Long time no see......

It seems like ages (and it has been) since my last post. Our internet connection, via the satellite just stopped!!!!!! I have really missed being able to connect with my online friends and being able visit all of your wonderful and inspiring blogs.

Another problem with being offline for four weeks was I had signed up for some great classes with Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth and was unable to get to the class forum....its been fun catching up though and seeing what everyone else has been up to.

This piece I created as part of my Spirit Cloth Class. It is called "Ro's Moon" as the beautiful felted moon was a gift from my dear friend Ro Bruhn and became the inspiration for this piece. Click for a closer look.... just love this felted moon. Ro has more of these on her blog if you want to pop over to take a look. "Ro's Moon"

This piece also contains some other special pieces gifted from friends and bought online....beautiful hand dyed silk ribbon, a gift from Dot. Beautiful indigo dyed fabrics bought from Glennis (Shibori Girl).

Another little patch I stitched to add to Ro's Moon. I have decided to make a small quilt/wall hanging using various moons that people have gifted me. I have a delicate hand turned moon from Jude, a Penny Moon from Glennis and I'm sure I will find more fabric pieces I have been given with moons or lunar themes for this special piece.

Oops...this photo is upside down..... doesnt matter, shows the two pieces together. Not sure if they will stay that way or whether they will be separated later when assembling this little wall hanging.

The Beast plan....

The latest class I am doing with Jude is called "Patchwork Beasts". I am well and truly behind in this class but here is little beastie I drew up. I've since cut it out in fabric and begun stitching...not going too well. Not a great choice of fabrics to try and hand stitch I've decided. I am persevering and will have a photo later...hopefully finished and embellished! Also have some other creatures/beasts on the go. Dont know where this class will lead to...its a fun journey!

And....a few paintings in progress. I MUST make some time to finish a couple of these. The two larger background ones are in gouache on watercolour paper, lots to do to these two yet, and you will remember the pomegranates...got to get those watercolours out again.

Lovely to be back and I am trying to catch up some blog visiting.

WE FORGET HOW MUCH OUR LOVE MATTERS.

WE THINK WE TRAVEL UNSEEN IN THIS WORLD.

ACTUALLY, WE ARE ALL ACUTELY AWARE OF EACH OTHER.

***SARK***

Sending much love....

Jacky xox

Art friendships....

Last weekend we had our art group get together (we must think of a name for ourselves) Ro, Patsy, Julia, Dot and myself . It is always such a happy time when we all gather. Lots of talking, sharing art, eating, drinking...merry making. The time just flies. We are so lucky to have these beautiful friendships. Check out the girls blogs for some of the beautiful art they bought along for show and tell.

This time we met at the Bunyip Kitchen and Vineyard which is only 10 minutes from my home. A place a visit regularly (perhaps too regularly). It is very rustic and soooo welcoming.
John and Janelle are the owners and they really take care of you. Lovely local Gippsland produce, Janelle is an amazing cook and treated us to a lovely meal with wonderful local wines.


We gathered on a cold and rainy winters day and Janelle cooked us up a feast......entree was scallops served in the shell with a beautiful sorrel sauce (we soaked up every bit of that sauce with their home made bread...deeelicious), next a piece of roasted eye fillet with a bearnaise type sauce, potato and onion au gratin and the most beautiful creamed spinach topped with fresh blanched spinach all fresh from their own garden. Yumbo!!!! We were all complaining we were so full, do we need dessert? Then out came the most amazing cherry cheesecake (you had to taste it to believe how good it was) and chocolate amoretto cake. Well, we had to try both with our coffees. I dont know how it happened, but five hours passed before we knew it!!!!
Standing L-R are Patsy and Dot and sitting L-R are Julia and myself...admiring Patsy's amazing, intricate art. Sorry...not photo of Ro this time.

The Bunyip Kitchen and Vineyard

Show and tell....the slow cloth (still a work in progress...I dont know how bit/small it will end up).

Some beautiful iron work at the Bunyip Kitchen.

We are all doing an altered book round robin...these pages are from Ro's book. These girls are all so talented. It will be such a keepsake having some art from each of these ladies in our books when this round robin is finished.

spread from Ro's altered book.

Visit her blog to see more photos of our day out. Both Ro and Julia have done wonderful posts (and I have *borrowed* a couple of photos from them for this post). So much more to see on theirs though.

The yummy cherry cheesecake.

And our chocolate amoretti cake swimming in chocolate sauce and cream.

A few more of the lovely old book plates I found at Ziguzagu. I think they will come up beautiful framed.

And for Dot....the sisters, Minnie (who you met last post) and her sister Mouse. Such lovely girls.

A bit of a bits and pieces post, I hope you enjoyed it.

WE ARE ALL GIFTED.

INSIDE OF YOU ARE TREASURES.

-SARK-

Jacky xox

Busy times.....

Hello.... this is my new kitten, Minnie ....she just wanted to say hi (and I know my friend Dot is very keen to meet her)! Very sweet little girl. I have a lovely photo of her with her sister Mouse too which I will load next time. Busy times for me lately, lots to do, new people to meet, painting, stitching...its been fun, but I dont like the fact that I have been neglecting my blog. I must get back to my weekly post. It keeps me on track.

I am soooooo enjoying my online class with Jude Hill. I have been collecting vintage and recycled fabrics, ripping, weaving, stitching...all very addictive and very satisfying.


Remember this woven piece? Well I have been busy embellishing with stiching. My plan is that it will be part of my initial slow cloth, see snippet below.

I think it will fit very well with my existing block. I am working on a strip to go at the top of the cloth also and maybe some fancy tassels along the bottom????

As I said, busy catching up with people too. I was lucky enough to meet (and shop) with the lovely Natima whom I met via my online class.

Saturday morning Nat and I organised to meet with my lovely sister Lee to go for coffee/lunch and a visit to Ziguzagu, a warehouse that sells all things Japanese. Nat and I were in heaven...fabrics and goodies galore. Visit Lee and Nats blog to see more of the shop!

I found these wonderful old fabric prints in a box of text and books....absolutely gorgeous (I'm sure Eva if you visit my blog you will love these...Eva designs her own range of lovely fabrics). I just ADORED these old prints and bought seven in total which I am going to frame and hang in my home... what a find for a fabric lover!!!

fabric samples and swatches.

Ooops... sorry, put the same picture on twice. I have two more I will share at a later date.

Nat is so gorgeous and very generous. She arrived with a lovely gift for me....a beautiful furoshiko wrapping cloth that she had bought on a recent trip to Japan. Nat showed me how to tie to make a carry bag...I just love it and isnt the fabric fantastic (lined and everything) . I was tempted to cut it up and use it, but I love it too much as a bag.

We had a show and tell. Nat is prolific in her weaving of fabric for Jude's class and it was wonderful to see what someone else was doing too. Her work is amazing. Talk about talk.... I dont think we drew breath for hours. Isnt it lovely to catch up with like minded friends?

furoshiko wrapping cloth.

And below a few of my purchases ....

pieces of vintage kimono cloth.

All cloth is from kimono's that they unpick and sell at the warehouse. So much to choose from...

A Childrens kimono... pink with plum blossom on the outer with the vibrant orange and green lining. I will unpick this at some stage and use it in my quilts, but Nat thinks I should wear it a few times first. We'll see.

A lovely old indigo apron. I loved this design and how old and faded the fabric was.

An indigo curtain/flag that is to hang in a doorway. Lovely fine indigo cotton.

This weekend I plan to stay at home ....do some stitching and some painting. Painting, now that's another story (and some beautiful photos too). Last Friday I went back to Greg Irvine's studio in South Melbourne for a day of painting ...such fun, so beautiful!

I hope you are all well and busy creating. I will make sure I visit a few of my favourite blogs over the next few days too and get a bit more stitching done.

LIE

DOWN

BREATHE

DEEPLY

- SARK -

See you all again soon.

Jacky xox

fabric weaving and painting...

Finally my computer is working again.... I have missed being able to visit my favourite blogs regularly. Plus I started an online course (and of course the computer was down!!!!). Nevertheless, I am back on track as of the weekend and was able to play around with the fabric weaving we are doing in my online class with Jude Hill of Spirit Cloth... I have loved visiting the class forum and seeing what everyone else has been up to in my absence.

Below is my first attempt at fabric weaving. I have used silks (dont know if that was a brilliant idea for my first attempt, but I am happy with how it turned out). Both silks I bought from Sensational Silks. The old gold colour was pre-dyed when I bought it, but the other grey colour is one I dyed myself with gum leaves and and a rusty piece of metal. Nice to see the woven effect created by these two pieces. fabric weaving in hand dyed silk

Within this piece I tried my hand at Jude's anchored weaving technique. Little bit fiddly with the silk, but I think it works in the overall look of this cloth. I am loving learning new techniques. At the moment this has only been basted, more stitching soon.

Some (very) late roses from my garden and some beautiful rosehips brightening up my lounge room. Isnt the colour gorgeous for autumn?

I have been doing some more painting too. Below is a mixed media piece I made for a girlfriend who loves birds. I have used watercolour paints and bits and pieces of fabric and stitching...both hand and machine stitching.

Kasha's Spring Bird.

Below is a watercolour of some pomegranates that I started in a watercolour workshop recently. I usually paint with gouache, but I am really enjoying how the watercolour takes to the paper. This is a WIP which I intend to finish for my sister who loves pomegranates....not much more to go.

"Your dreams are already coming true......your dreams need you to make them real."

-Sark-

Have a wonderfully creative week.

Jacky xox

Magic Clouds...

I have been stitching some of Judes *Magic Clouds*. Jude often uses an Indonesian designed fabric which looks like clouds. I have used some of her magic thread to stitch some of those clouds onto my slow cloth. Also, visit Eva's blog, she has designed some of her own fabric range use her stylised clouds too. You may have to click on the photo's below to get a closer look, they are quite subtle.

Clouds in the night sky.

Journal page.

A few more quirky little houses that I popped in my journal . I love the different shapes and the wispy trees, I have also used them in my quilt.

I have been painting with gouache for while now, but I dont usually put photos on my blog.... but I just wanted to show that I have been doing something other than that tiny bit of stitching above!!!

A painting in my sketchbook from a studio morning at local artist Meg Abrechts home. Pomegranates are one of my favourite fruits...I love their jewelled red seeds.

Sorry there are two identical photos. A mistake when loading and I now I cant work out how to delete it!!!

I also did a water colour of pomegranates which I thought I had loaded, but alas, I had loaded the same photo twice. A little bit of Judes magic thread has appearedin this photo too..... how did that get in there?

And I'll leave you with this photo of a vase of lovely native Ficifolia blooms on my sisters dining table. Arent they beautiful? Lee always has beautiful flowers in her home.

Have a wonderful week......

"LET MIRACLES FIND YOU"

-SARK-

Jacky xox

Quietly progressing....

Slowly does it....this is a particulary slow cloth, but I have managed to add some more fabric and some more stitching (click for closer look)...it is starting to flow a bit now. More stitching planned for the weekend. I have even added a few little wonky houses, houses are on my mind lately. So much inspiration from Jude Hill...note the layering of the fabrics. I dont have any sheer silks (yet!!!!) but have been working with what I have in my stash. Jude is running some wonderful online classes and yes, I'm signed up!

What a lovely surprise this week to receive a swap package from Mary Stanley of ArtSpirit in the mail. I just loved her owls and we decided to do a swap.... and now have my own "Woolly Owl". He is very dapper dont you think? He sits quietly chatting to a wee owl who is soon to fly overseas to a friend. Mary sent more wonderful goodies for me, but my photography this morning was not too good....everything was blurry when I checked it out tonight and too dark tonight take another. Maybe another time I will photograph them again.

Woolly owl by Mary Stanley.

I just love the art of Magaly Ohika of the Itsy Bitsy Spill and a little while back purchased this little set of painting (acrylic with charcoal on watercolour paper). I love the whimsy of her art. You should check out her blog, she is now making the most quirky and gorgeous pouchies....yes, have one on my 'wishlist'. Click on photo for a closer look.

I hope you have all had a lovely week!

TEACH LOVE,

FOR THAT IS

WHAT YOU ARE.

- GEORGE ELIOT -

Jacky xox

slowing down.....

I hope you all had a lovely Easter.... mine was nice and quiet. A chance to slow down a bit and get a few things done around the house, catch up with friends and family.
My lovely sister Lee give me this beautiful bunny which she bought from Oxfam, filled with my favourites....turkish delight Easter Eggs. My mother used to give me little bunnies for Easter and now that she is gone, my sister is continuing the tradition. I LOVE this little fellow. Also knowing my addiction to fabric, and loving Indian designs, Lee also gave me a beautiful book...V&A Pattern Indian Florals and some lovely peppermint tea from T2 ...thank you Lee!

Look at the beautiful design on the bunny...I think I might have to sketch him for my journal. I will share some patterns from the book on my blog soon, they are beautiful. I have been sitting with a cup of peppermint tea and enjoying them.

Shibori Girl Fabrics.

I've also been adding to my stash of fabrics lately. I have a new obsession, indigo fabrics. I bought this Boro'd and Blue pack from Glennis Dolce of Shibori Girl. Beautiful hand dyed indigo fabrics...I just love the penny moon....so soft.

Orime fabrics.

And these beautiful japanese kimono fabrics came from an etsy shop called Orime. Such quality fabrics... cottons, wools and wonderful service. I feel a japanese inspired project coming up.

I've also done a little dyeing myself this week. These two pieces were dyed using the leaves/fronds from a wattle tree and a small amount of onion skins. The marks on either end of the piece on the right were made by the bull dog clip I used to hold it all together. I was really pleased with the colour saturation on the piece on the right (cotton). The fabric on the left is a silk, polyester blend, lovely subtle colouring.

Although I've been quiet, I have still managed a little journalling over Easter and found some lovely blogs with beautiful Easter posts to inspire me.

Oops... a spelling mistake...plumage.... oh well! One blog I found over Easter with some lovely prints was that of Kyoko Imazu which I have included some images on my journal pages. See the beautiful tree above and the rabbit print below. I love her work.

Live in the sunshine,

Swim in the sea,

Drink the wild air.

- Emmerson -

Enjoy your weekend.

Jacky xox