DE CLUTTER DE CLUTTER

Well it's the dawn of a new year and as we are looking for new pastures it's time to get rid of stuff!!! Every time I go over to the shed I select 5 objects to put in the market pile....its getting very hard cos I do love stuff, especially mine!! But hey one can always get more! Also the ebay site I have with my best bud is up and running.....

50's vintage fabric

bricbracsisters56 Just click on the ebay icon on top right for this weeks vintage fabrics on offer. Here' a few pics.......

Vintage Moroccan Cushion

Beachcombing

Beachcombing is one of my most favourite things..... For years I have been attracted too all that's shiny, bright and unusual that the ocean gives up. I have boxes and boxes (and yes I do have  licence to collect) of treasures but still I can't help myself....To justify my passion and to make a little money I create specimen pictures......here are a few examples

 Later on down the track when I work out the finer details shell collages will be available for sale.

Florentine Fashion

I'm posting this photograph in honour of my second blog follower head-over-heels-style.blogspot.com I am not really a fashionista myself but I do love looking at it and also love all the separate creative elements that go with the process. I took this photograph in Florence (or was it Barcelona?) at a wonderful fashion exhibition......It was a huge life size drawing hanging on toilet wall!! The exhibition included frocks from all the great Italian designers and also lots of hands-on interactive exhibits. The best being a fully enclosed cat-walk about 20 meters long. The walls were totally covered in real life photographs of the audience with paparazzi at the end complete with flashing bulbs. I did my own private strut down the cat-walk at least a dozen times!! 

Rugs for Communities

At paddington market in Sydney I came across the most fantastic stall selling handmade rugs made by women in Cambodia....there was an inspiring story that went with the rugs. This charitable organisation www.carpetsforcommunities.org was started by an Austalian man, David bacon, who saw the oppotunity to help women and families in need by setting up a small cottage craft industry making these incredibly vibrant hooked rugs. The rugs are made with donated new T-shirt material. Purchasing a rug helps very poor women earn a wage and set programs in place for health and education and helps "remove the financial incentive for human trafficking and the exploitation of children". I bought the rugs pictured for my nieces for christmas. Do yourself a favour and check out their site......it's a wonderful thing!

Sicilian Street Art

Sicily is the island of incredibly diverse cultures........ art, architecture, antiques markets and food abound. I took this photo of an old poster in the streets Palermo.

The peeling, distressed paper adds to its charm.

(She always makes me smile)

Buttons and baubles

This is a photograph of my best buddy's necklace hanger. One of our favourite pass times is hunting for, playing with and creating pieces with buttons and baubles. Buttons are a never ending source of enjoyment for us!!! Big, small, glass, bakerlite, shell you name it we love them all. In the coming months I will be selling some of our creations so watch this space.

Check out my new etching!!

I have just purchased this etching by "kate butler" from the Australian Print Workshop in Gertrude street Melbourne. As I am a bit of a bird nut it's the perfect christmas present to give to myself!!!

"It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas"

Inspired by the gorgeous white Ti-tree that is in full flower at our house I decided to whip up a quick christmas wreath. 
Materials: 
*4X90cm pieces of Ti-tree or willow or some sort of vine.
*4 pieces of ribbon to tie on joins.
*Something to hang from the top. Plus extra length of ribbon.
How to make it
**** twist together 2 pieces of foliage at cut end then tie with ribbon to help strengthen join**
****do the same with the remaining 2 pieces.
****Twist piece A and Piece B together and once again tie at joins to strengthen.
**** hang your chosen item from centre with some ribbon
(add some everlasting daisies or paper flowers if you have them)

Time to get blogging!!!

I'm finally home after a 6 months of roaming so its time to get blogly serious. I have collected many ideas and have been inspired by a plethora of people, places and things so there's no excuse but to start...............
here are a few my recent collages ............

"the tree of life"

collage with lino-print

Collage for me satisfies my compulsive treasure hunting urge.

Paper and print

are a constant source of inspiration: texture, fonts, layers colour.....there's so much on 

offer from the tiniest piece of distressed paper found on the side walk to old music manuscripts

and 1950's mags at markets.Then there's the wonderful old stamps and type for over printing........

"mmm fashion!"

"blue birds of happiness No8"

                             

Blue bird of happiness

This work has been inspired by the girls from Prints Charming  Cath and Kirsten who featured my work on their blog in November. They have also produced a wonderful book of the same name that shows you how to screen-print, embellish and create fantastic textiles. I will feature photo's of their colourful studio soon. 


I screen-printed this image on linen with a paper stencil and then embroidered with pearl and DMC threads. 

In the following months, I hope to show you an eclectic mix of art of my own and other findings that inspire me.

break out the champagne there's a new blog on the block!!

Welcome to bricbracblog testing, testing one, two, three!

Welcome to bricbracblog

This blog will feature print, mixed media, textiles, collage, streetart, vintage, photography, travel, beach combing, decor, craft and art tutorials, markets and.....