the mystery of the missing mojo

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I’ve been going a teensy crazy. Sitting in my cute studio, holding my man dolls which I love, and drinking tea. I ought to be tickled pink, except I'm not, really. It’s the case of the missing mojo. Again. I know I’ve talked about my mojo a lot, I whinge about it every now and then, and you really are very nice people to listen patiently. Please humour me (or go do something else. That’s ok, I don’t mind a bit, honestly.)

It’s just that my creative mojo is a finicky creature, I need to treat it gently, nurture it, and oh definitely listen to it. Or it up and goes, and I am left spending my time staring out the window/playing cards/reading a book on the couch/whinging about things to you, dear reader. Or perhaps it’s still there. Hiding in a corner with a slight petulant scowl saying NO.. in a little voice. And stamping it’s little feet. my mojo refuses to cooperate, and it becomes a struggle.

I’ve tried everything. I’ve rearranged and labeled everything in a satisfying way. I’ve bought a new lamp. I’ve brought tea and chocolate reinforcements. I even bought a little oven timer in an effort to work solidly for a block of time. I’ve thought of a gazillion reasons to want to sew; but I.don’t.want.to. I make myself and force every.stitch. Which makes me feel rubbish. After all, I have my own studio, full of materials and a nice big table and light and time; how lucky am I?

Well it turns out my mojo doesn't like being told what to do. The thought of making another doll the same as the last ones just doesn't excite.it.one.little.bit. So it's gone on strike, and I went and got a job. However, the idea of drawing my mojo for this very post made me want to stride into the studio immediately. Excitement and new ideas, this is the foodstuff of the mojo. I want to make things I have never tried, have my own exhibition of soft sculptures with pointy detailed not-suitable-for-children bits, I want to make things until I am satisfied, not until they are good enough. I want to make things for the love of it, not the money.

SO I am working hard to finish off orders, and thinking hard and carefully about my next step, and how I will coax my mojo back.

Does this happen to you?

new bearded men in progress, merman, viking and hero

Working on versions of the bearded folk man. Why not a bearded super hero? (he looks a bit funny without eyebrows on yet) Mermen are too awesome to be forgotten (and with tattoos)
And Vikings? Well.

Anyone else need a beard?

my creative space- grrantlers

I received an email this week requesting a grrantler- the little fellows snuck out while I wasn't looking and visited a style website on the other side of the world. Sneaky.

I'm working on the next generation now, but can't help but change them. I'm thinking waistcoats with shiny buttons. Perhaps a bow tie?

see more creative spaces here

my creative space- folk man lady friend

I'm trying out a new pattern for a lady friend for my bearded folk man dolls. She's not finished yet (her face hasn't been stitched), but I think they will look sweet together, don't you think? Her dress is made from a vintage pillowslip. I think maybe the next one needs a little more ruffle in the skirt?

She is ready to travel, off to join Save The Children and find a new home with a little one affected by the recent calamity in Japan. You can donate a softie too (made or bought), there are drop-off points in each city; look here for details.

Hope your creative space is lovely x

my creative space

I want to reclaim my creative space. I've been looking around and I miss the joy and motivation I had when a completed project was for me, just me. Now everything I do is for work, how can it make me money, will I make enough, is it cost-efficient. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, but it can be hard.The time away was nice, because I missed my studio and am enjoying sewing again; but I am making an effort to make something just for me, every now and then, as welll as making time for new projects, and experiments.

First, a lovely winter quilt methinks, as the weather is cooling down pretty darn fast. See more creative spaces here.

my creative space- today I am

- cutting out telephone animals from lovely vintage fabrics

- drinking cups of tea from a green mug

- being a little tired; would a nap would leave me refreshed or a-bit-cranky?

- wishing it would cool down again, with or without a bit of rain

- wondering when my housemates will arrive home today after their NZ trip

- thinking about my birthday tommorow and being 28 years old

- dreaming of a tattoo for a birthday present

- reading lots of lovely blogs and chatting to a new friend online

- planning what I will make next, probably a grizzly bear wearing jeans

- listening to jose gonzalez, bon iver and chopin

see more creative spaces here

(and have a lovely day x)

superhero bears

Continuing with the superhero theme lately, I've made some superhero bears; just like the dress-up bears but with embroidered glasses and features, and a superhero cape with felt intial.

Superhero bears like to fit heroic deeds in between soft cuddles. They also like reading cereal boxes, watching birds fly (for tips) and drinking lemonade. Made out of reclaimed blankets, this bear is soft and cuddly. He has embroidered glasses and features, and his cape is made from a repurposed collared shirt with easy velcro fasteners to take the cape on and off as needed for superhero duties. The initial on his cape could stand for anything you like. Superhero bears are very good friends and wonderful playmates. They are good at keeping secrets and giving hugs, and will make a loyal friend.

Superhero bears in my etsy, madeit and blue caravan shops.

my creative space- studio

Some photos from my new studio set up, on the unfinished second floor of the house in the country. Hence the exposed beams, uncovered floor and tin roof; which makes it a bit hot, but just a bit more homemade, I think.

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I only got about half of the studio, the other half has not-much-light for photos. You'll have to use your imagination (stacked tubs full of fabric, a bookshelf full of fabric, and more suitcases. Full of.. fabric. Ironing board, shelves of threads, baskets of felt and patterns.)

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I work until about 1pm, when the oven effect gets a bit too much, and I go downstairs to read blogs or outside to plant seeds or read under a tree.

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I'm going to have a giveaway soon. It is in the photo. Can you guess what it is? I'll tell you on Sunday!

PepperStitches Pocket Cushions Project in Kids Crafternoon

I have been invited to participate by the lovely Kathreen from Whip Up in a sewing book for kids called 'Kids Crafternoon'. How exciting! Hooray! These are the samples of my sewing project in the book, a 'Pocket Cushion' that reuses pockets from old clothes and are perfect for hiding secret treasures in. The book is due for publishing in July next year, I'll be showing you then anyway!
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I am very excited, yes?

my creative space- watercolours

The Boy loves the Tigers football team, his whole family follow them (and now me too). Before the game last week I was mucking around drawing things, and drew him wishing he was a tiger. His best friend was over too, he goes for St George Dragons, so I drew him too.

I was thinking of putting these in my shop as a custom order watercolour- I think I'd like the challenge, I just need a photo, name and what sporting team they go for. Do you think people might like them for their friends or partners?

Dress-up Bears

These bears are influenced by Rudolf Steiner, and have intentionally simplistic features to encourage creativity and imagination. They’re made from woollen blankets (brown or pink), so are not only extra soft but have a lovely loved look already, and come with a choice of three dress-ups! There’s a cape, a pirate patch, a crown or a tutu.

They remind me of my first bear, whose name was Teddy (I know, imaginative, huh?) and who I would refuse to go to sleep without, and search the house for (he was usually behind the couch). I used to dress him up, him and my dolls and occasionally a very obliging cat. My school had a fair with a ‘best-dressed teddy bear’ competition every year, and although I came very close, I never-quite-won. (I suspect someone had their nana help, I mean some were very intricate, and we were 10. Am I bitter?) Anyway, the cool thing about making kids toys is how fun they are, and I have played with these little guys already (call it ‘product testing’), and they are as fun as they look.

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In my shop soon!

why yes, a giant giraffe please.

So I made a giant giraffe, I did, see him there. He is from one big woollen blanket, and is quite big, really. I'm not sure what I will do with him now. Put him in my shop perhaps, and share the giant giraffe love. For now he stands in the corner of the studio, looking cheeky.

What would you do with a giant giraffe, if he came to your place?

my creative space

Ah another Thursday, another creative space!

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This week I've been working on antlers. The same ones. Three times. First they were too small and looked a bit funny. So I made them bigger, but they were too floppy, and antlers should not be too floppy. In the interests of child-suitability, wire was out, along with hard plastic. I perservered, and by fusing four layers of felt together then blanket stitching around them, I have antlers that are still soft but stay upright! Woho!

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So yay for antlers I'm happy with, this deer has a green body from a recycled pair of woollen flares and some more japanese print.

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Something else driving me nuts this week is taking good product photos. The light has to be just so, and it's been raining and cloudy and generally wintery here in Sydney, so they are dark and dim and I'm.just.not.happy. Does anyone have any tips for this?
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Hope your creative week has been a little less frustrating!

See more creative spaces here.

my creative space

Running a bit late for this week's my creative space, but here we go!

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More sweater cushions. I love these, the different textures are lovely and using them is like hugging clouds. Or your nana. Or a nana cloud. I'm working on a range of them, and am eyeing off all of my sweaters for possibilities. Lucky for them it's winter and I need them more whole.
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Playing around with my first stencils and fabric paint. Oh the possibilites. I'll be adding machine stitch detail in coloured thread, then making them up into tote bags with green lining. Oooh. Greeeen. Will keep you posted on how (if) these turn out.

More creative spaces here.

my creative space

I'm afraid there's not much goin' on in my creative space right now, my sewing machine decided to splutter and die last week (I know, great timing, right?) and I already have a bunch of patterns cut out and lined up, so can't bring myself to add to the pile. I ordered a new machine (yay! on special too!) and other assorted supplies of course.. and I'm waiting waiting waiting for them to arrive.

Until then, here are some antler boys and girls that I finished by hand, they have embroidered faces and hand stitched antlers and little hand knitted scarves. They were fun to make, and fit nicely in your hand. (They're in my shop now)

Catching up on lots of blog reading, and making notes on my business plan, and seeing.as.I'm.a.wee.bit.hungover.today considering making pancakes and watching tv.

(see more creative spaces here!)

AWOL

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I have been awol for a little while, sorry. My work cut my hours back unexpectedly, and I have been a bit of a stress pot, filling my head with numbers, budgets, alternative work options. After initial freakin’ out, slight bitterness and a lot of tea, I have decided that it is a good thing. I will get to work with kids again. I’ve missed them. I will have more time to sew, and focus on getting stock for my first markets, and filling the shop. People live off this kind of thing, right?

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Remember when I made more space for sewing, because I decided to take it a bit more seriously? Well I’ve taken that to a whole new level. I’ve dismantled my big bed and stored it in the shed, and bought a single loft bed on ebay. I sleep up high which is a bit like school camps combined with sharing bunk beds with my sister. And if Boy comes over, we’ll share the spare mattress on the floor. But oh the space! The space!

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I have a sewing table, an ironing table, a big table just.for.working.on. Lots of room for cutting out. Lots of room for matching fabrics. Big tubs with works-in-progress. Accessible bookshelf with source and craft books (and kids dvds. Of course.) With the possibility of TWO sewing days, it’s time to get serious, people. I do not want another full-time job. I want to do what I LIKE. So far that has meant..

Starting more cloud mobiles with raindrops, new teddy bears from oh-so-soft woolen blankets. Embroidered drawings on vintage fabric cushions. (In my shop now.) Also ideas for a new custom order for a baby boy, cutting out more cushion covers from sweaters and drawing for a Pepper Stitches range of cards. This is exciting indeed.

I can tighten my belt again (remember way back when?) and I still have work at work, just less. Which gives me more.

my creative space

Babushka doll rattles from lovely Japanense fabric. Waiting for their faces to be attached!

A baby blue bunny

And a prototype for a deer. A bit wonky, and a bit like a camel? Or is it just me? Maybe the antlers will help.

my creative space

Some new cushion covers made from recycled sweaters.. mmm.. soft mountains...