30 days - day 6

new music and moleskine...such pleasure.

summer's simple delight. fresh berries and cream.

30 days - day 5

bushfire is an frightening reality out here in the bush.



exhausted after a long day trip to mandurah...
stupid cat moved and ruined my perfect shot!

30 days - day 4

yoga, shopping, stitching while Indi naps, gardening barefoot after dinner... another hot day comes and goes.

30 days - day 3

the spinning wheel is, at last, working.

30 days - day 2

finishing a hot and busy day with a refreshing mojito...

Hearts for Mirabel and 30 days of the everyday - Day 1

I love this time of night when everyone is in bed asleep. It's just me and the sound of the wind shaking the trees. And the occasional resounding smack of a honkey-nut as it hits the water tank...

Something to fill my time and give me that fuzzy feeling of good will; Mikes are fundraising again for Mirabel. This time it's hearts. Check it out.

And the latest meme going around: 30 days of the everyday. A photography project that started with Soulemama, and has caught on with quite a few bloggers. Seems like a good way to take a step back and appreciate what's happening in my life.

Two others partaking in photo projects for this year: six one way and Noticing Project. I love a good project. :-)

So for the next 30 days I'll be posting photo's that detail some aspect of my everyday life; starting now.

making homemade pizza for the first time in the pizza oven we scored for free from the op shop (because they can't sell electrical goods) The oven is virtually brand new and works a treat.

Old friends, new treasures

A few old friends have surfaced in the last week or so. My mind seems a little crowded with ideas that seem to snake off on their own tangents. I had a realisation the other day that I spend far too much time trying to resolve the (artistic) process in my mind, rather than just getting on with it and enjoying said process. I guess this is the foundation of my procrastination.

It's kind of ingrained in me (from many years spent at uni) that a project needs to come to some sort of resolution, otherwise it is a pointless excercise. I guess they say this crap to you to make you really think about what you're doing and why; which is great, but often the thinking is at the expense of the doing.
So, I guess what I'm getting at, is that while I really enjoy being crafty, I find myself craving something more. But I can't seem to get past the thinking stage for fear that the work I produce will be shit.

Enter old friends. My major at uni was textiles so I enjoy working with fabrics and paper and such. But my time at uni was spent exploring identities and particularly women's cultural identities. Text has played a massive part in all my work, as I never was able to seperate my writer self from my artist self, and with the guidance of a very special lecturer, I stopped fighting it and started using it to my advatage.

This is my underwood typewriter. I got him second hand in a funky (if not a little festy) maroon and cream vinyl case. I had a much more modern typewriter, but alas, during the emotionaly hormonal period that is pregnancy, he met rather fatally with a wall.

My spinning wheel. My pop bought this from a junk store on some whim, much to my nan's disdain, and when they found out I was spinning they disassembled it and sent it across from Victoria to me. At first I couldn't get it to work, then miraculously it did. And now, it won't again. Which is frustrating to no end as I actually want to use it for something specific.

My other half is the retail manager of Vinnies, so I get to go op-shopping alot!! I found these beauties right after christmas. They look old to me, but could be worthless. Nevertheless, I think they are gorgeous, and I know someone else who will love them also...

And inspired by three things: dodgy foxtel craft show, fantabulous new wool from treetops and lovely book Felt; a felt bead necklace. Also destined for someone worthy.
Will be making more of those...I find the process rather soothing, plus I love unusual jewellery. Bella also loves making these. It's lovely to think that I'm passing on something special to her.

On a much lighter note, I made Indi's pants for the wedding today and they look cute. I got some little Bibi leather sandals on ebay for 99c (brand new in box) what a steal! Next I have to tackle Bella's flowergirl dress, which is a little daunting, but time is slipping away like sand...

Felt

Every day for the last week I've been driving into town to check the post box to see if my parcel has arrived. Finally yesterday it did. I ordered 3 new books from Doubleday (apparently I have to buy books to honour my commitment!) As I mentioned before, Peta told me of the India Flint and Toyoko Sugiwaka book Felt, which excited me so much, I rushed home that very day and ordered it. Now I have to admit, I'm not normally very excited by 'how-to' craft books; but this book is just so beautifully excecuted and the projects are simply lush! Already today I've been making felt balls with my new wool from Treetops Colour Harmonies (which arrived in the post just 2 days after I ordered! Well done guys.)

And, now (three days after initially starting this post) I discover I have another book from the same series from Murdoch Books: Paper

flash

lots to write about, but not in the melting heat. Perhaps another time.
But for anyone interested, one of my short short stories (aka flash fiction) has been published by online mag onefifty available now for download.

a day of [re]discovery

After posting last night, I tumbled into bed thinking sleep was imminent, but in fact my mind was running a marathon. With ideas swirling and foaming in my head, sleep was surely not going to happen and shoot! Mr DW was trying hard to sleep so I couldn't very well go switching on the lights to pour out my thoughts into a journal. (Don't you just hate that!)
So I grabbed hold of these new ideas as tightly as I could in the hope that they would stick with me til morning, a mere 6 hours away.

And they did thankfully!




This morning was spent felting, an activity I thought the kids would enjoy.

Bella is a natural!

Speaking of felt, so very very excited to have order India Fint's book Felt. Thanks to Peta for letting me know it was available on sale through doubleday.

The wool I have is called 'sliver' which means it still has grass seeds and bits in it. So I just payed a visit to Treetops to order some superfine merino wool tops. I've ordered a bunch of natural undyed wool because I actually like it undyed, plus then I can dye it myself if I wish; plus I ordered a bit of yellow...hmm strange colour choice for me! Could it be I have something special in mind for someone special???

image courtesy of Mel Robson

Stumbled across Mel Robson's blog today. Now by my own admission I'm not really into ceramics, but I was really captivated by the delicacy, translucence and narrative of Mel's work, in particular the use of text such as family recipes. Check out these gorgeous wall tiles.

Interesting that I would come across another artist using text when I've just been jotting down all my new ideas using text and poetry and stitch...hardley anything new for me though. But I love love love that she uses recipes!

an ounce of resolve...

I'm not really into the whole new years resolution thing. Even for me as a longstanding champion of procrastination, I think if you need to elicit change in your life then there is no better time than the present. That said, I've just been thinking (and blogsurfing and doodling etc etc...) and I really think I need to resolve to spend more time writing in my journals.
I have more journals that you could poke a stick at, each one with a different and specific purpose. Right now I have my visual diary, which, sadly, rarely sees the light of day; I have my writing journal which I write poetry and all manner of random ideas in; I have my mini moleskine, which I carry with me for when an idea absolutely needs to be jotted down THIS instant; my BIG moleskine, which is yet to be christened and categorised, and I have my scribble pad which sort of gets used for everything in between-things not worthy of the affore mentioned journals. Sad isn't it.
So yes, I admit to having a journal addiction, perhaps even a fetish, because I actually have many many more lying around that just haven't been assigned tasks yet. I'm hopelessly undisciplined and resort to buying journals at any given oppurtunity.
So, I was sitting here pondering over a poem that leaped into my mind earlier and was about to start typing when I realised how much is lost in typing. That is to say, when I'm writing longhand, I might scribble and cross stuff out and write in random circles, but ultimately the whole journey of the thought process and the birth of that piece is documented, lumps bumps and all. And that is a beautiful thing. My journals don't come with a spell check or a delete button to erase the musings that are created in the process.
I came across this idea for quilted postcards, and there is a flickr group for anyone interested, and I was caught by the idea: The challenge is to produce a fiber postcard once a month that records what you have been exploring, doing, or thinking about.
And that's what got me to thinking that I don't really spend enough time recording what I'm exploring or thinking or ideas that may not even eventuate. It seems that I wait until I think an idea is solid enough to warrant it being jotted down in one of my journals.
So as of today, I am resolving to journal more, longhand, like they did in the olden' days...and who knows...I may even make a quilted postcard or two...

Gasp! has it really been more than a month since my last post? How time flies! So much to catch up on. Firstly I hope everyone had a safe and happy christmas and if you are over here in the west I hope you managed to stay out of the heat!

I've been pretty busy over the last month working on a mock wedding dress for a film-maker friend of mine, which is thankfully almost finished. I have a love hate relationship with sewing...I love the idea of designing and making my own clothes, sometimes I even entertain the idea of making one off ball gowns and wedding dresses from home, but my god! I would be so absolutely stupid if I did! If I ever mention the thought of doing it, please hit me!

I don't think there's been a moment where I haven't regretted taking on this job. The fabric is awkward to work with, the pattern (1950s style gown) is incredibly complex and I guess I'm just not inspired to do it. But that said, I'm anxious to do a good job and my biggest fear is that it wont fit the actress properly or sit nicely. Here's hoping.

But as much as I hate (and love!) sewing, I do really enjoy designing and making patterns. Mid wedding dress I had a slight sabbatical to make this dress for Bella for christmas. The fabric was actually for an advent calendar that I'm going to make the kids for next year (oops...this year!) I wanted to avoid the cliche and rather garish green and red and go for something more fun! Anyway, Bella and I fell in love with this summery print and ended up buying far more than we needed, so the dress was born. I have to say, I am rather chuffed with it. The pattern was designed by me for Bella's flowergirl dress. This version has had a few alterations and I think it makes a gorgeous summer dress and it took me less than a day to make.

A few other decorations that I made pre-xmas...

and the completed pink bird...

And finally, best christmas present ever... a Moleskine journal! Thanks Mum!!

now...back to the wedding dress....