Catherine Parkinson

I am a guest at Dion Dior's blog

2012-02-11T22:13:00.000-08:00

I have been featured on Dion Dior's blog as a guest. She and I met on the Sketchbook challenge.

Go check out her amazing blog. She is awesome and so inspirational. Be blown away by her life story and her wonderful art work!

http://diondior.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/artist-you-should-know.html

Photography this week

2012-02-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

I took the children up to Awhitu Peninsular this week. On the way out to the lighthouse we stopped at this churchyard where my husbands great grandparents are buried. I took some photos of the church and the carvings on the graves stones. This could be a great start of a new piece of art work.

My husbands great grandparents gravestone.

Sketchbook challenge-last pages of January

2012-02-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

N.B sorry about the qualtity of some of these scans. Still figuring out why the scanner isn't working properly :)

Positive quilting critique

2012-02-06T13:52:00.000-08:00

I turned 40 last week. I was so excited and wanted to have a huge celebration but my twin sister just wanted to hide in a corner and forget all about the day. So I am still trying to come up with something we both will be happy doing for big day. I love that we are so alike but so different in so many ways.

In the art world it is like this too, so many differences and similarities. When I listen to people making a negative judgement on a piece of art work I cringe. Just because I don't particularly like something doesn't mean the art is wrong, bad, or not working. I have attended many shows or competition where I have not liked the winners work. I think we can find good though in most work. We all have different opinions and different views and this is O.K.

So my rule of thumb when I feel like commenting at a show is to...

Think carefully before I speak
Find a couple of things I like about the art work IE the colours work well together, I like how the design works
If I can't find anything I like don't say anything at all. You never know the person who made the artwork might be standing next to you
Creatively analyse the work in your head and ask myself these questions what do I like, what doesn't work for me and what could I use in my future work
Look up at close at a work and look at the techniques the artist has used.
Celebrate the fine qualities in work

I also critique my own work while at a show. Have my work hanging next to other work gives me a chance to see more clearly what works, what doesn't work and what I can change next time.

I would love to expand my appreciation of far more styles that I actually create, By critiquing work positively I now find I can appreciate a far wider range of art than I have done in the past.

Photography this week

2012-02-03T12:14:00.000-08:00

These are photos form the Christmas lights at the LDS temple in Hamliton. It was magic and was worth the trip just to see my 7 year olds face.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2012-02-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

Quilting book review

2012-01-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

A beautiful and stunning book juried by Karey Bresenhan. This book presents 500 art quilts in a professional and easy to read manner. The quilts are made in fabric and other media and shows a diverse range of designs, materials and techniques. It is quilt eye candy for the soul.

This is well worth a squizzy and a peruse.

Photography this week

2012-01-27T11:46:00.001-08:00

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2012-01-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

The theme for the month is doodles. I love patterning and doodling it is so much fun. I am using white pen on black paper in a small book which is 8cm x 12cm big.

Quilting book review

2012-01-25T11:14:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite authors and artists is Sandra Meech.

http://www.sandrameech.com/

She came to NZ last year but I was unable to go and I was seriously disappointed. I have read 2 of her books many times and still get so much out of them. Her books are hands on and workshop based. They have challenged me to think outside the square and to push myself further with my art.

She has written 4 books, 3 of which are available for purchase. Her 4th book, design to stitch is due out in 5 months.

Be inspired today!

2012-01-21T18:28:00.000-08:00

The nicest time of the day for me is dawn and dusk. I love watching the sun rise and set. It is what I call the gentle time of the day, the light is soft and dusty. It is the time of the day for thinking, planning, contemplation and reflection. It is the time of the day I feel the closest to God and his love.

It is a great time of the day to take photographs too. I captured these photos last week at dusk.

2012-01-19T17:51:00.000-08:00

The last few months have been so hectic that my blog has been somewhat sketchy. This last week we have spent on holiday at Waihi beach on the east coast of New Zealand. One of the most beautiful spots in the whole of the country maybe the whole of the world. After a very wet start to our summer we were very blessed to have a week of sunshine. (well mostly sunshine) I even had a couple of swims in the ocean even though it was exceptionally cold for this time of the year.

My daughter chose to go to a waterlily garden for her birthday. It was lovely. These are some of the photos I captured of flowers displayed. I love flowers. There is just something about them that draws me to them.

I wonder if it is their delicate beauty and there perfect form.....

Or they way the are so symmetrical.......

Or they way the droplets of water rest on the petals......

Maybe it is that they draw the viewer to come in closer to see their intricate details......

The colour.....

And their form.......

Whatever it is I am constantly fascinated by them.

Crafting with kids

2012-01-11T17:23:00.000-08:00

We have had heaps of fun with the children creating different creatures with pompoms and pipe cleaners. I am amazed how creative they can be and how they can think so differently from me.

Snake

A scary headband

A rattle snake with working tail (bell)

Top hat with buttons

Bandit

Mouse

Butterfly

2012-01-10T00:56:00.000-08:00

I am struggling to download photos at the moment. I'm hoping I can sort the problem soon. It is hard to write a blog about the wonderful creations my children have made in the holidays without photos!!!!

Meanwhile.........I am really enjoying Leah Day's new videos on machine quilting. Even though I am a fairly experienced machine quilter going back to basics has been fantastic. Over the years I have picked up some bad habits. These videos are a great way to learn or re-learn how to quilt.

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

She is truly inspiring with her work and her heartfelt blogs. Go on over and read her blogs, they are fantastic and very helpful. Go leah!!!!

Sketchbook challenge

2012-01-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

This months theme doodles is so much easier than last months. I really could not get my head around trash at Christmas time. I love to doodle. I think it takes me back to scribbling patterns as a young child and then next to the phone as a teenager and in church in those teenage "boring moments". Doodling in like a holiday for my brain. My pencil just moves to where it wants to go. I find it very relaxing and an escape from the realities of life.

I decided to draw to music for my first page this year. I chose to listen to Brooke Frazer. Look her up on you tube if you would like to hear her music. She is a NZ artist. I love her music. Is is clean, original and a lot of her music is very inspiring. The first piece of music I listened too is called Betty and I felt to draw an exploration of I am who I am through who has gone before me. I am am part of my ancestors as my children and grandchildren will be part of me.

I see so much of my parents in me and some of my grandparents in me. I am still unique but lives of others intertwine through me.

I am glad that I carry part of my family in my genes and in my make up. I am proud of my roots.

My ancestors have helped create parts of me. They have past on to me there idiosyncrasies, some of there attitudes, and their values.

I have my fathers passion for music and love of puns, my mothers love of fabric and hand work and her voice, my Grandmothers tenacity and humour, my Nana's skills with the needle, my Grandfathers skill of writing.

I am who I am because of these amazing people before me.

This page was done in ink pen and watercolours.

Happy new year

2012-01-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

Happy new year to you all. I hope your Christmas and new year was safe and pleasant. We had lovely celebrations and a nice time as a family. All my children are well now and are really enjoying the holidays, time at home and as a family.

The new year finds me reflecting on the past year and looking towards the new one. The year behind has been a challenging but fulfilling. I have achieved my goal of sketching each day (mostly) The last month of sketching didn't really happen but family commitments were just a little more of a priority through those weeks.

My first page of the year

But I still drew almost every day of this year. I have really improved on my drawing. The biggest change for me has been the speed in which I can draw now. I am so much faster and far more accurate. It has been an exciting journey for me.

One of my later pages of the year

I am going to continue to draw this year each day but rather than finish a page a day I am going to try to do a page a week with a little work done on it each day. I

I made another goal to quilt more and enter more competitions. I made deadlines on 8 different competitions and exhibitions this year. I spent a lot of time on surface techniques. I have loved the explorations and exciting results of my experimentation's. I have really improve in my painting this year. It has been scary to try new techniques and subjects but the practice has really paid off for me.

One of my paper quilts this year

A personal quilt remembering the sacrifices of my ancestor in war.

This year I really want to improve in my quilting so I am going to spend some time a week quilting. I hope to have a few samples made by the end of the year to use as a reference point. I also want to get more accurate in my free motion quilting and more creative with the needle.

I want to spend more time studying other artists. I am hoping that this will help me be more critical of my own work and to implement new ideas into my work.

I am so excited about trying new things this year. What are you all doing to improve you art this year? Leave a comment and let us know.

Photography this week

2011-12-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

I took the children to the Auckland botanical gardens yesterday. We had a a wonderful morning strolling through the gardens looking at the sculptures on display and all the lovely plants. It was interesting to listen to their comments on the sculptures. They were very critical of them but in a very nice way, which really impressed me. Many of them were very beautiful and some just very interesting. One I didn't like at all my daughter told me she love it because it made a very good statement about our environment. It made me look at the sculpture in a different way and I could see where she was coming from. It was a lovely morning together what Christmas is all about.

The children's favourite sculpture. They were soft and squishy (15 year olds explanation) and really fun.

Sketchbook challenge

2011-12-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

I have managed 4 pages this week which is much better than my past couple of weeks effort. For the first 3 pages I tried using white pen on black paper. This was quite a challenge to work in an opposite way.

An old soda bottle found in a park. I challenged myself to do this in 10 minutes.

A collection of leaves around the swimming pool

Water patterns on the tiles around the pool. I thought this could have great potential for a quilt idea.

The last page I did this week was a pen and watercolour page.

I don't really like this theme this month and I might just try doing what ever I feel like drawing. I might actually get more done.

Christmas quilting

2011-12-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

"It is almost Christmas....this week it is Christmas...I'll need to get to sleep really fast and every one needs to go to bed at 8 o'clock and get up at seven o'clock on Christmas day" I can hear my 7 year old in the background talking in a non stop monologue. He is so excited about Christmas. I hope his forecast about a 7 o'clock start on Christmas morning comes true. It would be bliss but I know it will be more like 5 o'clock with bells on and rearing to go.

I love this season of secrets, special smells, festive colours and crinkly sounds. In New Zealand we celebrate Christmas in summer (although you would be excused for thinking it was winter after the weather the last 2 days.....it dropped 8 degrees (Celsius) or 46 degrees (Fahrenheit) over night Brr) I also love making Christmas things for people and making little quilts. It is so wonderful to see people opening much loved and thought though gifts.

This year I made a list and put a lot of thought into special handmade gifts and got none finished. So my quilting for Christmas this year is in my head tucked away. This is what I would have made if I had more time and organised myself earlier.

A quilt for my boys. They still don't have one for their beds even though the material has been sitting there for a year. I did get a quilt top finished though
A quilt art piece for my sister-in-law. She loves my work and really treasures it. I would have made a violin instead she will be getting a pile of scrapbooking supplies.
A Bag for my mother for her felting supplies...instead she got a felting book and and quilting arts book
A canvas of Christ for my husband. He would have loved it but instead he got a subscription to a magazine
I would have made a handmade Christmas ornament for each family in my extended family to put on their Christmas trees.
I want to make 2 mini Christmas trees for me but I really don't think it is going to happen

So this year it has been a time of ideas which didn't come to fruition. Maybe if I keep these ideas tucked up in my heart they will grow into something for next year.

Cleaning and sorting my art studio

2011-12-17T00:26:00.000-08:00

Isn't it great being able to clean out the house and get it looking good for 5 minutes (no exaggeration :) I really love my house being ordered and tidy even if it is only for short moments.

I have had my nearly 20 year old come home from university and had to re order my whole house to fit her back in. This meant relocating my art studio out of a room into the end of the lounge and moving 3 bedrooms around. Not an easy thing to do. I have worked solidly for 5 days. 3 1/2 of those days was spent just doing my studio, I really didn't realise that I had so much wonderful stuff. My husband cheekily teases me about my collection sometimes but values my need to create. I began to wonder how much my 'collection' was worth and gave up after a few minutes when I realised I didn't really want to know.

These are the before shots of my area

These are the pictures of what my area is like now.

Sewing table

Material storage and art equipment and books

Cutting table and scrapbooking things

Art equipment and art journals

This is my 'doorway' into my area. The room is partitioned off by 2 book cases and a false wall.

I love the light in the new studio. The windows are great. I love the extra floor space too but on the down side I have less wall area to use so my storage is really lacking. I am actually very surprised to get everything back into this space but I did it and it is so nice to have it finished ready for me to mess up (as you can see I already have started this process!)

Now I need some sleep so I have enough energy for Christmas :)

Time flies

2011-12-16T11:15:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here contemplating where this year has gone. It seems only yesterday that it was last Christmas and it is here again. The last 2 weeks have gone by in a blur too. We have had so much happening, a few dramas and very little art work. (or blogging sorry!)

I spent last week at school camp. It was fantastic and I had a blast but it meant very little time doing anything to do with art. The kids were amazing and we had a lot of fun. I did an art group on one of the days. I had the kids make a bridge they could stand on out of newspaper and string. It was a great activity and they did very well. Most of them got the bridges to work.

I left a long list of things to do at home while I was away as I had 25 people to dinner on Sunday. When I got home I had a wonderful surprise to find it was mostly completed. They had worked so hard. I felt so supported and loved. It was such a relief to know that I had only minor stuff to prepare for Sunday night. The evening was wonderful. We had a beautiful meal, shared gifts, sang carols and spent sometime sharing the wonderful things that had happened to each of us during the year. I was touched to hear some of the children's expressions of gratitude. Simple and profound....I am grateful for family, my friends, that I have a mum who loves me and that I achieved my highest grades this year. It was a really special family moment that I wish I had recorded in someway.

My Beautiful Treasures

They all grow up so fast and these moments seem to melt away into far distance memories. I found this song by Taylor swift on YouTube about this. It bought many tears to my eyes as I lose a child to University next year and have another one only home from university for a short time until she finds work. When my children where small it felt like they would never grow out of nappies now it feels like the time has just disappeared into a puff of smoke. I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZDbFxAtNNnU

I am trying to value every moment more so this means sometimes that I have to re prioritise my life to make sure I give value to these important moments in my life. My art will always still be a huge part of my life but for the past 2 weeks it has had to take a back seat to my family and there special and precious moments.

Photography this week

2011-12-03T01:50:00.000-08:00

My camera has had a lot of action this week. I took a lot of photos at my nephews wedding and at the school athletics. I also had the opportunity to photograph some of the houses for Christmas in Karaka a major school fundraiser which showcases 14 elite homes in South Auckland. It was amazing experience to photograph such beautiful homes and displays. I am going to show you a sneaky look at some of the beautiful ornaments on the trees and in the homes that I photographed. The challenge with these photographs was that I couldn't identify the house. To do this I photgraphed close ups of the displays, blurred backgrounds and chose non identifyable parts of the home. It would be a lovely reminder of our own Chistmas time in our own families to record how we decorate at christmas and what we love around us.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-12-01T01:28:00.000-08:00

Well this week has not gone well in the sketchbook front. Life has certainly taken over and taken charge. I am many days 'behind' (if it is really behind) with my goal of drawing every day this year. Sigh..... but I am pleased that I have done so much drawing even if I didn't quite complete the goal of everyday.

In the southern hemisphere we celebrate Christmas when we have schools break up, summer holidays, work breakups and every party imaginable. It is a very hectic and busy time. I have not had a full day at home for 3 weeks so unfortunately my art has taken a bit of a back seat. Next week I am going on school camp for 5 days so I won't be posting for a week. I am really looking forward to having time out in the bush with 3 classes of kids and I am looking forward to exploring more of the Hunua ranges. I am hoping to take my camera and sketchbook. I don't know if I will get much done but I am making a goal to to do a little each day.

Have a neat week. Happy stitching and sketch booking
Catherine xxxx

Homemade gifts

2011-11-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

As I approach Christmas I think about all of the wonderful presents I would like to make for my loved ones. I have superb ideas but never the time to get through them all. I have made many presents in the past and I have really enjoyed watching the delight on peoples faces as the have opened them. But I have found the older my children have got, the busier my life has become and the less gifts I have had time to make. Even though it is the thought that counts I really feel a bought gift doesn't quite measure up to a homemade gift.

I have been given many thoughtfully made gifts in my life. The most precious of these have been made by my children. I love their handmade cards, toilet tubes covered in glitter and their hand prints dipped in paint and printed on card. They are just so priceless and beautiful. When I receive a thoughtfully created gift I love to think about the thought, love and time that has gone into this gift. The blood seat and tears that have been given to give me this joy.

My children have all gone through Playcentre for their early childhood education. This organisation is quite unique to NZ. It is run by parents who are given education to be early childhood educators. It's focus is on learning through play and learning about the world around them. Creativity is really encouraged through many mediums. My children have made me many gifts at Paycentre. It is great to encourage our children to give to others and to have their work valued.

My eldest child started a tradition a few years ago in our home. We each draw a name out of the hat and then we have to make a handmade gift for this person. My daughter saves all these gifts under the Christmas tree till last and then we each take turns to unwrap our present with everyone watching. It has become a favourite tradition in our family. Each year the presents change but the love never does. I am going to start my gift this week and I am so excited. I am so looking forward to sharing the christmas season together.

Photography this week

2011-11-25T09:54:00.000-08:00

These are some photos of The New Zealand temple. This is a special building to my religion and to me. It is set on a hill overlooking lush farmland in the middle of the Waikato in the North Island. It is one of the most peaceful and tranquil places to visit.

Reflections on glass in the visitors centre.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-11-23T11:28:00.000-08:00

This week has found me drawing and painting more animals from photos. I am slowly finding this subject easier with more and more practice. I am actually enjoying drawing animals now!

Finding your quilting style

2011-11-21T23:32:00.000-08:00

I have moved through a variety of styles in my art and quilting. I started as many people in traditional applique and crafty projects. As I moved along this road I realized this was not fulfilling me enough then I discovered art quilting and I was hooked line and sinker. It challenges me in a way that no other medium has. I love the flexibility and experimentation involved in art quilting. I love being able to express myself freely.

Being able to use a variety of medium for a person who is a collector and a dabbler is an added bonus. I love being able to put my heart and soul into my work so expressively.

But how do we find our own style of work. Some people seem to figure this out quite quickly in their journey but others, like me, need a little more time to find this out. It is a quietly evolving phenomenon. What is our style today may not be our style in 3 years and what we like may take a lot of work to discover.

I am still very much in the experimental phase with where I fit on the continuum. I still am trying to find out what I am in art.

I have some identifying features in my work now though.

I love bright colours and strong lines.

I like my work to be cheerful and positive. I love to work with different patterns and textures.

Full of fine details that eyes can come in and look at.

and lots of quilting detail. I have found it useful to look at others work and analyse why I like them and what draws my eye in. I have chosen to spend quite a bit of time analysing the design aspects used in others art to help me to develop as an artist and find my

It has taken alot of experimenting to find out a little more about what I like and what view I have when I create. I have been going along this path for a while and I think I will be on this journey for my whole life.

style.

Photography this week

2011-11-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

We have just had our yearly Guy Falkes celebration. Our family loves to have a bonfire for this night and time with family. this year we had my twin sister's family over and boy did we have a great night. We cooked sausages, bread, potatoes and apples over the fire and finished off with brownies (in the oven just too hard on a fire) strawberries and vanilla cream. Vanilla cream is so yummy and so easy

Vanilla cream

Mix together equal parts of plain yogurt and coconut cream.
add vanilla essence and sugar to taste.

Use it to go with cake, trifles, brownies and fruit. Just yum

I like to my camera to capture the elements of an evening to tell a story of what happened or to capture the essence of the night. This is a great way to remember celebrations in years to come especially with a memory like mine!

Gathering together to bake our dinner

Embers to cook over

Cooking sausages (gluten free of course)

Dessert

Strawberries

Brownies

Having a sing song. Nothing like singing the old scouting and guide songs around an open fire.

Close up of the fire again

Sparks flying

Pure enjoyment

Sparks flying captured on a long shutter speed.

Fireworks

Making shapes with sparklers

More shapes

Dancing around the fire and singing loudly. Even the teenagers joined in.

A great evening recorded now for history.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-11-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

A new week and 7 more pages.

I have found animals extremely difficult but a positive challenge.

I love animals but putting it down artistically on paper is quite hard.

Cute frog I ofund on an advertisement....I just had to draw him!

Gannet...the elegant flyers of the seas

Emperor penguin.......her highness

Chameleon.........The master of disguise

Golden eagle

Zebra

Fish

Quilting competition

2011-11-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I won 2nd place at the Auckland quilting guilds annual competition.

It was for the mixed media section of the competition. It is the first time I have won any thing in New Zealand and I am thrilled.

I entered my entry into the Cloth paper scissors artisan challenge remade into a prism box.

This piece of work is made from paper cloth. A wonderful technique to use. It is lots of fun and very open to embellishments and stitching. I learned how to do this techniques form Kelly Nina Perkins book

Stitch Alchemy. You can find out more about this amazing artist by clicking on this link http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/

After the cloth was made I added Angelina fibres, applique, stitching, paint, stamping and a fibre I make from tinsel.

I stiffened the fabric with a heavy pellon. and edged the box with braiding. I ended up with very sore fingers after making this piece of work as I lost my thimble!!!1

I know that winning at competitions is only the icing on the cake but it still very sweet just the same.

I now just have to work out what to spend my prize on :)

Photography this week

2011-11-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

This weeks photos are from the Hamilton gardens again. The gardens were full of lots of little rooms and doorways into each room. With the theme view in mind I captured some of the many entrances to these little rooms and views through the many walls inside the gardens.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-11-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

This months new theme is imaginary animals. When I heard this theme I thought oh my goodness. The last time I tried animals I wasn't very successful. But when I started I realised I can do this!

Yak

Deer

Fish

Seal

Frog

Dragonfly

Eyes

Snake eyes

The good and the bad

2011-11-07T00:38:00.000-08:00

I woke up today feeling ready to tackle the world. The sun was shining (for a few minutes anyway) the kids were all on task and the house got cleaned. It was so nice to have a clean backyard again and the washing all under the porch drying. I love having days where the morning goes well and everything goes according to plan. But we really can't have this everyday because we would never recognise the difference between the good and the bad.

It is a bit like this with art work too. Good and bad days come and go. They need to, so we can appreciate the good and find challenge and work though problems in the bad.

I had a bad couple of days working on this piece of work. I have put about 10 layers of paint and texture on this page before I got it right. I wanted to have it in a monochromatic scheme (all one colour) but that didn't work. The tones were all too similar and too dark. So I tried a analogous scheme (2 colours that are next door to each other on the colour wheel) but I couldn't get it to come together. The tones where all too similar still and to mucky. I tried adding white and silver to lighten the page but still it didn't work.

So I walked away from it over night and looked at it with new eyes this morning. (pardon the pun) As soon as I walked in I knew I needed a complementary colour. So out came a leaf stencil and orange paint and some black paint and voila it worked. A fresh perspective is sometimes all I need to get a piece of art to work. A new day and a new set of eyes got this page finished.

Photography this week

2011-11-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

More photos from my few days away with my man.

The colours of spring.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-11-02T00:34:00.000-07:00

I have got some painting done this week. Yah!!!! I have had lots of fun layering paint again and making views through the paint to see lots of different textures and colours.

View through a window

View through a garden

View of a flower

View of the sun

View of a leaf

View through a garden

Quilting on time restraints

2011-10-31T00:06:00.000-07:00

My plan today was to have my haircut and spend the day quilting......sigh!!! It didn't happen. The haircut took longer than normal and then when I got home I found a bird that had hit the window of the house that needed medical attention so I had to turnaround and go back into town (30 min round trip) to take it to the vet. So I didn't get back till lunchtime.

Then family things took over. They were all good thing to do but it left me feeling discouraged that I still hadn't got into the studio today.

I am only able to snatch very small bits of time for my art and quilting at the moment. I really value creativity in my life everyday. It helps me to refresh my soul and give me breathing space. It is imperative for me to have this time every day but what happens when that space isn't there or when other people are snatching away my time? Or there are bird emergencies ? Does this sound familiar?

I have come up with a few things that sometimes help me....

I find that

Making small spaces of time helps. It is amazing what one can do in 5-10 minutes.
Getting up 1/2 hour before the rest of the house
Taking my lunch break in my studio and putting all the kids down for a rest for 1/2 with books.
Fine tuning house cleaning chores so they can be done faster and more efficiently
Making time for art. Having that mental priority helps to get into the studio more
Taking small projects with me when I have to go out.
Having work to do while I am watching t.v with the kids
Having quilting reading material in the toilet :) It takes a few days to get through a book but it is a good way to get something done
Let go of unnecessary obligations. Do I really need to attend every Christmas party in December........
Celebrate what I can get done not what I can't achieve. Making a list of what I have accomplished sometimes helps me to see this more clearly.
Have an area set up that can be used without having to worry about getting things out or putting them away.

I would love to know what helps you? So would you post a comment below of you have anything that works for you? It might help me through this time or help someone else.

Maybe tomorrow I can get some times to quilt.

Photography this week

2011-10-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

A few more photos of my wonderful break away.

This week they are the birds I saw.

ENJOY!!!

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-10-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

My sketchbooking has not gone well this week. Many things, most of which are out of my control, have prevented me from sketching everyday. I am going to make more effort this week to start drawing again because I really need to do it and becasue it is helping me so much.

I have done a few pictures but nothing amazing.

Imaginary faces

My husband's baseball cap

Quilting-Insipration

2011-10-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

My violin quilt hasn't had any more progress on it this week. I've had some unexpected happenings in my life and my quilting has been put to the side for a wee while. I feel like I have had my right hand cut off but life it like this sometimes. It creeps up on you and hits you with a whammy.

So today I am going to post some photos for your art inspiration that you can use for any of your art work. Feel free to copy and paste and design to your hearts content. Just use my name with the photos please if needed.

Choose a photos and challenge yourself to make a piece of artwork this week. I would love to see any results. Post a comment on this post with a link of your work.

Catherine xoxox

Photography this week

2011-10-21T16:10:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely few days away with my hubby this week. We went to Hamilton. Hamilton is 1 1/2 hours away from where I live in the north island of New Zealand. It was nice to talk in sentences and to be adults and not have any cares or responsibilities.

While we were down there we spent a bit of time in the Hamilton gardens. They were stunning and I had a lot of enjoyment walking through the gardens taking photos and enjoying the beautiful fragrances of flowers and trees.

Bud

Turtle pond

Dripping with wisteria

Duck on Turtle pond

Turtle pond

Raindrops on the water

Bush area

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-10-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry I am a little late posting this week but I have been away...on my own.....with my hubby....I know how did I manage that? It was one of those mini miracles that happen once every few years. We had a wonderful time but I am glad to be back with my children again.

This week I have been doing a variety of sketches in coloured pencils and ink. I'm not going to date them as they have been worked over the whole week again.

So these are the pages I have done this week about the theme view.

Quilting-Painting whole cloth quilts

2011-10-17T01:07:00.000-07:00

This week has had many ups and down and a lot of time taken up with other pressing matters. It is one of those moments in my life where I have had to put my art aside a bit and change my focus on other things. I don't really enjoy doing this but I have alot of pressing things that need taking care of. Life's like that sometimes :)

In the last couple of weeks I have had time to finish painting the top of my daughter on her violin. I have enjoyed painting her and I was hoping to enter into a competition but I just plain ran out of time. It has been a challenge but I love the results.

The skirt has been painted and stamped and stencilled. I used homemade original designs for the stamping. To add texture to the skirt I used different sizes of bubble wrap.

I added a dark line around her bust line to give more shape to her.

Next I added a paler shape around the back of her.

I changed the photo into black and white to make sure I had enough tones on her.

I didn't like the background so I turned it into a full circle. This really looked like the moon so I decided to make a night sky behind her.

I will add more of the dimension to this piece with free machine quilting.

As I have painted this piece of work I am feeling closer to my daughter. It has really helped my relationship with her grow and flourish.

Photography this week

2011-10-14T00:39:00.000-07:00

Photos from a beautiful Garden I went to. I love cherry tree blossoms. Just stunning.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-10-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

The theme for October is view. I spent a bit of time gong through the dictionary finding out definitions of this word. I decided to focus on small minute views of the human body. I have started with parts of the face. I have drawn more than one a day so I won't date these pages I will just load them as a collection of drawings over a week. I have challenged myself to do them from different angles and form different models.

Eyes

Quilting-Painting whole cloth quilts

2011-10-10T01:03:00.000-07:00

It always amazes me how fast time disappears. I think that the 6 hours while the children are at school will go forever but it doesn't. It seems like I have just started a project and it is time to pick up the kids from school again. Life rolls along like a fast roller coaster ride.sometimes it seems as if I am in control of the twists and turns and other times I feel completely out of control. I am feeling like that at the moment and it is my art that grounds me into some normalcy. It is wonderful to pick up a pencil and let my mind be released from the days pressures that are all around me. It is like my hand moves on its own accord to create something magical and special.

My violin quilt piece of work has felt like that to me. A magical process of creativity. I know my god guides me to create and helps me to make my mind and body work freely together. I am always grateful for his guidance in my life. I felt his presence quite a bit as I worked on this painting.

Last week I showed you the design process on this piece of work. (found at the link below)

http://catherineparkinson.blogspot.com/2011/10/quilting-painting-whole-cloths.html

After I drew the design onto the fabric it was time for me to paint. I find this step quite difficult as I get very nervous about committing paint to fabric. It is hard to commit my ideas to cloth in case I make a mistake. I know many artists find it hard to put pen to a blank page of a sketchbook but I don't mind that but the thought of painting a whole cloth I get very nervous.

The first thing I paint is the face when I am doing a portrait. I start bu painting the eyes, nose and then mouth. I refer to the original photo and a photo that has had the colours reduced in it so I can see the shading changes in the face more clearly.

The second part I paint is other parts of the painting with flesh colour. I found painting the fingers very difficult but it was a good challenge for me. It is always hard to get the fingers to look right and not like fat (or skinny sausages)

I next worked on the hair and the violin. While I was working on the violin I noticed some problems in my original sketch. By using pencil I can rub out any problems and paint over the area until it is right.

As I continued to add more around the face I added a little more shading to the flesh areas to define shadows more (this is a bit hard to see on a photo) I added gold to the hair to add more dimension and a little 'sparkle' My daughter loved the sparkle and wished she had real sparkles in her hair.

Photography this week

2011-10-07T00:44:00.000-07:00

Some more photos from beautiful Palmerston north.

Pictures of 2 beautiful churches I found. Enjoy :)

Sketchbook challenge

2011-10-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today is my normal day for my sketchbook challenge entries. I only have 4 today as I have had a few emergencies this week and I have not managed to draw for a few days. Hopefully everything will sort its self out so I can start drawing again soon :)

Entry for September 28th

Unfurled: Leaf

Entry for Septemebr 29th

Unfurled: Suns

Entry for Septemeber 30th

Unfurled: Leaves

Entry for October 1st

Unfurled: Pointy suns

Quilting-painting whole cloths

2011-10-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

I decided to start a new piece of work. I have spent all year challenging my painting and drawing skills and I new I needed to put those new skills to the test on a new piece of work. I wanted to do something that celebrated people. I spent a lot of time sketching until I came up with the idea of celebrating the interactions we have with music. My daughter Jennifer has just past her grade 8 violin exam (had lessons for 11 years to reach this goal) she is an example to me of persistence and dedication to a goal. I wanted to capture the 'relationship' she has with her violin and music. She is passionate about music, she loves to play and love watching others get enjoyment out of her playing.

I first took a photo of her playing her violin and reduced the colours on photoshop down to 6. This gave me an idea of shading and places to put different colours.

I traced around the parts I wanted to use and added other ideas.

Closeup of photo

I then translated this photo and the lines I traced with my own ides into my sketchbook.

With notes around the picture explaining the ideas I had on this piece of work.

I transferred this onto another sheet of paper with more details finalised and fine tuned.

I drew this onto a large piece of paper and sellotaped this to the window. Over this I place my pre washed white fabric and traced the design onto the fabric. I have really big widows in my house and they are wonderful for doing this.

I love the design. It makes me feel excited and for me this is usually a good sign that I am going in the right direction.

Next week I will continue to blog my adventure with this quilt :)

Photography this week

2011-09-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Photos on a beautiful beach at Himitagi on the west coast of New Zealand

A pile of drift wood

The sand dunes

Looking out to the tussock grass in the dunes

A bleached log on the beach

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-09-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

Entry for Sept 21st

Unfurled: Layers

Entry for Sept 22nd

Unfurled: Layers

Entry for Sept 23rd

Unfurled: Layers

Entry for Sept 24th

Unfurled: Layers

Entry for Sept 25th

Unfurled: Layers

Entry for Sept 26th

Unfurled: Layers

Entry for Sept 27th

Unfurled: Layers

New attitude to time management

2011-09-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a lovely but exhausting weekend away. My daughter has decided that she loves Massey university and is keen to do the horticulture programme there. So it was well worth the trip.

It was a time for me to also reflect and have to time to re evaluate where I am going in my life especially in my art work. My life seems to run away into now where. I feel I am often just chasing my tale and not really accomplishing much. So after attending a time management for farming women workshop last week I decided it was time to look at how I use my time. The principles of the evening where to make goals and then plan your time to meet these goals. It was a very simple and efficient way to organise time.

I spent a bit of time thinking through what I want in my life. I have decided on these goals

To continue drawing everyday in my sketchbook
To practice machine quilting 2 times a week
To spend time playing and experimenting with equipment I already have in my studio.

I am going to try to also

To exercise daily so I have more energy to work at my art
To listen to an play music daily to re energise my soul
To study the scriptures more to re energize my spirit

My family and I are going to try

Spend a little more time together
I am going to have a date with my husband at least 1 time a fortnight (rather than monthly)
To be more organised at home so I can get on with my art more

I know this will not be easy but it will be worth it.

When I started to place appointments and purposeful planning to meet these goals I found that I have a few pockets of time I can use to improve relationships and improve my art. Evaluating time this way has helped me to see how well I think through what I do and how well I take time to rest and to re charge.

Now all I have to do is stick to my plan!

Going away

2011-09-22T04:03:00.000-07:00

I am going away for a few days with one of my daughters. We are going to check out one of her university options for next year. So I will catch up with you all again next week. Have a nice few days everyone and keep making wonderful art :) xxxx

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-09-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Entry for Sept 14th

Unfurled layers of paint

Entry for Sept 15th

Unfurled layers of paint

Entry for Sept 16th

Unfurled layers of paint

Entry for Sept 17th

Unfurled layers of paint

Entry for Sept 18th

Unfurled layers of paint

Entry for Sept 19th

Unfurled layers of paint

Entry for Sept 20th

Unfurled layers of paint

Printing objects for art work

2011-09-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Many people spend a lot of money on printing plates and fancy tools for surface design on fabric and to make sketchbook pages. I don't...I use objects found at home or make my own stamps out of erasers and stencils out of card lying around. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to produce my own designs and it certainly saves the wallet.

Try these objects

Cookie cutters printed into wet paint or dab on paint to use as a stamp.

Use cookie cutters that can be used for multi purposes ie. hearts can be made into flowers, hearts (obviously) and new shape configurations

Tops of plastic containers

Make simple stencils from card

Sequin waste and metal mesh make great objects to stencil though

End of cotton reels for stamping.

Use lids for different size circles

Corks make great stamps.

Objects found at a emporium. 10 for $1.00 NZ!

Make a roller stamp. String makes a wonderful texture.

Home made stamps form erasers

Simple and cheap commercial stamps. Buy stamps that are multi purpose

The end of kitchen objects

The end of straws make great tiny circles. (try spaghetti pasta for even smaller circles!)

Have fun and play and experiment.

Sketchbook tutorial

2011-09-16T17:22:00.000-07:00

Finished page :Unfurling browns and golds

My sketchbook page today started different to the way I have been working over the past few weeks.

First I put watered down glue onto the page from a seed report book. I smeared it all over with my fingers. FUN!

I then tore up small pieces of scrapbooking paper and stuck them all over the page. I love using text on my page as a background as it adds a wonderful texture to a page. I layered glue over the top of the paper to keep it all flat.

I smeared red brown, mid brown, and chocolate brown all over the page, until I was happy with the effect. I took a towel and wiped a little paint off in selected areas to see more of the papers underneath. I used a circle shape and a flower stamp in the wet paint for added texture.

When it was dry I printed part of a flower stencil in yellow brown on the page and added a tear drop cookie cutter print in brown red on the page.

I used gold paint on a commercial flower stamp. I love gold paint!!! The took some sequin waste and using a stencil brush I added more texture with red brown paint.

I used the stencil brush around the edges of ta maple leaf stencil to create more texture. I used red brown and mid brown for this.

Using a mixture of gold and red brown paint I stencilled a curly flower over the top of the page.

Finally details were added with a gold pen.

Photography this week

2011-09-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago about formal portraits today I want to talk about informal shots.

Informal portraits are shapshot of people taken without posing them first. Usually they capture the personality of the person really well and because they are caught unawares they are often very spontanious.

I love this type of portrait. To me it tells more about the subject and gives me more to work with for art work.

Cheeky

One grubby boy. I just had to catch this moment.

Suprise

Delight

Just starting to get frustrated

Cheeky

(not me though my twin sister!)

Happy

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-09-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Entry for September 7th

Unfurled: Flowers/ layers

Entry for September 8th

Unfurled: Flowers/ layers

Entry for September 9th

Unfurled: Flowers/ layers

Entry for September 10th

Unfurled: Flowers/ layers

Entry for September 11th

Unfurled: layers and patterns

Entry for September 12th

Unfurled: Flowers/ layers

Entry for September 13th

Unfurled: Flowers/ layers

Sketchbook tutorial

2011-09-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

Today's tutorial is a page I did 2 days ago.

I wanted to experiment with gradients of colour and contrasts of shapes.

I struck a few challenges in this piece. It is so wonderful to be able to add extra layers to a page to change the direction of a page and to make it work.

The finished page: Circles

I am using a seed report for my sketchbook at the moment. I thought it went with the theme unfurled very well. For the first layer I stamped the page with blue circles (a large piece of cork) and a flower commercial stamp. The circles were with a bright blue and the flowers a teal green.

On the second layer I spread 2 slightly paler blues on with a toothbrush. This made the layer a little thinner and more of the bottom layer cam through.

Then I added a layer of paler blue again with a toothbrush. The scratchy look was very effective.

In the next layer I added a repeated motif of a house stamp I carved from an eraser. I chose a complimentary colour scheme because I wanted the houses to pop. I was hoping that I would still see the underneath stamps but I couldn't. I really didn't like the direction this page was going in. So.......

In the next layer I decided to add more thin blue paint over the stamps. I then ran my finger through the paint to add more texture.

I drew over the page with silver lines and a orange wash. I now had a background I was happy to work on.

I used a homemade stencil to put a grid over the background. I Started with a red brown and added a little white and ochre brown into the paint as I moved across the page. When I got to the middle I added a lot more ochre and white and continued until I had a very pale brown.

I printed on circles with a large cork. Going opposite with the colours this time. I wanted the circles to float on the page.

To finish this page I used a gold and silver pen (Gold on the right cirlces and silver on the left) to add detail on the large circles and small cirlces to add more interest to the page.

Photography this week

2011-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-09-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

Entry for August 31st

Everyday objects: Milk billy

Entry for September 1st

Everyday objects: Dustpan and brush

Title page for September

Unfurled

Entry for September 2nd

Unfurled: Layers of flowers

Entry for September 3rd

Unfurled: Layers of flowers

Entry for September 4th

Unfurled: layers of leaves

Entry for September 5th

Unfurled: Layers of trees

Entry for September 6th

Unfurled: Layers of flowers

Sketchbook tutorial

2011-09-05T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today I want to show you how I have created this sketchbook page. I have done this sketchbook page with the theme unfurled in mind......the unfurling of layers.

This Page has quite a few layers in it to get the depth of colour and textures.

I used a old seed catalogue of my husbands. I thought this fitted in really well with the theme and also was great for recycling and for the pocket book. I glued 2 pages together as they needed to be thicker to take the acrylic paint I would be using.

I squirted blobs of 3 colours of paint on the page. I wanted to create an analogous colour scheme so I used yellow and red to get a third colour orange. The white was added to create tints within those hues. Using my fingers (lots of fun) I spread the paint around the page

Using a palette knife I pulled the knife over the surface of paint to reveal some of the page underneath.

I then took commercial stamps I have and pressed them into the wet paint. this added extra texture into the paint and revealed more of the original magazine layer underneath. I then left it to dry.

Next I took a cork and pressed it into white and yellow paint and stamped the cork over the page. using my finger I blended the circular shapes into the page.

I took a lid of a container and dipped it into red paint and stamped that down the right hand edge of the page. I blended it in more with my finger.

Next I used a flower stencil and red paint all over the page. Over the top of the page I printed a flower in white paint. I had to this a couple of times as it was too transparent to start with. Then I let it dry.

Using a white Inktense pencils I sketched some more white on the background and used water to blend it in. Then I took a white pen and drew around the flower and drew white spirals on the background.

I added sliver pen over the white pen to give an extra shine. Then added a silver box around the flower (this is hard to see)

I love how the layers unfurl the more you look at this page.

This is another page I have made using this same technique.

Photography this week

2011-09-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

I love the way insurance companies work........

First they ask you what you had stolen?
Then the details of it ie brand, model, The costing,
When you bought it? Where you bought it?
and after you have spent 2 hours of your time hunting for all the information (per one item for the privilege of having some low life invade your privacy) they ask you how can you prove that you owned a...............in the first place
and how do you know that was the brand and how do you know that was the costing if you have no receipt?

And it is so expensive for insurance in our country too. My frustration levels are boiling over. This is all because so many people aren't honest with insurance companies in the first place and try and bleed them dry with their dishonesty. So if you are honest no one will believe you any more.

I was lucky with my camera that I had drawn a sketch of the model in question. I think the insurance lady was flabbergasted that I had proof with a sketch. Maybe she hasn't come across that one before :)

Thank goodness for the sketchbook challenge!!!!!!

Well I finally gave them enough proof, I am now a owner of a Canon 550 D twin camera kit. I am in heaven and in love. It is such a beautiful camera and a really lovely piece of equipment to use. There are so many features that have improve since my model (which was a 350D) Ahhhhh!!!!!! just wonderful.

These are some photos I have taken this week on my new baby!

The detail is wonderful. Hope fully thins week I will get more time to play!!

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-08-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

Entry for August 24th

Everyday objects: Nail Polish

Entry for August 25th

Everyday objects: My scriptures

Entry for August 26th

Everyday objects: Bent safety pin

Entry for August 27th

Everyday objects: Paintbrush

Entry for August 28th

Everyday objects: Daughters necklace

Entry for August 29th

Everyday objects: Thread

Entry for August 30th

Everyday objects: Light bulb

Quilting bliss

2011-08-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those great days. I finished a quilt I have been working on for a while. If feels good to have finished this piece. I have been working on this piece for many weeks. A lot of my own personal history has gone into this piece of work. I have scanned onto fabric all the men in my family who fought in the great wars. It is a lovely memento to their sacrifice for me. They gave their all for unknown posterity and unknown millions of people who would follow them on the earth.

As I contemplated each on their sacrifices I also thought of the woman who also sacrificed a great deal for me and my family. What an amazing amount of love they must have had for their fellow country men and families.

When I look at my own life and look at the sacrifices I have made it really pales in comparison. I can't think of anything I have done that even partially measures up what they did and contributed to the life we live now.

I hand painted and machine quilted the poppy. After I photographed this quilt I wrote the name of one of my ancestors on the cross in the centre of the poppy. He died in France during World War 1. He was a school teacher and only aged 26 years old. He died rescuing wounded comrades in heavy fire on the 8th of October in 1916. I don't have a picture of him just a story of his heroic deed.

The edge of this quilt is a stamp of barbed wire encasing the men and the symbol of the war the poppy. Quilted onto the photos is a collection of crosses.

I hope it is a fitting tribute for all these amazing people.

Artisan quilting challenge

2011-08-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

I have entered the 2012 Cloth, paper, scissors 2012 Artisan challenge. In some ways I am hoping I won't get in after finding out the increase in costs in postage in NZ . A package I sent last year cost me $7.50 this year it is $25.00. I wish our wages went up as fast. : ) Although this is just a small part of how I feel.

I have experiemented with making paper cloth. A technique written by Kelly Perkins. One of my favourite artists. Her work is so quirky and original. Essentially the techniques involves layering lots of different paper on gluey fabric and then painting it. Layers are then added of colour, stamping threads and stitiching. I had so much fun with this technique I think I will be doing lots more.

These are my finished products.

Lime sorbet

Orange crush

Mixed berries

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-08-24T02:31:00.000-07:00

Entry for August 17th

Everyday objects: Lip gloss

Entry for August 18th

Everyday objects: Bedroom lamp

Entry for August 19th

Everyday objects: Boys Lego

Entry for August 20th

Everyday objects: My sunnys

Entry for August 21st

Everyday objects: Razor

Entry for August 22nd

Everyday objects: Parker pen

Entry for August 23rd

Everyday objects: My quote book

photography

2011-08-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

I won't be posting any photography on my blog for a few weeks. Some charming and wonderful person (sense the sarcasm!) entered my my home while we were out and helped themselves to my camera and other important possesions. I hadn't emptied my camera for a while so I am annoyed that I have lost all my precious photos. It has really shaken up the children but I am not so bothered as we have had this happen quite a few times before and I have become a little imune to it all.

On a good note my mamma and baby quilt has been accepted as a finalist on Leah Days machine quilting transformation challenge. It was nice and much needed news after my weekend.

2011-08-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

I have entered the Quilting bloggers flower themed quilt competition this week. Come over and see all the lovely work and vote for me :) (no pressure !) Just follow the instructions!

http://quiltinggallery.com/2011/08/19/vote-now-quilts-with-flowers/

See you there

Taking Individual potraits

2011-08-19T00:48:00.000-07:00

Taking an individual portrait is quite a intimate experience. It is you and the the person you are photographing. I usually take two types of shots formal and informal. I am going to show you some formal shots I have taken recently of my daughter at her school ball (prom)

Formal :

* I usually take photos on a cloudy day or at dawn at dusk as the light is the softest then. This is perfect for a portrait photograph.

* The subject can dress informally or formal for a formal pose. It is entirely up to you both. In these shots my daughter is in full formal dress.

A full face shot. Your subject doesn't have to be smiling to get a nice photo.

Side on face shot with a nice view of the hair.

This captures my daughters wonderful personality.

A side on shot. Your subject doesn't have to have their eyes open for nice shot either.

An inside shot. A nice neutral background doesn't detract the eye form the important person in this shot. I took this one without a flash.

More of her personality coming through.

A back pose with a full flash.

Try taking a photo with a hobby of the person. This helps tell a story.

Another photo of her playing her violin

A full shot. I would have got more full shots and other poses normally but I had a rather reluctant model!

Try and capture the subjects personality.

Take lots of photos. The more the better...then you have more to choose from.

Skechbook challenge: 7 days of drawing

2011-08-17T00:37:00.000-07:00

Entry for August 10th

Everyday objects: My favourite mug

Entry for August 11th

Everyday objects: Our mantle clock

Entry for August 12th

Everyday objects: Sewing scissors

Entry for August 13th

Everyday objects: Can opener

Entry for August 14th

Everyday objects: Toothpaste and brush

Entry for August 15th

Everyday objects: My daughters clean and clear

Entry for August 16th

Everyday objects: Stapler

quilting-in chilly weather

2011-08-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

Our country is in the middle of a polar blast from the Antarctic and boy is it cold!!!. Auckland has had snow fall (it didn't settle) . This is exceptionally rare, the last time this happened was 82 years ago. Normally snow only falls down in the mountains 4 hours south of us and according to the Met services we're in for more wild weather for the next few days. The kids are desperate to see snow but unfortunately it went all around us, as the weather often does as we live in the centre of 3 sets of hills. They keep running out to see if it is snowing. We've had a lot of hail and sleet and very heavy rain.

I have taken the time to snuggle down today to draw and quilt in front of the fire and next to a heater. I am making 3 entries for the Cloth, paper, scissors artisan challenge.

I am making my entries out of paper, paint, Angelina fibres, wipes, magazine clippings, fabric, and fibres. It has been really fun to work with some new mediums and to create something beautiful and cohesive with them.

Sewing through so many layers and textures is very challenging. I have found a few things help

Use a new needle and change them regularly
Use a fine needle so the entry holes are smaller
Use the same thread on the top and bottom so if the underneath thread comes up you can't see it. This can sometimes happen when the foot needs to go over contrasting textures
Use a straight needle plate. A plate you can put on the sewing machine bed that can only take the needle when it is doing a straight stitch.
Experiment with different thicknesses of thread and see what works best.
Be careful!! because you can't unpick. Whatever you sew has to stay there as it leaves holes if you unpick any thing.

When I am finished I will post the pictures of my entries. I'm nearly finished so it should be in the next day or two.