7 things about me

I've been tagged for the third time, first by Deb, then Marie and now Nicole to state seven things about myself, so I'd better get on with it.
1 I was born in England and came to Australia when I was nine.
2 I love collecting art material and junk and get great satisfaction creating something from discarded materials.
3 I have a Dr Spok or pixie ear, much to my husband's amusement, he's a real Treky fan.
4 I have an affinity to the sea, I love to listen to the waves and feel the breezes on my face.
5 My three grandchildren call me RoRo, not grandma.
6 Colour is extremely important to me, it influences every aspect of my life.
7 I have a wonderful husband who supports and encourages me in all my art ventures, even if he refuses to enter my studio without a wearing a hard hat on occasions
I nominate anyone who wishes to be tagged.

Found objects jewellery and art

Today I went to the Quilt and Craft show, mainly because they also had a Bead Fair there too. I think maybe it was too close to me having visited the Bead and Gem show a couple of months ago, as it wasn't long before I was beaded out, but not before I managed to spend a bit of money, I can NEVER come home empty handed.

The top photo is a piece of art I've sent to Sharon for a swap we're in together. I love what Sharon's made, her work is on her blog.

The jewellery is headed for the gallery next week, I still have more to complete. I'm seriously thinking of starting an etsy shop for my jewellery and maybe home made journals. I just have to build up my stock.

I'm working on an altered book swap at present, it's quite a challenge as my current book belongs to Judy from Red velvet blog. You should visit her site if you haven't already, her work is magnificent, her books are made with such feeling and empathy to the subject. A most inspiring site.

Altered pages

Since teaching my last altered book workshop, the ladies in the group wondered if we could have an altered book get together once a month, so we decided that we would meet on the third Thursday of the month in the evening and just create. I would be there to answer any questions and offer advice on any new products or techniques, etc. We had our first meeting last week which was a great success, it's wonderful to see such enthusiastic participants and to see all the different books and watch the ideas bounce around. It still amazes me how you can get so many interpretations of a single idea, we certainly are all individuals and art seems to be a very definite way of revealing it.

The photos are three of the pages I've just completed. In the second photo I tore pages from the yellow pages phone book to create the background, then painted, stamped, transfered and sketched over it. The last photo has a tulip serviette as the main feature again with stamping and sketching. I love creating many layers, knowing when to stop is always a problem.
I still return to pages I created months ago and add things if it 'feels' right.

Mail Art - Crusade No 10

This is a padded post bag, I've decorated as my entry into Michelle Ward's Street Team crusade No. 10. The subject this month is Mail art. Michelle is one cool blogger who's encouraging everyone to visit like minded blogs, she's also hoping this latest crusade will get people to decorate their envelopes when they send out their mail. How great is that? Keep it up Michelle.

Studio and Journal

I've just done a bit of rearranging and cleaning up in my studio. I used to be a draftswoman and technical illustrator many years ago, before computers took over. I've had this fantastis drawing board all these years, but it takes up so much space, my dear husband has been trying to talk me into getting rid of it for years, but you know the old feeling that you might just need it one day. Well he's won, but there is compromise, I took the top off the board and got rid of the stand. The top is cedar and has made a fantastic desk, you can see it in the photos, that's now where I do my journals and altered books. To the right is another story, that's where I do my mosaics and major constructions, that defies being tidy. That's real hard hat territory.
Next step is my jewellery making area and my textile zone. I'll show photos later, when they've been given the treatment.

More altered pages

This is the book I work in when I teach my altered book workshops. I tend to do experiments in this book so it ends up a mish mash of styles. I don't mind this as I have a wide range of tastes when it comes to art and journals.

The top three images show two pages, with two shortened pages in the middle. I've used lots of transfers on the third image and hand written text.

In the next image, I decided to concentrate on art and art supplies. I used ads from the yellow pages as part of the background, along with serviettes. I painted some lace, made letters from some thin brass I had in my junk box and stamped to tie it altogether with my eraser stamps.

The last photo shows a page the revolved around the brochure for the movie Golden Flower. Again I used serviettes for some of the background. I tore up the brochure then stuck pieces of it down, I used my eraser stamps and even a discarded sugar packet to finish off. I like to give some of my pages an edging held with eyelets. It strengthens the page and provides somewhere to add extras.

I'm going through Randi Feuerhelm-Watt's Wide Open book and cards. This is a totally different way of journaling for me, but I'm loving it.

Found objects production line

These are some of the many drawers where I keep some of my found objects and beads.
I have quite a production line going when I get working on large orders. I have two more galleries that are interested in seeing my work, so I'm trying to build up my stock.
I love working in my studio in the evenings, especially when it's raining, as it has been on and off, over the last few days. We have a metal roof and the patter of the rain, whilst being very cosy indoors, is really relaxing. When the wind blows, I image I can hear the waves at the beach, (I have a very good imagination), and I'm lost in my own little world. Bliss.

Sienna's wall

This is a mural I painted late last year on my granddaughter's bedroom wall, I've shown the main photo before on my blog, but I've recently taken some close up shots of some of the characters. It's lovely to watch Sienna sit and talk to the fish, I think her favourite's the turtle. When you lift her up she touches them then smiles and talks to them in her lingo.
It was my largest canvas ever and my biggest worry was getting the water to look like water, once that was done I was much happier. It certainly was a challenge, my children like stretching my boundaries.