Jul 16, 2009

Brisbane Creative Drinks

Next Tuesday I am very excited to be exhibiting a range of LITTLE JANE ST products at Brisbane Creative Drinks! Check out the website for more details on ticket prices and times. Would love to see you there:)

images via: creative drinks website and flickr

thursday morning crafting...

This morning... more magnets! These are the fabric magnet packs I have been working on. Lots of printing, cutting and gluing. What do you think?

Jul 15, 2009

twitter?

So.... today I took the plunge! All the cool kids are doing it and although I am not so cool I decided to go ahead and sign myself up to a twitter account (yes I am a little behind the times I know). I have not yet prettied it up, and have very tentatively started looking around. Please come follow me and help teach me the ropes:)

a day at the market!

Happy Wednesday! I Can't believe we are already mid-week! Here are some photos from our little stall at the Boutique Markets over the weekend... What a day! Great location, lovely crowds, good food and coffee, fantastic stalls, wonderfully kind and helpful organisers, and lots of sunshine!A shot of the blue balloon bearing crowd...
card anyone?


Ceramic garden labels and hand printed ribbon (both new additions) on display.
my blue typewriter... that I realised still worked with a little encouragement. A few people decided to leave me some little notes which were a lovely read:)

The markets are on again next month, August 12th! please come by and say hello and see what a wonderful job Rachael, Kerry and Leasl have done. Hope to see you there:)

Jul 10, 2009

a little piece...


A little piece of what I have been working on.... I mentioned previously that I have been keeping busy, busy behind the scenes with some very sweet custom design jobs. Above are some shots I snapped today of a completed wedding stationery set for some very lovely clients.

I hope you like it - will show you lots more soon:)

Also, I have been VERY busily preparing for the Boutique Markets at Portside this week, I am a bit of a late entry but hope to have a nice petite selection of Little Jane St products on offer Sunday... Please pop in and say hi:)

Jul 9, 2009

best mail day ever....


.....because today these arrived.

Jul 8, 2009

making...

Soon to be available a range of ceramic, material, wooden and plain paper magnets. Above a small number of the ceramic designs, utilising designs that never quite made it into greeting cards.

Jul 6, 2009

strawberry fields....

My weekend... A designer market, coffee with friends, cocktails at lunch, an early morning Sunday adventure, being with 4 lovely old friends, a coastal sunrise, breakfast by the beach, strawberry picking, an amusement park, lots of yummy treats and 5 very tired adventurers! See more here and here.

Happy Monday!

Jul 2, 2009

this morning....



The morning has been filled with cutting, sewing and tying together more pretty little paper treats... now available at the wonderful Enchanted Closet in Victoria. These garlands are en route as we speak and should arrive safe and sound at Kate and Mia's beautiful store shortly. A special order is also being made for a spring wedding coming up in August, the very sweet bride to be has invited me along to her sweet ceremony and I just can't wait to see the garlands strutting their stuff:)

Every time I make more heart garlands I just can't help but take photos - they always look so pretty!
I got a little surprise today when I opened the hole punch to an outpouring of tiny little paper offcuts - I am thinking confetti packs?? What a great way to ensure no wastage... What do you think?

Jun 30, 2009

afternoon pretties...



I have recently had the greatest pleasure getting to know the very lovely Nicola Spies, creative mind behind Ruby and Joy, who shares my love affair with the hand written note:) I just had to share some sweet images of her work with you all... Much to my dismay Nicola is based in NSW but that can't stop me checking out all things beautiful on both her website and wonderful blog. I just love each and every one of her wonderful floral stylings... oh to be so talented!

images via ruby and joy website.

Jun 29, 2009

a new week...

Happy Monday!! A new week has begun... I hope you had a lovely break! For us, a birthday was in need of celebration and we headed to Somerset Dam bright and early Saturday morning to meet for an awesome breakfast at the recently filled dam. Good food, company, scenery and lots of wildlife! The perfect place for a picnic if you are in need of escaping the hustle of the city:)

Jun 24, 2009

just because it is pretty...

It's been a slow news day today... I have been glued to my computer, busily putting the finishing touches to some design jobs I have been working on, which is why things have been a little quite on the home front lately! I can't wait to get back to making, packing, cutting, gluing and stitching up some more of my products tomorrow:) Just itching to make a big mess really:)

And I can't wait to show you some of the behind the scenes jobs I have been working on very soon!

Above a little treat I found on my travels, a sweet little yellow heart stuck to the sidewalk... so cheery!

Jun 23, 2009

followed by.....


A sweet afternoon tea at Pearl Cafe next door - LOVE this place, can't get enough.. Actually it was my breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea:) Where has today gone?

out visiting....

This afternoon I visited the lovely Danielle at Nesting Bird Interiors to drop off a box of stationery goodness.... including our new paper heart garlands!! String up a pretty little paper treat on your window, above your bed, tie up a special gift or whatever else you see fit. These dainty little paper sweets offer a whimsical touch to any occasion!

Danielle's store is wonderful and I am sure most have heard the buzz on the street and visited, however if you haven't-hop to it, you won't be disappointed!

Jun 22, 2009

new treasure...



It has been a while since I have shown off any vintage finds... Above a lamp base found a while back at the Paddington Antique Barn. I love it so much! Everything is in fine working order, I just need to make a nice new lampshade for him to wear to revamp his style.

I set about my project yesterday afternoon, choosing some fabric and laying out the pattern. I got some handy hints from one of the many
vintage crafting books I have stocked on my shelves and I must say I am glad to see they are being put to good use! Can't wait to get stuck into it, I think I am having a shift in mood about the fabric, so hard to pick just one piece... will let you know know how I go:)

Happy Monday...

Such dreary, cold, wet weather here in Brisbane today! Slippers, scarf, beanie and a take away cappuccino are a must! Above, a pretty bunch of carnations I snapped over the weekend. These are my Mum's favourite flowers so I love them by default I think, especially the smell... Happy Monday:)

Jun 16, 2009

new stockist...

Yesterday morning, I delivered a packaged of greeting cards to the lovely Simone of House and Doll in Bulimba, our newest stockist! Simone has been preparing an exciting section in her store dedicated to locally made and independent products that I am very happy to be a part of. Above are a couple of snaps I took while in the store - so many beautiful little products that are sure to produce a squeal of delight from even the grown up girls! Be sure to check out the new House and Doll blog also...

afternoon stroll....


Happy Tuesday!
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend:)

A few pics from a Saturday afternoon stroll...

Jun 14, 2009

pretty...


Wild Lavender... bliss:) Meet our little friend Mr. Buzzy, he really wanted in on this shot!

Jun 11, 2009

pit stop...

It has been so cold this week! Winter has certainly welcomed itself, and I must say I do not enjoy! Today for lunch I decided to take my cold footsies out to lunch at New Farm Park and soak up some lovely sun rays. I picked up a toasted lamb wrap and fresh lemon juice from James Street Market and settled myself on the grassy bank, allowing myself to watch the world go by for a brief moment! Then it was back to work.... what a mission!

Stay warm:)

Jun 9, 2009

a day at a book fair....


Yesterday I finally made it to the Book Fair! It was wonderful as always, however I didn't have a lot of time to stay and explore. I focused the time that I had on the children's section and made a lot of fabulous finds. I use vintage books a lot in my work for both reference and textures so instead of showing you a photo of a big pile of books that I bought, I thought I would scan and post some of the bits and bobs in amongst the covers that tickled me pink...


Above 2 little golden books.... who doesn't love these? I bought these books purely for their covers. They are so beautiful, in particular the Large and Growly Bear. I have a bit of a habit of buying old books just because I love the typography and illustrations on the cover. These would look lovely framed and hung in a children's room or nursery don't you think? Perhaps I should frame Growly Bear to hang in my studio??




I love the typography in these old books, here are just a few of the examples I have found...


Some kooky characters....


and a page of biscuit illustrations - yum!

The highlight of the day was finding a copy of 'my first sewing book' which looks to be at about my skill level even though it is aimed at children....I am looking forward to tackling some of the basic sewing projects inside. The best find was uncovering the same book of bedtime stories that I had when I was little, 250 short stories. So sweet:)

Jun 5, 2009

bookfest this weekend....

So exciting... The Lifeline Bookfest is back again, kicking off tomorrow morning! I can't wait to get in and start digging around for some new treasures!!

Have a good weekend:)

Jun 4, 2009

sweet...

We all know I love my stationery.. and so does my friend Johnny, who bought home this sweet gift from a recent trip to India and Nepal! A trio of handcrafted diaries made from different types of handmade, recycled paper!! The little label reads that purchasing this product has helped support the women income generation project of the Sahariya tribe - which I think makes this a pretty awesome and thoughtful gift really!

Thanks Johnny:)

getting my stamp on...





Yesterday I finished stamping the remainder of the ribbon packages - woot! Stay tuned next Tuesday when we open the doors to the new online shop... I little bit late but I can't wait to show you!

** hmm did I say Tuesday, silly, I meant Thursday:)

Jun 3, 2009

just in time...

Just in time to beautify my newly planted garden... are these garden labels back from the kiln! I just wanted to give you a quick show and tell. Still in need of some lovely packaging and waiting on some freshly printed recipe cards, this product will be available soon. I will let you know when they are in the shop:)

a spot of gardening....




Happy Wednesday!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Over the weekend I took some time to partake in a spot of gardening, we had such beautiful weather and it was great to get out into the sunshine for a bit... A trip to Bunnings saw me come home with bundles of new herbs, some rocket and snow peas (which are a favourite around here!) I also bought a 'tea pack' of herbs which I was curious to try... the pack contains pineapple sage, peppermint, lemon balm and chamomile - YUM! Very interested to see how this will go... has anyone else grown these before, if so feel free to hand me out some tricks and tips:)

May 30, 2009

to market, to market....


This morning we awoke bright and early, eager to head to the farmers market to gather some fresh fruit and veg! We ended up trying a smaller market at Woolloongabba. It was really nice... not as many crowds, the food was great quality and still quite diverse. There are also some great little cafes in the area, which we took advantage of after our shopping was complete, sitting down to sip on a lovely hot cappuccino in the cool morning air - perfect!


My favourite market stall was this bakery stand - SO many tasty delights, I had much trouble choosing just one!

Today was also my first official photo adventure with my new camera!! What better place to test things out than at a vibrant food market, so many colours, so much activity!

Yum - coffee at brown dog cafe... a hard days shopping complete! Have a great weekend!


May 28, 2009

LJS at New Farm Editions...

Today I dropped off a bundle of greeting card goodness to our newest stockist New Farm Editions! A delightful store filled with all sorts... books, cards, stationery, home wares and gifts just to name a few! Take a look if you haven't already, a great little deli/cafe right next door perfect for a Sunday morning outing.

image: merthyr village website.

May 25, 2009

LITTLE JANE ST in Qweekend...

Happy Monday!

Over the weekend it was very exciting to read a little article about LITTLE JANE ST in the Saturday Courier Mail's Qweekend!! A big thank you to everyone who has emailed, called and messaged such lovely well wishes. You made my day:)

May 20, 2009

eye spy....

Speaking of cameras.... whilst in Photo Continental yesterday, my little eye spied these fantastic rainbow holga cameras! I have a crush on the purple one:)

a little treat....

Yesterday I spoiled myself and bought a new digital SLR camera. My old camera was very much on his last leg. It is so rainy and overcast today and all I want to do is take lots of pictures! Rain, rain please go away....

it's a wrap...

I stumbled across these beautiful vintage wraps last weekend at a second hand book stall... 7 sheets for $1. These designs were my favourite, particularly the wedding wrap! They remind me of old wedding photos. They have such lovely patterns and colours in them. Can't wait to have a special occasion to put them to good use!

May 19, 2009

7 things....


The lovely Thea of Thea and Sami has tagged me with the kreativ blogger to share 7 things and 7 blogs that I love. I did a little collage above of just some of the things I love including....

1. Crafting and making

2. Tea
3. Collecting (anything and everything)
4. Books... especially vintage crafting techniques
5. Gardening
6. Restorations and weekend projects
7. Textures of any kind.

There are just so many awesomely creative, beautiful blogs out there I just couldn't choose only 7, if you want to play along be sure to list your 7 loves via your blog also:)

thanking you....

A big thank you to some lovely creative ladies out there who have recently mentioned Little Jane St. on their beautiful blogs!

Whitney from Darling Dexter...
Meet me at Mikes prettiest blog list.....
and Julie and Kathryn of Perfectbound.

Thank you so much:) Each and every one of these blogs are such an inspiration!

fresh air....

Happy Tuesday! How is your week going?
There has been not a lot to report on lately due to the fact that our home has been getting a bit of a spruce up, with a new coat of paint. I didn't expect to get quite as disrupted as we did, but alas these things happen. It looks wonderful and fresh now, albeit a little smelly. We have to wait a few weeks for the paint to completely dry before I can pop frames and such up on the wall but I will be sure to show a few shots here when things are completely done.

To avoid the headache inducing fumes, we headed on a little road trip to visit my mum for her birthday over the weekend... a nice change. Lots of fresh air, and above a shot of one of my Dad's vege patches. Sweet peas!

May 11, 2009

new stockist....

I am so excited to be sending off some cards to my newest stockist in Perth, WA called Lala Orange!

"Lala Orange is owned by us! We are 3 vintage-loving ladies (kitty, Mrs C and me!) who live in Perth, Australia! We spend our days searching the globe for the best vintage and gift ware that's on offer and then fill our little shop with items we love, love, love!"


The girls certainly find some fabulous things! Both their website and blog are filled with lots of pretty pictures and interesting tidbits. Be sure to swing on over and check things out when you get a spare minute....

May 8, 2009

happy mother's day...

Friday has arrived! I hope you all have a great weekend... and a great mother's day to any mum's out there:)

Above is my favourite shot of mum and I, back when I was a wee lass. I think she is the most awesome mother that ever there was (but perhaps I am a little biased).

Happy Mother's Day Mum!

May 7, 2009

in the studio this week....


It really doesn't seem like I have had a lot to show recently... It has been super busy and I have been getting through a lot of boring work that is not all that interesting to post about to be honest. Above are a batch of work-in-progress garden labels - almost ready for the kiln!! Yay! Also, our home is getting painted over the next week so there is quite a lot going on. Lots of organising and planning in store!

On the plus side, I have had quite an exciting time this week being interviewed and photographed for the Courier Mail's Q Weekend publication, who are writing a little article on me:) It has been such an interesting process. I haven't done anything like it before... so lots of fun being had!! I will give you a look when the issue is out...

Happy Thurdsday!

May 6, 2009

lusting after...



...these fantastic Donna Wilson products! Oh how I would love to get me some!! In particular this and this.

May 5, 2009

thank you...

Today I was asked what gave me the confidence to start my business. I answered it was the support of my family and friends. I have since been thinking about this all day... and never a truer word has been spoken.

There is a lot of negativity around and it can be quite hard to overcome at times. Staying positive and optimistic is sometimes the hardest job of all. Over the last few months I have learned I have a lot to be thankful for and a good support system is hard to come by.

So this is for.....

my partner, who keeps things in perspective, and is always by my side...
my parents, who offer their unwavering support and guidance....
my friends who have always been around to lend a hand and listen....

...but in particular this is for one special friend who's kind words have opened up a world of opportunity to me. Her strong belief and support in what I set out to do from the beginning has been a constant strength. Thank you.

campfire cooking...


Hope you all had a great weekend, and an even better long weekend for all you in QLD! Our camping trip was cut a little short due to some unexpected work commitments but we still managed to get out and about away from the computer which was great, even if only for a short time.

I just love camp cooking... it is one of the funnest parts of pitching a tent out in the wilderness. Probably because all day is spent thinking about cooking and eating as opposed to whipping up a 'quick bite' as I so often find myself doing on weekday nights. Everything tastes good cooked on a fire! My favourite meal for the weekend was this delish chickpea curry that our friend Matt served up. It was SO good and was the perfect meal to share in the coolness of the night air by the fire.... YUM!

May 2, 2009

oh joy... the weekend has arrived!

Hope everyone has had a smashing week! I know I sound like a broken record but my week has been one of complete chaos - but a good chaos... There have many items on the trusty to do lists crossed off and not much time left to get on the computer. I am looking forward to sharing everything that I have been working on really soon...

On the sad side I just didn't find the time to attend the Stitches and Craft show in Brissy this week which is just so sad.. However, there are a couple of days remaining for those out there looking for something to do over the weekend.
With lots of local talent from the likes of Thea and Sami, Red Seed Studio, Oldyarns.reclaimed linens and also some great interstate talent such as the Ink and Spindle ladies.

A long weekend is on the cards, and I am just about to head down to Northern NSW for a friends birthday. A weekend filled with camping, campfire cooking, marshmallow roasting, damper, and of course the little added adventure of arising at 3am tomorrow morning to climb to the top of Mt Warning and be the first people in Australia to view the sunrise - Be sure to think of me, I bet it will be chilly!

Apr 28, 2009

did you know...?

.... UQ are having a book fair! Books, music, magazines and sheet music – all for sale, Yay! I had such a wonderful time at the Lifeline Bookfest earlier in the year so I am keen to get over to visit this event also. I wonder what treasures are waiting to be unearthed??

Details are:
UQ CENTRE, UNION ROAD,THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Saturday 25 April (Anzac Day)–Wednesday 29 April 2009
Opening Times: 11am–5pm

Apr 23, 2009

an invitation....

Hi all, I hope everyone is having a lovely week so far... There has been a definite cool change this week and winter seems to be just around the corner. It has been a refreshingly nice change to work in.

Today I thought I would give you a little glimpse at a wedding invitation I have been working on. It is still in concept stage with quite a lot of work left but I thought I would share with you anyway.

I have loved working on this particular design, the bride to be has quite a lovely vision of their beautiful wedding and I have enjoyed putting together something a little left of centre. A spring wedding, the floral pattern above has a beautiful story to match, woven within the design which I will share with you a little down the track:)

I will post photos of the finished stationery soon...


Apr 22, 2009

craft-tastic Sunday...

Over the weekend I got a burning desire to learn how to knit. I was quite surprised at how easily it clicked with me. I remember my Grandma teaching me one school holiday break and it seems to have somehow stuck with me. Mind you I have only mastered one stitch so I could hardly call myself a pro knitter. There is something so nice and calming about it all...

Above are some shots of my first attempts... Soon I will hopefully be on to bigger and better things! Perhaps a tea cosey or a scarf for winter:)

it's a wrap...


Our newest addition printed ribbon is now one step closer to being released. Thanks to some great help in the studio this week we have managed to wrap and package close to 300 metres in total - phew! More on this soon:)

Apr 17, 2009

Dumbo feather, pass it on...


How exciting! The new edition of Dumbo Feather is now out... complete with a Little Jane St ad inside!

I just adore Dumbo Feather, and I was lucky enough to secure this ad through the charitable spirit of editor, Kate Bezar. Kate recently launched her wonderful Leg Up Program offering new up and coming businesses... well a leg up really
. A limited amount of pages are allocated to each edition offering substantially discounted advertising space to help creative individuals! Such a generous idea! I am really loving this months cover artwork - isn't it fantastic!

Thank you Dumbo Feather...

Also a few lovely, generous souls have done some fantastic posts on Little Jane St over the last couple of days... Christine from pretty, pretty paper, who writes such a beautiful blog, one of my daily reads.

A new friend... the lovely Courtney from Green and Pretty, a writer and sunshine enthusiast, always looking to brighten the day.

...and finally the lovely ladies at The Enchanted Closet, who featured Little Jane St in their 'Fabulous Five' section. Can't wait to see what else they have in store in the coming weeks. The Enchanted Closet are also one of our cherished stockists, so be sure to pop in and visit their lovely store.

Hope you all have a great weekend:)

Apr 15, 2009

look what I found....




I completely forgot I had these! My Grandma gave me a big bag full of old greeting cards that she has kept over the many years. It is so interesting. My favourites by far are the really old ones that were given to my Dad and Aunt when they were kids. The graphics are so awesome!
In the pile were also cards and drawings we had given our grandparents over the years, including a typed letter that I had sent, addressed only to Grandma, and with the wrong postcode (amazingly it still seemed to find its way) In the letter I regaled my grandmother with all sorts of stories such as the fact that I had gotten a new typewriter for my birthday (which could type itself - golly!), 'wonderful' news that it looked like rain that afternoon and that I was bitten by some kind of insect... hilarious! The funniest bit - I topped the letter off by by very professionally signing off 'Yours sincerely, Alarna Zinn' I did take my letter writing very seriously.

Apr 14, 2009

studio textures....

I know it has been a little quiet around here lately and I have been a little slack on the blogging front. My time has been filled with lots of preparation and a plan of attack for what is to come with Little Jane St. Fun, scary and exciting. I have been feverishly working to get all my new products completed, packaged and ready to go which is taking a lot longer than anticipated (as it always does).

We have also been working on some beautiful custom design work that I can't wait to share with you all very soon.

In other news Little Jane St now has a little friend who stops by the studio each week to help me catch up with work - a complete saviour! Above are some shots snapped around the place when I got distracted
yesterday by all the pretty colours and textures, it was like a sweat shop! 600 bags have been made up in total this week, and here are some of the remnants and results of all that hard work!

Thank you Carla!

a lazy long weekend baking....



Hi all. I hope you all had a lovely, restful Easter break with lots of yummy chocolate eating! I certainly did and I am feeling quite rounded today I must say:)

We spent most of our time visiting family (we ended up traveling to 5 towns in 2 days - phew!) baking, partaking in a bit of crafting, some catchup work and enjoying the beautiful rainy weather.


I carelessly discarded my camera whilst on my travels and have been completely lost without it ever since - so I also decided to set to the kitchen to make a thank you cake for this lovely lady who saved me, lending me one of her 100 cameras that I am sure she has tucked away!