Wearable Brooches

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The wearables arrived yesterday & I painted the first set before I downed the brushes & paints...

It was a lovely change from the Christmas I'd been painting earlier in the day.

I wanted some big flowers to paint in different colours that would sit on a gorgeous styled plain dress or top ..add some fun to a scarf or cap or hat

or look equally great on a plain shirt or T shirt.

The Paris ladies are ready to enhance any garment and give one that lift …

of being a lady in Paris, or Melbourne or New York

Today I will paint more for this wonderful Christmas order and experiment a little longer with colours for these ladies, Helena in button & brooch, flowers & the 4 cats pin, before I add them to the website.

More Button Boxes today

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Today I will be placing more button box cards on the website after an overnight wonderful order that leaves 2  !

These are off to America  

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Yesterday I had the buttons tipped out on the table with intentions left over from the day before to just card all these up.

So yesterday I did get to them in late afternoon & have to ink in their bits & scan them onto the web.....

So nip over & see what is there late today !!

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Time to get ready to work I guess LOL

…..I love the down time and the mental creative space that brings to me...

I love catching up with an artist friend who also has changes & thoughts afoot that about a time I am fiddling about  in my thoughts

We seem to feel a change coming on about the same times in our lives....

Brooches on the way back

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The day has begun warm ….

I am excited as some of my early Woodcutter Designs have been located on the machinists files 

Helena here in blue I have wanted to bring back for simply ages & had dreadful trouble redrawing her....wilful lady at times !

Now she has been located by sheer chance as we searched for another image …..

I am trialling her in the 10cm size & also trial as 8cm for wearing & a button for seeing how it goes.

Keep a look or join my newsletter to get the news...

As other brooches or in the Woodcutters Daughter days we called them Wearables...are coming along for trial painting to see what suits

I enjoyed my last brooch exercise pre Christmas and it is time to be seen on ….

T shirts & shirts

Dresses

Jackets & flowing over jackets

Scarves

Hats

………..

At this time of year when the weather goes so high we nearly melt

There are interruptions to the way we work...

The paint table is flooded with SUN LIGHT too intense to paint at & I work with so much detail & I need total hand to eye coordination & no glare....

So I need to pick my times

Machining is dangerous in high temps & usually in todays machines they shut down when too hot or too cold & I never want anyone risking a fire to cut my work.

In saying that it is something I accept & wander off to do other things related to work.

I am still culling my paper designs

&

have a nice batch on the table that were set aside to work more on

These will probably be more in stitching designs. 

Which takes me to stitching....

It is such a relaxing interlude to a busy day.....

It is something to pass on the basic stitching to a child,

It is something to do when it is too hot to do much else

It whiles away the time.

Grouping together for connection that is so important for health & well being is another way we stitch.

A group does not need to run from a store or be the mega group it can be just 2 people to come together for an hour even to share one's company & to sew …..like the coffee thing !  Do both

Maybe make another 30 minutes to take a stroll & then off to your separate things 

Best stop rambling along & put some verb into my day ACTION 

Before I do go I have several friends who are not at all well, 

I hope the days bring much healing and contentment 

Angel Button

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Twig Angel 7cm Button has pastel patches painted on her dress.

There is one of this colour & a second one in taupe...in the 7cm size.

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A collage of things...

Some of my design work...

Stitchery, buttons & bunny

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Things that have meaning to me...

The sign came from a magazine Simple Things if I recall...it struck meaning for me...

you know those days when one wonders about a move or a decision etc...

Autumn leaves are always majestic & beautiful for me.

Fountains... relics of a grander past our ancestors gave us...love looking at fountains

The window is from an older hotel in Bealiba Vic no not France...we have some too...beautiful structures

I think on Friday one will need a fountain of the coolest water as our temperatures rise here to 46 degrees.... 

URK !!!!!!

I saw an journalist speak some magic this morning in The Age / Canberra Times 

WE NEED TO GROW MORE TREES 

ON THIS HOT HOT TIME it is so TRUE....

Sometimes deciduous trees will be just fine...big shady canopy, autumn leaves to mulch down the soil too...

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A Brand New Year

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 Happy New Year !!!!

Here I am pondering what this year will be for me

As I explore the plastic boxes from the shed...

I am discovery things from where I put them when packing...

Some bits of fabric I have saved, to buttons on a variety of Christmas stockings

Yesterday it was felt...

So I pulled a few collages together this morning.....

Cards of Buttons

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All the new buttons cards are on the www.theodoracleave.com

today

Xmas and Everyday !!!

Packing it up now

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Thought of day....

I chatted to an old acquaintance yesterday as we shopped

It was about my returning to Cohuna

She said 

"You come & Go Barb" ( in a really lovely accepting way )

"Yes", I replied 

" Like the tide..I come in & I go out again "

That gave me a wonderful label for how I have lived the past what 16 years.....

I am rejuvenated with change....

I get restless in a way I find hard to describe

I return to the ancestral lands to 

recharge …..reinvigorate.....

&

 I accept that....

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The sum of my Christmas....is below

The trees but one have been stripped of decorations & lights & here the berries are assembled.

In the shelves on my desk I have sort of placed things I like....

odd assortment....

Gives me pleasure & that I reckon is important.

Today 

I have been adding to the drawings I have scribbled the last few days...

Trying to have discipline in the selections for the coming year...

I love this down time ….

I also love the thinking time I get...

what do I want to do next...???

Clarity of a sort comes

 as the Santas snooze in the boxes waiting for a swift decision from me...

I am leaning towards the Xmas  & Everyday buttons sets.....

as I have the most fun assembling those !

and 

new Santas for decorations & A button have been drawn....

Along with some other things ! 

HEATWAVE we endure NOW

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Today will be 44 degrees !

This stencilled board sits on the top shelf of my desk...

I look up from the computer & often see this..

It  gives me thought....

Soon I will start the planning for the year ahead....

The art of possibility … says much.

I will need to read over the phrases I have collected... in my pinterest board...

prompts....

I'd love to try a journal style board …

Might ?? I have bought watercolour paints & a book of watercolour paper...

I'll see.

On this day of extreme temperatures one needs to divert attention to something except think of poor decisions that are being made or not made to help us live better lives...as a whole.

I drive through plains a lot & sheep in extreme heat with no cover, poor darn things sit close to the dam with no shelter...

It really is one of those cruel drive in summer....

I do see some green these days as irrigation is being applied to barren soil.

It obviously is good soil if one adds water..things like that always get me thinking on long boring drives

I also get to see those contrasts...

Anyway it will not make the earth any cooler today will it ?

But the art of possibilities is there !

Christmas has now passed on

theodoracleave.com

Always a funny time....

I work in Christmas for a long while

Might start again soon on paper...

I have decorated for a long time & now about ready to pack down !

When I was in Melbourne last weekend my brother got me sorted onto Instagram

on my new phone.

Fumbling along but am managing to take & post a picture or 2 of my designs. Fun

Go find me !!!

Something Non work to browse

in the photo department today

My other brother and I went to Kow Swamp for a memory trip yesterday after Christmas lunch.

Google Kow Swamp it is interesting history.

Flowers in Kew

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The camera & me didn't do this view justice...on the pavement in Kew

What a store, green grocer & etc...

The displays of each & every vegetable, fruit other foods was amazing.

The store was very busy so I didn't take photos inside...

I just love the art show these sort of shops do for us.

Holly and greens for Christmas displays of one's own or for the tables..

Everything was so reasonable in price

Santa was high on the building with the reindeer ready for the ride out into the night sky on Christmas Eve.

Mixed Bag Today

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Here is an idea to get into the festive season with the scalloped decorations.

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Tie one onto your handbag...

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This idea was from one of the ladies in a perfume store in Fitzroy who attached it to her black paten ( ? ) leather bag ….

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My brother shops in the store & was handing out some of my Christmas decorations which is a rather lovely way instead of Christmas cards...

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Ideas aside....

This is some of what I see when I log in for the morning's emails

The gingerbread man with 2 blue tags in the shadow box affair.... I have this on a post a few previous....

Yesterday I wrapped gifts & had tied Xmas Buttons & decorations on them....

Much to do so best make a start !!!

I need to get them out of their bag now so I can photograph them & show on here !!

still decorating

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I think decorating is complete now

Always fun

I hope my decorating has inspired you too.

and

It is a happy scene that brings hope
quite happiness
a little serenity
to you all

A little more decorating

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I love these types of trees

Adding those bits

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 It is always this fun time as I tidy up ...I find things...or want a little sparkle...
Santa in a sock is one of my favourite designs.... for painting

 Painted kraft tags that I had stamped....

I really love this style, simple, timeless 

&

 it is often something you could do adding to the tree a favourite card or tag from a previous Xmas...

cut it a bit if need be, punch a hole in it.

You know this takes me back to cutting out old cards & magazines decorations that could be repurposed....

 see how the creative world begins as a child develops.....

 so let the children have some fun time …

.even a small tree dedicated for them to hand decorate.....

I find it hard to resist the crepe balls...

They too are those decorations I had as a child, a white crepe bell was the magic one....

This red one has travelled quite well

Brings me happiness

DECORATIONS

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Yesterday I added more of the Button boxes in Xmas & Everyday

The Everyday have all been sold

&

 A good selection of the Xmas Boxes remain

I do imagine I will do more before the Christmas Santa time....

  

New Buttons sets

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 I have finished placing 11 NEW BUTTON BOXES on the website

Some Everyday & Xmas

Thanks Norma

Norma Flake 

AMERICAN designer (retired)

of these most wonderful cross stitch patterns 

has allowed us to see her beautiful designs she made with my gingerbread people, plum puddings & the birdie

I LOVE the way the buttons fit into the designs 

What a treasure of work by Norma who still cannot stop designing for herself

Norma you are an Inspiration !!! 

DISPLAY

As I checked my emails this morning...

I was looking at the Xmas Button Boxes I had to scan in

&

The blank shelving I'd discovered fitted at the back of my desk

one thing led to another.... 

Now I have a cheery Christmas inspiration to look at...

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NOel......

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The days seem to blur together....

Yesterday I took time to do some more 

Xmas Button Cards

$20 includes postage..

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These can be turned to many projects or just framed as is.....

When I put these together I often think in rows or samplers that can have little stitching around them.

This first one I love in total, 

but the NOEL could be used on a stocking cuff,

Make a big stocking & put the entire scene on it....

Centre row would look rather sweet in a hoop..

etc etc…

I rather like the weeny dogs that have come for Christmas...in the last one on this page.

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Finally I have a few small fabric hand painted scenes for a ridiculous price in 

Other Temptations section on the website.

Little Inspirations

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I was trying out button combinations yesterday starting with a small hoop that was close by...

It was such fun...

Once I get started on this sort of fun it takes me a while to stop...& why stop when fun is happening?

I love the different looks that can happen..

Now hang from a big tree, dangle one or perhaps 3 across a small window...from a wreath...on a wall. 

Inspired on....I found 2 smallish frames I had loitering nearby also..& there was a larger hoop !

I was now thinking of the Xmas Button Boxes sets of buttons

What can be achieved with so little work...

There is one Xmas Button Box I put in the frame...no work..

I thought it looked rather neat ! 

I also had a couple of small calico bags...& a piece of felt..in heart shape...

Here is another thought...add a felt heat shape with buttons on a calico bag...layering.

This for me is so much fun with creating that it could go on & on....for a while LOL

Here is the Xmas Button Box Carding I have done & is on the website along with others 

A few little design for stitching is often included in each of these cardings...

They are excellent value & I just love making the scenes...

Barb …..