Goodbye Year

And so we come to the end of another year and it was a good one for me this year. Got my small business up and taking baby steps, sold a couple of things on Etsy, relocated to Tasmania albeit temporarliy, spent more time with my bestest buddy Naomi and made some really cool stuff.
I know I said that the little paintings would be going on Etsy but well there seems to be a time lag going on, but instead this little beauty has gone on instead. Its a little too warm for Ozzie buyers to get excited over this one at them moment even down here we managed to get to 30C which is more than is usual.
So it's a recycled wool vest all local Tasmanian eucalyptus dyes hand stitched by moi with naturally dyed silk thread. Above is the front and below the back. But you could probably work that out for yourselves!

And yes thats me in the picture, very reluctant and more than happy to have me head chopped off. And as a special New Years break treat to myself, I have two more of these dyed up and ready for stitching, though perhaps not till tomorrow after the bubbles have worn off.

Hope you all have a frabjous New Year. See you in the next one.

Burnt Buttons

I told you the button story would continue.

Here they are in there tins after they have come out of the fire.
And a few more.

Filthy little so and so's aren't they. I have to sift through the ashes and each one has to picked out individually.

And then they all get a bath and a good scrubbing.

Tomorrow I will reveal some of there lovleyness though I must admit that once more there is a lot of black. But amongst them are a few beauties.

Paintings

Here are the paintings I have finished, the first 3 have been sold.

These 3 will be on etsy shortly.

Nest Flowers 7" x 7"

Bowl 6" x 6"

Shadow 6" x 6"

Tomorrow I should have finished button pictures for you to see. I am really hoping for lots of colours this time, not all blacks and black and whites like last time when not enough oxygen could get to them during the smoking phase. So this time I have many more holes in the tins and my fingers crossed.

Tins of Buttons

Well the seasonal festivities are over and its back to work tomorrow. Though I did pop down to the studio yesterday afternoon to put my tins of buttons into the fire and lit it, got it absolutely roaring and then left it to go out. So now there should be lovely colours hiding inside the tins just waiting for me to go and discover them. I may not be able to wait till tomorrow.

Market Day

Tomorrow is the last Homespun Market for the year and the next one isn't till the 9th of January so you best get down there. I will be there for both of these dates and then I will be gone till the end of February. At this stage I will be in Melbourne for a market on the 14th of February and am awaiting news on whether I will be at the Sustainable Living Festival on the 13th. Course you can always find me on Etsy or contact me through the blog or visit me at the Studio.

I will have a few new t-shirts at the markeket tomorrow and hopefully a few of my paintings. One of which sold yesterday before it was even properly dry, I hadnt signed it or written it's name on. (I did this before it left though) So you see what happens if you visit the studio, first dibs.

The buttons went in the kiln on wenesday and were fired yesterday so on monday I will get to begin the next process which will produce the beautiful colours. Unfortunately this means they won't be ready for this market.

Buttons Galore

I promised you buttons and buttons you shall have. Well pictures of buttons anyway. So this is what it looks like in the button factory at the moment.

Lots and lots of buttons drying ready to go in the kiln for their first firing.

They have been rolled out some with texture,

and then cut out with a cookie cutter,

and then each one had had holes put in,

with a little punch that has to be cleaned out after every hole,

Yes every time!!!!

Then after they dry for a while,

each one must be individually wiped with a damp sponge

to make sure all the edges are nice are nice and smooth. And this is only the beginning.

The saga will continue

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I have been preparing little boards with a layer of beeswax to some encaustic paintings.

And these are little canvases also prepared and with the first 2 coats of milk paint to turn into masterpieces next week. So busy busy busy in my studio at the moment.

I will be at The Civic Homespun Market this weekend. www.civichomespunmarket.com.au / www.civichomespunmarket.blogspot.com

At the moment I am working on a new range of buttons some of these new ones have texture and some are round an some are both. I hope to have these for sale well just before xmas but perhaps not in time for the Homespun market before xmas. But they will be available if you wish to contact me either here or via my website. I will put pics up of works in progress as soon as I take them. The new buttons will also be available as necklaces though only with the one hole at the top and hanging on some handmade silk string.
I also now have a range of naturally dyed wool blend t-shirts in stock in small, medium, large and extra large. And because there were requests leggings (like the ones I had on sunday at Niche) are being dyed as we speak, so if you want them, come and get them.

Xmas Sale

13 Russell St Invermay




Well tonight is the big opening night of the Tin Shed Pottery xmas sale. There will be wine and nibbles and lets not forget 10% off the stuff. The sale starts at 5pm tonight through till 8pm, then sat and sun 10 to 5. I hope to see you there.