Snowflakes on Felt Homepage

Thanks to Felt for including the Chromatophobic snowflake decorations on their homepage today!

Jewellery Trees: Rimu, Stainless Steel, Plywood, Jarrah

It's official.  We have now supplied all of our closest women relatives with jewellery trees of different designs.

The latest, for my youngest sister-in-law, is a free-standing laser cut Rimu Veneer "fruit" tree.  Mmmm fruit. I'm thinking oranges.  "Veneer" generally denotes an MDF core, which is a material I tend to despise.  However, it does have its uses, and is fantastic for laser cutting, especially the veneers.  Check out examples of how veneer MDF can be used at Ponoko.

Rimu veneer jewellery tree

The other sister-in-law received an extra-tall tree cut from 6mm Eurolite.  The design is by Robyn Ward, and I added the engraved pattern to all the faces.  The original tree design is covered by the GNU General Public License, but I'm certain that an application of a surface treatment is not considered as a change to the design, which is something that is excluded from this license.

Plywood jewellery tree

Then there was the wall mounted tree cut from 3mm alluminium and powder coated white.  Styley as hell.  It doubled as a first prototype for a product, so I cannot yet post pictures of it.  Maybe one day.

Lastly, there was a very involved stainless steel, acrylic on a jarrah base - a Christmas present from a couple of years ago, which I'm yet to document in a blog post of its own.  Maybe one day.

Stainless steel, acrylic and jarrah jewellery tree

All the four trees are elegantly carrying out their duties, dutifully bearing a heavy load of jewellery.

Craft2.0 photos

The fair last weekend was lovely.  Seemed like everyone who came was very happy and chatty.  Always makes the day go faster.

Stephanie Cahorel Ceramics

Firecracker Studio

Dustys and Lulu

Little astronauts - made my day!

Craft2.0 Interview 2013

From the Craft2.0 blog.

Tell us what you make.  Eco-friendly, colour-averse jewellery and accessories and homewares that are laser cut from salvaged materials. I also sew screen printed bibs. 

What element of your craft do you feel most passionate about?  My philosophy of environmental responsibility is integral to all of my making endeavours. I always look for scrap materials to work with.

Cutting from scraps

What makes you different from other makers? i.e: Your focus on detail or your wide variety of procucts; your skill-set or materials; your love of colour or use of a monochromatic palate. Expand and tell us a little more.  Everything I create involves in its process a step of digital fabrication, mostly in form of laser cutting, but even my printing screens are made digitally. In that way I consider myself more of a designer than a crafter, even though I assemble all products myself.  Much of my focus is on creating memorable, quirky human and animal characters. The whimsical and slightly macabre aesthetic reflects the characters’ tongue in cheek personalities.  The very limited colour palette is a Chromatophobic signature. The red, black and white often attract people wearing those colours.

Psychotic Santa assembly

Why do you craft or create and how does this affect your lifestyle?  Whenever I need something, anything; my first thought is “how do I make it”. Often it takes me a while to work out that it’s a lot more cost effective to buy the item in question, but not before the design cogs in my brain hyperactively spring into motion. This maker attitude underpins everything I do and the way I view the world.

How does your creative process start and where does it end? What detours happen along the way?

There’s no start and no clear finish. My creative process is like a spider web: both functionally, in the way ideas are captured and digested and aesthetically as the spooky factor in my work.

Inspiration doodling

How has running your own business changed you? What is something you've learned along the way that has helped you in particular?  Even though it’s a miniature scale enterprise, I put a lot of effort into thorough record keeping of all production and stock. That way I don’t have to rummage through everything to determine whether an item is available. 

Flatpack polyprop tabletop trees

Tea or Coffee? Both, though coffee if I’m out.

Craft2.0 Xmas 2013 Edition

"The merriest market of the season will be held 7th December, Undercover in the Atrium at Chaffers Dock Building, 22 Herd Street, Wellington.  Opening hours will be 10am-3pm."

Not your usual lame Christmas shopping.

Quite exciting really!