... on christmas!

Two weeks ago, the paddock where I usually nab a christmas tree from burnt out, so I had to look closer to home for an alternative.

There was a rather unruly sandpaper plant growing on the corner of the carport which looked promising. I took to it with my secateurs...
... and wrestled the trimmings into a circle, scratching myself to shreds in the process. (I found it's not called sandpaper plant for nothing!) I added my new string of clear lights...
...and then some decorations. Not a tree but... a christmas... circle?
Merry Christmas!

... on clouds.

This week I bought a lovely ceramic cloud brooch made by Kylie Johnson, a Brisbane poet and maker-of-beautiful-things.
So, here's two of my favourite cloud photographs of 2009 to go with it. The first was taken looking straight up at a mackerel sky one evening whilst camping at Mount Barney, and the second from the top of Bald Rock. It really was a very oddly clouded day, that one.

...on festivities and such things.

I've just had the most delightful time making christmas cards. This year I'd been determined to make my own, as last year I used bought ones. There's something lovely about making multiples of a thing, and busting out cards from a packet doesn't supply the same satisfaction. Lovely letterpress (which is what I used last year) does satisfy a certain craving, but just not the same.
Not. The. Same!

... on a parcel.

With only one exception in the early days, all of my customers have been women. It's not as though what I make is feminine - I would have thought the opposite, given the rusty old tin and the angularity of Arial Black, which was the font I used to use when carving my plaster letters.

So, when I started to develop a new version of my plaster letters, I thought about all these women who were buying my words. I deliberately chose a lovely full rounded font, which I thought would appeal more to these female customers. Yesterday, I've sold my first new word. To a man!

Off you go to Ireland, little parcel!

... on a good thing.

Oh Pinkysil! You've made it a joy to make what I make! You're skin safe and odourless! You're quick-setting and you WORK!

... on the best name for a baby girl.

Up and running! My first batch of cast Plaster Wall Words are making their way into my Etsy store. I don't have a full alphabet yet but my initial letter choice was influenced by wanting to make this for The Beckster.

... on an asterisk.

I've just carved the cutest thing ever.