Joolz

Luck be a lady tonight - Joolz appears in Polyvore

2012-01-18T13:39:00.000+11:00

"Luck be a Lady Tonight" by heylittlerichgirl featuring heart handbags

Top
sustilo.nl

Forever 21 dressy top
$18 - forever21.com

Hot Shorts - Lady Luck (Red)
$26 - toofastonline.com

TopShop shorts
$50 - topshop.com

Aso
£4 - asos.com

Heart handbag
$8.99 - perpetualkid.com

Stud earrings
$3.99 - girlprops.com

Joolz: Third Time's The Charm
9 999 AUD - joolz.com.au

24k handcuffs
$350 - kikidm.com

Rah! Happy Friday 13th

2012-01-13T12:22:00.001+11:00

It's today!

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RAH!

Happy Friday 13th, everyone!

I'm definitely not the world's biggest fan of horror movies, but I do love the B-grade poster art from the earlier part of the 20th century. Bright colours, lurid fonts and over-the-top styling - so much fun!
That's where the inspiration for this little 'shlock horror' Subscriber Special mini-collection came from.

To purchase, simply click on the link next to the item you want. And of course, as always, if you want something customised for you, just drop me a line.

In the next newsletter we have a very lovely giveaway coming up, so keep an eye on your inboxes!

Enjoy your weekend x Airdrie

Killer Ants brooch - $15
Mummy's Curse ring - $15

Menace pendant - $15
Electronic Monster pendant - $15

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Copyright © 2012 Joolz, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have signed up via our online form or sent us a request via email. Our mailing address is: Joolz 87 Moreland Road Brunswick, VIC 3056 Add us to your address book
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All Yellow

2011-12-16T10:43:00.001+11:00

It's a colour, it's a Coldplay song...

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All Yellow...

I've been loving all that bright happy gorgeous colour appearing on the runways over the past season.

Loads of inspirations to be had from local and overseas designers who are embracing this buttery trend. I've found myself working with yellow more and more, lately. Here's a few inspiration pics and some of the results of my past week working with resin.

Obus dress & Dom Bagnato images via Style Melbourne, Therese Rawthorne dress image courtesy Shopbop
Acid yellow perspex Lips Clutch from Lulu Guiness
Yellow shoes images via Imelda

Resin fun in yellow! Isn't that a happy colour?
80s button earrings $25
Rose of texas earrings $25
Anansi earrings $25
Fjord pony brooch $10

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Copyright © 2011 Joolz, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have signed up via our online form or sent us a request via email. Our mailing address is: Joolz 87 Moreland Road Brunswick, VIC 3056 Add us to your address book
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Less than 4 weeks til Christmas!

2011-11-29T11:23:00.001+11:00

Oh my goodness I've been feeling so organised until I realised I have less than four weeks left til Christmas! Have started making my lists today!

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Hi everyone!

Yes, I've been to a shopping centre today, and it hit me: Christmas is less than four weeks away.

This year I'm making "Cherished Moments" for a few special people - personalised cameo necklaces, rings and brooches.
They are a lovely personal gift and memento so I wanted to share the idea with those of you still searching for the perfect gift. Such a great present for someone close to your heart!

Hope everyone's silly season is progressing festively and there aren't too many stresses for you at this busy time of year.

Warm regards,
Airdrie

Cherished Moments personalised cameos are available in 30mm x 40mm oval or 25mm square pendants on chain, or alternatively a 22m x 30mm oval brooch or ring.
All you need to do is send me an email by clicking the link below or replying to this newsletter with a jpeg copy of your chosen image and I'll resize it, crop it to shape, and turn your photograph into a beautiful keepsake.
Perfect for wedding shots, family photos or kids pics - I've done people's pets too!
All personalised cameos are $35 (inc regular p&h).
Click here to order yours!

A few tips to keep in mind for a perfect cameo picture: one or two subjects is best.
A large group isn't great because once your image is resized to fit a 30x40mm cameo, a big crowd becomes a tiny & unrecognisable blur of faces.
Another thing that makes for a good cameo is to ensure that the original image is taken as a portrait (longest side of the image is along the side) rather than a landscape (longest side of the image is along the bottom) shot.
And lastly, uncluttered, bright & clear images of faces rather than full body shots (unless its a dramatic silhouette!) work perfectly.

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Copyright © 2011 Joolz, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have signed up via our online form or sent us a request via email. Our mailing address is: Joolz 87 Moreland Road Brunswick, VIC 3056 Add us to your address book
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Joolz News Septemer 2011

2011-09-20T23:39:00.007+10:00

September 2011 - a new collection, a new photoshoot, and a new competition

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Hi everyone,

Hooray, its Spring!
I'm super-excited about the return of sunshine to Melbourne, let me tell you!
It feels like its been a long, cold winter and finally I can sit outside on the back porch and enjoy some warm sunrays. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week has been and gone, so I can give you a little peek at the new collection, there's a new giveaway competition and I have a lovely photoshoot to show you too.

The Colour Collection
Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2011

Fashion week has wrapped up in Melbourne, but the bright colours and neon glows haven't faded yet. It looks like summer is going to be highly saturated with colour, and we haven't shied away from the brightly-hued trend here at Joolz.

The pretty necklaces pictured above adorned our impressive models (all from Diamond Valley Roller Derby Club) as they rollerskated their way into the hearts of the audience at Thread Den's final MSFW show on Sunday. The cheers, wolf-whistles and claps I could hear as the girls 'skated their stuff' certainly sounded good - it made for an exciting end to the catwalk shows on Sunday!

Local Heat
Style Melbourne

I had the pleasure of working with a team of fabulous creatives for a Style Melbourne photoshoot showcasing the latest from some of Melbourne's hottest designers, which was published recently. Lyndel Yeo (35mm Fashion Photography), Frankie Endersbee (hair) and Phoebe Goulding (makeup) all worked together with my styling to make our model, Natalia from Vivien's, feature in an absolutely stunning shoot as I'm sure you will agree!

The team were both professional and fun - just what you want from a group of co-workers. And the location was divine - we got to play for the day in a gorgeous luxury highrise penthouse called Triptych at Southbank. Check it all out at Style Melbourne.

Subscriber Special
These adorable little owl earrings give you a little splash of colour plus a lot of cute.

Available for the next week only to you for the low subscriber-only price of $9.99 plus free postage (only while stocks last)

Subscriber Special
The Tropicana Forbidden Fruit necklace is made with hand-cut crystal cubes in multicolours.
This sparkling piece of loveliness is available to you for the low subscriber-only price of $159.99 (usually $175.00)

Win win win!
Its super-easy to enter our giveaway to win a classic pair of pearl & ebony earrings, teamed with the new nightowl drops pictured above, plus the winner will also score a fab dragonstone ring: simply leave us a comment on the Joolz Fanpage using the special competition word SPRING. The winner will be notified by email and announced on the Joolz Fanpage so keep an eye out and good luck!

Clip-on Earrings

2011-08-11T17:54:00.001+10:00

I've had a couple of requests for clip-on earrings lately.
And I've also worked on a couple of photoshoots with models who don't have their ears pierced. It seems such a strange thing, in this day & age when I assume pretty much everyone has their ears pierced, to have this happen in the space of a few weeks!
So have made a few clip-on earrings, ta-dah!

OK so these are actually 'screw-in' earrings if you want to be technically correct. They always remind me of my nanna, who used to let me play with all her dress-up jewellery when I was a little girl :)

The day before

2011-08-04T09:29:00.001+10:00

I've mapped out the route from first pickup to last and am just about to jump in the car & head out to collect all the fashion for tomorrow's shoot. Of course there will be some sort of last minute hiccups, but I do like having an organised day to tackle! This evening my home will once again resemble a gorgeous boutique full of loveliness, ahhhh :)

image courtesy of Yours Truly

I got me a Tumblr

2011-07-12T23:22:00.001+10:00

I'm giving tumblr a go.
No idea if it will mean this blog goes by the wayside but there seems to be a chance that will be the case. I've certainly posted more over there lately.
http://airdrie.tumblr.com/ if anyone's looking for me

Bon Voyage

Limited Edition

by Jacqueline Osborn

Latest photoshoot "give me a ring"

2011-07-01T21:51:00.002+10:00

I styled and shot this series the other day.

This is my fave shot of the day.

MUA: Tiffany Love
Model: Racquel Ferraro
Photographer/stylist: me

Fundraising for St Jude's Tanzania

2011-06-02T12:41:00.000+10:00

I've been in rural NSW for the past two weeks, fundraising for the School of St Jude in Tanzania. This amazing school provides a free education to the very poorest children in their part of the world. The dynamo who runs this school, Gemma Sisia, is an incredible woman and a true inspiration to me and to many others too I'm sure. So far with this fundraiser we've managed to buy the school some of the much-needed items listed in their 2011 Fundraising Appeal - some land for the students' sports field, some secondary science equipment, and some sports field fencing (to keep the cows and goats out!).

I would like to thank all the lovely ladies & gentlemen of the Ben Lomond area and the Barraba area, for getting involved in our events and shopping up a storm for this worthy cause. I'd also like to thank the wonderful designers who provided their beautiful items to this fundraiser, and note that we do still have just a handful of truly magnificent pieces left if anyone would like to make a last minute purchase before I return the unsold items to their designers at the end of this week. All the fundraising efforts that come in this week will continue to go to St Jude's 2011 Appeal.

Makims at Moreden Artisan Market - Fundraiser for St Jude's Tanzania

2011-05-15T20:37:00.001+10:00

Image courtesy of www.schoolofstjude.co.tz

In February 2002, Gemma Sisia (nee Rice) from northern NSW in Australia, founded The School of St Jude in Arusha, Tanzania, East Africa. As a charity funded school, St Jude’s provides a free quality education to approximately 1,500 of the poorest children of Arusha, Tanzania, while also providing boarding for over 900 students. Additionally, the school now provides employment to over 340 Tanzanians and purchases the essential goods required to run the school everyday from the local community. The ripple effect of these benefits on the community and beyond has been incredible.

The Makim family has come together to create an Afternoon Artisan Market to raise funds for this very hardworking school.
21 May 2011, 2:30pm - 5:00pm.

"Moredun"

1419 Moredun Road

Ben Lomond, NSW Australia

Judi Makim will be our hostess with the mostess.
Airdrie Makim will be bringing Joolz jewellery, designer clothes from a number of beautiful (and generous) brands, and designer handbags up from Melbourne. Neroli Makim will be down from Brisbane to autograph her book, 'Your Creative Success'. Afternoon tea will be provided, and of course as it is the Makims there will be the odd glass of bubbly about.

Entry to the Artisan Market is free, there will be a donation box and up to 100% (some designers have donated their entire sales, some have donated 50%) of the proceeds of all sales made on the day will go to St Jude's.

Fashion for men in the 70s - superhot or supernot?

2011-05-06T15:03:00.005+10:00

So I got this email from a friend of mine this morning - absolute GOLD.
I have to share it with you guys, its too good not to!

Don't skip the copy that accompanies these gems from a bygone era, particularly this first one below.
Oh, and I love "Men in belted sweaters". And those Eleganza shoes? Pimpin!

Are YOU man enough to fill it?

"Just make sweet sweet love to the camera, Steve. Yeah, that's it man!"

This stretch terry jumpsuit comes with or without hood - so you can be as gangsta as you wanna.

Not only is that a damn fine hat, but that open-necked shirt gives me heart flutters. At least, I think that's what's going on...

The ties. Oh, the ties.

Jack's got his proud face on. Suzy cannot believe that collar!

Unfortunately we were so eager to include the caped suit that we had to cut away most of the seated beauty who had fallen to the floor in a swoon over how fly our boys are looking here.

Shoes = $34.95 Coat = $94.95 Suit = $57.95 Absolute Pimpin-ness = Priceless

Jerry and John laughed at Greg, as they scored all the pretty colours. Oh, how they laughed!

"Mama always told me that I'd know my true love by the belted sweater he wore - with so much dashing charisma, how could I say no?"


"Hey, where did all the weed go? You promised us, man!" "Aw shiiit, looks like Bruce got started early"

Nothing says 'happy families' like matching sleepwear!

Front page of T&M Mag

2011-05-05T11:42:00.001+10:00

Mucho excited to log on to Facebook this morning and find out from one of my fave models that we've made the front page of T&M Magazine with a photoshoot I styled a few months back.

Nice work team!

Photographer: Kirra Jayde
Makeup: Raeoni Davies
Hair: Samuel Sparrow Krutop
Model: Lauren Elizabeth Aitken
Stylist: moi

UPDATE
Not only did we make the front page of their website, but this shoot also ended up on the cover! Super-chuffed. Looking forward to getting my copy!

Time for a giveaway for you!

2011-04-12T15:50:00.001+10:00

Its time for a giveaway!
Yes m'dears, it has been a while - so time for a lucky Joolz lover to score some treats!

The cold weather has started again so we all need brooches to decorate scarves, jackets and beanies. This pack of 4 joolz brooches should sort you out! And a luscious lipgloss pack from DJs to keep your smile pretty and shiny as the temperature drops. RRP for this little pack of loveliness is $50 - but its free to one lucky Joolz Fan.

As usual, all people who comment go into the draw. I'll take comments from both here and the Facebook Fanpage. The winner's name will be drawn at random using The Hat on Thu 14 April at 6pm.
Ready... set... GO! Good luck everyone!

Terms & Conditions:

• To enter you must be over 18 years of age, entry excludes employees of Joolz and its affiliates or agents, the families of such employees and any other person connected with this promotion.

• The Promoter will not be liable for applications not received, incomplete, or delayed. Last date for receipt of entries is 6pm on 14 April 2011.

• To enter, please leave a comment at this blog or on our Facebook fanpage.

• All entries received by this date will be entered into a prize draw and the winner will be chosen using a random name generator (The Hat).

• The winning entry will receive the brooches and lip gloss as pictured in the above listing.

• The prize is as stated and cannot be transferred, sold or exchanged. There is no cash alternative. No bulk or third party entries accepted.

• The winner will be notified through this blog and/or the Joolz Facebook fanpage and/or email on 14 April 2011.

• By entering this competition, entrants agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out here.

Beauty shoot with Lucia, Raeoni & Katie

2011-04-04T19:55:00.000+10:00

I got together early on Friday morning with Lucia, Raeoni & Katie to shoot some beauty images. It was a little chilly in the early morning, and we were hoping for some sunshine, but we managed to work around these small problems!

Katie and joolz ring

Pearls, pearls and more pearls. Plus some other stuff.

Bird bodysuit, red socks, heels, and joolz.

Adding a splash of colour

2011-04-04T18:07:00.003+10:00

I'm in love with adding a splash of colour, and it seems that I'm not alone. I've noticed when checking out photos of what people are wearing around the world at the moment that there is definitely a big interest in colour out there right now. Those of us living in Melbourne love our black, and I doubt I'll be changing drastically, but I'm trying to make sure to break it up with some colour whenever I go out at the moment. Adore these ideas:

image courtesy of style.com

image courtesy of The Sartorialist

When I started planning it, I was pretty sure that my next collection was going to be black and white. But different colours kept creeping in. I can't seem to help it, its going to be bright and colourful instead! Hahaha, completely not what I had originally planned, but that's the way things go when designing a new collection sometimes!

New joolz multi-coloured agate cross necklace, coming soon!

I am looking forward to sharing the new collection with you, I have had lots of fun making it. Not long now!

I wear my heart on my tee exhibition

2011-03-04T13:25:00.006+11:00

So, last night saw the launch of the Town Hall Gallery's third I Wear My Heart On My Tee exhibition, a yearly event showing off tshirt designers' works. This celebration of all things tee illustrates how much we use a tshirt to say things about ourselves - political statements or cute pictures? I think my personal collection tends towards the latter, although - horror of horrors from a tshirt designer's perspective - I actually have a lot of plain tees - yes'm, without any embellishment at all! What can I say, I'm a jewellery designer - sometimes I like a blank canvas to show that stuff off.

As well as having all the walls covered in tees, there was a long table in the middle with extra items that could be picked up and purchased on the night. Great idea to help out those 'struggling artistes'! One issue that was mentioned on the night was that it was a shame that the colours tended to be grouped together on the walls. Eg one wall section had all red tees, another had all grey ones, etc. I thought originally that it was quite a pleasing composition, but as it was pointed out to me last night, it meant that you didn't look as closely at each individual tshirt design. Ahhh, very true!

Mardi Nowak, curator, tells us of her love of tees

I went along to check out the work of local Aussie designers T-Shirt Garage, Tomorrow Never Knows and Ruffbat Creative, and also got to check out some new names I hadn't heard of before: Well, Almost Human, Silly Pear, Bike Path, Maru design, Amy Canal, Persistently Plastic, Bronze Temple, Indie, Bad meets Evil, 7 Breaths, Best Fiend, Georgia Thorpe, EDAR, Jessica Dib-Newberry, Grumpy Tommi, Ray L Design, Freyart, Malamoop, Ging...er Ellie, Kristy Brown, & Yvette Phipps. Lots of good stuff!

A great night was had by all, always good to see local galleries showing some interesting works. I have to admit I have been increasing the collection of tees with some sort of iconography on the front, but I'm still pretty attached to a plain tee that I can mess about with, too. Pass me the scissors!

Loved in particular this sweet image!

Liked this one too!

Anne-Charlotte Menegaux's Playing Cards

2011-02-22T14:20:00.002+11:00

Ever since designing the Third Time's The Charm collection, I have had a special interest in beautiful and unusual playing cards. These ones from illustrator Anne-Charlotte Menegaux are truly magnificent. How I'd love to own a set of these! *covet covet covet* Don't you think they are lovely?

Lion Necklace Giveaway

2011-02-10T17:41:00.000+11:00

This week's competition is to win a lion necklace like the one being worn in our Style Melbourne "Wear The Wild Things" shoot!

This beautifully bright necklace has been nicknamed by one of my friends, "Aslan Dipped in Sunshine". Isn't that a lovely name?
Its easy to enter! Just leave a comment here, or on our fan page, to have your name entered in the draw. Please remember to leave me some contact details if you're going to comment on the blog - otherwise it can be quite difficult to let the winner know they have a prize! Always check back to see if you're the winner as I will announce it here and on the fan page :-)
Winner's name will be drawn the evening of Tue 15 Feb.

Onya Aid shows support for our northern cousins

2011-01-21T13:20:00.000+11:00

One of my favourite Aussie publications, Onya Magazine, is hosting a fundraiser next Wed (Australia Day) to raise money for flooded Queenslanders. Lots of wonderful companies have jumped on board, donating all sorts of goodies to the event.
If you'd like to help out with this great cause, then contact the Onya team via their website, and of course please show your support by going along to Honey Bar in South Melbourne next Wed - it kicks off at noon, with lots of wonderful auctions, silent auctions, live music and more.

I've listed over $1300 of joolz on ebay for the Qld Flood Relief

2011-01-12T14:23:00.002+11:00

Hi there everyone,

As I'm sure everyone knows by now, the situation up in Queensland is pretty dire.

I've been watching the news reports, feeling competely helpless, and decided to donate via a joolz sale on ebay. I've listed over $1300 worth of stock , and every single one has a starting bid of just $0.99 All proceeds will be donated to the Qld Flood Relief.

Check it out, and happy bidding!


Ltd Edition Qantas Playing Card Butterfly & Pearl Necklace RRP$499 -	starting bid $0.99

Pale pink resin necklace RRP$45 - starting bid $0.99

Silver Cameo Drop earrings RRP $35 - starting bid $0.99

*Please note these pictures are only some of the items listed. You need to click on the link to check out all the fundraiser items.

First joolz competition for 2011

2011-01-11T22:37:00.001+11:00

HURRAH!
Its the first Joolz competition for 2011! And its very easy to enter: to win these pretty pearl and crystal bracelets tied with ribbom, all you have to do is leave a comment here or on our Facebook page, telling us why YOU are a pearls girl. One response will be chosen and the winner notified next week. You will receive three pearl and crystal bracelets, with the colours pictured: champagne pink, moonlit black, and amethyst.
Good luck everyone - the competition starts NOW :-)

Shop Review: Curious Oyster

2010-12-23T00:29:00.005+11:00

Mrs Peterson

Little Bubalishka

Owl & Fox

Hibou

Pirdy

Pirdy & Snow Fawn

Brooches by Priya

I'm a fan of jewellery, yes that is a given. What you might not know is that I'm also a fan of owls. Not in a full-on collector-y way like a friend who shall remain nameless, but I like 'em enough to be very pleased with the delightful collection of our hooting friends to be found at The Curious Oyster Shoppe at 776 High St, Thornbury.

Filled with vintage furniture, it is very much like taking a wander around your coolest aunt's living rooms. Clocks and handbags jostle for space on the walls, chests of drawers are left open to reveal hand-painted cards nestled beside laser-cut earrings, open a cupboard and you'll find handbags and frilly knickers hanging side by side with knitted gingerbread dolls.

Made by Jo

XOX by Borrowed Earth, inner tube bag by Nearly Roadkill

Soy tea cup candle by Serene Tresider

With the chesire cat grinning at Alice in the front window, I knew straight away this was going to be a fun place to visit. Annaliese van Oosterwijck, proprietor of this treasure trove (and also maker of divine Nilla Nilla Pout Balms), tells me that "people love that this doesn't look like a shop, it's like going into someones home." There is lots of handmade jewellery (hurrah!) strewn on tables, perched on pretty teacups and dangling chandelier-like from lamps & cocktail glasses. Yes, the Curious Oyster Shoppe is a Joolz stockist! I've found my next clock - an adorable laser-cut woodland image to adorn my wall and keep time. There's some gorgeous crockery too!

Image courtesy of Mother Maria

Clothes made using vintage fabrics are on racks in the back room, and I found some awesome hand-printed, made in Melbourne leggings hanging over a cupboard door (yes, the stylist in me screamed out loud - fingers crossed we'll see some appearing in a photoshoot soon!).

Image courtesy of Captain Robbo

All the designers have been hand-picked by Annaliese, each chosen carefully to represent the mad hatter's tea party that is the Curious Oyster Shoppe.

Why so curious? When they were growing up Annaliese and her cousin Veronica watched Alice in Wonderland over and over again, and as she says, to new visitors the shop looks a bit like a curiosity shop, hence the "Curious Oyster Shoppe" was named.

Butterfly dictionary print by Hello Handmade, vintage glass soy candle by Serene Tresider

Drink Me Alice

This is certainly not a shop that caters to just one age bracket - you can find something to delight at any age, I'd say. And coming soon: a Moorish Tea Room, plus a delivery of fabulous vintage coming in from Europe (when they can get planes flying out again, I'd assume). I'll be hustling back there for that, let me tell you!

Sailing World Cup Ladies Day Luncheon & Fashion Show

2010-12-15T18:55:00.003+11:00

Image courtesy www.peselandcarr.com.au

I'm just back in the office after a lovely afternoon down at Sandringham Yacht Club. Today was their fundraiser for ovarian cancer research, a ladies luncheon and fashion show. I had donated a necklace and earrings as one of the raffle prizes, and also had some accessories in the fashion show.

It was a lovely day, the girls at the yacht club did a fine job. One of my favourite stylists, Tessa, was working busily behind the scenes, making sure all the fashion was organised and ensuring the models looked perfect before they strutted down the catwalk - today's catwalk was a long carpet of faux grass. It worked very well for the event! And another of my favourite stylists was MC - Amber Renee did a great job, even though (as she told us early on) she was dealing with a rotten cold.

The fashion looked great, the models were lovely, makeup perfect (done by one Megan Kirkup, who I've had the pleasure of working with several times), and although our view of the bay was mainly wet wild n windy, still a very lovely spot to spend an afternoon.

I have some truly dreadful photos from the phone, but am hoping that I may be able to share some with you once they are forwarded on to me from the organisers, or some of the more professional shots that were taken by others who were there. I promise you don't really want to see my shots from today.

See? Not really worthwhile, is it? We'll just have to wait and I'll update this post once some decent photos become available!

UPDATE
Some pics are up on Style Melbourne - if you'd like to check them out, click on the link. Here are a couple of them. Thanks to Sarah Lamb for snapping these :)

Christmas cufflinks

2010-12-06T12:02:00.003+11:00

Get into the Christmas spirit with these red, white and green cufflinks. Hand-cast resin set into sterling silver, they are sure to get you (or someone special) carolling merrily!

Christmas giveaway

2010-12-05T13:25:00.003+11:00

This giveaway is a little bit different.

You're not entering this one to win it for yourself, you're entering to win it for a special someone else.

As this gift is a certain size, I'd recommend choosing a friend who doesn't have big fingers! Its a big sparkly cocktail ring but it is a small ring-size - fits small-medium fingers only (its about a size 6 ring, size 7 is the most common size for women so it will fit most women as its only 1 size smaller). I'm not talking about teeny-tiny child's fingers, just dainty ladies!

All you need to do is leave a comment below to enter. Don't have a blogger account? Then you can enter on our Facebook Fanpage instead! I'll be using The Hat to randomly choose one name, and will contact you to find out who you're gifting the prize to. Then I'll wrap it in pretty Christmas paper, and post it off to your friend with a little note to say its from you.

You can check out what it looks like when worn by clicking over to this blog post.

Good luck everyone, and may the best friend win!

GIRL

2010-11-15T12:31:00.002+11:00

The latest collection, called Girl, has such a pretty photoshoot, and I am so thrilled to share it with you!

Horse Ring, White Garden Bangle, Grey Rose necklace

Rosie rings, Galaxy necklace, Joolz grey tassel skirt worn as a dress

Lion necklace, grey & yellow Cameo ring, Joolz black crochet cape

Rose brooch, Star ring, Rosie ring

Resin bangles, Joolz sheer kaftan top

Horse hairband, Shield ring

Brooches on bracelets, Rosie ring, Shield ring

Photographer: Thomas McInnis
MUA: Victoria Komis
Hair: Krystal Giardina
Model: Jaimee @ Scene

Movember Reign

2010-11-02T00:22:00.008+11:00

Its the start of November and around this time of year you'll notice a few blokes about the traps growing a proliferation of facial hair. Ahh, yes, Movember is here again.

Those fine menfolk over at Movember raise funds for important men's health issues, specifically depression and prostate cancer (the Australian Bureau of Statistics states that men have an average life expectancy of 78, compared to 83 for a woman). The Movember crew have this to say:
"We want everyone to know that all men aged over 50 and those over 40 with a family history of prostate cancer are at risk and should be tested annually;
We want every man who is dealing with depression to know it is a disease for which they can and should seek help;
We want men to know that they shouldn’t wait until they are sick to see a doctor. An annual general health check-up will be the best change for catching things early and preventing complications and side effects."

I have watched men all over Melbourne grow luxuriant moustaches each November for the past few years, and decided this year it was time to show my support by wearing a moustache of my own. Sure, us ladies (well not many of us anyway) aren't so good a growing a mo, but we (and our not-so-hirsute man-pals) can still sport a fine little moustache and do our bit for charity.

I've built these from resin, with a badge pin on the back. Profits from each 'tache will be donated directly to the Movember Foundation. Man up and get yourself a mo!

I'll be making these little fellas to order, so if you have a hankering for, let's say, a jade green moustache, just drop me a line when you order it and that's what I'll make for you.

And if, by some odd chance, you are not a fan of the moustache, you can still donate to these extremely worthy causes by clicking over here.

Lookbook shoots

2010-10-18T09:56:00.000+11:00

Last week was spent on lookbook shoots.
Hope you guys are going to like the new collection!

Sneaky peek at something new

2010-10-15T20:25:00.002+11:00

I did a little photoshoot a short while ago with a lovely team of people, and in it you'll be able to get a sneaky peek at something new from Joolz. Most of these items were trial pieces, concepts that I was messing around with at the time, but one of them I've kept as part of the new collection. Wonder if you can figure out which one?

The pictures have just been published today over on fabulous Style Melbourne, and so without further ado, here they are!

Photographer – Brianna Lehrke
Stylist – Airdrie Makim
Make Up & Hair Stylist – Erin O’Brien
Model – Catherine Sceney
Photographer’s assistant – William Ramsay

New media attention

2010-10-05T11:25:00.005+11:00

I was delighted to read the The Age newspaper on Sunday to see that they've favourably reviewed Blue Attic (readers will know from previous posts that BA is one of my lovely local stockists) and also included in the review was their fave find at Blue Attic - a snapshot of my cameo cufflinks! Hurrah!

Its delightful to have the cufflinks finally noticed. They are so much work! I haven't shared with you the fiddly process of making them yet. Perhaps I'll give you a pictorial guide soon... The cameos themselves are rather tricky to make, with the different layers of resin, the erratic drying times, and the easy-to-misjudge layering - layer too soon and the colours 'melt' together, layer too late and the top layer 'bleeds' into the edges of the layer below it! And no, it does not always take the same amount of time to set. Haha of course not. It has so much to do with the weather on the day that I'm making it. And on top of all this, the sterling silver cufflink findings themselves don't stand up by themselves in the resin - I kind of have to 'hold' them in place while the resin sets - which can be like watching paint dry. If I let go too soon, guaranteed the cufflink finding will upend itself into the resin and sink. If the weather's not terribly good, the resin doesn't like to set properly - it seems to really enjoy hot sunny weather. Yeah, fun times in the workroom. Luckily I'm a crazy lady who loves playing around with different jewellery materials and experimenting with new ideas all the time. In fact, I'm headed out to the workbench right now to try out a new idea I have for some lion's head cufflinks! Yay :-)

Sizing some new rings

2010-09-30T19:43:00.001+10:00

Luckily I have a next-door neighbour (and friend) who doesn't mind trying on a new ring or two for me. I wanted to check sizing and shape and basically to see the reaction of someone else to these new ones :)

Thanks Marta :)

Something's in the air!

2010-09-27T14:54:00.003+10:00

Very excited that yesterday we had nearly a whole day of complete sunshine! Yes it was a tragedy that I spent almost three hours in a salon in the middle of it, but I promise the real tragedy that was my rampant regrowth has been averted. I could then safely swan off to the park and lounge around with my lovely friends, two cute dogs and one adorable bebe. It was awesome to be out there! YAY HERE COMES SPRING FINALLY! Well it was here for a brief instant anyway. Back to cold and rain today, but I'm sure there's more awesome weather on the way. Ahhhh :)

Pics of inspiration for upcoming shoots and the like, thanks to yesterday's sunshine & various things:

Image credits, top to bottom:
Pic 1: Harper's Bazaar Indonesia
Photographer: Davy Linggar
Fashion editor: Michael Pondaag
Model: Julia Jamil (JIM)
Makeup & hair: Qiqi Franky & team menggunakan Makeup Store & L'Oreal Professionnel
Assistant stylist: Milla Mudijana, Veronica Arviana, Raden Prisya
Pic 2: Vogue Germany, October 2010
Model: Bianca Balti
Photographer: Paola Kudacki
Styling: Claudia Englmann
Pic 3: Mirage Issue #2
Shake dreams from your hair
Photographer: Nicole Nodland
Pic 4: Guess by Marciano
Models: Evandro Soldati & Heide Lindgren
Photographer: Alix Malka
Pic 5: L'Officiel Ukraine Sep 2010
Model: Megan Hind
Photographer: Raphael Delorme & Thierno Sy
Pic 6: Tess Van Ghert Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 campaign
Model: Kristina Pokrovskaya
Photographer: Yulia Lebedeva
Pic 7: Celestial Spring
Photographer: Carmen Rose
Hair and Make up: Mae Taylor
Stylist: Tessa O'Connor
Model: Lasca Dry @ Giant

Thanks to fashionising for all images :)

Why our great-grandparents were so cheerful

2010-09-22T10:12:00.003+10:00

I got sent this by email yesterday and thought it was pretty amazing just how differently we view these drugs now. I did a little bit of googling in case it was unverified, but this information seems to have been lifted directly from a Patents Medicines article online. I promise to return to my normal fashiony blogging next time!

Why Our Great-Grandparents Have Such Fond Memories Of Their Youth...

I'm surprised that they remember anything!!

A bottle of Bayer's 'Heroin'.

Between 1890 and 1910 heroin was sold as a non-addictive substitute for morphine.

It was also used to treat children suffering with a strong cough.

Coca Wine, anyone?

Metcalf's Coca Wine was one of a huge variety of wines with cocaine on the market.

Everybody used to say that it would make you happy and it would also work as a medicinal treatment.

Mariani Wine

Mariani wine (1875) was the most famous Coca wine of it's time.

Pope Leo XIII used to carry one bottle with him all the time.

He awarded Angelo Mariani (the producer) with a Vaticangold medal.

Maltine

Produced by the Maltine Manufacturing Company of NewYork.

It was suggested that you should take a full glass with or after every meal.

Children should only take half a glass.

A paper weight:

A paper weight promoting C.F. Boehringer & Soehne ( Mannheim, Germany).

They were proud of being the biggest producers in the world

of products containing Quinine and Cocaine.

Opium for Asthma:

At 40% alcohol plus 3 grams of opium per tablet,

it didn't cure you, but you didn't care...

Cocaine Tablets (1900)

All stage actors, singers, teachers and preachers had to have them for a maximum performance. Great to 'smooth' the voice.

Cocaine drops for toothache

Very popular for children in 1885.

Not only did they relieve the pain, they made the children very happy!

Opium for new-borns

I'm sure this would make them sleep well (not only the Opium, but also 46% alcohol)!

It's no wonder they were called, 'The Good Old Days'!!

From cradle to grave...

Everyone was stoned!!!

Cider-tasting with Wendy

2010-09-21T16:59:00.014+10:00

Have you noticed how fashionable cider has become lately? At more than one event during Spring Fashion Week I found cider being served, and it appears at all my favourite drinking haunts now. I've been quite a fan for a number of years. I decided that beer was not for me about eight years ago, and cider became my summery beverage-beer replacement.

Whilst on a Sunday morning brunch stroll, I discovered Purvis Cellars had just opened a beer shop at 292 Bridge Road, Richmond. Given that my brunch companion is quite a fan of beer, we popped in for a look. Imagine my delight to discover they had a whole section dedicated to local and international ciders, including some I'd never seen before!

I decided that Sunday afternoon would become an impromptu cider-tasting. I rang my friend Wendy who loves a good cider as much as I do, got out some little tasting cups (if you're being serious about this, there's no point sampling a whole bottle of cider and then moving on to try the next - some of those brews are mighty strong!), chilled my new purchases, put out pen and paper for tasting notes, and off we went. Much fun was had comparing notes as we sipped at each tasting cup in turn - seems that Wendy & I agree wholeheartedly on certain types of cider.

The results of our discoveries are reported below. I've included the Purvis and/or part of the brand's own description first (which we didn't read prior to writing our own so as to give an honest, personal response), followed by our little scribbles about each one in italics. I've listed them in order of our favourites first, and our least favourite last:

1) Punt Road Wines Napoleone and Co Cider NV (Australia)
This delicious full-strength, dry cider has been hand-crafted using a variety of apples sourced from the Napoleone family orchards - established in 1948. It displays subtle apple aromas leading into a crisp, clean, elegant style with a notably refreshing finish.
Price: $4.95 Bottle size: 330 ml Alcohol: 5.5%
Light straw colour. Delicious apple-y flavour without being overpowering. Crisp & dry. Pretty damn fabulous.

2) Aspall Draught Suffolk Cyder (UK)
Made with the fresh pressed juice of a blend of different apples to capture the best that each apple provides – Cox for sweetness, Bramley for acidity and apple aroma, and finally, a combination of bittersweet apples to give a heady perfume, body and a depth of finish. Has a mid straw colour with a floral/appley aroma especially of Russetts. It has a lovely mouth filling mousse and a delicate flavour of fresh pressed apples. Ideal as an aperitif. Slightly sweeter savoury dishes, such as pork, are beautifully complimented by this cyder.
Price: $8.99 Bottle size: 500 ml Alcohol: 5.5%
Good apple flavour. Nice carbonation. Pale straw yellow colour. Excellent quaffing cider, you can drink quite a few and not get either overpowered or bored with the flavour.

3) Celtic Cider by Douglas (Belgium)
Celtic is an authentic Dry Cider that combines a subtle woody tone with the well-rounded flavour of the best apples. Celtic Cider by Douglas, a superb yellow gown with hints of rosé, suggestive of the great champagne vintages.
Price: $5.50 Bottle size: 500 ml Alcohol: 4.5%
Our first (and only today) cider with a pink blush. Very foamy/bubbly. 'Yeasty', seems most like champagne of the ciders we've tried today. Very drinkable. Not an overly powerful flavour. Balm to the tongue after tasting No. 5.

4) Old Mout Scrumpy (NZ)
Old Mout Scrumpy’s sweet apple aroma is touched with a hint of honey, yet the flavour belies this aromatic delicacy, being rich and fruity with a good length.
Price: $5.50 Bottle size: 330 ml Alcohol: 8%
Tastes a bit like wine cooler to me. Not my favourite. Light & sweet - wouldn't drink more than a bottle. At least its not cloyingly sweet.

5) Rekorderlig Premium Apple Cider (Sweden)
Made from the purest spring water that runs under our family brewery in Vimmerby Sweden, Rekorderlig Apple Cider is a semi-sweet Cider that uses only the finest apples to produce a truly delicious Cider bursting with freshness. Freshly cut apple nose, Semi-sweet palate with strong fresh apple notes finishing with almost no acidity. Serve over ice to reduce sweetness.
Price: $6.29 Bottle size: 500 ml Alcohol: 4.5%
Super-sweet, and comes in a big bottle. My teeth are crying. I couldn't do this one again. Perhaps a good one for cooking?

6) Crumpton Oak's Farmhouse Dry Cider (UK)
A real cider, for the real cider drinker. This fruity light cider is achieved by using the finest apples to produce a crisp and refreshing drink.
Price: $7.99 Can size: 500 ml Alcohol: 5%
This was a semi-sweet cider, the only canned version we tried in this sampling. We had originally placed it at about middle of the road. However it lost all the points we'd given it when we discovered it is sweetened with phenylalanine. Won't be drinking it again.

And so ends our cider sampling for this time. Do you drink cider? Do you have a favourite, or do you like to sample different types of cider? As you can see, Wendy and I both prefer a crisp & dry version of cider, whereas perhaps you like it sweet!

Stylin'

2010-09-16T20:31:00.001+10:00

Its been a busy fashiony time recently. Melbourne Spring Fashion Week kept me out and about for the first week of September, and I've been styling shoots quite a bit too. Can't share lots about some of these shoots as we have to wait until the magazines come out before I can show you anything. Really looking forward to seeing them though! The wait is keeeelling me! Damn virtuous patience!

What I can share with you is the blog entry from my lovely stylist assistant for the day, Sarah! She was such a pleasure to work with - so positive, so interested, and so proactive. And she took some snaps too! I only managed one on that particular day, so glad someone else was out there taking pics. I love having 'behind the scenes' shots for some reason, who knows why. There are also some great ones from another shoot (which I've included here) from our fab makeup artist, Jacinta.

Have to get to bed early tonight, as tomorrow's shoot includes a three hour drive to get out there. It will be worth it though! Can't wait! My house is full of the most stunning fashion to shoot out there tomorrow. Some of it is straight from the catwalk at MSFW - truly beautiful designs. Ahhh... bliss :)

MSFW 2010 Designer Series 1 - my favourite things

2010-09-01T11:29:00.012+10:00

Loved these leggings at Therese Rawsthorne

MSFW kicked off the Designer Series runway shows last night, so out into the cold and rain I went to Melbourne Town Hall to check out what's coming up for some of our Aussie designers for Spring/Summer 2010/2011.

I had scored a front row seat to watch proceedings, which is great for getting a close look at the hair & makeup and accessories as well as the clothes - perfect for a girl who's seriously into accessories and styling!

Here are my faves from the night, with thanks to Fashionising for the images.


Oversized sweater dress from Gary Bigeni. Perfect for those of us celebrating a Spring that hasn't quite 'sprung' as yet.

Blingin cats-eye sunglasses from Alice Euphemia

Chunky resin collars from Alice Euphemia

Wild boots - Alice Euphemia

Super-pretty sheer lace frock from Flannel. Such a vintage feel!

Loved the patterning, colour and draping in this outfit from Dhini

Fab dress from Alistair Trung.

Great fringed jacket from Flannel.

The stand-out accessories for the entire show came from Alistair Trung.

Loved this top from Alistair Trung too.

This romper from Kuwaii was cool.

Great feather shawl collar & dress from Alistair Trung.

Lovely Lucy looked spectacular in the sculpted padding of Arnsdorf.

BEAUTIFUL dress from Lui Hon

I NEED this capelet from Lui Hon!


Thought this coat from MaterialByProduct, modelled by Face of MSFW Lucy McIntosh, had really great detailing.

You can see lots more MSFW images at Fashionising. Which are your favourites?

Pink rose ring giveaway

2010-08-27T14:20:00.006+10:00

In celebration of the first pink blossoms appearing on my new dwarf nectarine tree, I've decided that today its time for a giveaway!

These pretty little roses always seem to get a gasp of delight from people so I'm sharing the love. One lucky reader will score the pink porcelain rose ring pictured on the left. All you need to do to go into the draw is leave a comment!

The rose is fixed onto an adjustable silver-coated copper ringbase, so it fits a variety of sizes.

Shown here on my finger so you can see
the actual size of the rose.

Good luck everyone!

6 ways to get happy

2010-08-25T17:03:00.007+10:00

Happiness 'experts' report that spending on luxury goods, rather than making you happier, tend to create one-upmanship behaviour, and that wealth may in fact interfere with your ability to enjoy positive emotions that come from life's small pleasures, eg eating some chocolate. Alternatively, investing in an event-related activity like travel or cooking classes is less likely to incite competitive behavior with others (hmmm haven't they heard of masterchef) and therefore lead to more feelings of happiness.

Personally? I disagree - buying a pair of beautiful shoes really and truly does make me happy, not just in that moment but for ages afterwards. I have pairs of shoes that still enrapture me years later. And I'm sure that there are others who agree with me!

But for those days when shoes can't do the trick (ie when the bank balance doesn't stretch that far) here are six activities that should get you feeling cheerful.

1. Climb a mountain,go on a hike, or simply take a walk in your closest green space/park/garden.
2. Smile at/compliment a stranger: make new friends, build relationships.
3. Pamper yourself with a spa treatment. This can be as simple as filling a tub with hot water and bath salts and soaking your feet for 10min.
4. Enjoy guilt-free fine dining in a paradise setting - take a drive to the country and munch on some of your favourite fresh fruit out in the open air.
5. Get in the flow of your life: do something new, challenging and fun. Remember that challenging yourself is fun - even if you are a little frightened by that!
6. Breathe in salt air, listen to wave sounds, feel the sand between your toes (this is definitely one of my faves).

What do you do when you're feeling blue and shoes won't do?

CWC feature

2010-08-19T13:24:00.000+10:00

The lovely Tess McCabe of Creative Women's Circle Melbourne has featured me, along with a bunch of super-fab creative women, on the CWC blog.
Thank you Tess! I've already had some great advice from women in this group. If you are a local creative woman then get yourself over there and say hello :)

Shooting tomorrow

2010-08-17T20:23:00.000+10:00

Oh the horrors of being weather-dependant when shooting outdoors!
I am keeping a beady eye on the weather reports whilst maintaining some shreds of sanity by firmly believing we'll be fine, and the heavens WILL NOT open during our photoshoot.

In the meantime, here are some of my concept pics for the morrow.

I took some of these location snaps whilst walking Spike. As you can see he has no qualms about interfering with artistic requirements.

Shop Review: Blue Attic

2010-08-12T18:03:00.018+10:00

Blue Attic Boutique & Cafe holds a special place in my heart for so many reasons.

This gorgeous little hidden gem at the Brunswick East end of Lygon Street (which is actually the northen end, go figure) is stuffed to the gills with locally-designed-and-made clothing, bags, toys, hats, kids gear & other goodies. It was my first stockist, several years ago when I was just another jewellery designer with a dream, trying to convince people to stock my carefully crafted wares.

Tani, the effervescent force of nature behind Blue Attic, welcomed me in with open arms, and we have been firm friends ever since. We've celebrated & sorrowed together, worked & played together. I'll never forget the night we got all togged up in fancy dress and sat in the shop, cleared of stock for the evening, waving our glasses to cheer at various passers-by who peered in though the shop windows at our merry-making. We've shared our stories of the joys & pitfalls of starting up your own business: what to do when sales are slow, how to attract a regular clientele, what's the best way to get your message out there, and just how to manage becoming a multi-skilled juggler of time and resources!

I called in the other day to grab a chai latte & drop off some new earrings for the shop, and found Tani talking to a new designer who's now placed their work in Blue Attic. The new product (fab retro aprons, see left for an example) were so gorgeous that I decided it was high time I ran around the shop taking happy snaps of some of my favourite things, as its guaranteed that every time I go in there, I find something new which makes me shriek "OhmygodiLOVEthis!" - and its definitely time I shared the images of these goodies with those of you dear readers who aren't lucky enough to live in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.
So here goes, some of my favourite local artsncrafty creative designer work featured in Blue Attic:

How great are these cat rings? Made by Old Alan, I think they are awesome! So are the crocheted ones that you can see in the background.

I love these purses from Map29 - the fabric has pages from the local street directory printed on them. I'm waiting to get one with Moreland Road on it :)

And how cute are these little nappycover and hairband sets from Retro Kid for a splash of summer?

Cute knitted stuffed toys lounge next to you on the couch while you sip your cappuccino. These particular ones aren't actually for sale, but are for little people who might otherwise want to play with all the other fabulous things on offer instore :)

Snack on a gluten-free/vegan cupcake from either Vegan Muff or Bake Pretty. Mmm! My favourite is the Bounty Cake - chocolate and coconut. I kid you not - one day I called in there and practically inhaled that sucker.

I love the kooky dracula doll from Monsta.

These gorgeous handmade soaps by Quintessence keep you both yummy-smelling and looking delicious.

Tea cosies AND dragons!?!? What's not to love?!

These pretty corsage brooches are from Irena.

Petrol heads are covered with these cool retro car tees (I'd be the last one to call myself a petrol head, I know nothing at all about cars, but I think these are so cool).

Maxwell's laser cut jewellery using paper and wood are fabulous.

This fab dress is by Istana.

New from Joolz at Blue Attic is this gelati-coloured mother-of-pearl necklace, with a matching pair of earrings, and I also dropped off another pair of long chandelier-style earrings made from recycled vintage faux pearls.

Incredibly, there is so much more fabulousness in Blue Attic, but I think maybe I've shared enough with you for one day!

There might have to be a part two...

Blue Attic, 323 Lygon St East Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia, 3057

Tuesday's Artist

2010-08-03T12:59:00.001+10:00

How awesome is this? I love the internet :) These incredible tiny works of art are by zen-master of patience, Dalton Ghetti. I had to share them with you guys.

Patience is something I really need sometimes! I'm just going to look at these for a minute and remind myself that everything doesn't have to be "fast, fast, fast".

hot hot hot

2010-08-02T23:22:00.002+10:00

Hot Hot Hot!!!

I love this makeup. Seen on Sassi Sam's blog

and so I had to give you The Cure lyrics to their song of the same title as my blog entry for today. Its been playing in my head, now it's playing in yours :)

the first time i saw lightning strike
i saw it underground
six deep feet below the street
the sky came crashing down
for a second that place was lost in space
then everything went black
i left that basement burning
and i never went back
the second time i saw it strike
i saw it at sea
it lit up all the fish like rain
and rained them down on me
for a second that boat was still afloat
then everything went black
i left it underwater
and i never went back
hey hey hey!!!
but i like it when that lightning comes
hey hey hey!!!
yes ilike it a lot
hey hey hey!!!
yes i'm jumping like a jumping jack
dancing screaming itching squealing fevered
feeling hot hot hot!!!
the third time i saw lightning strike
it hit me in bed
it threw me around
and left me for dead
for a second that room was on the moon
then everything went black
i left that house on fire
and i never went back
hey hey hey!!!
but i like it when that lightning comes
hey hey hey!!!
yes ilike it a lot
hey hey hey!!!
yes i'm jumping like a jumping jack
dancing screaming itching squealing fevered
feeling hot hot hot!!!

Warm up winter nights with toasty joolz and mulled wine!

2010-07-19T09:55:00.015+10:00

We celebrated a friend's 33⅓ birthday yesterday afternoon (happy birthday Adam) which included lots of great live music, great friends and a spectacular vegan cake-feast.

It was a breezy, wintry, drizzly day, and so of course we were standing around talking about ways to warm up. Thank goodness in the course of that conversation my lovely friends Uwe & Ursula mentioned mulled wine - which reminded me that I'd been meaning to make mulled wine for AGES! I popped home to rifle through the pantry (luckily we live next door) and came up with something that seemed to please my party compadres.
Mulled Wine a la Airdrie
5 oranges
1 x 750ml bottle shiraz (mine was a Brock's Reef 2006 Shiraz from the Limestone Coast in South Australia)
1 x 375ml bottle boysenberry liqueur (picked up from the Big Strawberry when I was last headed north on the Goulburn Valley Hwy)
cinnamon bark
garam masala spice mix (I used MasterFoods brand, which includes pepper, caraway, fennel, cardamom, cinnamon & cloves)
handful of dried apricots, chopped
sugar to taste

Juice four of the oranges, pouring both the juice and pulp into a heavy-based saucepan. Cut the fifth orange into quarters, then thick 1cm slices, add to juice & pulp. Empty both bottles of alcohol into the saucepan, along with a generous spoonful each of the cinnamon & garam masala spice mix, and throw in the chopped apricots. Heat until warmed through, take a sip, and then add sugar to taste, stirring until its dissolved. Apparently this beverage is best kept warm (just on the edge of simmering, rather than boiling) for several hours to allow the flavours to develop, but I'm afraid we drank ours almost immediately. Serve in mis-matched teacups to warm friends!

In honour of the successful warming, this necklace has been named 'Mulled Wine'! The colours and the chunkiness remind me very much of that toasty drink I made last night.
Photographer: Berle Mu, MUA: Celeste @ Makeup Creations, Model: Beata @ Scene
The necklace was created using hand-made resin beads that I've poured in black, purple and gold. The gold ones have upcycled tealeaves embedded in them. Tea's great for keeping warm too! There's only the one so click on the add to cart button straight away if you're keen to own your very own 'Mulled Wine' necklace!

Joolz News 16072010

2010-07-16T13:45:00.013+10:00

Whilst I’m shivering away at my desk in Melbourne writing this, England is enjoying the most glorious summer. I’ve just come back from over there, and believe me, it was very difficult to leave all that wonderful sunshine. However, things are busy in the Joolz office gearing up for Spring Fashion Week, which as a friend pointed out on the weekend, is less than seven weeks away! Lots to do before then!

I’ve got a few new items to show you, and a new competition too. For those of us who would like a new handbag (and who wouldn’t) I’ve got a survey for you. All those who participate will go into the draw to win a shiny brand-new JOOLZbag. Yes, I’ve been sketching, checking out different materials, and talking to handbag manufacturers - soon Joolz will be able to offer you handbags! Just click here to be taken to the survey page. Its five quick & easy questions, and if you wish to go into the draw, fill out your details in the final section of the survey.
I’ve been working with some great photographers as usual, and one shoot I did recently with Lucia Ondrusova features in the current edition of Fashion Journal. If you’d like a copy of the article, just ask, and I’ll forward you the pdf version.
The pearls in the most recent collection have been quite popular with photographers, and the picture below, from Mul Chandra, a student at RMIT, is one of my favourites. We teamed the opera-length strand of coloured pearls with one of my silver leaf hairclips.
Isn’t it a lovely photograph?
With my return to Melbourne and adjusting to this chilly weather, I’ve been inspired to make things with pretty little crystals. To avoid them feeling too icy, I’ve selected some in warm tones. We had some windy weather in Melbourne this week, so I created a swirly pair of earrings too.

Crystal Mix Necklace
Czech crystals in a variety of shapes and colours create some interesting contrasts in this necklace.
36cm long with 6cm extension chain.
Only one available.
$150.00

Citrine Crystal Earrings
I think these citrine-coloured crystal globes have a bit of a 70s vibe. I love these new earring hooks – this design means that you won’t lose one of your earrings whilst you are wearing them. $35.00

Swirled Earrings

These hollow reinforced glass spheres are both light and strong.
They are so pretty!

$35.00

Portugese Glass Ring

I noticed a lot of yellow whilst I was overseas, and I am really enjoying this sunny colour at the moment. I also have one of these in blue – there is only one ring in each (blue or yellow) available.

$35.00

I hope you have remembered to complete our handbag survey to go into the draw to win one of the first ever JOOLZbags! I’m really looking forward to reading the results. I’ll be able to share the handbag collection with you very soon.
If you’d like to forward the survey on to your friends, I’d greatly appreciate it. (And yes, of course the handbag won’t be empty. I couldn’t possibly send off a prize without tucking in some extra goodies!)

Take care, and keep warm if you’re in the same hemisphere as me!

f.rock fashion

2010-07-14T11:35:00.003+10:00

Helen Sattler, the creative force behind f.rock fashion, has done it again with this offering for emerging designers - or those who want to dip their toe in the rapidly-moving waters of the fashion industry:
http://www.launchmylabel.com
She talks about how f.rock is changing and the video includes a bunch of gifts for those keen to get some more exposure and some fresh ideas on how to 'make it' in our industry. Helen's been a busy lady these last few years, and I'm sure we'll continue to see her involvement in fashion. I love her dedication. You can check out her website here!

Christmas in July

2010-07-12T14:26:00.018+10:00

I celebrated Christmas in July with a group of girlfriends last night. We had a ball!
Our hostess created a beautifully-themed dining space by pulling out all her decorations and Christmas cds. We enjoyed Christmas-style cocktails, a delicious Christmas dinner, sinful snacks & sweets, and I came home with a lovely handmade gift too!
I don't know if it happens elsewhere, but because we have such a hot Christmas in December, its become quite commonplace for Melbourne folk to celebrate a wintry version in the middle of the year.
Everyone brings a dish (or drink) of their choice to share - really its just another great excuse to catch up with friends! I made chocolate mini christmas puddings which are quite easy to make. I've been asked for the recipe, so thought I'd blog it for anyone else who might want to give these a go.

Mini Xmas Puds (gluten free)
2 x 200g packets of Arnott's Rice Cookies (or any sweet dry gluten-free biscuit)
100g dried apricots*
50g dates*
1 x 250g packet cooking chocolate/chocolate melts (milk or dark, whichever your preference)
125g butter

You will also need several sheets of greaseproof paper, some clean spoons, and a piping bag with a leaf attachment.

Put the rice cookies & dried fruit into a food processor, and process until cookies resemble fine breadcrumbs (should only take a minute). Melt the chocolate & butter together (I melt it in the microwave on medium in very short bursts, stirring regularly in between - but remember to do this carefully as chocolate can burn easily) and add to the ingredients in the food processor, and process again until the mixture is smooth.
Take teaspoonfuls of the mix, roll into balls, and place on a sheet of greaseproof paper on a tray.

To decorate
150g white chocolate melts
green/red chocolate colouring powder**

Melt the white chocolate, and spoon about half a teaspoon of white chocolate onto your mini pudding, allowing it to run down the sides like cream. Once you have done this with all your mini puds, you should have some melted white chocolate left, which you can colour with either red or green chocolate colouring powder. (DO NOT use regular food colouring liquid to colour chocolate. It won't work, and will simply ruin your chocolate.) Put your coloured melted chocolate into the piping bag, with your leaf attachment on, and pipe a little heart onto the top of the white chocolate on your pudding. Repeat until done!

* You can use any combination of dried fruits you like, and you can also add nuts. I use whatever's in the pantry at the time.
** Chocolate colouring powder can be purchased at many baking/craft stores. If you can buy chocolate moulds and chocolate melts there, chances are good that they will also have chocolate colouring powder. I use red and/or green to be Christmas-y, but you can go with whatever colour you like!

Final notes: you can flavour these further by adding brandy, rum, cointreau, or any other alcohol of your choice. I didn't, as they were being shared with some kiddies, but if its an adults-only affair, go for it! I think next time I make them I'll also leave out the butter and increase the dates. And maybe introduce some cocoa... can you tell I'm not a fan of following a recipe?

London College of Fashion

2010-07-07T16:02:00.019+10:00

It was a gloriously sunny day in ol' London town and I was keen to check out some local fashion.

I had a great time wandering around the London College of Fashion graduates' exhibition on Carnaby St and just had to take a few sneaky pics (feeling extremely criminal whilst I furtively snapped them).

I liked Shooq AlShawi's unisex collection (2nd photo from the top) which featured lots of black, cream & neutrals, some nice trenches in there. Sophie Shiers' dresses were interesting (she designs separate dresses for individual shapes eg hourglass/pear/column. Loved her hourglass dress! Drooled over Charlotte Turner's vintage styles (with dress names including Audrey, Betty & Ginger). And the shoe designers! Faves were Hannah Martinez' super-embellished heels, covered in pearls, chain & safety pins (top pic), and Elizabeth Dunn's nature-inspired shoes. Another name to note was Jonathan Charlesworth - his shoes are evocative works of art (see below)!

What I didn't get was that whilst the shoe & accessory designers had their work displayed quite nicely, many of the clothing was just slung over a hook on a wall - not even on a coathanger to give them some shape - so you couldn't really see them properly (see picture directly above for an example).

I thought that was a bit of a shame. If I had my work displayed like that, I would have been quite disappointed by how it was presented - even though I'm sure it was a huge honour for those selected to have anything from their collection shown as part of the exhibition.

However, it did mean that I then looked them up on the College of Fashion's website to see better photographs. I don't know if this was their intention but from a marketing perspective, I don't think it was very well done. Sure, I followed up by checking out the graduate's portfolios online, but how many others would have done that, I wonder?
I highly recommend that you pay a visit to check these hot new talents out.

WANT: Cats Eye Sunglasses

2010-06-17T05:57:00.006+10:00

Of course there are several loves competing for number one in my fashion accessory favwas. Shoes, yes, jewellery, of course, scarves, bags and sunglasses.

Ah, sunglasses! I love them, and I have a terrible penchant for expensive ones. More so than my budget allows, which can be quite annoying. If I buy cheap ones that I like the look of, then yes, they get worn too, but generally the cheap lenses on inexpensive sunglasses annoy me entirely and I have to go back to my pricey ones. I'm not one of those people who refuse to buy expensive sunglasses because they lose them all the time - I do lose sunglasses, its true, but actually quite rarely.

The latest shape in my sights are some cats eye sunglasses.

As I'm sure everyone knows by now, I love retro shapes - and these are just fab.

I'm thinking of getting these little cheapies just coz I love how they look - Geometric Cat Eye Sunglasses in black with pink lining.
This shape is definitely getting some attention - time to update the shades!

Feature in Alice Magazine, UK

2010-06-03T15:49:00.005+10:00

I knew it was coming up, but today I was thrilled to click on Alice Magazine UK's website to see that their June issue is out. There's a lovely big 4 page spread featuring Joolz, starting on page 10.

Photographs featured are from the current Joolz collection - we actually shot these late last year, but the collection wasn't officially launched until I went to New York with Nolcha as part of their fashion preview in February.

Thanks goes to the fabulous team behind this shoot, and of course to Alice Magazine's editor for liking what she saw and publishing it :)

Photographer: Lucia Ondrusova
MUA: Monique Gow
Stylist: Airdrie Makim
Hair: Xeneb @ Boots Salon, Melbourne
Models: Caroline Tymms www.giantmanagement.com & Dythea Marais www.cameronsmodels.com.au
Designs: Alannah Hill & Living Silk dresses, Joolz accessories

Desiree Dolron

2010-06-01T22:44:00.004+10:00

The internet is a vast and wondrous place.
Yes, its true!
Today, thanks to a comment on Twitter, I was led to a blog by Definatalie which featured this sublime photographer's work.
Feast your eyes on the beauty that is Desiree Dolron:

Yep, those are photographs. Check out her site for more amazing work.

Glasses - hot or not?

2010-05-25T19:19:00.019+10:00

I have a beautiful fashionista friend who wears contacts, and she recently blogged about her dislike of wearing glasses. It got me pondering the whole glasses issue and how we react to them. Some people really love that 'sexy librarian' look, some people see it as geeky (which can be either good or bad - personally I love a bit of geek-chic), and many people, unless they actually wear them, don't seem to have deeply held opinions about it (this based on a spot poll I did today of a very small group of people, so if I am wrong please let me know). I know how cliched this is, but they do seem to give people an intellectual look; I feel I look much more clever when I put them on!

Some people rock their glasses really well, others hate them with a passion. When I was in high school I desperately wanted glasses, and ended up getting a pair (albeit with the lowest possible lens modification). I loved them, and wore them everywhere I could (although they did make my eyes feel a little funny). Then I lost them, and didn't bother replacing them.
They showed up years later in a box of mementos, I laughed, put them on, and put them away again. I've had my eyes tested recently, as I was thinking maybe it was time to revisit the idea of glasses, but the optometrist assured me that unless I really quite desperately wanted to wear some, I didn't need them. But one of these days, I will need them - my parents both wear them for reading, and two of my siblings got them in their teens. Will I happily wear them, or will I go for contacts like my fashionable friend?

I must admit to loving bespectacled celebrities and models. There's just something about glasses that I find attractive. Who knows how I'd feel about it if I had to wear them every day? Which camp are you in? Do you love em or hate em? Or feel kind of 'meh' about the whole thing?

PS. Please don't get me started on hot men in glasses! SUH-WOON!

Last days to enter our giveaway!

2010-05-19T10:38:00.008+10:00

The pamper hamper full of goodies will be drawn this Friday!

Have you entered yet?

All you need to go in the draw is leave a comment on the Joolz Blog or Fanpage, saying which is your favourite item from the Grand Exit collection, which you can view here. The winner will be drawn via an online random name picker and notified via email – so you must be a subscriber to win!

Some of the prizes the winner will score include: a fab deck of Secrets cards, several Joolz goodies, including sparkly earrings, cap, and t-shirt, a luscious Nilla Nilla organic pout balm, brand new Australis nail polish in one of this season’s hot new colours, some beautiful mascara from Mirenesse (I have sensitive eyes and I can wear this mascara all the time), and some divine Chamellia organic peppermint tea (perfect for a quick refresh either travelling or at home), all in a pretty lavender reusable eco-friendly shopping bag from Ecosilk. So much loveliness and it can all be yours!

New rose collar necklace

2010-05-13T15:22:00.009+10:00

Some of you were keen to get a better look at the brand new rose collar necklace I've been working on. Here's a clearer version of the last shot I posted, just for you!
Photographer: Matthew Wren
MUA & Hair: Nataly Tormey
Model: Jessica Cogan

Its a combination of fabric and resin, with a ribbon tie at the back.

Temptress Lost

2010-05-07T13:27:00.006+10:00

Beautiful photographs from a fabulous team I worked with recently:

Photographer: Daniel Archer
Model: Sage @ Giant management
Styling: Jam Baylon
Make-up: Georgia Gaillard
Hair: Amanda Gellatly

Happy Mother's Day, Mum!

2010-05-06T16:57:00.003+10:00

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and I’m sure some of you are wonderfully organised and have already got something sorted out to says thanks to your mum for everything she’s done. (Yes, I actually have sent something already this year. I have to admit it is because I got panicked a few weeks back and thought it was coming up a little faster than it actually was).

For subscribers who haven’t yet bought Mum’s present, I have a last minute offer happening today, which includes one of the gifts shown below, prettily wrapped, a Mother’s Day card attached from you, sent via an express post parcel so that it arrives with Mum before Sunday. The ‘buy now’ price includes the postage, card etc. This offer is for Australian mums only, sorry!

Humbugs Carousel Bracelet
Glass and Tibetan silver bracelet with rockinghorse beads & fob clasp.
$150.00

Swirligigs Earrings
Sterling silver foil encased in glass with a swirled red pattern on the outside, hanging from sterling silver ear hooks.$45.00

Cameo Ring
Large black and white cameo (45mm x 35mm) with a red frame on an adjustable metal ring (also available as a brooch on request).
$35.00

Evening Alice headband
Sequin leaf, rose and feather headband.
$55.00

There’s also that fab giveaway happening – don’t miss out on your chance to win! There’s a brand new Australis nail polish in one of this season’s hot new colours, some beautiful mascara from Mirenesse (I have sensitive eyes and I can wear this mascara all the time), perfume, a Joolz cap, magnet, pen and t-shirt, a luscious Nilla Nilla organic pout balm, and some divine Chamellia organic peppermint tea (perfect for a quick refresh either travelling or at home), all in a pretty lavender eco-friendly shopping bag from Ecosilk. So much loveliness and it can all be yours! All you need to go in the draw is leave a comment on the Joolz Blog or Fanpage, saying which is your favourite item from the Grand Exit collection, which you can view here. The winner will be drawn via an online random name picker and notified via email – so you must be a subscriber to win!

Joolz News 27.4.2010

2010-04-27T10:09:00.009+10:00

Hello from sunny Melbourne (actually not very sunny today, but it is Melbourne after all so there might be a change before long)!

Loads to share with you this week. I promised to show you the new necklace I’m working on, so here is the first snapshot. Its a collar necklace, using fabric and resin:What do you think?

We also have a special subscriber-only discount this week. The new Pearl Princess bracelets with amethyst crystals (purple is your perfect seasonal colour) are finally here! Normally these bracelets retail at $89, but as an introductory offer for our lovely joolz subscribers, they are available this week only for $40 – yes, that is less than half price!
You can only purchase the Pearl Princess bracelets at this price until the end of the month – ie, this Friday, or until stocks last, whichever happens first (I’m sure you understand that we can only offer a limited number of bracelets at this fantastic price). Purchases must be made via the paypal button in our subscriber email to receive the discount. Didn't get the email? Leave me a note in the comments section of this blog entry with your contact details & I'll send that through for you.

Pictured here with the champagne pink and moonlit black Pearl Princess bracelets.

There’s also a fab giveaway happening to celebrate the new joolz this week, with thanks to a whole plethora of wonderful brands. The ‘pamper hamper’ contains so many goodies! There’s a brand new Australis nail polish in one of this season’s hot new colours, a Joolz cap, magnet, pen and t-shirt, some beautiful mascara from Mirenesse (I have sensitive eyes and I can wear this mascara all the time), a perfume sample, a luscious Nilla Nilla organic pout balm, and some divine Chamellia organic peppermint tea (the lovely Lady Melbourne talked about the value of having some peppermint tea with you when travelling in her video blog last week), all in a pretty lavender re-usable shopping bag from Ecosilk. Hundreds of dollars-worth of booty can be yours!All you need to go in the draw is leave a comment on this blog or our Fanpage, saying which is your favourite item from the Grand Exit collection, which you can view here. The winner will be drawn via an online random name picker and notified via email – you must be a subscriber to win!

Enjoy the last week of April, everyone :)

Shoot shoot shoot

2010-04-20T10:41:00.006+10:00

Its shoot week this week. I was at one on Sunday, whilst another one was also happening that had loaned some of my Joolz Man pieces.
Preview pics of both:
Please note this guy is actually wearing a piece I had intended for a girl, but they really did use some of the guy stuff too!
Its fun to have my Joolz Man designs used in a shoot, it tends to hide behind the feminine designs I create. That quiet and unassuming joolz man!
I've got another shoot booked in for tomorrow. We're trying out a couple of different looks in the studio. Shall post some preview shots of that asap!
NB: details on both these shoot will be available as soon as I can put up the final photos.

A week of giggles

2010-04-17T18:56:00.006+10:00

We have been out and about with a comedy theme this week: I've been keen to see MicMacs, which we caught on Monday night at Westgarth Cinema (it was fabulous as expected), then we saw Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Show at the Elephant and Castle on Tuesday night (definitely worth seeing, it is funny, although I did not find it quite as hilarious as our friend Lee did, who went & saw it twice), and the previously mentioned Hot Tub Time Machine on Wed night (free booze, hurrah!).

Thu night was our night off, then Friday night it was off to the Comic's Lounge to see Lehmo, Monty Franklin & Micky D. The lads kept us in chuckles for most of the night, and I picked up a couple of extra tickets which I'm planning on using next month. The Comic's Lounge in North Melbourne is the place to visit if you have missed anyone at the Comedy Festival that you were hoping to catch - there are a few of them performing there over the next couple of months. However, after getting there early to have dinner with our show last night, I can't recommend the meals. My advice would be to eat somewhere else and then get there in time for the show. They do have snacks available - and I'd be going for those instead of the extremely average, over-priced entree & main meal deal they have on offer.

Hot Tub Time Machine

2010-04-16T10:32:00.005+10:00

When Mr Joolz rang me to say he'd won tickets to the preview screening of Hot Tub Time Machine, I can't say I was deliriously excited.
"What the hell is that?" I (may have) screeched down the phone.
He's a subscriber to 3RRR and (was quite possibly the only one who) rang up for the giveaway, it turns out.
However, with his mum staying with us at the moment, there's not really many opportunities for Date Night, so off we toddled to Melbourne Central, hand-in-hand. To say my expectations were low would be an understatement.
We were greeted upon arrival with bottles of James Boag's Premium Lager and glasses of Cockatoo Ridge Sparkling, which improved my mood no end, let me tell you. I sipped my drink, we people-watched, and the drinks staff hovered attentively, ensuring nobody was left standing with an empty glass. I observed to my beloved that they must have felt the need to get us liquored up because of the outrageous badness of the film we were about to watch. He agreed. And reached for another Boag's as the drinks tray floated by yet again.
And so, I must say, there's a good chance that my following observations may be adversely affected by said bubbly. I had a good time! I laughed out loud not once, but several times! Who knows if this would have happened if I hadn't supped on three glasses of Cockatoo Ridge before wandering into the cinema. There certainly were a few chuckles rippling through the audience, but I'm not sure we could be considered an impartial group, what with all that booze flowing.Its a "boys weekend that goes wrong" film: a group of best mates (John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke) that have grown up, grown apart, and the aforementioned hot tub gives them a chance to right some of the wrongs, sort out their past mistakes, etc. There's also a weird squirrel that makes an appearance a couple of times that I really don't think they needed. Hell, there was already a time-machine hot tub, right?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that to the totally sober person its probably awful - simply that there are no big surprises, and the laughs are all pretty basic. You won't be challenged, you won't be given any intellectual or moral conundrums, but you might just get a giggle out of it. If good old basic comedy is your thing, then I reckon you'll probably enjoy it. Personally? I love a good laugh.

Brooches!

2010-04-11T14:13:00.006+10:00

I've been making brooches. I made a rose brooch and a couple of cameo ones last month, and with the cooler weather starting in, I've been wearing them a lot with wraps & scarves & jackets etc. So I thought I'd better make some more!

Now available at Subject to Change in the subway between Degraves St & Flinders St Station.

Model Bella Barber: first joolz, then the cover of Oyster

2010-03-30T21:24:00.006+11:00

Check out gorgeous model Bella Barber gracing the cover of Oyster this month!Those of you who visit the joolz website regularly will have noticed her on the front page several times, I love those shots of her wearing joolz :)
Details for these two bottom photographs are -
Photographer: Michael Cook
MUA: Mandi Levanah
Stylist: Rosemary Hamilton
Top photo Bella wears double strand of pearls and recycled casino playing card butterfly necklace.
Bottom photo Bella wears Forbidden Fruit crystal & diamante necklace in Gulf Savannah colours.

Rose rings - favourite test subjects of the week

2010-03-26T16:55:00.005+11:00

I've been experimenting with some different colours and styles with the rose rings.
These ones are some of the results and they are all now available in my sample sale - first in, best dressed, $10 each! Very very cheap as they are samples - you won't find them at this price EVER AGAIN!
PS If its got a red cross through it, its already sold.

Fabulous Friday

2010-03-26T08:12:00.004+11:00

Hooray for Fridaaaaaay!New cameo rings are up on the A Grand Exit page, and there are some new sale items too!
HURRAH!
And I’m working on some new neckpieces which I can’t wait to show you (shhhh not just yet).

Flowees!

2010-03-25T21:24:00.001+11:00

flowers
Originally uploaded by airdrie.m

Tulips are my favourite! Mick brought these home for me a couple of days ago :)

New Cameos for sale

2010-03-16T10:03:00.003+11:00

I've been making cameos and putting them on rings (and brooches, upon request). They are so time-consuming (very fiddly) but lots of fun to make.

WIN TICKETS TO LMFF!

2010-03-10T09:56:00.005+11:00

For three lucky subscribers I have tickets to see one of the hottest shows of L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2010: Paris Runway 3, presented by Madison on Tuesday March 16, 9.00pm

Elegant and sophisticated, these exceptional designers embody modern fashion perfection.

Anna Thomas
Aurelio Costarella
Gwendolynne
Jayson Brunsdon
Lisa Ho
Megan Park
Nevenka
Thurley

Yes, I'm excited! I'll be attending the show with the winners, and I can't wait! All you have to do to be included in the draw for this one is purchase something from joolz.com.au or pop down and buy an item from me at the Blackbird Autumn Market this Saturday, at The Workers Club, 51 Brunswick St, Fitzroy. *HINT* many items will be listed at wholesale prices for the market, including the hottest of them all - the new rose rings!
If you can't make it to the market then you must purchase something from the joolz website to be included - even a sale item will get you a ticket in the draw! Please note that to accept this prize you must be in Melbourne on Tue 16 March 2010.
Woohoo! I'll see the winners next week! So exciting!

Joolz at the Sisters Market, St Kilda THIS SAT!

2010-03-03T16:03:00.004+11:00

Looking for local designer pieces, gorgeous homewares and yummy food? Visit the Sisters Market, held this Sat 6 March at St Kilda Town Hall, on the corner of Carlisle St & Brighton Rd, St Kilda. Doors open 10am, market closes at 4pm. See you there!

Bruno's Art & Sculpture Garden, Marysville

2010-03-01T12:27:00.003+11:00

Its been over 12 months now since Black Saturday, Australia's worst natural disaster, the day that flames roared like the demons of hell across Victoria, wiping out rural communities, taking 173 human lives (and plenty of pets, farm and wild animals) with it.

Yesterday I visited Marysville, a small town less than 100km north-east of Melbourne, that was demolished in the Black Saturday bushfires. Almost everything in this town was burnt to the ground, including one of my favourite galleries: Bruno's Art & Sculpture Garden. Bruno has plenty of photographs on his own website where you can see the extent of the devastation - here are my shots from yesterday, to show you his wonderful work in restoring the garden. The gallery building is in the process of being rebuilt, so I don't yet have any shots of that.

There are still very few buildings in Marysville (only 14 of over 400 survived the fires). I think its going to take them some time to get that lovely community back up and running. However, there are a number of businesses now operating, so take the time to drive up there and show them your support. Even if you just stop in for a coffee, then drive on to see Bruno's beautiful Sculpture Garden, that would at least be something!

what they liked best

2010-02-22T21:55:00.004+11:00

Joolz – A Grand Exit

Black Rose Ring – hand cast & poured black resin rose ring with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back
& 2a. Violet Rose Ring – hand cast & poured violet resin rose ring with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back. Variations in colour may appear as these roses are hand-coloured in very small batches of 4 at a time.
Japanese Ring – hand cast & poured resin cab based on a vintage Japanese button (the original this is based on is no longer available – these rings are the only link we have with this particular item from the past ). Adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back of the resin
Lace Trim Bangle - Clear resin bangle embedded with remnant fabric trim (M)
Horse Ruffle hairclip – vintage toy horse on fabric ruffle hairpiece
A Grand Exit bangle – clear resin bangle embedded with photoshoot pictures (M)
Evening Alice – black rose, sequin leaf and feathers on hairband
& 8a. Chunky Roses – resin roses embedded in hand cast & poured clear resin bangle (S)
Rose Petals Bangle – dried rose petals embedded in clear resin (M)
Onion Rose – dried onion skin embedded in clear resin rose with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back
& 11a. Purple/Gold Meld Rose – hand cast & poured resin rose in a mix of purple and gold with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back – each rose is slightly different as these colours are hand-poured individually
Midnight at the Picnic Races – vintage toy horse, sequin leaf and feathers hairpiece (also available without the horse)
Pineapple Ring – hand cast & poured yellow resin art deco pineapple ring with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back
Silver Cameo drop earrings
Obi Ring – button ring made using remnant fabrics, including antique kimono silks
16a. & 16b. Rose Petal Ring – dried rose petals in clear resin rose with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back
Black Drops – onyx and diamante drop earrings
Ruby Rose Ring – hand cast & poured ruby resin rose ring with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back. Variations in colour may appear as these roses are hand-coloured in very small batches of 4 at a time.
Cute As A Button Ring – smaller-sized remnant fabric-covered button ring with adjustable metal ringbase
Cherry Pearl Earrings – double pearls (cherry style) on sterling silver hooks
Persephone - antique-style Cameo Ring on adjustable ringbase
Texas Rose Ring – hand cast & poured yellow resin rose ring with adjustable metal ringbase embedded in the back. Variations in colour may appear as these roses are hand-coloured in very small batches of 4 at a time.
Thai Princess Bangle – dried chillies and kaffir lime leaves from the designer’s garden embedded in clear resin (M)

My Charlie Girl

2010-02-21T22:42:00.004+11:00

If you don't know Bec Winnel yet, please do get acquainted! A self-taught artist from country NSW, her dreamy style is (to me) somewhat reminiscent of Margaret Keane - only about a million times better - with a fresh and youthful approach that looks like it belongs both on a gallery wall and in the pages of your favourite fashion magazine. I love the focus on the "eyes as the window to the soul", whilst everything else gradually fades away.

In other news, I've just created a makeshift flower press (I used to have an AWESOME one as a young'un, however sadly its one of those things that got lost over time) to dry and flatten a bunch of rose petals to create some new rings YAY :)