November 2017

November has been a frustrating month. I injured myself doing the hedge which is over 10 metres long and had grown almost twice my height! I'm really regretting thinking I could do it as I'm not suffering - suffering with tingling, burning and numbness in my arms but particularly in my hands. I've been enforced to limit my activities as a result and this has been very frustrating creatively-speaking but it's also been distressing and had me in tears of anguish.

RICKY-TIME: Teaching/Encouraging

Ricky's glazed garlic pots, ready for firing.

Ricky said he enjoyed making them and often asks me when we are next going to do pottery.

We made up box-frames for concrete tiles (his mum needed them for the fireplace)

At the request of Ricky's Mum, we also attempted to make a mitred-cornered picture frame for a tapestry his sister had done. As I didn't have the proper tools I had to ask his Mum to get someone else to cut the mitred corners, which she did. 

I've done my best at gluing/stapling but then learned the backing board Ricky and I had stretched the tapestry around was too think once glass put into the frame so I've had to cut a second, thinner board up-cycled from an unwanted picture frame and re-stretch the tapestry.

PLANNING/ORGANISING

TLC Programme Support, Dane Devine has been helping me over the months to plan my week and then record my creative activities. I did have a Weekly Organiser pad but haven't been able to find it in my messy system so I went online and found some weekly organisers that are free and printable. My daughter Sarah who is at home studying too, offered to help me sort out my "Creative Spaces" - there is still much to do but she has helped me sort two areas. It's great to be able to find things again!

POTTERY

I haven't been able to do much pottery but did manage to make some plant makers. I thought they might sell well at The Bach Gallery. They are yet to be fired and glazed.

HARVESTING/FORAGING

With the longer days I've been making the effort to spend time outside in my garden again. I harvested more calendula for soap and salve making, along with comfrey and borage

The flax bush that I'd cut up for paper-making and had in water in the outdoors bath with starting to smell pretty bad! My daughter reluctantly, but graciously helped me get it out and lay it on the lawn for processing. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to cut it up mow though - what I really need is some sort of big munching machine that can cope with the fibrous nature of flax!


TAPESTRY WEAVING/COMMUNITY PROJECT:

Naoko and I discussed how we were going to work and weave the "water" - she suggested hatching and I suggested colour blending the yarns by splitting them in half and then re-plying them. We compromised by doing both. The process of doviding the 8 ply wool was a it tedious but over time I've adapted my technique and cut the dividing time in half. Nothing like a challenge to make one look for solutions!

SOAP-MAKING/SALVE-LABELING

I spent several days over the month having to make soap so I didn't run out of stock over Christmas/January. I had great plans of selling soaps and balms at The Artisan's Market but with my tingling and burning issue in my arms I just had to let that go. I'd even organised another marketeer to sell on behalf for me. Fortunately with putting my prices up and having some ceramic soap dishes for sale I did ok over December sales-wise. 

August 2017 - Flax foraging, processing and more paper-making

At the end of July I saw an ad on Facebook Whangarei Buy, Sell and Swap. The advert read: FLAX FREE TO GOOD HOME QUITE BIG CAN TAKE ALL JUST NEED TO BREAK IT DOWN..READY TO PICK UP....IN KAMO AREA

Well, I responded immediately in the hope it was still available.

And it was - so next day I took a trip up to Kamo to collect it

My little car was full to the brim!

 Lucky for me I have a hatchback so the seats fold down. Even so, I needed to do a second trip to collect the rest of it.

I wasn't working on Saturday the 12th and it dawned a beautiful sunny day, perfect for sitting outside cutting up flax in preparation for cooking

It was so warm I had to change into shorts and a tee-shirt!

I had the company of my cat, Tibby while I worked.

I wish I had an easier way to cut the flax than just a sharp knife but I do find it quite cathartic and before I know it I have filled up a stockpot for cooking. 

I threw in some banana palm that is constantly reappearing in my garden

..and added the second pot to be cooked up. I add caustic soda, which when cooked with plant materials separates the cellulose and non cellulose matter from the plant. This batch was simmered and cooked for 5-6 hours

The cat moved once in that time..but only to follow the sun.

I still have a lot of flax left but as it is starting to die (and curl making it harder to cut) I need to get it into some water "to keep it" fresh until I can cut the rest of it up.

My outdoor bath makes for a good receptacle for the flax. 

We've had quite a bit of rain the past two weeks so the pool has filled up again. I kept on meaning to empty it and pack it away but I'll need lots of water to rinse the cooked flax so the rain/pool is a blessing in disguise.

I'm left with a big pile of roots to dispose of now. Shame I don't have property to plant them to grow more flax!

Paper Pulp/fibre preparation and cooking: 7 hours

On the 15th August which was a Tuesday I spent the morning rinsing the pohutukawa fibres I had previously cooked up and was keen to make some paper from the pulp.

 I tip the pulp into old pillow cases to rinse out the fibres. Unfortunately this one split while I was squeezing out the water so I had to go search for another one. (I need to get some more from the op shop)

I use plastic rubbish bins for doing the rinsing and water from the pool until it's clearish.

 The rinsed fibres then get processed through my insinkerator.

I recycle any off cuts by soaking them in some water and adding to the pulp mix.


I got lots of sheets of paper made but sadly, at the end of the day when I went to move the stack for pressing the board I had them on broke in half! They all fell on the ground. Fortunately, I've been able to carefully lift and spread them flat again - there's only a couple that creased too much to save. In between couching sheets of paper and draining the moulds I weeded the garden and took photos.

My bunnies ears have always caught my eye  - the white trim intrigues me!

I still have more pulp in the vat and plan more paper making on my days I am not working. Then, I will use it to make books.

Pohutukawa paper making - 7 hours
 (includes rinsing and processing  fibres and couching sheets of paper)

Trip to Helena Bay Gallery and Cafe

 On Tuesday the 4th I went for a drive out to Helena Bay Gallery with my sister who's up visiting from Christchurch. I've been wanting to visit for many months but it hadn't ever quite work out to go.

 We arrived late morning just as it rained but had a wander around the gardens anyway and admired the pottery and sculptural work.

These carved birds were half wood half metal..a clever mix of mediums. I love the upcycling of found metal objects too.

 Not the easiest to see but this owl caught my eye and reminded my of my Nana who passed away 17 years ago on the 5th July - she collected all things owl.

  After looking around inside the gallery we went to the cafe for lunch.

 

The view was breath-taking!

 After a very satisfying meal and time of gazing out to sea we decided to take a drive down to Teal Bay before heading back to Whangarei.

 The water was wonderfully wild and exhilarating!

I collected kelp as we walked along the bay and snapped (LOADS!) of photos of the waves. It was very therapeutic and pleasant as the sun was out at this stage.

 

..and my favourite photo is the next one :) 

Gallery Visit/Beach Photography - 5 hours