Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

It's THAT time of the year!  For most of  the year, my work can be purchased at  my Etsy shop and Timeless Textiles , a Gallery and Centre for Fibre Artists. But, at this time of the year, there are pop-up shops, markets and bazaars for local artists and artisans. Every year, I then frantically search for good ideas for small, inexpensive, quick and easy handmade gift ideas for markets. This year, I made quite a few fabric fridge magnets...  I will explain the basic steps and perhaps you might like to try some for yourself.  1. Choose a bright and simple print on heavy cotton or linen. For these magnets, I chose a mushroom silk screened fabric from Thea and Sami.  Thea and Sami printed fabric  2. Use a backing fabric like heavy calico, linen or ticking in a similar colour to the print fabric.  3. With both fabrics together sew around the print and then trim leaving a small edge.  4. Make a very small slit in the back, cut...

Giveaway Gifts T his week is blog giveaway time! Last week I celebrated my birthday.  I’ve had far too many to count the candles, but I had a wonderful party on the weekend with my family - with an indulgent birthday cake, favourite foods cooked by my husband and great company. ( In case you were wondering about the writing on the cake , Por Por = Chinese grandmother)     I also got great gifts from  my family and friends. There seemed to be a bit of a theme this year – with many of my gifts and cards depicting matryshoka ( babushka) dolls and tea drinking.   As it is also winter here in Australia ,   it was easy for me to  decide what I could offer as gifts  in this birthday giveaway. All the gifts are handmade by me. Gift 1 - two little fabric matryshoka dolls  Gift 2- a little bag made from colourful teapot and teacup fabric . The design is called a jester bag, but it is suitable for carrying s...

With the news of the unfolding and escalating disaster in Japan dominating the media, our thoughts are with  our friends, especially our previous exchange daughters and their families in Japan. Thankfully they are all safe, but we can't help feeling sad for the magnitude of loss of life and environmental destruction. This morning, I looked around our home and found all kinds of  little reminders of happy times we have had with them. Most are beautiful gifts the girls or their families have given us or made themselves ... a thousand cranes, paper cuts, dolls and fabrics. I even found small gifts from my host families when I was in Japan over 40 years ago, and a little handbag I made a few years ago and this reminds me so much of our girls. We are thinking postive thoughts for you all. Not to forget a small but very special event this week - Happy 3rd  Birthday William. May you always be protected from disaster.

Here is a little Christmas beetle I made this week for a gift swap today. A "Dolly" friend, Chye'in made some beautiful little painted beetles in July and then shared the pattern. So this is my version of the pattern.... using some leftover spotty print fabric and layered fabric I made from scraps.  My dear friend, Connie chose the "number" for my doll and I think she was happy to receive it.  Thanks Chye'in for the pattern to make these endearing little creatures. Here are Chye'n's originals.... I also received in return a doll using the same pattern.... This is such a cute little girl. I have been to a few Christmas parties lately and  received beautiful handmade gifts. These delicately perfumed sachets have been hand embroidered by Fay and are absolutely exquisite - such fine work perfectly stitched. And here is great idea - a fabric bon bon. Not only beautiful but reuseable - a rectangle of lined Christmas fabric, with a plastic insert stitched ...

I have had such a great birthday that I want to share such a happy day with you. I am giving away from this blog one of my handfelted brooches/pins. One just like those pictured here or in my etsy shop ( http://empresswu.etsy.com/ ) in your own choice of colours. The ones in these photographs have unfortunately all been sold, but I have more in progress. All you have to do to win one of these fabulous felt brooches/pins is leave a comment and name your favourite colour combinations. A person's name will be chosen at random next Sunday morning 2 August and that person will be the winner. Here are some of my great birthday gifts. Having mentioned to my friend that I had nothing pink in my life, I received from her a pink pig eraser, a pink clock/timer and a computer mouse pad, depicting a gorgeous Chinese girl in pink. And everyone knows how much I love babushkas and matryoshkas so this bag from my family seems made especially for me. Lots of flowers, perfume, a massage voucher...