Jewellery for a change

I've finally got around to finishing some jewellery and adding it to my Etsy store. These pieces are all one of  kind, I never make two the same. The fabric beads are all made by me as are the soldered pieces of china. I've also made the components that make up the pieces. The lengths can be adjusted by putting the hand made hook into any of the loops on the chain, making the pieces very versatile.

The finished necklace. SOLD

a vintage brass boot charm that was a very old button, an opening brass locket and a lovely old amber coloured globe that I've wired with brass wire.

the locket closed

repurposed jewellery

repurposed jewellery, a very old army brass button, a vintage blue button and a very old bead from Africa

SOLD - Thank you

This is another necklace, it can be worn long or shortened by putting the hook into any of the chain links.

the brass circle swivels and is from a lamp fitting, the main bead is ceramic

I've soldered a piece of china and drilled a hole then added an eyelet, I've done the same for the beach glass.

this necklace also features one of my hand made fabric beads

the five drops of the necklace, it's very comfortable and easy to wear

This is the third necklace, again it can be worn long or shortened by putting the hand wired hook into one of the links of the chain.

I used a brass keyhole plate for the main feature, it has mica in the actual key hole to protect the art deco flower graphic, which is glued to the inside of the copper back of the piece 

This shows the oxidized copper back that has been riveted to the brass front piece. There are brass spacers to separate the two pieces of metal. 

another soldered piece of china, a very old key, a vintage button and one of my hand made fabric beads.

You can just see the brass spacers in this view. There are also semi precious stones, crystal beads and a very old African bead.

I have one more to be added to my Etsy tomorrow.

Another journal

I've had a few people contact me re my journals mentioning that the journals sell before they get to check them out. I think it's great that they sell fairly quickly and I really appreciate my valued customers. This time I've decided to show photos of the journal before I put it in my Etsy store, that way people can check it out first. I will be posting this one in my Etsy store tomorrow night Australian time. Below are just a few of the pages and details.

SOLD before going to Etsy

The journal measures 150mm or 6 inches x 220mm or 8 and 1/2 inches. 

There are 128 paper pages, 16 fabric pages and dyed doilies and lace pages, this includes both sides.

There are blank white pages with my hand carved stamp borders, my decorated papers and a couple of papers made and printed in India. Many of the fabrics are my hand dyed and printed ones.

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments in previous posts and for supporting my work, it's much appreciated.

In my studio

I decided to get with the Christmas cheer and added a few decorations to my studio, I have so much 'stuff' in my studio that they almost get lost, but it's lovely to enter into my magical world each day.

This is one of my work spaces. I've almost completed another journal to go in my Etsy store over the weekend. That's the cover and the pages stacked ready to be sewn in.

A close up of the journal.

The cover, I used my hand dyed thread for stitching around the edges.

This candle has been burning on and off for days giving off a beautiful spicy fragrance.

Jacky made the round, red printed bird and the pine cone tree my grandson made for me

four Christmases ago, I love it.

I made a tree from a bamboo twig, the tinsel bird was made by Dot.

I have a passion for paper tapes. The fabric medical tape pattern was made by rolling the tape over one of my hand carved stamps.

I've also been dying fabric and decided to try out some buttons and beads. This is the before.

And this is the after, I'm amazed how the very cheap 'pearl' beads took the colour so well.

The purple looks great on the brown buttons now too.

Flora - on line

I did a wonderful workshop with Flora Bowley when she came to Australia earlier this year. It was so inspiring and Flora is a fabulous person and teacher, so giving of her techniques and time. Flora's workshops are so freeing and really help loosen up your style. My whole way of painting has now been so positively influenced by Flora's workshop.
For those of you, anywhere in the world, who would love to take her class, you can now do so as Flora has set up what looks to be a tremendous on-line workshop starting in February. Registration is now open so you can find all of the details HERE

Photos of Flora and her work.

Words on Etsy

I'm often asked how I create the stitched words that I add to my journal pages. They're free motion machine stitched, which isn't that easy unless you have the right foot for your machine and can hold the fabric steady while feeding it into the machine. I decided to make up packs of five random words and have added them to my Etsy store.

The words are stitched to double thickness off white calico, I think you call it muslin in the US.

Each pack contains five randomly selected words unless specifically requested.

This is how I use them in my journals. They can form the theme for a page or be added after the page is completed.

They can also be added to art quilts, clothing, used in fabric jewellery making or collages.

It's up to your imagination.

Art is You Retreat

I'll be teaching a two day journal workshop and a one day necklace workshop at the fabulous Art is You Retreat in Sydney next March 2012. There will be twelve teachers with a vast array of subjects they're teaching. It would be great if you could join us. This retreat is so popular all over in the US and now it's coming to Australia, with Aussie teachers. Check out the website for details.

The teachers and organisers.

Some of the papers we will be making.

The journal will be similar to this one.

Typical fabric pages, I'm working on the sample at present and will show it as soon as it's completed.

This is the necklace.

Would love to see you there.