renee anne // art. love. food. life

because it is the weekend and I don't feel like a big post, here is the sweetest able and game card that my boyfriend gave me for Christmas. buy one for your lover today.

just. look. at. what. the most amazing friend got me. that is right. a Cinderella record to go with my gorgeous Caitlin Shearer original painting from the Once Upon exhibition. it is just so special, the colours are perfect, and strangely match Caitlin's painting. Both the vinyls are there (I am yet to test them on my mini 45 record player, but I will) and, AND there is a mini story book included in the cover. so perfect. the only problem is finding the most specialist place to put them. I keep moving them all over the place. I think it has to be the bedroom, but where! I am so thrilled to own a Caitlin Shearer original too. When we opened up her amazing paintings for the show, I just knew I had to have this one.

Do you like my pretty photos? I took them with the shinny new camera.

[little christmas cards I made for special people :: details here]
[presents are all wrapped :: details here]

just wanted to say Merry Christmas to you and all. thank you for stopping by, thank you for coming back. looking forward to lots of posting next year, a new design, new products, new inspirations.

I also think it is funny looking at old posts, check out this christmasy one from 2007. naw.

thanks for a super year kids.

ok, i'll admit it. I am not one to "spend big" and christmas time. while I do notice a dent in my bank account after christmas shopping, I like to be more about the "thought" and "feeling" than the price tag.

this is especially the case when it comes to people like workmates or those people who are hard to buy for. you all know the type I am sure. they probably usually end up with a cheap bottle of wine or a box of Lindt chocolates. don't get be wrong, chocolate and wine is totally fine, but why not make it that little bit more "special", "fair" and little bit more heart felt.


[use me! click image or see below]


this year, I decided to make up some little guilt free treats goodie bags, filled with organic fair-trade chocolate and tea! I was so super pleased with how they turned out, but I am a bit silly and forgot to take a photo! I might make some more because I am sure I have missed someone.

anyway, I thought I would offer a FREE DOWNLOAD (woah!) for you guys to join in on the fair-trade guilt free heart felt chocolatey goodness. just click here to download the free PDF file, print them out, cut them out, wrap up some fair-trade chocolate, stick on the tag, and there you have a sweet lovely heartfelt gift (with an important message!).

Sadly, since I didn't take photos of my own, I will just have to shares some lovely images with you for some inspiration and motivation!



one, two
three, four
five, six



click here to download the free PDF file
and make your own fair-trade chocolate gift packs!

You may remember from an old post that I was keen for a custom bag from ReJenerate. Well my lovely sweet mum did a sneaky and organised to get me one made for my birthday. I think it is the best present I have ever got and I just can't get over how amazing it is in real life.



I also took the plunge and got the shoes, and my sweet sweet FREE jacket from Frankie arrived too (with a sweet little extra somethin' from ???? [anyone know who made the necklace?] turn me on design [Thanks Leeloo!]). I am so spoilt. x

on this glorious book.



This, along with other lovely treasures is now mine as a result of my big twenty first birthday!

Keep inspiring me wonderful creators.

Only of my lovely work friends (who was actually the manager) decided that it was time she had another baby and this of course meant that a time would come when she would LEAVE! Very sad I know. I have been dying to have a go at the little sockie cat that Miyako Kanamori kindly demonstrated in the previous issue of frankie. So I thought, finally that this was a good opportunity to give it ago. And if it didnt turn out, she could have it anyway, because it would be mean of her to say that she didnt like a present that i spent so many many many hours hand sewing!

So here he is! I called him sam. I made tags and all. It was very quite tricky and after much help from google with basic stitches and such I think you could say that I was happy with the result. (However I did add some little shorts that I also hand sewed due to some minor disasters in between his legs hehe)

So happy in fact that I went and bought the book so I can make many many many more sockie and glove creatures! so stay tuned people :P