The Holiday Season is Sneaking Up…
…& I’m not very organised so far. I’ve learned from experience that if you don’t have your inventory & marketing plans for the holiday season well under way by mid-year, it’s time to start panicking. Am I the only one who’s always disorganised & having a nervous breakdown by October? Anyway…here’s a sneak peak at one of my new pieces that will be stocked in my shop for the holidays, & I have a couple of new gocco prints underway, as well as some small-format originals. Aaaaand somewhere within the next couple of months, I’ll be moving house too. I hope I get everything finished!!!
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A Big Dose o’ Cute
A friend of mine is lucky enough to own a lovely little farm in the hills, with alpacas & sheep & goats. He took this photo last weekend on a gloriously sunny winter’s day…
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You Win Some, You Lose Some…
Packaging design I did last year that, for one reason or another, didn’t get to see the light of day. Here’s your chance, little illustration, bask in the sunshiny glory of blog exposure!
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Remember Me?
It’s been a long time between drinks, as they say…about 5 months in fact. I’ve been cloistered away for so long, working on design projects, that I feel like I’ve dropped off the face of the earth as an artist & that Magic Jelly has faded into obscurity. Possibly, biannual blog posts aren’t helping my cause!
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It’s the Little Things…
Way back in ’07 I blogged about my childhood tin of plastic treasures that I called my Little Things Box. I had an old toffee tin crammed with tiny trinkets that I treasured & traded – much like the tin Amelie finds. I still collect little toys & keep them in vintage cigar boxes.
Imagine my surprise & pleasure to be approached last year by the beautiful Chinese magazine Little Thing to do an interview for their section called Little Paper Magic in the very first issue. They kindly sent me a copy late last year, & I’ve only just taken a few pics to show you – particularly timely because the theme of this post is all things tiny…
Giveaway Time!
I’m holding a little giveaway of the collages on canvas you see above. They’re seriously small – about 2.25 x 3.25″ each & come with their own miniature easels.
If you’d like to win the collage on the right, featuring my little illustration of a Death’s Head Moth, all you have to do is be a subscriber to my Mailing List – I’ll be drawing a name randomly – & to win the collage on the left, featuring Li’l Mary, puffin’ on a giant stogie, I have devised a little contest…
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Long Time No Blog!
Hello Strangers! I can’t believe I haven’t posted since last September! Wow, that time went fast… Dang it, I missed the holidays & the new year…
I think I needed a Blog Break. Any of you who are also independent artists or crafters know how overwhelming it can be, not only making your products, but handling all your own marketing & promotions, answering emails, taking care of admin duties, etc. It’s never-ending! Not that I’m complaining, I’d much rather be busy than sitting around twiddling my thumbs, but sometimes it’s just necessary to take a holiday, even if it’s just a break from blogging or emailing or shipping, or even from making stuff.
I’ve temporarily closed my Etsy shop while I concentrate on a B.I.G. project that’s taking way longer than I’d hoped. But it’s very exciting & I can’t wait to tell you all about it! Stay tuned…
Art Fights Fire
Mosey on over to the Kaotic Kraft Kuties blog & read all about a fab fundraiser for the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal. There’s amazing art being raffled – including my modest li’l contribution above, which is a collage on wood panel – & the draw is being held at the Outré Gallery in Melbourne on the 25th of February. There’s still time to buy a raffle ticket – it’s such a worthy cause!
The Bushfire Appeal shop on Etsy has been going like gangbusters too. I donated a few things myself, which have now sold, but the shop is still very well stocked with goodies generously donated by wonderful Etsy sellers. So far the shop has raised an incredible $13,500! It’s truly heartwarming to witness the generosity of the people who’ve organised this fundraiser, & all those who’ve donated & bought. So if you’re in the market for something unique & wonderful, & would like to support a very worthy & needy cause, go buy something!
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We Have a Winner!
Thank you to everyone who participated in my Favourite Shoes print giveaway – what a response! I had so much fun reading everyone’s shoe stories. Stories of love & loss…hope & regret…disappointment & serendipity…
How come shoes evoke such bittersweetness? We hang so much significance on our shoes don’t we? They come to represent phases of our lives & carry such strong memories.
Anyway, enough rambling… Drum roll please…
The winner of the Favourite Shoes giveaway is Johanna of Good Girls Studio whose dire tale of disintegrated Dr. Scholl’s combined the perfect blend of tragedy & comedy. I totally identified!
I gave away a second Favourite Shoes print to one of my Mailing List subscribers in a random draw. The name I pulled from the Purple Velvet Fedora was Natalie of Naked Tile.
Congratulations girls – I hope you like your prints!
Thanks again to everyone for your wonderful, poignant shoe stories! This was such a fun contest, I’ll make sure to have another one soon!
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Print Giveaway – Tell Me About Your Shoes!
I was so happy with the Favourite Shoes print that I made another edition in my favourite colour combo du jour – red & pale blue – & it’s now for sale in my Etsy shop.
It’s difficult to decide which edition I like best, but I’m really in love with the card stock I used this time, it’s a lovely eggshell colour with little red & blue flecks, & looks just like a speckly bird’s egg. It suits the print so well!
Anyway, I thought I’d have a little contest & give away a print. All you have to do is post a comment here in my blog giving an anecdote, or description, or even a link to a photo or artwork about your favourite shoes.
I don’t really feel a burning need to win one of my own prints, but I thought I’d get the ball rolling with my own shoe story…
I remember walking down King William Street (main street through the centre of Adelaide) with my mum when I was about three or four years old. I know it was near my birthday (in October) because it was mild, late-spring weather. It was a balmy & rainy late afternoon that grew so dark the street lights came on & they reflected in the wet roads & pavements, which reminded me of a poem I had a particular love for at the time (click the image to the right).
I was wearing my favourite outfit – a purple & magenta paisley silk smock dress with swirly brass buttons (I’m talking 1971…my mum always dressed me in these ultra-short dresses, this one was no exception), little white ankle socks, & shiny black patent mary-janes. I loved those shoes. They had buttons instead of buckles – just like my Favourite Shoes print (which is based on a pair of shoes I own now).
I remember walking along the shimmery, rainy street (the acoustics change when it rains like that – the traffic was all echoey) holding my mum’s hand, & in the other, clutching a brand new colouring book & box of crayons she’d just bought me. Penny Lane by The Beatles wafted from a shop doorway.
It was just one of those perfect happy moments. I loved my shoes, I loved the day & my new colouring book, & I loved my mum. :)
