aussie, aussie, aussie, oi, oi, oi!


My suitcase is fully loaded, ready & waiting for my early, early, morning flight across the ditch tomorrow morning. Im heading to Melbourne & cant wait!! Ive never been & am always hearing how great it is. So im off - mainly for work, & a little bit for timeout. Ill be testing my sales skills, which I can tell you are almost non-existent, at this weekends trade fair, then spending some research days around the shops & hanging out with my friend - exciting!

Im out of here for a week, so take care & see you soon.
peace out
x

photo found via design for mankind 'photo of the day'

princess tina








So ages ago I posted about a cute little tooth that I really liked on a top. Ive since been told that the tooth is by an australian designer Beci Orphin who has a quirky clothing & accessory line called Princess Tina.

I can tell you that this is a lady of many talents, but im sure you've guessed that already after looking at the vast array of images posted above. Beci seems to have her hands in a million & one projects, almost everyone knows about her, but my oh my is it hard to find images of her amazing work!

Its taken months, but I finally succeeded (hallejuiah!) - thanks to a link through design sponge who, luck have it, happened to post a short article about her yesterday. In my eyes design sponge is a measure of creative success, so I think Beci has made it big time, & too right, this is one clever lady :)

craft head





If you've checked out the semi permanent site, then you've probably seen the link to the craft head competition. If not, check it out here. Its pretty funny & reminds me of many hours spent mucking around during science class in high school. 
If you have a few spare, then spend some minutes drawing your own head section, possibly win some tickets (to semi permanent that is) & then kindly pass them over it me... kidding :) 

semi permanent



Ive been talking about going to semi permanent all year & cant believe that its almost upon us. I didn't realise it was so soon, don't have tickets, & don't know whether I can go - gutted!! Im going to try my hardest & wait till the last minute to see if I can make it or not...if tickets are still available so late in the game...fingers crossed...

wood touch


Looking for an easy way to get in touch with nature without having to venture outdoors? Start by wearing one of these adorable pinecone necklaces by French designer Claire Pain - if you can work out how to get your hands on one that is!

reaching nirvana





Having fun with fashion & pattern are bird textiles from Australia. The photo shoot of their spring/summer 09 range - reaching nirvana - is truly beautiful. I love the surreal quality of the shoot, & the bold use of print. Here are a bunch of people not afraid to shout from the roof tops & liven things up through dramatic, beautiful pattern. 

When it comes to fashion, NZ is such a conservative country (guilty as charged), even though we have some amazing designers. I would give my right arm (now who's being dramatic!) to see people have fun with pattern & colour & inject a little adventure into not only their clothing but also their homes. Come on NZ, step up to the challenge :)

im keeping an eye on you


I found this necklace here, & thought it was great. But then got a little bit weirded out when I discovered it was made using real human hair - oh my goodness!
Isnt it funny how the use of untraditional yet totally natural materials completely change the way you feel about things! In this case, I think it makes the necklace that wee bit more interesting, but I would now hesitate to buy it I think :) icky!

make it awesome






This looks like a pretty chaotic, yet well thought out, exhibition. There's a storm bearing down on us & I'm sitting inside with one eye on the TV & one eye on my laptop, not really concentrating, listening to the wind whip up & smash the rain against the windows, while searching for images that look interesting - like these ones, by Sonja Ahlers.

more katie...

bookshelf series:

stephen king

paddy clarke hahaha

hedge dweller seires:

sofa

laundry

balloon

...because I think shes great.
A talented designer & artist - a force to be reckoned with :)

found via hey suzy

putting a smile on my face

why?

facebook rejection

missing: renaissance shirt

Hehe, can you believe that someone actually posted a flyer to help find their shirt?! Must have been one hell of a shirt!

slowdance then...knuckle samwich

Embroidered works by international artist Katie O'Conner, that put a smile on my dial.
Stay posted for more by Katie soon... (she's just too good!)



scaredy cat



Ive decided that I want, no actually I need a new white t-shirt. Something fun, something like one of these by scaredy cats.
The only decision now is do I go scary (well, not really!) skull, or cute drippy panda. What do you think?

works of stone




Miniature things are so enchanting; things that are miniature & usable - like the vase above - are even better don't you think?
These works, by Mitsuru Koga, are a wonder to look at, & give me the urge to go exploring to find pebbles to rival those above. Unfortunately for me, I have absolutely no idea how to even begin creating something like these - even if I did manage to find the prefect stone! I think the thing that fascinates me the most is that I find it extremely difficult to work small, so when I see something tiny Im instantly attracted to, & fascinated by it. Thats why i just had to post these images to share with you. enjoy.

inspired by...



I was thinking about fans today & how delicate & beautiful they are - from their shape, materials & often ornate patterns. My mind was buzzing as to how I could bring the fan, or decorative aspects of the fan, into the new range Im working on.
Anyway, it reminded me of the stunning pieces (above) that I found on etsy a few weeks back & had slotted into my favourites folder. It was time to take them out.

beautiful & fun

lola & bailey


allira tee


I discovered the modamuse site the other day - without realising that Julia, from studio home, had written a post featuring jewellery from the same site...great minds aye?!!!
The above pieces are by Lola & Bailey (aka Cheri Uppal & Theresa Nguyen)  and Allira Tee. The laser cut wooden brooches have a fun, yet elegant appeal to them, while the black & white pieces are beautiful & intriguing.
Its great to see the growing number of sites showcasing the wonderful work of the many talented NZ & Australian designers out there.

paper celebrations


This is paper turned into something a little bit extraordinary by haru.
Inspired by life, love, adventure & this quote:
Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits,
Take care of your garden & keep out the weeds,
Fill it with sunshine, kind words & kind deeds.


hey you...

...dont mind if we do.

have i told you that...

yes, all the time :)

home is where the heart is



House for sale - ill buy one please, or maybe ill have the entire street.
Fabulous rings & things by J Davis Studio.

a great little find





I mentioned it in my earlier post & think it deserves another mention - vintage fabric & trimmings shop Salvage is a find & a half! On Mt Eden Rd Salvage is the place to go if you're looking for beautiful vintage fabric, buttons & other bits & bobs; or purely wanting some inspiration. Ive only been once, not so long ago in fact, but know that ill be popping in a lot more to find fabrics & ideas.

Salvage
537 Mt Eden Rd
Auckland