the red thread

A new product range for the red thread?

08 February 2011

I'm so excited to have finally had some of my designs laser cut from timber. I've been wanting to do it for the longest time. When I was pondering what wedding gift to give to the couple who has everything I decided to create a monogram of their initials and have it cut out of timber.

The monogram measures 62 cm (2 feet) wide - so it's something substantial and sculptural that the newlyweds can hang on their wall or stand on a shelf.

While I was at it I modified some elements from my existing fabric designs and voila! The smaller birds and flowers will be brooches and I'll create a mobile with the large birds.

I love my deer the most - he's about 36 cm (14 inches) tall and I think he'd make a lovely decoration in a nursery... or in my office!

What do you think? Last year I was aiming to reduce the number of different products I sell and focus on my fabric design and sewing patterns and kits... and now I'm not so sure. Of course now my head is exploding with all the new products I want to make!

Edit: Thanks for your comments and lots of emails. OK, I'll do it! It will be a few weeks before I have stock made... there'll be a deer and a fox (anonymous I have a page of fox sketches I've been working on already!), and perhaps one more critter. If you have any requests let me know and I'll see what I come up with. But I'm over owls, so please don't ask ;)

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Learn how to Gocco print

07 February 2011

All of these lovely creations - available on Etsy - were printed using Gocco printers.

Custard the Cat print from moirama

Boombox zipper pouch from TooToo

Heart and Doves card from atelier22

Cross My Heart Yo-yos from Somethings Hiding In Here

Pocket Moleskine Notebook from ink me up

Mermaid print from KateP

Octopus coasters from Heather Jeany

mini nu-nu dolls from 42nd and Orange

I have one of these fantastic mini screen printers and it's a lot of fun to use. This time last year I made Chinese New Year cards... I haven't got around to it this year. Eeek!

If you'd like to have a go at Gocco printing the Sydney Brown Owls are having a Gooco workshop on Sunday 27th February in Lane Cove. It should be lots of fun and you'll be able to print your own design. You can find out more and RSVP here. You don't have to be a Brown Owls member to go along, but if you're a crafty gal in the Sydney area you should join us - the meetings are fun. On the occasions that I manage to make it to a get together I really enjoy sitting around with a bunch of like-minded women creating, chatting, getting help with projects and learning new things. You might love it too!

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Missoni Home

Lovely images from Missoni Home - so evocative of a European summer!

Liuli China Museum

06 February 2011

I realised when I was going through some photos over the weekend that I didn't blog about our fantastic holiday in China. Roxy and I went in October last year and had a ball. Luckily for me my then-six-year-old loves going to galleries, shopping and taking in the sights.

These photos are of the amazing stop-you-in-your-tracks exterior of the Liuli China Museum in Shanghai. Looking at architecture is one of my favourite pass times when travelling. I love seeing unique sculptural buildings like this, which are a stark contrast to the oh so 'safe' modern buildings in Sydney (with the notable exception of the Opera House of course). Melbourne has some fantastic modern buildings - granted a lot of them polarise opinion, but I think that's a good thing. It's much better than being boring and bland. Do you have some good examples of modern architecture where you live? What do you like/hate about them?

I'll post some more photos over the coming weeks of our trip.

I hope you had a great weekend. The weather here in Sydney over the past week has been hot, hot, hot, but this afternoon we've had the welcome and long awaited relief of a cooler change. It's been so hot at night that we've hardly slept in days. Roxy and I were awake in bed at 3am this morning eating snacks, playing cards and spraying each other with water.
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Portrait of a friend

01 February 2011

One of my lovely friends got married on the weekend and she commissioned me to create a portrait of her as a wedding present for her husband. I thought you might be interested to see my process.

This is the finished piece. It's quite big - over one metre tall.

I started by taking a photo of Trenna, then I mucked around with it in Photoshop and had the black and white image printed onto canvas.

Then I began to paint in the background.

She had requested flowers in the portrait so I found some wrapping paper with colourful flowers which I roughly cut out and sticky taped in place to try some ideas out.

I decided to paint some line work flowers in the top left hand corner - I wanted them to be subtle.

Then I started work on the main flower in her hair.

When I'd finished the main flower I realised that I hated the line work flowers and painted them out! And I added some colour to her lips to match the flower.

I continued to rework the background, adding purples and reds to tie in with the flower, until I was happy with it.

I painted out the back of her hair and painted in more of a sweeping ponytail and then brought in background colours over the hair. After some finishing touches I was happy to stop. Sometimes one of the most difficult things is to know when enough is enough.

I haven't painted in so long - I usually create portraits digitally - and I have to say that I really enjoyed it.
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