Work in progress

 

This is blogged to show Belle that I am still playing with wool!
Back in 2006 Belle and I attended a workshop on needle felting..and attempting to make figures.
Not long after I received from Belle a n/f postcard featuring a frangipani.
Using a totally different and not at all natural colours,this is my attempt.

Memo to self: it is much easier to use commercially made felt for the background,than hand felting blanks.
Actually the background had been felted for my sunrise/sunset theme,but somewhere along the way..............

I've got mail!

 
 
 
 


As a member of Postmark'dArt
I signed up for the Round 9 swap,and some of the cards are beginning to arrive in my letter box.

First there was one from Franki Kohler based on Elements: Leaves

Franki used a sunprinting method with Setacolour paints,geranium leaves and rock salt.
She is also the author of 'fast fun & easy" FABRIC POSTCARDS published by C&T publishing.....and has some great tips for making mailable art.

The other three postcards are on the theme SUNRISE-SUNSET and are the works of Janice Simpson,Alison Ray and Laurie Walton.

Laurie sponge painted her fabric and added a tatted giraffe reaching for hand stitched leaves.

Alison used hot air balloons against a sunrise...slight padding to add dimension to the balloons and some glitter.

Janice printed a silhouette of a jiving couple and asked "Do you remember"
The other side of the card is very striking with striped painted fabric and list of things to remember from our teenage years.
I'll include a pic of the reverse side of the card in my next blogging.

ELEMENTS : leaves

 

Ready to be mailed to those participating in the current round of ELEMENTS : Leaves

ELEMENTS : Leaves

My brief is to take a 12 by 12 inch square of Fast2Fuse or similar material and create LEAVES.
Whether I make one leaf or cover the entire surface with leaves is my choice.
The twelve inch square is then to be cut into six (4 x 6 inch sized) postcards ,and mail off five of the cards to the others participating.

On the message side of each card I need to describe specifically and clearly the materials and processes used.

After thinking about the challenge for a couple of months,I decided to use one of my favourite themes:
No prize for guessing
that I chose AUTUMN which gave me the opportunity to employ the pressed and dried Maple and Gingko leaves that I brought home from Japan last year.

Using some Homespun cotton fabric and Pebeo transparent paints I applied a wash to the fabric as back ground for the leaves.

The leaves were scanned and adjusted, and finally I printed the scanned leaves to the treated fabric using Celcast fabric carrier sheets.

And that is as far as I have progressed............(watch this space)

Phoenix rising

I bet that Doreen never expected to see this happen.........her CQ block finally completed!

I've been feeling rather bad about the situation,I must admit that Doreen's block has been in my possession for over twelve months....
and apart from a yet unfinished Candlewicked piece.......this is the longest I've ever taken.
My sincere apologies,Doreen

Life has been a bit weird this year-----
I embarked on a TAFE course for Tutoring in Literacy & Numeracy-----and didnt realise just how time consuming that would become,between lectures,assignments,practical classes etc.

Then,my hip decided it "was time" for a total replacement!
The day before surgery four weeks ago,I handed in my final assignment for assessment and accreditation..........
and yes,I arrived home from hospital to find I had received my accreditation.

(I felt very pleased about that)

So Doreen,I then applied myself to your block............I hope the long wait was worthwhile.

My ' creative juices' are starting to kick in again.....after a very long time when nothing seemed to work.
maybe just feeling well has made the difference

I have scanned some Japanese maple leaves (from last year's trip) painted some fabric;
then printed the leaves to the fabric;
and now am ready to try and make some "LEAVES" postcards for a Postmark'dart swap.

Oh! the hip! Just call me Lurch (smile)
Everything is healing well;pain is minimal;
all I need is for the surgeon to give me the all clear so I can go back to driving,walking and swimming.

Sunday lunch

Upper photo: Okonomiyaki cafe in Hiroshima......November 2008

Lower photo: Okonomiyaki at Redcliffe jetty Markets March 2009

Can it really be three months since I last blogged!

I remember how when I first started (blogging) back about 2003/4 I religiously added 'something' daily...........but these last seven months I've slipped badly.

Perhaps now that Summer is officially over (but the weather gods haven't taken notice of the calendar!)

Things may cool down weatherwise and once again I'll get back to my fabrics and fibre creations.

As a Category 4 cyclone "Hamish" is cruising southwards from FNQ (far north Queensland) and it has been suggested we start preparing "just in case"'

I went shopping for a few staples ,then ventured on to wander through the Jetty Markets at Redcliffe.

A lovely day to be by the waterside....the Markets are in the parkland just above the beach,in an area dotted with lovely shady Norfolk pines.

Picture it!

All the tents dotted among the pines and displaying their colourful and delightfully perfumed wares......clothes (Bali style clothing so suited to our hot and steamy Summers)

Crafty things from beading,crocheting,decoupage..........

Food: Jams,olives,olive oil,avocado oils,turkish breads,homemade sweets,fruit,vegetables............

For the soul.....scented candles,incense,essential oils

Greenish-blue water lapping at the creamy sand; The wonderful sounds of three

didgeridoo's throbbing in harmony as one artist kept us entralled with his skill.....

Happy people enjoying the musician's skill.....he was really "on song " today.

And then I found it!

"Japanese foods"http://www.ii-na.com/

run by Kristy & Daisuke Mori.

So this very happy little vegemite had Okonomiyaki for lunch..............and loved every mouthful.

For some reason some reason the photos insist on remaining at the top of the blog.............and I'm so rusty in blogging skills these days I have forgotten how to reposition them.

By the way......the bright pink garnish on the Redcliffe version is pickled ginger.

YUMEDONO

Another model ,replicating the original Yumedono of the Horyu temple in Nara.

This piece was created in 1993 in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of cultured pearls



The Mikimoto Pearl island is just offshore from the city of Toba in the Mie prefecture.

It is reached from Tokyo by a four hour train trip

From Osaka,Kyoto its approximately a two hour train trip,and it costs Y 1,200 to access the island itself.

Still at Mikimoto Island

The Kokichi Mikimoto staue,built in 1953
,shows the Pearl King of latter years holding the Imperial Award,and wearing his trademark Yamataka hat and cape.

Oh! that's me with one of the women divers.

The sign explains the model castle below.....the Himeji castle (Castle of the White Crane)

The entire model was created from thousands of first grade pearls.The intricacy of his work has to be seen to be appreciated

Mikimoto island

Mikimoto Island.....(the pearl island ) is situated just off the coast at Toba in the Ise-Shima National Park.

Mikimoto pearls were cultured for the first time in history using a method developed by Kokichi Mikimoto.

The Kokichio Mikimoto Memorial Hall was built in 1993 in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of cultured pearls.

It introduces through photos,refined pieces and audio visuals the often turbulent life and interests of the "Pearl King".A man deeply devoted to his hometown of Ise_ Shima.As well as the Memorial Hal,there is shopping and dining in the Pearl Plaza,
and the Pearl Museum.

The lower phto shows the women divers preapring to give a demonstration of the techniques used in the 1950s to recover the pearl shell.

Final stage............"Kampai!"

THE FINAL STAGE......

"Kampai" (Bottoms up /Cheers!)
Sake is no good until you savour it.. ...........the one sample we had,had,in my humble and uneducated opinion,had the kick of a mule!

Whether it was because it was freshly brewed and hadn't matured sufficiently, or because it was refrigerated rather than 'warm",I don't know.............but I wouldn't willingly imbibe it.

White crane sake

Stirring the small vats

Balancing on the large vats and stirring the mixture

Sealing the drums of sake

White Crane Sake

The historical museum of the White Crane Sake at Hakutsuru, Kobe.
Thanks to Teruko and her friend Chikako-san we were able to visit the museum and see how sake is traditionally made.
We didnt actually see the modern production......only the tableau of the historical method

And these photos show the life sized figures depicting the stages of brewing sake :

the adding of rice to the vats

washing of the rice









stirring the rice

More Torii

Torii:

A Japanese structure that has fascinated me since early 1960 is the TORII

Literally meaning "where the birds reside",torii are gateways at the entrance to Shinto shrines or sanctuaries.
They are typically made of timber,stone or sometimes iron;

Most wooden torii are painted red!

Some buddhist temples also have torii probably because at one time the two philosophies overlapped and merged to some degree.


The large timber torii with bronze decoration is at the Meiji Shrine close to the
Harajuku district of Tokyo.Dedicated to the Emperor and Empress Meiji it is a particularly fine example of Shinto architecture.
The torii measures some 17 metres in height and 15 metres in width and marks the entrance to the shrine itself.

Rinko's Shichi-go-san

On November 15,this adorable little three year old took part in a Shichi-go-san ceremony........literally 7,5,3 when parents celebrate their children with prayers for the child's healthy growth and longevity.

The customs followed today evolved in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and November 15 was chosen for the celebration because it was considered the most auspicious day of the year.
As Shichi-go-san is not a national holiday,many failies choose to celebrate on the weekend prior.

Accompanied by her parents and grandparents, Rinko visited a Shinto shrine dressed in traditional kimono.........(.she actually showed me her gorgeous costume when we met her grand-parents in Himeji in late October.)

Most children carry a bag decorated with cranes and turtles which symbolise longevity,and into these are placed chitose-ame (longevity candy sticks.
The candy and bag indicate the parent's wishes for a long prosperous life for their children.

My sincere wish for a long and happy life dear Rinko
October 29