Sew La Tea Do - Whskr Reads

As books go Sew La Tea Do is seriously chunky.  It is a successor to 'Meet Me At Mikes' and follows the same format of a bundle of patterns and a selection of useful and simple stuff.  While I confess that just did not get 'Mikes' I love Sew La Tea Do. 

I'm not one for the kids stuff but checking it for this review I found trousers, dresses, hats and a blanket and fun practical things.  For the adults, OK, mostly girly stuff.  There are three lovely (easy) dresses, a simple patchwork belt, a gorgeous wrap around skirt (my favourite) and some seriously 'comfy' pants for both women and men.  The third section is a selection of home based items ; fun, quirky and all do-able by anyone with basic sewing machine skills.  Try the large and cosy beanbag; a fun blanket, practical short front cushions, a fun foxy quilt, and a quirky origami wallet.

The instructions are clear and friendly, with a host of tips and tricks to ensure your work is a success.  There is plenty of encouragement and suggestions for variations on many of the patterns for when you are more confident and ready to branch out on your own.  Looking at this book as a fabric painting and decorating person, I immediately saw the fun and the potential in the patterns!  Making your own yardage will allow you to construct simple but totally unique garments in colours and fabrics of your own choosing - without the hassle of hunting down patterns you think you might be able to manage.

Hardie Grant Books
ISBN 174066860X
NZ Stockist
USA
UK Book Depository with free worldwide shipping.

Friday Fancy from Whskr - Fantazya Collaborative Journal

After an excited wait my amazing Art Journal Diary has arrived from Canada! Those of you familiar with my Etsy shop know I still have this diary for sale as I think it is SO worth your attention.

Why is it worth your attention even though February is racing up to meet us???  Well, for a start there is the cover - blank and just asking to be decorated with your own art work, collaged pictures from magazines, scrapbook papers or whatever speaks to your indiviuality.

There is a four day spread across two pages, giving a host of different artists a chance to shine and amaze you, the diary owner.  There are drawings, photographs and collages each one a small world of wit and humour.

There is plenty of space for you to add notes and appointments; keep records of payments and sketch out ideas.  All the while you have in your hands a small gallery of art works gathered from around the world by Lucy of Fantazya on Etsy.

Lucy says :- "There are 2 dates in each page, 3 notes pages, 7 address pages, 12 months pages, 1 introduction pages, 1 year pages, a 2012 page, and 7 positive messages." How can you fail to be amazed!

There is still an amazing amount of 2011 to go, make sure you have this marvelous diary with you!

Things are Changing at Whskr

Over the past few weeks I been busy sorting out the dreams and hopes of Whskr.  I feel I have been going in circles a bit, not enjoying what I do as much, and just losing the fun of creating.

A lot of people are now doing the same things as I am, and, much as I love my collage pendants and dolls, I am going to start a move into something else.  The dolls and pendants stay for a while, they are awesome fun and popular in my online shop, but I will be moving behind the scenes to develop a new direction.

I have tried to do too many different things, and worried endlessly about craft fairs and stuff so, for now, no more craft fairs and stress, I am concentrating on those things I can develop and also have fun with to develop the Whskr brand with the 'tools' I have on hand.

Metalwork and Jewelry - I loved my class a couple of years ago with Mary Hettmansperger. I played endlessly with copper and would love to move into silver.  I have a lot of ideas to develop and I have found a great place in Wellington where I can learn valuable skills - result! Precious Metal Clay work is a bit of a dream at the moment BUT maybe on the horizon!

Web Site Building - Making a virtue of the software and beginner skills I have. (Dreamweaver and a notebooks full of idea and study notes from web building workshops!!)  I aim to become competent at building small, good web sites for small people.  I know that big coding jobs are beyond me, but I have several web builder friends who have offered to cast an eye over my work - so I am not working in isolation. I can then develop my own web site and Whskr.co will become a reality!

Isolation. Something I don't do very well so, I hope to get some kind of small job for a day or two a week. Something that will get me into circulation and in touch with people as well as bringing in some money for good quality supplies and tools.  New Zealand is a vibrant and creative place, I have met some awesome artists and crafters who are a real inspiration and who provide valuable feedback and help - I can't fail to do well I am sure of it!!

Wish me luck :-))

Wednesday Inspirations - New Zealand Pohutakawa

Known by many as the New Zealand Christmas Tree as its amazing red flowers usually appear in December and January. I hope the video gives an idea of how amazing they are. This particular type of pohutakawa is almost coral coloured and differs from the other two popular types that are more red.

There is more information about the Pohutakawa tree here at Wikipedia.

Whskr Reads and Wednesday Inspirations

If you miss a posting of the Monday Whskr Reads book review or the Wednesday Inspirations, they are available on a separate page on the right-hand side of the blog under 'Book Reviews' and 'Inspirations'.

Steampunk Treat from Whskr Reads

"Leviathan" A Steampunk Adventure 

Steampunk as a genre excites the imagination. It proposes the concept of another world where, if developments had taken a different direction, things as we know them would be very different.

Some of my favourite books in the steampunk genre are the (in progress) Westerfield trilogy and Boneshaker - Cherie Priest. Both perform the one magical act I require from any author, they immediately spirit me away into a totally believable world that is both strange and similar to my own.

In Leviathan we find a runaway prince Aleksander on one side of the divide with the Germanic Clankers and their stream-driven armour plated machines; and on the other, gifted airman Deryn Sharp and the Darwinists. Deryn has more secrets than I have time to relate and one of them is potentially explosive....

Grounded in a totally real world and, in the hard back edition, embellished with a darkly metallic Steampunk cover, and superb end papers showing maps that rock the imagination - Leviathan promises, for younger readers, (OK and this grown up ...) a fast-paced read of real excitement and discovery.

There are secrets, stories, heroes and heroines; and Westerfield shows how interesting the Darwinist theories might have been had they shot off in another direction from the one familiar today.

While Westerfield comments “...most of the characters, creatures and mechanism are my own invention... the book’s timeline is based on the actual summer of 1914 when Europe found itself lurching toward a disastrous war “... and... “Leviathan is as much about possible futures as alternate pasts”, it is essentially a tour de force of the imagination; full of excitement, grounded in reality and ready to take off with the reader’s imagination.

Leviathan Trilogy (Book One)
Scott Westerfield link to Leviathan news here. 'Behemoth' Book 2 is out now!
ISBN 978 0 670 07303 0

USA Wonderful hardback cover with a chance to peep inside!
UK Another not so wonderful cover....
New Zealand Only in the paperback edition :-(