Big love to the local press!

I was really pleased with the press support we got for last weekend's Made on the Left Market at the Hyde Park Hotel. It makes such a huge difference for a not-for-profit association like ours to get this free publicity and it makes all those volunteer hours of writing press releases worthwhile when they actually turn into a story! Here are some of the articles that I know about from The Post, The West Australian (Habitat section), Hills Gazette, Joondalup Weekender and Guardian Express:

Word is, we also got mentioned on Perth's RTR FM and ABC radio, so thumbs up to the wireless industry too!

Odd Girl Out Winter 2009 Collection

A sneak peak at some of the new collection being released at the Made on the Left market this weekend.

Made on the Left Winter 2009 Market

Only six sleeps to go until the next Made on the Left Market! We have organised two fabulous days of handmade goodness this time - Saturday 25 July and Sunday 26 July 10am to 4pm, back at the good old Hyde Park Hotel.

I've been running a one woman sweatshop round these here parts to get all now products ready for the market. Here is a sneak preview of my new cast necklaces, and there are plenty more goodies where those came from...oh yeah. I'll be selling there on Sunday, but will be floating around being all 'official' on the Saturday too. If you are local to the Hydey it's well worth popping in for a look on both days, as completely different stalls will be included on each.

And I finally did something with those buttons...

So I finally got around to playing with my new cast shapes, and inspired by discussions with the Lovely Liza from Lillybuds and Eclectic Elaine from Behind the Monkey (sorry - can't resist alliteration), I started playing with combining fabric with the buttons for some larger neckpieces.

I had a whole lot of silk squirrelled away from my murky past as a silk painter, so ruthlessly tore it up to fashion some small blooms, which I spent yesterday afternoon sewing and attached them to two strands of loose silk braids. There are three different types of silk in the posies: a habotoi which is a fine lightweight silk, a beautiful silk satin that I think my mum picked up for me in Vietnam years ago (figured I didn't use it for a wedding dress so safe to repurpose now!) and a stiffer, stronger dupion which forms the base for most of the flowers.

I don't think it is quite at its final stage yet (maybe a little too white...could try tea dying it to give it a more vintage look) but would be interested in feedback. It's definitely heading in the direction of a bridal neckpiece I think, next I'll probably play around with combining fabric and buttons to create some pieces for the "not getting married just want a cool necklace" market.

All Buttoned Up

Taking vintage buttons in a new direction, here are some new pieces that I have cast from old and interesting buttons collected at various markets and antique stores.  The process involved making a silicone mold of each button, then creating a cast in resin.  In future I'll be able to use different kinds of resin and pigments to cast these in a variety of colours.

I can't wait for the findings I have ordered arrive and I can finish these into some new pieces of jewellery!  Yay for new techniques :p

An apology to koalas everywhere

Forgive me my furry marsupial friends....I besmirched your reputations by inferring in the post below that you all had syphillis. Pardon me. It's actually chlamydia that you tend to suffer from. My deepest apologies....

Three little bears came out to play

One of my ordained roles within my family is as cakemaker for certain events - including my neice's upcoming third birthday celebrations. The chosen theme for this year: teddy bears picnic.

After much pondering on decorative techniques, I decided to use my existing skills instead of learning new sugar paste ones and created this little family out of polymer clay...

They are going to sit on a square cake iced to look like a chequered picnic rug. They did turn out looking a little more like koalas than I intended (minus the pouches and syphillis) and mamma bear does tend to fall over if not propped up (gin for lunch again) but overall I think they have worked out well. Depending on how well I managed to do the icing, I may post a picture of the final product.

The trick will be convincing my neice not to try to eat them...

Allsorts of fun

Let me introduce you to my latest new pieces to be unleashed on the unsuspecting public at the Fremantle Arts Centre Bazaar this weekend. They are vintage wallpaper, polymer clay and resin brooches and although you can't quite see it from this angle they are a little bit liquorice allsort-y as the backs of the brooches are black. Yum yum yum. And they will be available in three different sizes for varying appetites...

I love a good cappuccino...

Today was spent in the warm late spring weather under a marquee at the Vincent Cappuccino Festival. Plenty of North Perth people were out to enjoy the sunshine and among them was Songy of www.stylediscovery.com.au who took some great photos with her kick-a*se camera. See if you can spot Odd Girl Out in the collage in her post: Style Discovery

Speaking of bloggers, An9ie is a girl who gets out and about for her own blog and the one she does for the Community News Group - check out her very comprehensive summary of Made on the Left here.

Everything's coming up roses this time for me...

Sorry about the lack of posts, peeps...it's market season for sure now! Three days ago was the second installment of the Made on the Left Market which went very well, but I think the organising committee (Me, Dara, Ali J, Jacquie, Beth and Rosanna) was ready to fall in a big heap at the end of it. Or into a big glass of wine - take your pick. Lucky it's held at a pub eh?

I'm in the process of gathering together photos of the day from various sellers to provide to Handmade Magazine, who are interested in doing a wrap up, and also for a post on the madeontheleft blog so bear with me.

It's funny how different products sell at different markets. At the Perth Upmarket, I did a roaring trade in vintage lockets.

At Distracted, my 'bobby' necklaces which usually attract smiles and exclamations but never sold before, took off.

And at Made on the Left...well, everything was coming up roses with these products proving very popular.

I wonder what will do well at the Vincent Cappuccino Festival market in less than two weeks time? I've been ordering up a storm supply wise on Etsy to cover all eventualities and it will be interesting to see what the new trend is.

My Flexible Friend

I've been working on new pieces for tomorrow's Distracted market at Aranmore College Hall.

I've been itching the use the vintage wallpaper I gathered on my last trip to Melbourne and yesterday I worked out a new item that I'm very happy with. I sewed the vinyl wallpaper to handpainted silk using circles and circles of stitching, attached a loop of fabric to the back and threaded them on to two strands of ribbon.

I had flexibility in mind, so they can be worn as a necklace, headpiece/fascinator (I was thinking Melbourne Cup actually, dahhhlings), wrist corsage and they could even be pinned to wear as a brooch or decorate a belt. Because they are ultralight they are really versatile and a bit of a step away from my usual chunky polymer ways. I'm quite excited about them actually!



This is the only blue/green version, and there are two different orange/pink/yellow ones made from some delightful 70s wallpaper and silk. The other fun thing is you can scrunch the flowers up to make them more 'closed' than they are here - love interactive features!

My next mission...to get a better model. I'm losing too much time to photoshopping out my wrinkles these days - eeek!!!

Going to Town...the Town Hall that is

Here I am at Perth Upmarket on Sunday...in my wonderful new apron made by the lovely Sam of Fatty DeMonsey Delightful Designs. I always look worried in photos...not quite sure why. Squinty eyes maybe? Thanks to all the lovely customers who came down, and well done to Justine for her organisation of the event. Special thank to my mum for sewing my groovy wallpaper like backstand cover and tablecloth and covering my pinboards, and to Moz for jigsawing my great new display stands xxx.

Given the feedback from customers, I'll definitely be making some more of the red rose and black necklace I am modelling in time for my next market - Distracted in Leederville on October 26.

Vintageous

A highly fortuitous and unexpected stop at an antiques shop has led me down another path...vintage button necklaces. I spent an hour pouring over a huge bowl of necklaces and pulled out some treasures, which have now been fashioned into necklaces...coming soon to a market near you.

Take a walk on the cute side

I've added some cute options for my stock for upcoming markets. I don't usually do cute. Whimsical, maybe. Kooky, indeed. But cute is a road less travelled for this chicky babe.

This image features upcycled toy man pendant on silver toned chain, 'rescuing' some wee Matryoshka polymer clay pendants (entirely made my moi) on gold toned necklaces.

It will be interesting to see what sort of feedback these get at the markets, I may have to push the cute barrow out some more...

IKEA obsession

I try not to love it. It just feels so wrong. I know it's just another mega corporation responsible for many of the ills of the world. But really, how can I resist when IKEA has the coolest frames like this for only $39.95?* Showcasing my latest Vintage Wallpaper Pendant creations which will be onsale at Perth Upmarket.

*I am not employed, bribed or encouraged by IKEA to give them any publicity at all. However, if they would like to a) hire me as a highly paid marketing guru or b)send me large denomination gift vouchers, I would be open to discussion.

Going Upmarket

I'm pretty excited (and apprehensive!) about the Christmas marketing season, which kicks off next Sunday 14 September 12pm at the fabulous location of the Perth Town Hall with the first Perth Upmarket. I was in Spotlight the other day (1 September) and they were putting up the aisles of Christmas decorations. Huh? It was only last Christmas last time I looked.

Anyway, the Perth Upmarket is a new market that has been put together by the lovely Justine, who apart from being an organiser extraordinaire, also has a line of her own children's clothes, Oli B. Designs. Many of me old muckers from the Made on the Left market are going to be represented at the market, plus my good buddy Issy from the wonderful Pinch and Spoon, so the products there should be great, but I think I'm most excited about the delicious looking cupcake stall....mmmmm, caaaaaakke!

I'll be unveiling some new lines at the Perth Upmarket which will be photographed and added to this blog just as soon as I finish them.

Little ladies ready to step out

Matrysoshka Pendants 1, originally uploaded by oddgirlout.etsy.com.

Inspired by some of the other clever polymer clay artists on Etsy including J2aney and Polyclarific, I thought I'd take a step away from my customary BIG designs and try my hand at something little and delicate (yep, definitely playing against type there!).

I'm thinking these cute little Matryoshka pendants will make nice necklaces for younger girls. Moz and I were in St Petersburg almost exactly a year ago and went to the market where we bought a beautiful handpainted set of dolls which now adorn our office mantlepiece.

Vintage wallpaper rounds

A group of vintage wallpaper rounds, originally uploaded by oddgirlout.etsy.com.

...part two of my adventures in resin. These are going to become brooches very shortly.

At last count, I have four confirmed markets and two possible ones (and perhaps more) coming up between now and Christmas, so I'm going to need to build up a lot more stock. These are just a start...

Adventures in resin

Wallflower necklace in orange lotus, originally uploaded by oddgirlout.etsy.com.

This is the result of my latest adventure in resin - vintage wallpaper set underneath a shiny coating. The finetuning continues, but I'm pretty happy with the result.

Etsy front page Queen

Etsy Front Page 7/28/08 DaraArt, originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers.

I am officially declaring that DaraArt is the Etsy front page queen!

Here is another of her nifty treasuries featuring yours truely and some of the other Made on the Left gang.

Thanks Dara!