WINNER OF THE WEEK

CONGRATULATIONS! 

Our seventh commenter Cherry Ripe! You are now on your way to having your creative mind blown by the fantastic Kirsten Perry. Please email us with your details (name, email, postal) at handmadelifeproject@gmail.com

We'd like to thank everyone for entering. We had so much fun we are sure to do it again! Thank you to North City 4 - we love you ladies! We'll be back next week with an exhibition review (Magic Mountain!), a book of the week (Orpin!), an insane project reveal (starburst mirror), and lots of other handmade goodness. Leave us a comment and let us know what you think of the new look. xx HML

GIVEAWAY OF THE SUMMER

Perry Good

The amazing artist and jeweller Kirsten Perry is one of our all time biggest craft crushes. We've sung her praises many times here on handmadelife, we totally get crazy dancing feet (Beck) and jazz hands flapping (me) whenever we see her inspired (and inspiring) work.

How excited are we that she is imparting some of her knowledge in a two-eve workshop at North City 4? I'll tell you how excited we are: the ladies of hml pitched a bedazzled tent in the NC4 driveway in the hopes of being first in line for this amazeballs event. So much so that the lovely ladies (in a kind attempt to make us go home to our families) have allowed us to offer one of you dear hml readers a FREE SPOT in this super cool class! you lucky ducks!

all you have to do is leave a comment answering this one simple question:

who are the 5 Board members of North City 4?

Entries close Thursday at midnight with the winner announced Friday morning.

Remember no jewellery experience is necessary and you will find yourself creatively inspired and energised for the rest of the year (and take home your very own piece of jewellery!)  

GOOD LUCK!

PROJECT OF THE WEEK

boxed in

The rather unappealing poplar box trio was picked up on sale for $1. The original intention was to paint them as a set for desk storage but once I worked out their individual uses I had to break up the band. The little blue one is now a small gift filled with nice miscellany for my first birthday friend of 2013

The middle one is now glitter glue storage (yes I do require glitter glue storage, sad but true) of course the one meant for me is the one I like the least. But the glitter is now safely tucked away.

Thom is always in need of storage as he is a candidate for the new show Mini Hoarders. You can tell just how seriously he takes these little projects. I've worked out there is nearly always at least one step he can manage on his own really well so when it's finished he has a sense of ownership over the object. He painted his grey and chose the comic strip paper. It's now home to street signs and wooden folk. As you can tell it is a very slow crafty start to 2013! RAMONA

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Bourgeois See

This new resolution of seeing the shows we tell you about is working really really well for me. I announced on Sunday morning that I 'had' to go to Heide Museum of Modern Art to see the Louise Bourgeois exhibition. What an art indulgence! Heide has that seductive quality of combining art, architecture and nature that can make me feel better almost instantly.

Of course Bourgeois is one of the most important 20th century artists but of course for me it is always the craft in her work that draws me in. Her family were tapestry makers and restorers so she was brought up with a respect for the needle and constantly refers to handiwork in her art. It is so important that all textile artists, be you professional or domestic go and see this show if you can. The work is strange, deeply personal, sometimes grotesque and often beautiful.

There is also a marvelous adjunct show of Australian artists influenced by Bourgeois in Heide 2 which is well worth a snoop. Of course there is the requisite museum branding on mugs and tea towels and placemats if that floats your boat too. Her work is so deeply rooted in the ideas of home and domesticity I don't think she would mind!
If you'd like to know more about this encredible artist before seeing the show (recommended as it is a great story) this eloquent obituary that appeared in the Guardian is the perfect primer.

Show runs til March 11
If you want to eat breakfast or lunch at Cafe Vue the BOOK! The queue was insane.
Ph 9852 2346

GIFTS OF THE WEEK

elves

I know it's post Christmas but I though I'd share some of the handmade gifts I received this year. For no other reason but to show you I'm not the only Christmas crazy out there! Speaking of which, one of the craziest and most delightful gifts was my knitted taxidermied squirrel mounted for display from my artist friend Miss B. She also made the very mini planter out of polymer clay. The mugs were a very special gift from Miss I to celebrate the launch of my partner's new business.

Beck of course outdid herself with an amazing basket and glow in the dark party beads - perfect for New Year's Eve fireworks viewing. Funnily enough, I didn't make her anything. As is often the case with the people closest to me, I leave them til last and run out of time/energy. Every year I tell myself I'll make the 'inner-circle gifts' first - perhaps I should start now (I'm just kidding).

I made myself a present too - having bought this kit a year ago. I've been laid up with a bad back, the one advantage being I was able to finish a project from start to finish. My stitch skills aren't great, but it did temporarily ease - or at least distract from - the pain.
RAMONA