Back home again!

Where is the time going?

I've just got back from what felt like a fleeting trip home to England to catch up with family and friends. We were lucky to time our visit to fit in with a range of family events: my cousin Russell's wedding to Nadia, my nephew Henry's 18th birthday, my friend Kate's birthday and Father's Day! I feel like my feet have not touched the ground for a while now.

It sometimes feels strange to have more than one place I call home. I had a confusing conversation while I was away about where I was that prompted this chain of thought. Mum still lives in the house I grew up in - that will always be home. England (generically) - as I grew up there is home. Also now I have my home in Sydney, where I have my day to day life and live with James. How lucky I am to have this range of safe places, when many are not so fortunate.

I just love England in June. Somehow the roadsides covered in cow parsley is what sums up England in June for me - so I thought I'd include a couple of pictures. I love the airiness, delicacy and symmetry of their flowers and seed pods. These shapes will definitely become part of a piece of artwork at some point in the future.

Lots of TAST catching up to do...I've been doing a little bit of stitching so will post what I've been doing soon.

TAST - Basque Stitch

What a great stitch! I loved basque stitch. It's another one I will definitely be using again.

The background is one of my hand printed fabrics - using a roller on glass and then laying shapes as masks before printing. The circles are made by elastic bands and the long swirl with a thin thread. I really enjoy the effects that they made.

As I was stitching this one I was thinking about micro-organisms; things that you might see under a microscope. Shades of my past are creeping out! They also reminded me of plankton (I think that is what they were!?)- from the time we went swimming with dolphins off the coast of New Zealand. The sea was so full of little organisms that it looked like soup!

This one was fun to do!

Unhinged: Don't Press The Red Button.

The rust obsession started here!
I made this last year with the goodies that my neighbours threw out. The photo doesn't the textures justice. The red button is fabric covered with linen. It was amongst the box of rusty things and just seemed to belong with them.
I love the lock with the keys - all rusted together - so they had to stay together.
All mounted on black painted board.
The remained of the rusty things helped dye my material last week. I got some amazing close ups of the rust patterns and will post those soon.

TAST Palestrina Stitch

I really loved Palestrina stitch. I started it the week it was set - but wasn't inspired. I was away on holiday with just boring plain felt and couldn't get going. It wasn't until I got back and saw this piece of fabric I printed with wrought iron swirls that I suddenly saw a way forward! I really have to have the right background before I can move forward and get inspired with a stitch. It makes all the difference for me. Somehow the fabric tells me what stitch would set it off the best!!

The background fabric is a bought blue, slightly mottled, cotton. It has blue and red wrought iron swirls printed on it and also a henna hand print shape. You can see the fingers and thumb if you look closely. I'll post a pic another time. It is from a template for doing henna hand designs and I got it at an art exhibition called Goddess, here in Sydney, last year.

Below is a close up, because I just loved the texture and shapes in this section!

Rusty Fabric Dyeing - Results

Well the results are in and I'm feeling rather pleased with myself. For a first go they are quite interesting. I'll definately be doing this again. The first picture is with them on the line to dry and they are looking pretty bright in the sunshine. They dried lighter - as in the pictures below.

This first one was put in a bucket with rusty nails, a hack saw blade, door hinges, an old door bell and a few other bits and pieces. (Thanks to my neighbours for throwing them away). The fabric and the pits and pieces were layered together. Next time I'll aim for more contact between them and the fabric. They weren't very rusty and with their small size gave a delicate result.

I screwed up the fabric, added rust water and then half a kettle of hot water and a slurp of vinegar. This time I didn't use salt - but I might another time. They were in the bucket a week - with me rearranging them every day or so.

The results of the second one are more dramatic. I used old circular saw blades and they were pretty rusty. I particularly like the depth that the different shades of rust give this piece. I used the same method as for the other bucket.

I haven't decided what to use them for yet - but some ideas are brewing...

Rusty Metal Dyeing...In Progress

Can't wait to see how these come out. I've been meaning to try this for ages and finally they are nearly brewed.

My neighbours kindly left lots of rusty stuff in the back lane outside our house and I found all these fantastic things. The door hinges and keys became an assemblage piece. (I'll post a picture another time.) The rest I've had a variety of ideas for - but using them to dye fabric has been high on the list. At last they are on their way!

The circular saw blades are giving a great result with high surface area and lots of rust. I'm crumpling the fabric to give it a patchy look rather than pure circles, as I think it will have more potential. In the other bowl there are a variety of things - an old door bell mechanism, rusty nails, a hack saw blade, and other random things. They are less rusty and are just leaving simple lines and shapes - less dramatic, but they will be a good contrast to the darker, more intense other piece. The two big pieces are calico. I've also dyed some scraps of muslin - it hasn't taken the definition of shapes - just the colours. They've been going for a week now - and every couple of days I've shuffled things around.

It's due to rain tomorrow, so I'm going to take them out today and dry them - while it is easier!

I'll give you an update soon.

Tagged!

Well it's my turn. I've been tagged by Dy.
I have to tell you seven things you won't know about me and then tag seven further people to do the same.

I've been reading all those interesting things about you all - and then trying to think what I could say about me. I asked James (my husband) what he would tell people, and so now I think I've got my seven things...

1. I love the colour turquoise. The obsession developed slowly. Then everything I had was turquoise. I'm trying to wean myself off it a bit now. The thing about turquoise is that it reminds me of beautiful blue skies and water. It also seems a fun and hopeful colour to me. I read recently that scientists at John Hopkins University had discovered that the colour of all the light in the universe is light turquoise - so I am obviously onto something...

2. I've got one of those faces...everyone thinks they know me, or I look like their sister, cousin, friend... I'll have to post a picture, so you can see for yourselves.

3. In a moment of teenage experimentation I got my friend Jackie to bleach my hair blond. As my hair is dark brown, it took a long time and I chickened out too soon - and ended up with Johnny Rotten orange!

4. I love all things creative. As I child I was demoralised by art and craft in school and gave it up at the earliest opportunity. Mum had been an art teacher. Dad was a research scientist. My brother did arts; I did sciences, psychology and became an Human Resources Manager. Now that we have moved to Australia with James' job, I'm making up for lost time - enjoying art classes and exploring textile arts, mixed media, printing (especially mono printing) and loving it. A secret (not now that I've written it here) desire is developing...to find a creative career...

5. I love nature, gardening and the great outdoors. I'm never happier than when I'm in the middle of a green space - no traffic - just me and the environment - trees, sky and birds and beasties. Today's picture is of me taking a photo of an over inquisitive kangaroo on Kangaroo Island who could smell an apple in the car! Wildlife and cameras...

6. I just love my digital camera! I confess I am a little obsessive with it. James understands that when I have it with me, he is definitely second on my priority list.

And one more...
7. I love to experiment. My creations are process driven, rarely planned completely. I currently have a bucket and a bowl with fabric and rusty metal "stewing together" in my back yard. It's very exciting. I just love rusty stuff and have been wanting to do this for ages. I've no idea, as yet, what I'll be doing with it...but I'm really looking forward to seeing how it comes out.

I am now tagging seven people that I would like to know more about. Please don't feel that you have to do this - only if you want to. (I don't do chain letters.)
Conni (CJ33)

Annica (Fabulous Threads)
Elizabeth (Quieter Moments)

Ann Christine Dennison
Judy (Scott)
Ivana (Imichaova1)
Carina (Wardi)

Thanks for tagging me Dy!