FK chats to Morgan about her beautifully crafted label Morgan Wills and inspiring journey to the recent opening of her store The Crafty Squirrel!

Tell us about your label Morgan Wills, and what your recent experience was like at the recent Melbourne Finders Keepers markets?
My small boutique design label originated in 2006, as a result of my passion and love of colour. My label is focused on crafting unique eco-friendly products of the highest quality.
I had wanted to do a Finders Keepers Market for a while, as many of my peers had said how fantastic it was and having been to the Sydney and Melbourne markets – I knew how fun it was to visit. Needless to say, I was very excited to be able to come along in April and WOW was I amazed with the number of visitors and the response to my stall!

What is your creative background and how did it lead to where you are today?
Initially I was looking to have a career change; I had studied Interior & Furniture Design and had worked briefly in that field before working in Event Management for 12 years. I had grown up watching my Father run his own business and I had always had a desire to work for myself. This combined with a year off work on maternity leave – gave me the real impetus to start.
The first product in my range that I ever made to sell was my Cast offs scarves. Way back in 2004 I was playing around with some felted woollen jumpers that I had and I made one for my husband. He was chuffed and wore it all through the winter. A bit later down the track when I was pregnant with our daughter Kitty – I made her a baby cot blanket using a similar idea. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was collecting woollen jumpers here, there and everywhere!

What do you love most about reusing everyday objects and materials? and what keeps you creatively motivated?
I think the thing that I love the most – is that I get to create something new out of something discarded. Often the jumpers I buy have a hole in them or have turtle necks or something else which makes them a bit daggy or the colour is not in fashion at the moment. It doesn’t matter to me – I just see the potential in it. I also love working with vintage fabrics and domestic textiles like tea towels and tablecloths. When I combine these materials together to create my Bushka dolls – they are a one of a kind creation. I like that I can make certain products over and over again – but no two will ever be exactly the same.

What I find in my travels dictates what I can make. For my Cast offs products – I only use 100 percent finely woven woollen jumpers and I prefer to use pure lambswool or cashmere but of course you don’t necessarily find those kind of jumpers in the op shops every day.

Lucky for me – I have always loved op shopping so getting to do that regularly is a large part of my creative process. Of course it is not until I am actually in the studio with the raw materials laid out in front of me that I really get to explore the amazing colour spectrum that is to be found in woollen jumpers!


What is your workspace like? and what is your creative process?
My workspace is very colourful and quite cluttered! In my studio – I have piles of processed jumper felt sorted by colour. This in itself is very inspiring to me. I love colour and I really love exploring the varying tones and shades of one colour in a scarf or blanket as I create it. In my office I have a huge cupboard with glass doors where I keep all my ‘special’ vintage fabrics and I have a tendency to be a quite the bowerbird when it comes to collecting vintage haberdashery and cute ceramics and things – which I have all around me.

My creative process can often be quite time consuming from beginning to end, I tend to be quite a stickler for attention to detail – that takes time. If I am going to make something it has to be the best I can do otherwise it won’t see the light of day.
Ideas often come to me as I go about my everyday tasks – the trick for me is really to take the time to note them down as they arrive. I seem to have so many ideas and so little time! Often my new products have been floating around for quite a while before I get the time to make up a sample and really think about how I will create it and if I want to create lots of them!


What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
I think having enough hours in the day to actually be able to act on all those tasks on my ‘creative to do list’ is pretty hard. Being creative takes focus and when you have young children as I do – that focus can often be interrupted! This means that invariably I work at night once the children are in bed and often all I want to do is flake on the couch!

Being in a small business with many facets – a bricks & mortar store, online shop (soon to be two!), markets, the wholesale side of things, trade shows and market stalls means that really my mind is on the go 24/7. Getting to earn a living and leading such a wonderfully creative life is just amazing. I have to admit too – I love being my own boss – that way I am accountable only to myself!


What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see Morgan Wills in the future?
In January 2011, we made a tree change from inner city Melbourne to the leafy historic township of Ballarat where one of my dreams finally became a reality and I opened a cute little corner shop and studio – The Crafty Squirrel. The shop is a wonderful mix of unique gifts, cool craft kits, homewares, vintage fabrics and gorgeous haberdashery – it is really a collection of all the things that I love.

Since I have opened the shop – I have developed a number of new products under ‘The Crafty Squirrel’ brand and of course inevitably they have a touch of the ‘Morgan Wills’ style in terms of mixing old and new together. Also under the Morgan Wills brand I have been working more and more with vintage tea towels and tablecloths of late and making bags and cushions and things and I am currently working on a new range of products inspired by my vintage sheet collection! Stay tuned!

www.morganwills.com.au

FK chats to Maggie of Orange based label postpress, who will be debuting at the upcoming Sydney Markets!

Tell us a bit about postpress and what products we can expect to discover?
postpress is a collection of jewellery that’s centred on the reuse of print media. Hand-crafted paper beads and forms are combined with sterling silver to create classic, unique jewellery.
The current collection includes earrings and necklaces, and I’m furiously working on some new designs that I hope to share with you at Sydney Finders Keepers!

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are today?
My background is in Interior Design, but I’ve been making paper beads on and off since I was first taught the basic method sometime back in primary school, so it’s been with me a very long time. I’ve always loved working with paper – I’ll spend hours and hours making origami decorations, gift boxes and customised 3D gift cards… just hand me a piece of paper and I’ll find a way to keep myself happy!

What do you love about working with jewellery? and what keeps you creatively motivated?
I love the tactility of making by hand, selecting which papers to work with, visualising how the cut paper will transform when it’s rolled or folded, and seeing the final piece once it’s finished. I’m quite often surprised by the results! The process itself is very calming and once I get into a rhythm there’s something almost meditative about the process.
Experimenting with forms, colours and methods keeps me motivated. I’ve been making my basic beads for a long time, so I find that I need to change at least one element of the process regularly to keep ideas and inspiration flowing. Whether that’s creating a new bead shape or playing with a different method or form, I find that sometimes a tiny change is enough to create a spark. Jewellery  is very personal. The idea that someone out there will love a piece that I’ve made keeps me inspired to create.

What do you love about living in Orange?
I grew up in the country, and after 10 years in Sydney, I’ve been living in Orange just over a year. My favourite thing about living here is the distinct seasons, especially Autumn. We’re smack bang in the middle of it now, and I couldn’t think of a more beautiful place to be. Just walking along the streets you’ll get every colour from greens through yellows, oranges and reds, often in the one tree! And then there’s the piles upon piles of crispy, brown leaves crunching underfoot.
There’s also a fantastic food and wine culture here. I love that some of my favourite wines are made by my neighbours, and a weekend wine tour here is the perfect way to lure friends from the city!

Where do you source materials for your range? And are there challenges in doing so?
I’m a magazine hoarder. I can never bring myself to put them in the recycling after I finish reading them, so often they’ll end up languishing on a bookshelf, looking beautiful but untouched. I’m currently working through papers from some of my old design magazines. I have an ever growing pile of magazine donations from friends and family, so the challenge is becoming more about storing that sourcing!

What can we expect to see from postpress at the upcoming Sydney, Finders Keepers A/W Markets?
I’ll have a range of earrings and necklaces, some very simple or subtle, others more elaborate or bold. Each bead or form I make is completely unique, so expect to see something different in each piece!  I also hand make all the gift boxes and earring cards from recycled packaging, magazine covers and photographs, so each piece has its own unique home.

www.facebook.com/postpressdesign

FK chats to Sara of fun & quirky label Dubbleyou about her designs, dreams and love of ice cream!

Tell us about your label Dubbleyou and what the concept is behind it?
Dubbleyou is about using simple processes which are true to the material. Different materials lends themselves differently to manufacturing techniques so I try to create objects using as few processes as possible. Dubbleyou is about asking Who, What, Where, Why & When so that each project is considered. Sustainability is so important, but sometimes the need to resolve an idea means that I design objects that I can’t say, are necessarily helpful. I try to find a balance of design which allows me to makes the things that make me smile without impacting on anything too much. Joy is my practice – if you laugh that is the biggest compliment.

What inspired you to start your own label?
Dubbleyou actually began last May for Finders Keepers, my housemate was working for the &company stall and she asked me if I had any ideas on the back burner. I had these ideas for tea towels and it was just the small sharp shove I needed. From there I have been designing and growing my range, I have found people to be so supportive – which is a constant reminder that I am doing the right thing. I was also inspired by people who get a kick out of making things for other people to get a kick out of.

What do you love about working with such a diverse range of products? and what keeps you creatively motivated?
Being able to work with products for the home is so much fun. I find that it is a really social experience, people are always giving me ideas and asking me to design things. I find inspiration in every day objects – I think that motivates me. I am inspired by people who get a kick out of making things for other people to get a kick out of. I have also only had Dubbleyou for a year so I am still running on the high. Light, conversations, music, friends and family, colour are all things that bring ideas to me, I also dream quite a few idea which is always helpful when I am time poor.

What is your workspace like? and what is your creative process?
My studio space is split into two categories messy & not so messy. The messy work (spraying, sanding, gluing, welding, filing, dipping etc) happens in my garage and the not so messy work (cutting, packing, pressing, printing, wrapping, photographing etc) happens in my study which is very nice to work is as it is less chilly. The garage, as wonderful as it is, does get quite cold, layers and spot jogging do the trick for now. My creative process starts with rough drawings and I quite quickly move to illustrator, I can usually visualise how a product is going to work and fit together, which helps speed the process up.

What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
I do find the sustainable vs affordable balance really hard, I would love to make all the tea towels from sustainability sourced bamboo however the cost makes it impossible. I try to even things out by manufacturing everything locally and really value the relationship I have with my printers and laser cutters. I work full time as a graphic designer so having the time to work on Dubbleyou is always hard, especially when you need to call someone during work hours, but that is what lunch breaks are for. I love that I get to do this on top of the other creative projects I have, it is such a awesome outlet and very fulfilling.

What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see Dubbleyou in the future?
I am currently designing a bird feeder/fruit bowl and connectable planters. The ‘plan’ is to one day open a studio/store/ice creamery (I love ice cream as well as design) and work in my studio running my branding business Buff & Fuzz (designing brand identities for small businesses) while I sell all my products out the front with other Australian/New Zealand designer products. I will also make ice cream because it makes the world a better place. But for now I am enjoying juggling full time work and Dubbleyou as she is.

www.dubbleyou.com.au

FK chats to Phil about his wonderfully hand crafted label Phil Cuttance, debuting at the upcoming Sydney Markets! 

Tell us a bit about your label and what we can expect to discover?
I am a designer originally from New Zealand. I have experience in making furniture and objects in many different materials and utilising many processes, and have exhibited my work at the Milan Salone on three past occasions.
I construct all of my prototypes from scratch, and value the hands-on creation process as a source of ideas and knowledge. My latest work is driven by the idea of making things myself, in relatively small batches, and trying to add value to the objects I make by making each object unique. I am interested in methods of making which endow products with visual clues about how they were made, and celebrating those visual markers, even sometimes when they would traditionally be seen as imperfections.

What is your background and how did you started working with resin?
I have been designing and making objects for the last 10 years or so, working with many different materials and processes.
The water based resin was the best material to suit the flexible plastic moulds I designed in which to cast the Faceture pieces. I experimented with many other casting materials before i discovered the right one.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively?
I am inspired by many great designers and by London, which has a great art and design scene. I’m also inspired by old-school methods of making, and by traditional craft and craftspeople.

What is your workspace like? and what is your creative process?
I share a studio with some other designers.
I like to experiment with materials and processes. A starting point for experimentation is the discovery of a new material, or seeing a complicated existing manufacturing process and thinking how it could be simplified or applied in a different way. I work very hands-on and start experimenting almost immediately.

What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
It’s taken me many years to get to the point where I can work for myself! There’s been many failures along the way but I’ve gained a lot of experience from design by others.
I am super lucky to have something I’m passionate about, and even luckier to be able to do it as a job.

What aspirations do you have for your label in the future?
I want to be able to keep designing and making new work, especially trying to come up with new methods of making things.

www.philcuttance.com

FK chats to Martin of eco friendly furniture label, Ply Candy!

Tell us about your label Ply Candy and what the concept is behind it?
Ply Candy is a local creative start-up making beautifully designed and hand finished plywood furniture for people who appreciate design, but who are cost-conscious.
Our philosophy is to make simple, modern furniture that is as affordable as possible. We achieve this through our choice of material, and by using digital technology to minimise wasted materials.
Each piece of furniture is cut with a digital CNC router and then assembled and finished lovingly by hand. Our products are eco-friendly. Made from sustainably grown Finnish birch ply with an E0 emissions rating. To seal the edges we use a non toxic natural wax that enhances the natural appearance of the plywood.

What is your background and how did you get started working with plywood furniture?
I have a background in carpentry, architecture and product design. Over the last few years I have been working with the possibilities that plywood offers.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively?
Seeing beautiful objects and the challenge of making design more accessible to people has always been a great motivator for me. Exploring the endless possibilities of a single simple material and creating objects with it that people can enjoy is a great challenge.

What is your workspace like? and what is your creative process?
I have my workshop set up at the back of my house. It is light and modular and is a fantastic counter balance to the computer work involved.
After the initial brain storming there is a designated sketch design phase for each piece. The ideas get transferred into digital files. A digital router is then cutting the parts that are hand assembled and finished using traditional wood working methods in my workshop.

What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
The creative process is always the fun part of any creative business. There are so many other things running in the background though that all have to work together to make things run smoothly. Not all of those things are always fun.

What new plans do you have for Ply Candy this year?
There is a whole number of other products that I will develop within this year. Including a series of kids furniture which will be a lot of fun.

www.plycandy.com.au

FK chats to Natascha of label Vinyl Cuts, inspired by the humble vinyl record!

Tell us about your label Vinyl Cuts and what the concept is behind it?
Growing up in the 80s, vinyl records have such a fond place in my heart. There is something so much more enjoyable and tactile with a record, taking it out of the album cover and then the plastic sleeve, taking that first whiff of plasticky vinyl goodness, placing the stylus just before the grooves, hearing a few pops and then magic! There is just something so much more satisfying about playing a record – I believe – than any other medium. The sound is different, it’s bigger, warmer, maybe it’s just child-hood familiarity, not sure, but I love it!

The idea to make a range of jewellery from records came about a few years ago when I read a newspaper article about how thousands of records (and CDs) were going to landfill every week as people were downloading all their collections. I thought this is a chance to “save” some of that music and make something new along the way. It’s a different, interesting and sometimes challenging medium to work with. Just to assure those hard-core music aficionados no good music was harmed in the making of our product.

What is your background and how did you get started working with jewellery?
My background is radio, having worked for the leading commercial radio stations in various positions, from journalist, to on-air talent, promotions person and creative director. I love love love music and what better environment to be immersed in it, than at a radio station. Vinyl Cuts is my passion, it’s generally my last thought before I go to sleep and my first thought in the morning… my head is constantly whirring with design ideas and how to take it to the next level.

What inspires you daily?
I find daily inspiration from all manner of things… phrases in books tend to stick with me – I can reread Oscar Wilde continuously – he was just so amazing, music (of course – all and any types), art work (I’ll try to get to as many exhibitions as I can from classical to super modern, loved the Tim Burton exhibition so much I saw it in New York and then had to see it again in Melbourne). I’m massively moved by architecture and design … but am particularly inspired by recycled / upcycled works across the board from buildings to furniture to jewellery to fashion to artworks. New uses for any recycled medium really excites me, old rubber tyres converted into flower pots and Joost Baker’s Greenhouse = amazing!

What is your workspace like? and what is your creative process?
I have a home office and then a space in the studio (aka the garage). The work space and I tend to lock horns over the papers and piles of magazines and books, it seems work space has a mind of his own and tends to mess things up… it is frustrating when one does not have the natural abilities of organisation. I do have a slight tendency to hoard certain items, for example : records (I know, how surprising!) and books. Work space is much better these days post having seen that show Hoarding – Buried Alive, which scared me so much, I snapped into action and threw a lot of stuff out (there are no dead cats in the work space, but that show is scary never the less! Talk about a cautionary tale).

The creative process is based on a lot of thinking, thinking and thinking and combining shapes and ideas in my mind, then it moves to the page and the sketching commences. I’ll always do a cardboard run-through before we even look at starting to cut. Many a times, it works in my mind, but then looks rubbish on, so it’s back to the drawing board. At the moment I’m working on bigger breastplate pieces – they still need work!

What challenges have you faced starting your own label, and what are some things you love about it?
There have been quite a few challenges. For one the medium, eg. vinyl records can be a super challenging to work with. The other biggest challenge has been balancing the time between my full-time job and the brand. Especially when starting out, you have to be realistic about what you can achieve in a particular amount of time and proportion your time accordingly. The learning curve has been huge, the world of GST, PAYG, etc. and the world of pricing structure wholesale versus RRP is totally new.

What do I love about it? The ability to create something lovely from what would be a discarded object. Am so grateful to have the ability to be creative and to create, it’s amazingly fulfilling and satisfying. The freedom to do your own thing and not have to report to anyone but yourself, is also pretty fantastic.

What aspirations do you have for your label in the future?
Future aspirations for the brand are : to expand the range into other mediums (but that will be in about 2 years from now). What mediums? not sure, maybe vintage books or china, but it’s just an idea and is slowly bubbling at the back of my mind. Our short-term goals are to get the brand out there, raise awareness and get more stockists.

www.vinylcuts.com.au

Photo credits : Images with model by Photographer Lauren Becker, Margie Curry, make-up, Emma Spotswood and model – Sophie Crenigan.

Angela from the Etsy shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Letterpress Mother’s Day Card Scandinavian Folk Style by fluidinkletterpress
2. Lily skirt in Yellow by Archella
3. Yellow clutch with circles and zigzags by sirtom
4. Handstand – Print of Original Collage by papergarage
5. iPad sleeve by ambette
6. Bronx Chain Scarf in Citron by Yokoo

Naomi from Naomi Murrell shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Button Clutch by Kitty Came Home
2. Birds Token Necklace by Naomi Murrell
3. Sequins & Sequence by Kat Macleod at Michi Girl
4. Girl With Braid Print by Anna Creasy
5. Meadow Liberty Cushion Cover by Gillian Tennant
6. Panelled Blouse in Rose & Ivory by Gillian Tennant

Sarah from Hello Poppy shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Hand Carved Wooden Spreader from Poketo
2. Botanical Coaster Set from Rifle Paper Co
3. Handy Tea Towel from Donna Wilson
4. Tachelles Square Silk Scarf from Hello Polly
5. New Lines from Seventy Tree
6. Skinny Bangles from Voz

Steph from Bondville shares her top 6 indie picks:

1. Carousel Bag – red by oktoberdee
2. Pouch with green palms by Sir Tom
3. Lola Wrap by Uimi
4. Square Art – 40x50cm in “Goldie” by Concrete and Honey
5. Floral Pop1 by Rachel Castle
6. Multi-coloured feathered, faceted sake/coffee cup by Golden Ink

FK chats to Kane of Sydney label Fromage la Rue who will be debuting at our upcoming Sydney markets!

Can you tell us about your amazing label and where the name comes from?
I have always been drawn to ‘large’ things in a domestic environment. There is something almost comical in taking a large item from an industrial environment for example, and placing it into a domestic setting, where it was clearly never intended to reside. The pieces I produce are not quite perfect, a little bit beaten up, and usually oversized. It’s a bit of a long story regarding the name of our brand, but in a nutshell it was an in joke between myself and my partner, and after a few glasses of red wine one night we jumped online and registered it, and even though it doesn’t really mean anything, and isn’t grammatically correct whatsoever, it stuck!

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are today?
My background started at the University of Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. After several years of heavy drinking I came out the other end with a design degree, where my unproductive thirst for drinking turned into a healthy thirst for design in all its delicious flavours (graphic, architectural, industrial).  My degree led me to a career in the (creatively challenging yet overly sanitised and digitally perfect) world of 3d architectural rendering. The work I produce through Fromage la Rue is a response to this digital world, allowing me the opportunity to produce something with my hands, rather than a keyboard, to produce something tangible, and to incorporate all the beautiful filth and dirt and grime that surrounds us everyday that we try not to see.

What inspires your work? and what keeps you motivated creatively?
I’m inspired by typography, Vegas marquee signs and lighting, anything oversized, street art, and any sort of design that pushes the boundaries. Reading design blogs, magazines and being involved in the awesome creative community that Sydney offers keeps me motivated. I do a lot of custom orders and that keeps things interesting, so you could say that my customers keep me motivated as well! At the end of the day there’s nothing better than knowing that the business is yours, and every minute you put into it is rewarded when something turns out looking great.

What do you love about living in Sydney?
I’ve lived overseas and I’m originally from New Zealand, but I’m always drawn back to Sydney. I live in the sunny Inner West with my beautiful wife, two children and a boy-cat called Unicorn Sparkle… and wouldn’t change it for anything. I love the multiculturalism that Sydney offers, the excellent facilities for young families, and if we are speaking honestly, I would have to say Adriano Zumbo’s Macarons certainly top the list of favourite things. Oh, and cheese pastizzis and let’s not forget coffee.

What do you love about working with over-sized typographical products? And what are some of the challenges?
I love that we deal with typography everyday, yet we never really ‘see’ it.  When I’m working on a large format letter I really get to appreciate the beauty of these forms in their own right. Take them as a piece of art, a sculpture, an item to be admired. I mean who doesn’t appreciate the sensual curves of an Ampersand in Times New Roman? I do, that’s for sure! I’m often just as challenged as I am motivated by my subject matter, the tight radius curves of some fonts prove difficult to accurately cut, and it took me months before I produced a “J” that would stand up, but it did happen!

What new plans do you have for Fromage la Rue this year?
I have so many ideas and can’t wait to start experimenting with new materials like perspex, cardboard and compressed hardwood. I’ll be exploring new fonts and bright colours in all their glory as well.  As usual, the products will no doubt be big, distressed and beautiful!

www.fromagelarue.com.au

FK chats to Nicole about her label The Land of Fig and what inspires her wonderful hand stitched designs.

Can you tell us about your lovely label and where the name comes from?
The Land of Fig is a place dedicated to all things creative. My passion is for storytelling through illustration using various mediums, with a focus towards the handmade. Currently, my products include finely crafted handmade, hand-stitched papery goodness, such as greeting cards and prints. The name came about several years ago. When my best friend was living abroad, we used to write letters to each other and she’d always ask ‘…so, what’s been happening in the land of fig?’ (Fig being short for my surname, Figueroa). I took up the name instantly and started using it as a label for all my creative endeavours.

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are today?
I’ve been interested in art and making stuff with my hands since I can remember. I studied art all throughout school and then Graphic Design at university. I’ve worked as a designer in various industries, from entertainment to fashion, and most recently in advertising. However, it was during the plans for my wedding in September 2011 that my passion for the handmade was rekindled. With this reignited enthusiasm, and employing a newly-discovered skill and love for embroidery, I hand-stitched our invitations, seating plans, menus and name cards. From this, I came to realise how much I loved the tedious, yet satisfying and therapeutic, task of hand-embroidering a picture onto paper. Quick to embrace this, I began to make my first official The Land of Fig products – my hand-stitched greeting cards.

What inspires you daily?
I’m a big daydreamer. So my daydreams inspire me on a daily basis. I usually find myself staring out of the window, allowing my mind to become absorbed in the wonder of what I see. I tend to doodle throughout the day, anything from basic shapes to repeated lines on a post-it note, and from this, an idea or a story for a piece usually evolves. I’m also inspired by suburban streets. On my lunch breaks I like to walk around the streets looking at houses and gardens, where I find inspiration in the form, colour palettes and textures I see.

In the online world, I find daily inspiration from various websites and blogs. At the moment, these are on high rotation:
Pikaland
UPPERCASE
Paper Runway

What is your creative workspace like, and what inspires you about your surroundings?
My creative workspace is an area in my kitchen. It’s where all of the production happens, from drawing to stitching to packaging items. The kitchen is probably my favourite room in my apartment due to it’s open space, large windows I can stare out of, and plentiful light. On my work table you’ll find everything I need for my creations including paper, drawing and craft tools, needle and thread, packaging supplies and my laptop. It’s usually a pretty colourful space, often covered in embroidery thread as my collection grows. I usually find myself surrounded by multiple pieces I’m working on at the time as I like to be able to stop and start work between them, depending on what colour palettes I feel like playing with. And my laptop is almost always playing episodes of Seinfeld as I work. It helps me burn through my stitching!

What do you love about working with mixed media of stationery & hand embroidery?
I love the combination of textures between the paper and the embroidery thread. I also love how the vibrant colours in the embroidery seem to finish off the story of the piece. For me, the hand-embroidery is like colouring in. I find working with the two tactile mediums very therapeutic and immensely satisfying. I enjoy seeing the progression as the different elements are added and each new layer created. Each piece is very personal as I genuinely devote love and care to each and every one, and my hope is that this is translated through the quality of the work.

What new projects are you working on and where would you like to see The Land of Fig in the future?
At the moment, I’m working on some hand-embroidered pillow cases. I’m also crazy busy working on some new cards & prints for the upcoming Sydney Finders Keepers markets in June. This will be my first art and design markets so I’m very excited! In the future, I would love to see The Land of Fig move into large scale hand-stitched artworks as well as more textile-based projects. I’d also love to participate in more design markets, for the exposure but also for the inspiration and enjoyment in being part of such a creative environment. I’m also developing an idea for a hand-embroidered picture book. So watch this space….

www.thelandoffig.com

FK chats with Marina from beautiful Sydney based leather accessories label, Marcue.

Tell us a bit about Marcue and what we can expect to discover?
Marcue is a brand that was born out of a desire for a creative, hands on experience in which I make objects with craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal. By nature I am a practical person with some artistic tendencies thrown into the mix. Shoemaking gives me the scope to design and create, I get to sketch and draw my ideas and then bring them to fruition.
Shoemaking is a very traditional industry, much of what I do is based on centuries old practices and designs that have been refined over time. In comparison, fashion has evolved wildly, swinging from one trend to the next before returning to a previous style. Almost like fashion designers are trying to catch their breath before making the next big leap. In my work I fuse the slow, steady tradition of shoemaking with some dashes of colour and energy from the world of fashion.

What is your creative background and how did it lead you to where you are today?
My creative background is graphic design and wedding stationery design, before either of those I dabbled in ceramics. Whilst none of those pursuits have directly led me to where I am today, each has given me skills or knowledge that have helped in one way or another.

What inspires you daily?
My daily inspiration is a carefully made cocktail, one part bitter sweet industrial decay, one part times gone by and two parts serious style. Mix, swirl and serve chilled.
Inspiring websites:
Industrial Decay
Shorpy
The Sartorialist
Dead Serious Fashion

What is your workspace like? and what is your creative process?
My workshop is tightly packed, organised chaos. Everything has its place but only I know where it goes! In my workshop you will find old shoemakers tools, leathers, lasts, sewing machines, patterns, inks, dyes, skivers as well as a shop cat, he keeps me company!
My creative process starts with sketches and some colour swatches, typically I sketch and annotate ideas and thoughts before picking the best of them. Then I will refine them until I am happy with the result, from this I will make some patterns and finally a prototype shoe is born.

What do you love about working with leather? And what are some of the challenges?
There is much to like about working with leather, its versatility, its texture, its smell, the sheer variety of colours and finishes. Leather and the things I make with it resemble my personality, practical with a little bit of flair. Leather in its raw form is like a canvas, it can be dyed, antiqued, its ready to accept whatever you have envisioned for it.
Leather can require finesse or brute strength, knowing when to use either can be tricky. It also requires patience, when forming leather it is best to let it take shape in its own time, otherwise things tend to sag and lose shape.

What can we expect to see from Marcue at the upcoming Sydney Markets?
You can expect a range of shoes, belts, boots and bags each bearing my own touch.

www.marcue.com.au