Off toThe Channon Market today, it is a beautiful looking morning, albeit a hot looking day, it is perfect at the moment. Here's some pix of my new studio, transforming from a many carpeted floor space, with very white walls cabin, to a space where I can feel inspired to create.......wonders.

Glad I painted this shelving into a pale blue instead of the lime green it was when I got it from the Tip Shop a while ago, for my sister to use while she was in the cabin temporarily. She didn't like the colour either, but never got around to painting it. Now the colour is provided by my materials for my sewing. Don't you just love the new 'concrete carpet' !!!
Back late tonight, have de-activated most of my hats from my shop for the day, but they'll be back.

My Largest 'Canvas' Ever

Well after starting off emptying the space, of furniture and rugs, I had a huge 'canvas', to paint !
The Floor. !!
When the 'Shed House' was converted/updated to 'The Cabin', the concrete floor was painted a light blue/grey colour.
It hasn't worked well, for the stains and scratches, make it look grubby, even when clean.

So, as I prepare to move in to have a live in Studio of Fixed abode, and taking out the carpets and rugs of old and recycled nature to clean the floor, I decided, that a fresh paint job, was called for.

And being summer, I'd only need some rugs for a while, till winter cold, will call for more carpets to be found and acquired by then.
A quick look in the shed end, (1 quarter of space is now behind a wall), and I found 6 pots of paint, that should do the job, Yaay!!
Brunswick Green with White, Blue with White and Gold, don't know if I'll use the Orange as yet , or the silvery blue spray can, but we'll see later on....

The next thing was to make some 'Brushes',
luckily I didn't, remember, to throw out in the recent Hard Rubbish collection, these bits of foam, I had cut up for hat rims, back in early 2007, down in Tassie, and the old plastic, Under Bed Container, that used to hold our Hand Painted T-Shirts, before they started breaking up. This, is to be my paint mixing pallette, The pieces of bamboo, we used to use for display coat-hangers, for our Sunset Silhouette Shirts.
The weather was extremely Hot and Humid, luckily I had some fans to stand in front of periodically
After working all around the edges, using a piece of cardboard to shield the skirting boards, I them began to cover the floor wih the first colour of a jade green, using one of the foam and bamboo brushes.
As I worked, the foam, began to deteriate, making an even more random shape to my sploches, which is what I wanted. I nearly spent time at the beginning, making the foam covered ends more varigated, I'm glad I didn't bother, as it wasn't needed at all.

I would spread the density of paint around,as I refreshed the brush with more paint, working until brush became paler and paler, I think I will also paint my crocs in this manner too, when I finish off tomorrow...... I left lots of narrow pathways, so I could walk easily around for the second coat....... The humidity was rising as the weather outside was building to a Thunder Storm........
I nearly used this long 'brush first off, but I'm glad I used it second, as itprovides a wonderful contrast. It is the old squeegee mop which we are about to throw out, having bought a new one on Monday !!
This is what it looked like before I started
And this is how it finished up at the end of the day, with more to come tomorrow, when I start with the Gold, top layer.
I'm thinking I'll also paint the Fridge, and maybe the cupboard doors at some time in the future too, in a different style. I've also got two bookshelves that need painting and a Secretaire, that I bought at a Garage Sale a while ago.
I wonder how it will look tomorrow when I finish with the Gold and maybe the Silver/Blue ???

And I can't wait now to paint the shelves and secretaire, which I have been meaning to paint for months and months !!!!!

I've re -found my Creative Energy

This is the farm I am looking after for 10 days. The first 2 days were filled with rain, nearly constantly. A really good excuse to watch a few DVD's while I get some work done.
I had made these two crocheted, over sized hats and fulled them down in the washing machine. The first one, made before I'd deciphered the 'weird' pattern was still too large to ever be a hat, so earmarked it for a bag. But they have sat unfinished for ages!
Now, here in a 'new space', and on my own, I have a 'freedom' I haven't known for what seems, like years !


This is one of my temporary work stations


Also I was not able to be online for those two days, until I worked out the ways of using the house computer so look what I have been doing instead.....
























This is one side of my freeform needle felting, which I have no idea as yet, what it is going to end up as/ If by a miracle, I get it finished into something, or close to, I will give it to a talented local musician, who turns 21 tomorrow. Something stylish for her to wear or carry as she travels the world's music venues. Lokk out for Camilla Hadgkins, the eldest of 7 kids who along with Dad Bob make up The Perch Creek Family Jug Band.
Camilla won a scholarship, years ago and went down to Sytdney to study at The Conservatorium. High School, She used to busk with her Harp, made by father Bob, at all the local markets and had her first CD out at 15, or so ! They're having a big party over the weekend with bands playing and lots of freeform music !


















And this is The Pinacle, which towers up behind the house. It's a peninsula of land, that sweeps down from the Border Ranges, the western rim of the Caldera. The track down across and up to the tip is very narrow in places, and they have even semi-closed the track now, I think. Haven't been out on it for years. My partner and I used to camp further back along the rim at Black Butt Lookout. our most favorite breakfast balcony in the Life of a Nomad! The sun came out today ! but there are thunderstorms predicted for tomorrow. Went out mushrooming again this afternoon Mmmmm, mushroom omlette for tea!

'Welcome to Country', Party at Hanging Rock Hall

Finally I have time to write this up.

November 22nd we headed of to the wonderful community made, stone and wood hall, to help brother Michael set up the Chai Tent, for a community party put on to invite some 'new friends to be' from the Mulli Mulli Community, somewhere west of here, in the Kyogle Shire.
Put on with the help of a grant, which enabled the Mulli Mulli people to bring a school bus of kids and teenagers,and a few cars wirh some of the elders, the one and a half hour journey, and paid for food and drinks for them, ably cooked on the BBQ and in the kitchen by the men and women of the Bush Fire Brigade and Hall Committee.

It was a wild and windy day


and the flags and tent were buffeted. and flapped with gusto. but held up ! And the promised Thunderstorm was never seen ...?
I was a wonderful day of two communities coming together and sharing music and dance and cups of Sovereign Tea and Chai !

Local singer song writer Loren, played around sunset, singing about community. I couldn't resist his awesome words, and danced the stories out, for all to see. ( an impromptu performance, as I was, for a long while, the only one dancing, and my style is movement and mime based.)
It made up for two recently missed, cafe concerts he has played, ( I was just saving up for the right venue, Somewhere with lots of space to dance in, on grass!)
My crook hip paid heavily that night as I tried to sleep, rolling round trying to get comfy !

After dark the fire lantern 'Phoenix was placed in it's stand, on the centrally laid fire, (Beautifully built by the 'Fireys',who had their truck on hand for any firey emergencies).
With a north wind, blowing hot all day, it was not, the ideal day to light a fire, but with sunset, the winds dropped back, to a balmy evening, so Fire Ceremony lighting was approved ! Yaay !




Lewis Walker, of the Bundjulung, spoke and played the traditional Welcome to Country, then played, to the Phoenix as the flames took hold, and an awesome sight it was, as the Spirit of the Phoenix was released, to be reborn in us all, in the Spirit of New Friendships !


But the final parting was very moving, as Lewis farewells the Spirit of the Phoenix !



Can you 'see' the 'spirit' leaving the fire .......

There was music and dance in the hall til midnight, with the wondeful 8 person line up 'CBD Dub Collective', and music and dance, out round the fire, til the wee small hours, of a quieter nature. May there be more such gaterings and coming together of community !

( and may there be 'better communication about what time thiings start, an order and a program, known in advance. The Elders and young Mulli Mullians left too early, as they'd arrived at the advertised time, of noon as we had beleived too, that the official 'Welcome to Country was to be held then.)

Etsy DUST Gift Guide

Have you seen the New etsyDUSTer's Gift Guide ? You can browse for gifts by category. There are 12 items shown per shop with more to be seen within each. Check it out here
http://www.dustteam.com/admin/gift_guide.php

And for the Month of November we have the DUST (Down Under Street Team) Oceans and Islands Sale
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=%22dust+team+sale%22

Welcome Back Benny Zable

Well the day started out looking pretty wet and miserable, but with all our positive intent, we lifted the cloud and a beautiful cool day was had by the few who braved the ominous early rain.
Benny is back from his 3 months in America, all 'abuzz' with Obama, and his adventures over there.
The Chai Tent was 'up and at em' early ! with Michael and Ots there at 6.30, the tent was up, the flags were up, the Chai was ready, before 9.30 ! (lately it's been getting later and later, with one thing or another).
When we got there, all was ready, and I didn't have to do a thing, except put up my stall, which was nice and small, just a display and an outing for 'the hats'.
Just as well too, as my energy is quite low at the moment, with another heavy flow.

Here's Benny, getting his tight neck and shoulders worked on, receiving a much needed massage from our resident 'pop-in' masseurs, Branwen and QJ. Branwen is wearing her newly remade Gumnut Pixie Antenna to the Universe.



Later when the drummers started up, Benny climbed his Barrels and created a spontaneous piece of theatre, the energies gathered and built up, and later when it was very 'high', I entered into the dance, and physically, psychically, and ritually gathered in the combined energy, and sent it with full intent, down to our Brothers and Sisters,(Forest Defenders), in Southern Tasmania, who are in great need of support !
I received several SMS messages the night before from Rissah, back down in Tassie, living in the heart of Geeveston, (Gateway to the Southern Forests), saying she is living in a War Zone, amid unprecedented violence, she has to take great care going to the shop, and she Doesn't Go Out At Night !
People at the market had heard on the news, something about severe beatings and car bombings ???Not sure what's been going on fully, but it dosen't sound good. Tasmanian Loggers have been watching and learning from their mainland peers and subverting to violence. Not good !!!





Who 'Nose' what's going on ????




Long after the market stalls have packed up and gone home, they party on at The Chai Tent, as we pack up.



At this time of year we are graced with the beauty of the Jacaranda Trees, not indigenous to Australia, and now classified as a 'weed' here in Northern Rivers region. But oh so nice ! I just Love Jacarandas, they fill me with yummy-ness, the colour grabs me every time I see it. Soon I shall make a painting featuring them. Here at The Channon, there is this magnificent tree, and yesterday it was spectacular! Last year the November market was canceled due to heavy rains, so we missed seeing it's glory, but yesterday late afternoon, the light was wonderful.





It's a long job as everything needs to be washed and certain pots and pans have to be packed into the OLD trailer first. The order of packing is due to loading the trailer right, for the weight distribution. So it is not until 10.30 ish that we are packed and ready to leave. Sometimes a bit earlier, many times a lot later.

Usually we have music nearly all the way to the van doors being closed !! One day the 'Dream' is, to have a new purpose designed trailer, built to enable a much better functioning system. Michael gets very 'stressed ' at times with the inadequacies of the current trailer, and would so dearly love to build his design.
It would make taking the Chai Tent to functions such as The Tent Embassy in Canberra for Sovereignty Day, a much more feasible proposition !
Anyone feel like being a Benefactor, or do you know of someone who needs a good 'Community' effort to support