i like you- A Melbourne Design Blog with HEART

The Power of Fans: Why I love Melissa Shoes

2011-09-16T00:20:00.001+10:00

Melissa Shoes do a really great job of creating raving fans. Check out this stop-motion animation that was created using 350 thousand post-it notes in São Paulo, Brazil. This art piece was created by 25 artists who worked for five months to create this animation for the launch of the Melissa 'Power of Love' spring/summer 2012 collection. Keep watching and you will soon realise that the art piece is actually made up of 30,000 love messages spontaneously written by Melissa fans.

Be sure to check out the Melissa Shoes Facebook Australia page that was created in August just for Australian fans. Melissa Shoes Australia has been pretty late to get into social media so it will be interesting to see what there plans are for the coming year (they still don't have a twitter page).

Semi Permanent Conference Melbourne 2011

2011-08-28T21:08:00.000+10:00

I'm really excited as Semi-Permanent Conference is coming to Melbourne again on 23rd and 24th September 2011.

The main reason I'm going? To get inspired by all the awesome speakers and the opportunity to connect with like-minded creatives who are attending the conference. Oh, and the event pack which includes the Semi-Permanent book (that all attendees receive) is always really awesome. I remember one year getting a designer qee toy by Parskid made specially for the conference.

Semi-Permanent is a design conference that started in Sydney and has been going for nine years. The speakers come from different disciplines in the design world including film, street art, photography, fashion, animation, illustration, webdesign and more.

This year the speakers include paper engineer Benja Harney, photographer Platon, digital media expert Scott Dadich, artist Kelly Thompson, creative director Kurppa Hosk and advertising agency Droga5.

There really isn't any other conference that I know of in Australia that is quite like it. It is for all creatives- whether you're working at an agency in the industry, a painter, film maker, fashion designer or graphic designer you will take something away from the event that will inspire.

I've been to the Sydney event several times and excited to attend the Melbourne one for the first time. Are you coming along too? Let me know in the comments below as I'm going on my own and would love to meet fellow creatives.

For more details and to purchase tickets: Semi-Permanent Melbourne

57 Ways to Create an Awesome Blog Right Now

2011-08-10T20:27:00.012+10:00

How to create and grow a blog is a popular topic. It can be pretty scary putting yourself out there creating your own blog. So how do you make your content interesting and different from other design blogs? Where do you begin if you're totally new to all this? Where do you go to connect with like-minded people? Here are some ideas.

❤ 1. Create your ideal customer avatar. Grace Dobush from Crafty Superstar has a great worksheet to help you with this here. This will help you really define your audience and make it easier to write blog posts. (I found this via Etsy- Thank You!)

❤ 2. Learn how to write great headlines. Copyblogger is where I go to learn how to be a better writer (definitely a work in progress!).

❤ 3. Be yourself and find your authentic writing self.

❤ 4. Align yourself with online design influencers. Learn from them and become friends with them. Comment on their blogs, tweet with them. Just make sure that whatever you have to say would interest them and is adding to the conversation. Here is a great list of online creatives to check out by swissmiss.

❤ 5. Create a blogging calendar and stick to it. Google 'How to create a blogging calendar' and find a free template that suits you. Aim to blog 3-5 times a week.

❤ 6. Create compelling content. Don't worry so much about being professional. Speak human. Write something worth talking about. It's that simple! Read this post: 'On Dying, Mothers, and Fighting for Your Ideas' by Jon Morrow.

❤ 7. Tell a story. Tell a good story. Narrative is so important. This will help connect you with others. Many people are afraid to be themselves. Speak for them and they will follow you.

❤ 8. Find 'your people'. The 'right kind of people'. People either like you or they don't. Learn How to Build Your Twitter Tribe.

❤ 9. Just get out there and start connecting! Don't let fear get in the way.

❤ 10. Do 2-3 Guest Blog spots a week on some bigger blogs. This will help expand your audience.

❤ 11. Repeat your tweets several times a day. Don't go overboard though - every few hours is ok. Use a program like SocialOomph to automate your tweets for times when you're asleep.

❤ 12. Find your special niche and make sure you are seen as the expert in that world. The Raw Food Witch and The Goddess Guidebook do this really well.

❤ 13. Find 1000 True Fans. That's all you need.

❤ 14. Start with the 'Why'. Watch this Ted Conference video by Simon Sinek on How great leaders inspire action. This talk will really help you pinpoint your beliefs.

❤ 15. Start a weekly interview series for your blog. This will help grow your blog quicker. People always like to be interviewed and will spread the news to their friends.

❤ 16. Learn a little bit about Search Engine Optimisation. Blog Post Engineering by Dave Doolin really helped me.

❤ 17. Listen to Blogcast FM which is free and offers some great tips by people already succeeding online. April Bowles Olin from Blacksburgbelle offered a lot of great tips in her interview: Taking a One Month Old Blog from 20 to 800 Page Views in a Day.

❤ 18. The communities and forums of places such as Etsy and NEET Magazine are great ways to meet new people.

❤ 19. Meet people from the online world in your hometown. I like to go to social media events in Melbourne such as Social Melbourne Club talks and design conferences such as Semi-Permanent Conference (which is coming up on 23-24 September 2011) to connect with like-minded people.

❤ 20. Try adding a Facebook comments plug-in to your site and see whether this increases traffic.

❤ 21. Start a Facebook Fan Page and add your newsletter sign-up box. Here's an easy tutorial that shows you how to use FBML to create a custom tab on a Facebook Fan Page.

❤ 22. Create an opt-in box on the top right hand corner of your blog. Offer something for free to encourage people to join your mailing list.

❤ 23. Have social media plug-ins on every blog post to make it easy for people to spread the word.

❤ 24. Teach yourself some blog design tricks by following some of the tutuorials over at Pugly Pixel. Lots of tips to make your blog cute here!

❤ 25. Add a Custom Signature to the bottom of each of your blog posts. A great way to personalise your blog.

❤ 26. Here's a great tutorial on how to remove the blogger navigation bar.

❤ 27. Join the Blog Lovin' community which is an easy way for people to follow their favourite blogs.

❤ 28. Pinterest is a new favourite of mine. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows you to collect and share the things that you love. Are you on there too? Let me know!

❤ 29. Create a Gravatar. A Gravatar is the image you see next to a person's profile name when they comment on someone's blog. Now you can have a photo too instead of a blank image.

❤ 30. Learn how to use Google Reader and subscribe to blogs that you want to follow on a regular basis. It's a great place to go for inspiration and to find out about the latest trends.

❤ 31. Comment on lots of blogs every day. At least 3-5 a day. Try and find 1 new blog a week to comment on. Leave thoughtful, relevant comments on small and big blogs.

❤ 32. Join a visual bookmarking site such as We Heart It so that you can store any images and videos that you like for future blog posts.

❤ 33. Share the content of others often. People in turn will do the same in return.

❤ 34. Do a mega group blog post where you invite 30-50 influential bloggers in your niche to contribute a sentence or two about a topic popular to your readers. Just make sure that you make it easy for the blogger to contribute and pick a juicy topic.

❤ 35. Use software such as Tweetadder to help create a large, targeted list of followers on twitter.

❤ 36. 23 Ways To Improve Your Website Google Page Rank and Alexa Ratings

❤ 37. How to write an 'About Me' page for your blog.

❤ 38. How to add a Favicon to your site. A favicon is an image that gets displayed in the address bar of every browser.

❤ 39. Use a web-based service such as Survey Monkey to find out more about your readers. Place the survey somewhere obvious on the front page of your blog.

❤ 40. Find yourself a mentor/ a creative business coach. Ming-Zhu Hii from The Public Studio has really helped me find direction.

❤ 41. Become friends with Google Analytics and track how people get to your blog, how they navigate through your site, and how long they stay on your site.

❤ 42. Create an inner circle of friends online. These are people you talk to regularly on twitter, you retweet their messages and have skype calls with them.

❤ 43. Add a Hello Bar to your website.

❤ 44. Reward participation. Offer giveaways, freebies, discounts and invitations to special events on your blog. Reply to all comments on your blog.

❤ 45. Join the 'Etsy Success' mailing list. I just joined and have been receiving lots of great tips.

❤ 46. Read marketing blogs such as Problogger, Copyblogger, Seth Godin, Marie Forleo and Viperchill and learn from them.

❤ 47. Teach yourself how to integrate searchable words into your content without sounding forced.

❤ 48. Who is your audience? What keeps them up at night? Work out what their biggest problems are and how can you help them.

❤ 49. Do what you do best. You don't have to be on everything and be seen everywhere. It's better to do one or two things really, really well than be mediocre at everything. Play to your strengths.

❤ 50. Find a cause to rally against. Convert browsers into buyers and customers into regulars. Inspire people to love you.

❤ 51. Remember that online media is a two way conversation. Old media, such as tv is passive where we sit and watch. New media invites and demands people to join the conversation and get involved.

❤ 52. Less is often more. Make sure every blog post tells a story simply and clearly.

❤ 53. Always end a blog post with a call to action.

❤ 54. Create a brand. Choose a name that is memorable and a profile avatar that stands out. My brand 'i like you' was chosen because it's friendly and conversational. My logo of a deer knitting is quirky and also let's people know that my blog is about the design world.

❤ 55. Always lead with the best stuff. In the first few sentences of a blog post, give the reader a solid overview of the entire post. Then expand upon that idea in the next few sentences.

❤ 56. How to make your content go viral.

❤ 57. Set up a 'Listening Dashboard'. Use Google Alerts and Social Mention to help you pay attention to your audience. You can also keep an eye on your competition with these tools.

I still have a lot to learn about how to create a cute blog but I'm getting there. If you enjoyed what you read, please tweet it, pass on the link to friends and comment below. I'd love to know what tips you have to share.

Altered Focus: Burma, Human Rights & Skateboarding

2011-06-19T18:34:00.007+10:00

I came across this fantastic short film about how 4 British filmmakers explore human rights and the political landscape in Burma through skateboarding. Altered Focus is only 19 minutes long, is beautifully shot on DVCAM & Super 8mm and is now available to watch free online.

Take a peek and let me know what you think in the comments.

Altered Focus: Burma from Hot Knees Media on Vimeo.

Video found via Brainpickings

100 Cups of Tea

2011-04-30T17:46:00.000+10:00

I came across a person on Twitter today whose story stopped me in my tracks. 100 Cups is the story of Greg Dion and his quest to meet 100 strangers for tea. In his own words:

"Can something as simple as a cup of tea change your life?

This, if all goes according to plan, will be the story of one young man on a journey of immeasurable importance. A quest to sit down for 100 separate cups of tea, with 100 complete strangers - all with the hope that, well, he might learn a thing or two…"

He then goes on to talk about how he wants to inspire people to be social again. To not be so afraid of one another. Why is it so many of us feel so alone and that it is so hard to have a genuine connection with someone? I struggle with these questions all the time so his blog really resonanted with me.

Check out his blog. 100 cups. Good stuff!

[photo above via 100 cups].

How to make a cape

2011-04-18T19:50:00.004+10:00

Ooh, guess what friends?! I have enrolled in a sewing class where I will be learning how to make my own reversible cape! I mentioned on twitter several times that I was obsessed with capes and own a few (a blog post about my cape collection is coming very soon). I'm also excited, because it will be the first piece of clothing that I will make. Plus, sparkling wine is provided during the class so I think this is my kind of class. Bubbles and capes- This is like a dream come true for me! Lol.

The class is at a really cute store called 'Dear Gladys' in Northcote. I will take photos of my progress as I go along and hopefully get permission to take photos of the classroom and my classmates. Yay! I start this Wednesday. I'll let you know how it goes.

ps. I have been making a few changes to my blog design the last few days. Just want to apologise because I have the wrong facebook 'like' button on my blog posts. I'm getting this rectified and hopefully will have this sorted in the next day or so. In the meantime- if you DO like me, please do like my facebook fan page as I've decided to resurrect it. It's been a bit quiet of late.
Follow my blog with bloglovin

The Babysteps Crafter

2011-04-16T19:04:00.049+10:00

Sorry I've been a bit quiet of late. The last few weeks have been a big learning curve for me. I started learning how to sew and crochet. Today, I had my second sewing class at Thread Den where we learned how to insert zips and buttonholes. I found it a lot harder than my 1st class where we made a purse. It can be quite frustrating when I'm not sure what I'm doing but I've decided to get over my fears and just do it anyways! The teacher was great and very patient with everyone. So that's been a lot of fun. I think I'll feel really happy when I've completed a garment. My ultimate goal? I would love to make my own winter coat.

Tonight I'm continuing my crochet lessons with my mum. I've been watching the 'learn how to make granny squares' videos over at Meet Me at Mike's which are helping me a lot (Thanks Pip!). I am making a scarf which I'll post on here when I'm finished.

In a way it's kind of funny I'm only just starting to learn how to sew and crochet. After all I did own a crafty clothes store in Melbourne up until last year! I think I never thought I could do it and so I never even tried. Silly really, isn't it? So now I'm trying and I'm enjoying the sense of accomplishment I feel when completing a crafty project. ^_^ So to all you people out there that don't think you're crafty- I say GIVE IT A GO! It's all babysteps, baby! Are you learning a new craft? I would love to hear all about it. Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Talk soon!

Get Excited and Make Things!

2011-03-24T07:09:00.015+11:00

Guest Blog Post: Doreen Ooi from Neko Nikon

When I moved to Berlin, I found myself unemployed, almost no friends and not knowing the language at all. This was a pretty big shock for me and I became homesick. I missed my friends. I missed being able to communicate with people properly. I hated being cold ALL the time.

So what was my saviour?

My Nikon D3100. I'm not kidding! I started taking photos of everything: street graffiti, exhibitions, concerts. The streets of Berlin are like a work of art – even the crumbliest apartment can look like an installation.

When I got tired of taking photos of buildings I began making pictures of my cat and that slowly became an obsession that developed into my blog, Neko Nikon. Soon my cat pictures were becoming a bit wearisome (who wants to see 29 photos of the same old ginger cat?) so I started advertising for cat subjects. I approached people at the vet. I auditioned for a film and asked a director if I could shoot his cat if he shot me. I even asked a friend who lived in a squat if I could photograph the cats that lived in his building.

As the weather got better, I learnt how to ride a bike for the first time so I could ride to meet my cat subjects. Now, along with cat photography, I'm obsessed with biking. (Berlin is awesome for biking by the way – it's super flat and there are bike lanes everywhere).

Meeting cat owners has been fascinating. Everyone has a really interesting story about their life in Berlin – the people I've met have either been foreigners (I love listening to what drew them to Berlin) or they were true Berliners who were around the Wall came down.

But what I found the coolest thing about doing this project is photographing the cats and capturing their personality. I honestly think cats tell the best stories.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

2011-03-19T20:05:00.003+11:00

[image via Domestikated]

3D Cube Owl Necklace

2011-03-16T04:01:00.004+11:00

3D Cube Owl Necklace
3D Retro TV Screen test necklace / photo stand
Pixel Love Heart Necklace
All by Sydney designer bRainbow.

Best jewellery I've seen in a long time!

1000 Creatives I found in 2011

2011-03-14T23:16:00.000+11:00

So two weeks ago I mentioned on my blog that one of my resolutions this year is to discover 1000 New Creatives Online. By 'creatives' I mean anyone/ anything online whether it's a blog, musician, new website, crafty person on twitter, an artist blog, a handmade shop on etsy etc. It could just be a new idea, new art by an artist I already know. As long as it's someone/ something new to me in 2011. I'm hoping you can all help me along my journey and suggest on the comments below a website, song, blog, video, online store or creative individual I should check out. Every Monday I will list any new creatives I discover and enjoy on my blog and will 'countdown' my list to keep me on track.

992. Ok, so most of you have probably already heard of the handmade greatness of crochet extraordinare Yokoo. But have you seen this amazing short film by Etsy featuring Yokoo?

991. The food styling of Angela Hardison has me inspired to eat healthy.

990. Olo is a tiny, beautiful fragrance line based in Portland. Each scent is hand blended in limited edition batches. Love the idea of the combination of leather and lavender.The branding took my breath away too.

989. You are my fave. Cool name. Cool Blog.

988. 60 bucks well spent. A great table makeover at Frecklewonder.

987. Lovely art by Spanish artist Carmen Segovia. [via Design Makes Me Blush]

986. Before I Die. A public installation by artist Candy Chang in her hometown in New Orleans. [via Design Crush]

985. Scrabble for Typography lovers. I'm in LUST with this! via Flavorwire.

984. Crossword Puzzle Wrapping Paper [via Swissmiss] designed by Fabio Milito and Francesca Guidotti.

983. The Roomance dress by Me and Oli. Their other items are stunning too. Have a look at this 'Bird in the hand' dress.

982. Homako's jewellery is quirky and are great statement pieces.

981. I'm loving the cut of the coats and well, basically everything by Melbourne fashion designer, Preaps and Coutts.

980. Loving this interview The Design Files did with new Melbourne store Dagmar Rousset.

979. Check out the home of Eline Pellinkhof. Lots of personal style. [via Bloesem]

978. I haven't been on designers Kozyndan's website for awhile. I took a peek yesterday and was rewarded with new panorama print's such as 'The Best Sushi in Town' and 'Nakano in Spring'.

977. Australian Designer James Cape is heading to New York with a working visa. He designed this portfolio to showcase his work. [via Australian INfront]

976. The Ride Sydney Experiment. A great example of a cute viral video designed to generate excitement for a new concept bicycle store in Sydney. [via Australian INfront]

975. Inspired by Iceland. All tourism ads should be like this one from Iceland. Wow! via Swissmiss

974. These Printable paper cameras by Aussie girl Mel Stinger aka. Girlie Pains are available in a rainbow assortment of colours. What a great idea! [via Making it lovely]

Memories of The Earth's Cutest Retail Store

2011-03-14T02:09:00.021+11:00

Did you know that several years ago I owned a store before 'i like you'? It was called 'Curious Eidolon'and I called it 'The Earth's Cutest Retail Store'. I stocked all these cute kawaii products, art prints and brands such as Threadless, Kozyndan, Kidrobot, James Jean prints and Ugly Dolls. My favourite thing that we stocked were these limited edition crochet Star Wars characters. I had a lot of fun organising in-store art exhibitions and parties and stocking artists and designers that I loved. The parties were pretty crazy and I would have themes for them such as a kawaii dress up party, the butchered christmas show (we had plush meat toys showcased at our front window display) and a fun Halloween 'horror ball' themed party. Nearly every party included free cupcakes. One time, a customer made 120 cupcakes for a shop party- and customised all the guests names on the cupcakes! It's a little bit embarassing looking back at the pics now because everything is sooo cute- even for me! LOL. Anyways, I thought I'd post these pics I just found in a shoebox in my room. Fun days!

I love this town.

2011-03-13T06:59:00.006+11:00

As Annily Green the designer of this awesome letterpress poster says, "It's true....I love this town. Do you love yours? Then shout it from the wall-tops!".

i like you... Zakka Nouveau

2011-03-13T03:25:00.008+11:00

The rain drop prints and colour palette of these tea towels by Zakka Nouveau are truly lovely. They are all lovingly hand screenprinted with soy-based ink in Los Angeles. There are also some great bento bags in their store.

Carl Sagan/ egyptian revolution mashup

2011-03-02T15:06:00.000+11:00

More Origami Bird Crane Lust

2011-03-01T17:23:00.008+11:00

How awesome is this Birdshade made of paper cranes in a variety of colors and patterns. I'm obsessed. Lol! This bird lamp is sold on a Dutch design store called Tas-Ka.

[image 1 and shop info found via 'The Things I Like/ Love/ Love'. All other images via Tas-Ka].

Origami Bird Crane Necklaces

2011-02-28T18:21:00.005+11:00

Doreen just moved to Berlin December last year and is probably my only close friend who is into design blogs and handmade crafty things- and totally gets why origami is so cool (she has origami tattoos on her arm!). This is for you Doreen- Miss you! P. x

[image above by Phi via Urple]

1000 New Creatives

2011-02-27T23:03:00.006+11:00

One of my resolutions this year is to discover 1000 New Creatives Online. By 'creatives' I mean anyone/ anything online whether it's a blog, musician, new website, crafty person on twitter, an artist blog, a handmade shop on etsy etc. As long as it's someone/ something new to me. I'm hoping you can all help me along my journey and suggest on the comments below a website, song, blog, video, online store or creative individual I should check out. Every Monday morning I will list any new creatives I discover and enjoy on my blog and will 'countdown' my list to keep me on track.

1000. The Unreasonable Institute
A really cool organisation that gives high-impact entrepreneurs wings. The 2011 season has only just begun and finalists are being chosen as we speak so it will be interesting to watch the journeys of the chosen recipients.

999. Say 100
100 voices shaping opinions online, curated by 10 experts in their field.

998. Unhappy Hipsters
It's lonely in the modern world. This is great!

997. Nerd Boyfriend
Nerd Boyfriend posts pics of stylish male actors + musicians and shows you how to replicate their look.

996. Pretty Little Thieves
Etsy store selling cute art. LOVE the name and the 2011 calendar.

995. The Generation An Etsy store from Canada selling fabulous eco-friendly handmade, vegan shoes.

994. Polkadot Magpie What caught my attention in this newish Etsy store are the fun, colourful bunting necklaces.

993. Tallest Man on Earth Beautiful, heartfelt acoustic music by Swedish native, Kristian Matsson aka. the Tallest Man on Earth.

[image 1 at the beginning of the post is via Pretty Little Thieves. image 2 above is via The Polkadot Magpie].

Frankie Magazine Love: Interviews, Big Ideas and Song Dedications

2011-01-11T09:00:00.002+11:00

www.frankiemag.com.au

Inside the Artist's Studio: Dalek

2011-01-10T15:28:00.004+11:00

The cutest music video ever!

2011-01-06T12:41:00.005+11:00

This is the cutest acoustic cover version of 'Home' (Edward Sharpe) by a father and daughter. Enjoy!

Caravan Girl

2011-01-04T18:03:00.004+11:00

So the image above is from Lily Allen's music video clip 'The Fear'. The song has been out for awhile now but today was the first time I watched the video clip. You can watch it here just below. Love all the pastel colours, cupcakes, dancing waiters and balloons. I'm especially loving the caravan at the beginning of the song. How awesome would it be to get a caravan (hopefully with no rust!) and do it up. I've never seen one with pastel colours like this.

Do What You LOVE: Kristin Hove

2011-01-04T12:40:00.010+11:00

I first found out about Kristin Hove via Pip from Meet Me at Mike's who mentioned her cookbook, 'Collected' on her facebook page. I immediately went onto Kristin's website and fell in love with all the beautiful food photos, clever recipe ideas and the stories behind them. Kristin answered some questions for us below.

1. Tell us about 'Collected'. What made you decide to publish your own cookbook and the story behind the name?
Collected is a book with recipes and some handy tips from friends that I've met along the way. The name Collected is about collecting something from people that I've connected with and who have inspired me. My goal for this book was to make something dedicated to these people, and to capture the memories for myself. I didn't really plan to publish it, just to print a few copies for friends and family. It's all very exiting that other people like the concept.

2. What type of recipes can we expect to find in your cookbook?
You will find salads, soups, stews, desserts and nibbles, all from my friends favourite recipes. They are fun and practical and good for busy bees.

3. What's been your favourite thing and biggest lesson/s from creating your own cook book?
My favourite thing was to learn photography and to be able to convert ideas into something real. There has been a lot of lessons learnt while making this book, e.g. that things take longer than you expect, and that simple is often better.

4. What inspires you?
I get inspired from movies, a day in the city, untraditional polaroid and film photography, the Frankie magazine, food blogs like Sweet Paul and Sunday Suppers, hidden bars and restaurant with a concept and a soul, creative music videos and people's ideas and thoughts.

5. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
Maybe a cool artist like Lykke Li or Karen O

6. Have you any plans (personal or business) that you can share with us about your future plans/ goals/ lifetime goals?
In the future I would love to be able to keep creating and to explore new things. My goal is to stay happy and keep doing things that I love!

My blog is on www.kristinhove.com
The book is on sale at www.collected.no
My e-mail is kristin@kristinhove.com

Kristin's cookbook can be found on sale online at collected and through selected bookstores.

Kristin kindly provided the recipe for "Kladdkaka" below which is from the Collected Cookbook.

Hardly Baked “Kladdkaka"
from Johanna
makes 9

Since Johanna left Sweden she has been trying to find the perfect “kladdkaka”, a Swedish chocolate cake. She has been unsuccessful and the solution was to bake it herself, and I’m lucky enough to be able to share the recipe here with you - Kristin

100g butter
4 tbsp cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour

Melt the butter and add cocoa. Stir until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs and flour, stir until the mixture is even. Pour the mixture into 9 baking cups and bake in the middle of the oven on 200oC for about 11 minutes. The middle of the cake should still be creamy. Let the cakes cool, then put them in the freezer. Take them out about 10 minutes before serving. This way the cake is still creamy but stays together.
Serve with kiwi, berries and ice cream. Yummy!

Brooklyn, I love you

2011-01-03T19:44:00.007+11:00

These cameras were found lying on the pavement on Bedford Ave in Williamsburg. Pretty cool, hey.

We saw these girls with their dogs at 2am outside a bar called Lucky dog near our apartment. They were lovely enough to let us take a photo.

Haha. Bedford Ave is the Fitzroy of Brooklyn. Full of indie kids!

Pot plants on a staircase in Fort Greene

Check out this cute window in Red Hook

How To Be Alone

2011-01-02T04:57:00.002+11:00

Cute video by filmaker, Andrea Dorfman, and poet/singer/songwriter, Tanya Davis. Tanya wrote the sweet poem and acted in the video while Andrea directed, shot, animated by hand and edited.
tanyadavis
andreadorfman

3 Months in New York City

2010-12-22T00:23:00.009+11:00

I went there with a dream...wanting to investigate opening a coffee shop in Brooklyn. Crazy, I know! I had no idea that my journey would change me in many ways.

My first week in NYC was quite hard. I had left Melbourne unsure of what was going on with my store in Fitzroy. I had sold my business back in August this year. The person who had agreed to purchase my store pulled out of the sale at the very last minute. The whole experience turned into a total nightmare involving lawyers. I decided I wasn't going to let this ruin my journey. Got to just learn from things and move on!

While in NYC I had many amazing experiences. Too many to mention but some highlights included:

* hanging out at a bike bar eating a giant soggy sandwich with Kathy

* taking the Ikea taxi to Red Hook with Doreen to eat key lime pie, visit Baked, all the cute handmade stores and a comic book exhibition launch

* free pizzas with every beer at Alligator Lounge. Awesome!

* watching Shonen Knife play at the Knitting Factory

* a food cart tour

* rooftop parties in Greenpoint

* refereed a food eating contest

* the crazy delicious cookies at Momofuku Saam Bar

* Halloween in NYC

* all the roof top bars

* couchsurfing for the very first time

* the dive bars. My faves included Jimmy's Corner, The Turkey's Nest Inn and Rudy's (free hotdogs everyday!). Beer with a chaser of whisky seemed the norm over here.

I came back to Melbourne with a totally different mind frame. Right now, I'm interested in learning more about social media, film making, writing my blog, ethical eating, volunteering in Cambodia or Peru, micro financing, the political/historical/cultural contexts people are living today across the world - put simply, how lives are being lived. I still have a love for handmade design and independent fashion. It's just my view of the world has changed. From my journey, I have many ideas for new projects which I'll tell you about very soon.

And the coffee shop idea? Forgotten long ago! Although I did enjoy investigating all the coffee shops in NYC and trying to find the best.

Also, I want to apologise to all my readers for being crap at updating my blog the last few months. I am back and have plans to improve my blog in the coming months. I will be updating the online store with new clothes, pocketwatches and more very soon. I think my heart wasn't in it for awhile but now I feel refreshed and ready to rock!

[photo above: this was taken near the beginning of the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge. I walked over this bridge to the Lower East Side many times!]

[photo above: school buses parked at a terminus in beautiful Red Hook. I noticed most of my overseas friends would get excited at their first glimpse at a school bus. I guess this is because you see them all the time in movies.]

[photo above: I was so excited to go to Yoshitomo Nara's exhibition. He also had statues like this one installed on Park Avenue during his exhibition. My housemate Doreen is in the pic.]

[photo above: street art alongside all the posh art galleries and the incredible Comme Des Garcons store in Chelsea.]

Jewellery for book lovers and nerds

2010-12-14T14:20:00.008+11:00

Jewellery by The Black Spot Books

Friday Music Video LOVE: First Aid Kit

2010-10-22T10:26:00.000+11:00

Friday Music Video LOVE: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros on David Letterman

2010-10-15T12:30:00.002+11:00

What's Inspiring Me.

2010-10-14T10:00:00.006+11:00

1. Food: Momofuku Milk Bar.

The cookies here are AMAZING!
Just check out some of the flavours available:

* Compost cookie: pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips

* Cornflake Marshmallow Choc-Chip

* Blueberry + Cream Cookie: dried blueberries, milk crumbs

* Chocolate Chocolate Cookie: chocolate crumbs

All of the cookies I've tried are crazy intense in flavour but sooooo yummy!

2. Music: The Perfect Five-
A music blog. Five songs. Every week.
For people who don't have time for music blogs.

3. Fashion: Shop Bird
I purchased a beautiful Tsumori Chisato Cape from here.
You can buy online too.

4. Film: Enter the Void.
I haven't seen the new film by Gaspar Noé yet but I'm hoping too in the next few days. Apparently some cinemas in NYC were shut down recently because of a bed bug problem. So I'm a bit worried about that!

What's Inspiring Me. This Rain Dance

2010-10-13T08:56:00.000+11:00

Adventures in New York: Fort Greene, Brooklyn

2010-10-13T05:38:00.018+11:00

Block Party, $1 pink lemonade, stoop garage sales and Bey- the friendly ex police cop who sits on his stoop every day to read his newspaper.

What's Inspiring Me. BusinessChic

2010-10-10T04:49:00.003+11:00

BusinessChic

My sis passed on this Melbourne based fashion blog to me today. Love it!
[image above via BusinessChic]

Fave ETSY Finds: Necklush

2010-10-10T04:13:00.008+11:00

NECKLUSH: Love the name and look. How cool- it's a scarf and a necklace! The multiple seamless loops means you can play around with it and wear it in lots of different ways. Versatile and modern- the colours and patterns are all hand printed. Handmade in Brooklyn, NY.

Friday Music Video LOVE: The Do

2010-10-08T08:27:00.000+11:00

Just a tiny bit of a fan of The Do. My favourite song at the moment.

What's Inspiring Me. Disco Beans

2010-08-06T12:50:00.007+10:00

I had my farewell dinner last week at my friend Yuka's new Japanese Cafe,'Disco Beans'. You all must go try the food there. It was awesome! Yuka prepared a special banquet for 9 of my friends. Included in the menu was miso soup, spring rolls, udon noodles, fish and a mini tasting bowl for dessert. So good. The menu is homemade Japanese food at really affordable prices and healthy too. They are very vegan friendly with vegan options on all menu items. The interior is filled with lots of cool art and has such a nice homely feel to it. The space is also used as an art gallery and performance space. Hands down my favourite new cafe.

More info about Disco Beans

Disco Beans
238 High St
Northcote
Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9077 4772

Opening Hours
Wed - Sun:
00:00 - 15:00
17:30 - 21:30

[all images via Disco Beans]

Fave ETSY Finds: Jo Heckett

2010-08-04T22:47:00.004+10:00

As described on her Etsy Profile, Jo Heckett uses the finest porcelain, which she stamps using new and vintage printing stamps as well as found objects. Everything is then finished with her signature soft and glossy or matt wash colours.

Images Above:
1. Large Love Porcelain Letters Hanging
2. Porcelain Heart Favours
3. Porcelain 'Love' Letter Fridge Magnets

What's Inspiring Me.

2010-08-03T22:07:00.006+10:00

Wow, I had an amazing day today.

Here is why:

1. I found out that Yoshitomo Nara will have an exhibition in NYC at the same time I am there.

2. My Never-Ending Dumpling Banquet with Doreen

3. I had coffee with Stephen Fry at Roof Top Bar

4. I went to Mag Nation and got inspired by so many mags- Empty, UPPERCASE, Dumbo Feather, IDN Neo-York Special, Ad Busters and Monocle.

5. I read about a really cool project in West Philadelphia curated by Steve Powers called 'Love Letter'. (via UPPERCASE Mag.) See A Love Letter For You for more info.

6. I watched an incredible documentary at The Melbourne International Film Festival called 'Bill Cunningham New York'. Amazing! I'm going to see it again on Sunday night. I recommend it to all artists and creative people who believe in following their passions.

7. I ended my day by reading my new favourite blog Missed Connections.

[all images above via A Love Letter For You]

Friday Music Video LOVE: Beirut

2010-07-30T13:41:00.000+10:00

Fave ETSY Finds: Parsimony

2010-07-27T09:42:00.005+10:00

I really like this dress by Parsimony. Parsimony specialises in handmade custom dresses. This dress in particular looks soooo comfortable. Cute ruffles around the arm sleeve and buttons at lapel. So many colours you can choose from, too!

Blog CRUSH: Pretty Much Amazing

2010-07-26T14:01:00.004+10:00

I've been listening to a lot of new music lately. (Well new for me!)

Here are some songs that I have been playing on repeat in the store:

1. Bat For Lashes and Beck- Let's Get Lost

2. The Roots- Right On (feat. Joanna Newsom and STS)

3. Florence and the Machine- Heavy in Your Arms

4. The Morning Benders- Excuses

6. Erykah Badu- Window Seat

7. Free Energy- Bang Pop

8. Tame Impala- Solitude is Bless

9. Broken Bells- The High Road

10. Joanna Newsom- Good Intentions Paving Company

If you like any of the above you should definitely check out Pretty Much Amazing which is where I've discovered most of the songs above.

[image above via Caiti Anne's Flickr -lots of other nice pics of kites, jumping and balloons here too]

The Friday JUMP.

2010-07-23T18:10:00.002+10:00

Just Keep on moving FORWARD.

A lot of dramas have been going on around me lately. I'm just trying to move in the direction that's important to me and not let myself get distracted with the shiny little things.

Only one more week to go and I'm off on new adventures! To prepare for my overseas trip I've been doing the following:

* Finding the perfect carry-on travel bag. No more check-in luggage for me!

* Memorising recipes so I can cook them for friends if I'm a guest at someone's house.

Some favourites I've made recently include:
Sticky Date Pudding
Orange Almond Cake
Beef Bourguignon
Chinese Steamed Fish
Stuffed Lamb Cutlets
Any Ottolenghi recipe I can find.

I'm also packing in my travel bag a heart shaped cookie cutter so I can make heart shaped pancakes and eggs. Fun! You can find more yummy breakfast recipes here.

* Researching how to travel light with one bag online. The best site I found was called one bag and had all these cool videos on how to pack your clothes to minimise wrinkles etc. A bit nerdy, but if it can teach me how to lighten my travel load I don't care!

* New Audio Technica Pink Headphones that I purchased at the Melbourne Design Market. I've got heaps of new music I uploaded on to my ipod thanks to Pitchfork and Pretty Much Amazing.

[Image above found via we heart it. The link to where the photo came from was broken.]

Friday Music Video LOVE: Kate Nash

2010-07-23T14:28:00.000+10:00

What's Inspiring Me. Jonathan Glazer

2010-07-22T00:33:00.004+10:00

Love nearly all of Jonathan Glazer's work. I first saw his work at Resfest a few years ago at ACMI in Melbourne. He had a retrospective special on all his work (yes, I was a bit late to find out about him!).

Here are three of my favourites.

1. Guinness Ad ‘Swimblack’
"The advert encompasses so many things about life. Joy. Sorrow. Victory. Defeat. Determination. Courage. Teamwork. Friendship. Patience. Passion. All of that in a minute and a half. The best advert ever made. Stunning."- Axelwater, a youtube commenter (yes, really. I like what he said!).

2. Nike ‘Frozen Moment’ featuring Michael Jordan.

3. Stella Artois 'Last Orders'

Sometimes I pretend.

2010-07-21T23:28:00.012+10:00

[1st image found via Gimble in the Wabe]
[2nd image found via Xpirri]

Friday Music Video LOVE: The Tough Alliance

2010-07-16T14:19:00.000+10:00

Fave ETSY Finds: Rib & Hull

2010-07-13T10:00:00.000+10:00

So I got myself a 15" Mac Book Pro the other day...and I'm in LOVE with it. So I've been searching for a laptop sleeve to go with it. I was excited to find what I wanted on Etsy. A lovely duo who live in Poland make these really cool bags and laptop cases under the name 'Rib & Hull'. Really classic, clean modern designs.

1. MacBook Pro Sleeve- Gray Wool Felt and Black Leather. On Etsy by Rib & Hull

What's Inspiring Me. Amanda Wachob Tattoos

2010-07-12T09:30:00.011+10:00

I'm really loving the tattoos of NYC tattoo artist Amanda Wachob. Known for her paint splatered tattoos, her style is stunning and innovative. I might just have to get one when I visit NYC later this year.

[all images from Amanda Wachob's website.]

Friday Music Video LOVE: Oren Lavie

2010-07-09T15:00:00.000+10:00

The Friday JUMP.

2010-07-09T11:17:00.013+10:00

Go on, unleash yourself.

Lately I've been craving comfort food everyday. And I've been listening to the same song on repeat. It's my way with dealing with change.

You see, I'm moving out of my house and shop in three weeks time. And I'm scared.The simple truth is I want to expose myself to a whole range of new experiences and ideas. And I'm not going to find that sitting at my desk. Some people are great at taking in new experiences. Are you one of them?

We all spend our time doing the same things. Day in. Day out.

What if we stepped outside this circle and worked on enriching our daily life?

Beware of leading a life on automatic.

[Image above found via heart it]

What's Inspiring Me: Sweet Dreams by Kirsten Lepore

2010-07-08T17:32:00.001+10:00

Do What You LOVE: Kelly White

2010-07-08T12:00:00.017+10:00

Kelly White is a very talented lady. Not only does she create jewellery with her sister Lyndsay for their label, 'Made By White', she also helps out at Newtown, Sydney store Made 590 and now has started her own jewellery and homewares line on Etsy called 'The Storybook Rabbit'.

Whenever I would wander onto the blog Kelly wrote with her sister I would admire all the pretty things in her home, her collection of animal figurines and all the things they would get up to in Sydney. I thought it would be fun to ask Kelly a bit more about her collections and where she gets her inspirations from.

Kelly loves all things cute, quirky, foresty, fairytale-like or animalistic! But especially, she loves her rabbit. She lives in Sydney with Juno- the cutest bunny in the world- who live in a little house filled with tiny ceramic animals, brightly coloured dresses, vintage treasures and rabbit-chewed furniture.

1. What inspires you?
I'm inspired by vintage illustrations, nature, fairy tales, general quirkiness and also by everyday things like Juno, my rabbit. I especially love to draw animals because they can convey so much personality, humour and cuteness.

2. Tell us more about your bunny Juno and what made you decide to get a pet bunny?
I got Juno over a year ago when I lived in a tiny second story apartment with a balcony. I actually really wanted a cat, but decided it was a bit cruel to have a cat stuck inside all day, so I hunted for an alternate pet that i could keep on the balcony, but still have in the house when I was home and came across a breed of bunny called Rex Rabbits. They are extremely intelligent, have amazing fur that feels softer than velvet and really, Juno is more like a kitten than a rabbit. She sits on the couch and watches tv with us at night, rolls onto her back for a belly scratch and even comes when I call her name. She is full of personality, absolutely hilarious and the most well-trained (but completely mischievous) bunny I know.

3. On your storybook profile you mentioned that you have a little house filled with tiny ceramic animals, brightly coloured dresses, vintage treasures and rabbit-chewed furniture. Do you have any fun collections that you could tell the readers more about?
I collect a lot of stuff, pretty much anything vintage that is pretty, animal related, fairytale-like or nature-inspired.
I'd say my favourite collections would be my vintage dresses and ceramic animals. I have too many dresses to count, but I wear and love them all!
My animal collection started when I was really little and grew from there, becoming a massive collection over the last few years. My favourite animals to collect are deers, rabbits, owls and forest animals, which I look out for in local vintage shops or on etsy. Other things that fill my little house include plastic deer heads, vintage plates, vintage ballerina prints, ceramic wall swallows, framed butterflies and a wall of art prints collected over the last few years.

Kelly's new etsy store, The Storybook Rabbit has 'Something for EveryBunny' and is where you will find a small collective of handmade goodies, prints, art pieces and re-worked vintage. All made with love!

[image above: The brooches above are all for sale at Kelly's Etsy store. ]

[image above: Check out Kelly's awesome animal figurine collection. Love the colours!]

Fave Etsy Finds: Love and Hate Ring

2010-07-06T18:35:00.002+10:00

These rings by I'm Fake are pretty cool. One side of the ring says 'LOVE' and the other side says 'HATE' with thorns. Love the price too- Only US$30. I also like their Triple Triangle ring shown below.

SHOP UPDATE. Camper Shoes LOVE

2010-07-06T15:03:00.001+10:00

What's Inspiring Me. Toys made by Yoshitomo Nara's Fans!!

2010-07-02T23:23:00.006+10:00

So I've loved Yoshitomo Nara and his art for a long time. It's his art that really inspired the direction of my old store Curious Eidolon and got me into designer toys and Japanese art. The first time I saw his work was on the front cover of Giant Robot. I even have a plan to get a tattoo of one of his images on my arm.

The image above are toys made by Yoshitomo Nara's fans. It looks like a lot of people must've been inspired by his work. I love how the toys all look handmade and imperfect. Aren't they gorgeous?! I want them all! x

The image above was taken in A-Z Cafe in Aoyama, Tokyo. So Amazingly Awesome!

What's Inspiring Me: Photo Jojo!

2010-07-02T14:04:00.005+10:00

Hello! Have you guys heard of Photo Jojo before? I'm sure a lot of you have. I only discovered their website last year and highly recommend it to anyone who likes to take photos.

Photo Jojo helps you learn photography tricks in a cheeky, friendly way. They encourage you to just have fun with your digital camera and you feel like you're part of an inclusive club with like-minded people.

Here are just a few of the DIY projects that they teach you:

* Get a bottlecap that turns a water bottle into a tripod

* Print your friends' faces onto cupcakes

* Get a bottlecap that turns a water bottle into a tripod

How about some ideas on how to display your photo projects all over your home? How about a photo chandelier in your lounge(yes, really!) or magnetic photo frames for your fridge?

They push the idea that photography is something anyone can practice and to not be afraid of making mistakes.

You can find Photo Jojo here. If you haven't discovered it already, I think you will love it!

[photo above via Photo Jojo]

What's Inspiring Me: First Kiss Zine

2010-07-01T12:19:00.006+10:00

Do you remember your First Kiss? I had forgotten, until I read this zine called First Kiss and it took me on a journey down memory lane. I remembered school camps, collecting The Babysitter's Club series, taping Aqua on the radio and all this other stuff that I hadn't even given an iota of thought to since I was 12 years old.

This is the best thing I have read all year!!

First Kiss has all the qualities of a good book:

1) Serious laughing factor
2) Total page turner (this zine was in my hot little hands from the time I was waiting for my naan bread for dinner at the indian takeaway until the time I was saying goodnight to a friend on facebook chat)
3) Exciting character development
4) And MOST IMPORTANTLY, it made me think about first kisses.

To be completely honest, I don't really remember my very first kiss.
But what I clearly remembered was a first kiss I gave to someone who was very very special in my life. Without going into too much detail about all my personal stuff-
reminiscing about this incredibly awesome and wonderful moment in my life
suddenly erased all this embitterment that I carried in my heart for so long.

First Kiss is available now here.

The stories inside First Kiss are contributed by lots of interesting people including:

Gavin McInnes(the co-founder of Vice Mag and blogger for Street Carnage)
Jon Caramanica (music writer for The New York Times)
Tavi Gevinson (blogger for Style Rookie)
Leslie Arfin (Dear Diary and Vice)
Brendan Donnelly (designer/ artist/ writer)
Spencer Tweedy ( blogger and the son of Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. He is only 14 yrs old!!!)
Isabel Slone (blogger for Hipster Musings)

So yeah!
Read First Kiss and get enlightened!
It will change your life. And your heart.

d

i like you. Do What You Love

2010-06-29T13:48:00.008+10:00

There's been a lot of changes happening in my life recently. And change can be scary sometimes. Let me explain.

I got back from a holiday in New York over a month ago. It was an amazing experience. It was a very intense experience filled with lots of highs and lows. I fell in love with the city, the excitement, the people, the art and so much more. The lows included my dog dying two days after arriving in NYC. It was hard to deal with my grief on the other side of the world.

Since being back in Melbourne I've been trying to settle back in. Don't get me wrong- I love Melbourne and I love my shop. I started my store because I was passionate about emerging local fashion designers, jewellery designers and artists and I wanted a shop to showcase their pieces. The first few years of my shop was a lot of fun. I had a lot of inspiring artists around me helping collaborate to create fun window displays, art exhibitions, costume parties, discovering amazing designers and keeping the store fresh and exciting.

I've been in Melbourne for 17 yrs. 7 years running my shop, 11 years in retail and 6 years living behind my store. Lately I don't feel so inspired. Time for change I kept thinking to myself. New experiences. So I did it. I sold my store a week after I got back from NY. Chloe, a designer I stock at the store will be taking over the shop from August 1st.

As for me? I'm moving to New York for 2 months in August. I've got apartments booked in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I never thought I would be able to do that and then the other day I thought...why not? I want to feel inspired again and move outside of my comfort zone. I'm then going travel around the US, New Zealand and Asia for 6 months.

I'm going to continue on with my design blog because l love doing it. I want to change it and concentrate more on Melbourne people creating amazing things. I have started making short 5 minute videos for the blog- interviewing artists and their studios, shopkeepers, market owners, musicians and designers doing what they love. Hearing about the person behind the art is always an interesting thing.

A Big Thank you to all my shop customers, blog readers, stockists and Mell and Doreen who have helped me run the shop.

To my shop customers in Melbourne- the new store will continue to stock lovely handmade fashion and good things. I will give you more updates of what's happening with this in the coming days. I love all my chats with my customers in the store and appreciate you all. Many of you have since become good friends.

I will be in the shop until August 1st. We are currently on SALE with Melissa Shoes, Camper Shoes, all jewellery and many of our clothing labels. Come in for a chat and a bargain! xx

[Image above via Beauty in Everything]

Shop Update. Melissa + Camper Shoes LOVE

2010-06-29T10:14:00.005+10:00

Friday Music Video LOVE: Charlotte Gainsbourg [ft. Beck]

2010-06-25T12:29:00.000+10:00

Shop Update. Melissa Shoes LOVE

2010-06-22T10:07:00.005+10:00

3 Things To Do in Melbourne this weekend...

2010-06-18T11:31:00.006+10:00

1. Go watch the movie Animal Kingdom at Cinema Nova.

2. The Melbourne International Animation Festival starts this Saturday 19 June till Sunday 27 June. For the full timetable, visit the MIAF website.

3. How about breakfast at Three Bags Full, the latest cafe from the people that started APTE cafe in Alphington and Liar Liar in Hawthorn. Located at the corner of Nicholson and Mollison Streets, Abbotsford.

Friday Music Video LOVE: The Dead Weather

2010-06-18T00:45:00.000+10:00

Crazy awesome music video directed by Jonathon Glazer (one of my favourites).

i dream

2010-06-17T16:31:00.006+10:00

via Liquid Confidence
Image 2 by Puiyannn on Flickr

i like you. i really do.

2010-06-16T12:31:00.005+10:00

Image 1 found via we heart it
Image 2 the Fairytale

What's Inspiring Me. Slow Readers Book Club

2010-06-15T14:00:00.002+10:00

Ooh, as mentioned in an earlier post below I've decided to join the Slow Readers Book Club. What is that, you say? To find out more about the history of the book club check here.While reading the lovely blog of Much Love (which you also must check out) I found out about this book club which was created by a group of bloggers at the beginning of this year. The book club is entitled, "Slow Readers" based off of the Slow Movement, "a cultural shift toward slowing down life's pace."

They've just started a new book:

The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia.

I just read a review of his book here and it sounds pretty good. I've never joined a book club before and have been meaning to get back into reading. Apparently almost 600 people have already joined the club. I think it would be so much more fun reading along with other bloggers and hearing their perspectives of the story. Sounds good, doesn't it? Yay! I think you should all read it too, if you would like. ;)
Important links for SRBC:
readers forum / Twitter / Facebook

Info and Image 1 via Our City Lights
Info about the Slow Readers Book Club and Image 2 via Down and Out Chic

Shop Update. Camper Shoes LOVE

2010-06-15T10:05:00.003+10:00

What's Inspiring Me: Crumpets, Slow Readers Book Club and more

2010-06-14T13:31:00.002+10:00

Today I joined the Slow Readers Book Club (more info about this on my blog tomorrow).

I ate crumpets with plain butter today. Honey or jam is good too!

Read the business book Switched On by Sahar Hashemi. My favourite things I got from the book was the quote, 'Leap and a net will appear' and a quote taken from Warren Buffett: 'I tapdance to work'.

Found a lovely Melbourne blog called Art Pixie. Her interviews with photographers alongside images of their work were particularly inspiring.

Image above AND recipe (yum!) found at Helen Graves

Image by Jeff Palmer Art Guy on Flickr

i believe

2010-06-14T09:00:00.005+10:00

1. stylelifephotos
2. Valerie Jean on Tumblr

Music LOVE: Angus & Julia Stone

2010-06-13T17:19:00.008+10:00

Image above via Kristine May on Flickr

The Friday JUMP: Li Wei

2010-06-11T11:57:00.010+10:00

Amazing photos by Li Wei. Watch this video below where Li Wei explains how he creates the amazing shot just above.

Photos by Li Wei. Found via Photo Jojo.

Things To Do in Melbourne this weekend...

2010-06-10T14:10:00.000+10:00

Ooh, check out the pocketwatches we currently have in store. Too cute!

Be a homebody this weekend and go have a peek at some of my favourite blogs:

Advanced Style
Hello Sandwich
Made By White
Tabitha Emma
Here Comes The Sun

Enjoy the Long Weekend everyone!xx

What's Inspiring Me. Frankie Magazine on The 7.30 report!

2010-06-10T11:24:00.004+10:00

Was very exciting to watch a 6 minute chat with the editors and people involved with Frankie Magazine on The 7.30pm report a few nights ago. You can watch it under the title 'Frankie Magazine beats the odds' on the ABC website. You can also read more about how Frankie is "thriving on almost cult appeal in a niche market" in this ABC article. Pretty exciting for a magazine that is mostly edited by Jo Walker from a one-bedroom apartment in inner-city Melbourne. Frankie Mag is my favourite magazine in the world so I'm very happy to see them get aknowledgement outside the handmade world. A lot of great people such as Pip Lincolne from Meet Me at Mike's, the lovely girls from The Finders Keepers Markets and Marieke Hardy are also in this interview.

Do What You LOVE: Nick Young

2010-06-10T10:05:00.014+10:00

"I'd been thinking and talking about creating my own label for years. When my dad died, my whole perspective on life changed. I just knuckled down and got creative." Nick Young

occupation: Designer of jewellery, clothes, cards, bags, tea towels and more.
lives: Melbourne

I like you talks to Nick Young, designer of the label Two Ruffians about his life, his label and the things that inspire him.

[image above: A selection of Two Ruffians product range displayed at the Warnambool Art Gallery]

1. Tell us about 'Two Ruffians' and what we can expect to find from your label?
'Two Ruffians' is a fun irreverent label, with a 'have a go' attitude.

I started the label just under a year ago, having taught myself to use 'design' software, expose patterns onto silk screens and print. With a couple of t shirts and tea towels, I boldly set off into the unknown, and it's been a fast, productive year.

2. Why did you decide to create 'Two Ruffians' and what's been your biggest lesson from running it?
I'd been thinking and talking about creating my own label for years. When my dad died, my whole perspective on life changed. I just knuckled down and got creative.

I'd been interested in fashion since my teenage years when I worked in a cool independent clothes store back in the UK. When I moved to London in the early 90's, fashion, music, street art and friends all had a profound effect on me - it's those influences that I carry into my work today.

I've worked with my partner, Clair Wayman, on various interior styling jobs over the years. When I started the homewares side of the business I wanted to create something that was brighter and bolder than what I had seen when hunting for props. Most design seems to follow a fairly safe format, and I wanted to do something different.

The biggest lesson I've learnt is that people are generally creatures of habit. It's been a challenge when offering hand made designs that aren't conventional. I'm competing with a huge volume of mass produced products. But I'm up for the challenge - it's my David and Goliath moment!

3. What is your favourite part about running your own business?
Simply being able turn an idea into a design on my own is wicked!

4. I personally believe that you have to provide value to your business/ products and the money will follow. What advise would you give a designer/ crafty small business owner trying to provide great value to their customers?
Work hard, believe in yourself, don't give up, do what you say and be polite to everyone you meet.

5. Would you recommend any Books or Music that you found to be of great value to yourself?
Books: Floor To Wall, Plastic People Flyers 1998-2003, by Ali Augur, Blurb Publishing
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Charta publishing

Music:
All the music I listen to is of great value to me. It's a big part of 'Two Ruffians.
1) Apache, The Incredible Bongo Band
2) Water No Get Enemy, Fela Ransome Kuti
3) We Got Soul? ( Rob Life Remix), Quantic
4) Living Well parts one and two, The Limp Twins
5) I Believe In Miracles, Jackson Sisters
6) The New Breed, Jimmy Holiday
7) Search For The Inner Self, Jon Lucien
8) "357 Magnum Force" La Funk Mob
9) Witness, Roots Manuva
10) Everybody Knows, David Holmes presents The Free Association
11) Unfinished Sympathy, Massive Attack
12) Loaded, Primal Scream
13) I'm Alive, Don Fardon
14) Just Like You, Ian Brown

6. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
Phil Taylor, he's my best mate who I've known since I was 4. I don't get to see him much these days so we could talk about stuff all night. That would be cool.

7. What would constitute the "perfect" day for you?
If I could finish what I'd set out to achieve for once. My time management skills are not great. Or maybe chilling out on a beach in Thailand would be better.

8. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30 year old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
Oh definitely the mind. Then again some would say I've lost my marbles already, so maybe a fit body.

9. I noticed that in a past interview with The Design Files you mentioned you were reading 'Things I have Learned in My Life So Far' by Stefan Sagmeister. What lessons have you learned in your life so far?
It's cool to be kind.

10. Have you any plans (personal or business) that you can share with us about your future plans/ goals/ lifetime goals?
Find some more stockists then put my feet up for a bit and switch off. Aaaaaaaaaah! that sounds nice!

A big thank you to Nick for answering all these questions. Please do visit his website and his blog to find out more about him and his products.

i dream

2010-06-09T18:57:00.008+10:00

[pics found via weheartit]

New York Adventures: Bushwick, Brooklyn

2010-06-09T10:26:00.021+10:00

We found this really cool art gallery next to our hostel in Bushwick, Brooklyn. How cool is the front entrance!

Liza meets local Bushwick artist Jason Grunwald after buying one of his art prints (he's collaborated with The Fall, Sonic Youth and Lee Scratch Perry).

We then went to have dinner at local pizza joint called Roberta's. We were a bit worried when we saw the front entrance cause it looked pretty dodgy. We needn't have worried. The place was was like a big log cabin inside packed with people. The amosphere was great-so cosy and warm.

Waiting for our pizzas in the backyard. Mmmmm Beer...

There was a radio station in the backyard of the pizza joint!

i like you. i really do.

2010-06-08T14:04:00.000+10:00

[Image 1 found via we heart it]

Shop Update. Camper Shoes LOVE

2010-06-08T12:43:00.006+10:00

Independent Fashion Inspiration: Manque

2010-06-07T10:00:00.000+10:00

Melbourne designer Manque's winter collection is in store right now and is looking great. One of my favourite pieces is their Scotsman Cowl Vest available in Grey or Olive. Love how you can play around with the cowl neck to give it a different look. It is a great layering piece for winter. We have lots of great Manque jackets, trousers, dresses and skirts in store too.

Dear Friend, Today ...

2010-06-04T13:45:00.003+10:00

Isn't this print gorgeous? They are available on Etsy by Dazey Chic. I love what Shelley the designer behind Dazey Chick says in her Etsy Profile Bio:

"I'm a girl with a huge heart.
I'm happiest when painting.
I don't eat meat.
I smile way more than I cry.
I ache to be liked by everyone I meet.
I am a firm believer in affordable art and believe that every single person should have one piece in their house that makes them smile.
I'm self taught and proud of it.
I used to make websites. And now, there is not enough time in the day!
I love quotes and smack them on anything I can.
My work oozes with words and text...fonts and scribbles. I just love words.
I'm inspired by songs.
But... most importantly, I live to love."

You can find more of Shelley's Prints at her Etsy Shop Dazey Chick.

Have a lovely weekend everyone! xxx

Friday Music Video LOVE: Feist

2010-06-04T13:00:00.006+10:00

3 Things To Do in Melbourne this weekend...

2010-06-02T13:07:00.006+10:00

1. i like you MONSTER Garage Sale: This Sat 5 June from 11am - 5pm.
Rear backyard of my shop: i like you! 80 Johnston St Fitzroy.

Grab a bargain: heater, new clothes, big tv, rice cooker, dvd player, design books and mags, wine fridge, cult books, health grill, cutlery, cups + plates, records, 2nd hand clothes, lots of cook books, dvds, xbox, clothes hangers, tables, chairs, toy collection, cool art, stereo, water thermos, wooden dear head, shoes, cute wooden bambi magazine stand, glass counter etc.

2. Soul A Go Go are celebrating their 3rd Birthday this Saturday 5 June. There will be a live performance by The Sweethearts showcasing their new album. 9pm - 3am at The Johnston Bar, 62 Johnston St, Fitzroy.

3. Exit Through The Gift Shop, a movie directed by street artist Banksy is on at ACMI. I saw it in New York a month ago and it's a very funny story about "art, ambition and the cult of celebrity".

i like you. i really do.

2010-06-02T08:00:00.004+10:00

Shop Update. Melissa Shoes LOVE

2010-06-01T12:38:00.009+10:00

What's Inspiring Me. I found these treasures

2010-06-01T00:21:00.008+10:00

found via Ponygraph

i like you visit NEW YORK....DAY 4: FAO Schwarz Toy Store plus more..

2010-05-29T12:13:00.001+10:00

I was VERY excited about going to visit the FAO Schwarz Toy Store to check out the Muppet Workshop (where you can make your own muppet), The Giant Piano and Milkshake Cafe. We also checked out The Hershey's Chocolate Store and Fifth Avenue.

[Image above: In Lego land at Fao Schwarz Toy Store]

[pic above: My sis outside The Hershey's Chocolate Store. We couldn't help buying some American chocolates here. Straight across the world was 'M&M's World'.

Friday Music Video LOVE

2010-05-28T15:40:00.004+10:00

This is one of my favourite French music videos. It's a very cute and quirky song called 'Sympathique' by Pink Martini.

I LOVE the catchy lyrics in the chorus:

Je ne veux pas travailler (I don't want to work)
Je ne veux pas dejeuner (I don't want to have lunch)
Je veux seulement oublier (I only want to forget)
Et puis je fume (And so I smoke)

Enjoy- Have a lovely weekend everyone!xx

Shop Update. Another Peek at the world of i like you...

2010-05-25T16:40:00.014+10:00

These pics were taken in store and I haven't had time to upload them till now. Some are recent, some old. Enjoy!x

image above: Shop Girl Doreen wearing:
1. Die Pretty Blue polka dot pussy bow top
2. Cast Couture Grey Tulip Skirt
3. Tram Friends Red Knitted Heart Necklace

[image above: One of my favourite things in store is the fabric bird crane mobile display at the shop front window]

[image above: Melissa Shoes and Camper Shoes are so much fun to wear]

[image above: We HEART Peppermint Mag and World Sweet World]

i like you visits Times Square.................................... Day TWO: Hello, New York. Melbourne Here.

2010-05-25T11:31:00.015+10:00

My friends and I have never been to New York and so our first few days were spent doing the touristy things. First stop- Times Square. Ok, I know Times Square is stimulus overload and a tourist trap but we had to go check it our for ourselves. Do you guys like our giant 'i like you' sign? This was the first day I took the sign out with me and I was a bit nervous asking strangers to hold the sign. In the end I didn't have to worry-people loved it! We also saw the musical Chicago later that night and entered a lottery to win tickets to go see David Letterman (yes, we know. It sounded like a long shot).

My bestfriend Liza and I finally made it to Times Square. Woo!

These guys were making deep fried oreo's!

The Deep Fried Oreo's...

What's Inspiring Me. My Love Heart Tattoo

2010-05-23T16:26:00.012+10:00

So on my last night in New York I went a bit crazy and got my very first tattoo- a small love heart on my wrist. My dog, Mama died two days after I arrived in New York and I wanted to get this love heart tattoo in memory of her, my trip to New York and just a 'pinpoint' of an important time in my life. Here are some other love tattoos I've found on the net which I really like.

vi.sualise.us

we heart it

wedding bee

we heart it

i like you visits NEW YORK!... Day ONE: Brooklyn Flea

2010-05-21T13:03:00.008+10:00

On the way to Brooklyn Flea we passed all these really great Brownstone apartments. I want to live here!

It was a bit creepy touching the paws of this bear.

Hoot Hoot! Too many owls to choose from at this stall at Brooklyn Flea.

Hmm... which owl figurine should I buy today? I ended up buying my workmate/ housemate Doreen an owl mug. Unfortunately it broke in my suitcase on my way home to Melbourne. I also got another friend, Adam a really cool t-shirt with an octopus design on it by some Brooklyn designers.

Independent Fashion Inspiration: Sarah Blasko Costume

2010-05-18T15:44:00.009+10:00

How AWESOME is this stage costume made by Noe for Sarah Blasko. The heart shape you see in the center of the dress has a really gorgeous patchwork spectrum design. The dress also has a 'peek a boo' detail where the shoulders 'pop open' to reveal a concertina rainbow detail. I wish I could wear something like this to work everyday.

Found via Beci Orpin (Beci's blog is a must read. Very inspiring!)

Found via la la orange

Portrait of an Excellent Dog Called Mama

2010-04-19T02:20:00.005+10:00

Shop Update. We HEART our i like you necklaces...

2010-04-03T12:35:00.012+11:00

Shop Update. 'i like you' Easter GARAGE SALE tomorrow...

2010-04-02T23:17:00.006+11:00

Hi Guys,

If you're hopping around Fitzoy tomorrow pop in!

FEATURING Vintage & New Fashion . Cult DVD's . X Box console . furniture . designer books & mags . vinyl . etc

The shop will also be open this Easter Saturday from 11am - 5pm. We have lots of new things in store: grey duffle coats, Ella woolen dresses, Camper white gogo space boots, Melissa shoes, World Sweet World Mag, Peppermint Mag plus more.

Happy Easter!

Liza + Tina x".
ps. We also have a facebook event page for the sale.

3 Things To Do in Melbourne this Week...

2010-03-23T12:52:00.010+11:00

1. The excellent artist Ben Frost has a new exhibition called, 'Confessions of A Model Citizen' opening this Thursday at Gorker Gallery from 6.30pm.

2. Silent Disco are playing this weekend at The Hi Fi as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

3. Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is on at the cinemas and is definitely worth seeing at Imax.

[image above: Check out the fun and colourful Melissa shoes we currently have in store!]

Shop Update. A little Peek into the world of 'i like you!'

2010-03-22T13:02:00.013+11:00

Thought I'd give you all a peek into our store in Fitzroy, Melbourne. I'm pretty happy with how the store is looking at the moment because it's looking very colourful and fun. This is the front door and entrance to our shop. The blackboard reads: "Treat Your Feet. Melissa Shoes Back in Store!".

[image above]
The front window is currently showcasing our fun collection of Melissa and Camper Shoes. We have a lot of Melissa Shoes at the moment and many of the styles are not available in Australia yet or have sold out. We also have a pair of Marc Jacob burgundy ballet flats shown in the pic which are so adorable (they usually retail for $500+. We are selling them for $150 which is an absolute bargain.)

[image above]
This is a side angle view of our front window and entrance. The four mannequins are all wearing new stock- flattering 1950's style Polka Dot dresses, easy to wear tulip skirts, cute purple ruffle tops and a pretty burgundy ruffled a-line dress.

[image above]
Our lovely artist friend 'Neil Thomas' made us this gorgeous owl black board. Isn't it adorable?

[image above]
This pic is taken next to our shop counter. It is where we keep our paper shopping bags and we have a heart shaped polaroid pic feature (pics of our favourite things- our customers, friends and my dog Mama). I need six more polaroid pics and the heart shape will be complete.

[image above]
We have 6 styles of Jackets currently in store and a variety of boat neck tops, pussy bow tops, square neck tops with cap sleeves, long sleeved thumb hole tops and ruffle tops in assorted colours. This is our blue, purple and grey tops area of the store.

[image above]
Our current skirt selection is the best we've ever had. We have classic pencil, tulip and a-line skirt styles available that will flatter many body shapes. I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour of our store. ^_^

What's Inspiring Me. Baking World Peace' Cookies!...

2010-03-02T18:44:00.011+11:00

Just wanted to share these really exciting cookies that I baked today for our customers and friends.
They are called the World Peace Cookies
and they taste the best

1. out of the oven, dipped into a fresh glass of cold milk
2. on a tuesday afternoon, when work is starting to get a bit snoozy
3. with a nice strong milky english breakfast with a friend who you haven't seen in ages

The title of this tasty little treat was coined by the creator, Dorie Greenspan's neighbour, who thought a daily dose of these cookies would instigate world peace! We like it!

Everyone loves a little peace in their world!

love doreen

Shop Update. You will LOVE our Melissa Shoes!

2010-02-26T15:28:00.006+11:00

Treat your feet! 2nd hand Melissa Shoes back in stock. The shoes look BRAND NEW LADIES! Many styles: VW Three Straps Flat, Ultra Girl, Paradise, Ultra Wedge etc. Many of these styles are not yet available or have sold out in Australia.

Shop Update. A few of our favourite things in store..

2010-02-26T14:34:00.007+11:00

Ooh, we have lots of great new Tulip Skirts, Pussy Bow Tops and knitted heart necklaces in store at the moment.