Issue 1 July/August 2011
pretty packages TEN pretty packaging ideas to brighten up gift giving
mumpreneurs Meet five Aussie mums juggling family & a thriving creative business
Favourite Nooks We take a look at some inspiring and cosy nooks
cute mini Cushions Mardi Winen and friends stitch up a storm!
Lisa Pate’s thrift shopping tips
NEW Our first
ever issue!
get thrifty kabwares
Filled with crafty and inspiring projects and stories 1 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Breathing new life into old things
craft. lifestyle. home. family. you
kimarcher
mAkE Your sELF @ homE -------------------------------------------------have you seen our mAkE IT series of online workshops? What is a Make It class? It’s a series of different classes where we create a layout project focusing on one particular theme or technique. Each layout has lots of little techniques and tips you can then use on other projects.
alphabet it
paint it
stitch it
--------------------------------------------------
shabby it
What’s an Online Class?
textile it
It’s a place to learn a new skill, connect with other crafty people, create and be inspired all from the comfort of your own home through the powers of technology. Join Kim Archer and the @ Home Team for easy to follow, crafty online workshops in our custom built online classrooms.
so if its scrapbooking, stitching, fabric, crafting, painting and making stuff is your thing, then head on over to the @home site and make yourself @home.
www.kimarcher.com.au 2 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
editor’s letter
hello
Welcome to our very first issue of Etzcetera Magazine. Following a dream. It’s a risky little thing sometimes. And some of us don’t ever get to realise those dreams. Or our life takes a different path and we find new dreams. In my teens I wanted to be Lisa Wilkinson, the then youngest editor ever of Dolly magazine. I’ve kept the clipping announcing how she got the job and I’ve held onto it for inspiration! My dream was always to work for a magazine. But my life took on different twists and turns and while I did study graphic design when I left school, I also got married and had babies and moved to an isolated little coastal town before starting a number of small businesses. I didn’t ever get to work for a magazine. Fast forward to now and for a couple of years I have had this idea bubbling away in the back of my imagination. And it just wouldn’t go away. At the start of the year I took time off work and the idea started playing louder and louder in my brain. And I could no longer ignore it. I decided to launch my own digital magazine. I’m not sure when the idea became “I would like to ..” to “I am going to..” but somewhere along the way this year I decided to take the plunge. And it was not without angst and worry and what ifs.
BUT it’s happened. And I am THRILLED, excited, and eager to introduce our very first issue of Etzcetera Magazine.
We meet Alister and Jane Fitchett, the creative team behind KABWARES . Inspiring and fun tips for making your heart sing from Ngaire Bartlam.
3 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011 3 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Along the way I have met the most amazingly inspiring and creative people. This issue we meet the talented husband and wife duo behind the KABWARES brand, we talk to five mumpreneurs following their own creative dreams, Lisa Pate takes us thrift shopping, we peek inside some beautiful little favourite nooks and Mardi Winen shows us how to stitch lovely mini pillows of goodness. We also welcome Ngaire Bartlam who writes for us this issue on how to make your heart sing. I love Ngaire’s inspiring, motivating and witty list of ways to fill your life with joy, nurture your soul and appreciate who you are. I hope you enjoy our first issue.
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9
contents July/August
features
18 Taking The Leap Meet the creative team behind homewares brand KABWARES
56 Make your Heart Sing Ngaire Bartlam shares 24 ways to fill your heart with joy and happiness
23 Pillow Talk Mardi Winen shows us how to make teeny mini cushions of loveliness
60 My Little Nook We take a peek into some cosy favourite nooks.
47 Creative Mumpreneurs We talk to five mums juggling family life and their own enterprise
66 Thrifty Shopping Tips Long time “op shopper”, Lisa Pate shares her tips for thrift shopping.
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47 let’s get crafty
29 Five Super Cute Tutorials Some of our favourite web tutorials 36 Pretty Packages Ten packaging ideas 38 Stitched Paper Packages Easy baking paper stitched pockets 44 Mini Clipboard Project Make a handy note clipboard
60
contents
38 66 23
68 Crafty Doilies Fun crafty ways with doillies 70 Quick & Easy Cards 72 Scrapbooking “Oh Mum, How Could You?”: a scrapbooking layout how-to
food ideas
75 A Family Favourite Favourite recipes from the family cookbooks! 5 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
every issue
9 Style Folio Tamar Bostock explores the world of buttons 14 Quick & Easy Make your own pretty crafting tape 30 Sew Lovely Janelle Wind gets us started on the craft of patchwork 40 In The Mood Lisa Pate shares a mood board of grey, white, black and yellow
submissions
Interested in submitting to Etzcetera Magazine? We accept submissions of crafty project tutorials or written articles that are in line with our craft, lifestyle, family, home, you theme. We’re on the look out for crafty people, crafty stories, crafty products - is that you or someone you know? Email for more details. kim@etzceteramagazine.com.au
editor/art director Kim Archer editorial assistant Lisa Pate style editor Tamar Bostock stitching editor Janelle Wind
cover project how-to
contributors
Ngaire Bartlam Mardi Winen Sheree Forcier Yvette Adams Gail Lindner Jo Koschmann Jamison Archer Erica Robinson Kate Mason Gigi Kennedy
advertising email for a Media Kit info@etzcetera.com.au
admin co ordinator Peggy Thurston
Contact Us
PO Box 37 Wallsend NSW 2287 PH: 0411133996 e: info@kimarcher.com.au Published by Kim Archer ABN: 88 649 297 554 www.etzceteramagazine.com.au
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Like our project cover? Here we show you step by step how to make your own simple fabric flower hoop to brighten up a little girl’s bedroom or to add some colour and fun to your craft space.
cover project
MINI FLOWER HOOP by Kim Archer
12 34 56 • • • • • •
78
Materials: 6 inch embroidery hoop 8 inch square of fabric for your base 6-8 offcut fabrics for your flower petals button access to a sewing machine
one: Choose six fabrics for your petals and a fabric for your flower centre. Make a template by drawing out a petal shape onto paper - petal is about 9cm in length and about 5cm at the widest part in width. Also create a 3 inch (8cm) circle template for your centre. two: Fold each fabric piece in half, right sides together and trace out each petal shape using lead pencil. Head to the sewing machine and using a very small straight stitch, machine stitch each petal, leaving the bottom edge open for turning through. three: After stitching all petals, cut each petal out, leaving a narrow margin around each shape. four: Carefully turn each petal outwards and press seams. five: Assemble flower by roughly tacking all petals together, layering the fabric circle centre over the top as shown. Machine stitch circle to flower petals BEFORE attaching to hoop. six: Stretch fabric securely over embroidery hoop. seven: Add a second circle centre and assemble by hand stitching a button in place to hold all layers together on the hoop. eight: Carefully add a few small stitches to the tops of each petal to secure and prevent them flopping forward.
Published from www.kimarcher.com.au - Whole Lotta Hoopla Online workshop with Lisa Pate. Visit us here.
7 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Contributors ------------------------Lisa Pate
Ngaire Bartlam
Crazy for Colour designer, Lisa lives in country NSW with her family. She loves bright, vibrant colour, getting messy with paint, creating mixed media art, scrapbooking and thrift shopping.
Fox and Deer blogger, Ngaire is an artist and lives with her family in QLD. She believes in the power of sisterhood, art and peace and enjoys eating chocolate, sewing art quilts and collecting dollies and deer.
lisakate.typepad.com
www.ngaireb.com
Tamar Bostock
Tarisota Collections owner, Tamar lives on the Gold Coast with her family. She spends her days creating, making and baking and loves paper crafting, stitching, reading and living each day to the full. tarisota.typepad.com
Other Contributors
Janelle Wind
Mardi Winen
Owner of The Janelle Wind Collection & The Stitched Bluebird, Janelle lives in the Hunter Valley, NSW. She spends her days designing, stitching and teaching patchwork classes and loves creating, op shopping and blogging.
Owner of Dudley and Grace, Mardi Winen lives in country South Australia with her family. She loves to stitch, scour the local op shop for vintage fabric and home decor items she can revamp, make things and scrapbook.
thejanellewindcollection. typepad.com
mardiwinen.blogspot.com
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Sheree Forcier Yvette Adams Jo Koschmann Gail Lindner Gigi Kennedy Jamison Archer Erica Robinson Kate Mason Mel Goodsell
http://www.facebook.com/ pages/Etzcetera-Magazine/133223896753471
style folio
style folio
all about buttons story: tamar bostock Cover photo: Jill Geraghty Groves
Tamar takes us on a button adventure and inspires us with wondrous button stories and project ideas.
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style folio all about buttons Buttons made their debut over 3,000 years ago and unlike the buttons of today, held no real function. They were merely designed to decorate and were fastened to clothing not unlike a brooch is today. While they have never really gone out of fashion they seem to be making a huge comeback in the crafting world.
but•ton/’bƏtn/ knob sewn onto Noun: A small disk or fasten it by being a garment, either to made for the pushed through a slit tion. purpose, or for decora g) with buttons. Verb: Fasten (clothin
Tamar
x
button collections
Buttons always add a finishing touch to a project. Perhaps it’s because so many of us have jars and jars filled with pretty buttons - inherited from grandmas’ who had sewing baskets.
Jill Geraghty-Groves is one such artist. Jill, as a young girl, vividly remembers sitting at her grandmother’s feet, playing in her tins of buttons. Her grandma, as long back as she can remember, was a collector of buttons. Visit Jill Geraghty Groves here: http://jillgg.typepad.com/
http://jillgeraghty-groves.com/ 10 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
After her grandma passed away, Jill inherited her beautiful button collection and every time Jill adds a button to her projects, she remembers her grandma’s great love of sewing.
style folio
-----------bonkers about buttons
fabric buttons
Rachel Tucker combines her love of vintage with her love of creating by bringing back to life embroidered pieces of linen and turning them into one of a kind covered buttons. Rachel hunts antique shops and second hand stores to find small pieces of embroidery to cut up and make into covered buttons. She has found it worthwhile to ask the stores if they have any damaged linen as they are often prepared to sell for just a fraction of the price. These one of a kind vintage buttons are the perfect
embellishment for scrapbook pages and mini albums. They work well teamed with a bow and tag for a gift or in the centre of a flower on a brooch. The possibilities are endless. If you would like to give this a try, simple button covering kits can be found in your local craft store or online. Birch has a great range.
Stephanie Henley is a self confessed button obsessor.
Her love of buttons runs so deep that she keeps a blog, Facebook page and also an amazing Pinterest account that all celebrate her love of this humble accessory. The chance discovery of a beautiful button triggered a long-held fascination with buttons. Stephanie googled “buttons” and it opened her up to a whole new world. Until then she had no idea that people were using buttons in the creative and imaginative ways they were. Stephanie’s blog Bonkers About Buttons, was started with the intention of using it as an inspiration board and then with the release of Pinterest, Stephanie had the chance to create a virtual photo pinboard to keep all the lovely button links she finds. Her current found, recycled and vintage button collection weighs in at over 35kg.
www.rtscraps.typepad.com/
www.birchhaby.com.au/ourrange.asp?cat=34&scat=5611&page=0&expandid=02401 6#expand
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Bonkers About Buttons BLOG Facebook Pinterest
button cards
In years gone by buttons used to come on sweet cards and the packaging was as enticing as the buttons themselves. These vintage cards are now popping up, as crafters scan and clean the images ready to be reprinted and used in paper crafting. They make a lovely addition to a card or a gift and even better if the recipient likes to stitch or craft - you can always add your own vintage button for effect. These button cards are available as a PDF from Sally in her Etsy store. Sally also has a lovely array of real vintage buttons on cards too. http://www.etsy.com/shop/allthingshomey
jazz up a cardi
In just a few minutes and with a few fancy buttons, you can transform a plain, inexpensive cardigan into a wearable work of art. Simply remove the existing buttons and add some new bling or jewelled buttons. If you are after a more conservative look, choose matching buttons. Or step it up a notch and go retro by choosing vintage buttons with perhaps a colour scheme or size to offer some consistency. These buttons were on the throw out racks at Spotlight for just $1.00 for a packet of four. Tamar Bostock loves to spend her days creating , making and baking with her daughters for her husband. She lives each day to the fullest and much to her Ma’s horror her motto is “I can sleep when I am dead�. Tamar shares much of her life on her blog http://www. tarisota.typepad.com. and would love for you to pop past for a read.
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button dolls
A new craze sweeping young ones and those young at heart are these adorable Bitty Button dolls. These rag dolls take on the personalities of the fabrics used to make them. Naturally each one has a set of buttons for eyes. Currently there are ten in total to collect. A definite must have for the button obsessed. Available at Myer or Kmart stores within Australia.
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Pretty up your gifts by making your own scrapbooking tape. 14 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
&
Quick easy
1 2 3 4
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TIME NEEDED: allow 15 minutes SKILL LEVEL: beginner
make your own tape step one
Choose some pretty papers, book paper or a page or two from a favourite magazine. Keep in mind the width of your double sided tape and the fact that some designs may lose their impact once cut into narrow strips.
step two
Lay strips of double sided tape to the back of your page, lining the strips up side by side with a teeny gap between each strip.
step three
Cut each strip out and roll up and pop inside a glass jar. Decorate your jar by wrapping with some brightly coloured string or wool and finishing with a button.
step four
Use as packaging tape on pretty gifts or add to your next scrapbooking or papercrafting project. Read on for some great ideas on how to use your tape!
.. ..
what you need pretty papers, book paper or magazine page double sided tape in various widths scissors glass jar for storage plus wool and a button for decorating jar
pretty tape
tape Projects by Kim Archer
ideas
What do you do with your pretty patterned tape now you have several rolls? Here’s a few ideas to get you started.
1. 2. 3.
1. Wrap teeny gifts in vintage book paper and wrap a wide length of tape around your gift, securing with embroidery thread and teeny gift tag. Magazine pages with people’s faces make for a cool tape design when cut into strips! 2. Use your pretty tape to create a bunting for your scrapbook page by folding pieces of tape over a length of baker’s twine. Use scissors to snip each piece into a flag shape and staple to your layout. 3. Use your pretty tape just like sticky tape to secure layered images to the front of a gift card.
4. Again, use your tape just like sticky tape to attach a photo 16 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011 to your scrapbook layout.
4.
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Taking the Leap
Melbourne couple Jane and Alister Fitchett turn their hand at a creative small business after Al is retrenched from his job of 25 years. STORY Kim Archer PHOTOGRAPHY Jane Fitchett Danielle Quarmby
Cover photo is of Blackbird’s Corner, Cooks Hill NSW by Danielle Quarmby of Curiouser Photography 18 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Kabwares
Talented husband and wife team Jane and Alister Fitchett breathe new life into materials that have already lived a full life. Using recycled silver spoons with all their imperfections, scratches and dents, flattening them and adding hand stamped sentiments, the Melbourne duo produce unique and charming plant labels under their brand, Kabwares. Their decision to leap into their own enterprise came after Alister was retrenched from his job as a tool maker after twenty five years in the industry. “A couple of years ago – twelve days before Christmas 2008 to be exact, Alister was retrenched.” Jane says, “He struggled to find another position as a tool maker, although he came a close second a couple of times. We honestly believed a new position would only be a week away. But that wasn’t to be.”
Joining the NEIS Program Alister was encouraged to participate in the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) - a Federal Government initiative that assists eligible job seekers who have an idea for a viable new small business. It provides access to training in small business management, a 12 month NEIS financial allowance, business advice and mentor support. “We managed to convince the Department to allow us both to attend the course.” Jane says. “At the time, Al had picked up some intermittent part time work as a courier so this meant that if he had a work shift I would still be able to attend the classes
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and not miss any of the information.” They both completed the NEIS program which involved training in small business management, business skills and business plan development. They then blissfully headed off on their chosen business path which was an auditing business attached to the Federal Government’s doomed insulation program. “As everyone would be aware, that program was a disaster and we basically ended up at square one again.” Jane says. As the NEIS program requires a business plan and a viable business proposal, Jane and Alister had to change direction and come up with a new business idea.
Deciding on a business idea. “I’m constantly zooming around the internet reading lots of blogs and websites involving craft and design and I came across a tutorial on an American blog showing how a spoon could be converted into a plant label.” Jane says, “It was around the time we were redoing our business plan for NEIS and the idea ticked a lot of the right boxes for us as a good idea. Alister had most of the knowledge and skills to produce a finished product of very high quality and so Kabwares was born – eighteen months after Alister was retrenched.” KAB stands for Keeping Alister Busy and he certainly is kept busy with their flourishing homewares business based in their Melbourne home. The pair has very defined roles within the business which
“We love the idea of using something considered unwanted and giving it a new life and purpose.”
goes a long way toward harmony and happiness when working together.
spend some time each week helping out in their kids’ classrooms.
WORKING TOGETHER
Launching the business
Alister is Chief Production Manager and as Jane explains, “He does all the hard manual labour that turns the spoon into a flat plant label. I’ve tried it and it is harder than you think!”
“This is where the NEIS program was a huge advantage,” explains Jane. We had to do a proper business plan with background research and a financial plan. While NEIS are supporting your business, you must report your sales and expenses every month or the funding is stopped.”
Jane’s role is to package the plant labels, photograph them, market the product through their online website, liaise with their stockists and handle all administrative and accounts tasks. Alister now works five days a week as a courier leaving him the afternoon to work on production for Kabwares. Jane finds she works on the business each day while their kids are at school. Alister says one of the best things about working with his wife is the advantage of being able to turn Jane’s ideas into a product very quickly as she doesn’t have to go far to have her ideas produced. Jane enjoys that they are able to spend a fair bit of time together while the kids are at school and their flexible working hours also mean they are able to
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But their big break came when Jane was researching advertising rates for the business and rang the Herald Sun At Home magazine to enquire about advertising rates. Her phone conversation resulted in securing a free editorial featuring Kabwares. “That impending free editorial certainly made us get our behinds into gear. “ Jane laughs, “And fast tracked me setting up a Made It site so we could sell online, and a blog for promotion. When the article came out we immediately started getting orders. We also appeared on the Made It’s Monday New Finds newsletter so we were off with a bang and
Kabwares things have just continued to grow from there.” Selling wholesale Today Kabwares products are sold directly to the public via their website but their most consistent sales come from the wholesale side of the business. Their plant labels are sold through gift shops, florists and nurseries around Australia. “The wholesale part of Kabwares just evolved initially through some personal contacts we had. My sister is a florist so we stocked some of our plant markers there and the buyer from the Royal Botanical Gardens saw me at our market stall and has since placed quite a few orders with us.” Finding the right stockists Jane firmly believes that their plant labels will find their place into just the right shops and she feels it’s important to match their product with the right store.
“A lot of people are very intrigued about what the spoons are for and for the husbands tagging along with their wives at the craft markets they often admire Alister’s workmanship (particularly the older men) which I love!”
Jane says, “We had a customer who came and told us that she had recently bought a set of spoons from one of our stockists. She was at the markets to buy more from us and she knew all about the story behind Kabwares from the store owner. It made my day to know how much our product was appreciated by both the seller and the customer.” Selling at the markets Occasionally Jane sells Kabwares at the Mulgrave Makers Market which is run by The Body Shop in their corporate grounds in Melbourne. Success at the markets is solely weather dependent so Jane doesn’t rely heavily on sales from this outlet to sustain the business. However, she does love how the Mulgrave Makers Markets are organised and it’s a wonderful way to connect with customers face to face and gain immediate feedback. Where to for Kabwares now? The future looks bright for Jane and Alister as they continue to grow their stockist list and experiment with new products. Jane says, “We want to explore different ways of using our spoons for jewellery and other homewares items and also look at other surfaces that can be stamped. And we would love to add a customising service for celebrations such as weddings and newborn gifts. Really, the sky is the limit!”
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www.kabwares.wordpress.com www.mulgravemakersmarket.com.au/ NEIS PROGRAM: http://www.deewr.gov. au/Employment/JSA/EmploymentServices/ Pages/NEIS.aspx
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pillow talk Join Mardi Winen from Dudley & Grace as she shows us step by step how to create a glorious mini cushion. Mardi has invited some crafty friends to share their own mini cushion version as well. STORY Mardi Winen PHOTOGRAPHY & STYLING Kim Archer
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Owner of Dudley & Grace, Mardi Winen lives in country South Australia with her family. She loves to stitch, scour the local op shop for vintage fabric and home decor items she can revamp, make things and scrapbook.
mini cushions -----------------------------------
“
Everyone needs a mini cushion, don’t they? I thought my teeny, tiny fabric cushions were so cute, easy to create and would make such sweet little gifts but I kept hearing the same questions from family members. My family wanted to know what they were and more importantly, “But what do you DO with them?”
~William Morris
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Sometimes I wonder...why is it that everything needs to have a use? Can’t creations just be, well, lovely to look at but totally useless? I believe that we can surround ourselves with things that are useful and have a purpose as well as things that are beautiful. Things that make us feel happy and make us smile. I hope that my little tutorial will make you smile and you will soon have your very own teeny, tiny pretty cushion to brighten up a small spot in your home. I’ve invited a few crafty friends along to make their own version of the teeny cushion. I know their additional ideas will excite and inspire you as much as they did me. It was exciting to see them each add their own twist and character to my original basic design.
“
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
sewing project
How-to 1.
Gather your supplies together and cut an 8x8 inch square of fabric for the front and back of your cushion.
2.
Cut an 8x8 inch piece of pellon and with your iron on medium heat, iron the pellon to the wrong side of your cushion fabric front.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Create a template to be used as a pattern for the flower petals by drawing 3” x 1.5” rectangle and then drawing a petal shape within the rectangle. This will help you create a petal template in the correct size and ensure your petals are all consistent in size. Using this petal template, cut seven petals from different fabric scraps. Evenly position the petals around the centre of the cushion front, leaving a space in the centre. When you are happy with their position pin them in place. Attach using machine appliqué and black sewing thread. Cut a 2.25” circle from a contrasting fabric for the centre and appliqué in place. Add a button to your flower centre, handstitching into place. SEWING YOUR CUSHION TOGETHER. Pin your back and front pieces, RIGHT sides together. Stitch all around all four sides leaving a gap to allow for turning your cushion out. Clip across each corner, close to your stitching and then turn your cushion out to the right side. Press using an iron on medium heat. Fill with fibre fill and hand stitch opening closed using ladder stitch. what you need • fabric for cushion front and back • iron on pellon • 8 different fabric scraps • large button, needle & thread • fibre-fill stuffing • access to sewing machine + black thread
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more cushions
Using Mardi’s basic cushion instructions, we invited several designers to come up with their own version of the mini cushion.
she’ll be apples Jo Koschmann used Mardi’s appliqué instructions and some bright wool felt to create her apple cushion. THE BIG J Kim Archer used denim fabric and her son’s initial to create this cool boy design.
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FLIP IT Yvette Adams designed her cushion as a reversible design - clever girl! One side features a pretty in pink “&” symbol and the reverse showcases a bright and cheery “@” symbol. Patchwork Flower: Jo Koschmann used vintage chenille for her patchwork flower cushion. Jo says, “ I used a hexagon pattern to create the flower and used Vliesofix ironed onto calico to put my flower together. This saved having to attach each hexagon separately to the chenille.”
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NO PLACE LIKE HOME (left) Lisa Pate has used an eclectic mix of fabrics, buttons and trims to create a homely house cushion. SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW (below) Lisa has created her version of a rainbow cushion by adding strips of ruffles in a glorious mix of colours and designs.
LITTLE PEOPLE CUSHION Mardi varied the appliqué design to create this cute people cushion. Here’s some tips to get you started on your own little people cushion. On a sheet of plain paper draw an 8” x 8” square and within this square draw your little people. Mardi says, “I began by drawing some clothes and then adding the head and arms. Have some fun using different fabrics and details to embellish their little clothes. Once you are happy with your pieces appliqué them in place using black thread, appliqué some hair to the head to finish.”
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super
cute tutorials
Feel like making something? Check out these fun Craft Tutorials from Angel Lea Designs, Jasmine Bartin, Kim Archer and Rachael Merrick for Quilt Fabric Delights.
1. 2. 3.
4.
5.
1. Angel Lea Designs Headband PDF Tutorial: http://www.etsy.com/listing/62805651/pdfsewing-pattern-and-tutorial-for | 2. Ballet Bag by Rachael Merrick: http://qfdcreative.com.au/ tutorials/the-ballet-bag-by-rachael-merrick.html 3. African Flower by Jasmine Bartin: http:// frills-n-spills.blogspot.com/2011/06/african-flower.html?spref=fb | 4. Fabric Flower by Kim Archer: http://kimarcher.typepad.com/weblog/2011/05/a-little-tutorial.html | 5. Owl PDF Tutorial by Angel Lea Designs: http://www.etsy.com/listing/64915195/owl-pattern-pdf-sewing-pattern-for-owl 29 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
sew
Lovely STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY: JANELLE WIND
- - - - -Have - -you- -ever- wanted - - - -to -learn - -patchwork? - - - - -Each - - issue, - - -Janelle -----Wind will take you a step further along the path to mastering the craft of patchwork.
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sew lovely “I love to share what I love and make patchwork something that is achievable and relevant too.”
Have you admired and had the desire to create beautiful handmade items such as quilts, bags, cushions or pieces for your home but lack the skills to know where to begin? Have you become a fabric collector or do you own a sewing machine gathering dust because you are just not confident enough to know how to use it? Join me each issue as we dive into the world of patchwork and soon you will be making your own SEW LOVELY fabric pieces.
Let’s start at the very beginning
From as young as I can remember I have loved to stitch. I remember making my very first Barbie Doll clothes at age 8, and proudly trying to sell my handmade items at a family garage sale. As a young girl, I remember standing at my Grandmother’s side, quietly watching in awe as she created beautiful patchwork quilts. It was at that time that I decided I would one day make beautiful quilts of my own. Former primary school teacher, Janelle Wind has been involved in the patchwork industry for sixteen years. She designs patterns under her label The Janelle Wind Collection and has taught at numerous patchwork retreats around Australia. Locally, Janelle teaches weekly classes in her Studio and writes for a number of craft and patchwork publications. She also stitches ready to buy pieces in her Etsy store, The Stitched Bluebird. Janelle has released her first book, Pieces of Me and lives with her husband and two children in country NSW.
Some years later I wandered into a tiny little patchwork store in Melbourne, Victoria. I remember feeling instantly this is where I belong. I stood in awe, taking in the colours, fabrics and amazing quilts on display. Instantly I booked into as many classes as I could. Today I am very grateful for this little store and the beautiful ladies who taught me the very basics of patchwork. How to cut, measure, piece and construct quilts. I will forever be grateful for the knowledge they passed on to me. With encouragement from my local patchwork store owner, I began to
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teach my very own patchwork classes. I also launched my first business, Simply Homespun which I ran for seven happy years. It was then time for a change. Fabrics were changing, quilt styles were changing – so after a few years of time off from pattern production, a new era began for me. In 2008 I relaunched my business, this time under my own name and with the support of a lovely distribution company, Creative Abundance. The Janelle Wind Collection was born and with it came a brand new style, a fresh look, streamlined patterns yet still high quality and with easy to follow instructions. I was excited to begin this new chapter in my life and in 2010 a dream came true when I produced my first book Pieces of Me, filled with projects made with love. I love to share what I love and make patchwork something that is achievable and relevant too. I hope you enjoy this first instalment of my new regular article, Sew Lovely.
Mat – these wonderful mats used for patchwork are self-healing and if used and stored correctly should last for many years. I strongly suggest buying one that has inches marked on it as most patchwork is worked in inches. A good size to buy is the 22 3/4 x 17 inch sized one. Always store your board laying flat and out of the sun. Try not to take it in the car or leave in a hot place because if it warps, it is not usable anymore. Please spend the money and buy a good quality board, it really will last for years.
sew
Lovely With Janelle Wind. Throughout our series of Sew Lovely articles, I will be guiding you step by step through the very basics of patchwork. I’ll be explaining terminology, discussing the tools of the trade and making patchwork something we can all achieve together. Most of all I will be here to ‘hold your hand’ and encourage you that ‘you can do this’. Plus we will have a lot of fun too!
Let’s talk tools.
on it. This ruler is used for so many applications and you can cut almost any size with it. These are available at any good patchwork store. There are many other sizes available and can be purchased as needed once your confidence and skills develop.
After many years of patchwork, both making and teaching, I know which tools make patchwork easier, neater and more effective too. Let’s explore the options out there and discuss the tools of the trade.
Rotary Cutter – there are so many different styles and brands of these available on the market. They are a wonderful tool but one that needs to be treated with respect. They are EXTREMELY sharp so if purchasing one I strongly suggest getting one with a good “safety”. Always remember, put the safety on after each cut too! (I will be explaining how to use your rotary cutter, ruler and mat in Issue 2 of Etzcetera). There are some great cutters for anyone with hand weakness or pain too, so a little bit of research in your local store is definitely a good idea.
There are so many gadgets and tools on the market for patchwork that it is easy to become baffled and not know where to begin.
Rotary cutter, ruler and mat These three items I believe are essential to any patchwork supplies. Ruler – a good starting place for a patchwork ruler is one that is 24 inches long by 6 1/2 inches wide. It is see through and has lots of marked lines
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Did you know that patchwork patterns are usually written in imperial measurements – that is inches and yards, however requirements are often written in metric here in Australia. Therefore it is a good idea to understand both imperial and metric.
Useful facts… 1 metre = 39 inches 1 yard = 36 inches Fat quarter = one metre cut into 4 equal pieces (a metric fat quarter is slightly larger than an imperial fat quarter). A fat 1/4 is one of these pieces Fat eighth = one metre cut into 8 equal pieces. A fat eighth is one of these pieces Fat 16th = one metre cut in 16 equal pieces. A fat 16th is one of these pieces
choosing a sewing machine The brand of sewing machine you use and choose is a personal choice and each patchworker will have their favourite. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a sewing machine. Don’t always go for the cheapest or most expensive machine. Often the very cheap machines are difficult to stitch with and the most expensive has many stitches that you most likely will never use for patchwork. You want your stitching experience to be positive so always try your machine before you buy. Make sure that it stitches easily and accurately. A feature I like and use all the time is ‘needle down’ which gives you the option of having your needle stay down in your fabric when you stop stitching. I also like to be able to see when my bobbin is running low, so an indicator for this is useful but not necessary. Look for a sewing machine that is especially designed for patchwork. Not only will it be ‘made’ to create quilts, it should have the stitches you may need for patchwork as well as the necessary feet. I always recommend you stick with the known brands of machine and one where you can have free lessons and easy access to servicing.
Buying a good sewing machine is an investment, but with a little homework, will last you for many years of enjoyable stitching.
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sewing machine feet There are several machine feet that are a MUST HAVE. Some specialty machines may come with these feet included but generally, you will need to purchase them separately. If you already own a sewing machine, make sure you take the make and model details with you to ensure you select the correct feet for your machine. 1/4 inch foot This foot is a must have for any patchworker. It makes piecing your quilts together so much easier. Each machine comes with it’s own style of 1/4 inch foot. Some come with a guide, others with marked 1/4 inch lines on them – whichever one suits your machine is a must have for your patchwork kit. Walking Foot This foot is used for ‘quilting’ your quilts. Therefore it’s also a must have. The walking foot ‘walks’ over your quilt, easily stitching through the three layers used when quilting (quilt top, wadding and backing). If you want to avoid puckers, pulls and frustration, then a walking foot is a must. Note: The only sewing machine not requiring a walking foot is a Pfaff because they have a built in IDT that does the job of a walking foot. Darning or Free Motion Foot This is used for ‘free motion’ quilting and for outline quilting. If you have heard of the term ‘stippling’ then this is the foot used for that style of quilting. I feel this foot is used mostly by more experienced quilters, so only buy this foot when you feel confident and ready to try free motion quilting.
general sewing supplies what you will need to build a basic sewing kit. 1. Good quality dress making scissors. I use Fiskars and love them. If possible, keep these only for cutting fabric. 2. Paper cutting scissors – try and keep these only for cutting any paper or template plastic 3. Pins - try to buy nice, sharp pins especially designed for dressmaking or patchwork. Very fine, sharp pins are easily removed from fabric without making pulls or holes. Also handy are quilters safety pins. These have a curve in one side to make them easy to pin through all layers of a quilt ready for quilting. 4. Pin cushion – a pin cushion makes it easy to store your pins and keeps them sharp too. 5. Snips – I like to have a pair of snips (tiny scissors) for snipping threads. Especially handy when hand stitching.
6. Needles – a few packets of sewing machine and hand stitching needles are always useful to have on hand. You never know when you might break a machine needle and need another. Try and have a few different types of hand stitching needles available – I like to use embroidery needles and sharps where possible 7. Tape measure – a good quality tape measure is a great tool to add to your kit. I like to use a very long patchwork tape measure that is about 3 metres long. This length is handy when measuring the width of quilts and lengths for borders etc. These are available in good patchwork stores in a variety of colours. Also try and get a tape measure with both inches and centimetres. 8. Thread – I only use a few different colours of sewing machine threads for piecing and quilting. I try and use grey when stitching country or mixed darker
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colours, oatmeal coloured for mixed brighter fabrics and light cream for anything lighter and with white fabrics. I highly recommend a brand called RASANT. It has a polyester core with a cotton coating. Traditionalists will suggest that you use 100% cotton thread when stitching your patchwork fabrics together, and while I totally agree, I find RASANT stronger and it will last just as long as 100% cotton threads too. 9. Quick unpick – unfortunately there will be times when you may need to unpick some of your stitching. Having an un-picker certainly makes the job much easier. 10. Brown Pigma pen (or equivalent) – this fine pen is used to trace stitchery designs onto fabric and is invaluable, a must have for any stitching kit 11. Lead pencil – a good quality lead pencil is a must for your sewing kit. You will use a pencil for many things such as tracing appliqué shapes and/or templates. 12. A good quality iron – like dressmaking, if you press each seam as you stitch, your finished quilt will be flatter, neater and much easier to quilt too.
Next issue in Sew Pretty, we will chat about fabric choices. You will learn how to choose and mix fabric prints and colours and I will teach you how to rotary cut. Also, I will introduce our very first beginner patchwork project that we will make together throughout this series of articles. I am so excited, I can’t wait to continue to share what I love, with you. See you next issue… x Janelle
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ten
perfectly pretty packaging ideas Don’t you just LOVE a delightfully, creatively, beautifully wrapped package! The next time you have to wrap up a gift for someone special, don’t automatically grab for a store bought gift bag or wrapping paper – try these 10 PERFECTLY PRETTY PACKAGING ideas instead.
1. paper lunch bags Plain old brown paper lunch bags make wonderful, ready to decorate gift bags. Here we have folded the edge of our bag, stitched on a piece of patterned paper, added a button, cluster of embellishments and a peg to keep it all secure.
2. magazine pouches Machine stitch the sides of two magazine pages together to form a pocket. Slip in your gift, fold over the top of the magazine page pouch and sew across the top to seal. Decorate with ribbon, fabrics strips and a silk flower. Choose pages from funky magazines like Frankie or Peppermint which have a recycled feel to their pages.
3. brown paper & string Nothing beats the old fashioned brown paper and string when it comes to packaging. It’s inexpensive, easy and looks great. Tie a coloured gift tag in place or replace the string with coloured baker’s twine for a twist on an old favourite.
4. pretty craft paper
Use those pretty scrapbook papers to wrap up small gifts. Tie up with fabric, ribbon or string. 36 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
1. 2.
5. cookie mix jar Add the dry ingredients from your favourite cupcake or cookie recipe and layer into a clean, clear storage jar with an air tight lid. Decorate with ribbon and a gift tag that includes the recipe, for a fun gift for your child’s teacher or for a special friend who enjoys baking.
5.
6. fabric wrapping Wrap a gift in a beautiful piece of fabric, tied up with ribbon or string. An especially lovely idea for a friend who enjoys stitching and who would appreciate receiving a beautiful piece of fabric.
7. cylinder charm Cover an empty potato chips or mailing cardboard cylinder with patterned paper, woodgrain adhesive vinyl and finish with a leather thonging tie and gift card.
7.
9. matchboxes For small gifts, cover an empty matchbox with pretty paper, add ribbon and a small charm for a quick and cute little gift box.
10. baking paper pockets Use your sewing machine, and a contrasting thread colour to stitch gift pockets made from baking paper. To see how to make your own, turn the page for our full HOW-To article.
10. 8. 8. bountiful baubles Use inexpensive acrylic baubles (available from craft stores) to hold a selection of ribbons or buttons for a crafty friend! Or fill with wrapped lollies for those with a sweet tooth. 37 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
stitched paper
pa c k age s ----------------------Using everyday baking paper, a sewing machine and little printed sentiment strips to create these pretty teeny gift parcels. project and photography: Kim Archer
Everyone loves a pretty package and these quick and easy stitched paper parcels are perfect for wrapping and presenting special gifts for friends and family members. Fill with punched shapes, ribbon, buttons or
crocheted flowers for a crafty friend. Surprise someone special with a some jewellery, nail polish or lip gloss. Or fill with wrapped lollies for your child’s teacher. Stitch. Fill. Seal. Give. Easy.
Solid perfume, Love Etc: The Body Shop
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stitched packages
How-to 1. 2. 3.
Wigwam Necklace: Babeaze.com.au
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Start by tearing two sheets of baking paper and pin together to secure. We will make multiple parcels at once so you always have a stash of gift pockets on hand, ready for gift giving. Use a typewriter to type out some sentiments onto plain white copy paper (or cardstock). Alternatively, use a typewriter font to computer journal your sentiments. Cut into strips. Head to your sewing machine and stitch several pocket shapes, stitching through both layers of your baking paper. Leave the top edge of each pocket free from stitching and secure your stitching at each end by back stitching several stitches to keep everything nice and secure.
4.
As you stitch your pocket sides, catch in the edges of your journaling strip so the strip sits across your pocket as shown in the photo. Pop on a teeny button to decorate.
5. 6. 7.
When all shapes have been stitched, use your scissors to cut out each pocket shape, ensuring you don’t snip too closely to your stitching line. Fill your pockets with trinkets, treats and teeny gifts and treasures. Fold and secure with a paper clip or tiny wooden peg and you’re ready to give to someone special.
what you need • two sheets of grease proof or baking paper • access to a sewing machine • contrasting thread colour - red, yellow, black • journaling strips • teeny buttons • pegs or paper clips to seal up parcels
mood in the
with Lisa Pate
Welcome to my first In The Mood feature. This issue I’ve put together a mood board filled with textures, colour and design to inspire a new piece of creative work. The colours in the mood board provided a springboard for me to design a mixed media canvas. I’ve also invited guest designers to use the mood board as inspiration. This month we welcome Kim Archer and Sheree Forcier.
4.
1. 3. 5.
1. Felt flowers: http://www.greatestview.etsy.com | 2. DIY Lamp: http://www.pinkandpolkadot.net/ | 3. Bird Clutch http://www.cottonpurr.etsy.com/ | 4. Sean Sheep wool - Big W | 5. Apron http://www.crzybaglady.etsy.com/ 6. Bedhead http://www.housetweaking.com/see-my-house/
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2.
6.
in the mood
I really love bright and saturated colour. So much
so, that it has become my signature style in both my home plus my art and craft projects.
However, as I began assembling beautiful images in greys, yellows and whites for my mood board, I couldn’t wait to get started on an arty project in a softer, more restrained colour palette. I stepped outside my comfort zone and created this mixed media, layered mini canvas.
Lisa
Supplies
• 4x4 inch mini canvas • acrylic paint colours • Mod Podge or liquid adhesive • assorted stamps • tissue paper • Stazon ink in black
one If you are new to mixed media art, choose a small canvas to work on. Mine is 4 x 4 inches. Start with a base coat of colour, either warm white or a pale yellow and cover the entire surface. two Using a liquid adhesive (eg: Mod Podge,
gel medium or PVA glue) adhere random offcut patterned paper pieces over your canvas. Don’t cover your base completely with paper - you want some of the canvas colour to show through.
three Start layering up some paint. Be creative with your application. I used an old credit card to scrape paint thickly across my canvas. Make sure to let your canvas dry between paint layers so you don’t end up with a muddy mess. 41 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
four Using a template (eg. a stencil or mask), layer some texture onto your canvas. Place the template down onto the canvas surface and using a palette knife or old credit card, scrape paint over the top. Lift carefully to reveal a textured pattern. Set aside overnight to dry five Choose some background stamps and a
permanent ink pad (eg. Stazon) and stamp onto your canvas.
six To finish, I used two final stamp images stamped onto white tissue paper with a waterproof inkpad. I carefully cut them out. Use your liquid adhesive to attach them to the canvas, being careful to follow the bumpy texture on the canvas by pushing the paper gently down into the creases and around the bumps.
mood inspiration
Sheree Forcier used Lisa’s colour palette to create this gorgeous 12 x 12 inch scrapbook layout. Sheree says, “This colour combination is just so striking. I love the way the black and grey really makes the yellow pop! I went through my stash and pulled out all my black/ grey/white/yellow papers and embellishments and the layout just fell into place.”
Materials Cardstock: Bazzill. Paper: Little Yellow
Bicycle, Crate Paper. Chipboard frames and birdcage: Crate Paper. Embellishments: Heidi Swapp, Tim Holtz, Studio Calico, Maya Road, Stampin’ Up. Alphabets: Dear Lizzy, October Afternoon. Other: vellum, buttons, cotton.
Kim Archer pulled out the knitting needles and knitted this very textured, lumpy and bumpy journal cover. Kim says, “I love this colour scheme. It’s so different from what I would normally use! I knitted a rectangle of garter stitch and then machine stitched strips of trims like lace and ric rac into place.” Like Sheree’s crocheted heart banner? Find the free tutorial from Lucy on the Attic 24 blog here.
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mini c lip b o a r d
Create a useful mini clipboard for messages, favourite photos, notes or shopping lists by covering an existing clipboard in woodgrain vinyl contact and then decorating. project and photography: Kim Archer
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Mini Clipboard
How-to
one: Cover your clipboard by cutting
one
two
a piece of woodgrain adhesive backed Contact paper, leaving a 2cm margin to allow for folding the edges to the back for a neat finish.
two:
Cut a notch from the woodgrain vinyl to accommodate the “clip” of your clipboard. Remove the backing on the paper and smooth the woodgrain vinyl into place.
three
three: For a neat finish, wrap the woodgrain contact paper to the back of the clipboard, clipping into the curves of each corner and folding into place.
four
four & five:
covered clipboard is now ready for decorating. Gather supplies.
five six
six:
remove the spiral from a small notepad.
seven:
Use the cover of the notepad as your base, and cover with patterned paper. Add a 10cm strip of gingham fabric to your cover, scrunching and machine stitching for a shabby, textured finish.
seven eight
eight:
wrap a length of baker’s twine around the lower part of the notepad cover. Add some paper clips to hold string in place. Pin on a mini badge. Add in your title.
nine:
nine
ten
Supplies: Paper: October Afternoon. MINI CLIPBOARD: Office Works. OTHER: gingham fabric, baker’s twine, paper clips, small badge, small notebook. ALPHABET: Basic Grey chipboard. PHOTOS: one 4x6 inch portrait photo OR a selection of small photos. *Woodgrain Contact vinyl is available from Kmart or Big W stores. Mini clipboard around $5 from Officeworks. Bakers twine found here.
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clip mini photos into place using the paper clips. Photos can be interchanged or added to as you wish.
ten: staple a piece of cardstock, felt or sturdy fabric (I’ve used a tiny strip of red vinyl) to the back cover of your notebook to hold a pen! Voilà! All done. Happy note taking.
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of our It ’s easy to lose sight what we dreams, passions and really want out of life. Life coaching sessions provide you with the opportunity for personal growth and to reestablish enthusiasm, self belief, clarity and confidence in yourself and your direction. Life, business, career or Executive coaching sessions can be held face to face or over the telephone, weekly or fortnightly.
Coaching produces results. And quickly. Call to book a FREE introductory telephone or face-to-face session today. e: julie@sassiicoaching.com.au
m: 0403 809 259
www.sassiicoaching.com.au
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creative mumpreneurs
Meet five mums who have taken an idea and turned it into a creative business venture. We talk to them about how they juggle family life with business and what inspires and motivates them to run their own enterprise. story: Kim Archer
l, entrepreneuria n a r: u e n re p m mu o eative mum wh cr , y v v sa ss e n busi and a business. juggles a family
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Sarah Leak
Sarah is married to Garry and has two daughters, Vanessa and Rachel. Along with a menagerie of pets including a rabbit, bird and three chickens, the family live not too far from the beach in North Brighton, South Australia
Quilt Fabric Delights
Sarah Leak’s online quilt fabric business, Quilt Fabric Delights, is overflowing with beautiful fabrics, patterns and supplies for lovers of sewing, quilting and craft. What do you love most about what you do? Oh, the fabric! Definitely the fabric. Getting to play with beautiful fabrics every day is a dream come true.
How did you come up with your business idea??
When my two daughters were little I sewed most of their clothing, but I was always frustrated that I could not find good quality, bright, fresh fabrics to sew with. At about the same time, my sister took up quilting and I discovered quilt fabrics and although I saw that there were some beautiful, bright, fresh fabrics being manufactured by the quilt industry
“Getting to play with beautiful fabrics every day is a dream come true.”
they were not making it to my local stores. When my youngest daughter started school I found myself at a loose end and with the thought that if I was looking for such fabrics there must be others who were looking for them too. So, Quilt Fabric Delights was born.
Aussie dollar, which brings increased competition from US businesses. Keeping ahead of the competition is always a challenge, but I see it as a positive one, it pushes me to think of different ways to reach customers. Competition is a wonderful motivator.
How much time do you spend on your business each day?
What are your current projects?
What is the greatest challenge with your business?
Every year has been great fun and it is wonderful to see so many like minded people talking, making new friends while enjoying something they love.
Quilt Fabric Delights is a full time job. I work Monday to Thursday from 9.00 to 3.00 while my two daughters are at school. I then continue to work once they are home but they then take priority. I do take a half day off on Fridays so that I can go to my dressmaking group.
There seem to be so many challenges and just when you think you have worked through one challenge, the game changes and it is something else. I guess though right now my biggest challenge is the value of our
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At present I am working on the final details for our annual stitching retreat, Inspired Stitches. Each year we invite guest designers to teach for us. This year we have Janelle Wind, Natalie Ross, Helen Stubbings of Hugs N Kisses and Gail Pan visiting to teach.
As part of Quilt Fabric Delights we have also started holding online retreats, for those who are too far away from us or unable to visit us. Once again we invite guest designers
mumpreneur and the QFD Creative Team to make projects especially for us. We have just held our second online retreat Let’s Stitch and are busily putting together our second Christmas In July Online Retreat (starts 25th July 2011).
How about any creative personal projects you are working on?
I am one of those who has more than one project on the go. I usually always have a stitchery project on the go. At the moment I am stitching Petite Red Robins by Gail Pan. I have finished stitching the birds and am up to the needle turn appliqué. That is slowing me down a little as it is my least favourite bit. I recently taught myself how to crochet and have just finished a scarf in gorgeous Noro Silk Garden yarn. While I still can’t follow a pattern to save myself, I am really pleased how this had turned out and just have the ends to hide. I also sew most of my own clothing. At present I am making a beautiful, well I hope it will be when I finish, knit fabric jacket. I love making my own clothing. It is a real buzz to wear something you have created yourself. Not content with that I have finally succumbed to scrapbooking and have quite a few projects on the go.
Any tips for juggling your own business plus family?
I don’t think that I have any words of wisdom here. After five years running Quilt Fabric Delights I am still trying to find that balance, there are times when it really is not easy and I am torn.
support from your husband. Any other family members help out in the business?
I could not run this business without my family support. My husband Garry not only works full time, but he picks up the slack around the house, cooking, cleaning, helping me pack orders, and not forgetting, being my cheer squad. My two daughters are also a great help. They help with picking and packing orders, love to help me select fabric if they happen to be home when the sales reps visit. They also love to sew, which keeps me in touch with a different generation’s tastes. My parents too help out where they can. Dad has made many a project to help make my life easier, whether it is my cutting table or the stands I take to shows. And not to forget my two sisters who also help me out. My elder sister with sewing samples, advice on fabric selection for kits and projects (a different opinion is always a great help) and both my sisters help me at our annual retreat and at quilt markets.
What advice do you have for other mums wanting to start their own business?
Set yourself a time for when you are working and when you are not and when you are not working don’t answer emails, let the phone go through to the answering machine and if you can – have your business somewhere that you can shut it away. Somewhere in your home that at the
I try to always put my family first and now that they are older that is becoming much easier. I am incredibly blessed to have the most amazing husband who supports me and what I am doing. If he was not the man he is I think it would be very different. Garry allows me to make this possible and if there is something that I don’t get done around the house, then he steps up and just does it, no questions asked.
That sounds like wonderful 49 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
end of the day you close the door on the “business” you and become the “wife and mother” you. Otherwise I can tell you from personal experience that it will consume you and become your life. Start small and be prepared to work long and hard before you see any financial return and make sure that you have the funds to support your business right from the start.
What’s next for Quilt Fabric Delights?
To continue to look for new opportunities and grow Quilt Fabric Delights while finding that balance between work and play.
Visit Quilt Fabrics Delights
http://www.quiltfabricdelights.com.au/
mumpreneur
Sara Pearcy
Sara is married to John and mum to five children – Amelia (10), Christopher (9), Nicholas (7), James (2.5) and Daniel (1.5). They live in a pretty suburb just 3km from Brisbane City.
Sassi Photography
Sara Pearcy, a family, wedding and high school senior photographer runs her Sassi Photography business from her studio in Camp Hill, Brisbane. Here we get to know this talented “mumpreneur” a little better. Have you photography?
always
loved
I have always been a photographer. I owned my first camera when I was six years old and the passion has grown each year. {Photo of Sara by Sue Bryce} Sassi Photography Website. Meet Sara on her blog.
About five years ago I was side-tracked by the world of scrapbooking. I loved the magic of combining photography with its story and papercraft. I have
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been published in all the Australian scrapbooking magazines and wrote regularly for Scrapbook Creations then Scrapbooking Memories magazine.
Do you still scrapbook?
As family became more demanding, especially with the arrival of new babies, I put scrapbooking aside and have concentrated more on my photography business.
create. Each image certainly isn’t ‘just worth the piece of paper it is printed on’!
What advice do you have for other mums wanting to start their own enterprise?
If you are planning to start your own business from home, make sure you do all your research before you begin. You need to know who your market is, how you are going to access them, why they will want your product and how you will keep them coming back.
What do you love most about what you do?
Everything. I love being let into a family for a couple of hours and capturing who they are and how they interact. Photographing sixteen and seventeen year olds is fabulous also. They are part of such an amazing demographic and I love to spend that time with them.
What is your biggest challenge
Time management is the greatest challenge any working mother faces. I don’t like the idea of child-care for my kids (but have nothing against it in general), so everything I do is centered around when my family needs me. My three eldest are at school and my two youngest are with me. I have a childsafe play area at the studio where James and Daniel spend time. Getting enough time to dedicate to the business to keep it running smoothly and my clients happy is very difficult.
How do you juggle family and work life? The best tip I can give is to prioritise honestly and stick to a schedule.
We have a Google Calendar that anyone in the family can log into and add things to the schedule, as my family is my number one priority. I then have a schedule that I try very hard to stick to. Sunday to Tuesday are my photography days, Wednesday and Thursday are my home days and weekend, Fridays I do
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the books at my husband’s business and Saturday is for family and sport commitments. It is really important to schedule those mundane home days to catch up on housework and a little respite.
How much time do you spend on your business? On the days I allocate for the business, I spend as much time as I can around the babies. Sunday is my main shooting day, as my husband stays with the kids, so it is often an eight hour day.
Monday and Tuesday I spend about four to five hours. The other days see me doing little things at night, after the kids go to bed. I am strict on packing up at a reasonable time and making sure I’m in bed by 10:30pm (or earlier).
You also need to apply for a business name and follow the correct channels to make sure you don’t get into trouble with the tax office. Work out what parts of business you will be good at and think about outsourcing the bits that you aren’t good at that will be a drain on your time and business. Bookkeeping is the best example of this!
Where do you see yourself in two years time?
Two years from now is my magic goal at the moment! In two years, I should have all my kids at school and kindy and I plan to be spending a lot more time in my studio and working as a photographer during the school hours.
I love weddings and hope to spend more time in the next couple of years building myself up as a fabulous wedding photographer!
How did you come up with your business idea?
Being a professional photographer just seemed like the natural progression for me, as it has been my passion for nearly thirty years. Coming up with the idea was the easy part – defining myself as a professional in a saturated market has been more challenging. I am a big advocate of valuing the work I do. I know how hard it is to maintain the business and how much experience goes into every image I {photography by Sassi Photography}
Tamar
Bostock Tamar lives on the Gold Coast with husband Richard and twin daughters Talia and Sofia.
Tarisota Collections
Tamar Bostock works as a Head of Senior School at a local state high school and also runs Tarisota Collections - an online papercrafting business filled to the brim with creative and inspirational products and ideas. What do you love most about what you do? I love the variety and the connection to people, the stories. My customers have become fast friends. Some of my designers are my closest friends and they inspire me daily in the way they work and create and the way they live their lives.
How did you come up with your business idea?
Originally when we first started Tarisota, scrapbook kits were not really available in Australia. I loved the idea of getting a box of product delivered in the mail but I didn’t like the “matchiness” that the US kits were doing - all one manufacturer and whole packets of embellishments. So I decided to mix and match and put together collections that could be used not only for scrapbooking but for all types of papercrafting. I also wanted non traditional items in my collections and I think I have stayed true to my original vision through the years.
Do you have a dedicated work space at home?
I have a study where I do all my computer work - though I shoot photos in the kitchen. The stock is
sorted and packed in the garage. I create in my study / craft room unless it gets too messy and then I move to the lounge room!
Any tips everything?
for
juggling
I only manage to juggle what I do because of a supportive husband. He is great at taking the girls off on adventures when I need quiet. Communication is key. We always have a plan for each week of what needs to be achieved. A must do list and a want to do list is really essential. Quite often it’s the want to do’s that happen first and that keeps my energy up for the must dos. I also have a few friends I use as my sounding boards. I rely on them heavily to keep me grounded.
What is your biggest business challenge? I would say without doubt, time. I have so many ideas in my head that just never get executed as I have to be realistic about how much I can squeeze into my days. In some ways I think my time is not right now. I wish it was but I do what I can do with the time that I have.
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Is your family involved in the business in any way?
My grandma, who is 78, does 90% of the collection packing, my girls help pack orders, Richard does all the business paperwork, banking, managing accounts and postage - so it is definitely a team effort. Richard also has a second life as a workforce planner and he works from home which has been a big adjustment to our schedule. It has its benefits but he also finds it hard to
some decorations for my girls’ First Communion party.
Tell us a little about Teapot?
I’ve been working with Mel Goodsell, one of my lovely designers and a dear friend on a little publication we call Teapot. It’s a newsletter with lots of fun crafty things with a strong emphasis on family. You can subscribe here http://tarisota.typepad.com/my_weblog/ teapot.html.
Tamar says, “When you run a business online its easy to forget how many hours are actually spent getting everything online! Many late nights and early mornings are spent at this desk.”
shut down for the night. Also thrown into the equation he has to work from Melbourne, Sydney or New Zealand for several weeks, eight or nine times a year. That’s when it gets tricky!
What advice have you got for other mums wanting to start their own business? Firstly be confident that you can do it - fake it till you do.
Secondly, work out where you are going to run your business from. It’s not ideal to be packing up product in time to cook dinner- so even if it’s just a cupboard with a card table have some dedicated space. Thirdly, make sure your family are aware of what you are doing - let them know you are working and what that means. Have clear family vs work hours. These can and do change. Know that it’s ok to say today from 7 - 9pm are my work hours. But tomorrow will be 12 - 6pm etc ..as long as everyone knows and is on the same page. Finally only do what you love - the things that you are truly passionate about.
How do you market Tarisota?
I used to use paper magazines but they have become so cost prohibitive over the years and I found very little
return on investment. Now social networking is my main avenue for advertising.
Tell us about social media and how it works for you and your business?
My blog is the one thing that keeps going always. Even when we have site shut downs for re-design. I use it for inspiration for my readers and also for recording my life. I like the connection to people.
“Only do what you love - the things you are truly passionate about.”
What’s next for Tarisota?
We are currently in a state of change with the business - six collections a year rather than 12 and we have branched into some smaller exclusive collections too. One of the challenges of small business is keeping ahead of trends and listening to what our customers want. One things for sure - there is never a shortage of dreams and plans. It’s an exciting time.
I tweet most days and have just been dragged into Facebook land - I’m still learning my way around there. Apple - my iPhone and iPad have revolutionised the way I am able to keep connected. I love that.
What other creative things are you working on?
I consider creating to be many things - not just craft or art projects. My goal is to create something everyday and they can be small things. Like a batch of cupcakes, photographing memories, family moments, playing games - anything really. I currently have on the go a mini album of ten things I love using paper, fabric and vintage lace. I’m working on a digital art journal 8 week challenge. I have some crocheted granny squares waiting to be joined and edged to turn into Blythe blankets and
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Visit Tarisota
http://www.tarisota.com.au http://www.tarisota.typepad.com
Babeaze
Tracey Laverick and Annie Green have known each other all their lives after their mums met in the maternity ward at the local hospital. Together the girls own and operate Babeaze, an online website selling innovative products for parents. They also manufacture the Wigwam necklaces.
Tracey &Annie
Tracey (right) is married to Mark and they have a daughter, Samantha. Annie is married to Brian and they have two boys Hudson and Archie. Childhood friends, the girls and their families both live in Newcastle, NSW.
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How did you come up with the business idea?
Annie: We’ve been running Babeaze now for over five years and it all started when I had just had my youngest son Archie. I was exploring the internet and came across lots of innovative products for parents that weren’t available in Australia. I approached Tracey with the idea of starting a business and importing the products here. Tracey, with her previous business experience and accounting skills was the perfect business partner so we teamed up and started planning.
How long did it take you to launch Babeaze?
Annie: We took a long time, around eighteen months, researching and planning before officially launching the business. In the early days, one of our biggest challenges was wondering if these international
companies would take us, just two mums from Australia, seriously. But once we started contacting them, we realised they were mums and dads just like us and they were willing to sell to us, in small quantities to get us started.
How did you launch Babeaze?
Tracey: Our big launch was at the Sydney Baby Expo which introduced us to the public but also gave us the opportunity to meet the girls who created Essential Baby. They became excellent mentors for us and gave us great tips and advice about growing the business.
What’s one of your biggest sellers?
Tracey: Definitely the Wigwam necklaces which are sterling silver boy or girl shapes that can be engraved with your child’s name on them. You can buy one, two or more shapes for the necklace according to how many children you have. This makes them customisable and adds to their appeal. We designed the necklaces ourselves and have had moulds custom made in two different sizes. Annie: And we assemble the necklaces by hand onto leather thonging.
How do you market your necklaces?
Tracey: We have done very little marketing of the Wigwams. We’ve been so fortunate to have a number of magazines as well as Kasey Chambers promote the necklaces on our behalf.
How did Kasey Chambers come to promote the Wigwams for you?
Tracey: Kasey was photographed wearing the Wigwam necklace which she had received as a gift, and she listed it as one of her favourite things in a Women’s Weekly article. After the article appeared, Wigwam sales went through the roof. It was amazing.
What’s the most exciting part of
what you do?
Annie: I get a real buzz out of knowing that people are visiting our site and buying from us. Tracey: I love checking the computer and seeing orders there. It’s exciting to see that people love what we do and want to order from us. Annie: And I also love the feedback and the emails from our customers. It makes it all feel worthwhile when we get a lovely email from a satisfied customer.
What is the most challenging part of the business? Annie: Time! A total lack of it. I also work four days a week elsewhere and have a young family so I feel like I am always trying to find that balance and fit everything in that I need to achieve each day.
What are your tips for juggling everything? Annie: Set aside a planning day! We set aside a regular day where Tracey and I get together and plan. This works so well for us and means we can achieve a lot in a small time frame. We leave the meeting with a to do list each to work on between our meetings. Tracey: Our planning times force us to set some tasks and means we can totally focus on working on the business not just the day to day running of the business. This keeps us moving forward and keeps the
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business growing and evolving.
What is the best thing about having a business partner?
Tracey: Definitely having that back up there when needed. This year my husband suffered an unexpected and life threatening illness and Annie was able to pick up the slack with the business and keep things ticking over when I couldn’t be there. So that’s where a partnership is a great business set up.
What advice have you got for other mums starting a small business?
Annie: Research, research, research. Don’t just dive in without planning. Do your homework and seek advice. Tracey: We had a professional business marketing plan prepared for us when we first started which forced us to analyse and plan and research our ideas before becoming a fully operational business.
What’s next for Babeaze?
Tracey: To keep growing and building the business. Annie: Ideally we want to expand the Wigwams to include a variety of necklace choices for our customers. And I’d love to do more of the Expos. I find them so beneficial and lots of fun!
Visit Babeaze
http://www.babeaze.com.au/
make your heart sing
Life in 2011 can be challenging. There is so much on, and happening, and going wrong, and turning round, and falling down, and crumbling away, that it is all too easy for us to only see the bad stuff. It can weigh on our minds and press on our hearts and give us cause to sigh. My job is to ask you to take 10 minutes, (grab a cuppa and a biscuit if you like?) and sit with me while we ponder the other side of life... the building up, the road less taken, the high life, the going right, and the good stuff. None of this is difficult, some may require more effort than others. Some will require more of your mind, or your hands, or your eyes but all are worth it. I promise. And frankly, if YOU aren’t worth it, then who is, my darling?
story and photos: Ngaire Bartlam 56 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
1. Find the groove, hear the music, sing like you sound like Barbra Streisand!
Starting with an oldie but a goodie. Music: plug it in, crank it up, play it loud, sing along. Mix it up a little bit, slow it down a notch or when in doubt, try something that makes your foot tap (whether you choose to or not). I quite love a 3/4 time beat, but that may just be me. And if you have the room, and the inclination.. get up and dance. In fact, stop reading this for three minutes, and belt out a classic. We will all be here when you get back.
5. Look, notice, 2. Savour Savour... even the word demands you appreciate. slow down. Start to recognise and savour the highlights of your day: a favourite tune on the radio, the smell of your first coffee of the day, a chocolate melting on your tongue, a cool breeze on your face, a letter from a friend, the silence before you fall asleep. Enjoy the good parts of your day.
The minutiae, the by the by, the incidentals. Delight in them. If your bus arrives on time.. yay! If the new recipe you try, works .. yay! If the kids are not fighting, but you can hear them, and they are not “too quiet”.. yay!!! Rather than “sweating the small stuff”, appreciate it. Relish those little victories!
6. Laugh
What makes us laugh is a very personal thing. We are all different. Our sense of humour is one of the most individual things about us. Seek out opportunities to giggle, to chortle, to grin and to titter. Don’t hold back.
4. Read
Really. And not just amazing online publications such as the one you are currently enjoying. Try and read a classic or two. Or a “how to” book. Or a glossy magazine. Or read TO someone: your lover, or a child. Read a book on a far away place you want to visit. Read a blog. Read a book from when you were small. But do take the time to read.
Grow some veggies or herbs, (tomatoes are easy and you can grow them in a pot!), sow some sweet peas, or a climbing rose or jasmine on a fence. Raise some chickens, tend an orchid. Try Bonsai, or plant a tree or two. Till some soil, get that earth smell on your hands. Grow mushrooms. Pot a fruit tree. If you have no space to grow something, help out at a communal garden, or offer to help an elderly neighbour. It is a primal urge that you may not know exists within you, until you indulge in it.
Belly laugh.
3. Make something.
You can do it. Bake a cake with icing (naturally), sew a skirt, knit a scarf, draw or colour in a page or two of your art journal or complete a jigsaw puzzle. Plait some pigtails, paint your toenails, crochet a granny square. Make some toffees, latch hook a rug, finish a crossword. Make something.
8. Grow something
And if you can’t remember the last time you laughed till you cried? Its been far too long.
7. Make lists This is a real love of mine. I adore a list. I love writing them. It appeals to my sense of organisation, and order. It is somehow more manageable if I can see exactly what I want to achieve. And it doesn’t have to be a list of chores to be completed. You can write a list of books you want to read, a “bucketlist” of things you want try/achieve/see in your lifetime. You can list your positive attributes, wines you have tasted, names for your future children, shoes you wish to own. And the best bit? The thrill
of crossing off that last item... and then writing a new list!
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9. New life. Suck it in.
My kids laugh at me because I have always sniffed the head and neck of any new baby I am invited to hold. Why? Because that smell right there? That is LIFE, my friend! Pure. New. Life. Unadulterated, sparkling, vital ... life. You can see it in kittens and puppies too. That complete innocent joy. I have three words for you. Suck it in. Breathe it up. Because I believe, there is nothing that heals the soul like the sweet essence of the vitality of youth. (New mothers>> feel free to disregard this item. You have all the essence of youth you need right now, go get some sleep:)
10. Reuse. Recycle. Renew.
Yeah, yeah. I know ... you hear it all the time these days, but truly, it isn’t hard, and the feelings of self preservation, and assuring a future for all of our kids? Isn’t that alone worth the effort? Don’t know where to start? Google, my friend. The list of ways to make do and mend is endless. Unlike our planet. And also ? There are so many CUTE ways to upcycle, remake and reuse things, you could end up finding a whole new way of life or a new passion, on the way.
Irish linen handkerchief for ladylike emergencies. Use sweet smelling soaps in the bath or shower. Give yourself a facial, or make a face mask. Wear your best perfume everyday. Whisper sweet nothings in your OWN ear. Treat yourself the way you
should expect others to treat you.
13. Have an adventure
11. See the light This is such a basic need for all of us, but it is one that we often take for granted. Light. It is both warming, and revitalising. Comforting and energising. So, light some candles, turn your face towards the sun, close your eyes and soak in the warmth for a few moments. String some fairy lights in a tree outside, or around a window inside. Light up your fireplace. Have a BBQ and cook some sausages. Use solar energy. Dry your towels and sheets on a line, in the sun. Toast some marshmallows.
We would all love to be able to jump on a plane and fly to NYC or the south of France, but for most of us, it is, at least in the short term .. a dream. But there are many adventures you can go on without leaving the country. Walk a different route in your neighbourhood. Jump on a bus or train and get off where it looks like fun. Blaze a trail through a string of thrift shops. Eat at a different restaurant or cafe. Go to the beach, or the mountains or out into the country. Visit your local galleries and libraries.
Choose your own adventure!
Throw open your curtains and see the light.
12. Indulge yourself Allow a little luxury in your life. Pamper yourself with a good coffee, or a hand massage, or an afternoon nap, or a late night hot chocolate with marshmallows. Buy some in season fruit like berries or mangoes. Change your bedsheets more often. Carry an
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14. Be silly
Dance with your kids. Read the Harry Potter series. Swing on a swing. Bomb dive. Ride a bike. Watch a 3D movie and squeal. Smile and wave. Talk to strangers. Embarrass your teens. Wear bright lips. Eat cake for dinner. Read till late in the night, then sleep in. Wear a jaunty hat. Make fun for yourself. Love the life you are living.
15. Get all moody
Make a mood board. What’s a mood board you ask? “A mood board is a type of poster design that may consist of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition of the choice of the mood board creator.” Or as I like to call it. “Stuff I like”. This is a wonderful way to plan an event, practise for a new home design, try out new colours/textures/ ideas for anything from a wedding to an art room/space. Or it can simply be the use of a space, (a pinboard, an art journal, a magnetic surface, a canvas - whatever appeals to you) to create a mix of things you love for the joy of creating it, AND for future reference. You can even curate an online mood board at Pinterest. What a cool project to show (or perhaps discover?) your own personal style!
16. Collect a little somethin’ somethin’.
No longer only the prerogative of cat ladies and hoarders, it is quite a lovely thing to collect a few of “something that makes you happy”. Recipes, owls, stamps, books, fabric, pretty paper, art, shoes, dolls, jewellery, candles, felt, religious icons, tea cups, Tupperware.. .the list is endless. Set a budget per piece and go for it. Stop if you feel the need for a new room to house your collection. ( ****This collection advice does not count for spouses, living creatures of any kind, bodies, food or toilet roll dollies. Especially toilet roll dollies.)
20. Add colour.
Add colour: to your hair. To your walls, your wardrobe, your menus and your meals. To your beliefs. To your garden, your nails, your front door, to your cheeks. To your life.
17. Work your brain
Learn to knit or crochet. Work a crossword puzzle. Have singing lessons, or guitar lessons, or pottery lessons. Learn to use your camera properly. Take a class in woodwork or embroidery or rock climbing. Work maths out in your head, don’t use a calculator. Read a classic book. See a show or an opera or the ballet. Give that brain of yours something new and interesting to think about. Work your brain to keep it working!
18. Embrace your good self
Be true to you. Allow all that is really you to be out and proud! Have strong opinions, and allow others to have the same. Wear what makes you happy. Get a tattoo. Remove yourself from all that makes you sad, angry or gives you feelings of inadequacy. Nurture the fabulous within. Recognise how amazing you are!
19. Ruffle some feathers
Donate to a cause you believe in. Fight for what is right. Sign a petition. Walk in a protest march. Vote with your heart. Have passion for your beliefs. State your opinions. Speak for those who can’t. Embrace the freedoms
you have. 59 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
23. Water
Enjoy the fact that you have clean fresh water available to you. Drink more. Dangle your feet in it. Swim. Float some blossoms in a bowl of it. Splash through puddles. Cleanse your body and your brain in it. Cool down in it. Warm up in it. Dunk a teabag in it. Add ice and a twist of lime to it. Cleanse.
24. Get strong
21. Choose
Choose: the high road. The best way forward. The greener option. The kinder solution. To see the other side. To treat yourself
with care and compassion. To expect others to do the same. To love. To be a better person. To live with abandon and glee. To laugh. To dance. To sing. To enjoy. To indulge. To smile. To stay strong. To give in. To live
well.
Really. Really really. I know it is hard to find the time, and I know that it isn’t fun when you start. And I know there are 1000 things you would rather be doing but trust me on this. Treating your physical body to a bit of stretch and movement will make you feel amazing! 20 minutes walking every day is manageable for all of us who have two legs. It doesn’t have to be a run. A stroll is good. Give yourself some theme music, have a drink of water and get out the door. Remember this: “It
doesn’t matter how slow you go: you are still lapping everyone sitting on the sofa.”
22. Baby steps
If it’s all seeming too hard, and too big, and too impossible.. break it down. Make it manageable. Little by little. Step by step. Give yourself the best opportunity to create a positive result. Ngaire Bartlam is a 43 year old blogger and artist, Mama to the two most amazing young women, life partner, friend and tattoo enthusiast who believes in the power of sisterhood, art and peace. She enjoys eating chocolate, sewing art quilts and collecting dollies and deer. She has written two books, is learning to get fit and has performed as a synchronised-swimmer at an elite level. She needs to learn to take her own advice, and may have embellished the part about being an elite synchronised swimmer. You can find her at her blog “fox and deer” at www.ngaireb.com
my
little nook
Do you have a favourite little nook in your home? Somewhere that makes you smile? A little area to curl up in and read a book, make some craft or just sit and relax? Here we take a peek into six little nooks and hear why these areas make their owners happy. STORY: Kim Archer
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“I always try to keep a little jar of fresh herbs cut from my garden. They smell amazing and are the perfect little thing to toss into a salad or sandwich to make it extra special.”
fresh sunshine Gigi Kennedy from New York city, loves her outdoor decking area. “My favorite nook in my home has to be my deck. I sit in my favorite chair with my cookbooks and make lists of recipes I want to try, listen to the birds and enjoy my little piece of the country.”
The sweet watering cans belong to Gigi’s daughters Kelly and Kate. “The girls are big helpers during summer mornings, watering all my herbs & flowers. This year we are growing strawberries, that are in pots along the deck.”
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cosy charm
Mardi says, “Of an evening we all gather in this room to watch our favourite programs. My daughter Briony uses the lamp as she balances homework on her lap and I often sit in the chair to the left and share the lamp light for some crochet or other craft!”
Mardi Winen, from South Australia, loves her cosy and inviting living room. “This room used to have white walls and boring brown furniture. I like it so much better now.
I painted the walls in Solver Monastery which was a lovely backdrop for my white photo frame collection. Once the walls were painted it became obvious that the furniture looked dull and boring so out came a tin of Wattyl Magica Marina and the side table and coffee table finally came to life. The room lends itself to op shop finds like my crocheted rug, fabric for cushion covers and candle holders. Plus, I finally found the perfect spot to sit my Schweppes crate which I’ve carted from house to house over the years.”
Home, the spot of earth supremely blessed. A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest. ~Robert Montgomery
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(left) Mardi also loves this little nook in her bedroom. Mardi says, “This lamp was voted by my family as the most hideous lamp they had ever seen but personally I adore it. I have always thought I’d find the perfect shade for it but in the meantime I’ve just added some vintage trim to a plain white shade which does the trick nicely. The little bowl holds some of my chunkier jewellery.”
favourite nook
crafty colour
Mel Goodsell, from Tasmania loves her compact work area. “This little space started off as an area for my sewing machine, but I found that I needed a real space to blog and work from at home - not just the sofa. It works well for me and I seem to be a lot more productive when typing from my desk..”
Original mixed media painting by Kate Mason
Kate Mason from South Australia loves the little reading corner in her baby boy’s bedroom. “I have a little shelf with books I rotate through, some art pieces I have created for him, a photo of Lachlan and his four sisters plus a beautiful cross-stitch my mother made.
book
nook 63 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
On the nights he’s not desperately needing sleep straight away, we sit on the old comfy vintage chair and read a story together. He loves to look and point at the artwork and photos on his wall and is starting to learn to say his sisters’ names. It’s a delightful time to spend together, just before bed, and then off he goes into relaxed sleep so easily.”
Erica Robinson loves her daughter McKenna’s gorgeous, newly decorated bedroom space. “I love Kenna’s room because it is such a creative use of a tiny nook at the top of our stairwell. It allows her to have her own space rather than sharing with one of her many siblings. It’s a sweet little spot just for her, no boys allowed. ”
pretty space
Erica made some of the art for McKenna’s bedroom wall and she stitched all of the cushions. The quilt was a single bed size that Erica cut and sewed into toddler bed size. She bought all of McKenna’s furniture off eBay and gave each piece the white paint treatment and she purchased the butterfly punched shapes from Etsy.
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www.etzceteramagazine.com.au 65 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
say no to impulse buys. It’s daunting, and very tempting to buy everything in sight when walking into a thrift store with so many fun and beautiful pieces on display. Just because something is inexpensive, doesn’t mean you need to buy it. Keep your cash for items you really want.
thrifty
shopping
in the know Get to know your local store. Visit often and regularly. Talk to the people who run the shop, exchange pleasantries and remember your manners. This has two benefits; the person working the store will enjoy their day while serving you, plus they will be more likely to hold something for you, or look out for something in particular you want. My local store lets me rummage through their “secret stash” of fabrics, simply because I have made a point of always being thankful for their service and also sharing with them what I am going do with my purchase.
know your brands For both homewares and clothing, know the brands you love. For me that means I have a select range of brands I buy for my china collection. I also have become picky with the clothing I buy, always on the lookout for quality brands that have classic lines and will last for many years to come. buying furniture Purchasing furniture can be lots of fun and thrift stores are a great place for unearthing furniture you can repurpose. However, always have a good idea of the plan of the room you are buying for plus the measurements. For example - one three seater lounge, two side tables and a buffet AND stick to your plan. You will also need to think about how you are going to transport large items home, and if they will fit through your door.
inspect carefully When buying furniture give it a close check over. Are all parts in working order? Do you need to re-paint or reupholster? Do you have the skills to repair any damage? Look for quality, solid timer pieces that will withstand a good sand or a coat of paint. 66 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Story & Photos: Lisa Pate
For as long as I can remember op shopping has been a big part of my life. It probably started in high school where I would search the local Vinnies in the hope of finding the perfect pair of Levi’s. I never found them, but it didn’t stop me searching. In our home we call it “treasure hunting” and I enjoy the search just as much as the perfect find. Over the years I have clothed my children, decorated my home and collected armfuls of vintage dresses. Some of my favourite finds have been the ones I wasn’t expecting. A box brownie camera for two dollars that was hidden in a cardboard box, a vintage singer sewing machine hidden away in a cabinet I bought home and my daughter finding a vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland. Finding something unique, worn, treasured and pre-loved is about as good as it gets!
thrift shopping
“Get to know your local store. Visit regularly” is there an alternative? So many times I have found a beautiful article of clothing only to discover it is not my size. If it was the fabric that caught my eye, all is not lost. I ask myself a few simple questions. Can I alter this to fit?? Can one part be separated to produce another garment. For example, can I take the top half off and make a skirt? Can I use the fabric for something completely different?? Cushions? Children’s clothing? Dolls clothes? Journal cover??
take a friend I love visiting thrift stores with friends as it usually ends in lots of laughs and a great morning out. If you have friends who thrift, plan to spend a morning together searching your local stores. Often friends will point out items you may not have even considered. It won’t be long and you will all know what size, style and type of things you love to find. I regularly text my friends with finds I think they may be interested in, and they do the same for me. be regular Become a regular. Good thrift stores generally have a high turn over of goods for sale so by visiting often you will be able to be there on the spot, ready to pounce on new goods that have arrived. But the most important tip of all is to HAVE FUN. Be open to the potential of an item and don’t dismiss it too quickly. Everything old is new again.
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67 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Doily Angel
Designer, Janelle Wind from NSW was given this gorgeous doily angel as a gift from her friend.
--------------------------
Crafty doilies
Not just used by Nana anymore to protect the sideboard while displaying a favourite vase, pretty doilies have found their way into our crafty work and creative home decorating.
-------------------------1. Doily Cushion
Crafter Lea Ingram from Little Bits of Pretty created this sweet mini cushion using vintage sheets and a lace doily.
2.
1.
3. Sweet Heart
Gail Lindner from Greatest View, uses paper doilies in her scrapbook layouts. Plus she sells some pretty cool paper doilies in all sorts of shapes and sizes in her Etsy store. Check out Greatest View here.
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3.
2. Stamp Your Own Doily Starburst Lace stamp
from Hero Arts enables you to make your own paper doilies for scrapbooking and cardmaking.
Rich and vibrant.
Crazy for Colour fabric and lace doily diary.
Right Now. By Sheree Forcier, QLD.
Sheree has used the Starburst Lace stamp from Hero Arts to stamp images onto white cardstock. Sheree has then cut out each image and layered them together to create a doily embellishment for her scrapbook page.
---------------------------------------Bright and cheerful
Hand dyed, gloriously colourful cotton doilies from Greatest View
bright or
shabby?
Pretending. By Yvette Adams, ACT
Yvette has layered different sized lace doilies to create a textured and very vintage style scrapbook layout.
Plain Jane ?
Not at all. This neutral package of coffee and cream coloured lacy doilies from Crazy For Colour is anything but plain.
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Quick&
easycards
Handmade cards add a personal touch when gift giving and don’t need to be too complex in design. Keeping it simple means you can whip up a batch of cards to have on standby in no time. A NEW HOME by Kim Archer Tips: Machine stitch scraps of fabric including a felt heart shape, to create the house motif. Hand cut a scalloped edge to add variety. Materials: Paper: October
Afternoon. Cardstock: Bazzill swiss dots, brown. Other: velvet ribbon, button, felt, fabric scraps, embroidery thread, journaling strip.
HOME by Kim Archer Tips: Create a little collection of homes using strips of patterned paper, mounted with foam tape for extra dimension. Buttons are such an easy embellishment to add texture and colour to any design. Fancy photo corners have been used for the roof tops.
Materials: Paper: Scenic Route Cardstock: Ki
Memories pink. Bazzill green. Title: Making Memories tiny alphabet stickers Other: Heidi Swapp photo corners, SEI buttons, black Zig writer, foam mounting tape.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY 2 YOU by Sheree Forcier Tips: On this card, the banner and main feature pictures have been cut from patterned paper. Using images cut from paper is a great way to create a card on a budget. You can make those images pop by cutting out identical images to layer on top of each other using foam tape, giving a 3D look. Materials: Paper: Bash Papers.
Cardstock: kraft, white, light blue. Alpha and Number Stamps: Hero Arts Basic Upper (LL189) and Lowercase (LL188) Letters. Punch: Stampin’ Up Scallop Edge Punch. Other: White Stampin’ Up Ink, American Crafts White Embossing Powder, string, machine thread.
WELCOME BABY by Sheree Forcier Tips: Creating your own window card is easy using a die cutting machine and a circle die. Add a little scene on the inside of the card ensuring it’s visible through the window front. This will really adds extra dimension and interest to your card.
Materials: Paper and chipboard shapes: Cosmo Cricket Togetherness Collection Cardstock: kraft, white, green Stamps: Stampin’ Up Dies: Large Spellbinders Circle Dies. Punches: Martha Stewart Grass Edge Punch. Other: paper doily, blue chalk, black ink.
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scrapbooking
matching dresses. Lucky us!
project: Kim Archer
Oh, Mum!
Howcouldyou?
WHAT YOU NEED • • • • • •
• • •
Your usual cutting tools and adhesives. 2x patterned papers sheet of everyday notepaper scrap of dress making tissue something for your title embellishments: buttons, lace scraps, strip of ric rac, length of ribbon, diamanté strip and a scrap of off-cut fabric. Other: white paper doily, teeny journaling strip, stapler, small circle punch. access to a sewing machine desirable but not essential. PHOTO: 12x10cm landscape photo works best.
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Looking back, mum didn’t really dress me and my sister in the same outfits all that often but we do have a few photo gems showcasing some stellar 1970’s matching outfits. These delightful floral dresses were one such set of matching sister outfits. I scored the orange variety and my sister Debbie wore the green version! Celebrate those matching sister outfits from your childhood by creating this layered, fun scrapbook layout.
one Cut patterned paper to size if
making the smaller 81/2 x 11 inch layout and use an edge scraper or your scissor blade to scrape and distress layout edges. Punch a semi circle using a circle punch, into top right hand corner.
two Start layering elements by adding a circular paper doily to your page about 8cm from the right hand side and 6cm from top edge. Staple a 20x14cm scrap of notepaper about 3cm from the left hand side, scrunching the paper edge and stapling as you go for a shabby look.
three Staple scrap of lace plus tissue pattern paper, layered over notepaper, about 2cm from top edge. Add in length of lace, then ric rac. Both lengths are about 13cm.
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four Handcut a scalloped strip from 5x10cm patterned paper offcut and layer over the notepaper at the bottom of layout. five Add in your photo so it sits about 4cm from the lower edge and 5cm from the left hand side, popping a small fabric offcut under the left hand side of your photo before securing. six Add lengths of ribbon and diamanté trim (or use more ribbon or lace trim) underneath photo. Add in journaling strip to the left of photo. finishing Time to add in a title. Finish by adding some random machine stitching in a vibrant, contrasting thread colour. Pop on some buttons, teeny letter stickers and journaling tag. All finished!
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Add the word Etzcetera in the comments section when ordering any Double UP pack online and receive $10 discount. *Valid until 1/9/2011.
Cut & Paste is an online shop providing monthly DOUBLE UP kits containing absolutely everything the busy scrapbooker needs to create 5 double page layouts. Includes new release products, photos and instructions for each layout. Fantastic value at $60. • Weekly TAkE AWAY packs also available. • Albums, adhesives, and all the scrapbooking essentials available for purchase. • secure online ordering • subscription offers available.
Everything you need delivered to your door each month. www.cuttingandpasting.com.au 73 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
food style
family
favourite
Does your family have an all time favourite recipe? Gigi Kennedy, Kim Archer and Jamison Archer share their much loved family recipe with us.
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Recipe: Gigi Kennedy Photos: Kim Archer
Gigi’s vinaigrette
A very versatile salad dressing, taking advantage of whatever herbs you’ve got at the ready, Gigi from New York, shares a favourite family recipe.
Whisk all together in a small bowl, serve over fresh greens and enjoy. 75 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
“
When my mom and I first began growing herbs in our garden about 20 years ago, one of our favorite ways to use our gorgeous “bounty” was in salads. After much experimentation, we came up with the following Vinaigrette recipe together. My mom promptly dubbed it “Gigi’s Vinaigrette” since I always made it and it became a staple on our Spring & Summer lunch & dinner tables. Hope you like it!!
“
1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, chives and/or basil) 1 squeeze lemon juice Rock salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
Recipe & photography: kim archer
Monday night is our busy, everyone is everywhere night with after school activities and everyone at home at different times. Homemade pizzas are quick and easy and depending on your toppings, can be a healthy choice for dinner. Here we make garlic prawn pizza with fetta and mango salsa.
garlic prawn and fetta pizza with mango salsa 2x wholemeal pita pocket breads 2 tablespoons tomato paste 12 green prawns, shelled, de veined with tails intact 6 cherry tomatoes, halved handful of baby spinach leaves handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped low fat fetta cheese, crumbled 1 mango 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
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Pizza Night
Heat a splash of olive oil in a frypan and stir fry chopped garlic for several minutes to release the flavour. Add the prawns and cook through. In the final minute of cooking, add the chopped basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Grill one side of the pita pocket bread under the griller for several minutes. Spread a tablespoon of tomato paste onto each pita bread. Arrange the cooked prawns with basil, cherry tomatoes and the crumbled fetta cheese onto each pizza base. Grill again until the cheese starts to soften. Remove from heat and serve with the baby spinach leaves and mango salsa. MANGO SALSA Peel and dice one mango. Combine with sweet chilli sauce. Serves two.
OPTIONAL: add diced onion and some more chopped fresh basil if desired.
Recipe: Jamison Archer photography: kim archer
Individual Trifles In our home, 16 year old Jamison’s Rocky Road has certainly been a firm family favourite for many years but more recently Jamison has been creating and perfecting his own version of his grandmother’s trifle.
Mini Trifles
2 jam rollettes 200ml port wine jelly 100ml custard 2 tablespoons of double cream Splash of Brandy 1 Flake chocolate or 1 tablespoon of slivered almonds, toasted. Preparation time: 20 minutes (not including jelly setting time)
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Prepare your jelly according to the packet directions and allow to set in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours minimum. Cut the jam rollettes into 1cm thick slices and layer in the base of your serving glasses until about half way up the walls of each glass. Ensure rollettes are nice and compacted in the glasses and drizzle a splash of Brandy over them, allowing them to soak and absorb the liquid.
Pour custard into a heat proof bowl or jug and heat in the microwave until warmed and thinned. Pour custard over the sponge and allow it to soak in. Place in fridge so the custard can set again. Once jelly has set, layer into each serving glass. Spoon on the double cream and crumble the Flake chocolate or toasted slivered almonds on top. Serve chilled. Serves two.
feature blogger
BEADS. Chunky necklaces are catching my eye at the moment. I just can’t seem to get enough of them, especially my black beaded one - it’s a favourite!
“My blog is my little creative outlet - a place to record snippets of our life, baking, crafting and everything in-between.” Meet Tasmanian mum and One Crafty Mumma blogger, Mel Goodsell, pictured above with children James and Bella. Story| Kim Archer
Mel Goodsell Mel’s been blogging for five years and her readers are scattered all over the world including Australia, USA, UK, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal. “I have the loveliest and kindest readers in the world.” Mel says, “They read my daily posts for a variety of reasons including my cooking recipes, crafting, book reviews, tutorials, kids craft ideas and some just pop by to read about our family life. Because I blog daily, people are always asking me how I keep coming up with new topics to talk about. The truth is that ideas just pop into my head each day. It might be something we’re cooking, a place we’ve visited or a new project that I’ve started working on. I’ve never had a schedule for blogging, I just write about what feels right at the time of hitting my keyboard or take inspiration from the photos that are in my camera.” 78 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD. At the moment I’m dabbling in some simple little felt softies to pop away for Operation Christmas Child (http://www.operationchristmaschild. org.au/). They’re a fantastic charity that I’ve been supporting for a couple of years now, providing gift-filled shoe boxes to children in need around the world. Last year our family filled four boxes to send, but this year I’m aiming for eight.
Visit Mel at One Crafty Mumma http://www.melissagoodsell.typepad.com/
BOOKS! My bookshelves are filled with craft books. I find them a lovely way to unwind at the end of the week with a nice cup of tea. My newest additions are Modern Log Cabin Quilting, Fresh Quilting and Natural Patchwork they’re all equally beautiful and inspiring books.
HONG KONG. I’ve had some truly wonderful experiences via my blog this year, including a fully sponsored trip (via Nuffnang http://www.nuffnang.com. au) to Hong Kong Disneyland for my family. We were able to spend quite a few days pottering around Kowloon in Hong Kong as well, squeezing in some shopping and sight seeing. I’m still pinching myself - it was amazing!
TEAPOT NEWSLETTER. Teapot is a new and exciting venture between myself and a dear friend, Tamar. It’s a free online creative newsletter, filled with tutorials, recipes, happy thoughts and snippets of our crafty lives. Pop over to my blog to subscribe 79 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011
Issue 2
ON SALE
1 September 2011
www.etzceteramagazine.com.au 80 etzcetera magazine July/August 2011