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

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 . . .

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

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 . . .

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 . . . .

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

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 . . .

like clouds

and days

trying to find other pictures
in what is left behind

another yesterday . . .

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 . . .. ..

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

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.