Wednesday, April 29, 2009


YESSSSSS! doing the happy dance.
NEW FABRICS
IN STOCK NOW...Amy Butler craft fabrics are back in stock. these are wonderful for all sewing/craft/interior projects. $36 per meter. We also have a two bolts from the Heather Ross Mendocina range. New fabric mix packs and as always scrap bags. come and get'm!

Monday, April 27, 2009




We are so honoured to have
Joug designer light pendants instore now.
Joug light
shades are intricate yet simple using mathematical shapes to create a functional form that has aesthetical appeal. Using the material in an intelligent manner, the individual pieces hold adjacent pieces of the light shades together. The Joug designs definitely suit the modern and minimalist home.

We currently have three style of light available by Joug and the offshoot company pookie
the first by pookie are the limited edition exclusive to juniper pendants are $57 and come in all the patterns avaible above. Katie loves the Grey and brown dots while I am in love with the mermaids. these are so lovely you must come in to view. We can do ship worldwide so just email if you MUST have one or two...

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The stunning Frangipani light shade is made from hundreds of small symmetrical elements. It reveals a soft 3D texture of an array of flower patterns that resemble the frangipani flower. two sizes large Size: 500mm x 240mm $ and small 355mm x 195mm $198

The Delightful light shade which is unbelievably lovely was inspired by the beautiful fashion designs Andrea Moore creates each season. Using a fabric handpicked by Andrea the Delightful light shade was developed to have a clean design lines and an impacting bold statement.

Your Delightful light shade comes is a beautifully crafted white with red line art box. This will evoke the feeling of receiving a present knowing that there is something special inside waiting to be taken out. I have already bought one!

See you soon!




Saturday, April 25, 2009



Stuart and I celebrated 10 years of marriage this Friday. It was a day like any other. We are actually saving for a trip to the states to visit family. But a dozen roses and dinner at our local favorite eatery Manon with the kids, home in time for American idol (our guilty pleasure) was a pretty terrific day in my book.
I can't say that my life is any better if I'd planned it. Actually I have to laugh because I did plan my life when I was 14 on paper as you do and it was so funny. I was such a "realist". I was going to be living in Paris studying fine art, living in a small apartment with bakery downstairs. No lie! I had planned that I wasn't going to have kids because I thought I'd be a terrible mother. Too grumpy.
Today I am living in New Zealand (Duh) didn't study art like I'd wanted but with two kids, husband and a handcraft gallery & florist across the street from a bakery named "Simply Paris"! sooooo I was very close with my "premonition". well sort of. And the "terrible mum" thing. Well look at those faces in the picture, yah I am such a meanie! I am the bad cop in parenting but most days they can weasel their way with a smile and a hug. so here's to many many more years of NOT living up to my 14 year old potential. I love underachieving, the rewards are pretty cool.

stuart+mindy
4 eva

Wednesday, April 22, 2009



My WOW work in progress report. Okay after a failed attempt to start on my garment entry for wearable arts for the last two weeks and a tragic brutal death of my sewing machine and $900 for a new one...I finally started this week. after just two days I have made some serious progress and it's so good for my frame of mind and soul. I feel elated about what I have created so far. It's not entirely true to my drawings but it's taken a beautiful turn for the better in texture and shape. I am so inspired and can't wait to get to the shop everyday to work a little bit more everyday.

Sunday, April 19, 2009





































My perfect day

Now I don't want to scare you all we did not eat the above menu in one go. We spaced it out though out the day. we paced ourselves. We walked our buts off too so make no mistake we earned every calorie. Well almost. It started like this, Ethan woke Stuart and I up saying he wanted porridge with friut. YUM! then at breakie we all got the bad news Dad had to work. Bummer! So I said how's about we go on the Ferry! the kids were stoked. Ethan screamed "I've never been on a boat before" and you know what he hadn't! I couldn't believe I'd never, in his 5 years of life, taken him on a boat. So off we went to packs our back packs suit up. Dad dropped us at the sparkling water front about 11am and we were buzzing. When we arrived the ferry had just left so we bought our tickets for the next one and went to Mojo for a hot chocolate and as the kids pointed out they had breakie a "whole 2 hours ago" and wanted lunch. So pizza was ordered. They ate, we laughed, and told jokes then we went for a walk which ended in a battle of "quick slap". A game of speed and reflex and if you don't move your hads fast enough you get them smacked, I am telling you I though Ethan was going to wet his pants laughing. The kids got so tickled when they thought they'd got me good. I put it on saying "Owwwwweeee!" it was so fun and so not PC. Before we knew it the ferry was ready and we got on board. Now I don't need to tell you if you live in Wellington the weather was bliss Sunday. Sunny Autumn skies no chill just lovely. The boat ride was smooth and so fun. Gretta said to me on the boat ride the wind ripping through our hair "I feel like I'm young again" SHES 8! I laughed so hard. Once we got off in Days Bay it was a 10 min walk from the dock to Eastbourne along the coast. The walk was totally fun. When we got to Eastbourne we wlaked around took a look at few shops, decided we'd earned some hot chips and a play at the Fort playground. so so cool. what looks like an old torture chainber from the medievil times the kids slid and rolled and swung and fell and lughed and ate and did I say swung, swingged, what is it, it was fun? then off we went to catch the ferry home again. We missed it by 10 min so we had to play on the beach for another HOUR geeze talk about "turture". We went to the end of the dock to wait for the ferry after a while and noticed a wee family fishing with bait traps. We peered over the side and there were thousands of wee spotted fish all swimming around the pier. These kids had bread in the traps and when one would swim in the clear tube trap they'd pull it up and take a look at it and throw it back. No one was hurt just a bunch of kids looking and wee fishes. I was cracking up at how excited all these little kids were when one of them would get one. They'd all squeel and say "you did it!" "wow you got one" "thats so cool!" "wow you got four" then the ferry came. we got on. The sun was setting as we pulled into the city dock. The city looked magical. I thought to myself how rare the kids actually get to see the city at night. Always tucked in bed about this time or at least home. They were so excited still. Took a taxi home. they had a bath then off to sleep. I got into the worst mismatch pajamas I could find played around online and then had a ice cream sandwich IN BED because I'm alone in a big bed and that's what I'd be doing if I was single. All up it was a nearly perfect

We didn't have Dad with us as I posted this Stuart came home from work and read this post. he wanted me to write that. he's right we did miss him but the pizza helped the pain:)

SALE
! I was a little night owl (hence the picture) on Friday and rejigged the shop a little. When cleanig and moving and fluffing I decided to fill a basket of all the LAST OF items we had. So I have thrown them all into a big basket at the door and marked tham %50 off! This is not naf stuff this is primo names like KITCH KITCHEN, RICE, SEWCHERRY and heaps more! We have gorgeous goodies arrinving anyday and no place to put them. For those of you who shop at Juniper you will know that we have sales once or twice a year. So this is a really really great op to pic up wicked items that we just won't get again. Hope to see you this week.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009


UNICEF calls on Kiwis to create giant baby blanket this Mother’s Day
People all around New Zealand are being asked to knit or crochet at least one 20cm x
20cm square and send it to UNICEF in Wellington by 1 May. The squares will then
be stitched together to form a blanket of 1,400 squares. The 1,400 squares represent
the number of children under 15 years of age who contract HIV every day.
More information about the Unite for Mothers campaign, including knitting
instructions and an online petition, can be found at www.unicef.org.nz

Tuesday, April 14, 2009






New Look of the blog. What do ya think? I tried so hard to upload a flashy Blog template and it just made my head hurt for 3 hours! so this the best I could do with what limited knowledge I have of the whole building it bit. let me know what you do and don't like as colours and everything look different on others screens so if you are finding it hard to read let me know. Uh! it feels good to have a "new dress" if ya know what I mean. I am so bummed to with Vista I can't do all my flashy altering of pic's in MSWORD with text and saving as a JPG. It doesn't have that function now so I have to learn all about PHOTO SHOP. eeeek! I have been pretending for so long. All you out there probably don't know what I'm on about as you are all up with the times. Bah! Ya not alot progressing around here. Ooh OH OH but I will be having a new arrival tomorrow...NO not a baby! My brand new Janome flash ultra cool sewing machine arrives tomorrow! So excited I can't sleep. Finally I will be able to sew at lightning speed, mend in a single bound.
soft toy by Kelly Joseph

Sunday, April 12, 2009


Reminder!!! Just a reminder to all of those who have booked in for
Lucky Dip Craft Nite... it's this week.
Wednesday the 15th at 7:30pm.
If you did not book but want to come just call04 389 4058 and get on the cancellation list. There is always someone with the flu or something so why not make the most of their misery . This does mean that you know last minute but hey, how exciting! See you lucky listers there! It's gonna be a goodie!

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Picture from WOW website.
I am so sorry for the lack of blogging but with good reason. You see I have been agonising for years over weather or not to enter the WOW awards. Every year I say I am gonna do it. Every year I chicken out. This year I heard what was to be the theme of the children's section "Bottom of the back garden" Instantly I knew what I would do. I just had this vision. So, before I could change my mind I popped online and read all the info, read all the FAQ's and really just closed my eyes and hit the "enter now" button. For the next month I will work like a dog to finish this garment. MAKE no mistake, I don't want to win, This year I just want to get accepted. To me that will be like winning a million dollars. Please cross fingers and toes that I finish. I will need all the good craft vibes sent my way. For those of you worried that I might have lost my mind running a business and being a mom and running craft nights I say AND doing WOW, "don't you worry about me I will be like a pig in the mud, happy, happy, happy". As I see it Life is so terribly short, and when we are Healthy and able we should fill those minutes of the day doing what we love. (Geeze! who let Tony Robins in the room? sorry) but I think you know what I'm on about. have a super easter/choc fest! more to come.