Hiné Mizushima

    A couple of weekend's ago I took the kids for a train ride into the city. We stopped off a magic shop, Outre Gallery, Macca's run, and finished up with a wander round an exhibition at the City Library.

    The exhibition 'Playful', as curated by Sophia Cai was celebrating National Youth Week, and incorporated the work of many wonderful artists. This included two personal favourites of mine - Evie Barrow and Cat Rabbit. I also came to fall in love with the art of Hiné Mizushima.

    Hiné made these cute little octopi sitting atop replica pez dispensers. After a little research, I found Hiné's online site and I am in honest raptures over the sweetness and intricate detail of her work. By the look of things she is all kinds of creative.

© Hiné Mizushima

Check out Hiné Mizushima:
www.hinemizushima.com
www.etsy.com/shop/hine
society6.com/hine

Fab Finds 4

And now for my  Fab Finds: Issue No. 4...

    One of my long time favourite craft bloggers, Evie Barrow, has been working on a new series of cloth dolls and has shared a sneek peek. Check it out here. A little background information about Evie: I am a loyal supporter of this gal. When my children were born I commissioned Evie to make each of them a pirate doll. These gorgeous dolls can be played with, but I also intend for these to be family heirlooms.

Evie Barrow - crafter/illustrator/graphic designer/dollmaker

    Photographer, Alexia Sinclair, is a fine art photographer who is recognised for her symbolic and artistic style of storytelling. Her photos have been compared to old school paintings you would find in an art gallery. There are many admirers of Alexia's work, but not all of us can afford to buy a numbered/signed print. Until now! Alexia is trying a crowd funding experiment to finance her next photographic series. In doing so she is selling a limited run [signed, not numbered] of her photo The Cabinets of Curiosity, at a much lower price point, making the work available to a wider audience. To find out more Alexia has all the details here.

Alexia Sinclair Photography

    Technically this is not a find. More of my own creation really. But I'm so excited about what I have started that I wanted to share the news. I enjoy photography. I have a blog folio in which I share my best work. But I wanted to do something more, to ensure that I was taking photos every day. So I started a new blog - Mel's Photo-a-day. The concept is pretty simple - I upload one photo a day. The photos don't need to be technically correct. Just me sharing an interesting image each day.

Melissa Gaggiano Photography

A Possibility


    A couple of times in the past few years I have commissioned the talented doll maker, Evie Barrow to make pirate princess dolls for my daughters. And now I have thought up the perfect way to display these dolls in my daughters' bedroom - a wall mounted shelf that looks like a pirate ship.
    This project would need me to use carpentry skills which I do not yet have. But I am so keen to make this shelf that I'm willing to learn a bit of the trade.


Drawing by Melissa Gaggiano.




Model by Melissa Gaggiano.

 

    The following are the pirate dolls created by one of my most favourite designers, the delovely Evie Barrow.

Tip of the Day: Look out for Evie's Bearded Men brooches.

Thanks to Evie for her Handmade Romance

Photography & doll by Evie Barrow

    A few years ago I commissioned a much hearted doll designer, Evie Barrow of Handmade Romance fame. She made my first daughter, Gwen, a pirate doll.
    More recently I approached Evie again with the same request, as I have since had another daughter, Keira. To my absolute delight the new pirate doll [pictured above] arrived in the mail today. Just in time for Keira's first birthday.
    I couldn't thank Evie enough for such a darlin' little doll.