Long live libraries

It feels like Christmas when I get back from the library with my haul of books for the week. We are so lucky in Auckland to have such an amazing availability of public libraries. There is nothing better than having to decide which book to plunge into next - oh the choice, the choice! Of course the greatest challenge is finding the time.

My latest inspiration is a young artist based in San Francisco called Mati Rose McDonough  who encourages her readers to "show the world your magic". Her book  "Daring adventures in paint" is a fresh and bright take on paint techniques for backgrounds on board. She mixes her media resulting in collages with colour contrasts that make her simplicity of design pop.

Her whimsy rubbed off on me and so I tried some of her suggestions.

Summer sublime

Crafting takes a break when the garden whispers and beckons.

adi & bert goes to market

Dipping my toe into retail before Christmas. Tough times out there for crafters, but it was a fun day.

Auckland love

When you love your city and surrounds, it makes living there such a pleasure. This design is a tribute to Auckland and North Island summers. Upcycled an old map book I found in the car and printed a lino cut fantail onto the sheet. The most fun is trying out a technique and then using the off-cuts and turning them into something totally unplanned.

A break from work

School holidays and a few days off work. After spending some quality time in the hammock and digging the garden, a craft project beckoned. What seemed a small project took longer than expected - some Matryoshka angel decorations. Sewing the bodies was a piece of cake, but the wings, they were tricky. All that handsewing stuff- I'd forgotten how hard it is! But got there in the end. Back to the salt mines tomorrow.

Holiday reading included Sibella Court's "Nomad"- check it out, what a lovely life the lady does lead!

Something useful

My favourite time of the year is coming soon. The end of another busy year is approaching fast, there's the promise of summer to look forward to and more time for family and friends, food and fun. In preparation for Christmas, I have tried  screen printing fabric and thrown together some Christmas stockings. I also tried my hand at making padded ipad covers and found it quite a challenge figuring out how to sew the bits togther and where the padding goes. I should really find a pattern - would be so much easier!

Embracing found items

Based in the Coromandel, artist Daniel Kirsch does some interesting graphic-crossover-fine art work. He upcycles old beehives, scrap metal and native timber onto which he screen prints simple graphics, creating a whimsical effect. I love his pieces and they inspired me to make my 'in the garden' sign.

Find out more about him at

http://www.waikatomuseum.co.nz/file/fileid/40540

Examples of his work at

http://www.inspirit.co.nz/page/154-printmaking-and-mixed-media+daniel-kirsch