Planting Veges at the Nursery.

Day 3 of Blogtober, and today was a nursery day.

For my day job, I am lucky enough to work in an indigenous nursery. It is really interesting work.

As we are all keen gardeners, we often pop a few of our vegie seeds onto the seed trays alongside the Mellaleucas and the Atriplex.

The last few seasons we have gone a bit crazy with it. Pooling seed orders from Diggers, mass plantings etc.. My slightly excessive nature may have something to do with it.

Here are some we planted earlier, and some from today.

 A nice misty spray at regular intervals does wonders for germinating seeds.

 
A workplace that sows together, grows together.

Here is our lovely boss Richard, who we have well and truly corrupted with mass vegie plantings. Also the lovely Ada, who dropped by to help us plant the seeds. 

 

Some of babies from last year seem to have re seeded themselves. 

Playing under the hose in the back yard on a hot day.

The four youngest of the Kervin clan.

In this day and age of water restrictions, I don't suppose kids get to play under the hose so much any more. While I am not in favour of wasting water, it is a bit sad that many kids miss out on this joy.

Here is a photo of us in our back yard at Kialla West. We moved out of that place in 1974, when I was ten, but this picture is probably a bit older. Memories of this time are hazy, but this photo reminds me of some of the special little things of my formative years. That old tractor tyre behind us was a sand pit. And the melaleuca tree behind us supplied me with endless little branches for weaving.

Funny, because I still love playing in the dirt and making things out of stuff.

My favourite addiction

Our fabulous new venue in Laverton.

For day one on the Blogtober Festival, I am starting with my favourite thing to do in the whole world.

Life Drawing. In recent years, I have met so many wonderful people and spent many a blissful hour at the easel

The old post office scrubbed up a treat.

In October 2007, I started a group at the Newport Community Hall. And we have never stopped. We meet from 2-4pm every Saturday afternoon, rain hail or shine. I feel truly blessed to have made so many fantastic friends, (models and fellow artists). And to have witnessed so much amazing art being made before my eyes.

If I had done nothing else in the last five and a half years, I could still say, I'm pretty proud of Newport Life Drawing.

If you pop over here to my other blog, you will be see some of the amazing work done during the sessions, and meet the crew.

My new baby is at the new Woods Street Art Space in Laverton. A splendid new project by the Hobsons Bay Council. The old post office, derelict for a number of years, has been given a face lift. It is now the local arts centre.

It hosts a range of brilliant activities to suit creative types at all levels. I run life drawing classes on Thursday nights from 7-9pm. Fantastic sessions, and thanks to the centre management, all materials are supplied. If you would like to come along to either of these sessions, please contact me. All are welcome. You can email me or join this group, or call me on 0410 261 403.

My other fantastic life drawing gig is at the amazing SASH art at Rival Revolution Studios in Prahan. This is a lively session, set in a very funky venue, just behind Chapel St. Classes run on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Fun, friendly and productive, a nice way to spend a couple of hours. Run by the amazing artist Steph Hall, and co-facilitated by myself and the fabulous Philippa Crisp. If you would like to come along to any of these sessions, you will need to join this group.

And I highly recommend that you do. It is a great thing to be part of.

Heads down at SASH art life drawing.

SASH is friendly and casual, all materials are supplied.

Atmospheric

Come and join us, learn, draw, have fun.

And last but not least, Newport.

A funky old hall, easy to get to and always worth the trip.

My favourite place.

Life is just too short to not grow artichokes.

Spring is the season that I love the most. New life everywhere, blossoms on the trees, baby birds, and Artichokes!

Behold the first of the season. I cooked these babies up into a fabulous soup, with a few home grown potatoes that were still hanging in there from last year. There were also a few chillies left on the last withered stalk.

You will have to take my word for it that it was the most amazing soup ever, Yes of course, I ate it all. Some things are just too good to share.

And they are such handsome fellers to have around the garden.

Oh and I am entering the Blogtoberfest Challenge. That means I will be blogging every day for the merry month of October. Soooooo you'll be hearing from me.

New Stock

Marissa in pink

Sleeping Puppy on Couch

Fire at Rob's.

Well the new prints are coming up a treat on the cushions. Here is Marissa in pink. Isn't she pretty?

Also pictured is one of the sleeping puppy images on a cushion. It was my lovely friend Bruce's birthday last week, so he got the first edition. I'm thinking puppy went to a good home. He looks comfy, and well and truly Bruced in there.























And to chase away the unseasonal chills, here is a warming scene from yesterday. After getting drenched running errands in Footscray, I arrived on the doorstep of my lovely friend Rob's house, looking cold and miserable. What a lovely welcome.

Printing Day

Panels of Puppies

 Printed up a storm today.

I think the girls look nice in red. What do you think?

Quite pleased with my puppies, too.

Marissa in Red

Annie in Red

Sleeping Puppy

Sleeping Puppy again.

Forgot that I was wearing my favourite cardi.

SASH Life Drawing

Last night I had a fabulous time, filling in for the lovely Steph Hall of SASH Art.

In a fun and friendly environment, Steph runs a lively session at Rival Revolution Studios in Prahan. A fresh approach to an age old discipline. Lots of activities that have you drawing like a pro in no time.

I had a wee practice of the format on Saturday, with my lovely Newport group. A great time was had by all, and as you can see here by week's drawings, that some fantastic results were achieved.

If you would like to give SASH life drawing a go, (or just learn more about it) click here.

There will be four of us facilitating the classes now, so come along and meet the crew. 

Curlypops Choose Your Own Bag sew-along challenge

Recently I joined the Curlypops Choose Your Own Bag sew-along adventure.

That is, signed up and then forgot all about it.

Because I've been so so busy.

And what have I been busy doing?

Making Bags!

Honestly, sometimes even I wonder what is going on in my head.

There have been all manner of fancy-pants bags produced lately from River Studios, all sporting my designs.

But the project that I am having the most fun with at the moment is delightfully simple. I'm making shopping bags. Using this fantastic pattern from You Sew Girl.
It is for absolute beginners, and is a sewing class in a bag. Quick, easy and satisfying. You learn the basics of sewing as you go, and you finish with a useful carry bag - made by you. 

When I started screen printing, there was a bit of trial and error going on. Consequentially there grew a pile of experimental images.What a fabulous way to adorn my new shopping bags.

So I got to work, cutting them out.

Did I mention that my middle name is 'excessive'? Well I cut out twenty-five of them.

 And got to work.

Stocked up on Quilt Basting Spray, my new best friend
.

And Viola! I'm quite pleased with the first one. Now for the other twenty-four.

Sprucing up the screen

Ah the perils of screen printing. The poor old screen was clogging up and making very patchy prints. So sprucing it up a bit was in order.

One thing that I have learned with screen printing, is that thin lines are prone to clogging.

So the first job was to give the acetate a going over with a black marker. Now that is a satisfying job. 

Cleaned the screen with a cocktail of lotions and potions.

And then coated it in emulsion fluid. Had me singing that old Bee Gees song, "It´s just emulsion that's taking me over,
Caught up in sorrow, lost in the song"

Exposed it to the light.

Gave the screen a jolly good wash down.

And Voila! Screen is printing like a dream now!

Open Mic at the Dancing Dog

 

What a lovely afternoon. I found myself down at the Dancing Dog in Footscray. 

Folk Victoria are held their first open mic session. It was loads of fun. Definitely will make that a regular thing.

Here are some videos that I took of our own Bruce Williams and Don Gula.The first song is 'I like to sleep late in the morning' and the second tune is 'Whiskey before Breakfast.' Sorry about the camera shake, but it was really hard not to dance or burst into song.

Our lovely Ted Smith graced the stage with his fancy finger picking

.