pictures eat people

life and other side projects- hair

2011-09-11T05:41:00.000-07:00

oh hello. just came back from the studio looking up at the roof tops drawing birds while talking on the phone. nice. can't wait to share with you what i've been drawing.

in the mean time here is a bit over over sharing which i inevitably always do...in the form of my maeve column 'life and other side projects'. this one is titled 'hair'. i love the psychology of hair. i think it can be a bit of a symbol of emotion, particularly female emotion...think pj harvey songs.

maeve is looking beautiful, by the way, there is an enchanting vimeo which sets the mood nicely xx

hope you've had a great weekend!

rachel xx

women's work...uh hem

2011-08-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

i've been watching nigella on iview lately. i find her curvacious (onscreen) presence very reassuring. as i myself am a woman not in any particular hurry to get rid of the 'post baby body' (gasp!). i'm rather fond of my new body and all it's history.

so, i cooked nigella's roast ribs and chicken recipie tonight. wasn't quite ready in time for jasper's dinner so earl and i enjoyed this warming meal together, surrounded by lovely mess left over from a happy day.

i am learning to chill out. something has shifted in me. i've realised that it just can't all get done. it will never be d o n e . the house work is a cycle. just like everything else.

i've had a few nice chats with some lovely women lately and i think that's why i'm feeling the way i am. i even cried in front of one while she fed me tea and pizza sitting by an open fire. another imparted some motherly wisdom about baby led weaning which is really just letting the baby eat soft finger food rather than spoon feeding. good messy fun!

so, thank you women! i'm about to go to bed with a mountain of laundry partially obstructing the kitchen door way, toys all over the rug and dishes dirty. hey, it's a big deal for me! i've been a bit of a neat freak lately, which is no fun for anyone. i'm just about ready to hang a 'bless this mess' sign. x

rachel xx

i can't think of a title for this blog post.

2011-08-14T05:38:00.000-07:00

okay. it's winter. i'm in a bit of a daze. breast feeding. doing washing. watching bad tv. ugh. it's a phase. i need some nice words because my house is a mess.

Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials. ~Meryl Streep

Motherhood brings as much joy as ever, but it still brings boredom, exhaustion, and sorrow too. Nothing else ever will make you as happy or as sad, as proud or as tired, for nothing is quite as hard as helping a person develop his own individuality especially while you struggle to keep your own. -Marguerite Kelly and Elia Parsons

I looked on child-rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring it.-Rose Kennedy

oh that's a little better. again, wisdom via google. thank you internet. is the internet the new religion? maybe i should've put that on my sensus form.

rachel xx

a collection, she whispered.

2011-07-28T03:29:00.000-07:00

psst...i have been doing this e course and consequently my head is no longer such a messy place! i'm working on a collection of lovely things... original art, cards and fabric patches... and my next picture book. yes a picture book!... a fabric picture book. i'm so excited.

the book is for babies, children and for, well you know... those of us who havn't quite grown up yet. i'm completely excited. so much so that i feel like i'm writing in whispers. hehe ok lets not get carried away!

at the moment i'm collecting inspiration and most importantly i have a plan. x

rachel xx

butterfly sandwich

2011-07-21T21:53:00.000-07:00

i asked jasper what sort of sandwich he wanted the other day...he said he wanted a butterfly one! so i obligingly made one! i'll do anything to get him to actually sit down and eat these days. he's just always on the go. i feel like a big italian mother most of the time saying 'eat! eat!'...

here are the ingredients...

butterfly body= a leftover cold sausage, but you could also use a carrot for a veg option.

wings= honey sandwich with wholemeal bread (of course you could use any sort of bread and any sort of filling!) cut in half and then cut into wing shapes.

antennas= thinly sliced carrot. but you could also use sprouts or thinly sliced celery.

yum!

rachel xx

hey lady

2011-07-13T02:01:00.000-07:00

hey, good news. i came runner up in the small works prize! and my drawing sold, so i was one very happy lady. thanks to steph and marce for hosting such a great event. if you are in ballarat have a look at the 90 or small works at red brick gallery and emporium 218a skipton steet.

i'm working on a series of little people and birds in boats. i'm drawing on a beautiful reconstituted stone surface framed in reclaimed timber. here are some works in progress or works in watching (i like to sit with them for a bit before i decide if they are finished!)

oh and did i mention that i have a studio space! yes. a beautiful square of ballarat to fill with little pictures eat people things. i'm sooooo excited! i love the lead light windows looking out to the roof tops and pigeons. i feel very happy and productive in this space...hehe!

and finally, here are some pictures of my little rosie! her first tooth came through today!

you can't really tell, it's just cut through! and, because i can't resist here are some more pics...

why not go all out and be an unashamedly proud muma...here are some earlier pics! okay, that should do it!

rachel xx

oh i must blog about that

2011-07-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

oh i have been so busy! i love being a mum of two gorgeous kids... but just so you know, things like blogging (and often showering) get moved down the list of things to do. so i have had numerous...oh i must blog about that... moments but i probably chose to shower instead! so now i have rosie on my lap and am typing one handed so i don't drop her. yes. i will post photos of her!! xx

any how before i settle down to feed this hungry (and refluxy!) girl i wanted to show you what my gloriously talented husband has been working... sorry about the glorious... it's a bit over the top but that's how i feel about him... anyway you decide! have a listen...

ps. my favourite song is 'if you want to use the slide'...which is yours?

pps. and we really do have a cat called nina.

rachel xx

small tiny little

2011-06-16T02:45:00.000-07:00

it's all about the little for me. i work from my kitchen table and have to pack up my art stuff like a good little mumma before dinner. i sometimes wash my hands too.

i keep my drawings in a couple of little boxes which fit nicely into a little cabinet.

so, i am entering a small works competition becasuse, well, it fits into my life.

there is also going to be an accompanying exhibition of all of the small works at red brick gallery in ballarat. i'm really looking forward to being a part of a something so lovely.

rachel xx

when i open my eyes...

2011-05-19T01:46:00.000-07:00

after i sharing a draft of my book 'when i close my eyes...' to my good little mate sarah she told me that next i will have to write a story called 'when i open my eyes...' well, this isn't quite a story sarah i think it might be more of a poem. but thanks for the suggestion. i wrote this remembering what it was like waking up as a little kid. my childhood memories have never been stronger since having children of my own...he he, children. i'm just getting used to the plural! xx

so i guess this grown up photo might not be quite fitting but i just love it. x

when i open my eyes...

i blink at the light and wait for my eyes to catch up with the rest of the world

my throat is dry,

i drink my bedside water

and it tastes like a river.

when i open my eyes...

the smell of toast

and the sound of dad’s radio station

reach my bedroom;

it’s the home part of house.

when i open my eyes...

i roll over and day dream

i have a thought...

today is the first today

there has never been one before.

rachel xx

life and other side projects- dirt

2011-04-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

the lovely maeve is out again with some beautiful reading and looking assured. have a peek at my column if you feel like reading about our family adventures in the desert. i do so love that red dirt! we had such a great time that i think it will become an annual thing for us...we want to migrate north when the southerly ballarat winter sets in! although there is something lovely in cooking stews and soups and staying in... rugging up and seeing your breath when you do venture out.

rachel xx

the poetry of three year olds.

2011-04-10T04:46:00.000-07:00

i found this interview on the dumbo feather website. i love the way children think!

Harrell: What did you have for lunch today?

Beatrice: Chocolate milk with chocolate cheese and chocolate daisies. (Taking the I-phone away from me that I use for recording our conversations and sticking it in my face) why don’t you tell me how dogs eat?

H: uh, with their mouths, and their teeth and tongues. (Recovering the I-phone) What do you like about ice cream?

B: Colors.

H: What did you see at the beach today?

B: Colors.

H: What happened last night when you called for me when you were in your bed trying to go to sleep?

B: It was too noisy in my room.

H: What was the sound that you heard?

B: My heart beating blood through my body.

H: You could hear your own heart beating? What did it sound like?

B: Marching bands.

H: Did you like that sound?

B: No.

H: How do you know when a dog is healthy?

B: When them have happy eyes. Huuleesh (our Rat Terrier) has happy eyes, but Hazel (our Shepard/Husky mix) has sad eyes.

H: Does that mean Hazel is sick?

B: No, because I don’t hear her coughing.

H: What happens when you go to sleep?

B: Bats.

H: What happens when you wake up?

B: Bats.

H: Bea, you have to answer my questions, I’m interviewing you.

B: Bats, bats, bats.

mother's milk

2011-02-01T21:58:00.000-08:00

whoa. my world my world has turned into a little cycle of feeding, burping, changing, rocking, goooing and gaaring and finally sleeping. my little rosie sure is a hungry girl!! my milk supply can barely keep up, so i did an internet search and found this great site which has a homemade mother's milk tea recipe. i haven't sourced all the herbs yet but i had a few in my pantry already such as raspberry leaf, fennel seeds, cinnamon and honey. and just brewing up these few ingredients really helped. who would've thought...age old remedies being delivered to me in an instant via a screen of light. sounds almost religious!

rachel xx

my darling

2011-01-26T01:16:00.000-08:00

my darling rosie. you came into this world listening to the blues. you were bloody and hungry and hairy. a beautiful mess, all slippery and happy to be out. finally out, after all our hard work. i love you dear girl.

drifting

2011-01-06T21:29:00.000-08:00

i'm a week and a day past my due date. been drawing to pass the time. pregnancy is a funny thing, much of it is out of your control. i think it's about submitting your body to the journey. so i'm just drifting along...waiting, waiting. and in the mean time revelling in the beauty of pencil. finding pleasure in the rhythm of making marks.

rachel xx

belly, heart and home

2010-12-23T19:13:00.000-08:00

i'm really ready to have this baby. i'm ready in my belly, my heart and my home. i was feeling a little nervous about labour, but now something has shifted and i just have faith in my body. i can't wait to meet this new little person!

happy christmas everyone.

rachel xx

a landscape of gentle privacy

2010-11-26T19:09:00.000-08:00

looking through old note books i found some words...maybe it's a poem:

she lay on her bed and watched the shadows

everyone was sleeping and she listened to her gentle privacy

through the flyscreen she could smell the hour

she could hear the memory of music travelling across the paddocks

all tomorrow's lawn mowers were waiting for their owners

she let that big feeling of nothingness get inside her.

i wrote this remembering the feeling of summer nights in suburbia when i was growing up. well, it wasn't quite suburbia. it was a strange kind of half developed estate with empty paddocks and lots of space. the dirt was red and it was a bit like living in no man's land in between the city and the western suburbs. i liked it. there was a train line that ran right behind my house. when i got on the train to go to the city at the deserted station i felt like i was coming in from mars. everyone looked at me as if to say 'you live here?'

i think this landscape has really stayed with me.

rachel xx

speaking of buns

2010-11-09T00:26:00.000-08:00

oooh i am sooo pregnant! i definately have a bun in the oven. speaking of buns, i wrote some words on baking and happiness to go into the lovely maeve, also a bit about how houses can swallow us!

i do think maeve is the radest thing since sliced bread; a bright, inspirational and free online magazine...i do so love her. thank you lou and kate for making me a part of the sweetness!

there is also a great article for all the business ladieez out there by alison and an insight into the alchemy of craig's hot chocolate.

happy spring!

rachel xx

desert sun

2010-10-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

well we've just come back from alice springs. fresh and happy, seeing our world anew. full of ideas and plans.

we stayed at a caravan park just outside of town...i tracked down a second hand bike for earl so he could ride to his kids gigs. i also found a pram for jasper so we could walk around this desert town. it was covered in red dirt so i scrubbed it down and let it dry in the desert sun. it dried a beautiful matt faded dust colour and i became quite fond of this pram. we almost ran over a hilarious running lizard with it. you know the one's that run standing up on their back legs?

i also wanted to show you a most special place that i fell in love with.

it's an aboriginal run art centre called tjampi desert weavers. all of the objects in this gallery are made by aboriginal women living on communities (out bush) and made from dried grasses collected from their country. while they're out collecting grass for sculptures they might also visit their sacred sites, find some food and perform ceremonies. they pack the car up full of kids and women and off they go! it really is an art practice that strengthens culture. walking into the alice springs gallery i could really feel all of this. i just walked around beaming. looking at grass sculptures depicting animals, people and beautifully shaped baskets, there is just such a vibrancy in each piece. i just wanted to collect it all! i came home with a tea spoon sculptured out of dried grass.

after seeing this place i'm so inspired to make something lovely and tactile...lucky that i'm working on a special wedding commission for some talented friends who make hot chocolate. so excited about this project, because i just love it when cool folk declare their love for each other! will be sure to share when i'm finished.

ooh and i forgot to mention that i have a new stockist...nook in queensland. possibly the most lovely name for a shop. might have to go and visit them some day!

i also found a very cute shop in alice springs called novita to stock when i close my eyes... although travelling lightly i only brought two books with me. and they have already sold out! so i will post some more books up to that red town soon.

busy busy days x

rachel xx

drawn to words

2010-09-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

well i sit here with a rather big belly and big happy plans...our little family is going to alice. i’m so excited. i am really itching for adventure.

i feel like my old self again. that twenty year old self, that just knows everything will fall into place if you just follow your gut. physically, it will be hard not to! my aunty claims that we skrobalak’s have gypsy blood. she may be right. i feel happiest when i’m moving.

i have been drawn to writing lately. i love that it is so instant. and can be so confessional. huge inspiration came from the new harvest. i’m done with glossy mags...i think.

and lucky me, maeve has decided to share my words and pictures in her next issue.

i have some words to welcome new babies too...destined for a cute greeting card.

so at the moment my world is all words.

much love...

rachel xx

pictures eat cake

2010-09-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

this is the cutest little cafe in ballarat. and they make the most devine cup cakes...and hot cuppas. my muma mates and i are all hooked...i find myself there at least once a week. you see there is a great play area and a lovely kid friendly atmosphere. jennifer, the lady behind this place really is a smart cookie...how did she know it was just what we needed?

also she has decided to house some pictures eat people goodies...they look right at home, if i do say so myself!

hope to see you there!

rachel xx

a little piece of lovely

2010-09-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

hehe...just figuring out the layout of my market stall before hand in my lounge room!

come market day the weather was fine, the people were out...lots of them! you can see photos of the day here

i had a great day talking with so many lovely market goers...

thank you if you visited my stall and stopped to read my book. and of course thank you if you bought a little piece of pictures eat people home with you...i hope you become good friends. i am always re- invigorated by the responses and feedback that i get first hand from people...one lady told me that she used to work with elderly people who were quite sick in hospital and that she thought my book would be wonderful to read to them...helping them to remember their past...she said she had to look away as my story brought tears to her eyes! she's not the first to say that...which really means so much to me.

...this has sparked a few ideas. i was already thinking about joining up with my husband to turn 'when i close my eyes...' into a performance for school aged children. but now i'm also thinking that we could do something and visit nursing homes. or just perform for people who really need respite from their situation.

thanks to kylie and the committee for organising such a great market. and thank you to my lovely and supportive friend olivia for standing in during my frequent toilet breaks.

rachel xx

colour me spring!

2010-09-07T01:36:00.000-07:00

feels like spring!

you will find this card design at my stall at the buninyong makers market this saturday. i'm getting really excited. laura will be there. rachel too. and this lovely lady.

happy spring!

rachel xx

all about sound

2010-08-30T04:19:00.000-07:00

i've been working on another children's picture book. this is how i like to start out...with a little flip book so i can figure out the pacing and pictures.

a happily busy day comes to an end...

oh and if you would like to receive my newsletter, just write me an email to tell me so. pictureseatpeople@hotmail.com

i will be emailing my first one soon which will feature give aways!

much love

rachel xx

buninyong brew

2010-08-22T23:50:00.000-07:00

just a quick post to show you what i made today...it's one of my card designs that i'm making for the up coming new buninyong makers market on sat sept 11th. come and have a look or if your interested in having a stall the lovely kylie is keen to meet people.

yikes i'm late to pick up my boy!

rachel xx

earl and the kids!

2010-08-20T03:33:00.000-07:00

here are the photos of earl and the kids taken by the lovely nathan from tea and jam photography. thank you sooo much tea and jam. thank you sooo much kids! it was such a great day!

rachel xx

the place where you are

2010-08-11T02:10:00.000-07:00

still pondering big life questions about the direction of my life...my husband and i have been inspiring these kinds of thoughts in each other since he quit his full time job as an accountant. he is slowly finding his way in the work for yourself world...

maeve inspired me too. making a mood board has helped me do some thinking that needed to be done.

i delved into my tower of magazines. i ripped and cut pictures that appealed to me on an instinctual level.

i found some gems. i really love the picture of a man drawing with a stick in the dirt. it reminds me of the raw act of drawing, writing and pure story telling. i will put this mood board on the wall. beside my bed. and look at it daily.

i also found a quote of note...

'the most interesting place in the world is the place where you are.'

marcus westbury in dumbo feather pass it on.

thanks for popping by my blog

rachel xx

a nice space to be

2010-07-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

maybe it's because it's winter or maybe it's because i'm pregnant but i seem to be focusing on what i want from life with a kind of razor sharpness. and much of what i want is in this very home, my son, my husband and the little kicking being in my belly.

i want my house to be a nice space to be in. a place for creativity, food, and people. it's getting there, or maybe it's already there. but i just enjoy being a little home maker!

we recently did up jasper's room...stripped the wall paper, painted the walls white and pulled up the manky carpet to reveal beautiful floor boards. being a north facing room, we thought it would be a great setting for earl's photo shoot performing for kids. we were very lucky to get tea and jam photography on board and some kids from our hood. all of this happened yesterday and it was so much fun! thank you to every one who came along...i'll be sure to show the photos here just as soon as we get them from the talented tea and jam folk.

i've decided to focus more on writing and illustrating picture books and would really love to find a publisher for 'when i close my eyes...' i find the process of writing and illustrating so completely satisfying! and it's something i can do from home, or while travelling (if we end up going to alice springs for earl's music workshops!!!)

much hearts

rachel xx

moment in time

2010-07-10T02:54:00.000-07:00

at this moment in time i am inspired by...

sights: one of my all time favourite blogs, fine little day

dreams: the possibility of living in alice springs for 3 months while my husband plays music for and with kids. oh to see that red dirt again!

sounds: broken social scene- bee hives

touch: my messy new hair cut

ideas: my motherhood book...i might have figured out a way to make it feel like i'm sharing my secrets...which is what i want it to feel like.

smells: the most divine smell in the world (to a pregnant woman anyway)...new born baby smell...little noah george welcome to this world x

taste: mushrooms

rachel xx

playing shop

2010-07-06T03:13:00.000-07:00

that's it...i've had it. with myself that is. i've been creatively walking on egg shells. no more. i'm an artist and a terrible business woman...and that might just have to be the way it is...because when i try and be a good business woman i end up being a terrible artist. so, i'm going to try and get a day job and let my art just happen.

this is the little note that i wrote to myself a couple of days ago and funnily enough since this little shift in my thinking i have began to play again. (i think that's all being creative really is)

i have been playing in my etsy shop, just sprucing things up a bit and putting in some new things and i've also been playing around putting patterned patches on my boring clothes.

so i haven't made any masterpieces, but i'm in a good frame of mind and feeling happy.

if you'd like to play shop with me you can find all these things pictured above for sale and a few more.

rachel xx

one drawing and a full nest

2010-06-27T03:39:00.000-07:00

oooh i am in full swing nesting mode...spent the day gardening today...it was bliss. i now have geraniums in pots, herbs outside my kitchen window sill and a row of lovely assorted native plants and cottage flowers ready to be placed outside my lounge room window sill to screen the view of my neighbours. i've been going flower crazy...i'm even sticking dried, sculptural type one's on the walls with masking tape next to drawings and other artworks. last weekend i put up hooks. nothing like being pregnant to really get things done around the house!

i actually haven't been drawing all that much. i've been spending more time with my two year old and i now only have one art day a week instead of three. we are happier for it. but i suppose my blog is not. i made this drawing on my last art day...another one for my 'motherhood' story book that i'm working on. still needs a little work, but pretty much fini...this one drawing that is...not the book!

rachel xx

onomatopoeia

2010-06-20T03:14:00.000-07:00

a story idea from the sock draw called: pitta padda dop plip plop

my uncle says the best sound in the world is fat rain on a tin roof

pitta padda dop plip plop

no! the best sound in the world is my dad yawning. he goes

arrhhh yai yai yai yai yai

nup, the best sound in the world is opening a can of lemonade on a hot day

creik...phurssccchh

uh arh, the best sound in the world is dropping a rock into the middle of a pond

doingp

my brother says the best sound in the world is Hendrix

ranownownooow...foxeir ladeir

arrrh, happy sunday night to you...

rachel xx

happy and exhausted

2010-06-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

well, i'm actually feeling quite exhausted these days. i have a cold. jasper, my two year old has a cold. and there is a new little life inside me! i'm pregnant!! i'm so happy and exhausted! oh motherhood! no wonder i'm working on this new picture story book.

so, here are some words...on motherhood:

motherhood...is life undone and slowly threaded together again.

motherhood...is being tugged on, wrapped around and climbed all over.

motherhood...makes me want for a simpler life that mostly revolves around the kitchen table.

motherhood...helps hidden dreams come into plans for adventure.

motherhood...is a journey that doesn't lend itself to perfectionism.

hope you're keeping well; eating stews, casseroles and broth...(mine's coming from a take away restaurant tonight)

rachel xx

a freezing bright day and the triumphs of over sharing

2010-06-06T03:12:00.000-07:00

i had such a fabulous day at the daylesford makers market yesterday! i was lucky enough to have the company of my husband, earl (thank you again sweety!)

i got some great feedback and feel oh so inspired to get to work on my new picture book. doing this market was the real boost that i needed.

thank you so much to all who visited my stall, you really brightened my day! and if you joined my mailing list you can expect a newsletter early next month.

i was also lucky to be featured in the daylesford 'lost' magazine. thanks to alison from 'lark' who wrote a lovely article about my journey to becoming an artist/ crafter...or rather finding my place somewhere in between!

alison wrote the article based on an email that i wrote her after she had decided to stock my story in her shop. when i visited her to show her my stories she asked me a few questions...i was so nervous that i did a terrible job telling her about myself...so when i got home i wrote her a massive email about everything that i wanted to say. my moment of over- sharing paid off as shortly after she gave me a call and asked if she could use the email to write an article about me...

so people...over sharing can sometimes work for you!!

hope you are having adventures big and small,
rachel xx

motherhood and timely dreams

2010-05-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

i'm working on new picture book for adults. it's about the experience of new motherhood. and while it comes from me and my journey i hope it rings true to others.

i will have these originals on display at the makers market in daylesford june 5th and would love to hear any feedback.

i was working on another picture book called 'this messy messy house' but it just wasn't working for me. i wasn't feeling it! i don't think you can force these things and i'm sure it's time will come. until then the idea is safely tucked away xx

rachel.

awake and blushing

2010-05-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

oh dear i can't get to sleep. hot chocolate and a blog post. mmm comforting. here is what i have been doing lately, creatively speaking.

i'm blushing over catherine's kind words. i look up to her. we first met at a punk party. i wore leopard print and she wore fairy wings. there was a wrestling area in the back yard. ooh my twenties!

sleepy now,

rachel xx

oops sorry...

2010-05-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

i've been so busy being a mum that i haven't had time to make my 'mother' weekword. is that irony?

visit aris for links to all the other weekworders. feel free to join in. we all love meeting new people x

rachel.

story

2010-05-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

this is a short story that i wrote quite a while ago; sometime in my teen years. it was all folded up in a rusted tin box. i found it the other day when i was feeling nostalgic for the past.

her silent days.
Her lips are pursed together, forcing her to exhale out of her nostrils, shaking the hairs inside them with each rhythmic breath.

Not only does her sealed mouth forbid the release of breath; for many years she has pressed her lips together in the same way to withhold words. many words weren't spoken that should have been and they are now wedged in the web of wrinkles that have grown from the contours that her lips form.

The children of the town laugh and poke fun at her lips which they claim have been glued together. They watch her in awe waiting for them to part...but they don't and they wonder how she eats.

"Through her nose!" teases one boy. They laugh and scatter. The old woman is in fact old, but certainly not deaf and shoots a razor sharp glare at them and equally sharp thoughts circle inside her head, but of course they are not voiced. She does not know why they tease her or why their mother's talk and gossip and hush one another as she walks by. You see she doesn't understand that her pursed lips, her silence provokes curiosity.

go to these places for other story posts fruenswerk, aimee, trinsch, anairam, elisabeth, veja cecilia, hanna, aris and b. oh and catherine will be posting something shortly.

thanks to all the new lovely people i've met, so glad so many of you were up for interpreting my word.

next wordweek word is going to be announced by aris. go to her blog on monday if you are interested in playing. all welcome.

happy friday!!
rachel xx

old and stitched up

2010-05-05T19:00:00.000-07:00

busy busy making things for the up coming june 5th makers market in daylesford. you will find these at my stall.

i made the bag to fit my handmade story 'when i close my eyes...' which will also be for sale. i used old sheets and blankets for the bag so the story has a nice cosy home... but of course the bag can be bought separately.

and interestingly, at my local opp shop i found a set of twelve ply wood teapots already cut just waiting for me to turn them into brooches. so i did and it makes for a nice recycled, eco friendly goodie.

hope you're well, i'd love to see you at the market if you can make it.

rachel xx

word of the week and under the weather

2010-05-03T00:14:00.000-07:00

hello! feeling a bit under the weather today. sorry my wordweek word is a bit late.

i've been thinking about the word story lately. i've been hearing it everywhere. i think the world has swung back to recognising the value of a great story.

so if you would like to interpret/ represent the word 'story' in anyway just leave me a comment and i will show a link to your blog on friday when we can all have a bit of a show and tell xx

rachel.

here is my picture of sorrow

2010-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

so, here is my picture of sorrow.

it was really interesting thinking about how to represent the word sorrow. i like the floppy shape of the letters and i was thinking of a voice recorded on a tape singing out their sorrows. tape reel has a mind of it's own! i had to summon the steadiness of a surgeon!

the word 'sorrow' was chosen by hanna. go to her blog to find links to everyone else who has interpreted the word.

hanna asked me to choose the next wordweek word and announce it on monday. anyone can play! if your interested just pop over to my blog on monday. i will have announced the word. if you want to play let me know in a comment so that i can link back to your blog on the friday when you can show what you've made.

now, to think of a word!

happy friday...thanks for visiting me

rachel xx

little eco art objects

2010-04-28T23:55:00.000-07:00

original drawings on framed recycled surface.

these little eco art objects will be for sale at the daylesford makers market on june 5th. i'd love to see you there!

and below are a few more drawings from my journal.

hope you're doing well xx

rachel.

a day has come to an end

2010-04-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

well it is the end of the day and i can't sleep so i thought i'd blog...maybe staring at a bright computer screen will make me sleepy...hehe.

up there ^ are some little drawings i made the other day that i thought i'd show. if you click on the first picture you might be able to read my little words in a house. but if you can't, it reads...

a day has come to an end.

family.

food.

wine the night before.

legs sink heavy into my bed.

hope you're feeling good and sleeping well xx
rachel.

little treasures

2010-04-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

little man shirt size 0

cottage dress size 1

lilac knit size 00

garden dress size 4

cow boy/girl shirt size 2

play dress size 1

i am so excited to announce that pictures eat people now has a small collection of recycled clothes for little people. i love these little treasures...they will be in my shop soon! please note all sizes are appoximate and i will have more details in my shop.

much love,
rachel xx

stitching and listening

2010-04-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

i was stitching away today making little white cloud bags, listening to dishpan fingers, flicker and swirl. i relate to this album so much. i feel like this is my life put into songs...lyrics about your kids getting sick, births, the beauty of ordinary moments...something so honest and universal in his voice. hopeful and resigned at the same time. a bit gravely and melodic like a country road.

my favourite song is 'rib cage door' it makes me cry and want to have more babies!

oh happy friday, yay looking forward to red wine and dinner guests!

rachel xx

a bit yellow

2010-04-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

i am constantly astounded by the way kid's brain's work. the other morning when my son jasper jumped into bed with us it was still dark. something got knocked over and my husband, earl turned on his lamp. squinting in the light jasper said 'oh it's a bit yellow dad!'

jasper knows his colours, but recently he has also been talking about colours in an abstract way and it is very beautiful.

earl was driving in the car listening to classical music, as he does, with jasper in the back. when a particular song was finished he asked jasper 'what did you think of that?' he replied 'um, it was an orange song!' he also asked for a 'red cuddle' the other day!

kid's brain's are so full on and very inspiring. i feel like jasper influences me more than i influence him sometimes!

sorry about the kid brag!

ok in other news i finally have a web site! and i have updated my etsy shop! i am working on making new things to go in there too because my book is looking a bit lonely.

more time in the day, anyone?? do i really need sleep?

rachel xx

still life

2010-04-02T02:50:00.000-07:00

i had so much fun today styling a little still life scene with my friend liv.

happy easter!
rachel xx

my tiny lovely drawing nook

2010-03-31T20:52:00.000-07:00

this is my tiny drawing nook that inspires me to make equally tiny drawings.

my drawing desk was inherited from my husband's grandfather. i have never met him, but i'm told he used it as his letter writing desk. it sits snug next to my bed now. so when i wake in the middle of the night with ideas i just roll over and scrawl or draw them down. i love my small work space nook. it's all i need.

i think nooks are the most lovely places in a home, don't you?

oh my little doll made by pink snowflakes lives in this bed nook vicinity too. she is filled with lavender and helps me sleep.

rachel xx

an explosion of cuteness

2010-03-26T01:18:00.000-07:00

so here is the new packaging...sorry about photos. i am figuring out my camera!

and i am quite proud to say that 'when i close my eyes...' can be found at the delightful lark 4a duke street, daylesford and also at their online shop! yay! i adore this shop. it is an explosion of cuteness!

and i came across another lovely shop called black, white and rouge, everything in the shop has those colours... so i thought my book would be right at home! it's around the corner from the main drag at shop 4, 27 vincent street daylesford.

things are really coming along! i will be having a stall at the june makers market and will be working like a busy little mummy to make some soft toys to go with 'when i close my eyes...' and a special 'nice and cosy edition' that will be come packaged in a bag made from bed sheet and blankets.

also, by then i will have made a mock up of a new handmade story with the working title 'this messy messy house'...one for the adults, it's a domestic love story.

take care, rachel xx

books and shops

2010-03-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

oh what a surprise! i received a belated birthday present in the mail today...it has already been so helpful.

i turned 30! eek!

and 'when i close my eyes...' can now be found at azeno 420 sturt street ballarat sporting some new packaging, made from degradable materials (no plastic!) and recycled card. i love making nice packaging, i feel like i'm wrapping a present for a friend. although, i was so focused on delivering my order to azeno that i forgot to take a photo! i have a whole stack more to make tomorrow, so i will be sure to take a pic and show...

rachel x

the words that did that

2010-03-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

don't you just love it when you're reading a book and a great sentence just stops you in your tracks, you put the book down and savour the words. well, these were the words that did that to me...

"She'd lain on her side, the easel also knocked on it's side. It was as though she were dancing with it and they'd tripped over together." nam le.

i just love it! although the scene is a very tragic one, (she had fainted) i think the contrast of that absurd thought is what makes it great.

this is taken from 'the boat' by nam le. next on my book to read list is 'Julie and Julia' by Julie Powell. loved the movie!

to quote the heart

2010-03-19T01:08:00.000-07:00

beautiful quotes regarding the heart i thought i'd share.

"there are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...pursue those."
michael nolan

"i guess when your heart gets broken you sort of start to see the cracks in everything. i'm convinced that tragedy wants to harden us and our mission is never to let it."
unknown.

happy friday everyone.

rachel x

mon oncle

2010-03-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

i love this parisian film. it has such a gentle comical way of looking at human behaviour. and the sound is just beautiful...little clicks and clunks and the music is just gorgeous! lots of exercise in cause and affect...reminds me of an artist i love daniel von sturmer. i guess it's the slap stick thing.

the composition of each frame in this movie is just a pleasure and lovely movement of people, animals and vehicles through space.

my favourite scene is of the uncle walking up the steps to his apartment. it's an architectural delight!

sanity and toddlers: a hopeful combination

2010-03-15T18:24:00.000-07:00

life is a real balancing act isn't it?

as a mum it's easy to expect so much of yourself. to provide nourishing food, love, safety and fun for your littlie is always on a mum's mind. and if we slip up on this, the guilt is just enormous. but phew, we, no i need to ease up on myself. i am human. i forget things. i have bad days. sometimes it feels like the whole world is judging and watching me and my little toddler.

when he throws a tantrum in public and i am forced to carry him upside down (to try and make him laugh instead of scream) i know i look like a lunatic! and i feel so exposed!

but do you know what? i just have to laugh like a mad woman to stay sane. and god dammit if i feel like a drink at the end of the day...then so be it! if i feel like planning our meals like a total organised freak then so be it. if i feel like curling up on the couch for a spot of embroidery while watching a detective show with my husband, then i count my dorky, lucky stars to have such a full and funny life!

how lucky i am! and how lucky my family are to have me. a human being for a wife and mum!

new little things

2010-03-11T18:55:00.000-08:00

well i am an aunty to a beautiful little fella who was born yesterday. his name is charlie and he has thick black hair and was sleeping peacefully yesterday when we met. his mum, my sister in law is just amazing, she looked so well and proud, yet tired. i was playing very girly music yesterday and crying with happiness the whole day. (i'm one of those people who cry at weddings). oh life!

another new little person has come to life too. she is my new little pictures eat people front lady. and i love her.

a language

2010-03-09T00:47:00.000-08:00

my husband said to me
i swear, by the time we're seventy i'm going to learn to read all your sighs...like they're a language.

he's so beautiful.

headphones make me happy

2010-03-04T02:27:00.000-08:00

don't you just love walking around with headphones?...the world has a soundtrack. i haven't been doing much of that these days...as most of the time i have a baby in tow. but these drawing are really just about getting in your own head space.

and in terms of beautifully fuzzy distorted music...well i have been listening to tenniscoats (not really fuzzy, just well japanese...the drummer plays with twigs instead of drum sticks! i saw them live in castlemaine a while back), karen o and the kids, the triffids...ok not a lot of distortion or fuzz there either...i think i'm just craving a sort of sound...any recommendations??

my husband is furiously paper mache ing spotty tea pots! he is playing the mad hatter and host to a make believe tea party for kids this weekend. he is so excited...he's written some songs especially for it.

the new thaw is out...and it's a pretty rad issue. a beautiful article written by louisa about tegan who is an artist and teacher...i wish she'd taught me in high school...she would have blown my little mind...but i'm lucky enough to be her friend now. i wrote a slightly confessional article about my obsessive compulsive love of sharpening my pencils.

xx

2010-02-25T20:12:00.000-08:00

life drawing x

hope this finds you well!

imagine a smell

2010-02-22T01:42:00.000-08:00

well i just found an interesting site about imagining a smell...apparently, it is linked to the action that you took when experiencing that smell...a sniff. just like if you are trying to imagine a particular painting that you have recently seen your eyes will make the same movements as they made when you looked at the painting...a big keanu 'whoa'!

and you are likely to unconsciously take a deeper sniff imagining a pleasant smell than an unpleasant smell!!

oh and if you would like to support the greens they are having an art auction and following exhibition over at arthur sat 6th march 5-7pm. i donated 'when i close my eyes' with an original drawing inside and stitched a little pouch blanket bag from fabric i found at an op shop so the book sits in it all nice and cosy. if you're in town go along, drink wine and make an outrageous bid! xx

friends who can see through you

2010-02-21T00:44:00.000-08:00

oh it's so good to have friends who can see through your small stuttering excuses! thank you olivia for your encouragement...i'm so lucky to have you as a friend...and so this leads me to...

idea 5...take my book to schools and read it to them, but create a whole structured activity about imagination so that i am not just reading my book cold to a whole bunch of excitable kids. you kind of need to slow down to read 'when i close my eyes...' and even talk about the concept of imagination to young kids...and the idea of being able to imagine a smell...is that still considered imagination? i might have to look that up...if only there were a place where all my questions could be answered...;b

push ups and drawing

2010-02-18T20:56:00.000-08:00

life drawing is good for me...it's like doing push ups for your eyes...eeew. and it teaches me to draw sensitive lines.

oh and i'm building a web site...i'll let you know when i'm done. xx

when i close my eyes...i feel peaceful

2010-02-10T22:41:00.000-08:00

i have been practicing iyenga yoga. i love it. i have been feeling a lot calmer and it has helped me think clearer. i think i might make some drawings inspired by the way i feel at the end of a yoga session. peaceful. at peace with myself. i can see large peaceful faces with their eyes closed. i drew some faces for my picture book, but i think i can explore it further as drawings unattached to a story.

a few words i want to keep in mind when drawing:

sparse

honest lines (that come from something truthful. i must be feeling peaceful to draw a peaceful face)

interesting proportions and scale

this messy messy house

2010-02-09T03:04:00.000-08:00

i'm trying to get jasper to sleep! he fights it so much. every time i think he's nearly there i hear a grizzle. so, i am somewhat distracted while writing this.

i watched an amazing doco called help me love my baby...it breaks down taboos about mother's who find it hard to bond with their babies. quite enlightening...and reassuring to hear someone else say that listening to your own baby scream is like psychological torture!

and, well...i have been working on my second picture book...just a littlie for the grown ups. it's a little bit dirty...! and romantic. i think it will be called this messy messy house.

that's enough. i don't want to give it away! funnily enough i've been doing lots of tidying lately...cleaned out my pantry. it turns out we'll be okay when armageddon strikes.

oh and i watched another show called the wild gourmets in spain. it has inspired me to cook with simple, fresh flavours. yum x

hearts 4 her

2010-01-31T01:32:00.000-08:00

new photos and words for my shop...

get dressed

2010-01-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

feeling so happy these days...a lightness has come over me.

speaking of dressing have you met this thrifty lady? i'm a little hooked on her.

now we can play art together!

2010-01-24T02:17:00.000-08:00

i am a bit in love and blissful as i've just spent a few hours today drawing. all the while my son, jasper was sitting on my lap, eating at the table, genrally running around and being a toddler and i wasn't worried like i normally am. so, i just had to share this with you! i'm so happy!

you have no idea how excited i am...

i'm a busy mum, right? with no studio space...(although, i'm happy with that. i love making stuff on my kitchen table using non toxic materials and working around my two year old son. he brings me so much joy and inspiration.) i used to use paper as my drawing surface of choice and because i have no space or time to make my own frames i always ran into a dillema...how to frame it...expensive professional framing or a mass produced frame that i was never quite happy with for environmental reasons and because i tend to use scrap bits of paper that are odd sizes for reasons of thriftiness. blahhh blahhh blahhh.

i have just discovered something that has made me soo happy. i'm sorry i sound a bit like an add...i am not getting paid! i have come across panel pop...an eco friendly, beautiful product developed by a guy from melbourne. they've been around for a while...but being from ballarat, well, i can be a bit behind the times (i love ballarat!) anyway i won't bore you with the detaials, but it's a multi-mudium friendly surface made from entirely recycled materials and can can be wiped clean. each one is beautifully framed using reclaimed timber. so it's ready to hang and in my case, sell.

my beautiful boy, now we can play art together!

ps...my husband has just quit being an accountant to live his dream and be a musician...he has been writing kids songs and putting pots and pans on his head while singing and playing guitar. life is so exciting. wish us luck!

pictures eat people x

seeing in multiples

2010-01-11T20:51:00.000-08:00

now that 'when i close my eyes...' has been printed on lovely recycled paper with vegetable inks i am focusing on hand binding each and every copy. i'm really enjoying the zen of it all.

pictures eat people x

defrosted

2009-12-03T00:22:00.000-08:00

thank goodness for our little local zine thaw! these guys are just so supportive of local creative people... including, me! in this fresh issue there is a little bit about my book 'when i close my eyes....' so, thanks guys!

oh, and there is also a really interesting article about the lovely pale and sparkling world that is 'blonde vintage' on sturt street, ballarat. 'when i close my eyes...' can be found there as well as some art prints from the book. i just love matine's knack for choosing and arranging beautiful things for her shop. i always leave her shop with a feeling of magic...it might be the combination of gnomes, ballerinas and the gorgeous martine describing things as 'bloody fantastic!'.
xx

the soggy art phenomenon and other adventures

2009-12-01T03:48:00.000-08:00

well, what a special day it was on saturday at the makers market! it was such a blur leading up to the day as it was my self publishing dead line. on the thursday i caught a train to pick up my 10kg worth of books from print together in melbourne (these guys are sooo lovely). caught a tram and train home, getting weird looks and declining offers to put my luggage up above our heads in the compartment. i cuddled those boxes all the way home. and even succeeded in not getting the books soggy in the rain (it always rains when i'm transporting my artwork and stuff...i mean every time, it's uncanny!) when i arrived home i began binding and pretty much didn't stop until midnight friday. what a rush! what adventure!

at the market i found myself next to a lovely photographer, tim and beck from dandelion. i'm a pretty nervous person when it comes to putting my stuff out there, but beck has a lovely motherly, calming way about her! i just about cried when a little girl read my story aloud to her mum. there is nothing quite like showing people your hand made treasures at a market, the feedback is immediate and honest. i had such a beautiful day, such warm people and a great atmosphere. i was sitting there drinking too many cups of free tea, while binding books and chatting away. not something i will do again as i almost stabbed myself with a sharp awl! thanks to steph for being such a champ and organising the market...she has such a generous spirit!

xx

i love to cut and paste!

2009-11-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

here's a peek at something i've been working on. i have used illustrations from my picture book 'when i close my eyes...' to make customised art prints for kid's rooms.

if you would like an art print, cut and paste just the way you like it, have a chat to me at the daylesford makers market or drop me a line at my etsy shop in the alchemy section.

happy friday!

and if i spend the whole day a blubbering mess

2009-11-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

just the other day i was talking to a friend who is going to have a 'no more breast feeding party'. she said that she wanted to have a ritual for herself, but mostly for her daughter to bid farewell to this great source of comfort.

i thought this was such a beautiful idea and a really healthy way of letting something go.

i then happened to read an article in the gorgeous 'dumbo feather, pass it on' about a woman who used to be a performance artist and has now found her life's work as a celebrant. she says she feels more like an artist now! she has a very creative approach, and that's why people go to her.

so, here's to ritual, i say!

i've been secretly dreading christmas, as i'm having the family do at my house this year.

i lost my mum a little while ago and it's just not the same without her. so, i've been thinking... instead of trying to make it the same and feeling awkward, i'm just going to do it my way.

i want this to be a day that my family can get together and begin to heal. (although, i wont tell them that, they'll all go running for the hills!)

so, i thought lets sit under the big tree in our front yard. i want to collect a whole lot of white sheets from opp shops and lay them on the ground and give everyone a cushion with their name embroidered on it.

we don't have to sit at a table and pretend to be all formal. our family has changed and maybe our rituals need to too. and if i spend the whole day a blubbering mess, that's ok too.

this was my mum

play time

2009-11-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

what a glorious spring day it is today!! recently, i took some time out to just play... and this is what happened.

the inspiration to 'just play' came about while reading an article in the beloved frankie on book designer coralie bickford-smith. her motto is "Stop Designing Start Playing". those are some wise words my friends!

oh golly the winner is....

2009-10-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

renae mccarty-ferguson you are the winner xx i will send you the very first copy of my book. hehe. i hope you look like this woman when you receive it!

thank you to all of the lovely people who shared their thoughts with me. you were so helpful and kind to take the time out, we are all so busy at the moment. oh and i really did put all of the names in a hat and pull out the winner. my cat nina was witness, she doesn't stand for any nonsense.

in other news, i've figured out what sort of paper i'm using and how i'm going to bind my books together.

this has been my bible lately.

i've decided that i'm using a book binding method called single signature pamphlet stitch, rather than using my sewing machine.

times tables

2009-10-21T01:29:00.000-07:00

a creative, business savy friend of mine was telling me how important it is to make yourself a timetable and stick to it. i was telling her about my woes of being a little overwhelmed and getting stuck in problem solving ruts of recent times. (i am learning so much about self publishing!) her advice was sound, as i found myself categorising and dividing time like some kind of physicist.

pictures eat people timetable- imagine the business is a nest

day one

create baby birds for 2 hrs

make sure the branch is strong and find good sticks for the nest for 3 hrs

get the sticks in order for 1 hr

day two

create baby birds for 2 hrs

teach the birds to fly for 3 hrs

make sure the branch is strong and find good sticks for the nest for 1 hr

day three

create baby birds for four hrs

tell stories about the baby birds and listen to other stories for 1 hr

make sure the branch is strong and find good sticks for the nest for 1 hr

what!?

create baby birds- making, drawing, creating

make sure the branch is strong and find good sticks for the nest- set up my business, buying materials, research

get the sticks in order- paperwork and book keeping

teach the birds to fly- selling my products, etsy, markets, shops etc

tell stories about the baby birds and listen to others- write blog, email outs, myspace, respond to emails

love to you sweet mumma!

2009-10-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

i met with a few mummy friends for a cuppa at a local cafe this morning. one of the mums has just had another beautiful little baby. so with a toddler and a new born it was such a big deal for her to just get organised and get out of the house. it was so nice to sit and have a chat and see her laughing at how crazy life is at the moment. i am in absolute awe of her. it really brought me back to those raw days of early motherhood of being sleep deprived and just keeping it together. love to you sweet mumma!

2do

2009-10-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

1. mark this date in your diary. (there will be a pictures eat people stall!)

2. get a diary, refer to step 1

3. stop making lists and just go to sleep, it's late

4. don't worry about spelling mistakes on blog posts

she never existed before

2009-09-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

a beautiful quote i found while researching for my motherhood book:

the moment a child is born the mother is also born. she never existed before. the woman existed but the mother never. a mother is something absolutely new.
Rajneesh

peeing on the floor and other news

2009-09-26T03:25:00.000-07:00

well after my son peeing on the kitchen floor and me drinking red wine and cooking pasta i thought it might be time to show what i've been working on. my little picture book. my amazing and lovely friend louisa cleaned up my drawings, because she is a champ and i am not so photoshop savy. i'm heading to melbourne soon to get the book printed with vegie inks and on recycled paper and then fuelled by manic demons i will stitch them together with beautiful red cotton. i am planning to sell these little babies at the makers market in dalesford. yay, self publishing joy!

all about olive

2009-09-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

i watched a doco on abc iview called 'All About Olive'. at the time of making it she was 105, although she recently passed away. i cried and cried... because she was still figuring out her life and dealing with the past at 105! kind of a humbling thing to watch...

it got me to thinking about what i would recount if i were 105. what have been the big things that have shaped my life? so i started writing afterwards and i think i might have another idea for a picture book. thanks olive. apparently she kept a blog for a while too! but she called it a blob! bless!

a picture book sitting under my skin

2009-09-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

a few words and pictures i am playing with for a picture book that's sitting under my skin.

a loose list of ideas for this book:

. page by page, picture by picture build up a kind of landscape of motherhood (moments in the day that are just pure gold, along with the desperate moments)

. pictures that show both the gorgeous & the mundane
. honesty
. i also want it to be the sort of book that i wish i came across before having a baby, because really i had no clue about all of the intangible, emotional stuff.