This is me and the Mr. I like him a lot. These snaps are from like, light years ago.....almost an eternity, almost. We both had more hair then. He makes me smile and smile and smile. He is a good egg. The first photo is our first ever photo together, holy crap I just worked out that was 21 years ago, Lordy me, gosh....
Woohoo, my creative space this week is newness for me. Yay I love testing out new stuff. Back at the sewing machine, it's been quite neglected of late so it has been lovely this week to be playing with some Mexican oilcloth. It's like way bright and fabulous and spotty and happy. I like happy fabric, it makes me smile. And it wasn't quite as daunting to sew with as I first thought, phew.... You know how I don't have much patience well I tried to find some and read some stuff about sewing oilcloth and the like and well I wasn't all gun-hoe about cutting it, I read a bit more, and then I finally drew myself up a pattern and after adjusting the pattern three times, the first two were a little large, the third one worked a treat. Pictured is prototype number 2, great size for my multitudes of make up or the Mr.'s lunch.
And the best handy little tip, so you don't have to buy a Teflon foot for your machine, if your going to sew on the bright, happy side, otherwise known as the right side pop a piece of baking paper over the top and sew straight through it. When you are finished carefully tear it off and wha-la it works, give it a burl. And also make sure your machine needle is sharp- that's a no brainer!
For the rest of all our creative spaces toddle off over here.....
Wow I haven't played along in quite a while, I sneak over and am always amazed at the creatives over here, full of makings it is a lovely place to see what everyone is up too.
My creative space this week has me realizing I may need a new sharpener..... I sharpened and sorted all my colour pencils into my coloring station, very chuffed at myself, a little OCD maybe as they all have their own colour cup to belong to. My smalls (who seem to be not so small anymore) think it's pretty ace too as they have been drawing up a storm all week.
I got to play with yeast this week and have decided me and yeast could be friends after all. I have been scared of yeast for an awful long time, I don't know why, I think that yeast and I may become great friend infact! Thanks to my fabbo cousin for introducing us...... The pizza was a hit!! Especially the herb and garlic pizza bread.
The obligatory covering of school books has taken place this week. I convinced Mr.Magoo to let me have creative license on 1 of his books - it got the thumbs up too, smiles all round and hopefully food for thought for him with a sock monkey picture and a Ben Franklin quote, cause Ben Franklin is of course known in our house from the movie National Treasure!!
The quote, which I love is "in the morning ask yourself, What good shall I do today? As the day draws to a close ask yourself, What good have I done today?" Nice words to think about in Year 5!
The rest of my creative week has had me covering buttons for hair ties and slides for Coco's, and I managed a new window today at the shop. Generally I don't do Valentine's windows but I have red paper heart doilies so they kinda lend themselves perfectly to Valentines, I wrote stuff on them, not too lovey, stuff like "I love you more than Lollies" and stuff like "you are sweeter than bee vomit". And "PS I love you!"
There is a red bike in the window too, Its a cool red bike, I like it a lot.
Lots and lots of creative people hang out over yonder so do pop over and if your creative play along or just have a squizz, you'll be glad you did!
Yep, who doesn't love a little Department Store? Coco's offers service with a smile, hand drawn bags- yep every bag is hand drawn and I will not charge you for it. Free gift wrapping all year round and times in other countries......maybe Coco's will open in those time zones one day. Who knows??
Our range of colouring in books is growing. The fashion ones are still my all time faves but I now have some for the boys too. The large monsters one is very cool, fave page - the step-by-step guide to drawing Frankenstein. There are some pocket colouring ones and Johnny Joe's Time Travel.
I personally love colouring in lots and my pencils come with me always, always. I'm not a very good sharer of them but this year I will try harder to be better at that. Do you like colouring? Do you share your pencils? I'd love to know.
So here is another department, and gosh golly if you've been to Coco's you'll know the Departments are tightly squeezed into our walls!! So here is what's new in the stationery department.....
new notebooks, lined pages $5.50 easch
Perpetual Diaries, very limited stock $16.00 each, I love these and they have lots and lots and lots of pages, week to a view, then notes section, then month to ao page and some groovy extra pages.
PVC covered notebooks, these I think would make sensational travel diaries, they are full of great graphics and are $10.00
Pack of Vintage Inspired postcards, 18 postcards, 9 designs. $18.00 totally gorgeous
These little tins are jam-packed full of gift tags, and stickers. There are 35 different cards and 10 sticker sheets and come in two different designs. There is Pinnochio and Grimm Fairy tales, and there is Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz and I adore them the illustrationa are simply divine and come complete with the tin. They are $16 per tin.
Love Cards, similar to my lunch box love these cards are about 5cm square and come on white or natural card, they are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00, they will be instore tomorrow, there are 35 different designs, beautiful photos with simple little sentiments. Great for pillows, lunches, cards, thoughts to inspire and dream about.
So there is a snippet of the Stationery department, we still have lots of stickers, other notebooks, paper and envelope sets and drawing books. Not your avareage Stationery Department, not average at all.
Ok, so Coco's now has a travel department..... Ground level. Well actually, all our departments are on the Ground Level but lets not spoil the thought.....passport covers, luggage tags, leather satchels, PVC packing bags, luggage stickers...... really, really groovy travel gear people. Oh and St.Christopher medals on leather bracelets, in case you didn't know St.Christopher is the patron Saint of travellers. I have been very fortunate at Coco's to have lovely travellers these holidays, yep, lovely indeed. Thanks for popping in.
I have a thing for red, my coffee cup is red, my wallet is red, I have red earrings and necklaces and now, yay, yay, yay I have red Inspirez bracelets and you can too. A new twist for these ever popular bracelets I now have them in red!! woohoo.
and then I have red leather believe and Eiffel tower bracelets too. They are in store now but they are also in my wrist!!
Wow, it nearly time to call 2011 quits. What a magical year we have had at Coco's Closet. A second shopiversary had which I am extremely grateful for. The support of the many new and familiar faces that frequent my little happy place always makes me smile. To be able to work everyday (I know even though I may not be open everyday! I am still at home making stock) doing something I love always leaves me thankful for the crayola caddy I received as a child every Christmas, yep everyone I can remember I got coloring pencils or paints or crayons. And how lucky am I getting to draw every single day......
This year saw Coco's house The Sew Cool, Sew Skool through Forster's winter hibernation and hibernate we did not!! 15 weeks worth of creative lessons, sunshine girls and boys, cookies and craft, projects galore and completion badges to boot!!! These fabbo classes were enjoyed by some beautifully creative minds and I had as much fun teaching as my learners did learning.
I also had the pleasure of my Break Thru friends throughout 2011 and these amazing young people complete great craft and sewing projects always smiling and willing to have a go at whatever I have in store for them to make.
Whilst 2011 seemed to fly by at a freakishly fast rate, is that an age thing? It is nice to take a minute to reflect on how lucky I am to be surrounded by the beauty that simply is my life. My Mr, my hilariously funny Mr.Magoo and Miss.Muffet, my family, my friends, my shop, my whopper coffee, my addition to shopping - even if it's only window shopping, my pencils and paper, My melting moments, my beautiful surrounds, the beaches and the lake and the sun......this is what makes my happy place. Yesterday the window at Coco's has been filled with my larger than life wish birds....
I wish you Bonne Annee, but more than that I wish you happy days, memories, love, kindness and all things good.... here's to an amazing 2012. Take care and enjoy all the little things that make up your wonderful life.
I love Christmas, our flat-packed tree, carols and gift wrapping. I am known to be somewhat anal about decorating, wrapping and table setting. I can also provide evidence given Mr. Magoo now remembers where in the house certain decorations are placed.....and he quite likes taking the mickey out of me telling Miss Muffet to stand back and take a look at the tree.... Is it balanced?? We listen to Christmas carols and arrange decorations in festive manner, sometimes it involves me going.....No, no, no, not like that! and then the lovely vision of the beautiful family decorating harmoniusly goes flyin' out the window....
Wrapping needs to go together but not match..... and table setting is pretty much the same....
these are the memories we create....we tend to giggle alot about my OCDness and it ends Ok, we have a balanced tree with beautiful decorations placed just perfectly and I do not think my children are too scared, not yet anyway.
I love sentences that begin....Remember when.... these are the traditions and memories we create, they are the footprints that we leave to show where we have been, where we have come from.... I hope you have lots and lots of memories of your own special Christmas. it is above all for me family and love and fun and music and food (Miss Muffet asks for particular Banham- tradition-Christmas-food, so I'm think my OCDness is rubbing off quite well!!) and smiles, always smiles, smiles all round.
Hope you and your have the smilest Christmas ever.... Joyeux Noel xxxx
Do you know someone who is going on a trip? Or taking a tour? Or simply travelling to loved ones at Christmas?
well then this is the thing for them....
groovy huh? it's a sealable bag covered in way cool graphics. I think it is the perfect little bon voyage gift, it's $3.90....great for swimmers, underwear, kids clothes..... anything you pack actually, except maybe not a suit, no a suit would not fit in one of these.
or if you have a suitcase that needs some jazzing up then this tin of stickers is just what you need.
filled with vintage looking luggage tags these will definetely give your suitcase a very retro feel.
Plus we have a lovely array of passport holders, not your run of the mill ones, very cool ones but you might just have to pop in to check those out. See you soon xx
