Natures colourful bounty

                                         I have been preparing silk and cotton remnants
                                                        for a Tie Dye workshop in Bathurst
                                        with 13 students between the age of 12 and 16. 

                                                                  It should be fun.

                                      So I have been collecting potential colour sharing
                                 plant stuffs from my environment in the Blue Mountains.
                              

                                                I will also take along the wonderful dyes
                                             from my good friend Marion at Beautiful silks
                                    and we will see what transformations we can make happen
                                                       to our plain fabrics over 3 days.

How lovely to be published!

        'Textiles -The Art of Mankind' by Mary Schoeser 

published by Thames and Hudson

One of those glorious art books that 

make you salivate as you turn each luscious page.

That make you dream of making something that might one day 

be worthy of a book such as this.

Then out of the blue it happens!

Yes nestled in the glossy pages of this stunning book 

is a detail of my 'Tea Party' and I took the photo too!

I am feeling very humble at this moment 

as all the works that share the pages of this book are breath taking.

Very proud.

 

 

                                        It is strange that there is no picture of the head dress
                                                          as I think that is the best part.

                                                The first inspiration for this piece
                                 came when I was away at a Textile Forum in Orange
                                        and a wonderful textile artist Svea Bjornsson
                                      was wearing a beanie that set my imagination on fire
                                    and I asked her if she would mind if I ran with the idea.

                                                      Here is a pick of her in her beanie

                                           Sometimes it is the most difficult things in life
                                                       that inspire the most creativity.

                                          When I saw Svea in this hat, my heart did a little leap.

                                                                           Why?


                                             Today I will share with you (very briefly)
                                                       a private place in my heart.
                                            Only because this piece should be credited
                                                        to the people who inspired it.
                                                It is not something I talk about often
                                            as it is a place of sadness and vulnerability
                                  and I don't like to dwell on the sad parts in life too much.

                                        I have a son who struggles deeply with mental illness.
                                 The poor darling has been in hospital for two and a half years.
                                                    As a family we all ache for him to be well.

                                                                So this piece was for him.
                                            Along with the trauma and complexity of mental illness
                                               there is also a childlike simplicity that causes the patient
                                                   to become deeply lost in a story or fantasy world,
                                                  similar to a child in the midst of a role play game
                                                 but my son's fantasy world never goes away completely.
                                           I think he is very brave to cope daily with such a disability.
                                                                

                                         I try to keep reminding myself of how wonderful he was
                                                before he became sick and I keep visiting him
                                             with all the happiness and love that I can give him.
                                                Always hoping that one day there will be a cure.

                                                                     So if it wasn't for

                                                                     *  My dear son
                                                                                and
                                                                     *  Svea's lovely beanie

                                                This costume would never have happened.


                                                                   and a big thank you to
                                                                          Janet De Boer
                                  for letting me know that there was a call for submissions
                                                               from Thames and Hudson

                                                      
                                                                                 
                                                                                        xx

Of Farms and Flowers, Paint and Fowls

                                   We spent last week end visiting my in laws
                                   on their farm at Taralga (between Goulbourn and Oberon NSW ).
                                   It may well be our last visit as the farm goes up for auction
                                   this coming weekend. :(

                                   If you are interested in moving to the country
                                   and this looks your style, you had better get in quick
                                   as there are already people interested.


                                           here is the real estate agents link to   'Somerset'

                                             Their garden is stunning at the moment.
                                    

 

                                                      They are both in their 80's now
                                                             and need to down size.                          
                                                             They will miss the farm
                                                   but are looking forward to playing golf
                                                         and spending time with family.
                                           

                                                But for anyone keen on the open spaces
                           this farm has been reforested in parts with the help of land care
                                             it has solar pumps and solar electric fencing
                                                  and is generally really well cared for
                                                 It has always been a delight for us to visit.

                             It would be a wonderful place for a potter/small scale farmer
                                              Room for a wood fired kiln and plenty of fuel.

                                            ............................................................................



                                                                         Meanwhile
                                                                    back at the ranch..............


                                                            I have been painting the living room.

                                                    This is the colour that a potter paints their house
                                                        when they wish they had mud walls.
                                       
                                                   

                                                                                      :)




                                                  and we had to bring the older  5 chicks inside
                        as they were attacking the tiny ones and indeed we lost one because of it :(

                                                         .....Smmmmmellllly!....................


                                                                   but Mara is pleased
                                                                  and they are cute ;)
                                                                     and so is she xx

                                          I am off to check out the Mud Colony bloggers now
                                   I am sure they are busy preparing lots of Christmas goodies

I still refuse to enter the studio!

Still not keen to enter the studio.... mmm

 I still need to NOT create 

in fact I think NOT creating is a very creative thing for me right now.

I am thinking about designs for costumes, pots, jewellery and sculptures

but I am still a long way from being ready to create.

The garden and my house hold environment

are my top priority at the moment.

I am letting my imagination ferment for a bit, brew into a tasty beverage.

I don't think I will be back in the studio seriously making again until 2013.

I am loving watching these beautiful hens and chicks.

This little snugly one popped out this morning. 

The mum proudly showed it to me

and then gently rolled the rest of her eggs under her chest.

 

So here (above) are our co-parenting mums with their 4 chicks today...

still sitting on another 4 - 5 eggs 

                                                     The older chicks are doing well
                                    though they are a little nervous of the other mother hens
                                          who peck them when they get the chance .

                              Altogether we now have 9 chicks and I am sure there will be more.

 

 The garden is a joy at the moment

                                                             Orchids are flowering

 

and the strap cactus

 

I have been potting up some of the orchids into my 

broken and discarded pit fired pots. Just perfect for orchids.

                           
                                        I have decided to line my baskets with news paper
                                             instead of expensive ready made liners.
                                    I think they will look OK once the plants get going.
                                       
                                             The birds have stolen all the coconut fibre
                                                          so I had to do something!

                                           We have a LOT of news paper at our house.
                                       One of my husbands great joys is to read 2 papers a day
                                      and he doesn't throw them out until they have been read!!
                                                               
                                                         Yes, after a busy day at work
                                             he still manages to absorb all that news paper info.
                                                                    EVERYTHING!
                                         He always tells me about exhibitions and various art news
                                                      that I may have missed - BRILLIANT :)
                                                                     Not just a pretty face,
                                                there is not much that man can't tell you about
                                  As you can imagine, he is the best person to take to a trivia night. ;D

                                                                               BUT!!!!
                                                  The papers do become a bit of a concern.
                                                Particularly as they become high rise towers.

                                                                          mmmmmmm :\

                                                Here is the start of one of the smaller piles. ;}
                                                              So in the name of recycling
                                               I like to use them in what ever way that I can ;)
                                                                 (when he lets me ;~O )

AND NOW....

A bit of exciting news this week!

Here is the link to a big new gorgeous art book 

that has just been published by Thames and Hudson 

Textiles -The Art of Man Kind 

which has my Tea Party in it.

YAY!

* a little hoppy dance and a bow with a flourish*

         I haven't seen it yet but hope to soon :)

Off to the Mud Colony now :)

Grandchildren,Chicks and Flowers

                                             It is a beautifully busy life at the moment.
                          Although I am not working on any creative projects at the moment,
                                                         life is full of inspirations.
                                     
                                            The garden keeps producing little surprises,
                                 even though it has been sadly neglected over the last 6 months.

                                     The last two weekends have been full of my delightful children,
                                                              grandchildren and friends.

                                                            Cuteness!

 

Yummy food 

more cuteness!


We even made a clay hand print!

                             There is also the joy of hens ....
                                         these two are co-parenting their chicks.
                                                  Not something you see often in hen world.
                                                            Usually they are very territorial about their chicks.

                                               But these two are hatching the eggs together

                                               
                                                              Feeding the first born

 

the next day they had two to take for a walk

 

 New today is number 3 'Cuddles'

She/he is a bit of a dreamer and doesn't always follow the mums

as you can see I have been able to pick this chick up 

with out any concern from the mums.... 

they just keep forgetting this little one and go back to hatch more eggs

 I put it back with it's mum and it had to fight to get a snuggle.

 

 

 

Our 5 chick family is also going well 

the chicks are getting their feathers now 

all strong and healthy and becoming independent.

  

 

So we have 8 chicks in all and still more on the way.

                                                  And as a final note but by no means least
                                                     I have two congratulations to make........
                                                           
                                                                     Drum roll please!

                         * Firstly, to my eldest son Krishna and his partner of 10 years, Emma,
                                who are planning to get married next year! YAYAYAYAYAY!      
                                               Such a beautiful couple and so well suited .
                                               I am so delighted for you both ( all 3 of you)


                                                 * Secondly to my lovely husband, Michael,
                                             and all the partners at Hazelbrook General Practice
                       who where awarded 'NSW General Practice of the year 2012' yesterday.

                                                                      Well deserved! 

                                             A group of very hard working, kind and skilled  doctors,
                                                                  health workers, office staff
                                                       and a wonderful Practice Manager, Kathy.
                                                                      Congratulations!