downstairs

The twins love to draw. On everything. Which is not so great in the lounge room, but it's super cool downstairs. Nothing is off limits (except Daddy's car)... even coco get's chalked if she sits still for long enough! I love that my little boys wanna draw. I don't want to 'push' them into being creative, but I adore  their natural curiosity and aptitude for something that has always given me so much joy.

As with the Awesome Teenager, it is easy to see them becoming artists, actors, creatives, but I also want to encourage them to be whatever drives them, or as Oprah told me, whatever lights them up. If that is sport, or Math, or being a mechanic, sweet. Although, I will not allow them to be mimes. No way man.

All I really want is for my three boys to be the best, most authentic version of themselves that they can be. I think we want for our children the things we have struggled to get for ourselves in our lives. I want my boys to be strong and confident. And to know that they are enough. They are more than enough.

x Gillian for Tessie Designs

Johnny Depp vs Howard Keel

The Awesome Teenager and I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4 today. My first ever 3D movie! (apart from those crap ones in the early eighties... and Kiss Me Kate. Howard Keel. What a spunk. Even though he is spanking Kate on this poster. She was the Tempest. She probably deserved it. he he. Joking.)

I only realized it was 3D when we got there. I don't usually like 3D- it gives me a head ache. I also hate handheld camera work- my sister and I went to see Dancer in the Dark many years ago and I nearly puked. From the camera work. Not the kooky messed up movie.. And I don't like being forced to wear silly glasses. I wear silly glasses by choice. Not by the mandate of others.

But! I really enjoyed it. The 3D was excellent- didn't jangle up ma brain at all! The effects were really quite amazing! How do they do that? Some kinda pixie-magic I guess.. And Johnny Depp is almost as awesome as Howard Keel...

In any case, I think we looked hip in our silly glasses. Although, I kinda missed the cardboard-red-and-blue-lens ones...

x Gillian for Tessie Designs

Two owls and a monkey walked into a bar....

They didn't really... I made them!

So, me and my sewing machine are making fabric animals. All my previous animals have been hand sewn (time consuming! but strangely satisfying). Now, I am looking at using the machine, to make the process faster and make them more cost effective. See what I did there- Cost Effective! Like they are actually selling!!

Anyhoo, I am still in love with my machine, and we are getting to know each other. And I think I am quietly morphing into my mother. Which is fine.

I used some of our original Spoonflower fabric on this guy. I think if  I am going to compete in the very saturated handmade toy market, I need a point of difference. I think our fabric could be that point.

I used a crochet doily or the tummy on this guy, teamed with upcycled fabric swatches and felt. And he has flappy wings! Eli says, "Hooray!! Good Job, Mummy!"

And then there were two! Mum, My lovely In Laws, Nieces and nephews love them too- look how they are all smiling!

 Do you think these guys are a viable product? 


Cheers,

Gillian for Tessie Designs

Lovely Mamma Day

The Mamma's Market on Saturday was such a great day! We had a lovely spot on the verandah.

Our little box of animals were very popular! 

And all the girls looked beautiful in the sunshine.

The Awesome Teenager was an awesome help,

These two were the stars of the stall! 

And I fell in love with these girls all over again.

Check me out, Mrs Williams!!

When I was in high school, I was very good at some things. Art, English, Drama, Browbeating Others With my Opinions... (I topped that class).

There were other things that I was very bad at: Sport, Handing in Graphics homework, fitting in and Home Economics.

Even though my mum was always an amazing sewer- clothes, toys, (she even made me a pair of togs once! I know!), I just didn't get sewing. I was scared of the noisy machines and pointy things...

So, My Home Ec teacher, Mrs Williams, banned me from using the school sewing machines in Grade Eight, after I managed to render two different machines inoperable. At the time, I thought- Awesome. Now I don't have to do it. And this is a recurring theme in my life- If I am not good at something, I just don't do it. I didn't want to have to learn to do things I was afraid of. I was scared of failing. I still am.

 BUT, I bought a sewing machine!! And I am going to teach myself to use it. And I am going to make mistakes, and things that suck. I am not going to be the best straight away, and  the things I make won't be perfect. But, I am so enjoying the challenge. I never thought I would sew anything. Crafting has captured my creativity in a way I haven't felt for years.

Here are my first creations on my beautiful Janome! They are imperfect, I made mistakes and I need help to work out some things, but they make me happy!

 How do you like me now, Mrs Williams!!!!

Elephant!!

It's totally an ELEPHANT!!

I have had a great time making this little guy. He is the most complex animal I have atempted so far and I couldn't be more pleased wiht the result! He is available over in the Etsy Shop.

He kind of reminds me of the Elephant in the Peter Sellers film The Party. Birdee Num Num.

And in other VERY EXCITING NEWS......

I bought a sewing machine!!! I know! I can't believe it either. It's a beautiful thing and I cannot wait to learn how to use it!!!! 

I will be raiding Mum's uber-sewing brain and I might even go to a class at the Sewing Centre... hee hee. 

I have slightly moved away from my girls and fabric design for the moment, and I sometimes wonder.. Who am I? All I know is that my creativity and drive takes me where it wants to go, and if I am smart, I just follow it and enjoy the ride!

X Gillian for Tessie Designs

monkey magic....

Mr Monkey has moved in over at the Etsy Store! I am really happy with him. Who would have thought that felt animals would make me so creatively satisfied!

Although he is certainly no 'Born from an egg on a mountaintop' Monkey Magic kinda monkey, he does remind me of Toowoomba in the early eighties, when me and me two sisters would sit on the pool room watching 'Monkey'. I always wondered why such a bizarre show captured our generations imaginations so much- a crazy monkey-man escorting a she-boy priest on magical quests, riding  a pet cloud?! And don't get me started on the  sissy fish-man and a sleazy pig-guy?!?!  But we loved it.

We loved anything that was on the ABC at 6.00 weeknights. Whether it was Monkey or the Goodies, or Dr Who. We loved TV. We watched a lot of TV... but now I credit that for my savant-like TriviaBrain... filled with pop culture references and obscure facts. I don't need Google. Ask Me. Ask Me the name of Gargamel's Cat on the Smurfs. Ask me the actress who played Jennifer on 'Family Ties'. Ask me to name all the spin off series from Happy Days (there are more than you think!)....

No, it doesn't matter. No, it's not important. But, shit it makes me feel smart in a post modern-useless-lame kinda way!

i heart felt.

Here are my newest little felt pouches. They are lined with cute flowery felt and are padded to protect your camera, or phone or glasses.

Today has been a tough day. The logistics of life kicked my ass a little... Being the mum of 2yo twins and a wife and an craft artist all at the same time can be overwhelming. Trying to be perfect is ridiculous. Intellectually I am well aware of this. Yet, why do I still fell like I have to be?

The pressure is self imposed, and so is the solution.
Stop. Breathe. Regroup. Sew some Super-cute Camera Pouches.

You can find Flower Power here and Mr Owl here

x Gillian or Tessie Designs

my day

Breakfast at Spoon, our favourite cafe.

CHEEEESE! You can just see the boys favourite cute blonde waitress in the background.
They blow kisses to her and flirt with her every time we go to Spoon!!

While Eli, Daddy and Max explored a cool new park.....

Jasper had a sleep. And I had a lovely cuddle.

Mothers Day 2011. Lovely.

I also wanna say a special Happy Mothers day to my friend Mel, who had her second little boy last week.  Well done, sweetie!

Mr Bruno is a delight!

And Mr Oszkar is a very happy big brother!

X Gillian for Tessie Designs

date night

On our first date, when we laughed at the same parts of the movie, I thought- this guy is cool.
On our third date, when he made a map of the UK out of sugar packets, to show me where Torquay was, I thought, This man is awesome.
On our... maybe... twentieth date, when he invited my son to join us, and  he asked me to marry him, I thought, This man is the love of my life.

Sometimes, you have just gotta make time out, away from kids and the house and computers and work, to spend with your Lovely Husband!  Last night that's just what we did.

AND, I am so proud of my Awesome Teenager. He baby-sat his little brothers for the first time and it was a huge success. He told us we could go out again tonight if we wanted to! Cute.

X Gillian for Tessie Designs

Maryann arrived today...

Is there anything more awesome than a man delivering the newest book in one of your favourite series of books RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR!!!

I recieved my copy of Maryann in Autumn today, ordered from QBD online. It is the eight book in the Tales Form The City Series by Armistead Maupin.

This series of books is so important to me. I read the first about 15 years ago. They tell the story of a group of friends in hip, seventies San Francisco. These hilarious, poignant books follow Michael, Maryann, Brian, Mrs Madgigal and my favouritest favourite Mona Ramsey through the seventies and  into the eighties. The series finished with Sure of You (Book 6) and it seemed the story was over. Then about 3 years ago, we were given the amazing gift of Michael Tolliver Lives. Set in the present Day, Micheal has gone from super cute poster boy for seventies gay San Francisco to a settled middle aged man. Loved it.

I cannot wait to read Maryann in Autumn. I have a conflicted relationship with Maryann and I am interested to see if Maupin attempts to get the reader to forgive her, or if he just seeks to illustrate why she may have made the choices she has.

Lovely Husband, Awesome Teenager and I went to San Francisco in 2008. It was so surreal to be in a city so alien, yet so familiar. I looked for Barbary Lane, but apparently it doesn't exist... How could that be? So, we took a cable car to Lombard Street instead and I pretended Mrs Madgrigal was smoking a doobie somewhere nearby...

BUT this week I also received the latest book for the Circle Book Club. I will be reviewing it for next week's show. It is Cuckoo by Julia Crouch. I have only just started it, but I'm interested.

I was in the middle of The Slap, which I have put down until I have read Cuckoo. Whoah. The Slap is such an Australian novel. In the same way that Peter Carey's Tax Inspector shows a dirty, violent side of the suburbs, The Slap in uncomfortably honest. I understand the hype around this book and I am looking forward to getting back to it.

So, Mayann, I am making you wait until I have finished these two other books. It's so hard! I just wanna grab you and lock myself in a quiet room until we are done!! But I will be good.

x Gillian for Tessie Designs

Yay May!

I've gotta good feeling about May. I think it's gonna be a cracker!

Things To Love About May
- We are sponsoring over at A Beautiful Mess this month. Check Elsie's site out- super cute! Such an inspiration.

- Lovely Husband and I WILL go out on the date night we have been trying to schedule since Valentine's Day!

- Mum and I will be at the Mamma's Market on the 21st of May. I can't wait. We will be INSIDE the hall this time, so bring it on weather! You can't get us!!

- And I am looking forward to many more days like this one.....

What are you looking forward to in May?

X Gillian for Tessie Design Company