Taking a break from my blog break :-) to share some quick snaps from my week:

1) Plush-artist Dawn (of Look What I Can Do) and I arranged a swap months ago. She is a plush maker I have admired for a looooong time so I jumped at the chance to do a trade. We recently posted our packages off. I sent her this and I received her parcel the other day . . . and almost wept like a baby out of pure delight! Gorgeous bird softie - LOVE! And . . . fabric G-A-L-O-R-E amongst other wonderful crafty things!!! Too, too, too generous and kind - thanks so much Dawn!!!

2) Giant dolls are pretty much done - just got to sew up their aprons with the malls’ logo on them and their accompanying softies. I’m still trying to figure out how to get them to stand properly so I can take some good photos.

I won’t lie to you - these two were a pain to make. Lots of mistakes and lots of accidentally stabbing my fingers with needles due to hand-sewing lots of bits and pieces. I also used up a couple metres of interfacing and had to insert thick board in various places (e.g. legs and necks) for some added support. My hands ached from all the stuffing. I am relieved they are done and given the time and effort put in, I am happy with the way they have turned out :-) But I don’t think I would choose to do this again!

Closer look at Woodland Girl Jin (who really refuses to stand upright):

And Woodland Girl Mee:

3) Larger doll-head brooches/corsages are done (to be worn by some of the mall’s management while I am there. Construction based on this fun tutorial). They measure about 10cm x 10cm (4 inches x 4 inches):

4) Surprised and delighted to see Woodland Doll Nikki in the recent issue of Small Magazine :-)

5) So very, very excited to be taking more snappity snaps with my early Christmas gift - a Holga 135BC. It has been on my wish-list for a few months and is on its way as I type - hope it reaches me before we leave for Hong Kong. (They are usually black in colour but since practically every accessory I have is black, I thought a white one would be nice :-)).

I have read many forums on taking photos with the Holga and am expecting a lot of flops in the first instance - I understand the camera can be temperamental and it is very much a process of trial and error. But I am very keen to learn - especially when I look at some of my favourite Holga shots from Flickr:

Credits:
1. all the fun of holga, 2. xmas kitty, 3. tiptoe among the tulips, 4. A gorgeous tea - time

Angela recently purchased a Diana F+ and I can’t wait to see how her pics turn out. I remember having a Diana camera when I was kid (received as a birthday gift) and I wish I had held on to it!

Okey dokes, that’s all from me for now. More softies to make and doll-head kits to package up! Hope you are all having a most delightful weekend :-)

The wedding happened as planned at sunrise on Saturday morning by the beach. It was FREEZING cold and very windy. But many prayers were answered when the rain stopped for half-an-hour for the length of the ceremony. A very welcome miracle indeed.

Everyone kept their sense of humour and the wedding and reception went beautifully. The girls also did very well, waking at 4am, excited about their flower-girl outfits, and being co-operative during the day.

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments about the giant doll! I’m half-way through the other one. The weekend’s festivities have hit us quite hard and we’re still recovering (from exhaustion and nagging headaches). I’m going to take a break for a week or two from the blog to focus on the Hong Kong exhibition. Hope to be back in the week before we leave with lots to share :-)

. . . and one more to go.

The colours and the dress design were specifically requested by the shopping mall. She still needs a few bits and pieces to make her more Christmas-sy, and an apron with the mall’s logo on it (and a small Peg Bear in the apron pocket). She is all wobbly on her feet which is why she is sitting in the pictures - the mall will need to provides some large, solid doll stands me thinks.

I’ll try and get a better picture of her standing another day - the last few days have been cold and rainy so the lighting hasn’t been great.

I looked at my calendar today and realised I only have 3 weeks until we leave. Ummm . . . yikes. I still have to sew up, stuff and dress the other giant doll; make 4 sets of larger woodland doll-head brooches (which the shopping mall management will be wearing during the week I am there); and prepare about 100+ woodland doll-head brooch kits for the workshops. I’ve accepted the fact that there will be very little time for me to actually make more softies for the exhibition so I am planning to bring whatever finished toys I have in my studio (not just ones made specifically for the exhibition). I’m refusing to get stressed though and keep reminding myself that this will be a really good experience (I hope!).

I must also confess that I have been sneaking in little bits of time to work on a slightly-modified Happy Chibi Girl as a welcome distraction. She’s still a work in progress for Mirabel and I’ll have more details to share when she’s done:

I almost forgot to also let you know that my last pattern for Handmade Magazine this year is now available in the current issue - Volume 26 No 3 on gift-making. Pattern and instructions for Bunnito the Pirate-ito is in inside:

Okay, back to giant doll number 2. But first I need to spend some time preparing the girls’ outfits for the crack-of-dawn wedding service tomorrow morning. It will their first time as flower-girls, though the Bride and Groom are pretty laid back and won’t mind if Mummy ends up carrying the flower-girls down the aisle! The forecast is rain, possible storms, with a low of 9°C. To say we are all hoping for the best is an understatement!

P.S. Pictures from the Plush It show in Sydney are available over here.

Wow, I am exhausted. What a weekend it has been! I wasn’t planning on posting until later in the week but I am still buzzing from the excitement and wanted to get my thoughts down before I forget :-)

Firstly, it was such a pleasure to finally meet Helen (who runs Pattern Press). Helen is an amazing craftswoman in her own right (see her work here) and she did an amazing job pulling the booth together and getting everything organised for the AQM. She’s been so enouraging and so helpful - I feel truly blessed to be working with her.

The Quilted Crow - Leonie & Deirdre - also have their patterns under Pattern Press and it was an honour to be sharing the booth with them both. Their creations in wool are just incredible. It’s something you need to see up close. You can’t help but reach out and touch the scarves, the quilts, the pin cushions, etc. And Leonie & Deidre were so incredibly warm and kind too!

Being a part of the AQM was a wonderful and memorable experience. It was a real treat to be able to talk to people face-to-face about my softies, about how they were made, and generally to see the instant (and positive) reaction (that you don’t really experience through the internet). Thanks for all your well wishes!

And today, I had one of the most wonderful experiences. I was told that Ms Amy Butler was in a booth just around the corner, chatting to fellow booth-holders. I really, really wanted to drop in and say hello but was suddenly overcome with what I can only describe as being ‘star-struck‘. For about half-an-hour, I kept peering around the corner to see if she was still there and then thinking about how on earth I would start a conversation! My mind was completely blank.

Finally, thanks to a suggestion by Helen’s daughter, I went off and bought Amy’s book (since I didn’t have anything ‘Amy Butler‘ with me at the time as I had no idea she was actually going to be there!). I then lined up at her booth, knees feeling like jelly, and silently hoping I would be able to talk to her in cohesive sentences.

So finally it was my turn and you know what? Amy was soooo approachable, so warm, so friendly and so genuine. We talked about inspiration, Melbourne, and the importance of family. I even had the cheek to show her some of my softie patterns :-) But wow - she was just so easy to talk to and the nervousness slipped away in no time.

Of course I forgot to bring my camera, but she did sign my book and also gave me a little booklet on her new fabric line. I even got a hug :-) I can honestly say that she has a lifetime fan in me :-)

The mosaic up there is of the Pattern Press booth - you can see all the photos here.

The “Evening with Amy Butler” last night was just fabulous. It was lovely to get a sense of who Amy was in person - genuine, passionate, funny and very humble - not to mention unbelievably talented! We were given a glimpse into her life, behind the scenes, and her inspirations. The highlight for me was seeing all the things that inspired her and then to see how she masterfully translated those inspirations into her fabric patterns. So good.

She did a book-signing after the event and mingled with the crowd, but my curfew was up and I had to head home :-( Hopefully I will be able to see her at the AQM this weekend too.

I also managed to catch-up with Melly and Rosie (who are always a pleasure to spend time with I tell you!) and also met Melinda, Leanne, and Gail. I’m pretty sure there were lots of bloggers there too - I just wish we all had name tags so that we were more easily recognisable to each other. I did spot Shannon, Nichola and Justine :-)

I’m feeling good (but still nervous) about being ready for the AQM tomorrow. My little box of samples is packed and newly printed business cards happily received just in time:

Here are the actual pattern covers:

I have to admit, it does make me quite giddy to see them all professionally done up like that :-) Helen from Pattern Press has done a fantastic job.

Also, a few things to share:

>> The deadline for Meet Me At Mikes Softies for Mirabel Appeal is only a few weeks away - you’ll need to have your softies in by December 5. If you are still sitting on the fence about donating to this appeal, please read Pip’s post here.

>> Looking for handmade cards? A good friend of mine, Maria, recently opened up a new online store selling beautiful handmade cards - Hug Cards! You can purchase cards and get them sent straight to your recipient with a handwritten message, or you can purchase them to be sent to you. Also, Maria is looking for more crafters who make handmade cards and would be interested in selling them online through her shop. If this is you, details on how to sell your cards can be found here.

>> Dolan Geiman in having a pre-Christmas sale until December 20 over here!

>> Looking for fabric for Christmas projects? Then you will want to check out True-Up’s weekly fabric sale post (every Sunday) listing all the places that are having specials - latest one is here.

>> Drop into the Stay Human Gallery and Badge Making lounge and make your own badges on the spot, buy ethical fashion and goodies from local designers and browse local street art. Thanks to Rocket for the heads-up.

>> Robio recently launched limited edition wallets with artwork by Aussie artists. Take a look here.

Next week will be a very busy week for our little family as my brother-in-law and his fiancé will be arriving from Japan. They will be getting married here in Melbourne in a few days time, by the beach at 5am (yup, I said 5AM!).

I’m holding a little bridal shower for the bride, which I hope will be lots of fun and will be a nice welcome into the family :-) So if I am absent from the blog next week - you will know why! I do hope to post pics/update from the AQM at some point next week too.

Have a lovely weekend!

I was buying some Aussie souvenirs for a friend overseas when I stumbled upon some cotton hankies that bore beautiful designs by Aboriginal artists. I instantly fell in love with the designs and looked up the company that was making and distributing them - Bulurru.

Bulurru also sell fabric packs and yardage. I have since found that there are some other online places selling fabric with Aboriginal artwork. Beautiful stuff!

I knew that I wanted to make some Peg Bunnies out of the hankies and here they are:

The Peg Bunnies are also for the show next month.

On my desk tonight are the beginnings of another Happy Chibi Doll as I will be doing a little demo on how to stuff the dolls this Saturday at the AQM.

Speaking of which, I must admit I am feeling a little nervous about it all :-) As I mentioned before, this will be my first trade show and I am not quite sure what to expect. I’ll be at the Pattern Press booth Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon, so please do drop by if you are going to the AQM as it will be very nice to see familiar faces and meet the people behind familiar names :-)

I’m also very excited about going to the “Evening with Amy Butler” tomorrow night here in Melbourne. I am sure it will be wonderfully inspirational. I am looking forward to knowing more about what makes Amy tick, her creative sources of inspiration, what motivates her, and how she manages her successful business.

And oh yes - the winners of the giveaway! Thank you for sharing your favourite happy songs - I can tell you it has been a treat spending time this past week listening to all your recommendations (if I have been fortunate enough to find them on the internet)! So, random number generator says the three winners are:

27. Comment by Janet Rhoads: Mine is “Thing of Beauty” by Hothouse Flowers. It is one of the GREATEST songs to drive with windows down and wind in your face. It never fails to get me out of a funk.

56. Comment by Pink Lizzy: My favourite happy song is “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. I am never sad when I hear that song.

6. Comment by Paisley St Claire: My latest happy song is Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. Its so joyous.

Ladies, I will be contacting your shortly for your preferences and address details.

I shall leave you with my happy song at the moment - “Rhythm Nation” by Janet Jackson. Her “Rhythm Nation” album was the soundtrack to my high school years and recently rediscovering it again (thank you iTunes!) has brought back many happy memories, not to mention the fact it makes you want to get up and dance! Enjoy!

P.S. The Plush-It Show opens tonight at the Ruban Rat Gallery in Sydney at 7pm and will run until December 3! Details are here. My submission for the show is here.

Happiness is:

1. More mail love. This time it’s some wonderful ribbon bearing the illustrations of Camilla Engman and sold by Rosa (whose softies I adore) in her shop Retrosaria. It arrived in an equally sweet envelope covered in Rosa’s characters:

2. Finally getting a long overdue haircut (overdue by about 2 months) and no longer resembling Scooby-Do’s best bud, Shaggy :-)

3. Watching my 2-year-old fall asleep in my arms, knowing that these moments will become rarer as she grows older (and admittedly I am having a hard time accepting the fact that she is no longer our baby!).

4. Observing my 4-year-old comforting her upset little sister by hugging her tight, patting her back and telling her, “It will be alright.” :-)

5. Frequent cold drinks on a hot day (like today).

6. A few more dollars extra for groceries due to the fall in petrol prices.

7. Being amazed, inspired, and delighted by this, this, and this.

I’ve had a challenging week but it has been good for the soul to intentionally remember and write down the small things that have brought happiness into my day (there have been lots more unmentioned . . . ). Thanks for the Week of Happy Pip!

And I almost forgot about the “This is” theme this past Sunday: “This is my favourite quote” from Strawberry Kisses.

My favourite quotes change depending upon what is happening in my life at the time. At the moment, I have two:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” ~ Mark 8:36

I like these two quotes together because I think they temper each other, providing a balance between meeting all the goals you have made for yourself but yet being aware of the cost of doing so and what may be lost in the process.

Anyway, that’s enough of my rambling for now :-) Will be back tomorrow with more softies and the winners of the giveaway (due the response, I will be drawing 3 names instead of just 1!).

Happiness is:

1. Getting up just before sunrise for 6am starts at the gym, four times a week. One whole month of doing this has done wonders for my physical as well as mental fitness. I’m surprised at how much more energy I have throughout the day and how much easier it is to cope with daily challenges.

2. Watching the girls laugh themselves silly over doing the “Hokey Pokey”.

3. Laughing at highlights from Seinfeld found on youtube.

4. Planning a little bridal shower for my brother-in-law’s fiancee.

5. Winning a giveaway and finding it in the mail - beautifully wrapped and beautifully made:

Thank you Christina! Christina makes adorable softies - so sweet and so well dressed! You can find them in her shop here.

A Week of Happy hosted by Pip.

Happiness is:

1. Finishing up Peg Bears for the show next month - Peg Bears that incorporate gorgeous fabric designed by fellow Melbournians, thrifted crocheted granny squares, and thrifted doilies.

Peg Bear Gabber - made from Lara’s ‘Rainy Day in Autumn‘ fabric:

And Peg Bear Gagaku - made from Shannon’s ‘Letterhead’ fabric:

Finding this on the side of Gagaku also made me happy :-)

2. My 2-year-old sitting next to me, carefully watching me stuff a Peg Bear, and then saying, “Your bears are nice Mama. You’re the best.” :-)

3. Seeing one of my Peg Bears made from a fabric I designed on Spoonflower’s sign-in page here :-)

4. Hubby bringing home one of my favourite sweets, Mochi, from the Asian Grocery shop :-)

5. Thinking about Christmas :-)

A Week of Happy hosted by Pip.

Happiness is:

1. Making good progress on one of the giant Woodland Girl dolls.
2. The smell of freshly cleaned bathrooms and the feel of freshly cleaned floors under foot (Saturday is our cleaning day).
3. Successfully balancing last week’s budget.
4. Cooking a dinner consisting of Yangnyom Tak (Korean Chicken Teriyaki), Bok Choy in Oyster Sauce, and Jasmine rice that was enjoyed by every person in my family - a rare feat. There’s usually one that isn’t happy with what’s on offer. (Easy-peasy recipe for Yangnyom Tak is here - I cooked a smaller, separate batch for the girls without the hot sauce/red pepper paste).
5. Sharing a large slice of lemon meringue pie with cream on the side with hubby for dessert.
6. Free Christmas-themed pattern downloads by the generous pattern genius, Yasmine, over here (and there’s more to come!)
7. Reading all your happy songs and finding new favourites! Thanks for sharing!

A Week of Happy hosted by Pip.