i heart mail pencils

image credit: postal press

Loving these red 'i heart mail' pencils from gorgeous online stationery store Postal Press.

They make me want to pull out some paper and write a handwritten note to someone nice. 

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone? I think there should be more 'real' mail in the world (and not just of the bill variety!). Perhaps this week we should all aim to write at least one letter or card to a friend, just because. Who will join me? 

sunday stash: fashion exposed

Today I visited a fashion trade expo to see some garments my talented Mum had made go down the runway! Very exciting and everything looked great! 

It seems fashion has been a bit of a trend with me lately, first the dressmaker dolls from last week, and now this graphic print by Alexander Henry that I picked up at Kelani recently. I love the stripy umbrella most.

Unfortunately my own wardrobe leaves a bit to be desired....

what are you doing tonight?

I'm going to see some new work by Stewart Russell, one of my favourite artists/designers. I can't wait!

another project crossed off the chart

New fabric covered magnets! 

Here they are on my shiny red kitchen pantry lockers.

I've even put some in my Etsy shop! The shop has been feeling a bit neglected lately, so expect more stock to be added over the coming weeks.

If you prefer to shop for your magnets in person, they are now available at Little Shop Of... in Carnegie. I'll also have them with me at the next Sister's Market on October 3.

Right, on to the next thing....hm, can I put 'go to bed and read a book' on my to do chart do you think?

pigeon has a friend

Busily making more birdie cards this afternoon - I love how they all look together!

New messages now available, such as:

'Cheer up'

'Merci' 

and my favourite:

'I like you'

Are there other messages you would like to see? Please leave a comment, I would love your ideas!

i heart: chinnychinchin

How adorable is this pigeon racing ring necklace by chinnychinchin? Each necklace comes complete with a profile about the pigeon who once wore the ring. Discovered at Nest in South Melbourne but also available online. 

sunny melbourne days...

...just perfect for a photography excursion to the city! 

Full size images plus a few extras can be found over at Flickr.

PS The cute red mailbox was part of an art installation in Federation Square - there were about 20 or so mailboxes on display and I found it hard to resist taking a snap of all of them : ) I love mailboxes! 

sunday stash: dress me up

The latest addition to the fabric stash - these gorgeous linens featuring super cute dressmaker dolls. I love receiving big packages of fabric in the mail - if you do too, pop over to Kelani where there is lots of new fabric goodness to tempt you!

Want to join Sunday Stash? You can do so here.

Today I am off to the city with my friend B to learn how to use my camera a bit better : ) Hopefully there will be some decent photographs to share with you! I've also nearly ticked one thing off my to do chart, so I hope to be able to show you that also. 

Stay tuned...

in with the new

My new 'to do' chart. Courtesy of a large sheet of kraft paper (60x145cm!), a black marker pen, and my alphabet stamps. 

Pity I didn't actually get anything crossed off the chart today...

But I did have fun making it.  

out with the old

This is the inside of my TV cabinet. You may notice there is one significant thing missing - the TV. That is because while lying in bed this morning thinking about possible options for extra storage space for Rabbit & the Duck, I decided to remove the TV from my home and life once and for all. It really wasn't a difficult decision - the TV I had was old, tiny, and had bad colour. It also emitted a high pitched squealing sound whenever it was on. I actually hadn't turned the TV on for over a month, so I don't really think I'll miss it. And now I have all this extra space - yay! 

I'm in super organising mode this morning - I'm off to the supermarket soon to buy bits and pieces for a few projects I've been meaning to finish. Like hanging pictures on the wall. And putting up a new work planner next to my blackboard - Penny suggested drawing up a chart and filling it in with everything I need to do, and then crossing it off as I complete things (calendar style). I love this idea - easy to read, and a visible reminder of everything I have achieved when I am feeling overwhelmed and that there are not enough hours in the day!

Happy weekend to you all : )

and the winner is...

Congratulations! 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter - I loved reading about all your achievements and am inspired to take Rabbit & the Duck to new and bigger places during the next 12 months. I hope you will join us on our journey!

And in case you are wondering - the rabbit above is a very old bunny indeed - he was given to me when I was just a baby and I have held on to him ever since. Thankfully he gets along well with the other bunnies in the house - hm, I'm getting quite the collection it seems!

caravan love

I am loving this car + caravan brooch set from love. It makes me want to pack my bags and head off on a driving holiday around Australia. Only problem is I am not a big fan of camping. But I guess with a cute caravan, I could be persuaded. Maybe.

 

sunday stash: anniversary giveaway edition

Two things happened last night.

1. I installed a new printer I bought this week. I had a spot picked out for it on top of some drawers that are in between my living room wall and my floor to ceiling double-stacked IKEA bookcase full of sewing bits and pieces. Of course, the space between the bookcase and the wall was a few centimetres short for my printer to fit. What to do? I tried to push the bookcase along the floor fully loaded. Of course it would not budge. I took out a few things. Still nothing. I kept going, emptying one shelf at a time until I could move it. During this time, I realised that I have a lot of stuff. I somehow found the energy to sort through it all and put it back neatly. 

2. I realised that this Tuesday is the one year anniversary of the Rabbit & the Duck blog. A whole year! And I can still think of things to write. 

So what better way to combine these two seemingly unrelated events than to have a giveaway! 

Up for grabs:

A Rabbit & the Duck envelope clutch

A set of 6 sew-on buttons

A 'heart felt' ornament

A couple of paper lanterns (what sort of celebration would it be without lanterns?)

I may even sneak in some extra secret things - I'm feeling inspired to organise other areas of my apartment and who knows what I may find.

The giveaway starts now and will end at midnight (AEST) this Tuesday the 18th. 

How to enter:

• Think about all the great things you have achieved over the past 12 months.
  
• Leave a comment on this post telling us the one achievement you are most proud of.
  

I'll give you an extra entry if you blog about my giveaway (please leave a note in your comment with your blog or website address). Please also make sure you include an email address so I can contact you if you win!

The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on Wednesday morning. Good luck and I can't wait to read what everyone has been up to! 

working on something new

One of the challenges of working full-time while trying to grow a business is that your head (and notebooks, oh so many notebooks) get filled with lots of ideas that you want to try 'one day' when you 'have some spare time'. Well, I am beginning to realise there is no such thing as 'spare time' and that the only way to turn these ideas into reality is to just pick one and get on with it! 

So the other day I sat down with my pattern paper and pens and scissors and got to work on a new journal pattern. Same size as before. Just a different style. I love the linen/cotton base cloth I've found and wanted to develop a journal that will show off some of the smaller scale fabrics I have. And here is the finished result, complete with a new press stud closure. I love it! Drafting the pattern is always the most time consuming part, so now that's out of the way, I can get straight into cutting, sewing, ironing and finishing a big pile of these.

My first prototype was destined to be a gift for a friend who is about to have a baby. Here it is all wrapped and ready to go.

One idea crossed off the list. Countless more to go!

and that was sunday

Some images from the first Thread Den market day yesterday:

The main part of the market was held in the ballroom of the Lithuanian Club in North Melbourne. Such a great room (once your eyes adjusted to the low level lighting)! Imagine wood floors, chandeliers, fairy lights, and 50's and 60's music playing in the background. I was waiting to see some people dancing across the ballroom floor...

Of course, I can never leave a market empty handed. The above skirt was purchased from my next door neighbour so! indesign. I absolutely love it!

After Thread Den it was off to visit Penny at the Rose Street Artists Market. We had a bit of a wander through the market and I found these lovely pillowcases by Two Layers of Cells. How cute are they? You could choose either the mouse and the house (as above) or a mouse and some cheese. Hubert the rabbit and Pokey the red bear are getting used to their new housemate. 

Then it was home to make pizza and spend the evening with a friend, chatting into the small hours of the night. Why can't every day be Sunday? 

a funny childhood story

I am feeling a bit nostalgic tonight after reading this post over at Cravings Frocks.

This cookbook was a favourite for my sister and I. In the lead up to our birthdays (both in March) we would spend hours looking at all the pretty cakes, trying to decide which one we wanted. Poor Mum, she always did an amazing job at recreating the intricate details on some of the cakes - my favourite I think was the grandfather clock cake, with licorice hands and smarties all over the sides.

Anyhow, as I got a bit older, I decided I wanted to try and bake one of these cakes for myself. This was before I knew how baking actually worked. I decided to attempt the caterpillar cake. I mixed something up and stuck it under the grill. Needless to say it didn't turn out. As Mum was cleaning up the mess, the doorbell rang. Then I remembered I had invited 10 or so friends over from school for an impromptu party (there was meant to be cake, afterall). I hadn't mentioned that to Mum. She did a very good job of covering for me by whipping out some chips and other snacks (our family always had good snacks on hand). I felt a bit guilty after it all, as most of the kids bought me presents!

We live and learn. Thank you Mum. 

i heart: something's hiding in here

Today started like any other day. Wake Up. Have shower. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Read favourite blogs. I got to Design is Mine and my morning routine went out the window when I saw this photograph:

How divine! I scrolled down to find the image credit and discovered that this amazing living room belongs to the talented duo behind something's hiding in here, whose work I absolutely adore! 

Half an hour later I was still happily clicking away amongst their flickr photostream, oblivious to the fact I was now running really late for work! But this story has a happy ending - I made it to work on time, and I now get to share these inspiring photographs with you. How cute is the deer collection above the bed? And the swing? And the fairy lights on the ceiling beams? Ah I want my own loft! 

All images by something's hiding in here.  

zipping around

It's been busy, busy, busy around here this week. After a successful Sister's Market on Saturday, I am doing it all again this Sunday at the Thread Den market!

A new addition to the Rabbit & the Duck range are these smaller zip pouches - they are the perfect size for your keys, coins, makeup - or whatever else you want to use them for. It's hard to pick a favourite but so far the rooftops one featuring Lara Cameron's gorgeous hand screen printed fabric is out in front.

Need something to do after Sunday brunch? Pop into the Thread Den market!

Thread Den Market Day

Sunday 9th August

10am - 2pm

@ The Lithuanian Club

44 Errol Street

North Melbourne

Why not make a day of it and visit the Rose Street Artists Market in Fitzroy afterwards? They are now open on Sundays! I'll be doing just that : )

sunday stash: tiptoe through the tulips

This print has almost disappeared from my stash - you will find it featured on the scandinavian cutouts envelope clutch below (I have used it as the lining, and also for the button on the outside). A perfect match!

Fabric from Amitie.

Want to play along? Join Sunday Stash here.

The stash is getting bigger! View all the gorgeous fabrics here.