I was a happy little vegemite

with my darling husband of nearly 10 years, and my gorgeous boys growing into happy and healthy little cavemen – but I also knew that I wanted to take my love for all things crafty to another level.

I remember putting a few things out to the universe (as you do!!) that included:-

• I need more pink in my life (3 males in the house = testosterone overload!)
• In 2010 I’m going to work towards earning an income through my craft, and
• I want to spend my days doing something that I truly love

I made a last minute decision earlier this year to visit some old friends in Melbourne on a weekend away, and while there, one of them suggested we visit this little shop as it supported people like me who make things by hand

and then it happened…………….

it was like all of the planets had aligned at the same time…………..and i was exactly where the Universe needed me to be at that point. My first thought was “I want a cube of my own!” And my second…………”Brisbane could do with one of these awesome shops”
the next day I checked out the website and got in contact with isy about franchising – and well you know the rest!

Ever since that day I’ve been excited, overjoyed & elated with how this shop has gone. You know that feeling in your belly you get when something cool is happening!?!! – well i live with that ALL THE TIME!! The joy you feel when a new artist wants to rent a cube………….the pride you feel when they’re displaying the pieces on their first day, and the best feeling of all – making their first sale!!

Now don’t get me wrong – it’s been bloody hard work to get where i am. I had to get my head around being a small business owner – dealing with builders & banks, agents, accountants & landlords, setting up everything from scratch – all the while having that little voice in the back of my head saying “Is Brisbane ready for this!?!!”

But you know what – as soon I started talking to artists about the idea – I knew everything was going to be fine……………….people were crying out for support for emerging artists, and before you know it – I opened my doors with 30 artists showcasing some amazing pieces, and I couldn’t have been happier.

Now, nearly 4 months since I opened my doors…

I now have over 90 artists adorning the cubes, walls & racks of this gorgeous little shop – and I feel like doing a little dance with every sale i make for them!

I often asked myself why Isy chose me over other people who also wanted a Qld franchise. I can now say proudly that it’s because I am a passionate supporter of these artists, and proved it by crying throughout my thank you speech at my opening party!!

yes folks………………we all have a path that our lives are supposed to follow, and on Sunday 17th January 2010, my path lit up like a beautiful rainbow, and it’s been shining ever since!!

Tell us about a little about you and what inspires your work?

Through my art work, images rich in layers and textures, I explore all that is intrinsically human and in particular feminine. I think the quote “the present is just a moment passed” sums up our fragile existence and gives a glimpse into the world of what my art work explores.

My influences are first and foremost everything I see, feel and experience, but I’ve always had a great love of the Decorative Arts and Crafts; the Art Nouveau and Art Deco period; the great 20th Century Artists; and I have a great admiration for the artists of the Renaissance period, where images of mythology and flora are in abundance.

My images available as Limited Edition Fine Art Photographic Giclee Art Prints – (archival, printed on Hahnemühle Rag Paper); Art Cards; Blank Greeting Cards; and OOAK Gift Tags.

What are some of your recent achievements, what are you most proud of?

July 2010

Finalist – LAUNCH Clayton Utz Art Award 2010

Image: What the Sea Wants the Sea Shall Have

May 2010

Selected and Published by Avant Card in call for artists program

Image: Muerte’s Tea Party

May 2010

Award Winner – Best Photograph – Digital Manipulation – Immanuel Arts Festival 20-23 May 2010

Image: Vintage Rosa Bloom I

What are you currently working on, is there anything new projects in the

pipelines?

I am currently working on a collaborative project which will see an extension my art to fabric design.

The range of organic cotton based fabrics will be suitable for different applications including;

fashion such as retro inspired creations

home furnishings such as beautiful cushions and upholstery,

fabric accessories such as stylish clutches and totes bags

as well as various types of fabric by the fat quarter!

All enquiries are welcome!

Where can we find you?

Incube8r – Brisbane store.

Handmade Heaven, Old Flour Mill, Ipswich.

Online:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sandradarling

http://www.sandradarlingvisualartcreations.com/

http://www.madeit.com.au/SandraDarling

Email:

sandradarlingvisualart@gmail.com

tell us about your past

I grew up in the Hunter Valley N.S.W and after finishing highschool I went on to train as a photographer for 5 years at both TAFE and university. These were the days when all things were digital and fun was to be had in the darkroom with chemicals, but when the times changed and things went digital, I turned to a sewing machine instead and enrolled in a clothing production course at TAFE. This taught me the finer skills of sewing and I went on to start my own clothing label inspired by the fabrics and styles of the 1950′s aprons.

It wasn’t until a trip to Europe in 2007 that inspired me to create travel accessories for a market that dominantly catered in colours of biege and black.

anything new you are working on at the moment

I have recently returned from a trip to Senegal, West Africa where I bought lots of gorgeous fabrics in amazing colours in which I want to incorporate into my designs. Though I am a little nervous to cut them up as each peice tells a story

highlights for your business

My recent highlight is my move to Melbourne from Newcastle, all the great little hideouts and markets I am finding as a local and my introduction to the in.cube8r family :) But definitly a main hightlight to any artist/designer is their first sale, having repeat customers and seeing someone wear or use one of your designs, and you just want to yell to the whole pub

“hey I made that!!! ” Designing with the subject of ‘travel’ I love hearing feedback from my customers who have taken my wares traveling around the world, it’s a great buzz knowing my designs are spread out all over the globe

what is the process of getting your peices made

The process is very time consumming, from finding the right materials to good quality accessories such as buckles and elastic. Sourcing fabrics that suits my designs is hard work but can be lots of fun. I love trawling through op- shops trying to find little remnants of cute vintage peices. All my designs are 100% made by me, so it’s a steady process as I am so picky, every stitch has to be perfect. But making a sale and seeing someone fall in love with that peice as much as I did makes it all worthwhile :)

any suggestions for people looking to start in the handmade world

Keep at it, follow your passions. People out there want something unique and handmade. It makes it that little bit more special if it was made by YOU!!!

what is your inspiration for the range?

My inspiration for my range came from atrip to Europe where most travel accessories that I saw either came in biege or black. I wanted to create a range that were bright and colourful and as much fun as the vouage they are intended to be taken on

Where does the name come from?

The name Kimono Reincarnate actually came a while before the business. I had started collecting vintage kimono and obi textiles
with the intent of making bags and jewellery from them, but was still too scared to cut into these gorgeous fabrics. I was thinking about how I wanted to give a new life to these fabrics, and the name Kimono Reincarnate was born. I registered the name first, knowing I wanted to use in the future, then came the blog and then later the business.

Tell us about your past

What now feels like a few lifetimes ago, I used to be a professional photographer. When the analogue world of photography first starting
moving towards digital it was a huge investment to make the switch. I wanted to take a break, travel and think about what I wanted in life. I soon found myself in Japan and loving it. I had planned to stay there for a year, but that stint soon turned to three years. I had fallen in love with the culture, the food, the people, the papers, the fabrics, the sense of design. I did come home to Australia for four years but then moved back with my then new husband for another three years. It was the second time living in Japan that I really learnt about the vintage textiles, started sewing with them and entered the fabulous world of blogging.

anything new you’re working on at the moment?

Yes! And I’m very excited about them! One of the new ranges that I’m just releasing now is part of a “Cities of Japan” series. The first city I’ve worked on is Kyoto – such a gorgeous traditional city, the one where we chose to spend our honeymoon. Inspired by the bamboo grooves, tea houses and geisha, it’s a range of brooches and brooch/pendants. They are made with hand-coloured, laser-cut bamboo and vintage kimono fabrics. In the range so far are kokeshi dolls, butterflies, origami cranes, teapots and what I call my “Zen Garden”. The Zen Garden was inspired by the round windows looking out onto the gardens of tea houses that I visited in Kyoto. The next two cities to come are Tokyo; inspired by cosplay and crazy fashions from the streets of Harajuku, and Osaka; which will have a real modern, technological edge to it.

Another range I’m working on is my “Kimono Inspired” pieces. These are digital images I’ve created and will be embedded in resin and encased in silver.

And other exciting news… my husband is also designing a men’s range for the collection. I just need to give him a break from looking after our one year old (he’s the stay-at-home-dad), working on my website and accounts, so that can can start creating some of his new pieces!

highlights for your little business?

Well those firsts are always such a rush aren’t they! The first sale, the first stockist, the first time you run into a complete stranger on the street wearing one of your pieces… and recently, the great reception I had at my first trade fair! The Kimono Reincarnate range has now gone national! But I think for me (and sorry this is going to sound sappy), the highlight has been coming back to Australia to find such a fabulous and supportive crafting business community and the resurgence in people wanting handcrafted pieces. Without that, Kimono Reincarnate wouldn’t be where it is today!

On Monday 2nd August, in.cube8r in fortitude valley had their official opening party – and it was an awesome turnout!!!  Over 150 people, including artists, customers, friends, family & industry contacts, crammed into the gorgeous pink shop to help celebrate this amazing new concept store finally landing in Brisbane.  With entertainment, catering & artist prize giveaways, there was a great atmosphere throughout the night, and all who attended enjoyed the variety in the store, and the exposure offered to artists wanting a platform for their lovely bits & pieces.

The reception that the store opening received means that there is a genuine interest in all things handmade in Brisbane, and it was encouraging to see so many people celebrating these talented people that make this amazing new concept store work so well!!

Thanks to all the people who made it happen for me – from family & friends with their time & support, through to the people behind the scenes toiling with the numbers, websites, IT & legalities, but it’s the artists and their amazing skills that shone through on the night.

I hope that this is the start of the in.cube8r revolution that will take over Australia………………..Brisbane now has in.cube8r fever!!!

How did Harlewood studio begin?

Harlewood Studio evolved when Sue Harle and life partner Brian Wood had completed a full time jewellery and silversmithing course at the “Jam Factory Workshops” in Adelaide.

They decided to combine surnames and creative talents and move to Queensland where their studio was born with our motto “Designed to be Different”

Sue: what led you to glass bead weaving ?

My love of colour and background in silversmithing and jewellery as well as in fashion, inevitably led to my passion for beading.

Sue: what are your favourite pieces ?

I love to create objects and jewellery with small, glass, Japanese cylinder and seed beads using ancient stitches such as peyote and brickstitch. They allow me to design and execute with precision the clean, abstract pieces with spirals and zig –zags often taking dimensional shapes . I am inspired by the Art- Deco period in particular and prefer a strong or monochromatic colour palette. The colours and finishes of the beads vary everytime they catch the light whether it be in sunlight or candlelight.

My beaded jewellery is designed to become “Your favourite pieces” to be worn everyday but special enough to take you through to the evening.

Brian: what is the inspiration behind your jewellery?

My love of music, science fiction and the quirky aspects of life combined with a dark sense of humour are representative of my individual style of jewellery.

I am passionate about the truly handmade, it makes the difference between Art and mass production and has an intrinsic value to most of us. Simply a creative gesture which gives shape to the imagination.

Brian: what type of materials do you prefer to use?

My main medium is sterling silver for its intrinsic properties. Where possible I like to combine it with recycled materials, circuit boards, LP records, vintage lino, and pretty much anything that speaks to me.

The jewellery I like to make usually has a message, either in the honesty and integrity of materials chosen or the form of the piece itself.

where does the name kikko come from?

My designs are heavily influenced by the Japanese culture as reflected in my clean, simple minimalistic style – and in all the kimono silk bag linings. I wanted a name which reinforced this – something crisp and easy to remember but also with meaning.

kikko means ‘hexagon’ in Japanese which is the shape of my logo. The hexagon is predominant in Japanese design and as a result many of the kimono silks I use feature this shape. I try and reinforce my branding by using hexagons on swing tags, business cards and stationary. what is your specialty?

My bag and belt designs are all about the Japanese fabric. I design limited edition ranges which include belts, laptop bags, handbags and evening clutches. Each bag features a different silk lining making it an individual work of art. I am the antithesis of mass produced!

what is the process involved in getting your pieces made?

I can be anywhere when inspiration strikes so I like to keep a notepad handy. As a result I end up with bits of paper in the car, my bag at home and I try and collate these into different categories. eg, evening, guys, handbags, etc.

I look through these and start sketching bag shapes all the while thinking about practicality of use. I aim for my designs to not just look great but also be functional and easy to use. Then I think about what leather would suit the design and finally choose an assortment of the Japanese silks for the linings. Sometimes I see the leather first and think what bag I would like to see in that colour. I don’t aways follow the same process – it depends on how I am feeling and what is in front of me. My ideas are then turned into the first samples and then I make any changes if necessary..which is usually the case! Quite time consuming, but fun.

any suggestions for people looking to start in the handmade world?

Spend a lot of time looking at other people’s design style and be very clear on how your work is different and how you want to show that point of difference. Look at how people display and market their designs. Research suppliers carefully as this can make a huge difference to your margins.

Contact craft blogs and magazines and ask if they can feature your work. I have found the hardest thing is getting people to see what you do and let them know where they can buy your wares. Incube.8r has been fantastic for getting my brand out to the people. Be consistent with branding. Know that any mistakes you make along the way are all part of the journey and you kind of need to make them to get where you want to be. One more thing..try and show restraint when buying supplies and only buy what you need as this can seriously ruin the cash flow situation! In the early days I tended to go wild and buy more linings than I needed as I loved the fabrics so much. It nearly proved to be my undoing! Slowly learning now….

Believe in your product, produce excellent quality, and talk to as many people as you can about their own business experiences and you will eventually get there.

Here is a snippet of the beautiful new things on offer in fortitude valley – why not come and have a look for yourself!?!!

Tell me what inspired you into making bangles?

I have never liked to wear a watch, but I really like to wear bangles on my left arm. I think I like the way they respond with your activity, dancing wildly with big hand gestures, resting while you work at the computer, the odd ‘clank’ to remind you they are there.

How easy or hard is the process?

The process of making things in resin isn’t hard, it is just a bit fiddly. There are safety precautions to be taken, and measurements of the two parts of the resin needs to be accurate and then you have to wait while the piece dries (which is a hard part when you are starting out). I found bangles were a great item to make while my kids were young and sleeping – you could pour while they had their afternoon nap and then demould when they went to sleep at night. The *worst* part is the finishing – sanding away bits that were overpoured in the mould and then buffing the finished piece with nine grades of sandpaper! I am self-taught in all of this, so I haven’t yet looked into machine-based finishing (fingers crossed!).

Are there any secrets about your processes that you wish to share?

Secrets? hmmmmm I don’t think there are any great secrets in what I do. I am always looking for something new to put in a bangle, and to date have used spice powders (paprika, turmeric and chilli) to colour bangles. And I really want to work out the way to embed coffee beans (perhaps with the title “In case of emergency, suck bangle”?)

Is this your only job, or do you have something else that gets in the way of your passion!?!!

Yes, by day ecologist for the Government, by night mother and bangle designer!

find whizzbangle at in.cube8r fortitude valley.

I held onto this dream, sat on it for close to 12 whole years. To be honest, it was fear that held me back.

When I stood in that disheartening dole queue in early 2007 I saw the flyer for NEIS.  I stood there and listened to how the desensitized social workers spoke to everyone with grouchy disdain and I thought to myself, “OK. So I’m lying on my death bed, what’s my biggest regret?” The answer came immediately, “Not having done anything about the in.cube8r gallery dream”.

At that point I knew it was now or never. That was the turning point of my life.

So, I clenched my teeth and jumped.

I opened an empty shop with only 9 cubes filled to the general Melbourne public on July 7, 2007.

I told my friends, ‘You know what? Even if the whole thing fails; even if it’s the biggest ever flop in Melbourne’s retail history; at least I tried!’

Here we are 3 years later with over 100,000 Google mentions and 2 in.cube8rs!! I often pinch myself. It still doesn’t feel real.

14 months ago I looked into franchising. I couldn’t open anymore outlets, but there was so much interest. I put it off for another 8 months as I was again; just plain scared. 100 ‘What if’s’ and ‘Where were the right people?’ and ‘Would they represent it with, and feel as much fervor and passion about it all as I do?’

And then I met Vicki Sinclair. Vicki came in, grabbed it and made it her own in Brisbane (before the franchises were even ready!). She runs it, loves it and has already told me that she’ll be there till she’s 80.

There is something about representing handmade that can only be described as magical.

I see it on my customer’s faces when they walk in here or when I tell them the concept.  There’s also something supremely magical about taking 100% of all the sales for the month and placing all of it into 90 bank accounts.

What we are doing is creating a sustainable future for handmade in the form of a platform for creators of handmade goodness.

We offer choice in a retail sector that was stagnant with its huge commissions and ‘power-over’ attitude.

This is my vision and my future and I will stop at nothing to grow this here as well as off shore.

I started with nothing, just one tiny seed of a dream. I encourage everyone to draw, see and grow their dreams!!

I can also guarantee there will never be commission taken on sales.

I created this because I know there are 100’s of you out there who make.

There are those of you housebound with tiny tots with wonderful desks full of the most extraordinary creations, journals crammed full of the most exquisite ideas just waiting to be formed.

Some of you are at home due to a disability and some of you create in the last hour before you go to bed because you have other obligations and important jobs.

in.cube8r offers you the exposure, the opportunity to trial ideas, ANY ideas.

A space where you make all the decisions over your creations, how they are placed.

We give you back the power, the funds you generate and show you off to whoever walks into our space.

I recently bought the new Australia and New Zealand wide franchise magazine.  There is NOTHING even remotely close to what we offer.

We were the first to offer 100% commission free sales!

I’m super proud of this, this is an ethical business and through franchising I share the love and know-how of over a decade of in.cube8-ing the dream.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Isy lives in the Dandenong Ranges with her partner Michael (without whom she’d never had the courage to start in.cube8r) and their 7 pets. Her other passion is glass blowing.