Giveaway: All Sewn Up + Vintage Bunting Kit

Crafty giveaways don't come better than this! To celebrate the inclusion of My Poppet's Vintage Bunting Kit in the new book by Chloe Owens, All Sewn Up, we are giving away a signed copy of the book and a bunting kit to one lucky winner.

Like me, Chloe loves using colourful vintage fabrics in her projects. She combines them with contemporary prints and free style machine embroidery to create beautifully textured pieces.

And the love is mutual, here is what Chloe says about My Poppet:
"My Poppet has the most delicious array of vintage and handmade goodies! I thought the 'make your own vintage bunting kit' would fit perfectly within All Sewn Up for the 'Stylish Scraps Bunting' project as a lovely alternative to sourcing and cutting out your own"

So to be in the running to win this great prize, leave a comment on this blog post telling me about your proudest crafting moment. What did you make and why was it so special to you?
Entries close 10pm (melbourne time) 22nd May 2012 Winner will be announced on this post and notified by email
(Please make sure you have your e-mail enabled or leave your contact details in the comment)
Winner has been chosen by Chloe and is PJ Edwards - Congratulations!

Product Review: Tefal Steam Generator Iron

Product Talk by Nuffnang

Guess who did a little dance when she was offered to review the new Tefal Steam Generator Iron? As a crafter and sewer, an iron is my most important piece of kit after my sewing machine, so I couldn't turn down the  chance to give these fancy steam generators a try. In the interest of full disclosure, I was not paid for this review but did get to keep the product. All opinions are my own.

Product: Tefal Steam Generator Pro Express
Even though I do (occasionally) iron clothes, I've reviewed the iron from a crafter's perspective.
How does the Steam Generator differ from a normal iron? I'm glad you asked!
It has a base station that holds a reservoir of 1.8L of water which pumps high pressure steam through a cable to the iron. I've always just had a conventional iron so was really dying to give this a try.

Read more »

Optus MeTV: The Verdict (and yummy Salted Butterscotch Popcorn!)

Sponsored by Nuffnang

Last month I posted on the new Optus MeTV internet service that arrived on my doorstep.
Now here is the verdict you’ve all been waiting for with baited breath!
Just to recap, MeTV is an internet TV service which also lets you record, pause and rewind free to air television.

What I like about MeTV:

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Optus Me TV - A Review

Sponsored by Nuffnang 

It’s not often that Mr Man gets enthusiastic about my blogging, until I was asked to review the new Internet TV service called MeTV by Optus. He is a bit of a TV junkie and had been asking for something like this for ages, so you can imagine how happy he was that I accepted the challenge. He even helped me take these photos, crazy times!!

The courier delivered everything we needed to get started. There was the Fetch Tv box which lets you record, pause and rewind Live TV with a whopping 1TB of storage and a modem router thing which connects everything to your internet so you can use the Optus internet TV service. Oh and of course all the wires and instructions too.

Read more »

iPad Apps we love...

I took my iPad on our recent trip to Argentina primarily to keep Emma entertained on the long flights and transit waits, and boy did I make the right decision. I must admit the iPad saved the day!
It was a challenge to find some kid sized headphones with volume restriction on them, but I persisted and managed to get them at the Apple store.
I had a friend load quite a few films on it, and between those and a few free apps we managed to get through.

Emma's favorite apps were:
Toca Doctor, a fun puzzle game with awesome graphics
Mee Genius, which is like a e-reader for kids books that will read illustrated stories
&
Miss Spider, which had a story, puzzles a colouring page function.

My other personal favorite which Emma is a little bit scared of is this one below:

Toca Hair Salon. It's a blast!
Emma is scared of the lion and the hairdryer noise so I don't get to play it often :(
She even managed to delete the app off my phone (that girl is too clever!)



Because I didn't have WiFi access where we were, most of my favorite apps were useless, but I did get a lot of use from my Kobo eReader app. Luckily I had filled my library with lots of free classic books before I left so I read Anne Of Green Gables and Gulliver's Travels when Emma was napping.
I also love to listen to podcasts so my iPod app was full of episodes from How Stuff Works.

No TV in the apartment meant the iPad got a real work out. Emma is now a super wizz at getting to her apps and replaying her fave scenes of her movies over and over.
I think I must have seen Captain Hook and Peter Pan fighting about 100 times over!

Now we are home the iPad has 'gone to sleep' for a while. I was worried she would get too attached to it, but as soon as we got home and she had all her toys and books, she seems to have forgotten about it and not asked for it once.

Do you or your little one have any favorite apps or podcasts to recommended?

Guest Blogger - We Heart Books

Today's guest blogger is the lovely Katie from We Heart Books. Take it away Katie...

We are so thrilled to be guest posting on Cinti's My Poppet - we've admired her beautiful store and blog for a long time and it's been lovely to have a chance to meet her (and the gorgeous Emma!) in person at markets over the years. It's an honour to be here!

One of our favourite things at We Heart Books is delving behind the covers of our picture books and finding out a little bit more about their makers. Just as people love to meet the maker at craft markets and through blogs, our customers really value the stories we can share of things we have learnt over the years and from the blogosphere about our authors and illustrators.

Artist Johanna Wright learnt to peddle her wares the hard way – she set up a table on the streets of New York, near MoMA, to sell her art. It’s a story worth a picture book in its own right; she painted at her table and describes days when her paintbrush literally froze in its water dish. Like all good stories it has a wonderful climax and a happy ending - some pretty influential people bought her handmade postcards and canvas paintings along the way, and her work ended up on the Style Channel and in Japanese Elle magazine among other places. And following some classes in illustration, her first book was accepted for publication and released in 2009, which is The Secret Circus.

The Secret Circus is made of the things kids dream about – a miniature world, hidden from view, one that only the mice know. Tiny acrobats form mouse pyramids and giant house cats are tamed – all the magic of a circus of dreams. Beautiful repetition of the text makes for a soothing and quiet read, while sepia tones complimented by muddy pinks and greens portray the Parisian setting perfectly. A simple final illustration of a mouse holding its finger to its mouth, smiling a hush, says so much about the tone of the whole book – inviting the reader to share a special secret in a tone calm and quiet.

Sometimes you just KNOW that you’ve found just one of those books that will make people’s hearts sing, and the author's story only makes you know it must be shared. The Secret Circus is one of these.

The Secret Circus is available from We Heart Books. Johanna Wright has a website and Etsy store.

Sponsor Profile - Paul & Paula

Kids really don't know how lucky they have it. No responsibility, taking naps whenever they like, and best of all, they fit into these amazing creations from Paul & Paula.
I wish I could wind the clock back 30 (cough) plus years so I could get away with becoming a ladybug or dragon for the day...Kerstin is the creative talent behind the Melbourne label, as well as designer, sewer, pattern maker...that's right, she makes every stitch of clothing with her own hands!
Kerstin was born in Germany and trained there as a textile engineer, but never really enjoyed the anonymous offshore mass production aspect of the garment industry.
Four years ago love brought her and her talents to Australia, and now she is a mum to the most adorable little model Iggy. Being a mum is keeping Kerstin super busy, but she is never far from her sewing machine and still finds time to create new designs every season.

"Sewing is my passion and often my obsession!" Here Kerstin tells us about the birth and growth of her label...

"No - my name is not Paula and it's not the name of my kids. The legend of Paul and Paula is an East German movie which I probably watched way too many times in my youth.

While still at Uni I started selling ladies clothing to a couple of handmade stores across Berlin. I'm horrible with throwing things out (a chronic hoarder) so with bags full of off cut materials I decided to make kids clothing for friends with new babies. That was the real beginning of Paul & Paula.

Making kids clothing is so much more fun- you can let your imagination run wild. But trying to make a pattern according to my crazy ideas is often quite a challenge. Most of the time it works out!

I still make everything myself. I cut, sew and stitch the whole thing together. Checking every detail by hand over and over again has become a bit of an obsession (it might have something to do with my years working in quality control!).
In the past year my sewing machines have been running full steam and it can get pretty hectic in my little studio.
It's a great feeling to see Paul and Paula grow and every order sold to a little indie shop, at a market or via Etsy still makes me jump for joy.

But I have to confess dressing our little boy with clothes made by me is still my greatest pleasure."

Here is Emma wearing her favourite top. She is totally obsessed by ladybugs at the moment and when I saw this ladybug top, I knew she would love it! I couldn't resist taking a photo of my little 'ladybug' riding her favourite playground ladybug!

Kerstin has chosen to use a brilliant quality fabric which is nice and warm and washes beautifully, I can see we will be getting lots of wear out of this top.

Thanks to Paul & Paula for generouly sponsoring the blog this month and making Emma a very happy little girl who is the envy of the playground!

Pop over to the Paul & Paula etsy shop, I challenge you to come away empty handed. Kerstin also accepts custom orders for special sizing if required.

Paul & Paula
website :: shop :: facebook :: blog

Small reads...

Grab a cup of tea, sit down and enjoy the latest online offerings from some of the cutest free kids mags around...
New issue of Melbourne's own tiny & Little, hot of the virtual presses today - read it here
The latest issue of papier mache is live - read it here.

And the latest edition of Small magazine - here

Looks like there is a little theme going for the cover shoots...

Sweet Paul - Kids Issue

The latest issue of Sweet Paul online magazine is out today. It's a Kids Special with recipes and photography that are so delicious, I was tempted to lick my laptop screen. Also featuring easy craft projects that can be made out of cardboard boxes, Pom Pom easter decorations and even a bread and tomato necklace...

Gifted...

I stumbled across a lovely new addition to the numerous online magazine offerings that have appeared of late. Gifted Magazine, full of beautiful photography and products, holiday craft projects and really interesting interviews with artisans about their design processes. There is even links to free printable papers and tags.
If you get a spare 10 minutes, treat yourself and have a read, and the gift to you is it's Free!
Have a look at the cute felt mushrooms on page 94, would you like me to write a tutorial on how to make them?

Gifted uses a fantastic website for viewing called ISSUU. It's a digital publishing platform that has millions of publications including magazines, newspapers, catalogues and books.
I find it a great place to find interesting and inspiring publications and view free previews of book and magazines. You can even have your own virtual library.

I've created a little list of Free online mags that I like on my Links I ♥ page.
If you have any favourites that I've missed be sure to leave a comment so I can add it.

Have fun reading

xx Cinti

New Bloesem Kids...

How great is Bloesem Kids new look? I really like Irene's little story about the elephant logo :

"The Elephant stands for Kualalumpur.
When moms in Holland read a book for their children and they finish their last sentence
they ask the elephant to 'blow the story out...'
This elephant doesn't blow the story 'out', but starts it..."


looking forward to being inspired by BKids...Yay!

Sunday morning treat...

Just thought you may like to see Nathalie Lete's window painting today. It was a real treat to watch, she even came to speak to us at the end. I think I scared her away with my blubbering adulation, lol! (please excuse camera phone photos)
Also met the amazing Christina of Jam Fancy via long time My Poppet customer relle.

Had some French toast for brunch (thought I'd keep the French theme going) and enjoyed Emma and the lovely spring sunshine.

What did you get upto?

Nathalie Lete...

Image credit

Tomorrow, Nathalie Lete will be painting a shop window just down the road from my place. I will wander down there to watch her in action...will you be there too?

Sunday 26th September

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Malvern Blue Illusion boutique

113 Glenferrie Rd

Malvern, VIC 3144

More info on other locations here

♥ Tiltshift ♥ Love ♥

Like I need another excuse to spend more time online! Thanks to How About Orange, I discovered this fantastic website that makes the subject of your photos look like miniatures, a photography technique called Tilt-Shift. Here are a couple of photos from my trip to Hong Kong which look totally awesome once tilt-shifted. I've included the before photo so you can see the difference.The little red tram looks so dinky in this one...
Mr Man makes me take construction site photos, drives me crazy, you should see how many photos of cranes I have!