Sam is 7

My youngest had his birthday last week. Like his mother, he spread his birthday over a few days :-)His mother has been making birthday cakes, hosting parties, and has had 2 days at the new job. Feeling a little bit boggled, but sure I will feel better after a week of it when I have my head around things a bit more. These things help my perspective:
I am currently reading this wonderful book Purchased this lovely Sari Ribbon from Tracy WhiteAnd I continue to be inspired by more jewellery projects and ideas that I don't really think I have time for at the moment, while being aware that July is just around the corner and I have a calendar challenge to work on...Hope to see you on Friday 1st!

Good news

A few things to be happy about. First off, I have just started a new job at the Palmerston North City Library. It is a 3 month contract working school hours, and I am so excited to be involved again with projects and staff at an exciting time of change.
When I got home from work today there was an email to say that I am a blog giveaway winner! I hardly ever win things so this is especially exciting. I am going to receive a shell stitch project from Jenni in South Africa. Will share when it arrives.
I have started a new hand stitching project at last. Here is a taste. More soon. I love the library with the opportunity to try out so many great books. This was my latest good fiction read.And although I don't usually create jewellery, this book has some wonderful ideas in it.Might just have to try making a charm bracelet like the one shown here, and she also has instructions for some delicious crocheted flowers which she puts on wristbands but which I might try on a new knitted hat!
Of course there are some books that you just have to own. I originally borrowed this from a friend, and then kept thinking about it. Now the proud owner. This cover doesn't prepare you for the luscious colour of the beautiful projects inside. It includes several different methods for making silk paper, and many ideas for creating lovely stitched projects, including books and vessels such as this.Another review with a few pictures from inside the book here.
Hope you are having a happy week.

New tools

In my last post about my birthday I mentioned I got tools for creativity. My lovely friend Katherine gave me a beautiful parcel - forgot to take a photo of it wrapped, but this is the paper which will no doubt find its way into a project in the future :-) and inside, this beautiful apron. I LOVE butterflies - so this is gorgeous. Hoping I will be brave enough to wear it when I am creating - I certainly feel inspired by it. When my Dad saw that I made this in the celtic cut workshop with a soldering iron, he offered to buy me one of my own. He wanted me to get exactly what I wanted, so I've actually ended up with one of these. I am so spoilt. The tapered point cuts through sheers like butter. There are lots of other very cool tips for transfering and embossing, so I will share more as I get time to play with them. And at last I own an embroidery hoop, so using my new tools, 2 layers of organza, and instructions from the Holey Moley workshop I have been able to create this lovely flower.It's about 8cm across and I have alternated the colour of organza showing for each layer.

Birthday

It was my birthday yesterday and I have been thoroughly spoilt so thought I would capture some of the joys for me to look back on, as well as to share with you. Firstly, I have updated my profile picture. This is me on my birthday. I was well wined & dined yesterday...this was my lunchtime dessert. I couldn't decide, so they gave me a "small" serve of both the lemon meringue pie and the white chocolate cheesecake : Bella's Cafe is the best.
I have new books to read, DVDs to watch, and a fabulous new CD to listen to (more on the books in another post). My love for accessories wasn't forgotten either :-) And I always extend my birthday over several days so there was another birthday lunch today with some VERY special friends of mine. I have lovely spring flowers on my table (they were wrapped in lovely black lutradur which I will use in later stitching) and they bought me this beautiful footstool which will be lovely to use to support my feet when I am hand stitching, and will also inspire my creations when I look at the stitched details. I also got some presents before my birthday which are tools for creativity but I think I will share them in a later post!
Talk to you again soon

Artists for Respect

I have added a new button to my sidebar :

Click on it for more info....it's about integrity - courtesy - and respect for Artists everywhere. Give credit where it's due.
Read about the origins in Julie Prichard's post and the comments from supporting artists.

Celtic Cutwork embellished

Finally took the plunge and this piece which came out of this workshop has been embellished with seed beads and french knots and become Now I just need to find a suitable frame....Have a happy creative weekend.
EDIT : found the right frame yesterday (14th June) - now it's finished :-)

Inspiration for a long weekend

Happy Queen's Birthday weekend. Thought I would share some things to inspire you to be creative this weekend:
If you live locally make a trip to Woodville this weekend - Tracy White of Inspire Fibres is having an open weekend with lots of clearance items and specials : 9-5pm 4th-6th June. 94 Vogel St, Woodville (beside the police station). She hand dyes fine NZ merino and silks for spinners and felters and silk papermakers, in unique and beautiful colours, and also makes beautiful felted and fibre items.
Hand Stitching inspiration

A while ago I had the pleasure of enjoying this book - some lovely ideas. And it led me to the digs & bean blog.

I enjoy the eclectic mix of stitcheries at the Feeling Stitchy blog.
Love the stitches in this post by Hugs from Helen
Ruth Rae always inspires
But what is really getting me going at the moment are the lovely sari ribbon embroideries by Linda Vincent....I would LOVE to be able to tell you by the end of the weekend that I have started one of these. I will let you know if that happens!

If you want to take some on-line classes over the next month or so (that are not stitch-related - can you tell I have a problem staying focussed on one artform?!):
I am sorely tempted to join Mary Ann Moss in her new Full Tilt Boogie journal class : 4 weeks beginning June 17th
Mary Green of Green Paper is celebrating the fact that 300 artists have taken her GlueBook class - she is offering a discount of 30% off for the month of June! Go here for details, and you can check out the lovely pages that Lenna made in this class here.
Mary's June collage challenge is also up - you need to create something from her collage worksheet by Wednesday 8th June.
And if you always wanted to work with watercolours, Alisa Burke is offering a 5 week online class in July.

Simply blog love:
If you love Italy, you will love DJ Pettitt's posts about her recent workshop there - divine
Margaret from Alice and Camilla is being inspired to journal by the True Colors book. Her pages are just gorgeous - so tactile and colourful.

And my current good read : Fabulous reviews and they seem to be true so far.
Hope something there to inspire you. Happy creative weekend

Calendar challenge : May/June

Really enjoying the calendar challenge this year. Hard to believe we are up to month 6 already though! My May page was a celebration of our New Zealand Autumn - confusing for people who live in the other hemisphere and looked at my pages without realising I am a kiwi :-) This is how they began. And this is the completed spread. Finished it off with lots more leaves stamped, and lots of gold to add to that autumn leaf and fire feel. As happens with assuming things about the weather, this turned out to be a surprisingly warm May - one of the warmest on record. No complaints here :-)
I wanted to have a bit of feminine fun with June since it is birthday month for me (and my youngest) Have been having fun lately with sprays and stencils so this was my background. Sprayed all over first with Starburst Sprays : Bells of Ireland Green, then oversprayed through my Mini Arabesque Crafters Workshop stencil with Peeled Paint Distress Reinker combined with Kiwi Perfect Pearls. Didn't want to cover it up too much and have found some days there isn't much to write about, so have 1 flower for every 2 days of June on my base and therefore a bit more flexibilty for how often I diary.Don't forget to check out the other June challenges linked from The Kathryn Wheel, or go to the Flickr group.
And if you would like a gorgeously colourful June calendar for your computer desktop go here to get Geninne's.