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August 25, 2010
My dad has the great memory for numbers. At our standard Friday Night dinner this week we were talking about childhood toys and in particular The Magic Treehouse. My sister, myself and my cousin LOVED this toy so much and it really fuelled us with dreams of living in a treehouse, especially one that had a lift in the trunk and could be closed up so easily of an evening to keep the cold wind out!
Anyhoo, my dad specifically recalls that mum and he paid $23 for this toy back in the mid 70’s and he was right (he’s always right!). But GUESS WHAT - now you can buy one for your wee ones from Belles Familles … at a slightly higher price of $199 – but now it is fully motorised! And I’m seriously contemplating buying one!
I really have such fond memories of this toy and with the years forging ahead, the never ending stream of boring bills, and just the horrible things that can happen in the blink of an eye; why not have something that brings you back to a more carefree time.
I was born mid 70’s and even though it feels like a lifetime ago I’ve easily found awesome 70’s handmade goodies that indicate to me I’m not alone whilst I stroll (or ‘bogey on down’) memory lane!
Mumma Ficarelli corduroy pinny – remember the sound cord jeans made when you walked?
Szeya cassette earrings – did you used to tape songs off the radio on a Saturday night and maybe even phone up the radio station and send out fake love song requests?
Snap Dragon Style – roller skate clutch. All of the cool kids roller skated. In fact our very own HMK CEO was something of a prize winner on the concrete rink!
This gorgeous bag does remind me of something that my mum wore with chunky knee high black boots! Edna Wears retro curtain handbag. Beautiful!
And whilst I think this Bruce Springsteen album was released in the 80’s, I think Bruce is hot and Born to Run is in my top five ‘driving albums’, so I had to put in this gorgeous record album bag from Brindakay Design.
Ahh, it takes you back!
Caz x
August 14, 2010
What beautiful goodies can we get for the man in our life this coming Father’s Day? We are inundated with gorgeous handmade choices!
Lovestamp – guitar pick necklace
Vinyl Tees - gecko t-shirt
Ambette Designs - iphone case
Blue Day Designs - customised mini portraits
Caz x
August 1, 2010
It’s that time of year when you see errant mushrooms popping up around the place. My friend even had some pop through the carpark bitumen at her work! When they want out, they want OUT!
Cant stand to eat them, but LOVE what clever people have created from them!
1. Ollie Rose mushroom t-shirt 2. Nature Photographer “Wild Mushrooms” photo
3. Jetta’s Nest mushroom brooch 4. Flying Star mushroom softies 5. Lisbon Sky hair elastics
Caz x
July 21, 2010
Top row: Kia Hing Fay rabbit rattle
Bottom row: Mel P Designs red rose brooch
Vanilla Knits & Bits baby beanie
Rens Fibre Art cushion cover
July 14, 2010
1. Ollie Rose Christmas Greeting Card 2. Buttons By Lou Lou hair elastics
3. Zippy Zippy Bunting 4. Ruby Victoria Christmas Notecards
July 7, 2010
I love my job at Handmade Kids! It means I get to meet the cleverest and sweetest people!
On the weekend I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Mel of Mel P Designs. Mel is an indie accessories designer from Perth. She designs and crochets a range of fashion accessories for women and kids including fingerless mittens, scarves, cowls, hats, leg warmers, nose warmers and iPod covers.
Mel has kindly offered to share with our readers her original pattern for the ribbed crochet cowl! Is anyone up for the challenge of making one to keep the chilly winter wind at bay?
Yarn - Mel uses 1.5 skeins Moda Vera Shiver
Hook – 6.5mm
Row 1: Ch 20, tun, Dc into 3rd ch from hook, dc across to end
Rows 2 – 21: Alternate rows of flo dc and blo dc to create ribbing
Row 22: sc into first 5 dc, ch 1, sk 1, sc next 6, ch1, sk 1, sc into last 5. (this creates buttonholes)
Row 23: dc into each sc to end.
Finish off. Weave in ends. Sew 2 large buttons to match buttonhole position.
Thanks Mel so much for sharing with us this pattern.
You can take a peak at all Mel’s fabulous goodies at her madeit or Etsy stores.
Please note, this pattern is for private use only and is not to be used for commercial purposes.
Caz x
June 20, 2010
I’m a green girl. I have a lot of green items in my wardrobe – shoes, accessories, scarves, shirts, pants - even my wedding dress was green.
Some days I think I really need to change my colour of choice and branch out into different colours, but then I spot something green and have to have it!
And just yesterday I was looking at “Climbin’ Simon’s” wardrobe (he is no longer Randall The Vandal as everywhere I look now he is pulling a chair over to get to a higher altitude – I’m over it!) and even my chappy’s and they both have A LOT of green items … uh oh!
The Team Green Theme is catching! We are going to be one of those families that you see sometimes that have the matching parachute track suits, but instead we are going to be wearing green tops, green shoes, green scarves, and green hair clips (gender specific of course!).
Ah well. There is definitely worse things in the world to be than a Greenie!
1. Fickle Fancies earrings 2. Billy Mac Clothing mini cooper onesie
3. Kathy Panton art 4. Ketzl PDF how to crochet booties
5. Tractor Girl cushion 6. Strat Designs necklace
Caz x
June 19, 2010
We were so thrilled to recently have a sticky beak at Gabriel’s room. He is the beautiful son of Vari from Buttercup Ink. Here is what she had to say about decorating her little man’s room!
Can you tell us a little something about who sleeps in here?
This room belongs to my beautiful 11 month old son, Gabriel.
What is the theme/inspiration for this room?
When I was pregnant we didn’t know if we were having a boy or girl so the room was decorated mostly in neutral tones. Now that Gabriel is almost 1, my husband and I thought that we should ‘boy-ify’ it a little. He’s started to play with his toys in his room so we wanted to make it more a more personal space for him. We had some blank canvases lying in the spare room and decided to try our hand at creating some original artwork. I wanted to introduce some bold colours so decided on blue, red and yellow. I then went on a shopping spree to IKEA from some accessories.
Tell us about the handmade items in the room? (Including designer stuff, knitted by nanna or sticky-taped together by a niece!)
The pirate ship canvas was the first item we bought for Gabriel’s room after he was born. It’s by a local Melbourne artist called Mandy who exhibits at the Artists’ Market at Newport Substation. He was only 6 days old at the time and remember that when asked the name for the canvas, it was the first time I’d ever spelled it out. Just one of those little things you remember! Mandy added in our Dalmatian, Einstein too which I love!
A girlfriend sent the beautiful wooden letters that are on the wall at the head of his cot. They were white and we decided to paint them red to add a little splash of colour to the cream walls.
My most treasured item in the room is the dream-catcher painting my sister did. She was staying with us while I was pregnant but was heading back to Scotland before Gabriel was born. We asked if she would paint something on the wall for the baby. It’s so beautiful and I just love the message.
What is the standout handmade item in here that you just adore?
My parents came over from Scotland the week after Gabriel was born to meet their 1st grandchild. The day after he was born they were at a local craft fair and bought him a beautiful handmade book called My Quiet Book. I’m sure my mum would have been telling the stall owner all about her new grandson and showing the grainy photo we sent to her phone! I love how tactile it is and he really loves to play with it.
Was there anything that just didn’t work out as you hoped, or that worked out better than you dreamed?
Definitely the car, plane and train canvases that my husband and I painted! We were very pleased with ourselves and I think Gabriel likes them too!
What is your best buy? (We love a bargain!)
IKEA cot set: The colours matched perfectly with the new canvases and was a bargain getting the quilt cover, pillowcase, fitted sheet and blanket for $30. I love how ‘grown up’ his cot looks now. A proper big boy bed!
Do you have any tips for those of us that also want to create a gorgeous room for our wee ones?
I’m glad that we didn’t go all out and decorate his room as soon as he was born. It’s been nice picking up little bits and pieces as we go from craft fairs and markets. My advice would be to take your time with it and select items that tell a story.
Tell us a bit about your handmade business.
Buttercup Ink produces a variety of handmade paper goods for the family and home including personalised stationery and art prints. Recently launched in May 2010, Buttercup Ink is the ready-to-order ‘little sister’ of Vari Longmuir Design – my Melbourne based boutique graphic design studio specialising in custom wedding and event stationery.
I’ve worked as a graphic designer for 7 years in many different areas but my passion lies in stationery! I’ve always dreamed of running my own business and was given a little push when I was made redundant whilst on maternity leave in 2009. It’s such a refreshing change to not have to work to strict guidelines and endure the copious amount of red tape that you often find as a designer in the corporate world. I truly love what I do and just hope that others do too!
Thanks Vari! You can visit Vari at her blog or her check out her gorgeous goodies on her madeit or Etsy stores.
If you wouldn’t mind us having a sticky beak at your kiddies room, please send Caz an email!
May 22, 2010
Visit Anika for more fabulous items such as these gorgeous ones featured above.
May 13, 2010
Amy from Giggleberry Creations has put together a fabulous pirate pack that is being auctioned off for an even more special cause, to help raise funds for Felicity and her Son-Rise Program for her autism.
You can find out all the details of the project and the auction on the Giggleberry Creations blog site. Not only do you have a chance to purchase some groovy Giggleberry Bunting, but by doing so you support such a wonderful cause.
April 25, 2010
Thanks to the gorgeous Jessi from mad stitches for sharing with us photos and the story of her lovely Zac’s room. Isn’t he a handsome wee man!
Can you tell us a little something about who sleeps in here?
Zac is our bright, bubbly and brilliantly busy three year old boy. We have tried our hardest to reflect his personality in his bedroom, and hope that you agree it is bright and busy (it was bubbly earlier this morning, when Zac mischievously took his newly purchased bubble gun in there)!
What is the theme/inspiration for this room?
Zac is in the transition from little boy to big boy, so his room is also in the same transition, so I make sure to incorporate features from his nursery (framed Miffy pictures) as well as new items that make him feel older and more confident about himself (art works from kinder & his big boy toys:- pirate ship, world globe, racing car etc). I feel it is important that we don’t make our children grow up too fast and that we allow them to relish in their childhood by providing them with toys that build memories and a room that inspires imagination as well as calm, for bedtime. I am a fan of traditional toys and wooden toys and I am always looking out for great vintage finds at the op shop, ebay and on etsy!
Zac’s nursery was “Miffy and Friends” themed and now his bedroom has been inspired by the bright colors of the Pacman decals that I purchased from a seller on etsy, when I was pregnant with Zac’s brother, Tom, 18 months.
Tell us about the handmade items in the room?
Zaccy is lucky to have many talented family and friends who have spoilt him with many gifts, handmade and purchased. I have chosen a few of our favourites from his room to share with you.
1. Belle and Boo print: Luckily for Zac, Tom was given two of these exact prints for his 1st birthday, so Zac has become the lucky owner of the second. We LOVE Belle and Boo in this household.
2. His “Zac” cushion (which is my pillow, for when Zac insists I sleep next to him, until he falls asleep). My sister-in-law and brother-in-law purchased this from Mornington Market, on the Mornington Peninsula for his first birthday. He loves it! It is slowly starting to wear, however this just adds to its appeal.
3. Space Bookends: Zac’s best friend Ashton, gave these bookends to Zac for his 2nd birthday. They were handmade by Ashton’s Mum, the multi-talented Jules, of Julieanne Perara Photography fame.
4. Handmade bag of marbles: Again made by the talented Jules, as a Party favour for her daughter, Ivy’s birthday.
5. Zac’s art: His first kinder artwork hangs from the words dream! It blows ever so lightly when the window is open or the fan is on! Apparently, it is a face. Zac’s In the Night Garden mobile hangs by the window. It was created by Zac and I when he was two.
What is the standout handmade item in here that you just adore?
I adore the Pacman wall decals, and how they helped set the scene for the rest of his bedroom. They were a pain to put up, as I obsessively ruled and measured to make sure they were all in the correct spot on the wall.
Was there anything that just didn’t work out as you hoped, or that worked out better than you dreamed?
I “ummed and aghhed” about the colours to paint Zac’s room. I am a fan of white walls and light shades and I am not really a fan of feature walls. However, ended up painting the main wall of Zac’s room a dark shade of purple. I am in love with how the colours turned out and believe it lends itself to be the perfect backdrop for the beautiful, bright, contrasting colours in his room. Paint is such a cheap way of doing up any room. I love looking at paint charts and testing out colours!
What is your best buy? (We love a bargain!)
We were on a strict budget, when buying Zac’s bed, however I was not expecting the bargain that I picked up when I visited Adairs one day. They had a sale on their beds and Zac’s bed was $99 from $1200. It was an ex-display bed and was hidden down the back of the store, behind other reduced but much more expensive beds. When I pointed it out to the lady in store, she said that price must be a mistake, as if she had have seen it, she would have purchased it herself! She was wrong and missed out on the bargain! I don’t think my husband believed me when I rang to say how much I had paid for a new Adairs bed… and apart from a bit of dust that was wiped off after purchasing, it was PERFECT!
What is your best buy? (We love a bargain!)
We were on a strict budget, when buying Zac’s bed, however I was not expecting the bargain that I picked up when I visited Adairs one day. They had a sale on their beds and Zac’s bed was $99 from $1200. It was an ex-display bed and was hidden down the back of the store, behind other reduced but much more expensive beds. When I pointed it out to the lady in store, she said that price must be a mistake, as if she had have seen it, she would have purchased it herself! She was wrong and missed out on the bargain! I don’t think my husband believed me when I rang to say how much I had paid for a new Adairs bed… and apart from a bit of dust that was wiped off after purchasing, it was PERFECT!
Do you have any tips for those of us that also want to create a gorgeous room for our wee ones?
Of course I do!  I have five hot tips!
1. Create your child’s bedroom with your child’s personality in mind.
2. Allow your child’s room to be a work in progress. It takes time and patience to allow for the perfect room. (My other son’s room is still, heavily, in progress, and so much fun).
3. Wherever you can, support handmade and recycling. Etsy, madeit, ebay and local op shops!
4. Modern with vintage always looks a treat!
5. Always opt for wood or tin, over plastic!
Tell us a bit about your handmade business.
mad stitches clothing are of thrifted vintage, heirloom vintage and vintage inspired fabrics, sewn together to become fashionable children’s items, with old school charm. mad stitches inspiration comes from my two boys and their love for all things bright and colourful and my love for helping the universe by incorporating recycled materials into the creations that I make.
mad stitches current range of clothing includes unisex tees, onesies, baby bloomers, skirts, dresses, headbands, baby comforters and a special collection of one off vintage lace dresses.
Currently, I run a madeit shop and sell at Melbourne markets. I enjoy every minute of it and love that I am constantly learning as I create!
Thanks so much Jessi – it is such a gorgeous and natural room. We look forward to seeing Tom’s room one day!
If you have a room that you wouldn’t mind us sticking beaking at, please email Caz.
xx
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