Conversations with creatives - M'agapi

When I was at the Finders Keepers market in early October, I came across a stall with the most beautiful dresses, perfect for a spring wedding, a high tea or even the races. The brand was M'agapi. In my post market research, I saw that the brand sources fabrics from local Melbourne industries, as well as supporting charities. In September, M'agapi donated 50% made from online sales to Cerebral Palsy research.

I emailed Jackki the designer and dressmaker - at that stage we hadn't met - and asked her if I could feature her and her beautiful dresses on my blog. I was thrilled she said yes - and even more thrilled when she agreed to doing a giveaway of one of her dresses!

She invited me to meet her a few weeks later at the North Melbourne Thread Den market, and I tried on a dress. It was absolutely perfect, and so I bought it. It's called 'The Marilyn', this one is a mini, which is perfect for my five foot one stature (dresses come in three lengths), and I am so excited by the collar! The back of the dress features a sharp tipped collar, dipping into a deep v. Dresses come in 8,10 and 12 - the 10 is what in wearing in this photo but I chose to size up on purchase as I knew I'd be layering it over a long sleeved tee, and that meant I was a tad too busty for the 10. The dresses all have a limited fabric run - Jackki told me she had no more material left in the dresses both she and I are wearing. (In the interests of disclosure, I received a discount for the dress I purchased.)

Meet Jaccki from M"agapi!

What’s your name?

"Jackki Ngo"

What’s your business name?

"m'agapi [it's Greek for "with love"]"

Who works with you?

"I do all the sewing my husband and relatives lovingly help me out at the markets :)"

What do you make?

"I started out with woman's clothing, now I also do baby and kids clothing and accessories, and basic home wares like cushion letters and quilts."

How long have you been making your art?

"The concept started in 2009 but officially launched in 2011."

Tell me about your creative process? Where do you get ideas from? Where do you source materials?

"I have a passion for pattern making and have always been obsessed with multifunctional uses so I tend to design pieces that are versatile and practical. I design for my family and friends - what they would want in an item. For example, the latest summer dresses were inspired from a friend who wanted a 1950s dress for her wedding. Because the cut is fairly simple and classic; I added self facing hem band to give the dress a bit more weight and bounce. I also added pockets because well every girl needs pockets :) I make baby bibs (designed for my 8 months old son) which have three layers of fabric for super absorbency. I make reversible sun hats for my almost three years old daughter to play in the sun. I've made large cushion letters to decorate sofas and chairs and a friend suggested for me to downside them to hang in her daughter's room. So you see, a lot of ideas come from friends and families."

Do you balance a day job with your creative pursuit? Is this hard? If your dressmaking is your day job, did you have to consider making a jump from a day job?

"I have a full time job as a production manager for a wonderful australian made knitwear company. I have two beautiful kids which also means late nights sewing after fighting them for baths and bed. But I'm very lucky to have a very understanding and supportive husband and in laws who cook us dinner and baby sit when required. I don't think I would be able to manage doing what I love without their help. Sometimes I wish there were more hours in a day!"

What drives you to create? I grew up around sewing machines and made my first dress at age 11.

"I love to challenge myself and think outside the square. Sometimes I would design the hardest piece just to see if I can sew it up! If it can be done on the sewing machine, I will attempt it."

 

What’s the hardest thing about being a creative?

"When you're excited about coming up with an (original) idea but someone else launched it before you it's a bit disheartening. Even when you tweak it further to make it your own it still feels second best therefore you don't promote it as it deserves."

What’s the best thing about being a creative?

"Buying fabric! Where people normally buy shoes and bags, I have an obsession with fabric. It's exciting to see what can be done with them especially when it turns out exactly like how you've envisioned."

What advice would you give to up and coming creatives?

"Love what you do. and I mean LOVE it without question. When you love what you do, it's very endearing and it shows in your work. Buyers are more appreciative of your effort and tend to return just to see what else you've made."

Tell me about the creative community? Are you a part of it? Online/offline/markets/classes?

"I sell my wares online at MadeIt and I'm a regular at North Melbourne Market."

How can we reach you? What’s your website, store, social media platforms?

Website

info@magapi.com.au

Facebook

MadeIt

Giveaway

Jackki is kindly giving away the "burnt out dress". She describes it as a "super cool dress that will take you throughout the day by adding a few statement accessories. Wear with heels or boots for a fantastic day/night out! This dress is one size (8-12) Designed to be loose fitting. Has binding around neckline and babylocking at the hem. Fabric is 100% Rayon and is slightly see through (you may choose to wear a slip underneath the dress) Model is 172cm tall, belt is not included."

To win this dress, tell Jackki and I where you'd wear this dress to?

Entries close 5.00 pm 15 November 2013. Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

Read more conversations with creatives here.

PS: the winner of the birdy necklace by Rulitos was Emily from Have a Laugh on Me. Congratulations Emily! And the winner of the Zac and Mia book was Mary Preston. I'll be in touch soon:)

 

Ten things I learned about furthering my speaking career at Problogger

I went to the speakers session at Problogger because honestly, I'd like to expand my speaking career. One of the things I'm hesitant about is negotiating a fee - I never know how much to charge, what others are charging, and whether, if I am speaking at an event for a cause, it's fair to charge a fee? Many events don't have a speakers fee, or have a very minimal fee. But like freelance writing, speeches take time - in writing and thinking, and I believe the event organiser should place a value on experiences and information shared by the speaker.

Experienced speakers Yvonne Adele (formerly Ms Megabyte) and Trevor Young gave some great tips for speakers that are easy to implement.

(source)

"A keynote speech is 3 main headings and 9 speaking points."

"If you're not confident to speak alone, get a trusted speaker friend to interview you in a conversation or panel."

"Your bio on your blog and for speaking engagements should be in first person. It should be about the effect you have on others."

"Your personal brand is your blog, your voice on twitter, a personal interaction. Be mindful. Your brand attracts business."

"Create a speaking section on your blog, telling readers you're available to speak. Upload a video of a full length speech online for future clients to see. Or create a show reel of best speaking engagements plus testimonials for future clients."

"Take your 10 most popular blog posts, turn into a Word document, brand & PDF it. Now it's an ebook. It is value adding to your speech."

"Capture your audience at your speaking events by connecting with them immediately. Ask them to leave your cards on their seat and add their details to your mailing list."

"If you're speaking for a cause, charge no less than $500. If you are the draw card for the event, charge $7000."

"Become an authority in your area of specialisation. People will ask you to write and speak."

"At the point when you know you're speaking/bureau agency ready, you'll probably get a call from them. They charge 30% commission."

Thanks Yvonne Adele and Trevor Young for the valuable information.

Read more of what I learnt at Problogger here.

 

I am writing a book. A fellowship with Writers Victoria and Arts Access Victoria.

A few weeks ago I was thrilled to receive the news that I'd been successful in my application for a Write-ability fellowship with Writers Victoria and Arts Access Victoria. I am being mentored by Sam Twyford-Moore, the director of the Emerging Writers Festival. I have two goals for this fellowship: to get started writing a book, and to explore publishing options.

So over the past two weeks, I've been writing a book. A memoir of sorts. There hasn't been much writing of the manuscript thus far, but I have got a plan which includes a chapter summary. And I've been reading Writing Your Life by Patti Miller, as well as looking into doing a PhD in creative writing when I return from overseas next year.

I plan to use some of my blog posts for this book, and write a lot more in addition. It's an introspective process, a lot like doing my Masters thesis really. I'm thinking about the blog posts that have connected with readers, and also those that have shaped me.

I'm excited and overwhelmed at the same time. If I can write a blog, I can write a book, yeah? And if I can write blog posts that get published elsewhere, I should be less daunted about pitching to book publishers? Blogging about this little (big!) project keeps me accountable right?! So I will be writing about my Write-ability fellowship journey here. Wish me luck!

Thanks for the great opportunity, Writers Victoria and Arts Access Victoria :)

Now, over to you, readers: do you have any tips? Have you ever written a book?

 

Mary Meets Mohammed - interview with the filmmaker.

Every so often I watch Compass on ABC - it's a program about religion. I love it because it shows people doing good for the community, and explores many cultures. My Dad and I somehow got talking about religion, and we both recommended that each other watch Compass. Turns out we both do! Dad told me he saw an episode that featured an excerpt of Mary Meets Mohammed, a Tasmanian-made documentary about an elderly Christian woman who befriends a young Muslim man - an asylum seeker from Afghanistan. Mary and Mohammed became unlikely friends.

I went back to watch the episode on iView.

In 2011, the Australian government announced the development of Tasmania's first detention centre for 400 male asylum seekers - mostly from Afghanistan - at Pontville, outside of Hobart. Mary, and the majority of the community, opposed the development, believing the refugees would be a risk to public safety. would live in luxury and receive entitlements far greater than their own. The community, including Mary, had strong negative views about asylum seekers which were informed by the media and hearsay.

Mary belongs to a knitting club, and when a suggestion was made for the knitters to make beanies for the asylum seekers, not everyone was in support. Mary and many other knitters were strongly opposed to the asylum seekers, but were curious all the same. She and four other knitters delivered the beanies, and soon became regular visitors when the saw the conditions the asylum seekers lived in, and how much they had in common. The knitters learnt so much about the culture of these men, what brought them here and their hopes for making a good life in Australia. Their perceptions soon changed and friendships flourished.

At one point, Mary told her friends outside the knitting club about visiting the detention centre, and how she and the knitters have befriended its detainees. Her friends' reactions are uncomfortable, embarrassing and heartless - naively informed by the media. The film does signify many Australians' attitudes toward asylum seekers, but it also represents the great levels of compassion that many other Australians have. I believe Mary Meets Mohammed is instrumental in changing people's perceptions of asylum seekers.

After six months Mohammed was released from detention and Mary continued to see him. He regards her as his "Australian Nanna". They said they have so much in common, finishing off each other's sentences. It is a beautiful friendship. And Mary has a new found respect and appreciation for religions other than Christianity.

I talked with my Dad after watching the excerpt on Compass. He wrote:

"Any person that is suspicious of Muslims & how they are portrayed by the media etc. should watch this. Please, let's live together regardless of where we were born & what religion we were born into. I like the way the attitude of those sceptics changed once they met Mohammed & realised he was a wonderful human being."

I was so warmed by the excerpt of the film that I wrote about it on Facebook, tagging the film's Facebook page. Filmmaker Heather Kirkpatrick contacted me asking if I could do some promo of the dates the full length feature is screening, and I asked her for an interview. She told me that Mary Meets Mohammed was one of four finalists for the ‘Outstanding Documentary Talent Award’ for 2013 and she and the film were selected in the six finalists for the 2013 Walkley Documentary Prize. Congratulations Heather, Mary, Mohammed and all involved!

Carly: Why did you make Mary Meets Mohammed?

Heather: "I was looking for an idea for a documentary and had only been home a week after working overseas for a while. That week the news of the detention centre was announced and I saw a strong hostile response to this at a public meeting on my own television. Then I saw a visitor group emerge two weeks ater who wanted to make friendship visits to the asylum seekers. With these polarised views in the community I thought it would be a good starting point for a documentary. So the idea really fell in my lap as it was all happening close to home."

How did attitudes towards asylum seekers change - both those of the participants and the viewers'?

"The knitting women who visited the asylum seekers to deliver some beanies had a huge transformation in their attitudes as a result of meeting the asylum seekers face to face. They became weekly visitors and have remained friends with the men since. Viewers have commented how the film is real eye opener and shifted their views."

What are some of the messages in the film?

"Listen to Sally Sara's interview with Mary, as the film is an observational documentary of her journey. It does help bridge cross cultural and cross religious barriers. Mary and the knitters discovered a common humanity with the asylum seekers and that their prior beliefs on asylum seekers and Muslims had been based on mythology and political spin.

When I came in contact with the women at the local knitting club at Brighton, I felt their diverse views on asylum seekers, was somewhat representative of the Australian community at large."

How are Mary and Mohammed now?

"They are still great friends but Mohammad gained a full time job interstate so they are only able to maintain phone contact."

What did you learn from making the film?

"That it was worth persisting making it over two years with no funding aside from a spent inheritance from my father. I learned to become a Director, Producer, Editor and Distributor along the way. The film was just selected as a Walkley finalist which is very exciting. I hope this can be inspiring to other independent low budget filmmakers."

Mary Meets Mohammed is screening around Australia now. Click here for screening times. There are a few Q&A sessions with the filmmaker Heather Kirkpatrick and leading composer David Bridie, but book quick as these sessions are selling fast.

You can donate to help the film be screened more widely.

You can also visit an asylum seeker in your area.

I'm giving away a double pass for the Sydney screening which is happening on Monday 4 November. Email me if you'd like to go! I need to know by 4.00 pm today 1 November.