Bare Rumps, The modern cloth.: Originality is dead. No it's not. But it is if you want it to be.

It's pouring rain in Hobart today, and I am retreating into my red-tent, after just coming out of a nearly 4 week scorpio retrograde I am feeling very full to the brim of revelations. My revelations are- striving not to be such a closed book in my personal life, and also online, so I figure I have quite a bit on my mind today and feel like blogging. No coffee induced post today, just good old honey gems for breakfast (I whipped up a batch last-night) for snack food while I enjoyed oogiling my new first edition to my reef tank. A cute little mushroom coral, and of-course made some extra for yummy afternoon snacks for Paige today. I must admit I blame Elaine one of my most treasured customers for giving me the idea-(honey gems) Elaine is a food genius and if she does not apply for Master Chef, I don't know what the world is coming to.

Any ways.. Back to my blog. I want to talk about collective consciousness of ideas. I am a believer of collective conciseness. Its like /god/goddess/nature/vibration spits out these amazing epiphany ideas every-now and then, and us humans get an onslaught of ideas and think "wow I came up with an amazing idea!" Well,.... Chances are someone has done it first/or you are doing it at the same time! This does not devalue your idea what so ever, its collective remember! So finger pointing can sometimes become irrelevant. Sadly there ARE other people that DO see other creative ideas and think wow *rubs hands* I could make a quick buck off that. Now thats just bad ju ju. Just don't do it. Ever. Why? Because it kills artists. And I mean kill-stab stab.

I see the odd inspired look by BR work, and I am tickled pink when they put their own spin on it. To inspire others is honestly one of the best feeling's on earth. If you feel like you created an amazing idea, but find out someone else did it before just shoot them an email explaining about the collective consciousness! It's a real thing! Trust me! A perfect e.g. is yrs and yrs ago, I started to do ruche (pleated folds) on my nappies, I thought I had come up with the best idea, I found out in-fact it was not my idea, and contacted the maker asap in an email explaining I had never seen it on a nappy and apologised, lucky for me the maker is an amazing grounded well respected woman (8 yrs in the industry) that 'got it'- got it as in, thanks for the email and it's fine.
Even though ruche has been around for many 100s of yrs, it was never done on a cloth nappy.
I did not do to many after that, because well.. Thats her thing, her signature.

Communication will get you everywhere in life. If you do not have them skills work on them. Your life will become immensely more valuable.

I am very far removed from any nappy forums, private groups ect, first of all I am so flat out with being a mum, and sneaking in my sewing, aquascaping, reef management, and connecting with my real life friendships. Second, I just do not have the time to be socialising outside of my own FB private wall, so if you ever need help about anything regarding your nappy/nappies, please never hesitate to contact me via email, that's what I am here for I am always happy to help, you just have to come and find me, as I am not floating around on forums for a name tag any longer, if I am online and reading, it's about coral species and fish species.

Been doing a spot of nude life modelling again one a week, which has been fantastic for my post motherhood body (I use to work at the uni, high-schools private artist sits to help me get through my uni degree studying lithography) It's been a real eye opener for me to be doing this again as my body has changed in such a short time of frame (post motherhood) and it's helping me heal, as well as bringing in a little Saturday market veggie shopping money. To be frankly honest, I needed to connect with again with outside work, don't get me wrong I adore working from home, but it can become very isolating.

Any way off track again... I tend to do that- Woops!
I have so much to write....Bare with me >.<

Back to Originality is dead. No it's not. But it is if you want it to be.

Finding inspiration can come in many forms, being an emotional being helps, so tap into that, we are all women, we all have it....

There is only 3 things I ask makers to take into consideration when creating their own product.

1 - Please do not call/market your own very detailed nappies 'Extremes' While I cannot stop you from doing it, I do ask kindly that I am quite protective of the word. (Sure I do not own the word), but it's my signature for BR nappies, one I am extremely passionate about and very proud off, I designed this concept and I know I am the brain child for putting 12 hours on a nappy (that was not collective consciousness). I know it's never been done before as I have been around for 5 yrs now. Big long scenic nappies are awesome and I am so happy and in awe to see so many amazing creators doing it!! Just call/market them with another name. Find a name that suits your work and resonates with you. I have this crazy idea to make a super sized (size of a double bed) cloth nappy and spend weeks on it, and apply for a grant to get it out in the mona art exhibit, (combating global rising waters) that or have it ready to go for when giant incontinent angels grace our planet ;) Gawd over active imagination :/ HA HA HA

2-Please do not use a fnt curved panel like I do on my Extremes and 98% of my nappies. I am the first to do it and will always do it, I know trends are set and I encourage inspiration, but there is a huge difference between rip off, and inspiration where you put your own twist on it. I cannot police this as I cannot afford patents, being a very small hand made business with not allot of cash flow. Remember I am asking kindly, not saying DONT DO IT. These photos are eg of what I mean by a fnt curved panel.

3-Never take apart my nappy and trace around it and slightly alter it. I spent over a yr testing refining my pattern. Doing this takes away from Team Red, and that is just not a cool thing to do. I might at some stage open up a licence for established makers to use the Thyla Pouch, but thats way off. I am not ready to share it just yet - Does a gollum ' myyyy precioussss'

I never see the whole -"Oh she copied me", "oh but no she copied me!" (Like I have time to see/hear that rubbish) But I know how the hand made industry works, and it happens. Again COMMUNICATION is the key so if you see something you do not agree with just email privately like two adults.

Collective consciousness is alive and well and it's a beautiful thing, so is change and revolution, everything grows, but it should be growing through genuine inspiration, and putting your own spin on it. NOT by taking other peoples ideas with intent to make a quick buck. Just don't do it, again it's really bad ju ju!

Guess what I am trying to say at the end of this blog, is to be inspired but others work you like, but ALWAYS put your own spin on it. Because frankly if no one does....Originally is dead.....And frankly no one want that do they?

Makers are popping out of the wood work everywhere (which is awesome!). The best advice I can give is test test test, take 6 months of leg work to find all the info, and dream up new ideas, thats the beautiful thing, to creative Evolutionary ideas. Thats the key to being successful. Oh working hard helps :P

I am sure after 5 yrs of me never really talking about this subject, I hope you have enjoyed my option. And if you have gotten through the whole thing I applause you as my writing and grammar is terrible!
Oh... Please never refer yourself to a grammar nazi. Nazi is a very strong word and think about the history......Franky not so cool eh.....? If you are a primary teacher and judging me you are forgiven, Hey bad photography shits me to tears to ;)- Working on that!

Me and Paige are off to feed my new mushroom coral live krill!! Weeeeeee!! Then you know..Vacuum rice of the floor for the bazillion's time.

Have a lovely day. -JR

Remember small WAHM mums do not have the big bucks to protect our designs and ideas, we are to busy feeding our children and investing back into business. Tap into them awesome ideas, you hold within your cells/imagination, if you don't have them... Get out of the hand made industry. It's just not for you.