Window of Delights

Liana and Rebecca have just installed a yummy window at Craft Queensland to mark the official launch of www.lianakabel.com and www.rebeccawardjewellery.com
Please visit our window (viewing 24/7) if you can and join us on Thurs 25 August 6pm at Craft QLD or on Friday 26 August when we will be giving a talk (eeek!).
Meet the Makers series of talks
Dates: 25 August 2006
Time: 10am – 12noon
Where: CQstore, Craft Queensland 381 Brunswick St Fortitude Valley Q 4006 T 07 3215 0808 F 07 3215 0802
CQgallery and CQstore hours: Tues-Sat 10am-4pm

Jewellers In The Know

At MoB Workspace is it undeniable that we have a jewellery advantage. We are privileged to some real insider information through members, Rebecca Ward and Bibi Locke.

If you we not aware Rebecca is the editor of Paillon, which is the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Queensland JMGQ informative quarterly newsletter. This means she is not only the first to know of breaking contemporary jewellery news for Queensland, but also Australia and the world (yes THE WORLD!). Although discreet at times she lets us know what is happening. We are definitely in the national contemporary jeweller loop. Oh yes indeedy.

If that wasn't advantage enough we are extra (yes EXTRA!) lucky to have Bibi working on the ground floor of the commercial jewellery world. Bibi works weekends at Myer (large Department store chain for our International visitors). What is hot right now? - Bibi knows, and what's better is that she let US know. Apparently nautical is in right now but before you know it the tide will turn and more feminine pieces will be the go. And before I forget charms are in, in, in, with a capital I N.

Regular updates to follow. If you NEED to know what is happening bookmark this blog now!!

Nana Don't Judge Me

Liana aka Plastic Girl had a paranormal experience in the studio last week. Alone for the day, while I was at the Ekka with Miss Windbag and Mr Accordian, she had bought along her "Buffy: The musical" cd and it seems she was dancing around the studio with gay abandon until she realised she was not really alone at all. Up on the wall staring at her with her glasses enhanced Mona Lisa eyes was the Delightful Nana Mouskouri, the album cover that started it all for me on my road to Damascus: blue-tacked above my desk so that I never lost sight of the truth amid vinyl fumes. Her eyes seemed to follow Liana around the room as she whirled and twirled, compelling her to cover them up with a notice: "I can dance if I want to- Don't judge me Nana".

I should take the opportunity to remind everyone that there is no rule against dancing at MoB Workspace, but we do have a Safety Dance protocol.

No one has articulated it better than Canadian New wave band Men Without Hats

The Safety Dance, 1983

We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine

Say, we can go where we want to, a place that they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind

And we can dance

We can go when we want to, the night is young and so am I
And we can dress real neat from our hats to our feet
And surprise them with the victory cry

Say, we can act if we want to, if we don't nobody will
And you can act real rude or totally removed
And I can act like an imbecile

Safety Dance
Say we can dance, we can dance
Everything's out of control
We can dance, we can dance
They're doing it from pole to pole
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody look at your hands
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody taken the chance

The safety dance
The safety dance
The safety dance

We can dance if we want to, we've got all your life and mine
As long as we abuse it we are never going to lose it
And everything will work out right

Say, we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
well they're no friend of mine

Brilliant Facets

Today we had the sad news from Mary Kios that after seven years in business, Brilliant Facets Jewellery and Art Gallery will soon be closing. Mary has been very supportive over the years of MoB Workspace, JMGQ (Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group QLD) and many individual jewellers, artsits and craftspeople in Brisbane and Queensland. She always worked hard, too hard in fact, as her dedication to the gallery and cafe often meant that she did not get the time to make more of the beautiful rich gold, lapiz lazuli and pearl brooches, necklaces and earrings that she always wore. There is nothing else like Brilliant Facets on earth, tucked away near the Old Botanical Gardens, it is a treasure trove of the unexpected. But all is not lost. She is reconfiguring the business and will be back with avengance after a well-earned break.

We'd like to thank her and wish her the very best for the future venture.

Miss Bibi's jewels

Here is a recent photo of the first jewellery Bibi Locke made at MoB Workspace many months ago. They are sterling silver earrings using a leaf vein saw pierced motif. We wondered why Bibi kept bringing leaves to work! We just assumed it was to add to the rich mulch layer on the floor - it did not occur to us that they could be used for design inspiration. Bibi is teaching us new things every day!