Feeling Blue?

Are you feeling the pre-winter blues? Then a cute little Betty Jo Designs Budgie brooch might be just the thing to cheer you up!

 These guys are available from Gleaners Inc, my Etsy shop, and will be for sale at Markit @ Fed Square on Sunday.

So be like Fiona from Woody Surf Car and rock the blue bird!

Long Time No Blog

Ok, I have a confession to make. Me + Blogging = Just not feeling it! 

Life (including running a business and family stuff) has conspired to keep me away from the pages of Lino Forest of late and, after almost seven years of blogging regularly (that included writing several and reading dozens) I'm getting jaded. 

I have less time to read other blogs now. And sadly some of the blogs I  used to love have become too formulaic and samey. Others, like mine, are updated less often than they used to be. Actual life getting in the way too I'm guessing. 

I still like to get my social media fix from Facebook. Even with all it's faults and fees and weirdness it's OK.

Since my smart phone died several weeks ago I haven't been using instagram and guess what? I don't miss that either. I have pulled out my DSLR camera and realize how much I love using it. 

I'm not going to pull the pin on Lino Forest just yet. I will be still popping up here every now and then with some news and  some pretty pictures. Hope to see you when I do.

 Some Betty Jo Autumn toned necklaces recently restocked at Paper Pear in Wagga Wagga.

Markit in your Diaries!

It's not long till Markit @ Federation Square. Betty Jo will be having a stall with her work and a selection of gorgeous products from Gleaners Inc. 

 And for an added bonus, if you follow Markit on twitter, you will go into the running to win a Betty Jo budgie brooch. The winner can choose their prize from me on Markit day!

Budgies don't really tweet though, it's more of a chatter!

Pretty in Pink

I couldn't stop myself using some more of this pretty pink lino to make another set of flying ducks.
The "Pretty in Pink" Flying Ducks are living at Gleaners Inc. and are waiting to be adopted from either Etsy, Big Cartel or from the shop if you want to visit us in person.
Last week we spun back to back Divinals in the studio to commemorate the death of the quintessential Aussie rock chic Chrissy Amphlett.  I remember one night I was waiting at the bar in my favorite club when a gorgeous woman strode up and demanded  free drinks. The bar person wouldn't oblige so this woman (yes it was Chrissy Amphlett) got rather antsy. But none of that was important because she was wearing this coat. I have never forgotten it. Well it was the 80's and I had a mad obsession with Micky and Mini.

If a girl owned this coat she could do no wrong in my eyes!

Mothers Day Sale!

Betty Jo Designs is having a Two-For-One Mothers Day Sale in her Etsy shop. Buy one piece of jewellery and choose a second piece absolutely FREE! ( nominate your free item when purchasing xxx)
One for Mum and one for You!!!!

Results!

Here are some recently made goodies....they are the result of getting a pile of vintage lino donated earlier in the week.

 Critters made with snippets of an old Linoleum hall runner.

 Playing around with a new design for a special project! The blue lino in the crinoline skirt would be at least 120 years old!

A new set of Flying Ducks made with the pretty floral lino from last post. These will be winging their way to Murrurundi Gallery thanks to the lovely Michelle from The Royal Sisters.

Three Favorites

I guess it's no surprise that vintage Linoleum, retro buttons and Melissa shoes are three of my favorite things.

 These pretties are waiting to be sorted into jars.

Yesterday I gathered up some wonderful old lino from a house reno in Brunswick. Some pieces dated back to the late 1800's ( thanks to the newspapers underneath). This pretty design would be circa 1940's me thinks. Thanks to Catie for saving it for me.

Some people still confuse lino with vinyl or other flooring material that contains nasty products. Here is some info re the materials in Linoleum from Wikipedia :"Linoleum is made from renewable materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), pine rosin, ground cork dust, wood flour, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a burlap or canvas backing." All pretty safe and natural.

This piece is destined to be made into a set of flying ducks...stay tuned.

p.s. If you would like to order a set of ducks you can do so here xxxxx

Sew and Sew.

Who Loves their Sewing Machine? If you answered yes, this Betty Jo Designs brooch is for you.

A cute mini machine for your lapel, with a wee bit of doily ready to sew!

I thought it was time to relist the "Sew Far Sew Good" Sewing machine brooches in my etsy shop. 

There is free shipping to Australia on ALL Betty Jo Designs etsy goodies for a limited time. Just add the code SEWANDSEW at the checkout!

Finders Keepers Fun!

Snapshots from our busy two days at Finders Keepers.
1. Preparing to leave Gleaners Inc. with our leaning tower of suitcases 2, Our stall. (sharing with Janine and Tom from Middlemost, 3. Colourful goodies. 4. Our cutest customer with her Betty Jo budgie! Check out the gumnut garland and the May Gibbs dress!

Find us at Finders Keepers!

The Autumn/Winter Finders Keepers Market is on this coming Friday evening and Saturday at the Royal Exhibition Buildings. Betty Jo Designs and Middlemost Clothing will be sharing a lovely stall chocka block with gorgeous things, including special treats from Gleaners Inc.!

There will be Betty Jo budgies and bunnies......

Some cute little earrings.

Along with stacks of gorgeous wareables, homewares and gifts! 

Just look out for our cool Curlypops Bunting!

See you there xxxxx

The Magic Tome!

If someone wrote a non- preachy, relevant book about:

• How to manage motherhood and run a full time business.
• How to nurture emotional teenage girls and rein in energetic tween boys.
• How to juggle finances in a somewhat erratic retail climate.
• How to get savvy with accounting and bookkeeping.
• How to keep your creative mojo on the boil and keep a wholesale business bubbling. 
• How to keep the right side of your brain doing it’s artistic best.
• How to micro manage my second job as a taxi driver who has been known to do 5am pickups.
• How to find the “buzz” at meal time to create Vegan delicacies.
• How to get motivated to complete those often neglected tasks (of the housework persuasion)
• How to stay positive when everything around you points to impending doom. ( Global warming, Tony Abbott, Footy season returning)
• How to find enough hours in the day to actually read this Magic tome……count me in, I’ll buy it! 
In the meantime I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing and trust the universe.

Kookaburra Friends

Lino Kookaburra brooches. Made Yesterday!

Fimo Kookaburra Earrings...made before Fimo was all hip and cool and EVERYWHERE!
Available from Gleaners Inc.
I decided to leave the quite controversial childhood song alone in this post as we all know the last line is VERY dated. ( Google Kookaburra Song if you don't know what I'm talking about).
These feathered friends are just good old Aussie mates, right !

Take Heart

 Today I was cutting out hearts for some "Heart Strings" necklaces and planning something new for the future!
If you like craft, creating beautiful work and hearts....stay tuned!

These necklaces and more goodies will be heading off to Blackbird Corner tomorrow.
I know I get pleasure from the simplest of things, but happiness for me today was finding I had exactly the right amount of jump rings to finish these. 
Unfortunately ( or fortunately as some would say) I don't have Spotlight across the road anymore to make a quick dash to for supplies. Although it was a VERY annoying place to shop most of the time, I do miss Brunswick Spotty ( and the leprechaun lady assistant! ) 

Scotties!

Scotties are one of my most popular designs. I love all dogs, but you can't go past the Scottie dog's stocky little body and their cheeky personalities.
The Scottie seems to feature strongly in my swap card collection too. 
And if you look closely at my blog header you may spy a few more!!!!

Fresh off the bench!

 A Petite Cuckoo Clock made with the lino from Dot's old newsagent! Available from Gleaners Inc.

I raided my doily stash to make this Sugar Skull Clock ( which can be bought via my online shop or from Gleaners Inc.)

My latest Snail brooch (right). I realized snails eyes are on stalks, not on their faces. They aren't called eye stalks for nothing! Hands up if the words "eye stalks" make you feel a bit ikky!
This guy is heading off with more Betty Jo goodies to the Tamworth Regional Gallery Shop.

Are You P-Interested?

I'm  having a bit of a flash back right now. I hopped on Pinterest for the first time in yonks yesterday and found the Bird O' Paradise I'd made several years ago was pinned like crazy as inspiration by Quilting folk. Does this look like a quilt to you? I guess it might if you had never heard of lino being used in artwork before. Same thing with the parrot below. 

Maybe I've missed my calling and I should be designing quilts?????

I also saw some direct pins from this blog of my designs on to quite a few boards with titles such as "DIY" or "Ideas....things I might try to do". 

I had a bit of a rant over on my Facebook page about it, but quite frankly, although it irks me that people don't give a hoot about their intentions to copy ( even if it never actually happens), I'm not that fazed as my work is quite hard to replicate.You'd be surprised how many people look at my work in the flesh and still can't tell what it's made of! 

So what are your experiences of Pinterest? Does it give you the irrits or are you totally into it? Do you link every image to it's source and credit the artists whose work you love who are trying to make a living from their designs? And maybe even send some business their way!!!

Pineapples are Sweet!

This weather eh! It's flippin uncomfortable and well and truly worn out it's welcome.

As I mentioned on Facebook the other day, if anyone denies Global Warming exists to my face I might be tempted to sock em' good!!!

One of the nice things about a summery climate is the yummy fruit, and now that I've scored myself a turbo juicer it's thirst quenching, healthy drinks all round. My sweetest fruits for juicin' are mangoes, strawberries and pineapples. Predictable I know, but they are so cheap and delicious this time of year.

Pineapples seem to be (or were) the funky friend of the stylist and have been poppin' up here and there in designery land. People have even invented tags such as #pineapplesarethenewblack and #pineapplesarethenewmoustach.  

We love all things pineapple and stock these stylish pineapple tea cosies and string dispensers at Gleaners Inc. by Eril from Ruby Jayne.

I have also made a few pineapple brooches. The top guy was sold the other day to a cute hipster boy who was buying it for his girlfriend. Damn I witness the sweetest things in this biz!!

I'm very much into copper enameling and am loving this Queensland souvenir dish to bits!

 This pineapple boy moneybox may have been somewhat of an inspiration for the brooches...also available at Gleaners Inc.

So here's to the coolest of fruits!

Hooray it's March!

Hooray it's March!!! My favorite month of the year. March means crisp Autumn mornings, sunny days, lovely tones of orange, yellow and brown, and oh yes....my Birthday!
The group show "A Piece of Cloth" at my retail space/gallery Gleaners Inc. is happening NOW.
I'ts all Autumny and bursting with 70's retro colours. The work is stunning and personally, I've loved working in this colour palette.

Maybe because I am surrounded by it every day!!!

If you can make it into Gleaners Inc. during March you won't be sorry xxx Liz

A Piece of Cloth

 Busy pulling together my piece for our up and coming show at Gleaners Inc. 
We have invited 30 local and interstate designers and craftspeople to be a part of  this exhibition entitled "A Piece of Cloth" at our retail space/gallery in Brunswick. 
The show will be a part of the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program and run throughout March 2013.
A swatch of cloth was distributed to each designer participating and as part of the brief, they must respond to this fabric, ie; the pattern, the texture or the colour palette, by creating a finished piece incorporating or referencing their cloth swatch.
Finished work in the exhibition will include fashion and clothing, textiles, jewellery and accessories, works on paper and sculptural pieces.

One “Piece of Cloth” + 30 designers = 30 unique works linked by a common thread. 

 My work is titled "Bloom" and is made of, you guessed it, retro lino and preloved buttons!

Everyone is invited to the opening party. If you can't make it it runs throughout March!

Frida

 Last week I was twiddling my thumbs in the studio, thinking what can I make in the last hour before home time. I happened to glance at a Frida card by A little Vintage and this Frida brooch was born! Thanks for the inspiration Jennie.

Here are the  set of pretty pink Lino ducks coming home to roost in the mighty fine, magazine famous abode of Coco Lisa Sheils. The match with the bed head is a perfect fluke!