While Tangerine Dreams

Vest is Best

Edie woke up on her birthday to her birthday vest laid out with her birthday crown. Nothing like that rush of finishing a project just in the nick of time. Edie was pretty stoked with this knit because she was the chief creative director. She told me what colour she wanted the yarn (purple because she's sick of pink she says - sometimes she says that jokingly, sometimes it's hard to tell and easy to believe) and where she wanted the cables. Fun! I used a  free Warm Woolies pattern and omitted the pocket and added simple cables.

Gawd, I love this pic. Forgive me, Cheech, for using this one but I think we already agreed: it's awesome! Ironically, I omitted the cables called for in this other free pattern I started eons ago for Kale but in the end it had Viggo written all over it. I called it the Rock Solid because that's what we told Craig's mom what Kale's name was after it took us almost two months to think of something. The sweater was knit up with some of my handspun held together with some Manos in my stash to get gauge.

Tis the spinning/knitting season that's for sure. I'm working on two commissions at the moment. One is a hooded poncho - I just started making some prototype yarn to give the lovely lady some options in the yarn she wants me to use (she requested Earthy colours) and another is, finally, the sweater I'm trading for having Edie's bedroom lazured right before Kale was born. It's taking a while but I have to say it's hard coming up with the perfect choice of pattern and material for someone else. I want it to be perfect! Which is something coming from me; Queen Wabi Kathy.

Boogery Blueberry Birthday Boy

Look who turned one yesterday! Has it only been a year since Kale and I made that sacred pact? The you work with me and I'll work with you and together we'll make this passing through the birth canal thing a pleasant experience for everyone involved? Even his entry into our world was a joyous and happy thing just like his jovial demeanor. Really living up to his middle name; Jove.

This year has been filled with so much love and light I am filled with delirious gratitude. Such a smooth transition it's been from the three to the four of us. Kale's such an easy kid. My mom was astounded when she first met him at three months - "Kah-teee, I have eighteen grandkids and ay've never met such a happy baby!??!". I think she was mildly concerned about his non-stop smiling back then (thinking of my hardcore partying youth perhaps?). And Edie has proven herself to be a stellar big sister who just loves her little brother to bits. And can you say how incredibly helpful she is? Sometimes Craig offers to 'give me a break' and take her to town with him when he has to go. No, she stays here thank you very much. Much easier somehow when she's around that's for sure!

 

So, yeah, it was a quiet birthday celebration. Chocolate cake for all except for the birthday boy of course - he got banana mooshed with coconut cream. He loved it. We love him so very very very much. As Edie says, all the way to the moon and back. We are incredibly blessed indeed.

Ediemas and Martinmas

My baby turned five this weekend. Huh, wha', where? I've been very mental and sentimental the last little while leading up to both my babies' birth anniversaries (Kale's is next week!). The eve of her birthday I was watching my little mouth breather (she's getting over a cold) noisily chew away at her Friday night pizza and she asked why I was looking at her with googley eyes.

"I just can't believe you're going to be five tomorrow" I said fighting back tears and slapping my forehead with the heel of my hand to stop me from crying repeating '"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Stupid mummy! Stupid mummy!". Edie held my non-slapping hand and reassured me, "I'll still be cute!" she promised. Yeah, that didn't help. God, she's an amazing little girl. The one thing I feel bad about homeschooling so far is that I'm depriving some poor teacher out there the honour of having this little girl in his or her classroom. I love that I get to share my days with her - she's such a pleasure to hang with. And the sweet little nerdiness of her enthusiasm for homeschooling, well, I could just eat her in one bite I love her so much. And this last year how she proved herself to be a dream of a big sister extraordinarre. Lucky little Kale has four googley eyes staring at him all day long. 

How's that for a kick to the ovaries? Couldn't resist. Almost a year ago. So Edie had a sweet little party with all her favourite friends, minus the ones with bugs staying at home, over for leaf crown making, duck, duck, goose, goosing (okay, that was officially the cutest thing I ever witnessed. Edie's first time playing and she loved it sooooo much), puppet showing and barely-any-sugar-in-there-but-you-would-never-guess-it birthday cake. Then everyone went home and we had spaghetti. It was an awesome day.

And now the belated Martinmas post! Edie and I made some lanterns from watercolour paintings we've been working on (red and yellow are finally dancing together - yay! No more monochroming around these parts). Craig got involved with the engineering aspects of how to suspend the bottom bit of the lantern. So nice to see the guy crafting. Funny how a little bit of glue in your hands can lift the spirits. The evening of Martinmas we had a lantern walk around the pasture while I sang a song while having this bizarre bickering session with Craig at the same time but it was still, strangley, beautiful. We burned a big bonfire on both Martinmas and Ediemas and no one got hurt. We are truly blessed indeed!
 

Scarf Face

It's Christmas shopping incentive time. As in if I had money in my paypal that'll be inccentive for me to start thinking about Christmas shopping. Or at least incentive to buy more supplies to keep it a handmade holiday - ironic isn't it?

With each purchase of $20 or more from my Tangerine or Jupiter shop I'll toss into the package a nuno felted scarflette. It can look like the one above or something more old school like the one below. This will happen until December 31.

 

Awwww... Tina. Hi Tina, lovely girl. It'll be a surprise which colour you get too but all scarflettes will be made up of pure silk chiffon and hand dyed merino and fastened with one of those famous vintage 1940's buttons. So when you purchase you get a present for someone you dig, a little stocking stuffer for yourself, or vice versa, or any combination there of, or decide the morning after spooning with your scores all night.

Cuddle Wear? Here!

I'm pleased to feature a new Etsy seller and neighbour of mine too! Amanda from Cuddlewear who creates the cutest outfits for the little ones as well as undergarments for you to cuddle in to. Sweet, sweet lady who is also offering a prize and discount at the end of this interview!

Who are you, what is your stripper name and what do you sell on etsy?

I am Amanda Wollenberg and my stripper name is Hampstie Eichler. How sexy is that? I was three and had a hamster, okay? I sell handmade baby and toddler clothing as well as a few yummy items for sexy mommies!

That's cool, Hampstie. Not like hamsters live for twenty years and you have to explain the name in your awkward years. Eek, I still have nightmares of having to tiptoe through an unearthed grave of all my hamsters past (Funky, Funky II, Funky III etc.). Gross. How did you come to find your crafty pursuit?

 

My mom tought me how to sew when I was a little girl and I never looked back. I started out with doll clothes, moved onto big people clothes and now I've moved back onto little people by making baby clothes.

Ah, the circle of craft. Walk me, Hampstie, through your typical creative day.

 

Hampstie begins her day by waking up at whatever time her 16 month old son decides she should wake up. The early morning is spent playing, reading and doing toddler related things while daydreaming of the latest pantie pattern she wants to try out or some colours that would look awesome together. Once the kidlet is down for a nap, a mad pinning and cutting session ensues. If the nap is long enough, some sewing might actually happen. After nap time, more toddler activities and dinner. Mr. Hampstie Eichler takes over baby time after dinner and Hampstie retreats to her one woman sweatshop in the basement and enjoys a blissed out evening of creating new and unique baby fashions to share!

Nice arrangment with the Mister! Hmmm... I dream of sweat shopping after supper now. Sounds cleansing. What do you do other than your  fiber work to feed your soul?

 

Music. I listen to it, play it and dance to it. I also love to play with my little guy Ashton!

Four words to describe your work, please.

 

Fun, unique, quality and evolving!

Don't forget to-wit to-woo! I think the male readers out there are starting to sweat shop right now! Anything new coming up in your shop to look forward to in the next little while?

 

I am currenty working on getting some Christmas items happening for little people and stay on the lookout for more sexy undies to heat up those chilly winter nights...

Awesome! Thanks so much Amanda. Hold on to your panites, Amanda has been kind enough to offer a give away of a pair of her special lace panties to a randomly selected commenter. Draw will be on Wednesday. Everyone else, 20% discount on your Cuddlewear order with mention of this interview. Have a great weekend!

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The winner is number 9! Liz is the winner -sorry for the delay, ladies on announcing this  - teething happening big time. So, LIz, I'll contact you and forward Amanda your info. Thanks for playing!

I Sew Twinkle-y

You know I love the Twinkle Knits series. I made a sweater and a couple of hats and now she's out with a sewing book that I'm super gung ho on tackling each and every project from. This of course would only happen in my fantasy life where I have all the time in the world to sit up in my creative space and sew until the cows come home (perhaps in the springtime). What a trip by the way pulling out those past project links. Looks like only last year I use to actually took the time to get dolled up for those close ups  with lipstick and all. I notice too that Edie use to make a great prop, now she's not so much into it.  Plus, something about being jacked up on those pregnancy hormones made me about ten times funnier. Oh, well, at least Craig's still finding something quaint enough about me to stick around and be my personal photographer.

 

This one is called Take Manhatten. I made this little number for my friend Emily's art show last Monday. So fun, the book comes with a cd filled with the patterns you can then print out. My only complaint is that the pattern pieces come out all whole as opposed to in half so you can place on fold then cut out. I guess that's all professional pattern maker style for the pattern maker I was working with for Sheesh suggest that too. More accurate cut that way but sure calls for a lot more eleven and half by eights to print then glue together! Not very sustainable as Craig would say. Every pattern in here is gorgeous. I'm trying to start up a sew along at Burda Style so if anyone wants to head over there I started a thread in "sew alongs".

 

Speaking of sewing along, my mom sewed up Edie's Halloween costume for Mama was too busy playing with her new book. Check out the Winter Fairy Princess (the princess bit is very important). She and Dada went to the Waldorf school's Enchanted Halloween Walk in town. I stayed home with babe and had pumpkin soup ready for their return. Turned out that the walk went on much longer than anticipated so they had Halloween tacos in town instead. That's cool - got to discover pumpkin soup is Kale's favourite food on earth so far. Little pumpkin...

Let's Give Them Something to Smock About

I made us both painting smocks for painting days which happen around here on Tuesday. Turns out we can't stop wearing them. I love throwing it on to tackle any type of chore really plus they keep me from feeling like I'm walking around in only my long johns all day. Today they were elderberry picking smocks. We've made two batches of elderberry syrup and now we're going to make some tincture to keep us going good and strong throughout the winter. This afternoon Edie and Kale got to witness Mama reconnect with her mula bandha as she was super sketching high up on a shaky ladder reaching for the last little umbrellas of bioflavinoids.

 

I got the pattern for Edie's smock from The Children's Year and mine was a tweaking of a pattern from one of my Japanese pattern books. Somehow the library tricked me into watching half an episode of Anne of Green Gables. Guess what. Same smock. Can't believe how far that piece of fabric I used on Edie's lasted. I picked it up at the annual fabric sale at the Threads Guild a couple of years ago and made I think three little girl's dresses and something for Mama I can't remember. Best three bucks I ever spent. Loving sewing these days but time is super limited. When Kale naps Edie and I have homeschooling adventures to dive into and I have heaps of knitting to get to. Just finished the Little Man a handsome vest and just got started on Edie's now. Once I block the vest I'll get Guy Smilely captured on film sporting it. We are going to ease him into the fine art of pouting for the camera that Edie's got down super pat these days.

Feeling Artish

Oh, yeah. Hang on to your legwarmers, this is going to hurt! In a good way, of course. I went for lunch with my IRL (in real life) buddy, Elly and we were playing show and tell. She showed me the  swap score she recieved from today's featured artist, Letisha Maguire and I kind of embarassed myself with the whole groping of knitted items right there in the middle of the restaurant thing that only another knitter would understand. Her knits are amazing. I'm so thrilled she agreed to this interview. AND she's offering a sweet, sweet, sweet giveaway; one of her one of a kind scarves. Holy smokies! Enjoy this awesome interview and read at the bottom details on entering!

1. Who are you, what is your stripper name and what do you sell on etsy?

Who am I? Wow, I ask myself a thousand times a day and I’m still not sure I know the answer to that one. I DO know my stripper name, and that is Sheba Cozens. My name-by-day is Leticia Maguire and I do a bit of knitting and crochet under the label ‘artish’ which is actually a combination of ‘art’ and ‘Tish’ (my nickname). I have a website www.artish.com.au and an etsy shop http://artish.etsy.com.

2. Looking at your work I think some part of your nickname, or a whole new one should be something like 'De-lish'. Each of my kids have like two to three nicknames so try it on! How did you come to find your crafty pursuit?

I tripped over fiber one day and thought; Hmmmm. The things I could do with that! So I did. My mother taught me to knit many, many, many, (many), moons ago, but she now lives overseas, so when I decided I needed re-educating, I bought a book and taught myself. I’ve been making things for myself for a long time, but the house was getting crowded, and my friends were looking furry, so I figured it was time to open shop.

3. Walk me, Dee-lish, through your typical creative day.

I’d love to say that every day is rife with creativity, but to be honest I spend most of my time hiding from my kids. Ahhh…I remember when I could paint all day...knit a king size blanket in an hour…snooze in the afternoon…drink an entire cup of tea without having to microwave it (4 times). Mostly, I start with a particular yarn that I love and just see what happens. I don’t have a big plan, I just know what I like, and I absolutely know what I don’t like. Although I don’t like to rule anything out.

4. I hide from my kids too! Fosters a strong internal tracking sense when they grow up I hear. What do you do other than your beautiful fiber work to feed your soul?

I love a cup of chai tea (alchemy!) http://www.alchemycordial.com.au/content/chai.asp and a book. I’ll read almost anything written by almost anyone. I love to run. Actually, I HATE to run, but I love the feeling of well-being I have in my life when I do it, so I persevere. I spend time with my family & friends, listen to music, eat, blog www.leticiamaguire.wordpress.com

5. Mmmm... stims. Four words to describe your work.

tactile, spontaneous, cheerful, unique

6. Anything new coming up in your shop to look forward to in the next little while?

Yes! I’ve just had a bit of a clearance sale, and I’m working on some new ideas that will be in store soon.

You rock! Thank you. Love this work and this Artish. xoxo! Random draw on Wednesday so be sure to leave a comment on why you deserve a scarf this season to be entered. Good luck!

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Winner is Gina! Lucky number 9. I'll be forwarding your email address to Tish and she'll be in contact quick. Congratulations!!!

All Rosey Around Here

Our new story: Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty). Not sure how seasonally appropriate it is but it's appropriately Princess-y for this household. Oi, she loves me telling this story. It's amazing how things we share during our 'homeschooling' times are carried over to other parts of the day and well into our days off.

Days off are slowly growing in numbers by the way. First I informed her we're taking Fridays off from homeschool so Mama could get some work done while Kale naps (which is when all the fun stuff happens) and I just got reminded about the suggestion of only having Kindergarten three times a week and by the time Grade One rolls around (a couple of years from now) keeping it to four times a week (Fridays off has always been a favoured tradition around here).

So I got a few things done on my Etsy shop to-do list lately. Check it out ~ a new design: the Sheesh skirt. Actually got a local professional pattern maker to help me out with this one. Named after my best bud, this is made from stretch denim so one could easily bust out in superwoman stance.

So instead of a wholesome wholistic homeschooling experience on Mondays and Fridays, I'm getting Edie street smart ala Project Runway style complete with photoshoots, drama with at-times difficult photographers and uncooperative photo props/divas:

RIP

Etsy Friday's aren't totally dead, I've just been busy with this homeschooling business and it's been tricky figuring out the most effecient time to hop on line. I can sneak away from Kale once he falls asleep at bedtime but then I'm kind of sleepy myself and more easily prone to surfing the internets than buckling down to work. I'll figure it out one day. Henny Penny, on the other hand, is totally dead. Poor lady. Crazy how attached I'm getting to these sweet, generous creatures. Edie cried when she found out. I told her I cried too (especially when we woke up to find her shivering outside of the coop because she was getting too lethargic to hop in with everyone else in the dark. We thought she was dead then, but nope.) but that's what happens on the farm. Craig 'took care of things'. What a man. 

Speaking of what a man he is. My hot shot husband, and his team of two other guys he met at a Transition Town workshop, won a bid for a sustainability project for a town not too far away from here. He was even featured in the local paper that came out yesterday. So proud of him. This is totally his passion, right livlihood if you will, this permaculture quest so I'm just over the moon for him. Yay, my love!