Shokay

Today we were out walking after taking our son to the doctor - he's on the mend - and my husband spotted an item that screamed "I need to join Eloise's wardrobe", and so it did, just like that!

A beautiful 100% yak wool hood by Shokay, like a suit of armour in bright colours (see picture left, though without the fur). Finally something to satisfy my need for a new headpiece for winter that is stylish and cosy.
The shop is full of divine handknits, all made from 100% Tibetan yak wool and knitted by hand in China by a women's collective.
And then there are beautiful, comfy, huge inviting cushions in various fabrics, that were an instant hit with Benedikt.

The showroom is tucked into the Fasanen Passage between Uhland and Fasanenstrasse in Wilmersdorf/Charlottenburg and Audrey Heppner, the owner, can be contacted on 030 8892 9223.

d.nik

d.nik spells "Kind" backwards, or child in German. This is the funkiest children's shop I have seen for a while! Full of beautifully selected design, toys & furniture for children, such as Scandinavian classic marimekko and American design genius Charley Harper (puzzles and counting books), it is bright, fun, playful and eco-friendly.

I fell in love with a knitted cubbyhouse, a cardboard castle, books and well, so many other things!

Wörther Strasse 14, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauerberg
Open Mon-Fri 10.00-19.00
Sat 10.00-18.00

Textile Arts Center New York

Sometimes I wish I could just snap my fingers and be in say NY. The wonderful-sounding Textile Arts Center, where I was in Joetta Maue's group show "From the Tongue" earlier this year, is currently indulging in an interactive knitting show Virgin Knitters, with Kimberly Hall.

It's Brooklyn based and booming and is even taking applications for studio rentals - now that's something I would dive for if I lived in NY and was not having a baby right now on the other side of the Atlantic!

Textile Arts Center
505 Carroll Street
Brooklyn (Park Slope), 11215 NY

Tel: +718 - 369 0222

paper delights and fruit

I have just been out in the deep snow (well, at least 10cm or more) for a photography wander around our local church place... and finally I had time to enter a boutique which I have looked at longingly many times on my way somewhere.

It's a beautiful paper & bookbinding atelier, called Atelier Tiemeyer, run by Ria Tiemeyer, pictured. It is full of temptations to woo the paperlover and booklover. Her hand screen-printed paper envelopes, wrapping papers and books are divine.

I also fell for the work of artist Miriam Schmid, who makes beautiful paper fruit in a basket...

Pariser Strasse 15
10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Mon-Fri 10 - 18.30
Sat 11-14

Knopf & Schnalle

Also in my neighbourhood is Knopf & Schnalle, literally Button & Buckle, a sewing accessories shop that has been in business for 44 years, under the ownership of Monika Schönfelder.

She has a very good selection of buttons, threads and various other applications for sewing. Her tiny shop is orderly and fitted with original wooden Güttermann thread dispensers which made my heart swoon!

Great for the last minute button need as I am making baby clothes for friends at the moment...

Uhlandstrasse 56,
10719 Berlin
tel/fax: 030 883 8473

Mon-Fri 9 - 18 Uhr
Sat 10 - 14 Uhr

Idee

I have found heaven on Earth and it's close to my new home over West!!

Idee is the luxury department store KaDeWe's creative and craft market, filled with every imaginable thing you could possibly need to make whatever you can dream up. It reminds me of a smaller exclusively craft version of Tokyu Hands, (amazing department store for all things do-it-yourself in Tokyo).

How could I have not known about this place before now? Wonderfully exciting.

from the tongue

I am delighted to be one of many artists showing in Joetta Maue's exhibition from the tongue, showcasing contemporary works on paper and fibre art using text, opening on 24th June 2010 at Lotus Gallery Space, 34 North Moore St, Tribeca, NY, New York.

Please drop in if you live in NY between 8-10pm on the Thursday 24th June for the opening. The show runs until 6 August, which gives you plenty of time to visit it once or twice, or even thrice!

I cannot make it this time for the opening due to my imminent wedding and moving house, but I will most definitely be there in spirit and my glove works will be proudly representing me there, and oh so happy to be travelling across the Atlantic!

Touch wood rings

our rings are African Blackwood outside and lined with greyed Maple. The rings pictured below are examples of other possibilites amongst many!


Being true nature sprites, my husband-to-be and I chose to have beautiful wooden wedding rings (top picture) handcrafted by David Finch in Canada. He and his charming wife Nicola run Touch Wood Rings and live in a natural oasis where they are really careful to tread lightly on the Earth.

We are thrilled with our rings which are acclimatising to German air temperature at the moment from their flight over the seas, before the big day.

For the warmth and beauty of wood, and for those willing to care for their rings like they will their marriage, these are a beautiful option for an alternative wedding ring... There are many woods to choose from and inlays are possible too.
http://www.warmthofwood.blogspot.com/

Tatau Obscur

Just around the corner from our place is a wonderfully exotic and gorgeous tattoo parlour, and I mean "parlour" in the old fashioned sense, called Tatau Obscur. Run by Berit Uhlhorn, pictured, it is a deliciously decorated feast for the eyes, part kind of 1950s diner/café, part exotica boutique, part art gallery downstairs and tattoo parlour upstairs. Every detail has been considered so that you literally walk into a "world".

Some seriously talented female resident tattooists work alongside guest artists and the outcome is without fail unique and yes, obscure!

Feather Fascinators with Ruby Rouge

Today I met a gorgeous British girl who goes by the name Ruby Rouge. She was teaching me and another lovely artist Leena how to make our first feather fascinator. Ruby had a very successful London business for Burlesque accessories and has now relocated to Berlin to pursue other creative interests. We had great fun rummaging in her vast treasure box to create a little bit of fantasy, me for my upcoming wedding and Leena for use in her painting work.

Next on the list is how to make Nippel Tassels!

Good advice from an Etsian

I loved this advice to take your Artist self to your day job (office) from Etsian Summer Pierre. For those of us, me included, who would so love to be able to live and thrive from our creations, this is sound advice until that day comes into being.

For me, when I dress up to express my true inner self, then I am happiest, for sure. Whatever your art is, live it, be it, all the time, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. Thanks Summer, for the reminder!

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780399535642?aff=etsy

play

I had one of those moments this morning when your soul cries out for some play and fantasy - a clear case of my inner child needing some attention... So I made her the mask we bought in Sydney on holidays! Even for someone who is fairly well in touch with her inner child, it reminded me to make time to play with her... keeps you young, I promise.

A wonderful book (amongst many out there) exploring this area further is Recovery of Your Inner Child by Lucia Cappachione - it helped me enormously several years ago to open up this realm.

Object Gallery

This may well be my last stop on this tour of my birth city Sydney, before I fly back to Berlin and bury myself in the snow to create my own brand of treasure.

Another must-see on my Sydney list is always Object Gallery, home of all things design and craft in a beautiful, light, round gallery in trendy Surry Hills. It is always beautifully curated and the little shop Collect on street level as you enter sells a great selection of handmade treasure by internationally respected Aussie craftspeople and designers.

417 Bourke Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010

Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday)
11am - 6pm

Papermade Heaven

This one is for my sister in Sydney... This little shop tucked in a side street of trendy Mitte in Berlin was introduced to me by a good friend here, with a fellow passion for all things beautiful. Scatolina is a boutique devoted to paper and here you can find all sorts of treasure... handmade, cutout, japanese, italian, european, books, journals, mobiles, lights, wrapping paper, anything you can dream of to feed your paper needs and desires... There's no website so you simply have to visit! Go forth and revel...

Almstadtstrasse 3, 10119 Berlin Mitte
Tel: 030 200 89 393
Scatolina@t-online.de

Mon - Fri 12-7pm, Sat 12-4pm

Agata Olek

I have just discovered, through my friend Liz, the wondrously creative, colourful, eccentric, playful, inventive world of Polish born artist Agata Olek. Her work spans sculpture, installation, costumes for performers and more, and is crocheted, using largely recycled materials. It has moved me with its pure creative energy and wonder and cheek. Check it out! She's collaborating this month in New York with choreographer Carrie Ahern at The Lab Gallery.

My Etsy Shop

Today I opened shop online with Etsy... Yeehah! So you can now buy my handmade creations you may have seen on my website. Enjoy!

Joetta Maue

Today I discovered a fellow text embroidering artist Joetta Maue, who lives in Brooklyn New York, and whose artist statement on her website made me cry with a sense of recognition and silent complicity... another kindred spirit is out there!

Not only is she a word embroidering artist but also a medium format photographer! Spooky, but oh so lovely this kind of sychronicity...

I love her blog also... will be keeping an eye on this little yellow birdy and who knows, maybe one day our work will hang in the same space?