Labour Day

To me Labour Day is the official day to start work for the One of a Kind Show. I have actually been working on patterns since July but today the pressure starts. I have been looking at rolls of fabric since mid summer as has Derek with his rolls of annealed wire. The wire is for Art Nests, Peanut Feeders and a newly designed Hummingbird Nectar Feeder.

In July I was asked to run a workshop on Shibori dying techniques. At 10 on a Saturday morning I had 6 women set to learn how to create their own beautiful scarves. After the workshop I decided that I would add scarves in a big way to my collection of items for sale. Way back, years ago when I was at Art School I spent time learning all sorts of fabric dying techniques. From that history I decided that the Arashi Shibori technique was the one I would focus on and have since created many scarves. In Japan, the earliest known example of cloth dyed with a shibori technique dates from the 8th century. The cloth is wrapped on a diagonal around a pole. Then the cloth is very tightly bound by wrapping thread up and down the pole. Next, the cloth is scrunched on the pole. The result is a pleated cloth with a design on a diagonal. “Arashi” is the Japanese word for storm. The patterns are always on a diagonal in arashi shibori which suggest the driving rain of a heavy storm. I took my new scarves and dresses to Summerfolk Festival mid August and not only sold them but won honourable mention, second prize for a dress, scarf combo. I was beaten by a beautiful handmade guitar.

The Wearable Art Show

This weekend, October 25 and 26, I will be participating in a great new to me show. The Wearable Art Show features unique creative works by Canadian artists with wearable art the exclusive focus of what is exhibited and sold at the annual event. The intention of the show is to support and build a sense of community among professional Canadian artists working in the field of wearable art. Featured artists appear in the show each year on an invitational basis.

This post is very overdue but I've been working on many different things. I'd like to say that I have been traveling in Europe, but sadly no, just busy at home in my studio. The sewing machine has been my instrument du jour for the past month. My favourite from that period is this ivory linen dress which was featured at the One of a Kind Show. Over part of the month of March and into some of April came the "roll up to win" again this year. I did my best to win that car pictured on the cup but alas did not win a thing. No coffee, no doughnut, no nothing! So... to pay homage to Tim Horton's I created this pin. Please Play Again

There's a new show of British Artists at the Art Gallery of Ontario which I am going to see. Here is my pin for that journey.

The Secret started off its life as one of my beloved Nancy Drew books. Not reading them for many, many years they have become interesting additions to my sculptures and sculptural pins.

To get all of this work done one needs a space of their own, and this is mine. Work in progress, many stages of progress, covers my desk at all times.

2 Weeks in One.

Last week I did not get a pin made so this week there will be 2. And why didn't I get a pin made? Well.... my time spent in Jamaica was used up by sitting on the beach, sitting by the pool, sitting at the table eating (the food was really good) and sitting on the big, beautiful veranda reading. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. My nephew's wedding on the beach was beautiful and the weather was perfect, nice and hot with a breeze. To celebrate being in the tropics my week 6 pin is a sterling silver bird of paradise flower. I was surprised at how many of these plants were in bloom at the resort. Week seven's pin was inspired while I was at the yoga studio. They had just gotten in some new headbands and a woman was trying to decide which one to buy. She really struggled over her decision. After indulging in all of that delicious food and no exercising I am back to my yoga schedule.

Postcard from Paradise

My nephew is getting married and I'm going! I wasn't going at first because the wedding is Jamaica and we just couldn't squeeze a couple of plane tickets out of our family budget. As it turns out my Nephew's other Aunt, who did buy a ticket can't go. So..... she graciously asked me if I would go in her place. How could I say no. My pin this week is of a postcard sent home from Jamaica.

Last night's trunk sale was a great success. I want to thank everyone that came out.

The Zen of Knitting

To me, knitting fits into life itself as meditation, creative expression, a way to connect to others, and a feeling of home. It also gives comfort which comes from repetition and continuity. My brooch this week celebrates these feelings with sterling silver knitting needles and variegated silk yarn.

I am starting a knitting group which will meet once a week at Bliss Yoga in Barrie. This is not a class but a meeting of like minded people. It will be a time to learn from others, exchange ideas, motivate ourselves and have fun. Experienced as well as beginning knitters, even those that don't knit at all are welcome. We don't discriminate you crocheters can bring your embroidery friends.

Three

Here is my third weeks brooch. The stone, called Sonora Sunset was purchased in Arizona as a large slab. Derek cut and polished the stone and I set it in the sterling silver bezel frame. I chose the stone this week because of it's name. I don't know about you but I've noticed a couple of sunsets over this past week. Since November the sun has been setting without me even noticing. The daylight would just disappear and and all of a sudden it was dark out and usually before I had finished work for the day. The sun is now on the upswing and setting later every night. Last night Derek and I were out at 6:20 and there was still a little light in the sky. The sun had set but in the sky there was colour . I find that so uplifting at this time of year. I know there is still a lot of cold weather left to endure but Spring is now on the horizon.