Countdown to New Years...

Just a sneak peek at a fabric piece I have been working on recently.

This year I have been inspired by some wonderful fabric art blogs. Most notable those of Jude Hill (Spirit Cloth) and Karen Ruane (Contemporary Embroidery).

On Jude's blog she has a section what if which always inspires me, but I always procrastinate and put off doing anything....

Jude will be pleased to know that my what if is ...what if I actually just begin???? And so that is how this piece I am making for a friend started. I love Jude's slow cloths and how they evolve. It still have a way to go, but its getting there and at least I made a start. This piece is only small, but next year I plan to do my own version of a slow cloth for myself.

The Karen Ruane influence is the embroidered flowers that I have added from a piece of embroidered voile I was given. Karen uses a lot of vintage embroideries in her work which make it very special - beautiful piecework and embroidery.

So thank you Jude and Karen for the inspiration for this piece.

As I said, the countdown is on for New Years. I am already making a few resolutions .... such a list I have !!!!

Take care and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.


Wishing you all Peace and Happiness in 2009.

Jacky xox

Joyeux Noel ......

This is little Tinkatink asleep on the couch...she was so cute with her little paws outstretched that I couldnt resist taking a photo. I did have a box of patchwork supplies on the couch which I had been sorting through. Tink has used it as a bed. Isnt it funny how cats are drawn to fabrics. If I leave anything lying around she and Phoebe will always lay or sit on the fabric. What a lovely surprise in todays mail... in fact two lovely surprises. The first package was from Sesga in the Wales who had sent me two of her gorgeous peg fairy dolls and a sweet pink kitty softie... soooo gorgeous and thank you so much Sesga, I LOVe them! The second package was from my friend Shirley in Western Australia who had made me this beautiful handfelted and stitched book. It is so beautiful Shirl and I love each and every colourful page.

I have been doing some stitching too. I made the two Klimt dolls below to send to friends for Christmas, one in a beautiful green fabric that reminds me of a Monet painting and the other in a lovely Kaffe Fassett turquoise fabric.

Just a short post this time.... busy with Christmas preparations and I still have some last minute Christmas shopping to do tomorrow before my visitors start arriving on Wednesday.

Wishing you and yours Peace and Joy for the festive season.

Jacky xox

Journal play ......

This first photo is for Dot, she often comments on the view from my kitchen window so I thought I would post this photo for her. Its been a rainy, misty day (and it is supposed to be summer !!!) and when I got home from work tonight this was my view... if you click on the photo up in the green far corner at the base of the trees are my three mares who are all in foal...you will have to look hard to see them. Destiny, Clover and Demi. When they have their babies I will take photos for you. My Journal... Whilst making my journal in Ro's workshop I included some beautiful paper that Dneese of Grrl & Dog blog had wrapped a package in for me. Loved the paper and wanted to incorporate it in my art somehow. This then gave me the idea to use this journal to display some of the lovely art and gifts I have received recently.
This page below shows a beautiful card, a little larger than an ATC sent to me by Linda Vincent in the UK. I love Linda's art and thought this piece was made for this page. This is still a WIP as I have only stuck it down on the page, I will add more to this page.

This is a piece of the wrapping from my package from Dneese... what wonderful asian paper and I loved the way she had painted it also. Still have more of this paper to use again later in another journal... dont dare waste any of it.

I have also added a gorgeous tag sent to me by Jo Wholohan to the binding of the journal. You can see it peeping out at the bottom.

Love this art postcard that Linda Vincent sent me recently. It was to promote an exhibition by Claire Caulfield and is titled "Grand Canal Venice" .... so beautiful and I love the subtle colours. This photo shows it in situ in my journal. I thought the colour complemented my pomegranate page.

And here a close up of the postcard... thanks so much Linda... I love it!

I havent been doing much art this week, very busy with family, but I have had a little bit of time to play around in my journal which I am loving.

I have more art work from blogging friends that I will add to this journal in the next few weeks.

I was very excited to see a tree flag that I made in a recent swap with Lynne flying from a tree high up on Mt. Shasta in the USA...pop over to her blog to see this post. AND also a piece of knitting that I sent to Dneese of Grrl & Dog blog in a tree in Sydney. Dneese and her guerilla art are taking the world by storm...read of a knit up inspired by Dneese and her knitted guerilla art happening in the UK. Maybe get your knitting needles out and take part... lots of fun!

Wishing you a funky yellow week.

Jacky xox

WIPS from Ro Bruhn Workshop ...

Thoroughly enjoyed my workshop last weekend with Ro Bruhn !!! Lots of fun and very liberating. I was amazed by the amount of painted papers I made and the fact that my journal signature was in a finished state (I'm always the slow one in the class).
Sorry, blogger has the pics reversed again.... below is one of my painted pages created in the class which I have overstamped with a gorgeous handcarved stamp of a pomegranate (carved by the very talented Samm). Loved this stamp.
These pages are very much works in progress. I have "plans" for these pages (which you will see over the coming weeks). We sloshed paint around, stamped, rolled with the brayer and came out with these very colourful papers.

BelowI have used the pomegranate stamp again, but this time on a background of watercolour paper. I have decided that the next journal I make I am going to use mainly watercolour paper as I love its texture and the way the paints react to it.

The front cover of my journal. Also a work in progress... still deciding on art/embellishments for the cover. I love the ragged ribbon binding. We can stitch buttons on this binding also.... but I'm not sure yet if I will do that....

And below are the girls in the workshop with Ro in her home at Belgrave. As you can see we were all ver engrossed in learning all of Ro's techniques... eager students.

Fabulous day was had by all. Wonderful tutor, amazing hospitality and so lovely to be around other like minded ladies.

If you would like to see more of the journals made on the day visit the following blogs as they have some wonderful photos... Samm, Ro, Jo and Janette.

Thanks for popping by my blog to visit and I hope you are enjoying a ruby red week.

Jacky xox