Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Merry!

From the bottom of our hearts we wish all our friends and family (near and far) a lovely Christmas and safe new year. While there have been some fab things going on this year, I have to admit that I'm kinda happy to say goodbye to 2009. 2010 sounds like it will be much happier. Here's to new beginnings and new adventures! I wonder where we will all be this time next year?



Sooooo...since it's Christmas time again, in our house that means making and sharing lots of yummy food! We make fancy drinks (like iced mocha martinis - see below. Yes, that's ice magic on the inside rim), do a roast, have lots of leftovers and can occasionally be seen sneaking swigs of brandy custard straight from the fridge. YUM.







It also means spending time together napping, playing games, going for walks on the beach and generally avoiding all the stress that can sometimes come about at Christmas. We've got some little rituals in place for our kids (when they decide they are ready to join us) like a big dinner on Christmas Eve (which is typically when my family celebrates Christmas. I am of European descent on my mother's side so I grew up doing everything a day early. Santa always came to me first!) along with a Christmas movie (last night was Charlie Brown) and then pancakes and presents on Christmas morning. We spend the rest of the day hanging out and enjoying our presents. It's a really nice time.





We open one present from each other on Christmas Eve and I am so impressed with this gorgeous white squirrel that Chris found for me. It's actually a ring box squirrel. I stupidly lost my beloved wedding ring on Boxing Day last year and have been without one for nearly a year now. So when Chris found this squirrel in Melbourne he decided it was time to get another ring! It's lovely white gold and I am SO happy to have a wedding band again. It just needs some engraving on the inside and it will be all finished! Hurrah! Best present ever.





Merry Christmas from us 3
xox

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Gifts & Commissions

It's been pretty busy here of late, with Christmas coming up next week and a couple of orders for Christmas decorations coming my way. I've sold some at Pocketspace and made my first sale on Etsy as well! I am super happy. A day of sewing new things is planned for today and I'm itching to get started. Before I do that, here are some things I've been working on.

A decoration for some friends in Texas. Their little baby boy dressed up as a chili for Halloween and it was an event that needed to be immortalized in felt. It was my Christms pressie to him :) I'm really pleased with this design and am thinking about making some plain chili decorations to put up on Etsy.


These are a series of decorations I got to do for the husband of a work pal. He is working to complete his psychiatric training and wanted something kinda tongue in cheek. Don't keep looking if you get easily offended. I'm proud of my lettering here even if it does need some practice!




On the back:

And for all my efforts (:D) I treated myself to this little toy from Little Black Crow. I love her toys immensely and am so very happy with this bunny. He is specially made to look worn and extra loved. This is achieved through coffee and tea staining the fabrics. She does a fab job and I am so impressed with how much care has gone into creating these toys. This photo is taken from her Etsy store (I love the way she photographs her toys) and is credited to Little Black Crow. Check out her stuff. It's lovely!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Luckiest Girl Ever!

With Christmas around the corner and an interstate trip under our belts, I thought I'd share some of the new stuff laying about our place.


These are the coolest shoes on the planet (complete with my old Strawberry Shortcake sox). They are an early Christmas present from Chris. I get to wear them now 'cos I had to go try them on :D I think I am the luckiest girl ever, not just for the shoes, but for having a husband who picks out the bestest presents ever for me!


Fuzzy house sox that make me feel like a bear. They make me laugh every time I wear them.


Rad sunglasses from Route 66 in Surry Hills.


A little badge designed by Cat Rabbit. She held a workshop (along with some other crafty lasses) at the Beci Orpin talk. We all made this badge following her instruction. It came out pretty nice, don't you think?


Lovely little Christmas cards we bought the other day. They are so sweet I'm keeping one for us!


Find of the century (well, in Australia anyway). Pumpkin Pie mix from the USA. $10.50 from a candy store in Hobart. Rockin'. There was a shortage of this stuff over Thanksgiving this year in the USA. Sooo excited I found some here! Guess what I'm making this afternoon?? Hurrah!! It'll be perfect with Vanilla sugared whipped cream. Yummo.

Pucca Love

Our kitty cat Pucca is loved on A LOT. We think she's the best kitty ever. She even gets her own mail and has her own personalised Christmas decoration.
For two years straight it's been Pucca who has received the first Christmas card of the season. I love it! Thanks to Pucca's home away from home, the lovely Catnip. Love! xoxoxoxox


Even though she spends most of her time lounging on the bed, couch, chair, etc, she totally deserves her own Christmas decoration :) Made by me for 2009.


Her name embroidered on the back (the "a" doesn't come out too well on this pic) along with her little red ball - a favourite toy we would be lost without.


Me attempting to pack my Softies for Mirabel donation and not getting too far. Pucca would not let me put the toy in bubble wrap. She kept diving under it and hiding. You can just make her out under there. Chris says she looks like a wrapped sausage.


Meeeow! Bubble wrap!!!


All tuckered out and looking like a Christmas pudding.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Softies for Mirabel donation

I've made friends with my sewing machine again and put together this little giraffe.



He doesn't have a name yet as he's my donation to Softies for Mirabel an ace little charity for kids in need. It's promoted by the super duper Meet Me at Mikes. Thanks to Audrey and Maude for the pattern :)

Friday, November 13, 2009

Freckled Sparrow lands at Etsy!


Pay a visit to my friendly Etsy store and snaffle some super cool Christmas decorations. Yay for Etsy!

Freckled Sparrow xx

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Off to Market!

Woodland, Emo and Babushka stuff now at Pocketspace!



Thursday, November 5, 2009

Something I'm excited about!


After watching Handmade Nation (lent by my lovely stitching pal Cat), I have been OBSESSED with all things Sublime Stitching. Being the slightly anal person that I am, I love stitching in relatively straight lines so embroidery is the perfect medium for my little fingers. I've just ordered the Ultimate Embroidery Kit and a few patterns, including one of Tara McPherson images! WaHooo! Jenny Hart is too kool for skool.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Christmas tree bling (felt style)

I've been making Christmas decorations these past few weeks and have come up with two sets! All are made from felt, ribbons, embroidery floss and buttons. No patterns, just straight from my little head.

Fancy deers and critters for Woodland Christmas.



Dead kitties and broken hearts for Emo Christmas*.




These are the main sets but I've also made some variations of each (different colours, ribbons etc). Once I get my Etsy store up and running, they'll be available on there. For Tassie people, they'll be for sale in Pocketspace in about a week. YAY!

* For extra authenticity, I was listening to the soundtracks from New Moon and True Blood while making these :P

Monday, October 26, 2009

Recent handmades

After a bit of a hiatus, I'm back to sewing again! Here's my latest.


Bettina the Snow Bunny.




Doorknob charm with Deer head. I'm in the process of making some cheery Christmas decorations with animal heads like this on circles of cream felt. Chris says they look like gingerbread so that's a good start! I'll post pics once I have a set of three (Deer, Squirrel, Bunny).

And while I'm here, all crafty people should think about donating a handmade softie to Softies for Mirabel - a lovely event organised by Meet Me at Mikes. Check it out and make something huggable for a child in need!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Newcastle Young Writers Festival 2009

After Sydney, we headed up to Newcastle for four days - a two hour train ride north of Sydney. We'd been planning to attend the Young Writers Festival for quite some time. Chris spoke on a few panels (including "So I Married a Struggling Artist" which was about having a relationship with another creative person. Lawrence Leung was even in the audience!) and did a workshop on the last day. Outside of these events we went to lots of panels, exhibitions etc and to the Zine Fair on Sunday where we had heaps of fun selling comics and toys. We also stayed with our very generous friends Adam and Kimberley on our last two nights (note the view from our fancy hotel on the first two nights). All in all, it was a busy, cold, wet but nonetheless fun trip to Newcastle. We got to know some really cool people and that was by far the best part of it :)


Hello Newcastle! The view from our "executive" apartment hotel. Needless to say we did not like this hotel. It was clean and all that, just too "executive" if you know what I mean. No soul to the place. Newcastle however, was not as bad as this picture! It is an industrial town but it's slowly getting there. It has some lovely buildings and great initiatives like Renew Newcastle happening.


Hello Zine Fair! This was a super event. Chris sold over 40 comics and I sold all my Babushkas :D At least 1000 or so people came through the multi-level carpark the Fair was in. This is the event we came for.


Our stall.


A more favourable view of Newcastle from our stall.


Our stuff! Note the lovely Teal coloured comic (top centre) printed on the amazing Rizzeria printer.


Leigh Rigozzi had a stall next to us.


The super talented Pat Grant and Chris.


David Blumenstein!


Chris doing his workshop on creating a comics likeness (at Staple Manor).


The fabulous Rizzeria printer. We loooooved this machine.


Zine exhibition at Staple Manor.


Pat Grant's work.


Chris's poster with missing zine (a good sign I think!).


Indian lunch on the last day of the festival. Right after this we headed back to Sydney on the train. Lovely peoples here (clockwise from right) - Pat Grant, Patrick Alexander, Chris, Ben Hutchings and Rebecca Clements (with the little hat on).


Sydney street right off Oxford Street. I took this for the Jacaranda trees and their purple blossoms. I'm thinking about getting a tattoo of this type of tree as it played heavily in my childhood.


A huuuuge doll in the window of a shop in Surry Hills (right near Route 66).


A fan waiting for the bus.


Jump horsey, jump!

And there you have it, that was our trip away! Now it's time to plan for a quick jaunt to Melbourne in December to attend the opening of Tango, a new anthology of Australian comics. Fingers crossed we'll get to see Jarvis Cocker while we're there.