November 28, 2009
well hello!!!
It’s wonderful to be back, in the Southern Hemisphere, in Wellington, at the sewing machine, right at the brink of summer summer summer.
Many tales from the road, which you can read about at the Champ Tours the New World site, but for now it’s all about a room with a view over Lyall Bay from one window and an ever-changing garden full of artichoke hearts and tuis from the other.
Over the next few months we’ll be slowly settling down (FINALLY) to life in NZ. It’s so nice to be able to start long-term projects, to start to unpack, and…to have all my fabric together in one place!!! (on it’s way). While we look for a more permanent home, over the summer we will be helping transform the beautiful piece of land we are currently living on into an edible community garden. It’s a dream come true.
In the mail today I got my copy of the recently launched first issue of Extra Curricular, a lovely little publication “for creative folk.” What a great little book to have in hand, the perfect size, well-crafted, beautiful lay out, and best of all, full of behind-the-stalls stories of all those clever crafty people whose work I’ve seen or heard of over the years. And! it features Moonshine Washingline, check it out! Click on either of the photos to get a closer look and find out where you can get a copy.
Meanwhile, it’s high time I got the sewing machine cranking to stock up the etsy shop and get ready for the Martinborough Fair!
Here’s a bo-peep at just a selection of some of the new silks, linens, buttons and threads I have in store for the next batch – which will include summer hats for adults, kids and babies, and woolen winter hats (for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere). So hang tight, and if you’d like to get in quick and make an order, let me know!
June 13, 2009
Bonjour mes petites cheries,
Since I’m at least a full day of flying away from my sewing machine and supplies, and am not yet ready to report on craft-related news, I wanted to direct your attention to – Champ tours the New World – where I’ve just written a blowout update on what I am up to, where I’ve been, what’s been going on etc. It’s a blog I started when on a music tour of the U.S. last summer (a term that I feel like I am using haphazardly just because I can’t remember when it was last not summer (no complaints there)) in an ‘85 Toyota van lovingly known as Champ. If you get into the story you will see that we took Champ to see a large part of the lower 48 states, right before his comfortable retirement in Oregon (not to say that he’s had his last adventure). But as will happen with rusty ex-cleaner’s cargo vans, Champ is always with us in our hearts everywhere we go and so, the story goes on. Check it out, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry.
Here is an excerpt from the trailer:
“Started as a digital scrap book of our adventures and misadventures on the Jacob Perkins & The Nobody tour of the u.s.of.A., a tribute to people, places and a magical ‘85 toyota cargo van that really did “RUN LIKE A CHAMPEON” as promised (and sometimes didn’t run, but was always a champion), this blog continues on across oceans and between hemispheres, exploring the serendipitous road to finding what we never knew we were looking for, insisting on the possibility of an intentional international community, and sharing our process through the hardships and rewards of a Do It Yourself life dedicated to music, art, stories, family, friends, food, and this ever-elusive ever-present everywhere place called Home.”
ps. My etsy shop is currently in “Vacation Mode” even though I’m not really on vacation. Will be back on in November. Meanwhile, many of my hats have gone to a lovely little shop in Portland, Oregon, more on that soon…! xoh
June 7, 2009
A quick and urgent update to let you know that I am in France at the moment, working on a stop motion animated music video for Jacob Perkins & The Nobody at this amazing place known as the Performing Arts Forum. It is in a giant ex-nunnery/convent school with 2 wings, 4 floors, 50 or so rooms, 3 pianos (1 grand!) and peacocks in the courtyards upon gardens upon woods, in a very tiny village northeast of Paris (2 bakeries and 1 florist). Here’s a bird’s eye view of the building!
Just arrived after epic month long bike ride from Denmark, which I promise to write a more informative post on soon! Will be back in NZ in October and back to the sewing machine in full force! Can’t wait! But for now, stay tuned and I will post music video updates and maybe even soon reveal some work from my other job as a writer. Till then amigos.
April 20, 2009
hey kids
just got the good word about Kraftbomb next weekend (Sunday April 26th) in Auckland. It’s ON! I’ll be there with hats, undies and hopefully more.
Even made more hats for the occasion…
In the meantime, getting ready to leave Welly and head on up and out NEXT WEEK! This mostly means getting together gifts, trying to finish reading my library books in time, and making myself the warmest merino super-practical one-stop-top to take as my only long sleeved item on the bike trip (it just started getting into + degrees celcius in Finland!). Used scraps to make Jake a warm dome cozy. Oh warm fuzziness.
And…check it out, the trusty steed that’s gonna take me from Denmark to France. 3 gears. Back pedal brakes. The Works. I think it even has a bell.
And if that’s not impressive enough for you, check out Jake’s matching herrecykler! his was custom made for the pro cyclist Kaj Flemming Anderson apparently, another tall dude.
So off we go! Will be back in NZ in October and sewing up a storm for Spring! If you want to keep track of what we’re doing on our travels, check out Champ Tours the New World. YEAHHH!!
April 4, 2009
Dear readers (if there are any of you left(holler)),
I think it’s time I do some splaining about why I’m such an inconsistent craft-blogger…well my friends, the fact that my sewing has been an on-the-go sort of endeavour for the past two years is the main reason. Whenever I can secure a sewing station for a few weeks then I turn myself into a veritable factory. So if I’ve ever housesat for you or been a long time guest, this would explain the stray threads and needles you’ve found in my tracks. Nothing satisfies me more then when I’ve set myself up with a great place to sew, preferably by some windows looking out on somewhere magical, and I like to think that special features from each place are woven into the things that I make when I’m there. This is my current nook, I was so smitten with it that I forgot to take a shot of the outrageously beautiful view of the whole damn harbour to my right. I just made a whole slew of hats here in the past week, made with salty Wellington winds, hardy native greenery, choppy ocean waters and bits and pieces of that amazing NZ light.
I’m leaving at the end of the month for the European continent to cycle from Denmark to France and then live in an ex-nunnery for a couple of months to make a stop motion film with my hubby. (see here for more on that). Have hardly even transitioned into that mode, except for a few books on cycle routes from the library and a “brush up your french in 30 days” audio course. Have just been enjoying being here now. I’ve also been up to my ears in writing deadlines (you can see some of my more recent articles here) so I haven’t had much time to get crafty. Plus I got a little burnt out after cramming in some last-minute projects just before the Cross St. Carnival in Auckland. A little crazy when you’re staying in a tiny sleepout in your friends’ backyard and are trying to sew paint make all at once.
In between deadlines and after finding the most irresistable source of wool and hardy cotton fabrics, last week I decided that it was time to get cracking. My grandma’s sewing machine, which has been in storage for the past two years and got a little beaten around on the train down from Auckland, is still THE BEST. It’s a dream to work on. And plus I have such a great space. And music. And lot’s of Chai tea. So I made a lot of hats (scroll down for photos), and more to come! For kids too!
trees with wooly socks on cuba st
The following hats are all up for sale here, but keep in mind that purchases must be made before April 26, 2009 because I’m hitting the road then and won’t be stationary again until October. Enjoy! And if you click on any one of the hats below you will be taken to my etsy site where you can get a closer look at each one, see the lining, find out which ones are made with wool etc.
January 30, 2009
just packed my portable arts and crafts studio, some new hats i’ve been making (“Hats for Every Man, Woman and Child”), the secret superhero wonderpants, and some jewelry-in-the-making from the likes of porcupine needles and crocheted bon bons. but no time for photos now!
headed for new zealand tomorrow bright and early, first stop auckland, where i’ll be selling these goodies at the Cross Street Carnival…(click on the picture for the details) Mark your calendars, Feb 14th, Valentine’s Day, come for the love. hope to see you there!
January 20, 2009
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: here’s to one wonderful year after another! Two Thousand and Shine, ohoooo yeah I can feel it. Things have been prolific and profound and challenging and fulfilling.
final minutes of 2008 on a bridge in bangkok
I’m working on more hats to take to New Zealand (in 2 weeks, here we come!), will post them when they’re ready of course. In the meantime, I can hardly wait to get back to my stencils and paints that I had to leave behind in NZ so I’ve been working on a “secret superhero” underwear range.
And because today happens to be Tuesday January 20, 2009, here’s a sneak preview…
December 3, 2008
on dec 10th i’ll be putting my etsy shop on “vacation mode” until jan 2. which means, i’ll be leaving the sewing machine and hats behind while i take part in another missif, so if you’d like to stake your claim before the new year, now’s the time!
meanwhile, can’t. stop. making. hats. today i broke a bobbin in half, bent a needle, ripped about a million seams, shed blood and covered the house in all the more fluff and thread. just can’t resist when i have little plans like this to bring to life.
hot off the press
below are new hats that i’ve recently put up for sale, click on the photos to get a closer look and see the inside, backside, and flipside etc.
October 6, 2008
Well so much for all that hooha getting the hats on etsy…they ALL sold at the last Last Thursday. (Yesssss). Time and time again my attempts to keep ‘virtual life’ up to date with ‘real life’ are foiled. And yet I graciously accept the defeat, because the truth is, real life is just too much FUN. Especially when the gang is in town. Check it out, some “side projects” for the T-Rex wedding.
in the midst of a gift-bag mega mission
a gold vinyl disco rex
pimping out bicycles
whipping up carlo rossi sangria
arranging dahlias
and the hydrangea wreath! (note the rex behind the bride)
And Last Thursday, with special guest stall sharers, Mayana and Billie Montana, featuring jewelry designed by everybody’s favourite tattoo artist, Keiran.
note the light
goodbye u.s.of.a sale!
and an alberta street sunset
Anyway, this means I don’t have to carry any hats with me all the way to Indonesia, where we are heading in just 10 days time from San Fran. For now, still making our way down the state of Oregon, basking in family time, deep reds and bright yellows, apple crisps and peewee soccer games. But already itching to get on my mum’s sewing machine in the southern hemisphere.
Till next time!
