Fashion: Punk to Pakistan

Photo Credit: Sally Edwards,
Boys and Girls are Choice

Exams are over, pencils tidied and library books returned, which means it's time for QUT's fashion graduates to don their best frocks and tails and walk their collections down the runway! This year's show entitled, Six, sees each designer debut a collection of six pieces, with inspiration for the designs internationally eclectic. Designer Sally Edwards says her androgynous collection, Boys and Girls are Choice, is aimed at "new punk" mixing tartan with the "sartorial elegance of a well-made suit". "Referencing suits and styles throughout history, I want to use these guidelines of menswear to create a collection that can be word by either men or women," she says. Opening night was last night and closing night has already sold out! But luckily, the creative folk behind the parade planned ahead for your silly season, book-in-advance forgetfulness and there's still a whole chunk of tickets left for your spontaneous attendance tonight and tomorrow. You can even bring a friend for free! Bargain!

Taste Bud Tuesday: Green Tea Cookies

Photo Credit: Chocolate and Zucchini

We stumbled across this delicious recipe on French food blog, Chocolate and Zucchini. Packed full of anti-oxidents they must be good for you right?...and did we mention they're green, how fun!

Ingredients
100 grams (7 tablespoons) butter
50 grams caster sugar
1 egg yolk
90 grams flour
40 grams (6 tablespoons) finely ground almonds
2 tablespoons Matcha* (green tea powder)
2 tablespoons cane sugar

Method
In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar with a spatula. Add the egg yolk and mix it in thoroughly.

In another bowl, combine the flour, ground almonds, and matcha, and stir with a whisk to remove any lumps. Add this to the first bowl and stir until the mixture comes together to form a ball, don't overwork the dough. Roll it into a log, wrap it in cling film and place in the freezer to firm up for 40 minutes (or in the fridge for 2 hours).

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle the sugar on a plate and roll the log in it to coat on all sides, pressing it down a bit if necessary. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1cm slices and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Remember the cookies will spread a little so be strategic when placing them.

Slip into the oven and bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to turn golden at the edges. Let them rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Make a cup of a tea (preferably iced in this sweltering weather), grab a cookie and enjoy.

*Matcha powder can be found at asian grocers or at your local tea shop.

Bon Appétit!

Sad indie mag news...

Photo Credit: Colophon

Just when we release our little magazine and are hoping to make it onto the "world's largest database of independent publications", the indie mag-crazed lads over at Colophon decide to stop organising their independent magazine exhibition and book series. So sad! We used their two past exhibition books 'We Make Magazines' and 'We Love Magazines' while researching for Seam. But Jeremy Leslie from Colophon posted on his blog that they'd continue under the magCulture name. Unfortunately their travelling exhibition scheduled for 2012 - The Rise of Print - is no longer happening. The independent magazine exhibition trend started in 2000 and has continued to this year with an exhibition in Singapore. Maybe we'll have to pick up where the Colophon chaps left off... It's about time Australia curated one!

Arty, Crafty, Artifice

Photo Credit: Artifice

There's a crafty little event happening on the north island of New Zealand from tomorrow, just in time for some christmas shopping! Artifice is a celebration of Hamilton fashion and craft culture running from Saturday evening at 6pm until December 3rd. It's one of those wonderful combo events, mixing part exhibition with part market. Instead of merely displaying art for local indie folk to buy, the artworks have functions of the cute, creative variety, perfect for gifts or a keepsake of your own.

Similarly in Sydney is the On The Wall exhibition, curated by the lovely ladies over at Leeloo. The artists have just been announced, and the exhibition will feature opposite the Leeloo stall at next weekend's Finders Keepers Markets at Carriageworks - so if you see something you like you can scoot across the masses of people and to pick up a print. Easy peasy take-home packs of art and craft, how swish!

Crafty Collage Zine

Photo Credit: Kelly Zarb.

Take a look at this brand spanking new Crafty Collage Zine by Kelly Zarb!

Kelly is a Melbourne based artist and crafting connoisseur who loves integrating the new and old to create the colourful and creative. Her cute and quirky paper goods are often made from recycled materials and are all incredibly hand-made!

Crafty Collage Zine is 16 pages of DIY delight, filled with a bunch of great little craft ideas to keep you busy through the christmas season. The zine also features Kelly's illustrative instructions to make each item along with helpful hints about finding beautiful yet cost effective supplies for all your crafting needs.

For more of Kelly's creations visit her blog here or check out the store on Etsy.

Hanging with the BBF

Photo Credit: marioanima.

Jump on your fixie everyone, the Brizzy Bike Fest (BBF) kicks off today! The BBF is a creative and community event for riders of all ages and all biking styles, from the daily commuter to the fixie fanatic. The festival is inspired by Brisbane’s ever-growing bike assemblage and celebrates it through riding, art and film.

The first BBF runs until this Sunday 27th November and will provide some of the finest biking culture this city has ever seen... Race you there!

Save it for a rainy day...

Photo Credit: Very Nearly Almost Magazine.

Move over yarn bombing, make way for umbrella art! With the season warming up and the storm spell looming, it’s only appropriate that umbrella art is fast taking over our public spaces and establishing itself as the new street art.

This stunning piece is a vision in yellow and looks as though a bunch of umbrellas have gone astray from their loving owners and lodged themselves in this oak tree. Entitled ‘Bloom’ this installation was created by Goldsmith Art College student Sam Spenser and was featured at The Wapping Project in London... Amazing!

Frocksters reunite!

Photo credit: Frock Paper Scissors

So every year in November, fashion-arty-wordnerdery-creative types dress up, drink some wine, celebrate and then collapse with exhaustion post the feat of producing a magazine from scratch. The annual Frock Paper Scissors magazine launched last night, with issue six the biggest yet. Covering fashion, style, beauty and lifestyle, these creative QUT ladies (and lad, singular) are striving for something a little Vogue-esque with their sharp content and photography. Showcasing the Brisbane fashion scene, as well as designers nationally and internationally, it's always exciting to see what the next publication will look like when it pops up each year. The students are distributing this FREE (!) magazine around Brisbane and South East Queensland from next week, so keep an eye out in fashion precincts for your copy. In the meantime, you can flip through the digital copy here. Congrats to the 2011 team! Maybe we'll see their names in high places in the coming years...

Sewing lounge launch party

Photo credit: Piece Together

Summer has arrived early in Brisbane, bringing with it 30+ temperatures and the silly season in full swing. I think they call it the silly season because it's ridiculously silly how many great parties/launches/openings/events are on each night, making it impossible to get to them all especially post a smidge of bubbly. Tonight we'll be attempting to party hop from the Frock Paper Scissors launch to the launch of Brisbane's newest sewing lounge Piece Together.

You wouldn't think it possible that more wonderful businesses could pop up in the Woolloongabba Antique Precinct, but they have! Piece Together opened its doors a few months ago now, and just downstairs of their lofty studio space is new coffee nook Five Sugars. Champagne, cupcakes and live music will start flowing from Five Sugars from 5.30pm, with Piece Together's launch starting at 7pm upstairs. There's also a craft and vintage mini-market for your xmas-present-organising pleasure or just as a little treat for yourself.

Now you've got your schedule sorted for this evening, the only thing left to settle is what to wear! I think Janome will be coming out to play a tad this season - too many events and not enough handmade dresses...

Worker Bee Wednesday

Photo Credit: The Designers Review of Books

Read: Studio Culture - If you’re an avid graphic designer or simply appreciate great typography and innovative design – then this is a book for you! Studio Culture showcases the inner workings of some of the best graphic design studios all around the world. Packed with intriguing interviews and stunning design examples, it’s a must have! You can find this beauty at Unit Editions along with plenty of other new-fangled graphics texts.

Listen: If you haven’t already succumb to the communal sing-along vibes of Cults, then you’re missing out! They’re debut album ‘In The Name Of’ was released earlier this year and is a 60’s-esque pop sensation for the ears. Join the movement and pick up their record, it's a perfect summer soundtrack for coming months!

See: Melancholia - Directed by Danish director Lars von Trier, this is unsurprisingly and easily one of the best films all year. Melancholia made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year and is now showing in cinemas around Brisbane. There’s not too much we can can say other than, brace yourself!

Drink: With the warmer season descending upon us a little earlier than expected, the time has never been more fitting to indulge in a sneaky summer beverage or two. Brown Dog Café in Woolloongabba serves the most amazing homemade ice tea and fresh organic breakfasts perfect for the warm summer mornings. They’re open 7 days a week, so why not drop in on your next antique hunting adventure.

Shop: Opening Ceremony - If you’re looking to indulge in some seriously decadent fashion this silly season then check out online store ‘Opening Ceremony’. Based in Manhattan, Opening Ceremony is an international forum that brings together young and established designers and artists. Peruse their beautifully crafted website for something particular or just take a sneak peek at some amazing pieces to add your Christmas wish list!

New stockists!

Photo Credit: Elleni Toumpas

We're super excited to tell you all that we have a bunch of new stockists! If you haven't picked up a copy of our first issue yet, hop on over to one of these lovely spots in your state...

QLD
Avid Reader
Nook
State Library of Queensland bookstore
Mara Newsagency
Apples on Ainsworth
Cultiver

NSW
Blackbird Corner
Little Papercup
Follow Store
Sweets Workshop
Milk Thieves

ACT
Smiths Alternative Bookshop

VIC
Brunswick Street Bookstore
Little Shop of Handmade
Onabee
Felix
Lark

TAS
The Nook

NZ
Emma

We're also available online with Leeloo and at the new weekly West End Twilight Markets and monthly(ish) BrisStyle Markets. And we'll hopefully have even more places to call home in the coming weeks!

If you know of any shops/cafes/bookstores/boutiques near you that are a little seam-esque, let us know!

To market, to market

Photo credit: West End Twilight Markets

So there’s this lovely lady called Sally and this lovely chap called Scotty and they like a really well crafted coffee. They also like zines, typewriters, collage, and arty crafty design-y type things. So one day over a love-heart topped latte, they decided to start the West End Twilight Markets.

A mixture of all their favourite things, situated in the perfect location of a reclaimed hangar in West End, these new evening markets are in a league of their own. What’s sparking my curiosity is the performance side of things – spoken word, visual arts, street theatre, a-capella busking and cabaret. For nannas like me, these enticing acts on a Saturday soir mean I can leave my dancing shoes at home, soak up some local talent early on, and be back snug in bed before the clock strikes 12.

They’ve got stallholders who fit into all our favourite buzz word categories – vintage, recycled, reclaimed, organic, fair trade, sustainable, handmade, locally or ethically produced, unique, one-off, one of a kind – with new stalls each week to keep you guessing. More details here.

Also on in Brisbane this Saturday is BrisStyle’s annual Indie Eco Market, featuring crafty wares produced from eco-friendly materials and made by hand by local BrisStyle ladies and lads, with a dash of vintage and de-stash items mixed in for good measure. If your Christmas shopping list hasn’t quite come to fruition yet, why not pop down to these markets and pick up some handmade presents, supporting local designers and protecting the earth’s resources all in one pretty little package.

Paper. Scissors. Wall.

Photo credit: Linsey Rendell

I'm sure for those of you who have visited Melbourne, have seen the beautiful artworks splashed over infamous Melbourne laneway walls. These creative designs made up of the most fetching colours, always provide that extra ray of sunshine to a sometimes dreary city landscape.

So we've all seen the art, but have you seen the artists? Chances are no.

Seam was lucky enough to hang out with one of Melbourne's street artists... here's a taste of what you will find within The Start-Ups Issue.

Suki is a self confessed printmaker, who turned to the streets with her art for reasons other than just making the city look better.

"I feel like working in the street gives my art a deeper meaning because it interacts with the environment around it," Suki says.

Sneaking around for the sake of art-kind, Suki admits she's always had a flair for all things creative.

"My family is quite eccentric, so I was lucky enough to grow up in an environment that saw the world in a different way and embraced creativity. I’ve always done a bit of this and that, but it wasn’t until I discovered printmaking that I really found my calling."

But despite what some may think, street art is so much more than just tagging with a spray can. Street artists put as much thought and effort into their pieces as any other artist would. Suki carefully constructs an idea, "something that will look beautiful" she insists, before taking photos, imprinting, carving, inking and finally pasting them up to be admired by onlookers.

It's hard to believe such cool work is frowned upon in the renowned city of art... I wonder if Suki has ever been caught? I guess you will just have to read the full story in Seam Magazine! 

Stealth Art

Photo credit: Linsey Rendell

Yarn bombing is the stealthiest art form around, taking off in cities all around the world. It captures people’s attention, and if you have ever seen a yarn bomb, you’ll know it puts a smile on your face.

Bali is a Melbourne-based yarn bomber who was given a book on the art form and quickly realised it could really bring the community together.

“Arts and crafts have a way of bringing people together and I wanted to be at least a small part, if not larger, of seeing yarn bombing grow in Melbourne,” she says.

Though yarn bombing sounds like a hobby groovy grannies take part in, the public art form attracts people from all walks of crafty life who want to try something new, develop their own style and share their art.

“Above all though, nothing compares to a stranger on the street coming up and thanking you for your hard work and telling you that you gave them a moment of happiness in their day,” Bali says.

The avid yarn bomber remembers learning to knit with her mum when she was young, but found it “incredibly frustrating” at the time. To this day, she prefers crochet and although the majority of yarn bombers are knitters, Bali says the number of artists who use crochet is increasing.

Bali founded The Yarn Corner - a collective of artists who take part in yarn bombing projects, both individually and as a group. Some meet in real life to talk projects, but the majority of organising is done over facebook.

“We welcome everyone, even those just starting out with yarn bombing.”

You can read more about Bali and yarn bombing in Seam's The Start-Ups Issue.

It's Magazine Week!

Photo credit: Spook

So it's Magazine Week - possibly the best week of the year, yes? We'll definitely be celebrating by buying a whole stack of magazines and of course posting out more copies of Seam for your reading pleasure. Magazine Week sees some international and local papery peeps come together and discuss the inner workings of our favourite type of periodical, sharing all the new and exciting industry happenings with word nerds like you and me. From senior management to publishing, editorial to all things creative, there's a little bit of magazine love for everyone. There's a two day conference in Sydney accompanied by a magazine exhibition. This first magazine industry trade show will showcase the newest innovations to hit the magazine community. Check out all the details and ticket information here. Or simply use the week as an excuse to pop into your local newsagent, mag nation or quirky bookshop and buy that extra magazine you've had your eye on but never have the spare change for. We suggest checking out extra curricular, dumbo feather, peppermint, collect, spook and elephant. Happy reading!

This weekend: Finders Keepers

Finders Keepers

If you’re in sunny, sticky Brisbane this weekend pop on over to The Old Museum and come have a gander at our first issue! Seam Magazine and Alice Nightingale have a joint stall at the Finders Keepers Markets this weekend, running from 10am to 4pm both Saturday and Sunday. We’re quite delighted (and just a tad excited!) to be a part of this market. It’s a great place to grab quirky handmade wares, with lots of the designers coming from interstate to be here. We’ll be doing some Christmas shopping there for sure! Alice’s spring collection will be available, including brand new purses, clutches, tote bags, jewellery and bow ties in super sweet patterns. And if you haven’t yet had the chance to pick up a copy of our first issue, we have a whole bunch ready for your reading pleasure, with a few gift-wrapped copies all set to fill that special someone’s xmas stocking. Hope to see you there!

Stitching the way

Photo credit: Linsey Rendell

Thread Den is a quaint little sewing lounge in the trendy Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. Ladies (and some gents) are flocking to the space for all sorts of lessons and to check out the handmade independently-designed garments stocked in store.

Joanna, Kylie and Melissa all have a hand in running the ever-growing store and they work hard to stay ahead of the times - which can be especially tricky in culture rich Melbourne. The three don’t have a lot of spare time to tend to their own sewing machines, but sewing has played a huge role in getting them where they are today.

While Melissa and Kylie were cultivating their love of sewing by cutting up old sheets and altering op-shopped pieces, Joanna was busy sewing on a machine given to her by Prince Charles.

When Joanna was young she attended a sewing class held by the Prince’s Trust charity with her youth group. “[Afterwards] they recommended to the charity that they buy me a mannequin and a sewing machine… so they did,” Joanna says.

Luckily the skills stuck with these lovely ladies because the crafty population of Melbourne have embraced their classes. Thread Den often has a waiting list for their kids and adults classes, and the girls say they get some “weird and wonderful” requests for private lessons.

“We enjoy transferring these skills and giving people opportunities to learn more and seeing their enthusiasm for it,” Melissa says.

You can read more about Thread Den on page 10 of Seam's The Start-Ups Issue!

Down to a Tea!

Photo Credit: Linsey Rendell

“It’s nice to think that someone liked it and wore it for some time and you can pick it up and keep it going... I don’t know if that’s being a hoarder or recycling, whether that’s good or bad – I feel good about it.”

Well, here at Seam Magazine, we feel pretty good about it!

Mural painter, designer and all-round fashionista, Lisa Tea is quickly establishing herself as a seriously sort after artist. Recently graduated from Visual Arts at ANU, Lisa has been an avid mural painter and seamstress from the get-go.

Her colourful and beautifully chaotic work can be found around our lovely nation's capital at public spaces in the CBD, bars and various residential venues. Lisa’s detailed and eclectic style is one to admire, and she says her inspiration and materials can be found almost anywhere.

“I’m a giant hoarder and I have a compulsion to use up all this stuff which I somehow constantly acquire,” Lisa says.

“[I think] I need to simplify, I need to really try to understand the less is more concept.”

Read more about Lisa on page 28 of Seam’s The Start-Ups Issue!

Like our photo, pretty please?

Photo credit: Linsey Rendell

So now that today’s horse race has flown the coop, we thought we’d let you all know that we entered the above snap from our first issue into the Ray-Ban Pedestrian TV Photography Awards and it’s been shortlisted for the fashion category, huzzah!!!

But in order to progress to the next round and be judged by some super lovely magazine-y folk and Nick from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (!), we really need all of YOU super swell people to hop on over and click ‘like’ on our photo. The images with the most likes go through to the judging panel so clickety-click away here and make sure to tell all your friends too, yeah yeah?