Charm Swap

I've finished my bracelet from all the charms I received in Dawn Seller's charm swap. We each made 25 charms and sent them to Dawn, she did a fantastic job of distributing them as there were 111 of us in the swap.
I've made the bracelet so that I can add a chain at either end and turn it into a necklace. Thanks everyone for your charms, they're lovely.
Visit Dawn's site and see her magnificent necklace, she made enough charms to swap with everyone.

Paintings have been Delivered

I delivered my paintings to the art show tonight. They are totally different, one's a pastel painting and the other is acrylic, mixed media,collage. I like so many styles of painting, I find it hard to concentrate on just one.
Now I'm back to making jewellery.
I found out today my little four year old grandson is coming to stay with me on Saturday so we're in for a day of art, he loves it.
It's such a special time together.

Nina knots and Found objects

This is a necklace I've made since Fremantle, using my found objects and Nina's knots. This one's for me, I usually end up sending them to the galleries but I'm going to keep this one. I now have to work like mad to replenish the ones they sold this month.

I'm putting a couple of paintings into the Knox Rotary show this weekend, a pastel painting and a mixed media acrylic painting, I'm still working on the pastel, I hope to get it finished tonight, framed tomorrow night (I already have the frame) and delivered Thursday .

I received my charms from Dawn Seller's charm swap yesterday, I can't wait to get them made up into a bracelet, they're fabulous.

Better get back to my painting.

Michelle's pick your poison - crusade no 6

Michelle Ward has competitions on her Street Team site, the current one is crusade no. 6 - name your poison. It's about things we collect and mine definitely has to be art stuff. The photos show small snippets of my collections in my studio, I also have the bead, pastel and found objects drawers from an earlier post. My studio looks like a war zone most times as I usually have a least half a dozen projects on the go at once, but it's also the most productive room in the house and I love it.

Journaling with what's available

This was work I did in my journal on the four hour flight from Perth. I did the graphics with gel pens, then added the old payslip envelope that I had in my bag, I hinged it into the book with some money note images that were in a magazine I was reading along with the dream quote, it's amazing what you can create from nothing, I'm working with old used tea bags at the moment creating some 'unusual' art, I'll post it here later if it works out.
I'm going to be teaching a one day altered book workshop, and a one day decorated paper and journal making workshop at Hann Made in Mentone next term, if anyone's interested in attending they can email me or contact Hann Made Studio for details.

Copper booklace Necklace

I've finally finished my necklace that I started in Nina's class, after trying to find the wire at Australia's biggest chain of hardware stores, I finally gave up and used the wire that I bought at a chain of art stores, I'm sure it's the same thing just with a different name.
The book covers are made from copper, the pages are mini collages, sandwiched between sheets of mica, the fabric was my own hand decorated and stamped with a stamp I carved from erasers. The cream beads are very old ivory that belonged to my husband's grandmother, and the key was one of a collection I've gathered over the years.
Plans are already underway for the art retreat in 2008, this time it will be in Melbourne, they are still deciding on tutors, but I for one hope Nina returns. If anyone is interested in making enquiries re the retreat they can contact Jo or Jacky for more details or to let them know who you would like to come here and teach.

Found objects dilemma

Wow what a find today, these old rusty stencils out in the yard of an old factory. The problem is, before I did Michael's class I would probably have cleaned them up a bit and used them for what they are, stencils, now I think it would be sacrilege to remove the rust and the beautiful aging, they'll probably end up in an 'Ass-am-blaaaage' (Michael's pronunciation) or a 'coll-aaaage'.

The old dolls eyes have always intrigued me, they, along with some of the keys and the old rusty bits I've already transformed,are going to become a necklace. I think some Nina knots will go well with these. I'll show photos when it's done.

Last of the Trading Cards

These are the last of the trading cards I made just before last weekends retreat. The one at the bottom left I gave to Michael as it was totally recycled including the Ferrar Rocher wrapper and gold foil.
I'm still chasing black annealed steel wire to finish my necklace I made in Nina's class. You'd think it was gold, I've been to three major hardware stores but they haven't a clue. Joe from the retreat has given me the code for the wire now, so I hope that might help, I'll buy a truck load if I ever find it. When I finally finish my necklace I'll post pictures.

Pez number 2

Meeting the Masters

Wow what a weekend. I've just returned from the art retreat in Fremantle WA, unfortunately I was only able to attend on two of the days not three, but I still had a fantastic time. My husband came too and spent his weekend touring the coffee shops, taking photos and buying me beads from the market, he's a gem.
I did Nina's 'copper booklace workshop' and Michael's 'pez dispenser totem workshop'. I wasn't able to fit in Lesley's workshop which would have been great because it was transfers and journals.
There were a great bunch of people there including two ladies who I hadn't met before who only live in the next suburb to me, which was amazing since it's a four hour flight to WA. There was even a lady who had flow out from Canada. The tutors were fabulous giving us so much of their time and knowledge. Nina is such a lovely lady and we introduced her to the art of biting off the corners of tim tam biscuits and sucking the tea up through it, I don't think she'll be rushing out to try it again, but we got some great photos. I'll include the necklace I almost completed in Nina's workshop as soon as it's finished.
Michael's class was amazing, I have a much greater respect for liquid nails now, having worn it for most of the weekend.
It's incredible what you can stick together and then paint and turn it into a rusty, still functioning, relic, in this case pez dispensers. I've included the two I made in class, they're not quite complete, but almost. Jo and Jackie Artistic Journey did a wonderful job of organizing the retreat, they put so much time and effort into it, if they have one next year I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
We were lucky to be coming home today as the temperature in Perth reached 42 deg C (104 degF). Nina, Lesley and Michael also left for Sydney so they missed the heat too.