Books, books, book...!

For those of you interested in Books; my daughter sent me a link to a wonderful book sales site (UK) called the Book Depositry and the books seem very reasonably priced - the bonus being they don't charge postage! Worldwide!

For example that wonderful Boro book that we would all love to own is only $57.11 AU and no postage. It is $70.20 US on Amazon plus postage (and they have only 1 copy!) They seem to have a great selection of textile titles too.....

I'm heading back over there now......! ; )

The end of the beasts......

I did a eucalypt dye batch last weekend -to add to my stash. No huge pieces of fabric just wanted some more odds and sods for this piece I am working on… I think I am going to call it Earth Skin…

I have a thing for maps and aerial views and am lucky enough to have the most amazing book titled ‘Earth from Above’ with photography by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. It is divine! Another I have is ‘Over Europe’ which is a collection of photos from the same photographer and several others. Text is by Jan Morris.

This piece is made from hand dyed, printed and rusted silks. All hand stitched and seams basted a la Jude Hill’s invisible basting technique.

Jude’s Patchwork Beast online workshop has finished now. I haven’t been able to participate as much as I would have liked this time but I still walk away with some lovely techniques that I know I am going to utilise.

I spent almost 2 days solid stitching on this! I don’t think I am going to find and embellish a beast as such but see it more as a piece of Earth Skin. I see paddocks and roads and I want to add a creek and some dams… Maybe I will add an eye though...! Approx 55cm x 43cm (22"x17")

Some fantastic work was created in Jude's class. I loved checking out the site each day and viewing all the wonderous work that was posted. It was a large class and a very varied menagerie...!

Just thinking out loud… What if it was a piece of dried Earth Skin? So instead of blue creeks/ rivers/ dams they are the dried up remnant of those. Like scars on the skin?

'Black' Iris, Herbs and Vegies

The dark iris buds have opened!

They are such a dark velvety purple and absolutely gorgeous!

Here's another yellow one. I love the surprises I’ve been having each day as the buds show colour and I find out which I planted where!

My favourites are pink irises….. but I’m fairly sure I don’t have one. I’ll need to keep an eye out at the nursery….!

We have 3 old and very heavy concrete laundry troughs which were located in various places in our huge house yard. They had been used as garden pots by the previous owners. Whilst Jon’s boys Ben and James are here we utilised their extra brawn to move them all into the vege patch, where I will turn them into herb gardens! They are all double troughs, so I have the equivalent of 6 new large pots! I added alpaca poop, compost and mulch to the soil. I’ll give them a week or so to fester nicely in the warmth and wetness before planting them up! It'll be nice to keep the herbs close together and they look great along the fence of the vegie patch...

The beans I planted a week ago aren’t up yet… hopefully they won’t be too much longer! The peas and snow peas are starting to produce… so we've been munching as we've been working. I don't think I've ever actually got fresh peas shelled, cooked and served to the table!

On the road again tomorrow; I’m driving the boys back home. I'll travel an extra hour to go to a large art store to get a few supplies!

Recommended Artist's Journal Book

Here is a book I can recommend with much enthusiasm! I received it from Amazon on Friday and have been savouring it bit by bit, day by day for the last few evenings; sitting up in bed with a cuppa -and the best bit is; I'm still not quite done!!! The pages are in many styles by many talented journal artists and are fantastic inspiration. I thoroughly recommend it!


Amazon.com: 1,000 Artist Journal Pages: Personal Pages and Inspirations (1000 Series) (9781592534128): Dawn DeVries Sokol: Books

Edited to add photo...

Would love to add either my own pic (haven't actually taken one tho!) or the Amazon pic - not sure if that's allowed?

Of Magic Moments and Journeys....

Magic Moment

I am hoping to enter a quilt into the Bunbury Patchwork and Quilting 2010 International Quilt Challenge. I‘ve had the challenge fabric for about 4 months now; it was actually a pleasant surprise when I opened the envelope because the piece contains my very favourite colour combination -orange and hot pink! There was always a quilt lurking in those colours anyway; so this will push me into action! I know it sounds gaudy but I was married in a very simple halter neck orange Thai silk wedding dress! (With hot pink Thai silk covered heels!) I have some of the leftover orange silk here somewhere......

I am playing around with a design concept at the moment, and have completed my very first piece of needle turn appliqué as a sample! I’m so very proud of myself as I really didn’t think I’d have the finesse to make it look ok. I’m sure with some practice I can become quite good at this. Perhaps I should look up some instructions for inner corners etc. What is happening to me? What’s this talk of samples? Don’t I just usually jump on in and see where it takes me? Practice? What’s going on?

The theme is: ‘MAGIC MOMENT’. My inspiration is the moment I met my hubby- when our eyes locked! OMG!!! The idea I have in mind is very time consuming; so we’ll see how much patience I have and whether or not I end up getting it completed in time! If not it will be a wonderful addition to our walls when I do get it done! Entries are due in by 22nd Feb 2010!

Needle Turn Applique Sample

Where Will the Journey End?
That’s the title of this piece I have been working on incorporating one of the fabric print lino cuts (printed onto a piece of the onion-skin dyed cotton) The background is onion-skin dyed silk, and there is also a small piece of the wool felt from that dye batch too. Isn’t that ginger colour gorgeous?

I used vintage buttons (some wooden) and vintage wooden beads. The quote ‘migrate’ is inkjet printed onto paper, with interfacing ironed on the back, tea stained and crumpled. I quite like the technique and it is the first time I have incorporated paper.

Detail showing feather lino cut and vintage buttons

I have added a hanging sleeve at the back and it now hangs from a piece of gum tree branch.

Detail showing vintage wooden buttons, tea-stained inkjet printed quote

and onion-skin dyed wool felt.

I’m finding dabbling in mixed media and collage so freeing and sooooo much fun! I really enjoyed making this piece!

I can use portions of unsuccessful paintings, drawings and prints; my dyed fabric, vintage finds etc. I’m also excited about fabric collages! It feels wonderful to not be limited by materials and to have a full range of both materials and techniques to choose from.

I have been inspired by a few books I have bought recently:

Mixed-Media Collage - An Exploration of Contemporary Artists, Methods, and Materials by Holly Harrison

Collage Sourcebook-Exploring the Art and Techniques of Collage (Quarry Books)

Fabric Art Collage - 40+ Mixed Media Techniquies by Rebekah Meier

I can recommend each of them (all available from Amazon)

Back to Puddleducking..............!!

'Where Will the Journey End?'