Drawer fetish

I have to confess, I have this drawer fetish. My studio has a myriad of sets of drawers, wooden, metal, plastic, even cardboard.
The photos show my latest collection, they are very tiny, ideal for all my small elements and found objects. I started out with one set as they were very cheap in price and quality, but once I realized how useful they were I had to have more. For you Aussies and New Zealanders out there, I bought them at the Wharehouse, a chain that sells pretty much everything very cheap, the quality is not always brilliant though. These were originally $9.50 AU dollars, but I bought them on special for $2.50. Needles to say they are almost full of my little treasures.

I also have photos of my latest jewellery that I'll be adding to my Etsy store today





Here's a couple of photos of my jewellery desktop, the drops lined up are ready to be assembled into a new necklace. The other photo is typical of the things I collect, these are very, very old buttons. I've used a couple in the copper earrings above.




I thought it was about time I added some artwork as well as jewellery, which seems to have taken over my life at present.
Here's a page from my latest altered book, I'll probably add images to the pages later.



And finally, do I hear a cheer, this is a site I meant to mention on my last entry. They are trying to get like minded blogs from around the world out there. They contacted me and asked if I'd mind if they did an entry about my blog, to which I agreed. Here's the link Queen Kat's bloggers club They are doing a great job.

Sorry one last thing. Thanks to the lovely Judy Scott and the very talented Waltraud for both nominating me for 'You make my day' award
I would like to nominate all the blogs I visit on a daily basis, you're all wonderful artists and blogger friends. I promise I'll go now. See ya.

Best scissors ever, plus this and that

I've just discovered a fabulous pair of scissors, Judy told me about them so I bought a pair from her Red velvet elements Etsy store . They are made by Tim Holtz and are incredible. I've cut all of the objects shown on my cutting board in the photo, the pieces are all metal and the really thick copper I usually have to cut with my dremel, not any more, not now have these babies, just amazing. Thanks Judy and Tim.



This is a pair of earrings to go to one of the galleries. I'm just fixing up my Pay Pal account and then I'll have some jewellery to sell in my Etsy store, hopefully by the end of the week.



This is a section of a mosaic column I have in progress at the moment, it's taken a back seat for awhile, but I hope to get back to it soon.






These are all photos of parts of my studio and some of my art materials Mary Harris nominated me some time ago to show my studio desktop. As I've already shown a fair portion of my studio recently I thought I'd just show some close up snippets. Hope you're watching Mary, sorry it took me so long.

I was also nominated sometime ago by the fabulous children's author and artist Jackie Morris or her cats actually, to state five collective nouns, I gather they relate to what I do.
Well Jackie provided the first one
a rainbow of colour, a necklace of beads, a library of altered books, a recycling of found objects and lastly a yarn of wool.
Too much thinking for this hour of the night. I would recommend a visit to Jackie's web site, she is the most fantastic illustrator and has great photos of her studio. Jackies cat's have their own blog too which is great fun for all the animal lovers.

Altered book workshop

I'm teaching another altered book workshop this weekend, so I'm busily preparing kits for the class. I've also taken a few shots of my studio. I collect books like I collect most things, never in moderation. I love this little corner, I often sit with a coffee just to look something up and find two hours later I'm still there and have forgotten what I went to search for.
I have another section to the left where I have all my textiles, fibres and computer set up, I'll show photos on another day, when I've had a clean up.

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.

Mirror image

I haven't any art to show today as I've been so busy working on my book for our ABRR. While I was working I happened to glimpse the view out of my studio window, in a mirror I have hanging on my book shelves. It's funny how you see things differently in reverse, I take my view out of the window for granted, but in reverse it's like a whole new garden.
I can't show any photos of my book until it returns in November 2008, I hope it has a safe journey around Australia and the US, I'd love to be visiting some of the places it will go to, some of the stories it could tell, I'm looking forward to working in other peoples books too.