Finally I'm Back!

(Front View)

Well I finished the bulk of my clean-up and reorganization last Sunday a week ago (and I am feeling very pleased with myself!!) but then had to go to Leonora/Wiluna for work purposes so I haven't been around much lately. This weekend just gone, my son Josh flew up to Kalgoorlie so I made the most of his few days with us (and it was my birthday as well so it was extra-special family time!)

As a result I haven't been doing much creative stuff (outside of the kitchen) although I have finished a couple of art commitments. The first one is a fabric journal wrap that I made for Samm as my "Art of the Month" for a small group exchange. It looks a whole lot better in real life but my camera batteries were flat and I needed to get it in the mail today so I have made do with scans! Inside the wrap I have included a lovely colourful journal which I liberated from an unappreciative owner at our local monthly trash and treasure market. The wrap has pockets to hold the journal and is made from a mixture of vintage kimono fabric, new asian themed fabrics, a felt backing and some delicious velvet ric rac. The ties are dyed leather with recycled asian decorative coins.

(Back View)

I also made this little bird fabric ATC last night for my latest exchange with the cross-stitching ATC Anne Lugherini.

I have been blessed with some lovely mail of late - here is the first instalment! This is Pippa's interpretation of the June Calendar Girl picture (by Ton Schulten) - I love her dreamy postcard. And it came in this wonderful fibrous painted (internal!) envelope with some yummy clay beads/buttons.

And Cait sent me a gorgeous green ATC (along with her Green Inchies) - Annie and I are swapping them all out this week so I will be posting pictures later this week of all that green inchie goodness (there were 20 players who each sent 54 inchies so I guess you can imagine ....the mess that Annie and I could very easily get in!!) PS Sorry again about the blur - the ATC is quite "dimensional" and I really should have waited for a photo!


And last but not least, here is the latest ATC I have received from my exchanges with Anne Lugherini (Iam always running late!).


More tomorrow...

Tuesday Night & MMM "Stars"

First off - a sunrise from last week! I love watching the sun come up (almost as much as I love still being in bed and missing it!)


Can't think of a good post title but today I received my August postcard for the Calendar Girl exchange. This one is by Sharon Young and she went in a completely different direction considering the inspiration is this calendar picture.

When I first saw it on the CG blog I did a bit of double-take but as soon as I read Sharon's blog I "got it"!! Having had sons I really like the steam engine connection as there was a stage there where I was a bit of expert on steam trains! We even took some trips on steam trains and discovered their real (as opposed to theoretical) appeal. Note to my Mum - do you remember that Fremantle Christmas trip??? I was within days of giving birth to Zach and we took my niece Jasmine (then 5), nephew Jarrad (then 3) & son Josh (then 2) on a special Christmas steam train trip that involved a party and a visit from Father Christmas down at Fremantle. Such good memories! (PS An amazing amount of work went into Sharon's postcard and I just love it!!)

I am loving Kelly Rae's book and already feel confident recommending it - she is one special woman and I just love her spirit and honesty (in addition to her art!). So hope she agrees to come to Australia to teach in the next couple of years!

Bit busy here tonight as my sister arrives for a visit tomorrow so these are my entries for the "Stars" theme over at Mixed Media Monday - all are ATCs I have made previously! I love stars - I think they symbolise hope!

A Quick Post!!

(A work in progress - my rusted fabric quilt)

This is just a quick post from the Western Australian goldfields where it is so hot I have lost my urge to finish my clean out (clean-up!) and have no energy to create...I couldn't even make it tonight to Annie's for our first Wed night get-together for 2008. Temperatures are supposed to drop a bit for the weekend thank goodness so I expect to be back in action soon!

I have, however, received some wonderful mail this week -

(Fabric embellisher ATC from Bina in Israel)

(plus Goodies from Bina)

(A gorgeous Christmas Card from Dianne Mahoney - no blog :( )

(ATC from Dianne Mahoney)

(Fascinating Fabric Postcard from Val Thomas)

(plus Beautiful napkins and lots of lace from Val)

And today I received my Jan/Feb Somerset Studio - I haven't been contributing as regularly as I used to over the last year or so to this wonderful magazine so it was a real thrill today to get my copy and find three of my pieces included -

(My "New Beginnings" piece - top right hand corner)

(My beeswax"Singing Bird" Canvas bottom left hand corner)

(and My Lutrador Leaf hanger - bottom right corner)