Lots of lightsahdes

There has been a big delivery of douglas & hope lightshades into the shops,

with all new lovely and colorful fabrics, $110 each.

Lovely Pewter

We have more lovely pewter in store, all hand made in the US....

there is also more of the bird measuring spoon sets which sold out very quickly last time.

All pewter is lead free.

in the 'hood

If you are coming to our SALE this weekend,

while you are in the neighbourhood pop around the corner to Penelope Durstons new store "Cottage Industry".

She is a very clever lady......

Cottage Industry
67 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. 3065
tel. 419 2430

CLEARANCE SALE

For anyone in Melbourne this weekend, there is one of our BIG sales on.

It is on Friday 18th 2-6pm
Saturday 19th 10-6pm
Sunday 20th 11-4pm

At 184 brunswick Street, Fitzroy.(opposite our shop)
There is lots of Summer and Winter clothing, homewares, bath and kids stuff.....
at great prices.....

La Fonda

vitra.com

Well it seems there is quite a bit of copying of peoples work going on out there......

and as much as we all love the internet, it does distribute images of your work all over the world,

so no longer do you have to worry about it happening locally but overseas as well.

It just boils down to wanting 'original' work or 'copies' of the original, like all the designer furniture being sold at the moment thats made in China...

sure it might look great, but I'd rather sit in my authentic Eames chairs any day..............

A friend recently wanted to go and buy 6 of the 'fake' Eames chairs.... I told her to go and buy 1 real one instead.....

Talking about Eames, Vitra has resumed production of the La Fonda Armchair, which was originally designed for the La Fonda de Sol restaurant in New York in 1961.......

Quandery

kimono quilt SOLD

I am in a bit of a quandery,
I know I have promised to post photos of my quilts,
but I have decided not to.... I think.
I have had trouble in the past of people copying them, and I know this is difficult when they are all one offs,
but I have devoloped my own style and mix of fabrics, and this is what has been emulated by others.
I just feel very nervous about putting them out there.
So I am very sorry, if anyone else has had issues of copying, please let me know,
I am interested in hearing about it.
It is meant to be the highest form of flattery, but it feels more like being violated.
All my quilts are available in store.

new plastic purses

There is finally new fabrics available in our ever popular plastic purses,

prices start at $20 for the coin purse and go through to $65 for the cosmetic/nappy size.

All things bright and beautiful

Felicity from www.creativeflairchic.blogspot.com has ever so kindly written up a little piece on douglas & hope.
It can be seen at http://creativeflairchic.blogspot.com/2008/03/beautiful-weekend-reading.html
I wish I knew how to do the link thing, but I'm still a beginner! sorry

robbie, fred & buck

robbie the rhino

fred the moose

buck the deer

These animal puzzles are made from 100% recycled cardboard,
come flat packed and require assembling.
There are 3 sizes and they start at $25

Quilts are in

cotton/kimono quilt march 2008 SOLD

There are quilts back in the shops....

and more due in next week,

for those of you waiting to see images I will post some next week....

Measuring Spoons

We have just received from The US more of the gorgeous hand made measuring spoons we had before Christmas,
I think they sold out in 2 days last time!
$120 a set.

Little Horn

Our 'Winter' Little Horn is in, and the babies stuff is as cute as ever......

Blackboards

This pic gives an idea of the sizes, and that just happens to be Rocket, one of my twin boys.


We have a new blackboard shape, the Apple.

It only comes in the large size which is about 900 x 900mm.

We also have the Large trees back in for those waiting on them.

Quilt Update

Quilt by Cathy Hope-SOLD

We are getting close now,

there should be some quilts in the shops in the next week or so....

It's taken a bit longer than I thought, but they are definately on the way....

Tiny Mammoth

Isn't this just the cutest kids print?

Its the very clever Beci Orpin's kids range Tiny Mammoth,

it was called baby Princess Tina, but is now Tiny Mammoth,

and its still as cute as ever, and we have this new range in the Fitzroy store now.

(Easter) Bunnies

Well these are not really easter bunnies, but they could be?

just for a week or so!

they are from Vietnam and are traditional lacquer ware...

we have 5 colors and they are $49 each....

African American Quilts

The quilters, I would love to meet/have met these ladies.....


Pearlie Posey


Sarah Mary Taylor-Pearlie Posies daughter


Mozell Benson



Jewell Allen with his log cabin quilt, Tennessee 1983


Here is a look at some quilts from a book I bought years ago and just adore.

Its called Signs and Symbols. African Images in African American Quilts, by Maude Southwell Wahlman.

Most of the quilts shown are from Maudes private collection, she has written books, exhibition catalogs and more than 30 article since 1972 on African American quilts.

As you can see, most of them are made from old clothing and flour sacks were used as linings.

To quote Mozell Benson who believes that "quilting is linked to the thrift and industry that characterize rural black Southern life.
"After I got married and had my own family (10 children), then I got into quilting because we had to have covers, people gave me pieces of material that they wern't going to use, and I could always find use for it because we had to have covers. And then a lot of times pieces would be large enough that I could make the girls a dress, the boys a shirt, and take the scraps and put them in quilts."

here are just a few of my favorites


Log Cabin quilt by Sarah Mary Taylor, Yazoo City, Mississippi 1984


Strip quilt by Catherine Somerville Alabama 1940


Log Cabin quilt by Mozell Benson, Alabama 1979



Everybody quilt by Pearlie Posey

Pearlie Posey "From a little girl I just pieced.... Everywhere I never stopped making quilts."
Pearlie made quilts for her children explaining "Then if the Lord take me and leave you... I say you'll have some covers."


Log Cabin quilt by Mozell Benson 1984

Karen Walker

Karen Walker tees have arrived, and some badges,

the rest of the range is still to come....

here are a couple....

Tom Ripon Sculptures

I have tried and tried to take a photo of the Tom Ripon sculptures we have in the shops,

but they just don't look as good as in the flesh,

the one of the horses head below was emailed to me from someones phone, I have no idea who it was or why they did it?

Something

Well it's going to be 32 degrees tomorrow and all the shops are full of Winter stock.... so crazy....

We have received Something Winter '08 and along with knits there is also a great range of tee's.

Here's a few of them.....