Alphabet posters

It's Saturday morning, the sun is shining, had a bad night of sleep cos of Hannah's inability to fall asleep by herself again... so the family is rewarding me with a thrifting spree that starts in 15 mins. But I did want to rush here to wish you:

Have a great weekend!! Blessings!!

Any alphabet/ABC poster discussion has to begin with a poster I have been dying to own: BlueAntStudio's fantastic mod chairs poster which I blogged about back in October 2007. We never had an ABC poster growing up that I remember... I have to have it.



Hannah's just turned three... it's time for her to start reading. So I've been looking at ABC posters on Etsy:

Etsy seller StephanieFizer

Etsy seller CreativeNeesh

Etsy seller and well known graphic illustrator Kerry Beary

Etsy seller calobee

Etsy seller monkeypowered (limited edition posters)

Etsy seller englishmuffinshop

Etsy seller catherine08

Etsy seller AlphabetLove

But I do have some problems with them, only in relation to the fact that Hannah is only three years and 2 weeks old:

1. Shipping to Australia from US/UK/Canada for me is so prohibitive!

2. Some of the pictures for the letters do not help. For instance, "G for Gift"... when she knows the picture as "Present". Or "A for Armadillo" when she has never seen that animal (not in Australia). Or "V for violin" when she insists the picture is "Guitar".

3. The lower case and upper case mix up of the letters is not consistent and really confuses the poor child's brain. I studied education at uni and we were taught to teach lower case before upper case first.

4. Different fonts... simple and clearly recognised/read ones are best. Not that I don't appreciate different fonts myself... I am a fontaholic with a collection of over 2000 fonts.

This one is best for Hannah:

I love this one from Etsy seller oliveryaphe

I'll just oversticker
"R for Rooster" with a picture of a "Ring" (Cos she sees it as "chicken". She is only JUST turned three!)
"I for Iguana" with a picture of an "Ice cream"
and "Q for Quail" with a picture of a "Queen" or "Quiche".

I think I'll have to get her a yo-yo, to introduce this iconic growing up toy of the 80s to a baby of the 21st century!

Just thought I'd add a letterpress alphabet poster by Etsy seller sycamorestreetpress sinceI am madly in love with letterpress products. (Pity all the gorgeous letterpress stuff on Etsy are also in US/UK.) So I love this poster but I do think it's an adult version one (not enough pictures!)



I am looking to design my own... or cave in and get that one from oliveryaphe...

Marian Bantjes

I love typography. I spend many hours playing with type and fonts. I'm working on a project now with that and soon will reveal here. My passion for this is why, I was hooked on Marian Bantjes, via Orange Beautiful.

Marian Bantjes lives in Canada and illustrates, writes and draws, among other things.

One of my favourites from her work is her series of Love Stories, which was included in the latest UK-based Creative Review magazine (unfortunately, only available to subscribers). Love Stories is her story-telling of someone she loves. If we bothered to read them, she describes these loved ones too.

Her mother (through her work, you can also tell something of the person she lovingly crafts masterpieces in honour of). I'd imagine her mother to be so colourful, a many-interests lady, warm, friendly and vivacious.



Her neighbours:



I'd imagine her eldest brother to be strong, dedicated, big hearted and bold:



Her father, who must be a person who loves automobiles and mechanical processes and probably also thinks analytically:



A friend, who would be a great person to get to know, whimsical, flamboyant, big-big hearted:



For the boys who loved her back, how they've affected her heart, her life, and how deep their affect has been on her and to beautiful moments shared (this is painstaking gloriously beautiful burnt wood!):



Glorious work huh? I'd love some of these as reprints. :)

Another item of Bantjes that I absolutely love is her custom-designed clock she made for a fund-raising event for AIGA/DC.



Starts wheels spinning in my head for custom designed clocks for loved ones for Christmas... (thanks Marian, for the idea).

Etsy, Marian?? :)

New Releases at Room To Grow!

I featured Room To Grow a few months ago and kind director Lilach Weineiger sent me a lovely gift! (Thanks again!) It now hangs in my study in the new home (will feature the study when its ready) :)

Room To Grow was the first to carry Krooom's sexy range, but now you readers in the US can get it from Barnes and Nobles! The few French readers I have can go to Tropico and Hipercor in Spain.

Just to reiterate, Room To Grow/Krooom's products are made from reinforced cardboard recycled material (at least 60% post consumer waste). So go green! No chlorine bleaches and hazardous dyes used, only water based glues and a special UV coating. Done with the item? Recycle it again!

I love the funky and fun designs... suitable for the serious man, the moody teen, the funky designer and even the fun-loving little one! I love their toybox and the Maggie storage bookcase to match the lovely black and white damask Delta I got from lovely Lilach! On casters too! GREAT movable closet! Hmmm.



I think best of all these gorgeous things are so sturdy!

Lilach sent me an email two weeks ago letting me know about their new July 2008 range! Sorry Lilach, only now getting headspace to action some emails for the blog!

I love the new Manooo wall organiser! Perfect for kitchen, dressing area, children's room and the hallway. Pretty and fresh to the everyday mundane. :)



And of course, beneath the Manooo, have the Austin sideboard! Great for the hallway, these two things! One for your pickup-ables, and the other for the ubiquitous umbrella, vase, bags, scarves and berets. Great for newspapers and even the Yellowpages.

Little by little..

... I am getting more and more organised. I LOVE being organised, can't think straight in a messy space. (Which is why our master bedroom is not the space for me to think since it's dreadfully small and badly planned.) Anyhoo.

The latest issue of Notebook Magazine (an Australian home and living magazine with gorgeous cover shots) May 2008 has been sitting on my bedside table for almost 2 weeks now untouched because I've been so busy to even get to reading it. Last night while waiting for my mental sheep counting to take effect, I discovered a nifty (and super duh easy) idea which I've rushed out to complete today:

Click!

Quick weekend work (in between window shopping) and now no longer an unruly stash in one of the kitchen cabinets!



Mine's the cheapo version, with a simple $6 accordian folder from Officeworks and some sticky label tabs. But check out these gorgeous ones!

M.O. Expanding Desktop File from See Jane Work. $19.95


Pink/white/black expanding file from Smiggle. $9.95


Daisy Expandable Notebook by Kikki-K which is great! Has notebook to jot down important information (passwords etc!) and expanding file on the other for your paperwork. $24.95


Officeworks has some nice ones too... of course.

Room to Grow update!

Lilach Weininger, the person behind Room to Grow emailed me Wed morning with some delicious new products.



Skip overto purchase your own durable cardboard pieces for office, children and family area!

Showcase: MOZI

MOZI is the brainchild of sisters Camilla & Olivia Tipler. MOZI is a homewares store incorporating images of their pets Peter Rabbit, Max the Giant Poodle and Pepper the blackbird as well as their far-away travels and love for all things exotic.




The Waratah street directory cover made to cover the and Melways (yay!) and UBD (a popular Australian street directory). $34.95


The Flannel Flower mug. $17.95


Hummingbird placemats. Set of 4 $39.95


Midnight Peacocks mouse pads 50 tear off pages. $12.95

All images from MOZI

My 2008 Calendar is here!!!

I spent ages deciding which of the 2008 calendars I was going to get. I finally decided on PaperSource's letterpressed beauties, but they were going to cost $30 in postage to Australia! The gorgeous Jessie of My Mod Style willingly bought and sent it to me for only $7.20.

Thanks girlfriend!! It looks way better in person and out of the CD case. Wish I had thought to let you open it to see for yourself! Hope you got one for yourself too!!!

2008 Calendar List

Updated. Check it out.

Thrifting Storage

I love to come up with unusual ways to store my stuff. I store my wrapping paper in an old cane wine bottle holder. I put my glues bottles in an old iron milk bottle holder. I put my pens in an old jug. Other supplies in old chocolate tins. Ribbon in glass candy jars. That kinda thing.

But I've never used a Polly Pocket toy wardrobe before! What do you think? Too childish?


I might use my daughter's mini kitchennette as storage for my notepads/cards once she's too big for it (she's 15 months and already a little too tall for it!)


While thrifting today I found this Estee Lauder tote that I might use as a file holder! It's stiff, green and white and absolutely me. (And it was only $9.35)

Snow and Graham 2008

The Snow and Graham 2008 Calendar is out! At See Jane Work. US$18.



Can't wait to get a 2008 letterpressed calendar! Missed out on the ilee ones... hope to score one this year!

House by Mouse

I went thrifting a few days ago and didn't find anything of worth but ONE thing. It was a children's book but it was FOR ME! So excited I had to share it with you. It was marked and penned by children in the first few pages but still I NEEDED to have it and at $1 it was a gift!

House by Mouse was written by George Mendoza and first published/released in UK in 1981. Henrietta Mouse was a world-famous architect who designed houses for Trout, Otter, Caterpillar, Owl, Squirrel etc etc.

Click on images for more details:


Update: I wanted tol purchase another one in better quality but they START AT US$79!!!!! Wow. What's with the high price? I got it for ONE dollar. And I'm NOT selling to make a profit, husband. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the book!

Update: This book was re-released in US under the title, "Need a House, Call Ms Mouse".

tis been a while! :)

I have had a good few very busy days with more and more interest in my invitations and design business. Been also reorganising the study so the room doesn't look so mish-mash with odd bits of furniture. And my new old white lacquer desk arrived and I'm so pleased with it! (Will post with pics soon) So that's the reason for the lack of posts in the last few days.

A lady contacted me via my ebay ad (not posting here as it gives out contact information) requesting for invitations within 5 days (2 being weekend!). So rushing around for materials and looking for replacements for discontinued items has been rather exciting after a lull for a few months. It's good, though, to get back into the swing of making cards and invites. I am now ready to send off what I've been burning the midnight oil for and I'm pleased with the result!



Contact me for handmade unique wedding and event invitations, and the accompanying paraphernalia.

I'll tag on photo of me feeding Hannah her night milkbottle and she is the epitome of the 21st century baby. Instead of a blankie or teddy for comforter, my girl loves her (an old) mobile phone!

Amy Ruppel

I am so drawn to the whimsical art of Amy Ruppel. She puts together her art with paper, wood and resin; she calls them assemblages. She explains her art: "hand-cut birds and striped ovals of paper lie between layers of a beeswax and resin mixture (encaustic method). I then sometimes draw back into the topmost layer of clear beeswax with a sharp tool, filling the lines with oil paints and oil pastels. A propane torch is used to fuse it all together, and make the surface smooth. The striped ovals are derived from my photographs: the images are manipulated in Photoshop into colorful fields of stripes (my secret!), then inkjet printed onto acid-free paper. The birds are drawn in Illustrator, printed and cut in the same manner."

But what I love best are the stationery line that Vigo Cards carry.
I would love these as a canvas print!

Amy Ruppel takes on commissioned work too so I might be able to work something out!

Chic yellow at Paperbean Design

I've never mentioned this on my blog before but I have a graphic design and invitations (weddings etc) business. Until now I have not said anything because my website was never "completed". Well it is now. So please jump onto Paperbean Design to view my work and designs!

If you need invites done, consider me! My latest (completed today) for a client is a sweet yellow and grey and black creation. Mmmm one of my favourites. Now I hope my client likes it!

seedable cards

Round Robin Press has got these really adorable cards. Of birds and flowrs and trees.

Perfect gift for the avid gardener, these cards are EMBEDDED WITH SEEDS! Meaning, you get the card, you read it and then you toss it in the garden and water the card! Soon you'll get chives! Hehehe a great idea!

now there's a way to send a greeting

O Plus D have these cards. They're not for the faint hearted... or the polite folk...

I love how the design is so pretty and then you get hit with the naughty messages... not what I'd send or buy for myself, but I do love the designs!

letterpressed

i've always loved the classic timeless appeal of letterpressed stationery. the old look has been given a modern twist by elum designs. i heart their stuff! amazing designs.