toys + kids

Local Perth designers will be making their mark this year with the launch of two exciting new designer markets: Made On The Left (which is on this weekend!), and Perth Upmarket (being held in September).

The lineup for both markets is looking great - there is a long list of designers who will have stalls this Saturday (12.7.2008) at Made On The Left and the lineup for Perth Upmarket is growing every day it seems!

Enthusiasm for handmade crafts & locally designed products is bubbling over in Perth. There are already lots of gorgeous retail boutiques, but up until now there has been a distinct lack of markets specifically for designers' products. It looks will be following hot on the heels of established design markets in other states such as Hope Street Markets (Sydney) & Rose Street Artists Market (Melbourne).

"I Dream of Boab Trees Three" by Dara Clemens, one of the driving forces behind Made On The Left

To get a feel for the market mood in Perth, I quizzed a selection of organisers & stallholders... I asked DARA CLEMENS (of Made On The Left):
"Made On The Left was founded by a number of Perth designers. How did you find each other & what motivated you to to launch the Made On The Left market?"

"The Made on the Left committee is made up of Sarah, Jacquie, Ali J, Rosanna and myself. We met on the Perth forum thread at Etsy.com and setting up a designer art and craft market along with a complimentary website came up in conversation. To make a long story short we came together to make it happen!

"Open Mines", a triptych by Dara Clemens depicting the open cut mines that are spreading like wild fire throughout WA. Each canvas measures 255×255mm and the work will be availble at Made On The Left Market for AUD $200.

Between the 5 of us we have an amazing variety of skills and have managed to do everything from the press releases (5 different local papers and hopefully a few state ones this week), poster design (Ali J and Jacquie for graphic and Jacquie put the whole thing together), administration (forms, liaison with venue etc) and promotional distribution (leg work around town plus a whole lot of emailing).

Our motivation...I guess we all feel that Perth desperately needs more avenues in which local designers, artists and crafters can display and sell their wares. And that it would be great to have a website that brought together information from around WA, an easy link between sellers and those interested in buying either as an individual or retail."

Limited edition bibs by Oli B Designs, who will have a stall at Perth Upmarket. (AUD $14.95 each)

JUSTINE BARSLEY is responsible for launching Perth Upmarket. The Market will make its debut on Sunday September 14th at the Perth Town Hall. She is looking forward to making it a regular event, so Perth shoppers are in for a treat! (You can also keep up-to-date with Upmarket happenings at their blog). Justine is also the talented work-at-home-mum behind the label Oli B Designs & makes limited edition kids wear such as the funky little bibs pictured above. I asked Justine:
"Having moved to Perth just 2 years ago, what do you think is unique about the Perth design scene? How will this be reflected in the Perth Upmarket?"

"Having only moved to Perth two years ago I have found that there are lots of creative people, but they can be a bit hard to find. What I think is unique about Perth is the diverse mix of creative people and the openness of designers to work together. Whilst there are a few quality annual events, Perth has lacked a quality market where designers can showcase their designs on a regular basis and encourage repeat business. Perth Upmarket will bring Perth's talented artists, craftspeople, designers, stylists and gourmets all under one roof."

Felt Skull Hairclips by The Tiny Little Girl (label of Perth designer Beth Wachla). Beth will have a stall at Made On The Left Market.

I also asked a few of the stallholders, "What are you most looking forward to with the launch of the new markets?"
BETH WACHLA who creates the friendly, creepy faces above & below for her label The Tiny Little Girl answered:

"I'm most looking forward to meeting fellow indie designers and sharing our hard work with the lovely people of Perth. I think the markets are a sign that Perth is moving forward in having our own identity on the Australian art scene, and that’s a really great thing."

Felt Skull Pin Cushions by The Tiny Little Girl.

You simply can't go past felt skulls when they're this cute - I feel like jumping on a flight just to grab one for myself next weekend! I'm sure there will be many, many to choose from, but my favourites from the photos above would have to be the orange skull with white moustache hairclip and the blue pin cushion with the white sad face skull. Which ones do you like the best?

Owl & Kittie Cushions by Lisa Max, (AUD $20 each). Lisa will have a stall at both Made On The Left and Perth Upmarket.

LISA MAX is a designer who will have a stall at both upcoming designer markets in Perth. She makes the gorgeous animal cushions pictured above, and answered my question as follows:

"Everything! Designing and selling things is a completely new experience for me and I am not quite sure what I'm doing yet... I'm very much looking forward to meeting other designers and craftsters to see how they work and hear about their ideas and experiences."

1" Badges by Ali J Art, (AUD $3.50 each). Ali will have a stall at both Made On The Left and Perth Upmarket.

ALI J (Alicia Rosam) is a freelance illustrator. She creates products based on her gorgeous & very distinctive illustrations of characters with red rosy cheeks & wild crazy hair. She answered my question as follows:

"This is such a difficult question as I don't have enough fingers to contain my excitement at being able to display my work at these new events. I think what I am most looking forward to is meeting new people and finding some subjects who I can use in future illustrations. I am also looking forward to being inspired and challenged by fellow designers and proud to see how much of the public will come out and support independent handmade design."

Pocket Mirrors by Ali J Art, (AUD $8 each).

Felt Skull Badges by The Tiny Little Girl. I thought these guys should have the last laugh...

Mr Panda children's wall art by Look at the Wall

These gorgeous creations are by Melbourne designer Monique Gaspar. She recently launched her label, Look at the Wall, after she was inspired to decorate the walls of her own boy's rooms. She's always loved craft, but working full time as a medical imaging technologist (taking X-rays), she struggled to find enough time. This project, however, expanded quickly into a home-based business which currently offers 10 limited edition designs - each one handmade from a different selection of papers so you know it's unique!

Children's wall art by Look at the Wall

Monique chooses from a vast array of different papers such as handmade and processed papers, magazines, recycled, maps & more... (If anyone wants to find a home for their scrap papers, Monique can put them to good use!)

Cheeky Monkey children's wall art by Look at the Wall

Monique is very flexible, and is more than happy to work with a specific colour scheme or customise an artwork with a child's name. I'm rather taken with the idea of a series of the same design - each one with different details and colour schemes. You can see above how good the different "Cheeky Monkey" designs would look hanging together.

Squirrel children's wall art by Look at the Wall

Look at the Wall collages measure 30 x 30 x 1.2cm and come with a protective polyurethane matte varnish and a sawtooth hanger ready to be hung on your wall. They will surely delight little minds with colours, textures & happy animal friends. Each step of the process has been handmade with love - from initial drawing, to cutting & sanding the wood, then choosing & cutting the paper designs and assembling the collage. Monique likens choosing the complimenting colours to picking out clothes, and considers this the hardest part - not all colours go together!

Cats on a Fence & Hungry Hippos children's wall art by Look at the Wall

Each children's wall art collage is available for AUD $120, from the
Look at the Wall web site, and from the following stockists:

VIC: My Poppet (Caulfield South), 1001 Things for Kids (Carlton North)
NSW: Fragile (Bondi Junction)
SA: One Small Room (Croydon)
ONLINE: Kids Gift List, Wallspace, Urban Child, Beyond Pink and Blue, Beautifly, Shophouse, Giggle Smile Designs, Rosie Pose, Lala Baby, Chic Kids, Mini Echo

CONGRATULATIONS, Kim! You've been selected by George (pictured above) as the winner of our Georgie Love Giveaway! George was very happy for you, though a little disappointed that you're a cat person! Not to worry - a $50 Georgie Love gift voucher will be on the way shortly. (We'll contact you directly for delivery details.)

Green Eyes Cat Pendant by Erana & Daska available for AUD $25 from www.georgielove.com

As for our poll, the dog people won by a nose... a fairly long nose, with whiskers! The actual results were: 49% Dog People (36 votes), 37% Cat People (27 votes), and 10 people either couldn't decide or consider themselves both... (Sorry to those who felt they were choosing between their children!)

Fido Long Lost Lovesick Puppy softie by Daniela Catalano available for AUD $36 from www.georgielove.com

Pictured above are a couple of gift ideas for people on both sides of the poll. Hope you enjoy the shopping, Kim, and thanks again to Sal & George for offering up the prize!

Melbourne designer Shannon Lamden has been hard at work making lots of new goodies to fill her Etsy store. New fabrics, art prints, too-cute softies, and decorative fabric hoops to brighten up your walls... The colourful & light-hearted "Wanna Play" limited edition digital print is pictured above (US $12). Who wouldn't want to venture outside into this garden?

Shannon has introduced linen prints to her crafty fabric lineup. These can be mounted on canvas & hung or framed, or even sewn into a quilt as a decorative panel. "In The Garden" features a sweet & smiling, vegie lovin' couple holding hands in their vegie garden. It is available in red (above, US $22), black, blue & green and measures 22cm x 30cm.

Aunty Cookie Fabric Softies! Look how gorgeous these girls are - each clutching her three pet owls! Shannon has brought her illustrated characters to life (with the help of a little softie stuffing & ribbons). The Cookie character is hand screen printed onto cotton drill, and backed with printed fabric - some spotted, some vintage. At US $18 each and approx. 22cm in height, they are perfect for little hands to hang onto.

Shannon is well known for her limited edition hand screen printed fabrics, and pictured above is one of her new prints, "Home Sweet Home" in teal & olive on birch linen (above, US $18). This print is also available in either mustard or cherry printed onto chocolate brown linen.

An ideal way to display these funky fabrics is in a fabric hoop. The simple, round shapes look great hung in small groups & the tiny weight of each frame makes them ideal for renters & those who hesitate to put too many holes & hooks in the wall. You can purchase combinations of three fabric hoops for US $36 from www.auntycookie.etsy.com

I know I've told you where to find Aunty Cookie products before, but in case you'd like a reminder, stockists include: Patchwork on Central Park, Arthurs Circus, Cocoon, Meet me at Mikes, Duckcloth, One Small Room and of course Aunty Cookie at Etsy. For snippets of what goes on behind the scenes, & updates which are always entertaining, check out Shannon's blog at www.auntycookie.com.

The festive season is upon us and with the "big day" just around the corner, we'd like to help out with some gorgeous gift ideas! We've selected a wide range of different goodies to suit Christmas stockings of all shapes & sizes.

love jewellery by geneine honey

love is a Melbourne based fashion label begun by Geneine Honey in 2002. Geneine uses her whimsical and intricate drawings as a source of inspiration for her designs, which include jewellery pieces and accessories in shapes that hark back to the innocence and romance of childhood's imaginary worlds. Pictured above is the "Girl and Bunny Brooch Set", a gorgeous duo available in a mirror finish or black acrylic. (AUD $45).

I fell in love with these wooden birdhouses when I first saw them at Made590. One lucky friend may just receive the wooden finish Birdhouse Necklace (above left) for Christmas. That's if I don't give into temptation & keep it for myself! The Birdhouse Brooch on the right has an ivory acrylic bottom layer. The contrast between the cream-coloured background and the darker delicate wooden pattern is very pretty. Both are available as necklaces or brooches for AUD $35 each.

Aren't these clever? They have hinged joints just like a real wooden doll! Titled "I wish I was a real boy/girl", they are just adorable and you can choose between a wooden (below) or handpainted finish (above). Once again, they are available as necklaces or brooches, for AUD $55 each.

Can we tempt you with a shiny red apple or a forest mushroom? I have no doubt that these red mushrooms (toadstools!) are laced with trickery, but I reckon those apples look trustworthy! You can try these fruits of the forest as necklaces or brooches, all are AUD $35 each. (They are available in a number of different finishes.)

Pictured below is the "Printed Tote Bag" featuring the beautiful illustration upon which the "Girl and Bunny Brooch Set" is based. The silhouettes of the Girl & Bunny are surrounded by their forest friends, drawn with such delicacy! The tote bag is fully lined with pocket and magnetic clasp. It has been digitally printed and is machine washable. For more love & hate, you can view their comprehensive catalogue at www.lovehate.com.au, or visit one of their retail stockists:

NSW: Bulb (Double Bay), Bang Art and Gift Shop (Potts Point), Made590 (Newtown)
VIC: Little Salon (Fitzroy & Melbourne City)
WA: Remedy (Fremantle), More (Subiaco, T. 08 9381 8085)
QLD: Queensland Art Gallery (Brisbane), Maiocchi (Fortitude Valley)
SA: Flourish (Hyde Park), Storison (Hahndorf, T. 08 8388 7331)
TAS: Cocoon (Launceston), Small Rhino (Hobart)
ACT: The Hive (Braddon)

mens tees by pocket

Pocket Designs is one of my favourite new discoveries. Based in Perth, this graphic designer has created a number of t-shirt ranges which make perfect gifts for our better halves! In fact, the above picture features my partner showing off his brand new birthday present... He's wearing the "Seventh Armoury" design in black with a yellow print - a special glow-in-the-dark edition! The t-shirts fit well & are a lovely quality. Also in his personal wardrobe are the "Tokyo Puppeteers" and "Soldiers V2" designs pictured below. The prints are inspired by Japanese anime and come in a variety of colour options. I particularly like "Soldiers V2" printed in aqua on a navy tee. The styling of the designs themselves is great - sleek & cool. The expression on the puppet's face in "Tokyo Puppeteers" is so twisted!

Pictured below are details of the "Metalight" and "Wasp" designs. The "Wasp" print comes in yellow on a coal coloured tee which I just love. The larger part of the design (featuring the wasp) is printed on the back with a selection of honeycomb shapes & vector lines on the front. Fantastic! The Pocket tees range from AUD $60-$70. Visit www.pocketdesigns.com.au to see more of the range, or stop by one of their retail stockists:

ONLINE: Teknoscape
NSW: Crazy Horse (Newtown, T. 02 9519 2199, Darlinghurst, T. 02 9326 0800), Haku (Potts Point, T. 02 9380 8768), Oxi Clothing (Newtown)
VIC: Kids in Berlin (North Melbourne), Tomorrow Never Knows (Fitzroy, T. 03 9495 6645), Robio (Fitzroy), Moji (South Yarra, T. 03 9824 1104), Villain Store (Brunswick)
WA: The Pulse (Perth, T. 08 9322 7210), Atlas Divine (Leederville, T. 08 9444 4663), Ginza (Subiaco, T. 08 9381 6067), Lucky Stripe (Fremantle, T. 08 9336 6299), Locale Clothing (Floreat), Method Clothing (Mt Lawley), Tade' (Applecross, T. 08 9364 7891)
QLD: Ginza Swim (Paddington, T. 07 3369 1131)

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christmas cards by dudley redhead

Hunting for unique Christmas cards & gift tags? These adorable designs are made by Dudley Redhead, otherwise known as Sydney-based designer Tara Axford.

Each Note & Tag set (pictured above, AUD $15.00) includes:
3 x Christmas Bunny & Wren Postcards measuring 110mm x 135mm. They have been professionally printed on 215gsm gloss card, have rounded corners and are blank on the reverse. Post to a friend or attach to a gift!
3 x Christmas Wren Button Badge Gift Tags measuring 70mm x 110mm. The button badges have a pin back & are a lovely little bonus to your gift!

The Christmas Wren Gift Tags are also available individually for AUD $3.00 each.

May all your parcels be prettied by Dudley Redhead's illustrations! Christmas Cards & Tags are available from Georgie Love's treasure of hand made pleasures at www.georgielove.com, and you can find the Dudley Redhead blog at http://dudleyredhead.blogspot.com.

prints by eveline tarunadjaja

Eveline Tarunadjaja is an exciting young artist who was born and raised in Indonesia. At age 15, she moved to Melbourne where she has lived for almost 10 years. Her work has been exhibited over the last couple of weeks as part of the "Cups and Cuddles" group show at Per Square Metre Gallery in Collingwood, along with fellow artists Andrea Innocent, Catherine Campbell, Crystal Hartley, Lilly Piri, maricormaricar & Nobuko Washiyama.

Many of her artworks are available as stunning & very reasonably priced prints through her web site at www.lovexevol.com. Pictured above are the prints "Wait" (AUD $40, 15 x 20cm, pen, coloured pencils & markers) and "The Blue Dress" (AUD $40, 15 x 20cm, pen & markers). I love the effect of limited areas of bright colour, especially where the background colour of the paper is peeking through. Both are simple, graphic works where the detail lies within the careful linework. "The Blue Dress" was actually featured as the free poster in Frankie Magazine issue #15. Both of these works were created in a little drawing journal Eveline filled with imagined characters and words that got stuck in her head.

Eveline finds inspiration in the feelings evoked by little random experiences... doings, sayings, conversations, people, stories, artist, movies, films & music. The next four images are good examples of the artistic results! I love the colour & humour embraced by "Tomato Head" (above left, AUD $45, 18 x 26cm, pen, acrylic & digital artwork). Eveline says she often produces "something that's really dumb" - "Tomato Head" was drawn when she was thinking just too much & her head started to feel like a big heavy vegetable!
In contrast, "Airfish" (above right, AUD $40, 18 x 26cm, pens & markers) is something really personal. It is about a dreamer... "unreal thoughts float like fishes fly..." The original artwork is also available framed for AUD $250.

In prints such as "Animal Hoodie (Octopus)" (above left, AUD $40, 16 x 26cm, pen, markers & coloured pencil), Eveline has depicted imaginative items of clothing that whe would love to have or make. She also plays with the idea of "semi-porn, because it's fun and funny!" "Familia Octopie" (above right, AUD $30, 16 x 26cm, pen) is about "a royal family of octopus that capture two humans and force them to have sex with each other". Enough said! The prints are printed on to 240gsm fine art paper, and are unframed. To view these works, and many more, visit http://www.lovexevol.com. You can order online through the site, making them ideal Christmas presents.

The two works pictured below were exhibited in "Cups and Cuddles" and the originals will be availble for purchase very soon. They are so beautifully drawn & the fine lines curl & twist in rhythm with the natural grain of the wood.

linen by out to lunch

Out To Lunch's Lucy Bromell has created an elegant range of hand-printed and uniquely Australian tableware. The collection is inspired by native flora, and features four different designs - Banksia, Stem, Casuarina and Eucalypt, each of which come in a range of natural colours all organically printed on linen, cotton and silk. Pictured above are the "Casuarina" and "Banksia" linen napkins. Both are available as a set of four napkins for AUD $64.

Two of the "Stem" designs are pictured above. The table mats have a matching coloured trim which frames the delicate print beautifully. They retail for AUD $88 for a set of four. Once again, the set of four napkins is AUD $64. The earthy colours of the prints & natural texture of the fabric would surely look gorgeous atop a wooden dining table!

The contrast is striking in these black on natural linen "Eucalypt" designs. The table runner is AUD $70, and the matching table mats are AUD $64 for a set of four. Depending on who is cooking on Christmas Day, the full size cotton aprons below (AUD $55 each) could also make lovely gifts. (Perhaps not the best idea though for someone who has been slaving over a baking turkey with all the trimmings!) Either way, there are plenty of gorgeous Out To Lunch products to choose from & you'll find them online at Moose: Art for Living.

t-shirts for all by wildgarden

Wildgarden is a gorgeous Australian label born out of a desire to create products featuring simple, yet sophisticated designs produced by hand. The talented designers are Sydney-based sisters Nancy & Jessica Lim. They are inspired by the environment which surrounds them - both natural and urban. You may also know of these two from the Modamuse online store & blog - another wonderful site featuring the work of independent designers from Australian & New Zealand.

Wildgarden is currently offering 25% off everything in the lead up to Christmas! They have a colourful range of screen printed t-shirts for all of the family. Here we've included our favourite summer styles for women & a few for the little ones too! Pictured above are "Radiate" which features a striking metallic silver print (above left, AUD $34.50) and "Floss" with a white branch motif across the front (above right, AUD $33).

These singlet designs show off Wildgarden's love of colour & form. The graphic layering of black & grey in "Twiggy" (above left, AUD $31.50) look fantastic & I also really like the placement of the stylised, floral-patterned bird in "Fly Away" (above right, AUD $31.50)

The "Winter Blossom" tee (above left, AUD $34.50) would be really versatile. With an assymetrical lavender blossom branch motif placed high on the shoulder front and back, it would look equally striking worn casually with jeans, or dressed up with a pretty skirt for day or night. The fitted styles of these tees lend themselves to such situations! The Spiro print (right, AUD $34.50) looks great in yellow & white on an ashphalt-coloured tee. This retro design is also available in pale blue & green on olive.

Aren't these children's designs gorgeous? Pictured above are "Birdy Jazz Trio" (left) and "Elephant Walk" (right), while "Ducky" appears below right. All are AUD $25.50 each. I think I'd quite like "Birdy Jazz Trio" in a grown-up version! We couldn't resist including the "Bossanova Shopper" black cotton tote - at AUD $9.75, it's a steal! To see more Wildgarden designs & place your order online, visit www.wildgardendesign.com.

christmas sponsor:

Welcome to another Indie Art & Design feature interview! This time round, we are graced by the virtual presence of Alana & Sara from stationery label Poppies For Grace.

Poppies For Grace web site

I Hi there girls! The new web site looks fantastic – what sort of response have you received to the new design?

PFG The site is doing really well, we're getting a great amount of internet orders without specifically setting up online purchasing. By the end of the year we’d like to have something more official set up. Our web designers skill to capture our style and put it onto a manageable, user-friendly site has delighted us. Finally we have a site to be proud of!

Bookplates by Poppies For Grace (AUD $9.50 each) Each set contains 8 bookplate stickers.

I You have such a large selection in the new Poppies collection – did these come together all at once or have you been gradually building up the new range over many months?

PFG The new poppies collection happened rather quickly. Its always an effort to get the image in my mind onto paper..however this time round it happened in a matter of weeks.

Alfred Berry & Alfred Flower Gift Cards hand assembled & sewn by Poppies For Grace (AUD $6.95 each)

I Do you have any particular favorites – either favorite cards styles or design characters e.g.. the birdie Alfred?

PFG Sara's favorite is our Alfred berry card... it was the middle of summer and we escaped to the cool of my kitchen to work. I drew a little bird, cut him out and put him in my hand... alfi was born. I adore the entire alfred range, the colours came out better than I'd hoped. And who doesn't love a scolloped image!

Pink Berry & Red Flower Gift Cards by Poppies For Grace (AUD $22.95 each).

I Quite a few of your products are hand assembled & stitched which must take a lot of work! I imagine that your stockists & customers really appreciate the handmade aspect of these details… Is this something you do yourselves & how do you manage the workload?

PFG Yep, we do all the assembling ourselves. When it's a busy week all I can say is thank goodness for Mothers, our mums are such great workers! We also have another friend we employ two days a week to help us pack orders.
Sara does most of the sewing, and we have a friend who sews for us for a few hours a week. The workload is getting bigger, so we will have to start thinking of employing some more helpful hands.

Thank You and For You Gift Cards by Poppies For Grace (AUD $5.50 each)

I The subtle textures & colours of paper goods are so lovely – what sort of papers and printing methods to you use to make the most of the medium?
(I love the effect of the white botanical images on the natural coloured background – have these been screen printed to achieve this effect?)

PFG Our printing is all offset and digital. We would love to add things like screen printing and letterpress to our range, however there are other brands like 'me and amber' and 'chapelpress' doing a really great job of these areas already. So we're happy to keep it simple.

Happy Birthday and Thank You Tags by Poppies For Grace (AUD $3.50 each)

I Not only do you provide us with contrasting textures on individual cards – you have also assembled boxed sets and three exquisite writing sets, Sycamore's Handwriting, Three Little Birds and Lovely Day. Tell us the story behind these offerings!

PFG The imagery for these sets came about really quickly, the rest came a little slower. Sourcing suppliers is a tricky business, and being young women, who look 16, its hard to be taken seriously. We got there in the end though, and we are really happy with the finished product. Adding writing sets and boxed cards to our collection meant that poppies became a stationery brand, enabling us to target the gift market more successfully.

Sycamore's Handwriting Stationery Set by Poppies For Grace (AUD $37.95).
This set features 24 printed pages on 100% recycled paper with 6 different designs, 12 printed recycled brown paper envelopes and four plain, 4 little sewn cards, 4 little recycled plain brown paper envelopes, and a tag.

I Where do you find your inspiration? From your own garden perhaps?

PFG My garden is a jumbly mess of wonderful things like lilac, roses and wisteria, and just outside its gate is 50 acres of orchard. Living and working in this environment is definitely my inspiration.

Items from the Three Little Birds Stationery Set by Poppies For Grace (AUD $22.95).
This set features 10 printed pages on 100% recycled paper with 2 different designs, 10 printed recycled brown paper envelopes, and 4 little sewn cards.

I How do you find working together? Do you each take on separate roles, e.g.. drawing, assembling, marketing etc, or do you both take part in every step? Have you been able to make the business a full-time pursuit, and if so, do you have to be super-organised to keep it all under control?

PFG Organisation is not my strong point, but I'm learning. As poppies is full time now for Sara and I we split up roles. This way more gets done. Sara is the business brain (thank goodness) and I am the illustrator, anything outside these areas we share. Working together is easy, we've been friends for 13 years, so we know each-other idiosyncrasies fairly well!

Birdie Mobile & Garland handmade by Poppies For Grace (Mobile $tba, 4 Bird Garland AUD $75)

I The mobiles & garlands are a beautiful three-dimensional addition to the Poppies For Grace avian lineup. Do you see these as an extension of your paper goods range, or are you planning to grow this section of the business into a large part of what you do?

PFG The mobiles and garlands began as gifts for friends, Abigail (one of our favorite little girls) has kissed every bird we've made, which has meant these birdies have become rather precious. We're going to continue selling the birdies online, but to keep them as personal as possible we won't be offering these to stores.

Farewell and Walk The Plank Invites by Poppies For Grace (AUD $22.95 each). Each set contains 15 invitations & envelopes.

I On the new Poppies web site there are 'coming soon' pages for both prints and wedding products. I'm sure many Poppies fans are looking forward to seeing what goes up! Can you tell us about these awaited additions or is it all under wraps until launch?

PFG We're keeping it a secret. Just for fun!

Indie Christmas Cards! Merry Card, Bright Card & Turtle Doves Tag Set by Poppies For Grace (Cards AUD $6.95 each, Tag Set - 24 tags - 4 of each design AUD $29.95.)

I How would you like to see Poppies For Grace develop in the future?

PFG We've enjoyed watching poppies develop naturally, we're just trying to keep up with it now. We are so happy to be in so many wonderful stores, and it's fantastic receiving emails and letters from people who are loving our things. What more could we ask for really. We are doing what we love.

Navy Thank You Card Set of 8 by Poppies For Grace (AUD $27.95)

I Thank you so much Alana & Sara! I'm sure all of our Indies will love reading about your gorgeous paper goods.

These images from Tees 2 Knees are so gorgeous that I couldn't choose - so you get to see quite a selection from the range! Tees 2 Knees is based in Queensland's beautiful Sunshine Coast and brings a fresh approach to children's clothing. These handmade appliquéd t-shirts are perfectly suited to both everyday wear and special occasions.

Sherilyn Palmer started the label after the birth of her son Archie. She was frustrated by the volume of mass produced items that claimed individuality but were worn by so many others. The Tees 2 Knees range offers something different. Each t-shirt is handmade and appliquéd with fabric sourced from all around the world. The colourful designs are inspired by everyday people, life, animals, travels & childhood memories. They aim to capture the innocence and simplicity of childhood and look as adorable as the kiddies wearing them.

My person favourite would have to be the Frozzy Frog design, pictured above in pink and below in blue. The stylised silhouette & simple shapes bring out the best in the patterned fabrics & contrasting colours. The Me Tees are also very cute - I'm sure these little people would love to explain what the letter on their t-shirt stands for!

Sherilyn is passionate about quality handmade items and enjoys creating and embellishing the Tees 2 Knees collection. The designs are available in limited quantites, making each one something special. The 'pictured' tees (including animals, bowties, gingerbread people & pawprints) are AUD $29.95 each and the Me Tees are AUD $34.95. For more info or to place an order, visit the Tees 2 Knees web site at www.tees2knees.com.au.

Welcome to the first Indie Art & Design feature interview! We are lucky to have with us (virtually speaking) Sally Morrigan, founder of the wonderful Georgie Love web site, as well as her gingery mutt, George.

Georgie Love is a popular Australian online store which features a large selection of one-of-a-kind or limited edition products handmade by artists from all over Australia. (Most of the products can't be found in stores anywhere else!) Browsing through the multitude of jewellery pieces, artworks, clothing, bags & accessories is a real treat - there are so many items I'd love to buy as gifts for friends or to keep for myself... Sal & George embrace the online marketplace with the same enthusiasm and personal touch that the Georgie Love artists pour into their products.

The site itself is a pleasure to navigate and Sal provides large clear photos of every item. The flat rate for shipping makes it all too easy! (AUD $3.50 within Australia or AUD $10.00 for international orders.) A visit to the site is a must: http://www.georgielove.com.au.

Meg Meeowl and Missy Meeowl by Tricky George (AUD $39.99 each), available from www.georgielove.com.au

I Hey there Sal & Georgie, what's news? Have you added any new designers to the site this week?

GL Yes! We have just introduced the delightfully named Tricky George to the mix, with some wonderfully cuddly toys… I have some clothing items from Tricky George to put up as well, probably over the weekend. The photos are still unfortunately on my camera. It’s a long process from start to finish and sometimes I get behind. Apart from that, we have new toys and badges from Wendy June, new neck scarves from Frankie and Ray. I have some amazing new people and things in the wings too, which will all be revealed soon!

Little Art Badges by Wendy June (AUD $5.00 each), available from www.georgielove.com.au

I How do you find out about new designers? Are you constantly on the lookout, or do you find that most people approach you?

GL Mostly now people approach me through the website. I am always on the lookout though. There is a Melbourne designer I am a HUGE fan of that I have been trying to track down for more than a year… They don’t have a web presence so it’s harder to make contact! Hopefully at some point they will contact me and we can showcase their work. People tend to send me emails with images of their work or phone me up to have a chat about what they are making and whether it would be a fit for the site. It always baffles me though when people contact me without looking at the site first – most people are able to determine if their stuff is a fit or not. If they are not going to find the right market on the website, I try and point them in the right direction of where may be the right fit. It’s not always possible.

I What qualities do you look for in new items and designers to add to the Georgie Love lineup?

GL There is a definite Georgie Love aesthetic, which mainly boils down to what I would love to wear / use / play with myself. I am really struck by quirky and off-beat things, cute and melancholy things are always a winner and of course stuff that is beautifully made! I have had people approach me who have designed products, but then had the items made in China and that is just not right for the site. I love supporting people crouched over their sewing machines, putting their own blood, sweat, tears (and love!) into the product. I am really passionate about promoting the people who make stuff at home or in their studio, as a labour of love in between the day job or sticky infants. I think there is a definite place for these folk in the world of design! I am really passionate about supporting local products that are produced ethically, especially using recycled and reclaimed fabrics. I think it’s part of a larger trend, where people are seeking more meaning from the items they buy.

Kissy Kissy Monkey (AUD $142.50) and 9 Lives Kitty (AUD $120.00) original artworks by Beck Wheeler, available from www.georgielove.com.au

I What sort of items are your best sellers? Do trends in product types or motifs come and go, or do you find that strong sellers remain popular?

GL Accessories! They have always been very popular, whether it is buttons, badges, earrings, pins or belts. I don’t wear a lot (or any) jewellery so I am drawn to really interesting accessories – hence why there is a ton on Georgie Love. There are trends – some items could be featured in fashion journals and suddenly they will be everywhere, plus things go in and out of fashion – badges have been really popular for ages, particularly Perspex. Besides that, anything with birds, cats or polka dots and you are on to a winner. I have had artist Betty Jo on the site for a year now and her range has sold consistently.

I When people pour so much of their time & love into handmade goods, do they have trouble with pricing or parting with their creations? Do you have a wonderful collection of items you couldn't part with?

GL I think people tend to underprice themselves and I am quite baffled with how low people will originally want to price their products (earning them only 2-3 dollars per hour for their work) – I try to encourage people to pay themselves more fairly for their work, otherwise the passion and momentum will wane very quickly. I think people are often shy and vulnerable when approaching someone (a customer or retailer) with their work because the feedback is so immediate (and sometimes harsh) – it is something they have invested time, energy and passion into and this is why the internet is a fantastic medium – it removes some of the angst when presenting work to the world. I think there is a real joy in creating something and putting it out into the public and having someone find that item and love it. I know most artists who have kept their prototypes or a particular item which takes their fancy or they have grown fond of, but other than that, I think people are on the whole happy that their creations find new homes. I have a collection of things I love! As most of the items on the site are unique – toys, paintings, handmade pins etc, they all have their little quirks and expressions and people tend to get more attached to them as a result. I have heard devastating stories from customers who have lost items they have bought – you know it’s handmade, unique and "yours" so losing it is emotional. You feel that far less if you have lost or broken something and can pop into the local shopping centre and find 1000 more just like it.

Winter Deer Bag by Julie Knoblock (AUD $65.00), available from www.georgielove.com.au

I What are some of your currently listed faves? Do you have some favourites that you've kept for yourself from the past year or so that readers might remember?

GL Oh dear… well, I do have just about one of everything… I LOVE Julie Knoblock’s range of bags and purses, however do not own one because I quite simply CANNOT choose which one I would want. Plus I secretly have in my mind that the next thing she creates will be the thing I can’t live without – it astounds me how cute and well made everything is that she does.

Chirpy Bird Purse by Julie Knoblock (AUD $35.00), available from www.georgielove.com.au

I am addicted to the Lamby Brooches by Allira Tee – her stuff is fantastic and has a bit of a different twist to other Perspex badges I have seen around (plus she makes some in wood). These badges are cute and cheeky! I can’t resist. Studio Chapiz who is no longer with us (she is making beautiful things and trouble in Spain) made these wonderful hand felted badges – birdies, cats and dogs. When she left, so did the badges! They were wonderful and I haven’t found something similar. … and finally (it’s like you are making me choose between my children), for leather goods and handmade wallets – you can’t go past te. He is a wonderful guy making really beautifully made wallets and belts. He makes bags too (but I don’t have any on the site) and I am saving for one. His work is really starting to take off in Aus and people are going crazy for it, which is wonderful to see. He really deserves it.

Karuma Belt by Te (AUD $85.00), available from www.georgielove.com.au

I Where do you find your inspiration - primarily in the arts, or do a variety of interests contribute to keeping the Georgie Love site fresh & exciting?

GL Australia is an embarrassment of riches in the art and craft department! There is so many wonderful and diverse crafty things happening both locally and internationally and I try to keep an eye on everything that’s going on – more for the excitement of it. Little pockets of craft are exploding everywhere and it’s so exciting to see where things are going – new markets, websites, shops are cropping up devoted to supporting independent designers and crafters – which is brilliant. A real market for this type of work is developing and it’s inspiring and exciting to be involved.

I How did you originally arrive at the idea for the Georgie Love site? Were you surrounded by creative types who needed an online presence or was handmade design a long-time interest that eventually found an outlet through the site?

GL A long time craft-envier (it’s my sin), I had the idea floating around for about 2 years before I had the time or technical expertise on hand to kick it off. Plus I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by vibrant and crafty folks who were making fabulous stuff that not a lot of people got to see and were very supportive about the vision of what I was trying to achieve (GL being more of a community than shop). I have a genuine love for handmade and unique items – the site is born out of passion, not money (it’s mostly a labour of love!).

Cat-Rabbit Pin #4 and #3 (AUD $24.00 each), available from www.georgielove.com.au

I Georgie Love has been established for more than a year - how has it grown up over this time?

GL Well, there is the obvious thing – the number of artists! I think the diversity of artists has grown too – there is also a real range of people on the site from age, gender, location and whether people are just starting out or if they are a lot more established with their craft business. I think also they way I do things has changed – I am so time poor I have had to work out ways to work smarter, not harder, while still maintaining the same quality and customer service. Everything is far more streamlined.

I Is Georgie Love a full time pursuit? How do you juggle your work, interests & personal life?

GL Badly! But better than I used to. ;-) I have a full-time, 9-5 day job, which is enjoyable but not too taxing, so I can go home with still enough energy to spend a few hours on the site. Most of the photography and uploading of photos is done on the weekend. Fortunately my partner (who I live with) is a hard working academic, so we are both often found in the study hunched over computers (George at our feet) working away. I also get him to work on the production line, packing and sending items! I am always trying to seek balance with everything and I have had times of focusing too much on one area, but I am doing pretty well now.

Keep up with what's going on behind the scenes at the Georgie Love Blog.

I Do you feel that there is a stong indie design community around where you live? Does this contribute to development & growth of the Georgie Love site?

GL Well, living inner city – probably. There are a number of shops close to me that support hand and locally made, which is inspiring to see. However, I think that is a sign of a bigger trend. I sell a lot to people in rural areas, who don’t have access to the same shops and yet they are still seeking out the same items. To be honest, I think the online design community contributes more. I am a bit of a techno-geek and spend hours looking at things and getting ideas and planning for the site. My sense of a design community is more global!

I How would you like to see Georgie Love develop in the future?

GL I envisage Georgie Love being a full-time pursuit. I have a million ideas about what I want to do with it and grow it. I would like it to expand with more artists and variety of handmade products – more clothing and home ware items. So basically – bigger and better! My main goal at the moment is to grow it, while still keeping the same level of customer service, quality and comfortable feel to the site. I would hate to lose any of those.

These colourful toys & kitchen utensils are for our youngest gourmets! The Little Kitchen range of vintage-print children's aprons, toys and accessories is designed in Melbourne with part of the range being manufactured locally as well. With a background in early childhood, Sabrina Parrini has developed visually appealing and fully functional kitchenware pieces all made for little hands. She plans to revolutionise the way people look at improving children's health and wellbeing.

Sabrina has a passion for all things whimsical, wholesome & playful and hopes that Little Kitchen can put a smile on the faces and bellies of lots of little people! The label has already established a strong following both in Australia and overseas and Sabrina regularly features in cooking demonstrations at major food festivals and holds children's cooking classes in the heart of Melbourne.

Pictured at top are handpainted wooden Cake Topper numbers which are available for AUD $9.95 each, and the gorgeous Apron & Utensil sets featuring a selection of vintage prints for both boys and girls (AUD $49.95). Below them are the fabulous food-inspired "Food Is My Friend" knitted & plush toys and rattles which start at AUD $14.95.

The full range is available through the Little Kitchen web site at www.littlekitchen.com.au or by calling 1300 722 095. Every Little Kitchen purchase is beautifully gift boxed and then placed in one of the cute calico "Food is My Friend" shopping bags. The Apron & Utensil sets are also stocked at retails stores throughout the country including:

VIC - ELEMENTS café & pantry, 308 Queens Pde, Clifton Hill, 3068, (03) 9489 2008

NSW - Kido Store, 159 Clovelly Rd, Randwick, 2031, (02) 9314 7010 QLD - Three wishes - home food life, Shop 4, Olympia Arc, 99 Marshall Street, Goondiwindi, 4390, (07) 4671 3730

SA - The Infant Boutique, Shop 6, 136 The Parade, Norwood, 5067, (08) 8331 3740

WA - Store, Claremont Arcade, Shop 3, Bayview Tce, Claremont, 6010, (08) 9284 2488

TAS - Inside Home and Gifts, 90 Murray St, Hobart, 7000, (03) 6224 5990

These sweet little guys are handmade by Rolly Poly Kids. The Bunny and Gingerbread soft toys are available in a wide range of fabulous fabrics - including a 'Kids Cooking Gingerbreadmen' print! They are AUD $24.95 each and you can purchase them directly through the web site at www.rollypolykids.com.au. Rolly Poly Kids are based in Queensland and produce a range of products, all designed to bring the family together for fun in the kitchen. They make everything from bibs and bags, to kids aprons, complete baking sets and even a kid-size chef's hat - the icing on the cake for a young celebrity chef in the making.