Decisions and a Sale

Earlier in the year I planned to sell my jewellery at some local markets before Christmas. Various health issues and time contraints mean that is not going to happen - and I almost feel a sense of relief, I don't think it was meant to be. I really did feel bound to create 'for the market' each time I sat in the cave.

And yet I am finding it hard to create with a bag full of trinkets sitting homeless beside me. Today I have begun listing items on my etsy - so far all are at the bargain price of $10US - and I can already feel the call to create returning. I now have the desk space and the motivation and with holidays just around the corner I will have time too -yippee!

Starting Christmas ...

Some time ago I asked my friend Dotee if she could make me some faces for Dotee Dolls, very kindly she did so (If you want some pop to her Etsy where she has whole kits for sale). After spending quite some time picking fabrics I started to stitch, planning on making these as a mobile for a friend.

Somehow they began to get a festive feel and now these Christmas Dotees will be given as very special ornaments to brighten a tree at Christmas, and perhaps for the rest of the year too.

I recently bought a cat tunnel, thinking Harvey (who is indoors all day) would like it. Poor Harvey has hardly been allowed in, Charles has adopted the tunnel - complete with its catnip sprinkles and has even managed to move it with him from room to room.

Journey's end

Just over 18 months ago (after attending the Artistic Journey art retreat in Fremantle) I was asked to join seven Australian and six American artists in a journey that was to take 18months; an altered book round robin. I can't say enough about the kindness and talent of this group of ladies - each month has brought a new set of pages to drool over, and a new challenge as I sought inspiration from themes I would never have considered.
The section above is a sneak peak (just under 1/8th) of the pages I did for Marie in her book Urban Debris. I was the last one to work in this amazing book and it is on its merry way to her now.

The village is....

WooHoo! I finally finished the houses to swap at Creative Soul Retreat in March. I laughed at Janet's comment on an earlier posting - that by the end I would be a master builder; I am not sure about that, but by the end I was definitely on a roll and anything on my desk was fair game to become building materials.

And here is Archer smelling scrumptious (please tell me you did not just sniff the screen), after his visit to the Grooming Gallery on Monday.

Hello

Antique bisque doll head earrings

Archer: Are you in there?

Hi everyone, time has flown since I last blogged and so much has happened good and bad.

I have been sick, and truly the list sounds like the Lament of Job, my foot continues to be an issue, a winter cold, conjunctivitis, mouth ulcers and more - just when I though I had escaped winter without being sick. So there was not much art completed at all.

These earrings have been sitting waiting to be constructed for ages, it is nice to finally have them finished and dangling merrily.

I thought you might like these pictures I managed to capture during a game of hide and seek, often the pace is too fast as the game is combined with chasey in the furry world and I get pictures that are a blur.

Last week my new nephew was born - he is smoochalicious and i am besotted already! While he was arriving my Mum had my niece to stay and we had a giggle playing hide and seek -it was nice to be a participant.

Work has been difficult. I have to be careful what I say, but essentially for the first time in my life I had to raise a concern about some abuse I was experiencing. The decision about how to handle that was taken out of my hands and some interesting decisions were made which ultimately left me feeling unsafe at home as well.

More houses for the Creative Soul Retreat village.

Now I am feeling almost 100%, the dark cloud that has come as I battled situations and sickness is lifting and I can enjoy the outdoors as summer saunters in with the help of daylight savings! Long afternoons in the garden are coming, furries all coming to pester and chase the weeds as I pull them. Early evenings on the deck with a cup of tea or a glass of red and all while unconstrained by jumpers, jeans and joggers (OK, I couldn't resist the j's).

Harvey: At last she recognises my Indian roots - dahl on nahn bread.

I just checked I have well over 200 blog posts to catch up on so there will be a nice night or two browsing for inspiration and catching up as well.

Phantom: Can't a bloke have a bit of privacy while he cleans.

My friend got married and I got rust

so we're both happy. K married a farmer with a shiny new tractor, clean new ute and lots of modern stuff (I had to put that in because F will probably read this). On the farm there is also lots of beautiful rust and F has quickly become an expert at bringing special pieces in and asking K if I would like them. I do. I hear the neighbours have joined the fun and are contributing as well. These two lots are the result of our last two visits - the shearing combs are for a design I have had in my head for almost a year, the rest could become anything, or I might just keep looking at the stash, enjoying the colours and textures.

The pin above has an old rusty lid as it's base and is my comment on landmines. If you would like to buy it drop by my Etsy store.

Art and more..

These little houses are the first 7 of 45 I am making for a swap as part of Creative Soul Retreat in March next year. I think perhaps I am nuts, but they will look fantastic when we all have 45 in different styles, sizes and shapes. the backgrounds are all the same, torn vintage papers, and they will all be coated in shellac, as for the in between - whatever is on my desk.

This Tassel Secrets Doll is a step out for me - working in pinks and some purples. She will be available on my Etsy in the next day or so.

This needle felted ATC and the one below were so fun to make, and a great way to use the tiny fabric scraps on my desk. The 'River' tassel doll was a commission and is (I think) hanging in her new home.