23
JUL
teacup ballet
OH! Hi. Yes, I'm feeling a little sheepish. I haven't forgotten you, how could I? It's just, you know, life and stuff getting in the way of my sitting down here and having a good natter. But life is good, very good. My little munchkin Erika is filling my days with love and laughter and chubby-bubby cuddles. And at night I've been doing a little bit of freelance work, which I have been REALLY enjoying. It's a little exercise for my brain, working that creative muscle...
04
JUN
the month of may
You know, I really could start every post with "I have been sooo busy!"... but that would get a bit boring. But geez, it's true! Apart from raising my wee lil' one, I've been designing a new blog and a new resume/portfolio website for myself, a new website for a friend (can't wait to reveal that one to you, it's looking fab), and a new website for hubby's business...
04
MAR
society6 love
Hey y'all, have you heard of Society6? One of the lovely gals I follow on Instagram has gotten me on to it, and it's brilliant! Independent designers / artists / illustrators / photographers can upload their artwork to the site (whilst maintaining copyright) and others browse and can purchase as canvases, prints, t-shirts and even iPhone cases!...
02
MAR
casetagram
Just in case you were thinking the Instagram obsession couldn't get any worse, along comes 'Casetagram' — a clever webpage can turn your fave Instagram pics into an iPhone case for just US$34.95 (they ship worldwide!). Brilliant! The only hard part is choosing a design and selecting which pics to include...
20
FEB
thank you, thank you
I just realised that I never got around to showing you the little thank you I made to send to family and friends upon Erika's arrival. I had neither the brain capacity nor the time to come up with a new concept, so used the same elements I designed for my niece Lucy's
20
JAN
instagram filter photoshop action
So you know about my Instagram obsession, yes? And how the app has some groovy filters to apply to your photos, yes? Well, a warm vintage filter is really trendy these days, and I was hoping to apply something similar to my high resolution images in Photoshop. I found some actions online,...
19
JAN
summer social media addiction
I have a new obsession (besides the obvious — my beautiful bubba) : social media. During late night or early morning feeds, I don't want to disrupt the silence with the telly, so to stave off boredom I indulge in Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and my fave, Instagram. Have you heard of it?...
18
NOV
lovely gifts
Little Erika received such wonderful gifts from friends and family on her arrival. Check out this amazing bunch of flowers from the lovely ladies at work. Does anyone know what this flower is called? It's stunning!
04
NOV
garden fairies
I had a backyard makeover team (aka Mum and Dad) here this week. They weeded, planted, trimmed, mulched and fertilised. And I made cups of tea and cheese and bikkie platters. What a difference their work has made! I'm looking forward to my new plants maturing in the spring sunshine, and enjoying the space with the little one...
03
NOV
sunday magazine + mossimo
Did you happen to catch the October 16 issue of Sunday Magazine in The Sunday Herald Sun? If so, you may have seen some of my handiwork! And now for a little horn tootin'! We provided Lauren and the Sunday Magazine team with a very open creative brief for a Mossimo’s 25th Birthday campaign 5 page feature...
31
OCT
fab frogs
Have I mentioned my clever mate Linda before? If not, how remiss of me! Linda was a fellow designer at work until she retired nine(ish) months ago. I really miss her knitting advice and cookie baking! But, she's gone on to bigger and better things — producing a range of awesome little resin chocolate frog brooches, among other things!...
24
OCT
are you in the loop?
Have you heard of The Loop? It’s kind of the creative world’s version of LinkedIn (if you’re not on LinkedIn either, then what are you doing??). You can sign up (for free), create a profile, resume and portfolio of work, network with peeps in your industry, search for jobs and potentially get headhunted. It covers a broad range of roles and...
21
OCT
amber whelan design
A mate of mine from high school has recently launched an Interior Design consultancy business — and I couldn't be more proud! She's put together a little website with some gorgeous pics of her work (and a stunning photo of herself!), as well as a beautifully worded philosophy and description of her services. Check it out at amberwhelan.com...
28
SEP
baby shower
Last Sunday my gorgeous mum and sister hosted a beautiful baby shower for George and I, surrounded by all the lovely ladies in my life (with a few notable exceptions). There were delicious finger sandwiches, sausage rolls, mini quiches and sweet treats as far as the eye could see. I put in my two bob and made the Lamington...
19
SEP
monday morning chuckle…
I spied this on my way into work this morning and it really made me giggle (I whipped out my phone to take a snap quick smart) — a new spin on the ol' "wash me" tag. I love a little graffiti with a sense of humour. It's such a beautiful spring day today, I hope y'all get a chance to get out at lunchtime and enjoy the weather...
15
SEP
vogue living shoot
In June I had the good fortune of tagging along with Melbourne Vogue Living editor, Annemarie Kiely, to a photo shoot in Melbourne's east. Keen to learn some more tricks of the interior photography trade, I pestered Annemarie until a suitable job came up. The house was amazing, the host oh-so-gracious, and the end result...
01
SEP
spring has sprouted
Wishing you happy spring days, sunshine.
26
AUG
live below the line
My awe-inspiring mate Eli is 'living below the line' in an attempt to raise money and awareness for those in poverty. With a measly budget of just NZ$2.25 per day, she's been very creative with her meals and very creatively writing short poems about her food journey. Here are some of my favourites (I can't go past the limericks)...
17
AUG
baby shower invitation
With an ever-growing belly (and my sister's persistent nagging), I thought it was about time I designed my baby shower invitations. I can't believe how quickly time is flying — George is almost 30 weeks! No mistaking my baby bump for an overly indulgent lunch now. As much as I love it, I really do wish I could get some SLEEP....
08
JUN
i know i’m biased, but…
...everyone else I've spoken to agrees with me: this little munchkin is as cute as a button. Above is the thank-you card I made for my sister to send to her lovely friends and extended family. Lucy was about 8-9 weeks old at the time this photo was taken — I can't believe she's already almost three months old. When I see her I want to kiss...
04
MAY
disassembled typewriter
I love this poster by artist Todd McLellan, partly because I think he's a little bit obsessive compulsive crazy... which I can relate to. And I love his description too: "In my series Disassembly, I photographed old items that are no longer used by the masses and often found on the street curbs heading for disposal. All of the pieces...
23
APR
temporary gallery
I'm on Temporary Gallery! What is Temporary Gallery, you ask? Weeelll, I'll let them describe themselves... "Temporary Gallery is an innovative online social news platform for visual and performing artists, art lovers, related industries and venues. Temporary Gallery is a space for creatives to showcase their work, submit...
31
MAR
visit victoria — march 2011
Okay, so I promised to share this with you in a timely manner... well, March kind of got away from me. But here 'tis — you can still enjoy perusing the events of April and May! My favourite jaunt in autumn? Daylesford. Hubby and I will definitely be doing a little weekend away sometime soon, when the leaves start to turn and...
25
MAR
internet rant
Ooh, I love a passionate internet rant (and a flow-chart, for that matter). Unfortunately, because of the face-less nature of the 'net, it can so easily go off the rails. I was perusing a forum the other day, whereby a mediator had to step in and scald the name-callers like children. He all but said 'kids, if you have nothing nice to say...".
20
MAR
soft launch!
Hello beautiful peeps, Welcome to the new For the Love of George site! This is our tentative "soft launch", as there are still many features and bits and bobs that are yet to be sorted... but I was getting too antsy to wait any longer — I was missin' y'all too much! Pretty please, have a look around, and if you notice any bugs,...
27
JAN
shake your tailfeather
Do you remember a little while back I was telling you about my talented mates Natalia and Scottie? Well, this is what they’ve been up to: Tailfeather. Nat and Scottie individually handcraft the highest quality leather and textile pieces in their Tallarook studio, 100km’s north of Melbourne. I am so proud of them for creating items that are so...
09
JAN
i just learnt something new*
Well, not entirely new — I have long been aware of the existence of ISO, because my first SLR camera was film, but it kinda never occurred to me to consider it when using my digital SLR. After coming back from our beautiful Healesville Sanctuary trip the other day, I loaded my photos into iPhoto, and was disappointed with the noise in...
06
JAN
may the force (of typography) be with you
Ok, confession: I am a Star Wars nerd. I grew up in the 1980s with an older brother whom I worshipped, it was a little hard not to be. Combine that with my love of typography, and what's on the top of my wish-list? These friggin’ awesome posters, that’s what! Check out Abduzeedo for more info. PS. Don’t get me started on the changes George Lucas...
04
JAN
mixed martial arts + crafts
Of course you know by now: I love martial arts. I love crafts. Well, some jolly clever fellow combined the two to create the world’s most awesome t-shirt (damn, I wish it was me — why didn’t I think of that?). A very thoughtful friend, who clearly knows me very well, bought me this great tee last Chrissy, and I love it. You can get yours here...
03
JAN
get kickstarted
This is such a brilliant concept — well actually, two brilliant concepts. Firstly, the website Kickstarter: I’ll let their little spiel give you all the info you need (or better yet, visit their site to see how it all works). Kickstarter is the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world. Every month, tens of thousands of amazing people pledge...
01
JAN
the year that was
92 posts and 8 months later, and here we are! I didn’t know when I started this little blog of nonsense if I would have the discipline to post regularly over a long period, but I’m pleased with how I’m doing. I don’t have the time or enthusiasm to post everyday like Pip or Lucy, but feel like I am finding the balance between writing about stuff and...
28
DEC
a new obsession
Hubby and I have just recently become addicted to ‘Breaking Bad’, a tv series starring Bryan Cranston, from Malcolm in the Middle fame. The Dad character was always my favourite from Malcolm, and the new series certainly shows his acting prowess and versatility. For those of you who haven’t caught a glimpse of it, the basic plot is thus...
23
DEC
spoiler alert
I have just finished reading Jane Austen’s Persuasion (for the second time) and had to share with you the hurried letter Captain Wentworth wrote to Anne Elliott. Spoiler alert, if you haven’t read this book, this passage may will give you more information than you were hoping for. But a tip for all the blokes out there: never underestimate the power...
12
DEC
summer reading
I have done very little this week, save read. I became absorbed in the dark and often bleak world of Tully Makker. The spiel under the title of the book says 'for anyone who has ever had to choose'. Up until ten pages from the end of the book, Tully hadn't made any choices. She allowed fate to choose for her, and resented those in her life who...
02
DEC
pinch and a punch
...for the second day of the month (I was having a lazy day yesterday, sorry). Wow. It’s December. Again. Where did 2010 go? Let’s hope that 2011 brings with it good fortune, good health, crafty-goodness and little sunshine... So, my tree is up and decorated (yes, took me most of yesterday morning) — and no one need know that I only have...
28
NOV
allow me to introduce you…
...to my mate, Bruce. Ol’ Brucie has been dropping by every now and then for a couple of weeks, and we’ve slowly built up a friendship based on trust and biscuits. Bruce allows me to get quite close, taking a biscuit from my hand, barely a ruler’s length from my body. Next step, I want to try to get him to land on me... though that may take a while...
11
NOV
birds on oak
I have a great mate called Natalia. Nat and I have been kicking around the traps since we were ten in Karate class. Next Friday, Nat’s fiance Scottie (recently engaged, hurrah!) is opening an exhibition of amazing paintings of Australian birds on reclaimed timber. Gorgeous. You can check out Scottie’s website here for further inspiration,...
02
NOV
some new, some old
I splurged at JB recently (‘tis a shame hubby sold our JB stocks) and picked up some new albums, as well as some golden oldies. One of the newbies in the bunch is a pearler from Cloud Control, Bliss Release. I can confidently say it is just beaut having on repeat for several hours, whilst reclining in the sun with two dogs on lap,...
22
AUG
the gruen transfer
Hubby and I have a PVR (records telly onto a hard-disk) and so we don't often watch live TV — and consequently don't see many advertisements. I did, however, spy this Kia ad the other day, and I hang my head in shame as I share it with you. I whole-heatedly apologise to those culturally sophisticated readers who enjoy...
20
AUG
font design
Back when I was in uni — a decade ago (urgh!) — I created my own usable font using Illustrator and font creation software. It was tops. Not that I can compete with the masters, of course, those absolute legends that designed the timeless fonts that are so common today. I feel the urge to do it all over again. I'd like to toy with handwritten fonts...
06
AUG
oh so inspired
I changed my route to work a couple months back. I substituted the Eastern Fwy for the Monash — further in distance, but freer moving traffic (most of the time!). The one thing I miss about my old route is waiting in the right turning lane from Punt Road on to Swan St, under the bridge. I would nearly miss the light change checking out...
04
AUG
a flick worth watching
I was 18 in 1999 when the Matrix blew my mind and made me question my perception of reality. ‘What is real? How do you define real?’, the wise Morpheus intoned, ‘If you are talking about your senses, what you can feel, taste, smell or see, then all you are talking about are the electrical signals interpreted by your brain’...
31
JUL
ta da!
Ok, I know what you’re thinking. This site looks remarkably similar to my old one. That’s, um, because it is. Alright, before you think me so lame that WordPress has defeated me, let me tell you my side of the story. WordPress has faults. Oh yes, that’s right. And they are: 1. If you use WordPress to host your site, you get all sorts of goodies...
16
JUL
a visit to harbour place
Hubby and I had been watching the Phillipe Starck The Apprentice-style documentary School of Design on the ABC, and though the series concluded last week, we continued to tape that time-slot. We stumbled upon gold — ‘Andrew Jenks: Room 335’. This young bloke managed to persuade an old folks home (in Florida...
01
JUL
the inner sanctum
Following on from my last post, in which I uploaded an article featuring Shannon Bennett and Guy Grossi... Last year I had the unbelievably good fortune to oversee a photo-shoot in the Grossi Florentino kitchen of Guy Grossi. The shoot was to promote Leggo’s tomato paste, and I was so excited to see the inner workings...
29
JUN
portable bloggin’
Happy birthday to me!! This little treasure is my new baby. Our trip to Italy is a few short months away, hubby and I decided a laptop would be a great little tool on our travels: downloading photos, booking accommodation and sending emails to friends and family. I’ve been using iWeb to design my blog thus far, but I may...
22
JUN
it’s a classic
I haven’t been reading much lately. Well, that’s to say I haven’t read anything new lately. When I’m feeling a little down, I’ll re-visit old favourites. They are a familiar voice, and a little like comfort food. I re-read Jane Eyre a couple of months ago, and was just as touched, or possibly more so, than when I first read it...
09
JUN
karate n’ stuff
As a kid, I had the insane good fortune to live around the corner from the Honbu dojo (headquarters) of world-wide karate instructor Sensei Paul Mitchell. My brother took up karate training when I just ten years old, and since I hadn’t inherited my sister’s brilliant athletic abilities (when I was about seven, I won a big trophy for being...
07
JUN
x times 2
Kiss her. It might be your last chance... I spied this print on my blog-trawling today, and thought it was just ace. Apparently the designer’s husband spotted this phrase graffiti’d somewhere, and it inspired her to make these posters. It makes me ponder the tragic little tale of the individual that scrawled it on a wall,...
04
JUN
be very quick!
The amazingly talented Jade Oakley is exhibiting her ‘Headland’ collection of artworks at Australian Galleries — but only until this Sunday (6th June)! The exhibition is a beautiful collection of paper and wire sculptures, some suspended from the ceiling, others free-standing. The slightest breath of air makes them sway and spin...
02
JUN
uppercase #2
Following on from my Uppercase #1 entry... Uppercase mag issue #5 also featured vintage photography collectors: Valerie Roybal, Roz Leibowitz, John Van Noate, Angelica Paez and Albert Tanquero. What amazing collections they have! I’m always fascinated by unknown artists — those amateurs who have talent...
01
JUN
uppercase #1
I stumbled across a new magazine in Mag Nation this week. It’s a lovely little publication produced in Canada, called Uppercase, about all things creative and curious. There were a number of articles that got me a-thinkin’, possibly too many for the one blog entry. Hence this entry is called ‘uppercase #1'...
29
MAY
spreading the crafty joy
I have a great job (mostly — ask me again when I’m stressed and under deadline!). I work in Melbourne for News Magazines, designing across the women’s titles (Country Style, Delicious, Donna Hay, Vogue Australia and Vogue Living, etc.). This week, News Magazines was invited into the offices of Mindshare,...
22
MAY
a good day for a panda
I’ve been thinking about experimenting with a four-colour silkscreen — it will certainly test my registration skills, but I’m keen to give it a go. I’ve got the screens prepped, ready to go — now I just need to decide on a design. Meet my panda. Just thinking about pandas gives me the warm and fuzzies...
19
MAY
silkscreen printing
My old high school has kindly accepted me as their ‘artist in residence’ — I use their facilities to process my silkscreens (I’m using the photo-emulsion method which requires a darkroom) and in exchange I chat to the Year 11 & 12 graphic students about their current projects. They’ve all been so welcoming, it has really been a lovely experience...
14
MAY
inside out photo shoot
I have organised and art directed a number of shoots in the three years I’ve been with News Magazines. A couple months ago, on a stiflingly hot summer’s day, I was lucky enough to see the inner workings of an Inside Out shoot. The brilliant Bev Douglas (Creative Services Art Director) had directed shoots of a number...
13
MAY
spring racing carnival
Last year (or was it 2008? I’m losing track of time) I organised and directed a shoot, and produced the artwork, for Myer’s Spring Racing Carnival campaign. Spring Racing is huge in Melbourne — and I’m sure retailers make a mint selling beautiful dresses to the gals, and smart suits to the fellas!...
13
MAY
shooting for myer
In 2008, Myer had a full schedule of advertising with Sunday Magazine. Some of the photography they supplied themselves, but much of it was organised by me and shot here in Melbourne by photographer Robin Lowe. Robin, and his lovely stylist Madeleine, are a dream to work with. In amongst all the serious photo-taking,...
12
MAY
my idea of heaven
In an alternate universe, this is where I live. There are deck chairs and sunshine, refreshing swims and delicious trifle. These images were taken several years ago, just prior to my grandparents selling their property in Nagambie, Victoria (about halfway between Seymour and Shepparton). It was a large estate...
09
MAY
a hen’s kitchen tea
My beautiful, vivacious sister was married in March of this year. To farewell her single-dom, her closest friends, mum and I staged a “Bridal High Tea”. It was a beautiful summer’s day in February, all the girls wore floral frocks, we supped on delicate finger-food and fruity punch, and played very civilised croquet...
05
MAY
frank questions
I’ve taken a real shine to Frankie. It’s one of the few mags I can read cover-to-cover — I love the crafty retro-ness of course, but I also find the articles quirky and amusing. And thought-provoking. In this latest issue (issue 35), Frankie asks five creative sorts questions about life and stuff. Their answers were frank,...
26
APR
tourism victoria — spring 2009
Since mid-last year, I have had the pleasure of working with Tourism Victoria to produce several 24-page advertising inserts. This first insert appeared in The Adelaide Magazine and QWeekend Magazine in October 2009. My contact at Tourism Victoria, the lovely Emily, has been wonderful to work with...
19
APR
my babies
Dum da di da! Introducing, Bailey and Darcy, puppy extraordinaires! These beautiful little bundles of fluff are my babies. They fill my life with such joy and laughter — even when they do something naughty I can’t help but marvel at their intelligence and laugh at their enthusiasm. Litter brothers, they displayed such distinct personalities...