A week in the snow

We have just spent a great week at Thredbo. First time for my kids. They loved it and picked it up so quickly.

There was fresh snow and great company. We really did have a great time. I refined some skills but found it hard to break some old habits. A few more go's and I will get it.

the munchkins

a little inspiration

I found this when reading one of my regular blogs. www.womeninbusiness.com.au and it just made my day. I live by this mantra. We all go through tough times and if we map out the life we want to lead we will do it. It takes time and focus and a plan but I truly believe that we can do and be what we want. It is working out what this is that is the tricky bit because we find it easier to do the norm...work, home, run after kids etc etc etc.

Swing tags for loopylu have arrived

Two days in a row a little parcel was waiting for me on my desk at work. Everything has arrived.
What do you think...?

Also bought some amazing fabric today at The Fabric Store. They have a VIP sale on 40% off everything. Perfect for my business as it keeps the costs down and hopefully the profit margins up. The girls who wrk there are very helpful and cheerful.

what I bought today

Loopylu labels

Yippee!!!! I just received samples of my labels. 

The bird will be stitched into the side seam of each garment and the main label will go... guess... where labels go. I still need to make the sizing pips but I have only just decided on what I am going to do for that the other day. I wasn't sure if I was going to group sizes or keep them per size. I have decided to keep each size separate because as a mother I find the grouping thing too tricky to get right.

I am still awaiting samples of the swing tag to sign off on. 

swing tag concepts

I still have a long list of things to be done but I am starting to tick some boxes and work down my list. This week hopefully I can start reviewing my website...the developers have promised something will be up for me to look at.

Dreaming of a life in the country

After our recent Mudgee trip I am dreaming of what a life in the country would be like.

I have a very romantic view. What I would like is it to have a semi country property in the Blue Mountains like Blackheath or Mt Victoria or even Leura if the budget would allow. So we can live by the sea in our daily lives and then retreat to the cold country on weekends....perfect!!

These are all for sale and are within my budget. I am feeling impulsive.
Need to convince the bank manager (my hubby)

Country escape to the vineyards

We just spent the most amazing 4 nights in Mudgee. We stayed in a little cottage on Thistle Hill Winery. It was perfect. Thistle Hill winery is an organic winery and the reds are amazing and won't leave you with a headache as they don't contain preservatives.
The cottage was small but all that we needed as the kids had loads of space to run and be free and not be restricted. I even managed to read a book while they were outside playing eating cheese and drinking local wine.

We ate amazing food, discovered great wineries and found great coffee. It really was perfect. The weather was amazing, it was cool but clear blue skies and no wind made for easy days to get out and about.

We visited Dubbo zoo on the Saturday. This is a zoo like no other. They have tried to model it on a Africa type safari where you drive your car around the park and spot animals just doing there thing as you drive by. There are plenty of places to stop and park the car to get up close and personal with the animals. Hightlights for me were the zebra's and the bison. We got really close to these two animals with only a small ridge separating us. Very cool. The kids seems to have a great time as well. I cant say Jack is much of an animal lover...actually Stu and I were more blown away more than they were, they seemed to just take everything in their stride.

We visited loads of great wineries. Highlights were Logan wines, Di Lusso and Frog Rock. I have linked each one so you can take a squizz.

I find getting away allows us to think... reflect and connect. I thought a lot about Loopylu and what I need to do next, Stu thought about innovative ways to move forward with his career and the kids were able to just be and enjoy each others company with out the social pressures of life at home. Stu and I decided this is something we need to do more often. Country trip away from the hustle and bustle. Next trip is the snow fields in two weeks. 

Indian Block Printing

I just love this ancient form of fabric printing. I am planning on most of my girls clothing line to be made from cotton voile using this type of dying. I love the way the dye sits on the fabric, they become one with the fabric.

Indian block printing on cotton voile as a bedspread

An artist in action. Such precision

A Potted History of Wooden Block Printing
Printing Block Printing began in the middle of the third millennium B.C. in the North West corner of India, now called Rajasthan and Gujarat. Locally grown hardwood, such as teak was harvested and carved by skilled artisans, soaked in olive oil and then dried in the Indian sun. The process is still going on unchanged some four and a half thousand years later.While the process might have remained unchanged in India, across the rest globe block printing has led a varied and distinguished life. The Industrial Revolution in England saw block printing brought into Britain's factories block printed cloth was mass produced on an enormous scale for distribution throughout the world. This proliferation landed block printing so firmly in the public eye that, by the mid Victorian era, fashionable artists began to adopt the technique. William Morris is probably foremost amongst these: indeed his patterns are still popular today and can be best enjoyed at the William Morris museum. This elevation of block printing to high art gave rise to its use in high fashion around the beginning of the twentieth century. Costume designers like Leon Bakst used the technique to create some of the most startling productions that the Ballet Russe has ever seen. In the middle of the last century block printing became ubiquitous and lost some of its cachet. Certainly in the 70's there was a sharp decline in its popularity. It will take a revolution like the one started by The Indian Block Company to bring block printing back to where is rightfully belongs.

The Indian Block Company sustainable employment for highly skilled craftsmen living in a historically and cultural  areas in the world. The Indian Block Company sells selections of these incredible printing blocks, either chosen by the skilled employees of the company or designed by Jamie Malden. Alternatively, if you have a specific design in mind our carpenters will carve it just for you as a 'one off' creation. If you are an experienced printer or, want to try it for the first time, The Indian Block Company's Printing Blocks are the prefect resource for fabric design, textile art and mixed media projects.

This is from here.... http://www.theindianblockcompany.com

Colour swatches

In addition to designing my own children's wear line I want to be able to make my clothes out of fabric that I have designed my self. I am in talks with some block printers in India (which will mean a trip to India in the near future YAY!!!). I love these swatches. Bright, colourful and I believe complimentary. As a graphic designer I have always loved colour theory work and choosing colour pallets that compliment each other.
What do you think?
Suggestions?

Also when you get a second or two or even three please take a look at my other company. Fresco Creative as been going for 13 years and we love designing. Fresco also has an amazing design blog so check that out as well if you can.

www.frescocreative.com.au

Patterns, patterns, patterns.

Tomorrow I am packaging my designs and posting to a freelance pattern maker. She is going to do the digital grading and make the original patterns which will then be used for the production of my line. Once this is done I can take the patterns to a sample maker to get my first round of samples made. My sample size will be a size 4-5 as this will work in nicely for my daughter Olivia to fit them. I am planning on using her to fit, amend, tug and pull. I am sure a few bribes will be necessary once she gets over the initial excitement.

Making the samples is so important and crucial to the final garment being perfect. This is what my overseas makers will be using as their only guide. Perfection is the key and being a graphic designer I am a little anal when it comes to getting it right. Second best doesn't cut it for me when it comes to design. Cooking, writing, exercising maybe.

This is what patterns used to look like...

and this is the digital version of a pattern.

This is what I will do as it will be a lot easier to get things off shore to be made.

Now this is all very new to me but I have spoken to a lot of people and read a lot so it goes to show that if you want to do something anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Any tips???