Friday Friends - West Australian Etsy Artists - ceramic snippets

Happy Friday lovely readers ! Have you got exciting plans for the weekend ? I think we are on yard cleanup duties before the winter storms hit i.e. trimming back tree branches and the like.......not very exciting but very necessary. I know the colder weather has set in too - time to get hubby to do his best Chimney Sweep impression and clean out the chimney so we can light the fire. The fur kids will be happy too - they become quite accustomed to snuggling in front of the fireplace. This week I want you all to meet Kate - the creative mind (and equally creative hands) behind ceramic snippets !

Kate is a fellow West Australian and a member of the West Australian Street Team on Etsy. As I mentioned in last weeks Friday Friends feature, I really really do admire artists who craft with clay, as it is something I was never skilled at. I want you to "meet" some of the creatures I discovered when browsing through the ceramic snippets photo albums on facebook. They really are just the cutest critters and the images I have chosen to share are firm favourites!

                           "Sheriff of the Sea"                                "Hoot"

"Spotty and Geometric Critters"

Time for you to turn the virtual pages of the the Ceramic Snippets Chronicle dear readers, wishing you the most wonderful of weekends, see you all on Wednesday for a new edition of Wednesday Wishes xo

The ceramic snippets Chronicle
who is ceramic snippets ?
'ceramic snippets' is a collection of clay creations by Kate Stevens. I am a part time librarian who lives in Perth, Western Australia with my husband Dan, my British Shorthair cat Lulu and my King Charles Cavalier dog, Ruby. Being surrounded by so much cute means a lot of it comes out in my work !

how and when did your handmade/artistic journey begin ?
I moved back from the hubbub of London and decided that I had to do something to engage and occupy me. At first I had the (mistaken) idea that it was study. I did nearly two years of law and dropped out in spectacular style after overworking and stressing myself out. After that I decided that I had to find something to relax and enliven me,and that it might help if I embraced my artistic side (which I’d suppressed for a really long time)

"The VIP"

I tried a few things and had some fun, but when my brother coaxed me along to a sculpture course I fell instantly in love with it. It made me feel so happy and creative, and my love for it seemed to come out in my work because people soon started asking if they could buy my pieces. I was a bit shy about it all to begin with, but with some encouragement from some of my friends I started ‘ceramic snippets’ and things have been going strong so far. It’s been a real learning process, which I’ve loved, because I felt for a while that I’d stopped learning things in my life.

what inspires you ?
I get inspiration from all over the place; I’ve noticed that a few of my critters look a bit like my cat Lulu, so I guess inspiration starts at home! Others also share their ideas with me and I try and translate that into clay for them. I also go through phases where all of my creations will have moustaches, or be covered in a certain pattern.

 

Sometimes I’ll get a vague idea and just try it out on the clay… even if my original doesn’t work it will sometimes lead me to something new and fantastic. I’m not a big planner or sketcher, I tend to just see where the clay takes me. There are a few amazing potters out there that I aspire to be like many, many years in the future. My absolute favourite is Amanda Shelsher. I also feel inspired by the success of other local artists, I feel driven to put my work out there when I see the achievements of many of my peers in all different mediums.

what mediums do you work with - do you have a favourite ?
Everything is handmade with Raku clay and then hand glazed with under-glaze (matt finish). On some pieces I will then add a shiny topcoat of glaze and / or a tissue transfer pattern to the surface that has been under-glazed before firing. I like patterns and colour, I’m mad about spots and spirals, so there’s a lot of them in my work too.

I like red raku for bigger pieces because it holds up under it’s own weight so you can build big and wide without it ‘slumping’, and white raku for small pieces because it has a clean, delicate finish and is less gritty than the red clay.

what kinds of things do you make / create ?
I make small, quirky clay sculptures with a whimsical feel. Most pieces are critters, some with quite human elements and a lot seem to have a slight touch of melancholy! My style evolved very unconsciously, I guess it was lurking in there somewhere, waiting to be released in clay.

Do you have a favourite piece that you have made / created ?
One of my favourite early creations was ‘mustachioed man’, the fourth ever piece that I made. I took him down to a local gallery and he was sold and went to Margaret River which I think is the perfect place for him!

"Mustachioed Man"

I also really like my piece ‘heartbreak’ because he is a more serious piece and a bit different from a lot of the cute and quirky pieces I produce. He went to one of my dearest friends so I still get to see him from time to time!

"Heartbreak"

At the moment my favourite piece to make is Michael Mouse, he's quite satisfying to build and decorate, and the simplicity of colour and pattern has good impact I think. I have made a couple of girl and boy versions of him for a few buyers. 

what are your future plans, dreams, aspirations ?

I'd like to make a really big piece. My attention span and time limitations mean I stick to making small pieces, sometimes I would like to get building a piece that I work on for months and months and is totally amazing when it's finished.

"Michael Mouse"

I also aspire to be a full time potter in the future.....I'd love to have my own purpose built ceramics studio full of useful, tools, glazes and with a nice big kiln and an inspiring view for me to gaze out on while I think of what to make next. I'd also like to get more of a handle on the technical side of ceramics - kiln temperatures, firing methods, more adventurous glazing methods - there's a lot to learn !

Readers - want to own a piece of ceramic snippets for yourself ? Here are some LINKS that you can explore. :

buy cool creations through the Etsy shop here: 
www.ceramicsnippets.etsy.com
become a follower on the ceramic snippets Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/ceramicsnippets
explore the ceramic snippets Web page here:
www.ceramicsnippets.weebly.com

and read all about it over on the ceramic snippets Blog here: http://ceramicsnippets.weebly.com/blog.html

Friday Friends - West Australian Etsy Artists - Suzi Homemaker

Dear Readers I hope Friday finds you well. Maddabling took a little holiday this week and has been enjoying some time in the Busselton sun, enjoying amazing food and wine, and of course the company of her wonderful husband - we have been off celebrating our 14th Wedding Anniversary !

This weeks fabulous Friday Friend is a fellow sandgroper, a West Australian Etsy Artist and seamstress extraordinaire - I am thrilled to introduce you to Jade from Suzi Homemaker!

 

I have recently featured some fab retro artisans and designers on the Maddabling Blog and Jade is no exception to this rule. Her creations, are cheeky, girly, sexy with the right mix of sassy flair - very easy to fall in love with this range, which I am sure has led to the unleashing a new wave of desperate housewives, domestic divas and hostesses with the mostess ! Here are a few stunning retro pin-up styled images of Suzi Homemaker creations just to get you started ... these sweet pics are perfect for showing off the gorgeous Suzi Homemaker wares........

Dear readers, I now extend an invitation, on behalf of Suzi Homemaker, to attend the exclusive virtual Suzi Homemaker Soiree to be held below, don't forget to bring a plate to share.... enjoy !

Your Invitation to Suzi Homemakers' Soiree 

Suzi Homemaker is your hostess with the mostess, a baking beauty and a sizzling apron queen! This domestic diva with a wild side has her finger in many pies – what with spying on the neighbours, mixing cocktails and sewing up a storm – she’s one busy lady!

Suzi came around and woke up with a headache back in 2006 – this girl needed to do something with her life! No more wild drink and glass bowl parties (well maybe some), no more boring frumpy pinnys for hostesses - Suzi was coming to the rescue. Mulling over few hair-of the-dog champagne saucers (to ward off the hangover of course!) dastardly duo Miss Suzi Homemaker and Miss JamJam took to creating the best damn apron library this side of sober, making sure the ladies of Perth looked and felt special – even while doing the dishes.

Since Miss JamJam’s foray into making the cutest hair accessories in P-town under her own label of the same name, Miss Suzi Homemaker has developed the label’s repertoire to include millinery and clothing, plus frivolous flirty hostess aprons (doubling as summer capelets) for the hussy hausfrau in everyone !

These days, Suzi gets her kicks not only from champagne, but from seeing ladies wearing the label’s creations in all kinds of settings – parties, kitchens, gigs and out in the street! Getting orders from over east or overseas tickles this hapless housewife’s travel bug…and Viva Las Vegas calls, you gotta answer! Whilst in the land of the free for the month of April 2012, SH is vying to seduce several overseas stockists. Meow! Currently getting freaky with the tiki on an island off the coast of Florida… here’s hoping Suzi has time for a few wanton holiday flings with other retailers.

Suzi’s proudest achievement to date was opening the ‘Salon de Salope’ pop-up shoppe with 8 other amazing Perth labels/entities as part of ‘Outskirts’ during the 2011 Perth Fashion Festival. The shop’s live window displays featuring some of Perth’s most gorgeous girls sure did grab attention! Crowds of people brought the footpath to a standstill outside, with the more adventurous coming inside for a peek. Stocked to the brim with glamorous hats, lingerie, aprons, bags and more, showgirls in cages and cheeky bondage and pastie/tassel twirling classes set off the whole event.

As you may have guessed, Suzi doesn’t do things by halves. Bakers, burlesque starlets, glamour nanas and more- we have everyone covered in our adorable polkadot, classic poodle and trampy leopard print pinnys (just to name a few)! Inspired by all things sweet and sassy, Suzi’s range attracts the wandering eyes of pinup and punk rock queens alike. Baby pink not your style? Try our ‘Girl in a cage’ purple leopard print aprons instead!

Suzi HQ is currently working hard on new apron designs, custom orders and a whole bunch of latex before we take off overseas, but she promises to be back…after all, there is nothing better than good-old Western Australia.

Suzi may hark from the days of typewriter ribbon and carrier pigeons, but she also loves the way so many people can now connect and share with the invention of the internets.


In the spirit of sharing, here is Suzi’s 


Recipe for Gorgeousness:
Tip: For best result, use only local ingredients.


Cake :   
Every delicious recipe starts with a luscious base, so cover those cupcakes in Kiss Me Quick


Icing :  
Whip together one part sweet and one part sassy by combining your favourite SH skirt and apron to taste (we like ‘Hounds of Hell’ mixed with ‘Baby Cakes’) as pictured. See: www.facebook.com/suzihomemaker or http://www.suzihomemakerau.etsy.com/ for variations.

Colour : 
Add a little colour from vixen express). Mix well.


Embellishments/decorations : 
Sprinkle  Miss Jam Jam liberally over the top.


Final touches : 
add a pinch of  Jessica Frankenstein

dear readers if you want to explore some more - here is a list of links for you to check out !

check out the website : http://www.suzihomemaker.com.au


read about Suzi Homemaker at this model mayhem page : http://www.modelmayhem.com/1211192

buy lovely things at the etsy store : www.suzihomemakerau.etsy.com    

or follow sweet tweets on twitter here : http://twitter.com/#!/Suzi_homemaker

Friday Friends - West Australian Etsy Artists - Bruce Loves You

Hi there readers - what a short week for West Australians with Monday being a public holiday. Why are short working weeks always seemingly busier - is it because we fit five days worth of work into four ? That's my grumble over...... have you got wonderful things planned for the weekend ? I am hoping to do some more listings on Etsy. Ooh and while I remember, a quick shout out for DUST Team Members - don't forget to go to dustteam.com to lodge your votes for the DUST Team Awards 2012. The next DUST Team Craft Swap sign-up thread has been opened over on the dustteam.com forum too - if you want to check it out !

This week I am thrilled to introduce a new Friday Friend - the lovely Olivia - a fellow West Australian and Etsy seller from Bruce Loves You !

I was quite taken with the seemingly simple and bold bright designs (knowing a little of how graphic design works I know that these designs are anything but simple) that encapsulate the essence of geek and popular culture. Olivia I feel has managed to figuratively "bottle it and sell it" ! OK now for my favourite bit of presenting the Friday Friend blog post. Some favourite picks to share with you from Bruce Loves You !

Who loves a hero ? Meet the handsome Captain America in this striking poster ! Perfect for a teenage boys room, timeless in design. Or a grown-ups room too for that matter ;)

Captain America Poster

Is Harry Potter more your style ? You simply can't go past these ubercool Dark Mark Temporary Tattoos !

Temporary Dark Mark Tattoos

Or perhaps your thing is the good doctor - Who I hear you ask ? Sorry readers, I couldn't resist the pun - personally though David Tennant is still my fave Dr Who of all time.


Jammy Dodger Poster

Lovely Maddabling readers, time to unleash your inner geek and turn the virtual pages of the Bruce Loves You Comic Strip ! See you on Wednesday for a new set of Wednesday Wishes - have a fabulous weekend xo

Bruce Loves You Comic Strip

Who is Bruce loves you ?
My name is Olivia. I'm a graphic designer based in Perth, WA. I design magazines for my day job, volunteer at Random Acts ( therandomact.org ) as their Creative Arts Manager, and sell geeky designs online ;)

I started selling my designs online to raise money to help rebuild Haiti, and from when I started about 1 year ago, I've raised well over $5000 for a few different charities through my shops.

What inspires you ?
Definitely pop culture. The movies and TV shows I watch and the music I listen to!


What mediums do you work with - do you have a favourite ?
Mostly digital. I love working with typography and vectors.

What kind of things do you make/create ?
Posters, cards, Badges mostly within the Doctor Who, Supernatural and Harry Potter fandom.

Do you have a favourite piece that you have made/created ?
My favourite would have to be the Supernatural posters. I designed them for my own benefit, but Supernatural fans loved them so much I ended up selling them.The profits were donated to Hope to Haiti, Red Cross Australia and UNICEF.

What are your future plans,dreams,aspirations ?
I've booked a stall at the Melbourne Supanova convention, which is a pop culture convention. I've been preparing like crazy at the moment for that. I'm hoping to do much more hand printed works in the very near future.

Want to get your hands on some of this wonderful Bruce Loves You geeky goodness ?

You can connect here :

Buy cool geeky stuff at the online store here : http://www.brucelovesyou.com/

or on Etsy here : http://etsy.com/shop/brucelovesyou