show & tell

I know I keep going on about it, but this book is just so rad! I got all inspired to make a few things in time for Chistmas – potato-stamped wrapping paper, watercolour paper garlands & hand painted wooden blocks. It was so much fun! I used my big old roll of brown packing paper to stamp on, got the mint baker's twine for the garlands from here and used cookie cutters to draw around. The garlands and the wrapping paper were pretty straightforward; the blocks took a bit longer. Matta cut and sanded the blocks and we painted and varnished them according to Beci's instructions – these ones are for my nephew in England. (Find & Keep would make an ideal present for anyone who likes to make things, if you are still looking for ideas!)

Have a very merry Christmas everyone! (Oh and don't forget to enter our summer giveaways from Harvest Textiles, Thunderpants, LoveHate & Kester Black if you have the current issue – drawn end of January).

Ninotchka McKay from Sailor Spy

Meet Nin from from the indie fashion label Sailor Spy, who we interviewed for the article "Sew slow" in the current issue. Having to regroup after the Christchurch earthquakes, Ninotchka McKay has recently renovated a little cottage to be her studio and show room. She's named it Orange Tree Cottage and is excited to open up her workspace for customers to get a sense of 'the story' behind the clothes – you can go in and browse through her beautiful creations and chat with her while she works. It's very much in the European tradition of the atelier.

Nin's Sailor Spy label is all about individuality – as well as clothes that flatter figures and give more than a season of faithful service. "I'm conscious that different women have different silhouettes and my collections try to offer something for everyone. It's about helping people develop their own style." Nin has a real focus on sustainable design and production, and is passionate about the Slow Sewing movement, which she explained to us for the article.

Nin's vision for the future of Orange Tree Cottage is to open its doors to musicians, performing artists and fine artists to host masterclasses, workshops or exhibitions. Celebrating community and art, there's plenty of room to thrive here. There's even a very special secret garden.

Orange Tree Cottage

201b Bealey Ave, Christchurch

Open to the public Fridays and Saturdays 10-4
or by appointment

Ph 942 8731

Giveaway: Find & Keep by Beci Orpin

Hardie Grant Books kindly sent a copy of Find & Keep to give to one of our lucky readers for Christmas! Beci Orpin is so amazingly talented and I know many of you will have been waiting to get your hands on this one for a while. It's full to bursting with inspiration and Beci gives you an inside look into her process and how she gets her ideas flowing. I don't want to give it away, but you can win it here.

Stockist Series: Endemic World

Online stockist Endemic World recently opened a pop-up store in Ponsonby Road, Auckland – it's such a treat to see everything up close and personal! Looking for the perfect print for a Christmas pressie? Elliot and Kate will help you pick something out, and they'll even give you a free Nice Block when you spend over 50 bucks! There's a moose for the littlies to ride and a sweet coffee cart out front serving Kokako. Too meke.

What will customers discover at your pop-up shop?

Prints Prints and more prints. Big Character space filled with natural light and vintage furniture and print drawers, fresh flowers, some saucy as deals, niceblocks, and us, so come chat! The great thing about the pop up is that for the first time we have some originals! We also have some artist proofs by the Cut Collective, silly cheap screen & stencil prints from their archives. Some of our favourite prints we have framed up all bespoke too, like the Wattle Bird Quartet by Walter Hansen we framed in thin gold, looks so damn primo. Hopefully one day we can offer the full framing service. 

What's the best thing about coming to work each day?

Apart from seeing stoked as customers I get a real buzz selling local artists' hard work, cheesy I know, but getting them some coverage in the media and generally helping them grow, and seeing them get amped on it is rewarding. People want cool shit for their walls, creative peeps want to get their art out there, we are in the middle joining the dots and everyone is smiling.

What is one thing you learnt from opening your shop?

Don't try and be everything to all people. Keep it simple. Do one thing really really really well. Then grow from there.

What's the best-kept secret in your local area?

Scruff, if you bump into him, sit down and have a yarn. 

ENDEMIC WORLD POP-UP

62 PONSONBY RD, AUCKLAND

MON - SAT 10:00 - 5:00

LATE NIGHT FRIDAYS

SUNDAYS 10:00-3:00

www.endemicworld.com

Street portraiture

The horrid weather cleared and the sun came out just as we arrived at First Thursdays in K Road this evening, and there were a huddle of people intently watching the action opposite St Kevin's Arcade. Artists including Ant Sang and past EC contributors Rebecca ter Borg and Toby Morris were doing portraits for $5 a pop – a completely mental price, and I had to get two – a portrait of me as a monster from Toby Morris, and that very flattering pink one by Rebecca. It was so amazing to watch these guys draw in front of a crowd and I think it's such a rad and brave thing to do! 

Issue TEN

I've had my head down the last week – numbering magazines, slotting in postcards and packing orders, enjoying that fresh-from-the-printer magazine smell! I've finally taken some photos so you can see a little bit of what's inside... can't believe we're up to issue ten! It's thanks to the writers, photographers, illustrators, proofreaders, retailers, subscribers and readers that we have come this far. Champions all of you!

In the self-sufficiency issue you'll find a holiday postcard illustrated by Angela Keoghan, a bunch of great giveaways, interviews about honeybees and homebrew, slow fashion, soap-making and growing your own food, recipes for sourdough, herbal remedies and iceblocks – and you can create a self-sufficient little world with our terrarium tutorial (so much fun!) Buy your copy here or here, or check out one of the retailers on the right there. And don't forget when you're Christmas shopping that we also offer subscriptions.

Stockist Series: Madame Fancy Pants

Claire Terry is the lady you'll find running this fancy-pants store full of lovely things. In amongst them you'll find Extra Curricular, teensy porcelain animals, Kester Black nail polish in delicious colours, and that awesome cuckoo clock. Claire kindly took some time out from minding her pretty shop to answer our nosey questions. 

What will customers discover at Madame Fancy Pants?
When you come in to Madame Fancy Pants your nose is greeted by a waft of lovely aromas (thanks MOR cosmetics!) an array of textures and colours to look at and touch and a smiling person to have a yarn with or help you find that special something and then wrap it all up with vigour and love (even if perhaps it's just for yourself!)

What's the best thing about coming to work each day?
Chatting to lovely folk who pop in throughout the day, designing my own range of jewellery and knowing that this is a space I can call home... away from home!

What is one thing you have learnt from opening your shop?

That being self motivated is really hard! Sometimes I have to get my helpful shop girls to give ME jobs and help me stay on task. To not be afraid to ask for help when it all gets a bit much.

What's the best-kept secret in your local area?
Hmm well I love food and there is some sweet food around Cuba Street. I LOVE the spinach, feta and caramelized scones up at the Italian cafe just two doors up. I was actually addicted to them for about 2 weeks and HAD to have one every day. Fidels do a super great thickshake perfect on a hot summery day. YUM!

MADAME FANCY PANTS

217 CUBA STREET, 

WELLINGTON 6011, 

NEW ZEALAND

MONDAY 12:00-4:00

 TUESDAY - THURSDAY 11:00-5:00

FRIDAY 11:00-6:00 

SATURDAY 11:00 - 5:00

SUNDAYS 12:00-3:00

www.madamefancypants.com

Finders Keepers Melbourne

Finders Keepers was all a bit too exciting for me, and I started off taking a few photos and then got swept up in a shopping frenzy (not so much a buying frenzy as a panic in trying to decide which 3 items would come home with me!) This is what I snapped before my friends dragged me outta there! The amazing Royal Exhibition Building, Sunday Morning Designs, Jen Booth and Abby Seymour. Look at all that colour!