NIKKI-SHELL

Bench Monday #9

More of a stoop than a bench :)  Flinders Lane.  The doorway leads to a Japanese restaurant.

More here.

printing with my girls

When i was little i had this book

My mam kept it for my sister Natalie (who is 15 years old now) and then sent it over for the girls a while back and since then it has mostly sat on the book shelf.  Today they flicked through it asking "Can we make this?" until we got to a project where i said "Yes, i have the materials for that".  Fabric printing it is!

So i set up the kitchen table with a plastic sheet, cut up some calico and laid out the paints and shapes.  For shapes we used play dough cutters, sponge pieces, potatoes and apples.  As i printed my beautiful linen with apple shapes Mia and Esme went to town stamping and stomping all over their fabric with lots of paint and even more enthusiasm. 

 

It was great fun for both them and myself.  They were learning a new skill, creating art and learning about shapes and colours.  Of course they needed a bath afterwards and there is now paint all over the house but with art like this who cares right!?

We even went back for another round this afternoon, more paint, even more mess (because Heidi was involved this time!) and another bath but two very happy kids with some art they are planning on turning into shopping totes for their Grandma and Nana. 

I have the printing bug now and want to create all sorts of things from Lena Corwins 'Print by Hand' book which i have had sitting on my book shelf for who knows how long.  I especially love the bed sheets and pillowcases, we're in need of some new bedding.  My apple printed fabric will be made into cushion covers of course :)

What did you do today?

Sofa bling

Our sofa is in need of an update.  We've had the same cushions for the past three and a half years.  I bought this beautiful panel from Kristen Doran at the Melbourne Stitches and Craft Show in March.  Of course it sat on the 'pile of fabric threatening to topple over and crush an unsuspecting child' until this past week.

I used natural linen from work as a border and the back and a simple zip closure across the bottom.  I did come to realise that the linen was much easier to work with if i fused it lightly before cutting and sewing, i just used a cheap fusible interfacing i had in my stash from Scragfight.  The insert is filled with duck feathers, bought from Amitie.

I have another in the making with Kristen's fabric and plans for a few more.  You likey?

Perfectly delicious!

Earlier this week Lisa and I had a little coffee break and devoured these perfect little cupcakes from Little Cupcakes on Degraves Street.  We highly recommend!

Shop 7 Degraves Street, Melbourne 3000

Volunteers needed!

I need volunteers to help me out at the Sydney Stitches and Craft Show.

• Wednesday August the 19th, Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st
• 10am til 4 or 5pm
• Willing to work between the Wardrobe Refashion Reconstruction Zone and the BurdaStyle stand
• Must be able to use a sewing machine and know how to thread one
• Your day will consist of explaining what the reconstruction Zone is all about,  helping people with their creations, giving encouragement,keeping the area tidy and if working on the BurdaStyle stand giving out information about BurdaStyle.

If you think you can help me out please email me at nikkishell@burdastyle.com.  In return for your time you will receive a small thankyou gift.  I hope you can join me, it will be heaps of fun!

Market Station

Just wanted to let you know about a new market in town!  Stalls are very reasonably priced so if you're looking to sell your handmade wares email Rachel or Jenni at marketstation59@gmail.com

Vampire obsessed? Me?

For the past six weeks i have done nothing much but read about vampires.  I started the first of the Sookie Stackhouse novels in early June and was hooked!  I borrowed all but two from my local library, i was forced to buy the other two since they were on reserve by others, it would have been too much to have had to wait for them.

This series is way different to Twilight (which i love).  It's raunchier!!  Definitely not for young adults as Twilight is.  I won't go into details about the storyline, i don't want to spoil it for those of you reading them or planning to read them but if you enjoyed Twilight then you should enjoy these books too.  In fact i'm glad i read Twilight first, i fear i may have been slightly disappointed if i'd read them after Sookie.  Did i just say that out loud?!  Gasp!

The only thing i don't like about these books?  The covers, they look like they're aimed at kids.

Since i've been reading and not sewing i now have a pile of fabric i have collected from work, Amitie and other places which is threatening to topple over and crush any unsuspecting person that passes by, it's dangerous working in and living close to such beautiful stores .  Last night i wagged yoga (bad bad bad) to sew instead.  I started on some cushion cover fronts using beautiful fabrics i bought from Kristen at the Melbourne Stitches and Craft Show and the tulip skirt from Stitch magazine which was designed by Jenny of Wikstenmade.

Now, i'm off to be interviewed over the phone then i'm making my way to Blockbuster to rent True Blood!

ta-ra

www

The lovely Amelia gave me this red top a few weeks back when she visted while on a trip home from Seattle.  It had a few buttons missing and rather than find five matching buttons in my stash (which would rarely happen!) or go out and buy some i decided to go mix and match and i love the result!  Such a simple refashion but very effective.  Many people don't know how to sew on a button and would either pay someone else to do it or throw the item away, i know crazy huh?!  If you are one of these people you should take a few minutes to watch the video below from Threadbanger and learn a new and useful skill.

Bench Monday #8

More players here :)

Tessuti Awards

Tessuti Fabrics, that treasure trove of designer silks, wools, linen, cottons and blends from the great fabric houses of the world, has watched the creativity and craftmanship of its many customers grow over the years.

We are continually blown away by many of the garments designed and made by our customers, so we'd like to take the opportunity to publicly recognise the design skills and ingenuity of people who pursue fashion just for the love of it. There are plenty of awards for designers and manufacturers already working in the fashion industry, but Tessuti wants to recognise the up and coming young designers and the individual talents and clever creations of 'home couture'.

• The Tessuti Awards is an annual event, first held in 2007.
• 2009 Tessuti Awards will be held on 2nd of September starting at 6:30pm.
• Registration to enter opens August 10 and closes August 24.
• There will be 2 categories; Vintage Little Black Dress & Smart Day/Evening Wear.
• Both categories are open to Tessuti customers, both young and old, male and female, fashion students and all sewers.
• Tessuti Melbourne will hold a Tessuti Awards night on the 13th August, ask in store for details.

Entries are invited from fashion and design students, home sewers, tailors and anyone with a passion for fashion, fabric and perfection. Visit our registration page for more information and to register for the event.

There are two categories in the 2009 Tessuti awards. They are:

1. Vintage Little Black Dress Category. Prizes include:

• 1st Prize: a return trip to Paris supplied by Tessuti
• 2nd Prize: $500 Tessuti gift voucher.
• 3rd Prize: $300 Tessuti gift voucher.

2. Smart Daywear, Eveningwear Category. Prizes include:

• 1st Prize: Bernina Bernette 92c sewing machine valued at $799, courtesy of Bernina Sewing Centre, Chatswood.
• 2nd Prize: $500 Tessuti gift voucher.
• 3rd Prize: $300 Tessuti gift voucher.

Follow this link for the rules.

Tessuti Awards will be held at ESMOD Australia, 2 Short Street, Surry Hills, on Wednesday the 2nd of September 2009, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Judging will commence at 7pm.