Where Bloggers Create Party

♥♥♥ Where Bloggers Create Party ♥♥♥
2012

Hello and Welcome everyone!
My name is Suzy Quaife
and I live on the far south coast of Australia.


This year I have decided to join in the party sharing our work spaces and studios from around the world
.
This event is hosted annually by


Karen Valentine of My Desert Cottage Blog

When you visit Karen, our wonderful host, you will see her very beautiful blog and view the list of participants whose studios
you may go and visit.

As this is my first time joining in the party I thought I would briefly share a small sample of my creativity below


.

to give you a taste of what I get up to in my studio - 

(some fabric and paper journals

and collages)

and

and

 why I have the need for so many materials (LOL!)

Oh Yes and now you can see a little bit of the dreamy romantic

 side coming out in me here!

My studio is not large but it contains almost everything I need to create with.


It is the place of familiarity, security, inspiration
and joy which allows my spirit freedom
to express my feelings within
to feed my heart and soul.


The view below is from the door as you enter my room.

I think every conceivable shelf and work surface has been occupied to the max.

Here you see my desk with some of the most immediate

tools and reference books at my fingertips.

My other loves, apart from creating, include collecting vintage goodies, china, silverware, tattered books, furniture and pre-loved

objects d'art that I can give a home.

The flowers sitting on my desk are from our most exotic garden
and this one is a South African protea, called "Blushing Bride"
 - isn't she so gorgeous!
 I have to say much of the inspiration for my creativity 
comes from all the beauty which surrounds me
in this beautiful natural Australian bushland setting
and our rambly old world country garden.

And by night, she is just as equally beautiful with her feathery
tufts of white and pinkish flowers.

One of my fabric hearts adorns the most precious
vintage picture of my mother, probably the most influential woman 
 of my life who died very sadly and suddenly when I was in my teens!

Sitting here is just a few pieces of silk, velvet and pretty lace
dyed from geraniums and rose petals from the garden.


Below here is my chair with my sewing machine
right behind my desk, covered with an Angora goat skin
and it is Oh so cosy to sit on!!!
(Did I tell you that we have a small flock of these gorgeous
creatures out in our paddock???).
Oh, by the way, that skin is not from one of our goats either!!!

In the corner of the opposite end is an old Welsh Dresser
(Leadlight windows removed for easy access)
to fabrics and boxes containing all number of things
used in creating, and, of course,
a small collection of very old books which I also love.

This old dresser, retrieved from a Post Office which burned down
some 20 years ago holds a huge collection of special vintage 
laces, buttons, braids, seam binding, beads, old letter
scales, threads and even tools.

These little cubbies are perfect for all of these small items
which can get lost so easily !!!
We who love to collage have hundreds of
these iddy biddy bits that we just 
can't throw away!

My dressform displays some precious early Australian

clothing and laces which I purchased from a local

historical museum which was so overcrowded

that they held a sale to clear out much

of their acquired garments,

vintage laces, etc.

As I was saying, every shelf, nook and cranny is FULL!!!

I really think it is time (which I have had little of lately -

too busy creating!!!!) to clear away a lot of items

that I don't use as frequently

as others.

Another small passion I have is for tapestry evening bags

and here are only a couple hanging with a silver

belt awaiting use in some mixed media

project and

Oh! in the background you can see some of the many

baskets full of doilies and embroidered tray cloths.

On the opposite side of the room - more shelving above my

very large old table and area where I create, design

etc.

(when not at the sewing machine)

♥♥♥

((Oh my goodness I didn't warn you that you are seeing my

studio just as it is everyday with bits and pieces

that we all have beside us at the ready))

and

my beautiful vintage 1920s typewriter in perfect working order.

I very much treasure this little chest which my dear Jeff

purchased for me to hold all those extra tiny bits -

it originally housed many

Chinese herbs

and each drawer contains three separate compartments.

How handy is that?

with its beautiful brass pull handles?

Not only do I love tarnished but also vintage

pewter, tin, some pottery as seen high upon some shelving

with a few pieces of Tibetan jewellery

and vintage silver plated spoons.

And now for a few supplies:

Precious lace bits - much too precious to use!

But just to admire!

Like these

and these

to turn into creations 

like these -

and these

A collection of sari silk ribbons, braids and trims!

A basket full of soft fabrics waiting for a new journal!

More lace pieces, beaded fabric and vintage silk dress pieces
sitting patiently on a silver tray

A stack of upholstery and damask fabrics which I use
in my journal making
along with some of these more exotic fabrics
which I also love to collect like these
embroidered wool canvases, vintage tapestries,
silk velvet and crushed velvets.

Vintage rhinestone jewellery, pearls  miniature metal picture frames

and bits of bling!

Another view of more fabric -

 I did warn you - (LOL!) 

Some soft chiffons and silks as in baskets below more fabrics.
Also just a few of my more favourite stamps nearby
for easy reach!

Baskets full of cotton fabrics

A bowl full of a variety of buttons

and little drawers containing these pretty

suffolk puffs

and pretty pink lacey embellishments!

A another white bowl full of vintage laces wrapped

around vintage pegs!

An old tin full of all number of doodads!

More doilies stacked up!

Even some driftwood I collected recently from which to

hang some of my collages and

another pearl rosary!

A few more little bottles as objects of inspiration!

A beautiful  old tapestry border

waiting for a collage or journal

next to some trims!

Almost too good too use I think!

A vintage vignette here of a few

gifts and items I just love.

A few old frames, war remnant box and some vintage music sheets. 

These items are sitting on a plate as inspiration

for my new workshop "Heart Strings" with Diane Cook

which I have recently undertaken.

I find these plates just so handy in my studio to arrange

all the materials I need at hand when creating

a new project, journal, collage etc.

They are inspirations in themselves don't you think?

A little collaged card sent recently to a dear friend in need!

And hanging above me while I work are these absolutely beautiful

works of art by blogger friends

to remind me how fortunate I am to have such wonderful people

in my life who continue to inspire, enhance my life, 

enrich my artistic

pursuits

 and fill me with gratitude!

As well as this most incredible view which I can look out on

everyday to remind me how blessed I am to live

in such a beautiful place surrounded by

so much beauty!

Now if you are here then I congratulate you for hanging in there
til the end! Phew! That was a rather long visit if I say so myself -so 
now you had probably go and grab a cuppa 
and get ready to visit some of the
other Bloggers' studios!


I wholeheartedly thank you KAREN for giving us
 this opportunity
to share in the inner worlds of other bloggers who
love to create and share their he/arts.
Your rewards will be great!


Wishing Love, Joy and Kindness 
to everyone visiting,
xxx Suzy

Heart Strings Progress and Mini Shabby Collages

This is the next stage for my Heart Strings Journey -

I am at the point of  putting together

the actual strings made of silk sari ribbons

with the decorated chains

using all number of gorgeous "doo-dads"

Don't you just love that name?

To me it implies all number of some of your

favourite vintage jewellery finds, different dangles,

costume jewellery,

precious pearls

along with a few religious icons,

some gorgeous purchases from Brass Bouquet

including a brass heart and a lovely large

brass connector

seen above

and 

a few items made by myself even

including this little wired nestie with a pearl insert

I really am a nature girl at heart and just had to include

one of our hen's feathers

to enhance the "earthiness" of this new piece.

I am so far very happy with the way it is looking.

As soon as my thimbles arrive I shall be

drawing the strings and chains through this to connect

the neckpiece.

Diane Cook of Rosa and Josie's Blog is the

wonderful tutor for this on-line workshop so

go and visit Diane here.

Also the beautiful sari silk ribbons I purchased from

LaShell at www.designtalentedone.etsy.com.

I cannot believe just how slow I am at this but I know eventually

if I persist the hand tools will become more and more part

of my creative hands.

While I have been waiting for more goodies to arrive for my 

Heart Strings I have been very much back in my

comfort zone creating some of these

Shabby Chic Mini Vintage Hangings

The majority of materials and fabrics used in

these pieces

have been recycled - lots of lovely soft white vintage 

cottons, laces and scrim

along with some new lace fabrics, natural dyed

raw silk

and even a bit of jewellery.

This is another one using a tombstone angel -
now this image is one from Patty of
Magpie's Nest Blog

Patty has one of the most beautiful collection of
tombstone angels I have seen - go and visit 
her blog - her journalling is wonderful!

more dyed lace with a little doo dad over more lace

And this one which is different again!

More recycled fabrics used here and this one

includes some very beautiful embroidered silk

and guipure lace.

All images are on handmade paper.

Now I am going to sell these little hangings and 

they will be available in my Etsy shop

very soon!

Just want to remind everyone that next Saturday -

14th July is the day for

"Where Bloggers Create Party" with Karen Valentine as hostess

so if you want to come and have a little peek inside my studio

and see what goes into creating projects like these

then come and join me here!

Hope you have all had some wonderful time inside creating

as I have had here!

Love and hugs, Suzy xxx

Heart Strings in Progress and Some Gift Tags

Well I have begun my Heart Strings

on-line DVD workshop

under the excellent guidance of the

wonderful on-line tutoring of Diane Cook

(see my previous post below for all the details)

and, although I am travelling at a snail's pace - I have to

admit that I really am enjoying this completely 

new medium whilst still getting used to

using these tiny jewellery tools

so, although, not yet finished

I have some of the decorated chains ready

to show and the sari silk ribbons sitting on the right

hand side of the tray

are almost ready to be joined with the chains

after waiting the arrival of a few more items

including the brass thimble under which

all of the strings come together.

(I must admit I am rather happy with the little nestie

with the pearl)!

In the meantime I have been putting together a few gifts 

and tags so here are some of the collaged tags

(the gifts I will show a bit later!)

I have a beautiful new book cover stamp purchased locally

and it comes in two sizes - this is the smaller size of the

two which covers an oversized tag.

Then there is this one using the same stamp but a very

different image of a gypsy

with some very rich burgandy tassels

So two different versions using the same stamp

and then this one which is completely different again

using a favourite image from Dawn

at The Feathered Nest Blog

Thank you so much Dawn for always making these

beautiful images available to us for use in our creations.

I love how natural she looks!

I do hope very soon I will have some completed Heart Strings

to show you!

Thank you to all my new followers for joining my blog

and to everyone who comes both often or even occasionally

to leave me inspiring comments - thank you so very much.

While you are probably sweltering in the northern hemisphere

we down south are experiencing Winter at its very best

with clear crisp white frosty green paddocks

and the most beautiful blue and clear

skies.

So lucky to be alive!!!!

Love and hugs, Suzy xxx