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School holidays are but a week away and I am lucky enough to have been asked to teach not one but two workshops over the break at both Do Re Me in Elsternwick and at my old hood – Harvest Workroom in East Brunswick. For each of the workshops I will be helping students develop their own colour palette then create a little collection of geometric polymer clay jewels. In week one at Harvest I am one of the four teachers taking the Design Depot series of workshops. Day one is “Think it, Draw it, Stitch it” with Evie Barrow of Handmade Romance. Day two is “Colour Crusade” with me. Day three is “Scrap Paper Animation” with Dell Stewart and day four is “Print and Go” with my gorgeous friendos the Harvest Ladies. How awesome! Then in week two at Do Re Me I will be taking the “Jewellery Jems” workshop. I think that my class has sold out at Do Re Me but there might still be some places available in the Design Depot, be quick!!
This morning I was very excited to see that design icon Beci Orpin had given me a mention on the Design Files in her collection of items for her Melbourne Wardrobe. Beci bought my Peach Polka necklace from me while doing a residency at Harvest Textiles and whenever I have seen her since I have been very flattered to see her wearing it! What an awesome collection of colours, geometric pattern and polka dots! This collection is definitely going to inspire my Melbourne winter wardrobe 
Beci's awesome polkariffic Melbourne Wardrobe
And the text from the blog post:
OMG check out Beci Orpin‘s wardrobe! Hypercolour!
Actually, I was surprised to see in her captions below, that Beci would have us believe she’s just another monochrome-loving Melbournian! Hmmm. I am skeptical. I see no evidence of this. When we unpacked all Beci’s fave items and edited the perfect collection for this shot, we saw a few key themes :
One - Yellow, in every hue, from acidy chartreuse to mustard and saffron tones. So cheerful! Love it.
Two – Polka dots! No explanation necessary.
Three - CUTENESS. Is that a theme? I stand by it.Anyway we are a bit thrilled with how this one turned out – as with Kirra’s wardrobe you can certainly see a little of Beci’s work creeping through in her personal belongings! Alongside the obligatory vintage goodness, local labels are well represented – Gorman (of course), who Beci has collaborated with in the past, and PAM – Beci’s favourite label, run by her close pals Misha and Shauna Hollenbach. (As if you didn’t know, PAM is basically cult status, if you want those new season leggings go and get them RIGHT NOW fromMonkhouse or Someday – they will not last, people!).
Three - CUTENESS. Is that a theme? I stand by it.Anyway we are a bit thrilled with how this one turned out – as with Kirra’s wardrobe you can certainly see a little of Beci’s work creeping through in her personal belongings! Alongside the obligatory vintage goodness, local labels are well represented – Gorman (of course), who Beci has collaborated with in the past, and PAM – Beci’s favourite label, run by her close pals Misha and Shauna Hollenbach. (As if you didn’t know, PAM is basically cult status, if you want those new season leggings go and get them RIGHT NOW fromMonkhouse or Someday – they will not last, people!).
I LOVE Beci’s captions below… it is so worth reading through each one for a little giggle. My fave bit is where she describes her cute shoes as ‘a bit lady and a bit mental’. The perfect combo!
My Melbourne Wardrobe – Beci Orpin
1. Pompom beanie from PAM- last winter I was obsessing over beanies with big pompoms. Wasn’t sure if I could rock it, but this year I’m committed! …and PAM has (once again) delivered the perfect item in my current favourite shade of saffron yellow.
2. Muji blue polka dot top – my secret weapon in finding nice things to wear is my sister (Emily) who lives in Seoul, South Korea. Lucky for me she dosen’t mind being sent on the odd shopping mission. Even when my descriptions are vague (“something not too fitted in polka dots”) she always comes up trumps. This is a fresh arrival and it’s already copped quite a few wears…. I think it’s going to be a new fave.
3. polka dot scarf - how much do I love a polka dot? Possibly too much? I bought this from Sorrento opp-shop last summer. I’m prone to wearing it in a bow on my head when I feel like taking it back to my 80′s youth style.
4. Gorman yellow polka dot tee – I bought this in summer. The colour was a shock to my mostly dark Melbourne style wardrobe, but it quickly became one of my weekly staples. Plus it has made me branch out to even more colour – lilac! Pale pink! Bright blue! Even I can’t believe it. Oh Gorman, where would I be without you?
5. Blue dot stickers and paper cut pie chart - just to continue my love of polka dots! I got these stickers in Seoul (my stationary mecca!). The pie chart is something I made when I was doing my residency at Harvest.
6. Bear mobile – available at my online shop!
7. Emily Green necklace – I bought this one off Emily herself while I was at my Harvest residency last year. Her colour combo’s are so good, and it pretty much adds an extra layer of awesome to anything you put it with.
8. PAM scarf - more PAM – yes it’s my favourite label, and I am also lucky enough to be old friends with them too. This scarf embodies what I love about Shauna and Misha’s work – only they can embroider a drunk panda and some alien heads on a dip dye scarf, add a pom-pom trim and make it look completely beautiful. Pure genius.
9. ‘Compendium of Me’ – my first book! It’s published through ERM Books, you can buy it online through their site.
10. ‘Lost Girl’ and ‘Bear Folk’ journals – new stationery I have just designed. These have just come out and are published by Gingko Press, distributed here by Books at Manic.
11. Surprise ball - Raph bought this as a surprise for me (double surprise!) from Ganim’s Store. The colours of the crepe wrapping are so pretty that I don’t want to unwrap it! It sits on my desk so I’m sure one day I’ll give in to temptation!
12. Flats from Zomp - Zomp is my guilty pleasure. Sometimes, if I’m not having a good day and am passing through the city, I might happen to go to Zomp and buy some shoes. Usually ballet flats of some description. These ones are suede and have furry leopard print bows. They feel a bit lady and a bit mental – perfect for combo for me.
13. Paper Ball - a friend in Japan sent this to me from the MT tape exhibition. It’s the prefect match of pattern and colour – I love it.
14. Diagonal cushion – I make these occasionally for markets out of fabric I find from opp-shops, this is a favourite and I’ve not been able to bring myself to sell it!
15. wooden mushroom - I made this for my ‘infinite shape of rainbows’ exhibition atLamington Drive in 2010. It’s the only one that was not for sale because It’s Ari. he lives on our bookcase now (the mushroom, not Ari).
16. ‘Salsa Verde’ tote bag – I designed this print as a tee for the Taco Truck staff to wear. When getting it printed we decided to whack it on some totes too. I love how it turned out – so simple but a black print on a natural canvas tote bag is one of my very favourite things. I use this all the time (goes with pretty much anything!).
17. Yellow purse – Some one once asked me if it this was APC, and it was a proud moment when I told them that actually I had bought it at a flea market for $4 a few years ago. It’s the perfect going out size and also fits my ‘strap must be able to fit across my chest’ requirements (best for bike-riding).
18. PAM leggings – Another thing PAM do ridiculously well – leggings. These ones are from their new collection and it’s the print I’m loving. So much. I’m looking forward to layering them up this winter.
Beci x
Thanks again to Jardan for loaning us their sweet stools and side tables for this series – pictured above, the small Olba side table in watermelon.
What a wonderful start to the year it has been! Amongst many other exciting things I got married to my partner of 6 years Louis, went on an amazing honeymoon around New Zealand, started working at my favourite organisation – Craft Victoria and just last Friday I took the plunge and quit my 3 day a week job to become a full-time maker! I am hoping that this will allow me to take up some new business opportunities and also do nice things like designing and even blogging more. Anyway, I have lots of things to post about but I thought I would start by sharing some photos of my wedding. x em p.s the photos were taken by the fabulous Luke and Mani of Structured Pieces.
Wedding Teatowels
Table arrangements
Paper chandelier and pom poms
Decoration detail
Decoration details
Dress line-up
Arriving at the ceremony with my papa
The ceremony
The bridal partay
The ladeez
The ladz
Louis and I
Oooooh yeah! Taco Truck!
Just a quick post to say hello! and to let you know that some of my wares will be sharing a stall today at the Melbourne Laneway Festival with a group of lovely ladies including Simply Phoebe, Pom by Pomegranate and So Little Time Co. We’ll also be selling Conversations with Creative Women – the inspiring book launched late last year by the Creative Women’s Circle. I won’t be there as I start working at Craft Victoria today (!) but my gorgeous friend Lucy will be holding the fort for me from 11-6. Pop by and have a peek if you’re festivalling today! X em
After 6 months of planning and making I am getting married this weekend (!) to my lovely partner of 6 years – Louis. We head to New Zealand for our honeymoon for a couple of weeks next Monday so I will shutting up shop until we return at the end of January. All orders placed in my etsy store or Big Cartel store between the 10th and 30th of December will be shipped on the 1st of February. See you when I get back!
Tis’ definitely the season for Pop-Up shops and Markets! We are so spoilt here in Melbourne for awesome opportunities to purchase locally made design. I know where I’m going to be doing all of my Chrissie shopping!
These are the events that I am very excited to be participating in over the next few weeks. If you’re after some handmade Christmas delights please come along!
Christmas Design Pop Up
This one is with a bunch of lovely local ladies including Monolog, Madeleine Stamer and Dawn Tan.
Thursday 8 December 10-5, Friday December 9 10- 5 and Saturday December 10 10-3 2011, Nicholas Building Level 2. Corner Swanston St and Flinders Lane.
Harvest Textiles Christmas Market
Now how incredibly awesome is the line-up for this market?! (which is very conveniently located at Harvest Workroom where I have my studio space! ) Beci Orpin, Dani M, Stampel, Harvest Textiles and Miniscapes just to name a few!! I will be sharing my table with my gorgeous friendo Amelie who will be selling some of her awesome prints which can be seen here. This Market will be my last hurrah for the insane month that has been December and I can’t wait for it! I am also very much looking forward to sitting out the back at the end of it with a beer in one hand and a Taco Truck taco in the other. Ahhhhhhh!
Modern Times Pop Up Shop
Also this week is the opening of the second Modern Times Pop-Up Shop which launches on the eve of December 9th and runs for three weeks only – until December 31st. 260 Smith St Collingwood. Between 6-8pm on December 9th enjoy a beverage and kick-start your Christmas shopping in this gorgeously curated space that combines amazing mid-century Danish designed furniture with the work of contemporary artists and designers. Have a looksie here for some more info.
Tomorrow morning I am off to Markit! Piled up with beaded necklaces, geometric brooches, digital prints, stud earrings and some NEW digitally printed cotton scarves. If you’re up for a bit of pre-christmas shopping and an escape from the drizzle you should pop over! 10am to 5pm, The Atrium, Federation Square 
This week I had the lovely suprise of discovering my ‘Pop” necklace (available here) in Frankie Magazine accompanying some gorgeous pieces by Obus and Gorman. Love the Gorman ‘Hook Line and Sinker’ tank paired with the Obus ‘Vacation’ blazer. Awesome print clashing! How cool is Phoebe’s hair too?!
Frankie November/December Issue
Phoebe in Frankie
Necklace detail
A couple of weeks ago I had a visit to my studio from Toby who owns a gorgeous store in Los Angeles called Hemmingway and Pickett. I was lucky enough to have him take a parcel of my goodies back to California to sell in his shop. My first international stockist! Perhaps a business trip is in order?
Toby is originally from Melbourne and stocks the work of several other Melbournian artists and designers in the store, including those of my friend, artist Amelie Scalercio. Here are a few pics of the store borrowed from the Hemmingway and Pickett blog. Isn’t the recycled wood panelling on the walls gorgeous? Nice to know that there is a little taste of Melbourne all the way over in Califor-nia.
Hemmingway and Pickett shop front
Inside the store - Isn't the recycled wood panelling lovely?
My necklaces in store!
One of the gorgeous prints of my very talented friend Amelie Scalercio, also stocked at Hemmingway and Pickett
Another of Amelie's prints
Fello Melbourne girl Sass' Ask Alice notebooks
On Monday I returned from a gorgeous, relaxing holiday with friends to Tasmania. We were lucky enough to stay at a holiday house in Bicheno owned by one of my friend’s parents. We had 5 lovely days there in which we visited the best gallery I have been to IN MY LIFE – MONA, went for a walk around Wineglass Bay and spent lots of time chatting, drinking tea and reading. Here are a few photographs of my time away
x em
The view from our house at Bicheno
Wineglass Bay
Wineglass Bay
Feet and Moss
The Friendos
A couple of weeks ago I started stocking my necklaces and earrings at Obus! Needless to say I am very excited to have my work alongside that of this awesome Melbournian label. I am loving their latest collection of Mexican inspired gear. Very Frida Kahlo! Although I have to make sure that I don’t visit too often. When I popped into the High St store on the weekend I walked out with this pair of very spunky melissa sandals that I’m planning on wearing with some patterned socks this summer.
I have also been thinking a bit about this Baggu backpack! Hmmmm… maybe I’ll just think of my earnings from Obus as more of an exchange
Also, here are a few not so fabulous iphone images I took of my goodies in store.
I think this was my favourite collection of images for the week. I find that violet, blue grey and fluoro orange combo very appealing! Just one day to go!
Inspiration images
Violet Necklace
Purchase my work from my Big Cartel Store here
Or purchase my work from my etsy store here!
