Blue Umbrella

This is a lovely painting by the artist Joe Russell called 'Blue Umbrella'. It shows a little girl in lovely orange shoes and summer frock holding/struggling with a huge blue umbrella. I think after the summer we've just had, this is an image everyone can relate to. This painting recently sold in the Blue Leaf Gallery in Fairview, but they have a few more of Joe's excellent paintings in stock. Prices start at € 650, nab one quick!

Zakkattack

How fabulous are these pictures? These images are taken from a book called 'School Bags and Zakka Goods' it's a Japanese craft book I have recently ordered from Chocolateswirl on etsy. Apparently it has been shipped and I cannot wait to receive it! According to Chocolateswirl it has 57 patterns for the cutest 'drawstring bags, bags, shoe bags, lunch bags, place mats, bottle bags, tote bags, pouches, towels, tissue cases, and more! Some extra patterns such as a smock, apron, backpack, towel dress, pool cap, and pen cases as well.'

I already have a small collection of fab Japanese fabrics that I've blogged about before, and I've been wondering what to do with them, I think this book will provide the answer. I intend to make all manner of tote bags, mini purses, and even tissue cases. I'm really loving all things zakka at the moment. Zakka, if you dont know is a type of crafting from Japan. According to Wikipedia, Zakka goods must be ultra cute, and commonly feature unusual fabrics perhaps sporting animal motifs, such as elephants, hedghogs, ladybugs, bunnies and (prefarably cycling) polar bears, or even mushrooms. French motifs are also popular, displaying images of the Eiffel Tower, and cups of coffee, or pastries. However for a good to be considered Zakka, it is not enough to be incredibly cute, oh no, it must also be practical and easy to use. You must be able to fit a decent amount of groceries and personal junk into your tote, your wallet must be able to contain all of your credit cards, coins and train tickets, your tissues must be encased for their protection, and your lunch bag should be compartmentalised to keep napkins and drinks and food all separate.

It is this marriage of aesthetic beauty, enhanced functionality and striking individuality (Believe me you will never meet anyone with the same customized cheque-book cover as you!), that makes Zakka so endearing and guarantees that this Japanese craft is here to stay. Needless to say etsy (I know, I know, I'm obsessed) is crawling with Zakka style crafters, like the fabulous Florspace, as well as sellers who trade in Zakka supplies, like Chocolateswirl who sells pattern books and Matatabi who sells fabulous Japanese fabrics, so go on, Zakka up your life!

Ha'penny Bridge

A photo of the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin that I recently took. Not a cloud in the sky, and the Liffey is so still.

matatabi at etsy

How did I survive without etsy? Here are pictures of two pieces of fabric I recently purchased from Matatabi over at etsy ($6.50 for a fat quarter). Matatabi has a fantastic selection of fabulous Japanese fabric with the cutest prints you've ever seen, as well as sewing tape, which is also ultra cute, but is something we don't really have here. Sewing tape is usually printed with a repeat design or motif and can be sewn onto bags, purses, just about anything you make really and is a lovely finighing touch for your crafts.

I am thinking of making a simple denim tote and using a strip of the elephant print across the top, with a matching coin purse for inside. Swit swoo. I'll post up pictures when I get them made.

Lucien Freud Exhibition

The Irish Museum of Modern Art is running some pretty interesting exhibitions at the moment. I'm looking forward to attending the Lucien Freud exhibition this Friday. The exhibition has been running since the beginning of June and concludes on the 2nd of September, so it's my last chance really to have a look.

According to the IMMA website this exhibition: "comprises some 50 paintings and 20 works on paper and etchings from the last six decades, several being completed just months prior to the exhibition and others never shown before in a public venue. Best known for his portraits and nudes, Freud’s subjects include his family, friends, lovers and fellow artists."

I'm not a huge fan of Freud, but it's hard to pass up an opportunity to visit the solo exhibition of such a highly regarded 'living legend'.

While I'm there I will also be sure to check out the exhibition of Anne Madden, whose work I really do admire, in fact, I prefer her work to her husband's Louis Le Brocquy. Anne's exhibition comprises 60 works, spanning the 1950s to the present and includes some of her best known works such as the series Clare Land (1967), Megaliths, Monoliths and Doorways (1970s), as well as some of Anne's early pieces of sculpture.

More information on these exhibitions, as well as future exhibitions are available from the IMMA website.

Dave West

This painting is called Fishing Boats and was painted by the artist Dave West. I really like his style of painting and the palette he uses. You can almost reach out and touch the water and smell the brine in this painting, it's really excellent. I was lucky enough to attend Dave's recent solo exhibition opening during the summer, and I was really impressed by the quality of Dave's work. The few remaining paintings that weren't sold in his solo exhibition can be viewed/purchased in the Blue Leaf Gallery in Fairview Dublin 3. Prices start from around €750.

Little Audrey

This is Audrey the corgi. She belonged to Alicia from Posie gets cozy. Unfortunately, poor Audrey has passed away. Alicia and Andy thought she had hurt her back, but the MRI scan showed she had cancer along her spine and in her abdomen, and unfortunately to prevent her further suffering they had to put her to sleep. Audrey seems to have been a great little dog and often featured on Alicia's blog. Alicia and Andy are both understandably heartbroken to have lost her, and I'm sure our thoughts are with them at this very sad time.

Purple Dahlias

Isn't this lovely. It's a huge purple dahlia growing in my back garden. The colour is so vibrant, which is excellent when everything is so grey, it cheers me up to look out my window and see this shocking purple, and if the sun should snoop out from behind a cloud for a few minutes, it looks even better.

Space Cover

This is a cushion cover (front and back) I embroidered over the weekend. The rocket and flying saucers are Jenny Hart transfers from Sublime Stitching, which I mentioned earlier. I'm going to give the cushion to my nephew for his first birthday on Thursday. I hope he likes it!

Sublime Jenny

Sublime Stitching by Jenny Hart (available from amazon.co.uk) is a fantastic embroidery book. It is a ringbound collection of iron-on embroidery patterns, but not just any old embroidery patterns. Jenny's designs are retro, funky, fun and fabulous. As Jenny says 'This aint your gramma's embroidery!'

Jenny's inspiring patterns include retro rockets, chinese lanterns, dogs, cats, cocktails skulls, unicorns, rollerskates and mexican wrestlers, to name but a few.

The patterns are so easy to use, you pull out the page with your pattern, place it over the fabric and iron over it. Simple. Each pattern can be used up to 9 times, which is tremendous value for money.

Jenny also has a great website: sublimestitching.com (where these pictures come from), which she frequently updates with exciting new patterns that be purchased diretly from the site.

Sublime Stitching is also a fab resource for people who have never stitched anything in their lives, because she includes full instructions on everything you need to know to create your own masterpiece. She discusses the the tools of embroidery - fabric, needles, thread, hoop, etc. and also gives full instructions on how to do different stitches like chain stitch, blanket stitch and French knots, among others.

I've used her patterns to great effect, on pillow cases, cushion covers and I'm now working on a tea towel, strewn with frilly tea cups and tea pots. Before long my entire house is going to be crammed with embroidered cherries, margaritas and poodles, my husband will be pleased.

Japanese fabric

How cute is this? This is one of 3 ultra pretty Japanese fabric pieces I received in the post today.
I bought them on Etsy (where else?) from Sakura Fabrics. Sakura Fabrics is Chizuru from Osaka in Japan.
I really like Japanese fabrics, the prints are so unusual and unlike anything I can get here in Dublin. Chizuru is such a sweetie, she even included some free stickers in the envelope!
Check out her fab online etsy shop here.

Dreaming of Barcelona

I've seen this chair around a lot. It appears on tv programs like Grand Designs in swanky open plan glass walled pads, as well as interior magazine photo spreads. For ages I didn't know anything about it, except that I liked it a lot and kept bumping into it evry time I turned on the tv or opened a magazine. I've even seen it on advertising bill boards.

However, it no longer haunts me, I now know its secret. It is the Barcelona Chair designed by cult German architect Mies van der Rohe. And better than that it can be ordered from sites all over the internet including Timeless Classics for the princely sum of € 855 incl. delivery. It is also available in a lovely white leather and there's also a matching ottoman, which I would have to order as well. If only I had a swanky glass walled open plan pad to put it in ...

Moroccan Lanterns

I'm loving these fab Moroccan tea light lanterns from Graham and Green. They are available in these 3 juicy colours and cost £5.95 each. Perfect for sitting out in your garden on a balmy summer's evening watching the light pattern flicker across the lawn.

Craftsanity

Recently I have been listening to the wonderful Craftsanity podcast. Craftsanity is a blog and podcast written and presented by journalist and crafter Jennifer Ackerman Haywood. On the show Jennifer interviews successful crafter such as Alicia Paulson from the ultra adorable posie gets cosy, or Matt from Etsy, people who have managed to give up their day jobs and follow their dreams of earning a living doing what they love, whether its knitting, making jewelry, handbags, hats or cupcakes.

Jennifer asks questions that a lot of crafters would love to know, namely how did they manage to turn their hobby in to their career, i.e. how did they start off, where did they begin to sell their products, how did they spread the word about their products and how do they come up with a fair price for their goods, which is crucial in striking a balance between what you need to charge to re-coup your costs and your time, but also charge a price that customers will pay without feeling ripped off. Jennifer also usually manages to nab a free pattern from her guest which she then posts on her site as a free download.

Craftsanity is available from Jennifer's website, or from iTunes.

Heavens to Etsy

I love Etsy. Seriously. It is addictive. I find myself browsing through the Aladin’s cave of hand made goodies almost on a daily basis. Etsy is a fabulous online one-stop-shop for everything hand made. Whether you’re into art prints, badges, ceramics, cosmetics, baby clothes, bags, or even craft supplies of fabric, buttons, or wool, etsy has it all.
Etsy began life in June 2005 and is the brainchild of Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and Jared Tarbell. In just two years Etsy has grown to accommodate over 90,000 registered users from all over the world.
Sellers include shops like the dreamy Belle & Boo, whom I’ve mentioned before, as well as Pillowhead, Crankbunny, phunkstyle jewelry and the beautiful blue tree lighting.
Etsy now makes if possible to buy hand made treasures from craftspeople that would otherwise be almost impossible to locate and difficult to transact with. For example, how else would you be able to buy original artwork from Japan, or a vintage pattern from Paris, without having to rifle through all the designer knock-offs and tat that swamps e-bay.
Making an Etsy purchase couldn’t be simpler as most sellers use Paypal, so need for messy money orders or trying to figure out exchange rates.

Etsy is also a dream come true for crafters who can sell their products on line to a ready made global customer base without having to establish their own websites or deal with the nightmare of e-commerce. It is fantastic resource for sellers who wish to test out their market, without splashing out on shop rent or sitting out in all weathers at craft fairs, plus sellers can upload images of what they happen to have in stock at the time, they don’t need to fill large orders, or amass a large collection before they’re ready to sell.
What I also like about Etsy is that because it is a collective of individual sellers, browsing through an individual’s shop feels like you’ve just stumbled upon a small nook of a shop in a side street somewhere, rather than visiting a huge hypermarket with racks and racks of mass produced goods. Check it out, you never know what you might find.

Buttons

I made these cute blue check buttons today. It was so simple and quick. I bought a pack of buttons and the mould (as seen in the before picture) on a whim really to see if it was really as easy as it looked, and it was. I used some fabric scraps left over from making cushion covers.
You cut out a rough circle, bigger than the size of the button, put the fabric over the mould, place the boutton on top, then push them into the mould, then push the button back on top. Easy peasy.
Once you have the basic button, you can stick on pins to make badges, magnets to make magnets, hair slides etc. I might one of these as a clasp on a bag I'm going to make.

New Super Cool Labels

As I mentioned the other day, my new Summer Rain labels arrived in the post. Here is a photo of one, on a blue gingham cushion I made. I think they're fab, and I'm going to stick them on everything!

Rainy Paintings

I love this rainy street scene painting by artist Joe Russell. It really captures this year's summer for me. It has the bright colours we associate with summer, but it also has buckets of rain pouring down. It gives me a slight shiver just to look at it. I particularly love the glass like reflections on the pavement.

This painting and other paintings by Joe can be seen/purchased at the Blue Leaf Gallery in Fairview, Dublin 3

Belle and Boo

This is one of two gorgeous prints I recently bought from Bell and Boo . Belle and Boo is the lovely Mandy Sutcliffe who is an extremely talented childrens illustrator and also writes her own blog. Mandy's fabulous range of prints, badges, magnets, dolls and cards can be ordered from her shop on etsy, if they haven't already sold out!
I also have my eye on one of her adorable 'little madam' dolls to hang on my wardrobe door handle.
Check out her blog for more of her collectable goodies.

Hi
We've had such a terrible summer here that it has been almost impossible to plan anything nice outdoors. So, I've been glued to blogs, and crafting. I've set up this blog to keep track of the yummy stuff I am making, the books I am reading, and the fabulous websites I'm addicted to.

Today I'm so excited. I ordered sew-on woven tags from www.easy2name.com and they arrived in this morning. They are absolutely perfect, even nicer than I was expecting or hoping for, and fantastic value to boot! I got 100 labels for around 20 euro.

I plan to sew them on to the things I make and have been making for years, like cushion covers, yoga mat bags, roman blinds etc.

I can't wait to get home!