Red Inspiration

I am inspired mostly by what I read . This week, I've been reading this book China Revealed. a Christmas gift from my friend, June. It is a book of powerful images and very informative accounts of the journey of a Hong Kong based Chinese photographer to every province in China. It captures China today - the new urban wealth and the rural poverty, the stark and the lyrically beautiful. The dust cover says, " Never before has such an ambitious journey - 'contemplating the orchids from a galloping horse ' as the old proverb has it - been undertaken . China Revealed is a profoundly important and visually stunning record. "


The photos also show one of the little boxes I made this week. It opens out flat and is meant to be gift box and greeting card in one. Clever? I learnt this in my card making class.

Mrs Chalumeau , my doll for the exhibition in a couple of weeks, is making good progress. I don't think she should be revealed yet , but here are some photos of her skirt being stitched with mother of pearl buttons. So far, I have used about 300 of the 500+ buttons I have collected from various sources. Most of the buttons are vintage mother of pearl, but I found some new small heart shaped buttons last week, and have incorporated them. I also found a mother of pearl small belt buckle in the shape of a butterfly, so Mrs C will also have a belt to her outfit. I am now sewing buttons to the cape, Only the hat to go, and her stand!
It's been a good week creatively:
- four ETSY sales in the last three days, (only downside is here I am in the middle of making Mrs C and no stock prepared for the shop)
- my White Knight ( the new version) this week was featured on the front page of the Beaded Art Dolls Forum.