Christmas Printing Dates

Oh my goodness! Is it that time of the year already! Where has the year gone? :) 

Florence has been very busy printing lots of beautiful fabrics and is getting busier and busier as Christmas approaches. So make sure you get your orders in early so we can ensure your project can be sent to you in time for Christmas.  Also we all know Australia Post is stretched at this time of year – so allowing for postage time is super important!

We'll be printing all the way up to Friday 19th Dec with a last mail run on Tuesday 23rd Dec - keep in mind Australia postage times! 

LAST CUSHION/other product PRODUCTION ORDERS= 5th December

LAST PRINTING ORDERS = Monday 8th December 

LAST PRINTING DAY = Friday 19th December
LAST MAIL RUN = Tuesday 23rd December

We'll be back from our break and taking orders from the  Monday 12th January 2015:)

Thanks! Happy Holidays!!!

XX

August Wrap Up!

Ok, so August isn’t quite over yet and we’re not wishing it away but we have so many exciting things to talk about that we thought we’d do a little wrap up of all the goings-on over the past month.

It’s been incredibly busy in the Frankie and Swiss world; Florence (the printing machine) has been busy producing lovely prints as always, there have been events, competitions, an open studio and an art fair – the weeks have flown by!

We recently held our inaugural textile design competition as part of our involvement in the 2014 Craft Cubed Festival. It was such a refreshing and exciting time for us receiving all the amazing designs! We received 94 entries in all which totally blew us away.  Thank you to everyone who submitted a design (thanks also to those who persisted when our inbox got a little full! We really appreciate it).  The judging panel was made up of special guests Rowena Martinich, Carla Fletcher, Gemma Jones (Craft Cubed organiser) as well as Frankie and Swiss co-owner Jacqui. The judges carefully shortlisted their favourite designs that would print beautifully onto our natural fibre fabrics.  After many hours deliberating they chose Alisha Baker and Jessica Buckley’s 'Melbourne Pojagi' design (for the OK Computer category), 'Cycling' by Liza Freddi (‘With My Own Two Hands’ category) and Caitlin Shearer’s design ‘Posie Palette’ (Best in Show). The winners receive cash prizes and their design printed onto our 100% Linen fabric. Thanks to everyone who got involved and cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award via Facebook. With a total of 370 ‘likes’ Chloe Caday won with her beautiful painted design – you can view all the beautiful entries on our Frankie and Swiss Facebook page.

The winning designs printed onto our 100% Linen.

The judges in the studio.

We opened our doors on Saturday the 23^rd and invited people to see how it all works here in the studio.  We had Florence in action for printing demonstrations, fabric swatches and samples, a fabric lucky dip and of course lots of sweets, treats and gluhwein to share around! It’s always lovely to see lots of new faces and get a chance to talk about new projects and ideas for printing. Thanks to all who popped in to say hello. 

We were proud to support local artist and lovely lady Minna Gilligan in the recent Melbourne Art Fair.  We printed her amazing artworks on our Cotton Canvas which adorned the walls of her creative space at the fair in the beautiful Royal Exhibition Building. Minna’s works are amazing explosions of colour and collage and so much fun to see come off the printer! Her space was a place for both kids and adults to create their own collage and was a lovely little pit stop in between all the art viewing. 

Minna Gilligan's space at the 2014 Melbourne Art Fair

Minna's beautiful artworks printed on our Cotton Canvas.

Open Studio and Winners announced this Saturday!

As part of Craft Cubed 2014, Craft’s annual festival, we invite you to come visit our studio this Saturday in South Yarra and meet ‘Florence” the two tonne digital textile printing machine. 

We will be throwing open our studio doors for an afternoon of learning, making, printing and fun! Watch Florence in action with a digital textile printing demonstration and hear about the fundamentals of digital textile printing and design. 

We will also be announcing the WINNERS of the F&S design competition!  Head over to Facebook  now and have a look at (and vote for) your favourite entries! What a challenge it's going to be to judge! ....so many amazing and talented designers! Thank you to all who entered:)

We'll have the finalists work on display on Saturday and we can't wait to announce with the judges who the winners will be. What fun:) Think we might do something like this every year, what do you think?! 

Hope to see you:)

This Saturday!

August 23 

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm 

Entries close in 5 days! The F&S/Craft Victoria design comp!

If you don’t already know, we are running a fabric design competition in conjunction with our Open Studio event for the Craft Cubed Festival 2014.

Whatever medium you create art with, whatever technique you use, from abstract art and traditional drawing to sketching, painting, or doodling—we’re looking for it all! There’s not much time left, so send on through your work!

JUDGES ANNOUNCED!!!
We are privileged to have the following amazing ladies as judges for the competition. Hand claps for Gemma Jones from Craft Victoria, artist Rowena Martinich and current Archibald Prize nominee Carla Fletcher.

A bit about Rowena:
She’s is an abstract expressionist with a difference. While her work is sometimes displayed within the white pristine space of the art gallery, it is more likely to be found in the spaces of the everyday – the shop, the train, the school, the office, the café. We’ve known Rowena since the very beginning of our little business now, and can honestly say she is one of the wisest, nicest and savvy ladies going around!

A bit about Carla:
“Carla studied fine art at RMIT and is a talented drawer, painter and stylist. She has been a finalist in many of Australia’s most prestigious Art Prizes including The Archibald Prize, The Sulman Prize, The Black Swan Prize and the Portia Geach Memorial Award for Women painters.  After many requests, she recently she released her very first limited edition print run of works from her sell out exhibition ‘Grey‘ at Tinning Street Gallery earlier this year” . words by Lucy from The Design Files June 2014

A bit about Gemma:
“ My work revolves around a play with the mass produced image – reviving and focusing in on a fragment or a moment that is easily dismissed, discarded or forgotten within the bombardment of commercial culture.  I like the idea of emptying the image of its original purpose or intent.  An image or a face can suddenly be re-born just like that.” Gemma is a Melbourne craft institution all unto herself! An artist, writer, teacher, and the organiser extraordinaire of the Craft Cubed Festival 2014!

All the details here: http://blog.frankieandswiss.com.au/2014/07/2014designcomp.html

2 posts in a day! First up: Brown Owls this Thursday

Here are some photos of July’s Southside Brown Owls meet at the studio – newcomers and regular ladies, it was such a fun night. As I’m (Michelle) based out of the States for a little while, my Brown Owls partner in crime Shannon is going to be flying the Brown Owls flag! She’ll be switching between venues, F&S and Miss Jackson cafe. All good!

We love new faces, so don’t be shy, email florence[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or rsvp via facebook, here, or twitter and do come along!

Date: THURSDAY 14th August 2014
Time: 7:30pm onwards

Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)

Craft: BYO a project
Goodies: I think we have to have Gluhwein again! And the usuals, tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along as well.

RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email florence[at]frankieandswiss.com.au, facebook, or twitter.

Have fun!!
xx Michelle

 

 

 

Angie Rehe Drawing Workshop

The amazingly talented Angie Rehe of the Patsyfox Drawing Salon is running a great workshop here at the Frankie and Swiss studio next weekend! 

   Email the Patsyfox Drawing Salon to book your spot.  salon@patsyfox.com

Call for entries! F&S Design Competition for Craft Cubed 2014

“The Art of Handmade.”

Craft Cubed is Craft’s annual festival of experimental, skilled and ideas-based craft and design. Featuring exhibitions, installations, open studios, workshops and events, Craft Cubed is a unique umbrella for practitioners and the public to engage with contemporary craft and design.

Celebrate “The Art of Handmade” with Frankie and Swiss and Craft Cubed 2014 by entering the the F&S 2014 Fabric Design Competition! Submit your design by the 17th of August for a chance to win cash prizes and see your design digitally printed onto beautiful natural fibre fabric. Winners will be announced at the Frankie and Swiss Open Studio on Saturday, 23rd of August!

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How it Works

1. Create your design. Sky is the limit here! Whatever medium you create art with, whatever technique you use, from abstract art and traditional drawing to sketching, painting, or doodling—we’re looking for it all! You decide the size, scale, colour palette and theme/subject matter.The design should be for fabric, but what that fabric will be used for is up to you.

2. Download the entry form (see below)

3. Submit your design. Email us at florence@frankieandswiss.com.au with your entry form and design file.

4. Winners will be selected by a panel of guest judges and Jacqui (co-owner of Frankie and Swiss).

DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM HERE!

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Categories
You can win in one of the following four categories:

‘With My Own Two Hands’

Prize: $200

This category is for traditional designs; painted, sketched, collaged or pieced together predominantly by hand then turned into a digital format at the end of the design process.

‘OK Computer’

Prize: $200

This category covers the digitally ‘handmade’ designs which are made predominantly on screen (computer, ipad or camera). Click, tap and swipe your photographic, digitally collaged or computer rendered designs.

‘The People’s Choice Award’

Prize: $200

All designs will be available to peruse on Facebook on Monday the 18th of August. The design with the most likes wins! Voting closes 12pm, 22nd of August.

‘Best in Show’

Prize: $500

Our panel of judges will decide on their absolute favourite design from any of the categories.  The judges will also look at how well considered the design is for digital print onto natural fibre fabric (see what Florence likes to print below).

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Submission guidelines

• A participant can submit one entry.
• Entries must be submitted:
  • as a JPEG file at 150dpi
  • no larger than 10MB

Deadline and important dates

• The closing date for entries is Sunday, August 17, 2014.
• People’s Choice Award – designs will be available for viewing and voting on Monday, August 18 through to 12pm Friday, August 22.
• Winners announcement – at the F&S Open Studio Saturday, August 23, 2-5pm.

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Inspiration and tips!

Our digital printer (we call her Florence) loves printing designs that use or recreate handmade techniques such as watercolour effects, gradients, painterly textures, sketches and collages as well as designs with great contrast and lots of variation in texture and tone. Florence also loves a great photograph or multilayered digital collage too! She tends to shy away from large areas of flat colour and doesn’t print fluorescents or metallics.

For some inspiration head over to our printed textiles Pinterest board, Instagram or The Leaf Series store!

Open Studio – Saturday, August 23, 2-5pm
As part of the Craft Cubed Festival 2014, we invite you to visit our South Yarra studio. Watch Florence in action with a printing demo and have a chat with us about digital print and design. Shelter from Melbourne’s chilly winter with some mulled wine and roasted almonds!  Winners of the Fabric Design Comp will be announced and winning designs will be printed and displayed on the day!

Upcoming course with Angie Rehe

The awesome Angie Rehe of The Patsyfox Drawing Salon is doing a 

Digital Fashion Illustration course 

at Frankie and Swiss!

There are a couple of spots left so get in quick if you would like to come and join in.

Show me Your Art for Ndoto Afrika at Frankie and Swiss

We are really excited about the upcoming event on Friday 8^th August that Ndoto Afrika is holding in our studio.

You’re Invited!

 

 

Ndoto Afrika is  a non profit organisation based here in  Australia supporting sustainable living projects in rural African communities. The projects are carried out through partnerships with African non profit organisations that are founded and run by African people. Working in such a way creates a sense of ability, ownership and engagement and allows sustainable growth in these communities.

The initial project comes from a need for toilets for the local schools and community in Chamwino, Tanzania. Imagine sending your children to school where there were no toilets for the children to use! A big part of the project will include education about sanitation and hygiene as well an ongoing maintenance plan.

The event will be an amazing mix of visual and performance art with pieces coming from both Australian and International artists. We will have dance performance, African drumming, African food, drinks and an art show and auction as well as a great group of people coming together to support the project and have a great time. This is an open invitation and free entry event. We welcome you to come along and bring friends!

 

Here is a sneak peak of what’s to come:

 

Tai Snaith illustration

 

Killi Tingatinga Art painting

Mr Congo artwork

 

Sutueal Bekele Althe artwork

 

RSVP https://www.facebook.com/events/873177192708188/

 

For more information please contact Bridie

ndotoafrikabridie@gmail.com

0423 259 940

https://www.facebook.com/NdotoAfrikaDream

Come along! Brown Owls Crafty Get Together next Thursday

Join us next Thursday night (17th July) for the July Brown Owls get together! Back to our usual routine for this one. Bring along a project you’re working on, be it something crafty or otherwise!, and chat away a few hours with some likeminded and lovely ladies.

Because it’s cold and wintery, I say I’ll cook up some warming Gluhwein, delicious! And if anyone else wants to bring a treat along, yay. I think I’ll make a cheese platter too, double delicious! So, all that should get everyone excited about coming next Thursday – chats, laughing, Gluhwein, cheeses, treats, crafting. A fun time:)

We love new faces, so don’t be shy, email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or rsvp via facebook, here, twitter and do come along.

Date: THURSDAY 17 July 2014
Time: 7:30pm onwards

Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)

Craft: BYO a project / printing demo by Michelle maybe?
Goodies: Gluhwein! Cheeses – normal and of the stinky kind! Tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along as well.

RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or social media me:)
See you all on Thursday!
xx Michelle

Frankie Magazine 10th Birthday Party!

FUN! We were super excited to be invited to the Frankie Magazine party last week - we had a ball! Such a fun night with yummy sweet things to eat, a sausage sizzle, fun DIY crafts.


Cassie from Firecracker Events did a sterling job with the venue and pulling it all together – a beautiful church hall in Richmond. From the sausage sizzle to the beautiful Australian natives from Grown and Gathered, it was magnificent!


Entertainment for the evening was provided by local bands The Twoks, The Furbelows and The Pink Tiles and  Gemma Jones' did a bit of DJing as well. 

Have a look at all the goings on here.  Beautiful photos are all shot by John Deer from Clever Deer Photography.
T’was a brilliant night. Hand claps to all involved!

Update - tonight's Crafty Owls CANCELLED

UPDATE:
Tonight has been CANCELLED!!! I'm so sorry for the late notice and inconvenience!

Join us in June once again for some fun:)

..................,........................................................................................................

Next Tuesday night is Brown Owls, yay! It's at our place again this month - WITH A CHANGE OF NIGHT. Next Tuesday!
Shannon has made this little calendar of the rest of the year as well. Things have been getting pretty hectic for Shannon and I lately. She's currently working and living part time up in Brisvegas until the end of July, and I'm (Michelle) moving to Detroit in August! But don't worry, my sister Jacqui, Rachel, Bridie, Cesur and Robyn will keep the wheels on the studio running smoothly:)
It means we need a little switcheroo for the dates and venues for our upcoming meets. Hopefully this doesn't cause anyone too much inconvenience.  Thanks for your understanding!
June Owls will combine with a MASSIVE ETSY & UNLEASH CREATIVE CRAFT PARTY! So don't miss that one:) We had a blast in April, lots of new faces which was lovely! So come along next Tuesday and have a laugh and craft with us!

Date: TUESDAY 13 May 2014
Time: 7:30pm onwards

Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)

Craft: BYO a project / printing demo by Michelle maybe?
Goodies: We will have the usuals, like tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along if you would like to show off your baking skills!

RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or call me:)
See you all on Tuesday!
xx Michelle

Invite to an Exhibition 9th May – 15 June 2014

A few weeks back I instagrammed this picture below and it met a huge response! No wonder though – it’s the beautiful work of Jacqui Baxter, an artist whose botanical work has adorned textiles in all forms from bed linen to cushions and now chairs.

She’s having an exhibition in May/June – do make some time to pop along and see her magnificent work!

All the details are below:

Instagram: Jacqui Baxters peonie’s printed on 100% linen.

Brown Owls social next Thursday

You might not know already, but we host in conjunction with Shannon from Miss Jackson in St Kilda a monthly get together of creative crafty types. This month it’s at our studio and next month it will be at Miss Jackson. There are some regulars, and always new comers – so feel free to pop along if you’ve never been before, but have wanted to!! It was a group that Pip Lincolne from Meet Me at Mikes started years ago and it’s a fun group of ladies:)

We usually either do a theme for the night (eg, crochet) or a BYO night (bring your own project) and we all chat, eat cake and have a drink! Next Thursday, perhaps we do a BYO and if anyone wants – I’ll do a printing demo?? Bring along a USB and we’ll have a bit of a printing sesh:) Follow file set up in > this info doco.

Date: Thursday 10th April 2014

Time: 7:30pm onwards

Venue: Frankie and Swiss, Ground Floor, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra. It’s the building on the corner of Toorak and Claremont Street. Right on the #8 tram or a 2 second walk from South Yarra station. I’ll also have parking available underneath the building. You’ll need to call me (9826 4261) to buzz you under:)

Craft: BYO a project / printing demo by Michelle

Goodies: We will have the usuals, like tea and biscuits – Feel free to bring something along if you would like to show off your baking skills!

RSVP: You can leave a comment here or email michelle[at]frankieandswiss.com.au or call me:)

See you all on Thursday!
xx Michelle

Business Plan workshop for creative types -this Saturday

There’s another event in the studio this weekend – a business planning workshop for creatives. A very important workshop if you are considering setting up your own business, no matter how small or big:)

It’s being run by Helen Roe from The Orange Lantern and she’ll be providing all sorts of advice, tips and tricks and serious business know.

Date: 1 March 2014, 9.00am - 4.00pm 

Location: Frankie & Swiss, 199 Toorak Road, South Yarra

Tickets here

By the end of this workshop, you will have learned how to:

• Clarify your business values and vision
• Paint a picture of your Business Landscape
• Determine what Products and Services you'll offer
• Understand your competition, and what makes you stand out from the crowd
• Identify who your perfect Customers are and how you'll reach them with your getting the word out Marketing Plan
• Set and manage money goals that honour your values and align with your life
• Select your Circle of Support to help you get the work done
• Map out concrete Action Steps to bring your Right-Brain Business Plan® to life!

You’re invited! Artist Miranda Skoczek–this Sunday in the F&S studio!

Ummmm, we’re just a LITTLE bit excited about the next Creative Womens Circle event in the studio this SUNDAY. Tess, who runs the CWC, has a superior sense of guessing exactly who we want to hear speak! This month it’s amazing artist Miranda Skoczek. She’s got a stellar eye for colour, is completely funny and witty, and is engaging just as your amazing body of work is. Can you tell that we’re slightly excited!

In the words of Tess from Creative Womens Circle:

“Our first Melbourne speaker event of the year is this Sunday! Artist Miranda Skoczek unashamedly delights in creating pictures which are joyous and celebratory, and enjoys putting incongruous things together in a harmonious, and hopefully, beautiful way. Her paintings have been acquired by numerous local and international collectors and she has enjoyed countless sell out shows. And while Miranda been an exhibiting artist for the last 10 years, she is also mum to a pre-school age son.

At the colour-drenched Frankie & Swiss studio, Miranda will provide insight on her career to date, her work/home balance and her creative process. Afterwards, join us for some delicious morning tea.

Date: Sunday 23 February, 2014
Time: 10am-Noon
Venue: Frankie & Swiss, Ground floor, 199 Toorak Road South Yarra (enter via Claremont St laneway).

Cost: Members $11 / Non-members $22  Members can log in and find the discount code here.

Supporting: 10% of ticket sales to this event will go to Guide Dogs Victoria.


TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE.

Painterly Designs for Mim and Lily

One of our most favourite things to do in our studio is painting! Getting right back to the brush and markings by hand. We've been doing a lot of this lately and one of the projects now a reality is this one - new fashion label, Mim & Lily. Working closely with the lovely Emily, one of the co-creators of Mim &Lily, we created designs based on her inspiration for the range - big, bold and painterly! Starting with original paintings, sketches and collages (always lots of fun creating in the studio!) we developed digital designs ready for their range of cute tops, dresses and jackets.

It's an absolute thrill to see the designs transformed into a complete range and we are looking forward to working with Mim & Lily again. It's everything we love: colour, fun, collaboration and local Australian design.

Belinda Marshall collaboration ~ Feb 2014

Adore Magazine Feb 2014. Photography by Martina Gemmola

A sneak peak in last months Inside Out magazine hinted of things to come and the feature in this months Adore Magazine kicks it off - a textile project that Belinda Marshall and I have been toiling away on for a while! We’ve created together a collection of nice things for the home – colour cushions, art tea towels and some other VERY exciting things that are in the pipeline, like seriously exciting!

I first met Belinda a few years ago, immediately drawn to her her calm and meditative work. Beautiful, serene, reflective, the adjectives are endless. It’s hard to resist the swathes of colour Belinda puts to paper, wood, mini notepad, whatever she can get her hands on!

She’s experimental, reflective and serene with a stoic strength that drives her. Amaze:) And it’s all there in her work for all. Who can resist such soothing combinations of colour! 

In Belinda’s words:

“I am a Melbourne-based artist & surface designer. I mainly work with acrylic paint, graphite, hand stitching and collage.
My work is an exploration of emotional reactions to the beauty within my immediate environment. A connection to my experience of an idyllic country landscape during childhood drives the need to portray the beauty found in domestic settings and urban landscapes in my work.
My works depict my vision of a perfect world - a calm, meditative space - communicated through layers of colour blocks and sections of representative imagery and repeat pattern. I focus only on what resonates and draws me in.
By expressing observations of beautiful objects and moments in my work, I aim to create a space for the viewer to form a deeper connection to his or her surroundings and to access the contentment that can be experienced from this process.”

Belinda’s textiles are over in both of our shops – ours (The Leaf Series shop) and also Belinda’s shop. 

Michelle xx

Back to it and an Australia Day present to you!

Ok, this is the third time I’ve sat down to write this post, the first time was the first day back from Christmas holidays. The second time was last week, and now here we are, the third week. So, I am not moving until I finish.

So whats been going on so far…easing back into the swing of things lasted for about an hour on the first day back! It’s been good though, not too busy, that kind of busy where it’s a little crazy. There’s a little time to try and re-arrange the studio a bit and get some design work done.

Cesar and Florence are getting along well – oh, did I introduce Cesar yet? No! I don’t think I have. Cesar is our new printer gal (actually he’s a guy, but in a studio of ladies, he has to kinda fit in a bit). Florence is being kind to him (most of the time). She does like to be a bit cheeky sometimes!

Oh - you know what - I’m actually going to wrap up this post now as it’s Friday night, pens down! I was going to write a massive post about The Big Design market and an entire wrap up of 2013 and outline all the plans for 2014 we have in our heads…PENS DOWN!!!

How about I end now with this fun little thing, a Happy Australia Day present for everyone!

Let’s do a textile print sale – 20% off all printing!

What do you think? If you like it, make sure you tell us in your email enquiry/order with this code FLO ROCKS. Yay!!

Xx Michelle