Lots to show you

I want to say thankyou to Jody who was one of lots of lovely people who donated to the Australian Red Cross for the bushfire appeal ~ my little contribution to the raffle ~ a Judrops in Wonderland canvas ~ is on her way to USA



Working on some hearts and trying out my new camera!!! Yes I got one I just couldnt wait any longer ~ eventually I will get a digital SLR but they are mega bucks which I dont have ~ so in the mean time Im very happy to have got a Canon Ixus recommended by some of my lovely blog friends and my friend Julie who visited me a couple of weeks ago has one and let me take some photos on her camera ~ it was easy to use and the quality of picture really good.

Other exciting news, I entered into OWOH give away that Kelly and Ruth were holding on their blog A Charming Exchange and out of so many people I won ~ I just couldnt believe it ~ I won one of the pieces that Kelly had made, a beautiful 'Lucky You' necklace ~ here it is below on my mantelpiece.


also with the necklace are three of the charms which werent used in the book A Charming Exchange which Kelly posted back to me and below more charms ~ I had three of my charms in the book which were made into beautiful jewellery and one other collection of pieces which Ruth asked me to make especially which was made into a beautiful neckpiece


On Monday at college we did Mono printing this time with colour below is one of mine in turquoise ~ surprise surprise:)

In these I used some brighter colours ~ I needed some brightening up so used pinks yellows and red, I have a little turquoise in there too ~ of course. Its all one long piece but photographed separately to photograph.

the collection below are the prints that the whole class did ~ they looked wonderful layed out ~ I had to stand on the table to get the photo!!

Now deadlines are looming at college for my HN units Im taking and even with the 6 weeks away in Australia I have finished my Fine Art for Textiles unit ~ I am so happy with myself ~ here's are a wee peep at some of the work Ive done ~ it's based on the DCA ~ Dundee Contemporary Art centre, Dundee's cultural and social centre in the heart of the city. The steel and glass really caught my imagination and these were the starting point for my piece.

A wet felt sample from the beginning of the developement back in October when I was still deciding where to take it

detail from the finish piece using techniques from samples below, three dimensional triangles and reverse applique

above and below ~ playing with fabric, emulsion paint, paper and stitch

emulsion transfer stitch and layers of paint and dyes

close up

detail from front inspired by the steel frames and glass

as above but reversed

detail of back of piece

So you can see I've had a very busy week and this isnt all of it!!!

have a happy day ~ Judy x

everyday beauty

On my Year of Colour blog Artsy Mama ~ Kari, is encouraging us to photograph the everyday surroundings and looking at art in all things ~ thought Id have a go when the sun shone yesterday in my bedroom ~ I loved how the sun shone through the lace diffusing the light and creating a shadow on the pink and white polka dot wall paper

on my dressing table I photographed some of my treasure boxes ~ and below is a necklace I made last year using a wet felt method of felt making and then threading the felt beads on to special wire with coordinating beads.


All the photos are taken on my mobile phone ~ which I always forget has a camera ~ still making a decision on which model to buy and am getting very impatient now without one ~ I really dont think I can wait to save up for the SLR version I would love ~ have a fab day ~ Judy xxx

nuno

Nuno felt is created by layering very small amounts of wool tops onto fabric ~ usually silk or cotton. During felting the wool fibres migrate through the open weave of the fabric, shrink and tangle together which distorts the cloth gathering the fabric in giving the finished fabric wonderful texture, it drapes beautifully and is really lightweight

You may have already seen this piece before here

My nuno felt sample was quite small but I wanted to use it for something so I embellished it with my machine to make the flowers more prominent, this process made the piece even smaller so I then free machined the fabric to give more texture and to firm the felt ~


It was then made into a book cover ~ I still dont have a camera so I had to scan the book this made the flowers a little squashed :) oops

another of my first ever samples of nuno!

fun

Been having a little fun ~

Have a fab week ~ Judy xxx

prize

Gina of Fan my Flame has one of her wonderful dolls Stella being raffled by Trashy to help raise money to help the victims of the Australian Bush Fires.

Well if you dont already know Australia is very close to my heart with all my children living there at present and my heart just went out to the sadness and devastation that the fires have caused ~ so I contacted Trashy to see if I could offer a raffle prize and she said YES!!!!

So here it is, this is Judrops in Wonderland looking for the key to the door to the magical garden ~ its an 8" x 8" chunky canvas in mixed media and Ive just finished it!!

If you would like a chance to win this or any of the other amazing prizes here's what you do

1. Click on the link to The Australian Red Cross.
2. Donate some money ~ theres a minimum donation of AU$5 ( you do need a credit card though)
3. Go visit Trashy and tell her how much you gave.
4. She will allocate one 'ticket' for every dollar you give, (so the more you donate the more chances you have of winning) and then these tickets will go into the raffle which will be drawn next week

Easy peasy :)
Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Valentines Day ~ lots of love Judy xxx

safe

thankyou so much for your lovely messages, I went to college yesterday and am just off again now ~ my problems are really nothing to whats going on in the world ~ need to give myself a jolly good shake :)
I have been in touch with two of my friends in Victoria and they are safe ~ my thoughts and prayers are still with all those who are suffering and have lost so much. Ro has posted a heartwarming photo on her blog and also a link of how we can help.
On a happy note the sun is shining here today :)
Judy xxx

emotions

An emotional weekend with mixtures of happiness and sadness and I feel so pathetic cause I cant stop crying :( Im happy because we were celebrating my amazing step dads 80th birthday with all his friends from every walk of life you can think of. He married my Mum in 1980 and has been a wonderful Dad to myself and my two sisters, nothing is ever any trouble for him and he's always there ~ whatever. He has also been a brilliant Grandad and now Great Grandad too ~ love you Ed ~ although he'll never read this but he knows!! And Im really sad because I miss my kids and my Mum ~ big time ~ the kids Ill see again; Rach and Lu later in the year but I miss them now more than I thought possible ~ I just love hanging out with them and being with them and that includes Scarlett and Stevie. However I was really aware of my Mums presence over the weekend and what was really amazing when we left the party my younger sister Jen, Jim and myself all saw a shooting star it was so bright and beautiful and I just thought there's my Mum leaving the party too, she'd have been so proud of Ed who took everything in his stride as it was a surprise party!!!

I'm also saddened watching the news on the tv for all the devastation thats been caused in South Eastern Australia and my thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected ~ I know thats not much but I couldnt not mention it when Australia is so close to my heart now.

So thats been my weekend ~ hopefully tomorrow I'll feel lifted and start the week afresh ~ its started snowing again though. I've been working on my college work this week hence the lack of posts so when I get a camera Ill take some photos of it and show you what Ive been doing. I want to thank everyone who gave me amazing advice on how I choose my camera and one lady in Australia, whom I never met before, even asked her daughter for me who is a photographer ~ wonderful advice for choosing and what to do when I do eventually get one, you are all amazing ~ THANKYOU.

Here are two mixed media collages I did this week though :) hope you have a great week ~ Judy x

This ones entitled 'Its raining cat and dogs' for Todays Title Is ...

pink

Scarletts beautiful pink bouquet

Wish

Pink is the colour for February in A Year of Colour ~ Pale Red ~ as one of my teachers once said.
A beautiful warm colour which most girls love and I adore

Peonies Lisianthus and lilac stocks so beautiful together

Roses through the looking glass

Judrops and Owl

Judrops and owl ~ mixed media collage on paper patchwork background with Stewart Gill Metallica, Golden Fluid acrylics and scrapbook papers.

My new camera which I bought to take to Australia, has broken ~ it wasnt expensive but it got me thinking about cameras and the false economy of me always buying 'cheaper' cameras ~ I do have the worse luck ever with cameras ever ~ it must run in the family cause Stevie is the same.
Over the weekend I've been looking on line at all the different types and it's like another language ~ you get digital and then you get digital SLR!!! where do you go to for advice without someone trying to sell you something. I want one that will take good close ups of my 3D artwork (that wont fit in my scanner), one that will take good close ups of plant life and take good landscapes for my textile art research ~ is this possible. Im sure it must be, I think more research will be needed and also a trip to the camera shops in Perth :( scary places.


On a brighter note I heard from my beautiful girls again, they are having the best time ever in Australia ~ thought Id let you all see them, this was taken on their 18th birthday in November. They've booked their flights to Melbourne and will be leaving Stevie and Scarletts very soon and then this week they're climbing the Storey Bridge in Brisbane ~ what crazy girls they are.

So has anyone got the snow yet ~ so far none here in Scotland ~ hope youre all warm and cosy ~ speak again soon ~ Judy xxXxx