three

The succulent blossom design is back.....
This time I've printed it a bit differently with 3 succulent blossom motifs to one block so it's quicker. These were block printed on natural linen and will eventually become tea towels.

snapshots

Sumi ink illustrations...work in progress.....

Hurtling between hot, sunny days and humid, wet ones.
Cold glasses of white wine in the evenings.
Throwing snails from the vegie patch onto the shed roof. Trying to protect the young seedlings.
The tomato plants are growing tall and strong. Will we have a bumper crop this year?
Fantasising about my first summer swim in the ocean and the long days of sunshine ahead.

Harvest xmas market

Melbourne folk, this little market at the new better-than-gorgeous, super beautiful new Harvest Workroom is going to be full of goodness. One day only: Saturday 18th December, 10am-5pm. 512 Lygon St, East Brunswick.

Come along and be part of this crafty magic to launch the new Harvest Workroom. It's going to be a great chance to buy your loved ones unique presents and to support local makers. There will be craft, clothing, homewares, textiles and music stalls, as well as fun activities like "print your own wrapping paper" and craft activities for kids.

There will be 2011 Mizu Designs calendars on sale as well as a selection of my giclee art prints. So if you're the kind of person that likes to avoid postage costs [who doesn't?] come purchase these in person and experience the joy on the day.

vintage kimono textiles

A new batch of vintage kimono cards for a custom order. I really liked the way they looked all together this morning so thought I'd show you. Old kimono fabric is so gorgeous in terms of colour palette and pattern, don't you think?

2011 sketchbook project

Do you know about the wonderful 2011 sketchbook project? When you sign up you're sent a simple moleskin sketchbook which you are to fill (according to your chosen theme) by the deadline [15th January, 2011]. Then, the thousands of sketchbooks submitted will be exhibited at galleries and museums on a tour across the United States. But note: anyone in the world can enter! How cool is that?

This is the part I like: after the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view. Also, you can opt to digitise your sketchbook so people who can't go to see them on the tour in person can flip through them on the web.

I've just signed up! I love drawing, I love sketchbooks, I love the concept behind this project, and I love Brooklyn.

whispers

A new giclee art print Whispers has been recently released separately from the calendar. The background colour has the softest, most subtle tinge of green to it. Really quite calming to look at. And yes, made from one of my sumi ink illustrations. If you're shopping for pressies (like I am at the moment) it's here.

kyoto design house

A little glimpse inside the beautiful world of Kyoto Design House. There are things there so lovely that they will make you weep with joy. Promise! Located in a new building designed by Tadao Ando, this wonderful contemporary design space on Tomonokoji (just south of Oike) is a must visit if you're in Kyoto. And opposite is Benrido, the prettiest postcard shop you've ever seen. That's another promise.

Those first 2 pics are of boxes for sweets. So colourful! The ceramics could have burnt a hole in my pocket there were so many things I wanted to take home with me. Luckily, restraint ruled the moment and I left with just one beautifully crafted off-white porcelain cup.

aizen kobo

In Kyoto last week I went along to Aizen Kobo, a natural indigo dyeing workshop in an old machiya house, located in the Nishijin textile district. Owned by indigo dyer, Kenichi Utsuki, this place was a real pleasure to visit. Ken-san is very passionate about natural indigo dyeing and will patiently talk you through the difference between what he does and chemical indigo dyeing processes. His kobo (workshop) is located in a very large machiya which is pure bliss to explore with Ken as he shows you samples of the fabrics he has dyed and his wife Hisako has designed into finished products.

The white fabrics in the top pic show Japanese style shibori before it has been dyed. Check out those tiny little knots!!!! Underneath those fabrics sit ones which have been dyed a rich indigo blue using the natural dyeing process. I asked Ken how he was able to make the vivid green in the scarf (2nd pic) and to my surprise he said by combining indigo with the dye from gardenia seed.
Check out these vats of indigo dye in the process of fermenting! I won't lie - they did smell a bit as you would expect from a natural fermentation process.And here is the front of the machiya where Ken's kobo is located. He has a lovely shop in the front where you can go crazy looking at all that gorgeous shibori dyed fabric he has on offer. Needless to say I did not leave empty handed.