Postcard from Brugge

Another one-day visit... this time it was in Brugge visiting our friend Patrick who is an eyewear designer. There's nothing quite like having a local show you around – it was such a magical place. I was totally in love with the lace shops... look at these lovelies :)

London tomorrow :)

Postcard from Antwerp

We were only in Antwerp for a day and it was mostly work but this is definitely a favourite place for more visits in the future. A new find, suggested by Mady at Abundance, was the new concept store Ra. A couple of pics from here are below. It was an amazing space with installation spaces for fashion, books and music...

The highlight of Antwerp for me though was meeting up with Renilde from At-Swim-Two-Birds. Thanks Renilde! :)

Home again: Postcard from Amsterdam

Back from my travels to a Brisbane flush with rain... everything is so green :) The last two weeks have rushed by in a blur but we've had a wonderful time.

Firstly, a postcard from Amsterdam.... What a fabulous place! Favourite find: The Otherist. Part curio shop, gift shop and stationers, you can have a peek at their website and blog. Somehow I failed to take a photo :(

I did, however, snap a couple of very cute window displays... This one showcased a collection of french knitting spools (from memory, I think it was someone's home, not even a shop!)

And this window display – a shop that sells only tin boxes... can you imagine such a treat? :)

We were also totally intrigued to see stickers like this one (below) all over Amsterdam... BNE is the anagram for Brisbane, so that was pretty spooky ;) Not wanting to arrogantly assume that this is what they stand for, I was wondering if anyone knows for certain what they mean?

Hope you've had a great fortnight. I'll be around visiting soon, but I think I'll be collapsing into bed for now... these 24 hour flights are killers ;)

More 'postcards' to follow this week. Tomorrow, it's Antwerp :)

Loose ends + sojourns

I've been a bit absent around here lately... (there's a lot going on)... but I have managed to grab the odd spare moment to crochet in the loose ends on my hexagon blanket. Loving my loose ends pile :) I'm on the home stretch now – crocheting a border around the blanket (just two rows of a double crochet stitch) and it will all be done :)

Now, about the sojourn... There are some beautiful French words that have been incorporated into the English language, but I think my favourite is "sojourn"... it has such a slumberous feeling to it that suggests the very best kind of holiday or break.... and that's just what's been 'going on' chez 3 Sheets... I've been getting ready for my annual sojourn to a trade fair in Paris.

Very exciting, even if it is going to be more work than play. I don't think there'll be a lot of sojourn-ing going on though... We'll be hopping around all over the place – Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bruges and London as well as Paris, and rushing back to Brisbane in time to spend the last week of the school holidays with our girls :) Looking forward to meeting up with this lovely lady in Antwerp.

So, tomorrow I'll be looking out at clouds with delicious anticipation. See you in two weeks! :)

photo credit

More Tees

Thanks for all the fabulous feedback about the new t-shirts. New colours have been requested, so I've been working on these. I do like the blue + red but I think I prefer the citrus and grey... any preference? I've decided to print up some extras of both colours to put in the 3 Sheets shop... and I've been playing with some girl t-shirt designs too. I'm not happy with them just yet - I think they need something 'more' - but here's a peek anyway...

Have a great week :)

Selvedge winner

The fabulously unbiased Random.org has made the choice... Congratulations to Malinda from Animegirl! Hope you enjoy the magazine Mal :) I'll be in touch for your address or please feel free to email me the details if you see this first. Big thanks to everyone for your lovely comments.

My Creative Space - Boy Tees

click on photos for a closer look

I have a lot of problems finding gifts for boys. Probably because I have only daughters, I haven't had that immersion exposure that brings enlightenment ;) So yes, I'm the boring Aunty who gives clothes! My only hope for forgiveness is that the mums of these boys like the designs I've come up with for them :)

More creative spaces over at Kirsty's Kootoyoo.

Selvedge giveaway

The lovely folk at Selvedge have accidentally sent me a second copy of Issue 35 and I thought why not share the love :) Would anybody like this copy? If you'd like a better look at its contents you can view selected pages on the Selvedge website.

And this cute little Lotta Jansdotter pin cushion / pouch kit comes with it too :)

I'll select the winner via random.org on Monday 6th September.

My Creative Space - Silversmithing Workbench

Okay, so it's not a 'real' silversmithing workbench, it's an Ikea desk, but I'm so excited to finally have a dedicated space for all my silversmithing bits and pieces :) I've slowly been accumulating tools and have many still on the list but there's enough for now to get working on some pieces. I'm still fascinated by mixed media and have been working on pieces that incorporate crochet with silver. Like this one...

These are the bits from a brooch I'm making. I still have to solder on the pole on the third tree, give them a good polish, then attach all the pieces together and add the pin at the back. When it's finished it'll look something like this... (if all goes well)...

Actually, hopefully they won't look all shabby and dirty like that! My trees do need a clean and a polish ;)

I've also been fascinated with the negative spaces left after sawing out the tree shapes. Still thinking of what I can do with these...

For more creative spaces, visit Kirsty's at Kootoyoo.

Inspiration: Repeat Patterns

It's arrived! There was a special delivery this morning and I've been pouring over this most excellent book ever since... Repeat Patterns - a Manual for Designers, Artists and Architects. If you are at all interested in pattern-making in design, I thoroughly recommend it.

One of the things I've discovered while bumbling my way through screen print designs etc, is that I am visual in my design process; I need to see it before me in order to play with the design or judge whether it works or not. This had led to some pretty disastrous experiments as well as some happy accidents.

Repeat Patterns approaches the design process in a very visual way. It actually begins with a school-like tutorial in creating design units that can be positioned for the construction of a repeat pattern. I'm quite smitten :)

I should mention if you do try to find a copy, I had problems trying to buy it through these people and ended up taking Belinda's advice and getting it via the Book Depository. (Thanks Belinda - it was an excellent suggestion!) Many thanks again to KT Doyle for originally posting about the book :)

Great minds...

I've just been wandering around blogland for the first time in a while and have just had a bit of a shock... Am I seeing things or is this "Triangle Flowers" design at Bookhou from 16th August incredibly similar to my 'posts and triangles' atomic design posted on 27th July?

I'm not suggesting that Arounna has copied my design. I've loved and admired her work for a while now. It's just kind of freaky that we've both come up with something so similar and yet expressed so differently. Is it that old issue about drawing inspiration from the same design pool? Do you see the likeness or am I just seeing things?

To make matters even more freaky... I've been thinking about printing up a stripe design identical to this one (below). It is Arounna's work too and I've just seen it for the first time just a moment ago! It's such a strange feeling. Of course I can't do it now but I really wanted to make this design so I'm feeling a bit frustrated about that too ;)

I'm not making accusations here... I just can't quite get over the freaky serendipity. Do visit Bookhou - it is such a magnificent blog and Arounna's work is so beautiful.

What's the saying...? Great minds think alike and fools never differ ;)

Inspiration: Beatrice Alemagna

I first came across the beautiful work of Beatrice Alemagna via Elisabeth's very fine blog, but I think I really fell in love when I saw the homepage on her website (above). It says so much about her talents - the exquisite detail in patterning and the fine-boned illustration and story weaving. Alemagna decided at the age of eight she would become "a painter and writer of novels". Italian by birth, she now lives and works in Paris where she had her first break into the world of illustration...

My very first illustrated work was a poster of “l’Ecran des Enfants” (children’s screen) for the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. It happened accidentally, when I found myself being the only adult watching in there a movie for children. I never thought one could find work by going to a movie…"

My favourite book by Beatrice is the beautiful Un Lion a Paris, and it was lovely to discover that this is her favourite too. Her combination of collage and illustration is just gorgeous... reminds me of the lovely work by this lady and this one too :)

More of Beatrice Alemagna's work can be found via her website.

Soon to be Creative Space

Things will (hopefully) be looking a lot clearer around here now... I've finally bought a new camera! I love it :) Is it too shallow to love it as much for it's gorgeous blue colour as for what it can do?

You'll find people being actually creative and not at all shallow over at Kirsty's ;)

Ceramic lace + organic skirts

I've just received some yummy crafty post :) I'm a hopeless case when it comes to resisting a beautiful brooch. These lovelies are the latest creations of talented ceramicist Kim Wallace here in Brisbane. Had to have them and how could I possibly choose between them? Kim is also the driving force behind the creative e-shop Udessi... have a stroll around and see all the fabulous goodies she has on offer.

I had coffee with the lovely Mady yesterday and she hand-delivered one of her divine pieces... I'm totally in love with this skirt :) Mady creates these pieces from organic cottons and hemp which she dyes herself. You can see her shop here and she has two fabulous blogs, Abundance and Mady Dooijes, as well as a gorgeous Tumblr site.