Mexican Monday!

My Mexican Jacket........

I searched long and hard to find a vintage Mexican Souvenir jacket that was my size.....

  ....had puffed sleeves.....

.....and pockets!

The image on the back is like a story book. These jackets were often purchased on a Mexican honeymoon (I wish!)as a keepsake.

This is a close up of the wool embroidery - so textured and colourful.

I tried to get a shot of me wearing but looked like either cranky ....

 ...or like an open mouth idiot! Too hard! Sigh!

Being a zig zag.

On the weekend I went to Bendigo - on my own - to stay with my sister Sarah. It's strange to travel on your own when you are so used to always being with little people. It made me realise that I am NEVER alone. It's hard to relax and turn off the watchful-at-the-ready #for drinks-food-questions-injuries-cleaning- toilet-shoes-teaching-nosewiping-rescuing- conflict resolving# part of the brain. It's constant.
 
In fact, on Saturday I was at a loss. Sarah was at her drama group and I was wandering around the centre of town. I had to literally tell myself DON'T PANIC! RELAX!

a) there's no rush 
b) You have time and 
c) permission - to just wander.
d) stop feeling guilty!
 

And somehow I fell into the wandering days of my youth in Bendigo and went to some of my old haunts.

I went to the art gallery, the park, my old high school, book shops and the op shops. 

I found this wonderfully huge printed silk dress (which I will hopefully transform into an equally wonderfully not so huge printed silk dress)

This fantastic book on zig zag needlework.

It's made me realise how being available to everyone as a mother/wife/sister/friend, necessitates the fencing off of the free, wandering, creative part of your mind. The focus is always (over) half on others; work and duty. And they do seem to be mutually exclusive to some extent. You can dabble in the creative life - still dip your toes in and even wade - but you can't dive in and be submerged or swim off into the horizon. It's a zig zag.

Needless to say, I was completely relieved to get home to the brood and all their demands and the parametres they create on my mind ...and they way they expand my heart..

Inspiration

.

Inge Jacobsen is a 24 year old artist based in London. These Vogue covers have been cross stitched by hand over the actual magazine.

This one has been woven....

Inge says on her website:
"Another theme and concept I’m exploring in my work is the ‘objectness’ of a photograph. By bringing the surface of the image to the attention of the viewer I want them to acknowledge the stitched pieces as objects rather than just images. It seems appropriate to be using fashion magazines as women are often objectified within them. There is also a link between the feminine craft of cross stitching and the women’s magazine. I’d like the viewer to see the connection between women’s hobbies from generations ago and the hobbies and past-times of my generation. I can, and have, spent long periods of time reading Vogue magazines just like my grandmother and her sisters spent a long time cross-stitching." 

I think she's onto something.