Tuesday, January 10, 2012
So ive been going 'slightly' crazy lately, minus sewing machine and all things textiles, and have been spending most of my days off looking through amazing pics of other people's creations. Before Jen and I started Sawdust and Diamonds Clothing, the clothes that I was making at the time where under the name Selkie and Ive always had something in the back of my head about that scottish folktale and wanted to make a business around it. So Ive been entertaining myself on my day of today whilst Toms out job hunting, with making up a new name and label for a business hopefully selling clothes here in Melbourne in the future.
I have come up with the name -Selkie's Skin-, and really like the idea of clothes being a second skin, and letting you be something/someone else....a costume. The folktales of Selkies are about beautiful Seal women who come out of the sea and take off their seal skins to become humanlike and walk on the shore and bask in the sun. The stories also talk of men who fall in love with these seal women and take them to be their brides hiding their skins and thus their freedom.
Here is a label idea that I came up with:
I think the idea will work well with the kind of things I want to make, and I like that I could also theme collections of clothings to different mythical creatures. I love the UK for its folklore and folksongs, and thats actually something that I really miss about England.
Ive been looking at the work of 'Naturally Bohemian' (aka. the lovely Gemma I met at the festivals this last summer), and been getting so much inspiration from her work. Here are some of her creations:
I really love her style and reminds me a lot of the early lacey pieces I made for Sawdust and Diamonds. These are some of my fav's that I made, Id really like to get back to doing more creations like these...
I think I got stuck into a bit of a tram of making replications of patterns when I was in England, something that I love to do, and would love to have collections of also, but I think my love of making lies in one of pieces...especially crazy dresses....the lacier and crazier the better. Nom Nom Nom! Inspiration!
There seems to be a lot of markets and shops in Melbourne where it would be possible to sell. I think my dream would be to make clothing for the stage, for musicians like Kim Boekbinder and Amanda Palmer, were performance is everything and the audience is completely inspired to express themselves through clothing. Well I seem to have landed in the right city for all this and with connections already, so we shall see where this all goes hey! Its interesting to plan ahead and really think about what I want to make and how, because usually I just go ahead and make and see where it goes. Having no sewing machine or materials this side of the world means time for sketching and thinking and planning and scheming =)
So onwards and upwards! Cheers(!) to not waitressing in the future, and Horrah(!) for creative endevours
Xxx
I have come up with the name -Selkie's Skin-, and really like the idea of clothes being a second skin, and letting you be something/someone else....a costume. The folktales of Selkies are about beautiful Seal women who come out of the sea and take off their seal skins to become humanlike and walk on the shore and bask in the sun. The stories also talk of men who fall in love with these seal women and take them to be their brides hiding their skins and thus their freedom.
Here is a label idea that I came up with:
Ive been looking at the work of 'Naturally Bohemian' (aka. the lovely Gemma I met at the festivals this last summer), and been getting so much inspiration from her work. Here are some of her creations:
I really love her style and reminds me a lot of the early lacey pieces I made for Sawdust and Diamonds. These are some of my fav's that I made, Id really like to get back to doing more creations like these...
There seems to be a lot of markets and shops in Melbourne where it would be possible to sell. I think my dream would be to make clothing for the stage, for musicians like Kim Boekbinder and Amanda Palmer, were performance is everything and the audience is completely inspired to express themselves through clothing. Well I seem to have landed in the right city for all this and with connections already, so we shall see where this all goes hey! Its interesting to plan ahead and really think about what I want to make and how, because usually I just go ahead and make and see where it goes. Having no sewing machine or materials this side of the world means time for sketching and thinking and planning and scheming =)
So onwards and upwards! Cheers(!) to not waitressing in the future, and Horrah(!) for creative endevours
Xxx
Monday, January 9, 2012
Hey everyone! First post as a 24 year old, crazy craaaaazy times! Im now officially Toms older women ;-) hehe. All good this side of the world, just trying to get lots and lots of work in the next month in readiness for India in just over a month. Works pretty shiiiiiit but that kinda comes with the waitressing job description but im slogging on through and some of the people make it bareable.
Had an awesome birthday down under: went and saw the new sherlock holmes movie with young tom, had lunch at the beeeest chinese place in China town called DonDons (nom nom nom!), then went to Pallookavilles in Fitzroy for tastey drinks and food with lots of lovelies I have met through Tom in the last month, and the gorgeous english lasses Lucy and Bex. Was grand to be sure <3
Toms brother Jim and his lovely lady miss Kim Boekbinder (who is an AWESOME musician herself: http://www.kimboekbinder.com/ ) wangled us all in with free tickets and backstage passes to see the Dresden Dolls last night at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne central.
They were...unreal. Amanda Palmer is HOT, and I tell no lie ;-) check out this video above of the Dresden Dolls and you'll see why it was such an awesome gig!
So all going well over here, thinking of you all over there and missing you all lots! Will keep on with the updates.
Much love,
Bexi xx
Had an awesome birthday down under: went and saw the new sherlock holmes movie with young tom, had lunch at the beeeest chinese place in China town called DonDons (nom nom nom!), then went to Pallookavilles in Fitzroy for tastey drinks and food with lots of lovelies I have met through Tom in the last month, and the gorgeous english lasses Lucy and Bex. Was grand to be sure <3
Toms brother Jim and his lovely lady miss Kim Boekbinder (who is an AWESOME musician herself: http://www.kimboekbinder.com/ ) wangled us all in with free tickets and backstage passes to see the Dresden Dolls last night at the Forum Theatre in Melbourne central.
So all going well over here, thinking of you all over there and missing you all lots! Will keep on with the updates.
Much love,
Bexi xx
Monday, January 2, 2012
Haaaappy new year everyone! Just back in the city now after a couple of chilled out days celebrating new year in Ruffy where there was a big gathering of homeschooling family and friends celebrating new year together. (ma you would have been in your element!) It was a nice chilled one, supping cold mojitos made by master cocktail man master Batt, and lounging around in the greeny leafy shade. Still cant get over how gorgeous the garden is in Ruffy!
So back to the city, and back to work again! I had 3 days of work last week, at Holly Hocks in Port Melbourne which were seriously long days and really hard work, but the people are all pretty cool and ive got the best views in town as I slog on through so cant be that bad ;-) Here are a couple of photos I took last week.
I took this picture waiting for my trial shift from the peir next to the restaurant... you can see the restaurant in the top left.
And this is a picture from the bar! Im doing a mix of barwork and waitressing. And definately prefer the bar, forgot just how full on waitressing is on your feet! Especially when its nearlly 40 degrees! But hey $15 an hour cash in hand and fed so cant complain.
So Ive got another day on my own in the city, Tom stayed on at his parents in Ruffy for another day or so to rest up his poorly foot and get some paperwork done...i'm making my way through the series Game of Thrones, whilst trying not to die of heat exhaustion (its still SO hot and its midnight!!!), and I think I may well spend my day off tomorrow on the beach, maybe head down to st Kilda and chill there for a bit.
Until then,
Much love to you all, hope you all had an AWESOME start to 2012!!! xxxx bexi
So back to the city, and back to work again! I had 3 days of work last week, at Holly Hocks in Port Melbourne which were seriously long days and really hard work, but the people are all pretty cool and ive got the best views in town as I slog on through so cant be that bad ;-) Here are a couple of photos I took last week.
So Ive got another day on my own in the city, Tom stayed on at his parents in Ruffy for another day or so to rest up his poorly foot and get some paperwork done...i'm making my way through the series Game of Thrones, whilst trying not to die of heat exhaustion (its still SO hot and its midnight!!!), and I think I may well spend my day off tomorrow on the beach, maybe head down to st Kilda and chill there for a bit.
Until then,
Much love to you all, hope you all had an AWESOME start to 2012!!! xxxx bexi
Monday, December 26, 2011
So, Ive spent the last couple of days making the most of Sharron's (Tom's mum) vintage Jenome sewing machine. It's been SO nice to sew again after a good 4 month break from sewing what with work and packing up all my stuff and moving out of the studio.
Thought I would keep you guys up to date with the creations and put some photos up here of what Ive been making!
I made Sharron a copy of one of her favourite dresses as a christmas prezzie, it was made out of white cotton with really cool pockets and mix/matched red beads, I havnt got a photo of this one yet but will get onto that. It was pretty hard to take a copy of it, as it has lots of darts in it, but i managed and it looks really lovely on.
I also made Tom a waistcoat for christmas with a thick cotton linen mix and a purple lining, pics to follow.
Today (boxing day) I made myself a really pretty dress from a vintage pattern i customised a while back. Ive made the pattern a few times as tops and dresses and its really flattering. Today I used some beautiful hand blocked cotton Tom and I bought in Fitzroy, Melbourne when we were looking for waistcoat material for him.
Here it is!
The fabric is dusty pinky colour with black paisley/indian block print on it. I cut the fabric so it looks like it has a waistband but its actually just the print of the fabric....pretty cool though huh!
Well, hope you guys all had a lovely xmas, you englishies will be waking up to boxing day now, and lots of turkey sandwiches!!! hehe. xxx
Thought I would keep you guys up to date with the creations and put some photos up here of what Ive been making!
I made Sharron a copy of one of her favourite dresses as a christmas prezzie, it was made out of white cotton with really cool pockets and mix/matched red beads, I havnt got a photo of this one yet but will get onto that. It was pretty hard to take a copy of it, as it has lots of darts in it, but i managed and it looks really lovely on.
I also made Tom a waistcoat for christmas with a thick cotton linen mix and a purple lining, pics to follow.
Today (boxing day) I made myself a really pretty dress from a vintage pattern i customised a while back. Ive made the pattern a few times as tops and dresses and its really flattering. Today I used some beautiful hand blocked cotton Tom and I bought in Fitzroy, Melbourne when we were looking for waistcoat material for him.
Here it is!
The fabric is dusty pinky colour with black paisley/indian block print on it. I cut the fabric so it looks like it has a waistband but its actually just the print of the fabric....pretty cool though huh!
Well, hope you guys all had a lovely xmas, you englishies will be waking up to boxing day now, and lots of turkey sandwiches!!! hehe. xxx
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas everyone! Im writing this from Ruffy, taking a little break from the family merriment of christmas day with Toms family. We arrived here yesterday from the city, so nice to finally get back here after 2 weeks in the city when i was only intending to be away for 3 days!!
Its been a really interesting couple of weeks in the city, staying with friends and family of Tom, particularly the Hartman family who really took me under their wing, and i was staying on my own with them for quite a few days whilst tom came back to ruffy. I tried and failed at getting a job, then tried and succeeded, so im heading back to the city in a couple of days before new year to start work waitressing on the harbour in port melbourne. Its a really swanky location right on the peir, and double the pay of what i get in england so cant complain.
Really missing all you english roses, had a bit of a teary day thinking about what you guys are all up to on your christmas eves and mornings. Looking forward to some jolly christmas skyping later with the parentals and chatting to my christmassed sisters ;-)
Here are some photos of the last couple of weeks :
this is Ruffy, properly out in the sticks! Makes buxton look cosmopolitan!
This is Degraves street in Melbourne, best coffee in town, and great for people watching too.
Anna Hartman, John her boyfriend, and Tom eating at the Auction Rooms in North Melbourne, taaaasty!
So much love to you all and more to come soon! Ill be back in Melbourne on the 27th, moving into our new room in North Carlton, then starting work on the 28th. Xxx
Its been a really interesting couple of weeks in the city, staying with friends and family of Tom, particularly the Hartman family who really took me under their wing, and i was staying on my own with them for quite a few days whilst tom came back to ruffy. I tried and failed at getting a job, then tried and succeeded, so im heading back to the city in a couple of days before new year to start work waitressing on the harbour in port melbourne. Its a really swanky location right on the peir, and double the pay of what i get in england so cant complain.
Really missing all you english roses, had a bit of a teary day thinking about what you guys are all up to on your christmas eves and mornings. Looking forward to some jolly christmas skyping later with the parentals and chatting to my christmassed sisters ;-)
Here are some photos of the last couple of weeks :
So much love to you all and more to come soon! Ill be back in Melbourne on the 27th, moving into our new room in North Carlton, then starting work on the 28th. Xxx
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
6/12/11
Cant believe its December, its July really and the calendars just pretending! Dont think i could ever get used to this whole season switch thing, march being the beginning of Autumn....nnnnnaaaahhhhhh!
Spent the last few days chilling at the family home in Ruffy, doing some hardcore Macrame making (been making a macrame pocket belt-photos to follow when its finito), lots of The Wire watching and general lazy summer sun worshipping. Tom was away from saturday til monday night which was a bit strange, making myself at home in his parents house while he was away, and meeting his bro and bro's lady without him there. Bit nervewracking but all good. Tom was off at a friend reunion with some of his ol'time homeschooling chums, sounded like he had a good old chin wag.
Spent some lovely evenings eating outside in the dusky sunsets with the family...its so nice to be able to congregate outside at the end of the day and have a bit of a feast. Yesterday we lit the home made clay pizza oven outside and made tastey crazy pizzas with the most random toppings- courgette flowers, potato slices- and tastey mozzarella and olives nom nom nom! Was so beautiful out there with lots of mosquito candles all like and a big fire lit next to the oven to keep us warm. I took some pictures that ill add at the end. Its still pretty chilly here in the mornings and after sunset, toms parents say its more like spring weather right now then summer (which is a bit worrying as to me its super hot already during the day!). Me and tom had a go at the raspberry bushes this afternoon, got a good little harvest from just 20mins work, id say there was still 20 times more vines to do then we picked their harvest is HUGE! You have to wait til after the day cools, because otherwise the risk of snakes is too high to be going that much into the grass- i was pretty proud of myself that i went in there at all even though i was pretty wimpy and tom has been known to have the odd demand to carry me through long grass....self preservation i call it =)
Were heading off into the city tomorrow until sunday for a good few days of city time. Cant wait to get out and see some more Oz! Ive been on the farm for nearlly a week without leaving because its just SO remote, so itll be super nice to see some lovelies in Melbourne and got shown the sites! <3 Going to be staying with some of Toms pals and also his bro's.
Other then that, not much new really here, got a bit of a cold coming i think or it might be hayfever so feeling a bit under the weather, but chirpy enough=) Lots of love to you all! Xxx Zzzzzzzz!
Spent the last few days chilling at the family home in Ruffy, doing some hardcore Macrame making (been making a macrame pocket belt-photos to follow when its finito), lots of The Wire watching and general lazy summer sun worshipping. Tom was away from saturday til monday night which was a bit strange, making myself at home in his parents house while he was away, and meeting his bro and bro's lady without him there. Bit nervewracking but all good. Tom was off at a friend reunion with some of his ol'time homeschooling chums, sounded like he had a good old chin wag.
Spent some lovely evenings eating outside in the dusky sunsets with the family...its so nice to be able to congregate outside at the end of the day and have a bit of a feast. Yesterday we lit the home made clay pizza oven outside and made tastey crazy pizzas with the most random toppings- courgette flowers, potato slices- and tastey mozzarella and olives nom nom nom! Was so beautiful out there with lots of mosquito candles all like and a big fire lit next to the oven to keep us warm. I took some pictures that ill add at the end. Its still pretty chilly here in the mornings and after sunset, toms parents say its more like spring weather right now then summer (which is a bit worrying as to me its super hot already during the day!). Me and tom had a go at the raspberry bushes this afternoon, got a good little harvest from just 20mins work, id say there was still 20 times more vines to do then we picked their harvest is HUGE! You have to wait til after the day cools, because otherwise the risk of snakes is too high to be going that much into the grass- i was pretty proud of myself that i went in there at all even though i was pretty wimpy and tom has been known to have the odd demand to carry me through long grass....self preservation i call it =)
Were heading off into the city tomorrow until sunday for a good few days of city time. Cant wait to get out and see some more Oz! Ive been on the farm for nearlly a week without leaving because its just SO remote, so itll be super nice to see some lovelies in Melbourne and got shown the sites! <3 Going to be staying with some of Toms pals and also his bro's.
Other then that, not much new really here, got a bit of a cold coming i think or it might be hayfever so feeling a bit under the weather, but chirpy enough=) Lots of love to you all! Xxx Zzzzzzzz!
Friday, December 2, 2011
3/12/11
Woke up at 2:30am this morning! Jetlag SUCKS! So far ive woken up at 5:30am on the first day, 4 am on the 2nd day and 2:30am this morning.... not good. I think im going to have to be really hard on myself and not sleep at all during the day, sup away at some coffee or something to keep me awake until at least 9pm so i can try and get my body back in wak. Its pretty full on, really wasnt expecting it to be this bad!
Toms just in the garden with his dad having fun with a chainsaw and moving lots of logs around, they're in their element =) Him and his mum are heading off to the city in a bit, tom to go to a gathering with all his homeschooling pals, and his mum to pick up toms brother and his american girlfriend Kim and bring them back to the house. I decided to stay in the country over the weekend and get over the jetlag, instead of going to the meeting tonight and meeting up with the lovely Judith who is a Melbourne BV member i met in india this year.
Gonna spend the next couple of days chillin outside in the sunshine, getting a bit browner (without roasting! the sun is SOOO hot here!hole in Ozone layer etc etc), and making some more makrame jewellery with the plan to sell at some point. I made this bracelet whilst i was waiting for my flight when i was in Bristol...but i dont have any more stones to play with....wish id brought more when i was in India last time! Tom's pretty dead set on heading out there in February for a few weeks, so maybe Ill get a chance to sooner rather then later, money trees providing!
Had a lovely skypeyskypey catch up with the gorgeous miss jenni this morning which was a really nice treat, though connections are pretty shocking here and I could see her lovely face but she couldnt see mine. Wish i could transport you to the warm for a bit Jennibum! <3
Much love to you all and more pics and updates soon xxx
Toms just in the garden with his dad having fun with a chainsaw and moving lots of logs around, they're in their element =) Him and his mum are heading off to the city in a bit, tom to go to a gathering with all his homeschooling pals, and his mum to pick up toms brother and his american girlfriend Kim and bring them back to the house. I decided to stay in the country over the weekend and get over the jetlag, instead of going to the meeting tonight and meeting up with the lovely Judith who is a Melbourne BV member i met in india this year.
Gonna spend the next couple of days chillin outside in the sunshine, getting a bit browner (without roasting! the sun is SOOO hot here!hole in Ozone layer etc etc), and making some more makrame jewellery with the plan to sell at some point. I made this bracelet whilst i was waiting for my flight when i was in Bristol...but i dont have any more stones to play with....wish id brought more when i was in India last time! Tom's pretty dead set on heading out there in February for a few weeks, so maybe Ill get a chance to sooner rather then later, money trees providing!
Much love to you all and more pics and updates soon xxx
Thursday, December 1, 2011
1/12/11
FIRST DAY IN OZ! I arrived into Melbourne Airport at 7:30pm yesterday afternoon with the best airport greeting since Love Actually. The journey was pretty hellish: travelling back from the family farm at 11am on Monday and arriving back into bristol for 4, failing at getting some shut eye before my coach at 2:30am to Heathrow which took nearlly 3 hours, 3 hours wait in the airport, 6 1/2 hour flight to Abu Dhabi, 2 hours wait and then 14 hour flight to Melbourne, and 2 hours drive to Ruffy! What a journey!!
Within the first 20mins of the drive to Ruffy I saw (and this is not an exaduration) a good 200 Kangas, and as we were pulling into Ruffy there was a Koala crossing the road which looked at us for a sec then bounced off up a eucalyptus tree near by =) Pretty amazing start to life in Oz.
Despite being really exhausted it felt like trying to go to sleep at midday, when we went to bed at 11pm. Tom's still suffering from jetlag 5days in, and I can see that its not going to be as easy as i thought to nip it in the bud. We were both wide awake at 5:30am this morning, snuggled up in Toms gorgeous family home in the bush in a little hamlet called Ruffy. The house is gorgeous and the gardens even more so, it looks like a big tree house surrounded by fruit trees and flowers and vegetable patches. The house was built by Toms dad, John, and is all wood except for a bit of stone work on the outside where you can see that the house used to be an old church. Theres a beautiful wood stove inside that heats the house, and its so beautiful and cosy! Its pretty chilly here when the sun goes in, so weve been cosying up and keeping warm next to the stove when we havnt been catching some spring sunshine outside, picking strawberries, and making pancakes and strawberry crumble! What a gorgeous first day =) Toms dad is a wood sculptor as well as amazing at all things DIY, and he has a studio out in the gardens with some gorgeous wood sculptures hanging around in there and out near the trees. I took some pics of them which will be at the bottom of this entry.
So the plan is to relax here tomorrow, then were both going to head into the city on Saturday, Tom to a reunion with his friends, and me to catch up with some pals and do my first BV open meeting from Melbourne!
Sleepily excited and so happy to be here, love to you all and enjoy the pics =) <3 xxx
Within the first 20mins of the drive to Ruffy I saw (and this is not an exaduration) a good 200 Kangas, and as we were pulling into Ruffy there was a Koala crossing the road which looked at us for a sec then bounced off up a eucalyptus tree near by =) Pretty amazing start to life in Oz.
Despite being really exhausted it felt like trying to go to sleep at midday, when we went to bed at 11pm. Tom's still suffering from jetlag 5days in, and I can see that its not going to be as easy as i thought to nip it in the bud. We were both wide awake at 5:30am this morning, snuggled up in Toms gorgeous family home in the bush in a little hamlet called Ruffy. The house is gorgeous and the gardens even more so, it looks like a big tree house surrounded by fruit trees and flowers and vegetable patches. The house was built by Toms dad, John, and is all wood except for a bit of stone work on the outside where you can see that the house used to be an old church. Theres a beautiful wood stove inside that heats the house, and its so beautiful and cosy! Its pretty chilly here when the sun goes in, so weve been cosying up and keeping warm next to the stove when we havnt been catching some spring sunshine outside, picking strawberries, and making pancakes and strawberry crumble! What a gorgeous first day =) Toms dad is a wood sculptor as well as amazing at all things DIY, and he has a studio out in the gardens with some gorgeous wood sculptures hanging around in there and out near the trees. I took some pics of them which will be at the bottom of this entry.
So the plan is to relax here tomorrow, then were both going to head into the city on Saturday, Tom to a reunion with his friends, and me to catch up with some pals and do my first BV open meeting from Melbourne!
Sleepily excited and so happy to be here, love to you all and enjoy the pics =) <3 xxx
Monday, November 21, 2011
1 week.
This time next week Ill be waiting to get on a coach to the airport in a few hours! Its amazing, I cant believe it is all going to happen so soon. Its monday today and tom flies on friday this week, then Im off with dad up north to drop of my stuff being stored at the farmhouse, and spend a few days with mum and jon and the girlies, then back down to brizzle on the monday and coach at 2:30am on the tuesday morning to the airport for a flight at 9am. Eek. I am so excited =)
Had a gorgeous leaving do on friday, so lovely to collect so many people to play, we ate delicious Thali's at the Thali Cafe in easton, and went for drinks after. It really hit home what was about to happen when i was sitting next to ash and jen, lots of happiness but also sadness. But life is made for adventures and im sure my lovely ladies will soon be galavanting off around the globe on their own adventures, Ash already has plans for another Brazil visit in 2012 which sounds amazing!
So, yeh, 7days to go, 2 1/2 days left with the lovely Milo boy ive been nannying since August, and my last cafe shift tomorrow! Some more serious packing needing to take place this week, which im secretly looking forward to.
Speak soon, maybe from my new home of Melbourne. All my love, until then,
Bex xx
Had a gorgeous leaving do on friday, so lovely to collect so many people to play, we ate delicious Thali's at the Thali Cafe in easton, and went for drinks after. It really hit home what was about to happen when i was sitting next to ash and jen, lots of happiness but also sadness. But life is made for adventures and im sure my lovely ladies will soon be galavanting off around the globe on their own adventures, Ash already has plans for another Brazil visit in 2012 which sounds amazing!
So, yeh, 7days to go, 2 1/2 days left with the lovely Milo boy ive been nannying since August, and my last cafe shift tomorrow! Some more serious packing needing to take place this week, which im secretly looking forward to.
Speak soon, maybe from my new home of Melbourne. All my love, until then,
Bex xx
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