win stuart the cat jewellery!

Ellen the Dog is getting ready to participate in her third Million Paws Walk in Canberra on May 20th.  Given she is only four years old, this means she has been doing these walks for three-quarters of her life.  This is like an athlete competing in fifteen Olympic Games! Or sixty New York Marathons!

It's an extraordinary feat, and you're right to be impressed.

It's true she doesn't always look like an elite athlete,

and sometimes her diet is not what a sports nutritionist would recommend,

but when it comes to competing, she gives it her all, and still has the energy for a lovely smile afterwards.

But for Ellen, the thrill of competing is only part of her motivation.  She's also delighted to help the RSPCA raise money through the generous support of her sponsors.  And her old friends will know that each year, in conjunction with Stuart the Cat, she runs a competition where one of her lucky sponsors can win a piece of Stuart the Cat Designs' jewellery.

This year, she has decided that the winner will receive a $100 voucher to be used on any piece (or pieces) of jewellery.

To be eligible, all you need to do is make a tax-deductible donation of $10 or more to Ellen's fundraising page.  You will receive one entry in the draw for every $10.  So if you donate $50, you get five entries.  Easy!

Donations received up to 11:59 on May 25th 2012 will be eligible for the competition.  The prize draw will be conducted on May 26th, and the winner will be notified by email on May 27th.  On this day, Ellen will also post a film of the prize draw on this blog.  It will be a magnificent film.

Thank you in advance for your support of the RSPCA, and good luck!


Terms and Conditions

- All donations of $10 or more received via the fundraising page at http://www.millionpawswalkfundraising.com.au/stuart_the_cat will be eligible for entry.
- Sponsors will receive one entry for every full $10 donated.
- The winning entry will be randomly drawn on May 26th, in a draw organised and overseen by Lisa Jose.
- Film of the prize draw will be posted on this blog on May 27th, and the winner will be notified by email.
- Donations that are made anonymously cannot be entered into the prize draw, unless the donor's details are independently provided to Lisa Jose via the Stuart the Cat Designs contact page, or by email stuartcatdesigns at gmail dot com.
- The winning $100 voucher may be used towards purchases from Stuart the Cat's webstore (with free postage within Australia), from markets at which Stuart the Cat has a stall, or direct from Lisa Jose.  It may not be used at any of Stuart the Cat's retail stockists.
- If the winner resides outside Australia, they will be liable for the cost of postage of chosen jewellery.
- This competition is run by Stuart the Cat Designs, not the RSPCA.  Donations are made to the RSPCA via Everyday Hero, and Stuart the Cat Designs does not receive any part of these donations.

salem inspiration

I have just returned from a wonderful holiday.

Most of our time was spent in New York, but we took a fantastic side trip to Salem, Massachusetts.  I knew something of the history of Salem, but I had no idea what a beautiful place it is.

The towering black houses in parts of the town create a deliciously bleak atmosphere in which it's easy to imagine the terror of witches that gripped many people in the seventeenth century - alongside the fear of accusation born of the hysteria.

Of course, there were no witches, and the grimmest thing about Salem today is the plethora of tacky witch souvenirs and ghost walks.  And the weather.  For most of our stay we were stung by icy drizzle driven by Atlantic winds, but when it cleared it was easy to appreciate the beauty of the town.

If not in the weather, spring was evident in the shooting buds and blossoms.  And when the sun came out, it revealed gorgeous details in the buildings, the trees and the sky.  The shadows, colours, textures, angles, contrasts and harmonies will undoubtedly inspire me as I head back into the jewellery workshop.

high tea

Yesterday I spent a very pleasant afternoon at Rodney's of Pialligo as part of a high tea that raised funds for the Bal Mandir Children's Home & Kindergarten in Kathmandu, Nepal. 


Despite threats of nasty weather, it ended up being a perfect day to sit under the trees in the beautiful garden at Rodney's and enjoy the stalls, fashion parade and, of course, tea and cakes.

Well, most people enjoyed tea and cakes.  I was left staring slack-jawed as tray after tray of macarons and tiny lemon tarts were carried past my stall.  And even though I tried to look starving and adorable, nobody gave me a tray of cakes.

Shouldn't have been surprised.  That doesn't work for my labrador either.

colour therapy

Now that my webstore is up and running I've had time to get back into the workshop and make some new jewellery.  And not a moment too soon - Handmade Market is a little over a week away, March 10th-11th at the National Convention Centre in Canberra.

I'll be there both days, so please come and say hello!

As an antidote to the very gloomy weather we're having in Canberra I have been making lots of colourful earrings.  My favourites combine sterling silver with magnificent glass beads, created by Canberra glass artist Harriet Barry.

I confess it hasn't been the most productive time.  Over the past week I must have spent hours playing with the beads: rolling them around in my hands, marvelling at how they catch the light, and simply staring at the way the intense colours leap out.

Each design is unique, so come early if you want to see the whole range!  Hope to see you at the market.

webstore coming soon

I'm very excited to announce that I am launching the Stuart the Cat webstore next Sunday.

Stay tuned for further details!

handmade market

I am looking forward to returning to Handmade Canberra at the National Convention Centre next Saturday 17th December between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

I've been busy making lots of earrings and pendants.  Some are brand new, some are old favourites, and some are updated designs.

This is a variation on my popular double-disc hoops.  These earrings sit beautifully, and their sharp angles evoke a more industrial feel than the gently curved original.

But I haven't totally embraced sharp angles and straight lines.  These earrings are a new incarnation of my "wonky" style.

I hope to see you on Saturday!

upcoming events

Archaeology has been keeping me very busy over the past few months, and I haven't had nearly enough time to indulge in making jewellery.  So unfortunately I won't be at this weekend's Handmade Market, but I will be at the following one on December 17th.

In the meantime, you can still find me at the Portrait Gallery Store and at Made By Others in Moss Vale, and I'll be at the very funky UnderCurrent Design Market at the National Portrait Gallery on November 25th and 26th.

Hope to see you there!