A 'measley' fabric book flies to the US

Hi all,

Yes, me again, ..... at long last.

A couple of years ago, my blogger/FB friend Jennifer Coyne Qudeen posted about some spotty rust dyed fabric she had made. She didn't like the 'measle' spots. I said I really liked them, so she generously sent me the whole piece of fabric - all the way to Oz-  for me to play with.

Of course I procrastinated for over a year, but eventually made some delicious cushion covers to go on my new couch. I didn't want to use up all the fabric as there is still a garment [or part there of] waiting in the wings, so I backed the cushions with some lovely earthy organic fabric I picked up on my last trip to Japan.

The story continues.....My friends Barry and Fiona were heading to New York for December, and catching up with Jennifer, so I got my act together and made a lovely fabric book for her as a 'thank you'.

The book started with various ways to enhance the spotty and circular designs,

  but time was against me, so a few other designs crept in...

 

and then some 'pages' were a delight just as they were....

Here is the completed book, pages stitched together and bound over satay sticks, then stitched through drilled driftwood with feature wooden beads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This lovey running stitch on black was part of the card Jennifer sent me with the fabric.

 

 

 

I keep all my gorgeous wabi sabi fabric scraps, so many of them became a cover for the book,

 

 

...which wrapped around making a lovely little book bundle.

 

...and last but not least, my cushion covers which I love SO much.

Thanks Jennifer, Barry and Fiona for facilitating these lovely connections. 

XXX

TOTO - we're not in Kansas anymore

......we are in Japan,

 

...where the primary manufacturer of plumbing equipment is branded 'Toto'. 

Well, actually we are not in Japan anymore - we have been home a week now after a whirlwind 3 weeks of connecting with old friends, making new ones, seeing new sights and engaging in 2 full day community arts events which were a huge success and brought us to tears. More on that later, or go to Fiona's blog. The 'us' constituted myself, Christine Elcoate, Fiona Dempster, Barry Smith and Merv Jefferson, a talented local artist who has Sister City connections. The first 2 weeks were independent of Sister Cities, the last was based in Tatebayashi, the Sunshine Coast Council's Sister City in Japan, an hour N of Tokyo.

Where do I start? This past week has been crazy and I am all over the place on all levels, so I am enjoying a bit of 'time out' going through my photos and savouring the wonderful recent memories of Japan.

Maybe I'll start with the incredible sense of design that is throughout Japan, permeating things old, new, man made, created by nature [often with a bit of help from well practiced secateurs] and even in the worn and tattered remnants of days gone by. A wabi sabi lover's dream destination!!

1. Some of the contemporary man made elements as seen in the street [graphic design envy]...

 

2.  Designs focusing on natural materials...

3.  Mother Nature has her own Degree in Design...

4....and things decay in the most elegant of ways...

5.  Maybe the street maintenance crew are also educated with a sense of good design???...

6...and my dear friend Natsuko honours the life cycle of the dandelion as much as that of the azaelea...

7.  Lastly check out the latest 'inventions' helping to save the planet, make wrapping bunches of flowers easier and more beautiful, and encouraging women to have kids by putting baby holders in public toilets.

...yes, gotta hand it to the Japanese.