shagpile

Necklace Giveaway!

2011-12-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hi hi! Many of you will already know that my partner and I have recently opened our very own, real life shop in Fitzroy, Melbourne. For those who didn't know, it's called Salvage & Selvedge and specialises in all sorts of awesome, locally made, crafty homewares and accessories.

As a wee bit of cross promotion, we are giving away a Shagpile necklace through the shop. To be in the running to win, all you need to do is LIKE the Salvage & Selvedge facebook page. GOOD LUCK! :)

Stockist Update

2011-11-01T00:37:00.000-07:00

Salvage & Selvedge

78 Johnston St

Fitzroy VIC

www.salvageandselvedge.com.

Salvage & Selvedge is my very own retail shop full of Shagpile and other locally handcrafted goodness. This is where you will find the widest range of my products and is the best place to visit to discuss custom orders. I am in the shop wed to fri 11-6. You can also find me at the Rose St Artist's Market Sat & Sun 11-5

Limerence

2/1642 Burwood Highway

Belgrave VIC

(03)82881263

Gleaners Inc

2 Ballarat St

Brunswick VIC

The Curious Oyster Shoppe

776 High St

Thornbury VIC

(03) 9484 3018

The Artist's Lounge

222 Maroondah Highway

Healesville VIC

(03) 5962 5150

The Curious Oyster Shoppe

2011-10-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to let you all know that Shagpile goodies are now available at the gorgeous Curious Oyster Shoppe in Thornbury. The shop is beautifully curated with a focus on quality local, crafty products.

776 High St

Thornbury

Melbourne

Artist's Lounge

2011-08-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Part of a collection I have put together for my newest stockist, the Artist's Lounge in Healesville, Victoria. I can't wait to check out these gems in their new home. What a great excuse for a day out of town!

Making Millions

2011-07-11T20:34:00.000-07:00

Of earrings that is! Available at Rose St Artist's Market every weekend. :)

Headbands

2011-04-07T22:07:00.001-07:00

The new headband design has been a huge success. If you have missed out on your favorite colors I will have lots more at Rose St Market this weekend! Hope to see you there. :)

Limerence

2011-03-07T21:50:00.000-08:00

lim·er·ence/ ˈlimərəncen. Psychol. the state of being infatuated or obsessed with another person, typically involuntary, and characterized by a strong desire for reciprocation of one's feelings but not primarily for a sexual relationship.

Intrigued? Limerence is also a beautiful boutique located in the trendy, Melbourne fringe suburb of Belgrave. Limerence focuses on local, handmade and eco-friendly products in muted tones with a nostalgic edge. Planning a daytrip to the Dandenongs? Keep in mind a detour home via the treasures in store at Limerence.

Limerence

2/1642 Burwood Hwy,

Belgrave Victoria.

Shagpile stock on it's way to Limerence:

Bikie

2011-02-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

Little bikie... made especially for me. I am a lucky girl. :)

Custom Cufflinks

2011-02-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

Custom cufflinks off to a wedding in NZ to be worn by the groom. :)

And these guys are available at Rose St Artists Market in Melbourne as well as over on etsy.

Etsy Shop Update

2011-02-07T01:41:00.000-08:00

I have finally found a free afternoon to make friends with my new camera and photograph some items I have been working on. Lots of new items being added to my etsy shop this week including the necklaces above and lots of mini earrings and cufflinks too.

Have I missed your favorite color? Custom orders on these necklaces are very welcome! :)

Making Preserved Lemons

2010-12-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front lately. I've been busy at markets, moving house and generally settling into Melbourne life.

The new house I have moved into has a spectacular lemon tree. Every day there are several lemons on the ground ready for use. I have been juicing and freezing and now, thanks to the advice of Kate from Big Dreams Embroidery, have tried preserving them.

The recipe is simple. Slice the lemons longways into 4, 6 or 8 depending on size of lemons (ours are mammoth so I did 8) then squish down into a preserving jar between layers of salt and peppercorns. I juiced a couple of extra lemons to cover.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out. If anyone has any special recipes to share that I could use these in, I'd love to hear. :)

A Little Something For The Guys

2010-11-09T16:28:00.001-08:00

After many, many requests I have finally found the perfect cufflink settings for my buttons! A little quirky with a subtle vintage edge, Shagpile's cufflinks make the perfect gift for all those fashion conscious guys who are usually tricky to buy for!

See them first at Rose St Market this Saturday Nov 24th and Sundays thereafter.

Swap Hungary!

2010-11-08T12:13:00.000-08:00

I have admired the textile jewellery of Judit from vadjutka for quite a while now and I was thrilled when she contacted me to arrange a fabric swap. We both work with textiles so this made lots of sense. I was so excited to open my package, especially knowing it had come all the way from Budapest, Hungary! As you can see, the fabrics are absolutely stunning! :)

Rose St Artist's Market

2010-10-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

I'm extra excited about Rose St Market's this coming Sunday. My super talented, illustrator friend Nina Maskiell from Sydney is having her first ever stall there, as is Melbourne Etsian Fiona from Odd One Out with her quirky felt creations. Melbournians, come say hi to us all on the weekend! :)

Illustration by Nina Maskiell

Felt Play Food Cookies by Odd One Out

Finders Keepers Melbourne

2010-10-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

Shagpile will be at the Finders Keepers Market in Melbourne this weekend. If you haven't been to a Finders Keepers event before. you are in for a treat! A huge variety of local art and design talent all under one roof with live music and bar to boot! More details on their website.

Bitterblue

2010-09-27T01:48:00.000-07:00

I was recently commissioned to make some button sets for the Melbourne based Bitterblue. I'm looking forward to seeing the buttons featured on this years range of Summer shirts. Check out Bitterblue's awesome range of shirts and winter jackets here or on Sundays at Rose St Artist's Market.

Market Preparations!

2010-09-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Whilst waiting rather impatiently for important supplies, I have been busy preparing all the 'bits and pieces' for the Finders Keepers Market. My Dad has kindly put together some new display stands for me - they are made from some cheap canvases and wooden lengths from Bunnings. I think they look really fresh and modern. Can't wait to try them out! I've also been cutting and stamping hundreds of business cards and packaging pieces... the joy! :)

I'm trying to be organised and not leave anything to the last minute. Is there any must do thing that you have on your market checklist? I'm bound to forget something!

What a Score!

2010-09-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This post may induce extreme jealousy!

I'm a metric girl through and through so when I purchased a listing on etsy for 3lbs 4oz of vintage fabric scraps, i was expecting a little bundle of pretty fabrics to arrive on my doorstep, not a big box of them! These beautiful vintage fabrics are all cut into strips for a quilting project that was never finished (actually parts of the quilt in progress also came in the box!) and they are perfect for buttons and earrings.

Expect to see lots of these beautiful prints arriving in the shop soon. :)

Button Love

2010-09-06T03:44:00.000-07:00

I love seeing what people do with my buttons! These beautiful pages were made up by the talented Jess over at The Happy Srappy Place. Hop on over if you would like to see more of her creations. Jess is also the September guest designer on the Challenge Heaven blog, a great resource from scrapbookers!

Rose St Artist's Market

2010-08-29T23:41:00.000-07:00

New Mini Rings available at Rose St

Fantastic news! From next Sunday (September 5th) I will have a stall at Rose St Artist's Markets in Melbourne. This will be ongoing and hopefully on some Saturdays as well as places become available. I love the market and the great quality, unique, handcrafted products sold there.

If you are in Melbourne (and I know many of you are!) drop by and say hello. I'd love to meet you.

Rose St Artist's Market
60 Rose Street Fitzroy

Back and Busy!

2010-08-13T02:38:00.000-07:00

Hello from Melbourne! I arrived back safely, after a long grilling from customs who were convinced I was a drug runner! Probably would have been funny if I hadn't been traveling for 25hrs without sleep!

Since I've been back I've been super busy. These little ones above are earrings in the making. They will be arriving in my etsy shop over the next few weeks.

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

2010-08-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of parsnipandpear on etsy

Just thought I should let all my blog friends know that I will be returning home (well to Australia anyway) next week. I'll be in Melbourne where my parents are now living so I hope to meet some of you Melbourne folk in the flesh sometime soon!

Spain has been a great experience with lots of inspiration and ideas along with some great new friends. I definitely haven't ruled out spending more time here in the future, it's just that it doesn't feel that this is the right time for me to be here. You know how sometimes things seem to fall into place around you as though you are meant to be right there, doing exactly what you are doing and other times, no matter how much positive energy you pour in, it feels like you are battling the universe. Maybe the hardest thing to do is to admit that the thing you thought you wanted might not be the right thing for you right now!

I am sad to leave for many reasons but also happy for many others including spending some time with my parents, grandparents and these little guys!

If anyone has any suggestions or advice on Craft/Design markets in Melbourne it would be greatly appreciated. I know it's not the best time of year but I was thinking about giving Rose St a try.

Anyway, will be in touch from Melbourne Town! :)

Ring in a Bubble

2010-07-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

Fabulous fabric covered button rings now in store! Check out the awesome packaging! Each ring arrives in a sturdy plastic 'bubble' which keeps it safe during shipping and also makes it ready for giving. More coming soon. :)

Three Faves Friday

2010-07-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Set of 3 Hoops by merriweathercouncil

Identical Twins by Judykaufmann

Paper Bead Earrings by hippiekingdom

Want to play along with Three Faves Friday? Leave a link to your 3 faves blog post in the comments below. :)

... and More Fabric!

2010-07-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

Today I dropped by my new local 'thrift' store (op shop, charity shop!) here in Barcelona. Sadly I think they are closing down as they were practically giving everything away. Anyway, I picked up a few vintage shirts and weird sized dresses to use for fabric. With these finds and all the fun fabric from my previous post I couldn't help but spend the afternoon making a whole batch of new button earrings! The worst part is waiting for the adhesive to set to get going with the photos...

Hope to have some of the finished pairs up in the shop tomorrow. :)

Mums Are Great

2010-07-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

Aren't they? Today I received this awesome package in the post from my Mum, it was filled with all her quilting fabric scraps. They are perfect for making buttons and button earrings which I am planning to make A LOT more of over the next few weeks and she new my precious fabric supply here in Spain was quickly disappearing. I am lucky to have such a great Mum who is always supporting me no matter how crazy my ideas are.

I'd love to hear some of the little ways your Mums support you too! :)

Gumballs!

2010-07-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

Saw these today and thought they were super cute. :)

Delicious Filigree Brooches

2010-07-15T03:33:00.000-07:00

Just finished making these beautiful brooches! They use my current favorite material, super thick 4mm felt as well as some beautiful metal filigree jewellery parts I picked up in Seville recently. They are usually used in making the giant, ornate earrings worn by the Spanish flamenco dancers.

These are all now available in my etsy shop. Would love to know what you think. :)

Quack Quack! I mean, Tweet Tweet!

2010-07-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Having a little giveaway over on twitter at the moment. 500th RT wins any item that they would like from my etsy shop. Hop over here to twitter and RT away to win. :)

Window Shopping

2010-07-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

A little window shopping in the beautiful Barrio Gotico, Barcelona... now to win lotto and do some REAL shopping! :)

Launch - Hand Embroidered Felt

2010-07-01T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to announce the launch of my latest range! It is based around a basic hand embroidered blanket stitch onto felt in a range of beautifully matching and contrasting tones. The range includes button stud earrings in 3 sizes, brooches, necklaces and sew on buttons as well!

The felt used is from my (now) local felt shop in Barcelona combined with gorgeous embroidery thread that I collected a few years back while adventuring in Guatemala. The stunning embroidery work there has certainly been part of the inspiration for this range, in combination with crafty hand embroidered designs from the hippie era.

This range, along with other goodness, will be added to my Etsy and Dawanda shops over the coming weeks.

Hola Barcelona + Blog Winners

2010-07-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

Hello from Barcelona! Yes, I have moved once again. I loved sleepy Granada but needed to be in a big, crazy, creative city again... so, here I am! I have been wandering the streets and found the most amazing little shops hidden away. I promise to take my camera out soon.

And, the moment you have all (maybe) been waiting for, today I draw the winners of my monthly blog giveaway... this month there are 2 lucky winners due to my slackness last month.

The winners are:

Sophie from Sophie Isobel Designs - a fellow textile and button lover, you can check out some of her gorgeous work and vintage finds over on her flickr page.

Deborah from Denim by Deborah - a designer who works with denim products, repurposing and embellishing them to create funky purses. Find out more on via blog.

Make sure you are following my blog for your chance to win a pair of button earrings or a set of sewing buttons next month! :)

Animal Mix Sets

2010-06-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

Pretty cute hey? I can definitely see these buttons decorating a child's book bag for school or sewn onto a special quilt. Thanks again to my Mum for embroidering the cute bee and awesome owl which she designed from scratch. :)

P.s. Don't forget to follow my blog... double giveaway coming up at the end of the month! Yay!

New Look Shagpile

2010-06-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, you may have noticed some changes starting to take place. Shagpile is growing up and now has a wonderful new logo to boot. Thanks to the talented Marie of Marie O'Neill Design + Illustration for creating the perfect, sophisticated new look!

There will be a lot happening over the next couple of weeks with lots of new products and exciting new packaging design. I wish I could finish and upload everything at once, but alas, there are only 24hrs in a day!

Visual Overload!

2010-06-10T00:18:00.000-07:00

This past week I was playing tourist, visiting Moorish palaces in Sevilla and being visually overloaded (in a good way!) with all these amazing colors and patterns. These photos are very much the tip of the iceberg and I went a little berserk taking photos for future reference. You can't help but be inspired by these places!

Where did I visit?

Real Alcázar de Sevilla
http://www.patronato-alcazarsevilla.es

Casa de Pilatos
http://www.fundacionmedinaceli.org/monumentos/pilatos

P.S. I know I missed the May blog giveaway and will draw 2 lucky names at the end of June instead... coming around fast once again!

Trimmings and Things...

2010-05-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

If my bag wasn't already overloaded I'd be buying these beauties by the roll! I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to get my hands on these! :)

An Artsy Project

2010-05-18T05:38:00.000-07:00

These are some rough sketches for a series of drawing i'm about to start. I have been promising a good friend of mine (who I hope doesn't read my blog!) some artwork for way too long now.

For me, thinking of something to draw for a guy has been a difficult task as my drawings usually end up with flowers or pretty swirly bits. I have however been really inspired by the patterns on Moorish tiles here in Spain and considering my friend comes from an Arab background, this might just be the answer!

I have a lot of work ahead of me so i'm off to get started... starting is always the hardest part!

Pizza Bread!

2010-05-12T07:29:00.001-07:00

This is what my flatmate and I made for lunch today. Trust me when i say that it tasted even better than it looks!!! We used Jamie Oliver's pizza dough recipe, located over here, though we halved the amount and it was enough for 4 medium pizzas breads.

We mixed some sliced black olives into the dough and before arranging the toppings of mushroom, tomato and oregano, made some small cuts in the top of the dough and filled them with finely chopped garlic and a drizzling of olive oil.

Totally delicious and I recommend giving it a try. :)

My New Love

2010-05-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

I can't even begin to tell you how much I am loving working with this super thick felt! I used to heat bond layers of felt together to create the same effect which was a bit icky at times and very time consuming! Anyway, these little rectangles are being made into pendants at the moment. Can't wait to share them with you. :)

Saturday Arvo Crafting...

2010-05-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

A little Saturday afternoon crafting! These guys are part of a new series I am working on. They are soon to be little brooches - I still need to stitch the brooch backs on but I wanted to take some quick pics before the sun disappeared...

Happy weekend everyone. I'm off in search of a Spanish fiesta! :)

Monthly Giveaway!

2010-05-08T03:57:00.000-07:00

Each month I have a little giveaway as a thanks to my wonderful blog followers. The draw is completely random and you just need to be following the blog to be entered.

So, if you would like to win your choice of button stud earrings or a set of Shagpile's fabulous buttons, follow away!

Just Stunning!

2010-05-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

Needless to say that nature wins any design contest hands down. Ok, so these have probably been genetically modified by humans but don't ruin my thought... The main park in Granada that was hideously stark only 2 months ago has just exploded with color. There are literally thousands of roses blooming in every color and the scent in the air is divine! :)

Click Click!

2010-05-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

Some much better pics of my latest brooches (yes I braved the evil allergy fluff) and some are already available in the shop.

Off to watch Amores Perros now... how I have never seen this film, I don't know. Set in my favorite country (Mexico) and with my favorite actor (Gael García Bernal). Can't go wrong!

Pretty Brooches

2010-05-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

These pretty brooches are the result of my little creative brain explosion yesterday AKA drinking too much coffee after lunch. :)

I'll be adding them to the shop shortly... well, as soon as I am brave enough to face the evil allergy fluff that is flying around outside to take some proper photos.

Hope you have all had fantastic weekends!

Monthly Winner Announced!

2010-04-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce the first winner of my monthly blog draw. The winner is fellow crafty Aussie Sherrin! You can check out her sewing projects and very cool screenprints over on her blog. Sherrin also participates in a blog called 'I op therefore I am' where a group of deticated Melbourne op shoppers document their finds! Such a great idea.

I am also very happy that the first etsy treasury I have created in several years made it to the front page of etsy yesterday. I'm glad that some of my favorite artists and designers got some precious front page time! I couldn't get the widget to work but if you would like to see a clickable image, hop over to the list on craftcult.

Next blog draw will be on May 31st... make sure you are following my blog for your chance to win.

Mixed Sets

2010-04-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

Over the next week I will be adding some mixed sets of buttons to the shop. I love mixing and matching colors and patterns so I have been enjoying working on them.

The set pictured is a little collaboration with my Mum who hand embroidered the lovely rose. She used to embroider babies singlets and socks when we were kids and I have been trying to convince her to open an etsy shop for a while now. Maybe some positive feedback will give her some encouragement. :) (Yes Mum, I know you are reading this!)

Tomorrow will be the first of my monthly earring draws so make sure you are following my blog for your chance to win.

Mmmm Yum - Felt!

2010-04-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

So I may have paid a little visit to La Casa Del Feltre while I was in Barcelona on the weekend. I love that shop... and that city! I have decided I will definitely move there in July. Granada is beautiful and a great place to learn Spanish but things are a little slow and it is overrun by super young uni students. Yes... i'm feeling old!

Speaking of felt, I am listing some new felt covered buttons in the shop at the moment. Me + Felt + Button Press = It was bound to happen! These buttons could be used in a thousand different ways. I can't wait to see what people do with them.

Sewing Buttons in the Shop!

2010-04-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation over opening a second shop I have decided to stick with one for now. So, for your crafting pleasure or collecting indulgence, fantastic fabric covered sewing buttons are ready andavailable in the shop.

The buttons are covered in fabric from my awesome collection of funky retro and gorgeous vintage fabrics and are now available in 3 practical sizes. All buttons are created using my professional button press and have a strong, clean finish.

Lots more on their way this week. :)

Père Lachaise Cemetery

2010-04-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Père Lachaise Cemetery - Paris, France

I've been meaning to sort through the hundreds of photos I took at Père Lachaise Cemetery for a while now. It is the largest cemetery in Paris and is a wonderful place to visit. It's incredibly peaceful and I ended up spending several hours wondering through it. There are hundreds of notable artists, writers and historical figures buried there. Some of note for me were, Rene Lalique, Jim Morrison, Camille Pissarro and Oscar Wilde. I love the decaying ironwork and the painted, porcelain flower displays.

So, if you ever happen to have a spare afternoon in Paris, I highly recommend it. :)

New Large Size Earrings...

2010-04-10T08:09:00.001-07:00

Large fabric and felt covered button studs coming to www.shagpile.etsy.com through the week!

Don't forget to follow this blog to be automatically entered in the monthly draw to win a pair of stud earrings of your choice. :)

Spring is Here!

2010-04-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Spring has officially sprung here in Granada. It's warming up, the sun is shining and the elderly Spanish folk are out on the street in force. My favorite thing about the warmer weather is that you can sit and relax outside the cafes and bars in the evening and watch the world go by!

What's your favorite Spring thing?

Find of the Day!

2010-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today I came across these wonderful combs in a little haberdashery shop here in Granada. You know those shops where you feel like you have stepped back in time? I'm sure they haven't updated their stock since the 60's and that is totally fine by me! I can't wait to start creating with these gems! :)

Love Street Art? This is cool!

2010-04-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

If you love street art as much as I do, check out this awesome website i came across called graffiti archeaology. It shows the layers of art on public walls over several years. Very interesting! Enjoy!

Granada, Spain, April 01, 2010

Shagpile Shop Back in Action!

2010-04-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Shagpile is finally back online with a super colorful new look and some new products to top it off. I've been a busy bee and have around 100 new items to add - this will be happening over the next week or so if I don't go blind from editing photos all day! Let me know what you think of the new look. :)

Tiles - Parc Güell

2010-03-30T01:49:00.000-07:00

Just a few shots of the tiles from Gaudi's Parc Güell in Barcelona. I love the patterns and can easily see them being translated into quilts or a whole range of crafty projects really! What do you think?

Almost Ready!

2010-03-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

Just working on some last minute photos and editing before Shagpile reopens next week. Almost there with some new designs coming too. Wooo!!! :)

Time Flies...

2010-03-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Just a tiny peek :)

...when you are having fun, or studying a new language in an exciting new town! The last 3 weeks I have been at Spanish school 5hrs a day plus studying a couple of extra hours because i am not so great with languages and am trying desperately to keep up! The weekends seemed to pass even faster with a couple of cervezas and a sampling of tapas.

Hence, Shagpile is still not back online. I will however be taking a 2 week break from my classes to let everything sink in and to get Shagpile back up and running. Also in exciting news, I will be opening a second supply shop selling buttons! Yes, it was bound to happen sooner or later! The shop will specialise in fabric covered buttons made with a proper, hardcore button press (the new love of my life) as well as other handmade and vintage buttons. :)

I will let you all know when they are both up and running. I can't wait for some crafty time for myself again!

La Casa Del Feltre!!!

2010-03-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

Yep, you guessed it! The House of Felt... heaven on Earth for us crafty folk. Felt in sheets, rolls, pre-cut shapes, from paper thin to almost 1cm thick! Sadly, as far as I can see, they don't sell online though it certainly is another very good point to add to your list of reasons to visit Barcelona! I'll be back there soon for sure! :)

La Casa Del Feltre
C/ Canvis Vells, 8
Barcelona
Spain
(Just a few mins walk from the bottom of Las Ramblas)

Awesome Street Art - Barcelona

2010-02-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

Hello! Ok, i'm back online. I've moved into an apartment with some lovely Chilean students and we just sorted out the WIFI. I was starting to suffer some serious withdrawals! Also trying to get my shop back up and running in the next week or so but just finding suitable packing materials etc in a new country is proving an adventure!

So here is the first of the many things I have to share. I am a HUGE fan of street art and Barcelona is one great place to see it! Hope you like these pics as much as I do. :)

She´s Alive!!!

2010-02-20T04:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, it´s true, I´m alive and well in Granada, Spain. My internet access is very limited at the moment as I am living with a crazy old Spanish woman in her baby Jesus shrine while I look for a room in a share apartment. Needless to say I´m hoping to find one very, very soon! I miss my internet life with my crafty friends and I have so much cool stuff to share once I get sorted. For now, here is a photo of Granada. Hope to be back in the loop again soon. :)

Paris!!!

2010-02-07T07:06:00.000-08:00

Yay for being in Paris! I've been here a couple of times before so have tried hard to avoid the cliches. Sorry, no Eiffel Tower pics here! Never fear though, I have found some much cooler things to share...This is the shop in the lobby of 'Tokyo Eat' a modern art gallery slash bar, slash restaurant, slash bookshop, slash all round trendy place, located conveniently next to the Modern Art Gallery of Paris. I often find that gallery shops are as exciting, if not more exciting than the galleries themselves. This was no disappointment with fantastic designs such as rings made from crayons and vinyl flower hair combs some of which were displayed in fridges. Very effective!

This is a one of around 20 images displayed in the Palais Royal beside the Louvre advertising artisans. This one displays a rainbow of wool samples. I like the contrast of colours against the stone.

And a cool sculpture in the Palais Royal. How cool are the reflections?

We also stumbled upon this fantastic exhibition called Carton Plein! where 13 architectural artists have worked with cardboard to create the most fantastic pieces! The website doesn't have much info but I'm going to scan in the brochure when I have a chance because it is well worth sharing.

That's it for now! :)

On My Way....

2010-02-03T19:40:00.001-08:00

I am well and truly on my way, currently stopping over in Korea. I'm not usually a fan of photos taken out the window of planes (though I always seem to take them) but I quite like these ones I took flying into Seoul. I'll check back in soon from Paris where I'm sure I will have something more exciting to share - if I make it to the hostel with my stupidly heavy backpack! :)

Adding up and Counting Down!

2010-01-24T19:26:00.001-08:00

Adding up : Hearts for Haiti has currently raised an astonishing $16,491.12 for Doctors Without Borders efforts in Haiti.

Counting Down : It's just 10 short days until I leave Australia on a brand new adventure!!!

Needless to say, it's been a busy week working on the Hearts for Haiti shop, trying to pack, catch up with friends and sort out those last minute things before I leave. I've been struggling to decide which craft supplies to take with me so i am taking lots of small samples so I have a good base to work with. I'm not joking when I say that my bag has more craft supplies than clothes at the moment!

Hearts for Haiti now has a blog up and running. Pop on over and read about the wonderful Angie of Times and Chimes experiences volunteering in the shop. :)

Hearts For Haiti...

2010-01-17T12:28:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone! Just popping in to say hi. I'm helping out with the wonderful etsy shop, Hearts For Haiti, which has been set up and run by Etsy sellers. The shop is run on donations from Etsians with all proceeds going to Doctors Without Borders to support their efforts in Haiti.

I'm working on the back end of things, replying to enquiries, sorting donation emails etc. The response has been completely overwhelming. The generosity of the Etsy community has been immense.

Please take a moment to visit the shop and if you are a seller on Etsy, perhaps consider donating an item... it's for a great cause.

Thanks and apologies if I am not around blogland for the next week or so while i'm helping out. :)

Make Your Own Awesome Business Cards!

2010-01-07T00:32:00.000-08:00

Ever thought of making your own business cards? I like them because they are unique and cost effective. They are great for craft shows or markets when you are handing out lots of cards and for me have been a great talking point. Following is a tutorial i made up for some i made recently.

1. You will need...

*Large sheet of heavyweight card.
*A piece of thin fabric of similar size to the card.
*A cutting mat or old card/newspapers.
*Metal ruler.
*Craft knife.
*Paint brush (the wider the better!)
*Polymer Varnish (Available from any art store. You have a choice of Matte, Gloss or Satin which has just a slight sheen)
*Your business stamp or even a nice pen if you want to hand write your details.

2. Spread the fabric flat on top of the card.

3. Drizzle some of the varnish over the fabric.

4. Brush the varnish over the fabric.

*Start in one corner and push out any air bubbles with the brush. Add more varnish as you go, if needed. The varnish will seep through and stick the fabric to the card.

5. Have a cup of tea while you wait for the varnish to dry. :)

6. Turn the card over and mark out your cutting lines for the width of your cards.

*I use a pencil and mark at increments along the edges of the card so i can align my ruler with them.

7. Cut your card into strips.

8. Cut the strips down to a desired length.

*I find it much easier to work from the card side. It is much easier to cut through the fabric this way.

9. Stamp or write on your cards.

This batch made almost 300 cards! Not including the stamp (or crafty tools that i already had) and considering I only used 1/3 of the bottle of varnish, they work out at less than 5 cents each. Not bad for a unique, memorable business card!

If you have any questions (or something doesn't make sense) just leave me a note. :)

Guerrilla Knitting!

2010-01-05T22:03:00.000-08:00

I saw this a few months but only had a dodgy disposable camera on me which i have only just had developed. This fabulous guerrilla knitting was in Fitzroy Gardens on the main street of Kings Cross in Sydney. The 'Guerrillas' really went all out using a crane to reach higher branches. I'd seen photos of this kind of thing in various parts of the world but this was my first real life taste and i loved it! You can see more (better) pics over here of pom pom trees as well as knitting covered seats and sculptures. Well worth a look. :)

Sale Time!

2010-01-04T00:04:00.001-08:00

I'm having a massive sale in my etsy shop for the next few weeks before i leave. I'm hoping to find new homes for as much of my current stock as possible as i won't be taking much of it with me. I will of course be reopening my shop with lots of fabulous new stock once i get settled and find a sewing machine over in Spain. Pop on over and grab yourself a bargain! :)

Snow on The Other Side...

2010-01-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

I just want to share these photos my Mum sent me (yes Mum I am still awake) of the park downstairs from their apartment in Moscow. Being in hot, humid Sydney, it's hard to imagine how cold it is on the other side of the world right now! I'm only a fan of cold and snow in VERY small doses so for the moment i'm quite glad to be where i am. :)

And to the New Year...

2010-01-01T01:34:00.000-08:00

Well, happy new year everyone! Personally, i feel like my new year is starting in February when i leave Sydney. My brain is a little overloaded with getting through all the things i need to do before i leave to be reflecting and making resolutions (which i never keep anyway.) Though, after spending the last few weeks clearing out all the junk in my house, there is one thing i promise to keep at the forefront of my mind this year (and hopefully on into the future.) That is, to think more about my impact on the environment - to live more simply and to need less 'things'. I have given away and thrown out SO much stuff over the past month that i never really used and probably never needed in the first place.

So my focus is on Feb 3rd when i set out on my new adventure, just like the folk in the photo above. I found this pic in an old photo album that had been given to a charity store... it's wonderful. These people travelled the world and the photos are fantastic. I'll try to scan some more in before i leave.

Anyway, i wish you all the very best for 2010! I hope to see and share lots of crafty goodness with you all!

Toys Galore

2009-12-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

Hello! I hope everyone had a happy Christmas. My bro and i had a quite one as it's just the 2 of us in Sydney at the moment. It would have been nice to visit my parents who are living in Russia for a proper cold, icy Christmas buts it's a long way to go for a day!

I'm still sloooowly sorting through my accumulated junk and came across all my old toys from the early 80's. My Mum and I culled the pile down a fair bit via a long skype video call. lol. Above are some memorable ones who will be hanging around for a little longer... For a girl who loved lego and making mud pies i sure did gather a lot of toys!

Hypothetically....

2009-12-23T01:49:00.000-08:00

... if i was to open a button supply shop on etsy at sometime in the future, which name below would you find most appealing? The hypothetical shop would sell buttons of all sorts... vintage, handmade, repurposed etc. as well as other bits and bobs for crafting. Which do you like/dislike and why?

1. By The Button

2. Bobble & Button

3. Billie Button

4. Bessy Button

5. The Button Lab

Any other suggestions greatly appreciated. :)

A Little Music Before Sleep...

2009-12-20T01:29:00.000-08:00

It's been a BIG weekend of markets and garage sale fun and i am in bed at 8:30! I just wanted to share this great band called Seabear from Iceland that i have been listening to recently... lovely indie, folky sounds. Above is their song 'I Sing I Swim' played to clips from Michel Gondry's film 'The Science of Sleep' (also highly recommended and not JUST because Gael Garcia Bernal is one of the leads!).

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Goodnight. :)

This Weekend...

2009-12-17T14:32:00.000-08:00

This Saturday I will be selling my goodies at Glebe Markets (on Glebe Point Rd) in Sydney. If you are in Sydney, drop by and say hi, chill out on the lawn and do some last minute Christmas shopping! I will be taking along most of the jewellery from my etsy shop as well as some fab new brooches (above). Hope to see you there!

Sunday we are having a massive garage sale at my house as well... it's going to be a crazy weekend!

P.s. A big thanks to everyone who has dropped by my blog recently. This week has been super busy but i promise to visit you all next week when the craziness subsides a little!

Look what I found on my doorstep!

2009-12-15T18:42:00.000-08:00

A fabulous box full of delicious, fresh fruit and veg! What more could a food loving vego such as my myself ask for? When our housemates moved out on the weekend they told us that a package would be arriving for us but i had no idea what it would be!

Some friends of mine started having their fruit and veg delivered a few months ago and they love getting a surprise mix because they get ingredients they would never normally buy and have to be creative with their cooking. I think it's a great and have talked about it a lot so i guess that's where they got the idea!

So, i don't usually cook sweet corn or squash? Anyone have any suggestions? :)

Can I just say how excited I am?

2009-12-13T16:44:00.000-08:00

About EVERYTHING?!? We've had a bit of a shuffle of rooms around the house to make way for a new housemate and i think emptying out my room has made it really hit home that I'm leaving in 6 weeks! I'm a bit stressed about the millions of things i need to get done but also so excited about all of these things:

1. Moving to Spain (Ok, obviously!) and all that it brings.

2. Detour via Paris to catch up with some friends and to visit lots of galleries.

3. Detour via Barcelona where my Mum is going to meet me! Yay! I won't have seen her for over 6 months by then as my parents are living in Russia at the moment.

4. Having a stall at Glebe Markets this Saturday! (If you are in Sydney be sure to drop by and say hello!)

5. Having a garage sale this Sunday! (Note: Markets Saturday + Garage Sale Sunday - someone is going to be busy!) Hoping to find new homes for at least some of the junk i have collected over the past few years!

6. ...AND already excited about new creative projects I am planning for next year once i get settled. I just want to start working on them already!!!

So, do tell, what are you excited about right now? :)

Button Diaries : Primary Goodness

2009-12-10T00:47:00.000-08:00

Just a few more buttons to get us all through the week. :) These are from my extra special collection (yes a collection inside a collection!) that belonged to my Grandma, my Mum's Mum. I don't remember her but i obviously inherited a love of buttons. :)

P.s. Fave button love photo of the week is here.

Oh and update. Great button pic here too! :)

Parting with Books

2009-12-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

I have been giving away alot of things recently in preparation for my big move but i have some art and design books that i just can't part with. I was planning to box them up and leave them with my parents until my friend Laura kindly offered to mind them for me until... well, until i'm not even sure when! I'm glad they will be joining her massive book collection and may even get looked at once in a while. :)

I love books and they are so easy to justify buying because they are the kind of thing you can keep for a lifetime! Do you have a favorite book that you could just never part with?

48hr Sale

2009-12-04T16:51:00.000-08:00

Yes, i'm having a little sale in my etsy shop over the weekend. Actually it's quite a decent sale, buy one item and get one free! To me, that says, buy someone a Christmas present and get a free pressie for yourself! Yay!

I'm leaving Sydney in less than 8 weeks now and i really hope that most of the wonderful things i have made will go to good new homes before I go. I'll definitely be continuing with my etsy shop once i get organised in Spain but i think i will be starting my stock from scratch. A bit scary but very exciting at the same time! :)

Scarflettes in Store.

2009-11-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

Hello, hello! Sorry for my slackness in blogging... I've been busy organising years of accumulated 'junk' to sell on ebay or give to charity. It seems like an endless task! The more i sort through, the more that seems to appear! I've got about 8 weeks before i go overseas but i know that with Christmas, New Years and a visit to see my family interstate, those 8 weeks are going to FLY!

I have had time however to make some more neckwarmers and these cute little scarflettes. I've added most of them to my etsy shop already. I'm not a huge fan of cold weather but i'm sort of looking forward to a bit of European winter just so i can actually have a chance to wear some of the winter products that i make! :)

Drumroll Please..........

2009-11-25T16:45:00.000-08:00

Winners of my 'Quit My Job and Moving to Spain' giveaway have been drawn! Rest assured that the draw was well supervised by Head Supervisor 'Cosmo'.

So the winners are:

Blues and Greens - Lemon Shortbread

Browns - Mara of Piquant Jewellery

Reds, Oranges and Blues - Secret Cake

I want to say a big thanks to everyone who entered and for all of your kind words and support. I enjoyed reading about where you would all like to live and i hope you will follow me on my own travels. :)

My Place and Yours - My Collection(s)

2009-11-21T00:59:00.000-08:00

The fantastic theme for Pips meme this week is 'My Collection'. Well i have a few collections going on! I'm already sharing pics of my button collection week by week so i thought i'd show some of my fabric collection (no, this is not even all of it and i am so glad my parents have offered to look after it for me when i go overseas!) and also a pic of my vintage glass collection... i don't smoke yet have collected several ashtrays. I love that chunky, heavy glass! :)

Once Upon ...

2009-11-18T18:23:00.001-08:00

Apologies for not being around much over the last week or so. My laptop is about to die so i have been using it conservatively. I have *YAY* ordered a new baby netbook which will be arriving soon.

Anyway, tonight i am off to the Leeloo birthday party/Once Upon exhibition. Can't wait to see all the Fairy Tale inspired artworks. If you are in Sydney why not pop on in tonight for the opening? It starts at 6pm at aMBUSH Gallery 4A James Street, Waterloo.

The Button Diaries - Week 2

2009-11-12T00:08:00.000-08:00

Pink through to burgundy for your viewing pleasure! :)

Spiro Bangles

2009-11-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

I've been making these bangles for a while but have only just made them available in my shop. Created from tiny handcut felt circles these bangles are bold yet lightweight. They are currently available as 'design your own' but i am working on some ready to ship this week. :)

Scultures by the Sea - Photos

2009-11-08T00:48:00.000-08:00

Sculptures by the Sea is an annual exhibition held on the beautiful Bondi to Tamarama walk in Sydney. I really enjoyed taking these photos! To view larger versions of these images please visit my flickr. For more info on the exhibition and artists clickvisit here. :)

Toy Society - First Toy Drop!!!

2009-11-04T00:39:00.000-08:00

Update: Little Orange Owl has been found! Yay! Read the lovely message from the finder here.

I'm so excited about my first toy drop for the Toy Society! I discovered this fabulous project through Vic over at her wonderful blog, Punky & Me.

From www.thetoysociety.blogspot.com:

"Toy Society spreads the love throughout the streets of the world. Nothing to it really just a bunch of handmade toys looking for a nice home. What started as a small street art project in Australia is slowly spreading around the world."

Basically, you make a toy and leave it to be found by a stranger, hopefully brightening their day! There is a simple procedure to follow and all the info can be found over on the Toy Society blog.

I left this little guy on a swing in the park at Tamarama Beach in Sydney. Sculptures by the Sea is on at the moment and i thought that was quite fitting. I left him somewhere where he has hopefully been found quickly as it was a bit overcast and i was worried it may rain! I hope he has found a good new home. :)

P.s. I got some great pics of the sculptures... on their way in the next couple of days.

The Button Diaries - Week 1

2009-11-03T02:52:00.000-08:00

Largest and smallest in my collection.
The thing i have come to love about the big wide land of the internet and in particular the land of blogging is that you meet people with common interests who you would probably never meet otherwise. I've noticed recently that many people out there share my love of vintage buttons. This makes me happy as i sometimes wondered if my Mum and i were the only weird button sorters out there... I used to get teased sometimes because I'd rather stay home and sort through a new tin of buttons than go to the pub with my friends!

Tell me a story? - I'm sure you have many...
I've been sorting through my button collection for the last couple of days and I've been considering why i am so fascinated by them. I think for me it is that each has it's own little story to tell. They've lived a life before they make it to my button box and i love imagining what that life may have been.

I'm going to run a series of blog features about buttons. I'll include lots of pics of my own but I'd love for you all to submit photos or links to your own collections or to anything button related that button lovers may find interesting! Leave a link in the comment section or email links and images to me at andria@shagpile.com.au. :)

Yummy Beads or Getting Crafty With Presentation!

2009-11-01T00:04:00.000-07:00

So I've been busy this weekend starting the massive task of sorting through 15+ years worth of collected beads and buttons. I made a small dent by creating some lots to sell as a 'destash'. I've never sold items like this before so i came up against the task of presentation. It seems to be popular to show beads beside a coin which drives me crazy! I wanted to use some sort of scale to show the large size of the lot at a quick glance. I was struggling with this all day yesterday but i woke this morning with the thought pictured above. I think it works and also adds some fun!

What do you think? What other creative ways have you seen beads or buttons presented to show scale? I'm curious... :)

New Super Long Loop Scarf!

2009-10-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

Yay! I've had this gorgeous 70's fabric in my collection for a few months now and am happy to have finally found the perfect use for it. The scarf I've made is really long and great for looping and tying. My most versatile design yet! I was lucky enough to find this fabric in burgundy/magenta/mint combo as well so there will be another of these in store soon.

Cube Collection No.4 - Current Faves

2009-10-27T02:44:00.001-07:00

I started a blog feature called 'Cube Collection' a while back that was meant to be weekly but have been a bit slack recently! So anyway, here's another one. I've included a bunch of my favorite recent finds. If only i could afford them all!

I have treated myself though and purchased that funky 'honeycomb' bangle by jewelstreet in the top corner! Can't wait for it to arrive. :)

1. jewelstreet 2. aggieray 3. annarubyking 4. MaruMaru 5. lesadraws 6. littleclouds 7. sparrowsalvage 8. purplefrogshop

Quit My Job & Moving To Spain - Giveaway!

2009-10-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

Prize Pack No.1 - Blues and Greens

Prize Pack No.2 - Browns

Prize Pack No.3 - Reds, Oranges and Blues

Think i'm joking? Well i'm not! I finished up at work last week and i'm heading to Spain early next year. I'm really in need of a change of scenery. I'm planning to go for a year for starters but hopefully longer, depending on how things work out. Never fear, i will still be crafting and selling via my etsy shop with a burst of added inspiration! I hope you will join me in my adventures through my blog! :)

To celebrate this massive life decision, i'm having a little giveaway right here. I'm giving away the 3 prize packs shown above. Each pack is comprised of a generous stack of fun fabric scraps, a handful of vintage buttons plus one fab Shagpile item. To enter follow these 2 simple steps:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You can post whatever you like but i'd love to know where you would choose if you could live anywhere in the world!

+

2. Follow my blog OR follow me on twitter OR become a fan of my facebook page.

Entries will close at midnight November 25th 2009 and i will randomly draw the winner on the 26th. I'll email the winners and also post them on this blog. Good Luck! :)

My Place and Yours Week 2 - Bedside

2009-10-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Taking part in Pip's meme again this week. I'm loving this as it's making me tidy random little spaces that are often neglected! That said, i do like to keep my bedside table fairly clutter free for stress free sleeping. At the moment i have a funky retro glass ashtray for storing bits and bobs as well as my trusty tiger money box. :)

If you'd like to play or take a peek at other peoples bedsides, pop over to Pip's blog Meet Me at Mikes.

New Season Tube Scarfs!

2009-10-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year again. 30*C days for me in sunny Sydney, but getting a bit chilly for my friends on the other side of the world. Never fear, Shagpile's new season tube scarfs (neckwarmer, cowls - whatever you wish to call them - i get confused...) have arrived!. I've started out with a range of 6 of these fun paneled tube scarfs but i'm sure there will be lots more to come. It gives me a great excuse to play around with my fabric, matching up colors and textures. :)

Great for bike riding on a Winter's day! Available in my etsy shop.

ReTie - Neck Cuff No.1

2009-10-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

I really love vintage neckties and i have played around with them in the past without a huge amount of success. Today though, i think i hit the jackpot! I really love this design and it's simplicity. I also love that it is made from 100% reclaimed materials! :) What do you think?

Curvy Submissions Open!

2009-10-21T14:17:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to hear that submissions are open for Curvy 2010! Curvy is a fantastic art initiative featuring female artists from around the globe. You can get your hands on a copy of their amazing book here.

This year i think i may just enter! For those of you who don't know, i also love to draw. That's one of my drawings from a couple of year ago below... as you can imagine it's pretty time consuming, probably the main reason i haven't done much recently. If you would like to submit an artwork or find more info, check out their website www.curvy-world.com.

My Place and Yours Week 1

2009-10-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i came across Meet Me at Mikes new 'meme' (The term Internet meme is a phrase used to describe a catchphrase or concept that spreads quickly from person to person via the internet - thanks wikipedia) or for us less techy folk, lets call it a game! Basically, each week a particular place or perspective will be chosen that is common to everyone. Anyone who wants to join in takes a photo of the weeks theme and posts a link for everyone to view. Sounds like fun to me! This weeks theme is On The Shelf.

I realised that i don't actually have many shelves in my house. Except for ones in cupboards that nobody wants to look in. In fact, i'm kind of scared to look in them myself in case i get knocked over by an avalanche of craft supplies! So, i chose my bathroom shelf instead. It sits just above my basin and is home to some lovely retro goodies. :)

For more info, to see this weeks links or of course to join in, check out Meet Me at Mikes blog.

Big Flower Brooches!

2009-10-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Hello! Well it's been a busy week for me with work, tutoring, packaging and waiting in line at the post office! I did manage to finish off 3 big flower brooches and list them in my shop. I'm still really enjoying working with vintage stacking beads at the moment and am really happy with the way they turned out. :)

This weekend i'm working on some new neckwarmers for my friends in the Northern hemisphere. I'm using a similar design to my last range but adding more panels. So far so good! Off to get some coffee before i start sewing them up! :)

Itty Bitty Mini Flower Brooches

2009-10-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

So these are the mini brooches i mentioned i was working on a few posts ago. Most of them are now available in my etsy shop with the others coming soon! Yay! I really love these little ones. :)

Happy Snaps - Russia

2009-10-05T04:13:00.000-07:00

Well i wish i had some crafty things to report but there has been no sun and only rain today so i haven't been able to take any photos of my current projects (which i am so excited about!). I've also been at work at my 'day job' at the backpackers and my day started with a guy yelling at me and shoving a tape recorder in my face playing back his recording of the noise the other guests in his room were making at 5am. The day didn't get too much better (though i did have suprise visitor which is always nice) so let's leave it at that!

So, no crafty pics but above are some happy snaps from my recent trip to Moscow. :)

Sunday and Free Gift Wrap

2009-10-03T22:59:00.001-07:00

That's right! Any purchases made before Christmas will arrive beautifully gift wrapped as above with a sweet handmade gift tag. So guys, there are no excuses for gifts wrapped in old newspaper and masking tape this year! :)

I've spent most of the day working on my new blog design. I'm really happy with it so far but still have a few things i'd like to add. What do you think?