wanted: crafty sewer assistant

sew print by masacarphotography

Hi!I need an assistant!

My stockists are growing, and I need to step away from the sewing machine to design new ranges. I am looking for a crafty sewer/ sewing machinist to work with me in my sewing studio, mostly sewing but may be some cutting, stuffing and finishing. You need to be pretty quick, and we can chat about payment per piece or per hour. Suitable for a friendly, creative type with just a few hours a week to start (good for mums too).

Please note that you would be hired as a contractor, not an employee, so you may need an abn (but that's pretty easy); and I'm in Brisbane, so you'll need to live close by. If you're on my blog, you probably already know what I do, but you can see more here.

If you have any questions, or would like to meet for a cup of tea and a chat, drop me a line at pepperstitches(at)yahoo(dot)com; and if you know of anyone who might be interested, please pass this along! That would be ace!

Pepper x

Phone Boox

Take one unused red phone box. Add shelves, books and sign to make random community book exchange. Equals Awesome.

James Econ, the maker, explains: “I guess the point is you don't have to 'be' anything to make things happen. I'm not a designer, I'm not a bookworm and I'm not a carpenter. I just had an idea, and without really caring whether it would be 'a success' - more just wanting to see what would happen - I got on with it. ... That is exactly what I like so much about it; Socially Beneficial Creative Vandalism. Manifestation to deployment in one lazy Saturday afternoon.”

Phone Boox via springwise

can you help?

This house caught on fire on Wednesday, and half of it turned into ashes. The burning released some asbestos in the building, so the whole house needs to be demolished. Darn.

Rochelle and Tony are the couple who lived in this house. They have two young children, Braydon (14 months) and Mackayla (4 yrs old). Everything they own is in the house, and they have lost it all.

I'm helping to collect anything that might help this family, like linen, manchester, cooking utensils, clothes, kids clothes, toys. Do you have some spare things? Or maybe you could make a toy for the kids? It sure would help these guys. Could you reblog this and help us collect essentials? That would help too.

You can drop off your spare things to the Pepper Stitches Studio (508 Oxley Rd, Sherwood, Brisbane). I'll be collecting this week (until Saturday 4th June). I know the crafty bloggy community is really generous, and I'm hoping to collect lots of things. If you can help, that would be ace!

before i die project

Candy Chang covered an old decrepit house with a giant blackboard, painted with rows of the sentence 'before I die I want to... ' and supplied chalk. A few days later, the chalkboard is full, ready to be washed and soak up another layer of thoughts and dreams. Go here to read the full story and see close ups (a good read!) or to see more of her projects.

I turned the side of an abandoned house in my neighborhood into a giant chalkboard where residents can write on the wall and remember what is important to them. Before I Die transforms neglected spaces into constructive ones where we can learn the hopes and aspirations of the people around us.

Love it.

my name is

a few weeks ago I blogged about my three names, I wanted to say thank you for all your comments and emails. You guys are ace, you know that? I pondered, I speculated, I wondered. Then I thought, you know what? Maybe it doesn't have to be a big deal. People call me Pepper, but I don't have to change my name legally. Maybe I can just be called what I like. So Pepper it is.

Apologies if you just joined me and are wondering wtf? I thought your name was Pepper. You can read about it here. So no big fuss. Some call me Pepper. Some, like my family may always call me Shaz. That's ok too. I am me.

Pepper x

To the sodden, wet and flooded folk

My mum took these photos yesterday from the caravan park she is staying at.

(In a CARAVAN. Luckily it is on high ground. I don't want to find out later if it floats.)

To the sodden, wet and flooded folk around Australia,

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You poor things, it just keeps coming, doesn't it? This rain was welcome at first, then a bit annoying, and now down-right unwelcome. Now there is water everywhere. I hope you don't get drunk and play in it. That would be silly. I hope you find a nice dry place with a cup of tea and a dry bed and a hug.

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I hope your car is okay, your house is insured, your business safe and your loved ones accounted for. I hope it has been more exciting than terrifying, and the sun comes out really soon.

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We're all thinking of you. If I could make you a casserole, I would.

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Hugs,

Pepper x

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ps. if you are one of those brave folk and volunteers looking for missing people and rescuing them in helicopters, and working tirelessly to help in whatever way you can, an extra cheer for you. If I could bake you a cake, I would.

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pps. If you want to help (and like me, can't post a casserole) you can donate to the flood relief fund here.

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It's etsy's birthday!

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Etsy is throwing a huge party tonight in honor of creative communities across the globe, find one near you here. (on Meetup, just use your facebook account to access!). If you're in Sydney, make sure you come to this one.

We're going to make fabric yoyos and have goody bags and meet new crafty people and everyone is bringing a plate of scrumptiousness. It's going to be lovely. See you there!

Happy Birthday Etsy!

Love Combating Fear

via

Did you know that today is the International Day against Homophobia? It is held each year on May 17 marking the World Health Organization’s removal of homosexuality from its list of mental disorders in 1990. Isn't it amazing that homosexuality was considered a mental disorder in 1990! While we were watching Growing Pains and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, gay men and women were diagnosed with mental disorders for liking someone.

A friend's partner is showing work at the (free) IDAHO Exhibition in Sydney, at Kudos Gallery, Paddington 18 - 29 May 2010. One of the main goals of this years exhibition is to promote the message 'Love Combating Fear'. Every decision a human makes is either based on Love or Fear. The exhibition aims to promote a message of Love to combat homophobia and the negative consequences it has. His photography is amazing, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of the work, and showing my support for the inclusion and total acceptance of homosexuals in society. I don't really give a toss who people are attracted to, and I certainly don't think anyone should be discriminated against in any way because of it.

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For more information, visit the website. You can download posters, add a button to your blog, and read more about it.

Like a Tupperware Party

via

Sometimes I find it tricky to get nice fabric. I DO live in the city, but I do not have a car. I DO shop online, but I like to sometimes see it in person. Don’t you think it would be an ace idea to have Fabric Parties?

Think like a Tupperware party, at a friend’s house, a venue, or even a park. All the crafty gals (Brown Owls, anyone?) gather and someone brings samples of lots of fabric loveliness. We can ooh over designs up close, bring our projects to match fabrics, deliberate over weaves. We place orders. We pay. The awesome someone then goes home, cuts up our orders and delivers them, either to the next meeting, or to our house.



All those that have trouble finding lovely fabrics (I know some people just fall into them!), or don’t have time to shop, don’t like giant corporate fabric stores, can’t get to them, or just like to ooh and aah in good company.

Wouldn’t that be swell? Well? Where are you, someone?

a doll-in-the-making

On my desk at the moment, the beginnings of a little doll with a summer dress. She's destined for adventures, this girl, she's part of the Craft Hope Project#2.

Craft Hope is a lovely blog, 'spreading seeds of hope one stitch at a time'.

(image courtesy of Craft Hope blog)

Their current project is for the casa berne orphange; Craft Hope is working with Eren and the ORPHANetwork to provide handmade, soft-bodied dolls for the children. They're asking for participants to sew a simple doll, with dark skin and hair, to be collected and distributed and loved to bits!

(image courtesy of Craft Hope blog)

Dolls are already arriving, visit the Craft Hope blog for more info on the children, the project and how you can participate too! Go on!