Best friends, Mebourne and Inspiration ...

My friends and I have returned from a few days in Melbourne - we packed alot in - it really is a great town - and so easy to get around.
We saw lots of lovely autumn leaves ...

... and can you believe that blue sky? In Melbourne? In June?!

We found some fairly odd things in some of the op-shops - these guys were actually friendlier than the assistants in the shop but they are a little creepy - I kept expecting them to move!

Well, it would hardly be a proper week-end away without a few French 75's now would it?!

We found fabric to die for - Visa card still groaning!

Of course there was graffitti to snap ...

.. and stylish letterboxes too!

And everywhere I looked there was ART! This is an etching and aquatint by Ryan Mitchell whose work forms part of an exhibition at the Ian Potter Centre, showcasing the artwork of Year 12 students from 2009. I was completely blown away by the quality of the students work and also the amazing space used to display it. In Adelaide, the Year12 Art Show is crammed into a fairly small gallery so it is hard to see it properly. Melbourne certainly celebrates the Arts - it seems an integral part of life in the city - yay!!

I came home feeling inspired by the mix of old and new in Melbourne - I like the way it mixes up semi-industrial and quaint. It said "steampunk" to me. Today I am at home with a cold and forced to sit still, so I thought I would channel some of my Melbourne inspiration into a piece of jewellery ...

I have called it "Tempus Fugit" - "Time Flies" and I can feel a small series coming on ...
(could just be a fever from the headcold!)

It is a neckpiece made of brass and epns. I have added a watch face and some discs and a cog for the industrial look. It is all riveted together - not a drop of glue in sight ( feeling a bit proud of that!) - even the little hands are held on by a rivet - and boy was it hard to extract that watch face from its case! It has a faceted crystal and a key hanging from the bottom and the whole thing hangs from brass chain. This was a "design by making" effort and I learned a few handy things along the way which will no doubt make the next one easier to construct!

Time certainly did fly for us over the week-end - it always does when you are hanging out with your besties - doesn't matter where we are, we always manage to have a million laughs and a fantastic time - thanks guys - you are the best inspiration of all!