When Julia met David

A new Smyth gallery has opened in Queenstown and I almost had an art induced melt down when I saw someones invite to the opening exhibition...David Bromley!! As I am still a fine art newbie and very much someone who likes what I like and don't really care much about who dunnit..my exception is David Bromley. He could squirt tomato sauce on a canvas and call it art and I would go all goo goo over it. I eventually got in into the show (with my takeaways stuffed in my bag) and went weak at the knees...yes the art was way better in person..it was the prices that made my jaw drop.
I think I need to marry well.

Sweet and whimsical

Take a look at these little treasures from stationary (amongst other things) design company Poppies For Grace. They have a gorgeous webshop and after seeing the little preview of their new wedding stationary range on their blog...well...there are even more goodies heading our way.

Eco Art

Here's something that might interest all you artistically talented people! New magazine Peppermint Mag is 100% focused on eco and ethical fashion. Every edition will offer a new theme for an art competition...so if you fail the first time...try, try again.
(Like their graphic? Buy the t-shirt!)

Dark side of cool

There is a clothing store in Queenstown called D.T Carter...yes..very hardware storeseque sounding!! But they have just started stocking a new (to me) kiwi brand called @emgirl who I am adding to the official "Julia list of things to buy when credit card paid off."

Kiwi concoction of culture and art

I have posted about Rona Ngahuia Osborne and her fabric design biz Native Agent before...but am all inspired once again by using some of her gorgeous new range in the Heart Foundation Lottery House.
I was just reading through the description of what she does on Clever Bastards and felt that I probably couldn't convey the deep history and culture in her art better than this:

"The original ‘Native Agents’ were fluent Maori speakers employed by the Crown to assist Maori with land transactions and other matters of law. Woollen blankets were common items of trade between European settlers and Maori, so it is fitting that they form the foundation for many of Rona’s works. She adorns them with layers of shape, colour and emblems in a reminder of whakapapa - layers of family history."

"Rona’s pieces are rich in symbolism, and she manifests a respect for New Zealand’s past in rare and special contemporary forms. Recurring icons of historic trading include muskets, hei tiki, cloaks and feathers. Other emblems embroidered onto the works reflect the natural world of maunga (mountains), manu (birds) and plants such as harakeke (flax)."

Back with some goodies for your wall!

Hellooo...I have been struggling to get myself in front of this screen...I am missing blogging!! It is Winter Festival time here in beautiful Queenstown and being the subtly social girl I am, I have been enjoying being festive!! Bank account and body are in rebellion now so hopefully I will enjoy some clean healthy living for the next couple of days...well at least until Mardi Gras night. sigh.

But of course, my ears still prick when I hear snippets from peeps about their favourite brands, sites, finds...one of which is ZOZO Living from my friend Georgie P. I am actually a bit embarrassed that I haven't heard of these guys before and their gorgeous wall decals...whats more...their online store is in NZ dollars!!! This is very rare for us wee kiwi shoppers.
Take a look!!

Kiwiana Couture

Hankering for a dose of Kiwiana culture in your home??? Ataahua have just released these fantastic, graphic cushions and lampshades. Find them at endemicworld.com

Under Cover

OOoohhhh yay for InsideOut. Yayayayayayayay! They are so good at what they do and I just LOVE having a copy by my computer where I can scour through and google things to my hearts content. Here is one result of that. Elevate Design, a Sydney based homewares and gifts company. They specialise in fantastic, graphic table cloths, napkins, table runners and bags. I truly think that they will be responsible for the return of the humble table cloth!!! Expensive tables are completely overrated!

Fricke Goodness

I have two of Shannon Fricke's GORGEOUS books and am way too excited that there is now a third!! Not just that...but now I can get my dose of her Fricke styles regularly with her new blog!. For those of you not quite in the know, Shannon is a breath of interior styling fresh air and goodness. She has a relaxed personal approach to interiors which is translated in her fantastically visual books, chatty columns and well, pretty much everything she does. She is great. Yup. Great.

Mum of Moofus!

I am on an art bender...guessing that is pretty obvious. But I really felt that the wonderfully talented Moofus (below post) could not be mentioned without showing you the incredible work that his MUM Kate is doing!! Just had a good, nosey peruse through Kate's blog and awesome site and have finished up with the impression that she is one of those really relaxed, funny, smiley artist/mums which I reckon is kind of rare. Definitely worth a spy!!! I have added the blog to my aussie/kiwi bloggy love and both Moofus and mum Kates's etsy store, Alyoisiuss are listed too.

I'm 11 years old ....and like to draw sometimes

CHECK IT OUT!!! These fantastic artworks are from an etsy shop called Moofus. Moofus is the "professional" front for 11 year old skateboarder/artist Milan from Sydney. Yup...that was 11.
Found this guy via Poppytalk

Fabric updates...MMmmmmm

New designs from The Cut Cloth (above) and Kirsten Doran (below). Available online at Duckcloth
Yummy new colours from Aunty Cookie (below)
And new clutches from Lara Cameron



I have been having the best sift around sites tonight!!! And here is what I found! Consider this a wee fabric update....and enlightenment to what some of our talented Australasian designers are up to! For instance Lara Camerons GORGEOUS clutch prototype....watch this space...actually..HER space.

delicacy vs brick and tile

This is a gem of a find...and thanks to the lovely Daydream Lily for it!! Miso is a fine artist bringing beauty to street art in Melbourne and around the world. For five years now she has been combining her whimsical drawings with chipped, dark building facades. Amazing. Inspiring.

soak it all up in Hanmer Springs

Is this is a TOTAL plug for my family??... Yup. Blatant. But why not use this blog for my own personal, evil intentions!!! My Aunt Bindy and Uncle Pete own two beautiful, cosy, secluded units in my mountainous, thermal ,home area of Hanmer Springs. Anyone wanting a private, romantic/non-romantic and totally self indulgent holiday should DEFINITELY check out the Marchmont Gardens bed and breakfast site or give Bindy and Pete a call to see if this place is for them. ( which of course it is!!!) The garden is amaaaaazzzzingggg...walk straight off the lawn onto the golf course...or simply don't walk at all and stay in bed alllllll day.

Kia Ora

I have been M.I.A lately. I am sorry. But if any of you have any appreciation and respect for Kiwiana...you can imagine the planning, execution and strategy that I put in to pose as Cheeky Hobson from Footrot Flats for one major hoolie of a 30th birthday on the weekend. ( Thanks Georgie P!!!)I did it... with class...but yes..the rest of my life was put on hold. I am back however and will put in extra effort to find some goodies this week!
Annnnddd to kick this off...here is a wee inside word on sponsor endemicworld.com's weekly special...totally continuing the kiwiana theme.

Fun Form Function in Christchurch

You know the old saying..."jack of all trades...master of none", well I reckon I have found a company that is " jack of many AND master of many!"
F3 design is a small family based design company in Christchurch. They specialise in product design...of sorts but are not limited to this by any means. Above you will see their macrocarpa table and benches, example of one of their steel tables, industrial look railing system, cutting boards and then we move on to their jewellery....
Definitely a local company to watch!

Transient Textile Extremist!

The whole sitemeter biz is turning out to be pretty damn helpful!! I was trawling through the list of who all my lovely visitors are and I found Sarah Sheperd. "She's new!" I thought, and I followed the link back to her blog. Brilliant! Sarah is somewhat of a textile designer extremist!! I am still getting my head around what she actually does??!! If nothing specific...she does everything VERY well. A kiwi by birth and by heart I suspect, she is based all over the place, currently London.
She has worked on films including The Lord of the Rings and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. While in the UK and Europe she has been involved in Oliver Stone's Alexander and Prince Caspian. The last three projects she has been Chief Textile Artist, creating fabrics for costumes as varied as the White Witch of Narnia's dress and Leopard skins for the fighting armies of Gargamelia.
To add to all this she also produces are range of fabrics inspired by New Zealand...and it seems teatowels are being added to the mix! I always think that graphic teatowels like these should be framed.
Not sure of stockists etc yet, but I have added her blog to my Kiwi/Aussie Blog Love so keep an eye on her progress.

goodies inside

Issue #2 of World Sweet World is out now!! I have a wee article at the back about the wonders of the blogging world!

World Sweet World magazine aims to be a swap-meet of ideas and inspiration, so readers are invited to participate in creating content. Split into two parts, it has beautifully illustrated, “step-by-step instructions for making cool stuff”, says Hannah, “followed by inspiring articles about people, places or things.”

Issue two, 'Making a Fuss,' shows how to make a mini-glasshouse using an old window, make hottie covers out of jerseys, and a lightbox out of drawers. It delves into the world of craft as a form of activism, the current “trendiness” of eco-labels, and gets to know artists teaming up with Trade Aid for environmental justice.

Mini fashionista's

Be warned...these clothes are seriously cute!!!!!! Was just browsing through my bookmarks and realised that I never posted about Lone Moose like I had meant too. So took a little noisy through their blog and found all the goodness!! LOVE the little hoodies with the elf like hood!
I f you are looking for some styley warm threads for you dollarmunchers you can check out the Lone Moose shop here at Felt, Etsy or find your closest stockist.

creative hand

Thought that you would appreciate these great pieces of art by Coromandel based artist Annie Smits Sandano. Annie is a Brazilian Kiwi, having lived between both countries for the last 10 years. Take a look through her work...I was kind of blown away by not only many many talents...painting, drawing, print making etc but also the change in her style between all of them!
Love the kiwi range...the fantails are gorgeous. Her site has all the details of how to get hold of an Annie Smits Sandano special.