Overwhelmed, me!

I am astounded by the response to my give away. Did not think it was so special.
You are all great and I wish I could respond to everyone, but, I send you my aloha.

This is an amulet from the video earlier, if you missed it.

Appreciate the wishes

So nice to get all the good wishes for my trip home
My Mum is a lovely 97 years old. What a lady!
To answer those who asked about my home town, it is Otorohanga in the King Country.
One of you sound like you know where that is. Pretty awesome.
Rather remote and wild country. Has a lot of history.
Here is the sewing bag that I made to go with some of the French Attic heirlooms shown below.
Drawing the give away on Friday so I have time to mail it.

Give away for April

Since I will be traveling most of April, here is my give away for next month.
I will have to draw winner by next Friday the 1st.
I will be taking the long road home to New Zealand for my annual family visit. Yeah!
Made this dreamy Gypsy patch, with old textiles and soft image.
So leave me a comment and I will again put the names in my old battered cap and have a friend pull one out.

From my French attic

More sewing items.
Sew Neat.
Includes a pincushion, scissors fob, thimble pouch, needle book.

Tile pieces.

4x4" chipboard tiles with the theme of Grunge and Vintage.
Doing this as a collaboration with other artists. Lots of tiles will be made into one huge art piece.

Door prizes

At a dinner last week. I received these door prizes.
A kalanchoe and an orchid, so pretty on my Lanai.

From a French attic

Sewing set with needle case and a pincushion.
I made them from old red ticking and vintage lace.
The needle book has wool pages to prevent rust. Wool is from little lambs in NZ.

Just glitter and velvet

Scraps of velvet make the small blooms that I use in some projects.
You can see a short video on YouTube using the URL below and looking for my videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMAZkzxHiHo

'Old Hawaii'

I took these pics at another favorite remnant of what we call 'old Hawaii'.
These are night pics at a restaurant by a small harbor.


It looked just like this when I first arrived here by ship from New Zealand.
Fast disappearing, such treasures, giving way to chrome towers and modern high- rises.

Embroidered ribbon labels and 'clay'

Embroidered words are Je' taime, and Paris.
made them so each could be cut apart to use as a label.
The scarf is something I am working on, adding white roses now. Got to have ruffles.

The tags are some I have been playing around with. Made with 'clay'

I added a new video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OZeQsfp7JI

to see how I make the music flash card, here is the link to my video.
You will need to copy and paste it, aloha

Altered flash card

A vintage music flash card that I altered for pretty wall art.
The card has nice graphics I did not want to cover so I worked around them.
I added a crinkled ribbon hanger, lace bits, images and trims.
On the corner I tied a number tag.
Numbers are all over the magazines, I had to add some to my art also.
Thinking of doing a video for YouTube of this.

making books

This is a travel book with all sorts of ephemera and tabs too.
My fave style, made from black card-stock to mimic the albums of old.
It is for sale.

French sap bucket.

The sap bucket idea is from Provence.
made from rough linen and stencil.
This one has a clipped on vintage flower pin.


The jar is one I keep with all the bits from other projects.
I can go 'fishing' if I need something.
This is filled to the top so have to start another. It is big, quart size.

Tsunami pics in a quiet Hawaiian bay

I went out the other night to take photos of some of the mess left by the Tsunami here.
One of my favorite little boat harbors.
Sinking boats,
only masts left to see. Pointing to receding waves.
Fishing boats left high and dry.

Coffee anyone?

have you made the coffee rolls recipe using Butterscotch instant pudding? Recipes on the Net.
This first batch tastes pretty good!
My wire beaded utensil alongside.

The velvet Cuff

I made the video so you can see how easy this is.
I will load the cuffs onto my Etsy site if you would like one of them.

velvet cuffs

Made a tutorial of the cuff I showed in an image below. Here too.
Special request but I may not always be nice.
This was so easy I couldn't refuse.

I am OK thanks

Saved again by the forces of nature.
Poor Japan and the lovely people.
I have spent time there and know the area.

I heard from some of you that you can hear birds in my videos!

I live in a little bit of jungle and the trees are full of song!
Here is a glimpse from my lanai.
Little montage.

Three pieces

The amulet comes from the little how-to below. I had some velvet so dyed it pale oyster and made the cuff and rose pin. Now they are happy together. And sold!
The box is one I made with a shell theme.

The bag that comes with the hatbox.

Peak inside the hatbox and you will find this ruffly purse.

The winner is...hold your breath

Rhonda. Congratulations, email address please.
Oh no! more ticking.

Picture is a hatbox , sold now, made from froths of scrim, silk and roses. Going to United Kingdom to a designer and collector.

A French project

I make lavender filled sachets for my drawers and gift enclosures.
Here are the latest to come out of my studio.
Size about 2.5" square. Very easy!
Fabric is the trick.
I used old linen for the top and burlap for the back.
Stamp the linen with permanent ink and French stamps.
Cut fabrics bigger than you need and sew with zigzag stitch.
Before you sew the back to the front, right sides together , slip a lace fragment across a corner.
Also important, zigzag one edge of the burlap, this is the side left open.
Sew 3 sides, turn, finger press the opening , stuff with lavender and soft stuffing mixed.
Ladder stitch the opening closed.
Tie together in twos for a presentation.
I added some glitter glue to a couple of the sachets to mimic beads.

to give away

Made little ticking French heart with stitchery and the Queen.
Comes in one of my re-cycled paper bags.
I will draw a name from my battered old cap next weekend.
You know what to do now?

You want to see the inside?

Pizza box lid and contents . Will add more memories.
I used a box from CPK