Workshops

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Off to Brisbane


We are off to Brisbane this morning - back on Monday. Don't forget to come and see us if you come to the Textile Art Festival on Stand 66. I am giving a talk each morning at 11am and a hands on workshop each afternoon at 1.30 and also make sure you see the Connections Exhibition.

See you next week.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

silk paper books

Here are 3 little books I have made to show my class in Brisbane - when I should be packing although no tbeing able to take more than 3 suitcases has made this part quite easy. Big suitcase all done so the rest will be a breeze.

This is much prettier than it looks - it's a fold up book and I have sprayed Icy Primrose Gold Starburst Spray - subtle and not like me at all...

This is a little scroll made from rods and strippings





this is a little mis-shapen hexagon book with a couple of flower stitcher rings (how would anyone know I have made so many I shall never be short of them


Sunday, May 24, 2009

Sunday Stuff

You wouldn't think a mini tornado swept through on Thursday - tree branches down, debris everywhere and drain to be cleared by plumber so we could use our new washer/dryer. It's a beautiful day today - we have been up the road for coffee and doing some cleaning up. Poor Mango couldn't cope when the rain came through - I don't think she had seen so much before and she couldn't find a dry spot to hide. much happier today.

Watched the other semi final last night but sadly the Crusaders lost so the final will be in South Africa next Sat/early Sunday morning so I am sure we will watch it and be bleary eyed in the morning for the show.

I have finished my Stonehaven book at last and I am busy making little silk books to show in
my workshop in Brisbane next week.














.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Brilliant Game

We enjoyed the game and sorry the Hurricanes lost but all credit to the Chiefs. Let's hope they win - they surely deserve it. Such an exciting team to watch. Let's see what happens tomorrow with the other semi final and then roll on next week. If it is Chiefs/Crusaders we will be able to watch it in Brisbane.

friday musings

Pleased to say that the apparent showers have been - well more of a thorough storm. We had a lot of tree branches come down and all sorts of stuff flying around the garden including a pile of dried roses I had left out. Not to mention Ian up cleaning the gutters in between the rain and then hail in the night. But nothing even reaching the floods in Brisbane and south Qld. Wonder what it will be like when we get there next week.



I have finished my Stonehaven book and am working on a couple of other little ones but pics tomorrow - this afternoon we are off to watch the first semi-final - the 'Canes and the Chiefs. May the best team win.....

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

washing machines, cats and mags

Today we have been enthralled with our new Italian front load washer/dryer - so much so that Ian has done the washing and thinks we should do some more tomorrow. We now have a pretty good Fisher and Paykel (it was a big decision to change really) washing machine and a tumble dryer to give away to new homes. It did mean a compulsory clean out of the space though and we found one of the missing socks - still don't know where all the others have gone to.



This is Mango - next door's cat who lives all day in our garden usually on the chairs on the front verandah but when it is hot she likes to move around the back. I stacked all the cushions up because there is an apparent (ha ha) talk of showers. Mango has obviously decided she is the Princess of the Peas.... One of her special tricks is to drink the water lily water. She is only just mellowing to us and even put 2 paws inside the back door the other day.



Last night we went to the play The Alchemist - it was fabulous - one of the best plays we have seen in ages. Bell Shakespeare Company. I would recommend it to anyone - it's only on until Staurday at His Majesty's Theatre. It is fast moving and very well acted and we laughed a lot.



Today the premier issue of Art Quilting Studio arrived. I decided to bring in 20 copies to see how they go. It's a pretty good magazine with lots of good ideas. It should be on our website tomorrow but you can email if you are interested. $29.50 and I have already sold 4. Lots of Ruth Rae articles.

I have updated the holey moley club site and am working on a few more holes.

Re Textile Art Festival hands-on workshops - somehow I have lost the paper I had all the names of the people who have booked in... Can you believe it? it has been sitting in the same spot by the computer since the first person booked... Anyway I have started another and emailed those I know but if you booked and haven't had an email from me, would you mind emailing me? I would hate there to be chaos in Brisbane.
STOP PRESS: found paper - all is well - don't panic anymore...

Monday, May 18, 2009

Deja Vu....


Here we are at Sadleirs again with a van full of boxes (I go to help pull the boxes out of the van) and 2 palettes stacked. Not as much as for Melbourne though. House looks emptier and tidier already. Qantas created a few new problems for me though - usually we take 6 suitcases (could be up to 150 or more kilos) but now with their new restrictions we are to 60k. We have had it good though for quite a long time and knew it would change. What that means is that all the heavy stuff had to go with the carriers and threads can be very heavy when all in a big bag. It may be that we wear the same clothes each day in Brisbane so beware...

If you are going to Textile Art Festival on the Sunday, do take part in the wearing of your own creations - there will be prizes each hour - not sure who else is sponsoring this but I sent 4 nice prizes off in one of the boxes today for 4 lucky winners.

Connections - do go to our website to see the entries - finally got them up - some titles I haven't got because they have all gone to Brisbane and I can't turn them over. I am sure the lovely people without titles will let me know. And I am sure you will agree that they are all wonderful - if you come to TAF in Brisbane as well as coming to say hello to us, do check out the exhibition.

Tomorrow I can back to the real world - finishing my Stonehaven books, playing and experimenting and maybe sewing - o yes - sewing - I have an art to wear for Sydney garment to make this week.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sunday musings


This is my little water lily happy in its new pot getting lots of sunshine. When I went to the water lily farm they told me to come back in November but because I must have look sad, they showed me one which might flower all year round. It's got tiny leaves - Kazuko thought it was clover that I was growing in a pot and Mango, the cat from next door, loves drinking the water every morning. I am hoping it will flower soon so I can see what it looks like. When I was photographing it I could see the reflections of the eucalyptus trees but they have gone. Must be something far to techie for me to cope with.

Sad to say the daylight saving issue has been lost and we must abide with democracy. Thanks for all the offers of candles for the missing hour of daylight at night over the summer - I think instead we will be like all the West Australians residents who enjoy that time in the evening using up an extra hour of the world's precious energy by having to have our lights on so we can see in the dark. On the other hand, do send me heavy and dark eye coverings for when the sun comes up at 4am. Amazing as it sounds I am not planning to arise at that time but I will resent being woken up by the sun and the birds (and the business necessaries as we do deal with the rest of Australia even though I feel a lot of the time that other people in this state don't).

Today we bought ourselves a new washer/dryer combo so waiting patiently until Wednesday when it arrives.

And of course after the weekend, on Friday the Hurricanes play the Chiefs in one of the semi finals. Since Ian has now decided that the Chiefs are, and have always been, his team, we will be rivals. May the best team win.....

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Brilliant Rugby


Despite being horrendously busy we have enjoyed a brilliant rugby weekend - the Hurricanes won their game and are running third on the ladder - it being the final game before the semi-finals. Hanging on the Sharks/Bulls game while we sleep. In fact we enjoyed all the games - Bruce and Kazuko are away tonight so we 3 were left in charge and since there were 3 games to watch we had a bbq. Very nice.

Today was the vote for daylight saving but not yet sure of the result. You never know your luck.

Thanks for all the comments re the pilfering and thanks Carol for the acknowledgement - it all means heaps to me.

Friday, May 15, 2009

I should be so flattered

I went to visit the Quilting Arts Magazine new website and there in the first image are some of our original Victory rayon variegated threads - colours all selected by me. Then I went to the Textile Art Festival website and there in the Expo section is a pic of Ian and I on our stand in Melbourne at AQC and then I see in their ads and their pamphlets more pics of us and more pics of the variegated threads. No acknowledgement or permission asked of course but I am flattered and see it as good promotion which is why I am telling you!

I am quite heavily into reading and researching Intellectual Property especially on the internet as it is a problem which will not go away. I should be able to write a thesis by the time I have finished my research. I know, of course, that people copy my notes - sometimes they forget to remove my name - and I know, of course, that when I run a workshop that people use my notes and teach others from my material. This doesn't really bother me - I should be flattered, and anyway I have long moved on to the next thing. However, stealing my ideas and using them on one's own website and in one's writings is quite another matter. Having said that, I believe in competition - it is healthy, and I thrive on a challenge. People even say I am driven. So - pilferers beware - I am on the rampage. My message to you is - try being original - it will do you much good in the long run...

And we are crying out for rain....

Just watched the Chiefs beat the Brumbies - sorry to my Canberian mates. This is the last weekend before the semi-finals so tomorrow should be quite exciting.

Back to the coalface - our stuff goes to Brisbane on Monday and then I will be able to get on with other things such as putting my Stonehaven book together and getting Holey Moley - ing. Tomorrow I will add some answers to questions people have been asking on the Holey Moley Club blog.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

last page finished at last


I finally finished the last page for my Stonehaven book. Hand hand stitched, then machine stitched and then attacked with the heat gun. I have folded it up to make a pocket page but it is one of my holey moley pieces for sure. Next I will stitch it up and bind the whole book together - thinking about this. If you look at the top you will be able to see the silver gilding flakes still hanging there.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Blog Haiku Festival




there are some threads stitched
to the undersides of leaves
to match your secrets

hope you have taken part - it is a long time since I wrote a haiku - but a great idea - I will post my pic to go with my haiku tomorrow - I forgot to photgraph it and now it is dark.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

another Sunday

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers around - actually every day would be mother's day I reckon! It's a funny day really - if you sell flowers and have a bad day today you are in the wrong business. Lots of happy Mothers going out to lunch I saw when I went up the road, and lots of bored teenagers and bored mothers too... We just had a relaxing mostly day at home. I am trying to finish the last page of my Stonehaven book but the stitching seems to go on forever and every time I finish a bit I am sure it will be enough.....



I have a lovely bay tree in my garden in a pot near where I like to sit - there is something wonderful about the smell of fresh herbs.

2 Exciting rugby games yesterday - the Hurricanes did not win - they started off with a bang but I think they got a little disorganised so all credit to the Chiefs - Ian has suddenly remembered he is a Chiefs supporter from way back. The other game between the Blues and the Brumbies was great rugby too. It is going to be an exciting final week next weekend - all depends on many of the outcomes

Saturday, May 09, 2009

fusible film and UTEE




We had a shipment of 6 new colours in Fusible Film a couple of weeks back but they have been off at Westcare where the lovely workers cut and package them for us (rather them than me Ian says) so we now have 12 colours . I thought I would have a play with them on UTEE - the UTEE I have used is what was left in my melting pot - I haven't ever emptied it actually - so it is mostly black with metallic flakes which happened to be in the pot and some silver from somewhere. It was the playing I wanted to do so it didn't matter. I poured the UTEE onto baking parchment, lay different colours of fusible film over the top and stamped into it with different stamps - we also have some lovely new texture plates which don't seem to have made the website but one is the one below - and I have let the UTEE overflow and rubbed over that with Treasure Gold. It's hard to show the reflections on a scanner but I think they don't look too bad. Gives you the idea anyway. I shall play with Gossamer Fuse and the fusile film next I think.


Thursday, May 07, 2009

oh my goodness

I have been rather overwhelmed with your response to The Holey Moley Club - thank you all those people with such great faith in me. I think the spread out idea and 2 months to play and do other things in your life is appealing. It will be a few more days before I have the next stage ready - like my special reply but be assured my brain is busy with the first lesson. I will write all my Holey Moley stuff on the HM blog but this was to say thanks..... I will post there tomorrow and add some pics.

Last night we went with Jaslyn to Ria in Leederville - if you eat out in Perth I can recommend it - another new restaurant to add to our list - Jas and I were celebrating our birthdays - see how you can keep them rolling.

And I have been experimenting with fusible film and UTEE - I will post my results tomorrow - very exciting

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

The Holey Moley Club


I have posted all the info for The Holey Moley Club on the blog http://holeymoleyclub.blogspot.com/ for anyone interested.

What am I reading?


I have just read The Kindness of Strangers - Shonagh Koea - I found it a sad book in many ways but very moving as I read on. I have read all of Shonagh's books in time and am now revisiting them with a new look. She certainly is a survivor and it should make us all appreciate our childhood. It is beautifully written in her usual style - she would probably laugh if she read those words....

For all of you waiting patiently for The Holey Moley Club info to hit the blog, I am just finalising and fine tuning my info page and it should be up later today or tomorrow. The sample piece on the blog header which has given me no end of trouble and is still not loaded correctly; well the piece itself is taking me ages to stitch as well.

We are enjoying the balmy evenings and sitting outside late with a bbq - really peaceful and relaxing and last night I sat and worked on The Holey Moley Club info whilst waiting for the meat to cook.

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Sunday Stuff


Busy weekend - the weather is definitely not autumnal - in fact it is rather humid and noone can see a sign of rain. We have a garden stuff collection this week coming so we have taken the opportunity to chop down tops of some of the eucalyptuses (the low ones) and clean out some of the area for the new garden beside the studio where we are hoping to plant ferns and stuff. We have an atrium just outside the dining area where I planted jasmine when we first bought this house and I have been wanting to clear it out for ages. First I pulled all the growth off the wall and the roots out of the stony ground and piled it up.


This is the corner looking into Ian's desk - sometimes the jasmin has grown in the window to see him. not any longer though - before too long he will be able to look out at a brick paved ground area (after he has laid them) and a climbing rose and a table and chairs with roses I have decided.

This is looking back into the kitchen and the window now opens but it needs sanding and oiling. The atrium is about 2 metres by 2 metres open to the sky and it will be another lovely place for us to sit - maybe for our morning tea....







This is the door back into the dining area. At the moment there are stones on the ground which we are slowly removing. Watch this space but like all spaces and us, it will take time.



7 kookaburras sat on one of our tree branches this afternoon but by the time we got the camera only 1 was left - they often come to our garden and sit in the trees - in fact we have lots of birds - we have a bird bath and water in the water lilies which they love and we have a resident family of pidgeons.

These are the finished covers for my book - I am very pleased with the way the image printed onto TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) ended up. Now I have to decide which will be the front and which the back. Inside I am attaching some of my different samples. I just have to bind it all in some way - maybe cords and stuff.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

The Stretch Festival



This is Dorothy's fabulous work on display so if you are in Mandurah this weekend do have a look!


The Stretch Festival is a weekend of celebrating the Arts in every form imaginable. There is exhibition in ceramics, felting, Textile (Art a` Peel), constructions made of recycled material,a photographic exhibitions, song and dance, bell ringing historic graveyard tours at Christ's Church, a 40 minute tree walk to see trees of interest as declared by the CIty of Manduah and each one of these has writing and art forms to compliment.

The idea is to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the mind, body and souls and no doubt in some cases our imagination. It is one between 11.am and 4pm at various venues around on Sat and Sun.in Mandurah. I understand there is an information booklet at the Visitors Centre.

Friday, May 01, 2009

Brilliant Win


A brilliant win to the Hurricanes who are now still on the top of the ladder - only 2 more weeks to go........

And now I am going to spend the evening watching Midsomer Murders (it's amazing how many there are in this one area...) and stitching my Stonehaven back cover.

We didn't quite get our newsletter out today but it will appear tomorrow and in a day or two afterwards do check out Holey Moley as I should have all the info ready. But on the other hand, all the latest Cloth Paper Scissors did go out.

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