Archive for the ‘all about me’ Category

 

earlier in the year molly contacted me about designing her wedding invitation. i’ve never designed for anyone’s special day before – people tend to keep very traditional and although i can do “totally klassy” work, you and i know its the colorful fun stuff i prefer. so after hearing what molly was wanting i was all over it like moss on a rock.

 

molly told me she loved the 70s and florals – hello? perfect client match or what! she sent me a swag of examples of vintage pattern and design she liked and explained that she loved the idea of a floral border and using the typeface candice.

after a few drafts back and forth it was complete…

… what do you think? an invitation happy enough to last molly and matthew to their diamond anniversary? i hope so!

if you’re interested in having some draw! pilgrim custom design contact me and my people will talk with your people.

if you’re after a different spiced cookie this festive season, why not try out the recipe i’m sharing in the meet me at mikes good stuff holiday  guide. my grandma rowie taught me how to make these ginger fairings cookies when i was 7 and back then my idea of a good time was entering baked goods in the “show” (our version of the state fair). my ginger fairings were so delish the old ladies* judging the competition awarded me first prize and $12 in cold hard cheque! so really, you can’t go wrong! check out the guide for lots more fab stuff.

* these old ladies also disqualified me from the “decorated savory biscuit” category for using PUMPERNICKEL! which is a bread, not a biscuit/cracker. ouch! that taught me, foolish 7 year old! i’m still bitter.

 

i finally got my hands on a copy of print and pattern 2 by bowie style today and hoo boy was there some excited squealing in the bookshop. its not the first time i’ve squealed over a good design book, but for once there was genuinely good reason…

 

… because i’m in it! i am in the book. see the book? see my alphabet series designs? i know, i know.. but i’m so. so. SO excited to be included amongst some of my idols (uh, marimekko, jonathan adler, call me!) there are so many more fab people in here: byGraziela,  ellen giggenbach, beci orpin, ingela arrhenius, lab partners, and on and on and on it goes.

so run out and grab a copy. you might not be driven to squealing mid bookstore, but its a pretty fantastic and inspiring collection of work and i’m so proud to be part of it. well done, bowie style!

 

exciting developments have taken place, friends! you can now find me behind the counter (on tuesdays and thursdays) at one of my favorite local stores little sparrow! you might remember i gave a little shop love to little sparrow a while back. since then the store has moved to a bigger, brighter location – but everything else is just as perfect as it was before! here’s a few of my favorite things you will find in little sparrow…

super groovy vintage linen bags!! ah love those colors.

… my favorite organic yarn by woolganic, as well as a great range of other delicious yarns

…a range of fab craft books (sewing patterns, crochet, knitting, felting etc), picture books and books on the steiner philosophy

…fabulous felts in a million colors and sizes. there are some incredible hand painted rainbow felts that make me swoon.

…special friends waldorf doll made to order by shelley. check out that tiny handmade cape!

there are also lots of beautiful hand knitted toys.

… charming clothes for the kiddos.

…amazing notebooks, letter sets, stickers, lyra pencils, crayons and modeling waxes

and super cool wooden toys!

but don’t be sad if you can’t make it to carlisle street! you can visit the online store.

don’t forget the pop up sale starts thursday… that’s TODAY! it runs until saturday 6th 3pm.

you’ll find classic cute kid’s threads by crumb, fab art by dawn tan and madeleine stamer, gorgeous jewellery and accessories by shara lambeth, emily green and betty jo, exceptionally well made dresses by peta pledger, and of course the pin up photobooth helen mclean is hosting!

unfortunately being sick put me behind, and under a lot of strain, so i have regretfully pulled out, but i can’t wait to visit and shop. see you there?

 

as you would imagine, shopping in japan is BANANAS. the first day was really tough – we had two weeks ahead of us, but we were seeing so many amazing things already. would we make it home without exceeding baggage limits? would we go broke before we even bought dinner? as time went by we got a little more jaded, but it was still a shoppers paradise! sadly i was too, er, ‘amazonian’ to fit the shoes or clothing. perhaps for the best, financially speaking! but here are a few treasures that made it home with me…*

*not pictured: 900 pairs of socks. japan loves socks!

 swimmer/chocoholic tape, vintage stamps from ‘pinups’ in kitchijoji

 

flower push-pins and push-pin hooks!

i’m a big fan of buying fun but practical things while on holiday. i like to be able to use the things frequently, and each time i do, i get that little thrill i like to call “reverse buyers remorse”.

cute memo pad and faux-marimekko letterset from kiddyland

picture puzzle dominoes

are these for me? or for my son? hmm… both. but mostly for me! don’t worry, he got plenty of presents all to himself.

 cute stamp stickers! erasable rainbow pens! cram cream memo pad in my favorite design!

 

 i came to love these little face cloths really fast! because its so humid a little discreet blotting cloth is essential. and in typical japanese style, even the sweat rags are beautiful. i’m almost looking forward to a hot australian summer to use these.

false lashes and mary quant daisy hair clip

i almost passed out when i saw the mary quant store. i love mary quant and so to own one tiny little mary quant item is really exciting. and can a girl ever have enough falsies? no. so i bought about 12 or varying style. eep!! blame it on the ¥100 store!

scandi treasures from parco

i found a fab little corner of parco stocked with scandinavian treasures! i thought the elephant bank might help me save up for a trip back to tokyo soon. and the apple dish towel? practical AND chic!

tokyu hands was the most mind blowing place of all. i’d heard people reccomend it as a “department store that sells everything”. in my mind “everything” meant carpet, clothes, mattresses, luggage.. y’know. everything. but apparently “everything” means E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. umbrellas, suitcases, wood, fake flowers.. and lots and lots of stuff for crafting, creating, and making with! what colored perspex rod would you like? did you need some bright green leather? hey weren’t you just saying you were running low on silversmithing tools/flocked styrofoam balls/miniatures for your train set? yes. everything. my brain almost fell out and it was difficult to take in. on our first visit we experienced an aftershock, but i’m almost certain it was my mind being blown. so i bought a pom pom maker and some glittery plastic. because i’m pretty sure i’ll need them sooner or later. australia doesn’t have a great range of anything, if you want something you have to search online and sacrifice a kangaroo in hope of them shipping it to you. so this might not sound exciting to you americans and europeans, but it was like candyland to a supply starved australian! if i lived near a tokyu hands i would never ever ever stop making EVERYTHING.

 

 

furoshiki fabric

furoshiki is all about giftwrapping using beautiful fabric – but i’m thinking i might just giftwrap my head with this one!

fab fabric! it would be easy to blow tons of money on fabric in japan – but what am i going to do with it all? nuthin’ that’s what. so i only bought a couple of pieces that i know i’ll put to good use. the fabric above is latex backed and is going to turn into a swim bag for my son.

handmade fabric bento

and lastly, an extra special little present for my son. play-sushi! he also got socks, some crazy bath salts that turned his bath chartreuse, some candies with hello kitty’s face in them, and a totoro all of his own.

i can’t wait to show you one more special purchase next week – in a post all of its own! ooh

i’m lucky enough to work at the adorable shop do re me and if you haven’t popped in, you really must because its chock full of nuts beautiful handmade adorableness. but if you can’t make it there during business hours, why not come in for a class in the evening? let me tell you about a couple that i’m running.

first up, on tuesday june 7th come in for 2 hours (7.30-9.30pm) of felt flower brooch making. these beauties (based on the awesome pattern by the awesome notmartha) are deadly easy – i made a whole bunch in one evening, and i get compliments every time i wear one. who doesn’t like compliments?! the class is $50AUD per person and that covers ALL materials including the delicious pure wool felt from little sparrow. there are only a couple of spots left in this class so call and book quiiiiiiick!

 

image from spottedsparrow on flickr

on tuesday july 5th i’ll be hosting a two hour session (7.30-9.30pm) instructing you on the art of stab stitch, or ‘japanese’ book binding. we’ll make a cute little book from scratch and you’ll leave with a perfectly formed jotter/journal/sketchbook. and the best bit is….

 

image from karaku* on flickr

lucky participants in this class will get to use some of my freshly-purchased-in-japan paper stash! and you know how good that paper is going to be. this class is $50AUD per person, and all materials are included.

do not delay, call do re me today and secure your place, because there are only EIGHT spots remaining and i want to see some of you awesome readers there. these classes are relaxed, and fun. you come, you chat, you have a glass of wine or mulled cranberry and a cookie and you leave with a finished item, and a new skill! sounds like an evening and a $50 well spent if you ask me (go on, ask me.. i might be biased though)

 

do re me is at 27 horne st, elsternwick and you can get there by train (elsternwick station is a few steps away) or by tram (the one that goes up glen huntley rd) or by bus (the one that goes up horne st..helpful, huh?)

 

we’re organizing more classes for later in the year soon (including kid’s school holiday workshops) so if you have some skill you’re interested in learning from me, let me know!