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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Sculptures and Sales

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We didn't do much but I did manage a trip to Finders Keepers which was really enjoyable - if you didn't catch it last weekend check out the next dates for Brisbane here.

I have been working a new product for my madeit store. Below is the first of two 'sculptures' I have been working on. The first card sculpture has been taken from an old atlas published in the early 70's. The second card sculpture has been taken from a vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland published in the 1950's. You can rearrange these cards to create any form you wish - they make an interesting coffee table arrangement, or look equally as good on a shelf in a child's bedroom. They are just another way of telling a story that would otherwise be shelved and forgotten! I hope to put them into my store tonight, although I am having trouble pricing them as they each took over 2 hours to make (I know!). I realise I cannot charge this time on, luckily I love making things with vintage story books. Anyway, I would love your opinion as always.


Well, that's the sculpture news - now to the Sale news and a map of a different kind. Janette over at my sweet prints is having a HUGE 40% off sale which she has announced only on her blog!!!! All you have to do is visit Janette's blog to obtain the sale code then visit one of her stores and receive 40% off each purchase - I know, it's a magnificent sale. So, this morning I bought a couple of prints, including a gorgeous world map and a bedtime scroll. Thanks Janette for your generous end of financial year sale.


Finally, some other tags going into my stores over the next couple of days:


Hope you're all having a great start to your week. Michelle


Added 30 June: p.s. My husband arrived home from work last night, took one look at my 'world sculpture', and decided (after rearranging it several times) that he would like to sit it on his desk in his office at work. So, after convincing myself that, a. it is good to give away your 'first' of any new range (to iron out the bugs) and b. that it would be good advertising, I let him take it. Now I am working on another one to go into the store, with a note to self to .... "hide all future 'sculptures' from husband". I am still trying to decide on the retail price ... stay tuned!
Michelle

Friday, June 25, 2010

Tagged ... and dreaming of Italy

I have been tagged by the lovely Trish from A dream House for Trish. Following are my answers:

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I was born in New Zealand and moved over to Australia when I was 20, so I love living here. Having said that, I would love to experience living in Italy for a little while. When we travelled to Italy (many years ago now) we had the privilege of visiting a small island off Venice called Burano. It is a gorgeous little place with all these quaint colourful houses - we were told that the postie knows your house by its colour not its number.


Imagine living in one of these for a little while ....

nextstop

2. What is your favorite band?
My favorite Australian band would have to be Something for Kate, but I like all kinds of music. Whats on my 'playlist' at the moment .... always Pink .... but also among others Evermore, George Michael, INXS, James Blunt, JT, Michael Jackson, Pete Murray, Rob Thomas .... I told you its an eclectic mix.


I have to mention Michael Jackson as today is the one year anniversary of his death .... gone too soon. Whether you liked his music or not, he was a superstar.


3. If you could be someone else for a day who would it be?
More popular, and probably more powerful, than the President it would have to be ..... Oprah. She is an intelligent women who has made a difference in so many peoples lives. Not to mention the fact that she is one of the wealthiest woman in the world!!


chicagonow

4. Concert or Broadway show?
This is close, but I'm still young at heart and would probably choose the Concert!

5. Theme song for life?
This was the hardest question to answer but I finally came up with Mika's 'Love Today' because even if you are having a really bad day you can always find something to love about it ... even if its the simple pleasure of a coffee.
Please don't google the lyrics for this song like I did last night - it may shatter your image of 'loving your day' - just take my choice on face value!


6. Would you choose a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant or a picnic in the park?
I would definitely choose the fancy restaurant. Probably Il Centro for its yummy seafood!


brisbanemarketing

7. Favorite Place to Shop?
What, just one? Okay I'll stick with Brisbane and say if I was going on a shopping day I would start with the Woolloongabba Antiques Centre, then for homewares move to Coming Up Roses in Balmoral, or Buba & La in Paddington, then for clothes on to the Valley and Nelson & Malloy..... after that I would need a merlo coffee or two!!

The Old Boat House

8. Favorite movie?
A romantic at heart ..... it has to be Notting Hill ..... I've lost count of how many times I have watched this movie.



Phew .... now, in the normal tradition, I must tag some other bloggers. Please don't feel any pressure to join in:-

Sprout Gallery
Lauras House
The Five Year Project
Cornflake
The Old Boathouse



If you are not familiar with these blogs please stop by, I know you will find them informative and inspirational!

Hope you all have a great weekend.
Michelle

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

made it

I have finally taken the plunge and opened a madeit store along with my etsy store, which has been open for a couple of months. I have moved some stock from etsy to madeit, and am also making loads more to go into both stores. If you have never visited madeit or etsy you should definitely take the time - both of these online sites showcase some amazingly talented and gifted artists and crafters.

Above is my 'little white flutterbies' framed wall art which is now available for sale in my madeit store. The butterfly is made up of many tiny butterflies cut from a vintage snow white story book.

Below is an image of my fun party pegs, you can attach them to party bags or simply use them as decoration - kids love them! The pictures were cut from a childrens book published in 1964 and show 'children at play'. These are already in my etsy store and will go into my madeit store this week. I absolutely love sourcing fun and interesting vintage storybooks to create beautiful and fun art and accessories. Hope you are all having a great start to your week. Michelle


p.s just added this gorgeous 'vintage atlas garland' to my madeit store. I just adore vintage atlases they remind me of the collection my mother had when I was growing up - no internet then .... how did we survive? Michelle

Friday, June 18, 2010

White is not a colour ....

Freshome

"White is not a colour, it's a canvas" ..... I love this quote by Chris Connell (interior and furniture designer). I bought into his idea of white being a canvas when he was featured in the June issue of Real Living - do you agree? I guess it makes me feel more comfortable as the walls in my house are currently being painted a variation of white. We find white easy to live with, and we know it helps to sell the house as others can imagine themselves living in the space. So, can I now say I live in a canvas!!??
Apparently feature walls are out and rooms painted in a colour or walls 'wrapped' in colour are in - how does your house look? The white walls in my home do make my furniture pop, however, sometimes, I long for a colour - even a neutral colour on the walls. It got me wondering how others in blogland feel about colour.

Do you prefer - an all white interior with colour through accessories .....




A splash of colour .....

or, lots of colour ......

..... I'm curious to know. Hope you all have a great weekend. Michelle


Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Envelope Project


Hope everyone had a great long weekend, I know I did. Just wanted to share a wonderful project that Pip from Meet Me At Mikes has embarked on. She is doing an interactive window project where people from all over the world are invited to send in a decorated envelope (mine is above). Inside the envelope she is encouraging you to send in light weight crafty goods, or you can add almost anything i.e. papery goods, photos, sweet wrappers - anything interesting. Pip will then display the envelope in her store window and photograph the contents to upload to flickr. Here's the best part - at the end of the project one envelope will be drawn out and that person gets to keep ALL of the lovely things sent in!! So, what are you waiting for .... pass it on and send off an envelope of your own. I'm enclosing my magnets and a few of my tags as shown below. Enjoy!!! Michelle

Friday, June 11, 2010

Retro Plus

curbly

Retro plus shelving ....... equals calm! Okay, at the moment I have a tiny storage issue in my office, so when I saw this image I couldn't resist adding it to my interiors want list. Normally I am very (okay very, very) neat and tidy and I like everything to have a 'place', I also have a little rule that your eyes must 'rest' on open space within any shelving unit (negative space). This storage system breaks all my rules and looks fab! Not to mention those gorgeous retro chairs (sigh)!
Well, now you all know what I will be doing this weekend .... trying to sort out my wee space issue. This will of coarse become more urgent after I return from the Lifeline Bookfest!
I hope you all enjoy whatever you are up to this long weekend. Michelle

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Magnetism


I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I know I did - of coarse it wasn't long enough! As promised I have posted an image of the fridge magnets that I have listed in my etsy store today. I love these fun magnets! I plan to do a series of different ones, but for now I have had a good time playing with stamps and vintage paper! Below shows an image of them packaged and ready for sale ..... did I mention I am thrilled with my packaging headers! Michelle

Friday, June 4, 2010

Girls Bedroom

I know I usually post a retro image to send us all off into the weekend dreaming of how we can acquire all or part of the room shown. Sorry if I have disappointed my fellow retro fans out there, but I have been looking at ideas for little girls bedrooms lately. My youngest is due to go into a big girls bed soon ....... I know I'm supposed to get all teary at this stage and wish she could stay a baby just a little longer ..... but in reality I am relishing the interior design opportunity! Here are some images that are inspiring me in some way this week. Of coarse, I will definitely be visiting My First Room when the time comes to start decorating!

A bedroom fit for a princess .... if only I had the space

Niken

Love the wallpaper in this one ....

House To Home

I wish there was enough room for a window seat too ....

And when she's older .....


Hope everyone has a good weekend. Don't forget to pop on over to the BrisStyle markets on Saturday for the latest in everything hand crafted. Michelle

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Packaging Headers & Preview


Okay, I am slowly coming back down to earth after my blogger award!

Now that my exams are over it is time to refocus my energies on Paper Tree Design. I am really excited, last week I picked up my packaging headers for all my etsy store goodies and they look fantastic! This image also shows a sneak peak of my magnets which I will be putting in my store shortly. I can't wait to get back into my art and craft work - I have lots of new ideas just waiting to be created .... bliss!! Hope you are all having a terrific week. Michelle