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The Confession Issue

HANNAH STOUFFER • BINDI BOOTH • SUE-CHING LASCELLES • LOVE ARIEL
THE CONFESSION PROJECT • BLOGGERS • craft-e
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Welcome
An Editors confession:
This image shows the real Blanket Headquarters.
It’s probably a little disappointing. I bet you
imagined it was a really cool warehouse studio
where we roller-skate around the office. There’s
a DJ in one corner and a bar in another. We are
always receiving free products from Apple (hint
hint)... that’s how I like to imagine it anyway.
But the confession is that the magic of Blanket
all happens inside this MacBook laptop. Blanket
works as a virtual office. I communicate with my
contributors via a flurry of emails and I put each
issue together on this laptop that I transport each
day to a friends office in my favourite Florence
Broadhurst print bag. (I was actually asked to
mind this friends office for a couple of weeks
while she went overseas. That was 6 months
ago and I’m still here!)
My laptop is my constant companion - it comes
to Friday night drinks, on visits home to the
family and soon it will be travelling around the
BLANKET H.Q. - yeah it’s just a laptop in a bag. world with me when I leave these Australian
It’s a pretty bag though... shores for the greater city of Manchester! I’m
looking forward to living in a new city, as well as
travelling and discovering new emerging artists,
designers and photographers. So that’s why our
next issue is aptly named the Travel issue!
I hope that because Blanket works as a virtual
office a change of venue for me will not affect
the production of Blanket as I aim to continue
publishing Blanket for as long as I can! So if you
want to help keep Blanket going you can do a
few things - you can buy something from the
shop, help spread the word and email 10 (or
20) friends about Blanket, or just send an email
telling me you have an apartment for rent in
Manchester... going cheap ; )

xx
Cover image: Hannah Stouffer Bec
1 2 (check out our Transfer Interview with uncovering your creativity
Hannah on pg 61) editor@blanketmagazine.com
blanket magazine
D.U.R.A

Here’s my work feature artist: Duraton Hannani Amir (aka i.itch.illustrations aka D.U.R.A)
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Contents
1-2 Welcome 3-4 Contents 5-6
Contributors 7-8 What’s New? Products,
Websites, Books and more... 9-12 Going
Kookoo over Cocoa Blanket contributor
Jessica Wilson makes things out of cereal
boxes 13-18 Transfer: Sue-Ching Lascelles
shows us her textile art 19-26 Here’s my
work... I hope you like it Our readers show us
their work 27-46 Re_action: CONFESSION
See how our readers reacted to our theme!
47-60 The Confession Project We challenge
six writers and six artists 61-66 Transfer:

A B C DE F GH
Hannah Stouffer Our cover artist shows us
more of her lovely illustrations 67-76 Here’s

IJ K LM NOP Q
R S T U V W X YZ
1 2 3 45 67 8 9 0
Blanket Font for this issue:
‘Oldstyle’ by The H. P. Lovecraft Historical
Society. There is an improved, more
commerically ready version of this font
called Coldstyle that you can find at
www.myfonts.com. Oldstyle was created
for the HPLHS and they offer it among their
free downloads. BUT Coldstyle has an
improved character set and other features
so it’s worth the $20! Find it at:
www.myfonts.com/foundry/ephemera.
my work... I hope you like it Our readers
show us their work 77-82 Transfer: Bindi
Booth artists and illustrator 83-90 Here’s
my work... I hope you like it Our readers
show us their work 91-94 Transfer: Love
Ariel Artist 95-100 Bloggers Our favourite
bloggers confess their 6 loves 101- 104
Craft-E We look at some Etsy sellers 105-
106 Web_sight We look at confessional
websites 109-110 Blanket Classified Ads
Now clickable! 111-112 Next issue Find out
how you can contribute to our next issue. The
theme: TRAVEL 113-114 Thankyou A list of
all who made this issue possible

Do you have a font you have made and would

like it considered for the next Blanket issue?
Send a PDF example to:
editor@blanketmagazine.com

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Sue-Ching Lascelles

Photo by: Thom Kotis (detail)

transfer feature artist: Sue-Ching Lascelles

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Contributors

DAVID SELF CAITLIN GAHAN JESSICA WILSON JONATHAN HULME MELISSA GARDNER SARAH HANNAH FISHER DREW FELLOWS
Writer Writer & Designer Craft Writer Writer Designer Writer Designer

Selfy is a guy who knows a
little bit about pretty much
everything. Ask people what
he does, and they would
call him a Graphic Designer,
Photographer, Musician or
Writer. In truth he is only one
of these things, but we’re not
quite sure which.
A self-confessed “Internaut”,
he revels in the geeky and
is most comfortable when
there’s a Firefox window open
in front of him. If you feel like
forwarding him a funny email
that’s going around, chances
are he saw it before you were
born. Why not ask him about
web comics instead?
Caitlin Gahan is a Graphic
Designer and Writer who
never learnt to ride a bike or do
maths of any kind. She loves
being a Graphic Designer for
two reasons:
1. She can Photoshop photos
of herself and
2. She gets to be involved
in Blanket and remain in a
constant state of schoolgirl
awe of the talent of the artists
and designers she interviews.
When she is not near her
beloved Mac called “Velvet”,
she likes to read every book
and magazine in sight.
Then, her fingers get too itchy
and she has to get back to
her desk.
Jessica Wilson is the Crafty-
mad Scientist behind jek in
the box, scrumdillydilly and
scrumdilly-do! She lives a short
hop away from Hollywood with
her sock crafty husbandman,
their evil kitty and a mob of
sock monkeys. She favours
stripey socks and never leaves
home without her camera.
www.scrumdillydilly.
blogspot.com
www.jekbot.etsy.com
www.flickr.com/photos/
jek-a-go-go/
Jonathan Hulme is a In her spare time, Mel likes
Sociologist, Writer and all to paint ‘Nushka Dolls’, look
round Righteous Dude. He at pretty pictures in design
is particularly interested in books, go to nice places for
popular culture and despite coffee with her boy, dabble on
being a terrible music snob, the guitar, laugh loudly, collect
will argue that Destiny’s Child Moleskin journals (and dream
are better than Sonic Youth of one day writing in them
to anyone who will listen. without ruining them!) and
Fortunately, no one listens. she loves finding new artists
to inspire her. Check out Mel’s
cute hand-painted nushka dolls:
www.nushkadolls.com
www.nushkadolls.etsy.com
or have a look at her illustration
& photography:
www.flickr.com/photos/
rememberthislink
Growing up, Sarah Hannah
Fisher was never happy with
the endings of ‘Choose Your
Own Adventure’ novellas,
so she would create her
own. A freelance writer and
day dreamer, Sarah Hannah
lives in Darlinghurst, Sydney
with a kitchen filled with pink
appliances and an unfulfilled
wish to own a Burmese
Python. A slightly obsessive
list maker, her list of ‘books
to read’ continually grows by
the minute.
Drew was recently diagnosed
by a doctor as being a creative
compulsive. Medical tests
showed that if Drew was to
go a day without creating
something new or working on
an ongoing project, the results
could be fatal. Under doctors
recommendations, Drew now
fills his days with photography,
graphic design, drawing in
moleskins, making badges,
music production, performing,
a hint of creative writing and
countless blogs, websites and
online communities.
http://flickr.com/photos/
drewfellows/
www.26theband.com

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 What’s New?

w h a t ’s new ?
THE LATEST PRODUCTS, BOOKS AND WEBSITES WE’VE FOUND.

WON!
haul - PROPHYLAPTICS LAPTOP SLEEVE WINNER!!
Congratulations to Olivia Loh from Victoria,
Australia who wins the haul PROPHYLAPTICS
T-POST - A MAGAZINE ON A T-SHIRT! laptop sleeve (RRP $99AUD)!
A magazine with an unusual idea. When you subscribe instead of receiving a magazine you receive a t-shirt! The PROPHYLAPTICS laptop sleeve fits the Apple
That’s right - every six weeks they design a new t-shirt based on the latest topical issue and post it to you. MacBook range (and other laptops) and is made from
Now you can look smart and cool at the same time! recycled vinyl advertising billboards - which means
no two are ever the same! To see more of their
www.t-post.se
environmentally friendly products as well as their
online store and stockists go to: www.haul.com.au
26 - THE BAND
Pipe organs, brass bands, harp players, a hundred-voice
choir, string quartet and a good proportion of indie rock
are all nestled amongst the ambitious album offering from POSTSECRET BOOKS! (FROM POSTSECRET.COM)
independent indie rock group 26. With their UK-esque style,
Dave talks about www.postsecret.com in this issues web_sight on pg 107.
26 have written an honest, heart felt and rocking album,
loosely based around an emotional year of their lives. But I wanted to show you the books as well. So just in case you don’t
want to sit and read the confession postcards on the internet you can buy
Find it at www.26theband.com
the books instead! There are 4 books and they are a collection of the best
and iTunes.
postcards featured on the site over the past 4 years. It’s a great site to visit
and support!
www.postsecretcommunity.com/books
CUPROCKING - BY ARTIST ANDY UPROCK
If you have been noticing bright coloured plastic cups in wire fences around FFFFOUND!
the city then you have been looking at Sydney artist Andy Uprock’s art. By
mapping out large areas of cyclone fencing and sticking plastic cups into the I’m glad I found this site! FFFFOUND! is a web service that
existing diamond shaped holes, Andy transforms streets and public areas not only allows users to post and share their favourite images
into floating walk-by galleries. He calls it “cuprocking”. He is currently on a found on the web, but it can also recommend other images
global tour supported by Mooks and VICE. that you might be inspired by. By clicking on images with the
“I ❤ THIS” button it gets to know your taste and then shows
Check out www.cuprocking.com for daily blog posts, photographs and you other images you might like. It’s just like a really nice,
more info. and super helpful best friend!
http://ffffound.com

STICK MEON - VINYL WALL STICKERS

There are a few problems with renting a property. You can’t
just give the walls a lick of paint when they need it and it’s very
unlikely that they will allow you to have a pet. Stick meone has
come up with a novel solution for both these problems. Low
tac vinyl stickers of cute animals that you can adhere to your 7 8
walls. You (and your landlord) don’t have to worry about marking
blanket magazine

the walls or cleaning up after your pets mess! Designed and

RE_ACTION BADGES!! AVAILABLE NOW
w h a t ’s new ?

made in Melbourne by Deanna Corso.

Now your favourite re_action designs are available on badges! Available in 3 packs they showcase some of our talented
www.stickmeon.com.au
readers who reacted to our theme of MUSIC. The badges are 1” (25mm) in diameter and there are 4 designs in each
pack (plus your very own Blanket badge!).

Going Kookoo Over Cocoa
BLANKET WRITER, JEK, CONFESSES TO US ABOUT HER LOVE
OF TINY CEREAL BOXES...
I have to be honest with you in telling you that I am
really not a person who is into confessions. It’s not
that I don’t think we should share our confessions
it’s more that I revel in all those things I do that most
would never admit to.
I read romance novels and oodles of chick lit...and…I
enjoy them! I also adore, adore, adore my old copies
of Sweet Valley High and Trixie Belden and have
been entertaining the idea of re-reading Flowers in
the Attic. How’s that for a confession? Let’s see, I
love Barry Manilow, especially Copacabana and can’t
help but boogie on down when The Sylvers play on
craft with Jek
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my iPod. As much as I love summer, I can’t wait
for fall and the newest season of America’s Next
top Model. At home I drink buckets and buckets of
water but when I’m out in the car and alone I like
to get a Coke, from the drive-thru…of McDonald’s.
Seriously, McDonald’s has the best Coke! Extra fizzy
and not too sweet, just the way I like it.
What else can I confess? Let’s see, I’m thirty-seven
years old and can’t sleep if my feet hang off the
edge of the bed and there is no way I will look in the
bathroom mirror at night. Darn you Bloody Mary! I’m
thirty-seven years old and I love me a bowl of Cocoa
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Craft: Going Kookoo over Cocoa
blanket magazine

Gift wrap, postcards and bookends!
Puffs, for breakfast. Heck, any
sugary sweet kid-centred cereal
is a plus in my book. My favourite
though is the kind you get in
the variety pack with a selection
in eight miniature boxes all
decked out like their super-sized
counterparts. Yup, that’s me; I’m
kookoo for Cocoa Puffs packaged
in small boxes. The problem
here is that I go through phases
where these cereals are all I
want to eat and then I’m left with
dozens and dozens of wee boxes
because, as you already know, I
can’t throw anything away! What
I do is I break the boxes down by
undoing the top and bottom flaps,
which enables me to store/horde
them flat. Then when I need a
small box in a pinch they are
easy to get to without dumping
the whole she-bang on my head.
They are simply too nifty to
recycle so what is a girl supposed
to do? Plenty I tell ya, plenty! I’m
going to share with you three
things you can do with a wee
cereal box, truthfully you can use
any small box you like but when
you combine the added effect of
craft with Jek
getting to stuff yourself silly with often do we send postcards for
Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes no reason at all?
why would you use any other
And now, for my final project,
kind of box?
turn them into bookends! Some
First up, gift-wrap. Got something of the variety packs double up on
small and nifty to gift to a friend? flavours so you get two boxes
Shred up some paper, tissue or of the same kind. Eat yourself
otherwise and add some to your a giant bowl of cereal and save
cereal box, add your gift then top the boxes. Get yourself to a clear
of with more shred. Glue the lid tabletop and get busy. Fill your
closed with good old school glue boxes with sand or rice or dried
or double stick tape and tie with beans. If you want to really get
a bow. You now have yourself a serious, line your box with some
unique and extra spiffy, original plastic wrap and mix up some
gift to give to your pal. Couldn’t plaster to fill them. Once dry, seal
be any easier. up your boxes and get all artsy
while you rearrange a shelf space
Fun bit number two, go postal!
with color coordinating books and
Stuff your wee box with small
accoutrements. Add a couple of
silly gifts like bubble-gum and
wind-up toys, fisher price people
finger puppets, Seal it shut and
or your prized secret decoder
add an address to a mailing label
ring and take a trip back down
and stick it on the front. Take it to
memory lane as you reminisce
the post office for weighing, add
about the niftiness that was your
your postage and ship it off. How
childhood! Don’t forget to add
cool would it be to receive a wee
a favourite kids read or two for
package full of nonsense in a box
the full effect. Have fun, enjoy
from your childhood? Easier than
and make sure to wipe that milk
pouring yourself a bowl, right? If
mustache off your face before
you don’t feel up to sending a box
going outside!
full of goodies, cut the front out
and turn it into a postcard, how
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Sue-Ching Lascelles
Could you tell us a little about
yourself and your background?
I pretty much knew throughout
high school that I wanted to study
art when I finished. But even with
this creative desire, I never really
imagined I would be an artist. I
don’t know where I thought it
would take me, I didn’t really have
that foresight. I have done so
many varied things from working
in factories to owning my own
clothing label but eventually I did
end up here: as a practising artist.
I also have a background in textiles.
What do you enjoy about
working with textiles?
I love the fact that working with
textiles almost blurs the craft and
art boundary. It requires the kind
of crafty skill to construct, but my
ideas are inspired by conceptual
art. Tactility is paramount. The idea
that you can touch something is
comforting. Some of my greatest
influences work in textiles, Yayoi
Kusama and Joseph Beuys for
example. It’s also homely, reminds
me of my mum, and the true
beauty of a handmade object.
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Can you explain a little about
Tactility is paramount.
The idea that you can touch
something is comforting.
your recent exhibition work?
Go into any gallery and there’s the
automatic expectation that the art
on display is not to be touched.
Because of the tactile nature of
my work, I have often seen people
sneaking a touch or a prod at my
work, which stimulated the idea
that touching could actually be
encouraged, challenging the notion
of appropriate behaviour in gallery
spaces. This is how ‘Touch Me’
was born. I wanted to create a
work that would take that idea
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to the extreme, almost to the
point where it was ambiguous
as to whether you were actually
touching the work or was it
touching you. I wanted to invite
the viewer into the space and for
their interaction with the work be
an integral part of its success. How
would it feel to be smothered in
something you so greatly desired?
What kind of themes do you like
to explore?
I have a fascination with everyday
objects and replicating these very
mundane ‘things’. By removing
them from their natural state they
become curious objects, new
again and waiting to be discovered.
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Sue-Ching Lascelles
Is humour important in
your work?
Humour does play an important
role in my artwork. The objects
I make are always things that
interest me and amuse me. I do
it for pretty light-hearted reasons
and I’m not really telling a story
or motivated by deep theoretical
ambitions. More than anything I just
want to create an experience for the
viewer. I don’t necessarily always
set out to be humorous but I think
it always ends up that way because
of the fun that I have making it,
which is inevitably something that
resonates in the work.
Many artists seem to be
influenced by their childhood –
why do you think as adults we
are drawn to our childhood?
For me, childhood represents
the most amazing experiences
of my life. Everything was
about discovery and having
the unselfconscious courage
to imagine and make-believe,
without consequences. Every
new experience was exciting and
filled with wonder. I’m not afraid
of growing old, I just never want to
lose that feeling. Maybe losing that
feeling is what growing old is.

What is inspiring you at the
moment?
The arts community in Brisbane
and our shared passion for wanting
to see Brisbane artists have the
opportunity for exposure they
deserve. Trees are good too. What
can’t they do?
Do you have a favourite piece
you have created? Why is it
your favourite?
Right now it would be my felt
ashtray complete with felt
cigarette butts and felty ash. It’s
feltastic. Sometimes I look back
on something I’ve made and think-
how the hell did I do that? This is
one of those things.
Our next theme is ‘confessions’
is there anything you would like
to confess about your art?
Sadly, I rarely draw anymore. Most
things just seem to go from brain
to sculpture. I used to be a great
believer that the best visual ideas
begin with drawing.
t
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Where do you see your art
taking you in the future?
Hopefully to more galleries
interstate. Collaborations with
other artists is also on my agenda.
I would love to take a residency
overseas…. And to a happy place.
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Momax
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Lillianna Pereira

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Molly Butterfoss

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 Robert Shields

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Re_action:
Confessions

How did
our readers
react?

Stuart Lansdowne
re_action: CONFESSION

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 Belle Blau

Anne Nguyen ‘The Universe’ Robert Shields ‘The Secret’ re_action: CONFESSION

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 blanket magazine
re_action: CONFESSION
Monia ‘Not Perfect’
Will Bryant
 Rebecca Murphy

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re_action: CONFESSION
Kleber Menezes ‘Kids’
 blanket magazine
re_action: CONFESSION
Anastasia m.w.
Momax ‘I Build Stars’
Djordje Joksimovic

Sudeep Lingamneni Chris Button

re_action: CONFESSION

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PT Moulee

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re_action: CONFESSION
Marta Hernando
Darrin Hanley
Huy Le

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re_action: CONFESSION
Ewan Van Cruyff
Simon Sun Richard Rawlins Alexandra-de Lapierre

re_action: CONFESSION

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Emanuele Marianecci

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re_action: CONFESSION
Colleen Baran
The
Confession
the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
Project
BUT WHAT IS A CONFESSION?
A confession is an acknowledgment or
admission, usually of guilt or sinfulness.
The use of the word ‘confession’ implies
moral overtones, perhaps because it is usually
associated with mortal sins: confessing to a
priest and begging forgiveness, or confessing
to murder or adultery or covetousness or lust.
To make a confession, particularly when
revealing intimate or personal details for
the first time, requires bravery on the part
of the confessee. They may be unburdening
themselves but they’re also revealing the
dark seam in our soul we like to keep hidden.
To confess to buying a Stefan Dennis album
We invited six writers to make a confession. in the early 1990s (not once but twice, after
we then challenged six creatives to take these the first one buckled in the heat of the car) is
embarrassing. But to confess to adultery or
confessions and interpret them into a visual piece. anorexia or betrayal of a dear friend or loved
one requires bravery. The power of forgiveness
lies with the person they are confessing to.
Will they wield it wisely?

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the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
Artist: Elena Rosenberg

Writer:
www.elenarosenberg.com

Anonymous

I am a recovered anorexic. My life revolved around day in, day out, for close to 6 months. I emerged
waking up at 6am to fit in a 5km run, measuring out feeling stronger and more sure of my place in the
quantities of cottage cheese so I would know exactly world. I understood myself now; the reasons why I
how many calories I was consuming and inventing developed an eating disorder in the first place. It wasn’t
different excuses to get out of eating. Friends, school about body image, at least not initially. It was my way
work, activities, my job all fell into the background. of gaining control in a world where I felt I simply didn’t
Nothing was as important as feeling the bones fit in. I would never wish an eating disorder on my
protruding through my flesh and the dropping numbers worst enemy.
on the scales. I would sit in front of the food channel,
Now, I am the happiest I have ever been. I have a
drooling, doing endless sit ups and leg lifts, calculating
great job, a wonderful boyfriend, an amazing group of
how many calories I had eaten that day. I could go
friends and a gorgeous apartment. But I hate the way
weeks consuming only chuppa chups, black coffee and
I look. I hate the way my arms wobble when I wave,
the occasional apple. Green granny smith, medium
the lack of empty space between my thighs. I miss
sized, 50calories.
having prominent collarbones and jeans that slide off
The mirror would show jutting bones but all I could see my hipbones.
was pockets of fat. I was miserable. Just a few kgs
My confession? I want to be thin again. I have tried the
more and I will be perfect. But perfection never came,
‘healthy’ way of exercise and eating right, but it isn’t
just depression and more misery. My relationships
satisfying me again. I am slipping back into my eating
strained and fell apart. I was in a constant battle with
disordered way of thinking and behaving and I simply
my thoughts. My organs were shutting down; I was
do not care anymore…
always cold and exhausted.
My parents placed me in hospital and I was forced
onto a feeding tube, undergoing intensive therapies

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Artist:
Writer:
Daniel Stolle www.d-stolle.de
Jonathan Hulme
10 Confessions of a nervous child
1. When I was five, I used to have an “imaginary
friend” named Cyril whom I tried to convince my family
was real. However, I knew he didn’t exist and would
never have wasted my time playing with make-believe
people. I have no idea why I wanted to convince my
family that I had an imaginary friend when I didn’t. In
retrospect, it appears to be an infantile attempt at post
modernism.
2. Around this time, I got in trouble for throwing rocks
at a kid down the street who bullied me. I hit his leg
and made him bleed. My parents were incredibly angry
and I was very sorry at the time because I was aiming
for his head, not his leg.
3. When I went to the Dentist for the first time, I felt
violated by this strange man shoving his hands in my
mouth. As he finished off my filling, I instinctively
lashed out and accidentally hit him square in the nose.
As the nurse tended to him, he yelled at my mother
that I could only go back if I was medicated as she
hurriedly dragged me out of the room. I have been
medicated ever since.
4. At the age of seven, I was terrified of a film called
The Black Hole. I spent most of the film hiding in the
cinema lobby terrified. When I wasn’t in the lobby, I
sat in my chair, hands covering my eyes while I wept
uncontrollably. I later repeated this performance to a
lesser degree during Gremlins (age 11), Aliens (age 13),
Shallow Grave (age 21) and 28 Days Later (age 29).
5. An annual Christmas event in my hometown was
for someone dressed as Santa to be sat on top of a
van and be driven around while waving to children that
lined the streets. This particular Christmas, we could
see Santa approaching in the distance apparently
throwing snowballs at kids. Forewarned of his evil
scheme, my friends and I made a battery of snowballs
and when Santa got in range we mercilessly pelted
him with our snowy missiles. It wasn’t until later we
discovered that Santa was not throwing snowballs but,
in fact, throwing little white bags filled with lollies and
sweets. I can only assume that’s why I didn’t get the
Action Man battle-tank I’d asked him for that year.
the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
6. At some point, I saw an advert about children being
maimed by escalators which instantly became my
greatest fear. I steadfastly refused to go on them
which meant my Mum had to find lifts or stairs
whenever we went to big shopping centres. The
inevitable consequence of this was being trapped in
a shopping centre fire stairwell for half an hour when
we couldn’t find an exit. My fear of escalators has now
been superseded by my fear of being trapped in fire
stairwells.
7. Visiting a nature/farm reserve, I decided to have a
go on the flying fox by myself. Unfortunately, I was
too small to make it to the other platform and was left
dangling in the middle of the paddock it spanned. At
this point, four or five pigs formed a posse beneath
me, snorting, and snapping at my feet. Alone and
convinced the pigs were going to eat me, I became
hysterical and started screaming until my sister’s
boyfriend came to my rescue. Since then, every time
I eat bacon, I think that (subconsciously) I am secretly
getting revenge on those pigs.
8. Around my sixteenth birthday, I applied for a job at
K-Mart and failed the maths component miserably.
I now have an honours degree in Sociology but am
probably still too stupid to work at K-Mart.
9. In Grade 11, I had a crush on a girl whom I
suspected would be a cool person outside of the
psychological torture chamber that is high school.
One day she asked me a question in the library that
I answered. I then commented on her new short
hair, daringly saying, “I really like your haircut.” She
obviously liked the compliment and I saw her talking
to her friend while they stared at me. I was too shy
and embarrassed to ever speak to her again. This one
moment perfectly encapsulates 95% of my romantic
life since that time.
10. During my final year school exams, in a totally
non-cliché adolescent way, I decided that my teachers
were idiots and I didn’t like being told what to do.
So I read the novel Silence of the Lambs rather than
study maths or economics. Consequently, while I have
51 52
neither the ability to add up nor any understanding of
finance, my career as a highly respected psychologist
serial killer is going great guns.
the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
Artist: Jesse Hora
Writer:
www.jessehora.com
Amanda Laver
OK, so I was a compulsive liar as a child. No I mean
I really should have gone to the psychoanalyst for
that shit. It didn’t last a ridiculous amount of time or
anything, only a couple of years and I managed to kick
the habit by the time I reached about 13, but I packed
some real porky pies into those first few years.
My imagination measured dangerous proportions and
was mixed with an over emotionality that turned me
into a completely eccentric dramatist.
I totally lied to any friend I could about any abstract
thing I could pull from the whacked contortions of my
mind. I didn’t lie to my teachers though, I knew they
were too smart and would probably punish me or
make my school life some sort of ‘line writing’ hell.
Trying it on with mum and dad was never beyond me
though and once after reflecting on the architecture of
our year 3 playground, I realised that it reminded me of
Egypt. Instead of just discussing this observation with
a friend, I ran home to mum and announced “They
have found out that our playground has a pyramid
buried under it, along with some relics and they’re
doing an archaeological dig on Monday”.
Mum said “That wouldn’t be very likely sweetie, cause
your playground is in Australia, not Egypt”. Damn I
thought. I hadn’t thought of that.
So the next time just to get the reaction of awe I
required, I told mum and dad that a stranger had tried
to abduct me outside the playground and had invited
me into his car with lollies. It totally backfired of course
cause my parents almost cried, threw me in the car
and drove us all down to the pedestrian crossing in
question asking me to point out exactly where his car
was and what he had said. “Okey Dokey” I thought,”
That was a little too intense” and thinking it’d be
apropos to keep things on the lighter side I fabricated
new stories relating to my sister being pregnant with
triplets. I also stuffed two of mum’s scarves into a crop
top after the summer holidays and pretended I had
53 54
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developed breasts by the age of 9. Some of my most
creative lies followed themes relating to supernatural
phenomena. Aliens abducting my cat over the holidays
and putting a computer chip in him that crawled out of
his fur and burrowed into my head while I was asleep.
It took my DNA to a scientist in a lab interstate and by
the holidays I was meeting my long lost twin who was
part robot. Though I hadn’t seen the X files yet, being
like Mulder would have been the ultimate for me, part
of a secret group who really believed... who knew
about some spooky otherworldly shit that nobody else
knew. This would of course set me apart from the rest
of the pack. I wanted to be extraordinary and I never
wanted to be average, on the edge of a revolution of
some sort cause I loved raw emotion, the impossible
and the absurd in the world.
Not surprisingly, I grew out of this phase in high
school, where 3 crazy things happened in quick
succession.
1/ I won an award for creative writing in English and
my teacher told me I actually had talent 2/ I discovered
drama class where I received consistently high marks
for the entire duration of my high school life and 3/
my obsession with music began and I started playing
instruments in my bedroom.
15 years later I think I may still hold smatterings of
guilt over the first 10 years as I have a total aversion to
drama queens and even telling a white lie throws me
into a crazy moral dilemma. I am the person you ask
when you really, truthfully want to know if your thighs
look big in those jeans or if that poem you wrote for
your lover was a bit too cheesy and over sentimental.
Accusations such as “You’re honest to a fault!” are
not uncommon with me and I’ll take that over being a
lying S.O.B any day. For someone who remembers the
first 10 years of their life as an insane fabrication, it’s
basically like the ultimate compliment.

Artist:
Writer:
Sofia Barao www.sofiabarao.com
Toby Hede
I imagine her this morning, waking up, hungover,
a dull ache in her head, shards of bright light stabbing
her eyes as she rolls over.
I tried to warn her, a stranger offering advice on the
crowded dance floor as she sloshed her drink and
slurred her words. You don’t need to be here now, you
should go home. She doesn’t understand and looks
at me strangely. Seriously, go. You’re too drunk. She
tells me she is having too much fun and I nod. I’m
not sure she is telling the truth. I have watched her
stalking the dance floor, across and around and in and
out, pacing nervously, like a hunter, a cat, lithe and
graceful despite the occasional stagger and the fact
she always has a fresh drink in her hand. I want to ask
her what she is hunting, what she is looking for so
desperately here tonight. But I know already. It’s what
we’re all looking for here... someone to fill up that
empty space inside, even for a moment. Someone
that takes you out of yourself and makes the world
bigger and better and brighter. And I know too that
you can’t find that here, not like this, too drunk and
too loud and too crowded yet all too alone. And
because I know this, I want to tell her, to share this
knowledge. The empty space, it’s yours alone, and
only you can fill it. You can’t find what you are looking
for here.
the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
But I am quiet.
She shakes her head, hands in hair, confused. It’s
all good, I say. It’s fine. You’ll be OK. She asks me to
tell her again in 10 minutes, to remind her, and check
in to make sure she’s OK. I say yes. But I don’t talk
to her again.
The next time I see her she is dancing with another
stranger, there are two strangers in her life tonight
and I know she has made her choice.
I remember thinking as I left that I should find her
again, tell her everything is OK, that things will be
fine, that she is beautiful and she should remember
that - keep hold of your beauty, keep it close, because
life is hard and wonderful and sometimes, when you
are lost and alone and searching for something, or
someone, all you have is that tiny spark inside to light
the way forward.
But I am quiet.
Moments of lucidity that come from trawling the
darkness, days spent nocturnal, drinking and never
drunk, home too late, awake too early, out and
out again.
I confess that she’s not one who needed saving
here tonight.
55 56
 the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
It’s fair to say
that I was a nervous sleeper with a chronic fear of the dark.
My list of night-time worries were extensive but the main
ones were burglars, rats and vampires. And that pretty
much covered all the bases to preclude me from sleeping
like a normal person. Because even if the vampires didn’t
exist (and I had no proof to say they didn’t) the burglars
certainly did. And even if the burglars could not get in,

Artist:
then the rats would surely make it.
etimes even
of irrational and som
Of course, this kind im agi ned seems
real or the
hysterical fear of the I literally felt John Fry

Writer:
a chi ld to hav e. Bu t
perfectly normal for nightlight
And I have the adult
this way until I was 17.
to prove it.
Yes, I slept (or more specifically did not sleep
) with a
Cailtlin Gahan
nightlight on until I was old enough to vote.
It sounds like an excuse, but I It’s fair to say that I was a nervous sleeper with a It’s no wonder that I felt I had to act as a petrified
really do blame my mum.
If she had had her way, our hom chronic fear of the dark. My list of night-time worries sentinel around our home, shining my nervous beacon
e would have been on
hinges like an enormous dollh were extensive but the main ones were burglars, of light into all the dark and evil corners that sprung up
ouse and the entire front
would have stayed open all day rats and vampires. And that pretty much covered all around our house after the sun set.
and night to welcome
in nature. As it was, the front the bases to preclude me from sleeping like a normal
door stayed open until And, if I have to confess to everything, I suppose I
midnight, and she often fell asle person. Because even if the vampires didn’t exist (and
ep with it that way. should also tell you that, when the fear became too
Windows were permanently rust I had no proof to say they didn’t) the burglars certainly
ed open in her quest much, I did a lot of my night-watching duties on the
for fresh air. And, in her eyes, did. And even if the burglars could not get in, then the
night was the time for floor of my parents bedroom with a sleeping bag. (In
embracing the dark in peac rats would surely make it.
eful, fearless fact, at my 25th birthday last year, my father regaled
sleep. Of course, this kind of irrational and sometimes even me with jokes about what my unusual sleeping
It’s no wonder hysterical fear of the real or the imagined seems patterns did to their sex life, which made me feel
that I felt I had to act as a petrified sentinel around perfectly normal for a child to have. But I literally felt alternately guilty and disturbed).
our home, shining my nervous beacon of light into this way until I was 17. And I have the adult nightlight
It’s fair to say that at some point, everyone feels
all the dark and evil corners that sprung up around to prove it.
worried, scared or vulnerable. It’s probably also fair to
our house after the sun set. Yes, I slept (or more specifically did not sleep) with a say that many people stop letting these fears control
And, if I have to confess to everything, I suppose nightlight on until I was old enough to vote. them by the time they are 8 years old.
I should also tell you that, when the fear became It sounds like an excuse, but I really do blame my But I was a slow developer, and so the world was
too much, I did a lot of my night-watching duties mum. If she had had her way, our home would have a very scary place for a very long time. Strangely
on the floor of my parents bedroom with a been on hinges like an enormous dollhouse and the enough, when I moved out of home and into an
sleeping bag. (In fact, at my 25th birthday last entire front would have stayed open all day and night apartment, the fears seemed to fade a little. With
year, my father regaled me with jokes about what to welcome in nature. As it was, the front door stayed screens on my windows, a security door between me
my unusual sleeping patterns did to their sex open until midnight, and she often fell asleep with it and the burglars and the bright lights of the city around
life, which made me feel alternately guilty and that way. Windows were permanently rusted open in me, I could finally enjoy night-time... and even a good
disturbed). her quest for fresh air. And, in her eyes, night was the night’s sleep.
It’s fair to say
yone feels worried, time for embracing the dark in peaceful, fearless sleep.
that at som e poin t, ever
le. It’s prob ably also fair to
scared or vulnerab
g these fears
say that many people stop lettin
8 years old.
control them by the time they are
But I was a slow
developer, and so the world was a very
scary place for a very long time. Strangely
57 58
enough, when I moved out of home and
into an apartment, the fears seemed to
blanket magazine

fade a little. With screens on my windows,

a security door between me and the
burglars and the bright lights of the city
around me, I could finally enjoy night-
time...and even a good night’s sleep.
 the
con f es sion pr o j e c t
Artist:
Writer:
Anna Maria Pacchioni

Anonymous

So this confession begins late at night on a bus He is a politics student about to switch to psychiatry.
heading home, its narrator lightly marinated in sangria He lives with his sister in the street behind me. He has
and anticipating an uneventful journey home to her a lot of thoughts about psychoanalysis.
warm bed and her warm boy nestled therein…
I live with my partner one street away from him. I dig
At Central Station a random assortment of people psychoanalysis and I want to hear his thoughts.
climb aboard. A Boy flops into the seat across the aisle
We go to a bar around the corner from our respective
from me. His eyes scan the passengers and come to
streets and have beer and conversation until 2am.
rest on the girl sitting behind me. A girl not sporting
glasses and a slightly-too-new-haircut. I can’t remember the details of what we talked about
now. Time and Coopers Pale have washed away my
Predictable, I scoff internally.
no-doubt pithy insights and post-Freudian observations.
He enthusiastically engages her in conversation.
But I do remember his hand on my leg.
She is cute and Columbian but she’s not really
And I remember him telling me he was thinking
interested in chatting.
he would like to take me home: his empirical
The bus pulls in to what turns out to be both our stop evidence that you can think one thing and maintain a
and A Boy eagerly bounds off and away, pausing only conversation about something entirely different.
to glance at the college student taking a piss by the
I was stunned.
side of the road.
And smitten.
Hey. How you doing?
A barman appeared at the top of the stairs.
College Boy says to me. Great time to chat.
We’re closing this section guys. Got to move on down.
Awesome, thanks. As you were.
Reality and conscience kick back in.
And then I make some hilarious joke to myself about
the male willingness to pee anywhere, anytime. I offered a selection of nervous rambles and excuses
and we made our way downstairs.
A Boy turns around and we both make a joke about the
male willingness to pee anywhere, anytime. And we I kissed him on the cheek and walked home alone.
start to walk together.

59 60

IT’S THE SMALLER PROJECTS THAT
GIVE THIS TALENTED ARTIST, HANNAH
STOUFFER, THE BIGGEST PRESSURE...
NOT THAT WE CAN TELL.
DID YOU SEE OUR COVER! WOW!
t
r
a
n s f er
Were you creativity nurtured as a child?
Very much so.
How has your illustration style changed
since you first began?
It’s developed a lot. It’s definitely gone
through different phases, and probably
always will. I think it’s a good thing to keep
it fresh. It has taken awhile to understand it,
and for it to feel right. Often times I feel like
I’ve found what and how I should be doing
- but sometimes it still feels a little strange.
Most of this has happened through trial and
error, experimentation, feedback and being
aware of these things… it sounds weird
but finding that comfort is the most
important part.
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Hannah Stouffer
t
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a
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“It’s usually the smaller
projects, even the jobs
I do for free that I feel
the biggest pressure from.”
You’ve worked with some of
the biggest companies such as
Coca Cola, Sony and American
Express - do you find it daunting
to start an illustration for such
well-known brands?
Not necessarily daunting… it’s
usually the smaller projects, even
the jobs I do for free that I feel
the biggest pressure from. The
work I do for myself, or for gallery
shows, and the pieces that I want
to define me the most or that
I’m trying to portray something
specific and personal - those are
the most difficult. The big jobs are
usually pretty heavily directed,
which I don’t mind, cause its
still work.
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blanket magazine
Hannah Stouffer
Your illustrations look time
consuming - how long would
you spend on a drawing?
A lot of them are, but for the
most part they are also really
comfortable so the process is
rather painless… as a whole, it’s
hard to say. Some of the most
consuming looking ones were
done in one or two sittings…
while some of the others have
taken months. But I also tend to
work on 10 pieces at a time when
I’m prepping for a show or getting
a body of work together. There are
still certain mediums or methods
that I love that feel natural, and
some that are a struggle.
That makes a big difference in
how quickly and easily I can
complete a piece.
You seem to have a huge
body of work - do you ever
get burnt out?
I go really strong for a couple
months at a time and then will
take a couple of weeks off and
not draw at all. Its not that I get
burnt out, I think its more of a
re-charge… and sometimes I
really just don’t have anything
pressing to do and I’ll take a little
break. After a couple weeks of not
working I usually feel like my brain
is about to explode, which comes
from all the ideas I get during
these off times. I go on and off, I
take a lot of vacations and have a
lot of fun, I think that helps.

What’s the hardest thing about
being a freelance designer?
Mid-week hangovers. Keeping
up. Taking a lunch break. Finding
someone who wants to get
their nails done with me on a
Tuesday afternoon…
Have there been any challenges
in your career?
All the time… everyday. Its difficult
for me to draw things I’m not
passionate about. I can do it, but
its tough. There are those jobs
that I put off and put off and dread
doing, even if it’s a cool project,
sometimes I just get stuck… I’m
funny about images too. I have
certain attractions, obsessions and
also repulsions to imagery. When
a client comes to me like ‘We want
you to draw a monkey wearing
sunglasses on a flying carpet in
Dubai’ I’m like, shit… that sucks.
What’s on your desk right now?
A lot of stuff. I try to keep it clean
but I tend to focus on 40 things at
once… and 10 different projects…
I have pantone books, heart
shaped post-it notes, papers, job
stuff, inspirations stuff, breakfast,
lunch, yesterdays lunch, water,
books, pens, more pens, old
magazines, imagery, gold, my
phone… usual stuff I guess…
t
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a
n s f er
Do you have many creative
pursuits outside of work?
A lot of it is outside of work. I like
to think most of it is. That’s the
most important part, and the most
satisfying… I draw a lot, I like to
write sometimes… I got a ‘Learn
to Play Piano Overnight’ kit, and
I’m bringing back my old Casio
SK-5. I feel like a lot of the things
I do are creative pursuits - getting
dressed, putting on makeup...
Our issues theme is on
‘confessions’ - do you have
anything to confess?
Jeez… yeah, probably…
sometimes I eat other peoples
snacks.... sorry.
www.grandarray.com
“Its difficult for
me to draw
things I’m not
passionate
65 66
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about.”
Hannah Stouffer
 68
67
h e r e ’s m y w o rk
James Carey
 h
e r e ’s m y w o rk
Will Bryant

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Jeffery Saddoris
 h
e r e ’s m y w o rk
Richard Rawlins

Xixi Kong

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 h
e r e ’s m y w o rk
Duraton Hannani Amir (aka i.itch.illustrations aka D.U.R.A)

Julia Martinezdiana

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h e r e ’s m y w o rk
Yaniv Waissa
 t
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Could you tell us a little about
yourself and your background?
I grew up in a coastal town on the East
Coast of NSW. My surroundings were
a combination of country and coast
landscape which was very inspirational
to me when growing up and still is.
I pretty much studied art at every level
of my schooling and into my tertiary
education. I have always loved drawing.
Studying design was a good stepping
stone into the commercial world of
illustration.

How would your family or friends

describe you?
Crazy. Perfectionist. Home body.
Persistent.

What do you do when you’re not

drawing and designing?
Trinket shopping, hunting down new
ideas and inspiration, generally cruising
along and enjoying my time in the fresh
air and sunshine. My brother has a
beautiful property on the N.S.W Hunter
Region Coast and I love going there to
visit his horses and dogs and to soak
up the countryside.

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Bindi Booth
 t
r
a
n s f er
Most of your drawings artwork is the simple bit.
have a feminine/ I think coming up with
fashion/craft work that “one good idea”
twist to them, why is the hardest part!
are you so drawn to
these themes?
What mediums do you
I’ve always been work in, which one do
interested in drawing you enjoy the most
women’s apparel and and why?
creating little ensembles
I use a lot of lead
for them to wear. I’ve
pencils and various
always been interested
pens and inks to create
in vintage shopping as
different looks. At the
well and collecting one
moment I’m loving using
off pieces of material
watercolour and gouache
or old books and they
for creating texture.
really inspire me with my
choice of imagery.
Have you ever thrown
a piece away and
How do you prepare
and plan for your started all over again?
drawings before Yes, plenty of times!
beginning them. What I usually come to the
process do you go realization early on
through before you though, that what I’m
make your first mark? drawing isn’t matching
I spend a lot of time up to the image I have
brainstorming my idea in my head. Its usually
before I actually start to just a case of having a
draw, and then I refine break and then to keep
the illustration as much cracking away at it. It’s
as I can by hand and only persistence!
then use the computer
as a last step of What is your most
refinement or colouring. creative time of day?
I never sit down at the I don’t really have a most
computer as a first step. creative time. Its more
I’ve usually rehashed of a case of when I have
my idea several times a solid idea that I’m
so actually doing the excited to get started on.

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Bindi Booth
t
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a
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Do you ever hit possibilities of future and through this I got And lastly, where to
a creative wall? collaborations involved with contributing from here? What do
If so, how do you a new artwork to you wish to achieve in
break through it? How do you promote Curvy #5. Working on the future?
I’m guilty of getting your work? projects such as Curvy Well ... I’d like to keep
consumed and annoyed Usually one job leads is a good excuse to keep building my folio as well
that an idea isn’t working to the next, word of producing new works and as working with more
out! Usually I will leave mouth has a big role. expanding the boundaries great companies and
it alone for a bit or even Also the exposure I have of my illustration style. brands. Meeting new
go back to the drawing got from events such people, staying inspired
board to refine the idea as Curvy and working Most inspiring quote? and motivated and
again and find a different with Lost At E Minor has Its pretty simple and basically continuing to
approach. promoted my work to a cliched but the saying do what I love. I feel very
greater audience. Having “you only live once” spoilt to be making a
What was the last a website as well as helps me get through career out of something
exhibition you saw? my myspace page has the worrying times, such that’s always been a
How did it inspire you? opened new networks as - when I’m deciding real love of mine. I have
The last exhibition I too. The internet has if I should be buying also got a desire to get
attended was the Curvy made it so much easier another pair of shoes or more involved in the
2008 exhibition launch and immediate to connect yet another new piece of fashion industry such as
night. It inspired me as I with anybody! clothing. A shop assistant producing textile designs
met other young female said this to me recently for different brands.
illustrators. Forming new How did you get and it really helped me
networks with people with the purchase! www.bindibooth.com
involved in Curvy?
on a similar path to me www.myspace.com/bindibooth
I previously worked
is exciting and opens with YEN Magazine

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Bindi Booth
 h
e r e ’s m y w o rk
Anne Nguyen Paul Kim

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 h
e r e ’s m y w o rk
Tim Swan

Jess Bialek

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Elain Shoaf

Robert Srjararian

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Tanya Williams

Pamela Castillo Merino

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Loveariel is a 22yr old
artist from Sydney,
Australia. she paints
graphic portraits
inspired by pop culture.
her signature style is
flamboyant bursts of
eye popping bright colours
Her artworks can been seen
splashed across walls in the cities
of Sydney and Melbourne; as
murals in clubs such as Sydney’s
77 and in magazines such as Vogue
Australia and Riot!. She is the
director of ‘Cause We Can’ Arts in
Sydney and has been featured in
numerous shows Australia wide
including Yen’s Curvy. Quite a
feat considering she only realized
her talent could be turned into a
successful career a few years ago
when she noticed people were
willing to pay for her work!

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Love Ariel

Loveariel will “paint with
whatever [she] can get [her]
mits on”, from scraps of paper,
blank canvases or bare walls.
Typically working with charcoal
and ink, she is currently
dabbling more and more
with watercolors. There is a
somewhat ‘manga’ feel to many
of her works that references
the morbid gaudiness of artists
such as Junko Mizuno which
contrasts the soft femininity
of her subjects features.
Drawing images since she
could grasp her preschool
aged fingers around a pencil,
Loveariel’s feminine inspired
works have been cultivated
from her childhood obsessions
of drawing princesses in puffy
sleeved ball gowns.
At the moment, she is
stimulated by intense colors
that seem to reflect the luster
of popular culture in the 1980’s;
from film, fashion, art to music.
She will choose one vivid color
to pair with a palette of black,
white and grays to emphasize
a specific characteristic or
facet of her piece. Inspired by
bodily excretions that outwardly
express pain like tears and
blood; one of her most recent
works depicts fuchsia pink
blood spilling from the nose
of one of her characters,
immersing her in a bath of pale
pink liquid.
Loveariel admits that she
typically doesn’t set out with
a plan for her artworks and
just goes with her emotions.
The major details of her work
t
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customarily come last.
“I usually have to wait until the
form has fully emerged before
I can judge what comes next. I
try to be fluid and not get stuck
into being rigid and traced.”
Delving into complex ideas and
theories inspired by the current
fashion scene, Loveariel’s works
express the sexualization and
age compression that we are
all so desensitized to in today’s
society. She questions “if it is
some kind of warped sex thing?
Is it just the styling of young
women, by gay men, to look
like boys?”
Loveariel has collaborated and
helped organize a large handful
of shows across Sydney and
Melbourne and is about to
hold her first ever solo show.
Opening on August 28th in
Perth, at ‘The Slaughter Blouse
Gallery’, it is “all new works-
with boys, girls, dogs and gold.”
Tiah Ekhardt, Loveariels
recurring muse, will be
accompanying her at her
solo show to do what she
imagines “will be some kind of
interactive, ground level, naked
burlesque performance with me
and my fluro goo. I think that
will be one of the most exciting
things I’ve done so far!”
So what else does the future
hold for one of Australia’s most
talented female artists? “I am
notoriously plan-less. I just
swim where the current takes
me. I think it is taking me to
Japan and Mexico next.”
93 94
blanket magazine
Love Ariel
 t
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ALESSI
I struggle with my partner’s
collection of Alessi kitchen
gadgets and tableware…!
I think on last count he had nearly
20 pieces in total – glass jars with
kooky bright green plastic lids,
Phillipe Starck’s crazy rocket- A. Nicholas Jones
shaped (and not very functional) B. Dinosaur Designs bowls

WE
Lucy Feagins is a set dresser
and stylist in the film industry in
Melbourne, sourcing props and
furnishings for productions such
as US feature film Charlotte’s Web,
DESIGN/ARCHITECTURE lemon juicer… plus a kettle that
MAGAZINES C. Alessi Mediterraneo napkin ring
looks like some long-forgotten
prop from Star Wars. Its all a bit D. Stefan Sagmeister
C
I cannot read design/architecture
magazines without a wad of post-it chrome/fluorescent and early 90’s E. Stefan Sagmeister
for me! I’m gradually relocating the

HEART
Channel 10’s Thank God You’re
Here, and soon to be screened
series The Elephant Princess.
Lucy has also worked on numerous
TV commercials for clients including
Jetstar, Connex, Target, Telstra and
notes in hand. I have a very specific,
compulsive magazine reading/
filing system. Read. Post-it. Slice.
Collate. File under category for
future reference. It gets a little
entire collection to the very back of F. Marije Vogelzang food design
the storage cupboards… shhhh!
www.alessi.com/en/
A

BLOGS!
THREE BLOGS WE OFTEN FREQUENT FOR THEIR
AMAZING CONTENT ARE THE DESIGN FILES, MY
LOVE FOR YOU IS A STAMPEDE OF HORSES AND
FRESHLY BLENDED.
THE THREE LADIES BEHIND THESE BLOGS, LUCY
FEAGINS, MEIGHAN O’TOOLE AND NICOLE LECHT
WORK TIRELESSLY TO BRING THEIR AUDIENCE A
CONSTANT STREAM OF INSPIRATION.
SO WITH SO MUCH INSPIRATION SURROUNDING
THEM ON A DAILY BASIS WE DECIDED TO ASK
THEM TO CONFESS TO US SIX THINGS THEY LOVE...
VISA, as well as music videos
for acts including The Living End
and U2.
Lucy writes the popular Melbourne
design blog The Design Files, with
daily articles covering local and
international design news, and
weekly interviews with some of
Australia’s most talented designers,
artists and creative professionals.
www.thedesignfiles.net
obsessive! STEFAN SAGMEISTER
NICHOLAS JONES I have a (professional) crush on
D
designer Stefan Sagmeister.
I bought my first piece of art this
He thinks outside the square.
year. It is the most precious thing
His work has integrity – he creates
I own. It is by incredible Melbourne
holistic experiences rather than just
artist Nicholas Jones. I still haven’t
commercial design. His work is
put it on display in my house yet. It
thoughtful and not brand-focussed.
is so special I can’t decide how to
He has a social conscious. And
frame it.
a great accent.
www.bibliopath.org/index.php
www.sagmeister.com/index.html
DINOSAUR DESIGNS (check out this great little film
about him here -
My ultimate design dream.
A brand-new designer couch.
www.hillmancurtis.com/hc_web/film_ E
A kitchen full of Dinosaur Designs
video/source/fof/sagmeister08.php) B
tableware. Hosting crazy dinner
DREAMS
parties with eclectic themed
decorations and fantastic, I dream of one day starting an
and experimental food exciting Melbourne-based design
(a la Marije Vogelzang’s Proef. collective… a collaborative creative
Visit her incredible blog. studio encompassing film design,
photographic styling, architecture
www.proefamsterdam.nl/proeflog/
and interior design, event styling
www.dinosaurdesigns.com.au)
and installations. I would join forces
with some of my favourite friends
95 96 and designers… we would work in
an amazing open-plan warehouse
blanket magazine
Bloggers

space… we would be the talk of

the town.
F

Meighan O’Toole resides in Boston,
Massachussetts where she writes
her art blog my love for you is
a stampede of horses. She is a
voracious consumer and lover
of contemporary craft, low-brow
art and now-a-days illustration...
or whatever new fangled terms
they have come up with lately to
call the previous creative styles.
Regardless she loves it all, and
works very hard to bring you the
best of the up and comers and
varied heavy hitters in the art world.
She is fluent in abbrevenese and
loves her twelve year old pitbull
very much.
myloveforyou.typepad.com/
Hello Fancy Pants
Tote for Rare Device
by artist Will Bryant
I can’t ever get enough tote bags.
This year alone I have acquired
eight tote bags! That is more days
in the week! But I must confess,
my very favourite tote I find myself
using everyday is a tote made by
Will Bryant for the San Francisco
boutique Rare Device (probably one
of my most favourite stores. Ever
hands down!). This tote has great
colours that contrast beautifully
with what ever I am wearing.
It’s also great for throwing a few
groceries in. Plus it says “Oh Hello
Fancy Pants!” which who could live
without that?
www.raredevice.net
www.raredevice.net/item.php?item_id=667
Antler Necklace
by Leslie Shershow
These antler necklaces by Leslie
Shershow are so striking. Although
I enjoy fashion just as much as the
next girl, I don’t have the paycheck
of a super model so one of my
secrets is spending money on
accessories. That way you can
dress up a t-shirt and jeans in
heartbeat when you are stuck and
still look stylish. The antler necklace
is tough yet elegant enough to
make any outfit look just right.
www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5085381
www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_
id=9731566
t
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Advice to Sink
in Slowly Post
Card Book
I really need to get better at
sending snail mail to friends and
loved ones, truthfully I am terrible
at it. Email has really saved me!
But everybody loves to
get mail. This postcard book by
advice to sink in slowly has lots
of lovely inspirational sayings and
beautiful artwork. If you’re like
me where writing is just too labor
intensive, buy the book and hang
the postcards in your house, a
perfect way to get a little bit of art
on your walls!
www.advicetosinkinslowly.bigcartel.com
www.advicetosinkinslowly.bigcartel.com/
category/book-of-postcards
Lee Meszaros Adult
Merit Badges
We all need a nod of
encouragement no matter who
we are. Living in the world today
it’s easy be hard on yourself. One
of my mottos is to always be kind
to yourself. Lee Meszaros’ merit
badges for grown ups are such a
97
Bloggers
great idea. Whether you’ve got meat Leah Gibson print at definitely brighten up any room in
on your bones, leaving the nest, Little Paper Planes your house.
quit cold turkey or just like to push
Like accessories, I believe that art www.littlepaperplanes.com
the envelope, Lee most likely has
a badge you can award yourself (or work can make any room brighten www.littlepaperplanes.com/citem.
your friends!). That way you’ll always up no matter what the room looks php?id=1470
have your very own badge to remind like. I always count on my artwork
yourself how great you are! to transform a space. Leah Gibson’s A. Will Bryant tote
Next in line print at Little Paper
www.goodeggshop.com Planes has such an understated B. Antler necklace by Leslie Shershow
www.goodeggshop.com/category. beauty. The palatable, soft texture of C. Advice to sink in slowly post card book
php?all=1&manufacturer_id=11&page=1 the print will most
D. Lee Meszaros adult merit badges
Handmade Nation Book E. Handmade Nation Book
by Faythe Levine and F. Leah Gibson print
Cortney Heimerl
As a blogger, I am on the computer
all day long. One of my biggest
crimes is I do not read enough
books. I often write monthly
resolutions to get me inspired. This
summer, reading keeps popping up.
One of the books I am most excited
about is Handmade Nation by
Faythe Levine and Cortney Heimerl.
I have already put my name on the
waiting list for it, I am that excited
about it! This is a must read for A D
anyone interested in D.I.Y. culture,
crafts or arts in general. Such
great artists like Jill Bliss and Kate
Bingaman-Burt are among the many
artists featured in the book.
indiecraftdocumentary.blogspot.com
www.amazon.com/Handmade-Nation-Rise-
Craft-Design/dp/1568987870/ref=pd_bbs_s
r_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210350067&
sr=8-1
Jill Bliss: www.jillbliss.com/
Kate Bingaman-Burt: obsessiveconsumption. B E
com/
C F
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blanket magazine

Nicole Lecht lives and works in
Buffalo, New York as a graphic
designer, craftster, and blogger.
A love of books and paper
goods took her by storm in
2004, creating her brainchild,
freshlyblended press, to showcase
her creative endeavors. She is
constantly inspired by nature
and has a passion for simplicity
and structure. Because of such
an eclectic mixture, Nicole uses
the freshlyblended blog to keep
track of all that inspires her with
the intention of spreading the
inspirational love to her readers!
Outside of the blog, you can also
find her here:
www.freshlyblendedpress.com
(handmade :: modern)
http://designrelated.com/profile/
nlecht (book cover design portfolio)
http://flickr.com/people/
freshlyblended/ (flickr)
www.freshlyblended.blogspot.
com/
JULIA ROTHMAN
Pattern designer and illustrator out
of Brooklyn, New York. Julia’s work
is as unique as it gets, along with
her fun loving personality who I’ve
come to know over the years. Her
work is so delightful to watch grow.
I’m obsessed with her attention to
detail and bold choices of colour
when it comes to pattern design.
www.juliarothman.com
(image taken by Nicole Lecht)
KARIN ERIKSSON
Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden,
Karin turns out the most beautiful
ceramics I’ve ever laid eyes on.
She represents my obsession with
Scandinavian design, my love of
simple shapes and organic lines
are completely representative in
her work in her work. Karin’s work
is one example of the continual
convergence of handmade in
design, being tactile and handmade
is such an inspiration to me.
www.karineriksson.se
(image via Karin Eriksson)
t
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JULIE WEST
I think her work is my most
coveted of all. I confess that
Julie’s work blows me away!
I am so drawn to her line work
and structure. Her influences of
Japanese design are so beautifully
incorporated in her illustrations.
They are always so fun and whimsy D
but also innovative and clean.
www.juliewest.com
(image via Julie West)
LARA CAMERON
Australian born designer turned MEL LIM A
“textile princess”, Lara Cameron Design at it’s best! Mel’s unique
is truly an influence in my life, not and expressive style has adorned
only as a peer but as an example of everything from wall decals to
growth within design. Lara started letterpressed cards. She makes
out in digital design, mainly web a statement in my design world,
based, but that didn’t stop her one that is pure, culturally rich
from diving into the world of fabric, and graphically bold.
sewing, and pattern... over the past
year I’ve watched her body of work www.joybymellim.com
(image via Mel Lim)
expand into all different areas of
pattern design and print making
and she continues to make us E
swoon everytime!
www.laracameron.com B
(image via Lara Cameron)
SHANNA MURRAY C
Another gem within the handmade
community. Shanna’s work
represents ability to use nature
and “the simple things in life” as
a creative vehicle. Nature plays
such a huge roll these days,
“I confess to you some F
of the most influential
and it’s awesome to see people
designers in my life. A. Julia Rothman
incorporating it into design.
Totally inspirational and
www.shannamurray.com B. Karin Eriksson
totally talented people! “
(image via Shanna Murray) C. Lara Cameron
Nicole Lecht D. Shanna Murray
E. Julie West
99 100
F. Mel Lim
blanket magazine
Bloggers

With thousands upon thousands of talented artists and
designers offering their beautiful wares online, you
couldn’t be blamed for feeling a bit too spoilt for choice.
So blanket is going to help you out by regularly
introducing you to some of the fabulous artists and
designers we find. This issue, we’re starting with the
handmade haven that is Etsy.com
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curious llama
As her alter-ego Curious
Llama, Louise Ayres makes
limited edition felt pendants
embellished with vintage
kimono fabric, too cute
buttons and “some good old
fashioned hand-stitching.”
...find her at
www.curiousllama.etsy.com
102
How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I launched my collection in May this year. It’s bit of a
hobby for me—I was inspired to put a collection together
after numerous family and friends kept commenting on
the jewellery I had made in my spare time.
What was the first thing you ever sold on Etsy?
A Curious Ariston Necklace. The perfect accessory
for that European vacation...
What inspires you as an artist and a designer?
Colour in any form, beautiful wallpaper (think Florence
Broadhurst), lush fabrics and beautiful typography. I’m bit
of a font nerd - all my necklaces are named after fonts!
How long does it take you to make a piece?
I make them in batches so it’s a bit hard to say, around
an hour each sounds about right.
What does your workspace look like?
I’m fortunate to have a sunny spare room at home I
take over when I’m putting together a collection. At the
moment it’s pretty tidy but when I’m making my jewellery
there’s fabric, felt and buttons everywhere. Oh, and my
cat Olive.
Do you have a “day job”?
By day I work as a Publication Designer, and on weekends
I turn into Curious Llama. Its a creative outlet for me away
from my beloved Mac.
What can our readers find on your Etsy site right
now to tickle their fancy?
I have a few delightful Curious Llama necklaces still
available from my launch collection: accessories to keep
you looking fab after that long-haul flight or for perusing
art at the Louvre, perhaps the perfect accessory for
picnics in the park on a sunny summers day...

tickled pink knits
Elena Rosenberg lovingly makes stylish
and luxurious scarves, neckwarmers,
cowls, shrugs and capelets, cozy hats
and headbands, fun and funky wrist
cuffs and belts and fingerless gloves. Of
course, they’re only in the finest quality
materials, like merino wool, alpaca,
cashmere, and organic cotton.
...find her at
www.tickledpinkknits.etsy.com
How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I discovered Etsy in Spring 2007 and tested the waters
by creating a shop for my photographic prints before
diving into the Etsy universe completely and opening a
shop for my knitwear.
What was the first thing you ever sold on Etsy?
A Red Alpaca Blend Neckwarmer. With nearly two
dozen of these neckwarmers sold in a variety of colors
during the months that followed, this design was one
of my bestsellers!
What inspires you as an artist and a designer?
The interplay of colors, textures, patterns, symmetry
and asymmetry. I am fascinated by yarn and the nature
of knitting, the ways fibers align and connect.
How long does it take you to make a piece?
It takes a minimum of 3-4 hours to make smaller items
like my multi-colored and multi-textured wrist cuffs,
and several weeks (knitting 2-3 hours a day)
to make large garments, like wraps and shawls.
What does your workspace look like?
My smallish New York City apartment is being
taken over by all sorts of knitting related goodies,
from my extensive yarn stash to my growing
collection of buttons, ribbons, and laces.
What can our readers find on your Etsy site?
As the northern hemisphere heads into winter, and
the southern hemisphere warms up, I offer many
versatile styles that are toasty but light enough for these
transitional periods. Among the other teasers are my new
line of clothing & accessories made with Certified Organic
and Certified Fairtrade Cotton. And if you tell me that you
read about Tickled Pink Knits in Blanket, I’ll be sure to
include an extra little treat with your order!
103
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charm school design
Alita Edgar, Dana Gramp & Benjamin
Maddox are behind the ladylike
designs at Charm School Design.
There’s lush feathered headbands and
fascinators, one-of-a-kind pieces made
from vintage handmade flowers and
the most whimsical hair accessories
featuring the birds & the bees!
...find them at
www.charmschooldesign.etsy.com
Photo courtesy of: Jenene Chesbrough ©
104
How long have you been selling on Etsy?
Since late 2006.
What was the first thing you ever sold on Etsy?
A fall-themed, hand-pieced pheasant feather
headband.
What inspires you as an artist and a designer?
Vintage and hard-to-find materials, eccentric fashion
personalities like Isabella Blow, regular girls with
daring fashion sense (my best customers!)
How long does it take you to make a piece?
Most are hand-pieced, some are finished with paint
– it can take an hour to style and assemble a piece,
and I am constantly searching for new and different
materials so that part never ends. Luckily I can do
the handwork while catching up on Gossip Girl or
Weeds…
What does your workspace look like?
Right now it’s out of my teeny living room in Brooklyn!
I just painted it mauve taupe, inspired by the color of
some of my feathers.
Do you have a “day job”?
I work for a green buildings supply company that grew
out of a furniture design company – a great workplace
that understands the value of doing things by hand.
What can our readers find on your etsy site right
now to tickle their fancy?
I am about to list some 20s-inspired glitter glass
star tiaras that I am very excited about! As well as
some more subtle feather pieces that are suitable for
everyday wear, and some ridiculously cute pieces with
bees and flowers that are perfect for summer picnics.
Web_sight by David Self

“Confess your faults one to

another that ye may b e healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much.”
Man, St James was onto something
I tell you what. Getting something
off your chest is a pretty great
feeling, and it’s usually the people
you trust who help you get over
it. But when the people you trust
have their phones turned off, you
can always confess to the internet.

www.grouphug.us www.clientcopia.com

When you’re talking about confessions and the internet, Grouphug is where
you start. For five years now it’s been a place where you can spill your guts
anonymously and you’re guaranteed a quiet audience. Confessions are never
explained, expanded upon, censored or commented on. They’re just there - for
anyone to see. This is group therapy at its most basic and really can make you feel
better if you’re desperate to vent about something (speaking from experience).
Why yell at a wall when you can yell at the internet?
So I put together a design for a client and send off a PDF for proof. A while later we
get an email from the client telling us she can’t open the file. She doesn’t know what
the issue is so we try everything. Saving the PDF for an older version of reader,
exporting as a jpg, hosting it online and sending a link, she keeps coming back that it
won’t open. After about 7 emails we get a phone call from the client. “Oh hey I can
open the file after all. Since when have you had to double click things?”
Clients are idiots. Make fun of them here.

105 106 blanket magazine

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www.postsecret.com www.photoshopdisasters.com www.youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com

Think of a postcard. Gaudy colours, cartoon animals speaking foreign languages,
topless girls and painful puns. Now think of something you’ve always felt, but
never told anyone. Your greatest dream or shining hope, your biggest fear or oldest
regret. Your dirty little secret. Who would’ve thought the two could combine to
make something as amazing at Post Secret. 4 years online, 4 hardcover collections
and thousands of entries, it is impossible to look through these homemade
confessional postcards and not be moved.
Sometimes you notice a mistake so obvious, it makes you wonder if the person
responsible did it on purpose. Poking through the submissions on Photoshop
Disasters, found in printed catalogs or magazines, is like hearing a chorus of “Look at
me! I suck at my job!”. Photoshop can be a harsh mistress, and if you’re not careful,
she can make you look like a total mook - to the amusement of people like me!
We designers are a pretty savvy bunch, It’s hard to pull one over on us. We’re the
ones who come up with the great looks and the crazy ideas that totally work, but
we’re also the ones who pay the most attention to other people’s designs. It’s
amazing, therefore, how often an original idea will be shamefully copied and sold,
usually by some big faceless edifice, never expecting to be discovered.
You thought we wouldn’t notice - but we did.

107 108 blanket magazine

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 CREATIVE
magazine.com
CLASSIFIED ADS
NOOK.
reserve yours now!

Everyone has their own space.

NOW Come and share yours.
CLICKABLE! www.creativenook.blogspot.com

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Blank
BLANKET
GOODIES!
THE COLLECTORS EDITION
BLANKET POSTER FEATURING
56 UNIQUE ARTISTS, DESIGNERS
AND PHOTOGRAPHERS.
PLUS RE_ACTION BADGES!

sweet hand-painted gifts

www.nushkadolls.com
ISSUE
12
TravelIssue
The
Image specifications:
When emailing your work please
include the following details:
Full Name, Country, Title of piece (if any)
Please name files: firstname_lastname.jpg
All images to be RGB - PDF or JPG
Landscape
1020 x 624 pixels OR 360 x 220mm @ 72dpi
111
Portrait
510 x 624 pixels OR 180 x 220mm @ 72dpi
Email: re_action (at) blanketmagazine.com
no.12
How to Contribute
There are many ways for you to
become a part of Blanket, read
below to find out how...
Re_action: Next theme is“TRAVEL”
Each issue we give you a specific theme and we
want you to submit a piece of original work that
reacts to this theme! Use your creative skills and
your imagination!
re_action [at] blanketmagazine.com
Here’s my work, I hope you like it:
Gallery of work
Each issue we show off emerging creatives and we
want you! Send in your original artwork, design or
photograph. There are no constraints so send in your
work and let us show it off.
inspire [at] blanketmagazine.com
112
Next Issue
Image specifications:
Include in your emails your image/s of work,
full name and country of residence.
Filenames: firstname_lastname.jpg
All images to be RGB - PDF or JPG
Landscape
1020 x 624 pixels OR 360 x 220mm @ 72dpi
Portrait
510 x 624 pixels OR 180 x 220mm @ 72dpi
Please note: By sending in a submission you are allowing Blanket
magazine to reproduce this image/s for the particular section it has
been submitted for. Unfortunately not all work can be guaranteed a
place in the magazine due to high demand, time and space issues.
All copyright belongs solely to the artists and no images from this
magazine are to be used without the artists prior permission.
Blanket accepts no responsibility for the copyright of artworks used.
All submissions due: 15th SEPTEMBER 2008
 t
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a n ks
Thankyou
And finally those who have been uncovered...
A big thanks to everyone who has contributed to issue 11 of Blanket!

Huy Le Paul Kim Disclaimer: Please note no

THE BLANKET TEAM CONTRIBUTORS Craft-e: part of Blanket magazine can
Elena Rosenberg Simon Sun Jess Bialek
Blanket contributing be re-produced without first
A big thanks to all our Richard Rawlins Tim Swan seeking the permission from the
designers interviewees: Louise Ayres
publishers. All submissions to
Bec Brown Hannah Stouffer Charm School Design Alexandra-de Lapierre Robert Srjararian
Blanket magazine are protected
Caitlin Gahan Love Ariel Colleen Baran Elain Shoaf by copyright which belongs
re_action solely to the artist. No images
Melissa Gardner Bindi Booth Emanuele Marianecci Pamela Castillo Merino
Stuart Lansdowne from this magazine are to be
Melissa Drennen Tanya Williams used without the artists prior
Sue-Ching Lascelles Anne Nguyen Here’s my work...
I hope you like it: permission. Blanket accepts no
Tina Lloyd
bloggers: Robert Shields
Momax
responsibility for the copyright of
Drew Fellows artworks used.
Nicole Lecht Belle Blau
Blanket contributing Will Bryant
Lillianna Pereira
writers Meighan O’Toole
Molly Butterfoss
Lucy Feagins Monia
Caitlin Gahan Robert Shields
Kleber Menezes
Jessica Wilson Confessional project: James Carey
Rebecca Murphy
Jonathan Hulme Jonathan Hulme Will Bryant
Anastasia m.w.
David Self Caitlin Gahan Jeffery Saddoris
Momax
Melinda Woledge Toby Hede Xixi Kong
Djordje Joksimovic
Sarah-Hannah Fisher Elena Rosenberg Richard Rawlins
Sudeep Lingamneni
John Fry Duraton Hannani Amir
Blanket Cover Image Chris Button
Daniel Stolle (aka i.itch.illustrations
Hannah Stouffer aka D.U.R.A)
Darrin Hanley
Jesse Hora
Blanket Feature Font Sofia Barao
Marta Hernando Julia Martinezdiana
The H. P. Lovecraft PT Moulee Yaniv Waissa
Historical Society Anna Maria Pacchioni
Ewan Van Cruyff Anne Nguyen
‘Anonymous’ (x2)
113 114