Pinwheel Earrings

Just in time for Christmas, the lovely folk at Craft are stocking my Pinwheel Earrings. Made from kid leather and surgical steel hooks, they are so light and are really gorgeous to wear. Available in black, silver and Tiffany blue.

Edition X

I'm very excited to have my work included in the amazing collection at Edition X. Housed at Pieces of Eight, at 28 Russell Place, Melbourne, Edition X focuses on presenting the 'affordable collectable'.

'Edition X is unique, bringing you completely exclusive commissioned works from a variety of artists and makers from around the globe with all collections made in very limited set editions.

The works range from jewellery, textiles and books to sculpture and works on paper.'

The Pinwheel earrings are available in three colourways, pictured above, and are a limited edition of three in each colour. 

Dressing up

Made a new Postage Belt to go with an outfit for a party, I dressed as Frida Kahlo which is no great stretch, what with my strong eyebrows and embroidered clothing, that's an everyday look for me!

It was great to get back to Radelaide again with the kids, we caught up with some old friends I hadn't seen for over 15 years, also did a lot of op-shopping, cupcake baking and beach visiting.

Back to work now, keeping the momentum going with all the Xmas stock, I'm having a stall at the next Craft Hatch market on Nov 30th at £1000 Bend in Lt Lonsdale St!

Encased

 I made another lot of the glasses cases last week, I love the florals theme and I just had enough blue felt to line them all. Here's the cracked vintage floral being fed through the skiving machine. I can also just see my Wind in the Willows cassette, which Hazel and I have been listening to in the studio, my parents used to play it to me as a child.

Ready to be closed up, my sewing machine is such a beast it can happily stitch through 10 ml of chunky leather and felt.

 Now to turn them the right way out, it's gonna be strenuous!

 Yep, it's really hard work, but I have strong hands and a few tools (chopsticks) to bag the corners out.

Ready to play show and tell at Finders Keepers!

Studio

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All to be found....

...at Craft Vic. Poor Carmel, I took in the stamp tags today and she just couldn't choose, so she took them all!

Luggage

Well these have been on my list for a very long time.

I prototyped one a few months ago, it was way too detailed and there was no way I could have made them in bulk or for a reasonable price. Seeing as I am not Hermes yet, I cannot charge $1500 for a luggage tag!

So here is the new, basic version, I made them in red, black and dark chocolate. The darker colours don't photograph well, but the red is resplendent!

All available at Craft Vic, and soon in the online shoppe.

H is for horse

 

 

Remember my wonky stamp scans from last week?

I'm excited to reveal their purpose, horse themed Postage Belts featured at Hehe. A great site for all things horsey/equestrian, so if you know people like this then you might want to click over for potential gift items. 

I've made a couple of belts; chocolate brown and black, with gorgeous horsey stamps from all over the world. Self-promotion ahoy!

Le Jardin

These are way better pics! Will be listing them in my bigcartel store ASAP, if you want to snap one up let me know what colour takes your fancy. $25 incl postage within Aust.

Keeping to a theme

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in the studio today, sweating it out under my hot tin roof. I will have to abandon the 'shed' for the comfort of the house in a while, the afternoon sun streams in the west-facing windows and will melt me in a way that hot yoga has yet to do.

I'm working on a commission for a few belts, using some of these stamps, but before I separate them I had to share them with you.

The top one is from Japan, fabulous colours, sweet naive style. Then a grand stamp from Hungary (Magyar), it is a whopper, and really well illustrated. The blue is slightly metallic. Finally a strip from DPR Korea, I don't have a lot of Korean stamps and these are so cute. Great cartoony style, vibrant colours and I always love to see traditional costumes.

So now I'll arrange them into a story to be stitched into a belt, will show the finished product in a few weeks when this project is out in full. It's a bit secret at the mo.

Three cheers for wonky, blurry scanned images!

Pinwheels are Pleasing

I am taking credit for this amazingly crappy photo, taken on the bench at Craft Victoria, where these cute Pinwheels have taken up residence.

From this flat piece...

... to this flower...

...you need a split-pin...

...some interference from the studio mascot...

...and a whole lotta colour!

I love plastic!

First prototype - plastic engineering - Napisan container

Craft Crush

I was thrilled last week to see accessories designer/maker Moya Delaney get some love on the Design Files. I have been a fan of Moya's since I moved to Melbourne 13ish years ago, and have re-read this post many times already.

I won't give you the whole rundown, you can click on the link above, or visit Moya's site, but I will give you the reasons I love her work.

Moya loves military and nautical references - snap! She is also from a sculpture background - snap! And of course Moya is always at Leffler stocking up on supplies - snap!

                                            Grand Jackpot - from the Cruiseline collection

 

Rio Grande from the Apache collection 

 

Amazon Wings - Apache collection

 

Nato signal flag shade

Production run

I made a sample of this sunnies case a few weeks ago, and have only just managed to get a few on the go. The leathers I'm using are all floral, some are patent, some embossed, the above photo shows a lovely faux-antique crackle leather.

I've had the magnetic closures for years but only just stumbled across them again, and knew they'd be perfect for this project. The felt is from Spotlight in one of their buy-the-roll specials, BTW Brunswick Spotlight is closing down - gasp - so get in for some bargains. I will miss that store regardless of the mess and long waits to get served.

OK, time to go, I've had to plonk Hazel in front of the ipad for an episode of Peppa Pig, and they are not long in duration!

Luggage tag

I have had this project on my list for a ridiculously long time, luggage tags which feature postage stamps in a travel theme.

The pattern was relatively easy, the making was rather fiddly and I'm having a hard time pricing them, in contrast to the next project which was super-easy.

Anyway, I was elated to finally have a sample in my hand, there are a few refinements to be made but overall I'm happy and now just want to go somewhere with a suitcase, only to see my fancy luggage tag on the baggage carousel!

Instant

Note to Emma:

Stop faffing around putting things on your list.

Trace off a pattern.

Cut the bits and figure it out in the making.

Enjoy your new sunnies case!