Bikes and wool

Just a pretty functional yarn bomb in Brunswick.  

Crafty Melbourne

Crafty Melbourne :) 

Free group creating in the city Monday's between 9/3/15 to 14/12/15. Shame work will prevent me attending it looks like fun. 

If you get the chance visit Federation square (still one of the ugliest architechture concived) for some crafty fun.

 

5000 Poppies; at the Flower and Garden show

 So the other day I went to the Melbourne International Flower and Garden show.

Really the display gardens at the show were on a whole average and there was only a handful. I enjoyed the day because flowers and I went with friends but they really need to ramp up the 'garden' bit of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. 

But on to the highlight, the '5000 poppies' group had an awesome display created by Phillip Johnson / Phillip Johnson Landscaping. I'll let the pictures speak for me:

Pretty Colourful City Square

 

Lots-a photos here. Lots of talented people creating colour and pretties in our drab city square via wool and hard work. I just had to take lots and lots and lots of photos. It was worth it. :) Honestly makes me really want to get my act into gear to learn to crochet. And maybe knit.

My City in Photos (3)

STOP, and yarn bomb

And zip ties, good for so many things up to and including it seems fence beautification!

My City in Photos (2)

My City in Photos (1)

Hosier Lane Yarn Graffiti

Melbourne has some dedicated graffiti areas and some talented artists.

It's a good combination. 

I sometimes wander around and take some pictures of the graffiti like a tourist. :) It's fun and gets me out and about for hours. 

Recently I had some time to kill waiting for a friend in the city and decided to spend it visiting some of the graffiti sites. 

In one of the more popular and well know sites, Hosier lane, there was also the added enjoyment of seeing some stitchy creativity. 

I would not have the patience for something like this!

And a close up. Just FYI as well the bars actually start above head hight.

Further down the lane and it's some mixed media; crochet and tile

This one isn't Hosier Lane and it's isn't stitchy but it is Melbourne and it is very very cool.

The Finders Keepers Melbourne Market

What better to do after a crappy week at work than go to a market? And in consideration for everyone's busy schedules 'the Finders Keepers' market was open this Friday 6pm -10pm as well as over the weekend. Which was perfect because my weekend's all booked out.

Had a lovely Japanese dinner with the bf at Bentoya @ 115 Hardware street. Nummy numnum sashimi plater and the Japanese beef salad. Was perfect. Not the cheapest but very very tasty. 

Then off to meet friends and check out the market. 

The Finders Keepers Market

Located in the historic Royal exhibition building this place was packed out. At just $2 entry it didn't break the bank and the quantity and quality of stuff was quite satisfactory. 

Promoted as a indie art and design market it mostly fit the bill. Though at a point towards the end you noticed some trends repeated that felt overdone (really cant get excited about some ugly chunky beads on a chain - particularly at multiple stalls) we still easily and happily got lost for an hour and a half.

A lot tempted me, in particular a seahorse necklace by Luke Maninov. But I don't wear jewellery much and couldn't justify the (quite reasonable for its quality) price tag of $130.

There was some interesting things, bizarre things and an excessive amount of stationary. And string, several stalls with string.

I did particularly like the giant knitting needles, as mentioned above Luke Maninovs work and one of the artist really nailed it with her simple but sweet designs. (No link sorry) 

Managed to escape with only one personal purchase in the end. The panda brooches were too cute - and while I could have made them myself quite easily the question was would I have? Quick answer...NO. It was $10 each or 3 for $25 so we grabbed the robot one for bf's sister. 

Hope she likes.

And bf brought a CD of the performer on the stage - Mind Maps. They unfortunately have no online presence that I can locate. (Creepy) And since they were only background noise to me I have no idea how the group/person sounds. I assume I would have noticed more if they sucked. 

Open House Melbourne 2013

The Open House concept is great, once a year the doors are thrown open and for free people are allowed to roam the nooks and cranny’s of Melbourne you wouldn't normally be allowed or think to go.

Yesterday:
A relatively quite day for myself and my friend today. She won a ballot to go to one of the limited access buildings 'The Johnston Collection - Fairhall House Museum' and wanted to go to the 'Phillips Shirts' factory where shirts are still made today - and considering how little Australia still manufatures this IS something to note.



Phillips Shirts:
Wow, old building, a tone of vintage fabric, an enchanting story of success from post war Australia. What's not to love. And if you're interested in vintage clothing or a custom shirt set to stand the tests of time most definitely worth the visit.

Second Floor, 274 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.

Open Wednesday - Saturday 10.30am - 3.30pm or by appointment.

The Johnston Collection:
While this is open during the week for booked tours we've had a couple of years to make it (since we first heard about the collection and thought of going) and still hadn't. Who knows when we would have made it if we hadn’t won the ballot.

The museum is in a heritage terrace house. The house and the collection was willed to Melbourne by William Robert Johnston (1911-1986). The display we saw had been organised by an artist and contained some of the collection and some of her work set out in a narrative. Unfortunately I was not enamoured with the artists work, all 'modern' and seemed largely to consist of layered photo manipulations and canvases painted with reflective metal stuff and distressed a bit. Basically dull. 

One the other hand the collection was interested as was the stories around William Johnston. As the 'guest' artist changes regularly and the collection itself is rotated I will definitely be going back at some point. Christmas at the Johnston collection sounds particularly good.

And Sunday!
I'd love to go to one of the Open House's held in other cities/countries but until then I'll continue to discover more of Melbourne year by year.

Fist the Lego Education Centre
...Meh.
It's mostly just  a shop with some Lego out the back for kids to play with. Later in the day everyone who visited worked towards building a Lego city but being early we got nothing.  I did manage to buy a giant Lego pencil so not a complete loss.

Boyfriend join'd us here. For the person who lives the closest to the city he managed to be the latest.



Next the Melbourne Water Headquaters
After a slight glitch when the headquarters wasn't where the map said it was we made it just in time for a tour. I was mainly in it for the vacuum toilet technology. People laughed when I said I was going to go there to flush the toilet. We'll I got the last laugh those things are freaking great. It's like a jet in the toilet bowl. I am not ashamed of laughing like a loon after I flushed one.

NAB Headquarters - crazies' steps EVER as seen in the photo. It's an amazing office, though the levels and open planning would drive me nuts.

Lifestyle Working Collins Street - mostly empty still, just did a walk though

and lastly the Aurecon Centre which made me feel like my workplace was working in the dark ages. Seriously shiny shiny office building. I want.

The Collingwood Children's Farm

Chickens are evil! See above as evidence. Just look into that eye!

Today I went to the Collingwood Children's Farm with a mate, her partner and two kids. I figured it's a children's farm you need to take the children, who do I know with children?

And if I was going to steal her children I might as well invite the parents too :-P

After a rescue mission to the car park with change to get them through the boom to park. (Crisis Averted!) It was off to gawk at the animals like the city kids we is.

First the fowl;
Lotsa chickens of various breeds, leghorns (pretty boy's), black orpington's (big fluffy fatty eatin chickens, lay well too), Favorelles (crazy feather feet) to name a few. I'd like to claim that knowledge as my own but these ones were in labelled enclosures. The general chickens though were free to roam.

and lets not forget the ducks and the odd free range peacock.

They also have some cows, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, horses and pigs (very smelly).

We were there on the family fun day by pure coincidence. Down side was that unlike normal days we couldn’t feed the animals but we did get a tractor ride. Broooom!

As it was family fun day there was also a sausage sizzle, always a must.

With a busy cafe, regular farmers markets and located right next door to the picturesque Abbotsford convent (which also has regular and fantastic markets) this is a place I should visit more.

Australian Tapestry Workshop

Australian Tapestry Workshop (formerly Victorian Tapestry Workshop)

Every year Melbourne has an open house event which I greatly enjoy. Last year one of the venues was the Australian Tapestry Workshop. While this venue is open to the general public on other days I've walked past is several times and never made it back to take a look around. That's one of the good things about the Open House Melbourne it gets you into places you'd otherwise never see.

Anyway, if you're local or ever in Melbourne and like all things stitchy the Tapestry Workshop is one not to miss.

current opening hours;
Shop and galleries (including studio viewings): Tuesday - Friday 10am to 5pm
ATW office (for enquiries and deliveries): Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm

Address;
262-266 Park Street
South Melbourne Victoria 3205
Australia

They dye their own thread on site and are just plain amazing.