Too much and then none...

I woke up this morning after the biggest thunder/rain storm EVER last nite to discover...we have no water today! Had to stumble down the shops to buy bottles. Ho, hum.

A good weekend was had with much merrymaking and of course Clutter City market which although it was extremely quiet due to the glorious sunshine was a day well spent gas-bagging with the fabulous Lucie of blu-shed about all things bloggy and etsy-y. Quite refreshing for me as no-one I know has any clue about what it is that I do all day!

Continuing with my clearing out of the house I decided to clear out my paper box. Not the good kind of paper that I love to draw on but he random scraps I have been accumulating for the past decade that I will probably never use. I did however come across this very old sketch that I made about six or so years ago...



...and I quite like it! I'm thinking about reworking it a little and making it into new piece. Love it when that happens!

Also here's an interesting paper purchase. A 1950's fortune telling game. It's around 55 pieces of paper with different fortunes written on crafted into this amazing sculpture...


Some of the pieces of paper are nicely aged and I'm looking forward to using this object in my work somehow.


I'm busying away getting ready for Monday's shop update! Lots of lovely new things coming your way...

Admiring ah-yi's hand carved wooden spoon today...so perfect!

Don't forget!

If you're local, Clutter City is happening this Saturday 24th May 10am-4pm at Norwich Arts Centre. I will be there with the usual wares plus some new prints in advance of the early June shop update that I have in mind. Do drop by!

jennifer (slightly apocalyptic)...

Why is it some days things go so well and other days are sporadic and difficult? Today was good, see above for evidence. I try and get used to the bad days.

Gemma Draper = beautiful jewellery

Got any junk?

Dirty old bits of paper appeal!

I've told you about how I've been clearing out years of accumulated rubbish from my home these past few weeks and well, I'm starting to feel a bit lonely without mountains of junk around me.

So that's why I thought I would launch my 'Dirty Old Bits Of Paper Appeal' as of today! If you have or come across on your travels any old paper, cardboard or surface to which water soluble paints will adhere please drop me a line or leave a comment. Here are the specifics of what I am looking for...

• paper, card or any porous surface that can be drawn/painted upon that is old
• the more aged, dirty, stained, ripped the better
• any shape or size
• envelopes and letters
• found notes and lists
• book covers and pages - specifically with any handwritten notes, doodles or children's scribbles
• record sleeves (the insides can be perfect)
• journals, diaries, tablets, notebooks with blank or used pages
• photographs, the backs of photographs or card frame/wallets these sometimes come in are great
• cardboard boxes, game boxes, large size puzzle pieces
  

Please note that with book related paper I am not looking for full pages of printed text, dedications and titles are acceptable though. Also, I am up to my eyeballs in ledger paper right now.


I have tried 'want it now' on ebay to no avail and although my local charity and antique shops can have good stuff one small city can only yield so much!

If you have something I am interested in I can pay cash (paypal if outside of UK) if you have a price in mind and it's within my budget or pay the postage if you just want to offload some stuff. Obviously if you wish to just make a donation to a poor, starving artist and want nothing in return for it I am up for that too.

One of the best examples of some great paper I have come across is a couple of years ago when I found an old wooden ironing board out in the street. I thought to myself 'What a great find!?' and lugged it home. Unfortunately it's owner had abandoned it because the actual board was just crumbling into dust and I couldn't fix it. However there was an old paper, heat reflective cover within the layers of old covers on it. It had years of water marks and wrinkles all over it and it was that beautiful yellow-ochre aged colour that I love so much. Bingo - into the paper stash. I still have a few pieces left for a rainy day.

If you have or find anything you think I may be interested in you can get me at admin@oliviajeffries.com...cheers!

Someone must have coughed on me.

Wasn't it only five minutes ago that I told you I had a cold? Ugh...now another. Someone must have coughed on me. This makes me want to live as a recluse and have no contact with the outside world.

Despite illness there is work going on in the studio...see above for evidence...a bit too big for the ol' scanner. Did I mention the whole A3 scanner furore. Needless to say I don't have one so you won't be able to see bigger drawings in all their glory.

Oh, and I'm in love with the work of John Copeland,
found via Aesthetic Outburst.

Good day to you!

Why so quiet...?

I could tell you about what I ate for breakfast but the likelihood is you're not to interested in my cereal. Apart from last weeks Dooce craziness there is not much to report right now other than some sunny weather for a change - hurrah! One of the main things that has kept me busy is a major clear out of our home...lordy lord we have an almighty amount of crap to get rid of and I have been doing my best to save it from the dump! See above image for the boxes of evidence. I have a charity pile and an ebay pile...and these piles just keep on growing. I have been told that I have become slightly 'obsessive' with my clearing out and organizing (and I will admit to a mild addiction to Unclutterer which has spurred me along no end)
but the truth is that since graduating my Fine Art degree a good 8 years ago now I have drifted around wondering how on earth I was going to channel my creativity and hopefully make some kind of living from it.

Art school did nothing but scare me off of trying to make visual art for a living so instead I looked at maybe becoming...a world renown knitwear designer (or something) and so purchasing all of the necessary stuff to accompany each area of design I became interested in. So now I have a house chock full of stuff (knitting, gardening, interiors, fabric) that I feel it's time to get rid of it in order to create some kind of focus. And it feels fantastic. My studio is gradually becoming the haven of calm and creativity I have always wanted.

I'm working on some new prints for a shop update towards the end of the month...

...and I will endeavor to post before that happens!