peppermint + elephant

My day...

Reading of wonderful Peppermint issue #3,
& finishing of Elephant coinpurse #1.

The Elephant has been in the works for quite some time, so I'm happy to have finally listed one in my shop.

And don't get me wrong, my life isn't all chillaxing and magazines, but it's nice to curl up with them on blustery days like today.

pretty hair

Just some things that have been prettying up my 'do these past few weeks...

Gorgeous hair-bow made of vintage & new tulle, from Hopelessly Devoted on Etsy.

Gingham Star hair clips, from Vanilla Pixie on Etsy.

And finally, I found this bag of crochet flowers in an op shop years ago, and have been using them for various things - I just stuck a little bobby pin in this. Cute!

ginkgo madness!

Finally some new clutches! All Ginkgo, have gone Ginkgo mad after my visit to lovely Ink & Spindle studio to pick up some more pretty fabric. Clutches available in my Etsy shop.

sunny winter afternoon

Just chillaxing.
New Frankie out now (issue #30!),
Freesias from The Local Shop (just got back from delivering some more Pocket Carnival goodies to them),
Chocolate, always chocolate,
And watching the latest Dialogue on Design for Mankind.

Nice.

throwing paper planes

Today was one of those 'wah-stress-wah-money-wah-wah!' days. I'm sure you know what I mean. Had a little hiccup with some new canvas I've been using as interfacing, and then went outside and managed to get a big thorn stuck in my hand from the kaffir lime tree (enough effing limes!), and then managed to do something to a new clutch I was sewing that required a LOT of unpicking. Oh dear.


Throwing Paper Planes Coinpurse - with Original Mixed Media Illustration

And then, I thought to myself; you know what Penny? Just make that new coinpurse. So I did. I love it. It's an original illustration, with some painted detail. Mixed media. Oolala!

And it's available in my Etsy shop.

Alice in Wonderland!

I am SO excited. How amazing are these photos!

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is coming!
L-R - Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen. Hurrah!!

Photos via USA Today, more on their website!

My Friend The Duck

Finally!
My Friend The Duck - Original Mixed Media Illustration on Calico
Whenever I finish a new painting (which doesn't happen all that often!) I like to sit with it for a bit to make sure it's done. And it is, so I have listed this in my Etsy store.

There will be an art print of this coming in the next couple of days!

My Friend The Duck - Original Art Purse
Something new - I'm starting to think of my coinpurses more & more as little artworks, this one is a bit more detailed - ink & acrylic on calico. Maybe not an every day purse? This is also listed in my Etsy store.

Happy start of the week!

the market bag post

I've been a little absent on my blog lately, but thankyou for your nice comments about my little painting!

One thing I've been doing, with Chris's help, is printing up a few organic cotton Fairtrade tote bags.

This is one of the latest, a market bag - it is not just flat so it is a really large bag, I've started using mine for my shopping and I can fit so much in there! And these bags are great, because unlike the green bags they fold up really small so you can carry it around with you and just use it when you need to.

This one is available on Etsy - Green Frog! You can see the others here.

I feel like since I had my little cold I've just been catching up a bit on my to do list, but that seems to be on track so hopefully there will be some fun things coming soon!

paint these gardens

Last weekend I entered a painting competition with my good buddy Helen. This was the first painting competition I'd ever entered - possibly an outdoor competition in the middle of Winter was not the best idea, but still. We had fun.

Paint These Gardens was run by the Friends of the St Kilda Botanic Gardens - it's one of my favourite places to go in Melbourne, even though it's so close to the beach there aren't usually too many people there, and it's so close to lovely cafes & shops whilst still being rather secluded.

The brief - spend your time in the gardens, painting. Painting time ran over three days, I got a bit (a lot) worried as we didn't go on the first day, so by the time we turned up on Sunday there were some amazing paintings in progress. I decided to stick with my style, and painted this little guy - the trees are rather vaguely reminiscent of some in the Gardens.

All the paintings were hung together on Monday so voting could occur for the People's Choice award - I had a very angst ridden moment when I was standing near my little painting and heard one man proclaim to another, 'that's not art, that's design.' Ouch. Straight through the heart. No, not really. You can see the winners here.

I've just got a couple of final little things to do to my little fox, then it will be available for sale in my Etsy shop.

mixtape + cupcake

I've been a little absent the past few days, mostly due to my unfortunate acquisition of an outrageous cold (and I copied that term from Sam a.k.a. Matou en Peluche, she is much funnier than I, I think).


Something that's made me feel a little cozier is the new issue of Mixtape Zine! Hooray! I got my little mitts on a copy at Sticky, I had to dash in & straight out as they have so many amazing zines there and I always fear for my bank account when I am in there. They also have the sweetest little paper bags.

And, lookie lookie! It is me! Lovely Justine of Mixtape organised this super sweet little article all about Pocket Carnival, I think it looks gorgeous. You can buy your own copy online here.

Thankfully when I felt myself getting sick, I had the forsight to make a very large pot of soup, and a big batch of caramelised pear & white chocolate cupcakes... mmm!

Anyway, off to go posit myself in front of the heater with a dvd & something with lemon & ginger in it. Or as my lovely friend Shen suggested, stick a clove of garlic in each nostril... maybe not.

Wrapping Wishlist

Over the last couple of months, I've started paying more attention to how my orders are sent to customers - I think part of the fun of buying online is finding parcels in the mailbox, opening the envelope, and the joy that comes from special details. I know I always appreciate a handwritten note, special wrapping or a cute little detail on the envelope, and I'm sure my customers do as well.
These are a couple of little gifts I recently wrapped, for lovely people, including customers who request extra special gift wrap.

They're both wrapped in standard Pocket Carnival recycled brown paper, with a little bit of wrapping paper I've saved from gifts I've received (yes, I'm a gift wrap saver!) However, all my friends and relative have been instructed that, in order to save the world, they must not wrap my gifts, hence my gift wrap stash has become rather depleted.

So, I've found some gorgeous recycled options available on Etsy!

Helena from Little Mo & Friends sells the most beautiful products made from 100% Post Consumer Recycled Paper. Her note paper and postcards are gorgeous, but this wrapping paper is so sweet! Available at Little Mo & Friends on Etsy.

How amazing are these gift tags? Made from vintage French magazines, they're so beautiful. One of those things that I always feel are too beautiful to give away, unless the recipient is someone very special. Available on Etsy, from RoyalBuffet.

Ducks always have a special spot in my heart, from many happy days as a child spent feeding ducks in the park. These sweet duck gift tags are made from recycled brown card, and childeren's book pages. So cute! From Koot, on Etsy.

Gorgeous gifts!

cozy winter days

It's officially Winter! Day # 2 already.

Even though it's cold and I am practically living on top of my heater, I am still very excited. This is the first Winter I am working from home. The rain helps me come up with ideas, I think!

I have been working on some sketches for my little stuffed bunny dolls, one day I might be happy with one! The bear sketch is very sweet.

What better to do in winter, than dine on apples, drink tea, and wear red hoods? These two little coinpurses I just finished are available on Etsy.

I love this Red Hood, from encouragementaward on Etsy. They also have a stall at the Rose Street Market in Melbs!

Such a perfectly yummy tea cosy, from TabiDesigns on Etsy. Love!

I will definitely enjoy this Winter more, I think.