100 followers, 200 posts

This week, I realised I had made 199 posts, and had 101 followers. One of those is me - somehow I managed to follow my own blog! So, today is the 200th post and 100 (actual) followers.
April has been a tough but fantastic month - our first month of the new business, dealing with the inevitable ups and downs of getting started, then my camera dying. With some really good photos on it too darn it. Which is why I have been a little dull this month.
BUT, we have a new wizzy gig camera, which makes a satisfying clicking sound when you snap a photo. I find this deeply satisfying, being such a dinosaur hehehe. And to show you how superior this new camera is compared with the old one, here are some pictures:

 A stunning array of gifts from precious people. Card lovingly made by Joy, and full of lovely messages from my ex-work colleagues. Teapot from Maz, sooo pretty! Teapot vase with roses from Nicola in the UK, and amazing tape measure tea towel from my lovely stepkids and their Mum.

Bling attack!!!! Wineglasses of gorgeous rhinestone daisies and dragonflies, so pretty. I am going to stick some on my mirror. And the irresistible sparkle of sparkle tulle, and sparkly organza ribbon roses on clips.
The wonderful Hine has lined our old oak china cabinet with shiny silver foil, so it now looks like a fabulous 1920's cocktail cabinet!
Life is not all shiny shop things though. :)  It is so nice to have a decent camera again. And I have a 'guilty shelf' in my office for things I buy that if I am totally honest, are more about my own desire to OWN them than because they belong in my shop. Hmm, I feel a give away coming on...
Love you all! Mxo

Our first class!

Well, tonight Made on Marion hosted its very first class. Claire from the Vanity Case took six gorgeous women through the process of making themselves up, 1920's style. With the most interesting commentary on the reason the makeup style evolved. 

I was over the other side of the shop putting my range of iDyes out (SQUEEE!!!) and it was such a lovely way to spend an hour - listening to Claire while sorting my iDye into colour order.

So two firsts - first class and first shipment of one of the best dyes ever. A certain brand had dye gone, shoved unceremoniously into a basket for likely flogging off, and now we have Rit and iDye in our all purpose line up to complement the specialist wool and silk dyes. 

And what a bevy of lovelies we ended up with!

Actually they were lovely in the first place, but by the end they were specifically 1920's-1930's lovely. And I got the impression that everyone had a lovely time too! :)

United against disposable stuff!

I don't live a perfectly ecological life, far from it. But like most of us who have a half an eye on the planet, I have my particular obsessions.
My peeve is with disposable stuff. I avoid using disposable anything, even if it is biodegradable, because I figure there is always another way. After all, we got by for centuries without disposable products.
Anyway, I cannot do without the makeup pads to put my toner on each morning and it was a burden on my conscience, so recently I decided to try and make a reusable pad.

 These little cuties are prototypes I've been trying out. Scraps of quilting cotton sandwiching a cotton batting inner, zigzagged around the edge (zigzag first, cut after), and a stitchline through the middle. All made of offcuts.

They're doing a great job! I use a side each day, and then throw them in the wash, where they take up not a single bit of extra resource, of course.

They are a little more abrasive than cotton wool pads, but I actually like that. I thought about using a flannel fabric, but was concerned that it would leave traces of fluff on my skin.
And I was going to bag them in and be all fancy, but a friend suggested I just zigzag around the edge, easy peasy. It works.
The only issue left is how to stop them creeping into the front of the washing machine, where they escape the spin cycle and come out soaking wet!

Week one of Made on Marion

I have never been so tired in my life! Oh wait, yes I have. Every first week of every new job. It's so easy to forget how much energy it takes to learn something from new. :)
On Sunday it was my birthday and our first day of actual ownership, so we had a working bee with cake, and many wonderful friends turned up to help rearrange the entire shop. Of course, I didn't know where to begin so I was very relieved when my dear friend Ross turned up and took over. Ross who designed my fabulous kitchen and is a spatial genius. He also somehow managed to avoid being in any photos!
The amazing Sarah took lots of photos that delight me so I'm just going to pop a whole lot in here to hopefully delight you too:

 Perfect white hearts. I think they are a bit odd but come Christmas time we're going to have fun turning them into beautiful tree decorations

 Cane, cane, cane.

 Craft or alchemy?

 I love the heads! The wall below it is now completely different, and crammed with crafty goodness :)

 Lots and lots of ways to string beads, pendants and bone carvings. 

 My indulgence - little sugar paste flowers. Claire and Zoe donned gloves and bagged these up for the shop.

Action shot. Me at counter doing??? The Embroidenator cleaning a window sill. And she is teaching 3D flower making too! What a mother, what a woman! :)

So this is where I am every day. It's fun and hard and fabulous and scary all at once. No wonder I am tired ;-)

Made on Marion Classes now ready to book!

At last we have a class schedule, taking us through until the end of June. It will be on the website as soon as Emily, Goddess of Things Websitey, can make it happen. In the meantime, do email me: classes (at) mademarioncraft (dot)co (dot) nz for a copy and if you want to join the email list.
Classes include an entire School of Vintage Sewing under the tutelage of our fabulous Dreamstress, Leimomi, vintage hair and makeup with Claire of The Vanity Case, the Embroidenator is teaching 3-D flower making, we even have basket weaving with the talented Pam Ritchie.
And then, there's me. Tea cosies, aprons, Absolute Beginners Sewing, Hat making - you of all people will not be surprised I have chosen these things!
Ideas for classes very welcome.
Also for locals, Open studio is Wednesday night after work until 9pm. Bring a project and settle in. If you or anyone you know has a baby and would love to get out and meet other crafters where you can take Bubs, Wednesday morning is your time.
Must fly, those reels of cotton won't count themselves!
UPDATE: The schedule is now on the website (Thanks Em!!)

The Shop, before its makeover

I have to be honest and say that I love this shop just as it is. While it is more like a hardware store in its utilitarian style, for serious craftpersons, it IS their hardware store. They don't want to be distracted by the siren call of some new activity, they just want the tool/product/whatsit that they want, end of.
Here are some photos:

 Looking from near the front to the back. Note the hardwood floors... *swoon*

 Looking from back to the front. Brick walls, more swooning.

Our classroom, currently a stockroom, which a friend described as having a New York Loft Vibe. Cor!!!

Like many shops, it is deep not wide, but with windows on several sides, the electric light is nicely supplemented by plenty of daylight. It's going to be fun!

Today MrC and I helped out with the massive job of stocktaking. At least two more days of counting - polystyrene eggs, brass tubes, hanks of embroidery cotton and tapestry wool, corks, beads (bags of, not individual!) and sooooo on. A great way to get to know the stock :) Which is thinning out nicely, I might add. More later!

Sofa lovin'

This weekend, MrC and I escaped to our favourite weekend getaway, Martinborough. Not just because we are lushes who love nothing more than go to wineries, taste the wines, buy the wines and bring them home and drink them, nonono. That's just PART of the attraction!
The weather is great. The cafes are great. And it has quirky shops, which given how tiny the town is, I'm amazed that I keep discovering. My latest find is Graham and Sons, Upholsterers.
Not only is the Son who served us a bit of a hottie, he is also a master craftsman, and a man, I feel, of great Taste in Furniture.
I present in support of this theory Exhibit A:

A typical bergere suite, as found in Grandparents' front rooms all over this green and pleasant land. Including my mother's, which the one above is NOT, I might add. This was a random on trademe, and excellent buying at $150 for the whole suite.
The trouble with these lovely and compact and elegant suites is that the cane in the arms and back busts, and once it has gone, there's no fixing it. But our Son of Graham had an idea:

 Remove cane bits and upholster instead, of course!

 Not a fan of 1960's mahogany, he also distressed the frame. I love it!

A truly smart piece of furniture that honours its provenance. I'm not totally sold on the neutral ikat fabric but I love the idea, and it is an upholstery project not beyond a smart person with a few clues.
Now wouldn't the olive cut velour horror in the first photo come up a treat with this kind of overhaul!