Wellington. . .

so we went to wellington for the weekend, my husband and I, for our FIVE YEAR anniversary!!!, and basically wanted to live there!. It is such an inspiring city, and so great to walk around, we went everywhere by foot. The city is so compact, and for some reason we feel more at home there then we do in Auckland. Something to think about maybe. . . but anyway, we went to a few different funk-ay shops and a couple of shop staff asked about the jewellery I was wearing(in particular my ring, with a picture of a child's face - you can see it on the slideshow), and ended up exchanging details, with them wanting to see more of my craftiness! Which was very exciting, and as I already have a couple of places in Auckland who are interested, I need to get my act together and start acting like a grown up.
Then last week I went to Devonport and went into a fantastic little shop called georgiescarlett Jewellery - it was the greatest little room, with her workshop in the back, so she was working and talking over the partition to customers, and very friendly sooo we started chatting about jewellery and she was so positive and encouraged me to bring some in to show her, and gave me her details to get in touch about anything. She had a lot of helpful practical advice about the craft itself and also the marketing etc of it, and I came away so inspired and excited! People don't usually let you in on trade secrets and the like, and can be quite catty, but she was really interested and informative. So that's another little contact to follow up on! And I came away with a great little pair of owl earrings which I don't want to take off.
I just made a huge batch of rings, so will get some photos done soon - lots of new stuff, yay! But am really struggling with designs for woven rings - all my rings used to be woven or braided out of wire, and I stopped doing it because it was very time consuming, and not very comfortable on the finger always. So I ordered a large batch of ring bases from etsy, and while they do what I want them to do, they are tiny, smaller than I imagined, and so I extend them all and wrap wire round the extension - less than ideal! I have been playing round with my trusty pliers and galvanised wire, trying to make some prototypes, but am at a real roadblock! So despite all the good feedback I have been getting, I am not satisfied, and probably won't get a restful sleep till I have figured out this little puzzle. I was buoyed up last night though, taking my jewellery round to my friends house for a girls night, and got some really happy customers who were so delighted with their new bits of pretty, so that is a bit of a perk - for the spirit and the pocket!
What an essay! I know I should do less, more often, but so hard to fit in sitting down at a computer. Thanks everyone for looking, and I can't wait to show off my new range of goodies! Here are a few pics of my children and husband, just for those who like cute baby pics. My children are delicious!

Crafty Crafting at Craftwerk!

well craftwerk was an absolute blast! Literally it was freezing, but warming to the heart to see so many aucklanders troop out midwinter to seek out the best in handmade goodies! It is fantastic to realise that there are so many people out there, who, like me, believe that recycling and handcrafting is the way to go! Among the inspiring stallkeepers was a girl who made tiny stuffed owls - as pendants! So beautiful and delicate, I traded one for some goods(go trading!), and it is almost too good to wear, I am obssessed with it. Also among my trades list - a stuffed heart, with a sweet sweet smile to wear as a brooch, and some cards and a collage block from my fantastic friend Kirsten Turnbull, and some new booties for my boy - I ordered them from talented crafties 'Anemone' after my first pair grew too small - they are the best darned booties, styley and practical - these babies don't come off! And they are so hot on. Below are some photos of my new goodies - sadly I did not take my camera to craftwerk - and anyway was too busy busy busy profiteering off the locals! I'll definitely take it to my next market - Silverdale town hall tomorrow, the 17th of August, from about 9 till about 2. Yay!

well come

HI! First blog ever - about me and the things that inspire me. . . in my mid twenties, living in mediocre suburbia(how I long for the country - or the seaside - anywhere but urban), with my beautiful children - Madeline is almost three and looks like an angel(looks can be deceiving), Lewis is 5 months, round and squat with a smile for anyone who even looks at him - and my amazing husband Joshua who puts up with my highest highs and my lowest lows, and keeps our madhouse together. We also have a cat, Dostoyevsky, named of course for the brilliant philosopher but to be honest is madder than all of us put together! At the moment he is the bane of my life, and I have to control my temper - very difficult.
In the craft side of my life, I am half-way between packaging and price tags(must look great but be functional - is it possible?) and knitting millions of funky baby mittens(not very functional but definitely looking hot), and my head is imploding with ideas! There are not enough hours in the day. ever. I have three possible sales opportunities in the next week - it doesn't rain but it pours. Can anyone sympathise? Had a bit of a creative drought while pregnant - with both children, then after a few months of un-pregnant state it starts to leak back, and then all systems go! Here is a little blurb from my recent application for a market, to give you an idea of what's going on:
"Alt. art jewellery using a combination of vintage, found and new materials; juicy baubles to satisfy the magpie within. This includes a range of resined buttons with collage art, as rings and necklaces, as well as a range combining deliciously bright china beads and vintage buttons, with chain, as earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Heart and Crafty also produces 'bebe' accessories, for example 'binky bling' to keep your dummy close in style, and 'funky fingers', knitted fingerless mittens for children from 1 to 5ish( I take commissions for big kids too!!!) In the pipeline at the moment, Heart and Crafty is working on a range of knitted bags, which are not yet ready for holding yet!!!"
Anyway, the knitted bag idea, as mentioned above, is still only in my head and I am panicking that I will forget my brilliant design before I get a chance to create a prototype! Of course I could always sketch it out, but I always hate when an art tutor makes you draw pages and pages of nothing before you can do the final product - too long a process for me, I get bored too easily!
Enough for today - this blogspot is still very much a work in process, but there should be pics soon, and also on the horizon a spot on the wonderful Etsy(always a source of inspiration). For now though, the local markets: Craftwerk in 4 days, and Silverdale market - so fun, in 'ye olde townhall' with the jars of preserves and dolls clothes, but also great handbags and a wonderful ceramics 'artiste' - and a 'flaunt' of my wares for the girls in a group that I have been attending - our last meeting, what will I do without my fellow 'crazy mums'? Feel free to contact me! xo