Jeez more jewellery and retreat

On July 18-20 I went on a craft retreat to Jarrahdale - don't have any pics as I'm waiting for the girls to send me some!!!! it's a VERY small town about half an hour from me but it's surrounded by bush aka Jarrah trees ie Jarrahdale LOL, as it used to be a sawmill town way back when. All the mill workers cottages are still lived in today, probably by offspring of millworkers families so it's a pretty tight place but so very pretty - need those pics! we stayed in what was the nurses accommodation, there was a small hospital which operated from 1914 to 1957. All that is left is the nurses house - weatherboard and the Dr's house now a private residence - needless to say the Dr's house is quite decorative ie stainglass etc but the nurses is plain but nice. 15 foot ceilings, at least! it boasts a large common room, bedrooms, kitchen/pantry, laundry, bathroom and toilet. It was a lovely space for a retreat as the light in the common room was great and we looked out onto the trees. It was very cold! down to 2C but we had a big gas fire in the cm room and we were decked out in the right gear for sleeping. And the water was hot in the showers! Two minutes away was the General Store which did the best coffee/food/service and we also had a meal down at the tavern - which is now an irish pub! We had a huge weekend of laughing/creating/eating/drinking - actually didn't get to much on the juice as we were busy! We had a lovely variety of quilters/scapbooking/cardmaking/jewellery/and Nikki who did a bit of everything! talk about productive. Whilst only a short distance from home (for me) it felt like we were a million miles from away. Can't wait for the next one! it was truly bliss to think of nothing but what I was creating and sharing laughs and solving world problems.
Whilst away I made four necklaces (one to finish off), pair of earrings and played with some polymer clay. The book I was hoping to take with me turned up a couple of days after camp! and I have made a couple of bits from that - wire brooch and wire bag of beads.

Mixed Media Monday

This is my first entry on MMM! The theme is Tea for Two and open to interpretation so here goes. This is an altered 'teaspoon' for a swap I was in recently. I got a fab collection of six wonderfully altered teaspoons which I intend to make into a mobile.


Thanks for looking. Cheers, Carmel x















This is the collection - pretty cool or what?

WS newspaper

It's ages since I did a Wednesday Stamper (oh I've been slack) only because I have immersed myself in wire for the past few months, see below. This is a piece I did some time ago but all the images came from our local newspaper. Thanks for looking and I will endeavour to participate in WD more often. Cheers, Carmel x

More bits and a couple of swaps

Well here we are end of the tax year and school hols start today! two weeks of 'what are we doing today Mum?' will I survive? yes as I just adore spending time with my little darlings LOL and knowing that the last weekend of the hols I get to go away to Jarrahdale to play with other ladies and recover from said two weeks!! I do love them!...been in a couple of swaps, Nat's Canvas Niche swap which I will hand over tonight and it's late as in handover as the lovely Dawn was a bit ick! I also had a one for one swap with the other lovely Julie, we did necklaces and I also have Dawn as my Mystery Muse partner for June which I will also hand over tonight and as she works she won't see this post until later.

So first Julie's beautiful necklace...wearing it tonight to show off. I love the atmostsphere of this piece and the construction is perfect. I am a huge fan of Julie's work and treasure each piece.









Next, Canvas Niche - this was fun, once I got started! we had to use the back of the canvas ie. the niche! this piece is called 'Time to Create' and hopefully Dawn will like it - can't wait to see her piece she made for me, it's going to be good (an understatement).









Mystery Muse - this necklace I have made for Dawn as my MM for June. The blue beads I made from polymer clay and attached bead covers, a couple of old buttons, some red coral and a piece of glass I found on the beach in Ireland many years ago - like well over 25! you know that glass that gets worn smooth by the sea? and a couple of wire hearts and swirl - hope she likes it.











These are a few recently finished pieces. I love the wire weaving and decided to try using it for a ring and another bracelet. The beaded ring I saw in a magazine and had to have a go thinking it was very silly but I wore it out and lots of people loved it. I thought it was 'over the top' as it moves but....it was a hit. I also made the celtic knot bracelet from a picture I saw in a book just to see if I could 'do it' as I really want to be good at wire techniques, so this was practice but it's very nice to wear and again a lot of people have admired it. So thanks for looking.