Pretty By Hand

You know that feeling you get, when you talk to someone amazing...

 

...someone you've admired from afar, someone with heaps of handmade talent...

You know that feeling, where your words get all jumbled and nothing you say (or write) sounds any good, particularly when it is paired with amazing pictures like these...?  You know?

Well, I've got that feeling.

But thankfully Kristyne of the blog Pretty By Hand is such a lovely lady.  Lovely, and a blogging SUPERSTAR!

It's hard to believe that she is supporting my little ol' Wife-made Swap It Spin It Challenge.  But she is.  For reals.

And not only is she giving away a pattern pack of each of her seven amazing patterns...

...and an e-copy of her book "S is for Stitch" to the Swap It Spin It Champion, but she's also lending a hand with judging the amazing creations too.

I'm sorry Kristyne.  You're wrong.  G is for Generous ;)

Miss G's Fabric

Although I haven't yet had the pleasure, I have a feeling that if you sit down for a cuppa with Brenda of Miss G's Fabric, not only will she have a story, or three, to tell, but those stories will be filled with lots of laughter, a few tears and the odd expletive for good measure.

If you're a client of Miss G's Fabric, you'll know that Brenda wears her heart on her sleeve.  Whether expressing her displeasure at the service the national postal carrier provides, or singing the praises of the handmaidens who, in her words, 'make magic' with her fabric, with Brenda, what you see is what you get.

And the same is true for her fabric business.  When asked what Miss G's Fabric is all about, her answer is simple.  Freedom to decide what fabrics you would like, rather than having to buy prints someone else decided you need.

But it's not just the fabric choices available through Miss G's Fabric that show Brenda isn't just in business for herself.  You don't have to look on her Facebook page for long to see the causes she supports, and you'll quickly see that those causes are close to her heart.

You can ask Brenda whatever you want about her son Zak, and the experience of losing a child.  She's open about it, and wants to use her own experiences to benefit others who are going through similar situations.

Cue Angel Baby Nappies.

Angel Baby Nappies supplies tiny cloth nappies to hospitals for babies that have been born prematurely and are too small to fit into normal sized nappies.  Parents of an angel baby get a pack of two nappies, one for the baby to wear and one for the parents to take home to remember their baby by.

Brenda knows how important it is for parents to have a keepsake from the hospital when they go home with empty arms, and so she stocks flannels at cost prices that customers can purchase and donate to this worthy cause.

Despite the hard times that Brenda has experienced her heart is full.  She's got a precocious five-year old who keeps her on her toes, customers to please and causes to support.  She's happy doing what she does and can't wait to see what life throws at her in the future!

Rare Thread

What do you get when you cross two girls from opposite sides of the country with a love of hard-to-find fabric?

Rare Thread, that's what!

Have you been dreaming of rare and out of print fabric that you absolutely must have for your next project, but haven't been able to find anywhere?

Talk to Kathy and Emma.  If it's out there, they'll find it.  It doesn't matter if it's hiding away in someone's dusty old fabric stash in Timbuctoo.  They'll find it.  It doesn't matter if it's been squashed into the nether regions of some old lady's sewing basket in a shack in the middle of the Great Sandy Desert.  If you want it, they will get it.  Even if it's.....  ok, you get my drift.

Some examples of the amazing fabric Rare Thread source for their customers.

Rare Thread.  It's not just a name, it's what they do.  Sourcing and supplying rare and out of print fabrics to handmaidens around the world!  And they love nothing more than seeing the fabric they scoured the earth for being whipped up into amazing creations by very appreciative sewists.

 But, if you're thinking that Emma and Kathy have been lifelong friends, grew up in each other's backyard and know each other's deepest darkest secrets from way back... well, you'd be wrong.

Kath.

As the crow flies, there are about 3500 kilometres between Taree, where Kathy lives, and Perth, where Emma lives.  Not much chance they would just bump into one another while doing the weekly groceries.  Nope, they met while fighting it out over handmade goodness during an online Market Night.  They quickly realised a common love of handmade and fabric, and so Rare Thread was born.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  Or history in the making.

Emma.

So, remember, if there's fabric that you just can't find...

Rare Thread.

Studio 77 Graphic Design

Allow me to introduce you to Andrea.

She's my neighbour.  Isn't she lovely?  :)

And, between being the best neighbour ever, and running around after three kids, she's also leading lady at Studio 77 Graphic Design.

And I'm so excited that Andrea has sponsored the inaugural Wife-made Swap It Spin It Challenge.  She's the brains behind my fantastic SISI logo and new Wife-made logo!

I mean, if I'd had to do that, well..... who am I kidding.  I couldn't have done that!  Or this.

But that's A.O.K with me, because that's what creative people like Andrea love doing.  In her words, "Studio 77 helps your business look good.  I'm passionate about creating beautiful, impacting design in print and web that delivers successful results to your business."

She's one talented "stay-at home-and-look-after-three-kids-while-working-from-home" mumma!  In between maintaining a successful graphic design business, keeping her children alive, averting disasters usually created by Master Two and a Half, and being wife to her very supportive hubby she likes playing the piano, going to the beach and camping in their little retro caravan.  And because life isn't busy enough she's keen to learn guitar and take photography lessons!

So, if you need some help with making your business stand out from the crowd - give Andrea a call.  I know you won't regret it :)

Announcing...

I am very excited to be hosting my own very special event over at the Wife-made Facebook page.

It's called the Wife-made Swap It Spin It Challenge.  I've convinced some fantastic handmaidens to participate, and they've swapped some beautiful fabric and put their spin on it to come up with some lovely handmade pieces.  I can't wait to introduce them all to you and show you what they've created!

I hope you'll join us for a little bit of fun!  Stay tuned!