The Muppet Cycle

I figure my life runs in cycles of at least these three moods.

1.


2.


3.


you know what I mean... :)

Tags: muppets, youtube, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

Name Tagged - another 8 things about me

Stacey from Sheeps Clothing has tagged me for another meme...this time it's 8 things about me.

Here's the rules.
A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.B.
The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.



1. My favourite thing to do when working in the studio is to listen to 80s music on my old Chrysler Stereogram record player. I turn it up really loud and belt out the songs while ironing fabric or on the sewing machine. I pick up vinyl records for $2 at the local op shops so I have an ever improving 80s selection to choose from.

2. I've always wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride....when I lived in Canberra I braved the early morning winter chill to walk down to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin to have a picnic breakfast while watching the balloons lift-off for the annual Balloon festival. What a beautiful sight.

3. I love the sound of Magpie and Butcher Birds warbling in the morning. I wish they would visit here more often.

4. Watching clouds sailing through the sky, following their mysteries curl into the shapes of all imagining, of both grace and cruelty, could occupy my entire life if I was an indulgent type.

5. When our backyard is not mown and the dandelions grow to full height and seed, the rarer parrots walk though the field nibbling the flower heads bent low, clutched delicately with a claw. I like it when the backyard is not mown.

6. I get cold easily. I have 4 blankets on top of a heavy wool doona on my bed and a hot water bottle this winter. I wish I had a bed beanie too.

7. I don't have a favourite colour...this has made life more difficult that one might first think.

8. and finally, I'm not a vegetarian.

now to choose 8 people to tag.....
I've had so many of these lately, that I'm going to not tag anyone, but I do solemnly promise to do so the next time.

Tags: favourites, meme, balloon, blog, birds, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

In the Press - 100 Water Houses

As promised, the article about my work 100 Water Houses in the up coming "Threads of Change" exhibition at Reverse Garbage in Brisbane. I even got to plug the Flying Star Toys on Etsy shop :)

Also, this week I was the first feature artist on the new Plush Team Blog. If you'd like you can read the detailed interview at featured plush artist.

Tags: press, Flying Star Toys, 100 Water Houses, soft sculpture, toys, designer, art, craft, recycle, textiles, exhibition, Brisbane, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

100 Water Houses in Threads of Change

I had such a fun day today - I had a photo shoot for an article about my work in the textile exhibition Threads of Change being staged at Reverse Garbage. Most of the shoot was spent in a rather awkward position on the floor amidst my soft sculptures called 100 Water Houses. The article will be published next week so I'll post it then...I hope it turns out well!

100 Water Houses was created especially for this exhibition and since the idea was to use recycled textiles I was excited by being able to call upon all the wonderful fabrics I've been collecting from thrift shops for the last couple of years. I must admit, at first I was a little stumped as to what I might make...however, while wondering I picked up one of my books on Hundertwasser and inspiration just flew up and hit me between the eyes..so to speak :) The painting above called Yellow Ships - Sea of Tunis and Taormina (1951) spoke to me and I went immediately into the studio and began the process of making tall, soft sculpture houses.

I named them 100 Water Houses in honour of Hundertwasser, whose name means 100 waters. Hundertwasser was an artist well known for his "green" ideas. The title also reflects the intimate connection between water and the home brought to focus during our sever drought that has brought about the necessity of installing water tanks(houses) to collect the rain.

Threads of Change opens Friday 20th July at 6pm and runs until Saturday 11th August at Reverse Garbage, 296 Montague Road, West End, Brisbane. If you're in the area, why not come along to the opening and say hi :)

Tags: textiles, eco, green, recycle, Hundertwasser, soft sculpture, toys, art, craft, water, Flying star Toys, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

Katkin Rattles - Coquettish Cats

Finally, I'm able to launch a new toy I've been so very excited about - Katkin Rattles! The Katkin Rattle designer toy collectible is among the Flying Star Toys Signature range belonging in the company of Snow Walkers for its distinctive character design.

Katkin Rattles are like the rattles that distract and amuse children, now there is a rattle to amuse you too :) If you're in need of a little giggle of pure fun then wave your Katkin Rattle, watch its funny little face smile while the tinkling bell sweetens the air with joy. Delightful!

If that weren't enough, each Katkin Rattle has a tiny red pompom on its tail as a cute coquettish wink. So many beautiful fabrics and combinations to choose from, so many different little personalities....

These little kitties won't mind if you'll want to collect them for display like spring posies - Katkins, named after the catkins of budding branches, love to bloom together.

Made from premium designer fabrics, hand dyed wool felt and embroidered with Japanese variegated sashiko thread. 26cm (10 1/4 inches) tall.

Katkin Rattles are now available at Flying Star Toys on Etsy.

Tags: designer toys, collectables, cats, cat, rattles, handmade, Etsy, Flying star Toys, toys, craft, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

Not Another Seven Things!!!

Jaihn has tagged me with telling you all seven things about me....

I often find these things difficult and so tend to put them off. I suppose because I have so many different worlds in my life that to tell you the truth it can be hard to know how to unite them...

Let's count that as #1 shall we ;)

But, seriously, to make it a bit interesting I thought I'd tell you about 7 things about my day (that is Tuesday 26th June).

1. I slept until 11:30am....because I'm on "holidays," that is, John and Jacqui my fellow artists collaborators of Frank Theatre have left for the annual world tour. This means I can sleep in...longer than usual, just because I can, not because I need to. It also means that with the intense work with Frank Theatre dimmed down I can concentrate on my Flying Star Toy world :) Which I'm loving!

2. Checked email incessantly for good news....maybe even a sale? No sales, unfortunately, but still had some other good news...asked to be featured on a blog :)

3. Internet and email connection going down mysteriously throughout the day..... eventually phoned my provider's friendly help desk to re-establish the link...he thinks it might be due to all the rain!

4. Spent most of the day making a proto-type and patterning a new toy....which didn't work :( the pattern worked but I was not happy with where it was going so I put it all away and was abject for about an hour. I felt like I wasted the whole day while I tried to tell myself that I'd leaned something from the failure.

5. After after finishing the third set of an as yet unreleased toy I felt better, then while walking down the corridor to the bathroom, I thought of something important re-toy designing and realised I really had learned something from my failure!

6. Broke my fine sewing needle.....I suppose it was time. I use a #10 milliners needle with a tiny eye for use with ordinary sewing cotton to close all of my toys. My mum keeps me well stocked with the very best needles so I wasn't too upset. I use my needles too long anyway, this one had developed a bend in it which while often useful weakened its structure. RIP good friend.

7. washed my hair.

Now that wasn't so bad after all....

Biscuit Bunnies

Please welcome a new designer toy to the Flying Star Toys family - Biscuit Bunnies! They're the most delightful guests to have to tea but you'll have to watch that they don't hop into the tea cups.

When they're not investigating the blend you prefer, they like to sit quitely listening to the wind in the trees, thinking on buttons and balls of string.

Biscuit Bunnies currently come in Oatmeal Cream and Gingerbread. Made of the softest baby blanket brushed drill cotton with the cutest white corduroy tail the Biscuit Bunnies' sand-weighted body is a tiny 6.5 cm (2 1/2 inches) but together with their long weighted legs and cloud brushing ears they measure 22 cm (8 3/4 inches) tall :)

Now available on Flying Star Toys on Esty.

Tags: toys, Flying star Toys, designer toys, softies, designer, bunnies, bunny, oatmeal, gingerbead, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

A Sunday Wedding

Thank you for all your well wishes for my sister's wedding. It was a beautiful day and as you can see my sister was absolutely stunning. This is us just before going down to be picked up by the bridal car and taken to the gardens. Emma did get a little wobbly just before the big walk down the aisle but a little dabbing of the eyes with a tissue and a big sister to lead the way she had the whole gathering large hearted and in joyful tears.

She and her husband are currently enjoying their honeymoon in Vietnam and has emailed us twice to tells us of all the fun and chaos.

***
On a toy note: I have been busy getting ready quite a few new toy ranges for launch, very exciting!

Me a Bride's Maid?!

This long weekend my sister is getting married. She asked me to be her bride's maid...though I'm not technically a maid...I said yes.

One good thing about my sister, among many, is she has good taste. Having been brought up around fine fabrics and embroidery (she's been a lace maker herself) Emma has an innate understanding for the finer things. So I was not too concerned about what she might make me and her best friend wear.

As you can see from the image above I have the not so onerous task of wearing an Italian silver silk dress from Saba and a rich black velvet sleaveless jacket by Carla Zampatti. Poor me!

Emma's wedding colours are very modern, she's chosen black, white and silver with colour being expressed in the bouquets.

So the next few days sees funny ol' Florence undergoing all sorts girly proceedures in order to be fit to accompany the star of the day. I'm even having the blue died *out* of my hair just for her. While part of me would rather be making toys, I suppose I can endure it for my dearest and only sister.

Tags: Bride's Maid, wedding, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

New Addition - Toyz in da House 2

This Sunday past saw the Umbrella Collective journey to fellow Umbrella Girl Shannon Garson's house in the mountains for some playful planning and some serious lunch. Maleny is a lovely little town set among green rolling hills only an hour and half away from Brisbane city. While there we had a quick look-see in some of the shops especially Maleny Antiques. I found this quirky Chinese man doll there for only $4!

He had such a interesting egg shaped head that I couldn't pass him over. Also his little shoes and the extremely firm quality of the stuffing and yet a remarkable flexibility to the legs intrigue my toy maker's instincts. He has Honk Kong stamped on the bottom of his right shoe and must have been a type of souvenir doll many years ago.

So now he lives with me and all my little toy friends. The Japanese folk toy cat has become quite fond of him already :)

Tags: doll, Maleny, cat, toys, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

Mosaic Monday: I heart Flickr

Mosaic Monday 28 May 2007
Originally uploaded by florenceforrest

This is the latest snap shot of a few of my current Flickr Favorites. Flickr is a great Web2 social networking/sharing site that has so many great uses especially for us creative types.

I use Flickr not only to store my images and get to know lots of great creative people from all over the world, but also to research images. I tell people "forget google image search" for most things Flickr is going to be so much more useful. The reason for this is that Flickr with its massive online community allows users to both rename (to change them from xxx29846.jpg) and tag photos (eg horse, brown, animal etc), which most images on the web are not.

I most often use Flickr to search for images connected to my work as Frank Theatre's design dramaturge, my last big search I made was for images referring to Voodoo (did you know there exists Voodoo Donuts? something I discovered). Otherwise, collecting beautiful and amusing images in my Flickr favourites is a frequent passtime.

If you're an arts/craft person and not yet on Flickr then hurry up and join, its free and very addictive :)

Shula of Poppalina started a group called Mosaic Monday that uses fd's Flickr Toys to make a photo mosaic online. The image above is created there and then sent to my flickr account, I then post it to the Mosaic Monday group for others to see. Making groups is another useful feature of Flickr. Shula also recently created a Breakfast Sunday group...but I didn't join because I thought endless photos of my vegemite on toast might get a bit monotonous...(lol)

So here's to Flickr my favourite social networking site after blogging :D

Image list:

1. kitty, 2. William the Third, 3. Toro, 4. group pic, 5. Buttons for Jason, 6. Crane, 7. Snap- version 2, 8. the bench, 9. custom order - plushie

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

TechGnoMe Mini have arrived!

TechGnoMe Mini have been patiently waiting their turn to jump off the toy shelf. They are the little sister of TechGnoMe Original that was launched last year. My good friend Liana Kabel aka Plastic Girl and her whole family fell in love with them and I had repeated requests for a mini series to accompany TechGnoMe Original. So I went back to the drawing board and tinkered away until a perfect companion was designed.


Standing only 14cm or 5 1/2 inches tall, new features include a re-designed tassel and sewn face with rim in matching hi-gloss wool as well as new colours and combinations. Speaking of combinations....the possibilities seem endless! So every TechGnoMe Mini combination has been given a special name. As a dedication to Plastic Girl - "If it Looks like a Lolly I Like it", I've named them all after lollies!! In Flying Star Toys on Etsy you'll currently find the four TechGnoMe Mini in the photo above. They are from left to right: Strawberry Bonbon, Boysenberry Taffy, Jelly Bean and Sunshine Musk. Like their big sister they are super lucky and super happy friends from the Virtual Magic Forest.

Do you remember the TechGnoMe song? Sing along if you know it!

"TechGnoMe, TechGnoMe,
As far as I can see,
I see TechGnoMe!"
****

PS: a little reminder, the Free Postage launch special is now in its last week! xx

Tags: toys, Flying star Toys, TechGnoMe Mini, craft, art, gnome, handmade, designer toys, artist made toys, softie, plushie, plush, happy, lucky, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

I Owe it All to My Mum - practice makes perfect

Last Weekend was Mother's Day and I spent the day with my mum on Gold Coast having lunch and picking up lots of great fabrics, felts and embellishments from her shop, Laraine's on Capri. My mother has run a craft shop for over 20 years and it's from her that I have the wonderful ability to make things with fabric.

The heart above is one of her many designs that she package as kits. She also holds workshops teaching silk ribbon embroidery and elegant crazy patchwork. As you can see her work is immaculate and has been published in books on silk ribbon embroidery.

One of the most valuable lessons she taught me was to be conscious of the neatness of my stitches. When I was younger I would watch what my mum made and tried my best to copy. One year it was mum's birthday, I had secretly made her a cross stitch rose bookmark. I was very proud of myself because I had taught myself to do it and knew it would be a big surprise. Mum was very surprised to see what I had made her, but when she turned it over she saw how messy my stitches were on the back and then promptly told me the way it should be done so that all the stitches on the reverse when up and down in neat rows. I must admit to being a bit crest fallen...but it was that attention to detail that has stuck with me through all these years. Without her advice I might never had looked for ways to correct my work - this has been so useful in so many areas that I've had to forgive her ;)

(Flying Star Toys on Etsy update: 2 new Snow Walkers available in new colours Pistachio and Blueberry Ice)

Tags: craft, Laraine's on Capri, Mother's Day, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Flying Star Toys, Florence Forrest

Safe and Sound Mice - Hanging Charm Toy

Many of my toys hang in someway. Safe and Sound Mice is a new twist on the hanging toy. In fact, Safe and Sound Mice are two naughty mice that have been hung up by the tail! Now that they've been captured all is well in the house.

Those of you with cats might know the frustration of trying to be rid of the furry little toys one's cat proudly brings in. These cunning little mice get loose and, finding the new environment well stocked with provisions, usually proceed to make camp without asking permission of the current occupants. Happy is the day when the mice are chased out or, unfortunately for them, find The Cat only too willing to wait for another personal appointment.


Safe and Sound Mice are also apart of my study of folk charms and understanding the desire to keep luck, attract luck or prevent bad luck. Safe and Sound Mice signify a desire to keep bad things at bay by having them tied up, by representing them as already captured and thus under control. Who wouldn't want to have a mouse problem under control? But of course it's not just mice but anything that might be worrying the owner.
Safe and Sound Mice are embroidered with sashiko cotton thread on an oatmeal coloured cotton/linen. Premium Japanese fabrics with textured weave are used on the reverse side. The hanging tail joining them is crocheted wool of three types (the blue strand had been hand dyed in natural indigo). Each mouse is approximately 19cm or 7 1/2 inches long, also the length when hanging from top of loop to tip of nose is approximately 72cm or 28 inches.

Do you know anyone naughty who needs stringing up? ;) Safe and Sound Mice are now available at Flying Star Toys on Etsy.

Tags: toys, mice, mouse, good luck, lucky, safe and sound, softie, softies, craft, designer toys, contemporary folk art, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Flying star Toys, Florence Forrest

Flying Star Toys on Etsy!

Flying Star Toys in now on Esty!!!

I'm pleased to announce that Flying Star Toys has taken its first steps online. After realising how much I still need to learn about web development (yikes!) I thought it might be best to start off with an Esty shop to get the ball rolling.

This month I'm offering free shipping on all items and 25% off to any of my previous customers (if that's you just email me first :)

I've had to make several important decisions over the past months about how much time I wish to devote to the toy making/designing part of my practise. Consigning toys at retail outlets has never been very profitable mainly due to the very high prices the toys had to be sold for. I've decided that instead of stocking stores Flying Star Toys will mainly be an online business from now on. The good thing about it is that I've been able to *slash* my prices.

So now all my toys are much more affordable!!! This makes me feel much better. Another benefit of been an online business is that I can send Flying Star Toys into the world with all the little extras that tell the story of what Flying Star Toys is all about.

Like the Flying Star Toys Manifesto:

Flying Star Toys connects the fast paced modern age with our ancient dreaming psyche. To bring joy to the weary heart, to be a light in the darkness, and to be a vision of compassion is what it means to be a Flying Star.

The manifesto guides my work and all of my toy designs reflect these sentiments. I strive to make unique toys for the development of the imagination for this reason I describe Flying Star Toys as Imagination Technology (tm). I hope to tell you more about Imagination Technology a bit later.

But for now, why now have a little look at the new shop. New work will be available for sale when I launch a new toy on WindBag and Thunder from now on. You might have to be quick however...I know the fabulous (and sneaky) Shula of Poppalina has already bought all three Snow Walkers I had available!

Thank-you for your support Shula, and thank-you to everyone for your continuing comments and thoughts here on WindBag and Thunder. xx

Tags: Flying star Toys, toys, art, Flying Star Toys on Etsy, Etsy, softies, designer toys, artist made toys, handmade, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

Thanks for the Meme-ories

Firstly, I'd like to thank both Jude and Julia for nominating me for a Thinking Blog Award. It's surprising how a little thought can mean so much. I toil away writing blog posts to share some of the wonderful art that I'm privileged to experience in the hope that others might benefit from my work.

Now that it's my turn to nominate someone, I nominate Jude of Spirit Cloth (even though she has nominated me). I'm inspired by her constant invention within her art and craft. Her gifted imagination feels like a kindred spirit with dreams blowing from an angle close but yet curiously different from my own. Her work is a pleasure to behold everyday, her quilts are exquisite tapestries of the imagination. Her thought is in her work and her dedication to her online documentation allows a unique insight into the craft-artistic process that anyone familiar with her blog will understand and admire. So Jude this is for you.



Secondly, I've been tagged by the lovely Sandra aka Friederike for a 7 random facts/habits about yourself meme.

Seven Things.....

1. I always, I mean *always*, have Vegemite on toast and coffee for breakfast.

2. My beany baby Grover is considered a genuine member of our household.

3. Sometimes I forget to brush my hair, and I end up going to the shops with Einstein hair (only a bit more blue;)

4. I spend too much time on the computer, but it never seems to be enough either.

5. I love chocolate but it doesn't love me, so I seem to always have pimples...I hate that but I don't hate chocolate.

6. I always have a book and a hanky and a pen on me. (yep, I'm a nerd, but if you've been reading this blog you might remember "A Week of Geek" look under "Fun Stuff" in my sidebar for more).

7. I don't let my friends see the funny clothes I wear at home, they are not fit for public viewing. I call them my Home Clothes.

Now I have to tag seven others.....so I tag Plastic Girl, Shannon, Jude, Abby Jane, Mel Robson, Lotusgreen, and Anna Daven I hope they forgive me :P

Tags: memes, thinking blog, awards, quilting, craft art, Einstein, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

Why Contemporary Folk Art? - an artist statement

After Anna Daven's questions in my last post Australian Spirit regarding Contemporary Folk Art. I thought I would post my response here as well - modified and expanded.

Anna asks, "Does contemporary folk art have to reference the past?"

I personally have defined Contemporary Folk Art as the beautiful expression of a people or nation. I did this because I wanted to create an art that was not responsible to the domain of International Contemporary post-Post Modern Conceptual Art which to me often seems like a space station that is gradually drifting further out of Earth's orbit.

Folk art itself is, I believe, in its academic sense an art primarily by people without a formal training in the Fine Arts and Art Theory. Folk Art by nature and from an art historical or museum view point is about the character of a nation - an art grown from the soil, or broad culture of a country. It becomes a vessel of the nation's soul because it is relatively unrestrained by the formal aesthetics of western art culture. I could not, therefore, call myself a Folk artist because I'm not insensible to the art historical reading of art and understand my stance or artistic desires as being generated with the assistance of formal academic training in Art History and Art Theory.

I can not presume to remove my knowledge and the influence training has on my work, however I can consciously make the choice that addresses my need to create work, that is, to cherish the soil of my country as the tender dream that lifts us to the glad day of a life of grace. It may take many forms but is a genuine product of today rather than a cosmetic quaintness and anachronism. It might be helpful then to consider my use of term Contemporary Folk Art more loosely as an art movement like for example The Fauves were.

In short, I hope to be able to offer, in my small way and in all manifestations of my work, a door through which the people of my own home culture might walk. Our myths are not yet complete as we are barely conscious of them. It is still a time for artists to dream and give life a shape: perhaps we Australian's, still young within the consciousness of Western tradition, act as a reminder for a generation of artists that Creation is still possible - aren't we a nation of rule breakers?

Image: Glad Day (or "The Dance of Albion"), William Blake, 1795, 10 1/4" x 8", British Museum, London.

Tags: art, artist statement, Australian myth, Contemporary Folk Art, folk art, art theory, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest

Australian Spirit

Australian folk art has not had much attention payed to it probably because our history has been so short, the need to focus on the professional arts has been paramount to establish some sort of fine art culture in the far flung colony. There is in Australia an unfortunate and persistent myth that only elitists like art, and that to enjoy and participate in it is to be some how un-Australian?! I find this to be one of the saddest aspects of our culture as it is simply not true.

The painting above is a beautiful and lovingly Australian painting by the folk art painter, Irvine Homer, called The Birthday Party (1970, 55cm x 61 cm, oil on board). The father comes home, in through the old gate to be surprised by a big family party with games in the yard and dancing on the veranda decorated with balloons. While we only see the back of his hat his all-embracing arms express gladness and love. He seems to be embracing the whole landscape before him. I feel it expresses Irvine's love for the country he traveled over during his very difficult but rich life. After having been a drover, a shearer, a hole digger, a swagman during the Great Depression, worked on the railways, worked a little bush sawmill, been in the rodeo....etc he took to painting when illness struck him and he was no longer able to stand at the age of 35.

This is his description of his painting Summer by the Hawkesbury, "I used a magnifying glass when I painted the little fences around every house. The poultry farm, the oyster leases, all had something to do with me. Sometimes I'd get a job cracking and bagging oysters. In summer there was always a bushfire burning somewhere in the distance, so I put that in too. There's a petrol station with a shop in one corner, where I always bought my tobacco. I thought of how I'd put them together and make them into a real place. Not a real place. In my memory it's a real place, the mighty Hawkesbury (River) in all its glory. Brooklyn. And the poultry farm. I swiped one of his chooks (chickens)."

That doesn't sound un-Australian to me! :) He loved painting and he loved to study the works of other Australian painters too. His poetic nature seems very Australian to me, so I hope that Australians will joyfully embrace the lyrical nature that runs through our blood, and openly embrace the arts as that storehouse of the generational spirit of our nation.

I came across Irvine Homer and many other wonderful Australian folk art painters in a book I found from the last Life-Line Bookfair, called Australian Primitive Painters (Geoffrey Lehman, University of Queensland Press, 1977). I've had the painting above open in my studio for some months now, and I've been waiting for just the right time to share it with you.

On a recent visit to shibori artist Margaret Barnett's house I was struck by a piece of shibori she had made ready for future textile work (see the fabric above). It reminded me vividly of The Birthday Party in its character. Margaret explained to me how she had used rusted railway spikes she had collected from her travels to the Outback to dye with, leaving rich rust foxing over the antique handkerchief linen that had also been dyed with indigo. My mind was already dreaming away as I clutched the delicate cloth. She saw how overwhelmed I was with it and she generously gave me the only piece she had! I told her of the painting I was thinking of and how it was speaking to me to make some sort of doll, connected with the painting and this cloth....I just didn't know what it would be.


Looking around at all the treasures she had collected from amazing trips around the world, I saw a doll from Peru that had been roughly made with scraps of fabric over a base of bound grass. It must have struck me as when I went home, with a huge bag of textile goodies from Margaret, I made up a doll using mainly materials that Margaret had given me. Blending the primitive style of the Peruvian doll with the image of The Birthday Party had a very unusual result as you can see from the doll above. I've called it a spirit doll, and this one an Australian Spirit Doll. It will be a gift for Margaret to thank her for all the wonderful goodies she brings me...but shhh! don't tell her, it's going to be a surprise ;)

This week I want to leave you with a quote by William Blake who wrote, "Poetry Fettered, Fetters the Human Race. Nations are Destoy'd or Florish in proportion as Their Poetry, Painting and Music are Destoy'd or Florish! The Primeval State of Man was Wisdom, Art, and Science." Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion, 1804.

Tags: folk art, art, primitive art, Australia, Australian spirit, shibori, Margaret Barnett, Peurivan doll, Irvine Homer, The Birthday Party, doll, primitive doll, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

FlockA2s - birds of a feather

In my last post you had a little sneak peak at my new Flying Star Toy - FlockA2s. I though I had better tell you something about them now that the secret is out.

FlockA2s are a toy based on the famous Australian bird, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Around us here in Sandgate we have a large local flock of a smaller variety of cockatoo, the Little Corella. Twice a day they fly over our house making a big racket with their noisy screeching, but I don't mind as these are Australian sounds and I love them. It was while listening to an afternoon fly over when I suddenly conceived of the design for this toy, I went straight into the studio and started working on the prototype.

The body is made of a beautiful white cotton/linen, while its crest has a selection of five delicious colours made from some very select cotton and silk fabric. The blue rim around the eyes is a hand-dyed wool felt that my mother makes and sells, and the beak is also a wool blended felt. They are fully lined and they are weighted to stand independently. The wing detail is stitched all the way around the back of the body with four different coloured "Flower" threads to get just the right subtle combination and texture.


I've called them FlockA2s because corellas are always in big flocks and because parrots like cockatoos and galahs mate for life and always travel with their partner. I fondly remember how social and kind they are to other cockatoos, as my neighbour used to have one caged on their back veranda, every afternoon a group of wild cockatoo would come to visit their friend in the cage. They would whoop around, call out and put their beaks together and "talk" happily for ages before the sunset. I like to think that my FlockA2s are that way too.

Tags: FlockA2s, cockatoo, corella, toys, folk art, Flying star Toys, softies, Windbag and Thunder, windbagandthunder, Florence Forrest

Coastal Birds Under Glass

Ever since Lilli&Tom miniature had their year long tour of the Brisbane City Council libraries in 2006, I've had a great relationship with Sue the Sandgate librarian. Earlier this year we talked about another little project and I mentioned the Coastal Birds series I designed based on the collaboration with Brisbane artist/illustrator Rachel Arthur. Sue thought they would be a nifty display for the library too and booked me in for a display in April.

I installed them on Tuesday morning at the hideous hour of 8:30am. Anyone who knows me understands that I currently get up at around 10am and go to bed around 2am - these blogs don't write themselves you know ;). Sue pointed out that April also coincides with the annual Easter Bluewater festival here in Sandgate that kicks off this Good Friday with the start of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, it brings in heaps of spectators to Sandgate and Shorncliffe to watch the starting line in Moreton Bay. So it seems that it will be a good theme for the season after all.

Some of my beloved regular readers might notice a new toy that I have yet to show you...it's a sneak peak at a new Flying Star Toy called Flocka2s. They aren't technically coastal birds and don't belong to that series (which might be a bit misleading), but they are native to the area and neatly filled the space I'm calling the "sky" in this display. Stay tuned for more on Sandgate Flocka2s soon!

Coastal Birds Series of artist made designer toys can be seen at Sandgate BCCL from now until the end of April.

And wishing a Happy Easter/Chocolate Egg season to all :D

Tags: Sandgate, Queensland, Bluewater festival, Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht race, Flying star Toys, toys, coastal birds, Rachel Arther, art, windbagandthunder, Windbag and Thunder, Florence Forrest