Go Make Me

free Christmas themed sketchy christmas drawings to download

One of my favourite blogs, Chris from Spoon Graphics, is offering these free sketchy Christmas drawings to download.  Snowmen and cold penguins are still very cute even though in Australia it's the middle of Summer. No scarves and mittens to be seen anywhere. Just think cold thoughts? Nah, going down to the beach instead

gallery gourmet, just in time for Christmas

My blog has been somewhat quiet lately due to some freelance design work that landed quite happily on my lap. And who can refuse a request from your Mum to help with branding her Gallery Gourmet products? A scrumptuous range of Australian Christmas fare including handmade puddings, chocolate and fig panforte (my favourite!) and rich fruit cake oozing with the juiciest dried fruits and nuts, topped with the headiest brandy and liquors. Gallery Gourmet also has a Chartcuterie range of Australian grown double smoked legs of ham. Delicious! They're based out of Queensland and feel free to visit their website for more info

We commissioned well-known Australian artist Jenny Mulder to paint a series of whimsical scenarios to use on the labels, website and other printed material (not everything is complete yet). I have fallen in love with Jenny's quirky style. She creates with seemingly simplistic brush strokes at first glance and very colourful, elegant and romantic imagery too, perfect for the Gallery Gourmet range. It honestly inspires me to break open the acrylics and go wild on a canvas. I might just leave that to the experts!

a gift for the teacher

I can't believe it's the end of the school year for my daughter. In a moment of insanity I agreed to produce a book featuring the students as a gift for the teacher. Complete with pictures as well as drawings and lovely thoughts that each child completed about her and the year. Some of the students' comments were hilarious especially when the children remembered Halloween. The teacher brought into class a lolly eye-ball...she sunk her teeth into the gelatinous blob that then proceeded to ooze red from the pupil. The kids were dumb-founded not realising that it was only a lolly. Of course they all received one to then torment their parents. Kids licking eye-balls is not a good sight!

About the book itself...throughout the year each student was the 'Star of the Week' where other students would write lovely comments about the 'Star'. The concept behind her gift was to use the same thought except the teacher was the 'Star of the Year'. I purchased a Swarovski star to attach to the front of the book. Secretly I took photos of each of the kids before the school day commenced. Not a mean feat with many children in that 'I don't want to have my picture taken' mode. Anyway, she absolutely loved it and she absolutely deserved it too! Bring on the school holidays, I say

Mmmm....chocolate

What's the hardest thing about designing a chocolate box label? Walking off the samples!

If you ever get a chance to wrap your taste buds around any Lindsay & Edmunds 'Petite Morceaux' Organic Chocolates, you'll be seduced by the semi-dried strawberries and other wikedly yummy berries encased in the most heavenly white or dark chocolate

The brief was to design an identity and label. Stage one (as shown) is to be sold through selected food markets. The label gives versatility to be adhered to pre-purchased packaging and cellophane bags. The choice of pack colour reflects an 'earthiness' that is evident by the hand-made organic nature of the product. Stage two is planned to wholesale to fine food retailers and custom made packaging would be designed for each variant