yes, it's rather a good idea actually..

I just came across the robin hood tax, and put my name down. Have you? What a stupendously ace idea.




thanks Pottymouthmama

an etsy easter

Grass Easter Egg Holder
how does your garden grow
Little Bunny Recipe Box
Porcelain Egg, Soy Candles and Little Bunny
little jade babies...a handmade nest
Rabbits In A Hurry Print
Silver Rabbit Necklace
Arctic hare plushie

Oh My.

the book

Have you been to regretsy blog? Some are okay. Some are CRAZY. Why people? WHY??

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It's much like what not to crochet, but showing creations found on etsy. Painted pillowcase. Religious statues. Hand etched portrait, space time clock and necklaces. If a kid made it, I'd love. If I knew they were doing it tongue-in-cheek, I'd giggle. Sure to make you feel better about your latest crafty disaster, but guilty for scoffing at something that someone has obviously spent time and care creating. (This one I could actually get, it made me almost fall off my chair.)

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All in all if your cranky (like I have been today) it might cheer you up, but be warned, it's all a bit bitchy really. I'm indulging my inner-bitch. I don't do that often, I much more comfortable with being nice. But I AM cranky today. I might make cupcakes later and knit a beanie for a stray puppy to restore the equilibrium.

dog's breakfast bib

I made a bib yesterday, with sweet fabric I bought on the weekend (isn't it cute?) that I plastic coated. But the bias binding is all wrong. How do you make it go around curves without looking like a dog's breakfast? It was all wrinkled and dodgy-looking. And my snap closure kept un-closing in a very un-snappy way.

Hopefully I can salvage this one and re-bind it (just got myself a bias binding maker too. Awesome). Otherwise a certain sister may be getting a very defunct gift.

I looked at a few tutorials like this one from Crazy Mom Quilts (oh boy there are a LOT of bib tutorials out there), it advocates sewing it around the front then hand-stitching the back; is this the usual method or does anyone know a faster way?

mister furry hug bum monster?

These two little guys are about to head to my shop. But what on earth shall I call them??

labels uh-huh

via

I have been scouting for some nice labels for my plushies and quilts, you know the ones, cute simple little ones sewn into the seam, that make your plush look awfully professional and your name memorable.

from this shop

These seem to be the go so far, but there are so many darn OPTIONS! satin, twill, cotton, printed, embroidered etc. Do you have any tips /advice /recommendations? Where do you get your labels from?

flea market finds

this week I'm playing along with ' Flea Market Finds' hosted by the lovely Sophie at Her Library Adventures. I'm a day late, but any-hoo. This is what I found..

A gold fawn money box. Isn't it kitschy? Going to paint it green I thinks. Or shall I leave it as is?

Also some more vintage suitcases (because gee-whiz I don't have enough of those), a bird ornament, some old fabric, some lunch and a sore arm from carrying it all home. Go have a squiz at Sophie's lovely blog, and see some other lucky peep's great finds too.

my week in pictures

Trying to think of reasons I may need this many of my favourite colour pencil.


Lunch at the markets with my Mum

Running into old friends. Oh Murphy you are the best. dog. ever.

Organs in unexpected places.

Cooked lunch for 10 work collegues. Delish.

Sewing a baby quilt for the little one my sister is expecting. She's up the duff. Bun in her oven. I am excited.

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Trying to crochet. Emphasis on trying. Good lord. Note the obvious lack of any evidence of successful crochet to show you.
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Still struggling for space in my studio/bedroom. Fighting paperwork at my 9 to 5, reading frankie with cups of tea, finding muscles I forgot I had at the gym, drawing new cushions, finding new short haircut means that girls check me out. Craving strawberry jam, swapping poetry books, laughing with cute boy with moustache.

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Hope your week was lovely x

"frames"

A short film for Oxfams 3things project by Tropfest New York 2008 winners Jason van Genderen and Shane Emmett. Filmed in downtown Sydney.
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Lovely.
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(edit) just had to share their winning 2008 short film too. Shot entirely by mobile phone in Sydney & New York. Made me take a deep breath.

Compulsive Knitting

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Compulsive Knitting by Daniela Edburg.

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For me it began to be a form of occupational therapy, even without knowing what I was doing. I started knitting long strips of fluffy pink material, and after a while I realized it was perfect to put together a brain, and a nice new fluffy brain was exactly what I needed at the moment..

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Whenever I see a person knitting I can’t help being drawn to them—it’s hypnotic. I silently analyze the texture of the yarn, the choice of colors, I imagine the sweater or the scarf already finished, how it feels to the touch, how it will look when its been worn for years. It makes me nostalgic even, reminds me of the passing of time.

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Interesting interview here.

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Thanks Joe!

antlers

I just came across Antler, a digital magizine promoting creativity and beauty in all aspects of life. It's pretty.

I have a thing with antlers at the moment. As you know. Here are some other pretty things with antlers.

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Deer Rubber Stamp ...... Oh Deer Brooch

Stag in the Bushes print ......Jackalope printable card

Antler Damask Pillow Cover ...... Eames Chair with Antlers Print
Antlers Eco-friendly card ...... My Deer Lady illustration

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You can read the magazine here.

my week in pictures

My first fresh raspberries. Like having lollies for breakfast.

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My friends boyfriends red shoes at her gig in the city.

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Blowing bubbles from the garden wall.

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My favourite bento lunchbox was nicked from my bicycle basket. Basteerds.

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Firemen at 4am, wrapping duct tape over the house alarm that wouldn't.turn.off.

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Oops I've done it again. Been too busy all week to post, and now I have several things to say-at-once.. I'll try to space it out!

Hope your week was awesome x

ballerina monster

Remember when I was pondering a ballerina monster? Well here she is. I think she's a bit cute, really.

She's hanging out in my shop, along with

some lovely gift certificates I made. The text on them reads;
Oh my you lucky thing, you have in your lovely hand a gift certificate for the Pepper Stitches store. Go have a look, at what you can get, go on! and don’t forget you can use this to purchase custom orders too.

I like. I hope you like too.

fence love

On my way to the shops to buy chocolate the other day, down by the railway tracks, I saw this work on a fence. I did stare at it for a moment and think 'You'? but realised that from the train side, it reads 'Joy'. It made me wonder at the reactions of people sitting on the train when the word 'Joy' flashed by their window.

I do like random fence art. Almost as much as I like guerrilla knitting. Then I found outdoorknits flickr set called 'Beautifying Fences'. How lovely. I especially like this one.

And this one too.

Show us the fence love.

Lovel-ly day

Did you know that I have not blogged for a whole WEEK! Oh my. And now I have so many things I'd like to tell you, and lovely photos too, but if I tell it all at once your lovely reading list will be clogged.up.

But you know what? I may have to do it anyway. Sorry.

via

I almost forgot today was the great V-day. I have been in two minds, one said ignore it and carry on your merry way. One said Oh! but what a wondrous occasion to watch Johnny Depp movies and eat an awful lot of ice cream! In the end I am pottering around the house, listening to my favourite tunes and thinking of all the people I love. And all the people who love me. Also clearing out my drawers and hoping it doesn't rain on my laundry. That too.

Oh V-day. What a love/hate relationship we have. I love love, but you take it from sweet holding hands to a full-on pash with garlic breath, beard rash and too much saliva. I like being alone, but I hate to be lonely, and you have a way of cramming red roses and various plastic crap down our throats. Cardboard cut outs of hearts and cheesy songs. Overkill, yes? That said, everyone secretly wishes for something horrifically romantic to happen. Or moderately romantic. Or at least original and heart-felt slightly romantic.

Whatever you're doing today, I hope you have a love-ly day, with sincere sentiments and holding hands. And I hope it doesn't rain on your laundry either.

x Pepper

in the studio

big mix tape cushion

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piles of fabric. Not-so-neat.

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Grrantlers

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Eskimo's with embroidered faces
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Ideas

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Old pillowcases in squares to be made into a picnic blanket quilt

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Custom order 'say it' cushion

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Sleepy cats

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It's raining and the perfect weather for stitching and listening to music and drinking tea. Not-so-good for taking photos, but I did anyway.

(I'm going to call the half of my bedroom stuffed with sewing supplies and workspaces my studio, m-kay? It sounds more grown-up, and frankly more exciting than 'in the little space at the end of my bed'.)

Forecast for tomorrow- thunderstorms. Excellent.

have you seen

this huge kitting installation? Holy Dooley look at those knitting needles.

A project for The Nature Conservency made with wool from an organic flock of Panama sheep from Lava lake Ranch, Idaho, it was created by Christien Meindertsma. See more, and her other work, here.

beach weekend

This weekend my friend and I set off for the beach. (Photos courtesy of Sue II. It's sooo good to be able to take photos again, I realise now how much I love to document my experiences this way. During the week I decided to buy a camera post-haste, even if I.can't.really afford.it.)


We decided thast we needed to get away and feel some sand between our toes, so we caught the train South on Friday afternoon, for two nights in a bungalow by the beach.


The brochure failed to mention that we would be metres away from a cemetery. We decided it was life-affirming.


In the morning a team of arborists cut down 3 trees behind our bungalor with chainsaws. Then put them through a giant chipper. We were up anyway.


Still, we lazed in our bunks and drank cups of tea inbetween running to the amenities block between light rain.


It cleared up and we wandered down for a swim and cooked a Breakfast of Champions.


with a great view.

Walking to the local town I picked flowers and found a sweet craft store and awesome organic store too.

We read the weekend paper in a cafe,

found a little thai massage place, and indulged (AWESOME).

On the way back, I looked in the cemetery. I find them fascinating, I really do,

and found this cemetery bunny.

Then it was back to the beach

before a delicious dinner.

In the morning we saw a one-legged seagull

and made french toast with leftover bread, with fruit and yoghurt. Then it was packing time to catch the train home again.

I hope your weekend was lovely too!

ps. with Sue II ready to go, I'll post soon about crafty-goings-on!