Mini books/ mini livros

These are the first batch of mini books I've been making (not all of them are here). They came about due to my inhability to throw away anything: in this case scraps of fused plastics and badly cutted paper. I'm quite happy with them and will take them to the next fair.

Esta e a primeira fornada de mini livros que ando a fazer (mas nao estao todos aqui). Surgem da minha incapacidade de deitar fora seja o que for; neste caso restos de plasticos fundidos e papel mal cortado. Gostei dos resultados e vou leva-los para a proxima feira.

Shibori

Shibori set

Shibori back

Shibori front

I have been doing some shibori. I love to do it, and the way I do it, I can have two colours , one on each face of the fabric.

The first pic is of the fabrics once opened ready to be used, but decided to show the fabrics before I set them.

Tenho andado a fazer shibori, coisa que gosto muito de fazer, sobretudo porque consigo por duas cores, uma em cada face do tecido.

A primeira foto e a dos tecidos ja abertos prontos a serem utilizados, mas decidi juntar as outras onde se ve como e antes de serem abertos.

This week/ Esta semana

This week I will be again busy with making more stuff for the Saturday Craft Fair at TAO in Leicester so I think it will be a bit difficult to post anything. Will try to take some pics of it and post them here.

Esta semana vou estar ocupada a fazer mais coisas para a Feira de Artesanato na TAO em Leicester, no proximo Sabado. Vou tentar tirar fotos do que fizer e po-las aqui.

Memory series / serie Memorias

Obidos
Funchal

I have finished the first two pieces: Obidos and Funchal. Just need to mount them. As always the results surprised me. It is so different when I take the backing paper: it's as if the work takes a flight of its own...

This series is based on the houses I've lived in, but I've just found out that I've lived in 28 houses (until now). My list was incomplete! If I make two a week... it will take quite a while to finish it.
The good bit is that from each I can take new ideas for other works. Maybe I shouldn't put a time limit or production time (ugh, sounds like a factory process).
I need to add that the images don't do justice to the final pieces. The shine of the fabrics don't allow me to take photos with flash or any other light aid.



Terminei as duas primeiras pecas: Obidos e Funchal. Falta monta-las. Como sempre os resultados surpreenderam-me, tao diferente ficam quando o papel de tras e retirado. As pecas tomam identidade individual e ficam independentes de mim mesma...

A serie e baseada nas casas em que vivi ate a data, mas descobri que tinha a minha lista incompleta: foram 28. Se fizer duas por semana... ainda me levara um bom tempito. O lado bom e que cada uma delas me leva a novas ideias para outras pecas. Talvez nao deva por tempo limite ou de producao (bah, parece que estou a falar de producao industrial).
Tenho a acrescentar que as imagens nao fazem justica as pecas finais. O brilho dos tecidos impede-me de poder tirar fotos com ajuda de flash ou outra luz indirecta.

Work in progress, Trabalho em processo

I've started a new series. Called it "memory series". Until now I have lived in more than 20 houses and from all of them I have memories: smells (difficult to visualise) to feelings and/or special objects. It is the first time I work with a kind of layout behind, which until now have been avoiding for finding it too restrictive. However, I am glad to find that it doesn't stop me making changes and alterations as I go along.

The photos are of the first two pieces I have just started. There is still a lot to be done and quite a few things to change.

Iniciei uma nova serie de trabalhos. Chamo de "Serie Memorias". Ate a data morei em mais de 20 casas e de todas elas tenho memorias: cheiros (dificeis de visualisar), sentimentos e ou objectos. Pela primeira vez utilizo sketches, coisa que sempre evitei por achar muito limitante. No entanto fico satisfeita em descobrir que nao me impede de fazer alteracoes a medida que vou avancando.

As fotos sao dos dois primeiros trabalhos iniciados. Ainda ha muito para fazer e outro tanto para alterar.

At the last minute/ A ultima da hora

Somehow I seem to do well when a quick solution has to be found. As long as I can manage my time and don't need to explain or follow strict guide lines.

The following box for whine glasses came from one of those moments of almost panic: needed to make a special present for my son. The whine glasses where bought but then... do you really give a set of normal glasses like that? Surely not! So out came the fused plastic sheets I had previously made, joined in the same way I work with the organzas (fusing and sewing) add some felt for a bit of stability and here I have a nice box that can be presented as a "wrapper", and used as he wants later on. Nice one!

The photo shows the set with the cardboard box, but the outer one does not need it for stability.

Dou comigo a pensar que consigo funcionar melhor quando tenho que encontrar uma solucao rapida. Desde que seja dona do meu tempo, nao tenha que estar a dar grandes explicacoes ou seguir principios rigidos.

A caixa para copos de vinho surge dum desses momentos de quase panico: precisava de fazer um presente para o meu filho. Os copos de vinho ja haviam sido comprados, mas... dao-se assim um conjunto de copos sem mais nada? De certo que nao! Fui as folhas de plastico reciclado que havia feito anteriormente para outros projectos, apliquei as tecnicas que utilizo quando trabalho com as organzas (fundir e cozer), acrescentei o feltro para mais estabilidade e eis uma caixa que pode ser apresentada como "embrulho" bonito, mas que ele pode utilizar como melhor entender. Ora ai esta!

A imagem mostra a caixa de cartao onde os copos vinham, mas a caixa exterior tem estabilidade suficiente por si so.

Busy, busy, busy

Sorry for being away so long, but have been busy with tomorrow's fair.
I've been finishing my felt/organza brooches, sewing labels, making fabric postcards, little purses...

Here are some pics of some of the stuff ready to be sold.

Desculpas por tanto tempo ausente, mas tenho estado a produzir para a feira de amanha.
Acabei as minhas pregadeiras de feltro e organza, cozi etiquetas, fiz postais texteis, pequenas bolsinhas...

Aqui estao algumas imagens das minhas coisas prontas a serem vendidas.

Saramago

I've just found Saramago's blog. It just shows: 85 and started a blog... never too late never too old!
I've added the link.

Acabo de descobrir o blog de Saramago. Ora ai esta: 85 e comecou o seu blog... nem nunca e tarde, nem nunca se e velho demais!
Ja juntei o link a minha lista.

Craft Fair December 2009/ Feira de artesanato Dezembro 2009

They are a bit old these photos but they are from the Craft Fair organized on the Newark Houses Museum in Leicester, Dec 2009

Um pouco desactualizadas estas fotos, mas foram da Feira de Artesanato organizada pelo Museu Newark Houses, em Leicester, Dez 2009

felt brooches/ pregadeiras de feltro

Getting ready for the 6th of March...
Some of the felt and organza brooches I've been making.


Preparando-me para o 6 de Marco...
Algumas das pregadeiras de feltro e organza que tenho estado a fazer.

Poesia Incompleta: uma cançãozita para ouvir ao almoço

Poesia Incompleta: uma cançãozita para ouvir ao almoço

Welcome To Knighton Lane Artists Group

Welcome To Knighton Lane Artists Group

The Artists cooperative which has accepted me. Website still in progress.

ART FOR HOUSEWIVES

ART FOR HOUSEWIVES
A must!!! have been following for ages now...

 

These are some of the little bags I make using recycled plastic carrier bags. The linning is cotton and when with zips, these are of different colours.

 

On this I decided to use the sewing machine as a "pencil", I've burned, fused, embroidered and layered with paper and different fabrics.
Never very confortable with representative work, I found that as long as I don't have a very fixed idea of what to expect, I truly enjoy working like this.

 

I like to work with organzas. It is a bit like painting with watercolours: it has transparency, doesn't hide the mistakes made and the layering creates depth. The shimering of the fabrics makes the image change according to the light and the positioning of the viewer (which the photo doesn't show)
This work is done by fusing the fabrics straight onto paper. No glue, no sewing.

 

I found a whole lot of old wool in my storage box.
I made these little monsters by knitting them and fulling them in my washing machine. All the embroidery is done with wool and the buttons are vintage buttons that I found.
My next batch of soft toys are sort of a kind of cat. Will post the photos when ready.

 

I made this felt bouquet for a friend.