it's away...

I've just posted the first penny black project along with all the participants details on my other blog...

Penny Black Project

A quick reminder for all those interested... applications for the Penny Black Project are closing October 15 - that's next Thursday! There are still spaces left so if you're wanting to join in on the fun email your avatar, url and bio to littlezine@hotmail.com asap!

Call Out!

Do you want to be more creative but find you’re short on time? Start small by joining the PENNY BLACK PROJECT. Six projects, six weeks apart. Create a postage stamp for art.

For each project you will be sent;
· Denomination (what that stamp will be worth)
· Feature colour
· Stamp size/proportions (so you can work bigger and shrink down)

Submissions can be made via hard or soft copy and will be published at PENNYBLACKPROJECT.BLOGSPOT.COM and be compiled into a zine at project end.

Interested? Send to LITTLEZINE@HOTMAIL.COM;
· Photo/avatar (for blog)
· Contact email
· URL (to plug)
· 25 word (or less) bio

Applications close OCTOBER 15

Spaces limited!

Box

A couple of people have asked to see more pictures of the box Matty made and gave me in Hobart.


The main timber is Tasmanian Blackwood.


The drawer is made out of Huon Pine. The drawer is such a snug fit that when you let the drawer go when the box is upright it slowly slides down on a cushion of air.








Thank you Matty.

Sewing Bee

Ekka Show Day holiday meant a day off work which gave me a chance to hit the sewing machine.

Pinned and cut pattern pieces from a bag full of kimono remnants Matty bought me in Hobart.

One completed pocket piece.

Pocket and pen holder attached to main center piece.

Base piece and top casing piece attached to main centre piece.

Sides and base sewn together.

One pouch.

Complete with red and white string and silver bead, for Michelle.

Zine Day Afternoon

I got an order from sticky for more copies of little 6 for the shop plus some back issues for their coming soon mail order service (which is always very nice). So Friday I did some covert photocopying and Saturday I spent some quality time with the guillotine and stapler.

Adventure Island

Last Wednesday Matt and I left work early and flew down to Hobart (via Melbourne). We got in about 8:15pm and were greeted by an icy chill as we walked out onto the tarmac, but we were prepared with our big coats and many layers. Around us were the locals, easily identifiable in short sleeves and/or shorts and/or thongs (freezer children I like to call them). We went through customs, which consisted of a beagle and her handler who was sniffing out pieces of fruit in people’s hand luggage and collected our hire car (and scored a free upgrade from a 3 door manual to a 5 door automatic). We then drove into Hobart and had dinner at Da Angelo’s at Battery Point (Flavour of India had closed early) where we enjoyed two calzones while listening to Nick Cave (and later sawing a pic of him in store with the owner on the wall of fame when we paid). We checked into the Customs House Hotel, much to the relief of the night manager who was worried about us, and scored some free drinks at the bar.

Thursday we woke and part took in a free cooked breakfast (eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine) and then went for a wander around Salamanca. Having gone our separate ways we rendezvoused in Arthurs Circus in Battery Point where Matty gave me a beautiful wooden box he had been working on made out of blackwood and huon pine (inside there is a drawer designed to house my ideas).

We then got in the car and headed north to Launceston (stopping at Campbell Town on the way to stretch our legs).

We had lunch at Burger Got Soul (which does brilliant burgers, chips and milkshakes), and headed down to the Design Centre and checked out the wooden furniture and paper art on display in the museum and had a long browse in the shop. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around the city centre checking out some galleries and bookshops and taking a drive to check out the UTAS campus at Inveresk. Late afternoon we checked into the Bakery Inn Hotel before heading out on foot to find a Japanese restaurant I had heard good things about located in the elusive Yorktown Square, only to find that it had closed. After some messing about we ended up at a steak house which wasn’t that good, but across the road there was a food hall (like in a shopping centre except without the shopping centre) which had an ice-cream bar that served very nice sundaes and sticky date puddings.

Friday morning we had breakfast at Fresh which does spectacular vegetarian and vegan food (though I'm not sure if we offended them in some way - I was wearing my leather jacket and Matty was wearing his motocross fox hoodie...) and then walked through the city and over the bridge to the UTAS campus at Inveresk. Matty is interested in the degree in Environmental Design majoring in Furniture Design and had organised a meeting with the department head. The Inveresk campus is all new, the furniture design department having only moved into a custom built 'shed' at the start of the year. It was very slick and from the sound of it the degree is exactly what Matty has been looking for, so the idea of maybe moving to Launceston next year is looking like a real possiblity...

After the excitement of the morning we headed back over the bridge into the city and stopped into City Park and took a look at the Japanese macaques (these are the guys you often see photos of hangin out in the snow and the hot springs in Japan). The monkeys were busy chasing each other around the enclosure and wrestling when they got caught. There was lots of activity but they didn't make one sound, they were dead silent.

We then headed off to a cool looking shop I'd seen on our wanderings the night before called Cacoon. This shop had way too many nice things. I was able to contain myself to only a couple of things; a book 'Simple Sewing' by Lotta Jansdotter, and a little wooden needle case made by Sarah Neuburger. When I paid the owner also filled my bag with some generous samples of red and white string. I was in love. It then started to rain so we collected the car and tried to get into Tant our Tant patisserie for a late lunch but it was packed, so we headed back to Burger Got Soul. After lunch we headed back to Hobart and checked back into the Custom House Hotel and Matty finially had his long awaited butter chicken at Flavour of India.

Saturday and another free cooked breakfast (another eggs benedict while I had some fruit and yoghurt). The Salamaca markets were on, and I had strick instructions to buy Mum some strawberry jam and a bowl for her birthday (happy birthday Mum for the 25th). Spent the morning wandering up and down the stalls, Matty spotted Adrian from collectors and we each had a bratwurst with saurkraut and Matty even signed up to the Wilderness Society (I've been a member for I don't know how long). We then headed in to the City and had a green tea milkshake from the Japenese tea house that is rumoured to be owned by the base player from the Violent Femes (Matty swears it just tasted like vanilla, but I'm sure there was some other more subtle flavour there). We also checked out the Cube gallery which had all these little canvases (maybe no bigger than 15cm square) on display and the very cool Love & Clutter (whose owner also has a thing for string). That afternoon we headed up the moutain to enjoy the view and the snow, but as is usually the case the wind was freezing cold and our stay didn't last very long.

We came back down the mountain and spent most of the afternoon in the maritime museum where I leant that the old sailing ship that lives in constitution dock is the May Queen which used to transport apples and timber up the Huon river to Hobart. I used to eat my lunch next to it while I was living in Hobart and I had no idea. That night we headed out to the restaurant stip at North Hobart and had dinner at Fish which served very nice fish and chips.

Sunday another free cooked breakfast (eggs benedict and bacon and eggs). In the morning we went on a drive (through the morning fog) out to the Mt Feild National Park and went on a walk through the Valley of the Giants where the swamp gums grow an average of 80 metres. The trees were massive and everything beneath was cover in green. We could hear cockatoos mucking about in the branches overhead, but I couldn't make them out, they were so high.

For lunch we came back to Hobart and ate at Fish Frenzy (voted best fish and chips in Australia apparently, it's the chips served in paper cones that does it for me). And then headed out on an afternoon drive through the Huon Valley, stopping off at the Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin where they run a Diploma in wooden boat building (the only one in the southern hemisphere). On the way back to Hobart we stopped off at Cygnet (one of my favourite places in the world) and had a milkshake at the Red Velvet Lounge. Dinner was a nice thick steak cooked to perfection at the Ball and Chain (if you're getting the impression that whenever I go the Hobart it's all about the food, you'd be right).

Monday, our last free cooked breakfast (I managed to convince Matty to join me in having pancakes). First thing we headed out to the UTAS campas at Sandy Bay where we gather information and directions to the Art School on the Hunter Street Pier. On the way we stopped off at the Golden Tulip Patisserie (in my old stomping ground) and shared a vanilla slice and banana soes (which are the best pastry you will ever have, though do not ask me how to pronounce it, the girl behind the counter was new and didn't have a clue either). We then headed out to the Art School where we meet April the Security guard who was a bit quirky and showed us around the building to where the arts students majoring in Furniture spend their time. After seeing the new building up in Launceston the Art School facilities looked a little bit cramped and didn't seem to have the same wood working machines available (and I think the Environmental Design degree which is apart of the science and engineering arm will suit Matty much better). We then headed back into the city for one last wander around, before sharing some fish, chips and clamari for lunch before heading back to the airport.

I'm in love with Tasmania, especially Hobart. If you ever get the chance to go, grab it.