kittiwake design

New stockist: with love from Rosses Point

2011-11-28T13:47:00.021Z

I have some exciting news to share!

Kittiwake Design is now being stocked in the fabulous new art gallery 'with love from Rosses Point' in Rosses Point, Co. Sligo!

Among other Kittiwake Design items, you can find the new 'cats with bow ties', the 'robber duckies', mobiles, bunting, lavender bags and lots of christmas hearts in the gallery.

Located right next to the Waterfront Restaurant, 'with love from Rosses Point' is run by the lovely Medbh Gillard and stocks work from local artists. It is a beautiful space filled with arts and crafts and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area!

Head over to their facebook page for more information and updates!

Easter Eggs Swedish Style

2011-04-22T20:38:00.009+01:00

In Sweden for Easter, we often dye or paint our eggs before eating them on Easter Sunday. I dont know where this comes from or why we do it, but it makes them look really pretty and as Im all for making things look pretty, I thought I would share the process!

You need:
*eggs
*red onions/beetroots/white onions (or any other edible plant which works as a natural dye).
*old tights
*things for making different outlines with (such as pretty leaves, tape, rubberbands or anything else that will lay flat on the egg and will stay there while the egg is boiled).

The process:
Cut the tights into pieces which are big enough to contain the egg and for tying at each end.
Make the egg designs by laying the leaves (or whatever else you have chosen to use) flat on the egg. Put the egg and the leaves inside the cut up tights and tie up one side, making sure the leaves are still flat on the egg, then tie the other side aswell.
Boil the eggs in a pot filled with water and the skins of red or white onions or together with some beetroots. When you take them out, the eggs will be both really pretty and ready to eat!

I boiled the eggs below with red onion skins and used the following techniques:
Top left: tights only
Middle: young black currant leaves in tights
Top right: young black currant leaves and rubberbands in tights
Bottom left: lenses (yup, the edible kind) in tights
Bottom right: tape cut into triangles, no tights

Happy Easter!

crochet booties

2011-04-20T23:07:00.005+01:00

I made a new pair of baby booties! I changed the pattern around a bit (as usual...!) but the original can be found in Crochet Today's special issue: Quick Easy Gifts (2009). More projects are on their way, it is really nice to be crocheting again!

My sister's birthday party!

2011-04-18T22:03:00.011+01:00

It was my sister's birthday party last weekend and myself and our other sister were in charge of decorating! Woohoop! We had so much fun hanging tissue paper pom poms, lights and paper bunting, arranging flowers and napkins and making everything look pretty for the evening. Those flower napkins are fantastic, aren't they? My sister made those, somehow I ended up polishing a hundred and something knives, forks and spoons instead... Lucky me huh...? Haha.. ;)

The theme was spring time and I think we managed to transform the dark basement room into a lovely spring inspired party venue! I think the guests were happy too; all the home made food was yum, the drink was plentiful and the party kept going until the wee hours!

Happy birthday sistaa, love ya!!

Dublin spring

2011-04-14T21:21:00.004+01:00

Cherry blossoms are so lovely...

A rainbow of felted loveliness

2011-04-12T20:02:00.007+01:00

If you are looking for a bespoke mobile or ring pillow in felt, then these are the different colours you can currently choose between! Email queries to: kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com

From left to right: dark green, light green, blue, turquoise, yellow, orange, brown, grey, black, bright pink, white and red. A rainbow of felted loveliness!

Madam Fandorin

2011-04-11T20:35:00.005+01:00

Today I have something very special to share! A good friend of mine recently started an online shop called Madam Fandorin where she sells shoes and underwear with a difference.

The stock is absolutely gorgeous and as I have a bit of a thing for leopard prints, I treated myself to these beauties. I just have to learn how to walk on 15 cm heels now!

Do have a look for yourself, you won't be disappointed!

Visit Madam Fandorin here!

Rose ring pillow - the wedding!

2011-04-02T19:01:00.001+01:00

Image is Copyright © Kevin Morris Photography

You may remember the Rose ring pillow that I made for a friend's wedding last year? Well, today I am very excited to share some pictures from the big day, all shot by the amazing Kevin Morris of Kevin Morris Photography!

Image is Copyright © Kevin Morris Photography

The design was based on the stunning bride's wedding bouquet, which contained Esperance roses and Oak leaves - a really lovely combination of pinks and brown!

Image is Copyright © Kevin Morris Photography

I used a creamy white velvet fabric for the pillow and hand stitched the felt flower and leaves, then finished off with a brown and white ribbon to secure the rings. The pillow was filled with wadding and home grown lavender and smelled lovely!

Image is Copyright © Kevin Morris Photography

The couple's one year old walked down the aisle with the ring pillow in her push walker! Awww, how cute!

Image is Copyright © Kevin Morris Photography

A huge thank you to Karin and Brendan for sharing the pictures from their wedding day!

If you want a bespoke ring pillow too, please do get in touch! I would love to create something absolutely unique for your big day!

Email: kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com for any queries.

Sara

The 'Robber Duckies'

2011-04-01T20:42:00.006+01:00

Theyre definitely up to no good... Im bringing them to the Village Food Fare Market in Collooney tomorrow! Do come by and visit!

you just cant trust a goose.... let alone 3 of them...

2011-03-24T00:21:00.007Z

im not quite sure what these guys are planning, but i have a feeling that theyre up to no good....

paddy's parade in sligo

2011-03-18T23:34:00.012Z

book wish list

2011-03-01T09:59:00.008Z

too bad my birthday just passed and christmas isn't on for another 10 months or so! i think i'll just have to treat myself to these two books of loveliness :)

© Photography: Laila Duran
soon available to buy here
image1: durán textiles
image 2: folklore fashion blog via kurbits

© Photography: Lucas Gölén
ISBN 978-91-977539-3-7
buy it here
image 3: svensk slöjd
image 4: svensk slöjd via kurbits

baby blanket

2011-02-28T20:24:00.001Z

do you remember the crochet baby blanket that ended up in the 'unfinished project's pile' a few months ago? well, i can finally present you with the finished result! just like my previous baby blanket, its abit wonky and a lot smaller than i originally planned, but who cares really, it is finished and im well proud of it anyway! :)

bespoke 'sophie' pillow

2011-02-28T12:00:00.005Z

the 'sophie' pillow was a bespoke order made in 4 different fabrics chosen by the customer.

to order a bespoke name pillow, please email me at: kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com with the name and your colour preferences. i will send you an email back with a selection of fabrics for you to choose from. any combination of letters and colours can be made, the price is 15 euro per letter.

sweden

2011-02-25T18:17:00.001Z

i havent been too active here lately so here are a few pictures to show you what i have been up to!

so to sum it all up, i have been hanging out with my family, laying jig saw puzzles, stuffing myself with yummy swedish food and the odd sushi platter, visiting loads of museums and braving -20C temperatures...

ive been very busy indeed :)

sneak preview

2011-02-25T17:27:00.000Z

a quick sneak peak of a bespoke order i recently finished. more pictures to follow soon!

india block printing

2011-02-01T23:37:00.008Z

gorgeous videography and beautiful block printing. enjoy!

link to the video here

crafty tattoos

2011-01-27T21:39:00.006Z

i have always had a bit of a thing for tattoos. i dont have any myself, but i have always been intrigued by other peoples' body art. i cant say im a huge fan of the 'small black dolphin on your ankle' kind (apologies to anyone who has one, theyre just not for me) instead i love big, colourful and highly creative tattoos like the ones above. theyre sooo pretty... maybe some tattoo inspired felt pieces will find their way into my shop soon...?

photo credits: please click on the pictures to get to the sources.

CeltoiCroi

2011-01-27T17:31:00.003Z

not too long ago it was my birthday, and my lovely friend oonagh of CeltoiCroi surprised me with this beautiful candle holder. i love it, and the girl even looks abit like me! thank you so much oonagh!

CeltoiCroi is a sligo based craft business, in which oonagh designs and produces functional art with celtic mythology and the gaelic language being the main inspiration. you can find her work for sale in the Tobergal Lane Craft Shop and check out CeltoiCroi's blog too!

bespoke christmas stockings

2011-01-19T20:22:00.009Z

im just a tad late in posting these! the christmas stockings were made well before christmas, but as the customer bought them as gifts, i could not post about them before then... and then i completely forgot all about them! so here they are anyhow! i handstitched the felt stockings and added some snowflakes in felt and a few beads for extra sparkle!

if you want a bespoke item too, please email me at: kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com

i will be more than happy to make something special just for you!

wintery wonderland

2011-01-04T20:39:00.007Z

happy new year! and hope you had a great christmas! this is what christmas day in limerick looked like, very wintery and lovely!

farmers market in the snow

2010-12-21T23:17:00.004Z

here are a few pictures from the farmers market last sunday. it was absolutely freezing but had a nice time anyway! thank you to all my customers, it was lovely meeting you all!

'harry-potter-inspired-mother-dragon-hovering-protectively-over-her-dragon-eggs' baby felt mobile

2010-12-20T09:35:00.008Z

i can finally reveal my favourite bespoke project of the year! the customer wanted a harry potter inspired mobile for a baby girl, so i came up with this plush dragon design. isnt she cute? i must say it was hard parting with her! the mobile is made in red and yellow felt, and is hanging in a ribbon clad frame. and i embroidered the baby's initials onto the stomach for a personal touch!

if you want a bespoke mobile too, then please email kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com

sneak peak...

2010-12-16T18:24:00.001Z

i have been working on quite a few bespoke orders this fall and soon i will be able to show you pictures of them, but until then, here is a sneak peak of my favourite project! cannot wait to show you what it is!

LO♥E pillow

2010-12-15T16:00:00.010Z

the LO♥E pillow is a new product which has become a bestseller before i had time to even list it in the shop! the pillow would be a thoughtful gift for a loved one or perfect as a wedding present!

the LO♥E pillow can be made in many different colours and costs 50 euro. to order, please email me at: kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com

if you want a certain word or name spelled out in fabric plushness, then that can be arranged too! the price is 15 euro per letter for tailor made designs.

for both options, please email me your colour preferences and i will put together a selection of fabrics which you can choose from!

arts and craft fair in aid of the haven project

2010-12-12T22:24:00.004Z

it has been a very busy and really great weekend for kittiwake design! today i spent the day in st. joseph's hall, sligo at the arts and craft fair in aid of the haven project. there was a great number of crafters there, i met some really nice people and picked up some seriously yummy soda bread too! a good day all in all so! a big shout out to my friend mary who organised the whole event! she is such a great woman and i am so happy she made a good bit of money for the haven project in haiti!

more from the wedding fair

2010-12-12T16:53:00.001Z

today i have a couple of extras to share from the wedding fair! i got a nice mentioning on the organiser's blog and there is a picture of the stall and my lovely sister there too!
i also held a competition at the fair, and the prize was a red/blue/white flower ring pillow. it was won by the lovely Caroline Detrich and my dad took this pretty picture of it before it was sent off in the post to its new owner! you can buy ready made ring pillows in my shop or if you want a bespoke ring pillow for your wedding, then email me at kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com!

belfast

2010-12-11T23:53:00.007Z

swedish gingerbread house

2010-12-11T17:21:00.008Z

december is the time of year when i miss my family and sweden the most. i have lived in ireland for the last 7 years, and for 11 months a year im happy out living in my adoptive country. but then december comes and i get pictures sent to me from my family doing the normal swedish christmas traditions and i cant help get a bit teary-eyed! my dad sent me these pictures today of my mom and sister's gingerbread house, is it not absolutely fabulous?

credits:
gingerbread house design, baking and decorating: my mom and sister
pictures of aforementioned fabulous gingerbread house: my dad

theyre a talented bunch, my family :)

at the farmers market

2010-12-11T15:41:00.008Z

today i spent the morning at the farmers market here in sligo. it was such a gorgeous day and it was lovely to see so many people out and about! had a great time, thank you to all my customers and looking forward to next saturday when im there again!

tomorrow i will be in st joseph's hall for the charity arts and craft fair in aid of the haven project (building homes and hope in haiti)! the event is on between 12 and 6, do come and show your support for a great cause! more information can be found right here!

'din bröllopsdag' wedding fair!

2010-12-05T17:40:00.003Z

despite very snowy conditions, the 'din bröllopsdag' wedding fair was a success last sunday! thank you so much to all who braved the elements and turned up!

as i couldnt be there in person, my family kindly stood in for me, and i would like to thank my sister for taking care of the kittiwake design stand for the day, my other sister for helping to arrange the whole event, and my mom and dad for taking photos and for lots of behind the scenes work! you guys are the best!

i would also like to announce the winners of the competition for the day!

the top prize - a red, white and blue ring pillow (can be seen in the left picture above)

goes to....

Caroline Detrich!

and the second prize - two small blue hearts with homegrown lavender inside

goes to...

Diana Cepeda!

CONGRATULATIONS to both of you! you will receive an email from me shortly!

new christmas hearts - now in the shop!

2010-12-03T17:07:00.005Z

these lovelies are now available to buy in the shop! i know i have named them christmas hearts, but i think they can be used all year around! hang one above your bed, on a door knob or in a window for some instant prettiness! to buy one, just click on one of the pictures to get to the shop!

lavender hearts - now in the shop!

2010-12-02T18:55:00.010Z

these cute little lavender filled hearts are now available to buy in the shop!
hang them in your wardrobe or hot press for lovely smelling clothes or tuck them under your pillow for a good night's sleep! the hearts were handmade with love and the lavender was grown in our garden here in sligo! buy one now before they are gone!

exciting weekend!

2010-11-26T09:42:00.007Z

hello all! this weekend is going to be very exciting for kittiwake design!

on this sunday, kittiwake design will be exhibiting at the 'Din Brollopsdag' wedding fair in Stockholm, Sweden. my wonderful sister will be representing me for the day - do come visit her! and tell all your engaged and wedding interested friends too! there will be competitions and brand new ring pillows on display! the event starts at 13.00 in Villa Ludvigsberg. for more info, please click here.

and if you are in Dublin, head to the Food and Wine Christmas Show where my friend Karin at Kardemumma tea and coffee is selling my christmas hearts! you will find her stall at the Artisan Village and dont forget to try her christmas tea, it is yummy...

wishing you all a really good weekend!

new shop look!

2010-11-22T20:13:00.003Z

i have updated the shop look aswell! have a look at the result right here!

new business cards

2010-11-19T12:27:00.009Z

just in time for the holiday season, i have designed my new business cards! what do you think? they are printed on high gloss paper and i must say that i love the portrait format. my graphic design whiz of a sister suggested that one to me, thank you very much sister! cant wait to start handing them out now!

stencilled art by the sea

2010-11-15T23:26:00.006Z

i got a nice little surprise when i found these hidden away down by the seafront in rosses point, sligo.

lovely, arent they?

morocco 2010

2010-11-07T00:57:00.008Z

the ox mountains - full of sheep

2010-11-06T12:20:00.002Z

went for a drive to the ox mountains last weekend. despite the fact that they are only a 30 minute drive from sligo town, this was the first time i had been and i really loved it. it is so beautiful up there, so quiet and remote, all you meet on the road is sheep!

im thinking 'nice place for a country house.. with land.. a few barns.. grazing rare breed sheep and a couple of horses.. and a warm and cozy workshop where i could make some pure wool felt...' hm.... maybe one day..!

wishing you all a lovely weekend!

rose ring pillow

2010-10-28T23:30:00.005+01:00

a friend of mine got married recently and i am very proud to present the ring pillow i made for her big day! the couple's one year old walked down the aisle with the ring pillow in her push walker! aw, how adorable is that?

the design is based on the bride's wedding bouquet, which contained esperance roses and oak leaves - a really lovely combination of pinks and brown! i used a creamy white velvet fabric for the pillow and hand stitched the felt flower and leaves, then finished off with a brown and white ribbon to secure the rings. the pillow was filled with wadding and home grown lavender and smelled oh so lovely!

if you want a bespoke ring pillow too, please do get in touch! i would love to create something absolutely unique for your big day! email: kittiwakedesign[at]gmail.com for any queries.

sara

my craft room - post make over

2010-10-27T00:07:00.004+01:00

it has been on the to-do-list for ages, but now my craft room has finally got a well deserved make over! loads of wall storage was created with some leftover mdf and a few coats of white paint. im delighted with the result, all my fabrics are now easily accessible and they look pretty good colour coordinated too..!

below are the before pictures. not a pretty sight...

and here are more pictures of what it looks like now!

when we moved into the house, that lovely white tongue and groove wall was hidden behind layers upon layers of outdated wallpaper. a good clean and a lick of paint changed all that though!

above right is my mood board which for some reason has taken on a red/blue theme. not quite sure how that happened, but i like it! as you can see, im also quite partial to a skull or two... or three.. or four...

below is my project basket with the pink/red baby blanket waiting impatiently to get finished...

now, time for some crafting!

sneak peak

2010-10-26T10:17:00.000+01:00

here is a sneak preview of a bespoke order i recently finished, inspired by oak leaves and roses. can you guess what it is? lots more pictures to follow soon!

arigna mining experience

2010-10-25T22:22:00.006+01:00

earlier this fall, my parents were visiting ireland and we went to the arigna mining experience in co. roscommon.

mining had been an integral part of the area for 400 years until the mines closed down in the 1990s, causing a big blow to the arigna community. the museum was opened in 2003 in an attempt to preserve the history of the mines and is well worth a visit.

there are two parts to the museum; an exhibition space housed in an architecturally interesting building and an underground tour which takes you into the mines. bring warm clothes, it is freezing down there..!

my desktop wallpaper

2010-10-22T15:53:00.001+01:00

now, how cute is this!? ive had this komaneko wallpaper for ages and if you want one too, here is the link for it.

crochet baby blanket

2010-10-21T11:50:00.001+01:00

im about halfway there on my pink/red zig zag blanket and not entirely surprisingly, i have put it into my project basket and started another project instead... its a crochet bag... with loads of bobbles... and its gorgeous... and i hope ill finish it before it ends up in the project basket aswell..! ill keep you posted.

my dad, the photographer

2010-10-17T21:06:00.004+01:00

my dad recently retired but has already started on a new career, this time as a photographer! and i am really proud to announce that his fantastic pictures are now for sale online!

he does mostly wildlife photography and my favourite picture is the puffin above, which was taken in the faroe islands. isnt it such a beautiful photograph?

for more info and lots more pictures, please visit my dad's shop on photoshelter: http://hakan-nordlander.photoshelter.com/

pictures are continuously being added so call back every now and then for more!

north ronaldsay felt

2010-10-07T09:58:00.002+01:00

i love to work with felt and when my parents and sister were over in Orkney recently, they bought this gorgeous piece of woolly softness for me. i still havent made up my mind on what to do with it, but as its a pretty big square of felt, i think ill get a good few projects out of it!

if you want some too, you can contact mrs jane donnelly in north ronaldsay, orkney
email: northron.mill@btinternet.com

crochet hand warmers

2010-10-06T17:31:00.003+01:00

this pattern has turned out to be very popular in our crochet class! there are 3 pairs made already and i think there could be more coming soon! i love the simplicity of them, they are really quick to make and the pattern is very straightforward.

my gloves are skinnier than the originals as i only did a 1 chain where the pattern tells you to do a 2 chain, but they fit me better this way. i also made an extra row around the thumb area or else the hole would have ended up too small.

the choice of pink was purely coincidental as i happened to have a ball of it in my bag when i decided to start, but it turned out nicely i think! cant wait to wear them now at the christmas markets in november/december. watch this space!

please click here for a link to the pattern

baby gifts

2010-10-05T23:00:00.002+01:00

why buy gifts when you can make them yourself? :)

last month i made the name plate for my favourite nephew's first birthday. i used perler beads and although they are very time consuming and fall out of place alot, i love working with them.

myself and a friend made the mobile for a mutual friend and her baby boy. my friend crocheted the bee and the flowers while i made the felt flowers and the hanging device. it was really nice to do a collaboration and i was positively surprised that the mix of materials and techniques worked out so nicely together.

hm... time to start thinking about what gifts to make for christmas now...!

2010-10-05T00:01:00.002+01:00

it is sad when good friends move away. but it is also a good time to reflect on all the fun you had together and how a chance meeting can turn into a long lasting friendship.

a really good friend of mine moved back to sweden this summer and i drew this inside a card for her so that she would remember her swedish friends in sligo.

im the one on the left, next to the tower of cookies and with a giant sewing needle in my hand. and yes, those are viking helmets. no real swedish mafia party without viking helmets..!

crafty saturday

2010-10-02T23:03:00.012+01:00

ive been working on a few crafty projects today including a bespoke ring pillow (in pink)

a pair of crochet hand warmers (also in pink!)

and a zig zag crochet baby quilt...in...ooo, the suspense...pink!

i feel a theme emerging here...pictures will be up soon!

killaspugbrone

2010-09-18T09:53:00.005+01:00

this picture was taken on the way out to killaspugbrone church and cemetery, located close to sligo airport and one of my favourite places in sligo. not many people seem to go there, it is always lovely and quiet, and well worth a visit if you have never been!

an owl in the making

2010-09-16T23:42:00.015+01:00

earlier this week i made a little owl brooch for a friend's birthday and took a few pictures of the process so thought i would share them here!

i usually draw up a small sketch of the design before i start cutting to get an idea of how it is going to turn out.

this one turned out to be kind of confused looking but cute and i thought, yeah, thats a good look for an owl!

i made the brooch in felt and used 6 different colours and 2 different thicknesses. the thick felt was used at the back (in dark brown) to make the brooch a bit more sturdy. the thinner felt was used for all the other parts as i find it easier to work with and gives a neater result.

the body of the owl was cut as a single piece and the other bodyparts (wings, face and eyes) were placed on top.

the felt pieces were then handstitched together. i stitched a few dots on the stomach and gave him a set of feet too.

a safety pin was secured at the back for fastening purposes and i added a few beads to finish off the eyes and beak!

and T A D A ! finished!

mushroom season

2010-09-16T23:24:00.016+01:00

it is mushroom season in sligo and while out hunting for some hydnum rufescens that the boyfriend had spotted earlier in the week, we stumbled upon these lovelies! (top right)

they are called cantharellus tubaeformis and are really delicious fried in butter with a bit of salt and pepper... mmm...

we found about a kilo and a half of them and have the freezer nicely stocked up for winter!

while on the subject of mushrooms, check out the mushroom mobile in the shop! just click on the picture and it will bring you there.

happy mushroom season everyone!

donkey derby

2010-09-03T00:45:00.005+01:00

the donkey derby - 22nd of august 2010 - mullaghmore, co sligo

myself and the boyfriend didnt even know it was on but happened to be in mullaghmore on the day, hoping to do some whale spotting

we quickly realised however, that there was alot more to be seen in and around mullaghmore harbour than out at sea!

donkeys, dogs and people everywhere - its was a bit mad and absolutely brilliant!

sweden part 3

2010-09-02T23:30:00.004+01:00

while in sweden, i spent a few days in the middle of the country- in a really lovely
place called stöde. despite having family links there, it had been about 10 years since
my last visit and i wasnt quite sure what to expect. well, to make a long story short,
i fell in love. stöde is such a pretty place, so quiet and laid back. i already want to go back...

young crafting

2010-08-18T20:15:00.004+01:00

while at home in sweden this summer, i did a clean out in my parents' attic and found my first ever sewing project!

this masterpiece was made when i was around 9 and i believe it is supposed to look like balloons against a blue sky... ehm...yeah...

thankfully im abit better at the stitching these days, but i must admire the unconventional choice of colour combinations! turquoise, navy, orange, pink AND yellow- yes, well... why not?

sweden part two

2010-08-11T23:30:00.004+01:00

vee speer
.
fotografiska museet is the newly opened museum of photography in stockholm.
it is well worth visiting - at the moment they are exhibiting a big selection of
annie leibovitz's work, photographs by swedish photographer lennart nilsson,
as well as vee speer and anders petersen.
.
i loved leibovitz's and lennart nilsson's images, but vee speer was my favourite. her photographs
may seem bright at first sight, but once you look closer they are very omnious and quite terrifying.
.

lennart nilsson
.

anders petersen
.

vee speers

sweden part one

2010-08-11T22:17:00.007+01:00

view from my parents' house... nice, isnt it?.

crochet blanket part two - i finished it!

2010-07-31T21:09:00.010+01:00

i finished the blanket! yay!
-
im delighted with it, its a bit wonky and definitely not perfect, but completely made with love (and some frustration)!
-

-

here is how i finished it off:
-
once i had sewn together the squares, i added about 2 rows of doubles around the whole thing.
then a single row of trebles and on the next row after that, i put 3 trebles in each of the trebles
on the previous row (this achieves the lovely ruffled effect of the border). then a last row of
doubles again to make it abit more rigid and tada!

F-I-N-I-T-O!

now that im on a roll, the next project will definitely be a 100 square blanket! (cue boyfriend rolling his eyes..!)

blueberries

2010-07-29T23:49:00.027+01:00

.
a couple of weeks ago, myself and the boyfriend went blueberry picking in the woods of sligo. as a swede, blueberry picking comes quite naturally to me, but mr boyfriend has been claiming the title of master picker three times in a row now... hm... i suspect that he most certainly must be cheating, but i have yet to discover exactly how...

we ended up with a nice result of 2.5 kilos though, so who am i to complain! and soon the mushroom season is starting, lets see who will be the champion then! (that would be me!)
.

2010-07-22T09:23:00.007+01:00

{lavender hearts}
.

these lavender filled hearts will
find their way into the shop soon!

2010-07-15T09:38:00.001+01:00

{crochet blanket}

this project has been going on for quite some time...
the plan at the start was to make a large amount of
crochet squares which would be combined into a big blanket.
id say for a decent sized blanket you would need
about 100 squares and alot of patience...
i made 12. then i got bored. talk about perseverance!

anyhow. i thought i would share the last part of
my journey with 'the blanket that was never to be'
as this might actually trigger me to finish it!
the size is going to be considerably smaller than planned,
but nonetheless it is going to be a blanket and i think
that is a happy enough ending to this tale...

so this is what i did once i had all the end bits sewed in:
i had a frame laying about onto which i stretched
a piece of material and used this to block the squares on.
blocking is something i had never done before,
but my lovely crochet teacher told me to just wet the
squares, squeeze out excess water and pin them up to
dry using normal sewing pins.

as you can see in the picture above, some of the
squares werent exactly perfect looking, but once they
were wet i could shape them the size i needed them
to be and smooth out any funny corners too!

the pictures above show how i pinned down
the corners first (left) and then did the sides (right)

the dots on the fabric helped me shape all the squares the
same size. it didnt take long, it wasnt complicated and now
im just waiting for them to dry so i can crochet them together!

then i will add abit of a border around the
blanket to finish it off and tada! it will be done!

(a post on how that goes will be up soon!)

2010-07-14T16:45:00.007+01:00

{strandhill gymkhana}

it was a while ago it was on but here are
finally the pictures from the strandhill gymkhana!

i had made new lavender hearts, mobiles
and pin cushions and brought with me burt the cat too!
(he is looking kind of lonely these days so i am thinking
he might be joined by a few friends soon..)

i had the pleasure of sharing a stand
with my friend natasha of aireefairee!
(we both got a lovely mention in the
sligo weekender the week before the market
was on, which was such a nice surprise!)

i got to meet my good old butter-making friends from
last year too! hello violet and sean!

and i was loving the little hares and birds and that
lovely minty green glazing of sligo based Breerogue Pottery.
(this stand was right in front of my stand and i was drooling
over them the whole day... as they say in japan;
they were super-kawaii!)

2010-06-26T23:02:00.008+01:00

{vintage clothing, sligo}

a friend of mine recently told me about this shop,
which is located just outside of sligo town.
i have never been there myself, but ive just spent
the last hour oogling the store online...
im thinking tea party hosting, croquet playing
and cocktail sipping would all be valid activities
to undertake while wearing any of the dresses below...
{especially that top right one...swoon!}

{click on the pictures to get to the shop}

2010-06-24T23:18:00.009+01:00

{tour of asia}

when: jan-feb 2010
duration: 3 weeks
fun had: lots
sunburn: oh yes
weddings attended: 2
good food eaten: mmm...
octopuses spotted: 1
wanting to go back soon: definitely

first stop:
kuala lumpur, malaysia

then singapore...

and the beach:
khao lak, thailand
(yup, thats a wild turtle!)

and finally:
lovely lovely
bangkok, thailand
(my favourite place on earth)

2010-06-24T18:03:00.006+01:00

{pin cushions}

just like last year, i will have a stand at the
strandhill gymkhana and craft fair!

these pin cushions will be for sale there,
along with many other crafty things...

and my friend will be there too!
its on saturday the 3rd of july

if you are in the area,
please come visit!

2010-06-24T17:00:00.004+01:00

im back!
{and so is miss lily}

wow.... its been half a year since my last post... ouch...
never meant to be away from the crafting and
blogging world THAT long!
so what on earth have i been up to? hm... let me see...

there was the 3 week holiday to asia in january/february
(oh it was LOVELY! blog post will follow!),
the somewhat shorter but also brilliant visit to scotland
(hello dear sistaas and bfs of sistaas!),
a few nights of sleep lost to the compulsive reading
of the twilight series (if youve read them youll know
what im talking about - un-put-down-able!)
but most of all it was college taking over my life...

i went back to college in september last year for a
one year add on degree and after alot
of hard work, blood, sweat, tears and cursing,
(lets just say mr. laptop was very close to getting thrown
out the window on numerous occasions!)
i finally finished last month!

so now i am back to crafting!
im absolutely delighted to be working with the lovely
miss lily o'sewing machine again, it has been way too long
and she was starting to look really upset that she was
hidden away in the corner gathering dust...

here is the first project of the year,
a bespoke order of 5 lavender hearts!

i hope you are all doing well and that the rest of this year
will bring us all loads of crafty inspiration
and a lot of new friends!

{sara}

2010-01-01T19:41:00.010Z

happi happi new year!

im just back in ireland after spending
a lovely and relaxing christmas in snowy sweden!
getting there was a bit of a nightmare (well, thats what
happens when you wish for a white christmas...
your flight gets cancelled due to the bad weather
conditions...sigh...) but once i had arrived,
about 11 hours later and considerably poorer,
i spent the holiday with the family -eating, watching tv,
reading magazines and then eating some more!
it was just what i needed after a tough
first half year in college..
just another half year to go, then ill be
back blogging and crafting fulltime again!

lately the crafting has been put on hold a bit,
but i made these crochet booties for the bfs first nephew
-a supercool little guy who totally melts
your heart with his smile!

i hope you will all have a fabulous new year
and thanks so much for reading and commenting
on my blog posts, it is so touching and encouraging...

lots of love,
sara

2009-11-19T23:24:00.014Z

Lovely birds

it has been so long since my last entry, apologies for that!
life is very busy these days as i am back in college again. i got lots of pictures i want to share, but never seem to have the time to upload them anymore!
today however, i want to share something lovely that i went to last week... my dear parents were visiting (yay!) so we went to eagles flying here in sligo and got to experience a really amazing bird show! we had eagles, falcons and owls flying right over our heads, i even had a falcon perched on my hand-it really was an absolutely brilliant day out! eagles flying is a centre for owls and birds of prey and the german couple running it are so delightfully lovely. if you are ever in the ballymote area, a visit is well worth a detour!

2009-10-02T23:28:00.006+01:00

marie antoinette
wedding pillow

this bespoke felt pillow was made as a
wedding present for a couple who had a
marie antoinette themed wedding
(oh what a lovely idea!)

if you are interested in a bespoke
wedding pillow, please email me at:
kittiwakedesign@gmail.com

2009-09-29T22:25:00.006+01:00

Wedding pillow

earlier this summer, my superlovely friend T
got married in Kenya
(i know, what a dreamy location..!)
as a wedding present, i made this felt pillow
with maasai men on the front and
the initials of the gorgeous couple on the back

the silhouettes of the maasai men came from a
photograph from the wedding,
so every time they see the pillow
they will remember their wedding day!

a big *mwah!* to T and B
and many congrats again!

2009-09-24T23:47:00.001+01:00

Mushroom picking

sweden august 2009
(don't eat the top right one...
very pretty but oh so poisonous...)

2009-09-24T23:45:00.001+01:00

Crayfish party

if you're ever in sweden in august time
(and this year i was! )
a traditional crayfish party is a must!
make sure you include the following:
slightly scary looking moon lanterns,
shots of 42% snaps, lots of loud singing,
ugly hats, cheese pie and of course crayfish
...yum...
what better way to celebrate the end of summer?

a big shout out to my fellow people at the table
you know who you are and i love you guys!
*mwah!*

2009-09-24T23:06:00.004+01:00

Benbulben,Sligo

all summer has been raining away,
so when we got a good enough day
a few weeks ago, the boyfriend and
myself climbed benbulben
seriously lovely views from up there
lots of posing sheep too

2009-09-02T00:42:00.004+01:00

now in the shop!

the red flower ring pillow
and the mini bunting are now
available to buy in the shop!
(click on the images to get there)

2009-08-31T23:56:00.000+01:00

Ring pillow

i have been working in felt a lot lately
but as most of it is for bespoke orders,
i won't be able to share for another while.
the ring pillow is for sale however and
will be added to the shop tomorrow!
i just couldn't wait 'til then to show it! :)
i am really happy with how it turned out and
am thinking of making more in slightly
different designs and colours.
if you have any specific colours you
would like to see, please let me know!

2009-08-31T23:55:00.001+01:00

Pin cushion

just had to show my new pin cushion!
i rejected it as a ring pillow (aww..) but it
works really well for all my pins!
~colour coordinated too!~
(cue boyfriend rolling his eyes)
yeah, ok, there are better things i
could be doing with my time...
but you have to admit it looks
better in the picture this way!

2009-08-29T00:31:00.006+01:00

Potatoes

dug up in the garden today!
add some sour cream and chopped chives...
yum, yum...mmm...

2009-08-26T22:29:00.021+01:00

A lovely long weekend

just back from Düsseldorf where
myself and the bf spent a relaxing long weekend!
the weather was gorgeous with 25-30 degrees
and sunshine so we spent most of the time exploring
the city on foot and taking lots of breaks for ice cream,
lovely food and most importantly - cold beer!
they seem to have breweries in every corner of
the old town and my favourite was Füchschen Alt,
mainly because of the lovely logo..! i know, i know,
but how could you not fall for that cute little fox?

ah yes, had time for some supply shopping too!

2009-08-18T17:02:00.002+01:00

Blackberry season!

well, most of it is now in the freezer,
but my stomach was craving some too...
-freshly picked blackberries and milk-
mmm lovely stuff!

2009-08-14T23:48:00.003+01:00

Crochet addiction
and brooches

i have recently started to learn how to crochet
with the help of the wonderful Natasha and i
never expected it to be so addictive!
i have started to bring the crochet hooks everywhere
and was up 'til 4 in the morning finishing
off a scarf the other night- i just could not
put it down 'til it was finished!

the picture above shows some of the things i have
made so far, lets start with the really crookedly looking
flat thing in two different brown tones...
its not finished, its definitely not perfect, but i love it
nonetheless as it was the first thing i made!
and one day im turning it into a cushion!

the grey and yellow flowers are the start of a shawl
i got about 8 flowers made so far...
just another 157 or so to go!

the big flowers (yup, i love flowers!)
are being turned into brooches,
they will be available to buy in the shop soon!

i really enjoy making little brooches and when
emile the cat was sold earlier this week i made a
'mini emile' brooch to come with him to his new home!

-gonna miss you emile-
be nice to your lovely new owner!

2009-08-11T12:46:00.002+01:00

New products!

now in the shop!
bunting purple and bunting blue

more bunting will be added soon!

2009-08-10T18:12:00.003+01:00

Cat with *bling*

I made this cat with an extra
bit of *bling* for my friend K
and her gorgeous little baby girl!
Loads of congrats again!

2009-08-06T09:26:00.007+01:00

Coming soon..

mini bunting!
-the latest addition to the bunting family-
coming soon to the shop!

(i will also be adding loads of 'normal sized'
bunting in new colours!)

2009-08-04T23:44:00.005+01:00

and the winner is...

Anne Marie Murphy!

Congratulations Anne Marie!
You have won a set of bunting of your choice
because you signed up for the Kittiwake Design
email newsletter at the craft fair in Boyle last week!
I will be in contact with you shortly so
that you can choose which set you want!

If you want to sign up for the newsletter too, then
sign up here or email me at kittiwakedesign@gmail.com!

2009-07-31T23:22:00.003+01:00

I love you..

..my lovely new glittery shoes!

2009-07-31T20:25:00.010+01:00

Crafts, past and present
Boyle Arts Festival

had a great day out!
met some fabulously lovely people, got great
feedback on my products, and had the most interesting
conversations throughout the day - mostly concerning
flowers (in one form or another) but also Emile the cat's
ability to speak French, which some children
found utterly fascinating..! aww...
thanks so much to all my customers, it was
really great meeting you! special thanks
to Deirdre, you had it organised brilliantly!
and hello to my new friends Ina (artist) Roger (ceramics)
and Laura (wool-spinning, now, how cool is that?)

2009-07-27T19:47:00.008+01:00

Sidetracked...

i really should be preparing for the stall i have on
friday, but as i am the queen of procrastination,
i saw that the lavender in the garden was ready
to be picked... oh yes, how very important...!
so once i had a nice big bunch picked...
well, then they should (naturally) be arranged into neat
little bunches! and then i just had to take pictures
of them (and a couple of hydrangeas) because...
well, they were pretty!
ok, ok im going sewing now...
ill be using the lavender to stuff new lavender bags!
-watch this space-

2009-07-27T19:27:00.003+01:00

Garden update

the garden has been rather neglected lately
but fortunately things just keep growing anyway!
i kinda wish the weeds wouldn't though...
this monster turnip was picked and eaten yesterday
im still waiting to see how the cauliflower
will turn out, but so far so good..!

2009-07-25T12:25:00.006+01:00

Kittiwake Design
-now on facebook!-

come look us up!

2009-07-22T00:14:00.003+01:00

Supply shopping

is definitely the best kind of shopping!
-here are some of the latest finds-
i now have felt in LOADS of colours!
i am thinking butterflies, ring pillows and baby mobiles!
-watch this space-

2009-07-21T23:21:00.004+01:00

Super chic hotel

was in Düsseldorf for a long weekend recently and am still
amazed at the swanky hotel the bf booked us into!
had to share a few pictures i took when i just arrived,
before the perfection was ruined by all my bags!
nice eh?

2009-07-18T00:27:00.008+01:00

best family EVER!

i live quite a bit away from my family
but we keep in touch through the
means of the internet and skype.
every now and then we send each other packages,
and in the last few weeks,
i have been receiving not just one but TWO parcels!
and it is not even my birthday!
* i feel so loved! *

2009-07-17T23:10:00.006+01:00

Crafts, past & present
St. Joseph's Hall, Boyle

-ill be having a stall-
come visit me!

part of the Boyle Arts Festival 2009
2-6pm friday 31st july
entrance: free!

2009-07-16T00:58:00.011+01:00

Happy memories

i am sick with the flu (poor me!)
but these pictures from a recent holiday
make me feel a whole lot better
-so many happy memories-
i LOVE portugal!

2009-07-14T14:19:00.007+01:00

Lolijo pixi
shopping tip of the day!

a friend of mine has an online shop where she sells
fairly traded bags of her own designs.
im in love with the 'where have all the whales gone?'
bag and got 3 of them-one for each of the sisters
and of course one for me!
do visit the shop!

2009-07-07T00:47:00.005+01:00

Kittiwake baby
*now open*

please come visit!

2009-07-07T00:27:00.004+01:00

New products!

visit the shop here!

2009-07-07T00:06:00.003+01:00

say hello to...

burt and emile
now available to buy in Kittiwake Home!