C h i l l i G i r l

My first quilt

2014-03-31T13:19:00.003-07:00

Finally, after 8 months, I have finished my first ever quilt! I must say that it was a mission. and also that my sewing was quite shocking. But I really loved the colours and doily's and overall vintage feel of it. It got posted off to Timaru yesterday for my first nephew who is about to be born any minute. A definite learning experience!!!

The Eastern ...and Me!

2014-02-17T17:13:00.000-08:00

Late last year I had the most amazing opportunity; to open for The Eastern (from chch) at Donovan's Store in Okarito.

Was such a good night and great to play with them in front of a packed crowd of 50ish friends.

Thanks to our good friend Ben Sarten for the wonderful photography and videography.

60th Birthday Cake

2014-02-17T16:57:00.003-08:00

My mums 60th was last month and I went over the east coast to celebrate with the whanau. With the help of a good friend who is a baker and cake expert, I managed to make this Mississippi Mud Cake for my mum.
My friend made the lily flower, and I painted it.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

2014-02-17T16:55:00.001-08:00

Make cordial... and lemon curd... and lemon meringue pie... !

I put a call out on Facebook for lemons, as you do... and I certainly got lemons!!

This is my daughters lemon cordial she is going to sell at the Okarito Market Day next month. Hoping that it keeps alright until then!

Bag for a Friend

2014-02-17T16:51:00.002-08:00

A bag I also made a few weeks ago for a girl at work, I was really pleased with how it turned out.. Bag Brief: PURPLE. Think I got it.
Found the purple fabric in an awesome shop in Methvyn, was originally pillowcases which turned out to be perfect size for making a bag!
Lined in the same fabric.

Purse for a Friend

2014-02-17T16:49:00.003-08:00

Hi there!
Haven't blogged for SUCH a long time as things have been crazy busy, hoping to get back into it now...
Made this purse last week for a good friend of mine who loves bright and funkiness. She wanted it padded for her iphone, so it's sandwiched with batting and free embroidered on both sides, and lined.

New work space in progress...

2013-08-10T19:03:00.002-07:00

As we have a TINY flat with four of us squished in there, my beloved decided I should have a GIANT wardrobe cupboard for all my 'crap'.
And it was free from the neighbour who was going to burn it!
This resulted in a new improved, but minute workspace, as it is in our bedroom and I have to maneuver my way to bed at night..
But I'm happy for now...

Paper Flower Bouquet

2013-08-10T18:33:00.003-07:00

I felt like some flowers in the house the other day, but...it's winter, so alas no real ones to be found at my house, so I made some paper ones!
They are made from florist paper and bamboo skewers...

2013-06-12T19:06:00.001-07:00

Now listed in my shop at www.felt.co.nz

More hemp/jute sewing in the form of a bag. Not sure what to do with it yet (tempted to keep... but no, have dozens of bags already!)
Possible Franz Market Day stock, or may end up at Okarito Nature Tours....

new projects and shop

2013-06-12T19:01:00.001-07:00

I've been doing a little bit of sewing recently with some jute/coffee sacks, with quite good results.... having trouble attaching any more photos, but the purse above (and more!) is now for sale at Matchbox Studios, Cuba Street, Wellington!

Also have turned some of my card/patch images into stickers, which was quite fun...

Bit slack on the blogging front however; life and everything gets in the way you know? Off on holiday to Nelson soon where I hope to have amazing creative inspiration and also remember my youth at art school there...

How life has changed!!!

Arohanui,

Tash

2013-04-13T23:04:00.003-07:00

This bag was commissioned from a friend of mine and I was really pleased with how it turned out, would be my best so far!

New Shop on Felt NZ

2013-03-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

www.felt.co.nz/shop/chilligirl

2013-03-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

One of my paint/stitch pieces on this great new West Coast website Artland

http://artland.kiwi.nz/index.php/painting/item/127-in-limbo-painting-by-tash-smith.html

2013-02-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

Friends and Flowers

A friend gave me some beautiful sweet peas out of her amazing garden yesterday, so thought they were worthy of a pic.
Have been very slack lately on the blogging front,
hope to keep it up regularly now!

A friend of mine is getting married on Friday at the lake down the road, and so we all have been crocheting up a storm in an effort to create some unique and wonderful bouquets. I have had the job of sorting them out and fixing them up with some 'stems', which i made from straws with bamboo skewers inside for some stability. Today we will wrap this lot up with some beautiful fabric for her bouquet, and the other two smaller ones i will crochet around all the stems and tidy up.

New shop items

2012-11-05T12:48:00.001-08:00

A few Chilligirl shop items now available ... Okarito Market Day again in a few weeks so busy sewing up some Chilligirl handmade goodies.
Also doing a homemade icecream stall so will be a busy day!

Post-Holiday Blues

2012-09-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Hi there! We are now back from our big holiday with the kids to Thailand, was beautiful, hot, relaxing etc everything you need on holiday on a tropical island/s, a little full-on at times with the kids and LOTS of people which we are definately not used to living here on the coast!
Finding it hard to get back into the swing of life, and in desperate need of somewhere to sew up some more goodies for my shop - think i am going to have to use the kids new wooden table they got for their birthdays. Because we have also shifted (just before we left on holiday), I traded my small house with the big bench for a slightly bigger house with no bench. Hmmmm.
I have been crocheting up a storm however, hats for the whole family, a cowl scarf for me, and now knitting some gloves for me too (before summer comes!)
Will attach a few photos from holiday of some inspiring paintings/colours... Ka Kite Ano, see you again soon! Tash

Silk cocoons from the Phuket Butterfly and Insect Garden
They had a great display all about how they make silk, including traditional Thailand techniques and looms etc.

Butterfly cocoons all lined up ready to hatch! And some older ones...

Hand painted pillar at The Big Buddha shrine,

Koh Samui, Thailand

'In Limbo'

2012-06-27T18:26:00.003-07:00

'In Limbo', Acrylic and Stitch on Cotton, made for The Left Bank Gallery Canvas Fundraising Project next month.

2012-06-17T13:23:00.001-07:00

Well, this month we have shifted house, organized and booked our honeymoon/OA (Overseas Adventure) bought a shipping container (to fit all our stuff in that doesn't fit in our bigger but-lacking-in-storage new house) battled with the phone company to get the phone on, and celebrated our wee boy's 1st birthday.. and I've just finished my work for The Left Bank Gallery's Canvas Fundraising Project next month!! and all without having any internet at home... which is a major problem and my excuse for not blogging.. or doing any work for my shop... (if you were wondering where i went?)
It's been busy....
We are off to Thailand for our 2 1/2 year awaited honeymoon-with-the-kids
which is pretty exciting! Hope to be able to post photos on here but will see how much fun we are having..
Kia Kaha (keep strong)
Tash

Fibre Fungi's I - III

2012-04-29T00:44:00.003-07:00

Pics of 'Fibre Fungis' which will be at The Left Bank Gallery,

Greymouth, from next weekend until the end of May. All are crocheted embroidery cotton over wire.

There is actually a fourth one, which was my favourite as it was a bit oblong shaped and had quite different sizes 'holes'. I was making it the night before I had to drive to Greymouth, so I didn't get around to photographing it! Slack artist, I know, but I also know that the gallery will take pics of them all too...!

Toothache past few days so not much in the way of creating happening, let alone anything else... big storm tonight which is pretty exciting as it has been a year or so since we had one. xoxo

Family Forest Walk

2012-04-26T13:39:00.002-07:00

We went for a nice little walk the other day into the bush across the road from our house...... Had lots of ideas of a Forest Fairy birthday party here!

New Shop

2012-04-18T15:52:00.000-07:00

I now have a new shop on Etsy! I'm pretty excited. You can have a look over to the right where it says Chilligirl Shop... Here are a few previews of what I have there...

I have been making a few bags this week, which has been loads of fun. Have had to restrain myself somewhat from keeping them all... I have alot already, but somehow I have been making myself one out of my baby blanket - it's NZ wool in multicoloured pastels (if your'e a NZ'er you'll know the one!).
Another beautiful day although getting colder at night and mornings.
Have been reading a great novel by a NZ author, Sarah Laing, called 'Dead Peoples Music'. I'm finding it quite inspiring, as it's of course about music. I have been concentrating all my spare time (and not spare time!) on my art and craft work, that I miss my guitar. Hopefully one day soon I will have time for both!!

2012-04-09T15:26:00.001-07:00

Somehow I came upon this blog from Emma Ruth, I think it was from the latest Frankie Magazine newsletter. She stitches one word a day, and in a graphically awesome way - you can see it here. I think she is up to something like 80 days...
Raining... finally!! Although I was enjoying the beautiful days don't get me wrong. Baby asleep. Husband and daughter having a 'shed' day building stuff. Might get time to finish crocheting my basket fungi! Oh no, child is here demanding morning tea. Damn. Ka kite ano (see ya!)

Giveaway Winner

2012-04-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

Busy busy day today with the Fox Glacier Big Day Out (somewhat unlike the other event of the same name!) where the kids and I went for a 5km walk(mostly both kids in the buggy) followed by a full on 4 year old girlfriend of R's birthday party. I did draw the giveaway yesterday, the winner was Tom Arnold of Christchurch, who (hopefully) got my facebook message about it!

Giveaway

2012-04-03T17:41:00.003-07:00

The Okarito Market Day; Summer Harvest was a huge success for me, and a beautiful day full of friends and kids and sun! Thanks to everyone for their support and great feedback, much appreciated.
Don't forget I'm drawing the giveaway on Friday - so leave a comment or sign up to my blog to be in to win a brooch by Chilligirl (aka me!)
I am now working on a group Fibre Art exhibition, to be held at The Left Bank Gallery, Greymouth, next month - called The F Word. Not quite sure what I'm going to do yet but I was watching David Attenbourough the other night and fell in love with basket fungi - thought I might try crocheting it with some jewellery copper wire my brother got me from Wellington. Will post pics if it works!
Tash

2012-03-17T14:20:00.001-07:00

Some more Art in the Park work I have left over - 'Ruru in a Tree' (detail) Acrylic and pencil on cotton, in a black shadowbox frame