:: Thankyou

 A special thankyou to all who visited Tuesday and celebrated with me, my 1st blog anniversary.

Your supportive and lovely comments was overwhelming and you have made me feel so loved!

I hope, I can return the same to you, one day!

I wish you a lovely weekend and a happy Fathers day!

:Pippa.

P.s Next week, back to Big Ouch Flower business!!!

:: Guest Post

Can you believe this is the 12 month anniversary of the ouch flower blog? 
To celebrate this auspicious occasion (and because her therapist has suggested that it is healthy to allow others to have input in her blog...) I (the long suffering husband) have been granted VERY temporary administration rights to this site. I am sure the password will be changed in a few minutes, so I'd best write my post quickly...

In the 12 years I have known and been in love with my wife, I have always been in awe of her artistic talents and abilities.

We met when we were both teaching in a school in London. I was a geography/IT teacher. She was the Australian import who was given whatever classes no one else wanted.

Our first date was at the Tate Modern. Believe it or not, I suggested the location (admittedly a brazen attempt to impress her with my broad knowledge of all things arty). As the day went on, we went for lunch in a pub in London, and stayed to watch a football game (proper football: round ball). She assured me that it was ok, that she "liked football". I guess we both told little lies that day...

Since then, we've moved to Australia, got married, had a little boy (whose artwork, I believe also graces this blog) and seen some emotional highs and lows. Not once has her steadfast belief in the solid family unit and the importance of talking, sharing and working things out wavered. Philippa, you have taught me to appreciate, talk, think, express myself and know when to just listen. It has taken 12 years, but I think that's more to do with the idiot student, rather than the teacher.

Our houses have always been full of art. Not the "traditional" art: landscapes, busts and ducks on the wall, but stuff that comes from her heart. We've had pottery, macrame, West Germans, crochet, tea pots, various IKEA bits and bobs, art deco, plates, bowls, cacti and books, magazines and other paraphernalia on all of the above. Despite my dislike for "knick knacks" on every shelf and vacant space, I must admit, she does seem to make it look quite good.

I recall several times we've been to house inspections, and she'll say "we'll put x over there and y in that corner". All I see is a blank wall and a frustrated real estate agent. For the life of me, I cannot picture stuff that isn't actually there. That's why my role in the house includes picking up cat poo, and she's in charge of decorating...

And so there's this whole blogging, macrame and online stuff. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of Philippa for the professional, intelligent and proactive way that she's gone about this whole part of her life. The whole tech angle has never come naturally to her, she was a late entrant to the world of smartphones, never really saw the appeal of blogs and wikis and certainly wouldn't be checking her iPad for new mail EVERY morning over the first cup of tea! So whilst I love that she has an engaging, productive and (hopefully!) profitable enterprise, I also want to thank you, the guys and gals that support her through this, share your stories, lives and interests with her and give such loving and positive feedback to the artworks that she spends hours and hours creating and leaves the living room full of little bits of string and thread.

I can assure you that every ouch flower original comes with a small piece of Philippa's soul. 

Thanks for reading, it'll probably be another 12 months before I'm allowed to darken the iMac keyboard again.. 

 

:: Shop- sneak peek No #1

This is Big Mama Owl!

She is 13 x 130 cm in size and made from 130 m of natural twine.

This particular twine, I can no longer source, so that makes her particularly special. 

More Mama's will come along eventually but she's the first!

I have added some sweet little safety eyes, a change from her previous feature on this blog.

I think this subtle change makes all the difference.

If you have a skinny wall in your home, too small or obscure to hang a picture, than a roosting macrame owl may be the answer?

:Pippa

All Ouch Flower works are lovingly handmade and unique.
All the designs are property of Philippa Taylor.
Please respect the work of the designer and link with love.

:: Happiness is....

yarn bombing.

Seeing the yarn bombing come to fruition!

A visit to the Florist and you meet a leaf of note, all inspiring mid century homes could not do with out!

Monstera Leaf.

Your Boy's first family portrait drawing!

A successful venture in hand dying twine, turquoise!

(I hope this is what you had in mind Donna?)

I hope your finding happiness in your day today?

:Pippa

:: Coastal Wall Hanging!

I'm on a mission to macrame all my embroideries, I have done quite a few over the years. 

They have all been put away forgotten....but not anymore.

Thanks so much for all the lovely supportive comments, I'm overwhelmed with the generosity shown to me, by all who pop by.

I simply love making beautiful things and I have a husband, who supports this craft endeavor of mine. 

If your reading this, I love you.

 ...it's all getting soppy round here now, I'll stop for a bit! 

:Pippa xx

:: Circle Wall Hanging

 

All finished and ready for the shop......yes you say with a sigh! 

I know I have being saying this for ages but soon :)

 I have used a super soft twine, that is very tactile and appealing to touch and I think it compliments the linen fabric of the embroidery very nicely!

Felt balls, I love these and would hang the every where if I had the chance.

  A bit of styling for effect, winter sun was very elusive this morning, now it's out....... but the camera battery is dead so it will have to do.

 A bit of taunting for Tania.....

the next wall hanging to be macramed up!

I hope you like the coastal effect? :)

I had to show you the boy's recent drawings, the smiling centipede family! 

Literally just four days ago they were just represented with lines, you can see a line drawing in green but now they have faces, hair and shoes!

Children are amazing little sponges, I think he learnt this at kinder because it wasn't done here at home with us.

In years to come, he might take over the family business!

Have a lovely weekend!

:Pippa

A Crafty Career!

new stairs to St Kilda Rd from Southbank, Melbourne.

 Today I took a day off to attend the Craft Victoria, Craft Cubed 2012. 
I went to the "Craft and Design as a Career" talk.
I will need all the advice and support I can get if this is going to be a serious venture!

The talks were great and some very insightful tips were shared, 

of note, was designer Bec Orpin.

Paper crafter Ebony from Hello Sandwich.

Fashion designer Alexi Freeman.

Etsy gave a great chat on what they offer to the crafting community too!

A great day! 

The main message was collaboration, collaboration between designers and collaboration with big companies!

I like to collaborate, It's part of my day job, try collaborating with 24x15 year olds! 

Yes man that's how I roll but seriously, 

I'm up for a crafty collab! 

Are you?

Let me know?

 ps: 

I woke up one day at 3am with an epiphany, embroidery and macrame together, WHY had I not thought of this sooner!!. 

The next day I hunted through my draws and found this old embroidery and off I set, to make a dream, a reality. 

More pics soon!

Embroidery & Macrame Wall Hanging.

:Pippa 

Linking in with Ta Dah Tuesday @ Faith Hope and Charity shopping!, I'm late but still?
 

:: A Healthy Dose of Family!

 This weekend has been filled with family fun!
On Saturday we hosted the family lunch for my Nephew (Godson) who turned 18, we had a UK inspired decs and food to celebrate!

 And today was my Brother's youngest Christening (4 Girls!)


....but really it was all about taking my husbands new camera out for a spin!
It's an Olympus Pen Mini.
OMG I feel like a pro with this beauty in my hands.
Hope your weekend was great!

:Pippa

:: Hanging Gardens of Ouch Flower

New hangers unique to Ouch Flower!

Lots of lovely knots!

Air plant pic for Dana!

Another air plant pic for Dana!

Knotting detail.

Knotting detail.

 Yes they will be in the shop.......not these ones exactly but a friend, these two are off to Modern Times, wish them luck?

A bit of trivia, they took 10 hrs each to make and 108 m of twine!

:Pippa

Please respect the original work shown above, it has taken countless hours to design, let alone construct. If you admire it so much they will be available soon in the shop.

Thanks for your understanding, Pippa.

:: A Beautiful Confession.

 Hello, 

I won't use the excuse that I have been too busy to blog, cause really who isn't? 

I felt I had nothing to say, no polished display of photo's or witty comments or exciting new developments!

So I'm coming clean, fessing up!

I like to make beautiful things, 

this embroidery is called "OH Dear".

I love it, it took countless hours and it hangs above my bed.

I  like to collect beautiful things, meet Homemaker bowl and new friend to Homemaker plate!

One day I will use them and savor it but for now they adorn my walls.

 I love to receive unexpected beautiful gifts, you know who you are you lovely, lovely, lovely!

  I like my blog to look beautiful, I aspire to make beautiful things.......But confession time, 
The reality is.....
I have at least 10 unfinished, in progress, projects either scattered around my house, on my mac or some still in my mind. 

I'm not complaining but I don't know where this influx of ideas has come from and my brain feels like an exploded filing cabinet!

I keep a sketchbook to assist me but I'm always running to catch up with 'idea-self'.....I can't make quick enough and I'm easily sidetracked and distracted by beautiful things.

I need a beautiful assistant?

I have set the end of the month as my target....I hope I make a beautiful mess of it!

 And this is the real creative me, my desk/studio, where it all happens!

I dare anyone to pinterest this image on studio spaces they wish to own!

It's messy, disordered and slap dash and not beautiful!

Out of this, comes my work.

Thanks for hearing me out, (sigh) so now you know!
It's not all beautiful, just beautiful intentions.

:Pippa