frosty

Out the back door this morning and the previous 4 it has been frosty at my place...

Keeping the Tin Shed Warm and Cosy

Ian and I went bush this morning and got this load of wood to keep us all warm at the Tin Shed...There was an enormous amount of other interesting stuff laying around including these lichens on wood and rocks...
 It was also very cold with ice in the puddles we drove through to get there...

 We delivered the wood to the Tin shed and then went and picked up a goat to look after for a couple of weeks while the owners go north to warmer climes....

Tin Shed Stitch day

A lovely day was had by all and Trace has some pics on her blog. 

womans best friend?

I wandered out to our shed this morning , for no particular reason and low and behold this blue heeler was cringing in the corner...I  figured out it was because there was a group of hunters and dogs up in the hills behind us hunting and shooting with big noisy guns and this dog took fright from it's home and ended up here. Anyway he was very friendly and while I was on the phone trying to find his owners he decided to come in side and plop on the bathroom floor ....where he stayed until I coaxed him out and into Ian's ute for his ride home. Luckily just up the road.

to peek or not to peek!

I just had to peek in one of Trace pots the other day and look what I saw...... hmmm mouldy old cloth..can't wait to see what the end result will be.

Melon Basket Workshop

I spent the weekend teaching a group of 7 creative and eager people ( 6women and 1 man) how to turn a bunch of vines, reeds and leaves into a very useful basket.

Every one ended up with a lovely framed up basket , partially filled in with twining.They now realise what is involved and just how long it takes to produce one . They are also a bit more  knowledgeable about the materials and techniques involved.

First I showed them how to make string or cord from leaves so they could use it for the gods eyes to hold thier baskets frame together, they needed two lengths several metres long.

Then select the handle and rim ....

Then fix them in place with the gods eye ....this basket is Robyn's and she loves working big..
My pic taking went downhill from here but I know if you go here  
 they will have more pics soon.
 We had a great weekend and some delicious muffins and cakes for morning and afternoon teas.
Thanks to the West Tamar Arts Group for inviting me  !

little clay baskets

some of my wood fired work.... little treasures...

Paper making

well we did make paper today... we used recycled paper and some cotton pulp from Burnie paper mill and to add some colour and texture some cooked up tall spike reed which was left over from basketmaking a while ago... we had previously prepared all the stuff and frozen it  so it was an easy fun day... Here is a pic of some pages drying .

 maybe the close up then....

just love the candy stripe couching cloth I used....Trace just uses boring old cream stuff !!!

MONA

Well I went to Mona( museum of old and new art) in Hobart today  on a bus with 20 or so of my co workers and students. It was one of the most amazing eye opening things I have seen. Just the building itself was fabulous the art works hmmmm.... some I really enjoyed , others evoked other feelings and others I couldn't be bothered with. I guess that is what places like that are all about really.  I would like to go back one day and spend a more relaxed day or two  reading about the works a little more.
    Having a day paper making with Tracy tomorrow should be fun.Best find my list and collect everything I need. Might take a pic or to . .

Back again

wow a busy week or so.... taught a lovely group of ladies a little basic basketry last Sat at Low Head.It is fascinating when you teach a group the same technique and they all come up with something totally different and uniquely their own..

 And today we hosted the pit firing here at home and as usual a terrific group of students and clay connection members came along  bringing lots of pots and great food to share.... and willingly got down and dirty packing the pit and building the tee pee to fire the pots in and just can't wait to see what results  we end up with.

 The teepee decided to collapse a bit and behave badly just to make life interesting for me...of course it waited ti ll everyone had left.You can check out some pics of its mischief  here .

In Recovery Mode

Well Woodfire Tas has come and gone and after camping in my tent for 8 nights I am lovin my bed...and my bed warmer!! What a fantastic experience it was in 100 different ways I could go on and on , just like the Basketry Gathering so many things going on and terrific people, food , exhibitions, demos and workshops....
  Many people will remember it with great fondness I am sure especially the award winners ...many different categories and competitions were held over the time culminating in a great team event at Reedy Marsh on Sunday... clay making, kiln building and firing ,pot making and cooking and presenting the goods to 3 very hard judges.
  Four great teams produced the goods in an amazing show of skill , ingenuity,tenaciousness and  creativity it was a joy to watch.They all deserved to win and each team ended up with something !!
Congratulations must go to Neil for organising the conference and to his team of helpers who helped pull it all together over the last year or so and everyone who came along to make it the success it was.