Paper Raffia Necklace

 

© Paravent 2020

Embroidered brooch (wedding commission)

 ©PARAVENT

 ©PARAVENT

 ©PARAVENT

 ©PARAVENT

©PARAVENT

Paper Headdress

© PARAVENT

Paper Dress + headdress

©Paravent 2019 

©Paravent 2019

©Paravent 2019

Paper dress + headdress designed and created for the Brisbane Arcade Spring parade :)

New Dress

Frock

Homemade / handmade new frock... upholstery fabric, transfer,

embroidery + surface printing.

New work

Some new work... my first attempt at quilting :)

Hand-printed white linen, some panels hand-embroidered... 

badly sewn together, soon to be picnic rug.

Distraction

Working on the big project has been mentally exhausting. I just couldn't look at it anymore... so I started a new collection of mini-projects to do when I can't do the biggie a moment longer ;)

I came across this wonderful quote and wanted to make sure I didn't forget it.

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always."

Birthday portrait 2018

I've been doing birthday portraits for the little one for a few years now. 

There are some past efforts here. 

This latest one is probably the closest to capturing her spirit, so I added some text to fit :)

"When I count my blessings, I count you twice."

Progress report

Oh my... this is slow work, people! Has it really been 2 years since I last posted?
Why are you even still around to read this? :)) 
The day job has been very demanding, but some progress has been made, on this and other distraction projects. 

Commission

Sneak peek at a commission I've been working on...





If you'd like to see more of my embroidery work, you can pop over here.

Birthday portraits

Long time no see! Unfortunately, I've been swamped with the day job but I have made 
some time to start a new little ritual... birthday portraits to document the last fleeting 
years of childhood. My eldest has already left the nest and it's made me realise I need 
to capture time with them while I can and treasure where we are now. 

These photos were taken exactly one year apart, and I'm amazed at the difference one 
year can make. 

Also, now that photo albums seem to be a thing of the past, it's a small way of keeping
a curated record of sorts I think :) Do you still keep a photo album? How do you document 
the years?

Funky Retro Groover

It must be summer bringing out the funky retro groover in me... hot hazy days, hoping to 
catch some breeze through the breeze blocks, those fabulous 1970s architectural standard 
you see so often here in the Southern sub-tropics :) Well, that's my inspiration... and this is 
the new pattern I've designed, block printed and made into cushions.



There's the original Breeze Block design with a repeat pattern of 10cms, and then the 
Breeze Block (Mini) with a repeat of 5cms. Pouches and other fresh fun things coming soon.







So right now and so available in my Etsy store :)

New Crochet Pattern

It's been a while in the making, fine-tuning the details, testing and double-testing... 
but I've finally released a pattern for my Finger Wave crochet design... yah!



Okay, so it's not the best name in the universe ;) The base of the pattern uses a generic 
free-pattern ripple or wave design and my original design variations have turned out to look 
very much like little fingers to me... hence the name.

Anyway, I'm very excited to have finally got it all down into a pattern... and it's now available 
in my Etsy shop :)







I based the colour scheme on a beautiful orchid I have flowering at the moment.
What do you think...?

New Fabric Design!

I have a new fabric design to show you... I've been quite busy with the day job lately, but I 

just had to see if this idea worked so I've been indulging in a bit of midnight printing :)

Initially I was calling it Flower Block, but I think I'll be changing that soon... now that I see it 

all printed up I'm thinking it looks a bit like those fabulous breeze blocks you used to see in 

1970s architecture. So, I think I'll be changing the name; adding in a Breeze before the Block ;)

I'll be making these panels into pouches soon.

The long road...

Have you ever started a project that just went on forever? There are no deadlines, you just 
do little bits here and there when you can, and the days turn to months... and then one day, 
you've actually finished and you can't quite believe it?

It's been a long road - I think I started this blanket at the end of the last summer (!) and here 
it is the beginning of this summer and it's ready for moth-ball storage until next winter ;)







Such a difficult colour to capture - even though it looks like graphite it really is a beautiful 
dark navy... Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette in Pebble (about a millions balls)... I had to 
pop out to the shops to buy more so often I've actually lost count of how many ;) 
64 panels in various patterns of about 15cms square, joined together with ladder stitch to 
form a queen bed-sized blanket.

This one's for my bed :)

More circus fun :)

No such thing as too much circus in this house! It's bright and fun and perfect for the still chilly Spring we're having :)









Green harlequin cushion, entirely handmade from sumptuous 100% Peruvian Highland wool. Now in the shop :)