JEANBAG is here!

What I learned last week has been in hibernation for the past nine months… And, with good reason…

We’ve been busy developing JEANBAG: The coolest beanbag made from denim jeans. You might remember the birth of the idea in this post.

Well, we are thrilled to announce the JEANBAG website is live and the online shop is now open! JEANBAG is launching with not one, but two awesome products…

First up is the Original JEANBAG, our full-sized beanbag for adults. Read, play on the iPad, watch TV or simply sit back and relax! Just like your favourite pair of jeans, it’s got street cred and embraces frayed edges and paint stains as beautiful reminders of the people who once wore them. Machine-washable, the Original JEANBAG is suitable for use indoors by people who like their denim worn-in and make time for important things, like chilling out. Each Original JEANBAG is completely unique—just like you.

Next, is our JEANBAG Bunting. Perfect for celebrations big and small with people you love. Use it indoors or out, it’s reversible, with beautiful unfinished edges, just like your favourite pair of cut-offs. String it up against a wall in the kids’ bedrooms or hang in the garden to add a little denim love to your world.

We are so excited, we have created a special launch offer… All you need to do is head over to the JEANBAG website and sign up to our newsletter before purchasing your Original JEANBAG and you’ll receive $50 off the retail price! The offer is valid until the 30 September 2014.

We hope you’re going to love JEANBAG as much as we have enjoyed bringing it to you.

And on that note, that is where you’re going to find me now… Over at www.jeanbag.com.au. My focus and passion is now centred on JEANBAG and I couldn’t be happier.

Thank you for all your support!

What I learned in 2013

2013 has been a transformative year and in looking back I’ve learned a lot…

I learned that the most important element of my practice involves making everything I do meaningful.

I learned that asking for help isn’t as hard as we make it out to be and you always get the chance to pay it forward.

I learned that going back to school was just what my practice needed.

I learned that I love recycling and helping others and now I can do more of both of these things through JEANBAG™: The coolest beanbag made from denim jeans.

I learned that small wins are often major achievements.

I learned that people love to reflect and celebrate.

I learned how much hard work, time, research and testing goes into developing a new product.

I learned that we can ask ourselves, Will it Work? as much as we like, but getting on with it is what really matters!

I learned that Going Pro isn’t an option… it’s the only way to go.

I learned that it’s best to use protection and am relieved to have been using it for years…

I learned that talking about your work in front of a crowd might be scary, but it’s not impossible and can be done well.

I learned that exercising your business muscle is just as important as physical exercise.

Most of all, I’ve learned everything this year thanks to the talented people I know, the generous people who post on the blogs I follow, the experts I work with to bring my artwork and products to life, the risks I take with my work and, through my friends and family who listen to my questions, musings and doubts. I’d would like to thank you all.

I already know that 2014 will give me new things to learn, offer exciting opportunities and bring with it a fresh set of challenges.

This blog will go quite for a little while now, but I’ll be back from time to time with thoughts and project news, just not every week. 2014 will see me focus almost exclusively on JEANBAG™ so you’ll find me over at the JEANBAG™ website when it launches this summer and on the JEANBAG™ Facebook Page, which is up and running and celebrating all things denim.

Many thanks to my followers and readers. It’s nice to know that from time to time I’ve had something to say worth reading and haven’t been simply talking to myself!

Wishing you love, laughter, adventures and big-ass goals to kick in 2014!

Building biceps & flexing the business muscle

My sleeves are rolled up and the hard work is really kicking in!

I’m on a roll making JEANBAGS prior to Xmas and these handmade beauties are giving my upper body a good, solid workout. Weighing in at just over 2.5kg, each of these unique beanbags require serious skill manoeuvring them around the cutting table and my vintage Singer sewing machine!

While the physical process of making JEANBAGS is building my biceps, my business muscle is getting a pretty good workout too. Even though JEANBAG has been in development for months, I need to continually revisit all the areas of the business in order to support its success and growth into the future. Checking and refining costings, communicating JEANBAG’s message so that its clear and connected, building the website, keeping current with safety standards, designing and creating the stationary to use in the administrative servicing of the business, and other little and big picture things all work together to shape and build this business muscle.

With both of these muscles flexed and pumping, JEANBAG is looking forward to welcoming in 2014 toned, taught and terrific!

Getting out of your comfort zone & talking about your work

Last Wednesday, I was invited to talk about my work currently showing in the Hightide: Queensland Design Now exhibition at Artisan to a gathering of lovely gallery patrons and their guests. And, an interesting thing happened… When I was preparing my talk, I realised how nervous I was!

I guess that’s not unexpected as I am not a natural when it comes to speaking to a crowd. It seems for most people it’s much harder talking to a group of people you don’t know, than it is having a conversation with a couple of friends or colleagues who have followed your work and understand the joys, challenges, disappointments and revelations that go hand in hand with bringing ideas to life.

To help reframe the way I feel about speaking publicly and tame those nerves, I try to turn the situation around in my mind and instead of talking to people, feel like I am sharing with them instead. People—whether they know you or not—love stories and by telling them my story I can connect with them in a way that delivering a dry description of facts never can. I think about what I like when I listen to other artists talk about their work. I engage with not only the story they share, but the passion with which they share it. You can always tell when someone loves what they do. Their joy is palpable. Oh, and one last thing… I’d like to think that sharing your work with others is something you genuinely want to do. It’s not something you do merely in return for a speaker’s fee or notoriety, but because you believe in what you do and want to give it wings by sharing it with others.

That’s what makes it possible for me to get out of my comfort zone and talk about my work… How about you? What do you do that helps you get over those butterflies?

Image: Falling Leaves Textiles by KT Doyle, showing in Hightide: Queensland Design Now at Artisan gallery until February 8, 2014.

JEANBAG – Getting Started: Website + Facebook

This is a quick and super-enthusiastic post to let you know the JEANBAG™ website now has a lovely landing page to welcome you!

JEANBAG: The coolest beanbag made from denim jeans will be retailing solely online… soon! For now, you can stay up to date with what’s coming in our launch, including cool offers, by registering for updates!

Also, the JEANBAG™ Facebook page is finally live and being liked from all directions. This is where you’ll get to see what happens behind the scenes, find out what’s coming up and generally get hooked up with the good stuff!

I’m so excited!

A note to self — Back up!

You remember this image (above) which stared in an episode of the Sex and the City TV series… You know, when Carrie Bradshaw turns on her Mac laptop and gets the ‘Sad Mac’ face and then the ‘bomb’ icon, indicating her hard drive had died and gone to ‘Mac heaven’. Disaster. Well, it was for her as she had never backed up her work. For those of you, who watched that episode when it aired (way back when), I hope you learned through her mistake. I sure did!

Backing up weekly has been my mantra ever since. I have a calendar event scheduled weekly to manually back up and have been doing it for years. It didn’t however, stop my heart almost caving in when my MacBook Pro (circa 2008 model) decided to give up the ghost last week. Hence, no weekly post. So, the past week has been a blur setting up a new laptop (thanks to a spare I had – I know, who has a spare laptop lying around you might ask…) and my Time Machine back up of my entire computer was simply loaded onto it, including my settings. Now, it wasn’t as simple as that, but with the help from the guys at the Apple Store’s Genius Bar, a bit of internet research and a few prayers I only had a couple of days down time. What a relief!

When your computer is a large part or the central part of your livelihood, you need to have contingencies in place and backing up regularly is a minimum. I’m looking into getting a Time Capsule now to back up wirelessly over my network every hour, automatically.

When it comes to technology you need to respect it, treat it well and you can’t be complacent, lazy or procrastinate. If you haven’t been backing up, you need to start doing it today!

JEANBAG™ – Going Pro…

Last week I made a couple of decisions and the over-arching principle governing them is that everything regarding JEANBAG™, right from the outset, will be done professionally. I believe this is called ‘going pro’ and I’m right in the zone.

I watched this video interview by business coach and entrepreneur Marie Forleo with author Steven Pressfield a little while back and one of the anecdotes Steven refered to really stayed with me. He told the story of a woman who wanted to take up golfing recreationally. However, instead of just turning up and having a crack, she really put her mind to it from the get-go. She bought herself a modest set of golf clubs and golfing gear so that she would feel the part and get in the zone. She wanted to give herself the best chance at learning and advancing to a level where she could really enjoy playing. The thing is that right from the outset, she made a conscious decision to get into the mindset of a golfer and really commit to being the best she could. I believe the story goes that she ended up competing in tournaments and winning. That’s the power of really committing 100% to something… you give yourself the best chance of success!

So, with that story firmly seeded in my mind, I am happy to say that JEANBAG™ is ‘going pro’ all the way, right from the start. It’s a great feeling and something I’m really proud to say. Stay tuned for more JEANBAG™ news coming soon…

Crowdfunding — Kickstarter launches in Australia!

Last week, I attended Brisbane’s inaugural Kickstarter information night at the iconic Brisbane Powerhouse. This free session was filled to capacity with excited creatives from every imaginable discipline, hungry for extra tips and insider knowledge to help them create a winning crowdfunding campaign.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Kickstarter, head over to their website for a great overview of what they do. In a nutshell, Kickstarter provides an online platform to profile a creative project that you wish to undertake, but don’t have the funds to do so, and ask if people might like to contribute towards funding it and in return receive a ‘reward’ (which could be in practical terms—a physical item, or in feel good terms—some involvement in the project).

Based in New York City, Kickstarter’s original mandate prescribed that you had to be an United States resident in order to list a campaign, even though you could back a campaign no matter where you lived in the world. We have had our version, Pozible, in Australia for a few years, which has provided a similar platform. But from November 13, Kickstarter is going to be available to creatives in Australia too! So now we will also have access to this truly global crowdfunding platform.

There’s just one question we need to ask ourselves now: “Is crowdfunding right for my project, or should I pursue other avenues to make it happen?”…

Hightide Exhibition

I’m not going to tell you what I learned last week, instead I’m going to let you know what is happening this week!

If you’re in Brisbane, I would love it if you would join me at the opening of Hightide: Queensland Design Now at gallery Artisan on Thursday 31 October 2013.

“The exhibition surveys Queensland design over the past decade through the work of 22 designers and design firms and provides a glimpse into the bright future of design in our state as a global force to be reckoned with. Profiling well-known names and introducing new ones, Hightide gives recognition to the designers who are paving the way forward in Australian design.”

The exhibition is curated by Simone Jones, based on the publication by Jason Bird and includes my 2009 wallpaper and textiles collection, Falling Leaves. Paul Fairweather, Queensland architect, artist, designer and creative catalyst will open the show.

I hope to see you there!

Details
Opening: 31 October 2013, 6-8pm
Venue: Gallery Artisan
Address: 381 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Exhibition Runs: 29 October 2013—14 February 2014

JEANBAG™ – Product shots

I mentioned in the last post, In a snap, about the fun photo shoot I had for JEANBAG™ with my photographer, Troy Hansen. The goal was to take shots for the yet to be launched website—images that clearly depict JEANBAG, from all angles and in detail. While the website is a little way off yet, above is a wee montage I whipped up with the raw images to give you a sneak peak!

Many thanks Troy for the great images!

JEANBAG™ – In a snap

This is just a quick post to share with you the wonderful experience I had last week with my dear friend and photographer, Troy Hansen.

Troy photographed JEANBAG™ for the ‘yet to be designed’ website, to capture those all important product shots that allow you to view products from all angles, zoom in and get a real idea of what you might be about to buy. I love product sites that give you an honest impression of what you are looking at and leave you feeling absolutely no buyers remorse when you receive the actual product.

We conducted the shoot in my humble apartment, thanks to its great natural light and lovely floorboards, armed with a trusty list of the shots we had to get and shots that were, time permitting, ‘nice to have’.

Being on a photo shoot is quite exhausting, but if you are organised, you can certainly have a whole lot of fun. It’s very focused and often quite physical work (moving things around, running back to the laptop to see if the shot is right, adjusting things some more), so in order to not burn out too quickly, you must be super organised. Then, you can pace yourself and have a few laughs along the way… Which is exactly what we did!

Many thanks Troy for such a professional job and great day. If anyone is looking for an experienced, good humoured and technically spot on photographer, you should check out Troy’s website.

Meanwhile, I promise to bring the JEANBAG™ website to you very soon, so stay tuned!

Will it work?

Do you ever doubt yourself? Your skills? Your process? I have a hunch that you do. Why? Because we all do, even if it’s only from time to time.

We are all prone to asking questions that stem from doubt. Will it work? Have I done enough? Could I have done it better? Will they like it? These questions can often be far from constructive, but can we turn that around?

With JEANBAG going live soon, I’m both excited and full of doubt. In fact, all the questions I’ve written above, I’ve asked myself. I think the key is to not be afraid of the questions, but to ask them and pay attention to the answers. Will it work?—I don’t see why not. Have I done enough?—I can’t think of anything more I could have done with the time, skills and resources I had. Could I have done it better?—No, I’ve given it my absolute best. Will they like it?—Some people will, some won’t. I hope those who like it, will LOVE it!

These questions don’t seem so terrifying when answered truthfully. And, if your answers reveal that you could do more or you could do better, you know what you need to do…

So, with these questions answered for now, there’s one thing left to do… Get on with it!

JEANBAG™ – On the cutting room floor

Last week I cut out the first five JEANBAGs and I’m pretty darn excited!

I want to make the best use of my materials in the construction of JEANBAG™, so I am using most of the denim from the jeans, excluding any studs, waistband fasteners and zippers. This is because I imagine some people may use their JEANBAG™ on wooden floors and I definitely don’t want any metal parts to scratch their flooring. I am keeping these items, however, as I’m sure there will be a use for them down the track. I just haven’t figured out what yet!

For the most part, I’m also not using the hem of the jeans in the construction of JEANBAG™, as I don’t want any ‘lumpy ridges’ to compromise its comfort. So, I’ve been playing around with all these little denim hems and thinking about how I can use them in a new way…

This week I’m constructing the first official JEANBAG™. It will undergo a final wash test at full scale. Then, it’s off to my friend’s kid’s playroom for a ‘slam’ test. If it survives everything that a nine year old Australian boy will throw at it, it’s game on!

Hightide – Exhibition Development

Last week I spent time developing my contribution to the Hightide exhibition opening in October at Artisan gallery, Brisbane. The exhibition accompanies the book of the same name. Launched earlier this year, it celebrates the last 10 years of design in Queensland and I’m delighted that my Falling Leaves collection of wallpaper and textiles is included in this historical publication.

Almost all the work featured in the book will be displayed in the exhibition. Work that is too large or unable to be brought to the gallery for various reasons will be represented photographically. I’ve been developing the display for my work in collaboration with the team at Artisan. I’ve also been working with Tahn Scoon on styling the display, discussing proportions, colourways and composition. The challenge here is to take the wallpaper and textiles from a domestic setting (in the home) and make them work in a gallery space, where the products are displayed rather than used. I’ve had lots of ideas and I can’t wait to show you the result!

In playing around with my three-dimensional ‘mood board’ (pictured above) I’ve included a couple of wallpapers that are not part of the Falling Leaves range… Some of you may recognise them? 

Stay tuned for details of the exhibition including dates, launch event and more!

Brisbane Home Show 2013

Last week Brisbane stylist and interiors writer, Tahn Scoon, invited JEANBAG™ to the Brisbane Home Show!

As part of the 2013 event, Tahn gave a series of informal talks in which she shared loads of information on how to work with antique furniture and textiles. She gave her insights into things like when it’s appropriate to repair and restore great antique pieces and when it’s better to give them a complete facelift. One of my favourite tips was how Tahn transforms Op Shop clothing into designer cushions. She showed an example of a beautiful Liberty of London skirt combined with a vintage dress to create a seriously knock out oversized cushion. Before you go thinking that she destroyed completely good items of clothing, both had stains and holes that she was able to cut out, thereby salvaging and repurposing some amazing fabric. She said the ‘wow factor’ here is not just the choice of fabric, but to fill your cushion covers with 100% feather inserts. These will have your cushions looking luxurious, while being really substantial and super-comfortable. I love it!

Tahn featured JEANBAG™ as an example of local creatives repurposing materials to create entirely new products. As you know, JEANBAG™ is made from recycled denim jeans and each one is completely unique.

The audience also got an inside peek into Tahn’s fabulous book, New Vintage, published by New Holland, which includes a bundle of ‘how to’ projects that will take your interiors from secondhand to vintage—read: second rate to gorgeous! The book was photographed in and around South East Queensland and features wallpaper I designed with Moore & Moore.

It was lovely to be involved in these talks where Tahn and I share a similar aesthetic and ideology with regards to interiors and our approach to materials. We both have a love of recycling and the wonderful stories that are inherent in old things. Tahn, many thanks for inviting JEANBAG™ and I along!

For more information about Tahn’s book and upcoming workshops, visit her website. Also, keep an eye out for her features on Brisbane homes in Home Beautiful magazine.

Meanwhile, hold tight… JEANBAG™ is coming!

JEANBAG™ so far…

It was only six short months ago that JEANBAG™ was conceived as an idea for a competition based around recycling. The first prototype was exhibited as part of Brisbane City Council’s Tip Shop Art Competition and received lots of really positive feedback. The past several months have involved rolling up my sleeves and getting on with the hard work that goes into developing a commercial product: research, investigation, experimentation, going back to the drawing board, making calls, testing fabric, you name it, I’ve been doing it!

Now I’m gearing up to make the first short run of JEANBAGs and to celebrate, I thought I’d relive some of the JEANBAG™ journey so far—in images.

I think it’s important to look back and see where you’ve come from. But, my advice is not to dwell in the past… Just revisit it long enough to acknowledge how far you’ve come!

What you know + Who you know…

Last week was almost a mirror image of the week before, except for one thing… While undertaking more Calico research and screen printing trials for JEANBAG™, I thought about the old expression: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And you know what? I disagree, and here’s why…

For me, what you know encompasses all the practical stuff like knowledge, skills, experimentation, research and practice. What you know is ‘figure-out-able’. It’s learned. It’s information. It grows and evolves over time.

I see who you know as a kind of touchstone to the what you know. People help each other access information, teach each other new skills, make introductions, and most importantly share knowledge.

I believe what helps us progress and move forward can be found in a combination of what you know and who you know.

While I was planning a second screen printing test run, I talked to a friend about some of the issues I was having. He said, “You know I was a professional screen printer for six years?” I did know that and had completely forgotten! I asked if he’d show me how I should be printing, and he did. What I learned in one hour with him was more than I could have Googled and experimented in an entire week!

So, while I had some knowledge, some skill and had experimented and practiced a little, it was the who you know that brought it all together. Now what I know has expanded exponentially and I’m well on my way to producing high quality, economical print runs! Thank you Troy!

It really pays to talk to people, to reach out and ask for help, because it’s the people we know (or their people) that will be able to help us move forward. Our what you know will grow as a result and perhaps we will become a who you know for someone else!

Persistence

While things have been going remarkably smoothly for JEANBAG™, I have had some hurdles. In part these have been due to the parameters I set and in part, because I’m doing everything myself and I just have to figure stuff out…

I’m really thorough in the research phase of a project. I’m naturally detail oriented and I like the challenge of thinking things through and considering all angles.

But it’s funny, the part of prototyping I thought would be the easiest has, in fact, been the hardest!

I thought the most straightforward task in my materials research would be sourcing the lining fabric for JEANBAG™, when in fact it has been a massive challenge. I want to use 100% unbleached natural cotton, or Calico. It’s not a complex fabric and I don’t think it’s a big ask as it’s very commonplace. But, it seems to be much harder than I thought to tick all the boxes I require. For example, I need the fabric to be a certain width so there is zero wastage and to be light weight to keep the overall weight down and minimise shipping costs. And, the weave structure must be quite tight, so the handle is soft and skrinkage will be minimal. We’ll you’d think I was also asking for it to be woven by Tibetan monks and finished with gold plating! That’s how hard it has been to source exactly what I want.

It’s at this point, I’m reminded of a wonderful quote by Calvin Coolidge. It says,

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.

I hope it will also solve the issue of my Calico! What I want is out there. I know it’s possible to source. I just have to ‘press on’ and keep calling suppliers, keep receiving samples, keep wash testing and I will get there.

What are you trying to solve at the moment? What helps you to persevere and ‘press on’?

JEANBAG™ — In Print!

Recently I talked about the importance of safety compliance for JEANBAG™… Well, last week I set that in print!

I have now tested my silk screen with a print run of my care and safety information on the denim that will form part of the first official JEANBAGs.

In order to get the best result when screen printing, it’s important to print on a flat surface that has a little bit of ‘give’, so that when you pass the ink across your design with the squeegie, the screen has enough flex to allow the ink to penetrate the screen evenly. So, I made a screen printing bed from a piece of MDF, covered in Polar Fleece and Calico. The Polar Fleece provides a nice thick layer with a little ‘give’, while the Calico creates a tight, flat surface with a little traction to hold my denim nice and still.

The water-based ink I’m using needs to be heat set or ‘cured’. To do this, I use a hot iron on a dry/no-steam setting. This transforms the chemical structure of the ink and prevents it washing out or ‘bleeding’. A quick cold wash test has confirmed a good heat set and now I’m on my way…

I take my hat off to all the professional screen printers out there. I can’t say I got the hang of screen printing first go, but like anything, with practice we improve.

Many thanks to Gabba Screen Printing Supplies for their dedicated advice and expertise!

JEANBAG™ — Safety First!

I’m heading into uncharted territory with JEANBAG™ but, with a vision…

There are certain safety standards that must be adhered to for beanbag production. One of them is to use a safety locking zipper to prevent little hands opening the beanbag and accessing the tiny bean filling inside. The other is a mandatory warning label that absolutely must be positioned on the outside of the beanbag, must be printed in red on a white background and must be of a certain size. Without these two safety measures, not only is the product not considered safe, but there are huge fines for non-compliance. Luckily, I checked all this out through the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Product Safety Australia before proceeding with the final stages of my design…

Placing this information on the outside of JEANBAG™ created a design challenge of its own. How could I keep my labelling simple, visible, within the safety standards guidelines AND looking swish?

I feel the embroidered branded label fits in well with the overall form of JEANBAG™, but I didn’t want to have multiple elements hanging off it. So, I have decided to screen print all the required information directly onto JEANBAG™ itself! I am incorporating details you need to know, like ‘how to open the safety zipper’, ‘washing instructions’ and ‘material composition’ into the very surface of the denim fabric. With a slight variation for the warning label, which must be, as I said, red on white and will be screen printed separately and sewn on.

As we like to say in my household: “Safety First!”, and JEANBAG™ plays by the same rules. However, just as I think ‘sensible’ shoes don’t have to be devoid of style, I believe labelling can be both useful and beautiful… And yes, I believe JEANBAG™ has it all!