a party for alice

Slavery isn’t decreasing...it’s getting worse.

2009-11-20T16:27:00.000-08:00

All over the world, today, RIGHT NOW 27 million people are in slavery...I can’t fathom that figure...but this may help: that’s double that of any other time in human history.

Slavery isn’t decreasing...it’s getting worse.

About 85% are females and over 13 million are children. Today’s slave trade earns more than Starbucks, Google & Nike COMBINED each year. It is the single fastest growing and most lucrative industry that exists today. No nation is exempt, no content untouched, uninvolved or slave free...In America all of the major cities have houses that hold women who have been trafficked into slavery, forced into a life of being beaten, raped, and prostitution, servicing an average of 20 to 40 men each day.

“History will reflect upon this in the same light as the holocaust. Modern slavery will go down as the single worst human rights violation to ever take place at such a grand level. Statistically, it is almost impossible for any one of us to not have items in our houses that have slave hands have touched.” Ronda Gupton-Pruett

Just as we have heard the injustices of the past and looked to where our ancestors were, I have no doubt that our grandchildren will one day read about these 27 million lives and then look to us and ask where were we? what did we do? Right now much of this issue is an unknown to us, a modern inconvenience amongst our comfortable, self serving world. However time passing has a way of highlighting the real priorities...do we really want to be a part of a society that piggy backs off the misery of slavery?

So many people are still unaware of modern day slavery. Being informed ourselves so that we may inform others is a powerful tool against these injustices. Big world changing events start from something small, a thought, a conversation, an encouragement...so don’t deny the world of the one small simple thing you can do.

The following is a clip of Justin Dillion (Call+Response film director) speaking at the annual state-wide Christian Life Conference about the danger of human trafficking.

a hymn called octopus

2008-11-07T05:27:00.000-08:00

love is all around...

2008-10-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

i've been up since 5.30am scouring the internet for cool shops and interesting things...why do this on a sunday morning? well because i’m about to hop into my car and drive to melbourne for a week of peddlin’ my wares around their fine city...only thing is this week has been crazy and my much needed research has become a shoddy last minute dash through cyber space. i’m just trusting i’ll stumble upon all the greatness down there... (if anyone knows of a must-see-shop down there let me know!) i’m also sad because i haven’t made an ultimate drive-to-melbourne playlist yet, but hey – i’m sure to come up with something.

in other news i found this really cool website (or rather they found me) www.supersweet.org is a hub of information and interesting bits and bobs plus they have a site menu that will keep you entertained for hours...i’m still checking it out and its also the first place when you can see this brand-spankin-new banner...so you must pop over there and visit!

the christmas designs are coming along – a bit slower than i would like but they should be out of my head and on a card for you very soon!

more stories to come very soon!

xxx

:: stiching :: creating :: sewing ::

2008-09-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

Finally my mind is flourishing with ideas and my hands are itching to get creating...I think my creativity has defiantly been awoken with spring...

At the end of August I hand-stitched myself a skirt with lots of buttons, details and stitches here and there...I was really happy with my little experiment – but now I want to keep stitching!

So I’ve located some lovely vintage fabric and fashioned these three delightful coin purses...they have press studs and are lined inside with pretty stripes...

They are all for sale in my madeit.com store.

I’ve been drawing a lot lately too – but I can’t be bothered to scan anything in yet...so you’ll just have to wait!

My laptop is bursting with some great tunes at the moment, there keeping me moving and up way too late...today I’m all about Kings of Leon [I know I’m a little late to discover them...but I’ve seen the error of my ways!]

Anyway – hope your days are shining as much as mine is...

Enjoy.

xxx

a party for alice notebooks have arrived!

2008-09-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

I’m so excited to be surrounded by boxes of notebooks and finally have my girls on something besides cards! [great to be breaking away a little...]
So I picked three of my favourite designs, ‘Eden’, ‘Tundra’ and ‘Still Ask You...’ They were all really popular designs on the cards, so I’m hoping everyone agrees with me!

Plus amongst it all, I’m a bit of a notebook junkie...I’m always sketching, writing, drawing, jotting down thoughts, poems, to-do lists...notes and scribbles...so there nice and chunky, with hardcover’s, spiral bind and 120 sheets of blank paper...

I had a massive debate as to whether the pages should be blank or lined, personally I love blank uncluttered pages..., but that’s just me. I was speeding down the freeway one day and I had this genius idea totally offering the perfect solution...so the books all include a loose lined sheet. If you prefer to use a lined notebook, simply slip the lined page under the sheet of paper you are using, the lines are very visible through the paper, it’s as if you are writing directly onto the lined page! Well I was proud of that anyway...so hopefully someone will appreciate it!

Notebook measures 14 x 22cm.

So if you would like to snap one up, please visit my store!

shop within australia: madeit.com
shop overseas: etsy.com

Thanks for reading.

xxx

the scrapbook is filling up....

2008-09-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

the illawarra mercury printed this little story about a party for alice on the 3rd of september...

[click to read it...]

xxx

alice and the avant card...

2008-09-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

some months ago i was thrilled to be accepted by avant cards to participate in their calling all artists program. for those who don't know avant cards are free postcards displayed in a variety of interesting and diverse venues, such as cafes and theatres, that can be accessed by 4 million viewers each week. they primarily provide a creative and visually stunning cutting edge media format for advertisers.

anyway – my design hit the stands on the 27th of august...and will only be on display for 2-4 weeks. i was sent 1000 postcards for myself, but sadly i haven’t had an opportunity to see them displayed anywhere...so if anyone catches a glimpse of them and wants to shoot and send me a happy snap i’d really appreciate it!

as part of the program my design is also currently available as an e-card on their website...(does anyone even send e-cards?!)

For more information visit:
www.avantcard.com.au

a party for alice - stockists

2008-07-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

Incase you didn't know, our cards & designs are stocked in a small collection of delightful stores scattered throughout Australia.

a party for alice stockists:

vic

Lu Lu
322A Carlisle Street, Balaclava, VIC

Brunswick Bound
Brunswick, VIC

qld

Lyssy May's
676 Wynnum Road, Morningside, QLD

Gone Dotti
200 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington, QLD

sa

Flourish Gift & Home
Hyde Park, SA

The Waste Not Want Not Shop
Goodwood, SA

The Ivy Room
59 Jetty Road, Glenelg, SA

wa

Princess & the Pea
242 Lake Street, Perth, WA

nsw

Ekho
2/269 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul, NSW

Something For Doris
84b Kembla St, Wollongong, NSW

Monsuta
Shop 3/157 Crown Street Mall, Wollongong NSW

Mexico Road
Shop 7/81 Church Street, Wollongong NSW

La Di Da
Shop 8, Oldbucks Corner, Wingecarribee Street, Berrima, NSW

Rich & Frame-Us
1/ 369 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul, NSW

Artinport
80 Wentworth Street, Port Kembla, NSW

Reflections
Shop 5, 36-42 Auburn Street, Wollongong, NSW

Betty Mim
Newcastle, NSW

Delilah Living
Fairy Meadow, NSW

Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Arts Centre
782 Kingsway, Gymea, NSW

Wollongong Mall Markets
every friday 9-3pm
Crown Street Mall, Wollongong

wholesale enquiries:
If you would like to stock a party for alice products in your store or have a wholesale question please email fyona@partyforalice.com.au

notebook - the documentation of a quizzical mind...

2008-06-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Yen + A Party For Alice

2008-05-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

A Party For Alice has been delighted with a small mention in the latest Yen magazine. It was a little overwealming to read the lovely things they wrote!

xxx

who am i?

2008-05-28T03:53:00.000-07:00

I am an echo
of all the people
around me...

i love this...

2008-05-28T02:45:00.001-07:00

web site update

2008-05-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

i just want to announce how excited i am that i've finally mastered editing my own web page! only 5 hours later and i've taught myself how to do all sorts of things. i've updated my stockist page and gallery...i'm making myself stop now or i'll redo the whole thing!

if your a fan please check it out...just so i feel like it hasen't all been for nothing!

http://www.partyforalice.com/

The Storm In My Tea Cup

2008-05-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

The zine is finished and was launched this weekend! I'm really happy with it. It’s called 'the storm in my tea cup' and it contains 10 poems plus illustrations. its full colour with a delightful cardboard cover and lovely paper. I've only created 35 and after the weekend i only have 20 left! So with the upcoming Kino Zine Fair on the 28th of June, it looks like they won't be around all that long. I've included a picture of the cover and three of the ten poems for you:

Yesterday I spent the day at the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Arts) in Sydney doing the Zine Fair. It was so busy, only during the last two hours could I begin to think about checking out the rest of the fair and viewing some zines for myself. I found two I liked. One is called 'This Is You' its by Ebony Willder (ebonyempire@hotmail.com.au), the other is 'Settling Scores On A See-Saw' by Lee Tran Lam http://settlingscores.blogspot.com/ if you want to check them out. I sold some original works too including my favourite...it was very hard to let her go but I do hope she finds her new home to be cosy and bright.
I was also very excited because my new girls have arrived, printed on beautiful greeting cards. I spent Saturday wrapping them and watching them journey out into the world on Sunday. They are now also available online, here a quick shot of them all:

Some of them will also be available as prints soon as well.

Thats all for now really - I've been sick all weekend with a cold so I'm planning on rugging up for the rest of the day and getting myself better.

xxx

i'm drinking a berocca...

2008-05-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

i’ve been feeling really scatty lately so i’m just going to allow my brain in spit out everything that’s been going on.... [random things keep happing such as a grasshopper bit my finger the other day…blood and everything.] i’ve spent the last two weeks mostly drawing, i need to have all of my designs for the notebooks (hopefully ready for sale by the end of june) finished by this friday. i really like one of the designs but the second i’m not so sure about. i wrote an article about starting your own business for lip magazine as well…i’m not sure when they are going to publish it, but keep your eyes peeled.

with these new girls i’m really trying to distinguish my style, so that means i’ve been agonizing over every detail and colour. i like one or two of them but they still have a long way to go. i’m always constantly debating what should have more attention, my illustrations or my poetry and which one i want to push forward and which one should support the other. i’m currently putting together a zine of some of my latest poems. it will include illustrations and be available at the museum of contemporary art zine fair in sydney on the 25th of may. i’ll also be selling some originals including the one pictured above (if i can bare to part with her)…

in my quest to distinguish my style more i’ve been hunting down different movies, tv shows and music to watch and listen too…(even though they aren’t very obscure) at the moment the mighty boosh and the foo fighters concert i went to the other day are my biggest inspirations.

i’ve been really good this week, i posted three birthday cards this week, for my lovely friends who are celebrating, i even timed it so they should each get them on their birthdays. i posted a fan mail letter today – i’ve never send fan mail in my life and i felt a little cheesy writing it, but i was just compelled to say hi…surprisingly i felt a bit nervous when i posted it…i don’t even think it will be read…but i’m daydreaming that it does and wonderful things occur as a result.

i watched two hands today – its inspired me to get my film camera out and take it on tour for a day or two – i’ve got a rockstar party on friday night – that just might be the place to start.

here are some of my new girls anyway…

i’ve finished my berocca now so i best be going…zine my life away!

xxx

the wolf and the key

2008-05-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

new poem

[click click]

drawing in my cave...

2008-04-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

after nearly a week of sketching, sketching, sketching my lounge room is truly invaded. in my little unit i don't have a place where i can set up a studio area...so i usually lock myself away and turn my lounge room into a temporary illustration factory. currently i'm trying to get some designs together for the notebooks i'm planning to get printed towards the end of may. now that all the sketches are sorted its time to splatter some colour on them all. though i think a cup of tea, a mighty boosh episode and a few hours sleep might be squeezed in first...

xxx

a party for alice in the garden

2008-04-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

the first edition of the delightful new 'the garden' zine is currently featuring a party for alice within its lovely brown pages.

visit www.myspace.com/thegardenzines

something for the scrapbook

2008-04-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

while sitting at the markets last friday, i was delighted to have a visitor who informed me that a party for alice had been mentioned in an article in our local wollongong paper. it was a lovely surprise, i tracked the article down so here it is (also i was excited to see that i'm now 18 and no longer 23!)

enjoy.

xxx

(click on image to enlarge)

Markets

2008-04-08T21:08:00.000-07:00

every friday you can find a party for alice in the wollongong mall at the markets between 9am-3pm - its a great opportunity to drop by, say hello and snatch a bargin.

on the 13th of april we will be at the zine fair from 12-4pm, at the wollongong city gallery supporting youth week.

on the 4th of may we will then be at the old court house down at belmore basin in wollong from 10am-4pm.

please visit...

xxx

A Party For Alice + Featured

2008-04-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

Hot Generation is an amazing blog, daily featuring artists, bands and designers. A Party For Alice were delighted to be interviewed by them and heres what we had to say, [click on it to read:

visit http://hotgeneration.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/a-party-for-alice/

Also we are currently being featured on the VRAW MySpace sight! Very Exciting.

Visit www.myspace.com/vraw for more info.

xxx

A Party For Alice Mugs

2008-04-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

Our brand new mugs have arrived and they are wonderful. Please click here to visit made it.com and here to visit etsy.com.

xxx

Have a delicious day.

On Friday....

2008-03-29T06:30:00.001-07:00

at the markets i thought i'd sketch something just for you.

she's a bit of a rockstar.

we can swim through sunshine

2008-03-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

i was just thinking about the entry and exit of each day.
the rising and falling of sunshine, light and dawn.
its like we rock in the waves of shifting time.
so now i'm trying to catch the last moments and squash them into a sentence
so i can flick back later, see what i missed.

in other news...
i have a new poem for you...
(click on it to read)
xxx