Teaching Grace to Sew...

Today is was rather fickle weather with it pouring one minute, then sunshine the next. Grace and I decided after a trip to the supermarket that there wasn't much point heading to the park (as we had planned) and instead sat down for a Mother-Daughter sewing session.

Grace really likes to watch me sew — she likes to help me choose the fabric (from the multitudes that I have as you can imagine), play with the buttons and zippers but most of all, she marvels at how something just a short time ago was a flat piece of fabric and is now a purse/skirt/bag/hat/top/shorts etc. "that's very clever Mummy" she states rather matter-of-factly as she checks herself out in the mirror usually.

Well, today I was feeling particularly patient and I thought it might be fun to show her how to make stuff too. I had been chatting to Heleen from Ruby in the Dust at the last Devonport Craft Market, about how she had been teaching her son to sew, and I just thought that was so awesome!

I had a whole pile of felt (waiting to be made into little Christmas decorations for our tree this year) so I cut a length with a pointed edge so that Grace could make a little purse. I pinned it in the middle to hold it in place, and drew dots along the edge so that she could see where to put the needle. I had thought about teaching her to go in from one side, then through the underside with a running stitch, but being her first attempt I wanted to keep it easy and we just did a diagonal stitch around the edges.

She was concentrating so hard! It was so sweet when she was finished, the pride was just beaming from her face as you can see. I sewed on a button for her and cut a button hole. Her new purse is now full of her Barbie shoes "to keep them safe Mum" she tells me.

Go Grace!!

Grace getting the hang of sewing her little purse...

Ta Daa!! That's one happy little lady

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I gots me another blog!

as if I didn't have enough to do already... but it appears I can squeeze in one more thing! I have been for a while now attempting to save money on my daily existence and make more things for myself to use (bread, gardening, sewing our clothes etc.)

I thought that it would be an excellent idea to pop it all in a blog so that other people can benefit from the things that work, and have a bit of a giggle at me for the things that just don't make the cut. I'll be posting all sorts of goodies like links to tutorials, my own tutorials, gardening stuff, sewing things, recipes for yummy goodies, money stuff, budgeting tricks and general bits and pieces.

Take a look-see if you can, it would be great to have you follow my journey!

P.s. I love the header for my new blog, might be time for a Bam Bam Creative overhaul methinks....

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So Many Markets!

There are quite a few markets popping up all over Auckland at the moment, the newest one that I will be at is the Love Handmade Market! It's been set up by 2 gals, Rhiannon and Alana who are rather crafty themselves. There will be quite a few vendors from Kraftbomb and the Devonport Craft Market, plus some new people like my buddy Kylie from Skipapple.

These are the next markets that I will be at, I'll have more of my 'Hoppity, Hoppity Bunny Zipper Purses' and 'Bye Bye Baby Bunting' so be sure to come along and say hello!

Kraftbomb: 25th October — 11am til 2pm
Full of crafty goodness! Come along for loads of amazing, quality stall holders, NZ Cupckae Queen cupcakes, Fred's famous lemonade and a play ground for the kids.


The Devonport Craft Market: 1st November — 10am til 3pm
With over 50 stall holders you will be sure to find something you like! Come to Devo for an awesome day out — head over on the ferry, enjoy lunch at one of the local cafes and meet plenty of interesting and crafty people!


Love Handmade: 14th November — 9am til 12pm
Auckland's newest market! Come along to support the ladies and ensure the first one goes off without a hitch. There will be an amazing raffle for a gorgeous prize from Gordon Harris, I know I'll be getting some tickets...


So that's what's happening for me over the next month (despite being insanely busy at Uni with only 8 weeks to go until I graduate!!) so there are plenty of options around for you to do your Christmas shopping.

Chat soon!
Jess

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What I Wore Today: Any chance to draw and doodle...

Two of my favourite Illustrators, Kate Wilson and Sarah McNeil, contribute to this Flickr Group "What I Wore Today" started by fellow Illustrator, Gemma. Instead of it being photographs, people draw illustrations of themselves with their daily outfits (self explanatory really). I've been meaning to jump on the band wagon for ages, just for a bit of fun and something to do. Obviously my illustration skills require some work so I'll have to keep it up (such a good excuse to draw and doodle!). The group pops their favourites on their blog which you can find here.

Fellow Auckland crafter, Olivia from Lily's Make Believe has also joined in, hooray!

My 2 outfits from last week.

The lovely Sarah McNeil with her outfit.

Kate Wilson, who I first discovered this group through, I love her cartoony style


Olivia from Lily's Make Believe with her outfit.

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The Devonport Craft Market is tomorrow!

So get some of your lovely friends together and pop along, you could do a spot of Christmas shopping perhaps? Or maybe just buy something gorgeous for yourself, as I know the thought of Christmas at this time of year makes me feel a little queasy...

Sunday 4th October — The Devonport Craft Market, Clarence House, 32 Clarence Street, Devonport — doors open 10am until 3pm

There are loads of cool things to do in Devo, so fingers crossed for some delicious weather! See you there!

Me with the big guns on Northead, Devo is a fun day out!

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Auckland Craft Collective launches today!

Then why am I still holding my breath with anticipation? Or is that excitement? Either way, it's totally awesome!!

The Auckland Craft Collective is my new little baby and I have teamed up with the very productive Kylie of Skipapple to put it all together and make it happen! So really, it's our little baby. It all began several months ago when I was going to set up an Auckland Etsy group to network and share idea's with local crafters and artisans, but something about that didn't sit quite right and then I was talking via comments with Crafty Business and a few others saying that I wished there was something similar in Auckland — and when they all said, why don't you set something up — I thought, well, why don't I?! And so it begins....

You can take a look at the Auckland Craft Collective blog for more detailed information about what we will be doing and we will be launching a website in the next week or two with even more information so it's very exciting.

I hope that you will all take a gander and let usknow your thoughts, it would be great to have the craft community's support as this concept is intended to help all of us. We really want it to do well and to support our unique little industry so feedback is welcomed.

Talk soon lovelies!
xxx

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