Hello.....

I have been on a creative blitz lately ; hence my time away from the computer.

Have some lovely news to share with you.

A winery/ cafe/gift shop in Bunyip in Victoria bought 2 c0llages and 1 bird from me recently to sell in their gift shop. Which is very exciting. And they did not take them on consignment (which shops often do) ; they paid for them up front which was very affirming for me.

Have decided to close my etsy shop for a while as sales have been very slow lately. Sometimes I think it is hard to take photographs of art that reflect the detail in each piece. I am hoping that I can sell more of my art (birds and collages in particular) to quality gift shops. That way people can see what they are buying in person. Wish me luck!

That being said I am very grateful to everyone who has bought my art on etsy. And I may open my shop again at some stage.

Here are two collages I have created recently. I am using so many Swarovski crystals lately that I am needing to buy them in bulk. Luckily I have found this seller on Ebay who sells them at a great price.

Also created two new birdies. Finding Czech glass buttons (I have bought from here) are adding a lovely dimension to my birds...a bit of extra bling!

Am busy at work (and outside of work) with the lead up to Christmas but trying my best to not get caught up in the frenzy (not always easy).

Hope you are having a good week.

Lots of love

Dot xx

Felting, birdies, collages and kitties...

It has been a warm week and very unseasonable. Spring has skipped straight through into Summer. We have a scorcher summer predicted this year which is not good. And especially not good in light of the bushfires we had earlier this year. Hopefully we will be better prepared this time. A lot of people are still rebuilding after the fires and I know the emotional scars would be very hard to erase for lots of people. The loss of life and property was tragic.

Yesterday I made this piece of wet felting. First time I had made a piece on my own and I enjoyed the process of selecting bits and pieces to felt with. Including some small pieces of Sari silks to add some extra color. I can see that I need to stock up on felting supplies as this is quite addictive. My kitties were most intrigued at their mama felting on the kitchen bench and had to be shooed away as they tried to ' help' he heee..
I also finished a bird I was making for a friend's birthday. Used some wet felting as the base and lots of delicious crystals. And included a Czech Glass button in the centre. Love the dimension that wet felting and Swarovski crystals (and now Czech glass buttons) has added to my art. I am also loving using felt pebbles from this lovely etsy seller. Highly recommend Catherine's shop as she is very friendly and her felting is of a very high standard.

I am using lots of quality embellishments these days which are expensive so will be increasing the price of birds, collages and dolls I sell from now on. Have kept the prices down to keep my art more affordable but need to re-coup some of dollars I spend on embellishments. And also believe I offer a quality product that takes many hours to create. To me it is about putting a higher value on my time and myself. Not here to make a fortune but would love to ultimately make art for a living. That would make me SO happy....

Last post I shared a photo of some sari silks a colleague had bought back from India for me. He wouldn't take any payment for them so I decided to make him a fabric collage as a thank you ; using some of the fabric he gave me. Thought you might enjoy a couple of work in progress pic's The first photo is of the fabrics (and a piece of felting) that inspired me to make this piece.

Next step..

And many happy hours later the finished product. The collage measures approxiamtely 8 x 8" and is mounted on a wrapped canvas that I painted with Twinkling H2o's. Thought it would be a nice reminder of my colleague and his family's recent trip to India. He really liked it (and his wife loved it).
The other weekend I was stitching away in my light filled lounge room and noticed Ronnie staring out the window intently.

And noticed Essie doing the same thing at another window.

I looked outside and saw who they were looking at! It may be hard to see in this photo but there is a black cat (who is a bit of a menace) sitting in the middle of the driveway. Both Ronnie and Essie were very alert watching him.

Couldn't resist this photo of Ronnie. It was taken from the front of my unit and I chuckled at the sight of Ronnie looking out my bedroom window. There are lots of good viewing places in my new home. And the kitties take advantage of all of them.

And finally a photo of Ronnie taken after a long day's adventure. He was very tired after being out and about for 8 hours the day before. I didn't realise when I took this photo that he had been in a cat fight and I needed to take him to my vet last week to get a nasty cat bite seen to. He is on the mend now but was not a happy cat for 5 or so days. I think Ronnie is still getting used to not being top cat any more. He will always be top cat in my books though - I am totally besotted with him. And get very upset when he is hurt.

Hope you have a good week.

Dot xx

Color heaven.....

I enjoyed a 4 day break last weekend and had a relaxing and creative time. It was good to have time out to play - and spend time with friends and with the kitties. And time to commune with the ocean!

As you may be aware I recently started selling my Dotee doll kits exclusively through a on-line store called Krafti-kit. Have been enjoying working with them and are in the process of designing more doll kits for their consideration. Here are some photo's of some of the Dotee doll kits they are selling. I love seeing photo's of these kits all in a row.

Be sure to check out their site. They have lots of other wonderful kits created by artists all over the world.

Last weekend Jacky came over and we had a fun time sharing our art and art we had received from others. Then we headed over to our friend Elizabeth Armstrong's studio to collect dolls we had bought from her. I had been hanging out to see my doll in the flesh and was so , so excited when Elizabeth brought her out to show me. She is beautiful and about 16" tall. Created in my favorite colors.

If you click on the photo you will be able to see more detail. Haven't named her yet but will very soon. I think she has a very ' knowing' look on her gorgeous face.

As always a visit to Elizabeth's studio is a feast for the eyes and the heart. So much color and beauty to see. And Elizabeth is very gracious and warm. I felt so inspired all weekend (am sure my doll from Elizabeth had lots to do with it)..

Had many ideas buzzing all involved LOTS of color. Created this retro (groovy baby) bird - see my etsy shop if intersted. There is something about creating with orange that makes me feel joyful and alive.

This orange birdy insisted on a photo shoot. So I nestled her amongst some goodies on my table. These goodies included some sari silks a colleague bought back from India, some cotton chenille my gorgeous friend Lisa gave me, and some wool rovings and felt scraps from Elizabeth. Color heaven indeed! I also created a bird for a friend who is going through a hard time. Used some nuno felting I made at Jacky's place recently for the body and the wing. And cut out some flowers from a piece of Indian fabric. I love stitching into nuno felt. It is so soft and the needle glides in. Was very happy with the result - the word luscious springs to mind(isn't luscious a good word?). Now onto my favorite project of the weekend. This one had me clapping my hands with glee during the creative process and afterwards too.

I had recently made a couple of felted vessels and had been itching to embellish the one below.

Spent many a happy hour with needle in hand. Used some felted pebbles , sari fabric , buttons, pieces of fabric and lots of seed beads and swarovski crystals. Also used metallic thread on all the blue bits between my embellishing to add extra sheen. Lots of small stitches to add some bling!

One of the most enjoyable parts of creating for me is selecting beads for a project. Little mountains of goodness.

Having a love affair with metallic Guterman thread at the moment. It adds lots of extra sparkle (and as you know I do lurve sparkle). This is my favorite color (at the moment).

I created the inchies below for a swap I am doing with a friend on Flickr. These are heading off to California as I type.

I received this beautiful cuff from my friend Charlotte from the UK last week. Had asked if she would do a swap with me and was thrilled when she said yes. I made her this Amelia doll in return.

Charlotte creates the most beautiful textile art. And I have already worn this several times.

Charlotte has two gorgeous daughters and both of them made me a gift (how blessed am I?).

Phaedra made me this sparkly fairy soap. And Romy made me the pink magnet below. Love gifts from little people.

I have listed two of my fabric collages in my etsy shop. And have had requests for more colors to choose from. Am working on 3 more at the moment in blues, greens and reds and will list them in the upcoming weeks.

Have a great weekend my friends!

Lots of love

Dotxx

Smiling.....

I seem to be smiling a lot lately.

Lot's of positive things are manifesting in my life and I am very grateful. I feel very abundant at the moment. And the more abundant I feel the more abundant I seem to become. Like attracts like I believe.

Had a lovely weekend last weekend. A good mixture of art, friendship, exercise and kitty love. One of those weekends where I felt at peace and happy.

Created this blue birdy and as always loved working in these tones. When I work in blues and greens I always feel calm and content. This little lady was listed in my etsy shop (briefly) and has sold to a lovely lady in the US. She will be flying to her new home very soon. Have been wanting to knit some vessel's for a while so was thrilled to find a pattern in my local Spotlight. Knitted these little containers during the week and then felted them in my washing machine last Saturday. What a fun process! It was magical to see them felt in 5 mins. And I chuckled as I pulled them out of the hot water with tongs. No doubt I will embellish them at some stage (won't be able to resist).

Last Sunday Jacky and I got together and did some felting. Had a fun afternoon with lots of giggles and were both happy with how our felted pieces turned out. We felted onto pure silk which was fun. Am looking forward to cutting into this!

Found a lovely seller on etsy who makes felted ' nubbles' and pebbles and bought some recently. Think they will add a interesting dimension to my art. And I like looking and playing with them too (so lovely and tactile).

Went for a refreshing walk by the ocean last weekend and it did my heart good (and the rest of me) to get some fresh air. The weather was perfect and I felt so content as I walked. Chatted to lots of people walking their doggies and loved the feel of the sea breeze on my face.

The water was clear (and rather sparkalarkily)... These gorgeous flowers flourish near the water.

The kitties are enjoying their new home and Essie has found several sunny spots to indulge her love of sunshine. For some reason she loves sitting in my kitchen and I chuckle every time I see her. She looks very content (and a bit inscrutable) in this shot. Have been trying to get photo's of Ronnie bear but he runs away when the camera comes out (fooey).

Hope you are all having a good week.

Lots of love

Dotx

Hello......

Not sure where the time has gone over the last two weeks. Have been out and about keeping busy and time seems to have gotten away from me.

Saw the movie Mao's Last Dancer over the weekend and loved every minute of it. And spent the last 10 minutes crying happy tears. Went with my sister Sue and we had a lovely time. When the lights came up after the movie we both had tears in our eyes and took a few minutes to compose ourselves before we headed out into the sunshine. Beautiful story, great actors and inspirational dancers.

Also finished reading a book called The Elegance of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry(recommended by my friend Jacky - thanks Jacky). It was originally written in French and has been translated into English. Such a beautiful, inspirational and moving story. It was one of those books I didn't want to end and I hugged it a lot as I read (which is always a sign I am enjoying a novel). Felt a bit sad when it was over...

Bought some buttons to add to my stash over the weekend and thought they looked striking on one of my kitchen plates. They look good enough to eat don't they? (mind you I don't think they would be very good for your teeth if you did munch on them he heh)..This is my latest bird and I am very happy with how she turned out. Used some delicious fabrics. And enjoyed working with my latest love ; size 15/0 beads. I love the detail they bring to my fabric art. Do love working with teeny things on teeny things!

Also used some felt ' nubbles' I bought from this etsy seller on the bird's wing and like the extra dimension they added. This beaded lovely is available in my etsy shop. *SOLD*

Recently I asked my friend Charlotte from Fancypicnic blogspot if she would like to do a swap with me. Charlotte is very talented and lovely person and I adore her textile art. Was very pleased when she said yes to swapping and created this Amelia doll for her. This little lady is currently winging her way to the UK. I know she will be exceptionally happy in her new home!

Have invested in more size 15/0 beads (after being introduced to them by my friend Lisa). And here is a photo of my latest purchases. I love, love, love these little vials of goodness :) .

One of the things I love about etsy is the sellers I have found there. And Amy from SquirrelMama is one of those lovely people I have ' met' . Her art is so whimsical and fun and her packaging is always adorable. Could not resist Kenji the weedling and Lon the bat. I smile everytime I look at them!

Jacky recently surprised me with a batch of special fabric. As you know a girl can never have too much fabric so I was in heaven when I saw the fabric she had sent to me.

(used some of this fabric on the wing of the bird in this post).

The next two photo's are of some sari silk she inlcuded in the package. I cannot get enough of this stuff and Jacky was very generous to share it with me. Jacky has a very big heart and is always sending me art goodies. Art friends are really the best sort aren't they?My first batch of Dotee doll kits have arrived at their new home in Oregon in the US. And are now available for sale at Krafti-kit's new e-commerce store. Be sure to check out their store as they are adding lots of art loveliness in kit form every day.

Have a good week everyone!

Dot xx

Roses, fabric collages, friendship and relaxing kitties...

I have been having a lovely time lately. Lot's of time spent with family and friends. Am in a good space mentally and emotionally which is nice place to be!

Last weekend I caught up with a friend Mary and we went out for a delicious lunch at a local cafe. She gave me some roses from her garden and they smell heavenly. And look beautiful on my kitchen window ledge. Mary is the kind of friend that makes you feel good about yourself and your life. And I always feel very calm and happy (and very loved) after I see her.

On Sunday I caught up with my friend Selda and saw the movie Julia and Julia ; starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. It was brilliant. The movie is a lovely ' foodie' movie and very funny. We laughed all the way through and fell in love with Meryl's portrayal of Julia Child. Felt very hungry afterwards too!

Saw the movie Young Victoria the other weekend (starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend) and thoroughly enjoyed that as well. Lot's of movies on I want to see at the moment.

These are the rose's my friend Mary gave me...Am continuing to read avidly and read the latest Jodi Piccoult book Handle with Care last week. Couldn't put it down. I love her books and always get lost in the story. This one is very moving, sad and inspiring. I find Jodi Piccoult's characters stay with me long after the story is over.

My kitties continue to enjoy their lives and I couldn't resist taking this photo of Ronnie from my spare bedroom window. He always finds the best spots and I laughed when I saw his foot sticking out like that! He knows how to relax that boy - and spends many a moment relaxing and grooming his fluffy coat.

I made the following two fabric collages recently and will be listing them in my etsy shop soon. Used some more of my nuno felt for this one, lots of bits and piece and part of a cushion cover I bought to chop up! Each collage is about 5 x 6". I find it very hard to capture the colors accurately by camera. Both collages are more vibrant in real life.

This is a close-up of a bird I made recently. This bird is winging it's way to the home of one of my mum's English friends. Tweet!

Recently I mentioned that I may be selling some of my Dotee doll kits through a American company. I was approached a little while back by them and have been busy putting the final touches to my kits. They have placed their first order with me which is very exciting. The company (Krafti-Kit) will be launching their on-line store on October 15 and will be selling lots of different kits there. Catering for the textile lover in all of us!

I am no longer selling Dotee doll kits through my etsy store as I will be selling them exclusively through Krafti-Kit. Wish me luck!

Take care and enjoy your week.

Lots of love

Dot xx

P.S Be sure to check out my friend Lisa's blog. She makes incredible beaded art and her latest blog post is a feast for the eyes, and heart.

Lot's to share!

Hope you all having a good week. The weather has been changeable here in Melbourne which is typical for Spring. Wish we had more rain though as we are facing very strict water restrictions during our Summer.

I am feeling much better and have finally shaken my bronchitis and the accompanying cough. Nice to feel well again and have energy after 3 weeks of feeling a bit icky.

Had a social weekend which was nice after 3 weekends of being home due to illness.

My sister Sue shouted me to a Cat Stevens musical tribute/concert in the city (thanks Sue!). And we had a lovely time. Caught the train in and did lots of reading on the way in and out(and people watching too). The concert was fabulous and we were both singing along to each song - as was the rest of the audience. And catching each other's eye and smiling at our shared enjoyment. It was very special to share this experience with her.

Wonderful music, great musicians and a very appreciative crowd. The lead singer Paul Dillon (from the UK) sang his music beautifully (and was nice to look at too - mmm).The music took me back to the 70's and memories of being a teenager. I had older brothers who listened to Cat Stevens and loved the music. He was a very talented song writer. Cat Stevens converted to Islam (changed his name to Yusuf Islam) when he was 30 and didn't sing for many years. However, he has recently released a new album and is going to tour England I believe. Timeless music with a peaceful message.

Nice to spend quality time with my sister Sue - we never run out of things to say to each other!

On Sunday my ex neighbour Marilyn and her 90 year old mum Roma came over to visit my new home. Ronnie has his own fan club and I smiled when I saw Roma cooing to him and giving him a smooch. Not every day you see a 90 year old cooing to a kittie (I loved it). We had a nice catch up. They are lovely people.

Have been keen to share photo's of some art I have created recently. For a dear friend of mine from Oregon in the US called Lisa (love you sweetie). Wanted to wait until she had received my package before I shared photo's with you.

I loved every minute of creating for her as she is a very special lady - and I wanted to express my love for her through my art.

Recently I went to a felting class with Elizabeth Armstrong with my friend Jacky and did some Nuno felting (fun). And wanted to use a piece of it to make a special fabric collage for Lisa. Made the piece below and enjoyed adding some sari silk, felt, sequins and a bead (or two). I love stitching through felted pieces - soooo soft! This piece is mounted on a 8 x 10" card to give you an idea of the size. Hard to capture the colors via my camera. It is more sparkalarkily in real life (I do like that word!).

(Am working on some fabric collages to sell in my etsy shop - thanks for the encouragement and suggestion Julia - and will have photo's of them next post).
Lisa made me a gorgeous Dotee doll ( that I look at every day). And I wanted to make her a special one in return. Used lots of Sari silks , beads and embellishments. Made this little lady a bit bigger than I usually do as I wanted to show off the fabric. Am going through a sari silk addiction at the moment. Can't get enough of the stuff!

I also made Lisa one of my birds and used some designer fabrics for the base. Like to work with lots of different colors so this bird was fun to create.

It brought me so much pleasure to create for someone so dear to me. And someone I knew would appreciate every stitch and piece of my heart that went into this art. I was in creative heaven.

The last piece of art I created was a fabric book. Each page is approximately 3.5" by 5.5" in size. I have a real love for working in miniature so this was a great experience for me.

I used lots of lovely fabrics, charms and beads and the book ,though small, is very chunky! Here are 5 of the 8 pages I created for the book (3 didn't photograph too well). I like to get as much detail as I can into a small area he heee...

Lisa sent me a beautiful needle felted owl she made recently so I decided to make this owl a centre point of this page (and cover for the book).

Love the square green mosaic style buttons I used on the bottom of this page (a great find on Etsy).

My heart sang when I worked with these lucsious pinks and purples. Decided to give the birdie some serious neck ' bling'...

And used a Carla Sonheim printed transfer for the centre of this page.Incorporated some lovely goodies from friends in this page. My friend Julie gave me a packet of green felt birds back in March and I love using them in my fabric work. And Jacky gave me some of the luscious lace I used on the bottom of the page. I also used some size 15 beads Lisa gave me recently. So it was a joint creation in lots of ways :).I don't know where I would be with out my art. It brings me so much joy to create each day and even more when I know my art is bringing joy into it's new home.

May have some exciting news to share soon about selling some doll kits on-line. Will keep you posted!

Lots of love

Dot xx