investments

spending money on things that are a little over the ol' budget.... nothing drastic, a book, a magazine, a cake, a wheel, some stylie shorts for my man, and the ever faithful budget ruiners - food and booze.
Pictures from in fashion magazine issue 33, loads of crazy inspirations for my pottery, colour structure, detail, its all there, I just need to trial and error to adapt techniques from textiles to ceramics... very exciting!






















Valentino Garavani for VALENTINO. I love the structured half circles clinging to the delicate highly patterned
framework.





















Alber Elbaz for LANVIN, almost the opposite, the ruffles fall as they pleased, tipped with gloss to highlight the curves.




















Paulo Melim Anderson for CHLOE. so expressive in colour and application, great asymmetry.



















Riccardo Tisci for GIVENCHY, Albert Kriemler for AKRIS. loving the scales, can really see this translating into surface treatment for ceramics. The geometric and folded shapes are beautiful too, reminds me of traditional pleating treatments we experimented with at Massey.
And last of all images from a recent ebay purchase Decorating pottery with clay, slip and glaze by F. Carlton Ball 1967! which could give me a few clues on my way to achieving some of the prettiness I desire for my pots...

THE recipe

A wave of I don't know what came over me about a week ago and gave me the idea to make a christmas cake. Its started, Nan sent the recipe today and the mixed fruit is soaking up the brandy and glycerine goodness as we speak. The soaking stage has been quite enjoyable so far, I feel relaxed, no trouble seems to be brewing, and I can spend as much time as I like reading other craft blogs and clawing my way through the mountain of amazing things to be seen on flickr.
THE cake can also give you permission to drink the rest of the brandy (ahem, quite a lot) and boast about your domestic prowess to others (regardless of the outcome, making a christmas cake is quite impressive).

½ lb butter
½ lb sugar
6 eggs - separated
¾ lb flour
1 tspn mixed spice

3 lb mixed fruit – I generally add a packet of glace red cherries to that.
8 0z tin crushed pineapple
2tbspns brandy
1 tspn glycerine

1 tspn each of essences, lemon, rum, almond and vanilla.

Soak fruit overnight in pineapple, brandy and glycerine

Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolks one at a time, add spice and essences then flour, fruit and lastly beaten egg whites.

Preheat oven to 150 then turn to `135 when cake goes in, cook 4 hours or until tested. (Prick with a skewer and if it comes up clean it’s cooked. Cover top with baking paper for the first hour so the top doesn’t get too brown.

When it’s cooked and cooled down I poke it all over with the skewer and then pour LOTS of brandy over I – well about 3-4 tbspns I’d say.

Good luck and sorry about the imperial measures.

the test

I put some price tags on my pots today. There is a three day exhibition/sale on at the pottery studio this weekend. I have put in 24 pieces, some to get rid of, and a couple so outrageously expensively priced I wont be disappointed if they don't go.

ironing

Ironing fabric and other kinks can be very satisfying. I am currently trying to smooth my life out and catch up on about 3 weeks of not normal. Starting from today with this post. Lots to catch up on, I have a few pots to photograph and some selections to make for the end of year exhibition. I am being leaned on to put some things in to sell, but which??? Very scary, and happening this weekend before my big vases have been glazed, dammit!
So the photos here are evidence of a flurry of stitching on the last day Amber was here... It all began after stumbling unknowingly from Richmond Train station into a golden haven of fabric. Artextil at 285 Lennox Street. I am yet to tackle this amazing cotton drill shot with stainless steel, very exciting! The skirts we made were all cut from a little A-Line Amber had with her, one military styles thanks to an old iron on patch I have had for years, and one cute apron type of thing pictured. We made one greenish and one blue underskirt for the apron with patterned facings and brightly coloured zips for secret off-the-wall-ness.

travellers

Even pottery went out the window last week... Logan and I went to dog-sit on the other side of the river making early classes and late work impossible for someone erring toward lazy. Positive points of note are however

1. I did a favour for my boss
2. I got to hang out in a house with just Logan and one crazy boxer
3. I clocked a few hours at work (thus lubricating some outrageous spending)
4. Had another other side of the river experience
5. Was nearly attacked my a magpie for the first time (positive point for the thrill of survival)

And now some New Zealanders are here to distract me with their duty free and onion soup/reduced cream dip...

The house over the river is full of things (and magazines of things) that are so super design-y... the jealousy raged! I couldn't stop looking at this painting. I feel bad for not remembering who painted it, but I think its supposed to be breasts. So simple and beautiful.

Ps walking past an aboriginal art gallery on Bourke street about a week ago, I noticed a painting similar to this... a bit of detective work and the artist is.....Minnie Pwerle.The idea that the motif is breasts is slightly questionable?