The Sewphist » Elisabeth

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Elisabeth — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:23:58 +0000

Opps, look at the date! How did July roll around so quickly?

I’ve always thought of July as treat month. Not just because so many people I know have birthdays around now, but also because I think we all need the odd little treat in July just to remind us that Winter isn’t really that unbearable. So I’ve put together a few little treats that I found on Felt, little luxuries to make life a little easier as we wait for spring to roll around (and I’m ever adament that spring starts in August!)

Honey and Spice make delicious sounding lip balms, for a very reasonable price, and given what winter does to my lips, little luxuries like this are pretty much a necessity. As is a good hand cream, to stop the cold air taking its toll. I’m on my second lot of Sabine’s No Snag – it really is such a nice moisturiser, I thoroughly recommend it.

I’ve picked a cuff by Fireworks, a local Wellington jeweller. I love looking at her work, as the shapes are so intricate and beautiful. I think I would feel incredibly elegant wearing any of her pieces. Speaking of feeling elegant, one mustn’t forget beautiful lingerie. By Nature Bamboo Lingerie did a photoshoot recently, and I love the old-worldy feeling they created with their bush boudoir setting.

I tend to spend much of winter feeling sorry for myself because it’s so cold. Until I remember my mum telling me that you lose 50% of your body heat through your head. At which point if I’m lucky I also remember to put a hat on. Isn’t this one by poppy&bee snuggly looking!

Which leaves Little Ladies’ Vogue Ladies. I would love to one day add one of Anmea’s originals to my collection of tiles that I’ve bought from her. One day.

And oops, look at the date. Apparently we’re one day further into July than we were when I started this post.

Night all!

$5.00

$225.00

$16.00

$85.00

$450.00

$75.80

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Elisabeth — Wed, 25 May 2011 10:02:05 +0000

I have a new way of doing things in my wardrobe – dresses! I’ve especially been loving the versatility of knit dresses. If I ever manage to actually make it to the gym before work, they’re a lot less hassle when it comes to getting dressed. Or on the odd occasion that I bike the 18 km to work, they pack down nicely in my panier.

I’ve also been trying to be much more conscientious in my fashion choices, buying predominantly NZ or Australian made clothes. And now it’s time to take it one step closer, and start buying handmade (when I’m not making something for myself, of course).

I took a look on felt to see what is available in the way of dresses, and this is what I found. As you can see, I’m torn between sleek merino dresses and pretty feminine dresses. Merino won out this time (it being winter and all) and I’m having one custom-made by harpie-girl!

$70.00

$84.00

$178.00

$80.00

$95.00

$120.00

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Elisabeth — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:50:53 +0000

It’s mid-May, and it’s getting a bit chilly around here. According to @HuttWeather on twitter, it’s somewhere between 7 – 10 degrees tonight just a couple of suburbs along the hill from me. Brrrr!

So tonight’s I <3 Felt Wednesday Showcase is bought to you by the word “WARM”. Something that my heater is struggling with tonight…

I especially love the eiderdown. It reminds me of something I would have snuggled into as a kid, with associations of my Granny.

$55.00

$475.00

$30.00

$85.00

$26.00

$45.00

And sometime I must really get around to checking out those Energywise subsidies.

Craft2.0 is having a Birthday!

Elisabeth — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:44:54 +0000

I haven’t been very good recently about talking about my upcoming markets, but I really must tell you about what’s happening next Saturday. I am a huge fan of Craft2.0, both as a shopper, and as a seller. And this Saturday is Craft2.0′s 5th Birthday.

Craft2.0 is a an amazing day, all due to the fantastic work put in by Sue and the wonderful volunteers who help her put it all together and keep it running on the day. It is also held in a great venue, at the Dowse in Lower Hutt (if by any chance you actually manage to get around and see all the wonderful craft, cupcakes and other goodies on offer, you can take some time out to look at the exhibitions that are happening too).

Head on over to www.Craft2.org to find out more, and while you’re there, why don’t you check out my Meet the Creatives profile. And tell you what, as a birthday treat, if you come up to me on the day and tell me what my favourite flower is, I’ll give you a special 10% discount on your purchase from my stall.

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Elisabeth — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:48:55 +0000

So, we have a new guilty pleasure in our household. We’ve found one show on new channel U that has us glued to the set each week. It’s called Junk Raiders: 2 freecyclers have been teamed up with 4 traditional construction and design professionals. There’s a demanding client, who wants a barren warehouse turned into a sleek modern luxury loft appartment, on a budget of $5000. Reality tv melt-downs guaranteed.

It is possible that this is the epitome of trashy tv!

However, freecycling is a laudable pursuit, as are upcycling and recycling. So this week’s I <3 Felt Showcase features items made from upcycled or recycled materials. Remember, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

$395.00

$42.00

$48.00

$22.00

$23.00

$29.00

Craft Country Shop

Elisabeth — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:07:21 +0000

There is a new shop that has just opened in Featherston, up in the Wairarapa. It stocks goods made by crafters aound the lower North Island, including myself. My friend Shell and I took a trip up there on Saturday for the opening.

Shell’s camera actually had batteries in it, which is a good thing, because she took these pictures, showing a selection of what is on offer. For a full list of who is stocked instore, check out Craft Country’s website.

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Elisabeth — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 09:35:47 +0000

Browsing the front page of Felt today something under Fresh on Felt caught my eye. It was a clock. A magic, enchanted clock. It’s by a new seller, snowfawn, and it is totally adorable.

So then of course I had to look for more clocks. Below, ladies and gentlemen, is my pick of what I found. Lasercut clocks, clocks made out of plates, clocks that look like they are straight out of Dr Suess, and even clocks made out of record players!!! (And there are also clocks made out of records, but I don’t think you could play them on the record player clocks…)

And to mark the passage of time, take a closer look at that record clock. Would I be giving away too much if I mentioned that I happened to once have the album that single came from on cassette? Apparently memorabilia from my 3rd form year is now vintage. How quickly time doth pass. *Le sigh*.

$95.00

$210.00

$120.00

$42.50

$65.00

$12.00

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Elisabeth — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:28:01 +0000

It’s Wednesday, and time for me to browse through the awesome goodness that is Felt.co.nz. This evening’s selection was inspired by the Back Benches Summer Tour on Channel 7 – tonight they were in Kaikoura, so I went looking for sea, whale and beach related items. Here’s what I found!

(I am very tempted to buy myself new togs…)

Lino-cut ‘humpback W…

grow-ink

$25.00

Literally Put Your …

dearcolleen

$18.50

Hand Carved Stamp – …

sandrawaine

$9.00

Paua Shell Peacock G…

artisanjouel

$40.00

Candyretro Originals…

candyretro

$6.50

Fifties Fresh

swanwear

$140.00

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Elisabeth — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:45:48 +0000

Well, it’s been a while, but I’m going to try and get back on track with Wednesday Felt Showcases, where I show you some of the lovely work that is for sale by other talented makers on Felt.co.nz.

Given the lovely sunshine we’ve been seeing recently, I felt it was time for a celebration of summer. I found all these items by searching for the keyword “summer”, and then I found myself being drawn to a whole lot of sunny yellow!

Dandelion & Daisy Ch…

zippitydoodah

$42.50

Leather Tinkerbell F…

spirocreations

$325.00

Teardrop Earrings – …

jadedseas

$32.00

Kanzashi Brooch – Su…

natasya

$29.00

Pineapple Salsa Soap

honeynspice

$4.00

“baby Has Blue Eyes”…

katibrown

$17.00

The early bird may catch the worm…

Elisabeth — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 03:14:36 +0000

But some things are just better if you wait a bit. For example, I bought a bunch of bananas a fortnight ago. I only like them when they are still tinged with green, but I plum forgot to eat them. So I just made myself a yummy choco-banana milkshake, because overripe bananas make excellent thickshakes, and you don’t even have to add any sugar.

I launched a new product late last year, fabric covered diaries. They did really well, and there are lots of people out there that have a wonderful 2011 diary by The Sewphist keeping them happy in their organised ways. But I’m sure that there are also a significant number of people out there who are just like me, and about now they’re realising that they really need a new diary for this year if they’re going to succeed in that New Year’s resolution that this is the year that they’re going to get organised…

Late-starters rejoice, because my first featured product of the year is 2011 diaries. I’ve just listed several on my felt shop, at special late-starter pricing.

Mini Diaries featuring NZ flora, now just $10 each at www.thesewphist.felt.co.nz

A5 Diaries by The Sewphist, many featuring NZ flora or native birds. Now just $20 each at www.thesewphist.felt.co.nz

Because the late owl surely catches the bargain. That’s my view of it, anyway!