OoOoOoOoo excitement!

A little birdie tells me Craftwerk will be on the 11th of December and part of Cheese on Toast's birthday celebrations. I've got my application in and my fingers are crossed!

The sockmonkeys have been busy. Busy making strawberry jam! Well, actually mostly they supervised and made sure that no lint got in there. It was so enjoyable that tomorrow I'm going searching at the op shops for more small jars so we can try making Strawberry Apple jam.


New additions to the orphanage (except the green guy, he's just helping them settle in)


It's taken me 5 goes at making a box the right size and design for my tiny cakes. I was trying to make a proper cake box with a cellophane cut-out in the lid, but I just couldn't get it to work, and it was taking up way too much carboard. So I just went with this simple design. It will have cellophane wrapped over the top and that will keep the sides together. I didn't want to use glue if I could possibly avoid it. I've even got little paper doillies to put the cakes on. :) I think I will just do 2 flavours. Vanilla Delicious and Neapolitan. I was planning to make Choc-o-mint as well, but space limitation means I've decided to only make 6 cakes. So if you want one you'll have to get in quick!


Now I probably have too much stuff for Kraftbomb. So I'm hoping like crazy that there will be a Craftwerk before Christmas! Yikes!

Brown paper packages tied up with string...

.. these are a few of my favourite things! Before the last Craftwerk I went a little crazy making recycled paper gift bows. I don't know what it is about them that made me make them so obsessively. Probably I just like to play with craft knives. I sold hardly any. I guess no one wants mine when you can get shiny $2 shop ones for cheap. I might take a few to the next markets and then hang the rest on the christmas tree.
I was asked if I could make fabric ones and turn them into brooches. I had a go at it, but they are really fiddly and time consuming. Just not as satisfying to make as the paper ones. And they are all floppy! My 3 prototypes will be up for sale at the next Kraftbomb. (the green one was the first, so it's a little bung).

Lego-tastic.

Okie Dokie. Recent months have been productive. (I work much better when I don't have a deadline looming. ) But it's only in the last few days that I've gotten around to photographing the results.

It kind of started when I bought myself some Lego. As a kid I always wanted Lego. But like many families in the low income bracket, my parents refused to buy me any because it was too expensive. So I used to go downstairs and play with my neighbour's Lego. It only took me until I was 29 to get some of my own. It's still pretty expensive. Oh those precious Lego blocks!

Then I figured that if it's so easy to chew them out of shape, maybe I could melt a small hole in one and attatch a jump ring. First came brooches.....

...then some pendants on some leftover necklaces from another project.....

.... then some earrings, which I think are probably my favourite. Then.....

....more necklaces, this time on waxed cord with knot and loop closures. I like them because they speak the language of precious greenstone. And because it's one of the few things I can wear around my neck with my eczema. I probably would have put them on silver chains for the sake of other people, but the store had run out.


I don't want to make too many because I don't want to decimate my precious Lego supply. I did buy extra white blocks off Trademe a while back though. I blame William Gibson for putting it in one of his books.

Order Vs Chaos

The problem with having multiple hobbies, especially multiple crafty hobbies, is space. Or more specificly, the space the mess consumes. This is my lounge just before the August Craftwerk.







Notice the trail of distruction from sewing table to coffee table to dining table.


I have spent my friday night and sunday morning having a go at the Zen Art of Furniture Arrangement. Now the room no longer works as a whole, but I do have a dedicated T.V-and-lounging-with-Himself nook. (Himself loves it) The idea is that we can retreat into a corner of the room that is not overwhelmed with chaos. (yes the monkeys have taken over the couch already).

An added bonus of this furniture shuffling is that I can extend my rescued oak table to it's full length. (rescued from Salvation Army and lavished with hours of sanding/gluing/re-varnishing). Hurrah! Sewing at one end! Dinner at the other! Papercrafts at formica table! etc.

I think really I've just piled a lot of furniture into the middle of the room.

This is the kind of procrastination that consumes me when I know I should be attending to monkey business.

Coming later this evening: actual crafty stuff! Like my lego jewellery.

Fresh Monkeys

These guys and gals are currently hanging out at Roasted Addiqtion in Kingsland.
From left to right - Larry, Camille, and Odette.

This trio of triplets will hopefully be up for adoption at Kraftbomb on November 30th. (I haven't been to one yet, but I've heard good things from R.W Scissors)

Moving House

Kingsland Sockmonkey Orphanage is finally shifting it's e-address! Because honestly, who uses Myspace anymore?