email some photos to Miranda… mother’s day is just around the corner.

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How exquisite is this new range of porcelain and ceramic ware by Michele Micheal?  She incorporates the texture of homespun linen into the clay, and uses a series of painterly techniques like brushing, dripping and pouring for glazing. I adore the deep blue color palette and the organic, raw shapes. Without doubt this range will be used a-plenty in upcoming photo shoots around the world. Congrats Michele!

-All images by elephant ceramics.
-View the whole collection here.

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I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my last post with all the photos, thanks for so many fab comments. It truly is a magical place, I can’t wait to go back.

As promised, here are all the wonderful details to the LASSie (aka Langkawi Animal Shelter & Sanctuary Foundation) creative retail project I mentioned. I’m so excited to be able to share this with you…

So, the team at LASSie have decided to put together a special brand of creative wares in collaboration with designers, artists and supporters from around the world.

Each product will be attributed to the person who designed and made it,  for example: LASSie by Carolyn, or LASSie by Sophie, or LASSie by Jose, or LASSie by Pia… and so on… That means each designer will receive recognition for their contribution. The aim is to assemble up to 100 exclusive items which will be sold through all LASSie boutiques in Penang & Langkawi, in Malaysia. These products will also be available for purchase at cost price by all shelters/ SPCAs in Malaysia  &  sold through their own shops. There will be curated exhibitions organised featuring the artists impressions of dogs,  cats & animal welfare through out the year with various art galleries. And there is also talk of an online boutique to be launched so the items can be purchased worldwide.

The products can be absolutely anything – so whether you are a jeweler, woodworker, ceramicist, photographer, painter, textile designer, fashion designer, soft toy creator – whatever your passion, you can use it to make something wonderful. And it doesn’t have to be animal-themed  – just beautiful, original, inspiring.

There will be a design committee who will be carefully considering all product entries, with chosen products being selected and ordered by late march for delivery of end of June 2011.

Please note: all products suggested will be considered but not all will be chosen for the final LASSie range.

beautiful paintings for LASSie by a local artist

Register your interest by emailing the LASSie foundation with your product suggestions, sketches and price by February 28th, 2011. The design committee will consider all products and respond by email by 15^th March 2011.

It’s such a fabulous opportunity to design something exclusive for a great cause.  Time to get our collective creative thinking caps on… any ideas? the inspiration is endless…

xx

For more information on the LASSie creative retail project, please click here.

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