Tuesday 17 January 2012

progress

Despite the rain, we're making progress and the living pavillion is taking shape.

Wednesday 11 January 2012

crafty kids


I love to make Christmas presents for all the grandparents with the girls - even when the end result may not turn out entirely as planned - I believe that the creative journey is important.

This year for Christmas we did some kid friendly screen printing on calico bags and they were splendid.

Using screens, squeegies and fabric paints (even with small talented crafters like our girls) is always a fairly messy business, so this version of printing is much easier. Just take ordinary self-adhesive contact paper and using a utility knife cut out any shapes you like (the flowers where inspired by Kikki-K and the dots were an easy option). Then remove the cut shapes and stick the contact onto a plain calico bag (t-shirt, tea-towel or whatever) and using a sponge and fabric paint get the kids to sponge colour into the open areas (you can also use a paintbrush). They can be as messy as they like because when it's completely dry, you just peel off the contact paper and viola, beautiful crisp screen-print like edges.... more importantly the look on their faces as they peel back the sticky contact to reveal the final design is a Christmas present in itself!

Saturday 7 January 2012

palm springs


We continue to laugh that we chose one of the coldest and rainiest summers on record to build our new pool! Nevertheless, on the rare occasions when the sun has visited we have loved visiting our beautiful new pool. I was going for the Palm Springs 1940's aesthetic and am so, so happy with the outcome.