Bliss bomb: Knit Knit

Knit Knit

Learn to Knit Tea Cosy by Knit Knit. $35 (without discount)

hd: Hi Anna, tell us a little about yourself….

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ak: I am a quiet country girl come city slicker who loves knitting, sewing and baking. I’m obsessed with learning how to do new things, and usually hate to make the same thing twice!

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hd: I know what you mean. What did you think you would be doing when you were in school?

ak: To be honest, I had no idea what I would be doing! I knew I wanted to make things and do something creative, but I didn’t have any clear idea of what kind of job I could do. I chose to study Fashion and Textile design so maybe I was hoping to head towards being the next Akira Isogawa…

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hd: As far as I know Akira doesn’t knit…. so….how did you get to this point?

ak: I worked a little in fashion, then a little in textiles and graphics, then started to feel like I really wanted to be creating my own product, rather than working on someone else’s. I have always been a keen knitter, and realised that a lot of my friends were keen to knit too, but had never learnt. Or they’d tried and failed. So I set out to somehow make knitting accessible to young people who are that way inclined.

Learn to knit Christmas Stocking by Knit Knit $30 (without discount).

hd: Great idea. It’s not really something that gets passed from generation to generation like it was in the past, which is a pity.  Tell us how you have made knitting accessible again.

ak: I create ‘learn to knit’ kits for kids and adults that have an emphasis on great quality natural yarn and needles, and really simple, easy to follow instructions. The kits are a perfect starting point for a non-knitter to explore the world of knitting (or for a rusty knitter to get back on the horse). The kits are designed to appeal to young people and kiddies, and are a great way to introduce them to the world of knitting.

Colour choices.....

Kids Kits....

Smaller Kits...

 

hd: Have you always loved knitting? What is it about it that captured your attention and started you making things?

ak: Yes I started out knitting scarves for my Barbie dolls quite a while ago! I got hooked and loved making something that no one else was wearing. I also love that you can create a fabric out of a bit of string, and that you only need to know a couple of stitches and you can knit amazing things.

Learn to Knit Kids Hooded Scarf by Knit Knit $35 (without discount).

Adult Learn to Knit Hooded Scarf by Knit Knit $85 (without discount)

……… hd: It’s also super portable….. which makes it a great craft to learn.What did that first sale feel like?

ak: A great relief! I had put a lot of effort into kicking off the brand and was so glad when someone wanted to buy a kit. I think each sale still feels a little like that!

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hd: Thanks Anna for helping us to get to know you a little more. What would you like to offer the  ‘Friends of harrysdesk’?

ak: I would love to offer everyone a discount to help you do your Christmas shopping. Just pop over to my etsy store  and enter the discount code FRIENDSOFHARRYSDESK to receive 20% off everything in store.

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hd: That’s brilliant Anna. Thanks. I gave my 10 and 11 year old nieces sets last year and they loved the big needles and that everything they needed was right there, ready to go. ….. also 2 of my girls (at ages 6 and 11) completed kits. I love these!

…and the Well Spotted T-shirt winner is…..

Congratulations ………………

You are the winner of this…. Laura.

Thanks everyone who entered.

Not the boy.....but the Well Spotted Shirt.

Don’t miss the The Little Pink Owl give-away finishing this Saturday.

Don’t miss out…….

In case you just look at the pictures and don’t read the text……

Enter now. Comment here!  Ends lunchtime today.

Bliss Bomb: Plumage

hd: Tell us a little about yourself….

ba: I really like drawing and writing and making creative things like jewellery. I also like looking at pretty and cute things. I like elephants and dogs most of all. I am one of a family of 6. I attend Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design and I am 13 years old.

  hd: Usually I ask …..What did you think you would be doing when you were in school?

ba: Well, seeing as I am still in school, the thing I most hope to be doing when I leave would be getting a job as a manga artist/graphic novelist. I also thought that I could go on an overseas trip to Japan when I am older to hang out with the artists there. I am learning Japanese and am at an art school, so I am happy with how things are heading.

hd: So how did you start making jewellery?

ba: My Mum is a creative person and I inherited her creative genes. My head keeps filling with ideas I just have to try….unfortunately some fail but there is always another one which pops up sooner or later.

hd: Tell us a bit about your product…

ba: Simple pretty friendship necklaces for older girls or sisters or Mother’s and daughters. I have made them so that when you are not wearing it you can display it on a special shelf to enjoy all the time rather than be hidden away in a jewellery box and forgotten about.

The bottles are vintage glass which have lasted this long so I am sure they will last a long time. The glass is quite thick. Inside is a tiny folded white origami bird and contrasting coloured seed beads. The other has a bird the same colour as the beads (in the other one) and clear beads…. look at the pictures and you will understand what I mean. Co-ordinating  bakers twine is used to hang the bottle around the neck.

Often you see friendship necklaces/bracelets for little girls but what I have made is a friendship necklace that is a bit more grown up that teenagers and adults are happy to wear.

hd: What a fabulous idea! Have you always loved jewellery? What is it about it that captured your attention and started you making?

ba: It’s kind of limitless. There are the ‘guidelines’ for example necklace, brooch, bracelet etc but really you are only limited by your imagination and by what someone is willing to wear.

hd: So, what did that first sale feel like?

ba: My first sale was to my Grandmother and the thoughts going around in my head were ‘Seriously? You are willing to buy this?’

hd: Of course the answer was yes and you have kept making beautiful things. What are you offering the harrysdesk readers?

ba: Anyone who purchases a necklace set (2 necklaces) at my etsy store PLUMAGE can use the code BLISSBOMB to purchase it for $20 (including postage to anywhere in the world). Normally this would be $30. Please be quick as I only have seven sets available ….at the moment. I don’t think I will be able to make any more before Christmas.

* if you make things and would like to offer something special to harrysdesk readers. Please email me.

Bliss Bomb: Samara Hook of Piquant Jewellery

http://piquantjewellery.blogspot.com/

hd: Tell us a little about yourself….

sh: hmmm… well, I’m currently a stay at home Mom with two gorgeous girlies who both keep me very busy! I love being a mummy and am really grateful for the opportunity to stay home with them (most days!) I love creating, op-shopping, baking, cooking, friends, good coffee, lazy sundays & photography!

hd: What did you think you would be doing when you were in school?

sh: A pilot… my dad seemed to have so much fun being one, I thought it would be a great job.

hd: So how did you move from wanting to be a pilot, to making beautiful jewelery?

sh: I’ve always loved being creative & enjoying doing crafts & sewing. I think my mum really nurtured this in me – doing lots of cross-stitch, crafts, sewing & knitting when I was younger (I still have a beautiful bear – a project one school holiday). During high school I made quite a few of my own clothes – my favourite was a skirt made of ties! I took a hiatus from doing much creating after I finished high school till my daughter turned up! Suddenly I had all this spare time & lots of nights staying at home so I started to make some jewellery for myself!

hd: I would love to see your tie skirt!

What is it about jewellery that captured your attention and started you down the path of making it over the other things you just mentioned?

sh: I’ve always loved different, unique jewellery. So I guess that comes across in the items I make. I have a short attention span, I love to get a result fairly quickly so I guess that’s one of the things that appealed to me about jewellery.

hd: Describe your first sale?

sh: AMAZING! I couldn’t believe that someone I didn’t know wanted to buy something I had designed and created. I’d sold lots of jewellery to family and friends before that first “stranger” sale, but I kinda always believed they did it just because they knew me.

hd: As the first ‘Friends of harrysdesk’ bliss–bombs for the year, what are you offering us?

sh: I would love to offer Harrysdesk friends 15% off the total of any purchase for the next 2 weeks! You can find my items at my Madeit store or in my Facebook sale album. Just mention the harrysdesk bliss-bombs when you purchase an item and get a discount!

As featured on harrysdesk…

Tomorrow and over the weekend, my friend Georgina of Myrtle & Moss, will be showing off (and giving everyone a sniff) of her beautiful lotions and creams.

Maybe you remember my interview of her in December in a bliss bomb.

Magnolia Square is a beautifully curated market, so everything is carefully selected  for it’s uniqueness and gorgeousness.

I am going to see if I can pop over tomorrow for a bit, hopefully you can come too.

Be sure to drop by and let Georgina know that you are a friend of harrysdesk.

She would love to meet you.

 

Winner, winners and more winners… hopefully a few grinners as well!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas like Oprah here!

Thanks everyone who entered these competitions over the last couple of weeks. It’s really fun for me, I hope it has for you too.

Tony Claytons

Well Spotted

Bliss Bomb shirts.

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Shirt 1: Chosen randomly from all the comments on the blog ( I asked 7 ear old to choose a number between two numbers) is Meredith. She will receive a “Jedi mind tricks’ t-shirt in her size to torture her houseful of boys with.

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Shirt 2: Tony Choose “Limited Edition'” Well done Skye. You will receive a ‘Jedi mind tricks’ t-shirt as well.

Honourable mentions go to

‘naughty is the new nice’ thanks Di

‘i came, i saw, i got dirty ‘ this was 10year olds, adapted by me.

‘my other t-shirt has a witty slogan on it’ sorry me again. Just kept thinking up things as I sent the email to Tony about choosing the slogans.

‘homework is a non-contact sport’ well done Meredith.

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Shirt 3 Goes to Joanna. She was the 1000th person to comment on harrysdesk

 

What will she choose with her $100 ???

 

Sew mama sew giveaway winner is Anissa who wins $100 AUD to spend at my etsy store! Thanks everyone (all 256) of you that entered!

There will be one last competition before Christmas.

Come back tomorrow to see what lovelies could be coming your way.

But… be warned. This one will be a guessing competition.

First right answer wins.

Bliss Bomb: Quinn Emery of The Joyful Owl

Quinn Emery of The Joyful Owl

Interview:

hd: Tell us a little about yourself….

qe: I’m 15, homeschooled, and love owls.  I am a great sister (I think so!) to 2 brothers and 2 sisters; I’m the oldest.

hd: Usually I ask people what they thought they would be doing when they finished school,  but your still in school…. so what do you want to do when you finish?

qe: I want to go to art school and major in textile arts and also learn graphic design.  I’d love to have a fabric line…basically be Anna Maria Horner (annamariahorner.blogspot.com)

hd:She does beautiful work! Give us an idea of the happenings that have bought you to this point.

qe: Well, I love to sew.  I am always looking for a way to make a buck, so this was a way to do what I love…while making money.

hd:Tell us a bit about your product…

qe:  

I make little owls that are perfect for hanging on a purse or as an ornament.

 

hd: Have you always liked owl? What is it about them that have you intrigued?

qe: No, I haven’t always loved owls.  I started liking them about 2 years ago when I started seeing them all over!  I love their wings…I think that is my favorite part on the real ones.

hd:  

What did that first sale feel like?

qe:

It was wonderful.  Even if it was to someone  I knew, it felt great to sell something of mine!  That now, they have bought something of mine and it’s in their house!!!!

 

hd: As my youngest ever ‘Friends of harrysdesk’ bliss-bombs, what are you offering us?

qe: Well, for harrysdesk readers, I am offering the special buy 2 owls, get 20% off.  This is a great deal, and my owls will make a wonderful Christmas present for yourself or someone you know.

hd: Quinn blogs at The Joyful Owl.Go there to purchase your very special one of a kind owl for the tree.

Bliss Bomb: Tony Clayton from Well Spotted

Tony Clayton of Well Spotted

Interview:

hd: Tell us a little about yourself….

tc: I have arty pretensions & I love words. I only wear jeans & t-shirts. I don’t like shaving or getting my hair cut. I work from home so that I don’t have to shave or get my hair cut. I work for myself in an effort to spend more time with the family but just end up staying up late trying to get everything done!

hd: Wow, I think I am the female version of you . What did you think you would be doing when you were in school?

tc: I really wanted to take photographs of beautiful urban & rural landscapes, mostly at twilight.

hd: Ahh, how romantic……so why are you making shirts and not taking photos?

tc: I made printed t-shirts & other clothes which I sold at paddington markets during the halcyon retail days of the 80’s. Then I managed the printed ranges of Mambo for many years. When my wife got a job that required her to live in New York, we moved to a little box on Manhatten’s lower east side for nearly a year until budget cuts sent that job back to Sydney. Well Spotted started after that & originally was for a grown-up market but of course when our baby arrived it all became about him.

hd: So tell us about Well spotted as it looks today.

tc: I make t-shirts in Australia. I print slogans on them myself. Some are funny.

hd: So along with the photography, t-shirts seem to have been an idea that has been around for a long time too. Is that right?

tc: Well in 3rd class our teacher asked us all to bring in a t-shirt. She helped us cut stencils out of paper which we stuck onto a silkscreen. I went home that day with a little red apple printed onto a little yellow t-shirt.

hd: I hope you have tracked her down and given her a Well Spotted shirt!  Can you still remember what that first sale feel like?

tc: a commitment.

hd: Yep, I get that! What commitment are you making to all my lovely harrysdesk readers?

tc: I have three shirts you can give away however you like. The winners can choose what shirt they want from the website.

hd: Wow Tony, that is super generous. Thanks very much…..

I did suggest I just keep them all for myself…. but that isn’t really the idea. Ok…. how to give them away

• SHIRT 1: Comment below telling me which is your favourite shirt from the Well Spotted site. If you win, this will be the one you get!
• SHIRT 2: Write in the comments below your best slogan for a shirt. I will get Tony to choose his favourite and you will win a shirt. It won’t be YOUR slogan t-shirt but a Well Spotted one.
• SHIRT 3: Comment on the blog over the next week (any post) and a winner will be chosen from those.  If you comment more than once… you will have more chances of winning.

Ok…. off you go! You have one week. I will let you know the winners on Wednesday the 16th.

(you can enter in everything or just one category)

Bliss Bomb: Stephanie Robles from Moobear

Stephanie Robles of Moobear and Over It

Interview:

hd: Tell us a little about yourself…

sr: My name is Steph and I rock!! That’s all you need to know really but in case you want to know a little more … I am a very creative person, eco warrior, dedicated refashionista and love all things crafty.

I am almost always making something or have 5 ideas running in my head at any given time. Right now I want to experiment with felt.

I have 3 creative children, Moo, Bear and Bubble and one very musically creative husband, Carlos.

I am also the artistic director of the eco children’s wear label MooBear Designs as well as the bubbly personality behind Over It! my reclaimed accessories label.

hd: Ok Steph, that’s what you are doing now, but what did you think you would be doing when you were in school?

sr: When I was in high school I was studying to be a teacher so I could own and direct my own child centre. I did get my diploma and I did work in child care until I went on maternity leave to have Bear. That’s when I discovered my new found creative freedom.

My eldest daughter Moo and I spend months crafting and rediscovering the world of DIY while I was still pregnant. That’s when MooBear Designs was conceived.

Steph and her oldest Moo, sporting some Moobear creations.

hd: Give us an idea of what happened between then and now that has brought you to this point…

sr: I think the main event that brought us to this point was when my husband, Carlos stopped working full time in Dec 2008 to spend more time with his family and enjoy his newborn daughter.

It wasn’t a decision we came to lightly and things changed dramatically but we both put our creative skills together and launched our business MooBear Designs to offer an eco alternative kids clothing range in the highly mass produced dominated kids fashion industry.

Over It! on the other hand is my own personally hobby and became more obvious after I had our third baby, Bubble. When I wasn’t working on MooBear I was still refashioning so Over It! became MooBear’s little sister… Although she isn’t so little anymore.

Moo wearing a Moobear shirt. Made by mum, designed by Moo.

hd: Tell us a bit about the products you make for Moobear and  Over It!

sr: Sure, our business is an extension of our own personal philosophy so we searched high and low for the highest quality eco friendly and ethically made garments for all our designs.

Each MooBear shirt is unique and original with all the designs made from recycled materials.

What separates us from the rest is that the majority of our designs are by kids and made by adults, not the other way around!!

Over It! offers something refashioned for every member of the family. I know because every member of our family has something Over It!

From the Over It! range.

Zippered elastics.

hd: All your products have this eco friendly philosophy and feel. Your a bit of an upcycler like myself. Have you always been environmentally conscious?

sr: Yep. I am a huge fan of op shops! In our family we call them treasure shops.

Someone once asked me what my best treasure shop find was and without a doubt it was and always will be Carlos. I regularity visited my  local treasure shop for years. Then one day there was a new guy working there and he was super handsome and it turns out he thought I was pretty cute too… The rest is treasure shop history!

A favourite of mine. The doily purse. Over It! range.

hd: We think he is your greatest find too. What was it about you eco philosophy that keeps you going?

sr: We just weren’t happy buying mass produced clothing for our own children knowing that they were probably made by another child. So MooBear became our solution to a simple ethical problem.

hd: If you can remember back, what did that first sale feel like?

sr: My very first sales came directly from friends and family for both businesses. I had a hard time charging them because I was doing it for fun and for my own children. So it always felt weird.

Now though it’s so exciting to have a sale through our MooBear shop and madeit store.

We have sent our shirts to customers in all corners of Australia. We have also sent them to the US, New Zealand and England to name a few.

Rocket t-shirt.

hd: Thanks Steph for being a bliss bomb. What lovely surprise do you have for my readers?

sr: We would love to offer harrysdesk readers our MooBear Designs T-shirts for $30. That’s a saving of up to $20 on some designs and because it’s nearly Christmas I am going to add a little Over It! surprise to the first 5 purchases.

So send me an email at shop@moobeardesigns.com.au and we’ll get that MooBear tee on it’s way.

hd: Thanks Steph. To check out her Over It! Designs and all things Moobear, check out her shop. go here.  For the full range of Moobear t-shirts look here. I am looking out for my package in the post soon.