Thursday, February 28, 2008

Best Bunnies at MoBstore

I dropped off the set of Chocolate Box Best Bunnies I've been working on to the Museum of Brisbane Store today. They liked them so much they popped them in the front window straight away. Tomorrow they'll be on their very own display plinth in store :)

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

All Cleaned Up

I took my beloved sewing machine for a service yesterday, as I've been having trouble with the pedal. The machine would keep sewing after I had stopped.... it was like she was possessed...not good!! She needed to go to the sewing machine doctor - but how long was it going to take to fix?!

I told them how absolutely essential it was that the machine was fixed right away....I think I must have sounded like a nervous mother. They said they would see what they could do as they had a 10 day wait!! Looking around at the shop floor I saw they did indeed have sewing machines waiting in every nook and cranny. My heart sank but the friendly assistant made me feel like she would look after me. And she did, later that afternoon they phone to let me know all she needed was a thorough clean and I could pick her up as soon as I like. :) Happy days! So now she's back in her spot, queen of the toy studio, just the way it should be.

Oh, and of course, since I was out I popped into one of my favourite fabric shops, Faeries in My Garden....you can see some of the fabrics I picked up next to my sewing machine, beautiful double sided Japanese linen.

Monday, February 25, 2008

Made of Dreams - Flying Star Toys

Last night, before I fell asleep, a pageant of toy designs flew through my mind's eye like a short film run very fast. I remember being fascinated by their beauty and soft colours. While I no longer remember them distinctly now, I still feel their shapes like a sweet after taste or an aura of perfume.

When I look around my studio and see the many toys waiting to be launched, I'm both overwhelmed by the preparations needed for the website and at the same time excited in anticipation for the day they are introduced. I love designing toys and a vision like last night's dream augers exciting possibilities ahead. I think a large dream catcher above my bed might be in order :)

Image: Biscuit Bunnies - Gingerbread


Thursday, February 21, 2008

WIP Best Bunnies

Best Bunnies in progress. These will be part of a Chocolate Box set of Best Bunnies for the Museum of Brisbane Store....just in time for Easter :)

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Lap Cat vs Tree Cat

As I sit here working on some graphic design work for OzFrank Theatre my cat Baby snuggles on my lap purring very loudly. No doubt she's hoping to attract my attention for extra tickles under the ear. Perhaps she's making up for lost time because last week she disappeared to become a Tree Cat. Baby decided she would spend all day perched up in the tree in our front yard. When I wanted to see her I had to walk under the branches to reach up and pat her. It was very funny indeed! Now, however, she has returned to normal and resumed her very pleasant role as Lap Cat.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

100 Water Houses in the Sandgate Library


I have a strong relationship with the Sandgate Brisbane City Council Library. Lovely librarian Sue organised the lilli&tom miniature year long tour in 2006 and last year the Coastal Birds series was a featured display with them. For this year Flying Star Toys collection 100 Water Houses is currently on display for the month of February at the Sandgate Library.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Please Welcome Best Bunny

This month sees the launch of Best Bunny! Best Bunny sits up straight and tall and is always ready to answer a question or help a friend. You can read the whole story on the Best Bunny Story page.

Best Bunny was designed about 6 months ago and I have been excitedly awaiting their release. I had so many to release last year for the website launch that I had to keep quite a few toys back for this year. Launching one toy a month just doesn't seem enough as more and more fabulous toys keep popping up in my studio!!

However, in the time that intervened I had the opportunity to try the pattern out on a number of different fabric combinations. From this I now can bring you two different series of Best Bunny: The Jack and Jill series (as seen above) and the Chocolate Box series (as seen below). For more images see the Best Bunny Gallery.


Some of the features of Best Bunny include: a variegated fluffy wool tail pompom made from a wool blend called Nepal by Katia (the ones on the left hand side in this image); a sewn in jingle bell and bow so the bow will never untie and slip out of place; hand dyed variegated wool felt eye circles; Japanese sashiko cotton in pink for the bell, eye, nose and mouth details; fine brushed cotton fabrics for soft to the touch textures. So with the special nature of the variegated materials each Best Bunny will have its own unique expression and touches.

Welcome Best Bunny to the Flying Star Toys collections :)

Monday, February 04, 2008

An Award for Me?!

It was my birthday the other day and what a wonderful surprise when dear friend and brilliant contemporary jeweller Rebecca Ward (aka Rebecca the Wrecker) gave me the gift above.

It's an award she told me - The Windbag Award! Of course I was suitably impressed and thrilled to receive such a prestigious honour from my peers :)

The rock in the brooch is from Windbag Creek in New Zealand and as you can see from the sign they call it The Windbag for short....just like my blog nickname!

Rebecca reckons I rock (lol) but of course it is she who rocks :-D Thanks Bec!!

(*These photos are by The Wrecker herself)