Personalised Calligraphy Stamp

ampersandity: hand-lettering services & goods

Last month, I bought a good cheer deal through, Oh Hello Friend.  $50 worth of product for $28!  After much mulling over every product in Ampersandity's store, I finally decided on the self-inking flora fauna address stamp.

Card - Pepe's Paperie

I really love it and it looks gorgeous on brown kraft paper don't you think!  The beautiful card is from Pepe's Paperie, designed by a local Canberran designer for Pepe's.  I left the $4,000 pen of the year on the shelf though, slightly out of my budget :-)    

Handmade Weddings: Book Review

Authors: Eunice Moyle, Sabrina Moyle and Shauna Faust.  Photography by Joseph De Leo

I seem to buy a lot of books online (specifically crafty ones) and find I do miss thumbing through books to get a good idea of what I am buying.  So if you have had your eye on this lovely book by some clever ladies, here is my overview with a few photos!

The book is broken into six themed sections with approximately nine crafts per section.  Each book has a little guide on how to put the look together.

The rest of the themes are:

I realised I missed photographing a section called, Found - it is for the eco-conscious!  So there really is something for everyone's taste.  The projects vary in budget and skill level along with a timeline of when you should start.  The book has crafting tips, suggestions for sourcing materials and inspiration.  A few samples of what you can expect are:

Clipboard Menu's from Found

Embroidery Welcome Hoop from Retro Homespun

Calligraphy from Modern Classic

Button Seating Cards and Favors from Happy Graphic

Ruffle Roll Purse from Girly Romantic

Of course you don't have to be getting married to use this book as a resource!  The book can be used as a wonderful start to plan a themed event, projects for around the home or to give as gifts.  Sure there are a lot of free tutorials around the web but it is nice to pull something off your shelf and pore over the beautiful photos and be inspired.  Enjoy!

Christmas Craft: Easy DIY Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar

I made my first Advent Calendar on the weekend.  It was an easy project with minimal cost and I think it looks great.  It took more time to think of 25 things to do for Christmas :-)  I did get a few ideas here.  We wrapped a piece of 5mm foam board in wrapping paper, taped on five pieces of twine, stenciled 25 shipping tags and then wrote the activity for the day on the back.  

Materials:

• Foam board - Eckersleys or Office Works
• Shipping tags - Office Works
• Mini wooden pegs -  Eckersleys
• Stencil numbers and black felt pen - Office Works
• Twine - me :-)
• Gift wrap - Pepe's Paperie

We included:

1. Decorate Christmas tree
2. Put up the nativity scene
3. Read a Christmas story
4. Play a Christmas CD
5. Find some toys to donate to Salvos
6. Color a Christmas picture
7. Choose something from the Compassion Christmas gift catalogue
8. Go to Civic and see the big tree
9. Make Christmas Cards
10. Do Christmas baking
11. Go to Christmas Carols
12. Hand out Christmas cards to friends at pre-school
13. Take Christmas Photos
14. Do a Christmas Craft
15. Hang up Christmas stockings
16. Go out for a Christmas treat
17. Make a new Christmas decoration
18. Make a treat and take it to a friend
19. Sing at Christmas Carols with Mini Music friends
20. Watch a christmas movie
21. Do something nice for someone
22. Go out to see the Christmas lights
23. Have a campout in front of the Christmas tree
24. Hang stockings and read twas the night before christmas
25. Christmas day - read the true Christmas story!

Sweet Christmas Inspiration: Sweet Paul Magazine

Sweet Paul Magazine

So much to love about online mags, just view them in your off-peak times :-)  This Sweet Paul issue is full of recipes, DIY ideas, gift ideas etc.. Sweet Paul blog is always full of goodness too.

Wreath Inspiration

Beautiful gift ideas and Imagery

I love this hot choc idea and think it will be our teacher gift for pre-school... even though we are coming into summer - we still drink hot drinks :-)  I found some great mason-type jars at the two dollar store (in Gunghalin, near woollies - if you are local). Any other teacher-gift suggestions?!

Resin Jewellery: Canberra Christmas Sale

Luna Bowl

Alexandra from Polka Luka has her annual Christmas sale/exhibition happening at the Front Cafe in Lyneham starting Dec 8th 2011 for those lucky enough to live nearby.  If not, the good news is you can shop online!  Both product and price are fabulous - make sure you head over and say hi and get some resin goodness for Christmas gift or treat yourself!

Reverie Ring

Exhibition Opens 6pm Thurs 8th Dec 2011 (with drinks & music) @ THE FRONT CAFE & GALLERY, LYNEHAM SHOPS, CANBERRA.  Exhibition open everyday 10am-7pm until Fri 23rd Dec 2011

Wattle Bud Bracelet

Fashion: Princess Mary in Australia

Princess Mary or her stylist has great taste.  I liked the ruffled detail on this blouse. Wouldn't be too hard to copy, oh and I'll take one of those hats and a pair of those legs too :-)




This stunning vintage dress was my favourite and I loved her shoes.  A perfect outfit.  I didn't even know she came to Canberra today until my Mum told me tonight.  I tell you, Canberra's no snooze fest - ha ha.



Photos: Harpers Bazaar

Cheap Childrens Dress Up Costume: Tinkerbell

We went to a little dress up birthday party on the weekend and Anya had her eyes firmly set on being Tinkerbell!


I bought a men's singlet from Best & Less for $3 - it was a size 20 but ended up being way too wide!  A smaller size would have done.  $4 wings from the two dollar shop, we added a bell I already had so she could 'tink' about and pom poms to sew to her jiffy's and a wand from Lincraft $3.  The pompom's were eighty cents, so make that a $10.80 costume :-)


I cut used the over-locked (serged) trim from the armholes to make her straps, sewed a narrow seam then turned them inside out with my loop turner.  I gathered the waist in by using elastic in my bobbin (which you just hand-wind on) and sew normally with a slightly longer stitch, it gathers up as you go.  The only thing I would do differently next time is possibly pop some bias along the front bodice seam as it was a little floppy at the front and stretched a bit with all the trying on!  Oh I did use the elastic in the side seams too when I took the dress in.  Super easy, super cheap and better than a synthetic costume from Big W any day!

Thoughtful Christmas Shopping: Help to Fight Poverty

Compassion

There are many aid agencies you can go through to purchase some thoughtful, poverty-fighting gifts this Christmas!  We sponsor a couple of kids and one is through Compassion - they are a great agency.

TEAR

I have also bought through TEAR's Useful Gifts catalogue and they have a diverse range of gifts from $5 up to $10,000!! 

World Vision

Our other sponsor child is through WV and we have used this catalogue too.  If you are unfamiliar with this concept, you basically purchase a gift through the online catalogues and they will send you a card stating what you have bought and you can give them as or with a gift at Christmas.  A great idea for those hard to buy for, something different for teachers... and I particularly like them for children!  It's never to early to teach kids what it means to help others - especially in poverty stricken countries!!  I have enjoyed watching Anya help us choose what we will buy this Christmas.  So, why not make it a family activity, jump online and choose a few special gifts for those in need - every bit counts.

Friday Favourites: Fabric and Gocco Prints

Lotta Jansdotter

Gorgeous fabric in my current favourite shades!  We have a little bit of yellow and mustard going on downstairs at our place, it's so cheery and fresh.  Lotta Jansdotter is a fabric designer/author, with Scandinavian roots and a really refreshing approach to life and design, which makes her work desirable in my eyes.  I'll be heading to my favourite local fabric store to see if they stock this!

Nesting Birds by Sugarloop

Citrus Birds by Sugarloop

Inspired by Lotta Jansdotter is artist Bernadette Sipkes who is the talent behind Sugarloop!  I recently purchased these babies to adorn my walls and bring me joy!  I haven't found another artist who's work I adore quite so much....  apart from Children's artist Sarah Jane. 

Oh and our vaccination experience yesterday was awful!  Anya screamed the Dr surgery down, Josiah cried and I cried too :-(  Fortunately we had a birthday party to attend shortly after... a great ending to an distressing morning.  Thanks for the well wishes and enquiries!  Have a relaxing weekend.

Decorating Ideas for Your Home: Furniture

Via Apartment Therapy

I am inspired by all these furniture make overs I see around the web, giving quality but drab furniture a new lease on life!  I think this green and white combo is a winner.  It looks so fresh.  My first project is going to be my little laptop/sewing desk that is an ugly brown veneer, thrifted-desk.  I am using the same colour scheme as above :-)  No surprises there.

Natty By Design

Natty by design has some inspiring images on reviving furniture and great tips on painting.

Centsational Girl

Centsational girl has LOTS of tips on painting all sorts of surfaces, furniture makeovers, covering chairs etc..  It makes me want to rush out to the nearest hardware store!  I also bought some stripper for my Nanna's antique chair that is a drab dark brown begging to become a fun new shade of yellow (hubby's suggestion) :-)  Wish me well this morning, taking Anya for her four year old needles - booooo.

Self Drying Clay Christmas Decorations

Anya and I made these Christmas decorations with self drying clay from Bunnings . The white sold out early last Christmas so you might want to get in quick!!  They are the same as the style we made last year, except I let Anya do all the stamping!  We drilled a couple of holes in the roof and screwed in some hooks and suspended our branch with fishing line.

Basically roll out the clay, make sure it's not too thin, cut out your shapes, we used a chopstick to put a hole in the top for our fishing line, press a texture on them, then leave for 24 hours to dry front and back.  I did contemplate painting them silver and glittery but I do like the all white, maybe we will change it up for next year?  Our tree isn't up yet... this is the first Christmas installment!!

Decorating Ideas for Your Home: Screens

Howkins Screens

This one is in polypropylene but they come in brushed aluminium too

I imagine this is in a Hotel Lobby

I imagine these screens would be a good solution for privacy or to add some texture to the overall design of a room, be it residential or retail etc..  I like the brushed metal screens. 

Did you see Holly from Decor8 had a similar post on window film last week?   It must be getting popular - do you think window film will replace wall decals as a trend?   

Noodlehead - Go Anywhere Bag: Review

What a great, well-priced pattern!  Three cheers for Noodlehead's, Go Anywhere Bag!  The pattern was much easier to make than my Amy Butler, Birdie Sling.  There wasn't much interfacing (handles only, as I used a home decorating weight) and overall it felt less complicated.

I loved that I got the PDF instantly and could get to work on it straight away.  The hardest part was turning my handle inside out with the interfacing - it was very stiff.  I have a metal hooked loop turner (not sure if that is the technical term :) which finally got the job done.  I used Velcro on the outside big pocket but probably would have been happy making two compartments, like the other side (where there are three sections on the outer pocket).  I was too lazy to get a magnet for the inside but I think it will be fine without.  I'm very happy with it and took it for a roast test today, no complaints here.  I highly recommend the pattern for a sewer of any level (well assuming you have basic sewing knowledge).

My fabric is Amy Butler: Floral Couture in Charcoal and River Shine in Cinder.

Displaying Childrens Art

Sarah Jane has some lovely freebies on her blog to help you get your 'creative' on.  The swallow template was the perfect shape to display one of many finger paintings brought home from pre-school.   I've used a deep frame, possibly from Ikea and kept the white mat close to the glass instead of sitting on the painting, it looked ok either way.  Sitting next to my gorgeous Schmooks print!



On another note... I got excited when this turned up in the post.  Thanks to all the lovely things Kristen has sewn from Oliver & S, I finally bought this book.


Anya has gone through and picked a few favourites she would like me to make her...and then I have my own list... some cute stuff.