bright triangle

Posted today for a fifth birthday. Book bag and gorgeous 'All In A Day' written by Cynthia Rylant and graced by Nikki McClure's solid and striking paper-cut illustrations.

books for big kids

Birthday card to be given with this book (hard to not keep the book for myself). Finally cutting into my Camilla Engman ribbon.

the trouble with sci-fi covers

There are many beautiful geeks in my life and therefore a lot of sci-fi books. I always gape at the dreadful covers the majority of them wear. One exception is Penguin's current group of John Wyndham novels, which all have amazingly illustrated covers by Brian Cronin.

Perhaps I should recruit some wonderful illustrators and start a tasteful sci-fi cover company?

mini nickies

With the influx of babies making their debut in our lives I have purchased Lotta Jansdotter's fantastic book, Simple Sewing For Baby. (I am totally clueless about sizes).
Above are the beginnings of some bloomers, one of the projects in the book.

reading material

Today is the first full day in some time that either of us have had off.
It is mostly being spent reading in bed with chocolate and lollies whilst it rains outside. (No lack of material).

Anyone reading anything mind-blowing at the moment?

fox - book - fox

A pre-schooler's birthday is fast approaching and I always enjoy choosing books for her. Do you remember Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins. Story is so simple but the folky illustrations and patterns are superb. The other is Fox by Margaret Wild and illustrated by Ron Brooks. I was first drawn to the messy type and layout, but reading the story sold me.

wrapped in a hankie

Once upon a time I ordered a copy of Sonja Ahler's Fatal Distraction, and to my delight it arrived today. Very exciting when you forget you have ordered something and it arrives as a surprise in the mail.

Last year I bought her previous book, Temper Temper for a friend but it never made it out of my hands because I thought it was too brilliant. Pages that were crass and witty but accompanied by cute drawings, such personality.

Fatal Distraction came packaged so prettily.
I look forward to sitting down with a cup of tea tomorrow afternoon reading it.

P.S She has some amazing bunnies in her etsy store at the moment.

Aya Takano

With a severe case of “ I will buy you this as a gift because I want it”, I gave Tokyo Space Diary by Ayo Takano to a friend as part of her chrissy present. It is basically half comic book, half catalogue of artworks. I am smitten with Ayo Takano's art. The colours, the imagery and subject matter. I adore the alien yet soft aspect of her work. She is mostly associated with Japan's Superflat movement, which is a style that really floats my boat. See more examples of her work here.

still with the presents

We have already had a few Christmas days this year, so it is safe to show off some of the presents we have been giving.
Mud handmade ceramics... I am considering stealing that milk jug back, I am head over heals for it... I do have a key to the giftee's house. (Little Rogue, I suggest getting your mother-in-law some of these).
Inspired by pigeon pair's version, I made the same lass a pencil-pocket based on this tutorial by House of Krom.

The book is Objects 2, street art and culture of East Europe. Eb has been predicting that some pretty phenomenal art is going to be emerging from Russia and their eastern European friends soon. Objects 3 book is out now also, but I am not sure how far it has made it out of Russia yet, I would like to have a peek at that too. (I wanted to give a plug to Redspective online store. I had trouble tracking the book down at their customer service was fantastic).

boxes and mooching

I have been admiring the stenciling on wooden wine boxes.

Bookworm alert! Go to BookMooch. Such a fantastic book exchange. First found via.

pif and pencil case

Now that the recipientt has received it, I can reveal her pif gift.

• Handmade pencil case
• A copy of Dumbo Feather
• Paper to play with
• A vintage ET eraser

Happy weekend everyone.

links number next one

I ♥ links on hump day:
(Sounds a little off?)

• The Believer magazine for bookworms. (I am really liking this). Via Amy
  
• Angie Lewin printmaking. Via Jezze, make sure you check out her octopus beak, fascinating.
• Blog of animal-drawing artist Erin Kobie. Via Crissy Girl
• Shellbells reminded me to visit the tsk tsk blog of Australian artist Tiel Seivl-Keevers. I haven't been for a while.
• The lovely Ashley says that seeqpod is the place to go for music, and that it even makes suggestions based on your favourites. (Is anyone else bummed that etsy ditched their suggestions machine, i thought that thing was ace)?
  

the day my washing machine broke giveaway

To say thank you for the reading and encouraging.

To say the web hub of craft, crafters and artists is a valuable place.

To giveaway a copy of Lena Corwin's Printing by Hand, a small piece of Lara Cameron fabric, and a coin pouch made with my teeth-brushing fabric.

To enter leave a comment and point me towards something you think I would find inspiring. An artist, a song, a maker, a photograph, a book, a word, a knitting pattern (especially if it is for a knitted goat), anything.

To be valid, comment before 5pm next Sunday the 9th. ( I ♥ November).

bunny, burglar, and jennifer parks

A little bit ago I bought Edison Steelhead's Lost Portfolio: Exploratory Studies of Girls and Rabbits by Renee French for a bunny obsessed lovely. (Originally found via this apple).

When ordering I received a copy of Nerd Burglar from Sparkplug Comic Books and in the pages found the sweet but interesting work of Jennifer Parks. Have a scroll around her blog.

book in a sack

Printing by hand by Lena Corwin was the last element of my most excellent birthday pressie from eb. (So many great techniques).
We came home one day to find that massive sack on our doorstep. What was the postal service thinking, a little overkill for two books huh.

What should I use the sack for?

Fine print: Two copies of the book were accidentally ordered so if I make a couple of things over the weekend there might be my first blog giveaway soon.

more than a drawer

Today it properly rained and the determined winds blew me into the local op shops.
The blue of the knitting needles attracted me immediately, and just because they aren't the same colour or even the same length doesn't mean I can't love them anyway. I also scored some fabric, mostly a bunch of upholstery samples for 20cents, a well-read version of Oliver Twist, and a brand new pair of grey school-boy pants for 3 dollars. Bargain, I know.

I saw her then. It took some testing, some discussion, some research and the eating of a sopressa roll, but I decided to buy her as an early birthday present to myself. The drawer in the third photo belongs to a table that holds my Singer 201k treadle operated sewing machine. She will be delivered on Monday, I am very happy, I will show and tell when she arrives. Thank you Mr op-shop, I hope her price-tag goes to good use.

what you can learn about fish

Today I learnt that scientists can age (some?) fish by counting the lines/rings on sectioned parts of their otoliths (ear bones). Similar to using growth rings on trees.
That is pretty fascinating to me.

I received three point one in the mail today. It is filled with some great artwork. I have enjoyed comparing and contrasting Craig Atkinson's and Camilla Engman's layered paper work. I must say though I am blown away by seeing 1911's art on paper, tremendous.

old school softies

I found this gem of a book at the second hand book exchange on the weekend. With patterns and all!

If you are in the market for a softie, go here. Your money will be put to good use.

bookshop haul

Out in the sticks live gigs are hard to come by, so Eb and I are trying to make a conscious effort to support any half decent musician that comes to town. (Then maybe more will play for us). So we dropped by the bookshop today to purchase tickets to Lior at the conservatorium. Hooray. Whilst there we picked up a few books too. A couple of classics and a contemporary Russian novel. I hate to generalise but every Russian author I have read is outstanding.

Call me consumerist but lately I have been having trouble getting through novels I borrow from the library. Maybe the time pressure is the issue, or maybe the fact that a book is mine and gets to sit on my shelf for the rest of eternity makes it more compelling. Anyone else have this issue?

You may recognise the fabric that I covered that floor cushion with.

in the box

Yesterday the post-box was brimming with goodies:
Special flossy-P postcards (packaged so cutely too)
Adorable Gemma Flack comic
Lina Scheynius' book, (beautifully grungy)
Temper Temper by Sonja Ahlers ( I only discovered her recently through a lovely daydreamer, and bought this book as a present for someone special).

So stoked with them all.

Eb bought me a light tent that I am still learning to use properly, I better start making more things to photograph. Noticed that I have not been making anything lately? Told you I was lazy.