fernsandtales

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The Farewell, Lulu Wang, 2019

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Melbourne, January 2025

Beautiful Melbourne in all its glory throughout January.

I ventured to explore the city like a tourist would. But who am I kidding anyways - being an immigrant I never feel home anywhere anymore. It's a forever tourist situtation.

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Wow, it took a while for me to process, but I love Lanthimos’s movies just for that - like a good perfume opens up in layers and the impression lasts long.

The story about the returning wife - OMG, yes!

Kinds of Kindness (2024)

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The Quiet Girl ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ (2022) dir. Colm Bairéad

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What the caterpillar calls "the end" the rest of the world calls a butterfly. After Yang (2021) dir. Kogonada

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Last day of 2024, Melbourne

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Next year's Holiday Inspo.

Want to try so badly the spun cotton decorations! They're so etheral and just impossibly wholesome.

And also, have been inspired by the layered cardboard technique and the look of Dresden Pressed cardboard.

So many things to try!

Image credits (from the top, left to right):

Dog + Toadstool [link]

Squirrel [link]

Hobby horses [link]

Layered cardboard toadstools tutorial [link]

Dresden pressed cardboard: 1 2 3

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Pre-Christmas Melbourne, Australia | December 2024

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Phew! I think I'm done with holiday crafting for this year.

I'm happy to have tried a few different things, and sharing here if you find them useful, too (these are just makes for my own pleasure, not for my shop, of course):

🏠 Gingerbread house. It had become a tradition in our house now, no wiggling out of this now. This year, the same as last, used this template. I feel, it's gone up in price a bit since I bought it.

🧶 Made some cute tags for handmade knitted gifts, you can download them here to print for free if you like. I love knitting gifts, and wanted the recipients to know how to care for their presents to extend their use.

⭐ My favourite paper stars from Japanese paper band or straw! Happy to have put the detailed process on youtube [link]

✨ Foil ornaments. This was something super new, and I've ended up creating a whole bunch of gift tags with this idea. I've finally used my accumulated collection of tin foils and had to buy foil baking trays as well. My process video here.

⭐ Himmeli ornaments. Made some really sweeeet stars, sharing the thoughts and snippets of process here, full tutorial I've used here

⭐ Advent paper stars. Super cute, super addictive. Ended up making four individual hanging thingies to display in the window. Hindsight: should have used wider paper bands (more than 1.5 cm). Video tutorial I've used [link]

Enjoy! Happy Holidays, if you celebrate!

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The Youtube tutorial I've used [here]

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Knitted Christmas Gifts this year 🧦

I almost always forget to photograph my makes, so this time I'm documenting it here.

🧦 Both sock pairs are made with Regia Pairfect. I've added a couple of cute removable duck charms to one pair. Because, cute, obviously.

🧣 The scarf is short Sophie Scarf [link]

🩰 The slippers are Cloud Slippers made with Chunky Wool from Lincraft [link]. I've added some i-cord bows as well. Planning on adding non-slippery dots to the bottoms.

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🧸 Vintage Japanese Teddy Plates [link]

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20% off on all kits and tutorials in my shop until 3 Dec 24

[shop here]

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Made some squishy tree ornaments. They're sweeeeet!

Enjoy here

🎄Pudding 🍊Orange/ Clementine ⭐Mince Pie

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A couple of new thrifted things in my shop:

🦋 Faircore butterly tealight candle holders [link]

✨ Vintage Twist Vase [link]

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Craft kits and bundles, always available in my shop.

These are all assembled and sourced by me, with each detail thought about thoroughly.

All felt is 100% high quality pure wool, threads - cotton, stuffing - corn fibre, felted balls - individually handmade, kit boxes - handmade with recycled cardboard.

🍊 Orange cake [link]

🎄Christmas Pudding [link]

🍓Strawberry Badge [link]

🦔Little Hedgehog [link]

Happy slow stitching!

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☆⌒★⌒☆⌒★☆⌒★⌒☆⌒★

Christmas Stars DIY [watch the full video here]

I’m endlessly fascinated by this method but found it so hard to use straw to make them (as it’s intended originally). It kept breaking in my hands, and it’s quite disheartening, especially when it happens at the later stages.

Sooo, I’ve decided to use the Japanese paper band instead. It’s cheap ($3.30 each colour), widely available (at Daiso), made with recycled paper, doesn’t break and you can adjust width, if you need.

The stars make a cute gift decoration that doubles as a tree ornament. What can be better?

Make three of them, and you have a lovely gift on your hands already.

Enjoy!