Take a piece of driftwood and with some damp wavewashed beach sand as your canvas, write
ALOHA!

Once again, my ambitions exceeded my capabilities, but it was fun trying!

At this stage I don’t have any alphabet software for my embroidery machine, so I wrote “Aloha” with a marking pencil then satin stitched the outline.
I struck a problem when it came to adding the shading caused by the stick digging into the damp sand…., so I attempted to remedy this by hand stitching small straight  stitches around the letters.
In the first card I laid down a couple of silk petals from a broken lei, then added some metallic flower sequins.
The brightly striped fabric represents a beach towel and I made a pair of thongs (flip-flops  I think my American friends call them??)
Some small beads from an old necklace, and a couple of charms completed the beach atmosphere.

The second and third cards also shared the beige batik for a sandy beach.

Unfortunately, I got the” bright” idea of grating some Inktense sticks onto the fabric and moistening the result.
I should have stuck to my original thought of gluing beach sand to the surface, but I was worried about how Customs would react to that, so gave it a miss.

On the second and third cards I couched down some shaggy knitting yarn to represent seaweed on the beach, and if  you look closely you will find shells, the odd fish or dolphin
and even a turtle.
I have represented the beaches in a creamy beige shade, hopefully like the sands of Waikiki, but thinking back to a very short visit in 1979, I remember walking on a beach with nearly black sand and sloping very steeply from the beach to the water…..
Is my memory playing tricks, or have I remembered correctly?

 It’s a mad dash to complete my current postcard swaps before Thursday, when I’m scheduled for cataract surgery.

Sure, there’s no real need to work so quickly, but I prefer to have the cards ready before time, just in case there are post-op problems.

I had already planned HOW I was going to work the cards, until………..!
I visited my local quilt supply shop for some overlocker needles, and there on the counter was this dusky pink fabric featuring butterflies and stamps!

What else could I do, but purchase a 15 centimetre strip and change my plans!

On cards number ONE and Three, I appliqued a digitised embroidered butterfly, whilst Card #2 had a dragonfly appliqued to it.
Card #1 also had a butterfly constracted of faux cabochon gem stones, whilst cards #2 and 3 had gemstone butteflies laid under tulle as there were no holes they could be stitched through to the background.

These will be sent to PostCard Mail Art members.

With these three done, I need complete some CQ themed cards and some with an African landscape theme.

Time to STOP reading and start stitching I guess.

 

 

 

 

Two recent themes I attempted to cover in the Postcard format were:

Doors: These two cards were meant to represent my front door!
For the background fabric in both, I used a mono print made with my Gelli plate..
Mixing Neopaque dark brown with  Russet and Titanium white I attempted to have a grainy timber look  for the fabric.
I then used Textiva film cut in a semi circle to represent a coloured glass insert in the upper section (of the door). A fine braid was used to complete the sectioned window.
The braid I used in the upper photo , frankly, I would not repeat this , as it turned out to be too “clunky” for the effect I was hoping for.
A gold button for the door knob and the door was complete!
The lower door benefited slightly from the mistakes in the first card, in that I used a finer cord to outline the window and the door panels.Unfortunetely the round cord was a little un co-operative and my square panels are not SQUARE.

The second theme was ITALY!
PostCardMailArt group are alphabetically visiting countries of the world, and now we are up to “I”.
 I decided to try a collage…a technique that I do not use very often.
I obtained an Italian language newspaper: which unfortunately did not have many colour features in it except on the cooking page where the recipe of the day was “Stuffed Zuccini flowers”.

Using Modge Podge, which was a first for me I collaged snippets of newspaper articles.
I then sewed together the green, white and red of the Italian flag and added them to each card:
And WHOOPS! I’ve just noticed that one flag has been positioned  reversed! I hope that does not insult any readers as it was truly accidental and no insult intended.

Honestly though, I do tend to be a tad dyslexic at times, and I hope that can be my excuse.

I’ll be taking a short break from postcard making, and blogging for a while as I have corrective procedures for cataracts

and I’m hoping that as friends say: Everything will be bright and beautiful in the near future and I see things more clearly

THE ANZAC ON THE WALL

 

~ 1 ~

I wandered thru a country town ‘cos I had time to spare, And went into an antique shop to see what was in there. Old Bikes and pumps and kero lamps, but hidden by it all, A photo of a soldier boy – an Anzac on the Wall. “The Anzac have a name?” I asked. The old man answered “No… The ones who could have told me mate have passed on long ago. The old man kept on talking and, according to his tale, The photo was unwanted junk bought from a clearance sale.

“I asked around,” the old man said, “but no one knows his face, He’s been on that wall twenty years, deserves a better place. For someone must have loved him so, it seems a shame somehow.” I nodded in agreement and then said, “I’ll take him now.” My nameless digger’s photo, well it was a sorry sight A cracked glass pane and a broken frame – I had to make it right To prise the photo from its frame I took care just in case, “Cause only sticky paper held the cardboard back in place.

I peeled away the faded screed and much to my surprise, Two letters and a telegram appeared before my eyes The first reveals my Anzac’s name, and regiment of course John Matthew Francis Clancy of Australia’s own Light Horse. This letter written from the front, my interest now was keen This note was dated August seventh 1917 “Dear Mum, I’m at Khalasa Springs not far from the Red Sea They say it’s in the Bible – looks like Billabong to me. “My Kathy wrote I’m in her prayers she’s still my bride to be I just can’t wait to see you both you’re all the world to me And Mum you’ll soon meet Bluey, last month they shipped him out I told him to call on you when he’s up and about.”

~ 2 ~

That bluey is a larrikin, and we all thought it funny He lobbed a Turkish hand grenade into the CO’s dunny. I told you how he dragged me wounded in from no man’s land He stopped the bleeding closed the wound with only his bare hand.” “Then he copped it at the front from some stray shrapnel blast It was my turn to drag him in and I thought he wouldn’t last He woke up in hospital, and nearly lost his mind Cause out there on the battlefield he’d left one leg behind.”

“He’s been in a bad way mum, he knows he’ll ride no more Like me he loves a horse’s back he was a champ before. So Please Mum can you take him in, he’s been like my brother Raised in a Queensland orphanage he’ s never known a mother.” But Struth, I miss Australia mum, and in my mind each day I am a mountain cattleman on high plains far away I’m mustering white-faced Herefords, with no camel’s hump in sight And I waltz my Matilda by a campfire every night

I wonder who rides Billy, I heard the pub burnt down I’ll always love you and please say hooroo to all in town, The second letter I could see was in a lady’s hand An answer to her soldier son there in a foreign land Her copperplate was perfect, the pages neat and clean It bore the date November 3rd 1917. “’Twas hard enough to lose your Dad, without you at the war I’d hoped you would be home by now – each day I miss you more”

“Your Cathy calls around a lot since you have been away To share with me her hopes and dreams of your wedding day And Bluey has arrived – and what a godsend he has been We talked and laughed for days about the things you’ve done and seen” He really is a comfort, and works hard around the farm, I read the same hope in his eyes that you won’t come to harm. McConnell’s kids rode Billy, but suddenly that changed We had a violent lightning storm, and it was really strange.”

~ 3 ~

“Last Wednesday just on midnight, not a single cloud in sight It raged for several minutes, it gave us all a fright It really spooked your Billy – and he screamed and bucked and reared And then he then he rushed the sliprail fence, which by a foot he cleared” They brought him back next afternoon, but something’s changed I fear It’s like the day you brought him home, for no one can get near Remember when you caught him with his black and flowing mane? Now Horse breakers fear the beast that only you can tame,”

“That’s why we need you home son” – then the flow of ink went dry- This letter was unfinished, and I couldn’t work out why. Until I started reading the letter number three A yellow telegram delivered news of tragedy Her son killed in action – oh – what pain that must have been The Same date as her letter – 3rd November 17 This note she never sent to John, became then one of three She sealed behind the photo’s face – the face she longed to see.

And John’s home town’s old timers – children when he went to war Would say no greater cattleman had left the town before. They knew his widowed mother well – and with respect did tell How when she lost her only boy she lost her mind as well. She could not face the awful truth, to strangers she would speak “My Johnny’s at the war you know, he’s coming home next week.”

They all remembered Bluey he stayed on to the end A younger man with wooden leg became her closest friend And he would go and find her when she wandered old and weak And always softly say “yes dear – John will be home next week.” Then when she died Bluey moved on, to Queensland some did say I tried to find out where he went, but don’t know to this day. And Kathy never wed – a lonely spinster some found odd She wouldn’t set foot in a church – she’d turned her back on God

~ 4 ~

John’s mother left no will I learned on my detective trail This explains my photo’s journey that clearance sale So I continued digging cause I wanted to know more I found John’s name with thousands in the records of the war His last ride proved his courage – a ride you will acclaim The Light Horse Charge at Beersheba of everlasting fame That last day in October back in 1917 At 4pm our brave boys fell-that sad fact I did glean That’s when John’s life was sacrificed the record’s crystal clear But 4pm in Beersheba is midnight over here…….

So as John’s gallant spirit rose to cross the great divide

Were lightning bolts back home a signal from the other side?

Is that why Billy bolted and went racing as in pain? Because he’d never feel his master on his back again? Was it just coincidental? same time same day same date? Some proof of numerology, or just a quirk of fate? I think it’s more than that you know as I’ve heard wiser men, Acknowledge there are many things that go beyond our ken

Where craggy peaks guard secrets ‘neath dark skies torn asunder Where hoof beats are companions to the rolling waves of thunder Where lightning cracks like 303’s and ricochets again Where howling moaning gusts of wind sound just like dying men Some Mountain cattlemen have sworn on lonely alpine track They’ve glimpsed a huge black stallion – a Light Horseman on his back.

Sure Sceptics say it’s swirling clouds just forming apparitions Oh no, my friend you can’t dismiss all this as superstition The desert of Beersheba – or windswept Aussie range John Clancy rides forever there – Now I don’t find that strange. Now some gaze at this photo, and they often question me And I tell them a small white lie, and say he’s family. “You must be proud of him.” they say – I tell them, one and all, That’s why he takes the pride of place – my Anzac on the Wall.

©Copyright circa 2005 by Jim Brown

Note: Today is the 99th anniversary of  when Australia and New Zealand commemorate their fallen military.

It is not done to glorify war, but to remind us yet again how lucky and blessed we are to have (mainly) young people prepared to sacrifice their lives in the belief of keeping their homelands safe from tyranny.

Yesterday I drove up to BribieIsland and visited with the Island Quilters who had kindly donated some Shoe-box Rescue kits for Flood afflicted quilters and sewers.

I now have about 60 kits to deliver, thanks to the Crazy Quilters of Caboolture and the Island Quilters of Bribie Island.
As you can see from the second photograph, my dining table  is being used to tag and seal the boxes prior to delivery.

Hopefully I can get down to the Shed (CONNECTED  regd charity) on Saturday to get them out to the areas requiring help.

Island Quilters are still a community minded group. It’s over seven years since I have had contact with them (I used to be a member) and it was good to renew acquaintances and see how they still support communities in need:  Little wooly caps for Premmie babies at Mater Hospital;
                                    Knitted mini sleeping bags that as the infant grows becomes a pullover for kiddies in the PNG Highlands;
                                    Cuddly bears for an orphanage in Africa….and the shoe boxes for our own people.

 
 I tried doing some Blue -work stitching by machine, and although I had good designs to work with, I did not like the resulting pieces.

So, once again, I returned to where I started…..handwork!

Two pieces in the six by four inch format were more satisfying for me.
Sure digitised embroidery provides some wonderfully intricate results, but nothing measures up to the satisfaction of hand stitching a design, even if one’s stitches are not as precise as machine stitched work

Using the technique  popularised by Karen Eckmeier I tried making some” accidental landscapes” in Postcard format. With “accidental landscapes, one starts layering at the top of the scene. Each subsequent layer is topstitched in position, rather than the  raw edge applique I normally use.. And instead of using toning threads to sew down each layer I used Superior clear monofilament….I realise now that was a mistake. and in the future will avoid a short-cut in order to obtain a better result.

I wish I could say that I was happy with the resulting landscapes, but feel I need repeat the exercise in a size larger than 6 by 4 inches. Also, adding some Angelina fibre plus a copper thread for “glitter” on the sunkissed water was  “too much” for such a small format.

Cards 3 and 4 I used a softer fabric to represent the sky. and more greens for the hillsides: I still didn’t manage to incorporate the SEVEN that Eckmeier suggest using!
Oh well back to the drawing (and cutting board)
But that will need wait until I complete a couple of other postcards with different themes.

 Using the technique  popularised by Karen Eckmeier I tried making some” accidental landscapes” in Postcard format.
With “accidental landscapes, one starts layering at the top of the scene.
Each subsequent layer is topstitched in position, rather than the  raw edge applique I normally use..
And instead of using toning threads to sew down each layer I used Superior clear monofilament….I realise now that was a mistake. and in the future will avoid a short-cut in order to obtain a better result.

I wish I could say that I was happy with the resulting landscapes, but feel I need repeat the exercise in a size larger than 6 by 4 inches.
Also, adding some Angelina fibre plus a copper thread for “glitter” on the sunkissed water was  “too much” for such a small format.

 Cards 3 and 4 I used a softer fabric to represent the sky. and more greens for the hillsides:
I still didn’t manage to incorporate the SEVEN that Eckmeier suggest using!

Oh well back to the drawing (and cutting board)

But that will need wait until I complete a couple of other postcards with different themes.