2011… Onward & forward…


…as the holidays come to an end & I enter my 60th year on the planet, I wonder where this year will lead me… do I set goals or do I just allow myself to drift along on the raft of life & see where it goes?

Hmmm… perhaps, a little of both….

On the drifting raft:

Creating with yarn, fibre, colour & texture is a passion & something I have little control over – whenever I see an unusual colour combination in a flower or a gorgeous sculptural textured tree trunk it stays in my mind & the need to interrupt the image through my work can become obsessive – I have no choice but to at least have a go – so I’m fairly certain that this process isn’t going to change any time soon

Things to focus on:

I do, however, have a say in how I spend my time on the Net. Promoting my Etsy &  Zibbet shops is a must if I want them to succeed, but the promotion road is still an enigma & an ongoing learning curve that I continue to grapple with but determined to master.

I’ve made some wonderful friends here in cyber world & becoming more involved with the online community is another goal I can set for myself…

I’m a proud member of DUST (the Down Under Street Team) – a vibrant group of Aussies who have shops on Etsy & sell a wonderful array of items from: jewellery, adult & children fashions, paper goods, soap to fine art… you name it – there is something special for everyone.

TAFA (The Textile And Fiber Art list) membership is another group I’m honoured to be a part of. TAFA is a collection of highly talented, international fibre Artists who have come together to support & promote each other & show the world the exquisite variety that fibre artists have to offer – take a moment to check out the TAFA site – the artist profiles & fabulous examples of their work – I’m sure you’ll be delighted & totally impressed with what you find… or visit the TAFA blog

Things to come:

I’m often asked where my ideas come from… what prompted me to use a particular colour/texture/yarn/fibre combination & I hope to have a small series of future posts that may enlighten those interested.

I have some new freeform pieces that I need to photograph, write descriptions & list so I can show them off to the world… so watch this space for those…

And then, of course, I must get back to all the UFO’s that litter every corner of my workspace – there’s a bunch of dyeing, beading, felting, among other things, that are clogging my mind & really do need to get done so I can stop thinking about them & get onto new stuff… definitely a goal worth persueing

My local crochet classes (held at my home) will continue & I’ll endeavour to come up with new patterns & ideas to keep it useful & practical &, above all, interesting – I’m really looking forward to all the ladies coming together again for more fun filled crochet …

So… I guess that’s about it for now – not too much on my plate for the moment & I should be able to get the year started & moving forward – I hope it’s a happy & successful 2011 for you all…

From the bizarre to Classic Style ~ A collection of scarves & wraps

Whenever my creative juices wane or go walkabout & seemingly disappear for a while, I simply return to the basics… the versatile scarf ~ wrap… I’m fortunate that my yarn stash is vast & varied so it’s not all that hard for me to choose a few favourites & play… let the hook & yarn lead the way…

As cliché as it may sound, it’s nevertheless true, at least for me… each yarn has it’s own colour-way & texture & therefore its own voice, so it’s just a matter of listening & going with the flow – this collection of scarves & wraps is the realization – it still surprises me too…

Urban Blues…

On a recent visit to the big city (beautiful Sydney, Australia) my senses were totally ambushed by the hustle & bustle, the perpetual activity & chaos of the place – non-stop traffic streams, roundabouts, flickering buildings, sun struck glass & chrome & unexpected parklands – relax, I told myself… embrace the colours, textures & ambience – ‘Urban Blues’ evolved & is the compilation & impressions of those city images.

Aussie Beach inspired…

Introducing ‘Beaches’ a freeform crochet/knit handbag, inspired by the golden sands & blue waters of Australia….

The colours & textures for this piece have been in my mind for a long time & I’m so happy to finally have it done –  little knitting, some Tunisian & of course lots of crochet motifs all came together beautifully I think….

A Collection of Lariats…

just finished the last of this collection of lariats – I used cotton yarns for easy wear & care, glass &, in some items, wooden beads & Clones Knots. Each lariat has been individually freeformed so no 2 are ever the same & joined with a crochet tube that sits comfortably on the neck. I’ve named these pieces Tangles for obvious reasons & I’m so very delighted with the results….