Fancy doodles

You know, it only took a few months but we are now hooked up with wireless internet at home so I am on-line all over the show. Favourite spot is front porch lounge with a cup of hot soy milk. Also means I am trying to "multi-task" : emails, blog updates, making obstetrician appointments, scheduling yoga classes, writing design classes, patting Mr. Moko and doodling all at once. Who says pregnancy makes you forgetful? Mind you, all I really do all day is draw fancy doodles, here's a nice one on a wood box I made for my lovely husband. Anyone want a doodle? Just come over for a cuppa, apple and cinnamon scrolls heartily accepted as payment!

The cat is out of the bag...

I know I promised 'more bags soon' but the only bag I have in mind right now has kittens and bows and storks all over it...yes...being a little under the weather in my last post turned out to be a more than we thought! Instead of inflicting upon you mushy baby-brained prints I am digging through my archive, here's a pretty little thing I did some time ago. Perhaps a bit too mature for a newborn but sweet and calm, unlike my swelling belly these days.

So I am taking a break from production for a while, concentrating on teaching until the end of the year. Will probably have super-sugary-sweet-as-pie designs for baby pouring out of my already forgetful brain in no time...please ignore any oddities between now and January...and probably even more oddities after that!

Winter woes

I have been in constant denial that winter would ever come, and I am now bitterly disappointed that it finally has. Perhaps this summery design, from last summer, can help cheer me some.

On "bag break" for a little while. Will be back with more in the very near future.

Chive {hearts} Parsley 4eva

Easter has come and gone, seems like summer will never end in the west... sweet summer romances still lingering in the air. A good time to finish off bits and pieces while off from teaching for a week - four new shops to explore and a few limited edition purses and pencil cases in Chive and Parsley available from Sedonia (Seddon, VIC) this week. Check stockist websites above.

Ipanema dreaming

Apologies for the absence in updates of new work. As proof I haven't been in Ipanema cruising the beaches (not mentioning anyone I am stupendously jealous of right now!) I'm going to show off my newly set-up studio that I am totally in luuurrve with.

We have ornate windows to keep an eye on my pussycat through, and a cute native garden. The
prettiest deco style ceiling and room for my bike! Super all round.

Righto, back to the cutting table.

More stock arriving in Freo soon and few new stockists in Vic, QLD and Tas coming in the next few weeks so I'll keep you posted where!

blue and yellow makes green

Finished marking my first year design students work today, always a little sad to see them grow up and move on to their diploma year *tear*. Seems like so long ago I was teaching them the simple things, like red and blue makes violet, blue and yellow makes green. Now they can tessellate regularly and irregularly with perfection.

It's coming up to that silly time of year again, so I whipped up for myself a very indulgent big hemp/silk bag for long summer nights when I might need my extra pair of flats in case the heels just don't cut it, hair stuff as my new short do just doesn't do itself, towel for emergency beach swim, bikini, sketch book, my massive pencil case with pens of all colours ranging from the 0.1 tip - bullet tip (you never know what mood you'll be in), hat, ipod, and newspaper (just to check up on just how bad the recession will be as I may have to sell my nice shiny bag for my next meal).

inhabitat

Thanks to the nice folks at INHABITAT for the write-up this weekend, and for supporting eco-fashion & accessories alongside all other eco-creative pursuits. You can check out the sustainable style post here.

blue cheese, chives and walnuts

Mmm, the tastiest and prettiest little plant around ... I just love that lingering aroma of chive, garlic and butter on home made garlic bread, all over my fingers, all over the chopping board, just all over anything. I found a recipe for a blue cheese, chive, walnut and parsley spread that I am going to have to try today, maybe walk to the bakery and get some crusty bread, then sit down for another day of drawing. Sounds like a good plan.

And I'll take red chive bag with me I think for a walk, I'm sure a ciabatta will be comfortable in there. Chive bag comes in red (hemp/yak hair) and black (hemp/cotton), both with a zip closure and hemp/organic cotton lining.

awww...they're twins!

Sometimes it's impossible to decide which one I love more...luckily I can have both!
On the left is Aviary Bag in hemp/organic cotton canvas, and her twin on the right is hemp/yak hair. Both have hemp/organic cotton linings and a handy pocket for small treasures. x

plums...check, bamboo...check!

Who would have thought plums and bamboo would go together so well? This is from the new range We {Heart} Herbs...soon to be in stores, I'm talkin' weeks away so keep your eyes out. This little sweety is the Bamboo Purse (100% bamboo fibre inside and out) in Plum, it also has a friend in Bamboo Cocoa and Soy fibre. Oh, and yes, that is an Australiana inspired print. I know, it's not a herb.

free as a bird

I'm all outdoors these days, the house is stone cold, nowhere to go but outside, find a patch of sun and sit ... and wait to feel my to fingers thaw .Then in again - more stitching, more lovely prints to share, more tea and maybe just another biscuit ...

parsley tea? yes please!

A preview of some parsley goodness you could soon be carrying all your treasures in. Grind up some fresh parsley leaves to make a tea that's good for your kidneys and bladder, can relieve gas and do many other wonderful things. Mmm, yum (?))

my baby odd-toed ungulate mega-fauna

Otherwise known as my Baby Rhino...he has been on show with the ambiguous equestrian sort in the big-smoke on the east coast, but soon he will be home! I just have to go fetch him! He needs a home, doesn't require any watering or grasses and never wants anything more than a little pat and hug (and perhaps a smoothing of his stuffing) every now and then.

a callistemon phenomenon

Top : Callistemon, hand-silk screen printed wall hanging on hemp/yak hair
Above : Callistemon, detail

Just hanging around with the ladies...grevillea, dryandra, bottlebrush and the baby of the lot, little golden wattle. A fresh touch of Australiana will always brighten my day!

This piece can be viewed and purchased at Object in Surry Hills April 05 - June 15, 2008

giddy up!

Shell Purse : phone - check! wallet - check! sunnies - check! mandarin lip balm - check! i-pod - check! banana - check! tissues - check! shells - CHECK!

Giddy-up and grab one from Ambiguous Horse ON-LINE SHOP and check out all the other fabuous creations from far and wide.

'tis the season to be silly

What have we been up to? I jumped out of a plane, the first of what I hope to make an annual tradition, monthly if I'm very lucky...weekly if I sell a lot of these perspex artworks. Dreaming of jumping doesn't make me weird right?

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and you all have a nice silly New Years.

simple stuff

Sometimes things just need to be really simple, like a drawing made up only of little lines. In black and white. No fuss.

yak yak yak

I call it CatBag, it's for carrying cats and other nifty stuff. The print was inspired from the tiny weeds and flowers growing around the fallen dead tree in my back yard. Poor little tree.
Made from a hemp/yak hair blend and lined with a pretty floral cotton.

enquiries :
http://www.ambiguoushorse.com

a bit big and a bit bold

Tiger Bag, hemp/cotton shell, cotton lining, hand printed, sewn in the sun-room, sitting on the rack near the french doors...waiting for a lovely owner to go shopping with.

enquiries :
http://www.ambiguoushorse.com

elephantbird

One part elephant
One part bird
A few apples and a pear here and there
A dash of bright green
Sprinkling of hot blue
Some serious dots
and some serious black to top it off...
Ah, pretty elephantbird.

frida frida

Home again after 6 weeks of adventure! We covered a lot of ground, driving up the west coast of the USA, then heading to Cuba and Mexico where I found so much colour and s o many beautiful tiles...here are some from a building near Frida Kahlo's house in Mexico City.

Maybe I could do a Caribbean/Spanish theme for my next collection of bags, inspired by the crabs I met on the streets of Havana.

meet kitty

This is Kitty Clutch, she is friendly, not very old and likes to go wherever you take her.

Anyone in Melbourne this Sunday (July 8)? Go check out the Melbourne Designers Market at the underground carpark at Federation Square. You can't get Kitty there as I made no friends for her yet but she has a few cousins, brothers and sisters for sale!

bon voyage

Feels like all my friends are overseas...where is everyone?
"Balloon Party" is a little peek at one of my new prints for 2007.
The collection is called ElephantBird and features 8 styles of bag
with 8 unique prints.

Good luck to all the old architecture crew heading off for good-times and
new adventures in Greece and beyond. Hope to see you all in a couple of years!

a million ancient bees...began to sting our knees!

A tiny peek at what I have been up to the past little while. It's not all flowers and happy days though! Today I heard Regina Spektor is coming to Australia (not Perth) and I am so prepared to fly to Sydney / Melbourne for a show but they are both DAYS before we leave for our holiday and wouldn't it be terribly selfish of me to indulge before I indulge further?

I actually cried - REAL TEARS of sadness I may miss her tour. If anyone has a spare bed in Sydney on July 11 I may need a spot to crash.

totally {un}glamorous

To the surprise of those who know me well...I have ANOTHER
evil despicable throat infection. I have barely been sick in years
and now a double wammy. Even my dad commented on my
totally un-glamourous appearance at Sunday dinner this week,
so what if I have to look a little like an old Asian granny with my
double layers of everything and hot water bottle? The CUTEST hot water bottle mind you - it is mini size and comes with a super sweet
rainbow striped cosey. So yeah, not totally uncool. *cough* Thoughts of a week in Havana are keeping me alive at the moment!! Apparently mojitos are cheaper than orange juice....sweet.

And for those waiting - new bags are on the way!

60's floral designed for Ae'lkemi A/W 2007

flying north

I'm ready to fly north...can't wait for July when we do a big trip to USA, Mexico and Cuba. Hopefully we can rendezvous with Elizabeth (cherished friend from old Hiroshima days) in Seattle. It's a Japan theme today I guess, these cranes were specially folded and designed for an installation at Milly Sleeping for L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival earlier this year. Now they adorn our hallway, reminding me to keep it simple!

Available in strings of 3 upon request

so this is how it works

you feel a little worse...

sorry, I have been a little off-centre, a bit here and a bit there for a while. Anyone who has seen me in the past few weeks will be well aware of this lovely little cough I am nursing, this damn cough that I am NOT swearing at, that I have NOT been cursing for the last 24 hours. Grrrrrr! I want my normal voice back, I want to whisper sweet nothings...where's the romance in raspy itchiness?

Here's a cute violet florally tribally borderly hand-drawn bit of sweetness anyway to cheer me up.

love you loooong time

This looong clutch with strap will love you for as long as you love it!
For those of you who haven't had the joy of breaking in a hemp product yet...
some of the great characteristics of the silk/cotton blends with hemp or 100%
hemp is that is softens with age, molding itself just right to fit in your hands.
It is naturally resistant to damp, bacteria, moths and silverfish and is the most durable natural fibre around. Hemp is also naturally pest and disease resistant so it needs very little chemical control. I feel the lecturer side of me emerging.

Clutch available at Libertine, Mt Lawley.

For those of you who LOVE Regina Spektor, check out this beautiful clip: (I have totally fallen for her )

Go to 'video' and click on the 'Samson' book on the right hand side...
http://www.reginaspektor.com

melting

Can't draw, can't think....so hot right now, slowly melting. Looking forward to a vodka and cranberry....any minute now.
Take care and stay out of the sun! Maybe cover up in this little number.

Illustrations available on silk-screen printed box artworks at Libertine, Mt Lawley.

buckle up

For some reason these belts remind me of Milly-Molly-Mandy, although I
don't think she ever wore a belt like this. She did eat bread and butter with Little Friend Susan which I decided to eat endlessy when I was little. Just like Algernon's cucumber sandwiches in The Importance of Being Earnest - I still love cucumber sandwiches.

100% hemp belts available at Milly Sleeping, 157 Elgin St Carlton.
Take a look at the "At the still point of the turning world" installation created for the 2007 L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival with contributions from local artists and designers - from March 1-18.

Available in white, red, dusk and dark blue.