Wink Designs

Cushiony cuteness

Here's some new cushion covers which I've added to the shop. (That's Jade's little softie that jumped into shot to grab a bit of the limelight!)

The one with the mobile print did eventuate from this pile, as predicted.  The other print is a gorgeous Japanese mid-weight linen/cotton mix with birds and hot air balloons.

 

Perfect to brighten a dull spot in a child's bedroom or play area.  I've backed both with linen and a patchwork strip of coordinating cottons which you can see in the shop photos.

I managed to save a little strip of the bird and balloon print to make a bookmark for Cee Cee.  Just the thing to mark your place in a Babar book (we all know Babar loves a spot of hot air ballooning....)

 

Finished......

The skirt I started at The Craft Room is now complete and ready for some wintertime frolicking.

I love the rich colour of the Featherwale Cord (they call it "Cashmere") which I ordered from here.  The printed cotton is from Spotlight.

Random facts about cord: did you know that with corduroy, the "wale" refers to the number of cord "stripes" per inch?  The finer cords used for childrenswear generally have a higher wale.  The one above is "28 wale" and has a particularly soft and buttery feel.

Happy birthday Miss Wink!

Although you have been unwell and on a strict "no photographs!" policy, you did let me sneak just a couple through....

 

I can't believe you're 1 already.  You're more of a delight every day.  Happy birthday little darling......

I came home with chickens

I had a great day at The Craft Room last Sunday with 17 other ladies some of whose accounts you will have read by now.  Sick kiddies and general household mayhem have prevented me from posting before now.  Corrie (the pocket rocket) ((I can call her that being pocket sized myself)) did a superb job of organising - thank you so much!

My project for the day was going to be these baby shoes.  I knew the pattern would be too small for Miss Wink so I enlarged it on a photocopier by 20% and was intending to make them up in some cute Japanese linen with a little red, white and blue chicken print.  Something about the enlarged pattern looked out of whack, though, and the general consensus was that photocopy enlargement probably wasn't the right way to go!  So I abandoned that idea in favour of a simple cord and cotton skirt for Cee Cee (will post a pic later - elastic yet to be inserted.....!).

Chicken print baby shoes were not to be but I did score some super potholders including one with an Aunty Cookie chicken print from Bianca in the gift swap.  (Poor Bianca lost her camera and so this may be the only photographic evidence?):

To match the potholders (ha ha, not really, rather to boost our poorly immune systems) I've just as we speak cooked up a batch of chicken soup from the latest issue of Family Circle.  Corrie posted about it here. It has some great recipes and as a bonus some great craft projects.  Can't wait to tuck in (and can't wait for the next Sunday Craft Room!).

April showers in June

Sydney town is just one big puddle at the moment, interspersed (just to tease us) with moments of brilliant sunshine before the clouds come rolling back over.

So for birthday gifts I'm making these scarf and tissue cosy combos which I hope are going down well with their little recipients (I know the mums love them!).  This one's in the adorable Alexander Henry "April Showers" print teamed with a bit of Amy, Denyse and some pink linen.

 

Hope it's sun-shiney wherever you are!

Monday stash

I missed Sunday but here is the little pile that's making me smile today:

• Japanese "mobile" fabric from (the fabulous) Karaku (danger, danger, disable Paypal account and chop up credit card before clicking on this one!!!)
• Red "ricrac" fabric from Material Obsession
• Alexander Henry "Jewel Mobile" from The Remnant Warehouse
• Lilac dress weight linen from Fabric.com
• Assorted polka dots from "I can't remember where" (not a shop, just my foggy memory...) 

I am thinking a cushion and some bunting may emerge from this pile sometime soon.

Hope you're having a great start to the week.... 

Fancy a cuppa?

Some gorgeous Japanese fabrics were used for these aprons which I've just finished making.  The first is a girly pink and brown print where kitchen motifs are mixed with frolicking deer, squirrels, butterflies and elephants balancing on balls (nothing strange about that!).  

The other is a lovely chocolate brown fabric with a very cute "teacup parade" in horizontal lines across the width.

 

The aprons are based on a pattern from a book called  "Little Retro Aprons for Kids" which I ordered from Quilt Fabric Delights.  The booklet has about 3 or 4 apron patterns with variations on each.  I had fun making the box pleats, which I'd never tried before.  They were an easy way to add a bit of pizazz without too much trouble.

The bonus is that the designer allows limited production of the aprons for sale.  So, as tempting as these ones are to keep, they're off to the shop (just as soon as I can get some decent full length photos).

My creative space

No not really.  These are just some cute miniatures I found in the op shop the other day.  But they make a great pictorial addition to my (overdue) thank you to Living Creatively for featuring me in their most recent issue.

 

 

I'm truly honoured to be in there amongst such great company and thankful to the team for providing the best creative space online and in real life (Stitches and Craft Show - coming soon to Sydney - can't wait).

P.S. Will just be a punter this year as full time Miss Wink duties prevent me from taking an Incubator spot.  Otherwise would have been there with bells on!

Fleecy

I've made some patchwork scarves for the shop. 

The ones I made last winter were quite simple and I wanted to do something a little different this time around.  So I appliqued the little birdies and flowers onto the linen panels after doing the patch-worky bit.

Also, the scarves are special because they're lined with 100% organic cotton fleece from the Michael Miller organics range.  I got some last winter from equilter - a quick check looks like it's still in stock.  Fabric.com also has 100% organic fleece (in other colours as well) at a much cheaper price (but not from the MM range).  Theirs is called "sweatshirt fleece" but I'm guessing it's the same thing.

 

The fleece is incredibly soft and warm - highly recommended for sensitive kiddy skin.  Actually, for any skin - I think I'm off to make one for myself....

Who is Ed Emberley?

I really don't know.  One thing I do know, though, is that his books are fun, quirky and very addictive.  We ordered Drawing Book of Animals and Fingerprint Drawing Book recently.  The first we gave away as a gift, the second we kept and (armed with some of those itty bitty coloured stamp pads picked up from the craft store) set to work on fingerprinting our way through a rainy afternoon.

The first one Cee Cee did of the mouse with balloons was my favourite:

Then she was off on a roll:

 

There is a school of thought that says children should be left alone to draw or paint in their own way rather than be "taught" to make art.  Part of me agrees but I think that these books are a special case and are really only intended as starting points for a child's own unique creations to emerge.  Which they did (in our case) once the basic technique was mastered.

So, good on you Ed (whoever you are) we really like you....