Shelbyville

Street Photography workshop

Why do I always leave it until the last minute to blog about these things? I think it's just that they sneak up on me all too quickly. Yes, that's it. Sneaky event things.

So yes anyway, this very Saturday (21st November 2009) I'm teaming up with the talented photographer, Mark Sherborne, to host a Street Photography workshop at the Vibewire Enterprise Hub space in Ultimo from 12.30 - 5:30pm.

We shall be teaching all the good photographic techniques and showing lots of evokative and inspiring photography/books, and then we'll be taking all the participants out for a walk to Chinatown for a bit of an impromptu Photography Adventure with a challenge to take 10 snaps to hopefully put into practice some of the photographic techniques previously learned. And those 10 snaps might just end up in an impromptu photography exhibition in the Vibewire space not long after. Sounds like fun to me.

When: 21st November, 12:30 to 5:30 pm
Where: Vibewire Enterprise Hub, 525 Harris Street,Ultimo,Sydney
Cost:  $30
For who: all ages and levels of experience welcome
RSVP: events@vibewire.org

You can find out all the essential details and read the extended description blurb over here at vibewire.org or even here at Gumtree.com.

Oh, and I should add that we're not camera snobby at all - any form of photographic equipment is ok - digital, film, polaroid, phone cameras, pinhole cameras, even plastic toy cameras. Actually, I'll be bringing both my toy cameras on the day... fun!

And please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think might be interested in learning about Street Photography. Even if I have left it until the last minute to tell you about it.
;)

Cyclops Toy Factory - our new digs

It's true, Shelbyville has relocated, and the new digs are quite befitting for a girl who loves her vintage games and toys as much as I do.

After yesterday's exhausting 8-hour move (starting at 6am no less!!), we now find ourselves setting up home in yet another converted warehouse space - this time it's the old Cyclops Toy Factory! 

A piece of genuine Australian heritage, Cyclops were the makers of tricycles, pedal cars, dolls prams, and other wheeled and tin toys since 1913, although their heyday was undoubtably in the 1950s and 60s. Loving things of retro vintage, this prompted me to do a little searching around for some piccies and such.

 

^ The Lightning Car!

 

^ The Senior Pedal Pusher

 

^ Pedal car held in the National Museum of Australia's collection

 

^ The iconic 50s pedal car, commemorated in a series of Aus Post stamps based on vintage toys.

 

 

^ A 1970s catalogue showing Cyclops's range of toys.

 

^ an old Cyclops advertising poster - a framed postcard-sized copy of this poster hangs just inside our front door.

 

^ And sweet tricycle memories from the lovely Floresita, the cute little girl on the right who's out riding the streets with her big brother.
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Upon entering our apartment, there's also a framed collection of historic black & white images of the old Cyclops factory building and its workers assembling the toys:

 

As I type this, I am currently sitting by that third window from the left...!

I'm hoping to do more research about both the building and the toys, with a little help from the library. The few bits and pieces I've come across on the interweb have intrigued me enough to dig a little further. There's something really nice about living in a building steeped with history, and finding out about some if its stories.
:)

But anyway, I better head off now so I can continue with the overwhelmingly huge task of unpacking and turning this place into a home... wish me luck.

Pics of Brissie's Finders Keepers

Just a quick post before I head off to bed...

These are some pics (taken by photographer Mark Lobo) at the Finders Keepers design market held in Brisbane on the weekend - and what an unbelievably fantastic weekend it was! I'm still yet to catch my breath ;)

 

^ Inside one of the two grand rooms of the Old Museum

 

^ Out on the verandah, where Shelbyville's table was located

 
 

^ The ever-wonderful Georgi (no 'e' please) who not only helped me to first set-up the table in the morning, but who also offered her high-spirited + enthusiastic assistance on the stall for a good chunk of Saturday. Much love and hugs to you gorgeous girl!  And also love and thanks to my sister-in-law Annie who, as it turns out, is an absolute natural behind a market stall table! I can't thank you lovely ladies enough for all your time and help. And while I'm dishing out gratitude, thanks also to my other sister-in-law Terri for Sunday afternoon's help, all my good buddies who came along to the market to say hello and wish me luck, and to my partner Dan for his perpetual support, encouragement and excellent car-loading abilities. You guys are all so awesome.

 

^ A wee shot of some of the goodies on the Shelbyville table

 

^ My neighbours Beau & Trouble - gorgeous recycled timber + metal jewellery!

^ And Simply Phoebe's beautiful fabric necklaces on the other side of me (I am the proud owner of a red+white stripey one of these, and it's ever so lovely!)

 

^ And the delightful building itself - the Old Museum lit up on Saturday night

Make sure you check out ALL the amazing photos taken by Mark Lobo, posted here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122839&id=24001310851 - I can honestly say that he truly captured the essence of the event. Nice work Mark!

And nice work by the wonderful girls behind the Finders Keepers markets. Such a well-organised and well-promoted event, with the best overall experience of any market I've ever been part of. I swear these Finders Keepers events just keep getting better and better!
:)

Scrabble cufflinks

At the PYD markets last weekend, the sets of Scrabble cufflinks proved to be a popular purchase from the Shelbyville table, so now I'm the studio busily making more to have ready for this weekend's Finders Keepers market.

The 'L + R' (left + right) set still seem to be the favourite, although I do put together a lot of custom initials for customers. One lovely lady even mentioned her chosen initial sets were gifts for the groomsmen at her upcoming wedding - what are sweet idea!

And of course, the Shelbyville table will still have its usual selection of Scrabble pieces available: brooches, keyrings, pendants, rings, mini-pendants, as well as the new cufflinks.

I'm looking forward to a great weekend - hope to see you at the Finders Keepers market if you're in Bris :)

Must get back to the worktable now... so much to do, so little time.

To market, to market...

I'm going through one of those ridiculously busy periods. Not only am I working around the clock to make enough products (and new products too!) for the two design markets I have coming up this weekend and next weekend (more on that in a minute...), but I'm also under a lot of pressure to find a new home in the next week and then actually move house once we've secured a place. And if you know anything of the manic rental market for inner-west Sydney, you'd understand the pressure.

I hate moving house at the best of times, so it's even worse when the move is forced by a landlord who decides to sell the apartment out from underneath you and the new owners want to move in themselves. Bastards.

But anyway, that's the deal, and we have just a handful of weeks to find somewhere new and suitable to live. Whilst busily preparing stock for those pending markets, various retail outlets, and of course the busy Christmas period coming up quickly... Eeek.
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So this weekend's gig is the PYD Designers Market, held annually in conjunction with the Danks Street Festival in Waterloo. This year, the Designers Market will take place over two days, Saturday October 24 and Sunday October 25 (with the Danks Street Festival held on the Sunday). Saturday will be the day to visit the markets if you are looking for a relaxed wander and easy viewing of designer works. But if you are after a festival buzz visit on the Sunday so you can enjoy the music, food and family fun of the Danks Street Festival.

PYD Market dates/times:
Saturday 24th October, 10am - 5pm
Sunday 25th October, 10am - 4pm

Location:
pyd building, 197 Young St, Waterloo (in the undercover carpark)

Website: http://www.pyd.com.au

This'll be Shelbyville's second time around for the PYD Designers Market, and I'm so pleased they're now holding it over 2 days because last year it was crazy busy and the crowds were unbelievable (because it was the same day as the Danks St Festival). A relaxed, non-festival day was definitely in order.

If you do come along (either day), please be sure to drop by and say hello :)

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The second market I'm midway through preparing for will also require a road trip up to Brisbane next week. The Finders Keepers markets have spread their wings and Brisbane will be their first new location outside of Sydney. I'm so very excited to be returning to my home town to be a part of this momentous occasion! - it's going to be great, and if you're local and haven't experienced a Finders Keepers market yet, you should most definitely come along! It's a real buzz.

Finders Keepers market dates/times:
Saturday 31st October from 12pm – 9pm
Sunday 1st November from 10am – 5pm

Location:
The Old Museum
Cnr Bowen Bridge Road & Gregory Terrace, Herston

Website:
www.thefinderskeepers.com

The markets will be held at the beautiful Old Museum next to the RNA showgrounds, and will feature free live music, with a garden cafe and bar open all day. Joy!

And again, if you do come along, please be sure to drop by and say hello :)

 

Sunday's bookbinding class at Erskineville School

On Sunday of this weekend I'm hosting a second bookbinding class - this one focused on making an A6-sized leatherbound notebook using a time-honoured technique known as 'cross-structure' binding (I'll also have all the materials and instructions for the miniature book if you'd prefer to learn that one instead).

The cross-structure books are really lovely to make, and you'll be able to choose between either exposed or concealed binding (the exposed binding is always the most popular for the first book!).

I'll be supplying all the materials, including leather in a range of colours, white paper, and bookbinding thread also in a range of colours. I'll also provide the templates and instructions that you'll be able to take home with your completed book. It'll be BYO tools (although I'll have them all available to share) - when you RSVP, I'll email you the complete list of details and things to bring.

However, here are the basic details:

If you're really keen to make something unique, bring along a selection of interesting papers to mix in with the white pages. You can achieve some great results when parts of the spine are cut away to reveal the coloured sections.

This stack shows some of the very first cross-structure books I made back when I began to learn the technique almost 5 years ago. I still have a few of these books, and I'll bring them along to the class for show'n'tell on Sunday ;)

Would love to see some of you at the class if you're able to make it, and please feel free to forward this link and info to anyone you think might be interested.

Snapshots of the TINA festival

We recently arrived home from our annual pilgrimage to Newcastle for the beloved TINA festival, bodies weary from trooping all over the city and from standing all day at the zine fair table, but heads full of inspiration, ideas and new projects.

Still revelling in new iPhone bliss, I snapped a few quick shots over the weekend, some of which I'm attempting to upload via my new Typepad app. This is whole new technological territory for me so let's see how it goes...

There's the photo of our first workshop - Helen snipping up old mags to create mini collage stickers with humorous connotations.

 

Some snaps of the Festival Club in the old Masons Hall (before the crowds arrived).

And of course some photos of the Bird In The Hand zine shop where I spent many a happy time during the course of the festival (as did many, many others - the shop was quite a hub of activity).

 

Now if only this app would allow me to add a few more photos, but it seems that once you begin typing, the photo window of opportunity closes. Hmmm.

 

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Ok, back on the laptop now - appending this blog post with a few more visuals...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, you are seeing correctly. The copulating giraffes were indeed an art installation...

During a TINA 'drawing jam' event I sat next to this record player, listened to crackly old Simon & Garfunkel on vinyl and sketched objects around the room to create this picture:

 

I love TINA's random and eclectic compositions...

Zine sales ran hot in the Bird in the Hand zine shop.

 

 

 

Jay Dee and I went to one of the best DIY workshops of the festival: making a pinhole camera out of a matchbox, an old film canister, a roll of film, and some bits of cardboard, Coke can, a needle, and a whole lotta electrical tape.

 

A photo taken during set-up of the zine fair.

I'll have to raid DD's camera to see if he's got some better shots of the zine fair, because I was much too busy manning my table (and perusing/purchasing at other tables) to take photos...