Out of the drawer: some new additions

More little pieces are creeping in to my installation at the Merrijig Inn and Kitchen for Craft Victoria’s Craft Cubed project.  See the previous post to read all about the project. I’ll be updating with new photos throughout August. In the meantime, look out for possums eating your pears……

Lemony

Nana’s hydrangeas

Preserved tea towels

Mother possum and feral pear tree

This project is a part of Craft Victoria’s Craft Cubed event.

Out of the drawer: a tea towel installation

Lately this has been my life out of hours; getting ready for Out of the drawer, a satellite project for Craft Victoria’s Craft Cubed event. The project is a small installation of pieces made out of vintage tea towels from my collection.  Liz and Tanya at Merrijig Inn and Kitchen have kindly given me their tiny front bar space to install these pieces and the work is an attempt to respond to the space and their dedication to the experience of food. Its a been a new experience for me and a great learning curve. I hope its been successful.

I’ll be popping in over the next few weeks to add bits and pieces to the installation.  If you go along and have a look, not all the pieces are obvious, some are hidden and integrated which is fun.  And if you do come, stay and have a drink while you’re there, its a gorgeous spot and one of the oldest buildings in town.  Installation can be viewed during the opening times of the restaurant, 4pm-10pm Thursday-Monday.

I am completely obsessed with vintage tea towels and this project has given me a chance to reinterpret them into other objects.  Here are some of the objects installed over the weekend.

Tea towel bottles

More tea towel bottles

Tea towel fruit punch

Pineapple

Tea towel bowls

more tea towel bowls

detail

Local feral fruit tree branches and tea towel fruit

This project is part of Craft Victoria’s Craft Cubed event.

Tea Towel love – the quilt adventure

If you’ve ever looked around my blog you might have picked up by now that I am a bit obsessed with tea towels. Used, worn, faded, I love ’em all. I have made many things with them over the last couple of years and have a very big collection (donations MOST welcome by the way…).

One of the things I’ve made that I am most proud of is this ‘tea towel quilt’ made as a collaboration with Mum, a skilled and experienced sewer/quilter. Admittedly I didn’t do a lot of the technical sewing but helped as much as my knowledge allowed. At first she was challenged because the quilt was being made out of irregular material (this provides all sorts of technical problems) but she rallied like a trooper and went outside her comfort zone. My part in the process was to choose and design the fabric pieces and colours. The quilt turned out beautifully despite breaking the rules a little – its a lovely piece and I love it more every time I look at it.

The quilt is made of vintage tea towels and table cloths with red damask on the back. A detail shot of the quilt is used on my background page here.

And for dog lovers, you can find a 30 second film of my puppy at 8 weeks playing on the quilt – a bit more close up action (here).

my tea towel quilt

hanging in an exhibition in 2010 called, ‘Conversation Piece’, a collaboration between mothers and daughters

long shot of the same exhibition

pegged up outside in a recent exhibition in the beautiful Australian bush

Bears galore

This is a small piece I am entering into the Biblio-Art prize at Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy. Its made using a piece of a book chosen from the prize ‘wheel barrow’.

Having great fun; he’s cute no?

  

Easter MADE market

It was a lovely day once again on Easter Saturday.  Here is my stall and click here to see pics of the other market stalls.  Some lovely gals (and guys) making some great stuff here!

Next morning…

Playing with paper and stitch

I’ve been playing with some stitching on paper, using old paper and wallpaper, and of course, tea towels from my vast and beautiful collection. Some of these will get a showing on my stall at the Easter MADE Market.  I’d love some feedback if anyone is out there and partial to a bit of blog commenting. Have a good Easter!

 

 

 

 

Christmas with the ‘MADE’ market

The Christmas MADE market in Port Fairy was lovely yesterday – a great bunch of people.  This market has hit its straps and is now getting a great following and attracting some fantastic makers  with original and individual work.  It makes me proud and happy to live here.

MADE is going ahead again in 2012, check it out on the facebook page.

my stall

decos and garlands on the stall

garlands made of fancy wrapping paper and vintage music sheets

 

new work - little illustrations on vintage puzzle pieces

 

Some of this work, and others, will be going into the Etsy shop soon. 

me and Modern Times

The Melbourne Modern Times pop up shop is launching tonight (Friday 9th Dec) and open for three weeks. Get along to see great and classic furniature and other bits and bobs, including my Tea Towel Landscapes.  Good luck Amy and the crew at Modern Times – check it out here!  Runs til 31 Dec so catch it if you can….260 Smith St, Collingwood.

Modern Times website : www.moderntimes.com.au 

a selection of goodies…

a cheering thought

Fourth and final Port Fairy MADE Market for 2011 is on this Saturday – these little pieces will be there.  Come along if you can make it.