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Some friends of ours were married on Friday. The rain stopped, the sun shined, and together they were married under the most magnificent gum tree. You know my feelings about being married under big old trees; it's sacred. It was a beautiful wedding.  But the reception!... Well, sit down and let me tell you about the reception... Mrs Bride is a dressmaker, so she made her own dress, and one for their daughter too. Both stunning! Mr Groom is a cartoonist. Actually he is a well known cartoonist, and knows lots of other cartoonists, illustrators, artists, etc. Their reception was held at a local gallery, and instead of gifts, they asked guests to create a cartoon or illustration for them to hang in the gallery for their wedding. Both Mr You and I made works for them, but so did over 60 other guests.  The gallery was filled with works, all for them, all about them getting married. Isn't that cool? And because of all of their talented friends, the works were amazing! The other exciting thing, is that they all stay hung in the gallery for another week or so for The Wedding Show. Then they get to keep all of them. (So we got to go to a wedding, and be in an exhibition. A wedding that gives!)Now, as if all of that wasn't exciting enough (seeing friends get married, getting to wear my wedding shoes again, meeting lots of nice people, seeing lots of art, yummy food...etc, etc), hold onto your hats peeps. I'm about to tell you something very exciting (for me at least). So there I am, oodling on around the gallery admiring at all the works, when who's work should I spot? MEL STRINGER's! That's who! AND it's hung right next to mine! I took photo's to prove it. See...  Then later (after much pointing and happy dancing) I ask the bride and groom how they got Mel Stringer to send one of her works to them, and they reply, "Oh, she's a really good friend, she's sitting just over there". I think at that point I "eeeped" and ran away. Later they insisted on introducing me, I quickly downed a whole glass of champagne and grabbed another one for courage, straightened my skirt, and diligently follow them to be introduced. So I met Mel Stringer! (I will be making a t-shirt) And her boyfriend Ben Sea (also an amazing artist, and one of those people who is so nice you instantly feel familiar with them. Both Mr You and I felt like we'd met him before). We talked about music and art, and agreed that when Rainbow Bright grows up her pubic hair will be "flossy". Yeah, peeps, you could say we like totally hit it off and stuff. But then I'b be name-dropping and bragging, and I wouldn't do that, would I? Nope, not me in my "I Met Mel Stringer" t-shirt. Not me.  Yes, that's me clinging onto Mel like a clip-on koala. Why? Because I'm ever so slightly a giant doofus, but also, she's really really nice... nice enough to let me cling on for a few minutes at least.
 Amongst the hustle and bustle of the Finders Keepers Market the other week, a young, pretty, smart gal named Alex came to interview me. I've done lots of interviews via email before, and even over the phone, but this was the first face to face one I've done. It was fun. The article went up yesterday and it's a really good one. A few facts were lost in the translation of the full-on busy interview environment. So for the record: - I WISH I had a photographic memory! This sadly, is not true. I mentioned I was enjoying being behind my stall at the market, having so many great faces to look at on the other side, and I was trying to commit as many of them as I could to memory to perhaps draw later. - Not all my personal works are bad. That comment was an answer to the question about whether or not I put alot of planning into each of my works. I said I do. For almost all of them, especially commissions. But sometimes I get an urge to do a spontaneous personal work, however, without planning they always turn out bad. So, now that's all straightened out, the rest is really well written and rather complimentary I must say ;) Thank-you Alex. If you'd like to read it, it's over here at Side Street Sydney.
We threw a little party on Saturday: a housewarming and my birthday combined. We made lots of yummy curries and all sat in the back garden under the giant tree munching away and chatting with nice friends, while their children played in the big pile of Autumn leaves, and the sand pit. (Did I mention our new house has a sand pit? It came in very handy).And guess what? They all brought gifts. How nice! It always surprises me to be given birthday gifts from friends. It makes me feel young again, you know? They even brought cakes, so we got to finish the day with hot tea and delicious birthday cake. We all had a really lovely day! (Everyone except my moss bunny, who was loved a little bit too hard by all the little girls, and now is in need of some reconstructive ear surgery).But, big bowls of curry, lots of cake, and plenty of champagne... really we're lucky there was only one casualty.  Beautiful bunch of protea's from Mr You.  Cake tea cups, handmade soaps, and a japanese calligraphy pen, from friends.  Super cool wooden bracelet from Miss Em.  Original artwork and accompanying zine from Jules Faber.  And last but certainly not least, not by a long shot, this AWESOME embroidery late-night-lovingly-sewn by Chunky Chooky herself! Thanks friendlies!
(p.s. Not sure what blogger is doing with all these random font selections. I like the one it chose last week, but it's in a serif mood this week it seems).
If I wasn't already spoken for, I may want to marry our new studio... marry it and have it's babies.
It's a granny flat at the back of our house. We've both set up our work spaces in it, which means inside our house we have a few unused rooms. Once we unpack properly we think one may be a sewing room, and the other a music room. In the meantime our kitty has her very own bedroom, she loves it, and thinks she's very important now. Which of course she is.
Yes, yes, we're all settling into our new abode nicely.
Up until this weekend, my only contribution to the renovation/redecoration of our new house was this moss bunny. Delightful, no?
As sweet as she is, I had been feeling like I was letting the home team down a little. So this weekend, I cleared my schedule, rolled up my sleeves and ... I ... weeded. Yup, weeded. All weekend. That goes to show how neglected the gardens were. I still haven't got to the front of the house yet. But the rest is looking much less like a haunted house.
Mr You decided to mow the lawn, and curious about a nearby house who's garden edging looks like its been lazer-cut (it is un-naturally sharp and straight), he attempted to do ours too. Only every mowing, snipping, slashing machine that he had lilted with the trauma of our overgrown lawn, so out came the saw! HAHAHAHA, I didn't see it, but apparently he got down on all fours and sawed that grass into shape. 10 points for effort and neighbourly entertainment!
Meanwhile I was out at the hardware store purchasing a tin of paint to spruce up the insides of some musty old cupboards, some pretty coloured paint samples, and a silver handle.
Those items are no real indication of the work we still need to do to this house. I'm talking cracks in the roof that leak rain, collapsed drains, an awful lot of fencing, and all sorts of stuff. Things that one of my dandy skip-alongs down the aisles of the local hardware will not fix. But by gosh, do I have fun on those dandy skip-alongs all the same. :)
  The Finders Keepers Market was amazing! The market itself was busy, bustley, and inspiring. Actually Friday night was so busy it was crammed. I lost many a friend in the current of the crowd, seeing only a distant wave that was quickly carried off in the sea of people. Saturday was still very busy but not quite as crammed. The Finders Keepers crew installed knitting everywhere, and beautiful hand-sewn mushrooms clustered among Autumn leaves.    The other stall displays were ridiculous! Ridiculously awesome that is! These people are amazing...   What our stall lacked in grass balls, cardboard castles, and vintage bedframes, it made up for in sheer volume of stuff. Because Penny, Emma and I shared a stall, our table had lots to look at.   Emma's Stall : Benconservato Penny's Stall : Pocket Carnival My Stall : flossy-p  My business cards.  Little blackboard price labels, and wood chunks. Highlights were all the giggles and snacks Penny, Emma and I shared, meeting other lovely stall holders, catching up with all the old friends who came to visit, being able to watch people look at my work (I don't normally get to see that), being able to talk to people about why they liked particular pieces, having people introduce themselves and tell me stories of how my work has meant something to them (I even shed a tear with one lovely gal), and meeting blog friends. I was reeeaaally nervous before it started, but soon after Monique from A Glass Half Full came and introduced herself to me, we had a great old chat, and immediately afterwards I felt as though I was among friends and had nothing to be scared of. After that I had a ball! I also got to meet Catherine Campbell!!! I had heard before that she is very nice, and it's true, she really is very very nice. I would loved to have been able to chat with her more, but we were all so busy. It was a treat to watch her work though.  Really it was all the kind comments that meant the most to me. Late last year and earlier this year I went through a hard time and almost considered giving this whole art caper away for a while. But this experience has been such a lift. Thanks so much to everyone who came along those who supported me by buying something, and those who said hello. Sorry if I didn't get to chat to you properly, I did try. I had THE BEST TIME! :D (First 2 pics by Penny)
Helloooooo. I have resurfaced. Well I am resurfacing very briefly for a quick update. The move went really well, and our new house is great (thank-you for all your well wishes). I would tell you more, but honestly I haven't had much of a chance to look around myself. We moved in and I immediately unpacked my studio and got straight back to work to prepare all my stock for the Finders Keepers market. I've been very busy, but I've got lots and lots of stuff to show for it; big prints, medium prints, mini-prints, cards, postcards, enviro-cards, my studio has never looked so good.  The market is on this Friday evening and all day Saturday. I fly to Sydney on Thursday. So, I can't stop and chat, I still have a few things to tie up before I go... And do a test pack to see how I'm going to get it all on the plane :) Sorry I can't tell you more about our new house, a-freaking-mazing studio, giant tree, or sunshiney aspect. But I promise I will do when I get back next week... after I rest... Good lord I need a rest. Anyway, I'm super-most-giantly excited about the market. Please come and say "hi" if you're there. Our stall will be next to Frankie, across from the bar, next to the bands < insert hysterical giggle at how perfect THAT is! >.
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