these would make cute gift tags too...

printable letters from little brown pen

tags + wrap

It's been a little quiet here on the blog again. Lots has happened in the past few weeks with me moving my studio out to mimmis and then after a lot of thought and looking at things from various angles moving it back home again. I loved working & chatting with Miriam and was getting my work done but was carting glass back and forth and still working from home anyway so decided to move it all back here. A selection of hot toffee studs will still be available at mimmis and I'll be visiting regularly.

With Christmas orders all in the post, this afternoon was a time to play. I've decided to wrap our gifts with the frankie pullout calenders that I've collected over the past year or so and thought that tags made from this calender which was still hanging around my studio would be cute. Now all they need is some pretty string...

markets...

Kim Wallace Ceramics

This weekend there are more great markets on - perfect for finishing or starting your Christmas shopping.

Tonight (December 17th)
brisStyle twilight market - King George Square & Burnett Lane, Brisbane CBD 5pm - 9pm

Saturday 18th December
The Handmade Expo - Ipswich Turf Club, Brisbane Road Bundamba 8am - 2pm

The Bardon Market - 247b Simpsons Rd Bardon 9am - 1pm


I will be holding the fort at mimmis this afternoon and tomorrow - lots of goodies that would make lovely Christmas presents here too! Also open Sunday x

Christmas shopping...

My plans this weekend are to visit some garage sales & antique stores to find more gifts. If you still need to find some presents the Bardon Market has some lovely things and it's on today: the Bardon Market. Bardon.

some more markets this weekend:
Saturday:
'A Handmade Holiday' - 24 Vanda Street, Woolloongabba

Sunday:
'Boutique Markets' - Portside Wharf Hamilton, Brisbane

this time last year...

..Pochi and I were out in the yard working on Ryo's Christmas present. We were painting and putting P's footprints on a pair of shorts. The reason? A few years ago we had a 'homemade' Christmas and my chef brother hand painted food on clothing for each member of the family. Ryo loved his shorts with radishes painted down the side so much that he had almost worn them out so Pochi and I set about to create a new pair for him. He wears them all the time! I had fun and printed the below photo onto some lovely stock and made it into a swing tag.

I was actually looking through my files from last year for a Christmassy photo because I wanted to share some of the Christmas markets that are happening around the place but was distracted by these photos of pochi x

Tonight:

Forest Hill Christmas Festivities - Victoria Street Forest Hill (mimmis will be open)

'Boutique Markets Twilight Market' - Portside Wharf, Hamilton

Saturday:

'A Handmade Holiday' - 24 Vanda Street, Woolloongabba

Sunday:

'Boutique Markets' - Portside Wharf Hamilton, Brisbane

a page a day...

In this busy time its nice to escape to space belonging to other folk. I'm really enjoying reading a story a day from frankie magazine's 'spaces' picked up on a recent visit to nook

a little shopping.

cute edamame from Ryo

Ok, so shopping in Japan is just as fun as I remember it to be BUT so much more overwhelming than I recall. Amazing products every which way you look can make it a wee bit difficult to choose things and the fact that things are readily available and easy to find means that sense of 'i have to have it NOW' is somewhat lost as visual overload sets in. Still there were things I just had to have and things that I thought I bought but didn't and things I was thinking about on the plane trip home that I'd forgotten to buy!

I wanted also to go to some of the little shops I frequented often when living in Japan but sadly they had closed. It seems the financial crisis has affected our little town. The stationery shop I visited almost daily for 4 and a half years. closed. For the longest time I've been planning to stock up on my favourite pens and sketch books while seeing the friendly face of the man who owned that shop. I was still able to stock up on my favs from other shops so all was not lost!

can't wait to make some envelopes using this

washi tape in colours and patterns I haven't seen in Australia yet

origami paper to add to my stash

washi paper for my little girl cards

fun & useful

So I've stocked up on pens, notebooks, magazines, books, bits and bobs for hot toffee and also have some fun new things!

rainy days and treasure hunting.

This year my family are doing a second hand Christmas. Yes. All presents will be second hand. So over the last 12 months I've spent a fair amount of time in op shops, at garage sales and in antique stores which has been lots of fun. As we still have a few gifts to find, Ryo and I set out on a little rainy road trip to a few garage sales on the weekend and while we didn't find any gifts for others I did find a few treasures for our home and props for markets, trade fairs and product shots. The blanket is my favourite and after a good wash it will be used often.

ceramic.felt.paper.

ceramic: little jane st garden labels bought from nook.felt: hand felted brooches from sandrine marsh.paper: journals from paper boat press

Yesterday I said I'd share goodies bought in Japan but still haven't taken photos of them so instead will share some of the gifts we took with us. Pretty aren't they!

cute design..

kawaii is a word that is used a lot in Japan and no wonder with cute design in ordinary everyday objects including take-away coffee cups. I loved these simple line drawings so much that I saved that label and tucked it away in my suitcase. When we lived in Japan I did the same thing only it was sketch books, envelopes and little boxes that treasures were tucked safely into. Soon (when I get the chance to photograph them) I will share some of the goodies bought on our recent trip.