Avant card

I've been knocked out by the flu for a while, but am slowly recovering and my latest bit of news is that Avant cards who make all those free cards you see in cafes etc have offered to do a card of this design of mine. It could be over 6 months till it comes out, and I don't get paid, but still, it's nation-wide exposure for me and I get 1000 cards for free so that's cool.
Freezing cold, raining and grey today....and for at least the past week here in Melbourne...Spring, where are you???
Excuse me, must now return to the warm room to defrost.

Felt weaving results..

Way back in April I posted about weaving some wool tops for felting, and this little purse is the result of one lot...only took me 5 months...

Spoonflower fabric

The Spoonflower fabric is great - I'm really happy with it, and now I am plotting the next design to spend money I don't have on!

Mel Robson

If you're in Brisbane check out his fabulous exhibition "Keep Calm and Carry On" at Jan Manton Art by the fabulous Mel Robson...it's fabulous.

Toy camera delight

Some shots from a plastic Holga (toy camera) that does weird and wonderful things all on its own.

Bibliodyssey

For anyone who loves amazing and unusual books- this blog is incredible!Here are some images lifted from Bibliodyssey;
(Discovered via the truly fabulous dear ada's blog)

spoonflower

I'm very excited to have been invited to join Spoonflower, a fabulous new American company that allows you to upload your own textile designs and have them printed on short runs of fabric. Woo hoo! So I've uploaded this one and ordered some fabric- holding my breath to see how it turns out!

Mid-Winter loopiness

Well,I have just received yet another another lot of news and images from another one of my so-called friends (Anna) living it up in the sunshine and warmth of...wait for it..the Greek Isles.
Note that I say the Greek 'Isles' not just plain old Greece, because the level of pain and envy these images have inflicted on poor shivering little me, requires the use of the word "Isles"...a far more romantic and seductive word.

I'm sure you meant it for the best Anna, and I know you deserved a wonderful holiday in the Greek Isles and I am grateful for you sharing it all with me really ...no really I am.
It's just that I am currently gazing out of my window at freezing dark grey clouds, rain and bare branches.
Sigh. Of course this has now sent me around the twist and here is the photographic evidence to prove it. I call this "Wish it was Spring...but it's not".
Never fear, in 6 months I will have my revenge..hahahaha...ha..ha...hm.

Calendar delight

Just received my first calendar of my work from RB and it looks great! I'm so happy with it I think I'll design another one.

Shirtheads on Red Bubble

Check out me being interviewed by Canaan on Red Bubble here.
A bit of fun.

Adventurous Lefty

Cold cold cold

I do love living in Melbourne, I do, it's just that about now every year- Winter Solstice- I get jack of it. I crave sun, warmth and beach. Sigh.
But still there is something quite lovely about snuggling into flannelette sheets (with 2 doonas on top) and reading a book in front of the gas heater with a glass of red wine (the bottle having been placed in front of afore mentioned heater for at least 30 minute prior in order to reach a drinkable temperature).
Of course it doesn't help when your so called friends and family send you postcards from either;
a) scuba diving holidays in Vietnam, or
b) relaxing beach holidays in the Dutch Caribbean...not even the plain normal, garden variety Caribbean.
or C) my own Mother in Darwin enjoying a bayside drink in a sleeveless top- as if it's warm or something.
I know they think they're being kind- well, I think they are being kind.....
No but seriously guys- keep 'em coming, I can take it.

Winter garden

Who says you can't grow much in Winter? Here are my beautiful violets, which I plan to use in an experimental attempt at natural dyeing, and my delicious broccolis, which I plan to just eat.

Slide viewer

As you know from previous posts I'm in the middle of digitising some old family slides and have been loving seeing them again, but now I also have a fab "Hanorama" slide viewer thanks to Ben and his keen op-shopping eye. Despite having them digitised I still get a kick out of looking at the lovely old original slides too. There's something a bit magical about looking through a slide viewer- kind of like Alice peeking through the teeny tiny doorway to see the beautiful little garden beyond. And how gorgeous is the box design!?
Lefty quite likes it too.

Flourish

Amazingly I didn't win the $5000- but here's my final collage in the series, it's called "Flourish".
I am quite pleased to say that I did pick the winner though- an amazing artist who had created wooden light boxes with 2 or 3 layers of digitally printed street scenes (photographs) on glass inside them. His name is Perran Costi and you can see a not so great photo of his work at the Brunswick St Gallery website.