crafty covers redux

I got in trouble from Nathan at Polyester for not including the Smallgood's in my crafty CD cover list- I saw it the week after I posted that subject and it's taken ages to find a pic on the web to use- excuses aside, here is their handworked-artwork. It's a bit hard to see but it has been embroidered, in fact right here in Melbourne, possibly on the front porch of a north of the river ranch.

introducing Edgar

Found in Castlemaine- Edgar the Budgerigar. He is ceramic, painted and has a clip for feet.
I am obsessed by budgies at the moment. This started with a huge close-up photo in English Elle Decoration, a couple of months back, of a blue budgie- you could even see his eye-lashes.
We always had a budgie (or two) when we were growing up, there was Nutty, who was blue, and another blue one- can't remember his name- and Baby Jasper (he was mine and the most beautiful shade of irredescent green, with non-matching wings and was a xmas present) and Lady, who was grey, and Monday, who was a wild budg (eucalyptus khaki) who dropped by and stayed... strange we had so many budgies even though we were a total non-aviary type family, always cages and on sunday nights trying to get the budgie back in the cage after its weekly flight around the family room. All good fun.
And I mustn't forget Krishna the Blue Budgie who flew in my bedroom window here in Fitzroy one morning as I tearfully arrived home after a massive fight with my then boyfriend. I stood in shock in the doorway, pointing at the bird on my window sill, he landed on my finger. He was found many years later dead on the floor of his cage and buried underneath the peppercorn tree in the concrete backyard.

the grass is always greener

As last monday was my birthday I decided to hit the road and go into hiding. Off to Tasma House in Daylesford- stayed in the studio this time (bigger than the Gatehouse, even has its own grand piano).
The sun shone. The sky was blue. It was freezing. But best of all it was GREEN. With pink bits- huge trees of prunus in flower.



There was rain and rainbows.



There was dams full of water.




And there was club chairs, cups of tea, chocolate biscuits, 1930s crime novels and sitting in the sun.

steak and kidney

If you are a reader of HML you will know that Miss Rebecca and I took a jaunt up north this week, spent a day in Sydney, a place where we both get that feeling of 'same, same but different'. We know we were in Australia but....... Scotty, its not life as we know it!
You will also know that Beck got in before me with the Fleur Wood pics- or should that be 'picks'?- for the best window displays seen for quite a while. So I've decided to sneak in with the Williams St Paddington barber photos. The window display has been the same for as long as I have been going to Sydney, it is however immaculately clean and dusted. Beck got sprung taking her photos and got told off- she had to push it and spoil it for everyone! (her words)



I wonder how many people want to buy that box of Youthair....and is it pronounced 'youth-hair' or youth-air'?



Anyway I thought I'd include my own swan window photo. The big swan is a total beauty.

craft and the art of cd covers

Have you noticed the number of cd covers over the last year and a bit that are craft based?

One of my all time favs is the Richard Buckner 'Meadow' cover (and yes I have a huge crush on the man, too, so I feel like in complete stalkerness, he had this cover made with me in mind), fantastic stitching and faded fabrics. Did you know I really hate twee quilting but love 'boro' style stitching? Some would say boro=quilting, but I say there is more to it than that. I know what it is- I like quilting if it is used as a means of holding together recycled fabric, when its all store bought fabric and precise it makes my toes curl.



This is Okkervil Rivers new cover, all tapestry style stitching on canvas. Pop passed Polyester Records window to see a blown-up version. Cool



And from the Princess of Folk herself, Joanna Newsome's first album, 'The Milk-eyed Mender'.



I also love the backs on both Joanna's and Buck's cds, do yourself a favour and check 'em out.
And there are more out there. I almost bought one just because I like the crafty cover.

little fluffy clouds

OK not totally accurate, kind of banks of dusty pink clouds but it was an impressive sight when I left my studio the other evening. I think it was that windy day, I could hear it moaning all day and it was a perfect day for playing Nick Cave, all a bit gothic, ivory tower, artist's garret (does that have 1 t or 2?).

Once again have not done any of the computer work I have been promising people. (Sorries especially to Leah)
Did manage however to finish painting the floor of the backroom. Gloss black. Which has meant I have been off my head on paint fumes for the last 2 days. I also realised that the chairs that I have been going to send to the upholsterers for the the last 5 years to have new fabric put on the seat pans are actually a fairly easy job that I could do myself . Thanks to Jess for asking if I was going to do them myself and then being surprised when I said I was having them professionally upholstered. I just hadn't bothered to have a good look at them. Getting the seats off has involved 3 trips to the hardware store today however, and the discovery that my favourite hardware shop is closing down (early next year). I love good old fashioned hardware businesses. My fav was Chalmers in Burwood Rd in Hawthorn, long gone now. It had wonderful leadlight windows, long wooden benches, polite men in grey storemen's coats, a cashier's cubicle and stocked copper nails, enamel kitchenware and great kettles.
What is it about hardware, stationery and haberdashery? I still remember being taken by Mum to Fricker's Haberdashery in Doncaster Rd when I was very young. Mum told me to watch the special way Mr Fricker wound ribbon around his fingers, pointing out all the boxes of buttons and zips......and people wonder how I got where I am today. As I'm tootling down memory lane I should also tell you that Mum has never forgiven me for shaking the tin box of antique glass buttons when I was 2. Sadly only 3 survived. (I must ask Mum where the 3 magic buttons have got to, they re- appear every now and then, clear green glass, twisted with gold stripes.)

I have got totally off track. I do have some topics for this week and hopefully I will get around to finding the pictures I need to illustrate them but its Sunday night and I think I've hit the wall.

a day too long

(this pic is for the beautiful Mel in far away Wellington)

Woke at about 3 this morning wishing it was Friday because then Saturday would only be a day away, but no it was the too early hours of a thursday morning. I'm longing for a nights restful sleep, it is just not happening at the moment.
I went to the Alice Euphemia shop launch/birthday this evening directly from school and felt daggy and dumpy, sweaty and tired and was carrying the heaviest bag in the world. Everyone had had a chance to go home and frock up. Even though home is just down the road I didn't have the energy to go home, doll up and then head back up the street. Cinderella had no glass slipper, just sore feet and a tired demeanor.
Since I stopped the drinking and the smoking and the over-indulgence, my social threshold has plummetted. The boredom level is achieved way before everyone else's, I am so boring these days, I think I bore myself.
Six month holiday might do the trick (I wish).
But to counteract the moan and groan, I did get to see a few people I haven't caught up with in awhile, even if they were quick chats amongst it all.
Spot the Cat's in the shits with me as I have turned her heater off, I am tired and snarky (Dell I think I've caught your 'grrrr' attitude of last week, and if my feet didn't hurt so much would probably want to kick things) and really just need to go to bed. I'm like an overtired little kid tonight.
Maybe I'll make something that will make me feel productive and happy tomorrow!