Friday, February 23, 2007

Steps and Stamps

Our walk today was around North Lake. The lake is now almost completely dry. All the water that is left is a largish puddle of about half an acre or so. The odd thing is that, unlike the other local lakes that have dried out as greyish mud flats, the entire bed of the lake is covered in bright green vegetation. Kevin has a fantastical theory about why this is so.

I just missed the 10,000 yesterday - 9564. Today is much better - 11658 already and I still have to get the washing in and prepare dinner.

One of the reasons for the high tally is that I went into Fremantle this afternoon. I needed some lens solution and I still have a book voucher from Christmas. Didn't use the voucher, but I spied some lovely little metal batik stamps in the Oxfam shop in Queen Street. They were only $3.95 each so I bought 4 of them. They are quite small - the biggest one is no longer than 6cm. Made in India.


I placed them under a bit of fabric that I had previously rubbed with oil pastels and a texture sheet. I used a blue metallic oil pastel and made a quick rubbing of each stamp. The rubbings are very rough - I didn't take any care at all and the bird is legless. I am thinking that I might try them with Shiva sticks as well as for their original purpose. They might be interesting stamped into Angelina fibre and paper pulp too and they could probably be used for foiling . . . I have plenty of ideas - I just need to make the time to try them all out.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Walking

I just made it yesterday: 10107 steps when I unhooked the pedometer.

This morning we went for a walk along the beach at Woodmans Point. We took the camera but missed the only really good photo opportunity. We came out of the dunes onto the northern edge of the point and there they were. Probably a hundred seagulls perched on the beach and a pelican fronting them. It looked so like a traditional classroom - I immediately thought of May Gibbs' Mr Kookaburra and his class of bush creatures. But before we could focus the pelican turned his back on the class and returned to the sea where three of his siblings were waiting. The class took off in segments as we approached.

Our question of the day - where can you find baby pelicans? Neither of us can remember ever seeing other than full size pelicans.

The beach walk took 3805 steps, but I wish the pedometer took effort into account as well. The same number of steps in a shopping centre is easy. Slogging through seaweed banks and loose sand is NOT.

I have spent the rest of the day going through some of my textile magazines. The slips of paper have proliferated.

Some years ago I used to photocopy the contents page of magazines, circle or highlight the articles I found interesting and file the copies in a display book. A good idea - but every time I used the index to find an article in a particular issue I found another article that appealed - and failed to see the relevance of some I had highlighted.

Then I started writing technique (and project) names and page numbers onto sticky notes and putting them on the cover. I have used these today to find a particular project, but I have also found articles that didn't make it in my selection in 2003, but which I really like now. So I found the article I wanted - plus about 50 others.

I would really like an easy reference system - I have LOTS of magazines. A computer data base doesn't appeal. Suggestions welcome.

And despite the huge effort this morning I have only racked up 8353 steps today.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Green tomatoes

We slept in a bit today and it was nearly 8.30 when a visitor arrived just as we were setting out for our walk. It was going to be the beach today. Maybe tomorrow?

Yesterday was 7983 steps - better than I expected. And despite not having been for a walk today's count is already nudging 9000. Reason: I went shopping. Only for boring groceries, but you can get in a lot of steps when you shop in an unfamiliar supermarket! The layout is never the same. I also went to the fruit and vegetable shop just down the hill in the Stock Road Market area. I don't go there often because I find the owners a bit off putting, but they do have cheap vegetables. While I was there I found green tomatoes in amongst the ripe ones so I swooped on them. I love Green Tomato chutney, and I haven't made it for ages. It is still bubbling quietly away on the stove and the whole house smells absolutely wonderful.

I also did a bit of zapping and burning this morning on yesterday's fabric and another one. No pics, because I don't think they are ready. Both need some more texture and/or embellishment.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

A Starting Point

This piece of fabric was originally part of a challenge block. It was stamped with gold paint and had gold flakes scattered over it before being overlaid with red chiffon and zapped. I used most of it last year when I made my A4 challenge quilt for April.

Today I sprinkled some of the metallic thread ends I have saved over the bit that was left, put another piece of red chiffon over the top and stitched all over in gold thread. Tomorrow I will either zap it or use the soldering iron on it. It will be the base for a series of 6 ATCs for a swap to raise money for cancer research.

I did not do at all well in the step program yesterday - only 6609 steps. I don't think today will be much better.

Monday, February 19, 2007

A little bit of sewing


I made this piece of fabric ages ago. It is silk tops on top of felt with pintucking, programmed stitches and freemotion embroidery. It was just the the size to make a book cover and I even had a book. So today I did it. It took me less than half an hour.

I also did quite bit of playing with QuickFonts in my 3D software. I had downloaded some Dingbat type fonts and I tried turning them into designs. There are a couple that I am quite happy with and I will stitch them out eventually. The rest went straight to Trash.

On Saturday I did 11129 steps. Yesterday was 7916. Today I will be lucky to reach 7000 - you don't take many steps sitting at a computer or sewing machine. We did go for a walk though this morning.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

We are off and away to the US

But not till July. Tickets booked, car booked and first night in LA all organised. More later - neighbours have dropped in and an impromptu barbecue is underway.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

Nothing done today that relates to fibre - but I haven't mentioned my impressions of the production of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie that we went to see on Thursday night.

I enjoyed it , though I thought it was too long. It needed to be tightened up, or more material included. The costuming was a bit hit and miss. Some costumes were quite elaborate (the fantail pigeon and the magpie spring to mind), others such as the Banksia Men were just bundles of knitted fabric. That was probably because all of the cast except the three leads spent time as a Banksia Man and quick on and off was the main requirement. It was interesting that the ladies of a CWA branch in NSW were given credit in the program notes for the knitting they did for the show.

Dale asked me yesterday about the 10,000 steps program and how I was going. I had to confess that I had not put on the pedometer for a week. But I did this morning and as of this minute I have racked up 10922 steps.

Friday, February 16, 2007

A Waltz through the Hills, and other places

I delivered my ATCs today - thinking I would meet the deadline - but that was last week. Duh! Very kindly, Dale accepted them. They made up a total of 300 ATCs, so people going to the Melbourne Convention have a treat in store. Thank you Dale.

In the afternoon I went with Kevin to pick up some computer stuff. We went first to Shenton Park, then to Sawyers Valley. My father used to live there, but we haven't done anything more than pass through for maybe 20 years. We made a slight detour to look at the house. Very difficult to see anything from the gate because the trees Dad planted have grown so big, but it didn't look as if much had changed. The orchard looked the same.

On the way back we stopped in Mundaring to visit the Arts Centre there. Today there was an interesting exhibition: the Shire of Mundaring Acquisition Exhibition. In my opinion the best pieces were sculptures. The Shire had acquired the one I particularly liked at a ridiculously low price. However, as Kevin pointed out, we could never have had it here - it was about 2 metres tall and the same wide. A 2D piece to be positioned on a large blank wall, which we don't have.

There were some nice photographs, some ceramics, a geometrical installation which did nothing for me, a couple of mixed media pieces and one textile piece. The rest were all paintings of varying quality, mostly not so good. The textile piece was a large 3D plant-like piece. I have seen this artist's work before - shame on me that I have forgotten her name.

In another room of the gallery was a small exhibition of previously acquired sculptures, including two by Hans Arkeveld whose work I have always liked. I really liked one piece which was suspended from the ceiling. Called "The Sentinel", it was a hollow fish shape with the ribs and a fearsomely toothed head shaped from polished wood. The fins were of painted, stiffened fabric. Inside was a prone cyborg like figure, supposedly operating hand and foot pedals to propel the fish. Like those very deep water fish that have a sort of antenna with a light, this one's head had a wire with a miniature camera.

We drove home past the Mundaring Weir. The hotel had hundreds of plastic chairs set out for a David Helfgott concert. We thought we might visit the C.Y O'Connor museum, but it doesn't seem to be readily accessible to the casual visitor. Back then through Kalamunda and Lesmurdie to the Roe Highway and home. Not sure how many kilometres we covered but we spent nearly 3 and a half hours in the car. Will look at it as training for the US trip.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Some fibre work today

After a busy start to the day - SiL Shirley had to be delivered to the bus in East Perth before 8, there were 2 loads of washing to do and I had an appointment for a haircut at 9.30 - I finally got into the sewing room and managed to complete eight ATCs. All except the red one are made with the embellisher then most have stitching added

Now all I have to do is pick 5 to give to Dale for the swap in Melbourne next week.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Baubles and Beads

I am suffering withdrawal symptoms - I haven't been near my sewing machines for over a week. Fibre has not featured largely in my life.

Today I took SiL Shirley to several bead shops . She bought enough to keep herself going in Esperance. The shopping there isn't great.

I bought myself a pair of red coral earrings. We were both pleased with our purchases. She leaves tomorrow and I have promised myself a couple of hours on my machine to finish the ATCs for Dale's swap.