five gold rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and the show of the week

SHOW OF THE WEEK (grand opening tonight!)

Well of course it's ours... admittedly, the ladies of HML were a little doubtful about whether we would finish at times, and let's just say there was some very serious and bleary eyed embroidery still going on in the wee hours of monday morning, BUT...we are delighted (and somewhat surprised) to announce that it's great (if we do say so ourselves) and we're actually pretty happy with it.

santa's little helper

flying sooties

zoot and his pipers

the twelve days
three french hens, four calling birds and five golden rings...

The grand opening is tonight at Fourty five downstairs, Flinders Lane Melbourne between 5 & 6.30, just perfect for a quick pop in after work...
Of course, all our readers are welcome, so come along and have a drink on us!

hot potato hot potato

THEY MADE IT THEMSELVES

As you all know, we started our DIY Christmas course at the CAE last Saturday, and we really didnt know what to expect. We had all our potato prototypes prepared, ready to get the gaggle of students excited about the wonders of root vegetable printing and thought it would probably go OK...
What we hadn't counted on was how much this group of crafsters would get into it, by the end of the day each of them had created a complete co-ordinating range of printed fabric, and were even contemplating raiding the pantry once they got home to get more done. Champions!!

We sent them home with swathes of spotty, striped and flowered fabric with a list of washing and ironing instructions and cannot wait to see what they come up with next week...

hot for teacher

Given that our DIY Christmas class is well underway at the CAE, we thought it only proper that our website of the week should in fact be the official Centre of Adult Education Melbourne website...
Who knows you might even be enticed to take a class in Indian head massage or decide to pick up Portuguese as a second language...

baby the stars shine bright

CRAFT FIND OF THE WEEK

This weeks craft find goes to the humble paper mache christmas star found at Lincraft, which we are relying upon to give a certain celestial seasoning to our partridge in a pear tree show...
A measly $1.49 each they are a delight in their raw state (and you know what fans of buff kraft card we are) but we needed to prime these wee wonders with white acrylic paint in order for us to work a little hml embellishment magic later on.

At the moment we still have quite a few to get primed before their final decorative touches, but we're still enjoying looking at the all white work in progress, and currently using it as the default hml christmas tree until the real one arrives.
By the way, in case you think you've seen that tree before, you may recognise it from such fabulous Hammer and Daisy exhibitions as "A Parliament of Owls" .

is best

SHOW OF THE WEEK

As many of you know the HML staffers were on the selection panel for this years Fresh Exhibition at Craft Victoria. What you don't know is how proud we are to have been part of a process that promotes not just excellence but innovation, playfulness and the unique styles of graduate students around the State. It was an amazing process, sometimes a painful one and we felt a bit battle scarred by the end. But there were some pieces that were worth the argy bargy at 10pm at night (yes that Fresh meeting goes for a very very very looooong time). Up for grabs is a $5000 prize sponsored by Filippo Raphael and not even we know who the lucky recipient is just yet. We'll have to wait til Thursday night (6-8pm) at CV to find out. How exciting...!

And of course work continues on the hml Christmas show that opens Tuesday week - more details to follow...

seeing spots

THIS WEEK WAS ABOUT

getting ready...for everything. It's a funny thing December. You start thinking about in July when people throw those weird mid year christmas themed parties (wait is that just us?) and you don't really do much about it. Then September comes along and you think 'Spring has sprung! I better get a wriggle on' Then before you know it you are eagerly anticipating the Thanksgiving issue of Martha Stewart Living (wait is that just us?) and then you realise...

In the next four weeks we have - an exhibition, a teaching gig, cards to make (Ramona), a shop to manage (Rebecca), and that fateful day - yes we are talking about the 25th. No wonder we don't ever go out at New Years - we are in a coma by that stage. How are you all going? We know we aren't alone in this as there are quite a few panicky emails cancelling lunch date in our intray (or is that just us?)...

Despite the whine of panic in our voices we are in fact 'getting on top of things' and are quite looking forward to all of the above. Frocks have been bought and projects are nearly finished. Here are just a few more (with snaps to Holly Daze for the doorstopper inspiration).

Sneak Peek

There are 4 calling birds, there is a partridge in a pear tree...bet you can guess the theme of the newfashiontodayblog christmas show that opens on December 12 at fortyfivedownstairs. Those of you that have read this blogzine this year will know that team hml had a tendency to take a big bite out of life and we always end up with far too much on our plate (we seem to spend half the time whining about being behind schedule) but we know that you are all like that too. We hope to see some of our lovely readers at the opening (530-7 on the Tuesday) we'd love to crack open a bottle of bubbly and toast what has indeed been a handmade 2006!

greetings from the workroom

CRAFT OBJECT OF THE WEEK

Dear HML readers,
hi there! I am one of the many craft objects now nearing completion at hml headquarters. I don't have a name yet as my creators are currently curled up in a corner trying to take a power nap to cope with what is, yet again, an insane workload. Between getting ready for their teaching stint, organising their exhibition (opening on the 12 December) and frantically making gifts for all those they love it is just a crazy old time here. They haven't named me yet. I know I am for a small person. And I have yellow spots (remember that fabric the printed some time ago?)

Love to you all!

Let the bidding begin...

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Shhhh! The Craft Victoria Silent Auction is an easy pick for show of the week. Not only because hml staff member Ramona has a piece in the show (above) as do many hml friends, but because it showcases the work of 80 craftspeople from around Australia. We have had a sneak peak and the show is a doozy.

All funds raised from the auction will be put towards a writing program for Craft Victoria members. It's an amazing show. Bidding has already begun and some items are in fact already sold so you better rush in if you want to snag a special object for under the Christmas tree this year.

The Auction itself takes place this Saturday between 3-5pm. These are some of the items we will be bidding on...

Beautful polypropelyne work by Emma Davies and delicate glass pieces by Lisa Cahill
Excellent Blue Robot by ceramic artist extraordinaire Nid Kelly...


The lovely Po by our blogging mate Shula (he is simply adorable)

And this very special piece from jeweler and artist Anna Davern

how long is a piece of string?

SHE MADE IT HERSELF
We have seen alotta stuff this past month and after dozens of graduate shows it has all become a blur in our craft-lovin' minds. We have to admit our absolute joint favorite work was from the rmit studio textiles show. All works by Pennie Imeson just blew us away. They were inspiring, well finished, nostalgic and simple. The finger knitted jute string wall installation almost trembled it had so much energy:


While the woven mat piece was elegant, and well crafted cleary demonstrating with the simplest of materials the breadth of her skill.

In a sea of pattern and print, it was a spot of great calm. We really thought it was fantastic.

Wish we were there

A big hml cheerio goes out to all the members of the Umbrella Collective who are having their big christmas event this weekend. Bit like a design market but just with work that you love. We love Brisvegas and have toyed with the idea of emmigrating (sunshine, nice people, tropical fruit) It comes as no surprise to us that this amazing group of makers has banded together (as makers should) and have alot to teach their southern overly competitive isolationist neighbours about how to create strength in numbers. Visit their blog for more inspiration.

needle in a haystack

CRAFT FIND OF THE WEEK
Sometimes you find the best things while you're looking for something else.
On route to yet another Fresh! exhibition destination hml found themselves face to face with the wonderful world of Sally Campbell Home Textiles in High street Prahran.


Aftermanaging to get our breath back, and after our heads stopped spinning from all the new the decorating possibilities, we forraged around andfound the best market bag EVER! Hand printed spots on the outside and sturdy jute on the inside... we thought it quite dreamy,and there was even a matching sun-hat on offer.

goldilocks and the two bears

We want to sendout a big congratulations to both staff and students of this years NMIT graduate Advanced Diploma Jewellery class. We caught the show at a very busy opening. After being sorely dissapointed by a couple of will-remain-nameless shows earlier in the week we were thrilled to find fantastic work at The Artery Gallery in Moor Street Fitzroy.
Well finished, fully realised, unique work. Great vibe of celebration (rather than panic which we have felt at other shows) and ambition. Well done all!

we had our tiny minds well and truly blown by the mystical stonehenge circle of finger containers, goldilocks neckpiece and glove purse of Polly vanderGlas


and we loved these oversized felt and knit neckpieces by Shio Otani

and we had to give a sentimental vote for the mother and baby bear fob chain by Ella Bird. Aren't you all impressed?

a breath of fresh air

THEY MADE IT THEMSELVES
The ladies of HML are in the thick of Fresh Selection Madness! But there is something so fantastic about graduate shows. Over the past couple of years we've really seen some standouts and 2006 has been no exception. Here are some of our faves from the RMIT Gold and Silversmithing Show - of which the most interesting work was neither gold nor silver!:

Jamie Andersson

Danielle Lott

Lucy Blackmore

Lights up!

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
It’s Official. Limited edition jewelry pieces from Iggy and Lou Lou are now available online as they swing open the velvet curtain on their new and beautiful website.

The best of three collections featured:

Last Romance in Paris
The dueling pistols of Onegin, the everlasting love of Wuthering Heights, the mysterious shadows of Film Noir, The poetry of eighteenth century Paris. Romance has always meant high drama for love lost and found.

Ships in the Night
Unchartered waters hold many mysteries. Let the stars be your guide as you navigate
to lands beyond these shores.

Friends of the Forest
One must be stout of heart to enter the forest. Be brave little one and the trees will protect you. Wear your talismans to guard you against the shadows.


Irresistable. And just a fine example of how a website can really showcase a makers work. Always remember crafties that everyone loves a story!

www.iggyandloulou.com

cut that out!

CRAFT FINDS OF THE WEEK

All this talk of food is making us hungry! The ladies of hml have turned their minds to xmas cookies a la Martha - nothing tells the mailman/teacher/neighbor/landlord/and in Ramona's case Video Guy (thanks for getting in season 2 of Battlestar Gallactica!) Seasons Greetings more than a little bag of shortbread. You know our intentions are good but we may be buying the old Walkers petticoats squares December 24 like everyone else. In the meantime check out just part of the extensive staff room collection of cookie cutters.

We love their simple sillhouette shapes and have a particular fondness the the Hang Ten foot cookie (insert foot in mouth joke here). You can also see some of our Easter cookies here - just to prove that we do actually bake on occasion (well annually at least...)

fast food nation

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Nibbles by Lucy Folk
Regular readers of HML will know we have a penchant for jewelry and a passion for food.We like both to be robust, delicious, inclusive and inviting. All these words can be said to describe the work of Melbourne based jeweler Lucy Folk. A member of the Pieces of Eight stable of stars Folk's new work evoke sensory memories of chowing down on burgers, popcorn and pretzels, cheese and crackers and some silvery sardines.
Incorporating such craft skills as whittling, crochet and carving as well as screenprinting on a series of teatowels and napkins, Folk has gone all out with this spread of treats. All we need now is a good shiraz and our sense of humour before deciding on the cracker necklace or the pretzel brooch...

Pieces of Eight 635 Brunswick Street North Fitzroy

Nibbles by Lucy Folk runs from November 10 to December 2