Recycled Fabric Brooches

These are some fabric brooches that I have been making throughout this year. 
They are so simple to make and use up left over fabric scraps - what can be better? 


I continue to make them because they make great little pressies and cheer up a jacket no end. Here is the link : Uber Savvy Brooch Pattern and Instructions


I love this retro orange and white button given to me by my sister-in law. I only have one of them but now it finally has a use!

Mount Coot-tha Forest (Place of Honey)

Today we ventured  to the soul of Brisbane... Mt Coot-tha  which is aboriginal for Place of Honey. We go there often- it makes me feel connected. 

But my absolute favourite time to go is during heavy downfalls when all the crowds run away  to bunker down in their dry houses. It is with this torrential rain that  the forest comes alive with powerful waterfalls- it transforms. I have lived here most of my life and really only witnessed this for the first time last Christmas Day, just before the floods.

Today, the weather was sunny and the people  flocked in numbers I hadn't seen in a while.

What a great forest.....

What a great tree.....

Remember it is International Year of the Forest- treat them kindly.

Text & Transfer Tutorial

I've been thinking about the the food chain
(actually I've mainly just been thinking about food) 

My artworks have been created through a wax transfer method, (which I'll talk about below) and reuses original pages from a great 1980's book "1500 Fascinating Facts about the Universe the World and its People".


I have displayed the two works together in the bathroom as I like the quirky intestinal connection between the images and the privy. Too much information?

The Other Information...how I did it:


First, iron some wax shavings onto some paper- I upcycled a page from a book and I do declare that text works well in this exercise.
Hints:

• Be sure to use a low heat as wax can ignite (yep, there is a danger factor and all good artists don't need to suffer for their work.
• Don't use your normal iron, preferably choose one without steam holes that is used specifically for this purpose.
• Also protect your ironing board!

Then, choose an image that you want to transfer on top. I chose scientific images as it suits my current obsession. On the back of the image cover with charcoal. 


Next, flip the image (charcoal down) onto the wax encrusted paper. Trace over it with a pen, checking the pressure is transferring well.


Finally, use your iron on a low heat to melt the wax slightly. It will then dry, sealing in the wax transferred image.

Another wax transfer example- click to link

Feel free to ask any questions if you are unsure about anything.
Thanks to Chris Stewart from Fine Artzs Studio for introducing me to the technique.




Linking Elle and Lou with:
Release Me Create

1970s Pattern infatuation!

Tablecloth $3.50

Unused Lotus Brown dinner set complete with wedding card in box $12

Played around with the retro style photos on http://vintagejs.com/ it is a fun little site.

International Year of the Forest- Art Tutorial

Forests are magical places..ask any child. Adults feel it too! Haven't you?


It's not just that we grow up with the fables and legends, so many of which are located in forests, it's so much more that that; it's everything from the floor to the canopy - the animals, the fungi, the noises. They are spiritual places.

In Australia we have the rainforests on the coast & the old growth forests of Tasmania, small parts of which are still largely untouched and pristine. But we also have the dry open forests with gums and wattle or the forests of wallum that dot the sand dunes. So many of these areas are still under threat by development, all in the name of ticky-tacky suburbs and highrises. 

For those in America, England, Europe and Asia the concept of forest is different again. All unique, all beautiful. Please share...

International Year of the Forest is a time to celebrate and hopefully educate - these artworks  convey some glimpses into a child's concept of forest. These are by 9 and 10 year old boys who were so excited by the topic that the room was all abuzz with a positive energy.


The results were everything from scary.....

....to sparse (loving that sugar glider!)

  

.....to flourishing and healthy

...to devastated yet hopeful.

... to dynamic, totemic, scary eyed and more.....

What to hunt and gather:
Coloured paper, glue, black and white pencil and tracing paper.


What to do:
Tear the paper in long strips and play around with creating tree shapes. We used 2 or 3 colours to layer the trees and we discussed creating different levels and looking at the negative spaces.

Next:
Add some more detail such as animals and leaves.

Now the final layer:
Tear some tracing paper into a tree shape or leaves or animals..whatever...
Using a white and black pencil add detail and highlights. I show the a slideshow of detailed forest images to stimulate ideas and provide some extra visual knowledge to draw from.

Wow! I just love all the different interpretations of FOREST.
In so many ways this was a learning experience for everyone.