Updates, busyness & school holidays

Here's a brief snapshot of VPHG's adventures over the past week - new signage, new shelves, new stock... NEW NEW NEW!

I've also included a panorama shot of the main gallery room and our Texture exhibition, courtesy of one of the exhibiting artists, Julie Proudfoot. This weekend is your final chance to see the show, so be sure to pop in if you're about town.

On that note, tomorrow our 'caturday girl' Ivy will be manning the store - be sure to pop by and say hello!

Must dash, just wanted to drop in for a brief update from the team before the weekend is upon us.

Have a most excellent weekend,
Jess & the VPHG team

VPHG's Cat Burglar (Introducing our new 'Caturday Girl')

 If you've visited VPHG on a Saturday you may have noticed a new face at the counter - Ivy has come on board as our new regular Saturday staff, I hope y'all will make her feel super welcome!

She couldn't wait until next Saturday to sneak a peek of our fancy new shelving set up, so she snuck into VPHG after dark - here's what happened next...

From now on I think I'll call her our CATurday girl!

Dukeo Review: Online Marketing Blog (Contest Entry)

A little known fact about me is that I'm mad keen for entering competitions, before I got super busy with running the gallery I would have classed it as a hobby of mine. This little hobby has paid off in spades for me - I've won overseas trips, concert tickets, a years supply of toilet paper (actually a really handy prize!) and all manner of lotions and potions. It's not something I have a huge amount of time for these days, so I don't often come across a competition that's worth fitting into my daily schedule.

A little while ago my sister sent me a link to Dukeo - an online marketing blog run by Stephane Kerwer. I added it to the 'list of sites to check out' and promptly forgot about it. Then she kept sending me links to specific blog posts that she thought related to what I'm doing, such as:

185 Creative Billboard Ads when we were talking about creative marketing. We spent a lot of time giggling about some of these and it more than sparked a few ideas of our own.
10 ways to increase traffic to your website we both liked that this post was not talking about a 'hard sell', more around building your readership through connecting with people that actually WANT to read what you have to say.

I am still working my way through the posts but I like what I'm reading! If you have a blog or are thinking of starting one I'd definitely recommend having a look at the content.

But... What does this have to do with competitions? Well, turns out Dukeo is running a competition, review their blog for a chance to win $1000  - That's a prize worth writing about! A blog I'd like to share with my readers ANYWAY with the chance to get some cash for doing so? SURE!

So, for my list of likes about Dukeo:

• Easy to navigate once you get the hang of it.
• Simple content with some real gems about improving your online presence.
• Lists! I loves me a list!! '5 ways to improve....', '8 tips for....', '3 rules for....' 

And some dislikes:

•  Heavy on the 'sign up to newsletter' and 'buy this e-book' links - something I understand is a necessary 'evil' when you make your living from online affiliate marketing, but can turn off the first time visitor.
• It took me a little while to get the hang of finding the information I was after (see dot point one for 'likes').

To wrap it up, I'd suggest anyone who has a blog or website give Dukeo a whirl and see if Ste's writing style and content works for you. The content isn't ground breaking (we've all read a blog on blogging!) but it IS presented in a format that is easy to digest and apply to your situation.

Big Hearted Business: WOW

 

I'm still wrapping my head around the inspirational, mind-blowing and insightful weekend I just experienced - Big Hearted Business, presented by Clare Bowditch, held at the stunning Abbotsford Convent.

I walked away from the 2 jam packed days with a notebook (and mind) overflowing with ideas and a heart full of gratitude for Clare, her team and all of the amazing speakers. The fire has re-ignited in my belly and I'm more focused; I've got more done in the last few days than I would in over a week.

 

 I'm sure there will be more blog posts about what I gained from the conference, but I feel like I still have to chew on the ideas and concepts that were shared. I want to wrestle with them and filter them through a focus on what they will mean for View Point Handmade Gallery. In the mean time, I have noticed blog posts starting to pop up on the web from the attendees, sharing their experience. Head over to these blogs to read more about some of the personal experiences of a phenomenal and life changing weekend:

•  Stunning sketches of the weekend by Lily Mae Martin
• Kelly Zarb's beautiful blog 
• Pip from Meet Me At Mikes (also a presenter at the conference) 
• Ambah (confessions of a serial crafter)
• Amy from Saint Gertrude
• Martine at greenolive

The cherry on top of the most delicious weekend was singing Nick Cave's Ship Song, in the beautiful Abbotsford Convent chapel, with a group of amazingly talented, creative women (and a few lads!), led by the powerhouse that is Ms Bowditch. Goosebumps on top of goosebumps!!

Do yourself a favour and sign up for the BHB Mailing List - you won't want to miss a thing!!

Stockist Spotlight - Clay & Clasp

Who are you?

My name is Lucy, I am from the UK originally but now live in Perth with my husband Jake, dog Archie and cat George!  

What do you make?

I make jewellery and homewares from clay!  

When did you get started?

I started in September 2012 as I was feeling a little frustrated in that my job was not creative enough. So I started making jewellery to keep my design brain ticking, and do something really visual at the same time. 

I am a Heritage Architect by trade so come from a design background. I’ve been using clay since I was a child and I never gave it up. Even whilst studying I was always trying to sneak something made out of clay into my architectural models!

Why do you make your 'thing'? 

I have an obsession with tea and cake and have always been a really keen baker.  I tasted my first macaron at Laduree in London (not Paris unfortunately) and think I probably became obsessed with the look of them rather than the taste. I spent hours slaving in the kitchen trying to perfect the art of making them look perfect! Several thousand hours later (er, and several thousand kilos heavier), I still can’t get it right every time so it got me thinking if I’m doing this for looks over taste, maybe I should make some in clay!

I am also a big animal lover and hence many of my pieces feature birds, bunnies, owls and foxes!

Most other things I make stem from a piece I've wanted to make for myself, usually to go with a certain outfit or for a specific occasion.  

Where to next for you? (what direction do you see your work heading in?)

I would like to develop my custom pieces so that I can make pieces for families or individuals that are truly unique to them.  I am forever thinking up new designs, inspired by something I've seen (or eaten) and so who knows what I'll make next!

Project: Caravan Studio Renovation

(note: stock image, not the ACTUAL caravan in question)

While I don't normally include a lot of personal stuff on the VPHG blog, I've decided to starting sharing a few of my creative projects with you all!

We moved into our new house over 6 months ago and I've been using the dining table as my 'temporary' creative space during this time. I find packing away half finished projects in order to set the table really stuns my creative process (and I'm sure my family is sick of eating dinner surrounded by tubes of paint and the debris from a crazed collaging session)

Enter the dilapidated and sad caravan that's been sitting, unloved, on the property for over 5 years. I've come up with a harebrained plan to gut the interior and renovate it into a studio! This beast has seen better days, I'm talking water damage, broken windows and a veritable paradise for insect life. (I'll take some 'before' photos and update with them soon)

As with any good project in the digital age, I've started a Pintrest board for inspiration during the planning stages, and we are in the VERY preliminary phases. Currently I only know that I'd like a comfortable seating area, a table top workspace, running water (cold is fine - space for tea/coffee facilities would be a bonus!), as much storage as possible and an open area where the bed used to be for larger projects.

The first step is to move the van itself to it's forever home and make sure that it is securely in place, then let the demolition begin - I'm going to show the sad 70s faux-wood lined interior who is boss!

All of this will be happening around continued house renovation, cafe installation at VPHG, working full time and a very active 6 year old little girl... So it won't be a speedy process.

Wish me luck!

(and just a note on the stock photo used in the title image - I've started using Morgue File for stock images, I really dig the concept and was thinking of adding some of my MANY MANY photos to their database... gotta share the love!)
 

Stockist Spotlight - Cuillere moi

It must be the week for showcasing stockists with brilliant business names, today we're featuring Cuillere moi, which is French for "spoon me".

Corbert and Jenae began making this unique style of jewellery from antique cutlery in 2012 whilst living in Castlemaine. Their range proved to be very popular, especially at the Castlemaine Artist and Bendigo Square markets.

Jenae and Corbert certainly have a passion for this which is reflected in the professional quality of their pieces.

Their rings are now world-wide, with customers from England, France and Germany have fallen in love with them also.


During April, Culliere moi will be showcasing their full range, so why not pop in and take some of this old-world charm with you.