thingamejigs

connection

2012-01-24T11:13:00.007+11:00

A crocodile basking on the banks of the Mowbray River near Port Douglas (gateway to the Daintree) connects us to the primeval world of dinosaurs...

Antarctic Beech trees on one of the National Parks walks at Springbrook (in the Gold Coast hinterland) connect us with a remnant of the ancient plant world of thousands of years ago...

my paper cut expresses the connection between tree and human and...

members of the world's oldest living culture connect traditional weaving practices in new ways to help solve the contemporary problem of plastic waste in the Ghost Nets project.

Paper cutting

2012-01-19T11:51:00.006+11:00

record of a wonderful day at the Daintree... where rainforest meets the sea...

My latest project, paper cutting, is a meditative process...

that sometimes hurts your finger! Luckily for me, not from a cut but from pressure!

Russian inspired Chrissy present for my Mum cut from an old calendar...

Paintings

2011-10-27T11:25:00.004+11:00

I am having fun painting children's tropical Tshirts...

moon, bushfire and dog paintings...

and my Frankie girl banner hides my studio mess from the public!

2011-10-12T10:33:00.008+11:00

Plastic lids are not recycled . We must keep them out of the waterways for as long as possible. But more importantly we should reduce our need for them in the first place. Eat fresh, buy glass and metal containers.

The story of the Brolga and the Emu written by Baressa Frazer (from Aurukun on Cape York Peninsular) and illustrated by me has been published...fantastic!!!

A busy grandson who loves using scissors was my delightful visitor to Studio@167. The day was a busy one...cutting, pasting, painting, drawing, playgroun, gardening, playing hockey, sewing....whew!

Something I did for my "Painting-a-day" project.

art mojo

2011-08-24T19:10:00.007+10:00

My Russian heritage has been inspiration to my new project...matryoshkas! Here is self portrait with community garden produce. Australian flora is in the background and a hand embroidered doily depicts my love of hand making.

...a tropical cushion...

...a fresh washed drawing is bringing me back to being an artist after prolonged artist block

and a concrete paver made in a pizza box declares peace to troubled offspring

Reconnecting with creativity

2011-07-16T15:59:00.009+10:00

Viewing the recent lunar eclipse must have put the moon into my subconscious. Moon pictures seem to be appearing on my canvases lately...

moonlight reflection on a lake...

and an angel in the moonlight.

A bag is not just a bag when it is designed and hand made. It is an expression of love. It is a possession that becomes more valued with age even when the colours fade from vibrant to softer hues. The maker partakes in a connected process from choice of materials through cutting, pinning, piecing stitching, ironing and final decoration. It is satisfaction for the producer and the purchaser. Employ people! Buy handmade!

everything's happening!

2011-07-13T05:42:00.007+10:00

Venturing back into fashion illustration...

the boys and I visit Split Rock cave paintings outside Laura, Cape York Peninsular...

Crocs sunning themselves on the banks of the Mowbray River near Port Douglas- always a car stopper...

Yarrabah!...the best stall at Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival...

Back into the swing of things

2011-07-04T10:31:00.006+10:00

Hand stenciled cassowary kid's T shirt...

yellow kid's T shirt designed by Amy and screened by me...

necklace from preloved bits and pieces...

and some small watercolour still lifes. My new laptop should be more conducive to the process of online communication.

a few thingamejigs

2011-01-30T13:24:00.009+11:00

...a blink at my storybook illustrated for a lady from Aurukun. This is very exciting work for me as it represents a departure from my usual government work into the creative realms of children's literature!

The amazing South American arum flowering in the Cairns Botanical Gardens. This photo shows three stages: at the back is the primeval fern like stem, on the left is the closing flower and on right is the closed flower. It is about 2 metres in hight from base to tip. Unfortunately I missed the full blown flower with its smell of rotting meat!
Third birthday piratical boy...

and his piratical cake made by his mum and me...

a beautiful stand of beehive ginger flowers at the Gardens. The natural world is an amazing place!

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-07T10:42:00.007+11:00

Happy New Year to all who visit Thingamejigs! The end of the year saw me busy enough to neglect online "journaling" but my resolution for 2011 is to make all my moments count and that includes my cyberspace connections. We had a lovely Christmas/New Year period interspersed with several family birthdays. Thoughts go out to the many people affected by the devastating widespread Queensland floods which are still in progress.

some lovely pressies for my birthday...

3rd birthday boy at his pirate party with the cake made by his mother and me...

creative Christmas present- a "lazy susan" representing me with paint palate, garden spade and sewing thread by my lovely daughter

Busy, busy, busy

2010-11-29T20:25:00.007+11:00

a portrait commision...

little nest of koala thingamejigs

paper folded decoration from a magazine...

I am occupied with commissions for pencil portraits and other craft and art production as Christmas draws near. Also I am excited about illustrating a traditional Aboriginal story from Aurukun on western Cape York Peninsular for a bilingual literacy project. This will require richly colorful backgrounds and birds with human characteristics without losing their 'birdness'. I am also involved in illustrating a flip chart about Tuberculosis and Diabetes for the North Pacific. An exiting possibility may also see me breaking into the United States illustrating pool. I'm not certain if that will occur...but I am hopeful as I have been recommended by one of my clients at an international conference!

New and old arts

2010-11-11T16:19:00.005+11:00

A new painting coming up to Christmas. I have plans to make more, folk inspired mother/child paintings but illustrating commitments will need to be fulfilled first!

I am also rummaging through my folios and have put a few more of my older paintings out for sale in Studio@167, such as this bird in a garden.

These are illustrations for one of my other jobs...

...and this photograph shows our good fortune, living in north Queensland with its abundance of spectacular plants (these are from our own garden) and access to beautiful Aboriginal artworks such as this ceramic bowl by Michelle Yeatman from Yarrabah.

2010-10-16T11:29:00.008+11:00

dreaming of selling something from Studio@167...Edmonton is a hard nut to crack!

Angiopteris or king fern (the largest fern in the world) for Amy, who likes the unusual plants in my garden...

a three dimensional gift I am making in memory of a special friend...

and a dress I made for my youngest daughter... I just loooove making things!!!

designing things

2010-10-09T10:46:00.005+11:00

last week of uni before all assignments due...

technology eco design assignment...the plan

uni technology assignment- a bag that reflects "the real" Austalia...threats to the Barrier Reef. I had about an hour so it is hot glue gunned and stapled up and is aimed at a learning experience for year 5.

why? why? why? hand stenciled t shirt made at Studio@167 ... child size 6. I am planning a few more

Tropical colours

2010-10-04T11:30:00.004+11:00

view from my Studio@167 (acrylic on plywood)

ripening pawpaws (papaya)...

new mango leaves...

and the road to Behana Gorge, one of our favourite swimming spots on a hot steamy day (ink and watercolour on paper).

Long time no see!

2010-08-28T16:20:00.006+10:00

It has been a long time since touching my blogging keys. Something of a crisis in purpose, throw in a lack of free time and you have my state of blog inertia. Over many years I have been pondering on "what is art?". I don't think I am any closer to a definition but certainly the questioning is an interesting process. I am presently studying Art and Technology Curriculum as a component of my Bachelor of Education so have been able to visit the question in a more public sphere. Our first assignment is to produce teaching resources surrounding the Esplanart Project in Cairns foreshore. Also I was fortunate to visit the Indigenous Art Fair which is the opening item for Festival Cairns...

Kylie Burke's Adrift pays hommage to the mangrove. In Cairns, to preserve ocean views for holidaymakers, mangroves are removed regularly, despite the their key role in creating and protecting habitat.

The ubiquitous Queenslander complete with gummies to protect from tropical downpours is humourously depicted by Hayley Gillespie.

Ghostnets Australia converts floating and destructive ocean debri into fantastic art and craftworks mostly with the skillful weaving knowledge of Indigenous Australians...

Scenes from the north

2010-04-18T17:42:00.004+10:00

"Smoko" : a scene inspired from sketches I did at Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria where I taught in 1982.

Limestone hills at Chillagoe, west of Cairns where I had to store images in my head as I drove along since I had left my sketch book behind.

"Home from Shopping" : This is the house across the road and the family depicted used to live next door but have since left.

I'm so excited. My website is finally live!! www.illustrartist.com.au It still needs a bit of fine tuning but that will happen in the next week. Such a lot of stress getting it up and going! My circumstances are now allowing me to attend more fully to all my on line duties. I have posted a few images from my shop/studio that will soon be added to my website as well. I'm doubling up on my blog but I just cannot help it!

2010-03-26T15:37:00.009+11:00

Another wildlife picture! After a tree was felled in our front yard, this amazing arachnid began to reestablish from the ceiling of the veranda. He is about 15cms long and creates the most amazing web. But I had to let him make his home elsewhere...we kept walking into his net!

Adding to my small square painting from Studio@167 are the dream boat and Arabian portrait. I do like using the 30cm square canvas format.

2010-03-08T18:46:00.004+11:00

Torresian pidgeons, metalic starlings and fig birds (we call them stripies, even though the famale is striped and the male has vibrant yellow chest and red eye)

Ah! Palm trees! Where would the tropics be without palm trees? A European acquaintance of mine as she bid fair-well to Cairns on transfer to Melbourne, expressed relief that she would say good bye to palm trees!

Our veranda overlooks a collection of palms. Humans are not the only beneficiaries though. On a beautiful light-filled, dry evening at the end of the annual Big Wet, my front garden was host to a magnificent conglomeration of bird species feasting and socialising noisily amongst the berries. After watching quietly for some time, I managed to snap a few before they whooshed off in a fuss of feathers and chatter.

art production

2010-02-09T10:34:00.010+11:00

It is a little difficult for me to keep up with my blogging due to colliding forces of workloads and climate (yes the humid heat saps energy from humans and computers I'm certain!!) but here are a few images of recent art works produced in my little Studio@167.

...Wet Season Gorge

...Outback Colours

...Be careful of branches in the swimming hole

...My darling grandson, Jarrah. I am hoping that pencil portraits (from photographs and from life) will become a bread and butter sales item from my studio.

Studioat167in2010

2010-01-16T12:27:00.009+11:00

I have finally been able to paint again after what seems an absolute AGE of the doldrums. The only cure... as always... is to put paint to canvas or paper and JUST DO IT!!! Studio@167 is finally starting to feel like a studio and I can see my way to productivity and creativity.

I was inspired to paint a suite of small semi-abstract squares after meeting Underart gallery owner in Cairns. Somehow Cairns has lost its art galleries in the last few years. I think this is a result of a shift in visitors' vision of tourist art. Reef and rainforest pics are too limiting in today's cyber age and our fair city has been a little slow to catch on!

My plan for this banner is to hang it as a barrier to block the sewing ares mess and hopefully someone will be interested in purchasing it... at which time I will paint another banner with the same sense of adventure I used to have before gallery sales stifled my inventive and free side.

$10 table...You cannot do better!

A veranda is a blessing in the tropics

2010-01-14T10:41:00.005+11:00

While the northern hemisphere is blanketed by snow, in tropical northern Australia we are sweltering in conditions like saunas. That is where the Queenslander's ample and convivial verandah comes into its own...bringing the outside in and the inside out! We are fortunate to live with one of these beauties and visitors always appreciate the step from the fierce sun into the attractive cool shade of our veranda.

Unfortunately, short sighted development attempts to maximise profits by replicating houses suitable for southern Australian homes in the tropics. We are left with soulless housing estates of block on concrete bases with roofs abutted, no room for shade tree planting and reliant on excesse air conditioning fueled by greenhouse gas pumping, rapidly diminishing fossil fuels.

I just thought I would include an image of this curious tropical rain forest tree with its trunk and branches amply covered with fruit.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T16:56:00.006+11:00

North Queensland is a wonderful place for outdoor lifestyle. We drove to the Atherton Tablelands and camped under a wave of bamboo at Milla Milla, exploring the Southern end of the tablelands by detouring along farm roads to see waterfalls, farms and magnificent mountain scenery....

Mt Bartle Frere is the highest mountain in Queensland (and one of the highest in Australia), jutting above the tablelands.

The rains held off and we enjoyed campfires, delicious produce, cooler temperatures than the steamy coastal thirties and stress free relaxation.

All the best wishes for the coming year to you and your families!

Christmas tree

2009-12-20T10:54:00.006+11:00

I love our Christmas tree. I have decorations reaching back fifty years and every year I like to add another or two. We used to have a real tree with its lovely piney scent but the kids always wanted a cone shaped even tree...so I succumbed a couple of years ago. My black snowman made from lids was a gift from my Aboriginal sister, Amy;

this peg star was bought from the school fete;

this star was once a fairy wand belonging to one our girls;

and this sweet little bird was my purchase this year. Just visible is a glass santa from my parents' tree when we were kids.

Environmental art

2009-12-09T09:52:00.004+11:00

Environmental Education for the Tropics (ED4944) prompted me to convert my penchant for hoarding junk (in case it comes in useful!) to an artwork and explanation as a component of one of my assignments...lots of fun and definitely forced me to contemplate our global love affair with plastic. I utilized onion bags, an old shell necklace, lids, children's game pieces, plastic jewelery, fruit protectors, glow sticks etc to make a comment on the ocean's increasing plastic junk burden and the dying (bleaching) of the reef due to global warming. Try collecting just plastic lids from your own grocery shopping...even for the environmentally conscious, this is revealing exercise. Then try to invent uses for your collection. Email photos of your art works and I will publish them on my blog with your permission.

New shops

2009-12-01T09:07:00.004+11:00

A new Tasty Cafe has come to town opening onto a graffiti decorated alley wall. I'm hoping this will herald a new age of innovative modernizing of Cairn's rather staid tourism oriented business models...

...and here is my new little venture- my studio/retail outlet in down town Edmonton, just South of Cairns. Better than my paintings rotting downstairs in storage. Hopefully I'll stimulate an interest in local, handcraft, enviro friendly stuff.
However, Edmonton is a bit of a hard nut to crack, so we'll see how we go. At least I can work, have meetings and display for the public

So far I have sourced wooden toys made by Errol who lives in my street; Aboriginal crafts, art and jewellery by Amy and Errol (local Indigenous family) and bits and pieces, hand made and preloved....Wish me luck. It's been a busy year!!!

Mareeba Wetlands field trip

2009-11-29T12:47:00.006+11:00

As a component of my uni assignment for Environmental Education for the Tropics, I was required to attend two field trips to sites of my own choice. Mareeba Wetlands on the Atherton Tablelands furnished these images...

...a Jabiru, or black necked stork, Australia's only member of the stork family. This beautiful large bird is a male looking for food to feed its young. Black neck is something of a misnomer as in reality his colouring is a shimmering deep greenish iridescence.

...fields of beautiful dancing native sacred lotus

...the ubiquitous termite mound

...and in another form!

Out and about

2009-09-30T09:29:00.007+10:00

A Father's Day walkabout around the city... water fun...

spoonbills, egrets and pelicans from Cairns Esplanade...

a watchful hunter...

and a piano, decorated by Marie in honour of her female relatives, inviting passers-by to a Festival Cairns tinkle...
a lovely relaxing day!

Festival Cairns

2009-09-26T13:18:00.006+10:00

Esplanade public art for Festival Cairns.

I have been completely inundated with my new on-line Uni subjects, Environmental Education for the Tropics and Independent Study producing resources for Cattana Wetlands Website to be launched in November. Sooooo much research and writing! I have also been working on a child safety resource for the hospital in Adelaide and have shifted into my new studio/shop on the Bruce Highway Edmonton. It was like moving house, I had so much stuff! I'll post pics soon. Very exciting but my organisation is mangled from too much to do at once. Hopefully back to regular blogging now!

Our Indonesian sojourn

2009-07-06T11:19:00.006+10:00

Life has been so hectic since we returned from Bali and Java that it almost seems our trip was a dream. Work deadlines, a family bereavement and medical problems temporarily put my blogging on hold, but I'm aiming to return to a more regular posting. Here's a little taste of our wonderful time.
We stayed in several beautiful retreats including Komineka in Ubud,Bali, where we arrived to find we'd been upgraded to a pool villa...yes our own personal pool and thatched "bale" overlooking a natural waterfall and rice paddy!...

shopped and experienced the bustle of vibrant communities...

participated in beautiful dramatic cultural experiences...

and experienced myriad craft and art workshops, stores and factories including these ladies making batik...

Lovely!

Holidays

2009-05-05T10:24:00.003+10:00

Illustrating deadlines put my blogging temporarily on hold and soonI am heading to Bali for a couple of weeks of r&r. I aim to return full of great ideas and enthusiasm. See you all soon.

work

2009-03-18T11:59:00.005+11:00

Here is our youngest son with his nephew, a real camera junky at the tender age of 14 months, the little chikadee!

I just enrolled at University to upgrade my qualifications next semester in line with requirements to remain registered as a teacher. I am hoping to be able to tailor my assignments around learning some new technologies that will help my illustrating.

I have been very busy lately with my latest project, illustrating a book about the state of Indigenous languages for Education Queensland. This photo is a sample of the figures I have to do. They are drawn first in pencil, then ink, photocopied and water coloured. They mostly will be cropped by a graphic artist and used for several areas in the book. I do so many (thousands) that I have a standard, non creative assembly line method of applying colour. This has the advantage of my being able to control water colour's effects for this limited use. I am longing to be more experimentive but do not seem to make the time. However, I stumbled on a reasonably priced set of charcoals and paper yesterday so I'm going to have a go after not touching this messy medium for many years.

I am also about to begin a huge Health Department illustrating job for child nutrition for the African community in Brisbane.

work...work...work...work!

sexy fruit

2009-03-03T19:08:00.003+11:00

This beautiful fruit/veg was subsequently transformed into baba ganouch, a delicious smokey flavoured Middle Eastern side dish made by smushing this eggplant, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini (hippy peanut butter/sesame seed paste). Yuuuummmmm!

koala designs

2009-02-16T13:36:00.007+11:00

Here is my trio of matyroshka marsupials, Ninachka, Katyinka and Valyinka. Heaven knows how I have evolved into this line of handcraft. Kolya Koala is the culprit, providing this very unexpected inspiration, although I have been involved in koala 'makings' in the past.

In the 1980's, we owned a beautiful 1.25 acre (just over .5 hectare) block at Springbrook in the lush rainforested Gold Coast Hinterland. We were very fortunate to have koalas visit every so often...always a special sighting! I designed a koala calendar, some ink-drawn, photocopied greeting cards and some screen-printed koala t-shirts for children, selling them in my miniscule craft shop. I might try to reinvent some products if I can find the originals...

That is no mean feat as I never throw anything like that away and we own tons of STUFF!

2009-02-09T15:59:00.003+11:00

My next little marsupial matryoshka koala is ready for etsy. What fun I'm having. Even other family members are joining in so there will be more either on thingamejigs or kolya koala blog. It is a bit difficult to find time now that I have been employed as an illustrator for the term.

With all the extremes happening in our land of climatic contrasts, our news bulletins are full of tragic cases of bushfire and flood victims . So my heartfelt condolences go out to all those who have lost all their possessions or their own or loved ones' lives. 60% of Queensland is declared a national disaster due to flooding. In Victoria over 700 houses have been totally erased with more than 108 deaths due to fires that literally took 5 minutes to sweep through whole townships. Several deaths from floods including even a 5 year old boy who followed his dog into crocodile infested flood waters.We are in the wet zone but fortunately (due to our new roof) we do not even have a leak in the house. This is a visitor who has taken up shelter from the rains in our letter box. I'm trying to have it identified by the EPA to see what our best course of action is.

Natural Experiences

2009-01-28T16:53:00.010+11:00

On Sunday, we went for a drive to the Atherton Tablelands where we had a truly wonderful time walking the Ma-Mu Canopy boardwalk through the rainforest treetops...

and swimming at beautiful Milla Milla Falls. Don't be fooled by the photo. The pool is larger than it seems and the waterfall is quite a distance away and VERY powerful.

Then Monday, the day before the beginning of the 2009 school year, we refreshed ourselves not 5 minutes away in our own local creek and falls... and that's where I'm off to now! We are so fortunate to live so close to nature at its best.

I finally updated my etsy shop with Ninachka, a softy, pillowy sort of cuddly koala thingamejig. She is named after my mum, Nina, a fiesty Australian born of Russian parentage. I'm thinking that I will work on a theme of Marsupial Matroshkas related to Kolya so I want to accompany Ninachka with another couple of graduated smaller koalas.

I am using my etsy shop for a few reasons.

Fulfillment of an old dream to own a crafty/arty shop
Outlet for teaching my offspring how to sew for themselves and as alternative income
An excuse for arting and crafting ANYthingamejig I feel like (and seeing them for sale is just a bonus!)

Printing blocks

2009-01-13T09:40:00.006+11:00

I purchased a number of items from a fair trading shop called Ethos at Edge Hill yesterday. Mostly I will put them aside as future gifts. The wooden printing block from India, however, definitely will be for me! I already have a couple of other blocks but have not had the courage to use them in case I ruin them by using the wrong paints. So, last night I had a little experiment and voila!!! no worries cassowary!!! I think I need a roller instead of a brush though. I will post some card sets onto thingamejigs.etsy and am putting my mind towards the use of the fabric prints. Such a small activity but what fun!

wombat overalls

2009-01-09T10:37:00.009+11:00

I have somehow deleted my best photos of the wombat overalls for our small man. However, here are the remaining images. He has taken off to visit relies in Brisbane with his mum and auntie.
I intend to update thingamejigs.etsy shop on Fridays so I have listed a couple of paintings. I have read with some concern the new USA laws about to come into effect which will require items sold for children under 12 years to be independently tested for safety (imagine the bother! as well as increasing costs significantly). How will this affect all those handcrafters out? Am I being cynical or is this another ploy by big business to squash the little guys who are gaining momentum in a world movement to reject multinationals and sweatshop industries????

Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T17:52:00.004+11:00

Welcome to 2009 on thingamejigs! I hope you are all feeling refreshed and leaping towards a productive and satisfying new year. I am looking forward to passing on my sewing know-how to my offspring and any other willing participants this year and a generally more hands on creativey/crafty/arty/environmentally focused year...at least that's the plan!

We visited a friend at the beach and I could not resist capturing an image of the evergreen frangipani, a luxuriant small tree with glossy dark green foliage and large (8-10cm across) fragrant white blossoms. Truly an icon of tropical gardens.

This is the Christmas present pattern and the top that Jilara made for herself. Hopefully this will start a sewing trend to supply her fashion and self expression needs. Pretty...pretty...pretty...

Aboriginal art collection

2008-12-18T18:24:00.007+11:00

Rain and Shine expressed an interest in seeing some of our Aboriginal arts collection so here is a little taste.

On the left is a bark painting recording fishing traditions by famous author/artist Goobalathaldin or Dick Roughsey (Mornington Is, Gulf of Carpentaria). His son, Mervyn, a prolific artist, painted the other which is a story about the kidnapping of some boys by devil devils.

An ochre painted bark depicting a story about frogs and lizards from Yirkala (Northern Territory) beside an acrylic painting of women collecting firewood also by Goobalathaldin.

A collection of love eggs and a vessel by famous ceramic artist, Thanakupi's (from Near Weipa) with our precious perenti goanna carved and painted by Goobalathaldin's brother, Tim Roughsey (Mornington Island).

This is koo, our camp puppy from Aurukun (Western Cape York) beside a ceramic eel pot thrown by Chris Harris and decorated by Paul Neal from Yarrabah (near Cairns) and a small glass platter (unknown origin).

emu and brolga

2008-12-09T07:09:00.011+11:00

1. Research and collection of a bank of drawings. I had to include, brolga, emu, different parrots, jabiru, cranes, butcherbird, kookaburra, crow, mopoke etc and some trees like pandanus, paperbark and mangroves. These are the pics of brolgas and emus in different stances.
2. Rough page layouts for action pictures.
3. Some stylistic trials, remembering that they have to go on a photograph of scenery background.
4. Final black drawings (painted with a brush this time) with the pencil work erased, then photocopied onto lightweight card to be painted.
5. Painted up characters ready for scanning and adjusting in photoshop.

I haven't had a lot of time for blogging lately and computer nasties haven't helped. I am very fortunate to be illustrating a traditional Indigenous story from Cape York to produce as a bilingual reader and resource package for the Education department. I guess some people might be curious about the process of making an illustration for print so I thought I would give a little taste here. The finished picture is some time off but when it happens, I'll let you peek.

Tagged: Things about Myself

2008-11-26T15:00:00.015+11:00

These are two random nature shots from my trip to Western Australia earlier this year.

I have been tagged by Rain and Shine which I believe means that I have to reveal a number of things about myself....mmmmm....mmmmmm

I illustrated my first book for payment when I was 14. It was a German language textbook called Aufsatsubungen (I think) for Frau Wagner, my German teacher at school. I received $10 for each of 10 line drawings featuring aspects of everyday life in Germany.
I really, really want to publish an illustrated book, not just illustrate other writers works. I have about 8 on the go but am still unsure which one I want to proceed with!!!
I draw nearly everything I see as I am going along- in my mind, with an imaginary pencil.
My husband, Ian, and I have a diverse and interesting collection of Aboriginal Art obtained as gifts from our Aboriginal friends and by frequenting the Indigenous craft/art shops in remote Qld and NT communities. We began our life of association with Aboriginal people as teachers at Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1982.
I was a mad horse nut when I was young and spent half of my youth reading horse books, saving up to hire horses to ride and drawing pictures of horses.
I never wanted to be a teacher. I was never going to marry a teacher. I never wanted to go to the Gulf of Carpentaria and I didn't want to go out west to teach. I never say never because they all happened! and they were all great!
From about 10 years I aspired to be a dress designer and own a shop with my own products. I had a set of those paper dolls with paper dresses and would make my own designed paper clothes. I also made clothes for my Barbies, graduating to making my own clothes as a teenager. Practicality took over and I became a Home Economics teacher instead. I also had to cook...not my favourite subject but 30 years ago I became a vegetarian and I'm not too bad a vego cook! The funny thing was, as a result of teaching, my life detoured along a different path: I became lovingly involved in Aboriginal education (all over the state), illustrated for education and health departments (all over Australia), I married, had 4 kids, bought land and house. In my later life, blogging has revived my earlier aspirations and etsy has given opportunities to sell what I make. A circular path I would not change!

2008-11-24T17:01:00.004+11:00

Our lovely daughter has finished high school. 3 down 1 to go! Sadness, happiness, pride, trepidation, relief...all emotions mixed together in a big jumble on graduation day. I hate to think what a wedding day would be like to organise!!! Finish dress, makeup appointment, buy grad pressie, nail appointment with sister who needs to be located...at the creek! hair appointment, photos, drop off to escort/friends and limousine, more photos, rush into town but miss the red carpet entrance. Thank goodness big bro is there to capture this bit with u-beaut camera! Then at 11.30 pm back home change clothes and head down the highway to after all night party. Whew did bedtime look good to me or what?

Snowed Under

2008-11-12T17:12:00.005+11:00

Here are a few little hand made post cards to inspire from the quilt fair. My mind is snowed under by ideas that are sprouting out from all sorts of sources. The world of blogging is snowing down with all the interesting bloggers who post fabulous things to admire.

My work table is snowed under with illustrating work that is difficult to resolve. This isn't even as messy as it is in reality. It is mixed up with debris and work in progress of Jilara's formal dress as well as several items I am sewing for myself and our Thingamejigs shop at Etsy. Note that I have added a few more items made by my lovely friend, Amy, to the shop. Time is marching on!on!on!

But I love it! Creativity is a wonderful thing and I'm convinced that the activity of doing itself triggers the most outpourings even though there certainly is the need for quiet reflection...once in a while!!!

Better get back to the fray. See you next time!

Go USA! Yes You Can!

2008-11-06T16:40:00.009+11:00

Congratulations to United States of America!!! What an historic day full of new beginnings and promise.

Here are a couple of nice nature shots taken when we visited the lagoon pool at the Cairns Esplanade on the weekend. Also a progress shot of Jilara's formal dress beaded panel. I can see a beading addiction forming. I cannot stop and am beading for longer than is beneficial to my eyes. My mind is stretching to a future beaded Great Barrier Reef series. One of the really enjoyable things has been to see an original vague concept of peacock feathers evolve in tune with the materials used. I still have to sew the dress yet... That is making me nervous.

Trip to Brisbane

2008-11-01T17:39:00.010+11:00

I have just returned from a short but full trip to Brisbane with the main purpose to attend Tour de Force, an annual art show where my Mum, is an exhibitor of several pastel paintings. Nina is my inspiration for the fiesty Russian influence of my other blog, The Adventures of Kolya Koala. In a nutshell I:

admired the magnificence of Brisbane's Spring jacaranda blooms
enjoyed the rare company of my relatives and many (old and new) friends of Mum and Dad
was overwhelmed by the Quilt and Craft Expo at Brisbane Convention Centre
ate delicious home cooked meals and at restaurants including an Ethiopian traditional meal served by a gracious African host
went to Queensland Art Gallery for a fine display of Albert Namatjira landscapes and Arente paintings and ceramics from Hermansberg Aboriginal Mission
viewed the city from the Southbank ferris wheel and
was generally inspired by arts, conversation and a visit to my fav Bris designer clothing shop, Dogstar.

Thanks everyone!!!

Etsy mini promotion

2008-10-20T11:48:00.001+11:00

graduation pre-preview

2008-10-18T11:05:00.009+11:00

It's approaching youngest daughter's school graduation and that means one significant thing to me....making the formal dress ...AAAAhhhhhggrrr! I've designed and made several evening attires (both male and female) but they cause me no end of anxiety as the fit is such a crucial element. Until the very last moment when the garment is fully completed, there will always be a chance of it's not being right! Here's a little glimpse at the first stage, a nice tidy vignette that belies the flood of bought paper pattern pieces, newspaper scraps from pattern manipulation, fabric and thread debri and complete panic as the time grows ever closer to g-night!!!

Here's a couple of Kolya's New Zealand friends come to visit.

dancing lady

2008-10-16T13:00:00.005+11:00

Our garden is beginning to sprout very fast due to increasingly warm (translation: steamy, sweaty!) weather combined with some timely showers. My dancing lady orchid has put on another lovely show this year. I bought her in a pot several years ago and she has thrown out an extra spike every year. She now features 10 beautiful golden sprays that shimmer and dance in the breeze.

I am not the only one who is becoming obsessed with Kolya Koala. The whole family has begun to think our marsupial sock friend should star in a movie, feature in books etc. What will become of him? Keep tuned!

On a more sober note...I am experiencing a rotten case of artist's block. Hopefully my actions of just putting anything down will be my solution.

Culture and lingo

2008-10-04T12:19:00.009+10:00

Like many Ozzies, I have a patchworked cultural background. Among others, my strongest influence is Russian, although my Oz/French paternal grandmother throws in a bit of the boheme and my Oz/English paternal grandfather supplies a good dose of art.

My mother's Russian parents were teenage refugees to Australia from the Japanese rail invasion in the 1930's of Harbin, a Russian annex in Manchuria. I grew up eating bubliki, piroshki, blini and other typical Russian culinary fare at my (grand) babuschka's, surrounded by a rich array of arts, crafts and language. Though Mum's first language is Russian, I am sadly lacking in foreign language ability. However Grandma told me that my pronunciation was very good as she made valiant but vain attempts at teaching me the mother tongue!

As I become older, my absent language is poking its head around the corner in strange and mysterious ways. I am trying to teach myself rudimentary Russian (with great difficulty I might add) through The Adventures of Kolya Koala, my other blog. I have to search a little lonely planet Russian phrase book for words that suit my postings.

Kolya is something of an alter ego as I say things not so applicable to thingamejigs. He grew out of my making a recycled sock puppet for etsy. Before he could be listed, he acquired a real personality. My youngest son pleaded, "You can't sell Kolya. He's part of the family!"

Today, while writing up Kolya's night clubbing escapade, a word just popped into my head and burst out of my mouth. How did it appear? Was it real or was all my Russian/koala language invading my being? Pronouncing words from the written is easier than with English because how you spell is how you say. Out came the dictionary.

There it was!!! Tamozhnya: customs.

I am thinking that Tamozhnya runs deeper than we realise.

Three friends

2008-09-29T17:39:00.007+10:00

Our three little friends are here. It's been lots of fun designing these garments and also quite a lot of work. Hopefully our next batch of items will be a little more time efficient but also just as satisfying. I plan to add a few cards or other small items to our etsy page but I'm still trying to set up the shop and learning slowly about this side of technology. In particular I want to make sure that my header (shop signage) reflects a wide range of creative possibilities.

I thought I'd add another pic just to show what a lovely area we live in!

Koala Card

2008-09-27T13:53:00.005+10:00

Here is a little card featuring Kolya Koala that I made to go with the overalls for my friend who is very generously helping me with some graphic art work. Koalas are becoming a species threatened with extinction largely through loss of habitat and associated diseases and predators. They are fairly solitary creatures with a relatively limited range of eucalyptus types suitable for consumption. Years ago I made a calendar with information and a black ink drawing to focus attention on this country's icon. I think I will try to resurrect it in a new format for etsy...I'll keep you posted!
PS I have sorted the problem of the link to Kolya Koala if you have been trying.

Echidna Overalls

2008-09-25T14:18:00.012+10:00

It's jittery weather. South Easterlies are blowing a gale, our yard is filling up with leaves and a few plants or branches have toppled. Amber and I have completed our first pair of overalls. A request for funky buttons prompted a search through different haberdashery suppliers and we came to realise that there is quite a cult of button followers!! Featured is a painted and stitched echidna on a pocket. He is a prickly little fellow somewhat like a hedgehog or a compact porcupine.

Beautiful Bottle Brush

2008-09-19T13:39:00.008+10:00

My son is laughingly calling me a net nerd as I tell him that creating this blog has been the most fun and that it feels like I am a magazine editor! We had some exciting developments as well. A friend has decided to buy one baby overalls from viewing this blog before we even have completed our etsy shop setup. Talk about a boost! A said she was walking around with a grin on her dial for hours after I informed her. I thought I'd put a nice natural Aussie photo with this post. The bottle brushes (callistemons for those scientific types) are truly magnificent this season. There is a variety of these small trees and shrubs with more or less weeping habits. Around our region now they are loaded with masses of red or cream flowers (shaped like bottle brushes) that honey eating birds love. Perhaps you can see the tiny native bees who also are flocking in droves to the sweet blossom.

Koala patch

2008-09-15T13:52:00.008+10:00

The weather is definitely starting to warm up after a beautiful cool(ish) tropical winter...(Could one really call it winter???). The family is starting to head to the creeks and beach to cool off and the baby has had his first dunking. I've changed my header to more clearly reflect my intentions and I couldn't wait to post an update on our overalls. After creating my little koala patch, I think we might be headed towards a marsupial series!

Designs and ideas

2008-09-12T16:40:00.012+10:00

We are nearly finished our first batch of overalls for our to-be-created etsy shop. It really is quite exciting to be sewing and teaching sewing once again. But I must say that it is much added fun to be getting to know how to manage all this www technology in relation to a creative enterprise. We want to make our products as unique as possible and I think that the very act of making helps to stimulate the creative mind. At least that is true for me...and I'm also sensing it is the case with A as we sit together in the studio/sewing/computer area. The grey cells are getting a different type of stimulation- a crafter's workout!

learning and earning together

2008-09-10T17:58:00.001+10:00

As a Home Economics teacher, I have always believed that the best way to learn a practical skill is to make multiple copies of the same item with stylistic variations to keep interested. As an Economics student, I learned that economies of scale were the most efficient method of production. Amber wanted to make baby overalls for our foray into internet selling. It takes almost the same time to make three or more items by cutting all at once and sewing each process at the same time. She is really happy with her skill attainment and is nearly finished her first real sewing projects....And with a bit of luck and good management she can earn a supplementary income while still a novice. For me, it is wonderful to pass on my knowledge in garment production for her to gain a little greater self reliance as she cares for her baby.

well hello

2008-08-27T15:28:00.002+10:00

I'm pretty new to all this blogging stuff but I've been checking out a few sites for a little while and like looking at some blogs for their pics, their writings or their inspirational daily doings (in particular "tiny happy"). It's time to get out there. We're a pretty creative bunch and I'm looking forward to posting some thingamejigs of our own! I've had fun choosing fonts and colours for my template and the site can only improve! The title picture is out near Herberton, quite an afternoon drive from Cairns...beautiful rugged anthill country,truly Oz.

saying hello

2008-08-27T14:47:00.001+10:00

Well I'm pretty new to all this blogging stuff except that I've been checking out some favourite blogs for a while...ones I like to read and view pics on and blogs with interesting links (in particular 'tiny happy' with its lovely mix of craft, daily occurances and inspirational tidbits). Finally I've taken myself in hand, got myself into gear and here I am. Don't know where I'm going but it will be onward, upward and outward. I've had fun fiddling with the layout, fonts and blog appearance. We have a creative litle troupe here so watch out while we unfold like a butterfly from a chrysalis!!!