Art by 'OPHELIA'S FATE'

We're sorting through sketches and drawings for the comic strip  section of the mag.  We love this character - Ophelia, drawn in pencil pastels, giving the picture a softer look. Its a vintage themed storyline, more to follow.......

We're hoping to find some extra writers who are interested in writing articles containing such themes as art, craft, vintage  and retro design and  history of buildings in and around Ballarat.

Anyone out there with an article or short story (1000 words or so) who would like to submit for publication, just send  an email  or pop in to the shop and have a chat!

CARDS, TEES & TOTES

The hairy bearded man you sometimes see sitting in for me at Dear Prudence has produced a series of cards, and words (he's a words man) soon to be available for sale here.  He may even put his screen-printing skills to good use and make up some tees and totes, hope so 'cos he's really good!

He's also having an exhibition here in a few months titled "People I Don't Know"

Arthur Gallery welcomes Donna E Elmore

Soon you will be able to purchase the latest artwork produced by Donna E Elmore, available from the Arthur Gallery

Situated next door to The Good Guys in Mair Street, down the pathway behind Karden-look out for the sign open Thurs-Sat.
 Its the brainchild of Emma Barrance, (featured on last years phonebook cover!) a great space with regular new exhibitions, and an area offering art (such as Donna's) for sale.

Look out for the $20 wall, which proves you can afford cool original art, such as the works of 'Trike" plus loads more.

Emma has been invaluable with her knowledge and advice regarding gallery stuff, plus she is very cool and she loves Ben, who is a sweety and does amazing art stuff, so does his brother Simon!  Can't wait to get to their exhibition on the 1st of June.

records and guitars.........and 4 months old on Sunday

I'm taking them out of the freezer, and soon we'll have guitars, records, piano accordians, harmonicas, tambourines, marrakkas, a sitar, bongoes, old sheet music and other such stuff.

Time has flown by at such an alarming rate, I've just realised that Dear Prudence is almost 4 months old!

Still very much in its early stages, but still going!

It would'nt have been possible without the overwhelming support I've had, the best customers, of all ages shapes and sizes.

I have an 80 something year old regular darling customer, who only buys 'red' and I can see myself in another 40 years, chasing that elusive red thing that I have'nt yet collected

I've had a very gentlemanly chap in his 90's, buying a set of cocktail glasses  and a cravat to add to the collection

I've had a 12 day old bubba, who I first met just before she was born!

Miss Pepper ALWAYS has a smile for me, and her gorgeous sister Maya has already started preps!

Last week a young lady came in and bought THE RED SHOES that just did'nt fit anyone.

As she was leaving, she told me her dad had died that morning, and the shoes made her feel happy.....

and the best thing for me is the people who are'nt afraid to tell me how much they love the shop-warts and all!

Oh yeah, and the exhibition openings are becoming something I look forward to more and more, Chloe-bear is up next-look out!

wot i saw............

I like how individuals show a creative  side to them in different ways-on a wall (probs not their own!!) or a piece of someones garden.
Since I've been walking more, I've been able to notice more-I'm not having to watch out for 'crazy' Ballarat drivers, whose indicators never seem to work, and I'm sure some think that the word 'merge' is what big corporate businesses and banks do.
I do like to keep a look-out for those drivers who asume that if you're a pedestrian, you are well and truly mental, and need to be ushered on at a GIVE WAY street by a theatrical Queen- like waving of the hand, only to be blasted by the horn of the driver behind them, to 'get the hell out of the way-I'm in a hurry to get to the next set of red lights'!

TALLULAH BYRNE Exhibition Excitement!-"THE NOTEBOOK SERIES"

April has written a piece in the form of a blurb, to best describe what motivates this artist to create.  If I where April's creative writing teacher, I would  give her an A+ for her brilliant writing skills. This blurb can be found at the exhibition space in the shop for your reading pleasure

Some insights into thoughts and personal  experiences have made up this "Notebook Series" exhibition now showing by Tallulah Byrne. 

Anne and Terry spoke with obvious fondness of their daughter, and anicdotal evidence suggests Tallulah has enjoyed art from an early age

 Its always a good feeling to see red dots on new art.  Tallulah had a big turnout at her Opening Night, Her family and friends, along with some new faces made up some 40 odd guests.  I've enjoyed every opening night so much, and met so many new people, who come out to support the artists  and are finding their way back to Dear Prudence,  and are becoming familiar faces.  I'm glad to see them coming back! 

Check out the photographic brilliance that won Tallulah the Ballarat High School Art Award for Photography 2009.

It features some stunning Ballarat landmarks, with Audrey and Galen portraying a story of  lost love, captured beautifully and hauntingly by Tallulah's photography

The exhibition continues for 4 weeks, with artworks for sale,  all proceeds going back to the artist.

Congratulations on a great, fun night, Tallulah Belle!

TALLULAH BYRNE exhibition OPENING this FRIDAY!!!!!

Tallulah will be showcasing her talents this Friday 19th Feb with the Opening of her Art Photographic Exhibition at Dear Prudence 434 Sturt Street Ballarat

Tallulah may not be playing the violin and doing the hula-hoop, but she will be showing some pretty amazing pieces of art!

Winner of the prestigeous Ballarat High School Photography Award for 2009,  it will be a pleasure to host this evening, and we look forward to seeing the talents  of  this young woman!

Stay tuned for a sneak peek picture coming soon.......

AND don't miss out on Camilla Nicholls Exhibition, which winds up on Thursday 18th.  There's still time to purchase an original piece of art by this gorgeous girl!!!

PS the girl in the photo is NOT Tallulah!

madness, they call it madness

I come up against alot of brick walls, but none so cool as this one........its MAD!!!!!!

soggy lettuce and potato peelings

goody goody yum yum

Toms and Oscar Toms

I was standing beside myself with excitement yesterday when I came home and found the first BIG TOMATO from our harvest, sitting on top of my NEW old rocker picked up from a garage sale.  Now I have somewhere comfy to sit, besides on my bed, and Oscar has a nice tomato sandwich for school  oops I mean UNI lunch!

I'm so proud of you Oscar Tom, and now I look forward to our daily chats about your days and the highlights at uni, and the new friends you're making, and all the computer/IT jargon that I try really hard to understand, but best of all my boy is happy and so are we! 

TAM-A-LAM-A-FIZZ-FUZZ

Had a visit from Harry and his mum  Tam this afternoon,  they had some amazing magnets for me,
All original one-off artworks, handmade, and best of all RECYCLED using paint card colour samples, and fabric scraps.

Looks like Tam has an upcoming exhibition soon, at a very fancy establishment, (not mine unfortunately!) with her AMAZING JEWEL-ART,
We wish her big fat success.
They're awesome Tam! I love 'em

SUSAN AND THE EGGMANS

Susan has a great blog that I look forward to catching, and I've since discovered, after meeting her at the shop, that Ballarat is her hometown, and although its a 2 hour drive from her Melbourne home, she still manages to visit when she can (I don't know how she finds the time, such a busy lady!)

I like the little things that she includes in the blog, like, cleaning up the laundry! her gorgeous daughters, the elusive husband,

and.......

this........

makes me want to head out to the hen house and hunt down some eggs,, just so I can put faces on them,  maybe a bit of straw for the hair hehehe!

stuff n nonsense and alot of hot air.......

not an ideal  day to be cleaning out the spare room, so hot!  Thats what comes with years of hoarding, then suddenly needing to find a certain something thats been niggling away to be found-and finding a whole lot more!  Fabrics, bits and bobs, odds and ends, this and that, furniture I'd forgotten about, all those garage sale bargains, op shop finds, family treasures,  country market buys,  Camberwell market gems, Ikea stash, presents I'd put in a safe place, then could'nt find!

Time for Tea

dear little tea set for the grown-ups

Pop-up Alice-in-Wonderland

school case full of fabrics

Meet at the Cemetery Gates........

for a great nights entertainment,  EERIE TOURS delivers an evening filled with stories of Ballarat's dark past, graves to die for (omg thats a bit morbid!) so many ornately decorated, fenced and etched with such detail, Chinese graves and the little temple.

Such history, researched and retold by the master himself - Nathaniel Buchanan  of http://www.eerietours.com.au/ and assisted by the gorgeous Ms Suzie McRae, resplendent in their Gothic Victorian refinery, these guys really know how to set the scene, and build up an atmosphere to match the tales of this most haunted city!

Tickets for the Cemetery Tour and the City Ghost Tour can be booked by ringing 1300 856 668 for credit card holders, or to buy tickets in town, just call in to Dear Prudence Vintage, 434 Sturt St Ballarat, next door to Haydens Real Estate, opposite le'espresso and Europa. We are open Tuesday to Saturday. 

We'll direct you to where you'll  need to be to kick off the tour, you can collect  flyers with detailed maps, and we can recommend great places to visit, for food, coffee, or other specialty stores.

sights for sore eyes

red wall in a laneway

its so local, but I often forget to have a look..........

great front gate!

another one!

3 legged race

Pokey and Gumby are B.I.T.

Exhibition and auction at Arthur Gallery-sounds like a great idea!

cards to collect

Whats Going On.....

Stencil Art in the back streets

mini kewpies

vintage tin toy

vintage wind-up chicken

Camilla-more popular than Milly Vanilla (and original!)

There's been lots of  interest in Camilla's Exhibition, with a daily stream of admirers rolling through for a look!

Camilla was happy to sign autographs while Clarissa fought back the adoring fans. (Seriously, we did have a moment when 3 seperate buyers all wanted the same painting!)  I'm so glad Camilla stepped into the shop and into our lives!

Yippity Weee

Donna devouring an ancient copy of Womens Weekly Romance

Can't do a thing with my hair

Jazzy's Eyelashes

Quacka Duck-Oscars childhood pet

Harry's xmas pudding

Suzie illustration

The beginning of something beautiful.....

The Secret Garden Door