Topiary tree finished!

The pot is decorated with black and white, rustic checks and a border of yellow dots and mirror tiles on a blue background.  Sparkles!!

The conical shape is supported with chicken wire.

The finished piece!  I wanted to make a bird or a crown to go on top but have run out of time!  The butterfly will have to do :)

Pots

The large pot is going well... just finished wrapping the post in plaster bandage and waiting for paint to dry before constructing the topiary!  Potted up the little red plant pot with a pretty red begonia.

This is the begonia pot looking lovely in the sunshine.  I will be taking it to the market tomorrow :)

Funky Pot

I always like to have something new at my monthly market shop and this time I am making a topiary tree sculpture.  My inspiration is, of course, Alice in Wonderland and the garden of the Queen, although there won't be any hearts. (Not a bad idea for another one though!)

Expanding foam is used to hold the support post in place.

The painting process begins.... big spots and rustic checks!

Happy Birthday!

Today was my birthday!  I have had a lovely week catching up with friends and family!  It is beginning to feel like Spring so I have been working in the garden, planting vegetables and flowers.

Today I began painting two large terracotta pots.  I will make them into ornamental topiary trees and post photos tomorrow hopefully!

Dragon eyes on Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/160730353/dragon-eye-pendant-brooch-clip?ref=shop_home_active

Just listed some of my dragon eye brooches on Etsy!  Now I think I will go for a walk on this lovely sunny day to post a brooch to one of my lovely customers ... will be back in the studio later :)

Dragon Eyes!

I love dragons ... or should I say, I love the imagery of dragons!  I'm pretty sure a meeting with a real dragon would go badly for me!!  Below is a selection of the dragon eye brooches I finished last night.  (I went to bed with super glue all over my fingers!!)

These beauties were sculpted by me, then I took a mold and hand cast each one.  Finally, I painted them and added the glass to the eye.  

So... if I can sculpt a dragon's eye, can I sculpt the whole creature?  And am I able to sculpt other animals??

Time will tell...

Sights and colours of Sydney

I had a wonderful trip to Sydney and the Blue Mountains!  Unfortunately didn't have much time in either place... and it was very cold and windy in the mountains... but I would like to go back and explore a bit more another time!  Went for a big walk around Circular Quay and a boat ride around to Darling Harbour.  The Sydney Opera House is pictured below and despite years of seeing pictures of it on Tshirts etc, to see it for real makes you realize what a spectacular building it is!

Below is pictured a view of the Blue Mountains, 2 hours by train from Sydney.

I have always wanted to see this rock formation, The Three Sisters... they are huge!  From the look-out where I was standing I could see tiny people walking across to the cliffs.

Sydney Shop Windows that Caught My Eye ... :)

Below is inside the Queen Victoria Building.  I loved the shapes and colours!

We visited a garden nursery at Wentworth Falls... couldn't believe seeing a London telephone box as a garden ornament!  How cool is that!

And laughed when I saw this!  Three animal sculptures on the back of a ute!!

 This would make a crazy hat!

All in all a lovely little holiday!  Feeling energized and happy!  Back to the studio with a smile on my face!

Dry Well

Sometimes on our creative journeys we feel as if our 'well has run dry'.  We stare at our unfinished projects and think 'why do I bother'?  We gaze at our blank canvases and wonder what we will do with them.

I think because I recently went away to the bush and also will be flying to Sydney for a week tomorrow, I have been unwilling or unable to settle in the studio.  Feeling restless and unmotivated.

So yesterday I decided to check out inspiration on the internet.  What did we do before we had the internet!!??  I focused on possible ideas for my stall at the Unleashed Market.  I have a clear idea about the aesthetic for Miss M Handmade but am unsure about what I want to display at the Unleashed.  Wondering if I can somehow incorporate the zany colours and patterns of Miss M with a slight fantasy edge...

Below are some photos gleaned from the outer world that inspire me and may influence my decision...

From A Fanciful Twist Blog www.afancifultwist.typepad.com

The next group of pictures I'm sorry to say I forget where I retrieved them ... mostly from Pinterest etc  Here are a couple of good links:

http://pinterest.com/tangledforest/

http://pinterest.com/emmebelle/

http://pinterest.com/shantti/

As you can see I'm thinking Alice in Wonderland or Cinderella... or just fairies!  I have always LOVED stories and fairytales but I want to keep close to Miss M because otherwise I feel a tug-o-war going on.  I can't seem to jump from happy and colourful to strange and haunting!

I'm off to Sydney and the Blue Mountains tomorrow.. maybe I will get some ideas there.