Wishing everyone out there in blogger land a peaceful, safe and happy festive season and a wonderfully creative 2018.

I joined our local artist's cooperative gallery a while back. It's called 'Peace of Green'  - a bit of a throwback to the early hippy days of our wonderful town. The gallery has been going for 25 years - it says a lot about the quality of the work and the commitment of the 20 members.
I now have the opportunity to launch into new jewellery pieces, knowing I have an outlet for sales.
I'm still using recycled materials - mainly repurposed silver plated alloys and EPNS, creating 'patchworks' of metal for pendants, earrings and more recently bracelets, cuffs and rings.
It's SO much fun!!!

...pendants with 'pock marks', holes stamped from the back

 

 ...bracelets made from handles of trays & bowls

 ...cuffs from wide sections of trays

 ..and some gorgeous rings that are definitely 'wabisabi'.

 

Upcycled Jewellery Workshop

A couple of weeks ago, I taught a workshop at the Kenilworth Arts Festival.
I had a group of 8 ladies learning new skills in order to revamp some precious and favourite jewellery pieces.
Some were full necklaces, some were antique bits and pieces, some were not even jewellery but found objects with sentimental significance.

Here I am demonstrating how to use the jeweller's saw.

Ladies learning how to file and sand metals.

 Restringing and adding bits to favourite necklaces.

Sentimental dog tag, amber, jointed silver figure, coral and pearl used in new combinations.

 Costume jewellery pieces [dress buckle, crystals and Indian necklace] get a revamp.

We had a lot of fun, laughed a lot, learned new skills and made new friends.

# For more information on Upcycled Jewellery Workshops, click on the WORKSHOPS tab above.

Monoprinting complete for now

I have finished another 3 sets of prints for our exhibition in 3 weeks. The full sets are in albums over on my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/noela.mills, or you can go to directly to these links
[1] Noela Mills, [2] Noela Mills, [3] Noela Mills
I have had SO much enjoyment doing these little 'monotypes', they are actually print based mixed media, but the local Maleny Printmakers are very open minded and are very encouraging of non mainstream experimental work.
Here are a few of my favourites:

 'Gaia' - apparently this is to be published in the upcoming 'Imprint' mag.

This next series is titled 'Little Creatures':

Now for 'A Touch of Whimsy':

 

..and lastly, 'Conception'. 

These are only 10cm x 15cm [image] - small but very sweet.

 

Here is the exhibition poster with the details:

 It would be great to see some fellow bloggers at the opening.

Monoprinting #2

'Gaia'
This time I printed a black blob onto paper, 

...glued down a torn bit of chin colle tissue paper for added interest,

...dipped some coconut broom fibres in blue ink and squished the lines down,

 ...then carefully chose a small gold foil flick to off set the organic composition.

....voila.!!....