Fab Finds 17

    I have reasons to be excited. The year winding up. Christmas around the corner. Thinking about next year. Reading books that make me feel better. Movies coming out at the cinema such as Star Wars and…

1. Jem and the Holograms: I grew up idolising the cartoon show JatH, and in recent years I've had the pleasure introducing it to my entranced kids. Now the moment is almost upon us, it is a feature film, soon to be playing at Australian cinemas. I am so looking forward to this. I just may dye my hair for this.



2. My Poppet is a blog I have been following for quite a while. There are a variety of cute, homemade projects that make you feel like every day in the My Poppet household is a lovely spring day. A project that caught my eye is a DIY tee pee. It comes in two parts, so check them out - Part 1 + Part 2.

© My Poppet

3. Via the sharing power of Pinterest I became an instant fan of illustrator - Margaux Motin. Her work has a quirky sense of humour and her characters are very cute. But you don't need me to tell you, when you can see it for yourself, at Margaux's blog.

© Margaux Motin

4. I am halfway through reading Amy Poehler's Yes Please. It is an excellent read, for many reasons. I couldn't possibly put my finger on just one, but I will say it is written in an open and honest way. You can tell a self aware person, and Amy is one of those. Oh, and it really funny. So read this book, damn it! 
P.S. I got a kick out of pointing to the book cover and telling my daughters 'look, it's Joy from Inside Out'.

Yes Please

Sunday Market

I've got stuff,

made with love,

filled with fluff,

time they flew,

to someone new.

Day of the Market

    I am buggered, but before I hit the deck I just wanted to share some photos from today's Christmas market. It was a nice day, I was prepared, friends visited and showed their support, a few sales were made, and I got experience points.

I borrowed the kid's camera for the day to document the event...

Photo of me taken by my littlest.

Thank you to everyone who visited on the day.

A big thank you to Dad, for building the stand.

One

    Just one more day till the Christmas market. There is mucho excitement inside my head.

Surprise Smile

{link}

    Just two days to go before the Christmas market. In the meantime I have new artwork, Surprise Smile, available in my Red Bubble store. Come take a look.

Pinspirations

    How the time has flown! It's about time that I share some good Pinterest pins...

{link}

{link}

{link}

{link}

{link}

{link}

{link}

{link}

Rock the Stand

© Melissa Gaggiano

    A big thing in the making: As part of my Christmas market preparations my dad very kindly built me this amazing stand. It has collapsible walls, it is portable, it is perfect. I've included for your viewing pleasure a rehearsal presentation with my new stand. Next saturday is going to be AWESOME.

    It is an exciting moment when you can see your work coming together like this.

© Melissa Gaggiano

Face Painting Template

My daughter's face painting ideas.

    Today my eldest decided that she was going to be a face painter when she grows up. What an epic idea!

    As a fun weekend project I suggested she create a folio of face painting ideas. Being that we were out of printer ink I created a face stencil that can be used many times over. 

    For those who like this idea, and have plenty of printer ink I have created for you a printable template (see below) for coming up with face painting ideas. I look forward to seeing the designs you come up with - include a link in comments below.

Printing spec: Scale to fit on A4

    Alternatively if you want to create a reusable face stencil simply create a copy of the below stencil. Ensure you use relatively strong card and cut out using a sharp art knife.

© Melissa Gaggiano

More Stuff

© Melissa Gaggiano

    I am working on a few more pieces to add to my stall, for next week's Christmas market. Altogether there will be badges, dolls, tooth pouches, photos and illustrations.

Fab Finds 16

And now for my latest fab finds - people, art, things to be excited about…

1. Many of us have heard of Helena Christensen, the model. Did you also know she is a photographer. It is not unheard of, a model making the transition to behind the camera. I find Helena's work to be detailed and smart. In this series of photos for VS magazine, I can feel the isolation of this solitary female. There is something buried just below the surface, a sense of waiting for something to come to head. But I wouldn't say the female is hiding, because in many of the images she appears exposed to windows, light, the road.

© Helena Christensen

2. Tere Hurst is a maker of animals. She illustrates them and hand crafts them. Many of her animals are clothed, bringing to mind my love of Wind in the Willows.

©2015 by murmur fremo

3. I am loving the colours and textures from the Neptune's Daughter range by Cassandra Verity Green. I'd wear these items in a heart beat.

© Cassandra Verity Green

4. The Oatmeal tells a story, Plane, with a surprising reveal toward the end of this strip. I won't say what, you'll just have to read for your self.

All a Glitter

© Melissa Gaggiano

    What do Kylie Minogue and I have in common? We both love glitter.


    Today I have been sorting out odds and ends for the upcoming market. I have made bunting and updating signage from a previous installation, with just a bit of glue and a whole lotta glitter.

A Market Stall Of Her Own

© Melissa Gaggiano

    Clearly I am very excited about this event. I'll be there selling my handmade wares. There will be felty food, fashion dolls, cat fairies, mermaids, and even a sloth.

The Power of Three...

    … will set us free.

© Melissa Gaggiano

    I have now just finished sewing up the three Avril dolls. Time to relax, sort of.

Stay on Target

© Melissa Gaggiano

    I'm on target, for the Christmas market. I had forecast that I would finish the Avril dolls by the end of today. And darn it, it will be done, even if it means taking these babies on the road with me.

    Just a reminder of which market I will be setting up at…

Fab Finds 15

And now for my Fab Four update…

1. I am finding a lot of cool new, old, always been there-but only just caught my attention stuff on Pinterest. One such find has been The Pale Rook, which is a textile art project by Johanna Flanagan. By day Johanna is a fashion and textiles lecturer. And by night she puts on her super cape and makes these period looking dolls from salvaged materials.

© Johanna Flanagan

2. The True Cost - I heard of this documentary through a cousin. I've seen a trailer for this and now it is on my must watch list. I highly recommend this documentary to anyone wanting to have a career in the fashion industry, and to anyone who has ever worn clothes. Yep, that be all of us. This documentary will have us questioning a very real cost to the clothes we buy.

3. If you've got young kids and watch ABC chances are you know what I'm talking about when I say Abney & Teal. The kids love this show! My husband loves this show!! I love this show!!! Well anyway, I found this behind the scenes blog entry by Joel Stewart of what went into making this incredibly detailed program.

© Joel Stewart

4. If you're on the look out for cute, comfortably crafty then check out Muita Ihania. Her site is a hub of sweet inspiration.

© Muita Ihania

And that wraps up my fab finds for today.

Avril Three

© Melissa Gaggiano

    Work continues as I prepare for the Xmas market. I am now creating Avril dolls and am halfway there with these three dolls. I just need to make their clothes and sew on the faces.
    Now time for me to get some exercise then back to the sewing, yes.

Done, Done + Done

© Melissa Gaggiano

Three little mermaids… done, done and done. Set and ready for the Xmas market. The fishtail fabric has an amazing holographic effect.