Thea & Sami

Fabric Fusion

2012-01-30T07:02:00.003+10:00

Brisbanites delight because there's a new fabric & craft store in town! Fabric Fusion recently opened its doors at Alderley and new stock is arriving weekly including hand-made products from local artisans.

I dropped off a selection of Thea & Sami screen-printed fabrics on Saturday morning. Lovely owner Sasha Fowler couldn't keep her hands off them but who doesn't love the feel of natural linen?

Sasha is so talented. Look at the adorable baby shoes she makes and sells in store.

Love Sasha's display ideas too such as the cupcake stand with crochet cottons.

Visit Fabric Fusion at 19B Samford Road, Alderley. Visit the website for more information or like their facebook page for regular updates. Look out for regular craft classes.

After your visit, cross the street for a delicious meal and coffee at the Willow & Spoon. Voyt and I had breakfast there and the food was exceptional!

Another Design Preview

2012-01-29T10:48:00.001+10:00

My goal was to design a fabric that would be colour-saturated when printed on white linen. I hope you like "Floribunda" (latin for 'many-flowering'). Here are some colour possibilities.

Many of you suggested a Plum colour. I like this too.

Cushions will be ideal for creating splashes of colour with this design throughout your home. I promise that Green will be part of the range (I do listen).

I want blue prints for our bedroom. You can see that I've used the same design element from the new "Lilacs" design to create this one.

That way the fabrics will coordinate too.

Again, inks need to be mixed, tested and printed on fabric before finalising colourways but it does help to see ideas on paper (or monitor) first. Lots of screen-printing to follow!

Roses and Mushrooms

2012-01-28T12:57:00.002+10:00

What a strange combination, I know. They're the fabrics that we are discontinuing to make room for the new.

Pop over to buy "Dotty about Roses" on natural linen at less than 1/2 price until stock sells out. Available in Red, Creme or Blue prints.

And "Mushrooms" on Hemp/Organic Cotton too. Choose from Red or Chocolate Brown prints.

Now you will have to excuse me now as I need to rush off to a family Christening but will be sharing a new stockist and fabric design with you very soon!

Lilacs Design Preview

2012-01-27T07:49:00.003+10:00

Our new "Lilacs" fabric is almost here! We're just waiting for the film positives to come back today so that screens can be exposed, hopefully before our Yardage Printing workshop next week.

Here's a sneak preview. Print colours still need to be determined but I hope you like the design. Of course, it will look better screen-printed on fabric.

Here is the beautiful the inspirational image found here. The Lilac flower is a symbol of happiness, peace, harmony and creativity. I like that.

Three screen sizes need to be made to accommodate yardage printing, napkin printing and tea-towel printing. Now what colours to print?

Embracing New Colour

2012-01-22T19:04:00.001+10:00

This year for me is all about embracing and trying new things.

Last week, it dawned on me that I never wear green and in fact, we don't even print it on any of our new fabrics which is quite unfair on my part. BUT, you will be pleased to know that I stepped out of my comfort zone on Friday and purchased the most fabulous silk dress in GREEN & black.

It was the last day of our Sunshine Coast holiday and I enjoyed some 'Me Time' shopping in Noosa's fabulous Hastings Street, as you do.

I don't know why I didn't like green before because I really like this green, don't you? So yes, Ann, we are printing green colourways very soon!

We did make it to the beach one day after days of endless rain and I pondered the use of Tangerine?

It is, after all, Pantone's Colour of the Year. While I'm not one to generally follow trends, I did start thinking about it a little more when a decor magazine asked if we had any Tangerine products to submit for their next issue.

Well, we may just have because in our own studio, we can print any colour we like.

Look at this seagull, he's really rocking the Tangerine Look (legs and beak). It's not so bad. I hope Mr Gull and I have inspired you to try a new colour this year.

Printing Inks Q&A

2012-01-18T11:26:00.001+10:00

I seem to get a lot of questions about the Permaset Aqua inks we use. I thought I would answer a couple of them publicly in case any of you may have encountered the same issues.

Q: Ashley from the UK wants to know how to avoid getting streaks when mixing different colours together.

A: We use a hand-held mixer and make sure to stop and scrap the inks from the bottom of the bowl/mixing container with a spatula every so often.

Q: Jane from the US was using the Permaset "Transparent White" ink in her colour mixing which has now been discontinued. What should she do?

A: I like using the Permaset "Print Paste" for diluting colours and for when you don't want a pastel shade. That would be achieved by mixing with the opaque "Standard White" ink.

Don't forget to heat-set all printed fabrics!

Disclaimer: Permaset Inks do not pay me for this advice. It is solely based on my own experience.

Leonie's Body Bag

2012-01-17T21:13:00.001+10:00

We just love it when you use our fabrics and share your creativity with us.

Leonie made this stunning bag as an early birthday present for her friend Jackie using our red Peacock Party hemp/ organic cotton (limited stock) or otherwise available in linen here.

The bag pattern is one from Nicole Mallalieu.

A good tip when using expensive hand-printed fabric is to complement it with another plain fabric as Leonie has done here for the back and front.

The interior printed pocket is a nice touch.

Thank you to Leonie for submitting the images. All featured submissions receive a linen tea-towel in appreciation.

Not As Planned

2012-01-16T16:35:00.000+10:00

It's been pouring all day and we're not impressed. This is supposed to be a holiday.

Now, I have no excuse but to keep working on my drawings. I hope you're making the best of the wet weather too.

A Little Break

2012-01-15T10:26:00.000+10:00

We're having a little break this week before getting back into the full swing of things for 2012. Currently hanging around and hoping for the sun to make an appearance.

Yes, I am aware that the family pet has a bad haircut. Unfortunately, she is not one to cooperate with professional groomers so she gets the el-cheapo home version.

Essentials on this Summer break include my sketchbook

and the bathroom scales to keep me on track for not undoing my recent good efforts. Especially after the Thursday's sugar overload (see previous post).

So I may not be around much this week but you can still order our wares on-line and I hope you do because someone has to pay for this beach holiday. Parcels will be shipped out on Monday, January 23rd. Have a great Sunday!

My Birthday Tea

2012-01-13T22:17:00.004+10:00

As part of my New Year's resolution to work smarter and enjoy more social time, I decided to host a Morning Tea for my birthday and spent some girly time with some blogger friends.

It was nothing too fancy but I did make cupcakes for the first time ever! I was so happy with how they turned out even though some may criticise my decorating skills.

You can try the same Orange Cupcake recipe here along with the Orange Icing recipe.

Thank you to the lovely company of Jane Hopkins, Marie Dillon-Krech and Keren Brown. They are just a tad excited here as they all got to take home a couple of linen napkins each that I printed for the occasion.

The ever vivacious Katherine Smith, Emma Gascoyne and Jennie McClelland plus their adorable kiddies.

Jennie made the best banana bread and Elessa, my girl, made traditional cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese and dill. So good!

This is the bottom of the cupcake wrapper with the tabs folded over and glued. The sides were stapled for extra strength. See my previous post for the free download. I would suggest that you make them ahead of time though because they were a little time-consuming.

Thanks to all my lovely guests. I had the best birthday! What a difference to last year's when the city had flooded the day before and Voyt had been rushed to hospital that same night. I'm looking forward to more tea times.

Pretty Cupcake Wrappers

2012-01-13T07:23:00.004+10:00

I really don't know where this week went. Yesterday I celebrated my birthday with a with some lovely bloggy friends at Morning Tea. It was so much fun and I will share photos later today (camera cord has been left at work).

Meanwhile, as promised on facebook, I would like to share the pretty cupcake wrappers that I used for my cupcakes. You can download the file for free from Shabby Blogs here. Please note, that you may need to print, test and resize the file to suit your needs.

If you're planning to visit our Studio Shop, we will be open today but will be closed next Friday, Jan 20th. Find us at Unit 1, 6 Jones Road, Capalaba (Birkdale). Any on-line orders placed after today will be processed but not posted until Monday, Jan 23rd when we return from our mini-break.

Floral Inspiration

2012-01-09T07:30:00.003+10:00

In case you've been wondering what I've been up to, I've been drawing floral motifs for new fabric designs. Yes, more flowers because that's what we like and what our lovely customers like.

Lilacs image from here.

I can't show you my work yet but here's a clue. I love lilacs and they come in such pretty shades of pinks & purples as well as white.

Speaking of lilac, Elessa and I screen-printed 10 metres of our Hydrangea print on white linen in this pretty shade for curtains and blinds for our guest room. I don't always have time to print for personal use so took advantage of a quiet week.

The Guest Room

I'm now designing with our bedroom in mind. I'm excited that 6 more people will know how to print yardage after our 2-day workshop at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, that class is now fully booked. We may repeat the class again in a few months but no definite plans at this stage. My first priority for this year is to have a team that can print fabrics without me. Then I'll have a real business and time to do so much more. Have a great week!

On Track So Far

2012-01-07T08:50:00.002+10:00

How are you going with your New Year's Resolutions so far?

The dog and I have been running every other day, slowly building up the actual time running as compared to walking. Running is quite addictive and I don't feel so lethargic any more. I also like that it's free.

I'm 1/3 way through my weight loss goal with 3.3 kg down so far. Zoe (pictured) has lost 0.3 kg this week which has pleased Voyt as he thinks I have made her fat. I can't recommend Weight Watchers (dog is not on it) highly enough. It's good to be accountable to someone weekly.

Good bye "healthy" noodles

I have been shocked to learn how fattening foods previously enjoyed actually are, like "low-fat" noodles from Red Rock.

My body is also in shock and tired from the extra physical activity so I'm taking it easy today and working on a new fabric design. Have a great weekend!

Workshop Update

2012-01-05T18:05:00.001+10:00

Thanks to the feedback received, I have now changed our Screen-Printing classes to the more affordable options of either a 1-Day basic workshop or a 2-Day "Learn to Screen Print Yardage" workshop.

The dates are January 31st and February 1st. All details are on the website here.

Hope to see you there!

Workshop is now fully booked. Sorry if you missed out.

Learn to Print Yardage

2012-01-03T07:27:00.002+10:00

While I'm officially not teaching any new screen-printing workshops any time soon, I will be training new staff to screen-print for me at the end of January.

I am thinking of offering a couple of spots for others to join us. It will be 3-4 days of intense training and a rare opportunity (in Brisbane) for you to learn how to set up large screens for yardage printing and print with any screen sized from the very small (for napkins) to the very large.

I still have to work out costs and details but let me know if you're interested so I have an idea. Studio rental will be available for participants after training.

The Jewel in the Crown

2012-01-02T06:26:00.001+10:00

Are you enjoying this year yet? I am and today is Voyt's birthday so we're looking forward to spending a lovely day out in the sunshine.

I have added a few more things to my Great Orange Sale and this one is the Jewel in the Crown. A West German vintage vase in perfect condition that stands proud and tall at 41 cm. You can make an offer on this one here.

Have you had your morning coffee yet? You can start enjoy good old-fashioned coffees with these goodies now listed. All starting at only 99 cents each. Check out all of my current listings here and Happy Bidding!

Retro Sale Now On!

2011-12-31T17:05:00.009+10:00

A quickie to let you know that my Retro Sale is now live on eBay!

I haven't listed everything yet so please keep checking my eBay page over the long weekend. Happy Bidding!

Goodbye 2011!

2011-12-31T09:18:00.003+10:00

2011. I will not be sad to see you go. You have not been a nice year with world changing disasters and our own personal family losses.

It's time to unburden and tell you that I despised you most of all because Voyt, my dear man, has not only suffered because of his leg infection & consequences but has been rediagnosed with Liver Cancer (after being cancer-free for 4 years). It's been really hard to accept but he has been fighting back.

Of course it hasn't all been bad. I've made some wonderful friends this year through my blog and Facebook page and have met and been inspired by many of you.

We have increased the brand awareness for Thea & Sami and have enjoyed some lovely media coverage. We are proud to stock our products in beautiful shops around Australia and will continue to grow while making it all locally.

So HAPPY NEW YEAR dear friends! I can't wait for 2012.

PS.. My great Vintage Sale (see previous post) will begin on eBay tonight at 6.00 pm AEDST and will run for 1 week. Will let you know link once it's up and running.

And Not Just Orange

2011-12-30T07:32:00.000+10:00

Have you all had a lovely break? I've quite enjoyed this week with half my house now totally clean including pantries and cupboards.

I have found stuff that I forgot I had so will spend today photographing for The Great Orange Sale (see previous post).

Vintage Soda Syphons

But don't fret if you're not an orange fan, I lots of other genuine vintage goodies to offer you. Here's a preview:

Vintage Napkins and Placemats Set in their original package.

Crocheted Wall Hanging with bamboo rods.

And yes, there will plenty of orange items including this Crock Pot from the 1970s.

All of these items and much more will be available for auction on eBay tomorrow with prices starting at just 99 cents. I will let you know exactly when.

If you want to view them or make an offer on any before then, they will be in our Capalaba Studio Shop today between 10.00 am and 4.00 pm. We're located at 6 Jones Rd, Capalaba (Birkdale).

The Great Orange Sale

2011-12-27T08:48:00.000+10:00

Tangerine Tango is Pantone's 2012 colour of the year so I thought it would be good to start the New Year with a Great Orange Sale.

So if you're an orange lover, do check back here on Saturday. I'll be offering a wonderful selection of Italian and German vintage ceramics and other retro goodies on eBay.

I hope you having fun decluttering this week. I know I am! I really want to have a clear space to start working on new fabric designs next week.

Swatch image courtesy of Pantone.

Happy Christmas

2011-12-25T10:54:00.007+10:00

Happy Christmas dear friends! I wish you all a wonderful time and a break with your loved ones.

I can't wait to get over to my mum and dad's to share a lunchtime feast with my brothers & sister and their families.

Do you love my Christmas bird? I do. Thanks to my dear friend Emma of Red Revival who especially coloured it in for me. Love you Em!

I always treat myself to a Christmas pressie so I couldn't resist this Jets bikini. The photo doesn't correctly depict the true colour but it really is a classy navy.

Bonus that it was on sale at David Jones yesterday and it doesn't look half bad on me either thanks to Weight Watchers and jogging with the dog lately.

The husband did well too with this pretty leather bag that he picked up on his recent trip to Spain. Thanks honey!

Unbelievably, I did finished my table runner (see previous post)! Custom-made at 3 metres long, I chose the French Stripes in creme on natural linen to contrast with our Marguerite covered dining chairs.

I'm looking forward to catching up with more things at home over the next 2 weeks and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm one of those people who is excited about having time to declutter. I know there's more of you out there. Have fun!

Angela's Table Runner

2011-12-23T08:44:00.000+10:00

Are you ready for Christmas? I'm not but Angela is. Look at her lovely Thea & Sami table runner. Custom-made from our Marguerite printed linen to fit her beautiful Rustic 3m long table.

Now why don't I have time to make my own table runner for our beloved Jimmy Possum table? I'm so motivated by Angela's snapshot that I think I will today. I'll be in the Studio Shop and don't expect it to be too busy.

But do pop in if you're around and would like to say hello and I'll make you a cuppa. We're located at Unit 1, 6 Jones Road, Capalaba (Birkdale). Open from 10.00 - 4.00 pm.

Vintage Lamp Stands

2011-12-21T10:10:00.001+10:00

We get a few requests for vintage lamp stands from time to time as they look great with large drumshades. They're not easy to come by but recently, I scored 3!

One I'm keeping as a studio prop. The second one (pictured above) I'm selling and you can buy it from our website here with or without a lampshade.

The 3rd was found on the side of the road by my good friend Emma and was quickly claimed by my daughter Elessa. She will never admit to being crafty but she did sand and paint it herself and did a great job.

I never would have chosen a lampshade of this size (12" diameter) but Elessa did and it does seem to suit the shorter than usual height of the stand. You can order lampshades in any of our fabric and sizes here.

We will be adding more vintage lampbases and stands to the website in the new year.

Birdmania Continues

2011-12-18T18:46:00.001+10:00

I swear I don't intentionally go out looking for bird decor but when I came across this adorable vintage ceramic trio, how could I resist?

They are in perfect condition and were purchased from the Woolloongabba Antique Centre.

To ensure correct wall placement, I traced the outlines onto paper first and played around with positioning.

Hammered the nail and hook straight through the paper and then tore it away.

More birds! Thea & Sami Peacock Party Cushion in Lily Pink and seat pad made from French Checks print. Pink vase project here.

I wonder what my husband will think when he returns home on Thursday? It doesn't really matter anyway :)

Christmas Gift Guide

2011-12-16T07:58:00.003+10:00

If you're more organised that I am, you will have all of your Christmas shopping done and gift-wrapped.

If not, I've thrown together a few last minute Thea & Sami gift ideas for you.

1. LINEN CUSHIONS - lovely Summer range with some styles are on sale
2. NATURAL HAND-MADE SOAP - discontinued product now on sale
3. NAPKINS sold in sets of 4 - a beautiful addition to your Christmas table
4. LINEN TEA-TOWELS - all styles are in stock ready to ship and are our best sellers!

Also check out our SALES page for more deals including discontinued fabrics. New items are added to this page weekly.

You can shop directly on-line and not fight the crowds. All orders placed by Monday will be expressed-posted if you're outside South East QLD (Australia only). Free gift-wrapping on request and posting direct to the recipient.

Free shipping on all orders over $100. BONUS: spend $150 or more and choose a free tea-towel as an extra gift or for yourself. Choose from selection here and simply type in your choice in "Instructions to Merchant" when checking out. Offer is valid until Christmas Eve purchases.

Or pop into our Studio Shop today. We're open between 10 & 4 pm at Unit 1, 6 Jones Road, Capalaba (Birkdale).