folk fun for friday!

I love this pattern! Love the colour palette and it's whimsical folky feel. It is from my local fabric shop, and there is no 'brand' on it, so i can't really credit it...but it's sooo sweet.

I have been working on a lot of my pattern designs lately, hence the 'once a week' blog action. I am actually working towards having the kooky-zu website up very soon...i am excited...but will post up some sneaky peeks of new patterns in the next couple of days....

Birthday goodies...

It's been an action-packed week... i celebrated a birthday; Module 3 of the Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design Course, (that i am doing) began; and i finished a couple of lovely freelance jobs. phew!
Thought i would share a few of my favourite birthday treats...beautiful pink roses (my favourite); doesn't get much better than a hot pink necklace (love); a funky kitty-kat umbrella by H.DUE.O; and a gorgeous card by Graphique De France: so divine! It's not showing up here, but the little girls' dresses are really sparkly...sooo sweet.
Gotta love a birthday...and family and friends that know you so well!

More exciting news.....

Last week saw the official launch of a very exciting new online magazine devoted to Surface Pattern Design, titled Moyo, a Japanese word meaning 'pattern' - another exciting creation from the super-creative duo: Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholls. It is jam-packed with lots of eye candy!! Yum.

Very excited that kooky-zu has been featured too-yay! 

My patterns....showcased!

When i returned from my holiday, i was so excited to discover that while i was away, a collection of my designs were showcased in Rachael Taylor's blog. It was a piece dedicated to the Module 2 students of the fantastic course The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design run by the very talented  Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholls. It was such a buzz to be included. Check out the post here, so happy to be amongst some of my very talented fellow classmates!

My 'cavalcade of characters'...up close and personal!

aaaahhh...the serenity!

Well, i am back from my North Queensland tropical adventure, and here are my fave piccies from my time away. I think they capture the way i was feeling: pretty relaxed, reflective and happy.
It was a different type of holiday. I was taking my little boy Harry up to have a holiday with his Dad in Townsville, and while he was doing that, i thought i would take the opportunity to venture out of that town, and have a bit of an adventure! Sooooo glad i did.....
There is nothing like the freedom of backpacking, i remember that feeling from my 20's, and on this little holiday that feeling came rushing back!! I was spontaneous, happy and, yes....free! Maybe i wasn't the authentic, hardcore backpacker from my 20's, (i did stay in a little 'boutique hotel' in port Douglas for 2 nights!), but the rest, i hostelled it: yep, showered with thongs on, coped with snorers, shared a communal kitchen with french families and met 2 pretty amazing women which i know i will stay in touch with.
Think this may just become one of my new annual rituals.
Oh....and i ate pretty well too...one night i sat down to a coconut creme brulee-yes, served in a coconut and a glass of champagne to wash it down! Hmmm, maybe i have stepped it up a notch from my backpacking days!!

Rozelle Market treats

Many years ago, (actually about 7!), Rozelle, Sydney was my home. I loved it. I loved the 'villagey' vibe, the quirky local characters and i especially loved the local flea markets. Pretty much every Saturday and Sunday i would wander up to the local primary school (where the markets were set up) and discover sooo many treats and treasures that i just had to have! These markets really formed and fed my love of vintage (of all things from packaging, clothing, homewares...and funny little odd bits and bobs.)

Here are a few of my little treasures:

The top 4 pics are actually on a kids' table and chair set. One of the locals had cut out 70's kids' book illustrations and pasted and lacquered them onto the chairs and table (decoupage style). I love these illustrations, so quirky! The next 3 are pantyhose packaging...what's a donkey got  to do with pantyhose?? Love it!
And the final pic, beautiful patterned boxes...yum.

Think i may need a little Rozelle holiday and a Rozelle Market fix  :)

bunnies, foxes and tangerine tales

We are now in week 4 of the 2nd module of the Surface Pattern Design course i am doing-wow and is it faster paced than the first module???? Yep! I will be more regular in my blogging when i can catch my breath...and catch up with all the (fun and inspiring) course exercises!

One of our on-going course exercises throughout this module is to create a 'doodle wall' - a big sheet of paper up on the wall and just....doodle. Don't think, just draw. I'm loving it! Here are some of my little creations.....(sorry, a little grainy, taken with an iphone at night and no flash!)....... 

                        .......and a pattern: with my little characters from my doodle wall....  :)