My Creative Space...

What a busy few days! So this is what it's like not to have a day job, what fun! I've spent the last three days racing around Brisbane, finding fabric, felt and all the other bits and pieces I need to almost set up a studio from scratch. That was the easy bit, the interesting bit was finding a typerwriter. I do love a good second hand store and the Salvo's at Red Hill came up with the goods, a fabulous Brother 1980's electric typewriter and it works so well I almost want to drag it all the way home... if it didn't weigh 10kg. My first stop in Brisbane was Funky Fabrix and it did not disappoint! An amazing shop filled with all my favourite fabrics, I love it so much I'm off again for another stock up tomorrow. I have been very busily making stock for wholesale orders and for some fabulous new stockists which I am very excited about! My wonderful and very creative mum has been absolutely amazing, helping my navigate the Brissie streets, sourcing swivel bars and helping cut and sew.

My little world of brooches ready for the mail, lovely stripes and some delightful new fabric.

A custom brooch and one of my mum's beautiuful tea cups.

Tomorrow will bring another adventure filled day, of tea drinking, fabric searching, shopping, and plenty of laughing... and definately a whole lot more sewing! I just love being on holidays...

Make sure you head over to the wonderful Kristy to join in the fun and show of your own creative space.

Much love, fabric and buttons

xxx

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All Aboard!

So I have packed up my little studio and I am off to Brisbane for ten days for a little working holiday. I can't wait to spend some time with working on some new pieces and stocking up on supplies and of course seeing my wonderful family.

Packing up my little studio, buttons and all and a beautiful book about Shakespeare and Co.

I will be blogging my adventures from Brisbane and my little Etsy shop will be open and will be updated with some lovely new bits and pieces. I'm very much looking forward to visiting some lovely fabric stores and meandering through Paddington to the Antiques Centre. If you know of any fabulous places in Brisbane I should go to please leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you.

I must go catch my flight. Hope you having a wonderful Monday and I will be back tomorrow with tales from (hopefully) sunny Queensland.

Much love and adventures

xxx

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Shopping List Saturday..

My constant fascination with interesting and unusual characters in the world connects me to a beautiful and strange variety of places. From pirate ships, gypsy caravans, Victorian mansions and French castles to tree houses, mushroom rings and today's theme.. the circus. There is just something wonderfully inspiring and about history and tales behind the world of the circus. With wonderful and bizarre people around every corner and its rich colours, sights and sounds.. today I want to be under the big top.

1. The Midway Tote. by Beesnetta
2. Under the Big Top by charmedbeginnings
3. Around and Around 8x8 Metallic Photo by bomobob
4. Sideshow Earrings by PoleStar
5. Print - The Trapeze Twins by Roadside
6. Deux Acrobates by lizart

Take a moment to brew a fresh pot of tea and pop over to the fabulous Fancy Picnic to check out the other amazing Shopping Lists. The perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

I hope you are having a wonderful Saturday, doing something your absolutely love. The skies are grey and it is beautifully misty and overcast here, a part of me wants stay in and curl up with a book but instead I'm off to a writer's workshop, to mingle, giggle and write my heart out. We have an evening of readings coming up in July for the Mildura Writers' Festival so I will be busily working on a piece to read. I will be back later to share my adventures and some bit and pieces from my lovely new journal.

Much love and Circus fun!
xxx

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My Creative Space..

And so it is Thursday again and I'm very happy because tomorrow is the last day of term which can only mean one thing... much needed holidays! So it has been with much joy and a little bounce in every step that I pottered around my creative space this afternoon and tidied up a little so I could take a few snaps.

My little space this week is full of inspiration, correspondence, creations and everything in between.

A little cascade of brooches in the making.. There are little circles of felt and fabric all over the house. I just love sitting with a beautiful stash of fabric and finding wonderful images and patterns to cut out.

A little mixed media piece I've just finished called 'Henry's Tea Party' created using vintage fabric and pages from some beautiful old books.

My mailbox has also been dancing this week with the arrival of the fabulous book 'How to be an Explorer of the World' by the fabulous Keri Smith. Also in the mail this week was this beautiful vintage card from the lovely Sue from my favourite antique shop Rose Harvest.

Make sure you head over to the wonderful Kristy at Kootoyoo to join in the fun and show off your Creative Space.

Again the sun has set before I have finished my post so I'm off to get the fire going and settle in for the evening to sew brooch backs and buttons and finish the very last of my exam marking before work tomorrow. I hope everyone has had a lovely Thursday.

Much love and creative moments.
xxx

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I really really heart Frankie..

Every second month, during the last week on a Wednesday, I rush out of work early so that I can make it to the newsagent to buy my copy of Frankie Magazine. I have every copy in chronological order in my studio and it has been a constant source of inspiration through my creative process, I'm totally smitten. But today, the last Wednesday of the month was even more exciting than usual and I raced very fast in the middle of work down to the newsagent to buy my copy.. because this month my little brooches are in Frankie!

Click image to enlarge

There is my little 'I heart Mr. Darcy' brooch right next to one of my very favourite artists Catherine Campbell.. I'm just so delighted!!

I've also been asked to make some 'I heart Frankie' brooches for the Frankie girls so that everyone can share in the love. Because really... who doesn't just totally heart Frankie!

I'm off back to the sewing machine, so excited and full of ideas. I will be stocking my Etsy shop again in a few days and Georgie Love will be getting a whole new collection of my brooches next week, so keep an eye out. Back tomorrow with a very busy creative space. Happy Wednesday!

Much love
xxx

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Shop Update - New Brooches...

I have spent the weekend amongst yards of fabric and thread, in a little world all of my own, busily cutting and sewing creating a two new ongoing collections which I'm very excited about. Tonight is a little preview of many more to come over the next week.

My first collection of brooches is a little project I have been working for the past month, something that I truly heart... The Tea Bag Collection.

Inspired by my great grandmother's tea cup collection and created especially for those who heart tea these little brooches are hand embroided and the perfect tea loving accessory.

There are four little tea bag brooches in my Etsy shop at the moment with more joining the little collection later in the week.

Also in my little Etsy shop are some new I heart brooches, inspired by all the beautiful things I'm adoring this week.

This is the beginning of a new colourful collection that will include literary and travel inspiration as well as some very cute and quirky suggestions from a very dear friend. Keep an eye out through the week for more I heart brooches and some little petite brooches too.

After a busy little day I'm off to spend a relaxing evening with my hubby by the fire. I hope you have enjoyed a lovely weekend, I very much looking forward to my two weeks of holidays coming up on Friday. Plenty of time to catch up on all my favourite things!

Much love and brooches!
xxx

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Shopping List Saturday..

My ongoing love for typography and etymology has created the theme for this week's shopping list. Words and I were always meant to be, I think. We met one day perhaps through Beatrix Potter or was it Banjo Patterson and for that day on, we have never been apart. The Ampersand is my very favourite typographic character, its history rich with adventures and tales. The little character that means so very much.

1. And Per Se And - Colophons (typography) zine by artloaf

2. FLOCKED Ampersand Cushion by AuntyCookie
3. Ampersand Mini Tags by MaximumMess
4. Epershand Necklace by Isette
5. Petit Coterie Ampersand Burlap Pillow by PetitCoterie

I just adore all these Etsy delights and find myself very much needing each one of these beautiful creations to fill my world with tiny ampersands. Well I have just spent the morning hunting my little town for some lovely new fabrics, so now I'm off to begin creating. I will be back soon with some sneak peaks and a shop update tomorrow.

Take a moment to brew a fresh pot of tea and pop over to the fabulous Fancy Picnic to check out the other amazing Shopping Lists. The perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Much love and typography
xxx

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