I have wood chips in my pyjamas.

This time last year I was writing about The Netherlands and my new love affair with Amsterdam. Who would have thought that a year later I would be sitting in my own lovely attic apartment overlooking a canal? I had an inkling, I suppose, but am so grateful to the events, both good (meeting and falling in love with my Dutchman) and bad (being ill and having to resign from my regular work), of 2011 that led me here, to a 2012 full of possibilities.

So what is in store for me this year? I guess it is summed up in my New Year's resolution: Be kind to myself. And kindness to oneself comes in many forms; from eating as much cheese as I wish (sans-guilt!) to curling up with a book and a cup of tea whilst the European winter winds blow all around me. This year, I am allowing myself to follow inspiration wherever it may lead, rest whenever I feel under strain and, most importantly, live for a little while rather than merely survive.

Which brings me to the rather odd title of this post. The wood chips in my PJs interfere a little with my plans to lounge around all day in said outfit, but I couldn't be happier that they're there. This is because half of the living space in our little apartment is dedicated to my Dutchman's venture San's Skulpturen, and I watch from the couch as Sander (yes, such a fantastic name for a woodcarver!) hammers and chisels and chips away at a piece of wood until a beautiful form emerges. And in our conversations during coffee break we bounce ideas back and forth until before you know it our artistic sensibilities have collaborated and we have designed something new together. After all of this excitement I usually have a nap.

Butterfly Trinket Box
Our first official collaborative piece, available now on Etsy.

ink & whim is evolving a little to reflect this new adventure, and I hope that you will all enjoy coming along for the ride. Expect some random posts about my new favorite wood, for instance (it's padouk, in case you're wondering), and tales from my happy new world.

Pre-Christmas Sale!

Head on over to my Facebook page for some fantastic sale items, including Little Golden Book journals 20% off, Cards from $2 and Christmas stocking fillers from only $5!

Give me a 'K'...

Give me a 'K'! Give me an 'E'! Give me a 'R', 'B', 'S'! Give me an 'I'! And a 'D'! Don't forget the 'E'!
Goooooooooooo, KERBSIDE!

Looking forward to my favourite afternoon market tomorrow. On the agenda for you: $5 cards, discounts on multiple purchases and live music. On the agenda for me: quality time in the sun with my latest read, catching up with awesome stallholders like Each to Own and Whistlebait and the $7.50 vego lasagne special. Looks like a promising Sunday for the both of us!

Oh, and a great Blogger message popped up when I typed in the title of this post. I said "Give me a 'K'...", and it replied This request cannot be processed at this time. Heehee!

A sneak peek...

Dear Daniella,

Thanks for being such a joy to work with! It was a real pleasure to create the invitations for your sons' Christening, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Your enthusiasm was wonderful, and I hope that you are pleased with the results. Really, your boys are so lovely that the invites could have been made out of second-hand pizza boxes and they still would have shone! All the best to you, John, Alexander and Nicholas for the service, and thank you again for letting me be a part of your special day.

I hope this photo will tide you over until your parcel arrives on Monday!

from,

Nissa

Past lives

I love using vintage fabrics, mostly because I love the stories attached to the material. These new greeting cards let the world know just where they came from - and what they think of their past lives...

 

Jam'n'Beats!

What's better than jam on toast? Jam donuts? Jambalaya?

The inaugrual Jam'n'Beats festival, of course!

 "A new cultural and artistic hub is being born in the southern suburbs of Brisbane City. Artists and entertainers from all different backgrounds will start to congregate in the lush surroundings of Greenslopes..."

Come along tomorrow from 4pm at the Greenslopes Bowls Club for great music, inspiring art, barefoot bowls, fire twirling, market stalls (including yours truly) and good ol' community spirit!

As promised...

Congratulations Sam and Eliane!

Wedding album - 1910 sheet music, new fabric with reprinted vintage design. The idea is that the guests will write their best wishes on the paper included, and then this will be matched with photos taken at the happy event. I was so pleased to be able to share in their special day like this :-)

Awww...

Interesting development readers.

I have become a romantic sap.

I mean, I've always liked romance, and I definitely have watched a few rom-coms in my time.  But lately I've been a bit more involved. Tearing up at the climactic reunion scene.  Smiling stupidly after the first kiss.  Getting all gooey when the Happily Ever After becomes apparent.

This is why I'm so happy to be involved with all things wedding at the moment.  It gives me a beautiful outlet to indulge my soppiness! I have plenty of anticipatory excitement about my sister's wedding this July; helping with the dress, the Bridal Shower and invites, talks about the speeches on the big day, flowers and thank you cards...  It's all so wonderfully romantic, and I'm doing my best to make everything that I do very special for my sister and her fiance.

I was also delighted this weekend to be asked by a lovely couple that I met at this Sunday's market to create a wedding gift for their good friends - an album to record the wishes of guests and photos of the special day.  We selected some beautiful fabric - a recent reprint of an 1800s design - and I have created endpages from some stunning vintage (1910) sheet music.  I can't post photos just yet, just in case I spoil the surprise! I'll be sure to put up some images after the wedding this weekend.

So, I'm off to indulge in my new 'sap' status.  I have borrowed out some chick lit purely for that purpose! Yes, readers; it's that bad...

Oh My!

Ah, how times have changed. I adore the old language in these 1960s romance comics. I've been known to drop a 'goodness' or two, and a good friend wields 'Golly!' like nobody's business (Cassie, this is you!).  I also love the simplicity and style of the pen and ink illustrations - the era and it's fashion is captured so beautifully. 

Happily presenting a new range of cards - Oh My!

 

Market Sunday!

Really enjoyed my day at Kerbside Lane Markets today.  What's not to like about hanging out in a cool place, chatting with creative people, drooling over vintage and handmade goodness and reading a good book when I wasn't doing the above?  Oh, and meeting, greeting and serving some lovely shoppers, of course!

I also love the pretty, polka dot stylings of the ink & whim stall against the urban grittiness of the laneway - see the pics below. Kerbside, see you next month!

Starry, starry night/afternoon!

Baker's dozen vintage paper star garlands debut at tomorrow's Kerbside Markets.  1960s romance comics, 1920s sheet music and pages from the 1914 French Progressive Reader.

Really looking forward to the market tomorrow, by the way.  And to my regular Sunday morning sleep-in.  It's so good that both of these things can happen on the same day!

A conflict of interests...

I love going to the markets; flea markets, Farmer's markets, craft markets, I'll take them all! I love, especially in these colder months, rugging up in a colourful scarf, digging out the green bags, putting on my explorer persona and going off adventuring.

The day starts in the early morning absence of traffic when I crank my chosen playlist. I wonder if there's a connection between the songs I choose and the finds of the morning? Perhaps on days when I'm tuned into something that has stood the test of time - Paul Simon's excellence on the Graduate soundtrack, for instance - the universe will provide me with a beautiful vintage garment that too has stood the test of time.  I'm still waiting for something worthy of Mrs Robinson's wardrobe, however... Maybe on days when I need a more predatory approach - when I'm looking for a particular 'something' for a particular purpose - I will be helped by a similarly purposeful, epic tune; Riders on the Storm by The Doors will suit nicely.

Oh, and applause to the early-morning market food seller! No, not you, ubiquitous German Sausage vendor!  To the freshly ground organic coffee cart spilling its aromas for miles around. To the cupcake makers whose daintily beautiful labours of love are (almost!) too pretty to eat. To the beautiful Greek goodness at the Davies Park Green and Flea each Saturday, who keep me sane in the horrible months between each year's Paniyiri Festival. I love choosing which delights to have for breakfast, and which to take home for lunch and afternoon tea.

However; I have a confession to make.

As consuming as my passion is for markets, another passion has a greater hold on me.

The weekend sleep-in.

The snuggliness of the doona! The softness of the pillow! The goodness of the little cat curled up next to me! Especially in these colder months...

Thankfully, the folk at Kerbside Bar have come up with a solution. Such incredible ingenuity! An afternoon market! Making both a sleep-in and a marketing adventure possible! Huzzah! 

The Kerbside Lane Markets Facts: Each month, a showcase of great vintage and crafting excellence is held in the (very cool) lane behind the bar off Ann Street. And are you worried about missing out on the German Sausages? Try Kerbside's famous (and free!) sausage sizzle, great tunes, and (for the 18+ crowd) beer.  I'll see you all there - ink & whim goods in tow, of course - this Sunday 5th June from 1pm - 5pm.




Anne Bancroft in The Graduate
http://www.flixster.com/photos/the-graduate-anne-bancroft-in-the-graduate-11506750



So Frenchy, so chic!

Croissants. Madeleine. Beret. Chanel. Crepes. Denim. Poodles. French Fries. Concorde. Ballet. Souffle. Frere Jacques. Lingerie. Monet. Deja Vu. Les Miserables. Champagne. Art Nouveau. Bic. Amelie. Baguettes. 

So Frenchy! So Chic!

French vocabulary greeting card, 1914 French Progressive Reader pages.

Wallflowers #2

Goodness I love wallpaper! My apologies for covering a topic already touched on, but it really is one of my favourite things. Something that I'm most upset about is that I don't own my own house and as such can't paper my wall with wallpaper deliciousness.  I love retro bold florals, absolutely covet 1800s vignettes, love the whimsy in modern designs and can't get enough of 1960s and 1970s full wall murals - nature scenes being my favourite!

I've had two standout wallpaper moments recently. One was when watching daytime television. Currently The Golden Girls is being broadcasted, and I thank Channel 9's GEM so much! Not only can I delve into the lives and loves of my favourite retired ladies, but I can be inspired by 1980s glamour and design.  Have you ever noticed the decorations in Blanche's bedroom? Along with carpet and armchairs in many shades of peach, apricot and coral she has the most divine banana leaf wallpaper. Apparently this paper is one of the most famous prints ever - The Martinique - and was designed specifically for the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1942. Imagine getting your hands on a vintage roll of this!
 

http://www.designerwallcoverings.com/



http://www.blancheonline.net/


This weekend I also had the pleasure of attending The Junk Bar in Ashgrove - such a very cool place.  Best feature? Well, it was difficult to go past the gorgeous vintage lounges and the stunning tasselled lamps...

Of course, my favourite feature was the wall to ceiling forest wallpaper. It felt like the intimacy and mystery of the forest had entered the bar. So good! And all the better when appreciated with some good friends over a glass of wine.


http://www.concreteplayground.com.au/

So how do I express my love for all things wallpaper? Through cards and journals of course! Some of the great vintage buys made last year are making their debut on blank C6 size cards - 100% recycled cardstock of course - and mini journals.  Check out these (and more!) during Reverse Garbage's New Beginnings exhibition May 28 - June 10.

C6 100% Recycled Cards and 10x10cm Mini Journals



Reverse Garbage Goodness

Hello all!

In previous posts I have expounded on my love of the tip, and of tip shops.  If you haven't checked them out, the Archerfield/Acacia Ridge BCC tip shop is amazing (opposite Archerfield speedway), and for those on the Northside the tip right next to Alma Park Zoo is full of treasure.  Both are only open on the weekend, and the Northside one only open until 1pm.

For those that like their trash a little more organised, you cannot go past the BRILLIANT Reverse Garbage.

My little endeavour - ink & whim - has been invited to exhibit at Reverse Garbage's "New Beginnings" launch - Saturday 28th May from 6pm. Drinks, music, art and late night shopping! I would love to see lots of smiling and supportive faces there! Check out their Facebook page for more information.

Oh yeah, and if you haven't liked my Facebook page yet, get off your bums and do it! Unless you don't like it, that is. Awkward...