A little ray of sunshine...

A little ray of sunshine has entered my world in the way of some amazing new art for my bedroom.

This adorable custom piece was made by none other,

 then the lovely Cathy aka Tinniegirl.

It was delivered last week to my messy, disorganized and somewhat chaotic home and I just couldn't bare to put it up amidst the shambles. So it was perched upon a chair and waited so patiently for the perfect time to find a home.

In its waiting place was a big old petition. A Gothic/religious piece, very dark and ominous.
Not at all the sort of look I try to create these days, more a relic of the past.
So I was happy to move it on, which paved the way for my new artwork to bring life back into the room.

 Once the painting was up, I dug out my lanterns that were tucked away, waiting for a place to go. They were a present from kizzy that I got over a year ago and hadn't made time to hang yet. Together, they really change the space. I don't know if a painting can change the size of a room, but I'm sure it is bigger now.
More then anything, I think its about having something so bright and fun and freeing in my room that makes it feel bigger.

Each time I walk in I can't help but smile 

and each time I look at the painting I see something new.

It has such depth, joy and good energy and is such a perfect pick of colors, shapes and words to represent me. How lucky am I to know such a talented artist who was able to take a blank canvas, think what I might like on it and create something so spot on.

Gosh I loves it and how it has transformed my bedroom.
Cathy ... you is amazing xx.

Jay x

Open studio on Wednesday....

This year I'm lucky enough to be part of an open studio event over at Tinniegirl's.
The perfect opportunity to have a sticky beak at the artist studio and original works.

We'll have a mini market set up offering a range of goodies
from Curlypops, Tinniegirl and Moi.
Perfect for dropping in after work and
hopefully crossing a few things off those X-mas lists.

I'll mainly have clothes and cuddlies, so please do drop me a line
if you'd like to see something in particular from my range.


Original Artwork by Tinniegirl

Everyone is welcome
just check the details below to get the address.

Open Studio & End of Year Celebration

Wednesday 14th December 2011
4 – 9pm

Prints, Cards, Jewellery, Stationary, Clothes,
Original Artworks, Cushions & More
Special Guests, Camille Condon {CurlyPops}, Jaylene Juanita {Finki Handmade}

It's a great opportunity to celebrate the end of the year, get together for a glass of bubbles, have a peak into my studio and creative process, and do a little Christmas shopping if you feel so inclined.

If you'd like to come along
please email me at tinniegirl/at/optusnet.com.au
and I'll send you my street address.

All welcome.

Hope to see you there,
Jay xx

{finkigirl} market debut....

The entire {finkigirl} range of jools and works of the artist celebrated,
the fabulous Cathy Kirwan...

will be available tonight at the lovely Made n' Thornbury market.

So if your in the neighborhood, passing by on your way home from work or just looking for a great way to start some handmade Christmas shopping, do pop by.

It's an evening event running from 4- 8pm.

We'll have all our goodies in Silver and gold, the fantastic new lockets
and our new celebrated artworks 'Shine' and 'Journey'.

Hope to see you there.
Jay xx

A new range...

Finally I can spill the beans on the secret squirrel business I have been working on of late.

It's been a crafty collaboration a long time in the making.

Not so much that we had been planning it for a long time, more so that when we met so many years ago during our first foray into markets I knew... I just knew that this day would come.

We were both just beginning to take our craft seriously and wonder if we could make a business of it. We both struggled with self acceptance and forms of expression. Wanting to create but not entirely sure what path it would take.

I do believe we are still both on a journey, a creative path that for each of us is so different but has led us to this point in time, this T- intersection in the road that has found us both standing at the same spot at the same time. Confident in our own abilities and creative talent and wandering which path to walk down next.

Well I tell you, the path we have chosen is very exciting and I'm very proud and all tingly to share the results of our first collaboration.

{Finkigirl}

Brought to you by Cathy Kirwan (aka Tinniegirl) and I.

Our first range, celebrating four pieces of art titled
Grow, Acts of love, Abundance and Surrender,

are available in store at Olive Grove studios
or online at Tinniegirl.

Working with my love of colors and Cathy's amazing use of color in her artwork has been an absolute joy.

The range so far incorporates earrings and rings,

bracelets,

and pendants.

Image via Tinniegirl on etsy

I just adore every piece we've made, and hope you do too.
Hooray for crafty collaborations.
Jay xx

Welcome...

Welcome to Blogtoberfest Y'all.

Ti's a month of bloggy overload, where we all try our darnedest to do a blog post a day.

The good the bad the ugly,
the craft, the cooking the lovely.

Ti's not an exclusive club, rather it's more the merrier.

If you wanna join in too, read more about it over at Tinniegirls blog,
the hostess with the mostess.

I look forward to going through the linky loo list each day and finding lots of new blogs to add to my list and I look forward to sharing a little more of my world too over the next month.
More then just my crafty hearty stuff, which is all consuming sometimes.

So cheers to you all on this rather wet first day of October, lets clink our glasses and toast a toast to kick off the beginning of a super month for everyone.

Jay xx

p.s For all my fellow Victorians, don't forget daylight savings starts tonight. Hooray.... I sure have been hanging out for our long summer nights xx

'What's in the bag'

Blogtoberfest Day 30:

Well Blogtoberfest is almost in the bag....
So what better time to show you 'whats in the bag'.


The bag idea came to me last week, when we were shopping at Abbotsford convent makers market.
We were choosing a few prints by a photographer when he said " I think my girlfriend has that exact same bag"
I got me thinking, well Mr photographer, you are creative, you girlfriend is probably creative or a lover of creative people... so it's possible we have similar crafty and uber creative haunts in the north, that we both frequent.
Chances are we even have some of the same things in the bag too.

I love the crafty things that fill my bag and travel with me daily and I bet you do to.
So without further ado, here's whats in the bag:

1: Tape coin purse by: Polka dot rabbit
2: Horsey bag by: B.Sirius
3:Card holder by me: Finki
4:Sunglasses holder by: Curlypops
5:Makeup holder from : Brunswick bound
6:Tinted lip gloss by: Flourish
7:Art journal by me: Finki
8:Keyring by: Lark

Join in too and bring the craftiness out of your bag.

For more great Blogtoberfest reading, be sure to head on over to Tinniegirls.

A little birdy told me....

Blogtoberfest Day 29:

A little birdy told me......

That there would be a 'Finki' give away coming up real soon!

Stay tuned.

For more great Blogtoberfest reading, be sure to head on over to Tinniegirls.

All the colors of the rainbow.....

Blogtoberfest day 28:

Being the sort of person who can not make decisions easily I went whole hog and ordered all the colors of the rainbow for my new tie range.


There have been a few technical difficulties to overcome in the process of screen printing the ties so they look ab fab 100% saleable, but I'm almost 100% ready to start the range.

Of course I have not yet culled my colors.
It's come down to a bright range for the young and trendies and a classic range for the more stylishly conservative types.


Ends up a total of 15 colors.....aughhhh!

The idea was to screen print a big batch of samples to see how they came up, then choose the best ones....alas they are all divine. I really want to cull it back to ten adorable must have colors so I'll just need to sleep on it for one more night.

Darling Grandpa....(well that's what the kids call him, to me he's 'the father in law').....was the first victim to test run the samples and he sure does look mighty fine!

Mr Finny was next up,

Although it does sorta drag on the floor.....probably an obvious set back when your only 3 foot tall!

So off to bed I go, to think on it for another night before releasing the final range.

Exciting stuff!

For more great Blogtoberfest reading, be sure to head on over to Tinniegirls.

Black tie.....

Blogtoberfest day 27:

I have been test printing some ties today and have quite fallen in love with the humble piece of silk worn around our gentleman's neck. Such a vibrant splash of color and art it can be....



Can't wait to show you some of the other colors I've done tomorrow. Looking very fine indeed.....

For more great Blogtoberfest reading, be sure to head on over to Tinniegirls.

New batch.....

Blogtoberfest day 26:

Finally finished the new batch of kids shirts for the shop. The colors and prints have come out lookin' soooo good.

I definitely enjoy printing much more than sewing at the moment, but it's that horrible catch twenty two of needing to sew so that there is something to print.

Where oh where is the magical sewing fairy when you need her.

For more great Blogtoberfest reading, be sure to head on over to Tinniegirls.

A special day...

I've had a big circle on my calender all month, waiting for this day to arrive.... cause today....... in a little inner northern cafe, there is one fine lady who has lit a fire in our hearts and invited us to be a part of her journey.
Watching her grow through art, finding herself and learning to take chances, has been inspirational.

There is no other place I'd rather be tonight than in a room full of her wonderful creations.

If you'd like to be a part of making history for one crafty gal, come celebrate the beginning of this fantastic journey at Cathy Kirwan's first exhibition.
Well known in our bloggy world as Tinniegirl

I always think it's clever to buy art at artists early exhibitions before these talented peeps become uber famous. Something that will only grow in value and more so something that will fill your home with character, style and a little piece of heart.
The info....

See you all tonight...

Flight of fancy.....

Fancy this take on flight........I definitely do.
It's my latest purchase from the art world.
An original piece by Cathy .K of Victoria. Aka tinniegirl.

When choosing art, it is such an individual thing. Often what you see in a piece can be quite different to what the artist was thinking when he or she painted it. But what does matter, I think, is that you do find a little of yourself in the pieces you choose to surround yourself with.

So, as much as they are a representation of the artists style, they are also a representation of the time and place you were in, when it first appealed to you.

I remember reading graffiti on a wall I passed on my way to work one day that said 'never forget your childhood dreams'

Well I had.

But now, stepping out of my box and taking on new challenges day by day, I feel my dreams coming back, little by little.

For me, this piece represents such a sense of freedom. Depicting a child like innocence.
A great sense of depth and nostalgia have been captured, with the textured collage dress, and the hint of pattern, from the book cover backboard.

This picture.... is me.....a child holding my dreams with such innocence and trust, and letting it take flight.

7 days of loot, glorious loot finale.....

So our 7 days of loot, glorious loot organized by tinnie girl has come to an end.
Of course I've kept the best for last.

Food, glorious, food.

We need it, to grow up big and strong, so why not make sure every morsel put into your mouth, is nutritious and delicious. Why not?
Cause nutritious = blandishious. There's only so much salad, and veggies one can bare before we throw all good intentions in the bin and hit the takeaway trail with gusto.

Just when I couldn't stand the thought of another steamed veggie, I found a new spice range to save the day. Max & Dex.


My baked sweet potatoes smothered in a scrumptious herb loves garlic spice blend were transformed and then I turned that bland grilled chicken into a taste bud delight when marinated in the sensational backyard blend.


Proudly, and perfectly blended in the beautiful Yarra valley, is this exciting new range of blends and marinades to spice up your life. Preservative free and all natural, you can't go wrong.

From fennel spice rub for your seafood, to cocoa crust for your pork there is just so much to choose from.
I've had the pleasure of trialing some marinade in a bag prototypes, and It has honestly given my little health kick just what it needed to keep me on track. Turned my boring grilled chicken into a meal sensation I kid you not.
I savoured every bite................


And what better way to top off a perfect meal, than with some delicious gingerbread. This lovely stash from Cathie at Melbourne epicure is just the best gingerbread you're gunna try.

Happy mothers day, to all you crafty mothers.

I've had fun spending 7 days sharing all the loot I've acquired over the last month. A lot of it was due to the generous nature of fellow marketeers that traded with me. I'm so glad that I've had the opportunity to meet so many crafty peeps, and look forward to meeting many more.

Long live handmade and micro business.
Support the little guys, one day it could be you.

Day 6 of loot.

For day 6's post of 7 days of Loot, glorious loot, I'm taking you into the bedroom.

Who ever thought I'd get sooo personal when I started blogging!

Don't worry.

It's nothing from the X rated stores, just more of my fabulous goodies that have ranked so high on the I-love-it-so-much-o- meter that they have been taken into the bedroom.
The retreat, the palace, the boudoir.
If I was in 'The Castle' I'd be saying, these ones........go straight to the pool room.

Hoot the owl By: Flickettysplits

Firstly is my new owl. His body is a funky retro swirl and stripe, his eyes a brocade in sage, wit purple buttons peeping out. A glorious mishmash of fabrics, in all my favourite colors.
Originally I had seen a birdie at miss flickettysplits market stall in Thornbury, that I loved. He almost came home with me, but the day got away from me and before you knew it, it was time to pack up. I vowed to head over earlier at the next one so I didn't miss out.
To my delight this little owl was there drenched in me'ness hooting out to be taken home. T'was love at first sight and it was definitely straight to the pool room for this one.

Hubby asked on the way home, if it was for our son Finn. Not this one baby. He's mine.
Alas....who do you think gets his little mitts on it whenever he can.

Next is this fabulous, just fabulous bowl that I picked up at the trash n' treasure in Coburg.
The color is amazing, the shape and texture is just Divine. It also lives in the bedroom, pride of place on the dresser.


It's slowly being filled with all my favourite jewels. The seller said she had hundreds of pieces of this glassware at home (drool) and had decided to part with some of it............I'm so glad.

I've been back a few times hoping she'd have some more, but no luck. I can't complain. I got one at least.

Tomorrow's loot will be taking us into the kitchen.
To check out more looters visit tinniegirl.

Day 5 and still going strong!

Ti's day 5 of Loot, glorious loot, and there's still more goodies to show and tell.
Today it's back to accessories. Where would I be without them.

I finally bowed to my inner urge of needing one of those necklaces with chunky vintage beads. What draws me to them aside from the vintage appeal and bold block colors, is the unevenness of it all. The red flower sorta sits off centre. Very cute.

Blooming flower necklace: by Mykonos

When I design, everything is mirrored left to right. If I did try to break the mold of matching pairs, I would fear strangers approaching me and saying, you put odd earrings on today darl. But I do love the look.

One lump or two cute stud earrings by: fluffington

Haven't ventured out into the miss matched earrings as yet, but when I do I'm lovin' these.

Next is another curlypops original, shades of silver/grey and purple, with a scrumptiously textured button finishing it off perfectly. I see she has some more crazy stitching in the progress in shades of red. Hopefully it becomes another fab brooch for me to choose. Can't get enough of them.

Flower brooch by: curlypops

Now a market is not complete without another addition from buttons by loulou. This time her Little babushkas on denim captured my heart.

Bonny babushkas (thats what I call them) by: Buttons by lou lou

Finally some shoes for Finn. I love purple on little boy's and this design with a black bat by Konstant Kaos is just the bee's knees. I would have taken a picture with them on, but they are already in the wash after 5 days straight of new shoe love and baby boy adventures. That's probably the best part, that you can wash them, and dadaa! Like new again.

Kokka purple bat shoes by: konstant Kaos

Back tomorrow for part 6 of loot, where I'll be taking you into the bedroom. Oooooh.

Day 4 of Loot, glorious loot.

Well for today's entry of 7 days of loot, glorious loot, organized by the fabulous Tinniegirl I have decided to bring you into the bathroom.

Bird in a bath tub: by barkingbirdart

So often my crafty splurges are accessories, accessories and yes even more accessories. Bangles, pendants, rings, studs and a recent addition, hair pins.
I guess my love of accessories stems from the fact that my clothes are some what ordinary....ooh such a nasty word. O.k conservative, no still not quite right, ummm lets say classic basics. Yeah that's better.
So, for me accessories are my avenue of self expression. All the fun, color and quirkiness come out in the little bits I buy to complete my look. Tis' a look that is still evolving, as I sometimes feel I'm held back from truly presenting myself the way I would like, as I don't fit into the designer shop clothes. I tells yah, if the designers at Lupa in Westgarth, went to a size 20, I'd be in heaven. Totally broke, but in heaven.

Thank god for all the fabulous crafty accessory designers out there.
One size fits all. I Love you.

Oh Yes, I was taking you into the bathroom today, back to the subject at hand.

So, my glorious loot today is some of my finds at the Thornbury Market on the weekend. My stall neighbour was the lovely Sarah from Shameful, with an amazing display of shower caps. The fabrics used were just divine, so bright, bold and many retro inspired.

Once in the shower I do tend to always wet my hair, but....sometimes, just sometimes, late at night in the middle of winter, I have been know to turn the lights down low, amp up the heater and sink into a hot bubbly bath.
Now you don't want to go to bed with wet hair, do yah!

So in comes my fabuloso, positively gorgeous new shower cap. It was so hard to decide which color to get. And yes I did try them on in the mirror, to help me decide. Why?......I'm not quite sure. Cause, ain't no one gunna see me in the bath. Just me, hot hot water, some bubbles and the best shower cap ever!
Continuing the bathroom theme, next I have my new flannels. Two face washers lovingly crotchet around the edges, also from Thorbury market.
Old age pending, or something like that, has made my skin change from it's usual youthful oiliness. Now I have dry patches on my face.
It's all down hill they say.
So after experimenting with different exfoliates, I can testify that my daily face wash on a face washer has proved to be a better exfoliate than anything else I've tried so far.

Thank god for Nana's continuing the lost art of crotchet edged flannels.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more product updates, and day 5's offering of loot, glorious loot.
My best is yet to come.

Day 3, of 7 days of Loot, glorious loot.

For today's offering of Loot, glorious loot organised by tinniegirl, I decided to step away from my love of accessories, just for a day, to show you some of the photographic art that I've found.

I often see photographers at the markets I do, and to be honest they don't draw much of a crowd. Maybe people are still in the frame of mind that photographers just do cheesy family portraits, and happy newlyweds. But really that little black box, in the right hands can capture the most amazing visual images. You know, even when the work of a certain photographer does appeal, and gets you to linger at the stall a bit longer, most of the displays I've seen present prints in a plastic slips, leaving you the work of finding a frame and possibly a matt to finish it off before it can be hung and admired at home. Too much hard work!

So when I came across the work of Angela McConnell, mounted on various sized blocks, ready to stand on a shelf or hang, I was sold. The guess work of presentation was taken out, so that all I had to do was pick the ones that spoke to me.
You know I'm always drawn to pattern, color and texture. I found myself wanting more than one, so I could create a little collage. Firstly I chose a black image with a raised impression of a silver dragonfly, then a black print of the underside of an umbrella showing the structural and elegant framework and lastly some color to break it up. A fabulous bright red oriental umbrella with a little embroidered green leaf on it.
I was so wrapped with my little collection, and even more excited that I could go home and hang it straight away.

Go ahead and smell the flowers by: Boopsiedaisy

Slowly my walls are filling with original artwork, and I find it fascinating that two people can look at the same piece and see something so different. For me what might represent freedom, and choice, could represent to you, confusion and loneliness. Art really is in the eye of the beholder.

Away by: ara133photography

This image at first appealed to me because of it's wonderful bluey green hues. Then the shape, form and repetition drew me in. The coldness and purity of the metal reflecting light here and there arouses a wonder of what sound it would make if the wind blew. Then I read that it was taken at a Memorial for fallen soldiers along the freedom trail in Boston and my heart fills with sadness.

That's what art is for me, images that stir emotion. Happiness, sadness, or wonderment. Whether your medium is a paintbrush, clay, paper, fabric or a camera, bringing something out of your heart and sharing it with the world is priceless.

Day two of loot....

More loot,glorious loot to show and tell.

Today's stash is more of my finds at the fabulous Sisters Market in Brunswick. I'm a sucker for anything bright and a little bit different, so when I spotted these fabulous bangles I was straight on over to squeeze my fat wrist in and pray they fit.

I love, love, love bangles, but have a big wrists, which are in perfect proportion to my big everything else, sooo they never fit. I'm sure the poor stall holders see me comin' and think, don't even try girlfriend. But I do, every time! Never give up hope.
I think that surely there are sellers and makers out there just like me, who model they're products on themselves, and if they have big wrists I'm in luck.

Well this time I was in luck. They are papier mache bangles, in fun vibrant shades to liven up all the winter outfits coming out of the wardrobe of late.

Next is this fab brooch by 'kids with crayons', in spotty pinks and reds with an illustration done by one of the sellers kids on it. I have used some of kierah' s pics in my journals, gift cards and jewellery, and just love the way kids pics have such innocence and playfulness about them.

Lastly some more ponytail elastics for Kierah by 'miss piggy tales'. I couldn't go past these echidna's on such a bright blue, and retro looking apples.

Back tomorrow for day 3 of loot with some lovely work by a local photographer.
...............and day 4, I finally get to show you my stash from Thornbury Market on the weekend.

Loot, glorius loot......where to begin?

Well, I have so much catching up to do with y'all after my 2 week hiatus from blog land, that I thought tinniegirls idea of 7 days of loot, glorious loot would be a perfect way of covering all my shopping adventures of late.

But.............where oh where to begin.

I've had two stalls at fabulous local markets where I picked up heaps of glorious handmade goodies. Then there's my usual op shopping adventures, and weekend trash n' treasures.
I think I'll back track to my day at the sisters market on the 20th.
My main aim for the day, aside from hoping to make a few quid, was to buy some birthday presents for my sister in law.

She's effortlessly trendy, and loves all things vintage. So I couldn't go past these goodies.
A library bag featuring a funky Vogue pattern cover of a 50's diva in plaid. The chunky glasses she's wearing sold me on this one. The seller (so sorry I forget to get a business card, so I can't tell you her name) also had the best selection of gift cards with old romance novel art work on them.A little birdie brooch, and some handmade soap smelling ever so sweetly of cinnamon and pudding, was just right to fill the parcel for gift giving. Of course I nabbed a lemon Myrtle soap for me too. Such an invigorating scent. It gets me every time.

I picked up much more at The Sisters Market, but you'll have to pop back tomorrow for day two's report on Loot, glorious loot.

look what i brought for show and tell today...

All the goodies i bought at the made in Thornbury market.
A belated post as we dashed off on holidays right after the market. But i didn't want you to miss out on seeing some of the fab purchases i made.

Firstly, an awesome selection of work by the talented cam from Curly pops.
I had been eyeing off the heart brooch with crazy stitching for some time, hoping it would wait for me to make some moula at my stall before heading on over to claim it.


Lucky for me, cam found things of mine she liked too so we traded, and I scored this huge flower of felt, vinyl and button, and the best bookmark in a bear in the woods print. Everything is so well made. You know I look over everything I buy with a fine tooth comb. Being of the crafty type, tis' my duty.........
and I tells yah, miss cam meets and exceeds all crafty expectations. Next time, I might have to invest in a funky tea towel apron too.


Next I got, well not really I, my little helper Kierah, found a huge covered button bookmark, from buttons by loulou, I'm a fan of Lou's work and have quite a few rings and ponytail holders from the range, so I had no qualms handing over the money there. Little girl Happy.

Of course there was the scrummy, cupcakes and gingerbread men consumed, which didn't last long enough to be photographed.......... the memories are all good though.

I also picked up some more hairpins. Can never have enough. Some ornate rings that I'll probably use as a backing for some vintage inspired rings, and the cutest hand felted owl in shades of yellow and green.

I did have to stop myself there, before I crossed the line of buying more than I sell.
But I look forward to the next one as I had my eyes on some of Cathy's tinnie's, one of felicity's fabric birds, and possibly a vintage inspired shower cap I saw.

So if your in the neighborhood, pop in to the next Made in Thornbury market on May 2nd, and support handmade.