Frocktober Day 24 Put A Bird On It!

This post is inspired by Eilis over at Frock This Town who has the most glorious collection of birdy print frocks and birdy accessories. Well I wanted to show you all that I have a birdy frock too. This 70s halter neck maxi.

It's a great print that makes you hum "the Bluebird of Happiness" if you know old songs like that. It often gets me singing "Candy Says" by the Velvet Underground:

"I'm gonna watch the blue birds fly over my shoulder
I'm gonna watch them pass me by
Maybe when I'm older
What do you think I'd see
If I could walk away from me"

Do you like to put a bird on it? Then you'll adore this brooch, generously donated by my friend Liz at Betty Jo Designs who makes the cool stuff from vintage lino. It's yours if you'd like it for a donation to FROCKTOBER! Just leave a message!

If you don't follow Betty Jo Designs on instagram you'd better go and do that because it's a veritable cacophony of pattern, colour, cool and vintage that crash into your heart with a zing of sentimental yearning for times long gone in the guise of the latest trend. There really is "something" about the maps of Australia she makes that have caught a bit of attention lately too.

Even Kaz Cooke rang her up and wanted one. They are perfect for your holiday house or caravan or to compliment mid century decor with some vintage Australiana!

We're on the home stretch everyone! One week to go! As an old high school friend used to say "give 'til it hurts"!

Camels are the new donkeys (foxes, owls...whatever..)

 You heard it here first! Camels are the new donkeys.... Well I made that up. But why not? Why can't I be the arbiter of international style trends? I'll put it out there and see what happens....and if you start seeing camels everywhere.......... then remember you heard it here first!

I've been playing with camels for the Materialized exhibition at Gleaners inc - part of the cultural program at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

For this exhibition, Liz Jones, curator, and hostess with the mostess (and all round creative maker of all things in recycled linoleum) gives each participant a swatch from the same fabric.  Here it is!

You can use it (or in my case, lose it!D'oh!)in any manner - for inspiration, colour, pattern, incorporated into your piece or not.


Word was going out that it was a bit Morroccan or Arabic in design and I started thinking about how we as westerners interpret other cultures through our very "white" western lens...about our sense of what is exotic?

So I wanted to use very common craft techniques and materials - crochet and tapestry - to make "exotic" emblems....and I thought about the camel....and then added that other "exotic" cliche...

...the pineapple! 

Then I kept going....

Because camels and pineapples go together like...well....camels and pineapples.

Materialized exhibition is at Gleaners Inc,2 Ballarat St. Brunswick. Opens 7th of March and runs through to the 23rd. 

My Mexican Donkey Pop Up Shop!

There's a distinct Mexicali mood round these parts! We have the My Mexican Donkey Pop up shop happening at Gleaners Inc in Brunswick all this month - you can find some gorgeous hand made Mexican items such as these:

You will find papel picado banners which are perfect for any feista, intricate hand painted ceramic candle sticks, milagro medals and mini sombrero brooches! 

Guests at the fiesta are some of our local designer who make Mexican themed goodies such as Betty Jo Design's sugar skull brooches and CLOCKS (too cool!), the sister outlaws' re-sew-cool sugar skull kits  and garlands (that's us), Curly Pops sugar skull cards and the beautifully made Frida dolls by A Little Vintage.
Isn't is just a treasure trove of colour? So get your flowers in your hair and swish your skirts into Gleaners and get your Christmas shopping!You'll find Lovely Liz who is the best shop girl in town. She may even be wearing this....

Taking part in "Take Heart"

The wonderful Liz Jones aka Miss Betty Jo is again playing hostess with the mostess in the gallery space at Gleaners Inc. As part of the Craft Victoria Craft Cubed events, Liz put out the call for submissions. This year's theme - "Take Heart".

I got thinking about all the phrases and idioms (yes I'm more wordy than visual, huh?) - you can win a heart, lose a heart, be half hearted or whole hearted, have a cold heart or a warm heart.

But let's get to the heart of it - Do you have a heart of gold? A heart of stone? A bleeding heart? Do you cry your heart out when your heart isn't in it? Is your heart in your boots or your mouth? And most importantly... Do you have cockles???

And let's not start on the songs, "Cheatin'Heart", "Cold cold heart", "Anyone who had a heart", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Wooden Heart", "Heartaches and Hangovers", "If my Heart had Windows"...the list is endless...

These three pieces are a play on words. Made with hand dyed felt rope on cable knit. 

Framed in hearts I cut out myself from a sheet of mdf. Each measures 30cm x 30 cm

What's your favourite heart saying? And your favourite heart song?

A piece of cloth

"a piece of cloth"exhibition, curated by Liz Jones of Gleaners inc and Betty Jo fame, is part of L'oreal fashion week. Each artist is given a swatch of the same fabric to respond to in any way.

I've been playing around with my piece of cloth for weeks and weeks. And it's time I admitted it - it hasn't been an automatic bond. For some time there, I thought I may have to do something with the paper bag the piece of cloth came in! You see, I seemed to have an aversion to my piece of cloth.

The top left image is the original piece of cloth, resplendent in Seventies hues of orange, yellow, brown, green and a hint of dark red....I played around with colour - and decided I like the lines best of all.... I worked on some designs based on the lines....

But then, last week, something happened. I suddenly embraced the colour scheme! I suddenly discovered a fondness for my piece of cloth and found myself making something far more interesting....and colourful......I hope....stay toooned.....Oh the creative process is a strange and mysterious thing. Or as my wise friend, aphorist Kelly Hartland would say,

"Creativity flourishes on the brink of destruction"


Exhibition opens on 8th of March. Better get a wriggle on!

tutti frutti

Feeling fruity? You will be wanting to dress like Carmen Miranda after checking out the Tutti Frutti window installation by Betty Jo Designs. It's a Craft Cubed satellite event and runs from August 4th through to September 3rd - which means it's there now!!


Inspired, I've looked around the house to see how fruity I am. Here's what I've found so far...







Now I must go and stick some fruit on my head and dig out the maracas!

posted by Julianne Sister outlaw

Find Make Do

Betty Jo is a Melbourne artist and cratfswoman.

We're not surprised if you've already heard of her well-read blog, Lino Forest

Betty Jo turns lovely old linoleum into jewellery quite unlike anything we've seen - brooches, pendants, badges. The hues and patina of vintage lino are a fine material in Betty Jo's hands. She does it justice, adding old haberdashery and precise snippings of old textiles - everything layered, just-so.

Her design range is constantly renewed.

Where does she find the time? Not sure, but she seems to be good with time management. Betty Jo even makes clocks!

And another thing? Betty Jo offers us versions of her world of visual feasting, in the form of colour collages on greeting cards.What a great idea for a special person you know who is crazy about a particular colour! I know a few colour nerds. (Hold on - I AM one!)

Just this month she has branched out and begun another blog, focused on independent crafters. It's called Find Make Do, and it's a cracker! In Betty Jo's words: "A place to celebrate the wonderful, the creative, the repurposed, the pre-loved, and the age old tradition of making do. Showcasing crafty, innovative and unique products and the creators behind them."

Find Make Do launched this month, and already we have met Little Black Crow; a selection of genius re-wranglers of old tin; a flabbergasting vandal of old china, Trixie Delicious; followed by another trickle of china transformers; and most recently, a mention of our kits!

(The process of writing this post had me visiting and revisiting Betty Jo's various pages and web presences. Wouldn't you know it, I've gone and bought myself a brooch! This one!

The pull to buy one to wear was quite irresistible! Money well spent, on local and sustainable art!)

We're gratified that you have noticed us, Betty Jo, let alone given us a lovely plug on Find Make Do. Thankyou!