Saturday, June 15, 2013

100

Life is busy, with lots of things going on. I'm off to a market on 7th July, so the kitchen table has not been seen for a few weeks! I'd read about The Hottie Project on Lisa's blog, which is all about making hot water bottle covers to keep children in Christchurch snuggly and warm this winter. Having spent about seven winters myself in Christchurch, I know it can get a bit cold, and add into the mix houses that have still not been fixed since the earthquakes, I know its a bit of a miserable time for some people. So hopefully my hottie cover will cheer someone up this winter.


I wanted to make a unisex cover, so chose a lovely soft gray jumper that I'd felted.  I'd never made a hottie cover before, but it really is quite easy with Lisa's template, or using a hottie as a guide.

We use wheat bags to warm our beds, which are heated in the microwave with a glass of water (a very important detail). No electric blankets around here! I love my wheat bags - yes I need three strategically placed about my person, and in the morning, if I haven't kicked them out, they are still warm. Here are some I made last year from a flanalette pillowcase.

When I'd finished the hottie cover there was enough left overs to make a pencil case. I've been making them like this for a year now, but felt like a change, so the rest I've made have different faces. It's more work, so I might have to put the price up slightly, it's so hard to calculate how long each one takes, I'm sure I have a very low hourly rate! 





I had to find time to finish off a small painting (A4 size) which is a donation to the Suter Art Gallery's redevelopment fundraiser. I did the background at art group, but it took me a few days to work out where to from there.  In the end I masked off the shapes and used white oilstick on the background. I've titled it "Glimpses", and have now got some other ideas for larger paintings.



There are quite a few other things going on in "life" which I'll not bore you with. Before I knew how busy this month was going to be I signed up for the 100 Days Project, where I'm doing a quick Sharpie drawing every day.  Seven days done, 93 to go! Some days I've found it easy, and others are harder, it's definitely a challenge!  Here is Day 1's drawing. If you want to check out the others take a peek here.



While on the theme of 100 - this is my 100th blog post. I've actually been putting off writing it, as thought I should make more of a song and dance about such a milestone and hold a giveaway (like proper bloggers do!). But I haven't quite got myself that organised - yet! I would like to thank my faithful followers and especially those of you who write comments. Comments are great - I appreciate them so much, if I was a better blogger I'd reply individually to you all, but I'm not, so sorry about that.

I'll leave you with a sunrise, we've been having some crackers lately, and heading towards the shortest day of the year I don't even have to get up early to appreciate them. Excuse the power lines but I was in my pjs and slippers and wasn't venturing off the deck to get the perfect shot!




6 comments:

  1. Hi Sally, Thanks so much for contributing to the Hottie Project. Your cover is ADORABLE! ... and how about those sweet pencil cases.. wow, gorgeous. xx

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  2. I wish my doodles with a Sharpie looked like yours Sally.
    I would frame and hang them all over the house.
    x

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  3. Hello Sally
    Your post is full of things I like. I like the idea of the hot water bottle cover and even more so that it is made from an old sweater. The pencil cases are likewise adorable and yes I understand your predicament about charging the right amount for your makes. It just seems to me that handmade products are just not getting the amount they are worth.
    Your painting well what can I say but....impressive!!! Is it very big? I could see that in my home taking the place of a horrible nude lithography that I have in my front room. Even if it is a painting by Oswaldo Guayasamin, the Eucatorian artist and worth XXXEuros so my husband says. I still hate it. I believe some would say if it produces an emotional reaction then it reaches you. Personally I think it could reach someone else on someone else's wall! Please don't get me wrong its not that I have a dislike for nude paintings ,I mean if it were Goya's The Naked Maja I'd be quite happy with that but it is one harsh,depressive picture!
    Dear me I have rambled on....ah well it is a long time since I've commented on your blog so this is to make up for it.

    Keep well

    Amanda :-)

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  4. happy 100 Sally, long may you continue to post!
    loving all your makes, but especially your sharpie drawing, what a great initiative. i think i like it as i've been geeking around pines, trying to suss which is which, and which might give me pine nuts (no luck there), and i've been quite taken by the variety and up-close beauty of them.
    and speaking of beauty, what a sky!

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  5. You are so creative and I just love your work! So sweet of you to make those hottie covers for the kids. I know they will come in handy over the winter. And a big congrats on your 100th post! So exciting! I've really enjoyed getting to know you through your blog over the past little while. :)

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  6. Your hottie cover is so awesome :)

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