Some good news

Kelp - leather, acrylic, gel medium, gilding

Well, there hasn't been a great deal to report on lately. Until NOW!! Today I finally received notification that I have qualified for my Certificate IV TAE, enabling me to be a tutor at TAFE - yahoooooo!! What an epic this has been! Anyone considering doing this, do NOT go through Inspire Education!! I'm still debating whether to write a comprehensive letter of complaint, or just stop wasting time on them.

Continuing the good news theme, I also received notification that my leather neckpiece Kelp is to be included in the Wearable Expressions exhibition in California early 2017.

Last week I completed this headpiece for Bunneh to wear with the felt and silk capelet  to Cirque du Soleil this Saturday, where we are to enjoy the VIP experience as a special birthday treat! WOW! My peacock feather collection looks a little sad now, but I think it was definitely worth it!

I was also inspired to cover my oh-so-handy mushroom stool, integrating it more into our decor with a green devoré velvet cover with my bracket fungi pattern on it - how fitting! Certainly more me than the red and white spots! I so often use this little gem when I'm stitching on a piece when it is on the mannequin.

The 'Office' desk

Here is a shot of the 'office' (oh, let's stop this farce - everywhere in this house is studio space!) where I have been finalising the colour scheme for my WOW entry that I have been working on. It's always an exercise in ... I'm not sure what.... when what you thought you were so certain about, you suddenly doubt, let go of, and trial other options. Happily, with very satisfactory results today. I'm feeling very satisfied with this piece at the moment. Well, here's hoping - last night I booked the flights and hotel in Wellington for the WOW 2017 show, before they become ridiculously expensive and unavailable (hard lesson learned last year)!! I'm hoping to complete three entries this year, which you could view as hedging my bets for making the cut!!

Melbourne Cup and a Workshop for Wild Women!

Last week was the Melbourne Cup, which we had made no plans for, then received tickets that Bunneh had won to an event at Loft, West End, and couldn't use - so of course - we love a dress up! We never bet though, and I struggle with many of the issues surrounding it. However, I had been working on this headpiece, and it seemed like a good opportunity to make myself finish it, and take it out for a spin! I found some nice leather feather arm cuffs languishing in my box of unfinished leather work, and enjoyed painting them up with various layers to create this antique gold look. I also revived Matt's hat with a matching leather feather and gold trim, and made a lamé cravat with lace, and we were sure we would win best dressed at the event.  Sadly, no, as we were nobodies within the group - it is, of course, who you know!

Since then I have been working on my wearable art pieces, particularly one amongst the five or so on the go! Today I went to Trad's to get some basics, and returned with this fabulous fabric (the last 2 metres, and pictured with my sample) which I think may be perfect for the bodysuit. Squeeeee!

Sample with potential bodysuit fabric

The view from Kirra Community Centre

This last Sunday I was invited to teach a workshop for the Wild Women, whose home is at the Kirra Community Centre. Well wow, what an absolutely awful place . NOT!! With stunning views from the hill over the expansive ocean, and a lovely semi-open artspace (which could have wreaked absolute havoc had the wind  come up), it was a divine place to spend the Sunday. But boy, did we work hard! So hard that we missed morning tea, but stopped for a wonderful lunch of goodies brought by all the participants - just what I needed by then! The pace cranked up in the afternoon, as everyone got into the felting stage, and I dashed from table to table to help assess and assist. Although I had thought we were tracking on time extremely well, we ran out of time. I had thought I had managed to cut down my two-day wrap shop into a one day event with the 'Precious Fragment Capelet' but I guess it was still pretty involved! I'm quite disappointed, as there were many wonderful works in progress.  I do hope the girls finish them and share images. Until then, here are a few pics they took of the day (I took my camera, but with no SD card!). I thoroughly enjoyed the day and the company of such lovely ladies - the two hour drive through home-bound traffic, not so much. After a near sleepless night prior, it was  bed by 8:30!

The lovely Helen wearing the sample