September 19, 2009

Getting Crafty :)

I'm not sure exactly why, maybe it's because the daylight hours are shorter and I can't spend as much time outside but I have gotten itchy creative fingers again. With Jemma off at Uni and the house looking neat and tidy after my housekeeping had become a little 'casual' while working outside my home for a year. Anyway who wants to be pedantic about the housework when the sun is shining? The Canadian summers are far too short to spend indoors cleaning all the time!
I do enjoy creating things, but it seems to come over me in waves. Back when the girls were small I experimented with textile paints sewing and painting hats, waistcoats, pillows and nursery pictures which I sold at a local market in South Africa. The sunny climate and white walls of the modern homes went well with the very bright colours I liked to paint with.After a few years teaching primary school children, where any art work seemed to involve glue, paper, glitter and fuzzy pipe cleaners! I lost my enthusiasm for painting and sewing in my spare time. I dabbled ever so briefly in painting in New Zealand, once again using really vivid colours.
Here in Canada starting an online Etsy shop rekindled my love of sewing and from the little cotton birds and bags in the very beginning I found that it was the tiny hand sewn felt animals that seemed to be most popular. My shop has been put on hold for a year while I worked in retail, getting out meeting people and being part of a team made for a nice change. Sorting through all my craft and fabric supplies this weekend, now that everything has been relocated to a new room, I came across some forgotten stock and have been thinking of new ways to improve my designs and think about different outlets to market some of these forgotten items.
They really are quite a contrast to my previous work, much softer colours and pretty fabrics which are more in keeping with my current home decor style and more suited to a shabby chic Victorian home with a touch of Scandinavia :) 
Little cotton hanging birds and doorstops.
One of my 'to do list' jobs over the next few days is to make a 'light tent' I have found an online tutorial which I shall follow and let you know how it turns out (good or bad). The need for a light tent is so I can take more professional photographs of the small items I make. With the lack of natural light in the winter months it is often a challenge to take good photos for listing purposes and I am hoping that the home made light tent will enable me to improve my winter photos.
Hazel x

6 comments:

  1. Pretty, pretty, pretty ! Love all the new softer colours but everything looks gorgeous. Good luck with the light box, its a good idea.

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  2. WOW!! A simply beauty-full new blog photo, and blog posting :) <3 Loving <3 all the pretty colours of your new creativity, and looking forward to the next installment!
    Much love,
    Kathy xx

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  3. busy lady - love the door stops. I remember the trips to the organic market - so long ago now. big hug

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  4. G'day Hazel!
    You are such a talented lady, whatever it is you create! I love your style and your goodies (but I'm sure you already know that!)
    I've enjoyed your pics...your girls have grown up so much & are gorgeous. Though I must say you look like their sister and I can understand why they are so stunning.
    It's always such a pleasure to drop by for a visit!
    xo, Kali

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  5. p.s. Just wanted to add that I'm looking forward to hearing how the 'light tent' comes along...i've been thinking about something similar for my item pics :)

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  6. Your creative ideas are absolutely fantastic! I love all your work. Keep it up!

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