Last day of daylight savings

Summer is definitely over, not that we had much of a summer. Woke up this morning to rain again, got soaking wet while taking out the rubbish and compost material, was pottering around undecided what to start of the things I have to do - I feel like hibernating.
It has been an amazing, busy, exhausting (non)summer, lots of changes are in the air.
I believe that in everything which first seems to be bad is something good. The end of the co-op last year was a nightmare but the right move. The wall hanging was a big challenge, but the right move again. It was so great to do an art piece without any practical use just for the sake of people looking at it. One of my friends couldn't believe that somebody wants to hang something like this on a wall. "It will only collect dust and cobwebs, how on earth will she keep it clean!" she said. I am not thinking that way. If I want something practical which is easy to keep clean I go to the Warehouse and buy a cheapy there. I am not here to compete with that - I want to make art, instead of mass production doing one off pieces. And I come very close to this goal now. A very good gallery in Russell, a wonderful little town with lots of history, old buildings and tourists, will exclusive represent my work here for Northland. No clothing or small brooches, they will have the big things. I need to tidy up my "Seven Sisters", a set of figures for Matariki , they were in storage for a while.

Christine, the owner liked them very much and I am happy to show them again. I plan to replace the loose feathers on top of the cloaks with feather strips. I must check the leftover peahen feathers I have if they are still good then find out, how to make it best. There are ready made strips available on Trade Me but only with pheasant feathers at the moment. I need to ask a woodworker to do me a simple wooden disk for each one to stand on, with some sort of spike in the middle to poke in, to give them more stability. This figures where my first attempt in big needle felted sculptures and some are a bit soft.
Of course I need to make 3 more birdies like these ones

and for the big spring opening after the winter break I will make a tryptich, 3 wall hangings with 'garden scenes'. This needs a bit thinking. I have some ideas but they are still circling around in the deep.
So, what to do with all the scarves, small flowers, knittings and crochet work? Well I will put them on Etsy. I need to set up a good place to take photos, thats the main problem at the moment.
The whole house is such a mess, got totally neglected the last months, I need to push myself to get organized again, just one step after another. It seems to be such a big mountain! Well it was not messed up in a day so it cannot be cleared in a day.
Good to see that Alex is improving. 5 weeks have gone after the operation and next Wednesday we are off to Whangarei for the final check. Hopefully he is allowed to walk without crutches then. Then he might be able to drive again, that would be nice too. Amazing what modern medicine can do!
What a pity that I didn't win this weeks lotto jackpot - I saw 2 wonderful sculptures at the gallery yesterday, they would have been perfect for my daughter Monika. One was a fluteplayer and the other one a quilter. She is amazing in both things though the quilter is definitely in the foreground now. I love her work!
Then we might plan a trip to Auckland to buy a different car. Our Honda CRV is now 15 years and we could do with a more economical car, the petrol price is rising and rising! $2.23 at the moment per litre!
And if Alex gets the all clear we will book flights to go to Germany this year. We missed out last year and I am so looking forward to see my son again.
fingers crossed........

Abundance

looks good at it's place

and another flower

but a painted one this time. I went to the painting group this morning. I expected to be a lesson on, but it was cancelled. So I just used one of the photos of one of the last lessons and tried to paint this flower

That's how far I came in 2 hours, it could do with some finishing. Amazing how wobbly my brush strokes where, I am not used to any more, I haven't painted for about 4 years! It took me a bit to get it straight. Anyway I enjoyed it and I will go back next week!

rainy sunday

miserable weather again, I pottered around all day, did lots of tidying up, sorting out the wardrobe, taking rubbish to the bin, shopping for some more storage boxes, washing dishes and more dishes, feeding the birds, cooking, baking an apple cake, hunted in the garage for some of my painting gear, feeding the cat, sorting out washing, and and and.....
I have done lots of things, but I feel as if I haven't done anything. Definitely need to go back to do some creative work!

What to do next?

I have decided, I will try out the knitting machines I've inherited.  I own  already a Brother 860 punch card machine with ribber and in the garage are stored at the moment a singer electronic machine with ribber, and a singer punch card machine, to which the ribber can be attached to and also a bulky8 with ribber. I didn't know that the bulky8 could have a ribber, so I am looking forward to get the machine into the house. Dagmar has lent me her bulky8 for some time and it is easy to use, just that our clima here is not really suitable for chunky clothing. I will give it a go anyway. And I wonder if the electronic machine is still working, that would be wonderful! I am always up to a challenge and I am pretty sure these machines will challenge me a lot!
But before I can start, I have to tidy up my work space, which is in fact the dining area of my living room. So many finished things are still left from the time when I was an Origin member, they have all to be stored in boxes - yes right, I need to put some of it on etsy or felt, just don't have much hope it will sell, times have changed. And there are also still lots of rovings left, which need to be stored in containers as well. Once this is done, I can put up the machines.
I am not planning to use the knitting machines for producing stuff for sale, I rather make myself something different. And as I said I like challenges. I wouldn't mind to get another big commission, lol who wouldn't ;)
And I need to organize my painting gear. I am planning to join the Artcraft Society again and attend the Monday painting group. That will be a nice change, I haven't painted on paper or canvas for some years and they also have now some tutors there for lessons. I am looking forward to this!
Well better get going and tidy up!

empty

is our living room now, the wallhanging left with the very happy new owners :)

It is finished

I haven't reached my customer yet, only her husband. Fingers crossed that she will like it.