artful

"As practice makes perfect, I cannot but make progress; each drawing one makes, each study one paints, is a step forward." Vincent van Gogh 1853 - 1890

Jessica Bell art

weekday weave

With the IT overload going on around here lately, it is just as well I have these fun subjects to photograph to balance my brain!

:: how cute is this mischevious penguin!....

:: Looking forward to painting many in the school holiday classes!

:: Of course there will be some wonderful 'bare branch weaving' - the children really enjoy their own unique designs with this craft!

:: Photography is always going on behind the scenes for our art kits - this one is for our 'do it together painterly project - wooden candle holder'

:: 'do it togther hand stitched owl mobile'

:: do it together stamp+stitch'

:: couldn't resist showing you what little miss spent the morning doing while I was photographing - zooming in and out showing me her ever-layering costume design!

Apologies for blog-silence over the last week - we lost our hard drive midweek and have been climbing our way back to accessability ever since!
I am deep in the land of website building, holiday class planning and newsletter drafting as well as planning w+w parties and running a household - no wonder I am exhausted!
Here are some snaps of our happenings over the last week....

:: this house of creativity is 'rubbing off' on her!

:: technology failing leaves just the right window for class trials!

:: gathering nature + texture

:: wee penguin painting, weaving and monoprinting - all excitedly trialed in our house this week!

:: small bare branch weaving trials

:: Very excited about a new parent+child knitting class project!

:: It never ceases to amaze me how quickly my table can turn from clean to creative chaos [monoprinting here]

:: painting ghost gums on acetate and printing in layers - background, midground and foreground.

:: We will be printing on useful ply clipboards!

:: searching wonderful national geographic magazines for polar wildlife inspiration!

:: penguin monoprinting of course!

artful

'The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.' Jean-Jaques Rousseau

A textural wonderland, the agate collages of Nicole Wermers, [Katzensilber, 2003]

weekend wonder

I think my sheer delight in mothers day this weekend was electrified by the stunning weather! Simple pleasures became a celebration of beauty under the radient blue sky and comforting warmth of the sun - there was such a strong call to be outside!

Highlights for me included a crisp morning trip to the flower markets - the colour + texture, oh my! Cozy-white snuggles in bed peppered with enthusiastic gift-giving!

Time to celebrate the beautiful women who are my legacy, and be celebrated by those I hope to leave this legacy to...

:: and then into the outdoors - a stunning high tea shared under the tree's with three generations of women in my family. [thanks instagram]

:: my family ambled along by the Brisbane River on Sunday - slow togetherness - bliss...{instagram again!]

friday five

Its Mother's day this weekend and only fitting that some of our inspiration for the week is focused on some creative ideas to make with your children to mark the occasion...or just to enjoy some 'together' time!

:: Print out your favourite quote in delicious font and have your children paint some dreamy watercolour! I printed these on watercolour card and the girls decorated for our special mother's + grandmothers!

:: if your hubby is handy, perhaps you might like to turn a pruned branch slice into a natural keyring, stamped with your initial! found here.

:: for a timeless gift, a beautiful nest of hand stamped stones are just perfect! found here.

:: I am absolutely besotted with this blog called Still. A stunningly artful way of noticing and making simple nature collections into grand statements of beauty! Perhaps you might like to gather your collections from a weekend wandering and play...and do take a look at the site, I promise it will take your breath away!

:: And finally, as you are languishing in all that is family and motherhood on the weekend, don't forget to keep your camera handy! Here's a dreamy site full of stunning images, capturing the beauty and imagination of children!
Happy Mother's Day xx

weekday weave

:: wine bottle holders finding a new home 'with gratitude'...

With a short week this week I am a bit behind the eight ball so to speak and have been playing admin catch-up!
Planning new classes and art kits and crossing several items off my short-term goal list feels good!
The new website is finally under construction so if you have googled us and come up with weaveandwonder.com you will have drawn the short straw! Hopefully you have been successfully redirected here until the new site is built!
And it is mothers day at the end of this week! My family keep asking me for 'a plan' but I must confess to having a brain-freeze when it comes to planning a whole day centred around myself - not the usual practice!
With the weather SO perfect, I wonder about a day of simple pleasures in the sunshine, on a picnic rug, by the sea, perhaps a good coffee, a book or some slow antiques browsing....hmm, now I'm thinking!
I hope to post some creative ideas you might whisper in your children's ear, to mark the occasion and other bits of inspiration from the week, on Friday!
How will you celebrate Mothers day this year?

:: Sewing the prototypes for the DIY art tote and art pouch - very excited about boutique art kits coming soon!

artful

'Painting is by nature a luminous launguage' Robert Delaunay

I love the energy of the abstract works by Diana Delgado. In her own words, 'fun attractive and visually crowded on the surface, ultimately I hope that substance beyond process be discovered and a continued interest to look result.'

weekend wonder

This weekend around these parts we enjoyed picture-perfect daytime weather and the hint of winter approaching in the early morning + evening. Of course a long weekend makes everything all the more indulgent...

:: cozy ugg boots were pulled out of storage for chilly mornings

:: small adventures were played out..

:: more texture peeking out of corners...

:: sensational sunshine heralded a highly successful weave+wonder woodland clay party!

:: The birthday girl 'was really thrilled with the clay workshop and has asked if we can do it again next year!! and high praise from 'birthday brother' - he said he thought it would be lame but that he actually really enjoyed it!!'

:: a land of horses had to remain on our living room floor the entire long weekend...

:: she played 'Juliet...from knomeo+juliet, you know!'

:: the block creations were outstanding

:: in the last few hours, I slipped in some weave+wonder art pouch prototype making - such fun!

:: evenings by candlelight seem so much more relaxing somehow....

Hoping your weekend was as enjoyable as ours! x