Things I'm loving...Dads.

This week I'm loving...hanging out with Dads, on Father's Day.







Miss Five has decided that this year we are going to make a little rugby team of gingerbread men for her Dad's Father's Day present. We've bought coloured icing to make them Australian green and gold icing tops...and of course we'll also mix some with a bit of red and blue to make some black shirt opposing All Blacks too!







She is SO excited about the Rugby World Cup 2011 - how neat is that!







But I'd also love to set up this activity for her and her Dad to do together. It's a fun, free and easy DIY that will keep the kids entertained for hours and keep Dad busy with the craft knife and string: amazingly cool little cardboard guitars, which I discovered online shared on one of my absolute favourite blogs. They have been created by the very clever Dad in the Make It Love It blog family.











To make them, all you need are old cardboard boxes, glue, pencils, jumbo rubber bands, and an adult to wield a craft knife. Simply follow the step by step instructions in the link above, thread the rubber bands as strings, and pretty soon you’ll be teaching the kids the classic song “Dance to my 10 guitars”.







We have heaps of cardboard boxes left over from moving house.

And I also thought, why not combine with my girls' favourite love - painting – and get out the craft paints and decorate them too?

(PS: if you need a reminder of the 10 Guitar song words, find them online here. I love this song too!)















To see what everyone else is loving this week, hop over to Paisley Jade's.



And Em's asked me also to link to the I'm Grateful bloggy game...so hop here to see who else is grateful for and loving Dads this Father's Day weekend!





To read my original column on babybites, click here.

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BabyBites: When life gives you lemons..make cupcakes

I’m in love with Dear Colleen’s quirky ‘lemons’ prints for adults, so when I saw this post on one of my favourite blogs, Oh my! Handmade Goodness, I got very excited. These dinky little raspberry lemonade cupcake toppers were shared by Lisa from A House Full of Moxie and say “ when life gives you lemons…make lemonade cupcakes” – and to me it completely sums up life with two rambunctious little girls. When the day is going badly…let’s stop, get silly, and bake!

Perfect for the school holidays and the rain!

This wonderful little free downloadable set comes with cupcake recipe, printable cupcake toppers, wrapping paper, and cupcake stands. I’m in love!!

To read this and my other columns on Baby Bites online magazine, visit http://www.babybites.co.nz/

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Upcycling my fabric scraps just a tinch more...

I'm loving making as many things as I can out of my fabric scraps. It's a wonderful side effect of having the opportunity to buy bulk fabric lots for my lily pad liners - their unusual shapes mean I end up with a large stash of scraps perfect for crafting.

Mostly I cover unusual shaped tins and boxes, to create more storage; or I make face washes with flannel on one side; or I make cushion covers. At Christmas time I made Santa Sacks with appliques. Waiting next in line for a rainy day are fabric covered buttons and pegs.

But I also love to share my fabric scraps around, as one girl can't use them all! Recently I sent some to one of my favourite crafters, Helen at Tinch Design Studio.

I was delighted when she sent me some photos of what had become of them - gorgeous little bird magnets.

Only one or two of each colour exist and they are up for sale on her felt.co.nz store.

Do you love upcycling fabric scraps? If so, leave me a comment below - I've bagged up three bags of mixed offcuts and I will randomly pick 3 New Zealand bloggers addresses next weekend to send them too - just tell me what your project will be by either leaving a comment here - or on my facebook page.

Each bag contains a random collection of offcuts from designers such as Amy Butler; Anna Maria Horner; Valori Wells; Studio E; Patricia Bravo or Robert Kauffman.


FREE IDEAS AND PATTERNS!

This week I was also delighted to find a funky collation of 24 projects on Make It: Love It full of ideas for how to make great modern stuff by upcycling fabric scraps. All the projects and patterns are all free!!! What a find. Two of my favourites are below. I hope you find something you love in there too!!

Check out everyone else's loves over at Paisley Jade this week.

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Autumn-Winter 2011 fabric trends

This winter the colour and fabric trends are all about wrapping ourselves in comfort and warmth and nostalgic, happy feelings.

As you’ve no doubt seen in coming out in the shops, the women’s and men’s wear fashion colours for Autumn – Winter 2011 are quite dark, warm, rich and regal. There is still a layered, boho French Parisienne flavour – with stripes, spots, vintage florals, and the 1950s longer hems to skirts. The top most used colours in fashion are camel shades of brown, with warm red berries and purples. Add layers upon layers of knits as the key wardrobe look, along with gold, lace, military and aviator styled coats, platforms, boots and wedges.

Overall, the fashion looks are much more reserved than we’ve been used to in Winters’ past. It’s as if the world’s natural disasters and economic situation is keeping us in check, stirring up a desire to hold onto treasured trends, comfort, grace. Of course with a little bit of luxe to perk us up!

The fashion world’s influence on crafting and interior decorating trends in fabric is really literal this season. The colours follow fashion’s lead exactly with the hot new trends in printed fabrics focusing on nostalgia, French inspiration, and cute, old fashioned happiness.

If you’re a crafter, designer or interior design home decorating fanatic, read on for my take on the fabric and print trends.

THIS SEASON’S FABRIC COLOUR STORY:

Pantone’s Fall Fashion Report for 2011 surveyed once again all the fashion designers in New York Fashion Week and came up with a colour palette for the season that rotates around ‘camel’ or as they call it, ‘bamboo’.

Pantone called the season’s look “sensible, but spirited”. “Designers take a painterly approach to fall 2011 by artfully combining bright colors with staple neutrals, reminiscent of how an artist would construct a stunning work of art,“ said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Much like a painter's masterpiece, there is a certain romance to this season's palette.

“Taking cues from the great masters, sepia tones of old Hollywood, Chinese opera, cityscapes and countryside, designers are paying close attention to texture, contrast and color for fall 2011 – pairing menswear with feminine twists, warm prints with cool metals, incorporating both old and new influences, and creating an intriguing balance between colors."

Check out their top 10 palette below, and my mood board (top of this blog post) I’ve put together to illustrate it. My favourite new colour in the palette is the gorgeous deep ocean-inspired teal greens and blues – so amazing and such a modern take on the winter dark forest green we’re used to.

I’ve just got to get that shade into my next home project – or maybe a new lily pad?

Pantone’s accompanying 2011-12 Trends for Home Furnishing and Interior Design Report puts the trends into nine colour stories:
Nonchalance
Subtleties
Resilience
Indigo Effects
Transcending Time
Back to the Fuchsia

Reflections
Nouveau Neon and
The Comics.

Just the names of the palettes alone make it clear what the home trends are.

In terms of a favourite colour combo for room schemes, the American home and design magazines and blogs like Apartment Therapy have picked grey and yellow as their favourite interior colour scheme, and Ty Pennington’s first collection includes this palette. I’ve also noticed design leaders in New Zealand such as Homestyle magazine , Líl Magoolie and crafter Dear Colleen highlighting the sunny yellow trend.

However downunder in both Australian and New Zealand interior magazines we’re still seeing the bright red, black and white combination that’s been strong for a couple of years now continue.

(Watch this slideshow at Better Homes and Gardens)

And how jealous am I of this 'office in a cupboard' in white, teal and red:

TRENDS IN PRINTS

In both fashion and interiors, everyone’s looking for texture, so we’re seeing tartans, houndstooth and checkers. The tribal ikat from last season has become more refined, often resembling casual stripes and spots.

The French influence keeps nautical stripes in vogue, and large print spots from Parisienne blouses and scarfs comes in too. Supporting this theme is an astounding number of US and European quilting and craft designers bringing out prints with Eiffel towers; fleur de lis; poodles, French postage stamps, and love words in type.

The other key quilt and craft fabric theme is a fluid, bohemian group of patterns that include some abstract florals and damasks, flowing circular patterns, and styles emulating the lace look that’s so central in the fashion trends.

Following on from last season, typography continues to dominate in prints – mostly showcasing old style postal stamps, war posters, and coffee sacks.

CHILDREN’S PRINTS

For little boys, the nostalgic trend introduces patterns such as view finders, old fighter planes, rustic robots, bicycles and buses. For little girls, the French theme provides a range of patterns, with gorgeous poodles, cute cherries, apples and spots.

KEEPING IT LOCAL

This year I love that New Zealanders have also invented their own special, localised theme - with “Kiwiana”, prints, typography, place names, and heritage images really hot on t-shirts, baby clothes, cushions, tea towels, wall art like bus roll canvases, and more. The ultimate style symbol this winter: appliqued cushions made from old fashioned, snuggly upcycled New Zealand woollen blankets!

My pick of the bunch: by StudioK on Felt.co.nz

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Handmade Heaven: To Mum, with love xx

Most years, the best presents from your children on Mother’s Day are made by them, such as a picture they have drawn, or a card they have made. But every now and then it’s also special to receive (or organise for the grandmothers, from their grandchildren) a special present that commemorates motherhood.

WEARING YOUR HEART ON YOUR SLEEVE

This year I’m loving these gorgeous “Brag About It” silver ‘children’ necklaces that feature your children’s names and sometimes even their birthstones – handmade on Etsy and ordered in from the US, they arrive swiftly and are so sweet. Greta also wrote recently on this blog about little silver ‘posey’ rings, traditionally for bridesmaids, that you can order with the same stamped look of name impressions - this time on the inside.

If you’re keen to support a local Kiwi crafter, check out these gorgeous ‘Mum’s the word’ pendants from Cloud Nine – one of mine and Baby Bites’ favourite crafters. I also really love the funky pairs of navy drop earrings with ‘kiss’ marks on them.

Greta also found a‘Family Tree/Whakapapa Rakau’ bracelet or necklace, with charms made from leaves with all your family’s names engraved, by New Zealand crafter etc on Felt.

How about a gorgeous wee 'jewellery tree' from Foxes to hang all these trinkets on too?

CELEBRATING REAL LIFE TOO

It's also good therapy to poke fun at yourself sometimes too. So my other type of favourite Mother's Day gift ideas do just that.

I've bought my mother-in-law (or in text speak, MIL) a Dear Colleen 'lemons' print. MIL and I can gossip away many a Sunday afternoon doing exactly what it says to do! The wonderful Dear Colleen also slipped in another one for me: this really is the best Mother's Day ever, thanks Colleen :) It's now hanging proudly in my kitchen in an oversized large white frame.

My final ‘wish list’ idea this year may not technically be handmade – but the idea is that you and your children choose and “build them” together. All the rage in Australia when I was there last month, these “family” stickers are bought individually, each in different poses or outfits. You buy a replica of each person in your household (dogs or cats included!) and adorn your car’s back window. Which Mum are you? The sporty one? The working one? The knitter? Go on, laughter is good medicine after a long day!

TEACH THEM YOUNG

As a Mother one of the coolest things I think you can do is pass on skills and creative crafting traditions. So if your children are into crafting (and you’re into free printables) – show them how to download some of these free Mother’s Day cards too – here and this one here via L’il Magoolie.

I have already downloaded this wicked one from Fantail Digital Art, a fellow NZ crafter - I have a thing about birds and especially owls right now.

So go on - get that printer going: then act surprised when you open them on Sunday!

Enjoy this weekend and remember to sit back and celebrate your wonderful family.

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Baby Bites: Easter craft goodies....

This week on BabyBites I took the time to search out some funky and cool Easter craft activities! It's always time to craft when the school holidays co-incide with Easter. My five year old adores making things.

One of my favourite blogs, oh my! handmade goodness, has put together a fantastic round up of 25 of the coolest Easter projects.

Top of my list: 'Not Martha's chocolate-filled real egg with a surprise inside, like a kinder surprise! I can't wait to try rolling the liquid chocolate around inside the egg. This is definitely a job for size 8 eggs. Then I think I"ll hide them inside these super easy, super cool egg cosies made from outgrown jumpers - fits perfectly with our re-design and upcycling theme on this blog!

Or if we get time, these felt bunnies.

Yum and fun! Check out the full list of oh my! handmade goodness Easter suggestions here.

For my original column and lots more for kids and mums, visit http://www.babybites.co.nz/

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Handmade Heaven: Dressing up has never been cooler!

(We love making special clothes for our kids but sometimes you see something so clever you really want to buy it! Aimee is on holiday but this is her recent handmade column from babybites.co.nz)


Funky handmade Melbourne label Paul and Paula has come up with the most amazingly detailed hoodies, tees, leggings and pants with dragon spikes, bat wings, shark teeth and lady bird spots mixing in perfectly with navy, red, stripes and denim. Here’s one ‘costume’ you won’t mind the kids wearing out the door!

Spotted first on the L’il Magoolie ‘L’il Earthquake Appeal’ for Christchurch, I traced these wickedly cool clothes back to their designer’s website and loved them to pieces. Paul and Paula clothing can be bought direct on Etsy or you can bid on the lady bug hoodie over at Lil Magoolie’s until March 30.

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Cavas Bus Stop Art: uplifting messges for your family

When times are so sad and distressing in New Zealand, I'm wondering if other people, like me, are turning to their favourite art, design and craft blogs for a bit of escapism. If you are, and that's why you're reading this: welcome. I hope you and your family are safe and warm.

Hopefully these lovely gems I found on Felt.co.nz and wrote about for my column on http://www.babybites.co.nz/ recently will bring some cheer to your home.

I absolutely love the vintage ‘bus stop roll’ canvas art works that are so in fashion in home décor right now – I even made my own one combining locations important to my life, and to my Australian husband's.

Now you can buy ones especially for the little ones in your life. Instead of listing locations though, these typographic-style art works list fun, positive “Family Rules” or a list of “Beach Rules”, “Dreams for your Child” or “Wishes for your child”. I love the thought of my little girls staring up at this poster and attempting not only their ABCs and starting to learn to read, but memorising such neat messages. Made by Almond Design in Melbourne, these artworks are available in colours perfect for all nurseries like yellow, pistachio, pale blue and mocha.

PS: Don’t forget to get yourself one of these fabulous WWII motivational ones especially for mums ( “Keep Calm and Carry On”!) See Studio Dollmain on Felt.co.nz


Read my original column on http://www.babybites.co.nz/

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Baby Bites Column: Handmade Love Notes in a Bottle for Valentines Day

Handmade love notes and yummy treats for Valentine’s are the best way to say I love you to your partner. They’re even better when they’ve been made by your kids! Check out these two fabulous ideas you can make with your children at home this week, without having to spend a fortune.

I simply adore Mini Eco’s “love note in a bottle” made with invisible ink and paper cut out hearts. The invisible ink is made with lemon juice – how clever is that! You could pick up the love hearts or some little craft gems from the craft stand in your local stationary store. You could also substitute the paper hearts with confetti, beach shells, or flowers from your garden, or how about making one of those garlands of paper dolls to put inside, to symbolise your family holding hands?

I also love these little cupcake wrappers, called, ‘treat and trinket trays’ made out of fabric scraps and ribbons. A downloadable free pattern from US fabric designer Heather Bailey, the pattern also comes with a chocolate cupcake recipe. Easy!

Read my original column on Baby Bites online magazine here, and while you are there, enter Baby Bites' 2nd Birthday Prize Draw! It's amazing, loaded with goodies and includes a giveaway prize of a lily pad.

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Free 'back to school' printables by Creative Mamma

If you love free downloadable printables as much as me, you will be very excited about my latest find. All you need is some children to gift them to and you are totally justified in the ink costs!

Why? Well, it's back to school and kindergarten this week and time to shake off your littlies' holiday mode.

There's never a better time than now to set up your expectations for the year in terms of encouraging good manners, setting up a before and after school or kindy routine, instilling tidy up times or introducing new chore lists. Why not make it fun by giving them a gift of a matching 2011 Kawaii kids Organisation kit?

Free to download at Creative Mamma, this kit gives your child a monthly calendar for the year they can write on; a weekly chores chart; 'reward coupons' to cash in; shopping lists and to do lists they can fill out; and stickers to decorate. All decorated with cute Japanese cartoon "Kawaii" characters.

Now your child can be proud of their responsibility filling out the calendars and charts themselves, and keeping them on display.

And while you're on Creative Mamma's website, you could download some free downloadable Kawaii school book stickers, mini note cards, or free Valentine's cards for your kids to give you to say thanks for all their cool new stationary!

To read my original column on Creative Mamma on Baby Bites, click here.

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Baby Bites: flash up your old pram

When I was away on holidays this year, Baby Bites online magazine wrote a really neat story on my new lily pad collection. I was absolutely rapt when I came back! Ok, ok, so I DO write for Baby Bites...but the review was by the editor Jodi and I didn't write it so it totally counts :)

I really like the angle that Jodi took on the lily pads. Which is that - the lily pad is perfect for flashing up an old pram that's seen better days. Just because we all need to reuse our prams for babies no 2, 3 or 4....we don't need to sit our precious siblings in the mess or mold or broken bits left behind by no 1. They are just as important, and deserve a comfy spot too...and we deserve an easy way to still look fresh, clean and fashionable!

You can check out Baby Bites review of my collection here.

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