Extended due to ennui

Just popping in to let you know that Flying the Nest will be on display at ACT Heritage Library until the end of the month...

My very first review

..."despite our recent out-of-town excursions, by a masterpiece of precision planning, we ensured that we managed to visit the phenomenal “Flying the Nest” exhibition by sensational local artist/designer Anna-Maria Sviatko*. Imaginative, quirky, immaculately executed, fastidiously documented, and indeed, beautifully presented, though perhaps something of a hidden treasure in terms of the venue.

A gem. Can’t wait for the next exciting installment… A grateful nation salutes you!**"

(*yeah, OK, I give up pretending to be anonymous...
** Not quite sure why but the warm glow of the rest of the review makes my care factor = not a jot)

Spot of summer

I believe there may be a heatwave happening outside. I wouldn't know as I've been spending most of my time in the coolest spot in the house: Surrounded by reading. And music. And knitting. And drawing. There was also chocolate and garden fresh cherry tomatoes but they're gone now.

Please note the return of Wreck this journal after a long absence.And my new felt tip pens.

A set of 100! From Sesame Street! Each stamped with Time for fun!
Because, with all the time in the world, there's always always time for fun...

All the time in the world...

I can feel the magic that is three days mooching round home kicking in. Time seems to have slowed to a crawl (in the best possible way) and I find myself easing into those once a year Christmas break tasks that are so important for me to feel like I'm starting the new year fresh.

Today, after a breakfast of freshly cooked oatcakes, the time was right to deal with this year's backlog of filing. Which meant I also had to go through my files and clear out the stuff that's no longer relevant.

Somehow I ended up deciding that the contents of my clothing file would be better cut out and pasted into a visual diary. So I spent a very happy morning cutting out pictures and reminiscing about the paper dolls I used to love playing with when I was a child.Does it matter if the pictures end up back in the file for another year and the diary remains empty? I don't think so. I have all the time in the world...

Over lunch (more home cooking: the last salmon fillet in the freezer served with peas and mash made from the last potato in the cupboard and fresh basil delivered by J last night) and my latest knitting project I started reading a library book which I suspect will teach me exactly what I thought I was going to learn at Sturt (and didn't). At the very least, the introduction goes some way to explaining why I was feeling disgruntled (and thus made me feel much better).Which meant I had the guts to leap upstairs, back to the filing cabinet, and deal with thismuch of which should have been cleared out years ago and is now ripped into little pieces and safely tucked into the recycling bin outside.

And it's still only 4pm! And I have another whole day off tomorrow!

Playtime

Since there was no lecture at Sturt after dinner Tuesday I took the opportunity to drive to the next town over and see what was new at the bottom of Diva's garden. What was new is this based on the Kaleidoscope House but not quite black and white house:

We spent a very enjoyable evening listening to the thunder crack and the rain beat down on the roof while we discussed who exactly lived here, what furniture they'd have and how the rooms should be arranged...

At one stage I wondered if the storm would ever ease up so I could drive back to school or if I would be forced to stay the night in my favorite bedroom at Chelsea Park.

Alas the rain did ease up enough for me to venture back to school, clutching a large sack of money (chocolate, not real, unfortunately), more black and white tea towels for my collection and a copy of issue one of Sohi magazine which she'd found for me.

What I did on my (truncated) holidays

Monday morning: still life #1 in charcoal(I finally learnt to use the kneadable eraser that was on my materials list for class last year!)

Monday afternoon: still life #2 in soft pastels
(Which I discovered can be smudged and blended)

Tuesday: self portrait and perspective(Interesting to compare this self portrait with my last attempt which was from almost the same angle...)

Not quite what I expected my first achievement of the year to be...

I'm now an art school drop out.

Yes I'm fine*.

No I don't want to talk about it*.

(*Really)

Question answered

Well it would seem I don't have to go cold turkey on the internet access while at Sturt: I've found the boarding house's computer suite.

I also don't need to worry about cold turkey on the white cotton bed sheet front either as a pile was waiting on my bed for me.

I'm not too sure about this whole having to make your own bed malarkey, though...

Ten vitally important things to do in the 48 hours before your departure for summer school:

1. Decide on the final version of your costume, which involves knitted chain. And undertake a trial run to see if it's going to work.

2. Which makes you realise you probably should have a knitting project with you (apart from the chain). And sort that out.

3. Try to put together a punk compilation for the final party. Decide no one would really dance to a full on punk compilation so change it to a "deeply mainstream alternative early 80s mix as chosen by someone who was a DJ back then".

4. Try to decide: iPod or CD Walkman?

5. Run round trying to find your back up CDs for photos you suddenly remember you need prints of for class.

6. Chose a little something relevant to read if you happen to have a chance to loll in bed (or under a shady tree) with a book.

7. Finally decide what you plan to wear for the week. And wash it. Since, silly you, you've worn it in the last couple of days...

8. Wonder if the real estate agents would mind putting your flat inspection off for another week.

9. And if there's internet access at Sturt...

10. Blog all of the above instead of packing. Or printing. Or compiling.

They say "Start the year as you mean to go on", don't they?

In which case I did very well. I was at art school*, helping set up for classes which start on Monday. I arrived terribly early thus was able to take this picture of the calm before the storm:(Nice cake, by the way. My first this year. And, in fact, last year too...)

Do you think I can add "covering wall to wall carpet in plastic" to the skills on my resume? I felt rather smugly Christo-ish until my partner and I worked out we were finding it so easy because we're both sewers and are used to cutting out large things on the floor to fit around awkward angles.

There would have been more photos but a) my camera battery died and I hadn't shifted any spares to the bag I took today and b) I was too busy wrapping floors (and shifting furniture and collating registrations, creating name tags and stuffing folders) to take anyway...

How was the start of your 2010?

When I said I wanted to go to art school I should have clarified my desire a little more fully. Yes, it's art school. Yes it's full time. But I was imagining slightly longer than 6 days.)

Suddenly, I have the urge to visit Napier in the next couple of months...

Is it for the fabulous art deco architecture?

No. Already done that: The world class wine and food?

Nup.

The possibility of bumping into my hero Douglas Lloyd Jenkins?

Getting closer.

It's because I just read about an exhibition being held at Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery (which Douglas Lloyd Jenkins happens to manage) called The Miniatures - An adventure in the Bren collection. "More than 2000 miniatures collected in London in the 1930s and 1940s"? I've so got to be there! Damned shame Craft ACT don't pay me as then I could maybe claim the whole thing as research for next year's Call of the Small* exhibition.

(*Thanks, as always to the real Call of the Small for letting me borrow her name.)

2009: the year that was

And what a year it was!

The highlights of January were a road trip to Bendigo and the end of my exhibition Playing House: Contemporary Dolls' Houses 1957-2007 at Canberra Museum and Gallery.

In February I was interviewed by ABC 666 (and blogged from the beer fridge!) then started studying for the first time in 20 years.

March saw the end of the Seven Things challenge, the arrival of my Wreck this Journal (still, alas, unfinished). I went to Melbourne, and started designing a possum costume upon my return.

I attended my first National Folk Festival in April. I also started working at the ACT Library Service, which was just as well as my permanent job's hours were halved down to one day a week. Work on the possum costume continued

May was busy. My dolls houses were featured in an Israeli magazine, I was offered a one year volunteer internship at Craft ACT, because the proud owner of an iMac and spent my 43rd birthday in Noumea.

Life settled down a bit in June and July, with the only highlights being the purchase of the Daisy Doll collection of my childhood dreams and the inclusion of my work in the Knitta Please exhibition at The National Gallery of Australia.

In August I quit my permanent job and the Possum costume was completed.

I managed to get my work hung inside The National Gallery of Australia in September.

The Collectors came to call in October, the same month I became the proud owner of an iPod.

N is for November but also for New Zealand, where I ran away to that month. N is also for needless worry (or nincompoop): I earned a High Distinction in my course.

And the highlight of December? Being given a Gocco.

I wonder what excitement 2010 has in store?

Queens of the op shops

Today was another of those rare times when Taph and I were both off work on the same day and the op shops (except for Vinnies) were open. Plus we had Salvos cards that are due to expire on Thursday.

So there was only one thing to do: chose the car with the most spare space in it and do the rounds.

At (Big) Salvos in Queanbeyan I picked up this shirt for $3.50 (as part of our use of the first card):Yes, I'm well aware it's not black and white but for I figured if I don't wear it it would make great a) hankies or b) dolls house bedding. Besides, when I tried it on it reminded me of my days in student radio back in the 80s. Or Adrian off The Collectors (not that I've watched a complete episode as yet). Enough reason to drop $3.50, I figured...

At Salvos Fyshwick I remembered I was in need of a punk costume. And I spotted this tail coat:
Home made. Green tagged (so $3 instead of the marked $15) and reminiscent of a tail coat I used to wear in the late 80s (see above).

Then there was this vintage Simona tartan shift dress: $4.50 with card:I pulled it out. We (Taph, two lovely op shoppers who we'd been bumping into at every shop we visited (as you do) and the chap working at the shop) agreed it would be perfect under the tails at a punk party. But I put it back. The party is in mid summer. This reminds me more of winter.

Taph rescued it and made me see sense.

Then the chap that worked there came up with this which he said would work perfectly with the tails:Homemade, fits perfectly, would be great for openings and $3.50 with card. Sold!

I was on a roll! Spotty vintage Equipment shirt (I swear I had the matching short sleeved shirt many years ago) $3.50 with card:(I'm starting to feel the need to pull out my turntable and play Hüsker Dü)

But wait! There's more!

While waiting for the fitting rooms I perused the green rack (all items originally marked under $6 for $1, over $6: $3) and pulled out these for $1 each: Brand new daisy T (I plan to remove the pocket)

And Target Veronicas T shirt which, with a little tweaking , might just work under the tails with skinny jeans. And maybe my bowler hat. For $1 it's worth taking the chance...

But we're not over yet. Salvos Jamison Centre has all short sleeved summer tops at $2. This is a little more scoop necked than I'm used to but for $2, worth trying out. Besides, it has spots:
Finally, Taph points out a full wool felted regimental dress uniform:We laugh a bit. We admire it. She asks me to try it on. There's more giggling. Until I try the trousers and discover they fit perfectly. As in the length's spot on. So's the waist. Wool trousers (with a groovy red stripe up the leg) for $30? Sold to the mad woman in the fitting room!

Highlight of the day? The discovery that the larger Salvos stores now have itty bitty carts to fit their shopping baskets: So friends can op shop with a basket each, space on the handle to hang coat hangers, and two free hands to explore the racks. Big thumbs up to Salvos!

Now, as seems a fitting end to a day like this, I'm off to watch Mary, Queen of Charity Shops. (While washing my work shirt for tomorrow, of course!)

And then the sewing machine needle fairy* visited while I was at work...

and left her offering in my letter box.

Alas I had visited my Handmade Nation pusher on the way home so was too distracted to actually unwrap them this evening.

And hopefully you'll be distracted enough not to notice I'm finally finishing something I showed you 9 months ago...

(* Thanks Cycling S with the dishwasher hands!)

Needleless delays

What I forgot to mention yesterday was that I broke my last sewing machine needle around 1pm: leaving me not quite enough time for a mad dash to the nearest Lincraft (Hobbysew was closed, or at least not answering their phone when I called) to pick up more before my guests arrived. And by the time they'd helpfully done my dishes for me it was too late to get there before they closed.

Today I started work an hour before the shops opened and was working at a location where the local mall doesn't have a sewing craft shop (and my 30 minute lunch break didn't give me time to drive anywhere else).

Tomorrow is another start-work-before-the-shops-open-half-hour-lunch day. There is a very vague chance I could make it to Lincraft in that time but since it's my first day of the contract I don't want to tempt fate.

But Tuesday I have off. Top of my list is buy sewing machine needles*. Especially as I have to make a punk costume before my end of school party next week...

(*Including a spare packet!)

Mending my ways

It's been the best Christmas ever in Canberra, with grey skies, low temperatures and rain since yesterday morning.

The perfect weather for a little end-of-year cleaning under things (like the bed and the sofa) then lazing on things (like the bed and the sofa) and finally FINALLY catching up with the backlog of magazine reading that's crept up on me over the past few months. While nibbling chocolates. And cherries. And stuffed red pepper. And sipping champagne.Today I felt the urge to explore my towering mending pile. During which I unearthed this which I wore the rest of the day. Wearing your PJ top while having a late lunch (originally planned to be a picnic) with friends? What could be better on a lazy grey day...

Merry knitterly Christmas

The best gift ever?

(It's very tempting to try and arrange an air side knitting flashmob to mark the occasion...)

What’s Hot + What’s Not Wednesday

What's hot:

* The new Kingston library, full of brand new stock which is currently invisible on the ACT Library Service catalogue. I was tempted to take home all their new knitting books but resisted as I knew they would just stress me out with all their beautiful new project ideas. I did succumb to these, however.

* My new Martha Stewart button punch. My button obsession has just hit an all time high(especially if you include the purchase of Donna Hay's fondant buttons from DJs, which were supposed to top end of year cupcakes for Craft ACT: except I seem to have misplaced my cupcake recipe...)

* Finding Dave Gahan's latest solo release in the 3-for-$5 bin. And finding two other CDs to round the trio out.

* Receiving a copy of my Grandmother's latest book of poetry in the mail and discovering the author shot was one I took:
* Realising that my new file drawers are the perfect fit for my DVD collection.

* Notification that I've been accepted into the Community Arts volunteer team for the 2010 National Folk Festival.

What's not:

* Stupid Converse who appear to allow shipping outside of the USA but won't accept credit cards from outside of the USA. So my cunning buy three pairs and send to friend to repost to me thus getting round the silly international postage prices and get 20% discount to boot plan has come to naught.

* Opening the beautiful (cheap) shrinkwrapped hardcover A5 notebooks I bought as directed for Summer School, only to discover they're lined. There was no mention of that on the packaging!

* The letter telling me my flat inspection is booked in for January 6th.

(More at Loobylu)

With bells on

Al gets into the Christmas spirit. Not sure how that happened...

If only I lived in America...

Herman Miller Nelson Library Index Card File Cabinet. On eBay.

Then again, with a BIN price of US $1,295.00, it's probably just as well I don't live in America...