Stealing out of necessity

Gently said life has been hectic lately. The sad thing is that it doesn't seem to be slowing down. Weeks have gone in working, working and only working… I did hit the low point when I simply couldn’t think, eat, sleep... I new I needed break but than I also new that there wasn’t time to do so. Frustration, frustration, lots of frustration. And than I did it: I stole it. I stole not a bit. I stole a big deal: a day only for myself! My soul. This is stealing out of necessity in order to be able to function again.

I decided to step out of my comfort zone and took a new path: metal, etching, drilling, wiring… Oh, how it felt good. I'm still not comfortable with new tools but it is the beginning of something new. I know Jen (Crossley) is going to laugh because I told her not long time ago that I will never make a jeweller. And I probably won’t but I want to become a bit more comfortable with metal and wire. Long ago I learnt that any skill is a good skill and may come handy at some stage. So here we are: the first attempts.

"On Sunday's"


"Secrets of G Book"

Etched book cover...



...and closer look to beautiful colours...

Few more details...

This is only one page but divided in three parts.

Front of the page:

Inside page 1:

Inside page 2:

...and combined:

To be continued....

More details

Here are some more details for mum's book. The little sample booklet I bought in a Melbourne's antique shop came handy to stick all the press reports.



There are many pages of the reports but I think one is enough for this post.

To be continued...

New Page for Mum's Book

Well, I finally have got into this book . It took me 10 months of thinking and now I'm drowning in so many ideas (not to mention that I'm a bit under the pressure to finish before Mum goes back home). Here is the layout:


I have to make a confession: addicted to the crackle paste...


...rusty things, waxed linen...


...and gauze.


To be continued...

New Project - Book for my Mum

I know some of you are waiting for the "Just in Case" book I was making in Judy Wilkenfeld's class at Creative Soul Retreat. The truth is: it doesn't exist any more simply because I wasn't happy what I made. Instead I started my new project which still doesn't have a title but it is dedicated to my Mum. She is leaving in August and I have to finish it by than.

One of the pages I managed to finish...


Closer look to some details:










To be continued...

60th birthday book

After 5 weeks holidays my first week back at work couldn't start busier:

1. routine work on the ward (BTW I'm a clinical nurse on an acute surgical ward - orthopaedics)
2. giving two in-services to the night staff
3. preparing the meeting for the Orthopaedic Nurses Association of Western Australia (ONA WA) - where I was elected as a president while I was enjoying my life at the Creative Soul Retreat in Melbourne)
4. preparing the ONA WA study day with which we are already running late
5. and on the very first day the girls on the ward told me that "the team has decided" that I will be making a birthday card for our manager’s 60th birthday.

Oh dear... They don't understand that creativity, in my case, requires "a bit" of thinking time before I lay my hand on any projects. But people who know me (and the girls on the ward know me very well) know that I have a big problem with saying NO. So I added another job to my list "things to do" which had to be done within few days.

Back cover:

One of the book pages (guess whose):

Details:

Last page - Pocket for the gift voucher:

Front cover detail:

Finally finished but still drying...

Ready to go...

And the reward? The expression on my manager's face says it all...

Happy 60th Ronnie!!!

CSR 2010 - Part 4 (Leonardo da Twinchie Swap)

Prior to going to the retreat I signed up for the Leonardo da Twinchie swap. It took me ages to make the decision what I wanted to do. I was playing with different ideas and finally submitted the Vitruvian Man. I hope the other girls in this swap were happy with my choice.


Even though 25 people signed up we ended up with 18 twinchies. Sorry I haven't had time to make anything yet (but I will); I just placed them randomly onto piece of paper for photo shoot.


And before I forget: Big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this swap.