Cats

As I grow older Im starting to appreciate cats. I held my friends little kitty a couple of months ago and the purr on it was so adorable. Such a smoochy kitten.  These brooches below are porcelain and my current crush. I hope they come available again especially the one on the right.

Braidwood 2012

This weekend I dediced that enough is enough. Im having a major art retreat.  Yesterday was the Airing of the Quilts in Braidwood and went with my friend Doris. Its been a yearly pilgrimage mostly and it is lovely to get out into the country where the real poeple (and butterfly cakes are).

Today was spent on an Art Tail around Queenbeyan being driven around in a large bus, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea all for $25.00. Smiling as Im writing this. I wore an Iced Vo Vo brooch which was a talking point for much of the trip. We were taken to working studios and galleries.Findi flooshki was an amazing young woman who had an organic garden with chooks, a thriving art practice and 3 kids under 6. Her presentation was spectacular http://findiflooshki.com. I love it that she calls herself a maker. The most interesting parts of the trip were when I asked the male artists how they got started in their field. One guy was a glass blower and his story was charming. He said he didnt know what to do with his life but only knew he wanted to work with his hands. A builder in Sydney asked him to come and labor for him while building a house and asked him if he wanted to learn how to blow glass as a trade off.  He said he knew from the moment the builder asked the question and before he answered that was the defining moment. The other guy was a sculpture who was a plumber and just drifted into making these amazing bronze statues and cut outs.

Feeling rather satisfied after all this inspiration.

Linen Sheets For Real

 I want to sleep in pure 100% linen PINK sheet/s before I die. Eileen Fisher makes these ones with the fury ends which might to the job. Got talking over lunch with the design class about my wish for such luxury and they were all intrigued as to why would I want to pay $500 for a set of sheets (appox). My first answer was I like a messy bed and linen does scrunch better than any other textile I know. Then followed it up by saying I had been traumatized by too many a crisp tuck in, in the past. So going to set about working out a styling solution for an unmade bed where it can look more like a work of art for those who a traumatized by a messy bed. Its so much more nest like when its all messy and makes me want to jump in and snuggle.

This one looks like a pain devise.

Playthings

Here are the playthings of a first year Interior Designer, well some of them at least.

The computer aided drawing (Auto CAD 2) was intense to say the least. Im getting a tutor to go over everything again with me.  I am having doubts about weather I will finish the complete Diploma at the moment but it could be just end of year exhaustion that all student get.  Anyway the orange cake I made turned out very nice. 

Take What You Need Tag

Arnt people clever? Simple and meaningful. I love this kind of stuff that goes out into the community to make people think about all the good things we should be focusing on. I hate the way our culture is focusing on crime and killing and all the other bad stuff.

Thermomix

I call this machine, which I have had since January, Aunty Thel after my first Angel. She made it known to me that she was on my side at about 6 years old. Still think about her heaps and have one of my oldest posesions she gave me sitting centre of my kitchen where I can see it every day. Its a childs tea cup. Made in Japan.

This collage is shows the machine and the steps I took to create butter from creme (no additives at all) It took 7 minutes and made 220g. Ready for immediate use.

Cant say enough about this machine. It steams, cooks, makes ice cream/sorbet, weighs, juices, mills, chops, kneeds, crushes. Last year I was pre diabetic. Last lot of bloods revealed that is not the case anymore and I believe its because of the food I prepare now - I have control over the amount of salt and sugar fat and additives I include. Granted it does cost $2000 but when you make your own food the shopping bill goes down and ingredients you have in the cupboard are multi use items so you dont have to have alot of half used packets and jars hanging about. There's more space in the cupboards as you dont need so many pots.  I currently own a mix master, jug, frying pan and two pots for doing a couple of things at the same time as using this machine and frying.

After All

The brooding ghosts of Australian night have gone from the bush and town;
My spirit revives in the morning breeze,
though it died when the sun went down;
The river is high and the stream is strong,
and the grass is green and tall,
And I fain would think that this world of ours is a good world after all.

The light of passion in dreamy eyes, and a page of truth well read,
The glorious thrill in a heart grown cold of the spirit I thought was dead,

A song that goes to a comrade's heart, and a tear of pride let fall --
And my soul is strong! and the world to me is a grand world after all!

Let our enemies go by their old dull tracks,
and theirs be the fault or shame
(The man is bitter against the world who has only himself to blame) ;
Let the darkest side of the past be dark, and only the good recall;
For I must believe that the world, my dear, is a kind world after all.

It well may be that I saw too plain, and it may be I was blind;
But I'll keep my face to the dawning light,
though the devil may stand behind!
Though the devil may stand behind my back, I'll not see his shadow fall,
But read the signs in the morning stars of a good world after all.

Rest, for your eyes are weary, girl -- you have driven the worst away --
The ghost of the man that I might have been is gone from my heart to-day;
We'll live for life and the best it brings till our twilight shadows fall;
My heart grows brave, and the world, my girl, is a good world after all.
...................Henry Lawson.........................

Art At Last

Ive finally got around to doing a tiny bit of art. I love doing these cards with the 3D leaves that move around inside and fall out when you open it up.  This is for neicey 25th Birthday and I did stamped (Lino-cut out of an eraser) wrapping paper to match the card and the leaflets. Very satisfying. My dad and Valmai are leaving me tomorrow so Ill be in a slump for the next few days.

Cat and Kitten

At last I met Mrs Shepard. I went out to her gallery as I always do when in Taree hoping to get an audience with Shepanardi and this time I was in luck.  I introduced myself to her mum saying I'm miscott the online friend.  Yep, cant believe I said that. Cant believe Shep got straight into her car and come to see me and sis and where I met not only this talented artist but many members of her artistic family. This was such a treat for me and I was so overstimulated that lucky sis reminded me to pay. Shep is launching a web site with lots of fab paintings prints pajamas and toys. So stay tuned. Purrrin!!!!

Made My Day

Anonymous gratitude to the silver haired Japanesse gentleman dressed in denim who, while riding the esculator in the opposite direction, wasn't satisfied with a second look at me and went for the hatrick and nearly fell off the end of the escalator. Nice foot work bloke!!!

I love it when out of nowhere someone appears and you recognise them immediately as someone you are on the same wavelength with. This is not a attraction in a physical way but an energy way.  Im pretty sure I have seen him around either at CIT or the Art Gallery so I guess its the creative energy that is the common thing in this story.

However, on further analysis it could have been because I had mauve white and black on today which could be close to the Japanese pallette. I hate that logic and reason part.

As you get older you become less visible as time goes on. Thats what I am finding anyway.  So it was nice to be noticed and gave me a long needed dose of attention.

Thanks dude.