Little People Clothing - Doilies, Dollies and Dainty Delights!

I have a real soft spot for handmade kids clothing that blends nostalgic fabrics and ideas with modern patterns and designs. I recently had the pleasure of meeting a handmade designer who does just that; the lovely Caleena from Little People Clothing; a handmade label based in Sydney, NSW… long live the doily!

Caleena started her label, Little People Clothing, after the birth of her first two children {she has since had another child, and has a fourth one on the way!} Prior to starting her family she had spent 15 years running a bridal couture business. She has a particular penchant for vintage finds which she then washes, dyes, irons and brings back to life with a little bit of T.L.C and a lot of imagination. How cute are the two little dresses above? My favourite is the Parisian dress {left}.

All of Caleena’s items are lovingly handmade in her cosy little studio. I was particularly inspired by the beauty of her workspace {see image below}. Surrounded by her little ones, who provide her with oodles of inspiration, Caleena creates hand-dyed doilies pieced together into fairytale dresses, upcycled woolen cardigans with vintage buttons and trims, super soft snugglies and dolls with hand embroidered faces… and so much more.

Yippee! We love a special offer, especially when it involves cute {and free} accessories! Receive your free hair clip with any order from Little People Clothing before Thursday 1 July, 2010. There’s heaps of cute clothing, toys and artwork in-store to choose from… Just mention {KID} independent.

Caleena has graciously offered to giveaway one of her Parisian dresses and matching hair clip  to one lucky reader! The winner may choose their size, and either short or long sleeves. To enter, visit Little People Clothing and then tell us {in the comment section below} your favourite item from their current collection. Competition is open worldwide, drawn 1 July, 2010.

kid independent article

Yipee,
[Kid]independent,a really cool blog has written an article about me and are running a feature giveaway,so get your skates on and win a parisian chic party dress from me......

[kid]independent

sewing,sewing,snooze

O

Phew..I have been unable to post for a few days as I was determined to finish my'handmade living submission' and get it off in the post ahead of schedule,

I have a new appreciation of just how much work it takes to publish a book and I only have a small role in it!
 
I am really pleased with the results and am dying to show you what I have done however we have been sworn to secrecy,
So I will just have to wait until early December when the book is released.
Good news is I will also be able to sell it through my shop..yipee!!!

I am now on a mission to make as much stock as I can for the upcoming Billycart markets,on june 26th at Lakes parish hall,Narrabeen

As you can see from this piccy of my studio,I have a lot of projects on the go...

One inspiration leads to another,

and now I need to knuckle down and complete what I can..

I am finding myself getting increasingly tired despite my best intentions,

Baby Edkins no4 would like their mumma to rest a little more,

I have hit the 7 month mark and when I put Huddy down for his mid-day nap,

I am also drifting off for some beloved zzzz's

Still I am not going to fight it,

a well rested mumma is a happy mumma,and that is what I want to be!

So come and visit me at the markets if you can,

I would love to see you there,

Melanie is doing a fantastic job promoting the markets,

everything looks very posh and professional and I am very impressed by the quality of the other stallholders there,

a wee bit intimidating actually!

So pleased there is a  handmade market on the northern beaches ,Yipee!!!!

Just look for the woman with a large round belly in a doily dress and my new aqua clogs!!!!

Little miss doily x

Dyeing for doilies

Do you know what one of my favourite jobs is?
I love to hang freshly dyed doilies on the clothesline,in the sunshine
Which is kind of ironic,because I hate hanging the family's washing on the line,
but it is so satisfying to rescue some blah,blah beigy stained doily from a musty old op shop,plunge them into a hot bath of exquisite colour[today's choice BahamaBlue]
and then watch them transform into a thing of great beauty in front
of my eyes....
And then I know that when they are dry,I can turn them into a beautiful cobweb lace party dress to be admired by all,
makes me feel good,
like I have saved an orphan..well maybe that is a bit extreme..

On another note,I have almost finished my submission for the wonderful new book
"HANDMADE LIVING",due out early december,can't tell you much more than that only that I am bursting with excitement and pride,
it is a long held dream of mine to be in a book and this one is going to be really special!
A tome of crafty goodness from artists all over Australia!
Sweet doily dreams xx

Billycarts market post..yipee!!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

CLOTHING FOR LITTLE PEOPLE TOO

Yummy Mummy Caleena from Little People Clothing will be joining us for the first time at the June Billycart Markets selling her divine vintage inspired range for the little ones on our life. While reviewing Caleena's application, the thing I most enjoyed was reading her story about how her business came about and what inspires her. A local Northern Beaches girl to join us ! Hooray

mermaid obsession

Is anyone else as obsessed with mermaids as me???

For as long as I can remember I have loved mermaids,
while other little sprites pretended to be fairies I was always the one hanging by the rockpools having conversations with my aquatic imaginary friends..
The ironic things I don't even like to swim that much,
I just get too cold,
so I decided that I am an equatorial mermaid,warm waters only..
In fact that is the only thing I don't like about Sydney,
water is too cold,
So what do I do?
I draw them...
I imagine a life of sea horse stables,underwater gardens,shimmering treasures and boutique tail shops,
I make them....
have you ever noticed how few mermaid dolls and toys there are
in this world?
 And I read about them....
to myself and my kids,in fact I am slowly making my daughter as obsessed as I am..
I recommend that every mother at very least,
read to their children some classics,
'little obelia' in the snugglepot and cuddlepie series,by May Gibbs

and if you can find it ,
'pearl pinky and sea greenie'by Pixie o'harris
 
both beautifully illustrated,whimsical Australian stories,
you will fall under the sirens spell as I and many sailors have.....
I promise!
littlemissdoily x