Tomorrow night I am setting up for my first ever trade fair. eeekk! I'm lucky enough to have been accepted into First Instyle, the curated design space of the Life Instyle boutique trade event here in Sydney. I'll be hangin' there with my Sweeties.
Ginger's little brother Freddie will be tagging along too. Freddie is a lovely little thing but he does like to pretend he's a monster and he leaps out of trees to scare Ginger and her friends Mimi, Molly and Daisy. No sneak peeks I'm afraid, but I'll post some pictures of him next week and he'll be available from my website soon.
Life Instyle runs from Thursday through to Sunday, so I'm not sure that I'll be around here much during that time.
In the meantime, check out the Life Instyle website (click on the who's exhibiting link at the top) - there are some fabulous products on show and lots of up and coming brands and talent in the First Instyle section.
Have a great week.
x
lisa
Life Instyle
Weekend Wishes
Wishing you a lovely relaxing, creative, inspiring, joyful weekend.
This paper doll makes me feel joyful. I adore it.
Paper doll by Ana Ventura found via the always awesome Bloesem.
Sorry if I creeped you out with my previous post ;) ... I thought I'd end the week on a lighter note with this one! See you Monday my friend.
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Emily Valentine
Feathers are my paint. Over the last ten years I have developed my own technique and style using feathers from road kill, cat kill and dead pets. Recently I have moved into a new source of feathers. I have been trapping and killing the registered pest, the Indian Mynah bird.
In my work I wish to discuss how attitudes to wearing animals and birds parts have changed. Is this just because of fashion, or has society become more caring of animals? I wish to stimulate the viewer with the uncomfortable nature of the feather, to question our callousness treatment of animals and birds, and ask how we sub-consciously classify animals – pet or pest, valued or worthless, beautiful or plain and why.
Emily Valentine
Image Source: Emily ValentineIsn't that first image a show stopper! I feel both attracted and repelled (which I guess is the desired reaction)... how about you?
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Horizontal crafting
Last month when I was rendered practically immobile Roxy and I found a craft that we could do together while I was literally flat on my back. I had some little wooden dolls that I had bought from Goose Grease Undone on Etsy and stashed away, and Roxy was given some for her birthday in January... so we grabbed our markers and got creative.
I think the little ones with black line work are my favourite. They are only about an inch and a half tall - so tiny and sweet. But I do love Roxy's colour blocking too. I'd like to try some more when I don't have to hold them up in the air above my face to work on them!
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Small Kids, Big Colour
Ohdeedoh and Dwell Studio ran a competition late last year called Small Kids, Big Colour, for the best use of colour in a child's room. You can see all the entries at Ohdeedoh... here are some that caught my eye.
Love these colours - especially the orange decal on the aqua/blue wall.
A retro floral fabric tent? Yes please!
A fabulous eclectic collection... try saying that aloud a few times.
Colours and patterns that go 'pop'.
Nice relaxed vintage vibe.Michelle Brand :: sustainable design
These gorgeous lights by British artist Michell Brand are made from plastic bottle tops. Can you believe it? It's so beautiful the way they cascade onto the floor.
Inspiration :: Aboriginal Art
Good morning! How was your weekend? We had some pretty incredible thunderstorms here. I adore summer storms with those massive drops of rain that come after a stinking hot day. The smell of the rain on the hot ground holds such strong childhood memories for me. I love it.
I have a pretty busy couple of weeks coming up, so I'm just about to write 4 or 5 posts and schedule them for throughout the week. So please forgive me if I talk dribble and make lots of mistakes - It's after 3.30am and I'm feeling a bit delirious to say the least. I've just finished working and Roxy will be awake in 3 hours so I'm debating if it's even worth going to bed at this stage. May as well do some blogging I say!
To start the week I want to share these truly beautiful and inspiring paintings by indigenous Australian artists.
Bush Medicine by Gloria Petyarre
Little Bush Yam by Anna Petyarre
Bush Lilies by Lisa Mills
Awelye Atnwengerrp by Emily Pwerle
Earth Cycles by Sarrita King
Bush Plum by Kathleen NgaleAll images are from Aboriginal Art Galleries. They have galleries in a number of locations around Sydney. I must visit them soon - I can only imagine how incredible these works are in person. What do you think? Are you a fan too?
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depeapa
Beautiful little illustrations on wood and precious felt brooches by depeapa in Spain.
Image Source: depeapaProud Mama Moment
Roxy made me this gorgeous welcome home present after I'd been in Melbourne for a few days at the end of last year - which was only the second time ever that I'd been away anywhere without her. She drew and cut out the Mama and Baby bunnies (which she said are her and I), and we framed them together. I think they're so adorable and love them as much as anything else I've ever been given. It's usually those unexpected gifts that are the best - especially when they're handmade with love. And from your child!
And if you can indulge me in another proud Mama moment, I just have to share this... during the holidays Roxy made a Sweetie Petite for the first time entirely on her own. (Although I did press the peddle on the sewing machine so she didn't get too speedy.) Can you see the teeny tiny ever-so-neat hand stitches along the bottom?! Yes, my Miss Six is a perfectionist neat freak just like her mother!
Inspiration :: Jenifer Altman
I love it when I see a new post from Artists Who Blog pop up in my Google Reader. That's how I discovered the sublime photography of Jenifer Altman yesterday.
Jenifer uses a vintage polaroid camera and I just adore the resulting soft, painterly, evocative images. The first portrait below is one of the most beautiful images I think I've ever seen.
Visit Jenifer's website, blog and Etsy shop for more.
And if that's not enough she also writes short stories, which are accompanied by her beautiful images. And she has three children!
One artist or two?
I love seeing collaborations between artists. I find it intriguing to see what two people can create together when they combine their strengths. So it was with anticipation that I followed Mitsy's blog Art Mind in the last few months of 2009 after she announced a secret collaboration with another Etsy seller.
Mitsy is a ceramicist from Belgium and her partner in collaboration is Anna (aka Lila Ruby King), a jewellery designer from Greece. Mitsy and Anna share a love of texture and nature, which is obvious when you see their work. I love the minimalist approach they've taken with form and colour and the combination of the porcelain, metal and tiny touches of red thread.
The jewellery is being sold through Anna's Etsy shop, and new pieces will be released at the beginning of each month. It seems like this was a very successful coming together of two talented and like-minded women and it will be interesting to see how their work together evolves with each monthly release.
Image Source: Lila Ruby KingThe images above aren't a part of the collaboration - they're just things I saw in Anna's shop that caught my eye.
I've blogged about Mitsy's Mini Art Feelings before, and she has a lot more lovely goodies here on Etsy. Her blog is also a wonderful insight into her creative process and it's full of great tutorials. Mitsy is the tutorial queen! And I have to mention the Babette blanket she recently finished... if you've been visiting me here for any length of time you'll know that I have crochet envy.
Image Source: Art MindI've often thought about what sort of collaboration I could do with another designer or artist, but as yet I haven't done anything about it. Have you ever collaborated with someone? Is it something you'd like to do?
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For the love of type
The title of this post came about because Roxy (now aged 6) has started to say "Oh, for the love of Pete!" Quite frequently too. We have NO idea where she got it from, but it's hilarious to hear her say it. I digress...
This drool-worthy type is by British typographer and illustrator Seb Lester.
Isn't it?!
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