Our Christmas Shops are Open Now!

Don't panic, it is only November, but the perfect time to get some of Christmas organised early...

We have both been working on Christmas products for months so it is very exciting to have them finally ready to go in our lily pad and Topography online stores.

At Topography, our new red shirts are perfect for the holiday season, and you can order them with whatever design you like - a letter, a number, a kiwi... gorgeous for dressing up the little ones for special Christmas photos.

Mini stockings are another personalised option, small enough to hang on the Christmas tree, but with a small pocket so they can also hold (tiny!) gifts. Also available in any of our fabrics.

I am so excited about the new handmade Christmas cards exclusive to Topography, my sister Laura made them and they are gorgeous! Each card comes with an envelope and protective plastic sleeve and they are only $10 for the pack of 3. I am so proud of them I will send one free with every shirt order placed in November.

The cards are shown on one of Aimee's elegant Christmas Card Keepers, I have the blue vintage-style one up in my lounge already with photos and notes on it until the Christmas cards start arriving. I also have a tui-print one ready to take to my Nana's house (it is a surprise but I don't think she reads this blog!)

And of course we also have the perfect Christmas gift for 2-6 year children, our lily pinnie aprons in a range of fabrics including this festive look.

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Old design in new colors

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This was a last minute card for my Mom's good friend. I stayed up late the other night just to get it done. I'm glad that it turned out good. This is actually an old design but I changed the colors. I didn't have time to think of a new design...so I used an old design instead. Just some changes in colors and walla! A  new card is born. :)

You can have a look at the old design at the at the link HERE.

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Teddy bears!

Miss Cheryl from Cards by Cheryl was right.......in order to get into the mood again to craft, sometimes we need to reorganize our working table.....or peek at other artist's work and get inspired by them. I did both! hehehe! Once I did all that, I am back in the mood to quill again. And this evening, I tried my hand at making quilled teddy bears! Yay!

I've always wanted to make a quilled teddy bear ever since Miss Asma' from Simple Rhyme made her quilled teddy bears some time ago. But she didn't make the body of the teddy.....she just made the head. And she did taught us all during the quilling get together on how to make the head of the teddy bear.  So cute!! Since I didn't get the chance to make one during the get together, I knew one day I would try to make one of those quilled teddy bears before I forget the instructions she gave me! hahaha! 

It's not that difficult to make. It's quite easy. The only thing is that, we have to be careful when quilling such a long paper strip. The bigger the quill, the harder to control it from slipping off my fingers and opening up. So I took my own sweet time when quiling it.....and not rushing it so much.

My quilled teddy bears still need some adjustments. It's not quite completed yet. I haven't done the eyes or mouth or nose on it's face. Still thinking of how to do it. Whether I should just draw the face using pen or using some other medium. 

I showed the quilled teddy bears to my Mom and she commented on how fat they look! hahaha! She says they have such a big belly! So boroi gitu! hahaha! Oh well! :D

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Auckland Parent and Child Show!!!

I've just got back from setting up at the Auckland Parent and Child Show with my friend Lisa of Estella Rose Designs bags - we overlap our fabric styles deliberately so people can buy a 'combo' of a matching lily pad and baby mama bag. I think the concept looks AMAZING set up in real life together, check it out:


(Cool matching maternity skirt exclusive to Things for Baby!)

We're on our retailer Things for Baby's stand at no 447, if you are going to the show this weekend, come check us out for some very special show prices!!!!

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My Creative Space....bunting, bunting

I’m officially obsessed with different ways to make bunting at the moment. As well as a nursery room decoration, I’ve used it as a party decoration for my daughter’s first birthday.

I discovered this gorgeous free downloadable ‘alphabet’ bunting and made a string of bunting with “Loren-is-one” out of scrapbooking paper. It prints with a pattern on the front, so I used the print of the scrapbooking on the back so it's fully reversible. I simply sewed the scrapbooking paper onto a ribbon – whola! I wrote about it for Baby Bites magazine here. I love it so much I’ve now transferred it to her bedroom wall.

Working with the paper to make the celebratory-themed bunting has led me down the road of two new ideas now.

I’m making ‘mini’ Christmas themed bunting for my Christmas tree, instead of tinsel. For first one I’m using the scraps left over from my Christmas Card Keepers (don’t forget our giveaway, ending this weekend!).

But once I’ve finished that, I’m going to go and buy a whole bunch of red and green scrapbooking paper, and some high quality Christmas wrapping paper, to make some 'mini tree bunting' to sell at my upcoming markets – the Summer Fair at the Michael Park School, Ellerslie next weekend Nov 6, and the Devonport Craft Market, Nov 21.

Fun, fun! Hop over to Kirsty’s for more creative projects coming to life....

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Tool box

I'm so not in the mood right now to quill.......eventhough I have a lot of cards waiting for me to decorate them with quilled flowers, butterflies and etc etc. I'm practically forcing myself to work right now. That's not good. Not sure what's wrong with me lately. The mood is just not there. Have I lost it somewhere? Don't know..... :(

I just wanted to share with everyone what I would usually do with those quilled shapes I've made. I kept them all in this tool box! I even keep those rejected quilled shapes  in this tool box. I didn't buy this tool box at a craft store. I bought it at a supermarket.....found it at the hardware department. There are a lot different types of tool box available in the market. But I like this one. It looks like a plastic folder except it has lots of sections in it. I bought a few of them so that I can keep my quilled shapes in it. I love it, it's so convenient!

Before I bought this tool box, I used to keep my quilled shapes in small plastic containers. All different types of  plastic food containers......you know, like margarine containers, yogurt containers, etc etc etc. hehehehe.....but they were all not easy to arrange since they were all in different shapes and sizes. So it doesn't look neat when I keep them away after work. So I guess that's why I decided to get me those tool box a few months back.....so that I can keep them stacked up nicely on the table and saves me a lot of space too. It looks so organized! hehehe.... :)

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Babybites column: Haunted Halloween fun!

Most families in New Zealand can take or leave Halloween. Mine could mostly leave it. But when I saw this cool paper ‘haunted house’ idea, I got in the spirit!

A few months ago US blogger Sarah from Dolls and Daydreams spent hours designing and drawing a downloadable PDF of an ‘eco friendly’ paper dolls house that you can print, colour-in and stick onto an ordinary cardboard box. It teaches kids about recycling and ‘upcycling’, and was a massive hit, with bloggers around Australia and New Zealand being drawn to her website. She quickly followed it up with printable themed accessories, ‘wraps’ for clothes pegs to make little people, and different patterns for a ‘big red barn’ and a ‘school house’.

Her latest design is a haunted house for Halloween that is filled to the brim with bats, cobwebs, spooky ghouls, a mummy, and a scarecrow in a field of pumpkins outside. It’s exactly the right kind of (non) spooky for little kids, and the best part is it doesn’t require staples, glue or tape. It simply slots together and can be taken down and stored flat, ready for next year. If the kids ever let you take it down!



Happy trick or treating this weekend! x


NB: Read this column again, and all my other 'handmade heaven' columns for Baby Bites at: http://www.babybites.co.nz/

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Sewing School with Sarah Bird!

Last weekend I attended a ‘practice run’ for Sarah Bird’s ‘Sew Inspired’ summer school at the Corban Estate Arts Centre in January. Sarah is the organiser of the Devonport Craft Markets, the designer behind Cotton Kiwi and a lovely, lovely new crafty friend I’ve made this year.

It was like being in Project Runway (one of my favourite shows!) – but without the competition edge. It was just pure fun! Four of us lined up in an arts studio, with our machines, piles of gorgeous vintage fabrics, books on sewing and appliqué, patterns and accessories to drool over.

We were there to learn, and wow did we soak it up. Sarah was able to teach us several new techniques in just a few hours, and tell us which sewing book writers are the best to buy, because they explain projects in ‘sewer’s terms’ – ie in ways that are actionable and easy to understand.

She was also able to give us hint after hint of how to make your sewing special, unique and sentimental to you and your family. Hence the title, ‘Sew Inspired’.

I don’t want to give away all her hints and teaching points, because if you want to know more, you’ll need to enrol in her course in January!

But my favourite two take-outs were (out of scores of notes I took):

• Learn what your machine can do - read the manual! Then, work with its styles - don't try to do the impossible, or you will set yourself up for frustration and lose your enthusiasm.
  
• When you are building up an appliqué design, think in 3D, textural terms, layer pieces up and use different sewing stitches, not just zig zags – it will make your design look more luxe and designer.

In the space of a day, I created a fully-lined handbag using Sarah’s fabrics, and two appliquéd teatowels....I am particularly proud of my bag and my fantail teatowel.

Find out more about Sarah’s sewing school at the Corban Estate Art Centre's website, or on Sarah's blog, http://www.cottonkiwi.blogspot.com/

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2010 Paws on Parade.

We are so proud of our local Humane Society ... and of the community of people who support them. Of course I am especially proud of my kiddos who give of their time to love and assist the animals, fund raise for the shelter, and participate in events such as the 2010 Paws on Parade ...

This year was epic for the event. Despite the sad shape of the economy, the shelter was able to raise a record $40,000! Amazing! This is due in large part to the wonderful staff at the Bangor Humane Society ... ESPECIALLY Miss Danielle Coutu, the Volunteer and Events Coordinator. She put her heart and soul into this event and it showed :)

Here are some of the critters who attended ...

To see more gorgeous four-legged critters (and some fairly gorgeous two-leggeds) in attendance, please check out my Flickr page.

Come join in the fun next year! The event takes place every October on the Bangor Waterfront. Mark your calendars. Oh, and speaking of calendars ... DON'T FORGET TO PURCHASE YOUR 2011 BANGOR HUMANE SOCIETY CALENDARS!!! We need 500 orders to get the best deal at the printers ... so please purchase yours right away.

PLEASE NOTE: If purchasing by mail, please send your checks to Studio 36, 1746 Stillwater Ave, Bangor ME 04401 and NOT the address on the order form. Thank you :)

Enjoy your furry friends.

Love,

Jodi

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Our Champion.

Meaghan quit cross-country last year. She certainly had reason to ... but she hated that she never completed the season. The thing is, she doesn't even really like cross-country. But, she is not a quitter. So, in her stubborn determination, she signed up for cross-country again this year ... and by golly ... she completed the season!

But Meg didn't just complete the season ... she rocked it. She made nearly every practice. She mentored some of the younger runners. She enthusiastically participated and helped to encourage team spirit and pride. She devoted herself to it. And her efforts paid off big.

This season, Meg received a ribbon at every meet except the one she got sick at (and she even ran while sick!). Gotta love that stubborn determination.

And - for her final championship race - she not only "placed" (as they call it) but she ran her best time ever!!! And her team went on to win the Championship for our region!!!

This girl has sure been through many personal trials in the past couple years. But she is a fighter. And this cross-country season has shown me that she has more inner determination than I may have given her credit for. We bought her the shoes and gave her the rides she needed ... but she did the rest. We are so very proud of her.

Thanks to all the wonderful people who have been encouraging her to be her best self. Your messages are getting through ... loud and clear.

Now maybe Meg can encourage me to join that dodge ball team I have been SO wanting to join. (It's for real! And they play other area dodge ball teams. How cool is that?)

Love,

Jodi

PS. Love you Meg.

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Making quilled clouds

What have I been busy doing lately? Making clouds! Yup! I've finished making all the hot air balloons and now I'm trying to finish up making the clouds for the giveaway cards. I've just realised that I have to quill 180 white circles to make 30 clouds. Gosh! That's just for 10 cards. But since I've gotten orders for this card design as well from other customers, so that means I have to make more clouds. Luckily they are not so difficult to make hehehe....

At first I wanted to make them using the needle tool but since there are just too many of them for me to make, I decided to make them using the slotted tool. Much easier for me and a little faster too :). Thought of using the bamboo skewer slotted tool but that one is somehow no longer a favourite of mine lately. I need to repair it so that the center of the quilled circles would look neater. 

I'm trying to finish making these giveaway cards before the giveaway ends. The fact is, I'm trying to get them done by tonight......but but but....huhuhu......looks like they are still not done yet,  there's still just a little bit more before they are all done......and I still got envelopes to make though.  :) Back to my working table!! Ciao! ;)

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My Creative Space: Getting into the spirit...

Another reason I‘m so incredibly organised for Christmas this year is because my retailers have asked me for Christmas stock already. This has included a great new challenge to create custom-made Santa Sacks for Bay Bee Cino, to the store's own specific design.

I asked for permission to add a little bit of ‘lily pad designs’ style to the look of the bags, which included ‘funk-ing’ up the patterns in the layers of fabric on the patchwork design by including signature patterns from my other products.



After hours and hours of folding, layering, and critiquing, I finally created a red and green ‘traditional’ one, which is for boys or girls, and a pink ‘modern’ girly one.


The hardest part of meeting the design brief was trying to find pom pom fringing. Pink I managed to find ok, but no-one stocks red. Turned out to be an almost impossible task unless I was prepared to dye more than 45m of the stuff myself, which seemed far too risky!

I would have thought our obsession with vintage would have meant pom pom fringing was in easy supply! There’s a market opening there!!!

After trying all the major trims wholesalers, in the end the lovely Helen from the brand new ‘Little Craft Store’ in Pt Chevalier suggested thinking of different ideas, and it led me to think about using tassling or loopey fringing instead, and I think it’s given a nice point of difference between the two styles.

Lovely small, jingly reindeer bells and shaped buttons finished the styles off nicely (triple and quadruple stitched for safety!)

Each sack is made to order and personalised with a child’s name. These are exclusively for sale from Bay Bee Cino, Newmarket, from this weekend, contact info@baybeecino-newmarket.co.nz or email me directly to facilitate a sale...

For other creative projects coming to life this week, visit http://www.kootoyoo.com/

PS: Don't forget to enter our pre-Christmas Santa Sack giveaway...only one more week to enter! Click here to find out what to do.

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Best Halloween Monster Alien Body Art Paintings

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Mum Made - New store now open!

Since we started this blog we have discovered so many amazing products handmade by kiwi mums, and now there is a gorgeous online store dedicated to them - www.mummade.co.nz.

The website looks as pretty and professional as their sweet logo, and has a wide range of products for babies, small children and mums. 


Here at OTLP we are very proud to be supplying Mum Made with lily pad designs pinboards, Topography bag tags and our co-designed lily pinnie aprons

There are also lovely knitted things, modern cloth nappies, and soft toys, all handmade and at reasonable prices.

If you were at the insanely busy Mary's Market in Auckland on Saturday you would have seen Mum Made's table packed with goodies (Mum Made's Brenda has blogged about it here), Aimee was there too with Holly Chic and Estella Rose and has some awesome pics on the lily pad designs Facebook page

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