Messy worker

On Susan’s latest blogs she is showing the most wonderful photos of her artist’s residence at the moment. I commented on how tidy her studio is, mainly because mine always seems so untidy. For me though I think it’s the constant interruptions of family life and four children. However, that is no excuse for disorganisation, so I have ordered a new custom made bookcase to fit the gap between the windows. It is ready to be picked up so then I just have to paint it (I’m doing a white distressed look-Mmmm, and find somewhere else for the keyboard which is under all that.) Stay tuned for the after photo. I love looking at other people’s studios and have ordered the new ‘Studios’ from Dale. 

Good timing as I have finished my 4,000 word assignment, just have to proofread, print and post off. This is the computer corner and how it’s looked for the past week I’ve been furiously typing.

This room  is also designed to hold a pool/billiard table in the middle so I’m looking for one with a removable top (so I can use it for my sewing etc). Usually I cover the kitchen bench to paint fabric.

Here is Claudia’s fabric which she painted and then sunprinted. The washer marks are quite subtle, I’m assuming this works better on silk than cotton?

Speaking of silk, my visit to the Fibreforum Open Day, run annually by TAFTA, was very productive. I bought a metre of some lovely fine silk from the Japanese textile stall and a loom end from Beautiful Silks. I saw the loom end painted and used in a lovely landscape from one of the workshops. I also bought hand dyed silk ribbons, some hot pink silk throwsters waste for Claudia and some lovely hand dyed stranded yarn from a lovely lady, Christine Cook,  who had come over from Tasmania. She had some wonderful bags hand woven from silk. I now wish I had bought one, might have to snail mail her, she doesn’t have an e-mail or web-site on her label. I also bought some wool felt from Juliette. Might have to visit her next time I’m in Melbourne as she had the cutest little felting kits Claudia would love. Also a few other bits and pieces I picked up.

Now some very sad news, the city of Geelong is in mourning for the mighty cats lost the Grand final of the AFL footy yesterday. As the only regional town in Victoria to have an AFL team it is a major interest for the entire city. Luckily daughter no 1 was working at 5 am this morning and didn’t go clubbing in town last night, the police had a torrid time of it.

I used my afternoon watching the Grand Final productively. This silhouette is stitched in Bayeux stitch with a stem stitch outline, in a very dark purple appleton wool. It is one of five to be attached to my box. Racaire does a fantastic tutorial of Bayeux stitch here and here.

Off to stitch some more

Cheers