instinct and grace

this week around the studio . . .

2012-02-17T14:57:00.004+10:00

we are well and truly in full swing again for the year
with new products getting made,
and old favourites getting restocked too

working in a open verandah studio
lends itself to having little visitors from time to time
be them birds, or raindrops
or leaves . . .
the leaf above seemed to fall like a musical note the other day on that tray of work . . .

in other news
i am doing a special order for some
fabulous fashion designers
(that just happen to be good friends of mine too)
i am mighty chuffed about it and
all will be revealed in time . . .
there is a hint above, but only a hint . . .

hope you are having a lovely week

2012-02-14T16:22:00.001+10:00

holiday snaps . . .

2012-02-08T19:54:00.011+10:00

as promised i'm back with a few of my favourite holiday snaps i took
on my recent trip to kyoto . . .

it was a much needed and loved trip away . . .
above are some special corners of kyoto.

i spent some lovely time with my friend michelle and her mum on this trip . . .
with one of the highlights being a trip to the pavilion of the silver temple
somewhere neither of us had been
(even though we have both visited kyoto many times before)
it was lovely to share this place, and its amazing gardens with
a friend from home . . .
(silver temple gardens photos top left and bottom left above)

another extra special day on the trip
was with my friends justine and shozo
this beautiful couple have the most wonderful store
of japanese furniture, ceramics and objects
shibui homewares in west end brisbane . . .

we spent the day between antique markets in the grounds of a temple,
wandering the streets of kyoto and having a long lunch in
the amazingly styled and decorated hello cafe
(image bottom left),
stopping by a teahouse, and ending in a wonderful dinner in a
much loved restaurant of theirs . . .

and through the afternoon with them there was a visit to an antique store
where i purchased one of my treasured things EVER . . .
that story needs a post of its own, and i will do so someday . . .

i feel truly grateful that my holiday was shared with such dear friends along the way . . .

that is one of life's greatest gifts i think
to share beautiful memories

today i treasure this trip,
other trips i've taken near and far,
and those loved ones i've traveled with
you know who you are . . .

the photo says it all . . .

2012-02-01T20:09:00.007+10:00

it is true . . .
it has taken a while to get back into things this year

last year ended with the biggest year on record for this little studio
literally thousands and thousands of ornaments
and tags, and calendars etc etc
flew away to new homes,
most days of the week the studio light was on
as christmas drew closer . . .

i don't like using the words burnt out, but it is the right
description for how it all felt by the end,
and then the reason for my absence here,
the lack of replenishing stock on the online store and
the emails that we are still getting through . . .

i am not complaining about the tiredness
the years end bought my way
as this work, this studio,
is one of my greatest passions . . .

but sometimes you just need some time out

on the month away from here i caught up with friends
saw films on the big screen and from my couch . . .
read books,
designed some new things for the year ahead
(details to come)

and even managed a week walking the streets of kyoto
(one of my favourite places)
and a place where i was inspired and refreshed
i'll be sure to share some photos and stories of that adventure soon

in the mean time . . .
HELLO
and i hope your new year is filled with
beautiful memories already
and with more to come as each day passes

i'll be back soon
(i know i say that a lot)
but i promise i will . . .

happy wednesday
x

merry merry merry

2011-12-22T09:27:00.004+10:00

i hope this long overdue post finds you all well and happy
and looking forward to a lovely christmas . . .

here at paper boat HQ we are downing tools,
popping the bubbles, and looking forward to a good old break
over the silly season

it feels like, and indeed has been the way, that we've had
christmas with us all year in the studio . . .

we started making the ornaments in february
which are now sitting on trees all over the
country, and indeed the world . . .

thank you to every single one of you
who have shared 2011 with us, through reading this blog,
buying our work online, selling it in your beautiful shops,
said hello at markets we've attended,
sent emails and letters of love and support,
who have featured the work in magazines and online

i'd like to say a special thank you to
my wonderful stockists around the country
thank you so much for supporting the work we make
and making the links in the chain
of getting the work to those who chose it for their lives . . .

also a big thank you to everyone at anthropologie
who have worked so kindly and respectfully
over the last few years to see the release of my ceramic collection
in their stores earlier this year . . .
one of the highlights of the year for me personally and professionally
thank you

and last but not least to my wonderful team
everyday you come with love and enthusiasm
in whatever part of the business you work in . . .
and even when there are hard times in our personal lives
the space we create has seemed to be a place for solace too . . .
who would have thought . . .
it truly makes the whole experience of running this
little studio a whole lot more important than the
things we make . . .
but also makes the things we make all the more real
and full of love

every year at this time, there is without fail, a time of reflection
and each year there is triumphs and tragedy
laughter and tears
good and bad
wine and water
sunshine and grey skies
and this year is no exception

i wish for you all a safe and happy christmas time
and a new year filled with hope

we will be taking some time off and the studio will
be up and running again from late january
( somewhere around the 23rd )
our online shop will still be open just maybe not restocked as we'd hoped
and i will try and get through my incredible backlog of emails
( so sorry if yours is one waiting for a reply )

so thank you
thank you
and merry
merry

love kylie
x

real living . . .

2011-12-06T15:30:00.003+10:00

some more lovely press
this time in last months real living . . .
thanks so much to the team and stylist who put
this great spread together
it is so nice to see the work displayed this way
pages and pages of it too . . .

we are still filling and packing and sending orders
looking forward to our paper boat christmas partee
tomorrow night too . . .
not sure where the weeks go

x

final market of the year !

2011-11-22T12:46:00.006+10:00

ok, here it is . . . the last market of the year
at the gallery of modern art brisbane, queensland . . .

on the celebration day of their 5th birthday !
this saturday november 26 th

there'll be 20 wonderful stalls
the perfect place for some christmas shopping
and i'll be there too . . .
in the forecourt of the gallery, right next to the gallery store
from 9am - 4pm

to get all the info click to enlarge the image above
hope to see you there

and i'll be back soon with some snaps of all the markets
and the fun we've had . . .

christmas show .... and little online sale ....

2011-11-14T18:40:00.005+10:00

hello again,
i told you i'd be back with details of our christmas show . . .
so details are following . . .
as well as some info on a sale online for our far away friends . . .

the paper boat press annual

christmas show

saturday november 19th
10 am - 2 pm

st francis theological college
233 milton road milton, brisbane
(entrance via baroona road)

i hope you can come along for a cup of tea
and a spot of christmas shopping . . .

for our far away friends we aren't forgetting about you
for the weekend of the 19th and 20th of november
we are having a 10 % off store-wide sale (excluding shipping)
simply quote the word christmas in the discount code box at the checkout
and then press update total to receive the discount . . .

sale opens 6am saturday 19th and closes midnight sunday 20th (AEST)

in the press . . .

2011-11-11T10:01:00.004+10:00

hello all,
it's been a bit slow here of late on this little blog journal
but believe me there's been a lot going on behind the scenes . . .

we have nearly got all our wholesale orders out for christmas,
been to two markets (one interstate) both of which were fabulous . . .

and in studio are still making lots more work, including personalised stars

and one other thing that happened a couple of months back
was a visit from australian house & garden
we had a long day shoot, with lovely results . . .
so a peek inside my home and work space can be seen
in this months issue . . .
thanks so much to all the team behind the article
you were all such a joy to work with !

i'll be back soon with details of next weeks ANNUAL christmas show
but if you are in brisbane and want to pop along it is on

Saturday November 19th
10am - 2pm

details to follow . . .

another weekend... another market....

2011-11-03T10:13:00.002+10:00

this weekend ... come one come all
to finders keepers in brisbane !

in the ever fabulous old museum
with an amazing line up of stall holders

it is on saturday and sunday
and i'll be there with a collection of new wares
my calendar, christmas decs,
and much much more
(as well as old fav's too)

hope to see you there...
details
HERE

adelaide bound . . .

2011-10-24T11:03:00.005+10:00

we (studio gal maria and i)
are mighty excited as we will head to adelaide this weekend
for the bowerbird bazaar

it promises to be an amazing line up of artisans and designers
if you are in adelaide, do pop along and say hello
and support handmade and do some christmas shopping to boot !

we will have a full range of our christmas goodies,
calendar, journals, poetry work
and new jewellery too

for more info and to check out all the other stallholders
check out the bowerbird website HERE

finally . . .

2011-10-18T09:30:00.004+10:00

finally, thanks to the amazing help
of my beautiful friend lou from loose.leaf paper
i have my new website up and running !

i have been so busy this year, it has taken me a long
time to get everything together
and there'll still be tweaking as time goes on . . .

in the mean time
i hope you like it, you can see it HERE . . .

and thanks also for all your interest in the new surprise
from the last post . . .
i'll be back later this week with the full reveal . . .

my true love . . .

2011-09-30T17:19:00.006+10:00

i don't know where i've been ?
more often than not the last couple of weeks it has all
been about hearts !

here is a sneak peek at a very special item
we've been working on in the studio
i will reveal all next week

in the mean time
hold on to your true love
and if you can, tell them they are so . . .

just a thought . . .

have a lovely weekend . . .

in store . . .

2011-09-22T17:25:00.003+10:00

our 2012 calendar stock
was delivered this week . . .
box after box . . .
and is now, finally, in store !

we are thrilled with the final result
and to celebrate we are giving a flat shipping rate of $5
(within australia)
on all calendar orders until the end of september . . .

we are also going to give a bonus for multiple purchase
for every 4 calendars purchased
you will receive a 5th one free
(and the shipping price remains the same)

both the bonus offer,
and the flat shipping rate will be available until the
end of september

hope you are having a good week
( sorry to bombard you with info that we are indeed
heading rather quickly to next year )
crazy but true

where do the years go i ask you !
i feel like i've not been here much
but there is much going on behind the scenes
and i'll be back soon
with more news and wanderings

calendars available HERE

another monday . . .

2011-09-12T19:50:00.002+10:00

corners . . .

2011-09-05T09:09:00.002+10:00

2011-09-01T18:50:00.005+10:00

i can't quite believe it is spring time
(although our friends up north are starting fall/autumn)
we are all wondering where has this year gone . . .

but a change of season is sometimes what
we all need . . .

to celebrate spring,
and the addition of our new christmas ornaments
all now listed in our online store
we are having a little sale . . .

to receive 20 % off storewide (excluding shipping)
simply quote the word SPRING
in the discount code section of the checkout and press update total
(sale finishes midnight next thursday sep 8)

everything is available for this discount
including the ever popular personalised stars . . .

i hope this season brings you some lovely days

to look through our store
click HERE

monday . . .

2011-08-29T11:09:00.002+10:00

terrain . . .

2011-08-25T21:40:00.005+10:00

we've been busy little bees in the studio in the last few weeks
filling a big and beautiful order
for the fabulous US store terrain . . .

terrain is one of those stores i wish we had around the corner
but still nice to admire from afar . . .
and when they approached me about stocking my little 5 packs
i was thrilled that a store like theirs understood the spirit of them

so within a few days a big big box of this specially packaged
ceramic will be on its way to philadelphia . . .

recently terrain had a special day for
a group of bloggers and media
and it was lovely to have a closer look at this amazing store . . .
below are a few links to a few of my favourite posts
here and here

advances . . .

2011-08-23T14:42:00.008+10:00

yesterday i received a special little parcel from my printer. . .
a few copies of my 2012 calendar
i am so happy with it, the colours are amazing
and the paper just beautiful . . .
here are a few sneak peeks

these will be for sale in my online store
by september 20 i hope . . .
and they will cost only $19.95

i hope you like these quick little sneak peeks taken on a rainy tuesday morn. . .

these days . . .

2011-08-11T23:16:00.013+10:00

these days
studio life has been busy and beautiful,

quiet yet sometimes overwhelming,

inspiring and routine all in the same breath . . .

i just wanted to stop by and share a few corners
of this place :
my office
my home

time to share . . .

2011-08-02T19:40:00.011+10:00

so, it's early i know . . .
but we've been working so hard to get these images
out to all our stockists so there's enough time to make them,
and get stock to them . . .
as well as stock up our own online store

so, we are finally ready to share some of this years
christmas ornament designs . . .

above is this years bird . . .
the little message of all is calm, all is bright
has been ringing in our ears in the studio,
reminding us to stay calm amongst the crazy . . .

below is the re-release of the big stars !
and new star of wonder . . .
(wonder being one of my favourite words . . .
so this has special significance for me)

and then a delicate little window star of david . . .
(with the vintage button patterns)
many of these get broken
in the making, and cleaning, and 'getting to the kiln' process
as they are so precious green, but once they are fired
they are strong and beautiful

life can be a little like that can't it . . . ?
some parts are hard and tricky and you have to take it gently

things break . . .

i've been saying this a lot in the studio to the girls,
while limping around with my slowly-but-surely-healing fractured ankle,
and while the swear jar gets fuller with ornaments breaking when
colouring or sponging is taking place

bones break . . . clay breaks . . . hearts break . . .

but in the end something beautiful can be found . . .
even if it is in the pieces . . . the spaces . . .

photo shoots . . .

2011-07-19T17:59:00.006+10:00

the past week has been a little bit of a blur
for many a reason

there's been cake in the studio for my birthday,
a day or two break from working
(oh, that's what the outside world looks like?) . . .
but then working like sleep isn't part of what we need to do !

there's also been a spot of baking . . .

my fabulous web-shop gal teresa
who just happens to make the best rum balls
(they taste just like my grandmother used to make)
was a trouper this week and made some for my photo-shoot
of christmas 2011 products ( thanks T )

and i made the apricot balls ( with slightly less flair )
. . . but they did the job . . .

it is a little odd making christmas goodies in july
but today we had a mighty nice morning tea
thanks to the need for such things . . .

there's lots to share including the new ornaments for the year
but for now, i thought i would share a quote
that kept ringing in my ears
as christmas baking was made
so far out from the season

from one of my favourite storytellers around, brian andreas:

" She asked me when the season of joy
was supposed to end & I said I didn't really think
there was an exact date, so we left the tree up till
June that year "

pencil case . . .

2011-07-13T19:04:00.006+10:00

this little thing has been my constant companion
for the past few weeks
as i finalise work on my 2012 calendar !!!

i didn't get a chance last year to complete one,
after having them made for many years previous to that
i disappointed so many of my dear customers

so this year, i got in early
with the help of my darling sister
and graphic-designer-gal megan

i am printing on the most lovely weighted
FSC card . . . and
they will be available in september
through many of my stockists,
online through my store and biome

as well as at any markets i do
including my annual christmas show . . .

i'll keep you posted when they are available
and share how it looks too

. . . back to the subject of pencil cases . . .
the trusty pencil case has featured in
one of my favourite 80's songs ( i have it on 7" )
it opens with

" i love you from the bottom of my pencil case "

how could you not love a song that says that !!!
the lyrics do ramble into a tale of many women
the songwriter has thanked for inspiration . . . but it is charming,
very UK pop, and dare i say it, a bit retro . . .
and as a girl who loves words, i do quite love the song's title

song for whoever
by
the beautiful south

i hope you enjoy . . .

sneak peek

2011-07-11T12:42:00.005+10:00

we've been working pretty hard in the studio
these past few months
and thought i'd share a little sneak peek
at this years christmas bird design
we have finished prototypes out of the kiln
and are mighty happy with how they look

so soon when they are photographed well
and my stockists get first look
i'll share them here !

in the mean time
i hope you like this little tease of how they look
rough and just made
clay wet
finger prints still marking them
raw, earthy, and in, i have to say, one of my favourite phases . . .

2011-07-10T22:52:00.002+10:00

i know i haven't been here
as much as i sometimes have been . . .

it has been a strange
up and down
few weeks
few months

i keep working hard
keep trying to keep my chin up
trying to find beauty in what is around me
trying to make beautiful things in my working life

but some-days it is harder than others

i have been writing again
( not that i ever stopped )
just writing a few more bits and pieces
passages that seem to be forming
new things,
poems maybe

but writing isn't always easy

for it talks and sings to me of things i sometimes
want to hide from

the truth, as is its way,
pushes through (as it should)
and this is where the words meet

last weekend i lent this beautiful letter box to my friends
lou and kristina for their market stall

it is a treasured thing
an object of love

objects are funny things
sometimes the most banal and battered,
purposed and domestic items,
hold secrets and stories

i loved sharing this letterbox for
lou and kristina's beautiful new project
as both the project and this letterbox
is full of such meaning

it is a token
a relic
a love letter in itself

it is home with me again now
this little box

this little house
that had the most treasured
of love letters delivered to me in it over the years

i continue to write letters of such kind in response
and always will

( and these letters will one day be read i hope,
as they are the in-between ones, the ones without end )

finders keepers THIS WEEKEND . . .

2011-06-28T09:55:00.005+10:00

it's on again . . . .
the fabulous finders keepers market
in brisbane !

this weekend
saturday and sunday
july 2nd and 3rd
old museum

the collaboration i share with my dear friend sarah.b.
WAIT
will have its brisbane launch at finders

we are having such fun
putting this work together . . . together . . .
and look forward to sharing it with you all . . .
we are already working on new designs to release
later in the year
but for now pop by and see how this little
collaboration that we started a few years ago
has grown and evolved . . .

i've got a stall full of lots of new surprises,
my continuing collections,
and some super special market only prices
on my journals and jewellery . . .

hope to see you there !

full details HERE

2011-06-23T13:48:00.002+10:00

i carry your heart with me
(i carry it in my heart)

- e e cummings

i've been away . . . flown the coop for 10 days . . .

2011-06-21T17:30:00.022+10:00

i've had a little holiday in japan with my sister . . .

we had bought our tickets long before the devastation
and we decided to go and support their economy
( i always stock up on bits and pieces
for my studio and books and papers for my work )
as tourism numbers have been down nearly 50%,

that and we so love the country and its people . . .

and we are so glad we visited,
we felt safe and welcomed . . .

we met so many special people,
had such lovely little adventures
and supported their economy yes . . .
my pottery collection has
swelled somewhat . . . research i say !!!

and although i fractured my ankle 3 hours before
i got on the bus to the airport to come home a few days ago . . .
(x-rays confirmed today after i realised the pain was not easing)
it's been a swell past two weeks . . .

i don't know what the next two weeks will be like limping around
in pain as i prepare for brisbane finders keepers
and catch up with orders and all the rest . . .

but the glow from such inspiring travels has given me
the strength to keep my chin up . . .

so now, please excuse my
rambling instagram favourite holiday snaps . . .
it was a lovely to carry just my phone
and share with friends back here, and all over the place ,
the days and the moments . . .

overlooking rainy kyoto

tea with lovely hana from
kashogama
one of the most special times . . .

decorative gutters at
nijo castle

one of the most inspiring stops at

mina perhonen
seriously beautiful . . . (images above and below)

cafe's with pottery for sale . . .
this one in arimatsu on one of our day trips
to the home of traditional shibori in nagoya

and finally some pictures of the chion-ji temple handicraft market
on the 15th of every month . . . as luck would have it we were
there on the 15th . . . it was amazing to see a packed
craft market and on a wednesday no less !!!
and yes . . . localy made ceramic stalls aplenty . . .

i promise i won't leave it long again before i write again here
still so much to share of other happenings . . .
in the mean time
i'm going to put my foot up !

sydney . . . a few weeks back now . . .

2011-06-06T18:46:00.013+10:00

this little post (as have others of late) has been a long time coming
i don't know where the days go at the moment
it is all a bit of a blur for many a reason . . .

a few weeks back i packed up my goods and headed to sydney
i had a couple of days visiting friends
and then a couple of big and wonderful days at sydney finders keepers

the response to sarah and my colaboration wait
was just overwhelming . . .
those who really 'got it' loved it
and those who didn't, loved them anyway . .

we had been working on our little traveling stand
for the past couple of months
it all compacts . . . and were very pleased in the end
of this little stall inside a stall . . .

it was so great to meet so many new people and catch up with
old friends too . .
thanks to everyone that popped by and said hello . . .
we will be gearing up again soon for brisbane finders keepers
and are working on some new waits
so those of you from our home city
who have inquired don't miss out . .

and . . .

although i spent the day and evening with pia on thursday
of that week ( such precious time )
i couldn't resist popping by and showing support
to her beautiful window and book event
at newspaper taxi in newtown
on late saturday afternoon . . .

newspaper taxi is also a paper boat stockist at christmas
so it was lovely to meet steph in person
and see her fabulous one of a kind shop . . .

( pia's beautiful window )

thanks so much to sarah and my sydney pal hayley
who helped all weekend at the market . . .

the busy and sometimes overwhelming parts of
doing a market stall are made all the more easier
by having you by my side . . .
x x

p.s. in my email mailout
i said the sale closes monday june 9 . . .
the 9th was in my head as i am going on holidays that day !
so i am extending the sale until the 9th (at midnight-ish)
details below in the previous post . . .

second birthday sale

2011-05-31T14:33:00.007+10:00

we can't quite believe it has been two years . . .
but it has since we opened our online store

to celebrate we are having a little sale
simply quote the word TWO in the discount code section
of the checkout and press 'update total'
and you will receive 20% off all goods purchased, excluding postage,
but including personalised stars

the sale runs until next monday june 6th
at midnight australian EST

thanks to all of you who follow our work,
this little blog,
and who support the handmade

it has been a great couple of years
and teresa my fabulous shop girl
with a 3 week old little bundle of joy
has assured me it is all smooth sailing enough
to keep the fires burning at the online store HQ

she does tell me she was packing an order while in labour
a few weeks back ! . . . now that's dedication

i am so blessed with all the people that surround
me and this little business
my cup continues to runeth over . . .

my heart wanders . . .

2011-05-26T17:48:00.016+10:00

this post has been a long time coming . . .
three weeks in fact . . .
on may 7 i hosted a book-party, afternoon-tea, gathering of sorts
for my dear and kindred friend pia jane bijkerk

in the grounds of st francis college in brisbane
on a beautiful afternoon surrounded by sunlight,
feasting on butterfly cakes, and cups of tea,
about 100 people celebrated
pia and her exquisite book my heart wanders

gauging by the amount of heartfelt emails
both pia and i received after the event,
we knew all the hard work was worth it,
the little details were seen,
and the spirit in which the afternoon was put together was felt . . .

the day couldn't of come off as easily as it did without the
support of so many of my wonderful friends
who, as always, astound me with their time,
care, and love, giving their hands and hearts willingly
to help pull things like this off . . .

thank you to my friend sarah
who made butterfly cakes by the dozens
and a few other sweet things,
and her mum made her famous sandwiches . . .

thank you to my two dear friends maria and jan who made the
cups of tea and kept the guests filled with all the baked goodies . . .

to pia's friend zoe who was our right hand friend all day long
greeting people as they arrived,
helping before and during the afternoon tea

thank you to my ever-supportive sister tiffany
who manned the book table with joy and grace all afternoon . . .
and my mum who made us some big bouquets
of flowers from her garden . . .

the garlands in the image above were
made from pages of old french books,
maps, and blue card in the hues of the book cover . . .
all made by kristina of old yarns
and strung between the sandstone pillars of the verandah
so beautiful, thank you kristina. . .

and an extra big thank you to the talented natalie mccomas
who caputured all these shots of the day ( and many others )
natalie, your work is superb
and it was such a joy to see the day
captured the way you did . . .

a few weeks before the event i made a call out to local
creatives to be a part of the day . . .
and celebrate brisbane hand made . . .
i was overwhelmed with the collection gathered
and we made 3 wonderful bundles of gifts as lucky door prizes

so a big thank you to all those lovely souls that contributed
keeping up the spirit of the handmade in a local community
that pia so feverishly promotes
in her books made by hand paris and amsterdam

a full list of the gift givers is below, with links to their work . . .

but the biggest thank you of all is to pia
who, humbly greets, writes, celebrates,
inspires, and colours so many of our lives
with words of wisdom and hope

and who makes even the most timid amongst us
believe that following ones heart is truly something
that is really the only thing we must do
no matter where, or how, or if, we think we can or can't . . .
that in the bustle of the ordinary there are moments
and ways that are possible regardless of place
or time or money

that indeed a wandering heart
no matter the size or scope of it's travels
is about taking risks even in the smallest ways . . .

michelle at nook
nicole from hot toffee
alarna from little jane street
sarah from red felt flower
kia hing-fay
erin from blossom creations
toni from giddy girl design
kim from udessi
tiel from tsk tsk
sharon muir
louise from loose.leaf paper
liana kabel
kristina from old yarns
alischa from bespoke press
selene from heikehaus
jennifer orland

wait . . . .

2011-05-17T16:51:00.008+10:00

we've finally got some images to show you !
sarah has been busy crocheting her magic . . .
and we will have this new collection of WAIT
at finders keepers in sydney this weekend

there are some really special treasures in this collection
and it is always beautiful to see what comes
of my funny little sculptures after i hand them over . . .
letting sarah's designs take form and work
within and around the shape and placement of holes i have made . . .
making it whole . . .

sarah is coming to sydney with me
which is lovely, as she will be a part of the public life
of this little collaboration we have so truly loved creating together. . .

please pop by and say hello if you are around . . .
there are lots of other new paper boat press goodies heading
down that way too, new magnets, wall pieces, brooches . . .
see poster below and for further
details click HERE

soon . . . i'll return with all the highlights

2011-05-14T10:39:00.006+10:00

it's been a big week
with pia's beautiful book launch last saturday
helping with my friends baby being born on monday
a wedding of dear friends yesterday
and in between it all prepping for finders keepers next week . . .
and generally keeping the work and orders flowing

and also, yesterday, an overwhelming response
to an interview i did on lovely lucy's blog
the design files . . .
thank you to everyone for their beautiful comments
support and emails . . .
your words have lifted me and calmed me amongst
the blur of these days . . .

i will be back soon with a full report on the launch
with lots of other (above, the first of many)
amazing photos taken by
our kind and clever photographer for the day
the talented brisbane gal natalie mccomas

heart shadows . . .

2011-05-11T11:08:00.003+10:00

like clouds

and days

trying to find other pictures
in what is left behind

another yesterday . . .

2011-05-10T12:11:00.005+10:00

a paper boat girl has a new addition . . .

one of my dearest friends teresa
who is also my wonderful webshop girl
welcomed little nate into the world yesterday

and lucky me was her supporter, backrubber
breathing reminder person through the labour
(of course professionally i am not a doula,
i just went with my instincts and luckily they kicked in)

it was a long but amazing day yesterday
and an honour to share this moment with teresa
and her husband D

and the most wonderful of ways to finish off the weekend
that i've had . . .
birth and celebrations . . .

inspiration overload !!!

congratulations my friend . . .

above, little nate's hand once out of the delivery room

yesterday . . .. ..

2011-05-08T16:30:00.005+10:00

pia's launch yesterday was just beautiful
so many happy faces, so many people inspired to meet pia
and celebrate this time with her . . .

there will be many photos to share soon
but this is one i snapped of the shadows the garlands cast . . .

garlands made especially by beautiful kristina
to decorate between the sandstone arches where we held the event

i just bid farewell to my dear friend at the airport
had lunch with my mum and family
and now need a good long rest before
this next week comes and i prep for finders keepers . . .

and amongst it all pia has got me onto
instagram (hense the photo above)
for someone who doesn't facebook or twitter
this fits a little better with me . . .
see how long it lasts, but you can follow me if you like
find me at paperboatpress

i miss you already pia
and have loved every minute of the last 3 days

full report on the launch soon
thanks to those who came,
who sent well wishes,
who helped pull it all together

and happy mothers day too to all those out there
especially mine

x

encouraging reflection

2011-05-03T20:55:00.010+10:00

some tools you use as a potter are like any other
tool . . . utilatarian, simple, though useful,
bland even . . .

but i have a few tools that are part of my kit
that are collected and then made into something
far from their original use . . .

the buttons above are from all over the place

antique shops, online,
gifts from friends who know i will use such things,
junk shops, my grandmothers old tins . . .
and that big black one in the middle from
an amazing store i ventured to while in paris last spring
( see photo below )

so i can best use them to stamp into the clay,
and still not impact on them returning one day possibly
to be a button for original use on a garment,
i craft a handle through the shank of the buttons
with old, new, collected beads . . .

and what appears is a tool, useful and beautiful !

i have a wonderful book on the autobiographical writings
of vanessa bell, virginia woolf's sister,
called sketches in pen and ink
and the following passage written by
vanessa bell's daughter about the room in which her
mother wrote has always struck me as a
as a beautiful way to describe
what i am rambling-ly trying to here . . .

"But the room, though discernibly worn,
smoothed and brushed clean was comfortable enough.
Everything in it had been placed where it was
for a double purpose,
both useful and aesthetic.
Beauty and peace hung suspended,
encouraging reflection."

above Ultramod, 14 Rue Monsigny, 75002 Paris, France.

another bloom . . .

2011-04-28T18:50:00.005+10:00

another bloom from my mother's garden . . .

every wedding anniversary my dad gives my mum
a camellia bush
so her garden if full of them . . .
and this time of year
they are starting to show their full glory.

i snapped this one on my phone
while visiting on the weekend . . .
mum is going to make a couple of big beautiful bunches of
these and other delights from her garden
( providing they hold up well in this rainy weather )
for pia's launch next week, so if you are coming along
you'll be able to see them in person

earth laughs in flowers
emerson said so rightly . . .

ducks in a row . . .

2011-04-27T21:43:00.003+10:00

isn't that what they say
what to hope for . . .
all your ducks in a row . . .

well, my life ain't got that just yet

but my little tags are getting made by the tray load
and they are in rows after rows . . .

small little bits of pattern joy . . .

wait . . . there's more

2011-04-18T17:37:00.010+10:00

do any of you remember THESE . . .
well, my dear friend sarah b and i are finally
collaborating again and getting some
more of our beloved wait sculptures created !

we've both in our separate homes been creating
our respective corners of them . . .
sarah, the crocheted beauty that sits on . . .
my organic, stone like sculptures

creating paper weights . . .

we are experimenting with different clays and palettes
( although still keeping the pieces clean and simple )

we have also been working on the packaging for them
sarah with the sewing and me with the embellishing . . .
a collaboration through and through

the new collection will have its debut at sydney finders keepers
on may 20 and 21
but i will be sure to share some more pictures
as they come to life . . .

cloudy days . . . . . . . . . . .

2011-04-16T09:16:00.004+10:00

new wall pieces just made . . .

coming soon . . .
and sure to be ready in time for finders keepers sydney
which i am heading to in may . . .

FINALLY.... the winners of the anthro pots !!!!

2011-04-15T12:16:00.013+10:00

i am so sorry it has taken me sooooo long

to get to drawing the
winners for the give away i had for
the anthropologie bowls . . .

the last few weeks have been, well... a little crazy busy
so yesterday when miss jen, my thursday girl, was here
jen happened to be the one seen here holding
the protoypes we made so long ago now. . .

we made the draws out of the finished product
such a sentimental fool i am. . .

so i am pleased to announce the winners are

trish from brisbane for the 'reply to the email' prize
and kathryn from sydney for the 'purchase from the online store' prize

how i wish i could have given away many many more
thank you for all that purchased and replied
your lovely comments and support mean more
than you could EVER know

also we are overwhelmed with the support of Pia's book launch
we only have about 15 tickets left
so if you haven't popped over to purchase and want to
come along get in quick

i was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the book today
and am already swooning
i can't wait to find a quiet moment to take it all in
from first glance already
i know you won't be disappointed !

x
have a beautiful weekend
x

my heart wanders BOOK LAUNCH

2011-04-08T13:32:00.005+10:00

just dropping in to finally let you all know about a very special
day coming up in may

i am hosting a book launch for my dear friend Pia Jane Bijkerk
in celebration of the release of her beautiful book

my heart wanders

so we can best plan for a special afternoon
tickets are for pre-sale only
and available through my online store . . .
details are as follows

enjoy butterfly cakes, homemade sweet things,
petits sandwiches, tea and coffee with Pia
who will be there to chat, sign books, and share some
of her inspiring stories with all.

there will be lucky door prizes featuring work by brisbane artisans,
and a special gift for everyone to take home...

saturday may 7th
milton
brisbane
2.30-5.30pm

tickets $15 per person
(numbers strictly limited so get in quick)

so we can make sure there are enough books to go around
we encourage you to pre-order pia's inspiring book for pick up
on the day . . . (although we will make sure we have a few extra's)
we have a special ticket and book combination price also. . .

in my online store where tickets and books are for purchase
there is a separate listing if you would like extra copies of the book
for pia to sign for your friends or loved ones who can't be there on the day.

a confirmation email with further information will be sent
with all purchases of tickets and books.
tickets are ONLY available through paper boat press
prior to the launch and will be on sale until
tuesday may 3
feel free to email if you have any questions

i hope you can join us for this very special celebration
i look forward to seeing you on the day
and introducing you to the ever inspiring Pia . . .

love kylie
x

click HERE for all the details and to purchase tickets and books

auction starts TONIGHT

2011-04-07T18:47:00.007+10:00

hello friends
the i heART japan auction starts tonight at 8 pm AEST

HERE

if you can and like what you see
please consider bidding . . .
all money raised goes to our friends in japan
through Japan Red Cross and Pacific Appeal

photo above taken during my 2008 visit
in the height of cherry blossom celebrations in tokyo
i thought it the right image to share . . .
as it is full of hope

and although this is such a sad time
hope is what is needed

and
the cherry blossom signifies
an enduring metaphor for life
and how we should treasure it

the cherry blossom
beautiful and ephemeral

cloth . . .

2011-04-06T21:57:00.003+10:00

there is so many things on the go here at paper boat HQ

keeping things ordered and tidy is paramount at the moment
as we move into top gear

planning for
special events and markets,

making and creating new work,

and believe it or not christmas prep !!!

the beautiful oatmeal linen/cotton cloth (soon to be transformed)
was just one part of the view from here today . . .

and somehow it calmed me as i left the studio

maybe it is the hues of that space
and how it seemed at home in the clay filled room
blending in . . .
made from the earth i suppose
cotton . . . it is a second cousin of clay in a way . . .

the knowledge of what it will be transformed into

simple
but important and beautiful
utilitarian things

for a special day ahead

i heART japan

2011-04-05T11:26:00.012+10:00

my dear friends kenji and sonia have gathered creative friends
and put together an auction to support
their, our, the worlds... beloved japan

and it has been my pleasure to join the artist collective
in donating work to this worthy cause . . .

below is info and a 'how to' bid on the auction
all proceeds go to red cross japan
please if you can, join, bid, support . . .
it starts THIS thursday . . .

In the days following the devastating 11 March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Brisbane-based ceramic artist Kenji Uranishi and his wife Sonia felt overwhelmed with sadness and a sense of helplessness being so far away and inable to help.
Turning their grief into positive action, a call went out to their network of artist friends and colleagues for help and was answered by more than 20 talented artists from around the country.

What resulted was i heART japan, a beautiful collection of work including ceramicists, painters, photographers and designers to be auctioned on eBay over a 3 day period starting Thursday 7 April (8pm EST) and ending Sunday April (8pm EST)
The work can be previewed on Facebook in advance HERE

Net proceeds of the auction will be donated to the Red Cross Japan and Pacific Appeal

HERE is the link to the auction

i will be back later in the week to send the link again when it goes live !
thanks in advance for your support
to kenji and sonia for their
beautiful and heartfelt work

x

hearts . . .

2011-03-29T19:32:00.004+10:00

today there were hearts all over the place in the studio

we made some tools,
and some paper weights . . .

and a couple of clay ornament samples ( still top secret )

all prototypes and tools towards
celebrating a very special event in may
for a very dear friend . . .

more details soon . . .

last day of our little sale

2011-03-24T10:17:00.003+10:00

just a quick hello to let you know
today is the last day for our little autumn sale in our online store . . .

to receive 10% off store-wide (excluding postage)
please quote the word AUTUMN
in the discount code area of the checkout

and remember
all purchases for the month of march
go in to the draw for one of the large anthropologie bowls
from my collaboration with them . . .

something i realised i didn't make clear here on my blog . . .
but all my mailing list friends would know about . . .
sorry for the late notice

have a great day,
and don't forget if you are in melbourne town
the best thing to do this weekend
would be to visit the fabulous
FINDERS KEEPERS markets !!!!
details HERE

x

landing in my inbox . . .

2011-03-22T09:35:00.007+10:00

so many lovely emails arrive in my inbox every week
and some weeks it is hard to get on top of them all

but when this little photo was sent yesterday
i just had to share asap. . .
( and finally share the one below also )

one of the wonderful things about running this small business
is forming lovely working relationships with my stockists . . .
they feel like friends
( though many i have never met )

one of my stores in canberra is the style emporium
the lovely owner kerist sent me the photo above
of her weekend of making !!!

it is so fabulous to see these little tags being used . . .
we have sent many a pack to our stores,
and sold many online so i hope there is baking and making
going on all over the place . . .

for christmas one of kerist's shop girls ainslee was given
one of my biscuit press's from kerist . . .
and she made the most beautiful batch of cloud biscuits
( image below )
i've been meaning to post this image ( and link ) for a while
so kerist's email yesterday prompted me
to put the two friends results together . . .

thanks for sharing
you gals are great

the view . . .

2011-03-17T17:30:00.001+10:00

the quiet,
after a busy day . . .

birds of passage ( warning : personal rambling follows )

2011-03-14T23:42:00.011+10:00

just over eight years ago the house i was living in was destroyed by fire
i didn't lose everything i owned, i lost a lot, but not everything
we were lucky in the end . . . and no lives were lost . . .

i had insurance, things that could be replaced were,
things that were lost were lost,
things that were reparable were repaired . . .

there is now a new place to live
new things have been collected
more 'things' from life's journey,
beautiful and meaningful bits and pieces to furnish
my home, physical things, belongings, stuff . . .
i have in many senses of the word . . . recovered

it was a hard year that year,
but in the end,
that year i lost something grater than the home i lived in,
a few months later
i lost a friend who meant the world to me . . .
he still walks the earth
but the loss of him in my day to day
was more than the loss of my home . . .
and it is the bit that still is broken
still cracked, still lost . . .

in the end, despite all the trials that the human condition
can go through, the loss we have seen in our
back yard this year here in brisbane, and in our wider earth
through earthquakes and tsunami's it is the
people that are lost that make our hearts break beyond repair sometimes

all those years ago, a dear friend of mine
painted me a little drawing of a bird in a nest
as a housewarming present for the new home i moved to after the fire

the drawing still sits today
at the entrance to my home
there is a quote under the drawing that says . . .

we are but birds of passage and must build our nests
out of what materials we can find
- lady wilson

i made this into a quote tag a month ago, and although it
isn't the most popular new tag picked by my stockists
it was an important one to make . . .
the words are true i think
the words are how we must live . . .
for we are just that

we are birds of passage

and some days are easier than others
some are harder . . .
today is the later

my prayers go out to the world as it continues to weep

(photo above taken on my last trip out west
of a birds nest in the hedge at the front of my oma's house,
a little nest covered by a tangled and strong hedge of jade )

5 packs in store... and a little sale

2011-03-09T21:37:00.008+10:00

finally we have these little tags up in our online store !!!

we are celebrating this by having a little sale . . .
for the next two weeks (offer closes March 24th)
we are offering 10% store-wide (excluding shipping)
to get the discount simply quote the word
AUTUMN in the discount code section of the checkout

if we run low on stock we will replenish asap
promise . . .

hope you like the little photos we took of how the tags look
in situ

thanks to selene for being a fabulous hand model !

and my mum for the beautiful flowers from her garden . . .

mum has given me the most beautiful of flowers through the years
from her garden . . .

i've showed a few
here and here and here and here
and things made from her garden here . . .

i knew the inspiration for the 'from my garden' tag came from somewhere

a great way to end the week

2011-03-04T13:32:00.009+10:00

finally, i am so thrilled to reveal the vessels that
i have been working on with anthropologie for the last 18 months !

as i've said before it has been so wonderful working with them
and it was i must say a real delight to see them listed overnight
on their US site . . .

i'll be back next week with lots of other news as am not up
to doing much as this week ends . . .
but in the mean time thanks to all who are spreading the news
and sending emails from around the world about these
and my two poetry books . . . you are making this gal from
brisbane feel very inspired . . .

( above photo taken by the lovely jillian lieboff )

forming words

2011-02-27T09:28:00.034+10:00

words are the basis for my mark making on ceramics and so
when i was asked to be apart of the exhibition forming words
i was thrilled, not only be be able to be part of a show
curated by Ingrid Tufts and Sophie Milne, but to also
be able to exhibit my work beside potters that i have long admired

the exhibition runs from 4-25 march
Pan Gallery
142-144 Weston Street Brunswick East

if you are in melbourne town and are interested please pop along
to support this show and the wonderful team at Pan Gallery

below is the exhibition info
and then i thought i would share my artist statement also...

FORMING WORDS

Text on ceramics has a long and rich history, from ancient pictograms scratched on clay tablets to provocative works from the conceptual art movement of the 60s and 70s. Forming Words is an exhibition designed to explore and articulate ideas within this popular movement in ceramic practice.

Ceramic art has the ability to communicate without words, through touch, sight and use, making the decision to incorporate text a deliberate and potentially provocative choice. Eight Australian ceramicists exhibit works that explore how the written word furthers our appreciation of a three dimensional artwork, merging text and form to convey a cohesive idea.

ARTIST STATEMENT

My ceramic art practice has always started and ended with words and poetry. Words are to my ceramic work like any mark, decoration, or design.

As well as being a ceramic artist I am also a poet, and in my current practice it is these words that are used in the creation of my ceramic vessels.

It is important that in both mediums (on paper and on clay) the words are pared back, spaced, and laid out in a way that is both deliberate and happenstance at the same time. Each letter stamped into the clay is applied in a similar way to the organic nature of the vessel, creating work that in its mark and shape, hopefully harmonise.

It is also a deliberate act to colour the text to look inky and brown, occasionally having another colour enter the mix highlighting a word or phrase.

More often than not the poems (although most already existing) find their own rhythm on each pot, swirling, climbing, hiding amongst and along the simple hand built and draped vessels.

A strange thing has happened along the way also… I have found putting the words from the pages of my poetry books to a ceramic vessel has allowed the poems to have a different audience. Someone who wouldn’t normally like poetry in the form of lines on a page are led into it by means of clay. Some vessels need to be moved and turned to read the poem, some people touch to feel the indentation of words. The poem becomes an object that can be held… a keepsake, a message, a story… just in different clothes.

yesterday

2011-02-26T11:36:00.006+10:00

the printer delivered . . .

and we wasted no time in putting the packs together
to see how they looked as a finished product . . .
and we were mighty happy

within the next week
hopefully there'll be some in the online store . . .
5 packs of little ornaments
a long time in the making
but hopefully worth the wait . . .

beauty abounds in the broken spaces . . .

2011-02-24T21:15:00.011+10:00

nearly ready . . .

2011-02-22T17:08:00.014+10:00

these little beauties are nearly ready to be packed up
in little families of five . . .
the backing card should be back from the printer in the next
day or two . . .

i'll be sending out a newsletter soon
with a little sale to celebrate their arrival,
a competition for the anthropologie vessels,
and many varied other bits and pieces . . .

my stockists are already ordering these packs fast,
so that is a great sign that i was on
some sort of right track to make them work !

and thanks to the amazing help of a dear friend,
hopefully, very soon, my website will be up
and not just a 'coming soon' page . . .
phew

some words from a friend . . .

2011-02-17T21:40:00.008+10:00

it may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
the mind that is not baffled is not employed.
the impeded stream is the one that sings.

- wendell berry

a lovely friend of mine emailed me this quote today
probably because she knew i would like it . . .
but little did she know it arrived just on the right day,
the right minute . . .
life is strange that way, and then again,
not at all strange that way . . .

( photo: driving through the clouds on a mountain top on chrsitmas day last )

from italy with love . . .

2011-02-09T18:31:00.008+10:00

although i've had my contracted samples for a while now
my personal order of the anthropologie vessels
arrived this week . . .

i was able to get some sent so i can pass them on
to friends/family/studio gal helper/lawyer etc
as they will be only available online
and in store at anthropologie

i am looking forward to properly
sharing images of them with you all soon

they release in spring in the US
so only a few sleeps away now . . .

AND i am about to release some new work
and when i send out the email newsletter
about all of that
i thought i would give
a piece of the anthropologie collection
away in a competition . . .

if you aren't on the paper boat mailing list
click on the 'join our mailing list' link
on this webpage and i'll be sure to keep you up to date . . .

prototypes

2011-02-04T14:58:00.004+10:00

. . . just out of the kiln

finding the coolest spot

2011-02-03T19:03:00.008+10:00

we had to escape the heat today,

and, so we didn't abandon work altogether
miss jen rolled the clay in the semi-outdoor studio
and then bought the work into the kitchen
where i am lucky enough to have air conditioning

it reminded me that many years ago
this is where jen and i did a lot of the work
( in another house i used to live in . . . )
paper boat press wasn't making the amount
of pieces each year then as we are now . . .
so our needs for work space were different

but it is sometimes good
to be reminded, out of the blue,
where you have come from, how you've grown . . .

and that in the end if i really want to . . .
i can still make things
in corners and spaces that i thought i'd outgrown
or didn't need anymore

cooking up something new . . .

2011-02-01T18:53:00.009+10:00

my mum always said the only thing that is 'normal'
is the dial on the washing machine !

so, i don't want to say things are back
to normal . . .
or even on their way to getting back to normal
around here . . .
yes, what is normal really . . .

i suppose we are starting to
feel like we are back in a little bit more of a routine . . .

we are creating a new range of tags
( or should i say extension of some other work )

it has taken me a long time to commit to making
this part of my range available for
wholesale and also as a year round product . . .

but we are on our way . . .
i won't say too much about what we are making
but i will say -

it is so you can add something to your
making or giving . . .

and today . . .

2011-01-27T23:05:00.008+10:00

we are still rolling along . . .

today it was miss jen's turn in the studio,
she's my thursday girl. . .

and . . . in the heat of a brisbane summer,
we remembered how nice it was to be at work together . . .
and how lucky we are, despite heavy hearts,
that we get to hang out and create things together,

and really, in the end . . .
simply share a day

the girls are back . . .

2011-01-27T10:00:00.007+10:00

and we're rolling again . . . .

just a few lovely snaps . . .

2011-01-25T00:41:00.010+10:00

as last year drew to a close
a few pictures were taken
( not by me )
of my work in places . . .
above a beautiful photo taken by the talented
brisbane photographer mark lobo
at the brisbane summer finders keepers market
these ornaments have never looked nicer !

at the same market
my friend alischa took some of my poetry pots
sitting on the amazing backdrop
i was lucky enough to have on my stall . . .
an old falling down piano

i love that the text sways like the keys
as the bowls sit on them . . .
lyrical really . . .

and one of my favourite shots
from the wedding of the lovely alarna from
little jane street
her husband david ( who loves clouds )
wore instead of flowers on his lapel
one of my cloud brooches . . .
. . . and such a great snap by their amazing wedding
photographer jonas peterson. . .

just swell all these snaps . . .
i've been meaning to share them for a while

they make my hard work feel like it glows in places
and through others eyes that i can't capture
cos i'm too close to it all . . . you know ?

getting back in the groove . . .

2011-01-23T21:44:00.016+10:00

life here in brisbane has been

sad and surreal for a few weeks now . . .
but as is the nature of life
it must go on . . .

even when it is hard when so many around us have
such a long road to recovery ahead . . .

we must keep our heads up and get on with things,
keep industry going, support locals,
continue to help in what ever way we can . . .

my studio girls are back this week
and much organising and arranging has been happening
behind the scenes to prepare for our busy year ahead

one special thing that has made my week
is the addition of a new piece of equipment ( of sorts )
for the studio . . . ( image above )
it is the simple things sometimes . . .

the trick to working in our lovely space is just that . . .
space . . .
there is an amazing view
but not much square footage to work with
so we must improvise . . .
this is ok most of the time,
but last year we introduced a new system to one of our
production processes . . . spraying the glaze on !!!

my friend sean, helped me
not be afraid of an air-compressor
and all the technical info that comes with it,
and he showed and helped me understand
the process as a whole . . .

i have to say for the 'production' side of my work
his help has changed my working life !

so six months ago i bought one (a compressor),
and face mask, and made temporary spray box
out of pieces of ply that were dismantled after each use . . .

this is where the story brings us . . .
in the last week my dad has made this spray box . . .
compact,
sits on the table neatly
and when we are finished spraying . . .
we turn it upside down and a table can still be used

. . . that was my idea,
my lateral thinking comes in handy sometimes . . .

anyhoo, just thought i'd share a little bit of timber joy
it isn't always about the pretty . . .

but this piece of practical is pretty fantastic

thanks dad . . .
and sean . . .
and air-compressor manufacturers . . .

this will be used every week
as we make our quote tags and ornaments
and all the other new things we've got up our sleeves,
i'll keep you posted . . .

so much water so close to home . . .

2011-01-12T18:08:00.006+10:00

hello friends, customers, stores...

thank you to all who have called,
text,
tried to email (and emailing now that my email is working again...)

my home/studio in milton, although it is high, and by all accounts safe
was evacuated yesterday
due to the distressing state of our beloved city

all our prayers are with our family, friends and neighbours in brisbane
and throughout our big beautiful state
who are suffering through this time

my family have been dealing with this flood disaster for some time now
with friends and family leaving
their homes in central queensland
it really is such a distressing and too close to home time . . .

i will be back in touch when we are back on board

in the mean time if you would like to donate to the flood relief
appeal please click on link below, every cent will help

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

(title of post thanks to paul kelly, australian singer/storyteller of the people)

2010-12-24T07:49:00.004+10:00

happy christmas

we hope it is fun and safe and full of
beautiful memories . . .

from all of us at paper boat press
we want to thank you for your
kind words and ongoing support through twenty ten

life can be random . . .

2010-12-20T12:36:00.013+10:00

this year i've looked up a lot . . .
at ceilings
at the sky

here are two of my favourite ceilings . . .
in the most different of places . . .

above, a room in the rodin museum in paris
worth the visit just to see the camille claudel collection

and below the historic and facsinating hotel corones
in charelville where we stopped for a whiskey (or two)
on the way home from my grandmother's funeral . . .

it does pay to not just look at your feet
and where you think you are going . . .

it makes the picture bigger,
the journey wider,
the sadness briefly scatter . . .

where does the time go ?

2010-12-17T16:11:00.008+10:00

i don't quite know

all i know, right now
it is time to
down tools for the year

phew . . .

i have to say i am looking forward
to a break
it has been a mighty big year
here at paper boat HQ

today was scrub the studio floor day
( luckily with the help of my brother )
and last, last minute shop top up
order sent . . .

a few more things to share before the year ends
in the mean time this is a shot of some of my studio tools
taken earlier this year
by talented photographer russell shakespeare

the shot is so beautiful that despite my tiredness
it almost makes me want to pick one up and use

pages . . .

2010-12-10T21:14:00.009+10:00

my new journal range,
both in my online store and in the stores that stock them
seems to be a big hit !

it seems people are filling the pages
with the breathings of their hearts . . .

above is a beautiful shot sent to me
by my friend lou, a fellow collector of words and whimsy
from looseleaf.paper

fill those pages people . . .
send me photos of the pages you fill if you like

write

wander

wonder

c e l e b r a t e . . .

2010-12-09T12:39:00.006+10:00

the other night i took all my studio peeps
out for dinner . . . all in all a bakers dozen !

they really are the best !

we have had such a big year
and the number of helpers has grown to cope
with the growth of this little business

the best thing of all is the friendship though . . .
the kinship
the place we have created
in each others hearts
( it sounds sappy but it is true . . . )
we help each other through the tough parts of
our day to day
creating a space of refuge and solidarity
where it is ok to come to work
and cry . . .

but don't get me wrong
there is a lot of fun too, a lot of laughter and
( especially the 'wednesday girls' )
a lot of chocolate

and as each year ends
i feel grateful personally and professionally to have this
circle in my life . . .
this team who work so very hard for me and paper boat press
but who have formed friendships within that space too

this friendship i know
just makes the work we do
full of even more love

it is amazing what can happen when your
heart is in the right place

thank you to my 11 gals and 2 boys
who make my work
not seem like work !
who make each day easier to get through
and make the creative life i live continue to flourish. . .

merry merry !

recently . . .

2010-12-06T20:21:00.028+10:00

i've been in sydney for a couple of days
i visited one of my favourite stockists . . .
high tea with mrs woo
and had a great dinner
with the fabulous gals ( 3 sisters )
behind it all !
we've all felt like friends for so long ( via email )
as i've stocked both their stores for a few years now . . .
it was so nice to share the kindred journeys we've been on
the similarities ( despite the medium )
the hard work
the vision
and ethos of things we do . . .

walking into their store on oxford street
felt like home
full of beautiful touches . . .
a wall of their designs mixed with collections of
old frames . . .
and behind the counter a blackboard with their signature
quote . . . ( see top photo ) ,
one which i have made into a tag for them this year
( exclusively for them )

i purchased a very special
sculptured-pencil-thing
while there
which i'll share at a later date
it is just too beautiful not to share
and not to use !

i also had a long overdue visit to the
donna hay store
( did you see they have a brand new online store now )
the bricks and mortar store
is in a beautiful old sandstone building
and again lovely to meet karen, donna's sister
who has been my email work friend for the last few years
since i've started stocking the store

below are a few photos, one of the display at the counter
with this years ornaments . . .

it is always so great to see all our hard work
sit in a store . . .
in it's second home
before it heads to the next . . .

and finally amongst other outings
i was lucky enough to have lunch with some very dear friends
at this amazing bondi restaurant . . .

with star spotting to boot . . .
he arrived to have lunch just as we were all
sharing dessert . . . and with his arrival
i don't know if we really paid attention
to the sweetness we were eating . . .
it was a pretty swell few days all round really
which was just what i needed in this crazy time of year !

ok enough rambling . . . back to the clay now . . .

samples . . .

2010-12-01T23:00:00.009+10:00

sample one :

from anthropologie
seeing the samples in the flesh
was surreal and wonderful . . .
this is the small dish,
i will reveal more when i get the ok too . . .
and they are released . . .
but it all feels very real now . . .
i can't wait to share what poems we used,
and what the vessels as a whole look like !

sample two :

pamela from pamela's pantry
made lots of these shortbread biscuits
as a swap for the biscuit press's
i made for her . . .

the biscuts were on our refreshments table on the weekend
with all the money raised
going to the orphanage in thailand we support . . .
so it all goes around really . . .

that, and the shortbread tasted great . . .
and of course proof that the biscuit press's work too !!!

...from a beautiful day

2010-12-01T22:52:00.007+10:00

some

snaps

from

saturday last . . .

we had a lovely day at our annual christmas show on saturday
meeting some new customers,
and catching up with some long time ones . . .
thank you to all who came along and supported this
special day in the calendar of paper boat press . . .

and an extra thanks to
lisa
and sarah (who took these photos)
tiffany
teresa
selene
and luke

all who made the day so effortless and calm
x

annual christmas show THIS SATURDAY

2010-11-22T23:19:00.007+10:00

paper boat press

christmas show

saturday 27 november

10am – 2pm

st francis theological college – 233 milton road, milton

(entrance via baroona road)

this year i'll be having a little sale table
with lots of end of line designs
and bits and bobs

as well as a collection of
christmas ornaments
new journals
poetry vessels
cloud brooches
earrings
and much much more

i hope you can pop in for a cup of tea

and for those who are in far away places
i will be back later in the week with
a discount code for a 3-4 day sale in my online store

. . . and while i am here
i just wanted to say a big
thank you
to all those lovely souls
who took the time to email or call
to congratulate me on the
anthropologie deal....
i feel very lucky to be so supported

x

some big news . . .

2010-11-17T15:42:00.008+10:00

i've been keeping some exciting news quiet for
nearly 18 months now . . .
but i think the adventure can be revealed today

mid last year anthropologie
contacted me, interested in working with me
on a range of my poetry vessels
and after much conversation and working through
ideas i agreed and have been working
with them through this year . . .

you may remember this post . . .
miss jen is holding one of the sample vessels
in prototype stage . . .

it is an interesting thing, being a maker
and letting the work be reproduced . . .

there has been some thoughts of
'should i' but the thought of having my words and work
sprinkled through peoples homes,
on vessels that they use day to day
made it an easy decision in the end . . .

but most of all
at every step of the way
the commitment and respect anthropologie have shown
both myself and my work
has made working with the team such a delight

there will be three vessels in the first range
with a point of difference to my one off pieces,
a colour way especially for anthropologie,
with the text in blue . . .

also in tribute to the blue and white tradition . . .
( and lets face it, i use the word blue in a lot of my poetry too )

there is a platter, a large bowl, and a small dish

anyway, we are nearly ready for production to
begin and the range of vessels will
hopefully be available in the new year . . .
in the mean time, and as an extra and
very exciting part to this story
and why i wanted to tell you all today . . .

anthropologie have also purchased, and are now selling
in their stores and online
both my poetry books

i will be keeping you up to date
when the release of when the ceramic range is in store . . .

it is being produced in italy, and all year
the studio gals and i muse about
how nice it would be to have a site visit . . .
maybe i'll end up in new york one of these days
just to walk into one of their amazing stores and see my work
on their shelves . . .

a few dear friends have known of this news
( and a big thank you also to my dear sister
and all those who have offered great advice )
but now it is so nice to share it with you all
and i have to say
seeing the books on the anthro sight today
really made my day

found . . .

2010-11-15T17:32:00.006+10:00

sometimes you need a distraction . . .
especially when you are shoulder deep in work
( work that i love mind you )
but a distraction is a good thing . . .

when traveling to london early this year
i bought a little bag of hard candy
( really only because it was made of letters )

when sharing some with a friend the other day
i told the her the story about something an
old boyfriend of mine from my early twenties gave me

he had a part-time job packing shelves
at the local supermarket at nights . . .

one night when he came to visit after a long shift
he presented me with a little film canister ( remember them ? )
it was full of tiny dry alphabet spaghetti . . .

he had cut open a bag when slicing the box open
( i can still imagine the thousands of little letters
flying all down the isle of the deserted supermarket )
before he cleaned them up he went through them
and collected eight little letters for me . . .

when i rearranged the little pasta letters
it spelled . . . well, see above . . .

it is a really sweet and lovely memory

and goes to show
it doesn't have to be much,

really anything much at all,

to show
someone that you love them,
that you care

and you never know what you can make when a
seemingly messy situation presents itself

something simple

simply something . . .

( these candy letters are far more edible than the floor collected
broken packet of alphabet spaghetti, but not nearly
as meaningful . . .
but arranging them for this little
journal entry and telling this story hopefully has made them so )

some snap shots . . .

2010-11-14T11:05:00.005+10:00

here are some snap shots of my stall
last weekend at finders keepers. . .
( including amazing backdrop of
an old falling apart piano )

it was such a lovely weekend
full of beautiful smiling faces stopping by to say hello

my new journals were a hit

as were our new biscuit press's . . .
a request many years ago from my mum,
and more recently from a local and much loved
store - pamela's pantry, in paddington . . .

i am still coming up for air from
the GoMA twilight markets on friday night
which were also amazing !
i will share more photos ( of that market ) soon

in the mean time
a big big BIG thank you to the amazing sarah, brooke and alischa
from finders keepers
for running such a seamless and classy show

. . . and to my fabulous shop girls
teresa and sarah
( sarah, who also took these photos for me )
couldn't have done it without you !

GoMA twilight markets . . .

2010-11-10T00:12:00.005+10:00

last weekend was the always fabulous finders keepers market !
( will share photos soon )

and this friday night i am having a stall at the
gallery store
twilight christmas design market

it is always fun and always full of lovely stall holders
we have a few new faces this year
as well as some wonderful supportive regualrs

all together there is 21 designers selling their wares . . .

the market starts at 4pm and finishes at 8pm
it is held just outside the gallery store
at the gallery of modern art
in the forcourt, stanley street
south brisbane

there's a cash bar
and lots of christmas shopping on offer

x

we are . . .

2010-11-02T07:16:00.006+10:00

we are busy preparing for this weekends finders keepers

and sending out our big boxes of christmas decorations
to our wonderful stores . . . .

there just doesn't seem to be enough hours
in the day at the moment

i spotted this ceramic beauty the other day
( from one of my favourite places in paris )
inspiring decoration on porcelain . . .
( couldn't link to direct post so scroll down through the last couple )

i can't wait to have some head space
to do some new work . . .
this time of year, it is production work at the forefront,
and only a moment here and there for new work . . .

for play

for experimenting

for letting the drawings in my journals
reach into the clay

those days will come . . .

ceramic crush . . .

2010-10-29T09:35:00.007+10:00

every now and then you come across work
that takes your breath away

that shows a unique vision,
a story,
a style that stands out amongst the masses . . .

a few weeks ago i visited
the finders keepers market in melbourne
for a day away, some time with dear friends,
and generally to support the markets and have
a day of christmas shopping
( buy handmade !!! ) . . .

when planning our trip we knew there was one
stall that we didn't want to miss
and we were quite overwhelmed with
the beauty of the work, it is every bit as beautiful in
real life as it is in photos !

( and of course couldn't walk away
without buying some treasures )

the stall : golden ink
a collaborative between
abby seymour and katherine wheeler

abby, a printmaker and katherine a jeweller
together they create the most lovely work

i won't ramble on
because there's a great interview
HERE
( that lets you know a bit more about them )

just thought i'd share
this inspiring, beautiful, and thoughtful work

[ all photos golden ink ]

finders keepers brisbane

2010-10-28T09:33:00.006+10:00

we will be having a stall at finders keepers
saturday and sunday
november 6th and 7th

looks like it will be a great market
with friends from all over oz having stalls . . .
and a great line up of local talent too

hope you can pop by and say hello

we'll have lots of new work for sale
including this years christmas ornament range,
new journals, and a few other surprises
( as well as old fav's ... of course )

info on the market, the how to get there
and when ( and great music line up )
is HERE

the days not bluring into one . . .

2010-10-27T21:07:00.007+10:00

as mentioned in a previous post . . .
these are the jacaranda's
reminding me of the seasons,
and showering our studio view with purple . . .

beautiful sad days . . .

2010-10-26T15:24:00.012+10:00

i have been out west

to say goodbye to my beloved oma (grandmother) . . .
to lay her to rest in the place where she was from,
where her wisdom and her stories came from . . .

we gathered, and cried, and celebrated her life . . .
there was sadness, but also beauty . . .

a friend wrote to me this week and said
" we learn so much from that generation,
they experienced so much hardship and sadness in their lifetime . . .
and mostly survived through
their sense of humour and stoicism,
and an ability to get through . . . "

no truer words could be spoken of my oma . . .
with her humour being paramount

these words from my friend reminded me of the post i did HERE

my recent trip out to the willows,
where she lived these past years
will be held dearer than it was yesterday . . .
she was in fine form when i saw her then,
drinking her lambrusco (cherry cheer as she called it) . . .
telling her wild stories . . .
smiling and winking . . .

this is how i will remember her,
true til the end . . .

oma was my friend, my hero, and my confidant . . .
she always encouraged me to love with all my heart

i will always miss her

( the church my grandfather, opa, built )

( wildflowers we picked for her coffin )

busy bees are we . . .

2010-10-14T19:43:00.016+10:00

punching out hearts

breaking for lunch . . .

stacking stars and birds in the afternoon light

making new earrings. . .

life in this online journal has been a little slow of late
a lot of family sadness going on
a lot of work getting done
a lot of not sleeping
a lot of packing and sending orders

my studio gals are keeping me calm,
they really are wonderful

the jacarandas in bloom peeking in from
the big open window of my studio
remind me of the seasons . . .

trust nature to hold the key to tell me
that the days are separate,
and not blended into one . . .

personalised stars . . .

2010-10-06T17:25:00.005+10:00

it's that time already . . .
where do the weeks . . . months . . . go ?
cut off for making personalised stars is nearly here . . .

a cut off date is needed
so i can make sure they are made and sent in time
to hang on your tree

closing date for twenty ten is
15 OCTOBER

find all the info and how to purchase . . .
HERE

a paper boat

2010-09-30T20:29:00.006+10:00

these paper boats of mine
are meant to dance on the ripples of hours,
and not reach any destination

- tagore

beautiful little paper boat by my friend kristina

places for things . . .

2010-09-29T18:33:00.010+10:00

my home ( which also houses my studio )

is full of furniture that has been
collected, given, bought new, bought old,
handed down, salvaged . . .

it all somehow goes together . . .
or maybe i just think it does . . .

recently as my parents changed some furniture
in their rock house out west
i was handed on this rickety old cupboard
which i love so much

with a fine little painting on the doors by my mum,
and lots of room inside,
it is now home to trays and trays
of work that are cushioned well ( no vessels in here ) . . .

every time i think i am close to clearing the shelves . . .
more trays of work appear,
i sometimes wonder where it would have lived
before this cupboard was here . . .

sometimes things are handed to us when it is needed,
even if we didn't know we needed it . . .

and sometimes i have to remember
that this is how life can work in other ways too . . .

oh, that . . .

2010-09-27T15:46:00.006+10:00

oh, that i could
shrink the surface of the world,
so that suddenly i might find you
standing at my side . . .

- wang chien

two wedge-tailed eagles
last weekend along a familiar road out west . . .

pencil cases . . .

2010-09-23T00:31:00.016+10:00

also in store this week . . .

to continue my love of making special things
to help with writing and drawing,
doodling and dreaming . . .

pencil cases

released at finders keepers in june
and finally in my online store now

these pencil cases
were embroidered in brisbane,
then lovingly sewn for me by my fabulous
studio girl selene . . .
from a beautiful cotton/linen
in chocolate brown and natural

with linings to contrast the case,
and to match the embroidery and zip . . .

2 designs in the 2 colour ways . . .

you can find them HERE

pencils not included, but we'll be sure to put one in the parcel
when purchased from our online store . . .

journals are now in store . . .

2010-09-22T15:25:00.009+10:00

my new range of journals are now for sale
in my online store
they are beautifully hard covered books,
with a white ribbon marker
and 144 blank pages for you to write all your
words and wonder

the cover has a lovely textured paper . . .
and the label with the quote is de-bossed
creating a lovely point of difference . . .

and best of all they are only $19.95 each

a w a y . . .

2010-09-21T18:58:00.019+10:00

i've been away for a few days

visiting a very special part of the world . . .

a family home
a place of memories
a quiet corner

it rained the whole time i was away
we played trivial pursuit ( two good long games )
to pass some of the time . . .
mind you it was from a set that was 25 years old,
and the genus version at that !

my dad won both games . . . he is a bit smart really
a journalist who has lived through a lot of the news history
that was asked, and who knows what river
flows where and on what continent
and a historical literary knowledge second to none i know. . .

we all had to remember though, to answer with the knowledge that
the pack of questions was so old that countries have changed
( yes there was an answer that mentioned west germany )

and so far back that caroline chisholm
was the only australian woman once
who appeared on an australian bank note . . .
( the old purple $5 )
i did answer this question correctly with
thanks to primary school knowledge and an old
song by the overnight jones ( aka warner brothers )
called brunswick st girl if i recall . . .
i can't find the lyrics so am not sure
but will have to see if i still have the seven" around somewhere

it's funny what rainy days
and crazy old board games bring out !

it rained for so long
that the sandstone floor verandah
became damp from underground . . .

but made the patterns all the more beautiful

the little collections of things my mum
has placed around the house bought great inspiration

she gave me that beautiful white raku vase
to bring home with me . . .
it was made by a previous willows resident
and fired in a drum in the back yard by mum and dad a
few years back . . .

my brother made fantastic sushi,
one night for a family birthday . . .

tempura and all . . .
on a little gas stove on the back verandah
. . . not bad for a rock house kitchen in the middle of the bush

i collected a couple of stones that i know i will one
day pass on to a friend who i collect such things for
" why look for sapphires "
he once said
" isn't every stone as beautiful as another in some ways "

i took many more photos
which i will share in the coming days
but for now

it is these moments
from those days
i wanted to share . . .

how beautiful the breeze

2010-09-16T09:30:00.009+10:00

days are busy here at pbp hq
i will be back with news and ramblings again soon . . .

in the mean time have you seen that my friend
kia has some wonderful new stamp sets in her store
my fav is the gossip girl one, but maybe just because of the title . . .
the bird and cloud is also pretty fabulous . . .

x

you orbit my life . . . . . . . .

2010-09-07T17:21:00.010+10:00

and still i love you . . .

i am so enjoying making
a whole new series of little bowls
with words from my new book . . .

i find that my poetry pots
feel like home to me . . .
it is where a big part of my creative heart
resides . . .

( like i said some time ago here and here )

a f t e r . . .

2010-09-06T11:49:00.005+10:00

after many years
two very dear friends of mine
( they feel like family really )
are changing direction,
forging a new path in their creative lives . . .

i am thinking of them everyday
as they close one door
to open another . . .

x o x o

2010-09-03T11:25:00.002+10:00

2010-09-02T19:34:00.006+10:00

today

some lovely visitors visited

in the studio with my fabulous thursday studio gal
we made lots of little bowls
and i stamped them with my poetry

i just read this lovely post
which i've been meaning to write a little message about here also . . .
but she beat me to it . . .
( so lovely to be sitting with my beautiful friend on those pages )

today

i thought of the poetry ( i write )
and the love letters that they are, really . . .
they are

j o u r n a l s . . .

2010-08-31T13:39:00.015+10:00

yesterday i received the advances of the journals
paper boat press is about to release . . .

these are a long time coming,
in both the designing and creating process,
and the long term wish that one day . . .
. . . one day i'd have some journals in my range !

this range has three different cover designs
with blank pages . . .
there will be matching pencils to go with the journals also . . .

i shut my eyes in order to see
- gauguin

stripe and spot journal with red highlights and end papers . . .
designed after my love of japanese washi paper designs

fill your paper with the breathings of your heart
- wordsworth

vintage book design and labels a big influence on this one,
with the muted coffee colour background
and a beautiful green colour picked for the illustration/pattern
and end papers

wisdom begins in wonder - socrates

and clouds . . .

with text in brown and dark blue label edging and end papers

each of the labels on all three journals
are de-bossed giving a lovely little
added feel to the cover

i couldn't have got them made without the support and
encouragement of my wonderful sister
who is a print-wiz . . .

and my friend gill who did the most
fabulous of jobs helping me
with the graphic art side of things
turning my drawings and pattern ideas into reality
. . . and print ready files etc etc . . .

they will be in my stockists and on my online store as of
mid to end of september and will retail for only $19.95
( which i am thrilled about for small hardcover journals )

and i'll be sure to have them at any of the markets
i do around christmas also . . .

x