Crafty stuff

It occurred to me today that I haven't shared any pics of my crafty creations on the blog yet, they are things I make for friends and family and are not for sale or anything, just for fun!

These are two I made for my mum out of jewellery that she had that she didnt wear and didn't like, add a few new beads and new design and voila new bracelets! nice bit of upcycling!

these are some embroidered felt brooches I made last year for xmas presents, Im getting better at them, I really enjoy making them, but not so sure people enjoy receiving them! oh well too bad!

thats all for now x

Send Me a Letter

How exciting - I have joined a handmade gift exchange through Craftaholics Anonymous Im rather excited and a little worried. what will I make? will I have the skills to create something that someone will like? I hope so, have had very little feedback on the things I have made for presents for people over the past year and am hoping that whatever I make will be liked by mysterious receiver of said gift.  I like the idea of receiving something in the mail from someone, just receiving mail at all these days is a novelty. When I was a young teen my best friend lived next door and we constructed a shoe box on string mail delivery system between our houses. It was so cool, we went to different schools so had alot to write about to each other every day, long winded notes about the latest american heart throbs - Beverly Hills 90210, Saved by the Bell, New Kids on the Block, Bathazar Getty, the two Coreys all featured in our daily rantings, as well as updates on other boys we had crushes on in real life, school work and other friends. It was awesome coming home to a note in the box, that little thrill you get when reading someones letter, their handwriting, their doodles, pictures cut from magazines and stuck on,  the way that kids write the way they speak.  We even had made up nicknames (based around said crushes - I think at one stage I was Mark Paul's Ski Poles (Mark Paul Gosselar from Saved by the Bell liked to ski apparently) soon to be replaced by Jords and Joes boxers when New kids became the obsession - those ones lasted a long time.  I miss those notes, maybe I just miss being young and all the frivolity that comes with it.

the Beverly crew

New Kids on the Block then and now, yes well lets be honest I would go and see them if they came to New Zealand, ashamed to admit. - somehow I very much doubt that will happen

Mark Paul  and Tiffany-  ah the 90's

One of our favourite movies. Corey Haim was so cute, its so sad.


Balthazar in the teen idol days.


I love the way you start writing a blog entry about one thing, and it turns into something completely different - a nice trip down memory lane.x 

Passion for Venice

 wrapping paper at Passion for Paper

Whilst waiting for an appointment one day a few months ago I happened to walk along Parnell Road and stumbled upon a little shop called Passion for Paper.  I'm not sure if you are all very familiar with this indulgent little piece of Italy in New Zealand, and I am just late to catch on, but this shop was a revelation.  As soon as I walked in the door I was hit by not only the beauty of what lay within but the strong desire to own everything I lay my eyes on.  Maybe I'm just weird but I love paper.  Notebooks, wrapping paper, cards, covered pencils, calendars all in the most stunning designs straight from Venice.  It was as though I could look out the window and see a canal boat floating past.  It was my tourist days in Venice all over again, and I was drunk with desire and heady with nostalgia.  I came away with the most expensive and divine pieces of paper that to be honest are too good to wrap anything in.  To cut them (let alone rip them) would be a travesty!