Thursday 29 January 2009

We're having a heat wave

What a week we're having weather wise, we're set to break all of our previous records. The temperature was 43 deg C yesterday, 44 today and they predict 43 for tomorrow. 44 deg C is 111 F. We have a cool change to look forward to on Saturday, it's only going to be 35 ha, ha, ha.
I live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, but, unfortunately it's also one of the most bush fire prone parts too. So I've been taking my 'special' things to work with me each day. Things that couldn't be replaced if the house burnt down.

It's amazing when you stop and actually have to choose what you would take. I took my external hard drives from my computer, they have all of my photos. I've taken drawings that my children and grand children did. My very old jewellery tools. Some of the jewellery I've made and a very special necklace given to me by Nina and one Jen made for me. My hand made journals and a very special one made for me by Judy and altered books.

Nothing practical, no undies or clothes. No food. Just the essentials, I couldn't possibly live without my jewellery or journals.

We just hope now that we can survive another few days. I was here during Ash Wednesday in 1983, it was one of Australia's worst fires ever, 79 people died in Victoria. We were surrounded by fire, it's a day I'll never forget.

Anyway I'm still doing art, only guess what, all of my photos are on my external hard drive that's packed up by the front door, ready to take to work tomorrow. This is the first post I've written and never had any photos, I'll have to make up for it over the weekend.

Sunday 25 January 2009

More this and that




I've started to add more button and fabric kits to my Etsy site. I'll be adding more shortly.


I'm not sure if I'm going to add more to this page background or not, the minimalist, which hardly ever rears it's head in my presence, says no, but we'll see.




This is a test page for some of my stamps.




These are more pages from my book made from scrap paper, envelopes, old catalogues and brochures. I love the way you can see so many layers due to the different sizes of paper. This will be a work in progress for awhile. I like to add cards and their envelopes, especially if they have overseas stamps and postmarks.




Above is a stamp I carved for myself, I love patterns and this one is so versatile. I've used it here with acrylic paint. These papers are for a new larger journal that I hope to have on my Etsy soon.





I finally remembered to take my camera with me on my walk today. We pass this row of magnificent Eucalyptus ficifolias or flowering gums and every time I forget to take the camera. I remembered today. The colours are so intense from shades of orange, red, pinks even magentas. It's a native of Western Australia, but luckily it grows in the other states too. The bees get drunk on the nectar, there's a constant buzz when you stand under the tree. You can even see a couple in the close up photo.

Sunday 18 January 2009

New hand carved stamps

Just a quick post tonight, it's getting late and I have to go to work in the morning. I've been busy rearranging my studio AGAIN. It seems to be an ongoing process.
I also spent quite a large part of the day carving some more stamps and finishing off a necklace. I've added three of the stamps to my etsy store.
I try to make them all unique so that they are one offs. I'll have more later.





Tuesday 13 January 2009

New stock on etsy

I've stayed indoors today while the mercury reached 38deg c, they predict 39-40 tomorrow. Unfortunately I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I've been making a bracelet to put on my Etsy site. I've also started another necklace but won't have that finished until the weekend.

Our weather in Victoria, as in other southern states, is amazing, it can be 40deg c at lunch time and 23c by the time we go home at 5.00pm. Which is what they forecast for tomorrow. The temperature goes up and down like a yo-yo. Variety is the spice of life as they say and Melbourne certainly has that when it comes to weather.








This bracelet is made using memory wire, which means it should fit any size. I've used carnelian and compressed coral beads for the colour and carved bone beads for the texture.








These are stamps I carved last week, they are also for sale on my etsy.

Monday 12 January 2009

Workshop number two for 2009

I'm off to a busy start for the year, I've held two workshops at home already. I hope to have at least one a month if I can manage it. I'll be working out a schedule within the next couple of weeks, meanwhile Sunday's decorated paper and journal workshop was great. I've been very lucky all the ladies, who have attended my classes, have been wonderful
Here they are.



The group getting started above and below showing their completed journals.



Nola



Norma



Sylvia



Sue



The birthday girl Patsy. Patsy was so busy decorating her papers, she didn't quite finish her journal.




Carey



Margaret



Judith


By the way check out Janette's blog if you want to see some great colour and knitting. Janette's a lady after my own heart.

Saturday 10 January 2009

Completed Necklace




Jacky now has her necklace so I can show you the completed piece. I enjoyed making this using the potato pearls that Jacky bought in Italy, with a combination of my beads.



These are some of the fabric and button kits I have ready for tomorrows workshop. I applied filters in Photoshop to make the image more interesting.




We keep seeing photos from blogger friends in the Northern hemisphere of all of the very cold snow and I thought I might warm you up with a shot of our front garden and the lovely sunshine. I'm not looking forward to Tuesday though, they predict temperatures around 37 deg c with strong northerly winds, our northerly winds are very hot.




This is the table set up ready for tomorrows workshop.



This is the view from one of the windows in the workroom. I managed to get outside in the past couple of days and had a really big clean up. I'm finding having workshops at home is great for the house, it gets cleaned on a regular basis now.

Monday 5 January 2009

Sneak peak and workshop

I can't believe I haven't posted anything for 2009, this year is going as quickly as last year. So much has been happening. I'm on holiday from my day job until the fourteenth, but I have jewellery orders to complete and I held an Altered book workshop at home today and I have a decorated paper/journal workshop next Sunday. I really don't have time to go to work.

The first picture is a sneak peak of a necklace I've been commissioned to make for Jacky. I can't show it all until she receives it, it's somewhere in transit at present. Jackie loves horses so I've tried to subtly include them in the piece. This is a very old chandelier crystal with an image of a horse and her foal hidden behind and encased with silver solder. You have to look into the crystal to see the image.




The other photos are from todays altered book workshop. It was a glorious day, warm but not too hot, we had lunch outside, drank champagne to celebrate a birthday and blogging event and created lots of art as you can see



Patsy



Cathie



Mandy



Samm



Trish



Carolyn



Jo



Janette

Another fabulous group of ladies, tomorrow is clean up time ready for the next one.