Cryptic

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

There may or may not be some big changes here in Notions land very soon. My epiphany finally arrived. I'm still not sure if it is the right course of action. I'm 95% sure. I'm still mulling it over. Exciting times!

Home Economics

Home Economics was my best class at school. In year 10 I won an award for having the highest mark in that class.  It wasn't always my favourite class, but I think it was invaluable. I still make some of the recipes that I learned in high school. Today I found an interesting article on Etsy on the value of home economics classes. What do yo think? Did you do home economics at school? Was it useful to you?

The following is taken directly from the Etsy website:

"My grandmother cooked her first soufflé in her home economics class. For my mother, a costume designer, it’s where she learned how to sew. But by the time I made it to high school, home economics was an ancient relic that took place in a dusty classroom where social misfits learned to make queso from Velveeta.

Home economics has a lot to fight against in our school systems: limited budgets, gender stereotyping, and a huge uncoolness factor. Despite such obstacles, does home economics still have a necessary societal value? In a recent post on the Smithsonian’s blog, Jesse Rhodes argues that home ec classes might be a key in fighting obesity and a reexamination of what it means to live resourcefully. With today’s shaky economy and grocery stores that have become caloric minefields, a revamped home economics program is needed more than ever.

Home economics began as a reaction to a change in shopping habits. “By the late nineteenth century, American women had become consumers rather than producers of many household items, including food and clothing,” reports Cornell on the history of home economics. “As a result, home economists… promoted the idea that women needed to be educated about purchasing decisions.” At first, home economics classes provided invaluable information about health and hygiene. But by the 1960s, these principles were no longer the basis of an innovative classroom. Outdated and stale, home ec became the antiquated, gender-stereotyped program barely scraping by in most American schools today. ”My first brush with home economics, as a seventh grader in a North Carolina public school two decades ago, was grim,” wrote Helen Zoe Veit in an op-ed for The New York Times. “The most sophisticated cooking we did was opening a can of pre-made biscuit dough, sticking our thumbs in the center of each raw biscuit to make a hole, and then handing them over to the teacher, who dipped them in hot grease to make doughnuts.”

Home economics students serve a dinner that they prepared.

Today, our grocery stores would hardly be recognizable to our grandparents. Our clothing, so often made quick ‘n’ cheap, falls apart after minimal wear. Home economics could be a valuable program to help young adults navigate today’s challenges. There is hope — in California, the only state that still refers to its domestic science program as home ec, the program has evolved to suit more modern needs. With subjects like International Foods, Catering, or Food Service and Hospitality, California’s home economics program is gaining in popularity. “I think programs like [those on] the Food Network have made it more trendy,” Patricia Scott, a home economics teacher told The Los Angeles Times. Further,NPR recently delved into the nostalgia movement, a trend that has female authors encouraging readers to hearken back to the good ol’ days when we thrived on the bare minimum and found satisfaction in being frugal. “All of these [nostalgia] books talk about being resourceful, and that luxury doesn’t involve money,” says Sally Singer, editor of T: The New York Times Style Magazine. “It’s about knowing how to sew a patch on a garment or knowing how to darn a sock.”

I was beyond lucky, coming from a home with a mother who cooked healthy, square meals for the entire family. But sadly, not every child has such a positive home life and only learns how to grab junk food rather than chop vegetables. Home economics programs, much like art and music, are among the earliest victims when school districts attempt to stave off a budgetary crisis. Even if they aren’t cut from educational programs entirely, home economics is often underfunded. But just as young adults should be educated about the hazards of drugs, alcohol and sex, they should also have an understanding of healthy eating and home management — basic information that transcends gender, wealth and ethnicity."

Shapely

Here are some more images of my new range of geometric inspired necklaces. I'm working a on a few other shapes. I hope to have pics of them for you next week. 

Sneak peek

Here's a sneaky little peek at one of my new necklaces. Inspired by my current obsession with vintage school supplies, these polymer clay geometric shape necklaces will be available this weekend at The Apron Design Market. 

Type it

Do you love typography? If so, then this little clip is for you.

Inspiration

One woman's inspiring search for creativity and meaning in her life.

Love in the Kindle Era from Grant Slater on Vimeo.

On the Wall

These wall papers from surface designer Kirath Ghundoo are simply divine. But at£150 a roll it's a little put of my league. I guess I'll have to be satisfied with looking at these images instead.

via Design Sponge

Pondering

You may have noticed that the last week's posts were short and sweet. That's because I was away. I took a short but much needed break up on Tasmania's gorgeous north and west coasts.

There was thrifting to be done and some thinking. Lately I've been hoping for a moment of clarity; for an epiphany, but also so far none has come. I'm really in two minds about where to take Notions.

My sabbatical from creativity earlier this year lasted about a week. I need to be creative. I need to make. And that's fine, but I find making for myself is not as satisfying as making to sell. I don't experience the same enjoyment just making for me. I really do thrive from the anticipation that comes from making something for sale. I guess you could call it the thrill of the chase; the search for finding that (illusive) product that satisfies myself and customers. I do derive quite at lot of satisfaction and self worth from a successful sale. Doing markets also comes with a sense of anticipation and a good measure of anxiety (the good kind). Working at home alone is great, but you really are in your own world. It's nice to get out and interact with the customer- not only for the business, but for my own sense of value. The validation that comes from a happy customer is immeasurable. It also necessary. At least it is for me. As they say, no woman is an island. You cannot exist alone. I need to know that what I am doing has meaning (if only in a small way).

 When I first started Notions getting those first few stockists was so exciting. A real feather in my cap. And validation that I could make this work as a full time business. And it was fun. But earlier this year it ceased being fun and became stressful. Sales dropped off and it became harder and harder to make ends meet. I was faced with the dilemma of outsourcing production and becoming a much bigger business or folding up altogether. I chose the latter. That didn't last. Since then I have done one market and I'll be doing a few more leading up to Christmas. In the past few weeks I have been contacted by new potential stockists as well as some of my favourite existing stockists about ordering from Notions.

Now I have to decide if I want to go down that road again. Yes, it would be great to have more money coming in, but at what cost? I really was unhappy earlier this year. There is not only the financial aspect to consider, but the emotional one. For me the two are inextricably linked.  Would I have the same experience? Would I struggle for sales?

Anyway, so that's where I am at the moment. For the next week I'll be gearing up for next weekend's Apron Design Market. I'm really looking forward to it. I have some great ideas for my stall and new products to test out. I'll be really interested in seeing what people's reactions are to some of the new stuff. It's quite different to what Notions has done in the past. Fingers crossed...

Stockholm Colour

From the outside this building looks like your average Stockholm apartment building.

But the inside tells a completely different story. What do you think? Could you live here?

Via 3 Sheets

Marimekko Parade

After writing about Marrimekko the other day I went on a little Marimekko hunt and found this little video of their 60th anniversary celebrations in Helsinki a few months ago. 

Tea

Aren't these sweet?  These DIY tea bags can be downloaded from Love Mae.

Joy

Marimekko is a Finnish clothing and textile company that was established in the early 1950s. 

Papermash

Have you heard of Papermash? It's a cool online shop specialising in- you guessed it- paper goods. This week I came across this sweet little video made fro Papermash. How can you go wrong with paper goods, stop motion and vintage props? You can't. Enjoy.

Shadows Dancing on the Sea

I love these images. I found them on a lovely vintage-y blog called First Impressions, written by Maria Elyse. Maria Elyse is also the photographer behind these hauntingly beautiful images. I live the ones on the dock- so beautiful. 

images from here

Doll House

I'm amazed (and slightly peeved) that this doll's house looks better than my real house! It's fabulous. You can read all about the interiors over at Mouse House, the designer extraordinaire who decorated this miniature masterpiece.

all images mouse house

Pintrest Picks

Images here

Stylish

As you know, I'm partial to a bit of Scandinavian-esque vintage styling. These image from Fenton & Fenton in Prahran hit the mark. Soft neutrals with pops of colour and vintage props...ahhh, divine.

via 79 Ideas

Sweden

Loose Moose

Moose is Loose Treasury

As you know I love all things Scandinavian, even the animals. Even the drunk ones.

"Per Johansson says he heard a roar from his holidaying neighbour's garden in southwestern Sweden late on Tuesday and went to have a look.There, he found a female moose kicking about in the tree. The animal was likely drunk from eating fermented apples.With the help of police and rescue services, the 45-year-old Johansson later managed to set the moose free in part by sawing off tree branches. But the animal appeared confused and wandered into Johansson's garden, where she was still resting on Thursday. Other neighbours in the Goteborg suburb Saro had seen the animal sneaking around the area for days. Johansson said the moose appeared to be sick, drunk or "half-stupid". A seemingly intoxicated moose has been discovered entangled in an apple tree by a stunned Swede." -SBS News

The only animals I have to contend with here at home are the neighbour's cats who seem intent on making themselves at home in my house when I leave the back door open. I even found one asleep on my bed one day. A moose asleep on the bed would have been an entirely different matter!

I've been photographing some new products. 

Here's a peek.

Treasure Trove

Dreaming in Turquoise