Vinny Dolls.

Vinny Dolls are the best rag dolls I've seen. Not only the craftwork, but Vinny has an unusual selection of muses. While there's the ubiquitous Frida Kahlo, there is also Travis Bickle — the Robert De Niro character from Taxi Driver — and fashion luminaries, Iris Apfel, Karl Lagerfeld and Coco Chanel. Here's Vinny's website.

Travis Bickle

                             Iris Apfel                                                                        Karl Lagerfeld

                                    

Coco Chanel.

Facebook Artists' Page.

You know I've been on Pinterest for a while, right? On top of social media in all kinds of ways, 45 followers on instagram....Then just last week, if that wasn't saying 'overexposed' loudly enough, I went and got myself a Facebook artists' page. I know, I'm like all over this platform thing. The final nudge came when I was scrolling down my standard Facebook page in my regular brain dead, time wasting stupor, and out jumped a post for the Luxembourg Art Prize. I have no idea what made me think entering the Luxembourg Art Prize would be a good use of my time but before I knew it  I was thinking Yes! I want to be exhibiting to an international audience at the Galerie Herve Lancelin and then before you could say ‘Herve who?’ I was paypal-ing them my family's last 76 Euros instead of paying the orthodontists bill.

Anyway somewhere along the exhaustive, multi step, online entry form they asked for my Facebook Artist's page. I better get one of those, I think, that won't take long. Or be confronting. Or make me feel like I'm putting myself...out...there.

No worries. It will all be worth it when I travel to Luxembourg and win the prize. I cannot wait to meet Herve Lancelin himself as he shakes my hand and hands over the the 25,000 euros needed to begin my new body of work!

You can check out and 'like' my new Facebook Artist' page here.

Caren's Letterpress Studio.

My friend Caren has a letterpress studio she kindly braved winter temperatures for,  just so I could make use of the large guillotine to cut up large sheets of the screen prints I did last semester at Megalo and finally turn into concertina books (thank you Megalo and ACT gov arts!).  

I've been wanting to see this studio for such a long time. Caren teaches book arts and letterpress at the ANU school of arts and is currently undertaking a Phd in Material Poetics and the Creative Book. I got that bit of info off her website Ampersand Duck but suffice it to say Caren and her type (pun intended - and I include myself here) have spent their lives judging books by their covers. The art of books. Book as art. Book arts. Artists' books. If this concept raises your heart beat even just a little check out this small selection gallery of Caren's work and swoon.

Out of everything in Caren's studio it was this 19th century press that beguiled me most.  How could it not? Even the 'feet' were lion's paws. It's a work of art itself.

Finally, the guillotined screen prints cut to size ready to be folded into concertina books.

Cassandra.

Third piece for ANCA's Pin Six exhibition -  'Cassandra' after the Greek Myth.

Wearable Art.

My five finished pieces for ANCA's Pin Six exhibition opening Thursday night. Like the name suggests - wearable art.

Perfect Imperfect by Karen McCartney.

This gorgeous new book I bought - Perfect, Imperfect - by Karen McCartney. McCartney used to be the editor of InsideOut when it was a lot slicker and she seemed to have a personal preference for midcentury modern interiors in their most classic sense, so this is a really gorgeous departure and embraces art over design, the beautiful imperfection of nature and the ethos of wabi sabi. The styling by Glen Proebstel and photography by Sharyn Cairns is exquisite too. It's dark and poetic and also features my favourite place in the world Canberra's Monster Bar and Salon at Hotel Hotel.

The Greedy Heart.

One of the brooches I made for ANCA's exhibition Pin Six - The Greedy Heart. It is like a little pin cushion actually. As I was stuffing it I couldn't believe how much stuffing it was taking, how full and fat it was getting. Then of course, I remembered, of course it would be, being greedy and all. I have four others. Will try and get them up here as well over the week.

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi Fall 2016.

I love dresses with big coats. I love bling, pink bling. I love ruching details. I love the long fitted silhouette, the edgy style in pink. I love everything about this.

The Plight of the Instagram Husband.

So true. So funny.

Not Over it Yet.

Still not over Gucci Spring 2016. Am I the only one having trouble keeping up with the constant seasonal turnover? How do they keep churning collections out so fast? It's like a machine. How is that a good thing?

Lover's Eye.

Georgian "Lover's eye" - jewellery which came into fashion towards the end of the 18th century. Painted onto ivory and worn as a brooch, often hidden -  a clandestine gift from a lover,  having commissioned the portrait. The red locket, with a breast miniature "Beauty Revealed' by Sarah Goodridge, was given as a gift to the the US senator, Daniel Webster, a man not her husband, in 1828. Maybe not so far off from sexting. 

Source.

Edie Campbell in Gucci for UK Vogue.

My passion for Gucci 2016 has yet to waver. Why would it? A rose pink neck tie embroidered with giant yellow pineapples! Image via.