KittyBaroque

Normal Service Will Resume...

Normal service will resume tomorrow, just waaayyyy too much at work & trying to stick to my NaBloPoMo . Late nights working...and for what.....Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Maybe for this beautiful Comme zipper pochette so I can be a Gal with Pink hair?

Do It Like A Dude

JessieJ.....

Paris....

I can't possibly tear this Michelin guide up & use it for collage fodder so a colour copier beckons..BEAUTIFUL!

Zine Crazy!

To make up for my lack of $$ at the Zine fair I went for a visit to Sticky on the weekend and was lucky enough to find a few items I had found at The Festival of the Photocopier. Michelle Beer - Bearded Men for my Husband who finally got rid of his...BEAUTIFUL!

Michelle Beer again, I LOVE the various takes on 'Hair' (including armpit....):

Some beautiful drawings by Kelly Zarb in 'Minature Worlds' about Terarriums:

All of the above are available at Sticky, but, the below is not - a 2009 catalogue for a Ghostpatrol exhibition and, due to an impromptu conversation, a sweet signature (drawing) inside, just LOVE <3 it and feel like the luckiest Gal in the world. 

 

Gosh, only Monday and I'm exhausted already........

Blessings, KittyB XXXX

 

South Melbourne Saturday

What else to South Melbourne Market, other than, Dim Sim & - surprisingly - some graffiti......

Cafe Dre....

......is HEAVEN!

Could Shop TIll I DROP! IF I had scratch...

Now, IF I had a MASSIVE batch of cashola would have shopped till I dropped earlier today - left work for a speedy wander around the city and ended up meandering for a good couple of hours, mmmmmmm....... MagNation first on the horizon and - GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH - LIMITED EDITION LEGO MOLESKINES OiO, did you hear that???!! LEEEEGGGOOOOOOOO and you can buy them here online at NATION STATE. Long as you leave some left for me when payday comes around I'll be happy, Just LOOK at them:

 

 But I DO have reason to buy this next piece of fabulousity, in need of new lingerie, curtsy, hoot and hollerin' for the TOTALLY AWESOME, Ms Dita Von Teese and her limited eidition Tarjaaayyyyy range (I'm REALLY hoping to go to the show next week as part of LMFF...fingers crossed...). This Gal is AMAZING - LOVE Von Follies:

 

and I'm STILL looking for a cover for my IPhone to go inside my new Comme des Garcon zip pouch, can't seem to find ANYTHING chic AND protective - I'm only working with one speaker as it is due to a ding/dent. I know FIRST world problems but, don't worry, it's all window shopping...<siiiiiiiigggghhhhhhhssss>..............Oh WHEN can I SHOP????!!!! 

Stadiums.....

.....are SOOOOOO beautiful when there are no people in them :-D Happy first day of March everyone*

 

Welcome to the Festival of the Photocopier!

On Saturday 12th - THREE days before payday - I made a last minute trip to The Festival of the Photocopier by those FABULOUS Sticky people. Now, the '3 days before payday' is important, as heading into an environment surrounded by amazing creativity and a gazillion BYONDLY cool zines and not being even able to take away one of them slightly filled me with misery, but, bolstered by the fact that I didn't want to miss out on the visual inspiration - & armed with my Metcard - I headed to Melbourne Town Hall (been here 15 years and never been inside it ever, except to use the toilet on the outside...I digress.....).

Heading up the Red staircase with an old fashioned doorman I had no idea what I was walking into. The Zine fair last year was held in the subway of Degraves street and while it had a great vibe there you couldn't actually move for the crowds and the zine wonderfulness was not so visible, no browsing space. Creativity needs space to breathe and after having walked the aisles of the great hall with the room to step back and survey all the goodies I think this was a good move (but maybe Fed Square in the Atrium could also work...though hankering for a slightly edgier and smaller space for next year...). 

Here's the scene you walked into:

 The first table I walked up to was that of Michelle Bee (googled, but couldn't find an online link for her so if someone could hook me up it would be AWESOME). I didn't meet Michelle but was happy just looking at her wonderfully fun and inspiring work. I *really* love the brooches, which, lets face it, has been just TOO much of a trend recently, but, these are different, have a personality and not just a lifted Deer or Bird out of an illustration book like some - I'm a little over this commercialisation of craft and fake, can you tell?). LOVE Frida, the Kitties and the random quirky chicks and well, Pink & Green - SUBLIME!

 As soon as I get some pennies in the bank one of each of the above - especially the painted kitties & Frida - MUST be bought. 

What struck me most about The Festival of the Photocopier was the diversity of approaches to a zine and, most importantly, the PASSION everyone had and the sense of 'It's OK to be ME-ness' with which I struggle. Maybe a zine is the way for me to go to find that. 

I really loved BOTH these Gals - Mifumi Obata from Tokyo Studio link to her site HERE and Lizzy Sampson (kind of a kindred spirit with the Art/Collage/Bookbinding vibe, very polished). Both shared a table and have also collaborated on work together so somewhere on Lizzy Sampsons site there is a collaboration with Tokyo Studio.  just LOVE and going to check out Sticky for. 

Here are some examples of Tokyo Studio's work:

 And here is some of Lizzy Sampson's:

I only have a first name - Simon - for this zinester & an email address (so thankfully I can purchase these wonderful teacups but maybe keep googling Mechanickinetica and see if something comes up in OZ resembling the below and in the meantime I'll email and see if he has a link to anything online so you can shop (or contact Sticky above and ask....):

I almost forgot to tell you about the roaming Ukelele players - I think it is these guys, The Ukelele Collective but, if not, can someone correct me (I'll check also with Sticky...). They play some seriously unexpected stuff: 

 And of course, speeches by a representative of Melbourne City Council, GREAT supporters of Sticky Institute and in whom I hope they will continue to fund/invest in because WE LOVE STICKY and it's our ray of sunshine and self expression in the middle of this increasingly homogenised Rhianna world! To BUY all the wonderful zine goodies at Sticky Institute - CLICK HERE

Thx to this fair I got to speak to some fasinating and inspiring people including : Foraged & Found, Treasures by Memtree who went above and beyond by gifting me :Good World zine, JAM PACKED FULL of positivity and good deeds/vibes - BUY your own on Etsy HERE but hurry, they might run out. <note to foraged & found, please send me some photos of your table at Sticky as I'd love to put up here>. I REALLY love that this zine is full of optimism and joy, ranting zines, just aren't me right now, though I 'get' they are important. Ranting though without solutions is of no use to anyone - solutions are pockets of joy like Sticky & this zine.

And FF's pal sharing a table was Kelly Zarb. I don't have any photos of Kelly's table as to be honest I was too busy talking creativity with both Kelly and Foraged & Found but you can find her work HERE on Etsy and on her blog HERE and I've been thinking since the 12th how come I know this bunny image so well and I just made the connection, I have a Kelly Zarb original bought from Mirabel Softies exhibition some time ago from Meet Me at Mikes - that IS spooky....

 

It's 35 degrees here people and I am SWEATING buckets so having taken almost 3 hours total to load this post (flipping photo loading driving me NUTSO) but, in summary, REALLY had a BLAST at The Sticky Zine Fair and want to say that you MUST visit when you are in Melbourne and after a Degraves St latte or even get more proactive and make your own zine/badges or loan their typewriters. Zine peeps - and sticky peeps - are the BEST kind. 

Thank you to all the wonderful people above and those not featured who inspired me to be more creative, took the time to chat and share their work with me. Creating can be very scary - Exhibit A here - and spending time around other creative people is KEY to ensuring you feel NORMAL and remembering it is OK to make stuff. Thank you courageous ones XX

Some more random Zine fair wonderfulness here, first up, Michelle B goodness.....

And some bits & pieces I found around & abouts:

 

 

MUST save some pennies to shop at Sticky next weekend.

KittyB XX

Friday Not Quite 99 Balloons and Not Red

I really wanted to blog today about going to the Sticky Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair at Melbourne Town hall but I'm quite trashed - honestly, falling asleep at the screen - and I really want to give the Zine Fair LOTS of time & photos so will make sure I tell of all the wonderful people I met there tomorrow.

Instead, I'm sharing a mini 'alien' invasion that took place outside my window on Friday morning - hot air balloons. I do see them most mornings but that day they were a little too close for comfort to the rooftops and one landed on one - no wind. I wish my camera was a little better but some of their journey below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sweet Spot....

Found via JustB....