Treasure...

This bag is my friend Sophie's - her grandma made it. Sophie comes from a long line of very creative people, and she herself is an amazing artist and designer!

Chocolate Vessels

Well... terracotta, not chocolate, but they certainly look like chocolate when on the wheel!

The Zine Fair

I had such a nice day rugging up and going to visit the Zine Fair at the MCA on Sunday.

My favourite zines were Yumi's (as seen in second photo), Ebony's, Lee Tran Lam's and Mechelle B's "Hairy Tales".

Cloud Cookies

First step into rediscovering creativity... Cloud Cookies!






Recipe from here.

Trust the Process

The past couple of months have been ridiculously busy and more seriously, creatively strained.


I've found myself feeling anxious and wrought over things that usually come so easily. Which in turn makes me travel further down the path of feeling quite horrible and not at all myself.


Serendipitously a book called "Trust the Process" by Shan McNiff found me while perusing the shelves of the Berkalouw Book Barn in Berrima.


I don't usually do well with the "self-help" genre... but this one has had me contemplating and pondering on the magic of the creative process. Things like:

"the total process of creation is permeated by hidden turns, elusive searches, and subtle appearances"

and

"It requires an inclination to step into the unknown as well as the ability to persist when there is no end in sight. The ways of creation are often paradoxical. When you think there is nothing going on, something comes to you, and when you want something desperately, it's never there."

Reading this book is helping me enormously to figure out how to get through those times of complete uncertainty, doubt, and negative thinking that often strikes during my making process.


My luck at working in a textile design studio where painting, drawing and other such things are an everyday occurrence has somehow affected my ability to create spontaneously, with abandon. Working to a specific brief within a certain amount of time can be a very satisfying process, but I'm wondering if it's taking its toll?


This blog describes my symptoms perfectly:

"Most projects hit a wall for whatever reason & frustration takes over. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: negativity about self/work/client, general crabbiness and a desire to throw the whole project down the drain. It can be pretty paralyzing.”

I hope this isn't sounding too dire! I'm on the path to getting back my spontanaiety! I wonder if anyone has a similar problem - how do you get through those difficult periods?

Fox Fella by Amy Blackwell

work in progress, originally uploaded by amy.jpg.

Cooler weather always makes me craft-crazy... have you noticed the same?
See more of Amy's work here and here!

Pickles...

My friend Max always passes on the very best finds online! 


Her advice to me was to check out this lovely Norwegian shop and blog. If you are needing some new balls of wool for this season's knitting projects they are having a little sale on their Abuelita Merino Wool! I wonder if they post to Australia? Oh! And orders outside of Norway get another 25% off?! Hmmm... This is sounding quite wonderful! 


I'm not sure about you but my fingers are itching to get back into some pearl and plain... I've just picked up some nice Peapod Blue Sky Alpaca/Silk from Threads and More and have cast-on about 6 different times now - I just can't seem to decide what kind of pattern I should use... indecisive! Garter? Double Rib? Moss??? Or something more adventurous? I'm making a tube-y kind of scarf, one you twist around your neck, but wanted an interesting texture... if anyone has some inspiration let me know!

My Kind of Alphabet...

I don't need any more cushions...

but I quite like these...



Find them at Karen Barbe's shop... and here is her very nice blog too!

Funny French...

Kat Mcleod twittered this link last night and I think it must be shared with the world... Two French boys replicating French Fashion Blogs in their own special way...

Le Petit Echo Malade