the sunday project....

Happy first birthday, Coco!!....

2011-11-29T07:37:00.001+08:00

Project finished, and my little bunny loves it! Apparently, the best thing about having your own teepee, is walking in and out and in and out and in and out.... Coco turned one on Sunday. Apart from walking in and out of teepees, Coco's favourite things to do are turning pages of books and being generally cheeky.

I didn't use a pattern for the teepee, I just winged it. It turned out really well, though I'd make some changes if I were ever mad enough to make another one. Happy birthday, baby girl. :) xo

(Bunting made way back here).

Hello Herman Marie....

2011-11-17T08:04:00.001+08:00

How cool is this lil' yellow bear?!

It's a wood-cut piece by when skies are grey (creator of the brilliant mooks), and is available from her new etsy store, Herman Marie.

Stop the press!!....

2011-11-15T15:10:00.001+08:00

Well my, my, it would appear that I've started a project, the first serious one in over a year (the last one being Coco's bunting). Of course, by showing you that I've started something, I've probably jinxed it. Stay tuned!!

My bearded pigeon....

2011-10-26T11:31:00.005+08:00

Oh, my bearded pigeon, how lovely you are! I came across my bearded pigeon's blog today while blog chasing (you know - you're on a blog you know, you see an interesting comment, you check out their blogger profile, you see the list of blogs they read, one jumps out enough to click on it, and so on....).

I'm a sucker for maps. And anything mustard-yellow. I the one above is my favourite, but quite frankly there are SO many different ones (even more than shown below) that I can't be sure. You can buy them here.

Playing with logos....

2011-09-12T10:55:00.000+08:00

Thrifting (as the Americans say)....

2011-09-07T18:12:00.000+08:00

I found this cabinet at the Lion's Garage Sale which happens every second Saturday here in Margaret River. I spotted it across the room and RAN (towards it). Obviously it needed a bit of lurve, so I visited The Brick House to find Morgan's post on refreshing vintage wood (tried and tested before). First job was to put the drawers in the right order so that the veneer lines up and they close properly! I'm super happy with how it's turned out, but it's not quite finished yet. I'll show you the inside soon....

Oh, and it was all of $15. Shazam!!

Paper Blanket....

2011-08-26T13:52:00.004+08:00

Those of you who've been along for the sunday project ride since way back when, will know that I used to contribute to the Blanket Magazine blog, which was lots of fun. For those of you who don't know, Blanket is an online magazine which was first released in December 2006. The lovely editor, Bec Brown, has now finally seen her dream of a printed magazine come to fruition. Exciting times! I've just ordered my copy and can't wait to get my hands on it. You can get more information and order your copy here (limited edition of 500 so don't dilly-dally).

Good intent....

2011-08-25T19:49:00.001+08:00

Some time ago I posted a music video by Melbourne singer Kimbra (here it is). Now I know this blog isn't about music, but I just love her songs and her clips are so cool. So here's her new one. Enjoy. :)

Hello everyone....

2011-06-28T10:57:00.005+08:00

Anyone out there these days?.... I'm just popping in to say hello. You'll all be pleased to know I've been busy designing this and that, hatching plans, scratching my chin. Eventually I'll have something to share with you! In the meantime, Coco is growing up damn fast and keeping me on my toes. It turns out she's allergic to sleep. And to growing hair. :)

Me and Margaret....

2011-03-24T15:24:00.000+08:00

Quite some time ago I took these photos for a blue themed photography project. They're all taken in the town of Margaret River, in the south west corner of the country. The Margaret River region is known for it's wines and that's why we're here (Mr Stink is a winemaker). While we're still settling in (after what was a snap decision to move here!), so far we're enjoying the change that moving from the big smoke to a town of less than 5000 brings. I feel creativity brewing....

For Japan....

2011-03-17T14:11:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone. Just a quick post to let you know about a fund raising venture that Diem Chau is hosting. You may remember that I've written about Diem's amazing work before - her embroidered plates and carved crayons are amazing.

Now you have a chance of winning one of 2 family portraits (of up to 3 crayons) by buying a $10 raffle ticket, with all money being donated to the Japanese Red Cross. For all the details head on over to her blog.

Why, hello there....

2011-02-07T17:22:00.000+08:00

I don't know who to credit, sorry!

Gosh, how time flies! I can't believe how little Coco was in my last post! She's about to outgrow that cute yellow outfit. Oh it's true - they grow up so fast! She's entertaining us with lots of smiles and 'talking' these days, and I don't remember life without her. I really can not recommend motherhood highly enough. :)

But let's be honest, I've been so busy staring at Coco that I've neglected the sunday project. I won't make apologies because they would be insincere. But I will share some exciting news, possibly a tad prematurely. It looks like we're swapping this city life for the country and I couldn't be more excited! I'm hopeful that it will fuel some creativity and that I can sneak a bit of time to work on some ideas that are brewing. Stay tuned! But don't hold your breath - these things take time. Especially when it's me. :)

Welcome Coco Evie....

2010-12-13T15:29:00.000+08:00

We've been keeping her to ourselves for the past couple of weeks, but here she is! Little Coco was 2.79kg (that's 6lb. 2oz.) and is an angel. Her first angelic accomplishment was a perfect delivery - all over and done with in 2 (very intense but drug-free) hours. And you know what? The sleep deprivation isn't as bad as I was expecting. Yet....

Hello + goodbye....

2010-11-23T08:14:00.001+08:00

Little Me - Somewhere in Europe - October 1977

It seems I've been retreating from the world wide web (and people in the real world) as Pikelette's arrival draws closer. I thought I should make amends by saying hello to you all. Hello. :)

And also goodbye. With only 1 week until the estimated arrival (though of course she will have her own idea about when the time is right) there are no guarantees as to when I'll be back. I hear these newborns are somewhat time consuming.

So thank you to you all for visiting over the past few years. Special thanks for your comments which remind me that I'm not just writing to myself. And an even bigger thanks to those of you I've never met in person but feel like I have, thanks to the wonder of this funny little internet and the friendships it sprouts.

I'll miss you! But I'll be back. Sometime. :) xo

Meet Bill....

2010-11-05T17:04:00.001+08:00

You'd think he'd have cheered up after some lovely comments on an earlier post, but no. It's not his style.

I found Bill in an op-shop (thrift store, for the Americans reading) about 18 years ago (Holy shiznit! I can't believe it's that long!). Sure, I was way too old for teddy bears, but look at him! I thought he looked so sad that I couldn't bear to leave him there (hehe, pun intended).

Of course, he doesn't really look like he's cheered up over they years. I'm hoping he perks up when Pikelette comes along. Maybe he's been waiting all these years for a little girl of his own (and if that doesn't work, I'm tempted to stitch a happier face on him).

Have a great weekend!

Hang....

2010-10-29T14:00:00.001+08:00

And then there was bunting....

I'm quite sure it's illegal to decorate a nursery these days and not include bunting. And who am I to rock the boat?! I've made a couple of metres and have cut enough to make twice as much again. It's great to get back on the sewing machine - it's been a while!

Sew some more....

2010-10-28T20:34:00.002+08:00

Turn + press....

2010-10-27T12:23:00.001+08:00

Sew....

2010-10-26T12:51:00.002+08:00

Cut....

2010-10-25T18:20:00.003+08:00

Settle Down....

2010-10-23T08:18:00.003+08:00

Ok, it's not often (or ever) that I talk about music at the sunday project, but I am loving this song by Melbourne lady Kimbra. And the video is pretty sweet too. Plus, I dance kind of like Kimbra, and get a lot of laughs from my friends for it, so it's nice to see someone else pull it off (though with slightly more finesse and a kick-arse dress).

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Kimbra - Settle Down from Forum5 Recordings on Vimeo.

Nesting?....

2010-10-18T12:30:00.002+08:00

Well no, I don't think I am nesting yet, but I am trying to get some things done around the house before Pikelette arrives. One area in which we're lacking is bedroom storage, so I was super happy to find this fantastic dresser on ebay recently. It needed a bit of a clean up, so I followed these brilliant instructions from The Brick House (also seen on design*sponge) and I think it's come up a treat. Not having the same American products as recommended, I instead used a regular household cleaner (suitable for wood), delicious orange oil, and then some furniture wax.

Hmm, this photo makes me realise how stark the bedroom is without any art on the walls. Plus, I need to make proper curtains (and stop putting up with some fabric stapled up!).

And yes, that is a bear on the bed. Don't judge me!

Gumnut babies....

2010-09-27T09:47:00.000+08:00

Ok, don't panic - this blog isn't going to become all baby talk. But I had to share this beautiful beanie my mum knitted for Pikelette. She taught herself to circular knit (is that what it's called?) to do this which makes it even more impressive. It reminds me of the gumnut babies, Snugglepot & Cuddlepie, by May Gibbs. I'm sure Australians know what I'm talking about. How scary were those Banksia Men?!

Introducing Pikelette....

2010-09-14T12:45:00.000+08:00

Ok, so I may have failed to mention up until now the biggest project I've worked on since the inception of the sunday project. Of course, she's more of a personal collaboration between me and Mr Stink than a crafty pursuit! My photoshopping skills are pretty lame, but as Mr Stink is currently working in France (I know!!) I figured he might like to know his girls are thinking of him and waiting for him to return home - which we really hope is before Pikelette's arrival!!

Postcard for Jesse....

2010-09-08T13:02:00.001+08:00

Ok, so I shouldn't post this yet as it's still on the way to Jesse, but hey, maybe she won't look at my blog while it's in transit? Fingers crossed.

So Jesse printed a heap of postcards and invited anyone to do a swap. I love the rocket postcard she printed and sent to me, and as I still hadn't got around to making one for her, I decided to make something in response to her design. I used similar coloured card (packaging from some tomatoes) and traced the main veins of her rocket print. Then I recreated the print by making little holes in some thick paper and stitching the paper to the card at random places around the edge. Ta-dah!

Before + after....

2010-09-05T07:48:00.003+08:00

Well this has been a long time coming. I started this chair project almost 2 years ago and finally it's finished. Keep in mind that I moved countries during that time, and had to take the chair apart to get the wooden frame in boxes for shipping, and the metal seat was checked in as luggage on the plane. Not sure that was the most sensible approach, but anyhoo....

The image is of Pania of the Reef and I screen printed it using freezer paper. You can see some posts (and photos) on the progress here and here. I still think I could've done a better job with the print, mainly if I'd had some helping hands and a bigger screen. Having said that, I'm pretty harsh on myself and the general opinion of those who see it in person is that it rocks. I did all the sewing at the upholstery course I was doing at the time.

I didn't get a before shot before I started sanding back the wooden frame, but this should give you an idea what it looked like when I found it on the side of the road. The wood was much darker and coated in some sort of lacquer that had gone yellow and started to chip. I hate sanding but this piece was small enough that I stuck it out (unlike our dining table which Mr Stink took over restoring after it broke me - maybe that's a before and after for another time).

I hope you like it!

The kitchen gallery....

2010-08-25T12:03:00.003+08:00

Ok, so a shot from a little further back might've worked better, but never mind. I like putting together mini compositions around the house, and this is one of my favourites. It features the Big Breakfast teatowel (in awesome neon pink!) from Mr PS (slimline silver frame from Ikea), a Martin Poppelwell napkin from Esther Diamond (stretched on a canvas frame) and the plate by Mignon Khargie which I won at a plate a day for plate #200.

(Psst! - What do you think of the wider blog format? I'm not too sure about it myself but I'll see if it grows on me).

I don't want a pickle....

2010-08-14T20:56:00.005+08:00

So finally I've photographed the plate I was commissioned to make for friends to commemorate the birth of their son Arlo. What a great project! I was given a brief by the parents - please include motorbikes and pickles. This is in reference to an Arlo Guthrie song. It's a laugh - you should check it out.

This plate was made using the same technique as my "pleased to meet you" plates. It was nice to work in colour this time. I'm not sure that the above photo shows off how vibrant the colours are so I've included an enhanced image below. The truth probably lies somewhere in between.

I stayed with the hand drawn look, and my colouring in the wreath is intentionally messy. This was at first just to get a quick idea of colours, but i liked the look so decided to avoid keeping in the lines. 6 plates were made, mainly as gifts for grandparents.

This was really fun, and something I'd love to do more of. Perhaps I'll just have to start creating my own events to commemorate.

Market Lane & The Design Files....

2010-07-28T13:19:00.007+08:00

Ooh, don't you just love these white tiles? They've got me thinking about kitchen renovations (which is wildly ambitious considering we've spend about 2 months re-doing the master bedroom - not the fastest of workers).

Anyhoo, they're at Market Lane (in Prahran Market, Melbourne) and I have been fortunate enough to win a 3 month supply of coffee (delivered to my door mind you!) from the lovely people there!

How did I manage this, you might ask (jealously?). Well I spotted the competition while cruising a favourite site of mine. This favourite site is another one I've been meaning to share with you, though if you're in Australia I'm sure this won't be news to you. The Design Files is full of Australian design greatness, with a smattering of OS delights as well. I particularly like drooling over the Australian Homes section.

So I'm happy! Though it's Mr Stink who is happiest, as I'm currently banned from coffee. And all my favourite cheeses. And alcohol. Ho-hum.

Hello everyone....

2010-06-10T11:22:00.005+08:00

Did you miss me? Are you still out there?! I'm (slowly) returning to a more balanced existence, but it will be a while before the sunday project is back in full swing. Please be patient.

It won't be long until I can show off the commission I told you about (ages ago!). The final stage is under way and I'm crossing my fingers and toes that everything goes to plan. So far, I'm really happy with it.

But today I wanted to share with you the work of Diem Chau. I've shown you her embroidered plates before, and now I can't resist sharing her latest crayon commission for the FIFA World Cup which starts tomorrow! (Ok, so I'm just as excited about the World Cup as I am about the crayons).

Balloon dog....

2010-06-06T19:10:00.001+08:00

Struggleville....

2010-03-16T08:29:00.003+08:00

Yep, that's where I am. But you've probably figured that out for yourselves. With the day job commitments piling up, the sunday project is taking an official temporary hiatus. Don't worry, I'll be back next month once deadlines have been met and I regain some control over 'me' time. I have managed to start work on a really exciting commission which I can't wait to share with you once it's finished. I think you're going to love it. See you soon?

Rollerskate....

2010-02-08T10:00:00.001+08:00

Accordian....

2010-02-07T10:00:00.000+08:00

Grenade....

2010-02-06T10:00:00.000+08:00

Beaker....

2010-02-05T10:00:00.000+08:00

Radio....

2010-02-04T10:00:00.000+08:00

And now for some words!....

2010-02-03T10:25:00.003+08:00

Ok, so I've had a few emails asking what I'm up to with all these sketches. Truth is, I don't quite want to share with you yet - sorry! But they're part of an idea I've been working on (in my brain) for a while now. I think it's a good one. I hope you'll agree....

In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment on any that you particularly like (or any that you don't). All will be revealed in a week or so.... :D

Underpants....

2010-02-03T10:00:00.000+08:00

Poison....

2010-02-02T10:00:00.000+08:00

Telephone....

2010-02-01T10:00:00.001+08:00

Pegs....

2010-01-31T10:00:00.000+08:00

Diamond....

2010-01-30T12:20:00.002+08:00

Coffee....

2010-01-29T10:00:00.000+08:00

Cassette....

2010-01-28T10:00:00.000+08:00

Cheese....

2010-01-27T10:00:00.001+08:00

Tooth....

2010-01-26T18:44:00.000+08:00

Camera....

2010-01-25T23:41:00.005+08:00

Blooms....

2010-01-24T22:00:00.004+08:00

Our 4 metre tall cacti are putting on quite a show at the moment. :)

Blanket update....

2010-01-18T12:48:00.004+08:00

Those of you with your finger on the pulse will know that I'm a contributor to the Blanket Magazine blog. This year I'll be focusing on art with regular Monday posts. Come and say hi sometime!

Framed....

2010-01-14T12:34:00.005+08:00

I got around to framing my Sean Morris print on the weekend. I think it looks great! (and so does Talullah the donkey). Here's the tutorial:

find yucky old plastic "gold" frame at church fête
clean
spray with "heritage red" spray paint as per can's instructions
re-spray if required
insert kick-arse print.

Pretty easy, huh? :)

Origami love....

2010-01-13T23:41:00.002+08:00

Check out my super cool origami decoration! My friend Amanda made it (though claims her origami skills are lacking - whatever) and we did a swap for one of my brooches. Amanda's into tessellation origami - I took at look on flickr. This guy is amazing!

Forest of selfish lovers....

2010-01-08T14:44:00.005+08:00

I treated myself to a print by one of my favourite local artists this week. If you're a regular over at the blanket magazine blog, you might've seen my post about Sean Morris last year. He is one talented guy. I really wish I could draw like this.

I planned on showing this off once I framed it but I couldn't wait. Maybe I'll get it sorted on the weekend, so come back and take a look! Trust me - it'll be more exciting than it sounds.

In the meantime, if you'd like your own piece of Sean's work, you can buy it at bad hair mountain, and stay up to date with his news here.

A plate a day....

2010-01-07T09:25:00.000+08:00

Plate by Joelle Bellenot

Remember when I won the coveted 200th post over at A plate a day? Of course you do! Well, while I was gallivanting in New Zealand, the 300th post was up for grabs! Ok, so the plate above is #302, but I love it so much that I thought I'd share it (and it's my blog so I can do whatever I want). You can see the 300th post winner here.

Wasted time....

2010-01-06T12:11:00.005+08:00

Ooh, jealous? You should be. I won this print by the hugely talented Jordan Clarke thanks to a Forth Thread giveaway. The paper she's used is oh so lovely, and the fine detail is exquisite! If you'd like your very own piece by Jordan (for a more than reasonable price!) you can choose one from her etsy shop. Go on, you know you want to....

Excuses, excuses....

2010-01-05T13:11:00.000+08:00

Well here's an excuse (and a sob story) - my camera is broken! Ok, so this is not a photo of the actual broken camera (and I don't know who to credit it to), but they work the same in that they don't. This, in combination with my lack of doing anything creative to show off, is the reason for my tardiness on this blog. Get off my case, alright?!! I make no promises to change, lest I disappoint you. :)

Happy hot new year....

2010-01-04T10:35:00.006+08:00

Whoa, well I'm not sure what the weather is like where you are, but with the temperature hitting 40 degrees Celsius yesterday (that's 104 degrees Fahrenheit for you old school types), I'm almost relieved to be back in the air conditioned comfort of my office. Except for the work that needs to be done. Ho-hum.

I'm check in tomorrow with excuses for my lack of post of late - they'll be impressive! There might even be tales of dinosaurs. Or industrial espionage. Or love and betrayal. Whatever they are, I can assure you that I won't be at fault. :)

M e a d o w l a r k . . . .

2009-12-21T12:10:00.000+08:00

While in New Zealand, I came across the beautiful jewellery work of Meadowlark. Swoon! I'm currently trying to chose some charms for my bracelet but am finding it really tricky to narrow my selection down to an affordable number!! Meadowlark also have a blog with lots of lovely things, including behind the scenes posts such as the process of designing and making the beautiful Protea Ring above. Clever bunnies.

I'm back....

2009-12-16T16:52:00.006+08:00

Ok, so I didn't even tell you I was going anywhere. Things were so crazy before I left for New Zealand that I didn't have a chance to say goodbye. Forgive me? I promise to make it up to you with regular posts (as soon as I catch up on my blog reading!). How are you all?! :D xo

Shards....

2009-11-19T12:12:00.007+08:00

I'm leaving all the creativity to mum at the moment (see previous posts for whining about work commitments). She's currently undertaking a mosaic project and I took the opportunity to rummage through her collection of broken crockery. My favourite pieces are the ones with the manufacturer's stamps, so I thought I'd share one with you.

Lowercase el....

2009-11-12T07:26:00.006+08:00

While I'm busy working like crazy (that moment of relief was fleeting), I recommend you visit the new blog of the lovely Elly. She shares the pages of her beautiful visual diaries which she's been putting together pretty much since we met (and that means a couple of decades). I have swooned over these diaries many many many times, and am super chuffed that she's sharing them with you all.

(Psst! - Remember Elly's beautiful wedding earlier in the year?).

More dots?....

2009-11-03T08:01:00.005+08:00

Are the dot-themed posts wearing thin yet? Ok, so this is a bit of a stretch, but I've beaded the embroidery I've been working on and there's a certain dottiness about it. I'll show you the full piece when I'm done. I don't recommend the holding of breath.

(Psst! - the fabric is by Cicada Studio).

More dots....

2009-11-01T18:09:00.000+08:00

I went to a tasting of the Top 50 West Australian wines (according to the recent Qantas Wine Awards) last week. I'd like to say that I chose wines based on careful consideration of aroma, palate, hue, balance, body, finish, taste, texture, blah, blah, blah, but if I'm being honest, I check out the label design too. The labels of Harewood Estate caught my eye. The wines we tasted had a label similar to the one shown above, but without the rabbit. All those perfect dots!

The bonus is that the wine was great too (so much so that we're ordering a case), which surely vindicates my wine selection process? One of my dream jobs would be to design wine labels. My partner's a winemaker so it's not that far out of the realms of possibility, is it? You can see my very first label here.

Salut!

Dots....

2009-10-29T08:36:00.007+08:00

Well there may be no time for creativity in these parts, but I did find the time to catch up on some online reading. It was at Bloesem that I came across the image above. Love it! It's by Melanie Brument, a French ceramic and textile artist. You must check out her work on her blog (it helps if you understand French). I came across this image when I had a look:

That's my birthday! Ok, only if the French use dd.mm.yy like we do here. :)

Invisible....

2009-10-21T16:16:00.005+08:00

Well, I'm certainly invisible in blog-land these days. My apologies to those of you who wait with bated breath for me posts (anyone?). The previously-mentioned day job is taking over, but relief is in sight, though not for a week or so. Please come and visit again soon.

(Psst! - the above is the work of Chinese artist Liu Bolin, known as "the invisible man". Be sure to google him for lots of amazing photos and information).

Rest in Peace Aislinn....

2009-10-09T13:15:00.003+08:00

You may have seen my post last week about a fundraiser for Aislinn Andrews and her ongoing cancer treatment. I didn't know Aislinn personally, but it with huge sadness that I post now to share that she passed away on the day of the art action, one day shy of her 30th birthday.

My thoughts are with her family and friends. xo

A motley brew & catch 22....

2009-10-07T14:36:00.005+08:00

Hmm, I'm not sure what appeals to me more - the print or the pun? This letterpress print, "A Motley Brew", is available from Bespoke Press. It's by Grace Lee, illustrator for Inside Out magazine (new issue out today!). The catch 22? - the real reason I'm sharing this with you is to increase my chance of winning 10 limited edition prints! But sharing with you means you might enter which means I have less chance of winning. Damn it!

It's business time....

2009-10-06T16:21:00.003+08:00

(Now don't tell me you're not singing Flight of the Concords right about now). I've just finished a small business course and want to keep up the motivation to learn more (with the hope of one day finding time to dedicate to "alex sunday", the company). The lovely Bec, editor of blanket magazine, sent me a fantastic link to Australian Design Unit. Oh lordy! - so much top quality information! I'd tell you all about it, but if you're in the creative business, maybe you should just go and take a look for yourself.

Cicada Therapy....

2009-10-05T22:52:00.000+08:00

Remember when I won some fabric swatches from Cicada Studio about 6 months ago? Well they've turned out to be a godsend. As regular readers will be aware, my day job in the exciting world of mechanical engineering (please note sarcasm) is currently sapping all my time and energy. I needed to find something to help switch my brain off on the commute home so that I could leave it all behind. Embroidery to the rescue! I've stitched around almost all the circles so far. I've never done this before, and i'm not sure how good a job I'm doing (I think my stitches are too small), but the therapeutic side is working a treat! I'll keep you posted as I progress. Thanks Michelle!

FundrAislinn....

2009-09-29T09:04:00.004+08:00

Apologies for my infrequent posts of late. Things are hectic! Not with fun stuff unfortunately. But this is something I thought I should let you know about. This fundraiser will raise money for Aislinn Andrew's ongoing cancer treatment. You can find out more at the official site (and peruse the amazing high quality artwork up for auction) and learn a little more about Aislinn at her candid blog, The Young and the Breastless.

It's all about me....

2009-09-17T07:07:00.003+08:00

I've been thinking about my name a lot lately. Well, not my name, but my business name. What business? Well behind the scenes here at the sunday project, things are happening. Slowly sure, but they are happening. I'm doing a small business course and thinking about what I'd like the sunday project to become. It's exciting but also a little frustrating because the sunday project is a parttime thing that I think about fulltime. I just have to be patient (and so do you, I'm afraid). Stay tuned....

(Psst! - this cup - 95c from Ikea - has been drawn on using the ceramic pens I wrote about yesterday. The bacon pencil case in the background is made from the below-par panels printed for these cushions).

Anyone for teacups?....

2009-09-16T08:19:00.005+08:00

Teacup by Esther Coombs

Since starting the sunday project, I've found how much I love ceramics. It should come as no surprise - I'm a homewares addict. Alas, I'm not in a position to play around with decals at the moment, so to satisfy my desire to design I bought some ceramic pens. What fun! You just draw your design, wait 24 hours, then cook for 35 minutes in a 150 degrees Celsius oven. Easy! Oh, and the pens come in 2 thicknesses and 8 colours. I'm not really a talented enough drawer to do anything particularly interesting, which is why I'm showing off the work of Ester Coombes (here's her etsy shop)- love it!

More thanks....

2009-09-15T08:32:00.002+08:00

Another lucky win for me! Last week, to celebrate the arrival of spring here in the southern hemisphere, Pigeonhole gave away 10 flower necklaces. And one came to me! I'm not the girliest-girl and would never think to buy something like this (and would never think to go for peachy-pink), but maybe that's why I love it so much. I had planned to model it myself, but got camera shy. Look for me strutting around town wearing it though. Thanks Pigeonhole!

Thank you....

2009-09-14T08:16:00.003+08:00

You might recall that last month my plates were chosen as the 200th post on a plate a day. My prize was the beautiful plate above, handmade and painted by Mignon Khargie, the site's curator. It is even more amazing than I expected (and this photo really doesn't do it justice). Thanks Mignon!

United Steaks of America....

2009-09-10T15:05:00.006+08:00

Ha ha, given my well documented fascination with meat (gosh, i'm a horrid vegetarian), I just had to share this with you. Found at swissmiss.

Postnote: This is the work of photographer Dominic Episcopo (is that not THE coolest surname?!). I've been perusing his website and blog - what a talent! I love the boxing photos he took for Everlast. And his still lifes are superb.

Lovelyprettycheerythings....

2009-09-09T13:45:00.004+08:00

You know how you come across blogs every now and then and you feel like you'd happily share a pot of tea (or bottle of tequila) with the blogger? (The last time it happened to me was here). Well, that's how I feel about lovelyprettycheerythings. Nicola writes like I think (and what's not to love about that?!). And she finds some lovelyprettycheerythings to share with us all. Ooh, and she does magical things with beautiful flowers here. What a clever girl.

Birds & the bees....

2009-09-07T08:33:00.006+08:00

Wow, I am really slipping behind in the Amerlie & Atticus Photo Challenge. Not to worry, I think I need to just take part when I can. These photos are for last month's Birds & the Bees theme. Does the style look familiar? They're a tribute to the beautiful animal portraits by Sharon Montrose! I couldn't stop at birds, so here are a few four legged friends too. Have a great week!

Superheroes & Villains!....

2009-08-27T07:59:00.007+08:00

Ok, so I'm running behind on my Amelie & Atticus Photo Challenge. Forgive me! The day-job is TAKING OVER MY LIFE. No time for reading my favourite blogs even! So I'm very far behind on what all of you are up to "out there". Anyhoo, back to matters at hand....

These shots are for the Superheroes & Villains theme. Now I'm not particularly knowledgeable on the subject, so had to scout out a suitable model. I could not have hoped for a more compliant one! Stay tuned - I might manage to catch up on the rest of this months challenges on the weekend....

Consume!....

2009-08-13T12:29:00.004+08:00

Cover artwork by Adam Nickel.

Oh my! I'm way too busy at the day-job to do anything even remotely creative, so it's good news that the latest issue of blanket magazine is here! This way, I can at least read about creative people and aspire to one day join their ranks. Of course, I'm sturggling to find the time to read it, but I can at least look at the pretty pictures. Get yours here.

Black & white....

2009-08-08T18:37:00.001+08:00

This month's theme for the Amelie & Atticus Photo Challenge is 'Couplings', with the first week being black & white. As I don't allow any photshopping of my images for this challenge, I've tried to take colour photos which look like they could be b&w photos (does that make sense?). I think I've pulled it off - when you look at my photos with the rest of the uploads on flickr, some of which are definitely coverted to black & white, I think they fit in pretty well (though I'm not convinced they work as a foursome).

Are there no original ideas?....

2009-08-06T12:33:00.013+08:00

Ok, that's a bit dramatic perhaps. It stems from 2 things I've found online today. Firstly, via a bit of a blog link journey, I came across this story of plagiarism to the extreme. An amazing Chicago-based artist Lauren Nassef (that's her drawing, above) has been blatently copied by a UK textile artist. This was not a case of one artist being inspired by another, but of a person stealing designs in such a calculated manner. Read the first link to see examples. It's shocking and indisputable. And also very sad.

I moved on to the black apple, a blog I visit every few months. There I found some adorable alphabet prints. The conundrum? I've been working on something so very similar for the past 3 months! I know the 2 situations don't compare as I certainly didn't see the black apple's designs until today, but it made me feel a little bit unoriginal. I think I'll keep working on my alphabet, as I'd like to see it through (plus, there's a bit of a twist). Ho-hum.

**postnote: It appears Lauren Nassef isn't the only victim. For a follow-up, see this post at Book By Its Cover**

Happy birthday to me....

2009-08-06T08:53:00.005+08:00

Yesterday was my birthday and the lovely Mr Stink took me out for tapas at the new Andaluz tapas bar in the city last night. Oh my, how delicious! It's great that Perth is finally getting some kickass little bars to stop us all from moving to Melbourne. Thanks babe! xx

One spoon or two....

2009-08-04T19:56:00.002+08:00

I bought some lovely sugarbowls recently. 60, to be exact. They are so creamy and smooth and I just couldn't resist! But don't worry - I haven't lost the plot. They're for my new ceramic decal designs which I've been toiling away at when I find the time.

I've got 3 different design ideas on the go at the moment, and all will be done (in due course) using the same technique I used for these.

I'll show off the first design idea later this week. I hope you like it. :)

Something to remember....

2009-08-03T12:08:00.005+08:00

take off your clothes via design for mankind

I read a lot of blogs. I love following people through their creative pursuits to get an understanding of the process. The blogs I read are generally of people who do their creative stuff for a living full time and that's where the problem starts. I work full time at a completely uncreative job (career, even) and when I read all this inspiring stuff, I forget that these people don't have to squeeze in what they do between 50 hours a week of uninspiring stuff. So this post is just a reminder to me (and maybe to you?) not to be too hard on myself when I don't accomplish as much as I would like to for the sunday project. And to perhaps be more realistic about what I can (and can't) achieve.

It's also a good time to reflect on what the sunday project means to me, and with that in mind I'm trying to address that pesky work-life-sundayproject balance which is pretty off skew these days. I've got some exciting things coming up this month which will hopefully help me change my focus a little. Fingers crossed.

Green (finally)....

2009-08-02T21:02:00.005+08:00

I really struggled with green for the Amelie & Atticus Photo Challenge. I tried to photograph the winter landscape but I just couldn't do it justice. I tried plants on sand dunes - no good. In the end I folded some green paper and worked with that. I still don't love the results (partly because the green is so yellow) but it's time to move on to the next challenge! Be sure to take a look at all the July photos on flickr, especially those of ernie.louise who is this month's winner.

Still blue....

2009-07-29T23:16:00.004+08:00

James Poggin 1991-2009

On the weekend, our beloved Jimmy passed away. He was heading towards his 18th birthday but somehow we still weren't ready for it. He will be so hugely missed. I'm so glad that we've had some fun in the past 6 months, and took him to the beach just last weekend. He even managed to enjoy a pig's ear (a favoured treat) the day before he died.

You might remember that Jimmy did a brilliant job of selecting my giveaway winner earlier this year. I thought I'd take this opportunity to remember a few Jimmy stories so I can come back and read them whenever I feel sad. Grab a cuppa - this is going to be long.

Jimmy was originally my step-sister's dog and that's where he was ruined. From day one, he slept on her bed and ate whatever he liked. He never took to being disciplined, and nor did anyone put much effort into it. I think he may have attended puppy school but I'm sure that's just where he learned about snacks.

Over the years, with the comings and goings of family members (we tend to move countries as often as most people move houses) Jimmy came under the watchful eye of our parents. I think they attempted to set down some ground rules, but Jimmy was a good manipulator (far more cunning than he often appeared).

When he moved in with me about 10 years ago he was still carrying on like a puppy (in fact, that only changed in the last year). The day he moved in, he came barrelling down the hallway, pissed on the kitchen doorway, then ran outside and jumped into the pond. He always loved the water (and a few weeks later, when the neighbours installed a pond, he broke into their yard for a swim).

He was a bit of an escape artist, and for a while was escaping daily though we couldn't work out how. It turns out he was getting over the back fence (using a pile of wood as a ramp) where he would eat the food of the 3-legged dog living there before kicking the dog out of it's doghouse so he could have a nap and some shelter from the rain. Too rude! Especially considering he had food and shelter at home! We put a stop to that as soon as we figured out how he was escaping - thankfully the owner of the little 3-legged dog was quite forgiving (but did take our phone number in case it happened again).

Jimmy returned from one of these unsolicited trips one day with a bag of minced meat. We can only assume someone had left it on a windowsill to thaw and he just couldn't resist (thought I doubt he tried very hard to).

His most famous escape was a few years earlier when he was living in Kalgoorlie with our parents. He went missing for a few days. There were tears as we thought he'd gone forever, lost to the bush. He returned one morning, and mum heard him bark. She ran out excitedly and gave him a hug - only to find (too late) that he was covered in shit. The 2 of them had to be hosed down outside. Rolling in stinky stuff was another of Jimmy's favourite pasttimes.

About 8-10 years ago, 2 of my closest friends got puppies and Jimmy became their teacher. Jimmy's can-do attitude taught his little friend Olive not to be afraid of the park and how to roll in stinky stuff (the 2 of them found a rotting bird to roll in when Olive was just a tiny thing, and they proudly came to show us - it took days to wash that stink out). Jimmy was like a dad to little Edie, with the 2 of them sharing a house in Edie's first year. If anything, this rekindled Jimmy's love for chewing on squeaky puppy toys, though not his ability to share them.

His internal clock was impeccable - dinner was at 5pm and his reminder was a single bark. He even adjusted for daylight savings. He also knew that breakfast brought snacks, and if we hit snooze too many times, he'd bark at us to GET UP!

As Jimmy hit his teens, we'd say things like "this will be his last Christmas" but he kept proving us wrong. I think his recent years in tropical New Caledonia worked wonders for his aging joints, and the laidback lifestyle suited him just fine. His eyes had started to fail him by then, and it was a relief that mum had retired so she could become his guide. He spent his last few years following her like a shadow. But please don't think he was a frail old man! He still enjoyed "rough games" and racing into the water at the beach.

Suddenly, he was an old man. He had fatty lumps, a dodgy shoulder, horrid breath, cataracts. He wasn't exactly the adorable puppy he had once been, but he was still so beautiful and I would certainly put up with his breath for a cuddle. And the important thing is that he was happy right to the end. When his time came, it was thankfully swift and peaceful.

I'm going to miss him so much and don't know that I'll ever meet another dog like him. I doubt it - he was one of a kind. xx

Blue....

2009-07-27T20:55:00.003+08:00

Better late than never, right? Blue photos for the A&A Challenge. Green photos in the next couple of days, then I promise I'll stick to the schedule! You can see all the submissions here.

Wasabi Wagyu anyone?....

2009-07-23T10:17:00.003+08:00

A chip company here in Australia is running a competition to find a new chip flavour. Mr Stink came up with Wasabi Wagyu so I thought I'd whip up an entry and submit it. I'm not really convinced that it's a winner, but I do think it's funny. My photoshop skills are very amateur, but I managed to turn a photo I took in New Zealand into a green cow, so I'm learning.

This week has flown by and suddenly I'm off on a mini-break tonight! We're heading to wine country, so I anticipate a few days of wine and cheese and warming fires. It means you'll have to wait until next week to see my new designs. Plus I still haven't posted my blue photos for the A&A Challenge, so you can expect the blues and the greens when I return on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

In shock....

2009-07-22T08:40:00.005+08:00

You may recall that I recently wrote about a competition being hosted on a plate a day to find the 200th plate for the blog. Imagine my surprise when I found my plates have been chosen! I'm still a bit overwhelmed, as there were some brilliant entries, all of which will make an appearance on the blog in the coming weeks. A big thank you to judge Karen Templer for appreciating my sense of humour, and to painted fish studio for nominating me. I'm so looking forward to receiving my prize! Must sit down, feeling giddy. :D

Blue delay....

2009-07-21T23:36:00.001+08:00

So I'm not quite ready to post my blue photos for the Amelie & Atticus Challenge. I'm just not happy with what I've done, so give me a day or 2. Ok? :)

Hoorah!....

2009-07-20T12:40:00.007+08:00

For the first time in a very long time, the sunday project had a constructive weekend! The extremely wet weather meant I couldn't be distracted as easily as I usually am, and as a result I accomplished things I've had on my "to do" list for a very long time. Having said that, I'm not going to show you any of them today (what a tease!).

Instead I'd like to share the sketchbook of Alex Eben Meyer which was a feature over at Design*Sponge last week. I love his style and wish I could draw like this. I need a LOT more practice.

I'll be back during the week to show you what I've been working on....

Red....

2009-07-14T23:50:00.005+08:00

Ok, so I'm a little late posting my photos for the Amelie & Atticus Challenge - it's turning out to be one of those weeks. Forgive me.

This week's colour was red (obviously) and I thought I'd stick with a theme - fire hydrants (again, kind of obvious). I pass plenty of hydrants on my way to the office every morning so finding them wasn't a problem, and it was a good exercise in overcoming the embarassment of taking photos of odd things amidst peak-hour foot-traffic in the city.

I've imposed some rules of my own on the A&A Challenge. Namely, all images must be in portrait orientation and no cropping or adjustment is permitted. It means I have to put more thought into the composition when I'm taking photos which can only be a good thing. You can see what the rest of the challengers submitted here.

(P.S. Don't blame me if your dog pees on your computer).

One little studio....

2009-07-10T12:51:00.004+08:00

I'm taking part in some reciprocal blog love today. I was super chuffed when Kylie over at one little studio wrote about the sunday project on her blog today. I've been meaning to do a post about Kylie's blog for a while but was just waiting for her posts to be a little more frequent! Kylie is a freelance graphic designer/illustrator and Sarah Blasko lover. At the moment she's showcasing lots of beautiful finds, but I'm looking forward to her showing off some more of her own brilliant work. I bet you all are too....

i heart diem chau....

2009-07-09T12:24:00.006+08:00

For me, last week's exposé of ceramics just wasn't enough - I missed out so many people I admire! So I'm back with another one. This plate is the work of Diem Chau. Isn't it brilliant?! It appears to be an embroidered plate. I've figured out how it's done, but won't spoil the illusion. She also has a blog and a great flickr set of her art. You MUST go and take a look at her carved crayons! Go on!

Blanket update....

2009-07-08T13:36:00.003+08:00

As you may know, I'm a contributor over at the blanket magazine blog. It's a great outlet for me to share some of the cool stuff I find on the net and around town - but you know that because you read all my posts! I thought I'd give you a couple of updates - firstly, you can now subscribe to the magazine for $12USD per year (what a frickin' bargain!), and you have one more week to get your submission in for inclusion in the next issue. Go for it!

Yellow....

2009-07-07T12:16:00.006+08:00

I was doing my usual rounds of blogs and sites last week when I came across something on the wonderful Frankie site. Amelie and Atticus is a blog running a year long challenge which started on the 1st of July. To copy+paste out of sheer laziness: "Each week there will be a challenge to take 4 photos and create 1 craft project in response to a given theme". This month's theme is colour, and the first week's colour is yellow. Things are just getting started, but you'll be able to check out the photos here.

For this week's challenge, I wanted to have a play with blur. I've noticed that I've been admiring blurry photos lately, so I thought I'd take some of my own. Check them out on flickr if you're wondering what they are....

How timely....

2009-07-06T12:19:00.002+08:00

Thanks to a twittering Skinny laMinx, I now know about A plate a day. The blog is hosting a contest for post #200. You just need to comment with a url to your favourite plate and you could win the beautiful plate above in return. Obviously the problem is picking a favourite plate. I know you'll all pick one of my plates, but what will I pick!! :P

I heart trixie delicious....

2009-07-03T12:34:00.005+08:00

I love these plates. They make me laugh. Each one is a vintage handpainted plate, so you know it's unique. Trixie is based in New Zealand and when I was living there I often saw her work at markets and regret not buying myself a piece. Not to worry - I'll be back there at the end of the year so will track something down for my new kitchen. Besides, if Trixie's work is good enough for Meg White of The White Stripes, then it's good enough for me.

I heart karin & camilla....

2009-07-02T23:21:00.002+08:00

Further to my last ceramic-love post, I bring you the work of Karin Eriksson, and more specifically her collaboration with Camilla of Studio Violet. These works are from their show last year, and they're currently working on their next show which will be held at manos (in Solna, Sweden) next month. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with (online only unfortunately). Karin is also the brains behind manos. Impressive.

I heart studio violet....

2009-07-01T10:41:00.007+08:00

Now I'm not into cutesy design, but I love the ceramics by Studio Violet. They are so lovely! Again, hard to limit myself to showing off just a few photos, so be sure to take a look at their site for more lovely shots.

Studio Violet use the same technique that I used for creating my plates, so I'm interested from that perspective also. And I love the colours they choose.

(Studio Violet are Camilla Engman and Elizabth Dunker, who both have great blogs too).