New Collection

The first collection for 2011 has finally been launched! 

Here is a peek - the rest can be viewed on the Millicent Russell website.

There will be more pieces released in the coming months - this year will be one continuous collection. I will send updates when new pieces are uploaded onto the website.

Thank you again for all being patient.. I hope you like the new collection.

xoxo

Late start to 2011

Hello All,

Life's like a rollercoaster at the moment!

What's new?

Well, I've been slowly working away at the upcoming collection. It will not be launched by february as planned but will now be launched on the Millicent Russell website in March!

In the meantime, I have been to Singapore to celebrate Chinese New Year - this photo is of me getting my rabbit on.

I will also be gettting my wisdom teeth out in the next week or so - landing me at home for a whole week. If I am not too sore I will spend most of that time working away at new pieces.

Thank you to all my supporters who have stuck around. I promise the new collection will be wonderful :)

Not long to go now.

xoxo

New website

Hello everyone!

It has been forever and this project has taken me longer than I'd like to think about right now.. SIGH.

Anyways, I have finally been able to get my new website up and running! There are a few things I still need to tweak (including uploading more photos from my collections) but for now I have a site and that's all that matter ;) Thank you to everyone for their patience and sticking around.

www.millicentrussell.com.au

I would love for you to all check it out and let me know your thoughts. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

As Christmas approaches, I'm hard at work with new pieces for the Christmas rush. These will be available at my stockists as well as through my ETSY store.


xoxo Amelia

Millicent Russell Interview with OutInCanberra

Very excited about the article that's just gone live on the OutInCanberra website.

Thanks so much to Natalie for interviewing me!

You can read the article here

xoxo Amelia

My working space

I've taken a while to get these photos taken but thought I'd share with you where Millicent Russell is created.

I live in a little unit in a quaint suburb in Canberra, Australia. I work full time so I love to spend the weekends and evenings working on creations for Millicent Russell. My favorite time to create is in the morning when the sun shines through to my working  space through our little garden courtyard.

 

My lovely boyfriend built the table for me, it's small but it works well for the space we have... and as you can see it's pretty messy with bits and pieces everywhere! I always clean up but it never stays tidy!

 

I love vintage black and while prints and the one hanging above my working space is probably my favorite. It's taken by Max Dupain, one of Australia's most famous photographers. It hangs on top of my desk and I love to look up at it when I'm thinking about new designs.

xoxo Amelia

Barking Out Loud!

Want to know what all of the hype is about?

My lovely friend, Eva Lubulwa just launched a new creative's magazine called Bark Magazine featuring artists, desingers and much more!

The launch party was held last Thursday with an epic turnout. I had a chance to interview Eva about the new magazine and much more!

What is Bark Magazine?
Bark Magazine put simply is a magazine about up and coming creative’s.
Bark Magazine is a network of people who came together to build a dream and had a party to celebrate!!!!!

How did you come up with the idea for Bark? What was your inspiration?
Bark was kind of organic, I am lucky enough to know a lot of talented people in the city of Melbourne, I get to go to a lot of gigs, art shows and plays etc and it seems that everyone I met had something that they were creatively working away at which needed to be shouted out to the world.

I realised that there wasn’t a publication dedicated to people who are just starting out. Since I can remember I have been told that I possess an unusually loud voice so I thought it my duty to put this to good use. So I thought of Bark and sat on the idea for about a year before doing anything about it lol… I am a slow mover.

Who's involved in Bark - just yourself? - was it hard starting up a business from scratch?
Hee hee no there has been like 100 people involved in Bark so far, it is like a virus, contagious as anything! But yeah starting your own company is scary and I am still in the middle of setting up it all but the thing that I have learnt is that life only gives you what you can handle thank God!!

Who do you see reading Bark?
Myself lol I know that that sounds a bit narcissistic but that is the reason why you create things originally to read about and experience what you want to see written about. If anyone else wants to read it then I see them reading it too.

The greatest thing about Bark is that it doesn't fit into a specific genre. Bark Magazine is really for anyone who is creative, loves eye candy and likes to support what is fresh, new and wonderful… God I sound like a tooth fairy on love drugs…

Where do you see Bark Magazine in a years time?
I see Bark Magazine as I see myself -  older! lol...I really don’t know actually. This process is really one day at a time for me… I saw Bark Magazine as something that I photocopied and sold for a buck last year and it has kind of exceeded expectations. So at this time I am putting no limits on it this time. It would be nice if it was Australia wide it, it would be better if it was uncovering the best stuff out there… it would be nice if it was running faster than 100ks an hour. So at minimum I hope it just plan exists and at most I hope it is taking over the world lol.

Where can I get a copy?
Bark Magazine debut in most newsagencies in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra on Monday 15 Feb 2010.  If you don't live in these cities, send me and email I will send you a subscription page personally and organize to send out a copy to you!!!

Can people get involved in the Bark Magazine phenomenon?
OHHHHHHHHH yeah you can get involved in Bark Magazine by sending me an email.
I am always in need writers, photographers, animators and graphic designers! Oh and anyone who can dish out sanity in 20 minute intervals near to deadline time lol that one is the most imperative. And if you have something to shout about please let me know!!!!
 
For more information visit Bark Magazines website or twitter page :)
 
xoxo Amelia

Winner of the January Giveaway

So I'm back from my holiday in Tasmania - I will be posting some photos soon but first and foremost I would like to announce the winner of the January giveaway.

CONGRATULATIONS to HEATHER S CHAFFER

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who entered and for the lovely comments. Please stay tuned as I'll be posting my February giveaway in a couple of weeks.

xoxo Amelia

My New Designs

The first lot of new pieces for 2010!

I have taken the pictures using my poladroid application. I have also taken them normally so people can get the real feel of the colours. I do very much like that the polaroid look gives it a vintage feel though.

These are now available on my ETSY store.

Plenty more to come!

xoxo Amelia

My new favourite toy

I’ve been playing with a new application over the past few days called Poladroid. It’s so magical! You can change your normal photos (stored on your computer) into polaroid looking photos!! If you are into nostalgia, photography or anything new and creative - then this is for you.

I’ve done up a little photo montage called ‘Summertime’ using my new Poladroid application. I love summer - the heat, the beach, the parties, the friends and getting together with family over Christmas and New Years. I am definitely at my happiest over this season.

Now I think it's time to experiment on my jewellery photos…....I think this will be a lot of fun!

Christmas is coming!

Hello everyone!

Some great news the past week which has kept me off the internet, hence no blog until now..

Firstly - I got promoted at work! YAY! This means that I'll be getting some extra money to buy more exciting things to work with for Millicent Russell - stay tuned!

Secondly - I have a new stockist!! The owner of All About Me in Denmark Western Australia which will be opening its doors in February 2010 has asked me to make her a collection for her little boutique.

Last but not least - Christmas is coming! I've been flat out doing custom orders over the past few weeks and getting ready for the first gift for the Millicent Russell Special Secrets Club subscribers. Thanks to everyone who has joined! I promise it will be an exciting year for subscribers. Subscription closes in December so for those interested, check out http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18224065

I hope everyone else is getting into the Christmas sprirt - on a side note I was in Wollongong for the weekend and they had their annual santa pub crawl. The streets were filled with Santas, Gingerbread men, elves just to name a few! Ah the good ol' Christmas spirit. Love it!

xx Amelia

Melbourne - A city with everything!

With every visit to Melbourne I am sad to say farewell at the end of my stay. Melbourne has been one of those places I've always wanted to move - to spread my wings (so to speak) and experience a city which has so much to give in every aspect.

In the past couple of years most of my friends have moved to Melbourne - which is a novelty as every visit turns out to be a weekend of fantastic mayhem with many memories attached.

I kept getting asked to move - or be 'stolen' from my place here in the capital (Canberra) but I am happy for now and I think the novelty of those special weekends would wear if we could do it every weekend. So for now Melbourne (and co) will have to wait.

Getting to the point of this blog, my weekend as per usual was a busy and fantastic one - catching up with friends, enjoying the wonderful late mornings with coffee and breakfast on High Street and the plentiful shopping (with my limited spending funds).

For those who haven't visited Melbourne before, here are some of my 'must visit' places.

For the best:

• Breakfast and coffee in town - visit Oska Whyte on Hight Street Armidale.
• Vintage jewellery, clothing and furniture (or anything for that matter) finds - visit Chapel St Bazzaar, 217 Chapel Street Prahran - Open Mon - Sun 10am - 6pm.
• Bar/Lounge Bar - visit Sister Bella, Sniders Lane in the City.
• Dinner - visit La Camera Restaurant, 446 Chapel Street South Yarra.

Shop Local - Western Australia

Ah WA, I love this state with its wonderful Margaret River, fruitful wineries and sunny beaches. Unfortunately it’s not somewhere I can access on the weekend as it’s on the complete opposite side of the continent!

Anyways, I’ve discovered some fantastic designers this week – here are some of my favourite picks.

'The Siren Button Bouquet' - letters4lilly

'Beware Bunnies Pocket Notebook' - Mitchell and Dent

'Set of 4 Jumbo Love Heart Magnets' - Cosmo House Slave

'Star Wars Yoda Lego Cufflinks' - Cosmo Fashion Slave

Millicent Russell photoshoot and editorial

So I just got back from a photoshoot for my label Millicent Russell and it was very exciting! I went to one of the boutiques my jewelery is stocked in - a little boutique called Itrip Iskip - and met up with the lifestyle editor of a local magazine which is circulated weekly CityNews. I was photographed with my pieces and asked about how I started my business. I'll be sure to post the photos and articles as soon as it comes out :)

On another note I've finally scanned in the photos of my pieces in the Australian Bride To Be magazine. They used my pieces in two shots for their August edition.

Shop Local - Tasmania, Australia

Tassie is next! I loved my visit to Tasmania at the start of the year. I got to see a lot of the countryside and there are a lot of amazing designers there.

Here are some of my favourite items from Tasmanian based designers.

'Flora Note Cards with Matching Swing Tags' - Ruby Victoria

'Wrist Cuff - Quilted Cotton Patchwork' - Poppy Lane

'Proud Cream Bird' - Lovelyduck

'Upcycled Notebook' - Isis

'Small Wrist Bag' - Small Things by Nona

'Home Sweet Home pendant' - Little Lari

All things 2009..

All things 2009….

This year has been a massive year for me. I’ve done so many things, and visited so many places. I’m really happy I got to do it all even if it has exhausted me beyond anything I’ve ever known ;)

Over the next few days I’ll be posting some pic of favourite places I visited in 2009.

First we have Rainbow Lake which is situated in Perisher Valley in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. This was the most beautiful lake. The sun was perfect and it mirrored the surroundings on the water like I've never seen before.

Second is the rainforest of Cradle Mountain in St.Claire National Park, Tasmania. This national park is world heritage listed and we were there on New Years. It was spectacular.

More photos to come! :)