Where Have I Been?

Well who would ever have known I would have lost so much time between Blogs certainly not me! 

I have to confess I got completely sidetracked, derailed, lost touch with so many and yet created all sorts of new things in a whole new direction that even I didn't see coming. But fate has a way with just surprising you sometimes in the the most wonderful ways. Just as it seemed a potentially great new journey came to a grinding halt another showed up to replace it that has proven to be a whole new chapter for me and I am loving it.

Since my last Blog entry over a year ago I have actually shopped a lot - no surprises there. As a result got to create a lot - not in my usual arena however albeit just as much fun.  Renovating, interior designing and buliding my own business to keep my once idle hands full again with loads of purpose and meaning.

But deep down in my bones I know I need to come back to create on an artistic level again to balance all things wonderful. I need a hobby again and so can only declare 'some photo's must come' real soon of whatever I create in my currently very dusty studio and share.

  

More More More - Day Two

Day two but this time at Scrappindipity with Linda, Lorrie and Bec. the whole day was so so relaxing and a lot more time for expolartion with a whole 6 hours of playtime and lunch to keep us sustained. Today we added to the mix some chipboard techniques, along with beads in my case and how to create some stunning paper flowers by Bec.

Every canvas just came a live with totally different takes on the techniques and colours that just drove the senses crasy!

A few details only from todays workshop as I deliberatly did not resin mine just yet as day one resin had some disasters and ruined my work with bubbles reacting to the rusty elements from yesterdays class. Linda is used to using an expoxy resin and we had used a polyurethene resin to keep the toxic smells to a minimum in a class room environment. Additionally as I love my texture paste too much it had not totally dried so under the weight of the resin slowly by morning had collapsed and bled everywhere I am afraid. So this one will hopefully avoid those issues by allowing a few days to totally sure the rusty elemenst were sealed.

More or all of the pictures as usual avaiable on my flickr account as usual so enjoy.

Flooded Canvas Beginnings With Linda

Here are some of my fave bits of my first attempt at a Flooded Canvas with Linda. Masterpiece or not overall I just love elements of this project however the finished canvas worthy of hanging still needs some finishing touches to be fully published! So here are the parts that worked along the way that I managed to capture and as always there are more on my Flickr account especially of the process step by step as it evolved. The most exciting and interesting part of all was the play time and techniques we were introduced to use and of course the messy hands.  Some of the techniques I managed to get to work and some I did not quite get down pat first time around, but then thats what a class is all about for me - experimentation and learning.

Well we all look quite happy with ourselves!

Some Yummy Bits....

Some More Yummy Bits Not Quite Finished But!........

And a super yummy friend - Megan

Time to Return!

I have been so distracted for the past few months with life in general even I am surprised it has been so long since my last post! However here is every reason to get strated again. Booked in today to do a class with Linda and again tomorrow so expect some photo's of something coming this way........

A No Camera Post

Over the christmas period during our travelling trip my trusty and favourite camera decided to go on a holiday of it's own and retire it would seem. As I have not been able to make the time to get it to the repair man I have have realised how lost I am without it especially when it comes to 'blogland'!

So as it seems the days are disappearing and what was once a joyful opportunity to occasionally share with you all here what I am up to has now become a little more like ' I really must get my act together' OMG has it been that long! Kinda feeling, not a good one as you might relate as fellow bloggers.

So when I accidently came across two of these very old and missplaced photos in recent days I decided my scanner will have to do for now to share something I have been meaning to do anyway. Some of my original work as a Milliner in the mid 1990's for my own label.

Whilst these two particular photo's are just random they do represent some interesting points to mention. The straw hat is not just a decorated hat from a pre-made hat, but rather as a milliner we start with a raw woven straw on this occaison not unlike a woollen beanie in shape and them have to stretch, steam and mould them over some wooden hat blocks with lots of pins and toxic fumes. Then cut, shape, stitch and connect the brim to the crown as they are shaped separtely in most cases and wired back together in a hidden fashion to strengthen and support the design. Often taking up to 6hrs for a hat like this from start to finish.

My point of design was always based around ensembles so I would always have a piece of clothing I had made from the same fabric to sell as a set. Having also done the 'Creative Clothing and Textile Design Certificate' after my Millinery training to complement my Millinery qualifications. This allowed me to also design, draft the pattern and sew the finished garment. Making the entire ensemble totally original and all hand made by me. In reflection how I found to time to do this as a single, fulltime working mum now scares me. But fond memories all the same and I have literally hundereds of these photos all in albums waiting for me to do something with them.

The second photo actually represents a step further when I was working with a very dear friend of mine who hand made silk fabrics and garments. We would often tean up for fashion events and I would have full artistic liscence to creat anything to go with Marlene's stunning whimsical designs. She so spoilt me in that way as well as all the scraps i would get to keep.Most of the hats I created whilst working with Marlene won many awards in the 'original design' catagories of competitions I would entre that were avaiable to me at the time.

These hats were always made from absolute scratch meaning they were 'Hand Tailored' and started out as flat pieces of mesh like fabrics and would be designed in a similar way to a good hand tailored suit would be - with lots of designing, pattern making, trial and testing before going into production. The wrapping and stretching of the fabric over the final shape is always the hardest part of this process and again from start to finish a good hand tailored hat with a brim would take a minimum 12 hrs to complete. However once completed was always a highlight of my career at the time as they became masterpieces that you really did know where entirely of my own doing. To be able to work with hand made original died silks just made then even more precious thanks to Marlene and fetched some handsome prices!

I often think about going back into this process as a fulltime occupation again and maybe some day will. Who knows what the future holds with us that desire the creative outlet what tomorrow brings!

Free To Use

Free To Use, originally uploaded by Suzee Que.

The most delightful miss Suzee Que has uploaded some of the most stunning postcards and free to use images whilst I was away on Flickr you really must check them out by clicking on the links just below the picture displayed above. They range from Christmas to Angels to Ladies and Children of all types and styles. Enjoy!