yeah!!! A new computer!!

Yes, it's been a very long time since I've blogged. My apologises to all. An incredibly busy life and a failing computer have kept me away from the screen, but hopefully now I'll be able to post more regularly!

Vogue Medallion "cardigan" complete!

Finally finished the Medallion Cardigan!! Yippee! At times it seems like the project that would NEVER end! I'm very glad that I stuck with it though, as I'm very happy with the results. Still not quite sure why it's called a "cardigan" as it's clearly really a waistcoat!

Red, woolly and wonderful...I'm in LOVE!

Just completed this woolly cardigan today! It's been sitting and waiting for buttons for almost a week now and I finally got around to it. More of a coat than a cardigan, it's wonderful for Melbourne's current blustery days! DH wishes me to knit him a blue sweater out of the same wool, hopefully I can still find some, as I think it's discontinued. Wish me luck!

drawing

I'm trying to get back into a bit of painting, and drawing of course is the foundation. Don't have any painting to show as of yet, but here's a drawing from during the week. I found myself going back to some of my earlier approaches to drawing. I was fortunate at a very young age to have a drawing instructor who showed me that drawing could have great passion. I am forever grateful to dear Sergio!!

Knitting the medallion.....still.........

I always have several projects going on at once. That way if things get a bit tedious you can work on something else for awhile and go back to the original piece when the mood strikes. I'm still working on the Medallion Cardigan, but have taken a brief tangent for immediate gratification....oh I feel so cheap! I'm knitting this red cardigan out of Gusto 10, on huge needles that might as well be broom sticks!!! But it's oh so satisfying to see the fabric materialize so quickly!

I've also just completed a workshop with Prudence Mapstone (www.knotjustknitting.com), the guru of free form knitting and crochet. She is a master of combining a wild array of colours, textures and stitches. She is also a very fun and generous instructor. After years of wanting to do a workshop with her, I'm very happy that I've finally had the opportunity!! Hope to have some freeforming to show you in the future!

Between the Lines

Omg! Once again it's been ages since I've posted online. I guess I have mixed feelings about this whole blog thing. In one way I like to share what I'm doing with others, but in another way
I'm hating the way society is going with the "me, me, me it's all about me thing." But that's just my opinion........
Artisan Books is once again hosting it's annual book show, and I have submitted an entry. This year's show is entitled "Between the Lines." (15th August - 5th September) Artisan Books is a marvelous book shop, where you can spend hours browsing! Daniel is lovely ,very helpful and full of information. I encourage all of you whom have an interest in Arts and Crafts to stop by and have a meander!

ARTISAN BOOKS
159 Gertrude St.
Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065
Ph:03 9416 4805

some drawings from this week

Just a couple of drawings from this week.
24 x 36 " conte' and pastel

a little hat

Omg! Can't believe how long it's been since I've published a post!!! Although, life has been busy with a family emergency. While waiting in ER, my chosen form of relaxation (knitting), produced this little hat and the start of matching fingerless gloves. (2ply self striping sock yarn - 100%wool)

PINK!!

Annemieke bought me PINK tickets as a Christmas present last year, and on Sunday the big day arrived! She is an amazing performer and we both thoroughly enjoyed the concert!

knitting the "medallion"

I've begun knitting this "cardigan" from the most recent Vogue Knitting magazine. It is a knitted circle with slits for the arm holes. Annemieke calls it a giant doily, which I guess it really IS! Knitted in cotton-linen Moda Dea.

Another drawing

Another pastel drawing from the other day. This model is Rhianne.
24 x 36".

Paul Kelly Concert

Paul Kelly is one of my favourite musicians. He's a local identity writing folk songs and stories that are familair to us Mebournians/Australians. Russell bought me tickets to see him for my Birthday! With much anticipation the nite finally arrived and Paul lived up to expectations! (He may not be pretty, but he sure can tell a tale in song!) Reason#101 why I LOVE Melbourne and will never live any where else!

Life Drawing

Another drawing from during the week. This lovely model was named Lee Anne. I'll have the opportunity to work with her again this week. The drawing is pastel and charcoal and 24 x 36".

Walking the dog

As I've mentioned, it's a beautiful time of year here. This is one of the parks that Max and I walk through everyday.

the quirkiness of Melbournians

I just LOVE the people of Melbourne! There's such individualism, culture and a spirit of fun! "Andyman" was down the street the other day putting up a fence, all materials brought to the site in his astroturf covered van!

Autumn Cardigan

Just like that the weather has changed and today is a blustery, rainy Autumn day! Not that I'm complaining, I'm one of those odd ones who loves cooler weather, bundling up in layers of hand knits and going for brisk walks with Max, the dog! Almost finished with this cotton cardigan. Once again my photography is terrible and I just can't get the colour right...it really is a very rich cranberry!

Autumn in Melbourne

Whether it be in the Northern hemisphere or down here in Melbourne, Autumn is one of my favourite seasons. It was a beautiful warm day on Wednesday when Annemieke and I took a walk in Fawkner Park.

"Indie" embroidery

"Not your Grandma's embroidery!" Just for a bit of fun I drew up this design, put DH's name in it and embroidered it onto a t-shirt! The lighter colour thread glows-in-the-dark!!!

Good Friday

It's been a lovely day here, spent with the family. Max the dog brings joy to us all and loves a good game of soccer, although he really does need to learn to share the ball! With recent rains the garden is coming back into it's own. My favourite tree ferns are absolutely glorious at the moment!

memory brooch

1 x 1 1/2 x 3/16"
I'm still working on an idea of a piece of memory jewellery to commemorate my Father. I have fabricated this small brooch out of 26 gauge copper sheet, glass and silver. It is a box frame with the photo of my Father as a toddler in the background and within the space are small hearts cut from a rose petal from my Dad's ceremony. On the back I've etched falling oak leaves into the copper. This is definitely the direction I want to take this piece, just a matter of a bit of tweaking and refining. The final piece will probably be in silver, although I LOVE the way the copper compliments the colour of the original photo. (apologises for the blurred photo!)

crocheted cranberry cardigan

Although the colour isn't very accurate in this photo, it is a deep red cranberry. The fiber is cotton, and is beautiful to crochet with! I picked it up at Michael's as discontinued stock, one of the last times I was in America. A sleeve and a half to go, and I'll be able to sew it all together!! Yippee!

if nudity offends, avert your gaze!

Still drawing after all these years...
pastel 2 x 3'.

A few days away ...

Bendigo

Russell and I went away for a few days out to the country towns of Bendigo and Ballarat. I was interested in seeing an exhibition, "The Golden Age of Couture - Paris and London 1947-57," which was in it's final week at the Bendigo Art Gallery. Being a guy, Russell left me to the exhibition while he explored the rest of the town! Beautiful clothing including a cape worn by Audrey Hepburn, a suit of Leslie Caron's and dresses of both Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Amazing in their detailing!
The next day we went on to Ballarat and it's gallery with it's extensive Australian collection.

In memory of Dad

Other than the photos I have of my Father in recent years, this is the only other photo I have of him. In this photo he is a toddler in his native Netherlands. I'm trying to make a piece of Memory jewellery using this image. This piece is a brooch. I'm not very satisfied with this particular piece, but I have many other ideas which I will attempt. ( 24 gauge copper sheet with silver rivets and is 1 x 2 1/4 ". Unfortunately the image became a bit dulled in the making.)

The Stitches and Craft show

Last week I went to the Melbourne "Stitches and Craft Show. It is described as the "...meeting point and market place for contemporary crafters and designers from around Australia and beyond." I was particularly intrigued by seeing the documentary film by American Faythe Levine, "Handmade Nation, which documents artists, crafters and designers as they reflect the do-it-yourself movement, the new economy and lifestyle based on creativity, determination and networking." Also know as the "indy craft movement." I made this embroidery at the craft bar at the show. The design comes from Jenny Hart's "Sublime Stiching."

more jewellery...

I'm having such fun experimenting with my jewellery, and will have to focus on making my line for sale. I have several "outlets" of interest, it's just a matter of making duplicates. This little one is a brooch made of a vintage photo transfer onto copper with copper wings. She stands about 3" tall (complete with silver antennae) and 1 3/4" wide.

woodland creatures

I've been making a series of woodland creature brooches out of 22 gauge brass and copper and giving them a brushed finish. The deer is about 1 1/2 x 2' and the little wren is about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2"

Crocheted cardigan

Finally finished crocheting this little cardigan. I'm very happy with it, and it'll
carry me through the coming Autumn.

The Australian Silvereye

Small bird measuring between 110 - 130mm, critrine green with gray back . Makes a lovely delicate nest, laying two to four pale blue or blue green eggs. Feeds on insects, nectar and fruit.

Silvereye Egg

Height- 3.5cm, width-2.5cm, depth- 2.7cm

One of my favourite Australian birds is the little Silvereye. It is a tiny silver and green little finch like bird. I have been fortunate to find some empty Silvereye eggshells and have begun exploring the idea of fabricating little copper pendant boxes to house them. This one has a black and teal patina with a silver framed glass front. On the back I have etched the words, "bird, fly, and egg." It protects the delicate cargo and lets me share it's beauty with others.

jewellery

I've been working on jewellery for awhile now. Combining my love of antique bits and pieces. This brooch is an antique photo transferred onto copper with a metal heart and wings riveted on. (I'm very fond of this little guy!) My favourite place to scavenge is the
Sunday Camberwell market. It is here that I found
this tiny porcelain doll, 1" tall. Combined with my
handmade pearl chain, the necklace has a decidedly
"rosary" look as many have commented.

Brooch
height-5.5cm x width5.5cm
Necklace
2.5cm doll, necklace 38cm long

Love of textiles!

The meditative quality of knitting and crochet is something that I've enjoyed for years, neither process can be rushed. There's something so lovely about making fabric and then an article of clothing out of nothing more than some sticks and knotted string! This is a cotton cardigan in progress from the Paton's book, "Hooked on Style."



215 x 171cm
I really have a love of textiles working with fabrics, yarns and coloured threads....For years I've been collecting Japanese fabrics and I've finally composed them into a quilt. The photo just shows the pieced together top, I've since added an Australian wool batting and a backing fabric and will begin the quilting process later today! The finished quilt will be about 171 x 215cm (that's roughly 6 x 7ft for you imperialists!)

Valentine's Day

To the loves of my life, Russell and Annemieke, Happy Valentine's Day!
I've crocheted hearts from cotton (roxycraft design) and the flowers are from my hubby!

Black Saturday

I'd like to begin my blog by acknowledging the tragedy of Australia's worst natural disaster, "Black Saturday," bush fire that began on Saturday 7th February on a day when temperatures soared to 47C (115F) with stong winds, causing the fires to spread quickly. For all those lives lost, the injured and now homeless, my heart goes out to you. Thank you to all those overseas friends whom thoughtfully enqueried about our safety, we thank you for your care and concern...we are safe! I would also like to acknowledge Russell's tireless work with Community Recovery and helping those in these trying times. The Australian spirit lives in all of the fire fighters and support workers! Thank you.