Before I head off to the dentist for my twice yearly checkup, I have a second new zine I'd like to introduce you to.

Birds that feature in A beating of wings (ii) include,
a Common swift (Apus apus) (on the cover)
a Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
a Blue-crowned hanging parrot (Coriculus galgulus)
a Red-tailed Minla (Minla ignotincta)
a Crimson topaz (Polytmus guainumbi) (on the back cover)

This is the partner of A beating of wings (i) (on Canary Yellow stock) and it is printed on Wheatear Yellow in keeping with all things birdy. I have just finished scoring and folding the entire edition of 100. It will be available this Sunday at the Emerging Writers' Festival's Page Parlour. After that it will be available in our store alongside all our other zines.

You can hear a Eurasian Jay (here) and a Common swift (here) talking (via the Internet Bird Collection).

"Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet." (French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, 1873-1954)

The above quote seems a good way to introduce you to our four new greeting cards available now through our online store and featuring Gracia's postcard collages. I enjoy your company, With rainfall and thunder close behind, You're in my sights, and Guiding me home have printed up beautifully. These four collages were amongst my particular favourites when exhibited as part of By This Unwinking Night, along with some yet to appear on her blog (owing to the fact that there are hundreds). I am proud as punch to present these to you.

You can purchase single greeting cards, a set of four cards (one of each new design), and a bundle of five of the one kind greeting cards through our online store.

We will also have these cards at the forthcoming Page Parlour fair as part of the Emerging Writers' Festival 2012.

Sunday June 3rd, 2012
12 noon – 5 pm

The Atrium
Federation Square
191 Flinders Street (VIC)

We hope to see you there.

(The view from last year's fair.)

(Thanks to those of you speedsters who have already placed a card order this morning, and to those of you who have ordered a little something through our Society6 store. Exciting stuff!)

Testing the laws of hazard (i)


Momentarily visible


Banishing clouds in Kew


On the verge of outshining me?


Testing the laws of hazard (ii)


They had constructed their garden from what they had

This morning, G and I dipped our tails in the Society6 waters and made several iPhone cases available featuring our artwork. Some you will recognise. They had constructed their garden from what they had you last saw in the wonderful From Orchards, Fields, and Gardens; Momentarily visible on a contents page in The Big Issue's annual Fiction Edition; On the verge of outshining me? from a forthcoming poetry publication with a Berlin artist (more soon); and Testing the laws of hazard (i) in Gracia's artists' book of same name recently on display at Latrobe Regional Gallery and currently by post winging its way to the State Library of New South Wales.

You can see the full range here (as well as iPhone and iPod skins).

We hope you like them.

• Delight. Seven of our artists' books recently exhibited at Latrobe Regional Gallery are acquired by the State Library of New South Wales. (Woo!)

• Fun. Three new paper stage puppets rolled into zines are taking shape as we prepare for the Emerging Writers' Festival 2012.

• Wish. Fliss has released a new line of capes and masks for little ones. (I am toying with the idea of getting one for a dear friend's little bear cub who soon has a Birthday.)

• A Second Wish. Mots, brots i gargots looks like an exhibition I would like to see in person.

• Stella Silliness. G and I have joined the Instagram ranks.

• A Conference of Birds. A new companion for Agatha has arrived. His name is Bertie and he is a brilliant blue. They are getting along swimmingly and soon I will draw his portrait.

• Familiar Faces from February. Elaine's daily drawing project for 2012 reminds me of recent days.

A fine quartet of Gracia's postcards soon to grace our new greeting cards for 2012, presented by a Black-faced Cuckoo-strike.

I sighted said Black-faced Cuckoo-strike (Coracina novaehollandiae) in the garden yesterday. I can't recall ever having seen one in the backgarden, even though they are common. It is sometimes referred to as a Blue or Grey Jay. It even answers to the name Cherry Hawk, or so my handy field guide to the birds of Australia tells me. They are known to have a musical voice, which I think makes them sound particularly clever. They make regular autumn-winter migrations inland.

Another thing about these birds I especially like is that they build their nests some 6 to 20 metres high on a horizontal branch laced with spider webs. I wonder if I will see one today.

Thanks for all your help in picking this foursome.


You're in my sights.


With rainfall and thunder close behind.



I enjoy your company.



Guiding me home.

(Click to enlarge.)

Gracia and I are thinking of printing four of her recent postcard collages as a series of new greeting cards for 2012.

Would you like to help us decide which four you'd most like to see printed? We'd be ever so grateful for your help as we can't seem to decide.

Above are 16 for you to choose from. Simply leave a comment below with your favourite four listed (number will do) and we'll keep a tally our end. Alternatively, if a favourite of yours is not above, please let us know.

1. You're in my sights.
2. Of another hemisphere, surely.
3. Before the hush that darkness brings, I search for trinkets and beetles in the earth.
4. With rainfall and thunder close behind.
5. Surrounded by what seemed to be tiny priceless treasures.
6. Afloat for now.
7. Keeping in line.
8. Guiding me home.
9. Still a crown, view dependent.
10. The Venezia Two-Step.
11. Looking for something someone may have lost.
12. Feeding off treasures.
13. With quiff extended.
14. The merriments and sport of the water called.
15. I enjoy your company.
16. The lesser Malay Chevrotain begins her homeward climb.

Thanks in advance for your help,
LJ

(You might also like to read Gracia's recent answers to questions about our collaborative practice posed by Ballarat University student Natalie. See here.)