Your Organ Grinder

On Making Hearts.

2012-01-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

The first time I made my old style of heart I was pretty happy with the result. I think the heart was the 2nd or 3rd Body Part I tried to make and the image I worked off was an easier one.

Hearts are one of those things where everyone seems to represent them differently and concentrate on different elements being important. Sometimes it the fat on the front you see first, sometimes its the valves, sometimes the whole heart is all about the veins and arteries feeding it.

I based my new heart design on a diagram that showed the veins and arteries, the chambers and to a lesser extent the valves (they are just kinda hinted at if you know where to look. This New Heart has only been twice and the first two are gifts for a cardiologist and heart surgeon. I hope they love them!

Cocoon Caterpillar Friends

2012-01-09T00:55:00.000-08:00

I wish I knew what these caterpillars in these cocoons were. I know they are caterpillars who make a cocoon and carry it about with themselves, but I'd like to know their name and what their story is. Why they are carrying around these cocoony caravans?

These caterpillar are pretty tiny, about 1-2mm width each, and the cocoons are 1-1.5cms long with holes at each end (easy to change your direction). They hang out in the downstairs bathroom and come out mostly at night. The night I took this photo there were 6 of them visible. I always move them out of the way of the foot traffic but I'm sure they just hump along back to wherever they were.

I'm Baaaack.

2012-01-04T01:28:00.000-08:00

It certainly has been a L O N G time since I wrote on this blog, heck, the last time was June 6 2010! I have decided to start using it again this year, and for my first new post, a competition! YAY!

The prize is the Sebastian Ghastly Brooch, and the Umbrella Necklace shown in the photo. Who can resist Sebastian Ghastly, this guy is super awesome, look at him preen his footsy. The Umbrella is drawn by me on calico and fixed to felt with a ribbon loop to attach the charm to the nacklace.

To win these just leave a comment. I will randomly choose the winner on Feb 1.

This competition is open to everyone worldwide!

Win Some Alice!

2010-06-06T01:31:00.001-07:00

Want to win these Alice in Wonderland Goodies? The set includes a bag tag and a keyfold.

This is the last of this Alice Fabric I have, and its now up for grabs for one of you lucky duckies!

To go into the draw all you have to do is become a fan on Facebook (or as it is now a LIKER on facebook) and then comment on this blog post using the comments below. In your comment tell me your favourite moment from Alice In Wonderland, either the book or any of the movies!

So ....
Step A/ become a fan of my facebook page which can be found here http://www.facebook.com/pages/edit/?id=185113639339#!/pages/Simmone-Grinder-The-Little-Orchard-and-Your-Organ-Grinder/185113639339

Step B/Post a comment below telling me your favourite moment from Alice in Wonderland, either the book or the movies.

I LOVE in the Tim Burton film when the Cheshire Cat mashes his claws into the Hatters hat. In the book its probably Humpty Dumpty or the goat in the train car.

Competition closes on June 30. Open to Aussies and International.

Thanks Cool Cats!

OWLS!

2010-03-21T01:55:00.000-07:00

Owls have been the height of popularity, but I think they may be flying down from their popularity tree now. Well, I have always loved Owls, and always will! It would be wonderful to see more real owls flying about, but I never do, not here in Brisbane.

Your Organ Grinder in Brisbane

2010-03-17T00:43:00.000-07:00

Your Organ Grinder, my little label that is Body Organs, Zombie Brain Worms and other fun bizarre stuff is now available in a retail setting in Brisbane (my home).

The lovely Jo from Bleeding Heart Gallery sent me a little message on Etsy to tell me about the opportunity to stock at Bleeding Heart. Bleeding Heart are just moving along with a little Gift Shop area, which offers space for rent.

Bleeding Heart is the Big Old House next to Mincom at 166 Ann Street, about 2 minutes from Central Station. They also have a Cafe, and of course a gallery, please pop in to this great place and find about a bit about them.

http://www.bleedingheart.com.au/

What is true?

2010-03-10T00:32:00.000-08:00

Do you remember those things at school where you had to pick the 'true' statement? I remember one in primary school where everyone questioned each statement as being false...because you cannot be certain of anything.

This makes me think about the idea that repeated in many of my sociology classes- There is no Truth only Truths, there is no Reality only Realities.

So, which statement is correct:-

1. The Sun will rise tomorrow.

2. All people are frustrating some of the time.

3. 'Friends' get really annoying when you have seen each episode more that once.

I heart Return to Oz

2010-02-05T00:44:00.000-08:00

Has anyone seen Return to Oz?

I scored it from JB about a year ago quite cheap. I loved Return to Oz as a kid and when I watched it again as an adult I loved it just as much. The movie has Faruza Balk as Dorothy and is set in the future of Oz when the Emerald city has come to ruins and a witch with interchangeable heads is the new ruler after the Scarecrow has been imprisioned.

What has got me thinking about this movie is one of my favourite fabrics. A Japanese Wizard of Oz fabric. I love this fabric!

Useless blogger = me...or Pizza Day.

2010-01-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

At least I started a blog, but I havent really maintained a blog! I'm a USELESS BLOGGER!

SO the second part of that poor title, Pizza DAY!

I met up with one of my best girls, Tanya, to go to my other best girls, Jo, work, Pizza Miltonio. The pizza here is the best! A small pizza would quite happily feed 2, but if you are a little greedy with your food-thats me- eat a small yourself!

These pizzas are brimming with toppings and are great value. $6.50 for a lunch Pizza weekdays, And 2 Large for $19.95 pick up.

Pizza Miltonio is in the Centro Complex at Milton Brisbane.

My New Friends of the Bug Kind

2009-11-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

I was bringing in my washing this afternoon and spotted a large praying mantis. She was very cute and very interested in my camera and was very pleased when I put her into our bottlebrush tree.

I also spied a large grasshopper who took the liberty of jumping on me and making me scream, so I then put him into the bouganvillea.

Using Public Transport ~Hints and Tips!

2009-11-19T00:25:00.000-08:00

As a non-driver I use public transport to get around a lot of the time and there are certainly things you pick up when using public tranny often.

My first post about public tranny is going to focus on Taxi's. My sister caught a taxi home yesterday afternoon and the driver "forgot" to turn the metre on! She has actually caught a taxi home with him before and he has done the same thing. He then charged her about $2-3 more than it actually costs to get home!

Tip One... Check that the metre is on. If it isnt tell the driver or tell him to pull over and let you out. Dont let him or her drive you home as then they will know where you live! make sure you make a complaint about this.

Tip Two... Direct the driver if you know where to go. They will try to take you the longest route and the one with more traffic lights. If you direct the driver they cant take you a route you dont like. If the driver keeps making mistakes tell him to pull over and get out. Again make sure you make a complaint.

Tip Three... make sure the driver isnt The Bone Collector!

Tip Four... Trust your instincts, if the driver looks off dont get in, just pretend you dont need a cab and give it to the old lady behind you. Check the papers the following day for missing old ladies.

Tip Five... Some drivers are really nice and honest and drop off so many people in your family they take you home without you even telling them anything more than your street name! If you catch a cab home from the same rank, same time, same day its likely the same set of drivers are on and you will recognise one you like who wont try to jip you, wont drive you home the long way, & wont kill you and dispose of the body under old railway tracks.

Any more tips on taxis, leave me a comment!

Self-Serve

2009-10-22T00:59:00.000-07:00

My sister came home complaining about how hard to use those new self-serve checkouts are. I have been using them most visits to the local Coles and find it quite easy after having the lady stand there and guide me through it the first time I used them.

last time I was at Coles I didnt want to use them though...In fact I am now having a kind of ethical aversion to them.

These are my reasons

1. Isnt the point of Aldi being cheaper that Coles etc does things for you...eg pack your bag, check you out. When Aldi first started this was the idea-no choice, pack your own stuff and they dont supply a bag. So these days Coles are about to make you pay for a bag, make you check yourself out, and they are removing half of their products too so we have to buy that You'll Love Coles shit.

2. No human interaction. I am already loner enough, take away my shopping interactions and I may as well start talking to myself in the shops!

3. Will Coles kids lose their jobs? Even though most check out operators are as useless as a fart in the breeze they still are doing a job that so far needs doing.

4. Those machines screw up and leave customers swearing at them and acting like little children having a tanty at the checkout. I dont really like swearing or adults acting like pathetic little weiners when something wont work and having a go at the service person trying to help.

So despite the convienience and the time saved (I am way more efficient than the real check out peoples) I choose to now avoid using the self service checkouts. And Coles will have me complaining at them if the 12 items of less checkouts are left unmanned (as they were when I was last there).

Aldi Finds

2009-10-12T01:22:00.000-07:00

My partner started the Aldi obsession. He is constantly at Aldi checking out the current special buys and buying most of his groceries there, the catalogues are always in his car and he is always report different purchases to me.

I think their sausages are the best, other than that I dont really go there enough to keep on top of what the real bargains are; the special buys that dont sell that aldi mark down.

To know these I have to rely on what Andrew is telling me..."there are so many of X left, and they are $20 off" etc.

My first purchase at Aldi was a Rowing Machine, and boy do I love it. When I had a back injury and couldnt use it I was really down...

I didnt buy anything at Aldi for ages after that, then recently I need a postal and pigeon scale and Andrew suggest their nutrition scales...They work a treat (as long as they are on a level surface!), they are p to 5kg too, so my post and pigeon (he needs weighing once a week) are all taken care of.

My latest buy is the cat scratching post that I bought as a Bird climbing thingy! it was just $20 compared to about $50-$80 in the pet stores. The birds so far are afraid of it but they will get used to it, probably need to hang a stack of treats off of it!

So Much Time, So Little To Do! Strike that, reverse it!

2009-10-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

I imagine at this time of the year almost all of us are having this same dilemma- So much to do and so little time. October is here, its nearly Christmas and I'm having all these great ideas for new things to make but just not getting anywhere as there are the normal things to keep on top of and designing takes a hell of a long time.

My current plan is to tackle 1 or 2 things at a time, and write all ideas down! They may seem quite dodgy ideas in a month or 2 anyway!

Meanwhile I did make an awesome 2 headed chicken, see the picture with this post and the etsy listing.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=31846396

Batteries Not Included

2009-09-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

When I was working in retail we sold a lot of pieces that ran off batteries. There were clocks, christmas displays, santas on ropes, talking animations...all needing batteries, generally of the AA variety. Most of the time with each sale I would caution on using fresh batteries, and good ones, not those $2 for 10 you get at the bargain shops. Often someone would come back with their item and when I would replace their batteries with our own the item would work fine, "did you use fresh out of the packet batteries?" "I'm not sure, they were in the drawer." Are you kidding me! So you waste your time coming and telling us your item doesn't work and you didn't even use fresh batteries!

My family has a habit of not being able to throw batteries out. Ever. They take the batteries out of a mouse, a camera, the remote, and just leave them lying around, throw them in a drawer (then you get batteries leaking all over the place) or even put them into something else. Is it so hard to let go of batteries? Do they really think they will power other items? Are the secretly stashing them for a Tommyknocker invasion?

I implore all of you secret battery stashers, throw out those old batteries! Dont store them in a drawer, they are not going to magically aquire more energy! (unless you have the powers to do that kind of thing).

Pizza!

2009-08-28T01:25:00.000-07:00

I am a Pizza nut these days. I dream about it. But none of that evil Pizza Hut or Dominos, its all about Eagle Boys of the independent pizza restaurants.

My good friend Jo works at Pizza Miltonio at Milton in Brisbane, and she is going to tell us a bit about Pizza!

Tell me a little about Pizza Miltonio?
Jo says:
well...it opened 4 years ago. I am an original employee, the only original left. I feel like part of the furniture.

What do you like about working in a Pizza place?
Jo says:
I like meeting the customers.

Simmone says: At least she isnt eating the customers!

What is your favourite Pizza?
Jo says:
Super Supreme

Simmone says: That is what I had, was really excellent! Next time I need to get olives and extra pineapple!

Do you ever skimp on the topping if a customer is mean?
Jo says:
no, I tend to make a pizza extra good if the customer has complained about their previous pizza.

How many times a week do you have pizza??
Jo says:
everyday! well every weekday!

Simmone says: am now convinced I am in the wrong job!

Any advice for Pizza lovers?
Jo says:
choose wisely and enjoy your pizza!

Simmone says: that sounds almost sinister Jo!
For a menu go to www.pizzamiltonio.com.au

2009-08-16T01:38:00.000-07:00

When I went to Tokyo with my Nana over 2 years ago she bought an interesting Keyring made of brown leather with some nice little cow fur patches. We went into this little shop near the JR train station in Ueno and there was a keyring, it was kind of expensive (4000 Yen) and she couldnt decide whether to buy it. Well the next day she bought it and it has lasted her well the time since. She has always had these little fold away keyrings where the keys sit in the middle and are folded up to keep them tucked away and safe.

I was inspired by this interesting design to make some little keyrings of my own using some cute fabrics. The keys sit in the middle and are folded up and tucked away...when in use just flop out the keys. The keys are all tucked away when not use so they arent getting tangled up with your other bag goodies and they arent scratching your sunglasses or phone, and they are made from some very cute fabrics!

These little keyfolds can be found at www.madeit.com.au/thelittleorchard

2009-08-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

"Well, allow me to introduce myself to you as an advocate of Ornamental Knowledge. You like the mind to be a neat machine, equipped to work efficiently, if narrowly, & with no extra bits or useless parts. I like the mind to be a dustbin of scraps of brilliant fabric, odd gems, worthless but fascinating curiosities, tinsel, quaint bits of carving, and a reasonable amount of healthy dirt. Shake the machine and it goes out of order; shake the dustbin and it adjusts beautifully to its new position." Robert Davies

Let me introduce myself...Simmone is my name. I like birds. in fact my cockatiel just typed that full stop. Good job!

I cant really figure how to introduce myself, so lets just say...I am currently a full time artist/crafter, I have a lot of pets ( I will certainly write about them here), I like sci-fi, I love to read, I often watch crime dramas -and especially like Bones, I am a little messy and unorganised though I wish I wasnt, I love listening to Neko Case, I own the 3 Resident Evil dvds, and I love Totoro.