pictures before an exhibition

Prepping for a display.
My work will be on show in the display case at Port Moody city hall (on the mezzanine level, up the stairs in front of the information desk) for the whole of February.
If I have the time, i'll change out some items in the middle of the month so the display doesn't stay static.
All work is for sale through the gift shop (blackberrygiftshop.ca) as usual.
Enjoy the show!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Roses are red ... and not suitable for advance purchase

Roses are red ... and not suitable for advance purchase:

felted flower pin by Caroline Flett

Well, not these ones.

If you'd like to be prepared for Valentine's Day this year and flatter your honey with a beautiful red rose this year, why not check out our selection of floral alternatives in the gift shop?

framed rose by Del Holbrook

These roses won't need watering, or keeping in the cool, or even pre-ordering (though we do advise getting down here ASAP in case someone else gets here first).

ceramics by Jacq Sheridan

Roses - the ultimate "I love you" (unless you're a "nothing but chocolate will do" kind of gal - just sayin').

(yesterday's) Wordless Wednesday: love is (still) in the air

Wordless Wednesday: love is (still) in the air:

blood red wire-wrapped pendant on handknit Viking weave chain by Luci Gimenes

wordful wednesday: before i forget

On the twelfth day of Christmas ...:

Before I forget to blow my own trumpet (and because I don't have anything wordless and pretty for today's post), a blast from the past - the twelve days of Christmas (click the link for all the verses; hint - scroll down past the valentine's post) in all their poetic glory (from my posts for the gift shop).

(can you feel the tension mounting?)

... my true love (yes, i still love him, even though he spends every spare minute shopping at the gift shop) gave to me,

Twelve glassy magnets (not sure if the fridge door is big enough but they'll make awesome stocking stuffers for the kids),

Eleven finely woven mufflers (a matching one for every outfit, whee!),

Ten by three (which makes thirty - go on, count them) expertly applied lines of paint in a very pleasing arrangement plus a light house,

Nine sparkling glass stars (i think they're snowflakes but i hate to disagree openly with my true love at this stage in the festivities),

Eight jolly vintage buttons (i've picked my favourite and the rest are for the christmas dinner napkins),

Seven steamin' stompin' haulin' vroomin' road trucks (guaranteeing a quiet afternoon with the nephews),

Six upstanding and tranquil-looking fence posts (new year's resolution - hike more!),

Five wooden urns (they're vases)!

Four dotty spotty cups (would make great wine beakers),

Three orcas swimming on by (ah, summer holidays),

A cute penguin couple (awwww!),

and that origami peace crane still hanging out peacefully in the fir tree.

Now that's Christmas! (that was christmas)

:)

midlife monday: got out and played

I posted this on my other blog, and thought I should share it here with you too.

On Saturday I had a ski lesson.

On Sunday I took a painting class.
:)

Everybody should get out and play once in a while (or more often).

The mixed media pieces were created with acrylic paints and acrylic medium, over tissue and corrugated paper stuck to mat board. I stuck strips of fabric onto the larger blue piece - it's not ye finished but I'm leaving it awhile so I can see what direction to take it.

Getting smoochy in the gift shop!

Getting smoochy in the gift shop!:

devoted heron couple by Cathy Rycroft

Hard on the heels of Christmas and New Year - Valentine's Day! It's when couples need no excuse to get even closer than ever, unless the furnace has broken down again. It's a day of smooch, sloppy kisses, suspension of hostilities, and, if you're the mum of an elementary school kid, an awful lot of Disney-branded card-and-candy packages to get signed!

adorable frog couple by Tom Reid

Named after 14 martyred 'rebels of the state' in ancient Rome, February 14th is the day to celebrate romantic love. It's the day when over-consumption of chocolate is positively encouraged, and the notion of passion is tied in with commercial purchases.

the couple that swims together, stays together - platter by Dan Severance

So, if you want to show your romantic interest how much they mean to you, why not visit the gift shop and up your commercial purchasing quotient from our shelves.

Nothing says "I love you" more than a handcrafted love token from a local artist.

xoxo

together by Del Holbrook

studio portrait thursday: great, great outdoors

lichen and moss - yes, i do love a nice bit of lichen and moss :)

OK, so not my studio (which I variously describe as dark, dingy, hole, cave, haven, cluttered, chaotic) but someone else's this week. 

The great outdoors. Not just the preserve of en plein air painty folks.

These photographs, which show land artist, Chris Mackenzie, at work in his studio, are somewhat a rarity since most of his work is created waaaaay off the beaten track. He stomps off into the wilderness, makes art, takes a photograph and then treks back to ?civilization. ... and his art stays behind as temporary evidence that something beautiful has been added to nature (added, since you can't improve). Chris did tell me that he re-visits some pieces to see what nature has done with them in the interim.

The slideshow is of his latest installations beside the Port Moody Arts Centre (which currently houses an exhibition of his work) and in front of the library. He and his partner worked in full view of the passing public to show how the art is created. It's not often that you see this process; it's not often you're invited to take part either, and you can see by my Wee Guy's expression that it is a An Activity Of Great Importance.

Can't wait for the hiking trails to thaw so we can get out and make our own art :)

design for life

business card template "i make stuff"

Apart from the wire crochet power station (a few more lines were added yesterday evening), there's not a lot of 3D creativity going on at the bench currently (and my fingers are itching to be back in business).

There is, however, a lot of homework going on; mouseclicks, typing, cut and paste, etc..

In case you didn't already know, I'm at college part-time, taking a professional writing diploma, and these business card designs are sort-of homework. I do have business cards, but they're for my other ID as a jewelry maker. They feature pretty pics of my work, give my web address, and are designed for people to pick up from my table at craft fairs. 

I also have utterly gorgeous MOO cards on sumptuous touchy-feely cardstock, featuring my best flickr product shots with my URL, etc on the reverse. But nothing for my 2D exploits as wannabe writer. 

In fact, it's the writer-bit that's had me blocked for quite a while. I'm not sure what kind of writing career I want yet, so I'm very unwilling to settle into a niche so early. It's also feels incredibly pseud-ish to even call myself a writer at this point.

But after a quick query on twitter, I was encouraged to declare myself as a writer (thank you, twitterverse).

So I have done so. What do you think?

tech details: business cards designed in MS Publisher

design #1

design #2

design #3

Critter Adoption Post: Searching

Critter Adoption Post: Searching:

In one of those beautiful almost-coincidences Valerie Gilbert's art card settled under Vicki Allesia's haunting picture of a dog awaiting rescue from the local shelter.

It's quite a timely reminder that about this time every year, the novelty of a new puppy or household pet is wearing off once the daily responsibility of exercise, feeding and cleaning sets in, and everyone's back at work.

Please - don't gift pets. Think carefully before you buy - that cute puppy or kitten will grow quite a bit and not look so cute within a few months.

Are you really ready for the lifelong commitment that owning a pet means?

Any doubts, don't do it, please.

fibre friday: The Great Tapestry of Scotland

from the Great Tapestry webpage

Not my fibre work, but a lovely link to something mentioned in edit, my University of Edinburgh alumnus magazine (why yes, i am an alumnus).

Author Alexander McCall Smith (another Edinburgh alumnus), among others, has helped create the Great Tapestry of Scotland project which will document the history of my homeland á la Bayeux tapestry style. It will feature such notable events as the opening of the Scottish parliament in 1999, Flodden, and the invention of the swing plough.

The project is apparently in need of stitchers; the organisers are registering expressions of interest on the Registration tab of the website. So, if you're in Scotland (or even if you aren't), why not sign up for this unique historical project!

For another feast of stitchiness, check out the brief article itself on p28 of edit (it's here on p15 of the online spread).

wordless wednesday: invite

a crocheted power station

a crocheted power station, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

No, I'm not kidding.
This is my latest project, a mixed media panel for a larger wall hanging.
I'll update with photos and posts as I stitch.

At City Hall in January 2012

At City Hall in January 2012:

The whole co-operative is on show at City Hall this month! It's a great opportunity to see the breadth of work represented by the society.

Next time you're paying a parking fine, business licence or visiting the library, why not take the stairs to the mezzanine level up to the council office for a look.

As always, items are for sale through the gift shop. Please phone to arrange a viewing.

fibre friday: out in the world

lettuce (for the neck)

lettuce (for the neck)

Yesterday's post was all about inventory and re-stocking, and I promised to let you know where work was going.

Well, these two fibre-y goodies are now at the Blackberry Gift Shop in the Port Moody Arts Centre.

'Lettuce' is a shibori silk and wire collar, light and very airy to wear, with a bubble chain extender so it can be worn at various lengths. A cute flower beads dangles from the chain, reminding you that spring is not too far off :)

embrace

The copper 'embrace' cuff came from my 'home is where the heart is' collection and features a beach pebble (tumble-polished by my mother!) enmeshed in my signature wire and felted fibrecrochet. It's light and comfortable to wear, and quirky. You won't see another piece like this around :)

studio portrait thursday: that most cluttered time of the year

Yes, it's inventory time! I retrieved approximately 90% of my unsolds from the various shops just before Christmas and here they are laid out on a table in my studio. 

And after the inventorying comes the re-stocking!

I'll let you know what is going where in the next few posts.

And yes, I'm planning to re-open my online stores too :)

wordless wednesday: heads up to a new year

A very Happy New Year to all - may 2012 bring everything you wish for xoxo