mini me

mini me kiddies tshirt

this is a tshirt & a late this is

so this is a bit of a combined post. i haven't had time to do my 'this is' post this week so here it goes. this is the thing i got but still haven't used (well hardly used anyway!) :

its my dark room. since i started working i haven't even been in there and it is honestly one of my favourite places in the world. i just could spend hours in there and really wish i could. maybe i'll have to have a photo day or something. don't know.


and here is my tshirt for the madeit tshirt competition. its a kiddies tshirt and my M stands for mini me which i thought was cute for a kids tshirt. it features my kessie illustration and hand stitched elements and buttons. the photos aren't great so i will update when i get to take some in the day light!

patches for your sisters

i love all things crafty, no news to anyone. so here is a little fun project for other crafty people to get involved in. take a look at sussed out's quilt project on their myspace.its all about celebrating how awesome all the ladies of the world are basically, with each patch incorporating a design & the words i heart my sisters. in the end the quilt will be sold & the money all donated to charity too. good idea right? get sewing!

here are a couple of my patches i'm posting off to chelle tomorrow xx

i am glad......

what a long week. starting a new job, freezing in the record breaking cold spells each morning and trying to have some time to sink my teeth into a few new fun projects i have on the go. i am still shocked by how little time i now have for anything outside of the work & travel now. but anyway, i'm trying be like pollyanna and be glad about the situation. i mean i will be glad when i get paid & can run down to borders & pick up this book i have been lusting over for quite a while. it is called fashion illustration by fashion designers by laird borrelli & i am literally counting down the days until its mine! i live for this stuff, sad but true. i just always have loved the fashion sketches mainly because i associate them with all things elegant & whimsical.

and while i haven't got a sketch in sight to show you, i am making a tshirt for the madeit tshirt comepettion on the madeit forum. i have been thinking about it for a while but finally worked it out i think. still a little work to do but here is a peek at the two i made, now i just have to pick one. they are kids tshirts so i decided to use mini as my 'm' theme.

one chilly day (actually freezing day)

like i said it was FREEZING and wet & really a quite miserable day today. not the best day to be setting a market stall but yes, that is exactly what i did. i had my last rose street slot for a little while & we were basically washed away. luckily i was inside but we were all very cold!

it was still fun though checking out the lovely wares on offer & chatting with my lovely neighbours hollie & mike from hokey who were sweet enough to lend me some gloves, teach me a new card game & inspire me to try to master knitting again. check out their lovely purses & bags here - you won't be disappointed!!


also i have decided to do a new little thing every week where i introduce one of my ladies to you all. i thought seeing as i kind of have an idea of what these ladies are like in mind when i draw them that maybe i would share these with you all. i'll post a new one ever week & maybe it will keep me going (& fill the tram ride) when i start my new job!

so here is sienna

she loves nothing more than talking to the animals or maybe just her parrot lorrie. sienna also lives for all things 60's (which explains her bee-hive) & secretly moonlights as a go-go dancer.

oh & she always stores a cookie in her bag (along with a mini can of hairspray).

hope you rug up & enjoy the rest of your weekend xx

what colour is for you?

i just came across this article from new york magazine and it got me thinking.

i live in melbourne which is known for its love for black clothes and i studied architecture which is also well know for its black uniform. but i have never ever been into it and couldn't understand how anyone could wear so much black. maybe it is because i am a child of the 80's who lived for hyper colour tshirts or because i feel like a ghost when i wear black. so i feel like a bit of a color traitor when i go out into the big wide world when i stroll the streets with my electric blue scarf, cherry red skirt & lemon shoes. but after reading this piece by jo goddard i don't feel so odd or alone in this rainbow world. you see the individuals profiled are devoted (or maybe obsessed ) to a colour. its all they wear, seriously as you can see.

photograph by tina tyrell for nymag.com

now this may seem extreme, and you are right : it is. but that wasn't my first reaction. instead i was jealous, especially of the blue devotee above. so maybe i will become a colour devoted convert. but what colour to choose? red? only problem is finding red clothes in winter in melbourne .

so, what colour is for you?

extra extra read all about it.....

this weekend was my first week at the rose street artist markets down in fitzroy and it was pretty fun. i was excited to actually sell some of my work and have a few hot chocolates at the same time. and there are so many lovely things there i had to stop myself from spending all my money on them. i did buy a lovely swallow necklace which was gorgeous & as soon as i take a pic soon to show you. anyway here are a few pics of my bits & pieces which are also available at my madeit store so take a look!

me & my little stall

sophie & her birdy friends stationery set

nikki sewn gift card
maddie postcards

i'm at rose street next week too so if you are in melbourne stop by and say hello. and in other breaking news (too much abc for me) i got a job. yup no one thought would happen but i start in a week so wish me luck!

this is ... what reminds me of my mum

so this is my first this is...

so this is one of the many things that reminds me of my mum. its a polaroid of our house. my family has always lived here but to me it really belongs to mum. maybe because she is home as much as this house is. happy mothers day mum.

look who loves truth.be.told

so today little truth.be.told has been feeling alot of love. its so amazing to have people saying sweet things about you at the best of times & to be honest a little bit of praise goes along way to keeping this little lass motivated & feeling like maybe this is the right thing to be doing.

so i thought it was only far to return the love in the process :


firstly, angela at leeloo had these truly sweet things to say & gave my may markets a nice little plug in the process. angela has been beyond supportive & i absolutely love having some exclusive designs available through her absolutley amazing online shopping site leeloo.com.au

this is what the lovely angela had to say:

"The world is a better place because of pretty things. Often these things are made on beautiful bits of paper. One of the best ways to find something beautiful on paper is to purchase a hand-made gift card, gift tag or stationery set created by the utterly gorgeous Jess of truth.be.told.

Jess has recently graduated as an architect, but at Leeloo, we think life might have other plans for her! For all of your lucky lovelies that live in Melbourne (or are there on said dates!), you can head along to see her at some upcoming local markets, including the designers treasure trove at Rose Street (see flyer in the post below for dates and details). Make sure you also say hi to Cat Davison when you’re there! "

and then what do you know i see my lovely juliet print on the madeit homepage! juliet is one of my fave ladies i have ever drawn, i even have a printed set up on my wall so there is an endorsement for you! and madeit has well made it so easy to sell my work through an aussie site!

so go visit madeit & leeloo because these two lovely sites are really helping out young designers like myself & deserve your love too xx

truth.be.told goes to market!

truth.be.told is off to market throughout may and i am so excited! so if you are in Melbourne come and visit me & all my goodies!

saturday 10th & 17th may @ rose street artist markets , 60 rose street fitzroy

saturday 24th may @ rosies bazaar, rosie gallery 78 johnston street collingwood

what is in a name?

sometimes i feel like there just isn't enough time, especially when i have somehow got the shingles and just can't seem to sleep. i decided to try to be productive instead seeing as i am at the rose street artist market next saturday. so here is something i was working on, i haven't come up with a name yet..its a hard one! ok now i am off for a rest!