Mmmmm....she's finished!

I dont know what's happening with blogger and I.... once again my photos are coming up in reverse order! So.... you will have to bear with me. The above picture is of three of my favourite people... my eldest son Matt (who has been visiting from the UK, but flies back tomorrow), my sister Lee and my nephew Hugh (10). We had a lovely family lunch, bit of a quick catch up, before Matt heads off again. Hopefully before Matt heads off tomorrow I can get a photo of Matt and Sam (my youngest son together). Sam always seems to disappear when the camera appears!

This gorgeous German Tassel Doll was made for me by the talented Julie Hetherington. I spied them in her Etsy shop and was able to commission one from her. Pop by and visit her blog and her Etsy shop...she has some wonderful bargains.

And here she is finished.... this canvas panel was made for a friend in one of my yahoo groups and also as my piece for Embrace the Face this month... "Guess who's coming to dinner". She is deep in thought wondering just "who" they have invited to this dinner party...hopefully they are not trying to matchmake again????

I hope you have a wonderful, creative week making the most of this glorious spring weather.

Jacky xox

I'm back and I've been tagged ......

I've been tagged by the lovely Queencraftygirl. I love to visit her blog as she is a young girl with a great creative spirit. She knits gorgeous quirky critters (love the one she recently made for her little brother) and she also draws fantastic portraits. Pop over and visit her blog to see this young artist at work/play. At the end of this post I will let you know 7 things about me! Consider yourself tagged if you like and post seven weird/quirky things about yourself too.

This beautiful piece of art above was created for me by my Queensland art buddy, Jo Wholohan. I love the rusting technique she has used and the texture she creates using fabrics, paste, paint etc. Jo has been doing a few online art classes, learning face techniques etc. I love the serene face in this piece. Online classes are lots of fun..... which reminds me I must get back to my Suzi Blu classes now that I am back home!

The above is a work in progress I am making for a friend (trying out my new Suzi Blu techniques). Still a ways to go..... mmmmm what to do next? Images, texture....

Now these pictures are all in reverse order for some reason.... Blogger is not "playing" fair at the moment. This picture of a gnarled old tree was taken in the woods on the property where my son is now working in the UK. The wooded areas were amazing and dated back to the Doomsday book. Shame my photographic skills are not better!

Looking through the horse paddocks across the fields. A beautiful property and a true working farm.

The cream cottage (second along) is my sons house in Nayland, Colchester....just the most gorgeous village. I felt I had stepped back in time as this house dates back to the 1400's.

Now.... 7 weird/quirky facts about me....

1. My favourite food is potato (dont care how you cook it.... I even dont mind it raw).

2. When I was little my dad told me if I buried prawn heads in the garden they would grow (I loved seafood from an early age). Needless to say a cunning way to dispose of the smelly prawn heads.

3. I LOVE Jane Austen books and have read them all many times. I have started collecting the DVDs based on her novels.

4. I am a hoarder extordinaire... especially fabrics. The problem is, if I love a piece of fabric I cant bear to use the last piece. I am in the process of creating my very own vintage stash as I have been collecting for about 30 years.

5. I am 5foot and 3/4 of an inch tall (when you are this short the 3/4" really counts).

6. I have lost both of my parents. My dad when I was 15 and my mum when I was 33.

7. I love to collect pencils and crayons. (Have put in an order for the large set of Caran D'ache watercolour crayons for Christmas.)

Not very quirky or weird... but nevertheless, facts about me.

Have fun this week and those in Australia enjoy the gorgeous sunshine they are forecasting this weekend.

Jacky xox

UK here I come....

I've been playing around with backgrounds in my classes with Suzi Blu.... and these girls have taken on a different look with the new coloured background. Wasnt that happy with my background as it got a little muddy in areas...but I will get better with practice. Enjoyed the stamping and the glaze in the paint to give it more transparency. Just got to find a suitable quote for these girls now and then onto the wax!!!! Now that is something I have been wanting to try for ages. I wont get a chance to do anymore to this piece though for a few weeks as lucky me... I am off to visit my son in the UK for 2 weeks, leaving on Wednesday. I am so looking forward to spending some time with Matt, seeing where he now lives and works, going to the Horse of the Year show in Birmingham with him. I will take photos.....
I made these felted ATC's for a swap in one of my Yahoo groups. I have incorporated needle felting, dyed lace, free motion stitching, hand stitching, beading .... lots of fun making these.
Close up so you can see a bit more of the detail in these little ATC's. The swap was organised by one of the girls in our Creative Chix group after reading the article on felted ATC's in the latest issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.
So my fellow bloggers, I will be away from 1st October until the 17th October so wont be posting again until then (unless Matt has his computer set up at home for me to use????)

Take care and enjoy the onset of Spring and the beautiful warm sunshine.

Jacky xox

Stitching and painting......

This weekend I visited the Exhibition of Ro Bruhn and Patsy Worledges work...it was fantastic! Dot, Selda and I braved a bleak old Saturday morning down in Melbourne, and Ro and Patsy gave us the warmest welcome to their exhibition and their art was so uplifting (well worth trudging out in the bleak Melbourne weather). If anyone is in the Glen Waverley area in the next two weeks make sure you drop in and see this exhibition, these two ladies have such beautiful art on display. The exhibition finished on the 2nd October. The picture below was taken of Ro at The Highway Gallery on Saturday. The picture below is my work in progress for my online class with Suzi Blu.... yes, they have bodies (albeit a bit slimmer than I anticipated....I dont know what happens sometimes). I have started my background with the stamping, but you wont recognise it next time you see it as it now has more stamping and a colour wash. Looks quite a bit darker now as I felt it was looking a bit bright. Next week, should be just about finished (I think... I dont know what else Suzi has up her sleeve for us).
And.... the stitchery. The picture below is of a little needlecase I stitched this week for a monthly swap I am involved in. I am to send to one of the girls in our group who has a love for wool (and I hope fabric), I hope this little tactile piece will appeal to her.
I enjoyed sitting and stitching...seems these days I like to have a little stitchery on the go. Lovely to sit in the lounge in the evenings with the family and still be able to create. Hand stitching can be so relaxing and therapeutic. The picture below is of the back of the needlecase.
Have an enjoyable week my arty friends.... have fun stitching, painting, creating!

For Magda and Linda ......

This post is for Magda and Linda. Firstly.... the fabric pages below are for Magda, one of the lovely ladies in our Fabricgirlz group. We are currently doing a Round Robin with our books travelling around the world over 9 to 10 months. Each month a different fabric artist makes a page for your book... I am soooo looking forward to mine coming home so I can see all of the pages up close and personal. As you can see the little knitted people won out.... I had been debating whether to put them in or not, but I think they add a fun element to these pages and Magda's book is all about coming out to play.
My photography is not the best, but I wanted to try and get a close up so you can see the stitching and embellishing. The page is finished, but still needs binding....mmmm ..... I am still pondering that one!
Linda.... this next pic is for you. One of the faces I have done in my Suziblu online class. Make sure you pop over and visit Linda's blog to see the wonderful art she is creating in these classes! She is a little ahead of me.... I will post a pic next week of my finished girl (with body!!!!).
Below are the first lot of preliminary sketches I did in week one.... lots more practice needed, but some very valuable lessons from Suzi in the classes....Lots of fun and proceed at your own pace. I like that.
Have a fun week.... I am going to practice, practice, practice these faces and finish off my bigger piece for next week to show you (this way I have to finish it AND I have to show it on my blog whether I am happy with it or not).

Take care.........

Jacky xox

Fabric and Friends ......

Will you look at these beautiful fabrics and beads I received from my fellow fabric fiend... Dot. Arent they just so gorgeous and colourful? Wonderful surprise to find these in my mail box this week - lots of inspiration from these bold fabrics Dot!!! The picture below is a WIP. I am making a page for a fabric book round robin that I am involved in... this one will be for Magda in Germany. Magda's book is very vibrant and colourful so I hope she likes where I am heading with this page. Lots more stitching to do and further thought to the placement of the little knitted people (if I do end up using them that is). They theme for her book so far seems to be about "play". Will show the finished page soon.

The gorgeous Sesga from the UK sent me a beautiful package with one of her very special dolls...so cute and obviously made with lots of love. Sesga knows I love owls and has used a beautiful Japanese fabric with owls in my Lulu Doll and has also made me the most fantastic Kaffe Fassett owl.... just LOVE him Sesga!!!
And as if that wasnt enough Sesga sent me these beautiful fabrics.... being a fabricaholic I was soooo happy to have some new fabrics to add to my stash.
This most beautiful journal was made for me by Debbi Baker from WA. Another love of mine (other than fabric) is birds, so this is just perfect Debbi and I love the machine stitching. As I said before, my special quotes will be recorded in this journal.
Oh and what a treat to receive this wonderful package from the very talented (and lovely) Suze from the Pink Crayon Studio. So many wonderful art goodies.... I just cant wait to play with these ..... tags, inchies, stickers, I think my journalling with be including lots of these goodies in the near future. Thank you so much Suze, this was an amazing package to open as there just so many wonderful bits and pieces, plus the envelope is a work of art in itself!
In finishing I just want to say thank you to all of you out in Blogland.... wonderful online friendships have been made and the generosity of your gifts is heartfelt.

Wishing you much JOY this week (I think that is my favourite word ever!)

Jacky xox

Spring is in the air ......

Well spring has certainly been in the air since I returned from Hong Kong...we have had the most beautiful, sunshiny weather! I must have felt the influence when I collaged this little notebook for a friend in one of my Yahoo groups for our monthly swap. And, being spring it just had to have some birdies and some sort of botanical theme, thus the magnolia buds (paper napkins, love the transparency of them when collaged over papers). I thought Ruth might be able to use this little notebook to record some of her favourite quotes for her art. Below is a close up shot I took.... not the best sorry, little blurry, but still thought I would share.
I was lucky enough to receive my monthly exchange from Debbi Baker... a beautiful handmade journal, also featuring a bird (Spring is certainly in the air!). Unfortunately I havent taken a photo of the journal as yet, but will do so soon and post the pic for you all to see.
I also received a beautiful art doll from the gorgeous Sesga and lots of other goodies and a wonderful surprise from Suze at the Pink Crayon Studio.... plus a whole new stash of fabrics and beads from Dot. I am sure you might like to see my new stash of arty presents so I will take some pics in the next day or two and post for all to see.
I have been very busy catching up with friends, catching up on washing and housework since I got home, so not a lot of art been happening. Back to work tomorrow so things will get back to normal soon.

Hope you're enjoying some Spring Sunshine.

Jacky xox