new stockist...My Little Empire

A new addition to my suburb is a great little shop called My Little Empire.  With its newly painted interior and exterior and polished concrete floors, it's a breath of fresh air for the local shopping strip.
 My Little Empire is a one of kind homewares-interiors-design shop.  I popped in when it opened and met owner Lauren who is bright, bubbly and full of enthusiasm for her new store.  Lauren is filling the shop with bright and colourful homewares such as peacock beds and chairs, ceramics, cushions, jewellery, mexican crosses and skulls, candles, interiors books, succulents.  The list goes on, she has new stock arriving each week and it's new and fresh which I love.
We got chatting about things, I told her I lived in the neighbourhood with my kids going to the local school and how I am a maker of fabric word arts etc.  Lauren was really interested and asked me to bring some frames in and I am happy to say My Little Empire is now a stockist for Gozi & Pop word arts.  For my information about My Little Empire you can follow here on facebook and instagram  user name my_little_empire

Proud new owner Lauren on the right!

Christmas Essentials gift guide again!!!

Opening the Sunday Melbourne Age newspaper this morning I was greeted with a nice surprise..

 my appliqued map of Australia is featured in the gift guide today

these framed Australia's  are currently available from Davies & son, 520 Hampton Street, Hampton,  and also from Page 8, 188 Main Street, Mornington, Victoria

They are in a lovely white frame which lets the fabrics really pop out!

I like to mix around the fabrics so each Australia is a little different.  The fabrics are so bright and vibrant.  

My latest creations are some larger maps in a hanging style with some famous Australian sayings 

they are quite time consuming, I cut all the pieces out by hand, including the lettering.  Then it is all evenly placed onto the backing fabric and carefully machine stitched around each state, and around each letter.

I am making more maps in the hanging style as they will be much easier to post. I find people like to give these as presents to friends and family overseas.

If you would like more information about my maps please email to goziandpop@optusnet.com.au

Here's a giant one I made earlier this year

A few things I made this week and some decorations around our home...

a patchwork Santa sack

kids are loving the advent surprises each day

appliqued cushion for my friend's birthday (she loves elephants)

found this elephant fabric in Spotlight, so I cut around the edges, sewed it on to calico and made it into a cushion

decorating the tree

another advent calender I made and hung with a stick found at the park

and we can't wait

a felted heart

little calico bag for treats with a stamped message

knitted decorations from local market

more knitted goodness from local market

How do you like to decorate your home?

The Sunday Age Christmas Essentials...

Super excited to find my advent bunting in todays Melbourne Sunday Age in the Christmas Essentials guide...

Be quick, there are only a limited number available from these stockists

They come in different designs..all one of a kind.

Davies & Son

520 Hampton Street

Hampton

Page 8

188 Main Street 

Mornington

little hanging birdie is in there too

For further enquiries please email goziandpop@optusnet.com.au

Have you heard about madeit.com.au ?

Madeit.com.au is Australia's premier online buying and selling destination for handmade and independently created items.
Buyers can shop on madeit knowing they are supporting independent designers and crafters as well as the whole Australian made industry at large.


Madeit was founded by Bec Davies in July 2007.  Several years ago Bec was working in Sydney as a fulltime graphic designer and selling screenprinted T-shirts on weekends at the markets.  Her dream was to unite all the creative types working in markets and making masterpieces at home together in one place online.

Not long after setting up the online business, Bec, with her partner Jayc and baby Georgia, decided to make the move from a hectic life in Sydney to a more tranquil existence in Yamba.  Yamba is a small coastal town on the northern coast of New South Wales. It is here that they have been running the online business.

Now another dream has come true for Bec, her family and the madeit community.  This Saturday 23rd November is the grand opening of the first ever madeit retail store in the beautiful town of Yamba.  It will stock some of the items that are available on the madeit website. Exciting times ahead...to find out more and keep up to date there is a new facebook page Madeit HQ Store .

I felt very honoured that Bec asked me to make some signs for the front door of the new shop.

I have to tell you, this is such a wonderful handmade community.  We all communicate with each other and give each other support.  It's fantastic to talk to the makers of unique products, bounce ideas off each other and Bec is an amazing, kind and generous person.  Even though most of us have never met face to face, we all talk online and it is valuable.  I think we would all love to visit Yamba now.

Have a look at this fantastic online market - there are so many lovely things made by so many lovely people

www.madeit.com.au

Now I need to get back to making things...would love to have some Gozi & Pop creations available in madeit HQ store ... and why not a holiday in Yamba next year too!

making some Christmassy things...

Advent bunting...

After spending so many hours making these little pockets, and hand stitching many many numbers 1 - 24 and not to mention making bias - binding I finally photographed these today...

Jeez...it's going to be 1st December before I know it and the countdown to Christmas will begin.

These advent bunting calenders are now available for purchase www.madeit.com.au/goziandpop

make your own flatscreen TV cover!!!

What a cool idea I hear you say!  Well it was my husband's idea actually...he sometimes says to me "why don't you make this?" or " Why don't you make one of these?"   And then..."why don't you make a cover for the TV?"

No worries, I'll just whip one up.  As it turned out, it was very easy.  You can make one too if you like.

Here..I'll show you how.

Step 1.
Measure your TV and write your measurements on a piece of paper to take to IKEA if there is one near you (or your fabric store).

Step 2.
Get in the car and drive to IKEA (or your fabric store).

Step 3.
Once at IKEA go straight past the Swedish meatballs (do not stop), do not go around in a maze - go straight to the fabric section at IKEA.  They have a great range of fabrics perfect for this sort of project.  Once you have chosen and paid for your fabric you need to then get out of there...quick!

Step 4.

When you get home, chuck the fabric in the 'too hard basket' and leave it there for a few weeks, until you find the motivation to start sewing.  (Going to IKEA can be exhausting especially if you get trapped buying other things and then have to lug it all home). 

Step 5.

Okay better get on with it.  So one fine sunny day when there are no sick kids or husbands around and everyone has gone to work and school as they should,  it's a good time to get the fabric out of the 'too hard basket' and get started.  

Step 6.
Cut a large enough piece of fabric that will cover your TV screen and also fold over the top of the TV to hang over the back. Hang the piece of fabric over your TV to check.

Step 7.

Lay the fabric piece out and hem up the top and bottom.  

Sew up the top and bottom edges on the sewing machine.  Pedal to the floor, go fast, no need to be fancy.

Once the top and bottom hems are sewn, hang the piece of fabric inside out over the TV.  This is to get the correct length for the fabric to hang over the front of the TV.  

Pin the sides into place.

Then back to the sewing machine and sew up the two sides.

Turn right side out, a quick iron and it's ready to hang over your TV.

See...easy peasy.  Why not make a couple more? 

Under $10.00 each 

Choose your favourite colours to suit your decor.

Summer is coming - no need to be inside.  Keep the television covered and it will be dust free and away from sunlight.  

Make one for your computer too!