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Today Sadie and Oscar picked elderflowers from the hedgerows so we can make our annual batch of elderflower champagne.
We use this recipe which is simple and has always been successful for us.
The elderflowers have an unusual sweet pungent scent, a scent the champagne takes on.
We picked extra ~ we are swapping a basket of elderflower heads for a some lemons which we need for our recipe. I hope we can exchange a bottle of champagne so we can compare vintages.
I'm so excited to have the beautiful Nik of Gottahave Jewellery as a Heart Felt sponsor. I've have been an admirer for a long time and finally got to meet Nik at Craft 2.0. I'm wearing a pair of her earrings as we speak!
I asked Nik to tell us a little about herself and what inspires her.
Nik of Gottahave Jewllery
I have always loved jewellery and accessories. They're my true passion!
While still at school I started working in the most beautiful jewellery and accessory store that Wellington had to offer in the 90's... and from then on, it was all over for me. My budget in the early days through Varisty didn't stretch to all (or any!) of the pieces I wanted to buy, but a perk of the job was that we got to wear the stores goodies while at work. I suspect I'd have worked for nothing if it had come down to it!
After years of being an admirer of other people's work, it's fabulous to be making for sale my own pieces and seeing people wearing MY creations.
Jewellery is a very personal thing and is such an expression of ourselves. To know that what I'm trying to say with my work evokes something in people that they identify with enough to wear is amazing.
My approach to jewellery is bold, big and strong. I like striking pieces that are very simple, unfussy and clean in their design, but have big impact and are easy and comfortable to wear.
The designs always come out of the materials that I'm working with- they're what inspires the pieces. I never start out with a design in mind think of what materials I could use to create it. It's always material driven- which is quite an exciting way to work as it means that when I see something I like, whether it's sheet metal, card, fabric or leather I can grab it and think about what I'll use it for later. This can be an expensive process as not every material "makes it"- and many fill up the store room, or get given away.
I've been loving working with leather recently and have been using exclusively leather off-cuts. Pieces that would usually be discarded are being turned into something that is used and (hopefully!) loved. It pleases me that something that could be considered un-usable is transferred into something attractive and almost nothing of the leather is wasted.
I'll never stop making jewellery, and I would love to look into the future and see where the designs will go and how different they will be from what I'm doing now- much as I love looking back at photos of the pieces that I made 21 years ago and thinking how I would still wear them if I had them!
Nik is being very generous and offering a pair of brass and leather earrings and a Gottahave striking leather ring to not one lucky Heart Felt reader but two Heart Felt readers!
To enter just leave a comment here and for another entry become a fan of Gottahave on Facebook here. (Just leave another comment here to say you have done so) Open to international readers too.
I will draw two random numbers this time next week or if you just can't wait visit Nik's Felt store here.
Come and say hi at the New Rags Market this Sunday at the gorgeous Greytown Town Centre.
I have new pixie hats available or if you just can't wait they are also available in my Felt shop. xx
Nautical sailing ships
Apple picking pixie bonnet
Cherry picking pixie bonnet
Thank-you for all of Oscar's birthday 'well wishes', he had a great day.
One of his highlights were the little boats Charlie and Sadie made for him. They are lots of fun to make and it's a nice easy project for any age.
First Charlie and Sadie found some pieces of bark from the wood shed and sticks from the garden.
They chose some fabric from my stash and cut two even sized triangles for the sails.
I pinned the two pieces together (right sides facing) and zipped round on the sewing machine leaving an opening at the bottom. Then I turned the sail out and zig zagged around the edges to enhance the shape and closed the opening up.
(You could skip this part and just cut one triangle with a pair of pinking shears)
Use PVA glue to attach the sail to the mast. Allow to dry.
A wad of plasticine to attach the mast to the bark hull and you are done.
I wouldn't rely on the actual sea worthiness of these fine ships, but they had fun making them.
Our happy gorgeous boy turned two years old today.
A fairy helper laid a beautiful afternoon tea table with roses from our garden and bunting made from paintings
Charlie and Sadie made a sailing ships from bark and fabric scraps as presents for Oscar.
Birthday cake made by Grandma
Locally handmade leather plane from Mama and Daddy.
Loving being two years old
and not looking back!
It's been a busy start of the week and I'm a bit behind my blog postings. I've been helping Abbie with the New Rags Market blog, it's looking great. You can check it out here (but it's still work in progress). We had a fantastic market on Sunday. The stallholders are becoming like a big family and it's nice to catch up with everybody each month.
Oscar has been a good model for Mama and he had lots of fun being a super hero.
This set is available in my Felt shop.
It's wonderful seeing him run like a big boy.
Hope you are having a great week. xx
New Rags at Masterton Town this Saturday. Can't wait to get my 'market fix'.
It's so much fun and the build up to Christmas has just started.
Pirate felt crowns are a bit of fun.
Oscar ran around all afternoon chasing me with his wooden sword.
$15
Kiwiana felt patches
Sew them onto bags, pillows, blankets or coats
$6 each or mix and match, three for $15
Pretty, pretty pixie bonnets
$20
See you there! If you can't make it or you just can't wait visit my Felt shop.
xx
