Well Beeing Bee spotted all over Tooting
I worked with Salisbury based artist Leon Lawes for many hours to create a giant bee pinata for the Treasuring Tooting walk held earlier this month.
You can see it in action in this video of the day created by Gary from Smallmouse .
Happy Birthday Gideon Sunback
Today would have been the 132nd birthday of Gideon Sundback, inventor of the zip.
In homage to him here is a picture of a sewing bag I made recently.
Whilst making this I discovered that its is absoulty possible to cut up ready made zips and use them like the one you can buy on a roll!
Thrifty and resourceful, just the way I like it.
My jeans featured on the Balham Country Market website
I recently started selling my hand made recycled clothing a local shareholders market called Balham Country Market.
The lovely new website features (amongst other things)a picture of my jeans (Top right of the main body of photos).
I source used jeans that need a new lease of life and use recycled fabrics to make them into funky flares!
Getting Back to My Roots, With Country Markets
A few months ago a crafty friend of mine mentioned there would be a Country Market opening just up the road in Balham. Always on the look out to get Daisy Bug hand recycled crafts to new audiences I put my name down as an interested party.
Since then some very dedicated people have been working very hard to make it happen. After a quick chat with on of the organizers , I (rather sheepishly) turned up to the penulatmat planning meeting before the opening market wich will be on Friday 16th September.
I knew that a community lead market group could be either hidiously clicky and cattish or totally welcoming and co-operative. To my relif and joy it was most definatly the latter. I felt like I had walked into a room of people who I already knew and was inspired to run home and start making, always a good sign!
If you want to pick up some hand made and home made craft and cookery bargains come along to Balham Methodist Church (it’s just like a big hall inside) on Friday 16th September (and every Friday thereafter) from 2pm. I will see you there.
Overlocking and Vegetable Slices
This week I have been playing with my new overlocker, trying out lots of funky colour combos and being amazed at the difference it has made to my sewing in terms of overall quality and speed of construction.
If you are looking to buy one I can recommend the place I got mine Wimbledon Sewing Machine Co LTD. Don’t bother phaffing with there site but give them a call to see what they have in and take a trip to Tooting (Bec not Broadway) The warehouse/ Sewing Machine Museum (don’t blink ’cause you will miss it on the way in) is difficult to find and will look closed but press on regardless, it is dirty and industrial but the price was right and it was great to buy second hand/reconditioned because it is better for the environment than buying new.
Also this week I have made crafty plans for the First Tuesday event on Tuesday 6th September (First Tuesdays are a monthly series of events organised by Transition Town Tooting). The Foodival (another TTT event) will take place on the 17th September in association with the Brick Box Tooting and to help to celebrate locally grown food we will be making some tasty vegetable decorations and a banner to hang up in Tooting market where the Foodival will be.
As ever Daisybugs seek to reduse reuse and recyle to achive sustainable creativity so crisp packets and preloved fabrics will be used from the Daisybug collection.
All are welcome to come to any of the TTT First Tuesdays, you don’t have to have been to a TTT meeting before, you don’t have to come again if you don’t want to (although we hope you do) and you don’t even have to be from Tooting! If you are planning to come please bring newspapers and a small paintbrush. All will be revealed 
.
Dying for Fashion
A news story popped up on my email this morning that interested me. It was about how achieving the stone washed effect on denim can cause harm to factory workers you can read it yourself here.
It mentions how pressure group Labour Behind the Label are calling for this process to be banned.
Joined Up Daisy Bug
On Sunday 6th March I led a jewelry ‘up cycling’ workshop with Joined up Streatham.
We occupied the amazing downstairs space at ‘Give a Little’ charity shop on Streatham hill road to deliver 4 free workshops back to back.
Joined up Streatham are planning some more fantastic engagement events in Streatham and Norbury. If you are interested in getting involved as a participant or an artist then please get in touch or just watch this space (you can subscribe to my blog or follow me on twitter) and I will do my best to keep you informed
Participants of Daisy Bug workshops are welcomed give feedback by commenting on this page.
If you want arrange your own up-cycling workshop please contact me, happy scrapping!
1992 – Eat your heart out
Jersey top made with fabric the Daisy Bug donation stockpile and a pattern from the actual 90′s.
Collaged birthday cards
The Owl and The Pussycat Birthday Cards
The characters on these cards were inspired by 70s vintage soft toys and were created from the Daisy Bug scrap paper collection and select items from the oddments pot.
Props for New York’s most intrepid reporter
April's Belt, Microphone and 'Turtle Comm'
For Halloween 2010 I dressed as April O’ Neil from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Watch video
I made the Turtle-Comm and Microphone with reused cardboard, the belt is pre-owned.
