Wednesday, June 30, 2010

fish pictures



A slightly new departure for paintings: fish.

These came from the fish market in Marrickville Metro. I'm not sure what they are but the one with the long spike thing from its lower lip is a garfish.

They were very fresh and shiny when I bought them - not so much now.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

playing ladies

On the weekend about 15 of us went out for a morning tea in Sydney's iconic QVB building in the city to celebrate a birthday. There is a posh tearooms on the top floor and on Saturdays it is abuzz with grande dames having morning tea, shoppers having a break and some mothers/daughters - all with a sense of occaison and excitement over this very special treat.

Silver pots of tea were dispatched along with tiered trays piled high with tiny cakes and savories. Everything on rose patterned china and with flutes of champagne to accompany.

It has to be one of the loveliest ways to spend a cold Saturday.

Monday, June 28, 2010

New pendant designs


Myself and him indoors went on a long awaited break to Thailand. Him indoors sat around the lovely posh resort in Chiang Mai and I went on daily little forays to the local markets for exotic snacks, fresh fruit (it's currently mangosteen and lychee season), and of course all the stuff I use to make jewellery and gifts - that left all the locals scratching their heads as to why anyone would want such items.

Just before flying home we stopped off in Bangkok where I managed a trip to the world famous weekend market at Chatuchak and bought more beads, fabrics and silver bits to tide me over for the next few years.

New pendants and jewellery designs are being dreamt up.

First up is a new range of colourful tassel necklaces. The top one is Smoky quartz, Garnet and silver with a cotton tassel. The one below is Amethyst, Carnelian, Serpentine and silver with a green cotton tassel.

More boho chic.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

salad and shrimp


For a long weekend.

From the markets in Sydney. The plate next to the beetroot was given to me from my sister in Brisbane - she's definitely getting better at presents!

Monday, June 7, 2010

camelias



I am eagerly awaiting this year's crop of winter camelias in Sydney. So far the smaller, single-row, petaled variety is the only type flowering - the lavish double blooms appear later in the year.

I think this variety may be the closer cousin to our friend tea - hence the teabowls in each painting.

I had to work so fast - as soon as you picked them the petals faded and dropped.

Friday, June 4, 2010

strawberries for winter in Sydney



Him indoors has finally gotten around to scanning new artworks

Here's some strawberries (painted in february)... to brighten a very wet Sydney day and hopefully cheer you all up.

The house got flooded today - one of the drains overflowed. I guess the positive is that the floors got properly washed for the first time in ages!

Have a fabulous weekend all.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

New addition to the studio


As part of my fight to reclaim the kitchen back as my office/studio I've decided to try and make it a nice place to work in.
I've always loved fish tanks. There is something so soothing about watching a little underwater garden complete with fish and other living things going about their fishy business.

So I've installed a little tank, planted some water plants, put in some stones I collected from NZ and the NSW coast and a whole school of little mosquito fish that have been breeding like crazy in the pond in our front yard since I introduced them in February.

Aaaah. So Zen.