A lad named Henry

Dear Friends,

Having a little cat around the house has not happened for such a long time. Nelly is about 10 years old now and although she gets a bit more affectionate by teeny tiny increments, Henry is most happy to be cuddled and do some regular head butting and purring non stop when you have all your attention focused on him.

Our 4 previous cats all grew to around 19 - 21 years of age, so little ones have not been in our lives for quite an age. So here are a couple of lovely moments this week.

What is it with fresh towels out of the dryer and an instant pillow to sleep on?

SO settling down for 2 or more hours seemed perfectly normal on Tuesday night.

A very big day on Wednesday - the little snip happened now that he is 6 months and although he was supposed to be very groggy when he got home, he just ran and ran and was so excited to be able to smell everything and discover it was all in the same place as before.
Eventually though, the felt on the back of a couch seemed a great place to hang out.

Sleeping on wool is very comfortable - you should try it!

It doesn't matter what position you are in.

I just love this shot with the tufty paws.

OK so back to felt. After St Leonards I went straight to Orchard Grove primary school and we have done more fairy stories that will hang in the foyer outside the library. Here is the lovely Sleeping Beauty and below the Gingerbread House for Hansel and Gretel.

SO by the last day of term I was rather pleased that the school hols had arrived!

Hoping your weekend is packed with super things to do!
Love
Elizabeth
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Things have been happening!

Dear Friends,
I can hardly believe how much time has passed since last I wrote! Well late last month I had a birthday and decided to have an art party where 3 dear friends came over and we painted all day - OH YES and lots of food. It was a really memorable day. Above is the lovely Ro who is hard at work

Philippa concentrating really hard and wearing her lab/art coat. It was a really cold day but it didn't seem to matter as we messed around with paint and brushes and canvas and and and ................

These shots are of the canvas that I produced and I am so pleased because it is very different to my regular efforts.

Painted muslin attached to the canvas with holes torn into it

The main job that has been taking all my time is a wonderful residency that I have been doing at St Leonards college in Hampton, Melbourne. Preps to Grade 5 have worked so hard to make all the elements that have been created for this work.

Below are felts ready for cutting into trees and birds and more!

Isn't this just the loveliest wash line you ever saw?

Positioning all the prefelts ready for the final felting.

The greens are just so scrummy - I think I must be using more green and pink than any other shades at the moment!

FINALLY, here is the whole thing - I find it very hard photographing large works when they are on the floor - even standing on a stool it is tricky to get the whole piece in frame. When the school installs it I will be able to get a much better shot.

I don't do figures in 2D work very often but am really pleased with the results. The children drew me pictures of all the elements and I then took them home to turn into patterns for the various pieces.

I love the little girl on the swing  - having the children barefooted was really important because the school year is so very serious with school uniforms and laced up shoes so some artwork showing the freedom of just playing and having fun was our main focus.

I love the hollyhocks - preps made the prefelt for them, grade 3 made the centres and grade 4 shaped the flowers - WHAT TEAMWORK!

Here is Henry growing literally by the day - pretending to fit into this cane basket lid.

He seems to be getting fluffier too!

This is the look each morning I get him up - I don't think he could be happier although Nelly still won't have a bar of him. Will keep you posted when she stops hissing into each room she passes.

Hoping everyone is finding some creative time this week

Lots of Love
Elizabeth
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Dear Friends,
Well busy in the studio on Friday with students creating madly! Here is Teresa making some stunning flowers to add to her winter wardrobe

The gorgeous Joy showing off her very first wrap! Covered in leaves and berries she looks a real treat!

And here is Lyn making a statement with stripes and swirls.

As you may know we have a new young lad named Henry who just loves our old girl Nelly. Her follows her constantly copying her movements (never seen that before in all the years we have had cats!) and tries so hard to get close to her. Sadly to no avail - except here yesterday morning when she was snoring her head off and he sat as close as he could get.
He is very game and puts up with her hissing and even hitting him. Poor darling! There is no sign she will ever be his pal.

This is a new piece of felt I made today with layers upon layers of fleece and threads and fabrics. I love the way the black and white fabric stands out so well.

This is a piece of dyed muslin that I stretched and poked my fingers in until it was most distressed!
Felted like a dream!

It looks big here but is actually about 50cm X 25cm  - a new bookcover I think.

Hoping everyone is getting some creative time in this weekend.

Love
Elizabeth
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Autumn Light

Hi Creative Friends!
I just love this time of year. If it could be Autumn all year round - most content I would be.
Of course there wouldn't be Spring bulbs or Summer fruits or Winter fires but the Autumn light is like no other.
I just love the quiet contemplative feel it has. I know there are others that feel that it signals a dying time - but for me it is the light. The soft, fuzzy around the edges light.

These shots were taken on Sunday afternoon in our Royal Botanic Gardens. I was sitting amongst Oak trees doing a little stitching on some felt (thermos and nibbles beside me of course) and the light was perfect.

Some days the light is so hard you can't take a gentle shot at all - although Photoshop is a great boon I do acknowledge.

These are small leftover pieces of felt that I am turning into book covers.

I often feel I spend more time generating projects from leftovers than anything else. The eternal "that will be handy one day" that keeps us all from throwing out a single button. Then of course you do throw something out ( having held onto it for 10years) and promptly have to go and buy it again! Grrrrr.......

Hoping you are having a gorgeous week and finding time to enjoy the light - wherever you be

Love

Elizabeth

Woven fleece and trying to be patient!

Dear Friends,
Hoping everyone is having a lovely Easter break. For many years I have been weaving fleece and all sorts of bits to felt. Here are a few samples that I have been working on over recent months.



Although it wasn't planned I found my collection of vintage green buttons matched really well. Perfect!

I just love the way some projects are no trouble at all - no struggle, no forcing to find that extra bit to use. On other occasions the magic is held up somewhere and it takes a bit longer.

For this very reason I have at least 10 different pieces of work on the go at varying stages of construction. Is this a bit mad?

Yesterday was a finishing day where 3 different pieces were completed. Thrilled I was, thrilled!

Which begs the question - Why not follow through sooner? The feeling of finalising a piece of work is very uplifting. But as I learnt many years ago - you cannot force it - pity I am so impatient. Those times were I did push to finish something, I either wrecked it or was dissatisfied with the result.

Trying to be patient,

Elizabeth

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PS Our dear little kitten ( not so little anymore) is now climbing trees and delighted that Autumn is bringing so many dancing leaf "friends"!

Journal Class Update

Hi friends,

Well I am so thrilled that the new journal class will be going ahead!

For those of you who may be wondering - YES I am still felting and messing around with wool and fleece.

Having said that - I do find that a break is good for all creative endeavours. Whether or not it is another art form or rock climbing or raising chickens or just catching up on that pile of books that is stacking up by the bed.

Apparently when I was little I could be occupied for literally hours with Clag and scissors and paper and watercolours and and and.......... Well nothing has changed. Still loving it!

Hoping everyone is happily creating this week

Love

Elizabeth

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New Class - Starting SOON!!

Dear Friends,
Isn't it funny that when you have an idea about something, someone else you know or read about or meet has had exactly the same thought as well.

A month or so ago I decided to run another journal class and lo and behold a couple of students asked me in the same week! Weird how thoughts float around in the air and just arrive in our hearts or minds simultaneously. Serindipity I guess.

Instead of a limited number of days or hours this will be an open ended time frame with an Wednesday evening class once every 2 weeks.

New techniques will be taught each session with many topics covered. Starting with inspiration and jumping off techniques we will progress through a myriad of tools and media.

As we work on backgrounds to add to a journal we will also make a Background Binder to record each tehnique as a great reference tool for the future. Often backgounds get so hidden by multilayering it is hard to analyze the original method or colourway. Keeping a record of each is a great way to keep track of this.

Starting next month in April and meeting once a fortnight will be the Wednesday night journal class. I only have space for 6 students so I look forward to hearing from you if you are interested!

Every best wish

Elizabeth

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