Transformation

The transformation of fleece into fabric is one of the cool things about making felt.

From this

to this

and from this

to this

One Piece Paper Models

Earlier this week I found this intriguing looking paper model book in the craft section of a second hand bookshop in Whangarei. I could hardly believe that the boat on the cover could be made from a single piece of card, with a series of folds and slots holding it together,  but that is indeed the case for this and a whole range of other models designed by George Aspen and illustrated in the book One Piece of Card (1973). Here are some other examples from the book:

I couldn't wait to get started making models, so I spent the morning making a couple of templates and undecorated pieces from the book.

First up Materials:

Tracing paper, plain card, a pencil, a stanley knife and an acto knife, a kiniiting needle for scoring folds and a bone folder for achieving nice crisp edges.

Project One: A Perching Bird:

I make a template from tracing paper first, which I then transfer to card. I then trace this onto better quality watercolour paper for the actual bird.

One bird ready for decoration

Project two: 6 Houses

I can see that I'm going to have a lot of fun with this book.  Easy to assemble free-standing models using a single piece of card could very well become my new favourite thing!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Maurice and the Grimm Boys

My heart skipped a beat when I came across a box set of Grimm's Fairy Tales in a second hand bookshop recently. The two volume set, The Juniper Tree (1974) has 26 stories selected by Lore Segal and is illustrated by none other than Maurice Sendak.  

Frederick and His Katelizabeth

Rapunzel

 The Three Feathers

 Hans My Hedgehog

The Poor Miller's Boy and the Little Cat

Maurice Sendak's skill at drawing compressed pictorial spaces filled with detail creates the most intense atmosphere in his illustrations. The Juniper Tree has been on my wish-list for years, so I'm very happy to finally have a copy of my own.

Accessories

I'm pretty happy with my current line-up of accessories to give my winter wardrobe a lift. I have a nice mix of vintage scarves and assorted collars, one from the late nineteenth century, combined with a sturdy string of wood and wallpaper beads and my favourite loopy green necklace.

I hope you're having a nice week so far.

new to me lately (too)

Recent vintage finds compelled me to respond to Helen Lehndorf's latest post about what makes op-shopping so special. I whole-heartedly agree with Helen that a large part of the appeal of op-shopping (for enthusiasts like us) is the completely unplanned nature of the shopping adventure itself, and the sense of the unknown when you set out on an op-shopping mission with no idea about the treasures you might  find. It's always a treat to come home, brew up a pot of tea, and admire your new (old) finds.

Over the Easter break, I had two excellent op-shopping days with my sis, taking her to my favourite cluster of North Shore oppies in Browns Bay and Takapuna. These are some of the things I came home with, along with some of the things Tazey bought me from her favourite cluster of oppies along the Kapiti Coast.

This dear little knitted donkey stole my heart immediately. An elderly lady even tried to steal him from the stash of goodies I had placed on the counter at Time Traveller. I had to politely tell her to put him down and keep on moving! She muttered something as she trundled away on her walker frame! The donkey, now called Maurice D,  found an instant friend in Big Tom the moment he arrived home. They've been thick as thieves ever since.

A length of retro wallpaper - perfect for recovering my tired old coffee table.

A cute tea tray from Browns Bay

A swirly patterned skirt from the Takapuna Hospice shop.

A nearly new pair of ECCO lace-ups. So comfortable!

A lovely winter kimono from that shop in Kilbirnie that everyone knows about.

A gorgeous  red 'Doctor's' bag

A pile of colourful golf tees and little wooden blocks that will be useful for future craft projects, possibly puppets.

And Tazey found me this complete phonics system from the 1940s full of lovely yellow vowel and consonant cards. I'm sure I'll be able to use them for a future Pania Press project.

Now that's what I call a perfect assortment of op-shop goodies!

Easter crafts

My lovely sister Therese is staying with us for the Easter holidays. She always has stylish and innovative ideas for accessories. She manages to turn a narrow piece of vintage  lace into a chic and simple accessory.

Yesterday afternoon, I got out some bits and pieces from my stash of crafting goodies and we made a start on some brooches.

Recently, I found a small packet of unusual plastic shapes in a great selection of 50s colours. When we started playing around with them, using old buckles as the base for the brooch compositions, Therese realised that the plastic shapes are actually the cut-out pieces from the buckles themselves. It seems like a nice idea to put them back together again, so we'll buy some brooch pins when the shops reopen tomorrow and finish them off.

 Happy Easter everybody.

books and textiles

The book table at the Poetry Symposium was bountiful. There was a great mix of University Press poetry books, small press books, chapbooks, and zines. Books were bought, sold, traded and gifted in an orderly fashion over the two days of the Symposium and everybody went home happy.

For a bit of extra colour, I decorated the Pania Press and Titus Books display with a few of my School Journal textiles, which have just returned from the Soft Cut exhibition at Waikato University. When I got home, I made a little installation of them on the lounge wall.

They certainly brighten up a grey Autumn day!

Have a lovely Sunday.