an evening in the studio

I spent some time in the studio this evening - working on a prototype for the Next Project,

experimenting with balloons, silk and paverpol (no I didn't scalp a clown)

and playing with inks and eggshells.

Unfortunately I didn't think through the consequences of red ink on a work night - I may still look like Lady Macbeth at the office tomorrow.

maybe 10 things from this week

I'm not very good at counting but we'll see how the photos go. This week has been busy with:
dyeing for a new project - this was phase 1 which turned out to be too crimson, so it's all soaking in the next dye-bath

there was a full moon

it rained

Henry had a cuddle while his cage was being cleaned out - he also had a new do and a manicure which he bore with great patience and fortitude (sterling qualities in a guinea pig)

 Kind Dog made a most excellent beef and mushroom pie, with his sublime rough puff pastry (you'll be pleased to know he has a light hand with pastry - much lighter than mine)

I did the first draft of a spreadsheet for my thesis and the next draft of the second half of chapter one.

pondering turning 50 soon, I experimented with a new avatar photo

we proved we can be cheerful even at the prospect of going to the local shopping mall (in search of more soda ash for the dye-bath)

And I bravely fought off the office virus (no photos of this you'll be again pleased to hear). I woke up on Thursday with a sore throat, barbed wire chest and feeling vile. So I rugged up, took lots of low-level antidotes such as throat gargle, Vit C, tea and panadol and slept all afternoon. Dinner in bed (thanks to KD) and I woke up yesterday feeling much better.

There was also pavement treasure

and for my 10th thing I will leave you with a glimpse of a non-yet properly conceptualised project that has been gently percolating along in the studio. I have no idea what it will be but it's soothing to paint an eggshell or two on the way through.

Pentax lurve

You may remember that I bought a Pentax Spotmatic a few weeks ago and have been getting my head around how to use a steam-driven camera again.  I picked up the latest film this afternoon and I am in deep and abiding lurve - the creamy textures and complex tones are just beautiful.

Here's an example from last weekend's trip to the beach. I used a Fuji Neopan SS 100 film.

playing with thermofelt

A little while ago Dale, of the amazing, Aladdinesque Thread Studio, asked if anyone wanted to experiment with a new product - Thermofelt.

I put my hand up and was sent some pieces of this magic stuff in the post. I duly played and had a lovely time layering, painting, stitching, burning and cooking it in the oven.

Dale has written a blog post on the various experiments here - it holds its shape when heated so is ripe for all sorts of fun.

wedding anniversary weekend.

 Two years ago Kind Dog and I had our first wedding at home - you may remember.

As we cunningly have a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary we took off on Friday afternoon to a lovely little cottage a couple of hours drive away, down on Victoria's west coast. After six months of stressful events that came to an end last week, we rested, read, knitted, walked along the beach, took lots of photos (I played with my "new" Pentax Spotmatic thanks Suzie for that inspiration - it's a gorgeous camera!) and shed the shared carapace of anxiety.

 Love really, really is all you need :)