Bunnehs in Ballarat 2017 - Part 1

Fibres Ballarat 2017 was a welcome break in the midst of an intense time in life. With Matt's son in hospital, and three WOW entries on the go, this Bunneh was near to breaking. So she was very happy to once again begin the annual SvenJen adventure with a brief stop at the Virgin Lounge before boarding the plane - note - do not go through separate entrance from the Gold Status Bunneh when you are merely a Velocity member.....The giggles began as we reviewed our notes from SvenJen 2013, and continued as I informed Jenelle that we would be catching the 'Busy Beaver Bus' to our hire car..... 

We arrived at our accommodation and followed the brilliantly precise instructions to get to our apartment in the old monastery. Having carefully selected it myself, I was giving myself a large pat on the back, until we opened the entrance door to 3 flights of narrow stairs (42, to be precise). As we lugged our 20kg suitcases up, and I had numerous rest stops, I heard a comment floating down.. "Still congratulating yourself, Bun?!!" However, it was worth it, as a charming oasis lay behind the door, where we chose between the Japanese or the French bedrooms.  

Already failing, I decided I had to keep moving in order to keep going, so we hit the Bridge Street Mall op-shops. Before long, a hangry loomed, so off we trotted to the local Coles, desperately searching for nuts and protein bars, which we ended up scoffing from bags out of the trolley outside!! Anything to stop a hangry!! Back near 'home' we did a few more op-shops, including a successful visit to 'Wozzle's Warehouse"- quite the name for an op shop!!
A kebab sounded like a good option for dinner, although this Bunneh was quite wary of the whole process of ordering one, never actually have done it myself. All the decisions, the choices - it could send a slightly anxious Bunneh over the edge!! After receiving instructions and imagined scenarios the entire way there, I merely needed to tick three boxes on a foil bag to order!! Still, knowledge is never wasted, and now I have the confidence to order a kebab.....
Up just after 6 we were keen to visit our beloved Lake Wendouree, where we were delighted to see our 'No Dancing on the Bridge' or 'Make this shape whilst crossing Bridge' sign, as well as nine fluffy ducklings with their parents - cuteness overload!

 After this we headed off for brunch at Daylesford, and, Googling for noms on the way there, we decided on 'Awkward Jeffery's', which tempted us with both it's name and menu. Here is a particularly happy Bunneh with her scrambled eggs, and an equally delighted Bunneh with her wheaty Belgian Beer!

 Daylesford was a lovely, but obviously weekend town, with many of the antique shops closed. Loved these Bunnehs in a window!

 On the way back home we visited The Amazing Mill Markets, housed in an enormous space - row after row of vintage and antique everythings! Still a very tired Bunneh, I was ready to collapse in the nearest corner, and once in the car, tipped the seat back and had a lovely wee nap before settling in for a two hour nap back at base!!

Where did March go? I missed it?!

Goodness - it's been a whole month since I last posted! That is a bit unusual for me! It has been an incredibly busy time as I work towards the WOW deadline. We're getting to the pointy end now! The photoshoot has been booked with the fabulous Asiara Photography, which I am both looking forward to and dreading. It's always a really tough day for me as I see my garment on a human being for the first time, and swing from the highs of 'Wow, that looks amazing' to the lows of 'hmmmm, that doesn't quite work', and 'oh shit, that needs more support there', all whilst being in the presence of OTHER PEOPLE and trying to behave remotely like one myself! This is the inspiration board for the avant garde piece being shot, which, although covered in feathers and metallic paint, has just let me know that it's lacking in glitz, so the sequin and bead tray has come out, and I suspect the fingertips will get another bashing.....

So I am in the final days of construction, as I need to have it all largely finished before.... (drum roll, please.....) the annual Bunneh Advenchurrz begin next week!!! You have been warned. There will be much silliness seen on Facebook in the next 10 days, and I make no apologies for that. Here is an example - one of our on-plane selfies, with ears....

It will all make its glorious way here on our return! This year, we travel to Fibres Ballarat, where we will enjoy some fabulous op-shopping, and two days in a glorious apartment, before we move into digs at Ballarat Grammar (same rooms as previous!!) and commence our class in 'An introduction to coloured anodised aluminium and titanium jewellery' with Meghan O'Rourke. 

We are pleased to be taking a break from felting, and the vast amount of supplies we usually have to bring down, but I then decided to participate in the market night, so will be filling an extra suitcase with all my scarves, camisoles, and felted wraps. Lucky I know a Platinum Level Travel Bunneh..... here I am with wares at the Grampians Textures markets last year.

My entry for Wearable Art Mandurah was shipped off, and after a nervous wait, I have confirmed it has arrived. I haven't heard of its condition yet!! I bought a suitcase at the op-shop and plastic wrapped it - the last time I sent off a wearable art work in a suitcase was for my first WOW entry in 2008!!

The digital design work for TAFE bubbles along, and my Fighting Fish design has had a new incarnation. I really enjoyed painting these, and love the vibrant colour. TAFE work has really taken a back seat in the last few weeks, but once the WOW gear is shipped off, will become my life for the month of May, before out trip to China, then graduation on return!

A Painful Photoshoot

This weekend I finally got to visit JJ's at Redcliffe, which has an eclectic mix of fabrics and trims. Whilst I didn't find anything particularly exciting, I was pretty thrilled to find a 100m roll of fusible woven interfacing for $10!! Here is my happy packhorse with it - my very own Mat Man!!

I received an important lesson in the difference between working in RGB and CMYK in Photoshop this week. After creating a print I was quite happy with, I decided to start making the correctly sized file for the printer. Unfortunately, inexperienced as I am, I had no idea what a large role the colour mode plays, especially when you have used layer effects.  At the moment I am still trying to replicate the original effect in the new format, but I think I might just have to pretend that the first didn't happen and just go with the flow in the new format!

RGB with 'Divide' effect

Trying to replicate in CMYK.... nawt quite happening!

zhooshed!

Yesterday I participated in a photoshoot for the new TAFE marketing campaign. I travelled in to SouthBank with a suitcase full of props such as a design on a half scale mannequin, sketchbooks, scissors - general tools of the trade. A lovely makeup artist zhooshed my hair and face - such pampering! - then it was off to the sewing rooms for the shoot, where I started to pull out my gear so they could see what I had to offer. I'm not going to write too much about the following half hour, but suffice to say that the photographer had quite the attitude, talked disrespectfully to me, dissed my mannequin as looking like a 'toy', (I honestly don't care what you think buddy, this is what I actually use) proceeded to pose me then ask if that felt natural - well, no, that's not how I would actually do that - and to generally be a bit of a diva ass. There was no appreciation shown for my efforts, I was left to pack up and straighten the room that they had rearranged, and can I just put forward the notion that a professional photographer gets the most out of his (non professional)  model with good guidance, kind words and encouragement. After all, we're all working towards the same goal here - a well composed, authentic shot - I get that. The icing on the cake was being released at 3pm, meaning a trip home on the train with hordes of school children!!  At the risk of sounding like a bit of a sook, I'm afraid the experience is still hanging over me like a black cloud. Shame that - it was just supposed to be a bit of fun! Anyhoo - if it all comes to fruition, you may see me pretending to cut out a pattern in some truly hideous chiffon in a TAFE advertisement near you!

WAM shoot

Pixie Tenielle!

This Saturday I experienced the most relaxed photo shoot ever! Finding myself sans model mid week, I put a call out on Facebook, and ended up with this delightful pixie - a complete stranger to me, but obviously intended by fate, as she does the kind of groovy makeup I wanted, and lived right near the location! So young and new to modelling, she did a superb job! There was a strong breeze at times, nearly blowing the poor waif over, so I had to hold onto her! Chantal and I traded insults as usual, and generally messed with each others heads - much laughter and shenannigans! We had chosen a graffiti wall as a background, but when we arrived, found that it was in the process of being transformed. We shot with some other walls, but they were just too much with the outfit, so we ended up using the creek greenery instead, which really made the colours pop. Looking at it now, I am astounded at how colourful it is, even though I have been living with it for months!

Yummy lycra!

Although I don't have to keep the photos secret, I will just show some hints in order to keep a bit of mystery to the Wearable Arts Mandurah competition and showcase. Oh, I'm so well behaved!!!

On the way to the shoot we stopped at Reverse Garbage, where I found these beautiful glitzy lycra fabric bargains - and guess who's making leggings in class this week?!! 

Goodlife Morningside cycle room - a place I would not usually
venture into!

With this one out of the way, I have two left to focus on for WOW. One of them is for the UV section, and I had a brainwave this weekend about shooting it in UV light, and checking it along the way. My gym has a blacklight cycle room!!! YAH!!!

The other piece has had me sewing my own feather trim this week, and trying out some painting on them. I've never done it before, but with some bias strips, and some hemming tape, then a few runs under the machine, I have myself some nice-looking trim!

Wearable Expressions opened in Palos Verde, California last week, and I found this comprehensive photo album on Facebook. There are some amazing pieces on display, but I was slightly crushed, but not altogether surprised,  to see mine sideways on the mannequin, on top of some-one else's work. I'm sure they're as thrilled as I am about that. Whilst I understand space and display restrictions, you can't just go jamming two disparate pieces together! 

GAH!!

As it should be....

This knitted? metallic piece won my heart with its fluid and organic movement.

Doing Digital Textiles at TAFE has meant spending time with Photoshop again, which is fine, as we have kept up a reasonable relationship with each other, re-acquainting myself with Illustrator, a less harmonious relationship, and being introduced to In-Design, a new foe. We never really finished our introductory conversation, as my brain starting overloading during our first meeting....

I'm hoping to successfully manipulate and transform my watercolour of a fighting fish into a digital print for my swimwear design.

Here's the results from my first playing around this weekend...

Massive luvz to the talented Chantal once more, and thanks to Tenielle for taking a chance with us!

February Fun

At the enlistment ceremony

The boys' room aka studio storage!

I can hardly believe it's only been a week since my last blog! So much has happened. Liam is now training at Kapooka, and sounds happy and well. I took the opportunity today after a very brief call from him to move my clothing racks out of my studio and into his room! The amount of space reclaimed is absolutely amazing, and I can now have my ironing board up in there. But Matt, even though I have all this space, you understand that the wearable pieces will still need to be made upstairs as they can't fit in the studio because of the low ceiling. Also, so I can hang out with you whilst I make them.....

More space in the studio! I can see the floor!

During the school week at TAFE I saw these inspiring pieces in paper hanging around in the hallway - aren't they great?!

This is one of the many reasons I just loving being on campus. One of my teachers asked me last week whether I had some wearable art works available for the display window, and after a bit of thinking, I realised that yes, I did have quite a few! Fimbria Figura (2012) and Siren of the Sea (2011) are now happily hanging out there, and Isolda hopes to join them this week!

Siren and Fimbria

 Two out of four of the current wearable art works are just stitches away from completion, and with several  more months to go, I've got to say that this feels pretty good! I'm looking forward to getting into the next one - the one with 1600 feathers.....

TAFE 2017

Well, it was back to school this week - as always, a chaotic time trying to work out what is happening where and when, and of course, the epic task of actually trying to enrol. This term I am largely focused on swimwear design and construction, and the design of a digital print to feature on it - exciting stuff! I am already bursting with ideas! On completion of this and a few other riveting subjects such as sustainability practices (you don't think I already wring out every bit of value from my materials, time, and working practices?!!) I will - strap yourself down - graduate in June with my Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Technology! At the same time, my Wearable Art pieces are humming along nicely as deadlines loom - there should be another photoshoot in a week or two. I thought I had found the most fabulous piece of street art to use as a backdrop, but when I went to visit it, found that it was no longer quite so fabulous - the windows and doors are now back to being windows and doors, so essentially half the work is missing! There might be a few local opportunities, though...

Jellyfish goodness for my Oceania theme... NOT!

Norman Park Rail underpass - slightly naff but a marine theme and a good colour contrast

Local childcare centre

Cloudland stairs

Today I made a few more explorations, to some local murals, then to good old Cloudland, where the décor is ever fabulous, with the stairs really coming across beautifully today. As we were the only people there at 3pm on a Sunday, I think this could work! I just need to talk to someone there - certainly not the personality-less barman there today!! From there we walked through the valley, seeing the charming Babushka Ballerina on the way to our next stop, bar Eleven, which had us in hysterics as we channelled the youtube video....we enjoyed the lift immensely!!

Babushka Ballerina

Eleven - one of the views

I'd like to go to ELEVUN!!!

Fantastic mural in Winn Lane

Hilary Briss at your service - would you like 'the special stuff'?

Today marks the last day we spend with Matts' son Liam before he enlists in the Army - a bit of an emotional night. His siblings and girlfriend are here, and we presented him with this personalised leather book cover (with the same family crest he got tattooed on his chest for his 18th) and a pen made by ex-diggers out of a bullet. This was my first experience at pyrography on leather - got a great little tool from Bunnings for $30 (which, poetically, I got him to go and pick up for me last week!) and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I see potential here!