An exciting MAY!

7 months ago (also the last time I had a hair cut), I left my day job and started freelancing as an illustrator and photographer full time!  I'm still going and it's the most amazing change I've ever made in my life. I feel so lucky to have such a supportive group of creatives, family and friends around me, and a special mention to my greatest supporter and love of my life Mr Shane Hannan.

I've been having a little break from my blog so that I can put all of my time into launching my new Illustration and Photography websites!!  Lots of exciting things are in the works for the future...
But in the meantime! A few things have happened that are too exciting not to blog about.

May has been a magical month for me with lots of exciting projects and adventures...

I entered a brand spanking new illustration in the YEN Art Awards Competition. This one is pretty close to my heart and will be for sale on my online shop soon...


Princess Polly got me to illustrate a whole wall in their new Indooroopilly store!! I took a few Instagram photos on opening night and it was packed with people. It's pretty special to think that I can go and see my illustration at my local shopping centre whenever I like.


My favourite shop Sunday Social asked me to photograph their new Autumn / Winter Look Book.
We had an amazing day at the beach with perfect weather. Make sure you visit the store in Winn Lane if you are in Brisbane or head over to the online shop: sundaysocialstore.bigcartel.com
Models: Thea, Penny and Jesse,
Styling by Jess and Thea,
Makeup by Penny
Hair by Jenni

As a little bonus I got to have a bit of a shopping spree! I was in my element!! I'm really serious when I say Sunday Social is my favourite shop!

Forkmyfood invited me over to be an official taste tester for her raw, vegan dessert blog post.
It was my lucky day.
This is what I got to taste:
White chocolate, strawberry, lemon cheesecake,
Home made almond milk
Raw hazelnut chocolate
Coconut & cashew icecream
 (Photo by Photo by forkmyfood. )


Pommy entered in the Winn Lane dog show and won BEST IN SHOW!! What a little champ!! (And I took around a million dog photos, in a dog happy delirium ). I've been thinking that this might have been the best day of my life... and that maybe I am destined to be a dog photographer. haha


My childhood friend got married in Clare Valley, which totally made my heart melt!  I illustrated a portrait for the newly weds.



Just a few things going on at the moment that have put a big smile on my face and made it all worth while...

Christmas is coming: DIY Gift Wrapping

 How to make your own wrapping paper:

This year I wanted to avoid tacky Christmas paper and do something a little more economical and enviro friendly. So I experimented with some potato stamps on brown paper today.

If you have already wrapped all of your Christmas presents... then I commend you for being super organised and winning at life. If not... and you are looking for something crafty to get you in the Christmas spirit, then please follow on:

Step 1.
Listen to "Santa baby" (or James Brown) to help get you in the mood:

Step 2: What you will need
Potatoes
Brown paper
Paint (I used only white, but you can use other colours)
Twine
Cutting/carving tools of your choice: knife, skewer, apple corer, lino cutting tools
Sponge
Twine
Scissors
Sticky Tape


Step 3:
Draw some designs in a note book.
Then experiment with your designs by stamping them onto a scrap piece of paper to see what works.
Try carving into the potato or cutting out shapes.
In the end I found it easiest to cut out simple shapes rather than carving intricate designs.



Step 4:
Coat your sponge with paint and dab onto the potato stamp. Carefully place it on the brown paper (it's harder to print on the shiny side of the paper). Leave the stamp to sit for a moment and then careful lift it off. They can be very slippery. Start stamping your pattern!


I found it much easier to break down my designs into multiple simple shaped stamps. For the ferns I used a single thin line of potato and then one leaf shape repeated.
To create a Christmas tree I just used a simple triangle and rectangle. You could do something really intricate by cutting multiple triangles in different sizes and a small circle for all of the baubles.


Step 5:
Once your paper has dried, start wrapping your gifts! Finish off with some pretty twine. You could add a sprig of rosemary as a final touch. (Mine died...due to lack of care)

Christmas is coming: Gift Guide

I can't believe it's nearly Christmas. What happened?
I feel like I've been hit by a tornado of a year - but more about that later, because now we need to get in the Christmas spirit!

Because I have abandoned you for so long, I am going to make up for it by making a little Christmas post every day until Christmas.

I am almost finished my work for the year and then I get to relax and enjoy myself.
I would like to unwind with one of these....


What are you doing for the Christmas holidays?
I'm fantasising about going camping at Lennox Heads for a night or two and abandoning technology, or a Stradbroke Island day trip, finally making some home made ice cream and doing all of the projects that I haven't had time for this year. To be honest though, it will just be really nice to have a rest and do nothing, even if I just lay on the floor in the lounge room and watch DVDs every day.

Ok so we only have 5 more days until Christmas and this is my gift guide, incase you are still stuck for ideas!

Breville food processor - so you can become a kitchen magician
Wheel & Barrow Icy Pole Moulds, with this book, so you can make ice blocks like this:

Melon baller with melon, to help keep your summer cool
Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals that are delicious and easy to cook
The beautiful My Abuela's Table written and illustrated by Daniella Germain
Find & Keep - full of crafty activities to do all holidays
Little Vege Patch Co - How to grow food in small spaces
Little Vege Patch Co - Guide to back yard farming
Girls - Season 1 on DVD to help you find some humour in your failings
Eco Yoga mat, yoga props and dvd - so that you can do yoga from home
Zen Hot Yoga classes for toned thighs on the beach
A Yoga practice wall chart to keep you inspired
Inika mineral make up foundation kit - because you care about chemical free products for your skin (Available at Shop Naturally online or in store at Biome)
A'kin Rosehip oil for night time wrinkle treatment
Coconut oil - for your hair, your skin and your kitchen (Available at Shop Naturally online or in store at Wray Organics)

For the photography enthusiast visit Photojojo for a fool proof gift guide


My favourite local shops for Christmas:
Sunday Social - for a mood ring and friendship bracelet to give to your buddy (or a pair of vintage sunglasses and earrings for yourself).
Atavist Books - Emily Nelson Art  greeting cards are currently stocked at Atavist Books! (I always find a good book to read here, Sian has a knack for recommendations.)
Ra Ra Superstar - The prettiest range of head bands around! (Or a cute vintage hand bag).
Biome - This awesome lunch recipe book, some lovely eco body products and red and white twine!
Nook - Support your local crafters and artists this Christmas AND find big rolls of twine in all different colours for all of your Christmas wrapping.
We Live Like This - for your Lauren Carney prints, cards and wrapping paper and other local crafter goodness.
Bunker Coffee - you can buy a 6 pack of Bunker specialty iced coffee or chocolate for a hot Christmas day!

Last last minute gift ideas:
Subscriptions take one minute!
Frankie Magazine - um...what girl wouldn't love this?
Lynda - Gift months of online learning. I would seriously love this.

Gift guide suited to person who enjoys cooking, art and craft, yoga and cares for the environment.

Lastly, I'm very excited to finally share a special Christmas commission I have been working on recently based on my "I think you're lovely" greeting card. This is a tribute to the Vincent family's late cat - Dr Octagon. 


Next: DIY Gift Wrapping

Be an Earth Mother

Lavender Tea & Pretty Dresses

Illustration Inspiration: Pretty Dresses at Ra Ra Superstar 
Water colour and digital illustration by me!

Left: Key Lime Structured Sheath Dress     Right: Flamingo Paradiso Dress

The weather is getting warmer, the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air and listening to all of your neighbours splashing and laughing with glee in their pools, while you sweat it out is just not cool. This lovely refreshing Lavender iced tea will make you feel as cool as a cucumber as you sit by the fan and embrace summer with elegance and grace.  

INGREDIENTS

1L Boiled Water

A pinch of fresh lavender OR a small teaspoon of dried lavender

2 Black Teabags 

Honey to taste 

Sliced lemon & ice to garnish

METHOD

Pick some fresh lavender from your mothers garden (or dried lavender from the store). 

In a glass jug add 2 black teabags with a light sprinkling of lavender flowers. Be careful to only use a small amount of lavender to avoid the taste of drinking from a perfume bottle. 

Add the boiled water and let the tea bags brew for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and add a heaped table spoon of honey for a sweet tea or less to taste. 

Once cool add ice and sliced lemon to the jug and pour into cute retro glasses like your granny used to have. For a naughty variation add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to your glass. 

If you are an impatient iced tea drinker like me; speed up the process by making a condensed version of this with only 1/2 a cup of boiled water and then fill the jug with cold water and ice. Instant iced tea. 

Glasses and Jug from my local op shop. 

Leah Goren Interview

Today I am very excited to share an interview with Leah Goren, a Brooklyn based illustrator and textile designer. I love following Leah's work on her blog and am also a big fan of her etsy shop.

Your range on Etsy (and Anthropologie) is beautiful!  Where else can I look out for your designs?

A handful of my products are stocked at a tiny boutique called Violet and Claire in Tokyo, but beyond that everything I make I sell myself. I work primarily in freelance illustration and licensing, and the items in my shop are more of an example of how my work can be used rather than their own line.



How did you get into textile and pattern design as an illustrator? 

I just sort of fell into it naturally. I've always been interested in fashion, and once I realized I didn't want to actually study fashion in school I started designing patterns for fabrics on my own. I like that putting a painting on a product makes the painting instantly interactive, and isn't just a stagnant thing on a wall or piece of paper.



What helped you to follow your dreams and take the risk to create your own business? 

I started my Etsy Shop while I was in school, so there was really no risk!  I didn't have to support myself yet so I wasn't concerned with making a profit at the time, it was really just a good outlet for the things I made.


Can you tell us about the process of your work? 

I start by painting, and I always use reference images. I'll just Google images of specific things if I know what I'm going to be drawing, or just scroll through blogs if I need ideas.
After I'm done painting, I scan my drawings and assemble a repeating tile in Photoshop.
From there I can edit colors and the final layout before I send it off to be digitally printed on fabric.


Can you tell us about your cat Moses? Is he supportive or distracting to your work? 
Does Moses have any funny habits? 

Definitely a distraction, he's terrible. He walks all over my desk, tries to jump on my shelves, tips over my paint water on purpose, lunges at my scissors when I'm cutting fabric. Sometimes he just makes me hold him and will do anything so that I just hold him while he sleeps, and of course then I don't have any hands to do work with. I like him the most when he's done wreaking havoc and falls asleep on the chair or in his box. He's the best though. His favourite foods that he's not supposed to have are smoked salmon, butter and cream cheese, and he loves playing with wire twist ties.He's also great at playing fetch.


What is it like living in NY and what do you enjoy about your neighbourhood? 

Recently I've been really enjoying walking around my neighbourhood, Bushwick. It's really "up and coming" as they say, and there aren't a ton of shops, bars, restaurants, etc. here yet. So it feels smaller, I feel more connected to people I see, and as new places open it really feels like I'm part of a growing community. I go to yoga here, I pick up my CSA here, we are forever loyal to our little cafe on our block. It's great!


Do you have any new exhibitions or projects that we should look out for? 

I'm always working on projects with friends when I can. Right now I'm doing some quilting projects with my neighbour who is a whiz at quilting. We're going to make some pillows too. I have a zine I did that I'm about to get printed, which a bunch of my friends contributed to, that'll be up in my shop soon as well.


What are your dreams for the future? 

Keep making things! And I would love to do house wares at some point, table ceramics or kitchen things would be so fun.

For more Leah Goren:
Website:http://www.leahgoren.com/
Blog: http://leahreena.blogspot.com.au/
Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/leahgoren


My two new beautiful long skirts that I ordered from Leah Goren, below. 
It was a very tough choice deciding which patterns I wanted to go on the skirts.
I love wearing a maxi skirt to the markets, to a picnic or to the beach.  

I'm not sure about you, but I'm totally inspired to try my hand at some textile illustration/design.
Thank you so much Leah for doing the interview and I LOVE my new skirts!!