heidi and seek has RE-OPENED

hello lovelies.

it seems that i could not bring myself to stop making upcycled clothes. i've done SO MUCH soul-searching in the past three years, and i've learnt a lot about creativity, intuition, self-kindness and dream-following. i feel refreshed and alive and myself, in a way i haven't felt since i was a kid.

anyway, three years later, heidi&seek is open for business on etsy again, feeling brand new, better than ever and still eco-bent.

at the moment i am listing new things on most days. here are a few of my current favourites:

as an opening special, and as thanks for your support and attention, i am offering free shipping to you, lovely reader. just use the coupon code BLOGLOVE at the checkout. it is valid until june 30, 2013.

you will also find me blogging over at hayleysarah.com from now on.

MUCH LOVE!

xox

an update on things

If you haven't followed me to my new blog - hello! It's been a while.

I've officially stopped Heidi & Seek for good - however! - I have a new project in the works and it'll involve sharing my DIY eco-sewing knowledge online (and in person), perhaps selling some made-by-me clothing samples, as well as some other exciting things I haven't fully hashed out just yet.

But I wanted to introduce what I've been doing over at my new blog just in case you're interested.

UPDATE: The links below don't work anymore, but all the content is at thinkermaker.com.au.

In a nutshell, Remade in Melbourne is about thinking more mindfully about what we buy and how we live.

It's about our personal relationships with buying stuff: owning our stuff instead of letting it own us. It's about buying second-hand, since consuming this way has much less impact on the environment. It's about adoring the things we do own - the DIY and make-do ways to have nice things (ways that don't have nearly as many social and environmental consequences as heading over to K-Mart, or even that great little indie goods shop).

It's about being conscious of all these things with as little guilt and bad-feelings as possible (I know that sounds contradictory, but that's why I write about self work, too - it's not).

I'm seriously loving blogging at the moment. It's easy to do because I'm now writing about the issues I care most about, and the writing itself seems to be a sort of therapy, more than ever before.

Anyway, if you would like to get aquainted, here are the ten most popular posts:

• Pulling apart my relationship with buying stuff
• The politics of fashion
• Kids and consumption
• Review: Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher
• Which colours suit me?
• Ethical clothing pledge
• My personal style
• Skin and body care
• Tutorial: t-shirt pattern from an existing top
• Learning a new skill

Or, if you're interested in a particular topic, here are the links to each category.

• psychology of stuff
• personal style
• things I made
• self work
• thrifting
• ethical clothing pledge
• mindful parenting
• ethical health and beauty
• tutorials (at the moment there are two about how to sew a t-shirt)
• fun brewing (posts about business projects I'm working on)

And here are some of the best posts from each category:

psychology of stuff

The perils of thrifting. Or, how to consume mindfully.
Pulling apart my relationship with buying stuff
Using containers to reduce your stuff
The perks of being picky

personal style

The politics of fashion
My personal style
Which colours suit me?
The liberation of knowing your colours

things I made

Campaign shirt into pyjama pants
Second hand (reconstructing a maternity skirt into pants and a tunic for my daughter)
Refashioned jewellery
Red, reconstruction

self work

The art of being nice to yourself
Everyday mindfulness
On spirituality
Creative flow
Creative stagnation

thrifting

Building a preloved wardrobe
My new favourite (ethical) coat
Get one, donate one
Presents stock
Thrifted magazines

ethical clothing pledge

Ethical clothing pledge
Two months later

mindful parenting

Kids and consumption

ethical health and beauty

Skin and body care

tutorials

T-shirt pattern from an existing top
Make a t-shirt from your pattern

fun brewing (biz projects)

For inexperienced sewists
Transition!

I would love to meet you over there, so I hope you come and visit! I'm at remade.com.au.

new blog

I'm done customising my new blog! You can now find me at Remade.com.au.

Here's is it's purpose, from the 'about' page of the new site:

Remade is about how to be kind. To the environment. To every soul we share this planet with. And, importantly, to yourself.

It has a lot to do with what you buy or don’t buy, because we live in a consumer-driven culture. We are being increasingly defined by the things we have, to our detriment. I believe in the importance of being surrounded by beautiful things you love. But I don’t believe that this must come at the expense of the planet and it’s occupants. Nor do I think we must have ten of every beautiful thing. More is not more.

You may already know about the negative effects of buying new stuff. If not, please take a look at The Story of Stuff.

This little blog is about creating, thrifting and making do. It’s about living your life on your own terms and according to your values, rather than the values that the advertising industry and their clients force on us. It’s not about sacrifice. It’s about freedom.

I don’t have all the answers. I’m certainly not ethically perfect. This blog is my journey to greater ethical living. I hope mine will run alongside yours.

One thing I'm definitely planning is to compile some reconstructing/clothes-making tutorials.

Stop on over and please let me know what you think!

the little things

I thought of this little game for Ellie.


And was so happy to see that she adored it. Since there are two knitting needles to thread, there's one for her, and one for whoever is sitting with her. 'One you!' as she puts it. The wooden beads are from an old necklace I had but never wore, and the red bowl and the knitting needles are from an op shop - for a grand total of $1.50.

[PS. How awesome is her little elephant desk?! I should get a better pic of it. It's from the Melbourne Zoo, weirdly enough.]

The book publishing job fell through, so I'm back to just studying this year.

It seems that I'm not content with 'just studying' though, so I've been coming up with a number of ideas about products to make and ventures to try when I finish my degree. In the short term I'm planning to start up a new blog focusing on eco-minded craft and living. It's my goal to post something every weekday - something new for me, but I really want to push myself and see if I can do it. Self-discipline is usually something I struggle with, but I've learnt a lot in the past couple of years. I never gave this blog my complete attention because my focus was always on the making and selling, so it will be interesting to see what happens when my focus is a blog by itself.

During the last week I've been battling with Wordpress because I'm self-hosting the new blog and doing the design and coding myself. For some reason when I add images, they don't appear in the post... Anyway, when it's done and I've made a couple of posts I'll show you. Hope you like.

jewellery storage

A while ago I found this old broken cupboard door and have been using it to pin up photos and things. But now it's much more useful. I just put some nails in it to hang up my necklaces. (I culled about half my collection first.)

I've been searching for a storage solution for my necklaces for a little while now. They've been jammed in a drawer in individual plastic zippies for a few years, but I usually forgot about them there, so I never tended to wear much jewellery as a consequence. I'm sure I'll be wearing necklaces much more often now that they're on display. And they're much easier to choose between.

I was planning to make a jewellery tree, but I much prefer this, plus I didn't need any new materials. Yay for being creative with stuff you already own.


Speaking of jewellery, I'm a little in love with an Etsy shop called Moth House. Particularly these three pieces.




And especially particularly the bracelet. My birthday's coming up in a couple months...

impulse buy

Vintage 60s block dress from Bleubird Vintage

I come across lots of vintage pieces and shops online, but nothing usually takes my fancy. A lot of the higher end vintage e-stores tend to have a bunch of 'trendy' going on, and I'm really aware of how those trends date fast.

So I don't think I've bought a vintage piece of clothing since about two years ago when I scored a $9 wool blazer. Usually I'm like, 'Ahh, I can make something I like better than that for much cheaper' and move on.

But I was unable to let this dress go to someone else.

I'm excited.

reorganising

I'm reorganising our space. No longer will clothing, materials, dressforms and such take over the house, hurrah! I joke, but it really does make a big difference to me. As a place to live for Tim, Ellie and I, our unit is a nice size. Not huge, not tiny, just kind of perfect. As a place to live for us three, plus a clothing studio, it's crowded and a bit ridiculous.

Since we've moved in two years ago, I've always been distracted and haven't devoted much time to interior design. Besides that, we have so much stuff that we don't use or need, and I hadn't gone through it all properly before. I'm doing it now, and it feels so good to get rid of things. I can be a bit of a hoarder, but I can just as easily decide to chuck a thing if it takes me more than three seconds to decide. I'm a firm believer in only keeping things you love (or, turning things you don't love into things you do) but I tend to know instinctively whether something is/can be meaningful to me.

Everything has been going to charity or to Reverse Art Truck.

I'm on a ban from buying any clothing to reconstruct, because I've still got two huge tubs worth of the special pieces I wanted to keep for my personal stash.

I love love arranging things, so I'm having a great time making our place cosy and quirky and nice. So far I've only finished with my desk area, so I'll show you that.


Featuring two of my favourite op shop finds everr.

This vintage green magnetic board with a cute leaf border. This isn't the best place for it, but I'll figure out another spot for it later. I just like looking at it.


This little wooden bear whom I've named Oxford. Oxford, meet the Internet.

in 2010

So I know I've kind of disappeared off the face of the Internet lately. Sorry about that, guys. And I hope you all had wonderful Christmases and New Years'. We had a brilliant day.


Anyway. I've been doing some serious soul searching, goal deciding, career thinking. I've decided to take an extended break from Heidi & Seek while I finish off my degree in 2010. My Etsy shop will still be open, but I won't be adding new stock to it.

I used to enjoy making clothes with my hands, but having to churn them out for business and profit has truly dulled the joy. So I'm taking some time to find my direction, to look for that energising passion again, even if I find it elsewhere in the end.

I have a number of ideas about paths I might like to follow. Teacher, editor, writer. I have a persistent idea for another business venture, but I'm going to take my time with this one. I'll let you know if/when it gets off the ground, because I'm sure you'd all love it.

Needless to say, I'm still incredibly environmentally-inclined, and I believe in the superpowers of craft. If I have my way, many more people will come to realise the neverending number of crafty ways to live prettily and happily without exploiting the planet.

possibilities

One of the poop things about being a 'creative' is the grand ideas that you get and are so so interested in seeing through that a) you don't know which to do first, and b) whatever you're supposed to be doing is either resented or ignored.

Here are the things right up there on my 'WANT-TO' list:

• Write a novel.
• Write & publish a making and patternmaking for t-shirts book.
• Learn to draw.
• Start making bags.
• Consume every bit of interesting fiction there is. (I just finished the audiobooks of the Harry Potter series.. I seriously feel like a little bit of me has died because it's over.)

Anyway, here I am in the middle of a pile of flyers that need halving for Fair@Square, orders that need posting, fashion show dresses that need descriptions to be written, and an application that needs filling out. It's not that I don't want to do these things, it's just that - well, think of the possibilities of the next couple of hours. Endless.


Of course there are many more awesome things than bad about running a creative business. I suppose I just always want more. I think that's a good thing, though, in the scheme of things.

fair@square, peppermint and summer dresses

Next month I'm going to be showing several dresses of mine at the fashion parade of the Fair@Square Festival. It's at Fed Square in Melbourne on Sunday December 13th from 11am-7pm and all about embracing all that's ethical and fair trade.

As well as the fashion show, there's going to be panel discussions and workshops - t-shirt reconstruction, screenprinting, hat-making and kids craft activities. Plus you can shop for fair trade and ethical goods from over 50 vendors. I won't be selling, I'm just going to be presenting at the fashion show. Come along, if you're in the area! It's sure to be heaps of fun and educational, too.

The festival is being sponsored by the wonderful Peppermint Magazine, among others, which makes a good segway for pointing out that I'm in the latest issue, yay!

(click to enlarge)

I thought I'd show you some of the one-off dresses I've been making lately. I haven't decided which to present at the fashion parade yet. Your thoughts would be lovely!











Which do you like best?

inspiration: boo radley

I wanted to show you what I've been making lately but Tim keeps running off with both our cameras for his volunteer work at the AYCC. They're a bit different in style to the tshirts up in my shop at the moment, because I've included more lace, more detail, more flowiness, and they're all one-offs.

It's so stinking hot here in Melbourne at the moment that sleeves are too much to bear, so I've been making light and flowy sleeveless tops and I'm going to start on summer dresses today. Pictures to come!

I'm having difficulty working out which method works for me best: sticking to styles or creating one-offs. Styles take more effort to prepare, but once prepared they're easier to make up. One-offs can often be a headache as they can be quite challenging and time-consuming. And sometimes they don't work out. But they are more interesting to make. I guess I'll just make some of each. Maybe the one-offs can be samples that I'll make up into styles if they're well received.

On another note, here's a local designer samples outlet just down the road from me that I entered for the first time and I was so impressed by the collection of interesting pieces - there's very few 'trendy' items there, just timeless goodness. If you live in nearby I really recommend it because the prices are very reasonable too. It's called Neo Rococo and it's at 269 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn.

They stock a Melbourne label called Boo Radley and I have been feeling very inspired by the pieces I saw. I checked them out online afterwards and found that the styling wasn't my cup of tea, but I think the work is so much better in person. They have a very good eye for interesting details.





And! Boo Radley is having an end of year summer sale at their warehouse in Collingwood. Everything below $50.
Thursday Nov 26th to Sunday Nov 29th
Boo Radley Warehouse: 114-118 Campbell Street, Collingwood Vic 3066 (off Johnson St.)
9:30 am to 5pm

Yay for local talent.

things i wish i knew before i opened shop

I just got this wonderful recycled wood sign custom made for me by William Dohman on Etsy. I've had my eye on his signs for a while now, but only just found cause to get one. It's to remind me of my goals, to help me stop being hard on myself, and to remember to keep being aware of and working on my 'stuff' (issues I have that stop me living how I'd like).

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I work and what I've learnt. I've been making more of an effort to notice and improve what doesn't work for me, thanks to Havi. But I've learnt lots all along the way since I started last year (it feels like so much longer than that).

Here are the things I wish I knew before I got myself into this whole Heidi & Seek shebang.

• Be nice to myself.
  
  
• Don't run away from difficulties. Question them, write down thoughts and feelings (non-judgmentally) and figure it out.
  
  
• Free press is way more useful than paid advertising. And keep in touch with publications.
  
  
• Make things. Make new things. Constantly. Give visitors new things to look at as often as possible, and keep it consistent.
  
  
• Listening to audio books while sewing keeps me focused (currently working my way through Harry Potter, I'm at Order of the Phoenix).
  
  
• But listening to myself about when I need breaks is better than burning out and getting frustrated.
  
  
• Don't do things that make me feel stressed and uneasy, but do do things that are a bit outside my comfort zone if I think it'll be good in the long run.
  
  
• Don't make important business decisions quickly. Considers the risks involved first and talk it through with someone. Let it sit for a week or two before deciding.
  
  
• File emails like I would files on my computer. Don't be afraid to delete mass emails. File emails as soon as I've read and dealt with them. Keep my inbox tiny or close to empty, with only the 'to-do' emails in it.
  
  
• Don't check blogs in my Google Reader every time I get a chance. Do it when I'm taking a break if I feel like it, and don't worry about not keeping up.
  
  
• There is a remote control for my camera (I found one online recently after thinking they didn't exist) and it makes photo shoots so much quicker!
  
  
• Instead of editing each picture in Photoshop individually, set up an Action with Levels, a little Curves, Rotate and Resize, Save and Close. Then automate the entire shoot's folder to save to a 'fixed' folder within it. Then it's just a few clicks, and a wait for Photoshop to create the finished photos.
  
  
• Blogging for the sake of blogging doesn't work. Blogging with a purpose and my unique voice works much better.
  
  
• It's best to have a light, non-busy background for photos. When I started, I took pictures in front of a brick wall that was quite distracting.
  
  
• In terms of social networking and 'getting your name out there', it's best to do a few things well than do many things without much dedication. It's also better to concentrate on the enjoyable ones.
  
  
• Get out of the house regularly. Find ways to work elsewhere for a little bit, like a cafe, or at least just take a walk.
  
  
• Don't spend so much time looking up handmade business tutorials. I kept doing this long after I felt I wasn't learning anything new. The time is better spent sitting down with a pen and paper and working out what will work best for my business.
  
  
• Choose a label name that means something to me and what I hope to achieve. I came up with Heidi & Seek long before I had a real business idea, but just stuck with it because I had the domain name. I'm not going to change it but I wish I'd chosen something more expressive of my ethics.
  
  
• Don't start watching a horrible, addictive TV show halfway through a work day, despite the break I'm on. I'm looking at you, One Tree Hill (which has since been boycotted on the grounds of excessive clicheness).
  

I could probably think of more with some extra time. I still have so much to learn, but I'm grateful that I've come this far.

If you have a business, perhaps you'd like to make a blog post with the same title as this one? Be sure to post the link in the comments section, I'd love to read them!

relaunched

I'm done, I'm done! And so excited. Check out my relaunched shop at heidiandseek.etsy.com and let me know what you think of my new direction?

I've got five styles. Come meet them.

Mia

Yoki

Snoop

Emelda

Oh Bow

It's interesting how completely different the same style can be with the different fabrics used. Though, I sometimes have changed up the styles a tiny bit to fit the fabrics.

heidiandseek.etsy.com