CWC Xmas Party - Friday December 4

It's been a great year for the CWC and I'm thrilled to officially invite you to our end-of-year celebration, the CWC Christmas Party!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Friday 4 December
6pm - 8pm

Galerie Montmartre
Rear 197B Brunswick Street, Fitzroy (entry via Moor Street).
$5 entry includes a ticket in our Notemaker door prize (see below!)
Please RSVP by Tuesday 1 December by replying to this email.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Join us for a wine and cheese soiree at the fabulous retail space Galerie Montmartre, to socialise and say a special thank you to our speakers this year!

Popular online stationery and lifestyle shop NoteMaker have generously donated a door prize giftpack of Rhodia stationery products, valued at over $90! Direct from France, Rhodia are the notebooks of choice among many in the European design community for their amazing paper quality. What better way to jot down those creative ideas and plan a successful 2010 than in your new Rhodia notebooks and yearly planner?

Not only that, but CWC party guests will receive 10% off their next NoteMaker.com.au purchase.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Please extend this invitation to any other creative ladies in your life. The more the merrier! But if you are planning to attend, please RSVP to tess /at/ tessmccabe.com.au by Tuesday 1 December.

The CWC thanks NoteMaker, Galerie Montmartre and OrganicWine.com.au.

Guildford Lane Gallery - Call for 2010 Proposals

Proposals for 2010 are now being accepted for exhibitions, performances, events and arts education programs at the Guildford Lane Gallery in Melbourne's CBD. The various gallery spaces are hired out for exhibitions and performances, which are curated to create an engaging program over four floors.

Submit your proposal now to have the most options available to you. The Guildford are particularly seeking proposals for March that are design/illustration/fashion orientated to be part of the L'Oréal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program. If you are wanting to book you exhibition/show at a peak festival time then get it quick!

Please visit www.guildfordlanegallery.org for more information and application forms or contact Emily Kocaj, Artistic Director (Ph 61 3 9642 0042,  Mobile 0422 442 363).

Applications open for Design:Made:Trade 2010

Design:Made:Trade is an innovative and inspiring trade fair created as a trading platform for designers seeking business opportunities with manufacturers, retailers, architects, specifiers and local and international buyers. As part of the State of Design Festival in Victoria, Design:Made:Trade showcases our unique design culture and features small design brands, design manufacturers, product designers and design makers.

Housed in the historic Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, 15-18 July 2010 visitors will see a diverse range of exhibitors present their newest products, prototypes and concepts. Exhibitors range in backgrounds and expertise including furniture, industrial, textiles, graphic, fashion, custom designs and hand-made objects.There are great opportunities for networking, sales, business and the exchange of ideas with the audience of 3500+ Trade Visitors and 3000+ Public Visitors.

Communicate your position as a design leader to key national, regional and international decision makers, network with the industry and increase your brand profile at Design:Made:Trade. Participation is $2,200 +GST and subject to approval. Download your application form or contact dmt@aec.net.au or +61 3 9650 3963 for more information.

Shared office space available in South Melbourne

Tamara at Trumpet PR+Marketing is looking for 2 creative people to share a fantastic workspace in South Melbourne. Awesome location, everything about it is great. Click the image to find out more, or email tamara@trumpetpr.com.au. Available now!

Creative Women's Circle - Saturday 14 November

The CWC would like to invite you to our last speaker event for 2009!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saturday 14 November
10am - 12 midday
Guildford Lane Gallery
20 Guildford Lane, Melbourne CBD
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Spring is definitely a fashion-frenzy time for many Melbournites, and so it seems fitting that our next speaker is up-and-coming designer Stephanie Carello, creator of chic Melbourne label alabakov.

Stephanie has been enthralled in fashion for as long as she can remember. After graduating a clothing production and manufacturing course at RMIT, Stephanie worked within the fashion industry for a few years before her stylish label, alabakov was born. The vision of alabakov is to deliver timeless, classic and beautiful fashion pieces and each piece is designed and hand made by Stephanie!

Stephanie will speak about her experience as a young fashion designer in Melbourne, and about the unique business model she developed to bring her stunning alabakov creations to her increasing customer base.

Seating is limited so if you are planning to attend, please RSVP to tess /at/ tessmccabe.com.au as early as possible.

The Creative Women's Circle is proudly supported by the Guildford Lane Gallery. Check out what is currently showing at the Guildford by visiting www.guildfordlanegallery.org

Thread Den casual teaching work

North Melbourne's lovely sewing lounge, Thread Den, are looking for a new teacher to join their teaching family. Duties include:

• Developing new classes
• Constructing class samples
• Liaising with the Class Coordinator
• Optional pattern development
• Writing Class Descriptions
• Costing materials
• Teaching evening and/or weekend classes
• Providing availability and completed class ideas two months in advance

This position is a casual contract position and would be suitable for students or those wanting flexible hours.

For further information email info@threadden.com or call the store on 9329 5305.

At this past Saturday's CWC we were lucky enough to hear from 2 intelligent and creative women working to make design more 'green'.

Our first speaker was Monique McNamara of Up & Up. Up & Up describes itself as a 'values-based brand communications consultancy', offering a values-based process which applies sustainable principles as a business driver.



Above: An example of Up & Up's branding work; images from the 2009 Gertrude St Projection Festival, which Monique founded).



Ahead of her time, Monique started Up & Up 12 years ago when the words 'sustainable' and 'green' were far from being buzzwords! She now works with a small team delivering successful and eco-friendly design solutions to some of Australia's biggest companies (and teaching them a thing or two about the benefits of green living along the way!).

For those of you who couldn't attend, Monique had a few 'areas of consideration' to share when designing or planning print marketing material:

- Size and format (could it be smaller and use less paper?)
- Colour and inks (some inks and finishes make paper un-recyclable!)
- Paper (is it FSC certified, post- or pre-consumer? Ask your printer!)
- Proofing (can you proof on-screen to save printing and paper?)
- Finishing (a die cut is better for the environment than a spot gloss!)
- Transport (try to use local suppliers for less miles!)
- Why print at all? Is an online campaign as effective?

Considering these things at the outset of the design process will make a big impact on your marketing 'footprint'.

Following on from some tea & bikkies, we welcomed Jessie Fairweather from Foundry to speak about her growing design business.

Jessie spoke about her passion for creating clever, useful, and positive design products that enrich our culture
and human experience. Post university, Jessie sought to experience life in studios who signed the First Things First Manifesto (more info here, here and here). It was inspiring to hear a designer approach her industry with such a clear vision and set of values.


Above: products in Foundry's 'Tangent' and 'Measure' series'



After her internships with internationally renowned studios Fabrica and Studio Dumbar, and building a small design studio of her own back home, Jessie decided to focus full-time on researching, developing, designing and marketing her line of paper products, including 'Measure' and 'Tangent'. She spoke of the challenges she faced at each stage, and the positive support she received from organisations such as the ADU (via their Springboard project). Jessie mused that her decision to focus full time on her products rather than her design studio was about making her business and it's products the best it can be, by giving it her full attention, and gaining a better work/life balance in the process.

Both our speakers on Saturday reinforced the notion that every decision we make in the design process is not without an impact to the environment and to the world at large - and yet we are all in business and the economics of our decisions should be considered.

Lots of food for thought! Thankyou Jessie and Monique.

Another great review of this event can be found at Femme de Montmatre - thanks Shelley!