Congratulations to...
Well done ladies, you are going to love your new jewellery.
Nik will email you soon.
Remember to check out Gottahave on Felt too.
I have a busy Heart Felt Saturday lined up this weekend.
Heart Felt will be outside Minx Shoes
and then I will be heading up to Masterton for the New Rags Xmas Market.
Should be loads of fun. xx
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.
Wow, what an amazing response to this wonderful giveaway, thank-you for all your entries. A huge Thank-you to Karyn for a fantastic prize. If you missed out and still desperately would like to own an asQ Design dress or shirt visit Karyn on Trade Me, Felt or Facebook. Or even better come and meet her in person at the next New Rags Market.
And the winner of the asQ Design giveaway is.....
Thanks for entering Chantal, Karyn will get in touch with you via Facebook.
Another wonderful Heart Felt giveaway from an amazing creator, asQ Design.
I have been eying up Karyn's work for a very long time on-line. I could never decide which piece to buy so when I finally met her at the New Rags Market last weekend I couldn't resist two pieces for Sadie.
Beautiful orange and grey halter neck from vintage fabric topped off with ric-rac trim and a pretty pocket.
Blue and red fruity pinafore ~ can't resist polka dots at any time with pretty cotton ties.
I asked Karyn to tell us a little about herself and what inspires her.
'Ello 'ello all! I'm Karyn, the do-it-all'er at asQ design.(pronounced 'askew' - being my maiden name, great excuse too)
So blurb away: After doing an enjoyable 3 years of fashion design, I had pretty much discovered I was not that interested in becoming a big fashion designer, but really enjoyed the creating side of things.When my sister fell pregnant a few years back I thought I'd try out some wee kiddies clothes for her, and, it turned me completely clucky. Couple of minutes later and I was having a wee bairn of my own (exaggeration,no offense to my darling husband) Thus beginning a new love for little peoples clothing.. so cute...so so so so cute!! As I was having a girl, and disliked most things pink and pastel, I figured I'd turn my always growing retro fabric collection into items of deliciousness for the children.
One thing that really turned me away from trying out the fashion designer way of life.. was the endless re-creation of garments, all items needing to be exactly the same. I wanted everything to be a one-off item. So, by sticking to a couple of patterns, I can fulfill my one-off-design dreams.
I'm currently up to 279 different pinafores and counting! I source almost 50% of my fabrics from second hand shops and trade me. It's like a drug when I find just a couple of metres of darling fabric. I just need to cut and sew, cut and sew! I mix these together with new fabrics too, I can't deny there are some great prints out there in the big wide world.
You can find me on
For this amazing giveaway asQ Design is offering to one Heart Felt reader a choice of one girls dress or a boys shirt!
The winner then can choose the size, style and colour from Karyn's fabric stash.
To enter, leave a comment here ~ to get another entry become a fan of asQ on Facebook.
Easy!
I will draw a random winner this time next Saturday.
Good luck.xx
The kids and I felt like we needed a little winter pick me up, so we visited Schoc Chocolates which is located right here in Greytown.
The shop is situated in little adorable colonial cottage on Main Street. Stepping inside is like stepping back in time. The smell of chocolate is divine and the displays are mouth watering.
The children are allowed to choose two pieces each. They like the strawberry hearts and the caramel. Me ~ passionfruit and the salted toffee is unbelievably delicious and moreish.
Exciting news from Schoc Chocolates:
Schoc Chocolates is a unique blend of gourmet chocolate and self-exploration. We combine the joy and health benefits of consuming quality chocolate with a deeper understanding of one’s inner self.
With 60 flavours in the tablet range alone - there is a chocolate that is perfect for you.
From classic strawberry or heavenly caramel to the more challenging - and hugely popular - whole lime and chilli., sea salt, pink peppercorn, to name a few.
The inaugural New Zealand Chocolate Festival is being held in Wellington 12-14 August where we will debut our new Curry Tablet, but will it be in White, Milk or Dark Chocolate come to the festival and find out.
Come and visit us at our Greytown studio, where we make all our chocolates by hand, check out our website for a stockist near you or make an oder online and mention Heart Felt in the comments section and we will throw in a free tablet for you.
Enjoy Schoc Chocolates : Passion that melts in the mouth but stays in the mind.
Schoc Chocolates is also offering Heart Felt readers a chance to win 1 of 6 tablets of Schoc Chocolate. Flavours include: Tangerine, Lime Chilli, Coffee & Walnut, Lemongrass, Sea Salt and Toasted Sesame.
To enter just leave a comment here and tell me which flavour sounds the most appealing to you. For another entry mention this on Facebook or on your blog (just leave another comment here to say you have done so) Six winners will be drawn this time next Sunday.
Good luck! xx
Schoc Chocolates
177 Main Street
Greytown
(06) 304 8960
info@chocolatetherapy.com
When I was asked to do a product review for Huggies DryNites, I have to admit I had mixed emotions.
I was struggling with the environmental aspect and also admitting that I have a bed wetter.
Like any mother I had to weigh up the environmental factors of putting plastic into landfills against using water and energy to wash and dry blankets and sheets during the winter period.
The biggest factor was having to deal with a disappointed child each morning as I changed wet bedding and clothes. Something had to change, so decided to try the Huggies DryNites to help me with the bed wetting problem.
The first thing I noticed was the child felt no embarrassment having to wear a pull up to bed. They look like underpants and they could put it on themselves.
The first few mornings it was business as usual, but this time because of the Huggies DryNites it meant dry sheets and dry clothing. By the fourth morning something happened, dry! and the next and the next. We reused the dry pull up the next night to reduce waste.
What I think has started to happen is that the child has started to build confidence and we haven't had a wet night since (knock on wood.)
A happy mama and a very happy child!
To read more about Huggies and the environment click here.
To read more about Huggies and bed wetting click here.
Huggies is offering to one of my Heart Felt readers one packet of DryNites ~ boy or girl. Just leave a comment and I will put you into the draw. Mention it on your Facebook page and/or blog and you will get an extra entry. I will draw a winner next Thursday.
Also feel free to share any useful tips about bed wetting. xx
Thanks for everyone who entered Heart Felt's Rosy Cheeks giveaway ~ it was a fantastic response and thank-you to Rachel for offering such a gorgeous prize.
Our winner is Jollym ~ congratulations, Rachel will email you soon.
If you would like a little Heart Felt 'free' advertising ~ email me. xx
Yes! Another Heart Felt sponsored giveaway.
I was happy to find another crafter with the love of vintage children's wear when I found this beautiful pressed wool helmet for Oscar on Felt.
Oscar gets lots of compliments when he wears it ~ especially from Dad's ~ they seem to love the retro style.
He looks the part we he rides out in his vintage Pedigree push chair.
The creator is Rachel of RosyCheeks. I asked Rachel to tell us a little about herself and what inspires her.
Hello from Canterbury, New Zealand! My name is Rachel and I am the owner of
a little collection of handmade things named Rosycheeks.
My grandmothers and my mother all had a love of sewing and embroidery and
creating lovely things and I have inherited that from them, as well as my
characteristic rosycheeks! I am a mother to four children and my focus for
these last ten years has been giving them the kind of idyllic kiwi childhood
that my husband and I had growing up in this beautiful country.
I love making beautiful things for my children - items that are unique and
made with care and can't be found on hundreds of other children. Life can
sure get busy with four children, but working on these little hats brings me
a lot of pleasure and relaxation in the quieter times.
Creating this little woollen hat has combined my love of two things - vintage
and hand embroidery, with the bonus of being very practical. The hats are
made from pressed wool and have a soft flannel lining. They are securely
buttoned at the side and protect those little ears from chills. So while
being in the fresh outdoors puts the roses into their little cheeks, their
ears and head are protected from the bite of winter.
Rachel would like to offer my Heart Felt readers a chance to win one of your own wool RosyCheeks winter hat.
Just leave a comment here stating which color hat from the picture below you would like to win and I will randomly pick a winner this time next week.
This giveaway is open world wide.
Good luck!
The hat fits 1-3 years.
So I have shifted my work space from the kitchen table to the garage where I have lots of room to spread out.
My first project was this little dress for Sadie from some gorgeous retro bird fabric given to me this week.
My new creative space is great but it's a blank canvas and I've still yet to make it my own.
So I was hoping you could help me out, share a link to your favorite work space ~ it could be your own or someone else's that inspires you.
This time next week I will choose my favorite and in return I'll send you one of my felt hair bow headbands in your choice of colour.
Thanks for your help. xx
Rachel's favorite creative space....isn't it amazing!
Jo's favorites...
