Pop into 'not for the faint hearted'

'not for the faint hearted' is a boutique run by Mary Crosby. It is an environmentally sustainable boutique that stocks beautiful items of clothing, jewellery, unique gifts and more. Most items are crafted from treasures found in local charity shops.

At the Pollard Park Market, I had a stall next to Mary and she kindly invited me to sell mimosakids at her boutique.

You can find 'not for the faint hearted' at 107 Mt Eden Road and it's open on Fridays from 12 noon until 6pm.

She also stocks the beautiful notebooks by Annie B Handmade.

Pollard Park Market Day

Thanks to the wonderful people who bought a piece of mimosakids. It was a lovely day. We were tucked away in the scout hall but thanks to the great marketing by Justine, Louise and the other stall holders it was a great success. We look forward to the next one. As per usual I bought lots from other crafters, including the following:

Dr Seuss necklace

 

The gorgeous necklace and earrings made by Anya Bell from bellbirddesigns.com.

Flower earrings by Anya Bell

bunny notebook

I just love these beautifully handcrafted notebook covers (A5 notebook included) made from up-cycled blankets. They are made by the wonderful Annie B Handmade. Look at the lovely machine sewn ruled lines and margin. You can hardly believe its crafted on the blanket. And I just had to buy the one with homework written on it (the teacher in me!) and the gorgeous bunny (I love hares and this is the next best thing!). Find Annie B on www.anniebhandmade.blogspot.com

Kowhai heart

This lovely decoration is made by Justine Hawksworth. Her beautiful, New Zealand inspired creations can be found at the Poi Room, in Newmarket.

This beautiful peg doll, made by Su McPherson, celebrates our Maori culture. Her creations can also be found at the Poi Room.

Fun with Felt

I didn't think making christmas decorations could be so much fun. Don't you just love this wee gingerbread man? There are so many lovely ideas out there. Finding the images is half the fun. Putting them into practice is the best part.

Beautiful Brugge

Not only was Brugge beautiful but it was stylish too. I couldn't resist the hares or the nesting bird!

more Anthroplogie

I love Anthropologie!

I was on the hunt for Designers Guild in London but got waylaid by the beautiful store front of Anthropologie. Inside were gorgeous linens, crockery, bedding, clothes and more. Here are some of the things I took back home!

Teatowels.....

Empress's New Clothes

Ella enjoyed her new skirts I made her for the trip. Easy, breezy and colourful! ... and they made her sit like a lady. She must have royal blood in her.

European Adventure

This year we were very lucky to venture off to Europe for nearly two months. We headed off on the 1st November and got home just in time to watch the rugby final. Needless to say we didn't watch any other game. Europe was too much fun! There was much to see. We took nearly 6000 photos. Don't you just love digital technology. You can capture some of our journey on ellasimonsnz.blogspot.com.

Barbies Picnic Table

Just in time for the summer holidays....

Camp Barbie

This year Barbie and Ken came camping with us. My dad made the deck chair for me as a child some 35 years ago! I thought it was time to add to it and make the tent and sleeping bag for my daughter's dolls. Nothing like having some left over fabric and ribbons to fiddle into something grand!

P.S. My 79 year old father is currently making Ella a picnic table to add to her camping set. I'll post a picture once it's completed.

Fence Building

Crafting has been on the back burner this summer in lieu of building a backyard fence and other domestic duties. Though as Murray hammered in the bracing there was little for me to do, so I did get to work on making a tent and sleeping bag for Ella's barbie dolls!

It was all hands on deck building the fence and at the end of the weekend we all felt quite proud of ourselves.

Upcoming Markets

Look for us tomorrow night at Gladstone Primary School Christmas Market, Thursday 18 November, from 5-9m, 8 Seaview Terrace, Mt Albert

and on Saturday 20th November, at the Albany Kindergarten Twilight Market from 3pm to 7pm, 4 Bass Rd, Albany

New Fantail Tree!

It's been some time....

It feels like I have come out of winter hibernation.

I've never been one for winter and now that we have had some gorgeous summer-like weather over October and this first week of November I have been inspired to get the sewing scissors and jigsaw out and have been whipping up some new summer dresses, skirts, aprons and sunhats and designing a new version of my clothing tree with resident fantail.

Not only did the winter months stupefy my creative urges but my daughter started school in July and its taken some getting use to having her not around. Almost like I have too much time on my hands and not sure what to do.

We have also been busy around the home building up new vegetable beds, teaching ourselves how to build unintentionally but beautiful crooked brick walls, pulling out overgrown gardens and planting a new cottage garden - Ella, I and the bees are loving all the flowers. We have been painting and decorating Ella's bedroom into a little girls french inspired delight, sewing gorgeous cushions for a new settee (fabric for the cushions from the ever colourful and delightful Mokum range) and generally taking stock of our lives.

I also started tutoring a beginners sewing class at Onehunga High School and am having fun sharing my skills and watching my students create their own masterpieces.

Mimosa Trees on Nuffield Street, Newmarket

WOW. It was great to see my mimosa jewellery tree and kids clothing tree in the window of Trees Co Ltd at 99 Nuffield Street, Newmarket last Queens Birthday Weekend!

Winter Warmers

mimosakids new winter range includes jackets made from fluffy fur or luscious velvet. Both are fully lined and tie at the front with a long satin ribbon. Dress them up for parties or dress them down with their jeans.

I've also found some gorgeous giraffe patterned fabric and lovely soft red flowering corduroy which I've made into a limited number of skirts.

More to come!

Mothers Day Artisan Market in Parnell

Come and see us at the new artisans market in Parnell. This quality craft market runs alongside the Parnell Farmers Market from 8am to 12pm on Saturday 8th May.

Plus be in to win one of the fantastic Mothers Day ‘pamper hampers’ valued at over $300. Simply bring this flyer (or a copy of it) with you to the market, write your name, email and contact phone number on the back and put it in the marked box at the door. Prize draw at noon on the day.

Studio Update

I have finally started moving my stuff into the near completed studio. Not only was it carpeted last week but it's now secure with a lovely new mortice lock on it too. (It was a mission to find a lock to fit and someone capable to install it as the measurements on the french doors were not standard)

Over the past month I have been sanding and painting windows, even managing to break one on my head - don't ask! I have learnt to glaze - cutting glass to fix my broken window plus another cracked one, fixing them in and puttying them too. I'm quite a dab hand at that now. Also spent a week or so sourcing a desk that I can adjust the height on to use as a cutting table (found one for $125 which I thought was a bargain) and just this week designed another table (Tuesday) which I'll use for sewing. I bought and measured up the pieces of wood on Wednesday and my lovely dad helped me cut it on and drill guide holes on it on Thursday.

And today, Saturday, Murray and I started moving my art & craft goodies into the studio and began putting the new table together. Its looking great. Can't wait to paint the table a luscious & warm red.

Must be our week for tables as we also bought a gorgeous solid oak dining table on Trademe that can be extended to seat 10 comfortably but was originally able to seat 16. (some of the inserts are missing). Time we start having grand dinner parties!

MAEVE Magazine - 1st Issue out Today

See us in the inaugural issue of MAEVE online magazine.

Model Daughter

I have been taking advantage of the good weather and my daughters willingness to model for me for just a chocolate and strawberry ice-cream. Really I should have been more generous as she stood on her feet for several hours and had to undergo many clothing changes. I'm getting ready to sell on line via Felt and Etsy. I'll keep you posted when we're up and running. Here a just a few of the photos.

Devonport Craft Market - Sunday 7th MArch

See you there.

Mary's Market -This weekend

Freemans Bay Community Hall, 52 Hepburn Street. 9am-1pm