Attention: indie art & design is taking a short break until mid-June 2024. During this time orders will not be taken but we look forward to seeing all of our valued and future customers very soon!
indie art & design blog
design on display
Our Non-Fiction "Family Portrait" greeting cards - Inka the Birman cat, George the rat, Arthur the zebra finch and Henry the rabbit.
(These little characters are all pets of childhood friends!)
Gift Fair Fever swept through Sydney over the weekend with buyers from all over Australia (& beyond) flocking to Darling Harbour, Homebush and Moore Park. We were exhibiting at the fairest of them all, at LIFE inSTYLE. Having met new stockists and made new friends over the last five days, we thought it was time to introduce some of them to you! Stay tuned for a flood of posts over the next week or so...
Hudo Earring Rise / Slot - 4.5mm stem & 10mm base UV stabilized acrylic 65mm, 105mm & 145mm heights.
First though, I have a find for you! If you're a fellow maker/designer, you'll know how difficult it can be to get great product shots... When we were planning our product photos for LIFE inSTYLE, we went hunting for props that would suit the style of our cards - not just the usual retail display fare. We found the black perspex Spindle Set used in our "Family Portrait" greeting cards image (top) at www.hudo.com.au. Hudo manufactures a large range of sleek & stylish retail visual merchandising products - which, of course, are also perfect for photography props & trade fair displays.
Hudo UV stabilized 20mm clear & 10mm black acrylic - 170x150x150mm with 120mm high animal silhouette available in Deer, Doberman & Schnauzer.
The Hudo range is made from acrylic (perspex) and there are pieces to suit a large variety of products - from wall shelves, to magazine racks, risers, cute canine bookends, an innovative "belt bar", bag stands, an enormous selection of jewellery display pieces + more...
Hudo Leaning Wall Shelf - 25mm UV stabilized acrylic 2000mm x 240mm x 220mm.
Hudo products are all manufactured locally, and they have been supplying to stores across Australia for more than a decade. In fact, you've probably seen their products in the glossy pages of many Australian interiors magazines.
Hudo Ring Rings - 10mm thick UV stabilized acrylic available in two sizes of 30mm & 38mm diameter + Ring and Bangle Arcs - 3mm UV stabilized acrylic 55mm, 75mm & 120mm lengths with 5mm, 10mm & 15mm wide slot.
Most importantly, the service is top-notch! You'll find Hudo at:
Suite 1, 6-8 Pacific Hwy, St Leonards, NSW 2065. These cool acrylics are made to order, so make sure to phone 02 9966 5591, fax 02 9966 5960 or make contact via www.hudo.com.au for pricing & orders.
Hudo Belt Bar - 25mm thick UV stabilized acrylic available in two sizes (laser etch example only).
ruck rover launch
I hope you all had a wonderful break over the holidays! We took some time off over Christmas followed by a camping holiday at Depot Beach (near Bateman's Bay, NSW). As you can imagine, we've returned feeling much refreshed and a little over-excited once again about all things indie...
Guess who has launched a shiny new online store? The well-known & much loved Ruck Rover General Store! Ruck Rover began in 2006 when sisters Claire & Isabelle decided it was time to work for themselves doing what they wanted, playing any music they liked and buying everything they loved.
Well.. they've spent the last two years selling all those things they love, supporting small, independent designers from Australia and all over the world, and making quite a name for themselves in the process.
Outskirts Opulent tee (left) & Broken Eyes tee (right), AUD $69 each.
Ruck Rover General Store has offered the folk of Perth a truly unique shopping experience, and now they've made it a whole lot easier for the rest of us to join in... and look at what I found! The illustrations of Melbourne's Dylan Martorell are incredible, and featured on the Outskirts t-shirts pictured above and below.
Outskirts Fox tee (left, AUD $69) & Ruck Rover Hearts top (right, AUD $20)
My pick of the girls' fashion is the Ruck Rover summer lovin' top (above right), which just happens to be an absolute steal at the moment - reduced from AUD $88 to only $20! Plenty of love there...
Moe Moe earrings, L to R: Flight earrings, Ruck Rover Bird earrings, Tricycle earrings - AUD $29.95 each pair.
Moe Moe earrings are always a favourite, and if you're wondering about those birdies - YES, they are the Ruck Rover signature chirpers.
Sunday Morning Old Map and Plants exercise books, AUD $15 each.
More Dylan Martorell illustrations on these Sunday Morning exercise books containing graph paper pages. I really want some of these for myself, and at AUD $15, they definitely won't break the budget.
Pop over to www.ruckrover.com.au & choose your own favourites from Ruck Rover's selection of womens, mens & babies fashion and accessories, stationery and homewares. Or if you live in Perth, drop by in person to
Shop 4, 595 Beaufort St, Mt Lawley, WA, 6050.
Phone: (08) 9228 3502.
bendigo's bob boutique
It's out!! We've been eagerly awaiting this years' edition of the Bob Boutique catalogue, and it arrived in my post office box just a couple of days ago... It is bursting with delight, but before I get too carried away though, I should make some introductions. For those of you who haven't heard, Bob Boutique is an independent boutique and gallery in the heart of Bendigo (near Melbourne). Owner & fellow artist/designer Sonia Brit first opened the doors to Bob Boutique in 2004. Located in the Hotel Shamrock building, the atmosphere is a mix of old world charm with the cute and kooky, quaint and quirky...
The adjoining gallery space showcases work by new labels and unique artists. Recent exhibitions have included animation cell prints by Melbourne artist Wendy Tyrer, ink & watercolour works by Bendigo artist Logan French, storybook inspired prints by London's Mandy Sutcliffe (AKA Belle and Boo)and hand printed works by Griffith artist Kristy Brown.
Currently showing are original works, badges, stationery and fashion from Sydney designer Akina's recent trip to Japan. The Akina exhibition closes on December 20, so if you're in Bendigo, be quick!
Next up at the Bob Boutique gallery will be yours truly! (I'm currently working on a selection of original paintings to accompany our series of Non-Fiction Family Portrait prints. I'll tell you more closer to the date!)
Bob Boutique has a large mailorder following, so each year Sonia puts together a tempting catalogue for the out-of-towners... Titled "Amazing adventures in the land of bob", the catalogue is packed full of products you'll LOVE. Around 80% of labels are Australian, including many favourites such as A Skulk of Foxes, Princess Tina, Stickmeon, Young Eve, Love, Drink Me Alice, Jewelree, Zeph and Millie, Mikiya, Button Tree, Mingus, Fable 15, Two Little Ducks, Akina, Dirt Child, Pocket Art, Alma B, Moe Moe, Twitch Toys & more...
I have a few spare copies of the Bob Boutique catalogue to post to the first three people who leave a comment on this post & I'll pop a couple of our Non-Fiction greeting cards in too :)
Visit the Bob Boutique web site & register as a member to be sent a copy of the catalogue, and be kept up to date with happenings in the land of bob!
Bob Boutique is located at:
17 Williamson Street, Bendigo, VIC, 3550.
Ph. 03 5444 3522
www.bob.net.au
craft in 8.12.08
Live in Melbourne? Want to get your hands dirty? (Well maybe not dirty, but there could be all colours of paint, glue and unusual mediums involved!) This is your opportunity to jump in & do some public crafting - and meet a whole lot of like-minded new friends in the process.
The CRAFT IN is being held tomorrow (Monday 8.12.2008) in the Bourke St Mall, Melbourne CBD. The organisers are Melbourne's Craft Cartel - a group which celebrates all that is irreverent, kitchy, delightfully offensive & made lovingly by hand. The Craft Cartel is about providing community support for makers of objects that don't normally have a space within the retail sphere. They also see the importance of strong communities and like to open the craft cartel experience to people of all walks of life.
The Craft Cartel will be supplying craft materials at the Craft In and encouraging passers-by to make a crafty gift or card themselves. The Craft Cartel will also be handing out an alternative gift buying guide, with plenty of ideas for christmas gifts that don't cost the planet or our communities. The Craft In demonstration coincides with the Government's hand out of cash bonuses this Christmas, and the Craft Cartel aim to raise awareness about the importance of buying handmade - one of the most effective ways to truly support the economy. Buy handmade and buy local this festive season!
Check out the Craft In web site for the facts about buying handmade, such as: For every $100 spent at a locally owned business $45 goes back into the community and our tax base. For every $100 spent at a chain store only $14 comes back.
So join the Craft In on the street to spread the message of buying handmade. Participants are encouraged to bring examples of their work and promotional material to spread to people on the streets. Come talk to passers-by about the pressures faced trying to earn a living making and selling handmade goods. You'll have a fantastic time doing so, as well as show off your crafty talents!
christmas gift guide 2008
This Christmas, we have a real treat for you! A Gift Guide full of gifts we absolutely love. We don't even need to encourage you to shop indie - these products speak for themselves. Each and every one can be ordered online, and there are ideas to suit everybody. Happy shopping this holiday season!
AU $54 Indigo Bunting Bird Pendant (handmade from fabric, resin & wood) from Shonah Jewellery Design
AU $39 Oval - Resin, fabric and wood earrings from Shonah Jewellery Design
AU $50 Birdee earrings (Red) by Dear D. Hand-polished Acrylic, Sterling Silver from Moose: Art for Living
US $15 Armadillo at Sea - Hemp and Organic Cotton Purse from mingus designs
US $32 Dora Drop Bear from two little banshees
AU $29.95 Happy Hippo Applique Kids Tee from Tees 2 Knees
AU $55 Tiny fork and spoon earrings by Victoria Mason from Oye Modern
AU $120 Patterned pendant by Smug Designs from Oye Modern
AU $45 Handknitted Cuff by Bat-Ami Design from Lost My Way
![Peony pendant necklace [gold] by Zoemou from modamuse](/files/images/postimages/christmas_2008/modamuse_right.jpg "Peony pendant necklace [gold] by Zoemou from modamuse")
AU $92.40 Peony pendant necklace [gold] by Zoemou from modamuse
AU $35 Le Matin Sleep Short 100% cotton floral stripe by Deshabille from Glamourpuss
AU $25 Recycled Jumper Purse from Gaye Abandon
AU $85ea Owl clock, Blackboard DIY clock and Cuckoo clock. Made with sustainably grown Australian plywood from BLINK designs.
AU $35ea Wall Plaques - Various designs. Made with sustainably grown Australian plywood from BLINK designs.
AU $121 te. pipi - Handmade Leather Wallet from temono
AU $64.95 Wind Turbine mens t-shirt from Non-Fiction
AU $80 'A small pause in time' hand painted ceramic pendant 40x55mm from Linogirl
US $20 lovexevol calendar 2009 from lovexevol
US $112 Knee Length Linen Dress in Wheat from PAMELATANG
AU $35 White/Black Skull Girl Brooch from Made by White
AU $39.95 Six Knitted Doughnuts by Lark from indie art & design
AU $35.00 Pineapple Upside Down Wristlet by Meringue from indie art & design
Thank you to all the gorgeous labels who accepted our invitation to support the indie art & design Christmas Gift Guide 2008.