fox acre row

it happened!

2012-03-03T08:10:00.002-08:00

That is all.

Old Emma's House

2012-03-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Here is a peak at another watercolour study I've been working on.
The window of my studio upstairs looks out onto our yard. I believe it is this vantage point that has inspired this new series of studies, looking out over our house watching the seasons play out. Though I'm not quite done with winter yet I also can't wait for the coming spring. It might be my favorite time of year on the South Shore.

Weekend Afternoons.

2012-02-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

I love having a bit of down time on weekends to poke around the house and fuss with my beloved house plants. I have a nasty habit of taking cuttings of our favorite plants so that I can litter my friends' houses with house plants too. In the process of course I find our kitchen, and every free window sill overflowing with coleus, geraniums and so on.

I took these cuttings sometime last year. I've grown rather attached to the christmas cactus. I'm not sure we'll be able to part ways.

I received this amaryllis bulb for Christmas. It feels as though it is sprouting a few inches day. I can't wait to see it flower.

2012-02-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

I think I need to get into embroidery in a big way. Nothing says classy like a monogram hanky. This is from the Frick side of the family.

Grey days of February.

2012-02-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

While giving the studio a thorough tidy I came across a stash of old hankies I've been carrying around for years. They were given to me years ago by my mother and if I'm remembering correctly some of them were once my grandmother's. The delicate stitches on the thin white cotton captures my attention every time I pull them out. I started a few studies in watercolour attempting to mimic the fine embroidered patterns.

I'm still new to the world of watercolours and have much to learn. My grandmother prided herself on using watercolours as a medium, saying that pastels were 'just too easy, if you make a mistake all you have to do is erase it!' After binning a few pieces already I'm thinking it might be time to switch to pastels.

a new year

2012-01-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

I started 2012 sadly taking down my show Tales from the valley, through the forest to the shore. at the Black Duck Gallery. Well, to be honest I left it up for an extra week, so it wasn't quite my 'start' to 2012. It was a treat to have my work out of my crowded little studio and displayed in such a beautiful space you can't really blame me for wanting to leave it up longer.

Here are a few shots from the show.

Apple Blossom Festival
Queen Annapolisa on Patrol
Screen-print on cotton/linen, 40 x 40"

Discover Keji
Shenanigans in the Woods
Screen-print on cotton/linen, 40 x 40"

Christmas trees start here.
Limited Edition Print
1 of 15
Screen-print on cotton/linen, 12 x 16"

Welcome to Lunenburg County
Limited Edition Print
1 of 12
Screen-print on cotton/linen, 12 x 16"

Missing is Blueberry Social the first piece in the tablecloth series I created. Hoping to have better documentation of that piece soon.
My thanks go to the lovely folks at the gallery for being so lovely. The Christmas trees and Lunenburg County prints are still available at the Black Duck.

Upcoming shows.

2011-11-27T12:41:00.000-08:00

I'm getting ready for a busy couple of weeks! First up is Halifax Crafters Yule Tide Cheer Winter Market at the Olympic Centre in Halifax. I'm super excited to have a fun crafty weekend with all my crafty friends and to show off all this fun new stuff I've been working on! Check out the Halifax Crafters blog for updates and sneak peaks at new things our crafters are getting ready!

The following weekend is the opening of my show at the Black Duck Gallery here in Lunenburg County! 'Tales from the valley, through the forest to the shore' is a collection of new printed works inspired by my life and travels through Nova Scotia. The show runs from December 10th - 31st, with the opening reception on December 11th from 2 - 4 pm. Hope to see you there!

Lunenburg Fire Engine

2011-11-10T13:34:00.000-08:00

A New plushie design on the print table. I got so excited about seeing it printed for the first time that I took a photo before the ink dried!

This is the old Lunenburg fire engine that I worked next door to during my time in the Lunenburg Residency. It's a beautiful machine.

Shooting Screens with Sunlight

2011-10-28T10:01:00.001-07:00

I'm back in the studio big time these days. With Halifax Crafters winter market and a solo show at The Black Duck in Lunenburg, both coming up in December I have a lot to get done. Lucky me, I have four brand new big screens to do it with!

I might be gaining access to a light table to shoot my screens with soon which is a huge relief. Right now the sun is my primary exposure unit and it can be cloudy for days here in Lunenburg County leaving my studio work at a stand still. However, when there is a spot of sunshine it is incredibly satisfying to shoot a screen in the sun.

This is my set up: I use a pane of glass to hold the designs tight to the screen and stuff a piece of foam covered in black fabric behind the screen to stop any light reflecting. I carry the screen out in a garbage bag and when the sun looks right I pull it off and start exposing. My exposure time is around 30 to 40 seconds, depending on the strength of the sun.

After 40 seconds I then frantically run and hide in the shade behind my favorite forsythia bush, remove the design (I've learned how crucial it is to fold over my tape ends for quick removal) and rinse the screen out with my garden hose.

However, once the snow flies I lose my garden hose and this system gets a lot more complicated. Bring on the exposure table!

2011-05-02T07:47:00.001-07:00

I am fortunate enough to have a day off after a long weekend at the wonderful halifax crafters market. It was a pretty fantastic weekend. Getting out to see all of the marvelous creations by my fellow crafters makes it worth it every time. Today I'm just unpacking, organizing and let's be honest, catching up on a world of housework I neglected leading up to the market!

Not the best pic, but here is a little shot of my mountain of pillows and other goodies available at the market.

I stayed overnight in Halifax Saturday and had a chance to spend some quality time with a few friends I don't see often enough these days. Though my birthday was in March they surprised me with a mini birthday celebration. Lots of sugar, a vegan birthday cupcake from Susie Shortbreads and jelly belly beans which hastened my post-market crash. I was asleep on the couch by 10pm.

I also left with this beauty of a gift! It is a waving Queen, powered by a solar panel in her purse! I think she looks pretty spectacular next to my african violet granny plant. This is also the best use of a doily I've found.

clearance sale!

2011-04-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

I will be selling all of my printed t-shirts at 50% off this weekend at the Halifax Crafters market. That's just $18 for a lovely hand printed t-shirt! Pretty good deal, n'est-ce pas?

Stop by my table early to find one in your size!

These designs and more available!

on the print table.

2011-04-28T02:43:00.000-07:00

I've been going a little crazy working on this piece hoping to have it finished in time to show at the upcoming halifax crafters market. Here's a little sneaky peak.

I've been inspired by the local community suppers that are everywhere in Lunenburg County. I decided that a souvenir tablecloth was the perfect fit.

This piece took around 11 hours to print and is comprised of 16 two-colour prints. The next time I realize that I'm working on a design that needs 8 separate screens I'm either going to have to talk myself out of it or go and buy some seriously bigger screens!

new machine

2011-04-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Over the christmas holidays I packed this heavy duty wonder in my suitcase and brought it back with me from Ontario. It was my Nana's machine and it still runs beautifully. I don't think you can ever go wrong with a husqvarna.

the countdown is ON!

2011-04-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time again. Just under a month til the next halifax crafters show and I'm back in the studio cracking the whip. I'm continually inspired by the lovely community that surrounds me and this means a whole ton of new design ideas are pouring out of me. Fingers crossed I can get them onto fabric in time for the show!

I'm starting with the little things. Happy stacks of happy hearts ready to be sewn.

More stacking; my new studio 'tidying' method. The studio is tidy-ish for now. Hopefully I can keep it that way.

Tis Market Season!

2010-11-30T05:04:00.000-08:00

Starting this week you can find me at the Lunenburg Farmers Market, Thursdays 8:30 to noon at the Lunenburg Community Center.

This weekend is the Halifax Crafters Winter Carnival! It's our biggest show yet and will be chock o block full of wonderful crafty items. See the Halifax Crafters website to read interviews with some of the crafters involved with the show.

You can also find my work at Jenny Jib in Lunenburg and at the Seeds Gallery Textiles show and sale opening Monday December 6th at 5:30.

Halifax Crafters Market
Olympic Center
2304 Hunter Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Jenny Jib
174 Lincoln St.
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
(902) 634-1952

Seeds Gallery
1892 Hollis Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
(902) 494 8301

Lunenburg Collection - Seeds Spotlight

2010-10-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

I've been busier than ever putting my Lunenburg collection into production for the winter season. Stop by Seeds Gallery to check out my feature Spotlight running until November 6th.

Seeds Gallery is located at:
1892 Hollis Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia
902 494 8301

Tuesday to Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 12noon - 4pm

forty-five rounds, ninety-three years & ninety-six point seven kilometers

2010-07-30T11:58:00.001-07:00

Well, what I was hoping would be endless year at the fire-hall is quickly coming to a close. My studio mates and I are working tirelessly to finish up our pieces for this upcoming show while at the same time preparing for our big move.
The show opens in less than two weeks, hope to see you there!

Still here!

2010-07-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've been busy raking blueberries.
My time in the Lunenburg Fire-hall is frantically coming to an end and we're all working hard while trying to soak up some summer goodness. There is a lot left to do to prepare for our final exhibition and our big move out of the studios in August.

Here's a sneak peak at some of my final prints for the show. Inspired by this year's early rhubarb harvest... yum.

2010-06-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Queen's visit to Halifax my Royal Remnants paintings are getting some love from The Coast. Grab a copy this week or check it out here.

2010-04-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a long but lovely craft-filled weekend in halifax. There are long stories of reckless wildlife and treacherous weather to be told but I'll get to that another time. For now I'd like to show off my finished new pattern. It was a tricky one to figure out as it's a shifting repeat but I'm quite pleased with the end result and may have shed a small tear when I had to start cutting it up into pillow pieces.

2010-04-13T20:16:00.000-07:00

I've just started printing my first new repeating pattern in what feels like ages. It has been so long that nearly forgot how exciting the process is.

2010-04-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

see you there!

2010-04-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

I've been looking up for inspiration these days. I keep running into patterns everywhere and they're starting to creep back into my work.

We live in a wonderful old Fire-Hall complete with patterned tin ceilings in every room of our apartment. This is the view from the kitchen. I just love the way the light hits the pattern.

Unfortunately it's the end of another skating season. I've been trying my hardest to make it out a few times a week for the local noon skate at the Lunenburg Arena. I'm going to miss spending time in this wonderful spot, I've never seen such a beautifully crafted arena. Word on the ice is that the wooden roof was brought in by train from BC when it was built, a long time ago.

springtime & bicycles

2010-03-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

I was out of the studio all week working on plans for workshops and artist statements for applications. Spring has brought us rainy days and all the writing is making my brain want to implode. Luckily yesterday afternoon there was a patch of sunshine just as I was ready to take a wee break so I hopped on my new 12 speed road bicycle, Penny and took her out for a spin.

I'm now itching to get into the studio this weekend to finally print this new drawing I was working on a few weeks ago...

Port Loggia Gallery Exhibition

2010-02-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

I've been locked away in my painting studio for the last few weeks in preparation for an upcoming show. I'm shipping my paintings into Halifax Friday, my fingers are crossed that they will be done in time and dry!

Opening Reception: Tuesday February 9, 5:30 p.m.
Exhibition Continues: February 10 - 28, 2010
Artists Talk: Wednesday February 10, 12 noon

The Port Loggia Gallery is located at 1107 Marginal Rd. in Halifax, NS.

2010-01-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

Today I was delighted to find out that one of the milk crate pillows I parted with at the halifax crafters winter market was being put to good use by a lovely sleepy orange kitty. I couldn't be happier.

Thanks to Lesley-Anne of hello pineapples for passing on the photo.

its a long road and a lot of pickles...

2010-01-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

Back at the end of August, thanks to the amazing Lunenburg farmers market, I experienced for the first time in my adult life the joy of pickling. It was one heck of a vinegary love-fest and the loving hasn't stopped since.

It's now four months later and I still haven't been able to kick the pickle brain so I finally decided to find an outlet for my gherkin craze. I started off with a graphite drawing of my Lunenburg dills and then just got carried away from there experimenting with some open screened pickles and finally a three colour pickle print.

My final print looks something like this... I'm hoping the world is ready for some fantabulous dill-pickle doorstops.

2009-12-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

I don't do well with introductions, in fact this blog was meant to have started months ago but I couldn't figure out just what to say... so I didn't.

I just spent the weekend at the halifax crafters winter market. As per usual it was a big sticky taffy ball of stress and ridiculous fun all mixed together. Friday we stayed up til the wee hours of the morning attempting to finish sewing and heat setting all my work in time. We woke up a mere 1 1/2 hours later (5:30 am that is - you can do the math) to be ready to hit the road for Halifax by 6:30.

It was our first show at the Olympic center (a big move up from the North Street Church) and it was a wonderful success.

Now for a big sigh of relief that it's over.... ahhhhhh.