Hello, I'm Brigitte, Monkeyshine's maker. My creations are a little bit retro, a little bit glam, infused with mid-century modern soul and a pinch of eccentricity. All designed to celebrate the tactile and made with care and attention in Hobart, Tasmania.

Colour and pattern design are the fire in my belly. My inspiration is extremely eclectic and dynamic, drawn most immediately from the patterns and palettes I encounter on my walks – both in urban travels and in the Tasmanian wilderness – and our menagerie of sheep, ducks, chickens and a supremely regal cat. I like to recall the colour and patterns of South Africa, where I grew up on a flower farm, blending these with an interest in sacred geometry, art of the Fauvist and early Cubist periods, and a particular appreciation for mind puzzles and corny puns.

Many people have been curious about why I named my business Monkeyshine. In answer, I've written a blog post about it: http://www.monkeyshine.com.au/why-monkeyshine/. Spoiler alert: Monkey was my first soft toy! I invite you to read the blog post to find out the rest ;) although you'll have to copy and paste the link.

Monkeyshine - originally Hit the Spot - started as a small range of intensively hand-made cards featuring labels stitched into the spine of the card. This unique feature gives these cards a distinctive personality and point of difference. The concept was inspired in a moment of madness when I was idly toying with the fashion tab sewn into the side of my favourite cardigan. Not being much of a writer – I get a tummy ache just at the thought of writing a simple thank you note – I surmised that if I made an unusual card that embodied soul, style and substance, it would compensate for the paucity of words contained therein!

Since those early days, Monkeyshine cards have evolved from being intensively hand-made to a combination of printed and hand crafted. The printing is either done commercially (for most of my tabbed cards) or in-house by the indefatigable Lulu, my Epson professional series art printer. With her insistence on crisp, archival quality, high longevity prints with eye-popping colour, Lulu is definitely the Leading Lady of team Monkeyshine.

I also produce a range of brooches engraved with retro-inspired patterns. Many of them are animals (rabbits, sheep, cows, sausage dogs and platypus feature quite prominently in my range so far, with more to join the Monkeyshine menagerie soon) and I love seeing how each pattern breathes life and character into my creatures. For those who like my patterns but might not want them in animal form, I have a line of more abstract engraved shapes.

I'm particularly proud of the packaging I've designed for the brooches, which serves as a sweet little gift box, but can also be re-folded into an easel-style card or stand, perfect for keeping the brooch on display when you’re not wearing it.

I hope you like the goodies in my range. I see my creations as charms and totems of good luck, love and special memories. May they bring joy and delight to you and their intended recipients.