Life continues along in its own re-emerging manner. We are spending good chunks of time in the studio getting product ready for our Open Studio on 13 June.
Using up some spare ink I printed this thank you card (yet to be folded in this image). It is a nice big bold thank you - but I will be doing a more delicate one too I think!
I loved that rediscovering gold leaf moment a week or so ago, so decided to build on it with a few more shines for cards. I can think of no nicer reminder than to shine.
I used some of my Caran D'Ache water-soluble wax pastel crayons as the base, to which the gold leaf adhered rather well. My little practice/sample card is at the back.
I selected six colours from the samples and then threw in a couple of marbled effect options as well just for fun.
And here are the results. One got stuffed up along the way. I still have another 7 to attempt.
So that bit of pottering was quite good fun. They have been sealed and will now be adhered to their cards.
The other pottering about was really more about pottering along and paying attention to nature.
I went for a walk at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve (the place of Mabel's Scrub fame) early one morning and we came across this wee pademelon. Like a smaller version of a wallaby and a much squatter and smaller version of a kangaroo. They are so placid and lovely to see in their natural habitat. It is literally just down the road from us (about 5km on our road).
We had a chilly day on Saturday. For us. Making it to a maximum of 11 degrees (C) with a wind is quite cold in the sub-tropics. But the gift came at sunset - this sky...
And to the west. The light was phenomenal and we kept ducking out this way and that to see what was happening to the west, to the north, then back to the south...
It filled me up.
My dad has planted quite a few orchids in the garden at our new studio space. This spike of flowers was coming along well, but needed lifting up off the ground. During the process of raising it, the stem snapped and so only one bloom remains on the plant. I took the broken head of flowers inside and over a few days the stem has opened up to 5 flowers which I find amazing and so generous of it.
Pottering here and there...
Using up some spare ink I printed this thank you card (yet to be folded in this image). It is a nice big bold thank you - but I will be doing a more delicate one too I think!
I loved that rediscovering gold leaf moment a week or so ago, so decided to build on it with a few more shines for cards. I can think of no nicer reminder than to shine.
I used some of my Caran D'Ache water-soluble wax pastel crayons as the base, to which the gold leaf adhered rather well. My little practice/sample card is at the back.
I selected six colours from the samples and then threw in a couple of marbled effect options as well just for fun.
And here are the results. One got stuffed up along the way. I still have another 7 to attempt.
So that bit of pottering was quite good fun. They have been sealed and will now be adhered to their cards.
The other pottering about was really more about pottering along and paying attention to nature.
I went for a walk at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve (the place of Mabel's Scrub fame) early one morning and we came across this wee pademelon. Like a smaller version of a wallaby and a much squatter and smaller version of a kangaroo. They are so placid and lovely to see in their natural habitat. It is literally just down the road from us (about 5km on our road).
We had a chilly day on Saturday. For us. Making it to a maximum of 11 degrees (C) with a wind is quite cold in the sub-tropics. But the gift came at sunset - this sky...
And to the west. The light was phenomenal and we kept ducking out this way and that to see what was happening to the west, to the north, then back to the south...
It filled me up.
My dad has planted quite a few orchids in the garden at our new studio space. This spike of flowers was coming along well, but needed lifting up off the ground. During the process of raising it, the stem snapped and so only one bloom remains on the plant. I took the broken head of flowers inside and over a few days the stem has opened up to 5 flowers which I find amazing and so generous of it.
Pottering here and there...
love your gold leaf over crayon Shine cards, the little pademelon, that fantastic sunset & the cymbidium orchid is lovely, your Dad is a treasure!
ReplyDeleteThe gold leaf thing is going somewhere Mo I think - I really love the patina-like effect on the surface where bits don't stick down perfectly (moving gold leaf from paper to paper is full of risky moments when it detaches and folds and...). Pademelons are a feature of Mary Cairncross, but I delight in every single one I see. There are almost no words for that sunset - it was beyond belief to be bathed in that light; and yes how special to have that orchid bloom. He is indeed. Go well.
Deletethe front and center SHINE with marbled red and purple is a winner in my eyes ... as is the sunset echo of it
ReplyDeletepademelons (ooops, I initially inserted an "n" making "pandemolons")... yes, well, they're obviously new to me ... what an utterly delightful creature and I totally get that one would never tire of seeing them
Thanks Liz - I think the marble effect will continue in the next few batches. I do love a wee pademelon (even the melon bit makes me smile) they are pronounced Paddy-melons. The insertion of the 'n' feels timely - potential pandemonium within a pandemic perchance? Go well.
Deleteoh, thank you for the pronunciation ... now I'm well and truly smiling all over again
DeleteI thought I should mention that - it just adds to the loveliness of it all.
DeleteI'm loving your experimentations, Fiona. If it's not a trade secret, how did you manage the script over the gold leaf? I'm guessing it was with a dry nib, but it's way outside my realm!
ReplyDeleteAnd here, 300kms INTO the tropics, we've been having some bone-freezers, too.Single digits makes us weep!
Never a trade secret here Di - I used a really fine awl and no pressure - just scratching the surface ever so gently. I was truly thinking o you all in the north one it got down to those sorts figures - way too cold! Stay warm! We are back to sunshine and 19 today - bliss. Go well.
DeleteF- those little squares of shine look great - the word just pops out. B
ReplyDeleteThanks B!
Delete