Wednesday wanderings

I had a day off today and M1K1 and I decided it was the perfect time for her to make a belated trip down to see the exhibition,making sure to wear the famous rosemarie cardigan for the photo shoot (even though it really was too hot for such things today)

Then there was a visit to Shop Handmade, lunch at Gus' Cafe, followed by a visit to the Alex Asch works at Something in the Air CMAG exhibition.

And a visit to Jazz Apple Cafe for a little something to keep the energy levels up:(Mmmmmm.... red velvet. With a daisy...)

Next stop was Toyhaus in Fyshwick, which I've been meaning to visit for months. Mainly because I knew they had a Villa Sibi in stock and I wanted to go stroke it...

While I was there Louise told me they're working on getting The Emerson in stock.

I wasn't taking much notice as I'd spied this:which followed me home to be added to the caravan collection.

The day finished with a visit to Plastic Creations where we dreamed of what could be done in miniature with all their lovely plasticy bits.

And then, alas, it was time for M1K1 to hit the road.

My photos turn up in the oddest places...

Today's Google Alert threw up this.

Monday making

This morning I started working on a long overdue project for a friend, using fabric that's been in the stash for a little over a year.

During which I finally learnt to use the zipper foot on my machine (which I've only owned for 25 years or so...) Here's the final result:

Notice something?I couldn't resist playing with the leftover scraps!

Unexpected juxtapositions

Sometimes when I add a picture to my Door of Inspiring Pictures, interesting things happen...

Sunday afternoon

After a belated birthday lunch, J and I attended an opening with a difference.Yesterday it was a hair salon.

Tomorrow it will be a hair salon.

Today it was a gallery exhibiting a group of works entitled Rock Poole, comprising interesting Photoshopped images of rocks (apparently at the end of the Tuggeranong Parkway) by hairdresser and artist Andrew Poole.

An afternoon spent pottering

I missed the last two ANU Art School Open Days (I was probably working) so it was great to finally have the chance to go again with Cycling S. It was odd checking out the Glass Workshop as it seemed so much less intimidating than last time after our recent adventures at Canberra Glassworks.

We spent some time (and money) looking at the pottery works the students had for sale before venturing into the Ceramics Workshop, where Cycling S shouted us to a $5 have a go session.

The last time I worked with clay I was in primary school and made coil pots so I was keen to have a play. Our tutor explained the basics(So far, so good)And then disaster struck!

(Uh oh...) Cycling S had a go,did much better than me, and ended up with a jug shaped piece.By which stage I'd decided to try again

and ended up with, um...this (the surface treatment is intentional, by the way)From this angle I think it looks a bit like a head and if it were to be fired (rather than air dried and picked up on Monday) I'd want to fill it with earth and plant cress in the top...

Small things on Saturday

At Inside Story this morning I finally met the mini Starck pieces Mini Modern mentioned in the flesh: As I suspected they're 1/6th scale. Excellent! That'll save me some money. Up the road at Dunstone Designs I spied this: and when the creator, Evan Dunstone, told me he enjoys making maquettes he seemed quite surprised there might be a market for them if he shrunk then down from 1/10th to 1/12th scale... (*insert evil laughter here*)

Not.

Bleary eyed and half awake, after fetching this morning's paper from the end of the drive I opened Panorama and saw this:For a nanosecond I got terribly excited and thought we'd got a double page spread about the exhibition. Then, as the early morning brain fog cleared I realised it was a different cabinet of curiosities, not Sharon Cornthwaite's Writing desk of intelligence. Oh well, maybe next week...

If I'd just waited 18 months...

I could have picked up this ouchily expensive purchase for a mere $24.95.

I spotted a pile of them today. At Clouston and Hall academic remainders, of course. The chap behind the counter reassured me by saying that of course you never knew which book would be remaindered or when...

On the camera

Bugger

I was planning to arrange something like this when I had some time.

Oh well, I snoozed and lost but at least someone's got off their chuff and sorted it out, right?

I forgot!

There are sold stickers!

Hankering after a little something from the exhibition? Email me and let me know...

Dear Universe, this isn't quite what I was expecting...

... when I said this afternoon that I wanted "something exciting" to happen.

Want a definition of "something exciting"?

A thank you email from the promoter of Sing-A-Longa-Sound of Music to The Big Boss, which particularly mentioned my costume...

...and...

213 readers logged on Bloglines today (a record, even surpassing when I got a mention on Posie Gets Cozy)

Pity I have nothing exciting to report!

Sunday: no news and no photos

My day involved washing and cleaning.

Cooking lunch for a friend (Cauliflower and broccoli pasta bake with lashings of cheese sauce, if you're interested), midday wine drinking (always a fine thing to do on Sunday) and house airing.

Mending and bed making.

Reading and soup cooking (Alison Holst's Kumara, Pumpkin and Peanut soup: a new recipe for me.)

Cat patting and music listening.

An all-round perfect day, really...

Sew, a needle pulling thread

What other choice was there (even though it all got a little floppy and non-alligned as the evening progressed)? Happily, one other person agreed and we greeted each other like long lost friends...

Too busy to blog...

Must make costume for Sing-A-Long-A-Sound of Music.

And I'm not even going...

Rulers of the world unite!

I appear to have a new collection, but hopefully only a transient one.

For a slightly new direction on an old project I suddenly felt the need to track down a supply of vintage wooden rulers. The first few were easy enough, but I suspect things are about to get a lot harder.

*sigh*

Perhaps I'll have to rejig my parameters and use new wooden rulers from Hot Dollar, battered about enough to look vintage. It just won't be the same, though...

(Do you think I need to start a new subject category The great vintage ruler challenge?)

Postal love

I've always loved receiving mail. As a child I had a subscription to Wee Wisdom magazine from one of my Grandparents which arrived regularly and various pen pals (one in Australia who rode a motorcycle: I thought she was very glamorous. One in Tonga whose letters always had the most interesting stamps on them and one very special one I've written about before).

More recently there have been more grown up magazines I have subscriptions to, swap parcels and various online purchases. In amongst this, there's the occasional bill I still receive in hard copy. Opening the door to my Post Office box is something I always look forward to.

This past week I've been completely overwhelmed by the contents of my mail. On Thursday there was a "just because" package of goodies from Call of the Small. On Monday there was a care parcel from my cousin in New Zealand covering birthday and Christmas (even though I told her neither were necessary). I was feeling quite overwhelmed and spoilt.

And then there was this morning's mail. Which included a book I won in an Extra Curricular magazine giveaway and a completely unexpected gift from M1K1. Plus an Amazon marketplace order I'd made.

(Oh yeah, there may have been a couple of Book Depository and Amazon Marketplace orders arrive recently too... *ahem*)

Speaking of postal love, I've been contemplating the idea of hosting a modern miniature swap for a while now. And have had various conversations with different people about the best way to approach it.

At first I was just going to do a Swap-Bot "sign up and send items worth $X to the partner you've been assigned" but then a friend suggested more of a curated swap where each participant is part of a pod (of maybe 4 others), pay an amount to cover postage and packing then provide five items which are sent to a central point (eg: here) to be repackaged and sent out to everyone in that pod. One of the great things about swapping this way is if there's a flaker, the others still receive something.

By using the pod concept we can also keep the number of items each person makes manageable. Obviously, when a new pod is announced, people can sign up to a second (or third!) swap pod.

Before I do anything, though, I'd like to know if there's interest in the concept and which version you'd prefer...

What's on my camera?

New fern fronds (months in the making. The timing was quite remarkable):

One relaxed cat,

(OK, maybe not completely relaxed...) A(nother) visiting to CMAG's Something in the Air exhibition, where I discovered photography was allowed after all: (Alex Asch, In the holy roller the saints of evolution worship the pagan god 2009)

(Alex Asch)

(Andrew Townsend, A waiting room)

The Galleries 4: Allsorts

42: Basket with beanie - spring by Jennifer Howlett, $20.

43,44,45: I'll fly away by Jo Searle, $90 each. 46: Test pattern - marmalade (top) by Jodie Cunningham, $65. 47: Test pattern - bean (bottom) by Jodie Cunningham, $65. 48: Shawl - spring by Jennifer Howlett, $59.50. 49: Family portrait - Honey suckle by Jodie Cunningham, $230.

(Not shown: 41: Bowl by Robert Boot, $30)

The Galleries 3: Curiously Strong

31, 32: Vases by Robert Boot, $70 each. 33, 34: Eggs on stands by Robert Boot: $75 each. 35: Shawl - summer by Jennifer Howlett, $112. 36: Yum Yum by Sharon Cornthwaite (a brooch), $80.

37: Red box bookcase by Sharon Cornthwaite (includes lid, not shown), $150. 38: Double Dragon by Sharon Cornthwaite (a brooch), $70. 39: Bureau of Intelligence by Sharon Cornthwaite, $300.

(Not shown: 40: Candelabra by Linda Davy, $45.)

The Galleries 2: Red Hots

16: Tension/ Balance by Pete Bollington, $37.50. 17: Basket with scarf - autumn by Jennifer Howlett, $20. 18: Timber trinket box by Robert Boot, $100. 19: Book 4 by David Hodges, $150. 20: Letter series: Rat by Ampersand Duck, $15. 21: Letter series: Ampersand by Ampersand Duck, $15. 22: Letter series: Dragonfly by Ampersand Duck, $15.

18: Timber trinket box, as before. 19: Book 4, as before. 20: Letter series: Rat, as before. 21: Letter series: Ampersand, as before 22: Letter series: Dragonfly, as before. 24, 25, 26, 27: Bowls by Robert Boot, $30 each. 28,29,30: Small pods by Olivia Sherwood, $12 each.All items as before except 23: Almost Ace by Ampersand Duck, $15.