Christmastime... almost

Almost December... wow - can't believe it has come around so quickly.

I was lucky enough to be featured in this lovely Christmas Treasury on Etsy today - The Twelfth Month of the Year.

Summertime

I've had a great day today... it started off when I was given an overflowing bag of fresh plums off a friends tree... half were eaten by my little monster before we even got them home! I also managed to find a new house so next week will be busy with packing and cleaning and moving!

I was also lucky enough to be featured in one of Etsy's Gift Guides - super exciting!

Don't forget, if you are wanting to do some Christmas shopping this weekend, buy handmade!

Tomorrow - Saturday 28th November
Willow Park Christmas Gift Market
Willow Park Primary School
13 – 17 Compton Street
Hillcrest, North Shore
10am - 2pm

Sunday 29th November
Kraftbomb
Grey Lynn Community Centre, Main Hall
510 Richmond Road
Grey Lynn, Aucklandd
11am - 2pm

Making...

I had quite a productive day today. Managed to get a bit done in my studio, so am feeling somewhat prepared for my two markets this weekend.

Made today...

some new key rings - loving this Amy Butler fabric!

Some more envelopes (I finally managed to track down some more old copies of Where the Wild Things Are!)

New magnets

and some more bookmarks.

In the post...

I LOVE my postman - he doesn't know it, but I do. He always brings me such lovely things! Look what arrived today...

This gorgeous limited edition yardage fabric is screen printed in Melbourne by Susan of Spin Spin Handmade. Can't wait to use it for some new journal covers.

Silly Season

Well, it really is silly season, only 1 month to go until Christmas, and I sure am feeling the pressure!

My 'to do' list is out of control, and seems to be taking on a life of it's own. I managed to cross a few things off today though, including this custom order for 10 bookmarks (in the post today), plus FINALLY taking some long overdue product shots, plus shots of my fabric stash to update my flickr page.

Now all I need to do is go through and label and tag them all (yawn) and update my felt and etsy shops with some new products....

This weekend I will be at markets both Saturday and Sunday...

Saturday 28th November
Willow Park Christmas Gift Market
Willow Park Primary School
13 – 17 Compton Street
Hillcrest, North Shore
10am - 2pm

Sunday 29th November
Kraftbomb
Grey Lynn Community Centre, Main Hall
510 Richmond Road
Grey Lynn, Aucklandd
11am - 2pm

On top of all of this, we have just sold our house (much faster than anticipated!) so I am desperately searching for somewhere for the girls and I to live, and pack up our house before next week - eek! ... watch this space!

xx C

Crafternoon Tea Market

A great day was had today in Kingsland at Crafternoon Tea. It was much quieter than last month, but still lovely to catch up with everyone and see some lovely new faces too.

I actually managed to snap a couple of shots of my table - my daughter kindly lent me her camera (as mine has still not been repaired)!

Next weekend is Kraftbomb - hope to see you there!

Neglect...

What a week! I know it has been ages since I updated this blog, and I am not even going to try and explain it..., lets just say my studio floor looked like this this morning...

I thought the 'elves' may have cleaned it up whilst I slept, but alas, it looked the same when I woke as it did at 3am when I abandoned it and crawled into bed!

Crafternoon Tea is on again tomorrow. Can't wait - it was a great day last month, so hoping we will have as much fun tomorrow. 

10am-2pm at the Trinity Methodist Church Hall, 400 New North Road, Kingsland.

Hope to see you there!
xxC

Envelopes in the making

I have found some fantastic old books lately and this one has to be my favourite! Searle's Cats by Ronald Searle. Copyright 1967, this publication, Fifth Impression 1977.

Due to it's condition (very well loved!) it has been turned into upcycled envelopes, and the hardcover into a sketchbook destined for my Etsy shop.

Normandy Apple Cake

An abundance of apples, and a need of a sweet treat resulted in us baking this delicous, fool proof Apple Cake this afternoon.

Normandy Apple Cake

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup water

250g softened butter
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
2 cups of self-raising flour (I used 2 cups of flour + 2tsp of baking powder)
1 cup milk
vanilla essence or vanilla bean
Cinnamon
Icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 180C. Place apples, brown sugar and water in a saucepan and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes (until apples are soft, but not mush!). Drain apples and leave to cool.
Using a hand held, electric beater, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour and slowly add the milk, beating to combine.
Pour batter into greased 28cm cake tin. Top with the cooled apple mixture and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon over the top.
Bake cake for around 50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
I like to sprinkle with icing sugar once it has cooled a little. This cake is delicious served warm, but is equally as nice after a day or two.

Enjoy!

Inspiring

I am just loving Carla Bruni at the moment - I have been listening to one of her albums, Quelqu'un m'a dit over and over for the past few days - it is so beautiful. So I just had to share a link to one of my favourite songs on the album of the same name...




On another note, look what I found on Lilla Rogers blog... how gorgeous is this illustration by John Coulter of Terrible Yellow Eyes - inspired by Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.  I just can't wait to see the movie!!

Tooth Fairies.... cos apparently there is more than one!

My beautiful 5 year old lost her second tooth tonight - so she is currently looking more 'gappy' than beautiful, but that's life I guess.

As I was putting her to bed, she had a 'squillion' questions for me about the tooth fairy... you know how it goes...

5 year old "does the tooth fairy fly really fast?"
Mum "Sure"
5 year old "Well, how fast?"
Mum "Really, really fast"
5 year old "Do butterflies fly fast?"
Mum "Sure"
5 year old "Well, how fast?"
Mum "Really, really fast"
5 year old "So do butterflies fly faster than tooth fairies (cos apparently there is more than one)?"
Mum "Hmmm, I'm not sure - now go to sleep"
5 year old "Just go and google it mum..., you know 'google it' means just look on the internet!"  !!!

Oh how times have changed!

On another note - the Devonport Craft Market was on again last Sunday and Sarah of Songbird Designs kindly took some photos of my table for me.

It was a very quiet day in Devonport on Sunday, I think everyone was at the Parent Child Show, or the Auckalnd Marathon, but it was a really nice day to catch up with some other lovely, super crafty stall holders! I got to spend a lot of my day chatting with Heleen from Ruby in the Dust, and Jess from Bam Bam Creative. It was also really cool to finally put faces to the names of Lucy from Felt and Mel from Black Swan Designs.

C xx