Kimono Reincarnate

Tour of the New-Look Studio Corner

2012-01-29T09:00:00.002+10:00

Yay! After a good long game of furniture tetris (a phrase I am blatantly nicking from little red hen's comment on the previous post) I've managed to squeeze a third working desk into my studio. The only problem now is, well... you know when you spill something on the carpet and you get the stain remover out and create a clean spot so then there is much more to do... well my new corner is like that clean spot, I'm so happy with it I want to makeover the whole studio.

So let's see if we can count how many items in this picture are from ikea... there's the table and chair, the red frames, the little drawers, the magnetic strips and the (ahem... un-ironed) curtain. The artwork in the frames is by Chrissy Foreman C and Rosie Music and the postcards are ones I've collected in Japan.

The curtain even has little birds on it. I'm thinking of keeping a few fabric pens at the desk and every now and then colouring in a bird or a leaf here and there.

And then there's my favourite... my washi tape drawers. Just simple ikea wooden drawers covered in rows of Japanese washi tape.... I had so much fun doing that!

I like torn edges and as the drawers aren't a tight fit, I left the raw ends just on the inside for my own pleasure. I cut the drawer holes out just with a fine pair of scissors.

Tired of always rummaging to find the right pair of scissors or pliers, I've popped everything up on magnetic knife strips. I ran a strip of fabric tape along each one to pretty it up a bit.

In the morning when the little one saw the changes her first response was "Wooooow!". I told her that it was my new work desk.

"No", my two year old was quick to correct me, it was her new drawing desk. She went straight away to get her drawing paper, picked her favourite colour pencil (blue these days) and started on a new masterpiece. Here's hoping the new space inspires the same spontaneous creativity in me.

And.... have you noticed the cleaner look of the blog? I'm pretty happy with it. If you're reading this via email (thanks for subscribing!) pop over and tell me what you think.

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Small Space Inspiration

2012-01-27T00:03:00.000+10:00

Today I worked super hard on the studio, de-cluttering, tidying and reshuffling. I need to get a third work desk in here which will also act as a sewing desk. My poor sewing machine hasn't been set up for over a year now.

With two bookshelves and an industrial shelving unit as well as the two desks, the space is a little tight. My hope was to clear enough to take out the industrial shelving and put a decent length desk in its place. I also had visions of lots of lovely clear wall space to put artwork.

Alas, despite my best efforts, it's not to be. I still need those shelves to store supplies and so can only squeeze in a little desk. To assure myself that it would still look ok, I went looking for inspiration and found this gorgeous image of Lotta Jansdotter's studio.

Image by Lotta Jansdotter via Pinterest

Hopefully I'll have some before and after shots to show you of how my space is looking on the weekend.

Manhole Covers

2012-01-26T12:40:00.000+10:00

Manhole covers from Matsumoto. All featuring the gorgeous temari balls the city is famous for.

Kokeshi iphone Case

2012-01-25T13:17:00.000+10:00

It was one of those days that you just want to kiss the postman. My new iphone case arrived.

The image is a digital illustration I did just for fun quite a while back. I have to say I'm really pleased with the quality of the case and the print. It will be interesting to see how it wears over time.

I used uncommon to make my case and I believe Cafe Press and redbubble also offer similar services.

Tokyo's Fabric Town

2012-01-24T20:34:00.000+10:00

In Japan there is a magical place called Fabric Town.....

The "town" is mostly a street, a mile long that holds close to one hundred fabric stores on both sides. With some of those store multi-level, that's a lot of fabric!

I've just begun planning my yearly buying trip / sabbatical / pilgrimage to Japan. I'll be in Tokyo for my first three days, initially in time for the Tokyo Design Festa.

For this stay I've managed to find a decently priced apartment right in the middle of Fabric town. In the past I've always carried many kilos of cotton prints from Fabric Town on crowded subways across the large metropolis, so this time it will be great to just take a number of little strolls down the road with my purchases.

Tomato is the most famous of the stores, from memory, five stories high, filled to the brim with different textiles and notions.

And I've just read rumours of possibly Japan-only release liberty prints available in the street as well...

If you're a button fan, you're not left out either....

Whenever I start planning my next trip to Fabric Town I start to feel guilty about my poor neglected, nearly finished manuscript of the Tokyo Fabric Shopping Guide. I start to consider ways to fund its completion, if I should approach a publisher... print it as a zine... do it as an ebook...if I should give Kickstarter a stab to help finance it. It's a project I want to dive back into and I'd like to get out into the world, to help share my love for the craft shops in Japan. I've started designing some cute artwork for the maps... thinking of extra advice to add for getting around.... I'm considering adding another chapter for travel outside of Tokyo, maybe on buying second hand kimonos... what do you think?

In the meantime, the brief details....

Tokyo's Fabric Town

Where - Nippori - Get off the Yamanote line at Nippori Station.

How to get there - Take the south exit and just outside the ticket gate you'll see a blue and yellow sign saying "Nippori Textile Town" in English with a large arrow. Follow that down the stairs and cross the road, then follow the street around to your left. Here you'll see another sign in English and soon you'll come across some flags telling you you're in the right area.

It's a good idea to drop the husband off at one of the coffee shops at the train station before you go, or even better, drop him in the electronics district in Akihabara. You could be a while... There aren't many places to sit once you get further into the fabric loveliness, but there is a convenience store there if you need to grab a drink.

Take cash, most places don't take credit cards. Expect that at many stores 1 metre may be the minimum purchase. Tomato (and my guess many of the other stores) are closed on Sundays and public holidays. They open at 10am.

Life Unplugged

2012-01-22T11:07:00.000+10:00

Wow, I never did mean to stay away from the blog for that long. I've been living a bit unplugged lately spending more time with the family, reconnecting after the pre-Christmas madness.

On Boxing Day we drove up north to the Woodford Folk Festival which was to be our home for the next week.

For the first three days I taught workshops and it was such a fun environment to do them. I met so many fabulous people who I would then run into for the rest of the festival. At lunch time, I'd hop out of my marquee and join the family for a performance before heading back to work.

The hardest part about the festival was choosing who to see and what to do. There were 19 stages with performers from all around the world plus workshops plus the children's festival all happening at the same time, not to mention the food, the markets....

Some of my favourite shows were Gotye, Elixr, a Taiko performance, Steady Eddy, Xavier Rudd, Ernie Dingo, Tripod, Nick and Liesl and some beautiful harp music on New Year's morning. The man did an African drumming workshop while I went to a Burlesque life drawing class. But at Woodford it's not just about the performances, it everything you see as you wander around and the amazing performances that you just stumble upon. It's hard to get a feel for it in single images, this is a great video if you'd like to see more.

The little one loved the children's festival and became a groupie of a drumming monkeys show. She also decided she wants to become a juggler. She was in her element at the festival with so many people to meet, new things to see and explore. At the end of the week we realised she'd had no tv and almost no toys (and only the wooden kind at that) and there was never a single moment she needed either.

The food at the festival was great and we were so surprised to find such a great gluten free variety.

A week later, driving away this was the sign meeting us at the exit. So, so true.

The little one and I have had a few weeks together as The Man has just started working again after being the stay-at-home dad for the last couple of years. She'll be starting "school" tomorrow so we tried to fit in lots of fun before the huge change for the family.

There was fun in the sun with great friends...

Exploring and discovering new things....

A trip to the GoMA....

Indoor picnics on rainy days....

Two full days of playing with the rainbow rice we made...

And walks in the rain with her new umbrella and gum boots.

Tomorrow brings a new rhythm with me back to work, this time with a quiet, peaceful house. I'm looking forward to fitting in most of my work while I have the place to myself and then having more time for family, friends and myself.

Hanging out on other blogs....

2011-12-12T12:44:00.000+10:00

Psst... if you're looking for me, I'm hanging out on a few other blogs...

I'm really chuffed that the Ponoko blog has just done a feature on Kimono Reincarnate...

And then a couple of my brooches are hanging out with the super cute Each to Own brooches over at Belindastanton.

While on Saturday my teapot was visiting the BrisStyle blog.

Thank you to everyone for the lovely mentions.

It's all been work, work and more work over here, but with my holidays only 10 days away, I can start having more fun with my own blog.

Lucky Dip

2011-12-09T13:28:00.000+10:00

Did you used to love lucky dips? They were always my favourite thing about school fetes. For tomorrow's BrisStyle Indie Designer Market I've decided it's time to bring them out again.

I've raided my little Japanese Otoshidama envelopes....

And have a bowl full of little goodies, slightly older stock that needs good homes, to pack into them.

Perfect little stocking stuffers and a surprise for both the giver and receiver.

My Creative Space

2011-12-08T07:59:00.000+10:00

Lots and lots of tiny little hand cut fabric circles ready to be embedded in resin and made into hair clips.

To see what other creative people have been up to this week, drop by Our Creative Spaces.

Tea

2011-12-07T14:18:00.000+10:00

Image from here via here

So while it may not actually solve everything, it certainly makes it all feel a bit more manageable.

Workspace Wish List

2011-12-05T21:02:00.000+10:00

While we don't know if we'll get the house or not yet, I can't help but dream and plan what would go into the studio....

I have always dreamed of having some old wooden map drawers...

Photo from here

And while I'm talking about drawers, I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for some old drawers I can use to do something like this...

Photo from here

I'd really love a drying rack...

Photo from here

And a peg board is a great idea for organising my growing collection of tools...

Photo from here

I have a box of clear lid tins (my old jewellery packaging), so this is a great idea for organising all those little bits and pieces I have around...

Photo from here

I'd like to have lots of pretty in the office. I have a few little suitcases and would love some more...

Photo from here

All photos from Pinterest

Have you seen anything you'd love in your dream workspace?

Treechange Almost Within Reach...

2011-12-03T16:18:00.000+10:00

For a while now I've been talking about our treechange dreams. Now, they seem to be getting closer and closer. Today we went for a drive north to inspect a house. I got rather teary driving down the street the house is on, feeling like I was home already. I spoke to a few locals, all who gushed about what a great place it was to live. It's rural and they have fought to keep it that way, but all the city conveniences are not too far away. A mother told me that the local school is wonderful.

These views are from just down the road from the house we were looking at...

Mt Tibrogargan, which has always been my favourite of the Glasshouse Mountains... it's surrounded by national parks and bushwalks.

Beautiful farmland on the other side.

The house we looked at just seemed right. Large enough for the family, a guest room, a man cave, a big powered shed for a gym (for the personal trainer Man) and a large studio. I'd like to do some renovations later down the track, but other than needing air conditioning in the studio and figuring out how to fit our extra wide fridge in the kitchen, it's all ready to be moved into.

The back yard is well fenced and big enough for an active toddler, a dog, some chickens and a vegetable garden. There's a large mango tree already there for us and bore water (a bit like a well) to keep the garden green and to save using precious town water for laundry. We even get a view of the mountains and there's a swing hanging in the tree out the front.

We're now on the emotional roller coaster of trying to get the property. A family that viewed the house right after us has put in an offer and we also need to do so on Monday if we're to have a chance. Please keep your fingers crossed for us! If we're lucky we'll be starting the new year in this beautiful place and beginning that treechange life we've always dreamed of.

A Finished Piece

2011-11-24T17:37:00.000+10:00

I've hardly left my workbench today, but it's been a great one... my new pieces are coming together. I'll only have a very limited number of them this year and will be taking them to GoMA and Markit this weekend.

Still lots of work to do tonight as I need to pack my suitcase tomorrow!

My Creative Space

2011-11-24T12:02:00.000+10:00

Lots of polishing and finishing is the order of the day... I'm loving working with these new pieces.

To see what other crafty people are up to this week, drop by Our Creative Spaces.

Done and Nearly Done

2011-11-22T16:47:00.000+10:00

My silversmithing course is nearly at an end. I've really enjoyed it, learnt lots and met some great creative people. I'm now completely hooked and am signing up for more next year.

Today I finished my riveted ring. It's quite the knucklebuster, but that's how I like my rings. It made with folded sterling silver and laminated acrylic, all joined with plain rivets at the bottom and tube rivets at the top.

And here's one I prepared earlier... much, much earlier. Today I cut two more flowers, domed and soldered them and then sandblasted the piece. I'm going to polish the edges and possibly colour the background flowers.

I've been doing the course at Brisbane Institute of Art and have been lucky enough to have Dan Cox as my teacher.

Simple

2011-11-21T18:44:00.000+10:00

This afternoon I've been playing with some more simple pieces. Just stainless steel and sterling silver...

My little studio assistant gave them her approval and was quite eager to model them for me.

Owl Lover Calendar 2012

2011-11-21T12:11:00.000+10:00

It's back again, the super adorable, customisable, downloadable Owl Lover Calendar.

Artists: Jan - Penelope and Pip, Feb - Malathip Kriheli, Mar - Cally Johnson-Isaacs, April - Stephanie Coleman

Image taken from the calendar I created over here.

Gorgeous work by talented illustrators ready to decorate your wall in the new year.

Reminder and link via Stephanie Bond.

Kanzashi Christmas

2011-11-20T14:30:00.000+10:00

Some Christmas decorations I've been making for myself.

Made from pieces of a vintage kimono.

How My Calendar is Looking...

2011-11-20T10:16:00.000+10:00

Next weekend...

It's going to be a big one for me...

On Saturday, I'm truly honoured to be a part of the GoMA Christmas market...

I then head straight for the airport to fly to Melbourne to have a stall at Markit the next day.

Two markets in two states in two days! How exciting!

Fashion Paper Dolls

2011-11-18T13:29:00.000+10:00

Looking for something fun and different to do with the kids this weekend? These fashion paper dolls are just adorable!

Photo from and full tutorial by Giddy Giddy.

Hand Cutting

2011-11-16T14:10:00.001+10:00

On my desk today. Cutting lots and lots of little circles for pendants and rings.

Gorgeous Little Christmas Balls with Marimekko

2011-11-15T17:17:00.000+10:00

Eco Market Packing

2011-11-11T12:48:00.000+10:00

The car is getting packed for tomorrow's BrisStyle Indie Eco Market and I'm very excited!

Here's a sneak peek of some of what is going with me....

I'm having a huge seconds sale. Working with resin, sometimes I get a stubborn bubble or a speck of dust, but yet the piece still looks very pretty. Tomorrow I'll have bowls of pendants, rings as well as a few hairclips, earrings and brooches....

As well as my bamboo teapot, kokeshi and origami brooches, I have a few, well let's not call them "old" girls, because no girl likes to be called "old", but rather some kokeshi with the older hairstyle, they'll be on sale.

Also on the jewellery table will be a few of my new earrings, all made from recycled stainless steel and recycled silver.

And then we hit the fabric, lots and lots and lots of fabric...

There will be suitcases full of vintage kimono fabric pieces....

And another full of kimono offcuts that can be bought by the gram.

I'll have full kimonos as well...

And be destashing some of my Japanese cotton fabrics and papers...

Now I just hope it all fits in the car!

In Progress

2011-11-08T15:57:00.000+10:00

This is my latest ring in progress for my silversmithing class. I still have to finish and polish the silver and then put some tube rivets through the top to hold the laminated acrylic in place.

Today was not my finest day in class. Still exhausted from the weekend, I ran a jeweller's saw into my finger (ouch!), and nearly put my hand through the soldering torch not once, but twice. Luckily my teacher is patient. We'll finish the semester soon and I'll miss my Tuesday morning classes. I think I should try to set up a proper bench at home and give myself some little assignments to complete before we begin again next year.

Finding and Keeping

2011-11-07T20:24:00.000+10:00

I can't begin to tell you what a fabulous time I had at Finders Keepers this weekend!

It was so much fun meeting so many new people, watching the fashions, catching up with old friends, shopping and eating yummy macaroons. I had been really nervous before it began, but was so chuffed with the response to my new-look table, new packaging and new collection. Thank you again to everyone that came by and especially to all the lovely people that adopted some kimono reincarnate goodies. I love when they go to good homes.

I never did get around to taking photos, but Rachael from Penelope and Pip has the most beautiful ones on her blog that really make you feel like you were there.

Photo by Penelope and Pip

I got to sneak out from the table for a little while and do some shopping. Most I can't show you as they've gone into the Christmas present box, but I did pick up this fabulous tote bag by TMOD for myself.

Photo from Finders Keepers

I now have another very busy week ahead of me as I prepare for a mid-week workshop and then for the BrisStyle Eco Market this Saturday. That market will be a very different one for me as it's my big kimono fabric / Japanese cottons destash / seconds sale. I'll try to pop up some teaser photos during the week...

My Creative Space - Rivets

2011-11-03T12:11:00.000+10:00

My creative space - the noisy version today. There's lots of drilling and hammering going on...

And just a shot to prove that crafting is sexy...

For more creative spaces, here's the place to be.

Busy, Busy Bee

2011-11-02T15:10:00.000+10:00

Only three days to go until Finders Keepers and it's all action stations here at Kimono Reincarnate.

I've just finished my last resin pour before the market, I just love how the silver highlights in these tiny, tiny pieces of kimono fabric glisten.

Even though I do a few markets, I'm really quite nervous with this one, with a new range, new packaging and a new display....

Tomorrow I'll be drilling and riveting away all day and can't wait to share it all with you!

Market Display

2011-11-01T00:26:00.000+10:00

It's now past midnight and I should have been in bed a long time ago, but instead I'm having one of those fabulous rushes of creative ideas. I'm completely redoing my market display in time for Finders Keepers this weekend.

While sketching out ideas, I'm remembering some of the fabulous stalls I saw at the Tokyo Design Festa earlier this year.

This one is one of my favourites.

It's amazing how she's created a little house complete with windows and a fireplace.

Coeliac

2011-10-30T17:40:00.002+10:00

This is a blog post I have umm-ed and ahh-ed about writing for quite a while now, and to be honest still feel a little funny about. It's not my usual craft-based post and certainly not where this blog will be going. It is one however, that is really important to myself and my family and I'd like to write in case it helps even a single person. After some encouragement from friends and an (online) conversation with this wonderful woman about coeliac disease and the responsibility of having a voice in the blogworld, here it is.

Photo source

I'm coeliac (or celiac for the American readers), as is my mum and my little one. As The Man is wheat/gluten intolerant post-chemo, we are a completely gluten-free household. Other when buying something new at the supermarket, at home we don't really think about it too much, it's just how we eat. Often when we go out, we have places that we frequent because we know that we can get "safe" food. My close friends are all very understanding about our dietary requirements so there is no stress there either. So for the most part we forget that it can be an issue.

But leaving our little bubble to explore new places to eat or travel, it becomes apparent that not everyone "gets" it. I think there is sometimes a view that when having to ask questions about ingredients and cooking methods we are being fussy, and this is the bit I feel funny about, wanting to explain why we're not just being picky or difficult.

I've had waiters huff at me and newly met people scoff at my choosing a restaurant based on their gluten free offerings - (even to the point of being told "why would you want to eat there, there is much better (non-gluten-free) pasta places in Melbourne") and on a number of occasions have been served so called gluten-free food which has been contaminated with gluten.

Coeliac disease isn't an allergy. It may appear a bit like one, but it's actually an autoimmune disease. Simply put, exposure to gluten causes damage to our small intestine which then leads to a range of symptoms and health problems. While the intestine is damaged essential nutrients can't be absorbed properly and implications include anemia, higher risk of osteoporosis, infertility and miscarriage, liver disease, depression and an increased risk of certain lymphomas. In children it can cause lack of development, shortness and behavioural problems. Not to mention, if you're symptomatic, you feel downright awful. For me, when I'm exposed to gluten, I have, umm, shall we say, digestive issues, I'm exhausted and get really painful mouth ulcers. Damage from a single exposure can take a couple of weeks to heal and for symptoms to clear.

Luckily, the treatment is seemingly simple, a strict gluten-free diet. For most people, what comes to mind is staying away from bread, pasta, cakes, that sort of thing. But gluten is hidden in so much more. In the supermarket there are entire aisles that we never even bother going down anymore, with gluten being in almost everything down there. It's often in sauces, in cereals, chocolates and icecreams, gluten-containing ingredients are often used as thickeners in so many foods and I've even been caught out by drinking a green tea that had gluten in the colouring. Unless something is clearly labelled "gluten free" a coeliac needs to go through every ingredient on the packet on everything they buy, as it is in so much more than wheat. I carry a gluten-free ingredients list in my handbag, as well as have an app on my phone to help me decipher what I read. Coeliacs are also advised not to eat anything with the claim "may contain traces of gluten". That "trace" is enough to make us sick.

For the little one, we also have to consider gluten in things that she plays with. I make gluten-free play dough for her and ensure that any paints or glues that she uses are also safe. Even though she's not going to eat (well hopefully she won't...) the glue or paint, while she's creating, things get on her hands, her hands touch her mouth.... we've had some slip ups and she's ended up sick and with night terrors for a week, just because of a little paint.

When eating out, for a coeliac, it's not just the ingredients that needs to be questioned, but also the food preparation and cooking methods. You see, if you have coeliac disease, it only takes about the equivalent of a crumb of gluten to cause damage. If the gluten free food has been prepared on the same board / cut with the same knife / cooked in the same pan / toasted in the same toaster / cooked in the same oil / served with the same tongs as a gluten containing food, gluten contamination can occur and make us sick. Potato chips/fries that are cooked in the same oil as any (non-gluten-free) crumbed food are not gluten free.

Being an autoimmune condition, the story for many coeliacs doesn't end there. Autoimmune conditions like to hang out together so if you have one, it's quite common to have another or a few. For me, it's a thyroid condition that I'm required to take a little tablet everyday for the rest of my life. Just a little tablet, but.... if I'm exposed to gluten, the damage to my gut means that I don't absorb my medication properly so within a day or so I'm hit with a double dose of fatigue, pins and needles in my hands, feet and face, painful arthritis and my hair starts to fall out. On top of all that lot of us are also hit with some, or a whole gamut of food allergies or intolerances.

There are some people that are intolerant to gluten or choose to avoid it as a lifestyle choice who don't have to be so strict about the food. But please, next time someone around you asks about gluten in food, spare a thought, they may be coeliac and be asking for a serious reason.

............

Some extra stuff...

A word of advice, one from my own experience, if you suspect you're coeliac, you must be eating gluten before testing. If you're blood test is negative yet you're symptomatic (which can be as simple as having problems with low iron level), it's advisable to get an endoscopy to rule out coeliac disease or at least see a good gastroenterologist. The blood test is not 100% accurate and it will also only detect 90% of coeliacs. Very long story short, for this reason, I went undiagnosed for 27 years despite repeated blood tests.

This is a really useful site for information.

This is the app I use for checking gluten free ingredients in food.

I like this app for finding restaurants that serve gluten free food when I'm travelling.

My Creative Space - Kokeshi Brooches

2011-10-27T10:57:00.000+10:00

I'm working on Kokeshi brooches today.

Firstly, I paint their hair and faces....

Then their "kimonos" are prepared, all tiny pieces of fabric taken from vintage kimonos.

I even love the little scraps that come from trimming the kimonos.

I've been saving them and popping them in clear Christmas baubles, an idea I nicked from Kootoyoo a while back.

To see what other creative types have been up to this week, make yourself a cuppa and drop by here.

Arrived!

2011-10-26T12:10:00.000+10:00

Did you hear me squeal? I swear, it was so loud that it would have been audible world-wide. And truth be told, it was rather high-pitched and girly, a real rival to my two year olds screeches.

Why all the excitement? The advanced shipment of my new packaging arrived. I'm so excited and just love the way it looks, a lovely fresh look in time for summer.

The tins have a cardboard sleeve that slips over to make it easier to gift wrap.

And I just love how some of the Tokyo Collection is looking in there. I'll have a lot more photos of those pieces to show next week.

The new packaging is being launched next week at Finders Keepers. You'll find us over in the last room. I can't wait!

The Photo Files - Origami Cranes

2011-10-25T20:13:00.000+10:00

Slowly going through old photos.

Strings of origami cranes. Osu Kannon Temple, Nagoya, May 2011.

My Creative Space - Going Yoyo

2011-10-20T16:13:00.000+10:00

There is some slow progress happening on my kimono fabric yoyo quilt. I haven't dared calculate just how many I'm going to have to make, but for now, I'm enjoying the moments I get to sit down and hand stitch the little puffs.

As the collection grew, it came to me that as I plan it to eventually cover our queen size bed, I was going to need a queen size bed cover sized space to keep them in. For now, they all live in my great-grandma's hat box.

To see what other creative folks have been up to this week, drop by Our Creative Spaces.

Another Tokyo collection Sneak Peek...

2011-10-16T18:01:00.000+10:00

I'm drilling and riveting away this afternoon... here's a riveted bangle I'm working on...

Not long now until the collection is launched! I'm getting excited!

Movies to Work By

2011-10-16T15:11:00.000+10:00

Oh how I love a good period drama... the costumes, the scenery, the heartbreaking romance...

When I'm working I have some tasks that are quite repetitive. I can easily sit for an eight hour day cutting out tiny circles of fabric for my pendants, to then follow it with another half day of setting the fabric into silver bases before preserving it under resin. During those times, my dvd collection gets quite a workout.

On regular repeats are anything by Jane Austen, Little Dorrit, The Tudors, Bright Star and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. There are a few in the trailer above that I haven't seen before and should check out.

How about you? Are you a costume drama fan? Any you recommend?

Flick Faves on a Friday - Grey Skies

2011-10-14T11:23:00.000+10:00

Inspired by today's sky. Quite grey but the the occasional patch of blue, a gorgeous little splash of colour.

1. red & grey winter ornament..., 2. Smoke Grey Felt Flower Brooch, 3. coffee break, 4. gray felt owl, 5. Paashaas, 6. Felted Necklace., 7. Untitled, 8. Button faker, 9. stars

My Creative Space - Stitching Teapots

2011-10-13T09:00:00.002+10:00

I'm stitching teapots while having a cup of tea. One of those days that I love what I do for a living.

To see what other creative people are up to this week, make yourself a cuppa and pop by Our Creative Spaces.

Tiny Envelope Tutorial

2011-10-12T17:32:00.000+10:00

I just love the cute, tiny envelopes you can buy in Japan, but am starting to get rather low on my stash. So I was very pleased when I stumbled upon this easy tutorial to make some on pinterest.

You can find the full tutorial here on Poppytalk, which is also the source of the image.

Kokeshi

2011-10-10T11:36:00.000+10:00

I recently put my Kokeshi collection on display. Inspired by these shadow boxes and this conversion, I used a cutlery drawer from Ikea and some Japanese paper.

It hangs on the wall near our front door and I just love seeing them whenever I walk past.

Humble Beginnings

2011-10-08T12:31:00.000+10:00

I've started. Baby steps, but I've started my yoyo quilt.

It's funny, I started with some quilting cotton, and while very pretty, just wasn't quite what I wanted. And just to prove that after a glass of wine I can be a bit slow on the uptake, the thought process went a little like this....

Hmmm, I need some different fabric.... we're saving for a new house, I've promised myself I won't buy anything more for the house until we have, well, a house.... I've always really wanted a kimono fabric quilt.... I do have a cupboard full of kimono fabric upstairs....

And so it has begun. My kimono quilt. Red, with pops of aqua.

Wish me luck!

Flick Faves on a Friday - Quilts

2011-10-07T16:45:00.000+10:00

With 139 crochet flowers finished (but not yet joined - but that's another story), my hands have been itching for another just-for-me project. Something without a deadline, something that I can easily pick up for a few minutes and come back to when I'm ready...

So I think I'm going to.... wait for it mum.... attempt my first quilt.

Now, I have to be honest with you. The thought of cutting out all those pieces to an exact size makes me break out in a sweat. The idea of all that sewing in a straight line shortens my breath, and my biggest fear of all, is combining colours and patterns. That notion just about brings on a panic attack. And we won't even discuss the actual quilting involved after the quilt top is done.

So instead, this is my inspiration, I want to make a yoyo quilt. I love to make yoyos, and I can get the benefit of texture without actual quilting. I have a bolt of a gorgeous aqua fabric that I bought with another idea in mind that has since been cast aside. So I'm thinking of working in a simple palette of aqua and red.

1. Dr. Suess Quilt, 2. DQS11 Extra..., 3. yoyo's, 4. still working..., 5. red + aqua, 6. finished project 1!, 7. Doll quilt, 8. a sprouting gnomie, 9. aqua red babyquilt

My mum's a quilter, so I think it was inevitable that I started quilting eventually. I remember making patchwork hexagons with her at a young age. This is the quilt she made for my little one (yes, I chose the colours) and one she made for the Leukaemia Foundation.

So how about you? Do you quilt? Any advice for a novice?

Flick Faves on a Friday - Bento

2011-09-30T22:57:00.001+10:00

Can you imagine, as a kid, lunchtime at school, opening up your lunch box and this is what you find? How much fun would that be!

1. bunny-eggs bento [explored], 2. Ninja In The Fruit Bento!, 3. Bento #16: Sleeping Totoro!, 4. sakurako bento, 5. green eggs & ham, 6. Miffy Bento, 7. bento, 8. "waiting for spring" bento !, 9. terrified sandwich closeup, 10. Aquarium Bento, top view, 11. Hello Kitty Garden Bento 9-04-07, 12. Bento #30: Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 Bento!, 13. Heron Day Bento 3, 14. frog bento 2, 15. Where the Wild Things Are Bento (Left Box), 16. Children's Day bento lunch for preschooler

My Creative Space - Mummy Afternoon

2011-09-29T19:59:00.001+10:00

The little one and I had a mummy and daughter afternoon today. In my "mummy time", which isn't as much as I'd like, I try to make/ paint/ draw something together. Today it was collage work. While this isn't technically my creative pursuit, I think at times parents forget to give themselves credit for the creative energy that we put into raising a child.

In Amanda Blake Soule's book, The Creative Family, she talks about giving children access to high-quality art materials. She writes "The materials we give our children to create with send them a message about how we value their creative endeavours, their time, and their work.... our children will know that their work is important to us. They will know we believe they are worthy of the "good stuff"."

This really struck a chord in me. I look at all the beautiful materials I love to use, I'd love to bring my little one up appreciating their gorgeousness. So out came the (handmade, hand-screenprinted) Japanese paper scraps and she had a ball.

It's funny though, you look at this picture and you could possibly imagine a quiet peaceful day, with a quiet peaceful child. But rather, this was one of the few moments in the day she took to slow down. Amidst toddler tantrums and a wilful child trying to assert her independence, there was this creative time, some lovely puddle splashing and a trip to the sushi shop, where we ate sushi in the store together just like grownups. Those are the moments I want to remember.

For more creative spaces, here is the place to visit.

Another Sneak Peek....

2011-09-28T14:38:00.000+10:00

... from the soon-to-come Tokyo Collection.

I'm really excited, but as with anything new, nervous as well.

Tokyo

2011-09-25T21:33:00.000+10:00

Tokyo (ˈtəʊkjəʊ, -kɪˌəʊ)

(n)

Japan's capital and the world's most populous metropolis;

major industrial centre and the chief cultural centre of Japan;

a city where space-age and old world clash yet also work in harmony;

the inspiration behind the new Kimono Reincarnate collection.

Tokyo Collection lauch date - Finders Keepers Market, Brisbane, Nov 5th & 6th 2011

Back in the Day

2011-09-24T12:30:00.000+10:00

I'm pulling my studio apart this weekend, doing a major clean up, reorganising and preparing for a massive destash.

After pulling some boxes out of the cupboard, I had access to one of my old portfolio files. I was reminded of some of the things I used to do, but haven't in a while...

I used to draw a lot. Not particularly well, but I really enjoyed it....

I spent a month living and travelling with a circus while documenting their lives...

I used to have many of my photographs published, including on front pages and in books...

And I even use to do a spot of (non-professional) modelling.

While I can't see me running away with the circus again or doing any more modelling, maybe it's time to get the paper and charcoal out to play with once more.

Flick Faves on a Friday - Works in Progress

2011-09-23T15:53:00.000+10:00

I love seeing works in progress, seeing the process and hopefully a bit of a creative mess as well. There's something magical about watching someone animate a material into something brand new.

1. ponto a ponto, 2. wip :: sock pattern, 3. work in progress_fox, 4. work * in * progress, 5. Di's Ring - work in progress, 6. DSCF4963, 7. White Christmas Birds, 8. work in progress, 9. Untitled

My Creative Space

2011-09-22T12:22:00.000+10:00

Recently I was saying I wanted to make a pincushion ring. This week I did, a super easy one truth be told. Using one of the bases I use for my kimono rings, I found a Japanese padded flower I had made a while back and it was a perfect fit. I love using it and it's been perfect while I've been stitching away making "kanzashi"

Have you been up to any creative pursuits lately? Leave me a link if you've blogged about one.

Head to Our Creative Spaces to see what others have been up to this week.

Psst... A Huge Giveaway on Bespoke

2011-09-21T12:05:00.000+10:00

Have you seen the massive giveaway happening on the new Bespoke site? It closes soon, there are so many adorable things you could win!

All photos from their respective stores via Bespoke (all links available there).

Kimono Shoes

2011-09-17T16:14:00.000+10:00

Kimono shoes to lust over...

Gorgeous heels by Hetty Rose

Photo from Hetty Rose

Stunning fun geta-style shoes by Kenzo

Photo via Footluxe

But as I'm not so great in heels these days, maybe these kimono shoes by Puma would be more practical.

Photo via Freshness

How I would love to add any of those to my wardrobe...

A Couple More Sneak Peeks Before Bed

2011-09-16T23:30:00.000+10:00

... sneak peeks of more pieces from the Tokyo Collection coming soon...

My Creative Space

2011-09-15T08:27:00.000+10:00

Drilling, filing, sanding, hammering, riveting.... a sneak peek at a new collection coming out soon....

For more creative spaces, drop by Our Creative Spaces.

Wishing the World....

2011-09-12T09:09:00.000+10:00

Wishing the world peace, love and joy.

Photos for Etsy

2011-09-11T12:13:00.000+10:00

I really enjoyed the "Lights, Camera, Action" session I ran yesterday for BrisStyle. All the participants were lovely and became involved adding some great interactive moments between my talking. It was wonderful to meet so many wonderful, inspired people as well as catching up with some crafty friends.

Putting the presentation together, I had a lot of fun, hunting on Etsy for hours, finding good examples of photography to highlight points I wanted to make. Here are a few...

I talked about using models to animate products and seriously, how cute is this photo below! I swear I want to buy this hat just as much for the item itself as well as that tiny bit of hope that the baby might come with it....

Cotton Flap Mini Monkey Flap by citefuzz

The next few are all good examples of using very simple props in photos, with a real emphasis on props being there to help tell the story of what is being sold and to never distract from the product....

Here, simply a pretty white bowl to contain the button sweets works perfectly. You can really imagine having them on your table for your next crafternoon with friends.

Peppermint Candy Buttons by andiespecialtysweets

At times, you can't always get a model. Here a nice coathanger not only allows the scarf to hang nicely but also gives a sense of a neckline in the image.

Going Hunting - jersey handprinted circle scarf by barkdecor

What a gorgeous shot for a spoon. Spoons aren't necessarily something that you think about being interesting to photography. The fresh produce makes you think of all the yummy things you could cook with that spoon and the composition is so sweet you just want to keep looking at the image.

LG Superior Servers : Slotted Spoons by ladiesandgentlemen

And lastly, this adorable brooch. It is seriously cute and could easily stand on it's own in an image, but the addition of the nest of eggs makes it even sweeter and whimsical. This is an image I would happily hang on my wall.

Common Rosefinch Bird by sashakulakova

Are there any really good examples of product photos you've seen online?

My Creative Space

2011-09-08T16:38:00.000+10:00

Slowly but surely, my messy creative space is being sorted, tidied and pretty-ed up. It's a huge job but I try to jump in and do a few things at a time.

I recently used a sweet set of nesting suitcases I had to put cards in; the small for hair clip backing cards, the middle for brooch back cards and the large for business cards.

Today the task was to find a way of keeping my Japanese washi tape. I did get a bit of washi-tape-storage-envy when I saw Thea's new holder, but this year, as we're saving madly for a new home, I'm trying to use as much of what I had around me. It's not the neatest solution, but I grabbed a few baby food jars I've been saving for this project and wrapped them in washi tape. In the bottom of the jars I popped some clay and then some bits of dowel we had around the house. The best thing is, the storage has a very small footprint.

To see what other creative people have been doing this week, visit Our Creative Spaces.

Time for Tea

2011-09-08T15:17:00.000+10:00

I've been sugar free for just over a week now and I have to admit that today I'm finding it a struggle. I'm finding some comfort however in a good cup of tea.

Fabric Teacup by Mikamika

Pinning on the Go

2011-09-06T15:59:00.000+10:00

On Saturday, while teaching a workshop at Piece Together, one of my lovely participants was wearing a pincushion ring she had made. It was not only really cute, but a great idea for when crafting on the go. I can imagine wearing one while hand stitching on long drives or at markets.

Then this morning, I stumbled upon this ring pincushion tutorial on Pinterest. What a great use for those cute little scraps you can't bear to throw away.

Hmmm... but then, I found some adorable ones on Etsy that someone could buy for me.... hint hint for Christmas....

A really cute red barn and and an owl....

And this sweet little house...

Hmmm... barns and houses... can you tell that I've had our hopes to buy a little home in the country next year on my mind...?

All photos from their respective sources.

Happy Father's Day

2011-09-04T17:37:00.000+10:00

Not only father and daughter, but also best mates.

To my wonderful Man, Happy Father's Day.

My Little Model

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000+10:00

In the gorgeous kimono fabric dress Amelia of Nan's Garden created for the Reincarnated Kimono Project.

My Creative Space

2011-09-01T13:19:00.000+10:00

A couple of years ago I took my first class in silversmithing. It was an introduction, just a few hours. For the first time I hand cut and drilled a piece of sterling silver.

Alas, right after that, life took an unexpected turn and I never finished the piece. It still needed to be filed and polished. Finally it's out again and I'm slowly working on it during free moments in my current silversmithing class.

I'm told that next week we're going to learn to dome metal and I loved the suggestion that I could make a few more little flowers, dome them and solder them onto this little branch. Hmmm... I'd love to play with a little bit of enamel too... so it looks like this work in progress might stay in progress for a little while longer.

To see what other creative people are up to this week, visit Our Creative Spaces.

With This Ring...

2011-08-30T15:17:00.000+10:00

I've recently started taking a weekly silversmithing course. I love that it's very skills based, leading up to personal projects near the end of term.

Today, I finished my first ever ring. Just a simple band, but I love knowing that it started out as a flat piece of silver. That I bent it, soldered it, hammered it, filed it, polished it and now it looks like a real ring. It's round, there are no signs of any joins, and it's super shiny. I might spot sandblast a pattern into it, but for now, I just love it the way it is.

Going Sugar Free

2011-08-29T15:06:00.001+10:00

Hello. My name is Melanie and I'm addicted to sugar. It has been about two minutes since I last ate something sweet.

Image by Little Nora

Be it chocolate, jelly snakes, marshmallows or cupcakes, I just love that sugar rush. The problem is, I love it too much. I'm one of those people, though disciplined in other areas, given a chocolate bar, can't stop at one row. A packet of lollies will disappear before I know it, leaving me feeling a little sick, but yet still wanting more. My husband is often told "take this away from me and hide it please."

But no more. As of tomorrow, I'm going sugar free, again. You see, I quit, went cold turkey, a few months back. I did well for a couple of months, but then my trip to Japan, and having difficulty finding gluten free food, found me falling off the sugar free wagon.

Quitting was hard at first. I felt a little headachey and was super grumpy for a week or so. But after that, I felt good. I loved not having the cravings. Swelling in my joints almost completely disappeared. And I began to lose weight. Just like that. About a kilogram a week. No extra exercise, but the weight started to come off.

I found it better to plan my sugar quit. To allow myself a few days of feeling sorry for myself as I go through withdrawls. To prepare my family and give them lots of extra hugs to hold them over a little while I'm grumpy for a bit.

So now, with just a few marshmallows left in the house, tomorrow is the day. I will be sugar (and sweetness - I don't eat any sugar substitues either) free again.

So if you see me over the next couple of weeks, please excuse me if I'm not quite myself, but I promise I'll be back brighter than ever soon.

And it was great to read today that this lovely lady is also recently sugar free.

Pencil Jewellery

2011-08-28T12:20:00.000+10:00

I love some of the pencil jewellery I've been seeing on the internet lately. While my favourite is still the amazing work by Maria Cristina Bellucci some of the more simple pieces are also really sweet.

Recently on Pinterest, I stumbled on this pencil jewellery tutorial by Design Mom. I really love the brooch and the pencil beads.

Photo from Design Mom

These pencil necklaces by Karolin Felix are really sweet too, I love the detail on the pencils. She also has some simple brooches in her store.

Image taken from Beyond Beyond

Hmmm.... I think my little one had better start guarding her pencil case... I can feel some crafting coming along...

Process

2011-08-27T18:13:00.000+10:00

I think the question I get asked most about my work at markets after "Where do you get your fabric?", is "Don't you hate cutting up the kimonos?". I mostly get a surprised reaction when I answer, "Actually, no."

You see, when I buy the kimonos I use in my jewellery, mostly at the temple markets in Japan, I choose pieces that can no longer be worn. They may be marked from age, be torn or have holes in areas or sometimes, especially with the children's kimonos, a soya sauce stain down the front. I love to imagine a little girl, all dressed up in her finery, so proud of how pretty she looks, after going to the shrine with her family to pray for a promising future, relishing a delicious traditional meal in her honour. I love to think of the sense of celebration that has imbued the clothing and stayed in there, along with the flaw.

I'm then sometimes asked if it is culturally insensitive to cut up the traditional dress. Again, my answer is "no". With the Japanese belief of "mottainai" it's considered wasteful for things to just sit in cupboards and no longer be used. "Kimono Remake" is very popular in Japan and bookshops there are filled with shelves upon shelves of publications giving craft ideas of bags, clothing, shoes, artwork and pieces for the home to make with old kimonos.

But still, I'm always trying to find ways of reducing any waste, to use as much of the kimono as I can in my work. This is part of the process I've been doing today.

The pieces of kimono fabric below had a gorgeous metallic print on an off-white background. While it's hard to see in the photo, the fabric had quite a patina and so was not so suitable to use as is. I first painted the fabric and then rubbed until the silver design was visible again.

While really pretty and bright, the design was still too large to translate into my usual size pendants. So I then stencil printed over the top. I love the idea of stencil printing onto kimono fabric, as this is how much of this kimono would have printed originally. I feel like I'm still honouring the craftsmen who first worked on this fabric.

Once the print has dried, I do a second print (so the edges of the stencil don't smudge wet ink).

And now, here's one I've prepared earlier... the fabric is then hand cut, lain into a silver base and preserved under resin. I love that in that pendant there is a little piece of history as well as a little part of me in there for all time.

Flick Faves on a Friday

2011-08-26T14:56:00.000+10:00

Sweet paper cuts

1. Book of Birds - Cut Paper Art, 2. KvltMagazine2, 3. this morning in my garden......, 4. Good Morning Birdie :), 5. paper cuts mixed, 6. Untitled, 7. Little Bird Big Song - Cut Paper Art, 8. ink + paper + x-acto bloom, 9. more than you know

My Creative Space - The Ugly Truth

2011-08-25T15:39:00.000+10:00

So here's the ugly truth about part of my studio at the moment. It's rather out of control.

My resin working table is well organised, my stocked neatly and safely arranged, my fabric folded and stacked, but this wall has somehow exploded from neglect.

This is the area I plan go completely clear for a third table. Please wish me luck and stay tuned over the next couple of months to see if I can make it happen!

For more, possibly neater creative spaces, drop by here.

Sneak Peek

2011-08-22T12:24:00.001+10:00

New packaging coming in the next few months ....

Family Outing

2011-08-18T12:51:00.000+10:00

I'm very excited as this weekend the new members of my Origami family are making their market debut. There are some wise owls, some sweet hummingbirds and bunnies, a cat that loves to snuggle up and a cheeky little fox all waiting to find new homes.

They will of course be joined by the older member of the family, my origami cranes.

All of the brooches have been laser cut in sustainable-growth bamboo, then hand sanded and hand coloured.

We'll be at the BrisStyle Twilight Market tomorrow night, the special event Fashion Week Young Designers Market on Saturday and Saturday night and then some will be going online next week.

If you're around, please pop by and say hi.

Workspace Inspirations

2011-08-10T15:10:00.000+10:00

As my business continues to grow so does my need for a larger and more organised workspace. Our family plans to move in a year's time, into a larger space with a much larger studio for me to work from. Until then, not being able to bear the thought of moving the business twice in a year, I'm trying to make the most of what space I have.

It's quite a mess at the moment and I'm realising that I have way too much kimono and obi fabric as well as Japanese papers that no longer suit my current work. I'm hoping soon to have a huge craft supplies pop-up shop to find those materials a new home.

That then means I should be able to get rid of one large set of industrial shelves to fit a third, much needed desk in. A desk I can pack orders on. A desk to attach a vice and flexishaft drill for metalworking. A desk I can sew on. A desk that I can have some hired help work on. Ahhh... it sounds magical that third desk....

I've been compiling some inspirations for the space on Pinterest.

I love this red desk, that would be so pretty to work on. When I move the shelves it will also free up some wall space. These shadow boxes are great inspiration.

Photo from Ucreate via pinterest

This woven rug would be fun to have on the floor...

Photo from HolyCool via pinterest

What a great idea to organise all my ribbons!

Photo from CreatingKeepsakes via Pinterest

And lastly, just because they are so pretty, these yoyo pushpins would brighten up any noticeboard.

Photo from Anthropology via Pinterest

What would your dream workspace contain/look like?

Home Sweet Home

2011-08-09T16:32:00.000+10:00

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be home. I had a great trip to Melbourne for Life Instyle, but while I'm away, I miss my little one so much. Most of the week was taken up with the show, but I did get a few lovely Melbourne hours and a chance to meet this fabulous woman before I flew out (more on that to come).

House Tape Measure by Patchwork Pottery

For now I'm getting as much quality time with the little one as I can between working on filling new orders.

Ah yes, home, sweet home.

Booth Design Process - Oliver and S

2011-07-24T18:28:00.000+10:00

As I've been busy working on my booth design for Life Instyle, I was really happy to have stumbled across this post by Oliver and S talking about the design process for theirs for the Quilt Market.

The booth looks great (look closely and you can see the chalk drawings on the walls) and I just love that she began by making a tiny mock-up booth to see how it would all look, I may have to ~~steal~~ borrow that idea.

Photo from Oliver and S.

Two

2011-07-21T20:21:00.000+10:00

Two little candles perched on a cake.

Two years since the most amazing person came into our lives.

Two parents who love her to bits.

And two little kisses on each eyelid of each parent that she likes to place before bed every night.

Hoo Hoo

2011-07-20T17:44:00.000+10:00

A couple of owl friends to join the Origami family.

Did you know that in Japan the owl is a symbol of good luck?

"Owl" in Japanese is "fukurou". The first part of the word "fuku" translates to "good fortune".

"Fu" in Japanese also means "without" and "kurou", hardship, so by a happy linguistic accident, "owl" can also mean "without hardship".

Just another reason to like those cute little birds.

Kanzashi Workshop

2011-07-18T00:16:00.000+10:00

There are still a few places left for my Kanzashi workshop that I'm running at Piece Together on Tuesday night.

Care to join me and make some gorgeous flower brooch/pendants from vintage kimono fabric?

Homemade Wall Decal

2011-07-17T14:12:00.000+10:00

I'm having a great time getting ready for Life Instyle in a couple of week's time. I love what I do and I love the variety that my business offers, all the different hats that I get to wear, it keeps life interesting.

Over the last couple of days, I've been working on my booth design. I will keep my signature black trees and red blossoms, but have some new additions as well. This time I've invested in a larger space so to still keep to budget, I'm doing a few things myself.

The first one is to make the trees. In the past I've had them custom made, but with the size I need, it's quite expensive. So what you see below, is the one I made myself this morning. I have to say, I'm really pleased with how it came out.

I've simply cut it out of black contact paper. Remember the stuff you used to cover your school books with? And granny used to line her shelves? That stuff. It was super easy to use, I just drew out a design, cut, joined branches to give it more width and smoothed it onto the wall. It's removable and doesn't damage the walls (I believe, but don't quote me on that, unless you're my landlord reading this and in that case - it won't damage the walls). And the best thing is, rather than that single tree costing me over $100, it cost me $4!

I'll leave this one in the little one's room and I'll get some different colours to add flowers, leaves and a grass trim. It was so much fun to do, and so cheap that you could even change things around for the season....

If you're coming to Life Instyle, I'll be upstairs in the Gallery Level, booth G30 and you can see the final result in the flesh.

Woman of Few Words

2011-07-12T18:56:00.000+10:00

I'm missing my little blog of late. Focus is elsewhere as I prepare for Life Instyle in three weeks time. Energies are being used to be a more present mum to the little one. Things are all good, but yet, I miss this space.

For a while, I'm going to see if I can just pop a photo up to stay in touch. Photos of my recent travels to Japan, photos of what I'm doing at home and in the studio.

"Hands Up" flea market find in Japan - found arranged just like this.

So please excuse me if I'm a woman of few words for a while.

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-07-10T14:16:00.000+10:00

Joining in Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday today, blogging from bed, knocked down by a bug.

Flickr Faves on a Friday

2011-07-08T11:43:00.000+10:00

I just love the colour combination of red with aqua, teal or turquoise. There is something so pretty about them together.

Make Love by I Love Doodle

Hexagon Pillow by Zakkaart

Colour Crush Aqua by PaulaMills

What colour combinations do you love?

New members of the Origami Family

2011-07-07T14:18:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago I sat down to work on a new jewellery collection. When I'm designing I love to sit and play with papers and fabrics before I translate them to anything digital. On that day with origami paper scattered all over the floor I my hands just wanted to get into folding and as a result, I have three new members to join my origami cranes.

May I introduce you to Kitsune the fox. He's a little on the naughty side, but actually very sweet natured.

A delicate little hummingbird, she's magical to watch as she floats through the flower garden.

And lastly, little Usagi the rabbit, fun to play with, but best to keep away from the vegetable garden.

Playing with new Fabrics

2011-07-02T10:04:00.000+10:00

I love playing with new fabric finds just as much as I love shopping for them. These are pieces of a few of the kimonos I bought recently at the flea markets in Japan.

This stunning black and red pattern came from a woman's haori (a mid-length coat worn over a kimono). I don't have a lot of the pattern, so I think I'll have to keep a few pieces from it for myself.

The beautiful blue and red came from a woman's wool kimono. I can imagine it having been worn on those colder autumn mornings.

These all came from the same kimono, a gorgeous girl's kimono with stunning gold highlights. It's the type of kimono that would have been worn to the shrine for a festival and prayers would have been made for the girl's future.

These are all from another haori, a lovely fine silk one. Does anyone know what this flower is? It's done in a lovely dark pink, blue and also white, so striking on the black background.

And some yummy purple. The Japanese do purple well, especially in older kimonos like this one. It's a very fine silk and scattered over it there are a few red and blue flowers.

All of the kimonos I buy are flawed in a way, be it a tear or marks of age, so they can no longer be worn. I love imagining what life they have seen before, where they've been worn to and then to what new life I can give to them.

These brooches are all about to packed to be sent to Hanasho and the new Piece Together store opening on the 11th, as well as to go with me to Young Designer Markets tomorrow and the BrisStyle Indie Markets next Saturday. I do have to say, lately I really haven't been my online store enough, but please feel free to drop me a line if ever you see anything on the blog you like.

My Creative Space

2011-06-30T14:18:00.000+10:00

I'm working on the fabric inlays for brooches today. It's a fiddly job and I end up with fingernails that have been filed down with a dremel and bruised thumbs, but somehow I still find it enjoyable.

It's one of those tasks that I can work with something on in the background (unlike when I'm creating something new and need quiet). Last night it was Little Dorrit, I think I might put Tess of the D'Urbervilles on for this afternoon's shift.

And over the last couple of days I've finally had a chance to start playing with some of the kimono fabrics I bought on my Japan trip. I'll show you more soon.

For more creative spaces, drop by Our Creative Spaces.

Are you doing anything creative today?

The Creative Link

2011-06-29T11:48:00.000+10:00

I just love this artwork found on Pinterest this morning. (I'm afraid I couldn't find the original artist, if anyone knows, please drop me a line so that I can add their link.)

Things have been a bit quiet on the blog front lately, I've been in "lockdown" working on a new collection.

I've been loving the process and I've found it interesting watching how my creative mind works, it's almost as if it's outside of myself. I have an idea in mind, but that then takes on a life of its own. I seem to work best if I just allow myself to play, if my designs are quite fanciful (and not necessarily commercially viable), and are simplified from there. I can only sketch to a certain point and then need to be hands on, to experiment with materials and then get back to the sketchpad/illustrator. I certainly work best in a quiet environment so The Man has been good at taking the little one out often to give me that. I find that I need to go into "lockdown", cut out other distractions, turn off the music, forget about email, turn off my phone and just get in the zone. Ideas don't come in the morning, that time for me is best spent sleeping in, tidying up, flicking through books, refining work on illustrator, the ideas visit me after lunch and well into the night. I go through many, many cups of tea while I'm working. I can forget to eat so The Man brings me treats through the day and cooks good meals for me to eat with the family. I can't think about other things, I can't blog while I'm designing. When I do take breaks, I like it to be an escape, preferable some creative play with the little one, or a fantasy film at night.

How about you, do you create? How does the process work for you? Do you control it, or does it control you?

Flickr Faves on a Friday

2011-06-24T23:40:00.000+10:00

I locked myself into my room today to finally get down on paper and screen some designs that have been floating around in my head for a while. Funnily enough they took on a life of their own and travelled to places I had never imagined before. Hopefully, I'll be able to show you some sneak peeks in a few weeks.

Until then... a ring that has been inspiring me. Elisita's papercuts and all her artwork for that matter are just breathtaking. You can see a lot more of it here.

Paper Ring by Elsita

Store Display

2011-06-22T23:49:00.000+10:00

Seen in Harajuku, Tokyo.

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-06-19T13:05:00.000+10:00

It's been a long time since I've participated in Hey Harriet's Shadow Shot Sunday, but this morning as I opened the blinds in my workroom I couldn't not take this shot. The sun streaming through the window was so inviting, the perfect start to a working winter Sunday.

Hope it's lovely wherever in the world you are today.

Origami

2011-06-18T00:41:00.001+10:00

After a couple of sleepless nights with a sick bub, she's now sleeping like a log and I'm wide awake, can't sleep because I'm thinking of origami.

So here's an a beautiful video of some amazing origami set to one of my favourite pieces of music.

INVISIBLE FOES from MABONA ORIGAMI on Vimeo.

Origami Treasury

2011-06-16T12:19:00.000+10:00

My bamboo crane brooches finally made it into both my store and Etsy store yesterday.

So I was really chuffed to see it featured in this lovely origami treasury last night.

Today, I'm going to try to lock myself away in my workroom to work on a new range that has been floating about my head for a while.... stay tuned!

Tokyo Streets

2011-06-15T16:54:00.000+10:00

Japan isn't somewhere that I really think of having a lot of graffiti. Wandering through the streets of Harajuku I did notice a bit of tagging but also a lot of old posters and stickers plastered over vertical planes.

Little Pieces of Japan - Japanese Masking Tape

2011-06-14T13:22:00.000+10:00

I went a little mad on shopping for Japanese masking tape on this trip. I'm not sure if it wasn't around when I lived there last, or if I hadn't seen it, but the first time I saw this gorgeous product was on this post over at a Spoonful of Sugar. I quickly hunted some down and have been quite addicted ever since.

I love the pretty colours and designs it comes in. I love how easy it is to use on so many surfaces. I love how I can reuse little pieces over and over again. Little strips hold notes to myself next to my desk. I've used it to decorate old jars that hold paint brushes and pens. I've used it in my journal, but there are oh so many more things I can do with it.

I also came home with a book for inspiration, the same book that Lisa showed us in that original post.

More masking tape inspiration here, here, here, here and here.

You can buy the masking tape (also known as "washi tape") from a number of places online including (insert shameless plug) my good friend's store on Etsy.

I'm now off to play with some more. I'm trying to organise all the tasks involved in running a small business and think the tape will be a fun and pretty way to colour code my new schedule.

Danshari

2011-06-13T23:21:00.000+10:00

clutter - illustration friday by Maandag

I was chatting on Facebook with a dear friend of mine tonight, talking about how I've given myself a year to de-clutter our home. We're planning to make our treechange dreams a reality then and I don't want to take a huge amount of "stuff" with us.

My wise friend mentioned the Japanese word "danshari". Danshari is all about throwing away things you no longer need and learning to live with less. It believes that the clearing not only creates physical space, but also emotional. "Stuff" weighs you down, keeps you looking at the past rather than enjoying the present and making plans for the future. Without too much around you, you'll have more room, time and energy for the life you want.

This site also talks about the related theory of "Mottainai" - to not be wasteful. This was a real buzz word when I lived in Japan especially with the release of the "Mottainai Furoshiki". As a bit of a hoarder, a person who always finds myself saying "But I could use this for...." I found these words enlightening...

"... when you keep things because they might ‘come in handy’ and because throwing them away would be ‘such a waste’, do they actually retain their original meaning by being shut away in a cupboard somewhere? Things don’t actually have a meaning until they are put to use, so isn’t not putting them to use actually more wasteful than keeping them just in case?"

Or more simply put on this site "Does this item help me thrive in my present life? Do I need this to reach my current goals?"

It will be these words that I try to keep in mind as I begin to clear out the bookshelves, the office, the wardrobe... and wouldn't it be a real bonus if with the space came some new energy to work towards that little house in the bush we dream of?

Little Pieces of Japan - Things I Brought Back with Me

2011-06-13T15:23:00.000+10:00

Sorry for my recent absence from the blog of late. I've had so many things that I wanted to blog about, show you from Japan that I found it all overwhelming and just didn't know where to start.

So here I begin, with a little series, a little show and tell of my treasures from Japan.

The Design Festa was huge and filled to the brim with so many talented artists and crafters, I believe there were 3000 artists exhibiting/performing. With only a few days in Tokyo, I was determined to see as much of it as I could in one day (it's a two day event). This meant that often I would cruise past many booths, stopping for a little while if something caught my eye.

There were a special few that I found it very hard to drag myself away from. Happa Do's stall was one of them. She makes the most magical little creatures, many of whom adorn fairytale-like mobiles. I could just imagine her paper balloons carrying birds over fields of golden corn.

I really wanted to bring a mobile home, but knew that the quarantine officials wouldn't like the cute twigs, that the sweet wire constructions would get squashed in my luggage...

But one of her little birdies did fly home with me, and helped me carry some artwork of her other family members...

I did only bring the one bird, but she's different colours on each side....

Her catalogue that I also bought reminds me to dream of those paper balloons and fields....

She makes so many other creatures as well...

You can see more of her delightful work in the gallery on her website.

Now lovely reader, I would love to ask a favour of you, a way to help me to decide what to write next... is there anything you'd like to know/see from my trip to Japan?

Life Flashing....

2011-06-05T23:00:00.000+10:00

A bit of fun. Created using Pummelvision. Found via A Very Purple Person via Meet Me at Mikes.

Market Kokeshi

2011-06-04T12:02:00.000+10:00

Wow, well there is much to show and tell about my trip to Japan.

So for today, some market shots. I was there to buy kimonos but also found myself drawn to the old kokeshi dolls.

I added ten to my collection, all different shapes, sizes and styles, three of which you can see here. I'm thinking about making some little shadow boxes for them, inspired by this image, or maybe some little house shaped boxes like these. I think they would look so pretty on the wall.

Today, How did I love thee... Let me count the ways

2011-05-18T21:56:00.000+10:00

I woke to a warm sunny day, perfect weather for the temple market I was going to.

Staying in the hotel next door to the market made it even more enjoyable and relaxing. I bought a few kimonos, dropped them off in my room then went back and bought some more, dropped them off and picked up my camera and had a lovely wander around without being weighed down by my buys.

I caught up with some kimono sellers I've known and been buying from for years.

I had a lovely and very yummy sushi lunch with one of my favourite sellers (and he sells online here too!), Higashi-san.

I found an adorable, tiny family of three kokeshi dolls which I just had to adopt. Then later as the market was packing up and I was on my way to the subway, I found eight more, all different sizes and styles. A lovely young and chatty (in English) man sold them to me for about $10 (for the lot!).

At the markets I met some friendly Americal locals who told me that the fabric shop I was planning to visit while in Nagoya was having a sale today.

In the fabric store I found some beautiful traditional florals that I hadn't been able to find in Tokyo. In a moment of panic as the sales assistant ran my cut fabric up, I realised that I hadn't refinanced my wallet after the market (and this was a cash only store!) but then found that I had hidden some emergency yen in there. Japanese fabric at a discount price is an emergency isn't it?

My airline just changed their baggage policy and I was able to pay for an extra 20kg of luggage allowance for a fraction of what it was going to cost me to send the kimonos home via the cheapest (and slowest) postage rate. This has also freed up some more yen for the other three markets I have coming up.

I then realised that I was going to need another suitcase to put that extra 20kg in, so am now the owner of a funky red hard suitcase. So, in the end, I didn't save that much on sending things home, but I can use the suitcase again.

And now, I've settled in for a relaxing night with a cup-a-soup, vege sticks, chips and chocolate for dinner, to be followed by a soak in the bath and then to remove some kimono linings while watching some Japanese TV that I don't really understand.

It's been a pretty fabulous day.

The Design Festa - The Cute Version

2011-05-17T23:22:00.000+10:00

Here I am, safely in Japan and time is already slipping away, the first four days of the trip have rushed by.

My first port of call here was the Tokyo Design Festa. It was truly amazing event with everything from cute toys and characters, jewellery, clothing as well as a lot of work by illustrators and artists. With something like 3000 booths, I did a pretty impressive job at seeing a large percentage of the visual artists. The event also has outdoor and indoor stages housing musicians and performance artists, so given time, I would have much preferred to do it over two days.

I took so many photos and they are going to take me a while to go through. I have links to the artists for many of them and stories to tell of some, but in the meantime, here's a small taste of some of the cute versions of the Design Festa.

1. Embroidered Brooches, 2. Norah and Jam, 3. Oni Oni Town, 4. Button Lamp and Artwork, 5. Cuddle Me, 6. Monster Purses, 7. Stitching on a Sofa, 8. Tweet Tweet, 9. Kame

While here in Japan, I am getting less time to blog (and I have so much to blog about!), but I'm posting random pictures of what I'm seeing on my journey on my Facebook page. Thank you to everyone who has joined me on there and has commented along the way, it really helps me feel like I'm not travelling so alone.

While I'm in Japan...

2011-05-12T07:15:00.002+10:00

Only one more sleep (and a very short one at this rate) before I leave for Japan!

While I'm away I'll try to do regular photo updates on my Facebook page.

On behalf of a dear friend that I know misses them, I'll have a bath or two like this, but I'll probably skip the electric bath this time.

I'll catch up with this old friend and this lovely man as well as a number of other good friends over there.

I'll certainly be visiting lots of my favourite craft shops for fabric, paper and vintage kimonos.

In Kyoto, I'll have a little more free time and would like to try my hand at a few traditional crafts. There are so many to choose from! I'm considering maybe one at the Kyoto Handicraft Centre, or over here both the yuzen and furoshiki wrapping workshops look fun, and it's been years since I last visited the Nishijin Textile Centre. I'd also love to try some shibori dyeing if I can.

I'll be staying in normal hotels, not ones like this or this.

I'm planning to buy some books and really hope there are some more recent issues of this one.

This will be my first time eating gluten free in Japan and with multiple food allergies, will be a bit of a challenge. This sweet friend was kind enough to give me a lot of advice from her own experience. I'll also be carrying one of these around with me or you can get a free version over here. I chose to buy the first one as it specifies soy sauce, which is a very common ingredient in Japanese cooking.

So, the next time you hear from me, it will be from the land of sushi, sumo and kimonos.

My Creative Space

2011-05-12T07:14:00.002+10:00

I'm playing with mixing some leather offcuts and old buttons with vintage kimono fabric today. Challenging myself to create a piece with as much recycled material as possible for Reverse Garbage's New Beginnings Exhibition.

For more creative spaces, drop by Kootoyoo.

The Sakura Knucklebuster

2011-05-10T19:31:00.000+10:00

Last weekend I had a ball in a silver and acrylic workshop run by Dan Cox at BIA.

When you do a workshop like this, you really appreciate the time that goes into handcrafting jewellery. I spent two days cutting, filing, filing and more filing, sanding, rivetting, polishing and cleaning, all just on the single piece. It's certainly a statement piece and one that no-one will want to mess with me while I'm wearing it.

I have to say though, that I found the process really addictive and can't wait to book into another class.

I loved the work completed by the other students in the class. You can see picture of their rings here.

The One Thousand Crane Project - Wish #7

2011-05-10T14:50:00.000+10:00

Today's Wish: May you always find the words for what you wish to express.

Today's Paper : Crane - From an old calendar with the quote "When the thoughts we think are the same as the words we speak, others will feel our integrity.

The speech bubbles (empty, ready for the little one to fill) are from the same calendar.

Cranes to date: 36

We've been thinking a lot about language and speech, or lack there-of in this house for a while now. The little one hasn't found her words yet. She can communicate so very well and is certainly vocal and expressive, but can't seem to form words.

With a background in applied linguistics (and language acquisition) for the last year I've listened to her with concern. At the same time, I've also listened to well meaning friends and family assure me that she was just a late talker, that at one point it was all going to tumble out. We've tried different methods to encourage language, but it just isn't happening. I'm now going with my gut and after I get back from Japan, she will start with a speech therapist.

I know the words will come, but we may just have to take a longer road to get there. And I must say, I'm really looking forward to hearing what she has to say.

"Kanzashi" Workshop and Saviours of the Lost Arts

2011-05-10T09:06:00.002+10:00

Have you heard about the Saviours of the Lost Arts program happening in Brisbane? It's a fantastic event filled with craft workshops, talks and a market.

I'll be running a "Kanzashi" workshop, using vintage kimono fabric. Bookings can be made here.

There are so many fun workshops, you can see the full program here. Book in early, spaces fill up pretty quickly.