I heart weekends..

There is something so lovely about a weekend that just meanders along at its own pace. When you have no where important to be and the days are overcast and the afternoons are a glowing treat. These are the weekends I adore and I was very fortunate to spend the last two days at a lovely, quite meandering pace, with a little shopping, creating, reorganising, decorating and of course relaxing, filling my days.

After a few hectic weeks my studio needed a big overhaul and with the cold nights still about I have decided to concentrate most of my work in my office, which is the central part of the house attached to the living room. As it is usually the dining room, it has a fabulous old chandelier and I just love it as a space to work in. Previously I had been splitting my work between my studio in the spare room and the office, but now I have grown so attached to my lovely little dining room it just felt like the perfect time to move all my bits and pieces into one space.

My studio space now complete with Lucy the mannequin, my great grandmother's cabinet and my grandmother's sewing machine. I just love all the beautiful light the old windows let in.

I feel like a child with a life size barbie doll, I had so much fun finding Lucy something to wear, lucky we are the same size, I think this may become a weekly little routine.

My treasured cabinet holds all of my favourite books and years of inspiration journals.

I love reorganising and it always leaves me dreaming up new ideas and excited to sit down at my sewing machine and create. So I took a little break from my consignment orders this morning to work on a prototype for an idea I have been thinking about for so long. Ever inspired by mustard and indigo I just couldn't resist creating a my first wrist cuff, embracing these beautiful colours along with a line from one of my poems, together a piece of gorgeous Thea and Sami fabric and a few vintage buttons. Here is a sneak peak..

'And Dinah Danced..' wrist cuff

I'm very excited with this little prototype and can not wait to make some more for my Etsy shop which will be reopening on Saturday the 8th of August. I will be having a giveaway to launch my new brooches and accessories which will include an exclusive Thea and Sami collection. So pop in throughout the next few weeks for more details and some sneak peaks into my new pieces. I'm so excited!

Well I hope your weekend and been a productive and relaxing one. I'm off to settle in for the evening with a little button sewing and fabric folding.

Much love and decorating
xxx

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Dust Jackets and Autumn Leaves - New Works

Whilst meandering through my little town in search of treasures and delightful adventures I was inspired by the beautiful tones of Autumn, deep brown, chocolate, sepia, mustard and cream. As I gathered fabric and ephemera in these shades, three pieces emerged with undertones of beauty, magic, dance and hidden forests. These are the first pieces in a continuing collection, 'Dust Jackets and Autumn Leaves'.

'Nor Even Words' - Tiny Mixed Media Original Artwork

The Autumn Garden Mixed Media Brooch

Mixed Media brooch can be worn or display as an artwork

'In Forests Old' - Original Mixed Media Collage

Each of these pieces is now available in my little Esty shop. I will also be updating my shop later today with a small new collection of petite brooches so be sure to stop by.

I'm off to drink tea, sew buttons and read the afternoon away...
Much love
xxx

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A little Shop Update!

At last a free and beautiful Autumn day to sit down create and drink lovely tea. I'm so excited to update my little shop, it has indeed been a few weeks and I've had so many new ideas to share!
First of all due to a change in my brooch back and felt supplier I have had to increase the prices of my 'I heart' brooches a by a few dollars. I'm very happy I was able to keep them under $10 but it got me thinking about a way I could still make cute brooches for cute prices. This was my answer, the petite brooch...

One word can say it all.

These petite brooches measure 5.5cms across and therefore I can fit a whole extra row onto a sheet of felt, use smaller brooch backs and they are just so cute!

Comparison of sizes..

So I am now offering three different size brooches including my scrap brooches, so there really is something for every outfit! I'm already planning a few petite brooches of my own to wear to work.

In my little Etsy shop now are a collection of ten brooches, six petite and four 'I heart', with a little something for everybody.

The petite brooches are all inspired by the things I love to do on a Sunday afternoon..
Read, sew, laugh. My secret favourite 'I heart brooch' is Tap Dancing, because who doesn't love a bit of secret tap dancing whilst cooking dinner or grocery shopping! (I'm known for my supermarket dancing)..

I hope that everyone is having a simply fabulous Saturday. I'm a little excited because day light savings ends at 2am here, so I get a whole extra hour of sleep tonight! Have a wonderful weekend, I will be back tomorrow night to show my day's makeover adventures. We are tackling the garden and adding a new look to the lounge room which means.. Spotlight and Bunnings here I come!

Much love and cute tap shoes!

xxx

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A weekend in pictures..

How the weekends just fly by, all my good intentions of posting last night flew out the window for a lovely romantic evening with my hubby. I have so many little things to share I thought it be best just to show my weekend in pictures...

Friday Afternoon

Collages and inspiration an inspiration board

A beautiful owl brooch from Betty Jo Designs (we had a little brooch swap)

Saturday

Channeling Coco Chanel

Fabulous books from our morning rummage of Salvo's Op Shop

Tiny treasures for the Writing Workshop, 'Treasure Box' activity

Lights off for Earth Hour - reading by candlelight

Sunday

Custom brooches for Georgie Love's 3rd Birthday

A beautiful 'just because' pressie from my hubby
The Sun's Babies by Edith Howes 1911

A beautiful weekend and a fabulous new week beginning, four days until holidays, I can't wait! Many wonderful things to do, including a zine to create, stock to make for some up coming projects, an interview with the local paper, two novels to read, a makeover of the lounge room and backyard and a visit from my beautiful in-laws all the way from Queensland. I think I will be a busy girl!

Much love and vintage book pages
xxx

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Little Sunday Shop Update

With so much lovely fabric and so many things to heart I just adore sitting down at my desk and creating little brooches filled with love. After a stock up on fabulous fabric yesterday I created a new little collection which is available in my Etsy shop now.

There is a little something for everyone, especially those who love stationary, flea markets and my secret favourite tattoos.

Each brooch is very special and is one of a kind, so make sure you pop in and check them out and celebrate what you love.

I will be back later this afternoon to announce my first anniversary giveaway which will run until next Saturday. I'm so excited that Her Library Adventures is turning one and to celebrate I have an original piece of artwork and a special collection of three custom brooches to giveaway. Pictures and more details to come so stay tuned.

Hope you are having a lovely Sunday indeed!
xxx

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A literary weekend..

Searching through a shelf of old books may not seem like much to some but I find just adore the search for that very special piece of history. I must have married well because my hubby seems to enjoy it almost as much as I do. Saturday we wondered down to Sweet Lily, a lovely little cottage style homewares shop with antiques out the back. They have a wonderful collection of books and antiques. I was looking for some cheap damaged books to use in my artwork but what we discovered was very special indeed.

From top to bottom:
Beautiful red leather early 1900's copy of Sesame and Lilies by John Ruskin. Another 'Rules of Syntax' book for my collection filled with sweet ink stained pages. A 1895 copy stunning hardcover copy of Sweetheart Travellers by S. R Crochett. My hubby's pick - A History of the English-Speaking Peoples by Winston S. Churchill

Sesame & Lilies and Sweetheart Travellers came from the same collection and both have these amazing worn pages that I just adore.

Inspired by these beautiful pages I just couldn't resist creating a new mixed media collage, inspired by my favourite tale of adventure by Mr. Lewis Carroll.

Many Tea Things - Original Mixed Media Collage

Created on an early 20th century prescription book cover, this collage is something I've been dreaming up for a little while and can't wait to make some more in the series. You can find it in my little shop now.

Remember to let me know if you have fabric scraps you would like created into a collage brooch. For more information read my post from earlier today. Also my new collection of brooches is selling quickly so make sure you pop over to my shop and see if there is something special for you or a loved one.

I hope you have had a wonderful weekend, I'm off to cook dinner and get ready for 'Lost in Austen' I can't wait. Everyone needs a little Austen in their lives.

Much love
xxx

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Shop Update!

Sophie Isobel Designs is simply bursting with new brooches including two new scrap collage brooches hot off the sewing machine. Inspired my the changing seasons there is a little bit of Spring and a touch of Autumn in this new collection.

A little something for the artist, the shutter bug and those who can't resist a garden party.

Two of my favourites - 'I heart Owls' and The Photographer.

This lovely little one off collection is now available in my Etsy shop. As you can see I'm getting very close to 100 sales which is very exciting! To mark this special event, my 100th sale will receive TWO custom brooches as a special gift with their purchase. Sale 99 will also receive a special treat so get in quick!

Do you have lovely little scraps just lying around your studio? If you send me your scrap fabric, I will create a lovely scrap collage brooch for you for half price. Not only will you be cleaning your studio and helping the planet, you get a fab one of a kind brooch for only four dollars (US). Interested? Leave a comment or email at sophieisobeldesigns@hotmail.com and tell me about your ideas and lovely scraps. Can't wait to hear from you!

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday! I will be back later after a little more creating and some essay marking with the delights I found antiquing yesterday.

I'm can hear the kettle calling my name.
Much love
xxx

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So much to tell you!

Today I really do have so much to tell you and show you too! The week has gone by so quickly, it feels like the world is in fast forward.

So first of all I can now officially tell you my little secret, what I've been up to and why I've been quite busy the last few weeks... I am now officially a Georgie Love artist! Thanks to the support of the amazing Sally I have created a little collection of limited edition brooches especially for Georgie Love. Sally has created a beautiful website of amazing Australian artists, I am so excited and a little blown away to be a part of it all. Go and check out the assortment of divine goodies and you are bound to fall in love with something. So I've been busily creating my ultimate collection, choosing my favourite designs, colours and buttons, sewing like I never have before and even getting my hubby in to help me pack everything up. My little cottage has been very busy indeed.

Each little brooch has matching ribbon..

My little production line..

All packed and ready to go to Sally..

So now that I'm finished my little Georgie Love collection for the moment, I can get back to making some other new bits and pieces for my Etsy store which is feeling a little empty at the moment. Plenty to come over the next week, I'm full of ideas for Autumn so keep an eye out.

It has been days since the Paul Kelly concert but I just have to share with you some of the pictures. It was such an amazing night, a concert like I have never experienced. I just wish I could capture how surreal it was, sitting in the middle of the desert in the sand dunes with 4000 other people listening to fabulous music.

The crowd arriving..

I found the my kikki K bag was the best spot to keep my wine out of the sand.

The beautiful sunset over the kids playing on the sand hills

Paul Kelly and the band..

I hope everyone is having a fabulous week, I'll be back tomorrow with my creative space, which at the moment is a big mess so I'm off to tidy up a little and then catch up with my darling hubby who just got home from work.

Tomorrow my to do list includes: Relax, breath deeply, mark essays, read some poetry, drink some tea and try not to stress about my inbox full of emails. What does your Thursday have in store?

Much love, ribbons and lace!
xxx

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Lovely mail and scraps galore!

This is how every Monday should be, a sleep in and a yummy breakfast, reading lovely blogs and some sewing and designing, I just love a public holiday.

One thing that has made me frown a little is the strange behaviour of blogger this afternoon. I was very worried for a moment to see a random message pop up instead of my blog so I'm whipping up a quick post to make sure everything is working properly.

I was so excited to receive a lovely package in the mail on Friday, I just had to share my latest purchase from the fabulous RE-Read Design. Hayley makes the most gorgeous resin brooches created from old children's books and I couldn't resist this adorable little brooch that was just so me.

Sweet little package wrapped in lovely recycled book pages and string

My beautiful 'Follow Me' rabbit brooch... I hope he will lead me to wonderland

Make sure you pop over to the RE-Read design Etsy shop and blog and check out the beautiful brooches and softies on offer. I'm eye off the very cute matching owls next. There are just so many to choose from.

I've been having a fabulous time this afternoon sorting through all my lovely scraps to create a collection of new collage brooches.

'The Collector' Collage Brooch

The Collector is now in my Etsy shop and there will be more to come over the next few days. There are just so many lovely occupations and hobbies in the world, now that I've begun I want to make them all. Some of my favourites, the Oceanographer, the Librarian and the Explorer. What occupations fascinate you?

We had an amazing night under the stars last night at the Paul Kelly concert and I've got some photos to share with you as soon as I finish sewing on some buttons and brooch backs.

PS. Watch out for crazy blogger messages.

Wishing you a productive Monday, full of creative moments
xxx

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Weekend adventures of fabric and ink bottles...

How quickly the weekend comes and goes when there are so many wonderful things to be done. Surrounded by fabric, I have spent the weekend creating, dreaming and sewing. It's so lovely to have a little shop full of goodies, with more to come over the week. I've also been busy on my little secret, with new fabric and ideas running wild together in my studio.

Colour scheme board..

One of my favourite creations of the weekend is a little brooch inspired by the floor of a sewing studio and the lovely bits of fabric that are left behind after a day of creating.

The Seamstress

This unique little collage brooch will be available in my Etsy shop later this evening. With so many lovely bits of fabric around my studio, I can see few more of these brooches being created very soon.

The afternoon sunshine called me outside and I couldn't resist a meander through the lovely Rose Harvest. There is nothing better on a Sunday afternoon than browse through a beautiful antiques shop.

The backyard of the shop, full of candelabras, antique garden settings and beautiful plants.

The shop cascades out the back to the shed which houses some of my favourite pieces.

Fabulous old suitcases that have seen many wonderful adventures.

This amazing typewriter was actually behind the shed and covered in dust and leaves. I hope it will be there when I return another day.

Of course I couldn't leave empty handed and just couldn't resist a few pieces of add to the collection of antiques on my writer's desk.

This 1935 National Derivation Book, which once belonged to Lorna Rose still covered in the brown paper with splashes of ink from her school days.

A charming little ink bottle with an amazing little tin lid. I love any antiques to do with writing and ink bottles are one of my favourite new collections.

A beautiful photo still on its original backing from 1917. I'm just fascinated by the family all dressed up in the little row boat. I also found these lovely vintage packet of needles. The old typography is so beautiful.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend. I'm off to cook dinner and get ready for an evening of sewing brooch backs and watching channel 10's addictive Sunday lineup.

Much love and vintage afternoons

xxx

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Shop Update

Lots of lovely new brooches in my Etsy shop now and even more to come tomorrow!

I heart, baking, roses, the circus, the library, adventure, ribbon & lace and first editions. A little something for everyone!

I've just returned from a wonderful trip to my favourite little fabric shop and returned with some gorgeous new spring and vintage inspired fabrics. Can't wait to show you, I'm off to start sewing..

xxx

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Birds and tea cups on a Friday..

How quickly Friday has come around again, I'm feeling a little bit of groundhog day at the moment so I'm totally delighted at the prospect of a lovely weekend of creating, reading and watching films. Tonight I'm continuing for on my new batch of brooches which is very exciting and I've already listed on I'd been thinking about making ever since I found the gorgeous vintage fabric in an op shop in Brisbane.

Jazz Age - circa 1920

The fabric is from a handmade blouse and I just adore the beautiful 1920's silhouettes and shades of raspberry. There will be a few more different ladies to come very soon.

Of course being Friday I stopped in for a little shopping on the way home from work. I thought all was lost with nothing lovely to by anywhere until I spotted this very cute top at Pink Peppa. It seems my love for cute and quirky tees just continues to grow and I just love everything about this Fujinella piece.

Just love the grey jersey and details on the collar.

Inspiration in all its beautiful forms is such an important part of my creative process. Today I'm inspired by the little details, memories and the moments of days gone by.

Dust Jackets with ladies and gentlemen in their Sunday best. Also smelling the pages of a well worn second hand book. It is mandatory during my Literature class to smell the book before you begin reading.

My father's collection of stamps which my grandmother helped him create. Each page tells so many stories.

Nick Bantock letters from Griffin and Sabine and vintage Royal Doulton Roses

Hope you are having a beautiful Friday, remember that I will be drawing the winner of by Thank You brooch tomorrow morning 9am EST, so be sure to check in then.

Much love, birds and tea cups
xxx

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Thank you!!

Just a little post to say a big thank you to all the people who bought brooches from my little shop from the 10th to the 23rd of Feb. Yesterday I was able to donate $200 AUS to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal.


I feel so blessed that with your help and ongoing support I have been able to assist, in my little way in rebuilding the lives of those effected by the devastating bush fires.

I also have this little thank you brooch to give away as a token of my love and appreciation. If you would like to win this lovely brooch simply leave a comment on this post.
I will use the power of random.org to draw the fabulous new owner of this brooch on Saturday the 28th at 9am EST.

Much love and hugs to you all on this wonderful Wednesday.
xxx

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