DIY Light Shades

We had serious hideous light shades in our hallway. 90's frosted glass domes - you know the ones! I have been thinking about what to do about them for some time but I didn't want to go for the easy option of buying purpose built light shades.... So I went to Pinterest and pinned some inspiration. I love how pinterest opens my eyes to what things could be rather than what they are. All I had in my mind was something vaguely resembling a shade...  Then out shopping I found these woven food covers....

All I did was cut out a whole in the top and Voila!

Total cost: $20 and about 10 minutes :) 

I now can glance up while I walk through our hallway without cringing! Which reminds me there are plenty more DIY improvements to be made.. What next? 

Sweet Striped French Canvas Shoes

I was given a small strip of this lovely striped deck chair canvas from our old neighbor and landlord  in Wellington. It's from a gorgeous shop called Madder and Rouge this is the fabric here. It's crazily expensive fabric... like $155 per meter! Anyway this gorgeous fabric sat in my stash for sometime and I thought I would eventually use it to cover an old chair I had. Then looking for baby shoe inspiration, I saw this gorgeous pair of shoes on pinterest and bingo I married the shoe pattern I've had forever and the canvas up to make a pile of shoes good enough to eat! I love how every pair is different to the next yet it's all out of one piece of fabric. These are part of my new Oli e Lui collection.

These are my fav.

Currently selling for NZ$25 per pair :) To View the others see here. You could even "like" Oli e Lui on Facebook. 

Hope you all have a lovely weekend. xx

Say Hi to "Oli e Lui"

I haven't blogged much lately... not for lack of things to blog about but we didn't have a computer for over 2 weeks and since then I have been madly trying to sew for my NEW label. I have decided to bite the bullet and start a kids clothing design business for real. I'm calling it Oli e Lui. And I have even ordered labels... feeling flash! Here are a few things I have made in the last few weeks to start with....

 100% cotton long sleeve top. sizes 1-5 years.

 100% Organic Cotton tights, great for cloth nappies.

Floral Bib.

I have started to create an Etsy shop so I can sell my things on there, but it's quite full on to set one up... shop policy, paypal accounts, design...  

I have started a Facebook Page just to get it out there... Now I just need to find more time to sew!

Oh No Not Another Doily Idea! (oh but this ones a goodie!)

I'm sick in bed today, this is day 3 of an awful flu type thing. Hot and cold sweats are so much worse in 27 degree heat! I always seem to get sick after a crazy busy spell. I can almost pinpoint when it will happen. And what a crazy busy spell its been! Two (very last minute) craft fairs in which I had no time to plan, Luca's First Birthday, family staying, Christmas presents to make and then Christmas! Cleaning our house to rent it out over New Year, packing up and staying with my parents, 3 nights at Gisborne's New Year festival Rhythm and Vines (this has been going for 9 years in Gisborne) this year had a sell out crowd of 29,000. I have gone to all but 2 of them. We were given VIP tickets this year and I have to say I will not be going cattle class again. I am getting too old. Anyway so it has been a very very very busy couple of weeks and I am now utterly exhausted. Lucky I have a few creations up my sleeve to blog about, and keep me from feeling totally useless while I am stuck in bed!

Yes, another Doily Idea! Organic Cotton Stretch with Doily Knee patches. I had these little doily circles left over from my DIY Doily Dress and came up with idea for my Cousins newest addition, a little girl who was born in December.

Just simple Organic Cotton Stretch with a doily circle on each knee

Girls clothes a so much fun :)

Happy New Year Everyone.

My Little Luie Turn ONE!

My baby is no more.. I know have a 1 year old on my hands. We had a Party on Sunday and for a present I made him a little party outfit :)
I found this fabulous cotton drill (?) at a garage sale a few weeks back it was a sample piece but will be enough to make a few things.

Snap on bow tie for the birthday boy...

and matching pants, with some contrasting red stripe.

Isn't he just the cutest little party boy ever!

Mwaaah!

Party post to come soon :)

My Creative Space

Yesterday Ollie and I made Christmas decorations. Most of you would have seen them around. I have seen some gorgeous ones on various bogs and Pinterest. So anyway I thought I should give it a go. I have a second round of Christmas decoration swap with our baby coffee group, so thought I could make these, and get Ollie to have a go too.  I just used plain old Das, it was ok.. but I'm sure you could get better, softer and more pliable clay.

Medium.

a collection of textures to stamp onto clay

Ollie getting busy

..

rolling on a zip (makes train tracks!)

Ollies collection of ornaments

My collection of ornaments for the swap.

Bootiful!

Have a lovely Thursday. 

My Fabulous Fair Day & maybe the start of a business!

Eight hours on I am still buzzing at how my first shot at selling my own creations went... I went with no expectations and I am so proud to say it was a hit!
I went with about 33 items and sold about 20 (and counting)! Take a look at what it all looked like ;-)

"The Ollie T, w 'stache"

My fav - and a customer fav too

SOLD OUT

"'Stache Singlet"

"Luie Legs", spots

"Luie legs", stripes

"Nunu Knees"

Cotton shorts w rocket pockets

Linen shorts w floral pockets

Linen shorts w floral pockets

Bubba Bloomers

And here's our little stall, like I had mentioned in my previous post I shared a stall with a extremely talented friend. My condition to share a stall with her was that she stick with girls clothes and I do the boys. And it worked really well. There was no competition between us and the collections actually complimented each other. We were also super lucky to be out on the verandah as the space inside was crazy busy with stalls and we had room to wander and hang our little clothes line :)

Chelsea's gorgeous little collection

love the lace style fabric!

So anyway it was a fabulous first experience for me and I will be back... actually I have already semi committed to the christmas art and craft fair in two weeks! YIKES better get sewing... again!

And who know this could just be the start of a wee business for me. Hurray! 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

xox