slippers

whilst on my recycling kick for the exhibition - I decided to try out an old slipper pattern.............this is the result! wonderful ..........cosy ............and warm glove like slippers that are so comfortable!

really chuffed with the result - is this how Birkenstock started?

Zaz;-)

recycling

we have an exhibition this week at Vävkompaniet all about recycling! I bought a wool blanket and felted it in the washing machine - 3 times to be exact!

Out of my wonderful blanket - I have made bracelets, necklaces, cushions, bags and brooches!! It has been a challenge - for me recycling is a natural part of what I do ............................I have loved working with this theme.

I have also made papier mache bowls - seaglass pendants ...........................oh yes! and my inside out soft toys!!!

Zaz;-)

Vävkompaniet

Vävkompaniet had its summer bun fight tonight - so we ( well at least 6 of us !) went for a Thai meal in Borås!

Nice to relax and chat , makes a change to the usual rush of messages when we meet each other in passing ;-) Here are 3 pictures - Maria(left) sniffing the green curry before devouring it ................................

Imse (right) eyeing up the palm leaf covered chicken and wondering if she , in fact, made the right choice !!

and the inevitable bottle of wine ! Jacobs Creek - tastes just as good whether it is in Swedish or English!!!




Skål - ladies! lets hope for a really great summer - and thanks for a wonderful evening out

Zaz;-)

sales

working today in the shop ..........................but taking with me all this to sell !!! I worked like a trojan all weekend.

also coming with me are various ongoing projects such as 'tarts face' for Grumpy shopkeeper, some sketching and artwork promised toNadine and thoughts on a book exchange for Helen S

plus - my inevitable paperwork and book keeping............ ho hum!

Zaz;-)

girls to strut their stuff...........

4 Ms T's are off tomorrow to the shop to strut their funky stuff........................

here you can see them discussing tatics !

and here they are marching off to the shop ................. Hej Då - Ms T - I hope you find good homes...........and guess what? I am really going to miss you all!

Zaz ;-)

MsT and Little Bird

Little bird has been born! He has been with me for a while - my little flying alter ego that escapes now and again and reaches out into the world........................

Today he reached out and was born into reality - an offshoot of MsT - but a being in his own right!

Welcome to the world ''Little Bird''........................

Zaz ;-)

collage

playing with picasa...........and it does this!!

I love it !


Zaz ;-)

market

..............off to market to buy a fat pig............jiggety jig!

cant remember the rest of that nursery rhyme but taking these to the gallery made me think of it !

Zaz ;-)

vår

då hade jag tänkt att skriva någoting på svenska - som jag vet att jag har en del kompisar som läsa min blog här i Sverige -hej till Imse och Maria ...............!!

Här finnas en liten del av våren till er..................... som är ni ute i min trädgård hemma .........sent, då vet jag, men vår i alla fall! Njut av detta!!!!



Just thought I would write something in Swedish as I know I have a couple of friends who read my blog here in Sweden - Hi to Imse and Maria.

Here is a small part of spring for you.........these are now blooming in my garden - late, I know but Spring nevertheless. Enjoy!

Zaz ;-)

launch of MsT

no - not the ship kind of launch- but MsT has been kind of dormant in recent times . ....but she is back and ...........back with avengence.

I have gone into a sort of multi production - so I constructed lots of legs yesterday so I could sit and do the hand stitching part without the infernal stop-start!

Of course I managed to spread the paint on to the worktop (new) - the sink unit (new) and the tiles (new) all much to the horror and amusement of my long suffering partner.

But , in the name of art, it had to be done and now MsT is to be delivered today to the local gallery to test out the water.

She stands unaided - neat huh? ..and I have also made a number of improvements to her body and face..........

but I am pleased with her and hope she goes to a good loving home. I have also , at last, made up labels that accompany her - just to explain who and what she is !

Zaz ;-)

ATCs Oz

at last I have managed to finish my ATC's for Dale in Oz and hopefully they will be in the post today! It gave me a chance to practice some of my experimental weaving that i intend to explore quite soon in another exciting project that is on the cards!!!

blogging is taking up my time - as is MsT - bless her cottton socks - and she will be launched out in the world this afternoon!!!

Zaz;-)

MsT resurrected

I had , more or less stopped making MsT- not because I dont love her but because I had problems with her standing! .......And to make her saleable I had to buy in stands which cost loads of pennies!

But, hallelulia!!!!!!my sister came up with the idea of sandy boots and voila!!!!!! a standing MsT!!

brill brill brill ..............we are back in business !

so MsT rides again - new dress - slightly streamlined face (less makeup ;-)) but MsT nonetheless!

welcome back little one .................I have really missed you!!!

Zaz;-)

aging

as I grow older in my shoes
I never noticed ageing clues.

I am me and always will
be a girl, enjoy the thrill!

I'm young inside and known to be,
I dont grow old or accept me.

The vision looking back, you know,
it is not me , i'm long ago

the girl with hat and powdered look
clear skin, bright hair , a picture book.

When did the time spill out its toll
when did I age and wither so?

what happened to my laughing eyes
the quizzled brow, the tiny size.

I'm older now ,but still the girl
with laughing eyes and kissing curl.

I still can see with young , steal deed,
the passing days of age indeed,

And if I am much older now
my thoughts are still of younger brow.

anon.

cat picture

found the most beautiful picture of a cat today in a book - book is called 'the blue day book' and the author is
Bradley Trevor Grieve.........................


enjoy!

Zaz;-)

spring morning

it is a fantastic morning here so i thought I would allow myself time off to go into the forest and draw, sketch ...............play! So I sat on this stone with crayons, Niji pen and just played ..................drew anything that came into my head ..............

it was lovely and I needed that break from the cellar, house and stuff - heres my journal page - nothing mind blowing - no great art - but just pleasure.

Green is a very significant colour today cos everything is growing so rapidly ..............and the little birds ????- well, just at the moment they are cropping up in everything I do ! Something to do with being able to fly?


It was a wonderful start to the morning and Charlie enjoyed a surprise walk and roam in the forest.

Zaz ;-)

recycling

I am a big recycler....................... I love the thought of making beautiful things from junk, rubbish, found objects ...............call it what you will! There is a sort of excitement that smoulders away in me that this 'stuff' that has previously been discarded and rejected can surface again.

But it must be well done - I really cant stand the crafty type patchwork stitching , the badly done collages - to raise the acceptance level of working with recylced objects the final product muct have its own dimension, its own depth and its own existence...... as an item in its own right!


I have been working with papier mache for eons! and these are revisited - here ............




Sea glass is a new concept for me and after a discussion with one 'online' artist' - aka Sally Webster ,who helped advised me on the technique ............. these are the results - wonderful original pendant hangings!

more recycling .................

wired and beaded treasures from the sea.......


thanks Sally - I owe you one !


now off to the coast.................

Zaz;-)


.......

weather and straight locks

well at last! spring has turned in to early summer and we now have temperatures that dont freeze your socks off! So I have planted some pansies , got out the garden furniture and generally now will be working outside .............so think the blogging will be more intermittent from now on!'

I worked in Vävkompaniet shop on Wednesday - felt a bit nervous , I have to confess, but in reality that was unecessary as I sold nothing, zilch, ingenting!!!!! So not the best start to my membership!

But on a more positive note - I took down some dyed material to sell ..............and thought (just me that is ;.-)) that it looked quite good!

Yesterday was the bi-monthly trip to the hairdresser and I still am fascinated about straightening my hair!

Having lived .....................a very long time with thick wavy hair - you know the sort , the stuff mothers liked to 'push into 'nice waves' before going out to school!!! ,........errrrrr yuk!!!!!!!!!!! So now I have decided at my great age that I am going to have straight hair - and have bought one those hair ironing thingys!

Ha!!! great fun! I religiously straighten it every morning so now my hair looks like a wig and is a cross between Tina Turner and Rod Stewart - but it is , at least, straight!!!! Eat you heart out Mother!

however , my hairdresser now informs me that curly hair is back in fashion.........................oh no!! and I have thrown away those old 'Twink' packets! ho hum!

off to the studio to work.................


Zaz;-)

exhibition, dog and Bodil

The exhibition went well, very well and I was delighted to sell 8 figures - best ever sales!!!!!! B****er - just realised I have to make some more to keep up stock levels ! ho hum!

been to Borås today - had to take my little friend to have a trim so heres pictures of before and after .............

Ok I know it doesnt look much difference but , believe me, when you share the bed with a mutt - you need every inch possible!

Now, in Borås , we seem to have a council that collect rather odd statues and stuff - just around the corner from where I normally eat lunch is Bodil! He lives in the water ................... is postively thought provoking and rather splendid . At least I like him!

Now his head is splitting and there is talk of making him a hood to protect his head! - ridiculous ........................

he is wonderful just .............as is !

Zaz;-)