Back in the Tea Cosy making saddle!

 I've finally completed this tea cosy for an Opera singing friend who luckily loves pretty pink-ish things! I've had so much fun making this cosy, using blocks I cut for the second collection of home-wares I created for STORY online store, adding extra blocks and hand & freehand machine embroidered text that reads continuously "Home is where the heart is there's no place like Home".

These first two photos show the two largest sides and the following two images show the short ends...

I haven't stitched anything into the edges to add support, its just the thickness of all the fabrics and wool inter-lining that give structure when stitched right through. Its a very 'rustic' house shape and I love that its very personal and wonky...as if the inside furnishings of the house have turned themselves to the exterior of the house!


Nice detail of a pompom tassle....

Detail of hand embroidered text...

I love this photo, the shadow the cosy has made is really nice...

I think a tea cosy ought to have a 'body' and a personality to make it special. This is what I'm always hoping to achieve whenever I make a cosy. Its a way of endearing such an object to a person, especially if that person has no real love for things like tea cosies (This Opera singing friend has a passion for them too, so I have no concerns there!)-  in my attempt to make tea cosies part of a person's everyday life in a meaningful way, I invest a lot of humour, humility, grace, fortitude & warmth into each cosy I create...I hope they bring joy and long-lasting pleasure!

If you're Passing by....?

It's been a while since I posted anything and I haven't been making any tea cosies for a little while- the demands of motherhood and orders for bags and cushions have been taking up much of my time...as well as getting out in the fresh winter air and watching the trees change colour and leaves fall (my son Felix's favourite thing to do even though he cannot walk without holding my hands is to trot through the fallen leaves and kick them about, cackling and giggling all the time!! Its Very Cute!)

I'm currently finishing off three new tea cosies for private orders and it feels good to be back in the Land of all things Tea!

So while I stitch away on the cosies during any available moment I wanted to also post a call for the curious...

The fabulous online gallery/store I supply with work, STORY, is trying to get 1000 'Likes' on Facebook and so I thought I'd do my best to help out and spread the word.
If you would like to check out the lovely works on the website, and then mosey on over to their Facebook Page to hit the 'Like' button, they'll be very grateful for your interest and support.
And please feel free to pass on the link also and help STORY reach a wider audience.

STORY is offering a small thank you treat to those of us who spread the word too!

STORY online store is now open for business!

Drum-roll please!!!

Monique Germon's new and elegant online store called STORY is now up and running and features a collection I've designed and hand made for her including these cushions and the two tea cosies I posted images of here previously.

Monique's philosophy is so down-to-earth and centered on integrity and beauty and she generously offers free postage within Australia for any purchases and includes a packet of Green Patch seeds with every parcel! What a lovely thing to do! (International postage rates are calculated at time of purchase/checkout...so wherever you are in the world you can enjoy STORY too)

I'm so in love with Monique's shimmery Emilia Earhart collar and look forward to being one of her first customers myself...it'll be perfect to wear to my sister's wedding next week!

Here is some information from the source:

"S T O R Y is the curation of ideas through product, word & the exploration of a new kind of narrative.

We take pleasure in exhibiting the work of individuals who make a significant contribution through the production of exceptional art & design.

We also take great pleasure in exhibiting the brands of like-minded others that produce items that transcend conventional market standards.

S T O R Y reveres authenticity above all & pays homage to this as a style unto itself. In other words, were born rural and remain so.

Most importantly, we honour the act of storytelling as an art form.

M O N I Q U E  G E R M O N
P R O P R I E T O R  / C R E A T I V E  D I R E C T O R"

And the practical info:
 W W W . S T O R Y - T H E S T O R E . C O M
Site link: http://story-thestore.com/

Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Story/152910184735457

Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/#!/storythestore

SUMMER BUSINESS HOURS
Phone/email communications & mail outs / Tuesday - Thursday 11 - 5pm
ALL INTERNET TRADE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS a day / 7 DAYS a week

The STORY story continues....

This is the second tea cosy I've made for my wonderful friend Monique Germon's new online store called STORY, which is planned to launch in early January. Its part of a collection of two tea cosies and four cushions, made-to-order (there are a couple of each piece in stock already).
This image shows the inside of this cosy which I've lined with delicious hand printed Pippijoe of Melbourne hemp fabric, called 'Buds'.

 A few details....hand embroidered text on vintage linen mangle cloth....

 Duchess silk satin 'finial' and binding...

 The teapot is stitched and appliqued hemp denim...

 The 'front' of the cosy, which is a made-to-order piece.
If you'd like to know when STORY is online and live, please sign up for emailed notification on the STORY website.

HIGH TEA exhibition at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre

With the help of my fabulous mother, Claire Badcock, my partner Rainier and my very well behaved and patient little 5 month old son Felix.....I have finally finished the five tea cosies for the exhibition at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre which opened tonight...

Voila, a few pics of the finished tea cosies and if you'd like to see more please check out this collection on my flickr site.

The Teacosy* Revolution prepares to show itself in Melbourne

The exhibition at the start of December and hosted by Bundoora Homestead Art Centre is called HIGH TEA and this cosy is one of five I'm making for the show.

This tea cosy is called Teacosy* Number 31; Partido de te Sagrado del Madonna (Death & the Maiden) Cosy, and I've applied Aluminium Epoxy paint to a collection of vintage doylies and lace to recreate the silver effect from the Mexican Religeous Icon which is the inspiration for this piece.



A detail showing the fabric pens I used on white leather to draw images I don't have time to embroider...




I'll post more information about the exhibition in a few more weeks.

Let me introduce you...

To our new little boy, Felix William Anatole Badcock-Howe, born on the 8th July just before tea time!



He lights up our lives every morning an is the most glorious child, we feel really blessed....and terribly in awe of what we've made together, Rainier & I!

Warmth & sunshine to you all! xxxxxx

Anatomy of a Tea Cosy commission, June 2010, FINITO!

Well, I feel it's finished!

The sides are hand-stitched together with a double layer of back and overcast stitch (using upholstery weight Gutermann thread), before the silk binding is stitched around the edges as the final touch.

I've used Hemp denim as the lining as its nice and durable and can withstand tea stains, etc! So here are the images....

Anatomy of a Tea Cosy commission, March, Stage 3

I've freehand machine embroidered the outline of the peony flower, slightly different from the one on the previous cosy because I really like the shapes of the petals.
Now I'm working on the hand embroidered 'colouring-in' bits before I embroider the three blue wrens and the client's initials so this side will be done and I can get onto the other side.



Close-up of the stitching...

New cushions for 'Hilbarn New Vintage' store in Tasmania

A friend of mine, talented journalist Hilary Burden, and her partner Barney have opened a lovely little country store called Hilbarn New vintage, at Karoola in Northern Tasmania...and she asked me to make her some cushions for the store (and a magazine feature! Yay, I hope these cushions work well for her and the photographer?!)

Hilbarn also has a fabulous Fresh Produce Delivery service in and around Launceston and this is something I feel passionately about....and just wish we lived a little closer to town to enjoy the benefits of this service (luckily we have productive vegetable gardens and fruit orchards at both our parent's places which we can raid regularly!).



Hand and freehand machine embroidery on silk, with jacquard woven hemp backing and Australian feather inserts, each cushion measures 60 x 30cm.


I'm really pleased with how the Peony Teapot cushion worked out...its quite hard to see this one go away, actually!

Tea Cosies brewing in my mind....

Wow, this is turning into a once-a-month blog since I started being a baby-cosy!
At the moment I'm making work to fill orders and luckily there are three tea cosies on order which I'm working on right now....

I had a stall at The Market in Hobart last Sunday and found a very good home for my 1930's Kitchen Cupboard Cosy, which has a lovely new owner. I always feel so happy when coises find their owners!

Also at The Market I had some lovely new purses...coin cosies!!

T for Teapot


W for Willow Pattern


The inspiration for these purses are some old Victorian era wooden alphabet blocks with printed paper sides I found in a junk shop years ago.

Can't wait to upload pics of new cosies, hopefully next week!

Blogerama- sharing the love!

I've been getting lots of publicity for my work recently and featured in the February issue of Australian House & Garden magazine, and now in the March issue of Notebook magazine, alongside some very inspirational women like the talented & glamorous owner of Melbourne store & blog Meet Me At Mike's, Pip Lincoln.

A friend also pointed out to me that I've been seen on some global blogs too:
Gypsy Village & Brabourn Farm, which is very glam!

Two of my Teacosy* Revolution Tea Cosies have also found new homes with friends in Tasmania: the very talented jeweller Anita Dineen has become the proud owner of Teacosy* Number 9, and origami whizzes Sam & Maya of Hideyo Designs have chosen Tea Time Teacosy*, which is great!

So this is just an update to let you know what's been happening lately!
And to finish this post I'd like to show you a really great packaging design on my favourite TICK TOCK brand Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus Linearis).

Think I'll put the kettle on.......

Bienvenue chez 2010!!

A slow & calm start to the year, which is very uncharacteristic of me and matches my slower pace of life now I'm pregnant. I'm learning to embrace the transformation process and not feel guilty that I don't want to work 28 hours straight on an embroidery anymore!!

A couple of exciting things have happened to start the year off and they are:

A five page feature on my work, my home and me in Australian House & Garden magazine (February issue out now), from page 54,

AND

A couple of my Summer collection cushions are featured on page 46 in Vogue Living Jan/Feb 2010, in an image of the wonderful Monique Germon's POP-UP CO-OP store project with Sarah King & Tamara Maynes, in Bowral, New South Wales. My 'Tea For Life' cosy is in the second image.



Images courtesy of Monique Germon at PUBLIC OFFICE.

On the tea cosy front I have several half-finished cosies which greet me every morning and are just asking to be finished....so I'm working away at some retail orders and once they're done and mailed off I can 'treat' myself to some tea cosy stitching!
Can't wait!! I do wish there were more hours in each day and that I could afford to employ people to sew for me as well...this WILL happen, maybe next year if I don't lose my mind being a mother ;-)(Do I sound slightly apprehensive?!)

Living Creatively online feature

Living Creatively is an online editorial showcasing textile exhibitions, events, contemporary craft, and all things groovy to do with stitching and is based in Australia.

This month's feature is on me and my tea cosies!

They've really done an amazing article and used loads of pics....
I'm very honoured!


This image is of 'Joce's Platypus Cosy' and a C.J. Denis book of Australian vernacular poetry at the Lone Pine Memorial site in Turkey, taken in 2005.

Tea Bags!

I've recently been making tea themed purses for retailers and to take to market to sell...and jiggedy-jig the ones that came back are now posted on my Etsy store until the end of August.

I've made them all lovingly by hand and the images on each purse I have freehand machine embroidered and then added to with hand embroidered details in most cases. Each purse has a leather or heavy-duty and tactile (velvety), fabric backing, with cotton or linen lining. All the details are with the images on my Etsy Store in case anyone is interested?

There are more images of other purses and bags in this series on my flickr site too, for your viewing pleasure...

Now I have to make 20 tea cosies for an exhibition in Morpeth, New South Wales, for mid-August, as well as a clothing collection for the DEBUT exhibition at Melbourne's Fashion Exposed! Busy busy busy....
Never too busy for a cup of tea though!

Morning Tea with French macaroons

My sister Renee was on France recently for a figure (ice) skating competition near Grenoble (she came 5th and 6th for something...representing Australia!!)



So Renee came to visit when she got back from Europe and brought some Macaroons with her...the colours are surreal!!


Enjoyed with a nice cup of Mariage Freres Ceylan Tea...it was so lovely of Renee to bring these treats all the way back....

Current Exhibition

CRAFTY is an exhibition curated by Catherine Badcock and includes a tea cosy artwork of mine, recently posted on my blog.

I'll post images from the exhibition after this weekend.

The Battleship Potemkin, the real thing and an Italian parody...

I first saw a version of "Stick Figure Theater: Sergei Eisenstein's silent classic 'The Battleship Potemkin'," an animation in the early 1990's, and I loved it so much...I've tried to find it on youtube and online in general, and it seems to be deleted, or just not available to even add a link to, which is really sad.

'Stick Figure Theater' was part of Liquid Television, showcasing some really stunning hand drawn (stop-?)animation work, such as the seminal Aeon Flux and Speedbump the Roadkill Possum.
These two examples aren't everyone' cup of tea, so a general 'tasteless and potentially offensive' warning, if you're not a fan of animated violence and cartoon gruesomeness then perhaps don't watch these.









I think this classic film has come back to me now as I've just completed the rest of the 'Teacosy* Number (Untold number of deaths?); Journey through the debris of conflict Cosy', 2009 which now has a freehand machine embroidered tank on the other side of it.