Wilsons Prom

Just got back from a couple of days camping at Wilsons Promontory - such a beautiful place. When we walked down to the beach just before taking this shot we thought we'd missed the sunset but the show was just about to start. A great place to be to celebrate the Mid-Summer Solstice- even if it wasn't precisely hot. Merry Christmas!

December Pin board- slightly wonky.

This one is dominated by the most beautiful hand-made, printed Japanese paper, which I had to leave uncut for obvious reasons. Happy Mid-Summer Southern Hemisphereans!

Weezie's birthday spoon

I experimented with my wood burning tool to decorate a wooden spoon for Louise's birthday and she sent me a beautiful photograph back showing the spoon in use...nice.

December...already!?

I spotted this beautiful collage by Darrah Gooden at Tiny Fawn on Poppy's blog and it has just stuck with me. It's so sweet and simple but I know from personal experience that getting something so subtle and delicate like this to work using tissue paper is not as easy as it looks! I also love her birds...

More lovely Angie Lewin

Beautiful tape designed by Angie Lewin, Mark Hearld and Emily Sutton at the St Jude's website. I have also succumbed to the most divine tote from St Judes's using Angie's "Skye Sun" fabric. I can't afford a print but I can afford a tote...sort of...well my credit card can anyway.

November Pin Board- Green!

Birthday teatowel

Just received this gorgeous Lush Designs teatowel in the mail from lovely Anna (...nearly PhD) -thanks Anna I love it!

Mark Hearld

Although I admire Mark's art, it is not always to my taste, but everything Mark says in this video about art and creating is pretty much exactly how I feel - except perhaps the liking for stuffed animals...

Cover done...maybe..?

After chopping up all those old envelopes (mostly bills) for their patterned interiors this is what I came up with for the cover of my sketchbook (can't tell I'm a pattern designer/addict can you?)- and while I was at it I chopped into the cover as well, which of course then meant I had to start something on the inside... I'm determined not to be too precious about this sketchbook but to just keep working on it as I am inspired- there are quite a few pages to fill and my interpretation of the theme "nothing new" will be fast and loose! But it's fun!

Sketchbook ruminations...

Getting started on my ideas for the Sketchbook Project...the theme I chose is "Nothing New" which I have to admit was a spur of the moment, instinctive decision without an enormous amount of contemplation...but I like it. Lefty always wants to help by sitting on whatever I'm doing.

Beautiful bees

My love affair with bees continues as we have recently been given this hive of bees at the Northcote Community Gardens by the lovely people at Melbourne Rooftop Honey. They are elegant little fellows and let me stick my camera into their faces with only a touch of annoyance. I intoduced myself and we had a chat and they seemed to tolerate me. To switch topics completely...on my way to the gardens I spotted this new bit of street art and it delighted me.

Happy Birthday Bec!

This is a birthday post dedicated to my fabulous friend and textile artist Bec..she really is fabulous! Take a look at Bec's website...

Sketchbook Project 2012

So excited to get my little sketchbook in the mail the other day for the Sketchbook Project 2012 run by the New York based Arthouse Co-op. Now I just need to fill it up and send it back to them before the end of January next year. I was really excited to find out that all the sketchbooks will be on display here in Melbourne at the NGV next year too as a part of their tour around the world. Once they've done their travelling they are then held at the Brooklyn Art Library- cool huh? It seemed like a nice opportunity to "get something out there" considering I haven't managed to get a show happening this year, and I have even coerced Ms Kerry-Ann into doing it too!

October pinboard

Note the "October" in the corner which I stamped using my new fancy rolling stamper but I initially put the letters in the reverse order so under "October" it says "Rebotco" which I kind of like...

Inkodye joy!

I hinted a little while ago that I would have further sun print experiments to show, and today with the cooperation of the sun I was able to play with my lovely light sensitive dye from Inkodye- a product I first spotted on How About Orange. I am delighted with the results even though I was a bit messy with the dye in my enthusiasm! I covered a stretched canvas that still had it's plastic wrap on with some kitchen paper then taped a cotton napkin to it, stretching it out as much as possible. Then I applied the Inkodye (Blue) with a large brush. The company recommends you use a foam brush and I was sure I had one but couldn't find it, so I just used a large bristle brush instead and I think a foam brush would have given a more even result.

Anyway, being a nature girl I then snipped some of my favourite daisies and placed them on top and popped it all out in the sun for 5 minutes. I could watch the whole process happening and was terribly excited to bring it back inside and wash out the dye in hot soapy water. I was grinning and rushed off to photograph it while it was still wet! I love the result with it's cyanotype feeling and am now bursting with ideas. It was so easy to use and so effective!

The lovely Inkodye people are based in America but are hoping to get their product into Deans Art stores here in Melbourne. I think I may be addicted to it!

More Cecilia

Herbario from Cecilia A.E. on Vimeo.

Once again don't know what's being said on this little video from Cecilia at Una Flor de Papel but it's all lovely anyway...

Abstract art

This is the piece of wood Ben uses as a substitute neck when he is re-finishing vintage electric guitars. Doesn't it have the most beautiful landscape of layers of paint on it?

Mysterious paper sculptures

Loved this story spotted at All Things Paper about an anonymous artist leaving his/her sculptures around Edinburgh as a homage to literature and books.

September pin board

Sunprints

Recently we had some SUN and I finally got around to experimenting with this Sunprint paper I bought from the Melbourne Museum shop ages ago. I've always loved the look of cyanotypes and this was my first attempt to get something that looks a bit like them. I picked a few dandelions popped them on the paper and covered it in a piece of glass in the sun. The effect is not quite as clear as I'd hoped but they are still pretty.
I'm awfully excited about a light sensitive dye I bought online from America the other day, and am hoping I'll be able to do something similar to this on fabric with the dye...watch this spot.

Amy Rice and Spring

Loved this poster for Amy Rice's new show- it feels very Spring-like to me. Despite being struck down again with a nasty cold/flu thing (I'm usually not such a sickie) I have had a nice day with the sun shining and a super early birthday pressie from my Mum because she couldn't wait. (It's a schmicko potato masher so I can make gnocchi-yay!)
Sorry I can't make the links work properly to Amy's blog (the blogger people insist on changing things that worked perfectly fine before and now they don't) but her blog is listed on my "blogs/sites I love" to the right.

summer in a dress

Ashamed to say I can't remember where I snitched this image from...but it just looks like the ideal Summer frock to me. Spring is valiantly attempting to arrive, and the blossoms are out but it's still cold and cloudy...just longing to be hot now!

August Pin Board

A mixture of mine and others' photos and bits and bobs that I've been looking at a lot this month.Thought it might be nice to change the pin board each month and record it here as a sort of ongoing collage.

Gingko tags

These are some gift tags I made from my gingko stamp I carved- I was craving green!

Musings

What on earth is it about Facebook? It's completely indecipherable to me- I have many beloved friends (in real life) who are avid facebookers and although I check up on them every now and then I really don't get the whole facebook experience. Why not just have a blog? Or send an email? I'm happy to just have my little blog that I can make look pretty and share certain things on, but I don't want a gazillion "friends" and I really don't think that every little thing I do or think is all that interesting to everyone I know! In fact most of the people who follow my blog are people I don't know but who are just like-minded souls who've happened upon something I've put up that they like. A bit of editing is always a good idea, and what's wrong with a bit of privacy as well?
Hmm- it's got me stumped.
C'est la vie.

Nolan illustrations ...Twinkle

I spotted a story on Designsponge about Nolan's illustrations and then to my delight found this portrait of "Twinkle" on their web-site and she looks just like my Lefty. Can't help it if I'm a crazy cat lady.

Blue Mountains

Just got back from a week spent here with my family in the Blue Mountains (2 hours from Sydney)- this view was literally a 10 minute walk from where we stayed. It was so divine to have sky and air again, and I had a lot of fun taking photos- this is a ttv shot that I really like. The weather was ridiculously good (a bit of scary global warming involved maybe) and I think my family, who all come from warmer climates, thought I was lying when I warned them it would be cold...it wasn't.
We managed to get a bush walk in amongst the eating and drinking and I was delighted to get to both The Carrington Hotel built in 1880 and the Paragon Cafe- a super duper deco landmark in Katoomba.

Edible buttons and ferns

Spotted these amazing creations at Andie's Specialty Sweets on Etsy...just adore the buttons.

Vienna exhibition

(If you live in Melbourne and haven't seen this yet- look away now!) Ben took me to see this amazing, lovely and delicious exhibition at the NGV yesterday and it made me very happy...very!
I've had a thing for Klimt (particularly his square landscapes)for a long time- and I have a very expensive book on the Wiener Werkstatte textile movement that has a regular place on my coffee table, so I was prepared to be delighted ...and I was.
It was much bigger than some of the international blockbuster shows are, and I was thrilled to little tiny bits by the reproduction of Klimt's frieze in the fabulous Secession building. Sigh.
The only problem is that now I need another very expensive book on the Weiner Werkstatte postcards...

Climb to the moon

My latest little speedy cut construction with a touch of ink and embossing...sparkley.

Dead of Winter

It's dark and cold and hailing outside, I have a rotten head cold and last week our mains power box exploded and left us without power for a couple of days...in the middle of Winter- sigh....not good. But today I saw and heard this on Poppy's blog and felt all the tension in my shoulders relax- the sound of the sea always does that for me...the sweet vocals don't hurt either.
Today is the Winter Solstice so from now on, the nights will be shorter and the days longer... the sun will return. Phew.


Young the Giant: "Islands" via Poppytalk.

Rob Ryan Every Night – St. Jude's Prints

Rob Ryan Every Night – St. Jude's Prints

Deer plate

Spotted this gorgeous plate by Shoko Teruyama via A Plate a Day.

Gingko

I was delighted with the results of my latest speedy-cut experiments- a lovely gingko leaf- a sacred symbol of hope and love.

Flor de papel blog

Beautiful illustration blog I've just discovered.I don't understand Spanish, but it doesn't matter really.

La Montaña de los Pájaros from Cecilia A.E. on Vimeo.

Julia's tablecloth

My friend Julia recently had a birthday, and this is what I made for her. It all came about from a conversation about tablecloth designs we had one night while having dinner at Julia's place- she's a great cook and hostess and loves to entertain and we thought it'd be cute to have lots of eating words on a tablecloth.
So I bought a plain white tablecloth and painted a border around the edge with words about eating and enjoying food and personalised it by adding in Julia and Phill. It took me a bit longer than the day I had optimistically thought I might need to paint it, but I was happy with the results- I can't wait to see it on the table, but here it is on the clothesline. And the best thing is she loves it!

Autumn leaves and Samhain

It's that time of year again and I can't resist collecting some of these beautiful leaves. How it can possibly be nearly May I don't know when I'm still reminding myself to write 2011 not 2010, but according to my diary it is.
Next Sunday will be Samhain for the southern hemisphere- time for the Day of the Dead and Halloween now... but we do hate to acknowledge we don't live in the Northern Hemisphere despite everything that nature is showing us. The brightly coloured leaves are a dead give away!
Ah well- I'll be lighting my candles and making a huge pot of home-grown pumpkin soup anyway...and remembering my loved ones who have gone.

Easter...egg..

The very first egg laid by the new chickens my parents recently added to the family...and beside it a fake one they had put in their laying box in a subtle attempt to encourage them. Problem is they couldn't tell the fake egg from the brand new freshly laid one..hmmm.
Naturally the crack test was necessary and look at the beautiful egg those clever chooks produced!Go girls!
Were you right, was the real egg the pointy one Mum?