It never rains but it pours.

My apologies for our absence from blog land, at the moment things in the studio are manic, and it has been hard to find time to sleep let alone blog!!
So what have we been up to since last time..?

 First was The Gentry's refurbishment of "The Exchange Hotel" where we dyed up 60 pieces of suede in variations of reds to create an amazing set of "Victorian style" drapes and a unique "Rust" wall hanging for The Craftsmans Bar.  Created using real rusty old tools imprint, the piece is very eye catching. The space looks amazing with the fabulous Kelly Ross doing another highly amazing creative job! Sadly I don't have any shoots of the finished spaces as yet but it look truly a site for sore eyes so if you in Sydney head into Balmain to have a look.

Speaking of Kelly, another job we have just completed was another project of hers, 20 metres of silk velvet to add to her stunning event.

At the moment we are gearing up for our book launch which is about to happen in a matter of weeks. I have so many mixed emotions regarding this, it has been my baby for the past 3 (insane) years and while it will be exciting to see it finished it will be quite a bitter sweet moment, but on to the next project I guess!

Other than the looming book launch we have been keeping our selves busy with some workshops for the Powerhouse museum's "craft punk", which was insane and soooooooooooooo much fun but a whole lot of mess.

Other things happening in the shibori studio... we are working on an amazing project for a fabulous new interior design space in Bronte, plus 2 exciting collaborations and a calendar full of workshops and a few other exciting projects!!!

Busy, busy bees, (see to busy to even get my hair done :( blahh regrowth)

In the studio today

Today in the studio, Pepa got flowers from her secret admirer.

 there was lots of green and blue leather.

and I pleated, and pleated and pleated and pleated and pleated and pleated...

YMT designs, a studio revamp and 100000,000 pieces of leather.

I am loving this Sydney artist Yvette-Marie Tziallas who works under the label YMT designs. There is something so interesting and intriguing about her work. I love all the small details, her ideas, the feeling of mood and movement in her work.

Yesterday Danny, Jodie and Anthony the upholstery's (these guys rock and are such nice people plus SUPER talented at taking something a bit worse for wear and making something fabulous) whom we share our studio space with had a bit of a revamp. Looks amazing. I'll need to upload some photos tomorrow. They've made our side look a bit crummy so Pepa and I will need to do a bit of a revamp of our own later this week.

At the shibori studio we are hard at work dyeing millions upon million of pieces of leather, I am dreaming about leather dyeing in my sleep. We are also working on some different things and new ideas with the leather. It's just so versatile. I am really inspired at the moment, lots of creative energy, a lot of new ideas and plans for the future. Hooray for February.
Pepa and I have also been hitting Reverse Garbage like mad women (they know us by name).

Here are some of my most recent buys!

Gosh, how I love Reverse Garbage.

Karen xx

In love.

I am in love, madly, madly in love with the work of Tara Badcock. A Tasmanian textile designer who does the most amazing and detailed work. Ah, how my textile loving heart sings.

image from Tara Badcocks flickr.


On another note I am also madly in love with some new textile techniques I have been working with today. Plus we are looking at some amazing old school needle work of our own and how we can bring that into our own work, work that is quite different from things we normally do. I am super excited, today the shibori studio was buzzing with creative energy, hooray.

The Balloon Job

In December Pepa and I worked with Kelly Ross from www.thegentry.com.au,  on a project called "80 days around the world". We helped create a dip dyed huge balloon however the rest of the event was amazing as well, it had a real train!!! Kelly is awesomely talented!

Jose Martin

We are big fans of the work of Sydney artist Jose Martin and now he has started selling via the shibori studio. Hooray!!!