One

One feels like a big thing, reflecting on what has happened in a year with a brand new person around. Life is sweeter with company, though I get nothing done.

We've had a month of winter ills, but feeling a little better the last two days. Bring on the spring clean, I need it, and so does the house.

Ghost Town

Tumbleweeds are rolling by. Someone's whistling. I have been thoroughly enjoying the post exhibition quiet times, and vaguely dreading the pack down which will happen too soon.

The exhibition is on until the 30th of November at Craft, so please check it out if you are in the neighbourhood. I am pleased with it, and kind of amazed we made it, (an exhibition opening with an 8 week old baby) it was mostly enjoyable, if a little exhausting. I have to thank Isobel for being amazing, and all the artist's and helpers too. And a big thank you to the little baby for being relaxed and easy going.

What now? I've been marvelling at the poppies, carnations and roses and generally loving being in the garden. We planted tomatoes, bok choy, capsicum, eggplant, peas, rocket, radishes, basil, cucumbers and more. We have been eating broad beans, tiny strawberries and silver beet galore. I pickled the last of the beetroot. I dug up the horseradish and made it into 6 small jars of horsey kick.



We had a chutney club meet here yesterday, which was, as always lovely. Good friends, lots of delicious things to eat, Flieshy's cumquat, Drew's smoky pear, Kate's pickled mushrooms, Don's watermelon pickle, Rachael's brioche etc.

The baby is absolutely delightful, full of smiles and happy shrieks. Looking, chattering and growing bigger and we are enjoying every day of it.

Animate

All is well in the land of Dell. Just a little baby blooming and an exhibition looming, so frankly I have better things to do, like stamp little feet. Animation takes longer and I have a lot of it to do, in the little windows of time I get. Apart from an exhibition, Isobel and I delivered a school holiday workshop at Tarrawarra Museum. We made masks with kids, and had them animate, inspired by the exhibition Animate/Inanimate.



Stitching time opens at Craft on the 17th of October. We have a couple of workshops running during the exhibition, including a Phenokistoscope workshop, the one below is by Maureen Watts and if you want to make your own piece of magic with us, you can book online or at Craft.

August

Already! Time is flying. I have been spending more time than I'd like to in the hospital, but we expect a baby any day now. I've been busy otherwise with some amazing projects for our show at Craft Victoria, feeling pretty lucky to have such wonderful people to work with. I've set up a blog over here with some info and works in progress, so have a look and keep eyes peeled for the exhibition in October.

I've had lots of lovely visitors since finishing up at work, yesterday was spent learning to weave cubes with Maryann and Kate, Annie, Iggy and Adam, a really lovely way to spend a day, and we got some beautiful starry animation out of it too. Annie bought farm fresh jonquils which smell incredible, another reminder of this crazy early spring we've been having, the japonica are amazing too. Adam and I visited the RMIT Design Hub in the afternoon to see Walter Van Beirendonck exhibition, lots of goodness. Until next time!

Buns

Right now I am going to bake a 90th birthday cake for Adam's Grandma. Also, it's nearly Easter, and I'm thinking about making some of these guys for the weekend. Hot and cross was pretty much me during the heatwave, I'm only here because it's over. I haven't been around the computer much except for necessary grant applications and trying to vaguely keep up with email. This office/house/city of ours was just too hot, and I had 3 months of nausea to contend with. Yes. It's over now, and I feel better, though none of my clothes fit me, and I am freaking out about how little I am freaking out about all the work I have to do this year. Some mega deadlines coming up, and I seem to mostly be concerned about one. Oh well.

I missed posting about this, "Thank You Very Much" a group show to launch the shiny new Bus Projects, they have an exciting line up for the first few months, and are accepting proposals for the rest of the year. Other upcoming things are animation workshops at Signal in June, a Linden Innovators show in July, and a baby in August. I'm not going to mention anything beyond that...

Mothers day

I'm not really sure about the protocol with a baby shower, but we had an afternoon tea for Arla the other day and it was really lovely. Cupcakes, scones, tea and a cheese platter featuring my freshly made quince paste.




I have a few friends expecting babies, which is exciting. It still amazes me, and still terrifies me. Motherhood is a huge undertaking, I am in awe of all who do.



We all brought pictures of ourselves as babies and had to guess who was who. I love seeing peoples old photos. I found one of my few existing baby photos, and today it's mother's day, so here it is, my mum, and a little me. Much love to all the mothers I know and to those I don't. Respect.

Cisco

I have a new nephew (number 7) as of yesterday. Originally I thought his dad said his name was Disco, and I was only corrected by my Mum later last night via a very crackly line (I think I have heard right this time) just as I was warming to Disco.
He is early and tiny, and needs much love and growing over the next month. Grow little one!

le bbq

Was to warm our cold house... It was all lovely people, kids, babies, sausages and fires...

Lazarus with sausage eyes...


Arky with Ted's eyes...


A sausage moustache...


I couldn't quite keep up... More photos here and on birdies flickr.

Damp

I have caught glimpses of Damp collective over the years, from broken bottles and opening fights at 200 Gertrude street to disco tiolets at tbc. I think I like em. There you have it. In my thoroughly un-researched and unprofessional opinion.

Anyways, i liked this first show at Utopian Slumps.

before

after...

snakes on a plain

friday was the family day in the city... hi annie, hi kade, hi sailor...



no that isn't annie leering, that is simon...

we had switchboard cupcakes... yay again... exhausting business... i have also been doing the most drawn out annoying move, dribs and drabs here and there... maybe tonight i'll be finished. fingers crossed someone with a ute may want to help me tonight... i have some sweet talking to do... hi donald russell!

went to the nathan gray exhibition at 200 gertrude street, i love his prints, and that wallpaper makes me very happy... so go and have a look if you weren't one of the millions there the other night...

after we went to dinner at pizza miene liebe, with donald russell and cass kowalski... MMMM... pizza by the metre... YUM...
we talked about trying the special of the week, snakes on a plane... but the possibility of it being a fancy name for the NZ specialty, 'white trash' pizza (tinned spaghetti and pineapple pieces) was enough for me...

saturday breakfast bagels at jungle juice, coffee at newtown sc, bus gallery, someday gallery, bread top coconut buns and chestnut buns and home to watch rize and pretend to crump like ten year olds from south central...

i cut my fringe.... hmmm... it's crooked and curly and a little bit spac... just how we like it... so now i look more like a cross between a chubby ten year old boy and a deranged lady than ever... red lipstick and short fringes do that... careful!



then the tranquilizers and sly hats and you will die alone at pony... dirty rotten pony... at least the bar staff were insisting on good manners from clientele at the early stages... note to self... drinking beer to stay awake is not fun tomorrow...

sunday was painful, as i woke up with a cold on top of my hayfever and hangover... very grumpy dell... we went to ACCA... where i loved some of daniel von sturmers work and also that woody escalator and the green curtain at the end... don't you love my well researched quality art reporting... also went to the ngv international to see hiraki sawa's video works...



which were quite wonderful... talk about art stamina! truly amazing!

more bagels... mmm... and misguided shopping... and so SO tired, i finshed knitting a new long scarf for my love, which is now called 'snakes on adam!'

how is that for a badly written, name dropping run down on my weekend?

i hope yours was good...

god i have a lot to do before i go on thursday...

must. make. more. bananas...

my brother jed had a little baby girl... my first niece... lily alice... i have 6 nephews already... yay for a girl! i hope i get to meet her when i go home... he's only nine hours drive away from my mum and the are both in north queensland... say hello to queensland distances...