Easter Making

 

Over the last few weeks we have been busy making our eggs for two lovely local stores that are new stockists for Two in a Teacup. We have been creating our eggs for a number of years but each year we work on new variations using our vintage book papers and stamped images. 

Along with the eggs, we have also had some orders through our online store for our stamped stones with images from our series of rabbit and bunny stamps. We love the thought that these will be part of their  Easter treasures for families this year. 

We have also made many vintage paper garlands from swallow and heart strings to our music paper circle garlands and these are so lovely to hang or drape in the home. We have created a series of Easter Memory Strings which combine a collection of rabbit and bird images, text, twigs, feathers and a range of vintage papers all collaged and attached to a linen string. These are keepsakes that are made to last from year to year. 

So after a busy making period, we hope everyone has an Easter filled with lovely memories shared with family and friends.

Changing Seasons

Today is the last day of our Southern Hemisphere summer in Tasmania. It has been a beautiful three months of quite settled, glorious days on the most part and now we look forward to the colours of autumn. It always amazes me how quickly we can feel the change of season in the air - leaves just starting to colour, the sun less intense, the days shortening and the light through our windows starting its journey deep into the house as the sun starts to become lower on the horizon. We have started our annual collection of pinecones and kindling which always makes me feel like a squirrel getting ready for winter! 

As I write this post, my heart aches to think what the people of Ukraine must be going through on the other side of the world. On Kara Rosenlund's IG account today @kararosenlund she posted an amazing photograph taken on August 23, 1989 which showed 2 million people from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania peacefully holding hands to form a human chain. The chain spanned 600km across 3 countries and helped save the Baltic States. Such an amazing show of unity and strength of the people - if only there was something we could do to show Ukranians that most of the world stand with them. 

Hoping for peace in the world and that you are all well as we navigate the next change of seasons.

Festive Wishes

At this uncertain time in the world, where many are facing the continued difficulties of Covid-19, we just want to say that we hope you are able to find a small moment to breathe and hug someone close to you.

We wish everyone a safe and healthy Christmas.

Making Spoons

Recently I have been experimenting with collage and I have been making some 'spoons' incorporating my favourite vintage book papers and twigs. They are very much at the beginning stages but I have had so much fun creating these little spoons from repurposed card and papers.

Spoons have always been close to my heart. I have some treasured old spoons that were my mothers and I have lovely memories of spending time in the kitchen with her. I also have an old table spoon that was my grandmothers and I love that it is thinning on the edge from so much stirring. 

For me, spoons are metaphors for nurturing, love, sharing and generosity. 

I have included a photo of my experiments in spoon making thus far which you will see are unfinished but I thought you might like to see a progress shot. I am only at the beginning of this series of work so I am hoping to develop it further over the January holidays when I have a bit more time.

Collections - A 50 year old collection of birds eggs

 

Recently a lovely old friend of ours bequeathed me his childhood egg collection housed in a gorgeous old tin. He had been an avid young scientist as a boy growing up in Europe before moving to Tasmania and knowing my fascination and love of birds and their nests he thought I would appreciate them. How right he was!

A few have old labels that he had stuck on with sticky tape - old and yellowing now, but I rather like them. Most are small blue, white, speckled or brownish eggs but there is one large Black Guillemot egg which is rather extraordinary. From a medium-sized seabird found throughout the northern Atlantic coasts it has a rather amazing dark colouration on the base of the egg which also has quite a pointed shape at the narrower end.

These eggs are incredibly fragile and so at this stage I will leave them just as they were given to me - carefully nestled into the tin box with shredded red and old burnished glassine paper until I find a more suitable storage arrangement. I think I will try to research the different kinds of eggs that are not labelled and investigate what the bird and their nests are like which will be really interesting to do. Our local museum has some wonderful old egg collections that I may be able to use for my research. Do you have any natural collections that you treasure? 

New Nests

We feel so lucky to have such wonderful people who support our small business by selling our nests. The latest ones have just been picked up by Julie @theblackhen who photographs them so beautifully for her online store and has been selling them for us for over five years. We also sell them through Kylie @crazybeautifulhomewares in New South Wales in her lovely bricks and mortar store. Natalie @nestonrisby in Ulverstone also has a boutique bricks and mortar store where she has a range of our small aromatherapy and botanical inspired little nests. It was in her earlier store in Penguin in 2012 that we first started selling our nests.

                                                

For these nests we have walked on the mountain and on bush tracks and have gathered all sorts of found treasures from nature to build and construct them. Of course we only collect twigs, branches, seedpods and feathers that have fallen to the ground and most of the moss and floral elements are collected from our own garden or those of friends. 

                                  

We love working with nature and the lovely people who sell our wares and of course those of you who purchase them. Thank you.

                                                

Festive Season

Are you busy getting ready for Christmas? There are always so many enjoyable things to do - organise presents, meet friends, write cards, try to catch the post in time and of course make our own homes look festive. If you are anything like us, we say every year that we must try to simplify everything next Christmas!! This year has made us all 'pause' more than usual and so in our home we are trying think carefully about what we really need to be doing to bring joy to all we know and keep our focus on the simple and really important things about Christmas. 

We have begun drying orange slices ready to string them up across our windows with pine cones and small branches of fir tree. As you can see in this photo some of the slices of orange stayed in the oven too long so they are rather burnished! We have decided that they will bring a lovely range of tones to our natural garland!

We have also been making quite a few nests and, as per the previous posts, many many vintage paper baubles to send off to our lovely customers. Our last orders have now been posted and so we are excited to begin decorating our home with our favourite old Christmas decorations hanging on the tree and a good sprinkling of tiny fairy lights and candles throughout our rooms. I can almost smell the scent of the pine tree! 

Hoping you are also enjoying creating your festive home this Christmas.