Monday Motivation - Pretty Packaging

My new, recycled business cards arrived today, just in time join some purple wool gloves on their way to a customer. I love seeing the beautiful ways that other Etsy stores package their items, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to share my own. It's nothing too fancy, but it's very much my style. Clean and simple, a little bit rustic, and of course - entirely recyclable.

What was the most beautiful package you ever received?

More lovely ideas from the world of Pinterest:

(sources here) 

Sustainable Vegan Gloves and a Sale!

This has been a wonderfully productive week. The organic cotton that I ordered for some test products finally arrived. It's perfect. 

I made a pair of fingerless gloves. They are beautifully soft and delicate. Perfect for early Spring mornings, or appointments in ridiculously air-conditioned buildings.

Since starting Fozzel & Bean, sourcing sustainable, low-impact vegan fibers has been an important priority for me. Even on Etsy, it's difficult to find knitwear that doesn't contain at least a small percentage of acrylic. Talking to some vegan friends led me to realise that, as consumers, vegans often have to make do with materials that are often just as bad, if not worse, for the environment than the animal products they avoid.

This certified organic cotton yarn brings me one huge step closer to my goal of providing beautiful and earth-friendly vegan options. The yarn has been hand dyed with plant materials, using traditional methods. It's also people-friendly - providing Fair Trade conditions for struggling women in Lima, Peru, and education for their children.

These gloves are now in my shop, in the soft lavender shown above. They'll be available in pastel blue over the coming days :)

In other exciting news, last night I reached a little milestone for my store - filling my front page! To celebrate, I'm having a sale for all readers of my blog. For 20% off any purchase in my store, just use the coupon FOZZELFRIENDS at checkout!



P.S. If you're wondering what happened to my previous post, some last-minute research found that NSW residents (most other states are fine) cannot actually hold chance-based online giveaways without first purchasing an $80 permit. I'm a little devastated, but what can you do.

Beautiful Finds - Etsy Eyecandy

One of my favourite ways to relax (or procrastinate!) is by browsing Etsy in my pajamas on a rainy afternoon. It's so inspiring when an item leads me to discover an amazing Australian store! I have decided to start sharing my beautiful finds here, and spread some love for fellow Australian artists :) .

See more items like these in my pastel treasury :)

An amazing handknit vest by Petrafanella. Perth, W.A.

I love this wooden geometric necklace by Zose Designs. Melbourne, Vic.

Adorable swallow-print eyeglasses case (or just an awesome purse!) in coral. By Eleven Roosters, Albury, N.S.W.

Beautiful vintage dress in mint green at Hillside Story. Perth, W.A.

Monday Motivation: Daily Planning

(photo from my instagram)

I have decided to try being a little kinder to Mondays. They don't mean any harm, after all. What could be better than waking up to a fresh new week and a steaming pot of coffee? 

 I have a terrible weakness for stationary. Especially the kraft-coloured, customisable, recycled milk-carton kind (like this). I often find myself lurking in the stationary section when I'm supposed to be buying something boring like sponges, trying to come up with a reason for needing brown paper sticky-notes or stripy manilla folders. It's not quite as bad as the fabric addiction, but it's getting there. I'm only admitting this because I know I'm not alone.

 

In the spirit of Monday motivation and awesome office supplies, I purchased this lovely downloadable planner designed specifically for bloggers. For $12, so far it seems incredibly thorough, with plenty of space for planning out posts and listing goals and ideas. There are a ton of free printable planners around, but this one looked the most organised. It's also pretty, without being overwhelmingly colourful or filled with cartoon animals.

If it's as great as it sounds, you can look forward to regular and hopefully awesome future blog posts!

Do you have any tips and tricks for keeping your blog organised? What do you like most about Mondays? I'd love to hear!

'The Ultimate Blog Planner' from Clickitupanotch.com

Fashionably Late to the Coco Party!

For one reason or another, I am always just a little late to parties. It usually works out for the best - everyone is already mingling and I get to skip that awkward first hour or so. You know, the one where people just hover near the food, making small-talk and waiting for something to happen.

This time, though, I so wanted to be on time! But it was not to be. A dark stormy day plus a flat camera battery meant that I spent the evening sitting in my lonely Coco Dress, watching all the other little Cocos making friends at Tilly's party. At least I can now vouch for the extreme comfyness that is the Coco Dress! Seriously, it's like wearing some sort of nightgown (the kind that isn't meant to be seen), only I can talk to the postman, do the shopping, and even go to lectures!

Pattern Details:

I cut a size 3. The amount of ease is perfect! I needed a decent sway back adjustment, but that's fairly standard for my clothing. Next time I'd probably shorten the waistline a little first.

I made the simplest dress version, thinking that any added detail would be too much with the tiny print. Now I'm thinking it might need something after all. White pockets? Maybe a detachable peter pan collar? Maybe just a belt.

Here's a close-up of the print. I just love it. Little colourful roses and worms on a vine :) And of course, a shot with Bean. She loves being a part of the action!

I'm loving all of the colour-blocked versions popping up around the place, especially on Tilly's Pinterest Board. Let's hope it's not too late for my little Coco to join the party!

Some Progress

The past few weeks have been rewarding and unproductive in equal measure. I have spent many hours by this window. The bench is at just the right height that I feel as though I'm working - an important tool for staving off Pinterest binges. It is a hard mental task to start a business from a squishy couch. 

The truth about designing knitwear is that it involves many pages of scribble and the unravelling of many hours of work. I'm sure there's probably a much more methodical and mathematical method, but often I just don't know how I'm going to feel about a design until I'm holding it in my hands. Or wearing it on my hands...

I couldn't be more pleased with the fit of these gloves - the position of the thumb, the fit around the wrist. They are beautifully lightweight - I've always hated the cumbersome feeling of bulky gloves. And being 100% wool makes them very warm. Already my mind is full of ways to make them more exciting, but I do love the simplicity of this design.

These gloves are currently available in my shop, in the lovely shade of pumpkin you see here. More colours will be added over the coming week!