lighting

The best intentions - I have decide to lay bloggers guilt aside. So many wonderful projects on the go at the moment. Retail layout - feathers and nests for next week. Custom Rug project. Watercolour classes. Book Book Book... I am trying to be at peace with how directionless it all is at the moment. Although am booked up until  halfway through the second week in March. 

After a question the other day about how my work works...Had me thinking. Every job and every person is a little different. Most of the requests are new and fledgling ground for myself and my customer. Not huge stars or celebrities , mums, shop owners, bloggers and people just like you. I do think the fear of asking for something may hold people back.

In my experience if you are not afraid of no, anything is possible. When I am making a custom piece, nest, a craft how to, rug, storage, logo, painting, illustration you name it. It's all about the piece itself rather than the hours it took. Many pieces are more like props or stage sets. They are for now. A window that will change. A shot for a brand. Sometimes something little personal. 

We have some beautiful things that I have gathered from various shoots, people and places along the way. Don't be afraid to ask. If you see something you like  on a blog or instagram. Don't be afraid to ask for, trade or just open a conversation with the creative behind it. I have traded for artwork, eggs, flowers,furniture and baked goods over the past few years and I am sure many others do too

Most things don't cost gazillions just gumption. Truly

Yes Fionakate simple gorgeous storage is still going too. 
Because everyone needs storage

est magazine and Made quarterly are amazing places to get inspired.

There is a pretty good reason it's been awhile. 

My last little one is off to school this year and we really wanted to spend the summer outdoors... I was excited about having 5 school days a week to work for the first time in 11 years and knew I wouldn't be chasing my tail in February to get it all done.

This year is going to be amazing
The plan this year is to say yes to anything creative ... and to that end so far have taught a 

A water colour class for jayde@littlepaperlane.com.au   



printmaking for the under 10s at the little blue house

prop making and window designs for flowerchild. With a possible other window job in the pipeline




The list is long but we are just beginning, extending the veggie patch, painting, the book... hopefully and exhibition... illustration friday, vingnetts with the jen@theinteriorsaddict
more photoaday with fatmumslim...more products... more insta @fionakatesimplegorgeousstorage... will blog each week.

I am excited about the new issue of bigkids magazine ,pia janes new book just heard this morning made it's goal on pozzible 
kate from foxes lane has a new book coming out too..

Possibilities are endless for 2013

What are you up to this year. Any plans, challenges things to want to do?

 just get it out there. To this end todays post isn't pretty can you believe it took a whole lot of thinking and 2 hours just to post it...

i am just going to press publish no and stop fiddling about 

Quick. While the neighbours are pruning so the garden looks great for christmas  grab the off cuts. sticks are the new black. Seriously less than 5 mins and we now have a new wreath with storage of corse. I can not decide if it will hold candles or christmas cards.

I did use our new wiry as a base ( just whipped of the crochet cover on this one) you could just as easily use a basket or similar

if you would like to go without the storage possibilites you can see one on our instagram fionakatesimplegorgeousstorage feed. Again 5 mins , string and offcuts.

There are classses afoot  I can't wait. A printmaking and a water colour class planned. We are a step closer to a story too. If you are looking for useful wrapping solutions our boxes are now much less expensive! The plus of retailing only. In addition they look gorgeous under the tree. Available in red & white.

dressed up with decals

A great pressie for a new schooler ( not to sure if that's a word) a box full of the things they will need - you can usually see this on the school to be website. With another for mum... lots of gluesticks. Notepaper and envelopes for all those notes to the teacher, artline permanent marker, washi tape so you can name all the tuppaware that ends up on the cakes stalls....


If you are wanting to start a business and have really thought about it. click here
I've loved the Bodie and Fou brand forever and assumed they were two cashed up sisters with fabulous taste and connections. well you know what they say about assume....Work seems to be the key on all the brands I adore and admire. The honesty in the interview in refreshing and very easy to relate to...

Kelly Hoppen asks to the questions and gets the answers...

Submissions going off to BIG Kids Magazine this week

Nothing yet complete for illustration friday.... topic zoom.... ironic really.

Many letters are in the making for our sacks... the personalised has been a bit of a hit. If you have one already and just need to letter we can send you one...

I have to say I prefer the letter T to W...


Another idea for a christmas gift... kind of like an outing and present all in one. Pop to the flower markets in your town. Ours are at Flemington. 

Chose a bunch of the most beautiful flowers. you will know them when you get there.. they will be the ones you just have to have and hover over. For me this week it was peonies. Snap shots close up preferably.. instagram has some great filters. Print some pics out for cards or pop them in a frame ( most $2 shops have great ones)  

As the flowers wilt collect the petals and press them in tissue paper between the pages of your heaviest book.  You can also grab a gorgeous full flower at the beginning and do the same. You can use these to collage or add to home made paper, soaps.or laminate for a book mark or planter sign. 

Most flowers leave behind seeds also. Google the flower to double check, dry and package the seeds with instructions for planting alongside the photo or laminated planter. A paddle pop stick with a little ones handwriting is also gorgeous. ( use a sharpie so it doesn't wash off)

Are sticks the new black? it seems most weeks i am carrying sticks home...mostly for retail spaces & merchandising several for home projects on the go...
if you see possibilities in all things stick this board might have you really hopping.

A stick project on the go for an instore christmas. Will pop it up here next week.

The blog posts are less often and more full. With so many things on the boil  it's a bit tricky to have more entries. If I have nothing to share or it's a bit slap dash I would prefer not to.  You may need a cuppa for this one. The future abundance of time is on my mind so  have started a few projects in the anticipation. The watercolours I am working on are very layered so a day or so of drying time in between. Perfect for small snatches of time but difficult because I like to have finished/. I can see it in my head I long to see it on the paper. My dream is to have an exhibit at anna spiros space in brisbane.... not that I know her, mentioned it to her or have even been there just a dream for 2013.... particularly inspired by inspired by illustrator and artist Pip Boydell on the daily imprint today

A phootshoot today my place for a craft magazine. It's been lovely to see two such happy people working together. Can't wait to see the mag. It makes me realise how much I enjoyed the photoshoots , getting the shot / light right.

Brochures finished... great to complete one thing today. I have tassels on my mind for the wirys and a light to create. 

A new covet garden was out this week too. Always a fabulous read.

a special gift...

Tassels to make
book to complete/work on .... more on this another time when i don't feel so silly having written this down

Posters are always fabulous for the santa sacks too. They are a great record of the passing of time. To go from the alphabet to trained, star wars and beyond... obviously we have them in our poster grids with the previous ones stored behind... you can grab frame from ikea also. or just hang from string with a couple of bulldogs clips. a new poster really freshens up a room...

Came across this one this week.... it's fabulous. Am finding easy once again a magical source for all things different.

Christmas on it's way....books on order book depository. I have bought quite a few from gumtree too. If your kids love a series and I mean ones with many books... famous five, beast quest sac power etc Gumtree is a fabulous source.

new bed... 
With the kids getting older a little moving around was in order. what to do when you don't want to use precious floorspace. ? just hang it. All the boys can see each other and have their own bed . a rare thing in this house the littler ones love to share.... and they are not so little these days.

Lots of orders going out too. not many poster grids or sacks left. please get in quick before xmas. Feel free to ask me to pop them aside to wait for payday...

lots of neons

the best punch ever... and you can ask jane to come to your house!

customs off to the post office

gorgeous new book launched this week... we were there

The posts are becoming a little more irregular. There are many possible outcomes for this... You are really looking forward to the next post when ever it comes.... and appreciate that your google reader is not stacking up... or you wonder what I am doing ...you forget about us completely...

Instagram is becoming the communication of choice around these parts. It's quick and on the spot. A picture can say a thousand words...

The custom side of the business is becoming busy. with more felts going out this week. One is huge! had to pack it in a monster to post

More neon pink baskets have been shipped too.... with another tasselled concoction on the way... if you need a unique piece for your shop, shot or home .... just let us know. The wirys make gorgeous light fittings too

It all about getting out there.
With a talk booked ( I am in equal parts looking forward to it and a little nervous... megan morton will be chatting at the same event), brochure and illustrations to be completed and a special project for a kind person to be completed...

" I need something that would hold play mobile toys 35 x 45cm x 50cm high. Looks good and will fit into the guest bedroom without looking like a toy box"

Everyone needs storage . The brief is always different. Each room is unique. Sometimes it can be rearranging existing containers. Finding others or just taking a step back and having a little think.

The custom/bespoke is great I am enjoying chatting to you . To hear what you are after and coming up with a solution. It's exciting to be hands on again. I have to say I am having a ball.