Grace Designs Giveaway

One of my absolute favourite photographers - Amanda Keeys is hosting a giveaway on her blog!  She has written the kindest words about my hair accessories.  I really enjoy working on creative collaborations together with Amanda :-) Not only does the lady have skills but she has the sweetest children - perfect models!!  Thanks girls.

For more info on how to win go to Amanda's blog. Don't forget to comment there and not here :-)  Either hair piece is suitable for adults too!  I love this big floppy open rose duo. 

Decorating Ideas: Children's Furniture Re-do

Image via Doolittle

I finally bought a big boy's bed (below) for Josiah from our local reuse facility, Tiny's.  It was a grand total of $20 and worth the wait, I love it!!  I have learnt that you don't do furniture projects in winter in Canberra if you don't have a closed in garage - brrr too chilly.

Until yesterday my bed-side table still looked like this!  So it was the perfect time to find the bed in sunny spring.  I have already sanded the bed (using an electric hand sander - so quick.)  I also finished the undercoat on my bed-side table.

The rest of these images are from a gorgeous blog post, Fanny's World on Doolittle - a French kids magazine. These grey's are all lovely but I really like a darker colour for a bed, the dark blue-grey is also a favourite. We have a porters paint place in Mitchell that has very cool colours that are VOC free.  I get all my painting advice from my friend Rachel who has been renovating furniture since she was a teenager.

 

 

Aren't these bedroom photos so inspiring!!  Photos and Styling by Anne-Catherine Scoffoni.

Ed's note:  This is how the bed turned out

Ink Dying in Neon Pink

Do you like my little neon jellyfish above?  It was hard to capture these on my own, the camera had trouble focusing on the water.  Next time I'll get hubby to drop the ink & stir while I take photos.    

 

Anya and I were dyeing some coffee filter papers for a birthday decoration for her party!  We used Cerise ink from Eckersleys.  Did you see my last ink dying efforts?  I also love this image from packet dye.

Here I am putting my dyed filters to good use - making a giant five.. thanks to an idea I saw on pinterest.  Anya thoroughly enjoyed dying the filters with me, it was a good afternoon activity (Josiah was sleeping!).

Fair Trade Market: Australia

My friend Kristin is starting a fair trade market in Townsville, Queensland.  So if you are from that area or know people that are - please let them know about Fair Indie.  It runs over the 17th and 18th November 2012 - just in time to get a head-start on Christmas shopping!!  Earrings above from one of Fair Indie's stallholders - Tdesignstore.

Handmade Bridal Hair Accessories: Fabric Flowers

A couple of new flower designs in my etsy store using my french flower making tools!  These flowers are both made from silk. The Peony Rose above is made from dupion and is quite papery. I haven't named the flower below, I'm not sure what it really looks like?  It is made from a gorgeous (expensive) silk satin - I would love to see this worn on a dress! 

These flowers are all hand cut, hand-shaped and sewn together. It is quite a time consuming process - which is reflected in the price but the result, I think you will agree, is worth it!  I'm really enjoying a fresh look to my hair pieces and taking my designs to the next level.

Forget Me Knot Flowers

 

Aren't these darling flowers?  Picked from a friends garden and paired beautifully with a cute little vase my sister gave me. They lasted about two weeks and I only changed the water once... amazing how long they last when they don't have to do the flower market dance!! 

Evening Purse

Looks like Dorothy upcycled her shoes into this fabulous evening purse.  Red and sequins.... mmmmmm - pretty!  This gorgeous clutch by 'Its so Clutch' on Etsy.   So many pretty purses in this shop - every bride/bridesmaid needs one for a wedding to carry those essentials... lip gloss, tissues, safety pins etc...  I've been a bridesmaid eight times, I could write an e-book! ha ha

Children's Birthday Cakes

I made this cake for Anya from the Women's Weekly - "More cakes for Kids" book (as seen here) and I thought it turned out pretty well.  It is the white choc cake from page 85.  I didn't do the fluffy mock cream icing though, just one quantity of butter cream from pg 167 (half the amount of butter).

The butterflies were so easy - the birthday girl was tickled pink!!  Just melt the chocolate, tint it, pour into an icing bottle or bag, trace butterflies onto baking paper, then trace over with the icing in your bottle.  I just drew the number five and filled it in, the butterflies are so easy you could free-style those too!  Anya took a loooong time choosing from the book, she looks at it all year!!!  Oh and get yourself one of those flat icing knives, they are the bomb.  I would really love to make one of those ruffle cakes you see on Pinterest but they look a bit too time consuming for me :-) One must retain ones sanity...

Australian Made: Harvest Textiles

Harvest Textiles are a Melbourne based company I stumbled across on the weekend.  They use a mix of organic, recycled and locally produced fabric in their home wares, clothing and accessories.  I love the tights, bright cushions and well... just about everything really.  I'd feel very happy carting my loot home in one of those cool totes!   I don't know about you but I am ready for school to go back! yeeha

Real Weddings: Fabric Flower Hair Pin Set

I love receiving photos of real life brides wearing my hair accessories!  These hair pins were sweet petite so they are a little hard to see but you get the idea!   These are just how I pictured them, tucked behind the ear, nestled into a chignon - perfect.  Thank you for the photo Gillian you looked absolutely beautiful.

I have been a few flower hair pins sets on Etsy lately...  must make some more.  Have a great weekend.

Flashback Skinny Tee by Made by Rae: Pattern Review

I love Made by Rae's - Flashback skinny tee pattern - I've seen it everywhere and so many cool tops made from it.  This is what happened when I made it!!!   What on earth happened to the neck of this shirt???  I made a size two because back in May when I started it, J had only just turned two!!  He is almost two and a half and while it still fits - it is pretty snug under the arms.  I do have a sneaking suspicion if I go back and read the pattern it will say something about measuring a neck etc... ha ha 

The shirt was re-purposed from my youngest brothers shirt as seen below... this was 5 years ago... that is Anya all snug in my wrap (spew cloth in tow).  The F.Skinny Tee is such a quick and easy pattern and is now available in bigger sizes.  I will definitely be making it again .... once I sort out the neckline!!!

Pantone Colours for 2013

Have you seen the Pantone fashion colour report for 2013?  Any favourites?  Here are a few of mine... I might have to get some silk in these colours!!

OhKuol on Etsy

Auntemile on Etsy

Crochet Concepts

AgateChristina on etsy

Free Printables

I love a free printable and I have been using a few lately for different things.  These cool little 'Lets do Coffee' cards from Eat Drink Chic were perfect for our Mothers Group Coffee and Dessert evening coming up.

 

I finally got around to doing this fabulous project for my sister's birthday this year, from Oh Happy Day!  I decided to print all the postcards out and post them to everyone with a self-addressed and stamped envelope so that people would actually do it!  She recieved all twenty five cards and said it was her favourite present.  

My lovely friend Jordan from Polkadot Prints, is always good for a free printable.  She also did a short video on getting the best results for printing from home, which answered a few of my questions - I can't find the link for now but she basically said (from my scratchy memory) the best results are when you use the right ink for your printer and quality paper.  A simple tip but it made all the difference for me, I had been using a cheaper ink and my colours were stripey and yuck, but now all good - Thanks Jords.

Found the link to the video!

Happy Birthday Anya

There is no doubt about it my girl loves to pose, don't let the first two photos fool you - she's no wall flower!!  I keep asking Anya to stand in front of the white wall for a photo, naturally she obliges and freestyles for me... I'm including these photos in her birthday slide show - thanks for the idea Rachel. Now to choose a song...

 

 

Happy Birthday gorgeous girl, we love you sooooooooooo much and can't wait for another exciting year ahead.  We are blessed to have the honour of raising you. 

Ps: The cute idea of drawing on the photos was from Ruby-Ellen.

Canberra Etsy Seller: Feather Hair Piece

Some more beautiful photos of my lovely feather piece from Amanda, gorgeous on little girls and big girls alike. 

Canberra Etsy Seller: Handmade Wedding Hair Accessories

This lovely orchid comb is the first flower in my new range of 'after five' hair accessories.  The new range will be using traditional millinery techniques, adding sophistication to my handmade flowers. 

The new range will be a slow release - watch this space or you can subscribe to my etsy store if you want to be first to see the new flowers!