Where did January go?

Only four days this week ... mmm.... what did I do? I finished off making some felt pins - to go with my scarves and my model Sodabeh, wore them as belts. Sodabeh is an exchange student from Norway, and is Riikka's friend. These photos are to advertise my felt accessories classes later in the year at The Eclectic Studio in Sydney and at LamboArt Studio in Thornton .

Not sure how the month disappeared - still have a list of "things to do".... so this weekend is devoted to doll making. I am still making Mrs Chalumeau - a Pearly Queen for the Hello Dollies Challenge to be unveiled at the Craft and Quilt Fair in Newcastle 20-22 February. Our exhibition is called "Hello Dollies Goes Crazy" - a display of embellished dolls against a backdrop of embellished crazy quilts. It will look spectacular!

I have also joined a group called ATC (Artist Trading Card)

Art Dolls. I participated in a swap this month with the theme "Retro". The rules are that a "doll" is to be made on a card base ( 2.5 in x 3.5 in), any media, and bits like legs and arms can fold up to the size. It isn't as easy as it sounds, especially working on a card base and so small. I started off with two images which really suited the 'retro" theme. I wanted to interpret the 1960 song " She wore an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini" so I used the image of the girl hanging out the washing and made a cloth yellow polka dot bikini . Her legs were much longer than 3.5 in so they were attached with a brad to fold back to fit in the little envelope. The other one was much more straightforward, but I changed the original image from holding a chocolate cake to a "surprise' package and a bottle of champagne . Now she really does know her way around the kitchen. The rest of

the saying is " A smart woman knows her way around the kitchen... right out the door and into a good restaurant!'. These two cards are now off to USA to another person in the group.

On the family front ... Brandon celebrated his fifth birthday on Tuesday and started school this week very happily. We didn't look after Dylan this week as he had his first sleep over at Kellie's and Adrian's place - very excited to sleep in the same bedroom as his cousin, Brandon. Unfortunately, he missed home and Kellie had to sleep with him! It was good for us to have a day off babysitting as Jim sprained his ankle on Monday and was in pain and hobbling around for a few days, and I am still plagued with tooth aches. To make things worse this week, we paid a visit to our financial adviser and that wasn't good news ... Oh well, we are still very fortunate and we still have many many more great days than bad. Be happy! It's a wonderful world!

photo above - Adrian cutting the cake, Brandon, Dylan, William, held by Riikka.

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks .... The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or my husband or from off cuts gifted to us from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks. Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as w...

Lilly Pilly

Today is Australia Day. I chose a photo of some Lilly Pilly berries as a celebratory image for this national day. Lilly Pilly is a common name for a plant, Syzygium smithii which grows mostly in Eastern Australia, from the northern rain forests of Queensland, throughout NSW to the southern Wilson's Promontory in Victoria. In New Zealand it is called "monkey apple, but other names used in Australia, besides lilly pilly, are Eungella Gum and Coast Satinash. The largest Lilly Pilly recorded was found in Dingo Creek Flora Reserve, near Tenterfield where I once lived. The tree now growing in my garden was once a small seedling which I was gifted when I left Woolgoolga, a small coastal town in northern NSW. Its name is said to come from the Aboriginal word 'weelgoolga' describing the lilly pilly which grows in profusion there. It is probably no surprise that the lilly pilly berries are edible as bush tucker, and make a beautiful jam or jelly. I have even seen re...

"Temari Or Not Temari?" Tutorial

Background Information: Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that is alleged to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. Recently I've wondered if your don't use traditional techniques whether you should call what you create "temari". That is an ongoing debate but today I share what I do to make a "non-traditional temari".... 1.I start with a polystrene ball ( traditionally the balls were wound silk scraps or other organic materials) and begin to wrap with approx 4 ply wool, turning the ball as I wrap. 2. I then wrap another layer of wool in a similar fashion , this time a 3 or 2 ...

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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