My to-do list in the morning always starts with…head to my favourite cafe + order the biggest coffee they have + open up Dubsado! I started going almost full time with my design business in October last year and there are some tools I can’t live without so I thought I’d share them with you, and this is one of them :)

What does it do? Helps you get it all done! It helps you manage and communicate with your clients; create workflows and systems to streamline your biz and increase productivity; and makes things like completing contracts and getting paid so simple and easy!

What are three things I love about it?

• Being into design, as surface level as this might sound, the layout and look has to appeal to me and Dubsado does this in spades. Sleek, lots of white space, the option to choose minty green as the main colour!

• Before Dubsado I used to spend so much time invoicing and chasing up payments for invoices. Now, I barely have to use all the bells and whistles they have for invoicing (automatic reminders, workflows etc) because for some reason my clients just pay. Yay! I give my clients packages to choose from in the quoting stage, and once they press the buttons on what they want, an invoice is automatically generated…too easy!

• My business is allll about animation, illustration and video. This means when I send my clients proofs for approval, they’re often a bunch of video files. Before Dubsado I had to use individual links or confuse my clients with downloads. Now I can embed the videos into my preview workflow with them….and prompt them to make decisions by using questionnaires and check boxes etc. Added bonus? If I forget what we discussed and decided I can look back on the preview forms at any time in two simple clicks…no more sifting through emails and conversation threads looking for information!

Curious about trying it out for yourself? They have free trials, yay! And this affiliate link and code (PPDLOVESDUBSADO) will do something fancy to help you get started :P I’d love to hear what you think…I’m even contemplating adding Dubsado setups and customisations into my services. That’s how you know my raves are real :)

It started when I came back from NYC, with a little collection of photos that showed some of my favourite "less touristy" pieces of the city. I had these printed for myself and then thought as a set of nine they looked sweet grouped together too...so I popped them in the store.

The more I thought about it, the more uses I had for them. Mostly I stick them places (aka desk monitor) with washi tape which is a removable tape found in craft/stationery stores like Spotlight, Riot, Organise My, Kikki K etc). Then I noticed little photo/menu stands (these gold ones are from Kikki K) around the place that were great for swapping the photos out for others in the set...perching on shelves or workspaces. The small size of the prints means magnets can easily keep them stuck on the fridge. AND they can be slipped into cards, books or attached to presents as gift cards :)

Now I've started looking into which of my prints can be miniaturised...because who doesn't love things in miniature...it's one of my weaknesses. Above is the Book Cover Mini Prints set of nine...the detail of watercolour and hand illustration shows up really well even though they're tiny prints :)

I used to print and hand-cut these Peonies & Linen Mini Prints (some with watercolour lettering, others just peonies from Chancery Lane nestled in linen) but now that I've discovered square photo printing with white borders, someone else can do the cutting for me, yay! I also love that they come in retro polaroid style designs.

Here is one of the original sets that are now longer hand cut (happy dance!) You could bundle them up with a shipping tag to give to someone like I did with Sophie. The "Courage, Dear Heart" collection from wandering in and around the Southern Highlands of New South Wales is still one of my all-time favourites :)

Anyway, just wanted to share my thought process behind them and some newer mini print collections. I hope you love them as much as I do!

On the inspiration for...

A lot of Jacqui's inspiration comes from patterns in nature.  From the sections that make up a beetle to the colours and crevices in rock surfaces....all the way to the other-worldly spheres of space. It's important to take the time to notice repeating patterns, to hone in on the smallest of details, to appreciate the ordinary and the amazing in everything around us...and this is where inspiration can be found.

Jacqui also specialises in fine art, and her work in landscapes, water-scapes, space-scapes and the abstract also sparks ideas when it comes to the pages of her book. She also loves to zero in on things that can't be seen by the naked eye by using a microscope, and finds the details of functional design (plants/beetles etc) are visually appealing. In a way, nature and the patterns to the abstract found within it, is what she thrives on.

On the role of colouring and creativity in her life, and the idea for a book...

Jacqui confesses that she was an avid colourer when she was small, often competing with her sisters for the colouring competitions that appeared in the local paper. Then there were the 72+ tins of Derwent pencils that every kid has coveted at some stage of growing up. (Bloggers note: I was always in awe that my cousin had the double decker tin...I had the 24 set and I dropped them one day and half of them rolled under the fridge. Absolute devastation and rivers of tears followed. A Derwent set was everything!)

With these memories fresh in her mind, and already being an accomplished fine artist herself, Jacqui's fourteen year old daughter also helped contribute to and refine the idea. Often colouring together, searching for new colouring books, and with a joint appreciation of Derwents...Jacqui realised that there was a market for unique quality designs to colour for people of all ages.  

A quick Google or browse of YouTube reinforces the epic popularity of adult colouring books for the purposes of creative expression and mindfulness. But, with huge popularity comes mass produced books, and copying/repeating and pirating of designs is common. Jacqui realised, based on her shared experiences with her daughter, that things like heavier single sided pages and unusual designs like seed pods and geology formations would help her stand out from the crowd. Also an understanding of a designers mind vs. a colourers mind....exploring outside the lines vs. staying inside the lines, added an extra dimension to the project.

On the making of, and what she learned...

Jacqui discovered many things along the way. That digital designing with vectors (unlimited upsizing) helped with tweaking composition and designs along the way.  It also meant she was able to supersize her designs as part of a local street festival which saw "floor to ceiling" size pages stuck to store windows near Bob Boutique. Throw in a bucket of crayons and passers-by found themselves participating in a huge communal colouring project. 

Then, designing a book for herself as opposed to her clients (Jacqui also runs a graphic and book design company) also introduces a new perspective of moments like the anxiety before going to print for the first time! 

Also, there are unique design considerations when it comes to colouring books. The inclusion of borders means each page feels more like an individual piece of artwork. That open spaces need to be closed....every single line of them. Paper weights contribute to postage categories. Ratios of colours and spaces, patterns and whitespace...these are all considerations.  Then, what about alternating colours being applied to spaces that are numbered odd vs. even? The list goes on!

On her favourite designs?

Fruit slices and seed pods!

On future designs?

Butterflies, insects and moths...from a scientific angle.

On her most popular designs?

The geology ones are really popular as they're so different.

Where can we find her?

Jacqui sells individual pages to print and colour in her online store, along with canvas art of finished and coloured designs. Her book is also available in her online store, and locally at Bob Boutique in Williamson Street. Also, Facebook! Need help with designing your own book? She does that too :)

On getting started in interior design for nurseries and kid's rooms...

Having already been a qualified interior designer for over fifteen years, Bel was on maternity leave with her first child and was putting together ideas for her own nursery...as you'd find most Mums doing. Then she started blogging (writing) about it, and readers started asking her for advice. Fast forward about six years, and she's giving her advice and styling expertise professionally to families across the world for over 300 rooms and counting. It's not uncommon to spot her work in magazines (see also: House & Garden's Top 50 Rooms of 2015 List)...and she also provides imagery for branding and social media campaigns. Oh - and then there's her book! :)

On what the book is about...

The book is a closer look at the design components of each nursery she has chosen to include, focusing on why the pieces were chosen and how they were brought together to complete a cohesive individual look. It's just as important for the space to allow her smallest clients to dream and grow, as it is for the parents to include pieces that are meaningful to the family as a whole. The books also gives advice in areas such as how to style shelving (aka shelfies), how to choose a designer, and how to lay out a gallery wall.  The clients amongst these pages are all Australian based, and the book took about 3 months to put together.

On her clients and readers...

The book and her design services are helpful to her regional clients as they don't always have the access to metro stores and services. She loves that every client has something that is meaningful to them...like a song from their wedding, a family saying, pets or heirlooms...and learning all about these pieces of the family is what often gives cues for a design theme to set the tone for the space. Bel understands this first hand, as she has incorporated wooden pieces from the family farm into her own nurseries.

On her favourite story...

She loves discovering the different backgrounds of the families she works with. One client played for an Italian soccer team and had Italian royalty in their background. The aspects of this heritage that formed part of her final design, and the heartwarming response from the family seeing nods to past and present is what she loves most at the end of the day.

On her signature style...

It's about gaining insight into the family and what is meaningful to them, reflecting on those finds, and creating a room that is timeless. Rooms can be "on trend" but not just for the trends sake. Weaving together threads from these different sources is what makes her rooms both fresh, unique and nostalgic for the family.

On design inspiration...

Pinterest! Not just for bringing together potential design boards, but cataloguing her finds along the way helps with sourcing items when the time comes. She has a 2000 piece cushion library! What about in the days before Pinterest? You'd be amazed what you can do with Excel when collecting/tracking designs...but we both agree Pinterest is pretty much the best invention ever :)

On the services she provides...

Bel is available for consultations or design kits (design boards, shopping lists, styling notes and floorplans). Or the client can engage her for the full design from start to finish including on-site consultations, ordering, installing, liaising with trades and styling right through until the finished product.

On what's next...

Now that she's written about nursery design, the next book will focus on kid's rooms. The best part about designing for families is the constant evolving of the spaces...tweaking existing designs or dreaming up new ones for babies that are now ready for their big kid room. But a sibling is following along behind ready for their own take on the nursery...it's always changing!

On where to find her book...

Locally, Organise My (in Bath Lane) and Gathered (in View Street) are both stockists. Her website, Nest Design Studio has more stockist details, including an online store, as does her local publisher Of The World Books.

On the inspiration for...

I Have a Worry was inspired by many young children I have taught as a Primary School Teacher. As our lives become busier and move so fast, many children feel pressure from friendships, education and family. This book was written to start the conversations with children about anxiety and hopefully, empower children to address their worries. I Have a Worry was written to help build a child’s skill set when considering a worry. The little purple worry allows the children to think about their problem using a concrete tool. They are then able to ‘give’ this worry to someone else for some time, empowering the child as to whether they will allow the worry to control them or not. The feelings in this book have been shared by the children I have worked with over time.  These are their descriptions of how some worries make them feel.

On the process of writing...

Term 1 school holidays 2015 – I was extremely selfish and spent most of the 2 weeks at my kitchen table illustrating with water colours. I sat down and wrote the story quite quickly, the words just tumbled out and sounded right. I didn’t do too much to the text after the first write, which is quite unusual.  The voice of the story is very naturally how I speak to my children at school, and most of the book is what the children have told me over time so I had no reason to change it.

The hardest part was becoming a self-publisher, as I was independently scanning my paintings into my computer, loading them into a graphics program and compiling it myself, with extremely limited knowledge. Then, sourcing a company that I felt understood the integrity of my story, who could print it and cared about quality. This process took me on a life lesson, learning patience from setbacks, and persistence to believe in the message of my book.

The time frame from what I thought was a finished book, ended up being about 5 months of back and forth emails to my printer who keep pushing me to ‘make it better’. I was very fortunate to find a printer who was patient and expected the best. It was the 48th time I sent my book through that I received the ‘thumbs up’ from them!

On the illustrations...

I would not call myself an artist at all. I am a person who has liked drawing and ‘playing’ with arty things all of my life. To be honest, the illustrations happened due to my inexperience in this world of publishing, and I just felt it was easier if I drew them myself. After I drew the first few, I tested them on my three boys, just casually asking them what they thought. Their response was ‘Yeah, they’re cool Mum,’ which to me meant ‘If the boys were happy, I’m happy.’  I do like the idea that the children are connecting with the simplistic nature of the illustrations.

On the best part...

I don’t think I can narrow it down to one...

• The personal messages I am receiving daily from parents and children who have received a copy of I Have a Worry and have taken the time to let me know that they have gained something from it, be it, connectedness with each other, the children opening up about their stresses and fears, the recognition that it’s okay to have worries and lots of people do.
• Showing my three boys that aiming high and following a dream can actually be successful, and that ‘having-a-go’ is the main part of this journey.
• The incredible support my family and friends have shown me through this experience. When I had my book launch late last year, I honestly thought a few people may turn up. It was truly heart-warming to see so many friends, colleagues and supporters attend on an incredibly wet and cold night to celebrate this book with me.

On what's next...

Super excited about my next two projects that are underway.

• I Have a Worry Colouring-In Book – currently being printed and should be here and ready to go in about 1 month. This book wasn’t in my original plans, but I have received so much feedback from customers that they would love something like this, that I had to listen and make one. I have made sure that I have made it very personal for the children, as it is quite reflective and encourages children the think and reflect a little deeper about their feelings. The whole original story is there, and also pages of mindfulness and relaxation. It has been designed to complement the original story really well. After they have read the original book, the children can personalize their own copy through the colouring-in book.
• My Pet Worry – This book is developing really well, and will be available shortly. This book encourages children to take what they learnt through the first book, and think a little more about their worries and developing strategies when dealing with them. My Pet Worry has a very strong voice when speaking about the different sizes of worries. Hopefully, the story will leave the understanding that it’s okay to have small, or large worries, they are all normal. We just need to deal with them differently. As a self-publisher, I am funding each new book with the proceeds from the previous one. My Pet Worry will be sent to print as soon as we can raise the funds through the sale of the other two books.

On her favourite thing about living in Bendigo...

Bendigo is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. We have incredible schools, wonderful sporting clubs and organisations, terrific shopping and a community feel that is welcoming and appreciative. There are so many opportunities for success and joy. My favourite thing about Bendigo is the Easter weekend. It brings everyone together in a relaxed way that celebrates our community, with the Dragon Mile and the Easter Parade.

Where can I get these books and support Tanya?

Dymocks, Spring Gully Post Office, Education Plus Bendigo, Strath Village Newsagency and Bookstore, Eaglehawk Post Office and online here.

I've been a little obsessed with ballet since forever.  I trace it back to my Calisthenics class (it sounds like something Scientology related but I swear it was a dance thing back in the day...maybe for kids like me who were clearly never going to make it in ballet!) I have a vivid memory of rocking up and everyone was wearing these soft flowy skirts that accentuated their dance moves...and I was tugging on a skirt Mum sewed out of a stiff old curtain over my little leotard. Bless her, she probably knew I wasn't going to stick with it and didn't want to waste money on the fancy skirts everyone else was wearing. Let's just say this curtain had no flowing capability...in hindsight it would've probably made an excellent tutu. But in my head, though I noticed the differences between the rest of the class and myself...I was miles away in my own little ballerina fantasy, galloping around the hall in my curtain. Fast forward many years, and I dragged that fantasy all the way to NYC where I sat spellbound watching the American Ballet perform The Nutcracker. In between then and now, I just pinned my favourite ballet photgraphy and watched every ballet/dance documentary and movie ever made....

Lately, I've been teaching myself how to draw using online tutorials and just messing around with a tablet and the Apple Pencil. I don't know why I left it this long, I loved lettering by hand...and used it as a kind of therapy to self medicate my panic attacks. The soothing comfort of tracing predictable shapes of letters, and then shading them with pencil...it was kind've a little refuge against the storm. Now, figuring out the shapes and pencil strokes that make the things in my head, like this ballerina, come to life on a canvas is my absolute new favourite thing to do. And don't get me started on the colouring stage...just as soothing as the lettering...who knew those mindful colouring book people were onto something. 

So yeah, something different to my usual quotes, maps and buildings. Hope you like it! She'll come in more colours in the future, but I'm off to find something new to draw now :) If you'd like to get a print you'll find it in my store here: Ballerina Illustration

*this is an add-on to the article in the current issue of the Bendigo Magazine...the extra bits, in Daz's words, that wouldn't fit the official word count :)

Wholefoods Kitchen is...

A space next door to Bendigo Wholefoods, the original store that gave customers a place to source ingredients and products that matched this whole approach to health (e.g. coeliac) and lifestyle (e.g. paleo). The kitchen continues the focus on foods as close to their source as possible, with minimal processing or intervention, and no (or low) additives and preservatives. But where the store provides the products themselves, the kitchen provides a menu and space for eating in or taking away...as well as inspiration for what is possible when combining and experimenting with wholefood produce and recipes. Daz and Nicole have had the store for nine of its 29 years, and their expansion into the Wholefoods Kitchen more than cements their enthusiasm and commitment to this approach to food and lifestyle.

On Daz's passion...

Big picture and a business focus are always going to be important, but Daz loves to focus in on the details, the balance of flavours, the freshness, what he's tasting right this very moment. So before Wholefoods Kitchen became what we know it as now, Daz took his detail oriented perspective to Melbourne. Here, he donned his sneakers and walked the streets of Melbourne, dropping into to 80+ cafes to introduce himself and his ethos, observing and having conversations with like-minded people who already knew what it would take for this venture to succeed.

On one of the great joys of the kitchen...

Witnessing the collaboration and conversation between two staff members, one vegan and one more traditionally meat focused, the bond and relationship between them is amazing...how they connect and share ideas around food, it's one of the great joys of the kitchen

The responsibility of being part of the community...

There was an interesting moment when we realised that the food community has a responsibility for education too...not just on what we have available but how convenience and good food can co-exist,  the links between how you eat and your mental health, the benefits of getting greens back into the mix...there's a lot to explore in that space too.

On the workload...

Sometimes worry can creep in, about the workload that comes with expansion and trying new things. But at the same time, it's also exciting. Nicole and the kids are excited about what's coming next, what's our next stage, and how they can help. The kids can see that busy lives can also contribute joy...joy in creating jobs in a regional area...joy in finding meaning in what you do. The kids get to grow up in an environment where they can see this happen.

On the customers...

Their customers are as loyal and passionate as Nicole and Daz, the store so well known people travel from as far as Mildura to participate in vegan shopping nights complete with tastings and recipes. Finding meaningful purpose in your work doesn't happen without the customers. I make a conscious effort to remind myself that everyday, they give me the confidence to get up and take the next step...to keep going and keep growing. That's very rewarding and a very good reason to come to work. We have great customers who give us real feedback. They want us to do well, we're both committed to the same cause. 

So whether you're after a seasonally influenced Wholebowl full of salads, grains, protein and crunch...or a delicious salad on the go...some sweet treats, some good coffee (roasted just down the road!) or so many other nutritious goodies in between...pop in and say hello to Daz and his extraordinary team. You'll find them at 314 Lyttleton Tce, Bendigo. Or on Facebook and Instagram.

P.S. Breakfast coming soon! Read more in the current issue of the Bendigo Magazine xx

On her reasons for starting...

Being pregnant with her third baby, and having worked in finance for 10 years, Jacinta was looking to move in a new direction. Having always been conscious of what her family was eating, and wanting to be sure she was making the right choices for them going forward, she knew that whatever direction she took it would have to be flexible and fit in with her number one priority of being a Mum. 

On what the first step was...

Jacinta took a course that fitted in with her commitments at the time, studying to become a Health Coach. Having always been interested in nutrition and experimenting with writing recipes, and tweaking traditional favourites to become healthier without losing their taste...she found she enjoyed the health/nutritional focus of the course a little more than the psychology/coaching side.

On what Nourishing Our Health is...

Because sharing recipes to encourage others to become healthier has always been a big part of what Jacinta loves, starting "Nourishing Our Health" was the perfect avenue to pursue this passion. She now provides cold pressed juice cleanses and nourishing wholefood lunch packs to the Bendigo area via a delivery service and the occasional pop-up event. Above all else, she just wants to promote healthy living to you and your family, whilst providing a convenient source of nutritional food/drink...in addition to inspiring and educating via her online presence.

On what is actually involved...

A lot of work and a nice big kitchen bench! She creates the recipes and meal pack ideas, and then sources all the ingredients from the best possible sources (she loves local!)...and then puts everything together herself. That's right, down to sauces, dressings...and of course her popular cold pressed juices...she believes in knowing exactly what is in your food and prefers to make everything she can from scratch. Pause for a moment to appreciate that! Then, she packs it all up and delivers it in and around the Bendigo CBD.  The delivery side alone takes about three hours...the brainstorming, creating, testing and making all happens first. it would be fair to say that Jacinta is the perfect example of someone who has a strong belief and passion for something, and that drives her through all aspects of the approach from start to finish. 

So, how many meal packs does that mean?

Initially she had plans to cap the orders at 45, but after moving into a house that had a bigger kitchen she found that number increasing to 60...and recently a little closer to 80...so if you're following her on Facebook and you want to become a regular, you need to get your orders in ASAP because it doesn't take long at all for every available place to be filled. She's only human after all :)

On creative meets technical meets love...

That the whole thing is both creative and technical at the same time. Think of the math involved in figuring out how much of each ingredient is required for all those meal packs, what changes can be made for different dietary requirements Then there's ensuring the nutritional content is balanced and maximised for her customers, and the planning that goes into creating juice cleanses...it sounds like a lot because it is :) But then, Jacinta has been smitten with cooking ever since she was small, so nutritional value aside, those meals and juices are also jam packed with love!

What she loves the most...

Meeting her customers! Her smile becomes extra glowy when she talks about the little pockets of "Nourishing our Health" devotees that she's discovering all over Bendigo...and particularly getting a peek into what their days are like. There's a bit of mutual appreciation involved because some people can't leave their jobs to source lunches like those Jacinta has made for them, and clearly get excited by her visits. Yet she is witness to their professional dedication, for example when visiting Bendigo Health, and has a deeper appreciation of their work days as a result.

On her online presence...

Social media is an essential part of Nourishing Our Health, allowing Jacinta to make connections with her customers and reach new ones. Building relationships based on a common interest is what she's all about...and recipe sharing, communicating about orders, giving behind the scenes looks into her world of writing and testing recipes...plus providing inspiration and education...it all all comes together into a beautifully real social media feed.

On her favourites...

She loves a good green juice, particularly the one that she's incorporated into her pressed juice cleanse...which uses apple, lemon and ginger to make the beautifully intense nutrition of the greens tasty.  When it comes to a favourite recipe or ingredient combination? She really just focuses on what is seasonal as that helps with finding the best produce.  But she can't go past a good rainbow salad in summer :)

What Jacinta wants you to know...

That eating well and looking after your nutrition is not as complicated as it might feel, even when our days seem to be short on time and our arms are busy juggling family, work and life in general. You don't even technically need a recipe. Combining whole-foods into filling and nutritious combinations can be a simple as you need it to be...and she'd love nothing more than to help you with ideas and practical approaches to living a healthy life.

What I love about her...

Not only does she include something sweet-but-healthy into her meal packs (because you know I'm all about the treats!) ...but her enthusiasm and cheerfulness is infectious...you can tell she's doing something she loves, and it's growing as a result.  And that, dear reader, is just about my favourite thing to discover and write about.

Where can I find Nourishing Our Health?

Pop on over to Facebook to find out everything you need to know, and to respond when she posts about ordering. You can also see what she's been up to lately on Instagram @nourishing_our_health and she also has an official website. Keep an eye on her social media for recipe sharing, and a potential recipe book may be in the works xx

Use the social media links below to stay in touch with Petit Pixel Design.
Custom prints with handmade details for nurseries, weddings or anything in between, 
I focus on creating whimsical designs that embrace the positive and beautiful imperfections of our stories.

Locally designed. Locally printed.

I think everyone who loves Pinterest also sometimes has a bit of a "meh" relationship with it at times. I get that around seasonal holidays where feeds are flooded with alternate Christmas Trees or Valentines Day everything. So I've been a bit quiet on the re-pinning front lately. But just the other morning as I inhaled my coffee as if life depended on it (no further explanation required), I found these pins in quick succession and I loved them all. Some pretty, some useful + a dog photo and some fairy lights...that pretty much sums up me and Pinterest! So in the spirit of sharing, and in the spirit of nothing Christmassy...

• DIY Spray Painted Gift Wrap by Oh So Beautiful Paper...soft pinks greys corals and mint = impossible to resist!
• Easy Romantic Up-do by A Cup of Jo...ever since my hairdresser left town I haven't really gone anywhere else and my hair is the longest it's been since high school...and I'm sooo lazy with it. I should really make the most of having long hair before the greys start rocking up!
• Decorating with Instax by Urban Outfitters...I never thought of pinning photos to fairy lights before but I love this look! I want a fairy lights wall in my office so badly now.
• Love this quote, love that dog, love all the dogs xx

A close friend of mine recently had the sweetest little baby boy...and she asked me to design her a birth announcement for the nursery. After emails and a Pinterest trawl, we decided to go with a clean modern take on a vintage playbill poster.

I drew each element in my sketchbook...wanting off centre teeny tiny hearts, imperfect lines and dotted dividers...and trails that you would usually see following behind a cartoon paper aeroplane. Something gender neutral with a little bit of whimsy on the side :) And my favourite painted background.  It looks so crisp and a little bit Scandi in a white on white frame...I was so pleased with how it turned out. I can't wait to visit the nursery and their little bundle of love in person when I delivery the print!

This print is so new it isn't even listed yet, but if you'd like one (I can tweak the background colour!) just let me know and we will organise something xx

1. Owning It: A Creative's Guide to Contracts & Law..include real case studies and beautiful design. The Design Files did a great post about Sharon and here book here.
2. Online class about starting your own stationery business featuring advie by iconic companies like Rifle Paper Co, class by Eva from Sycamore Street Press, random sidenote: this podcast about working smarter, not harder with Eva and Elise is awesome.
3. Oriental Bird Kimono Dressing Gown
4. Marley and Lockyer Ceramic Christmas Quote Decorations

1. Kara Rosenlund's book "Shelter: How Australian's Live" featuring drool-worthy photography by Kara. A documentation of raw and real homesteads and the landscapes that surround them, as discovered by Kara on her travels. Sidenote: The Design Files interview with Kara here.
2. Graphic Safari Handpainted Watercolour Feathers for use in Photoshop (aka digital product via Etsy)
3. Festoon Lights for chilling on our newly built decking over summer! 20m version also available :)
4. Status Anxiety "Passing Blue" leather bag...be still my beating heart ;)

Hope you liked...I shall go relieve my browser of keeping track of all those tabs now!

Ever since I was a kid, all I ever wanted to do was design greeting cards. I used to make these crazy one-off designs using ripped out pages from magazines. I remember making some really dark sympathy cards at one stage. I think I thought I was being edgy and artistic (at age 6!) and was devastated when Mum didn't see the genius behind those particular ideas. In hindsight, it's lucky I took her advice and didn't lead with the dark and stormy range...and whilst greeting cards are probably still in my future...for now I've been working on these for the Bendigo Makers Crib.

I call them "Polaroid Gift Tags"...slightly bigger than your average gift tag (3x4 inches) with enough white space for handwriting at the bottom.  The perfect size for when you want more than just a teeny tiny gift tag but not a full on card. They come in chalkboard (white on black with visual texture), rainbow colour (the mint is hands down my favourite...surprise!), and kraft (white on a neutral beige with visual texture)

There are classic greetings...all in hand drawn circles...such as "Joy to The World" and "Just For You." But you know I couldn't leave it there....there's also a quirky set that includes Christmas greetings that are just a little bit different. My favourites are "Shhh I haven't had my coffee yet! P.S. Merry Christmas" for when you're sitting in your pajamas on the couch and it's way too early for the excitement of Christmas sans caffeine. There's also "Handmade with love, a lot of glue, some pipe cleaners, an excessive amount of glitter and...oh ok I found it for you online alright?!" I think that one speaks for itself :) 

I have bunches of them already bundled up and ready to go as packs or singles at the Bendigo Makers' Crib Shop at the Schaller Studio Art Series Hotel (Cnr of Lucan & Bayne Streets) open December 14-20 open 7 days until 6:30PM.  For those that can't make it, or want some now I've included a few cards from each collection in a twelve card digital download for $5.00 over on Etsy. The twelve cards you'll receive in a printable PDF are shown in clickable previews below :)

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• My Rollies as designed by Laura Blythman arrived today...a birthday present that has been much anticipated...what every girl who loves to wear all black should have...a crazy cute pair of loafers!
• How sweet are these metallic polka dot folders from Office Works? I went there in search of scissors but came back with extra stationery... #totaladdict
• Putting together fun packages in bright colours for the upcoming pop-up shop...there are both serious and silly versions of these polaroid gift tags...can't wait to share them all with you soon!
• The early arrival of a special little bundle of joy for one of my dearest friends...he has no idea how long he was dreamed of...and how much is already loved. Can't wait to meet him! 
• Watching these peonies unfold a little more each day as they reach towards the sunlight from the coffee table...press play if you like.

And lastly...completely crushing on Ryan Adam's version of Taylor Swift's "This Love" which you can play below :)

1. A Cup of Jo's post about what it's like to be a parent in Sweden as part of her Motherhood Around the World series. I'm not a parent but I'm curious about it, especially how it's different the world over. Let's just say Sweden take their parental leave a lot more seriously than Australia does...believe in napping outdoors...place a huge value on spending time in fresh air and nature...and the term fredagsmys which I could totally be the ambassador for!

2. This Etsy article about how Mitsy from ArtMind lost her creative mojo after the loss of a parent, and how a custom order helped her get her groove back. You totally need to check out her store, she sculptures feelings (the above pictured one is comfort). The custom piece was to represent how it feels to be living in a war torn country, separated from your partner who is also in the same scenario...and looking forward to sharing a space together again. Talk about a brief to spark creativity!

3. Speaking of Scandinavia, I grew up loving the tales of the Moomins...and as such was delighted to stumble across this page of Moomin quotes. Like this one: “They were indescribably beautiful, and they seemed to be aware of it. They danced coquettishly, freely and openly, for themselves, for each other, for the island, for the sea – it seemed to be all the same to them..." 

4. Seeing as I'm all over maps lately, and travelling to Nashville next year, this map of A Beautiful Mess' favourite Nashville places couldn't have been more timely :)

Believe me, no-one is more surprised than me that I picked up an online class and actually finished it. Usually I fast forward to the things I want to know, rarely complete the class projects...you could probably call it snack learning. Anne Ditmeyer's  (aka Pret-a-Voyager) "Map Making: Learning to Communicate Places Beautifully" via Skillshare is my first real follow through. Hopefully it becomes a pattern for me because I really enjoyed it...and the feeling of finishing something out of my comfort zone :) Turns out I really love drawing buildings!

So I decided to pick four of the older buildings in the city...The Town Hall (1859), the Conservatory (1897), Sacred Heart Cathedral (1897) and The Capital Theatre (1873). The drawings are meant to be a little quirky, not to scale...but including my best attempt including their architectural features.

You kind of take it for granted how ornate they are when walking past them, but when it comes in to zooming in on photos from Google Images and trying to sketch them with pencil and pen....well you see all kinds of details you never noticed. I've got a new appreciation for them now!

I picked colours that kind've reminded me of vintage maps...pinks, greens, oranges. Couldn't help but include some mint and the famous spring tulips!

I had a lot of fun piecing this all together, and have pretty much decided that if it prints the way I intended it to, it will be available at the Bendigo Makers' Crib at the Schaller Studio in December :) Thanks for the class Anne!

If you're interested in future prints/cards/tags that include the designs shown on this map, sign up to my newsletter below and I'll let you know when they're available..

Oh - and as for the little bunch of yellow balloons atop the town hall...these represent the current "Believe in Bendigo" campaign...a sweet little detail that shows despite the strongly held and protested views of some, Bendigo is a city that celebrates and welcomes all :)

The Anti Cool Girl (Rosie Waterland) - I listened to Rosie Waterland get interviewed on a podcast where she (or the podcaster, I forget) read an excerpt of her book and I was hooked...went looking for it that night on my Kindle and read it in 2 days. She grew up with two alcoholic parents and spent a lot of her time just trying to make sense of a world turned upside down regularly. She talks about everything (the day the housing commission kids found a dead guy in the bushes...who was her Dad; being abused in foster care; her bond/rivalry with her eternally cool older sister; dealing with anxiety and an eating disorder; navigating adult life/sex/employment/household cleaning without life lessons that others take for granted)...all of it with brutal honesty, humour and raw emotion. It might be too much detail or a bit harrowing for some...I had to keep reading so I could leave her in a happier place when I closed the book covers. I laughed, I cringed,  I looked at experiences of my own in a different way. 

Luckiest Girl Alive (Jessica Knoll) - About a girl who appears to have it all, and is hanging on to her perfect life with a vice like grip when an experience at a schmancy boarding school in her past re-surfaces and threatens to take everything she's worked for away. Read it because it was advertised as the next Gone Girl...it didn't make me want to throw the book across the room like the end of Gone Girl did :)

Primates of Park Ave (Wednesday Martin) - Real life account of a mother moving to the upper east side of NYC, and trying to fit in to what she discovers is almost another planet compared to her previous life merely a few boroughs away. Often segues into anthropological/scientific analysis of the trophy wives and their behaviour...I skipped through most of those parts. I was just interested to have a peek into an insanely different life where the height of your heels indicates your social status (flats = walking, crazy heels = you have a private driver)...how appearing to have it all to everyone else often covers a lot of sadness and dissatisfaction...how a woman of a higher statuses will physically charge into another woman walking towards her on the foothpath to assert her dominance in ranking...bonus points for brushing a Birkin bag against the lower status female who steps aside to let the matriarch pass. Unhinged yet fascinating.

The Girl on The Train (Paula Hawkins) - I've often imagined about the lives of those whose backyards face the Bendigo to Melbourne train line. For that reason I picked up this book about a girl who does just that on her trips to and from London, and happens to see something that the police are very interested in when a resident of one of those backyards goes missing.

I've always wanted to try a juice cleanse, but not many I've come across deliver to Bendigo. When I was reading the latest Fete Magazine I came across an article about Greene St. Juice Co. and something about their story struck a chord with me. Maybe Natalie leaving her corporate law background in Melbourne to live in NYC and train as a yoga instructor/holistic nutritionist...I love reading about people who take giant leaps of faith! Maybe how they've (Natalie & Steve) incorporated their love of New York into their company now that they're back in Melbourne...the juices are named after different parts/traditions of Manhattan. Maybe that their sense of style is epic...from bottle design to store fit out...and being uber responsive to social media and email...I just thought why not give it a try? So here is my honest thoughts on the experience. No sponsorship. Just me, sucking down organic cold pressed juices for a day :)

• I liked how you could do a "New York Minute" cleanse...ie one day. A good way to dip your toes in so to speak. Obviously a longer cleanse would reap more rewards but if you've never done one before this is perfect. It's called the Healthy Start & Glow.
• The bottles are cute! I'm totally keeping them and using them for random posies of flowers!
• I wasn't sure the courier was going to make my delivery in time...so I was in touch with Lainie from the Prahran store who was really supportive in answering my questions. They arrived with 5 minutes to spare by courier...and even after spending possibly most of the day in a truck were packed well enough to stay mostly cool ready for the fridge
• Previous to this I'd heard of people taking cleanses slowly, working their way up to a real 3-5 day cleanse and I thought pffft, I could handle it...I get it now, they're serious when they say that! Try a beginner cleanse first!
• I was worried about my body raging against me for not having my usual morning caffeine hit...those headaches can be nasty. Not one headache all day. If you do your research they said headaches as a response to a cleanse kick in on day two, but I honestly expected something for depriving myself of caffeine and sugar all day. Bonus!
• If you're not used to strong green juices (ie with ingredients like dandelion extract), or the warmth of cayenne pepper or ginger, don't expect to fall in love with every single juice on the cleanse menu if it's the first time you've ever dabbled in this pond. This is me...I like to consider myself a reasonably healthy eater...a big fan of my green smoothies etc...but I had to take my time to get used to some juices. By the second green juice at the end of the day, I was fully appreciative of how much good was going into my body...but I was also day dreaming of something less green tasting (and watching The Mindy Show bloopers on YouTube to distract myself!). Regardless, it was worth it to me knowing I was treating my body to the uber good stuff despite not always being besties with the taste. I said I would be honest!
• I took the chance to switch out the Thanksgiving juice from the middle of the day to "Beauty From Within" ProPlenish juice. This was good...a switch up from the vegetable juices to a pretty berry juice with marine collagen...my favourite of the day followed closely by the Nut Mylk at the very end
• I'm not much of a mantra person so I didn't really follow through with the different ones that came with the different stages of the day...but if that's your thing...you'll enjoy this no doubt!
• I learned that we can do with far less in a day if it's highly nutritious. That there is no way I could achieve this level of juice and nutrition on my own...it was worth it to have someone balance it out and package it up into a no brainer program. I'm all for juicing and smoothies at home but if you want to go to this level it's a nice feeling to let someone else take care of the thinking and ingredient procurement for you! It was harder than I thought it would be, but for this reason I felt like I achieved something...an new appreciation for the juice cleanse, the work required to put one together...and the people who take it to the next level.  Thank You Greene Street! :)

1 day, 8 juices, $69.00 + $22.00 delivery to my desk

I'm all for celebrating the bookworm. I spent many happy hours as a kid wandering around my own imagination amongst the words of legends such as Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton. I used to hide behind the curtains...tuck myself up against the cool glass of a window pane in a nest of cushions...the crisp pages of an unread book were just the best thing. As I type that I seem to remember Jane Eyre doing the same thing...that's probably where I got it from! Nowadays it's less of a nose tucked into a book on a windowsill and more of a swiping at the Kindle from a doona cocoon but I love it just as much as I ever did and I wanted to create a range of prints to celebrate the bookworms...big, little and in between.

Read below the thumbnails for details...click any image for a full size gallery.

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Each print is a combination of a textured watercolour wash, hand drawn details like the little book logo, and playful lettering. Colours range from a bright sugary pink and a buttery yellow through to a soft grey and a vanilla neutral. The best part is this...

1. Pick a coloured print from my Etsy Store
2. Pick  a title...any of the nine pre-existing titles, a current favourite book title, or dream up your own. Maybe a favourite catch phrase? A song lyric? "The adventures of [insert name here]"...totally up to you!
3. Pick an author name to match (Avery Lane pictured is just an example)...your favourite bookworm? their favourite author? the family pet? Or ditch the author name altogether!
4. Include the details of each in the notes section of the purchase. Triple check your spelling. Make sure it's clear which is the title and which is the author :)

As always, each 8x10 inch print comes on an A4 sheet of 300GSM Museo Portfolio Cotton Rag...aka the good stuff...from a professional printer in Melbourne. I print to order and post with reinforced cardstock supporting your print, sealed in a cello bag & tough envelope...ready for you to pop in an 8x10 frame. $30 AUD via my Etsy Store with free shipping Australia wide. Further details in each product listing.

Hope you love them as much as I did creating them. I tell you what, it was an exercise for the imagination trying to come up with nine titles! I can't wait for someone to decide to customise their own just to see what ideas they have. Do you have a bookworm in mind who'd love this present? :)

I'm sure there's also got to be some kind've local legend for this area...a giant black cat that keeps stealthily to the undergrowth? A Miss Havisham type figure that appears in the turret of the Government Surveyor's office (pictured further down) ?

"There’s something about Heathcote and the landscape that surrounds…the rocky outcrops and the gullies resting deep in the shade…my mind wanders to mysteries like Picnic at Hanging Rock and the like. It intrigues me. For that reason I decided what better way to while away a sunny afternoon with a friend than just driving for the sake of it…taking random turn-offs down dirt roads on our way. It didn’t hurt that there was a winery visit on the cards, followed by dinner at the Willow Room.  We just felt like a wander, and wander we did..."

"A stones throw from Bendigo or about an hour from Melbourne will find you in the centre of a streetscape with many an architectural nod to Heathcote’s history in the Gold Rush era.  I’m already picturing it as it used to be…tents pitched along the river…the population swelling to 35,000 and the township accommodating up 22 hotels and, as legend has it, a bacon factory! I love that there are little plaques explaining the significance of various buildings…it suits a curious mind. I’ve since used the official website and information centre to brush up on my local history in the hope of finding a mystery to rival Hanging Rock but nothing uncovered as yet. Maybe I need to drop into the pub and find a local with a yarn of yesteryear to tell. In the meantime, I’m loving the beautifully old Government Surveyors Office with it’s peeling paint & gentle lean…and wonder if Miss Havisham might be precariously perched behind the window on the upper level watching us walking by..."

You can read more in the current issue of the Bendigo Magazine, or the rest of the article here.

We wandered through Merindoc Winery, and ate at The Willow Room...which I just read has closed...oh no! Never fear, there's so much good wine and food in this area, and the tourism website is the perfect starting point to plan your trip :)

For my birthday we headed to Hobart, to hang with my sister and her husband. and celebrate outrageously by napping on the couch between re-runs of friends...and looking at the snow atop the mountain from a snug warm distance :) One of the things we did do was have doughnuts for breakfast on the morning of my birthday...venturing down into Hobart's CBD to Small-fry.

Loved the small "hole in the wall" type feel added to by the rough stone walls/industrial accents...and the sharing of one giant table with other visitors and the kitchen itself. 

No offence to Krispy Kreme fans but this latest wave of handmade "boutique" doughnuts leaves all other uber manufactured flavours for dead. If you follow me on instagram you'll know I've already taste tested a bunch in Melbourne but so far I think I have to say these were my favourite by far! And nope, that statement wasn't affected by the giddyness of it being my birthday :P 

You have to get in early to get a chance with these, so sleepy heads beware. We had one flavour each...Reese's Pieces, Strawberries and Cream, and Mint Slice. I love when the dough is softly dense but not so dense that you feel like you're eating a sourdough version of a doughnut...and when it's a neutral base for a sugary filling so overall you don't feel like you're going to float out the door on a ridiculous sugar high. Mine was Reese's Pieces...but I honestly couldn't pick a favourite. One thing I do know is I'm making a beeline back to Small-fry next time I'm in Hobart. I'm guessing if the rest of their food is as good as the doughnuts (and I'm thinking it is based on what I saw!) then I'm thinking you should be making a beeline too! 

Speaking of beelines, if you're into indie design and decorating your nest with sweet prints then you might like to follow the link below to my store :)