{ working with leather }

I've just completed a new course with Rosemarie at Artwise Amazing Paper, this time learning to make leather journals. Rosemarie is an excellent book binder and teacher and I can recommend her classes if you're interested.

The first book binding class I took was with Rosemarie and I've continued to go back and learn more from her. Not all classes are about making books, the class I did on box making was taught by Rosemarie too so take a look at her website and see if there's anything that interests you.

This course was over 3 Wednesday nights and here's what I ended up with:







I'm really happy with it and look forward to working on it some more to perfect it. Is it strange that the best part of the process was the smell and feel of the leather? Mmm, probably.

{ lucky again }

Yuko, the maker of beautiful screen printed towels and much more had a giveaway on her blog recently and I was one of the very lucky winners. I was too excited to open the package so it's a shame I can't share a photo of the beautiful packaging. You'll just have to take my word for it.




If you would like your own Pata Pri towel head over to Yuko's Etsy shop.

Thank you Yuko!

{ love letterpress ? }

There's a whole week of fantastic letterpress work over at the oh hello friend blog. The blog is always a wonderful read but this week is extra special with lots of giveaways and really interesting interviews with amazing letterpress artists.

I'm especially enjoying the photos of the artists studios. If I knew how to post photos here from other blogs I'd do so, but since I don't, you'll just have to jump over to the blog and check it out for yourself!

{ come in spinner }

Pub Cha + bands + two-up = good times!


1. Place your bets, 2. Head em up, 3. Watching the spin, 4. How did they land?

How did you spend your ANZAC Day?

{ a new toy }

I took delivery this week of a new camera. We've had the same Visa card for a number of years and never done anything with the Points but with a change of banks on the horizon I thought I should use them up, so I have a new DSLR. I expect it to be within hands reach all over this coming long weekend as I get my bearings.

Here's one of my first shots and I'm really happy with the quality already:


This cat is almost impossible to get good snaps of but I think the new noises coming from the camera got his interest. Mind you, only for a short time before he was off again. Oh well, I'll take what I can get!

{ market time }

I had intended to post during the week but I had a very busy time of it getting stock made for yesterdays Eveleigh Artisan Market. Some work in progress shots:


Finished covers ready to have these paper signatures sewn in:


Boy, there were many hours of tearing and folding in those piles of paper!

The market was a bit quieter than most months, but I had expected it might be due to the Easter long weekend. A lot of Sydney-siders take the opportunity to get out of town for a few days.

I've been trying to think of ways to improve my display at markets. Currently it looks like this:





A couple of things I know I'll do - have more stock so the tables are fuller, buy some fabric to replace the sheets I'm currently using. I really like it when I make the effort to cover the table tops in brown wrapping paper, but it takes such a long time, I need a better solution than that.

Have you seen some great market displays in your time? What stands out to you, do you have any recommendations - general or specific?

{ yippee }

Booked and paid - we're back to Japan in 2 months time!

Have you seen Jetstar's 2 for 1 special to Japan? A word of advice for Sydney-siders - even though their website only lists Osaka on the special from Sydney, select Sydney-Tokyo and they just add Sydney-Gold Coast to the selection, don't be put off if you want to go to Tokyo. Or do what we're doing, fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka (but you have to ring and do that over the phone).

Now, just have to work out where else beside Tokyo we'll spend our time.


(Mmm, Casual Frozen Food - just noticed what this vending machine says. Wish I'd tried it!)