Introducing Ruby and Crickette

Recently I went to markets at The Rocks and amongst all of the 'Aussie souvenir dust collectors', I managed to stumble across a cute little jewellery stand called Ruby and Crickette.

The stand was filled with adorable one off pieces using vintage fabrics, letter blocks and buttons.

If you have any family or friends living abroad as I do, something like this would make the perfect gift because it's designed and made right here in Australia and compact enough to avoid a large postage and handling fee!

Danks St Depot

I love a lazy Sunday.

Today I spent my morning at Danks St Depot which is a must if you are in Waterloo. As always, the place was packed, with the waft of eggs, bacon and freshly brewed coffee drifting down the street.

What draws me to this place is definately the coffee but I also love the layout of the cafe - the concrete juxtaposed with the warm cherry timber, the large open windows and the accents of their signature yellow distributed down the long and narrow interior gives the space a fresh and inviting feel.

Dank St Depot started up in 2002 and has been a popular spot amongst locals ever since. What I love most about this place is that they are big supporters of local produce - minimising any unnecessary transportation and storage.

Their menu is constantly changing to suit what's in season so it's a new experience every time you sit down to eat.

1/2 Danks Street

Waterloo NSW 2017

p. (02) 9698 2201

On the canvas

It wasn't until my second visit to Retrospect Galleries that I discovered the talents of two inspiring sisters - Christie and Kelly Turner.  They are identical twins based on the Gold Coast - specialising in fine art and graphic design.

What initially drew me to their work was their vivid use of colour.  I love the technique they have adopted to blend the colours together...it is so mesmerising!  Each figure is given movement and bought to life.  

  

These pieces would look fantastic in a minimalist space as a burst of colour but can also work in a vibrant and textured interior as the gradation of colour is so easy to compliment.

Another artist who uses colour so well is Cornelia Burless.  During my visit, Retrospect had her 'Treeland' canvas hanging and it was the first piece to immediately grab my attention when I walked into the back of the gallery.  The figures were so lifelike and tangible.  

Cornelia is now based in Australia but she did migrate from Germany in 1991.  She tells us in her bio that her parents have an extensive pop art collection back in Germany which has had a profound influence on her and has helped her find and define her work as a contemporary pop artist.

The other 'pop' standout for me was definately Rone.  He's a Melbourne street artist who draws inspiration from fashion culture and skateboarding.  He's stencils are larger than life and can be found from the streets to gallery walls.  He definately brings the city to life!

I love that pop culture is being explored more in different ways...using different mediums.  This style has always been a favourite of mine as it is so adaptable, eye-catching and it always tells a story - whether it's a personal one about the artist or the figure captured on the canvas. 

Retrospect

If you ever find yourself in Byron, Retrospect Galleries is a must!  It's an intimate space that bursts with an impressive collection of art as well as gifts and homewares.  The gallery mainly showcases up and coming Australian artists and designers and has an impressive line up of upcoming exhibitions in 2010.

I have always been a huge fan of pop and urban art so it is no surprise that I wanted to purchase every piece in the store! What draws me to any piece is the use of colour, the content and experimentation with different mediums.

During the time I was there, the Resonance Exhibition was on - showcasing works from previous years of live Bluesfest drawings as well as new ones.  The vigorous line work and fluidity in the forms bought the content to life - like music to my ears!

The artists I just fell in love with included the Turner sisters, Bennett, Cornelia Burless, Henry Reeve and Rone. Each of these artists will definately be spotlighted in blogs to come.

Byron

Over the Easter break I escaped to Byron Bay where I took time to relax, reflect and get inspired again.

Byron truly is a unique place that attracts people from all walks of life.  The mellow vibes catch you unawares and help you sarcome to your body's urge to go with the flow.

From the second my feet hit the sand, I was immediately put at ease and my mind was emptied of all its frustrations.  I just loved that I could sit there and observe for hours the eclectic mix of people and their individual styles.  

Stay tuned to see my favourite finds in Byron...

Hop to It!

Easter is always a crazy time in the Stojcevski home.  Having an Italian mother and Macedonian father means that I get to experience both Catholic and Orthodox traditions that are associated with this time of the year.    

Being surrounded by these traditions from an early age has given me much inspiration when it comes to styling and creating gifts for family and friends.  

The most well know tradition would have to be the coloured Orthodox eggs.  These are traditionally made the day before Good Friday and are cracked on Easter Sunday after church.  The eggs are commonly dyed red and blue but I like to put a contemporary twist on them - experimenting with different colours, patterns and dying techniques.  

In the image above, you can see the 'cross' pattern I used.  This was created by first dying the egg red and then positioning the rubber bands in a cross formation.  The egg was then placed into a blue dye so that the finished product would come out purple with a bright red cross.  The eggs were then packaged in small chinese take out boxes and surrounded by a variety of solid chocolate eggs and speckled eggs.   

For friends and work colleagues this year I packaged assorted eggs into pouches and attached these cute little bunny skewers.  They were finished off with a bold striped ribbon and handmade tag.  These were so easy to create - with the finished product delighting the receiver! 

I also made these yummy mini carrott cakes for everyone in the office...