GoMA Twilight Designer's Market - 11 December

Flying Star Toys will be at the Twilight Designer's Market being held at the Brisbane Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in the Southbank cultural precinct. This year the clever people at GoMA decided that the cool air and romance of a summer's evening would be the best time to browse for that special gift for Christmas...which should make it a lovely walk before heading out on the town for dinner or a show ;)

Twilight Designer's Market
GoMA forecourt
Southbank Brisbane
Friday 11th December
4pm to 8pm

Afternoon Moon by the Sea

Two Afternoon Moons by the sea. Sit and chat merrily. Big moon looks after little moon and little moon loves to laugh at funny big moon. Happy Afternoon Moons - so very friendly.

Flying Star Toys at the Bayside Arts Fair

Not long now until the Bayside Arts Fair at Redcliffe on Sunday 6th of September. There will be music, wine bar, coffee, food, an art auction and as well as the arts market. That's where I come in. I'll be there flying the toy makers' flag. I've just bought a market gazebo so I'll be testing it out.

If you're thinking of cooling down by the seaside that weekend then head out to Redcliffe, stop in, say hello and take in the groovy market atmosphere.

Psst!! I'll have special market discounts and some new work I haven't shown yet...could be something special there for you ;)

Bayside Arts Fair
Sunday 6th September
10am - 3pm
Redcliffe Foreshore Amplitheatre
(next to the Redcliffe Lagoon)
Settlement Cove
Redcliffe Pde

Chic-Chic Rattle redesign series 3

After awhile of my partner John calling them fish I thought it was time to tweak the Chic-Chic Rattle design. So I've added a sewn beak detail which I think is ver cute.


This third series comes in white flannelette and lemon ausnerberg cotton with hand embroidered details in sashiko cotton in either pink, blue or grey.


They are now available on the Flying Star Toys on Etsy shop ($USD) and in the Flying Star Toys Big Cartel shop ($AUD).

Always Apple - Cushion Friend

Commissions are often an inspiration. Recently I was asked to do a large version of Always Apple and as you can see Always Apple Cushion Friend was the result. I've added this new version to the permanent collection. I hope you like this big red Always Apple Cushion Friend as much as I do :)

Always Apple Cushion Friend is made of cotton homespun and is about 11 inches wide with a hand embroidered face. Now Available in Flying Star Toys on Etsy shop ($US) and the Flying Star Toys on Big Cartel ($AUD).

Alway Apple is one of the Fruits of Eve: Always Apple and Perfect Pear are wholesome and succulent. Taste the good life, make a happy home.

Commission - three fish mini line

A cute story for this commission is that a dear patron of Flying Star Toys had previously bought a Fishing Line mobile and her boys had taken to "cooking" the fish on their toy stove, so Abby wrote to me asking if I could make her a mini fishing line of three fish for the boys to play with. Of course!! How charming :)


Abby gives me a bit of creative space, trusting me to come up with something special for her, so I was quite excited to try something new with the Fishing Line. You can see the colours, fabrics and threads I've chosen for her mini line. The two blue fish have different fabrics on the reverse so that the boys will have in effect five different fish. I hope the colours and the textures of the fabrics will be fun for the boys to play with.

Abby said that the little mini line of fish will look delightful hanging on the side of their toy stove :)

French Connection - Madame Chacha exclusive

Morgane of Madame ChaCha (online childrens designer boutique based in Paris) commissioned this exclusive range of Flying Star Toys Home Away from Home to reflect real French houses. She's just launched them on her website (available to be read in both French and English) Madame ChaCha.  These are some of the gorgeous images she's taken of them recently posted on her blog.

Sail Away Boats - series 2

Holiday at the Seaside is the second series of Sail Away Boats. I've called it "Holiday by the Seaside" because the colours remind me of sun-shiny days watching sparkling water and seeing the blithe boats sailing serenely in the distance.

Currently series 2 has three limited edition variations: Sunlight Blue, Nautica and Sunlight Red.

Dimensions: 16cm (6 1/2 in) high, 15.5cm (6 1/4 in) wide. Eash boat is weighted to stand independently.



Sail Away boats series 2 is now available both on the Flying Star Toys Etsy shop ($USD) and Bigcartel ($AUD)

Introducing Home Away from Home

Please welcome Home Away from Home to the Flying Star Toys collections. Their story goes: Take a piece of home with you wherever you make go, to keep you safe in love's embrace who knows your sweetest wish.

A little home to call your own. These little friendly homes have chimneys with soft, curling smoke that look like clouds. This is how you know someone is at home and thinking of you, keeping the rooms all snug and warm.



Using limited edition designer fabrics and hand embroidered with sashiko cotton they are backed with grey cotton velvet. Available in four sizes: small A, small B, large A (chimney side) and large B (chimney middle). Weighted to stand independently.

Dimensions: each stands approximately 26cm (10 1/4 in) tall. The base widths are; small A 5cm (2 in), small B 6.5cm (2 12 in), Large A 10cm (4 in), Large B 11cm (4 1/4 in).



The Home Away from Home in the image just above have been made as an exclusive set for Madame Cha-Cha in Paris, France.

For more images of Home Away from Home see their Gallery page.

Fruits of Eve Mini - sneak peek

I love mini versions of things ... soon Fruits of Eve will also have a mini version too!

Biscuit Bunny greeting cards in time for Easter

Just in time for Easter is a new set of Biscuit Bunny Flying Star Toys greeting cards. This set has three unique designs: Big Group of Biscuit Bunnies, Biscuit Bunny on Chair and Biscuit Bunny in Bowl. There is a set of six available that has two of each design and they are available individually.


Biscuit Bunny greeting cards are now available on the Flying Star Toys on Etsy shop ($USD) and on the Flying Star Toys on Big Cartel shop ($AUD).

Don't forget if you would like to order more than one of eighter the set or the singles contact me directly for a special shipping price :)

To all I hope you and your loved ones have a very happy Easter!!

Molehill Mouse knows where your treasure is

There's a little mouse who's taken us residence in my kitchen, a wee thing, so tiny.  I know I'll never catch her...my cat will have to finish the job she started. But until then I'm willing to share my house with the little thief :)

Molehill Mouse and his companion Piccabu Elephant are related to Ganesha (Ganapati) and his mount, Musaka (mouse). What a wonderful mystery is held within these two!

Little Musaka is "the master of the inside of everything. The all-pervading Atman is the mouse that lives in the hole called the intellect, within the heart of every being. It is the real enjoyer of the pleasures of all creatures." (The Myths and Gods of India, A. Danielou, Inner Traditions International, 1964) Ask yourself, "Where is my true treasure?" Little Musaka will know and I'm sure he will share his secret with you and his little cousin Molehill Mouse too.

Molehile Mouse's story says that Molehill Mouse tells Piccabu Elephant stories of all the secret passages that lead to surprising new territories and stores of sweet food - there is nowhere that Molehill Mouse can't go.

Sail Away Boats: Holiday on the Island of Flowers and Fruit

After so long in the works I can finally intoduce to you the first in my boats series Sail Away Boats: Holiday on the Island of Flowers and Fruit. I hope you like them :)



Glide through the flowing blue waters of your paradise island. Be at peace.

The fabled floating islands of paradise have been a part of the folklore of many peoples around the world. It was said that those who lived on them were always happy and never aged. Many adventures set out to find these islands and there are tales of those who found them. The description of these blessed abodes are always of the beauty of the trees, water, flowers and fruit.



Just to imagine an island holiday is enough to be filled with fresh thoughts and renewed joy....so to allow your mind to sail away on a holiday to the Island of Flowers and Fruit.



Currently in four limited edition variations: Fragrance, Golden Pine, Wildberry Palm and Deckchair Delight.

Dimensions: 16cm (6 1/2 in) high, 15.5cm (6 1/4 in) wide.

Now available in the Flying Star on Etsy shop in $US dollars and also Flying Star Toys on Big Cartel in $AU dollars.

Udessi - new stockist

I'm proud to announce that Flying Star Toys are now featured among the growing list of talented artists curated by Kim Wallace owner of the beautiful Udessi website - bringing together a select collection of work from Australian designer makes.

She has recently featured an interview with me on her blog - it can be read here.  I just love her photography of my work too - as seen in the photo above of a Blue Meringue Biscuit Bunny.

Introducing Afternoon Moon

When do you see the moon? At night of course! But is that the only time? Haven't you ever seen an Afternoon Moon? An Afternoon Moon is hard to see but if you look carefully, on just the right days, you'll see a light blue moon in the sky shyly peeping down on the daylight world. When you see an Afternoon Moon it's time to remember your dreams....have you forgotten what they were? Ask the Afternoon Moon to remind you of them.

Afternoon Moon comes in four sizes. Three are hanging ornaments that can be hung by their thread like a mobile. The fourth is a larger Cushion Friend to help you dream.

They are made of very light weight denim in faded indigo. The face is hand stitched using linen thread and sashiko cotton.

Afternoon Moon are the latest edition to the Flying Star Toys collections, more images can be seen on the Afternoon Moon gallery page.  Afternoon Moon are now available in the Flying Star Toys on Etsy shop.

Luv-able + Hug-able Exhibition, NYC

Flying Star was invited to participated in the plush artists' exhibition Luv-Able + Hug-able at Gallery Hanahou in New York City.

Luv-able + Hug-able: made with love by 30+ artists and crafters from all over the world, these original soft toys will range from cooky critters to adorable anthropomorphic objects. Nab an armful of plushes at the December 4th opening party, or order from our online shop at galleryhanahou.com for your hug-able holiday gifts!

Participating Artists

Anna Chambers * Anna Hrachovec * Ayumi Sato - Junie Moon * Betz White * Blythe Church * Christina Gordon (Jamfancy) * Corinne Dean * Doinky Doodles * Eloole * Forest Creatures * girlsavage * Heide Murray * Heidi Kenney * Helle Jorgensen * Hello, Brute * IMAI SAYAKA * Katie Park (caffaknitted) * Kup Kup Land * Lexi Franks * Lizette Greco + Grecolaborativo * Lynda Lye * Nicole Gastonguay * The Ossu! Syugeibu * rei☆komurasaki * SPOOKS by Kobayashi Mayu * Weebco * Yuko Hara * Yuriko Sera * Ariana Marinelli * Coco Howard * Flying Star Toys by Florence Forrest * Hansigurumi * Jenny Harada * Made By Moxie * Robyn Fabsits * Aaron B of SOWA

Luv-able + Hug-able opens December 4th showing until January 7th 2009.

For this exhibition I've sent 4 of an as yet to be released toy called Home Away from Home. This picture above is a sneak peak for you :) Home Away from Home will be offically released early next year.

Tags: art, craft, toys, exhibition, plush, softie, Flying Star Toys, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

GoMA Christmas Design Market

Flying Star Toys will be attending the Brisbane GoMA Christmas Design Market on Saturday the 6th of December.

The good news is that all Flying Star Toys on the stand will be at special market prices!

The GoMA Christmas Design Market will be located on the Sculpture Lawn outside the Gallery of Modern Art Brisbane located in the Arts precinct of South Bank.

The GoMA Christmas Design market Saturday 6th December from 9am -5pm.
Looking forward to seeing you there!

(click image for large version to see the list of other participants.)

Tags: art, craft, toys, GoMA, design, market, Brisbane, Christmas, gifts, handmade, artists, Flying Star Toys, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

Cracker! KickArts Christmas Retail Show

Tonight the KickArts Christmas retail show Cracker! opens. There should be heaps of wonderful gifts to choose from. If you live in Cairns or will be by that way soon I recommend popping in.

Cracker! runs from the 14th of November until January 3rd 2009.


For this show I've made six special Star Boomer joeys called White Star Boomers as a tribute to the iconic Australian Christmas song "Six White Boomers" by Rolf Harris. They are made with natural linen and creamy white pin corduroy with the cream star hand embroidered in linen thread.

Tags: art, toys, Flying Star Toys, KickArts, Christmas, exhibition, six white boomers, Rolf Harris, joey, kangaroo, linen, embroidery, handmade, designer, plush, softie, Cairns, gifts, Florence Forrest

Good Morning Etsy!

A good morning indeed to wake up to seeing Star Boomer on the front page of Etsy. Lovely!

Tags: Flying Star Toys, art, craft, toys, Etsy, design, designer, handmade, Star Boomer, Kangaroo, Australia, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

Plush You! (2) at Double Punch Gallery

This month Flying Star Toys will be on show at Plush You! This year the Plush You! exhibition of plush toy artist at Schmancy in Seattle is having a sister show in San Francisco at Double Punch Gallery.

A new version of a Flying Star Toys original Novas Infinite called Novas Infinite Neon are representing Flying Star Toys for this exhibition. Novas Infinite Neon will be officially launched next year. These two Novas Infinite Neon are called Silver Arrow and Blue Lightning.

Plush You! (2) will be opening on Friday November 7th at Double Punch - 1821 Powell St, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Tags: Flying Star Toys, art, craft, toys, design, Double Punch Gallery, Plush You, exhibition, handmade, plush, softies, Florence Forrest