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Sunday 11 March 2012

Sunday Stash #4

Not many children growing up in Australia would have missed out on reading the adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by Author/Illustrator May Gibbs. She is our Australian version of English Flower Fairy Author/Illustrator Cicely Mary Barker.

 She grew up near Bunbury in Western Australia and used the native flora as her inspiration for the characters in the stories.

Eucalyptus blossoms
Banskia cones


Her books have entertained generations of us with tales of the sweet gumnut babies, wattle babies, lizards, possums and other native fauna. And who could forget the nasty Banksia men?
My daughter has my old books and some new paperback versions like this....



 So I was delighted to find that her illustrations are now available in beautifully soft quilting fabric at Spotlight stores. It is not cheap at $19.99 per metre and so I only bought 25cm of 3 of the prints. But the Royalties on these prints go to the Northcott and Cerebral Palsy Alliance as May Gibbs left the copyright to all her work to these two charities in her Will.


 I hope to get back there during a sale and buy some more. I think that they would make the sweetest features on a tea cup rug.

Kookabubble gumnut hat

My talented friend Dede from 'Kookabubble Craft and Clothing' makes gorgeous Australian flora and fauna children's apparel. My daughter has a few of her Australian fairy dresses.
Kookabubble Fairy dresses, wings and wands
It was Dede who advised me to buy a Janome machine and gave me my first sewing lesson in September of 2010. She is a sewing teacher at a community college in the Blue Mountains.   Late last year she was approached by the Australian Museum and commissioned to sew them some outfits and accessories for children to wear during visiting school exhibitions. She is working furiously to get them all done. I am very proud of her.
Kookabubble owl outfits


I couldn't resist one last May Gibbs illustration of a naughty Banksia man running off with one of the gumblossom babies...

If that doesn't give you nightmares tonight I don;t know what else would. Scared the beejeebuz out of many Aussie kids, including me.
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7 comments:

  1. Red Quilty Girl11 March 2012 at 21:44

    I've got some of the same books Fiona, and I read them to my granddaughter. I think I may have to go get some of the SL fabric. She'd love it (and so would I)! janine in dianella

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    1. Finding Fifth12 March 2012 at 06:02

      You will live the feel of the fabric Janine and the prints are small enough to do some cute little projects.

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    2. Finding Fifth12 March 2012 at 06:07

      woops...I meant 'love'

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  2. Richard Healey12 March 2012 at 03:04

    Totally cute. Never seen those books but they look like a lot of fun.

    http://richardquilts.blogspot.com
    http://trackmyshows.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Finding Fifth12 March 2012 at 06:06

      Yes I would imagine it would be hard to find May Gibbs books in the US...but perhaps online they might be available. All the best for the birth of your little gumnut baby soon.

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  3. Natalie12 March 2012 at 08:01

    Being American I've never heard of that author, but I totally understand feeling excited about finding fabric you didn't know existed! I can't wait to see what you make from it.

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    1. Finding Fifth12 March 2012 at 12:33

      I can't wait to see either. I found a link to a new (to me) blog by a West Australian quilter this morning and rather like what she made from these prints. You can see her work at http://thetinwhistle.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/little-gumnut-diversion.html. I think Milly's pieced fussy cut back is adorable.

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