PROJECT OF THE WEEK

littlies

Every year I like to make a personalized decoration for all my small friends. When I started many of my peers were yet to have children so the numbers were pretty small. This has all changed in recent years and I am now up to 18! It's still my favourite tradition and I had enormous fun doing this stamped wood tag for them all. I found the blank tags for 50 cents at a craft shop so it was kept well in budget - important this year as we seem to be poor church mice at the moment! If I had my time over tho I would have utilized the shape more and done little house paintings instead.

If your interested you can see past decorations here (2011) here (2010) here(2009) here (2008) 

Merry Christmas Maxwell, Finn, Silas, Sunday, Rueben, Gene, Clancy, Wolfgang, Alani, Kye, Lily, Charlie, Toma, Audrey, Georgia, Nicholas! love RAMONA

And my own Hope and Thom xxx

RADIO OF THE YEAR

Last one folks! Around 10am I'll be talking up Craft 2012 on RRRfm with the lovely ladies of the Grapevine. I'll be dishing out what were our highlights and lowlights of the year, giving a mini lecture on maker etiquette, and of course talking about last minute handmade gifts for Christmas.

I'll be flying solo as Beck prepares to fly north for the summer (let's just say she loves heat+beach+holiday reading) but she'll be there in spirit - or in this case jam - which I'll ceremonially pass on to the ladies with my needle felted house decorations! I'd love you to listen in. RAMONA

EVENTS OF THE WEEK

too much is not enough

We know you are all super busy, in denial, or in retail yourselves and literally have NO TIME, but we thought you needed a heads up on a couple of the amazing events on offer this weekend. They appeal to us mainly because the kids can participate. This Sunday North City 4 opens the roller doors for some free demos, a sale, a sausage sizzle and activities for kids 11-3 - I'll be there for sure.

Saturday I'm going to take Thom to do his own Christmas shopping at Northcote Pottery. Their show small pieces is perfect - he can pick things himself which is very empowering for small people and a great introduction to buying handmade. Open this Saturday 9-4.

As for the Big Design Market...we know we know ANOTHER MARKET but a lot of thought has gone into providing some points of difference,. The biggest one for us is this is totally kid friendly - with activities and decent food and a parents room as well as totally inspiring makers selling ware we think this is actually going to make all members of the clan happy. Plus the Royal Exhibition Building is a gorgeous venue.

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

pins and needles

Needle felting is not for the faint of heart that is for sure. The needles are barbed, brutal and show no mercy to the weak or weary. That being said once you get the hang of it the rhythm of this craft it is very soothing. As you can see we didn't entrust Thom with a needle but he pretended to felt with a plastic screwdriver instead (with some very speedy jabbing help with a proper needle from his sister).

We decided to start with the most basic of projects - a felt ball garland for the piano. It felt Christmassy enough and perfectly doable in an afternoon/evening.

My favourites were the big white ones with confetti spots - they remind me of icecream with sprinkles. We of course are now addicted and have visions of making a needle felted nativity scene, a tree full of felt birds and some discs of grey felt to make a necklace. Ambitious? Always!

It was lovely to make something all together and I behaved myself by NOT putting a Christmas CD on while we worked - I'm not allowed those until the 12th December. I am pleased with how it looks too. I wonder what you are all doing to Christmasify? RAMONA

SHOW OF THE WEEK

fresh cuts

Could this year have gone any faster? Could there be more happening around town? Could we be the only ones a little nervous about the fast approaching end of the Mayan calendar? These are the questions that plague us this week at HML hq. We'll be interested to see the work of the best of the best craft, art and design students on show at this Years Fresh Award at Craft Victoria. We've been looking at this show every year for about a decade and are amazed at how things come in waves and trends. Always Fresh, always tasty! Opens on Thursday with a traditional large party - something to celebrate graduation. Ah the young things!