I've been stitching .....

It seems ages since I've picked up needle and thread, and I've missed it! I needed to finish this Monet/Klimt doll and a little owl for a swap with an online friend (they are currently winging their way to Germany). Its very therapeutic stitching..... I have a couple more Klimt dolls and another owl to make in the next few weeks for a couple of other friends too...lucky I am in a stitching mood. This is the little owl below, I really enjoyed stitching this quirky little fellow. I used one of my favourite Kaffe Fassett fabrics.... millefiore . They are only tiny, but lots of stitching.

I also made the ATC below for our swap.... my friend wanted one of my ATC's (I was a bit daunted by this request) ....I havent made one for ages, so I played around on the weekend and came up with this little fellow. Hope she likes it, she loves the birdies too!

As promised, my face painting from DJ's class. What fun to do a class with DJ Pettit, she is one of the most beautiful and generous souls. Thoroughly enjoyed the class and loved learning her techniques.... must practice, practice, practice. DJ was so patient and caring with each of her students, made one on one time for all of us to help with the techniques. We all started with the same face, but once we'd painted them they all took on personalities of their own. Sorry I dont have a close up photo (personally, I think mine looks better from a distance).

And today this gorgeous little felt fairy arrived in the mail from my dear friend Shirl in Western Australia. After the retreat Shirl and I spent a couple of days shopping in Melbourne (and boy are we power shoppers!!!!!). Soooo cute, thank you Shirl. Sorry the picture is a bit over exposed.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week.... look forward to visiting your blogs.

Jacky xox

Home again.....

The Creative Soul Art Retreat was just wonderful !!!!! I did two classes with the wonderful Stephanie Lee, some of the results below. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience with soldering, butane torches, etching, casting. I was a bit daunted at the thought of taking this class as I have little (really..... no) experience in this area. What a blast! I looove that little butane torch!
The picture above is of the pendant I made in the first day of class and the journal we made on the last day. Both were made using a copper base and solder flooding technique. I have soldered part of an antique indian silver bracelet to the front cover of the journal.

The journal measures 6" x 3" and has gorgeous plaster pages..... not sure what I will put on these yet. To finish it off I will be making a binding using fabric and either beads or pearls (will post pics of that later). This is a close up of my pendant and also the plaster pages. Really enjoyed making these pages, getting all messy and smushy. If you ever get the chance to do one of Stephanies classes... jump at it. Such fun and you come away with some wonderful creations and so much knowledge and confidence.

And for you button enthusiasts..... my friend Jo and I (in our travels before the retreat) found this fabulous Button Shop in Glenferrie Road, Armadale. A real treasure trove... we were in there for an hour before we took a breath! The buttons, lace and wools were amazing.

Well the retreat is over and I had the best time. I had a couple of days with my art buddy from Queensland, Jo Wholohan before the retreat and a few days after the retreat with my art friend from Western Australia, Shirl. We found lots of wonderful shops and art goodies before and after the retreat.

I have to thank my gorgeous sister for Lee for making my friends and myself so welcome into her home over the retreat and helping up find our way around Melbourne. She spoilt us all rotten...talk about the hostess with the mostest! Thank you !

The retreat itself was such FUN. Lots of concentration in our classes but lots of fun out of the classes. Bevlea and her Creative Soul team did a fantastic job!!! They had everything covered so we were able just relax and make art. Lots of wonderful trade stands too!

Got to catch up with a lot of my online friends and it was so lovely to meet some of the girls whose blogs I visit too. Hopefully will catch up with some of them again next year as Bevlea already has next years retreat planned and ready for action.

Next post I will share my face painting from my class with DJ Pettitt with you all.

Take care.

Jacky xox

Been quiet ......

I recently finished these fabric pages for my friend Dot's Round Robin book. We have been working in these books for the past year and Dot's was my last in the Round Robin...quite sad that its finished as I loved working in these books. Dot kindly sent me these photos (as I forgot to take some before I sent her book off). Loved working on Dots pages as she loves bright and vibrant colours, stitching and embellishing...so I used her favourite Kaffe Fassett fabric for her from page.

This is the back of the page - again using some of her favourite KF fabrics. I have been making a lot of little owls recently so couldnt resist putting a little owlet in the pocket of the heart.

I've been a bit quiet lately.... with the fires and family visiting there hasnt been much time for my artistic pursuits. BUT, thats about to change as I am off to the Creative Soul Art Retreat at the end of next week...Yaayyyyyy. So looking forward to catching up with lots of friends and learning lots of new techniques/art forms. Will keep you posted.

Take care all and will be back again soon.

Jacky xox

Smoke ......

We still have quite a bit of smoke laying in our valley. A few days ago I took these photos, although the photos dont show it too well there was an eerie colour to the valley (but very beautiful) created by the smoke .....

AND.... my fabric book has arrived home. What a treasure to find in my mail box. This was a collaborative Round Robin with four other Australian girls, one from Luxembourg, one from Germany, two from America and one from Canada... the fabric work is just amazing. I will share more photos of the pages later.

This is the front cover I made for my book over 12 months ago. I was worried that I wouldnt like what I had done when it returned home...but I still like it. I love architecture and this was fabric play with architecture. The blue wings popping out from within are from a beautiful page created by the gorgeous Belinda Schneider. I now have to work out how I am going to bind these pages together.

Lucky me.... I am already in another fabric page swap for later this year with my art buddy Dot and two other lovely ladies from the UK. Cant wait!

I just thought you might like to see these wonderful doors which are on a bookstore (for the life of me cant remember the name of it.....) in High Street, Armadale. My sister Lee and I quite often frequent this bookshop...fantastic. I think it is Bergdorfs.... must ask Lee she has an amazing memory for names etc.

I also wanted to share this photo of a beautiful handmade pendant that Lee gave me for Christmas this year. It is my absolute favourite piece of jewellery.... very special. Isnt she a lovely sister to spoil me so ....... I love the eiffel tower (Lee and I shared a week in Paris a few years ago so this is a lovely memento of that time).

If you would like to visit the website for this one of a kind jewellery... visit www.kirstinash.com
Lovely, lovely jewellery.

I wish you all a wonderful, creative week.

Jacky xox

Thankyou.......

Thank you to all of you lovely people who have left messages of concern over the past week... your words and thoughts have been much appreciated.

We have been really lucky.....family, animals and property all safe and sound. I feel very saddened by the devastation caused by the bushfires of the past week and my thoughts and prayers go out to all those touched by the fires. Fires are still burning around our state and our brave firefighters are working hard to contain them. I pray the conditions are kind to them this weekend. Not much art has been done these past ten days, but I thought you might like to see these little Kaffe Fassett owls made for a friend.

Take care all .......

Jacky xox

watercolour and more fabric pages....

I have been working in the fabric book for a few weeks now. Below is the back page with the pocket (for our hidden treasures). The theme of this book is Nature.
And below is the front of the page which I have stitched the watercolour of the waterlily I recently painted.

I thought you might like to see a view of the book, side on, showing how chunky these books are becoming! Lots of wonderful fabric art in this book. Off to Dot now for its next page! Next I work in Dots and then our Round Robin is finished. I have really enjoyed seeing everyones art as these books come around for my page to be added.

My dear friend Lynne recently sent me a couple of pieces of wonderful St. Armand watercolour paper... what a treasure it is ( I thank you from the bottom of my heart as I know how precious this is to you). I did this little watercolour after visiting Lynnes blog and seeing all the faces she has painted in her journals. This one I have titled "Seasons"....thank you Lynne for the inspiration and the gorgeous paper.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week and for those of you in Australia that the heat has abated. We were very lucky here today and had a lovely lot of rain this morning.

Jacky xox

This one is for Sesga...

I have been tagged by the lovely Sesga. The rules being that you have to show the fourth photo from the fourth file on your computer. So..... here it is.
This photograph was taken last year at Sassafras. For about five years now a group of us girls have formed a book club (about 10 of us). We meet once every six weeks for lunch and discussion of our latest book.... actually there's probably more socialising that discussion most times. One person chooses the book and the next lunch destination.
Above are my dear friends (from the left) Lou, Marianne and Jenni.

I now have to tag four people to play along with us. Jo Horswill, Jo Wholohan, Lynne Hoppe and Janette. Please dont feel obigated to play along, this is a bit of fun and nice to see what you have hidden away in your files!