Sharing the love... Ingrid from Silverworks
German born Ingrid Schloemer came to NZ in 1994. She taught handcraft at the Titirangi Steiner School before moving to Hawke’s Bay in 1997. Carving semi-precious stones and creating jewellery from stones and pure silver became her passion and her artwork has been exhibited and sold in Germany, USA, Australia and in many galleries and shows here in New Zealand.
Adele from Borrowed Earth
Animal loving ceramic artist with a love of vegan munching and all things crafty. Spreading the word about handmade and sustainability. Find Adele’s gorgeous products on her website
Nicole from Serendipitous Zenefertiti
A lover of symbolism and wordplay, Nicole has re-discovered her passion for writing. She also loves her kids, the colour green and making people laugh until they cry. You can find her ramblings on both her blog and Facebook page
Fiona from Piece
Ever since I was a little girl I have loved expressing my creativity through craft, whether I was making pom-poms, cross stitching, or creating my own clothes and stuffed animals on the sewing machine. I have always believed the true value of crafting is often found in the process, with the finished product simply a bonus.
Vic from ‘Cush & Nooks’
Mum, designer, blogger, owner of Cush & Nooks Homewares and lover of all things bright and beautiful
Thank you to our fabulous contributors for working hard to make this magazine the vision that it is today xx
Contents... Interviews... Little Drop Design Toodles Noodles Inkee Press Sarah Backler Riding the catwalk Charislee Paper and Lace
Projects... 13 19 25 37 39 53 61
Heart Full of Kisses Home baked leaf jewellery Super Simple Sugar Scrubs
17 45 65
Other bits... Serendipitous Zenefertiti Words worth sharing Supporter’s Showcase
27 43 69
Excitement! Delirious excitement! That is the mood here in the Hazel Loves Design studios, and we have all of you. Our fabulous readers. To thank! When I first launched ‘Hazel Loves Design’ in 2010 I never could have imagined the journey it would take me on, or more importantly the culmination of events from the last couple of months. The launch of Hazed has been well received by all involved within the indie design community. Given that the team behind ‘Hazed’ don’t make or sell, but simply share all of the work that the fabulous designers here in the land of the long white cloud. I personally have been overwhelmed by the support and gratitude received by those of you in the community. Recently we have been approached regarding a number of exciting collaborations and I would love your involvement in each and every one of them. Hazel Loves Design is getting involved with an initiative to bring a social enterprise to Mairehau, a store which will selling local indie design wares and supporting and nurturing aspiring designers to be the best they can be. We have also started tentative discussions to bring an indie design festival to Canterbury. If you are based in Canterbury and would like to know more about getting involved in either of these collaborations I would love to hear from you. Due to the popularity of Hazed we have realised how important it is to showcase the talent from our shores, so check out our blog to whet your appetite between magazines!! We have a number of new contributors, and our ‘Kiwi Touch’ series is a beautiful showcase of what New Zealand has to offer the world. Interested in doing a feature on the blog? Want to be interviewed for Hazed? As always we would love to hear from you! We are only as successful as our contributor’s allow us to be! Love, Hazel and the team at ‘Hazel Loves Design xo
Romantic picnic for two
A roadside find has a delighful reincarnation as a picnic centrepiece
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough, A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread -- and Thou
Baby food jars, decorated with Washi tape and stickers make perfect vases
Top must h “Our love is god, lets go get a slushie� - Heathers
have picnic pieces...
Little Drop Desi Little Drop Design has been quite a new adventure for me! After failing miserably during Intermediate school sewing (a traumatic event involving a pair of hideously made yellow striped shirts, the less said the better!!), it has taken me until recent years to rediscover my love of fabric and sewing. With encouragement from family and friends and being able to work part time, it has meant I have been lucky enough to follow a more creative path. And with that - Little Drop Design was born! How does your creative process work? My journal had become my bible of ideas, scribbles and notes, everything gets thrown in there. From there my ideas start to take a more organised form. One of the biggest difficulties I have is which new idea to start first! What inspires you and your designs? I am a magazine junkie, mostly home and design ones. I am also a keeper, I have shelves full but am constantly going back to them for new ideas. The internet is also a place of infinite inspiration. I do love colour and am drawn to it in all forms. Kitchen table or studio? Definitely a bit of both (much to my husbands disgust!!). It often depends if my children are around. With much of the holidays spent sorting my “sewing room�, I will be hiding in there a lot more. It’s much easier to have everything in one place. Describe a typical working day... Working part time as a teacher, means a typical sewing day is
ign
snatched on a day off. I am usually catching up on orders or getting new stock ready for up and coming markets, or playing with new designs and ideas. There are also many of cups of tea and pintrest procrastination. (obviously a very important part of the design process!!) What are people loving about ‘Little Drop Design’ at the moment? Our custom pillowslips are proving a huge hit, particularly with people wanting to send Christmas pressies overseas. (much cheaper to post than packets of Minties and Jaffas!) We have some new kids tee designs out as well, so hopefully they will be a summer hit! Do you have a favourite piece? My favourite pieces would have to be our applique tea towels. It’s alot of fun thinking of new, quirky sayings for them. I love watching peoples reactions when they read them! Where can we buy your wonderful products? Little Drop Design sells on Felt, and you can find us on facebook too. We often pop up at markets, such as the Encraftment markets and Craft Collective ones. A talented friend and I join forces at the Shop Me Pretty markets, as “Two Craft Campers”. Do you think social media influences your business? Absolutely. Sites such as facebook have a huge impact on smaller businesses, such as us. It’s amazing to be able to reach people all around the world.
To me, indie design means individuality, handcrafted, colour and spirit!
x Amanda
. Facebook . Website .
Heart Full of Kisses... Follow the instructions below to recreate this gorgeous embroidery...
Transfer design using a light box, or by holding up to a window, onto the corner of your 35cm square piece of linen and stitch design. The stitchery design has a diameter of around 6.5cm. A tutorial for completing this project has been posted on Fiona’s blog!
Leaves Small heart Flower Heart outline Heart inner Birds Ribbon
Stitches Used Lazy daisy stitch and back stitch Satin Stitch Lazy Daisy stitch with French knot Back stitch Cross Stitch Back stitch Back stitch and fill with back stitch
Colour Green Red Pink with yellow centre Red Pink Brown Pink
Everyone is busy in todays world but sometimes you need to make yourself stop long enough to take a look around, see what is on offer, and be inspired. That is when you need a little Piece for creative minds - its good for the soul!
Independent designers who believe in the power and importance of handmade vs mass production.
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Toodles Noodles Toodles Noodles – New Zealand made and owned is an eco-friendly stationery company specialising in gift wrap that is cheeky, beautiful, and colourful for every occasion. We believe that the gifts you give should be as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside! The name comes from the sign off the founder Liora Saad and her sister would use every time they wrote a letter, talked on the phone or online. So when trying to come up with a name for the company that was about sharing the job of communication, it seemed like the perfect fit. When starting Toodles Noodles Liora wanted to show her love for gift wrap and her new home by utilising what New Zealand had to offer. All the products are produced in New Zealand and are either made from 100% recycled material or the most eco-friendly products possible. All designs and products are designed by Liora herself. Her designs are made to channel the New Zealand natural, earth feel while still maintaining the current design trends. Founder and designer, Liora Saad, is originally from California and moved to New Zealand in 2007. Since then she is proud to call this beautiful country home and embrace its culture as her own. Liora has a BA in Graphic Design and a BA in Visual Communications from American University in Washington, DC.
Blog . Website . Store .
Where do you find your inspiration? In everyday life! I can be sitting at a cafe chatting with a friend look up see a lovely strand of lighting and be inspired to do a new design around the colours in the lights, the composition, or the thought of having something hanging from the string... I guess you could say I have quite a big imagination! What are your daily ‘must visit’ websites/blogs? I wish I had time to visit blogs daily, but I have to admit that I’m a once a week blog reader. Not because I don’t love them - but due to time... I started blogging thanks two Auckland bloggers in particular who I am now proud to call good friends since moving to the city: Danielle Bourgeois and Made from Scrach. Best piece of creative advice you have ever been given? Just try it. I actually went to Uni to study photography. But when I was taking my colour theory course my professor approached me and asked if I’d ever consider a graphic design degree. My initial response to her was I didn’t know you could! She recommended I take more classes from the department because, you never know, I may like it. And what do you know, I ended up getting degrees in both! Your all time favourite quote? “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” - Dr. Seuss. “Always aim for the Moon, even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” - W. Clement Stone Best Kept Secret... Water really does taste better with a piece of fresh mint from the garden. Your ‘Must Have’ indie design piece? My parents bought me a handmade wooden cheese board from a wee shop outside Wanaka when they first came to New Zealand in 2008 - it’s my favourite NZ made piece!
x Liora
Inkee Press Inkee Press was born before the birth of my second child Sophia, as I entered into maternity leave from my day job as a Graphic Design for a local printing company I wanted to continue my passion for design so started up my own facebook page. As my maternity leave drew closer to the end I realised how much work I had managed to obtain and how much fun it was working from home and minding my newborn that I decided to go it alone, targeting like minded WAHM and smaller business offering them affordable graphic design services without compromising on quality. What sort of projects have you been working on recently? Recently I had the opportunity to do something a little different, a screen print graphic for the Otago Central Rail Trail, which will be printed onto cushions, aprons and tea towels. The merchandise will be sold into the wee cafe’s, old post offices and stores along the Rail Trail. What do you find most challenging about doing projects like these? Visualising it on the media that it will eventually be printed on, its easier with designs that will be displayed on screen and in print as that is what I am most familiar with, but exciting at the same time as it’s something I don’t get to see all the time. And what do you love about these projects? Definitely seeing the finished product all printed and on the shelves, ready to be sold! How do you find your clients? I am quite lucky in that I find a lot of my clients just looking online for products for my two children and I love everything baby and child related so I introduce myself and my business when I stumble across them, word of mouth is a huge tool also. I do a wee bit of advertising on a few baby sites, as well as facebook advertising. My entire cliental has been generated purely through my facebook page, but I have plans for a website in the near future. What sort of role does the internet play with your business? It plays a HUGE part, it enables me to work from home without the expense of an office space and all the costs involved with that. It also gives me the opportunity to work with clients Nationwide and Internationally.
Indie Design means individuality, personality, uniqueness and a personal touch to design that has been lovingly thought out and crafted from ones passion from the heart.
What social media platforms do you use? As I mentioned facebook is our main platform, I also use pinterest as I find it a wealth of inspiration! What advice do you have for designers, crafters and small business owners working on an overall branding concept for their business? I would suggest getting along side a good graphic designer who can walk you through areas of branding/printing etc that you may not know much about, asking for their advise and taking their word that they know what is best for your brand. Invest in essentials like a great logo to stand out and represent the quality of your service and products. What is the biggest mistake these small business owners make when working on their branding? The biggest mistake I see is small business using template logo designs, I see multiple pages using the same branding or clip-arty type images that you can find in publisher. You need to invest in something that is uniquely yours that adequately represents your business. Another no no for me is using fonts that are far too overused, there are plenty of great free font sites out there that you can download and use for your business. Don’t just stick to the ones that come with your pc. What is the biggest challenge about being a New Zealand based web company? And what is the best thing? To be honest I have not come across any problems, I still get customers enquiring from Australia and they have no problem with me being based here in New Zealand. The best thing is that there are so many neat new design ideas and inspiration from overseas that NZ have not seen yet so I can apply some of the international style and ideas to my design making it a bit different to everything else that’s already been seen here.
x Janelle
. Facebook . Pinterest . website .
Serendipitous Z I don’t know about you, but I seem to live my life by dates. Christmas, New Years’ Eve, the new school year, Easter, birthdays, school holidays, deadlines for assignments, for bills.. there can even be a countdown to next payday! Sometimes it feels like you’ve just managed to scrape through one thing when the next starts looming over the horizon. Someone needs to schedule some time for a coffee! If you are lucky, then the birthdays in your family are spread out over the year, with nice, even and courteous month long gaps in between. But everyone I know seems to have birthday clusters… ours are all from April - June. Time flies when you are having a life
I won’t mention the C-word again. You know the one. With that S-guy? With lay-bys collected last minute. Rushing around for two weeks to spend a day with family. The irony is we are supposed to be enjoying the holiday season; the fact is we all get stressed out. You can tell yourself you will be nice to your mother as much as you want, but when she walks in that door knowing best and making sure you know she knows best… That’s when the crazy starts to bubble. And surely I’m not the only one who has been up past midnight, wrapping presents with images of how happy and grateful the kids will be ..only to listen to them argue over who plays with what while you are picking up all the paper a few hours later thinking “Thank God that’s over!” I hate buying gifts for my partner. Socks and undies are easy. Everyone needs those. Gifts for the family are usually those tins of butter cookies that only appear on the shelves during Christmas. It is hard not to spend every last dollar on presents for the kids – and they are at the age where they are easy to buy for.. But time will take that from me too. It’s the innocence of children that time steals from us. My little man had his heart set on being a Power Ranger when he grew up. I had to be the one to break his heart and confirm that they weren’t real. He was devastated, but after explaining that they were actors and actors get to do really cool stuff, he brightened up – especially when I mentioned ‘Back to the Future’. Though we haven’t reached the subject of time travel yet – so I’m probably going to disappoint him again very soon! It’s sad how time ages us. The excitement and joy that kids feel at Christmastime brings us back to that lost time of wonder where happiness is simple, and infectious! Time can be so repetitive… which is weird if every moment is a new one. There is nothing more repetitive than New Year’s Resolutions. Einstein might have said, ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.’ To be honest, my resolutions for the last 10 years have been to lose weight. Year after year I promise myself that I will do it – and never really have. This year, for the first time, I discovered the ‘fun’ in fun runs, so my resolution next year is to do five fun runs, all courteously spaced out a couple of months apart. Holidays always make me feel like I have more time than I actually do. At the beginning my mind lights up with possibilities. One day, I really will learn French. I will start writing that novel, break old habits and form new ones (like going to bed before midnight!) and somehow have the most fun ever with the kids. Before you know it, the holidays are over, and you end up shoving those half-started projects aside to make school lunches. I heard that time goes faster as you get older… perhaps because one day you wake up and a decade has gone by. Or because you have already lived 60 years, so there is less time ahead of you… even the concept of time is wacky, especially if you ask yourself whether it exists purely as a human construct for ordering events past, present and future, or as something of itself. Mmm. Too much existentialism right now Where’s that coffee?
Nicole x
Zenefertiti
Want to hear more from Nicole? Check out her blog! x
Fabric Pompom tutorial
What you will need:
Fabric, the more inclined to fray the better. I used about 1 metre of fabric to make two pom poms. Polyesterine Balls Hot Glue Ribbon Scissors
First of all you will need to cut circles out of the fabric, I found it easiest to draw the circles on to the fabric first, before attacking with the scissors. Ideally the circles need to all be around about the same size.
Once you have all of the rounds you can then work on gluing them to the polyesterine balls. Place a small dab of glue onto the round before sticking to the ball. I found that the closer together the pieces of fabric the more textural the end result. Although you do end up using a lot more fabric.
I created a line around the centre of the ball before filling in each half.
Once the entire area of polyesterine has been covered I then add a loop of ribbon and hang.
These pompoms are able to be made in any colour of the rainbow and for that reason they look great hanging in a child’s bedroom, or as part of a tablescape for a dinner party, or I have even used them for a wedding!
Look out for more fun tutorials in our Autumn edition out March 1st!
This cot size throw is hand painted by the lovely Rebecca of Squander No More a new to the marketplace Indie Designer. Pop over and check out the rest of her range x
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AQUA LOVE I asked you, the Indie Designers of New Zealand to share with me your favourite pieces in aqua and this is what you shared! Make sure you follow our Facebook page for load of fun ways to get in the magazine x
Sarah Backler...
bought to you by....
I’ve always had an interest in ceramics and I enjoy making outcomes with my hands. Slipcast ceramics seemed to be a good way to combine my experience as an industrial designer with these other two factors. It has been an enjoyable learning curve for the last couple of years. Where do you find the inspiration for your pieces? I don’t have a particular formula for inspiration. My current pieces explore how one shape can transform into another, the ‘in-between’ shapes and how texture plays out on these surfaces. How does your creative process work? After the initial inspiration, lots of sketches to brainstorm and explore forms and silhouettes, then for me its really important to continue this into three dimensions. This usually involves lots of paper, folding and cutting until something works. What is the best piece of creative advice you have ever been given? Keep it simple. Less is more. Something along those lines... though not ever very simple getting to that point! What makes your craft unique? I combine technology with my craft to create objects that speak of both precision and irregularity. Each quality plays off the other. Do you believe that consumers are more aware of sustainable items? And how does sustainability fit in with both your designs and your business? Some are more aware than others, and I think/hope this awareness is increasing. From my end I try my best to have as little wastage as possible from my production process. Packaging is kept to a minimum, is made from recycled or sustainable sources and able to be recycled at the end. I would like to think that people value my products and will love/use them for many years. How important is New Zealand made? And what does New Zealand made mean to you? New Zealand made definitely has a nice ring to it. For me it is something to be proud of when it also means the outcome is one of quality and of difference.
Sarah x
What are the strengths of being a New Zealand based designer? Are there any weaknesses? The ease of setting up a business and being able to try something new. Weaknesses would be smallness of the local market, harder to get interesting components and only getting a small selection of international design to appreciate in person (photos don’t count.)
Riding the Catwalk
With Nin from Sailor Spy... Cycle Runway was the flagship event for University of Canterbury’s Sustainability Community ‘Eco Week’ - for more information on them check their website. UC Sustainability Community frequently run week long awareness campaigns highlighting ecological issues. As far as I’m aware this was the second fashion show they have run. They chose to highlight ‘green’ commuter options this time round. What motivated you to get involved with this project? I was invited to show at this event. I was really intrigued and excited to design looks to be worn on bikes - I actually own an Archi (the bike brand they used) and so it wasn’t a stretch designing with this in mind. Initially I committed to just three looks, but that ballooned to 13 rather quickly. How does the philosophy of Cycle Runway fit in with your philosophy at Sailor Spy? We dovetail really well. I’ve built my label with an focus on sustainable design. I’ve analysed every step of the design and production process to ensure I have the least environmental impact possible. For example - my patternmaking paper scraps are recycled to the green bin, my fabric scraps are donated to my daughter’s preschool. This philosophy extends to choosing suppliers and materials which have little or low impact on the environment. The women I design for is eco-savvy - she would probably own a bike! Her style is not about fads and disposable fashion. Price isn’t the first thing she looks at, but her choices are at an accessible price point. She will pay a little more for something to feel good about supporting locally made product – especially if it has an element of unique design – expresses the fact she is extraordinary. She doesn’t see herself as mainstream in her tastes, but she isn’t a ‘hippy’ – she loves her dishwasher and her heatpump (chosen for their low energy
ratings of course), but she composts and does her bit for the environment, perhaps she grows a few veges. Was this your first runway show? Not my first, but it’s been a long long time. Runway shows are really expensive to produce and so I’ve only ever done group shows. I guess my last one was the Modus Operandi Fashion Awards in Wellington back in 2003 How does doing runway shows help your collections develop? Runway is really the beautiful end point to a collection - an idea that started months before hand expressed in a few short minutes. Generally however, I design ‘from the gut’ and I piece together a look based on fabrics and colours - as I go a mood or theme makes itself known and its then a process of sampling and paring it back to get to the essence of the idea or theme. When I’ve finished the looks and edited it together then I start to consider styling, accessories, etc. This collection was a little different, as elements such as silhouette fabrication and even styling
Here comes the feeling you
thought you had forgotten...
were dictated by the bikes from a very early stage and it did leave its mark on the collection. I titled it “Here comes the feeling you thought you’d forgotten” and its very much snippets of my childhood biking around sunny Nelson. What was your favourite point in the night? My slot was after the second half - toward the end. I really enjoyed watching the first half of the show with my friends and husband - I don’t often get to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere at these things (backstage is frantic!!) Anything you would do differently next time? Honestly, I know this seems arrogant but no - it was great! It was really well hosted by Kelli of UC Sustainability Community and my models were really really awesome (in fact one of them is doing another photoshoot with me next week) Where can buyers get your pieces from? Wellingtonians can find my wares at Made.It on Victoria Street. I am opening a showroom and studio in Christchurch in November, so peeps can come visit and purchase from me direct.
Nin x
Sailor Spy have several online shops - try Felt or Etsy
Aroha is the creative force that comes from the spirit, it is all around you it is you.... Its really lovely to have Maori words spoken in everyday conversation but its even better if we have a good understanding of what those words mean. Aroha is often translated as love and a beautiful word that we all use. But the scope of the word Aroha requires an exploration not a translation. The root word ‘Aro’ has many meanings one is ‘mind,seat of feelings’ ‘Ha’ is defined as breath and refers to the breath of life Aroha knows the universe as abundant, with more opportunities than could ever be imagined. It seeks the best and draws it out. Aroha is not accepting of aggression, greed or ignorance. Aroha in action is generosity. Aroha will always find unity and balance. Aroha in practice is the heart, soul and mind connected. Words Worth Sharing with Adele from Borrowed Earth
Home baked leaf
What you need:
Polymer Clay (known as Fimo, Sculpey or our own NZ Du-kit), colour of your choice, black sets off the metallic powder, lighter colours show the acrylic paint best) a set of playing cards a roller (a glass bottle will do too!) baking paper (pieces of ~15x 15cm) craft knife a sharp tool or darning needle as hole poker cookie cutters (the cake decorator’s shop is a great source for small cutters) fresh leaves with protruding veins (berry leaves, fig, sage, geranium etc) mica powder acrylic paint and fine paintbrush tissue paper an old cloth and a cup with water
jewellery
On a workmat/ cardboard/ newspaper prepare everything you need. Turn off phone and kids... ehm... you want a bit of time for yourself to enjoy this and to experiment! Make two stacks of at least 10 cards (sellotape helps), place them on a piece of baking paper. Take a quarter of the block of polymer clay and knead to soften it, this will take a few minutes depending on the amount you use, the warmth of your hands and the squeeze your fingers can give. For a start I would use about a quarter of the block or less. Squish it flat and place on the baking paper, cover with another sheet of baking paper and roll to an even thickness to the height of the cards. Place a leaf onto it, cover again with paper and now roll once and in one direction only(!) with good pressure over the paper. Peel off paper and leaf and voila, you should have a gorgeous imprint. If not, just rework it and repeat. Find a good position for your cutter, press evenly. Peel away the portion around the cutter to avoid distortion, then remove the cutter. With gentle motion soften the sharp edges with your finger or the craft knife/ toothpick/ a shaping tool if you have one. If there is another part of the leaf you want to use for e.g. earrings, go for it.
Poke holes into the parts where you want to fix a cord/ loop/ bail to hang your item from once finished. For a larger leaf you can use a needle to cut inside the edge of a drawing tool, or cut it freehand with your knife.
Here is a collection of lavender, fern, boysenberry and fig leaves and a skeleton leaf (my favourite, it makes great textures!). I used a lid of a container to cut that halfround shape and fixed two loops at the top from offcuts. (Good connection is important!)
And now comes the next fun part: adding colour with metallic powder! With a small paint brush pick up a tiny amount of mica powder and apply to the clay. I like to have an offcut on the side to test what the metallic looks like. You can mix powder on a little piece of paper if you don’t like them straight. Just add a little at a time, you can always put on more. (A moist cotton bud can remove some mica...) The colours are amazing, the white one on the right looks almost like an opal now! The one on the left looked like the middle one but I added some “russet” to the sides and top. The big pendant received a good mica rub, but take heed, less is sometimes more!
Silver Jewellery It’s so easy anyone can do it.
Make it. Wear it. Love it.
Experience the miraculous transformation of precious metal clay to solid pure silver! Individual or group workshops available with Ingrid Schloemer, tutor and jeweller exhibiting at galleries in New Zealand and Australia
Call Ingrid Schloemer: 06 877 7525 arcadia.nz@mac.com www.arcadiastudio.co.nz For more information on artclay: www.artclaynz.co.nz
If you want a decorated back, you can gently turn your pendant over, place a dried leaf (I cut one in heart shape), and use a small tool to rub over the leaf everywhere. Don’t rub too hard as not to loose the texture on the front of your pendant! Peel off, add other decoration if you want, done! Bake your goodies according to the instructions on the packet. To give the pieces a bit of a sheen where no mica is you can rub a piece of waxed paper over the bare areas. And then you just need to teach yourself some knots to make e.g. a bracelet, use a ribbon or a shoe lace as cord, add beads and paua and earhooks and whatever you fancy to make these your very own pieces! As for the white fig pendant, I used green and black acrylic paint, just a brushful, added a sprinkle of matching mica and brushed it onto the leaf imprint, left it to dry for a minute or two, then dabbed a tissue on to it. I repeated this, but then the other area looked boring... so I just added what I had on the paintbrush here and there and rubbed it off with a tissue. Does look quite good with a black cord, does’nt it? PS To protect the mica rubbing off over time you can use clear nail polish and add a fine coat, or some mod podge if you have it handy! PPS Polymer clay is very light so you want these items to be quite thick. You could glue or stitch them on or inside a metal washer (copper looks good with green and blue metallic) for added weight and interest.
Since 2006 Ingrid has been teaching students of all ages and backgrounds as a certified instructor for Art Clay Silver. Fancy a weekend away? Join Ingrid at her Bed and Breakfast. Tutorial and accommodation Packages available,
Pretty in pink... Creative independent thought, channeled into an eye and imagination capturing visual product - Stacey, Art Out Loud NZ
Win these earrings on our Facebook page!!
The monarch butterfly is called ‘Danaus plexippus’, the common blue butterfly is ‘Zizinia otis’
I come from a long line of entrepreneurs and after I gained a Diploma in Fashion Design and Technology at CPIT (Christcurch Polytech) in 01/02 it seemed logical to start my own label. So after my job came to an end I decided the time was right for Charislee to be born. ‘Charis’ means ‘grace’ in Greek and that is the meaning of Anna, and Lee is my middle name. Initially, I printed a few tees and took them to the Nelson Market on a Saturday morning and I sold 4!!! I couldn’t believe it. That was 7 years ago, now we design and make two collections a year, with a range of skirts, shorts, pants, dresses, singlets and jewellery. The jewellery was added in March of this year and it has been well received. The designs are cut from acrylic or wood with designs that complement the clothing and keep with the nature theme. In the beginning I was designing, constructing and printing everything myself, but with the business (and my family) growing I have had to outsource some of the sewing and all of the printing and embroidery. It has meant that I have been able to spend more time designing and marketing and most importantly with my family.
Charislee Clothing
The Designing...
I decided pretty early on to design and make clothing that I would wear. Clothing that is comfortable, easy to wear, and ‘no fuss’. It was also important to me to use good quality fabrics with mostly (where possible) natural fibers. I use mostly ‘nature’ inspired prints (cabbage trees, feathers, birds etc) and have found them to be hugely popular with my customers. This season I have designed a range of clothing that is bright and fun! Hot pink is a big colour for us in this collection, with tees, minis and dresses. All of the dresses can be dressed up or down with a quick change of footwear and they are very practical with most of them having pockets.
The Shopping...
You can buy our clothing and jewellery through our website or facebook and by emailing or calling. I also have a stall at the Nelson Market on Saturday mornings, (weather permitting) and I am currently in a ‘pop up’ shop in the Richmond Mall, Nelson. December and the New Year are pretty busy for us at the market as Nelson is a popular holiday destination, and the market is known for its high quality products.
The Online Experience...
People are spending more and more time shopping online and (almost) everyone is on facebook, so it makes sense to have a business page there. I really love using facebook. It’s a great place where customers can comment or ask a question and get a pretty quick response. You get to know your customers and they get to know a little bit about me, and my family too as I like to
share little bits and pieces. I have had a basic website since the early days of Charislee, but I am currently working on updating it and trying to add photos on a more regular basis to keep people coming back.
The Business...
The best thing for me about being an indie designer is getting to do what I love everyday! It never stops for me, I am constantly thinking of new designs and ideas for prints. The biggest challenge for me is time management! I have three daughters (identical 4 year old twins and an almost 2 year old) and a husband who is studying, so it is a real juggle getting everything done and not stressing out. I have ‘studio’ type space at home, but it really is the back of the garage with my big table and machines. I love having a designated area to sketch, design and spread out. With having little kids it is good to be able to lock everything away. Where do I want to see Charislee in the future?? This is the question that I have been working on for a while now. I have just launched charis wee – our little girls range – starting with tees, and that has been getting great feedback - probably because of the gorgeous models!! ;)!! I would like to do it all, shoes, handbags, homeware, perfumes, swimwear, sun glasses etc etc, but we will take that one step at a time!!!
x Anna
. Facebook . Store . Website .
The best piece of advice that my Dad gave me is find your passion! Find what you are good at and what you love and you can’t go wrong.
We all scream for Ice Cream....
Because summer would not be the same without it!
Paper and Lace..
Indie Love must have
Objects of beauty that are designed with emotion and integrity, then handcrafted with love. -Jax, paper and lace
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Where do you find your inspiration? My inspiration can come from anywhere and anything. Beautiful art, design, photography and interiors make me giggle like a kid at Christmas and you would be amazed as to how much inspiration I can find from a single pair of shoes. I am also hugely inspired by New Zealand women who are not only making their mark in business and design, but who are truly authentic and encourage compassion, community and self love. What are your daily ‘must visit’ websites? Oh that is a tough one. I am a blog addict that is for sure and if I’m keeping it kiwi... (and of course Hazel Loves Design is just a given) Made From Scratch. Rachael McMahon is an oh so lovely kiwi lass with some super sweet skills in the kitchen, and is admittedly responsible for my husbands recent increase in happiness (and waist measurements) Gala Darling. This quirky, kick ass, kiwi beauty has taken the world by storm. Teaching women to love themselves while living life with tons of personal mojo. Respect. The Style Insider. Leonie Barlow is doing a smashing job of keeping us beautiful, stylish and modestly cool, while keeping us in loop with the what, where and when. Oh and did I mention the amazing Freebie Fridays! Cush & Nooks. Heaven for the home, Vic Bibby has reeled me in with her insanely good taste and I just cant get enough. Inky & Bright. My everyday fix of all things oooh and arrrr, this gorgeous blog from the wonderful Josie Skipper is a treasure trove of celebration inspired goodies that make me want to parrrrrrtay. Best piece of creative advice you have ever been given? If it’s not working, take a break, do something else, sleep on it. It works wonders. Your all time favourite quote? “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” -Hunter S. Thompson, “Gonzo” Best Kept Secret... Hmm probably keeping our elopement a secret for 9 months would have to take the cake, but if there is one secret all women should know about then Batiste Dry Shampoo is it. Ladies, I can go almost one week without washing my hair, and yes it still looks and smells great. My favourite flavour? Tropical. I really should work for these guys because I am so passionate about this product it is bordering on obsession!
x Jax
Your ‘Must Have’ indie design piece? Oh my lord, I have to pick just one? Right now I am in love with the large Rustic Animal Face from Badgers Hollow.
Crafty Girls Talk.... Crafty Girls Talk is a collection of interviews with women who craft for fun, for profit and for others. In each story we explore a little of that crafty girl’s world, what they make and where they have taken their passion for creating. Meet the women who: • lead textile tours to France and China • have created crafty businesses, big and small, from home • are amazing fabric, pattern and needlework designers • bring a little bit of knitted love to those in need.
Sound good? Win your copy on Facebook!
I love going to a craft class, you meet so many wonderful crafty women, each one with a love of creating and a story to share. Be it a knitting workshop or a quilting bee, it doesn’t take long for the stories to start. If you’ve ever been on a crafty workshop you will know that crafty girls talk! In Crafty Girls Talk I have interviewed 20 creative women from around the world: USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. We explore the different ways crafty women have taken their passion. Many crafty women seeking independence from a job start businesses: from big to small, retailers to wholesalers, from makers to designers. Others have travelled the world following their crafty passions. Some of the women craft for fun, for family or to give to someone they have never met. Many of the crafty girls knit or sew, felt or embroider, some scrapbook and patchwork and others are true multi-crafters. “When I lock up the store at night and the lights have all been turned off, the light from the city is just enough to outline all the cabinets and shelves full of little treasures, combined with the beautiful St Paul’s Cathedral lit up in the background, there is a stillness and quiet that is quite magic.” Kim Hurley - L’uccello
Use these all over your body (but not your face) to make your skin glow and feel silky soft. So so simple everyone should be making these! All you need is Sugar (can be brown or white) oil (enough to make the sugar a nice wet mix) essential oils of your choice and some plastic containers or recycled glass jars with lids. I kid you not...that is it! If you are making these as gifts you can make up cool little tags or just write on the jars with a Sharpe. I used some old doilies as little covers for the lids, you could use anything you like. Once you have this basic receipe (above) you can go wild and add all sorts of goodies to the mix! Just remember use only natural ingredients and always add a heaped tablespoon of love to everything you make!
Spicy Delight
1 cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 3/4 cup apricot oil 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg powder 40 drops of cardamom essential oil Mix everything together and bottle.
Rose Petal Power
1 cup sugar teaspoon of aloe Vera gel 25 drops of Rose Geranium essential oil 3 tablespoons of avocado oil 2 pinches of dried rose petals 3 teaspoons of beetroot juice for pink colour. (Cut a small beetroot in half, place in pot with a little filtered water. Put on stove top and heat until you have a nice coloured liquid) Mix everything together and bottle.
Expresso Scrub
( don’t use this one if you have really sensitive skin) 1/2 cup ground coffee 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup coarse sea salt 2/4 apricot oil Mix everything together and bottle.
Zesty Lemon - just add to basic reciepe lemon juice and rind of a small lemon.
Vanilla Pie - just add vanilla extract some aloe Vera gel and vanilla pod (cause it looks cool!) to basic receipe
If you are adding plant material to your scrubs best to add a little aloe Vera gel as this is a natural preservative ( from lotus oils) Just on a safety note your shower or bath may be a little slippery after you have used your scrubs so best to give a quick clean. Enjoy xx
Super Simple Sugar Scrubs With Adele from Borrowed Earth
I’m sure you’ve all indulged in a peanut slab or two in the past. This book takes everything that is good about a peanut slab and multiplies it by about ten, and we wouldn’t expect anything less from a book published by one of New Zealand’s trusted brands. Not just recipes, this book also shares a history of the brand that we love, teaches techniques and guides to cooking with chocolate. Whilst bringing some of New Zealand’s favourite chefs together to share their favourite recipes including the likes of Martin Bosley, Ruth Pretty and Steve Logan. One of my favourite dishes in the book is Tasting Room’s Len Baldwin’s ‘Juniper and Pepper Venison Black Steak on Rosti Potato with Chocolate Mole Sauce’. Ahem... didn’t expect to see that in a book about chocolate, did you! Amongst the celebrities and the Masterchefs you will find everyday recipes from Whittaker’s fans, including our own ‘Ami Ana’, who has had her ‘Rich Dark Chocolate Fudge’ recipe published in the book. I am an advocate of bringing a voice to the little people and am beyond proud of Whittaker’s for using their Facebook page to collect these fabulous recipes and share them with us all. Social media definitely can mix with paper media, this book is proof that this can be done in a profound and beautiful way. My honest opinion on this book... buy it! The photography alone will have you drooling, the recipes are easy to follow. Next time I need a chocolate fix (or overdose), I know which recipe I’ll be indulging in!
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Images: Brian Culy
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