Long absence

I'm good at leaving this blog for ages. That has partly been because I haven't been up to much. Well, I have. But it's all here: http://www.crystalvoyager.blogspot.com/ I made these over the last week or so. I've been wanting to get more into some mixed media and in particular, books, but just don't quite know where to start. These were small, simple and fun. May goal was to introduce layers as I tend to work quite flat. They are 4 x 4 inches.

Biff the Crystal Voyager

Between Christmas and New Year's I painted our van. Here's a few shots. This is what it used to look like.

One side done, but with paper still up.

Viola!!

New Journal Finished

This is for my upcoming trip to Queensland. I have included places for photos, writing, recording our surf sessions and keeping goodies I find along the way.

I have yet to trim the transfers I did on silk. They'll go in here.

Maps so we know where to go :)

Pockets and places for goodies!

More transfers.

Birthday presents and drawings!

I've just made a present for a friend who's birthday is this weekend. I've done a bit of a tutorial, taking photos along the way...This is lying out bits of vlisofix on black felt. Laying out squares onto the felt.Ironed and ready to be stitched down properly. Stitched using straight stitch and metallic thread.Painted and stamped with puff paint, ready to be puffed. After puffing it with an iron, I painted the puff and any bare bits with black felt showing through. Then rubbed in treasure gold too. I painted some sticks and wound them with wire and beads. Cut my fabric into an arch shape and sewn it into my frame. I glued moulded, painted model magic in the centre and attached beads with wire off the bottom. Here's some of my drawings!

November Arch and Journal making

I have finished my 2nd last arch for the Textile Challenges group on yahoogroups. This one is for Kate who like autumn colours and vintage things.Last weekend my husband and I nested.... He in front of the xbox and I at the kitchen table. We had a fab weekend. I basically started and finished this travel journal for my friend for Christmas. Here's some pages...(cover)

This page has a sewn clear pocket for goodies.Envelope for more goodies. Spots to write This is a little fold out book for more writing space. Little clear pouch on the left with tags inspired by Jo36. :)

September Arch for Pam

I started with hand painted polyester fabric. Nice and shiny! Then added an image that I transferred onto cotton of the celtic cross. I tried to blend this by cutting curved edges and adding organzas over the top before stitching in greens and finally red. Also added the hand dyed lace. This is a stone celtic cross in Ireland at the site of an old monastery. From memory it was made c900. The Pope wouldn't acknowledge it as a relic because the circle around the top is considered pagan... They used to use the carvings to tell stories and teachings from the bible.

A year of arches....

It's October!! The year long swap I've been participating in with 'Textile Challenges on Yahoo Groups is almost at an end. It has been a good process but in some ways it will be good to have it tied up. Lately I have such a small amount of time to sit down and make art, that it ends up all going into the monthly arches. Once they're done I plan to start in earnest on my sample book that I'm working on. More about that later. You can see the beginnings of it here. I'm a bit behind on the arches, what with having been away in the UK for a month. Oo!! Lots of inspiring photos from there too - Old, time worn stone and intricate architecture. yum!! I'm part way through Pam's Arch for September, but have finished the ones for August and October. The top one is for Margaret who has specified and Egyptian theme. Having such a specific theme would probably be really good because it will unify all the arches once you have 12 back from 12 different people. I've hand dyed the fabric then added fabric painting, water transfers, hand stitching and beading. The bottom arch is for Arlee. A little hard to see and the colour isn't quite right, but this one also has beading and hand stitching.

Fibreswest Retreat

The Fibreswest Retreat is a week long retreat held down in Bunbury every three years. This was my first and it was an amazing experience. Adding to this was the fact that it was held at my old school which brought back some memories!! The place is essentially the same with a number of new buildings. I even went into one of the units that I used to live in. The rooms are much smaller than I remember. So the way it works is you enrol in a class with the same tutor over the 5 days and then have the opportunity to listen to talks and slide shows by the other tutors. Unfortunatley the class I was in just didn't do it for me. The tutor was fabulous and very knowledgeable, but coming out of a rut after my exhibition I really needed something else to help me with where I'm currently at. You know when sometimes you're just in the wrong time and space to take on things. 2 years ago or 5 years down the track - fine - but at the moment, no. That's how I was feeling. So I spent a bit of time wondering around the other classes, watching and absorbing. It was actually a very fulfilling process being able to talk to other workshop participants and hear their perspectives and experiences. Liz Evans, the felt tutor from Canberra was very inspiring teaching ways to make 3D forms with resists. I'm certainly going to have a try at some of these shapes next time I crack out the wool tops. The idea of stuffing the vessels with plastic bags while they dry to help them keep their shape was really useful too. Some of the vessels made by the class. Tanya from FeltWest after her felting frenzy. This lady can felt at the speed of light!! Nalda Searles' workshop was concerned with natural dyeing, basketry and sculpting with leaves and grasses. Going into this workshop was like heading into another world. Everyone was so engrossed in what they were doing - taking what they'd been taught and making it their own.This is Louise working on the floor. Nalda's slide show was really inspiring. For many years, she has worked with indigenous Australians teaching them skills like basketry which they have embraced and taken to a new level. Their work is now in high demand. Hearing the experiences she has had with different communities across Australia just leaves you speachless. What a phenomenal woman!!This is a page from Penny (from Northcliffe's) sketchbook. She completed pages and and pages while at the retreat and her stetches are so lovely. That's me in the blue and green. :) I met a lot of people that I had some connection with - Northcliffe is pretty close to Pemberton where I grew up. Anne who was in my class, used to make my ballet costumes when I was a kid! And she knows my brother in law really well. Another lady I ran into is the Grandmother of my neice! Small world..... This is Phyllis painting some watercolour paper. I was so inspired from seeing her do this that I've already gone out and bought an A2 pad of the stuff (which I proceeded to carry home on my scootere) and have started painting it. Such vibrant colours!!! Bring on the metallics! This is a little box created (I think) by Phyllis in Jacinta Leishman's class. Hearing Jacinta talk was soooo useful. Her approach was really refreshing and exactly what I needed to get me back on track. Plus she works a lot with colour, silks and velvets... How can I resist?? Hear are some more images of works from her workshops: Glen Skein worked with people on boxes - telling a story through artifacts. This reminds me of artist Nick Bantock. Though of course they are different, they both work with found objects. Glen's work is exquisite... Yet another class did printmaking and journalling a journey. Some of their books were stunning. The one below used image transfers as well as photocopied images to give a really nice feel. Loved all the different binding styles used too. Here is the bowl that I spent the week making. Still not finished. It will stay that way for a while I think. I'll come back to it... In the meantime I've got lots and lots of ideas involving found objects, transfers, watercolour paper, sticks, paper casting and the list goes on!!!

June and July Arches

Here are the arches that I think I made for June and July.

My amazing dinner and other adventures

Last night was a get it yourself kind of night. James made bread in the afternoon and after filling up on bread and honey and also crumpets at my parents' place, there wasn't much room for dinner. The crumpets, I might add, had camembert and smoked salmon on them How can I resist?? So I made myself mushroom bruscetta! Olive oil and garlic-y goodness on homemade spelt bread with chili and homegrown herbs. the recipe is from 'Jamie at home'. So simple and so good, but the neighbours could probably smell my garlic breath from next door!

Some eye candy. An indian bag I bought a few months ago and a scarf I knitted years ago. Its just started to get cold enough to need it!! But that's not stopping getting into the ocean for a surf...

Tags that I made up last night to go in my book as dividers. I have also stamped and painted on the black sides. Looking cute!

Here's the back of them along with some doodling on my backing paper. I use the ikea packaging from things we've bought as its really big and doesn't leave ink on everything like newspapers can. Will probably cut out the tree piece and stick it in my journal - I like how the layers have built up as I've used different paints and stamps.And... viola!! Some yo-yos I've made from my yo-yo maker. So cute!! I'm loving doing all pinks. They're like precious little sweets! Anyone for tea??And some blue ones using the heart shaped yo-yo maker. It is as easy as everyone says. No hassle at all. I plan to fill a vase with them!! Somebody stop me now!!