a certain satisfaction....

I've just finished my third molekin journal and there is a certain satisfaction in having finished it.  It's nice to accomplish something...to see it through to the end.
I am by no means a prolific journaller (even though I refer to these as my daily journals) , and I often wish that I were more consistent in my journalling. 
To be disciplined enough to journal a little each day is what I would love to accomplish....but sometimes weeks go by between entries.  At first this used to bother me, my inconsistency.  But now I just do what I can when I can and I dont feel so guilty about it.
My journals are a mix of sketching, painting, ideas for future projects, a diary of sorts ...it is lovely to look back through them.  Seeing the inspiration for cloths I have made,  paintings/prints I have made.... and to remember goings on in my everyday life.  Sometimes what I write seems really mundane.  But reading back through them,  it all becomes much more interesting than it seemed when I wrote it.
I visited my friend Lynne Hoppes blog today and you should see her lovely stack of journals.

This is my meagre little stack of journals.  Thus far all in moleskins,  but I am keen to try a Stillman & Birn sketchbook like Lynne uses.  They sound great for mixed media and watercolours etc.

It has become a ritual of mine to put a print of Magaly Ohika's art on the cover of my journals.  I love her quirky/whimsical works of art (and own quite a few of them now).  On my first  ever journal I taped one of Magaly's prints (you can buy them in postcard size) to the front,  and here I am at my fourth journal with another lovely print of her art on the cover.  Her beautiful girls above remind me a little of textile work of Sara Lechner.  They both have the same gentle quality about them.

Another little boro cloth on the go.  A friend Lili who visited recently sent me a bag of beautiful kimono scraps.  I decided to try and put them all into a little cloth ... a memory cloth of a lovely time spent with arty friends.

It's cold, rainy and pretty miserable outside today, so I thought I might share this photo  I took last summer at a friends place of his sunflowers growing in his vegie patch....just to add a bit of brightness to the day.

I

BRING YOU

GORGEOUS FLOWERS

TO

STAND

BESIDE YOUR

GORGEOUS SELF

 

-SARK-

enjoy your weekend!

Jacky xox

It's cold outside ......

It's really cold outside,  but we were treated to a day of beautiful sunshine today (after the fog lifted mid morning).  We stoked the fire and I took the opportunity to get out my latest crochet project,  a scarf for my sister Lee.  Lee loves blues and greys and chose this beautiful Italian sock yarn for her scarf (much greyer in real life...looks quite blue here).  I love these sock yarns with the different colour blends.

The scarf design has a lovely petal motif.

While I was in Bali I found these little dilly bags in a few different styles.  Perfect gifts for friends back home,  but also perfect little project bags.  This one holds my wool, crochet hook and scarf easily.  And the best part is.... I leave the ball of wool inside,  tighten the cords and just pull out as much wool as I need..... I dont have my ball of wool getting out of control all over the place. 

The cows were enjoying the winter sunshine.  Might have been sunny but very soggy underfoot and a real chill in the air.  Great for skiing I suppose and there were snowfalls in the mountains not far from us..

Later in the afternoon I sat outside with my old dog Oakey and we enjoyed the last of that sun before it disappeared behind the big hill behind our house.  Very pleasant and quiet day.

LET

LIFE

SCOOP

YOU UP

AND

CHANGE YOU

SOMEHOW

 

-SARK-

Jacky xox

gentle stitching....

Well my holiday is but a distant memory.....we are really feeling winter at the moment.  Short, dark and wet days .... soggy....but not long now until the Winter Solstice and all a the sudden the daylight is brighter,  the wattle starts to bloom along our road and everything brightens.

I am enjoying some gentle stitching... quiet, repetitive stitching, very rewarding (both physically and mentally).

Thread Beads, indigo dyed cloth and old kimono fabrics (some of my favourite things in the world).  The beginnings of a nine patch.

I have also been stitching some fabric stones for Judes  Magic Feather cloths.  Linen backing cloth with silk and cotton appliqued stones.

It's a long weekend here in Australia.  Monday is a public holiday...The Queens Birthday Holiday.  I do love a long weekend - more time to stitch.

I hope you are all having a creative week.

I SEE ALL

THE BEAUTY

IN

YOU

-SARK-

Have a beautiful, indigo week.

Jacky xox