Monday 7 September 2009

Wildflowers, Pastels and Lace

I'm sorry it's been such a long time since I've posted here.
I didn't intend to take a big break from blogging but my laptop was hit by a really nasty virus. I had to wipe my computer's hard drive and reinstall all my programs ~ which was very time consuming.
But now I'm back with lots (and I do mean lots) to show.

I have continued to doggedly crochet my Monroe Lacy Stole.
Despite all my mistakes,
I have almost finished the body.
Hooray!


Now I'm working on a beaded edging:





I've done a little travelling since I posted here last, spending a weekend in an historic town called York with my oldest friend. We were so busy catching up and having fun I mostly forgot to take pictures...but I did manage to photograph the pressed tin ceiling in the town hall:



(If you care to look, there are some fabulous photographs of York here.)


I've been attending a pastels course too, which I'm loving. I didn't realise how much I'd missed being in a studio...and I'm learning a lot technically and meeting some gorgeous people.
Here are some of my works in progress:


Still life with Lemons


Still Life with Pears


Nasturtiums at the Front Door




...and I've been out in the bush again.
It's wildflower season here in Western Australia so there are some exquisitely delicate little flowers blooming in the country. (It was only a couple of years ago, when I made an internet friend who happened to be a horticulturalist, that I realised I lived in a botanical wonder.)

These tiny beauties grace my sister's home and the bush block that's close to my parents' house:


Milk Maids



Flame Peas




Hibbertia



Grevillea




Hovea





Me!



I do adore wildflower season. I used to love playing in the bush at this time of the year when I was a little girl. I was a great fan of an Australian author called May Gibbs, and I firmly believed that bush babies and fairies lived amongst the flowers...and, you know, I'm still not totally convinced otherwise.

I'm going on a tour of
the wheatbelt soon, in search of more flora. This time, I'm hoping to take lots of pictures so that I can draw from them, as well as post some here. Before I go, though, I'm planning on catching up on my blog reading ~ I've missed the good folk of Blogland!

Have a wonderful week.
x



23 comments:

Judy Merrill-Smith said...

Good to hear from you! Love your nasturtiums and your bush flower pics.

2paw said...

Your shawl is beautiful. The work is so fine and the beading so pretty: well worth all the effort. Your artwork is fab, it looks exactly like what it should. My tea pot looked like Mickey Mouse. Drawing is NOT my forte!!
Glad you had a wonderful trip. We are really still in the depths of Winter here, only a few bulbs to whet our appetites for Spring.

Kathleen said...

So good to see a post here again! The stole is gorgeous and I know it will be even more "gorgeous-er" when it's all done. Your travels prove to be just as beautiful!

Cheers!
Kathleen

Kathleen said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
inkberryblue said...

I accidentally double posted a comment. Silly me!

stitchin' girl said...

Oh My Goodness!! Your shawl is such a gorgeous color! I love the beads.

kate said...

I love the stole- I can't wait to see a FO! I just really love it whenever anyone adds beads to a crocheted/ knitted object! The beads go so well with the yarn.

Sharon said...

Your lacy stole is gorgeous and your pastels are lovely!

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I may have to follow yours because we have so many of the same interests and it looks like we have the same spinning wheel--Ashford traditional, yes?

Maiden Jane said...

Thanks for commenting on my aprons! Your stole is absolutely gorgeous - as is the beading. I tried my first ever lace weight project and only got 15 rows into it. I'm always so inspired by others, tho.

inkberryblue said...

Thank you for all your lovely comments. I really appreciate them! =>
Sharon, I'd love it if you followed my blog ~ I've just signed up to yours! The wheel was given to me by my mother's cousin. I know how to spin but I haven't used it yet ~ I have to organise my jumbled craft room before I've got the space to spin.

fantasia said...

I loved your pastels paintings! Absolutely gorgeous! I haven´t used mine for a long time, since I started crocheting (I can´t stop doing it!!!)! Kisses!

fantasia said...

I loved your pastels paintings! Absolutely gorgeous! I haven´t used mine for a long time, since I started crocheting (I can´t stop doing it!!!)! Kisses!

Red Hen (dette) said...

Sounds like you are enjoying your leave! The edging on your shawl is very pretty.

Anonymous said...

The stole looks beautiful,I'm looking forward to seeing that complete, such a pretty colour.
Wonderful photos of York and stunning pastel drawings. I'ts been a long time since I've done any pastel work...

Love the flowers too and their fairies!

Katie said...

Love the flower shots! And don'tcha just hate viruses! :)

magnusmog said...

Good to have you back :)

Unknown said...

I found your blog in ravelry, gotta say I really like how you make your photos interesting. You make me want to rush outside and start snapping.

Kate said...

My goodness it's been a while since I checked up on your blog! You have been so busy!
#1 Yay for LSL
#2 Yay for having planned lots of great things to do with your LSL
#3 Wow for your shawl
#4 Wow for your silk poncho/nuno felting
#5 Wildflowers are stunning.
:>

Pete said...

Wow, what a GORGEOUS riot of colour this post is! The shawl is looking amazing and I loved the photos you linked too of the small town

Grace Garton said...

Everything looks so fresh and vibrant! mmmm spring is in the air.
The shawl looks wonderful and what a great colour!
The pastels look great, love the way you captured the light on the objects in 'Still life with Pears'.
I think I have mentioned it before, but I'll say it again...you certainly have a great eye for colour:)

Indigo Blue said...

Lovely drawings! I could never get my life drawings to look life-like at all. We had to do figure drawing as part of my degree. Well, the less said about that the better. The stole is gorgeous, I am playing about with making flowers at the moment. My crochet is improving, it is just the pattern reading again, just like the knitting! Take care.
xx

LĂșcia said...

Hi,
I love the drawing!
Very nice colors and the light is amazing.
Bye

LĂșcia
www.luciamrusso.com
www.fazemosdeconta.com

Bhavna said...

Oh wow, all the beautiful stuff. Pastel projects are all looking awesome!

Your photos, as always, are lovely!