Encaustic art

Received my kit today and just had to start playing!

Ever done or come across encaustic art? Well, I hadn't until I was reading an article the other day.

Apparently, the process dates back to around 400BC when naturally found beeswax was mixed with pigments and used as a painting medium. Long before oil paints were developed and introduced, encaustic techniques requiring a heat source to render the wax paint liquid were being used to creat artworks.

A simple method first used by the ancient Greeks and Romans was to heat a palette over charcoal fire in order to create an environment suitable for holding the colours in a liquid state. The mixtures consisted of pigment blended with beeswax and resins.

Now adays with modern technology all you need is a basic iron and the pigmented wax. The was is melted on the iron and placed through various techniques on to painting card. As soon as the heat source is removed the wax hardens, never loses its colour and can be softly polished to a sheen. Creativity is endless!

Here is my first attempt.... I named this series Sydney Opera House 1-4.

New Year - new ideas

January nearly over, where has it gone? Well, I began this year on a high with so many ideas of new mediums to try out.

So far I have delved into the world of ACEOs. They are very addictive to make! This is my first one entitled Internal Combustion - lots of fiery red done in acrylics.

Now since my experimentation with different art forms I decided to open another Etsy shop called On A Whimsey http://onawhimsey.etsy.com/ This was because my new items will not be sitting too well in my Precious Quilts shop http://preciousquilts.etsy.com/ which specialises in baby quilts and crochet blankets!

Another experiment (for me!) is quilted postcards. Here is my first attempt which is not good enough to sell but I will try to improve it. Still, I thought it was fun!

This I have entitled Mr & Mrs Piggy Valentine! I fuzzy cut the piggies, placed them on some bright yellow gingham with a big red felt heart beside them.

Recently joined another group where we do swaps... this I find really exciting and challenging. Above, left, is my first attempt at an ATC swap under the caption of Nouveau Art.

However, for the traditionalists amongst you, I have made a Victorian style christening cape which you will find in my PQ shop. Actually, I am in the process of completing another which I made in white but am adding pearlised beads to the edging to make it all that more precious!

Here is the first one I made in a pale cream/off white mixed fibre yarn:-

All I need is the baby to demonstrate:)

The Blue Mountains, NSW

As some of you will know I am travelling in the Blue Mountains of North Carolina but whilst in Australia we also visited the Blue Mountains. These were beautiful! I likened them to the Grand Canyon filled with eucalyptus trees! The 'blue' comes from the sun beating down and making the leaves expire the oil hence leaving a blue hue over the mountains.

This map gives you an idea of the Blue Mountain towns and their location in relation to each other. We travelled by car to most of the towns and got a wonderful insight to how many of the roads had originally been built by convicts who had been transported from Britian in the nineteenth century.

Here is a picture of the view near the town of Katoomba, up in the mountains.... this particular view is of the Three Sisters'.

All the views in the area were fantastic but the only down side was the number of flies. When we first arrived we thought 'how friendly' everyone was....... they were but they were waving to discourage the flies from their faces!!!! Soon, we realised we were doing the same thing.

Whilst in the mountains we stayed in a self catering cottage that had been renovated. Very bijou and pretty. It was situated in Wentworth so enabled us to have a fairly central location from which to explore the surrounding countryside.

All that was now left for us was to pack, drive to Sydney to stay for our last night before starting the very long journey back. All in all very exciting adventure!

The real purpose of the trip?

The Wedding!

Our #2 son was to be married to a lovely Australian girl from Sydney, or rather a couple of hours drive away. We are so pleased and proud to have her in the family.

So, the real purpose of our long journey was to attend the wedding. What a day.... as perfect as you could imagine.

The venue was in an old part of Watson Bay area called Vaucluse where Vaucluse House stands.

Set in ten of its original 206 hectares, Vaucluse House survives as the only 19th century Sydney harbour-side estate with house, kitchen wing, stables, kitchen garden and outbuildings. From 1827 until 1853 it was the family home of William Charles Wentworth, explorer and statesman, his wife Sarah, and their family..

The wedding ceremony took part on the lawns just in front of the building were chairs had been laid out in a semi circle .....

Afterwards drinks were served in front on the terrace. The whole length of the flagstone terrace had been covered with protective cloths. Nobody is ever to indulge in red wine and the like whilst standing in case some spills and stains the sandstone! However, whilst seated indoors we were able to do so!

Here we used the Little Drawing Room for an intimate wedding breakfast. It was wonderful with only about 20 of us altogether.

Next day the happy couple were seen off on their honeymoon in style..... their very own motor launch from Watson Bay to Sydney harbour where they were to spend the first night before flying off into the sunset!

A truly magically setting for a beautiful wedding! Well, that's two down, two to go!!