The Triffids - Wide Open Road (1986)

summer holidays so far...

a visit to Blue Lotus watergarden in Yarra Junction, Victoria

reminds me of Monet's garden

a happy little Jack Russell...leaping through the air...check out her reflection and her shadow

i made some little doorstops...the only bit of sewing i've had a chance to do so far this year

they've found a home at new stockist My Little Empire

warm summer evenings at Hampton beach

hot summer days at Beaumaris Beach

This week Melbourne is in for a scorcher..every day above 35 degrees.  Luckily the Australian Open tennis starts today and I will happily watch a few great games on TV with the air conditoner.   We've also bought a round 3 metre above ground swimming pool and it's being filled up with water today so that will keep the kids happy.  Just patiently waiting for it to be filled with the hose...we've had the tap on overnight and it's not even half full yet.  Hopefully by tonight it will be full!

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!