6 things i love...

Wow, this week has really flown, it's sunday night already and i'm exhausted. Heading into a new week, these are the things that make me wanna get up and play.

image courtesy of epicute.

i know what i'm wrapping my gifts in, thanks to blafrebloggen.

i can never get enough of these paumes books.

could this be any more perfect? Found at avril loreti's etsy shop.

could be a necklace, could be a wallhanging...either way, it's perfect. Check out neawear's etsy shop.

paint by numbers ANNNND plaster owls, deliciousness overload, and something i'll play with (plaster) at my byron exhibition. Image courtesy of a beautiful mess.

watch and learn.

what i've been doing this week...

spending far too much on nara merchandise at the gallery store...this little angel and dvd, just a couple of things i couldn't leave without.

buying pretty plates to frame my cross stitch pieces...new exhibition works that are underway.

watching nara at work...it was the most incredible week watching one of my most favourite people creating an artwork just metres away from me...i love my job.



picking up a few gems at paddo antiques...this little cake decorating set...

& the rose needlepoint and retro autumn print cushions that i've been eyeing off for weeks.

Playing in nara's cubby house that is one of seventeen kids activities at GoMA right now...this is really what dreams are made of.

6 things i love.

I've decided to start a weekly post that brings together a few of the beautiful things that i've come across during the week. Elsie from a beautiful mess has inspired me and is one of my latest favourite blogs. I can't wait till sunday and blogspot is too fussy for 10 images so i'm going to call mine '6 things i love weekend'. Enjoy!

1. best of both worlds...a pumpkin pie pup.

2. deer tattoo via we heart it.

3. bunting necklace found here.

4. i really don't know how my boyfriend puts up with me.

5. table displays never looked so good.

6. Someone's getting this for their birthday!

i cheated on you...

and spent the night with Andy Goldsworthy.

I was lucky enough to see the man in person when he came to GoMA last night for a one off lecture in Australia. He was amazing, and makes me want to trek the scottish land in search for beautiful natural happenings. Managed to scoop up a signed book aswell, now that's just made my year.

i love my job.

for a talented bel johnstone. she's an illustrator, day and night. i love HER job!

deer me, is it christmas already?

With a boyfriend out of town, a hunger for rock cakes, a thirst for mugs of tea, and a crazy obsession with cross-stitching...i deemed it necessary to start thinking about christmas. This is my excuse for a rather indulgent post anyway. I started making rock cakes in year 7 food technology class which usually involved us forgetting to add the sugar or emptying a whole bag of flour in after adding too much milk. The only thing i've changed is removing the fruit and adding chocolate, lots of it. So really it's like a giant choc chip cookie but you're less likely to be judged by it's sugar content if you call it a rock cake.

You know it's just another excuse to show off my latest find from the woolie antiques centre. I'm a fiend for staffordshire potteries.

I've also been 'real living' it up for christmas ideas, especially gift wrapping. I'm going to trial some christmas tree shaped cranberry, white chocolate & almond shortbread soon too.

I've been working on a billion artworks, and the cross-stitching is on a roll. Here's a sneak peek of a new work coming soon...

and a sweet old deer...

keep an eye out a for a dear old spice rack collection in the making.

oh nara...

It's days like today that make working at one of the most exciting art galleries in the southern hemisphere sooooo worth it. The artists for APT6 opening in december were released, look who's coming to town...

Together with Graf, Nara will build something a little like this. Excited? oh yes.

images courtesy of http://rawartint.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/ , http://www.cemetiarthouse.com/en/exhibition/2008/kita and http://alemdocubobranco.wordpress.com/2009/05/25/yoshitomo-nara/yoshitomonara/

i wish...

you ate bananas so i could make you this for breakfast. x

image courtesy of my favourite bloggers, Shauna and Stephen.

defining bedroom windows...

the vines, they grow

through the glass

they encase my dreams

and store the words i haven't found yet in their veins...

The sunlight coming through my bedroom window at #48 of an afternoon is something i'll really miss when i move out in january. I only get to see this light on a weekend as i don't get home till sun down during the week. It blows me away everytime and i'm so glad i get to enjoy it as much as i do. It's not the biggest bedroom in the house or the tidiest (see below), but this outlook makes it all worth having.

Is it time to move my studio out of the corner of my bedroom you ask? Indeed it is, my lovely collectables are suffering, all piled up and most of them hidden. Goodness knows the true amount of deliciousness that hides away. Guess we'll see in the new year when i pack it all up. Until then, i'll ferret and i'll play and i couldn't be happier.

Beautiful words are by Kylie Johnson, inspiring as always. x

strawberry sponge with lashings of cream & a woodland sneak peek.

If you don't care for tea, you could at least make polite conversation.

sneak peek...

new creations straight from the kitchen...more soon!

cross-stitch on canvas with acrylic paint, ribbon, japanese paper, fabrics.

cupcakes.

head on over to my newly refurbished cupcake blog whilst you wait for new artworks, coming reeeeeeeaaaal soon...yum!

http://www.lauras-cakes.blogspot.com/

my christmas present to myself...

...this print by Anthony Burrill.

work in progress.

it's like tupperware and betty crocker had babies and set up home in my dining room.

yum yum yum.

Bernice's Designer Brooch Proves To Be A Serious Posture Problem
Erin Flannery
Aerosol/Acrylic/Pencil/Vintage Doily on Linen
123 x 76 cm

Phoenix Park Wallalong
Dale Frank
Varnish/Linen
200 x 200 cm

Canaria Part 1
Abbey McCulloch
Mixed Media/Canvas
120 x 90 cm

i was told there'd be cake...

new title of works for '09 coming soon!

new job.

i get to hang out with nolan, olsen, blackman, fairweather, riley, leger, picasso, de kooning, drysdale and kapoor on a daily basis. hello heaven.

would i die for these?

hell yes.

he was magical and serious...

my favourite words by kylie johnson from her book 'count me the stars'.

http://www.paperboatpress.com/poetry/

only one thing i could do with them....

(acrylic, fabric, felt, buttons & doilies on canvas - 12"x36")

cupcakeified.

can't get enough of these little beasts at the moment.

cake or death.

an afternoon of reading poetry & romeo and juliet, baking up a storm, drinking tea and watching eddie izzard on youtube. glorious sunday.

'the colours of my wings confuse'

raynor my love, this is for you.

tea happy.

my kind of tea party. thank you kate hutton for inspiring me today.

hey mama.

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.”

darling, what are you doing?

where for art thou.....art?

just taken a little time out from making le art...to gather my ideas..refresh this art tart's mind and most importantly...do 'a bit' of opshopping. it's a pity working full time, it leaves me with little spontaneous wandering time..which i used to love so dearly.

so, to conquer this drought...on monday, i hit 9 opshops on the gold coast in just under 4 hours. no lunch and a toilet stop later...i had a back seat full of treasure that i made sure was really mine by turning to admire whenever i stopped at a red light. i forgot how exciting it is to find 'stuff'. with my loot, i'm fired up and ready to go again.

i'm back in the game.

art soon...be there.

daysleeper.

the other day
outside our window
the sky was white and the clouds
blue

indifferent
slightly bitter
independent
and through our recumbent honesty

we discovered why we sometimes cry

and why inside
the clouds aren't always white.

her 15 minutes of fame...

mona got herself into the paper. so she's no page 3 girl, but i'm just as proud.

keep an eye out for next tuesday's courier mail 'good life' magazine, you might just recognise the face on the front.

no autographs...unless you have warhol's for me, please.

if gold were a woman what shape would her soul take?

sometimes i love being the girl.

we holiday in the spaces of our home...

in soup and conversations

in washing-up bubbles

and zucchini


in doorsteps rotting

and beds unmade


and cups of tea

with

flowers


slipping...

if day's off work are all about unmade beds and chocolate crackles. laura says yes.

(words by kylie johnson - 'count me the stars'....beautiful.)

back to work...

a lotta love came from lucy in the month of february, an absolute pleasure it was to meet and be hosted by emma and her delicious burleigh store.

thank you for everything emma. xo

with the remaining works and some new felty/fabric creations on the way...i'll be focusing my attention on exhibiting in the city i now call home.

anyone in the mood for seconds?

love and stuff.

loving being an artist right now.

chanel wearing ponies from the 70's...

new works are here...

in sweltering brissie temps and a 2 litre bottle of coke on my back...i made art. new works are now at lucy..here's a sneak peek.

the chalk board outside of lucy's. bless.

'home is where the 70's fabric is' (set of 3)

detail.

detail.

'ruby's pony'

pony detail.

'polly put the kettle on'

polly detail.

polly detail.

polly detail. (there's always room for tupperware)


more work on the way kids.

xo.

theatre of triggered memories.

frou frou met warhol for the very first time that night. made senses dance in the chandelier light. beautiful faces came to see. sweetened tooths were tempted and sand was felt between the toes. i hold out my arms and encompass it all. for you were the treasures, amongst what i hold dearest. enjoy.

thank you x

merci.

you're invited...

exhibition feb 2008.

details to follow..but february 1st...burleigh head's 'love from lucy' hosts my giant tea party/art exhibition/bake-a-thon.

i'm off to design a name for this beast.

excited? you bet.

well hello christmas...

what happens when you throw tupperware cake spatulas, vintage buckles, giant buttons, plastic ponies, clip on earrings big enough to shield you from the rain and velvet bows that look like they belong in harrods onto an unexpecting lucious leafed evergreen?

"neiiiiigh"

orders welcomed for 2008. hehe.

pretty in pink.

so i've got an exhibition to bake for. which means i have to trial a 'few' designs right? tried the strawberry and cream approach this afternoon.....

i'm thinking pineapples and ponies too....

fine art for $1...

before i go off on one....is there anybody out there with some vintage (don't raid your mums new collection) tupperware that might like to take up residence at my place? it's becoming harder to find and when i do it's usually hilarious at how much it costs. i'm buying more tupperware than groceries, not cool. well it is, but i'm hungry.

or even if you know of any opshops that have may have it. i'm now doing speciality opshop adventures...goldy, you're next. is that worthy of becoming my full time job? hmmmmm...yum.

in other news, warhol hits brisbane on saturday. i quite honestly cannot control my excitement. the thought of the gift shop makes me all sweaty.....

i'm collating ideas and goodies for the exhibition, i have so many decisions to make to what i can actually manage to create in that time and what will best express where i am with my art right now. info coming soon on time and dates etc.

peace out pineapples.

purple cupcake eater...

so. what happens when lau is tired after a full week of work and the impending workfilled weekend lies ahead? she bakes. at 9pm on a friday night. cow coat cupcakes to be precise. it's like the cupcake invented for those that can't decide between a vanilla or chocolate cupcake mixture. perfect for sarah and i. i dig the vanilla (especially the uncooked batter - hello salmonella), whereas she totally adores the chocolate. the result, mixing both. they're pretty cute, well, they were until i added the purple mess for the icing. i think i used 3 different colours for the final result and stained my lips in the process. hopefully the jellybean on top gives the little cakes a little bit of dignity. they're for my beauties at work. it's going to be a busy day, so they'll need this afternoon treat. here's to betting they get eaten before 10am. happy weekend all.

kettle IS on....

i'm baking, dymo labelling, cutting and pasting, paintbrush sweeping, stamping and stinking out the oven with the smell of melted plastic. how is everyone else?

i just wanted to say that art IS being made, more cupcakes than art i must admit but i have to keep this imagination fed so hang in there, only a few more days. i mean, you really can't wait around a little longer to see a tupperware gateaux????? ...haha...knew you'd stay. see you soon sweet treats!

baked.

so here's proof. baking has commenced...new location..new apparatus...new colours ANNNND more icing.

studio shot

banana cake

just wait to see the tupcakes iced.......

shiny metallic purple armour...

jimi is done. the purple haze has lifted and the finished result is as bold as love. i've been listening to his 'best of' album and i'm in love. his lyrics are so quirky, i find myself singing out loud to him on my way to work. very appropriate music for the kombi i thought.

so here he is in his 'shiny metallic purple armour'....a lyric i couldn't get out of my head so seemed most appropriate for the name of the painting. i used original 70's fabric that i collected in covent garden in london to adorn his cuffs and the edge of his jacket. 3 shades of purple sequins have been used and a fabric covered 'J'.

jimi was commissioned by the gentleman who bought the yellow and grey marilyn. they are both the same size (20"x40") and should complement each other nicely. a touch of vogue meets rockstar...love it.

gumball machines, rockstars, retro wallpaper forests and sheridan fabric covered pop houses on the way.

i don't take coffee i take tea my dear...

the 'englishman in new york' is here. all sexy in grey and black and just that little bit 60's beatle pop with the vintage wallpaper. at 16"x20" this hunk is on the way to the gallery. the biggest button in the world (well, almost) adorns him too. i visited strawberry fields whilst in NY and it's kept me thinking about this talented man ever since. enjoy.

purple haze.

it's been that kinda week. bit of a creative haze at the moment. my head that is. full of treats and pretty ideas......just having a bit of a problem exiting in an orderly queue. it gets to a point where i acknowledge just how much 'stuff' i really have. its a scary thought...and trust me...i scared myself good and proper. even if i did acknowledge this fact as i was driving home from another opshop. it's like cheap therapy, trawling through disguarded posessions. junk for the soul. jimmy is nearly complete...i've stalled to evaluate his status and haven't been back since. he'll be done by monday for sure. pics up next week. i won some of the best 70's wallpaper on ebay last week, i really couldn't believe i got it. its delicious and i already have an artwork planned with it. details soon. i'm loving craft at the moment....can't crochet or knit to save my life but the 70's embroidery books are teasing me badly. I look forward to putting aside a second or two to play. i've been making lists for projects and pieces for an exhibition...i'm getting a bit art happy and thinking up the craziest ideas. i'll jot them down on here sometime and you can have a giggle. i'm designing a line of paperbird stationary and even having my own stamp made. so excited. time to fill some storage boxes. top of my to do list. oh lists. love.

ps. i found this image of a little knitted apple jacket by Jacqueline Dufresne and it's been inspiring me all week. oh the great minds out there.

girls...

i've taken my sweet time but the girls are now ready to go. i played with the fabrics by doing a little handstitching for mona and opened the jar of sparkly things just a tad for marilyn. they are both currently at swell gallery trying to charm their way into new homes. i have a hendrix on the way and some gumball beauties that i'm excited to show you. will update soon.

'mona always smiled at the sight of her fabric collection' 30"x40"

'stitching detail'

'marilyn liked her sparkly bits' 30"x30"

'sequined lip detail'

madness...

madness...in le studio.

POP photos.

here they are. the photos that best describe my latest exhibition. my biggest marilyn acquired a new home. happy times for her new owners. it was a good night enveloped in support, love, sweetness and bold colours on canvas. i appreciate the people (more than words) who came and supported me. the mojito's brought mintiness..the chocolate shots a sour face and friends and family made laura very happy indeed. more popsical work on the way. expect more from marilyn...a smirk from mona, a sultry monochromatic lennon and a jailhouse-rocking king. wait till you get a load of the giant gumball collage...i'm already chewing on the canvas in anticipation. have a great week everyone. stay tuned for a pop hit later in the week.

spreading the joy.

the awesome foursome.

'spray on sparkle' - 30"x36"

me and my ladies.

'red/grey marilyn' - 8"x24"

oh marilyn.

the family.

'marilyn liked her yellow sundress best' - 20"x40" (SOLD)

POPular.

all you need is your favourite artist to come into your art store..talk of exhibitions and the fun had with palette knifes and it inspires the pure pop out of you. i'm ready to go...hurry up friday.

'owl kisses' by abbey mcculloch.

http://www.abbeymcculloch.com/

POP!

exhibition update is here...

the following works will be part of the new SWELL gallery exhibition opening this friday night. the works range in size from a little 5"x7" to a 30"x36" canvas. i'm working on a few others that are for the stockpile which include a sexy 16"x20" monochromatic lennon and fabric collages that will make your eyes pop. i'm loving that word right now...i'm so into that era of art that i'm dreaming of giant spray cans and marilyn's cheeky smile. photos from the exhibition will be posted over the weekend. thankyou for all of your support...it is always appreciated. enjoy.

featured works montage.

retro fabric detail from the spray can.

ps. i'll post larger photos over the weekend...i don't want to spoil the surprise of seeing them firsthand. for those who can't make it friday night...check back in over the weekend for updated pics. have a great week.

new exhibition..

my new pop art series will be part of the exhibition at swell gallery this month. i'm combining the bold colours from that movement with the bright patterns and designs from some of my favourite retro fabrics and findings. the opening night looks to be a treat, so if you can make it i'd love to see you. new work will be posted on here from wed 9th, so be sure to check back in then.

this world you're in now....

chocolate treats have reminded me to post some treats of my own.

these little babies are currently resting in my tidy studio (see above) and i'm in two minds about starting a market stall after visiting byron and deciding they need some more art stalls. retro fabric abounds there so i'm thinking my work may nestle in there nicely. we'll see.

here they are. enjoy. prices on request ladies and gentlemen.

'deary me' - 8"x8" (i'll find any excuse to play with words)

'she's ready to go' - 5"x5"

'aubergine queen' - 6"x6"

'they call her mellow' - 5"x5"

'go green' - 8"x8"

'care to share?' 5"x5" - it's wintery, it's snug..go share a blanket.

i'm off to a best friends housewarming tomorrow night in the cutest house in brisbane. i better get a wriggle on and wrap the treats i have to decorate her new 'objet d'art'.

happy easter.

grow old with me.

here's an 18"x24" fabric collage on canvas with vintage buttons to taste. i've called it 'grow old with me' and was inspired by the background fabric that i picked up at my local opshop. i like this one. its a one off - so it's pretty special. (the ribbon is straight in real life...my photoshopping skills just aren't anything to write home about).




i'm listening to the cardigans and eating popcorn as i play with my new plastic finds from the opshop that i picked up yesterday. simple pleasures.

go green.

it had to be done... a few of my favourite green things that make my mind whir with excitement.

bird-o-rama.

don't ask me why i'm going all 'o-rama' on you..but i can't not show you the two latest members of the paper bird family. they're breeding fast..so beware.

'long black bird' - 10"x10

'those boots were made for walking' - 16"x20"

prices on request my lovelies. more coming soon.

the old man is snoring.

Just a quick update on some new work. the pop art series is coming along nicely and will include a few larger canvases too. for now i'll give you a sneak peak at a lennon, monroe and dean and a paperbird collage for good measure. all images can be seen over at my flickr account. cheap and cheerful tuesday everybody.

'big birds don't cry' - 16"x20" - retro fabric, buttons, beads, ribbon and paper.

'james dean' - 10"x14" - acrylic paint, retro fabric and buttons

'lennon' - 5"x7" - ribbon, buttons and fabric.

'triple the fun' - 3 x 5"x7" - acrylic paint, fabric and sequins.

saturday in the park.

a couple of pieces that i forgot to post are here. i've stocked up on some yummy buttons and ribbons and am about to start the new pop art series on this sunny saturday afternoon. i made chocolate cake the other day in celebration of my cake series and i was tired of making tasty looking tupperware cakes that i couldn't eat. maybe i should have left some for the others....hmmm. pop art pics coming soon.

'nutmeg to taste' (6"x6") - bam and juju collection

'can't keep promises' (6"x6") - SOLD.

'size matters' (6"x6") - SOLD.

new work and gallery update.

A visit to the gallery means that new work has been made so i thought i'd give you a sneak peek to some of the newbies.

shelf life collection.

'bronze bird' and 'friendly neighbours' (5"x5")

'sugary egg cup' - i want these in my kitchen. (4"x4")

'she's electric' (12"x36")

'bananarama' (4"x4")

'bold garden bed' (14"x14")

'sweet talkers' (5"x7") - Bam and JuJu collection.

bam and juju.

This morning I took a selection of my new work to Bam and JuJu in Brisbane. A beautiful fashion boutique that stocks designers such as Alice McCall and Sass and Bide. A selection of works are on display in store which has allowed my work to journey out of the gold coast and into the big city. i'm a little bit excited.

bam and juju.

2 of my pieces in the window.

restock.....

Introducing my artwork into the Swell Gallery in Tugun has been amazing...the owners kylie and natasha and the reception to my work have kept me smiling. my work is currently part of a 3 month exhibition at the gallery entitled 'for the love of it'. all artworks incl the sold paintings can be seen on my flickr account which should be up and running in the next few days. i am open to accepting commissions on sold paintings and size is negotiable. all artworks are available for immediate sale..but don't hesitate to send me an email...just to be safe. Flickr will carry information on dimensions, price and availability, but if you require info fast...drop me a line. here's a taster for now....(top to bottom: a simple dress, bunny love, bird house, oh deer, last piece promise, self-serve bird, pink salt.)

it's just plastic...

the new batch of baked treats have arrived...

available to purchase now.

the handmade treats are available in a range of flavours in bite sized form (as seen above) or as tartlets. designs may vary as each treat is unique but can be custom ordered to fit your decor. just drop me an email for more information.

tarts are available at $15 each and the bite sized treats come in packages of 3 ($30) and 6 ($50). be quick as colour and design combinations are one of a kind.

more designs coming soon.

it's time to turn up the heat...

the time has come again...the tinsnips are out and the cellophane bags are bulging with coloured tupperware chips.

In late 2006 i created tupperware cakes that I made for a contemporary arts project where I looked at turning the functional object into something purely decorative that could be collected and admired. My project centred around the idealization of objects and was inspired heavily by the theories of walter benjamin and the interior.

i have the opportunity to show some at a local gallery so I'm in the process of baking more and presenting them for the showing. this involves playing with cellophane bags, paper, buttons and ribbon...yum. photos of the final product will be posted over the weekend but for now..take a look at some delicious preparation shots. any queries, just email me.

happy thursday.

thankyou...

On Tuesday i wandered over to Liana Kabel's blog 'Plastic Girl' to find that she had featured my tupperware cakes on there! I just wanted to take the chance to say thankyou and that her work is a colourful and imaginative source of inspiration to tupperware ladies/artists everywhere.

go check out her creations already...

http://lianakabel.blogspot.com/

moving in.

here i am. it's day one of 'laura lives here'. the neighbourhood seems friendly enough and although settling in could take awhile, i plan to have a bake sale soon so you can all see the treats that i've been creating as of late. please be patient, there's bound to be something that takes your fancy. email me anytime as unlike the phone..it will not wake me. i better be off, lots to organise. for now..i'll leave you with some photos to excite your minds. see you soon for tea and cake.

laura.