Artistic Adventure

Join textile artist Natalie Miller, nutritionist and yoga instructor Alexis Smith and myself for our second six-day artistic adventure at Ban Sairee, a luxury private beach front villa in Koh Samui, Thailand. There are now only a few spots left. Learn weaving and crochet with KPC Yarn, macramé, block-printing using eco friendly paints from Eicó, natural dyeing, skipping, yoga and more while nourishing the body with nutritious and delicious food. This six-day retreat is a learning experience and an adventure and most importantly it is fun and full of laughter. It is an inspiring vacation where you learn skills that are not only good for your health but good for your soul.

When: September 18 – 23,  2016

Where: Luxury private beach front villa Ban Sairee, Koh Samui, Thailand 

 
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 Your Week Includes:

Six days, five nights luxury accommodation

All meals using only fresh whole foods free of processing, preservatives, colourings, flavourings and additives. Food likes, dislikes, allergies and sensitivities are catered for.

• Daily morning exercise class ranging from yoga to resistance bands, hill walking and skipping. All classes are tailored to suit all fitness levels

• 10 x three hour classes in weaving, macramé, block-printing, one-on-one crochet and shibori dyeing.

• Educational talks on all things health

• Cooking demonstrations

You also have full use of all villa facilities including swimming pool, kayaks and private tennis court. This is a prospective itinerary. It is subject to modest modifications, dependant on local weather and the desires of the group.

There are only 12 places and they are booking up quickly so don’t delay.

Please email alexis.smith@me.com with any questions or to request a registration form.

 
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Shop update…

Big Cartel update: Two new items added. Check out my store to see the finished results on the hand-dyed artisan muslin shawls from India, and a fun craft project – developed with the artist Meredith Gaston and KPC Yarn. The colours of the shawls have great depth and are so lovely and soft. My favourite is a great nude colour called Lemon Cream that works on any skin tone.

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And there is something so therapeutic about making your own pom-pom decorations. The new pom-pom making kit includes five different ways for you to have fun pom-pom festivenesss. The kit includes party cake and decor style-up ideas and hair ties, and of course Gaston’s fabulous illustrations.

If you have any questions, or special requests just let me know. Happy shopping!

 

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Christmas wreath workshop

 I am collaborating with Juile Tran from Paper Play Design again to make a beautiful pom-pom and paper flower wreath for your Christmas. 

You will learn to make a pom-pom wreath out of the delicious green hues from KPC Yarn and Julie will be teaching everyone to make paper poinsettias and pine-cones from Italian crepe paper.

Hurry as places are booking up and there are only limited seats. All materials provided. For bookings go to stylebrief.bigcartel.com

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Date: December 12, 2015

Time: 2 pm – 5 pm

Address: KPC Yarn Studio 

1/F Novel Industrial Building 

850 -870 Lai Chi Kok Road

Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon

Price: HK$580

 

 

Tassel and ‘It’s a wrap’ workshop in Hong Kong

Morrison Polkinghorne, of Passementeries, makers of the finest tassles, fringes, braids and cords, will be in Hong Kong on November 18, 2015, for one workshop only demonstrating and teaching the intricacies of his splendid hand-crafted ornamental decorative trimmings and tassels. The textile designer and authority of Asian antiques is a true artist who has single-handedly reinvigorated and driven the passementerie story into the 21st century. His work has involved collaborations with international designers for private and public spaces, restaurants, and his pieces have graced the rooms of iconic buildings including the National Gallery of Victoria as well as Sydney’s Kirribilli House. Now based in Battambang, Cambodia, where Polkinghorne owns and runs the boutique hotel bric-a-brac with his partner chef and author Robert Carmack, the self-described ‘tassel maker’ has spent the past few years training and overseeing a talented team of local artisans who continue to help create the passementerie which is all hand-crafted from natural fibres or jute.

In this three-hour workshop at Mirth, Wong Chuk Hang, you will learn tassel making skills from the best in the biz, Morrison Polkinghorne of Passementeries, while using KPC’s beautiful wool and cotton yarns. Polkinghorne will also pass on his knowledge of Japanese gift wrapping so all your future Christmas and birthday presents are guaranteed to look more beautiful and inspired. 

There will be a glass of bubbles and refreshments provided for all guests taking part.

For more information or to book please visit stylebrief.bigcartel or call 9186 2094 for more information. 

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Tassel making and It’s a Wrap Workshop:

Where: Mirth

The Mezzanine Floor

Yip Kan Street

Wong Chuk Hang

Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2553 9811

When: 18 November 2015

Time: 11 am – 2 pm 

Cost: HK$680

Snacks and light refreshments will be provided. 

get.give

Without a doubt, everything at Kate Jones’ atelier get.give on 14 Po Tuck Street in Sai Ying Pun is to swoon over. Her terrifically clean-lined space in grey and cream hues has a whole host of swishy decorative tricks that could make a stylist happily rearranging and playing for hours. Jones also runs creative consultancy At Liberty which offers boutique creative strategy services with a focus on events, marketing and styling. Some of her illustrious clients include Landmark Magazine, Ellermann Flower Boutique, Krug, FilmAid, Hermès, Fendi Casa, Colour Living, Clinique and Miele.

However if you’re hankering after a considered design-focused buy, you’re in luck. Read on to learn more about the smart thinking behind get.give.

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How would you describe your atelier get. give?

I started get.give together with my business partner (and cousin) Seanne Ducat. We wanted to find a way to provide a broader and more thoughtful offering of gifting that can be enjoyed every day. We’ve invested a lot of time to carefully curate a selection of products made by passionate producers that we believe recipients will cherish, most of which we’ve picked up during our travels.

We currently have two arms to the business: one is the retail store which will also be launched online in early October this year (very exciting). The second is our Gifting Agency where we work with corporate clients to pair them with like-minded businesses and create gifting strategies and collections that truly align with their brand ethos.

Later in the year we’ll be adding a third arm to the business which is our own collection of eco-friendly gift wrapping that we’ve created together with local artists in Asia.

The get.give shop and studio is where customers can come and really explore our family of brands. Everything that we’ve selected has a personal connection with both myself and my business partner Seanne. The store is where we can first hand relay these stories to the clients and really educate them about the products. We will do this with our online store, but we’re both a little old school and love to meet with people face to face.

Why get.give?

We have been frustrated for a while now by the lack of gifting options in Hong Kong and generally worldwide. We both feel that what is on offer is very trendy, gimmicky, lacking heart and ultimately dust collectors that end up in a landfill. I haven’t been able to find one great store that offers a variety of useful products from quality makers that suits both men and women across a variety of ages. get.give is our answer to this. We’re still early days so the collection will grow with us and our customers as we develop more of a relationship.

From the corporate gifting side, we found that some brands are doing themselves more harm than good with the items they are choosing to gift. We’d see gifts with large logos in bins post-events or found that everyone would gift the same thing – one year it’s a speaker, the next it’s a phone charger. So recipients end up with three or more of an item stacking up.

All this leads to what Seanne and I term ‘gifting guilt’ – that feeling you have when you receive something and instantly feel bad about the amount of packaging or the fact that it’s just another thing to store away or awkwardly try to give away. Our aim is for get.give to make ‘gifting guilt’ to be a thing of the past.

 

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A spotlight on some of the brands you are bringing to Hong Kong

We have exclusive artist edition rugs by New York based Artist August Krogan-Roley together with Kahoko. All hand woven in Kenya’s Rift Valley.

We also stock the most amazing hand-picked herbs from Greece by the brand Daphnis & Chloe. They also work with local farmers to help them get the most from their crops with organic farming techniques.

Los Poblanos is a family-run lavender farm and homestead in New Mexico introduced to me by great friends whilst on holiday this year. They make the most exquisite products from their lavender in the summer and chillies in the autumn … I ended up helping to harvest the lavender, learn about their processes and meet with the family. Now we have them in Hong Kong which is very exciting.

We are bringing in enamelware by Japanese brand Kaico and designed by Japanese design icon Makoto Koizumi and hand-made wooden household brushes and cleaning tools from Redecker, a 75-year-old family run business from Germany.

 

 

 

 

Embroidery workshops – Hong Kong

Embroidery is back in vogue. The gentle art of embroidery has found a new generation of career artists open to using more modern and creative ideas in their work. Australian textile artist and designer Cath Derksema of Prints Charming, has been creating hand-painted and embroidered linens that are attracting attention in the art world and taking embroidery firmly into the future.

Cath will be working with KPC’s vibrant wools and organic cottons at two fun creative workshops in early October at Mirth and the KPC Yarn studio.

Spaces are limited so go to stylebrief.bigcartel to secure your place. 

IMG_6817IMG_4871IMG_3692IMG_6707Embroidery Workshops:

Date: October 2, 2015 

Time: 10 am – 1 pm 

Cost: US$150

Where: Mirth 

The Mezzanine Floor

Yip Kan Street

Wong Chuk Hang 

Hong Kong 

Tel: +852 2553 9811

Number of seats: 8 places available 

and 

Where: KPC Yarn Studio 

1/F Novel Industrial Building

850 – 870 Lai Chi Kok Road

Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon

Hong Kong 

Date: October 4, 2015

Time: 10 am – 1 pm 

Tel: +852 2371 7675

Number of seats: 8 places available 

What is included: 

Learn blanket stitch from scratch, or brush up on your embroidery skills from one of the best. In the three-hour class, Cath will encourage students to explore their sense of colour with KPC Yarn’s wonderful hues. You will be provided with a linen sampler and a hand-painted panel which can be used to make an original cushion for your home. 

A selection of healthy and delicious snacks from Moxo Living and refreshments will be provided during the workshop to keep you happy and hydrated. 

 

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Japanese shibori dyeing workshops in Hong Kong

I started out learning how to dye fabrics naturally from my mother when I was five or six. In her work she taught me that sumptuous colours with depth can be created from ingredients like beetroot, onions, coffee and tea. I love the way dyeing can make something very special out of anything that might be lacking a bit of originality.

Now that anything real and organic is on the rise, the beautiful art of Japanese shibori dyeing which involves folding, twisting or bunching cloth then dipping in indigo dye, is more relevant than ever. Australian textile artist and designer Cath Derksema of Prints Charming uses the shibori technique in her work and the good news for us in Hong Kong is Cath will be coming in early October to teach this highly addictive craft at Mirth in Aberdeen and the brand new KPC Yarn Studio in Lai Chi Kok.

 Workshops have limited places so visit stylebrief.bigcartel to secure your place.

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Shibori Workshops

Where: Mirth

The Mezzanine Floor

Yip Kan Street

Wong Chuk Hang

Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2553 9811  

Time: 10 am – 1 pm 

Date: 3rd October 2015 

Price: US$170

and

KPC Yarn Studio 

Where: 1/F Novel Industrial Building 

850 – 870 Lai Chi Kok Road

Lai Chi Kok

Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2371 7675

Time: 2 pm – 5 pm 

Date: 4th October 2015

Price: US$170

Number of seats: 8 only per class

What is included:

Enjoy three hours of absolute fun creating and engaging in the many facets of shibori dyeing. Cath will teach you the various steps involved in resist-dye shibori techniques such as tying and clamping; everyone will leave with their own over-sized hand-dyed muslin scarf, and Cath encourages you to bring any of your own pieces, think pillow slips, jeans, white t-shirts and linens that you might be interested in reinvigorating through this old-world approach. I can have napkins, silk scarves and pillow cases for purchase if you let me know in advance.

A selection of healthy snacks from Moxo Living and refreshments will also be provided thoughout the day.

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Deem – the next chapter

Debra Little is closing the doors on her beautiful atelier on Hollywood Road… Deem. Debra has a unique collection of furniture, accessories and one-off furnishings… so don’t delay if you want to buy any of her pieces. My firm favourites are her white and gold brass trays in a variety of sizes and her single candle holders with a second usage as vases are exquisite. Pop into her 252 Hollywood Road store in Sheung Wan this weekend June 13 -14 for refreshing spritzer and nibbles to celebrate Deem’s four fun and fabulous years. But do hurry as the doors will close in July. If you want to keep in the loop with what Deborah is doing next with Deem send her an email at info@deemlimited to find out more about their next adventure. 

Deem June closing newsletter
 

 

 

Artistic Adventure

Join textile artist Natalie Miller, nutritionist and yoga instructor Alexis Smith and myself for a six-day artistic adventure at Ban Sairee, a luxury private beach front villa in Koh Samui, Thailand. Learn weaving, crochet with KPC Yarn, macramé, natural dyeing, skipping, yoga and more while nourishing the body with nutritious and delicious food. This six-day retreat is a learning experience and an adventure. It is an inspiring vacation where you learn skills that are not only good for your health but good for your soul.

When: Tuesday November 10 – Sunday November 15, 2015

Where: Luxury private beach front villa Ban Sairee, Koh Samui, Thailand If you book and pay by August 7 you will receive a 10 percent discount

 
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                                                       Your Week Includes:  Six days, five nights luxury accommodation

• All meals using only fresh whole foods free of processing, preservatives, colourings, flavourings and additives. Food likes, dislikes, allergies and sensitivities are catered for.

• Daily morning exercise class ranging from yoga to resistance bands, hill walking and skipping. All classes are tailored to suit all fitness levels

• 10 x three hour classes in weaving, macramé, screen printing, crochet and dyeing.

• Educational talks on all things health

• Cooking demonstrations

You also have full use of all villa facilities including swimming pool, kayaks and private tennis court. This is a prospective itinerary. It is subject to modest modifications, dependant on local weather and the desires of the group.

There are only 14 places and they are booking up quickly so don’t delay.

Please email alexis.smith@me.com with any questions or to request a registration form

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Toolss

Tucked away in Shek Kip Mei on Kowloon side, on the corner of Wai Chi Street, near mechanical workshops and hardware stores, is a new gem of a lifestyle store-cum-café space, called, curiously, Toolss. Stationary – that is the artful silk-screened kind and letter sets as well as a range of shoppers, magazines, washi tape, stamps, eclectic pencils and pens plus old-fashioned scissors and notebooks are available here which is wonderful and a definite first for this bustling area. The coffee, herbal teas and juices are available from an outside window for faster service and there is a range of delicious organic bites to choose from, too.

Shop no 2 G/F Fook Tin Building, 38 Wai Chi Street, Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon.

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