Kintsugi is the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with a special lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The process creates an object more beautiful than before. Embracing the flawed and imperfect as it tells of a journey/history.

When it rains, the moss fills the cracks in the concrete.

the birds and the bees

peachy, plum pear, autumn instagram

grapes before they were jellied / avocado doing its best / sunset

staying with the best of friends / handmade mug / lemon verbena tea

love-in-a-mist /  east coast penguin territory / velvet curtain banner

Pecha Kucha Christchurch #19

Pecha Kucha Night is a terrific event where 20 speakers present 20 slides for 20 seconds each. The evening is a total blast with fast-paced, concise information/entertainment being thrown at you by a bunch of talented people. And I totally jumped at the chance to design the latest poster for Christchurch.



The theme this time is the performing arts, which for me meant painting tiny acrobats and magicians. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Locals - get along to this! I know 6 of the speakers and I promise you, they will deliver - comedy, facts, art and glitter.

You can view previous nights from Christchurch and other cities all over the world on the Pecha Kucha website.

Hope You're Feline Better

So we all know I'm terrible at regular blog posts, but we will all forgive me as I have been painting orange fluffy cats.

Available in my Etsy shop and my newly stocked Felt shop. Links are over here ----------------------------->


Heard some nice feedback the other day..
Billy Connolly was in Christchurch a couple of weeks ago and went for a bit of a wander through Re:Start Mall stopping in at Hapa where he saw my cards. The lovely ladies sent me an email to let me know he bought one of each design and roared with laughter - particularly over Owl Be Your Baby Tonight.
I felt very, very chuffed.

Thanks Mr Connolly for making a small little business swell with pride!

A new animal, a new pun

Available very soon - Wish You Were Hare postcards.

Going out to all my adventurous country hopping friends.

(hopping... get it? ha!)

picking up the things that fall

Sweet-pea seeds, $2 for 30. They've been a sellout. 

Seed-in-a-pod, Love-in-a-mist.

A sneaky cutting from the local park - lemon verbena. 

Put some leaves in hot water for a delicious tea. 

Now to grow my own plant to curb the sneaky cuttings.

For our wedding, Gareth and I were utterly spoiled by our incredibly talented friends. They helped with everything! People donated tablecloths, fairy lights, jars, napkins, flowers, seeds, plates, glasses, their skills and time - including our wonderful friend and photographer Emma Brittenden (go take a peek around her site).
Without them the day couldn't have happened. Such marvellous people, we owe you big time.

This banner was made for the day itself but now hangs above our bed.
Thank you, my dearest Annie.

Community classes.

For several months I have been going to pottery classes - every monday, just after lunch, with a mixture of women, at the Risingholme Community Centre.

I think I touched clay just a handful of times while at university and have always been very nervous around it - the cracking, oh the cracking! It seemed my hands could suck the moisture out of a watermelon. But now ... ho ho! I love it.

I've even had a go on the wheel and it feels like magic.





A couple more photos on my Instagram.. *bowls, and cups.



* I now understand why there is such ugly pottery filling the secondhand shops - glazing is a mysterious, uncontrollable, full-o-surprises beast. These turned out completely different to how I intended.  Learning, learning.

The last of the roses softness.
Making a scarf.

Shop Me Pretty and Lost & Found

Tomorrow I will be at Shop Me Pretty!
Come along to this Twilight Garden Fete (2-7pm) and browse some lovely stalls.
It's a gold coin entry, which includes a glass of bubbles.
Last chance to enjoy the outdoors before the cyclone hits - eep.

 

By the following saturday (22nd) the weather will have perked up again so I will be at the Lost & Found market (10-3.
Usually held at CPIT this time it will be under the arches at the Pallet Pavillion.
Definitely come to this one, Lost & Found is one of the best curated markets in Christchurch. 

My cat likes to sit in lakes

This picture doesn't quite capture the cuteness that was House sitting in our driveway lake having a drink then slowly wading out. 
Christchurch is coming out of a two day storm. Lots of flooding, rivers busting their seams.
Makes me feel like painting.

Dreaming on a crater rim

We have just returned from a weekend wander around the volcanic hills of Banks Peninsula.
A belated honeymoon - and generous gift from Gareth's family; we slept in a valley under a tin roof and shooting stars; dined fancifully and deliciously in Akaroa township; watched baby pukeko stretch their legs; and feasted on many a picnic in a chorus of birds and cicadas.





Apparently this year heaps of cicadas emerged en masse - they were deafening, and so drunk on sunshine and life they happily bumbled into our heads.
 



The two photos below were taken on the Hinewai Reserve which we discovered as we took the scenic drive home. The reserve is 1230 hectares of gorse (I learnt all about it's positive attributes - native seedlings thrive in its shadow, don't ya know) and regenerating native bush. It includes 20 walking tracks open to the public and a great hut for overnight stays. Such a marvellous place.



 

I'm a Little Blue without you.

On this fair and fine Valentine's Day I would like to introduce this guy!



 The Little Blue Penguin (Korora, or if you're Australiain - Fairy Penguin) is the smallest species of penguin, growing to the adorable size of 33 centimetres.

This wee card is perfect if you are missing someone.
Has your best buddy just moved to Timbuktu? Has your favourite flatmate moved out? Does your mum live in Saudi Arabia? (hi ma! Happy Valentine's Day!)

Buy the card in my etsy shop or if you live in Christchurch come along to the Celebrate Sunday Market every week at the corner of Cashel and High St.

7 MONTHS LATER...

Seven months have passed since I last called in. But oh what a few months they have been.
I went to Europe, I saw a double rainbow, befriended a family of ducks, had a wedding, went to the beach, made some more cards and grew many flowers.