Sunday 28 September 2014

We're taking a short break


We're off on a road trip to meet my new niece. Whoop! I'm looking forward to a relaxing break and some fun family time.

kaetoo stores will remain open, but orders will be shipped from 6 October.

Friday 26 September 2014

Materials and Techniques: Gorgeous - Jewellery By Carly

Exploring different crafts is so interesting. There are loads of new skills to learn and people to meet. Each fortnight I speak with a creative about the materials and techniques that they use in the creation of their products. Today I am talking to Carly from New South Wales. She makes jewellery for her label, Gorgeous – Jewellery by Carly.


 Please tell us a little about yourself.

Hi my name is Carly and I live in Northern NSW with my husband, 1 and a half year old daughter Scarlett and our Beagle named Ala. I’m the owner and designer of Gorgeous – Jewellery by Carly. I love all things handmade which inspired me to start a local handmade boutique market in our town, where I showcase my work with other local artists and indie designers.


What materials and techniques do you like to use?

I started out using handmade porcelain beads made by my aunty in Adelaide, since then I’ve expanded into other avenues, experimenting with resin, fabric and wood. I love finding and learning new techniques. I don’t really have a favourite material to use as I enjoy each one, and I go through stages of what I’m into at the time.


What challenges have you faced in the creative process?

I’d say the main challenge is getting your name and products out there. For me now a stay at home mum, this is my source of income to help support my family. The way I look at it is if I do a market or even a showcase market on Facebook and don’t make a lot of sales it’s still getting my business recognised. It also helps to network with other handmade businesses. A lot of my regular customers are fellow handmaidens that appreciate the time and love put into each unique creation.




 What drives you to create?

Some days I wake up with fresh ideas and just want to get stuck into it. I get inspired by lots of things, usually when I start cleaning up my work space I find something and start creating again.


What is coming up next?

Being a hairdresser by trade I’ve dabbled into hair pieces of late, my focus is bridal. I love all things pretty and vintage, so I’m really enjoying experimenting with and working alongside brides to create a unique piece for their special day. Since expanding into different avenues I’m working towards a new logo and simplify my name to “Gorgeous”.


Gorgeous - Jewellery by Carly Madeit Store
Gorgeous - Jewellery by Carly Facebook
Gorgeous - Jewellery by Carly Instagram

Materials and techniques interviews are over a year old, so there are plenty more interviews on all sorts of crafts for you to enjoy. Want to be featured? Leave a comment below.

Thursday 25 September 2014

Preschooler Play: Simple Science

Science is fun!

We've been doing some simple science in our house, using house-hold items.

For this activity you need bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), white vinegar, washing detergent, food colouring, and excited children. Pour half a glass of vinegar into a glass and add a squirt of washing detergent and a few drops of food colouring. Put the glass on a tray to catch the mess. Then give the children a tablespoon of baking soda and let them add it.



The reaction between the bicarb and the vinegar will cause bubbles to overflow from the glass. The colours and detergent make it even more fun. And playing with the bubbles afterwards is pretty fun too.


What simple science activities do you do with children? Catch up on some more fun for kids.

Friday 19 September 2014

Christmas 2014


It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at kaetoo.

Thursday 18 September 2014

Alone

Today I was alone.

I wasn't actually really alone. There were people everywhere.

I had an appointment in the city and so took myself to it on the train and then met up with husband and the children for lunch in the city afterwards. The appointment ended up only taking half an hour of the expected 90 minutes and overall I spent over three hours alone. This is unusual because I have two small children and the youngest is breastfed, I can't go too far from him. And when I do go out alone I have an agenda, a plan, things to get done.

It was weird.

I talked about myself. To an adult. Without being interrupted.
I wandered aimlessly.
I strolled into shops just because they looked interesting.
I browsed. I observed. I thought.
I realised they way that people in the city dress is not the way that people in the suburbs dress.
...

It's funny how a kind of isolation can sneak up on you. Not that I don't get out much, on the contrary, I use my free weekdays to socialise with a lot of friends who have a day off, or just a lunch break off. Sometimes I feel as if I'm flat out. But I always have at least one child in tow and my brain is in mum mode.

It was an interesting morning. Not in a good way, not in a bad way, just in an interesting way.

Friday 12 September 2014

Materials and Techniques: Jewel Divas

Every fortnight, I chat to another designer about the materials and techniques that go into the creation of their handmade pieces. This is a great way to meet new artists, learn new skills and get some hand hints about the handmade business. Today I am talking to Tiara who runs a jewellery business, Jewel Divas, in South Australia.



Please tell us a little about yourself. 

My name is Tiara King and my business is Jewel Divas. I have a style blog called Jewel Divas Style which is the second tier to the Jewel Divas brand. I began making jewellery way back in 1990 when I was 16 but never thought about selling it or starting a business. I did some short WEA (in Adelaide) courses on silver jewellery making and how to set up a business, and so started Jewel Divas in 2008, going live on my own website in 2009. Since I care for my mother, times have gotten tough over the years and after some advice I moved my store to Madeit in 2013.

I am a jewellery, accessory and fashion designer, creator, collector and consultant as well as a wardrobe stylist after doing style courses last year. I’m also a self-published author, having written and self-published four novels and two e-books under my nom de plume since 2011, and now two e-books under my own name.



What materials and techniques do you like to use?


I do it all by hand using jewellery pliers and lay it all out beforehand to get a general idea of how each piece will look. And then it could completely change when I make it. I’m willing to use any material and don’t have a favourite (although Swarovskis and semi-precious stones are gorgeous) but it all depends on the ideas I have for a collection. When I come up with an idea for a collection I think about what I want and decide how it will be.

An older collection, “African Safari”, featured semi-precious stones, resin and glass beads in orange, yellow, brown, black, white, gold and silver, all colours to represent the African desert.

The small four piece collection I released back in March, “Walk like an Egyptian”, consisted of two bracelet stacks and two bracelet stack and earring sets, full of semi-precious, glass beads and rhinestone encrusted snake bracelets.

My latest collection, “Opulence Royale”, based on the French Royal court of centuries gone by, features 61 pieces of jewellery smothered in Swarovski pearls and crystals with cameo lockets and pendants, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, fleur de lis and fans. Each piece has a royal title and name.


What challenges have you faced in the creative process?

In making and creating there have been no major issues; it’s all been in the business side of things.

  • Decide if you want a hobby or business. You may prefer to start as a hobby and see how it grows. I started looking at my business as a business, yet with all the stress of caring for my mother, my own health issues, and not having as many opportunities to sell my goods lat markets or stores, it never really got off the ground. It was a struggle to do it all on my own with no support in any way, shape or form.
  • Really nut out whether you have that support to start a business, otherwise start off selling as a hobby and give it a year or two to see if (1) you can give it enough time and energy, and (2) if it becomes successful then turn it into a business.
  •  Make sure you can afford the start-up costs as they can be brutal. In fact, all of the business stuff can be brutal. 
  • Also, if you get an ABN and business name then make sure you put in tax returns even if you don’t make any money. I didn’t have any business advice and no one to turn to for help and so I stuffed this bit up royally.



What drives you to create?

I think it’s just a matter of the right idea coming at the right time. Like in 2013, I had no plans for a new collection but I’d been buying some beads for myself and was thinking how pretty they were and they’d make great bracelets. I raided my jewellery stock for all the jewellery I had sitting around and turned it into the “Golden Age of Hollywood” collection. That idea simply came from looking at some glamorous beads.

As for what drives me, I love jewellery, I love making it for myself, I love making things no one else has, I love looking at it, buying it, wearing it. I’m so completely obsessed with jewellery and I have no idea where it comes from.



What is coming up next?

Another collection next year. More jewellery is planned for this year. My priority is getting my e-book, “How To Be A Jewel Diva: Tips and Tricks to Buying, Wearing and Caring for your Costume Jewellery” formatted for Kindle and getting it into paperback. It’s already available for sale in my Madeit store as a PDF, so there will be more formats and sale venues by the end of the year. I also sell my other book, “Carers Need Help and Support Too”, and two e-books I wrote under my nom de plume of Lady Jewels Diva for a limited time only. But that’s a long story in itself.

Jewel Divas Madeit Store
Jewel Divas Facebook
Jewel Divas Pinterest

Jewel Divas Style Facebook
Jewel Divas Style Twitter
Jewel Divas Style Instagram
Jewel Divas Style Pinterest
Jewel Divas Style Tumblr
Jewel Divas Style Google+
Jewel Divas Style YouTube

Would you like to share your creative process? Leave a comment below.
Browse through the archive of materials and techniques interviews to learn more creative skills.

Thursday 11 September 2014

Baby Play - Keep On Playing

At eight months old, my son has become a little person ready to play with his big sister. Although he's not quite up to chasing her around yet, he's definitely trying to get involved. Here are 10 ways to play with a little one who's very nearly mobile.


Make Music

Babies this age love to bang. Give your little one a wooden spoon and saucepan or metal tin and let them play you the "drums".

Play Ball

Hold baby in front of you and support them. Place a ball in front of their feet and help them to kick the ball around. A great way to build up those muscles for crawling. Alternatively, babies this age can roll the ball back and forth to a friend with a little assistance.

Basket of Toys 

Fill a tub, basket or washing basket with toys or kitchen utensils. Baby will love sitting by the basket and removing the contents to explore at their leisure.


Balloon On A String

A balloon on a string is great fun for a baby to hit and shake. Just make sure that you closely supervise the play to ensure that baby doesn't get tangled in the string or swallow bits of popped balloon plastic. 

Sing

Dredge up all of those old nursery rhymes and songs from the depths of your brain and sing with your little one. It doesn't matter if you're good at singing or not, baby will love your voice.

Scarves

Get an old empty tissue box and fill it with light weight scarves or large cloth napkins. Baby will love pulling these out of the box. They can also make a fun game of peek-a-boo.


Get Outside

Take baby outside to feel (and taste) the grass. Roll in the grass with them. Pop to the local park ~ at this age they can gently go on swings with a belt, ride down the slide on a lap, ride on a bouncer, or explore the tan bark.

Shake It

Noises are fascinating. Fill a clean empty jar with glitter or rice and nuts from the kitchen. Screw the lid on tightly and you have an instant shaker. 

Mirror

Look in a mirror with your baby. They will love their reflection and enjoy making faces.


Read

And you knew I was going to say this one! Read them a story or ten.


What other fun activities do you enjoy with your little one? Catch up on more ideas for playing with children.

Friday 5 September 2014

Handmade Cooperative


As you may know, I am currently the editor over at Handmade Cooperative, a select group of handmade businesses who work together to bring you the latest products for children in the handcraft marketplace.

As well as promoting handmade, Handmade Cooperative members work together to support one another and to help one another read a wider customer base. Currently, we are in the middle of our annual membership drive, where applications for new members are accepted to get the numbers back up to 70 again.

If you are an Australian designer who handmakes beautiful items for kids, do consider putting in an application for membership and coming to join me.

Thursday 4 September 2014

Preschooler Play: The Lying Cake Test

I've been experimenting on my three year old daughter, inspired by the Life series on ABC about how to give your child the best chance in life.

Lying is an important part of growing up, as is resisting temptation by self-regulation. In this experiment, Miss 3 was given cupcakes to decorate with cream and lollies whilst I left the room. She wasn't meant to eat anything, just to decorate the cakes.

Could she do it?


I'm going to give her a pass for this experiment. Whilst I was out of the room, she carefully decorated all of the cakes and at the very end, licked her fingers clean (I know, I videoed her). She didn't sneak any of the lollies. When I asked her, she said that she didn't eat anything (a tiny lie there, I guess). Pretty amazing, I'm sure I snuck a lolly when I was decorating...!

More activities for children.