Gemma Flack

A few recent scribbles

2011-10-16T20:18:00.002+11:00

Pussy trouble

If I had this many faces, I'd have a lot of hair to hide my really big brain in

Gurl that ain't no phone-nay-nay, that a ba-nay-nay

Friendly and attractive glasses girl

Sometimes happy things happen

Armpit sniffy lady girl

This is probably self-explanatory

2011-07-10T18:12:00.001+10:00

Special Box

2011-07-10T16:09:00.000+10:00

It's been a while, but I've been drawing again.

Holga Photos

2010-06-27T19:17:00.005+10:00

I have had a Holga camera for a little while now and I really really love using it. I recently got my first lot of photos developed, and I am so thrilled with the results. 18 of the 24 photos were a success, which is pretty good as I was sure they were going to be all black! Here's a selection of my favourite photos using the black and white film that came with the camera. I've just bought some colour film off ebay, and I'm planning a lot of photography adventures soon!

Blue Stripe Dress

2010-06-27T19:11:00.002+10:00

The 2nd dress I made this week! This fabric was sold out at work, and I took home the very last sampling piece. It seemed like it would probably be too short to be a dress so I was going to make it into a top, but I found some white ribbing to add onto the bottom to give me an extra couple of inches in the length. Which is good because I never really wear tops, just dresses! This one is a super comfy cotton spandex, and hopefully it will be nice for summer as well as wearing under a cardi now in winter.
I really do love short sleeves, and it seems that anything I make with longer sleeves just doesn't get worn as much. I've even been thinking of altering my black and white stripe dress from the earlier post to give it short sleeves, as I am certain I will get more use out of it that way!

Red Stripe Dress

2010-06-27T19:08:00.003+10:00

New dress time! When I first saw this fabric at work I was not a huge fan, but the more I saw it the more I started lreally liking it! I'm very glad I snapped a piece up. I made this with my new overlocker and I'm so happy at how neat the seams are, and how fast it was to make. Although it might have turned out a little bit too short... :)

Liberty Print Dress

2010-06-20T17:15:00.003+10:00

Ohhh Liberty fabric I love you. This was a bit of a splurge for me... The fabrics I usually buy would probably be around the $10 a metre mark and this one was a little bit more than that... at $45 a metre! For Liberty though, I think it's worth it. It feels like really good quality cotton, and O! The patterns the patterns!
I have never been so careful when it comes to sewing something. I'm not the neatest sewer in the world, and I tend to just make it up as I go along and wing it if something doesn't go right. I planned this one to the last little detail though, because I couldn't afford a mistake! I'm very happy with the cut and I think it's a lovely little dress. I made a bit of a miscalculation with the arms though, and it's very tight round the armpits. It probably doesn't help that I have put on weight since I made it, but hey. One day I plan to unpick it and add some extra fabric or something, to make it a bit more of a "relaxed fit" under there. Until then it will hang in my wardrobe and be admired and worn for occassions where there will be minimal perspiring involved.

Felt Purse and Felt Detail Dress

2010-06-18T22:26:00.006+10:00

As promised - my felt detail dress to go with my felt purses! I really enjoyed working with the felt on the purse, and I made this dress to go with it - although I haven't yet worn them together as a set... It's a simple black cotton jersey dress, but the felt detailing at the neckline is what makes it a little bit special. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, and I'm planning on making more felt purses and perhaps some dresses to go with them once I gather the materials together.

Textured Stripe Knit Dress

2010-06-14T21:04:00.003+10:00

Hello hello! Well my New March Resolution of Blogging didn't go so well... It's now mid-June and only one post! So now I'm having an Ultimate June Resolution of Blogging... and what finer way to start it off than with a super new dress that I am very proud of!

I'm now working at an amazing and lovely fabric wholesalers, and besides being a wonderful place to work I also get to take home the odd piece of free fabric, which is where I acquired this little beauty. I am a lucky girly indeed! I am particularly proud of this dress because of the sleeves and the neckline - I have never really made anything with longer sleeves before. I also added a bit of a drapey neckline which I think is quite flattering.

I am still using my old 1970s workhorse sewing machine, which my mum-in-law found at a flea market for $8. It's still going strong but I think it might be time for an upgrade soon, so my next purchase is going to be a spanky new overlocker! I am very excited about that... and I also have some plans in the works for starting my own clothing line of screen printed jersey dresses to sell online and at Melbourne's markets. I'm happy with how my sewing is progressing so I think I'm ready to start making clothes for other people instead of just myself.

I will try to take some more photos of some of my other handmade dresses this week if it's light enough, including a dress that matches my Felt Purses. Do stick around! :)

Photo by Jennifer Maree Rouse.

Felt Purses

2010-04-29T13:56:00.003+10:00

I have been busy busy with a new new project! These felt purses are great fun to make and pretty handy to either use as a coin/card purse to go inside your handbag, but also just big enough to be a clutch bag by itself. I am also working on a wallet version with credit card slots, but my prototype was a big fat failure because I accidentally made the credit card slots 2mm smaller than the size of a credit card. Ah, you live and learn. Once I have ordered some felt supplies and made some more purses, I will sell them on etsy. Pre orders welcome!

Sails Ahoy

2010-03-23T13:21:00.003+11:00

What a good way to start my dressmaking blog,
with a dress that I didn't make!
I picked up this beauty at Currency in Fitzroy,
and it makes me feel like being on a boat,
or something like that.
It's got a really excellent shape to it,
so I think I may use it as a base
to model another dress of it.
I don't believe in dress making patterns,
I like to make it up as I go along, hahaha.

New March Resolution of Blogging

2010-03-23T13:04:00.002+11:00

Hello everyone!
It's my new March resolution to do more on this blog.
Lots more!
I am currently seeking work in and around Melbourne,
but while I job hunt I have a lot of time on my hands
that I have been filling with creative kind of things.

I hope no-one will be disappointed
that there may not be as much illustration...
Maybe I should rename the blog..?
Anyway I haven't been very illustration inspired recently,
but I am still drawing so I will post anything good that I do.
My main hobby of late has been dressmaking!
I've been busy making many dress in the past month,
so I'll post up the dresses I make,
plus some of the things that inspire me.

Thanks to anyone who is following me, you are lovely! xxx

A Dress

2010-02-02T21:30:00.004+11:00

Do you like IKEA?
Do you like dresses?
Then you might like...
IKEA DRESS.

It's a dress what I made from IKEA fabric!
(The day after I made it I spilt balsamic vinegar on it,
but luckily it's right under where the belt goes, haha)

Fox Purses, Pigeon Purses and Squirrel Purses now available on Etsy!

2009-11-16T16:16:00.004+11:00

Thank you everyone
for your kind comments
on my Illustrated Purses!
They are now available to buy
from my Etsy Store:
www.etsy.com/shop/gemmaflack

The purse measures 14 x 12 cm,
a wonderful handy size for spare change,
keys, credit cards, small mobile phones
or cameras, makeup, biscuits...
or any other small bits and pieces
you might fancy carrying with you.

They make great gifts for people
who like purses, or animals,
or purses with animals on them,
or maybe for people who just like
small colourful things
(I'm one of those).

Also in the series are fox and pigeon.
They would love for you
to take them home
and enjoy them!

Gemma x

Screenprinted Fox Purse

2009-10-15T23:12:00.002+11:00

These are my new purses!
The fabric is designed and hand screenprinted by me,
and each one has special illustrations on each side.
I'm trying to build up a product range
(as they say in barmy business land)
so I can start marketing my wares at Melbourne markets.

There will be a few in the series,
pigeon (of course), squirrel, cat,
a caged bird of some kind (possibly a budgie)
and some more that I haven't thought of yet
plus some other things too.
They will be for sale
once I have made a few more. :)

Truckers

2009-02-08T21:33:00.003+11:00

Bonjour, long time no see see!
Thank you to everyone
who still visits my blog.
:)
This is a homage to truckers,
who work tirelessly to...
drive stuff around to places, and...
grease the roads...
or something.

I got some nice new brush pens
so I'm having a bit of a
departure from my normal line style.

_{(quote is from Mark E Smith of The Fall)}

bird that sings

2008-09-23T03:49:00.000+10:00

and noone can hear it
but me

Without you

2008-09-17T20:02:00.002+10:00

Hermitism

2008-08-29T07:41:00.003+10:00

Sitting on a comfy chair
whilst drawing and drinking tea
is what I do best.

People I Can't Relate To (Part 1)

2008-08-27T00:21:00.002+10:00

i just can't understand
people who do nothing but drink and smoke
and who talk about nothing
except for stories about
funny things they did when they were
drinking and smoking...

My Biggest Fear

2008-08-26T23:13:00.002+10:00

You Are Brilliant

2008-08-26T22:46:00.003+10:00

this is a sign i made
i'm going to put it in my window
so when people look up
they will know that i think
they are brilliant

body language

2008-08-22T23:48:00.002+10:00

defensive body language
in the street.

i can't help but look at people and make up stories
about who they are
and what they're thinking.

miss you

2008-08-06T02:17:00.002+10:00

Goodbyes aren't easy.
On a happier note, I've got a brand new website over at
www.gemmaflack.com
:)

The Girl With The Pigeon Tail (in technicolour!)

2008-07-23T21:31:00.002+10:00

bitch please

2008-07-22T04:38:00.002+10:00

blank page

2008-06-19T18:58:00.002+10:00

Self portrait on paper bag...

this is who i am today

2008-06-17T22:38:00.002+10:00

i've got one of these 70s stylophones,
passed down over the generations by my mother,
it came in a rolf harris box.
it's among my treasured possessions that
never made it on my big journey to australia,
but it's waiting for me on my big green
bookcase back home.
biro, paper bag, digital colouring.
stylophone styrofoam.

Illustration Friday - Worry

2008-05-26T00:00:00.001+10:00

Just a string of pointless and inane worries
that go through the heads of
silly girls like me on a daily basis!

The Girl With The Pigeon Tail

2008-05-22T21:24:00.006+10:00

This is an original comic about a lonely girl who is outcasted from society because she is different.
It is drawn with black pen and printed on one sheet of plain A4 paper, folded up so it fits in the palm of your hand.
And best of all, it only costs $1! That's less than the price of... milk!
Buy it here!

Illustration Friday - Wrinkles

2008-04-30T13:32:00.003+10:00

This is my elderly Chinese neighbour.
He picks up the leaves from our driveway
and puts them in the rubbish bin.
When we leave the house in the morning he says:
"Ohh hello! Work?"
And when we leave the house in the afternoon he says:
"Ohh hello! No work?"

Sneak Peek

2008-04-19T18:15:00.002+10:00

Here is a little sneak peak at my upcoming book
H is for Handmade!
Coming to an Etsy store near you in May!

Fool (Yeehaw)

2008-04-19T15:57:00.001+10:00

One of my submissions to Fool@Collatara, a night for creative fools.

P is for Party (fail)

2008-04-18T20:37:00.001+10:00

Her tea party was not a success. :(

Q is for Quiet

2008-04-07T19:25:00.003+10:00

Hooray

2008-04-03T11:36:00.003+11:00

New Girl

2008-04-02T17:47:00.002+11:00

Everywhere I go
I am the New Girl

are you real

2008-04-02T11:49:00.002+11:00

A few people from the bus
and a few from my imagination.

panda matching

2008-04-01T22:01:00.002+11:00

This idea came from a magazine I read.
Some children were drawing pictures of the zoo,
and one of them was watching the pandas.
He wasn't too good at distinguishing
Ms from Ws.

Thomas

2008-04-01T21:47:00.004+11:00

I'm having a bit of a
departure from the alphabet.
Those silly letters at the end
are causing me many difficulties!

So for now, here are a few
of the pages from my sketchbook.
Un homage du Thomas!

we face the world

2008-04-01T21:05:00.002+11:00

This is a little present
for my friend Pieke
and her boyfriend Tom
on their one year anniversary.
Congratulations and happy anniversary!

C is for Clone

2008-03-24T10:49:00.002+11:00

R is for Rip

2008-03-22T22:19:00.001+11:00

D is for Daydream

2008-03-19T16:48:00.001+11:00

U is for Up

2008-03-19T12:06:00.003+11:00

B is for Branches

2008-02-29T22:54:00.003+11:00

A is for Ants

2008-02-17T12:22:00.002+11:00

S is for Socket

2008-02-17T12:21:00.000+11:00

P is for Party

2008-02-14T18:40:00.003+11:00

N is for Nest

2008-02-14T18:39:00.001+11:00

K is for Kite

2008-02-14T18:38:00.005+11:00

save me from blowing away!

M is for Mother

2008-02-14T18:38:00.004+11:00

J is for Jeans

2008-02-14T18:37:00.001+11:00

F is for Feathered

2008-02-14T18:32:00.001+11:00