SHOW OF THE WEEK

In typical HML fashion we are doing far too much people.We can't help it, we get excited! At the beginning of February we  were feeling pretty smug- we'd rejected all offers of market stands, trade fairs, pop up shops. We'd not applied for any funding, artist run space or book. We made plans...for 2011... and had lots of cake and congratulated ourselves on embracing a 'quiet' year. Then the festival of the photocopier happened and we found ourselves making our Craftbusters zine (100 copies later we are already working on Vol 2). Then the wonderful Nella Themelios and Kim Brockett asked if we'd like to participate in their Insert Coin Here show. How could we resist? Giant gumballs full of art at $2 a pop with 60 participating artists in shiny red gumball machines placed at cool venues around town as part of the Fashion Festival? We were in - both as HML and as Beck and Ramona. Which meant 30 balls had to be juggled in a week!

                                          

HML have created Craft Emergency Kits that should see you through most disasters (instant necklace when you need some bling, a monogram kit for when a name tag is not enough etc). We like to help people. It's part of our, you know, thing.

Beck got to indulge her passion for fashion by designing some 'David Lee Rocks' which quite frankly are making me want to pull on the spandex and get some big hair (could he be hotter? I don't think so)

                                  

I made some little boutonnieres for the lapels of fab Melbournians that get out and support contemporary art in all its crazy DIY glory. The machines can be found at these venues:

Mon 1 March - Sat 6 March Craft Victoria: 31 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Tue 8 March - Sat 13 March Captains of Industry: Level 1, 2 Somerset Place, Melbourne (off Little Bourke Street)

Sun 14 March - Sun 21 March Alice Euphemia: Shop 6, Cathedral Arcade, 37 Swanston Street, Melbourne

Mon 22 March - Wed 31 March The Thousands Shop: Level 6, Curtin House, 252 Swanston Street, Melbourne


So we are thinking its not going to be a quiet year after all!

DELIVERY OF THE WEEK

HML Readathon

Today we got a large parcel in the post from sticky.We are very excited. But too busy today with another project (BALLS, that's the only hint were giving out) So. We just managed to contain ourselves and decided to open the parcel for a quick peak before getting back to business.

Gasp! a candy-striped interior bag...

and a big pile of crazy weekend reading material from the other 34 zinesters.

We'll be reviewing one a week on our new Craftbusters! blog. See you there.

Blog Update

If you'd like to have a look, please click here. :)

HE MADE IT HIMSELF

Artistic licence

Look I really don’t want to seem like a bragging mother, especially here on hml where we tend to keep things cool and make like we're busy with things other than childrearing. But this time Max has outdone himself. After a few art and craft sessions he's decided that he’s quite the young arteeest, even demanding “Art, art, art! ” before breakfast of a morning. I am mightily impressed with this development,especially given that up until now it's all been destroy! destroy! destroy! 

Last week we had both a painting afternoon and a collage afternoon – hard to say which one he liked more, I think the output was pretty even...

Although he did spend the rest of the week waving his paintbrush over the furniture like a wand and sticking stickers on all the doors. God knows what he’ll do when we start with the balls of wool.

SHOWCASE OF THE WEEK

The Big Picture

Now filling the cabinets at Platform is The Undiscovered Press: a showcase of twelve of Australia's most dedicated zinesters from around the country. Set the challenge of expanding their traditional A5 format into large format artworks they've employed their usual arsenal of paper, pens, robots, envelopes, found objects, random cardboard, photos, duck tape and textas to create 'a bigger picture' in every sense.

As the Platform peeps have commented, often the gp think of zines as literary rather than visual works of art, and perhaps the combination of questionable poetry, black flag politics and poor quality photocopies stealthily printed at the office haven't always done the visuals any favours. In this show however the focus is firmly on the pictures, which is a nice change, because personally i've always loved the aesthetic of zines, bad photocopy or not.

As you can see, it's a world of happiness, even the depressed bits. And you know if you're heading into town to go to work, play or even secretly purchase a badly fitted top shop knock-off from Dotti there's no excuse not to make a five minute detour and see what other people get up to in their loungeroom of an evening. Features work by Androniki Douramakos, Cameron Baker, Mary-Helen Daly, Sarah Foster, Brendan Halyday, Marc Martin, Arlene Texta Queen, Pat Grant, Michelle Vandermeer, On Wednesday and Fergus.

On until it closes, Degraves St Subway Melbourne.

SILLINESS OF THE WEEK

Sorry we have been so quiet this week dear readers. A combination of fatigue, zine craziness and day jobs left us stumped for hml content. You understand, it happens to the best and the rest of us some weeks. The outlook is less insane this week. Thought we'd show you this hilarious bit of fun - strangely addictive - a bit like Ikea itself.
PS Next time you are there try walking the wrong way round. It becomes more of an anthropological experience as you watch the sea of people doing the floor plan marathon. Don't follow the arrows is this weeks motto!

Blog Update

New post about my first love from New York Fashion week. Click here to read and see more.

Style Quote

New post is on line. :) Please click here to visit my new blog.

COOKING OF THE WEEK

We know it's Shrove Tuesday (did you know?) but quite frankly we don't want to put a photo of our Pancake Parlour mix on HML (hey look, we love it, sue us!). I thought I'd share with you my beloved's banana bread. He's a pretty good cook but doesn't get to elbow into the kitchen very often. Confronted with a bunch of dying bananas he announced 'I'm going to make banana bread!' to which the rest of the household  chuckled and warned him to clean up after himself (god we are horrible sometimes). 45 minutes later I was eating the best banana bread with my mid morning cuppa in a spotless kitchen. so snaps to him really.

Blog Update

Spring/Summer trends for 2010.

ZINE OF THE WEEK

craftbusters!

HML went retro this week and we made a zine for Sticky Institute's "festival of the photocopier" in the old skool way, armed with scissors, glue stick and photocopier (ok we cheated a little with the use of the scanner and a little illustrator just to make sure things fit on the page properly but hey we don't have an in-house bromide machine!) We even made sure we had a suitably indie playlist to help us feel the vibe and wore chucks throughout the process. It's full of insane letters asking advice on varied and random crafting problems with equally random answers from us, as our alter-ego's the Craftbusters and images culled from our vast collection of crazy craft books from the 20's to the 80's. Not to mention creepy dolls, hippy weaving, cross stitch patterns and aeronautical orgiami tips. It was heaps of fun. Hilarious in fact. So much so we're thinking of doing another one already. (That being said we should probably also apologise to poor Zach at Officeworks for our delirious and non too sharp efforts at photocopying 45 versions of our wee zine at 8o'clock Saturday morning in order to meet the midday deadline. Zach we promise if we do another one we won't photocopy it on your shift.) Anyhoo, in keeping with the low-fi vibe here are some pics of the process, all in black and white, just like our little zine. Oh and you can buy a copy from either the Sticky Institute or via our big cartel shop for a super cheap equally retro price of $5.

planning

layout

the sign says it all...

now what button did he say to press?

the finished product, tagged, bagged and ready to roll!

Alexander McQueen is dead

For more information and the full story, visit my wordpress blog...

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Darling Nikki.

We love knitting, we love fashion and we love knitting machines (although we're buggered if we can work out how to use the bloody things) so this exhibition, which features all three and which thus far seems to have slipped under the radar, is a dead cert for 'show of the week'.

The Endless Garment: The New Craft of Machine Knitting

According to the high falutin' exhibition description "The Endless Garment celebrates the virtuosity and future directions of the new craft of machine knitting which is changing the way fashion is designed and made." sho nuff. But it will also showcase the kinds of computerised industrial knitting machines covet and work by a range of international designers that will make us swoon and send us straight to the yarn store. The fact that it also features Nikki Gabriel who is not only a genius with yarn but also one of the nicest peeps you'll ever meet don't hurt neither.

ISSEY MIYAKE (Japan)

SANDRA BACKLUND (Sweden)

WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK (Belgium)

COOPERATIVE DESIGNS (UK)

MARK FAST (UK)

NIKKI GABRIEL (Australia)

YOSHIKI HISHINUMA (Japan)

SAVERIO PALATELLA (Italy)

FREDDIE ROBINS (UK)

SIBLING (UK)

It opens TONIGHT 6-8pm and Nikki will be there making "a special address" and a model (maybe even the one above) will be wearing her dresses. NIkki is also holding a workshop as part of the public programming, which will no doubt sell out in a matter of minutes, so book early. Oh and Miss Penpen has a stack of Nikki's ebony needles and hand knitting kits which include hand spun wool and are officially "to die for", so you can buy one and have a crack at some high fashion yourself, just in time for the opening.

The Endless Garment: The New Craft of Machine Knitting.

RMIT Gallery

344 Swanston Street Melbourne

12 February - 21 March 2010

Blog update

If you are curious to check the latest post on my wordpress blog, click on the image to travel through the blogosphere. :)

CRAFTIST OF THE WEEK

our cups runeth over...

How much do we love these, customised silhouette mugs by brooklyn crafteeest Alyssa Zygmunt, perfect for HML HQ - and no more drinking Ramona's coffee by mistake - Genius. Get yours here.

But wait theres more, this fashion desinger by day, crafter by night also has these gorgeous customised wood slices, that really hit we log ladies where we live.

And of course because she is clearly a woman after our own heart she totally gets that we need an ceramic owl or two to complete our twin peaks tableax. Just beautiful. Her etsy shop is full of excellent things, and as she says "Please buy something. My little NY apartment is over flowing!" ... Alyssa I think we can help you with that.

SMARTARTS OF THE WEEK

cool world
If you're anything like us, reading uber hip interiors magazines can sometimes leave you a little, well, cranky. While we love the beautiful photography and droolworthy interiors sometimes the incredibly good looking, super neat peeps with smug expressions, clean surfaces and even cleaner co-ordinating designer threads inhabiting them invite you to give them a slap rather than round of applause. We think those at Unhappy Hipsters feel the same, although their slap comes in the form of  some very witty, sardonic sub-editing... which of course we love even more. For example:

We’re not ready to go out there yet, honey. And besides, didn’t I do a pretty good job bringing the outside in? (Photo: Christopher Sturman, Dwell, November 2009)

Well aware of her ability to unnerve house guests, she’d become scarily self-possessed. (Photo: Philippe Munda; Dwell, June 2004)

HILARIOUS.

Blog Update

New post on my wordpress blog. :) To visit, click on the image below.

ROAD TRIP OF THE WEEK

Sanctuary

Yesterday with my fellas I drove down the Healesville to visit one of my stockists Morris Brown. Owners Louise and Jenny have a lovely shop full of craft and design goodness including my paper flowers which look pretty in their space. It was a good chance to unwind after what has been a hectic working week.

Beck had told me that we would love Healesville and its surrounds and she was right! It was only half way there I remembered the anniversary of the Black Saturday fires this weekend. It felt particularly poignant as the heavens opened up mid morning, cooling everything after a three day heat wave.

My family is planning a treechange one day. Maybe we'll move into the new exhibition building! (HML regional headquarters).

Take a drive to the country soon. Have lunch, buys some produce (or in our case aged porterhouse, tea towels, pickled garlic and a lovely breakfast of fresh eggs and toast soldiers!) inject a little cash into these beautiful little towns.

We saw the road signs to Kinglake and Marysville further on. It was a quiet drive home in the rain.