Very little is needed to make life happy

This weekend all I needed was some art time, seeing friends, good food and lots of relaxing.

The following are new works that were made while chatting and listening to the rain.

{all for sale}

Last Thursday was my brother's birthday. We went out for dinner at Garuva and had a really great night with family and a good friend of Al's. We did end up at Elephant and Wheelbarrow watching lots of drunk backpackers celebrate St Patrick's Day. Very entertaining.

I made this card for Alex - another of my new pop-ups inside an old book. This was a copy of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table.

Hope the rest of your Sunday's are enjoyable and relaxing. I'm off to Poppy Cakes with a friend this afternoon for a big catch up then dinner at another friend's at Windsor.

Happy Sunday!

Today is a good day

Well really it wasn't. I had a long, stressful day but I got some good advice; went for a run; listened to the Beatles; spoke to my mum and a friend and I'm feeling good.

Plus there's two baby birds in a nest right outside my window and you can't be stressed for too long when there's baby birds around.

I only have two new additions to my papercutting pile to share. I've been spending a lot of time editing photos from an engagement party for two of my wonderful friends. I'll share them soon.

I found an old Brisbane CBD map in my collection of ephemera. Anyone got a favourite suburb they would like to see in an artwork?

Travelling and maps are a few of my favourite inspirations at the moment. Could be because I'm a little bit obsessive about it at the moment. I do have one more completed papercutting but I can't share it just yet.
I can however, share the card I made for Yash and Chris' engagement party. I took a little, very old book and ripped all the pages out. I then made a pop-up papercutting to go inside. I have more little books that I have put aside specifically for this purpose and am more than happy to take custom orders. I think it makes such a cute card for a special occasion.

My Wednesday night

Has involved Bikram Yoga, tacos, an awesome episode of Adam Hills in Gordon St tonight, a Dutch lesson and putting the finishing touch on a couple of pieces that I'm thinking might be headed for Bleeding Heart.

How was your Wednesday night?

Gotye and gluten

Some new additions to my growing pile of papercuttings.

Welcome to the world baby boy
{I'm still deciding whether or not I think the black is too harsh as a background. Opinions?}

Inspired by Gotye - one of my favourite live acts

If my future has you in it, I'm not afraid of the rest

There are a lot of people I think this about.

You're fucking wonderful.

You, me and a leaf

After a long week I've had a very relaxing weekend with my Dad coming to stay. I have to have some blood tests on Monday to re-assess my gluten allergy / intolerance. I've been almost entirely gluten free for 2 years now. By almost I mean I still use soy sauce, tomato sauce etc. Stuff that I know has gluten in it but in very small amounts and it makes life a lot easier if I don't need to cut them out.
After some recent changes I decided that I needed to get checked out again so blood tests Monday and then we'll go from there.

What that does mean though is that I've had to eat gluten all weekend to ensure the tests are accurate.
Hello pizza! Dad and I went to Beccofino Friday night for awesome pizza.
Saturday was a burger with Al and Zoe and French toast with Dad and Tom this morning.
It was fun to be able to have anything off the menu for once but honestly I can't say I miss burgers and bread. Good pizza on the other hand . . .

Inspired and excited

I had a really great weekend full of friends, markets and lots of sun and heat.
It was a scorcher in Brisbane and I spent two days sitting in the sun hawking my wares.

Friday was a fantastic day at Laneway.

My goods for sale.

Seeing if anything has melted in the sun. Direct sunlight for 4 hours in Brisbane Summer is not good for photos.

Two Door Cinema Club. So freaking awesome.

My festival buddy.

Great way to keep cool in the heat!

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the month so we grabbed our suitcases and headed into the city for Suitcase Rummage. Despite the heat (again) and a pretty decent hangover, I had a lovely day chilling with good friends. I managed to spend most of my profits during the day but that's part of what I love about rummage.

Looking forward to next month!

All for the puppies!

I've received an exciting email this evening about future prospects for my art and I will share once I know more. Positive feedback always inspires!

It's a rummaging weekend

Yesterday I had a stall as part of Suitcase Rummage at St Jerome's Laneway Festival.
Photos forthcoming!

Hi to all the wonderful people that I met!
I had a really great day. The only downer was the relentless sun beating right down on me but to make up for it I met lots of lovely people, had some awesome Nachos, chilled with some very cool people and listened to great bands!
I came home sweaty, exhausted and very happy.

And in other exciting news, tomorrow is the first Suitcase Rummage of 2011!

February 6th
REDACLIFFE PLACE 266 George Street Brisbane City
Outside Brisbane Square Library / Top of the Queen Street Mall

Please drop by and say hi. I will have lots of cards and artworks for sale such as:



I'll also have cards for sale featuring pretty photos such as these:



Have a great Saturday!

P.S. Pop over and see what Laura is going to have for sale tomorrow. All her profits are going to the Fairfield RSPCA. Isn't she amazing!

I can't wait to travel the world with you

Last Tuesday was Tom and my 3rd anniversary. And also the day that Brisbane realised it was about to flood. Great timing.
I made him a special little papercutting for the day.

I went to work and by about 10am it was panic stations. Everyone at work was deciding whether or not to go home. I decided I wanted to get home and start bringing things up from the garage because at that point we had no idea how high the water would go. I called Tom and told him my plans. There was a big pause. Then he asked 'So nothing's been delivered yet?'
Amidst the torrential rain Tom had ordered me a dozen red roses that were delivered to work in a huge white box wrapped in a red bow.

Very, very sweet.

These are the things that inspire me. I have been very productive in the last week or so. Probably all the rain then flood stress.

All new pieces (please excuse the bad photos due to the shocking lighting in my office) -



What do you think? Any particular favourites?

No matter where we are

I promised a photo of the papercutting that I did for my mum for Christmas in a post last week. I took the train up to the Sunshine Coast Friday afternoon and spent the weekend with Mum and her husband so I took the chance to grab another photo.

My mum and I are very close and I find it very hard being away from her, (she spends half her life in Canada with her Canadian husband and the other half here) but we make it work by spending quality time together when we can and communicating a lot. I know when we go away later this year I will miss her a lot along with my dad and my brother (and so many other people).

We had such a nice weekend, I had two bubble baths, caught up with an old friend who I adore and had coffee and GF cake in Buderim with mum.

I managed to do some papercutting while I was there and I'll share those pieces soon (they are getting naughtier).
Mum and I went for a look in some shops and I saw a lace top that I really liked. Mum decided that she could make one for me so we went home, she pulled out an old lace tablecloth and she whipped me up a new top. She has so many talents.
Don decided on Saturday night to take us out to a SUPER fancy French restaurant. I had duck and creme brulee - this is why I NEED to go to France as part of our big trip. Most amazing food. The over the top, hilarious French chef and cute French waitress totally added to the night.

(wearing my new lace top)

While I was there I went through some old photos that Mum has of her side of the family. There are some amazing old photos and I photographed them (too lazy to make the scanner work) to share. I will upload soon. The ones from Papua New Guinea are especially awesome.

All the time I was making this I was thinking of you

Now that Christmas is over I can finally share some of the pieces I made for commissioned Christmas presents and little gifts for loved ones.

I actually really enjoyed making this piece even though it was very fiddly.

This wall paper is my absolute favourite.

This amazing bakerlite frame was given to me by a lovely lady who commissioned a couple of pieces from me.

I made a very special piece for my mum but for the life of me I can't find the photo I took. I will take one when I visit her this weekend and share it next week.

Much love.