Birds in the Woods

On a more successful note, I have been experimenting lately with printing some of my drawings onto timber veneer - and I'm really liking how they're turning out.

Of course I'm only printing at this stage using my basic black and white home printer so the images are losing a bit of detail and definition, but the idea is there so I might now think about getting them screen-printed...? Oohh project!

When Fimo Goes Bad

Don't you hate those moments when you get so geared up and excited to try out a super idea you've thought of, only for it to end ... badly?

I had this happen to me a few nights ago, when I cottoned on to an idea of making fimo flowers.

What started out as a fantastic finished product that I could see in my mind of these really gorgeous, detailed objects that I could then add into a really neat necklace I'm working on, turned into a burning session in the oven which included smoking the house out and setting off the fire alarms, and soon after that I quickly lost my fimo mojo. Doh!

Love.

OK, this is naughty. I have this photo. I've had it saved in my 'fav pics' folder on my computer for a while. Problem is, I don't know who's site I got it from. I know, naughty, and I'm really sorry, and if it was your site, please let me know and I will give you credit. But I just love this photo. I love it so much I had to be naughty and share it. I'm sorry. Love love!

I Heart Gala

Images from Gala Darling

The beautiful Gala Darling... Strong, clever, beautiful girls like Gala inspire me every day.

Catch her blog, it's choca bloc with so many tips, tricks and goodies!

Heaven in a Crispy Shell

I'm sorry, I just had to pinch and share this image of crispy, gooey delightfulness from Modlife... yes, it is a deep fried Cadbury Cream Egg... (Insert Homer Simpson drooling noise here!).

Little Design Horse

Main image from Little Design Horse, segments from Blockbranding on Flickr

I wanted to feature this fantastic wall that was displayed recently during the Perth International Arts Festival. The light would change colour to depict different moods and music being played at the venue.

Produced by a wonderful team of designers from a studio called 'Little Design Horse', I tracked them down to a gorgeous wee store in North Perth.

They are experts in textile, surface and illustration art, designing items from this super wall installation through to fabrics, posters, packaging, wall decal and wrapping paper.

Check out their website and blog here for more goodies!

In My Dreams I Go

Flickr photo 'Twilight and the cliffs of Kai Iwi Beach' by Peter

Nearly every night this past week I have been having dreams about my favourite place in the world - Kai Iwi Beach in Wanganui, where I spent every school holiday for about 10 years during my childhood. I was thinking that just in the same way that people use door frames as a measuring stick for all the milestones in their youth, Kai Iwi is the measuring stick for my adolescence. All the important family events were celebrated there, most of my memories are of long hot days in the water, and bitterly cold winters by the fire. It is such a beautiful, special place for me - but not in a cliched way. It's wild and rough - the wind bites in the winter, the blue streaked black sand scorches in summer. The cliffs are dark, moody and dangerous... but it's mine. I may not be able to go there now, but at least I can visit it in my dreams... Bliss!

It's Good Readin' Monster Children

Got my sticky paws on a very good, and unexpected read over the weekend - quarterly magazine 'Monster Children' is on its 22nd episode, but my first! I initially picked it up because of the quirky cover art, and soon discovered it is a very slick mag aimed mostly at a skate and surf, male 'urbanite' market - (none of which I am however) and I still appreciated its cleverly written articles, refreshingly designed graphic layouts and features and impressive photography. If you're looking for inspiration in a new format, check this magazine out, the website is worth a look too!

Sweet Sounds: Katie Noonan

Just thought I'd share a new find of mine - talented Aussie jazz singer Katie Noonan. I love this cover of Gnarls Barkley's 'Crazy', what a fantastic new twist on an already great song. Her version has been around for a couple of years, but I still think it's worth a mention for those of us non Aussies who may not have come across this talented lady before!

BobbyRobin International

Today I received my 'Lil' Bob' from Faery Sarah of BobbyRobin, yay!

He is super cute, and is currently playing post-it keeper next to my computer at work - 'Lil' Bob' is an international star now... Perth today, who knows where tomorrow!

Sophie Kyron on a Monday Morning

I have just discovered a super Australian talent Sophie Kyron, designer of STUNNING pieces of jewellery.

I have tried in the past to ween myself off busy, brightly coloured, full on jewellery, but I have come to realise that it is forever ingrained in me - I think I'm a little like a magpie, drawn to all things bright, shiny and colourful, so now I am embracing it!

I love how Sophie combines layers of beading, chain, fabric and bits and bobs to create beautiful pieces of art to drape around your neck, and not to mention some great marketing photography too.

Check out her site here for more pictures, info and stockists.

Up and Coming: 'Katya'

Over the weekend I went to Unwrapped, the designers market in South Perth specifically tailored to showcasing new, up and coming design talent.

I was totally blown away by the standard of work produced by this selection of very clever young women (and men), so I will share some of my favourites over the next wee while.

First up is 'Katya' by W.A. designer Karyn Koevert, a newly developed fashion label producing gorgeous, feminine pieces - I love the way she drapes her fabrics, and designs in a way that expresses how lovely it is to be a woman, there's nothing like wearing a super sultry, girly dress to make you feel spesh.

See more of her work here.

Tiny Art Director

Swim Ducky Swim by Bill Zeham

Well my afternoon has been lightened a little by the discovery of this blog, Tiny Art Director.

It follows an illustrator/artist under the 'direction' of his four year old daughter. The briefs she sets him and her subsequent critiques are quite hilarious, a good Friday afternoon read and giggle, especially if you know a little girl like this, which I'm sure many of us do!

Artisically Frustrated

My ideas & inspirations book - aka. the window to my soul!

Today I am feeling really artistically frustrated. This has been creeping up on me for a few months now, actually pretty much since I left NZ 4 months ago.

I am really down about the fact that I have all these wonderful ideas that I want to create and make and experiment with ( jewellery, artworks, sewing projects, prints, illustrations, clothes...) and they are building up in my ideas book (above), but at the moment I have no money or resources to produce them.

Putting a halt to buying lots of lovely crafting goodies is just an unfortunate sacrifice I've had to make since moving here, because not only is money tight, we are only here temporarily so I can't justify hoarding a whole lot of 'stuff'.

I miss my sewing machine and craft boxes so much it hurts, I don't know what to do with myself, there's a whole part of me missing at the moment and I'm not sure how long I can go on like this!

Starting up a creative venture is such a chicken and egg situation - I need to make the goodies to sell and to be able to develop my ideas and products, but how do you get the money together to buy your materials etc to make these things in the first place!? (Short of crawling to the bank for a loan).

So yea, feeling a little lost today...

A Train Ride Through Barcelona, 1908

This morning on Dark Roasted Blend I came across this beautiful piece of early cinematography - a train ride through Barcelona in 1908. It is a stunning visual flash back to the past, and I love all the men tipping their hats, what a different world we live in today...!

'Iva' Sounds

Ooh I've found some new sounds, always good to lock onto a new artist coming through -these good beats are by Sola Rosa feat. talented up'n'comer Iva Lamkum. Ahh missing that kiwi music!

Oh Hello Muscles...!

Image 'Lane Ropes' by Oreofuzzcat on Flickr

My girlfriends talked me into going swimming with them at one of the indoor pools in Perth night before last, and I thought, 'Oh yea, sounds like fun, haven't done that in a while....'. Well, I was rudely re-introduced to some leg muscles that I haven't been aware of or used since I was probably 12 years old! At first it was in the form of jelly legs, now I'm just very, very sore, and feeling very, very sorry for myself today, oh dear.

Modish BIZ Tips

Thinking more about business ventures, I wanted to give a mention to the fantastic blog Modish BIZ Tips, recently started by Modish blogger Jena. I have been following it since day one, (a few weeks ago) and am finding it such an insight into the world of developing your own creative business venture. Great ideas, tips, discussions, guest bloggers and all sorts, I highly recommend you pop it on your list of regular must reads if you have your own creative business, or even if you only have a wee inkling that perhaps that's what you're wanting to do - like me! I love clever people sharing clever ideas on a level I can understand, super!

Weddings Weddings Weddings!

I'm not sure if it's in the water, or maybe I'm just getting to that age where it's the thing to do, but everyone seems to be either getting married, blogging about getting married, going to a wedding, designing for a wedding... and that's me included!

No I'm not getting married anytime soon, (I don't think), but a friend of ours asked me for help in coming up with some colour scheme suggestions for her wedding, so naturally, having never done anything like that before, I said 'SURE!', and I actually had heaps of fun doing it, even if I did just throw it all together in some photoshop collages so I could email them back to her in NZ.

her favourite scheme

I had a blast pulling things out of magazines, scanning, sketching and googling. She was super stoked with my ideas, so who knows, maybe it's a new business venture, just to add to all the other ones in the pipe lines... oh jeepers!

'Cool Stuff' Envy

The people who own the company I currently work for not only create some very cool pieces of custom designed furniture, they also scour the globe for art, sculpture and nic nacs to sell in the store.

I have 'cool stuff' envy something chronic at the moment, as they recently brought back some old printing plates from India, which I have sneakily taken a photo of to share, as I want them so bad!

Thing is if I owned them, I wouldn't be selling them as ornaments, I'd be using them to print fabulous fabrics and stationary and all sorts... my mind runs wild with super ideas all the time!

Dr. Seuss Close Up

I recently stumbled across the most fantastic exhibition at the Linton & Kay Fine Art Gallery on King Street, Perth. It was a selection of paintings, sketches and hand-pulled lithographs by Dr. Seuss, including well known characters from his books as well as never before seen artworks from his own private collection.

Looking at the super illustrations in his books is one thing, but to see each image in it's own right, framed beautifully and standing alone as a fabulous example of graphic illustration was almost too much, I could hardly contain my excitement! The colours were so fresh and bright, every tiny brush and pen stroke was defined and clear. I must admit I had a small twinge of disappointment that I couldn't afford to spend $3000 for a stunning signed piece of his work!

My Nu Scarfy

I snapped up a cute wee scarf from Cotton On over the weekend, cost me all of one huge bajoolin' dollar so I am very pleased with my purchase- yay for bargains! I nearly got a nice wintery one too, but felt a little silly buying a woolley scarf in Perth while we're still having 35 degree days...!

Num Num Num

My boy was lovely over the weekend and cooked me the yummiest brunch - this wee delight was a cross between an omlette and a fritatta sort of thing, but jeepers was it good.

I'm always so envious of the way he can whip up the scrummiest foods and never use a recipe, unlike moi, the more 'culinarily' challenged!

Etsy Find

Found this on Etsy, hehehe so simple, so cute!

Good Morning World

We have spent the past week moving in to our new wee town-house in North Perth and I love it, there is a wonderful vibe about the place - it's super great when things feel 'right', don't you think?

Every morning I wake up to a beautiful view from our bedroom window, looking over the back fence to a Macedonian church, and I love to watch the vivid Australian colours developing as the sun rises and strengthens across the roof tops, today I share it with you. Enjoy :)

A Friday Find

Today I re-discovered New Zealand designer Sarah Maxey! A super talented all rounder, Sarah designs for all kinds of print media and publishing, including some super cute stationary items like these quirky greeting cards that I've had knocking around in my files of goodies for ages!

Check out more of her work here.

Cup Cup Cuppa Cakes

Oh my goodness I am completely beside myself with excitement, I have found the Woman's Day periodic table for cupcakes! You just click on each cell in the table to unveil a recipe for the most scrumptious looking cupcakes I've ever seen - rocky road, peach melba, apple, blushing grapefruit, brownie, icecream, chocolate surprise... yum yum yum yum... get baking!

Thomas Paul for Duralee

I was lucky enough to snap up some large sample pieces of the super Thomas Paul fabrics, supplied through Duralee Textiles. I love the simple, bold, happy prints and colours, and they have cutesy animals and birds in these two designs - my favourites. I'm going to frame some of them as artworks... Project!

Undie Undies!

I want some undie undies! Get some here from Lucha Workshop at Etsy!

Mod Mod Mod

My favourite website at the moment is Modcloth, online supplier of Mod, Retro, Indie & Vintage style clothing. I love love love the super 'lookbook' section that they put together each week, it's so inspiring! Now I just gotta get the money together to produce these looks... Check it out!

The Best Medicine

Ahh, nothing beats a bit of homesickness then three kiwi gals having a good old chin wag and a wine (or three!) whilst enjoying a gorgeous Perth sunset at the beach. It's always the little things that make a so so day, a brilliant day :)

Book I'm Lovin' - MaryKate & Ashley Olsen 'Influence'

Ok so I can feel you cringing already as you read this heading, and I did too when I first saw this book, but once I started reading I must say I was totally surprised, it's a great read!

What you don't realise from looking at the cover is that it is filled with fantastic, insightful interviews by the twins of famous and not so famous designers in all genres - fashion, interiors, photography, artisitic, exhibitions and more. It is more about the people that inspire them, and only a small part about themselves. The bonus is that there are pages and pages of lovely glossy photos, sketches, drawings, candid letters and personal quotes.

It doesn't matter that the designers featured are generally the creme de la creme of the design world, the interviews give you insights into their often humble beginnings and stories of starting out in their fields, and I'm all for that!

Etsy Bunny

Yay for Etsy - I came across this wee bunny sketch, so simple, so sweet, I want to take him home and put him on my wall. CUTE as a bunny button!

NYPL

I have discovered a fantastic resource that I think all creative brains should know about! I followed a link from the Design By the Book feature on Designsponge, which took me to the online digital image catalogues of the New York Public Library website. If you are just cruising on the net, in need of some inspiration in any shape or form, or undertaking specific research on a topic, these catalogues are super brilliant, check it all out here!

Up & Coming: Belinda Coppin

I would like to share a little bit about up and coming fashion designer and recent design graduate Belinda Coppin.

I was lucky enough to catch her collection on show in Wellington at the end of last year, where she was named as top Massey fashion design student, and nominee for the supreme Zonta award. What a super cool aesthetic, I want those pants!

Her presentation, from garment construction, cut, style and fit, photography and marketing were first class. She is one to keep an eye on in the future - watch this space!

To read more about her award click here.