Puka-Puka :: Contemporary Mobiles

Drawing on her training as both architect and jeweller, Sydney designer Nina Still creates unique and contemporary works of art. Her mobiles are kinetic sculptures that are the fusion of both her background disciplines. The name Puka-Puka is perfect for Nina's organic inspired creations - it's Japanese for 'an object gently floating in space'.

Nina says she was sick of working behind a desk as an architect so she started to make mobiles as a way to connect with nature. Inspired by camping tips and communing with nature both on the land and under the sea, Nina describes her creations as "meditative artwork that creates shadows, moves and sings in the space".


Puka-Puka's beautiful new range of Polka Dot mobiles are designed for modern nurseries... I just love those little floating felt balls and I can see them in many spaces, not just babies' rooms. I'm thinking my office/studio might be a good place!

Images: Puka-Puka

For more beautiful mobiles, visit Nina's website, blog and Puka-Puka on Etsy.
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I Spy :: The Little Shop of Handmade

I was just checking out the Finders Keepers blog (applications are now open for FK Brisbane), and I came across a feature on one of my lovely stockists: The Little Shop of Handmade. I haven't been to the shop, but it looks so sweet - just like Bec the owner.

When I looked at the photos I saw some familiar faces...


I think it's a bit like when you go out to the park you can always spot your own children a mile off!

Images; Finders Keepers

Go on over to FK to read about Bec and her great little shop and see more photos.
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Pipped at the post

As a blogger, does this ever happen to you: you visit one of your favourite blogs to find out that they have just featured something you were about to post about?

It's happened to me now 3 times in the last few days...

Last Monday when I wrote about Tin&Ed I'd been looking at some great shots of their workspace on the fantastic Where They Create, and was intending to post about this fabulous site. Then on Friday Holly posted about it on the always lovely and inspirational decor8. There goes that one.

Images: Where They Create
(top: Tin&Ed, above: Printink)

Also on Friday lovely Lucy from the wonderful Australian design blog, The Design Files, posted an interview with awesome paper artist Benja Harney. I'd spent a few hours a couple of nights before looking through Benja's portfolio and reading about his creative process and career. Being a lover of paper art, I was really excited to have found Benja's amazing body of work and started putting together a post for this week. Ah, too late now. Be sure to check out Lucy's interview and look at the incredible work Benja's done.

Images: Benja Harney

This morning, on my first port of call, The Design Files, there's a profile of Tinker, Australian textile designers/printers. I had a lovely chat to Nadia of Tinker at Life Instyle last month and absolutely loved their new range of fabrics and homewares. Unfortunately they only had samples at the show and none of them were for sale, otherwise I would have been showing them to you in my home! Naturally Tinker was added to my list titled 'must blog about', but I'm too late. Too slow. Head over to The Design Files to see images of the Tinker range. The colours and patterns are to die for.

Image: Tinker (Printink)

Of course I could always just go ahead with my blog posts this week, but it makes me feel a bit 'me too' when they come hot on the heals of 'the biggies'. On the upside, it does make me feel like I have my finger on the pulse. There's always an upside isn't there!

Has this happened to you too? What do you do?
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Friday already!

It's Friday again already! It's been a busy week. We got the second lot of Sweetie wholesale orders packed a few days ago. It was a really nice feeling to see this:


I'm looking forward to getting on top of more things this weekend, like finally getting the Sweetie Beans panels (I have make a decision on the name too!) cut, photographed, and onto my website and shop. I also have some new products to finalise and test too - including new kits that I want to have ready for Stitches and Craft in Melbourne in early May. I haven't sewn anything for a while, so I'm going to enjoy testing and refining my patterns.

On Sunday my friend Julia and I are heading down to Canberra for the day to check out Handmade - a market that I've heard so much about. I'm looking forward to a leisurely drive with lots of girly chat... two mums without their girls for the day. And after me saying last week that it felt like autumn was here the temps have been back in the 30's (celcius that is), so it's back to summer. It looks like a glorious weekend ahead.

What are your plans?

See you Monday. Enjoy!

x
Lisa
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New wallpaper by cloth

I recently fell in love with the beautiful new hemp rugs by cloth, and you may already know I'm a big fan of Julie Paterson's work because of previous posts.

As evidence, check out our dining chairs (all six are different)...


and our bedroom (two cushions, the lamp and the round ottoman)...

(my images)

So you can imagine how excited I am to see that Porter's Paints has continued it's Designers for Porter's series to work with Julie. Let me show you the range.

Images: Porter's Paints

I've blogged a lot in the past about my love of wallpaper, and I have been on the verge of committing to Orla Kiely's teal flower blossom design for so long now. But I think cloth's 'scribble' (the last image above - but in the buff colour way - and 'looking for water', the top image) have just tipped Orla off number one spot on my wish list. They'd be so easy to live with wouldn't they?

If you guessed that I'll be paying Porter's a visit on the weekend you'd be right!

So. Love. It.
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