Udessi :: Australian design.art.craft.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T01:22:00.002+10:00

Just popping in briefly ~ 2011 has gone by in a heartbeat and I'm sorry I haven't been around with updates.

We will be celebrating a wonderful Christmas here in Europe with loved ones, a very special Christmas indeed. Our little Elissa has truly stolen our hearts and is doing very well ~ now over 6 months old she is a gorgeous, happy little girl that is too clever for all of us. Despite the sad circumstances that brought us here in Europe, Elissa brightens every day for us with her beaming smiles and we are so, so thankful to have her in our lives.

We wish all of you a wonderful, beautiful Christmas with your loved ones.

x

She's here...

2011-07-31T00:34:00.001+10:00

Elissa ~ 7 weeks old

Our beautiful girl, Elissa Aida Johanna is here...We are amazed, overwhelmed and so so happy with this precious person in our lives.

Elissa was born on the 4th of June in the amazing birth centre at the RBWH after an 'easy' labour, weighing 3460 grams (7.1 pounds) and she is 50 cm tall. The last 8 weeks (oh my has it been that long?) have been full of beautiful cuddles, gorgeous smiles and precious moments. Of course there are the less glamorous moments of countless nappy changes, sleepless nights and walking around in my pj's for most of the day with unbrushed hair but all of it so worth it!

Our little miss is certainly keeping us busy, and we're also in the middle of packing up our home in preparation for our trip to Europe. Before we leave I just had to introduce you to our little girl and couldn't resist posting these photos of the little one.

Perhaps I will pop into this blog occasionally, to keep you posted of any creative inspiration I find on my travels. For now I will leave you with some more photos. Take care and enjoy every minute you can with your loved ones...

x

All wrapped up...

2011-06-03T17:59:00.000+10:00

Photo taken by our beautiful friend Kylie

It's been a while now but I just wanted to pop in and let you all know that Udessi is 'officially' closed until further notice... The artworks have been packed and returned to the artists, studio space packed and tidied, all the lovely emails read and answered, and things have slowed down considerably in anticipation for the arrival of our little one.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to all our customers, readers, followers and the craft community, all of you who have been so very supportive, sent beautiful messages and wonderful thoughts. Please know that it means so very much to me. Some of you have become so very close to me personally and all your support is more than I could have ever imagined gaining from my art business. It has been amazing and I will be sad to be away from this wonderful community for a little while.

I'm hoping to pop in this blog occasionally and of course I will let you know the news about the little one!

Much love from us :)
x

Autumn 2011 ABCD Meetup!

2011-03-30T14:38:00.001+10:00

We’d love to invite you to the Autumn 2011 Brisbane ABCD meetup: Friday April 15th 2011 from 7–9pm.

Created for artists, crafters and designers who blog, ABCD meetup is a casual get-together to encourage those of us who are more comfortable behind our computers to get out and meet some of our fellow design and art lovers.

After ABCD co-founder Steph from Bondville sadly left us to move to Sydney, I now have a new partner in crime to host the Brissy meetups ~ a very warm welcome to Lou from looseleaf.paper!

The looseleaf concept was created whilst travelling the globe for many years and collecting beautiful treasures along the way. On returning home we set out to create an artisan design aesthetic that was prominent all over Europe and bring it back to our shores - and so looseleaf.paper was born in 2010. With a love of all things paper, we design & create handmade stationery, jewellery & interiors products. Our ethos is to be as eco-friendly as possible by using recycled, upcycled & locally sourced materials. We love what we do so ensure that every collection has a story to tell.

For the Autumn 2011 meetup we'll be returning to Bar Alto at the Powerhouse in New Farm which has great parking, easy access to the bar, bar food, coffee and tea that you can order throughout the evening.

Details: Autumn 2011 Brisbane ABCD Meet-up
When: 7pm - 9pm, Friday 15th of April, 2011
Where: Bar Alto ~ Powerhouse, New Farm, Brisbane
RSVP: via the ABCD Facebook page or email us at BrisbaneABCD@gmail.com

ABCD Goodie Bag
The ABCD meetup goodie bag is a great way to share a little about yourself and help your new friends remember you after the event. At the last meetup the goodie bags were chock-full of handmade goodies and sweet momentos. If you would like to join in and make something for the goodie bag, please comment "GOODIE BAG" along with your RSVP by the 8th of April, so we know how many we'll need. Goodie bags will only be provided for those who participate.

Please keep an eye on the blog, Facebook page or make sure you are subscribed to the mailing list, as we will notify you how many goodies to make exactly before the event.

Business card draw
Please also remember to bring along plenty of businesscards to share with everyone you meet on the night ~ regardless of whether you choose to participate in the goodie bag! We’ll have a businesscard draw on the night with a fun prize to be won from both looseleaf.paper and Kim Wallace ceramics so don’t forget!

Subscribe For Updates:
To receive updates and details about ABCD meetups please subscribe through one of the following:

Join our new Facebook page
We will post any upcoming meetups here and you will be able to RSVP via Facebook. Photos of the night will also be uploaded here.
Join the ABCD Meetup mailing list.
For those of you that aren’t on Facebook we have created a mailing list. Here you can choose if you would like to receive news about the Brisbane or Sydney meetups.

More about ABCD Meetups:
ABCD stands for [Artists + Bloggers + Crafters + Designers] and the quarterly meet-ups are an informal way to meet other folks with similar interests in the online space. Rather than being a networking event, these are simply a few quiet drinks with other creative bods; a chance to make a friend or two, and be inspired by what others are doing.

You can find photos and posts about previous ABCD meetups on the Facebook page, as well as on Bondville and Udessi.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Kim Wallace (Udessi) and Lou (looseleaf.paper)

One last batch of vintage lace hearts

2011-03-21T10:32:00.001+10:00

Photo © John Downs

These little hearts are very special to me. Breast cancer touches many lives and for me personally, it has deeply affected life with people very close to me having to go through horrific treatments. Almost 2 years ago I started making these little messages of love, to help raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and since then we have sold well over 600 hearts to raise over $2,150!

Each heart is lovingly made by hand by me and impressed with a vintage lace doily whilst wet, leaving the lovely patterns behind. Short yet meaningful messages are imprinted on the reverse of the heart, creating treasured keepsakes to be given to loved ones to let them know they are in your thoughts.

50% of each heart sold will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, to help raise money towards research into the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer.

One very last batch of little hearts has come back from the kiln, these are now on sale in the Udessi online gallery. We will be closing the gallery at the end of March, so please help out by sending your loved ones a little piece of handmade love. Now reduced to only $8.50ea ~ click here to view them all.

You can view our running total of funds raised on the Udessi NBCF fundraising page here.

::

Vintage lace porcelain jewellery ~ NOW 20% OFF!

2011-03-20T14:32:00.001+10:00

One last batch of handmade porcelain pendants has come back from the kiln and these are now further reduced!
:: Click here to view them all ::

'Elodie' porcelain pendant on sterling silver chain
~~$48.00~~ Now only $38.40

'Lune' porcelain pendant on threaded cotton cord
~~$42.00~~ Now only $33.60

'Rosa' porcelain pendant on sterling silver chain
~~$48.00~~ Now only $38.40

'Lune' small porcelain pendant on brass chain
~~$55.00~~ Now only $44.00

'Neve' large porcelain pendant on brass chain
~~$60.00~~ Now only $48.00

Beautiful hand-thrown ceramics by Formbar ~ further reduced

2011-03-19T13:59:00.000+10:00

These stunning ceramics by Julia Franz from Formbar are now further reduced. All amazing value for handmade work, especially the 4-piece sets!

Hand-thrown stoneware milk jug
~~$28.00~~ SAVE 20% Now only $22.40ea

Hand-thrown ceramics ~ set of 4
~~$89.00~~ SAVE 20% Now only $71.20

Hand-thrown stoneware mugs ~ set of 4
~~$84.00~~ SAVE 20% Now only $67.20

SushiBird Tiles by The Red Thread ~ further reduced!

2011-03-18T14:53:00.000+10:00

Vibrant, graphic birds created from Japanese papers nest on stylised background patterns inspired by nature. The white line work illustrations are hand painted on solid natural timber, and each element of the SushiBird is lovingly cut by hand from carefully combined paper colours and patterns, creating a stylish, elegant work of art with a contemporary feel.

All pieces are now further reduced with the full set of 3 gorgeous handmade pieces now an amazing $298! (was $395)

:: Click here to view them all ::

Set of 3 SushiBird tiles
~~$395.00~~ Now only $298

'Manami Twig' SushiBird tile
~~$150.00~~ Now only $127.50

'Sakura Blossom' SushiBird tile
~~$150.00~~ Now only $127.50

Christmas ornaments SUPER SALE!

2011-03-17T11:09:00.000+10:00

A little early for Christmas perhaps but with the Udessi online gallery closing at the end of March, now is a great time to snap up these handmade ceramic ornaments at great prices!

Purchase 3 or more of the same ornament and you will receive another 10% discount on your order!

:: Click here to view all ceramic Christmas ornaments ::

'Amara' porcelain snowflake
~~$15.95~~ Now only $12.50ea

'Neve' porcelain snowflake
~~$15.95~~ Now only $12.50ea

Small porcelain Christmas bauble
~~$8.95~~ Now only $6.95ea

'Neve' small ceramic bauble
~~$8.95~~ Now only $6.95ea

'Bliss' small ceramic bauble
~~$8.95~~ Now only $6.95ea

'Amara' large ceramic bauble
~~$12.95~~ Now only $9.95ea

Vintage lace ceramic butterfly ornaments ~ further reduced

2011-03-16T11:34:00.000+10:00

Receive an ADDITIONAL 10% DISCOUNT when you order 3 or more of the same ornament!

'Amara' porcelain butterfly
~~$22.00~~ Now only $17.50ea

'Bliss' porcelain butterfly
~~$22.00~~ Now only $17.50ea

'Celeste' porcelain butterfly
~~$22.00~~ Now only $17.50ea

'Amara' ceramic butterfly in dusty pink
~~$22.00~~ Now only $17.50ea

'Celeste' ceramic butterfly in grape
~~$22.00~~ Now only $17.50ea

'Bliss' ceramic butterfly in sage
~~$22.00~~ Now only $17.50ea

Grateful...

2011-03-14T10:28:00.001+10:00

Amongst the sadness and difficult times, I do also have something incredible to share with you. Something, or rather someone, we are so very grateful for ~ our little bubba, due in just a few months. Each day we fall more and more in love with my moving belly, and our little person is keeping all our spirits so very high. Once again I am just a little lost for words ~ all I can say is that I feel so very lucky...

Booty and hat crochet pattern from Mamachee

Udessi closing down SALE!

2011-02-28T08:28:00.001+10:00

Dear loyal customers, followers & friends,

We’re very sad to announce that due to unforeseen personal circumstances, we have decided to close down our online gallery soon. 2011 has seen a rough start of the year for many Australians, and life has thrown a few extra curve balls to some of us.

Of course this has not been an easy decision, after all the hard work we have put into our dream over the last couple of years. I am so very proud of what we have achieved in such a short space of time, and the journey has been incredible.

Udessi final store-wide sale*

To celebrate our love of handmade and the amazing journey we have had at Udessi, we will be having a final sale. We won’t be restocking any of the work so make sure you don’t miss out on your favourite at a great price.
:: Click here to visit the Udessi online gallery ::
*some exclusions may apply.

Thank you

I cannot express my gratitude enough for the support we have received from our Australian artists that have so enthusiastically joined Udessi and provided our customers with such a unique shopping experience. When we started this journey, I had no idea how many amazing people & friends I would meet, and their messages of support during this difficult time have truly blown me away.

To our customers, your response to the handmade pieces in our collection has been both amazing and humbling at the same time. We have loved sending out countless parcels of lovingly made items and receiving so many wonderful emails in return about your thrill of unwrapping them!

To the press that have so generously featured Udessi, our artists or my own work ~ a couple of years ago I could have never imagined that I’d see myself or my business pop up in some of my very favourite magazines! Your support for handmade & small businesses in general is incredible and what will make the our industry not only prevail, but thrive over mass-produced, imported goods.

To family & friends that have joined us on our exciting journey and supported us every step of the way, you are all amazing and we love you to bits! You mean the world to us.

What’s next for Udessi?

This is certainly not the end of Udessi. When the time is right ~ we will be back! Our passion for handmade Australian art is growing each and every day, with the discovery of more amazing Australian talent, new works & designs. We have many more dreams for Udessi and hope to one day achieve all of these. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our newsletter and we will keep you posted with any developments.

For now we need to spend invaluable time with those most important to us. Wherever you are in the world, we hope you do the same and enjoy each and every day together :)

Kim
x

::

2011...

2011-01-19T07:19:00.001+10:00

2011 hasn't exactly started the way we hoped or as promising as it was looking only a few weeks ago. I am lost for words for all that has happened in these first few weeks of the new year, one thing I would like to touch on however is the terrible disaster that has been happening in Australia.

I'm sure that wherever you are in the world, you have heard about the terrible floods that have devastated most of Queensland, with more flooding now also on the way for VIC and parts of NSW. I am so grateful to say that our home, studio and friends have all been spared from the floods, however many many others were not so lucky. It breaks my heart to see the city and state I have grown to love so much since I moved here 11 years ago, mostly under water, and the devastation and destruction the water has brought with it.

10% from all January Udessi orders donated to the QLD RSPCA
There are also many many animals affected by the flooding ~ at Udessi we will be donating 10% from all orders received in January to the RSPCA Qld 2011 Flood Appeal (including all 2011 orders already received). Please note though that due to the flooding, we have had to change our return trip and order will not be posted until the 26th of January.

It has been so amazing to see Australian and people from all over the world come together to help those in need. There are so many wonderful fundraising events happening in the art, craft & blogging world at the moment it is hard to keep up!

Many of the Udessi artists (QLD-based and interstate) have set up, or are involved in fantastic creative ways for you to help out and raise money for the QLD Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal;

Beth-Emily has done an amazing job bringing together a selection of the best Australian artists to create an art auction to raise some much needed funds for the QLD Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal. Beth and her team have created a great website and there is some fantastic work up for auction.

Bidding has already started so make sure to check it out soon and you could pick up a beautiful work of art whilst helping Queenslanders in need!

For more info visit www.art4heart.com.au.

:::::::

The gorgeous Lisa from The Red Thread is holding an incredible raffle on her blog with all proceeds going to the QLD Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.. The first prize ~ worth over $1200 ~ is a brand new Janome sewing machine, a range of her sewing patterns and kits, and a selection of fabric.

Entry is by making a $10 donation to the official appeal. You can read all the details on Lisa's blog The Red Thread.

:::::::

The team at BrisStyle has rallied their crafty members to create the Handmade Ark Appeal. Purchase any item from the participating BrisStyle Etsy Stores and the funds will then be donated to the Premiers Flood Relief Fund.

:::::::

Thea from Thea & Sami has created these beautiful hand screen-printed fabric panels featuring our home city Brisbane. Reproduced as a tribute to Brisbane and to our local heroes, Thea is donating 25% of sales directly the Premier's Flood Appeal to help Brisbane Flood Victims.

:::::::

For even more ways to help out by purchasing handmade art & craft, visit the Make It Perfect blog. Here you can find a master list of bloggers who will be running auctions from their blogs, selling products that they make or from their stores. Auctions will be open for 1 week, and will close at midnight on Monday 24th January.

All of the money raised at these auctions will go directly to the Queensland Government Flood Relief Appeal.

Christmas Holiday Notice

2010-12-17T10:58:00.003+10:00

We are taking a little break! Udessi will be closing from the 22nd of December to the 18th of January. Our online gallery will stay open and you are more than welcome to shop at any time during our break ~ however please note that any orders placed after 2pm on the 21st December will not be posted until we return on the 18th of January.

A huge thank you to all our customers, subscribers, artists and supporters for a fantastic 2010! We have loved every bit of it and we simply couldn't do it without your support ~ so THANK YOU!

It has been an amazing journey and we have some wonderful things happening in the new year that we can't wait to share with you. For now we are looking forward to taking a little break and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and all our best wishes for a happy and healthy 2011!

::

Our top picks for last minute Christmas gifts under $50

2010-12-17T10:52:00.000+10:00

'Folk Rocking Horse' art print by Tsk Tsk ~ AU$26

Porcelain stud earrings by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$28

'Friends' art print by Vanessa De Lacy ~ AU$20

'Blue Willow Pattern Teacups' by Sweet William ~ AU$20

'Daisy' Sweetie Petite doll kit by The Red Thread ~ AU$20

'Martini' teatowel by Thea & Sami ~ AU$22

'Wall.ow' ceramic wall pillow by Toni Park ~ AU$40

'Rose' art print by Herman & Ivy ~ $20

'Amara' porcelain snowflake by Kim Wallace ~ AU$15.95

'Laundry Birds' teatowel by Pippijoe ~ $22

'Nested: Crested Pigeon' art print by Renée Treml ~ AU$25

'Little Bird' starburst ceramic pot by Sharon Muir ~ AU$47

'Circulation' art print by Sound ~ AU$36

'Two Owls' art print by Nikki Catalano ~ AU$20

'Entwined' sterling silver earrings by Epheriell ~ AU$22

Ceramic milk jug by Formbar ~ AU$28

'Late Night Mist' art print by Gretchenmist ~ AU$22.50

Lavender scented bird by Edward & Lilly ~ AU$15

Christmas is only just around the corner and if you are still looking for that perfect gift, why not browse the Udessi online gallery at your own convenience? No need to stress or brave the over-crowded shopping mall, order now at Udessi and receive your handmade, unique gifts right to your front door*!

*Please note: although we do our very best to get your gifts into the mail as soon as possible, delivery will depend on Australia Post and where you live. Please order in time to ensure delivery before Christmas. Order cut-off is Tuesday 21 Dec at 2pm (AEST). Orders placed after this date will not be posted until the 18th of January.

IN THE PRESS :: Australian House & Garden Christmas issue

2010-12-16T11:12:00.001+10:00

Each year Christmas manages to sneak up on me... I'm sure I am not the only one, however the hot weather and bright sunlight certainly doesn't help me prepare for what is supposed to be the cosy celebrations amongst family in Europe, surrounded by twinkling lights, hot chocolate, warm comfort food and snuggled up in front of the fireplace.

This year however I got into the Christmas spirit very early with this lovely photoshoot organised by the Australian House & Garden Magazine! They arranged a real Christmas tree for me to decorate ~ the gorgeously smelling, beautiful type, that makes your fingers go all sticky from the wax after you're finished! It was such a joy to fill this amazing tree with my handmade ceramic bauble and snowflake ornaments, and I am so very honoured to be featured in their Christmas issue!

On that note, my last kiln load has finally successfully fired after a few hickups, and more vintage lace ornaments, bowls & dishes are now available online at Udessi! Click here to view them all.

::

NEW :: ceramic Christmas ornaments

2010-11-24T18:35:00.002+10:00

Despite my best intentions to be well-prepared this Christmas, it has still managed to sneak up on me! But I am very happy to say that my ceramic Christmas ornaments are now available online!

As with all my work, these ornaments are made by pressing a vintage lace doily into the clay whilst wet, leaving the detailed pattern behind. Choose from coloured stoneware or white porcelain snowflakes & baubles!

:: Click here to view all ceramic ornaments ::

::

EVENTS :: Christmas Design Pop-Up Markets

2010-11-24T12:06:00.002+10:00

I'm very excited to be part of this Christmas pop-up market hosted by the lovely Ellie from Red Seed Studio!

For this market I will be having a HUGE STUDIO SALE!! I'll be bringing along a selection of my ceramics, as well as studio samples & seconds ~ pieces that have minor flaws, were trials or samples, or are a different design from my current range. I'll also have a selection of Christmas ornaments ~ some great bargains to be snapped up for Christmas!

I'll be there alongside these lovely people ~ Edward & Lilly, Lotus Flower Designs, Renee Treml, Giddy Girl Designs, Nook Shop, Peppermint Mag and Red Seed Studio.

We hope to see you there!

Design Studio Christmas Pop-up Market

Saturday 11th December, 12noon ~ 6pm.

24 Vanda St, Woolloongabba

Finders Keepers Brisbane Design Markets wrap up

2010-11-24T11:30:00.001+10:00

Wow ~ where did the time go? I do apologise for the lack of posting on this blog ~ there's lots happening behind the scenes though I can assure you!

I have been meaning to post about the lovely weekend we had at the Brisbane Finders Keepers Design Markets ~ we love these markets so so much and the November markets certainly didn't disappoint!

HUGE THANK YOU ~ to Sarah, Brooke and the team at Finders Keepers for pulling together this amazing event once again that has so many Brisbanites flock to the Old Museum each time. To Alischa from Bespoke Press for co-ordinating the markets and making those STUNNING clusters of tissue pom poms ~ you rock! To all the lovely customers that visited and made our weekend truly special, it is lovely to get away from our studios and meet you face-to-face and receive all your wonderful feedback and comments! To the other stall holders that made my Christmas shopping so easy and are all such a talented bunch. To Mark Lobo for taking such amazing shots of the markets and atmosphere of the weekend. And of course to the lovely Renée and Holly for helping with the Udessi stall ~ I can not be more grateful for being able to spend the weekend with two of my best friends!

For more photos of the weekend, or more information on the Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne markets, please visit the Finders Keepers website.

::

EVENTS :: GoMA Christmas Twilight Markets

2010-11-10T18:21:00.000+10:00

It's all systems go here in the studio at the moment with little time to share our wonderful and amazing time at the Finders Keepers markets last weekend! Some photos and thank-you's to come soon, for now I am just popping in briefly to let you know about the Christmas Twilight Markets that will be on THIS FRIDAY at the Brisbane GoMA.

Having visited these lovely markets the last few times, I have been a fan since the start and am delighted ~ and honoured ~ to this year have a stall at the gallery store markets. I will have a selection of my ceramics and Christmas ornaments alongside 20 amazing designers, I can't wait!

There will be a cash bar and some great opportunities to get your Christmas shopping done in style ~ hope to see you there!

Gallery Store Twilight Christmas Design Market

12 November 2010, 4 ~ 8pm

The Gallery of Modern Art (just outside the gallery store)

Stanley Street, South Brisbane

NEW :: 'Nested' scratchboard illustrations by Renée Treml

2010-11-04T12:31:00.000+10:00

We have been waiting in anticipation for this gorgeous new series of scratchboard illustrations by Renée Treml ~ having seen a few sneak peeks over the last few weeks, I knew these were going to be gorgeous!

The 'Nested' series features relocated birds and their nests on teapots accompanied by an Australian native plant, and includes the Boobook, Crested Pigeon, Bowerbird, Fairy Wren, Grass Owl and Frogmouth.

“Many years ago I lived next to a large expansive forest that provided a home to many owls. My husband and I frequently heard the owls calling at night and sometimes we came upon them during our walks in the woods. When the owner decided to clear cut the forest, I could not help but wonder where all the owls would go. Certainly, no one was building a new forest where they could relocate.

This series is my whimsical answer to the serious question of where will our birds nest when there are no more trees?"

Renée's new 'Nested' series of scratchboard illustrations are now available as limited edition prints in small (AU$25 ea) or medium size (AU$40 ea) and can also be framed on request.

:: Click here to view the complete 'Nested' series by Renée Treml ::
:: Click here to view all pieces by Renée Treml ::

::

EVENTS :: Brisbane Finders Keepers Spring/Summer!

2010-11-02T09:51:00.002+10:00

With only a few days to go the studio is buzzing with excitement and preparations for the Spring/Summer Brisbane Finders Keepers Markets!

The markets will be bigger and better than ever, now showcasing over 65 stalls of handmade art, craft, design & fashion. We're hoping for gorgeous weather so you can enjoy the fantastic line-up of live music and outdoor bar & café. Best of all entry is FREE!

So if you're in Brisbane this weekend, please do come along and visit our Udessi feature stall ~ we'll be bringing along a fantastic selection of our artist's work from around the country. Hope to see you there!

Brisbane Finders Keepers Art & Design Markets
Saturday 6th November 10am ~ 5pm
Sunday 7th November 10am ~ 5pm

The markets will be held at:
The Old Museum
Cnr Bowen Bridge Road & Gregory Terrace, Herston

Public transport:
Bowen Hills and Brunswick Street railway stations are less than a 10 minute walk from The Old Museum, and buses access the surrounding streets regularly. For further information on public transport, phone the Transinfo line on 13 12 30, or visit www.transinfo.qld.gov.au

Parking:
There is no Parking available onsite however the RNA showgrounds is offering Finders Keepers patrons all day parking in their carpark for a flat rate of $10. Parking lot will be open from 8:30am ~ 6:30pm daily.

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NEW :: Porcelain bud vases

2010-10-20T09:35:00.003+10:00

Although my aim was to have the first pieces finished before the Home Beautiful feature came out, clay can sometimes have a mind of it's own. After trialling different types of porcelain for these delicate yet strong bud vases, the gorgeous white Southern Ice porcelain was a clear winner with a gorgeous translucency once fired. I love how the light just highlights the pattern of the lace, giving it another dimension depending on where you place the piece.

Each bud vase is hand made my me, by pressing a vintage lace doily into the clay whilst wet, leaving the detailed pattern of the lace behind. The vase is then hand-built and finished with a clear gloss glaze on the inside (unglazed on the outside).

Gorgeous to display single flower stems such as tulips or little cuttings from your garden. The first few have been snapped up in no time at all ~ a huge thank you to everyone for their amazing support! I am in the process of making more, so please check back early December, or alternatively you can pre-order yours by emailing me at kim@udessi.com.au.

:: Click here to view the porcelain bud vases online ::

::

NEW :: Original oil on canvas paintings by Hana Rajkovic

2010-10-19T08:35:00.000+10:00

Bring a little touch of Europe to your living room! Beautiful new pieces by Brisbane-based artist Hana Rajkovic. Starting at only AU$120 for an original, hand-painted piece.

“Old towns and cityscapes are scenes I like to paint a lot. Through years I have developed my own recognisable style. As I move or travel, I react to landscapes and surroundings, memorise it and then make an artwork based on my memory and reflections. These are typical scenes from the medieval towns of the Adriatic coast, where I have spent a huge part of my life. I always return to those memories and pull inspiration for my paintings over and over again."

:: Click here to view all artworks by Hana Rajkovic ::

NEW :: Heather Keiko felt jewellery in ivory

2010-10-19T07:20:00.005+10:00

In addition to Heather Keiko's stunning new 2010 collection of felt jewellery, the 'Link' and 'Loop' necklaces are now also available in a gorgeous ivory coloured 100% wool felt. Divine!

:: Click here to view all felt jewellery by Heather Keiko ::

::

BACK IN STOCK :: Formbar ceramics

2010-10-19T07:15:00.000+10:00

Proving popular from the moment we first added them to our online collection, these stunning ceramic mugs and milk jugs by Julia Franz are now once again available online!

:: Click here to view all Formbar ceramics ::

::

IN THE PRESS :: Home Beautiful Australian Style

2010-10-14T10:12:00.001+10:00

What an exciting week it has been with a huge 3-page feature coming out in the November issue of Home Beautiful! I'm so very flattered to have my work in this gorgeous magazine, and to be able to express my passion for handmade is so wonderful. Big thanks to the lovely editors and photographer from Home Beautiful who have been so supportive, and to everyone that has come along for a visit ~ welcome!

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NEW ARTIST :: Beth-Emily illustrations

2010-10-05T07:24:00.001+10:00

We feel very lucky here at Udessi representing so many talented Australian artists, and the excitement never gets any less upon discovering yet another amazing artist. These striking illustrations by Tasmanian artist Beth-Emily immediately caught our eye and we are so delighted to add Beth's work to our collection of Australian art prints!

Beth takes delight in the study of nature. Her approach to figurative illustration combines the fantastical world of her imagination with the representations of real-world flora and fauna. "My work draws inspiration from the world of natural aesthetics and the beautiful, yet subtle, human emotions, such as sadness, longing and love."

:: Click here to view all illustration art prints by Beth-Emily ::

::

NEW :: 'Happiest Birds' art prints by Renée Treml

2010-10-04T20:21:00.000+10:00

These gorgeous art pieces in the 'Happiest Birds' series by Renée Treml are now also available as limited edition prints on paper.

For the original mixed media painting Renée created a collaged background using pages from retired books and handmade papers, then painted directly on top of the collage allowing some of the background to show through.  “I wanted to create pieces that were uplifting and made me smile. The series of the Happiest Birds are the result!”

:: Click here to view the 'Happiest Birds series by Renée Treml ::

::

EVENTS :: Reminder ~ Melbourne Finders Keepers this weekend!

2010-10-04T19:57:00.001+10:00

Don't forget! The first ever Finders Keepers Melbourne markets are on this weekend!

The market brings together new emerging and contemporary independent artists and designers of original and high creative standards.

The markets are FREE entry for all and feature live music, with a cafe and bar open all day.

Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October 2010

Shed4, Docklands ~ Melbourne

::

NEW ARTIST :: Sharon Muir ceramics

2010-09-23T08:45:00.001+10:00

'Pattern Wings' ceramic birds ~ AU$47ea and ceramic trinket box ~ starting at AU$99. Handmade by Sharon Muir.

We've had our eye on Brisbane ceramic artist Sharon Muir's gorgeous pieces for a little while now, and we're very excited to now offer a range of her work on Udessi!

Sharon Muir is a ceramic artist that has exhibited her ceramic sculpture both nationally and internationally. She studied ceramics at RMIT and graduated with a Masters Degree in Fine Art.

Recently she has been creating a range of homewares that exploit her skills in modelling and mould making. The range includes playful little animal pots perfect containers for salt crystals, bits of jewellery or any odds and ends, and a pair of trinket boxes ~ mini storage for the coffee table, bedroom or bathroom.

'Little Bunny' and 'Little Owl' ceramic pots by Sharon Muir ~ AU$44ea.

Each piece starts out as a hand sculpted original that is then carefully cast in plaster to make a mould. When the mould is dry, liquid clay / slip is used to create a perfect copy of the original sculpture. When it has hardened enough to handle it is removed from the mould, cleaned, allowed to dry then fired for the first time. After the first firing the piece cleaned again and decorated. Glaze is applied to the surface and it is fired a second and final time.

'Little Birds' ceramic pots by Sharon Muir ~ Plain AU$44ea ~ Starburst wings AU$47ea

Sharon's Trinket Boxes and Little Bird with Starburst Wings pots were recently nominated for the Home Beautiful Product of the Year Awards 2010 ~ congratulations Sharon! Winners will be announced in the November issue.

:: Click here to view all ceramic pieces by Sharon Muir ::

::

EVENTS :: The Finders Keepers ~ Brisbane and Sydney applications open

2010-09-21T08:30:00.000+10:00

Tonnes of excitement is building in three of our major cities with the ever popular Finders Keepers art & design markets coming to Melbourne, Brisbane AND Sydney ~ bringing you lots of handmade goodies and gorgeous, unique Christmas gift shopping opportunities.

Applications are now open for the Brisbane and Sydney markets. If you're an emerging artist or designer based in Brisbane or Sydney, this is a fabulous opportunity to show your work to the public, receive instant feedback, be exposed to possible wholesale and media opportunities and be part of this exciting event. Brisbane applications close THIS WEEK (24 Sept)! Sydney applications open until 22 October. Click here for more details.

If you're up for a fantastic weekend of music, handmade shopping and food & drinks, mark the following dates in your calendar;

MELBOURNE MARKETS
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 October
Shed4, Docklands

BRISBANE MARKETS
Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 November 2010
The Old Museum, Herston

SYDNEY MARKETS
Friday 3 and Saturday 4 December
CarriageWorks, Eveleigh

::

NEW :: Hand-printed lampshades by Pippijoe

2010-09-16T11:16:00.002+10:00

Three gorgeous new lampshade designs by Pippijoe are now available! Click here to view them all.

Photo by Caitlin Klooger ~ Pippijoe

And a big thank you to the Herald Sun 'Home' magazine for featuring Pippijoe's black 'Waterhen' lampshade a few weeks ago!

::

A lucky winner...

2010-09-16T09:14:00.001+10:00

I have been one lucky winner of not one but TWO giveaways in recent months, and have some very belated thank-you's to post... Both came as a complete surprise as I am not usually so lucky with winning things!

My gorgeous friend Ellie from Red Seed Studio is printing and sewing up a storm at the moment, in a new studio space with her new fashion collection about to be released... These gorgeous teatowels are part of the Red Seed Studio homewares range, and I am now the proud owner of these beauties! Ellie screen prints all her designs by hand, using organic and sustainable textiles {hemp, cotton, linen}. I'm keeping a close eye on her blog as she'll be showing of her new fashion range soon!

Images by Megan Morton via The Design Files

And a little while ago the lovely Lucy from The Design Files hosted this gorgeous giveaway for amazing stylist Megan Morton to celebrate the release of her new book HOMElove. The HOMElove prize pool included a signed copy of the book, plus a gorgeous collection of Megan’s favourite things.

It was such a treat to unpack this parcel of goodies and the book is just stunning and brimming with beautiful interior design inspiration. You can get your own copy here, and make sure to keep an eye out on The Design Files blog for more fabulous giveaways!

::

Tote bag competition winners and design!

2010-09-15T08:45:00.002+10:00

We're so very excited to announce the winning design of the Udessi tote bag competition ~ 'Sitting Pretty' in black by Nikki Catalano!

It was a very tight race with the winning design only being a few votes ahead, out of a whopping 223 votes! We're thankful that the final decision wasn't up to us, as we truly loved each and every design that was entered and it would have been quite impossible for us to make the decision... Well done to our talented artists and thank you all for submitting such gorgeous designs.

Also huge thanks to everyone for voting and your lovely comments. We used the random number generator to pick the 3 lucky winners of one of Nikki's tote bag design ~ congratulations Jessica Best, Wenee and Sarah Watson! We'll be in touch shortly via email :)

Nikki's gorgeous design will be printed onto the natural canvas tote bags in the next couple of weeks and these will be our little extra gifts for any orders placed with Udessi of AU$100 or more. We'll keep you posted when they're in!

::

NEW ARTIST :: Julia Franz ~ Formbar Creative Clay

2010-09-08T08:46:00.003+10:00

Add a little handmade goodness to your everyday living with a range of stunning mugs, cream & milk jugs, sugar bowls & more. Starting at AU$22.50 (mug) to AU$28 (milk jug), AU$32 (sugar bowl) and AU$36 (medium bowl).

Julia Franz creates stunning handmade ceramics through her business Formbar Creative Clay, based in the beautiful Yarra Valley (VIC). We simply love the handmade look and feel of her hand-thrown ceramics ~ the way they feel in your hands and how they are all not quite the same but still clearly friends... Julia uses beautiful glazes that enhance the shape of the piece and give them a subtle, translucent finish, showing off the texture and colour of the clay.

The grater jugs are the perfect no-mess solution for spices, nuts and more! Rub garlic into a paste, add olive oil, lemon and salt for a delicious dressing or marinade. Use to grate nutmeg, almonds or parmesan cheese. Or grate chocolate, add warm milk for a delicious hot chocolate! Simply rinse after use. Grater jug AU$39. Small dishes AU$12.50 each.

Julia's simply gorgeous 'Chocolate Mousse' ceramic sculptures ~ from AU$55

After trying numerous jobs including masseur, fitness instructor and teaching, Julia finally entered into the wonderful and frustrating world of clay. A student of Myers Creek Pottery, Julia's next step was to start her own ceramic business, and Formbar Creative Clay was created. "Being from Sweden I wanted a name that linked with my heritage, Formbar meaning Mouldable."

"I get a lot of ideas from everything I see around me. I have a strong bond to my home country Sweden, and that's where I get a lot of my inspiration. From dreaming about the nature, the houses, the archipelago where I grew up and the forest where I love to pick mushrooms and blueberries. A lot of inspiration comes from interior design. I love to look at people’s houses and see how other people have it. I love fabrics, especially hand printed fabrics from the Nordic countries."

"I also LOVE to cook and bake and inspiration can come from making something to use in the kitchen. I like to imagine how someone is going to use my mug or bowl. What will be served in it? Will they enjoy it as much as I do?"

:: Click here to view all ceramics by Julia Franz ::

::

COMPETITION :: Udessi tote bags ~ your chance to win!

2010-09-07T10:24:00.004+10:00

We love every single order we get here at Udessi, and to show our appreciation, customers have been receiving a Udessi printed tote bag with larger purchases. When it came time to screen-print another batch, we thought it would be much more fun to have our artists come up with a new design, and let YOU choose which one you would like to see printed!

So, for the last few weeks, six of our artists have been busy creating the gorgeous designs below in a choice of 2 colours (shown in random order). We are thrilled with what they have come up with and cannot wait to see which will be the final favourite!

Vote now to win!
Please tell us which of the below is your favourite design and colour combination by voting through our poll. It will only take a minute, and you will automatically go into our draw to win one of three FREE hand-printed tote bags with the winning design (valued at AU$15 ea) !

The most popular design will be printed onto natural calico bags, and given away as a special gift with each order over AU$100 or more.

Entries close 14 September 2010 at 2pm EST. Entries are open to Australian and international voters. Winners will be notified via email.

Choose your favourite:

Untitled by Carmel Killin from Feed the Dog ~ dusk blue

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

Untitled by Carmel Killin from Feed the Dog ~ slate grey

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'An Island Town' by Hana Rajkovic ~ black

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'An Island Town' by Hana Rajkovic ~ amber

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'Love is in the Air' by Herman & Ivy ~ black

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'Love is in the Air' by Herman & Ivy ~ tan

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'Craftree' by Sweet William ~ red

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'Craftree' by Sweet William ~ teal

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'Sitting Pretty' by Nikki Catalano ~ black

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

'Sitting Pretty' by Nikki Catalano ~ dusty pink

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

Untitled artwork by Gretchenmist ~ sea green

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

Untitled artwork by Gretchenmist ~ olive

::::::::: Click to vote :::::::::

EVENTS :: Brisbane ABCD Meetup ~ Spring 2010

2010-09-02T11:08:00.002+10:00

I'm pleased to announce the date for the Spring 2010 Brisbane ABCD meetup: Thursday September 23rd 2010 from 7–9pm.

We'll be returning to Bar Alto at the Powerhouse in New Farm which has great parking, easy access to the bar, bar food, coffee and tea that you can order throughout the evening.

Sadly, this will be our first meetup without Steph from Bondville ~ having moved to Sydney with her family we’ll miss her company here in Brissy! However rumour has it that a Sydney ABCD Meetup may be in the works so stay tuned :)

Details:
Spring 2010 Brisbane ABCD Meet-up
7pm - 9pm, Thursday September 23, 2010
Bar Alto
Powerhouse, New Farm, Brisbane

Don't forget to bring along something for the much-in-demand ABCD Goodie Bag. It's entirely optional, but if you like, you can bring along something to remember you by to pop in to approx. 30-40 bags which we will distribute at the event. And as added incentive, participants will be able to vote for their favourite goodie bag item after the event, and the winner will receive one FREE month of advertising on Bondville ~ with the 2 runner-ups receiving a special little gift from Udessi!

::::::::::: IMPORTANT :::::::::::
To streamline our mailing lists for both the Brisbane and Sydney ABCD meetups, we will discontinue sending manual email invitations. If you would like to stay up-to-date with upcoming meetups, please re-subscribe through one of the following;

A. Join our new Facebook page
We will post any upcoming meetups here and you will be able to RSVP via Facebook. Photos of the night will also be uploaded here.

B. Join our new mailing list.
For those of you that aren’t on Facebook we have created a new mailing list. Here you can choose if you would like to receive news about the Brisbane or Sydney meetups.

Due to the great response we’ve had since the last meeting and limited venue capacity, please ensure to RSVP either through Facebook or by emailing us at BrisbaneABCD@gmail.com.

I look forward to seeing you there!

::

Sneak Peek...

2010-08-30T12:25:00.000+10:00

A little sneak peek of some of the gorgeous things to come to Udessi in the next few weeks...

::

CALL FOR DESIGNERS :: The Arcade Project

2010-08-27T08:33:00.001+10:00

The organisers from the Finders Keepers art & design markets are teaming up with Gaffa Gallery in Sydney, creating an exciting and fantastic opportunity for young designers. From September to December this year they will be hosting pop up retail spaces for emerging designers to take them to the next level from market stalls, and give them a retail experience in their own space.

"Whilst we are hosting this we will also be running some great workshops and talks that will benefit designers in building their brands. One of the speakers we have confirmed is Kate Vandermeer from iSpyStyle. Kate runs successful design business workshops already in Melbourne and will be launching her first Sydney workshop with us."

Wow ~ what an amazing opportunity this is! For more information head over to the Finders Keepers website for more info and to apply. We have a feeling spots won't last long though ~ so hurry!

::

NEW :: Vintage lace ceramic gift sets

2010-08-26T12:20:00.003+10:00

Set of 3 ceramic lace dishes ~ AU$79.00

Medium round bowls and sets of 3 ceramic dishes are now available in the 'Vintage Lace' series! Packaged in a gorgeous gift box with cotton lace ribbon, the set of 3 dishes is great value and would make a gorgeous gift for a loved one ~ or yourself!

Each dish is hand made by pressing a vintage lace doily into the clay whilst wet, leaving the detailed pattern of the lace behind. Available in a range of colours and patterns.

:: Click here to view all vintage lace ceramics ::

::

NEW :: Mixed media collages and art prints by Sound Revolution

2010-08-26T11:23:00.002+10:00

Stunning new original mixed media collages and limited edition art prints by Melbourne artist Shuxin Liang. Available now at Udessi ~ click here to view them all!

::

STUDIO PEEK :: Vintage lace bud vases

2010-08-25T07:57:00.005+10:00

These little bud vases have been on my mind and in various states of trial for a little while now... The delicate look and feel of the lace doily pattern combined with the crisp white porcelain just yearns to be complemented by gorgeous floral elements, wouldn't you agree?

::

Udessi in the press!

2010-08-20T08:39:00.001+10:00

Udessi has received some lovely press mentions lately, and we're so very flattered and excited by each of them!

A HUGE thank you to:

Design*Sponge for featuring Toni Park's ceramic wall clouds
Print & Pattern for showing Pippijoe's hand-printed textiles
Bloesem for mentioning Thea & Sami's 'Loads of Fishes' linen teatowel
Home Beautiful Magazine for the lovely little feature and write-up on Udessi in their July issue
Home Ideas Magazine for featuring Thea & Sami's 'Loads of Fishes' linen teatowel
Peekaboo Magazine for including Edward & Lilly's handmade softies in their June issue

STUDIO PEEK :: Vintage lace snowflakes & baubles

2010-08-16T09:05:00.005+10:00

As prepared as I tried to be for this year's Christmas season, I am only just getting a 'proper' start on my vintage lace snowflakes and baubles... Although my production is only small scale, I always enjoy seeing little stacks form, ready to be glazed & fired.

NEW :: Hand-printed homewares & fabrics by Pippijoe

2010-08-05T10:44:00.000+10:00

We have a gorgeous new selection of hand-printed fabrics & homewares available by Melbourne designer Caitlin Klooger from Pippijoe. If you're after a little handmade luxury for your home, you can choose from Pippijoe's beautiful cushion covers, lampshades and teatowels. Tote bags are also available!

:: Click here to view all Pippijoe's homewares ::

For those that are handy with needle & thread themselves, visit the 'designer fabrics' section for pre-cut fabric panels, patterns and kits. Pippijoe's new 100% organic cotton fabrics are available along with the cotton/hemp and 100% hemp favourites.

:: Click here to view all Pippijoe's fabrics ::

NEW :: Vintage lace porcelain jewellery

2010-07-29T11:11:00.001+10:00

With so many wonderful things happening at Udessi I have been a little slow in updating my own work... But I'm glad to say that my new vintage lace pendants are now available!

I have included a new lace pattern and called it 'Neve' ~ meaning 'radiance' or 'brightness' ~ available as a medium size round porcelain pendant on a long 22" brass chain. The smaller pendants with 'Lune' pattern are on a slightly shorter 17.5" chain.

Also new are the large round pendants on sterling silver chain ~ choose from 'Rosa', 'Flora' or the ever-popular 'Elodie' pattern.

Vintage lace brooches are now also available! Created from exquisite Southern Ice porcelain, available in a range of 3 different patterns ~ 'Neve', 'Elodie' or "Rosa'.

:: Click here to view all vintage lace jewellery ::

NEW ARTIST :: Brushweaver 'Painted Princess' canvas series

2010-07-22T10:49:00.000+10:00

These beautiful giclée prints on canvas are from original artworks by Carolyn Ballantine and Lea Davis. Part of the Painted Princess series, they're inspired by Carolyn and Lea's sense of fun in all things quirky! Collectively, Carolyn and Lea have more than 45 years painting experience between them.

Printed on Federix artist quality canvas and stretched over a timber frame, each piece is finished by hand with tiny diamontes and gorgeous ribbon ~ ready to hang.

There are 6 adorable artworks to choose from ~ Princess Butterfly, Princess Fairy, Princess Sweetheart, Princess Cupcake, Princess Party and Princess Pirouette ~ and for just AU$39 each there is bound to be one that's perfect for your little princess!

:: Click here to view all pieces in the Painted Princess series! ::

NEW :: Art prints by Nikki Catalano

2010-07-22T10:16:00.000+10:00

When Nikki sent us her gorgeous 'Two Owls' prints we knew they were going to be popular! Quickly selling out at the recent Finders Keepers event, they're now also available online together with 2 other beautiful works ~ 'Sitting Pretty' and 'Love Birds'.

:: Click here to view them all! ::

NEW :: 'Night Reflection' original oil on canvas by Hana Rajkovic

2010-07-20T08:45:00.000+10:00

Original artwork by artist Hana Rajkovic, made in a traditional technique of oil painting on canvas.

“I love reflections on the water and I often paint or photograph it, it has a magical appeal to me. What attracts me the most to painting it, is the use of oil colors as water colors to create effect that describes the image we see on the water surface. Also it’s a night scene ~ two houses leaning one onto another, in the company of two night lights that bath them with light under a starry sky, makes it a super-romantic painting."

:: Click here to view ::

Hana was the winner of the 2010 Linden Postcard Show with her work 'It's Like Peanut Butter'.

Feeling chilly?

2010-07-20T08:36:00.001+10:00

Warm up with this stunning wool throw rug and matching cushion covers... Made from 100% Australian wool and hand dyed by the textile artist Tamara Russell, then machine embroidered with silk leaves and flowing branches pattern on each end of the throw.

Now 20% off!
Click here to view.

NEW ARTIST :: Epheriell Jewellery

2010-07-15T10:04:00.000+10:00

We're so delighted to now showcase a stunning range of handmade, 100% recycled sterling silver jewellery by Brisbane-based artist Jessica Van Den. Under her label Epheriell, Jess creates a range of sleek & stylish necklaces and earrings ~ perfect to wear to work or a fancy night out.

"My style is very minimalist and modern. I enjoy creating jewellery that will remain stylish for a lifetime ~ pieces that the wearer will find themselves coming back to again and again. Most of my work is meant to be 'everyday' wear ~ I have so many customers that tell me that their pair of Urban Eco Earrings have become the ones they wear every day!"

The majority of the sterling Jess uses is 100% recycled, sourced from an Australian company. "I love knowing that the material I'm using is eco-friendly, and helping to use silver from reclaimed sources."

Jess' gorgeous hand-forged earrings start from only AU$18.00, necklaces from AU$38.00.

:: Click here to view all jewellery pieces by Epheriell::
:: Click here to read more about Jess Van Den ::

NEW :: Art prints by Gretchenmist

2010-07-15T08:39:00.000+10:00

We've always loved the colourful, dreamy illustrations by Melbourne-based Belinda Kemp from Gretchenmist ~ and we are now delighted to offer you 6 gorgeous new fine art prints at the Udessi online gallery in addition to her existing pieces. We particularly like Belinda's new series featuring tents, which is "a celebration of the camping holidays we had when I was a child, and the romance of the night sky!"

Click here to view all six new fine art prints by Gretchenmist online!

EVENTS :: The Finders Keepers coming to Melbourne!

2010-07-14T11:01:00.000+10:00

Some very exciting news from the wonderful organisers at The Finders Keepers with their announcement of the first Melbourne markets to be held this October! It promises to be an amazing event and we cannot wait to see how it all develops!

"The Melbourne markets will be our BIGGEST event yet, with room for over 150 stalls spanning over a massive warehouse space, with bands, cafe & bar and hopefully some amazing collective and collaborations coming on board.

The details for our Spring Market event are Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th October 2010 and will be held at Shed4 at Docklands a quick tram ride away from the City. We plan to run the markets bi-annually with new dates for 2011 to be released at a later stage."

Applications open THIS FRIDAY 16th July! More details will be posted on Friday morning on the Finders Keepers website.

EVENTS :: Bowerbird Bazaar Adelaide ~ applications open!

2010-07-14T10:45:00.004+10:00

Time's flying and it is already time to start gearing up for the busy Christmas season, with wonderful design markets around the country providing unique handmade shopping experiences and fantastic opportunities to artists and designers to showcase their work.

Applications are now open for Bowerbird Bazaar, Adelaide's Design Market held 8 ~ 10 October.

"Bowerbird Bazaar provides a dynamic and upmarket environment where local and interstate designers, artists and craftspeople are proud to showcase and promote their work. There is an emphasis on attracting the public and appropriate retailers, businesses and media from SA and interstate to create ongoing relationships, wholesaling opportunities and sales. Bowerbird Bazaar also offers a relaxed environment with cool tunes, great coffee, boutique wine and gourmet delights."

Photo by Denis Smith

2010-07-08T15:54:00.000+10:00

Although a little quiet on this blog lately, it's been busy behind the scenes and I am currently working on some exciting new products & colours in my vintage lace ceramics range.

To make room for these new pieces I will be having a sale at the Bris-Style Indie Eco Markets this Saturday! I’m offering 30% or more off a range of my bowls dishes and jewellery. Some of the items on sale use patterns or colours I won’t be creating anymore, so they’ll be the last ones available!

There will be lots of other gorgeous stallholders so we hope to see you this weekend!

Saturday 10th July

9am ~ 2pm

St Augustine's Church, Racecourse Rd Hamilton

Thank you Finders Keepers Brisbane!

2010-07-05T19:29:00.000+10:00

What an amazing weekend we had! The Finders Keepers art and design markets here in Brisbane came with lots of gorgeous sunshine, beautiful stalls, lovely visitors and a heap of fun! We feel so very lucky to be able to be a part of this wonderful event.

A huge thank you to everyone that said hello, our lovely customers that went home with a little something special from our stall ~ you made our day! To Renée, Holly, Rob, Eric and my lovely hubby for helping with the Udessi stall ~ I'd be truly lost without you all! And to the amazing organisers ~ Sarah, Brooke and Alischa ~ you girls rock and we just loved every minute of it! You do such an amazing job of putting together an unforgettable weekend and your support and passion for handmade is incredible.

The above photos are a quick snapshot of the busy weekend, all (except bottom-left) taken by talented photographer Mark Lobo ~ thanks Mark!

For more photos of the Udessi stall, visit the Udessi Facebook page or click here to view all photos from Finders Keepers.

See you at the markets this weekend!

2010-06-23T11:54:00.001+10:00

Our excitement is bubbling over with The Finders Keepers art & design markets in Brisbane now only days away! If you are in the area, why not plan a gorgeous day out and visit this amazing event?

On show is a stellar line-up of independent Australian designers in art, design, fashion, homewares, textiles, jewellery, object design, stationery and more! To get a sneak peek of the designers that will be attending the markets, you can view their profiles here. You can also download a sitemap of all stallholders from the Finders Keepers website to print and take with you on the day.

There's also live music all weekend and an outdoor café!

We'll be there with bells on, showcasing a stunning range of work from a selection of our artists. Above is just a tiny sneak peek of work that will be available. Visit our stall in Studio #3 for many new pieces and special discounts ONLY available at the markets. We'll also be giving away a FREE Udessi tote bag with any purchases over $75 (whilst stocks last). We hope to see you there!

FREE ENTRY

Saturday 26th June and Sunday 27th June: 11am ~ 6pm
The Old Museum ~ Cnr Bowen Bridge Road and Gregory Terrace, Fortitude Valley

All day Parking available at RNA showgrounds for $10

For more information visit the Finders Keepers website

NEW ARTIST :: Ceramic artist Toni Park

2010-06-15T09:13:00.002+10:00

We're thrilled to offer a stunning range of ceramic art objects and wall pillows by Brisbane-based ceramic artist Toni Park. Toni creates tactile, textured work that seek an aesthetic sympathy, using colour and texture to communicate stories, feelings and thoughts.

Working mostly with porcelain in various forms, Toni uses the clay as a canvas. "The bright white smooth surface suits me well ~ my work leaps off the simple canvas through the use of carvings, colours and textures."

We just love Toni's wall pillows and clouds, their organic and free-form shapes cast beautiful shadows when hung, adding a new dimension to wall art.

:: Click here to view all Toni's pieces ::
:: Click here to read more about Toni Park ::

NEW ARTIST :: Sweet William illustration art prints

2010-06-10T08:10:00.035+10:00

These gorgeous illustrations are by Melbourne-based artist & illustrator Paula Mills from Sweet William ~ a creative collaboration between Paula and her sister who lives in New Zealand.

Paula's art is inspired by fine line black pens, tea, laughter, motherhood, markets, magazines, blogs, film, music, art, design, nature, colour, pattern and more. Sweet William's whimsical illustrations always start with a fine line pen or pencil, to which collage, paint and texture is added.

A beautiful collection of art prints for young & old is now available at Udessi. Click here to view them all!

EVENTS :: Udessi Feature Stall at The Finders Keepers Brisbane!

2010-06-10T08:05:00.002+10:00

We're so thrilled to announce that Udessi will be a part of the next Finders Keepers art and design markets in Brisbane!

The markets feature a fantastic range of independent art, design, fashion, jewellery and accessories, as well as live music, café and bar ~ a truly fantastic way to spend a day out!

Visit our Udessi stall for new and exclusive pieces by a range of our artists, including original art, ceramics, art prints, jewellery, accessories and more ~ a beautiful, mixed collection, with many pieces only available at our stall. Hope to see you there!

The Finders Keepers, Brisbane

Saturday 26th June and Sunday 27th June 11am ~ 6pm

The Old Museum ~ Cnr Bowen Bridge Road and Gregory Terrace, Herston

EVENTS :: Winterland at CarriageWorks ~ Call for Stallholders

2010-06-10T08:00:00.003+10:00

"This July, experience all the magic of a glittering European winter in the heart of Sydney’s inner west. Come to CarriageWorks for our first ever Winterland festival!

Our beautiful foyer will transform for a winter festival boasting an dazzling indoor ice rink, live music and hot new bands, a design, arts and craft market, fabulous food stalls serving alpine cuisine, dancing, karaoke and activities for everyone to get involved in."

5~31 July 2010, CarriageWorks, Sydney

As part of the Festival, the team at The Finders Keepers is curating the winter market, featuring stalls from over 20 local independent artists and designers. Applications have been extended for one more week, and they are broadening their normal Design & Art scope to also include categories such as: Vintage, Food & Food Products, Books, Music, Plants etc from both new and established businesses. For more info on becoming a stallholder visit the Finders Keepers website.

NEW :: Heather Keiko Jewellery ~ 2010 Collection

2010-06-02T14:32:00.005+10:00

When Heather McDonald from HeatherKeiko sent through her 2010 Collection, we were blown away! Graphic and bold, Heather's 100% wool felt necklaces are wearable works of art. The individual felt shapes are simple and elegant, threaded or sewn together by hand to create sculptural neck pieces with true impact.

We're proud to offer a selection of six of her new pieces in the Udessi online gallery store.

:: View all jewellery by HeatherKeiko ::
:: About HeatherKeiko ::

NEW :: Art prints by Nikki Catalano

2010-06-02T12:55:00.007+10:00

We have added 5 gorgeous new art prints to the online gallery store by Sydney artist & illustrator Nikki Catalano. Featuring a selection of favourites for both young & old, Nikki's prints are created from her beautiful original illustrations and collages.

All Nikki's prints are now sold without mattboard for AU$20.00 each.

:: View all art prints by Nikki Catalano ::
:: About Nikki Catalano ::

EVENTS :: Saviours of the Lost Arts

2010-05-21T09:00:00.007+10:00

Saviours of the Lost Arts is an initiative of Brisbane City Council which will provide lovers of craft, senior residents, young and emerging craft workers and professional artisans the opportunity to showcase and share their arts and crafts.

We're very excited to be involved with this great initiative from Brisbane City Council! The 2 week program includes a great range of workshop, events and talks. Best of all ~ it is all FREE!

Come along to the opening this Monday at the Bleeding Heart Gallery (RSVP today!!) and stay for a couple of great panel discussions ~ especially interesting to anyone who is interested in craft as a small business. I'm very excited to be a part of the Virtual Reality: Craft and the Internet panel discussion!

There's also some fantastic workshops being organised, including Discovery Demonstrations and Make and Take workshops. The lovely Ellie and Sam from Red Seed Studio will be showing off their skills and they'll be teaching how to stencil print onto a linen tea towel or hemp tote bag, using your own hand cut stencils (or theirs). There are many more workshops and demonstrations ~ visit the Bleeding Heart Gallery website for more info and how to register.

The Lost Arts Craft Fair will "host an eclectic range of crafts makers to demonstrate skills and sell beautiful things. Craft guilds and organisations will also be in attendance to attract new students and members."

The market will be held on Tuesday 1st of June from 10am ~ 6pm and Udessi will be there with a range of work by our Australian artists ~ we hope to see you there!

EVENTS :: Finders Keepers Sydney ~ this weekend!

2010-05-07T10:46:00.006+10:00

Just popping in quickly on my last few days of holiday before I get back into the full swing of things later next week...

Finders Keepers Sydney is on this weekend so make sure you go along if you're in the area and visit an amazing line-up of Australian designers and artists!

The Finders Keepers ~ Sydney

Friday 7th May from 6pm – 10pm

Saturday 8th May from 10am – 6pm

CarriageWorks ~ 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh NSW 2015

EVENTS :: BrisStyle Twilight Markets ~ this Friday night in Brisbane!

2010-04-29T10:03:00.006+10:00

Just popping in quickly to make sure you won't miss out on the wonderful BrisStyle Indie Twilight Markets tomorrow night! I recently joined the lovely team of BrisStylers with my own work and love being a part of this wonderful craft community.

BrisStyle is a cooperative group of talented Australian artists, crafters and artisans who call the Brisbane area home. BrisStyle formed in March 2008 through a shared love of creating beautiful things, which members sell on Etsy. Since then the group has significantly swelled in numbers, and is a happy family for those who understand that little shiver of excitement that comes from producing handmade goods.

The Twilight Market is a new event amongst the many organised by the BrisStyle team. Other upcoming markets this year include the popular BrisStyle Indie Designers Market at Hamilton, the Indie Mother & Child Markets and the Indie Eco Market.

:: To view details of all upcoming events visit the BrisStyle website ::

For now I am looking forward to spending a night under the stars browsing the many beautiful stalls that will be there.

The Twilight Markets will be on this Friday night at King George Square, Brisbane CBD from 5–9pm.

On days like these...

2010-04-28T21:21:00.004+10:00

...life is just about perfect. Bliss!

A little quiet...

2010-04-15T10:20:00.003+10:00

Just popping in to let you know that things might get a bit quiet on this blog for a little while...

Lots of changes will be happening at Udessi over the next few weeks, slowly and some only quietly. But certainly all very exciting... We have some STUNNING new work to share with you, new artists and a bit of a refresh for Udessi. Above is just a small sneak peek of what's to come... The gorgeous Provincial natural flax linen from Thea & Sami will be making an appearance or two as well ~ I just adore the texture and colour of this beautiful fabric.

But before all this excitement we'll be taking a little break. My gorgeous parents are visiting from overseas and we're looking forward to spending lots of time with them. We have also planned a trip to lovely Melbourne and the stunning Great Ocean Road ~ I cannot wait!

Due to our little break, orders placed after 12pm on Friday April 16th will not be posted until we return on the 28th April. Thank you for your understanding.

NEW :: Handmade porcelain pendants by Stef Kutzner

2010-04-15T07:40:00.001+10:00

'Arpón' handmade porcelain pendant by Stef Kutzner ~ AU$68.00

'Inti' handmade porcelain pendant by Stef Kutzner ~ AU$68.00

'Niña' handmade porcelain pendant by Stef Kutzner ~ AU$68.00

'Quilla' handmade porcelain pendant by Stef Kutzner ~ AU$68.00

'Requin' handmade porcelain pendant by Stef Kutzner ~ AU$68.00

We're very excited to introduce the work of the latest artist joining the Udessi online gallery! These stunning porcelain pendants are the original work of Brisbane-based artist Stef Kutzner. Each piece is hand crafted by Stef from pure porcelain, then bound with natural leather cord.

A natural curiosity has always led Stef to travel and explore. Embarking on several trips crossing the Pacific and traveling through the Andean Republics of South America, a particularly rich source of inspiration for him, he found this to be an overwhelming influence in his designs. Always carrying visual journals, which soon fill with ideas, sketches, designs and drawings. Returning from one of his travels with a journal and mind full of ideas, Stef started searching for a medium to create them.
"And then I found clay. My studio was a mess after that. I experimented with this wonderful new medium often late into the night, working it into all the forms from my designs. Over time I refined my technique, I read books and visited exhibitions to learn as much as I could on this new medium. I also had considerable help and advice from master potter Michael Pugh in his Buderim rainforest studio."
Stef's latest body of work evolved from many of the ideas in his journals. His designs are simple, refined and pared back to their basic form. They are inspired by the amazing shapes and patterns of the natural world and the wonderfully diverse human cultures he encounters.

:: Click here to view all pendants by Stef Kutzner ::

New limited edition prints by Renée Treml

2010-04-15T07:24:00.000+10:00

We have some stunning new additions in the Udessi online gallery store by Brisbane-based artist Renée Treml.

Nesting series:

'Nesting 3' limited edition print by Renée Treml (detail) ~ AU$25.00

Watermark will not appear on giclée print

'Nesting 2' limited edition print by Renée Treml (detail) ~ AU$25.00

Watermark will not appear on giclée print

'Nesting 1' limited edition print by Renée Treml (detail) ~ AU$25.00

Watermark will not appear on giclée print

“The Nesting series was inspired by a nest I found lying on the side of our street. It was most likely a nest of the Noisy Miner, a very common (and very noisy) bird that lives in our neighbourhood. The nest reminded me of the little songbird nests I used to find in the US, which I re-created here from my memories.”

In the gorgeous Tea Cozy series, 3 new prints are available;

'Tea Cozy: Owlet Nightjar' limited edition print by Renée Treml ~ from AU$25.00

Watermark will not appear on giclée print

'Tea Cozy: Koala' limited edition print by Renée Treml ~ from AU$25.00

Watermark will not appear on giclée print

'Tea Cozy: Barn Owl' limited edition print by Renée Treml ~ from AU$25.00

Watermark will not appear on giclée print

“Many years ago I lived next to a large expansive forest that provided a home to many owls. My husband and I frequently heard the owls calling at night and sometimes we came upon them during our walks in the woods. When the owner decided to clear cut the forest, I could not help but wonder where all the owls would go. Certainly, no one was building a new forest where they could relocate.

I kept this idea of relocation with me for several years and eventually my lost owls found themselves nesting in teacups. I have added several animals that have become dear to me, including the little blue penguin, frogmouth, roo, frog and koala. All of these animals are finding themselves with less and less habitat each year to call home.”

The originals of all these artworks were created using a technique known as scratchboard. For this method Renée starts with a board that has been coated with a thin layer of soft white clay, which is painted with black ink. The ink is then scratched away with a fine blade, revealing the white clay beneath.

“Scratchboard allows me to create very realistic looking animals which I place in very unlikely situations (like a frogmouth nesting in a teacup). While the process might sound tedious (and sometimes it is), I find it to be an enjoyable process.”

:: Click here to view all artworks by Renée Treml ::

Brisbane Finders Keepers Autumn/Winter 2010 ~ applications open!

2010-04-06T10:39:00.005+10:00

The excitement is building with the next Finders Keepers event to be held in Brisbane not too far away! We had a fabulous time attending last year, and so did did the many visitors that were blown away by the plethora of art & design available right here in Brissy.

Applications are now open for the Autumn/Winter markets. If you're an emerging artist or designer based in Brisbane, or able to travel to Brisbane (it will be worth the trip!), this is a fabulous opportunity to show your work to the public, receive instant feedback, be exposed to possible wholesale and media opportunities and be part of this exciting event. Applications close 21st May ~ click here for more details.

The Autumn/Winter markets will be held on the 26th and 27th of June at the beautiful Old Museum in Herston, so mark the dates on your calendar!

Get ready to shop WA: Perth Upmarket this weekend!

2010-03-26T13:38:00.005+10:00

As said previously ~ there are so many great designers markets on this weekend! Perth Upmarket has recently moved to a new venue and it looks like this weekend's markets are certainly worth a visit! With over 100 retailers showcasing their wares, I wish Australia wasn't so big sometimes, more to the scale of the Netherlands where markets on the other side of the country means you just jump in the car for 2 hours max and you're there!

"Perth Upmarket is Perth’s premier quarterly market for original and handcrafted wares. The market brings together over 100 of Perth’s most talented artists, designers, craftsmen and gourmets all under one roof at the University of Western Australia’s Winthrop Hall.

Come and meet the creators and purchase high quality wares such as handcrafted clothing, jewellery, skin care products, handbags, wall and paper art, wood products, toys, cupcakes plus lots more."

Perth Upmarket
Sunday March 28, 10am–4pm
University of WA, Winthrop Hall, Perth

Canberra Handmade Market this weekend!

2010-03-26T11:57:00.005+10:00

Lots of great designer markets on this weekend, the Handmade Market in Canberra is one of them! They have a fantastic line-up of designers so it'll be well worth the visit!

"Handmade – Canberra's quarterly Upmarket brings together talented artists, designers, stylists, craftspeople and gourmets all at one destination. It is a unique event to connect the makers of beautiful things to people who appreciate the quality, handcrafted and locally designed.

Established in 2008, Handmade market has quickly established itself as Canberra's Premier Quarterly market for handcrafted wares. Due its popularity, in 2010 Handmade will move from the Yarralumla Woolshed to the beautiful Kamberra Wine Company.

The new venue offers more room for customers as well as easy access and free parking."

Handmade Market
Sunday March 28, 10am–4pm
Kamberra Wine Company, Canberra

New in the online gallery...Hand-pinched porcelain jewellery by Vanessa Wallace

2010-03-25T07:54:00.007+10:00

Handmade porcelain stud earrings by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$28.00

Handmade necklace with 6 porcelain elements / red cotton cord
by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$60.00

Handmade necklace with 6 porcelain elements / cream cotton cord
by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$60.00

Handmade necklace with 6 porcelain elements / chocolate brown cotton cord
by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$60.00

Handmade necklace with 7 porcelain elements / red cotton cord

by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$60.00

Handmade necklace with 7 porcelain elements / cream cotton cord
by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$60.00

Handmade necklace with 7 porcelain elements / chocolate brown cotton cord
by Vanessa Wallace ~ AU$60.00

I feel very lucky to have met so many talented artists since starting Udessi in 2008, through the blog community, Brisbane ABCD, Brown Owls and even my own ceramics work. Vanessa Wallace was one of the very knowledgeable & lovely staff members at Pottery Supplies here in Milton, and I got to know more about her her and her work at each of my visits to the store. So I am very excited to now be able to showcase her gorgeous hand-pinched porcelain jewellery range! And no ~ we're not related if you're wondering :)

Each element of these gorgeous necklaces is hand-shaped by Vanessa from exquisite Southern Ice porcelain, delicately patterned with rows of small dots and finished with a gloss glaze. Once fired these elements are then knotted onto the cotton cord by hand. The cord is finished with crimps to prevent fraying and can be tied to the exact length that you prefer.

"Inspiration can be found in the most mundane things... light hitting pouring water, the water gurgling into a cup, the stain of flavour as a tea bag is bobbed, the chink of the spoon against ceramic, the plume of vapour rising above the rim, and the thrill of heat hitting the top of your mouth when you take the first sip."
"I constantly desire plunging my hands into damp and cool clay, and it keeps me returning again and again to see what I can come up with next. I love white, I love porcelain, I love the imprint of fingers and unmistakeable handmade qualities. I love the hours of pinching clay and clearing the mind. My work hopefully embodies all of this so that others may enjoy the simple designs and lovingly made objects that have been swimming around in my head."

:: Click here to view all jewellery by Vanessa Wallace ::
:: Click here to read more about Vanessa Wallace ::

Adelaide must-visit: Bowerbird Bazaar

2010-03-24T18:00:00.004+10:00

For those of you that are lucky enough to be in Adelaide this weekend, you can't miss the Bowerbird Bazaar at the Queen's Theatre!

I have heard so many great things about these markets since their inception last year. The roundup for the Autumn markets looks SO spectacular, I wish I would have been able to visit... Luckily there will be another market in October!

To see who will be showcasing their work you can visit the Bowerbird Bazaar website, or for profiles & gallery visit their blog. One of our very own, Carmel from Feed the Dog, will be there with some fantastic new work ~ how amazing are these lights?

Bowerbird Bazaar
26–28 March
Queen's Theatre, Adelaide

Welcome little baby Treml

2010-03-22T16:44:00.003+10:00

Calvin Anton Treml

A huge congrats to Udessi artist Renée Treml and her husband Eric on their gorgeous baby boy Calvin Anton!

Born on March 12, he came a little early giving everyone a bit of a fright ~ but I am very glad to say that both mum and bub are doing very well and the family is now home relaxing and sharing lots of cuddles.

Cal was even up for some cuddles with me last week... Oh I am just a little bit smitten with this little man....

New in the online gallery...photographic prints by Annette Dennis

2010-03-22T12:44:00.006+10:00

'Beach Sprocket 1/11' limited edition photographic print by Annette Dennis ~ AU$23.00

'Beach Sprocket 1/24' limited edition photographic print by Annette Dennis ~ AU$23.00

'Beach Sprocket 1/16' limited edition photographic print by Annette Dennis ~ AU$23.00

'Beach Sprocket 1/15' limited edition photographic print by Annette Dennis ~ AU$23.00

'Beach Sprocket 1/14' limited edition photographic print by Annette Dennis ~ AU$23.00

'Beach Sprocket 1/12' limited edition photographic print by Annette Dennis ~ AU$23.00

These limited edition photographic prints are by Brisbane-based designer and photographer Annette Dennis. Using a range of vintage and antique cameras, Annette uses a unique 'point-and-shoot' method of capturing snippets from the world around her, resulting in images that posses real character and a feeling of nostalgia.

The prints are from original analogue photographs and have not been digitally enhanced or manipulated, simply scanned from a negative and printed to archival quality standards.

These prints are part of the Beach Sprocket series taken on Queenland's Bribie Island. The sprocket effect occurs when 35mm film is loaded into a camera designed to take 120mm film, which is larger. This means that when the picture is taken the entire film frame is exposed, including the sprocket holes.

"I like to think of my work as “anti-photography”, because it is not the documentation of reality that people commonly expect from photographs. I love working with film, using crude methods of exposure and development in order to achieve unexpected results. My images are never retouched, and they may be incorrectly exposed or poorly cropped (I rarely use the viewfinder)."

:: Click here to view all work by Annette Dennis ::
:: Click here to find out more about Annette Dennis ::

Autumn ABCD meetup photos!

2010-03-22T12:21:00.003+10:00

Kim and Steph

Eleni, Julia and Helen

Shannon, Emma and Tegan

Rebecca and Shannon

Samantha and Bel

Kim, Michelle, KT and Benitta

Jade

Julia and Eleni

And some of the goodies from our always-in-demand goodie bag:

Clockwise from top: Screen-printed Udessi shopping bag from me, Falling Leaves wallpaper sample from KT Doyle, Enticing Icing sugar art cupcake toppers from Bel, Real Wedding Ideas Australia tea bag from Steph, and Jetta's Nest greeting card from Samantha.

It was another wonderful night catching up with old friends and meeting new ones last Thursday at the Brisbane ABCD Meetup!

A more intimate group this time meant we actually got to spend time having great conversations with everyone. As always Bar Alto at the Brisbane Powerhouse was a wonderful location for a relaxing night out. A huge thanks to Steph for being my wonderful partner-in-crime, and to everyone that came along on Thursday;

KT (KT Doyle) * Bel (Enticing Icing/EmBelish) * Samantha (Jetta's Nest) * Eleni (Curlyhead Design) * Julia (A Creature Strange) * Michelle (Velvet Mango) * Emma (Hello Sunday) * Tegan (Hello Sunday) * Shannon (Shannon Garson/Strange Fragments) * Helen (Ruby 2 Go Go) * Rebecca (Rebecca Ward Jewellery/Rebecca The Wrecker) * Heather (HeatherKeiko) * Andrew (HeatherKeiko) * Bec (Beckybean/The Small Stuff) * Jade (Beckybean/Just Needs Salt) * Benitta (Benitta.com) * Steph (Bondville/Real Wedding Ideas)

All attendees are eligible to vote for their favourite goodie bag item to win 3 months free advertising on Bondville. Send your vote to ABCDmeetup at gmail dot com.

Click here for more info about Brisbane ABCD Meetup.

Images: Top ABCD image by Emma Simpson. Other images by Steph Bond

ABCD Meetup reminder ~ FREE movie passes!

2010-03-17T08:34:00.004+10:00

Just a quick reminder that tomorrow night Steph and I will be getting together with a lovely bunch of creatives at the Brisbane ABCD meetup! Don't forget to RSVP if you haven't done so already!

The goodie bags are already looking promising with these exclusive preview passes to the new film MICMACS by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie) ~ there is one double-pass for each goodie bag, kindly donated by Hopscotch Films!

Jean-Pierre Jeunet is one of cinema’s most inventive and inspired talents and the creator of Amelie, Delicatessen and A Very Long Engagement. In his new film MICMACS, a man and his friends come up with an intricate and original plan to destroy two big weapons manufacturers, and in the process find answers to such questions as: Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes? Can you get drunk from eating waffles? What's the human cannonball world record? Can a woman fit inside a refrigerator? Is it better to live with a bullet lodged in your brain, or have it removed?

New Retail Store: Shop Handmade

2010-03-16T20:48:00.003+10:00

Have you heard? The lovely organisers from Handmade Market in Canberra are about to open up a store in Canberra's CBD! Designers from around Australia are invited to apply for the opportunity to lease a position in the store. For more information visit the Handmade Market website!

Flea Market Finds...

2010-03-14T14:54:00.004+10:00

I have been having such a great time playing along with Kirsty's Creative Space on Thursday over at Kootoyoo, that I thought I'd join in with another fun play-along hosted by the lovely Sophie from Her Library Adventures. Sundays are dedicated to Flea Market Finds...

I've started experimenting with Christmas ornaments (sneak peek shown in my previous post here) ~ and I wanted to find some new lace doilies that would suit the Christmas feeling, to give these ornaments their own unique patterns rather than repeating some of my existing range. I was hoping to find some patterns that looked like stars/snowflakes, and I could not have been more excited to find a few excellent doilies at my local St Vinnies! Below are some that made the cut in the end ~ not all doilies are suitable for pressing into the clay, but I'm very pleased with these ones I found!

The one above would have to be my favourite ~ it is exactly what I was hoping to find! I think it is perfect for the baubles and snowflakes. I'll have to take good care of this one as it is very delicate...

This one has a perfect star-like pattern for the ornaments.

This one is not very suitable for clay-impressions, it doesn't leave a nice clean pattern ~ but I still loved it and thought it would make a nice display for markets. The one underneath is a cotton fabric with crocheted edge, also purchased for display purposes.

Check out Sophie's blog if you'd like to play along or see some other fabulous finds !

My creative space...

2010-03-11T08:51:00.004+10:00

Playing around with new shapes and patterns this week... I've been wanting to create some butterflies for a while now, somehow the delicate lace impressions in the clay combined with the shape of this precious winged creature seem like such a good match.

A little early perhaps but having missed the opportunity to create any Christmas ornaments altogether last Christmas I figured I better get myself sorted this year... Experimenting with baubles and snowflakes, working out which lace patterns are best suited to their shapes and the Christmas season... I've also put in an order for some new snowflake cutters in rather special shapes. Can't wait to receive them and see how they will look!

I've also been finalising some prints on the lovely recycled paper I ordered to complement the kraft gift boxes for my ceramic pieces. I like to include a short artist profile with each customer order, with just a little background information on how my pieces are made.

I wanted it to have something special to it so I asked my mum (who loves origami) if she had any ideas for some simple letter-folds. This was one of the patterns she sent me, I love how the paper just folds into itself to create a nice little envelope, no further packaging needed! It also fits in nicely into the gift box. Thanks mum!

For more creative spaces head over to Kootoyoo!

New in the online gallery...Handmade softies by Edward & Lilly

2010-03-09T09:49:00.004+10:00

'Kitty', "Puppy' and 'Bunny' handmade soft toys by Edward & Lilly ~ AU$24.00 ea

'Puppy' handmade soft toy by Edward & Lilly ~ AU$24.00

'Kitty' handmade soft toy by Edward & Lilly ~ AU$24.00

'Bunny' handmade soft toy by Edward & Lilly ~ AU$24.00

'Bunny' handmade soft toy by Edward & Lilly (detail) ~ AU$24.00

How cute are these handmade softies by Rebecca Cason from Edward & Lilly? Made from gorgeous linen and linen/cotton fabric, they are the perfect size for little hands. Choose from puppy, kitty or bunny!

Bunnies, kitties and puppies were designed in response to the children who lost their toys in the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, a comforting toy that is suitable for all ages from toddlers through to older children. At the time 25 bunnies were donated to relief packs.

Getting to know... Sophie from Sophie Isobel Designs

2010-03-08T11:45:00.006+10:00

Our featured artist over the last few of weeks has been the lovely Sophie Appleby from Sophie Isobel Designs. Please excuse this late post but I'm sure you'll love getting to know her a little better as much as I have!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
"My name is Sophie Isobel, I’m a little bit 50’s housewife and a touch Alice in Wonderland and when I’m not teaching English and Literature you will find me in my studio, dreaming and creating. Inspired by the days of yesteryear, Victorian literature and the art of accessorising, I create brooches, accessories and artwork using my vintage typewriter and lovely scraps of fabric and ephemera that celebrate all my favourite things."

What is your creative background and how long have you been creating your art? "I’ve always loved making things, as a child I would create dresses from old tablecloths and curtains and raid my grandmother’s card collection for pretty pictures to cut out. Since then I have been collecting, journaling and chasing beauty and in the last two years my ideas have leapt off the page. I have a Bachelor of Creative Arts which is more focused on writing and literary theory. Playing with scissors, glue and fabric has always been an escape for me and I'm delighted that I can now blend these two worlds in my work."

Where, what or who do you draw your inspiration from?
"My world is a constantly inspiring adventure. I try to keep a really open mind and find inspiration in the little details. From the beautiful old architecture in my neighbourhood and classic children's books to antique shops and reading fabulous blogs, for me inspiration is everywhere."

What can you tell us about your work?
"I am fascinated by the art of accessorising and always loved to sit at my grandmother's dressing table and look at all her beautiful pieces of jewellery. I love the idea of wearing something that gives people a little hint about your personality, something truly unique, so when I began thinking about accessories I wanted to create this was always in the back of my mind. My signature 'I heart' brooches are all unique, no two are exactly the same and I love that in wearing one you can celebrate what you love in the world."

Where do you create your art and what is your workspace like?
"I work from home in my little cottage studio, I love to surround myself with beautiful and unusual bits and pieces and am always on the lookout for lovely old boxes to store things in. My studio is constantly changing and I'm always working on an inspiration board or two, full of beautiful images. My favourite items in my studio are my grandmother's sewing machine and my library catalogue drawers. I always have fresh flowers from the garden in vases and tea pots and if the rapping of typewriter can be heard, you know I'm busy creating."

What is your day job or are you a fulltime artist?
"I'm also a high school English and Literature teacher, I love both my jobs and although there is never quite enough hours in my day one very often inspires the other. At lunch time you will sometimes find me sewing brooch backs whilst facilitating a creative writing workshop."

What are your goals/aspirations for the future?
"I often say, when I grew up I want to be.. and the list goes on for pages. I have days I would love to go back to university and study costume design and others I'd really love to become a Librarian, so I can spend my days surrounded by books. I also love writing and would like to finish the novel I'm currently working on in the next few years. I am always doing at least five things at once and dreaming up new ideas, so my goal is to enjoy every moment and dabble in all the delights the world has to offer, whatever they may be."

:: Click here to view all Sophie's work on Udessi ::

The Finders Keepers ~ Sydney applications closing soon!

2010-03-08T09:23:00.005+10:00

The Finders Keepers have announced their market dates for 2010 and we're very excited they'll be coming back to Brisbane this year ~ as well as of course continuing their events at the stunning contemporary art centre CarriageWorks in Sydney’s Inner West.

Applications are currently open for the Sydney Autumn/Winter 2010 markets to be held on the 7th and 8th May 2010. Applications close on the 2nd of April 2010, click here for more info.

These markets are an amazing opportunity for emerging designers to get major exposure for their work, not only to the general public but potential wholesalers and media as well. If you're passionate about what you do ~ apply now or start preparing for Brisbane applications!

The markets brings together new emerging and contemporary independent artists and designers of original and high creative standards across 80 stalls. Our aim is to always introduce new designers and new product to cater for a wide range of our customers and supporters. Every market event is completely unique and we always introduce new designers and rotate existing stallholders from previous events, as well as featuring local independent musicians and always including other special features!
The markets are FREE entry for all and feature live music, with the CarriageWorks cafe and bar open all day.

Brisbane ABCD Meetup ~ Autumn 2010!

2010-03-07T14:47:00.007+10:00

Woohoo ~ time for another ABCD meetup!

Steph from Bondville and myself are pleased to announce the date for the Autumn 2010 Brisbane ABCD meetup: Thursday March 18 2010, 7–9pm.

We'll be returning to Bar Alto at the Powerhouse in New Farm which has great parking, easy access to the bar, bar food, coffee and tea that you can order throughout the evening.

Details:
Autumn 2010 Brisbane ABCD Meet-up
7pm – 9pm, Thursday 18th March 2010
Bar Alto (entrance level)
The Powerhouse, 119 Lamington St, New Farm, Brisbane

For those that have not been before, Brisbane ABCD (Artists + Bloggers + Crafters + Designers) is a very informal get-together for creative folks in Brisbane to get out from behind computers and meet each other over a few drinks. Here are some photos and overview of previous events on Bondville and Udessi.

Don't forget to bring along something for the much-in-demand ABCD Goodie Bag. It's entirely optional, but if you like, you can bring along something to remember you by to pop in to approx. 30–40 bags which we will distribute at the event. And as added incentive, participants will be able to vote for their favourite goodie bag item on Bondville after the event, and the winner will receive 3 free months of advertising on Bondville!

Due to the great response we’ve had since the last meeting and limited venue capacity, please ensure to RSVP by either commenting on this post or emailing BrisbaneABCD@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Kim ~ Udessi
Steph ~ Bondville

New in the online gallery... Fabric art panels by Feed the Dog

2010-03-03T22:37:00.005+10:00

After posting a sneak peek of these gorgeous new pieces by Carmel Killin from Feed the Dog ~ I totally forgot to share the rest of them with you!

All I can say is ~ she has done it again! I love everything about these panels, the colours, patterns, textures, techniques, fabrics and most of all how Carmel manages to combine everything so beautifully. Enjoy!

'The World Really is Round' large original fabric art panel by Carmel Killin ~ AU$220.00

'Bah 21' medium original fabric art panel by Carmel Killin ~ AU$97.00

'Agnes & Pearl 3' large original fabric art panel by Carmel Killin ~ AU$245.00

'Sheep in the City 1' large original fabric art panel by Carmel Killin ~ AU$235.00

'A Place Beneath the Trees' medium original fabric art panel by Carmel Killin ~ AU$97.00

'Little House with Rain' medium original fabric art panel by Carmel Killin ~ AU$100.00

New work by Hana Rajkovic

2010-03-03T22:21:00.004+10:00

So much for my attempt to catch up on some blogging last week! Lots to tell you so here we go...

Starting with 2 gorgeous new pieces by Hana Rajkovic that are now available in the Udessi online gallery.

'Flower Signs' original oil painting on canvas by Hana Rajkovic ~ AU$190.00

"I always loved painting on small canvases making funny, romantic but imaginary scenes. This particular one is all about two signs placed in the valley informing visitors of red and white flower areas. The little castle on top of the hill has two side towers that look like hands waving and saying hello."

'Easter Bunny' original oil painting on canvas by Hana Rajkovic ~ AU$190.00

"I love using dark green in combination with white. This little painting is inspired by Easter, it contains its symbols: a bunny (eating his little carrot) and yellow chicks. In this scene we have extraordinary situation – a flock of chicks is flying around the two-headed house."

In other very exciting news, Hana recently won the Linden Postcard Show 2010 with her work 'It's Like Peanut Butter'.

The work came about as a result of a story she heard from a friend.

"... she came to live in Australia as a child and her mother bought Vegemite for breakfast as she heard it's a spread just like any other. She was spreading it in thick layers without tasting it before and gave it to her two children, both of them started crying and screaming but she didn't care, she thought they were just capricious, so she told them: "what, it's just like peanut butter!" I spent a long time thinking about this story, then I did several drawings and sketches of it before actually making it into this little painting."

Many congratulations Hana!

My creative space...

2010-02-25T17:37:00.004+10:00

Time to catch up on some blogging I think!

My creative space this week is filled with boxes, lace ribbon and gorgeous recycled papers. I have been meaning to give my packaging a slight revamp, something more practical for both markets and wholesale. Something that can be prepared completely in advance without having to fiddle with ribbons on-the-spot.

I purchased some Martha Stewart punches quite a while ago, knowing they would come in handy one day and I love finally being able to use this scalloped circle!

For more creative spaces head over to Kootoyoo!

Sneak peek...

2010-02-12T09:44:00.002+10:00

I think my heart skipped a bit when I opened the parcel of new fabric art panels that Carmel from Feed the Dog sent me!! Stay tuned for some amazing new pieces available soon.

My creative space...

2010-02-11T09:45:00.004+10:00

I always really enjoy what other people are up to in this series so I thought it was about time I'd join in on the fun! Not sure if I'll be able to keep it up weekly though...

Over the past couple of weeks I have been enjoying a bit of time in the studio whenever I could, working on a wholesale order. (That's right, I decided to take the plunge!) Along with the order I'm also making more stock for the online gallery, and lots more little lace hearts. They are always so fun to make!

Each dish is created by rolling the lace doily into the clay, and each time when I do so I just love the colour of the white lace against the grey/taupe of the wet clay. So I decided to try a new clay, and reverse out the lace pattern in white, hoping to achieve a similar effect of the crisp white against the different coloured clay.

This clay will be a very different colour once fired, at least in theory! Although the red-terracotta colour also seems to be growing on me. I can't wait to see how it comes out... If there are no major disasters I'll show you the results soon!

For more creative spaces you can visit Kootoyoo.

Introducing... original oil on canvas by Hana Rajkovic

2010-02-10T09:12:00.003+10:00

'Old Town' oil on canvas by Hana Rajkovic ~ AU$340.00 (framed with natural timber)

“Old towns and cityscapes are scenes I like to paint a lot. Through years I have developed my own recognisable style. As I move or travel, I react to landscapes and surroundings, memorise it and then make an artwork based on my memory and reflections. This is a typical scene from a medieval towns of the Adriatic coast, where I have spent a huge part of my life and I always return to those memories and pull inspiration for my paintings over and over again."

'Old Town' oil on canvas by Hana Rajkovic ~ AU$340.00 (framed with natural timber)

“My first contact with Pacific Ocean and Aussie beach was enchanting and extremely emotional. Yes, I did paintings and drawings of beach before using the same elements as here, such as panties hanged to dry, but for the first time I have painted these beautiful deep blue colors of an ocean surface and the force of its waves. It’s a romantic painting.”

'Old Town' oil on canvas by Hana Rajkovic ~ AU$340.00 (framed with natural timber)

“I have painted this scene once before, but I have returned to it because of its atmosphere of tranquility of the fishing spot with abandoned fishing gear and seats. Everything is ready, only three friends are missing, who knows if they would ever show up?”

I'm so excited to show you the work of one of the artists that has recently joined Udessi!

Artist Hana Rajkovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia from artist parents. Having lived in Belgrade and on the Croatian coast for most of her life, she has traveled much of Europe before moving to Brisbane with her husband in 2009.

Hana creates these beautiful, vibrant oil paintings. I love their European influence, especially the 'Old Town' piece takes me right back to one of my holidays in a gorgeous historic town with the cobble stones, street lamp and characteristic buildings.

"I work both on my paintings and my drawings as separate art forms. Through both of these forms I create pictures of landscapes, cityscapes or their extractions, as well as home interiors. All these places seen in my work are built from real elements I have seen or heard of, but what I do is arranging them and putting together into order that creates powerful and magical atmosphere. What I try to do is to make each of my works as an oasis of positive energy that is aimed to transmit to its observer."

Keep an eye out for more of Hana's pieces available in the Udessi online gallery soon!

:: Click here to view all Hana's work ::
:: Click here to find out more about Hana ::

New in the online gallery... Kiddy-Up cushion covers by Pippijoe

2010-02-09T09:25:00.003+10:00

Kiddy-Up hand screenprinted cushion cover in red by Pippijoe ~ AU$45.00

Kiddy-Up hand screenprinted cushion cover in aqua by Pippijoe ~ AU$45.00

These adorable hand screenprinted cushion covers by Pippijoe are now available online!