inspirations behind my SAQA Auction donation

The journey for my SAQA auction piece "Enlighten" started with the above picture of a lantern. I had printed it onto black fabric. The black fabric had been firstly prepared with InkAid and printed using our inkjet printer. 

For sometime I've been gathering together a collection of images all loosely based around the idea of light / heat and the auction piece was the perfect opportunity to bring a few of these together.

 The above are just a few of the images I've taken and collected

Inspiration also came from the pages of an electrical textbook that my Dad used to complete his apprenticeship. I wouldn't like to wire a building with my creative interpretation of these important symbols but the shape & simplicity of the symbols was too inspiring not to incorporate.

Again using our inkjet printer I've printed several of the images onto cotton fabric and silk organza. Prior to printing, the fabrics had been prepared with either Bubblejet Set or Inkaid. The next step of the process is one of my favourite - laying out, sometimes dissecting and re-arranging - collaging the pieces together to form a new image / story.

Once I decide on a layout I fuse the pieces into place (using either Misty Fuse or Steam a Seam Lite 2) With everything in place it's time for quilting and on this occasion I've free machine stitched a few more of those electrical symbols. 

 SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) has an Auction of art quilts every year and this year Oceania Members contributed 32 pieces to the auction collection. In the lead up to auction commencement a few of us are sharing our behind the scenes inspirations / process towards creating our piece and these are being presented in the Oceania Blog Hop Several members have already shared their inspirations and coming up next week is 28th July Brenda Gael Smith 30th July Ruth de Vos 1st August Ali George the full list of members sharing their inspirations is here

Enjoy:)

out exploring under blue skies

Beautiful blue sky and fresh country air a perfect winters day to head out exploring. Picnic basket packed we headed up to Mount Mee via Somserset, Kilcoy & Woodford. A wonderful day out exploring the rolling terraine, stopping at an Art Gallery housed in the old courthouse at Kilcoy, fossicking through an antique & bric a brac store while at Woodford, taking in the beautiful views at the various lookouts and enjoyed a stroll along one of the tracks in the National Park at Mount Mee.  

creative playtime & card making

 A few of our family and friends Birthdays are celebrated throughout the month of July, so I've been enjoying some card making. Packing tape, old / discarded magazines, scissors, glue stick, a spoon and card stock (card used 190gsm)

is what I've used to create these cards

 spread the tape over the magazine page, use the back of the spoon to burnish the tape down and rip away

 If it all works perfectly you lift the top layer of the paper away and end up with strips similar to the above

Cut these strips into lengths the same size as the card front your using. Mix n match the pieces until you have a combination you like. Use the glue stick to adhere the pieces in place. I also put a layer of packing tape over the top and folded the excess tape to the back which helped to seal everything including the edges. Before adding the final layer of tape you could also finger rub metallic paint over the lumps and bumps that often occurs when working with packing tape.

I've used this packing tape technique to create the decorative covers on the
Ginger & Mandarin Marmalade

The Oceania Collection Blog Hop

The SAQA Oceania Blog Hop starts this coming Tuesday 16th July, with artist Sue Dennis. Throughout the months of July, August & September twenty-five SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) members from the Oceania Region will sharing the creativity and inspirations behind our benefit auction quilts. I'll be sharing my story on the 26th July 2013 and here's 

the full list and links to fellow blog hop participants:

16 July Sue Dennis
18 July Caroline Sharkey
20 July Lisa Walton
22 July Lisa Repsevicius
24 July Averil Stuart-Head
26 July Me (Mel Forrest)
28 July Brenda Gael Smith
30 July Ruth de Vos
1 August Ali George
3 August Rasa Mauragis
5 August Alison Schwabe
7 August Maggie Gilbert
9 August Susie Cujes
13 August Linda Robertus
15 August Linda Stokes
17 August Robin McGrath
19 August Kate Oszko
21 August Felicity Clarke
27 August Jenny Bowker
29 August Sally Westcott
31 August Stephanie Newman
2 September Hilary Metcalf
4 September Buffy Beggs
6 September Helen Beaven

 

ginger & mandarin marmalade

Enjoying some creative time in the kitchen of late

our citrus trees had full & delicious crops this year

so I couldn't resist making up some marmalade

harvested some of the edible ginger we have growing

and made up a batch of Ginger & Mandarin Marmalade

juice & finely slice rind of 2 Grapefruits

juice & finely slice rind of 6 Limes

put about a kilo of Mandarins (skins and all) through the food processor

Combine the pulped mandarin, rinds and juices in a stainless steel pan with about 8 cups of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer liquid for 2ish hours until the pulp is soft. Leave to stand overnight. Next day measure the pulp and for every cup of pulp add one cup of sugar. Add the peeled and finely cut ginger (100grams) and return pan to heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Stirring occasionally, bring to boil and continue cooking until desired consistency is reached - it's about 1-2 hours, use the setting test to check consistency. Pack the marmalade into sterilized jars, seal and label. Makes about 6 jars.