A sunburn in Scotland

In Australia I am primarily a shade dweller. I avoid the sun at all costs and stick to any scrimp of shade I can find. Here in Scotland I am a reformed sun lover! I am a convert and a chaser. I crave it and seek it out like a big ole cat. It gets to about 4 or 5 in the arvo and I have taken to lying in the sitting room (pretending to) read but really I am waiting for those warm rays to hit me so I can close my peepers and bathe in the sunlight. Who would have thought? Although, today we spent the whole day out and about exploring and it would seem that I am the only person who can still get sunburnt. IN SCOTLAND. It SNOWED yesterday for flips sake. That was funny actually, the first time I had really seen falling snow, I watched it from the window all excited only to run out side and discover it was really just like being covered with big dandruff. Cold, icy dandruff that is.

The water was so clear, you could see everything. The coastline is just crazy. Really rugged and pointy like. We scrambled all the way down to jump our way along the rocky beach. Kind of hairy is some parts, an agile mountain goat I am not. We checked out a pirate castle ruin from the Vikings. The whole time we were walking around I just could not get the game of thrones theme song out of my head. It was like it was on a constant loop..

Along the way there are lots of ruins of abandoned houses. This one was particularly creepy, inside Anne found a whole heap of tiny bird and rat skulls all piled up. Also an old radio and chair.

Patti suggested an owl maybe. I could just picture this giant old grandpa of an owl swooping in at night , relaxing in his chair jammin out to some kind of Louisiana swamp music, maybe some Jungle blues, and chowin down on some dinner. Then he carefully stacks up his trash (the skulls) into a neat little line  just before he swoops on into the night for his next snack. The place was a real dump, least he could have done was clean up the place a little bit. Creepy.

This is my absolute favourite shot of the day. Ol' wet rock. So beautiful, I could just imagine what it would look like when the tide was in and all his hair was standing up, bobbing beautifully with the ebb and flow of the tide. 

I'm not sure what it is that is going to translate for me from my surroundings yet. It has to be something right? Oh and by the way, today I'm pretty sure I heard the Scottish bagpipe version of "Thunderstruck". Awesome. 

I wish I had the energy to tell yo more but I am pooped. Tomorrow is finally our first day on the glass. Wish me luck, it's times like this I wish I had me a lucky rabbits foot. All week I've been kicking around feeling kinda nervous, a little ball of nervy jitters in my stomach. All feeling blegh with nothing to do, let me tell you the image of Howard from the Mighty Boosh singing "isolation" popped into my head more than once...except for me there are no coconut friends only sheep...

Start her up

So i thought I had better get the ball rolling so i decided to load up a kiln with some powder fusings to then pick up hot later. I think i may have made a couple of stupid mistakes but we shall see...

I think what it might be better to do is make them in reverse to what I did that way the pick up can be from the kiln shelf and then it doesnt matter if you get any kiln shelf on it...duh. Seems so simple in the light of day. Also I think it may be better to think about using them in pieces rather than a whole roll up. Might get some nicer patterning that way.

And heres Anne making her frit. Looks pretty fun actually. She just gathers up from the furnace then drains off into a bucket of water to make all these crazy squirly bits from holding them up high. A good work out for the guns.. Then she smashes them all up to make the most beautiful powdery frit, almost like a powdered sugar.

And then theres these...

But these are the most impressive...

Apollo thought a radish is worth as much gold as it weighs...

So at the moment, we wait....

We are still a man down, waiting for Jeff to arrive (poor muffin missed his plane), we have had a little studio tour and I have been into the somewhat strange kind of time warp cave that is the local pub and I have wandered down the street but thats it. I'm feeling a bit lost but I guess you just have to be patient, 6 weeks is a long time I suppose.

The studio itself and what North Lands has to offer is amazing. I'm almost a little stunned at all the endless possibilities to explore. You want to make some big ass moulds? Sure just in here. How about utilising any one of these pristine kilns that you have no idea how to program? Not a problem, here you go. Flame working? Welding? Want us to order some more materials for you? Where to start??!! Mind boggling, thats what it is.

The furnace is an electric furnace, something I have never seen before. It's whisper quiet! So polite even the elements sit all around the top on the inside just giving off a gentle warm kind of glow. Inviting and comforting, not like the firey, angry dragons of the past I have worked with. (Eyebrows? Don't need em! Here let me burn all your arm hairs off and make you swear like a sailor as you try and take a gather out of me.) Apparently the glory hole is a bit rowdy but we shall see. There is a garage I can use, torches, every tool under the sun and then some. Maybe thats the hard part, I just want to be in there doing, not sitting around feeling like I don't belong.

Theres also the awkward dance you do with the other artists. It's like testing the waters, figuring out who's who and what they do. How do we fit together as a group? I'm hoping Jeff is the missing piece of the puzzle. Both of the girls here are lovely and from what I have seen make amazing, well thought out works. (Then theres this idiot that just wants to make glass radishes and beets...) So I am trying to use my down time to make a plan of what I want to achieve, what I want to explore, how best to use my time. My thoughts so far are:

Making more intricate leaves using cup cane which i then want to carve into and then pick up again hot.
Order a glass guilding kit to experiment in achieving the elusive golden beet.
Think a little more about why I am making these beets and radishes. This I'm finding a little difficult as so far it has become painfully clear to me that I am a product of "the Jam".

But do you want to know what is really weird? All the incidental beet referances that have been popping up in my trip so far!! It's almost a little spooky. The book I bought to take away with me, the first line talks about a beet!

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire of discontent not passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious."

Deadly serious. Holy fuck! Now I'm all for co-inky dinks but get this, to top it off, today I went to grab a bowl out of the kitchen for my lunch and guess what design is in the bottom? A god damn beet!! Cuckoo.

And apparently the beet was Rasputins favourite vegetable, did yo know that? And according to an old Ukraine proverb, "A tale that begins with a beet will end with the devil." Should I be scared now?....

Made it!!

I made it! I survived the mega flight....only barely...

Not one, not two, but three screaming children. And I mean blood curdling, help I’m being dismembered, screaming. Top that off with two weirdos next to me who wouldn’t move so I could get up to take a wizz and made them climb over them to get out (at one stage as I was pretty much in her lap, my shoe fell off and I loudly just started saying, “My shoe. THATS my shoe. MY SHOE HAS FALLEN OFF.” over and over. Ugh, and the food by the last meal was indistinguishable. But on the bright side, it was technically Easter so with every meal I got to eat a hot cross bun. Win. Also I finally got to watch that ridiculous cheesy movie Magic Mike. I must admit I felt like a bit of a creep watching a movie about male strippers on a plane but I thought to myself I’m never going to see any of you people again and I haven’t slept for two days so I pretty much do what i feel like from now on in.

So I got to  hang out with my lovely friend Clare and her family who were so awesome and nice to let me crash in on their family for easter. I went to bed at 4:30pm for a “nap” and then got up the next day at 8:30am. Best sleep ever. We ate a giant roast lunch, had an egg hunt and then went to visit lambs. Lambs!! 

So now it gets down to the pointy end of things, what I’m really doing half away across the globe, millions of miles from home (not just to pat lambs and eat hot cross buns unfortunately), to undertake a 6 week residency at North Lands Creative Glass. Cue scary music. I’m kind of terrified! What the hell am I doing here?! How will I get there? Do I remember how to blow glass? Will they be nice? Will my husband remember me? Am I going to freeze to death? Does Scotland have “the internet”? Is my cat going to talk to me when I get home? Am I going to be able to understand anyone? Do you think I bought a puffy enough jacket? Will my sister stay out of my stuff? Will I be able to stop mimicking everyone like a parrot without even knowing it? 

Is this the start of something amazing?

Lets hope so. Questions, so many questions. One thing you can say about me is I sure like throwing myself out of my comfort zone. I promised myself I wouldn’t travel again on my own and here I am. Terrified. I am very excited at the prospect of 6 whole weeks to dedicate entirely to new glass work! The studio! I’m going to work everyday on the glass!! What an amazing opportunity, I am so extremely grateful and I am going to throw myself in wholeheartedly. I am not going to be terrified I am going to be excited. 

FREAK OUT NOW

Oh. My. God.


I will be on a plane this arvo to London!!!

Can you believe it?? God knows I can't.

Now if you'll excuse me I've got to go procrastinate further over what to pack and what not to pack. Don't be surprised if I just arrive with a case full of glass colour and tim tams. Seems right.

1 x trip to Scotland!!

WE MADE IT!!!

My Pozzible project is now 100% funded.

Can you believe it?!! This means I now have $2000 to go towards return flights to Scotland to participate in a six week residency at North Lands Glass. 

I just want to take this time to give a big, BIG

heart felt thanks to ALL my supporters.

Whether you made a generous pledge yourself or just shared my link to help get it out there, 

thank you so much.

All this is because of

YOU.

I am just so stunned at all the support I have received. It really does make me feel loved! I am so grateful for allllll the pledges I received, big and small, and I am especially thankful for the pledges I received from those who really are counting their pennies at the moment. Money is tight all round and I think that is what makes it so special that people have chosen to spend their hard earned dollars in support of me and my project.

Having the support of all you behind me makes me really excited to make the work. I am super pumped to be able to travel half way round the world to make new works. I hope you will follow me as I will be sharing it all with you on my blog. I promise lots of photos and tons of updates so stay tuned.

So if you didn't get a chance to pledge and you would like to fear not!! There is still 5 days left for my pozzible campaign. So if you would like to donate you still have time. Any extra funds I am lucky enough to receive will go to the purchase of colour. Purples, greens, browns, all the good beet-y and radish-y colours. Who knows, your pledge could be the one that gets me closer to that elusive ....

"Golden Beet"......

Thank you.

xxx

Half way there!!

Half way.

Half way?

Half way towards a ticket to Scotland!!!

I am so pleased to tell you that my pozzible project has just ticked over the half way mark. Can you believe it? This means 14 kind hearted, generous individuals have pledged support in dollars towards my project. To me this means 14 people have taken the time to check out what I am doing. 14 people have donated their hard earned dollars towards an artistic pursuit. 

14 people believe in me and my work.

Thank you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am overwhelmed by the love! We are now over the half way mark. Now for the hard part, to reach the end. So if you were thinking about donating or you know someone else who may be interested please do! Or even if you can share the page thats just as good. 

Just go here  to see what all the fuss is about!

In the meantime I have been blowing up a storm!! In 40 degree weather!!! Snakes alive was that a challenge. Big ups to my awesome crew of Danielle Rickaby and Jaan Poldaas who worked so tirelessly to help me get through. I love my team, it's always such a pleasure to work with them. They are both just powerhouses on the floor. It makes such a difference working with these two. They are both such skilled blowers but they also know how to have a good time. We have an absolute blast working together. I had not blown glass for just over 2 months i think, but stepping back in with these guys is just like riding a bike. (a flamey hot bike) I don't think I could work so hard or have such a high success rate without these two clowns. I sure do love em.

Let me try and set the scene for you.....

Blowing glass on a 20 degree day is hot. Blowing glass on a 40 plus degree day is an inferno. So we had 4 holes blazing and two furnaces cranking. We have a couple of fans on for circulation and we try and drink copius amounts of water but sometimes you drink so much you just can't stomach water anymore. Enter my saviour; berocca. Berocca you saucy, salty minx how I love you! This is how it goes down:

Jaan picks up the colour , heats it and pops a bubble in it.

He then takes a gather of glass and blows it up a little.

Cool.

Then takes another gather and shapes it a little.

Now he passes it off to me where I shape it and get Dani to puff it up for me.

Dani take a 'jack' heat for me so I can cut a line in with my jacks so we can knock it off and transfer it to a 'punty'.

We heat the bottom with a hot torch to flatten the bottom.

Dani brings the punty and we knock it off to transfer it to the punty.

Now we have an opening in the piece.

I heat it and pull out the neck then puff out the shoulder.

By this time Jaan has the next piece ready and we pass over pieces at the bech.

He takes the finished piece and puts it in the annealer.

I continue on with the next.

Now repeat about 20 times in the next 4 hours.

There are no breaks.

It is relentless.

It is fast paced.

There is salty sweat dripping down my face. 

Smoke gets in my eyes as I paper it.

My hands start to hurt a bit.

My back starts screaming at me as I twist around alot and stretch to get to the torch.

(Heres a good one, my boobs get radiation heat burns as I lean over the big pieces to work!)

But you know what?

I freaking love it!!

We listen to great tunes, we laugh, we work like little demons.

So I think in 3 days we made around 55 bonsai. All these guys are my way of fundraising my way to Scotland. I have a couple of suppliers who want more work and a nice little commission up my sleeve. Every penny counts!! 

And you know what my reward was for working in ridiculous hot weather?....

this:

Bliss.

Help a little bird fly to Scotland

It's here! It's live! The cat is out of the bag!

 Welcome to my Pozzible Project. Pozzible is the amazing concept of crowd funding. If you have a good idea but don't have the clams to make it happen you can put your project up for the public to take a gander at and hopefully pledge you some money. Some amazing success stories come out of Pozzible. It really is a sweet concept. You should check it out.

As you all may know I am headed to Scotland this April to make some glass. I have put together my project to ask for some help in getting me there. $2000 actually to go towards getting me there. You can pledge as little as $10 or go large and kick it all the way up to $1000! So whats in it for me you ask? Rewards!! Sweet, sweet rewards!!

At each level of donation there is a thank you present from me because I want you to know just how amazing I think you are and how grateful I am for your support. These range from a shout out on facebook, a postcard from Scotland to even some of my glass works!! Thats right friend, a donation from you could secure yourself one of my works for you to keep!!! You remember these guys right?:

And how about.....these?!!!!:

Thats right, you could secure yourself a radish. A radish!! To my top pledger I would like to reward them with one of the very pieces I will be creating in Scotland. These are one of a kind and yet to be exhibited anywhere. (Plus I think they are pretty sweet.)

So there are 30 days for me to reach my target of $2000 and if in the end of that time the total is not reached I get nothing. Nada, zip, zero, the pledgers that have donated will get their money back. This project is so important to me. It is the most ambitious project I am yet to attempt and I believe it has the potential to act as a crucial stepping stone for my professional practice and could be the beginning of big things to come for me and my work.

So if you would like to support me and my big Scottish dream please head on over to my pozzible site 

here.

Even a small donation of $10 is a BIG deal to me. And if you can't afford to chip in, sharing my site is just as good! Tell your friends, put it up on facebook! Maybe there is someone out there who really likes glass radishes?.... Wish me luck! 

30 days, $2000 clams

BIG NEWS!

BIG news coming! BIG BIG news!!

Check back in with me tomorrow for the big reveal.

Are you pumped? Are you excited? Are you so excited you might not be able to sleep tonight?!

Soon, soon my pretties.....

Pat the cat for the 30th time

Up at the crack of dawn? Check.
On the bike and to the pool? Check.
Delicious breakfast? Check.
Grant proposal drafted out? Check.
Commission quoted and sent? Check.
Procrastinating playing with the Cat?.....Check.

Oh and flight to London booked?...Check-a-roonie!

So maybe it is ok to play with the cat? Just for a little bit. Ughhh! I really gotta submit that proposal its due tomorrow!!! Ok, here is the game plan, write blog post, pat cat, make iced tea, pat cat, hunker down to check proposal, pat cat, submit proposal, celebrate by hugging the cat and with more tea. Seamless right? Riiiiiiiiiiight.

But who can resist this face?!!!!!

Its even worse when he flops like this!!!

Agh! Get back to work! 

More sweet shots

l mother of cheese! Hooley Dooley! 2013 is turning out to be FULL ON! And its only January!!! Maybe this is what you get for only just beginning to piece your working year together....

Late last year I had a sweet lady by the name of RebeccaVitartas contact me wanting to borrow a couple of bonsai for a shoot. The shoot happened to be for her boyfriend Nick Pearce. He designs and makes rad furniture. I just wanted to share them with you. I think they are quite lovely.

And just quietly, I wouldn't mind having that couch in my house...

Shoots and prop hire is an avenue I never really thought of but I have had a couple of inquiries lately, one of which I'm hoping could have the potential to be amazing!! It's a bit secret squirrel but as soon as I can let the cat out of the bag I will. Meow.

It just goes to show you really want to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way. You never know where it might lead you. That being said I am now in the midst of planning my year and already it feels frantic! Who said yes to these things?!!

Design Files Pictures

Good evening chaps! It is late and my little eyes feel like sand paper but I couldn't sleep a wink til I show you some snaps. I wanted to post these ages ago but my computer had a freak out and said 'no'.

Lets hope she is in a better mood this time....

These are from the Design Files Open House late last year.

Look! It's me!

super rad shot of all the fun things going on in the house.

The beautiful living room filled with all sorts of amazing things.

A very beautiful paper chandelier by the talented Miss Emily Green.

A super fantastic terrarium by Miniscapes.

Crazy Kids room!

This year I was really happy with my colour choices for my own work. I felt that they fit so lovely with all the other bright loveliness going on. Good job Amanda, you did good kid. (for once....)

And thats it! Good night my little muffins! xoxox

Nessie? I'm a coming for ye.

So whats all this talk of big news you say? Well as it turns out I will be undertaking a residency at Northlands glass in Scotland this year!!! Can you freaking believe it because for the life of me I can't!!! Me! It's me that got picked!!! Of course I am both terrified and beside myself with excitement. At the moment I am mostly terrified. I said to myself last year that I didnt want to travel by myself anymore and now look at me, just a quick jaunt. Over the other side of the world. No big deal.......gulp!

It is for six whole weeks and there are three other artists attending. From what I can gather we live, eat, sleep and work together on our own works and assist each other. I think its quit isolated so really it is an amazing opportunity to focus on your work. Like I said, I'm terrified. I don't know what it is with me, but I do like to set myself these ridiculous challenges that have the potential to break me. Not one for the easy path thats for sure. I don't know if that is monumentally stupid or a glimpse of something great. Hard to say.

I am going to use this time to continue with the work I started on in Pilchuck, radishes and beets! I'm really excited and need to start laying the ground work, ie, the research materials, sketches, colours, images in check so I can hit the ground running.

The other thing I am pretty excited about is a show in the beautiful front window of Craft Victoria. I am super excited about the potential for a small installation. So there is a alot going on and I really have to start getting on top of it. Like booking a ticket or finding my passport....

Wish me luck!

Adios 2012, Buenos Dios 2013

Holy shitballs!! Where did 2012 go?? I can't believe there is a new year upon us. A fresh, new, exciting, bursting with opportunities year, fresh for the picking. Who am I kidding?, I am just trying to believe my own hype and try and get pumped up for the year that awaits us because quite frankly, I have spent my Summer holidays lounging around on the couch with my beloved boys (both fury and non), watching Dexter, cooking lots (ice cream, in particular ice cream sandwiches, are my new obsession), watching cooking shows, a few beach jaunts (but not too many as i am the original lilly white kid who burns in 3 seconds flat. I'm so white I burn just thinking about the sun.) and thats about it. But most importantly I have tried really hard to take a proper break from my work and not think about it. (Although some nights as I lie there trying to sleep in this sweltering heat my mind starts racing and tries to freak me out...)

So in preparation of going back to work, I always like to do a recap of what I achieved in the year and try and make myself feel good about what I did accomplish and get me ready for the next challenges.

Here goes.....

Number 1 and perhaps the big wig of the year....I got married!!!

It was so amazing. Full of colour, beautiful flowers, delicious food and drinks, gorgeous family and friends. I can honestly say the week leading up to and of was the best week of my life. Hands down! I kind of wish I could do it all again. Maybe for our one year anniversary?.....!

Number 2 moved back to Melbourne.

Number 3 travelled to Japan to study Ikebana (swiftly after number 2 I might add)

Amazing. Beyond amazing. I love Japan so much, I got to hang out and soak it up and even share it with my sister, mum and aunty, how lucky am I. I look forward to using what I learnt in my work this year. I'm not exactly sure how its going to happen but i just know that it is inevitable that it comes out somehow. This trip had been put off for an entire year and it was just incredible to see all my planning, tears, frustration and joy come to fruition. Finally!

Number 4 received a scholarship travel to Seattle to take a class at Pilchuck from Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen.

Talk about mind blowing! Not only was I lucky enough to go to Pilchuck with two of my beautiful friends but these two ladies were also my fellow associates at the JamFactory. It was amazing to be able to share that experience with them. I feel so lucky! Pilchuck was so crucial for me at that time. It really reignited my passion in glass. It was so awesome to see different people doing different things in glass. I always wanted to go to Pilchuck but as time wore on I kind of told myself that I didnt need to go. I am so greatful to have recieved a scholarship to attend. It challenged me in everyway possible and the rewards have only just begun.

Number 5 got to see a Chihuly exhibition in the FLESH!!!

Number 6 had my honeymoon in NEW YORK CITY!!!!

Number 7 made a shit load of bonsais.

Number 8 made a whole bunch of Cacti.

Number 9 rediscovered my love of cooking.

Number 10 started on a brand new body of work.

Legs Eleven, participated in the Design Files Open House.

So yeah, I guess I did some stuff this year! Don't get me wrong there has been some crazy downs tossed in there too, but on the brink of a new year I always like to focus on the good stuff i did and that makes me think, kid, youre all right.

So thanks so much for taking the time to read. I hope you have some good doins under your belt too and feel pretty chuffed with yourself too. Because if you don't who will right? 

So seeya 2012, 2013 lets get it on.

P.s. stay tuned I have some very excited announcements for 2013!!

The Design Files Open House 2013!!

So I just wrote this awesome post about what I had been doing and apologised for my hiatus and blah blah blah and what happens? Blogger deletes all my hard work without even a so much as "you sure you want to delete?' or "save now", what a muppet.

Now I have to try and remember what I was rabbiting on about, I'm pretty sure it went along the lines of....

It's been awhile between drinks for me and the blog but that doesn't mean I have been just lolling around on the couch eating furry friends..(Ahem) I have been busy as a bee as we move into the pointy end of the year as my friend would like to say. I went to Adelaide for 10 days so I could cram in another lot of team sessions before the fat guy came to town (santa that is). I got to have my super talented team of Dani and Jaan working for me and man did we rock it! 55 pieces in 3 days what a mammoth effort. I love working with those guys. Just like riding a bike. I am so lucky to just be able to rock back into town and just make work right off the bat. I am very appreciative to be able to work with such a talented team who make it so easy for me to make my work.

I have finally figured out the best formula for making my work when I come to Adelaide. It consists of 2 days on the glass, 1 day cold work then last day as a hot that doesn't need coldworking. In an ideal world there would be a recovery day in there for beers and catch ups but hey gotta get the job done. I always find it such a delicate balance. I don't want to burn out but I want to keep my eye on the priza and keep pushing while the going is good. So I think blowing Friday and a Saturday sesh with Sunday to cold work is where its at for me. And man does it make you appreciate a well equipped studio. Cold working was so easy at the Jam. I am thinking more and more about wanting to have my own cold working equipment. I was speaking to the technician, Dale and he said he could hook me up with the plans and the knowhow to make my very own grinding wheel that could do all the grinding and polishing i would ever need! All I need is some space....

So all this work I have been making is predominantly for....
THE DESIGN FILES OPEN HOUSE!!!

(Lookit how fancy I am in putting this little beaut in. Pretty big things from someone who was talked into thinking that 'PM' in facebook language stood for Pancake Man.....ugggh thaks alot B, way to abuse your computerey powers for evil instead of good, whos laughing now with their fancy gif rocking?)
It's on again this year, next weekend 29th Nov- 2nd Dec and it's going to be amaaaaaaazing!! If you are in Melbourne I strongly suggest you get your little butt over there to check it out. You don't want to miss it. Last year was massive and I reckon this year is going to be even bigger as everyone knows exactly what is going on this year. So get on over to the design files home page and check it out for all the details.

I had all these great photos to share with you but apparently I am over my limit with blogger and now have to pay to upload? Is this legit? Can it be? What the flip?! I'm only a small fry how can this be? Anyone got and info on this and can give me the down low would be much appreciated.

Well this is a hard slog with little pictures to keep us going so I'll keep it to dot points...heres whats what:
Things I have achieved/done/doing:
- made new bonsai for Artisan in QLD
- applied for a residency in Scotland next year
- applied for a show at Craft Vic with my sister
- delivered xmas stock to the Jam shop
- had a surprise party for a friends birthday in the part and bought helium balloons that we crammed into the car...
- took my sweetheart on a midweek date

aaaaand.....was successful in my application for a residency in Canberra at The Glassworks for next year!! Hurray for me !!

Thats it, thanks for reading for so long, you are the best.

Suburban Obsessions

Lately, I am obsessed with taking pictures like this. I snap them on my way to work, I snap them on my way home, I snap them at any opportunity possible. I just think they are beautiful. They are like the hidden gems of the suburbs. The majority of my Japanese trip photos were of the suburbs, I was obsessed with those too. At the time I thought, our burbs are nowhere near as interesting and beautiful as theirs, but maybe I'm wrong?

They seem so calm and peaceful and to me they are beautiful. I don't really know why I like them so much, maybe because we have been talking alot about buying our own house? Maybe I secretly dream one of these was mine? 

Had drinks at this amazing little off the laneway kinda thin, think its called the grub (?) Super cute, food looks good, they have an open plan kitchen where you can see EVERYTHING that goes on. (Bad news if you burn something...)

Then we headed into the city to go to a rad opening at Craft Vic. Its Lauren Simeoni and Mel Somethingerather (sorry) and they are the unnatural jewellers! I love their work its ridiculously cool. All mixed up beads, found materials, fake plants and fruit. I highly recommend getting ones behind down to see whats on offer. 

Weenie had a better time than her expression would suggest, I swear. It was fun to meet some new people (an instagram friend who I actually introduced my self as "hi. im little bird big chip, we are friends on instagram." Ugh, what a dork I am, sigh. We hatched a few plans for exhibitions over a few wines, always the best time to do it I feel. We're thinking, slides, we're thinking blooms, native flower bombing, slides of mrs ghandi taken by our nan, big projections, the possibility of cake, but, oh, I've said too much...

I had the most delicious apricot iced tea.

I ate lunch by myself at a cute cafe.

I bought too many flowers.

I delivered work to a new stockist.

I held my very first dinner party.

I pretended to be fancy.

We had:

Sushi

Gyoza

Karrage

Crazy Sticky Chinese Pork Belly Ribs

Asian Slaw

Steamed Greens

Rice

Custard Tarts

and

Vodka cocktails with raspberry soda, lime and mint

How good is the table cloth?

So thats about it for this week, and I have been hanging out quite a bit with this fury jerk:

Maybe I should have been an astronaut...

Some days I think things. Things like these....

Maybe I should have taken a different career path?
Maybe I should have been a graphic designer. I like drawing stuff and pretty colours and patterns.  I like Beci Orpin, she's rad. She seems to have an awesome life. But then I remember I'm not so good at computing....

Maybe I should have been a florist like my sister. Flowers are pretty, they smell good and they don't charge you $200 just to make a bunch. But then I remember I don't like the thorny bits....

Maybe I should have been a chef? I love cooking delicious things and lets face it, I like eating delicious things. But then I remembered I hate split shifts....

Maybe I should have been a cat wrangler. I love my Mont, he is the best but sometimes he can be a jerk and imagine that but multiplied by 50. But then I remembered I don't like cleaning litter trays...

Maybe I should have been a farmer and live on the land. Kate  is one awesome lady with a cute family to boot, living on the land, living her dream. Has lots of cute chooks, cooks delicious things, crafts all that kind of jazz. But then I remembered a green thumb I do not have, how would I ever manage a whole farm when I can't even keep a "potted colour" from Bunnings alive?....

A painter?
A hair dresser?
A seamstress?
An Olympic Sports Calendar Model?

But I guess at the end of the day its making things like this that I really love,

And things like this,

And I can't give up making things like this,

And I adore packaging them up to send them to people like this,

And I really like working with my hands, usually in environments like this,

So maybe I am where I should be.

And maybe I should just stop worrying about what everybody else is doing and just do my own thing?

I think feel a list coming on.....

Things of Late

Magnolies!

Ugggh, magnolias, they are so flippin' beautiful! I see them everywhere at the moment and I love it!. Next free day off I have I am just going to roam the back streets of my neighbourhood taking me some magnolia snaps. (As you may also notice, when I dress in a colour it just starts to spread....I can't help it! Yesterday was green and more that not its pink lately. It just takes on a life of its own, kind of like the blob I guess, but in a good way of course. Also maybe its due to the fact that black is my uniform at work?)

Today is going to be great.

Well, thats what I am telling myself and in my experience you gotta put it out there and you usually get it. (I had this conversation with a friend last night about how, you know I just put out these crazy plans and they seem to be almost too crazy not to work. Like Japan, Pilchuck, getting a grant, and then totally deadpan, she goes 'not to mention all the hard work and talent you put in'! Do you know I never thought of it like that before!! Hahahahha!)

But I did wake up early this morning and had a great idea about putting together a little questionaire for my fellow glassies out there. Asking about their style, interests, motivation, hopes and dreams, what type of cheese they prefer, you know all the hard hitting stuff. That with some images of themselves, their work and maybe their studio space. Then each week I will publish a different story on here and we get to learn about a new artist each week, how rad does that sound? Then, who knows, maybe I could publish my little book and that too would be a rad thing for the community. Bring us back together, give a little promo for us all, just see whats out there I guess. What do you think? Hit? Or Miss?

And then I fell back asleep and had this AWESOME dream where I had these two sheds out the back that were converted into artist studios and there was a fire and everyone was making this rad stuff and, and, and, anyways no one likes to hear about other peoples dreams, its boring. No wait, maybe thats just me.... I'm off to blow some glass today! See ya!

Modern Times and Assorted Woes

Ok.

I'm going to keep this short. It's late. I'm tired. But still here we are...

Above is a pic I took from the launch at Modern Times launch. Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to come down and say hi. I usually don't really like exhibition openings, I'm not very good at the schmoozing and whatnot, but this one was a winner. I got to talk to another glassy who had work there (you can check out his great work here) he really helped me to nut out some worries I had about taking on a job. He's awesome.

I also met a new friend (hopefully) who creates super rad terrariums. We only got to chat briefly but I am hoping it could become something rad and exciting for us both.

Here is some food for thought; 

check out this great blog post here, Lara talks about some pressures that as a maker I feel too. The need to reinvent yourself, to be in constant competition, to keep up with what everyone else is doing. I feel this constantly. Why the fuck can't I just keep on making what I like and be happy with it thats what I want to know! I've had a bit off a rough run, feeling a little miffed about it all but am hoping to turn it around.

Uggggghhh, the constant uphill battle! Just someone hurry up and discover how awesome I can be. Fling me some clams and let me make glass everyday. Then I can cook delicious things in the evenings have fun times with my cute husband, make beautiful works, have a big commission job to work on, have fun exhibitions, travel the world taking classes, maybe get a studio puppy (one weiner dog please) actually maybe just throw in a manager for me who can manage (duh) all this for me and find the balance for me, because lord knows I ain't got it at the mo. 

Le sigh.

Maybe it's just the winter blues? Lets hope so, spring is just around the corner right?

Right?

Right.