Gallimaufry, a zine about mixed up creatures

Getting this zine done over the past month has been a small win for me. It maybe a tiny, inexpensive item and I'm not imagining it's going to be a huge seller but it's been the only creative project I've been able to focus on lately and the full outpouring of my imagination.

The freelance gig I stared in February is still full on and I'm finding fitting in my Dear Colleen work next to impossible, beyond making sure orders get packed up in a timely manner. I find myself questioning a lot lately if it's really worth my time, if this is the career I want? Anyhow doing work like 'Gallimaufry' reminds me why I love being an independent designer. I can not imagine ever getting paid to produce work like this.

Gallimaufry [gal.uh.maw.free]; hodgepodge; jumble; confused medley
A zine about the left over elements from mythical creatures. This is very much a publication for my 12 year old self who was obsessed with reading and re-reading the 'kid friendly' greek mythology book in my special needs class (I'm hopelessly dyslexic so spent about 25% of high school in special ed).

For me, at least, it feels like concepts can be forming in my brain for years before they become fully rounded ideas, and I think the seeds for this were differently planted a long time ago. Anyway I'm pleased it's out of my head for this issue at least. 

Somethings on my mind

It's been a roller coster week, I know that's one of those phrases that gets a bit over used but really I can't think how else to sum it up. On Wednesday I did my first bit of public speaking for yonks. Thank you everyone who came and to She's Motivated who organising it. The talk wasn't the fully formed finished product I had hoped it would be but like I said it's been a crazy week. It was great to do the talk in the run up to speaking in Wellington, in three weeks (wow that's coming round soon) I feel like I now have a good base to build on. If you're coming along please feel free to suggest areas/topics you would like me to cover. Even if I can't fit it into the talk at least I can think it over for Q&A at the end.

Anyway today, incase some how you have missed it, it's Mother's day (here in New Zealand at least) and I wanted to take a moment to talk about that. Mother's day this year is feeling like a hard day for me. My Mum is in hospital on the other side of the world recovering from a hip replacement op. I wanted/want desperately to be in the UK with her to help out and just genrally hug her and let her know she's loved. Sadly due to work commitments and lack of money it's not posible. Luckily as it turned out it was fortunate I didn't up stick and disappear as my partners Mum was taken unexpectedly and gravely sick at the start of the week. For the first time ever I had a scene of what Mother's day would be like without your Mum and it's given't the day a whole new edge. Not to take anything away from all those amazing mums out there being celebrated but my thoughts today are with all those who don't have their mothers anymore. Sorry if that's a bit of a sad note I just know it must be a very hard day for lots of people. It's been a tough week in my world but at least we got happy endings.

Above is an awful out of focus picture of my parents when they were much younger than I am now. I'm very much a louder, fatter, worse version of my Mum (we look, sound and think alike) so even though we are apart I carry her with me in my genes and in my heart. My partner and I are working incredible hard at the moment to save the funds to visit my family before the end of the year, I can't wait to see them again. Although I love New Zealand I wish it wasn't quite so far away from my family, it's definitely the hardest part of living on the other side of the world.

Secret Garden...

I called this post Secret Garden because I had no idea it existed until last weekend when Scott and I were walking the dog and stumbled across it. In fact it's not secret at all it's the North East Valley Community Garden. 

This blog post has nothing much to do with anything apart from the fact it's a lovely Autumn Sunday here in Dunedin and we walked back there this morning to take some pictures. The space is very peaceful, placed on a hill looking out over the city. There's something about the idea of a vegetable garden for the community that I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge. I'm not sure if you can read the sign above 'Please give a little of your time and labour if you wish to harvest- THANKS'... Seems more than fair to me!

It's pretty much the end of the growing season now in New Zealand but Scott and I will be going along to help out next season, not that either of us are green fingered but we'll learn.

Above images of some of the practical parts of running the garden including a beehive, compost bins made from pallets and a pretty complex irrigation system. 

Greenhouse growing tomatos, peppers and chillies. It smells amazing in there. Someone I knew most of have a greenhouse when I was a kid as the smell took me back but I can't remember who's it was.

Making Zines and Public Speaking

This is a really short post just to let you know I've been asked to do a couple of talks in the coming months. What feels like I life time ago I used to work as a tutor and had to talk to room full's of people on a daily basis but boy I'm feeling rusty. I'm mostly looking forward to it though or will be once I have my images sorted.

On Wednesday 8 May 1pm-2pm I'm speaking at the BNZ Business Centre, Dunedin for She's Motivated. It's free of charge, you can find out more here.

I'm very excited that my partner Scott and I have both been booked to talk and teach a class at this years Handmade in Te Papa, Wellington. Scott is my smarter half and although he'll hate me saying it a sought after public speaker and design tutor. I'm so gutted that my class clashes with his talk time as I was looking forward to hearing him speak. He's also teaching a paper toy making class, which I'm fully intending to gate clash as his assistant.

I'm also giving a talk about the ins and outs of running a online creative business with plenty of insider tricks and tips and teaching a zine making class. I used to teach the same class at Edinburgh College of Art and it was always great fun and kind of magical how you can make a perfect little booklet from one sheet of paper. I hope some of you will be able to join me.

Tigershark: April, Printable Freestanding Calendar

Damn it I'm so late with this post, lets blame Easter and no print shops being open. So here's April (can you believe it's April already). He's half tiger, half shark. Yeah you're got it this months little snapper is a tigershark, complete with strips and tiny fin.

Download 'Tigershark" here...

1. You don't need much to make the tigershark,  just some thick paper/card, a ruler, scissors and double sided tape or glue. Firstly download and print out the design.

2. Use the back edge of the scissors and a ruler, score along the grey fold lines. Be careful not to score through the ears!

3. Using a small sharp pair of scissors cut along the black dotted line. Go slowly when cutting around the ears, fins and tail. These can bit a little tricky.

4. Once you've cut the Tigershark and his fin make a small incision in his back along the white dotted line. Fold the fin in two and slip it into the cut. it should fit pretty well without help but if it's lose just hold in place with a little tape (on the inside of the design).

5. Now fold along the scored grey lines.

6. Put double sided tape or glue on the top side of each tab. Stick the taps to the body, so the flaps stick behind the adjacent part of the body.

7. Sweet you're done. Stand on your desk and enjoy!

Pimp My Bride - Paper Doll Printable

Hopefully this printable speaks for its self. I’m a huge fan of the show ‘Big Fat Gypsy Wedding'. Anyway I scribbled this idea in a sketch book about a year ago. I actually thought it would make a good magnet set but I’m never going to have the budget so here it is as a free printable paper doll. If anyone wants to email me outfit ideas I'll make a second sheet of add ons at some point soon, email hello(at)dearcolleen.co

DOWNLOAD HERE...

Next

It's been another fast couple of weeks for me. I'm still up to my eyeballs with work and I still haven't been able to take that much needed step back to process everything that's happened. I seem to be muddling through one way or another though. 

In between all the freelancing and teaching and packaging I've been planning out all the fun creative stuff that I'll be doing next. It might be a few weeks before I can really get my teeth into drawing and designing but I thought I would share some of the ideas/projects you can expect to be seeing in the coming months.

1. More Dishes. Firstly I'm already working on a James Bond one or actors who have played Bond would be a better description. I am also planning to do a small NZ release of a 'Gay dishes' in celebration/suport of marriage equality. I'm always really keen to hear other people thoughts so if you have any requests for hotties you would like just leave a comment below and I'll start taking note in my workbook.

2. This is a biggy. Plans are very much underway for a whole new business in partnership with my better half with a focus on custom pet art and products. Including work like the zines shown below.

3. A reprint of the 'skills to pay the bills' tote, only this time in a beautiful metallic ink. I'm doing test runs with my printer at the moment and it's looking sick. I'm only planning on doing a very limited run of between 10-20 so it'll be first come, first served.

4. Limited addition tees, which will only be available through pre-order. So if you think you might be interested make sure you subscribe to my newsletter. Buttons at the top of the side bar. Don't worry it's not going to be the design in the sketch below! I wanted to make the 'young, gifted and fat' tee for myself to wear well doing press but didn't get the time to make one. I figure no body apart from me would wear that slogan so no point doing a commercial print run.

5. The top secret item that I keep talking about but haven't had the money to produce. I nearly have the money! It's only been in my sketchbook for 13 years!

6. Ultimate Pirates zine. Sketches under way. Very silly hopefully other people will find it as funny as me.

7.  More teaching. Fingers crossed I'll be doing some extra work at the local collage but also I'm booked in to teach a class and give a lecture at this years Handmade in Te Papa Wellington. I'll write more fully about this once the programme it available to share. 

Sorry this is such a boring post. I just wanted to let you know that there's lots of new work on the way. Sadly being a one woman business everything takes a bit of time.