modern BUSY times

check out opening night pics via modern times blog

images via dawn tan

cookie & dawn

clementine by emily green

Last weekend was gargantuan. I generally dislike running around on the weekend and prefer a non committal, lazy, slow paced existence. Instead, the action began straight after work on Friday racing to pick Wilhelmina up by 3.30pm (heart attack material!) Before Karl arrived home with Ada, Wilhelmina and I busily geared up for our inaugural girls night on the town. We avoided Ada's questioning why she wasn't invited and zipped across town to the Modern Times Pop Up Shop #3 opening in Collingwood. I was very chuffed to have work in Modern Times this time round thanks to Amy and Joel Malin who run this AMAZING mid century gold mine. I'm glad we only had 33 minutes on the parking meter, I wanted EVERYTHING and couldn't stop drooling at Kate Banazi's flouro screenprints. The alluring wafting leather conditioner/furniture polish scent was sending my head into a dreamy spin. I didn't want to leave but Wilhelmina was eyeing off the curvaceous platform flooring which resembles mini fun slides either side of the steps. It was time to leave. Next we visited Finders Keepers market which was conveniently around the corner, parking was a nightmare. Eventually I succumbed to the underground Museum car park and we made a bee line to the entrance. The crowds were CRAZY and I found it quite tricky navigating around with a reluctant 5 year old travelling at snails pace who was thirsty and busting to go to the toilet all at once! We really struggled to see everything but I was glad I went and was happy to see so many amazing designers selling their wares. It was a long day at the office for Wilhelmina, I tell you this Preppy plays hard all week so I was braced for an awesome display of public tantrum action but to my pleasant surprise she held it together even when we were locked in the underground car park at 9.00pm. Don't worry we survived. We made a prompt escape courtesy of an invisible sympathetic boom gate operator via an intercom and we didn't have to pay our ticket, I'm pretty sure I heard him roll his eyes though. By the time we arrived home, to my pleasant surprise Ada was still wide awake (inject sarcasm). The girls were so hyped with over tiredness it took Karl and I another 30 minutes to settle them. Imagine that at 10.00pm, I was sincerely over it by that stage. The next morning we drove the troops over to Yarraville to my lovely friends house. Cookie (real name) has an AMAZING home filled with stunning original Victorian character, her home was the old former Yarraville Maternity Hospital. We took the girls there for a special art session with Dawn Tan. Dawn had assembled a small group of budding artists to be filmed for a segment scheduled to air on The Circle in the coming weeks, watch this space for more details... The make shift studio, film crew and props were set up slap bang in the middle of poor Cookies kitchen.  The kids had a blast making scrumptious pizza sculptures and went nuts wrestling with Dawns giant marshmallow suit . Dawn is a born teacher, the kids ADORE her! The next day the troops shuffled off to a party in the morning while I scored a reprieve and stayed at home to work in the studio. Not long after the kids arrived home we were off again to celebrate my beautiful nieces 21st. I bought Alice an Emily Green necklace and cheekily bought myself a new one too, it's aptly named Clementine, Ada's christening name. I think every female member of my family possesses a piece of Emily Green goodness. We look like her crazy fan club when were assemble together and watch out, mum wants a necklace too! 

Today I'm psyching myself up for a presentation I'm giving later this evening at Craft Victoria's Craft to Consumer workshop. I've agonisingly pieced a powerpoint presentation together, I'm praying that the technological gods don't fail me otherwise I might just die of stage fright or bolt for the door. Wish me luck, lots of it!