calendars and a website!

I haven't updated my blog for a while so here's what I've been up to:

2012 calendars are now available on felt.co.nz

I have a new website: victoriagriffin.co.nz 

and I am looking for stockists! a list is now available on my website.

If you would like regular updates of everything Victoria Griffin/bell.n.whistle then join my Facebook page

Also the final OUSA market day is coming up on October 13th so be sure to schedule it in your diary!

2012 Calendar coming soon!

I have been rather busy lately designing a 2012 calendar- here's a sneak preview!!

This calendar has been created for enjoying the simple things in life such as taking a road trip, writing a letter, growing a veggie garden or making your own raspberry jam. 

Inspired by days gone by this calendar has 12 beautiful hand drawn illustrations; each accompanied with their own recipe for a year filled with good food, friends and experiences. 

Available from early October!

new designs on felt!

I spent a rather wintery weekend updating my felt shop- pop along for a look!

to market!

I've got all my badges, bows, notebooks and more ready for tomorrow's uni market, don't foget to come along and say hi!

I'll be there from about 9am-3pm (the weather isn't looking so good so I imagine it will be inside) hope to see you there :)

snow!

Its been pretty cold here in Dunedin today, with a sprinkling of snow even at one point! I am hoping for some better weather at the uni market on Thursday (though if not i'll still be there inside)- i've been busy sorting packaging for all the new badges and bows I have made like the one pictured above :)

notebooks!

Here are the notebooks I've been busy decorating with upcycled papers!

The rain cloud is made from the backs of playing cards and the flowers are from some sort of cross stitch pattern. There are another four designs in the set, six in all :)

I'm a big notebook collector so I'm not sure I can bring myself to sell these...

ta da!

I have been busy making bows with 16 new designs now created and more on the way.

 I will be putting these in JAVA Hair Studio (Dunedin), on my felt shop, and also at the Otago Uni market day in just two weeks time!

There are some notebook designs in the works too- I'll give you a sneak peek when they're ready!

new fabrics!

I went to a local fabric sale last weekend and brought over 30 different fabrics including spots, stripes, checks and loads of florals of course!

I now have three weeks of holiday to create some gorgeous new bows and badges- some of which whill be listed a bellnwhistle.felt.co.nz and others for the Otago Uni re-orientation market day on July the 14th.

Keep an eye out to see how these fabrics translate into darling wee bows!

sewing pattern badges

I have been working with old sewing patterns for a polytech project and decided to make some into badges.

I am especially fond of the one made with the notches, and the beautiful brown paper.

new badges!

I have finally listed a new range of badges on felt! the badge maker I use has reappeared from a mystery holiday and Polytech is winding down for the semester so get set to see more gorgeous designs :)

the fabric plastic bag... again!

I posted a wee while ago about making reusable shopping bags in the shape of a plastic bag, and have recently submitted it as a business proposal as part of my course at polytech!

Here is another prototype, this time made from white cotton with a screenprinted paper doily and the words "i'm good to the earth"

I would love to get the chance to produce some for sale, though free time is lacking at the moment already...

 might have to fit it into a project somewhere :)

design portfolio

As part of my course at Polytech I have created an online portfolio showcasing bell.n.whistle alongside some of my other design works:

victoriagriffin.wordpress.com

 feel free to take a look :)

doily bow

So I still haven't got round to making bunting from doilies but I did make this gorgeous bow last night! Secured with a ribbed black ribbon, all it needs now is to be attached to the clip :)

I have more bows on the way so keep an eye out...

upcycled dress

As I am on holiday i've got a bit more time to work on some bigger projects :)

This dress is made from an old bed cover of my great grandmothers!

I copied the pattern of one of my favourite dresses, and ta da! new upcycled dress

all it needs now is a matching bow clip...

Royalty Badges

 The Royalty Badges -made from upcycled playing cards- are now packaged up and available on felt and the bell.n.whistle facebook page!

 

Other new designs are also listed on felt such as the Throw Away The Key button badge set printed in red on an upcycled San Deigo map, and the Green With Envy bow clip made from a beatiful olive green paisley fabric!

As usual feel free to pop in for a look around :)

OUSA Market Day

I will be at Otago Uni this Thursday with all my bell.n.whistle's!

Come along for a look between 9am and 3.30pm beside the Archway :)
 If its raining (fingers crossed its not!) then the event is held inside the Union Hall.

Folksy table cloth

I found this gorgeous table cloth yesterday which I'm really excited about making into bow clips! it has such beautiful colours, and the boarders and motifs mean different sections will make different bows :)

I have some time off in a couple of weeks so I'm responsibly storing up my projects till then so I can focus on tech work for now... not sure how long this responsible thinking will last though!

There is also a Moxie Market on tomorrow night for all you Dunediners, I won't be there with a stall but there should still be lots of neat things.

I'm am however thinking of doing a market day at Otago Uni on the 14th of April so stay tuned :)

paper dolls

I spent a rainy Sunday afternoon dressing paper dolls with my mum for a newspaper comp to win tickets to iD fashion week :)

The clothes came supplied, and I found that simply reversing them to see the text on the page behind gave a whole new look.

 

We then used some old popper buttons from mum's sewing collection and painted paper doilies for a French chic look. 

Stitching in the matching colours gave the finishing touch, here's hoping we win!

 

Extra Curricular issue 5!

Extra Curricular magazine issue 5 is almost out! I've got my pre order all sorted on felt and am very excited to read it :)

New things!

 

So I finally have my facebook page up and running!

There is an album with a few bell.n.whistle's for sale,

simply leave a comment or send me an email at bellnwhistle@hotmail.co.nz if you would like to purchase any :)

visit it here.

 

I have also made some new badges from the Kings, Queens and Jacks of my upcycled playing cards!

Unfortunately I haven't got a screenprinted design for packaging these, and so because of this and the amount of time the screenprinted packaging takes I am considering using packaging made at the printers in the near future.

Here are a couple of experimentations with new designs, the first very similar to the existing packaging, the other creating a frame aroung the badge. I am going to be focusing more on the single badges, so if you are fond of the other designs get in now!