michvanetta

Merry Christmas

2010-12-21T10:17:00.008+11:00

To all my wonderful internet friends, customers, suppliers and readers of my blog I wish you all a wonderful Christmas.

May 2011 be all that you want it to be and more!

I look forward to bringing you the news of our 3rd precious little person who's due to enter the world on the 1st of the 1st 2011.
We're very excited to meet this little one.

Until then enjoy this special time of year with those you love: eat, drink and have a blast!
xx Mich

Image 1: Tabletop Christmas Tree by Red Zebra Designs on madeit

Image 2: retro merry christmas // 12 pack eco friendly gift tags by lemon tree lane on madeit

Image 3: Christmas Ornament - 3D Star Decoration by The Papertie Affair on madeit

A lovely surprise from Daisy & Mister

2010-11-24T10:25:00.006+11:00

A couple of weeks ago, I received a lovely email from Arita of Daisy & Mister.
She wrote to tell me I had won her competition - the beautiful "Halla" necklace.
I was very excited and I love it!

Please be sure to view more of Arita's pretty creations at:
Daisy & Mister on Madeit
Daisy & Mister on Etsy
And read more here-
Daisy & Mister Blog

Thanks again Arita x

Mosiac Workshop Weekend

2010-11-09T11:53:00.005+11:00

Over the last two Saturdays, together with my mum, I've completed a two day workshop on Mosiac.

I didn't expect much from it, but I was very much looking forward to spending some quality and creating time with my mum. I can't even remember the last time we had time together without anyone else around, so to have a few hours sitting side by side meant alot to me :)

Being our first time we were asked to make a simple plaque.
I decided upon a flower design as I knew my girls would like it, even if I didn't like the end result.

My favourite part of the whole process was cutting the glass and mirror, and placing the pieces around, much like working on a jigsaw puzzle.
I must say after grouting and polishing I'm quite happy with how it's turned out.
What do you think?

Cognac Necklace - new in September

2010-09-30T07:45:00.006+10:00

This is one of my new pieces for September.
I'm in love with this necklace and if nobody snaps it up from my Etsy Shop, it's mine :)

It's made up of these deep and rich topaz faceted beads and topaz cathedral czech glass beads. I've placed one big Sterling Silver Bead in there too, can you find it?

To view more of my new pieces in September feel free to click here!

Look - a gorgeous clutch from alipink!

2010-09-07T11:47:00.008+10:00

Last week I won this gorgeous vintage (chocolate swirl) fabric clutch by alipink.

The clutch is made from a Seventies print cotton fabric and features a swirling floral pattern in chocolate and white. It is lined with dark brown fabric and is secured with elastic and a vintage button.
I love. love, love it, the colours are fab (just my style) and the vintage button on the front I adore.
Thanks again Ali x

Check out Ali's:
~Website

~Etsy Shop (USD)
Shoulder bag I love orange

~Madeit Shop (AUD)
Mini messenger bag - Paper Doll

for more of Ali's lovely creations.

Celia's Creations

2010-08-30T09:14:00.006+10:00

Celia loves her Play-Doh and yesterday was no exception.

After some time playing with her blue doh she came to ask me for a pencil, I said "sure, what will you use it for?"
Celia said, "To make eyes, a nose, a mouth and boobies".
Well I tried my hardest not to laugh and had to check out what she was up to!

Taking a peek at what my 3 year old was creating - I discovered this:

Haha how cute! Soon after they were squashed and the Blue Play-Doh put away for another day of creating.

Sunday Sale

2010-08-29T12:48:00.005+10:00

Today: I'm having a wee little sale on my facebook page

These items are not listed anywhere else so let's say it's an "exclusive" to my michvanetta Facebook page.
All prices include postage to anywhere in Australia.

Can you find something that will make a nice present for someone?
....or treat yourself. All pieces will arrive beautifully giftwrapped, like Christmas coming early.

DUST Craft Swap - Kellie Christie

2010-08-26T11:03:00.006+10:00

Flat Button Necklace by Kellie Christie

This month I participated in the DUST Craft Swap and I was paired up with Kellie from Kellie Christie.

My parcel from Kellie arrived 2 days ago and I've gotta tell you it felt a little bit like Christmas opening my package.
She was very generous and I love everything.
I would post the pictures of the goodies I made for Kellie, but I'll wait until she confirms with me that she received her parcel, I don't want to ruin her surprise :)

This is what I received:

Pair of dangly earrings, pair of dark blue floral studs, and a super cute brooch.

How awesome is this necklace, it's so bold, I love it!

Thanks again Kellie!

A little about my suburb - My dream ring

2010-08-17T11:05:00.003+10:00

I thought it'd be a good idea to show a little bit of my local community every now and then.
To kick things off I wanted to share my dream ring and the man/gallery behind it.
It's by the very talented Michael Wilson who has a lovely gallery here in Eltham.

If your ever in the area you must stop in, his work is divine.

Me time, ahhhhhh!

2010-08-05T14:28:00.003+10:00

I have just taken Miss 3 to her afternoon Kinder session and I have an hour before collecting Miss 7 from school.

This (right now) is a little bit of me time.

I will be consuming these lollies, a warm cup of tea and the latest issue of Dumbo Feather with my feet up.

Have a lovely afternoon all.
x

New Fab Find

2010-07-13T13:46:00.005+10:00

Black Cat Pendant
This black cat is my "childhood" favourite!

Recently I found myself browsing through some very talented sellers on madeit and quickly fell in love with these gorgeous pieces of yummy jewellery.

Adelaide based jeweller Minnette Michael makes jewellery from whatever materials she can get
her hands on, she has been known to use sterling silver, resin, buttons, silk thread, vintage fabric,
enamel paint, 100s and 1000s, yellow gold, cork, and most recently recycled plastic.

Strawberry n Creme Pendant

Minnette's inspiration is drawn from her love of mixed lollies, umbrella's, jewellery, chocolate,
couches long enough for laying on, rain, buttons, plastic, knitting, Corey, vintage fabric, socks,
lamps, Enid Blyton, sunshine, little ceramic containers, cowboy boots, mittens, colour, wallpaper,
daisy's, Minnie Mouse, board games, travel, chocolate chip cookies, kittens, black & white photos,
recycled paper, ballon animals, cupcakes, clouds, rainbows, snow, champagne, strawberries,
moonlight, picnics, mint green...

Resulting in what has been described as 'wonderfully nostalgic, whimsical and colourful jewellery
that often looks sweet enough to eat'.

Check out Minnette's other delicious creations here.

Green Frog Pendant

The 1st CHA Craft Swap

2010-07-09T14:17:00.010+10:00

I recently participated in The Contemporary Handmade Alliance's very first craft swap.

Partnered with the lovely and talented Tania from Chicken Ink Creative was a real thrill.

Here's what I received:

Visual Diary

Notebook

Here is what I sent to Tania:

Necklace

Floral Pink Screwback Earrings

Retro Green Earrings

Everything together - necklace, earrings and magnet set including a brooch

It was a pleasure dealing with Tania be sure to check out her shop on madeit.

Big Sale

2010-06-29T13:03:00.004+10:00

Everything in michvanetta can be now be purchased at 30% off.
Including all items in my Etsy shop (USD)
and in my madeit shop (AUD)

All prices HAVE NOT been marked down, I will either send a revised invoice or simply purchase and make payment and you'll be refunded the discount (excluding postage costs).

Get in quick this sale ends at 11.59pm on June the 30th (Melbourne- Australian time).

A cold winters day and frankie

2010-06-28T11:11:00.003+10:00

A cold winters day and my new copy of frankie.

My cute Bolivian Cholitas guarding my frankie collection.
Have a happy Monday all xx

And the winner is......

2010-05-27T16:38:00.004+10:00

Joanna!
Congratulations Jo, I'll be in touch soon, thankyou to everyone who entered.

Have a fabulous weekend and keep warm.
xx

Facebook Giveaway

2010-05-19T14:01:00.006+10:00

Due to the crappy new laws on Facebook I've had to work out the best way to hold my giveaway for my Facebook Fans/Likers, (thanks so much for joining), if you're not already a fan or liker feel free to visit here: michvanetta's Facebook Page

Up for grabs are these sweet pink rose stud (sterling silver) earrings and $25USD to spend on anything you fancy in my etsy shop - how cool is that?!

My 3 year old sweetie will pull the name out of a hat. All you have to do is leave a quick post below.
To gain an extra entry feel free to blog, twitter or facebook this giveaway and let me know.
Please no anonymous posts, I won't know who you are :)
Entries open until May the 26th.

Best of luck to all :)

Win a $100 madeit voucher!

2010-05-14T10:14:00.005+10:00

To celebrate the recent Frankie Magazine advert madeit are giving one lucky buyer a chance to win a $100 madeit.com.au voucher! Hooray!!

Simply buy from any of the Frankie advertisers (see here) and you could win a $100 madeit voucher. Giveaway runs from the 13th May to the 27th May. Winner will be picked via random.org!

Visit my madeit store here, make a purchase and go into the draw to win the $100 madeit voucher - good luck!

Retro Pinwheels - Japanese Vintage Glass and Brass Earrings

My interview with Christina from Billy Mac Clothing

2010-04-27T11:41:00.008+10:00

I was thrilled to interview the lovely Christina from Billy Mac Clothing. She may be fairly new to the DUST Team and Etsy, but look out for her and her gorgeous creations.
I predict only good things for this lovely clothing designer from Sydney.

1. Tell us about yourself (where you live, your family life, where you grew up)
I live in Sydney with my husband and my 2 girls who are 3 and 18months. My house is quite hectic – the girls are both very active and determined and I run 2 businesses from home so there is always something going on and a mini-drama to deal with. I’ve always lived in Sydney, I moved around a lot when I was at Art School so have experienced life in quite a few suburbs but home for now is the North West of Sydney. I grew up in a reasonably large family – 3 older brothers and I was the only girl, and the youngest! My Dad gave us all nicknames, mine was Bill and as our surname started with a Mc, I became Billy Mac.

2. Describe yourself in 5 words.
Creative, stubborn, ambitious, honest, cuddly

3. When and how did you first start creating/crafting?
I’ve always been artistic. I was always drawing, painting or dancing as a child but when I reached high school I knew that this was it, Art was my ‘thing’. I went to UNSW, College of Fine Arts for 4 years and when I graduated moved around in a few different jobs within magazines and retail advertising where I was amongst very creative people but I wasn’t being creative myself. In the back of my mind I knew that I was still an artist but I had pushed aside the ‘making’. After having my 1st child I started my own graphic design business which meant that I took the lid off my artistic self again and after having my 2nd child I started billy mac clothing. It has been so fantastic to use my creative skills again – with billy mac clothing I am creating my own work and not channeling my artistic side through my clients work. It’s an absolute joy and my kids have great t-shirts to wear.

I found after having my girls that there were fantastic garments for babies, but then for around the 2 years up age group the reasonably priced garments were either printed with Disney or Bratz Dolls licenced images or they were attempting to make girls in particular, dress much older than they were. I needed to find t-shirts for my toddler to wear to Pre-school that I wasn’t too precious about if she got paint on them, had her shoulders covered in case of sunburn when she was playing outside, but also made her look like ‘the coolest kid in town’! I couldn’t find anything within my price range so decided to focus on making my own.

4. Where is your favourite place in the world?
My favourite place in the world is wherever my family and friends are, and hopefully there’s good wine and nice cheese there ... and if there’s not, I’ll bring some with me!

5. Where would you like to travel?
It’s no secret to anyone who knows me that my dream is to travel to Europe. I’ve been dreaming and talking and planning my trip for years and years but life keeps getting in the way! My husband works for Qantas so there’s no excuse. Our trip will be a little different now with 2 little girls in tow but we will definitely be going to Europe before they start school. Top of the hit list is Florence, Rome, Tuscany, Paris, Barcelona, London .... I could keep going but they’re the obvious big cities for most travellers!

6. Describe your business in 5 words.
Cool, retro, quirky, bold, fun

7. Where do you create your items and what materials do you use?
My studio is at home, I have a room at the back of our house which at the moment is chaotic as I’m preparing to sell at my first markets. All my designs are done on a Mac using Adobe Illustrator. The design part is my favourite part of the process, they are then printed via a couple of different methods depending on the design and heat pressed onto the garment. All of my t-shirts are 100% cotton and are printed with sturdy vinyl or digital prints. I’m experimenting with a few different print methods and weighing up the options between quality but still trying to keep costs reasonable. I’ve been focussing on short-sleeve t-shirts square cut for the boys and a gorgeous puff sleeve for the girls, but now that the weather is getting cooler I’m expanding the range to include long sleeves, baby onesies and am trying to decide if hoodies might be the way to go?

8. Where and what would you like to be doing in 5 years time?
In 5 years time my girls will be 8 and 6 ... so they’ll both be at school (will this mean I’ll have some free time?). I’d love to be living somewhere near the ocean and near great schools for my girls. I imagine my days will be filled with school drop offs and pickups; and running my graphic design business and billy mac clothing in between. I’m hoping the hard work that I’m putting in now will reap rewards in the future and that life will be a little smoother! Oh and I’d love our house to be filled with all the gorgeous paintings, and homewares and pretty little things that I picked up during our travels through Europe.

Join Billy Mac Clothing's Facebook Page here.

Feel free to check out more Australian Etsy Sellers from the DUST Team

Thrifty finds

2010-04-13T12:24:00.009+10:00

Two beautiful glass containers both Made in Belgium.

I was lucky enough to have a spare few hours up my sleeve yesterday and instead on working on some new pieces I took myself out in the crisp, cool Melbourne morning air to a few local op-shops (thrift stores).

I came across a few beauties. The first few pictures are of these gorgeous containers in perfect condition. Both made in Belgium, both found in different shops, and now they both sit together on my shelf.

I found this adorable jewellery box that I'll pass down to my daughters when they're a little bigger.

I picked up four vintage necklaces that I'm thinking to pull apart and remake them into pieces for my shop, but I haven't fully decided upon this idea yet.

Have you found anything special in op-shops lately?

Blackbird Market - April the 10th

2010-04-06T14:10:00.003+10:00

Catch me at Blackbird Market this Saturday from 11am through to 4pm.

Located at The Worker's Club
51 Brunswick Street (corner of Gertrude St)
Fitzroy
free admission!

I'll be selling lots of new creations.
Hope to see you there!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-01T13:15:00.005+11:00

Fuchsia the Hot Pink Bunny Faux Fur Plushie Momma Size by Zygopsyche on Etsy

Mini mosaic eggs - Set of 3 by Sigmosaics on Etsy

Happy Easter to all my friends, family and lovely blog followers.
I hope you enjoy the next few days with loved ones.
Hope that big, fluffy bunny brings you a lovely treat!
xx

Rabbit Whispers Print With Thread 4 Easter Gift by artdecadence on Etsy

Look what I received...

2010-03-23T12:19:00.007+11:00

The lovely Chris from littlechrissy posted these gorgeous goodies to me and I've been wanting to blog about them for awhile now... and finally here I am.

littlechrissy is an eco-friendly shop, using as many pre-loved, re-purposed and recycled materials as possible.
You'll find Brooches, Purses and even cute little booties in her shop.
You can even contact her for a custom piece/design, how cool is that!
Follow Chris's blog here.

Super cute little felt pouch in yellow with brown circles and a funky brown button for closure, love it!

Beautiful red felt and turquoise beaded pendant on silver wire. This necklace is a burst of colour, just the way I like it :)
Thanks again Chris xx

Our gorgeous girl turns 7

2010-03-16T13:37:00.006+11:00

Last Friday was our eldest daughter's 7th birthday....WOW how fast the time has gone, I still remember holding her very late the night she was born, the midwife came in to check on us and she told me to go to bed, I just couldn't stop holding her and looking at her, and look at her now.

Latesha has grown into a beautiful, funny, creative and intelligent little girl.

We held her party at Balance Gym, she had a fabulous time with all her friends, and how cool that the party girl gets to have a go on this.....

Happy Birthday sweet cheeks - here's hoping the next year drags on a bit longer xx

Autumn is here

2010-03-03T15:57:00.007+11:00

Autumn in France tea cup Soy wax candle by TwilightSpells

Autumn has arrived.
It's my favourite season, I love the cooler nights, mornings and warm afternoons here in Melbourne.
I love seeing the change in colour of leaves and walking with my girls ontop of crunchy leaves.

the last rays bracelet by wingbysea

What's your favourite season?

Please check out these lovely Autumn inspired items by talented Australian Etsy sellers.

WOOLY AUTUMN DAYS by ashleightaylorsydney

renaissance cushion by tractorgirl

Sunny Yellow Flowers

2010-02-24T11:24:00.008+11:00

Yellow is such a happy colour for flowers - something about the brightness just make me smile.
Perfect for men and women, friends and family.
I love the way Miss 3 pronounces the word Yellow, she says "LAL-LOW".
What's your favourite coloured flowers?

My Spring in the City Flowered Earrings can be found in my etsy and madeit shops:

Rain and the Blackbird Market

2010-02-16T10:59:00.004+11:00

Last Saturday it rained and it was cold for most of the morning and early afternoon.
It felt like winter in the middle of summer and I, amongst others, had a stall at the Blackbird Market in Fitzroy. It wasn't as busy as the last market and I'm pretty sure it was due to the weather and other events that were around town on the same day.

Nevertheless I enjoyed myself all day, it was nice to see some lovely, familiar, faces.

I can't make the March market (Miss 6 is turning 7 that weekend), but I will be there for the April market.

Thanks to all that came to visit, see you in April.

Blackbird Market - Brunswick Steet, Fitzroy.

2010-02-11T10:46:00.003+11:00

The time is fast approaching to the second Blackbird Market held this Saturday.
I'll have a stall there selling my Sterling Silver Vintage Stud Earrings, my Magnet Sets made with Vintage Buttons, Necklaces and more.

If you're in Melbourne on Saturday and looking for something to do come down and say hi, grab a beer, listen to some live music and check out the gorgeous vintage clothes etc and locally made creations.

Blackbird Market
at The Workers Club
51 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy
11am - 5pm entry is free

French Garden

2010-02-08T22:34:00.008+11:00

Who doesn't love a good garden?!

I know I do, and just this morning I was lucky enough to have time out with a close friend. We sipped our coffee and then enjoyed a leisurely walk around a gorgeous garden here in Eltham, Victoria.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the local gardens but I do love viewing pictures of beautiful French Gardens.

This piece that I have made here in Eltham is named French Garden, a bracelet featuring a gorgeous handmade lampwork glass bead together with Vintage Glass Beads, Lucite and Czech Glass Beads.
Available now in my etsy shop.

Yummy Raspberries

2010-02-02T13:15:00.009+11:00

I love the selection of summer fruits available at this time of year here in Australia, in particular all the different kinds of berries.

Blueberries are my favourite but I love the look of raspberries.
Their colour is amazing as is their texture.

I stumbled across some raspberry glass beads and now wear them as earrings, you can own your own pair too.
Find my Raspberry Earrings in store now.

Very cute baby animals

2010-01-16T13:25:00.007+11:00

My lovely Aunty J emailed this link to me.
It features such beautiful photos of the cutest animals.
Let you heart melt!

I've added a couple of my favs, enjoy!

Miss Celia is 3

2009-11-26T17:11:00.007+11:00

I've been so busy lately and this time of year is just too silly for words,
...but I did take the time to slow down for our lovely Celia's 3rd birthday last Sunday.

She had a ball, she acted very grown up all day and thanked everyone for their gifts and for coming to see her.

I want to bottle her up and keep her at this age, she's just precious AND cheeky at times, but mostly precious and gorgeous.

Nilla Nilla Organic Lip Balms

2009-11-10T14:00:00.010+11:00

Last week I received these gorgeous Nilla Nilla Lip Balms in the post.
I gasped with delight at how they were wrapped, wrapped like a big lollies/candy.

I received the Limon and Strawberry Sundaes Pout Balms which are both equally delicious.

To receive your very own Organic goodness for your lips be sure to check them out here, you won't be disappointed!

New Colour - Vintage Pears

2009-11-02T12:59:00.005+11:00

In stock a new colour for my "Vintage Pear" Earrings.

I'm not usually one for the colour pink but this pink is lovely, a gorgeous Magenta and it looks nice up against the Vintaj Natural Brass, these can also be custom made with 14Kt Gold Filled or Sterling Silver Findings upon request.

Find my Vintage Pears on Etsy here

or in Australian Dollars in my madeit shop here

Mr Blue Tongue is back.....

2009-10-20T12:16:00.006+11:00

.....I haven't seen him since last summer and just before lunch he was sunning himself on my back deck, I have missed him......(I have a fascination with lizards.)

When I first glanced at him I did get a bit of a fright, thinking I was looking at a snake but then I calmed down after realising it was only Mr Blue Tongue - hooray he's back!

I quickly, and quietly, ran inside to grab my camera and after taking these pics, then went inside to ask Miss 2 to come outside, but when arriving to the last place I saw him, he was gone.
Celia was a little upset that I had dragged her away from her "biscuit making" with Play-Doh....for nothing?!

But at least I have the pictures to show.

Until next time Mr BT.....

Find me this Saturday at The Multicultural Hub

2009-10-15T14:12:00.004+11:00

I'm super busy this week preparing for the 1st Birthday at the Multicultural Hub in Melbourne. The hub's first birthday and my first market.

From the website:
"Happy Birthday Hub!
Join us in celebrating the Multicultural Hub’s First Birthday. View the Hub’s great facilities, watch cultural performances, shop at our own multicultural craft market and get a taste of all the activities you can enjoy. Entertainment will include performances from the Bhutanese, Assyrian-Chaldean, Japanese, Chinese and Burundi communities among many others."

I'll have my new range of Sterling Silver Studs available on the day.

please pop by if you're in Melbourne.
where: multicultural hub 506 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
when: Saturday the 17th of October
time: 11am - 3pm

see you there!

New tag sets in koot

2009-09-30T16:01:00.009+10:00

I've finally have some new tag sets in my (second) etsy store koot.

I love these tags and I hope you do too, the first three sets are made out of vintage papers.

This is the first set of Christmas tags available in my shop with more to come, watch this space :)

Op-shop beauties

2009-09-21T20:34:00.009+10:00

I'm alwyas on the look out for gorgeous vintage children's book at my local op-shops or (as you may call them on the other side of the world), thrift stores.

I always end up buying them, and some I just cannot bring myself to chop in to.
These two are an example of that, they're just too cute and in such great condtition for their age.

You can find my paper tags in my second etsy store koot keep checking back for new listings.

DUST Team Sale - September Blues

2009-09-04T13:48:00.007+10:00

Vintage Blue Pear Earrings on sale in my etsy shop.

Blue is a favourite colour of mine and this month's sale within the DUST Team is of course blue items.

Here a just a few of my favourites that are on sale, click here to find many more delicious things on sale for the month of September.

Reef Earrings by Incalesco

fresh bleu gold poppy pin by savage kitten

Hemp Pareo Style Wrap Scarf in Peaceful Blue and Turquoise by Rainbow Revolution

Button Magnet Sets available now

2009-08-14T12:02:00.013+10:00

A Jewel on the Forest Floor

Strawberries and Cream

I love vintage buttons and have such a huge and wonderful collection sitting on my workbench in glass jars.

Each button carries its own story and I'm having alot of fun mixing them up a bit and creating Magnet Sets.
These make for a great gift idea for that someone in your life who has everything, or be the envy of workmates and jazz up the office or to pretty up the fridge at home, either way they arrive nicely packaged and ready to give as a gift, even if it is for you :)

Midas Touch Magnet Set

Retro Pink - Magnet Set

Sunny Side Up - Magnet Set

Family Day at the Melbourne Museum

2009-08-03T13:05:00.010+10:00

Yesterday morning we spent a lovely family day out together at the Melbourne Museum.
Latesha has been begging us for awhile to go and see the Dinosaur exhibition and we had to put it off a couple of times due to other things happening.
Even though I have a shocking cold, we bundled the kids in the car and made our way there.

The line was so long upon entrance, but luckily for us it moved fairly quickly and we were able to see the exhibition in no time.

Miss Celia was fascinated with the huge bones of a whale:

I had a great time exploring with my girls:

and the dinosaurs were awesome:

Christmas in July - DUST TEAM Sale on NOW

2009-07-25T13:46:00.007+10:00

My gosh the excitement within the DUST Team on Etsy is infectious.
This weekend, is of course, Christmas in July and to celebrate participating stores in the DUST Team have fabulous sales going on.

I'm offering 20% off all items in both of my shops michvanetta and koot.
Come in and take a look around or just say hi, I'm literally glued to the computer if I'm not wrapping up my sales.

Below are a few items I've purchased, pop into their shops, you'll find lots of handmade loveliness at great prices.

Tree of Life Pendant by unique dichroic

Wooden Egg Pincushion by raycious

My treetop home in dusk Recycled Notebook by little mo and friends

My collection of reading material for the week

2009-07-15T09:59:00.005+10:00

I simply couldn't find Peppermint magazine anywhere last week, which made me a little upset that some of my local newsagents didn't stock it. Dragging my 2 year old around with me in search only added to my frustration, so after spending some time on Twitter I realised I could purchase it from the lovely Leeloo. Whilst I was there I ordered some back issues of Mix Tape and I was thrilled when my parcel arrived this week.

I did find the latest edition of Frankie and my copy of Dumbo feather arrived in the mail so I'm looking forward to some "me" time this week, to curl up and do a spot of reading.

One Lovely Blog Award

2009-07-06T13:14:00.004+10:00

A big thank you to Tiff of Owl and Fox for passing on this "One Lovely Blog" award to me! I feel very special.

Rules: 1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link. 2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you have newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Check out the following blogs that I have recently (and not too recently) discovered:
In no particular order at all.

1. Anastasia Drawing and Dreaming
2. eclectic me
3. Heidi and Seek
4. ish and chi
5. m.e
6. MS Handbags
7. NeverEver
8. Pocket Carnival Handmade in Melbourne
9. Bobishi and Suki-La
10. Nicole Tattersall
11. Moonmum
12. Sam McLean Designs
13. Little Poppett
14. Here we go loopy lou
15. chunkychooky

Win Stuff - my earrings - frankie

2009-07-03T08:20:00.008+10:00

I'm excited about my giveaway on the frankie website.
Win a pair of my "Vintage Pear" earrings by clicking here.

frankie is a fabulous magazine packed with goodness, issue 30 is out now!
If you don't want to head out into the cold to get your copy sign up for a subscription here - easy peasy!

Blog Giveaways - I Won!

2009-06-25T11:17:00.008+10:00

Over the last couple of weeks I've been lucky enough to win not one, but two blog giveaways.

The first - two prints by the super talented Emma from benconservato.

Thankyou so much Emma, I love them!
Please check Emma's online shop for more monster prints, originals and more.

The second blog giveaway I received was this gorgeous tartan skirt by Marg from itchykoo.

It was hard to keep Miss Celia still for a photo, this is the best I could do. Celia loves it, as do I, and she insists on wearing her "special" skirt everyday.

Thankyou very much Marg!
You can see more of Marg's creations in her online shop.

New Jewels - made into earrings, cuff links and screwbacks

2009-06-19T11:05:00.008+10:00

I've had fun using these Jewels to make cufflinks, stud earrings and screw backs for those that don't have holes in their ears :)

If you have any special requests just send me an email or convo me through etsy, I'm sure that they'd look fab as a pendant hanging from a fine chain if you'd like a necklace.

The blue is my personal fav and I happily wear a pair of earrings around.
Hope you like them too!

Flashy Red Cuff Links available in my etsy shop.

Madeit Giveaways

2009-06-01T12:26:00.004+10:00

YAY for Madeit and it's wonderful giveaways.

I entered and won the most adorable little hair pin from Pretty Chic Princess.
You can check out her online shop here where you'll find sweet, handmade, hand dyed clothing and hairclips for your little princess.

My girls love this clip and take turns in wearing it.

For more wonderful, Australian stores visit madeit today.

Baa Baa White Sheep

2009-05-28T11:50:00.007+10:00

This lovley sheep has been part of my family for years.
My mum bought it when I was a child and I always loved it.

It was moved around the family home from room to room and when I moved out in my twenties mum asked me if I wanted it, I quickly said yes, but my husband didn't understand why I wanted it.

I guess it just holds alot of childhood memories, coming home from school, coming home from camps, coming home from swimming lessons and Mr Sheep was always there.

Now he sits atop our bookcase and my daughters love him too!

SALE - SALE - SALE

2009-05-20T12:46:00.007+10:00

Yep that's right a big Sale is happening in my etsy store.

My 2nd year etsyversary is coming up on May the 31st so from now until then I'm having a Sale!

Simply purchase any two items and your free item will be of equal or lesser value of one of your purchased items. I'll happily refund your 3rd item via paypal or send you a revised invoice, too easy!

Perfect for upcoming birthdays for friends, sisters, daughters, other family members, teachers or buy early for Christmas - gasp!

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo gave me a fright

2009-05-15T14:11:00.005+10:00

This morning whilst walking in my back room (aka laundry) I was startled by a flock of Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos.
They took off after hearing me, from the noise I made with the washing basket, and flew out of the tree they were all in, right by the window.
My guess was around 8 of these big, black beautiful birds were happy in my huge gum tree before I surprised them, and they surprised me.

I've never seen these beautiful birds before in the wild and got to thinking where they had come from and where were they going?
I hope to see them again, soon.

Some info on Australia's beautiful black bird:
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo

Description
The Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo is a large (55 - 65 cm) cockatoo. It is easily identified by its mostly black plumage, with most body feathers edged with yellow, not visible at a distance. It has a yellow cheek patch and yellow panels on the tail. The female has a larger yellow cheek patch, pale brown bill (grey-black in males) and black marks in the yellow tail panels. Young birds resemble the adult female, but young males have a smaller cheek patch.

Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos also have a distinctive call. The contact call is a drawn-out "kee-ow". Some screeches are also given.

Until recently, the Short-billed Black-Cockatoo, C. latirostris, found in south-western Australia, was considered a subspecies of the Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo. This species has white, instead of yellow, panels in the tail. Another similarly sized black-coloured cockatoo is the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, C. magnificus. This species overlaps with the range of the Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo in south-eastern Queensland. It has red panels in the tail, and spotting on the body and head. The smaller (48 cm) Glossy Black-Cockatoo, C. lathami, also has red panels in the tail.

Distribution and Habitat
The Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo is found in south-eastern Australia, from Eyre Peninsula, South Australia to south and central eastern Queensland. Here it inhabits a variety of habitat types, but favours eucalypt woodland and pine plantations. Small to large flocks can be seen in these areas, either perched or flying on slowly flapping wings.

Food and feeding
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos feed in small to large, noisy flocks. The favoured food is seeds of native trees and pinecones, but birds also feed on the seeds of ground plants. Some insects are also eaten.

Breeding
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoos have a long breeding season, which varies throughout their range. Both sexes construct the nest, which is a large tree hollow, lined with wood chips. The female alone incubates the two eggs, while the male supplies her with food. Usually only one chick survives, and this will stay in the care of its parents for about six months.

Hair Pins

2009-05-12T14:23:00.005+10:00

I've been creating alot of hair pins recently and they haven't lasted long after listing them in my online etsy and madeit shops.

They're all made with these Vintage Black Roses and I've used old green, pink and blue buttons as a back drop.

I've made a new batch of hair pin sets and will have them up in my shops soon.

etsy DUST craft swap

2009-04-30T11:45:00.006+10:00

This month I participated in another etsy DUST craft swap.
I was partnered with the lovely Christine from BonTons.

She spoilt me with a gorgeous fabric bag and matching notebook cover, perfect for my TO-Do lists!

She even checked out my blog and "found out" my little girls names and made personalised pillowcases each for them. They are super excited to have their own special pillowcase and Latesha instantly told me she wanted to write a thankyou card.
It's in the mail Christine!

Thanks again for the lovely swap and for the lovely emails.
Be sure to check out Christine's shop here.

New items in store

2009-04-23T13:43:00.006+10:00

I thought I'd blog about my latest creations because I absolutely love both of them.

The first are these earrings I've named Retro meets Classic meets Modern.
The pink lucite hoops are very Retro, the white Freshwater Peart is so classic and the lovely handmade Sterling Silver Hoops are super Modern.

The second this funky, chunky, Vintage Beaded Necklace.
I've made this from a couple of different Vintage Necklaces that I had and made it into this Classic Black and White Necklace.

I'd love to know what you think of these items.

Melbourne Comedy Festival

2009-04-16T12:12:00.007+10:00

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival has hit town and it's always a great time of year to go and have a good ol' belly laugh.

I've been fortunate to see the very funny and intelligent Arj Barker.
My hubby and I had a nice evening out together (which we hadn't done in absolute ages), we laughed and didn't want Arj and our night to end.

Last Monday I caught up with a very good friend of mine and we decided to go and find a show to see....after going through the list we found ourselves buying tickets for Jeff Green a UK comedian who is now living in Autralia, he was (of course) very funny, he had a wide range of gags and knowledge that was bound to hit a note with everyone sitting in his audience dury the hour long show.

Tonight I'm meeting up with more friends and we have tickets to The Best of the Edinburgh Fest which, this year, features Gordon Southern (UK), Jason John Whitehead (CAN) & Jarlath Regan (IRE) - can't wait!

If you live in Melbourne go and grab your partner, friends or family and see a show - it's guaranteed to be an excellent and funny night out!

Aussie Autumn Sale

2009-04-07T10:36:00.005+10:00

I'm part of a wonderful team on etsy: DUST (Down Under Street Team)
and every month we have a sale with a theme and this month it's Autumn.

Enter Dust Team Sale in the search button on etsy and be surprised by what's on offer.

I love these:
Birch Forest Clutch by pocketcarnival

Set of Two Chocolate Brown and Latte Gingham Ribbon Clips by VanillaPixie

and Eucalyptus Bracelet by owlandfox

all on sale for the whole month of April.

New Etsy Store - Now Open

2009-03-30T14:04:00.006+11:00

This idea was tossed around in my mind for a very long time, and I finally gave in and opened up a second etsy store named: koot.

You may wonder how I came up with the name so let me paint that picture, (so to speak); my youngest daughter Celia who is 2 years old is still (obviously) learning how to talk, when she sees something that is cute, she says, "Oh look Mumma, koot" so that's how it came to be and I love it!

In this shop I'll be listing alot of vintage lucite, destash, tags and whatever else takes my fancy, it's a nice and refreshing distraction away from my jewellery.

Large Vintage Lucite Purple Beads

Peacock Blue Hearts

I hope you can pop in and take a look around, I'll be listing alot more over the next few weeks.

Nouveau Swirls and Lila

2009-03-23T13:35:00.006+11:00

I've been busy over the last week making new pieces, my latest two pairs of earrings are now up on etsy for the world to see.....and buy :)

Nouveau Swirls feature these funky Vintage Lucite Beads in Teal together with a beautiful Vintaj Nouveau Swirl connector.

Lila features these amazing lilac and gold engraved beads which look like genie bottles to me, only round. I love these beads and they hang from Vintaj Natural Brass Chains.

Happy Birthday gorgeous!

2009-03-17T12:42:00.004+11:00

My gorgeous eldest daughter Latesha turned the age of 6 last Thursday.
She had a great day at school and later that night we celebrated together with this big fudge that I made and decorated with her favourite lollies, smarties!

She received so many beautiful gifts after 3 long days of celebrating.

Amongst other goodies I purchased this adorable Strawberry delight cake purse from Tabitha Emma and Latesha loves it as much as I do.

Her 5 favorite things to do (at present) are:

1. Paint her nails
2. Ride her scooter
3. Draw
4. Learn to read
5. Swim

Only last night I was told by her swimming teacher that she'll have to go up a class because she's getting very good and the class she's in isn't challenging her enough. I'm so proud of my big six year old!

I love my new dress!

2009-03-10T10:54:00.006+11:00

This dress is the best clothing purchase I've made in a very long time.
It's made by the lovely and talented Franziska who is originally from German and now living in Melbourne, Australia.

Fran sells her wonderful creations out of her shop named lyptis.
Her shop name lyptis comes from euca-lyptus.
Fran likes eucalyptus trees, she says "they smell so nice and are always green."
I agree and it's a great name for her shop.

The fabric is charcoal grey and 100% wool, it's so soft, comfortable and flattering to wear.

I wore it out for the first time over the weekend to my nephew's 1st birthday and I received many postitve comments.

Thanks again Fran, I know I'll be back for more.
Be sure to pop into Franziska's shop and add a nice, quality piece of clothing to your wardrobe.

Etsy DUST team swap

2009-02-26T13:49:00.004+11:00

This was another fun swap with alot of the lovely members of DUST, the theme for this swap was "Love".

Liz from Buttonbowerbird sent me the most beautiful bouquet of buttons in pink, red and white.
It's so gorgeous and I can't stop touching it and twirling it around. I'm now in search of a lovely little and unique vase to keep this on my work desk.
It really does bring a smile to my face.

Liz if you happen to read this, thanks again.
And for all that are reading don't forget to check out Liz's creations in her online shop.

Button Swap

2009-02-20T11:12:00.004+11:00

I recently participated in a craft Button Swap through the madeit forum where we were to send our secret partner two small creations made with buttons and around 30 vintage and new buttons for our partner to use.
Leah from Vintage Chenille sent me some gorgeous hair elastics and very cute paper art as well as a bag full of vintage and new buttons.
Thanks so much Leah these are just lovely and will get lots of use and admiration.

6th in the 6th - I've been tagged!

2009-02-11T16:21:00.005+11:00

I really have to do this now because I've been tagged not once, not twice but three times by the lovely and talented billy boy & mia, NeverEver and ButtonsByLouLou.

The rules are that you must go to your computer photo files, find the 6th folder, and the 6th photo in it must be displayed and written about. Then tag 6 more people to do the same.

I have one huge file stuffed with little files so I'll pull the 6th one from there, OK the 6th photo is this:

A necklace I made up over a year ago that expired on etsy, I was thinking to pull it apart and make something else, but after seeing this photo, I'm thinking it IS beautiful and perhaps I should relist it instead.

I now tag: Poppy Lane, Kara Smith, fede, coffee bean cards, Cidtalk and briones & co

I look forward to viewing your photos ;)

The Bushfires in Victoria

2009-02-09T11:57:00.009+11:00

I can't bring myself to blog about my lastest creations OR my eldest daughter and her first day of starting school OR the happiness I had in sharing my hubby's birthday with him yesterday after the horrific year we had last year - my heart and emotions are going out to those who were caught up in the devastating Bushfires in Victoria on the weekend.

So many lives have been lost (at last count 108) and hundreds more homes have been wiped out.
Only one building is left standing in the, what was once so beautiful, Marysville.
Kinglake is around 30kms from where I live in Eltham - it's just so sad and the stories of people's survival is chilling.

For those that are reading please donate anything you can to the Australian Red Cross it will very much be appreciated in these extremely difficult times.

(The pictures you see were taken outside my backdoor last night.)

Hot, hot hot here in Melbourne!

2009-01-29T07:53:00.006+11:00

If you live in Victoria or South Australia you will no doubt be super hot today and for the next few days.

"The furnace-like conditions were forecast to continue until at least Sunday, likely giving the city six days in a row above 40 Celsius for the first time since 1908, after Tuesday's top of 43.2 degrees.

As Adelaide sweltered, conditions further north were even worse with some outback centres reporting temperatures above 50 degrees, prompting health authorities to urge all South Australians to take extreme care.

The heatwave is continuing in Victoria today with 43 degrees forecast to hit Melbourne.

The Bureau of Meteorology says that Victoria's weather will remain hot for another week with temperatures mostly above 30."

To top it off it doesn't cool down overnight and our house (and surrounding areas) lost electricity for around an hour last night, the house quickly heated up, Miss 2 woke up and I did all I can to keep everyone cool with wet face cloths.

I was thinking about those beautiful and majestic King and cheeky Gentoo Penguins that we visited at The Melbourne Aquarium last Sunday, they were having so much fun swimming in the waters and playing on the ice.

My girls, as was I, were fascinated by these gorgeous creatures.

Celia's hair elastic by the lovely Lou from ButtonsByLouLou

Buttons

2009-01-20T13:08:00.005+11:00

I have a love for buttons and have a huge stash of them too.
I've been playing around with them over the last few weeks and I'm having alot of fun in the process.

I made up a few Christmas gifts for homes which consisted of magnet sets and I'm now slowly adding them to my online shop.

Keep your eyes peeled for more magnet sets, hair pins, brooches and more.

The Great Barrier Reef - Queensland

2009-01-12T07:47:00.009+11:00

I'm back from my short break.
We were lucky enough to stay at the beautiful Blue Horizon Resort in Airlie Beach, Queensland.Our girls, Andres and I had so much fun swimming every day and spending so much time together.

We had a wonderful, full, day out out at Knuckle Reef in the Whitsundays.
We snorkelled around the Great Barrier Reef, took a ride in a semi-submersible submarine and a glass bottom boat, as well as going down the awesome waterslide that dumps you straight into the ocean - how much fun did we have? Loads I tell you!
A professional photographer was scuba diving taking photos of everyone, here's me snorkelling.

I took my eldest daughter, Latesha, out on a board. She was a little scared but I managed to coax her in...I loved having her with me in the middle of the ocean.

We did see alot of beautifully coloured fish, and I was thrilled when I saw the most gorgeous coloured, big, fish feeding on some coral, I tried to keep quiet and as still as I could be, while I watched and heard this stunning fish feed.
Whilst in the submarine we managed to see an awesome sea turtle, and for a split second I wanted him to turn around and say "Hey Dudes!"

All in all a fabulous time away, my girls and I have been watching Finding Nemo ALOT and now I'm ready to jump back into creating more pieces.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-29T15:42:00.004+11:00

Oh my gosh - I cannot believe that in just a few days time I'll be doing what those people are doing in that gorgeous photo.
I'm going to be relaxing, swimming and having a fun time with my family at Airlie Beach near the Whitsundays in Queensland.
Happy New Year to all of you!
I'll be back early January, fresh, eager to create and with new designs to list.

I know 2009 will be a great year, see you then!
xx Mich

1 more sleep - Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T12:38:00.004+11:00

It's Christmas Eve and my hubby and I are getting ready for a family dinner tonight. Andres, being South American, celebrates on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so we're going to be very busy over the next 48 hours.
Our girls are getting very excited and I'm excited to see them with delight on their faces when they see their gifts.

I just want to take this opportunity to wish all my readers, customers and friends a fabulous Christmas with loved ones.

I appreciate every one of you and hope this festive season brings you lots of magic, love, fun times and special memories.

2009 will be a fantastic year, (it's my year of the Ox too - whoo hoo.)
I look forward to blogging more in the New Year, after my birthday and little holiday near the Whitsundays in Queensland....ahhhh how I'm going to love lying on the beach or by the pool with a delicious cocktail in one hand and book in the other.

See you in 2009.
xx

2 days to go - My Studio

2008-12-23T07:27:00.008+11:00

MyStudio - Unique Handmade Bags and Accessories.

The story behind My Studio: "I have been sewing clothes for as long as I can remember so making bags and purses was a natural progression for me and one I am passionate about.
A passion needs time and space to grow and that's how MyStudio came about.
It is a wonderful bright design space that I am fortunate enough to have and I have filled it with the most beautiful vintage and new materials and trimmings that I have collected in my travels."

"Everything you see in MyStudio is designed and handmade by me with the utmost care and attention to detail. It is smoke free and pet free inside but plenty of different animals have been spotted outside like, a family of tawny frog mouths, a variety of birds and the occasional possum. (Needless to say, not a lot gets done when the frog mouths are around).
For the girl that likes to be seen with something unique, you'll love that all my products are one of a kind or limited."

Denise is a lovely and professional etsy seller who I've been very fortunate to deal with. Her bags, clutches and accessories are made with gorgeous materials and she has a wonderful eye for detail.
She also has a second shop where she destash's some of her extra supplies.

Whether you're already a seamstress or needing something beautifully made, visit both of Denise's shops, "for the girl who appreciates quality and elegance," you won't be disappointed!

3 days to go - coffee.bean.cards

2008-12-22T12:44:00.007+11:00

coffee.bean.cards is another beautiful shop filled with lovely handmade cards.

"I am a stay at home mom of two boys. Being creative keeps me (mostly) sane, and card making is one of my favorite sports. coffee bean cards is named after my little "coffee bean" who was due to be born on January 15, 2006 but never made it to this side of things. You can see more about us on the blog: flyingnunns.blogspot.com or on my craft site coffeebeancards.blogspot.com"

I've purchased quite a few different packs of cards from this store and have always been very pleased with them.
Please keep this shop in mind next time you're searching for the perfect card, for any occasion!

4 days to go - meringue

2008-12-21T09:23:00.009+11:00

I have made many of purchase from the lovely, witty & clever Jodie from meringue and I'm always thrilled when my package arrives.

The story behind meringue:
"I’m a Melbourne girl, I wear black - it’s an unwritten law if you live here. But I’ve always accessorised with colour, a great necklace or earrings, a fabulous scarf in Winter, I’ve even got shoes in cool colours but gorgeous handbags in styles that I loved weren’t as easy to come by. Sure, there was plenty out there but nothing that appealed to all of my style and price needs.
One day, out of sheer frustration, I pulled apart one of my store-bought handbags to see how it was made - and then taught myself to sew! I still have my first creation from 1999, a collaborative effort with my sister, made from vintage fabric our grandmother bought decades ago. That first little bag was a rather dodgy effort but it still managed to attract compliments from those standing far enough away from the less-than-perfect stitching. And that’s when Meringue was born."

I'm so glad Miss Jodie was frustrated all those years ago because I now have friends, family and myself wearing these wonderful wristlets, and everyone LOVES them.

Rocky Road Cupcake is all mine:

This Tzatziki Wristlet I am eyeing off:

Jodie uses exquisite materials for her creations, which always makes it hard to chose but they are so affordable - just go ahead and buy a few!
Be sure to check out her shop and read more about meringue here!

5 days to go - Buttons By Lou Lou

2008-12-20T09:18:00.006+11:00

Buttons By Lou Lou's shop is filled with colour and gorgeous accessories for women and girls of all ages.
Lou says, "I suddenly began seeing fabric covered buttons everywhere I went and was intrigued as to how they were made. I tried different buttons and fabrics and with trial and error and some lovely advice I have come this far and now know what I am doing!"

"It started as an idea for gifts for my older sons friends, my nieces, etc. and I got a bit obsessed."

Lou is friendly and her little goodies arrive very nicely packaged, ready for gift giving.
I purchased these gorgeous babushka doll elastics for my girls amongst a few other things for them, and I know they'll just love them - as do I!

Please visit Lou's shop and check out her wide range from: buttons, hair clips, elastics to earrings and brooches, I'm sure you'll find lots of wonderful things for the little girl or lady in your life.

6 days to go - Strawberries and cream

2008-12-19T06:38:00.006+11:00

Strawberries and Cream is an absolutely gorgeous store...I just knew I needed to purchase from here right away and quickly feel in love with these beautiful, and beautifully made, LINEN CHRISTMAS TREES PEACE

They arrived quickly from the UK to Melbourne and sit atop a ledge where I can see them, every day over this festive season, in my work area.

Theresia is lovely to deal with, she answers all questions promptly and she's super professional too!
She loves to work with linen and wool fabric. She says 'not the easiest of fabrics to "play" with but the results are always wonderful!'
Most of her dolls are one of a kind and a great deal of work goes into bringing her creations to life. Most of them are partly machine and handsewn.

You can find more of her work on her website and go check out her blog too!

7 days to go

2008-12-18T07:57:00.006+11:00

Leah from Vintage Chenille lives in a small country town in Victoria Australia. She discovered the craft of patchwork using vintage chenille and began collecting vintage chenille to make her baby girl a quilt and now she just can't stop!

I recently purchased this Scottie Dog:

for my hubby's cousin in Bolivia - South America for their newborn son "Joaquin".
I've received feedback and Joaquin is already looking at it and touching it - how cute!

Leah has lots of goodies in her shop and she's super friendly too.
You can read more about Leah in her profile or visit her blog.

8 days to go

2008-12-17T07:55:00.007+11:00

My next featured, wonderful, seller is Wendren from her gorgeous store Wren

Wren is a design label full of colour and print. Everything is supremely hand-crafted (by herself and with help from her local community). Wren is inspired by nature and motivated by sustainable principles. In this way, Wren is conscientious and authentic South African design.

And I must say that Wendren's customer service is fantastic as her products.
I'm happy that I have a couple of her creations wrapped up under my Christmas Tree this year, for me, including this lovely Lily Pond Selvage Cosmetic Bag which is made from re purposed scraps of top-quality English Linens and Cottons. Made with the selvages and corresponding strips of fabrics such as Martha Cushing, GP & J Baker and 5th Avenue Designs for Covington and others - just gorgeous!

and this Gentle Two-tone Leaf Big Town Bag

She also makes fabulous bags that are 100% environmentally friendly - the main fabric is a RECYCLED Jute coffee sack -these sell like hotcakes as do her amazing bird pouches.

Do yourself and the environment a favour and visit Wendren's store.

9 days to go

2008-12-16T13:10:00.008+11:00

Stuffed Plush Hippo - felted wool and cotton softie

I'm going to feature some of the etsy stores I've purchased from (for Christmas gifts) this year.

Next is the lovely Kali from Poppy Lane.
I was so thrilled when these arrived, Kali made me some notebooks in lovely materials, in which you can see the love and care she takes making each piece.

I received fabulous feedback from both Latesha's Pre-School teachers this morning when they opened their presents.
Thanks again Kali.

For the love of fabric ~ Scrumptious fabrics, new and pre*loved ~ made into something special.
Be sure to check out this beautiful shop.

10 days to go

2008-12-15T08:29:00.011+11:00

The excitement is building up in my house.
My girls are counting down the days until Christmas and tomorrow we head into singular numbers whoo hoo.

I can't wait until I see the look of surprise and happiness on their little faces, at some ridiculuos hour, on Christmas morning.

For Celia this year I requested, from the lovely Sam of Sam McLean Designs, a Toddlers Who Lunch - Play felt food lunch set with bag.
Instead of an apple I asked for a banana which is amazing in itself.

I also purchased a Punnet of Strawberries:

and she customised a jar of marshmallows, which are a favourite treat here.

Sam specialises in handmade Fun Felt Foods for kids to play with or for home decor.
Be sure to check out her shop!

Food for Families

2008-12-08T13:27:00.007+11:00

I always try to help people in need, it always makes me appreciate how much I have and that my family and I don't have the struggle with buying food and what we need.
This morning I picked up a purple bag to help donate some goods that will help those that do and will give them some much needed food over this coming festive season.

If you're not in Australia, find out what your local community is doing and help out in anyway you can.

Article:

WITH more people feeling the impact of an uncertain economic climate, there is a way you can take positive action to contribute to your community.

Donating a tin of tuna, a jar of Vegemite or a bar of soap to the Leader Food For Families appeal is a tangible way of helping those most desperately in need around you.

This week marks the start of Leader’s 17th annual Food for Families appeal.

We’re asking you to donate non-perishable items that Wesley Mission Melbourne can distribute to needy people across Melbourne. In the past year, more than 4500 people have turned to Wesley for help.

“We have seen an increasing number of people who traditionally would never have thought to access us,” said Linda McKay, manager of Wesley Homeless and Support Services.

Christmas goods can be left in the Leader Food for Families bins at participating Safeway supermarkets.

Businesses, schools and other community groups can also set up collection bins by phoning Wesley Mission Melbourne on 96622355.

Grocery items happily received:

tinned tuna, salmon, sardines
and ham
tinned and ready to eat meals
eg. spaghetti, baked beans,
soup, curries, pasta
two-minute noodles,
instant noodles in a cup/bowl
pasta sauces and pasta
UHT (longlife) milk
baby food
breakfast cereals, muesli bars
and breakfast bars
biscuits
tinned fruit and vegetables
rice
teabags, instant coffee and milo
small jars of vegemite, honey,
peanut butter, nutella and jam
toothpaste and toothbrushes
toilet paper
soap
deodorant
small bottles of shampoo and conditioner
face washers
nappies

Here's a picture of my goodies that I'm donating:

New Colours

2008-12-01T14:21:00.007+11:00

The past week has seen me creating a new colour batch for my Large Ring - Earrings.
I love these earrings, they add such a splash of colour to your ears, they look fabulous if you have longer hair and they tend to pop out a little showing that bit of gorgeous colour or if you have shorter hair or wear your hair up they are cheeky and fun to wear - great for most ages too!

Snow White

Cherry Red

Sunny Yellow

Chocolate Brown

Happy Birthday to Celia

2008-11-23T10:12:00.004+11:00

If we lived in the Northern Hemisphere we'd still be celebrating Celia's 2nd Birthday....but here in Australia today is the 23rd of November and yesterday we celebrated all day.

I can't believe my little one is 2 already, although it does feel like an age when she came out into this world. I remember cuddling up with her and Andres that first (and only) night in hospital AND she slept with us for the first 3 months.
On occasion now she still comes in to sleep with us and I do cherish these times, our kids won't be little for too long and it's such a nice feeling to make them feel warm and safe.

Celia's favourite things:

* Strawberries
* Hommus
* Milk
* Dolls
* Dressing Up
* Bath Time
* Creating Mess

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Treasury dedicated to Celia

2008-11-16T08:34:00.010+11:00

I stayed awake last night to snag a treasury and while I was watching the numbers going down, I was trying to think of a cool theme. In my state of tiredness, I think it worked!

My little cherub, Celia, is turning the age of 2 next Saturday, and while hubby is wanting a third, I'm happy to say she's my youngest ~ for the time being :)

I dedicate this treasury titled "Milk" to Celia.

Ring - Earrings

2008-11-07T21:11:00.007+11:00

I've been busy this week making these fabulous Ring - Earrings.
They're made with czech glass seed beads in a variety of different and delicious colours.

I made a pair for myself and Miss 5 (Latesha) said "Oh mum, I really love your new earrings, they're so pretty, can you make me some when I'm older -------please?"

They're a delight to wear, not to mention light and with alot of colour, perfect for any time of year.
Shortly after listing a pair of Turquoise Rings in my online store, they were snapped up, so I'm adding more to my shop.

I've also listed smaller versions in a set. For you and your best friend or simply keep them both for yourself.

Pirate Jewels

2008-10-30T10:33:00.008+11:00

I've been busy with Custom Orders this week and this one I really had some fun with.
An online friend requested some pirate jewellery to go with the play Peter Pan that she'll be overseeing towards the end of the year.

Necklace

Bracelet

Earrings

Tagged

2008-10-22T14:42:00.004+11:00

I've been tagged by vanilla pixie to reveal six random things about myself & to tag six other bloggers to do the same. So, here goes...

The rules:
- Link to the person who tagged you
- Mention the rules
- Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself
- Tag six other bloggers by linking to them
- Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that lets them know they've been tagged

1. I'm a magazine hoarder, if I like a particular magazine I have to have every copy and find it hard when we move because that's when we "de-clutter".

2. I started learning Spanish a few years ago, and would love to learn more, I'd love for my husband and I to speak spanish so our girls will learn too.

3. I love mint and brushing my teeth, I have a strange addiction to it!

4. I need more time, how do others blog so frequently?

5. I get down on myself if I don't live naturally, I try my best for my family and I to live a chemical free existence.

Call me a rule breaker but I actually don't feel comfortable tagging anyone, so if anyone reads this post, please feel free to add the questions on your next blog post and go ahead, tag 6 people!

xx Mich

Kookaburra as a pet?

2008-10-15T07:41:00.006+11:00

Sunday morning my husband said to me "Well it looks like we may have a pet, he's outside - sitting real close."

I thought it must be Mr Blue Tongue Lizard who I adore and who was hanging around our back deck last summer, so off I dashed outside in hope to see him, but I was surprised by an absolutely beautiful Kookaburra sitting very low in the gum tree outside our back door.

He was so beautfitul and I couldn't stop looking at him, I even found myself speaking to him, call me mad, but I had great satisfaction in this.
(By the way, Kookaburras are by far my favourite Australian bird.)

I ended up taking loads of pictures of him, here's a couple:

Healesville Sanctuary - Koalas and more

2008-10-09T18:20:00.008+11:00

Sunday was family day and the weather was perfect.
We got up early, got ready early, packed a lunch, packed the kids and off we went to Healesville Sanctuary.

We were lucky enough to see the Koalas awake and not only were they awake but one Koala put on a show for us. He went climbing right before us, I've never seen this live before so I got a real thrill.

Celia, me and Latesha - Andres was behind the camera and the kangaroos were behind us.

I love these:

Bunch of Bracelets

2008-10-01T14:26:00.005+10:00

I've been busy making these bracelets to sell at the shop that stocks my work and for my online etsy store.
Made from glass pearls, sterling silver, swarovski crystal and each one features a handmade lampwork bead that hangs as a little dangle.

I've decided to sell them as a duo, so they'd be perfect to give one to your best friend, mum, sister, cousin, teacher and you keep the other, or alternatively keep them both for yourself. I'll be making more in time for gift giving, so keep your eyes peeled.

Sunday a day for..... face painting?

2008-09-16T14:13:00.011+10:00

Sunday was a beautiful day here in Melbourne, a perfect day to light up the barbie.
We had my brother and sister in law over (with their kids) for a BBQ lunch and.....face painting.

Latesha was thrilled with the prospect of painting so many faces and the end result was sooooo funny, we were all laughing hard.

Latesha blowing bubbles (somehow she looked the best out of all of us).

Latesha painting her dad.

Andres ended up being a scary lion.

I started out OK.....

....and ended up like this!

Celia didn't miss out either

Spring into Australia Treasury

2008-09-11T21:29:00.005+10:00

I made a beautiful treasury this week on Etsy dedicated to only a few of my favourite Etsy (Australian) sellers.

Please feel free to click on the links and have a look around these wonderful etsy shops.

Poppy Lane
Boo-Tique
Realisation Creations
Susannah Tucker Photography
meringue
mystudio
sheeps clothing
fede
howlindoggie
Skye Rocket Sews
Violonjello
Sam McLean Designs

It's Spring

2008-09-05T15:25:00.006+10:00

It's spring here in the southern parts of the world and I am loving spending time outside with my girls.
Celia is getting older and squeals with delight at her sister, and in turn Latesha loves showing her little sister new things.

They really get a kick out of jumping on the trampoline together and love when I get on there with them too.
I couldn't get a picture of me but here's a few of my girls having fun in the late afternoon sun.

My cheeky Celia (21 months old)

and Latesha (5 years old)

Flowers and Pearls

2008-09-03T08:32:00.006+10:00

I've been busy listing new items in the last couple of weeks.
I have a bunch of these wonderful floral glass beads that I love working with and they look great against vintaj natural brass.
I've been enjoying playing around with different metals and I love the combination of copper and sterling silver together.
And who doesn't love a simple pair of Pearl Earrings.

Spring Floral Vine

Black Flower

Pearl

She's b a c k!

2008-08-31T20:38:00.006+10:00

Hi all,

I'm sorry it's taken me awhile to come back to the wonderful land of blogging, but as you know it's been an extremely rough 4 months and I don't want to get my hopes up in case of another possible big setback but I'm feeling like we (my hubby and our girls) are slowly getting back to our normal lives once again.

Anyhow, I've been listing a bunch of new pieces, which I'm really happy with.
It's always nice to see something new listed and I'm hoping for a busy time with the lead up until Christmas.

A few selected items for your viewing:

Camden Town Earrings

Black Sticks

Hues of a Vineyard

I look forward to blogging more frequently.
In the meantime please check my etsy store for more new items.

Where is she?

2008-08-12T21:31:00.004+10:00

I'm so sorry to my regular readers, I've been very slack in posting recently and I do have valid reasons.
Andres is having complications after neurosurgery, he's back in hospital and it looks like he'll be in there for quite sometime, so I'm busy looking after our girls, doing loads of trips to and from the hospital and just trying to keep my cool. I won't be listing any new items for awhile in my online stores but I am having a huge sale in my online etsy shop.

Until the end of August 2008 take 20% off each item, I'll refund the discount as soon as payment has been made. I'm still posting/shipping out all orders fast.

Thankyou all for your understanding at this difficult time. xx Mich

A special biome gift

2008-07-27T20:27:00.004+10:00

This beautiful and thoughtful biome gift pack arrived this week via courier.
It came just at the right time as Andres has had a small set back in his recovery.
In the last two weeks, at home, Andres was feeling really unwell, he lost his appetite, had strong headaches and was feeling nauseous all the time. He had a build up of fluid where the incision was made from his open brain operation. He had a CT scan done last Tuesday and was admitted back into hospital on Wednesday where his surgeon discussed with him that he thought it best to drain the excess fluid (externally) and keep that monitored for a few days before taking the tube out and seeing how he copes with it all again. At the moment Andres has a tube coming out of his back where the excess fluid is being released, from his spine. If Andres can't absorb this fluid then he will need an operation to insert a shunt which is a permanent tube that gets placed underneath the skin and drains the fluid into the stomach.

He'll need the external drain until tomorrow and then they'll be keeping a close eye on him as to whether he can absorb the normal fluid masses that the body produces every day.

This gift comes from a very special friend of mine, it has so many goodies for me and my two girls, hopefully when Andres gets home, they'll be something left for him, well of course there will be, everything looks so good and I love the fact that all of the packaging is recyclable.

I'm looking forward to eating that organic toasted cereal for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Petite Earrings

2008-07-12T15:28:00.006+10:00

I've created these cute, petite earrings and I'm planning on making them in a whole range of colours, (I'm currently wearing a pair in duck egg blue).

They're small, but give out a little flicker of colour.
The metal components are copper that have been oxidized by E2SSupplies giving a gorgeous rosey tinge.

Blush is made with shimmery pink glass beads.

Hot Flush is made with Red Czech Glass Rondelles.

These are available from my online etsy shop.

I have become a blood donor

2008-07-04T14:25:00.003+10:00

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I really don't think "Thankyou" is enough when it comes to all our family, friends and all those that helped my husband through his two neurosurgeries at The Afred in Melbourne.

So, on Tuesday I became a blood donor.

I was guided through the process from filling in the required forms, sitting with a nurse who asked more questions and did a finger prick test, to see how my blood flowed etc. Then off to the bed to lay down and have my blood taken. What an experience. I felt a little light headed afterwards but the nurses kept a close eye on me (because it was my first time)until they're sure I was ready to get up and have refreshments, which for me consisted of a cup of tea and two wonderous lollies. Later that night after putting my little ones to bed, I took myself off to bed too, to get some much needed rest.

I now wait another 12 weeks before I go through the process again.
If you live in Australia and have never donated blood before, I suggest you check out the website: Australian Red Cross Blood Service and consider saving up to 3 lives with one donation.

Toffee Apple and Raspberry Swirl

2008-06-26T20:14:00.008+10:00

I've started creating again after my husbands operations and my first pieces to come off my work bench are both with yummy titles.
The first "Toffee Apples" is made with a wonderfully handmade Lampwork Bead on a Sterling Silver Stick together with a natural green moss Czech Glass Disc available in my etsy shop.

Raspberry Swirls is also made with Lampwork Beads and a Czech Glass Cube.
Available from my madeit shop.

June SALE

2008-06-21T09:54:00.004+10:00

I'm having a big sale in my online etsy store for the whole month of June.
I'm also in the process of making new creations for my shop, which I'm excited about...please keep coming back, these new pieces will be listed soon.

Thankyou to The Alfred Hospital

2008-06-19T11:33:00.009+10:00

What a rollercoaster ride my family and I have been on in the past few months.
It's safe to say my husband is well and recovering at home.
He had an AVM that needed attention right away, two neurosurgeries were planned and he went through these one after the other in late May.

How do you say thankyou to the surgeons, doctors, ICU nurses and all the nurses in the Neurosurgery ward plus all the other hospital staff at The Alfred Hospital. I mean you can say "thankyou" but it just doesn't seem enough when they have basically saved my husbands life.
Without these surgeries my husband would not be around, and now he's recovering at home and doesn't have any neurological problems or mobilty or speech problems....it's a miracle, really!

My two little girls and I can now enjoy the rest of our lives with a wonderful man, husband, dad, friend, brother and son.

I also want to be able to give back, I know that the blood bank comes to town every quarter, so, donating blood as often as I can will be a good start.

Thankyou to our wonderful family and loyal friends who have been an amazing, loving support.

Thankyou again to Dr Peter Hwang and all the surgeons, doctors, nurses and other staff at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne - words aren't enough to describe how we are all feeling.