Yarraville Market II

Despite the constant rain and having the pokiest stall in the building, I managed to pay for my stall and make enough profit to shout myself Nandos and a DVD.

My Monkey Love canvas was an attention grabber.

This girl was the daughter of one of my stall holder neighbours. The lady with the face painting stall painted my monkey on her cheek.

The Ipod Wallets were as popular as ever.

My T-Shirts made their debut appearance.

Yarraville Market

Ho! Ho! Ho!

This Saturday 13 December I will have a stall at Yarraville Christmas Market. It is being held at the Masonic Hall in Yarraville, next to the IGA car park, from 10am till 4.30pm.

This is the perfect opportunity to buy last minute Christmas gifts. Otherwise, just come say hello. I would greatly appreciate the support and you can check out what I've been working on.

Merry Christmas!

My Stuff VI

T-Shirts

Just in time for Christmas!

I've just posted t-shirts for sale on my etsy shop.
3 designs: Monkey Love, Cameo and Doll. I hand cut all of the stencils and hand screen-printed each t-shirt. All t-shirts are 100% cotton.


Monkey Love


Monkey Love


Cameo


Doll

If you are within Australia and are interested in purchasing a t-shirt, please email me for prices in Australian dollars and postage details.

michael_morell@hotmail.com

Pinboard Scheme IV

Stuart Highway

In 2000 Lee, Macy and I drove up the middle of Australia in our Kombi. The Stuart Highway is an amazing place. Not only for the landscape and colours, but also the variety of people (both locals and fellow travellers) and the crazy adventures that you're destined to be subject to.



This photo encapsulates the sense of freedom with the highway stretching ahead to the unbroken horizon, bound on each side by limitless expanses of desert scrub. It was one of those moments where everything falls into perspective. You're a miniscule part of something of infinite size.

1) The front layer of drapes is an ochre coloured acetate. The lazer-cut organic patterns remind me of Aboriginal motives.

2) The back layer of drapes is a pale blue wool sateen. Wool drapes fantastically and is lovely and soft.

3) Two huge loose-cover sofas upholstered in this casual but smart khaki linen, piped in the lighter natural colour.

4) Big scatter cushions in this fabric that has an amazing optical spiralling pattern reminiscent of Aboriginal dot paintings.

5) Long scatter cushions in this wool stripe. I had to include this fabric because it is called 'Highway'.

6) A chunky ottoman centres the room upholstered in this luscious cut velvet/epingle.

7) A couple of timber, art deco armchairs upholstered in this deconstructed pinstripe. This fabric pulls the scheme together consisting of colours drawn from all the other fabrics in the room.

Inspiring Fabric/Finishes IV

Amazonas

This weave is from Nina Campbell's collection of the same name. The base is a natural, almost hessian-like linen. The simplicity of the base allows the beauty of the pattern to shine and jump off the cloth. All of the colourways sing with an irridescent quality as they gradiate across the pattern. The pattern itself is a large scale trailing floral design. Grand in its scale, yet exquisite in the detail of the design and construction.


A quirky and fantastical promo shot.


This colourway gradiates from red through orange...


... to an almost flourescent yellow.

Fully Stoked

I have just entered my Alpha Damask design in fullystoked's T-Shirt Design competition. Please vote for me. I want to win!

www.fullystoked.com/designs/design.cfm

My Stuff V

Alpha Damask

Meterage of my first textile design.


You can't take your camera out without Macy insisting on being in the photo.

How very exciting! I have been working on this project for a while. You may remember a previous post from April 2008, My Stuff III. It's satisfying seeing it come into fruition and actually hold the product in my hands.

The fabric is a chalk coloured sateen with quite a heavy, but soft handle. The contrasting black print is very striking and makes for a glamorous and sleek design.

You can purchase it by-the-metre through me or at my etsy shop. I'm also looking at producing cushions and canvases with this batch. Ultimately, it would make for amazing drapes. I have plans for producing other colourways and an upholstery version.

The Chair Whisperer

Pimp My Armchair

I was going through old emails at work and found these pics. They're of an armchair that I bought from a junk shop in Footscray for $40. I sent them to myself so I could show my upholsterer, so he could quote me on recovering.

I have since had it recovered and it looks fantastic. Everyone loves a makeover, so here you go...

Before





When I bought it, the chair was covered in grotty, sack-like fabric with water stains and divots in the seat. The structure was pretty solid except for a slight movement in the back.

After







The fabric I re-covered it in is a large scale charcoal ombre stripe. My upholsterer braced the frame to fix the movement. He removed the old wadding and replaced it with new wadding. He stripped back the timber legs. He pattern matched the stripe so it runs front to back, and also across the arms and seat. He even upholstered the dark part of the stripe at the front of the arms where I'd rest my hands and placed upholstered panels on the front of the arms.

First Market Stall

Mindil Beach Markets - Darwin
Thursday September 4 2008

Last week I travelled to Darwin to stay with my friends, Louise and Pete and their two kids, Davy and Becky. I also got to spend time with my Mum and her partner Hully, as they were in Darwin playing in a squash tournament. I thought I'd take the opportunity to spruik my wares at a market for the first time. And what better place than Australia's best (in my opinion) open-air markets, the infamous Mindil Beach Markets.




My stall was very humble compared to all the others. But I had to be resourceful as I couldn't bring anything with me on the plane. I borrowed Louise and Pete's camping table, chair and water cooler. I covered the table with one of Louise's sarongs and whipped up a sign with my note pad and biro.



My stall may have been small, but it had the best view. I also had a great neighbour, a Thai lady selling mangoes from her own trees. Yum!



At dusk, everyone walks down on to the beach with their food and wine to watch the sun set.

At times it was slow but I ended up making a profit. I came away feeling more confident in my product and I definitely learnt a lot from the experience.

First Product

Ipod Wallets

MIKE ID now has product for sale! I have started selling Ipod wallets online through a fantastic website for handmade products...

www.etsy.com

You can go to the website and do a search for my shop, Mike ID. Or follow this link...

www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5522352

I was so proud of my sexy, black and stainless steel Ipod in its pristine condition straight out of the box. But then, I put it in my bag with my keys and...

So, I made myself an Ipod Wallet. My Ipod now has a snug and chic little home with a space for the earphones cord to remain attached to the Ipod when it is closed.

Ofcourse, it doesn't necessarily have to be used exclusively for Ipods. Mobile phones fit nicely, as do credit cards, cash and other bits and bobs.

Each wallet is individual and fully lined. The fabric (exterior and interior) is upholstery weight and very sturdy.

You can also purchase them from me directly if you live in Melbourne. I'm selling them for $12.00 each.

Pinboard Scheme III

Macaulay Station

One night after work, I got on the Upfield Line train by accident. Listening to my Ipod and with my head in a book, I didn't realise until Macaulay Station. I had twenty minutes to wait for a train back to North Melbourne. I think those twenty minutes must have been Macaulay Station's finest. The light of the cobalt dusk sky with looming storm transformed the station into a dramatic urban setting.





I've put together a scheme inspired by the photos I took that night.




1) Drapes in a slate blue cotton drill. Large chrome eyelets on a simple chrome pole.

2) Silver and Carbon striped sheers sit behind the drapes.

3) A couple of slick modern armchairs on chrome swivel bases will be upholstered in this self patterned yellow polka dot.

4) This chunky, comfy tweed will be used for a couple of large bean bag pods.

5) Sofa cushions. The construction of this fabric is interesting. It is a velvet, but the pattern has been made by printing the inverse onto the face of the fabric. For a fabric that is predominantly a print, the handle is beautifully pliable and the velvet so soft.

6) Sofa cushions. This masculine, geometric pattern contrasts with the feminine, organic pattern of the velvet. The shapes are reminiscent of train lines and underground maps.

7) I would die to have a sofa in this concrete grey wool, speckled with flecks of ivory and charcoal. The combo of these three fabrics would look a million dollars. Not bad for something inspired by a grubby train station under a toll way.

Inspiring Fabrics/Finishes III

Mandara

This is wallpaper design is an old favourite. It is Osborne & Little's Mandara from their Autumn 2005 collection, Adara. It is being re-released in new colourways in their latest collection, Metropolis. It is chic, moody classic.


Detail of colourway with fawn background and a metallic gold pattern.


This colourway has a silver metallic background and charcoal tree pattern.


Promotional shot of Mandara used in a bar.

My Stuff IV

Undies

I've been working on a few designs for underwear over the past month. Still working within the Alpha Male theme.


Roos



Monkey Love


Charge

Inspiring People II

Barbara Hulanicki - Creator of BIBA

Biba began from very humble beginnings. Barbara Hulanicki and her husband, Stephen Fitz-Simon designed a simple gingham dress which was featured in London's Daily Mirror for postal order, priced at just under three pounds. She did not expect the overwhelming response when fourteen thousand pounds worth of orders came flooding in.

As a result of this success they opened a small, shabby boutique in Notting Hill. Biba soon became infamous, with its affordable yet glamorous fashions, booming rock music, bohemian magpies nest interior, it epitomised the swinging sixties. You could find yourself undressing in the communal dressing rooms with the likes of Sonny and Cher, Yoko Ono, Mia Farrow, Barbara Striessand or Brigitte Bardot.

As Biba expanded, the premises that housed it became bigger in both size and grandeur. At its pinnacle, Biba was deemed by some to be the most beautiful store in the world. It was a spectacular five level fantasy land, housed in an Art Deco department store on Kensington High Street. It included:

• Moroccan Casbah filled with cushions and stoner hippies.
• Kids' floor with trees, castles and merry-go-round fixtures.
• Mistress room selling naughty undies and kinky erotica.
• Basement foodstore selling everything from Biba champagne to Biba dog food.
• Rooftop terrace garden with flower sculptures and real life flamingos and penguins.
• The Rainbow Room 1930's style cabaret bar and restaurant featuring acts such as The Pointer Sisters, The Kinks and The Bay City Rollers.

Biba is inspiring because it is a story of a simple idea becoming a fantasy come true.

Barbara Hulinicki by the flamingo pond on the rooftop terrace garden.


'Big Biba's' Art Deco staircase.


The Rainbow Room


The Cosmetics Counter

From shadowy boudoir to glorious emporium
Taut roxy chic
Champagne and Novacaine
Pin-legged seductive waifs
Big eyes and misty curls

Pin Board Scheme II

Champagne Lounge





1. Metallic champagne gold wallpaper with a slightly textured finish.

2. Drapes, again in a champagne gold to blend with the walls. A soft, sheeny satin that would drape like liquid.

3. An embroidered sheer with an arabic inspired pattern sits behind the drapes.


4. Two large Louis XVI Bergeres(armchairs) upholstered in this intricately embroidered floral silk, and timber in a mahogany finish.


5/6. The fabric for the sofa cushions are a mixture of epingle and cut velvet finishes on a satin background. They are glossy and textural and the geometric patterns lend a masculine contrast to the floral pattern on the armchairs. They also pick up the apple, taupe, gold and coral colours from the silk.

7. This is my favourite leather finish, it is a semi aniline, pull-up leather with a wax finish to give it that antiqued feel. It is warm and soft and looks so smart. It would be used to upholster a huge modular sofa.