Indrani Perera

poet, publisher & mentor

Tag: free

Boxed

You know me, I love making things and getting a bit of a production line happening. I've been doing it since I was in primary school. I saw some cute little felt turtles with walnut shell backs at a market and wanted to make one for myself. They looked so easy to make and I thought it would be cheaper than buying one (it's not but you do get the satisfaction of making it yourself). Of course once you buy the materials to make one, you have so much left over that it makes sense to make lots and then give them away to all your friends as presents.

Not much has changed for me since then I have to admit. Once I start making something, I start to think alf all the people I know who would love to have one of whatever I am making. In this case, it's wooden book boxes to store Circus of Similes Ephemera.

You can see the boxes with their envelopes on the spare room bed in the above pictures. I'm still using whatever I've got to make what I need. Although I don't think anyone needs these boxes. I just hope that they will like them and get some sort of pleasure or enjoyment from their contents. I know I'd like to receive one of these in the post!

November 17, 2023
Tagged and Tied

I've been collecting various bits of paper ephemera and craft supplies for quite some time. Years in some cases. I find it impossible to walk out of an art or craft store without taking home something that may come in handy. Like the tags and labels in the above photo. I had no idea what I was going to use them for but I just couldn't resist. I mean how could I? They look so evocative and welcoming, just sitting there. You can imagine them as part of some bygone store or era. Luckily for me vintage, is in. But really, does it ever go out of style?

You'll be pleased to know that I have actually used all of the items for a new project. Of course it has to be The Circus of Similes, my current obsession. The cardboard label has become a nameplate for the Circus of Similes. I don't know where it's going yet but figuring it out as I go is part of the fun!

Repurposing old items and giving them new life is something I've been trying to do more of lately. Whether that's turning clothes into cleaning rags or using old jars to store herbs, there's something deeply satisfying about using what you've got to make what you need.

I originally created a ticket design for The Circus of Similes to post on this website's home page. Then idea was that it gave the visitor a free ticket to enter to The Circus. At some point I had the brainwave of printing out these tickets and pasting them on to these baggage tags.

I also added the tickets to these teeny tiny wooden tags. How cute do they look?

Creating all these vintage styled items has combined my twin loves of digital and handmade. Making things for The Circus is proving to be a bridge between designing things online and crafting things with my hands. And going back to childhood with the glue and the scissors. Looks like cut and paste is back in people!

November 3, 2023
On Cephalopods

I was so stoked when I discovered these cute little octopi online.

They look a lot like the octopus that adorns the front page of the Travelling Light mini book, located in the mysterious Hall of Mirrors, which you'll find on my latest creation, The Circus of Similes.

These cephalopods are keeping good company with a key to the Escapologist's Trunk and an arrow that matches The Circus of Similes logo. All resting on a calico drawstring bag.

If you've been following along, you'll know that The Circus is the place where poetry goes to play and it's the place where you can go to find fun downloads to inspire your own poetic masterpieces. And it's all free!! But not the octopi or its new friends. I don't think I can bear to part with them yet.

October 25, 2023
Cut and Paste

It's been a while since I got out the scissors and glue for some good old fashioned cut and paste action. There's something super satisyfing about sticking things on envelopes. Especially if you only have to do a few. It's nowhere near as fun when you have to do thousands as I have done in past lives and former jobs.

But this project is different because it's a labour of love. It's also a return to handmade for me as I have been spending lots of time creating digital objects instead of three dimensional ones. It's so lovely to be working with paper once more. The texture under the fingers and the sharp creased edges are so evocative. And it's so satisfying to see all the finished envelopes (made by Ecocern in Australia from recycled paper of course) sitting there in that box waiting to be filled.

I'm taking images and downloads from my side project, The Circus of Similes, and creating gifts for some friends. Filled with vintage illustrations, my own designs, prompts and invitations to be creative. I hope they like it!

August 18, 2023
The Alchemist’s Retort

As a family, we've played many games over the years and we have so much fun. Of course, there's also all the other emotions as well like frustration when someone steals your card or disappointment when you lose. Just like poetry, games have all the feels!

For a long time I've been wanting to try my hand at creating a game of my own. Bringing together all the best bits of the games I've played along with my own unique flavour and perspective. Of course any game I make will revolve around words, writing and poetry. That's a given. To that end I've been collecting word games for some time now – trying to see how they are structured and what makes them great.

Scrabble and Boggle are the two old school games that come to mind when you think of words games but there are more out there. If you're interested in checking out some of my collection, you can read my posts on Literary Games, Poetry Games, and Prompts.

As always I have about a million different ideas on the go and the challenge is finding the one that works. I had to abandon some of my ideas because I don't have time at the moment to do them justice. Given all the other stuff happening in my life right now, I needed a game that was relatively straightforward to design and create. Once I realised that I also realised that the perfect place to 'publish' it would be on my Circus of Similes website.

So without further ado, here's a sneak preview of The Alchemist's Retort. If you want to grab your very own copy head on over to the Escapologist's Trunk now and download it for free!

August 11, 2023
Paint It Up

My daughters have been getting into the pouring paints recently. It looked like heaps of fun and once I found these cute little book shaped boxes I just had to give it a go myself. What's not to like about a wooden book that's hollow inside for storing all your treasures?

It was really good to get back into making something with my hands and to be doing some art as well. I'd forgotten what it was like. Starting out full of hope, getting a bit despondent part way through when it all looks like a mess and then realising that it's finished and didn't turn out too badly. It takes a bit of time and distance for me to be able to think I've made something great.

I had so much fun that I've been making lots of these. Playing with different colour combinations and varying my technique slightly.

I'm going to use this box to store all my downloads from The Circus of Similes.

August 4, 2023
Hall of Mirrors

I’ve been working on the latest attraction for my side project, The Circus of Similes. It’s where poetry goes to play and where you can go to find free downloads that you can use to write your poems. I love designing and making useful objects. It used to be handmade crafts for the kids but these days I’m going digital and creating downloadable PDFs that anyone can use for free.

The latest attraction that I’m working on is called the Hall of Mirrors. For this attraction, I’m creating a series of concertina books that will contain illustrations and prompts that can be used to create your very own mini book. As you can see from the pictures I’ve been focussed on getting the layout and design for these books just right.

The next step is to come up with prompts. I want them to be as open ended as possible without being too vague, And of course, they need to tie in with the illustrations and the themes for each book. For those of you interested in my creative process on this particular project, I started with the images, then did the overall design and I’ll finally finish with the words. Seems a bit backwards when you think that writing is my natural habitat and that I’m a poet but I often find myself inspired by images or art.
What inspires you?

July 14, 2023
The Ghost Train

The Circus of Similes, my latest invention, is bringing the carnival to the big top with its latest attraction, the Ghost Train.

Not for the faint of heart, this attraction is for those mighty souls who have written a poem and want to share it with the world. You can post your precious poetry on socials for all your friends and family to see or you can send it off to a publisher and hope that it gets printed in a journal.

But how will discover those journals that publish poetry? Don't worry, The Circus has you sorted because the Ghost Train contains two different downloads. One helps you to find a journal for your poem and the other helps you to find publisher looking for full length poetry manuscripts and chapbooks to publish.

Head on over to The Circus of Similes now and hop aboard The Ghost Train!

May 9, 2023
The Circus of Similes

Imagine a place where poetry goes to play. Where words dangle on the trapeze or whirl around the ring. Imagine you can download PDFs, print them out and play. Well you don't have to imagine any longer because it's now a reality!

That's right, I have created The Circus of Similes where you can download writing resources filled with prompts, games and more to inspire your creativity and fuel your poetry. Best of all, it's all free!

The Circus is a mashup of word games, children’s toys, paper craft, book binding and poetry. You can download and create all sorts of paper ephemera and instant books to brighten your day, inspire your writing and create new poems.

It’s a place where you can forget the daily, for a little while and you are welcome to wander through its rooms for as long as you like.

March 1, 2023
Running Wild

On a recent trip to the Darebin Parklands I arrived to find the creek running wild after several days of steady rain. It had well and truly burst its banks and turned from a sleepy little creek to a raging, rushing river. I was there with my girls and their friends and they all went wild with excitement, whooping, screaming, shouting and laughing at the river rushing past. There was no hope of crossing the river, our bridge was submerged by the torrent.

The kids were so loud and exuberant. They were totally in the moment, being wild with the wild river. I smiled indulgently at them at first. You know, in that patronising grown up way of "How sweet." Truth be told I was a little uncomfortable with such abandon and emotion. It was so wild and free. And it tugged at something inside me that been's buried for a long time under the work of being a mum, being organised, cooking, cleaning and all that daily drudgery that can completely engulf and overwhelm when you let it. It had successfully managed to stifle my own wildness with the seriousness of being an adult and a parent.

But on this day, when the river ran wild and my kids went with it, I did too. I let their enthusiasm sweep me along as we explored the new banks of the river, marvelled at our familiar path made unpassable by the torrent and discovered new routes in our new landscape.

May 25, 2017