Miniature Masterpieces: Origami Ornaments

Written by Emma Davidson for Canberra's Got Style

In my first ever assignment for Canberra's Got Style, I interviewed Liz Knox from Origami Ornaments about her passion for the little things in life.
Liz's etsy profile describes her as an IT worker with a Commerce degree in marketing and IT. But this daytime office worker has a secret life: she's been making origami since Grade Four, and now turns her miniature masterpieces into unique earrings and pendants. “I'm typically very impatient, but I actually find it kind of calming,” she says.

When she was at uni, Liz says she “used to get all these flyers and would cut them into squares. There was always a piece leftover to make a smaller square, and then an even smaller square... I used to make origami from gum wrappers and other little pieces of paper.” All her origami are hand-folded, making the tiny cranes all the more impressive.

After her mum suggested she do “something useful” with the delicate cranes, Liz began creating unique lacquered jewellery from them. You can find her work at her etsy store, and on Saturdays at Gorman House Markets.
Her inspiration to turn her origami into jewellery was a response to how amazed people were. “If people like them, they would really like wearing them,” Liz says. She started out selling her pieces at a Gorman House Markets stall with a couple of friends, around two years ago.

Branching out into resin lacquered puzzle pieces was something she tried in the hope for an easier option. While the puzzle pieces are not as easy as Liz had hoped, they are not as fragile as origami, and have a slightly different appeal. With both the origami and puzzle pieces, Liz enjoys the colour, pattern, and intricacy: “kind of like a tub of rainbow confetti”.

One of her highlights in creating origami jewellery was having her work appreciated by a Japanese person she met during a work trip to Malaysia. Another highlight was a custom order for an older lady who wanted a bold colour combination including pink, green, and purple.

But one of her favourite pieces of work isn't a custom order. The green leaf fan set – earrings and a pendant – were something new for Liz. Created from a triangle, not a square, it shows the pattern of the paper in a different way to the cranes. And being her favourite colour helps!

Liz sees that online exposure is what will help new Australian jewellery designers break into the international scene, but getting people to physically see the pieces is important. She says that for new designers, it's very costly to get into the US, but “we do have good support from Australian buyers”.
When asked about her dream, Liz says she would love to work on her origami jewellery full time, “to work creating and making people smile”. She's also thinking about experiments with fabric origami, and larger scale sculpture origami.

Meet Liz in person, and see her unique range, at the Gorman House Markets every Saturday; join the Origami Ornaments fans on Facebook; or buy online at the Origami Ornaments Etsy store
Origami Ornaments will also be at Canberra's Handmade Market on February 7th at Albert Hall.

ADORABLE: Schmooks illustrated

She's just opened a brand new Etsy store, I spoke with Claire Cimbora, talented Canberran designer and busy mum about her ADORABLE illustrations. Have you seen Schmooks? I'm sooo in love {sigh}...

Claire, how would you describe your personal style? Textured, layered, on the simple side, awkward, design driven, bright, and a little quirky.

Above: "In the Woods"

Where does the name Schmooks come from? A little embarrassing really… It’s a name I called my husband when we were dating, it just kind of stuck around after that!

Who or what influences inspires your work? I find inspiration from the world around me. My influences mainly come from looking at other designers and artists. I do a lot of collecting of magazines, photographs, images etc, anything I like the look of, or gives me an idea.

I never really plan what I am going to illustrate. I usually, find an idea, play with it and see where it takes me. Sometimes its a success and sometimes not.

Above left: "To The Moon", right: "Zoo"

Tell us about the techniques you use in your work? My computer is my best friend, well sometimes! I illustrate using Photoshop.

I do a lot of scanning of fabrics, textures, images and anything that I find interesting. I try to keep my designs simple. If I start fiddling I always end up going back to the original. I’m too much of a perfectionist, which is bad news!

Above: "Emily And Her Owls"

Have you studied design? Yes. I've loved art since I can remember and always wanted to be a artist when I was little. I used to spend endless hours drawing and crafting. It was in high school that Graphic Design grabbed my attention. I studied design in college and then spent the next few years in uni finishing my degree.

What other creative talents do you have? Well I work as graphic designer, which I love to bits! I then spend my spare time illustrating, mainly late into the night as I have a little 19 month old who takes up my day. He’s very cute, by the way!

I have recently finished illustrating an older children’s book, which looks at addressing homelessness and mental illness. The book is being distributed throughout schools and proceeds are going towards a new homeless housing project in Queanbeyan called HOME.

I am also trying to work on cooking as a talent, however I’m a long way off. I would call it a love/hate relationship at the moment!

Above "Her Red Shoes"

Where can we see more of your work? You can view and purchase my work on Etsy. I am also looking at getting a website up and running in the very near future.
* And Claire has just secure a spot exhibiting as part of the Art:House art and design festival on now at Benedict House in Queanbeyan.

And what do you hope for the future in terms of your work? To be able to create, create, create!

Above left: "May", right:"Neville's Friends"
"As long as I’m illustrating and designing I’ll be happy"

I strongly believe that if you love what your doing, it doesn’t matter if you are successful or not, as long as you feel good doing it!

Design for yourself and everything will fall into place– and if it doesn’t who cares, as long as you’re having a great time!

You really must see the rest of Claire's collection of work, it's absolutely guaranteed to make you smile. Schmooks on Etsy is right here {sigh}.

Oh yesss: Alannah Hill at DFO... LOVE IT

It's the best news I've had all year ;-), a few short weeks ago Canberran fashionistas were given a Christmas present to behold, yes Australia's very own girly glam fashion designer Alannah Hill has opened an outlet store at DFO!

Alannah is one of my fashion heros, check out her story and beautiful work at her terribly adorable (but flash heavy) website here... *sigh*

At the DFO outlet you can expect rack and racks of markdowns on her cute detailed cardis, skirts, dresses - glam and sassy business looks, accessories too gorgeous to leave behind... and girls don't be shy, I'm told that if the outlet is a success, we could just get our very own Alannah Hill boutique. I think Canberra ladies are savvy enough to go for it!!!
I'm so in love, I'm going to be poor after my next visit!!!
Love love love it!

and happy weekend, Love Nina x

Published and famous: Smaggle Style

I introduced you to Canberra's most fabulous fashion blogger Lady Smaggle back in June, and since then some wonderful things have been happening for her, I just have to share with you...

Above: (left) Lady does Christmas in style and (right) looks fabulous in her custom made Ninaribena top!

Firstly her DIY necklace has become quite famous, doing the rounds from blog to blog and has been copied the world over thanks to her tutorial on how to do it. It makes fabulous use of an often discarded item from our wardrobes... reduce re-use and recycle in style!!! Give it a try, the instructions are here - fabulous!

Secondly, she has been accepted to study at NMIT in a highly coveted Jewellery and design course (not that I think she needs it, she's pretty clever already), which of course means a move to Melbourne (sadly for us, but awesome for the Lady herself!!!). Don't worry, she'll keep us in the loop with her fabulous daily outfit shots and witty observations about fashion and more.

And thirdly, she has hit the big time, a mini spread in the February 09 edition of national publication Cosmopolitan magazine (out now). Check out page 234-5 to read about our Lady Smaggle who is "The every day fashion icon", where real women have become the alternative inspiration for the fashion conscious, as opposed to celebs and models dressed in Prada. CONGRATULATIONS Lady S!!! All images from her website, check it all out at www.smaggle.com.

Love Nina x

Happy New Year: back in style

Hi all, it's a brand new year and after a 'relaxing break', Canberra's Got Style is back with a few new Style Hunters on board! In the next few weeks I'll be introducing our new writers who will gather the good stuff to help ole Nina out... marvelous!

Even after the passing of the silly season things are still crazy busy at Casa Ribena, I've been busy organising the ultra glam school uniform and back to school stuff for my first one in school this year!... and getting things together for the next Handmade Market (on Feb 7th), and after the massive success of the last one, I have chosen to re-incarnate with something completely new... just to keep things interesting, I'll offer something different...
Ladies (and gents) I give you: Tango & James Nest - Fabulous sassy homewares for your already gorgeous nest...

Loads of colour, unusual combinations, it's all me.

Hope you love it, and I hope you had a brilliant festive season.

Love Nina x

And a very merry Christmas to you...

Now get off the computer and go enjoy yourself! Love Nina x

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Perempuan, who is expecting a new bub in February, and also has 17 month old Amara to share the prizes with! (Drop me a line lisa {at} barrettnet {dot} id {dot} au to claim your prize, I can drop them to you tomorrow if you like!

Thankyou for the supportive emails and comments regarding my previous post, I am very keen to hear from any interested contributors! Love Nina x

Canberra's Got Style-iversary

Wow can you believe it? A whole year full of style in Canberra! With nearly 230 articles so far, Canberra's Got Style turns one today!

Some of you may have noticed a bit of a slow down in in the frequency of my updates and I feel I should explain that although a showcase of Canberra's style seems a tough niche, I have found no shortage of fabulous subjects to bring to you. Rather, my availability to continue the style hunt is getting to be tricky (I am the full time carer of 2 pre-school age boys!) It's not an excuse, just the life I live in my shoes! So with this in mind, coupled with my own creative desires to pursue, thoughts passed of a curtain call for Canberra's Got Style right here {gasp}.

However, that said, a possible way forward will be with contributions from volunteer style hunters willing to share their pics and findings with us all. So if you love Canberra too, get around town and have the ability to find and share style please drop me a line at lisa{at}barrettnet{dot}id{dot}au (I already have some 'assignments' in mind for the keen) I'd love to keep it going and embrace some change! How 'bout it?

What are your thoughts? Love Nina x

Giveaways and a Green Christmas: In style

I'm so in love with these beautiful Earth-friendly gift cards and tags by Earth Greetings from Canberra's Brindabella Baby online store...

Brindabella Baby also stock organic, sustainable and ethical products for mums and babies...

"The range at Brindabella Baby is focused on environmentally sustainable alternatives to the products in most department stores. With a preference for WAHMs (work-at-home-mums - or aunts, or dads...), or sweatshop free commercial manufacturers when a WAHM product isn't available, you can be sure that you are supporting ethical means of production.

And just for the lucky readers of Canberra's Got Style, a giveaway just in time for Christmas...

From the divine Emma of Brindabella Baby, a pair of fabulous organic cotton Babylegs (leg warmers - can also be used as arm warmers if mum wants to pinch them!) and the completely useful and good Charlie and Lola tome "Look After Your Planet" by the ever styling Lauren Childs (sigh, love her work!)

And to add to the prize, I'm going to include a mobile, inspired by the stylings of Charlie and Lola and these gorgeous birds by Spool (spotted here), made by moi using completely extraneous but gorgeous fabric scraps from my collection.

So, Canberrans, to be in the running for this giveaway, just leave a comment below and tell me about the little person you would be giving them to. And if Brindabella Baby were to open a physical shop, where is your favoured location?

The winner will be chosen on Tuesday morning 23rd December and I will deliver the prize (to a location in Canberra!) myself, now go for it, love Nina x

Notions of fashion design

A week since showing their collections on the catwalk at the NMA, CIT's fashion graduates have just closed an exhibition of the highlights from the event. Fashionact notions 2008 showed us 11 of Canberra's newest breed of fashion designers. Here are some of my faves...

Above: Beau & Arrow by Tegan Kennedy. Love love love the colours and layering - her whole collection works so well.

Above Left: Sebastian's Sister by Francesca Altenburg. Above Right: Andie, by Andie Meredith

Above, and below left: Kiri by Kiri Davis. Interesting details, femme silhouettes and Bridget Bardot styling.

Above Right: Hunter by Sara Wurcker, lovely hand painted fabrics

Congratulations to all 11 graduating designers, I wish you every success!
Love Nina x