Candy Castle

SUGAR

2012-01-31T15:48:00.002+11:00

How sweet is the Mulberry Spring 2012 campaign? It makes me so nostalgic for Whitby, the tiny seaside town in Yorkshire where I lived for a little while when I was 17, sleeping in a rickety caravan, hanging out at the village carnival, and eating way too much rock candy.

Image source: Mulberry via Helado de Nata.

HIGH TEA

2012-01-27T16:35:00.000+11:00

I'm loving these colourful displays from Sydney's own Sparkle Cupcakerie. These scrumptious treats are apparently from their high tea menu (YES PLEASE!!!). If you are looking for me this weekend you will find me there, scoffing my face with cake and stuffing prosciutto-wrapped bread sticks in my handbag for later. Yum.

TODAY

2012-01-24T21:42:00.001+11:00

Image: Felt and Wire

A GIVEAWAY FROM UP GEMINI

2012-01-18T14:30:00.000+11:00

Nicoletta is a blogger who lives in one of my favourite cities, New York. I've long been a fan of her adventures. Over at her blog, Up Gemini, Nico is hosting her first ever giveaway. (Go girl!) If you'd like to win a copy of her very first zine - a photographic journey through Venice, just leave a comment at the end of this post. Nico will collect all the entries and choose a random winner on Feb 1st. I'll let you know if you're the lucky winner! Good luck!

Image: Up Gemini

JURASSIC LOUNGE

2012-01-17T13:22:00.000+11:00

I'm so excited to announce that I will be hosting a craft club at Jurassic Lounge! For those unfamiliar with this awesome thing, it's basically a weekly evening of after-hours shennanigans in the Australian Museum. In amongst the dinosaur models, taxidermy animals, and crystal collections you can listen to bands and djs, enjoy some beverages, view some art, and do lots of fun activities.

Jurassic Lounge runs all through summer. Tickets for an evening cost $15 which you can buy on the door, or here. I'll be hosting a sequel to my Mini Mart Mexican Ornament Workshop on Tuesday 7 February from 5:30 - 9:30pm. Maybe you could make yourself a Mexican tin dinosaur? Hope to see you there!

LITTLE LEGEND

2012-01-17T13:11:00.000+11:00

Just had to share this ridiculously adorable animation of my little friend Marshall eating breakfast all by himself. CUTE ATTACK.

Image: The {Tiny} Sartorialist

THIS SATURDAY

2012-01-16T13:52:00.000+11:00

If you're in Sydney this Saturday we are having a yard sale and mini fete in Newtown!

Come on down for pre-loved vintage clothing, books, homewares, ornaments, music and bric-a-brac. There'll be a tasty bake sale and lemonade stand and a lucky dip! I'll also be selling off heaps of my precious craft supplies (to make room for MORE craft supplies). We might even have a sausage sizzle!

See you there?

598 King Street, Newtown - Sat 21 Jan - 10:00am onwards

MOONRISE KINGDOM

2012-01-13T11:18:00.000+11:00

Pretty pumped to see the fantastic-looking new Wes Anderson movie!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012-01-11T22:31:00.003+11:00

Hello!

I hope you all had a brilliant holiday season. In the whirlwind that was Christmas, parties, travelling, New Years, friend times, and mini getaways I have not managed to post much. BUT I have been documenting my travels and collecting bits and bobs to share with you here soon.

The weather here is suddenly summery and so I'll be taking advantage of it to go camping at the beach. See you all when I get back!

x

GOOGLY

2011-12-16T12:30:00.000+11:00

Going positively cross-eyed with glee over these googly chocolates by Mary and Matt.

Image: Mary and Matt

I'M PRETTY INTO...GIFT WRAPPING

2011-12-15T15:28:00.000+11:00

Wrapping presents is my favourite aspect of gift giving. I'll spend hours intricately crafting the perfect parcel and get more enjoyment out of doing so than actually receiving presents myself - though don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of receiving presents. This Christmas I'll be taking my cues from these pretty packages when I wrap my gifts.

Images: Pinterest

GINGERBREAD

2011-12-13T16:02:00.000+11:00

Over the weekend I baked some gingerbread for my bf and his housemates and I think they turned out pretty cute!

I'm running SO terribly behind on Christmas preparations so this was my first official festive activity of the season. The recipe was adapted by a work colleague from this original and despite being ridden with all the things I'm not allowed to eat, I ate one, and it was delicious. I'll be baking a gingerbread house later this week, so stay tuned for the thrills and/or spills of that adventure.

YUMMY GINGERBREAD

500g plain flour
125g brown sugar
1/2tsp salt
2tbs ground ginger
2tsp ground cinnamon
2tsp ground cloves
1tsp ground nutmeg
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
180g butter
300g golden syrup
Extra flour for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, salt, golden syrup, and spices together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and combine to form a thick dough (I used a baking spatula for this).
4. Place on a floured surface and roll out until dough is approximately 75mm thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from dough.
5. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and bake in oven on a middle shelf for 20 minutes or until firm to touch. (The dough will crisp up as it cools.) When baking, keep an eye on the cookies to make sure they don't burn on the bottoms or edges - you're looking for an overall even golden brown colour.
6. Allow to cool completely before decorating with Royal Icing.

ROYAL ICING

500g pure icing sugar, sifted (don't use icing mixture)
1tsp cream of tartar
3 egg whites

1. Place sugar and cream or tartar in a medium bowl.
2. Gradually add egg whites, whisking constantly with an electric mixer until the mixture forms a thick white paste. (Add more icing sugar if necessary)
3. To use, place in a zip-lock bag and push the icing down to one corner. Snip a tiny corner from the bag and the icing is ready to be piped. For coloured icing, add drops of food dye to the bag, seal it, and work the colour into the icing through the bag. Keep icing covered in an airtight container or covered with a damp cloth at all times to prevent hardening.

Original recipes: Chef's Toolbox

WEEKEND CRAFTS

2011-12-09T16:30:00.001+11:00

Shiny, festive things to make this weekend.

Images: Martha Stewart/Confetti System, Oh Happy Day, Martha Stewart.

SUMMER...IF THAT IS REALLY YOUR NAME

2011-12-08T17:44:00.001+11:00

This time last year I was lolling around my apartment with popsicle in hand, swimsuit eternally on, and a truly tropical tan. Today I am wearing a sweater, wooly socks, and a scarf. I'm about to go home and wrap myself in blankets. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!

BUYING MYSELF PRESENTS

2011-12-08T17:42:00.001+11:00

Because I'm worth it! HELLO most ultimate and amazing tutti frutti Gorman pants!

28

2011-12-07T15:22:00.001+11:00

It's my birthday today. 27 was: true friends, dream jobs, heartbreak, creative feats, bike riding, mermaid hair, boyfriends, sun tans, colour, and lots of love. I wonder what 28 will be like?

RAD THINGS

2011-12-01T16:18:00.001+11:00

Beautiful cinemagraphs of NYC by Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg. The hot dog stand is my favourite!

ANA DAY

2011-11-22T11:38:00.001+11:00

Happy Birthday to the most amazing babesian I know. Very lucky to have this lady in my life. XO

AN OUTING

2011-11-22T00:10:00.001+11:00

Bright colours, patterns, and things spotted on a recent visit to the Surry Hills Markets.

ULTIMATE BABE

2011-11-21T21:58:00.001+11:00

Just watched Live at Roseland from start to finish. Shed a few tears over this one!

SUMMER VACATION

2011-11-10T10:36:00.000+11:00

Only one more sleep until I set off on a mini summer vacation with my most dearest of friends. Bring on sunshine, swimsuits, sea shells, Slurpees, stripy beach towels, and salt water skin. Can't wait!

WISH LIST

2011-11-03T15:51:00.000+11:00

These neon Vans are a party for your feet. I want them BAD.

SPRING FLING

2011-10-25T22:07:00.002+11:00

Flower garlands and flowing dresses/tresses.

RAD THINGS

2011-10-25T13:57:00.001+11:00

YES PLZ OMGGGZZ.

Image: Nail Creations by Lynn's Boutique.

WEEKEND CRAFTS

2011-10-23T17:08:00.000+11:00

In the shop this weekend I made these faux flower swizzle sticks for my friends Kaila and Liz for their birthday.

MEXICAN ORNAMENT WORKSHOP

2011-10-20T12:10:00.000+11:00

My time at Mini-Mart is drawing to a close - only 2 weeks left! To wrap up this incredible experience I'll be hosting a craft workshop in the shop on Saturday 29 October and I would love to see you there!

Make Your Own Mexican Ornament
Learn how to make a beautiful ornament inspired by the colourful pressed tin handicrafts from Mexico. Using simple materials we will cut and paint our own metallic treasures, perfect for the Christmas tree or as little gifts.
When: Saturday 29 October from 11:30-1:30pm
Where: Mini Mart, 23 Nurse's Walk, The Rocks
Cost: $10 (includes all materials).
Please note: Capacity is limited to 6 so get in quick!
Book here.

ALL DAY EVERY DAY.

2011-10-17T17:05:00.002+11:00

SUMMER VIBES

2011-10-17T10:39:00.000+11:00

Had a ridiculous amount of fun in the sun this weekend for the Sydney Bicycle Film Festival. So proud of all my mates who made it happen this year, and very, VERY excited about more sun-drenched bike riding, BMX babe ogling, frosty beverage drinking, popsicle slurping, and best friend hang times to come.

SHOP

2011-10-17T10:28:00.000+11:00

Some photos of the shop. It's still open for another 2 weeks so come by and check it out if you haven't already. Last weekend Jenna hosted a rosette making workshop in-store which was heaps of fun. You can read more about it here.

FABRIC-A-BRAC

2011-10-14T16:15:00.000+11:00

This little interview is originally from my work blog, but I thought I'd share it here too! Fabric-a-brac is a truly novel idea that combines all my favourite things: fabric and haberdashery, flea markets and garage sales, the thrill of an op-shopping adventure, and true blue craft bargains.

The market-style event is the creation of New Zealander Josie Brennan, who started it to raise funds for a hospice in her home town of Wellington. The premise is simple, giving craft enthusiasts with an excess of fabric and haberdashery the opportunity to sell off their unwanted wares. Since it's beginnings, the event has grown in scale and hopped over to Brisbane and Sydney. My dear friend Kaila Perusco is the leading lady for the Sydney event.

Me: Tell me about Fabric-a-brac and how the concept came about
KP: Fabric-a-brac is a fabric sale that brings fabric out of dusty closets and into the hands of fabric lovers. It's a fundraiser for Hospice, and a great way of bringing the crafty community together. There's something about getting a whole lot of people with a common interest into one room that gives the event a really good vibe. Everyone is happy and in their element searching through beautiful fabric and imagining dresss, bags, soft toys, upholstered chairs, etc.

It's an idea that plugs neatly into the financial issues a lot of people are facing at the moment too. People want to sell up unused items to make some cash, while others are looking for bargains to make things.

Me: What's the most amazing thrifted craft item you've ever found?
KP: I found a great 50s illustrated book called The Leisure Book for Girls in an op shop once. I used some thrifted fabric and craft paper to turn it into a journal. I gave it to my friend for her birthday, but it was really hard to part with! I'm still on the hunt for another book to make myself one.

Me: Any tips for clearing out your craft closet?
KP: I believe in being brutal when cleaning out your craft closet. If you have stuff that you haven't used for 6 months or more, and can't think of how you'd use it, get rid of it! Have a supply swap with a friend, or sell it for cash to buy something new. Only keep the things that inspire you.

Me: Tell me about the Sydney event. What can craft enthusiasts expect on the day? And how can we get involved if we'd like to participate and sell our craft supplies?
KP: Fabric-a-brac Sydney will be held on Saturday 12 November from11am to 3pm in Redfern Town Hall (73 Pitt Street, Redfern). Those wanting to sell their stash can hire a whole trestle table for $30 or half a table for $15. (Contact fabricabracsyd@gmail.com to organise a stall.)

We'll have coffee, tea and sweet treats on the day. Market-goers can expect plenty of unique buttons, trim, patterns and vintage fabric including 60s and 70s floral and one-of-a-kind prints. Bring some friends and make a day of it!

ABC

2011-10-14T14:24:00.000+11:00

This is the best thing I've seen all day!

RAD THINGS

2011-10-13T09:43:00.000+11:00

If you love pinatas as much as me, you will soon be glued to your computer, refreshing your browser every five seconds for new posts in this series of pinata-making instructables from Oh Happy Day, one of my favourite blogs. The mini ones! OMG.

Images: Oh Happy Day

TOMORROW NIGHT

2011-10-04T17:31:00.000+11:00

Mini Mart is officially launching tomorrow night! If you're around please come by from 6-9pm for drinks, djs, and colourful craft times. You can RSVP here. I'd love to see you there. XO

CATSTUDIO

2011-09-28T23:17:00.000+10:00

I'm doing lots of embroidery at the moment and was blown away when I came across Catstudio, a endearingly kooky husband and wife super team who make AMAZING embroidery.

Terrell and Carmel Swan are former anthropologists with a mutual love for stitchery and maps. Inspired by vintage travel postcards they create these incredible embroidered cushions and many, many other homewards. I want everything!

Images: Catstudio

YUM ATTACK

2011-09-28T15:23:00.001+10:00

Sweet treats to make and eat. Click for recipes!

Images: Bakers Royale, Delicious Delicious Delicious.

CUTE CRAFT TIMES

2011-09-26T22:42:00.000+10:00

Fun times in the shop today with Kat and Clare.

RAD THINGS

2011-09-26T09:05:00.002+10:00

Never making cupcakes again unless they are in these!

WISH LIST

2011-09-25T19:28:00.000+10:00

New swimmers please! I'm going on a tropical vacation in a month or two and intend to stock my suitcase with one (or all!) of these fabulous Gorman swimsuits...especially those of the tutti-frutti variety!

INSPIRED BY...JUMBO

2011-09-25T19:18:00.000+10:00

I am a huge fan of this prolific (and mysterious) street artist, and also for that matter, his often-collaborator Zap. Jumbo's work can be spotted in numerous locales here in Sydney, and abroad. I'm so into his big, bold paste-ups and use of pattern and colour.

And some Jumbo paste-ups that I've spotted on my travels.

Images: Me, and Jumbo.

HI

2011-09-20T14:10:00.001+10:00

I spent the weekend moving into my little shop. On Monday I had a craft club in-store with some friends. Here's Kat and I with a pinata set that we made.

I'll be selling custom-made letter pinatas in my shop which are perfect for parties, presents, or just because you want one hanging in every room of your house.

PINATAS FOR SALE
If you fancy a handmade one-of-a-kind pinata set they cost $25 per letter unfilled and $30 per letter filled (with lollies, confetti and treats). You can choose the colour scheme, or I can surprise you! To order a set, email me, or visit us in the shop.

MINI MART

2011-09-20T11:17:00.004+10:00

So here's my big news - I won a competition run by FBi Radio to have my own pop-up shop in The Rocks for 6 weeks!

Mini Mart is part of The Rocks Pop-up Project and is located at 23 Nurses Walk, The Rocks. I'll be selling handmade goods, hosting craft clubs, and teaching classes there on a regular basis. I'll also be joined by a couple of special friends who will be helping me run the store and selling their own wares in the shop.

The space will open for visits tomorrow and we'll be working on craft projects and making stock in-store for a couple of weeks until the official launch on Wednesday 5 October. I'll be blogging regularly about everything Mini Mart like in-store events and what we're making to sell, so stay tuned. There will be lots of bright colours, cute miniature craft projects to make and buy, happy hours on Fridays with cakes and beverages, and plenty of confetti.

Come and say hi!

BUSY BEE

2011-09-15T06:07:00.003+10:00

Working very hard every day on an exciting project that I will reveal soon...

CUTE HOUSES

2011-09-12T22:36:00.000+10:00

Spotted these cute places whilst on an adventure this weekend.

YAY

2011-09-12T22:17:00.002+10:00

Thank you to all that came out to the Alphabet Soup show. I'm pleased to say my work sold, with all proceeds going to Weave. I'm very proud to have contributed to this good cause.

EPIC MONDAY

2011-09-06T09:34:00.001+10:00

Spent the entire day working here yesterday. Thank you Youeni for having me - 22 hours of non-stop fun.

MACRAME

2011-09-02T10:13:00.004+10:00

I'm currently so obsessed with macrame. My dream is to have a house filled with hanging tropical plants in elaborate macrame plant hangers. I am teaching myself how to make them and here are my first two attempts, what do you think?

THE RIO BAR IS THE BEST PLACE EVER

2011-09-02T00:10:00.004+10:00

Welcome aboard my personal tour of the best places ever. This is The Rio Bar, which I discovered last Spring. It is an old school milk bar and lolly shop in Summer Hill, Sydney.

George Poulos moved to Australia from Greece in 1952 and opened this place with his dad. Now he is 89 and still works there, creates fucking incredible hand-made shop displays, and will make you a milkshake for $2.50. Everything about this place is legit - lollies in jars, candy bars, an old milkshake maker, and the cherry on top - the beautiful typography and kooky signage (often featuring metallic hologram contact, my favourite).

The best bit is that when George got interviewed about what his shop was like back in the day he said: "It was basically like the Happy Days series, and I was the Fonz". What a legend.

RAD THINGS

2011-08-31T17:36:00.000+10:00

Dreamboat on wheels.

I'M PRETTY INTO...SPRING

2011-08-31T14:31:00.000+10:00

GREAT NEWS! Today is the last day of Winter. Tomorrow it will be Spring! I'm so ready for fresh flowers, short sleeves, fruit salads, sunshine for longer, outdoor dinners, picnics and pastel nailpolish. LET'S DO THIS.

Images from my Tumblr.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

2011-08-30T19:10:00.000+10:00

It's nice how a small touches can change the feel of a room. I decided to hang my wooden necklace collection on a bare wall in my bedroom. I like catching glimpses of them in the mirror when I'm brushing my teeth.

HI SUMMER

2011-08-29T23:41:00.000+10:00

I LOVE IT WHEN...

2011-08-29T23:21:00.000+10:00

...my guy friends come to craft club and every photo taken of them turns out like a boy band centerfold.

POM POMS

2011-08-29T23:18:00.001+10:00

Had a lot of fun at my craft club for FBi Radio, even though my hair caught on fire at one stage (not the first time this has happened). I didn't take that many photos, as it was dark, but here are a few choice gems. Check out those perfect tiny poms! Also, HUGE shout out to the crafty males of the evening, who totally slayed it making the most incredible little felt creations. Boys that craft = SERIOUS VIBE! I may or may not have swooned a bit, just sayin.

I JUST BOUGHT...

2011-08-26T09:18:00.000+10:00

This ridiculous needlepoint book by Rosey Grier, former professional American Footballer. Note to all my man friends: girls like guys that like craft, trust me!

BRIGHT AND BRILLIANT

2011-08-24T17:20:00.001+10:00

I am obessed with the vivid and intricate woven art of the Wayuu people from Guajira, a region between Venezuela and Columbia. Wayuu women learn to make these beeautiful, colourful bags as part of a traditional coming-of-age process. Each bag is made by one woman so every bag is unique. It takes around 20 eight-hour days to complete each bag. They are so utterly incredible!

YUM YUM

2011-08-24T15:45:00.001+10:00

I have recently had to cut wheat and dairy entirely out of my diet for health reasons, which means all my favourite desserts have been scratched off the menu. I was feeling quite sorry for myself, crying bitter tears all over my lunch of lettuce leaves until my friend Wendy put me onto this AMAZING site. Lookbook Cookbook features hot babes dressed in super cute outfits eating delicious looking desserts...which are all gluten and dairy free! SO INTO THIS!

Image source: Lookbook Cookbook

CRAFT CLUB FOR FBi RADIO

2011-08-22T16:48:00.000+10:00

The rad legends at FBi Radio have invited me to host a craft club at their live venue this Friday. It's part of a new weekly event they're putting on called Pot Luck. I'll teach you how to make tiny pom poms using a fork and show you how to turn them into a cute brooch. While we're crafting (and enjoying a beverage or two) my mate Tyson will be spinning some tunes and The Bungalows will be playing a live set.

Please come along and support our local radio station and Sydney's creative community. It goes from 6-9pm, and it's free! Would love to see you.

SOMETHING TO LIVE BY, ALWAYS

2011-08-18T13:53:00.001+10:00

Don't ever be afraid to be yourself, especially when it comes to creativity.

Via Dash it All

ALPHABET SOUP

2011-08-18T10:41:00.001+10:00

Alphabet Soup is an exhibition and fundraiser for Weave, an organisation that provides support, counselling, educational opportunities and recreational programs for those in the Sydney metropolitan community that need it. I am honoured to be part of the lineup of artists, alongside some of my dear friends.

Alphabet Soup opens at 7:30pm on Wednesday 31 August at World Bar, 24 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross. Hope to see you there!

CAT LADY

2011-08-18T00:58:00.001+10:00

Another incredible cat find, this time sent to me by B. This blog is about people that put their cats on scanners and scan them. As a cat lover, and someone who has scanned their own face on numerous occasions, I can totally relate to this.

AND ON THAT NOTE...

2011-08-18T00:47:00.001+10:00

Here's my little contribution to promoting bike riding in Sydney - me being a total goof in my hood for a City of Sydney bicycle campaign that launched last week. I hope that girls (and guys) out there who are thinking of maybe getting a bike or are trying to build confidence riding here will watch this and see that cycling is a pretty handy way to get you from one place to another, and is also a bit of fun too. And we all like fun, right?

INSPIRED BY...LEVIS/URBAN OUTFITTERS BIKE SHOP

2011-08-18T00:32:00.000+10:00

So Urban Outfitters and Levis have teamed up and made a mobile bike shop that cruises from city to city pit-stopping for bike tune-ups and to teach people about how to fix and maintain their rides. There's a cute mechanic and an even cuter seamstress making bike accessories and outfits. I love this idea. Anything that gets people enthusiastic about riding and encourages more cycling gets a big "Yes Please!" from me.

I like what the babein' seamstress said when asked what their motto "Get in the Saddle" means to her:

"Being confident and taking charge of your situation—whether it's fixing your own clothes or working on your own bike. "Get in the Saddle" isn't just about commuting by bike, it's a way to think about starting anything."

YES PLEASE.

Images: Urban Outfitters

FROM LEONIE

2011-08-16T21:44:00.000+10:00

The lovely Leonie attended my Sydney Design partycraft workshop and sent me a rad photo of her creations, and of a party hat she made for her kitten. CUTE. ATTACK.

EVEN MORE BIRTHDAYS

2011-08-16T21:20:00.000+10:00

Birthday bunting for Cass, lover of all things yummy. Stay tuned as these will be hitting my shop very soon.

BABY BIRTHDAYS

2011-08-16T20:56:00.000+10:00

Some felt food for Marshall Ace Drummond and his little friend Rhett on their first birthday.

KIT & KAT'S CAKE CLUB

2011-08-16T20:50:00.001+10:00

This is Kat, she loves baking as much as I do, maybe even more (she is also Eurasian like me, loves Beyonce, and was born only one day after I was...WHAT?!) We made this chocolate ganache birthday cake for Esjay, based on one of his Lobster Mobster stickers. EPIC! The first of many cake masterpieces that Kat and I are destined to create together.

PARTY FUN

2011-08-11T00:34:00.001+10:00

Judging by the epic explosion of confetti, paper scraps, and tiny plastic trinkets left behind after my Sydney Design workshop, I think it's safe to say we all had a pretty good time! Thanks to all that attended, it was amazing to meet you all. More photos over on Jenna's blog.

THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY

2011-08-09T23:37:00.001+10:00

I have had a less than average day today but this just completely turned my day around. I have watched it about 5 times in a row. It is SO GOOD!

YES.

2011-08-09T00:26:00.003+10:00

RAD THINGS

2011-08-05T07:58:00.001+10:00

A blog about two of my favourite things, burgers and nailpolish. Whoever created this is a genius!

TREATS FROM THE MAILBOX

2011-08-02T01:06:00.001+10:00

Today I received a parcel in the mail from Makiko who lives in Japan. It was filled with so many incredible little treats, all wrapped in the most amazing printed papers. I especially loved the little Kawashima Kotori picture book filled with her series of photos of her daughter, AKA, cutest baby in the history of the world EVER. I've been trying to track it down for ages and now it's mine! Thank you so much Makiko! xo

DAPPER BABES

2011-08-01T23:50:00.000+10:00

A few more snaps from yesterday.

Photos from Steve's camera.

A JOLLY GOOD TIME

2011-08-01T01:09:00.003+10:00

This weekend was SO GOOD! Equal parts of frantic work and fun play. On Friday I spent all day with Maria setting up Prom, which was amazing as I mentioned. On Saturday Steve and I cruised around on bikes then went on a spontaneous beach-side road trip, where we ate fish and chips and a kookaburra swooped down and brazenly stole a chip RIGHT from Steve's hand! I was TERRIFIED of this, as I am with most things that resemble anything to with Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds...

Today I cruised through this incredible city in the sunshine on the Sydney Tweed Ride (winter was nowhere to be seen - goodbye you jerk!), then went to a tea parlour for high tea. I made my little caplet from a pair of thrifted Tweed pants I managed to find at the last minute. I hand sewed it whilst watching The Karate Kid, as my machine was in the studio. For a slap dash garment it held up quite well!

I topped off my weekend with take-out roast dinners at Matt's House where we watched an old Technicolour film about a giant octopus monster and some Greek fisherman. Great quiff-haired sailor/stripey shirt/white chino combos.

On a rather sappy note, this weekend reminded me yet again how much I absolutely love Sydney! And my wonderful friends. You are all so amazing and fun and I always have the best most hilarious times when I'm with you. Aw. x

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

2011-07-31T07:27:00.001+10:00

The Prom was an amazing success! No photos could capture how magical and beautiful the space looked after our decoration transformation. It was shimmery, sparkly, and midnight blue, with couples slow dancing under a gently revolving disco ball. Balloons and confetti fell from the ceiling and cut paper snow flakes hung amongst glittery silver baubles. Everyone dressed up, and everyone danced all night to amazing RnB slow jams and Fleetwood Mac.

I was so happy with it all! I tried to take some photos of it but in a dark room they really do not do the space justice. I'll post them up once I've gone through them. I took some 35mm film shots as well. In the meantime, here's a photo of me in my prom dress. I adapted it from a bouffy Little House On The Prairie-style vintage wedding dress. I'm off on the Sydney Tweed Ride today, it's going to be a lovely, dapper affair. Hope you are having a good weekend. x

RAD THINGS

2011-07-25T00:31:00.001+10:00

I like the colours in these images. From my visual diary.

WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?

2011-07-24T23:06:00.000+10:00

My friend Maria and I are collaborating on an exciting project at the moment. FBi Radio is putting on a Winter Prom fundraiser and we're the decorating committee! Inspired by movies like The Virgin Suicides and Carrie (minus the blood) we are creating a shimmery, winter wonderland filled with stars, moons, snowflakes, baubles, and glitter. It should be an amazing night, so if you're in Sydney this Friday you should definitely come! Details can be found here.

Here are a few progress shots from tonight's crafting bee, where we had lots of fun playing with some beautiful vintage glitter that we found.

INSPIRED BY...MARIMEKKO

2011-07-21T15:56:00.003+10:00

Marimekko will always remain one of my most constant sources of inspiration. I go quite nutty over the incredible patterns, colours and shapes of their creations. These little craft tutorials are so brilliant and I find myself referring to them again and again when searching for new ideas. There is something so happy and simple about the way they are presented. I love the idea of teaching without using words.

SYDNEY DESIGN 2011

2011-07-21T00:38:00.000+10:00

I am very excited to be a part of Sydney Design 2011, a festival of design events run by the Powerhouse Museum from 30 July - 14 August. Amongst a line-up of incredible creative types I will be hosting a party craft workshop in my studio on Saturday 6 August. You're invited!

I will teach you to create unique and innovative party decorations made from paper, card and an assortment of fancy embellishments. Derived from traditional paper craft methods, you will learn how to make your own bunting, party crackers, hats, wrapping and more. This is a great way to get crafty and stock up on totally rad hand made supplies for your next epic party.

The workshop costs $25 and includes all supplies, equipment, and trimmings. If you're interested, you can find booking info here.

WHAT: Sydney Design 2011 - Partycraft workshop
WHEN: Saturday 6 August from 1-5pm
WHERE: Eagle Soup Studio, Level 2, 140 Cleveland St, Chippendale, NSW 2010
COST: $25 (includes supplies)
HOW: Book here.

NOW PLAYING

2011-07-21T00:19:00.001+10:00

Thank you Jacob for hooking me up with this incredible Jamie XX mix. It is the perfect soundtrack to many things, like intense mag writing sessions, endless sewing marathons, and night rides home. Featuring some of my ultimate faves - Cassie, Lumidee, The Knife, Beach House...waaaah! Just get it.

CAT LADY

2011-07-20T23:57:00.002+10:00

I seem to be turning into a crazy cat lady more and more every day. I think that if I start sharing all the cute cat shit I find on the internet with you, it will pretty much seal the deal. There is an alarmingly large amount. Like this hat, for instance.

SHOW 'N' TELL

2011-07-20T22:46:00.002+10:00

So this could perhaps not be classified as Show and Tell exactly, but it is one of my most favourite things. This is my absolute most favourite song in the world, by Fleetwood Mac (surprise, surprise). The thing about this song is that through some magical occurrence it ALWAYS happens to be playing at times in my life where I need it the most - where it would make the most perfect soundtrack to that moment in time.

Whether I'm ecstatically happy about something that's just happened, or really really sad, this song will somehow be playing in a car passing by, be the next song in shuffle on my ipod, come on in a supermarket that I JUST walked into, be playing on the dance floor in a club...you get it. I think the music video is rather cute and highly corny. Sigh, I totally love you Fleetwood Mac.

WEEKEND CRAFTS

2011-07-15T17:07:00.000+10:00

I found this pretty and simple tutorial for making a flower garland crown. It's definitely no where near Spring in Sydney yet - in fact, it's positively icy - but I'm hoping that if I wear something like this every day, Spring will miraculously come early.

Tutorial and image: Bleubird

ULTIMATE BABE

2011-07-14T02:54:00.000+10:00

Just watched Weird Science. Kelly Lebrock is the ultimate babe.

WISH LIST

2011-07-13T17:35:00.000+10:00

I wish wish wish that these incredible kitten kitchen wares were not sold out. They're by Chrissie Abbott and I would give ANYTHING to have them.

DEAR MARCUS OAKLEY

2011-07-13T17:17:00.000+10:00

Thank you for drawing this amazing picture of my favourite band. It's the best thing ever.

Love from
Kit xo

INSPIRED BY...HARVEST WORKROOM

2011-07-12T23:33:00.001+10:00

Harvest Workroom is an amazing place run by three amazing ladies in East Brunswick, Melbourne. Not only do these talented women hand make and sell their own range of screen printed textile products, they also host workshops, talks, exhibitions, and pop-up shops in their fabulous space. Some of my favourite makers like Dawn Tan, Emily Green, and Beci Orpin have held workshops there in the past. From scouring their blog incessantly, I can see that they have built up an incredible community of creative makers and are constantly coming up with new and exciting events and projects that make me want to drop everything and jump on a plane to Melbourne right this instant.

Images: Harvest Textiles

NOW PLAYING

2011-07-11T22:13:00.000+10:00

My dear friend Ana made this amazing mix tape. I have been listening to it all afternoon. You should too.

RAD THINGS

2011-07-10T08:44:00.000+10:00

A cute animation by Sumo Science. Happy Sunday!

CROCHET CLUB

2011-07-09T23:44:00.000+10:00

Thank you to everyone who came to my second craft club, it was a great success! Led by the lovely Julia, we learned how to crochet a granny square. It was nice to see some familiar faces and also meet some new craft friends. Our next craft club will be held around the same time next month, so stay tuned! You can sign up to my mailing list to stay in the loop.

WISH LIST

2011-07-07T10:45:00.005+10:00

Can't wait to inject a heavy dose of pizzazz into all my writing tasks with these brilliant rainbow note pads from Campo Marzio, found at Kate's Paperie.

PLAYSCHOOL FUN

2011-07-07T01:14:00.002+10:00

I was recently lucky enough to get the chance to make a bit of work for the new opening title sequence to Playschool. My talented friend Gemma directed the project and asked me to make some paper craft for it, like little flowers and a big pastel drum. I grew up watching Playschool, it was a huge and important part of my childhood. The sequence is absolutely amazing (congratulations Gemma!) and will undoubtedly inspire the imaginations of generations of kids to come. I feel so fortunate to have played a tiny part in its creation!

SILVER SCREEN

2011-07-07T00:32:00.002+10:00

How amazing is this collection of movie title stills? I particularly love the ones from times gone by.

Images: The Movie Title Stills Collection

FINDERS KEEPERS BUNTING

2011-07-06T10:15:00.002+10:00

My handmade bunting made a cameo appearance at the Finders Keepers Markets in Brisbane this past weekend. I think it looks very festive indeed. Thanks for the opportunity Finders Keepers!

Images: Mark Lobo

CROCHET CHALLENGE

2011-07-05T22:50:00.001+10:00

This month at work I've embarked upon a challenge to complete a crochet project from the current issue of the magazine. I've not had much success with crochet in the past, so am hoping this will build my skills and turn me into a crochet pro! Keep up to date with the thrills and spills of my project here. So far so good...

RAD THINGS

2011-07-05T22:45:00.001+10:00

I am absolutely in love with Dreamcats, a scrapbook of dreamy feline photography. It makes me want a kitten so badly, I've almost convinced myself to get one.

Images source: Dreamcats

SNAPS

2011-07-05T00:39:00.001+10:00

More things I've seen and done of late.

CRAFT CLUB - CROCHET WORKSHOP

2011-07-02T22:44:00.003+10:00

I had such a good time at the Etsy Craft Party in my studio last month that I've decided to make craft clubs a regular occurrence at Eagle Soup. On Friday I'll be hosting another fun event, this time, a crochet workshop.

Julia Matthews, Craft Editor at Better Homes and Gardens Magazine will be leading the class. We will be learning how to make a basic granny square which can then be used to create an assortment of cosy winter projects. For those who already know how to crochet, bring along a project you're working on and share your skills with others. Or, bring something entirely different to work on if you'd like. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other Sydney craft enthusiasts, share ideas and inspiration, and have fun!

WORKSHOP DETAILS

Date and time: Friday 8 July from 6:30pm
Address: Eagle Soup Studio - Level 2, 140 Cleveland Street Chippendale.
Here's a map.
To bring: A ball of yarn and a crochet hook that corresponds to your yarn (check the label - if in doubt go up a size, not down).
Cost: $2 on the door to contribute towards tea and snacks
RSVP: kitpalaskas@gmail.com

Contact me on 0406 330 637 if you have any questions. If you're in Sydney, I really hope you can make it! x

RAD THINGS

2011-06-29T13:59:00.001+10:00

This website. Cat lovers trust me, just go there.

NYC LOVE

2011-06-28T00:10:00.007+10:00

I just realised that this time last year I was in New York, causing such a ruckus with these unforgettable babes. The best of times. Miss/love you XO

CAT PARTY

2011-06-27T22:24:00.001+10:00

I made this little tunnel book at my friend Matthew Roland's paper workshop at Gaffa Gallery over the weekend. My studio buddy Bianca also hosted a workshop for cut paper jewellery. Check out the photos of our creations here.

Image source: Matthew Roland